Howdy y'all. I don't know if I should be posting this or not, because I honestly have no clue how to end it. I have the next bit written, but I CAN'T END IT!! Anyway, might be a while before the second part is posted, but this is a fairly short story, so it will be quick paced and only two chapters. thanks for reading!
Troy was tired of it. Tired of Gabriella clinging to him, constantly hinting that they should go out. Tired of his dad expecting him to be perfect at everything. And above all, tired of keeping his secret. It felt like a constant pressure on his mind, his heart... sometimes he felt like he couldn't even breathe.
Troy Bolton was gay.
It had come as a shock even to him; he was probably, stereotypically speaking, one of the least gay guys at his school. Captain of the basketball team, the unofficial most eligible bachelor. But somehow, through all of that, Troy had only ever wanted one person.
He sighed, staring over at Gabriella, who had invited herself over to his house to study. She had the radio set to a love song request show, like she always did whenever she came over, and a book lay open on her lap as she leaned against him. The shows host, Abigail Smith, seemed to almost purr as her voice oozed out of the speakers and into Troy's defiant ears.
"Now we have a call from a young man. Go ahead sweetie, what's your name?"
"I'd… prefer not to say."
"All right, well, tell us about this special person in your life."
"Well… he's really… amazing."
"He?"
"Um… yeah. We go to school together… he's the most popular guy there, actually." The caller laughed nervously. Troy was sitting up straight, straining to hear. That voice…
"I've loved him for almost six years… but I don't even think he really knows me." The boy sighed, and Troy leapt off the couch, leaning closer to the speaker to hear as the caller got quieter.
"We're graduating in a year and a half, and I don't think he'll ever even think of me as a friend, much less in the way I think of him. I… I'm sorry. I don't even know why I called."
"Well, he sounds like an amazing person. My suggestion to you is to try at least to gain his friendship. It's better to have him as a friend than not at all." The caller was silent. "Do you have a song in mind?"
"No."
"Do you want me to say his name, just in case he's listening?"
"Well… Arnold James." Troy almost fell backwards. Arnold James!? That was his character's name from Twinkletowne! Gabriella sat up, finally noticing Troy's wide eyes and grin.
"Baby, what's wrong?"
"I have to go, Gabriella. You should head home." He could tell by her confused look in her eyes that she was about to protest, so he dashed out the door. He grabbed his bike from the garage, cursing again that he parents refused to buy him a car yet as he pedaled as fast as he could up the hill.
Ten minutes later, Troy threw his bike into the front lawn of his destination, launching himself down the walkway. Suddenly, she stopped. What if it hadn't been the person he thought was calling out to him on the radio? Slowly, he walked towards the door, knees shaking. Even if it wasn't him… I need to tell him how I feel. He knocked softly, and then rang the doorbell. Troy grinned as he saw someone coming towards him and he stepped back.
Sharpay Evans answered the door. Her face lit up when she saw him, and the cold, cruel eyes Troy usually saw at school were replaced by warm, loving ones.
"Sharpay… is Ryan home?" she laughed, stepping aside to let Troy in.
"He's upstairs." Troy walked slowly up the winding staircase, his heart pounding. A white door on his right was partially open, and the radio was playing softly. Troy took a deep breath and knocked.
"Come in." Troy pushed the door open slowly.
Ryan Evans was sitting on his bed, and to Troy it looked like he was an angel. The lamp behind him was on, casting a glow around his outline, his white comforter wrapped around his shoulders. Troy's heart nearly broke in two when he saw the tear stains on Ryan's cheeks. Ryan wrapped the comforter tighter around himself, eyed widening in shock as he saw who was standing in his doorway.
"Troy… what are you doing here?"
"Arnold James, Ry?" Troy watched his reaction attentively. Ryan flushed, looking downward.
"You heard?" Troy nodded, stepping into the room.
"Can I sit?" Ryan nodded, speechless, moving over to make room for Troy on the bed. He sat, and immediately felt more comforted by Ryan's presence.
"Why didn't you just tell me, Ry? I would have…" Troy trailed off, grasping for words.
"He was never going to tell you, Troy!" Troy and Ryan both jumped, looking up at Sharpay, who was standing in the doorway. "I got him to listen to that stupid Abigail whatever show every night, and I told Gabriella that it would inspire you to ask her out if she made you listen to it every night. I knew Ryan would call eventually, because he has no one else to talk to. And then you'd hear it, Troy." She rolled her eyes, sighing exasperatedly. "You boys! I can't believe that I'm the one who has to set you up!" She bounced out of the room. Troy stared at the place she had been, flabbergasted. Ryan was bright red. They were both silent for a bit, then Ryan laughed weakly.
"Well, we fell right into her plan, didn't we?" Troy turned, staring into his eyes. "Troy, look, I'm so sorry you heard that, I'd understand if you never wanted to talk to me again, or if you-" Troy leaned over, kissing Ryan gently on the lips, cutting him off.
"You talk too much," Troy teased, gently stroking the other boy's face.
"Troy…"
"I love you, Ryan Evans. I can't stop thinking about you, or dreaming about you, or just laying around thinking about you. I love you, I know that more than anything I've even known, and if you feel the same way you better kiss me right now!" Troy panted heavily, and Ryan smiled widely, kissing Troy softly, tears of joy streaming down his face. Troy put his hand on the back of Ryan's head, deepening the kiss.
Sharpay watched from the shadows in the hallway, tears trailing down her face as she watched the love of her life kiss her brother with a passion she herself had only acted out on stage, a passion she never knew could really exist. Sinking to the ground, she buried her head in her hands, sobs shaking her body as her life fell apart.