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Chapter Three

Sucker Punched

The night was cold. Sonny hunched her shoulders, burrowing deeper into the dusky brown quilted jacket she wore. Dusk was falling, slowly overtaking the bright orange and yellow hues. The playful colors fought against the overwhelming darkness. Twinkling stars started to dot the sky; the sun's light slowly losing the battle. Her dark eyes scanned the almost empty parking lot until they fell on a tall, blond-haired man walking toward a cherry red Honda. Chad.

"Chad," she called out. Her heart pounded as she crossed the damp cement to where he was standing. He wore a guarded mask on his face. She didn't blame him; there was a lot of history between the two of them, some of which isn't the greatest. "Do you have a minute?"

Chad hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Sure. I've been meaning to talk to you anyways."

Sonny's heart started to accelerate. Perhaps this was going to be easier than she thought. "I've been meaning to talk to you, too." She stepped in closer, a smile lifting the corners of her lips. She was a bit startled at the emotions she felt coursing through her. She knew she loved him - had always loved him. "I've really missed you Chad. It's been weird the last month or so, not talking. I hate that. Us not talking. I hate the way things ended between us."

"Yeah. Me too," he answered. Misery was evident in his voice.

"Really?" She looked at him closely, excitement building where dread had been when he nodded slowly. "I have something to tell you."

Horror crossed his face. "Don't Sonny. Don't say it." He looked down; then looked back up, his features twisting into something akin to resignation. "I'm getting married."

Her lips parted. No. This wasn't happening. "To who?" she cried. She tried to recall if she had seen him with anyone but drew a blank.

"Portlyn. We…that is…she's pregnant."

This wasn't happening, Sonny thought again. Tears started to burn her eyes. She shoved them back. She wasn't going to cry. She had already resigned herself to being alone. Chad marrying Portlyn and having a baby with her didn't change anything. "I…I'm happy for you," she choked out, before turning to stride towards her car. She heard him calling her name but kept on walking. She knew that if she didn't she would blurt out what she had come to say. Chad didn't need anything more thrown at him. Portlyn needed him, she didn't.

The inevitable twilight battle between the sun and the moon came to an end. The night sky had won, as it always would. The flaming hues died down, only to be replaced by a deep blue. That was the night when everything came spiraling down.

"Mommy?"

Sonny let out a sigh, snapping out of her reverie. "Yes, Lizzie?"

"Can I go outside and play with my friends?"

"Of course you can, sweetie. I'm going to go walk the dog in a minute."

"Okay, I'll be right outside."

"Alright."

-

The house was exactly where Zora said it would be. It was one of those Leave it to Beaver kind of neighborhoods, where the lawns were perfectly cut and kids played outside. Sonny's supposed house was crowded by a bunch of little girls.

Slowing his car down, Chad tried to catch his breath. He had replayed the night he had told Sonny that Portlyn was pregnant and they were getting married. She had told him she had something she needed to tell him, something important. He had cut her off, thinking she was about to tell him she had changed her mind - that she wanted to pick up where they had left off. At the time, he had thought he was doing her a favor, saving her the humiliation of hearing he had to choose Portlyn. What a fool he had been. He should have heard her out. He had no doubt that Sonny had been about to tell him about the baby. His mouth lifted up a bit at the corners. Elizabeth Daniella Munroe. What a beautiful name.

Sitting in the car, gripping the steering wheel, he stared out at the group of girls. All of them were the right age. He ruled out the tall, thin girl with coffee colored skin and large chocolate-colored eyes. That left a short, almost pudgy girl with frizzy red hair and glasses; a petite girl with almost white blond hair pulled up in pig tails, and a slender girl with dark chestnut-colored hair and golden colored skin. The red haired girl was ruled out when an older version of her yelled that it was time for dinner and mom said to 'come now, no buts'.

The door to the white, two-story that belonged to Sonny opened. A potbellied golden retriever wandered out first, followed by a familiar brunette. She hadn't changed, really. Her hair was still chocolate-brown, pulled back in a loose ponytail. She still smiled that sweet, girl next door smile. After almost ten years, he had thought he would be over her by now, but she still had the ability to bring him to his knees - to leave him feeling as though someone had sucker punched him.

Sonny looped the red leash on one wrist, and adjusted an iPod with the other. He could hear her call the name 'Lizzie', along with 'Megan'. The tiny blond and the golden skinned girl both immediately tell the other girl 'bye' and run to meet Sonny. It was hard to tell which girl was her's - she was fawning over them both. It wasn't until she patted the paler child and told her that her mother was home, that he knew. What little air he had left when he saw Sonny wrap an arm around the waist of her daughter, tugging the long chestnut-colored ponytail. Their daughter, he corrects silently.

The girl said something to her mother, getting a laugh and nod. She took the leash, bending to scratch the rusty blond head of the dog. The dog could barely walk, his stomach dragging on the ground.

They were a block away when Chad worked up the courage to park his car. Two blocks away when he had the nerve to get out.

Standing on the side walk in front of their house, Chad stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He had every right to go up to Sonny; to demand an explanation. Except she would be there. Lizzie. And she didn't deserve that. He had no clue what Sonny had told her, if she had told her anything. He needed a game plan. He had made the decision to walk back to his car, to drive to his nearly empty apartment, then call. He didn't quite make it. Instead, the dog he thought incapable of moving very fast was barreling down the side walk full speed. Lizzie and Sonny were right behind him. Chad stared in shock as the dog ran towards him. Muddy feet jumped up on his legs, large doe brown eyes stare up at him.

"I am so sorry..." Sonny's voice trailed off as she recognized him. Her face grew pale under her normally golden skin. Taking hold of the leash, she handed it to Lizzie. "Go inside sweetie, mommy needs to talk...just go inside. Please. Wash Button's feet off in the garage, if you don't mind."

Lizzie frowned, looking from her mother to Chad. "Do you know him?"

Sonny nodded. "Um..yeah. He's a...an old friend." The explanation seemed to satisfy Lizzie. She flashed Chad a grin so similar to his own, then bent down to heave Button into her arms. The pair struggled towards the garage, the little girl giggling as the dog licked her face. "I figured you would show up. Just thought I would have a bit more time. Or that you would call first."

It wasn't exactly what he had expected. In fact, it was nothing like he had expected. Then it dawned on him. She knew that he knew. "Zora?" She nodded, crossing her arms. She glanced to the now open garage. Lizzie was wrestling the retriever to the ground, trying to spray the mud from his feet.

"Did she tell you why she told me?"

A/N: Here's the third chapter. Not much of a cliff-hanger. I promise this story will get more exciting as it goes along. I hope you guys enjoyed. Review please?