A/N: The next chapter of All's Fair in Love and Randomness is in the works, people, I swear! This was just a little in-between break fic that I thought of while watching Sonny With a Chance of Dating last night.
So just so you know, yes, I did cut some unnecessary dialogue from the episode out of the story. Some of the lines weren't needed for this fic and just sort of slowed it down.
So while watching this eppy last night, I sort of realized they don't really explain why Chad tagged along on Sonny's date, or why he agreed so easily to be her fake date, so this is my interpretation of it. Enjoy!
---
"Date, Sonny, tonight, James?"
He wasn't making any sense, he knew it. But the words seemed to spill out faster than he could control them, and were becoming jumbled in his attempts to sound like he could care less.
"Just tell James to back off of Sonny," Tawni demanded.
Chad made a face. He vaguely wondered why Tawni would even ask him to do so in the first place. Couldn't she just tell James that herself? Come to think of it, why did she want to tell him at all?
"Wait, why do you want him to back off Sonny?"
"Why do you want him to?"
The words felt as quick and sharp as they'd come out. He hadn't been expecting that question. To be honest, he wasn't sure he knew the answer himself.
"I-I never said I did," he muttered, folding his arms.
"Oh, your lips say I don't care, but your eyes say I do care!"
Chad blinked a few times. Was he really that readable? So readable in fact, that Tawni seemed to be able to read an emotion he wasn't even aware he was having.
"So you just tell your little friend to back off!" With that, Tawni turned on her heel and strutted off the set. Chad rolled his eyes, sitting back down. He didn't care. Not a chance. Who cared who Sonny was dating? It was none of his business. Not at all...
He stood up quickly as James stepped off the stage, waiting for his cue to get back on set. Chad hurried over and made his point as quick as possible.
"Dude, are you taking Sonny out?"
James raised an eyebrow. "Why do you care?"
"I don't!" He clenched his fist nervously, realizing that had come out a bit too defensive.
"Yea, I get that from your eyes," he answered before heading back onto the set. Chad pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
'For being such a great actor,' he thought to himself, 'you sure do a lousy job of hiding how you feel.'
He ran a nervous hand through his hair. What, exactly, was he feeling? He'd already guessed that maybe there was a pang of jealousy there. He wasn't sure why though; Sonny wasn't, and never had been his. But to admit to being jealous would be to admit...
Liking Sonny.
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It didn't feel all that bad to say it, to be honest. In fact, it felt kind of nice to finally get it out in the open. He liked Sonny.
He liked Sonny.
He smiled to himself, a little embarrassed that he let something so little get him so worked up, but he couldn't seem to say it enough. He liked Sonny.
The smile slid off his face as he realized what else he was feeling, however.
He was actually a little... scared.
He couldn't explain why, but he felt scared for her. Whether he thought James was going to hurt her physically or emotionally, he wasn't sure. He only knew he was feeling scared.
With that, he stood up, checked his watch, and hurried out of the studio.
---
He barely noticed Tawni when he arrived at the door. The fact that she was sitting next to Sonny barely registered in his mind. All he could see was James staring at her. He tensed up as he observed the way he was watching her. The idea of her with someone else was just... Who did he think he was, moving in on his Sonny?
'Not your Sonny,' he reminded himself.
Still, he couldn't take much more of it. He quickly sauntered up to them and slid himself into the booth next to James.
"Sorry I'm late, what I miss?"
Sonny slumped in her seat looking embarrassed, he noted.
"Er... Tawni likes chicken fingers and ski ball!" James answered. "What are you doing here?"
Chad twisted his mouth to side, trying to come up with an excuse. "I... came to hang out with my bro!", he lied. Sonny glared at him, obviously not buying it. "What are you doing here?", he asked, finally acknowledging Tawni.
"What are you doing here?" she spat.
James looked at Sonny. "What are they doing here?"
"What are we still doing here?" she answered, cheeks red with embarrassment.
"Do you wanna make a break for it? I know how to tuck and roll..."
"I am right behind you."
Chad narrowed his eyes. No way was this guy heading off anywhere with his Sonny where he couldn't keep an eye on her.
'Not your Sonny,' he repeated to himself, pulling James back before he could go anywhere. Tawni was doing the same to Sonny on the other side of the table.
"So!" Tawni spoke up. "Who's up for some chicken fingers and ski ball?"
An awkward pause followed. Rather than answering, Sonny simply turned her head away while James nervously drummed his fingers on the table. No one seemed to be brave enough to break the silence. Through it all, Chad couldn't help catching a glance at Sonny.
She had one leg crossed over the other and her arms folded across her chest. She had a scowl on her face. Chad closed his eyes and sighed quietly. He knew he was making her angry by being here, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. He stomach turned at the thought of what would happen the second he got out that door.
He tried to gather his thoughts and calm down. What was he so nervous about? James wasn't that bad. He could be a jerk sometimes, but what did he expect him to do to Sonny? He wasn't at all sure, but his instincts were overruling his logic at the moment. And if there was anything he'd learned from his acting career, it was to always follow his instincts.
He opted instead to keep looking at Sonny. He knew it wasn't good to keep staring. But he couldn't pull his eyes off her, almost feeling that if he looked away even for a second, James would get away with her.
