Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hi, you must be Sonny,” the jerkthrob smirked at her from his seat, leaning forward with a flutter of his eyelashes. “I’m Chad.”

He exaggerated the last two syllables of his name, enunciating it with a swift eye flutter toward her. Disgusted by his action, she gave him a cruel look and glanced down to her script with a pluck of her top lip.

“Oh my gosh! You’re Chad Dylan Cooper - possibly the greatest actor of our generation-” she curled her eyebrows towards her sockets and scoffed, turning away from the recording camera. “-are you kidding me with this?”

She scoffed with a high tone in her voice. She looked at the actor on the directing chair with utter disgust at how he wrote her character. Did he really think this was what she thought of him as?

“Sonny,” he jerked his head dramatically and closed his eyes. “I am giving you a chance here, okay? So just read the lines.”

Sonny parted her lips and rolled her eyes, scrunching her nose at his stupid demeanor. Why did he always have to win? She was debating on leaving right then and there, leaving him without a Sonny to play in his stupid movie.

“Let’s jump ahead to where Sonny enters and punches my costar,” he breathed in one breath, raising the megaphone to his lips as he leaned back in his chair. “And action!”

Sonny’s attention flickered back to him from the script, eyes full of confusion. “I never punched your costar,” she defended herself.

“ Divaaaaa ,” Chad pushed the megaphone to his lips to say the word that Sonny hated being called the most, bringing it back down after. 

“Are you-” Sonny pushed herself forward, bringing her fingers to her chest. “Are you kidding me? I’m so not a diva!”

Sonny had just about had it with him - if she wasn’t so sunny and bright she swore she would’ve actually hurt the guy physically. Chad was the only person in the entire world who could creep their stupid little fingers under her skin, and she hated it so much.

“Really, Sonny, really?” The head Ambassador of Jerkoslovakia jeered as he stood up.

“You know what,” she scoffed, shrugging slightly with her hands as she turned away. “This is ridiculous, I’m out of here.”

As he watched her leave his audition, it felt like time was so slow that he could make himself an entire dinner and be back in time to see her leave. Somehow, his heart burned to watch her leave, it made him feel like she was twenty miles away when she was hardly less than an inch away.

“Fine!” Chad shouted, knowing it would get her attention.

“Fine,” she whipped her head around, brown hair spewing around her face and she turned dramatically.

“Good!” He lengthened it a bit, but it wasn’t long before she replied.

“Good,” she practically screamed, fuming with anger. “And good luck trying to find a better me than me! Cause nobody knows me the way that I know me.”

Sonny swung the door open with detailed anger, ready to storm away and rant about it to anyone who was unlucky enough to find themselves in her path. She stood awestruck as a brunette superstar - about the same height as her - sauntered through to her path with a script in hand. Sonny was starstruck at the girl in front of her, and her deep frown at the Mayor of Jerksville contorted to a large grin as she hyperventilated with happiness.

All Chad did was smile at the overjoyed girl, ready for the complete disappointment that would hit her when she found out who exactly this girl was playing.

Chapter Text

Bangs of the floor tile echoed through the hallways of Condor Studios as Chad Dylan Cooper tripped over some wacky contraption on the floor. His arms sprawled out on the tan floor, fingernails almost sinking into the tile below him as he fumed with anger. The actor flipped his body around dramatically to reveal his bruised kneecap, the veins below it broken and violet-colored. Scrunching up his nose, he shot an accusing glance at what had tripped him. It was a clunky cylindrical object with a matching pine lid, a smoothed ball glued in the center of the lid. What in the world was it?

Chad eyes fluttered to the owner of the clinking high-heels, mind going blank as a piece of unused paper once the worried face of Sonny Munroe flooded his eyesight. 

“Chad?” Sonny’s fingernail met her top lip in shock as she kneeled down to offer him a hand. “Oh my gosh, what happened?”

His faint ivory-colored hand met her slightly lighter one - his other hand grabbing onto her arm as she helped him stand. He looked back to the death contraption and help it up with pure hatred in his eyes. He just looked weak in front of a random . What could be worse?

“My cheese cooler!” Sonny excitedly gasped, still giving him standing support as she snatched the object from his hands.

Chad’s hands stayed put in their position as she grabbed the object from him, and his accusing glance swept to the perpetrator.

