Sharpay lounged on the couch in the lobby of Lava Springs, impatiently swinging her foot as she waited for her twin brother.
Not that she was eager for this evening to get started -- it was more that she wanted this entire day to be over!
Things had gone wrong from the moment she'd woken up -- mainly because she'd had to get up so damn early! Sharpay had been without her car for the day, since Daddy was taking it in to the shop for an oil change. Sharpay didn't understand why her father continued to go to the same shop when obviously the mechanic was an idiot -- if he'd just put the correct oil into her car in the FIRST place, he wouldn't have to CHANGE it only three months later! Sharpay just hoped that THIS time he put in the correct kind!
But regardless, Sharpay had been without her car, which meant she'd had to catch a ride to Lava Springs that morning with her brother. Which wouldn't have been so bad, except that Ryan had insisted on getting up at the crack of dawn so he'd have time to hang out with his "lifeguard buddy" before the pool opened. Getting to the club that early meant that NOTHING was open yet -- not even the KITCHEN -- so Sharpay had had nothing to do AND was starving.
Which wouldn't have been the case if the Starbucks that they'd stopped at on the way had had breakfast sandwiches. But no! Instead it was a LAME Starbucks, with NO peppered bacon sandwiches and hardly ANY pastries, so Sharpay had been forced to eat some Australian oatie thing for breakfast.
And despite ordering a mocha with a triple shot of espresso, the retarded barista gave her decaf. DECAF!!!!! Sharpay had barely managed to stay awake long enough to make it to Lava Springs, and, once there, she'd been bored AND tired!
What was worse, she'd been so sleepy on the ride in that she'd opened her big mouth without thinking. Ryan had mentioned that he was going to Gabriella's that night, and Sharpay had complained that they never had their weekly karaoke night anymore.
Of course, she knew WHY. It wasn't just that he liked eating brownies or watching movies -- he could do those things at home. No, the REAL reason that Ryan went over to Gabriella's every Wednesday night instead of singing with his sister was because Chad would be there.
And that's when she'd done it. Instead of considering the consequences, instead of thinking how it would affect HER, Sharpay had blurted out, "You should just invite Chad over for karaoke night."
Ryan had almost driven off the road, he'd been so shocked. And Sharpay had been fairly surprised as well. But when Ryan had beamed at her and asked eagerly, "You mean it?", what exactly was she supposed to do? Say no?
So now here she sat, Sharpay Evans, Queen of Lava Springs, waiting around for a WAITER to get off work just so she could catch a ride home with him and her brother!
But SHE was riding shotgun, whether Chad called it or not!
Of course, the ride home was only the START of the nightmare that awaited Sharpay. She knew that, in the privacy of their own home, her brother would feel safe expressing his true feelings for his boyfriend, or whatever he was calling Chad these days.
Which meant Sharpay was in for a lot of flirting. And hand-holding. And arms around each other. And maybe even kissing.
Sharpay shuddered at the thought.
It wasn't that she minded that her brother had a boyfriend -- she minded that SHE didn't!
And to rub more salt in her wound, Ryan's boyfriend just happened to be best friends with the guy she liked. The guy who had rejected her. The guy who was willing to give up a future scholarship just to be with that annoying smart girl who just happened to have a decent singing voice.
The same annoying smart girl who just happened to now be best buds with her brother.
Sharpay couldn't help feeling lonely around the two boys when they were a constant reminder of what she was missing.
Yet now here she sat, waiting around so she could spend the evening with them. She sighed, so caught up in her own self-pity that she didn't even hear the footsteps approaching.
"Hey Sharpay," Zeke said, bounding into the lobby like a playful puppy.
A very LARGE playful puppy!
Despite her depressed mood, Sharpay couldn't help but smile -- Zeke's cheerfulness was almost contagious. The song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" tended to pop into her brain whenever Zeke was around.
Also, Zeke was the only person in the world, besides Daddy, who ALWAYS seemed happy to see her.
"Whatcha doin'?" Zeke asked, joining Sharpay on the couch holding a flat box on his lap.
If it'd been anyone else, she probably would've snapped back a sarcastic answer. But Zeke's question seemed so genuine that Sharpay answered honestly, "Waiting for my brother."
"Something wrong with your car?"
Sharpay rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "The mechanic had to change the oil in it."
Zeke nodded in understanding, as if he was used to mechanics making such idiotic mistakes.
"I'm sorry -- maybe this will help you feel better," Zeke said, removing the lid from the box he held and offering the contents to Sharpay.
Her eyes widened -- the box held layer upon wax paper layer of mini chocolate éclairs! Sharpay eagerly grabbed for one, afraid the offer might be rescinded at any moment.
"I know they don't look perfect," Zeke explained, "but they taste fine."
Sharpay was just taking a bite and she agreed -- it tasted fine. In fact, it tasted INCREDIBLE! And not only was there chocolate on top but chocolate in the custard as well, something Zeke seemed to be currently explaining. But Sharpay wasn't really listening -- she was too busy savoring the delicious pastry. This éclair was by far the best thing that had happened to her all day.
"...said that I'll get better with practice," Zeke was saying, "so he let me work on them this afternoon and said I could take them home. I think they'll go over well at Gab's tonight."
Ordinarily the mere mention of Gabriella's name made Sharpay cringe, but this time it gave her an idea.
