I Don't Dance
Chapter One
A/N: This fic was born because, when I watched HSM2, I thought the "I Don't Dance" scene was incredibly sexually charged, and because I love Ryan and Chad. Some of the details may be a bit off the timeline, but bear with me. I think it's pretty accurate.
xXx
Chad stretched his arms above his head, then bent over to touch his toes. He turned as he felt the prickle on the back of his neck that means someone's watching you, and, looking across the baseball diamond at the bleachers, saw that Taylor and Gabriella had arrived. Taylor waggled her fingers at him and Chad waved back, smiling tentatively.
He had been feeling the pressure to take the next step with Taylor practically since the championship game last winter, when he had asked her to that party. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but looking back, Chad was sure it had been a mistake.
It was partly because of Troy and Gabriella, and how happy they were. Sure, they were having problems right now, but Chad knew that they would be back together before long, and just as lovey dovey as ever. And then they would expect Chad and Taylor to be acting the same way.
But there was something wrong. And Chad couldn't figure out what it was. Taylor was fun to be with, she was beautiful, and smart, but there was something missing.
Chad had spent enough time watching Troy and Gabriella- well, he could hardly miss them; they were practically attached at the hip, when Troy wasn't acting like a jerk as he was now- and even Kelsi and Jason, to see the look of pure happiness, nervousness and excitement that flooded their faces whenever they saw each other. That, Chad thought, was true love. Or whatever. And he had never felt anything like that when he looked at Taylor.
So, he concluded to himself, he was not in love with Taylor. Or whatever.
Looking back the other way, Chad saw Ryan walking towards them, ridiculously in all white, with one of his trademark hats on his head.
Ryan smiled brilliantly. He said something, and Chad was pretty sure he said something in reply, because Ryan spoke again, but all Chad could see was the movement of those lips, small and rosebud pink, undulating with words Chad couldn't hear.
Why had he never noticed before? He supposed it was because Ryan never really said much; it was always Sharpay doing the talking. Ryan normally just stood behind her sneering. Well, the sneering had obviously disguised the perfect curve of his lips. Chad liked it much better when he was smiling.
Chad shook himself mentally. What was he doing, thinking about Ryan Evans's lips? He has Chad Danforth, and he did not like boys.
Then Gabriella popped up at Ryan's elbow and informed them all that Ryan would help them with an act for the talent show. She put her hand on Ryan's shoulder-a shoulder that was strangely well-defined, Chad noticed. How on earth did singing build muscles?-and leaned into him, and Chad's blood boiled in his ears.
How could this be happening? He hadn't cared about, had barely even noticed Ryan at all before today, except as a petty annoyance that came with the much bigger one that was Sharpay. And now because of one smile, he was suddenly jealous when a girl touched him?
"Well, what do you say, Chad? Will you be in the talent show?" Ryan asked.
Chad had no idea what to say. Well, actually, what he wanted to say was something along the lines of "Get away from him" to Gabriella and "I'm not gay!" to anyone who would listen, but instead he blurted out, "I don't dance," and wondered where that had come from.
He was still wondering when Ryan grabbed a mitt and practically sashayed to the pitcher's mound, doing something with his hips that Chad thought shouldn't be entirely legal.
Chad sighed, adjusting his own mitt. He had a lot of thinking to do.