A/N: I know I should be updating my multi-chapters. But prior to this, I have published 19 stories, and 19 is such an odd number that I had to write one more to even it out. :P Hope you enjoy! This is inspired by an episode of Full House.
All for Charity
I am crazy. I am insane. These are the thoughts running through my head as I stand up here on the stage, dressed in a crisp tuxedo and waiting for my name to be called. Now, I know what you're thinking. 'Chad Dylan Cooper? Crazy? As if.' But let me assure you, I am now officially crazy. Because first of all, I agreed to this ridiculous mess. Secondly, I actually went through with it instead of bailing. And now look at where I am. All because of that stupid smile. I'm going to kill Sonny. Not literally, of course. But I'll definitely exact my revenge. Because this is just low. Low, that is all I can say. Low.
By now you're probably annoyed, wondering what exactly is going on. Well, I'll tell you.
Two days ago...
I knew something was up. I knew it right when she walked up to me with that huge grin on her face and those pleading eyes. She was going to ask me for something. And I was going to end up saying yes, no matter how much I wasn't going to want to.
"Cha-ad," she sing-songed happily. "I need a favor." This sounded familiar. I knew it did. Oh, that's right. Because she had used this method on me before. And you know what's sad? I had fallen for it then, too.
"A favor?" was all I trusted myself to say.
"Yup!" She nodded vigorously, still beaming. "You see, I'm in this organization, Celebrities Contributing to Causes, and - "
"Wait a second," I interrupted. "You're in an organization called CCC? Sonny, Sonny, Sonny." I shook my head as if disappointed. "What did I tell you about trying to get over me? Being a member of a group that pretty much has my initials is not going to be helpful with that." Sonny rolled her eyes before continuing.
"Anyways, the rest of the organization and I have decided to have an auction, to raise money for the people in Haiti. So - "
"Ah," I cut her off again, which made her cross her arms angrily. I smirked. "So you want some of CDC's treasured belongings so you can make money off of them? Are you sure you're not just going to keep them all for yourself to have something of mine always with you?" Sonny blushed bright red with both embarrassment and fury, and I laughed. It was so fun to make her mad.
"No, that's not what I want, and even if I did, it would still be going to charity and not into my bedroom!" she declared loudly.
"Ooh, your bedroom, Sonny? That's not what I had said. Is that what you're thinking of?" She glared at me for a few moments before she attempted to recollect herself, smoothing down her shirt and taking a deep breath.
"Okay. Whatever. The point is, we are not doing the kind of auction you're thinking of, the one where we gather belongings from celebrities and auction those off. We're auctioning off people."
"Whoa whoa whoa. Chad Dylan Cooper is a free man. He isn't about to be auctioned off!" I protested immediately.
"But Cha-ad!" Her voice got a little whiny. Did you know I can't stand whining? I'll do almost anything to make it stop. "It's just for one night. You'll get a date out of it, a rich one. And all the money will go to the people who really need it. It's a win-win situation," she wheedled, the smile reappearing. Sonny can really be very persuasive.
"You have to tell me three things first," I bargained, just so I could say that there really was a reason for my doing this.
"You're the star of Mackenzie Falls, the number one tween show, you have the best-tasting sandwich in the whole cafeteria, and you're the greatest actor of our generation," she recited easily without missing a beat. Seeing the look on my face, she grinned. "I practiced in front of one of your cardboard cutouts." Was I really that predictable? Don't answer that.
"Fine," I groaned, already regretting it.
"Fine!" she smiled brightly. Of course she would be happy. Things had gone her way. Yet again.
"Good," I retorted.
"Good! I'll see you on Saturday night; wear a tux, I'll pick you up at five-thirty, so I'll make sure you won't bail." Before I could say anything, she dashed away. "See ya Saturday night!" she called out as she ran, sparing the briefest glance and grin for me. I shook my head wearily. What had I gotten myself into?
Return to the present...
And there you have it. I, Chad Dylan Cooper, am a pushover. But at least I still look ten times as good as any of these other "celebrities" up here. It's crazy how many people joined this crazy little scheme. I mean, I can see the Jonas duo (they're minus Kevin, I don't think his wife liked the idea of him going on a date), dreamy Zac (ew), pirate (and supposedly the sexiest man alive - multiple times! As if.) Johnny...well, you get the picture. All the guys currently lining the walls of teenage girls across America. I wonder how Sonny got all of these guys to agree to this stupid auction. I hope it wasn't the same way she got me.
But I still look better than all of them. Even Sonny told me I looked nice when she came to pick me up. Mhm. That's just how good-looking I am.
Someone on stage with all of us dashing gentlemen (You know it's only one dashing gentleman) speaks into the microphone, and all of the buzzing girls settle down. They're not even really girls - more like females of all ages. I can see a girl who reminds me eerily of Dakota, but there's also some granny whom you'd expect to see in a nursing home rather than at an auction. Is she a pedophile?