"Why don't you come over to our house tonight instead?" Sharpay blurted out. But unlike when she'd opened her big mouth that morning, this time she didn't instantly regret having offered the invitation.
In fact, she realized this was the PERFECT solution to what she'd gotten herself into earlier. With Zeke at the house, the boys probably wouldn't feel comfortable being affectionate with each other and therefore wouldn't be constantly rubbing Sharpay's nose in the fact that she was boyfriendless.
And, of course, it also meant there would be a box of éclairs around all evening as well. Knowing her weakness for them, Ryan was unlikely to suspect that she'd had any ulterior motive in inviting Zeke.
That is, if Zeke actually accepted her invite.
Not that Sharpay needed to worry about that! Zeke's smile was bigger than she'd ever seen it -- and that was saying quite a lot!
"You mean it?!" Zeke asked eagerly.
"Of course! Ryan and I are having karaoke night tonight."
"With Chad, right?" Zeke added, obviously having heard about it in the kitchen.
Sharpay mentally reminded herself to scold Fulton for allowing the staff to spread rumors about her family before she answered Zeke.
"Yeah -- it'll be you, me, Ryan, and Chad. We'll have fun together."
Zeke looked like he was going to burst, he was so happy! However, a concerned look suddenly crossed his face.
"Can I get a ride home after?" Zeke asked.
Sharpay smiled -- she'd be happy to volunteer her brother for that.
"Of course," Sharpay said, "Ryan has to drive Chad home, so I'm sure he won't mind taking you, too."
Zeke nodded. "I gotta make a call!"
Sharpay assumed he was calling his parents to tell them his change in plans, but it was clear from the conversation that that wasn't the case.
"Hey, it's Zeke...Yeah, I won't be coming over to your place tonight...I'm going over to Sharpay's...Yeah, she asked me...Yeah, just now...No, Ryan's not here...Yeah, I'm sure he won't mind...Well, say hi to everyone for me...Oh, I WILL...Okay, bye!"
Zeke hung up, beaming at Sharpay, who smiled back.
Tonight wasn't going to be so bad after all.
-----
Chad sat in the backseat of Ryan's car, glaring at the blonde sitting in front of him and wondering what exactly her problem was!
First of all, it was clear that Sharpay had no respect for the rules of Shotgun! If she had, CHAD would be sitting in the front seat instead of squished in the back while Miss Short-Legs got the roomy front!
Of course, Zeke's legs were even longer than his and HE wasn't complaining. But Zeke rarely complained about ANYTHING -- that was an admirable trait in a friend and teammate, but at the moment it kind of weakened Chad's feeling of self-righteousness about the whole seating situation.
It also increased Chad's annoyance with him, which was saying quite a lot since the main cause of Chad's current bad mood was Zeke's mere presence.
Chad had spent the entire day looking forward to tonight. Wednesdays were usually fun because they meant hanging out with the Wildcats -- but when Ryan had invited him over for karaoke night, a whole new world of possibilities had opened up. True, they wouldn't be ALONE for the evening -- but they would be with Sharpay, which was the next best thing.
If someone had told Chad Danforth at the beginning of summer that by August he would actually look FORWARD to spending time with the "Ice Princess", Chad never would've believed them. True, she still acted like a self-centered snob most of the time. But Chad had learned that she also had a heart, especially when it came to her brother's well-being.
More importantly, though, she had the special advantage of knowing about Ryan and Chad, which meant that they could be themselves around her.
And being themselves meant being openly affectionate with one another.
Not that they'd be making out in front of her or anything, but they might at least share a kiss or two.
Which was a perfect way to spend a Wednesday night, as far as Chad was concerned!
But Chad's fantasies of what the evening might have in store had come to a screeching half when he'd found out that Zeke was joining them for karaoke night.
Zeke was a great guy, but his presence was like an unwelcome cold shower on all of Chad's plans.
That was because Zeke didn't know about him and Ryan. And, more importantly, Zeke COULDN'T know.
Not now, anyway.
At least, not when Troy still didn't know.
Chad wasn't sure HOW his best friend would take the news that he was seeing Ryan, but Chad knew Troy would take it WORSE if he heard it second-hand.
Not that Zeke was a huge gossip or anything. But this was hardly the kind of news any of the basketball players were likely to keep to themselves. That's why Chad hadn't told his best friend yet -- if Troy knew that Chad was interested in another boy, the team captain was likely to tell the rest of the team, and then the whole locker room atmosphere before and after practice was likely to get weird.
Yet Troy didn't seem to have any issues with Ryan, other than the friendly way Ryan often hugged Gabriella. Troy had even seemed okay with changing costumes in front of Ryan, so surely he wouldn't be too weirded out if Chad just told him. Right?
And WHAT exactly was Chad supposed to tell Troy? That he was gay? Chad wasn't even sure he WAS gay. He certainly didn't FEEL gay -- he had no desire to wear dresses or listen to Liza Minelli.
He just happened to like Ryan.
A LOT!
And he wanted to kiss Ryan and touch him and who knew exactly what else -- his fantasies hadn't even gone that far yet.
But that didn't make him "gay", did it?
He certainly didn't want to kiss any OTHER guys he knew. In fact, the thought of it kind of made him sick.
And it also made him even more confused. Why Ryan? What did it all mean?
