Disclaimer: I do not own the High School Musical franchise. I do not own Jesus Christ Superstar. I intend to make no money from this enterprise. I do intend have boys make whoopee with other boys. Also, teeny tiny shout-out to Young Justice.
A/N: So, drugs are bad, mmmkay? That said, this story is based on a lot of things that happened my senior year, and if anything, I've toned the drinking, swearing, drug use and sex down. A little bit. Enjoy yourselves, if you can. Oh, and as a side-note, I haven't exactly seen any of the High School Musical movies…. So, yeah, that's a thing, I really shouldn't be writing the fanfiction. But I was in musicals in high school, and I would love to annihilate the male cast of the movie, sexually speaking, which is wildly inappropriate , but there you have it anyway. Someday I may turn this into a YA novel, but until then, let's all pretend this was a lost HSM sequel.
For now I'm treating this as a one shot, since the later chapters are coming very slowly. Don't expect an update anytime soon unless there's an overwhelming response to this story, because, like most authors, I am a serious attention whore. And if anyone feels qualified to Beta/Edit this story, let me know, because I'm lazy and don't do much editing beyond running spellcheck, like, twice.
Party All the Time
Chapter I
"Did you find it?" Ryan rolled his eyes as he dug through his closet.
"No, Chad, when I find it you'll know."
"Dude, you're such an alcoholic." Ryan smiled at the sound of someone being punched in the arm; Troy and Chad were an awful lot like twin brothers. Sometimes Ryan wondered what it would be like if he had a brother, and not a sister of dubious moral qualities.
Now that's not fair, Sharpay just likes to get her way. She had apologized for the events of the summer, after all, and Ryan knew she hadn't meant to hurt anyone, at least not much. Even losing with good grace, or at least as good as she could manage, was an important step for her.
"Found it!" Ryan said, pulling out the half-gallon glass jug of spiced rum.
"Dude, if your closet was the size of a normal person's closet, you wouldn't have this problem," Jason drawled from a chair by Ryan's desk.
"Shut up, Jason, did you bring the coke?" Troy asked.
"Yeah, right here," Jason grabbed a few bottles out of his backpack.
"Sweet," Chad rubbed his hands together. "Let's do some shots."
"Ugh, I hate taking shots," Troy said and Ryan snickered.
"Pansy," he said as Chad broke out the shot glasses from Jason's backpack.
"Someone who owns as many hats as you do cannot mock me," Troy said airily.
"Nope, he's exactly right, Bolton, you are a massive pansy," Chad said, grinning. "We'll let you chase, all right?"
"I don't need a chaser," Troy said as Ryan poured out the rum into the tiny glasses. "I just like it."
"Then come take your shot like a man," Ryan said, and the four boys picked up their glasses.
"To summertime!" Chad said, and they clinked and drank. Ryan felt the hot fumes come up his throat and the sweet, spice settle easily in his stomach. Chad smacked his lips and Troy gagged.
"Dude, this stuff is like candy, how can you drink it?" Jason asked.
"Not everyone can," Chad said, smirking at Troy who had gone pale and grabbed a coke bottle to chug from. "Let's do another!"
"Do we have to?" Troy asked, plaintively.
"We're going to take shots until you stop being such a baby," Chad replied. Troy frowned and looked nauseated, so Ryan took pity on him.
"We'll do just a couple more, but then we have to get downstairs. I don't want people coming up and finding about my secret stash," Ryan said, and Troy looked at him gratefully.
"You're soft, Evans, the boy needs discipline," Chad said.
"What the boy needs is to be drunker," Troy said. "So let's do a couple more, and then make some mixed drinks." The boys took more shots, each time toasting something different. Chad started doubling up on shots much to Troy's dismay.
"Danforth, slow down! If you get too drunk we're going to lose at 'Ruit."
"You mean beer pong," Chad corrected. Ryan looked questioningly at Jason.
" It's a drinking game. Some people call it Beirut, others call it Beer Pong. These two always fight about it."
"Beer pong is played like Ping-pong, Beirut is different, and it's called Beirut because it's Bombs over Beirut," Troy said authoritatively. Chad snorted.
"'S bullshit, Bolton, it's called Beer Pong cuz you play it with Ping-Pong balls on a Ping-Pong table."
"Well, as fascinating as this scintillating debate is, we should head downstairs," Ryan said.
"You're one of those wordy drunks, aren't you?"
"I, sir, am not drunk," Ryan said, and took three tries to screw the cap back onto his half-gallon of rum.
When the boys reappeared downstairs they were swept up in the current of the party, although more than a few people asked them where they got the cups of rum and coke. Sharpay in particular turned up her nose at Ryan, telling Zeke how she thought it was so crass to get drunk. Zeke looked a bit forlornly at his friend's drinks but stayed by his girlfriend's side.
Ryan had wandered away from the basketball boys to mingle with his smaller group of friends. Kelsi, Martha, Janine, Sarah, Tim, all his fellow drama geeks and social rebels. They were chatting in the kitchen, away from the mass of the more stereotypically popular kids that Sharpay had invited. Being around while Sharpay deliberated on whom to invite and who to exclude had been an exercise in patience for Ryan, who saw no point in excluding people simply because of some barely remembered slight from the previous year.
Sharpay, of course, kept a running log of such events, and took a seriously creepy amount of pleasure in her petty little revenges.
"You guys take this whole mixing of social groups seriously," said a guy who Ryan had never met before. He had a baseball cap on sideways and a tight black shirt that said, "F CK, all I need is U."
"Hey, Ryan, this is Paul," Janine said. Janine was a girl who wanted to be an actress but always chickened out from trying for a part and did costumes on the techie crew.
"Hello, Paul," Ryan said, shaking the other boy's hand. Paul's hands were callused and warm.
"Sup, Ryan," he looked around. "You got a nice place."
"Thanks," he said, and noticed that Paul hadn't let go of his hand, and was gently rubbing his thumb in circle around Ryan's knuckle. He flushed and took his hand back, and Paul smirked.
