DPSG1's note: Yet another story written by my friend. This was also a birthday gift, but this took more editing. Originally, it was a songfic and "technically," according to the Guidelines, we're not supposed to post song lyrics and such, so...I had to tone it down and add some lines here and there, not to mention perform all the usual editing. If you spot a problem area, it is completely MY (not my friend's) fault, so let me know. Thanks and enjoy.

The Damage Right behind You

Gabriella was mad, not only about the talent show cancellation but also because of something else she had just realized …not only would Sharpay keep hurting the "Wildcats" to get her way, but she was willing to hurt her own brother. The worst part of it was that Ryan would do anything to make Sharpay happy, from carrying books, spying on people, or even wearing a silly costume on one of Sharpay's whims. And how was he repaid?

Gabriella stood frozen in place for a moment before confronting Sharpay outside.

"Forget about the rest of us," Gabriella began. "What about the fact that your brother has worked extremely hard on this talent show?"

"He'll be in the show," Sharpay responded much too perkily. After a slight hesitation, "He'll do his celebrity impersonations."

Gabriella stared at her, a mixture of horror and disgust playing out on her face. This is her own brother! Gabriella thought. How can she treat him like that?

"And don't lecture me about Ryan," Sharpay began before launching into a tirade about Gabriella holding Troy back. After a moment Gabriella gasped out,

"What's the prize? Troy? The star-dazzle award? You have to go through all of this just to get either one? No thanks, Sharpay, you're very good at a game that I don't want to play!" Gabriella paused and took a step closer, "So, I'm done here. But you better step away from the mirror long enough to check the damage that will always be right behind you."

As Gabriella began to walk away she thought about a sweet, talented, blonde haired boy who had been broken by his years of obeying Sharpay. Only over the last few weeks she had really gotten to know the guy underneath his protective layers. And all he got for breaking down his walls and becoming a Wildcat was to be smashed harder than ever by his conniving sister.

Unfortunately now she had more problems… Troy was calling her, wanting to talk.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

Sharpay stood dumbstruck, staring after Gabriella as she walked away. What had she said? Step away from the mirror … the damage right behind her? What in the world did that mean? Sharpay stood staring off into the distance before looking at the back of her shoes and following the cement path with her eyes. Right behind …? She didn't see anything.

Sharpay huffed and thought, Must've been metaphorical, before turning back around and slamming straight into Ryan. Funny, Sharpay thought, he'd been standing right behind me.

Ryan held out the sheet he had been handed when he walked into the kitchen to see his new friends. Very quietly he looked Sharpay in the eye, "Why?"

Sharpay glared back, "You know why. I will not have the star-dazzle stolen from our family's proud name and handed to a bunch of … floor-waxers!"

"But," he whispered, eyes dropping to his feet, "I worked so hard … and they liked me."

Sharpay rolled her eyes, "They didn't really like you, Ry." She sniffed disdainfully, "They were using you. Or are you just too blind to see that?"

Ryan looked back up, his eyes wide with hurt, "No, you're wrong; they wouldn't do that."

"Of course they would," Sharpay sneered, "You didn't actually think that anyone would want to hang around you, did you? They just wanted to have an entry that would beat mine."

Ryan backed up shaking his head, "No, no, they like me! Chad said I was cool, and Gabi said … she said …" He shook his head, lost for words with shallow tears building up in his eyes. He never finished, because he turned quickly and ran towards the house as fast as his feet could carry him through the dark night.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

Upon learning of Gabriella's break-up, Ryan worked on his plan to get them back together, and, even if it meant hurting Shar a little bit, Ryan thought it just might work. The night of the talent show, everything fell into place and Shar managed to look beyond herself and give him the star-dazzle award.

Two days after the talent show Ryan walked over to the tennis courts to play with Fulton when he heard a voice say his name. Pausing, Ryan listened to the conversation taking place over the brick wall. Chad's voice came first,

"Ya know, Ryan's not such a bad guy. We couldn't have done that talent show without him."

