A/N: I love when I can make fast updates. :-) Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter everyone! I cut the last chapter because I felt that it was too long, though afterwards it made the chapter feel short. So I now have a question for all of you: how long do you consider to be too long? I always worry about having chapters be so long that people end up getting bored and that's the last thing I want to have happen. The last chapter ended up being 4 pages in Word, while this one clocks it at 9. Most of my chapters seem to end up around the length of this one and I'm guessing that's okay because no one's ever commented about it, but when would it be too long? Meanwhile there's two songs here and a new memory featuring a new character that we'll thankfully never see again. I say thankfully because he's pretty rude to Kelsi in the memory. Fun scene to write though as Kelsi's response to him may seem a little strange. It's amazing what a little confidence can do for a person, particularly when they have someone to back them up - in this case, Vance. Speaking of which, we don't see enough of him in the movies to really get a feel for who he is so we get to have some leeway while writing him. The way I see him, he's a pretty laidback person with a deep love for his family and as a result I see him as being protective of the people he cares about, especially if someone is attacking them in some way. All I can say for him in this chapter is go Vance! Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Let me know!
"Are you sure that thing is safe?" Kelsi asked, later, as she watched Ryan go to lie down in the hammock.
"Troy and Zeke set it up," he said, with a shrug.
"Exactly," she said, looking over it doubtfully.
"Hey!" Zeke protested. It was after lunch and most of the kids had gone down for naps, leaving a few of the adults to wander outside. "I'll have you know that me and Troy did an excellent job setting that up."
"Sure you did," Taylor spoke up, a slightly mischievous look in her eyes. "It certainly took you enough tries to get it right."
"So it sort of fell apart the first time. We figured it out," Zeke said, somewhat defensively. He pointed a finger at Ryan. "It's holding him up isn't it?"
"And I feel perfectly safe," Ryan spoke up.
"Thank you," Zeke said, grinning now. "Nice to know someone has faith in me and Troy."
"You know Kelsi, this is technically speaking a two person hammock," Ryan pointed out to her.
"Was that an invitation?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied. She took a step closer in apprehension.
"Tell me something, Ryan. How do you suppose I can get myself in there without flipping you out?" She scrunched up her face. "Or sending you flying, for that matter."
"I sincerely doubt that you weigh enough to send me flying," he started. "Just take it easy getting in. As long as you don't decide to try to jump in, I'm sure we won't flip." She bit her lip.
"I can try holding it while you get in," Zeke offered.
"Well…okay…" she said slowly. She sat in the middle and then, as Zeke did his best to keep it steady, swung her legs in and cautiously laid down next to her husband.
"See? I told you we'd be fine," Ryan reminded her.
"That you did," she nodded. "Of course there's still the matter of getting out."
"We'll worry about that when the time comes," he decided.
"Okay," she agreed, snuggling closer to him. They fell into silence, as did just about everyone else it seemed. A sense of tranquility seemed to have come over the group as a whole, most likely because most of the children were sleeping. Kelsi watched Chad and Taylor leave to take a walk down the beach before letting her eyes close. She had ended up having to excuse herself midway through lunch in order to make it to the bathroom to throw up and by then was feeling pretty tired. It was unusual for her, but she suspected it had to do with the pregnancy. The oceans waves were crashing in the background and every now and then she could hear the sound of a bird or two. A light breeze blew every so often, just enough to keep the hammock swaying gently. It was like getting a little glimpse of heaven, Kelsi decided to herself. She let out a happy sigh – something she seemed to be doing a lot of that day.
"You seem nice and relaxed," he said softly and she could hear the smile in his voice.
"I am," she confirmed. "It's so beautiful here and I'm surrounded by some of my most favorite people in the world." She propped herself up on her elbow to look down at him. "I was thinking."
"About what?" he asked, reaching up to tuck some of her hair behind her ear.
"About us. How we've been a couple for over a decade and are still going strong," she smiled. "It feels good. Especially considering we've known people who were convinced we wouldn't last." At that he frowned, looking confused.
"Like who?" he wanted to know. "Our friends and families have always been supportive of us."
"They have," she agreed. "The people I'm thinking of aren't what I would consider to be friends."
"Then who are you thinking of?"
"Oh just a few of the people I met at that society event your parents made you go to back when we were in Julliard. Remember? It was in Rhode Island and neither one of your parents wanted to go, but felt like they had no choice so they made you and Sharpay tag along?" she chuckled. "And you two in turn made me and Zeke come too?"