"Hey, Ryan!" Ryan turned to see Jason bellowing his name from the other end of the rec-room. "Where you at?"
"Oh look, it's the jock patrol," Paul said, smiling crookedly. Ryan wasn't sure what to make of that comment, but he excused himself to see what Jason wanted.
"Dude, there you are," Jason said, slinging an arm around Ryan. "Troy needs you."
"Why? What for? Is he okay?" Jason snickered,
"He's fine, it's Chad who's in trouble."
"What?" Ryan was confused.
"C'mon, this way," Jason said, dragging Ryan to the sliding glass leading outdoors. By the barbeque the boys had taken the ping-pong table and set up red keg cups in triangular formations and had a couple 30-packs of cheap beer.
"What are you guys doing?" Ryan asked and Troy turned around, grinning.
"Ryan, the man of the party!" he yelled, hoisting his cup up and the rest of the guys gave a deep cheer that almost made Ryan uncomfortable with the amount of testosterone he could feel around him.
"Troy, I heard you needed me," Ryan began before he noticed Chad was passed out on the ground next to the table. Some enterprising teens had taken off his shirt and were currently drawing penises and expletives on him. One was holding his head and coloring in a Hilter-esque mustache. "Is he okay?"
"He'll be fiiiiiiiiine," Troy said, stumbling against Ryan, and using him for support. Troy smelled like beer, BO, and some sort of sweet, cheap cologne, and his arm and side radiated heat like fire, covering Ryan and pressing into his body. He flushed and moved with Troy, keeping him upright.
"Troy? You okay?"
"Dude, I am fucking awesome. BUT!" Troy raised his index finger up high. "I need you," he jabbed said finger into Ryan's chest, "to be my Beirut partner."
"I don't know how to play," Ryan said, putting an arm tentatively around Troy's waist, and trying not to enjoy holding the other boy as much as he was. Troy raspberried and flopped his wrist dismissively.
"'S no biggie, I was carrying Chad anyways, cuz these guys SUCK," Troy yelled at the pair of guys on the other end of the table, one of whom gave Troy the finger.
"C'mon, it'll be fun."
"I don't know…"
"Please," Troy pleaded, and Ryan couldn't say no to that face, no matter how drunk it was.
"All right, as long as you tell me what to do."
"Not a problem, I'm very good with orders. I'm captain of the basketball team dontchaknow."
"I'll have to take your word for that," Ryan teased and Troy laughed, but disengaged from leaning on Ryan, who almost ached at the absence of Troy's skin and weight.
Ryan wasn't that great at the game, but Troy did manage to sink a cup each turn, and the one time Ryan made a cup was the last one, which Troy celebrated by picking Ryan up and twirling him around. For a moment he was in heaven, in Troy's arms and merrily drunk, when the police arrived.
"Guys, the cops are here, stay cool and hide the booze," someone said and within seconds Ryan saw a group of rowdy, drunken jocks function in perfect synchronization, hide everything away and hustle inside. He had to admit he was impressed by their teamwork.
Inside the party was perfectly silent as Sharpay spoke with a man in the doorway. One of the neighbors had called in a complaint and he was saying that people needed to be quiet or he'd be back to bust the party up. As soon as he left, Sharpay turned around and with anger in her eyes began to send people on their way.
Ryan said good-bye to some of his friends, but then Troy asked him for help with Chad, and he and Jason went outside to give him a hand.
"I dunno, he looks comfortable," Jason slurred, gesturing loosely at the shirtless boy covered in party graffiti.
"We're not leaving him outside overnight," Ryan said firmly.
"Yeah, so help me carry him," Troy said, grabbing Chad under his arms. Jason picked him up by a leg and Ryan grabbed his other, trying not to notice how developed Chad's leg felt. It really wasn't fair that he had all these straight boy friends that were unbelievably fit.
The three boys shuffled and stumbled over to the house, and managed to get Chad onto a couch.
"Ugh, is he drunk?" Sharpay asked, disgust painted on her face. Ryan wondered why his sister seemed surprised, what with all the obvious drinking that had gone on that evening.
"Uh, duh," Jason said, and she glowered at him, and sniffed disapprovingly.
"If he throws up he's paying to have it cleaned."
"Shar, just go, we'll take care of it," Ryan said, and his sister rolled her eyes but walked off.
"Thanks, Ryan," Troy said, and Ryan shrugged.
"Let's find him some towels and a trash can," Ryan suggested. After they'd set up Chad, Troy yawned and stretched.
"Dude, we should drink more," Jason said.
"You know, that sounds like a plan to me," Troy said, grinning. Ryan scratched the back of his neck.
"I'm not sure about that," he said slowly, and Troy and Jason swept up on either side of him.
"C'mon, Ryan, you know you want to," Troy said, squeezing his shoulder as Jason steered him towards the stairs.
"Just a couple shots, maybe watch a movie, it'll be fun," he said. Ryan smiled cautiously, but let both boys maneuver him up the stairs, leaning back into their touch, feigning resistance.
"As long as you guys promise not to throw up."
"Dude, we're pros, not like that newb asshole downstairs," Troy said, tossing his best friend to the metaphorical dogs. They walked into Ryan's room and Ryan turned on the TV as Troy and Jason wrangled up the rum and some soda.
"Hey! There's vodka back here!" Troy said, from Ryan's walk in closet. Ryan rolled his eyes.
"Stick to the rum, Troy."
"Spoilsport," Troy said as he stumbled out of Ryan's closet.
"You can barely handle rum, whatchoo think you'd do with vodka?" Jason slurred as he sank into a chair. Ryan perched on the edge of his bed and Troy dropped down next to him.
"What should we watch?" Ryan asked as Jason and Troy poured out three shots.
"Put it on Adult Swim," Jason said. Ryan flipped around until he landed on Cartoon Network, and right into the middle of a bizarre cartoon where a talking milkshake was microwaving cats. Jason and Troy both busted up laughing, so Ryan chuckled.
