Science Couldn't Have Predicted This One

Prologue

Josie, as a junior, had been in New York City for about a year, where her mother had found it much safer for her. Josie found out that Vaughn had moved to New York as well and they began to date. When Josie's mother got severely injured, Professor Z, along with the science club, showed up at the hospital. Josie was shocked to see her old love, Noel Zachary, again and felt the pain of not seeing him and loving him. Well, duh, she was his Josie Baby as he so liked to call her. The science club had no idea of this secret passion between Z and Josie. She then kissed Vaughn goodbye and left the hospital not sure of herself anymore. Professor Z returned to Blake Holsey a complete mess, distraught by the fact that Josie had forgotten about him, while Josie was remembering him more and more with every passing day.

One Year Later

Sighing softly at the sight of Blake Holsey High, Josie's eyes were gleaming with tears as they looked out the window spattered with raindrops up into the barely lit room of Professor Zachary's office. Her brow furrowed, causing wrinkles on her forehead as she curiously wondered why her favorite teacher was still up at this hour, considering it was 2:00 in the morning.

She slowly opened up the rusty taxi door, and pulled herself up and out of the car, her black Converses hitting a small puddle along with a few teardrops from her face as she blended in with the rain, still fixing her eyes on the second floor office. She weakly remembered her losses, Vaughn and her mother, but knew that there was a ray of warm hope waiting for her inside her only home. She trudged along in the puddles as she remembered blowing her best friend, Noel Zachary, off years ago and leaving him in shock and agony. "Noel," she whispered tiredly, so faint that the others didn't react to Josie calling their 25 year old teacher by his first name, as she thought she saw a glimpse of shadow up in the almost dark office. Her momentum and stamina suddenly caught up with her, giving her a rush of feelings. Feelings of immortality and strength made Josie speed up her walking to a trot, pushing the wooden doors in as fast as she could, and slamming them behind her.

The science club was still unloading their bags from the taxi as they called out for Josie to retrieve hers, but the red head didn't reply. She briskly walked into the school without looking behind. "I wonder where she's going. She doesn't have any of her stuff with her," Corrine said, looking very concerned. "I don't know," Lucas sighed, looking longingly at the door where she had just recently been. Something was up, but the three of them didn't know what to think of it, so they finished unloading the car, assuming that Josie needed time alone.

The echo of squeaking sneakers were the only sounds vacating the dark, vast hallway. Josie started to sob softly and began to run up the creaky stairs, creating a melody between the rain, her shoes, and the steps. She ran down the long hallway until she reached her destination, Professor Zachary, or Noel's, office. Her shoes screeched as she stopped herself and her ripped jeans hit the wood flooring beneath her. She looked up, dark red hair straggling in her face, wet from the rain and her tears, with the slightest trace of brown mascara running down her cheeks. "Noel," her body went numb as she saw him sitting at his desk, with papers strewn all over the place, with his mousy brown hair, uncombed and straggled around his face. It looked as though he hadn't slept in days or maybe even weeks. He ripped the glasses off his face, in an action of disbelief, winced after confirming it was her, and continued on to burying his face in his hands, his shoulders beginning to heave and shake.

Josie repeated the same action, her dirty hands instinctively reaching up to her wet face, and she began to sob quietly, still kneeling on the floor. She glanced up hopefully as Noel stood up with great difficulty, tears gleaming in his eyes and placed his glasses purposefully atop his nose. He then briskly walked out of his office door, speeding up slightly as he traveled down the steps. You could hear a stifled sob from the young man. Josie wearily got up, and forced herself to quickly follow him. She walked down the steps, following the man out into the rain, once again. "Noel, please," she said hoarsely. "Don't run away from me." "Why shouldn't I, Miss Trent? Please, I prefer if you call me Professor Zachary if you don't mind," he said briskly while walking to the water fountain in the middle of the courtyard, turning to face the teary-eyed Josie.

Meanwhile, the science club had heard two sets of feet running down the stairs so they peered out of their rooms, looking for the cause of such ruckus. They saw red hair disappearing down the steps. "Come on," Lucas said in a whisper. The rest of the group nodded. They walked down the steps and peered out of the front door, where Josie and Professor Z were crying and talking to each other. Professor Z was running his left hand through his hair while Josie had her arms folded. "Why in the world are they crying?" Marshall asked, clearly confused. "I don't know. I'm just as baffled," returned Corrine, as Marshall snorted at the fact that he had finally found something that Corrine didn't know.

