Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.


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Thank you for the reviews…hopefully more people will sign the petition, and I'll be able to finish this story...!

Sorry to anyone if they think that Diego and Shira's relationship had developed too quickly, but it was a sort of vital point in the story, and I am terrible at these sort of developing romances.


Chapter 7:

Ellie faced the hyperactive boy, who glared at her. "Listen up! We get the project done with, and then we forget each other, ok?" Ellie wanted to laugh at how much Zeke reminded her of her brothers.

"Sure." She nodded, smiling.

Zeke scowled at the smile, and turned. "Let's go."


Sid gulped nervously as he faced Oscar. "Um, hi, so when should we start the project-"

"Shut up." Oscar growled.

"Ok." Sid turned hastily and they sat in silence.


Manny glared at Soto, who did the same back. Both were tense, rigid and in disbelief at having been chosen. Manny quickly looked around. Ellie and Zeke looked like they were getting on ok, and Oscar was ordering Sid around. He turned to the last pair that concerned him (Eddie and Crash weren't included), and raised an eyebrow.


Shira tried not to turn red as Diego approached and plopped down in the coincidentally empty seat beside her. "Hi."

"Hi."

Both sat, the tension thick. "So, who do you want to do?"

"Franceso Cortez?" Shira asked, as detached as him.

"Fine."

Diego lowered his voice. "You know the other students are staring, right?" That broke the tension.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Shira hissed back. Then, a thought occurred to her as she saw Gutt's threatening smirk. "Work with me."

"What?" Diego asked, confused.

"Look, um," Shira turned back to him. "Ok, no one, from their looks, expect for us to work well."

"Duh." Diego raised an eyebrow.

"So we work together."

"Go on…"

"And we prove them all wrong?"

"Why do I think that you have a deeper motive than that?"

"Because I do. I'll do his background, send it to you, and let you translate it."

"Gee, playing the translator. I feel so honoured."

Shira smirked. "You should be."


Shira sighed as she stared at her laptop, while Diego waited for her piece of information. "So…" He drifted off knowingly, a smirk on his face as she growled at him.

"Shut up."

"'k. Just saying."

Shira sighed in exasperation as she shoved the laptop away to the table beside her. "Why do we have to do this stupid thing again?"

"Mix of History and Languages. Not the best combination, but I can work with it." Shira sighed.

"And why are we in a separate classroom from everyone else?"

"Everyone gets the spare classrooms." Diego leaned back in his chair, leaning back. "Seems to think that we'll destroy the rooms if we're left in it."

Shira sighed. "I know, but still. It's so…empty. Then again," She added as an afterthought. "I suppose the incident before had something to do with it."

"What incident?" Diego looked interested.

"Some science thing. We blew up a classroom."

Diego laughed. "You guys have more fun than us."

Shira smirked. "Jealous?"

"Hardly, your highness." Diego stood up. "If you aren't gonna do any work, we'll never get this work done."

"I'm TRYING!" Shira turned to the door, Diego's back facing it. And that was the reason why he didn't see Gutt and Raz walking by, both smirking and ready to get them now that the teacher expected them to stay in their separate assigned classrooms. Without thinking, she immediately did what her senses were screaming at her to do, and she grabbed Diego by the shirt and kissed him.

Diego tensed, but Shira only broke apart slightly enough to murmur "Follow my lead."

"Why?"

"Because I told you so." And then she kissed him again. She gradually felt him relax, or, at least, force his body to relax. Shira's mind was now screaming at her What on earth was she doing?! God. Her mind could be so fickle sometimes.

However, for now, she just relaxed against him. Her arms gently wrapped around his neck as one of his wrapped around her neck and the other around her waist. She buried her hand in his hair, and inhaled the scent of him. The minty forest smell that she had grown to accomusted to him.

Eventually, when the need for air became too great, they broke apart.

Shira turned to the door, and Diego followed her actions, curious. "What were you doing?" Shir was relieved to see Gutt and Raz gone, before wincing internally as she now realised the depth of what she had done. And rumours spread fast in Valley Academy.

"Gutt." Shira said.

"Gutt?" Diego choked. "Are you crazy, Shira? Yes, and the rumours will spread, that Gutt had officially seen us together." Shira laughed suddenly, the situation striking her as funny. Diego looked at her, bemused. "And what have I said?"

"Well, the rumours would be true, won't they?"

Diego raised a questioning eyebrow, and Shira faintly noticed that his arm around her waist hadn't moved yet, and neither had her arm. She leaned her forehead against his. "Well, at least, we shouldn't disappoint too hugely, should we?"

And leaned in to kiss him again.


The next day, Diego noticed the others staring strangely at him, and he frowned. "What?"

"Nothing!" Sid turned around hastily. Diego frowned, though he knew full well what was going on. The rumours did spread quickly. Faster than a plague.

He smirked internally as he met Shira's eyes from the other end of the room. She bore a similar smirk, and turned back to her group.