This was precisely why he still hadn't talked to Troy -- he hadn't even figured everything out for himself yet.
But as a result, a self-inflicted celibate evening at Ryan's house was now stretching out in front of Chad.
"...air?"
Zeke's voice brought Chad out of his mope.
"Huh?" Chad bellowed back, trying to be heard over the wind from the open convertible.
"Éclair?" Zeke repeated, louder this time, as he held the open box towards Chad.
Chad couldn't help but smile -- Zeke always knew how to cheer people up.
Chad took one of the proffered mini éclairs and was just about to take a bite when one end of Sharpay's headscarf suddenly blew into his face. Chad pushed the scarf away impatiently, noting with satisfaction that some chocolate had gotten on it, which would surely piss off Sharpay.
As it turned out, she WAS pissed, but not at that.
"Hey!" Sharpay snapped at the sight of the éclair in Chad's hand. "Those are for DESSERT!" she insisted, reaching over the back of the seat to grab one for herself.
"Shar!"
The car suddenly swerved as Ryan frantically tried to straighten the rear view mirror his sister had just knocked askew.
Chad couldn't help but smile. Ryan was a rather nervous driver and hated being distracted. He'd even thrown a total hissy fit last Wednesday when Chad had put a hand on his knee on the way to Gabi's. Chad found the trait endearing.
Apparently his sister did not.
"Oh, CHILL, Ryan!..."
Sharpay said more, but Chad couldn't hear it over the wind. Ditto Ryan's pouty comeback. And his sister's annoyed response.
Chad glanced over at Zeke -- he also seemed amused by the sibling argument that was continuing in the front seat.
"What...think...sing?"
Chad could only hear occasional words of Zeke's question.
Putting a hand up to his ear, hoping to hear better over the strong wind, Chad asked, "Huh?"
Zeke leaned closer, bellowing, "For karaoke tonight -- what do you think you might sing?"
Chad stared dumbfounded at his friend, at a loss for an answer. After all, he'd spent all day thinking about snuggling Ryan, and the entire car trip thinking about how his plans had been ruined -- yet he hadn't given a single thought to the evening's planned activity.
And now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure he wanted to sing ANYTHING. Sure, he loved singing along with the radio, but he wasn't a SINGER -- not like Ryan and Sharpay. Chad expected Sharpay to be blunt with her criticisms, yet he was suddenly more worried about what Ryan might think. Would Ryan hate his singing? Would Ryan not like him as much once he heard him?
Of course, Chad couldn't explain this sudden paranoia to Zeke -- he simply wouldn't understand why it was so important to Chad to impress Ryan.
And if he DID understand, then Chad had more important things to worry about than what song to sing!
Yet Zeke was still waiting for an answer, so Chad shrugged nonchalantly, answering vaguely, "Don't know. How about you?"
Zeke got a sappy grin on his face. "I was thinking," he bellowed to be heard over the noises of the moving convertible, "that I might sing a sweet love song or something -- you know, something nice for Sharpay."
"What?!" Sharpay's head whipped around at the sound of her own name. "What about ME?"
Zeke blushed and stammered something incoherent.
Watching his friend fumble, Chad realized that, even though Zeke's presence was putting a damper on the evening's activities, he was still a teammate in need of an assist.
"Zeke was just saying how much he's looking forward to hearing you sing tonight," Chad quickly interjected -- in the short amount of time he'd spent around Sharpay this summer, Chad had learned that compliments were the best distraction.
And it definitely worked in this case. Sharpay grinned excitedly at the two boys in the backseat. "You won't be disappointed -- I already have an entire set list in mind. You're gonna love it!"
"A set list?" Ryan whined, refusing to take his eyes off the road. "Don't I have any say in what we sing?"
As the two twins launched into a NEW argument, Zeke grinned thankfully at his backseat companion.
Chad nodded, suddenly realizing that, although it wasn't going according to plan, the evening might still be fun.
-----
"Whoa!"
Zeke stopped abruptly in the doorway of the Evanses' house, overwhelmed at the sight in front of him. He knew the Evanses were rich, and Sharpay was like a princess in his eyes, but their house was even grander than he'd ever imagined. Descending to the hall in front of him was a grand curving staircase that looked like something out of a fairytale.
Zeke suddenly imagined what it might be like to take Sharpay to prom, to stand in that entry way watching Sharpay descend the stairs in a beautiful flowing dress, her long blonde hair framing her pretty face as she smiled and...
"Move!" Sharpay said, shoving Zeke out of the doorway and back to reality.
"Sorry," Zeke said, quickly moving out of her way. "It's just that your house is so beautiful."
'Just like you,' Zeke thought to himself, though he didn't dare say it out loud -- he'd learned to keep thoughts like that to himself when his Wildcat teammates were around.
Chad, however, gave him a hard time anyway. "Dude, it's just a HOUSE," he teased, playfully shoving Zeke. "What's the big deal?"
"The big deal, CHAD," Sharpay began to lecture, "is that Daddy spent a fortune remodeling this front hall, although I'm not surprised that someone with YOUR taste failed to notice!"
Zeke couldn't help but smile -- he was thrilled that his taste obviously met with Sharpay's approval.
Sharpay continued, gesturing up to the high ceiling above them. "Daddy even let ME pick out the chandelier -- isn't it fabulous?"
