Okay, everyone! Here's chapter 3 of a story of which I still don't own anything. Thank you to my dear friend for allowing me to toss around my ideas and helping me out when I come up dry and need help extending certain scenes. This chapter wouldn't be what it is without you and I'm not ashamed to share credit! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I hope yall enjoy!
Tires and Dings Chapter 3
Two days later, Zac and Vanessa were driving toward the restaurant where they had a lunch meeting. They had an appointment with Zac's manager Jason and a representative for Oakley, the sponsors of the surfing event he was participating in, to discuss the finalization of the Sydney trip details. The trip was being paid for by Oakley and they had a lot of details left to iron out.
Well, at this point in time, it was Zac doing all the driving, and in his car, none the less. Vanessa was still a little bit put out by events that had occurred when she dropped off her beloved Lexus at the dealership. She had to keep reminding herself that it wasn't the dealership's fault, so she couldn't be upset at them. She was just frustrated at the situation as a whole.
"We should have you car ready in one to two weeks," the mechanic at the dealership told her.
"One to two weeks?" Vanessa responded in disbelief. "Why so long?" she asked.
"Ma'am, we've had hundreds of people bring their cars in to be checked this morning alone. We'll be lucky if we get to your's in a week as it is. And if we do find something, then it'll more than likely take another week to make sure it's all fixed correctly." He was trying hard to be patient with the young actress standing in front of him. There was only one thought running through his mind: Women and cars. Why didn't her famous boyfriend come with her? It's no secret he knows cars.
Vanessa just let out a sigh of frustration. She was trying so hard to be understanding about all of this. It wasn't the dealership's fault, by no means, that she was now left without a car at all for the next couple of weeks and she was trying hard to not get upset at them. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.
"What about a loaner?"
"A loner?"
"Yes, can I get a loaner?"
"I'm afraid not." She gave him a skeptical look not sure she understood why she wouldn't be allowed a loaner while her cars were being worked on. "With the number of cars being brought in due to the recall announcement last night, we unfortunately don't have enough loaners to loan out," he went on to explain apologetically.
She let out another sigh and admitted defeat. "Okay. Thank you, anyway," she told him before walking away from the desk in the service center. She reached in her purse, digging out her phone.
"Hey, Babe. What's going on?" the voice on the other end answered.
"I need you to come get me."
"What? Why?" he questioned. Vanessa went on to explain her current dilemma while Zac listened patiently. "Okay," he told her, trying to not laugh. "I'll be there in a few. I'm actually right up the road at Best Buy. Let me pay and I'm on my way." The two lovers then hung up their phones and Vanessa sat in a nearby chair to wait, picking up a month old issue of 'People' to flip through as she waited.
And here she sat, two days later, riding shotgun in Zac's Audi, looking at the scenery that zipped past the window. She let out a soft sigh of frustration as she thought about her current situation.
"What are you thinking over there?" Zac's voice broke through her thoughts as he reached across the center console to grab hold of her hand.
"I was just thinking about my luck."
He chuckled- he seemed to be doing that a lot on her behalf within the past week ever since the flat tire incident- but immediately stopped when he felt her glare fall on his face. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh." He paused as he sneaked a glance at her face. "Who am I kidding? I can't help it!" he said, as he broke into a fit of laughter once again.
"Fine then. That means you won't mind letting me drive one of your cars until one of mine are ready," she said, giving him a pointed look.
"Hell no!" he exclaimed. "Nice try, Babe! Not so much!" he told her with a slight shake of his head.
Vanessa let out a scoff. "Why not? I thought you were willing to do anything for me!"
"Thank you for throwing my words back in my face. I greatly appreciate it."
"Well, that is what you said," she reminded him.
"I know I said that. And now it's time for me to rephrase that statement. Let's see… Oh, yes, now I've got it. What I meant was: I am willing to do absolutely anything for you unless it involves my cars."
"But, Baby, how am I supposed to get around?"
"How are you getting around right now?" he asked her, and she dropped her jaw with a look of disbelief pointed in his direction.
"What's that look for?" he asked her.
"Because I might as well be back in high school with my mom driving me around all over the place!"
After a moment of silence, she gasped as a thought entered her mind, her eyes growing wide. "Zac, did you tell anyone?"