“Cheese-cooler?” An accusing tone sparked in his voice. “Your stupid thing injured my ankle! I need this ankle, you know?!”

Sonny’s lip quirked into a small smile as she helped him into her dressing room, fully aware that she was supposed to be at rehearsals for So Random.

“Calm down,” Sonny soothed, rolling up his pant leg to investigate his ‘very serious bruise’. “It’s not that bad.”

“It hurts,” Chad whined, a pout growing on his lips. “I need medical attention. Oh, I need to call my doctor, anything!”

“Wanna know what my mom always did when I got hurt as a kid?” 

Chad nodded, looking at her expectantly. Sonny’s lips curled up into a full grin, but she pushed it down and away as she leaned into his cheek and gave him a brief, short kiss. Chad recoiled slightly in shock, upset with himself for not absolutely despising the kiss and having it induce vomit on him.

“But that’s not all,” Sonny teased, leaning into his face with a calm smile.

Chad blinked, unknowingly following her moves into him like a lost puppy. With a grim smile, she wrapped her arm around his body, placing her hand on his back as she--

Pushed him off the couch.

“Walk it off,” Sonny smirked, smiling at Chad’s gaped mouth and wide eyes. “My mom knows what she’s doing.”

“I hate you,” Chad huffed, crossing his arms at his now newly-bruised body, more than just his kneecap. “This is just like a random's doing!”

“Walk it off!” Sonny called, heading down to rehearsals.

Chapter Text

Sonny chewed on her fingernails, eyes lighting up as she waited for Mr. Condor to announce the news of Most Popular Actor . It was an award that was given every other month at Condor Studios, which included all actors and chose the one that had the most popular ratings from the official website. The winner would receive an amazing, shaded parking space in the parking lot (better than Chad Dylan Cooper’s regular spot), free quality lunch until the next award, and a paid-for dinner at a fancy restaurant! The rewards were just amazing, and Sonny had only ever watched Chad Dylan Cooper win. However, this time was different - this time she had been working her behind off and she was almost positive she’d win. 

“Settle down,” Mr. Condor addressed, looking to the crowd with an unimpressed smile. “For the first time in history - we have a tie.”

The crowd gasped in sudden excitement, used to the usual words of “Chad Dylan Cooper won.”.  Sonny frowned a bit, feeling upset that if she did win, she simply tied with someone instead of surpassing them.

“The winners are Chad Dylan Cooper,” Mackenzie Falls let out whistles and clapping, but So Random just groaned. “And, Sonny Munroe!”

The crowd went silent, except for the local cheering and screaming of So Random and the hushed booing of Mackenzie Falls. Sonny smiled wide for a hot second, before realizing that Chad Dylan Cooper was tied with her. She glanced over to Chad’s table, where he had a look of shock and another unreadable emotion mixed into his features.

“Since you both tied, you will both share the prizes,” they both let out a groan, “So tonight, you will both be paid for at the Gwela Articuá - and both of you will rotate with the parking spots.”

The cafeteria’s mixed emotions soon turned into a shared chuckle, like what would’ve happened in middle school if someone wrote a curse word in permanent ink on the board. 

“They’ll kill each other before the night is over,” one remarked with a giggle.

“Oh my god,” another chortled. “I would pay to see them fighting in a classy restaurant.”

Luckily, Mr. Condor didn’t hear the snide comments and left the cafeteria wistfully, not another word said.

Sonny’s right eye was beginning to twitch like a chihuahua, and even more so when Chad sauntered over to her table, pulling up a chair and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Looks like we have a date,” Chad smirked, obviously teasing her. 

“Aww!” Sonny batted her eyelashes, latching her hands to his draped wrist snidely. “I can’t wait to have cute pet names! Not,”

She rolled her eyes and pushed his arm off of his shoulders. Even Sonny didn’t know why she could get so angry and un-sunny-like when she was around Chad - he just dug his perfectly-manicured nails right under her skin. 

“So you are excited,” he smirked. “Give me some sugar!”

Sonny elbowed him in the chest as he leaned forward, holding her mouth. “I’m going to throw up,” she remarked, making gagging noises.

“I wasn’t gonna actually kiss you!” Chad gasped, seeming a little bit hurt. “But come on, you know you want to.”

Sonny laughed, shaking her head. She asked, “How delusional are you?”

