A Holiday to Remember

Chapter 3

After helping the girls carry their bag to the cars, they all met back inside at the food court to discuss their Christmas plans.

"So, about this secret Santa thing? What exactly are we talking about here? Cause I hate to break it to you, Sharpay, but unlike you and Ryan, the rest of us aren't rolling in cash." Taylor stated.

"Well, duh. I mean, we know that. I just thought since this was our first Christmas all being friends we should do something special. I'm not talking about going out and spending more money on some pointless gift that will be forgotten in less than a week. I was thinking we could draw names and whoever's name we get, we can do something nice or special for that person."

"Wow, Sharpay, that's very big of you." Gabriella spoke, almost as if she couldn't believe it. Sharpay Evans was thinking of someone other than herself. This was already a Christmas Miracle if she had ever saw one.

"So, like I was saying, if we draw names tonight, then that gives us almost two months to figure out what to get for the person we chose. Does that sound good to everyone?"

Looking around, she saw that every one was in agreement with her.

"Oh, do you think Chad will be cool with it? I mean, I know he's not here, but you guys should know if he's be cool with it or not."

Troy spoke first.

"I don't see why not. I bet this is something he could really enjoy. Let me give him a quick call and make sure. Be right back." Troy stood and walked away from the table.

A few minutes later, he walked back over and sat back down.

"Yeah, its cool with him. So, let's do this."

Smiling, Sharpay pulled out a brightly colored pink piece of paper and her famous purple pen and started writing everyone's name down. She carefully tore them apart and folded them all the same. Without thinking, she reached over and snatched Ryan's hat off of his head.

"SHARPAY!" He screamed, causing a few people to stop and look at them.

"Shush, Ryan. I needed something to mix the names up in. Seeing as you are the only one with a hat, you were the obvious choice. And since you are being such a baby about it, I'm going to let you pick first. They only way you can pick again is if you get your own name. Now, pick!"

Groaning, Ryan reached in and after a couple of second's pulled out a small piece of pink paper. He started to open it when Sharpay stopped him.

"Wait!"

This caused Ryan to jump a little and almost fell from his chair. Gabi and Kelsi giggled.

"Once you've seen the name you picked put it somewhere where no one will see it. No one is to know who the other's got. We have until Christmas Eve when we exchange gifts."

Without waiting, she held the hat out to Troy, then Taylor, then Gabi and Kelsi. She took the only name left in the hat. Smiling, she placed Ryan's hat back on his head.

"Good. Now that everyone has a name, who's up for going to the movies?"

"Uh, sis, I think I'm just gonna head home. I'm not really up for a movie."

"Aww, Ry, you sure?"

"Yeah. I'll just see you back at the house." Turning, he placed a small kiss on her cheek. He did the same to Gabi, Kelsi and Taylor. He stopped, looked at Troy and placed a small kiss on his cheek as well.

"Aw, man! Ryan! What'd you have to go and do that for!" As Ryan was walking away, all he could hear what the laugher coming from all four girls.

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A few blocks from the mall where all of his friends were, Chad Danforth was making his way into a small convenient store. He needed to find a store where he was least likely to be seen and since this store was furthest away from his house, he took the chance.

For the past three weeks, Chad had been hiding something. Something no one knew. Not Troy or Sharpay and Gabriella or Taylor. And especially not Ryan. There was nothing for Chad to be ashamed of but this was something he needed to try and figure out on his own. He was in an unusual situation and wasn't quite sure how his friends would react. He sure as hell knew he didn't want their pity and knew that's what he'd get.

So, Chad decided for the time being to keep certain things to himself.

Walking into the store, Chad made his way to the same isle he had been coming to for three weeks now. Grabbing what he needed off of the shelves, he placed them all in the small basket. He stopped at the freezer section before making his way to the front, trying to decide on something to eat. Grabbing a TV dinner and some soda from another shelve, he walked to the checkout.

The man behind the counter smiled at him as he rung each item up. After bagging and paying for his things, Chad made his way back outside into the, oddly enough, cold November night. Looking to the sky, Chad could see the small clouds that were beginning to gather around.

"Man, wouldn't it be weird if we got snow this year?" Chad spoke to himself. Pulling his jacket tighter around himself, he made his way over to his mom's car. Unlocking the door, he got inside. He started the car and waited only a few minutes for it to warm up. A few minutes later he was on his way home.