"Oh geez," he winced. "I completely forgot about that. That was awful."
"I agree," she wrinkled her nose. "There were a couple of randomly nice people but everyone else was so snooty. Especially Alfred and Clarissa Hollingsworth." She raised an eyebrow at him. "You remember, your ex-girlfriend?"
"She was never my girlfriend," he corrected quickly. "We played a couple in a play in middle school and she took the role seriously." He shook his head. "Way too seriously."
"And did you ever think that she would've still been pining for you that many years later?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, his expression deadpan. "Once a girl falls for Ryan Evans, there's no turning back."
"We really need to work on your self-esteem, honey," she laughed. "Once a girl falls for you, there's no turning back? Seriously?"
"Says the girl whose been my significant other for over ten years," he teased her. "Seems to be true enough for you, doesn't it?"
"Well," she said, somewhat sheepishly. "You might have a point. But even so, she was still completely crazy about you."
"I think she was crazy period," he muttered, making her laugh again.
"I agree," she nodded. "I'm pretty sure she hated me on sight. That, by the way, brings me to your next song. Though I guess this one has more to do with me."
"Yeah? What song is that?"
"Different Breed by Carter's Chord," she answered. "It's funny. In high school I was always able to blend into the background almost perfectly. I never really thought of myself at the type of person who would stand out, but there in that room with all of those other high society people I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb." She paused. "It wasn't so bad when I was with your family, but there was a point it seemed like every splintered off on their own and for a while I was left by myself. It was awful. I felt like I might as well have been of a different breed from every other person there, minus poor Zeke." She shook her head. "I was listening to that song the other day and it instantly made me think of that. I remember walking in that room, holding onto you for dear life and watching all the other girls our age look at me with instant hatred – though none as bad as Clarissa. It reminds me of part of the song." She paused again and then softly sang the lyrics to him. "Every time you take me out, boy, we see another girl whose held your hand. And she acts like she doesn't care you're with me but I know. She don't like the way I look on you, I make her nervous 'cause I don't fit in." She studied him for a few moments. "You probably could have had your pick of any of those society girls, either from Rhode Island or Albuquerque. And you end up picking me. I remember I went to the bathroom at one point and while I was in the stall I heard Clarissa and her friends trashing me. They kept talking about how you could be dating someone as low as I was and how we were doomed to fail because it was only a matter of time before you saw the light."
"You never told me that," he said, surprised. She bit back a smile as she saw a wave of anger flash through his eyes. "I wish you had. It would've been nice to have been able to stick up for you." He let out a huff. "You're so much better than those girls, Kelsi."
"It was a few years ago," she reminded him. "I'm over it."
"Even so…" he trailed off, frowning.
"Well this might make you feel better," she began, her eyes sparkling. "Sharpay ended up coming into the bathroom in time to hear some of it. They made the fatal mistake of assuming that she would naturally feel the same way they did."
"Uh-oh," Ryan said, starting to smile. "That probably wasn't good for them."
"Uh-oh is right," she confirmed. "Maybe the only time I was happy to see the old Sharpay again," she said, with a laugh. "Honestly, Ryan, I don't know if you could've defended me any better. Those girls seemed to be a lot nicer to me after that." She grew thoughtful. "They had a point in a way. I didn't fit in with that world and I still don't. It would've made perfect sense if you had ended up with a girl like one of them."
"Oh gag me," he interjected, making her laugh again.
"My point is that we sort of come from different worlds. You could have had any one of those girls if you had wanted them. But for some reason I still can't completely figure out, you wanted me. You fell in love with me. Me…me with my nice middle-class family with our nice house. Me with my cheaper clothes and often unruly hair. Me with my usually unpolished nails that tend to chip easily when they are polished." She gave him a teasing look. "You could have done so much better."
"I highly disagree," he shook his head.
"I know," she said softly, cutting him off before he could continue. "It's all so amazing to me. A lot of people would consider me to be beneath you, but you don't care about all of that. As far as you're concerned, there's no one better for you than me." She shrugged one shoulder and was surprised to realize she was fighting off tears. "I may not agree with you about that all the time, but I have never doubted that you mean it. I may be considered a different breed than you by other people, but that doesn't matter to you. Out of all of those girls you could have had, you picked me. You didn't only pick me you chased me and now you're married to me." She let out somewhat disbelieving huff. "I love that you never let the fact that we're from different worlds bother you. It was never even an issue for you because you loved me. Because you love me still." She ran her hand through his hair. "And I know that no one can change the way you feel about me."
