Author's Note: This is for anyone who's been in Chad's position, or for anyone whose had to make hard decisions, while they weren't hard at all.

Choices

"Wow she's really pale…" Devon said staring in space at beauty. Chad looked at his expression disgustingly. He sees right through her! He doesn't love—he doesn't know her the way he does.

"She is not," Chad said in a 'duh' tone. He turned his head to look at her, and wished he didn't. She wasn't pale; he obviously didn't look close enough to see the tan that shimmers, not the pale skin that he thinks shines, in the sun.

He scoffed, "Please Chad, I know my own girlfriend."

'Do you? Do you really?' The thought echoed in Chad's mind. 'Does he know how whenever she's embarrassed, but smiles anyways, she brushes a piece of hair behind her ear? Does he know how her voice falters when she lies, but gets high when she is surprised, NOT the other way around?' Chad groaned, while still looking at Sonny as she hit the volleyball over the net by the beach.

Sonny and her cast walked over by the Mackenzie Falls cast, seeing as the rivalry was long gone once she and Devon started going out. The night was dawning on them, and by the time it was 9:30 at night there was a fire everyone was gathered around. Chad looked away from the blonde girl in front of him, and saw Sonny and Devon nuzzling and giggling. Safe to say, he started feeling sick. Sonny glanced away and caught Chad's eye for a millisecond, and Chad looked away and stood up to go further out on the beach.

"Sonny, maybe we should go behind doors…" Devon said in a low whisper in her ear.

Sonny surprisingly backed away from his touch and objected, "Um, Devon, maybe not, okay? I'm gonna go take a walk on the beach." When she stood up, he stood up as well, and she lifted her hand up to signal him to stop. "Alone." He looked confused at his girlfriend.

Sonny walked away, and eventually caught up with Chad. He turned around surprised she wasn't with Devon and by him instead.

"Hey," she said. "Are you okay?"

"Ya I'm fine," Chad lied. "Why do you ask?"

She shook her head, and they continued to walk, "Nothing, nothing. It just seems like you're mad at Devon or something. I don't why though, you two are best friends!! You shouldn't be mad at him!"

He signaled her to stop, "I'm-I'm not mad at Devon…not exactly. You wouldn't understand."

She scoffed, "And why wouldn't I understand? Try me."

Instead of answering her precise question, he answered it with a question. "Have you ever felt like you weren't good enough?"

"Yes," she said softly to herself. They sat down, letting the waves softly hit their feet.

It was silent for a few minutes, but not in Chad's head. His mind was processing thoughts like a train, and suddenly he blurted out, "Sonny, why are you with Devon?"

"Why do you care?" she snapped back.

"I mean, well, I'm just saying there are a lot of other people who are better for you. Don't you think?"

"You really don't sound like his best friend right now… Chad, aren't you supposed to be the one telling me GOOD things about him?"

"Well—I just, I don't know. I just want to know."

She sighed, "I'm with Devon because he asked, you happy?"

He opened his mouth to object, but she cut him off, "Because when someone likes someone, that's what they do. They ask, Chad! They don't constantly give signs and never do anything about it! They ask!"

He looked at her hurt, knowing she was talking about him. "I didn't expect—"

"Me to go out with someone? Well, you shouldn't have expected me to wait for you, Chad. I can't wait forever."

"Well what about me, huh?! You think I enjoy whenever you actually give Devon one of your smiles, when all I want is for you to smile at me?! And god damn it Sonny, we can't even pointlessly fight anymore because you had to pick Devon, out of all people, you picked Devon and ended the rivalry. Oh my freaking god Sonny, you picked Devon! My best friend!! Are you trying to make me go mad, are you trying to?!"

"Don't 'oh my freaking god' me, Chad Dylan Cooper!! Half the reason I'm WITH Devon is because of you! Because I lost faith in myself!" she blinked a tear, calming down. "Because I lost faith on whether I would ever be good enough for anyone…because…because Chad…you NEVER asked." She whispered, deeply hurt.

He looked at her with pleading eyes, realizing they were standing shouting at each other, and calmed down too. "I wanted to Sonny." He looked at the ground, "I really wanted to." He looked back up at her, "But I'm too late, aren't I?" He walked away leaving Sonny standing there, with tears in her eyes.

Chad walked back to the campfire, ignoring the curious eyes on him as Sonny walked from behind him to sit next to Devon. Her eyes were tear-stung, but Chad hoped he was the only one who could see it. After everyone went back the usual chatter they were in before, Chad still saw Tawni's gaze suspiciously on him. Well, of course the best friend would know when something was wrong.

Sonny's Point of View

As we grow up, we are told to make choices. We are taught that some may be hard while others are… merely simple, and unimportant. They may seem so at the time, but we're taught and prepared to make wise decisions in the life we grow up to. These decisions are supposed to be hard and tough…but I cried because my decision was too easy… I already knew the answer and I already knew that it was supposed to be hard, but for some strange reason it wasn't.

"Hey Sonny! Can you come with me to the bathroom? I need help picking out a lip shade!" Tawni exclaimed and grabbed my wrist, dragging me out before I could object.

