ok, i'm glad that everyone liked the last chapter and my story in general. thank everyone again for reviewing. yes chad was an ass and no he doesnt stay one. so on with the story.


I'm happy to report EHS that Zeke Baylor and Sharpay Evans have finally made it official. Even though everyone else, including myself have seen it coming for weeks. If only we could say the same for others. Kelsie Neilson and Jason Cross have been seen eyeing each other again. It must be contagious because their friends Martha Cox and Ryan Evans have me wondering if their kiss in the musical was just acting like they want us to think. And to complete the list, Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are still flirting and acting shy around each other. I'm sure I'm not the only one rolling my eyes when I see them. Last, but not least in their group is Taylor McKessie and Chad Danforth. I'm surprised. I didn't believe that the two rivals would actually call it quits, but they have. It's been weeks since Miss McKessie called a halt to the hostilities and not one word has been spoken between the two. I'm still not sure if I will miss all the hallway fights between them or not. Becky Sterling was seen…

Taylor sat in her living room, flipping threw the channels looking for something to watch. Not able to find anything, she threw the remote down disgusted. How you could have over a thousand channels and not find anything to watch was beyond her.

With her brothers and sisters being gone, and all her friends being busy, Taylor knew that it was just going to be her for the weekend. Glancing down at the remote with a glare, she decided to go to the park near by.

Leaving the house, she thought about the latest edition of Gossip World. She laughed when she remembered how uncomfortable her friends were after reading it, and with the exception of Sharpay and Zeke, none could look each other in the eye. She would have loved to be in the same position with Chad, but she knew things never worked out the way someone wanted them too.

The past weeks after she had told Chad she was threw with him weren't what anyone had expected. Everyone had thought that they would be arguing again after a few days. Miss Gossip had even wrote that she didn't think it would last more than a week. But she and Chad had surprised everyone. Not one word was spoken between the two since she had made her statement. Even when they were together with all their friends, they wouldn't speak to each other.

What made it complicated was that either she would catch him looking at her or vice versa. When that would happen, they'd quickly look away before anyone noticed. She didn't think anyone had, but knowing her friends, they could have and elected not to say anything.

The park was only a few blocks away from her house, so it didn't take long for her to get there. After she got there, she walked over to the vacant swings. Sitting down, she lightly pushed herself with her feet as she thought.

She didn't ever see her and Chad being anything more than…Taylor didn't even know what to call them. They definitely weren't friends, and now they weren't even enemies. Almost lovers, she decided to call them. Yes, she knew it was cliché, but she couldn't think of anything else.

Miss Gossip didn't help the situation either, that's for sure. It was a wonder that the looks they caught from each other wasn't in the school's gossip column. She wished that someone would reveal who it was or Miss Gossip would stop all together. The numerous conversations that she and the others had had after Sharpay's announcement had at one time or another ending up with everyone being accused. Ryan was open about his opinion that Sharpay was Miss Gossip and she only made the wager to rub it in everyone's nose.

Martha and Kelsie had almost gotten into an argument about why the other would most likely be Miss Gossip. And Taylor didn't even want to think about the fights the guys had gotten into on who was or wasn't Miss Gossip.

All and all, the wager had put everyone in the school against each other and there wasn't an end in sight. Whoever Miss, or Mr. Gossip was, Taylor knew that they had to be getting nervous. She had heard that a group of juniors had gone to school hours early just to corner whoever put the papers down. Thankfully the delivery man got away unharmed.

It would be funny if Taylor didn't have so much more on her mind. Leaning against a chain of the swing, she slowly pushed her feet back and forward as she thought about how glum her life was. If this was supposed to be the happiest time of her life, Taylor really didn't want to live to see thirty.

"Why so down in the dumps Taylor," a voice from behind her said. Turning, she watched as Brandon Scottsdale, a fellow decathlon member, sat down in the swing next to her.

"Hi Brandon," she said, mustering up a smile. She and Brandon had always gotten along and Taylor thought he was a good person. He was the smartest boy in school, he wasn't you're typical nerd. Even though he would choose homework over going out on a Saturday night, he still loved to hang out with his friends, and he told Taylor once that he was a black belt in karate. On top of that, he was a prefect gentleman. Opening doors for females, offering to carry their books, the whole shebang.