"Tell anyone what?"
"About my situation. You know, no car and whatnot."
"No. No, I didn't tell anybody," he said a little too quickly for her liking.
She wrinkled her eyebrows in his direction with a doubtful look on her face, as her phone began to ring. She blew a raspberry in his direction as she dug her phone out from inside her purse, too distracted to look at the caller id.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Nessa!" the voice on the other end excitedly called out.
"Hey, Dyl." she answered, speaking to the younger brother of her long time boyfriend.
"What's up?" he asked, a little too loudly, causing Vanessa to pull the phone from her ear a bit.
"You mean other than the fact that you're screaming in my ear?" she asked, as she put the phone on speaker so Zac could speak to his brother at the same time.
"I'm not screaming."
"Dude, even I can hear you," Zac spoke up.
"That's because Ness just put me on speaker, Punk!" Dylan argued back. "What are you two up to today?"
"We're just on our way to a lunch meeting with Jason and the Oakley rep that's taking care of our trip. Ironing out some details and such. What's up with you?"
"Not much. I've gotta work later. Right now I'm just wasting time."
"You're working today? You don't have school?" Vanessa spoke up.
"Teacher work day," Dylan responded, answering her question. "I heard about the car stuff. What's that all about?"
"I thought you said you didn't tell anyone!" she accused Zac.
"Dude, I told you not to say anything!" he yelled back at Dylan.
"Like I ever listen to you!" Dylan shot back at his older brother. "So, Ness, how's the public transportation there in LA?" he joked, picking on his brother's girlfriend who had become like an older sister to him through the years.
"Do you want to take this one, Babe?" Vanessa asked Zac, giving a grim, tight lipped smile when she noticed the sheepish look on his face. "I'll take that as a no." She then turned her attention back to the younger Efron on the other end of the phone. "I don't know about the buses, but the Audi convertibles are pretty nice." She and Dylan shared a chuckle as Zac rolled his eyes.
"Hey, Dyl, I just got an idea!" Vanessa exclaimed suddenly. "Do your parents still have Zac's old Alero that he had before buying the Audi?" She was referring to the old 1999 Oldsmobile Alero that Zac drove while in high school and up until the group wrapped on the first High School Musical when he broke down and bought a brand new Audi, the one that they were currently riding in.
"Yeah, why?"
"Never mind, bro. I know where she's going with this and the answer's no."
"What? Why?" she asked, looking at Zac with a slight pout on her face.
"Dylan, whatever she asks you about borrowing a car- ever-, the answer will always be no. Remember that. Don't ever let her."
"Um, yeah, see, I don't think I'm gonna get in the middle of that one. Ness, if you want to borrow the car, I'm gonna play it safe and say that you should talk to Mom and Dad. I've encountered the wrath of Zac many, many, many, many, many-"
"Dude, I think she gets it. Just say a lot and move on, okay?" Zac interrupted his younger brother, who was sometimes annoying to him, but comical to Vanessa, who was currently sitting beside him with a grin on her face listening to the Efron brothers bicker back and forth. No matter how many times she heard it, it would always make her smile. Even on her worst days, such as this one.
"- many times and I really don't want to be in that position again, if I can help it. So therefore, once again, I say talk to Mom and Dad. You know you've got Dad wrapped around your finger and he'd do anything for you."
Vanessa opened her mouth to respond, only to be cut off by Zac. "Unless it involved cars," Zac threw in, giving her a look.
"Why will you not let me borrow a car?" she asked for the second time in about ten minutes.
"Because you-"
"Hey, Ness?" Dylan interrupted.
"Yeah, Dyl?"
"If the buses aren't that comfy, why not walk? I hear it's good exercise."
"Dylan Nicholas-" she began.
"Hey, Dyl, we need to go man. We're here," Zac interrupted Vanessa, rescuing his brother from her verbal attack that he knew was about to come. The use of the middle name from her usually meant trouble and he was all to aware of that fact and as much as his brother bugged him, he wasn't about to subject him to said trouble if he could help it.
"Alright, man. I'll talk to you two later. Hey, and let me know when the coast is clear in paradise and you guys aren't having your little thing anymore and I'll come visit for a weekend. Bye, Ness," Dylan called out.
