S U M M E R W I T H T H E S T A R S :: C H A P T E R 6
Synopsis: The two hottest shows at Condor Studios are required to go to a dance together. When all goes wrong, Mr. Condor himself sends them on a trip in the Bahamas. Sounds perfect, huh? Well when people plot, lies are told, and people get hurt, it might just be bitter sweet.
Rating: T for language and romance, but nothing you can't handle.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything SWAC.
This chapter has both Sonny/Chad romance and Sonny/Portlyn friendship. It doesn't overpower her friendship with Tawni, though, so not to worry. Grady is also a little OOC, but he's a little peeved already anyway. Onward, readers.
previously on S U M M E R W I T H T H E S T A R S:
He turned to see that Sonny stopped at a bench on the trail and took a seat. Chad looked at her, confused.
"If you're gonna make me cry again, I'll need to be close to the house so I can contain myself until I get up to my room." She explained, a smirk present on her face.
Chad sighed, sadly gazing into her eyes. "Sonny, I'm not going to make you cry." He insisted.
She scoffed. "So, why am I here? What do you need to tell me?"
.:.:.:.:.
"Drink to all that we have lost,
Mistakes we have made.
Everything will change,
But love remains the same"
- Gavin Rossdale, Love Remains the Same
.:.:.:.:.
"I'm here to tell you I'm sorry." He said blankly, yet full of truth.
Sonny's gaze hardened to ice, staring daggers at him. She stomped her foot, aggravated.
"That's all? That's why you drag my freezing butt out here? You could've told me back in my room. Are we out here so you can murder me and then slip back in the house to hide the evidence? Is that what this is about?" She questioned, now standing with her hands on her hips.
"Sonny, I still care about you. You might not believe me because of what I did yesterday, but it's true. I care so much about you, and it's really difficult for me to find a balance between romance and friends. It's like eating frozen pizza with out the cheese – unfulfilling and hard. It's hard for me to be a friend to you when all I've ever known was being enemies. And on top of that, I don't want to seem like a mush ball in front of my cast when we're not even really dating. It's okay for me to be all mushy for a girl friend, but it just seems out of place to do it with a friend." He explained in one breath, nearly gasping for air when he was finished.
Her eyes softened as she took in his situation. She would probably be a little sharp and hurful if she was in that situation, too.
"I understand, Chad. I've been having the same withdrawals, but I guess since I'm so used to being friendly that it cam with ease to me. I don't want you to feel pressured to be my friend, Chad, if it's really that difficult for you. With friendship, your relationship is supposed to come easy. All you really have to do is be civil to the other person. But I don't even know if I can handle being friends with you if it's going to be this hard. Is it really worth it? Or are we just wasting our time on this?" She asked, her tone now softer as he revealed himself to her.
"We're definitely not wasting time on this, Sonny, so wipe that thought from your pretty little head. Any moment I spend with you is worth it, it's not going to waste. Just seeing you smile makes my stomach turn." He gushed, provoking a smile on her face. It made his heart melt, but he would never tell her that.
"But at the same time, that smile is the same one you give to everyone else. And that's what's hard for me. I'm trying so hard just to make you smile, to be your friend, yet you give that warm smile to any other of your friends that don't need to try as hard. It doesn't seem fair, Sonny." He whined, the fairness of the situation not clear to him. It was his turn to stomp his foot. But of course he didn't, Chad Dylan Cooper is all man.
"I suppose it's not. Maybe this will be good practice for you, y'know, trying to be nice to me on a regular basis." Sonny encouraged, her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"Maybe. Just tell me one thing, Sonny. Do you forgive me?" He asked, his eyes visibly apologetic as they pierced into hers.
Sonny smiled, "Yeah. How could I not after what you just told me? It was really sweet, Chad."
"Chad Dylan Cooper is not sweet," he sneered. His confidence faltered when he saw Sonny's hurt reaction. "But Chad does."
Sonny grinned, pulling him in for a hug. They pulled away, a loud whistle roaring in their ears. They turned to see the rest of their casts and the two bosses walking out on to the beach behind them. They quickly jumped apart, running up to greet both of their casts and share with them the news.
They caught up with each other by the time they were down by the shore, awaiting the description of the day's activity.
"Okay, everyone. Today's activity has been modified due to yesterday's events." Mr. Condor announced, standing on a beach chair to tower over the teens, intimidating each and every one of them.
Chad looked down at his shoes guiltily.
