A/N: Short sort of filler chapter. I'm sorry about the length of this one guys, but you may notice the end being a bit rushed. I'm exhausted today and didn't wanna ruin the rest of the chapter by trying to rush through more of the plot for the sake of getting it done. I'll try and update tomorrow or the next day.

Love the discussion going on in the reviews :P Some of you are really pissed at Chad for yelling at Sonny, or Sonny for not helping Chad. For the sake of argument, sorry guys, I can't insult abuse victims by pretending that Chad would be so forgiving and kind to Sonny for trying to blow what he's dedicated a good part of his life to covering up. That's real life, sadly. As for Sonny not helping him, we have the advantage of being removed from the situation. Chad blowing up at Sonny is realistically going to detach her a bit from logic and reality, especially at her age. Just my two cents, since you all were giving yours :P

Enjoy!

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Sonny laid curled in the tightest ball she could muster on the prop room couch, tears heavily falling down her face.

The night before had been pure hell from the moment Chad discovered his journal. She shut her eyes tightly, willing the pain to go away she remembered the night before. As soon as she'd heard the sound of Chad's car disappear, she hung her head, placed her face in her hands and cried harder than she'd cried in her life. It was a lifetime before she'd managed to crawl over to her purse and fish out her cell phone, tearily begging her mother to come pick her up. She, of course, began panicking before Sonny assured her that nothing had happened to her. Her mother had believed her up until she'd said she didn't want to talk about it. Once she was home, she ran straight to her room, flopping down on her bed, crying herself to sleep. She knew her mother was outside the door worrying. Sonny wished she were cruel enough to open the door and demand she leave her alone, as no one could fix a broken heart.

Her classic fairytale night was ruined. And all because she'd been stupid enough to read the journal with him lying right there next to her. It was bound to happen eventually, but at least if it had been later, she still would have had her fairytale night. Now she had nothing.

No love story.

No Chad.

Not even the boy in the journal.

She'd done this to herself, she thought. She couldn't choose between the 'two' boys, and now she had nothing. 'Serves me, right,' she thought, blinking back more tears.

Chad had spent the entire morning avoiding her. He hadn't taken the long way to the rehearsal hall... She kind of expected that. What she didn't expect was to see him go running every time he saw her. She wanted to hug him again, talk to him, apologize for anything and everything she'd done wrong... She'd given up on doing so an hour into her day, though. He simply wasn't going to let her talk to him.

He didn't seem to have any problem with talking about her in the commissary though.

There was no doubt that he thought he was being quiet and underhanded, but she knew it. She knew he was growling under his breath, telling Portlyn what a horrible person she was, and smirking smugly when she would burst out laughing.

A few weeks ago, this wouldn't have bothered her so much. She would have just scoffed, exclaiming to her castmates that she couldn't believe him, and then just ignored him.

That was weeks ago, though.

Before she was in love with him.

Now it stung, knowing the words were coming from the boy she loved with all her heart.

Sonny eventually turned her head to look at him, hoping that maybe her pleading, tear-filled eyes would guilt him to at least stop talking about her.

She instantly regretted doing so when she saw a nasty bruise on the side of his face. More unshed tears filled her eyes; he'd probably told his castmates that he hadn't been paying attention and ran into a door or something. Sonny knew better. She gasped when he caught her eye, staring at her for a moment before glaring intensely at her, as if daring her to tell someone what really happened.

Sonny sighed as she thought on it. She loved him so much and couldn't stand to see him hurt, but she wouldn't tell anyone, she decided. She couldn't tell anyone. Chad hated her right now, but there was always a chance she could salvage their relationship somewhat, even if it they just went back to their bickering like in her first days at the studio. If she told anyone what was happening to him, it was basically insurance that he'd never even consider speaking to her ever again.

She felt sick as she hung her head and let a few tears fall freely. It wasn't fair... It just wasn't fair that this would all be put on her. A million what-if's racked her brain at once. Why did she have to read past the first page of that stupid journal? Why did she have to fall in love with him? Why couldn't his parents just be loving people that would never lay a finger on their only son?

Tawni made a face as she observed her castmate. She wished she knew what had gone down between her and Chad when they'd left the dance last night. Sonny wouldn't tell her, or Nico or Grady for that matter.

"Erm, Sonny..." Grady offered cautiously, almost as though he were worried and wrong word would set her off, "You haven't eaten all day. Maybe you should--"

Before he could finish, Sonny stood up, dumping her untouched lunch in the garbage before hurrying out of the cafeteria. Tawni, Nico, and Grady exchanged worried glances, wondering what Chad had done to her.

Sonny went immediately to the prop house and flopped down on the couch, letting out another long and hard sob. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately... And every time it had been Chad's fault. It was driving her slightly insane.

After what felt like hours of crying, Sonny lifted her head and blinked her puffy eyes a few times, glancing at the clock. She groaned as she noticed she was going to be late for her rehearsal. She shakily forced herself up, wobbling once she was on her feet. She inhaled deeply and attempted to compose herself. She was Sonny Munroe, and Sonny Munroe was an actress. There was no reason she couldn't go down there like nothing had happened.

Taking one last deep breath, she turned on her heel and strode down the hallway. She didn't get far.

"I HATE YOU!!"

Sonny turned to look over her shoulder, almost certain that Portlyn couldn't possibly be addressing her. She'd done a pretty good job of avoiding Sonny all day, she had no reason to come screaming at her now.

"This is your fault!!" Nope, there was no denying Portlyn was talking to her. About what, though, she wasn't quite sure. She shook as Portlyn backed her into a corner, going absolutely crazy on her.

"You don't know half the crap he puts up with! You don't know him at all!! He goes through enough without you making things worse for him!!"

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes again. She knew very well what Chad was going through... Which only made Portlyn correct.

"P-Portlyn, I'm sorry... I-I'm not gonna bother him again--"

"Shut up," she snapped. "It's way too late for that. Chad's in his dressing room right now and he won't come out thanks to you."

Sonny wrinkled her nose. "You're being a bit overdramatic aren't you? I've been in my room all day too, but you don't see my castmates going bezerk on you."

Portlyn glared intently at Sonny. "On the contrary. They just beat the everliving out of him."