In chapter 1 Zac informed Vanessa that they would be going back to the movie the next night. Will she follow through? And if she does, will he be able to play his way out of this argument? Read, and hopefully you'll enjoy! Whatever you think, don't hesitate to click that little 'review' button at the end of the chapter and let me know! Please, feed my addiction and join me as I try to KTZLF! -adc

"Pick me up at Mom & Dad's, not my house."

Zac read the text twice and shoved the iPhone back into his pocket before he finished filling the tank on the Audi convertible. He had fully planned to go to Vanessa's house that night and then simply not leave.

She was either reading his mind and working to bring his plans to a screeching halt or she had her own alternative plans for their movie date. Whatever it was he caught himself pouting. Now, not only would he be trying to re-woo his girlfriend, he would also be facing her parents – and by now they surely knew exactly why she was mad at him.

He sat down in the car and pulled the phone out of his pocket. He was careful not to put the car into gear as he hit her number on speed dial. When the receiver clicked he went ahead and asked the question before she could even say 'hello'. "Why at Greg and Gina's?"

"Well 'hi' to you too." She answered. "You sound peeved, did I interrupt a game?" Vanessa tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"Get over the game thing Nessa. I'm trying to take you on a date tonight. Why do I have to pick you up at Greg and Gina's instead of your place?" The frustration was obvious in his voice.

"Because my house is too risky. You'd get here and we'd end up not seeing the movie. That's not how I want this date to play out." She answered honestly.

She had played the pouty, upset girlfriend at last night's encounter with him. As much as Vanessa wanted to just forget about this argument, kiss and make up, it wasn't going to happen that way. This time, she was in the right. And this time she wanted to make sure Zac knew that before the kissing and especially before the making out, er, making up, happened.

"You think you know me so well." Zac had to smile. His suspicion was absolutely correct. She would thwart his plan to finish this argument tonight. And in the meantime he'd be left to think about how, exactly, he was going to make this up to her. His portion of the argument still needed to play out. But since they were already back on speaking terms, and she could still, obviously, read his mind… He knew she would see right through his attempt to be angry at her. She was, after all, right this time.

"Well I should hope so. Four years together is worth something, isn't it?"Vanessa tried to answer playfully from the comfort of her couch in her living room.

She played with strands of her hair as she listened to him breathe on the other end of the phone line. "You think you can just come in here and carry me up the stairs and play Mr. Romantic tonight and everything will be forgiven. Am I right?" she raised her eyebrows as she waited for his answer.

"Hey, a guy can hope can't he?" Zac finally put the car into gear and pulled away from the gas pump.

"Not gonna happen this time. You know I'm right this time and you aren't getting out of it that easily." Vanessa informed him succinctly.

"I said 'sorry' last night. And you didn't even want me to sit by you in the movie. Wasn't that punishment enough?" Zac knew better than to attempt to make excuses, yet there they were.

"I didn't want you at the movie with me in the first place. And, correct me if I'm wrong, you said 'Sorry…I guess'." Vanessa reminded him and could just imagine Zac rolling his eyes as she threw his words back at him.

"Okay, whatever." He replied knowing that she had a smug look on her face at his less-than-witty comeback.

"If Stellz hadn't called you, you'd still be playing that damn game wouldn't you? How many times have you slept on the couch in the past couple of weeks because you fell asleep while playing it?" Vanessa dared to bring up the main reason for their disagreement.

"Stella Bella loves me and knows I wanted to see that movie…and you." He added nearly as an afterthought.

"Which did you want to see more? Cause you've done a really good job ignoring me recently when I was in the same room with you." Vanessa didn't mean to let the emotions begin but couldn't help it while she seemed to have his attention.

"Vanessa I'm on the road right now. Let's not get into this." Zac ordered less than gently.

"Fine." She let the subject drop. "Why again did you call me?"

"I'm picking you up at your parents' house, not yours?" he remembered the real reason he had called her.

"Yeah. I think that would be best." Vanessa paused for a minute and took a deep breath. "What are we doing after the movie?" she ventured to ask.

"You're asking me?" Zac allowed his lips to curl upwards.

"Stella said I have to get dressed, I have to go to the movie with you, and I have to go wherever you want to afterwards. She didn't say I had to be happy about it. And she didn't say that I have to do what you want me to do at any point of the night." She informed him.

Zac laughed a little into the phone. "Well thank you for listening to your little sister, I think. I honestly figured I'd just be dropping you back at your house. But if you're willing to come over to mine I'd like that."

