Chapter 1:

"Will you stop that?" Sharpay yelled as Ryan fiddled with the dial of the car's radio.

"Ah there's nothing good on!" he groaned throwing himself back onto the passenger seat.

"We're nearly at school anyways." Sharpay turned her attention back onto the road ahead.

"Yeah, but I need a soundtrack to my life at this time of the morning, it wakes me up."
"We opened the roof as you said, I'm starting to get a chill, isn't that enough of a wake up call?" The weather was perfect, not too cold and not too warm. The sun glistened off the candy apple red convertible as it drew closer to school.

"Dad wouldn't be happy if he knew you drove this car so fast Sharpay." Ryan exclaimed as Sharpay unexpectedly caused the engine to shriek as she beat a red light.

"Dad wouldn't be happy if he knew we were so late for school, would he?" she smiled behind the round dark sunglasses, hiding her hazel eyes.
"Since when did you care about school?" Ryan said making sure his hat was still intact on top of his head.

"Since I was elected head of the prom organising committee."
"Sis, I hate to break it to you, but proms not for another couple of months. It's seriously no biggie."

"Oh yes it is! There is so much to organise."
"Booked a band yet?"

"No! That's why I can't be late this morning, we've got a meeting, first period! We're discussing colour schemes."
"Those being?" Ryan raised an eyebrow

"Sky blue, or pink lily."

"Arrrgh!" Ryan yelled thrusting his fist onto the car dashboard, "That really seems… to be a hard choice."

"Stop being so sarcy!" Sharpay growled, "There's a lot of things that need done, with so little time to do it in."

"Ah I'm sure you'll get it all sorted." Ryan breathed in deeply as he peered into the cloudless sky, "God I love spring time."

"Yeah it's ravishing." Sharpay said sarcastically, "Conversation killer Ryan."
"Oh, sorry." Ryan quivered, "I just do you know, something magical about it." It was now deep into May, with summer approaching this was the twin's last year at school before they moved off into new pastures. Both of them had no real intentions, both of them didn't know what they would do, after the final school bell rang out on their High School Careers. After School was something nobody really planned for, something that could be done later, but later was now ever approaching.

"Do you think I can be prom Queen this year?" Sharpay grinned immensely at Ryan

"Erm, well I dunno, depends."
"I plan to make sure that I win, that's why I'm on a diet so I can squeeze into that little number I saw down at the boutique."
"Diet?" Ryan exclaimed staring at the already thin Sharpay. "There's nothing wrong with you!"
"Pfft." she giggled, "You guys never understand. How will I ever snag the prom king as chubby as I am?"
"But you're not…" he was immediately cut off.

"Trust me I'm so fat. That's why I'm only going to have fruit at lunch!"
"Didn't you even have breakfast this morning?"

"No, no time, not good for my calorie counting."
Ryan shook his head in disbelief, but remained silence. His sister was so low in confidence, as much as she tried to be the popular girl in school, Ryan knew It was all an act. He had seen how she was at home, the girl behind the make up. He always worried about her crazy dietary habits and her low self esteem, but he never told his parents. She wouldn't forgive him for it, he had to remain silent.

"Hey isn't that, that Gabriella Montez girl?" Sharpay said staring over towards the sidewalk at the dainty figure of Gabriella, walking to school. She was dressed in a long blue summer dress. Her hair fell freely down her back, with a hair band keeping it out of her sparkling brown eyes and her pearly smile.
"Erm yeah I think so…" Ryan became chocked up with nerves as he caught Gabriella's eye, giving a small nod of acknowledgement.

"Poor girl, she never took that break up with Troy Bolton well did she?" Troy's family had moved town at the start of the year, Gabriella had taken it badly. She had been in love with Troy, he promised they would still keep in touch, but he hadn't kept his promise.

"Yeah I know." Ryan knew all too well about Troy and Gabriella's relationship, and how blind Gabriella had been to Troy's using ways.

"Do you two still you know, get on?" Sharpay asked came to a halt in East High's carpark

"Yeah of course. Why do you ask?" Ryan said stepping out of the car and watching the convertible roof remerge from the back seats.
"Just she's never at home anymore, and I don't see you two around school."
"Ah well you know we're both busy." The truth was, they had grew apart as the months had passed. Their friendship had soured as Gabriella had failed to come to terms with Troy leaving. Ryan and Gabriella still spoke to each other whenever they could, they still cared deeply about each other as friends. However Ryan wasn't as willing to spend time with her as he had been before. He could never hare her, but truthfully his feelings for her wasn't something he choose not to discuss or even think about. It was something he had tried to mask, and because of this, they had drifted.

"Why don't you ask her to the prom?" Sharpay teased. She had secretly known of Ryan's desires for Gabriella. She knew her brother too well, she could still see through him, no matter how hard he tried.

"Ah, well maybe…" he muttered as he walked with his sister into the school building "We'll see."

