"I don't dance!" the adamant and firm words rang through Ryan's head as he headed over to the locker room. Taking his cap off, he ran his free hand through his hair and took a deep breath when suddenly he felt his hat being snatched from his head. Whipping around, he realized he was face to face with Mr. Hotshot himself, Chad Danforth, who was smirking and twirling his baseball glove around in his hands.

"So, what did you think?" Chad asked, a huge smile plastered on his face. He looked like an eager puppy as he placed his own hat on top of Ryan's head, ignoring the fact that it clashed terribly with the rest of his impeccably planned outfit.

"About what?" Ryan looked questioningly at Chad.

"You know...my dancing," he whispered the last part while looking around shiftily.

"I thought you didn't dance, Danforth," Ryan said, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't!" Chad retorted. Glancing around once more, he leaned in closer to Ryan. Wafts of Chad's musky post-baseball game scent flowed into Ryan's nostrils. He subconsciously took a deep breath. Momentarily distracted, Ryan refocused on Chad's words. "...since I don't actually dance. But I wouldn't mind learning, since it seems to impress the ladies." Chad nudged Ryan with his elbow and waggled his eyebrows.

"Huh? What?" Ryan sputtered, completely lost.

"Since you're so good at dancing, and Taylor seemed to be cheering louder when I danced," he said while making air quotes as he said 'danced,' "I was wondering if you you could, like, actually teach me how to dance?" His words turned into a question at the end.

Slightly stunned, Ryan thought a million things in the second before he made his fateful decision. Why is he even talking to me? He wants to dance? I thought he just said he doesn't dance! Spending time with him doesn't sound too bad to me, though. I mean- what!? Er, let's just humor him.

"Sure, why not?" Ryan found himself answering, much to his own surprise. Danforth flashed a dazzling smile at Ryan.

"Thanks a bunch, man! It really means a lot," he replied sincerely before jogging off towards the lockers.

Still processing what he had just agreed to, along with that irritatingly adorable smile he was just forced to witness, Ryan walked back over to where Kelsi, Martha, Troy, and Gabriella were sitting and eating, still slightly in shock.

"Hey Ryan, what's up?" Gabriella asked him with a sweet smile.

"Huh? What? Nothing! Nothing's up! I mean- uh. I'm fine. Thanks for asking," Ryan stuttered, jarred from his thoughts.

"Whoa there, man, you are on distracted dude," Troy commented, his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Sorry, I'm kind of flustered at the moment," Ryan managed to get out before he sit down and took his messenger bag off.

"Why, what happened?" Kelsi asked, a concerned furrow of the brow lodged on her face.

"Nothing much, really. It's just that Ch- I mean, uh, someone I didn't exactly expect..." Ryan started.

"What?" Martha prompted him excitedly and eagerly.

"This person asked me to teach them, uhh, some theater stuff. And I don't really know them that well, but I wouldn't mind- I mean, I would love teaching anyone," Ryan finished, his cheeks slightly tinted red. Before Kelsi had even opened her mouth, however, Chad and Taylor arrived. Taylor settled next to Gabriella, but Chad plopped himself down between Kelsi and Ryan.

"So what's going on?" Taylor asked.

"Well, actually, Ryan was about to tell us-" Gabriella began.

"How awesome my team was in that baseball game! I mean, how cool were we?" Ryan said, cutting her off.

"Yeah, right. Fine, I guess you were pretty good - for a first timer," Chad said, smirking at Ryan. Troy spoke up, and then the whole table was discussing the game.

Ryan internally sighed in relief. He had successfully swerved around the topic for now. But knowing Gabriella and the look she had on her face a few seconds after he had averted the conversation, she was going to get to the bottom of this, and fast. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do about it.

What he did know, however, was that he didn't quite mind wearing the athletic boy's hat, no matter how much it clashed with his outfit.


A/N: Hey everyone! Okay so I know that this ^^^ is COMPLETELY unexpected of me and also kind of really weird (?) please don't judge too hard bcuz srsly? I'm even judging myself pretty hard for this. But I had a phase, and I got inspired, and so this. I think I'm gonna be working on my Merlin fic, THe Ring, next. Also keep an eye out for some Solangelo fluff because Blood of Olympus and Nico and Will and AHHHHH FEELS

ok thnx for reading R&R yeah?