WARNING this chapter is rated M for sex scenes. I urge you to take this seriously…DO NOT READ if you are uncomfortable with intimate homosexual relationships.

-

Part two

Chad checked his watch. 6.59

The door opened and there stood….

Ugh, Sharpay. Chad's huge grin faltered, as she stared at him with a distasteful expression. Oh well, I guess I'm going to have to get used to seeing her a lot more, thought Chad with just as much distaste.

"Uh…is Ryan home?" Chad asked hopefully.

Sharpay simply grunted in response but moved aside to let Chad in the door. "RYAN!" she summoned deafeningly. Chad winced, and stood nervously in the Evans hallway waiting for Ryan's emergence.

Ryan soon wandered into the room looking bewildered…until he saw Chad. Chad took notice that Ryan was wearing simple grey sweatpants and a t-shirt; there was not a single grandpa or Michael Jackson-ish hat in sight. His hair was ruffled and his cheeks slightly flushed…and he looked beautiful. Chad wondered how he could have missed how attractive he was. He supposed it was because he had been too fixated on Troy.

Ryan gave the huge clock that was hanging from the wall a deliberate look, and turned back to Chad to say, "It's seven o'clock." It was very much a statement, but his eyes were questioning.

"Yeah…I know." Chad replied, trying to answer Ryan with his own eyes. To tell him what he was unable to say with his voice.

Sharpay, who both boys had forgotten was still there, cleared her throat, "What is going on?" she demanded. "Chad, what are you doing at my house?" she asked pompously.

"I thought that was obvious," Chad replied with equal haughtiness, "I'm here to see Ryan."

"Ryan! What are you doing fraternising with muscle-heads such as this?" she asked, pointing at Chad as if he were some sort of rodent.

Chad was about to retort, but instead he decided to see how Ryan was going to react to the question. He glanced at Ryan who just rolled his eyes, and then he finally moved from the spot in the hallway where he had seemed to be frozen, grabbed Chad's wrist and dragged him up the stairs, leaving a (uncharacteristically) speechless Sharpay behind them.

Chad stood in the middle of Ryan's room grinning at him as Ryan closed the door. But Ryan didn't seem as ecstatic to see Chad as Chad had assumed he would be.

"Why aren't you at Troy's?" he asked suspiciously.

Chad's mouth literally dropped open in surprise. "Ryan! I chose you…I choose you," he rephrased.

Ryan continued to watch him sceptically. "You choose me?" he asked disbelievingly, "instead of Troy Bolton? Troy, the guy you have been lusting after for so long? You didn't go over there first, and then came over here when something bad happened?"

Chad frowned realising his internal battle over who he was going to pick had been completely his own…Ryan didn't have any idea Chad was really contemplating him as an option. Everything Chad had shared with Ryan had been about Troy, and Chad grasped that he shouldn't be that surprised with Ryan's reaction – even if he was disappointed by it.

"Sorry…maybe I should explain?" Chad asked him.

"That would be good," said Ryan, indicating with his hands for Chad to take a seat upon his bed.

Chad sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, feeling slightly under attack as Ryan had remained standing. He was leaning against the door with his arms crossed protectively over his chest.

"Ryan, I…I went home and I thought about a lot of things this afternoon. But every single thought I had…it always led to you. I realised the reason I couldn't decide if I wanted to be with Troy was because I wanted to be with you instead. But I'm an idiot and I couldn't figure that out before today! I guess it was the kiss…"

Chad stopped talking to take in the triumphant look that took over Ryan's face when Chad had mentioned the kiss. Understanding dawned upon him and he laughed, "You knew! You knew if you kissed me, I would pick you!"

"Of course I didn't know!" said Ryan, "But from everything you told me about Troy, I knew you didn't want him…even if you didn't know that yourself. I didn't necessarily think kissing you would make you like me, just make you know that you didn't have to be with Troy."

"Kissing me didn't make me like you," Chad said.

The smirk died from Ryan's face instantly.

Chad chuckled, "I already liked you! I just hadn't realised!"

Ryan sighed in relief and narrowed his eyes at Chad in fake contempt. However, despite his skills in acting he was unable to hide his smile for very long and started giggling along with Chad. He slowly made his way over to the bed and sat down beside him – very close, but not quite touching.

They grinned at each other but there was still something on Chad's mind. Although this had pretty much been the deciding factor for Chad, it was still bugging him and he had to ask Ryan about it: "If you knew Troy and I weren't meant to be together, why did you tell me to go out with him?"