Zeke nodded, quite impressed -- HIS house certainly didn't have a chandelier.
Ryan, however, criticized, "I think it looks too much like the one in Phantom."
Sharpay gasped, obviously appalled at the suggestion. "Ryan! As if I'd EVER pick something from a Webber musical!"
"Well, I don't know about THAT," Ryan teased. "I mean, Boi is about the size of a CAT."
Ryan's comment elicited another gasp and a smack on the arm from his sister.
Zeke had no idea what the Evans twins were talking about -- which wasn't unusual -- so instead he asked, "Where IS Boi?"
"Yeah," Chad chimed in, "where is the little mutt?"
"Boi is NOT a mutt!" Sharpay insisted as she led the way through the dining room. "He's a purebred Yorkie with EXCELLENT genes -- unlike SOME people I could name."
"People?"
Zeke heard Chad laugh behind him as they entered the large living room.
"There's my little Boi," Sharpay cooed, scooping up the teacup Yorkie from the leather easy chair where he'd been sleeping.
"Hey," Ryan scolded. "Mom said Boi isn't supposed to sleep on--"
"Oh Ryan! 'Mom said' this and 'Mom said' that," Sharpay mocked. "All you ever talk about it 'Mom'." After a quick glance, she corrected, "Well, Mom and CHAD, that is."
Now it was Ryan's turn to smack his sister, growling through clenched teeth, "Shut UP, Shar!"
Zeke was surprised at how much the Evans twins argued, though he wasn't quite sure what they were arguing about. Not that he really cared, since he was too busy watching Sharpay snuggle her dog.
"Can I hold him?" Zeke asked tentatively, not sure if Sharpay was in a sharing mood or not.
"Of course."
Sharpay started to hand the dog over but realized at the same moment as Zeke that his hands weren't free. "Ryan," she said, turning to her brother, "why don't you take the box of éclairs on up to the karaoke room?"
Ryan's face beamed, obviously thrilled to be sent on an errand by his sister. "Okay," he said eagerly, yanking the box of éclairs from Zeke's hands. "We'll meet you up there."
And Ryan and Chad were gone in a flash -- Zeke could hear them bounding up the stairs in the front hall.
"Here," Sharpay said, gently handing Boi over to Zeke.
Zeke loved dogs, but he'd only really spent time around BIG dogs. Until now, he'd kind of thought that little dogs looked like rats. But as soon as he'd first seen Sharpay holding her Yorkie at the country club, Zeke realized he'd been wrong about little dogs -- Boi was BEAUTIFUL, just like his owner.
"He's such a sweetie," Zeke said, gently petting the dog, who let out a huge yawn.
"Isn't he, though?" Sharpay beamed like a proud mother, which made her look even more beautiful than usual.
"So," Zeke said, "can Boi come upstairs with us?"
"Of course!" Sharpay said, leading the way back out to the front hall. "Boi can go anywhere I go."
After Ryan's reaction to Boi being on the couch, Zeke figured this statement probably wasn't true, but he didn't argue.
As Sharpay started up the grand curving staircase, Zeke asked, "So where are we gonna karaoke?"
Sharpay shot him a look like he was stupid. "In the karaoke room."
Zeke was impressed. "You have an entire room dedicated to karaoke?"
"Of course," Sharpay said, as if EVERYONE did. "It used to be our playroom when we were little, but we soon grew out of playing with dolls and were more interested in performing, so Daddy converted the room for us."
Zeke nodded. Mr. Evans seemed like such a nice guy -- obviously that's where Sharpay got it from.
As the two reached the top of the stairs and started down the hall, Zeke stopped in front of an open door.
"Is this your bedroom?" Zeke asked, already guessing the answer since he assumed Ryan didn't own a pink canopy bed.
"Yes." Sharpay returned to Zeke's side and gestured him into the room. "You're welcome to look around." She then added under her breath, "That'll give 'em more time to get it out of their system."
As Zeke stepped inside, Sharpay quickly scurried ahead of him, picking up her dirty clothes from the floor. "Our maid didn't work today -- OBVIOUSLY!"
But Zeke didn't notice the mess because he was too busy staring at all the theatre posters on the walls. "Were you in all of these?" he asked.
Sharpay beamed. "All of these," she said, gesturing to three of the walls. She then pointed to a wall of Broadway and London posters, explaining, "These are just ones we've seen -- but I hope to be in them someday."
Zeke hadn't even heard of most of the plays, but he couldn't help but be impressed.
"And look," Sharpay said, scurrying over to point out a poster for Les Miserables. "This is a drawing of ME!"
Sure enough, the pencil drawing of the little girl in rags looked exactly like the framed photo next to it, showing a young Sharpay in the same outfit.
"Wow!"
"I know!" Sharpay said proudly. "Pretty cool, huh?"
Zeke nodded -- this whole evening was turning out to be "cool". He couldn't believe he was actually in Sharpay's bedroom -- it was a dream come true.
He would've been happy to spend all evening in here, looking at her posters and photos, but after a few minutes he could tell Sharpay was getting impatient with him.
"Maybe we should get to karaoke?" Zeke suggested, quickly heading for the bedroom door. Boi, who Zeke was still holding, seemed to have drifted off to sleep in his arms.