Chad’s nose crinkled, seeming a bit offended by her words. "I'm not delusional. Never have been."

She looked him up and down. "Whatever you say."

“Pick you up at eight,” he continued, a bit disheveled from her comments.

“Fine!” Sonny bantered with a roll of her eyes.

“Fine!” Chad shot back, a gleam of energy shining in his right eye - the one that sparkles.

“Good,”

“Good!”

Sonny grunted and stomped off, while the Cafeteria attendants bet on who would be the first to die to the other’s hands.

Sonny slammed her hands on the coffee table, finishing her outlandish story to her mother. The dress she was wearing was now ruffled and her hair stuck up in multiple places, and her eyes were rolled to the back of her head at finish.

“Wow,” Connie smirked, stretched out her shoulders. “That was very dramatic, maybe you should be on Mackenzie Falls!”

“Mom, stop,” Sonny put a hand over her heart, feigning offense. “I would never! Especially not with Chad Dylan Cooper as the lead ac--”

Speak of the devil , Sonny thought as the door swung open without a knock, revealing the actor in all of his self-given glory.

“I’ve come to pick up your daughter, Ms. Munroe!” Chad cooed, bowing to Connie with honor.

“What a gentleman!” Connie giggled, still being a hardcore Mackenzie Falls fan. “Sonny, do you wanna switch me?”

Sonny’s eyes widened, and for some reason, it bubbled her up just a bit to think of her mom on a date with Chad. She didn’t even know why - it just made her mad.

“No! Mom, I have to go, bye!” She grabbed Chad’s elbow and dragged him out, closing the door behind her with a loud sigh.

“Eager to go on our date, I see!” Chad teased, draping an arm around her shoulders. “I knew you liked me.”

“As if,” Sonny snorted, pushing his arm off and walking to his car. “She’s just embarrassing.”

Chad huffed and followed after her, hopping into the driver’s seat after Sonny had climbed into the passenger’s.

Chad simply looked at her for a few seconds, a cocky grin tugging at his lips.

“Drive,” Sonny rolled her eyes, sinking into his expensive seats. “I still want my meal.”

With that, the husk of an engine blared her ears, and whatever conversation Chad tried to start, Sonny ended with a brisk nod and a turn of her head. If there was one thing Sonny hated way more than Chad , it was public embarrassment. She wanted nothing but to enter the restaurant, eat her expensive, paid-for meal, and leave without a silly argument from TV’s Chad Dylan Cooper. She wasn't going to let him tarnish her reputation, that was for sure.

Screeching to a halt, Chad’s car pulled up and rested in the dead middle of the parking lot, rushing to get out.

“What’s up with you?” Sonny asked, stepping from the car carefully.

“I’ve had to pee that whole car ride,” Chad struggled to get out, kneeling lightly over himself.

“Ugh!” Sonny stuck out her tongue, shaking her head in ridicule. “Gross!”

Chad glanced back to her wrinkled, ruffled, and disheveled dress and then to her messy hair from the car ride.

“What are you doing?” Sonny asked as Chad began to run his fingers over her hair, pushing down the strands of hair that plucked out. “Stop!”

"Well, I look perfect." He rolled his eyes, continuing to smooth out her dress. "I can't have you walking in there like a commoner, Sonny. Just imagine the reputation loss I'd have."

Sonny’s face contorted into a wicked blush when his hands traveled down her dress to straighten out all of the wrinkles and imperfections. Like she had completely lost her mind, the feeling of Chad’s warm hands moving down her stomach made her tingly inside of her stomach. Like she, enjoyed it. Thinking correctly, she slapped his hands away and crossed her arms.

“I can do it myself!” Sonny stuttered, correcting the last of her wrinkles.

Chad’s signature smirk burned into her mind as he walked closer, breathing onto her neck. “Looks like I made someone blush,” he teased, nipping a part of her neck.

Instinctively, Sonny elbowed him in the gut, making him groan louder than he should have.

“Sonny! I still have to pee,” he whined, holding his stomach painfully. 

“Should’ve thought of that before you teased me,” Sonny answered with a smile, walking into the restaurant with him hobbling behind.

“I hate you,” he whined, trying to stand up straight and follow her.

“No,” Sonny corrected him, turning to bop him on the nose. “You loove me!”

Chad’s cheekbones stiffened with a bit of red creeping onto them, but he seemed to rope in what he’d call a ‘disease’ fairly quickly.