"This is Mr. Sparkles and he is a magician!" Jason repeated after the show.
"For Terrence!" Troy toasted up a shot, and the three boys drank. And drank. And continued drinking.
"Troy, gimme thecoke," Jason said.
"Fuck you Cross, 's my coke," Troy slurred. Jason groaned.
"'M stomach hurts."
"Get to the bathroom," Ryan said. Jason levered himself up and stumbled into Ryan's bathroom, closing the door. Ryan wrinkled his nose as he heard the sounds of Jason noisily throwing up. Troy scooted back up the bed and lay back on the pillows. After a moment, Ryan did too.
"Okay if I crash here?" Troy asked, and Ryan cleared his throat twice before he croaked out a "yes." Troy smiled and took a shot, and a swig from his almost empty coke bottle.
"Troy can I get some of that?"
"Sure thing, Ryan," he said, passing it over. Ryan took a drink and then stared at the cartoon on the TV, as a bus full of gay zombie gorillas rolled down the street.
"What the Hell are we watching?" he turned to ask Troy, who had lolled his head over on his shoulder, and was snoring softly. Ryan smiled, Troy looked more adorable than anything Ryan had ever seen before. He went into the bathroom, to check on Jason, and saw the other Wildcat passed sleeping on the toilet. He levered Jason's head down, and put a towel under him as a pillow.
Then he went to his own bed, and paused. Troy had rolled over on his side and Ryan debated taking his clothing off and slipping under the covers. Somehow, though, he thought Troy might be uncomfortable with that. So instead he turned off the light, and settled down on the opposite side of the bed. The world tilted as he lay down, and within minutes he was asleep.
Ryan woke the next morning feeling hot, too hot. As he slowly came awake, he felt a blanket of firm heat covering his back and curling up between his legs. He tried to move away, but something around his chest tightened and he couldn't fight its grip. Ryan blinked and yawned, finally opening his eyes and smacking his lips, and saw one lean, tan arm curled around his chest.
He jumped, startled, and Troy simply gripped him tighter, mumbling against Ryan's back. Ryan froze, as his brain went into overdrive. What would Troy think if he woke up, he wasn't out, but everyone probably knew, would Troy freak out, and he couldn't move and he didn't want to move because oh God he wanted nothing more than to snuggle back into Troy's body and lace his fingers with Troy's hand wrapped around his chest resting just above where his heart was beating furiously.
The frantic inner monologue slowed to a halt when Troy murmured something against his back and yawned.
"Uh, hey, Troy," Ryan said, and Troy came awake, sort of.
"Hey lil' spoon," Troy mumbled, and didn't move. Ryan stayed tense and Troy tugged him back into his body. "Relax, head hurts." Almost unwillingly, but more willingly than he cared to let on, Ryan relaxed, and savored the feeling of Troy holding him. Within a couple minutes Troy's breathing had evened out and he'd fallen back asleep. Ryan sighed, and decided that he might as well enjoy himself while he could. He put his hand over Troy's, and scooted himself back into Troy's body.
Ryan didn't remember falling asleep, only feeling content and satisfied until darkness overcame him, but when he woke up Troy was gone, and there was a quilt from his closet covering him. He got up and investigated the bathroom: Jason was gone, and downstairs Chad was gone, along with all the mess form last night. He could smell something delicious, and he followed his nose into the kitchen.
"Well, well ,well, look what crawled out of its den," Sharpay commented snidely as Ryan turned the corner. Zeke looked up from his position by the oven, and smiled. Metal bowls and measuring cups covered the granite top island in the middle of the massive kitchen, flour and sugar and some fruits spread around cutting boards and muffin trays.
"Hey, Ryan, I made banana-apple-walnut muffins and blueberry scones, want some?"
"You are the best person I have ever met, Zeke, and I think I love you," Ryan said as Zeke handed him a plate. Zeke knew, he was dating Sharpay after all, and he'd been surprisingly tolerant. Ryan had thought that
"Sorry, dude, I'm dating your sister."
"Shar I hate you," Ryan said as he bit into a warm scone and almost groaned at how good it tasted.
"I'm surprise you have the energy to hate me, Ryan, what with your classy drinking escapade last night."
"Get off your high horse," Ryan responded as he got out some milk. Sharpay sniffed and Zeke came over to sit by her.
"The house was a mess, and if those boys hadn't cleaned up after everyone, mom and dad would kill us when they get home," Sharpay continued. Ryan rolled his eyes, their parents weren't due home for another week and a half, but if Sharpay weren't melodramatic then he didn't know what he'd do with her.
"Who did what now?"
"Troy, Chad and Jason scattered around the house, picking up beer cans and putting dirty towels and stuff in the washer and dryer," Zeke explained.
"I was going to wake you up to help, but Troy said you were tired and needed sleep," Sharpay added snidely. "You don't seem hung-over to me."
"Well, I'm not, I didn't even drink that much."
"Dude, Ryan, Troy told me you drank almost as much as he did, and you guys nearly polished off that handle of C-Mo, you must have some crazy-ass tolerance," Zeke said, almost amazed.
"Yes because drinking large quantities of alcohol is such a valuable and healthy life-skill," Sharpay said. Ryan rolled his eyes again and stood up, grabbing another muffin on his way out.
"I'm gonna go shower, thanks for the food, Zeke," he said and walked back upstairs.
He didn't hear from Troy, or Chad, for a couple days, before he got a text message from both of them asking what he was doing on Friday night. He told them he had no plans. Both boys texted him to ask if they could come over and have a low-key party before school started up. Normally Ryan would have been hesitant to have a party just before his parents came home from a trip, but Chad had called it low-key and Troy had said only a couple people.