Sharpay led the way down the hallway towards a closed door.
"This," she said, her voice suddenly louder than usual as she reached for the doorknob, "is the karaoke room."
She opened the door to reveal a huge room with a cushy couch along three of the walls, a huge plasma-screen TV, and assorted speakers.
Ryan and Chad were inside as well. Although there wasn't any music playing, Zeke figured they must've been having a quick dance lesson because they both seemed winded and Ryan's hat was on the floor.
"Hey, Shar," Ryan said, quickly retrieving his hat and placing it back on his head. "So, uh, you guys ready for karaoke?"
Zeke nodded. "This'll be fun!"
Chad threw himself down onto the large U-shaped couch, asking, "So what's for dinner?"
"Dinner?" the Evans twins asked in unison.
Chad laughed. "You can't expect me to sing on an empty stomach, can you? And we'll need something more than Zeke's éclairs to last us through the evening."
"Definitely!" Zeke agreed -- his stomach was already growling. "How about pizza?"
"Pizza?!" Sharpay asked, clearly not impressed with the idea.
"Pizza sounds great," Ryan quickly chimed in.
Sharpay glared at her brother. "Pizza has CHEESE, Ryan. And you know that it's not good to eat dairy when you're gonna sing."
Zeke tried to think of an alternative dinner choice that DIDN'T involve dairy, but once pizza was on his mind, he couldn't really think of anything else.
"Oh, it's not like we're trying to IMPRESS anyone with our singing tonight, sis," Ryan said. "This is just for fun."
"Okay," Sharpay reluctantly conceded, clearly not agreeing with Ryan's assessment of not wanting to impress anyone. "Pizza it is, then."
"Yes!" Chad said as Ryan got out his cell phone and began dialing.
-----
"Blaaaah blah blaaaah blah blaaaaaaaaah. Totally fucked!"
As the Evans twins sang their final note, Chad and Zeke instantly burst into applause.
"That was awesome!" Zeke enthused.
"'Fucking' awesome!" Chad corrected playfully.
Sharpay bowed to her audience as Ryan blew an exaggerated kiss, which he noticed with satisfaction Chad pretended to catch when Zeke wasn't looking.
"And that song's really from a musical?" Zeke asked, clearly not believing it.
"Yes, Spring Awakening," Chad explained, adding, "though we like to call it Teen Angst: the Musical."
Ryan couldn't help but smile at Chad's use of the word "we". Up until a few weeks ago, Chad had scoffed at the mere mention of musicals. Ryan was thrilled that Chad had grown so open-minded about the theatre.
And about other things!
"I think we should do Moritz and Ilsa's duet next," Sharpay said excitedly, rushing over to the computer terminal that controlled the karaoke.
"Really?" Ryan asked, completely shocked. After all, the last song they'd sung had been mostly a solo for Ryan, and "I Don't Do Sadness", while technically a duet, once again had a much bigger part for Ryan.
"Yeah," Sharpay said, calling up the song. "You sound really good on it."
Ryan beamed -- it wasn't often his sister gave him such compliments, ESPECIALLY in front of Chad!
But suddenly the politeness that Ryan's mom had engrained in him came rushing back, and he quickly suggested, "Maybe one of our guests would like to sing instead, Shar? We've been completely hogging the mics."
"Oh, nonsense," Sharpay said dismissively as the opening notes of the duet started. "They're here to hear US, not slaughter their own songs."
Ryan gave an apologetic look to Chad and Zeke, but Sharpay seemed to be correct in her assessment. Zeke was mooning over Sharpay and Chad was stuffing his face with pizza -- neither looked like they were longing to get up and embarrass themselves.
So Ryan reluctantly began to sing, and after a few bars, he was so into the music that he forgot all about his sister's rudeness.
It had been ages since he and Sharpay had sung for fun, and he hadn't realized just how much he'd missed it.
After she'd kicked him out of the midsummer talent show, Ryan simply hadn't wanted to sing with his sister, afraid he would get sucked into her machinations and then be abruptly dismissed once again. Instead, he'd started spending his free time with the Wildcats -- he was especially grateful for the Wednesday night get-togethers at Gabriella's house because they were a great excuse to avoid Sharpay.
Yet he did miss performing with his sister.
And he could tell she missed him, too -- why else would she suddenly show an interest in yoga? Sharpay was the least tranquil person Ryan knew, yet Sharpay had embraced yoga fully, allowing the twins to spend time together. Ryan actually considered it a compliment that his talkative sister was willing to be quiet for long stretches just to spend time with him!
But Ryan was enjoying this time together more. They'd spent their entire lives performing together, and somehow this just felt right.
Of course, he'd been excited at the prospect of spending this evening with Chad, and he'd been disappointed when he'd found out Sharpay had invited Zeke to join them for karaoke. Chad was practically ready to kill Sharpay when he'd found out, but Ryan had forgiven his sister almost immediately. After all, éclairs were her kryptonite -- she couldn't be held responsible for anything she did while under their chocolaty spell.
And now that they were here singing together, Ryan was having so much fun with his sister that he didn't even care that Zeke was preventing him and Chad from "having fun".
As they finished their duet, the audience of two burst into applause.
"Bravo!" Chad whooped, his mouth full of pizza.