"So today, we're doing a partner walk. Two people from opposing casts will be paired up and go on a thirty-minute walk together to get to know each other." Marshall added on.
The casts nodded in approval, looking around the group to see who their personal walking buddies could be.
"The pairs are… Sonny and Portlyn, Chad and Grady, Nico and Chastity, Devon and Tawni, and Zora and Trevor. Please go pair up with that person."
Several groans of displeasure were heard from the crowd, followed by a sharp glare from Mr. Condor that zipped everyone's lips. No one wanted to deny him.
The pairs were organized, and they sat in a chair next to each other. Marshall got their attention, giving the microphone back to Mr. Condor to read out the rules. It would be a much firmer demand if he announced it, for Marshall came off as a fluffy bunny that you are not to take seriously.
"Now listen here, everyone. If any violence or catfights begin during the walk, we'll make you walk. We'll make you walk the PLANK." Mr. Condor roared. Everyone sunk down in their seats, fearing that his punishment was legitimate.
"I'm only kidding. But we will send you back home, away from this beautiful island paradise. If I really did make you walk the plank, I would be fired. And Mr. Condor doesn't get fired, he fires." He clarified. Sonny rolled her eyes, sensing the connection between her boss and Chad. Like boss, like employee.
Marshall was handed the mike. "Okay, you must be on your way. We'll personally check on your progress from our golf-cart and we will notify you when to head back for lunch. Go!" He shouted, the two casts walking out to the beach and regrouping with their partners.
Portlyn met up with Sonny, hooking her arm around hers and pulling her out closer to the beach shore. The other partner groups followed suit.
"So… Sonny. You took that blow from Chad yesterday pretty hard, huh?" Portlyn asked, trying to start on a note that they would both be able to talk about.
Sonny rocked on her feet awkwardly, making no progress on their walk.
"Yeah, I guess. I mean that night – you know which one I mean – some stuff happened that we couldn't really agree on. So we went on, mad at each other, and then decided to get over our differences and try to be friends. It worked out for awhile, actually, but then Chad just got frustrated. He said he just couldn't overcome the way I can smile at anyone who is nice to me, even is he tries increasingly hard to be nice." Sonny explained, a pained expression on her face as she felt for Chad.
Portlyn nodded understandingly. "Yeah, Chad has commitment problems. He doesn't understand friendship problems because of his dad."
"What about them?" Sonny prompted.
"He never truly told me their names. But I think his dad's name was Patrick." Portlyn guessed.
"So…?" Sonny urged her on.
Portlyn snapped out of her daydream.
"Oh, right," she giggled, "he completely betrayed Chad. He was really supportive of him with his move to California, but once Chad began making good money, he took it all and left the poor boy. His mother died when he was only a baby, so he had no one, hence his difficulty with making successful relationships. He never made any friends because he thought they would leave him too. I'm almost glad he didn't make any friends outside the studio, for they would probably be after his fame anyway."
"What about all those girlfriends?" Sonny asked, confused of Chad's motives.
"Chad may have been deprived of it, but he always wanted to feel loved. He wanted a girl there to tell him she loved him, and that she'd always be there for him like his parents weren't. So he dated nearly every girl in Los Angeles so he could find that one girl that would be there for him, and he never found her. Well, until he met you, of course."
Sonny smiled awkwardly, knowing that Portlyn still had minor feelings for him. It must be hard for her to see him in love with someone else.
"He loves you, Sonny. As much as I wish it was me, or at least someone that's not on my rival show, it's you. So know that, whenever he's rude or makes fun of you. That you're the only girl that he's ever truly loved." Portlyn shared, fumbling with her fingers as she looked down sadly.
.:.:.:.:.
"Cloudy," Chad greeted, an amused smirk on his face.
"Chip." The chubby boy retorted, his arms crossed across his chest.
Chad chuckled. "So I expect you think I should apologize?"
Grady narrowed his eyes, "It would definitely be appreciated. After all, I never cheated."
"I was obligated to say something. My cast relies on me to always make us come out on top, and that was my way of improvising. Sure, I may have gone a little far with Sonny, but I'm sorry, alright? All I really did to you was call you a cheater, which you've called me plenty of times." Chad explained, hoping to get this 'sorry' crap over with.
"Who you should really be apologizing to is Sonny. She was more offended than I was." Grady demanded, his hands on his hips.
"I already apologized to her. She accepted it, unlike you."
Grady pulled on Chad's shoulder, bringing their voyage to a halt as they faced each other in some type of showdown. The drama star towered over him, in an intimidating stance already.
