AN: This is more of a reflection, then it hits present day.
Disclaimer: Gosh darn it! I don't own it. Well, I did have Troy Bolton's mattress, but that went to the museum. Oh well…enjoy!
o.O.o.O.o.O.o
The cigarette smoke swirled around his head. He wasn't a smoker; he was supposed to be too good for that. Well, when the time called for it, even perfect had a few blemishes. Ryan took another drag from the almost non existent butt and tossed it into a nearby tray at the entrance to the park. He squinted as he looked out at the horizon into the setting sun and took a seat on a nearby park bench.
On the outside, he was just another stupid teenager, another stupid eighteen year old waiting for real life to begin in college. He and every other graduating kid from East High didn't know what to expect after tomorrow. They all thought their futures were sealed with a college acceptance letter and a few thousand dollar scholarships. Ryan knew he was just one of those kids, but senior year had taught him to expect the unexpected.
Ryan had definitely changed during his senior year. No longer was he Sharpay's "poodle," answering her every beckoning call, he was just Ryan Evans. His plainness annoyed Sharpay to death. He had dropped the sequins and glitter for jeans and a normal life. Sometimes he couldn't help but smile at his accomplishments. Everyone looked at him different now. For once he got the attention he deserved and worked for, not what was thrust upon him by Sharpay.
The jocks stopped calling him gay and accepted him when he made the varsity baseball team. They really swallowed their pride when he pitched a no hitter. He found true friendship with Troy, Chad, and the rest of Troy's basketball boys. Typically friends were alien to him; the only people he thought were his friends just feared him and his sister. Ryan wasn't a mean person, and no one knew that until know, until he finally put his foot down and told Sharpay to kiss his ass, go find someone else to control.
She was definitely shocked and for a while completely ignored him, she called it "ignorant," constantly berating him for it, blowing off his change as "too much chlorine over the summer." Eventually she got over it and learned to accept her new brother. They were closer now than ever.
o.O.o.O.o.O.o
He had new found respect, confidence, and friends that he knew were real. Life on the outside was perfect, in the fall he would attend NYU for drama. Sharpay had taken a surprise turn towards poetry and writing, eventually becoming the editor of the school newspaper for the last semester. Everything was going as planned, but no one, not even his sister, knew that on the inside Ryan Evans wanted to fall apart.
Not only was he leaving his friends, I mean sure he had made the choice to go to NYU, but he was in love, and had fallen hard. Ryan could have dated any girl now that he had changed so much, and yet, he wanted the unattainable. He had fallen in love with Gabriella Montez. Throughout life Ryan had always heard that the one you cry over isn't worth it, unfortunately the tears and hurt had only made him stronger, he never stopped loving her.
To him, she was the absolute picture of perfection; beautiful, intelligent, talented, everything he could ever hope for, but couldn't have. Gabriella had shown him true friendship over the summer and although he always had a small crush on her, it grew into much more.
Senior year was one of the hardest years he had to endure. Troy and Gabriella had only grown closer after they got back together and although it slowly killed Ryan inside, Gabriella was happy and that's all he could ask for. It made him sick watching them together, holding hands, an arm around the other, small pecks in between class, the small things that made them the "it" couple at East High. Troy may have been one of Ryan's best friends, but deep inside he secretly loathed him, Ryan hated the fact Troy had the only thing he had ever wanted in life.
She would call Ryan in tears some nights and tell him everything, how Troy had missed another date, or how basketball was taking over. And almost robotically, he would tell her everything would be okay, just to talk to Troy. Sure enough, the next day she would have run back into Troy's arms, the two closer than ever. It had been Ryan that had gotten Troy and Gabriella back together that night at the country club. Being the modest person he was, he hated to receive a peck on the cheek and a small hug whenever Gabriella told the story about it and thanked him for keeping her and Troy together. Ryan never thought he could feel such a pain.
Gabriella came to every single one of his baseball games during the season, cheering her heart out for the Wildcats and for Ryan. He would flash her a smile and pitch another out just because she was watching. When they lost, she would run straight for him and give him a huge hug then go out for pizza with the team. She was his good luck charm and inspiration, she was everything, and Gabriella just didn't know that yet.
Ryan looked up at the darkening sky sighing. He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing on the first star he saw, and slowly got up to leave the park. Graduation was tomorrow, and so was the beginning of the rest of his life, without Gabriella.
o.O.o.O.o.O.o
The sun was shining down on the East High Class of 2008. Students were murmuring nervously to each other as Gabriella made her way to the podium to make her valedictorian speech. Ryan watched her the whole way; she was beaming, as much as he wanted to be happy today, he couldn't. Sharpay sat beside, anxiously chattering to him. Finally noticing he wasn't speaking back, she stopped and placed her hand on his squeezing it a little following his hurt gaze to where Gabriella was now on stage.
"I didn't really expect this," she began, "I didn't expect to come into a whole new school and be accepted like I have here." Eloquently, she continued on, speaking of breaking the status quo, telling all of her fellow classmates to stay together. Ryan watched, nearly in tears that this moment was almost over, Gabriella sighed and took a look at the crowd. "The years we have spent at East High will always be the ones we remember most. Whether it be love," she looked at Troy and made a passing glance at Ryan, his heart leaped, "loss," she reverted her eyes back to Ryan and looked away quickly, "or friendship, we have and will always be Wildcats. A friend once told me to always remember this, 'Love is the only thing that will break you down to nothing, but it makes us all realize that we need each other.' Remember that wildcats, the love that holds us together, will keep us together. We will always need one another. Congratulations Class of 2008, thank you."
