As/n: Okay. Hopefully this chapter will not be as short as the last one, but I don't know. Thank you for all of your reviews! Chad's POV in this chapter.

Disclaimer: We don't own HSM. (But we wish we did!!!)

Chapter 3: Perfection Ain't What I'm Looking For

Beep…beep…beeeeeep! (Okay, no.)

Chad groaned as his alarm clock rang five minutes early. He got out of bed and walked over to his computer to check his email. It read:

Mr. Collins Coffee 5:25AM

Taylor Hey! 6:19AM

Mamma Danforth I Heard Something… 6:22AM

Chad opened Taylor's email first.

From: Taylor

Subject: Hey!

Hey, Chad! Are you going to be free for lunch today? Gabi and Troy are looking at houses, and they're going to be near the office around lunch time.

Taylor

Chad smiled and opened his mother's.

From: Mamma Danforth

Subject: I Heard Something Interesting at my Bridge Tournament

Dear Chad,

I heard the strangest thing from Mrs. Bolton at my bridge tournament yesterday. She said that you were getting married to Taylor. I do believe Ellen was mistaken though. I hope you'll invite me to your office sometime today. Do call.

Love, Mamma

Now Chad knew exactly who he would be seeing that afternoon, his mother. He opened the last email hoping for some good news, though the title wasn't promising.

From: Mr. Collins

Subject: Coffee

Mr. Danforth,

My assistant, Ms. Greensburg, is not coming in today. If you would pick up my coffee on your way in, I would appreciate it. It's called Spanish Spice Blend. I want it mixed with half and half (1 quarter cup) and artificial sweetener (just a dash).

Jim

Chad groaned and got up. He walked over to the dresser and threw on his work clothes and grabbed his coat, car keys, wallet, and cell phone. He walked out the door to the hallway of his apartment and hurried down the stairs. He stepped out into the wind of the warm morning and ran to his car.

Driving down the street to the coffee shop, something hit Chad hard in the face: he was getting married to Taylor, the love of his life, and his mom knew even though he hadn't told her yet… oh, Lord.

Walking in the coffee shop, Chad noticed that Sharpay was drinking coffee in a corner of the shop. He waved and smiled at her, but didn't go over to her. Instead he walked over to the counter and ordered his bosses' coffee. Never in his life did he think that he would be getting coffee for his boss.

Later that day:

Chad had just talked to his mother about the engagement. Let's just say, the wedding's already been planed, and it has flying doves, fireworks, boat rides, bands in gazeboes, horse-drawn carriages, red carpets, and everything else but the kitchen sink. His brother had married a professional ice skater, and their wedding had been even more glamorous.

Chad pulled out his cell phone and called Taylor.

Brrring… brrrring… bring…

"Taylor, how can I help you?" Taylor answered her phone.

Chad replied, "Hmm, dinner?"

"Oh! Hi, Chad. Sorry. I'd love to have dinner…" there was a silence at the end of the line, "um… did you tell your family?"

Chad bit his lip, "Yeah. Taylor, is something wrong?" He knew how Taylor felt about his sister-in-law.

"No! No, no, no. Where for dinner?" Taylor answered.

"How about Morton's?"

"Yeah, okay. Bye, I love you."

"Bye."

ooHSMoo

Taylor hung up the phone, and it fell from her hand onto the dirt of her neatly laid flower beds.

ooHSMoo

Chad flipped over his cell phone and laid it on the counter of his apartment.

That night:

Chad pulled out the chair across from him for Taylor, "Hey, honey."

"Hi!"

There was something about Taylor's voice that seemed different. Her smile seemed to be painted on her face with lipstick.

Chad sighed, "Taylor, you sounded really… sad on the phone. Is it because of my brother and sister-in-law?"

"Can we talk about it after dinner?" Taylor asked.

Chad nodded and the conversation went on quite easily. When they finished their dinner, they drove to a park and looked out over the pond. Chad wrapped his jacket around Taylor's shoulders, and noticed a tear flowing down her cheek. But before he could say anything she began to speak.

"Chad, I don't know if I can do this. I mean, your whole family is so perfect. Even your brother's wife is just, flawless. I know that I don't belong there. I mean, look at my family: loud, sloppy, embarrassing," her tears were now flowing down her cheeks freely, one after another after another, "I love you more than anything, which is why I'm saying this. I know that I'm really flawed and not rich and perfect like your family. I don't want to embarrass you or your reputation so I'm telling you that I can't marry you."

Chad grabbed her chin and gently pulled it up so she was looking at him, "Hey, hey, hey," he whispered, "perfection ain't what I'm looking for. If I thought that perfection was the only thing that mattered, Callie Greensburg would be sitting next to me right now."

Taylor laughed at this.

Chad continued, "And something I learned over the past few years of my life is that perfection isn't perfect. You taught me that imperfection is what makes people beautiful. I know that now. I'm telling you now, that you are going to be my wife, and not because you're perfect or imperfect, but because you stole my heart. Everything you do makes me love you even more, and nothing can change that. Not even my crazy mother."

Taylor laughed through her tears.

The silence of the night was broken by two laughs, ringing clear through the night. Ringing to tell everyone that perfection isn't perfect.

As/n: Okay, now it's your turn. Please, please, please review and tell us how you felt about this chapter. Thanks so much!