"That's right," he said softly. "You are the only woman for me and there is nothing anyone or anything can do to change that. Not ever."
"And that," she began, her voice shaking ever so slightly, "leads me into the next song. The last one was more inspired by memories of Clarissa…this one was more inspired by my memory of Alfred Hollingsworth." She shuddered at the memory. "That man was one of the most horrible people I've ever met. I remember he pulled me aside and he…" she trailed off. "He said some pretty awful things."
"What'd he say to you?" he asked, quietly.
"You're not going to like it," she warned him. "I was walking past him and he pulled me aside and he…"
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"Enjoy it while it lasts," Alfred Hollingsworth said, his voice low as he leaned in towards her.
"Excuse me?" Kelsi asked, confused and feeling slightly intimidated. He nodded over to where Ryan was currently talking to a couple of people Kelsi didn't know.
"Your relationship with the Evans' boy. It's only a matter of time before he grows tired of you. I suspect that the only reason he's involved with you in the first place is to have some fun before he looks for someone more suitable to marry. It's only a matter of time before he'll grow tired of you and cast you aside." He looked her over, disapproval in his expression. "I'm surprised his parents are even allowing this travesty of a relationship, though I'm sure they cannot wait until he relieves himself of you. Girls like you are all the same. You pretend to fall for a nice, rich boy like Ryan because you want his money and all of the benefits that come with dating someone so wealthy."
"That's not true!" Kelsi argued. "I could care less about his money. I love him."
"I sincerely doubt that." He practically spit the words at her. "But if you do, I hope you're prepared for heartbreak. Ryan could never have a future with someone like you. He needs to be with someone deserving. You're not even fit to polish his shoes." He jabbed a finger in Ryan's direction. "He'll figure that out soon enough."
"He loves me," she countered. "I know he does." At that Alfred laughed.
"Did he tell you that?" he asked, his voice mocking.
"Yes," she whispered.
"And you're actually stupid enough to believe it? Trust me, my dear," he growled, "he's only interested in you for one reason and one reason only. He'll probably shower you with words of love to make you give in to him, though my guess is that you'll give in easily because girls like you always do. And then he will leave you all alone and go in search of someone suitable. Someone he could actually have a future with." Kelsi looked back over at Ryan, who happened to look up at her at the exact same time. He discreetly pointed at the one of the people he was talking to and made a show of rolling his eyes. The gesture made her smile. She turned back to Alfred.
"Ryan loves me," she informed him. "I don't exactly why know he does, but he does. You can say and believe whatever you want, but I know the truth."
"Ah Kelsi, there you are." Both Alfred and Kelsi looked up to see Vance Evans making his way up to them. "Alfred," he said. His tone was polite, but Kelsi recognized that it had cooled some.
"Vance, hello," Alfred reached out to shake Vance's hand. "We were just talking about your boy."
"Were you," Vance said, dryly. "What about him?"
"Alfred," Kelsi started.
"That's Mister Hollingsworth to you," Alfred cut her off sharply. Kelsi bit back a smile as she watched Vance's eyes narrow at the other man's tone.
"Like I was trying to say," Kelsi started again, feeling oddly bold with Vance standing there. "Alfred," she raised an eyebrow at the other man, who shot her a murderous look in response. Vance, meanwhile, looked as if he was fighting off a smile. "Alfred was just telling me that I'm only interested in Ryan for his money and that it was only a matter of time before Ryan got tired of me."
"You always were such a joy to be around, Alfred," Vance chuckled, clearly amused. "Not that it's any of your business, but Ryan and Kelsi are very much in love with each other. It wouldn't surprise me if the two of them got married someday." It was Kelsi's turn to fight off a smile as Alfred's jaw dropped in shock.
"Surely…" Alfred shook his head. "Surely you and your wife don't approve of this," he gestured towards Kelsi. "Surely you don't approve of her. Why, this room is full of girls more suitable for your boy than she is. Don't you want him to marry someone deserving? Someone who is actually worthy of your family name?" Alfred brightened. "Someone like my lovely Clarissa. Why, I bet the two of them would be an item if you all hadn't up and moved all those years ago."
"Perhaps," Vance acknowledged. "Guess my son dodged a bullet there."
"I beg your pardon," Alfred snapped, clearly furious.
