Hey there! It's me!

So, new chapter, which lacks Chawni, luckily. I know you guys will be glad to hear that, since I think we're all Chawni haters.

So... I have some review replies to get through!

la de da - I know, it did sound like Selena. I wrote it and then realised, but I didn't want to delete it.

Emily - I LOVE your idea! I was planning on doing something like that, but you've helped me a lot by figuring out how it'll all play out! Thank you so much! And everyone else, if you haven't already read her idea, DON'T! It'll ruin it! LOL ;)

Now, this chapter is based on You've Got Fan Mail, as asked by la de da. This chapter is for you, sweetie! I found it, meh, a little hard to decide whether to leave Chad's "fan" as a girl or change to a guy, and then I decided to go with a girl. So, anyone who is creeped out by the idea of Chad being a girl... good luck :/

Okay then... chapter time? Enjoy the chapter from the story based on the show I don't own.


Chapter 7-The Mystery Of Erica

Chad's POV

"Hey there, this is Chad. You've reached me at my new cell phone – 555 0125. I can't answer the phone right now, so you know what to do! …Nope, too perky."

I stroll down the So Random hallway, trying to figure out how I want my answer machine to sound on my new Hollywood phone. I got my first pay check the other day, which prompted me to get a new phone where I'd put all my new Hollywood people contacts in, as well as my old Wisconsin friends. Since this means that Hollywood people will hear this machine, I want to get it right.

"Yo, this is CDC. I'm busy right now and can't answer your call, leave a message and I'll get back to you… CDC? That just makes me sound bigheaded." I sigh, pressing the button once more and trying again. "Hi! You've just called Chad Dylan Cooper… duh, they know that. Hey, you've reached…"

"Chad!"

A voice calls my name from behind me, and I turn to see Tawni running my way.

"I have awesome news!" She grins. I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"Awesome news for you, or for me?" I ask.

"For both of us!" She grins, "Your new dressing room is finally ready! At long last, I've got my own dressing room again! Hallelujah!"

She throws her arms up in the air in relief, and I smirk. To be honest, she's not the only one who's happy about this. Honestly, I couldn't be happier to have my own dressing room. It means more privacy, and that I get away from Tawni and her self-obsession. Seriously, when she starts talking to her reflection… you really don't wanna be around…

"That's awesome news." I say, "Where is it?"

"Who cares?" She grins, running down the hallway towards her now empty dressing room, "I get my own room!"

I try not to smirk as she does one of those ballet-like jumps (I don't know the proper term…) before turning and walking to Marshall's office to ask about my room.


A few minutes later, and I dump some of my stuff in the entrance of my room, grinning with glee. This room is even bigger than the last one! There is already some gym equipment in the far corner of the room, along with some of my stuff that I had in Tawni's room – my vanity and chair, my guitar, a pool table that was already in there that Tawni didn't want, all that jazz.

"Cast of So Random to the stage for rehearsal, please. I repeat – cast of So Random to the stage as soon as possible for rehearsals. Thank you." I hear a voice say on the intercom, and so I decide to save sorting out my room till after rehearsals.

I walk out of the dressing room, only to run into two girls – one with a cart, one with a notebook. I recognise them both straight away – the first is the mail girl, the second is little Miss Sonny Munroe.

"Sonny?" I ask, "What are you doing? And why are you doing it here at So Random?"

"Oh," Sonny grins at me, putting an arm on my shoulder. Seriously, is that her thing with me? "I got the role of a mail girl in a movie. It's a small, but key role… so I'm trying to nail the part by following Maria around."

I try to hold in a laugh. "It's Molly."

"Who's Molly?" Sonny asks.

"That would be me." The red-head mail girl sighs, giving me a look that says "Help me… please". I just shrug, sigh, and mouth a sorry, and she groans.

"Well, I'd love to stay and talk some more, Sonny," I lie, "but I have rehearsals to get to."

"That's fine." Sonny says, before turning to Molly and flashing her megawatt smile. "Let's go, Mandy!"

Molly groans, shrugging to me, before turning with her cart and following the over-confident brunette down the hall. I watch them go with a sigh, before heading to the So Random stage.


