Disclaimer: Not mine. What a surprise. Don't own the lyrics of 'Everyday' either.
Rating: T – just to be safe.
Pairing: one-sided Ryella. Troyella.
Summary: Maybe it's how her hair almost looks a raven blue if the lighting's right. Maybe it's how her whole face shines when she sends her enchanting smile in your direction. Maybe it's how her chocolate brown eyes shine with such beauty that it makes you feel like you're the most important person in the entire world—it was an exhilarating feeling. This is unedited. I will edit it soon. Don't read if you don't want to be spoiled from HSM2
There's something about her that makes you want to look back and take a double-take.
Maybe it's how her hair almost looks a raven blue if the lighting's right. Maybe it's how her whole face shines when she sends her enchanting smile in your direction. Maybe it's how her chocolate brown eyes shine with such beauty that it makes you feel like you're the most important person in the entire world—it was an exhilarating feeling. He had never felt that way before. He was always in the shadows. He was always pushed into the background by my sister, by my family, and by his classmates. Ryan Evans was never the important one. He was supposed to be the lapdog; a little submissive puppy that followed every command his twin sister gave him. He hated his image, but he thought that it was too late to change.
She changed that mindset of his. She taught him that it was okay to change. She was the one who convinced him to jump on to that golf cart to the staff baseball game at his parents' country club. He had always had a knack for the sport, but Sharpay had always said that it was something that would destroy their image. It felt freeing that he could play the game without getting scolded for it. Standing at home plate, ready to swing.
And even when he lost, she smiled at him—his heart skipped a beat—and gave him the thumbs' up. He smiled back, blue eyes twinkling with delight.
Ryan Evans was never going to admit this to anyone, but he liked that Troy Bolton was away chasing his future and Sharpay was too busy chasing him. It brought him closer to Gabriella than ever before. He doubted that the confines of the high school hierarchy would have ever allowed him to sit down and have dessert at the Montez house after the staff baseball game if Troy and Sharpay had not been too busy to worry about him.
Ryan had sat next to Gabriella at her dinner table when her sweet mother had offered him, Gabriella, and the rest of their friends her famous homemade brownies. Ryan accepted with delight, and watched Gabriella out of the corner of his eye. She tried to tuck a couple strands of hair behind her ear, but they kept falling out. Ryan turned and placed his hand in her smooth locks of hair and placed them behind her ear, and made sure they stayed there. His cheeks tinged pink at the touch, and he decided that this would be the best time to pull off his hat—it was dinner after all, and he could place it in front of his face to hide the fact that his cheeks were slowly turning a cherry red.
Ryan laughed earnestly for the first time in a long time at that dessert. Chad sat across from him and made perfect impressions of his twin sister and Ryan nodded and smiled and clapped.
"Like, ohmygosh!" Chad squealed in a girly voice, looking at his hands. "No, Ryan, this outfit won't do, it doesn't match my coral pink nail polish. It's only light pink. Ohmygosh. I'm such a bitch."
Ryan's smile turned into a frown. It was okay to poke a little fun at his sister, and most of what Chad was saying was true. But slandering his sister's name was crossing the line.
"Don't call my sister that," he told Chad darkly, a bit shyly. Azure eyes caught Chad's gaze angrily.
"Sorry, man!" Chad said, a little bit sarcastically. Sure, Ryan could play baseball, and he was a cooler guy than his flamboyant choice in clothing let on, but still—you don't talk back to Chad Danforth.
"Aw, that's so cute," Gabriella cooed. "I wish I had a brother that would protect me like you protect Sharpay, Ryan." Gabriella hated Sharpay right now. She was part of the reason that Troy was away from this dinner right now, but she couldn't help but smile when her brother had stood up for her. Gabriella had always wanted an older brother to stand up for her sake, as well. She wanted a brother who would say something when someone called "the freaky math girl."
Ryan's chest puffed out with pride at Gabriella's statement. He was happy to be a Wildcat.
As Ryan left Gabriella's house he made sure to tell Mrs. Montez that her brownies were simply divine.
