Caring

Part 2

The wind was now stronger and beginning to howl. As Sharpay sat in the safety of her car, the music from the radio blaring she began to tap her foot nervously. It had almost been two hours since she had spoken to Zeke and she hadn’t heard a word from him since.

She took a deep breath.

Relax she told herself he said he would ring when he was near.

She watched as the now black clouds drew together and winced at the clap of thunder that sounded in the distance.

She immediately turned her radio up louder.

As if being stranded a lone with a vehicle that wouldn’t run a storm was beginning to start.

She closed her eyes silently praying. Please please please.

She was answered with the heavy raindrops hitting her windscreen.

The thunder seemed to become louder and closer. And as she hunched down in her seat she tried not to cry.

“ I hate the rain,” she mumbled.

As another clap of thunder came, her hands flew to her ears as flashes of speeding cars appeared before her eyes.

She failed to notice the familiar car approaching and pulling up besides hers and when a tall lanky boy tapped on her window she screamed.

She could just hear her name being called and when she looked up she could see the blurry but noticeable face of Zeke.

She opened her door and shuffled over on to the passenger side.

Only able to stare at him Zeke took in her appearance.

“You’re shaking,” he noted in concern

“Are you cold”? Before she could answer he had taken off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

Finally able to shake the images from her she wrapped the larger jacket tighter around her shoulders. Even though she wasn’t cold she took comfort in the warmth and the faint scent of cookies.

Zeke sighed as the rain continued to fall and of the tire in the boot of his car. It looked like that they would be stuck for a while.

Sharpay finally able to calm her nerves turned to accusingly.

“What took you so long?” she asked icily. Although Zeke noted it was only half-heartedly.

He slowly took in the unfamiliar appearance of the girl beside him, gone was the cocky selfish girl he had grown to like, she was unusually stiff, silent and looked about ready to crumble.

Sharpay though upset didn’t fail to notice his staring. Half biting her lip she turned to him and snapped.

“What”?

Zeke shook his head.

“Nothing” he decided to answer safely. Whatever it was bothering her, she was bound to let it out sometime, He had known Sharpay awhile and she didn’t tend to hold her feelings in. Although this time Zeke got the feeling it went a little deeper.

The thunder boomed and Sharpay was sure it had hit her car when it began to shake she jumped, involuntarily inching closer to her companion.

Her hands gripped the dashboard as she rocked from side to side, the cars screeching in the distance.

Her mother was calling “Ed. Ed Edward.”

Her and Ryan’s screams echoed in the night air.

Her mother began to shake her father, sobbing uncontrollably.

Ryan’s arm was emitted with shards of glass; the worst however was deeply infested into the left side of his face

Sharpay began to rock back and forth, holding herself tightly, willing all this to go away

Arms were wrapping there way around her, and she was back in her familiar pink convertible.

The arms around her were warm and protective and for the first time Sharpay let herself cry until she ran out of tears.

After a very long few minutes she let out a shuddering breath and reluctantly drew herself out of the arms.

How am I going to explain this? I’ve made a complete fool of myself.

“Sharpay”

She wearily met his gaze

She brushed her hair away from her eyes.

“Zeke I….” She trailed off. “I um. Thank you”

He smiled and nodded and Sharpay then realized that that was enough for him.

She looked out of her window and noticed the rain now falling in a slower and steady rhythm.

“My Dad” she began to say. She turned her gaze back to Zeke, the question she was expecting to see in his eyes was not there, and instead there was sincerity, he was there to listen.

“He died on a night just like this”.

And there it was out in the open. It was a confession on her part and now she felt lighter.

Sharpay smiled her first genuine smile in awhile, noticing Zeke’s hand on top of hers.

This time she didn’t shake him off. She looked up at him.

“Why”? She simply asked.

He looked confused.

“Why what”?

“Why are you always so… nice to me? It’s not like I’ve even given you any reason to, I’m not exactly the most approachable person, I frighten people”.

“I believed in you Sharpay, I saw past what others couldn’t” He gave a cheeky grin “People forget that ice melts”

Sharpay sent him a halfhearted glare and then Zeke’s expression turned more serious “I care about you Sharpay”.

There was that word. Sure she knew Her mother and Ryan cared about her, it was just a known but unheard thing. But hearing someone else say that had an unexpected affect on her.

“ I don’t think I’ve ever said this as often in my life as I’ve said it tonight”

She placed her other hand on top of his “Thank you Zeke”.

Fin

A/n and Thank you's.

Well there it is the final part. It went a completely different way than I expected, But I'm happy with it. I hope you all liked it too.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter.

Stessa, Noukka, Charlz and Jakibikajasy