Something More
"Ness are you ready?" Ashley called out.
Vanessa quickly applied one more coat of lip gloss and quickly stood back and looked at herself in the full length mirror. She was wearing a baby pink strapless baby doll dress which came to just above the knee. She had matching baby pink heels and was wearing a long black necklace and her favourite 'Live in Love' bracelet that her best friend had given her.
Vanessa frowned slightly as she thought of her best friend. Zac Efron. She hadn't seen in him four months and hadn't heard from him in over a month. She knew he was busy- she was too. But she was sad that they had drifted apart after promising that they wouldn't. All she knew was that he was in Toronto filming his new movie 'Hairspray' alongside John Travolta, Amanda Bynes and Brittany Snow.
Vanessa felt her eyes sting ever so slightly as she remembered the pictures she had seen of Zac a couple of weeks ago. He had been out for a private dinner with Brittany Snow and Vanessa was sure they were going out. When Ashley showed her the picture on the internet, Vanessa had done her best to show that she didn't care. She had laughed it off and made a joke about it when secretly inside it killed her.
Ashley knew Vanessa liked Zac. The whole cast did, except of course Zac. Vanessa had like Zac since filming 'High School Musical' in late summer 2005 but never had the guts to tell him how she felt. And now she had lost him forever. He had given her the bracelet before he left to film 'Hairspray'. He had a matching one and he told her that whenever they get lonely to put it on and think of each other. Vanessa ended up wearing it everyday no matter where she was going.
"V are you ready?" Ashley asked again, poking her head into the room. Vanessa nodded quickly and grabbed her purse off of the coffee table in her hotel room.
Right now the High School Musical Concert cast were going to a Christmas party in the hotel ballroom. The whole concert cast, stage crew and everyone else involved as well as people from the movie were invited.
"You look great Ness," Ashley said, opening the door.
"You too," Vanessa said, looking at Ashley.
Ashley looked equally as stunning in her grey baby doll dress with a black bow around the waist. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was wearing silver bangles which made a noise every time she moved.
The two girls walked into the free elevator. Vanessa had begun to forget about Zac for the night and was determined to have fun.
"Lucas and Drew are already down here," Ashley said.
Vanessa nodded, "What about Corbin and Mo?" she asked.
"I think they'll be down in a few minutes. Mo texted me while you were doing your make up and said she'd be a bit late, she couldn't find her purse or something," Ashley said, rolling her eyes and grinning.
Vanessa giggled, "That is so Mo," she said.
They arrived downstairs and walked towards the ballroom. Truthfully Vanessa didn't know what to expect. Kenny didn't really tell them what the party was gonna be like so Vanessa hoped it wouldn't be boring. But with her friends there it wouldn't be that bad.
They walked, linking arms into the ballroom. The room was bright with many lights and spotlights focusing on the dance floor where many people were dancing to a Beyonce song blaring from the speakers.
Ashley scanned the room and pulled Vanessa towards the table where Lucas and Drew were sitting. Vanessa followed, not looking where Ashley was going.
"Hey Ash," Lucas said, "Hey Ness."
"Hey you two," Drew said smiling.
Ashley smiled at them and Vanessa turned her attention away from the dance floor towards Drew and Lucas.
"Hey guys. What's up?" she asked.
They both looked at each other and then at Vanessa. Vanessa looked at them weirdly and then at Ashley beside her who was staring at something at the other side of the table opposite Lucas.
Vanessa turned her attention to the person sitting across from Lucas and felt her breathing begin to get shallow and her heart begin to pound as she locked eyes with him.
I didn't know what was in store
When I walked right through the door
Then I saw you over there
Our blue eyes locked in a stare
I didn't know quite what to say
Sometimes words get in the way and…
Vanessa felt herself getting lost in his eyes. Suddenly she snapped out of her daydream and remembered where she was. She knew she had to say something but she didn't know what. Part of her wanted to lean over the table and kiss him but the other part of her wanted to shake him for not telling her about his girlfriend or not keeping in touch with her.
Vanessa made a quick decision and turned to Ashley, "You know what? I need to use the bathroom, excuse me," she said quickly and scurried off out the ballroom door.
Lucas, Ashley and Drew all turned to look at Zac who was staring after Vanessa.
"Well what happened dude? Why didn't you speak?" Lucas asked.
Zac didn't reply. He couldn't get over how beautiful she looked. The last time he had seen her was the night in September when he knew he was definitely in love with her.
Flashback
"Hey Zac, do you wanna go for a ride?" Vanessa asked.
