Chad untangled himself from Ryan's sleepy grip and the creamy white bed sheets before slowly padding, bare-foot, out of the bedroom. He made his way across the lounge to the kitchen and turned the coffee pot on. Sighing, Chad tiredly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, scratched at his growing beard a bit and adjusted the only piece of clothing he was wearing. A pair of Wildcat red boxers. He leaned on the counter bracing himself with both hands.
If this was the same time four years ago Chad couldn't have even considered sharing an apartment with an Evans, let alone Ryan Evans, no matter how rich he was. But then Gabriella came along and tipped Chad's world upside down. She stole his best friend, made Zeke confess to cooking, made Martha confess to dancing and sweet-talked Troy into the winter musical. Probably not the best year of his life.
But then that summer before senior year, Chad realised why Gabriella had been sent to change his, and all his friends, lives. Something clicked as Ryan smirked challengingly at Chad.
"You got game?" He had asked looking Ryan over.
"Little," Ryan shrugged, his hands dropping out of his pockets.
Chad nodded, feeling something different in his stomach, in his head, in his heart. Something he had never felt before. He still had no idea what it was that fateful summer day at the Lave Springs staff baseball game; maybe it was his spirit for competition, but whatever it was it had opened his eyes to the boy of his dreams. Chad hadn't even known he wanted a boy of his dreams! Fair blonde hair, deep blue eyes, pink lips, slim body, amazing ass and those hips... Whoa.
Chad smiled to himself at the memory. That day, after the baseball game he and Ryan had 'hooked up' in the locker room. Chad knew that Ryan thought it was nothing and decided to just be friends. Chad also knew Ryan thought he was just Chad's experiment on the 'other side'.
Later, after the talent show, Chad had proved to Ryan that the 'hook up' did not mean nothing to him. That had been when it started. He and Ryan had become boyfriends. Even when no one had known.
They had both gone about their lives, pretending that they weren't going out, while behind closed doors it was a different story. They did a pretty good job, too.
But when the 'gang' were all gathered at Troy's house after graduation, when people were crying, confessions started to pop up out of nowhere... Again. And they had ended up outing themselves to their friends, right after Taylor and Kelsi did.
Even then Chad thought it weird; he usually didn't associate with Evans's because that often lead to Sharpay, which almost always ended in pain. But now he was even shopping with Sharpay! WILLINGLY! That was saying something.
Chad shook his head and grabbed two mugs, filled one with coffee for himself and one with green tea for Ryan, with one packet of organic sweetener, just like Sharpay had in her lattes. Once the mugs were filled he set off to their bedroom.
Chad inched the door open with his elbow and set the two steaming cups on the bedside table on Ryan's side of the bed. Chad then took a seat on the side of the bed and started to slowly stroked Ryan's now jet black hair, smiling when Ryan groaned and leaned into Chad's touch.
Ryan's eyes cracked open and he smiled up at Chad stretching like a cat.
"Morning, gorgeous." Chad whispered kissing Ryan's temple.
A sleepy sigh was emitted as Ryan attempted to sit up in bed. Ryan reached for his cup and took a long slow sip of the hot liquid.
All the while Chad watched Ryan thoughtfully.
"What are you thinking about?" Ryan asked Chad as he set the mug down.
Chad looked away, slightly embarrassed.
"I was just thinking about... Well you know... If Gabriella never came to East High..."
"I would have been the lead male in 'Twinkle Towne'." Ryan interrupted grumpily, pouting.
Yeah, Ryan was friends with Troy and Gabriella, but that was still a sensitive subject for Ryan and his sister.
Chad smiled. "Yeah, but... I don't think we would have ever got together if it weren't for her," Chad said, looking down intently at the coffee mug in his hands.
Then it was Ryan's turn to smile. He flung his legs over the side of the bed and leaned up to give Chad and hug. Which Chad returned gratefully.
When Ryan leaned back they both just smiled at each other. A minute later Chad stood and slung Ryan over his shoulder.
"CHAAAAAD!" Ryan screeched. "Put me DOWN!"
"Shower time." Chad replied with a smirk. Yeah he was defiantly happy about Gabriella's intrusion into his world. Without her he would not be where he was. He made a metal note to give her a big hug next time he saw her before shutting the bathroom door with Ryan still squirming and giggling.
Life was good for Chad Danforth.