I arrive at the stage to see the rest of my cast already there, sat in seats, opening fan mail that I presume Molly and Sonny just delivered. My stomach twists a little. Now that I think about it, I haven't had any fan mail since I arrived here. It's been two weeks… surely something would've arrived for me? No… maybe my fans are haven't had time to write. Or their letters have got lost in the mail. Yeah, that's it. I'm sure there will be a letter sooner or later. For now though, it doesn't bother me.

"Hey, guys." I say, smiling and sitting in one of the spare chairs. "What did I miss?"

"Oh, just the fan mail delivery!" Tawni squeals, and I try to resist the temptation to roll my eyes at her.

"Anything for me?" I ask, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"No." Tawni shrugs, before turning back to her own fan mail, ripping open loudly with a grin. I try not to hate her for getting something that I want though – like I said, it doesn't bother me. So what if no-one's sent me a fan letter yet? It's not like they all hate me… right?

"Don't worry about it, Chad," Marshall says, like he's been reading my thoughts, "Not everyone gets fan mail…"

"Then what's that?" I ask, noticing the letters in his hands.

"Oh… just letters from people I don't know who admire me."

I smile sickly, "That would be fan mail."

This extremely awkward moment hints Marshall to leave. He asks Zora, Nico and Grady to come rehearse a sketch, which annoys me. Why? Because that only leaves Tawni – the one person I do not want to talk to about this kind of thing. She's a bragger – she's obviously gonna bug me about it.

"So…" She says, "Tell me, Chad, how does it feel to be disliked by people everywhere?"

This time, I don't resist the temptation and roll my eyes. "People don't hate me…" I say, "Just because I'm not getting fan mail… it's only been two weeks!"

"Huh," Tawni shrugs, "I got my first letter on the second day! Weird…"

I groan. "Look, Tawni, I know what you're trying to do, but I'm not gonna be bugged by this, okay? I'm way too mature for that."

"Is that why you call your Mommy every day?" She asks, bitter-sweetly, and I cringe. I suppose, as my ex-room mate, Tawni was bound to figure out about my Momma's boy secret. Well, that was harder to hide than I expected…

"Don't worry, Chad!" She continues briskly, "I'm sure someday you'll get fan mail like all the rest of us, you know, when you actually fit into the cast."

Ouch. I ignore her spiteful comment, giving her a sarcastic smile, before getting up and asking Marshall if I can be excused from this rehearsal because I don't feel so good. He accepts, and so I head straight to my dressing room.

Okay, so I lied to get out of rehearsal and away from Tawni. So what? It wasn't a total lie – I don't really feel so good. Tawni has made me even more suspicious… what if So Random watchers really do hate me? What if I honestly have no fans?

I need to do something about this. I need to prove to Tawni that I have at least one fan out there… just anyone. So what am I meant to do? Go out there and find a fan? Too much effort. Get someone to pretend to be my fan? Too much to ask.

Hold on a second… maybe I'm onto something with this 'pretend to be my own fan' thing. What if I sent myself a fan letter? I could show it off to Tawni to shut her up, and no-one would have to help me. Easy enough!

I grab a piece of paper, placing it on my dressing table, and a pen. With that, I start to write…

"Hey, Chad…"


"My name is Erica and So Random is my favourite show." I read out to the rest of my cast at the end of the next day's rehearsals, grinning. Somehow, I managed to slip my fake fan note into Molly's cart when she wasn't looking, so I got the letter and am now reading it aloud to my friends… and Tawni. Who, by the way, looks totally annoyed. Ha. that's what you get for picking on Chad Dylan Cooper!

"I didn't think the show could get any better, but then you joined the cast and totally proved me wrong! I think you are just too cool, super cute and really funy! Also, could you please say hi Nico, Grady, Zora, and Marshall."

"I get a shout-out!" Marshall grins. I look over each of the looks on my cast's faces, before seeing Tawni's and resisting the urge to smirk. She looks totally peed at the fact that I've got a fan, moreover, one that seems to not like her, because of the no-show on her shout-out.

"Bored already!" She says, putting on a quirky voice that I know is false. She gets up and walks off, along with the rest of the Randoms, to their dressing rooms. Marshall stands up from his chair as I'm just about to leave as well, grinning at me.

