First time publishing here. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think. If there is enough interest, I'll keep going. I don't want to bore anyone. :-)
*As alway, I own not the characters or the show, just the thoughts in my head and my laptop.*
"You have to be joking!" I stare incredulously at Marshall.
"No, Sonny." he sighs "I'm afraid not. Mr. Condor, himself, came down and told me."
"No. This can't be happening." I slip down onto the couch in the prop house.
"You should look at this as a compliment." Marshall says. "He likes your work and, trust me Sonny, there are not many people who can say that. It's a great opportunity for you and, really, you don't have a choice."
"But… but… with Chad?" I know my voice is sounding a little whiney, but I can't help it. The biggest break of my career and who do I get stuck with but Chad Dylan Cooper. Ugh! Mr. CDC himself… on a totally irrelevant side note, I wonder if he realizes his initials are also for the Center for Disease Control. Hmmm.
"I know. You're plane leaves next week after the final show of the season. I'll have all your information and tickets ready for you after you sign out." Marshall gives me one last worried look before turning away.
"Good luck Sonny. I think you may need it." He mumbles.
My castmates and best friends come rushing into the room after he leaves and bombard me questions which I really don't feel up to answering, but I grit my teeth and focus on them.
"What is going on Sonny?" Zora
"There is something wrong isn't there?" Grady
"Come on! Tell us what he said!" Nico
"I'm still the pretty one, right?" Tawni
"Mr. Condor has chosen me for the lead in a new movie." I say as calmly as I can.
"Oh my G! That is awesome!" Grady and Nico high five each other and give me a hug.
"Why did he pick you and not me?" Tawni looked at herself in the mirror to reassure that she is still the pretty one.
"Why aren't you happier?" Zora asks after watching me for moment.
"Yeah. Why aren't up doing your happy dance, girl? This is good news!" Nico asks raising his eyebrow at me. "You should be jumping up and down and giggling like a loon right about now."
"Didn't I tell you the best part?" I roll my eyes at them. "I have a love interest, a leading man. The greatest actor in his own imagination and biggest pain of my life."
"No!" They all exclaim.
"Oh yeah." I sigh and plop back down on the couch. "My big break into movies and I'm starring opposite Chad Dylan Cooper. Mr. Condor hand picked us."
The all sit down around me. "This just sucks." Grady groans.
"Where are you filming and when?" Nico asks.
"I leave after our season finale and we're shooting somewhere in the Midwest. The movie is called Mischief Makers. I don't know the exact details for it yet but I guess I'm suppose to be a 19 year old who is raising her twin siblings after their parents die in a car crash. The twins decide that their favorite, over-worked older sister needs a little fun and love in her life."
"It sounds like a great movie for you." Grady says, trying to cheer me up.
"Yeah, listen guys, I don't want to think about this right now. It's time to go rehearse anyway." I get up and walk out the door to the studio with the rest of them trailing me quietly.
Rehearsals go off with out a hitch but still fall a little flat as no body is really in the mood for being funny… at least I know I'm not. We all go back to the prop house and gather up our stuff. Nico and Grady run making plans for an epic video game-a-thon that night. Tawni waltzes out mumbling something about shopping for a new pair of shoes she wants to buy. Zora is, well, I don't really know where Zora is to be honest. Zora is where ever Zora wants to be, which isn't anywhere I can see her.
I head into the dressing room I share with Tawni and sit on the lounge chair with my feet curled up under me, thinking about the movie. I really need to think more positively about this. It's going to be a wonder learning experience for me and the movie sounds great. Do I really want the minor inconvenience of Chad to ruin and otherwise perfect thing? No. It is going to be great.
I stand up to grab my stuff when I hear a tapping on my door. "Come in." I yell.
"There's my leading lady." Chad says after he opens the door and leans casually against the frame. "I came over to congratulate you on your good fortune. Not only do you get a lead in a movie but you get to be in a movie with me."
"Really Chad?… Really?" I eye him. He just smiles at me.
"You just can't help but try to pick a fight with me can you, Sonny?" he chuckles. "This should be a real interesting time. I bet you won't be able to go two weeks without arguing."
"What about you? I'm not the only one who likes to antagonize." I respond back.
"So you admit that you like to fight with me? I knew it." Chad walks over to me, his vivid blue gaze never wavering from mine until he is right in front of me.
"N-n-no! You just tick me off." I just can't tear my eyes away from his.
"Do I Sonny? Do I really?" he says softly before leaning over and whispering in my ear, his lips just grazing the side of my cheek. "Come on. Just admit that you like me, just a little bit."
I shiver, mesmerized by his voice. Shaking myself, I step back. "In your dreams, Chad."
"Not mine. Yours." He gives me a knowing smile.
Well, two can play at this game. Let's just see if the cool as a cucumber Chad Dylan Cooper can take what he dishes out so easily. Looking into his eyes, I give him a smile, crooked smile and open my eyes wide. Stepping so close there is hardly a breath between us, I rest one hand on his arm and lean up to whisper in his ear like he had mine. "Chad." I say softly.
Suddenly, Chad's breathing becomes shallow and I can see the faintest tinge of pink in his cheeks. This is interesting. I lean even closer and whisper with my lips lightly touching his ear. "Chad. Maybe you should just admit that you dream of me. We both know you do, no matter how much you don't like it. I'm never far from your thoughts."
I lean back to find Chad staring at me intensely, unable to form a single sentence in reply. Well, well this is definitely interesting and not quite what I expected. "You know. I think you're right." I tell him as I back away.
"I am?… I mean, of course, I am. Chad Dylan Cooper is always right." Chad shakes his head to clear it and looks back at me, uncertainly. "Uh, What am I right about this time?"
"That we are going to have an interesting time filming the movie." I laugh at his confused look. "I wonder how long it's going to take for you to admit the truth." I mutter to myself so he can't hear.
"Whatever. I'll see you later Sonny." Chad turns away and walks out the door lost in thought. "What just happened?" I hear him say to himself.
Chuckling, I gather up my things to go. "Definitely, interesting."