Chad cleared his throat nervously and slid lower in his seat when Sonny's eyes locked with his. She glared again before turning to Tawni.
"So..." Sonny piped up. Chad jumped, thinking for a moment that she might have been addressing him. "How about you and I partake in a friendly game of air hockey?"
Chad opened his mouth to object before realizing she wasn't speaking to him.
Tawni shrugged. "Eh, it's not really my--" Sonny cut her off by grabbing her arm and dragging her out of the booth.
Chad kept his eyes on her the entire way to the table. James seemed to pick up on this and sighed dramatically, resting his chin on his hand. Chad rolled his eyes.
"So... having a good time on your date?"
"I was until it was so rudely interrupted."
Chad willed himself not to lose his temper. "Yea, Tawni's a piece of work, right?", he said sarcastically. James expression softened a bit at the mention of Tawni. Chad furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and followed his glance over to the air hockey table. Tawni and Sonny appeared to be arguing about something.
"Oh man, she is so cute when she's angry..." James said. Chad frowned. He knew Sonny better than James ever could. And he wanted to make sure James knew that. So he scoffed as though this weren't news to him.
"Sonny's always cute..." He desperately fought back a blush and stuttered. "Sh-She can't do anything without it being cute..." Realizing the effect she was having on him, he shook his head and growled, "Stupid cute..." His mouth twitched nervously.
"No dude, I am talking about Tawni!"
Chad felt a lump form in his throat and turned to face James. "I-I'm sorry, I thought you just said Tawni." He knew it. He knew there was a reason he'd come along. James obviously thought Sonny was nothing more than a pretty face, and no good could possibly come from it.
"Oh, she hates me so much... I love it!"
Chad grimaced a bit, almost able to relate. He would never say that out loud to anyone though, much less James. He just stared at him in complete disbelief. It was a good thing he had an amazing sense of self control. At this moment he wanted nothing more than to tackle the guy to the ground, demanding that he treat his Sonny with more respect.
'Not -- your -- Sonny.'
Tawni, obviously done arguing with Sonny, stormed out of the arcade. Sonny walked back to the booth and slumped into the seat, still pouting. Another awkward silence followed.
"Man... I thought she'd never leave," Chad mumbled.
"Listen Sonny... Maybe we should try this again later," James muttered, standing up.
Chad's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Not only was he standing Sonny up, he wasn't even going to bother breaking up with her. Chad noticed tears forming in her eyes as she nodded. They obviously went unnoticed by James, who kissed the top of her head before leaving.
Another pause...
"Sonny I--"
"Save it." Sonny held a hand up to silence him. "I can't believe you. What's your problem, why are you here?"
Chad bit his lower lip, thinking about what to say. He didn't have to tell her he liked her to tell the truth, did he?
"I just... W-Wanted to come along. You know, James is kind of a jerk, and I just--"
"Oh, and you're not?" Chad reeled back. He'd been called a jerk by her plenty of times, but this one stung for some reason unbeknownst to him. "There's no excuse. You ruined a perfectly good date for no reason at all. Is it because you don't like the attention being off you, superstar?"
Chad closed his eyes. He knew what he was about to say would hurt her, but he'd rather it be him than James. "He's going to break up with you Sonny."
Sonny looked shocked for a moment, but quickly frowned again. "That's low, Chad. Extremely low. Making up rumors about him so that you can ruin yet another good thing for me?"
"Sonny, I'm not lying. I just want to--"
"To get us to break up. Because that would take the spotlight away from you wouldn't it?" With that, she turned away and stormed out.
"--protect you."
---
It was clear Sonny had been crying, but he knew he shouldn't care. He did warn her after all. But the fact that she'd trusted him enough to come to him with this problem made him give in. He nervously patted her back, worried she would pull away, but sighed in relief when she remained still.
"I'm sorry Chad... I should have believed you. I was being stupid... So stupid..."
Chad offered her a tissue and gave her a weak smile and she dried her eyes.
"You don't need a jerk like him anyway. Don't worry about it..."
Sonny chuckled a bit. "Actually, me and Tawni are planning a bit of revenge on him. That's why I came to you."
Chad raised an eyebrow. "Elaborate?"
"Well... If I start dating someone else, he'll want me back. And then me and Tawni can both break up with him. So... do you think.... you could be my fake date tonight?" Chad scrunched his nose.
"Your... fake date?"
"Um, yea..." Sonny repeated, looking confused.
Chad sighed. It wasn't a real date, but it certainly was a step in the right direction. Chad nodded a bit and put a hand on her shoulder. "W-Why wouldn't you ask Grady or Nico to do that for you?"
Sonny swallowed nervously, as though hiding something. "B-Because you were the one that told me about James, and... S-Since you seemed so interested, I thought you might wanna help."
Chad didn't seem to notice a word she'd said, or that he was leaning in closer to her. He finally realized what he was doing when Sonny turned her head at the last minute and his lips met with her cheek instead.
"Chad, please...", she whispered. Tears began welling up in her eyes again. "I'm in no mood right now." She turned around and began walking out, stopping at the doorway. "I'll meet you there at six."
Chad rested his forehead in his hands, sighing deeply. He wanted to kick himself for moving too fast.
And he had a reputation to think of, he reminded himself.
Oh yes, he would definitely keep his promise to Sonny.
But he was going to make sure she knew he didn't like it.