"What's with the formalities, Professor Zachary? I thought we were over those," Josie answered, thoroughly annoyed that Z had to go back to sophomore year. "There's no use in first name basis anymore," he said, shrugging. "Surely you ought to have figured that out by now." Josie looked up into his deep blue eyes, and saw pain and fear. "Where's Vaughn?" he asked inquisitively, interest sparked in his eyes. Josie immediately looked down, as an intense pain entered her heart. She thought it might split in two as she answered slowly, not wanting to cry. "Z," she whispered. "He's…dead," she struggled to say, her throat dry. She glanced at him and worry was etched on his face. She broke down once more and said through her tears, "I-I…want…you to know," her tears letting up, "that I-I was only with Vaughn because I wanted to cover the hurt of not being with you. I-I was scared of losing that feeling I had with you, but instead, I-I found that the feeling couldn't be replaced, that's why I-I ran away from you in that hospital. My old feelings came rushing in, and I-I didn't know what to do. N-Noel…"

Josie never finished talking because he wrapped her up into a tender hug, holding her with her wet head in his chest, with Josie sobbing into the already drenched shirt. Noel stroked her back, "Shh, Josie. It's okay Josie baby. It's alright. I'm here for you."

Back in the building, the air around the science club was filled with shock. "I don't believe it," Lucas murmured into the silence. "How long has this been going on?" Corrine asked, her question lingering in their ears. "Maybe it's nothing," Marshall added, hastily. "I don't know," Corrine said, obviously not convinced.

She looked up, still held in his arms and said, "Did you just call me Josie Baby?" "I did," Professor Zachary said with a slight smile. It suddenly turned serious. "Josie?" "Mmhmm?" she muffled from his shirt. "Do you still love me?" Noel asked looking down into Josie's bright green eyes, his arms still tightly wrapped around her waist. "Noel," she whispered. "….I always will." She smiled for the first time that night.

"Do you love me?" she whispered back, holding his face in her hands, forcing them to look into hers. "I love you more than anything," he whispered, his hands closing upon hers, bringing them down from his cheeks, holding them in his for a lingering moment. He then brought his hands up to her cheeks, stroking them in his hands, and staring into her eyes. He leaned down ever so slightly and brushed his lips upon Josie's. He looked into her eyes once more. Josie smiled and reached up, took off his glasses, and stuck them in the pocket of his Oxford. Placing her hands on his chest ever so gently, as she looked up, he started to walk towards her as she began to walk backwards stopping just before she hit the Blake Holsey High sign.

"WHOA!" Marshall was taken aback. Corrine, standing next to him, just smiled. "I knew it." "WHAT?!?" Everyone had suddenly peeled their eyes from the glass window to whip around and stare at Corrine. She just shrugged, murmuring, "I thought it was obvious." Suddenly, her eyes had a certain look in them. "Oh no, I know that look. Corrine wha-" But Marshall had no time to finish for Corrine grabbed his hand and began running down the hallway to the messy office of Professor Zachary.

They both halted as they heard the song that Professor Z, Lucas and Marshall had so foolishly danced to, when trying to rid the school of sponges. Corinne. Josie knew they were probably watching Z and her, they knew just when to help her out, and they had succeeded once again.

I can't live without you,

Baby, you're the one,

I just want you to know,

Every night and day I dream about you…

"I remember when you sang to this song," Josie said softly, a smirk playing at her lips. "But what you don't know, is that I've been listening to that same song every day for the past year. After everything I've been through, little did I know that I would ever sincerely want to say those words to anyone, especially you." Noel said, smiling serenely at the young woman. Josie didn't have time to answer, for Noel had pushed her up against the sign, kissing her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck, playing with his hair, as their bodies closed in on each other, feeling one another's warmth and continuing to kiss. Josie felt whole again, as did Noel. "Noel," Josie said, gasping for air. "Yes," Noel said, panting heavily. "What are the others going to…" She had no chance to finish, for Noel had began to kiss her again, this time more passionately than before, his arms around her waist and Josie still clinging to his hair, moaning. They broke apart and Noel said, "Josie, darling, don't worry about that right now. Ok…." This time Josie had taken the initiative and pushed his head down into hers and began to kiss him. It was a rare moment, Josie obeyed. She had never wanted to do so, but with Noel it was different. An eternity together was on the line.

The End

Hey guys, hope you enjoyed my attempt at a one-shot. Let me know if this deserves an epilogue, for the science club's reactions and stuff. Thanks!