He never saw the stunned expression of the young man standing outside of the same store Chad had just come out of.

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"No way. There's no way I just saw Chad come out of that store with what I think I did." Ryan thought to himself.

After leaving the mall, Ryan had decided to walk home. It wasn't like they lived that far away, no matter how fast Sharpay had been driving before. He had been so lost in his thoughts that if he hadn't heard someone talk, he might have walked into traffic.

"...snow this year?" Ryan almost thought someone was talking to him. Looking up, Ryan was too stunned seeing Chad to say anything. Without thinking, he glanced down to the two bags Chad was carrying. They were plastic so Ryan could see right through them.

"Not possible."

Still not speaking, he watched Chad walk over to his mother's car, start it, wait a few minutes and then pull out. All the while, Ryan was standing there on the sidewalk, looking like an idiot.

For some reason, seeing Chad made Ryan think of the Secret Santa Sharpay had made him draw for tonight. Pulling the small pink piece of paper from his pocket, he opened it.

There in Sharpay's fancy handwriting was the name he drew.

Chad

"Well, shit. What in the world am I supposed to do for Chad?"

Just because they had become friends didn't mean Ryan had any clue what he could possibly do for him.

"I guess Troy and I will be having another talk sometime soon. Very soon."

What Ryan had just saw slowly slipped to the back of his mind. For now, anyway.

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"Alright everyone, great job. If I didn't know any better, I would say you were all very talented actors." Sharpay smiled as she spoke.

Troy was grinning right along side of her.

"Yeah, great job guys." He said.

Everyone pulled their pink pieces of paper out and opening them laid them all out on the table.

Chad

Chad

Chad

Chad

Chad

"So, you really think this will work? Tricking them into picking each other's name?"

"My dear Gabriella, we aren't 'tricking' them. We are just helping along the process. Right, Troy?"

"Yeah, babe. I mean, we all know Chad likes Ryan, right?"

"True, Troy, but what if things don't work out how we are planning them too? I mean, I don't know about Ryan, but Chad is one of the most stubborn people I have ever known." This time Taylor spoke.

"Oh, Ryan's just as stubborn." Kelsi added in. Everyone laughed as a small blush rose on her cheeks.

"So, everyone's clear on how things are going to go. No matter what, we have to make sure they realized the other is just as in love with him as he is with them." Looking over to Troy, Sharpay whispered.

"I said that right, didn't I?" Laughing he pulled her close and placed a small kiss on her lips.

"Yeah, baby, you did." She smiled in return.

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As quietly as he could, Chad walked in the front door of his house. Closing the door, Chad locked the extra lock he had just recently put in. Walking to the kitchen, Chad flipped the light on. Startled, Chad saw his mother sitting at the kitchen table.

"Ma, what's wrong? Why are you out of bed?"

Looking up, Gloria Danforth looked at her son. Her baby boy wasn't a little boy anymore. He had grown into such a wonderful young man. She could only smile at him. He had brought her so much joy in her life. She couldn't imagine what her life would have been like if she had never had him.

"Hey baby. Nothing's wrong. I was just thirsty so I got up to get me something to drink."

Looking at his mother, Chad tried his best to smile at her. It was becoming harder and harder with each day. The mother he had always known was no longer with him. While he could still look at his mother and say she was beautiful, things had changed. So fast that sometimes Chad almost thought it was a dream.

In the last six months his mother's health had gone down hill and fast. The once healthy woman was now only a shell of what she used to be.

You see, Gloria Danforth was a sick woman. A very sick woman. At one time she had been a cancer survivor. Six months ago, that all came crashing down. Her cancer was back and worse than ever. By the time her doctors had found it, it was too late. It had stread to inoperable places in her body. They weren't giving her much time to live. At her last visit, which had been earlier today, her doctor had told them it would be a miracle if she made it to Christmas.

Before Chad could say another word, he was called away to the other room. As soon as he heard it, he made a quick run down the hall and into his room.

There in the middle of the room was a crib. A hand painted pink crib. Walking up to it, he reached down and ever so carefully picked up a small bundle of pink. No sooner than having his arms around her, Lucy Danforth quietend down. Chad smiled before he could stop himself.

A/N: An there is the first evil cliff hanger!!..:D This isn't where I stopped writing but decided I would put the rest in chapter 4. So, if you wanna know what the heck Chad's doing with a baby, review and let me know. The next chapter will be up soon. Until then, Tootles:)