I don't own Zac Efron so yeah that sucks but whatevs

CHAPTER TWO – NEW BEGININGS

I walked towards the building my heart racing a mile a minute. I had taken Ryan's advice. I called Zeke who to no surprise was awkward as hell but after a few seconds we talked like regular people. There was an absence of emotional connection but that was only to be expected since I was away for a year and he knew what I had done, what chad had done. I had a lot of time to think about how much the whole night affected all of us. Zeke Jason, I mostly thought about Taylor at Yale having to go through all of it in a split second and go across the country to school. I wondered if she hated me, or if she hated him. Zeke ended up asking me to Sharpay's apartment near the u of a campus for dinner and it was one of those things you couldn't refuse.

A few days later I was chomping at the bit to get away from my house and my dad who always wanted to play basketball. I didn't have it in me to tell him that I couldn't even touch a basketball without having a panic attack. It was a trigger at least that's what doctor Hewitt called it. Apparently when you go through something as traumatic as what I did a reminder of the past can trigger anxiety. It was all really complicated to me but such was my life. I remembered when all I had to worry about was winning a championship.

The door man greeted me with shifty eyes, but said nothing as I approached the buzzer. "Hello? Tory?" said a patite voice threw the intercom.

"Yeah" I said timidly looking over my shoulder at the suspicious door man; it must have been the hoodie. It was a classy building; it was Sharpay's apartment after all. 14 stories up I found myself face to face with pent house 1402. I laughed at the fact that she managed to find an apartment with the same number as her high school locker. I stood outside of the door for a few seconds and felt like walking away but didn't. Before I could even knock Sharpay opened the door.

"Troy!" she said with a warm smile so unlike her usual icy demeanor. "How are you?"

I was at a loss for words for a few seconds "I'm sorry, for that time you…"

She frowned "I wasn't expecting that, its ok I just, I was a bitch back then I understand why you wanted me to go"

"I was just in a bad place" I said "thank you for inviting me tonight"

She stood aside to let me walk into the very modern apartment designed no doubt to her very high standard. Nothing her father couldn't pay for. The Evans twins wealth and the superiority that comes with it had always left sour thoughts in my mind about them, well more about Sharpay, I never really knew Ryan. Zeke was in the kitchen cooking what was no doubt the dinner they had me over for. Sharpay led me through the house showing me all of the stuff she could afford even though she was only 19 and a student in university. I smiled along humoring her but it kind of made me feel out of place. She went to the wash room and I escaped to the kitchen to find Zeke. "So how do you like the place?" he asked

"It's nice" I said honestly

"Yeah it's expensive" he said "everything in this apartment was bought on her dads platinum card"

I rolled my eyes unsurprised by the revelation. Sharpay had always gotten everything from her parents. It made me wonder about her brother. "What about Ryan, where des he live?"

"At home still" he said string a sauce in the pot. "He's coming tonight" that sent a warm feeling threw my body. I had seen him last week and it was good to at least have someone here to derive from Zeke and Sharpay. It was a surprise that Zeke managed to tame Sharpay, they had something towards the end of high school but I never imagined they would last a year. " between you and I" zeke said breaking my train of thought " Ryan's been threw a lot of shit lately too, I don't exactly know what but Sharpay missed a week of classes in December to go up there for an emergency and when she came back Ryan was home." I heard the telephone ring and zeke and I both watched as Sharpay rushed to get it excitedly.

"Did she talk about it at all?" I asked

"Nope" he shrugged "I never asked either its really up to him right? But when I went over there after they got home he had a shiner and a cut across his lip, can't really help yourself from jumping to conclusions in the big city" an uncomfortable sensation trekked threw me, the idea of seeing Ryan's porcelain extearior blemished by bruises and cuts seemed unnatural to me, he was the opposite of a violent person.

"Maybe new York swallowed him whole" I said. The door opened and all I could hear was Sharpay cry her bothers name.

"Shar give it a rest" Ryan said dropping his sweater on the couch. "What's zeke cooking anyway?" Sharpay ignored her brothers rudeness and smiled threw her embarrassment. Normally she would have freaked out but from what I had gathered she had matured in the year I had been away, as much as it was hard to believe I never realized how much someone could change in a year because I had never before been withdrawn from them for so long but the differences where there not just in her and zeke but in my parents and family members and most of all in Ryan.