"There you go, kiddo!" He says, "I knew you'd get your first fan letter soon enough! You sure deserved it."

I smile, "Thanks, Marshall."

"You're welcome." He says, before grinning like he's just had an amazing idea. "Hey, I know! Why don't we call her?"

"Yeah…" I smile at my situation, before realising what he's just said and shaking my head, "No! We can't do that!"

"Why not?" Marshall asks.

"Coz…" I stutter, "Coz we don't have her number!"

"Yes we do," Marshall says, before showing me the letter, "Her number's right here on the letter."

I then look at the letter and cringe. That's why I found that paper so easily in the mess that is my new dressing room… it's what I wrote my number on so I could remind myself of it. Fantastic…

"But we can't just call people out of the blue like this!" I offer weakly, but Marshall shrugs, calling the number. Then, as suspected, my phone blares out some random Taylor Swift song. Great… now people are gonna know I like Taylor Swift too. This day is really score one for team anti-Chad's reputation.

"Excuse me…" I say bleakly, backing up a little, "I've gotta take this."

"That's' your ringtone?" Marshall asks me, looking my way, confused, and I cringe.

"Yes." I say, hiding my blushes and running off into cover. When I get away from Marshall, in my dressing room, I answer my phone. I then cringe, realising I have to pretend to be a girl here. I try out a high voice, feeling like a total weirdo when the words come out.

"Hey," I say in my girl-voice, before adding, "This is Erica!" just in case my girl voice isn't fooling him. I really hope no-one walks in right now or the tiny ounce of dignity I have left will be shredded. All I know is, if I ever have to play a girl on So Random, I'll probably jump ship. I hate it. Hate it.

"Hey there, Erica!" Marshall's voice says from the other side of the line, "It's Marshall Pike, executive producer of your favourite show, So Random! I have someone here who wants to talk to you!" He then pauses, before saying, "Where's Chad? Chad?"

Oh crap. I throw my phone to the ground, running out of my room and back to where I left Marshall.

"Sorry about that!" I say when I arrive back, my heart beating so hard from all the running I can swear Marshall can probably see it thumping in my chest, "I was hungry, so I went to get a snack."

Marshall nods, before scanning me quizzically, "Then where's your snack?"

"Oh… I already ate it." I offer weakly, "I did say I was hungry!"

"Right…" Marshall says, with a look on his face that makes it obvious that he's not gonna question anymore. "Well, your fan is on the phone, do you want to talk to her?"

"Sure." I say, taking the phone from him and pretending to talk to a girl who isn't actually there. "Hey Erica! Thanks for the letter! …Oh, nothing! Just getting a snack! …Uh-huh… Uh-huh…"

"Oh, I know!" Marshall grins, "Why don't we invite her down to the studio?"

"What?" I groan, "No."

"Oh, I know, you're shy about your first fan. Give me the phone."

He then takes the phone off me and I run off, still trying to make sure my cover isn't blown. I run straight back to my dressing room, pick up the phone and answer it again, panting.

"Hi… sorry… I was just telling my friends that… I was talking to Chad… Dylan… Cooper."

"Well, you can do better than that!" Marshall's voice says over the phone, "How who you like to come meet Chad at the studio?"

"Oh my gosh, that would be awesome!" I say, before realising Erica doesn't exist, "But I can't come… I have a, um, cheerleading tournament… in Florida."

"Oh, well, I'm sure we can wait a little…" Marshall says hesitantly, and I sigh. He's not gonna dump this until I've met myself, is he?

I huff, before putting the phone back up to my ear and saying, "Actually, I can come! See ya then!"

I then hang up the phone with a groan. Okay… now I've gotta go wig shopping. Yippee.


I arrive at Condor Studios the next day with my outfit all ready in a box. I'll just arrive as Chad, say hi, and then come back to my dressing room and dress up as, shudder, Erica.

