After the picture taking, the smiles, the laughter and the drinks, the evening waned on, soon, it was just a few Wildcats left in the basement spilling how much time changed

everything. It was a motley crew if you weren't from East High.Former basketball teammates, the drama club, and the math club, all together in one room. Better yet, they

were"friendly" with one another, even years including college, jobs, living in different cities spanning the country.


Ryan had another hat covering his eyes; he lounged, silently agreeing to himself that being buzzed had its merits. Some of the exhaustion of the last months left his body sagging

on the chair, he was home, he could feel his dad's pat on theback, smell his mother's perfume, his ears vibrated with Sharpay's joie de vie. His eyes hidden by shadows finally

ested on Gabriella. He dated other girls, a few blonde, mostly they were dark haired like her, with dark eyes. None seemed to match her twinkle though.

She looked tired, or rather, a bit stressed around her eyes. He watched Troy being carrion circling her, but even now, he still couldn't step up. He felt a flush of shame creep

across his face; he took another draught of his beer. Gabriella was still beautiful. He wanted to head to her Stanford graduation, but with his schooling, his lack of time off, he

wasn't able to. Idiot he was, he even only sent yellow roses on her achievement. Math was still her thing, but to as what she was doing now, he didn't even know. Ryan pulled

his cell phone out of his pocket, tapped a few keys, hit send. He stood up, stretched, and quietly crept up the stairs to the kitchen.


Gabriella was drained. She just finished packing up her apartment in California, dragged her stuff to Seattle, came home for the meet-up to see the gang, pack up more stuff, and

besides transitioning to her new position, plus feeling older, she had to feel Troy grope her every damn five minutes. In high school it was a wonderful feeling to have curves

appreciated, in college even better to have them aroused, but now, with Troy, sure the boy had game hands; it was just too bad he played more than one ball at a time. She still

felt pissed off at him, and probably always will, but damn, he still look good. She looked down at her hands as she stepped away from Troy again, making steps toward the

jukebox in the corner. She kept playing music in the hopes that it would keep Sharpay from revving up the karaoke machine. Only Sharpay Evans would have a karaoke

recording of every musical she ever starred in. At least Zeke and Shar hadn't seen each other in awhile, so that helped. Of all the floating couples in the room, it seemed only she

and Troy hadn't held strong. She looked around and noticed Ryan was gone. Even he had remained steady flitting from girl to girl oncehe hit down on his studies. She once

made a joke on how he was always going for darker beauties, he just responded that he spent most his life controlled by blondes, and there was no baggage with brunettes.


Gabriella paused looking at the songs as she felt Troy press up against her, yet again, she began to sigh.

She was tired of this every time she came home to Albuquerque, how he believed she was his the moment she stepped within fifty feet of him. Her back pocket chirruped at her,

"Thank God for Jason," she whispered to herself, and stepped aside from Troy. "And thank goodness for Kelsi too," as that couple and the others spent the evening sending

messages to her in the act of her job calling for her attention. She looked down at the tiny screen, Gabriella found herself looking at a Washington area code. Slightly surprised,

she didn't know the number, but it might actually be work. Gabriella excused herself from the gang, and went up the stairs to the kitchen so she could read the text and give the

caller a ring back. As she went up the stairs, Sharpay cried out for her to ask the staff to send another round of drinks and appetizers down. Gabriella waved her hand in

acknowledgment as she used her other to unblock the incoming message to read it.


Chad watched her walk away and wondered what happened to the Troy and Gabriella of their junior year. He knew that the last year or so Troy was indeed an ass, but

Gabriella was still Troy's first love. There had to be something there still, Taylor would have his balls if she knew he was thinking of how to get the two back together again. He

stepped up to his brother and as usual, the talk turned to basketball and other myriad of sports that had weekend highlights. As he talked with Troy, he kept glancing at Taylor,

and once again, his back pocket was heavy.

He looked at Troy, and pulled him back to the jukebox to look at the music. "Hey Bro," Chad whispered, "I am going to ask her tonight."

Troy felt his back stiffen. Taylor supported Chad all these years, and he admitted it, there was a devotion Chad had to Taylor that surpassed his love of sports. Marriage

though? Were they even old enough to marry? They just finished college, barely out of school for a couple of years, and Chad wanted to be settled? Chad felt the quiet stiffness

under the music. "It's now or never, and I can live with never."Troy looked at Chad and lifted his beer to him. "Well, it will be never if you get married, never to party, never to

club, never to be just you."

