"Woah – since when did Paige start writing HSM fics?" I hear you ask. Well, it was on my challenge list. This is my first HSM fic, so I'm a little wary of it, but I think I did okay for a first time.
Dedicated to two people:
Kelly (LittleRedOne) -For being a brilliant writer and encouraging me with this fic - it means a lot!
&Katie (DramaticStarlett) – For being an awesome writer, giving me an awesome nickname (;D) and for making me want to write a HSM fic because of her wonderful ones.
I hope you both enjoy this fic, as well as everyone else (:
They hadn't planned on meeting properly – she just wrote the music and lyrics and he just performed them (with his bratty sister).
They didn't talk to each other. They didn't secretly admire each other. They didn't know each others favourite colours or movies. They didn't take each others breath away. They weren't friends – but they weren't enemies.
But somehow life (being the horrible thing it is) didn't like Ryan and Kelsi only being acquaintances.
It was a Tuesday lunchtime when they met. They hadn't planned on meeting at all really, but Kelsi had been showing Sharpay the new song she'd written for the Graduation Ceremony. Sharpay was performing it and although she would have preferred to write it herself she had been to busy to do so. Doing what didn't matter – she was Sharpay Evans for crying out loud, she didn't need to have reasons.
"So I think if you leave a gap for an instrumental…" Kelsi said this very softly: it seemed like she wanted to run away from the blond girl before hr, but she stayed put. This was important to her – and Sharpay boss-everyone-around wasn't going to stop her. Or so she told herself, anyway.
Sharpay had never liked Kelsi – everyone knew it. Probably because everyone also knew that Kelsi was way more talented when it came to writing music and lyrics. Not that they would ever say that in front of Sharpay – (they liked their arms fixed in place), but somehow everyone preferred how Kelsi was so relaxed and didn't try to either impress or be a bitch.
"So what you are trying to say is … you don't want my voice to ruin your piano piece?" Sharpay asked, looking down at the other girl - irritation clearly played out on her features.
"N-no, I didn't mean that at all I just…" Kelsi trailed off, fumbling with her words. Sharpay rolled her eyes.
"Stop wasting my time and show me the music." She snapped, grabbing it from Kelsi's hands. She was about to read it when a voice interrupted.
"Sharpay?" It was a male voice. Both girls turned to see who had spoken.
Ryan Evans was standing there, leaning softly against a nearby locker. Kelsi immediately thought he would stick by his sister and agree with her, but she didn't run away. Something was telling her to stay in the company of the two siblings.
"Ryan." Sharpay replied – but Kelsi couldn't work out if she was greeting him or complaining about his presence
"Hey, Kelsi." Ryan nodded in her direction, leaving Kelsi confused.
Since when did Ryan know who she was? And why was he acting differently? Normally he followed his twin around, never disobeying her, even when he didn't agree with her views (at least that's what Kelsi saw).
But now he was greeting her – Kelsi. The geeky girl who just wrote the music.
"Uh … hey Ryan." Kelsi mumbled, seeing the glare Sharpay sent in her brother's direction.
"I'm just asking Kelsi about the music she composed for the Graduation ceremony." Sharpay explained, her voice clearly showing annoyance.
"Can I see it?" Ryan asked – making a move towards the two girls. He was stopped by the bell, signally in the end of lunch.
"Oh darn, guess you'll have to wait." Sharpay said, feigning disappointment that was obvious to both Ryan and Kelsi.
Ryan rolled his eyes, leaving Kelsi even more confused. Since when did Ryan Evans roll his eyes?
Sharpay, with a very over-emphasised hair flick (Troy was probably near then) turned around and walked away, her heels clicking on the floor.
Ryan and Kelsi both watched her walk away, irritation shining in their eyes. Ryan turned to Kelsi after Sharpay had disappeared around a corner. He gave her a sympathetic smile.
"Would you mind showing me your music after school?" He asked Kelsi.
"Of course, but your sister took the composition with her so …" She trailed off, biting her lip out of habit.
