-1So Cold
Chapter 11: Take Me Off That Pedestal
Previously:
"SO RANDOM CAST MEMBERS PLEASE REPORT TO SET: SONNY, TAWNI, ZORA, NICO, GRADY…CHAD."
"That sounds so weird." Tawni said, scrunching her nose in disgust.
"Well you better get used to it." Sonny said, "Because he's here for good. Well, at least for now."
"Here we go." Tawni said as they made their way onto the stage.
Sonny glanced over in the opposite direction and saw Chad coming from the opposite direction, alone, as Nico and Grady were way ahead of him talking animatedly.
"Here's what Chad's going to complain about tonight." she thought.
Tawni and Sonny proceeded over to where Marshall and the boys were standing.
"Okay, guys, Tawni, Nico, and Grady, I want you to open up the show. All you have to do is read the teleprompter." Marshall said, pointing over to the large screen right beside him.
"Okay." Tawni said
"Get your hand mics and stand in front of the curtain, Tawni in the middle." he said.
The kids followed their instructions and gathered in the middle of the stage. Tawni shot Sonny a hopeful look as Marshall shouted, "Lights, camera, quiet on the set, ACTION!"
"Hi everyone, and welcome to a special episode of 'So Random'. Tonight, we're going to take a step away from our usual plans and explain a situation that has rocked the press for the last week and a half." She read from the prompter.
"As you may have already heard, our very own Sonny Monroe is expecting her first child somewhere near the end of August." Nico said, "And, as you also probably know, this child's father happens to be none other than 'Mackenzie Falls' own Chad Dylan Cooper."
"Tonight, Sonny and Chad are going to explain themselves for the first time on live TV and we're going to make a special announcement at the end of the show." Grady read.
"The point of tonight's episode is for you to learn from Sonny and Chad's mistake, as well as learn to view them from another level, outside of the anger and confusion you might feel towards them now." Tawni said.
"So sit back, relax, and listen." Nico said.
"And cut!" Marshall said, "That was great guys!"
"Ew, why did we just do a public service announcement?" Tawni exclaimed.
"You didn't, but you will. At the end of the show, you're doing a 'Stay Teen dot org' announcement." Marshall said, "All of you."
Tawni rolled her eyes.
"Actually, since the curtain is already down, everyone line up, we'll do it now." he said, "Your usual closing spots please."
They lined up accordingly, except Chad, who was standing awkwardly next to Marshall. Marshall glanced around and then finally looked beside him.
"Oh! That's right, Chad." he paused, "Stand in the center, next to Sonny."
Chad nodded and got into his spot. As Marshall adjusted the teleprompter, Chad looked down at Sonny.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
Sonny nodded, "I think. Just a little…"
"Nervous" Chad finished off, "Yeah, me too."
"I think we'll be okay."
"I hope so." he replied.
"Alright, everyone ready?" Marshall exclaimed, "Lights, camera, quiet on the set! Action!"
After shooting two announcements as a cast, one for Sonny, one for Chad, and one with Sonny and Chad, the cast took a break.
Sonny walked back into their dressing room and plopped down on the couch, kicking off her high heels.
"How can something so cute cause someone so much pain?" she frowned.
Tawni followed in behind her, "You wear heels all the time, and I've never once seen you complain."
"I know," Sonny groaned, "but my feet are so swollen! It's killing me! My hands are too and I can't get my promise…well, any of my rings on!"
Tawni laughed, "You've actually been wearing around your promise ring?"
"It's habit." she replied with an eye roll.
Tawni walked over to her vanity and started applying a little more blush when she saw Sonny pull her guitar out of the big black case.
"What 'cha doing?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing. I started writing a song yesterday. Well, I finished it. I kind of want to sing it on the show tonight, and kind of don't. It's fitting, since it's about the whole situation."
"Is it about Chad?" Tawni turned all the way around on her stood and jumped up with a bright smile.
Sonny shook her head, "No. It's more about me."
"Oh." Tawni hung her head in disappointment.
"Why did you want it to be about Chad?" Sonny asked.
"I don't know. I'd just like to see you guys make it after this, you know." she replied.
"I don't know." Sonny replied looking down.
Deep down, Sonny felt her heart beat sickeningly and ominously. It seemed to happen a lot now when someone mentioned Chad. Truth is, she didn't know what she wanted out of Chad. Right now, she was just glad he's being helpful for once.