Ryan smiled slightly at this. Chad wasn't so bad himself.

Troy's voice responded, "Yeah, now I've got my girl back, the scholarship committee saw me perform, and we've got new talent for the baseball team. Not so bad."

Ryan shrugged, he really had helped Troy a lot.

Chad spoke next, "I know, dude. We would be nowhere without him. Not a bad summer at all. We even found out Evans had a heart."

Ryan frowned… they hadn't known he had a heart? That kind of hurt.

Troy spoke again, "So when are we gonna tell him he's not a real Wildcat? I mean, he's still a drama nut."

Ryan's mouth gaped open … Sharpay had been right. The Wildcats had used him. So he didn't have real friends, they were fakes. His head spun, and, tennis game forgotten, he ran as fast as he could toward the pool house, a quiet, dark building that was only ever disturbed at night. He needed somewhere to let these new feelings out.

If only Ryan had seen what was happening on the other side of the wall, he wouldn't have left. Chad smacked Troy with the same kidding grin on his face. Chad rolled his eyes, "Evans is totally a Wildcat. He's a cool dude and I hope he'll hang out when the summer ends. Maybe he'll know how to hook me up with a sweet car."

Troy grinned and nodded, "The Evans' know how to pick style. Yeah, Ryan will make a good Wildcat."

Unfortunately Ryan never heard that. He was long gone, his heart broken inside his chest.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

Sharpay walked past the pool house when she heard the sound of the piano and her brother's sweet tenor voice. Pausing, she took two steps back until she was by the door and listened. The words of the song I'm Moving On floated past her.

Sharpay opened the doors into the dark room and walked to the back corner where her brother sat at the upright piano with tears running down his cheeks.

I'm movin' on

I'm movin' on

As he finished the song and stopped, Sharpay wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He shook slightly as more tears streamed down his face.

"What happened, Ry?" she whispered in a voice so far removed from her normal, ordering tone that it was almost unrecognizable. She felt his shaking stop as he turned around to stare into her face with his expressive blue eyes.

"I believed them … I thought they liked me, but …" he swallowed down more tears. "You were right Shar. They were just using me. 'Cuz no one could ever really like me."

Sharpay looked shocked for a moment before remembering her words … You didn't actually think that anyone would want to hang around you, did they? They just wanted to have an entry that would beat mine. She shook her head: what had she done? She remembered when Ryan was once filled with as much confidence as her. He would stand up to her and do what was right. He sang his heart out and always believed that people liked him…until Sharpay had discovered that when Ryan was insulted he would listen to her.

And somewhere along that road of tearing him down, he had begun to believe her words. He truly thought that no one wanted to be with him. Her sweet, handsome brother had been turned into the kid who believed that no one cared and that there wasn't anything that made him special … that made him loved.

It was all her fault. Just as this crossed her mind another voice played in her mind … But you better step away from the mirror long enough to check the damage that will always be right behind you. Gabriella had said that just over two weeks ago. And looking at her little brother by three minutes, Sharpay Evans finally looked behind her and saw the damage that she had caused. Ryan had been reduced to a shy servant who carried out her orders. What had she done?

"No, Ry," Sharpay whispered. "They love you. Why wouldn't they? I was wrong and you were right. You're a Wildcat and you have friends. And even when every one of your friends is gone, I will always be behind you, because you are the most incredible guy ever to walk the world."

Ryan raised his eyes again, "But Shar," he murmured seriously, "If you're right behind me, you won't be in the spotlight."

Sharpay smiled through her tears, "That's how it should be. You in front, my perfect little brother."

Well…sometimes anyway. But now was not the time for the whole truth.

"I'm Moving On" is by Rascal Flatts, if you're wondering. I figured it would not hurt to add the song title. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, compliments, or criticism, send us a review. We promise to listen with open minds. :) Thanks again.