He spent the next couple of days trying not to be too excited about the boys coming over. On the one hand his friendship with the basketball players was fairly new, on the other hand, they were all ridiculously cute and fit, and they wanted to spend time with him. At least Chad, Troy, and Jason did. Most of his friends were either drama geeks, or techie-geeks, or girls that hung out with Sharpay, and all of them were either Sharpay approved or weren't afraid of her (which tended to limit his choices). Ryan liked to think he wasn't shallow, had his own mind and didn't need anyone to approve of him. But he had to admit that there was something about the attention he got from the basketball jocks that felt good, like a dessert treat he only allowed himself to enjoy on occasion.
And maybe Troy would pass out on his bed again.
Ryan spent the next few days stocking up for the party, getting chips, dip, and making sure there was plenty of soda around for Troy to drink. He also went out and visited the liquor store with his fake ID to get some classy alcohol, like a fifth of Gray Goose and a bottle of Gentleman Jack Daniels.
When Friday rolled around, Ryan spent a good four hours preparing himself, picking out the perfect outfit, both casual and classy, not too gay but still stylish, and somewhat expendable because he wasn't sure what might happen. He also went online and looked up drinking games, trying to learn the rules of what he might be playing on Friday.
Troy showed up first, just after Sharpay had left to go meet Zeke for a matinee movie. Ryan flew down the stairs after he saw Troy's truck pull up the drive, and as soon as Troy rang the doorbell Ryan pulled open the door.
"Hey," Ryan said, smiling. Troy grinned back. He was wearing a pair of tight jeans and a plain white t-shirt that Ryan had to avert his eyes from, lest he be caught staring at Troy's nipples.
"Hey yourself. How you doin'?"
"Well, thanks for asking," Ryan said, closing the door after Troy stepped in out of the heat.
"Man the AC in your house is killer," Troy said, "My truck's is busted, and it's too hot even with the windows down. I feel all sweaty." Ryan was glad Troy had walked past him because he had to close his eyes for a second and not look at Troy's too tight shirt or ass.
"That sounds terrible," Ryan said.
"Yeah it sucks. So, how you feeling after the other day?"
"I'm okay, wasn't even hung-over the next morning," Ryan said.
"Lucky bastard," Troy smirked. "And sorry I used you as m personal pillow, but I'm told I'm a cuddly sleeper."
"Oh, it was—that's fine."
"Yeah, I mean when we get that wasted there's usually some very manly cuddling that can happen," Troy said, grinning. "Sorry if it was a surprise."
"I didn't mind," Ryan said.
"Yeah, I didn't think you would," Troy said, looking pointedly at Ryan.
"I thought that's why you would mind," Ryan said, scuffing his foot on the floor. Troy shrugged.
"It's not gay as long as you're the big spoon," he said, waggling his eyebrows and Ryan flushed. "But anyways, Chad should be here soon, and then Jason and Martha. Anyone else you wanna call?"
"I called Kelsi, and she might show up," Ryan said, and Troy nodded.
"Sweet deal." Troy got a mischievous look in his eyes. "Wanna pre-party?"
"Pre-party?"
"You know, when you get drunk before the party. Usually because there might not be enough booze at the party—oh that reminds me, here," Troy pulled out some cash to give to Ryan who shook his head.
"No worries, Troy."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, let's just go take some drinks. I got a lot of soda for you," Ryan said, and Troy smiled widely.
"Thanks, man, you're awesome." Ryan led Troy into the kitchen where he'd put out the selection of bottles, including some of the specialized liqueurs that his parents had.
"Wow, this is a spread and a half," Troy said, letting out a low whistle. "Where did you get all this? Are you sure you don't want some cash?"
"Yeah, half of this stuff is from my parent's bar, and as long as I don't take my dad's single malt he doesn't really notice," Ryan said. "Or anything from the wine cellar."
"Nice," Troy said, mixing himself a rum and vodka coke. Ryan decided to be classy and use the recipe for an appletini he got online, which Troy grinned at.
"Nice drink, you come here often?" Ryan laughed at the bad joke and felt a bit silly for acting like he had a crush on Troy, even if he did, a little bit.
"I'm here all the time, actually. I own this place," Ryan said. "And drinks are on the house for friends of the management." Troy lifted his glass.
"Then this one's for the management," Troy said, taking a long drink. Ryan sipped his appletini. "You ever seen Scrubs?"
"Once or twice, why?"
"Oh there's a series long joke about appletinis, if you don't know it, don't worry." The two of them talked about TV for a while, Troy liked to watch funny shows and 24, while Ryan enjoyed well-acted dramas.
"And, you know, any show that does a musical episode," Ryan said. "Although my absolute favorite is the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
"I haven't seen that one," Troy said, taking another pull off his drink. The doorbell rang and Ryan crept up the door to peek through the eyehole.
"Yo, I can hear you two having fun, lemme in," Chad yelled, pounding on the door.
"You can't hear shit, you alcoholic!" Troy bellowed from behind Ryan. "Don't let him in, he'll drink all the booze!" Ryan giggled and opened the door.
"Ryan, my main man, wassup dude?" Chad initiated a complicated handshake with Ryan that the blond boy couldn't quite follow, but gave his best shot. "I thought I heard someone being a dick, is Troy here?"
"Why, if it isn't Chadwick Danforth, my arch-nemesis," Troy said, arching one eyebrow. "You dare show your face around here again?"
"Troyella Boltonia, Queen of Bitchery, I thought I left your skank ass in Denmark, how dare you follow me here," Chad said, and Ryan could smell something smoky and unfamiliar around Chad. Then the wild haired boy giggled and Troy laughed.
"Dude, you look so baked, how did you even drive over here?" Ryan blinked in surprise; he'd never even seen weed before, at least not in real life, only in movies or TV shows.
"I smoked on the way, duh," Chad said, slipping past Troy into the kitchen. "Holy shit! I sense great booze within the Force."
"I know, Ryan's awesome, isn't he?" Troy smiled widely at Ryan, his white teeth and tanned skin making Ryan's heart skip a beat and his cheeks heat up.
"I guess that explains why I found you curled up around him from the other night," Chad said as he poured out a shot of vodka. Ryan stood very still, unsure of what Troy would say.
"Jealous, Chadders? It's usually you being little spoon, after all."
