Dance Across My Memories

Sonny Monroe is a hopeless romantic.

People would probably find that hard to believe, though, since she's on a comedy sketch show. They expect an immature, zany, giggly, and optimistic girl, behind and in front the camera. And what they receive is an immature, zany, giggly, and optimistic girl. (Sonny was never one to disappoint anyways.) But what they don't know is that Sonny Happy-Go-Lucky Monroe is a genuine hopeless romantic at heart.

--

She dreams of finding true love one day. That there's going to be a young man who is going to secure her from the cruelties of the world as he wraps his arms around her, kiss her forehead when she's feeling down in order to make her smile again, dance with her while the rain is pouring heavily from the gray skies, and love her until no end. Laugh all you want, hurt her feelings, and call her names, but nothing will ever be powerful enough to make her stop believing in true love. She knows that he's going to come someday. Fate has written her story, and the chapter where Prince Charming arrives just hasn't been reached yet. But he's still coming. He's still coming.

Sonny even has her first romantic dance all planned out.

He was going to be in a black suit, all fresh and clean. He would be flawless, gentlemanlike, and charming by all means. He was the absolute image of perfection, and it makes you feel special to know that he's all yours and only yours. You, on the other hand, would be in your favorite summer dress, gold woven into strands, elegant yet sweet all at once. He smiles at you, thinking the same thing, that you're his and only his.

He would take your hand, kiss it with a light smile, and you would blush as you attempted to restrain your giggles. He was such a sap, so corny, and cheesy. But he knows that you just dream for the sappiness, the corn, and the cheese. This was why he was doing this, isn't it? He then would offer you to dance without any hesitation. You respond saying, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." And really, you wouldn't.

He takes you into his strong arms and holds you in them, as if it was a shield from any harm around. You feel safe when you're with him, like you're dancing on the clouds as stars fly around you. As you lay your head against his shoulder, you close your eyes. You're imagining, dreaming, that you two were dancing in the middle of the skies, up high, close enough to reach Heaven.

"I love you." He whispers gently. His eyes sparkle like lights dancing within them.

"I love you too." You reply. And you would grin as if you had every intention of lighting up the world, outshining the stars above.

He leans down and kisses you softly. Just softly. But it love written against your lips.

But she knows that something like that only happens in movies.

--

Some days are glorious, gifts from God himself. Others are just dreadful, like tonight. It is Tawni's dance party, a high society one that was located in the prestigious Beverly Hills. Now, Sonny didn't even want to attend the party in the first place, but after Tawni's umpteenth whine, she didn't have much of a choice but to accept the invitation and just go.

So here she is as of right now, watching everyone dance against each other vibrantly as she stands in the corner like a wallflower. She knows that it's a dance party, but the fact that she hardly knows anybody in this noisy room and how no one is even bothering to look at her prevents her from moving one inch from her spot. She 'likes' her spot anyways. No on there to irritate her, no one to drive her into a terrible mood (worse than it already is right now), and no one to embarrass her in any way. No, correction: she 'loves' her spot.

Sonny sighs dejectedly before rubbing her eyes tiredly. Why is she here again? Something about promising Tawni, right? Where is Tawni anyways? Oh, all she wants to do is go home. Home sounds lovely right now, curling against the fire, that warm blanket around her, smiling as she takes a sip of her hot chocolate. Then he comes in and joins her—and then she realizes that she's thinking like a hopeless romantic again. No, she needs to act like she's having the time of her life, because she's immature, zany, giggly, and optimistic.

Immature, zany, giggly, and optimistic.

Suddenly, a slow song begins to play. To Sonny's displeasure, it was a song that she didn't even enjoy. And so another reason why she's standing against the wall adds up, joining the other useless excuses. Maybe she won't look too pathetic this time. Wait, no, she still does.

Sonny sighs again to her utter discontent. When will this party just end?

She doesn't know why or how, but Sonny grows shocked (and almost shrieked) when someone immediately pulls her onto the dance floor, mingling in between the sea of teenagers. "What?" She whispers, still puzzled.

