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Behind every sweet smile there is a bitter sadness no one can see or hear.
It hurts to leave a light on for nobody.
Nobody knows this better than Chad Charming.
He isn't the person most people would think of when they think of the word 'alone' or the word 'lonely' or the word 'unloved' but that was exactly what he was.
He hadn't always been that way, however.
Once when he was younger, he had, had it all.
A loving grandpa.
Loving staff in the form of Duke and Prudence.
Two loving uncles.
A loving fairy Godmother and her kids and niece.
A loving aunt and three loving cousins.
3 loving mice.
A loving dog.
A loving horse.
A loving cat.
5 loyal and loving friends, and a sure way to college in the form of sports.
A loving little sister.
2 seemingly fair and loving adoptive parents.
He had the world at his fingers as a child and hadn't even known it.
But as all things do, everything changed.
His uncle James was dragged off to the isle and then a few years down the line, his Aunt,Anastasia, and her kids were too.
Then his grandpa died.
Then Prudence and Duke followed.
Then Fairy Godmother and Jacob started to notice just how much Chad stayed over, and started asking questions, and then he wasn't allowed to go over as often anymore because it upset his parents.
Which meant that he was trapped in the castle, left to notice just how often his parents took his younger sister out without even asking if he wanted to go.
Left to realize just how little his parents cared for him.
He tried not to feel hurt.
Not to feel jealous.
Not to feel angry.
He knew his little sister was sick and that his parents just wanted to spend as much time as possible with her when they weren't working in case she died.
But that didn't mean it hurt any less.
And he had been wrong when he thought that it couldn't get any worse because soon his friends started to drift away from him except for Audrey, leaving him to cling to what little remained of all their friendships.
Doug started to resent them.
Jane started to see him as a stranger instead of her cousin.
Ben got busy.
Lonnie got tired of Auardon's bullshit.
Audrey got obsessed with Ben and her crush on him.
And Chad was left behind yet again.
He had to adapt or die, and adapt he did. Though not necessarily for the better.
He straightened his hair.
Neglected his school work.
Threw himself into his looks and sports, and began resenting his sick little sister who he knew his parents loved more.
He acted out, desperate for their attention. Not caring whether it was good or bad.
He lashed out at his friends, driving them away further.
Chad was almost unrecognizable by middle school.
The old him was dead and gone.
Much to his uncle and Fairy Godmother's displeasure.
Audrey was his only confidante and was slowly spending more and more time with Ben, who soon became her boyfriend.
He became M.V.P of the swords and shields team, and the Tourney team.
Colleges everywhere were looking at him, waiting for him to graduate and then the vks showed up.
Behind every sweet smile there is a bitter sadness no one can see or hear.
It hurts to leave a light on for nobody.
Chad, at 18, wasn't proud of the person he became or how he acted towards the vks. But he knew that he couldn't change it.
And he knew that he'd never have his world back.
Now he had left the prince life behind and everything that came with it. Had vanished in the night to see how long it would take anyone to notice he was gone.
4 weeks.
It had taken 4 weeks and his 10 year old sister, Chloe, had been the one to notice when she had been reintroducing their aunt, Anastasia, and their cousins, and their uncle James (and his son Carlos) to the castle and everyone in it.
Like he had never been adopted at all.
Chad knew then that he was never going to return.
Why would he when he so clearly wouldn't be missed?
It hurts to leave a light on for nobody.
Chad knew this still at 24 though the pain had lessened as he had come to expect it.
It had been 6 years since he had left home since he had left Auardon.
And he had slowly but surely made a life for himself as something other than a wannabe trophy husband prince.
He had stopped straightening his hair and had let it grow out.
He had built a beautiful little cabin in the woods and lived almost alone with his many pets.
And as he sat in a rocking chair on his porch, staring out at the sun set, Diamond (his cat) in his lap. Swiggles (his dog) asleep at his feet.His mice (Dagger, Cobalt, and Starlet) rocking in their own chairs on his side, squeaking at his white horse, Colonel…
Gil chopping wood in the front yard.
Chad thought that maybe, just maybe.. It wasn't all bad.