"Only because you're such an animal in bed," Chad shot back to Troy. Ryan coughed into his fist.
"Sorry man, are we making you uncomfortable?" Troy asked, and Ryan wondered if he could fall further in love with Troy, or if he'd just slowly go insane with repressed affection.
"Not entirely, I just didn't think that straight boys were so… gay," Ryan said.
"Don't tell anyone, especially our girlfriends, it'd either freak them out, or excite them entirely too much," Chad said, as he took another shot, this time of whiskey.
"Yeah, plenty of guys are ready to drop the fag-bomb at a moments notice, but that's mostly water polo players and other dudes insecure with their gay selves," Troy said. Ryan nodded, fascinated by this inside glimpse, however skewed, into the world of male sports. "And baseball players, although they're not assholes, usually."
"I play baseball," Ryan reminded Troy.
"Oh yeah, forgot about that," Troy said.
"That's cuz you're a dick," Chad pointed at Troy accusingly. "And what Troy isn't saying is that we ball outrageous and rule the school, so what we call cool goes, ya know?"
"Dude you better not start free styling, because I am not drunk enough to listen to that crap," Troy joked, somewhat. The two boys kept up a ready repartee of banter and shoulder punching, but never excluding Ryan. It felt good, like Ryan was finally one of the guys in a way he hadn't ever been before, even when he was younger and played baseball. He'd still been the sensitive one, the boy who cried when his mom couldn't make it to a game and couldn't have sleepovers because he'd get sick and throw up if he was away from his house for too long.
The doorbell rang and Ryan went to answer it. Jason stood at the door, grinning and grabbed Ryan into a one-arm hug, thumping him firmly on the back.
"Sup, bro? I hear those two foolios in the back, they in the kitchen?"
"Yeah, that's where the party is," Ryan said. "Is Martha coming?"
"Nah she bailed, and so did Kelsi. Just us guys tonight."
"Yo Jason my brother I call sun cuz he shines like one, wassup?" Chad said, easily exchanging another complex handshake that this time the other boy kept up with. Ryan shook his head as Troy and Jason traded a manly chest bump and started passing around shots.
"To getting fucked up!" Troy toasted, and the four each pounded their drink. Troy gagged and drank some 7-Up, while Jason hummed happily to himself.
"Nice whiskey, dude, Mr. Daniels always treats me right," he said. Ryan wasn't sure what the plan might have been, but apparently it was for the four of them to get as drunk as possible in as little time as possible, because they didn't even play a drinking game. Instead they just stood around the kitchen, getting progressively tipsier and laughing more uproariously at more stupid things that they said to each other.
Eventually they moved into the Evans' projector room to watch a movie. Jason had brought over a horror movie, and insisted on turning all the lights off, closing the door, and turning the volume on the surround sound up to maximum. The four boys hopped onto a couch and munched on chips, salsa and more alcohol.
"AYIEEE," Chad screamed, as the villain eviscerated the fat sheriff, and buried his face in a pillow. Jason laughed at him, and Troy called him a pussy, while Ryan just smiled and patted him on the arm. But when Ryan jumped at the pretty virgin girl screaming when she saw the cat-beast outside her window, none of the boys said anything mean to him, and Troy even slung an arm around him for a few, lovely, wonderful moments.
At the end of the movie, Ryan showed them how they could watch TV on the projector as well, or even surf the Internet.
"Oh dude, this would be epic if you could watch porn on it," Jason said.
"Horn-dog," Chad accused him dramatically.
"Shut up, just cuz you two assholes have girlfriends doesn't mean everyone does."
"Having a girlfriend doesn't mean you're getting any," Troy said glumly.
"Maybe not your girlfriend, but mine isn't afraid of doing anything more than a little kissy-kiss," Chad said and Troy grumbled as Ryan coughed politely into his fist, a move he found himself making more often the more time he spent with the boys.
"Sorry, Ryan, I've been bitching to the guys, cuz Gabi is like, afraid of going under clothing," Troy explained, slurring his words only a little. "And it's, like, a total bummer cuz she's got a rocking body."
"I'm sorry your hot, sensitive, smart girlfriend doesn't put out, Troy, that's not really a problem I've run into," Ryan said.
"You ever had a boyfriend, Ryan?" Chad asked, and Ryan shook his head.
"No, but, you know… I've been around." The boys focused all their attention on Ryan.
"Are you a virgin?" Jason asked and Ryan scratched the back of his neck.
"Well, kinda."
"Kinda? What's that mean?" Troy asked.
"Just that—do we have to talk about this?" All three boys shook their heads.
"So should we watch another movie?" Troy switched the subject.
"I think we should smoke some pot," Chad said, and Jason's face lit up.
"Chronic! You got a blunt wrap?"
"Don't I always?" Chad said, and reached up into his hair and pulled out a fully rolled thin brown cigar.
"Uh, is that going to stink up the house?" Ryan asked. He didn't want to kill the party, but if the house smelled like weed, his parents might notice.
"Not if we smoke it outside," Chad said. "You got a place that's, like, out of sight?"
"There's a gazebo we could use," Ryan said, slowly.
"Awesome, let's go," Troy said, trying to stand up, and sprawling across the floor, laughing. Chad stumbled over his best friend, leaning against Jason as they mocked Troy. Ryan reached down and helped haul Troy up.
"Dude, how are you still so, uh, sober?" Troy asked Ryan as he leaned against him.
"Good genes, I guess," Ryan said, and then tripped, Troy falling on top of him with a grunt. Troy started laughing again, his chest vibrating against Ryan's torso entirely too pleasantly.
"Not good enough, apparently," Troy said as he levered himself up, and pulled Ryan to his feet. "Let's get to it."
"I've never smoked pot before," Ryan said and Troy looked at him seriously.
"Do you want to? Because if you don't, that's totally fine."
"No, no I want to try it, but I just…." Ryan shrugged and Troy grinned.
"Don't worry, Chad loves newbies, but we should bring some soda with us." The two boys went to the kitchen and picked up one of the liter bottles of 7-Up and then went outside.