The school bell rang out through out the hallways, it was now lunch time at East High. Having just endured a double period of English Literature, Ryan was glad it was finally time to let his head rest. He glanced around him as he wandered down the hallway towards the cafeteria. East High was still a very proud school. The red banners and symbols were still ever present from the Schools last sporting achievement, the state basketball final. However success since then had been few and far between. The basketball team were lost without their inspirational leaders, Troy Bolton on the court and his father off it and with that they failed to recapture their crown, being knocked out in the first round of competition.

How Ryan had hated Troy. Nobody seen through Troy like Ryan had. Everyone had looked up to Troy like some cult figure, the most important of these was Gabriella who Troy had exploited during their so called relationship. Ryan looked at the championship winning trophy, sitting bear in the large trophy case by the side of the cafeteria. His reflection looked strikingly back at him. How he had changed over the past few months. Sometimes it sickened him. He said he would always be there for Gabriella when Troy left her heartbroken, but instead he had shied away, he couldn't handle her. She still believe Troy would still have feelings for her, yet months had passed without a reply. He couldn't be as busy as Gabriella believe he was? Ryan had grown apathetic over the whole ordeal, the experience had made it clear to him that she didn't see any need for him. He could never satisfy her needs, she longed for Troy, and he was far from being him. Gabriella had been Ryan's best friend, but he wanted more. He had let her lead him on for so long, he had acted so stupidly. Ryan had found himself doing things he'd never usually do, just for Gabriella to notice him, just to be with her. However time was up, he couldn't live a lie, and they had subsequently parted. Maybe he had been too harsh on her? Maybe it was time to speak to her again, maybe he had to accept her as a friend? He certainly didn't want anything other than that, girls were now the last thing on his mind. Ryan sighed as he turned away from the glaring reflection, just then he spotted her in the distance, standing at the opposite of the hallway by her locker. He tried to make his way through the hungry crowds, clambering into the cafeteria for their lunch. Pushing and weaving his way through he finally got to her locker, but she had vanished, with only the sweet aroma of her perfume left behind. In frustration Ryan thumped his head against her locker door and sighed.

"Damn." he muttered under his breath.

"I hope you'll be paying for that dent at the end of the year, when they charge me for it." a giggled came from behind him, causing him to jolt round to face it. Gabriella gazed deep into his eyes, how he missed her beauty, her smile.

"The cheques in the mail." he stuttered, trying to play it cool, only to fail miserably.

"And to what do I have the pleasure?" Gabriella giggled causing Ryan's heart to beat faster as he startled
"It's been a long time pet." she said pushing him out of the way and opening her locker.

"It's been too long." he smirked,

"You never came round to see me?" Gabriella looked at him longingly as she took out a couple of books and closed her locked.

"Well…I know…" he mumbled, moving from side to side.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry?" he said stroking her arm, "I never meant to let us drift like this."

"Yeah…"

"But you know… Things just happen, what with exams and learning to drive and… and."
"Ryan, it's alright. I don't need any of your excuses." she smiled at him

"Erm… yeah?" Ryan looked on amazed

"Yeah of course. I really missed you."

"Why did we ever drift apart?" he looked down to the ground

"Hey maybe it was a good thing." she said putting her arm on his shoulder, "We're talking now aren't we?"

"Exactly. How have you been keeping?"
"You know, as well as I can be." she sighed, "You know just doing my usual 'Gabriella things'."

"I used to love doing 'Gabriella things' with you." He gave a gleeful response

"Yeah." Gabriella responded half heartedly.

"I'm sorry I haven't been here for you really…"
"Shhh. Everything has turned out just fine!" she grinned, "We know where we stand with each other."

"Where we stand? No wait…" Ryan tried to explain to her the truth, but he was interrupted as Gabriella's attention turned elsewhere.

"Hey Gabriella!" a bunch of Girls called in unison walking towards her.
"Oh hey guys." she turned back to Ryan, "Well I better go…"
"Yeah I guess."
"But keep in touch with me this time." she smiled throwing her arms around him, Ryan responded to the hug nervously, "Good to see you again Ryan."
"Yeah I guess it is." And with that, she left him to go with her new friends. His heart hit his stomach, how did he let this happen? He was entirely to blame, he had let her slip through his fingers. She had moved on, so why hadn't he? Especially when he had repeat ably told himself that there were no feelings there.

Ryan looked on as he saw Gabriella go into the cafeteria. She looked so happy now, so at ease compared to how she was when Troy left her. She just didn't seem the same Gabriella now, she appeared to have moved from those dreary days. What ever had happened, it appeared that Ryan had missed out on the chance of the life time.

"Do I really want her?" he thought to himself, taking off his hat and wiping his brow. He sighed to himself and let his guard back up… "I don't need any of this."

A/N: Jeez guys! This really was a shorter break from writing fics than I had planned. To be honest, I decided to start the prequel out of boredom and thought I'd see what everyone made of the story before I continue with it. So yeah reviews are much welcome, and I'll try update when I get a spare minute from my studies. Cheers!