The outfit is terrifying girly. But I guess that's what it needs to be to make it convincing. I went with the whole 'cheerleading' thing and found my ex-girlfriend's cheerleader outfit that she gave me before I left to "symbolize our un-dying love". I honestly didn't think it would come in handy, until now. I 'borrowed' some of Tawni's make-up (just a little bit – and definitely not the Coco Moco Cocoa. She'd kill me if I did). I also found a crazy, blonde wig in the So Random costume closet, and flat shoes. There was no way I was gonna wear high heels. I tried on the outfit last night… and I looked ridiculous. The things you do to save your ass in Hollywood, eh?

After I've checked in with Marshall to confirm that 'Chad' is here, I head back to my dressing room and start putting on my Erica costume. Suddenly though, as I'm struggling into the cheerleader outfit that seems to have shrunk in the last few hours, a person bursts into the room, and I gulp as the girl screams. Caught, red-handed.

"Chad?" Sonny Munroe says, looking at me with a crazed look on her face, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm, uh…" I say, before realising I now have to confess to Sonny Munroe my whole dilemma. "It's a long story."

"I've got time," She shrugs, "I was just doing a little delivery of fan mail coz Milky is ill."

"Her name is…" I say, before giving up, "Never mind."

"So, enough about me." She says, "Why are you dressing up as a girl?"

"Well…" I sigh, "I sent myself a fan letter, pretending to be my own fan, and now I'm gonna pretend to be my own fan to avoid studio-wide humiliation!"

"Why would you send yourself a fan letter?" Sonny asks.

"Because I wasn't getting fan mail, so I started to lose faith in myself." I confess. Sonny sends me an apologetic smile.

"That's a classic case of actor insecurity." She says, "It happens with a lot of people in their first few weeks in Hollywood. You start doubting your abilities, wondering if you're actually good enough to be on TV."

"Did it happen to you?" I ask, and she laughs.

"Uh, no, of course not!" She laughs, flipping her hair back arrogantly, "Why would you think that? I'm just naturally born for this kinda thing!"

I groan, "You are unbelievable. For one minute we have a moment, and you have to go and ruin it with your bigheadedness and we're back to normal. And I thought I was seeing a different side to you there."

Sonny frowns at this; she looks upset, confused… she almost looks like she's agreeing. That is, until, another voice comes from behind her and she regains her arrogant posture.

"Hey Chad, ready for rehearse… AGH!"

It really doesn't help that this voice is Tawni, and when she notices me, she almost jumps out of her skin.

"Chad…?" She says, before smirking, "Or is it Chelsea or something?"

I groan. Perfect. My cast mate thinks I'm a cross-dresser.

"It's Erica, actually." I say with a sarcastic groan. At that moment, she gains the look of realisation.

"Erica?" She asks, "Chad's first fan?" I nod, and Tawni shakes her head. "Okay, I'm confused. Is Erica coming or not?"

"No." I say, wincing, "She's not real."

"I really don't know what's going on here…" Sonny interrupts, "But, Chad? I just came to deliver your fan mail."

"Fan mail?" I ask, sounding like I'd never heard of it before, and at that moment she hands me a thick pile of multi-colored notes, smiling.

"Yeah." She says, "Mindy" Molly, "has been giving your mail to Tawni to give to you since you arrived. But since you're here, I'll just give them to you."

I blink. Molly's been giving my mail to Tawni? So… how come I didn't get it?

"Tawni?" I ask, "Have you been hiding my mail?"

Tawni gasps, "How dare you accuse me of that!"

I roll my eyes. I'm not falling for it.

"Fine." Tawni groans when she realises that I've sussed her out, "I have been hiding your mail. Happy?"

"Why?" I ask.

She sighs, "Because you're getting so popular… and I was worried you were stealing my spotlight! Anyway, it doesn't matter now. I'm going to suggest to Marshall that we introduce you two on stage tonight, and your little plan will be revealed!"

With a whip of the hair and a flirtatious wink, Tawni leaves the room, and it feels like we never got along in the first place. And I really thought Tawni was changing. Guess not.

"So… what are you gonna do?" Sonny asks me from the doorway, and I sigh.

"What do you care?" I ask, and she shrugs, "I honestly don't know. All I know is tonight is gonna be the most embarrassing night of my life."

