Chapter Nine
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter, everyone. It means a lot! Make sure to keep it up :P So yeah, keep reading and hopefully enjoying!
Quick question. I am wondering if I should end this story in the next chapter, or make it last longer. What would you guys prefer? I certainly wouldn't mind making it longer(:
Chad's POV
"Ugh," I groaned, rubbing my temples, eyes squeezed shut. I turned groggily to the right and held the pillow over my face.
"Yeah, he's up," I heard a voice say in amusement. Doors slamming, voices raising in the background, everything started clearing in my head. I cracked my eyes open and stared curiously.
"Where am I!?" I exclaimed, sitting up, eyes spinning around the room. A nurse looked at me with bored eyes, hands clenched around a clipboard. So, I was in the hospital. Joy. I moaned again and rubbed my head.
"You're in a hospital," The nurse enunciated, rolling her eyes. So, I got a back talker. I offered an eye roll of my own and narrowed my eyes at her. "Thanks. Is anybody here?" I asked hopefully.
"Sure." The nurse studied me. "You seem okay. I guess visitors are allowed." The nurse flounced out of the room and I saw her talk to some people; I couldn't see her face because although the walls were clear, the bottom half portion were a thick cream color. But, I could see the top of the heads of the seated persons, and one was brown haired. Hope soared in my stomach- had Sonny come to see me?
Realization hit me. Craig! The kidnapping! The shooting! Panic filled up my eyes and I sat straight up, fists clenching. Why was I in the damn hospital anyway?
"Hi," Sonny's frame appeared in the room, the door clattering with an annoyingly loud sound. She looked tired, but she had changed her clothes, and her hair was shiny and bouncy as usual.
"Sonny! You're okay!" I grinned at her. Sonny opened her mouth to reply, as she sank into an armchair.
"Holy crap, did I get shot?" My voice rose an octave and my jaw dropped. That would explain a lot- the hospital, the grogginess, the fact that Sonny was speaking to me. She snickered and couldn't hide a smirk.
"What?" I was offended. "I got shot protecting you!" I added defensively. Then I hit the 'Assistance' button on the table next to me, and when I heard the intercom pick up, I shouted "Can I get some decent clothes please?" I looked with disgust at this retarded hospital gown.
"Chad," Sonny laughed, walking up to my bed and sitting on it. "You didn't get shot. When Craig went down, you fainted," She giggled.
I blinked and threw my head back against the pillow, feeling low. "I fainted, like a girl," I muttered.
Sonny laughed again. "Whatever. I'm just glad you finally woke up. You've been out for like three hours." She informed me.
I sat up again and eyed her. "Three hours? So what's been going on then?" I asked casually. Maybe if I changed the subject, she might forget what I had mentioned three hours ago.
"You can't tell me who I can and can't hate! Nobody can! And guess what Craig? I DO care, and I will ALWAYS care, because this is Sonny we're talking about, and I love her, and won't let you screw with her life anymore!"
"Well," Sonny said carefully. "Not much. I think everything's going back to normal. I talked to the media, and to my Mom, and to your parents too, Chad, and practically the whole town. A special addition of the paper came out, we're both in it," She reached into her bag and tossed a newspaper at me.
"HOLLYWOOD'S HOTTEST COUPLE CAN HOLD THE HEAT" the clever title screamed at me. The article presided to talk about Sonny's letter, Craig Zynder Fanon, me going to save her but getting kidnapped too, the five days we spent there, and then escaping but Craig returning, all leading up to Sonny being a heroine and me ending up in the hospital.
"How could they say we're a couple? That's pretty stupid." I retorted, throwing the paper on the floor.
Sonny was quiet a moment. "Yeah." She said finally. "But, um, did you read the caption under the picture of us?" She didn't look at me, just handed me the paper again, a blush spreading across her cheeks. I threw her a confused look but scooped it up again.
At that moment, Tawni burst in. "Chad, you're okay!' She said perkily. "Sonny, you've got a call in the lobby," She flipped her buttery blonde hair and nodded.
"Alright. See ya later Chad." She eagerly ran off with Tawni. I tried not to be that offended. After all, just because this was over didn't mean we were on good terms again. I wasn't even sure if Craig was dead. Besides, I hated Sonny. She hated me. I was just going to go back to the hating thing. Sonny made my life suck, after all. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been kidnapped.
"Chad, just read," I shook my head angrily and examined the caption. The picture showed me and Sonny at the cafeteria down at Condor Studios. She was smiling up at me, and I was smiling down at her. "Who took a picture of that?" I murmured. Then my eyes widened as I read, then re-read, the caption, heart sinking.
There, for millions to read, and to ruin my reputation…was the quote.
"Chad Dylan Cooper states his feelings proudly for all to hear as his final seconds tick by: 'You can't tell me who I can and can't hate! Nobody can! And guess what Craig? I DO care, and I will ALWAYS care, because this is Sonny we're talking about, and I love her, and won't let you screw with her life anymore!'"
Sonny's POV
"Alright, Mom." I nodded, leaning against the wall in the hospital's lobby. "Yes, I will call you before I go to sleep." I was starting to lose patience with my over-protective mother.
"Well honey, I've been thinking." My mom spoke up. "Maybe you should come back home to Wisconsin. People don't kidnap or shoot people there,"
My eyes bugged out and I gasped. "NO, Mother! I'm not leaving So Random!, okay? I have to go, the receptionist is giving me dirty looks for hogging the phone," I quickly hung up and faced Tawni.
"Girl, I've missed you!" She trilled, slinging her arm around me. I was slightly surprised at this sudden burst of comradeship. "Grady does NOT make a good new best friend, he wouldn't let me do his makeup or anything," She spilled.
"Well, I've missed you too Tawni," I grinned up at her, glad my life was going back on the right track.