"So what next?" Sharpay asked her brother, eager to launch into another song. "Something else from Spring Awakening? Or maybe something from--"
"I think we should take a quick break," Ryan interrupted, his mouth watering from the smell of the pizza. "I need a piece of pizza before Chad eats it all."
Chad elbowed Ryan playfully as the blond boy climbed onto the couch next to him and took a piece.
Sharpay was clearly annoyed. "Ryan, you've already had three pieces!"
"So?"
"So -- is food all you boys ever think about?"
Ryan and Chad shared an amused look. "No," they said in unison before collapsing into laughter.
"Boys!" Sharpay sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Look who's talking," Chad teased. "You've had, like, a thousand éclairs so far tonight."
Sharpay gasped. "I have NOT."
Ryan had been informally keeping count, so he informed her, "You have eaten close to ten, Shar."
"But there are plenty more, if you want another," Zeke said, helpfully holding the box out to Sharpay.
It only took a split second before she gave in to the temptation. "If you insist," she said, quickly grabbing an éclair from the box.
Chad nudged Ryan and the boys shared a knowing grin. But Ryan neglected to add one more to the great éclair count because he was more focused on the feel of Chad next to him. Sitting side-by-side on the wide couch, their stretched-out legs pressed together, Ryan's brain couldn't focus on anything but Chad's touch.
It had been nice of Sharpay to give the two of them a few minutes alone before starting the karaoke, but their brief make-out session was making Ryan hunger for Chad even more.
Zeke, however, had other things on his mind. "Should I maybe sing something?" he asked tentatively.
"Sure," Ryan said -- as far as he was concerned, the more time he had to sit next to Chad, the better.
"What're you gonna sing, Zeke?" Chad asked knowingly.
Zeke glanced at Sharpay and blushed. "Uh...I don't know. What songs do you got?"
"Mostly musicals," Sharpay said, her mouth full of yet another mini éclair.
"And disco," Ryan added.
"Disco?" Zeke couldn't help but laugh.
"I like disco, okay?" Ryan said, sounding more defensive than he meant to.
"It's okay, dude," Chad said, putting his arm around Ryan's shoulders, "we like you anyway."
Ryan elbowed Chad and began tickling him. The playful wrestling intensified, and Ryan was just starting to gain domination over Chad when he vaguely heard Zeke ask, "Do you have a list of songs or something that I could look at?"
"BOYS!" Sharpay scolded, stopping the wrestling match instantly. "Ryan, go show Zeke how to look up what songs we have."
"Why don't YOU show him?" Ryan whined, not wanting to untangle himself from Chad.
But Chad crawled out from underneath Ryan, saying, "I'll help you, Zeke -- let's find something fun to sing together."
Ryan sat back up, glaring at his sister, who glared right back. Why did Sharpay always have to go and ruin everything?
"Oh, that's perfect!" Ryan heard Chad say.
Chad and Zeke each picked up a microphone. Then, turning to their audience, Chad announced, "We dedicate this next song to our favorite young man, Ryan Evans."
As the opening strains of "YMCA" started, Ryan began to laugh as his sister rolled her eyes.
Disco AND a way to annoy Sharpay -- Ryan couldn't have picked a better song himself!
-----
"It's straight down this way, second door to your right."
Chad heard Sharpay's voice out in the hallway, giving Zeke directions to the bathroom, but he wasn't really paying attention. Instead, his attention was focused entirely on Ryan, who had grabbed Chad's beltloops the moment Zeke was out of the room and was pulling him close.
Ryan, whose sweet lips were now on his and whose arms were snaking around his waist to hold him even closer.
Ryan, whose...
"Ryan!" Sharpay's sudden bark instantly interrupted their embrace. "What have I said about PDAs?!"
"Sssshhhh!!!" Ryan glared at his sister, obviously nervous that Zeke might overhear.
"Yeah, and dude, we're not IN public," Chad pointed out, gesturing towards the hallway that Zeke had just disappeared down. "That's kinda the point!"
"I am 'public'!" Sharpay insisted, gesturing to herself with the sleeping Boi in her hands.
"And I am legend," Chad teased back, causing Ryan to shake with laughter. Somehow, being held in Ryan's arms made Chad feel invincible, able to face anything.
Including an irate Sharpay.
Which was probably not the smartest move, since Sharpay's eyes narrowed, and Chad suddenly wondered what it might feel like to be hit by an airborne Yorkie.
Luckily, she simply continued, "I gave you guys some 'alone time' before Zeke and I joined you in here so you two could get it out of your systems."
"Yeah, like TWO minutes."
Chad WAS actually thankful for the brief time alone, but he wasn't going to let Sharpay know that.
"But speaking of Zeke, Shar," Ryan said, his tone suddenly turning serious even as his hands started to wander down below Chad's waistline, "you DO know that he likes you, right?"
Sharpay laughed, shrugging smugly. "Of COURSE he likes me. Who doesn't?"
"Troy," Chad blurted out before Ryan could stop him.
Sharpay gasped, as if SHE were the one that Ryan had just kneed!
"But Chad kinda does have a point," Ryan offered tentatively as Chad nursed his bruised thigh. "The guy you like isn't into you -- but Zeke IS. And Zeke's a great guy. In fact, I'm pretty sure he made these éclairs specifically for you."
"He WHAT?" "He WHAT?"