"I never said that! I said that if you thought he was the right person then you should," Ryan replied.

"Even though you knew he wasn't the right person?" Chad asked.

"Well…yeah," said Ryan shrugging.

"But why?" Chad thought he knew, but wanted Ryan to say it.

"Because you still had to make the decision for yourself, I couldn't tell you not to go out with him," he said.

Chad beamed at Ryan. Ryan's selflessness was essentially what had made Chad understand it was him who he was meant to be with. The biggest difference between Ryan and Troy was that Ryan had been selfless…and Troy had been selfish.

Chad knew that he could count on Ryan and it had surprisingly been his best friend who had let him down. And it actually wasn't the first time Troy had let him down either, but Chad had always turned a blind eye to this behaviour because he had liked Troy so much and refused to see anything but the good in him.

However clichéd it was, Chad knew that his desire for Troy had just been an infatuation. He hadn't loved the real Troy, just the image he had created of him. But what he had with Ryan was real.

"But…even though I couldn't tell you not to choose Troy…I still could kiss you. You know, to nudge you in the right direction," Ryan said slyly.

Ok, Maybe Ryan isn't completely selfless, but...Chad figured he could pardon that small detail. "There's nothing wrong with flaws," he said and leaned in to kiss his chosen one.

-

Five minutes later both boys were laying across Ryan's bed kissing each other passionately when Chad's cell phone vibrated in his jeans pocket.

"Oooh, what was that!" Ryan moaned seductively.

"Oh crap!" was Chad's reply.

He opened the phone to answer. "Hi Mom!" he squeaked, and even though she couldn't see the position he was in, he blushed frightfully nonetheless.

His mother had arrived home from work to find the house cold and dark and didn't remember saying he could go anywhere that afternoon and where the hell was he?

Chad apologised sheepishly and told her he would be home shortly. He looked over at Ryan who was still lying down on his bed and was staring up at Chad intently.

Chad made a funny face and imitated his mother in an unflattering high pitched voice, "Where are you? Did I say you could go out on a school night? No mister, I certainly did not! You get your backside home this instant!"

Ryan burst out laughing and pulled Chad back down beside him, "You should have said 'Sorry Mom, I'm making out with my boyfriend here, don't wait up!'"

Chad smiled and turned his head to face Ryan, "Boyfriend?"

"Um…yeah, I mean…you are my boyfriend now, right?" Ryan asked uncertainly.

Chad laughed, "Of course! Yeah…You're my boyfriend. Hmmm, it sorta sounds weird but…I like it." He rolled onto his side so that he could stare straight into his boyfriend's eyes.

"I like it too," said Ryan.

Chad sighed, "I wish I didn't have to go…do you wanna hang out tomorrow after school?"

Ryan instantly lost his smile and abruptly sat up again. "I can't tomorrow," he said quietly.

"How come?" Chad asked with a frown, also sitting up. He remembered Ryan's previous refusal to talk about anything other than Chad or drama.

Ryan heaved a great big sigh, "Well…I guess I can tell you. Promise you won't laugh?"

Chad promised, crossing his heart to emphasise his sincerity.

"Uh…I have remedial reading lessons," said Ryan blushing.

"What?"

"Remedial reading." Ryan replied blandly.

"How come I never knew this?" Chad asked.

"Well, it never came up because they are usually during your basketball practices. And anyway I didn't exactly want you to know that I'm stupid," said Ryan defensively.

"You're not stupid!" said Chad, almost angrily.

Ryan raised his eyebrows at Chad's outburst but then sighed, "Yeah I know. I'm actually dyslexic."

"Really?" asked Chad, "so is that why you never want to talk about yourself, because you think you're stupid? Ryan!" Chad said his name with a mixture of exasperation, amusement, rebuke and affection.

Ryan made a sort of half nodding, half shrugging gesture and Chad had to hold back from just engulfing him in an enormous hug.

"Why did you think I would care about that?" Chad asked, "I mean did you really believe I would think any less of you because of it?"

"I don't know," Ryan replied, looking towards the ground embarrassedly.

"Besides, I'm not exactly a brainiac either!" Chad said, grabbing his boyfriend's hand.

"I know but you don't have to have extra reading lessons just to keep up with the curriculum!" Ryan whined; it was obviously a sensitive subject. However, his vulnerability just made him all the more endearing in Chad's eyes.

