The italicized words are the song this is based off off. (Alright by Tree63) Want to make it known that I do not own that song, or HSM, or... Caribou. Ya... Enjoy! Oh, I reccomend listening to that song before reading this.
'Though Darkness overcomes you now,
Morning will break through somehow…'
Ryan turned off his car radio and stopped the car. He got out of his car and glanced up at the mansion of a house. A sign was by the steps that led up to the house. It read, 'Wildcats 15 year reunion here!' Ryan fixed his hat and scurried up the steps and rang the doorbell.
"Evans, glad you could make it!" Ryan smiled as Chad opened the door to let him in.
"Can you believe it's already been fifteen years since we graduated?" Ryan asked, shaking his friend's hand.
"I know man, crazy stuff huh?" Chad had been holding a glass of punch, and now raised it to his mouth before adding, "how's life been treating you?"
"Pretty good, been in some Broadway productions, how about you?"
"Same here, been busy with Taylor and my son." Chad nodded his head towards a little boy, that was an exact replica of Chad, afro and all. "Your sister coming?"
Ryan shook his head, turning back to Chad. "She didn't want to come, so she's staying with Kara."
"Kara?"
Ryan nodded and studied Chad's face. "My daughter."
Chad's jaw dropped. "Daughter, how come I wasn't invited to the wedding?"
Ryan shook his head. "I never got married Danforth."
"Well, then who's the mother Evans?"
"Well, remember prom night, when I left early?" Chad nodded, still in shock. "Do you remember who my date was?"
"You and Kelsi had a kid?" Chad half yelled, causing a few people to turn around and glance their way. Ryan thrust his hand over Chad's mouth and put his finger over his own mouth to send the message that he wanted him to shut up.
"No one knows about this Danforth!" Ryan removed his hand and added, "I didn't either for the first four years of Kara's life."
"Why?"
"Kelsi left school right after we graduated; I thought she was going to college in a different state."
"That's what I thought too."
"She was scared when she found out she pregnant, that I wouldn't accept the baby. When Kara was four, Kelsi called me and said we had to talk."
"Uh-oh."
"That's what I thought too, but I went and saw her anyways. She showed me Kara and said she was my daughter."
"I wouldn't have believed her" Chad put in.
"I didn't either, even though Kara looked just like me. When I finally gave in, Kelsi said that we should both take care of her."
"How old is Kara now?"
"Almost fourteen" Ryan answered as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. In the front pocket was a picture of him, Kara, and Kelsi. Chad grinned.
"What a cute little family, I always thought you and Kelsi looked good together."
Ryan gave his friend a warning gaze. "Just remember, Kelsi and I are not together, we just both take care of Kara."
"Evans, I already knew that."
"You do?" Ryan questioned, putting his wallet away. "How?"
"Chad pointed towards the couch in the living room. "Because she's with Troy."
Ryan's heart skipped a beat as he looked up and saw Kelsi snuggling up to Troy, who had his arm around her. "I thought he was with Gabriella, weren't they engaged or something?"
"They were, Troy cheated," Chad stated, studying Ryan's face. "Where have you been, you didn't even know about your girlfriend and Troy."
"The only time she was ever my girlfriend was in high school, we've worked it out."
"Ya, well, they won't be together long either," Chad sighed, once again sipping his punch.
"What do you mean?" Ryan inquired, his gaze still held by Kelsi and Troy.
"Troy kind of turned into a whore over the years," he chuckled, shaking his head.
"Should have seen that coming," Ryan sighed, still studying Kelsi and Troy. "So, where is Gabriella?"
"Her life kind of went downhill, what with the breakup and her mother passing; she works at some diner just out of town," Chad explained. "Plus, she never wants to marry again." Chad watched Ryan's face change to a look of slight disappointment.
Ryan and Chad were taken by surprise when Kelsi walked up to them. "Hey Ry, Chad." She nodded towards both of them.
"Hey Kels, where's Troy?" Chad asked, and before she could reply, Ryan asked her a question of his own.
"By the way, how come you didn't bother to tell me you were with him?"
"Do I have to tell you every time I get a new boyfriend Ryan?" She questioned, placing her hands on her hips. "Why should you care anyways?"
"When your new boyfriend is Troy, then yes, I should have a right to know!
"Why, I'm free to date anyone I want, you said so!"
