A/N: Hiya! I hope you enjoy this one shot. I was cleaning the woodshop room with my friend today... and this idea came to me. For the record, I wasn't in trouble, lol. My teacher asked us if we would clean it. I couldn't say no!
Disclaimer: I don't own How to Rock
"Danny Mango wants this place spotless," says Stevie's boss. Stevie nods her head and begins sweeping the floors. Danny Mango leaves the shop, but right after calling back, "I'm leaving you in charge to lock up." "Alright," Stevie says. She groans after her boss is out of sight. She justs wants to go home. It's one of those days where you wish you could just collapse onto your bed and stay there... unmoving.
As she begins sweeping up straw wrappings and fruit chunks, there's the sound of music nearby. Stevie looks around the mall outside the shop, and she doesn't see anything. She goes back to sweeping. The music grows louder and she can suddenly make out the instrument.
The uke. she thinks with a small smile.
"Hey, Zander," she calls to him, without turning around. "What's up?" he asks. He sets his uke down on one of the tables. "Hey, hey! I just cleaned that," she jokes. Zander doesn't reply. "And I'm just about to close up. I'm just cleaning up the fruit little kids like to toss around the store," she says. "Fun," Zander says sarcastically. "Well, since you're here-though you shouldn't be-grab a rag, Uke Boy," she says. "Uke Boy?" Zander laughs.
Stevie laughs and nods her head. She tosses a rag, from behind the counter, at Zander. He catches it with one hand and begins wiping down the counters. "So, why are you here?" Stevie asks, sweeping up the pile she's gathered into a dust pan. "There was nothing better to do... and I've been here since after school. I was waiting for that scary mall cop to leave..." he admits. Stevie laughs. "Oh... him," she teases.
"Yeah... so, anyway... you missed practice. Kacey was going nuts..." Zander says. "Believe me. I know. I got probably fifty texts from her in under a minute. Anyway, Danny Mango asked me to come in early today," Stevie explains. Zander walks up to Stevie and takes the broom from her hands. "Well... we all missed you," he says. Stevie laughs and says, "Thanks, but that wasn't necessary." She turns away from him and begins washing some more tables.
"It was," he says. His voice has gone from normal to slower than usual. It's the tone he uses when flirting up the girls at school. Stevie turns back to face him, but before she can point out his flirty tone, she's face to face with him.
She swallows her words. They've always been physically and emotionally close... but she's never been nervous with it. This is closer than normal. There's always been an invisible boundary between the two. It always kept them comfortable close... but Zander is bending that boundary. He hasn't yet broken it.
"N-no... it really wasn't," she stumbles. She takes a step back from Zander and continues washing the table. "I think you've cleaned the table enough," Zander chuckles. Stevie forces a shaky laugh and says, "Look at that. Guess I did."
Zander turns her to face him and she looks at him confused. "Zander, seriously. Why are here?" she asks. "I guess I wanted to come see you," he says slowly. He smiles and Stevie can't hold back her blush. Zander pushes a couple strands of loose hair behind her ear and looks her fully in the eyes. She isn't sure why... but she suddenly feels completely exposed. Like someone's cut her open and allowed the eyes of anyone to look through her.
And it makes her feel uncomfortable.
"Zander..." she warns in a shaky voice. "You can start running," Zander teases. "Why?" she asks. Without saying anything, he presses his lips to hers. She sighs happily as it really does feel nice. He has warm, soft lips. He tangles his fingers into her soft, curly hair and she wraps her arms around his neck.
She presses her body close to his, like she needs him more than life, like he's oxygen. Eventually, when the need for air takes over, they break apart. Their clothes are rumpled and their faces are pale with the lack of air. Zander clears his throat and Stevie stifles a cough. "That was... um..." Stevie says at a loss for words. "More of a kiss than either of us expected?" Zander questions. Stevie nods her head and blushes.
It's almost like a magnetic force, but it's quick and powerful and suddenly they find themselves again in their embrace. It's like all the physical tension between the two is finally snapping. All boundaries have officially broken down, and they both know it.
When they pull apart-again-Stevie says quickly, to change the topic, "Um... thanks for helping me clean the shop." Zander nods his head, dismissing the credit. "Um... I think it's time to close up," Stevie says. She walks Zander out of the shop and then locks the store. They walk out to the parking lot together leaving the largest gap, between the pair of them, ever seen. It's a bit awkward the silence, but then Zander says, "Can you please say something? I'm going insane over here!"
Stevie looks confused and then realizes what he means. "It was great... the kiss, I mean... but I don't really know what it means..." she says, playing with her sleeves. Zander speaks up after a moment of silence, "It means I like you. I have liked you." Stevie's expression goes from confused to surprised. "You mean you like me... too?"
"Too?" Zander asks, a glint of hope in his dark brown eyes.
Stevie nods her head. Zander smiles and pulls Stevie in for a hug. She wraps her arms around his waist and squeezes lightly. "Thanks for helping me," she says into the crook of his neck. He chuckles and says, "You already said that."
"I know," she laughs.
A/N: Okay... so a little fluffly I guess. I hope you enjoyed it anyway(:
