Author's Note: Well, here's the first chapter of The Man In Love With You. I'm sorry if I bugged alot of people with my polls and one-shots. Seriously, I cannot make up my mind! Enjoy, and happy reading!
Chapter One: Pets Galore
"Pretty please Ryan?"
"Absolutely not."
"But, I just want to see the puppies and the kitties."
Classes just got out for both Haylie Anderson and Ryan Evans, and Haylie was begging Ryan to drive over to Pets Galore.
"Haylie, I was never really a pet person."
"You had Boi, and he loved you!"
"No, he loved Sharpay. If you didn't notice, he'd always growl when I was around, or he tried to attack me. One or the other."
"Come on, Ryan! Please? I promise we won't be in there for that long. Besides, Kim Emerson wants to see me."
Kim Emerson and Mrs. Anderson were long time best friends, and Haylie remembered playing with her son, Jackson.
Ryan sighed, and she knew he had given in.
"Fine. But, were there because you want to talk to Kim." Ryan told her, and Haylie grinned.
"Thanks, Ryan."
Haylie told Ryan where to go, and a few minutes later, Ryan was parked outside Pets Galore, Kim's new petshop.
Haylie was first one to open the door, and a woman around her mother's age (with red hair with a tint of blonde, and green eyes) who was carrying a dog greeted her.
"Haylie Anderson! Ohmygosh, it's been so long!" Kim stated, giving her a hug, and Haylie nodded.
"It has. How are you?" Haylie asked, and Kim gave her a smile.
"I've been super! The business is doing wonders for me ever since I quit being a nurse." Kim replied as Ryan walked in, wearing a half-smile, and Kim raised an eyebrow.
"Who's that? Your boyfriend?" Kim asked, and Haylie felt her cheeks burn.
"Yeah. Ryan Evans." Haylie explained, and Kim nodded.
"Well, he's awfully cute, I'll give you that. More cuter than Jackson."
That's when she burst out laughing, and Haylie managed to grin as Kim walked away, and Ryan was at her side.
"She seems nice." Ryan commented, and Haylie's blush rose even more.
"You heard what she said about you?" Haylie asked, and Ryan smiled.
"Hey, I know when I've been complimented. She said I was cuter than her son...that has to mean something!"
Haylie shook her head as they walked around, looking at the animals, and Haylie wished that she had a dog or a cat at home when Ryan wasn't around.
But, Ryan told her he wasn't a pet person, which ment that was a no.
When they finally got home, Haylie went upstairs to the bedroom she shared with Ryan, and took out an old box from the dresser, and opened it up.
The box contained old memories from Los Angles: mostly pictures, but there were other knick knacks as well.
She dug into the box until she found what she was looking for.
It was a picture that was dated back to when she was about five years old, and she was standing beside a boy about the same age as well.
Jackson and Haylie used to play together before Haylie got wrapped up in theater, and Jackson got wrapped up in whatever he was doing.
But, they still remained friends, but Haylie basically lost all contact with her "friends" from back home, and she barely remembered any of them now she had the Wildcats.
But, running into Kim made her think that maybe she should call Jackson one day when she wasn't busy.
"Well, this is where you went!"
Haylie jumped when Ryan entered the room, and sat down next to her.
"Sorry if I scared you."
"No, you didn't." Haylie explained, and Ryan looked at the picture.
"Who's that?"
"Oh, that's Jackson Emerson. He and I used to play together alot. His mother, Kim, and my mother were best friends."
"Ah, that explains everything." Ryan stated, and Haylie nodded as she glanced at the picture again.
Jackson probably wouldn't look any different than he did when he was five years old, except for maybe being taller, and older (since they were the same age, he'd be nineteen as well).
"So, was Jackson a friend of yours?"
Haylie looked at Ryan, and she smiled.
"Yeah, he was..sort of."
"I guess he knew about the accident with Mark, right?"
Actually, Jackson didn't, but that's because Haylie never told him.
He was one of the few that didn't know, and Haylie planned to keep that way.
"He doesn't because I never told him...so, he's one of the few people that doesn't know." Haylie replied, and Ryan nodded.
"Well, you should have...I mean, he was one of your friends."
"Yeah, but I didn't want to get him involved, anyways. He was sort of headstrong when it came to me."
Ryan raised an eyebrow, and he smirked.
"Sort of like me?"
Haylie laughed as Ryan leaned in to give her a kiss on the lips, and she returned his smile.
"Sort of, but your way more protective."
Ryan got off the bed, and looked at her.
"Sharpay called, and she wants you and me to have dinner with her tonight."
Haylie nodded, and she realized she hadn't spent any time with the blonde-haired girl since coming to Sherwood Oaks, so it'd be nice to see Ryan's twin sister, Sharpay Evans.
"Sounds great. I'd love to see her."
"She sounded so excited to see you...I swear, why is that when you haven't seen a friend in ages, that you get excited? Especially if you are a girl?"
Haylie grinned as she placed the picture of Jackson and her in the box, and placed it on the dresser.
"I guess it's another mystery about us girls. Besides, I was blaffed by boys as well."
Ryan looked at her as they walked downstairs.
"Why? I mean, were not that complicated."
Haylie nodded as she grabbed the coat from the closet.
"Uh, yeah, you are!"
Ryan smirked as they got back into Ryan's car to go pick up Sharpay at the college.
"Your just saying that because I think your complicated."
"We girls are less complicated, and you know it, Ryan." she exclaimed, and she saw Ryan roll his eyes.
"Were not going to fight about this, are we?" he asked, and Haylie burst out laughing.
"No, of course not! Unless you really want too..."
"No. It's bad enough I get teased because I get into so many random discussions with my girlfriend from time to time."
And really, could blame him?
"They are not random!"
"They are too!" Ryan said, and Haylie smiled as she looked at the window.
College life was so much better than high school!