Categories > Movies > High School Musical > Start of Something New
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the HSM characters or anything. Also, though this story involves the names of real people, it is a complete work of fiction in terms of characterization and plot.
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Chapter 2 - Mixed Messages
A fry suddenly flipped past her ear as Vanessa drifted off in her thoughts. Across the table, Zac was watching her, his eyes warm and playful. "Vanessa? Come back, Nessa. I need you here. Who's going to make up for all my deadweight on screen?"
She laughed and tossed a fry back at him. Being with Zac made anything seem fun, even the crappy burger place three blocks away from their hotel. But he was right-she had been daydreaming. She had been thinking that no matter what she tried, no matter where the conversation went, he suddenly seemed to be holding back. He was light, funny, teasing... but just when things seemed to get a bit more serious, he became no more and no less than he was with all the others back at the hotel.
A small voice whispered in the back of her head. Maybe you were always destined to be just friends. Maybe you were just fooling yourself, thinking that he liked you more than he did.
She shook her head. I don't know that. Maybe he's just... I don't know...
Another fry suddenly flew past her, this time catching in her hair. She yelped, plucking it out and threw it at him, hitting him squarely in the chest.
He laughed. "I thought I'd lost you for good. Am I that boring to you?"
"Sorry," she said with a smile. God, he's cute. "Just tuning into the mother ship for a minute." She twirled her finger in the air, giggling.
"Oh, updating the alien overlords, are we?" he said, a grin starting at the corners of his mouth.
"Yeah, they get really worried otherwise." Vanessa became serious. "You should have seen the last time I forgot to check in. I mean, talk about international incident."
She couldn't keep a straight face. He rolled his eyes, smiling, and wagged a fry at her. "You, Nessa, are one of a kind."
He dipped the fry in Vanessa's ketchup container and munched on the rest of his meal. A companionable silence descended. It's just so easy to be with him. Furtively, she lifted her eyes to snatch a glance at Zac's expression. He's probably looking away. Engrossed in his meal. Anything but me.
But she lifted her eyes to find Zac trying to sneak a glance at her. Their eyes met in surprise, and both of them smiled, embarrassed. She couldn't help noticing that he held the connection a tiny bit longer, before finally looking away.
He does like me.
Suddenly she folded her arms and put them on the table. "You know, it's so weird that it was just you and me today at the set. I'm so used to having everyone else there, but I guess the ski lodge was just us."
"I've got to say, I'm not used to being on a set where Corbin isn't freaking out about the quality of his performance," said Zac. "To tell you the truth, I don't think I deliver as well if I'm not dealing with thespian hysteria 24/7."
She laughed. "And at least we finally got to spend some time together-just the two of us."
Come on.
But he gave a dry laugh, and looked at her admonishingly. "And it's a good thing too, since I need all that extra ketchup you have so kindly supplied." Mischievously, he dipped another fry into the sauce and ate it.
She blinked. He just did it again.
"Hey," she said, pulling the container away. "I am not some kind of ketchup reservoir. You should have planned ahead for the amount of ketchup you'd need."
He put his palms up in the air, grinning. "OK, OK," he said. "I'm done anyway. And from the looks of it, so are you. Wanna get out of here?"
"Sure."
And as they crossed the road toward to the hotel, Vanessa reached out impulsively and slid her arm through Zac's. She pressed her side to his, and he smiled down at her as they walked back through the cool evening air. OK, Zac/, she thought. /So maybe you like me or maybe you don't. Right now, I'm just going to take this opportunity to be close to you.
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Author's note: Sorry for the semi-downer ending, but it's necessary, trust me... I've got more planned out and this will all make sense soon! Read and review!
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Chapter 2 - Mixed Messages
A fry suddenly flipped past her ear as Vanessa drifted off in her thoughts. Across the table, Zac was watching her, his eyes warm and playful. "Vanessa? Come back, Nessa. I need you here. Who's going to make up for all my deadweight on screen?"
She laughed and tossed a fry back at him. Being with Zac made anything seem fun, even the crappy burger place three blocks away from their hotel. But he was right-she had been daydreaming. She had been thinking that no matter what she tried, no matter where the conversation went, he suddenly seemed to be holding back. He was light, funny, teasing... but just when things seemed to get a bit more serious, he became no more and no less than he was with all the others back at the hotel.
A small voice whispered in the back of her head. Maybe you were always destined to be just friends. Maybe you were just fooling yourself, thinking that he liked you more than he did.
She shook her head. I don't know that. Maybe he's just... I don't know...
Another fry suddenly flew past her, this time catching in her hair. She yelped, plucking it out and threw it at him, hitting him squarely in the chest.
He laughed. "I thought I'd lost you for good. Am I that boring to you?"
"Sorry," she said with a smile. God, he's cute. "Just tuning into the mother ship for a minute." She twirled her finger in the air, giggling.
"Oh, updating the alien overlords, are we?" he said, a grin starting at the corners of his mouth.
"Yeah, they get really worried otherwise." Vanessa became serious. "You should have seen the last time I forgot to check in. I mean, talk about international incident."
She couldn't keep a straight face. He rolled his eyes, smiling, and wagged a fry at her. "You, Nessa, are one of a kind."
He dipped the fry in Vanessa's ketchup container and munched on the rest of his meal. A companionable silence descended. It's just so easy to be with him. Furtively, she lifted her eyes to snatch a glance at Zac's expression. He's probably looking away. Engrossed in his meal. Anything but me.
But she lifted her eyes to find Zac trying to sneak a glance at her. Their eyes met in surprise, and both of them smiled, embarrassed. She couldn't help noticing that he held the connection a tiny bit longer, before finally looking away.
He does like me.
Suddenly she folded her arms and put them on the table. "You know, it's so weird that it was just you and me today at the set. I'm so used to having everyone else there, but I guess the ski lodge was just us."
"I've got to say, I'm not used to being on a set where Corbin isn't freaking out about the quality of his performance," said Zac. "To tell you the truth, I don't think I deliver as well if I'm not dealing with thespian hysteria 24/7."
She laughed. "And at least we finally got to spend some time together-just the two of us."
Come on.
But he gave a dry laugh, and looked at her admonishingly. "And it's a good thing too, since I need all that extra ketchup you have so kindly supplied." Mischievously, he dipped another fry into the sauce and ate it.
She blinked. He just did it again.
"Hey," she said, pulling the container away. "I am not some kind of ketchup reservoir. You should have planned ahead for the amount of ketchup you'd need."
He put his palms up in the air, grinning. "OK, OK," he said. "I'm done anyway. And from the looks of it, so are you. Wanna get out of here?"
"Sure."
And as they crossed the road toward to the hotel, Vanessa reached out impulsively and slid her arm through Zac's. She pressed her side to his, and he smiled down at her as they walked back through the cool evening air. OK, Zac/, she thought. /So maybe you like me or maybe you don't. Right now, I'm just going to take this opportunity to be close to you.
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Author's note: Sorry for the semi-downer ending, but it's necessary, trust me... I've got more planned out and this will all make sense soon! Read and review!
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