"No, Alfred, I beg yours." Vance took a step closer to the man. "I realize that this might be difficult for you to understand, but I want my son to marry the woman he loves. That in and of herself makes her worthy. And it might be of interest to note that not only do me and my wife approve of Kelsi, we also love her like she was our own." Kelsi felt her own jaw drop as Vance draped an arm protectively around her shoulders. "Now if you'll excuse us, I think both Kelsi and I have other people to talk to. You know…people more deserving." Vance led Kelsi away from Alfred and towards Ryan, leaving Alfred standing there with his jaw hanging open.
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"Go Dad," Ryan grinned.
"You Evans men seem to have a talent for rescuing damsels in distress," she giggled. "Works out pretty well for me, I must say." She watched as Ryan's smile slowly faded.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with that creep in the first place," he said, with a sigh. "Why didn't you tell me about that?"
"Because I didn't think it was worth repeating," she admitted. "But see, there's a good part about that story. Aside from your dad coming to my aid that is."
"And what is that?"
"If that had happened a couple of years before it did, the things he said would've really gotten to me. I would've started second guessing your feelings for me and I would've wondered if Alfred was right," she began. "Confidence has never come easily to me…or at least it never used to. But after having been your girlfriend for a few years, I don't know…I may have still doubted myself as a person or I may have still doubted my abilities as a compose, but any doubts I might've had about you and your feelings had all disappeared. I don't know when it happened or how it happened. My guess is that you loved me so much and so well that somewhere along the way I didn't have to wonder how you felt because I knew. When I was listening to Alfred say all the things he did, I didn't feel doubt. I felt anger. Anger because I knew that every single word he said was a lie." Her voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking the passion in it. "See…it doesn't matter what anyone says about you or about us. They can come up with the most hateful things and it wouldn't matter. Because I love you, Ryan Evans. I love you and there is nothing that can ever change that. There isn't anything anyone could say or do to change the way I feel about you." She brought her hand to his cheek, her eyes locked to his as she spoke. "You know what song I chose for this memory?"
"What song?" he whispered the question, barely able to speak over the emotion her words had stirred in him.
"It's a pretty obvious one," she told him. "No One by Alicia Keys. I feel like that song could have easily been written about us." She smiled. "I guess since I sang part of the last song to you I may as well do the same for this one." She paused, searching his eyes for a moment before singing softly to him. "People keep talking; they could say what they like. But all I know is that's everything's gonna be alright. And no one, no one, no one can get in the way of what I'm feeling. No one, no one, no one can get in the way of what I feel for you." When she finished singing she gave him another smaller smile. "See? That song really could've been written about -" she started, but was cut off when he moved his hand to the back of her neck and leaned up to kiss her. His kiss left her completely breathless for several seconds afterwards. She jokingly placed a hand to her heart which was pounding hard in her chest. "Goodness Ryan…you have to warn me before you kiss me like that."
"Sorry," he said, giving her a sheepish smile as he flopped back against the hammock. "You have to warn me before you start saying things like that. I couldn't help myself."
"I didn't say I didn't like it," she pointed out. "In fact, get back here," she added, surprising him by grabbing hold of his shirt and yanking him back up to crush her lips to his with an intensity that shocked them both. "See what you do to me?" she murmured as the kiss ended and she let go of his shirt, amused when he simply fell back onto the hammock looking dazed. She playfully waved her hand in front of his face in an attempt to pull him out of the stupor she had apparently put him in. "Are you okay?"
"I…I'm not sure," he managed, though a smile was tugging at his lips. "Ask me again in a couple of minutes after I recover." She giggled, delighted that she could have such an affect on him. She lowered herself back down in order to snuggle up to him again, smiling when his arms came around her. The two of them fell back into a comfortable silence and Kelsi soon found herself yawning.
"If we stay in here too much longer, I think I'll fall asleep," she decided. "This feels really nice."
"It does," he agreed, kissing the top of her head as he started stroking her hair like he had been before.
"Mmm…if you keep doing that, I really will fall asleep," she muttered. She yawned again and he knew it was only a matter of time before she lost her battle to stay awake.
"Go to sleep, baby," he said, his voice soothing. "I think you're already mostly there." She mumbled something he couldn't quite make out and he found himself smiling. "No use fighting it. Just let the swaying of the hammock and the sound of the ocean lull you off to sleep." He kept his voice soft as he pressed his lips to her hair once more. "Dream about me."
"Always," she murmured.