Chad felt a bit surprised at the blasé Troy presented. "You're right, Troy, it will never be just me again."

In that moment Chad realized that was why Troy and Gabriella were really over. Troy found himself with her, but he never would let it be just him and her, he wanted only just

him these days. The music went on, the bodies were still swaying, the girls gossiping, hands keeping warm, but Chad's heart felt a bit empty after realizing Troy was indeed an

ass.


Upstairs in the kitchen, Ryan's head was immersed in the kitchen sink. The cold water was running and his hands were gripping a towel when Gabriella found herself standing in

the doorway. "Excuse me."

She started to back away, but Ryan hit his head on the faucet in surprise, droplets went everywhere. She held her phone up in her hand. "I was just looking for somewhere quiet

to make a phone call."

Ryan answered, "Go ahead and call from in here, I'll be quiet, I promise." He toweled his hair, and stepped toward the refrigerator. Gabriella leaned her back against the

counter, and listened to the other phone ring. Her text message just had a number to call back. As it rang, she was disoriented by the fact Ryan's phone was ringing, and it was

causing a weird feedback. She listened, and then made a small sound of surprise as her phone made connection to the voicemail box of Ryan Evans.

Ryan grinned at her as he pulled out what only could be a Zeke confection. "Chad is asking Taylor to marry him tonight; I needed help with the celebratory stuff." She laughed at

his bunny ears around "celebratory." "Plus, I wanted to make sure that you have my new number."

"Ryan," she asked as she gathered a tray with glasses. "Are you moving to the Seattle area?"

He looked up at her after he placed the cake on another tray. "How did you guess?"

"Did you not notice what my new area code is?"

He pulled out his phone and took a look at the number he sent his last message to. Heat crept up the back of his neck, even the tips of his ears felt warm. Then he laughed.

"What are you doing in Seattle?"

"What are you doing in Seattle?"

"Well, I joined the Intelligence Agency for Defense," she answered.

Ryan looked at her. She was small, petite, but had a hell of a brain. "My first duty station is out of the Kitsap area, but my phone company gave me a Seattle area code." His

hands shook as he looked in the wine cooler for the champagne. He decided to switch back to Chad and Taylor, safe subject. "Chad wanted to ask Taylor tonight since we

will all be here together, they go to Cancun for a weekend getaway this Saturday, and Taylor thinks he is asking her then."

Gabriella looked at Ryan sorting out the surprise. Glancing at the cake she thought she saw earlier, instead of "Congratulations Ensign Evans," this one read, "Marry Chad,

Taylor, say 'Yes!'" She raised an eyebrow at Ryan. As he hefted the tray he answered her, "Zeke made two." Together they made their way back downstairs to the party. She

watched him hold the door for her, she passed him. For some reason, Ryan's scent was one she could remember, and it comforted her that some things didn't change. He

was always dependable, fun-loving Ryan. She felt a little feeling of awareness of him, but chalked it up to the fact that she knew Ryan wouldn't be trying to grope her bottom

even if he was completely soused.


Ryan watched her walk ahead of him. As they reached the bottom of the stairs he heard the cries of "Cake, champagne!" As the two of them passed the crowd, they began to

lay out their goodies. Ryan could hear Chad telling Taylor to cut the cake for Ryan, Taylor was responding that if she got too close to the cake, she would want a piece.

Laughter spread as Chad gently pushed Taylor to the front. Silence was golden as Taylor read the cake, her tiny shriek echoed. Her hand reached for Chad's, as he held it he

slid a ring onto her finger.

He looked at her, speaking softly. "Just for you."

The group erupted as she nodded yes, more congratulations were heard, ribald comments, and the girls oohed over Taylor's ring. Ryan noticed Gabriella didn't seem to be

breathing, he watched her move forward and congratulate Taylor and Chad. Strong love as theirs was not easy, but easily wanted, and for a moment Ryan wondered what gave

Gabriella pause, but as Chad hugged him for letting him propose to Taylor at his party, Ryan shook off his thoughts and joined in the celebrations.