"Shhh, just play along." He instructs.

Sonny frowns once she comes in contact with those (absolutely gorgeous) blue eyes. "What are you doing, Chad?" She asks irritably, a tone she uses on him so often. (But secretly, she's glad that he pulled her along.)

"My ex-girlfriend is here. She's been looking for me the whole time. If she sees me dancing and talking to you, then she might leave me alone for a while." Chad explains, his eyes scanning the room for that ex-girlfriend he clearly does not want to confront again.

"Ugh, you are so insensitive, you know that? That girl is heartbroken and just wants to talk to you, and you can't even give her that? What is wrong with you?" Sonny asks with an eye roll.

Typical. It is just so typical of him. But is it surprising? Not in any way. Sonny has known Chad far too long, memorizing him from top to bottom despite the hopeless fights and heated arguments in between. She knows that he's just this kind of guy. Mr. Date her then Break her. He isn't Knight in Shining Armor material. He's absolutely beyond that.

"Just shut up and help me. Pretend you're talking to me." Chad instructs.

"I am talking to you." Sonny replies with a scowl.

"Talk to me like you're swooning."

"I will not!"

"Gah, fine, but will you at least smile?" Chad asks. His voice shows the frustration he really had, but his face manages to mask everything else since he is smiling, a smile that was meant to charm a girl and pull her heartstrings.

Sonny, obviously not affected, forces a smile in return. "Happy?" She grits through her teeth.

"Oh, ecstatic," Chad says sarcastically.

"I don't get why you couldn't grab another girl to dance with—"

"Oh God, I see her!" Chad whispers as his eyes widen with worry. His hold on Sonny instantly tightens. His arms are wrapped completely around her waist, pulling her completely against him. And Sonny can't help but shift around his hold uncomfortably as Chad practically squeezes the life out of her.

"Chad—can't—breathe!" She huffs.

"Look romantic," he whispers, relaxing his grip on her a little.

"W-what?" Sonny squeaks.

"Look romantic," he repeats gently, his lips pressing against her ear lightly.

Sonny awkwardly wraps her arms completely around Chad's neck as she lays her head on his shoulder. They dance quietly, just listening to the sound of the music playing majestically around them. The uncomfortable feeling between them slowly changes. Sonny feels…feels…feels like she's in one of her dreams, one of her fantasies.

She can't help but close her eyes as her head lies on Chad's shoulder. And she certainly can't help the smile that accidentally crept onto her lips. This moment is actually, well, perfect. Perfect is the only thing to describe it, and perfection has always been the thing she has dreamt for. The way he dances with her—it's almost as if he has secretly known her fantasies and is making them all come true one by one.

Then it hits her: is Chad actually the boy who's giving her that hopeless romantic dream she has always yearned for? And is she…happy about it?

"Chad, we're moving in circles." Sonny giggles once she realizes that the room was spinning.

Chad blushes in return out of embarrassment. "Sorry. To be honest, I'm not good at dancing." And Sonny thinks that that is probably the most modest thing she will ever hear from Chad.

"It's okay. At least you know how to distract a girl with your so-called charm from your incapability to dance." Sonny teases.

"Oh, so apparently my charmed failed you then?" Chad plays along.

"No, don't worry. You still managed to charm me. I just happened to notice the fact that we're spinning like a couple who has never learned how to slow dance." Sonny replied without even thinking. Her eyes widens once she realize the words that she just spoke. Chad, on the other hand, looks at her with the same amount of astonishment (and is that a sign of conceit intertwined with glee sparking in his eyes?).

Before Chad manages to open his mouth and speak though, a group of people run over to them and wrap a long, thick stream of green wrapping paper around the two, making sure that it would be almost impossible to get out. They were forced to press completely against each other, no air in between them at all.

"Whoa! Chad, you got yourself a keeper!" One of Chad's friends, Sonny guesses, calls out. The rest of his friends laugh as Chad's cheeks burns even harsher than they did earlier.