Vanessa worked hard not to roll her eyes as she thought about her choices. "If I agree to go back to your house you have to agree to two things."

"Talk to me." Zac challenged her.

"No video game while I'm there. Even if I'm asleep, no game." She gave him the first rule.

"And?"

"No sex."

Zac swallowed and licked his lips. She really did know him. Neither item on her short list was something he had to have. But at the moment, he wanted both. And, he realized, he hadn't even had a real kiss from his girlfriend in days. That second item was beginning to take priority in his mind…and in other parts of his body.

He let the car roll through the gate of his driveway and headed toward the garage.

"You drive a hard bargain Hudgens." He finally answered her.

"It's up to you Efron. Do you want me back at your house or not?" she really didn't need to ask that question.

Zac's voice softened from the joking tone. "I want you period Vanessa. My house, your house, New Zealand, Russia…I don't care."

Vanessa smiled shyly. "I'll see you at Mom and Dad's around 7 then? Movie, then back to your place to talk…"

Zac felt the warmth of her voice run through him. "Yeah." He agreed absently. "To talk."

"Zac, I'm serious, no sex. Not until I'm sure that you get it…I mean not until you understand why I'm ticked about this. Got it?" Vanessa knew she had lost him.

"Mmm-hmmm." Came his mindless reply.

"Zac…"

"Hmmm? I love you. See ya around 7." He mentioned as he pulled his car into his garage.

Vanessa's tone softened even more at his words. Even if his mind was in la-la land for the moment, she knew he meant them.

"I love you too. See ya tonight." They both ended the call with smiles on their faces.

Zac wasn't lying, he quickly realized. He wanted her, he needed her, and he'd pick her up wherever she was if she wanted him to. He had enjoyed the video game she had gotten him for Christmas. But until Stella's call last night, pulling him away from the game and back to Vanessa's presence, he didn't want to admit that he had probably enjoyed it too much.

He pressed his lips together imagining the feel of hers on his. No matter how much he enjoyed the game, he would inevitably choose her kisses over it every time. Zac knew that now. After missing those kisses and touches for several days, yep, he knew that now.

Now, he just had to convince her of that. And, he had to convince her to play games again, with him, that they'd both enjoy.

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Greg Hudgens looked at his oldest daughter as she came down the steps of his house. "That's what you're wearing on a date?"

Vanessa stood on the second step and stared directly into her father's eyes. "I'm sorry, would you prefer I wear a mini-skirt and halter top for my boyfriend's enjoyment?" The sarcasm practically dripped from her lips.

Greg crossed his arms over his chest. "Well with the number of rips in those jeans a mini skirt might offer him less access." He commented.

"MOM!" the yell left Vanessa's mouth and traveled directly past her father's ears to an unsuspecting Gina in the living room.

"Greg, she's 21. Leave her be." Was the simple command that came from the other room.

Greg and Vanessa continued to stare at each other for a moment before Greg reached out to tuck a piece of hair behind his daughter's ear. "Are you sure you don't want me to talk to him? Or just give me the security code to his garage and I'll go get that whole video game system and bring it over here."

Vanessa smiled through her pout at her father. "Thanks Daddy, but the answer is 'no' on both. I'm taking your advice from yesterday. I have other ways to distract him from this game and I plan to use them to my advantage. Not to mention…if I gave you the security code, God knows when you might drop in unannounced. I'd really rather keep my private time with Zac private from everyone," she emphasized, "and keep Zac from having an early heart attack at your expense!"

The two finally grinned at each other.

"Now why again are you back at my house tonight? If you're looking for private time with Mr. Game Boy you know this isn't the place for it. And where's Stella anyway?" Greg began to ramble.

"Dad, as much as I love your curiosity…and thank you for passing that along to me, by the way…I'm just not going to answer your questions." She finally stepped off the staircase and headed toward the living room. "Stellz is still upstairs."

Greg shook his head and huffed. "Will you at least tell me if she's going with you again or what?"

Vanessa glanced up the stairs to see her little sister simply smiling down at her. V pointed at her dark-haired sibling. "Well it's her fault that I'm going on this date anyway. But I don't think Zac would let me bring her along tonight even if I tried." She threw a frustrated look in Stella's direction.

"I wouldn't go if you asked me to. Not this time. Although I would love to watch Zac grovel and try to get back on your good side." The younger girl admitted.

"I'd like to see that too, come to think of it." Greg added. "Maybe we should all go to the movies tonight." He wondered out loud.

