I tried to make this one longer, and I think I succeeded. This was four pages on Microsoft Word, something I don't think I've ever even accomplished with a FanFic. Thank you for the reviews! You're all so supportive. I'm glad you like my writing! I try, I try. Haha ;)

Disclaimer: Yes, I'm executive producer of SWAC. My business partner is Marshall! Ok, really? You know I don't own it. Just get to reading. =)

Chapter Two

Previously on WOC:

As Marshall took a deep breath and stared into my eyes, he said the words I'd never thought I'd hear announced in my entire life.

"Sonny, 'So Random!' has been canceled."

*****

My face dropped in horror, my mouth resembling a perfect "o". Disbelief clouded my vision as I tried to stare at Marshall, but my mind was all a blur. These past few months, all so perfect and amazing, when suddenly—

I fought back the hysteria. I tried. I used all the strength I had. But this news was too much for me to bear, and slowly, the sobs crept up and through my mouth. My eyes overflowed with tears, trickling down my cheek like a waterfall, as I fought to control my breathing, my wailing.

Tawni lifted her head slightly, a little dazed, and stroked my hair as I was doing to hers not only a few minutes ago. I buried my face in her designer sweater. She didn't complain that I was staining it, or even that I was near her—she just held me there like a mother caressing a child, and quietly, she began to cry as well.

Soon the room was booming with wails and sobs, Zora's echoing loudest through the vents. Nico and Grady were hugging and patting each other's backs; Tawni and I were embracing; Marshall was looking down at the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, as if afraid to look back at us. The only one with dry eyes in the room was Chad, who didn't seem sure what to do. So he just sat there, watching the chaos as his brows pulled together with pain that dimly resembled ours.

When I got back a portion of my control, I wept, "W-why? H-how, M-Marshall? I thought you-you said that w-we w-were more p-popular than we've ever b-been since Ch-Ch-Chad guest st-starred!"

"Oh, we were, kiddo," Marshall replied, able to speak somewhat coherently. "But apparently Chad was too big to be on our show. The audience was looking for bigger guest stars afterwards, and we just didn't have it. So when we didn't deliver, our viewers turned to 'Mackenzie Falls' for more of Chad. Mr. Condor threatened that if we didn't get someone to top Chad, we were through. Anyone else more popular than Chad cost a fortune that we couldn't afford. So, Mr. Condor canceled us."

Suddenly it seemed as though my sobs stopped immediately. My eyes, jammed shut by tears that acted as superglue, snapped open to throw daggers at Chad.

Chad's face was as arrogant as ever, basking in the glory of himself at the news of people wanting more of him. I jerked upright out of Tawni's grasp and stomped toward him menacingly, and his cocky look was wiped clean off at my death glare.

"You," I accused hoarsely, voice shaking with rage, "You did this! Why does every person on the planet want you? Want to see your face on every magazine, TV show, and movie?! Don't any of them have some common sense?! There are other actors out there, actors a thousand times better than your amateur drama! You never deserved to be on 'So Random!'"

His face was almost cartoonish, his chin almost hanging to his knees at my insults. His eyes, once filled with flames fed by the appearance of victory, were now hurt and shiny with what appeared to be tears, but I knew it was only an act.

"You deserved everything I said about you that day I was being interviewed by Santiago Heraldo! I hate you! I never want to see your face again! Get out of our Prop House!" I was panting, my shoulders rising up and down like a seesaw.

But he didn't budge an inch. He slowly recovered from my angry speech as anger took over his own expression. He stood up, and we were face-to-face, our mouths only inches apart. I could taste his hot breath, feel the tension radiating off of him. Usually this closeness would make my hands sweaty and have my stomach churning nervously, but right now all I wanted to do was rip his throat out.

Chad Dylan Cooper. The name I once swooned over was now the name I couldn't stand to hear, couldn't stand to see. Those crystal blue eyes were no longer as beautiful as a diamonds; instead, they were like onyx, black and cold and filled with empty promises. I couldn't stand being in the same room as him. He needed to leave. Immediately.

"Um, Sonny?" Marshall recovered before the rest of us had time to unfreeze. "There's actually something that Chad would like to tell you."

My head slowly turned back to speculate Chad, who now appeared calm and rational, the only remnant of anger flickering in his eyes.

"Sonny," he said, forcing a smile, "I would like to offer you to be a full-time member of 'Mackenzie Falls'. Marshall has already agreed to be co-producer, and after convincing my boss, asked me to offer you a job."

My eyes narrowed, trying to uncover some secret plan, some hidden joke. I looked back at Marshall. He nodded slowly as the rest of my castmates—or, at least, who were my castmates—stared at him dubiously, obviously offended.

He broke free of my glance to turn to them, feeling their gazes inspecting his back. "I'm sorry kids, but it's a job, for now. I never would have signed on if I didn't need it. I know how shocked and upset you are, and this can't be helping. But I promise you, you'll always be my number one favorite show."

