Chapter Eight
Ryan stared up at Taylor, confused that she was the one who had followed him down here, and not Gabriella or Sharpay. "What are you doing here? Don't you have to do homework or something?" Ryan grumbled. He was embarrassed that Taylor had caught him singing. "I'm sorta worried about you, Ryan. You've changed a lot in just two days, and it's kinda strange. I hope you're not like… well, anyways, I wanted to ask you what was going on." Taylor said.
Ryan shrugged. "I don't think you'd understand. And besides, Sharpay already ruined my secret because she told Troy. I don't need everybody to know about it." He said. Taylor sat down beside him. "Is it really that bad?" she asked. "Well, I don't know. It's not anything you'd ever guess." Ryan answered. "Come on, we'll walk home. It's really starting into a storm out there, and I don't want any of us getting a cold or the flu." Taylor said, and pulled Ryan up.
The two started towards Ryan's house. "What street do you live on?" Taylor asked. "Bridge Street." Ryan said. "Hey! I live a block away form Bridge Street! On the corner of Church and South Road." Taylor replied. Ryan smiled. He hadn't known that.
The two neared the corner of Bridge Street. Ryan turned the corner, smiling and talking until he saw somebody standing alone in his yard. It was his father. "Listen, Taylor, umm… before I go I want to know if maybe you'd want to go out sometime… like on a date." Ryan managed to gulp it out. "Sure Ryan, I'd love to!" Taylor answered, and hugged Ryan. Then she skipped off down the sidewalk, leaving Ryan to face his father.
Ryan walked up into his front yard. He went up to his dad, expecting a blow in the face. Instead, his dad looked down at him. "Where were you, Ryan? I was starting to worry. It's late, come inside and get warmed up. And who was that?" his dad said. Ryan sighed with relief and happiness. "That was Taylor. I'm taking her out on a date this weekend." Ryan said. "Great" his dad answered. Father and son went inside, talking about tomorrow's baseball game. "Are you coming, for sure?" Ryan asked. "Yes, I'm able to get off work for a few hours. I should at least get to see you play."
Sharpay was waiting up Ryan's room. "OMG where have you been? What happened? Is dad mad at you?" Sharpay fussed all over Ryan when he trudged up the stairs, all wet with the rain water. Instead of an answer, Sharpay got a wet hug. "Eww! Warn me next time!" she shouted, and laughed. "Sharpay, you're the greatest sister ever!" Ryan said, and hopped around the room. "Huh?" Sharpay furrowed her eyebrows. "Dad's actually proud of me! And I'm taking Taylor out on a date, and our parents are coming to my baseball game tomorrow! And Dad is mad at me, only because I was late and he thought that I was gonna get sick." Ryan shouted. Sharpay smiled. "I told you this would work, brother. Have I ever let you down?" she said, and trotted out of her brother's room.
Ryan sighed, and flopped down on the bed, before shooting up again when he remembered he was sopping wet. "I gotta work on my memory, now…" he laughed, and went to go change.