"Ryan where's this gazebra of yours?" Jason asked.
"It's a GAZEBO douche-tard," Chad said, shoving Jason, who stumbled sideways for a few feet before regaining his balance.
"This way, around the side of the house," Ryan said, being careful when stepping off the porch to not trip onto the grass. The sun was inching it's way down the sky, but it was still light out despite being almost 8 o'clock. As the boys stumbled their way across the yard, Ryan thanked his luck star that his parents lived in a ridiculously rich neighborhood where each house was separated by at least a few acres on either side. They found the gazebo and the boys sat down in the wicker chairs in the shade, all of them sweating from the remainder of the dessert heat.
"Dude, it is still way too hot out," Troy said, his face flushed from drinking and walking. He stripped off his shirt, and slumped back in his chair, sighing in relief.
Someone, Ryan Evans thought to himself, as irritated as if his thoughts were sandpaper, ought to outlaw Troy Bolton's pelvis and chest. Having a body like that, and just flaunting it about like that, was purely criminal.
"Let's spark this shit up," Chad said, pulling out a lighter and started smoking his blunt. He took a few deep inhales and coughed, smiling. "Good stuff."
"Pass that, bro, Ryan's never done this before," Troy said, and Chad frowned.
"But then I have to pass it to the right…"
"Shut up Chad, and help Ryan out," Jason said, drunkenly waving a hand. Chad turned to Ryan.
"Okay, watch me, and do what I do. You gotta inhale the smoke, deep into your lungs, but only do a little bit at first," Chad said, and took a deep puff, held it, and slowly let the smoke out. He held out the blunt to Ryan, who took it a bit nervously, and mimicked Chad. The smoke burned, but not the same as a cigarette, and pretty mild compared to the clove cigarettes that some of his drama friends smoked.
"Not bad, you're like a pro," Troy said, clapping Ryan on the shoulder as he blew out the smoke. "Now take another."
Ryan did, and this time he coughed, doubling over as pain wracked his diaphragm. Someone, Troy, took the blunt out of his hand, and handed him the soda to drink. He chugged it and it eased his pain, but only a little. His head felt stuffy as if someone had filled it with cotton swabs and then fluffed them, and as he sat up the world spun around him.
"Ooooooo look at him, he's so high," Chad giggled in an eerily high-pitched voice. Ryan wasn't sure if he liked being high, but he did enjoy the way the other boys treated him, and he really enjoyed sitting next to a shirtless Troy Bolton, who had tight little nipples sitting on well-formed pectorals. Troy took a deep hit off the blunt and then tried to blow some smoke rings, and Ryan tried very hard not to stare at Troy's open mouth, and the flex of his throat and jaw.
The four boys sat around and although Ryan attempted to pass when the blunt came back around to him, Troy talked him into taking another hit, so that when they got up to walk back inside, Ryan was giggling helplessly at everything, especially the way Jason fell down and simply couldn't get back up. Chad wound up hauling the other boy into a fireman carry, while Troy whipped them with his t-shirt.
When they made it back to the house, Ryan saw his sister standing on the porch, hands on her hips and a scowl perfectly highlighted by the fading light. Of course even nature would bow to Sharpay's desire for drama.
"I swear, Ryan, your taste in friends is decidedly lacking. This house is not just some party place for you to hang out and get drunk at—is that marijuana?" Sharpay screeched and the three boys froze as Ryan sighed.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Zeke said, walking out with an apron on him and a cute little chef's hat that Ryan thought looked suspiciously familiar. "Sharpay, you like mint and lime, right? Because I think I can whip up a lime icing with these mint cookies."
"Don't try and placate me with baked goods right now, Baylor, you're on probation for that piss-poor movie choice you made and your friends are going to leave, now!" Sharpay was angry, and Ryan suddenly, and brashly, felt angry as well.
"You aren't the only person who lives here, Sharpay, and they're my friends too, so why don't you just shut up, go sulk upstairs, and let us have some fun?" Sharpay gaped like a fish out of water, and blinked about hundred times in a second.
"Oh my god! I cannot believe you are talking to me in that tone, Ryan Alexander Evans!"
"Well, believe it," Ryan said, swaggering up to his sister. "So scat." Sharpay looked at the other boys, and then sniffing disdainfully, stalked off.
"Dude, that was fucking amazing," Jason said, apparently having woken up. Chad scowled up at him and promptly dumped him on the porch. Jason swore and groaned in pain as Troy let out a low whistle.
"Damn, Ryan, you have some serious cojones," he said. Zeke was the only one who didn't look excited; instead he had slumped into a chair, looking dejected.
"She totally hates me," he moaned and Ryan felt a bit guilty, and patted him gently on the shoulder.
"She'll come around… but what movie did you take her too?"
"Exploding Explosions II: Return of the Dynamite Lord." Ryan sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Next time, just call me and ask what you should take her to."
"Zeeeeeeeeeke are you gonna make those cookies? I'm hungry," Chad whined noisily and was soon joined by Jason and Troy.
"I'm not making jack for you guys, you scared off my girl," he said. The three boys moaned dramatically and declared they were in need of more alcohol. Ryan stood with Zeke for a minute and then followed them inside, where Chad and Jason had pressured Troy into finishing off the rum from the other night.
"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" Ryan watched with a sort of sick awe as Troy drained the rum from the half-gallon glass bottle. The brunette boy let loose a huge belch after he finished, shuddered and grabbed the nearest bottle of soda to take a deep pull off that as well.
"Straight baller status, boyee!" Chad said, doing a little dance. "Wildcat wildin' out!"
"Oh God, that burns," Troy moaned, as he braced himself against the counter, and shook his head slowly.
"You okay?" Ryan asked, Troy, coming up to put a gentle hand between Troy's muscular shoulders.
"Yeah, I'll be fine, just gimme a second," Troy said, shrugging Ryan's hand off. For a second Ryan felt hurt before he reminded himself that Troy probably didn't mean anything by it.
