Kelsi, was hunched over homework at the drama club lunch table trying to ignore the madness of the cafeteria when Taylor and Chad came up behind her.
"Hey Kels, whats up?" she asked placing a hand on her shoulder, causing the distracted composer to jump. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you"
"Taylor, Chad, uh, hi, I was just trying to get some work done." Kelsi nodded towards her open book "There is just so much I have to get done, I figured it would be a bit quieter up here. Do you realize that Prom is less then two weeks away. "
"Uhhh" Chad moaned, taking a seat while grabbing some of Kelsi's fries "Don't remind me."
Taylor just snickered, "Yes Kelsi, I am aware that it is almost here, in fact I just got my dress over the weekend. What makes you so interested in when the prom is, it was just yesterday that you told us you weren't going to attend. Didn't you have too much work to do, and wasn't it too close to opening night."
"You're right, I have just way to much to do, I don't know what Ryan was thinking, there is just no way I can get all this work done AND go to the prom with him. There is so much that has to be done, I still have songs to transpose, charts to fix, and I still have songs that need lyrics, not to mention all the school work."
"Wait a minute, your talking way to fast, did you say that you and Ryan were going to prom? When did he ask you, why am I just finding out?" Taylor asked sitting down next to Kelsi wanting to get the full scoop.
"Well..." Kelsi hesitated, noticing that all eyes were on her, including Sharpay's. "I wouldn't really call it ask, it was more of a statement, he kinda just informed me that he would pick me up at 8 as we were working on the duet for Troy and Gabriella this morning."
"Not a very romantic invitation" Taylor scowled, as Chad rolled his eyes.
"Romantic?" Kelsi questioned "It isn't as if this is a real date. It's Ryan"
"So what if it's Ryan, why wouldn't it be a real date, your a girl, he's a guy?"
"We're friends, and lets face it, while he is a guy, uh, how to put this, I'm not" she managed to finally get out looking a little flushed.
Kelsi's last words had the previously silent Sharpay, choking on her drink.
"Excuse me?" Sharpay finally managed to blurt out with her eyes wide open with shock.
"What?" Kelsi looked over at Sharpay. "I mean it's no big deal or anything, if he likes guys, I have no problem with that, he's still a great guy and all"
"What in the world would give you the idea that my baby brother is gay"
"Well there are his outfits he has PINK plaid pants that he wears with knee high boots" Taylor piped up
"You have to admit, he does tend to be a bit showy in his gestures and reactions, in the stereo typical kind of way" added Tiara before getting shushed by Sharpay.
"I'll admit, Ryan can be....., a bit over the top at times" Sharpay said with a sigh "That doesn't mean anything, he's a performer, even when he isn't on the stage. As for his clothes, he has good taste, well usually."
"As long as I have known him he hasn't even looked at a female, let alone date one." Kelsi commented, starting to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about Ryan.
"Have you ever seen him look or date a guy"
"Well no... I can't really"
Sharpay cut her off "I know my brother's likes and dislikes, and I can say with absolute authority, that my brother, Ryan Evans, likes girls, in fact that is the reason he started taking dance class, he was the only guy in a class of twenty."
"Genius!" called out Chad, "Why didn't I think of ....... hey what was that for" Taylor gave him a swift elbow to the gut, telling him "If you keep that up, YOU won't have a date for the prom"
"What did you do this time" came a voice that caused all heads to turn towards it
Kelsi jumped up and gathered her papers mumbling something about music and copies refusing to look at the new comer.
"So how come your almost dateless for the prom?" asked Ryan as he watched Kelsi trying to fight her way out the exit."And whats up with Kelsi, she seemed kind of flustered"
"Well I was just telling the table here you were genius" Chad said with a smirk, "Sharpay was telling us why you got into dance"
"I am, aren't I" Ryan grinned "So what was with Kelsi?"
Sharpay locked eyes with her brother before telling him with a smirk, "Did you know that you're gay?"
"What?" he asked with a look of confusion.
"Yes, dear brother, I was just informed that you like guys, but don't worry, its okay that you don't like girls" Sharpay let out between chuckles
Ryan gave a pointed look to his sister "Come on Shar, enough already"
"Gee little brother, is that the thanks I get for setting the record strait"
Ryan looked around the table, somewhat annoyed, trying to figure out what exactly was going on, his eyes stopped at Chad trying to hold back his laughter.
Chad held up his hands "Hey, don't look at me man, I was staying out of it. It was the girls"
Taylor glared at Chad as a look of realization washed over Ryan's face. Seeing who was at the table it wasn't hard for Ryan to figure out just who the "girls" were doing the talking. Ryan turned to Taylor hoping to find he had it wrong. "Taylor, why were you discussing my uhh, my preference"
Taylor looked down unable to meet Ryan's eyes "I was commenting how unromantic your prom invite was and uh....ummm"
Chad rolled his eyes "To make a long story short, Kelsi was thought there was no way Prom was a date, kinda date cause she wasn't a guy"
"Unromantic?" Ryan shot up, eyes wide "Unromantic? I invite her after praising her work and singing her lyrics You're on my mind, you're in my heart? And you call it unromantic?"
Taylor gave a smile "Well when you put it that way, it does sound kind of nice. Kelsi didn't quite view it the same way, of course she did think you were gay, so that probably played a part in how she saw it."
"And I thought I had it hard" laughed Chad "You have some major work ahead of you man. And need I point out while you sit here debating if it was romantic or not, your potential date off somewhere confused beyond belief."
"Very good point, I should go see if I can find her. I'll talk to you all later"
"Ryan, one question is the prom going to be a real date?" Taylor asked, trying to read Ryan's expression. Ryan smiled, ignored the question, and went off in search of Kelsi.