Vanessa's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open as her head instinctively began to shake. "Dad please don't even joke about that. I may finally have Zac's attention back on me…just me…for a little while. The last thing I need is to have you looking over our shoulders."

Gina joined them at the bottom of the stairs. "Family meeting without me?" she looked at her husband and daughters and just shook her head. "Vanessa, living room," she pointed. "Stella, you're supposed to be working on your science project. Upstairs now." Gina continued. "Greg…" she found herself at a loss for any instructions for her husband. "She's 21 and in love. That's all I'm going to say."

Greg smiled as he looked beyond his wife and watched Vanessa head into the living room. He kissed Gina on the cheek. "Do I at least get to answer the door when Zac gets here?" he whispered to his wife. "She's milking this one for all its worth."

Gina sighed and nodded at her husband's request. "That's because this time she's right, and he knows it."

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Zac hadn't been nervous walking up to the Hudgens' front door for nearly two years. But on this night he found himself pulling his jeans up to a respectable level and running his fingers through his unruly hair. The beanie and sunglasses would wait.

He tugged on his sweatshirt sleeves at least three times before he rang the doorbell. And that was after he spent two minutes debating whether to ring the bell, knock, or just let himself in, which was the norm these days.

He pushed the bell and stepped back. Why did this feel like a first date? Why was he so nervous? All he was doing was taking her to a movie and then back to his house… 'to talk'.

When the door finally opened Zac had to laugh inwardly. That face explains it all. My bundle of nerves has one name: 'Daddy'.

"Hey Greg." Zac tried to play it cool and somewhat normal. "Is Nessa ready to go?"

Greg fought the urge to roll his eyes as he opened the door for Zac. "Was she ever ready when you got here for dates in the past?" the older man asked.

Zac chuckled. "Nope."

"Then why start now?" Greg was sure his daughter was ready. They had discussed her outfit a half hour ago. She was, in fact, ready and anxious to get going. She had just run upstairs to the bathroom so Greg took advantage of her absence.

He let Zac stand just inside the door of their home but didn't offer to let him in any further. Greg's look turned just a bit serious and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Is this thing between you two just about done?" he asked before any female witnesses appeared.

Zac didn't answer with a word. He simply dropped his chin a bit and nodded.

"Listen." Greg brought Zac's attention back to eye level. "She gave you that game as a gift. Even I know that. She knew you'd enjoy it and she loved it at first that you were enjoying it so much." Greg smiled at Zac and pointed a directive finger at him.

"I know you guys have been together nearly five years now, but take some advice from the old married guy. Save the game for when she's not around. You guys aren't married yet and I'm not going to try to rush you. But since you only get to spend a limited amount of time together right now…don't waste it playing that kind of game." Greg raised his eyebrows as Zac grinned and practically blushed.

"I kinda came to that conclusion myself this morning." Zac shyly admitted. "Thanks for not yelling at me. Sorry it took me so long." He looked back at Greg and then noticed Vanessa walking toward them.

"Daaaad?" Vanessa stretched the word out with a hint of warning.

"What?" Greg turned and looked at her. "I'm just telling him to suck it up and figure out which he'd rather lose…some stupid game or you?"

Zac's eyebrows raised quickly and looked between Vanessa and Greg. Vanessa's face was quite similar to her boyfriend's. Still, neither of them said a word.

Gina moved in and tugged at Greg's arm just to make him move away from the door where they had congregated. She gave Zac a hug and then looked at her daughter. "Will you two please just kiss and make up?"

Zac looked at Vanessa with Greg's last words still playing in his mind. There was no way he was going to lose her. He was smarter than that. He bent down just a bit and placed a kiss on Vanessa's cheek.

Gina put a hand on her own cheek and just looked at the two kids in front of her. "That was sweet. Now, Zac… Kiss. Her." Gina's motherly tone forced Zac to move directly in front of Vanessa and wrap his arms around her.

Vanessa looked up into his face just as Zac lowered his lips softly onto hers. He moved them together gently and noticed that his girlfriend was again a willing participant in this activity. This particular kiss could have been an act for her mother. But Zac didn't think so.

The two stood, connected at the lips, for several moments. When they separated they looked at each other shyly and then turned toward Vanessa's parents.

Greg and Gina both pointed toward the front door. "We'll talk to you tomorrow." Gina suggested.

"Zac, you remember what I said, got it?" Greg encouraged him. "And my Baby V.," he looked directly at Vanessa, "give him a chance. He's a good guy." Greg smiled and winked at her.

