Disclaimer: Don't own SWAC

Sonny

Chad Dylan Cooper. Dylan Cooper. Cooper. Cooper. Cooper. Coooooper. That's why Danielle Cooper rung a bell. That's why it sounds familiar. That's why my life is going to be miserable! I have to live with- GASP!- Chad Dylan Cooper.

And I actually did gasp, people.

"Why did you just do that?" Chad- GASP!- asks.

I hear his mother's voice- and I'm still in shock- answer soon afterwards.

"Do what?" Oh jeez. While I'm living here, I'm going to teach that woman to act,

or at least lie. I myself am not good at lying, but I can certainly act my way out of things. Act, no lying. And Danielle needs some serious work. The fake innocence drained from her voice and she sounded much too stressed out. Good try, though. But actors are taught to make sense of this sort of behavior.

"Gasp?" Chad- GASP!- replies. Maybe I don't have to gasp in my head. When I say it out loud I do, but not in my head. It's getting annoying.

Danielle continues her horrible- excuse my being rude- lying skills. "Oh! Because I love coffee! Duh!"

I look at Chad. No gasp. From under the table I can barely make all his face out, and the legs are blocking some of my view. His hair is slightly disheveled, looking a little bit more normal since it's not perfect in every way. I had found out earlier today but after our transaction that he was on Mackenzie Falls, the hottest drama of today, and he was Mackenzie. No wonder he's got such a big head, I think to myself. His uniform was still in tact, his tie loose around his neck and jacket off. The way he can wear a tie and fancy jeans had me a little put on- the way he can pull off the casual and fancy style at the same time. Altogether, the Chad he shows here I already liked better than the Chad Dylan Cooper at the studios.

I continue to watch him as he watches his mother. I can't blame him for being very suspicious. This woman is usually the amazing person I had been conversing with a few minutes ago. She was now acting like a lunatic. He has to find out sometime- the hard way. The way I had to find out about him. As I continue to stare- study, I continued to study, something terrible happened. Now, I couldn't tell if it actually happened, but I can swear that I saw his eyes dart to mine when I shifted my weight to the left. But, they darted away so quickly I wasn't sure. The way he smirked, though, had me really paranoid.

Chad began to walk toward me. Well, not really me, but the table. Then he was out of my sight as he came to the seat I had sat in prior to him. The chair made barely any noise because of the softness on the bottom. Then he stepped in and pulled the chair to him, sitting down. My intake of breath was as quiet as I could make it, and I scooted quickly and carefully backward and away from his bare feet.

Just my luck, Danielle decided to test my super spy skills and see how skinny I am by pulling the chair across from Chad out and coming in. My eyes widen in disbelief. She knew I was under here, why is she trying to make this more difficult than it has to be? I shuffle silently onto my stomach, scrunching my eyes closed in fright. Then, when I'm in the plank position, everyone is comfortable and not touching. Thank you, Danielle. So much. My mouth stayed agape as they began to speak as though nothing strange was going on.

"So, hon, how was your day?" Danielle starts an easy-going conversation as my arms begin to ache. My lips form a pouting expression as my stomach responds to the plank position. Danielle didn't give me time to stretch before starting our unexpected workout. Grr.

"Good, good." I can detect laughter in Chad's voice. "There's a new girl at the studios."

My stomach lurches now from unease. They were not about to talk about me when I was right there? I was not a very irritable person, it takes a lot to get me upset or angry, but this whole situation had me agitated in less than the few the sentences that escaped the oblivious ones' mouths you finish.

"You don't say?" Danielle says, and I can tell she doesn't know about me. I hadn't told her, because we were too busy talking about what a jerk her ex-husband was. She doesn't know about me being on So Random, therefore she doesn't know about the rivalry, therefore she doesn't know I CANNOT live here. Too bad I was forced here.

"Yeah…" Chad trails off.

"She pretty?"

