Part 2: Walk a Mile in my Pants

It's been two months since I've seen Chad, after our potentially embarrassing confrontation on Gotcha with Gilroy Smith. A week after the show, both shows had went on hiatus and I'd flew home to Wisconsin for the duration. I'd come back just in time to organize my walk-a-thon for books and then it was back to work for the show and trying to figure out what Chad and I where.

Chad and I had talked at least once a day over the summer, but it just wasn't the same as seeing each other in person. I'd been talking to Tawni, Nico and Grady when I'd first seen him and his cast walk into the commisionary, I'd happily walked over to him, told him about my plans for the walk-a-thon and the jerk had the nerve to tell me that he was holding a walk-a-thon against mine.

I'd fumed the rest of the day and a good chunk of the night about his walk-a-thon until a knock came at my apartment door.

I opened it to find Chad.

"I'm sorry, it's just that my cast put me up to it," Chad said. I stepped aside to let him in, closing the door behind him.

"It's fine, I just want to know what you are going to do with the money."

"Probably just anonymously donate it back to you. Doesn't mean I'm not going to rub it into your face, though."

"Than I'll just have to keep complaining about your walk-a-thon against mine."

"Deal, I'm really sorry, Sonny, this wasn't how I wanted to see you for the first time in two months."

"Chad, don't worry about it, you want to watch a movie?"

He said sure and we picked out a movie and watched it. I put my feet on his lap and enjoyed some time that we didn't bicker. He never brought up the walk-a-thon while we talked.

We talked about what had happened over the summer, what we'd done, who we'd hung with. Sure we'd talked all summer, but it's just not the same as face to face communication. I feel asleep on the couch as the end credits rolled.

What a day, I thought. I hadn't figured that my walk-a-thon would turn into a trip to the ER for all participants of each walk-a-thon. Chad wouldn't be over tonight, he was still in the ER, I'd been so ticked at him after he keep going on about how much he loved… raising more money than us that I'd nicely informed the doctor to let his legs just chill out in the stupid pants for awhile.

I wasn't even sure if they'd gotten him out yet. My phone buzzed, signaling that Chad was calling.

"Yes, Chad."

I heard sobbing on the other line. "Sonny, come get me."

"You're parents should come get you," I told him.

"No, they won't, they didn't like me spending 220 dollars on jeans that put me in the hospital. Please come and get me out of these things."

"Why do I feel like there is more?"

"Just come and get me."

"Fine, I'm on my way."

I hung up and left to drive to the hospital that Chad was in. The drive wasn't to long from my apartment. Getting Chad to come with me, on the other hand, that's what took forever.

The doctor had informed Chad that he needed to read more or he'd get stupid, that had sent him into a tail spin, then when I asked where I was taking him, he shut down completely and I had to take him to my apartment where he would spend the night.

"Sonny," Chad said as we set down on the couch, "I'm really glad that I had you to call on. Here's a check for what we raised."

He handed over a check and I noticed it was a personal check, he was paying me out of his own pocket.

"Chad," I said, "when you where saying that you loved raising more money than me, is that what you really meant?"

"That's my little secret, Sonshine," Chad smiled before grabbing my legs and putting them on my lap.

"Chad," I said some time later, we'd put on a television show and we'd both watched it in silence.

"Hum," he looked at me, his blue eyes sparkling.

"I can't and won't be a secret couple."

"Sonny," Chad asked after we'd gone quiet again.

"Yea," I said, wondering if he'd finally say something about my couple statement.

"I think your really cute, you looked really great in Tawni's jeans."

"You admit checking out my fine behind," I laughed, a smile spread over my face.

"Yea," he said, this would normally freak me out, but it didn't, in fact I kind of liked it.

"Chad," I said, putting my feet back on the floor, getting up to head to bed after a long day.

"What?"

"Don't ever check out my behind again," I smiled then sauntered out of the room, feeling his stare on my retreating backside. "Night, sleep well."