"Bye, Dylan," she responded, waiting until he hung up before she did. Zac parked the car and got out, coming around to her side and holding his hand out to help her out of the car and shut the door behind her. He leaned down to give her a quick kiss, letting her know that their banter from a few moments before was nothing serious, merely joking. She returned the kiss, letting him know that she was okay with his picking. He then led her through the parking lot to the door of the restaurant, keeping a hand on the small of her back the whole time.
After a productive meeting and an enjoyable meal, the couple left and returned to Vanessa's house. They talked about the trip and were excited about all they would be doing while in Sydney. Vanessa was a little bummed that their flight was taking place on Valentine's Day, but Zac quickly assured her that they would still celebrate with a quiet dinner, just a couple of days prior to their departure.
"Okay, so explain it to me again, please," she begged him as they walked through the door of her home.
"Explain what?" he asked.
"Why can I not borrow one of your cars to get around until one of mine is fixed?"
"Because," he stated, as if it were the most obvious answer in the book. Vanessa, not buying that answer, just stared at him with raised eyebrows, waiting on him to continue. He let out a sigh of semi annoyance. "Baby, you don't have it."
"Don't have what?" she asked, clearly confused.
"It. Car karma."
"Car karma?" she asked, skepticism laced in her voice.
"Yeah." When he saw that she wasn't buying it, he continued. "Babe, everyone has car karma, but not everyone had good car karma. You fall in that category. You don't have good car karma."
"So you're saying I have bad car karma?"
"This isn't how I wanted you to hear the news, but yes, Baby, I'm afraid so," he told her jokingly. When he saw she didn't see the humor, he continued. "Baby, I'm not saying it's not your fault necessarily, but every car that you get behind the wheel of, something goes wrong with it. Your Audi- this is the second time there's been a scratch and it's been in the shop. Your Lexus- even though this isn't your fault, it's still a car you've driven and is in the shop."
"But I used to drive Mom's Camry and that one-"
"-had a shopping cart run into it in a parking lot at a grocery store just before I bought you the Audi, or did you forget about that one?" When he noticed her pout, he crossed the room to place his hands on her waist. "Baby, face it. You just don't have good car karma."
"I don't deserve to drive at all. Take my cars away from me," she told him, causing him to let out a soft chuckle. "I'm serious! I have bad car karma!"
"But you're so cute with your bad car karma. I love you and your bad car karma. But no matter what you say or do to me, you will never be driving one of my cars," he said, ducking as she tried to smack him in the chest.
"Fine. I guess you just have to be my chauffeur until one of my cars are fixed. And believe me, I'm going to take full advantage of it."
"I'm fine with that. I'll drive you anywhere you want to go, anytime you want to go there," he said.
"Anytime? Anywhere?" she asked, getting an idea. She took that opportunity to run her hands up the front of his chest and around his neck, her way of distracting him.
"Anytime," he told her kissing her neck. "Anywhere," he said, placing a kiss to her jaw line this time.
"Then let's go." She took his hand and led him out to the garage.
"Where are we going?"
"You're my chauffeur. I told you, I'm taking advantage of it. Get in," she told him, getting in the passenger seat once again
"I like it when you're in charge," he said, as he climbed in behind the wheel. "Now, where am I taking you?"
"Don't worry about that. I'll direct you," she told him. He couldn't help but notice the glimmer of mischief in her eyes.
"Okay, all of a sudden I'm nervous."
"Don't be, Baby. You'll be fine," she told him with a smile and a pat on his right thigh.
"Uh-huh."
The rest of the twenty minute ride consisted of Vanessa acting as Zac's Garmin, giving him the directions of left and right whenever necessary. Before long, she was telling him to pull into a parking lot and the two climbed out of the car once he had parked. She climbed out excitedly and waited for him at the back of the car, grabbing his hand and pulling him in the direction of La Belladonna salon.
"Van, Baby, why are we here?"
"I want a mani- pedi. I haven't had one in a while."
"Okay, but why am I here?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?" He just slumped his shoulders and gave her a look of defeat in response. "That's what I thought. Now come on."
When the couple walked inside the small, cozy boutique they were instantly greeted by Amanda, Vanessa's favorite hairstylist and manicurist.
"Vanessa! How are you? It's been awhile."
