I don't own anything.

A/N: Alright people it's another Saturday which means another update. Right now I want to thank my reviewers from last week; Yellow-queen18, jinidu93, blueprincess972, Sciencefreak2007, look at the stars, Aipom4, RubyRedMorena, AyaneC, Ani Thompson, baby2ludaris, Angel, 7Cdubbs, and Favor1234. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and please remember to review and tell me what you think.

Baby S

Chapter Ten

He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that Ryan Evans had it in him. Troy walked over and picked up the last two pieces of paper that Ryan had pointed out and placed them in the stack of papers in his hands. Slowly he shook his head and headed inside, he quickly passed his mother and step-father and headed upstairs. He was literally shaking in rage; as soon as he went into his room he tossed his papers on the bed, and sat down. Looking up he realized that he had better call Taylor and let her know that he had made it home. Reaching into his pocket he took out his cell phone dialed her number on the third ring she picked up. "Hello?"

"Tay, it's me…I'm home." He mumbled with a sigh, he could hear Taylor shifting around and silently wondered if he should tell her what had just happened between him, Ryan and his parents.

"Troy are you okay?" she asked, Troy leaned back on his bed and slowly shook his head for a moment before answering.

"Yeah, baby I'm fine…I'm just tired." He lied hoping that this wouldn't come back on him. Taylor paused as she listened to Troy's answered. She knew him well enough to know that he was upset about something. However she didn't know if she should press him, about what was really messing with him or not. "Look Taylor I gotta go alright, I'm really tired okay…I'll see you tomorrow okay." With a sigh, Taylor nodded her head, now knowing that her suspicions were correct. Troy was upset about something. Silently she told herself to talk to him tomorrow at school about what really happened.

"Alright then baby I'll let you go…you get some sleep alright." Troy smiled at her term of endearment and nodded his head as he slid down so that his body was fully on his bed.

"Okay baby, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." Troy replied and then hung up his phone; looking at it he tossed it across the room and watched as it landed on the chair. Just as he was about to close his eyes and relax a knock sounded at his door. Looking up, he groaned as he called out. "Come in." The door opened and Sharpay peek her head inside.

"You alright?"

"I've been better." He mumbled as he turned on his side and watched as Sharpay came into the room. She closed the door behind her and walked over to his bed and sat down at the foot of it.

"Ryan is down there gloating…I mean ever since he found out about Gabriella I've never seen him this happy." Troy just grunted and nodded his head.

"Yeah, and I have a pretty bad feeling that he's not through with me yet." Sharpay covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head in disbelief. Mostly because she couldn't believe her brother was acting like this. She never knew he had this side to him, and they were twins.

"What else could he possibly do?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea." Sharpay looked at Troy and slowly it dawned on her what her brother could do next. Shaking her head she looked away while speaking softly.

"He wouldn't…I mean Taylor hasn't done anything to anyone."

"Except get with me…the one guy he blames for single handedly ruining his relationship with Gabriella. Damn, I didn't think what I did would come back on me like this." He murmured with a shake of his head. "I mean why didn't this happen sooner, why did karma decide to wait till I was with someone for real. Sharpay, I don't want to lose Taylor."

"You won't you two love one another…I'm sure whatever Ryan thinks up you two can get through it." Troy just sighed and shook his head for a moment before speaking.

"I don't know, Shar…Ryan looked and acted pretty serious. So serious that I…I'm really worried." He said as he moved to sit up.

"Well maybe you should talk to him…try to reason with him."

"Fine…I'll do that later…just not right now, cause right now I need to relax and try to calm down. I know if I tried to talk to him right now we'd probably just end up in a fight." Sharpay nodded her head and patted Troy's leg.

"I understand cause if I was you I'd try to break his face in too." Troy smirked and looked at Sharpay as she stood up and gave him a sad smile. "I'm going to bed Troy…look don't let him get to you. That's what he wants…he wants to break you. So don't let him."

"I won't." Troy replied with a sigh.

"Good." She said softly as she walked over to him and gave him a hug; standing up Sharpay quickly exited the room leaving Troy alone with his thoughts. Turning over onto his side he wondered what Ryan could possible do next, and he silently prayed that it had nothing to do with Taylor.

Taylor looked at Troy in shock as he told her everything that had happened when he got home the night before. Shaking her head in disbelief, she sighed while reaching out to take his head. "I can't believe Ryan Evans would do something like that?"

"Well believe it…he wants revenge and he practically got it last night, but he says he's not finished with me yet." Taylor slowly shook her head in surprise and just sighed. "I'm sorry my past is messing with us like this." He whispered as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Taylor laid her head on his shoulder and tried to give him all the comfort she could.

