Thank you to everyone who read or reviewed the last chapter. I know it's been a while. I know many people are curious as to how Ryan and Taylor got together in the first place. This is they're crazy story.

Special thank you to my beta Neila Cross for all her help with this chapter.

Chapter 10

June 7, 2008:

Sin and Champagne

It happened again and Ryan was shocked that he thought it could be any different. His father somehow managed to turn his and his sister's graduation party into some sort of corporate event. Ryan couldn't have a birthday party without his father inviting a business associate (or 20 of them) to the festivities. On the bright side, most of them did bring cool gifts like front row tickets to his favorite Broadway show. Tonight only one in every five guests was actually a friend of Ryan or Sharpay. Most were Ryan's friends, because Sharpay refused to invite any of her fake friends to the party.

His sister was currently hiding in one of the suites upstairs after getting into a very loud argument with their mother at the bar. He could not tell what the fight was about because they were too far away however, it didn't look good. Not that Sharpay would tell him what was going on in her life.

Ever since the prom, his sister had been acting strangely. That wasn't quite right. Even before then her behavior was starting to change. The worse was Memorial Day when Sharpay disappeared all day only to be returned by Chad after midnight. She was covered with mud and looked like she spent most of the day crying. Neither Chad nor Sharpay would provide any explanation for what happens.

It seemed that, Sharpay and Chad were spending a lot of time together recently. Every time Chad came to the Evans mansion he was there to see Sharpay not Ryan. The two were always sending text messages to the other and they were always having private conversations that Ryan knew nothing about. It almost felt like Chad was taking over Ryan's place again. When he was stuck in Rhode Island by himself, all Sharpay ever talked about was her best friends Chad and Troy. He was jealous of the two boys. He was mostly jealous of Chad.

He worked out most of his Troy jealousy last summer when Gabriella and Troy got back together again. It's amazing what putting two people together, who really don't belong together; just to spite his sister can do for one's mental well being. Of course, he told himself it was better that they were never together. Because their parents' secret would eventually destroy their relationship once it is revealed.

Even though he was mad at his sister for ditching him for someone else again, he was happy because it gave him more time to hang out with Taylor. Ever since prom, Taylor had become his best friend. They talked on the phone constantly for hours at a time. During the last two weeks of school, he ate lunch with Taylor and Sharpay would disappear with Chad and sometimes Troy. Again, he still had no idea what was going on.

He was friends with Taylor before; however, they really never shared secrets in the past. Now he knew she really didn't want to go to Yale, but her father was making her. Taylor knew that he was absolutely terrified of going to Juilliard. He was afraid he was going to flunk out because his teachers wouldn't provide necessary reasonable accommodations or something like that. He had felt comfortable talking about his learning disability with her - which was normally something he didn't talk about. He could never tell any of this to Sharpay or Kelsi.

He really wanted to spend his graduation party with his new girlfriend. Unfortunately, her parents scheduled her family graduation party on the same night. Even her brother who was stationed overseas managed to come to her graduation. He was not going to keep Kelsi from seeing her brother for the first time in almost two years.

Instead, he wandered the party alone trying to find someone to hang out with. Unfortunately, there wasn't anybody in the main party. Gabriella and Troy were in a corner having one of their trademark fights. Ryan was definitely staying away from those two, although he couldn't help but wonder what they were fighting about this time. Fortunately Mr. and Mrs. Bolton were also invited to the party so Troy would at least have a ride home.

5 minutes later he noticed the Boltons in the hallway engaging in a screaming match that put their sons fight to shame. He wondered if his father was stupid enough to try anything with Mrs. Bolton at the party. However, it seems that Mr. Bolton was the one being yelled at. Ryan was almost positive he heard the phrase "she is just a friend, highly unlikely" as Mrs. Bolton throw one of the CDs from the gift bag at Mr. Bolton. Ironically, enough it was Mr. Evans, his father, that broke up the fight between the not so happy couple before anybody else realized what was happening. Ryan was a little sad because their fight ended. It was the most exciting thing at the party.

After 15 more minutes of being surrounded by fake people, he couldn't stand it anymore. He took a bottle of champagne from the caterers and began to make his way to his own suite. As he walked to his room, he ran across Taylor sitting in the in the hallways reading the news on her cell phone with two empty glasses of champagne sitting next to her.

"I thought I was the only one trying to avoid the party? Isn't it impolite for the guest of honor to ditch their own party?" Taylor asked as she looked up from her cell phone.

"Its my party and I can ditch if I want to. I can't stand most of the people there. 80% of the guests are daddy's business partners or mommy's country club friends. Plus Gabriella and Troy fights are nowhere near as entertaining as they used to be."

"There arguing again. I cannot understand how those two can look like the perfect couple in school when they fight so much." Ryan wanted to tell her it was because Troy had Mrs. Bolton as the perfect example of how to act happy in a relationship when you're screwing someone else behind your husband's back. However, Ryan kept that thought to himself.

"So why are you hiding in the hallway reading CNN . com?"