"No need to be so hostile I was just hoping you would be dressed more…" she cut herself off before anything got out of hand and she directed him to the kitchen where I was. It made me wonder if Ryan knew I was here if he knew I was coming at all. "We have a guest" Ryan locked eyes with me and a faint smile fell over his delicate features.

"Hey troy" he said

"Hi Ryan" I said in return, the exchange was awkward but I didn't know why. "Nice to see you again"

"Again?" Sharpay asked her and zeke looked on expectedly.

"Wow I can't believe I didn't mention this on the phone" I said oblivious, I hadn't even remembered to tell zeke it had been Ryan who had suggested I call In the first place. "I saw Ryan my first night back from… yeah, I went on a run and ran into him… not literally" I was getting that look and blushed.

"Yeah, you seem great though" Ryan said "for everything that happened" Sharpay put her hand to her forehead rubbing in humiliation at her brother's word vomit. Obviously she had planned a night of pleasant dinner conversation that didn't involve bringing up my whole situation. Ryan clearly didn't have the tact or he just didn't care. "So moving on do you mind if I use your balcony?"

Sharpay looked scornfully at her brother and zeke tried to hide his cheeky grin. "Ryan are you still doping?"

"Sharpay can you stop calling it doping you make me sound like I'm pumping steroids" he defended "it's just pot..."

"For now!" she said in a dramatic fashion best fit for the Sharpay I had known and cared little for. "But then you start doing other stuff, it's a gateway drug"

"Where did you learn that middle school?" he asked scoffing "look if you don't want me to smoke on you balcony… to bad" he skipped jumping over the couch and I felt a pang of adrenalin watching the small meek Ryan come to life with exuding confidence. It was something I had rarely scene. I couldn't help the smile that came next and I chucked earning a look from Sharpay, it was sincere at least, she seemed amused that I could smile, like all of the crap I had gone threw would just turn me into a closed off person and it had to a certain extent but in a completely different direction it has made me bolder and more lose tonged as a result.

"I'm goanna use the washroom?" I said. I made my way down the main hall towards the powder room because Sharpay was rich enough to have an apartment with a powder room. I was slow so as not to have to spend an awkward amount of time with zeke and Sharpay. It's like I didn't know what to say to zeke. Normal guys would break the ice with sports, even Ryan had that topic stitched with his baseball infatuation but I knew nothing anymore, trades, standings in the week I had been back I had tried to hop back on but it everything seemed foreign and I couldn't even watch the basketball games. And Sharpay, Sharpay just kept looking at me like I was a crack in an otherwise perfect vase. When I walked back to the kitchen I overheard them talking about Ryan.

"no its disrespectful zeke" she said "it makes me look bad but I feel bad saying anything, I it's just… he is so closed off now, he doesn't care about anything all he does is stay home smoke pot and go for walks" she was clearly upset about her brother and I felt awkward just standing there listening to them so I kept walking towards the kitchen my foot falls halted when my name was brought up.

"Troy seems fine though" zeke said with an air of uneasiness.

"I don't know what you were so worried about, he's the same person zeke" Sharpay countered. My eyes widened at the conversation. Had zeke wanted this? Or was this Sharpay's idea did she force it on him or did he have to think about this dinner I was completely perplexed. He probably didn't want to see me in the first place, I was just a burden. I felt the anxiety slowly creeping on.

"I don't know I mean troy is my friend, but chads my friend too and I see him a lot more so it's just weird I don't know" he said giving up. I took a few breaths feeling sweat drip down my back as my face turned red with humiliation, I sure as hell didn't want to be somewhere I wasn't wanted but I couldn't just leave . it hurt that they could even still be friends, after what he had done after all he had caused In all of our lives I would have thought, I don't know , I can never forgive chad for what he had done to me but maybe they could and as much as it hurt I had to accept it so I just kept breathing. I came around the corner with a plastered smile.

"So what are we eating?" I asked when I got there; they shared a look and smiled. Zeke delved into some fancy way of saying we were having grilled salmon and shrimp skewers with quinoa and greens. Standing in the kitchen I could feel my face start to film in sweat.

"I'm going to go get some air" I said fanning myself awkwardly with my hand. I felt awkward now. I was supposed to stay in the freaking powder room for longer so I didn't hear that. But would that have made it any less true? I walked away from both of them without another thought and felt like I was being a little rude since they had invited me here for dinner and I had spent more time avoiding them then spending time with them. I slid the door open and Ryan was there puffing away on a joint. I leaned on the railing and looked over the city.