Taylor wondered mournfully why she couldn't be head over heels for him instead of someone who seemed to be his exact opposite.

"What are you doing here," she asked. "I thought that I was the only senior who still came to the park."

Smiling at her, he shrugged. "My little brothers wanted to come and wouldn't leave me alone until I brought them. What about you?"

"It was either this, or go stir crazy," she said smiling back at him. "Everyone's busy, parents' are at work, and all my brothers and sisters are back at school. So boredom sets in quick."

Getting up and walking behind her, he began to push her swing. "You're lucky. I can't remember the last time when my house was quiet. I don't think it ever has been."

"Try having six in one-" Taylor stopped talking abruptly because, and for the life of her she wouldn't be able to tell how, she was on the ground, on top of Brandon.

"Oomph," they both said when Taylor landed on him.

Sitting up quickly, she turned around to look at him. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened."

Waving her away, he sat up. "I'm fine," he said. "At least you had me to break your fall. I'm a pleasure to be of service."

Rolling her eyes, she backed away from him, certain that if he was able to make jokes, then he really was fine.

"But you know Taylor," he said, his grin getting bigger by the second.

"What," she asked him warily, not liking the grin at all.

"If you wanted to be in my arms, all you had to do was ask."

Taylor rolled her eyes again. "Don't tell me you're flirting with me."

"Why," he asked, still grinning. "Is it working?"

Laughing, he decided to play along. "Of course it is," she said. "Didn't you know that I fell into your arms on purpose. I just couldn't resist felling your strong arms around me."

Standing, he helped her up. "I'm hurt. Here I am, a human air bag for you, and all you can do is make fun of my gallant gestures. I think that I deserve some pay back."

Before Taylor knew what he was about, he started to tickle her. Taylor, who was extremely ticklish, immediately dissolved into a fit of giggles, trying to stop his hands from attacking her body.

"Say you give," he said, easily evading her hands.

"Never," she was able to wheeze out.

"You asked for it," he said as h tickled her even more.

He tickled her until she was ready to give in. As she opened her mouth to cry uncle, a basketball hit their feet, stopping them.

Finally released from her captor, she caught her breath, and turned to thank her saviors and her voice caught in her throat. It was Troy, Zeke, Jason, and Chad. The last was looking between her and Brandon with an unreadable look on his face.

Picking up the ball, Brandon tossed it to Troy. "Here you go," he said.

"Thanks," Troy said catching it. She wasn't sure, but to her it seemed like Troy wasn't at all thankful. Turning his eyes to Taylor he said, "Hey Taylor."

Finally she had enough oxygen in her system to speak. "Hey, guys," she said. "What's up?"

Looking between her and Brandon, Zeke said, "Just playing some ball. What about you two?"

Brandon shrugged. "Just hanging out," he said simply.

"We can tell," Taylor heard Jason mutter. She sent him a sharp look that stop any further comment from any of them.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Taylor said, "Well, I think that it's time for me to go. I don't want my parents to call and get worried if I don't answer."

"I should get going too," Brandon said. "Do you want a ride home," he asked Taylor.

Shaking her head, she said, "No thanks, I live just a few blocks away. I can walk."

"Are you sure," Brandon asked her. "I don't mind making a detour."

"That's alright Brandon," Troy said in a very un-Troy like interruption. "We're going to Jason's and he's just two blocks away from Taylor. We can walk her."

"I really don't mind," Brandon started, but was cut off by Zeke in a very un-Zeke like voice.

"Don't worry about it dude, we got it."

Brandon finally gave up. "Alright then, see in school Taylor, later guys.

They all gave various goodbyes, none of which was very polite.

When Taylor was sure that Brandon was out of earshot, she turned on her friends. "What was that about?"

"What was what about," Jason asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb, you guys were rude to Brandon. I want to know why." Taylor had never seen any of them act so rude to anyone but Chad, and that was only to her. They had done a complete role reversal. She didn't know why they were mean to him, but she was going to find out.

When they didn't answer, she folded her arms and looked at them. "Well," she said.

