Hey guys! Aw… so happy that you guys are liking this! I'm thrilled with the positive feedback, and because I have some extra time, I decided to start on another chapter! I'm supposed to be updating Smile, but I had another idea for this… so enjoy!

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Sonny's POV

No. It wasn't possible. It was incomprehensible and it just didn't make sense. The whole idea was insane. Of all people in the world that I could be asked to have a relationship with, even a fake one, it had to be Chad Dylan Cooper.

And I know exactly how crazy the whole idea is when I actually start to think about it. A fake relationship with the guy I once was inseparable from. Pretending to think of a guy the way I thought of him a few short years ago. It's extremely awkward sometimes, because we work so closely together and we see each other quite often, we just have a strong lack of communication. Yeah, sometimes we'll nod at each other, maybe talk about the weather, but it wasn't the same, relaxed feeling. I want to say I regret breaking up with him, but I can't. He still seems a little more irked about the whole situation though. You'd think after four years, he'd be more mature about this.

But maybe it wasn't just the break-up that really did it. Perhaps he doesn't remember it, because it was so long ago, but I know I'll never forget it. Rather than listening to Mr. Condor explain his plan to me, my mind wanders back to the day that may haunt me forever.

It was a few months after our break-up, and things between Chad and me were okay-ish… not exactly. At least then we had enough dignity to speak to each other, and we were on somewhat good terms with each other. But what Chad did that day was unacceptable, and I couldn't believe him.

I stomped out of the Mackenzie Falls set hoping that I would hear the last of it, but I could hear his fancy Italian shoes of his click on the hard floor behind me. "Sonny! Wait, I can explain!" I heard his frantic voice call out my name as the pace of his footsteps accelerated.

I turned around just to get this over with. "There's nothing to explain, Chad! I know you're not sorry, you NEVER are. But for once in your life, can you accept the fact that not everything is about YOU?"

His face is shocked. "You think I did this for ME? I'm trying to protect you! The guy's an asshole, and he's just going to use you!"

"You think this HE'S the asshole? He's not the one who threatened my boyfriend when he put his arm around me!" I argued. "He's not the one that interrupted our kiss today!"

"Kiss? More like a soft-core porn show! I never did THAT with you!" he shouted.

"What's your point?" I questioned furiously.

"My point is that he's trying to mess around with you, I just know it! And if I didn't push him away, his slimy lips would still be all over you!" Chad snapped. "Wonder how good lover boy can kiss you when his lips are swelled up..."

"Stop it!" I yelled. "Why are you doing this, Chad? What did he ever do to you?"

"Nothing Sonny, it's just that I know his type! He's just going to break your heart! A guy with a reputation like his… with YOU? He's just going to break you! Last I heard, the guy makes up a fake abusive wife every Friday night just to get some. It's disgusting."

"What? You know absolutely nothing about him!" I said. "You think he's a heartbreaker like... like… like YOU?" I felt bad when I said these words, but he deserved it. "I know that he'll never try to hurt me and that he cares about me. And I think… I think I love him."

Chad almost choked. "In love? With… with him? It's been one month, Sonny, you don't know what you feel right now. You don't know what you're doing! What do you know about love?"

"I don't care about your opinion, Chad," I snapped, avoiding his question. "You're acting like we're still together, and we're not! We've moved on! You have a girlfriend now, and you're perfectly happy! I just wanna feel the same way with Danny! And the only way that I can is if you leave me alone and get out of my life."

"I'm telling you, he is BAD news. Why can't you just listen to me and save yourself while you can?" he shouted at me.

"Why do you even care anymore? We're done. Over," I pointed out.

"Just because we're not a couple anymore doesn't mean I don't care about you anymore!" His blue eyes looked hurt when he said, "I vowed to you that I'd keep you safe. And in turn, you'd love me. Forever."

"That's something that all couples say," I snapped.

"Yet when Danny says it, it's genuine?" he pointed out.