"Yep, maybe this one will actually last over three months!" Another one jokes.

"Shut up. You know I would never date Sonny." Chad retorts, obviously done with the jokes.

But Sonny immediately dashes out for the exit once those words registered into her brain. She ignores the silence that follows her and the voice of Chad whom is calling her name repeatedly. Because really, all she could hear is the sound of her dreams shattering.

--

Sonny didn't cry. No, she's too much of a strong person to shed tears over something petty like Chad Dylan Cooper. He is not even worth the simplest amount of heartbreak. Girls who date him waste their time, their effort, their love… And Sonny now knows that she doesn't want to be that girl. She may be Sonny Monroe, the sunshiny girl who puts on that act that she's always smiling, but in reality, she's vulnerable with a fragile heart. After all, all hopeless romantics are indeed vulnerable with fragile hearts.

So who cares if her first perfect romantic dance was ruined by a band of careless boys (who were in fact Chad's friends, so that explains even more)? Who cares if Chad made it even worse by saying that he would never date Sonny, hurting her more than she expected? Who cares if Sonny fears dreaming again; that she's scared that they will all end up as broken pile?

She certainly doesn't.

"Hey," she hears him whisper uncomfortably.

"What do you want, Chad?" Sonny asks irritably again, that same, soothing tone that he was so used to. She doesn't dare move her eyes, knowing that it will just end up hurting her more.

"I came to a-ap-polog-gize." Chad forces the word out, like he's not used to saying sorry (which he probably isn't).

"Well, apology not accepted. Now leave me alone." Sonny mutters indignantly.

"Stop being difficult, Monroe, and look at me." Chad says, tipping Sonny's chin up so that she had no choice but to look at him. "Hear me out. My friends were being idiots and were just joking around. I just said that to get them to leave us alone. I'm…I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"Hurt me? Why would you hurt me? It's not like we were dating or in the progress of dating." Sonny replies quickly. But she's just lying again. Whether she'll admit it or not, she's definitely hurting.

"The fact that you pulled away from me and fled out of the club gave it away." Chad uttered. Sonny continues to act stubborn, her eyes moving back down as she glares at her shoes. It's a look that is ready to drive Chad over the edge. "C'mon, Sonny, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that this whole apology thing is ready to kill me." He whines, practically begging for Sonny's forgiveness.

"Just go away." Sonny mumbles.

"But—but what if I make up to you?" Chad tries one more time.

"And how would you even do that?" Sonny asks disbelievingly.

"Well…I do owe you a dance, don't I?"

"You're kidding, right? You think I'm gonna dance with you after what happened? I don't care if your ex-girlfriend is a psychopathic freak who's obsessed with you. I will not dance with you—"

Chad interrupts the rambling girl by pulling her against him, one arm around her waist, another around her back. His fingers are tangling with her strands of auburn hair, running through them gently. Despite the fact that Sonny wants to pull away, she just can't find herself to. And they soon begin to dance slowly across the side walk into the streets.

"Why are you doing this?" She whispers.

"Because I know you, Sonny, and I know that you're those types of girls who dreams for that perfect guy, that perfect date, that perfect dance, and that perfect kiss. You're a dreamer."

"So you're doing this in favor of me?"

"I'm doing this because I like you. Now, I'm trying to give you your perfect dance. Stop talking."

Sonny giggles as she wraps her arms around Chad's neck again, her head resting back on his shoulder—just the way it's supposed to be. She smiles as she closes her eyes, feeling Chad's head resting against hers as they danced in the middle of the empty street with no music playing and a sea of stars above their heads.

This may not be what she planned.

But it was close enough.

A/N: Just a short, pointless one-shot that's based loosely on what happened to me and my crush (who gave me the freaking lovebug!) on Friday. (Ha, and get this, he's my very own CDC. You got the whole love/hate relationship package, and he even says, "Is it? Is it really?" to me--which annoys me, though, since I only allow Sterling Knight to say that :p) This story kinda represents what kind of person I am too :D Anyways, I hope you like it! Even though it's pointless haha.