Chad stared at Sharpay in disbelief after their unison response, a shiver running down his spine at the knowledge that, for one instant in time, he and Sharpay had been on the same wavelength.
Ryan explained, "Whenever Zeke and I are together, all he does is ask me questions about you." Ryan grinned smugly as he added, "And I just might've mentioned that éclairs are your favorite."
Before Sharpay could thank her brother, and before Chad could wipe that smug look off Ryan's face by kissing him, the door to the karaoke room began to open. Chad and Ryan instantly leapt apart, like two magnets repelling each other, before they heard a voice say, "We're home, darlings."
Chad laughed to himself as he watched Ryan's look of terror dissolve into a sappy smile.
"Hi, Mom."
"Hello, Ducky."
Mrs. Evans smiled warmly at her son before turning towards Chad. "And hello, Chad. I hope you're having a good time this evening."
Before Chad could reply, Sharpay burst out, "Zeke made me éclairs!"
"Well, how wonderful, Kitten," Mrs. Evans gushed. "I was just going to see if you kids needed any dessert, but if Zeke's already taken care of--"
"What kind of dessert?" Chad blurted out.
It was rare for Chad to say much in front of Mrs. Evans because, frankly, he was scared of her -- not physically scared of the petite blonde woman, but scared of what she knew. After all, Ryan was a momma's boy, and Chad was scared about how much Ryan might've told her!
Especially about what they'd been doing lately in the laundry room of Lava Springs!
But now Chad's stomach had overruled his nervousness, for, no matter how many mini éclairs he'd devoured this evening, he was always up for more dessert.
However, Mrs. Evans ducked her head, somewhat chagrined. "To be perfectly honest, I don't even know what sweets we have in the house. But how about if I go downstairs and see what I can scrounge up for you three?"
No one had to correct Mrs. Evans's miscount because, as if on cue, Zeke suddenly appeared in the doorway.
"Zeke," Mrs. Evans exclaimed warmly. "I didn't know you were here, too."
"Yes, Mrs. Evans," Zeke said. "That's okay, isn't it?"
Mrs. Evans let out a good-natured laugh. "More than okay, Zeke. You're always welcome in our home." She gave a meaningful look to her daughter before adding, "Sharpay was just telling me about how tasty your éclairs are."
Chad frowned -- he didn't remember Sharpay saying any such thing. All she'd said was that Zeke had made them for her.
But perhaps Mrs. Evans, being her mother, had inferred the tastiness by Sharpay's tone.
Or was it "implied the tastiness"? Chad could never keep those two straight!
As Chad struggled internally with his PSAT vocabulary words, Mrs. Evans must've excused herself, for suddenly she was gone, and it was just the four of them in the room again.
And Sharpay was holding a mic.
Chad silently hoped that Mrs. Evans would hurry with the dessert as he flopped back down on the u-shaped sofa, steeling himself for whatever showtune Sharpay was planning to sing next.
-----
"I won't grow up," Sharpay's brother sang into the microphone.
"I won't grow up," echoed Sharpay and the two boys.
"I don't wanna wear a tie," Ryan sang, holding the mic up to his neck and pretending to straighten it.
Sharpay noticed Zeke enthusiastically mimicking Ryan's tie gesture as they all echoed, "I don't wanna wear a tie."
"Or a serious expression."
Ryan's attempt at a "serious expression" failed as he and Chad simultaneously burst into laughter.
Sharpay found herself completely absorbed with watching Zeke, and Chad was still laughing, so Zeke ended up being the only one to sing the echo, "Or a serious expression."
"In the middle of July..."
As Ryan continued to muddle through the song between giggles, Sharpay's mind began to wander.
She had never seriously considered Zeke before -- he'd always been relatively low on her boy radar, falling somewhere between Javier, the handsome Spanish ex-lifeguard, and the endlessly rotating Lava Springs tennis instructors. After all, Zeke was just a member of staff, not to mention a dumb jock. The only thing that really made him stand out was his baking, which Sharpay had to admit was fabulous.
But he wasn't a "prize" -- not like Troy Bolton. Troy was handsome and popular and talented -- captain of the basketball team, a star golfer, and a fabulous singer. Troy was, without a doubt, the best catch at East High.
And Daddy had always told his "little princess" that she deserved the best. So naturally Sharpay had been pursuing Troy for ages, since he was practically the textbook definition of the word "best".
But Sharpay was beginning to wonder if, when it came to boys, "the best" meant the boy who TREATED her the best. And by that standard, Zeke was nearly the top of the list, beat out only by Daddy himself.
Clearly Zeke worshipped her because he was always so friendly and willing to bake for her, and for what? An occasional hug and thank you? Sharpay realized she never gave Zeke the time of day UNLESS he had baked something for her, yet he continued to go out of his way to be nice to her.
This evening was the most time the two of them had ever spent together, so it was no wonder Zeke had been ecstatic when she'd asked him over.
And Zeke seemed to be having the time of his life. There he sat now, joyously singing along with Ryan, even though he'd never before heard the song and had never even SEEN Peter Pan before -- shocking!
Zeke was cute, too. Not in the gorgeously stunning way that Troy was handsome, of course. But Zeke wasn't hard to look at. And his smile was practically infectious. He was almost like a giant puppy, enthusiastic about everything and eager to please. Sharpay had always preferred little dogs, but perhaps she could give this overgrown puppy a chance.