"Just give it up, Chad! I don't get why you try in the first place! We're done. I don't act like this when you're making out with Chloe!"

He ignored my remark about his new on-and-off camera girlfriend. "What happened to forever, Sonny? Tell me."

There was a hush that fell between us that gave me goose bumps as he looked at me with those deep blue eyes of his, waiting for an answer. The tension almost killed me, and I could feel my eyes blur with tears, but I didn't dare let them spill. "Forever ended three months ago."

And before he could respond, I ran back to my dressing room before I could do something stupid like cry.

My mind snaps back to reality when I hear Mr. Condor say, "—which is exactly why I think that you two should get together."

Drowned in my thoughts, I'm almost in shock when I hear my boss conclude his proposal and wait for my response. Somehow, I manage to say, "I'm sorry, it's just that I'm not ready for a relationship… even a fake one."

"HAH!" Chad explodes, his attention on Mr. Condor. "Case closed. We're not doing this." I can't help but be fascinated by his reaction, being it the first time I've seen him up-close in a long time. For one thing, his voice has definitely changed, being deeper and smoother. His dirty blonde hair is definitely longer now, like it was when I first met him. His face contains stubble, and there are dark circles under his blue eyes that show lack of sleep.

"Allison," Mr. Condor grabs my attention by the sound of my real name. "I don't think you realize the potential it has for both of your careers."

I feel the need to explain. "It's just that I barely got out of a relationship, and I don't know if I could handle a new one."

"Allison, Allison…" Mr. Condor chuckles nervously. "You don't realize how much we need this. With your show in its last year, Mackenzie Falls on its last leg… the studio is crumbling as we speak." A little hard to imagine with all of these luxuries in here, I think. "And to think that here, in front of me, we have the most famous stars from both of our most successful shows as of right now. God help us if you don't agree."

Well, that's a lot of pressure. "Well…"

Chad interrupts me, but the way he does it is in a way as if I don't exist with his full attention on our boss. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, because he often did this: grabbing my attention without seeming to try. "I didn't exactly roll out the welcome mat for this idea," he grumbles.

Mr. Condor shushes him before he can say anything else and motions for me to continue my train of thought.

"Just… well…" I sigh, and try to begin again. "With all due respect, Mr. Condor," I say flatly, knowing that Chad had said this before to gain forgiveness from him. "But we're so busy over at So Random!, trying to come up with new material for the final season and all. I'm struggling to stay awake half the time as I explore new jobs, try to sort everything out… it's just been difficult. I don't know if I can complicate things more with a relationship just for show."

"She's not ready," Chad's rough voice brings up immediately. "I told you. We should just forget about the whole thing."

"Sonny," Mr. Condor looks at me. "Just hear me out. We can try out this couple thing for a few weeks, and if it causes hype, then just go with it for a few months, that's all I ask. Bottom line is that it's fake, and if all goes well, it'll only be a couple of months. If things are bad, then it'll only be a matter of weeks. No one has anything to lose."

I hesitate as I think through this. "Just a few months…?"

"And then, we can call it off," Mr. Condor promises. "I mean, Kim Kardashian had a marriage for seventy-two days. A relationship for a few months that could break off any minute is perfectly legit. A few dates, a kiss on the cheek, a source 'leaking details'… it's as easy as pie! More views, higher ratings, more money, more time. I don't see how this will fail."

"…What does he think?" I ask, avoiding Chad's name. I already know the answer, but I need to buy time to soak up this information.

"I said that—" Chad starts, but Mr. Condor interrupts him.

"Chad has already agreed to do this," Mr. Condor states professionally. "Of course, if you agree to do this. I don't want to force you to do something you don't want to do."

Though you're not giving me much of a choice, I think.