"I'd like to know about, you demand to know who I'm dating every second of the day!"
"But you're never dating anyone, so I don't have to worry."
"That's because the fact that I have a kid and take care of her with her mother scares them off."
"Are you saying Kara's the reason you're still single?"
"No, you are, because you're the one who had her!"
"It's not my fault you wanted to have sex at the senior prom; I was just fine with staying at the party and having a good time!" A few people turned around, and Chad raised his eyebrows.
"I didn't hear any complaining from you that night." Ryan shot.
"Ryan, we're through!" She exclaimed, turning around to leave.
"Um, Kelsi, we were never together." He reminded her. She shook her head and stomped off. The people who had been watching went back to talking, and Chad approached Ryan.
"Want to talk to anyone else Evans?"
Ryan shook his head and threw his arm around Chad's shoulders. "No Danforth, I want to get drunk."
"Montez, get your ass to table twelve if you want to keep your job!" Gabriella sighed as her boss yelled at her in front of everyone in the kitchen.
"But sir, that's not even my table," She squeaked.
"I don't care who the hell has that table, just get your ass over there before those people die of starvation you-"
Gabriella covered her ears before he could call her names again. She didn't like it when he swore, and hated it when it was towards her. She winced every time she heard the muffled words being thrown at her. She finally yelled, "Fine, just shut up, okay?" She didn't look back at him as she ran through the kitchen doors.
After she had served table twelve, Gabriella saw a teenage girl at the counter, and seeing no one thee, went over to help her.
"Can I he-" Gabriella stopped when she saw the girl's face. It looked so familiar, but she couldn't figure it out. "help you?" She finished.
"Can I have two number fives to go please?"
"Don't you have any parents with you?" Gabriella asked, still trying to figure out how she knew the girl.
"My aunts in the car, why?" She asked, reaching into her pocket for the money.
"No reason, just wondering." Gabriella shrugged, taking the ten dollar bill from the counter. "You just look really familiar."
"I get that a lot, you probably just know my father," the girl smiled, and it almost hurt Gabriella how familiar she looked. "I look just like him."
"Maybe, who's your dad?"
"Ryan Evans."
Gabriella stopped grabbing change and dropped some of the coins she was already holding. Memories of Ryan flooded back to her as she recalled his loving face.
"You're Ryan's daughter?" She stuttered, "He got married?"
"Not exactly, my parents aren't together."
"Well, who's your mom then?"
"Um, that's a lot for me to be telling to a stranger, and my aunt's waiting," The girl reported as she grabbed her bag of food.
"Sharpay?"
"Ya…" The girl stared at her and then left the diner.
"Feel better man?" Chad asked, watching Ryan chug his third mug of beer.
"What's Troy's problem, breaking Gabriella's heart like she's yesterday's used enchilada!" He waved at the serving the drinks and the man came over with another.
"Yesterday's used Enchilada, really Evans?"
Ryan ignored Chad's comment and continued; "Now I don't even get a chance with her!"
"Ry, its okay, there are other fish in the sea," Chad insisted.
"I always like Gabs, and you knew that Danforth!" He complained. "Now Troy, might ruin Kelsi's life."
"I know Troy's been a real jerk lately, but don't let him get to you," Chad sighed, and took Ryan's mug away from him. "Besides, you were kind of making Kelsi mad earlier, not Troy."
"No, I mean it, that dude had better leave my family alone, Kelsi will forgive me." He yawned and looked down. "Hey, where'd my beer go?"
"Just don't do anything you'll regret," Chad advised.
"If I see his fricken face, I'll-" Before Ryan could finish, Troy walked up behind them. "Speak of the devil…" Ryan whispered more to himself then to Chad. He stumbled out of his chair and faced Troy.
"Hey, Ryan, didn't know you were here."
"Troy," Ryan smiled, and before Chad could do anything, Ryan had raised his fist and punched Tory hard enough to break his jaw. Tory faltered, his lip already dripping with blood.
Chad shot up and grabbed Ryan's arm. "Dude, that's the very definition of something you'll regret." He pulled him away from the crowd forming around Troy and towards the door. "You're too drunk right now; you're going to have to leave."
He shut the door and looked back at Troy. He saw Kelsi walk up to him, and saw Troy whisper something into her ear. She immediately frowned and slapped him. She stormed off, leaving Troy alone. He shook his head and stumbled towards Chad.