I hold in the fit of giggles that question brought on. Ah, it was marvelous when I tricked him into admitting to me that he thought I was pretty. I couldn't keep the smile off my face. I turned to where his legs were, as if to test his reaction and watch his expression. At this I rolled my eyes- sometimes I could be a real airhead. But then I noticed a dust bunny on his pant leg. I tried to look away, but then it really bugged me. I looked back at it, just sitting there, minding its own business. I looked away with a stern expression, I couldn't touch him. But- that stupid bunny is getting annoying!...I guess it doesn't take a lot to get me irritated. But this time doesn't count.

Chad chuckles. "Very." I squash the butterflies best I could. "But she already knows that."

There's a moment of silence.

"She's on the rival show."

"So Random?" Oh, I guess she does know about the rivalry.

"Yep, she is."

"What's her name?"

"Allison Monroe."

I guess Danielle was taking a drink of coffee, because then I hear it sputter from her mouth as she chokes in surprise. I shake my head, but then stop immediately after realizing I could bump one of them by accident. Again with the eye-rolling. This is useless and just stupid. I sigh quietly and continue to listen.

I hear pride in his voice when Chad speaks again. "For a second I thought I liked her," Wait, what? A second? "But then I remembered she's on the rival show and blah, blah, blah…" …Why do I feel disappointed? "I would get fired if anyone saw me with her outside of work."

Danielle's leg starts to shake uncomfortably. "You don't say?"

"Yep." Chad's voice exposes his amusement. Oh no.

"Well, you know I wouldn't bring her into the house or anything." Way to be obviously specific. Oh jeez.

"Oh?" Chad says…knowingly? Eep!

"Yes." Innocence is the first thing we need to work on.

"Then why is she under the table?"

My whole body freezes. AAAAAHHH!!

"What do you mean?" Danielle says too quickly. 'She's not in my house!"

"Mom, I can see her."

I squeal, scrambling out from under the table quickly and standing up. I swipe my hair from my eyes and wipe dust off my dress.

"Ah!" Danielle points an accusing finger. "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?!"

I throw my hands in the air and back down- a sign of exasperation.

"After all we've been through!" I say.

"Uh-I.." her eyes widen in confusion. "I don't know you!"

"Then how come I know everything about your life!" I point now.

"Because I just told you. AH!" She covers her mouth. "You tricked me into saying that!"

"Oh," I laughed. "I didn't. Trust me. Take it from someone who knows." I look at Chad pointedly.

"Okay, okay." Chad says. "First of all: I'm allowed to call you pretty if I want to."

"You called me very pretty." Correction.

His eyes widen, and I laugh at how similar he is to his mother. "You made me say that!"

"It's not like you lied!"

He opens his mouth to object, but then closes it.

"That's all I'm sayin'." I put my hands up in defense.

"Why are you in my house?"

This is when I feel uncomfortable. My hands go behind my back. I begin to fidget and look at Danielle for help. When she looks away out the window into the darkness, sighing, I bite my lip.

"Um- you know! Just visiting!" I say perkily. So much for good acting.

"I've only known you for less than twenty-four hours and I can already tell when you're lying."

I begin to hyperventilate.

"Well…" What am I supposed to say to that!? "Um, my mother- "My voice cracks – "knew Danielle in college and now I'm coming to visit for a very long time." I look at him and smile after my rushed words, trying to look innocent. I am innocent, I tell myself.

He turns to his mom. "What?" He's completely confused.

"Listen, Chad." Danielle begins seriously.

"Gasp!" I cover my mouth, and Chad smirks while his mom just looks confused.

"Huh?" She asks.

"Nothing. Continue."

"Chad."

"Ah!"

"Sonny." Danielle looks at me strangely.

Chad gasps.

"That's my thing!" I objected.

"It's not like I can't do it!" He argues.

"Nuh-uh!" I whine like a two-year-old.

He looks exasperated for a second then continues, "Why are you in my house?"

I was so into the fact we were arguing quickly that I blurt out the answer:

"Because I'm living here!"

My hand doesn't fly to my mouth. I don't cringe in case he's going to burst. I don't slouch. I watch him with a stern expression- reminding me of the dust bunny. I didn't look down at it, it would be annoying. Very annoying. I wait for his response, and he turns to his mother.

