"Rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong."

"Shoo-bop sha wadda wadda yippity boom de boom."

"Chang chang changitty chang sha-bop."

"Dip da dip…"

"ENOUGH!"

Ryan and Kelsi fell silent as Sharpay yelled from across the room but collapsed into giggles the minute she looked away. They were in the midst of their fifth late night rehearsal that week and the pressure had started to get to everyone. So when Ms Darbus had called for everyone to take a break, the students had all reacted differently. Troy had sat down and slouched against the back wall, letting Gabriella snooze across his lap. Zeke, Jason and Chad were throwing Chad's basketball around at the back of the auditorium whilst Martha and Taylor had opted to calmly sit and paint their nails. Sharpay, who had previously been marching around the stage making demands of anyone in her line of vision, had now stalked off backstage with Tiara scurrying behind her.

Ryan and Kelsi had taken to the piano and whether it was a release of tension or the fact that they had indulged in three large cups of coffee that evening… they had lost it. She probably would have benefited more from taking a nap than sitting singing selections from 'Grease' with Ryan, but Kelsi wasn't complaining. Usually when either of them got stressed or tired they would begin bickering at each other. The sing along made for a nice change and a much more positive atmosphere.

Kelsi and Ryan were in the middle of trying to perfect a routine where they switched hats and play the piano simultaneously, when a very weary Ms Darbus approached the piano.

"I think we should call it a night for the cast." she said with a yawn, "However, the auditorium is booked for another 45 minutes and you two seem full of energy…"

"We'll lock up Ms D." Ryan grinned, returning Kelsi's newsboy cap and claiming back his fedora.

"Yeah we've got plenty of work to do." Kelsi said cheerfully. Ms Darbus gave a sigh of relief and clapped her hands together to address the students and let them go home. Despite how exhausted everyone was, when the cast were allowed to leave Ryan had never seen them move faster. Within about two minutes the auditorium was empty and the only person yet to leave was Sharpay, who was last as always.

"C'mon Ryan. Tiara has some dinner thing tonight and I need you to help me pick my shoes for prom from the catalogue." she simpered, strutting over and leaning on the piano hopefully.

"Oh… Well actually, me and Kelsi still have some work to do." Ryan said with an apologetic shrug.

"Oh c'mon." Sharpay scoffed, raising her eyebrows at Kelsi over the piano. "Kelsi's had these songs perfected for weeks. They sound great!"

Kelsi looked suspiciously back at Ryan's sister. Sharpay had ceased yelling at her this year and as a result had been a lot more tolerable. But she was never… nice. If she was, it was an overly sweet way that meant she just wanted extra work from Kelsi. Maybe the girl was just paying her a compliment but Kelsi couldn't quite give her the benefit of the doubt yet.

"Well… yeah they are. Of course." Ryan replied brightly. "But the Julliard representatives are coming so we need them to be as good as they can possibly be."

Sharpay narrowed her eyes at her brother for a few seconds as if concentrating very hard on something.

"Right…" she said carelessly, throwing her bag over her shoulder and exiting into the wings.

Kelsi gave her friend a grateful smile. The pair had come to an agreement not to be competitive over the coveted Julliard Scholarship and instead to help each other, making sure they each were given the best showcase possible. It seemed fair and it made the show better for everyone too. It had been a surprisingly selfless gesture on Ryan's part and made Kelsi, not for the first time, glad that she had decided to stop being his enemy and start being his friend. His best friend in fact.

However, the word 'friend' seemed to be getting looser and looser. Looking at the last few months, it was clear that she had spent the majority of her time with Ryan and not just because of the intensive amount of rehearsals. They texted most nights. Sometimes they would go and get coffee after school or at the weekend. Ryan had even been to dinner at Kelsi's house to rehearse with her piano. Now they were going to prom, and Kelsi honestly couldn't see herself going with anyone else. Now that she had a chance to see his good traits, she was finding out first hand how contagious Ryan's good nature was. More than that, he seemed to understand her more than anyone she knew. Granted, it was terrible bad timing to be having these thoughts. More than likely she and Ryan would be in opposite sides of the country next year. Yet, there was still the show and prom to enjoy, not to mention summer. Kelsi was happy to stall any negative thoughts for now and just enjoy the end of her Senior Year.

"Oh Kelsi, I'll need you tomorrow to practice 'I just wanna be with you'"

Kelsi snapped out of her daydream with a start as Sharpay made a dramatic re-entrance, this time holding her small dog that for some unknown reason was allowed with her to school.

"What?" Kelsi asked, sincerely baffled as to why Sharpay wanted to rehearse Troy and Gabriella's duet.

"Oh… Well I was under the impression that if Ryan took you to prom then we'd be the ones to sing that song.. At least… that was our arrangement." Sharpay said, looking pointedly at Ryan who seemed to have frozen at his seat on the piano bench.

"Oh well we'll discuss tomorrow. I'm sure you have lots to talk about. Toodles." she concluded sweetly, shooting one last scathing look at Kelsi before she marched out of the auditorium.


The silence that followed Sharpay's exit was worse than any Ryan had endured. He knew he had to say something to defend himself. To plead with her that it wasn't what it sounded like and that his sister was just being spiteful. But although all these things were true, he had a horrible niggling feeling that she simply wouldn't care about what he had to say. Why would she, after everything else he'd done?

"Wow…"

"Kels…"

"No. WOW. I mean, how could I have been so STUPID?" Kelsi exclaimed, pushing herself away from the piano and striding off across the stage before eventually halting in the middle. Her back was to him but he could see she that her chest was heaving, as if she was trying not to cry. Her hands then began opening and closing rapidly, a habit she reserved for when she was agitated. Ryan opened his mouth to say something, but again nothing would come out. All he could feel was pain. It felt strange, but he seeing her like this…it was actually hurting him. Like he was the victim, and not her. She took one deep breath and turned and Ryan quickly looked at his lap. He couldn't look at her. Not now.

