Song: When There Was Me And You by Vanessa Hudgens from the movie; High School Musical

Chapter Fifteen: The gods of the game will come in human form and castrate you

"Don't you mean 'Hola Cereza'?"

"I prefer Cherry in English. Sounds better."

I rolled my eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm in this class."

"I meant what are you doing beside me?"

"Señor Rivers. Señora Brooks. ¿Te importaría sacar tu conversación de mi clase?" Señora Santiago reprimanded.

Do you mind taking your conversation out of my class?

I said "Lo siento señora" at the same time Zane said "No me importa".

Sorry Mrs. He said "I don't mind."

I gave him an 'Are you insane?' look and he just shrugged.

"Bueno, supongo que será mejor que lo lleves afuera. Con tus pertenencias."

Well, I guess you better take it outside. With your belongings.

I pleaded. "Pero señora."

But Mrs.

"Fuera. Ahora."

Out. Now.

We grabbed our stuff and left the class.

I rested my forehead against a locker. "You got me kicked out of class."

"It takes two to tango."

"What?"

He didn't reply. I started banging my head against the lockers.

He grabbed my shoulders and turned me around to face him. "Relax, Cherry. Look on the bright side." 

"There is no bright side!"

"There is. Now we have the rest of last period free."

"No."

"No to what?"

"Skipping school."

"It wouldn't be the first time." He joked.

"Maybe for you it won't."

"If you haven't realized, we're out of class already. It's not like we can go back in. And unless, you want to roam the halls for the next 40 minutes, I know a very fun place to go."

"It's the park, isn't it?"

"Maybe."

He grabbed my hand and started dragging me out.

"How's Wren's leg?"

"Wren's leg? What happened to..... ohhh!" He finally realized.

"I said my friend. Wren's not my only friend you know."

I nodded slowly. "Uh huh." 

He rolled his eyes. "I'm serious."

"I never said you weren't."

"You're fluent in Spanish?"

I nodded. "Started learning since I was three. What about you?"

"About quite a little younger than that."

I gave him a shocked look.

He shrugged. "Before I came here, I was homeschooled with- I mean for the first four years of my life, I lived in Argentina. So I was learning it along with English. My dad spoke only English, but my mum spoke both. She isn't from there but she started living there at a young age. My dad was there on a business trip. Badaboom Badabam, love sparks and me!"

"Quite the story."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You know, your family seems to have a lot going on with your step sister and all. I don't understand why she won't leave me alone. What's her name again?"

"Anastasia."

He arched a brow. "Is it really?"

"It's Arabella, but Anastasia fits her more."

"And her mother is what? Lady Tremaine?"

We had gotten out of school know and heading for the parking lot.

"Maybe. I don't really care. It's not like I'll be seeing her anytime soon."

"Why?"

"Because I don't have to."

"Have you talked to Ivy about it?" He teased.

Is he dumb or teasing?

He could be both.

I pushed his shoulder. "Hey! I've not told anyone about it. I didn't tell you to make fun of me."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"We were playing 20 questions."

"You could have lied."

I could have, but I didn't want to.

For some reason.

Yeah, but I'm not going to tell him that.

"I heard a rumor that if you lie during 20 questions, the gods of the game will come in human form and castrate you."

He gave me an incredulous look. "That's just ridiculous. Plus, you're a girl you can't be castrated."

"And who told you that?"

"Your non-existent testicles."

"And how do you know that?"

So, you are a hermaphrodite?

Shut up.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a wicked sense of humor?"

My eyebrows shot up. "Is that a compliment?"

"It's a sign they need to check you for any symptoms of a brain tumor."

"That'll be like searching for a needle in a haystack."

You literally just implied you have a brain tumor.

We got to his car and stopped. "Just because they don't find the needle doesn't mean it's not there."

"Okay, maybe I didn't think before I said that."

He held his thumb and index finger a centimetre away in a pinch form. "Just a little."

We entered the car and headed out of school.

***********************

"This isn't the way to the park."

He shrugged. "I never said we were going to a park."

"You said maybe."

"Exactly maybe."

I rolled my eyes. "So if we're not going to the park, where are we going?"

"We are going to buy me a tuxedo for that your friend's birthday ball."

True. The ball. Our dresses get here on Thursday.

I don't like that Leyla's paying for them.

Me neither.

Yeah, but you have no choice. To afford one of them, you've gotta sell your house.

"And I have to go because?"

"Just because."

"Don't all rich people have custom made clothes?"

What happened to hating stereotypes?

Give me a break, it's mostly true.

He scoffed. "That's so stereotypical."

"Not all stereotypes are false."

"Yeah, but labels are. You can't just say all rich people."

Aren't labels and stereotypes the same?

I thought so too, but if I ask him and I'm wrong, he'll think I'm dumb.

"Fine. My bad."

"You're accepting you're wrong?"

"I never said I was."

"Classic."

Nothing I do should be classic to him. We just met.

"We've known each other for about two weeks, less than even, and out of those two weeks, we've interacted like 5 times. What's so classic about what I've said?"

"And out of those 5 times or so, I've never once heard you say you're sorry."

"False."

"True."

"Even if it was true, I just haven't had anything to say I'm sorry for."

"What about the fact that you thought my name was Zed?"

I shrugged. "Still don't see anything I need to be sorry for."

"Do I even look like a Zed?"

"I dunno. How's a Zed supposed to look?"

"I don't care, but whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it's not me."

"And why's that?"

"Because I'm a Zane. All Zanes are hot."

Some people really take cocky to a whole new level.

I know right. He's worse than Axel.

I snorted.

"What?" He asked.

"How many Zanes do you know?"

"One."

"Who?"

"Zayn Malik."