"I wish this didn't have to happen Troy."

"Well I deserve…I guess you can say the chickens are coming home to roost." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "I hurt him, and I guess he's just returning the favor." Taylor just hugged him as he continued to talk.

"Well, are you going to try and talk to him so you two can forget this whole mess?" Troy snorted and shook his head.

"Sharpay said the same thing…said I should talk to him about it and try to end it. But you both don't know how he was acting last night. It was like I couldn't even reason with him, at least not about this."

"But you haven't even tried."

"Sometimes there's no trying." Troy stated sadly as he looked at Taylor just as the bell rang, standing up he looked over at her and sighed.

"Well baby I better go…I'll see you after school right."

"Are you going to drive me home? But what about your punishment." She asked as he helped her up from her seat. "Won't you get in trouble?"

"No I won't get in trouble, besides I don't care anyway. This entire punishment is stupid. I mean my parents are upset with me for taking my future seriously. They act like you can play in the NBA forever…did you know that the average career of most NBA players is seven years. I need something to fall back on, and their fighting me about it." He said with a shake of his head.

"Give them some time, Troy…that's what they need time to really think about it and I promise you they'll see it your way."

"And if they don't."

"Well then it's their lost." She replied as she kissed his cheek, "I better get to class." Troy nodded. The walked down the hallway and then separated to go to class. Taylor wasn't really paying attention to where she was walking really; instead her mind was on Troy and what he was currently going through at the moment. She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice a person in front of her as they came to a complete stop forcing her to run into them. Taylor landed on the floor and groaned. "Ouch!"

"Oh Taylor I'm so sorry are you okay." Taylor looked up at Ryan who was looking down at her with worry sketched into his features; before he could bend down to help her up. Taylor scrambled up while keeping a close eye on him. He looked at her for a moment and eyed a book of hers that was in front of him. Bending down he picked it up and held it out for her. "Here you dropped this." She looked at it and then back at him. "What's wrong with you I won't bite." He said with a chuckle.

"Well, what do you call what you did to Troy last night." She said as she narrowed her eyes at him and snatched her book back, he sighed and looked away from her for a moment before taking a step forward which made her take a cautious step back.

"What would you call it?"

"Petty revenge." She snapped back, only when she saw his eyes darken and his fists clenched at his side did she realized her mistake. Ryan crossed his arms over his chest tucking away his fists as he openly glared at her.

"Petty…petty…and what do you call Troy sleeping with my girlfriend, huh, ruining our relationship all because he had deemed her a conquest."

"Look I'm sorry he did that…Troy's sorry he did that. He's changing Ryan…he really wants to put all that behind him."

"Oh so just because Troy all of a sudden decided to have a conscience I'm suppose to let things go." He stepped towards her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I don't think so." Throwing his hands off her shoulders she glared at him while placing her hands on her hips.

"Don't touch me."

"Look, Taylor I know we haven't talk since middle school really, but I'm worried about you. I mean you're 'dating'," he said raising his hands and mocking the word dating with his voice. "Troy Bolton, I mean you're seriously dating him. I know you focus on school and stuff but do you mean to tell me that you seriously don't know about Troy's dating habits."

"Meaning?" she asked wanting to know what he'd say.

"Meaning that once he hits it, he quits it." Shaking her head, she started to walk around him but Ryan blocked her path. "I'm only looking out for your best interest…I'd hate to see you get hurt."

"I'm sure you would." She replied sharply.

"Hey, I'm innocent here…don't get angry at me because I care." He replied softening his voice. Taylor raised an eyebrow at him for a moment and looked down the hall, she could see that they were all alone and knowing how he had acted last night towards Troy, that fact scared her.

"I'm not angry with you…look I'm going to be late for class." Ryan nodded and raised his wrist to look at his watch.

"You're right…you are, but I think this discussion is more important." He replied not back off. Taylor inwardly sighed and shook her head.

"Look I've heard this all before…from my cousin and others. There's no need for you to reiterate it to me okay just leave me alone alright…until Troy shows me that he's back to his old ways, which he hasn't and we've been going out for at least a month now then I won't believe a word you say."

"What!"

"You heard me…I know you're out to hurt him, and I'm not going to be apart of your sick plan of revenge I just won't allow it alright."

"Fine have it your way but when you end up hurt…" he trailed off and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well." Taylor watched him as he stepped to the side, "I guess you gotta go to class." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders, Taylor watched him as she walked back feeling a icy chill race down her spine as she passed him. After she walked back, she quickly made her way to her classroom.

"He did what!" Troy yelled as he drove her home that afternoon, Taylor just sighed and placed her hand beneath her chin. Troy looked at her and shook his head not really trusting himself to speak. "So he told you all of that?"

"Yeah, told me that if I didn't want to get hurt I should leave you alone. Troy he was really scary. I mean I've never been frighten like that before, especially by someone I once considered a friend." Troy just shook his head and focused on his driving.

"He's gone to far…I…I…I'm going to have a little talk with him when I get back home Taylor. I promise he won't mess with you again." He said as he reached over and took her hand within his giving a gentle squeeze. Taylor squeezed it back and looked at him for a moment before saying.

"I don't want you fighting, Troy."

"I can't promise you that, Taylor alright don't ask me too." He said softly as spared her a glance. "I'm going to do what I have to do alright and if I have to kick my step-brother's ass than I will." He muttered as he pulled into her neighborhood, she shook her head at his words and sighed.

"That's probably what he wants, Troy. I'm sure if you fight him you'll just get in more trouble. Like I say earlier today just talk to him alright…try to figure what you can do to end this and just do it."

"Alright fine…I…I promise you that I will try not to fight."

"Troy!"

"What, that's the best I can do, baby." He said as he looked over at her. She sighed and looked at him for a moment before nodding her head. After all he had been through enough. Ever since last night she knew he was on edge, and Ryan wasn't helping matters especially after he harassed her. Troy was bound to snap and he was probably going to do it. Taylor however took comfort in the fact that Troy had taken her feelings into account. She knew he would at least try to keep his temper in check while talking to Ryan. Her thoughts stopped abruptly as Troy pulled into her driveway. "Baby, we're here." He said as he placed a hand on her thigh and gently shook her out of her thoughts.

"Oh right." She said as she looked towards her house. Before she moved to get out of the car she leaned over and kissed him passionately on the lips. "Thanks for the ride home."

"No problem baby…see you tomorrow alright." He said as he watched her close his door and head towards the house once she opened the door and waved at him, as he pulled off and headed home. Once there he parked his car, and headed inside almost immediately he saw Ryan at the kitchen counter eating an apple. Placing his book bag on the floor, he walked into the kitchen and went on the other side of the counter looking at him for a moment with anger in his eyes.

"You had no right to go and talk to Taylor." Ryan looked up at Troy while chewing the rest of his apple before answering.

"No right…Troy I can't believe you're the one coming in here telling me what I have rights for, after it was you who took liberties with my girlfriend."

"I didn't take anything she didn't offer."

"Excuse me." Ryan snapped

"Look, I'm serious here man…you've already done enough damage let's just stop while we're ahead. I don't want Taylor to get hurt and you don't want me to hurt you."

"Well it's a bit to late for that." Ryan replied with a smile.

"Look, I'm sorry alright I know what I did was wrong and I'm really sorry." Ryan just shook his head and pushed his apple to the side and leaned over the counter so he was in Troy's face. He looked him up and down for a moment before murmuring.

"Okay."

"Okay? That's it?" Ryan shrugged and sat back down a smirk spreading across his face.

"Yeah, that's it…you're right I shouldn't try to hurt Taylor. It wouldn't sit well with me besides if I did something like that it would put me on the same level as you…and believe me that is a place I don't want to be."

"Yeah, sure." Troy said as he walked over to the doorway where he had left his bag, before confronting Ryan. "Look like I said before I really am sorry alright. Sometimes things happen and what happened between me and Gabby well, I'm really sorry about that you have got to believe me."

"I don't have to believe you Troy…that is something I won't be doing at least not right now. Look I said I'd stop, and I won't hurt Taylor alright so you can leave." Troy looked at him one last time before leaving the room and heading upstairs. Ryan watched his departure with a smile and then reached over and picked up his apple and began eating it again.

"Whoa, you mean to tell me that Ryan's jumped off the deep end without a paddle, and he doesn't know how to swim." Zeke said as he sat down next to Taylor in her living room. Looking over at her cousin she nodded her head and sighed.

"Troy is really worried especially after how he came at me today at school." Zeke looked over at her and quickly said.

"And how did he come at you?" Looking away she wrung her hands together for a brief moment and looked at him and then sighed.

"Like…one of those creepy stalkers or something…I was really scared and you know I never get scared."

