Song: All I Want by Olivia Rodrigo from the series; High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (HSMTMTS)

Chapter Forty-five: Pardon my Portuguese

When I got down, he had the ladder off him and resting on the wall. He was also resting his back on the wall, and when he saw me, he smiled. Oh my God! The audacity. I mean...

"Really? You pulled the whole damsel in distress thing?"

"I prefer lad in anguish."

I squinted my eyes in disbelief. "You're saying utter rubbish."

"I noticed half way through my thoughts."

"Whatever you're on tonight doesn't justify you making me come out here in this cold." I walked up to him and punched his chest. He used that hand to grab me and pull me into a hug.

I didn't hug back. "What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious Cherry? I'm giving you warmth and comfort."

"The only warmth and comfort, I'm satisfied with right now is my ass on my bed."

"So you don't want my bear hugs?"

"I didn't say that."

He nuzzled his face into my hair and then rested his cheek on it. "Then stop being so stubborn and give in."

I didn't waste time to wrap my hands around him and bury my head in his chest.

This felt so good.

"I'm still cold."

He just grumbled in my hair, probably telling me to stop talking and ruining the moment.

Although my legs were still cold I stayed to hug him and decided to not talk. I was actually enjoying the moment, but his stupid phone rang. Good thing I didn't bring mine down.

"Ignore it." I mumbled.

"It could be important." He mumbled back.

"So my legs being cold is unimportant?"

He released me although my hands were still firmly planted around his waist. "You're being such a drama queen."

"Am not." I whined.

He gave me a pointed look and I released him and crossed my arms. "Fine. Be like that."

He just chuckled and pulled his phone out of his back pocket. I looked over at his phone. 

Irmã.

Who's that?

"Who's Irma?"

He laughed a little. "That's not how it's pronounced Cherry."

I raised my brows. "I've known a lot of Irma's in my life. I think I got it."

"This is Irmã." He pronounced in a different accent. "It's Portuguese."

Portuguese?

Portuguese?

Portuguese? Who do we know that speaks Portuguese?

Serena Davis.

"What does Irma mean?"

"It's Irmã."

Pardon my Portuguese!

I glared at him. He could correct my pronunciation later.

"It means sister."

Yes!!!!!!!!!

I smiled very brightly inside and sang 'Zane has a sister!' over and over again in his head. But still, he's with me. He shouldn't be picking that up.

Calm down. That's his sister.

Fine. I'll try a different approach.

That's not what I meant.

"It's late. Are you going to pick that up?"

He shrugged. "Yeah." And picked it.

He beamed, although she clearly couldn't see him. He didn't say anything, but she was talking at the other end of the line. His smile dropped.

"Calm down. Calm down. I'm coming."

My frown deepened.

He cut the call and turned to me.

"She sprained her ankle."

So?

I didn't talk. I waited for him to expatiate. "She wants me to take her to the hospital."

Doesn't she have parents?

He walked up to me, put his hands on my shoulder and smiled. "At least you can go to the comforts of your bed now."

I wanted you to come with me. You should know that.

He kissed me on my lips and then on my forehead. "Dream of me." And then he jogged towards his car, and drove off. And left me standing at the side of my house, freezing my butt off. Is there something wrong? Did he not notice that I didn't say a word?

I went to my room that night wondering what he and Serena were doing at the moment? Maybe I'm being irrational and stupid, but he was my first kiss, my first boyfriend, my first love, and I didn't want to lose him. I couldn't lose him. He promised me I won't so I'm going to hold on to that.

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

I parked my car, and Rev hopped out without as much as a goodbye. She already explained that she planned to run to class and hide from Sam all day since he wasn't in much of her classes.

As I sat down in the car for a while, I saw her stop when she saw Ella. She said something to her quickly, before continuing her running. She was looking back at Ella as she was running, still shouting something over to her, so she didn't notice the boy standing a few feet away. As she was nearing, he opened his arms as she ran right into it. She looked up at him and pushed him away from her before storming off with him right on her tail. I'd have stayed to watch some more if they didn't disappear into school.

Well, show's over. Time for me to get down from the car. That was the plan, but the passenger door opened, and Zane sat in the seat.

"Cherry, miss me?" He beamed at me.

I couldn't help my smile as I said, "Not really. You were in my dreams alright, but the scary kind."

He raised his brows. "Do you mean nightmares?"

Yes.

"Nope. I know what I'm talking about."

"Sure you do." He leaned over the cup holder and placed a quick, but passionate kissed on my lips. With my eyes closed, I smiled into it.

He leaned back. "It'd be easier to hate you if you didn't make me so happy."

His brows arched. "Why would you want to hate me?"

"You'd know when the time comes."

He smiled at me. "Let's go." He got down from the car, and when he saw I wasn't moving, he opened the car door again. "Is your butt stuck to the seat?"

I rolled my eyes. "No but chivalry still exists."

Don't do what I think you're going to do.

But common, it'd be fun.

He snorted. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

He muttered. "Independent my ass." Before slamming the door shut. He walked over to my side, and when he was close to it about to open, I opened it myself, largely, making it hit his torso. I got down from the car as he stumbled back and groaned.

"What was that for?" He grumbled.

For leaving me last night.

I laughed. "For believing I'd actually let you open the door for me. I have hands." I raised my hands up for demonstration.

"I knew it!" He exclaimed. "You little imp!"

I gasped. "You know there's a difference between girlfriend and friend, right? You can't call me an imp anymore."

"So I should lie to my girlfriend, but tell my friend the truth?" He teased.

I gasped. "Walk yourself into school, then!" I grabbed my bag from the seat, closed the door and started heading towards school. I was just being dramatic because I knew he was still going to catch up to me. And he did. He grabbed my hand and started swinging it.