The moment we were in, Tawni checked around for whether there was anyone inside. This is a public beach bathroom after all… Then she locked the door and turned to me. "What happened?"

I opened my mouth but couldn't respond, and somehow Tawni understood.

"Chad?" she asked nodding.

I nodded back.

"You do know…what you have to do…right?" she asked.

I nodded again, and let out a breath. "Yea, yea I know."

Chad's Point of View

As we grow up, we are told to make choices. We are taught that some may be hard while others are… merely simple, and unimportant. For me, it was different. To tell or not to tell? To do or not to do? I actually did have to make the hard choice. But if there's one thing I was sure about, I wanted Sonny. And that gave me clarity to know what I had to do. It was so easy, and I was amazed I could be this cruel to Devon. But I had to do it, I had a choice, and it seems like the only choice that would be right, is the one the ends up with me and Sonny together. And yes, I know, Devon may be better for her on a lot of terms. He wouldn't hurt her like I do. He wouldn't fight with her as much as I do. But there's one thing I was sure about again… he wouldn't love her like I do. And in the end…as the corny Beetles song says…all you need is love.

"Devon, can I talk to you?" I asked nervously, standing in front of his view for the campfire.

"Yea, sure man, what's up?" I sighed heavily at his response and sat down next to him.

"You see…the thing is…I—"

"You're in love with Sonny."

I looked up at him surprised.

"I'm not stupid, Chad. A guy can start to tell when his best friend acts different around him and his girlfriend compared to just him and the guy."

I looked down at my hands, at loss for words, at loss for what I should do. "So…what does this mean for you?"

"What should it mean for me, Chad? Do you want me to tell you that it's fine? Don't expect that, okay? But for some reason… I can't be that angry at you. I sort of could tell that you wanted her all along, and yet I still went out with her."

"You broke guy code number 2?!" I exclaimed.

"You broke guy code number 14!!" he exclaimed back.

I sighed, "I'm sorry, I just… trust me, I tried to get over her. Okay? But you can never…just stop loving someone." I said softly.

"Loving?" he smirked. "Did Chad Dylan Cooper just say 'loving'? Wow, if she means that much to you, maybe I should let you be with her…"

I shook my head in protest, although I wish I didn't have to. "No…no, I'm too late."

"Maybe not," I looked up at him. "Listen, Chad… I think you're not, I mean she obviously still cares about you…Probably always has…but the point is, if I end up without her, I'll move on… if you end up without her… well that's a pretty tragic story."

I half-smiled at his words, knowing he was right. "So…can I go now?"

"Yea! Yea, man! Go get her!" he said.

I stood up and smiled, and decided to search for her.

Sonny's Point of View

"Devon? Can I talk to you?" I asked from behind him.

"Well, I've heard that before…" he muttered to himself, laughing. Seeing as I was confused and I didn't get it, I frowned as he looked at me, lifting his head up.

"Sonny, don't talk. We're over. And you know why. And don't look at me like that; I really don't mind that much. But you really have to find Chad, or he'll be the one to mind a lot." He winked at me, and I smiled.

I pulled him into a hug, and whispered a 'Thank you' in his ear. As he pulled away he nodded. I left and frantically turned my head around, desperately looking for a blonde heartthrob.

"He's by the cabin." A blonde told me…unfortunately the WRONG one.

"Oh," I said. "How do you know who I'm looking for?"

"Please, he attempted hitting on me, but stopped once he saw you and your boyfriend. And you could tell 'Oh, that's it. He's in love!'"

I just backed away slowly, from her crazed expression and turned left going by the cabin. I didn't see him inside the cabin after I knocked, and I didn't see around it.

However, I did see a trail through the woods, and although it was dark, the woods weren't that deep, since I saw a figure on the other side and water. I walked through quietly, peering my way through the branches. Once I stepped out, I gasped. The view was beautiful. We were on a hill, which peered over the lake, and allowed you to see the water's beauty and the stars.

He turned his head around once I gasped, and his eyes widened in surprise seeing me, but he didn't move. I sat down beside him.

"It's beautiful." I whispered in awe.

I could feel his gaze on me, so I turned to face it. "What?" I asked.

He smiled, "I almost became cheesy and said you were beautiful instead…"

I laughed softly and so did he. I smiled, "I wouldn't have minded."

He smiled again, and then cleared his throat. "So, I um, talked to Devon."

"So did I."

"And?"

"And… I made a choice."

"And?"

He scooted closer to me subtly, and I picked his hand up and intertwined our fingers. "And I've really missed you." I whispered my face close to his.

He leaned down and kissed me. The kiss didn't feel new, it felt like something I was already used to. But it didn't feel old; it felt like I would never get tired of it. He pulled away and let out a deep exhale. I tugged closer to his chest, and he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer as well.

As we grow up, we're taught to make choices. But there are many times we make the wrong ones. But as I looked up in his eyes, and I reflected on this scene…Me, laying in his arms, looking at stars and water, and him lovingly loving me…I know I damn right made the best choice ever.