Vanessa had just finished doing her hair and make up when the doorbell rang. She quickly took off her robe and pulled on her dress and cardigan. She slid on her bracelets as she ran down the steps.

The person at the door began ringing the doorbell quickly. She opened the door and quickly pulled Dylan inside as paparazzi were standing on the curb taking pictures like crazy. She closed the door back.

"My god! They are persistent!" he said, hugging her tightly. "Hey Nessa."

"Hey Dyl. I'm almost ready, I've just got to go upstairs and grab my shoes okay?"

He nodded and made his way to the living room, flopping down on the couch as she ran up the stairs.

She pulled on some knee-high boot socks before pulling on some brown boots. When she came back downstairs, Dylan was hanging up the phone.

"Mom said to tell you hi and that you need to come visit," Dylan told her as he slid his phone back into his pocket.

Vanessa giggled as she grabbed her purse. "You ready to go?"

He nodded and stood up.

As they walked out of the living room and towards the front door, she stopped and looked at him. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive? You just drove like three hours."

"I'm sure. I'm totally fine."

She nodded and locked the door as they walked out. As they made their way down the front steps of her house, to her driveway, flashes were going off like crazy.

"It's freaky how they are always there and know exactly where you are," he said, opening the door for her as she got into the passenger seat of his car.

She laughed at him as he got in. "You get used to it after a while. I guess it's worth it," she shrugged.

"So, what do you want to eat?" Dylan asked as he backed out of her driveway.

"I don't care, I'm good with anything. Is there a specific type of food that you want?" she asked, thinking of restaurants on their way to the stadium.

"Zac is always talking about a burger place that's really good near here. I don't remember the name of it."

"Umami burger? It's his favorite."

"Yeah, that's it! You wanna go there?"

"Sure, I haven't had it in a couple of weeks."

They began chatting as Dylan drove, following her directions.

When they arrived at the restaurant, they went inside and were seated in a booth.

A familiar waitress came over to take their order. "Vanessa! Hey! Where's Zac at tonight?" she asked, smiling.

Vanessa smiled at the younger girl who was always hers and Zac's waitress when they came. "He is in New York doing some work for his production company. He's going to be super jealous when he finds out we came here. Oh, Katie, this is Dylan, Zac's brother."

"Nice to meet you," Dylan smiled up at her.

"You too. Are you in the business too?"

"Noooo. Hell no. I'm finishing up my senior year up at Cal Poly."

"Oh, really? That's awesome. What's your major?"

"Marine Biology."

"That's awesome! My friend was a marine bio major. What are you doing your senior project on?"

"Mating habits of Great White Sharks along the central Cali coast."

"No way! That sounds so cool!"

Dylan nodded, smiling. Vanessa watched with an amused look on her face.

Katie blushed and smiled nervously. "What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll have a coke, please."

"Water with lemon," Vanessa smiled. She nodded and walked away to get their drinks.

As they finished their dinner, Vanessa went to pay the bill. Dylan took the bill from the waitress first and handed her his card.

"Dyl, you really don't have to. I owe you for coming down here."

Dylan rolled his eyes, just like Zac. "First of all, I want to. Second, you got us floor seats for the game. And finally, not only would Starla lecture me about manners, your boyfriend aka my brother that is much stronger than me as of recently would kick my ass if I invited you to dinner and didn't pay."

"You and Zac are so stubborn," she said, smiling. Dylan got his card back and left the tip before they got up to leave. He opened the door for Vanessa and followed out behind her."

They walked side-by-side back to his car as paparazzi walked around them, trying to talk to them. She grabbed Dylan's arm as the flashes made it almost impossible for her to see where she was going.

He remembered back to the call he had received a few hours earlier…..

Flashback

Dylan was getting ready to leave his apartment in San Luis Obispo when his phone rang.

"Hey bro, what's up?"

"Hey Dyl. Just got out of a meeting. Do you have a second?"

"Yeah."

"Big brother lecture for a minute. I just wanted to warn you that the paparazzi are going to be super crazy tonight. They haven't gotten a picture of me and her together in a few weeks so they are going to be fighting for some new pictures. When it gets dark and they crowd around you, it gets really hard to see where you are walking or driving and it makes Ness super stressed out. So I need you to take care of her for me, okay?"