Minus the fact that:
Chad said he loved me and everyone knew now, although he also keeps reminding me he hates me. Mixed signals are never a good thing.
My Mom wanted to take me back to Wisconsin.
Nobody had told me if Craig was dead or not.
"So, did you see People magazine?" Tawni asked eagerly as we strolled down the hallway. She had one in her sparkly purple bag, and she thrust it in my face. I stopped in my tracks. There, on PEOPLE MAGAZINE, was a picture of Chad and me, and the words "Chad to Sonny- I love you! Full story inside."
"Wow," I murmured. "Usually we're just in Tween Weekly. This is…this is big." I sucked in a breath. I wondered how Chad would take this? How was I taking it?
Tawni glanced at me curiously. "Sonny, did you two talk about it?"
"Well, no." I said carefully. "Because we're kinda in a fight and he probably didn't mean it. He was probably acting. What he wants is for me to say I love him too, then he could laugh and say he just did it for dramatic effect," I crumpled the magazine up and chucked it at the wall. My feelings were a complete mess right now.
Tawni seemed oddly serious. "Somehow, I don't think so, Sonny." She replied. "You know you're the only person Chad's ever cared about." She added.
"That's not true," I huffed.
"But it is," Tawni jabbed my side with her elbow.
"Fine, I will go talk to him!" I threw my hands up in frustration. We neared Chad's door. "But do me a favor, Tawn- find out if Craig is dead, okay? Nobody tells me anything." I left a smirking Tawni behind and crept nervously into Chad's room.
"Hello?" I sang, looking around, arms folded across my chest. No luck; nobody was here. My heart sank when I noticed the paper, ripped up on and sprinkled across the floor.
Apparently he hadn't taken it well.
"Guess I'll just wait," I rose my eyebrows in exasperation and plopped down on the bed.
I looked around, bored, and my eyes focused on the table: Chad's shiny black cell phone was perched on the top, a spotlight seemed to glimmer on it and angels seemed to sing.
"Finally!" I whispered. "I can see where I am!"
After I maneuvered it so that I could open it, I clicked on the page full of lists of contacts.
"Guys, blondes…" I muttered, spinning down the list. I wasn't in any category!
"Wait, I know what to do…" A light bulb dinged over my head and I pulled out my own phone. I quickly called Chad, then studied his phone.
"Sonny Munroe (Special People) is calling! Answer or Ignore?" My heart started beating rapidly.
I'm a special person to Chad?
I found the Special People list on Chad's phone. It was: Mom, Dad, Aunt Teri, Jake, Sonny.
Wow.
"What are you doing?" Chad's voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up, guilty, as Chad stormed in. He had apparently gotten a shower because his hair was slightly damp and clung to his face in a cute manor. He was wearing a baby blue tee shirt with a white button down shirt open over it, and jeans. It still astounds me when he looks casual. He really should dress like that more often.
"Nothing!" I squeaked, flashing a smile. Chad ignored me and grabbed his phone from my shaking palm. Angry Chad is never a pretty picture. (Well, obviously he's always good looking, but the angriness can come off as slightly threatening)
"Going through my stuff?" Chad accused, shoving the phone into his pocket, eyes shooting daggers at me.
"So!" I said perkily. Chad glared back at me, and I felt a drop of sweat trickle down the back of my neck.
"So." Chad said flatly.
"Did you…did you read the paper?" I coughed, then eyed Chad hopefully.
"Yes," Chad admitted, beaming at me. "And it's true. I love you Sonny. You're amazing. Will you be my girlfriend?"
I sighed rapturously and smiled. "I love you too Chad!" I confessed, and we locked in an embrace.
"Yes." Chad snapped. He stormed over to the bed and grabbed the papers laying there, and started for the door. I rolled my eyes impatiently; when will I learn my daydreams never grow into reality?
"Stop," I grabbed his hand as he twisted the doorknob.
"What?" He shouted at me. "You get to be the hero, and now my rep is ruined?"
I gaped incredulously at him. "This is about your reputation?" I sputtered. My hands flew to my hips. How could he ruin this moment? This could've been romantic and perfect, but Chad Dylan Cooper got in the way of everything.
"Yes!" Chad said like it was obvious. "My reputation NOW is some lovesick loser who's in love with the new girl at Chuckle City! Totally not what I wanted!" Chad pounded his fist against the door angrily.
"You are so superficial!" I yelled. "How can you go from a sweet, normal guy to a conceited Jerk-throb in one second?"
Chad glared down at me. "Well how can you go from a nice, funny girl to a mean one who disses people for no reason?"
"If you refer to the videos AGAIN, I'm going to hit you!" I exclaimed, raising a fist for emphasis.
"No you won't," Chad smirked.
"Try me!" I huffed, aiming for his shoulder. Chad grabbed my fist easily and held it there.
"Look." Chad said in a softer tone. "You don't get it. My rep is everything."
I took a deep breath. It wasn't easy to relate to Chad. We were so different. But if my Mom had thought me anything, it was to treat others as you would like to be treated.
"I get that Chad." I replied calmly. "But that's your problem. You need to realize there are bigger things in life then magazines and TV shows. I thought that maybe we could put all this crap behind us after all we've went through together. I thought you loved me!" I whispered that last sentence.
Chad looked at me for a few seconds, and I was hoping he was having an epiphany.
He took a deep breath, rolled his eyes, and left the room.
My bottom lip quivered as I watched him leave. I sank to the floor and buried my head into my knees. I didn't deserve this, did I?
A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I thought "Maybe I do."
Where does love go? I don't know.
When it's all said and done.
How could I be losing you forever,
After all the time we spent together.
I have to know why I had to lose you,
Now you've just become.
Like everything, I'll never find again,
At the bottom of the ocean.