“Do not!” The actor retorted back, but Sonny quieted him with her finger when they entered.

“We have a reservation for two - under the name ‘Condor’!” Sonny said brightly, a smile enhancing her features. Not an ill look to the tall host who seated them, she thanked them and sat down.

“How fake is she?” The girl asked to a waiter nearby, chuckling just a bit. “I can only bet she paid that nice man to sit with her and make everyone jealous.”

Chad stood in awe at her words - as if he couldn’t process the fact of somebody talking like that about Sonny. Sonny was the least fake person he knew, she was always happy and bright (aside from when she was with him) and she never let Hollywood change her, even when it threw itself at her.

He stepped forward a bit, attempting to grabbing the host’s arm before she left, a look of anger in his eyes. He didn’t even understand why he was so protective, but he’d probably dub it as ‘stupid cute’.

As his fingertips brushed against the host’s arm, another force pulled him back. A warm hand had latched onto his elbow, soft eyes looking back to him.

“Leave it,” Sonny suggested calmly, leading him back to their booth. “It’s not worth it.” 

The actor resisted against her pulling, looking to the host that was now getting away.

“But - Sonny! She-”

“Chad, if you personally fought everyone who made a rude comment about me, you’d have to fight a lot of Hollywood and a lot of teenage girls,” she soothed jokingly, sitting down on the opposite side of the booth. “Let’s just order - okay?”

“Fine.” Chad whispered, knowing what it would start.

“Fine,” Sonny smiled.

“Good!”

“Good!” After they were done with their whisper-banter, Chad rang the bell for the waiter.

“What can I get you for drinks today?” A college kid answered, trying to hide his nervousness.

Must be his first day , Sonny thought, recognizing the look of fear from her first day at So Random.

“I’ll have a water with lemon,” Chad said, flashing his signature smile.

“I’ll have Lemonade, please!” Sonny smiled too, a bit more comforting than Chad’s.

The waiter nodded, scribbling down the drinks on a new sheet of his notepad. He quickly said he’d be back and rushed off to the kitchen.

“Ugh,” Chad groaned as soon as he left. “Of course we get the inexperienced waiter.” 

“You know, you don’t have to be rude,” Sonny scolded, narrowing her brown eyes. “You were new at Condor Studios once too.”

“Wrong,” Chad interrupted her with his dazzling smile, one that made all the passing waitresses stop and gasp. “When I first got to Condor Studios I was a natural.”

“Not what Mr. Condor said!” Sonny cooed, booping his nose with her painted fingernail.

Chad’s face erupted with pink, and at the worst time too. 20 photographers and paparazzi clad in black quickly burst into the restaurant, snapping pictures and yelling questions atop of everyone else. 

“Sonny, Chad -- is this a date?” 

“Chad, what about your girlfriend?”

"I don't have a--"

"Sonny, what about his reputation?"

Sonny’s lips gaped, gathering back her calmness at the swarming paparazzi. Meanwhile, Chad had a look of anger on his features, yelling rude responses back at the endless questions. Sonny furrowed his eyebrows standing up and smiling before pulling Chad out of the booth herself.

“This isn’t a date, sorry,” Sonny said kindly. “This is a dinner for Condor Studios for getting the Best Actor award, and we tied.”

They continued to explain further, laughing and smiling at the reporters like they didn’t just interrupt her dinner. Every time Chad would up his mouth to reply, probably rudely, to the reporters, she would give his wrist a small pinch. It didn’t hurt, but it told him to shut up. 

“Thanks for stopping by, but could you leave us to eat please? I’m sure I’ve answered enough questions, right?” She asked, tilting her head sweetly. She put on a smile that nobody could say no to, not even the relentless paparazzi. 

Chad wanted to scoff, thinking of all the times he had told paparazzi to leave them alone but did not prevail. However, his choked scoff became a muffled gasp and he watched all of the paparazzi leave the restaurant one-by-one, and all of the prying eyes and cell phone cameras from the people dining slowly were flipped away. That wasn’t fair! How come everyone listened to her? Oh, right, it’s because she was so cute - stupid cute.

He grumbled and shimmied back in his seat. 

"See? You don't have to be rude to get what you want," she said proudly, and he just watched her lips quirk up.

"Whatever." Stupid cute.