"His Zayn is different. It's 'yn' not 'ne'."

"So?"

"So..... He's not a Zane."

"Whatever."

"I know a Zane."

"Who?"

"Zane Floyd."

Zane Floyd. American murderer. Died in the year 2000 at the age of 24. Very burly man.

More like fat.

Stop that.

Stop what? It's not shaming if it's the truth. Plus, he's a murderer.

"Is he hot?"

"It depends on your definition of hot."

"There's only one definition."

"There's actually more than one. There's the 'ooh that's hot' and the 'ooooooh, that's hot'." 

I demonstrated the first one with touching the seat and pulling my hand back and the second one with a wiggle of my eyebrows.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay today?"

"Not quite. Pick one."

"The second one."

"Okay, then he's definitely hot. Let me google him for you." I quickly looked it up in my phone and showed him a picture.

He raised his brows. "He's more like the first type of hot. You know the one you where get burnt when you touch."

I laughed and he joined in. 

"You're mean."

"I'm also honest."

I punched his shoulder.  

"Didn't your parents ever teach you not to distract the driver?"

"I don't think so."

"Well, that's going to come back and bite them in the ass."

I cleared my throat.

"I meant, that's going to come back and bite her in the ass."

I guess he's not dumb after all.

I guess so.

"Better."

*****************************

"This is the fourth store we've been to. I'm pretty sure school ended like an hour ago."

We've been to so many expensive stores and he hasn't seen a single tuxedo he likes. Not even a mask.

"Then it's a good thing we brought our stuff. Señora Santiago is a woman after my own heart."

"You used that wrongly."

"No."

"Yeah I'm pretty sure you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

This is going to go on forever. Do something about it.

"Hey! Look at that stunning blue tuxedo."

Immediately after he turned, I whispered to myself. "Yes you did."

"I heard that."

"Dammit!"

"But since you want it so much, I'll let you have the last word."

Hmm... Xander would never let me have the last word. Goat!

"You've finally come to your senses. Surprisingly."

He shot me a glare. "You think you're hilarious, don't you?"

"I know I'm hilarious."

"Of course."

He stared at me for a while making me feel uncomfortable.

So I spoke up. "We should actually check out that blue tuxedo." 

He looked away. "Uh... Yeah."

We walked into the store and this guy rushed up to us. He smiled brightly at Zane

"Mr. Rivers. You're here." He turned to me. "And you too."

"Yeah. Actually this is..." He cut me off. "So Mr. Rivers, what brings you here?"

Wow. That unimportant.

I looked at my feet and contemplated backing out of the store. I didn't want to be seen as anyone's lesser and that's what this guy was already looking at me as. At least, the other shopkeepers acknowledged me. Though they weren't particularly nice. This why I go to the mall where there a lot of people; rich, average or poor. Not these expensive looking stores.

This guy looked at me like I was the dirt stuck under his shoe. 

Just because you're not rich? That's pathetic.

"Raphael, meet Miss Brooks. Miss Brooks meet Raphael. It's her first time here and she's with me. Show her the same respect you show me. Is that clear?"

He actually just introduced you.

Raphael's face dropped, but he nodded all the same. I smiled at that.

I turned to Zane and he was just looking around the store.

Shouldn't you say something about what he did?

No. It's probably not a big deal to him.

Zane pointed at the blue tuxedo on the mannequin. "I want to see that tuxedo." 

"The one on the mannequin?"

"That's the one I just pointed to, isn't it?"

"Yes sir. But sir, it's just for display."

"Then get me another one just like it that isn't for display."

"There is no other one."

"Why is it on display then?"

"I actually don't have an answer to that particular question. Can you ask me another one?"

What?

I almost laughed at the expression on Raphael's face.

"I want to buy that blue tuxedo, Raphael."

"But sir, there are other tuxedos. Look at that one with the floral print. Oh and the red one. There are a lot of black ones too." He gestured at the different tuxedos around the store.

The store was actually quite scarce of customers. There was a lady behind the cash register. She was partially paying attention to us and to the person on the other side of the counter."

I turned to Raphael. "Can I talk to him alone?"

Raphael had a sour expression on his face when he left.

"A real pain, isn't he?" I joked.

He ignored my attempt at humour. "Do people always treat you like that?"

"Like what? A wad of gum stuck under their very expensive shoes?"

He gave me a blank look.

"I don't really go to expensive places anymore. Ever since my dad, you know, so no."

He just nodded and looked away.

"So... Shouldn't we be looking for tailcoats? It's a ball after all."

He glanced at me very quickly. It almost seemed like the action wasn't done.

"I guess I should wear a top hat too, right?"

I snapped my fingers. "Exactly."

"I prefer tuxedos."

I nodded.

"I don't really want the blue tuxedo anyway. Let's just go."

"Let's check out the other ones. They look really nice."

"Just pick something and let's go."

I gave him an incredulous look. "You want me to pick out a tuxedo for you to wear?"

"Yeah. I don't mind."

"Then why didn't you say that before we started this search? You've been picky all through."

He shrugged. "Just go and pick something."

"Of any price?"

"Yes. I didn't mention a budget. I'll be waiting here."

"Anything at all?"

"Why do you keep asking questions?"

"I dunno. I just want to be sure. Since you're the picky type after all."

I went deeper into the store, looking for the one that catches my eye.

I stopped in front of a white tuxedo.

White? But it's so plain.

It's not, it has a black shawl lapel. Plus, if you look closer you'll see it has designs. They're just also white so that's why they're not obvious.

Still it's so simple.

It's also very elegant. Imagine Zane in this. He'll look so........

"Raphael!!" I called out and he rushed over to me. "I want this one, please."

***************************

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Hasta la proxima amor. ;)