Ryan's eyes were as wide as saucers, he had told Gabriella that. He watched as she made her way back to her seat trying to inconspicuously wipe tears from her eyes. Then it began. They began calling the list of names of the graduating class. Each name was a silent countdown for Ryan.
3, 2, "Ryan James Evans." Pasting a smile on his face, he carefully made his way onto the stage taking a quick look at all of his classmates. They were cheering and yelling, a few had stood up to clap for him. His eyes made their way to Gabriella, who was still crying, but smiling widely and applauding. It was all so surreal as he took his diploma from Principal Matsui, and that quickly, it was over.
The rest of the ceremony went by like a blur, Ryan didn't know where they were on the list until he heard that final announcement.
"May I now present the East High class of 2008!" As much as he wanted to celebrate, he couldn't. Sharpay gave him a huge hug smiling.
"Come on Ry! We graduated!" Ryan half smiled at her as the disappointment returned. She read his face like a book and looked over at Gabriella, now frowning. "I know you loved her, I'm so sorry."
"You what?"
"Come on, I've seen the way you look at her, I'm not that stupid."
"Oh." He returned his sister's hug and they began making their way through the mass. Chad ran up behind Ryan and jumped on his back.
"Hey buddy! I can't believe we, well I can't believe I did it!" he joked. "And you man, I would have thought you would have just stayed stuck up under Sharpay the rest of your high school career." The two looked at each other for a moment before quickly giving each other a hug.
"Yeah, I had to give her the boot sooner or later. I-uh" Chad quickly cut in.
"I think someone wants to talk to you." Ryan turned around and saw Gabriella standing behind him, face still red and puffy from crying. Chad inched away smiling.
"Hey Wildcat." They stood there awkwardly before Gabriella rushed over to him and hugged him. Shocked at first, Ryan stood there frozen before wrapping his arms around her. He wanted to stay in this moment forever. She pulled away and adjusted her gown. "So, are you going to the party tonight?" There was going to be a huge graduation party at the school.
"Yeah, Sharpay threatened me and bought my outfit three weeks ago so I guess I'm stuck." She smiled as Troy came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Well, I better go. See you tonight Ryan!" Gabriella smiled once more as Troy pulled her away into the crowd. Sighing, Ryan wandered into the masses.
o.O.o.O.o.O.o
Tugging at his tie, Ryan ambled into the gym. The music was blaring and the strobe lights began to give him a headache. He really didn't want to be here, yet alone be anywhere were he would have to face Gabriella again, that only made the goodbyes harder. He made his way over to a chair against the wall and sat down. Although Sharpay forced him to the dance, she couldn't force him to have fun.
He didn't understand why Sharpay was making him do this yet alone why saying goodbye to Gabriella would be so hard. Damnit, she was just a girl, a girl. Nothing more. Trying to push his feelings aside, Ryan made his way over to the punch table and grabbed a cup. The smell of alcohol drifted up from the punch and he quickly sat it back down.
The gym looked like one giant orgasm. Sweaty couples were grinding all over each other and a few had found their way into a dark corner, he didn't even want to guess what was going on there. Gagging slightly, he noticed one thing that didn't belong in the mass, Gabriella.
She looked slightly disturbed and pretty lonely. Ryan's heart ached and he reluctantly walked over to her.
"You don't look like you belong in this-uh-mess?" he mused. Gabriella turned around surprised.
"You either. Come on." She held out her arm for him to link his with hers. Blushing slightly, he complied and they walked outside.
Neither said a word for a while, they both gazed up silently at the stars.
"I have an idea!" Gabriella started. She bent down and slid off her shoes before taking off across the parking lot. "Come on Ryan! You're gonna get beat by a girl!" He ran after her and followed her onto the football field.
Breathing heavily, they collapsed on their backs in the center of the field once more staring at the stars.
"Ryan, do think wishes on stars come true?" She placed her hands on her stomach and looked over at him.
"I don't know. Maybe." He turned to face her. Gabriella jumped up and began running around the field. Ryan chased after her and eventually caught up and tackled her to the ground. The laughing tangled mass of arms and legs rolled a few times before Ryan had her pinned to the ground. Time seemed to stop as he stared into her eyes and her into his, she sighed in disgust and rolled her eyes.
"Damnit Ryan! Kiss me already!" Laughing she pulled his head down and crashed her lips into his. He deepened the kiss as she played with his hair and continued the make out session. Pulling away, she flipped him off and stood up. "Dance with me."
Ryan sat up. "There's no music." She giggled as he stood up also and pulled her close to him. They swayed to the nonexistent music holding each other as if they'd never meet again. "Gabriella?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you."
"I love you too." She pulled him even closer as the sound of applause filled their ears. The couple stopped and looked at the fence surrounding the field. There stood Chad, Taylor, Troy, and Sharpay. Ryan's eyes widened at the sight if Troy.
"Shit! I forgot about Troy, oh Gabi, I am so sorry." He went to back away but she grabbed a hold of his hand and pulled him back.
"Don't be. He broke up with me, he said he could see the way you looked at me and was almost excited to let me go."
"Damn! Was I that ob-." She cut him off with another kiss.
"Yes, yes your were."
Yay! Another one shot completed! Tell me what you think! Although Troy was blown up, I figured I'd make him the good guy in this.