2: The Beginning of the End to Begin Again

Memories from the recent past that Chad wanted to forget came rolling back across the screen of his mind. He sighed and closed his eyes tiredly. Running his hand over his face he went and plopped down on the couch. If he knew Sharpay, and he had gotten to know her pretty well, that letter was a well placed IED. Nobody was better at psychological manipulation than Sharpay. His life wasn't perfect but he was in a happier place than he had been in a long time. He hadn't heard a word from her since the day they split three years ago. Now she decides to say something. The entire situation enraged him. Chad was not going to let her implode his life...his world like she did last time.

Chad found himself wandering through campus wondering how he found himself in this place emotionally. Weren't these years supposed to be mostly carefree? Where had he gone wrong? Wasn't love supposed to conquer all? The one person he wanted to be able to share his dreams with had completely shut him down. Honestly, it wasn't the first time and he was starting to feel discontent about the whole relationship. He didn't like being controlled or manipulated.

It wasn't like him to brood and over analyze his emotional state but he had never felt as frustrated, angry and hurt as he did right now. To think it all started with a discussion about choosing a major...

An hour earlier...

"Hey Sharpay, sorry I'm late. Was meeting with my counselor about choosing a concentration." Chad said as he kissed her cheek in greeting.

"Why would that make you late? I thought that you decided to focus on Kinesiology and business management." Sharpay said with a confused look on her face. They had discussed his options at length after last semester ended and he had been sure that was what he wanted to focus on. At least that was what Sharpay had convinced him that was what he wanted.

"I was leaning toward that but the counselor looked at my grades and gave me some other suggestions. I'm seriously considering them." Some he hadn't even known were a possibility until now. "I'm not like everyone else we know who knew exactly what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives beyond college basketball." He didn't even want to tell her what some of those options were for fear that she would snuff out the spark of interest that had been lit from his counseling appointment. "Playing professionally is a long shot. I'd like to be able to do something just as interesting and challenging. The advisor even mentioned studying abroad next summer. Kinesiology isn't keeping my interest."

"Studying abroad over the summer? What about your plans to work at Lava Springs? I already made all the arrangements." Sharpay asked her look telling Chad that she was not pleased with the direction of his thinking. "What could you be studying that would take you outside of the states anyway? Architecture? International Finance?" She said with a scoff.

"Why do you have to say it in that tone? Maybe I am thinking of those things. My dad does own a contracting company and who doesn't like counting and playing with other peoples money." Chad said with a roll of his eyes. Her sarcasm and lack of enthusiasm made him hold back what he was really thinking about.

"Chad, I guess you can change your mind but I think that you're making a huge mistake. We've already talked about this. If switching concentrations is what you want to do you need to hurry up and make up your mind or you'll be a seventh year senior still working on a degree." Sharpay said with a sarcastic laugh. "Just don't come running to me and my connections when it doesn't work out."

"Why do I have to hurry up and rush my decision? This is the rest of my life and I won't have you talking down to me like I'm not smart enough to make a decision about it." Chad almost yelled. Sharpay sat there in shock. Usually he would just say 'Okay Shar, you're right' and they would move on to the next topic-her. Seeing the look on her face Chad calmed himself down and carefully spoke his next words. "I just wanted to explore other options Sharpay. I would hope that you, not only as my girlfriend but as my friend, would just listen to what I had to say without judgement or trying to manipulate me. I guess I was wrong. Any way we should be getting to class." he said changing the subject and picking up his backpack. He got up from the table and started to walk. Sharpay gathered her things and started to follow.

"I don't know why you feel like you have to attack me like that. I was just trying to play devil's advocate." Sharpay said rushing her steps to keep up with him in her stilettos.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. I just wanted you to listen and support me. I've already been thinking about all the things that could go wrong." Chad sighed heavily "I really don't want to talk about this any more." with you was part of the thought he kept to himself. "We're going to be late for class." Sharpay just rolled her eyes and continued to try and keep up with Chad's quick pace. "Forgive me for looking out for your best interest." she said. Chad didn't respond so Sharpay just let it drop.

When they got to the lecture hall Chad picked a single seat way in the front leaving Sharpay to find her own seat. He ignored her pout and tried to focus on the lecture. As soon as it was over he made sure to get lost in the crowd and ducked into the men's bathroom until he felt like the coast was clear. His phone kept ringing but seeing it was the person he wanted to avoid he let it go to voicemail. He found himself wandering aimlessly on the outskirts of campus.

Chad mentally took a step back from the situation. He was the easy going one and wasn't usually prone to being dramatic. He left that to Sharpay. Damnit, he didn't ask for much just loyalty, room to be himself and faith that he was smarter than he looked. Yes, he goofed around a lot in school before but that was because he was bored half the time. Coming to college had changed all that for him. Making his own schedule and taking classes that were actually interesting to him gave him freedom to enjoy the work and the process of school. He just needed a sounding board. Someone that would just listen.

