Love, You Didn't do Right by Me

Love, you didn't do right by me
You planned a romance that just hadn't a chance
And I'm through
Love, you didn't do right by me
I'm back on the shelf and I'm blaming myself
But it's you


Chad wasn't quite sure what to do with the information he had just accidentally acquired. Part of him wanted to take out Evans (right hook to the jaw, maybe?), part of him wanted to warn Kelsi, and then another part of him wanted to pretend he hadn't heard anything. Even he could tell that Kelsi was smitten with Ryan Evans, and he didn't want to be the one to tell her that Sharpay was using Ryan to get music out of her. He needed advice on what to do, but he wasn't sure telling anyone else what he had heard would be a good idea. He didn't want Kelsi to find out via word of mouth. If anything Chad thought Ryan should tell her himself. Fess up to his own mess.

Chad decided to do a mixture of his first three instincts the minute he saw Kelsi walking toward him in the hallway.

"Hey, Kels," Chad greeted.

"Hey, Chad," Kelsi noticed he was looking at her strangely. "Are you okay?"

"It's just…are you sure about going to prom with Evans? I mean do you really like him?" Chad asked.

Kelsi smiled at him, "I'm positive, and yes I do really like him."

He sighed in a forlorn manner, "That's what I thought."

Kelsi stared after him in confusion as he continued down the hallway.

Chad glared at Ryan as he passed him. On instinct Chad turned around and caught back up with Ryan. He grabbed his arm and pulled him outside into a small empty courtyard.

"Something you need, Danforth?" Ryan asked in worry.

Chad said nothing, but immediately punched Ryan across the jaw. He hadn't punched him as hard as he could have, but it was enough to get his point across.

"What the hell was that?" Ryan asked in outrage as he stumbled backward and rubbed his jaw.

"You tell Kelsi or I will," Chad told him with a raised eyebrow.

Ryan looked confused at first and then his expression turned into a combination of shock and worry.

"You heard Sharpay and I earlier didn't you?"

Chad remained silent but crossed his arms over his chest and glared at him sternly. Ryan looked away from the basketball player and ran a hand across his face.

"You've got to believe me, Chad. I didn't ask Kelsi because Sharpay told me to. I swear," Ryan told him urgently as he took off his hat and held it in his hands.

"You know honestly? I don't care," Chad told him. "What I care about is HOW Kelsi finds out about this. If you don't tell her, Sharpay might. And if neither of you tell her then I will. She needs to know. Personally, I'd proffer for her to hear it from you. Might hurt less that way."

Ryan sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard, "You're right. I know you're right."

Chad shook his head and his expression softened when he saw the genuine regret on Ryan's face, "You really screwed up, man. You know that?"

Ryan nodded silently.

"I mean you really let Sharpay suck you back in like that?" He asked in disbelief.

"I was stupid, and now…Kelsi's probably going to hate me," Ryan sighed. "I didn't end up getting the song for her. I just couldn't. I should've just told Kelsi about it from the beginning."

"Yeah, you should've. She would have understood that," Chad told him in disappointment. "This way, things are going to seem way harsher."

"I'll talk to her during free period," Ryan said in a depressed tone.

"Be prepared for an angry Troy, man," Chad warned him as sympathy began to leak into his tone. "That punch I gave you earlier is nothing compared to what Troy's gonna do to you."

"Looking forward to it," Ryan mumbled bitterly.


Before Free Period rehearsal started Chad noticed Ryan pull Kelsi aside and walk with her outside. He didn't know where they went, but when they came back Fifteen minutes later Kelsi looked blank. Chad couldn't tell if she was angry, upset, or ready to cry. She looked perfectly apathetic. He did notice she didn't look in Ryan's direction or say anything to him at all for the rest of the rehearsal. Chad had never seen Ryan so disheartened. He kept glancing at Kelsi in his peripherals and sighing. When free period was over Kelsi caught up with Chad in the hallway.

"You knew didn't you?" She asked him.

"I just found out this morning," He told her sadly. "If it makes you feel better I punched him."

"So that's why his jaw was bruised?" Kelsi asked.

Chad nodded.

"I just don't get it. I thought…I thought he really felt something. But I suppose Sharpay using him to scheme makes more sense than him actually liking me," Kelsi said with a gulp. "I just wish I would have found all this out before I wasted my parent's money on a dress and shoes."

Chad wrapped an arm around Kelsi's shoulders and gave her a side hug.

"Hey Chad," Kelsi said after they had walked a few minutes in silence.

"Yeah, Small Person?"

"Don't tell the girls or Troy about this, okay?" She asked him.

His brow furrowed at her, "Why?"

"As upset at him as I am…He did seem genuinely apologetic," She said quietly.

"And you don't want Troy getting wind of this," Chad said as he gave her a small grin.

"He's got enough going on with Gabby and everything," Kelsi nodded.

"Okay, I'll keep it to myself," He told her.

"Thanks, I'll see you at rehearsal after school right?" Kelsi asked as she headed toward her English class.

"Of course."


Chad had Discrete Math with Ryan after his chat with Kelsi, and when they were put in groups to work Chad and Ryan were placed in the same group. Chad glanced at Ryan and wondered whether he should clue him in on what Kelsi had told him. If Chad doubted whether Kelsi liked Ryan before than he knew for sure now. She was keeping Ryan from being beaten up and shunned from the group which meant the composer still cared about the choreographer.

"Kelsi's saving your butt, dude."

Ryan frowned at him in confusion, "Huh?"

"She made me promise not to tell anyone about any of this…drama."

"She did?" He asked in shock.

Chad nodded. He could see hope building in Ryan's expression.

"I have to fix this," Ryan said as determination crossed his features. "When I asked Kelsi to prom this whole mess with Sharpay didn't even cross my mind. I was just so caught up in that song…"

Chad watched as a grin suddenly covered Ryan's face, and he started scribbling on a spare piece of notebook paper frantically.

"Good luck, man," Chad mumbled to Ryan as he watched him plot.


This one is a two parter...tomorrow's update will conclude this one!

Enjoy!

angellwings