Name: These Days

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't Own Zac

Madison sighed as she walked out of the office, how a great day could turn into a surreal day was behind her knowing at this point. She made her way back down the hall towards the stairs but stopped when she heard her name being called. She stopped but it took her a second to turn around because for some reason the sound of his shoes against the tile put her in a trance, like she was dozing off again.

"Hey Madison" he said catching his breath as he slowed down and then came to a stop. Madison felt the breeze lift her hair off her shoulders for a second but then it lightly fell back down. She smiled and feeling weird crossed her arms and balanced on her heels

"So…" he said shoving his hands in his pockets "thanks for agreeing to tutor me…" he said breaking the awkward silence that he created. Madison still smiling and then raising an eyebrow "not to be nosey or anything but why are you here?" she was curious now and it always seemed to be Madison's job to get right down to the point (explains why she is a reporter for the paper).

Zac kind of laughed signaling that he felt stupid for even saying it "I never really got around to finishing high school and my rep thinks it to be a good idea to actually get my diploma, so just 50 more credits and I'll be out of your hair" Madison nodded and opened her mouth to say something when the bell for the end of the day finally rang. Madison closed her mouth "I have to go but tomorrow 10:30" she said as she started to back away. The hallways were becoming louder and you could hear the stampede of anxious students make their way down the stairs, it wouldn't be soon before they burst through the door. Zac nodded "bright and early" he said before he disappeared in a crowd of people.

Already feeling her body being pushed and shoved Madison made her way towards her locker. When it came in to view she noticed Paige was standing there and was biting her lip in a nervous habit. "What's up?" Madison asked as she started to enter her combination in to the lock. Paige smiled expecting Madison to already know what she was about to ask but seeing the Madison was too busy stuffing her bag with books Paige went on anyways

"So I heard" she said with a slight screech to her voice

"Take it down a notch" Madison said giggling. She actually didn't mind Paige at all, she was cute and Madison loved making new friends, who said her social circle couldn't expand a few more?

Paige laughed then apologized before Madison continued "so you heard what?" she said slamming her locker and locking it again.

"I heard you get to tutor Zac Efron!" she said jumping up and down in a kiddish way as she followed Madison down the hall.

Madison started to laugh as she adjusted the extra books on her hip "well I would be lying if I said I wasn't" she said with a sly smile and a wink. Paige clutched on to her arm "Oh my god from this minute forward any contact you have with him will have to be reported to me immediately" Paige said finally letting go. Madison shook her head and felt the breeze from outside as the doors were being pushed open

"So is he nice, smart, funny, and charming?" Paige kept asking prying question after prying question but all Madison said back was "I don't know I barely spoke two words to the kid"

"Two words! C'mon Two words are two words at least you spoke with him. You couldn't get any of his character out of those two words?"

Madison shook her head "sorry I'll try harder next time" Madison looked back at Paige who had a gleam in her eye wow she's really a fan.

Paige was about to say something else but was interrupted when Craig came up surprising Madison. Even though they weren't officially going out Madison acted like they were and kissed him right upon their first meeting and as he took the books out of her hands

"How much homework do you have tonight?" He asked carrying the books like they were pieces of paper

"Why even ask" Madison said before introducing Paige and him. They greeted each other no problem but they were then parted when Paige went to her car and Madison went to Craig's.

Craig grabbed on to Madison's hand and starting up a conversation about last period. That's what she loved about their relationship it was effortless and conversation could be started on any topic so there was never awkward silences. They both made each other happy in the same ways and Madison knew this was a lasting feeling.

She looked up at the clock that read exactly 10:30 and of course she was on time unlike some people. She impatiently tapped her pen on the desk staring down at the history textbook and the paper with that day's lesson. She stared out across the street to the elementary school and saw that the littler kids were already out for recess. Not to sound like a geek or anything but Madison was never a recess kid, her recesses were spent reading or doing extra credit, I guess people never change.