"I'm hungry," Jason complained. "We should get food."
"Yes, yes we should," Chad said, attempting to stroke his chin, which looked a bit odd when he was weaving while standing still. "Zeke, you must drive us to—to Denny's!"
"Yes, breakfast at night," Jason crowed and Zeke rolled his eyes.
"And why should I do that?"
"Because it'll get us out of the house and that will make Sharpay happy," Chad suggested.
"Only until we come back," Zeke said, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.
"Then do it for your captain," Chad said, pointing at Troy, who smiled blearily and then swayed so far Ryan was worried he would fall.
"Denny's good," Troy said and Zeke sighed.
"All right, let's go get in the car." Jason and Chad cheered, and Ryan carefully led Troy out to Zeke's car.
"Shotgun," Jason shouted, as soon as he got outside, and raced to the car, stumbling across the hood of the car. Ryan helped Troy into the car, and then went around the other side where Chad was holding the door.
"I don't ride bitch," he said simply, and Ryan rolled his eyes, but got in anyways. It was cozy, but Ryan didn't mind, even if Troy was drooling somewhat and had his head lying against the window.
Ryan had never been to a Denny's before, if in the rare event his family ate out for breakfast food, they went to an upscale diner that one of his mother's friend's husband was a silent partner in, downtown.
When they got the restaurant they had barely sat down when Troy, having turned an almost green color, dashed off to the bathroom. He returned a few minutes later, looking a bit better, but still pale and barely able to keep his head up off the table. A waiter came by their table after a few minutes to ask if they were ready.
"I require waffles, and whipped cream, and berries," Chad said, slapping down his menu. "Por favor."
"Dude, you should eat fat and protein if you're drunk," Jason slurred, "Can I get the eggs, bacon and hash brown plate?" Ryan lingered over the healthy section of the menu, and then decided he didn't care right then about that, and picked the buttermilk pancakes with a side of bacon.
"Well if you're all doing breakfast food, I guess I'll get the French toast, sausage, bacon and eggs," Zeke said. "Troy, you want anything?"
"Water," the boy in question croaked, "Toast." The waiter smirked.
"Rough night?" Troy groaned.
"He's a big pansy, ignore him," Chad said. "Oh, and can I have a chocolate milkshake?"
"Sure thing, you guys happy with all that?" They nodded and the waiter left.
"I can't believe you said you were drunk in front of him," Ryan said.
"Yeah, like he couldn't tell," Zeke said. "Do you have any idea how fucked up you guys look?" Ryan blinked, he didn't feel like he looked that messed up, and said so.
"Trust me, you do, I mean, Troy-boy over there is a dead giveaway anyway, but the rest of you look like you're about to start bleeding from the eyes," Zeke said.
"'S not like it matters, it's fucking Denny's, man," Chad said. When the food came, Ryan was surprised at how hungry he was, and proud of himself for not having nearly as much trouble with his flatware as Chad and Jason did. Troy roused himself and rallied around to drink some water and eat some plain toast, only to hustle off to the bathroom a few minutes later.
"He's yuking like crazy, why did you guys make him kill that handle of rum?" Zeke asked, and Chad shrugged.
"Cuzff it vwasf thur," he said around a mouthful of waffle. "And Troy's a big boy, he should be able to handle his liquor." The four boys, ranging from sober to fairly drunk, looked at Troy, who burbled unhappily and didn't move his head from the table.
"Clearly you guys are geniuses," Zeke said dryly, and Ryan snickered. After they finished eating they drove back to Ryan's house, and managed to get Troy into the movie room for another movie. Zeke went upstairs to see if Sharpay was speaking to other human beings, and returned a few moments later looking sheepish.
"She's not too happy with the world right now, so I'll chill with you guys."
"It takes many moons for most men to learn the true value of the 'bros before hoes' code, congratulation, young Padawan," Chad said gravely.
"The only time that phrase isn't gay is when House says it," Jason said, and then glanced nervously at Ryan.
"Don't worry, I think it's pretty gay too," he said, and Jason grinned at him, relieved. It felt weird, to Ryan, navigating the social waters of interaction with this group of guys, but it felt good, like moving muscles he'd long forgotten about, and stretching them in directions he hadn't been aware existed.
"Mrmsphlgrh," Troy mumbled and tried to stand up only to roll onto the floor start mumbling into the carpet. Chad nudged him with a foot, hard, and cackled.
"We should draw on him," he said, clearly anxious for a bit of revenge from last week's party. Troy was apparently awake enough to flip Chad off, although his aim was more towards the ceiling than his best friend.
"I'm gonna grab a drink, you guys want anything?" Zeke asked as he stood up.
"Just bring the bottle of JD in here, and something to chase," Jason said as he pulled out a DVD from Ryan's family's collection. "Oooh, let's watch Blazing Saddles, that shit is hilarious."
The boys turned on the movie and settled down, continuing to drink and make merry. Chad had propped his feet on Troy's butt, so Ryan did the same between Troy's shoulder blades, although he did deign to avoid kicking Troy periodically as Chad did. Until about three quarters of the way through the movie when Troy suddenly came to life and dragged Chad onto the floor by his leg to wrestle with him.
"Hey," Zeke said, warningly, "HEY. Don't spill my drink, asswipes." The two boys on the ground paused and then with matching grins lunged for Zeke. Ryan squeaked and moved out of the way on the couch as they tackled their friend in tandem. Jason laughed and pointed at them like a kid watching the monkeys throw poop at each other.
"Oh. My. God." All the boys froze and looked up at Sharpay, who was staring at them, horrified, from the doorway. Ryan wondered if his sister knew that appearing horrified all the time somewhat negated the impact of it.
"Sharpay!" Zeke said, shoving Chad off him and pushing Troy aside. He stood up and brushed his hair with one hand while straightening his shirt with the other. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here, retard," she said in a tone that could peel carrots and boil water. "And—are you drunk?" Zeke froze guiltily and Sharpay let loose a small scream of frustration.
