D/C: The HSM franchise is obviously not mine. D:
Title: GUILTY
Author: harukakamiya on LJ / Jedi Mistress 1990
Genre: General
Rating: G
Summary: Requested by hoddmimirswoods on LJ. Troy thinks about Chad and Ryan's relationship as he steps into the booth to vote on Proposition 8.
There was a very long line of people at the nearby elementary school. It was so long, and he had been waiting in this particular line for quite some time, that Troy was beginning to wonder why all voting places were at elementary schools (he recalled that his parents had to go to St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School for their voting stuff, even though they lived far away from that school). Here in Berkeley and almost, almost finished with his first ever semester of University of California - Berkeley, Troy felt very uncertain about this particular election.
The candidates just didn't appeal to Troy, and he felt very horrible about not liking Obama very much, simply because his best friend was the same race (well, he learned Obama was only HALF black, but he wasn't going to split hairs here). Troy didn't know much about politics, and he certainly didn't know very much about the issues concerning the election. He figured he was just going to wing it as he went along inside the booth.
Finally after twenty minutes, a middle-aged forlorn woman asked Troy for his voter registration card and marked him off the list. She gave him a pencil and ballot. Troy gulped. It was time.
At the political figures, Troy just began to sweat and filled in random circles, making sure he didn't make any circling mistakes (9 years of standardized testnig did that to a person). When his eyes fell on the local and state legislative polls, he just skimmed through them. That is, until his eyes fell on Proposition 8.
"ELIMINATES RIGHTS OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT."
Something hitched in Troy's throat as he read the title of the proposed law. His pencil hovered over the "yes" bubble, but something in the back of his head told him, "NO!"
The memory of Chad, looking apprehensive as he told Troy he was gay, flashed across Troy's mind. Memories of Chad often being seen with Ryan Evans, and Troy remembered putting two and two together. He remembered telling Chad that he was happy that Chad was happy, and Troy truly was happy for Chad. For months he kind of regretted making Gabriella his sole focus, and Chad just deserved someone to love after dealing with Troy's love and happiness.
The memory of Ryan actually coming up to Troy and thanking him for letting him date Chad, with the promise that he would take excellent care of his best friend, made Troy's chest ache. Memories of Chad glowing, memories of Chad's tears and difficulty with going to the University of Albuquerque while Ryan was going to Juilliard---Troy had actually held him like a brother and told him he understood, because Gabriella was going to Stanford and he to Berkeley.
Troy bit his lip, and his pencil circled the "no" bubble. He felt a great weight in his chest suddenly disappear, and he sighed in relief. Troy ruined Chad's happiness many times before over trivial things, but he wasn't going to ruin Chad's happiness with Ryan. Because brothers didn't do that to each other.
This one wasn't as hard to write. I hoped that this one was as enjoyable as GREEN. I love getting feedback, whether it's good or bad. :)