"I will, Zac. Don't worry."

"Thanks Dyl. Listen, I gotta go into this next meeting, but drive safe and call me if you need me."

"I will, man. Bye."

When Dylan felt Vanessa grab his bicep for support, he realized how bright the flashes actually were and how correct Zac was. Thankfully they reached the car quickly and got inside.

"You okay?" Dylan asked as he started the car.

She just nodded, looking down, trying to hide her face from the cameras.

Dylan sighed in frustration as the paparazzi crowded around his car, preventing him from moving. Vanessa leaned up and honked the horn, making them both laugh when the paparazzi moved out of the way quickly.

Dylan quickly stepped on the gas, leaving the restaurant. As they made the twenty-minute drive to Staples Center, Vanessa's phone buzzed with a text.

"Hey baby. I was going to call you, but I wasn't sure if you would be in the arena or not. I hope you are having a fun night. I am going to sleep because I had a really long day. Just wanted to tell you that I love you."

"We are about to pull in. We are having fun spending "sister/brother in law" bonding time as Dyl calls it. Wish u were here though. Miss u like crazy. Can't wait for you to be home in a few days. Sleep good baby, I love you."

"Where is the best place to park?" Dylan asked.

"Ummm…. up there on the left where you and Zac parked last time. It's pretty far, but it's the closest we can get."

He nodded and pulled into the parking lot. They parked and got out before beginning to walk to the stadium. Out of no where, flashes surround them once again.

Dylan wrapped his arms around Vanessa's shoulder protectively, and used his hand to block the right side of her face from flashes. They made their way through the crowd and into the arena. Vanessa sighed and smiled up to Dylan in thanks. They made their way to their seats as the teams came out for warm-ups.

"This is where me, Zac, and Bubba sat." Dylan noticed, looking around.

"Yep. They are Zac's favorite seats. He gets them from Kobe," she said, putting her purse under the seat.

He looked at her with wide eyes. "Are you kidding me?"

She laughed at him, shaking her head. "No. After we first started coming to the games a lot, Kobe's kids would always come over and talk to us. Then that one game when Kobe practically fell in Zac's lap, Kobe came over and apologized after and they talked for a little while. Then when Zac ran into him again at the ESPY's, Kobe told him that if we ever wanted tickets, to call him or his manager."

"That is awesome!" Dylan said, bubbling with excitement.

As the game began, Vanessa noticed the paps taking pictures of them from across the court. She covered her mouth from view as she leaned to his ear. "Don't acknowledge them because it will make it worse, but there are paps straight across from us."

She pulled away and began watching the game again as he spotted them. He chuckled and watched the game too. They cheered in excitement as the Lakers won a very intense game versus the Miami Heat.

After waiting around for some of the craziness to die down, they began walking out of the arena. When they got back to Dylan's car, they made their way back to Vanessa's house.

"Dyl, seriously, please stay here tonight. I don't want you driving all the way back. Plus, you're leaving early to take Mom to breakfast for Valentine's Day tomorrow. You have your guest room and you can borrow some of Zac's clothes," she said, giving him the puppy dog eyes.

He chuckled, instantly giving in. "Fiiiiiineee. I know what Zac means now by puppy dog eyes," he mumbled as they got out of the car.

She giggled and unlocked her front door. When they got inside, she and Dylan went into her bedroom as she walked to her closet, grabbing a pair of Zac's gym shorts.

"Here you go," she smiled, handing them to him.

"Thank you." He gave her a brotherly hug, hugging her tight. "I had fun tonight, Nessa. We need to do it more often."

"Me too. And don't worry, we will. Thanks again for coming down and keeping me company. I missed having an Efron around," she teased.

"I know, we're awesome." He teased.

She laughed, rolling her eyes as she pulled out one of Zac's t-shirts and boxers for her to sleep in. She looked at him seriously. "Be careful driving back in the morning, okay?"

He nodded and smiled as he walked out. "I will. Goodnight sis-in-law."

"Night bro-in-law," she smiled as he closed her bedroom door. She brushed her teeth and washed her face before changing clothes and lying down.