"Big baby." He muttered before kissing my head.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just call me big."

He laughed. "You know what I mean Cherry."

That was all that was said as we walked into school, hand in hand. We got a little stares in the parking lot, but that couldn't compare to what we faced as we entered the school building. Maybe I should have run just like Rev. And I thought I was the smart one. Zane, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice it, didn't show any signs he did. It's either that or he was so used to it, he couldn't care more.

"Ignore them." He looked down and smiled at me.

I guess he noticed them then.

We stopped at my locker and Wren walked up to us. "I doubt you've told anyone, and yet that's what the whole school is talking about."

Zane put an arm over my shoulder. "I don't just walk into school with anyone."

"Yeah, you do." Wren debated. Zane slapped his chest with the back of his hand. "Dude! You ruined the moment."

Wren laughed as he turned to me. He bent down to my level and put his hands on his knees. "Has he been wooing you with his sweet words?" He asked me like I was a child. "Well, don't believe them." He cooed.

"Prick." I muttered to him, but he seemed to find that funny as he laughed his ass off.

"I see you've replaced me." I closed my locker and turned around to see Axel.

I didn't replace him in anything.

I rested against my locker. "What are you talking about, Axel?"

He smirked. "I was the prick, but I guess jackass could walk too."

"Jackass." I scoffed.

Oh my goodness! Why did I say that? I didn't mean to agree with him.

You're such an idiot sometimes.

His smirk grew wider. Then he took in Zane. He gestured between us. "Are you guys like friends or something?"

Zane removed his hand from over my shoulder and put it around my waist. Very tightly. I had to remove my left hand from there and awkwardly place it behind my back. "Or something."

"Huh?"

"Cherry is my girlfriend." He leaned down and kissed me deeply. Like no one was watching. I put my hand on his chest and pushed him back lightly. I gave him a questioning look, but he just turned back to Axel. Axel was just staring at me like I was a horrible person. I didn't do anything wrong, right?

"I thought you said you aren't with anyone." He bit out.

"Uh- That was last week."

"Awesome. Can we talk?"

I was about to decline, but Zane beat me to it. "No, she can't. She has to walk me to my locker before class." He grabbed my hand and started pulling me away. I had the urge to look back, but I decided against it. Wren was right in step with Zane.

He patted Zane's back. "Jealousy is the work of the devil, man."

"I just don't like him."

"He's your co-captain. Since when do you not like him?"

"Since he told my girlfriend he was in love with her."

I rolled my eyes. "That was weeks ago. I wasn't your girlfriend then."

"But you're my girlfriend now and he clearly still feels the same way."

I smiled at him and pinched his cheeks. "You know you're cute when you're jealous."

He swatted my hand away. "Am not."

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

"There might be a problem."

Zane and I just walked into the cafeteria, and apart from the fact that people were staring at us, there was another problem.

"What is it?"

"I don't want you to go back to your table with all those girls." I grumbled.

"Awww. Now you're cute when you're jealous." He smiled at me.

"I'm serious."

"That's what makes you so cute."

"I don't get it." I frowned. "Will you just come sit at my table? I'm not going to yours for sure."

"Why not?"

I gave him an incredulous look. "Why yes?"

"There are some really cool guys at my table."

"I don't know any but Wren."

"Shawn. Mason." He listed with his fingers. "Jordan." I stopped him. "I get it, but I just think you're listing all your teammates to prove your point."

"Maybe."

I pouted. "Pweaseee!!"

What are you? A baby?

"I was going to say yes anyway, but I like this face." He kissed my nose. I pushed his face away and grabbed his hand to drag him to my table.

My friends were already there, and there was enough space for at least 12 people. I sat down beside Xander as usual with Zane on my other side.

"Hey guys!" I greeted as they all greeted back, except Xander who was stuffing his face with food. He just nodded to me in acknowledge. With the amount of food he eats, if he didn't do exercise, he'd be a disco ball.

"So guys, meet Zane. Zane meet guys."

"We know who he is." Leyla said, receiving a smug smile from Zane.

"That wasn't much of an introduction." Zahra corrected.

"Yeah. All you said was guys. We have names, you know." Kai so subtly pointed out.

"He probably knows them. Right Zane?" I smiled at him.

He ruffled his hair as if wracking his brain for their names. "Xander." He pointed at him and he nodded. "Karl." He pointed at Kai.

"It's Kai," he corrected, "but close enough."

Zane mumbled a sorry before turning to Zahra. "Zahra."

"Hmm. You pay attention." She nodded, smiling.

"I was your lab partner once and you almost burned my hair. You're quite hard to forget."

I laughed a little at the image of Zane's hair on fire and Zahra just taking pictures. Seems like something she would do.

"That wasn't intentional." She defended.

He raised his brows. "Wasn't it?" He turned to Leyla. "Uhh..." He seemed to be racking his brain, and then he snapped his fingers. "Yup. I know you. Lila."

She shook her head, smiling. "It's Leyla."

"But Axel said-" I cut him off. "People make that mistake so much, but I honestly prefer the name 'Leyla'."

He nodded. "Yeah. It's unique."

Xander, looking like he'd finally swallowed all he was stuffing his face with finally spoke. "Guess what guys?"

"What?" I asked.

"I finally told Hannah to stay away."

Kai raised his brows. "Did she listen?"

"If listening is her trying to break some weird spell put on me by Charvi, then yes."

We all laughed at that. I guess her species deals with illusions too. Our laugh was cut short by Wren's voice. "Can I join you guys?"

"Sure." I replied honestly. He sat down on the other side of Zane.

I was perfectly okay with the new additions to the table- I mean it's my boyfriend and his best friend. Only if I knew that wasn't all.

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

So? So. 

:o

How was that?

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