A/N: Wow. That wonderful long last chapter and only 2 reviews? Well I thought it was a nice chapter. Whatever people. I said this writing is for me…so this story will be completed and published (unless, like, there are ZERO hits or something. I hope I'm not that bad).
The next morning, Sonny arrived at the studio as her usual cheery self, with one exception: she had tied the ribbon in her hair again.
"Uh, Sonny, since when do you tie your hair back...with ribbons?" Nico asked, exchanging a bewildered glance with Grady, both of whom had not heard about her latest Valentine gift.
"Since she fell in love with her anonymous Valentine." Tawni replied before Sonny could. "Just wait and see Sonny, I bet he's just like what Zora said. With your luck, I'll bet he's ugly too!" Tawni added gleefully.
"If Zora knows who he is, he's probably someone from Condor studios." Sonny said. "She was probably crawling through the vents and spied him packaging the gift or something."
"Yes I did," Zora said without bothering to open her sarcophagus.
"See?" Sonny said triumphantly. "She's given me a clue! It's something at least."
"Sonny, you are going too far with this thing. It could all just be a mean joke," Tawni suggested lightly. On the inside, Tawni didn't want to see Sonny hurt, at least not in that way. She just seemed too hopeful that this guy was The One. She didn't even know him!
Or did she?
"Oh hey Sonny," Chad greeted Sonny when they crossed paths after So Random!'s morning rehearsal.
"Why do I keep running into you?" Sonny replied in annoyance. Chad put on a hurt expression.
"We work in the same Studio, Sonny. We see each other every day." Sonny sighed. Of course she knew that. She was inwardly embarrassed by her daydreaming about Chad yesterday afternoon. Chad noticed the ribbon in her hair.
"What's with the new hairdo you're sporting? Dressing up for the Valentine's Day party already, or for some silly new sketch?" Chad asked, reaching out a hand to flick the end of one long red ribbon.
Sonny involuntarily drew back from his closeness. "Neither," she replied. "It was part of a Valentine gift I received yesterday. I'm sure I'll be getting something today too."
"Someone gave you a ribbon as a Valentine's gift? That's the lamest Valentine's Day gift I ever witnessed being received." Chad said disdainfully.
"No, it was part of the packaging," Sonny replied, miffed at how she could have possibly envisioned Chad as her secret admirer. He wasn't sweet or thoughtful enough to think of such a thing, even IF he had an incentive to. "Why do you always have to be so mean!" Sonny began to stomp away.
"Hey wait!" Chad called after her. His voice was so full of something different that Sonny actually stopped. Chad ran the few steps up to her. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."
Sonny gaped at him. Since when did Chad Dylan Cooper apologize for anything, to anyone, especially about saying something obnoxious? "Whatever Chad." Sonny continued walking.
"Sonny?" Chad called again, his voice sounding extremely unsure.
"What?" she turned around with a sigh. Did he have a personality disorder or something?
"Do you…want to go the Valentine's Day party with me?" He asked.
Now Sonny was really confused. "Are you serious Chad? Like as your date?" he nodded mutely. She studied him for a long minute as he fidgeted, unable to look directly at her. "Why? Isn't Chloe supposed to be your date?"
"That's only for publicity, you should know that," Chad replied, frustrated by his nervousness. Chad Dylan Cooper never got nervous around girls.
"And isn't that what you care about most? Your publicity? Why take me?" Sonny demanded.
"Why do you always have to make things so difficult?" Chad asked, his frustration getting the better of his nerves. Is it so hard just to say yes? It's not like you have a date!"
That was completely the wrong thing to say, and Chad knew it. "I'd rather do with my So Random! friends than with you!" Sonny snapped. She should've known that Chad couldn't change for the better, or pretend to, no matter how good of an actor he was. "You're the one who always makes things difficult! And besides, I will have a date. My secret admirer is probably a hundred times more decent than you are."
"That's not true!" Chad replied heatedly. "You don't even know who he is! I'm asking you because I like you more than I care about raising Mackenzie Falls publicity ratings, and more than I care about Chloe! Why else?"
Sonny wished she could believe him, every single word. But she wasn't a naïve girl fresh from Wisconsin anymore, and she definitely knew Chad better than a lot of people. "Nothing's ever that simple with you! Not from the start. I've tried to make things honest, but nobody, on your side or on mine, has ever tried to cooperate. And that's because you've cried wolf too many times, Chad. I can't trust you."
Chad listened to her sat, angry words in silence. He knew they were true. Why did he always have to be so conceited? Why did he want the shows to hate each other? After all, they were from the same studio!
"No, I guess you can't, can you?" Chad said quietly.
"No, I can't. Not now. And probably not for a long time." Sonny replied firmly, but with a softening in her eyes that Sonny herself didn't even understand.
"But you can trust the one who's given you those Valentine gifts?" Chad asked.
Sonny thought about that for a moment. "No, I can't really trust him either. But I can hope." Chad nodded, satisfied with her answer. If she'd said she could, absolutely trust some random guy, then she really did hate Chad. At least Sonny was honest. Sonny was always honest. Honest, and sincere, and caring. Even fighting with him, Sonny was completely truthful. And he had other reasons, of course, to like the latter part of her answer.
A/N: None of you even read this Author's Note do you? Well, to see if any of you do, type "SherriLee!" in the comment box and press submit. Thank you.
-SherriLee
PS: Next update: Very likely tomorrow, Tuesday. Latest Wednesday.
