note: some more unedited garbo, not that all of this isn't unedited garbo.
The next couple of weeks, in fact, the next two months, passed quite quickly. Sharpay and Maddie were called away to LA for two weeks in April to tape for the Young and the Restless. I was surprised too. So everyone's favorite understudy, the lovely Miss– I mean, Mrs. Tiara Zara, filled in for Sharpay. I was glad I'd moved Zeke back into the house. I couldn't imagine living in that big empty house, just me, Ashley, and Zac. So Zeke and I threw a little "us party" in which we'd put the kids to bed and then watch TV until two in the morning like we were teenagers in high school. And it's nice to be irresponsible for once, you know? By the time Sharpay came back from LA, Zeke had gotten so accustomed to sleeping in her room (which was where we were watching TV because that was the awesomest TV in the house, obvi) that she just let him. Which constituted another several victory dances from Zeke. Especially when they got back together. I don't know exactly how it happened, but one night, I go to bed, and the next morning I get up and they're making out in the dining room. It was kind of typical Zekepay behavior, but, to tell the truth, I wasn't really ready for it.
Opening night for RENT was on June 7th. It ran Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday afternoon matinee, Saturday night show, and Sunday afternoon matinee. Talk about your insane schedules. It was really lucky none of us had real jobs (besides Taylor) otherwise we really wouldn't have accomplished it. We got reviewed by the newspapers, and, as usual, Sharpay had them all framed, especially the pictures of herself (the paper, thankfully, overlooked the 'slightly pregnant' Maureen look, which would have caused her to freak, I'm sure).
And still, by closing night, strike, and cast party, I was still no closer to getting Ryan back. I'd fixed all my wrongs, I'd gotten Sharpay and Zeke back together, I'd fixed Chuckie and Justin, and my karma refused to square. It was mind boggling. And rather frustrating.
On Friday the 15th of June, I sat down and turned on the stereo. It had been a really successful day. Nothing much had actually happened, but a successful day is defined as one in which I don't have to get two people back together. The song "Home" by Daughtry came on the sound system, and instead of skipping it like I usually would have, I decided to listen to it.
I'm going home, to the place where I belong
Where your love has always been enough for me
I'm not running from, no I think you've got me all wrong
I don't regret this life I chose for me
But these places and these faces are getting old
Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you might just get it all
You just might get it all and then some you don't want
Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it all
You just might get it all
The song faded again, and this time, ready for it, I embraced the flashback. I'd been learning more and more about the ten years I was missing over the previous three months and the flashbacks.
Ryan and I were lying on his bed in his room. He was staring at the ceiling. I was staring at him.
"Do you ever wonder if we'll all stay friends after we graduate?" I asked thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I'm sure we will," Ryan said.
"I wish there was some way to know for sure," I said.
"Be careful what you wish for, darling. You might just get it all. And then some you don't want," Ryan said. He rolled over to look at me, and I kissed him. Then we both rolled over again, and went to sleep.
The flashback was of the last night I remembered before I was in the future, the one before my birthday party. It explained so much.
"Hey, Zeke!" I called. He walked into the room. "Home" by Daughtry had stopped playing and "One Song Glory" from RENT had begun. Sharpay's iPod on shuffle, I think.
"Yeah?" Zeke asked.
"I remember," I said.
"Remember what?" he asked.
"What happened," I said. "I remember."
"Congratulations?" he guessed.
"Yes!" I exclaimed. "I was saying how I was hoping that we'd all stay friends after graduation, and sort of wished myself here."
"That's a little far fetched, don't cha think?" Zeke asked.
"I only remember what the flashbacks say," I said, defensively. "And that's what they say."
"Well, can't argue with that," Zeke said, rolling his eyes.
"Whatever," I said. "Just go." Zeke, laughing, left the room. I reached for my cell phone and had Ryan's number dialed before I could think about it. I pushed send before I could change my mind. He needed to verify the story.
"Hello?" he answered.
"Hey, it's me," I said.
"What do you want, Troy?" he asked.
"I need you to verify something for me," I said. "Please."
"What?" Ryan asked, impatiently.
"Do you maybe remember the Friday night before my 18th birthday party?" I asked. "Just lying in bed?"
"Yeah, a little," he replied.
