Starting Over / Shourtney

Chapter Four: The Shutdown

<Courtney's POV>

This stuff always seemed to happen during writers' meetings, didn't it? Well I guess technically this wasn't a writers meeting but we were writing. The work day was almost over. It was close to 5:00 pm and I sat next to Ian at the conference table. He was working on a script about Keith being addicted to tik tok, the newly branded music.ly app. I was editing an EBE script with Olivia, Monica and Ryan were working on a sketch concept, and Matt Raub was replying to emails.

Even with the defy news lingering in the back of our minds, it felt like a fairly regular day. As I corrected a typo in the script and Olivia suggested a better punch line to one of the jokes, I could almost pretend that all the stuff on Friday hadn't happened. That is until I heard Matt mutter "What the fuck?"

I looked over, he was staring at his computer screen, "Uh guys," he said tentatively. "Check your emails."

I felt a familiar feeling of dread flood through my body as he turned his laptop to face us. In blunt, black, text the email read:

Dear Defy Media Employees,

This letter is to inform you that your employment at Defy Media's Beverly Hills office at 8750 Wilshire Blvd has been terminated effective immediately.

Regretfully, due to unforeseen market conditions, Defy Media must immediately cease all production, and shut down its facilities. Be prepared to clear out your offices by the end of this week.

We express our deepest gratitude to all our employees and their dedication to this company.

Regards,

Matthew Diamond,

CEO and Co-Founder of Defy Media

It was as if the air had been sucked out of the building. I felt absolutely winded. The room was silent for a moment as we all took it in. We didn't have two more months; we didn't even have two more minutes. It was over.

"Selfie!"

I looked over to see Ian holding up his phone up and taking a picture of the group of us. His voice rang through the silence with a satirical air to it. We all just stared at him like zombies.

"What?" He asked.

"What the hell is even happening right now," Monica said, bringing her hands up to either side of her head.

I didn't have an answer for her. All I could tell you that I wasn't expecting this.

"Um, so we're all just like fired?" Olivia questioned.

"I guess so," I breathed back. We all exchanged looks.

Voices started drifting into the room from the rest of the office and I realized they everyone had seen the email too. Soon enough, many other members of the cast and crew had joined us in the room. We were all really down, which is a bit of an understatement.

If I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me on Friday, this was as if the whole floor had been snatched away. I was blindsided. I felt a sudden and horrible wave of sadness and disbelief. It was an 'end of the world' feeling. Dramatic, but that's how it felt.

"But they said we had 2 months."

"Well we don't."

A few people started to give little speeches about their time with the company and how they would miss everyone and how awesome it had been to work together. I actually ended up filming some of it, because I was like 'how weird would it to have footage of this?' Eventually, Matt Raub got up to say a few words.

"These past, how long has it been? Well, It feels like forever. It's been a pleasure and a privilege to work with all of you amazing people. The creativity, and the humor, and the hard work that everyone puts into everything that they make is unbelievable. We may have been brought together by a big corporation as employees, but guys, we became a family. I will always be grateful for that."

He paused, and I wiped my tears on my shirt sleeve. I wasn't filming anymore. I was just listening as he continued.

"This company may be shutting down but we all know that Smosh is not over. We are going to get through this. I know it."

Ian nodded in agreement. "This may be the end of Defy but we won't let it be the end of smosh. You guys are all the greatest and it has been an honor to work with you, laugh with you, and generally make fools of ourselves on the internet. But," he said, standing up from his chair, "Since this probably isn't the end of Smosh, I'm gonna go finish this script real quick."

I let out a teary laugh as he grinned, grabbed his laptop, and left the room to find a quiet place to write.

"Be back in a few guys," He called over his shoulder.

It was weird, once the initial shock wore off. We had gotten out most of our sadness on Friday and over the weekend. This final blow was a shock, it took the wind out of us, but then it settled in.

We all began talking about the good times, the hilarious stories, the pranks we had pulled, the stupid shit we had done. It started to feel like a bit of a graduation. A bitter sweet ending filled with nostalgia. Ian had come back into the room and he were listening to old smosh songs and laughing at their lyrics.

"You know what's the kicker?" Sunny said, leaning back in his beanbag chair, "We were just planning to throw a party because the channels had their best views ever last week."

"True," Sarah chimed in.

"Damn, that's sort of depressing," Damien laughed.

"I think we could all use a party right now, or at the very least, a drink," Joven commented from next to Matt Raub.

I looked around the room. It was as if the light had come back into all my friend's eyes. I knew we were all thinking the same thing.

"So let's have a freaking party."

A/N: Early update cuz I felt like it 😬 So like I said in the last chapter, I made this happen on a Monday instead of a Tuesday because it fit better lol. Also, funny: when I was looking up sample 'termination of employment due to a company shutdown' letters, the defy logo came up on the explore image page about halfway down lol

The next chapter is Shayne's POV and will probably be SUPER long so buckle up folks! And let the shit show BEGIN!

- Kat