Vanessa was woken up the next morning by the annoying sound of her phone beeping. She picked it up and was confused to see Zac's name with a new voicemail at 4:30 in the morning. She squinted her eyes as they adjusted to the bright light of her phone screen. Pressing the play button, Zac's voice was heard.

"Hey baby girl, I'm sorry for waking you up this early. Don't be angry with me, I promise it will be worth it. I need you to do me a favor, okay?. Go downstairs and open your front door. I love you."

Now wide awake due to curiosity, she got up and turned on the light before making her way downstairs. She opened her front door and looked down to see a huge bouquet of lilies with a card.

Smiling widely, she carefully picked up the flowers and took them inside. She placed them on the kitchen counter before putting them in a vase. Seeing the card with her name written on it in the messy scribble she would be able to recognize anywhere, she picked it up and opened it.

I hope you like the flowers. Now I need you to get that cute little butt moving and go upstairs, pack a suitcase and go to the airport. A car is outside waiting for you. You're coming to me, baby. Make sure to pack for this weird New York City heat wave we are having. Don't worry about Shadow; your mom is coming to get her later this morning. See you soon. I love you.

Squealing loudly, she ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. She quickly grabbed her suitcase from the top shelf of her closet and began to pack quickly. Remembering what Zac said, she packed mostly shorts and tank tops. She grabbed everything she would need for the airport and made her way to the front porch where a car driver was waiting for her.

"Good morning, Ms. Hudgens," he smiled politely as he carried her bag down the driveway.

She smiled and got into the car. "Good morning." The drive to Los Angeles International Airport felt like it was taking a lot longer than normal. Vanessa couldn't stop tapping her feet, excited to get to there.

As they reached the airport, the driver got out and got her bag. He then reached into his suit pocket and pulled out an envelope. She smiled and took it before walking into the airport. She opened the envelope to find a ticket and a folded up piece of paper that said "Don't read me until the plane takes off".

She made her way to the main desk and handed the lady her ticket. "Gate 14. Your flight leaves in 10 minutes."

"Thank you," Vanessa smiled, making her way to the gate. After going through security, she boarded the plane and got comfortable in her first-class seat.

As she felt the plane take off, she opened the piece of paper that was with her ticket.

If you are reading this, you better be in the sky, Nessa Anne. This was the only flight I could book for you and unfortunately they have to fly to Hawaii before they can fly here. That being said, you have an hour layover at the Maui airport. I'm really sorry, but at least you get to go to that little coffee shop inside there that I know you love. I hope you have a good flight and I'm sitting here waiting anxiously for you to get here. I love you, baby V. Mwah. Xoxoxoxoxo.

She smiled and got comfortable, looking out of the window.

She thought back to a few months ago and how much things have changed. She remembered all the fighting her and Austin had done in the month before the HSM reunion. He had come home from New York after being away for six months. She had made the effort to go and see him, yet he never came to Los Angeles to see her. Ashley had been busy with her boyfriend and she missed having a best friend around constantly. Not a day went by when she didn't think about Zac, but she knew she had broken his heart by going out with Josh so quickly after their break up. She regretted it, but knew she couldn't go back and change it. When she found out that Zac was going to be coming to the HSM reunion, she knew what she had to do. When Austin came home, she was going to break up with him and try to find a way to make it up to Zac.

The morning of the reunion, Austin came over and found her sitting on her bed with a big box of stuff, crying. He saw that the box was full of Zac's things, memorabilia from the HSM movies and a lot of pictures of her and Zac. She was holding her kuuipo ring and sobbing and she could remember Austin getting really angry and they were in the middle of a heated argument when Ashley and Monique arrived. They put the conversation on hold and Austin stormed downstairs to open the door. Vanessa fixed her make up and safely put the lid on the box labeled "Kuuipo."

She went downstairs and saw Austin sitting on the couch and Ashley and Mo in the kitchen. She motioned for them to come upstairs and they followed her, noticing that she had been crying.

"Nessa, what's wrong?" Ashley asked, hugging her tightly.

Vanessa broke down in sobs, as Monique rubbed her back.

"I miss Zac," she cried, shaking violently. "I messed up big time and he hates me and I need him."

