Underneath My Skin

Underneath My Skin

Chad Danforth is struggling with who he is and afraid to speak to anyone about his situation. His withdrawal from the Wildcats is raising eyebrows at East High, but what lands at his feet one dark and stormy night, will change his life forever. ChadxRyan (Chyan)

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own it…

Chad stumbled backwards away from Ryan in disbelief. It just couldn't be Ryan. He was supposed to be at home, practicing with Sharpay. He crawled back to the body lying on the ground and it truly broke his heart. There was now no doubt in his mind that it was Ryan. Even though he looked nothing like the Ryan that Chad loved hanging around with. The smile was gone, replaced by nothing and the eyes that sparkled when he laughed lay closed against his ashen face. Chad leant over Ryan's face and felt that his breath was very shallow and uneven. Chad lifted Ryan's head into his lap and then debated his options. It was obvious that Ryan was quite badly hurt and going to hospital was necessary but should he ring an ambulance or take him in the car. Chad looked down and Ryan began to cough. Blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth and Chad freaked. He frantically began a pat search of himself for his phone and couldn't find it. Swearing under his breath, he began to search the pockets of Ryan's jeans, silently praying that the phone was there. He found it in one of the front pockets and pulled it out. He desperately dialled 911 as Ryan began to cough again.

"911 Emergency" The operator sounded bored and Chad had a sudden desire to murder him.

"I need an ambulance to the corner of Military Road and Tosca Street."

"Is it a true emergency?"

Chad was really angry now. What did this idiot think?

"Of course it's a real emergency. My friend is leaking blood out of his fucking mouth. I want an ambulance here now?"

The operator appeared to now believe him because he said "The ambulance is on its way."

Chad slammed the phone down and glared at it. Ryan coughed again and Chad pulled him up so that Ryan was sitting upright against his chest. The rain was still pouring and Chad snorted at the thought that he could be joining Ryan in hospital with pneumonia. As they sat there in the driving rain, Chad thought about how much he enjoyed Ryan's company and wondered what he would do if something happened to him.

'No, don't think like that. Ryan will be fine and we can go back to hanging out and spending time together.' Chad desperately coached himself. He looked down at Ryan and gently hugged him tighter to his chest. He began talking to him, hoping that it would help Ryan hold on.

"You have to be ok Ry. Sharpay would kill me if something happened to you…if I let something happen to you. You wouldn't want her to impale me on her stiletto heels or force me to wear sparkles for the rest of my life. Please Ryan…just hold on."

In the distance, Chad could hear the sirens of the ambulance coming closer.

"Just hold on a little longer. We can go to the World Series together and I promise I'll go to Broadway and watch whatever shows you want."

The ambulance pulled up nearby and the paramedics rushed out. As they loaded Ryan onto the stretcher, Chad rushed back to his car and grabbed his bag. He locked it and ran back to the ambulance and climbed in the back with Ryan. The paramedic looked at him sadly and Chad chose to ignore him. Ryan would be fine. He just had to be.

They pulled up at the hospital and they unloaded Ryan and Chad followed. He was so tired from staring, almost unblinking at Ryan for the entire half hour journey to the hospital. The paramedics wheeled Ryan into the Emergency ward and as Chad attempted to follow him beyond the waiting room and the nurse gently stopped him.

"I'm sorry honey but you can't go any further. Your friend is in good hands. Just have a sit down and a drink and let us take care of him. What's his name?"

Chad just looked as the doors as they closed behind Ryan before looking at the Nurse. She smiled sadly at him again

"His name is Ryan Evans…" Chad said before turning and heading over to a seat in the corner. He fished out Ryan's phone and opened it. It was a picture of Ryan and Chad on the school baseball diamond. Chad had an arm draped around Ryan's shoulder and they were both smiling. Chad smiled sadly and looked in Ryan's phonebook. Sharpay's number. Chad took a deep breath and waited as the phone dialled and then rang.

"Ryan! What the hell?" I've been waiting forever. If you have been out with Danforth…honestly you two see each other all the time." Sharpay was shrieking into the phone and people were staring.

"Sharpay…its Chad…I found Ryan on the side of the road…he's really hurt…I think you should come."

It was one of the single worst things that Chad had ever said to anyone. Sharpay let out a horrified gasp and hung up on him but Chad knew that she was coming. As he placed Ryan's phone back in his pocket, his own cell began to vibrate in his bag. He pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. It was Troy. The movie must of finished and they probably wanted him to meet them somewhere. Chad took another deep breath before answering the phone.

"Hey Chad…Dude where are you? We wanna know if you want to come back to mine because we are all going. If you are with Ryan he is welcome to come too, but dude you both could have come I mean come on…"

Chad sucked in a sharp breath. The others believed that he blew them off to spend time with Ryan. As he prepared to answer he could hear arguing.

"That wasn't nice Troy. You shouldn't be so abrupt. Give me the phone…give it to me…"

Chad could hear a scuffle on the other end of the phone before Gabriella was speaking to him.

"You don't have to come Chad if you and Ryan are having fun. We can all get together again tomorrow or something."

Chad was now struggling to breathe. The words were in his mind but they weren't making the transition to his voicebox.

"Gabriella…Gab…I won't be able to come. I'm at the hospital."

Gabriella gasped and began babbling at a thousand words a minute.

"Chad, are you alright? We are on our way…I promise we will be there as soon as we can. Why didn't you tell us before we went out?"

Chad could feel the tears burning behind his eyes and before he could stop them, they were rolling down his cheeks.

"Its not me. Its Ryan. I found him all bloody on the roadside. He had blood coming out of his mouth. I'm scared Gab. I'm scared he won't make it."

"We are coming right now. Don't worry. Ryan will be fine. Just hang in there." Gabriella hung up and Chad wiped away his tears.

Chad was left to contemplate horrible things for another ten minutes. Neither the Wildcats nor Sharpay had arrived in that time and Chad was started to get annoyed. He knew that he was becoming irrational, but he couldn't help it. Suddenly the glass doors that separated the waiting room and the emergency department opened and a doctor stepped out.

"Anyone here with Ryan Evans…Ryan Evans."

Chad jumped to his feet and raced over. The doctor looked at him and Chad was terrified because he couldn't read anything in his eyes. The doctor nodded before saying

"You should come inside…"