Ryan sighed. "I should have known. I'll get it back somehow. Meet you in the drama room at 3:30?"
Kelsi agreed and they both hurried away to their separate classes. Kelsi didn't notice the soft blush on her cheeks until she was seated in Algebra.
--
Kelsi entered the drama hall a few minutes earlier then planned, so she headed over to the piano. She smiled at the familiar feel of the keys under her fingers and started to play. She forgot her surroundings almost instantly – absorbed by the music. She usually practised on this piano at least for an hour after school – normally more if she could help it. Music was one of the most important things in her life. It always had been. Music didn't let you down, it didn't argue with you and it didn't make you scream (unless you listened to the screaming music and screamed along with it – and Kelsi hated that sort of music anyway).
She forgot momentarily about Ryan meeting her here, but was reminded when she heard his voice.
"I believe this is yours?"
Kelsi jumped in fright, her hands slipping and creating a horrible sound on the piano. She turned, seeing Ryan smiling again – when did he start smiling so much? Or was she just being too observant? He was holding what she assumed was her graduation music. She smiled, taking it and sitting it on the piano, not bothering to check it over. She could have sworn she saw Ryan's smile flicker, but she didn't think anything of it – she was being to observant, right?
"Hey. Sorry about that – I got caught up in the music."
"No, it's fine. It was a beautiful piece. Did you write it?"
Kelsi blushed again before nodding. Nobody really complimented her music other then Miss Darbus – and it was like she was forced to do so.
"Yeah, I did. It's not that good really – a lot of mistakes here and there."
"I still really liked it." Ryan said, causing Kelsi to smile for the first time that day.
"Thank you."
There was a small pause before Kelsi broke it, wanting to show him the Graduation music – hoping he'd compliment her again, even though it sounded selfish. She rarely got compliments, and she really wanted to know his honest view on her music – and she trusted him, though she hardly knew why.
"So, shall I show you the music you cam here to listen to?"
"Go for it." Ryan nodded, leaning slightly over the piano.
Kelsi took a small breath before she started to play – she didn't need to look at the music – she'd practised this piece so many times she didn't even need to glance at her composition once.
She didn't look at Ryan as she played – she could hear him gently humming the singing part and it encouraged her slightly.
"You can sing along if you want – the lyrics aren't finished but maybe it'll help me put both together." She said once she'd finished playing the whole piece.
Ryan nodded, smiling once more. Kelsi returned the smile and began to play again, more confident now that Ryan was singing along. She'd never heard him sing solo – and she preferred his voice to Sharpay's.
They repeated the piece over and over, and once or twice Kelsi joined in with the singing. Their voices merged together well (not as perfect as Troy and Gabriella's, but quite nicely anyway), and although they didn't mention it they both noticed it. By the time they had finished the janitor had appeared asking them to leave ("clear off, some of us have to work around here you know").
"It's awesome; I'd love to perform it with you at Graduation." Ryan told her as they were walking away from the drama hall. Kelsi grinned (she seemed to do that a lot around Ryan) before remembering Sharpay.
"But I think Sharpay-"
"She can perform her own thing. Your piece is too good for her anyway – she'll want to sing about everyone missing her or something equally as stupid." Ryan replied.
"Well, I'd love to perform it with you, but make sure Sharpay doesn't mind first. I don't want to get on her bad side." Kelsi said; her voice still a little unsure. She did mean it though – she'd love to perform with Ryan.
He thanked her once more before the changed directions to get home (Ryan lived quite far away from her).
She watched him walk away before she looked at her music composition. She didn't notice the note pinned to the corner at first, but when she was about to put it back in her bag she saw it. Gently she unpinned the note and read it – knowing who it was from immediately. She smiled, tucking the paper safely in her bag along with the music, the words stuck in her head for the rest of the day:
Thank you for getting lost in the music.
To predictable? Not really my style? Would you like to see me write more HSM fics or stick with Camp Rock? Obviously I'm not going to abandon writing Camp Rock, but I'd like to know what you thought of this, so please review! (: