Shout outs to dancerlittle, doodleswriter357, IncandecentAngel, Angelic-Baby X3, and Final Fairy for reviewing. So... yeah y'all are probably going to hate me after this chapter, but I swear this is a temporary thing. They just need to...work through some things. Realize exactly how much they mean to each other. So yeah, happiness is not on the order for this one. But, there are three different songs (not the whole thing, because no one wants to read that much in lyrics), none of which I own. The First one is called "Everything's Magic", and that belongs to Angels and Airwaves (who are not better than +44). The second is one line from "Lucky Star" and old-school Madonna song, from back before she was British and adopting African boys and getting banned from Egypt. And the last one, used in the scene which made me cry as I was writing it, is a slightly modified version of "I'm Not That Girl" from Wicked. Also, HSM is not mine. Although someday I will own Lucas. Or I will go back in the past to Ancient Rome where fair-haired slaves were the hottest fall accessory and buy him. That sounds pretty awesome, (though not possible).


"So, I heard the geek got the girl." Chad said, jumping onto Ryan's bed. The two had gotten close over the summer.

"Chad, you were there." Ryan reminded him. "You kinda interrupted the whole thing, remember?"

"Oh, yeah…" Chad said, as if the thought had just occurred to him. "That was looking pretty intense."

"Yeah…" Ryan trailed off, looking down.

"What's up?" Chad asked, flipping over so that he was on his back.

"Well, I'm just not…sure, I guess…what happened." Ryan shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure you kissed Sarah Bolton." Chad said. "But, you know, I could be wrong-"

"Shut up, lunkhead." Ryan threw a pillow at him. "I know I kissed Sarah. What I'm trying to say is, I'm not sure how that happened."

Chad stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "I know what you mean."

Ryan snorted, rather unattractively. "Yeah, okay."

"No, I'm serious." Chad nodded. "It was just one of those things that…happened." He shrugged. "I can't describe it. But I know what you mean."

Ryan watched him, suspicious. "Well, yeah." He sighed. "I don't know how it happened, and I don't know why, and I don't know what it means."

"Well, most girls don't kiss boys they dislike." Chad reasoned. "And Sarah is shy. She doesn't even talk to boys. Well. Except for me. And Troy. And Jason. And Zeke. And-"

"You're being unhelpful again." Ryan cut in.

"Well, you know what I mean." Chad shook his head. "She doesn't talk to people she doesn't like, and she doesn't kiss boys she doesn't like. So it's a safe bet that she likes you." Chad tried to suppress the wicked grin that was forcing its way to his lips. "And if you're actions are any indication, you like her too."

"You have no idea." Ryan said, shaking his head.

"So, what most people do, when they like someone and someone likes them back, they tend to start dating." Chad said, as though instructing a toddler.

"But I don't…" Ryan trailed off, turning his pink face away from his friend.

"You don't what?" Chad asked.

"Nothing." Ryan said.

"No, you started a sentence." Chad said. "If I'm correct, it went 'I don't…' What is it that you don't do, Ryan? I would think that that phrase wasn't even in your vocabulary. "

"I don't date!" Ryan finally said.

"Why not?" Chad asked.

"Have you met my sister?" He asked. "Do you think she would approve of any girl?"

"You need her approval?" Chad asked.

"It's a lot easier to get her approval than to deal with her wrath." Ryan said.

"But she loves Sarah." Chad said. "Or at least, doesn't hate her." Chad watched his friend. "Ry, you have to give it a shot. Trust me on this, Sarah is heels over head. And I know you are the same way. You have to try."

Ryan nodded. "I know." He smiled to himself, remembering the electricity that had been their emotions as their lips had touched. "I know."

"So wait, you're telling me that you kiss a guy that you have been obsessing over since you set eyes on him, and yet you don't want to date him?" Taylor looked at her like she was crazy.

"That's mean." Gabriella said.

"It wasn't supposed to happen." Sarah said, pushing away the memory of his lips against hers. "I made a mistake. It could never work between us, so there is no point."

"But…I don't get it." Gabriella sat down on the bed next to her new friend. "You said yourself that you can't get him out of your head. Isn't that reason enough why it could work?"

"It's so easy for you to say that." Sarah said. "You have Troy."

"What does Troy have to do with Ryan?" Taylor asked.

"Nothing, really." Sarah said. "But it's always easier for girls in a relationship to see why any relationship is a good idea. But I'm telling you, it would be different for me and Ryan."

"Not really." Taylor said.

"I'm not ready for it." Sarah dismissed. "I don't want to get into it."

"All right then." Taylor and Gabriella knew to drop it, that Sarah had made her decision, and wasn't going to change it anytime soon. Taylor gave her a stern look. "But right now, you're walking away from the best thing you could have had."

"Save the lecture." Sarah said, grabbing her clothes and rushing to the bathroom. Once safely behind the door, she let her tears fall, their path making shining lines down her face. If she turned just right in the light above her mirror, she could pretend it was silver make-up. She quickly pulled on the clothes she was wearing to dinner, ignoring the pleasant music that came from her bedroom. Obviously Taylor and Gabriella had gotten sick of silence. Once dressed, Sarah leaned against the door, taking in the words that she could hear.

"So hear this please
And watch as your heart speeds up endlessly
And look for the stars as the sun goes down
Each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
Everything, everything's magic."

Why did it seem like a love song? She had heard it several times before; it was always on the radio. And yet, hearing the words with the thoughts weighing her mind, she was certain that they were a testament to teenage love, a strong, courageous love that would never die. The kind of love that seemed to well in her heart at the very thought of Ryan.

"Just sit back and hold on, but hold on tight
Prepare for the best and the fastest ride
And reach out your hand, and I'll make you mine
Everything, everything's magic."

