Chapter Four: Old Crushes

Chitchat Express

Our correspondent in Albuquerque spotted last night the Broadway actors Sharpei (26) and Ryan (27) Evans as they headed towards a beautiful house in the suburbs, mostly referred to in the region as "the Evans' mansion." As it was difficult to approach it, because of the tall cypresses at the front, we asked the neighbours what they knew about these two. "Oh, the Evans twins!" an old lady, ex-teacher, who lives nearby admitted. "They are truly inseparable. They used to be my pupils and I always gave them the lead roles. I was so proud when they got the Tony. Ryan especially knew more than anyone on style!" We currently try to decode this information. "Style" might give us details on Mr. Evans' sexual orientation, but the word "twins" doesn't make any sense except if it refers to "inseparable." If they were twins, they couldn't have been married or that would be… wait a minute against the law! Could it possibly be…?

"Hey give me that!" Sharpay shrieked happily. "Oh my God, I could never believe that you, of all people would read these trivialities. Gabriella Montez, or Bolton or whatever, I am very disappointed!" she went on in a fake, patronizing tone.

"I am glad to see that you haven't changed at all Sharpay!" Gabriella smiled, her eyes looking warm but solemn. "Look at you! You look wonderful and you have a Tony Award now!"

"That surprise is great!" Ryan told Taylor. They were sitting in a beautifully decorated café at the mall with a friendly atmosphere alongside with Jason, Kelsi, Martha and Chad. Only Troy Bolton was absent. "I don't think we deserve it, guys. After all, we were so mean to all of you, in high school! We were snobby and stuck-up and one-sided!"

"What are you talking about?" Gabriella interrupted. "I don't remember anything like it! You, Ryan were not mean at all when you stood up to me in front of Darbus when I forgot my drama homework. Sharpay wasn't mean either, when she helped me do my sociology project in senior year!"

"That's right!" Kelsi agreed. "Both of you were mean sometimes, especially when it had to do with your superiority in drama, but then who doesn't have a bad moment? I remember especially that time when Troy and Gabriella managed to get the leads for Twinkle Towne, in our junior year. You should have seen your faces then! But, apart from that everyone can say a good word or two about you, the dynamic, ambitious Sharpay and Ryan, the greatest dancer East High has ever seen!"

Everybody cheered, until another female voice broke the silence. "It seems to me," she said "that we kind of try and block out the negative feelings and keep on only the happy memories alive. That's why we are all so nostalgic of our high school years."

"Roxanne!" Ryan asked. "It's great to see you again!"

The woman smiled, removing her auburn hair from her face. "I'm glad to see you too, Ryan. After all these years I am not afraid to admit that I joined the drama club because of you. I was dazzled by your and your sister's chemistry on stage, and had dreams of becoming an actress too. In my case it didn't turn out that way, and so I am, a plain psychologist who is clearly obsessed with her job. It's funny really how people pay you to become someone else while they also pay me to discover who they are…"

"Hey, Roxy!" Sharpay cried. "It's so good to see my old best friend again! Well, after hearing what you said, I don't know if you still have your old crush on my brother, but in case you do, he is single and has the tendency to speak like you! So, you'd make a cute couple!"

Even though that would have sounded awkward at any other occasion, everybody laughed now, including Ryan and Roxanne. Sharpay went on: "And speaking of old crushes, where is Troy? No offense Gabby, but I think everybody knows that I really used to like him back then!"

People kept on laughing with Sharpay's sincerity, but Gabriella bit her lip and lowered her eyes. Sharpay stopped abruptly but nobody noticed, as there came Zeke, who came also to own the café, with a dish full of baked goodies and took a seat.

"Speaking of old crushes, right! Here is what I bring to an old crush. That crème brulee is just and only for Sharpay. No one else is allowed to touch that masterpiece but her! Hey Shar!" Zeke whispered, "Don't tell Betty, my fiancée I made you a crème because she'll get jealous. And to your information, Princess, Troy has practice with the kids at East High! Don't worry though! You have another three basketball players here: Chad, Jason, and there's also I!"

"That's right, Zeke!" Sharpay admitted flirtatiously. "I really missed your wonderful cookies there in New York. Betty is a lucky girl; I hope you didn't make her the All-Time-Great Sharpay cocktail, did you?"

"Of course I didn't!" Zeke protested and everyone in the table laughed again. Sharpay touched Ryan's hand and looked him deeply in the eyes. They knew. They were happy about their old classmates, even though they seemed so different from the way they remembered them. As the time passed by with laughter and remarks about the old times, the Evans twins excused themselves and got on a taxi in order to return home, even though it was fairly early.

"So, what do you think?" Ryan asked enthusiastically.

"I don't know Ry! Definitely, I was all happy and excited as you were. On the other hand though, I couldn't feel but a little weird. Everyone was paired up with someone else; everyone seemed I can't say it, complete. Yes, that's the word. At first I was afraid that Taylor's tired eyes, Gabriella's solemn smile and Zeke's sincere admiration were disturbing signs, but now I understand they are the price of maturity. What can I tell, these people are starting families, have stable jobs and what do I… what do we have?"

"I see, the depressing Sharpay starts to take on again! Let's see, what we have, an uncertain future, no personal lives and the tabloids chasing us? Well, that's true. But we also have two beautiful, precious, glorious Tony Awards which symbolize our hard work and popularity and the appreciation of the world! I know how you feel Sharpay, I can even say that I feel the same, but we are not immature eternal teenagers. The fact that we live glamourously and richly and we take care of ourselves does not mean that we are shallow and superficial!"

"Ryan, can I ask you something?"

"Of course Shar, give it a go!"

"When will you go out with Roxanne? I mean really, you have many things in common! Hey, let me go!" she cried as her brother who started to tickle her in retaliation. "Ha-ha let me alone. You were the one who said that we are not immature eternal teenagers! Ryan, stop! We are on a taxi! Ok, I'm descending," she added as they passed in front of East High.

"Where are you going?" Ryan demanded in a fake, patronizing tone.

"I'm off to meeting Troy Bolton!" Sharpay blew him a kiss in the air. "I really wanted to see him before the reunion. See, it's me now who follows her spontaneous, childish side!"

Ryan shook his head, as Sharpay closed the door. His sister made him feel that he was not alone in his craziness in this sober, serious world. Deep inside, he was happy for that. Wasn't this the motivation for both of them to become actors, after all?"