"What did I say to you?" I asked.
"I don't know, Troy," Ryan said. "A lot of stuff. We talked for a while about getting you back into your parents' good graces, because my parents wanted–"
"Did we talk about still being friends with everyone after high school?" I asked. I could almost hear Ryan straining to remember.
"Yeah, I think we did," Ryan said. "You said 'Do you ever wonder if we'll stay friends with everyone after high school?' and I said 'I'm sure we will' and you said 'I wish there was a way to know for sure' and then I said 'be careful what you wish for cuz you might just get it all and then some you don't want' and then we went to bed. What's this about?"
"That's what it was," I said. "That was it. I wished myself to the future."
"What brought this on suddenly?" Ryan asked. "Did you have a remembrance?"
"Kind of," I said. "Thank you so much for your help though."
"Now you just have to get back," Ryan said.
"I'm not going back," I said. "But thanks for your help anyway. I'll see you tomorrow at the reunion, right?"
"Yeah," Ryan said. "Night, Troy."
"Night," I said. I hung up the phone. That was it. I remembered. I knew how I was here, far fetched as it might sound. That made me happy. I had a feeling my karma would square. I heard a shriek from an adjacent room, and went running into it, as I'd learned to when Sharpay shrieks. She was hugging Zeke very tightly, grinning from ear to ear. It seemed as if something was different. "Hold on, don't tell me…there's something different…" They both turned to stare at me, grinning. I laughed, figuring out what it was. "You're engaged. Congrats. Maddie, I believe you owe me twenty bucks." Maddie scowled at me. "You've gotta learn, you just don't bet against me. You bet…on…me… Yeah." I hummed the tune to Bet on It quietly as Sharpay and Zeke continued to grin like idiots.
"I'm so happy," Sharpay announced.
"Me too," Zeke said.
"I'm not," I said. "I hate you guys more. I'm gonna die alone. This sucks." Sharpay rolled her eyes.
"I offered you everything I had, but you didn't want it," she said. "Always wanting more. Jeez." I caught her eyes, and we both burst out laughing. "Seriously, though."
"It's true," Zeke said. I laughed some more.
"Congrats guys," I said. "I'm gonna go be emo somewhere else. If I don't show up at the reunion tomorrow, worry."
I walked into the ballroom where the reunion was being held the next night. I smiled to see everyone's faces. Everything seemed in place, and yet, there was something wrong still. You know what it was. But no one wants to mention it. I walked to the drinks table and poured myself a Pepsi. Chuckie sidled up to me, a drink in his hand, and a Justin on his arm.
"Dude, you're not drinking," Chuckie said.
"No," I said, chuckling.
"Live a little," Chuckie said.
"The last time I 'lived a little', I impregnated my ex-girlfriend," I said, taking a drink of my Pepsi. "Second to last."
"Well, she's already pregnant this time," Justin said. "What's the harm?"
"No, it's Sharpay that's pregnant. Gabriella's not," I said. "I'm not having any drinks. Leave me alone." I walked off across the room and plopped into a chair at some random table.
"Ooh, look who just sat at our table!" a girl said.
"Oh my God, if it isn't Troy Bolton!" another girl said. I looked up.
"Hi, Ruby. Hi Sapphire," I said.
"Hi, Troy," Sapphire said. "Still gay?"
"Unfortunately," I said.
"How is that unfortunate?" Ruby asked. I shrugged.
"Want to dance?" Sapphire asked.
"No thanks, girls," I said. "I think I'll just wallow into my Pepsi."
"No beer?" Sapphire asked.
"Did I mention I have four kids?" I asked. Ruby and Sapphire looked at each other and frowned.
"No, you didn't," Ruby said. "How'd you make them let you adopt?" I laughed hollowly.
"I wish," I said. "One of them's Gabriella's, two of them are twins, Sharpay's, and another one on the way, also Sharpay's."
"Ouch," Sapphire said, taking the seat on one side of me. Ruby took the other one. "I thought we didn't like her."
"So did I," I said. "Guess I was wrong, huh?"
"But isn't that her over there with–" Sapphire began.
"Zeke Baylor?" I finished. "Yes, yes it is."
"They're still together?" Ruby asked.