The only thing that wasn't magic was her. Sarah was as ordinary as a person could get, and that's why she didn't deserve him. That's why she couldn't have him.

Dinner was awkward. Sarah had situated herself between Chad and Troy, a gesture that confused Ryan. What was worse, she hardly even looked at him the whole night, much less speak to him. She laughed and smiled with the girls, and joked around with two of the boys. But she never spared even a smile towards Ryan. It wasn't until the end of the night, as everyone was getting ready to leave, that he got an explanation. After hearing it, he realized how pleasant that cold shoulder had been.

They were gathered in the parking lot, making last minute plans before everyone went their separate ways. Sarah stayed out of it, choosing instead to wander around in circles, looking at the sky. Ryan joined her, sneaking up so that she couldn't hear him.

"Hey." He said, placing his hand on her shoulder. She jumped, slipping from his grasp as if he had burned her. "Sarah, what's wrong. You're acting…weird."

"Nothing's wrong." She said. She sighed. "Everything's wrong. I…I think we should be friends, Ryan." She turned to face him finally, her jaw set, her mouth a hard, thin line. "Just friends."

Ryan went numb. Part of him had seen it coming. The other part…well, the other part wouldn't have ever thought it an option. "Sarah, are…?" The question died on his lips. He knew she was sure. He couldn't stop it. He didn't want to stop it. He loved her, really loved her, to the point where he only wanted her to be happy. "If this is what you want." He lowered his eyes, unable to look at her.

"Ryan., I'm really sorry." She said. "I just don't want to-"

"It's okay." The last thing he needed was excuses. "Really Sarah. I understand." A complete lie, but who was counting? "We can be friends."

"That would be good." She said quietly. They stood together, the awkward silence rooting them to the spot. Finally, Sarah heard Troy calling her name "Well, I better get going." She said.

"Yeah, me too." Ryan nodded, still not looking at her. "I'll see you at rehearsals."

"Yeah." Sarah said. She looked up, as if to say more, but then just turned and headed across the parking lot.

Ryan didn't move until he saw Troy's taillights disappear around the corner. Sighing, he quickly wiped away his tears, determined to show Sharpay the professional side of him. He knew she was waiting in the car, wondering what was up. Steeling himself, he walked over and slid into the driver's seat of his own hunter green convertible.

"What's up?" Sharpay asked, pulling her gaze from the mirror.

"Nothing." He turned the ignition. "I'm fine."

"What did Sarah want to talk about?" She asked.

"Just the play." Ryan shrugged. Taking a deep breath, he added. "She wants to stay friends."

Sharpay raised an eyebrow. "Really?" The delicate emphasis on her one word was all her brother needed.

"I don't think so." He said. "At least, I hope not. Best case scenario, she's just freaking out because we're moving too fast. Worst case scenario, she never had any sort of attraction towards me whatsoever, and I just put my heart on the line for nothing."

"It's got to be the former." Sharpay said. "She has to have some sort of attraction. You can't dance like you two do without ANY attraction."

"I hope you're right." Ryan murmured.

"Well, it's your decision." Gabriella had been rambling for the last ten minutes about Sarah's talk with Ryan. "But I think you're going about this wrong. I would have just made it clear that I wanted to take it slow."

"I know, Gabs." Sarah said, pressing her cheek against the cool window. Part of her was regretting her decision already, if only because it brought out the talkative part of Gabriella.

"But I don't understand why he let you go." She murmured. "Most guys would fight it-"

"Not if they are in love." Troy said. His girlfriend raised an eyebrow. "Seriously. Guys don't do clingy. And especially guys like Ryan. He's probably thinking that if this is what Sarah wants, and he really does like her, then this is what he should let her do. Her happiness is more important than his own, so he will let her leave him. So long as she is happy."

Gabriella stared at him. Sarah frowned to herself. If Ryan was sacrificing his happiness for hers, as Troy had implied, than she would be fairly guilty. She wanted what was best for the both of them.

"Boys are weird." Gabriella finally said.

"Girls are weirder." Troy laughed.

"No, it's just you two." Sarah said.

Later that night, after a long shower, Sarah went out onto her mini-balcony. It was more of a fire escape, with its wrought iron fencing. Luckily, the floor was a smooth hardwood, and her bare feet welcomed the coolness. She sat down, peeking up at the night sky through the bars. Gabriella had told her about how Troy had snuck up to her own balcony after the whole plot with the web-cam, and part of Sarah was hoping Ryan would pull an equally daring move. She knew he wouldn't, though. There was such resignation in his eyes; she knew he had given up. He was out of the count, which had been the whole point. Right?

She sighed, tossing what remained in her water cup out onto the lawn. She threw the cup as well, a surge of frustration carrying it onto the basketball court. She heard the plastic bounce off the tar, and knew that Troy would be bewildered the next morning when he went out for his workout. Maybe he would begin to understand how she felt. She walked back into her room, catching sight of the brightest star in the sky.

"You could be my lucky star, because you shine on me wherever you are." She sang softly, before shaking her heard and walking back inside.

Ryan shook the wet hair from his eyes, and stepped through the window closest to his bed onto the roof of the kitchen below him. Carefully, he tiptoed towards the edge, before sitting down and pulling his knees to his chest. He looked to the night sky, and saw the stars, the moon, all glowing, all looking so lonely. He sighed again, but then opened his mouth and tentatively sang a few bars from the musical.

"Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
I could be that boy
But she's not that girl"

Sharpay, who has wandered in to say good night, heard from his room. She sighed, and knowing he would rather be left alone, went back to her room.

Ryan found the brightest star, and thought about making a wish. Instead he stood up, shaking his head, and went back inside.


See why I was crying??