"I was having fun dancing with my boyfriend until he ran off with your sister. Now I'm waiting for Gabriella to drive me home because she is the designated driver."

"Chances are she probably left the party after she ditched Troy in most dramatic way possible and forgot about you."

At that moment Taylor received a text message from Gabriella.

FMG: Sorry I forgot about you. Please find different way home.

"She left me here. She drove off in my car and left me at the party. Some best friend." Taylor said the anger as she shut her phone.

"Don't worry about it. If you want, I can call you a cab." Ryan said reassuring her.

"That's okay, I think I'll just sit here and wait for my boyfriend. If he ever shows up," she mumbled that last part.

"Or you can come with me to my private suite and hang out". Ryan said holding out the very expensive bottle of champagne. "C'mon I want to see what is in the gift bag."

"You don't know what's in the gift bag at your own party?" Taylor asked in surprise

"No, the whole thing was planned by Cam from corporate event planning."

He was almost sure that Taylor was saying no, until she received a new text message from Chad.

Number one BOY: Left with S and T. Mrs. B said she would give you a ride home if needed.

"Great my boyfriend left me for your sister." Taylor said in a very angry voice.

"I'm sure it's not like that"

"Whatever, I need to go find the Bolton's to go home."

"Actually you may want to avoid those two for a while."

Just then, they heard shouting from the adjacent hallway. Ryan instantly recognized the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Bolton.

"She really is just a friend honey."

"Friends don't write songs having fantasies about their married friends."

"You would know. Unlike you, I believe in the sanctity of our marriage vows. Just because you screw around does not mean I will. Why don't you go play with your lover right now and leaving me alone? I'm sure he could use a release right about now. " At least now Ryan knows that Mr. Bolton knew about the affair. He always wondered about that. Ryan definitely needed to get Taylor out of here before she found out the real reason why Troy's parents are halfway towards divorce.

"Maybe it would be best if we went to your room. I watched my parent's marriage disintegrate, I don't want to watch anyone else's" Taylor said getting up from the ground.

After quickly running away from the Bolton's without being spotted they ended up in Ryan suite. "My bedroom at my dad's house is not this big. This is like having your own apartment. How did you end up with this?"

"Mom and Dad are away on business a lot. They just got back from opening our brand new hotel in Mumbai. They do not trust us to stay in the mansion unsupervised so we move into the hotel when they're gone. Although, Sharpay is getting tired of the entire arrangement and is moving into the dorms in the fall."

"Does your sister realize that the room in the picture is actually the room and not the closet?"

"My sister has never been known for being practical."

"Very true let's see what goodies we have." Taylor said grabbing the gift bag. "Many DVDs, including all of the Singing In The Halls series; one of which was just released to the movie theaters two weeks ago. White America the complete series, they have not even aired the last episode yet. There are also about five other musical titles in here. Also included Is Maddie rock new CD Maddie Rock is Dead which hit stores in three days. How did your dad get half of this stuff in this bag?"

"Madison and Maddie are friends of the family. This is probably her… I mean their graduation present to Sharpay and me." Ryan almost accidentally told Taylor that the two women are one in the same. He would have to be careful.

"My father won't let me listen to Maddie rock anymore after her song A 14 year old had a baby. My dad said it would encourage teenage girl to get pregnant." Taylor said as she grabbed a couple of glasses from the kitchen area.

"Did he even listen to the song? It's about society blindness to the sexual assault of young girls In United States and Elsewhere as well as the tendency to blame the young girls for becoming a victim."

"Probably not. Don't tell anyone but my dad is a closed minded idiot. Sometimes you'll hear me say stupid things that are not necessarily my actual opinion."

"Why do you do that?"

"Because he's my father."

"I would never do that with my dad. Do you really think he is thrilled about his only son going to college on a dance scholarship? He's definitely not thrilled about all the pink and sequences."

"If he wasn't proud, he wouldn't be having this party for you."

"You don't know my dad very well. To him this is just a networking event. " Ryan said as he placed his head in his hands.

"No I don't. I've been meaning to ask you why you are taking the scholarship when your family can obviously afford to send you to school. My dad won't let me apply for any scholarships and your family is in a much higher tax bracket my then father."

"Because it's something I earned and they can't take it away from me if I do something they don't like. Actually, it was dad's idea for some reason, besides daddy is donating enough to the school to give dozens of students' scholarships at Juilliard. Do you want to stay in the living room or go into the bedroom? I have a better entertainment system in there."

"Bedroom, I really want to lie down. I hate these shoes. I don't know why I Gabriella talked me into wearing these." Taylor said this as she kicked off her very high heeled shoes as she walked into the bedroom and sat on the king sized bed. As she did this Ryan noticed how beautiful her legs looked in her silk stockings. At that moment, he had a very improper thought about removing those stockings. He looked away quickly reminding himself that he had a girlfriend and Taylor was just a friend.

"Do you want to watch Singing In The Halls III or listened to the new CD? " Taylor question Ryan from the bed.