"Driving you crazy?" he asked after another puff.

"What?" I asked perplexed

"Life" he said simply. "no one gets it, no one gets you or how you feel and you keep wanting people to understand what's in here" he put his hand over his heart "but no one cares because they are all just twisted little messes inside they don't want others to see" it was like he knew what kept me awake at night, the whole world felt like shit.

"Yeah then" I said "it's driving me crazy"

"Same here" he said passing me the joint. I looked down at it and almost wanted to take it. I thought it would trip me out or make me sick but all it did was make me forget, about the bad stuff mostly and then I got hungry and then tired, it was the reason I had gotten sleep the first night back. I hadn't really slept much since. "She's such a pill, always downing me like hello you are in university have some fun!" he took another drag after I decided not to act on his offer. "But she wants to act like a married woman with zeke" he sighed

"I hate pills" I said not knowing wharf else to say on the situation. He turned to me and chuckled.

"I guess you got a lot of those?" he asked amused by my medical history. If Sharpay where here she would be malting. I don't know what it was but Ryan's questions didn't bother me, they were blunt and shameless but at least they were honest, everyone else tip toed and acted like it never happened Ryan was fully aware and knew just forgetting was not going to happen. It dawned on me that perhaps this came with his own trauma but it was not my place to ask , unless it was…

" yeah a lot" I said " so how was…" the sliding door to the balcony opened and Sharpay stood there waving her hand in front of her nose and couching like a child

"Dinners ready troy" she said completely ignoring Ryan.

"Well I guess I'll just eat out of boi's bowl then" Ryan said sarcastically. Sharpay rolled her eyes.

"Ryan shut up and come in to eat" she said. He laughed and followed us into the room. The table was set and there where perfectly plated enters not unlike the ones served at lava springs, I wondered if that's where zeke had perfected his art while dating Sharpay.

Ryan scoffed and sat down "this looks good" he said and I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic. Zeke went around pouring red wine into everyone's glass and Sharpay cleared her throat when he got to mine. My face went blank, how obvious had that been?

"A quinoa "she said choking like an idiot "small little things, rice next time Hun". Ryan observed the whole situation and then looked at his sister like a villain in a movie.

"Wait are you fucking serious?" Ryan said in awe and outrage. "Are you kidding me Shar?"

She shrunk under his outbreak and for the first time I saw yet another side of Ryan. "I…I" she mumbled

"Ryan its ok" I said. I knew I should have been humiliated at the outbreak but had I not had counselling it might have been me freaking out about the insult that I had no doubt came from a good place. It felt crappy to have people constantly worrying and thinking that I will turn into some rageaholic if I have a drink, I was only 19 I didn't even know myself yet and people thought they had to label me. Ryan was defending that but I didn't want him getting into a fight with his sister.

"It's not ok but whatever" he said siting down crossing his arms. We ate in silence and afterwards all praised zekes cooking prowess. I actually enjoyed the meal. It was nice to have something other than steak for a change. In the week I had been home my dad thought it would be good to give my all of my favorite foods but they all involved heavy beef and pork and the sea food was a nice change.

"Well it's been something" Ryan said standing up.

"Eat it and beat it?" Sharpay asked as if she was expecting it.

"It's not like you want me to stick around anyway" Ryan said "can't wait to start talking about me"

Sharpay sucked her teeth "ugh Ryan I don't know why you always get like this" she said exhausted. Maybe because it's true, I thought to myself. I had heard them talking about the both of us, it kind of made me want to leave as well, if he was going I didn't want to stick around.

"maybe it's for the best I need to leave too" I said they both looked let down that I was leaving, weather it was sincere was unknown "yeah I'm not supposed to be out later than 9 it's a getting back on the right track thing" It was a lie but I knew they would buy it since they already thought I was a loony.

"oh, well that's unfortunate' Sharpay said clearly wanting to seethe but knowing that it was not the best choice, and zeke reddening.

"But I prepared desert" he said.

Ryan grinned " well why don't troy ad I leave and stop at dairy queen, it's pretty much the same thing right?" Zeke's eye widened and I almost burst out laughing but knew it was inappropriate so i just turned away, Ryan was already at the door ,zeke just mumbled incoherently and Sharpay froze. I got up from the table and backed slowly to the door.

