I hope everyone is doing well with the ending of classes and the beginning of summer! Enjoy!
"Tawni, you're not listening to me," Sonny called from the bathroom while brushing her teeth.
"I don't need to," Tawni replied, dumping herself into her leather couch. "I've done this stunt a thousand times as cheerleaders, as acrobats, and as superheroes. Besides, she's always wanted to try the stunt."
"Yeah, and you're three times Zora's size." Sonny popped her head around the doorway. "No offense."
"Words like that hurt, Sonny Monroe," Tawni looked up to admonish her.
"Tawni," Sonny finished up and stepped outside, drying her face with one of the softest towels she had ever felt. "Zora wouldn't land anywhere close to the stage. We would kill her. We'd be peeling pieces of her out of the cement walls surrounding the set. We'd have to start searching for a new quirky ten-year-old tomorrow."
"Yeah, I guess we don't want that, do we? But what if we just used less power? Or a smaller cannon?"
"And Tawni, what do you know about rocket science?"
"It's not rocket science, silly, it's cannon science," Tawni quickly corrected.
"Sonny!" Zora came bursting through Tawni's doorway, expecting a list of complaints from the tenant.
"Ah, Zora, right on cue. Will you please tell Sonny that you're willing to do a cannon scene?"
"Zora, what happened to you?" Sonny noticed a tear down the back of Zora's t-shirt and dirt on her hands and face.
"Sonny, you have to get out of here, now," Zora threw a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt from Sonny's room to her feet.
"Zora, what is going on?" Sonny spoke slowly, trying to calm Zora down.
"You're not listening to me, Sonny!" Zora continued to shake with fear. "They came. They came to my apartment trying to find you. They said they knew you were with me or Tawni. They'll be here in only a few seconds when they realize you aren't down the street, hiding in my apartment."
"How…" Sonny began to freeze over with fear.
"Sonny, get changed," Tawni began to put a sweatshirt on over her white tank top and ran for a pair of jeans as well. "We'll answer questions later."
"You two go," Sonny spoke quietly, looking at her pile of clothing. "I'm done running. I'm done being scared. If they want me, they'll know where to find me. But I don't want you two in the mix." Sonny spoke with such a sober, yet ghostly tone, even Zora was scared.
"Oh no you don't," Tawni began to force Sonny into the new clothing. "Not after everything we've put in to keep you alive. You're not giving yourself up, Sonny. We can't lose you."
As soon as Tawni had Sonny successfully redressed, she ushered the two girls into her SUV and raced from her parking lot.
"They came bursting through, saying they wanted a quick search to see if they needed to check 'the blonde's' apartment too. They kept repeating 'the virus is with a skirt.' I extrapolated what that meant. My parents were gone and I was home alone. I was able to sneak out the fire escape outside my room and run down the street to your apartment. I don't know how much distance I was able to get, they were still there when I left," Zora began explaining once Tawni found the freeway.
"See Tawni, this is why I can't fight them anymore. I won't put Zora in anymore danger."
"Well…" Tawni paused. "I will then. You have no choice. Zora's not the one I'm worried about – you are."
"It's no time to be chivalrous, Tawni. This is not a game, it's real life, and someone is really going to get hurt."
"Wrong, Sonny, this is a game. It's all anything in Hollywood ever has been. That's why Chad and I do so well – we play the game."
"Well then, I am not letting you use Zora as a sacrificial pawn."
"No offense, Sonny," Zora spoke lightly, knowing Sonny was doing her best to protect her in this chaotic moment. "But I really am a pawn in all of this. I say that, because they're the ones deciding the rules. They've established the game. You're the one they want to knock out, and they'll run over anyone they have to who gets in their way."
"That's precisely why I'm not going to put you in their way," Sonny grabbed Zora's shoulders. "I'm ashamed for simply what happened tonight. Tawni, where are you going?" Sonny was on the edge of yelling at the two.
"I'm taking you somewhere they'll never expect. To someone who's going to help you," Tawni spoke vaguely.
"Who? Lindsay? No, that's too obvious and I won't put her in any more danger either."
"It's not Lindsay," Tawni whispered as she pulled into one of the most recognizable driveways in all of Hollywood."
"No, no, I won't do it!" Sonny refused, going to unbuckle her seatbelt as though she was about to run away.
"No!" Zora pulled her hands away. "It's the only way, Sonny. You know that."