"More like back together and engaged," I said. "Thanks to yours truly, and my wonderful daughter, Maddie."
"Which one's she?" Sapphire asked.
"The nine year old," I said. Both girls counted silently in their heads. "Gabriella's daughter."
"You got her pregnant in high school?" Ruby asked, the first one to reach her conclusion.
"Yessirree," I said. "Just before my 18th birthday."
"Ouch," Sapphire said. "Hey, is that why she collapsed at graduation?"
"That would be why," I said.
"How'd that even happen, anyway?" Ruby asked.
"Got drunk," I said.
"Ouch," Sapphire said a third time.
"Haven't had a drink since," I said. "Cept once."
"Well, you're missing out," Ruby said, gesturing to her red SOLO cup.
"You'd think we'd be a little more classy as to serve it in glasses or something," I said.
"There is, but I like the cups," Ruby said.
"So, where's the boyfriend?" Sapphire asked.
"Chuckie's with his new boyfriend, Justin," I said. "Well, not exactly new. They've been together since high school. Or, our senior year. Mostly. Justin's two years older than us. And he went to South."
"No, not Chuckie," Ruby said. "We saw him earlier."
"Before he got drunk," Sapphire said. "I meant Ryan."
"Oh, I don't know where he is," I said, staring, eyes glazed, at a tapestry in the far corner of the room. "For all I know, he didn't even come. He's not my boyfriend anyway."
"But you were so cute!" Ruby said. "How could he not still be your boyfriend?"
"Is it because you slept with his sister?" Sapphire asked. "Because that would annoy me too." I rolled my eyes.
"No, it isn't," I said. "But I screwed up. And I screwed up bad."
"When?" Sapphire asked.
"Long time ago," I said.
"What happened?" Ruby asked.
"Don't remember," I said, shrugging. Actually, I did, but I didn't feel like telling them.
"Like as in you don't want to tell us don't remember, or you tried so hard to forget that you did?" Ruby asked.
"Like as in I don't really want to tell you," I said. "It's not important, and that's not why we're not together." Sapphire nodded like she knew what I was talking about. "It's messed up." A seven year old boy, recognizable as Chris walked up to me and tapped my shoulder. "Wh– Oh, hey, Chris. What's up?"
"Which kid is this?" Ruby whispered.
"Zeke and Sharpay's," I returned. "What's up, Chris?"
"It's Maddie," Chris said. "She won't come down."
"Why not?" I asked.
"She wouldn't say," Chris said. "Help?"
"Why not ask your mom?" I said. "I'm busy."
"She asked for you," Chris said.
"Oh well ladies. Duty calls," I said, standing up and following Chris out of the ballroom and upstairs to Maddie's bedroom. I knocked.
"Who is it?" Maddie called.
"It's me," I said.
"Me who?" Maddie demanded. I sighed.
"It's me your father," I said. The door unlocked and I walked in with Chris. "What's wrong, Maddie?"
"Everything," Maddie said, threatening to burst into tears any second. Chris closed the door, and sat down next to her on the bed.
"Can you be more specific?" I asked. Maddie shrugged.
"Just everything," she said.
"Well, if you can't be a little more specific, I can't help you," I said. Chris put his arm around Maddie and hugged her. She hugged him back.
"Thanks, Chris," Maddie said.
"And if there's nothing wrong that I can fix, you should come downstairs. There's some people you should meet," I said. Maddie nodded, hopped off her bed, straightened her dress, wiped her face on her blanket, straightened her dress again, and followed me and Chris downstairs.
"Okay, girls, I'm back," I announced to Ruby and Sapphire, who had sat chatting amongst themselves while I sorted out my Maddie problems. "This is my daughter, Maddie, and Zeke and Sharpay's son, Christopher. Kids, this is Ruby and Sapphire."
"Which one is which?" Maddie whispered to Chris.
"Well, if I had to guess, I'd assume Sapphire is the one in the dark blue, and Ruby is the one in the maroon," Chris whispered back, and I nodded. What we used to call the "cheating way" of telling them apart.
"Yes," I said. "Now go find your brother and sister so that we can introduce them too." Maddie and Chris went off, hand in hand.
"Aw, they're so cute," Ruby said.