"He was totally hitting on you Taylor," Troy said.

"Oh God," she said, rolling her eyes. "He was not. He was just being polite. And why did you guys speak for me, I could have wanted a ride home."

Zeke gave her a look. "You already said that you were going to walk."

"Maybe I was just being polite. I could have wanted a nice ride in a car."

"And would have ended up in his back seat," Jason said.

"Get real Jason, his brothers are with him." Taylor didn't think that she was ever going to understand the male mind.

"That's what he told you," Troy said.

Taylor was certain. She wasn't ever going to understand that male mind. " I highly doubt that he would make his little brothers walk just to get at me."

Turning, she walked away from them. They all, with the exception of Chad, who hadn't uttered one word, were crazy. Brandon and her were just friends. They joked around like that all the time. That was all there was to it.

The boys caught up with her easily. "We said we were going to walk you home, so we will."

Rolling her eyes again, she said sarcastically, "Why? Is he going to circle around and pick me up if he sees me alone?"

"Most likely," Zeke said seriously.

Frustrated, Taylor turned around and folded her arms again. "The last time I checked, my three older brothers were all taller and older than you three."

"You're a younger sister by default," Jason said. "We didn't like the way he was touching you."

Turning around and walking away from them again, she called over her shoulder, "We were playing. You've never had a tickle fight before?"

They caught up with her again. "Tickle fight my ass," Zeke said. "His hands were creeping higher and higher up your chest. And the drive you home scam? Do you know how many times that's been tried? How many times we've tired it?"

"Then maybe I should be worried about my friends shouldn't I? If you're doing all the things that you think he's doing, then the girls need to watch out don't they?"

"Don't change the subject," Troy said. "he was flirting and we know it. We were rude to show him not to do it again."

Taylor was thankful that they had made it to her block. She couldn't take much more of this misplaced protectiveness. They were driving her crazy. She thought that Toby, Trey, and Trevor were bad. They didn't have anything on these three.

Taking another route, she said, "Did you ever stop to think that even if he was flirting, I was flirting back?" She knew it was a lie before it came out of her mouth, she just couldn't see Brandon like that, and she didn't think that he saw her like that either.

But after it came out of her mouth, she realized it was a mistake. The boys were outraged. Except Chad, who still hadn't said one word. He was blank faced. She didn't have much time to register that because his friends started yelling at her at once.

"He was going to grope you if I hadn't thrown the ball at him, but it missed and hit you're feet," came one voice. Taylor thought it might have been Troy's, she wasn't sure.

"Why would you flirt with that?"

"You can't be serious."

Taylor wasn't sure who said which comment.

Finally reaching her front door, she turned and held her hand up to stop them from talking all at once. "If you promise to shut up about this nonexistent situation, you all can come in and have something to eat."

The boys quickly agreed. Opening the door, she let them in, but turned to Zeke. "I'm still telling Sharpay and the others."

Going to the kitchen, she took out chips from the pantry, and soda from the refrigerator. Putting it on the table, she said, "Have at it" as the phone rang.

It was her brother Trevor. "Hey Trevor," she said. "What's up?"

"Who's there? Is it some boy?"

Good lord, was it over protective brother day? "Yes, as a matter of fact, it's four hormone crazed, sex starved boys," she said to her brother. "You should be thanking them," she said before he could go on a rampage. "From what they say, they saved me from being taken advantage of."

"By who," her brother demanded.

"Just a friend," Taylor said annoyed. "We were having a tickle fight in the park and they thought they had to put an end to it and rudely send him on his way."

"Who was tickling who," he brother asked.

Taylor was wondering why in the hell it mattered, but answered her brother anyway. "He was tickling me."

"Tell them I said thank you."

Sighing, Taylor talked to her brother for a few more minutes then disconnected the phone. Turning back to the boys, she saw that the food was nearly gone already. She didn't know how her mother did it with three boys at once.

After setting more food on the table, she sat down. Taking a sip of soda, she told the group at large, "My brother says thank you."

"Which one?" Troy asked.

"One of the twins. He seems to see something I don't. I guess I don't speak stupid guy code."

Belching loudly, Jason shrugged. "You'll never understand."