Chad took out his phone and dialed a familiar number. If anyone could understand what he was going through it would be his brother from another mother. He grunted as it went straight to voicemail. "Hey Troy its me Chad give me a call back when you get a chance, bye." Chad walked into the IHOP and took a seat. All that walking and thinking made him hungry. After Chad placed his order with the waitress he had a thought to call someone else but he wasn't sure how his call would be received. They'd only talked a handful of times since that last goodbye a couple of summers ago. At a loss of who else to call he dialed the number . He had nothing to lose. He dialed the number and waited as the line started to ring. As Chad waited he started to sweat a little.

"Hello" came a sleepy reply. All of a sudden Chad was self conscious and almost hung up. "If you're gonna call this late at least say something." the other caller continued. Chad snapped out of it and spoke quickly "Hey Tay...Taylor its me Chad. I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Well it is a little past 1 am here. I might have been resting my eyes." Taylor said with a small laugh. "What's going on that you had to call me so late?"

"Same Taylor, straight to the point. Umm...can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, its your dime." She replied.

"Did you always know that you wanted to go into politics?" Chad asked.

"Um, not necessarily as a politician but the process of constructing public policy was always interesting to me. I enjoyed student government in high school. Although with some of my involvement in student politics here at Yale my passion for it is not what it used to be." she said.

"Wow, you changed your mind about becoming the president? You sounded so sure back in high school." Chad said.

"I still want to help shape policy just not as a politician. My skin isn't as thick as I thought it was. Why the question on future careers in the middle of the night? Why not call Troy or better yet don't you have a girlfriend you can talk all this over with?" Taylor asked.

"Well, you're a girl and I hope I can still call you my friend after all these years." Chad said.

"Cute you little wise ass. You know what I'm getting at. Why aren't you and Sharpay talking about this?"

"I tried that and it didn't go over too well. She said some things. I said some things and then avoided her after class." Chad said and quietly nodded his thanks to the waitress when she brought over his food.

"Way to be vague. Did you call to talk about something specific Chad? I think I can help you more if I had more information."

"What if I told you that I wanted to major in Criminology? Does that sound like something out of my league?" Chad asked with doubts about his choices still swirling through his head.

"Does this have anything to do with your dream of being a Charlie's Angel type super spy?" Taylor said with a chuckle.

"Its sounds silly right?" he replied sullenly.

"Chad if you want to go into law enforcement then I think you should do it. What's the point in having dreams if you can't at least chase them. I'm sure if you work hard that you'd be able to go into any level in the large umbrella of law enforcement even the CIA if you wanted to." Taylor answered honestly.

"You really think so?" Chad said perking up for the first time in hours.

"Its not really what I think that's important. Its what you believe in your heart that you really want to do. But if you really need that push I say go for it." Taylor said past a yawn.

"Why are you more reasonable and have more faith in me than my girlfriend?" Chad asked snapping up a french fry.

"You're asking the wrong person for relationship advice." Taylor said awkwardly. "But it could be that you just need to explain your thought process to her better. She can't read your mind."

Chad thought about that for a moment. Leave it to Taylor to break it down to the lowest common denominator of really communicating. He did kind of overreact when Sharpay didn't respond the way that he thought that she should. However, in the back of his mind Chad felt he wasn't just reacting to that. It was something deeper and it was starting to sour his feelings for Sharpay. He shoved those thoughts to the side as he tuned back in to Taylor snoring in his ear over the phone.

"Tay!" Chad half yelled over his phone.

"Hmm...yeah Chad I'm still here...kinda. Is that all you wanted to ask?"

No, he thought to himself. There was a lot that he wanted to ask Taylor but at this time it wouldn't be appropriate. All the questions that ran through Chad's head confused him. He was falling in love with someone else. Right?

"Yeah, that's all. Thanks Tay."

"I would say anytime but you might call me later than 1 am. Just remember the time difference next time." she replied with a small laugh.

"Okay Tay thanks again. Bye"

"Bye."

Chad waited until she hung up first to close his phone. They hadn't been a couple for almost two years but it was still really easy to talk to her. Well, about seemingly trivial things at least. He was surprised that she hadn't gotten snarky when he mentioned trouble with Sharpay. He knew what Sharpay's reaction would be if she ever found out he called Taylor every now and again. It would not be pretty. Well, he had invested almost a year into this relationship with Sharpay and if they had any kind of future together they would have to learn to live with each others flaws. Chad decided that he would go and take Sharpay breakfast and apologize for overreacting tomorrow morning. Tell her that she would have to lay off trying to get her way by controlling him like a puppet or the relationship wouldn't work. A man should be able to feel like the man sometimes in his relationship.

Chad finished up his burger and fries and paid for his meal before stepping back out into the streets of downtown Albuquerque. Feeling better about things in general he made his way home.

That feeling wasn't bound to last. By the same time the next day Chad and Sharpay were no more and because of the situation surrounding the breakup he felt like someone had ripped his heart from his chest and drop kicked it. Shit, shit, shit. Here he was again in that same emotional pit. Chad tried his hardest not to hate anyone but right now he was trying his hardest not to punch a hole in the wall.

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