The little speech did nothing to ease their hurt. Zora, who had finally uncovered her vent to reveal red, puffy eyes, was scowling viciously, like a lion ready to attack. Nico and Grady stood up and backed away from him in horror; Tawni was frozen solid, a perfect replica of the painting Scream plastered on her delicate features.

I looked away before I could start crying again at their reactions, and back to Chad, who was waiting patiently.

"I…I…I…I…" I stuttered. No words could describe what I was feeling. I didn't even know what I was feeling. My entire body felt like a block of ice; cold, numb, unforgiving. I didn't know how to think. To speak. But this time, Chad was not the cause. I think I might have gone into literal shock.

That look of anxious concern spread across Chad's face immediately again. He hesitantly put a hand on my left shoulder, trying desperately to make a connection, to free me from my locked posture.

Slowly my eyes adjusted, and I could see his face. The onyx had disappeared, as well as the anger. All I saw was the soft, kind, caring Chad that only I got to see. The side that I loved and knew so well. The side that could convince me to jump off the Empire State building if he wanted me to, just because I'd be happy to please him.

Those blue diamond eyes compelled me, took over every part of my mind. Without thinking, I blurted, "Yes. I'll do it."

And suddenly, his beautiful smile fell into place as his eyes danced again with victory. But this victory was different, somehow. Not taunting or bragging, like a child who'd just won a game. It was more like he'd won a game that he'd been playing for years, a game of his heart and soul. It made me smile too, for the first time in what felt like forever.

But a collective gasp ringing through my ears broke my silent glee. Every one of my castmates shouted my name in anger, like the only other time I'd been caught as a 'Mackenzie Falls' member when they barged on set, demanding the secret on how to get a steak.

As if it was away on vacation for the past few minutes, my mind returned, and I realized what I'd just said. What I'd just done! I didn't want to be a 'Mackenzie Falls' member! I didn't want to see Chad every day, to hear him give commands and prance around dominantly! I didn't want to watch him portray Mackenzie, to see that arrogant smirk return to his face every time he saw me watching him pretend to be the greatest actor of his generation! No! No, no, no, no! I just wanted to be a 'Random' or a farm girl, nothing more, nothing less! How could I have agreed to this unbelievable—

"Great." His voice was low and slow, his face still glowing victoriously. "Here's our schedule, you start work at eight a.m. sharp, get two breaks, one for lunch, one for a cast meeting, and we end at four. Got it?"

I nodded briskly. I didn't comprehend a word he'd said, too busy thinking about ways to get out of this mess. But I realized, with grim satisfaction, that I couldn't. I'd just have to accept the insane task I'd just agreed to. My chocolate eyes met Chad's again, and I melted internally. What was wrong with the task I'd just agreed to again? Seeing Chad every day, getting to know him in his own work area, seeing his warm, inviting smile and tenderness everywhere I went, was that really such a bad thing?

I made a point to mentally slap myself away from those thoughts. Yes. Of course it was! Nothing was worse than hanging with public enemy #1, becoming a 'Mackenzie Falls' robot, or becoming an enemy to my real friends, in their eyes.

With a start, I turned back to look at them, who avoided my eye contact as much as possible. My feet backed away from Chad as I moved towards my castmates.

"Zora?" I looked up at the open vent to see the frisky 11 year old shaking her head, scowling at me like I was a deadly insect. She shut the vent.

"Goodbye, Sonny," was all I heard from her as I heard the echoes of her crawling away.

I felt my eyes stinging. "Nico? Grady?" I tried. All they did was wave me off and roll their eyes at each other. I felt like a geek trying to talk to the popular clique at school.

Then finally, the last, most painful one: Tawni. We never got along in the beginning, but we'd blossomed into a loose friendship over the past few months, trying to be there for one another in our times of need. She was probably my closest friend on 'So Random!'.

I gulped. "Tawni?" I whispered, looking at my feet. I couldn't dare meet her eyes.

"Sonny," she whispered disapprovingly back. I looked up reluctantly, only to be met with sad, large, puppy-like eyes boring into mine. "I'm sorry."

The remaining of my ex-castmates rose and dragged their legs out of the Prop House, leaving me alone with Chad and Marshall.

The short, bald, kindhearted man looked at me sympathetically. I felt today's earlier sobs creeping up my throat again, and Marshall saw it. He coughed softly and said gruffly, "I'll just let you two be alone."

As soon as Marshall left, the awkward atmosphere between Chad and I strengthened. My body, feeling like wet paper, crumpled into the couch as I let hot tears drip fresh from my eyes.

Chad, usually so uncaring and dismissive, showed genuine pain on his face to see me cry. His perfect lips were drawn into a straight line and pursed. His eyes were no longer cold and hard as crystallized ocean, but instead were the warm, caring blue of a baby boy's blanket.

It took him a moment, but he finally decided to sit down next to me, not exactly sure what to do. It wasn't hard for me to stump the great Chad Dylan Cooper—I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who can.

Then slowly, very slowly and carefully, he wrapped his arms around me comfortingly, protectively. I didn't fight back, didn't resist him; instead I sank into his warm embrace, longing to stay there forever, all the fight in me gone.