"They act more like gf/bf then brother and sister," Sapphire commented.
"Well, they're not brother and sister," I said. "Actually, they're not even technically related at all."
"They have siblings in common, Troy," Ruby said. "You cannot be picturing them as a couple. They're like, what, nine?"
"Maddie's nine," I said. "Chris is seven."
"See?" Ruby said. "That's way to young to have these problems. Plus, don't they live together?"
"So what?" Sapphire protested. "They'll be together someday. Don't you worry."
"Yeah, and Ashley'll marry Chad and Taylor's son Nick," I said. "Come on guys, be more creative."
"Chad and Taylor have a son?" Sapphire exclaimed happily. "That's so adorable."
"Yes, well," I began, but was saved the trouble of finding something intelligent to say by Maddie and Chris bringing over Ashley and Zac. "Oh, girls, this is my and Sharpay's twins, Ashley and Zac. Kids, this is Ruby and Sapphire. Ruby's in maroon, Sapphire's in dark blue."
"It's actually not dark blue," Sapphire said.
"I don't care," I said. "What do you say, kids?"
"Hi Ruby. Hi Sapphire," Ashley and Zac said.
"See, look how adorable," I boasted. "Okay, kids, go annoy your mother. Ss." Maddie smiled, and the four kids went away. "See, they're amazing. So the two of you married a pair of identical blonds yet?"
"Sadly, no," Ruby said. "It's too bad, too. Our kids would look really good."
"Really?" I asked. "How would they look?"
"Well, obviously, the girls would be blonde like their fathers, and the boys would have our black hair," Ruby said.
"And they'd all have green eyes like us," Sapphire said, "except for whichever one Sophie is, because she'd have blue eyes."
"Keep telling yourself that," I said. "In the meantime, any temporary boyfriends?"
"Well…" Ruby began, making me raise an eyebrow, "it's hard to find datable twins."
"Yes," I said. "Either one of them's a girl or…well, both of them could be girls, I suppose. That seems to be the problem I have with twins." Ruby and Sapphire laughed. Suddenly, Sharpay appeared at the table.
"Ha. Ha," Sharpay said. "Ruby, Sapphire, how're things?"
"Fine, fine," Ruby said. "But what about you? You're 'with child' right?"
"Again," Sharpay said.
"We met your kids," Sapphire said. "They're adorable."
"Thank you," Sharpay said. "Well, I've got more guests to mingle with. And remember…"
"Wildcats are for life," Ruby and Sapphire said.
"Right," Sharpay said. "Toodles!" She walked away to the next table.
"God, I can't even remember her days as a cheerleader," Ruby said. "It seems like a million years ago."
"It kind of was," Sapphire said. "It seems like last Christmas was a million years ago. It's been a long day."
"Hey, they're playing our song," I said, suddenly catching an earful of the song playing, which was our song, "Don't Stop the Music" by Rihanna.
"What are they doing playing our song?" Sapphire said. "Don't they have terrible modern music to be playing?"
"They're playing my iPod," I said. "Shall we dance?"
"There's two of us, and one of you," Sapphire said.
"Oh, you two go," Ruby said. "Have all the fun."
"No need," I said, spotting Chuckie headed toward them. "Charles approacheth."
"Funny," Chuckie said. "And don't call me Charles. Care to dance, Ruby?"
"You sure?" Ruby asked, warily eyeing the boy presumed to be Justin across the room.
"Time for him to be jealous for a change," Chuckie said. "Come on." Ruby took Chuckie's hand and almost succeeded in pulling him down into her chair. Sapphire and I rolled our eyes, and the four of us headed over to the dance floor. Basically what we were gonna do was dance. And so we did. When the song finished, I went back to sit down with the twins, and Chuckie went back to Justin.
"Wish I had a boyfriend," I said.
"Wish I had a real boyfriend," Ruby mumbled.
"Yeah…" Sapphire said. Ruby frowned at her. I laughed. Then, the doors at the top of the very formal looking stairs that resembled the ones in Princess Diaries 2 opened and there stood one Ryan Evans. I sighed as I stared.
"He's still hella good looking," Ruby said.
"Back off, girls, he's gay," I said. "I think. Sometimes I wonder." Ruby and Sapphire laughed. "No, really."
