So yeah, don't kill me if these following chapters suck. They're sort of written on the fly...I mean, yeah, I already knew what I was going to do with things, but still. Also, well....they won't be any better than anything else I write. But hey, I'm not really writing this to win Dancing On Rainbows' contest, I'm doing it to participate and because the contest sort of...inspired me. So yeah, read on. Hope you like it!Oh, and this chapter has some Channy. :)

Credit: to TrinityFlower of Memories for the mirroring activity! 3 It...should be in this chapter. Depends on how I decide to split it...

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With three days till her next reader's theatre rehearsal and a two hour break from filming, Sonny Monroe sat on the chaise in her dressing room, reading over her first monologue - Poe's poem Annabel Lee.

"It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

By the name of Annabel Lee;

And this maiden she lived with no other thought

Than to love and be loved by me," she read aloud.

"And I was a child, and she was a child, in this kingdom by the sea." She jumped, startled by the new voice behind her, and turned to see who it was. That person started walking towards her as they continued the second stanza of Poe's poem of a lost love. "But we loved with a love that's more than love, I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven coveted her and me." The voice was smooth, even, and well known - not only to her, but to everyone who had an ounce of cultural literacy.

"Chad?"

He gave his signature, coy little smirk. "Hey Monroe."

"...You know Poe?"

"Yeah, believe it or not, behind this pretty face is a deep and well read soul. So," He veered the conversation away from himself, surprising as it may be. "Why are you reading it?"

Sonny sighed, somewhat frustrated - with her situation, not the hearththrob now leaning on the arm of the chaise, his body heat and subtle, inviting aroma lulling her into a sense of euphoria that she was fighting dearly. "I'm doing this reader's theatre thing. A bunch of local stage, screen, and unknown actors are all doing it to raise money for a good cause."

"...You do realize that this poem was written from the point of view of a dude, right?"

"Yeah. Madame Greylund wanted to set this apart from past productions, so she decided to switch the genders for the roles. The guys play girls and the girls play guys."

"Huh..." he said, seeming to mull it over. "That's...interesting." sonny couldn't read what he was thinking - if he actually found it interesting, was still trying to grasp the concept, or if he was just giving her a cookie-cutter response so as to not seem rude.

"Oh, you haven't heard the real interesting part yet." Chad looked up, the tone of her voice inducing genuine curiosity which spread across his entire face. His silence cued her to continue on. "Along with this, and Puck's monologue from the end of Midsummer Night's Dream, I'm in a scene called A Long Walk to Forever."

Chad's head tilted every so slightly, his shining golden tresses flitting out to the side. "Am I supposed to know what that is?"

Sonny let out a light, involuntary chuckle. "No, I guess not. I didn't really know it either. But I read it over. I have a love interest, Catharine. And there's a kiss."

"Alright, then just do it. It's just acting."

"Yeah...that's not the problem."

"Okay...then what is?"

"James."

"...What about him?" Chad questioned, still not getting it.

"He's also part of the production. And...he's playing Catharine."

Chad started laughing, but Sonny thought she saw something, a very small something - a glimmer of worry - in his eye.

She sighed - a mix of disappointment, shame, and worry.

"Okay, enough laughing," she warned as she playfully hit him in the arm with her scripts. "Wait...I almost forgot - why are you here?"

"Oh, me? Well...Ummm. I just..." chad stalled, looking at his watch. "Oh hey! Look at the time! Gotta go. See you later Monroe." He jogged out of the room hurriedly.

Sonny just sat on the chaise, blinking in confusion.

She sunk into her seat, layed back with her arm shielding her eyes and sighed. "Men."

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Okay, that's the end of that chapter. Short, I know. But I should have another, and quite likely one more after that up soon.

Not too eventful so far, but still. This is going to be a relatively light one. Not too much drama. A...fair amount of Channy.

So yeah, hope you liked. Imma go back to writing so I can get more chapters up.