"Not a good night for my jaw now is it?"
"Troy, what did you tell her?"
"I didn't do anything!"
"You said some corny pick up line in an attempt to get her in bead with you, didn't you?"
"Maybe," he shrugged, touching his face gingerly. "I think I'm going to get a bite to eat."
"Good idea, see you later." They shook hands and Troy left the house.
Gabriella glanced at her watch and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she could get off work. She clocked out then walked out to her car. She frowned when she saw some one leaning against it. She walked around the car and frowned even more.
"Hey sexy."
"Troy, what are you doing here?" She questioned, backing up slightly.
"Got lonely," He walked closer towards her. "I want you back Gabs."
She clenched a fist. "How drunk are you?"
"Pretty drunk sexy."
"Don't call me that!" She yelled. "I'm not going back with you, you're a jerk who doesn't care about anyone but yourself."
"He smiled and reached out for her hand. "That's why I need you sexy, to change me."
She pulled her hand away and stepped back. "Troy, go find some other girl to torment, because I don't care about you anymore." She turned around and started walking away. He ran to catch up and grabbed her upper arm.
"Gabriella, I want you to come with me, mini me is getting lonely."
She tried to rip her arm from his grip, but he squeezed harder. She thrust her knee up into his crotch instead. His grip immediately loosened as he knelt over in pain.
"Mini you and my knee can play anytime," She smirked.
"Gabriella, you'll want me, just you wait!" She frowned and shook her head.
"Troy, you are the worst person I have ever met in my life, I hate you and will never want you!"
"Come on sexy-"
"Don't call me that Troy!" She said through clenched teeth.
He glanced up at her and smirked. "Fine then, I'll call you a bitch instead."
She winced as she kicked him in the crotch again.
"Bye Troy, have a good life." She turned and walked away. When she was around fifty feet away, she began to run. She didn't know why she was running; it wasn't like Troy was running after her. She just felt better doing it. Thunder boomed overhead as the clouds that had been blanketing the sky broke loose. She smiled as the rain drenched her, for now no one could see the tears racing down her cheeks.
As she ran, she thought about every guy that had asked her out, but she had turned down. She never wanted to give her heart to someone again; she never wanted to feel like she did when Troy broke it.
Because of Troy, her life was changed.
She didn't know how long she had been running, but she grew tired, and her legs refused to go any further. She stopped outside a Caribou and paced. She closed her eyes and sighed as she pulled her wet, tangled, matted hair into a pony tail. As she did this, she continued to walk, but because she couldn't see, ran into a man. She looked up, and when she saw who it was, wrapped her arms around him, the tears still running down her cheeks.
"Gabriella?" He asked, and when she didn't answer, but continued to sob, he hugged her back. "It's okay."
Even though he didn't know what had happened to her, why she was running in the rain, why she was crying, anything, she felt like he really know that it was okay. The tension of the world dissolved and was replaced with the comfort and safety of his embrace. She hugged him tighter, and she forgot everything that had been bothering her, all that she could think was how right it felt to be in his arms. She smiled as the tears stopped.
"It's all going to be alright…" He whispered, and unlike every other boy that told her this, she believed him. She didn't know how long they had been hugging, but she knew that she didn't want to stop. She loved the feeling he gave her, and knew that he was the man for her.
"Ryan, I think I love you," She whispered.
"I know," He answered.
"The funny thing is, I think I always have."
He pulled away from her and cupped her face in his hands and nodded. "I know…" She smiled as his lips crashed into hers. She thrust her arms back around him.
When they finally parted, Gabriella hugged him again before they turned towards the entrance to Caribou. "Thank you Ryan, for everything."
He smiled and nodded as he reached out and took her hand and led into Caribou. They both chuckled as they listened to the song playing in the background.
'There never was the darkest night,
Without the promise of the morning light.
It's all going to be alright,
It's all going to be alright,
Even this will pass, tomorrow comes at last.
It's all going to be alright,
It's all going to be alright,
It's all going to be alright'
Ya, well this was originally going to be based off the song, Definitely Maybe by FM Static, but I was listening to my MP3 player while writing this, and I came across this song, and it fit so much better. So I'll write a new one based off of the other song eventually. Well, tell me what you think in the form of a review. I needed a break from The Crumpled Note, but I'll continue with that now... Well, byeness!