"Play me your song!" Tawni exclaimed.
"No words, just chords." Sonny said, "I want it to be a surprise."
"Mmkay." she agreed.
Sonny began to play a few chords of the song. It was a deep and dark ballad that came out sounding sort of angry. Sonny abruptly stopped playing and looked up at Tawni.
"What do you think?" she asked.
"It's good." Tawni smiled softly, "I like it. I'll like it more when I can hear the lyrics."
"Thanks." Sonny smiled back.
"SO RANDOM CAST, PLEASE RETURN BACK TO SET."
"Let's go." Tawni said.
Sonny put her guitar back in its case after putting her shoes back on and carried it out into the stage room with her. She approached Marshall shyly. He turned around and looked at her guitar case and then at her.
"Yes Sonny?" he asked.
"I was wondering, at the end of the show, can I play this new song I wrote?" she asked.
"What's it about?"
"My situation. Sort of." she said.
"That will be fine with me. Let me page someone to bring you one of those high stools and a mic stand." he said.
"Thanks Marshall." she smiled.
Sonny went over to a table and began to pick up her guitar case when she felt someone lift it up out of her grasp and put it up on the table for her. She glanced over her right shoulder and saw Chad standing there.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"You shouldn't be lifting stuff. It's bad…or so that's what I heard your mom say when you tried to take out the trash this morning." Chad said.
Sonny smiled, "Thanks for the help, Chad."
"Anytime." he returned the smile, "What are you doing with that anyway?"
"I'm going to…" she paused.
"Play it off, Monroe." she thought.
"You'll see." she grinned, before turning on her heel and walking towards the set.
Chad followed slowly after her, an undeniable smile plastered on his face.
"Okay," Marshall began, "This is going to be Chad's part. You're going to give a brief, and I mean, brief, summary of what happened and why it shouldn't have happened. Skip the nasty bits, preferably. Oh, and don't mention anything about being on 'So Random'. Don't ruin our surprise, Cooper."
"Gotcha." Chad nodded.
"Here's your mic, go get 'em tiger." Marshall said as he handed him the mic and patted him on the shoulder.
"Alright, lights, camera…quiet on the set! Action!" Marshall exclaimed.
"Hey guys," Chad began, "I'm Chad Dylan Cooper. Uh, as you know, about a month ago, after the Teen Choice Awards after party, Sonny and I had unprotected sex. That night changed the rest of our lives forever and looking into the future, it wasn't a really good plan. It could've been better planned, but it was a heat of the moment thing. I'm really sorry for what I've done, because now my poor decision will come to haunt my son or daughter for the rest of his or her life and I really hate myself for that. Not to mention what's happening to Sonny. She's getting torn apart by the media and it's mainly all my fault. I feel awful for what I've done. If you're thinking about having sex in the near future, use protection. Or better yet, take the easier route, abstinence. Thanks for listening."
"Cut!" Marshall yelled, "Chad, that was great."
"Thanks, man." Chad replied.
Chad made his way over to Sonny, who was opening up her guitar case.
"What did you think?" he asked.
Sonny half smiled, "It was good, Chad. Thanks for doing this for me…and yourself."
Chad laughed, "You're welcome."
"Sonny, it's your turn." Marshall said.
"Good luck." Chad said, putting a hand on Sonny's shoulder.
"Thanks." she said, beginning to walk off.
She walked in front of the big blue curtain with her microphone in hand.
"Ready?" Marshall asked.
"I think." Sonny said.
Marshall yelled, "Alrighty then. Lights, camera, quiet on the set, ACTION!"
"Hey everybody, I'm Sonny Monroe. Normally, I'm standing up here to close out another episode of 'So Random'. Today, I'm standing here to explain myself to you guys, I guess. Well, most of you probably know that I'm a month pregnant and the father, baby daddy, whatever is Chad. We didn't mean for this to happen. It was foolish and I apologize as Chad has already done. Your support really means the world to me. I'm not begging for you to forgive me automatically, because I know I've let you down. This is the hardest thing Chad and I have ever gone through and we need your support now more than ever. I regret what has happened a lot. I made a mistake, and I'm a human. That's my saving grace, but it's not an excuse. I've committed a terrible sin in the eyes of my Lord and Savior and in the public's eyes as well and I'm sorry. No, I'm not sorry that I got pregnant, which means that I got caught in a physical relationship with Chad Dylan Cooper, but I'm sorry that I've not only let down God, myself, my family, my cast members, and you, the fans. Chad, you're turning out to be an amazing friend, and I'm sorry to you too, because within this situation, it's ruined your life as well. I can't wait for what the future has planned for us, because I can feel deep down it's going to be great. That might be my natural optimism though. I love you all and again, I'm sorry."