"What?" He says loudly, over-pronouncing each syllable of the word.

Danielle sighs. "Listen, sweetie. Sonny's had a horrible loss-"

Chad looks to me right when my face crumples. I turn away.

"And she needs to stay with us. I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

Chad doesn't accept it yet. "Why can't she stay somewhere else?"

Her face hardens, as well as her words. "I thought that the foster home would be a little uncomfortable for her."

By now I'm by the wall just bumping my head against the wall. I shake my head after every bump.

"Is this why you asked me to park in the comfortable part of the house?" I hear Chad's voice, quieter than before.

"Yes. Soon we will go back to the other part. I guess."

"What's the other part?" I ask, honestly curious.

"Well," Danielle. "This is sort of the homey part of the whole mansion. We prefer to use that area instead of this one, but I didn't want you to be intimidated my it when you first came. Especially the back yard…yes. It's very overwhelming."

My mind flies with the incredible possibilities. "Okay. Thanks for thinking about me."

"Of course."

I turn toward them again. I don't look straight at him, but in my peripheral vision I see Chad just plain out staring at me. I grow uncomfortable under his gaze, but shrug it off. I look directly at Danielle.

"Um, where will I be sleeping?"

"Oh," She says, a little flustered. "Uh-" She looks at Chad worriedly for a second and then back to me. "When we go back to the normal part of the house, I'll take you out and we can buy whatever you want for your new room. For now…I figured Chad would be enough of a gentleman to let you use his room for the night."

I open my mouth to object. "No, no- that won't be necessary. I can just…sleep on the couch?" I sort of guess at the end, my shoulders lifting in an uncomfortable sign.

"No." Chad shakes his head, butting in. My eyes move to him, and there's something in them that I can't recognize. Some strong emotion I couldn't comprehend. "I'll show you to my room."

I ignore the snotty attitude as Chad passes me, bumping my shoulder. I turn and follow him out of the kitchen and back into the hallway in between the rooms. I take a deep breath as he begins to go upstairs.

I think about how I forgot to talk to Danielle. I turn away from the twirling staircase and back toward the kitchen, but she's already behind me. My throat closes up, thinking about my mother. The tears form in my eyes, but I blink them back, trying to look strong in front of my new family. Danielle smiles sadly at me.

"I just want to say thank you." I tell her. "For everything. Now I know I won't be that miserable living with my mother's friend."

Well, Chad sort of cancels it out, but you understand.

Danielle replies, "Your mother would have been proud of you."

When she reaches out, I more than happily wrap my arms around her, developing her into a hug. Her embrace is warm, inviting, comfortable, easy. I think this is the millionth time I've hugged her. I lean my head down on her shoulder, a few tears falling before I gain back my control.

Your mother would have been proud of you. Oh, yeah. She would be proud of leaving her all alone in Wisconsin. She would have been proud of me being the cause if her death. She would have been proud of totally ditching her for a dream that had one in a million chance of ever coming true. She would have been so proud.

I giggle in a sad manner, thinking this over.

"No, she wouldn't have been." I whisper.

I pull back, only to see Lucy's face in Danielle's. I remember when I pulled back away from Lucy, climbing down her vine for the last time. Shutting out my whole life and childhood home by just closing the front door. I shake my head at Danielle's concerned expression.

"Good night," we both mumble simultaneously. Just like Lucy and I.

My face goes blank, trying to rid the memories from my head. I nod to the woman who would be the raiser of the rest of my years before adulthood. Smiling very softly, I trudge up the stairs, surprisingly none of them creaking.

Chad.

I watch the scene with this weird feeling in my gut. It was strange, watching my enemy- even if she might be a little bit really pretty- hug my mother like she was holding onto dear life. My mother said she had a horrible loss. What had she lost? If she's living with us, it means a person. A family member. This girl had to have gone to a foster home if she didn't have us. How did she know us in the first place?