"Hey, Amanda! I know, I've been crazy busy. I'm sorry. Can you fit me in?"
"You mean you drug me here and you didn't even have an appointment?" Zac asked in disbelief.
"If you had let me drive your car, you wouldn't be here. Now hush, you," she lovingly told him.
Amanda smiled at the banter the two were throwing back and forth. "Of course I can fit you in. What can I do for you today?"
"A mani- pedi, please. I'm in desperate need of some relaxation," she told Amanda, throwing a pointed look at Zac.
"Absolutely. Have a seat and let me get everything together." Amanda walked to the back to gather all the materials that she would need and Vanessa sat in one of the massage chairs that sat along the wall, slipping her feet in the small tub as it filled with warm water.
"Hey, Babe? Why don't you have a seat? I may be awhile," she told him. He just shot her a look as he sat down and noticed she was biting back a smile.
"Yeah, hey, while you're at it, have fun on my behalf, okay?" he told her.
"Don't worry, I will!" she said, blowing him a kiss. He just rolled his eyes and picked up a magazine that was sitting on the table next to him. Amanda returned from the back and set to work on his girlfriend's feet. When she was done and the two moved to the manicure table, he heard Vanessa say the words he had been dreading.
"Hey, Amanda, do you think you could maybe give me a trim, too? Not much, just a couple of inches or so."
Amanda cast a look at Zac and lowered her voice. "He won't mind waiting?"
"Oh, no, he won't mind waiting at all. He's being punished," she told Amanda in her normal voice, sneaking a glance at her boyfriend who had lowered the magazine he had been looking at to look at her in return. "I love you, Baby!" she called out to him. His response was to merely lift the magazine back in its original position, hiding his face.
"Need I ask?" Amanda asked. Vanessa just shook her head.
"Inside joke," she told her stylist, while the two shared a giggle on his behalf.
About thirty- five minutes later, Vanessa was done and had paid for her afternoon of pampering. The first ten minutes of the ride home was filled with Vanessa's excited chatter and Zac's silence, except for his one word answers to her questions.
"Are you upset at me?" she asked him, her voice immediately taking on a serious tone.
"Let's just say payback's a bitch," he told her, causing Vanessa to suddenly get nervous about what lay ahead.
"I'm sorry, Baby. I love you," she told him.
"I know," was all he said in response. The rest of the ride was filled with silence.
When they got home, Zac was standing at the foot of the stairs and curled his finger at Vanessa, telling her to come closer. As she slowly approached him, anxiety written all over her face, he reached out and grabbed her by her belt loops, pulling her closer so he could rest his hands on her waist. She looked at him in his face, surprised.
"Zac?" she started, nervously.
"Let's get one thing straight," he started. When she just nodded her head slowly, he continued. "There's only one situation where I'll ever let you drive."
"Really?" she asked, excitedly. "What's that?" It took all her control to keep from bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet as she felt him starting to cave.
"Well, let's see. It involves you-" he paused as he placed a kiss to her temple "and me-" he placed a kiss to her jaw line "alone."
"Really?" she asked again.
"Baby, you can start my engine anytime, anywhere. I'll let you drive me wherever you want to."
"You're such a goofball," she said grinning at him as she played with the hair at the nape of his neck.
"Well, the way I see it, being the bedroom driver is one way to keep in practice till you get one of your cars back."
"Well, you know the saying," she told him as she stood on her tiptoes to reach his ear with her lips easier. "Practice makes perfect," she whispered seductively, before running her tongue along the shell of his ear and kissing her way from his ear down his neck and back up to his jaw line and finally around to his mouth. When she brought her lips back to his and began the familiar duel over dominance with their tongues, he took that moment to lift her in his arms, allowing her to wrap her legs around his middle and lock her ankles together behind his back, and began to carry her upstairs into the bedroom. She broke the kiss and pulled her head back to look him in his eyes.
"Are we going to practice my driving?" she asked while still playing with his ear.
"That we are," he answered.
"For how long?" she asked as she took his ear lobe in her mouth again.
"For as long as it takes," he answered as he kicked the bedroom door closed behind them and dropped her gently on the bed before lowering himself down to join their lips together once again. He allowed her to drive him to the State of Bliss for the rest of the afternoon, never once complaining about her abilities to steer his car wherever she desired.