"Chad wanted nothing to do with me," Sonny fought. "He made that loud and clear in the hospital, and even more with his silence afterwards. Besides, I thought he locked himself into the studios."
"Mr. Condor finally sent him home when he stopped sleeping and couldn't focus anymore," Tawni explained. "Let's go." Tawni quickly pulled Sonny from the back seat and ushered her inside. Though Sonny wanted to fight, her body was too shell-shocked and still too injured to truly pull against her older friend.
"What do you three want? How did you get passed the guard?" Chad came to the door in his sweats.
"Your fan alliance is coming after Sonny and she needs somewhere to hide," Tawni waved her finger in front of Chad's face. Chad blanched, his sight constantly going between the three girls.
"What about you two?" Sonny spun around. "And what about my mom? Oh gosh, my mom!" Sonny began to panic again. Chad wrapped his arm around Sonny's to keep her from going anywhere.
"We'll be fine, Sonny. It's better for Zora and me to be together than one of us alone, especially since they're not coming for us. They'll never expect you're here, but if they see my car, they might expect something. We're going to pick up your mom and dad and then go to the police. They'll figure out what to do."
"Please, be safe," Sonny begged.
"Come on, Sonny, you need to get inside," Chad pulled her further inside while pushing Tawni and Zora further back. "You two be safe," Chad ordered as he slammed the door. "Come on, I have a bunker downstairs. That should keep you safe."
"Chad, no," Sonny finally found her footing and stood her ground. "You abandoned me when I asked for help." Sonny's voice faltered, but she never lost eye contact or her wording. "Why help me now?"
"Tawni's right, they'll never look for you here, plus, I don't want you getting hurt. Why do you think I do? I already told you I've had nothing to do with this, and by not letting you stay, I would be."
"So that's all it is? You're doing this because we cornered you into helping me?" Sonny's angry began rising. She cared so greatly for Chad, but this was becoming ridiculous.
"If I say yes, will you come downstairs with me?" Chad begged.
"No! I won't. I don't want to be here with you, Chad, if you're only doing this to save face. If there's no one who can really save me, then what's the point of trying?" Sonny threw her hands in the air. "I'm so tired of running, I'm tired of hiding, and I'm tired of hurting. I'm really tired, Chad."
"Please, don't go Sonny," Chad took a small step forward. "I don't mean to be difficult, but it's a lose-lose situation for you, Sonny. But I promise, if you agree to let me protect you, I promise you're only going to hurt for a little longer."
"I don't understand," Sonny shook her head.
"And I'm going to keep it that way for as long as possible."
"Forget it, Chad. I'm not playing your game either," Sonny turned around and began to shuffle towards the doorway. Chad, however, would have none of this. Just as Sonny was halfway across the room, Chad leapt forward, tackling her to the ground. Sonny shrieked as her injuries were all irritated. "Please Chad, let me go," she begged, the tears falling from her face.
"No, Sonny, no," Chad turned her over in his arms, keeping her trapped on the floor. "I won't allow you to go."
"Why not? You don't want me. The fans don't want me. No one wants me. I should have heeded their words before it came to this. I should have quit when I had the chance. It gets worse every time I escape them or ignore them. Zora could have been hurt tonight. Or Tawni. Now don't make this any worse for me. I want this to end," Sonny screamed in Chad's face. Her face became redder and redder the more worked up she became. Her whole body shuddered with each breath, her entity completely drained.
"I'm so sorry, Sonny," Chad whispered before leaning down and placing his lips against hers. Chad expected a gasp or a shriek. But Sonny simply submitted to the kiss – either too tired fight or too worn through to expect normality. "I'm so sorry." Chad stood and picked Sonny up in to his arms, carrying her to the elevator.
"You knew, didn't you," Zora turned to face Tawni from the driver's seat.
"About what?" Tawni kept her eyes glued to the traffic, trying to squeeze through every crack.
"Chad's feeling. You knew how much he really cares."
"Of course I knew. That's why he took her in without a fight. If Chad was really how he tries to portray himself, we would still be there with him arguing. But I swear, if I lose anymore beauty sleep, not that I need any, I'm going to tear this fan group to shreds!" Tawni threatened.
"Tawni, stop!" Zora shouted as Tawni slammed on the breaks, nearly five hundred feet before Sonny's apartment complex. Tawni quickly parked her car on the side of the road and turned off the lights, hoping they were not seen.
"Zora, get down," Tawni pushed the younger girl down to the passenger seat's floor as she peeked over the steering wheel. Before her eyes, Connie Monroe was being pulled from the apartment, her hands tied behind her back, a blindfold over her eyes, and a small gun to her head. Nicholas stood at the door with two others pointing guns at him. Everyone but Connie was screaming at someone. Nicholas at the one dragging Connie off, the two with guns at him, and the one with Connie seeming to yell at Connie for trying to dig her feet in the ground. Tawni could not make out what was being said, but she knew it was not a friendly conversation.
Tawni reached for her cell phone and speedily dialed 911. "This is Tawni Hart. Connie Monroe is being kidnapped right this moment at her apartment. We need help right away." Tawni finished giving the remainder of the information and snapped her phone shut as all of the men with the guns finished packing themselves in the car around Connie. "I'm sorry, Zora, but we don't have time to wait for the cops," Tawni pulled her car forward as soon as she was sure she could do so without being caught, but without losing too much time. Zora leapt to the back seat. "Mr. Monroe, get in," Tawni gestured, opening the passenger door for him.
"They came in with guns," he stuttered wildly as Tawni set after the kidnappers. "I tried to protect her, I really did. I wouldn't just sell out my ex-wife. You guys have to understand that. I may dislike her, but she's still Sonny's mother. I wouldn't just hand her over. But they had guns."
"Mr. Monroe, it's all right, we're going to get her back. But why did they grab her mom? What does Mrs. Monroe have to do with any of this?" Tawni assured.
"They said something about taking an indirect route to Sonny. I think they're going to use Connie to pull Sonny out of hiding. Wait, where's my daughter? Where's Sonny?"
"Don't worry, we stashed her away so well not even you could find her," Zora poked Nicholas in his triceps, utterly astounded by the size of the man's arm. "How much can you press?"
"Not now, Zora," Tawni warned without turning around, always keeping her sights on the car.
"Do you want me to drive?" Nicholas offered, even though Tawni was keeping up with the other car.
"I've got this," Tawni assured. "I need you ready to run if need be."
"What can I do?" Zora leaned in between their seats, practically vibrating from the adrenaline rush of her first high speed chase.
"Here," Tawni handed Zora her cell phone. "Call 911 back, and keep them updated where we are. Perhaps they can help us cut them off."
"Aw, I always get the boring job," Zora whined and dialed the three-digit number.
"Why are they doing this to my family, Tawni? What could Sonny possibly do to be hunted down like an animal? Her heart is so pure, and I just don't understand the logistics. Was it my fault? Was it Connie's? Because I don't know how on Earth it was Sonny's fault that this happened. And I won't believe such to be true."
Tawni sighed, "It's not logical, Mr. Monroe, not logical at all. Sonny made a boy fall in love with her. A boy who was too weak to accept the strength of her love."
"I'm so sorry Sonny," Chad paced around the sealed room. "You were never supposed to know. I never meant to tell you."
"Please, don't apologize, Chad," Sonny was still in a weak state of shock, sitting on the edge of a bed. "I don't have the energy to hate you, and I don't have the strength to forgive anyone. So please, stop apologizing, and I'll give you nothing to be sorry for."
"Sonny, you need to rest," Chad dimmed the lights and walked across the room to find something for them to drink.
The terrified girl did not want to move, but jumped when an unexpected vibration ran through her pocket. Sonny pulled out her phone, unhappy she could not even hear the soft moos she adored. Mom appeared on the screen, and Sonny suddenly felt guilty for not having called sooner. "Hello?" Sonny answered, rubbing her face with her other hand. Her face was still burning hot, but Sonny felt so terrified, she was not surprised.
After a short moment of silence, Sonny heard a gruff, male voice ordering, "Answer it! Answer the phone!" After another second of silence, the same voice followed up, "I swear, if you don't work with us, we'll make you watch as we torture her to death."
Then Sonny heard what sounded like a spit and her mother demanding the man to, "Go to –" but was cut off by a sharp ring as the man silenced Connie with his hand.
"Sonny Monroe, we have your mother. Are you going to make her suffer for your sins? Come to Condor Studios and we'll have ourselves a little trade off. Work with us, and your family goes home safely. Give us problems and…" Sonny heard her mother crying out in pain in the background, and then the line fell dead. Looking over her shoulder, Sonny knew Chad really was not paying attention as he fumbled with glasses and ice and soda. She mustered all of her strength and burst towards the doorway. Beating Chad by a mile.