"Come here," Chad demanded pulling the fair-haired boy closer to him, grazing his lips across the other boy's. Chad physically felt Ryan relax into his arms, their bodies melted into each other.

It hadn't been like that with Troy. Troy had always made it clear he was in charge, Troy was rough and intentional. Ryan on the other hand was mellow. He had no preconceived notions of their actions and reactions.

Both boys had their eyes effortlessly closed…they were comfortable embraced in each other's arms.

Chad gave Ryan one last kiss, and then pulled himself away with great exertion.

"This isn't over," Chad warned as he lifted himself from the bed and skipped from the room, leaving Ryan staring up at the ceiling with a goofy grin on his face, already dreaming about their next encounter.

-

On his way home Chad checked his phone for any missed calls, but he didn't have any. Even though he wouldn't have known what to say to Troy if he called, he was a little disappointed that Troy hadn't tried to contact him. Actually…he was rather angry. How important could Chad have actually been to Troy if he hadn't even bothered to see why Chad hadn't turned up?

But then he thought about what he had done. Troy was probably feeling really crappy about himself right then. He had obviously thought Chad was going to show up and when he hadn't Troy would have felt pretty rejected.

No matter what had happened Chad still didn't want to lose his best friend. The high he had been feeling after being with Ryan died and he started to feel lousy again.

-

The next day it was obvious Troy was trying to avoid him. Every single class they had together he turned up late and then ran from the room as soon as class was over.

He wasn't in the cafeteria at lunch. Chad sat at his regular table hoping Troy would show up. Then when the bell rang and Troy hadn't made an appearance Chad was pissed off that he hadn't just sat with Ryan.

He hadn't got to see Ryan much all day either. However when they had seen each other during the classes they did have together, neither of them got much work done as they were both furiously flirting throughout the whole lesson. Every time they passed each other in the halls they gave each other tempting glances. Chad was having so much fun he almost forgot about Troy. Almost.

When the school day ended Chad accepted that he probably wasn't going to get that much needed conversation with Troy. So when he was at his locker collecting his books he nearly had a heart attack when someone familiarly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Troy!" Chad exclaimed.

"Hi Chad. Um…I guess we need to talk?" Troy asked, actually sounding unsure of himself.

"Yeah, we definitely do. I'll walk you home?" Chad asked.

"Ok."

They walked in silence, something they had only ever done when they were mad at each other…but Troy didn't seem mad.

Finally Troy spoke, "I'm really sorry."

"What for?!" Chad asked, genuinely surprised. It had been the last thing he had expected Troy to say.

"The position I put you in…that was really unfair. Um…at first I thought that was the reason why you hadn't turned up at my house. I thought you got scared by the pressure. But then today…" he trailed off.

"What?" Chad asked eagerly.

"Well…I'm not stupid Chad. I saw what you and Ryan were doing. You went to his house last night didn't you?" Troy asked.

Chad could feel his face burning up. He had never meant for Troy to figure that out. He had wanted to tell him himself. He felt absolutely dreadful.

"Troy, I am so sorry! I was going to tell you, but I never got the chance! I probably should have gone to your house last night to tell you, but I had just figured out that it was Ryan that I wanted and I had to tell him," Chad attempted to justify what he had done.

"It's ok Chad. I get it. After you didn't come round last night I had a lot of time to think about stuff. We just wouldn't have worked. I mean…I was confused; I have been for a while. And when I discovered you liked me I thought it was the perfect solution! But then I got so aggressive about it….gah! I have just been a jerk," he finished.

Chad felt bad for Troy. He knew exactly how he felt; he had gone through all those emotions himself at some point. It was sad that neither of them had known they could talk to each other about it.

Troy continued: "I know I told you I was going to get back with Gabriella, but I don't think I should. I really should probably be alone for awhile. And it wouldn't be fair on her; it wouldn't have been fair on you if we had gone out. I just need to figure out who I am, you know? You're lucky Chad…you and Ryan. You know who you are."

Chad couldn't believe his ears. Troy Bolton was envious of him. Chad stopped walking. After a few more steps Troy stopped also, after noticing that Chad had. Chad grabbed Troy's arm and pulled him into a huge hug.

"I do love you Troy, you are my best friend and I always will," said Chad, not at all embarrassed that he was choking up.

Troy pulled away and smiled bravely at Chad, even though there was a large tear rolling down his cheek. "I know you do Chad. I love you too. You are my most loyal best friend."

Both boys laughed and started walking again. As they approached Troy's house, Chad slapped him on the back, "You can talk to me about anything, ok?"

Troy nodded, "Ryan is really lucky."

Chad filled with pride, but still felt the need to correct him. "I'm lucky; I have Ryan as a boyfriend and you as my best friend. And you're lucky too," he said with a smirk, "because you have me."

Troy smiled, "I know."

-

On Friday night Ryan and Chad had their first date. It had been planned that Chad was staying the night at Ryan's, and the whole evening he wondered what he was going to get later that night.

They went to the movies and things didn't go so well. Chad's preoccupation with what he was going to do with Ryan later made him extremely nervous. He had flirtingly told Ryan that they were going to finish what they had started the other day. But those were all just words. He really had no idea what Ryan was expecting of him – or even what he was expecting of Ryan.

Before they had even entered the theatre Chad had managed to spill half a cup of soda down the front of his shirt and a whole bucket of popcorn all over the floor. The cinema staff were not happy.

What's more, Chad made the mistake of letting Ryan pick the movie, and of course Ryan chose…Hairspray. Chad might have been able to let the movie distract him if it was anything else, but he was still inclined to believe musicals were boring. He just couldn't get into it the way Ryan was. Plus, he kept thinking that one of the guys in the movie looked an awful lot like Troy and kept watching Ryan and hoping that he hadn't noticed.

About half way through the movie Ryan reached out to grab Chad's hand. Chad made a very audible yelping noise and jumped out of his seat. The majority of people in the theatre turned to look at him and even though it was dark, Chad was still visible and stood dead still staring at the other movie-goers with a mortified expression on his face. "Sorry," he muttered and slumped back into his seat. He was leaning down so low he could only see the top of the screen. He glanced over at Ryan who was giving him a deserved look of shock.

"What's with you?" Ryan whispered in his ear.

The hot breath on his skin befuddled him even more, and all that came out of his mouth in reply was a string of incoherent mumbles.

When the movie finally ended, Ryan and Chad decided to walk home together rather than catching a bus or getting one of Ryan's parents to pick them up. Well, Ryan decided and Chad just went along with it. He also spoke hardly two words as they walked along and had his hands firmly tucked into his jacket pockets. Ryan didn't seem to notice as he was blabbering on about Hairspray and the differences between the new version, the original movie and the Broadway production.

Then Ryan hooked his arm through Chad's and Chad tripped over his own feet in surprise.

"Chad!" Ryan yelled as he dropped to his knees beside Chad who was sprawled on the sidewalk. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," replied Chad, sitting up.

"Chad what is wrong? Don't you like me anymore?" Ryan asked in a small voice.

"What? Of course I do! Sorry… I have been acting like a spaz tonight, huh?"

"A little," Ryan replied honestly. He held out his hand and lifted Chad to his feet.

"I'm just nervous about…."

"About what?"

"You know…what we are going to do," Chad whispered unnecessarily, "when we get back to your house."

Ryan's eyes widened, "Oh! We don't have to do anything you don't want to do, Chad."

"No!" Chad insisted, "I mean, I want to…I just don't know what you had in mind."

Ryan chuckled, "Why are you assuming I know? You were the one who said 'This isn't over'."

"I know I did! But then I got panicky. I've never been with a guy before…or even a girl," again Chad was whispering, even though the two boys were quite alone, standing in the cold, dark street.

"Neither have I!" said Ryan.

Chad looked confused, "Really?"

"Yes! Who would I have been with?" Ryan rolled his eyes and playfully pinched Chad's cheek.

Chad grinned and leaned in to kiss his gorgeous blonde.

"Ok…now I can't wait to get home," Ryan said after they pulled away from each other.

Chad wiggled his eyebrows up and down mischievously, "Race ya!"

-

The two boys burst into Ryan's bedroom laughing and flopped onto his bed. Chad quickly tackled Ryan and started tickling him relentlessly. "I won, I won!" he taunted, "Say it!"

Ryan laughed hysterically, "I won, I won!"

"No! Say 'You won'!"

"Oh ok…I won!"

"No! Say 'Chad won'! Do it or I will keep tickling you!"

"Aah no! Ok ok, I give up, Chad you won!"

"Good!" Chad said, ceasing the tickling but not removing his hands. He had straddled Ryan as a way to tickle him with ease. It now became apparent to him just what sort of position he was in.

He moved his hands down to Ryan's waist and pulled out the shirt that had been pristinely tucked into his trousers. Ryan was now completely still, staring up at Chad to see what he would do next. He leaned down and kissed Ryan, forcing his whole face into him so that neither could breathe, but they didn't care because kissing was better.

Chad wasn't worried anymore…he knew that whatever he did with Ryan would be amazing. Just being able to touch him was enough to send shivers up his spine. Chad pushed his hands up Ryan's shirt, his hands trembling at the touch of his smooth skin.

Still straddling him, Chad ground his hips into Ryan's and was pleased to feel that his boyfriend was rapidly growing hard at the sensation.

They kissed and rubbed up against each other until they both knew it was time to do something about their…predicament. Ryan in particular did not like the idea of spoiling his trousers and told Chad this in an effort to get him to hurry up.

Chad chuckled at this declaration and began unbuttoning Ryan's shirt, kissing each new space of pale, bare flesh as he went. With each kiss Ryan moaned encouragingly and Chad quite liking the power he had over the slight boy continued to tease him.

Finally Ryan's shirt came off and the blonde moved his hand down to his pants to release the growing bulge. But Chad stopped him, determined to have the control. He swatted Ryan's hands away and slowly started to undo his belt.

But once he had successfully removed Ryan's trousers and underwear and the white boy lay stark naked across the bed, Chad's nervousness reappeared. What now?

Ryan sensed Chad's sudden shyness and pulled him up so that they were staring into each other's eyes. He kissed Chad so that the brown boy almost saw colours then and there. Ryan took Chad's hand and moved it down towards his crotch. "Do what you want," he whispered.

Chad gulped at the feeling beneath his fingertips and nodded. He knew what he wanted to do. He started by kissing Ryan's neck and again kissing along his abdomen but this time he didn't stop. As he took Ryan in his mouth, he grabbed Ryan's hand for reassurance, and Ryan squeezed back and let out an indulged groan.

Soon Ryan's fingernails were digging into Chad's hand and then Chad was swallowing his boyfriend's orgasm, savouring the flavour not out of duty but curiosity.

Ryan then tugged on his hand and pulled him back up to face him. He pushed Chad onto his back and urgently ripped open his jeans, eager to return the favour. He thrust his hand down Chad's pants and grabbed at him, and Chad's breath hitched with pleasure, as Ryan stroked him.

He almost forgot to breathe as bliss spread through his whole body and all he could do was focus on that hand and how it was making him feel. It wasn't like he had never experienced it before, being a teenage boy he had touched himself many times before, but having someone else touch him in that way felt so much better…and much more loving.

He began to buck his hips in sync with Ryan's movements. And then his body was numb. He felt like something was compressing him, yet felt as if he were floating at the same time. He knew he cried out in ecstasy, but couldn't stop himself from doing so and just hoped he wasn't being too loud.

As Chad lay recovering, Ryan made a quick trip to the bathroom. When he returned he jumped onto the bed and wrapped his arms around Chad. He sighed contentedly into Chad's chest, as Chad kissed his blonde hair appreciatively. The warmness of their bodies and the excitement of their frolicking had both boys in a haze of approaching sleep. But there were a few things they had to say to each other before they dozed off.

"I'm glad you chose me," Ryan whispered.

"I don't think it had anything to do with me, Ryan. I think we were just, like, meant to be together," Chad said through a yawn.

Ryan snuggled further into Chad's chest.

"Chad?"

"Mmmm?"

"Is it too soon to say that I love you?"

"Maybe…but who cares? I love you too."

THE END

A/N: Of course Chad chose Ryan! Hope it wasn't too cheesy! :-P (heh, but if it is I can just blame the fact that it is derived from a cheesy Disney movie)

I couldn't put this author's note at the beginning, what with my evil cliff hanger and all; you would have just skipped past it to see who Chad chose! You have no idea how shocked I was with your response to this story! So many alerts and reviews and favourites! I was expecting – no hoping – to get maybe one or two reviews…WOW. You guys have given me an insatiable taste for them!

About Troy being OOC: I didn't make Troy 'evil' on purpose! Honestly! I like Troy! I don't think I made him that bad…I can see his point of view. But hopefully he was redeemed in the end?

ooooooooo and guess what? I saw High School Musical 2 even though it hasn't come out in New Zealand yet (let's just ignore exactly how I got my hands on the movie) and it was awesome! I like 'Work it out', that song Troy sings solo, and of course 'I don't dance.' And I fully agree that the switching clothes thing is very suspect.