Startled she dropped her pen on the desk and watched it as it rolled to his foot. He bent down and picked it up then looked over at her "this yours?" he asked with a smirk. Madison smiled back "wow your hilarious" she said sarcastically keeping her eyes on him as he made his way to the table. He leisurely put his book down and then sat down "it's not like your wasting time or anything" she said now getting annoyed for real. Paige definitely wasn't going to like what she had to say now.

Zac opened his book and then looked over at her "sorry long night" he said as he looked down at the page. Madison felt like she was wasting her time now. He wasn't even trying and with her grades and extra curricular activities she could be doing something more useful.

Madison took a deep breath before she went off the deep end and pulled out the work plan "alright, starting with the Great Depression you need to read these two sections then answer the four questions and then do the terms" she pointed to the book noticing he was watching her finger than actually listening "got it?"

He nodded and yawned "got it" he said pulling out a pen from his pocket. Madison sat there quietly looking outside again, this was boring and she felt like she was taking this free time for granted. When the half hour mark passed Madison looked down at what he had don and that wasn't a lot.

"Are you serious" she said with an agitated tone. Zac put his head down on the book and she could of sworn she heard him chuckle

"Are you laughing?" she asked feeling infuriated. He lifted his head back up "no I am not laughing I'm just tired"

Madison stood up almost knocking down her chair as she grabbed her book "I'm going back to class" she said transitioning from anger to surrendering.

Zac watched her get up and sat there a few seconds after she closed the door. He looked around the room and tapped his pen now on the paper. What was he doing? He was acting like an idiot and a jerk…he wasn't being himself. He looked down at the work he had already done and he planned on finishing it, with or without a tutor.

Madison's heels could be heard through the halls as she stride through the hall "arrogant, what a jerk" she mumbled to herself making her way to the class she now missed because of all this. It was too early in the day to be pissed off, besides red wasn't a good color on her.

As she got closer to her locker the more the air started to smell familiar. When she rounded the corner that brought her in view of her locker she noticed Craig was making his way towards her, that's what she smelled his cologne, the stuff that she loved. He smiled keeping his hands in his letterman jacket "hey beautiful" he said with a smile

"How do you always know what to say" she said stopping just inches in front of him. Close enough to hug but far enough for him to reach.

"Bad morning?" he asked seeming to read her mind. Madison nodded as she leaned her head in to his chest telling him that she needed a hug and reading the signs sure enough she felt him wrap around her.

"This whole tutoring thing is tougher than I thought" she said her voice muffled from his chest. She could feel him smile just by the little movements in his muscles "I'm sure Mr. Hollywood can't be that bad" Madison looked up at him with a raised eyebrow "that's what you think, turns out Mr. Hollywood is actually a really big Mr. Jerk" Laughing at her small joke Craig kissed her on the forehead but stepped away when she heard the throat clearing of Mr. Collins.

"Mr. Farrell and Miss Lucas I hope that you two were planning on getting to class some time this morning" Madison smiled shyly as Craig stepped forward "just heading that way" he said turning back to Madison and winking. Madison blushed but then turned her attention back to Mr. Collins "I was just getting my things" she said hoarsely feeling her voice drift off

"Shouldn't you be in tutoring" he said with a harsh tone of voice, definitely just got on to his bad side. Madison sighed "Listen Mr. Collins, this whole tutoring thing isn't really working out and I'm afraid to say…" Madison hesitated she hated letting people down, especially people like Mr. Collins who's own letter of recommendation was one of the main reasons she got accepted to UCLA.

Mr. Collins waited for her to go on trying to make no interruptions "…that I am going to have to resign from my position, I think it's too much responsibility for me right now" Mr. Collins shook his head not believing a word "C'mon Madison the only reason I chose you was because I know you can handle it, so just think about it for a sec-" Madison stopped him though by going on "I have thought about it, and I refuse to go back" and with that Mr. Collins took a sigh of disappointment before he walked out leaving Madison to stand in the halls that were filling up with students.