-

Tawni Hart did a lot of stupid things.

She always assumed I was out to get her.

She always wore pink; half the reason because she liked it, the other half because I didn't.

She bought, like, five packages of Coco Moco Coco lipstick per month, just so she would never run out.

I was convinced that when she entered me in the sweepstakes, it topped everything else stupid Tawni had ever done.

I was wrong. It was the best thing Tawni had ever done for me.

Too bad it took me to long to realize it.

-

It happened on the seventh day in March, at one twenty-seven P.M. Remembering the exact day, hour, and minute helped make the day more sentimental.

"Sonny," Tawni sang, prancing into our dressing room. I set down my magazine (Tween Weekly with me and Nico on the cover. It was for a charity event we attended together) and flopped on my back to face Tawni.

"What?" I asked cautiously. Usually when Tawni sang my name happily like that, she had either a) done something that could put my career in danger or b) done something to boost her career and she had come to brag about. Fearing it was option a, I stood up and backed away from her. She giggled.

"Oh, Sonny, I didn't do anything bad this time. I did something to help you."

"…What did you do, Tawni?" Now I was scared. Who did she kill?

"Well, remember a few months ago, when you and Chad got into that big fight?" she asked.

Oh, I remembered that. Chad was going to make me kiss him in his movie, and I slapped him in the face, and he called security. On me! A cast member in his movie! We barely spoke to each other for two weeks, besides the movie, and even when we did talk one of us ended up screaming. It worsened the bad blood between Mackenzie Falls and So Random. "Yeah," I told Tawni after remembering the fight.

"I got so sick of you and Chad bickering, so I entered you in a sweepstakes," she said firmly. I didn't like where this was going. "A sweepstakes to spend a day with Chad Dylan Cooper."

I froze. No. She didn't. She didn't!

"And you won!" Tawni cheered. I gasped.

She did.

"TAWNI!" I shrieked. "How could you?! You know how much I hate him! Why did you do this?!"

"It will benefit you, trust me," she told me promisingly. I shook my head. "I am not doing this."

"Yes, you are," Tawni ordered. "Your day with Chad is tomorrow!" She laughed happily. I wanted to kick her. I wanted to pass out.

"No…no…no…" I murmured. "Don't make me do this," I begged.

"Too bad," Tawni grinned. "You are doing this."

And it was all black from there.

-

After a terrifying night of no sleep, and an even worse morning of getting ready for what Tawni called my 'date' with Chad, Tawni dragged me over to his dressing room. "The best part," she said excitedly while we were in front of Chad's door, "is that Chad doesn't even know it's you!"

I groaned. "Oh, he is so going to freak when he sees me. Rejected by Chad Dylan Cooper. This keeps just getting better and better!" I cried, covering my face with my hands. Tawni snickered at me as Chad's assistant knocked and the door and said, "Mr. Cooper, your guest is here to see you," he smirked.

I heard quick, heavy footsteps behind the door, and then a very handsome-looking Chad…wait…I did not just say that. Psh, I so didn't…appeared in front of us. His expression was unreadable when he saw me.

"Yeah, okay, nice joke, Phil," Chad said, laughing a fake laugh. "Now seriously, where's the lucky sweepstakes winner?"

"She's right here." Tawni told him proudly, putting her hands on my shoulders. I shrugged them off.

"Tawni entered me," I told Chad quietly. He nodded and said, "I see. Well, Munroe, you are a very lucky girl today." He smirked and put his arm around me. "We'll have a great day, won't we?" He winked at me. I stayed quiet. Without another word, Chad whisked me away from 'Phil' and Tawni, and we were waking down the hallway. I grabbed Chad's arm and put it back to his side, where it should be.

"Thanks for letting me escape," I smiled. "Tawni can be so…you know…sometimes."

"Yeah, I know." Chad said through clenched teeth.
"Well then, I'll see you around. Bye!" I tried to run, but Chad grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

"You won a day with Chad Dylan Cooper," Chad insisted. "And you are getting one, whether you like it or not."

Chad didn't let go of my hand as we walked in silence outside to his car. I didn't even know what to say.

"Look, Sonny," Chad began as we stood next to his car. I had my arms folded across my chest as I glared at him. "I like you."

I snorted. "Yeah, right. So, Chad, what girl are you trying to make jealous today? Portlyn? Chastity?"

"No one," Chad said, sounding taken aback. "I really do like you."

"Sure. Chad, I know you just want to get this day over with as much as I do. So I'll get in the car, and we'll go wherever you have planned for us, and then you'll take me home. Okay? Please?"

Chad sighed. "Fine."

"Fine."

"Good."

"Good."

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

We both got in the car and slammed our doors. Chad drove in silence to a mystery location.

"Here we are," Chad grinned. "You can get out, Sonny."

Without even looking to see where we were, I got out of the car. When I was out, I took in everything…the grass, the trees, the ocean in the distance. I realized we were in the park.
"The park? Really, Chad? Really?" I gave him a you're-not-fooling-me-with-your-cheesy-date-plan look. But he just smiled at me again and grabbed my hand. I tried to pull away, but he didn't let me.

"This is a date, Sonny," he told me, as if I was new to the English language.
"Why?!" I cried. "Why do you insist on torturing me?"

Chad looked genuinely hurt. I was about to believe it when he snickered. "It's fun." He said simply.

He led to me a park bench and we sat down. I refused to meet his gaze.

"God, Sonny," he whined. "Look at me."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Man, do you look hot today."

I whirled around and stared at Chad in shock. "What?"

He smirked. "Kidding. Jeez, you take stuff so seriously."

"I hate you!"

"Well, you do look rather pretty right now," he told me softly. I leaned closer to him and looked him right in the eye.
"This whole thing is crazy, Chad. You don't like me. Please stop trying to push my buttons." I pleaded.

"Sonny, Sonny, Sonny." Chad shook his head. "You're wrong…again. I do like you."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"I do, too. Now Sonny, look me in the eye again and tell me you don't feel the same way. If you don't, which is impossible, then I will take you back to the studio right now."

Pleased to finally have a way out, I leaned in even closer and looked deeper into Chad's eyes.

It hit me like a hurricane. As I stared into his blue eyes, I saw everything- all the fighting, all the bickering, it was just a cover. He really did like me. And as I stared into his eyes, I realized I like him back. Not just now. I always had…I'd been hiding it.

"Sonny," Chad said impatiently. "I'm waiting."

Before I knew what I was doing, I crashed my lips onto his, holding him in a kiss. My very first kiss; and it felt great.

When I pulled away from him, he looked at me in shock. I felt worried for a moment, but then he smiled.

"I knew you liked me."

"No, you didn't," I insisted. "I just realized it now."

Chad shook his head again. "I see right through your cover, Sonny."

"Can it, Cooper."

"Hey, that's no way to talk to your new boyfriend."

I opened my mouth to protest, but then realizing I didn't have to, I grabbed his hand and held it in mine.

"Fine, then." I said sweetly. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted."

I looked at his hand in mine and then looked up at him. "One more thing, Chad?"
"Yeah?"

"I'll always hate you."

Chad's face fell. "…What? Why?"

"For making me love you."