"Definitely the CD. I want to know why Mrs. Bolton was freaking out in the hallway."

"The entire thing was ridiculous. There's no way that Coach Bolton Is having an affair with a pop star. She lives all the way in L.A." Taylor pointed out as she poured herself and Ryan a glass of the champagne.

"Actually she is in New Mexico all the time. She owns 10% of Evans Hospitality International. She comes down every couple of weeks to meet with my dad and the other directors of the company. There's a good chance that they met at a Starbucks or something. He could be her New Mexico boyfriend. " Ryan said laughing at the ideal as he placed the CD in the stereo. The CD began to play the title track.

Maddie rock is dead

She was never really here

Figment of your Imagination

Fantasy to feed your dirty mind

"I thought your family company wasn't publicly traded." Taylor asked as Ryan sat next to her on the bed.

"It's not. I told you she was a friend of the family." Ryan said vaguely not going into Maddie/Madison's possible family connection.

You have no idea who I really am

You just think you do

"Oh my god look at the dedication!" Taylor shouted as she pulled Ryan closer to her as she read the dedication. "With all of my hope and love to my best friend Coach Jay. You are the one who showed me the consequences of being everything to everyone. You were there when I would not let anybody in. You were a shoulder to cry on and sounding board for my crazy thoughts. You deserve better than a love that is breaking your heart. Maybe someday we'll both get our happy ending. Half of the songs on this album are about you. You are my muse, my best friend, and my love."

I'm delivery vague

Never let anybody in

You only see what I let you see

"Our gym teacher is having an affair with a pop star," Ryan said smiling to himself as he took another drink of champagne. Ryan did not like cheating. However, considering what Lucille Bolton did to his family, Ryan believed the whole affair as some sort of divine payback. As Justin said "what goes around goes back around". If anyone anybody deserves to have their heartbroken it is definitely Lucille Bolton.

"It sounds more like our gym teacher is friends with a pop star who has a crush on him. That is just disturbing. She's like our age. "

"A pop star who despises his wife." Ryan said as he switched to rap song Hey Lucy. "Actually Maddie is almost 30 and has a Foster daughter that is two years younger than us. It was her former handlers that dressed her like a naughty school girl barely out of high school."

Hey there Lucy

Where is your man?

Because I can make him come

Better than you can.

You've been playing games

Oh what a shame

Two men at the same time

Oh my my

Soon your love will be mine

"Finally someone exposes daddy secret and no one's going to know it's him." Ryan said as he refilled his glass of champagne.

"What's going on?"

"Apparently Maddie feels like airing some dirty laundry," part of him would love to tell Taylor about his father's dirty affair. For some reason he just couldn't tell her. He was having way too fun much to sitting with her and goofing off to end it with a serious conversation. This is the most fun he's ever had at a party thrown by his father for him or his twin.

They spent the next half an hour getting completely wasted on champagne and making snide jokes about the album. They were now lying together side by side with his arm around. A slower song was now playing.

I was never supposed to meet you

Chance encounter of the life changing kind

I think you my became a best friend

I can tell you everything I can never say

He thought about what the lyrics were saying. In just a few weeks Taylor really did become his best friend. She understood him so well.

I think I fell in love with you the next night

Can't stop thinking about that almost kiss

Secret phone calls from me to you

Sending me private message your love will never see

Her fingers entwined with his. He could feel the warmth of her lips on his neck. There were too intimate at that moment to be just friends. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if she moved just a little closer. He so badly wanted to fill her lips on his skin.

It's such a sin

Such a shameful sin

To fall in love with someone else's love

Desire someone you know you should never have

There was reality again reminding him that Taylor was not his. He would be no better to then father if he made a move.

In my heart I already need you

That was very true. It was already too late because Taylor was in his heart.

I'm falling in love someone who I can't have

I want to be loved by you

That's when the last thing he ever expected to happen did happen. Taylor McKessie was kissing him. Not the soft almost chaste kisses he receives from Kelsi. These were full on rip your close off and have your wicked way with me kisses. It was the most sensual thing he ever experienced up to that point. He couldn't hear the words of the song anymore. All he could hear was the sound of his heart speeding up as she continued her ministrations. Eventually common sense kicked back in and he pulled away from her. This is so wrong. He couldn't be making out with his friend's girlfriend.

I know you can fill the connection between you and me

Want to touch you, kiss you, love you

He was almost ready to leave. Run away from her and the temptation of her. He looked into her eyes and knew he could never do that. This time he kissed her. He felt like he was on fire and touch of her tongue, her hands upon him was too much. When she started to unbuttoned his shirt, he didn't think about betraying Kelsi. When he pulled Taylor's dress over her head, he didn't think about stabbing his best guy friend in the back. When he pulled the condom out of the dresser drawer, he didn't think about how he was truly becoming his father's son. He would think about those things tomorrow and by then tomorrow would be too late. Tomorrow he would be completely in love with her.

A/N: all the lyrics in this chapter are original