Summary: Chad and Sophia were the ideal example of a fairytale.. but it had gone to a nightmare.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my ability to make up this story.
A/N: This is a one-shot castfic about Chad and Sophia.
The wind blew heavily and Chad Michael Murray pulled his coat a little closer to his body. It was September. He hated the month. It brought back bad memories. He looked above and saw clouds turning into grey. Turning the whole city into grey. He sighed and walked a little faster. "Come on, Joe." He said to his dog, gesturing him to walk further.
He was just a few blocks near his house, but it was too late. Rain fell from the sky, onto the city. "Damnit," Chad cursed. "I really hate this month."
I never knew
I never knew that everything was falling through
That everyone I knew was waiting on a cue
To turn and run when all I needed was the truth
Chad woke up by the sound of his alarm clock. He turned over to take a glance at it. 06:00. In just a few hours, he would start shooting his tv show again. He spent the whole Summer without his friends, his collegues, and he admitted that he had missed them. But somehow, he did not want to go back. Back to feeling uncomfortable. "Especially in this month," he once again mumbled to himself. "Which I hate." When the alarm clock rang again, he groaned and turned it off. He got up and went straight to the bathroom. He cupped some water in his face and he took a look in the mirror. He looked awful. His eyes were puffy and he had way too much facial hair, he hadn't shaved for months.
After he had shaved and had taken a shower, he walked downstairs. He grabbed his carkeys from the kitchen table and the script for today out of the left drawer underneath it and then walked out of the door. He drove his car towards the set he had come to familiar with the past three years. He pulled the car over at the parking lot and just when he wanted to get out, another car parked beside him. He immediately realized whom's car it was. A dark haired woman, completely dressed in style, stepped out of the car. "Sophia," he whispered. They made eye contact for a moment, but she quickly looked away and walked towards the set.. Never looking back.
But that's how it's got to be
It's coming down to nothing more than apathy
I'd rather run the other way than stay and see
The smoke and who's still standing when it clears
The day was almost done. It had been a hard, emotional, but also happy day. Sophia had not spoken to him once, though. He noticed she had tried her best to avoid him and it had worked, except for the time they were forced to eye each other, for shooting their scenes together, of course. The woman whom constantly haunted him in his thoughts, passed by quickly, causing him to shiver. He hated it how she still made him feel this way. After he had moved on, after she had moved on. He loved her, but he still could not get her out of his mind. Sophia. They had spent two and a half years together and he had meant it every time he had told her he loved her, the time he promised her he would be there for her through anything, despite anything. He wanted to keep his promise so badly. Even though he had already broken it. Even though she probably would not appreciate it. "Chad, are you coming?" He heard a voice yelling his name. The day shooting was almost done; however, he had agreed hanging out with the rest of the cast, talking the Summer over. He did not know if he could stand it, seeing her and not being able to talk to her, touch her. Touch her. Touch her! He disgusted his thoughts. He did not even deserve to think about her. Not after he hurt her so badly. He angrily hit his head with his hands and pushed those thoughts away. "Chad?" He woke up from his daydreams and realised Hilarie had called his name for a couple of times now. "Are you coming?" He walked towards the way the voice was coming and replied. "Yeah, I'm coming."
Everyone knows I'm in
Over my head, over my head
With eight seconds left in overtime
She's on your mind, she's on your mind
He sighed. Somehow he could not get the song out of his head. It was one of Sophia's favorite songs, one of her favorite bands. She would sing it all day long and he would get annoyed by it and ask her if she did not know another song than that one. She would pull out her tongue and continue singing.
His heart ached every time he got one of these memories. He knew he could never get back to them. He would never get back to her. The look of hurt, anger, disappointment in her eye, he remembered so well. Every time he thinks about how much he hurt her, his heart aches and he feels guilty, he wishes he could change it. It was the biggest mistake of his life. But he knows he can't change it. Besides, he had learned from it. He would never do that again, to anyone.
Let's rearrange
I wish you were a stranger I could disengage
Say that we agree and then never change
Soften a bit until we all just get along
But that's disregard
Find another friend and you discard
As you lose the argument in a cable car
Hanging above as the canyon comes between
Chad walked with the rest of the cast. James walked beside him, it seemed like he zoomed out a bit, too. In front of him, Bethany carried her guitar and laughed at one of Mark's jokes. Sophia was walking beside Hilarie, whom would not stop talking.. He was happy he was with his friends again, he just wanted Sophia to be part of his friends, too. It was already hard enough losing her as his lover, as his wife.. And it was even harder losing her completely.
Again, Hilarie got him out of his daydreams. "Earth to the Chad!" She waved her hands in front of his face and he smiled a little. "Seriously, dude, you are way too quiet today. What's going on?" He shrugged it off. "Nothing." Obviously, it was not too convincing, because everyone was looking at him worriedly. Chad could even sense a worried look from Sophia's face, but he could not be sure, because she quickly turned away, not having to face him. "Really, it's nothing!" He said again, hoping they would let it rest. "Okay." Hilarie said. He knew she wasn't convinced but she didn't go further with it.
After awhile, they arrived at the beach. They always hung out there together. Bethany or Tyler would play guitar and the rest would make jokes, laugh, talk about their experiences and sing along. It was always pleasant with the cast, it was never boring.
And suddenly I become a part of your past
I'm becoming the part that don't last
I'm losing you and it's effortless
Without a sound we lose sight of the ground
He helped James with making a camp fire. When it was done, they sat down by the rest of the cast. There wasn't too much space left.. Except for a place beside Sophia. Chad took a deep breath and then sat down. It was cold. It was pretty rare for North Carolina, especially in September, but it was cold. They all sat closer to each other. Chad could almost feel Sophia's body next to his, causing him to shiver. Obviously, it did not make Sophia comfortable either, because she stood up. Chad sighed and shook his head a little, but did not let anyone notice the uneaseness between him and Sophia.
After awhile, Sophia sat down next to him again. While doing that, her hand suddenly met his. His heart immediately started raising. One single touch of her and he craved for more. He expected Sophia to turn away quickly and walk away again, but she didn't. Instead, she turned around, somewhat afraid, to look at him. Their eyes met. He tried to read her eyes, he tried to read what was going on inside her, but he didn't got the chance. Sophia leaned in a little. His heart jumped. What the hell was going on? He looked at her questionetly for one second, but he could not resist any longer. He leaned in too and gave his heart the comfort he wanted for so long. He gave her one of the most passionate kisses. He stroked her face and he helt her in his arms, his lips never leaving hers. Everyone could see it, but they didn't care. Finally, they were each other's again. Something they had missed for so long. They never wanted to lose each other ever again. And he was never going to hurt her like that again. They were both finally happy again, in each other's arms. Sophia stopped for a moment. She helt her breath for so long, she needed some air. Chad looked at her. He brought a hair hanging in front of her face behind her ear. He smiled. "I love this month."