"So what shallow ploy did you use to win her back this time?" Grady mused, not moving an inch.
"I didn't use any shallow ploy, mind you. I love Sonny, I had to win her back somehow."
"Listen here, Chip, if anyone is in love here, it's not you." Grady snapped, defensive over his own love life.
"Says the one without a girlfriend."
Grady scoffed, "You don't have one either."
"But I did." Chad reasoned, shaking in rage.
"They were fake, Cooper. Face it, you wouldn't know love if it hit you in the face." Grady taunted, getting in Chad's face.
"I don't think you would know love if it kicked you where you don't want to be kicked." Chad roared, sick of the boy's games.
"Oh, yeah? I bet no one's ever loved you in your entire life." Grady responded automatically, not even caring what he said to Chad at this point.
Chad veins seemed to boil. "Don't go there, Mitchell. You have no idea what you're talking about!" He warned, his eyes angrily piercing into Grady's, hard as a rock.
"I don't, do I?" The chubster laughed.
"Just because my dad left doesn't mean it was my fault!" Chad screamed, catching the other guy off guard.
"Excuse me? I haven't been talking about your parents, Cooper." Grady insisted, taking a wary step back.
"Sure as hell you weren't!" He sneered, holding himself back in case he was to do something very stupid.
"Seriously, dude, calm down. I was talking about you loving Sonny."
"You have no right to talk about that either. I've never loved, or cared, for anyone in my life other than my mother and my father. My mom died when I was a baby and my dad left after my film career took off. If that's not utter betrayal, I don't know what is." Chad spoke, calming himself down. Grady looked on in shock.
Chad continued, "So if I can feel things that severe, I think I know a little thing about love. I know love because love is when someone can make me smile when I haven't since my dad left. Don't ever test my love for Sonny again, you bastard." Chad growled, making Grady's insides burst into pieces just by a glance his way.
"I'm…" Grady began, stopping himself in fear of offending Chad again.
"Don't. " Chad said, prompting them to walk in silence for a few moments.
The golf cart soon caught up to them, ushering the two over.
"How are you boys getting along?" Marshall prompted, his hopes high that no other problems had broken out between the two.
The two stars exchanged a glance, too filled with fear to reveal the truth to the adults. Neither of them intended to be flown home after everything they had been through here.
"We're getting along great," Chad smirked, pulling Grady into a side-hug for good measures. The bosses nodded in acceptance.
"You may head back now. Good job, boys." Mr. Condor ordered, pointing the way to the beach house incase they had forgotten.
.:.:.:.:.
"I guess I can relate," Sonny stated, "I don't even have a father."
Portlyn looked at the other brunette, flabbergasted. "What?"
"He died in a car accident. An 18 wheeler crashed into our truck when he was driving me to the annual Wisconsin Fair. I'm the only one who made it out alive." She explained, her voice shaky by the ending.
"I'm so sorry. How old were you?" Portlyn asked, her heart beating fast.
"I had just turned fifteen. I've always thought it was my fault."
"Why?" Portlyn's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Because my dad insisted that I drive there, seeing that I just got my permit, and I refused. It would've been me and he would have lived if I just listened... We may not have even been in the accident." Sonny explained, a tear slipping from her eye. She hastily wiped it away, looking away as if cursing herself for the action.
Portlyn comfortingly put an arm around her shoulder.
"It's not your fault, Sonny." She insisted.
"Maybe not. But I'll never be able to convince myself. It goes through my mind every day, almost every hour."
"How…" The other brunette began, confused as Sonny always seemed s peppy and bubbly.
Sonny chuckled bitterly. "Sometimes you need to force a smile. In the movies there are happy endings, but in real life there's no pretending."
Yeehaw. Hahah I don't know why I said that. I'm in a western mood today. But anyway, you should like love me right now. Two chapters in a day. That's big for me, considering I usually update once or twice every two weeks. The next update should follow that schedule. I just had some time on my hands and decided to make this a little longer.
I have no idea why I keep killing off Chad and Sonny's parents in all my stories. Hahaha. I guess it's because it gives them a little something in common, sense they don't have much going for them so far.
Okay, so who's pumped for Falling for the Falls? Me! I just wish it was all in one night. Hey, a girl can dream. Haha. So I think I heard something about Chawni? I think I might vomit if that becomes the new couple. Here all of us have been rooting for Channy for months and they deny us? Rudeee.
REVIEW(: there's tons of alerters and a lot les reviewers. It only takes ten seconds.
-S3r3ndipity