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Acceptance. That's all Ryan ever really wanted. And now that the Wildcats were accepting him, he felt indebted to them. He worked so hard to get Kelsi's number called 'Everyday' ready for the talent show. He and Gabriella sang lead. He told Chad and Zeke to sing backup and stayed up late at night working on choreography for the song.
At practice, Ryan felt like he was on a high. He loved to perform. He loved singing, dancing, and acting. And the best part of these practices was that Sharpay was not breathing down his neck. Finally, Ryan Evans was in charge.
"And'a 5, 6, 7, 8," Ryan called out. "Step, step, step, turn, step, kick, rotate. Yes, exactly right! I think we've gotten all the choreography down, let's try a runthrough, shall we?"
Chad grinned. "Sure, Evans," he told Ryan. Chad was skeptical about this before, but Ryan was truly showing his colors now. Chad was slowly realizing that Ryan wasn't Sharpay's lackey. Ryan was his own person.
Ryan grabbed a microphone and handed one to Gabriella. He placed his hands over hers as she took grasp on her microphone and looked at her in the eyes. He smiled at her, his heart racing. She grinned back. Gabriella had such an innocence in her eyes, a twinkle of sorts. He was captivated by it. Blue eyes tore away from chocolate brown and Ryan pulled off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair, and threw his hat off to the side.
"Kelsi, start the music," Ryan told her.
He loved the lyrics of the song. And Ryan felt a special emotion in his singing, but he really had feelings for Gabriella.
"Once in a lifetime," sang Ryan in his honey tenor voice, "means there's no second chance."
Ryan turned to Gabriella and extended his arm for her hand. "So I believe that you and me should grab it while we can."
Gabriella took Ryan's hand and he swore he felt sparks running through his arms. His heart seemed like it was going a million miles per hour. His blue eyes sparkled as he gazed into her eyes. He really felt a connection. He closed his eyes as he heard her angelic voice. "Make it last forever, and never give it back," she sang sweetly.
Ryan missed his cue, he was so entranced in her voice.
"...izturn," he tried to fit into two counts, "and I'm lovin' where we're at."
And then they sang together; and their voices fit. They fit so well to Ryan. He could hear Chad in the background saying "Wow, this guy really has acting chops, he looks like he's in love or something. This sounds really good."
Kelsi scrunched her nose. "I think it would sound better with Troy, Gabriella sounds a little awkward."
"Because this moment's really all we have."
Ryan shook his head and yelled, "CUT!" He bit his lip. Ryan looked at Gabriella. She did look a little bit awkward. Maybe it would sound better with Troy. Honestly, he had the better voice—but Gabriella had this pure chemistry with Troy, and Ryan realized this was devastation. Ryan would often find Gabriella staring out into space during practices, looking sad and melancholy. When he asked what was wrong, she would say something along the lines of "Nothing. I miss Troy a little bit, that's all."
Ryan's heart sank every time she said it, and he couldn't kid himself any longer. He wasn't fit to sing lead with Gabriella. And now, Ryan realized painstakingly, he wasn't fit to be the leading man in Gabriella's life either. Troy had that one all wrapped up. Ryan was jealous, yes. But he wanted to see Gabriella happy.
And that's why Ryan tried his hardest to get Troy to sing with Gabriella when the boy finally got some brains and realized that Gabriella was the best thing in the universe. Ryan gave up the lead role and gave it to Troy. He wanted it so badly. But he wanted to see Gabriella with a smile on her face even more.
Ryan even sabotaged his sister. He told Troy that Sharpay wanted to learn another song. Troy, obviously confronted Sharpay about this.
"But I haven't learned a new song!" Sharpay shrieked out.
"Exactly," Ryan said with a smile, happy that Gabriella would finally sparkle on stage once again, even if it had to be with Troy Bolton.
Ryan watched, his heart sinking with jealousy and envy and yet exploding with the happiness of seeing Gabriella so happy.
After the show, Ryan once again watched as Troy and Gabriella kissed underneath the fireworks. Oh, how he wished it was him she loved so much—not Troy Bolton. He gritted his teeth with envy, but knew it was all for the best.
Ryan Evans once again faded into the background.