Vanessa smiled at her father. "I can't believe you're sticking up for him." She smiled at her dad and placed one hand on Zac's bicep giving it a gentle squeeze. "But I'll give it some thought during the movie Dad, promise."

Zac reached for Vanessa's hand and found it through the sleeve of her jacket. He held it gently as she stepped out onto the porch and they headed toward the car.

"You look amazing." Zac commented as he opened the passenger door and helped Vanessa get in. "Are those new jeans?"

Vanessa smiled up at him softly. "How'd you know?"

Zac shrugged. She had used his debit card to buy the $125 dollar jeans, hoping he'd notice and get mad about it. He had noticed it. But right now neither of them wanted an angry reaction.

"I've just never seen you wear ones with a rip right there." He pointed to the inside of her left thigh. It was hidden when she was standing up, the opening was right along the seam.

Vanessa bit on her bottom lip in an obvious teasing fashion as she glanced toward the hole that appeared when she sat down. "I didn't notice that one when I got them yesterday. I'm not sure what I was thinking."

Zac closed the door and tried to get his mind off of what he was thinking. Movie, talk. Movie, talk. He repeated to himself as he opened the driver's side door.

He stretched toward the back seat of the car before putting his seatbelt on as Vanessa watched him carefully.

First he held up a small white piece of paper attached to a stick. "I'm not gonna yell this time. Truce?" Zac offered.

"But after you yell we usually make up…in our own special way." Vanessa tried to tease.

Zac looked at her and repeated his question. "Truce?" he held out the small white flag.

Vanessa nodded her head and accepted the flag. "Being right isn't much fun if you aren't going to argue with me about it."

Zac smiled. "That's why you want me to yell, isn't it? You just want to hear me say, at the top of my lungs, that you are right and I'm wrong on this matter. Is that what this boils down to?"

Vanessa shrugged her shoulders and then nodded slowly. "I guess."

Zac placed a hand on her cheek and used the other to hold both of her hands. "Look. You were right about the game. I love it, obviously. You were right about the upgrade to the game console. Playing against people all over the world is really cool."

He slid his index finger under her chin. "I thought you probably got me that game to keep me occupied while you tried to catch up on everything with all your girlfriends that you had missed while you were in Canada."

Vanessa scrunched her nose and eyebrows together trying to see his point. Still she listened to him. "I figured it meant that we were back home, but you were still gonna be out doing your thing. You knew this would keep me occupied and out of trouble while you were getting caught up on everything back here. It kinda backfired."

"Wait." Vanessa stopped him. "So you're saying this is my fault because I got you the game stuff?" her eyes darkened a touch.

Zac shook his head. "No. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying I love your gift but I misunderstood your reason behind it. And I'm saying I have overdone things and played it way too much. I didn't mean to ignore you. And, I'm sorry."

Vanessa sat for a minute soaking in his words. He held out a single Calla lily to her.

"You guess you're sorry?" she questioned.

"Don't put words in my mouth Nessa." Zac was obviously working to keep the frustration out of his voice. She wasn't making it easy on him. "I'm saying it as sincerely as I can. I'm sorry." Zac ran his thumb over her cheekbone. "I love you Ness and I'm sorry."

She took a deep breath and looked at the flower he had presented to her. "I love you too. You know that don't you? And you're right. I knew you'd like the game. And I knew it would keep you occupied, and give you a chance to play with Dylan, even when he's not here. I never considered that you would play against other people, mainly just him. I never realized how much you would play."

Vanessa breathed again and looked at the expression on Zac's face. "I just…well I guess it's selfish…but when we're together I just want your attention. Is that wrong of me? I never thought the game would grab your attention over me." She looked down to where their hands were still connected against her leg.

Zac shook his head. "I slipped a little. I admit it. I got wound up in it while you were here. But sometimes I thought you were asleep. I never realized… I just lost focus a little." He too looked down at their hands and ran his finger over the ring on her right hand.

"You are the focus of my attention when you walk into a room. When we are out with our friends, I barely hear what they say because my attention is on you. And I promise you…when we're alone and I'm making love to you, you have my full attention. " he smiled at the grin that formed on her face. "I realize that now and I promise I'll work to let loose of the video game and get back to you."

"What did Dad say to you in there? He didn't threaten you did he?" Vanessa tilted her head in wonder at her boyfriend's change of heart.

"Nope. He just gave me some advice from an old married man. And this time, I listened." Zac admitted without any hesitation.

Vanessa eyed him for a second debating on whether or not he was being truthful. She decided he was and smiled at him. "We're gonna be late for the movie." She commented as Zac stole a quick kiss from her lips.