Especially since he seemed to get along with her own dog so well.
And while Zeke didn't have a GREAT singing voice -- certainly not as good as Ryan's or even Troy's -- he could at least sing on pitch, which was more than could be said for half the drama club!
And although she wasn't 100 certain, she was fairly sure that Zeke had picked that BeeGee's song just for her. Why else would the boys have been teasing him so much afterwards? His falsetto wasn't THAT bad!
Sharpay suddenly realized that Ryan was nearing the end of the song, which meant it was time for her to jump in with the harmony and show off a little. She practically tossed Boi from her own lap into Zeke's before jumping up and joining her brother at the microphone.
After the big finish, as the boys were clapping, Sharpay excitedly turned to Ryan, saying, "We should totally do 'Tender Shepherd' next! We could teach it to the boys and then sing it in a round."
Ryan looked doubtful. "I don't know if..."
"I'm game," Zeke said, grinning at Sharpay.
And Sharpay couldn't help but grin back.
But before she could convince her brother to do the Peter Pan lullaby, the door to the karaoke room opened.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Sharpay's mother said, poking her head in, "but it's almost midnight, and Ryan needs to get up early tomorrow."
"Thanks, Mom," Ryan said in that annoying high voice that made him sound seven as Mother popped back out of the room.
Sharpay rolled her eyes. Everyone knew that Ryan didn't HAVE to get up early -- he just did it so he could have some alone time to chat with that lifeguard friend of his.
Chad and Zeke, however, DID have to get up early because they had to work.
And Sharpay suddenly realized that Mother had probably mentioned Ryan on PURPOSE so that Chad and Zeke wouldn't feel bad about being poor.
This actually made Sharpay happy, because the last thing she wanted was for Zeke's fun evening to end with him feeling bad.
Instead, she wanted it to end with him feeling good.
And what could make him feel BETTER than getting to spend more time with her?
So Sharpay suddenly had a plan.
"Since Chad and Zeke live in opposite directions," Sharpay blurted out, not having ANY idea where the two boys actually lived, "maybe I should drive Zeke home while Ryan drives Chad home."
Zeke and Chad both looked ecstatic at this suggestion, but Ryan hadn't quite caught on yet.
"Actually, Chad and Zeke live--"
"Dude!" Chad said, standing up and nudging Ryan.
Sharpay watched her brother as the light slowly dawned.
"Ohhhh! Right!" Ryan grinned at his sister. "What a great idea, Shar."
"I know."
Sharpay and the boys piled out of the karaoke room, leaving Boi asleep on the couch as they headed downstairs, excitedly talking. As they reached the front hall below, Daddy suddenly appeared.
"Princess!" he said, giving his daughter a big hug.
"Hey, Daddy!" Sharpay said. "Did you hear me singing upstairs?"
"Of course," he lied, since the room had been sound-proofed years ago. "My little songbird sounded beautiful, as always."
"Thanks, Daddy!"
He smiled brightly at her before adding. "And I'm really sorry about your car."
Sharpay's smile fell. "What about my car?" she asked, dreading the answer.
"I had so many meetings today, I didn't get a chance to go pick it up from the mechanic. But first thing tomorrow, Princess, I promise."
Sharpay couldn't believe it! Here she was, all ready to drive Zeke home, and her car was still with the stupid mechanic!
As she turned to her compatriots, she noticed that they looked as disappointed as she felt.
Well, at least Ryan and Chad did. Zeke looked cheerful as always.
"It's okay," he said. "We can all ride together."
Sharpay knew that Zeke would be disappointed if she didn't go with them. But she also knew that Ryan and Chad would be even MORE disappointed if she came along.
And Ryan deserved a break every once in a while.
So she shook her head, saying, "Sorry, Zeke -- Ryan will have to take you home."
Zeke looked so disappointed that she quickly added, "But maybe I'll drop by the kitchen tomorrow to say hi."
"Really?!"
Zeke's face brightened up again, even as Sharpay was kicking herself for suggesting she'd do something so unbecoming of the Queen of Lava Springs.
But even Daddy thought this was a good suggestion. "Maybe Zeke can make you some pastries or éclairs or something," he said, turning to Zeke as he added, "Chef Michael says your baking is really coming along."
"Thanks, Mr. Evans," Zeke said, shaking his hand. He then turned to Sharpay, his hand still extended. "And thanks for this evening, Sharpay. I had so much fun!"
"Me, too," Sharpay said, shaking his giant basketball-player-sized hand.
"C'mon, let's go," Chad said impatiently, already halfway out the front door. "Shotgun!"
"See you tomorrow, Sharpay," Zeke said before following Chad out.
Ryan gave his sister a quick hug, whispering in her ear, "You're the best," before thankfully kissing her cheek.
"Ew," Sharpay teased, pushing him away. "Save it for," she began before mouthing, "your boyfriend."
Ryan laughed and hurried out the door as Daddy closed it behind him.
Then, turning back to Sharpay, Daddy put his arm around her. "So...this Zeke boy seems nice. Might he be my new rival for your affections, Princess?"
Sharpay laughed, snuggling into her father's side. "Of course not, Daddy," she said.
But thinking about Zeke's infectious smile, she began to wonder if that was really true.
THE END