Taylor gave him a disgusted look. "I need more estrogen around here." Without expecting a reply from anyone, she dialed Sharpay's phone number.

After explaining the situation to her friend, and promising to tell her everything that happened at the park, Sharpay promised to call everyone else, and tell them to go to Taylor's.

--

"So when are we going to read about you and Brandon in Gossip World?" Taylor rolled her eyes at Gabby's comment. She should have known that Sharpay would have told the others about what happened at the park. They had talked about the subject more that Taylor had ever dreamed that they could.

Sharpay would make a hell of an interrogator. How long had she known him? Did she know he was going to be there? What did they talk about? What kind of friendship did they have? Did she like the tickling? Those questions and more that Sharpay had asked made Taylor's eyes cross.

"No," she answered her friend. "Me and Brandon aren't like that. We were just joking around at the park. And someone," she raised her voice so the boys, who were across the room, could hear "Blew it out of proportion."

The boys, who were in a deep discussion about something the girls had no clue about, barely acknowledged what she said. The only reply she got was "No we didn't," from Zeke, and then he went back to his conversation like he never had spoken to Taylor.

"Anyway," Taylor said, rolling her eyes at Zeke's antics. "Brandon just isn't Mr. Right."

"So," Sharpay said, shrugging her shoulders. "He doesn't have to be Mr. Right. He can be Mr. Right Now."

"So, is that what Zeke is," Gabby asked.

Sharpay was offended. "Of course not. That's more of a forever thing. we're getting married."

"Don't tell me he's asked you already and you agreed," Taylor said skeptically.

Rolling her eyes, Sharpay said, "Spare me. He doesn't have to ask. I'm going to tell him we're getting married and the date. All he has to do is show up."

Laughing, Taylor stood. "It's nice to know that Zeke doesn't have a say in any of it. I'm going get more drinks."

After entering the kitchen, Taylor let the smile fall from her face and sighed. She had been talking and joking with her friends all afternoon, and now the evening. It had started taking a toll on her. She didn't know why acting like Chad didn't exist was harder to do in her house than it was in school. She was in tune with everything he did. She knew when he left the room for something, would get shivers when she heard his wonderful laugh at something one of their friends said.

She knew that ignoring Chad after arguing with him constantly for years would be hard, but she didn't know it was going to be this hard. It was probably sick of her, but sometimes she missed arguing with him. It was highly likely that she needed professional help.

Opening the doors to the backyard, she sat down on the steps.

Maybe Sharpay was right. Maybe she should get a Mr. Right Now. Even though it was never like that, she had always liked Brandon. Nothing would be wrong with dating him to see where it goes.

She abruptly stopped her thinking. That wouldn't be right of her to use Brandon just to get over Chad. As bad as she wanted to get over what ever it was that she felt for Chad, she knew she couldn't use any one to do it.

Behind her, someone opened the door.

"Sorry," she started. "I just stepped out for some-" She stopped short when she turned and saw that it was Chad who walked threw the door.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," she quietly replied back.

Expecting him to leave, she turned forward and looked ahead. So she was surprised when he sat down next to her.

Taylor tried to control her breathing, but as usual, her body went haywire whenever he was close.

They didn't speak for a few minutes. Then, he said, "So…how have you been?"

"Fine, and you," she answered. She didn't know what else to say. They hadn't been talking for so long, she couldn't come up with anything to make a conversation.

"Same," he said. It seemed like Chad was in the same position.

Not being able to take the silence for long, Taylor spoke up. "Don't you think that they're going to miss us?"

He rolled his eyes. "They decided to watch a movie and paired off. I felt like a third wheel. I doubt that they'll notice we're gone until a few minutes after the movie is over."

Taylor smiled. "You never know. Maybe they'll stop beating around the bush finally and start dating."

Chad shook his head. "I know my friends. In about two more weeks, they'll finally ask them out. And I give Ryan a few more days."

"Well," Taylor said. "I wish that they would all put each other and us out of out misery."

After laughing with her, he sobered up, and asked seriously, "Why can't we get along like this all the time?"

That caught her off guard. She hadn't even noticed that she and Chad hadn't argued or came close to it during the whole conversation.