"At least have the decency to look at me, Evans." she spat viciously.

Ryan raised his head and physically flinched at the sight before him. How this girl, that had continually blossomed and gradually emerged from her shy shell all year, who not five minutes ago had been confident and laughing, was now crumbling before his eyes. She looked smaller, as if she had shrunk as her shoulders pulled in defensively around her. The worst part was her eyes. She wasn't crying, but her normally bright blue orbs were bloodshot and glassy. There was anger there, but worse than that there was betrayal.

"I…" Kelsi gulped, perhaps fighting a lump in her throat, then tried again.

"I hate you." she finished quietly, staring him straight in the eyes. Ryan shook his head slowly, not leaving her gaze.

"You don't mean that." he said softly.

"I KNOW." Kelsi yelled from across the stage, a few tears finally rolling down her cheeks. "That's the WORST part."

She was off again. Running down the stage steps and down the aisle, storming out of the auditorium like she had countless times before. Except this time, Ryan was determined not to let her leave. He leapt up from the piano stool and made after her, easily gaining on her. She was about halfway up the aisle when she tripped over her shoelace and fell to the floor, her glasses flying a few feet ahead of her.

"Kelsi!" Ryan shouted in alarm. "Are you ok?!"

She didn't answer, but he caught up with her just as she was gingerly positioning herself on her knees, looking around blearily for her glasses. Ryan quickly scanned the floor ahead and located them before bringing them to her and setting them down on her lap. That was when he noticed the cut.

"Kelsi! Aaah shit you're bleeding." Ryan stammered in shock as the blood started to trickle down Kelsi's leg and onto the floor. Unsure of what to do, he began looking this way and that, as if a first aid kit was magically going to appear. Kelsi put her glasses back on then gasped.
"Oh! It's quite bad." she croaked, staring in surprise at the small gash on her knee.

"Just take this!" Ryan said, hastily pulling off his sweater and throwing it over Kelsi's legs. She looked up at him, frowning in bewilderment.

"A tissue would have sufficed." she muttered, looking at the sweater unenthusiastically.

"I panicked." Ryan said sheepishly, watching regretfully as the blood seeped through his now not so white sweater.

"Well… thanks." Kelsi said stiffly, delicately trying to rise to her feet. "But I should go to the nurse.

"No! Wait." Ryan said desperately, grasping her arm to steady her. "Can I please just explain?"

"I really need to go to the nurse." Kelsi said flatly as she started to limp away, but Ryan wasn't ready to give up so easily.

"The nurse isn't here." Ryan said pointedly, following her closely. "And you can't even walk…"

"I can walk fine!" Kelsi hissed one second before her leg gave way beneath her and Ryan had to swoop in and make sure she didn't hit the floor again.

"Let me carry you. I'll give you a ride home." Ryan suggested sensitively. "We can talk on the way."

"Who says I want to talk about it?" Kelsi countered, glaring at him as she leaned on a nearby chair for support. "I really don't see what you can say to make this better."

"I wasn't lying when I said you were my best friend." Ryan said, meeting her eyes sincerely. "Isn't that enough to take a chance on?"


Ten minutes later, Ryan was carrying Kelsi, bridal style, in his arms, his sweater tied round her leg like a bandage. Kelsi looked a bit uncomfortable about the current situation, but on the plus side she now couldn't escape Ryan's efforts to explain himself.

"All Sharpay did was put the idea of taking you to prom in my head." Ryan explained as he slowly walked them down the hallway. "And I'm glad she did. Do you seriously think I'd actually try and steal your song?"

Kelsi looked steadily back at him. Her gaze had softened somewhat, but she still didn't look overly convinced.

"Can you blame me?" she asked softly. Ryan grimaced but shook his head.

"I guess not. But I swear Kelsi, I asked you to prom because I want to go with you. No other reason."

He thought he saw her smile, but if she did it was just for a nanosecond as her face suddenly looked accusing again.

"You should have told me in the first place. About Sharpay."

"It would have ruined my amazing prom invite." Ryan joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm serious."

They reached the parking lot and Ryan carefully placed Kelsi on the back of the vespa, before adjusting the passenger helmet onto her head.

"Yeah I know." he replied, once they were ready to go. "I'm sorry. I was an idiot. Just… Please don't think I don't want to go to prom with

you. I do. I don't care about…"

"Ok." Kelsi nodded with a small smile. Ryan looked back at her a grinned broadly.

"Really?!"

"Yeah. Now get me home. Your sweater's staring to look a bit more red than white…"


"Look it's like a wildcat bandage now." Ryan quipped, pointing out the sorry state of his sweater as they pulled up outside Kelsi's house. She giggled in reply and it was music to his ears. It had been a close call, but it looked like he hadn't lost her after all. Ryan supported her to her porch and reached out to push the doorbell before Kelsi's hand stopped him.

"Ryan you've been really helpful but but maybe you shouldn't be here." she said, her face screwing up nervously. "I've got two older brothers and they're… well…"

"Ok point taken." Ryan agreed. As much of a pain as his sister could be (his feelings for her right now were less than loving) if a guy brought her home with a bleeding leg, he would certainly have something to say about it.

"Kelsi." he called, just as she went to go inside. "Are we ok?"

She turned back to him and gave him a smile, though it didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Sure." she said pleasantly. "Good night Ryan."

He knew as she closed the door behind her that they weren't ok. Not really.