"Um…at midnight?" he asked.
Vanessa pouted, "Pretty please," she said.
"Okay fine," Zac said rolling his eyes, annoyed at the fact that she could so easily win him over.
Zac's thoughts were quickly pushed aside as he felt Vanessa's hand intertwine with his. Zac smiled and they both got into his car. He began driving and decided to take Vanessa to a nearby point with a great view of the city.
They pulled in on top of the point and looked out over the city in silence.
"Zac…this is so beautiful," Vanessa said.
"Like you," Zac muttered.
"Hmmm?" Vanessa asked, turning towards him.
Suddenly their eyes met and Zac began to lean in. Vanessa quickly followed suit and as their lips were about to touch Vanessa's ring tone filled the car.
Vanessa quickly pulled away and answered it.
"It's Ashley wondering where I am at half twelve at night," Vanessa said quietly.
After a short while they drove back to the hotel, both silent and lost in their own thoughts of whether they'd be more than friends.
End of flashback
And I remember
The night you said 'Let's got for a ride'
I didn't want the night to end
Would we be more than friends?
Yet little did I know before
We would be something more
"Zac are you okay?" Ashley asked. Zac looked up from the table and saw his five friends staring at him.
Zac nodded, "I'm fine really," he assured them, though he was lying through his teeth.
Right now he was the furthest thing from fine. He didn't know what to do about Vanessa. Was she mad at him for not calling for a month? Was she upset? Did she care? Zac's mind was spinning with questions but he didn't want to talk to his friends about it so he tried to act like he didn't care.
"Zac how are you? We missed you so much," Monique said, hugging him.
"Corbin high-fived him, "Sup dude?"
They sat down at the table with Drew, Lucas, Ashley and Zac and began talking.
"So what are you going to do about Vanessa?" Drew asked, finishing his glass of water.
Zac shrugged, "I don't know. I mean I don't know how she feels. Is she angry at me? Is she upset I didn't contact her? I don't know," he said, frustration clear in his voice.
"Zac of course she's angry and upset. Her best friend didn't contact her for a month. And it's not like she didn't try to contact you. You just ignored her phone calls. Of course she was upset. Who wouldn't be?" Ashley said.
"I know Ash but I can't explain anything to her if she won't even be in the same room as me," Zac sighed.
"Explain what exactly?" Monique asked.
"Explain why I didn't contact her," Zac replied.
"And why didn't you?" Corbin said.
"It's…it's nothing," Zac muttered, "I just can't believe I've screwed up this bad. The love of my life and I don't contact her," Zac said, putting his head in his hands and placing his elbows on the table.
The five sat and watched him silently.
"Look man, if you really want to talk to her then just do. I may not know Vanessa as well as you do but I'm pretty sure if you made the gesture or effort that she wouldn't just ignore it," Drew said.
Zac looked at Ashley, seeing if she approved of what Drew had said.
"Drew's right. You have to make the first move here Zac," Ashley nodded.
Suddenly Zac got an idea and took out his phone.
-------------------------
Vanessa wiped her eyes and looked in the mirror in the bathroom. Her cheeks were slightly red from crying. She silently thanked God for water-proof mascara and threw her tissue in the bin. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head. She had not expected him to be there. She hadn't even thought about it and it came as such a shock to her. At least if she had known she could have been prepared but the minute her eyes locked with his she felt like she would faint.
She heard her phone beeping in her purse and took it out. She opened the text message she received.
V, Meet me at the deck out back in ten minutes- Zac
Vanessa's eyes widened as she read the message.
In black and white I read the screen
All your lines and in between
Then your message on the phone
I save to hear when I'm all alone
She re read his message a few times and put her phone away. Suddenly she knew what to say to him. Zac meant too much to her and she knew it was stupid to stay mad at him forever so she'd tell him that everything is okay and they could go back to being friends. Vanessa winced at that word. Friends. She wanted more but she knew she couldn't have it. She thought Zac was taken by Brittany. She could settle for friends. As long as Zac was in her life.
And now I know just what to say
This doesn't happen everyday and…
I remember the night you said 'Let's go for a ride'
I didn't want the night to end
Would we be more than friends?
Yet little did I know before
We would be something more
Zac paced nervously on the decking out the back; waiting for her to arrive. She hadn't replied to the text but he hadn't expected her to anyway. He had planned out what he was going to say and was going over it in his head. First he would tell her the reason why he ignored her calls. Then he would ask her to forgive him. Then he would tell her how he truly felt about her. It was simple, he thought.