She shrugged. "It's kind of hard to get along with someone who only wants you in bed, thinks that you're socially inferior to them, and thinks that you're so repulsive that they don't want to be seen in public with you."

She felt Chad stiffen next to her. Why did she have to open her mouth? Now, just like last time, her mouth was about to start another argument.

She waited for his comment, mentally preparing for a fight. Instead, what he said surprised her.

"I don't think that you're repulsive Taylor. If I thought that, then I wouldn't want you."

"Out of everything I just said, you focus on me saying that I think that you think I'm repulsive?" Taylor knew she should be grateful that they weren't shouting at each other. But she just couldn't understand why he would decide to pick that statement out of everything.

He copied her shrug. "It's the truth. And I don't think the you're socially inferior to me. It's just that we're from two different cliques, and-"

She cut him off.

"Please don't finish that statement. We've already been over how you can't publicly seen lowering yourself by being with me."

He gave a aggravated sigh. "Why are you trying to pick a fight?"

Taylor didn't realize until he said something that that was what she was doing.

Deeply sighing, she said, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to, but it just makes me a little angry when someone wouldn't mind having sex with me, but doesn't want anyone to know about it."

"Do we have to talk about that again." he asked getting angry.

Getting just as angry, she said, "How, would you feel if say one told you, 'I don't mind jumping your bones a few times, we just can't let anyone know about it?' You'd react the same way."

"Well, excuse me," he said sarcastically. "Not everybody can be like Brandon."

Taylor gave him a look of disbelief. "What does Brandon have to do with this?"

"So you can have a 'tickle fight' where he's practically groping you, that's fine, he a friend and you two were playing. But I'm up front with it, and I'm an asshole and a bastard. What sense does that make?"

"Not that whatever is or isn't going on with me and Brandon is you're business, but if there is, at least he doesn't care what it would do to his reputation."

"Whatever Taylor," he said brushing off her comment. "Something happens between us, you can't do it, you're not that kind of person. But, one of your friends cops a feel, and it's fine."

"Like you can talk," she shot back. "How many girls have you gone threw since Becky? Let's see, there was Claudia, Amanda, Bridgette, Natalie, Ashley, and that's just half of them. I don't think I'll live long enough to name them all."

"Jealous McKessie?"

"Please," she said with disdain. "I've had it. Trust me, it's not that impressive."

"I know that you-" She cut him off.

"See, this is why we can't have a normal conversation. We either end up at each other's throat, or our tongues down them. I'm sorry, I just can't take this any more. Not with how much you-" She stopped, horrified at what she had almost said. She almost said how much he meant to her. Why had she almost said that? She had been hiding it for four years, she shouldn't have let it slip so easy.

"How much I what," he asked.

Shaking her head, she said, "Nothing, it's not important."

Getting up, she tried to go back into the house, but he stopped her by grabbing her arm. "What were you going to say?"

"I wasn't going to say anything. I told you it wasn't important. Just let it go." If she had said what she wanted, he'd get the shock of his life, and she wouldn't be able to face him again.

That thought made Taylor realize something. She wasn't going to see Chad again after high school. Why did it matter if she told him or not? If he did what she had worried he would do, and tell everyone, what would it matter? There was only a few months left of high school, after that, nothing anyone said would matter. At least she'd finally be able to get it off her chest.

Facing him, she started to speak. "I was going to say how much you mean to me. I've been in love with you since we were freshmen. Do you really think that I like the fact that you can barely stand me. And the only time you can is when we're practically having sex. On top of that, you don't even think that I'm good enough be seen with in public. So I'm sorry if I don't have the energy to do any of this anymore."

To say that Chad was shocked would have been an understatement. "Taylor…I," he said. "Well…uhh."

Taylor smiled sadly. "I didn't think so." She walked to the kitchen doors. "Come on," she said. "They're going to start looking for us soon, no matter what we say."

yes, sad I know. but it'll get better. promise. ok i only have the next chapter fully finished so i'm going to try to write a chapter a day so u won't have to wait. i no i hate waiting 4 authors 2 update. but i dont want it to be rushed so plz bare with me and dont get mad. thankxs

kialajaray