Ashley looked up at Monique with wide eyes. They had both seen the changes in Zac and Vanessa since the break up and were both secretly praying for them to get back together or at least be friends again.

"Calm down, Nessa. Just breath." Monique said, as Vanessa started to hyperventilate.

Vanessa reached over and opened the box, letting them see inside. "A-Austin came in when I was….was looking through all of this. I want to b-break up with him. I was waiting for him to get back from New York so I could, but now I don't have time before Zac gets here. I miss my best friend," she said between tears.

Monique looked through the box and saw how many memories the simple cardboard box box held.

"He will be here in a couple of hours, sweetie. Why don't you talk to him about it when he gets here?" Monique asked.

Vanessa nodded, trying to calm down the sobs escaping her lips.

Ashley rubbed her back, and rocked her side to side softly.

When everyone had arrived besides Zac, she and Austin walked into the kitchen. She was going to try to talk to him and break up, but before she could, she heard a familiar voice in the living room. She ran in and saw Dylan and Zac.

Hugging Zac for the first time in almost three years made her heart break. She never wanted to leave the comfort of his very muscular arms. For the first time in three years, she felt safe. That was quickly wiped away as she heard Austin come into the room.

They all began to watch movies and chat, but Vanessa couldn't stop thinking about a blue-eyed boy sitting next to her on the floor.

When she walked into the kitchen and Austin followed her, she wanted to confront him about being an asshole to Zac and Dylan. Before she had the chance, he immediately brought up her feelings for Zac. She couldn't remember what the conversation continued as, but when she heard Austin say "It's over," she felt like fireworks and confetti were going off in her head. "That was easier than I thought it would be," she thought to herself.

….. … …

The conversation between her and Zac the night after they arrived in San Luis Obispo was not an easy one. They discussed all the pain they caused each other, what they wanted in terms of a relationship, how much they had missed each other, and what they had been doing the past three years. The most important part of the conversation came at the end when they both looked into each others eyes and said "I love you."

She woke up when the pilot announced their arrival. She didn't remember falling asleep, but she was guessing it came shortly after remembering the way her and her boyfriend got back together. Wanting to get some coffee, she quickly made her way off the plane. Expecting her bags to be moved for her due to the layover, she used the bathroom before making her way to the coffee shop. She looked at her phone as she got closer to the coffee shop to see if she had any messages from Zac. Seeing she didn't have any messages, she looked up. When she did, she gasped loudly and covered her mouth.

Standing a few yards in front of her, with two suitcases by his feet, was a man in his mid twenties with skinny jeans, vans, a t-shirt, and a beanie on. His bright blue eyes sparkled as a wide grin spread across his face.

"Happy Valentine's Day, baby." he said as tears fell from her eyes. She squealed, running to him and into his open arms. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, burying his face into her neck. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, holding her close with her feet dangling in the air.

She pulled back, smiling widely with tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. She placed her hands on his cheeks, looking into his bright blue eyes before connecting their lips in an earth-shattering kiss. Mid-kiss, he placed her back on the ground. Due to the shift in height, she moved her hands down to his chest, resting them against his pectoral muscles, never breaking the kiss. He brought his large, warm hands up to rest on her cheeks as he kissed her passionately.

When they broke apart, she couldn't stop smiling.

"I don't understand," she said, looking up at him.

"I finished early and was done two days ago, but I wanted to surprise you for Valentine's Day since you wouldn't be expecting it. I knew you had plans with Dylan for last night so when I found out I was done early, I stayed in New York and got a flight to here that happened to land about an hour before you."

"We are staying here?" she asked, trying to process everything he was saying, still in shock a little bit.

He nodded, smiling. "Just you and me and a week in Maui."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again. "I can't believe this. You are amazing."

He smiled and kissed her lips lightly. "Ready to go to the hotel?"

She nodded. He grabbed their bags and held open his free hand. She quickly took it, smiling, and entwined their fingers together, making their way to the hotel they shared on their previous Maui vacations.

She looked at him, smiling as they walked.

"What?" he asked, smiling down at her.

"Nothing, I just love you."

"I love you too," he smiled, pecking her lips.