Suddenly he heard the sound of heels clicking on the decking and he spun around to face the double doors. There, Vanessa stood, her eyes slightly red from crying but still looking as beautiful as ever.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," she said quietly, almost whispering.
She walked over to the edge of the decking and looked out at the hotel gardens, not looking at Zac but feeling his eyes on her.
Zac stood a few feet away, staring at her. He was once again completely memorised by her.
"So how are you?" he asked, shifting slightly.
"I'm fine," she replied, "You?"
"I'm…I'm okay," Zac said.
They stood in silence for a few minutes. Vanessa still didn't look at Zac.
"Can we go sit in the gazebo? I think we need to talk?" Zac asked.
Vanessa nodded and walked to the end of the path to the gazebo. It was completely lit up and surrounded by flowers and bushes. Vanessa sat down and Zac sat across from her.
"I think I need to tell you why I didn't call you for the past month," Zac suddenly said.
"Zac forget it okay?" Vanessa said, looking at her hands.
"No but I-," Zac started.
"No Zac I get it. You were busy. You had 'Hairspray' and your girlfriend. You had a lot on your plate. Of course your best friend is gonna have to take the backseat. I get it. It's okay. Let's just forget it. I don't wanna fight over this. You're too much of a good friend. I don't want us to fall out over this," Vanessa said.
"But you're not listening to me," Zac said.
"I am. I'm just saying there's no point apologizing for not having enough time. Relationships and movies take up a lot of time- I get it," Vanessa replied.
Zac sat looking at her. Confused as to what she was talking about.
Vanessa stood up, "Well I'm gonna go back in. It's kinda cold and we're missing the party. You coming?" she asked, walking out of the gazebo.
"The reason I didn't call was because I'm crazy about you," Zac blurted out.
Vanessa stopped and whipped around to face him, her eyes wide.
"Wh…what?" she stuttered.
"I'm crazy about you. I have been since filming High School Musical. I can't get you off my mind. When I went to film Hairspray I was going crazy thinking about you and I knew I had to stop because we would never happen. So I decided to try to take my mind off you and I couldn't do that if I was talking to you on the phone everyday and I couldn't tell you about my problem so I just had to ignore your calls. I'm sorry," Zac said quickly, not taking a breath.
Vanessa watched him hang his head. She could feel her eyes filling up.
"You like me?" she whispered.
"Yes. I know we're both young. But I know how I feel," Zac said.
"And how do you feel?" Vanessa asked, barely audible.
"I love you," Zac replied simply.
I know we're both young
But we know how we feel
We know what is false
And we know what is real
Vanessa stood with her mouth open, not believing that Zac was saying all of this.
"What about Brittany?"
"What? Brittany as in Brittany Snow my co-star?" Zac asked.
Vanessa nodded.
"She's a friend. Nothing more and never will be. Those dinner pictures were taken on the night when I decided that I had to sort myself out because I was a mess. I was constantly thinking about you and nothing else. I turned to Brittany for advice. She said my plan was a bad idea and that I should tell you how I felt but I just had to do something to get my mind off of you," Zac explained.
Vanessa nodded.
"Well you can go back to the party if you want. I'm just gonna go back to my hotel room," Zac said, exiting the gazebo and walking by her.
"I love you too," Vanessa said as he walked by.
Zac stopped in his tracks and turned to her, "What?"
"I love you too, I have since filming High School Musical, and I don't wanna stop," Vanessa said, moving towards him.
Zac smiled and placed his hands on her hips. She rested her hands on his chest and looked into his eyes and smiled. Everything had worked out.
I remember the night you said 'Let's go for a ride'
I didn't want the night to end
And I remember the night you said 'Let's go for a ride'
I didn't want the night to end
Would we be more than friends?
Yet little did I know before we would be something more
Zac pulled Vanessa closer and closed the gap between them, capturing her lips with his. Their lips touched softly against each other. Vanessa parted her lips when she felt Zac's tongue tracing the outline of her lips. She smiled slightly as his tongue explored her mouth gently and caressed her tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss further.
Eventually they both pulled back for air and stared into each others eyes while panting heavily.
"You were worth the wait," Vanessa said.
"I could say the same for you. I love you," Zac replied.
"I love you too. I really do live in love," Vanessa said grinning before leaning up to kiss him passionately again.
I hope you guys enjoyed this! I love writing oneshots like this!! I have my first 'Troyella' one which I'll be posting soon!!