"You mother would be proud of you." Ah…her mother. Gone. Now Chad Dylan Cooper can feel a little pity. She had lost her mother, so does that mean her mother had known my mother? I would find out when she came upstairs.

I watched with this same feeling that I was completely unbeknownst to. The way my mom hugged back…it made something in my stomach lurch. My heart did these weird thing where it slows down. All in all, I was feeling sad, lonely, desperate. Ah! This was not…no…jealousy? I hadn't hugged my mother in a long time. We talk, we bond, but we don't really show affection other than our words. It made me think that Allison Monroe was taking my mother away from me. But of course, this nice girl form Wisconsin would never think of doing such a horrible thing. I could already tell she was the nice, naïve, goody-two-shoes.

I was watching Sonny's facial expression. They ranged from amusement to heartbreak. I watched as she debated something in her mind, having to do with my mom's last statement.

I would never admit it aloud- anymore- but Allison Monroe was very pretty. Now, I wouldn't go as far as beautiful…but attractive was definitely her adjective. Everything about her was different. They way she talked, what she did, what she thought…it was interesting. She wasn't just thinking all the time- Oh! He's cute! Or Oh no, I broke a nail! She was different.

…I like different.

I listened closer when Sonny's lips moved.

"No, she wouldn't have been."

Why not?

I quickly moved deeper into the hallway when they pulled apart. They nodded to each other, and Sonny began to climb the stairs. I scrambled up and ran as quietly as I could to the third door on the right. I leaned against it and relaxed like I'd been there for a while. When she finally made it up the stairs, I tried not to make it obvious that I was listening. I'm an actor for God's sake.

"Chad?" She says my name quietly after clearing her throat.

"Yes," I say. It's obviously me isn't it? I'm one of a kind n looks and behavior.

She walks toward me but leans against the other wall. "Sorry about the whole room thing."

"Whatever," I say coldly, and immediately regret it. She pulls her hair away form her face and looks away, biting her lip. To find something to do, I turn the knob on the door and enter the room.

It's practically a replica of the blue and white room downstairs. I haven't been in here for forever. Eh, it's alright. Certainly not better than my other rooms.

"Nice," Sonny compliments.

"Yeah, yeah."

I look around and see her run out the door of the room. Wait, what? She just left the room. Then, about a minute later, she comes back with one suitcase. She breathes deeply, and I realize she just ran to her car and back.

"Okay, so…I think you've got this. Since I'm going to be sleeping on the couch for a Random…" I shivered at the thought, even if it is Sonny Monroe. "I get to at least change in here."

She rolls her eyes. "I'll go to the bathroom." She groans like a baby, and it takes everything I have not to at least chuckle. Whoa…weird. When the door closes behind her, I whip out a pair of red, black and white plaid pajama pants and take my clothes off. Replacing my Mackenzie Falls uniform with those pants, I call to her, "It's safe!"

She laughs. "Okay, good."

Sonny steps out of the bathroom and I swallow loudly. She's in just a white spaghetti-strap tank top and blue, black and white plaid pants. I can tell we have the same brand on.

She notices too. "Nice pants."

I just smirk.

The only thing I have on is those pants and I catch her plenty of times sneaking glances as she pretends to fidget with her suitcase.

"Stop checking me out, Monroe, and pay attention to what you're doing."

Sonny stands up straight and gapes at me, offended. "Oh, please!" Her voice goes high. "I was not!"

Her eyes dart to my chest and away. "You just did."

She just huffs and zips her suitcase up. When she stands back up, she's shocked to see that I've gotten into her bubble. Much too close to her, I lean down toward her.

Then, I had the naturally sudden urge to kiss her. But, of course, I would never kiss a Random….no way! So I leaned down with the smuggest smirk I could muster.

"I guess it doesn't matter." I breathe on her. She sighs dreamily, and I contain my laugher again. "You don't look half bad in a tank top yourself."

With that and a signature wink, I leave her to my room and fall to the couch.

And I would admit to no one that I had been slightly attracted to Allison Monroe at that time.