Hey! Thankyou so much for everyone who reviewed. I didn't exactly get my five reviews but i guess four is enough... I would have put this up sooner put there was something that I felt wasn't right so it took a while. One again a great big thanks to xolovelyox she's the most supportive by far and has just been amazing! This is twice as long as my previous chapters! (yay told you I'd get there!) So enjoy! X

Disclaimer... lalala.. don't own Hsm ...

Last time

"Now I'd like you introduce you to a new student who will be joining us."

Vanessa looked up to see the newcomer and froze, her eyes being met with a set of piercing navy blue ones. She blinked back, thinking she had just imagined it, but no he was there, standing right in front of her. She heard Joe's voice in the background, calling her name.

"Ness, you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

Shit, she swore in her head, eyes still transfixed on him. Ghost? Yeah, the ghost of summers past.

Vanessa was still glued to her seat, every noise around her seemed so distant and far away, the only voice that still rung in her head was Ashley's.

"Oh My God, that new boy is cute," she whispered to Vanessa. Then projecting her flirty voice to the front of the class she exclaimed, "Hey new boy, there's a space here right next to me!"

Widening her eyes in mixed shock and horror Vanessa watched his light blue Banana Republic shirt come closer to her, until her was right there standing just one person away.

"Hi," he extended a hand to Ashley, "I'm Zac, Zac Efron."

Ashley batted her brown Dior mascaraed eyelashes. "Ashley, and these," She turned to Vanessa and Joe, " Are my two gorgeous sidekicks."

Joe laughed, though Vanessa was still speechless to do anything. "Yeah, yeah, thats what she wishes. I'm Joe," He thumped knuckles with Zac before pointing to Vanessa. "And this is the lovely Van-"

"Vanessa...?" Damn it, he had definitely seen her now, and the confused glint in his sky blue eyes confirmed it. Confusion quickly changed to recognition and then to joy.

"You know each other?" Asked an intrigued Joe.

"Yeah! We met during the summer, when we were-" Vanessa quickly regained control over herself and cut in.

"Younger, a couple of years ago. Remember that camp I went to? The music one? Yeah he was there. I thought i recognized you!" Vanessa willed him to play along. She looked straight into his eyes, trying to ignore the fluttering feeling in her stomach and pleaded him to wait. She stared harder as if telepathically telling him she'd explain later.

He seemed to get the messaged because as Joe asked, "Cool man! So what musical instrument you play?"

He managed to reply, "Guitar." He kept eye contact with her, sending shivers up her spine. She remembered his guitar, how could she not, she remembered his soft voice, as he sang and played to her as they sat on the beach, the sun setting in the rainbow sky. The warm sparkling fire burning in front of them.

"Guitar? Now that's sexy." She heard Ashley say, again in her flirty voice. Vanessa couldn't work out if she was annoyed at her friend for trying it on with a guy she'd only just met or jealous that she was doing it so well. "So new boy, where did you come from? Apart from my dreams?"

Vanessa giggled, she couldn't help it, trust Ashley to say the corniest yet funniest things in front of a guy hoping that he'd fall for her. He smiled obviously catching on to the joke. "Los Angeles. My parents actually moved us two days ago. It was really sudden, my dad just kind of came in and said, We're moving so it's still all a little bit of a shock for me."

"Oh my god!" Ashley exclaimed. "Ness was in L.A during the summer!"

"Oh really?" His eyes once again captured Vanessa's, who was trying to look away, but she felt she couldn't move from his penetrating gaze. "It's a shame we didn't see each other then." She could see the hurt in his eyes. He managed to covered it with a smile but Vanessa had still seen it. The hint of confusion lingering there. Her heart did another flip flop, she felt horrible, but she could explain it to him later.

The bell rung and everybody in the class stood up, though the group at the back stayed put, chatting away like they were still on hoiday. "So what class have you got new boy?" asked Ashley, leaning in close to him, albeit so he could get a whiff of her strong Paco Robane Black XS perfume.

"Um," He pulled out a creased purple sheet of paper and studied it. "English with Mrs, uh, Sterling?"

"Oh, Ness don't you have that too?" She looked at her friend, and then back to her new acquaintance, "She'll take you there." With that she sauntered out of the class, but not before winking in Zac's direction.

Two arms wrapped themselves around Vanessa's waist and she felt a breath tickle her ear. "I'll see you around then gorgeous." Vanessa noticed two eyes watching them and she immediately felt guilty. She turned to Joe and gave him a light smile.

"Yeah, I'll text you later, okay?" He nodded and walked out of the classroom nodding at Zac, leaving both teenagers alone together.

Zac's body had suddenly stiffened, he spoke to her, his voice far from friendly. "Your boyfriend I'm guessing?" She nodded mutely, and he carried on. "I'm also guessing that he doesn't know exactly how your summer went?" She shook her head. "Wow, prize girlfriend huh?"

She looked at him apologetically, willing him not to think that she was a bad person. Clearing her throat she tried to think of a good enough reason. How about the truth? said a little voice in head. No she thought, how could she tell him the truth is she didn't even know it herself. "You don't understand." She tried, then seeing him cock an eyebrow she decided a different approach. "Just let me explain."