"It really was a great dinner" I said honestly if not a little awkwardly. "The shrimp where great, it's just the curfew and all, but maybe lunch threw the week?" I was out the door before either of them could respond, god I had gone there in the hopes of getting my old life back but it seemed tonight had only made things a little more awkward with them, well except for Ryan again. I caught up with him at the elevator as the door was closing " hold the door" I said. He held it and I ran the rest of the way.

"That was unacceptable" he said "how could you sit there and let that happen? Let them treat you like a child it was demoralizing to witness" he said with so much spite.

"I was a guest" I said "it was their choice weather they wanted to serve me alcohol and it was my choice weather I would have drank it"

"Would you have?" he asked curiously

"Yeah why not?" I asked "I mean we are all still underage so the way I see it me drinking isn't any worse than them drinking the only difference being I was in a mental hospital for a year and they believe they are stable people, and maybe they are I don't care that's why I said it was ok" Ryan was in stunned silence. It seems I had answered any follow up questions he had and he just stood there high as a kite while the elevator went down. "So what are you doing now?"

"I thought you had to be home at nine" he said.

"I lied" I said shrugging "you weren't the only one who wanted to leave, what are you up to anyway?"

"Why?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"I just, I have nothing to do so if you weren't busy..." his eyes seemed to light up for a second before the flame deteriorated. "If you don't want to..."

"No I do I mean, of course I do you're troy Bolton" he said as if it were obvious. To me it wasn't that big of a deal I was just me, "that sounds stupid, I mean it's just in high school I would have killed to be friends with you"

"Really?" I asked surprised

"Um yeah" he said "you where the coolest guy in school troy everyone wanted to be your friend" he said "even you had to know that"

"I'm aware of whom I used to be, and the cliché I have become" I said pathetically. I felt a sudden sting as Ryan punched me hard in the arm.

"Fuck you troy Bolton" he said "you're not a fucking cliché! Who the fuck gets to decide that but you? No one, you choose who you are not them" he pointed up towards the top floor where we had just left Sharpay and zeke. "You're better than that troy don't put yourself down you only enable others to."

"Sorry" I said

"Don't apologize" he said but I wasn't sure if he meant to him or for what I had done, it seemed even when we weren't talking about it we were talking about it. A lot of people danced around the topic but Ryan seemed to face it head on.

"Is this in regards to you or…?"

"In general just don't apologize, don't!" he said getting out of the elevator and walking towards the door.

"So… no then?" I asked thinking he must have forgotten I had asked him to hang out.

"No, what?" he asked perplexed

"No you don't want to hang out?"

He stopped in his tracks turning around and by the look on his face I had side tracked him enough. "Look I have this party to go to and I would invite you but I don't know if… it's your scene." I furrowed my eyebrows and bit my lip.

"umm ok" I said walking past him "I don't really have a scene, don't know if you noticed I was locked away and a tower for a year so that was pretty much my scene, oh and next time you want to get all righteous with your sister it might be best to not clone her ignorance 15 minutes later" I pushed through the glass door not waiting for the door man, I was to angry.

I thought maybe he understood he acted like he did but he was just a hypocrite he was just like his sister, just like all the rest sure on paper it sounded good to have someone treat me like a regular person but what happens when I actually want to be a grown up with real friends doing fun things like going to parties and drinking… I should have known.

"Troy wait!" Ryan called but I started to walk faster I didn't want to hear him say sorry I honestly didn't care. I could hear his foot falls as he ran up beside me. " troy just… stop … Jesus!"

"What!?" I snapped he flinched and I saw the worry in his face for a moment and closed my eyes, I wanted to imagine I didn't just see him cringe that he didn't just cringe because I had yelled and scared him, because I had beat up my best friend and I could do it again, " I'm sorry…" I said voice shaking, I took a deep breath.

"Troy I'm sorry that wasn't you" Ryan reassured from beside me. "Troy I'm fucked I swear that wasn't your fault" he put his hand on my shoulder and I felt my hand slowly creep up to rest on his. "I'll tell you , if you want to know, I just promise I wasn't scared you were going to hit me ok?"

"I didn't mean scene, I was completely contradicting myself with that one" he said "I just, I didn't think it was your style, it's more a rave then anything I would say, it's not like east high parties." I opened my eyes ad looked into his sincere eyes.

"I don't go to east high anymore" I said I turned to face him, his hand still on my shoulder. "Want to help re-invent me?"

A/N: so this is chapter 2 hope you like it