"You still want to go?" Zac pretended to pout.

"Yeah. I was too busy trying to figure out how to get your attention last night. I really didn't watch the movie." Vanessa smiled at him.

"And we're watching it tonight?" Zac pouted again.

Vanessa nodded and looked at him a bit more seriously. "I still think we'd better take our time here a little Zac. Movie and talk tonight…mixed with some cuddling maybe?"

Zac took a deep breath. "Then why did you wear those jeans?"

"To see if you're really paying attention to me." Vanessa turned in the seat and started picking at some of the strings on her jeans. "I love you." She added.

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"Do we at least get to sit in the back row this time?" Zac requested as he and Vanessa made their way in the theater. They were both a bit surprised that the nosey cameras hadn't caught their entrance this time.

"Nooo." Vanessa dragged out. "Perhaps the third time we see this movie we can take the back seat."

"Third time?" Zac looked at her confused.

"You watched it last night. I'm going to try to watch it tonight. Sooo, the next time we see it, maybe neither of us will need to actually watch it." She let the right side of her lip curve into a teasing half smile as she moved her eyebrows up and down.

Zac lowered his eyebrows and watched her face for a second. "Who are you teasing now and what have you got on your mind?" He asked her, realizing that he was quickly regaining his loving and playful girlfriend.

"That's for me to know…and you to find out. IF you're good." She added.

"Oh, I'm good alright." Zac threw back at her. "Psh, thought you knew that by now already." He commented lowly as they moved into some middle seats.

Vanessa turned and looked at him as she sat down. She intentionally curved her index finger into the hole of her jeans that Zac was particularly interested in and watched his reaction.

"Are you sure that particular 'rip' actually came with the jeans?" he sucked in a bit of a breath and continued watching her fingertip that was rubbing gentle circles on her smooth skin.

She threw him the half smile again. "This particular pair was on sale. The tag said they were 'irregular' maybe this is what that was referring to." She tugged at the hole and Zac heard a slight ripping sound.

"Stop." He watched his girlfriend as she looked up at him and attempted to give him an innocent face.

"What?" she asked and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I'm not going to yell to finish off our little disagreement. However…" he looked into her chocolate eyes with complete truthfulness. "If you think you can tease me and get away with it after we've been apart for nearly two weeks…" his left eyebrow raised and his nostrils widened with his intensity, "you might want to think again."

As the lights began to darken in the theater and the screen brightened with previews and advertisements Vanessa simply stretched her face up to reach Zac's cheek. She placed a soft kiss against the stubble on his jaw and nuzzled her nose against his neck lovingly.

When she raised the armrest between them and pushed his arm up to fit around her shoulders Zac knew she was settling in to miss the movie. He pulled her closer to him and rubbed his thumb against her cheek. "Are you seriously going to nap through the movie this time?"

Vanessa just pressed her face against his shoulder. "Probably not the whole thing, but you never know. I haven't slept well for nearly two weeks now."

"Well, if you start crying again…" Zac trailed off not really knowing how to end the sentence.

"You'll what?" Vanessa let a small laugh escape from her lips.

"I'll pull you closer just like I did last night. And this time I hope you won't fight me on it." He placed a kiss in her hair and then left his nose tangled in her dark locks just breathing in the scent that he'd been missing.

"I'll try to be more cooperative tonight." Vanessa smiled.

Zac nodded and laughed. "Thank you…I guess." He added.

Vanessa pushed a finger into his ribs for the unnecessary phrase. They both laughed and scooted down in their seats a bit more for comfort.

"Am I forgiven?" Zac whispered with a grin.

"Hmmm, for this part of the night, yeah."

Zac let his hand trail down to the particular hole in her jeans and waited for her to look at him. "Can I possibly get you to extend that forgiveness for the entire night?" he again cocked his eyebrow at her.

"I'll think about it and let you know." Vanessa answered. "Now, enjoy the show… the movie that is."

They both turned their faces toward the screen. Zac noticed about fifteen minutes into the animated action flick that Vanessa was already asleep.

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Scenarios: Hawaii the book is making progress! If you'd like a preview, check out authorhouse dot com and search for adcgordon (that's me :) ) in the bookstore area! I think we're still about a month or so away from it actually being available! THAT depends on me actually getting my final edits made and putting my stamp of approval on it.

C'mon Z & V inspire me with another Hawaii trip...PLEASE?????!!!!!!

Thanks EVERYONE for your support! You guys are just amazing! :) KTZLF! -adc