Dreamy Zac is up first, and the bidding starts at 1,000 dollars. Hands all around the room shoot up, and they continue to stay there for awhile. Oh, come on, ladies. Can't you see that Chad Dylan Cooper is here? Zac eventually sells for 10,000 bucks, to some blonde twenty-something who is wearing one of the most revealing dresses I've ever seen. I wonder what Vanessa's thinking right now.
Joe of Jonas is up next, and the bidding starts at $1,000 again. Fewer hands shoot up, and I discreetly snort into my hand. I've never really liked Joe. Anyways, he's sold for $7,000 to a hottie who's drooling over his "muscles." We've already earned a lot of money. I wonder whether I can just bail now and hand them twenty grand. Would they accept it? Probably. Money is money, after all.
Joe's younger, more talented bro steps up next, and a flurry of hands shoot up. "Nick, will you write me a song?" is distinctly heard coming from the crowd, followed by a ripple of other questions. This is when I'm glad I'm not a composer. Poor guy has to go on a date and write a song. He announces to the crowd that he will sing a song, but not write one. The hands still stay up, and the JoBro sells for $9,000. Ouch to his brother! Haha.
Wait, what? I'm up next? Crap. I walk to the center of the stage slowly, flicking my hair as I do so to show the ladies what I've got. Hands shoot up. I can hear a ton of numbers being shouted, but I can't really make out what they are. And then she comes.
She's amazing. She's gorgeous. She's - wait for it - Selena Gomez. I hear a loud gasp from someone near the back, and I know that it's Sonny. I can just tell.
"I bid 15,000 dollars," Selena announces, much to the shock of everyone else in the room, including me. Geez, I didn't know she was so into me. But you know what that means? It means I beat dreamy Zac! I mentally pump my fist.
"Well, then." The auctioneer seems a bit shaken. "Um...$15,000 going once, twice - "
"16,000!" All heads turn towards the figure in the back who just called out. The person steps forward...and it's Sonny. Her face looks stricken, as though she doesn't know why she just said that. Selena, on the other hand, is positively beaming.
"17,000!" she replies, still grinning. I don't understand at all.
"18,000!" Sonny claps her hand over her mouth after she says it, another slip of the tongue. Ha! Yeah, right. I am so holding this over her.
"$19,000!" Selena responds, and Sonny takes her hand off of her mouth deliberately.
"$20,000!" Whoa. This is...amazing. I guess I don't need to hand the auctioneer that twenty grand after all. These girls will do it for me! And neither of them are exactly bad choices. Selena turns to me and smirks, winking and mouthing 'You're welcome.' I don't know what she's talking about, but I smile and nod back anyways.
"Well! $20,000 going once, twice, sold to Sonny Munroe!" The auctioneer bangs his gavel, and just like that, it's settled. I have a date with Sonny Munroe. Sonny, of all people. I'm so glad she persuaded me to do this. Was this her plan all along, to finally go on a date with me? She didn't have to spend twenty grand for that…if she had ever just hinted, I would have asked.
"Sonny," I say to her once I walk off the stage to meet her.
"Chad," she replies in the usual manner, but she's slightly shaken. "I'm sorry about that, I don't know what happened." Selena's standing right behind Sonny, frantically mouthing words to me. Not that I can tell what she's saying. But I don't need to. I've got my own plan.
"I think I do," I say in a low voice.
"I just – I felt so…strange when she called out her bid. I felt - " she breaks off, somewhat embarrassed.
"Jealous?" I ask, a hint of conceit in my voice. Sonny takes a deep breath.
"I wanted to rip her hair out." I let out a small snort before popping my collar. What can I say? It's pretty flattering.
"Well, there's nothing stopping you. But I personally think that since you paid so much money for tonight, we should get going on this date." I gaze deep into her eyes, and suddenly we're both going under that spell.
"I'll pay," Selena announces, walking up to the two of us. I blink rapidly a few times, trying to clear the daze from my head, as Selena hands Sonny a check. For twenty thousand dollars. Sonny holds it in her hands, her mouth agape, and now it's my turn to mouth words – Thank you. Selena nods, a knowing glint in her eyes.
"But - " Sonny starts to protest.
"No buts. I'm paying. I know you can't. So I will. But Chad has to pay me back." Selena turns on her stiletto heels and walks away before I can say anything.
"You mean Selena only did that so I would bid for you?" Sonny asks, starting to comprehend. I shrug, making sure Sonny knows I had no part in this plan, before putting an arm around her shoulders.
"Who cares? Let's make this a night to remember. After all, I'm spending $20,000 on it. Might as well make it worth my while." And as she grins back up at me, I know that even twenty grand might be worth this chance for a relationship with Sonny. After all, perhaps it's not just for one night. Perhaps it's going to affect the rest of my life. You never know. Besides, if it doesn't work out, I can always tell everyone that I did it all for charity.
A/N: Please review. Thank you.