ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

I

Why exactly did he have to be such an ass all the time? Chad Dylan Cooper had pondered this question again and again. Because he was an A-list celebrity? No. Brad Pitt was an A-list celebrity and he was the nicest guy around. Chad hadn't done any sort of charity work since his failed celebrity tennis match. Damn Joe Jonas and his awesome backhand volley.

Because he was great looking? Yeah, well sure. That could be it. After all, beauty is in the eye of the rich and famous. But then it all came back to Brad Pitt again, that devilishly good-looking do-gooder.

Oh, yes. That's right. Chad was an ass because everyone expected him to be an ass. If he were ever to act differently, certainly people would assume something was wrong with him. He was going through an emotional breakdown. He was battling drug problems. He had amnesia.

But as he stood there, watching Sonny Munroe cry at the cookie sell-off, his heart twisted. He had never felt this emotion before. Was it...guilt? Surely this was what the feeling was, and he didn't like it one bit.

He was almost certain that every insult directed towards the bubbly brunette was well-deserved. She had, after all, meddled in his life on more than one occasion. But there was something so needful in the way she looked at him with open arms, relishing in the thought of the hug he had offered her, yet she had never received.

"Buy a box of cookies and I'll give you one." He held up the package of Thin Mints to the sobbing girl, before turning on his heel and speeding back to Dakota Condor's table.

She was sobbing uncontrollably now, tears spilling freely down her cheeks. He waited for Nico or Grady or even Tawni to swoop in and take the girl into their arms to offer her the comforting she so badly needed. But none of them were there, and Zora was beyond angry with her right now.

Chad sighed as he watched Sonny pack up the rest of the supplies and leave, slowly pulling the red Radio Flyer wagon behind her as she left the lot. He cursed inwardly to himself. Now he was going to have to fix this himself.

II

He paced next to her dressing room. She had left her car in the studio parking lot and would undoubtedly return there before leaving for the day. With his heart in his throat, he watched as she walked down the hall, shoulders slumped as she reached for the doorknob. She paid no attention to the blonde-haired actor who waited by the entrance, and he awkwardly followed her inside.

Her face was red and she'd been crying hard, he could tell. With a deep sigh, she finally looked up at him.

"What do you want, Chad? Let's get this over with. I want to go home."

Without saying a word, he stepped forward and pulled her into his warm embrace. She stiffened at first in his arms, until the palms of his hands came up to trace soothing circles on her back. Relaxing at the comforting sensation, she lie her face on his shoulder and cried. Her tears only resulted in him pulling her more tightly against him.

Her hands came up, tugging on the collar of his pink button-up shirt as she sniffled. His right arm still encircling her waist, his left thumb came up to wipe away her tears.

"Let me drive you home," he finally told her, realizing she was too upset right now to possibly drive safely during rush hour in Los Angeles. With a nod, she allowed him to escort her to his black convertible.

He hadn't been able to find the words to tell her that he did care, but somehow she understood.

Because sometimes, actions speak louder than words.

The End