"Cut!" Marshall said.
"That was great Sonny." Nico spoke up.
"Yeah." Grady agreed.
Sonny walked over to stand in between Chad and Tawni. It was now Tawni's turn to tell about her mother. She went up and gave a heartfelt testimony of her mother's struggle, giving birth to her at only two weeks over seventeen, and raising her a single mother.
"Okay, everyone." Marshall said, "If that's it, then I suppose we're done here. Well, except for Chad's contract."
Sonny stood silent. He had forgotten about her song.
"Oh well, maybe after Chad signs." she thought.
They filmed a ten minute letter of intent ceremony. They announced that Chad would be on the show, explained the rules and regulations along with explaining why Chad was switching over to 'So Random'.
After Marshall was done explaining, Chad picked up the black pen off the table and signed the contract. He put the pen back down and looked up at the camera.
"I would like to think Mr. Condor for allowing me to have this job after I got released. Also, I'd like to think Marshall for thinking of me in this situation. So, thanks for everything." Chad said.
Marshall nodded towards the camera man when Chad was done to cut the scene.
"Now, if that is all then we're done." he said.
"Marshall, what about Sonny's song?" Tawni said.
"Oh yes!" Marshall said, "Sonny, if you would."
Marshall gestured over towards Sonny before running off to get the stool and microphone stand. Chad picked Sonny's guitar up off of it's resting place on the corner of the table.
"What are you doing Chad?" she asked.
"Helping you." he said.
"I got this." She half smiled, taking the guitar out of Chad's hand and walking over to where Marshall had placed the stool and microphone stand.
She took her seat as Marshall prepared everything.
"Okay, are you ready Sonny?" he asked.
Sonny nodded towards him. He repeated his usual words and a spotlight came down on Sonny.
"I just wrote this song, literally, twenty-four hours ago. It might be rough, but it means a lot. Hope you like it." she said shyly.
She began to play her song, staring down at her guitar strings, not looking up.
I never promised there'd be sunshine everyday
I'll give you everything i have
The good, the bad
Why do you put me on a pedestal?
Im so up high that i can't see the ground below
So help me down, you've got it wrong
I don't belong there
One thing is clear
I wear a halo, I wear a halo when you look at me
But standing from here
You wouldn't say so,
You wouldn't say so if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you
Whoa whoa I, I just wanna love you
Chad stood motionless near the audience section of the stage. The words were hitting him like a brick. She was real. She was legit. She wasn't one of those fake girls like Portlyn over at 'The Falls'. She was beautiful and talented. She was sweet and kind.
I always said that I would make mistakes
Im only human and that's my saving grace
I'll fall as hard as I try
So don't be blinded
See me as I really am
I have flaws and sometimes I even sin.
So pull me from that pedestal
I don't belong there
One thing is clear
I wear a halo,
I wear a halo when you look at me
But standing from here,
You wouldn't say so,
You wouldn't say so if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you
Whoa whoa I, I just wanna love you
Like you think that you know me
But in your eyes
I am something worthy
Only in your mind
Only in your mind
I wear a, I wear a
I wear a halo
Something else hit him hard while she was singing:
He just might be beginning to fall for Sonny Monroe…hard.
One thing is clear
I wear a halo
I wear a halo when you look at me
But standing from here, you wouldn't say so
You wouldn't say so if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you
Whoa whoa I , I just wanna love you.
When she was done, the cast was silent. Tawni had silent tears falling down her face. Grady and Nico were still, staring a hole through Sonny.
"Was it that bad?" she asked.
"It was amazing." Chad replied.
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I am SO sorry that took so long to write! It stretched to nine pages in all and it took two days! Gah! Now I'm way behind! Ha ha. Oh, the song Sonny sang is "Halo" by Bethany Joy Lenz from One Tree Hill. My mom was kickin' up the "Friends With Benefits" CD about a month ago and this song came up and I was hooked. Anyway, there will def. be more coming up this weekend because I don't think we're going to the pool anymore for the rest of the week. So, keep a look out for it! Thanks for reading!