Stop the World

Three.

It didn't take Sonny long to record the new song because there really wasn't much to it. Everything had already been decided. It felt unnerving to simply walk into the studio, put her headphones on, and put down vocals on a song that she didn't create. It felt unauthentic. It felt unreal. Since it didn't take long for her to do the song, the label already booked a studio for her to rehearse in. There was choreography. There were background dancers. There were things that Sonny had never even considered and now she had two days before her first live performance and she was just supposed to figure all of this out.

"I don't want to do choreography during the chorus. Isn't that the time for me to interact with the fans?" Sonny questioned as she twirled the microphone in between her fingers. Sonny was an actress and a singer, not a dancer. So it was taking her a little longer to get the choreography down but luckily everyone was being patient with her.

"You still have to learn it for the video, but you don't have to do it on stage, if that's what you're asking. Let's go again," the choreographer Jackson demanded. Sonny nodded and got back into place but then the door opened, and Chad walked through, and all sense of professionalism was lost as she practically ran into his arms. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was be curled up with her fiance.

"Let's take a break, I guess," Jackson mumbled, so everyone dispersed to give Sonny and Chad some space.

"I thought you were going to be home for dinner?" Chad questioned as Sonny shook her head.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to call. I've been on go all day. My label changed my first single and I had to record the song and learn how to freaking dance and do all of this stuff before New York..." Sonny trailed off, combing her fingers through her hair. She was stressed. It was written all over her face and even though she had thrown herself into his arms she was still visibly tense. Plus the hair. Sonny couldn't keep her hands out of her hair when she was stressed out.

"It's okay, Sunshine. I brought you food. It's almost ten. Have you eaten?" Chad checked, to which Sonny shook her head. On her car ride over here she had seen screenshots of what they wanted her to wear for her performance. The thought of food had instantly left her mind.

"You have to eat. You've been gone all day, Sonny. You can't come home?" Chad questioned, but Sonny shook her head again.

"You don't understand. I have so much to prove with this album and this is a new label and I really want this...this music thing. This is what I want to do. So I have to do it well. I may have to sacrifice a little bit or go to sleep a little later but this is what I want and this is what I have to do to have it," Sonny explained as Chad scoffed a little bit.

"Sonny, it does not have to be like this. You're the artist. This is your career. You make the rules," Chad reminded her. He used to think the same way as her but then he got a little older and realized how things really worked. He made everyone around him money. They were nothing without him. So they couldn't just treat him however they wanted or dictate how things would go. Sonny would just have to learn that too.

"Hey Chad." Sonny visibly tensed up even more when Dave entered the room. She pushed herself away from him like they were two teenagers who just got caught by her dad and she cast her vision downward.

"Sonny needs to get back to work. I'm sure you understand," Dave said, and he didn't leave any room for argument. Chad almost opened his mouth and shut this whole thing down, but then Sonny gave him a look, and he decided not to.

"Yeah. Please call me on your way home, Sonshine. And please eat or drink something. I got your favorite smoothie," Chad said, pushing the bag into her hands. He placed a kiss on her forehead and gently squeezed her hand, shooting her one last look before he walked out of the room. He understood that this is what Sonny wanted but this isn't how she had to go about it, and some how Chad was going to have to convince her of that.