Behind the Veil
a fanfiction by Emma

AN: Hey guys, I just want to let you know I found a quote that I think fits Chad perfectly for this story! I might be changing this to the summary to draw more people in, so here it is:

I've built a wall, not to block anyone out, but to see who loves me enough to climb over it

I'm not exactly sure if it DOES fit, but tell me your thoughts about it in your review please! :)

Chapter Six

Fall
Beginning November

I don't understand girls.

Aren't I the one who sound be saying nothing? Aren't I the one who should be ignoring eye contact?

Apparently not. Apparently Charlotte is the one who's doing that.

I guess I can understand ... I was the one who ... well .... you know.

Maybe that's my problem, I can't say it to myself! Or even think it! I should be able to say "I ..." you know "Charlotte!" but I can't! I'm incapable! I suck.

Why does she have to look like ... well ... you know. Why? Why!? I hate this! I hate it! I was good until I moved here! I was fine suffering on my own in my little house in Hollywood.

Well ... maybe not.

I should probably say it to myself, say what I did. Why I did it. Maybe that'll clear my mind from it. If I just said it out loud.

"What's wrong with you?" Kreg asked me as me put groceries in the bag.

"Nothing." I grunted.

"It seems like something, something you're not telling me." he said.

I sigh and roll my eyes, "It's none of your freakin' buisness." I snapped at him.

"Fine, fine. ... Mr. Grumpy." he mumbled.

I pushed my hand through my hair, and continued to work.

"It's about Charlotte isn't it?" Kreg continued to say, "I heard you two were somewhat of an item. I already made up a couple name for you, it's 'Chad.'"

"Kreg, that's my name."

"No ... no, it's the 'C-H' from Charlotte's name, and the 'A-D' from your name." Kreg said.

"Exactly," I sighed, "And that spells C-H-A-D. Chad. My name."

"Well, it was either that or 'Char-lotte', and that's even lamer. Almost as lame as 'Channy.'"

Channy.

"Y'know, you and Sonny Munroe's couple name. Yeah, it was kinda weird."

"I-I have to go to the bathroom." I said quickly walking away.

"But you're not done your shift yet!" Kreg yelled after me.

If I just said it out loud, everything would get better. Maybe I could go and actually talk to Charlotte instead of just walking into the diner, ordering something, eating it, hardly talking to her, paying, then leaving.

Like the first day I went back to the diner. She said nothing, nothing about what happened. It was a simple question like,

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Coffee?"

"Um, sure."

"What about food?"

"Um, just a burger or something."

"So what is it?"

"What is what?"

"A burger, or something?"

"Um, a burger."

"Okay, everything on it?"

"Um, yeah, sure."

"'Kay, I'll go get that for you."

Something that simple. I didn't understand it, she wasn't bugging me about "talking" about it, she was bugging me about it at all! It was insane!

She was the one going, "Oh Chad you HAVE to talk about it! Blah, blah, blahblahblah!" and now ... NOTHING!

I don't understand girls.

This had been going on for about a week, and finally I decided to stop it.

It was about nine o'clock at night when I knocked on the diner door, the diner was closed, and the door was locked, but Charlotte was in there wiping down the tables and putting the chairs up.

When she heard me tapping on the door she walked over and let me in.

Rushing past her I said, "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" she asked in confusion.

"You're not bugging me about it!"

"Bugging you about what?"

"About ... me ... well ... you know." I mumbled.

"No, Chad, I actually don't."

"About me kissing you!" I cried, shocked about how I actually said it.

"Oh ..." she breathed, "Yeah, that."

"Yeah!" I said nodding my head, "You're not bugging me about it, you're not talking to me about it! Why?"

"Because you're obviously not ready." Charlotte said simply, leaning against a table, "You have never wanted to talk about it before, and I don't think that's going to change automatically. So I decided instead of pushing you, I'm giving you time. Unless ... you're ready now?"

"No ... no." I whispered, "I'm not ... it was just ... different."

"Okay ... well ... you do know, you can come to me when you're ready."

"Yeah, I do. And ... I-I will."

"So ... we're good?"

"Yeah, we're good." I said with a smirk, "I only kissed you because ... I thought you were Sonny ..."

"I know."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Yeah ... well ... I'm still sorry."

"Okay then.

"Yes."

'Okay."

"You know what I noticed?"

"What?" she questioned me.

"You kissed back." I said, my smirk widening.

Her mouth widened in shock, "I did NOT!"

"Did to."

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"HA!"