"Whatever you say." Zeke said as he stretched out and sighed. "But the point is that Ryan scared you and Troy's worried. So tell me why I am getting a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I'm not going to like this…see I told you, you shouldn't go out with him. I mean look at the mess he's gotten you into and you've only been going out with the guy for an entire month."

"Look I called you over here so I could talk to you, not listen to you diss my boyfriend and our relationship, alright." Taylor said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Besides you don't see me dissing Sharpay."

"Well, what can you diss? She's changed and we don't have a crazed step-brother or in her case brother trying to destroy our relationship. So please tell me what can you diss." Taylor rolled her eyes at him and sighed.

"Well I know she doesn't like your cooking."

"That is an awful lie…that's one of the ways I reeled her in." Zeke said puffing out his chest proudly. "She couldn't resist especially when I made her some of my famous double chocolate brownies."

"You're always cooking her something, when are you going to cook something for me."

"Why don't you ask, Troy…I'm sure he would want too." Zeke exclaimed with a bright smile. "Always begging, and don't think I don't know what you're trying to do…you're trying to change the subject."

"What subject?"

"The one where your boyfriend has upset some homicidal monster."

"Ryan hasn't and will not kill anybody…I don't know why I talk to you, you always seem to make a big deal out of everything. All I've told you was that Ryan is very and I mean very upset with Troy and he wants revenge and that he scared me earlier today at school."

"I know I know…look I want you to stay away from him alright don't let him catch you alone again."

"I won't." she whispered as she walked over to Zeke and allowed him to pull her into a tight hug, rubbing her back soothingly he held her closely. Fifteen minutes later, Zeke had to head home and that left Taylor all by herself. Sitting on her bed, she silently wondered where Troy was and if he had had talked to Ryan about ending this entire thing. Just as she was about to lie down and go to sleep her cell phone rang. Reaching out she picked it up and answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Baby…you told me to call you remember." Troy said, Taylor smiled at the sound of his voice and nodded her head.

"I did so how did it go."

"Um, Ryan said that he'd stop…he said that he's going to stop because he doesn't want to hurt you." Troy stated truthfully.

"Do you think he actually meant it?"

"I'm not sure but look after all he's done…I'm going to just let his word stand for a while. I mean I need the break, I've been stressed for over twenty-four hours and let me tell you something baby that's an awful feeling."

"So you talked it out…you didn't beat him up or anything."

"I wanted too…"

"Troy!"

"But I didn't I knew you'd be upset and I don't want to risk your anger." He said with a chuckle as he heard her sigh with relief over the phone line. "I know you worry…-"

"You don't know how much." She countered with a sigh, "But I'm glad it's over Ryan was really starting to scare me a lot. I mean I wasn't sure what he was going to do next." Troy closed his eyes and draped an arm over his face.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. But it's over now…so how about once I'm off this punishment I take you to a concert?"

"A concert? I don't know about that Troy…last time you did that you practically ravished me on the dance floor."

"If I remember correctly you kissed me back, Ms. McKessie."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Bolton." She replied back with a sigh, "But to answer your question, yes I'd love to go out with you to another concert, just as long as you promise not to take advantage of me."

"Okay fine I promise on my scouts' honor."

"You weren't a boy scout."

"Oh really and how do you know that?" Troy asked unable to keep a smile off his face as he listened to Taylor released an exhausted sigh.

"Troy, you don't have the temperament for boy scouts…believe me I know, dating you for a month has been an eye opening experience."

"Eye opening huh…please, there are some things that you don't know about me." He said with a laugh.

"Oh yeah like what?" Taylor asked, Troy looked down and sighed for a brief moment before answering.

"I don't know…but there's sometimes that you don't know about me." She sighed and looked him over for a minute before shaking her head.

"Okay okay, look baby my daddy is telling me to go to sleep alright, and I do not want to get in trouble so…see you tomorrow." She said stifling a yawn as she spoke; Troy smiled as he heard that and chuckled.

"Alright baby, see you tomorrow have a good night's sleep." He said quickly. He had Taylor shifting around in her bed.

"Okay and you too…I don't want you falling asleep in chemistry we have some work to do tomorrow and we are going to pass that lab." She replied with a chuckled.

"It's always work with you isn't it baby." He said with smile. "Alright fine then I'm going to sleep. See you tomorrow baby." He said

"Okay." Taylor answered with another yawn, and then the line went dead. Troy turned off his cell phone and placed it on his nightstand before lying back in his bed. Placing his arms behind his head he silently thanked God that whatever Ryan was planning was over and went to sleep.

A/N: Well I decided to give you a small break in the drama but don't worry it will be back before you know it. Oh and please remember to Review.

Baby S