So, this is another SWAC fic, but on a slightly happier note ^^ It was a random story idea I thought up when writing my other fic, Dreaming. So, anyway, hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1
"No. No, no. No, no, no, no, no. Chad Dylan Cooper does not do babysitting!"
Grady thrust a squalling toddler into his arms.
"Well, he does now" he said with finality. "You lost the bet; now you pay the fine. How does it feel to be on the losing side, sucker?"
Chad glared at the chubby girl that had somehow ended up in his arms, saying nothing. He had enough dignity left to know when to remain silent.
"I'll be picking her up at 6.00pm tomorrow. Good luck."
He looked at Chad solemnly, placing one hand on his shoulder.
"You'll need it"
With that, he turned, walking away through the lot. Chad's expression grew incredulous, then angry.
"What the – hey, fat kid? You can't seriously expect me – Chad Dylan Cooper, for crying out loud – to look after a three year old child?"
"Oh, I can, and I am" came the reply. Chad looked down at the thankfully quiet child and shuddered. He wasn't doing this on his own. It was time to call in backup. Flipping open his state-of-the-art phone and holding it as far away as physically possible from the child, he dialled her number. It picked up finally, after what seemed like the hundredth ring.
"Hello?"
"Sonny, it's Chad. Chad Dylan – "
"Yes, I know who you are, Chad. And how did you get my phone numb – never mind. What do you want? We're kind of in the middle of a rehearsal here; unlike you 'actors' we do actually have to work"
He shifted uncomfortably.
"Well...."
"Spit it out, Chad"
"I need your help"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Sonny? Are you still there?"
There was another pause.
"This is Chad Dylan Cooper, right?"
"Not funny, Sonny"
"Sorry"
Another silence.
"Why do you, of all people, need my help?"
'Of all people?' Charming!
"It's a kind of...specialist field of expertise"
He could practically hear the rolling of her eyes on the other end.
"Would you be so kind as to actually tell me what you need my help for, Chad? I need to hurry this up, please, Tawni 's getting mad"
"Children"
"Huh?"
"Children"
"What about them?"
"That's what I need your help with"
"Excuse me?!"
He mentally kicked himself.
"Sorry, that didn't come out right"
She gave an incredulous laugh.
"You can say that again!"
"What I meant to say, was babysitting"
"And since when did the famous Chad Dylan Cooper ever risk moving within the distance of twenty metres from a child?"
He began backtracking.
"I don't like children, ok? They're messy and annoying and spoilt and – "
"Hmm, I wonder who that reminds me of, Chad?"
He uttered a 'hmph' of frustration, wishing he had at least one hand free to throw up in the air. The noise just wasn't complete without the appropriate gesture.
"I did not have a child given to me willingly."
"Who – oh, just forget it"
"Back to the point?"
"What?"
"Can you meet me in the car park as soon as possible?"
"How does thirty minutes sound?" she replied smoothly.
"Thirty minutes? How long does it take you to walk along that corridor? Admittedly, it can get long at times, especially when you're – "
"Chad! If you just happened to forget, I am in the middle of a sketch! Thirty minutes is the best I can do right now!"
"Sorry."
"You should be"
She sounded slightly mollified, despite the sharpness of her answer.
"I'll see you in thirty minutes, then"
"It's a date"
"No Chad, it most definitely is not a date!" she snapped.
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"Good"
"Good!"
They both hung up at exactly the same moment. Chad sighed, looking back at the girl in his arms. This was going to be a long thirty minutes.
In the first chapter nothing much happens, but everything will be explained properly in Chapter 2. Please remember to review - constructive criticism welcomed! ^^