He nodded, she went on. "I know it was probably wrong not to tell you I had someone back home, but it was hard. You were just so nice, and everyone else was just so boring and tense. But you were different, I tried to keep it, keep us as friends, but after a while I couldn't help it. It just sort of happened, and it felt good." She finished, trying to avoid looking into his eyes.

He sighed, "Ness..." She couldn't tell if he was still mad at her, she lifted her eyes to meet his. Only to see that he had inched closer, reaching for her limp hand he whispered, "Then why did you lie?" With that she moved her head away, looking for her bag. If she looked into his eyes she knew she would chicken out, say something to get his hopes up, but she had to say what she was going to say.

"Because, I don't want anything to change. Yes I like you, but I can't be with you. We had a great summer, but I have a life here, a place here. And -" She stopped, trying to find another way to say what she was about to say, she couldn't, and his silence showed that he was waiting for more. "And, that place doesn't involve you," She picked up her bag and swung in on her shoulder, refusing to actually face him, but instead looking as if she was engrossed in his brown, leather Lacoste flip flops.

There was a moment of silence. He took a breath in and picked up her chin, making her look deep into his eyes, they stood like that silent, the whole school melted away for the few moments. She tried to lean into him, closing her eyes and resting all her weight on his chest, but he took a step back. "No, don't, just please don't Vanessa." she looked up, shocked at the tone of his voice, it was different, cold, something she had never ever encountered in her life. Nobody ever in her life had ever said no to her, Vanessa Hudgens. And it made her feel uncomfortable, and she didn't like it. Vanessa snapped back to her usual self. She was Vanessa Hudgens, the most popular teenager in the whole of Manhattan. She had everyone at her feet and everything she had ever wanted within her reach. This boy standing in front of her was not going to change that, he was a threat to her, to everything she had worked so hard to achieve and keep, and she was going to make sure he stayed far away.

"Listen, Efron, you just stay the hell away from me, and nothing will happen to you." she hissed. "Summer was summer and whatever happened will stay just where it is, in the past. If you even dare try to change it," She paused for dramatic effect, "better watch it." he looked at her. This girl in front of him, her eyes wild with determination, menace and fear. He was shocked, thats for sure, he had never seen her, or anyone like this ever before, and strangely enough, he was kind of turned on. The fire he saw in her, the passion, it was attractive, suddenly an idea struck him.

"Oh I will," he smirked, stepping forward. she inched back, and he followed her, until she was up against the wall. "Fire away Baby V," with that he leant in, his face, just centimeters away from her, she closed her eyes, their lips brushed, but he didn't move any closer. She opened her eyes, to find herself faced with two pools of ocean blue, she didn't move, not that she could've if she tried. He was the first to break it. "So are you going to show me to my new class?" he smirked. Vanessa blushed and closed her eyes. Why did she just let him do that to her? How did she let him unnerve her? Damn it Ness she warned herself, don't let this happen again. Silently she pushed her bag back onto her shoulder and poised herself. Just hold your head up high. She walked out of the door, indicating that he follow. The door to their next class came in front of them.

"Keep your mouth shut, and nod," she whispered, opening the door. "Morning Mrs Sterling. So sorry we're late."

"Miss Hudgens. Glad to see you've finally decided to attend this class. May I ask why you were seventeen minutes tardy?"

"Yes Ma-am, sorry, but the new boy seemed lost, he couldn't find his timetable, so I took him to Mr Billings office to get a new one. It says he's joining our class Ma-am." Zac was surprised a quite impressed at her quick thinking.

"Oh, well thank you Miss Hudgens," the teacher seemed to soften. "It's refreshing to see some of our students taking the initiative to help somebody in need. I think we can all learn from Miss Hudgens over here." she looked at the class. "Please, my dear, take a seat. Vanessa looked to see Lucas and Monique waving at her from the back. She waked down to sit in between them, almost forgetting who was behind her. Though her teacher didn't seem to. "And you must be our new student. Mr..." she looked at a sheet, and smiled welcomingly and pointed to Monique, "Efron, welcome. Now I think there is a seat right next to Miss Coleman, so please take your place and we can get started."

Vanessa felt ill as Zac sat down and smiled at Monique, introducing himself. She saw her friend extend her own hand and watched silently as they started a conversation. He seemed to have charmed her friends already, and she had a feeling that Ashley wasn't going to stop flirting with him until he was 'conquered' as Ash always put it. Lucas' voice broke into her thoughts.

"So the new boy huh, seems pretty cute." She nodded, what else was she meant to do? "Tell me lovely, exactly why were you helping a new student and taking the effort to trudge all the way to the secretary to find him help?" Vanessa's eyes widened in shock, but she managed to recover herself in a second.

"Lucas, sweetie," she grinned, "It's a new year, we're older, and wiser. And what better way to show school spirit than helping a fellow classmate ?" Ryan rolled his eyes and turned to face the front.

Older? Maybe, but certainly not wiser...

So what do you think? Four more reviews and then I'll put up the next one, and there will be something new and exiting guys so come on get going people! Big kiss! X