"RYAN! If you insist on breaking the law and drinking and using drugs in this house, I will thank you not to expose my boyfriend to it, if you value your life," she yelled, and grabbed Zeke by the arm to haul him out of the room. The last thing the boys saw was Zeke's dopey grin as he left, trailing in Sharpay's wake.
"He is so whipped," Chad said, making Troy and Jason bust up. Ryan was a bit worried about Sharpay's ultimatum but decided to put it out of his mind. He couldn't do anything about how his sister thought, and it wasn't like he was the one who threw that massive party last week.
"Hey, Ryan, would it be okay if we smoked some more?" Chad asked, and Ryan shrugged.
"It's a little cold outside," he said, "so I don't know where we could go."
"What about your room?" Troy asked. "We can just open some windows and spray some air freshener in the hallway."
"Would that work?"
"Yeah, the smell doesn't even stick around that much, usually just for a couple hours," Chad said waving his hand dismissively. So the boys trooped upstairs, with Jason helping Troy up the stairs, and Chad grabbing some vodka from the kitchen.
"Do you guys drink like this a lot?" Ryan asked as they entered his room.
"This summer has been kinda crazy, it's why some of us have such high tolerance," Chad said. "But yeah, one of the perks of playing sports is that the seniors always get you wasted."
"And now we're seniors," Jason said, grinning. "So we're prepping for getting the froshies absolutely shit-faced this year."
"Drinking's fun," Troy said, as he fell face first onto Ryan's bed and slid slowly down to the floor. Chad absent-mindedly kicked him in the side as he pulled another blunt out of his hair.
"How many of those do you keep up there?" Ryan asked, amazed at Chad's hair's storage capacity.
"This is my last one, but sometimes I lose pencils up there." Troy giggled and Chad glowered at him, "and sometimes, certain assholes, who shall remain nameless, put things like paper-clips in my hair, and then I have to regulate."
"Yeah cuz you straight gangsta," Jason sneered and Chad frowned.
"Shut the fuck up," he said, "or I won't spark this." Ryan opened the windows of his room and Jason grabbed a towel from his bathroom, and showed Ryan how lining it along the bottom of the door supposedly kept the smoke and smell from creeping out. He watched and occasionally participated as the boys drank the fifth of vodka and smoked the blunt, filling his room with smoke, which Chad called "murk."
How long they stayed in that room drinking and smoking, Ryan couldn't tell, despite looking at the clock multiple times, until finally he couldn't really read it and wished he had a nice digital clock. At one point Chad disappeared into his bathroom and then Jason vanished downstairs looking for food, and it was just Troy and Ryan again, propped up on Ryan's bed watching TV.
Troy had rolled onto his side and was dozing, and Ryan was about to slide into sleep when someone knocked on the door. He lifted up his head, and blearily rubbed his eyes as Zeke slid into the room.
"Hey, dude, Jason's passed out downstairs, I'm just checking on Chad," he said quietly, but Troy woke up and yawned, stretching out obscenely on Ryan's bed, his shirt riding up revealing the tantalizing V-shape leading down to his groin.
"'M fucken drunk," he said and Ryan giggled.
"So am I," he said, as he sat fully up and the room spun. "Whoah…."
Zeke closed the door to the bathroom, and waved to the two boys. "Night guys, see you tomorrow."
"You're sleeping over?" Ryan asked and Zeke flushed, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah, see yah." The door closed with a click, and Troy groaned, sticking one hand down the front of his pants. Ryan's eyes went wide.
"Fuckin ghetto, he's gettin' some," Troy complained.
"That's my sister, dude, gross," Ryan said, unable to take his eyes off Troy scratching himself.
"I'm horny," he said suddenly, and Ryan felt a gloriously cold thrill of apprehension. Suddenly he turned to look at Ryan, and his eyes were half-closed but compelling, and Ryan felt pinned like a butterfly. Troy levered himself up and slid next to Ryan, their eyes even with one another as he put an arm around Ryan's slightly trembling shoulders.
"You should suck me off," Troy slurred, his hand tracing down Ryan's spine even as his lightning seemed to emanate from every spot his fingers touched. The soft warmth of alcohol and weed flared up like tinder under Troy's words, and Ryan gasped as Troy took his hand out from his pants, and grabbed Ryan's (his hand was still warm from being in his pants, Ryan noticed helplessly) and led it down his body.
"Troy, I don't—" Ryan wasn't sure what he was going to say, probably something about Chad being in the bathroom and his sister could walk in and he didn't know because the second he made contact through Troy's jeans his breath came up short and caught in his throat and lungs.
"Please," Troy said, pleading, his hand on Ryan's back coming up to gently tug on his shoulder. "It'll feel good."
Ryan gulped. A part of his mind gibbered in perversely terrified pleasure, and he found himself undoing Troy's fly, pulling the zipper down while Troy's hand guided him, insistent but gently enough so that he wasn't forcing Ryan to do anything. The rest of Ryan's mind was racing, along with his heart beating a frenzied rhythm in his chest, and then he was touching Troy, Troy who arched into his grip and groaned and tugged Ryan down again. And Ryan went.
It didn't take long, Ryan had barely begun to enjoy himself past the sick anxiety in his throat and feel the heat of Troy's body inside his mouth when the other boy stiffened. Ryan swallowed once and then choked. He scrambled off the bed and spat out in his wastepaper basket, trying to get the salty-bittersweet flavor off his tongue. He felt sick and still unbelievably aroused.
He stood up and looked on his bed at Troy, who had closed his eyes with a dopey grin on his face and rolled onto his side. He was snoring. Ryan sighed, his emotions churning like a sick stew made of leftovers.
"You're lucky I'm such a good friend," he said quietly, more than a little bitterly. With a sigh Ryan stood up, and went to go wash his mouth out. After he was done, he settled down onto his bed, and went to sleep with Troy at his back.
The next morning, when he woke up, Troy, along with Chad, Jason and Zeke, were gone.