I take a deep breath. "I think…"

But before I can make a decision, the song I Just Wanna Run by The Downtown Fiction starts playing out of nowhere (that right, no more mooing cow for me) at an alarming volume, and I literally jump up from my seat in surprise. I hastily take out my phone out of my back pocket and check the number. A random jumble of numbers I don't know of. A person definitely not on my contact list. I know I should just ignore it, but I'd do anything to get out of this situation, even for a minute.

"I'm sorry," I apologize quickly to my boss. "But I have to take this."

His muscles are tense, and I know he's getting frustrated by me beating around the bush, but luckily, I have the upper hand in this situation, and he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the chance of my answer being yes. "By all means," he says steadily.

"Thank you," I mouth, before getting out of the chair and walking a respectable distance away from the desk, my boss, and my ex. I put my cell to my ear and answer. "Hello?"

"I'm so sorry, I swear babe," a deep, ragged voice pleads to me, and I know exactly who it is. I groan.

"I thought I blocked your number!" I yell in a hushed tone, knowing very well that both my boss and ex could hear me clearly.

"You did, so I got a new number," he replies easily. "Please let me just say something."

"Save your breath," I say. I'm about to hang up, but his frantic voice stops me.

"Lemme explain, babe. Please, baby, please. You know I love you," he pleads again.

"There's nothing to explain!" I insist. "My dad cheated on my mom when I was young, and it crushed her. I refuse to give you another chance!"

"But Sunshine," he starts, and it almost kills me, because my dad was the one that came up with the nickname, and the more unforgiving I feel. "…I love you. I made a mistake, and I would take it back if I could, I swear. It's over between me and Brit, I promise!"

"Brit? I thought it was Michelle…" It's when I say those words I realize what a dick he is. "Oh my God… I WAS SO STUPID!"

Just a slip of the tongue gave him up. "Her too," he says quickly. "But you're the only one I've ever cared about, I swear babe. I love you."

"No, you don't. All this time, you just wanted to get in my pants! To think that I—"

He interrupts me, "Babe, you're the only one that I cared about!"

"Says the guy that finds a new goddess every weekend," I accuse quickly. "You are a player, a heartbreaker… I can't believe I didn't see it before!"

"Babe—"

"DON'T call me back," I say, before I hang up. I mutter under my breath, "Sometimes, I just…" But when I look up, I realize how loud I was. My boss had obviously been listening, as his full attention is on me and my phone. But I'm not too worried about my boss: it's Chad's reaction that makes me completely regretful. For one thing, his undivided attention is on me, and I don't know what exactly to think of it. Probably to just taunt me. I could just picture his and his arrogant voice saying I told you so.

"I don't want to be too forward," Mr. Condor starts. "But what are you thinking?"

As I stuff my phone back into my pocket and sit back down next to Chad, I can feel his eyes locked on me, making me self-cautious. I clear up my throat and confidently say, "I'll do it."

Mr. Condor's eyes widen. "Really?"

I squeeze my eyelids shut as I'm about to make the final decision. "Really."

He seems surprised that I said yes, and he seems grateful. I just hope that it's not something I'm going to regret. "So? Shake on it then," he gestures to me and Chad.

"Chad?" my voice is soft now, as I face him, just to find that he's already looking at me. As I look into his blue eyes, I put my hand out carefully. "So it's a deal," I say to him, the first interaction we've had in a while.

He clears his throat, and cautiously places his hand and mine and grips it professionally, shaking slowly. "Deal."

The moment I let go of Chad, Mr. Condor speaks, "You both are excused."

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Sorry, I feel like I kinda rushed some scenes in this, but I'm pretty happy that I got it done. I'm trying to make these chapters a little longer than I usually do, so it's like you're actually reading something, not like a side-ad on YouTube. Other than that, I'm pretty satisfied.

But… what are your thoughts? Review below and tell me! I'm super grateful of all of your opinions, and I'm mega-excited for this story to take off. Two chapters within a few days, I'm feeling pretty accomplished.

As always, thanks for reading, and I hope to update soon!