And with that, I throw the Erica outfit to the ground and walk out, hoping to stop Marshall from agreeing with Tawni's idea even though I have no chance of succeeding.

Chad Dylan Cooper… the liar? The attention seeker? Is that gonna be my new reputation? All I know is, after tonight, my Hollywood dream will be over.

Sonny's POV

I watch Chad go with a frown. The poor guy… he doesn't deserve this! That roach Tawni is gonna ruin his Hollywood life that he's worked so hard to build since he arrived.

I think back to his words when I asked him what he was gonna do. What do you care? Well, to be honest, I don't know. All I know is that I care that Chad is gonna be so embarrassed tonight… unless I have something to do with it. I look to the Erica outfit that's lied on the floor, and I sigh.

"The things I do for you, Chad." I mumble to myself, before getting changed into the costume. I admire my reflection in the mirror – even I make this look good! – before heading to the So Random stage, waiting behind the curtains for the end of the show.

"Well, that's our show everyone!" Marshall Pike calls out a couple of hours later, "But before we say goodnight, we have a very special guest to introduce to you all – the girl who wrote Chad his very first fan letter!"

I peek out of the curtain to see all the Randoms, including Chad, who looks nervous and shaky and sad. I smile. If my plan goes well, that frown won't last long!

"Let's give it up for Erica!" Marshall grins. With that, I head to the back of the stage, behind the curtains where the Randoms are stood, watching carefully.

"Let's get this over with…" Chad sighs, taking the mic from Marshall, "Um, sorry guys, but Erica is…"

This is my time to shine. I step out of the curtains, beaming, before saying, "Your biggest fan!" in a squeaky excited teenage girl voice, and all the Randoms turn to see me. Chad notices me, looking shocked, like he's seen a ghost, before he realises it's me and grins. Tawni, on the other hand, scowls the moment she sees me.

"That's impossible!" She growls, "Erica doesn't exist!"

But I'm standing right here, silly!" I laugh, before taking the mic off of Chad, squealing in a fan-girl way and saying, "Let's give it up for Chaddy!"

An eruption of applause begins across the audience, and Chad turns to me, smiling, before whispering to me. "Why are you helping me?" He asks.

"I'm not helping you." I say, trying to cover up my bad-girl rep. I know if Chad knew I was doing this for him, I'd never hear the end of it. "I just… wanted to kno what I'd look like with crazy blonde hair."

Chad smirks, "It sounds like somebody cares about me…"

"Somebody" I interrupt, "wanted to know what she'd look like with blonde hair. I was thinking of dying it, you see."

Chad tries not to laugh, before saying, "Cares,"

"Hair." I counter.

"Cares."

"Hair."

"Hair."

"Cares." I say, before realising what I just said and mentally slapping myself.

"Gotcha!" Chad laughs, before turning back to the audience, taking the mic from me and saying, "Good night, everyone!"

With that, the final curtain goes down, and Chad looks at me with glee.

"Thanks." He whispers, but I don't get a chance to talk to him before I'm crowded by the Randoms and I have to keep up my act for a little longer.


"Thanks again for that." Chad says as we walk along the So Random corridor to his dressing room, "It was so sweet of you. And nice to know that you care about me." He adds that last bit with a snigger, and I laugh.

"Please, Chad, like I said the whole time, I just wanted to see my hair blonde. Then I thought, hey, why not do a little acting? I wasn't helping you at all."

"Sure…" He laughs, before stopping by a door that says 'Chad' on it. His dressing room. "Well, I guess I'll see you later?" He asks, and I nod. "Oh, and for the record," He says, stopping me from leaving, "The blonde hair looks cute on you, but… you should stick with your normal hair. I totally dig brunettes."

He then kisses me lightly on the cheek, before winking and walking into his dressing room, and I feel a red flush creep up onto my cheeks. I inwardly squeal to myself, before heading down the Melody Falls set to collect my stuff, butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

Did I dream that? Or did Chad Dylan Cooper really just kiss me?

Heaven.


Well, there you go :D I hope that made up for the Chawni-ness of last chapter. I also hope no-one's brains were rotted by the idea of Chad being a girl... shudder...

Anyways... review? That would be lovely of you, m'dears :D

~Amy x