"Oh, we believe you," Sapphire said. "Trust us, we believe you." Ryan descended the stairs which, unfortunately, curved around the edges of the room, and almost to the table where we were sitting. He walked over to our table.
"Hi, Ryan," Ruby said, nervously.
"Hi, Ruby," Ryan said. "Hi, Sapphire."
"Hi Ryan," Sapphire said.
"Hi Troy," Ryan said. I was somehow rendered incapable of speech.
"You look so good, he's speechless," Sapphire said. Ryan rolled his eyes and sat across the table from me.
"What's up, Ry?" Ruby asked.
"Oh, nothing much," Ryan said. "So, how's the reunion?"
"Pretty boring so far, actually," Sapphire said. "We danced a little. Had some drinks. You want one?"
"No, thanks," Ryan said. "I don't drink." Ruby and Sapphire exchanged glances.
"How come?" Ruby asked.
"No reason," Ryan lied vaguely. Ruby and Sapphire exchanged glances again.
"Well, that's cool," Sapphire said. "So, how's life? You're, what, 28 now?"
"27," Ryan said.
"Yeah, well, good for you," Ruby said. "Really."
"Okay," Ryan said. "I'm good." Ryan and the girls proceeded to make small talk for a while, until a toast was called by Chad, which was pretty boring (and probably had something to do with the Board of Secrets, but I wasn't paying attention, and could honestly care less at that point in time), but then, Ryan left to mingle with some other people, and I stared after him.
"You miss him," Sapphire said.
"Ya think?" I asked.
"Yes, actually," Ruby said. "And I also think you need to get him back. I mean, look at you, you're…pathetic. What do you do all day?"
"Well, I do have a job, and four kids to take care of," I said.
"No, but you should really get him back," Sapphire said.
"You think I don't know that? I've been telling myself every day ever since I can remember."
"I know, I know," Ruby said, patting me on the back.
"What better way to get him back than at a party?" Sapphire suggested.
"Well, considering neither of us drink anymore, a church might be a better place," I said.
"I thought churches frowned on homosexuals," Ruby said.
"Whatever! That's not the point," I said. "The thing is, he won't have anything to do with me."
"It seemed like he was interested in you when he was over here," Ruby said.
"Well, that's the most we've talked in a long time," I said. "And we had rehearsals together for a while."
"Rehearsals?" Sapphire asked. "You think we would have heard if you were putting on a spectacle."
"We did RENT at EAPAC," I said. "Nothing spiffy like TruthOut or anything."
"Which we weren't invited to be a part of," Ruby said.
"Hey, it was only for people who knew…at the time," I said feebly.
"We knew!" Sapphire said.
"Yeah, well don't go spreading it around that you know," I said. "They – he – doesn't know that you knew."
"You little liar!" Sapphire said, in mock hurt. Actually, I do lie a lot more than I give myself credit for. I think I'm a bad person.
"You're not a bad person," Ruby said. "And if that's the way you want it, we won't tell."
"Thank you," I said. "He's already mad enough at me. I don't need that adding to it."
"Well, you got his sister pregnant!" Ruby protested.
"Yeah, but that was after," I said. "It doesn't matter now."
"You should go and talk to him," Sapphire said.
"Yeah, talk to him," Ruby said. "Nothing has to happen. Just talking."
"Fine, I'm going to talk to him," I said. "Happy?"
"Yes," Ruby and Sapphire said together. I stood up and walked across the room to Ryan. Two boys, who I thought looked familiar, and vaguely similar, mobbed Ruby and Sapphire's table, and took them to dance as I left.
"What's up, Troy?" Ryan asked.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked. Ryan shrugged. "Okay, well, then, can we talk?"
"Sure," Ryan said. "Any particular venue for such a talk?"
"My room?" I suggested.
"You mean my parents' bedroom?" Ryan said.
"No, that's Sharpay and Zeke's room. My room's down the hall from there," I said. "Whaddya say?"
"Sure," Ryan said. The two of us exited the reunion party as quickly as possible, and up the stairs to my room. "Ah, this is your room."
"Yep," I said. "Ain't she a beaut?"
"Sure," Ryan said, sitting in a chair.
"Oh, don't be a sissy," I said. "Come over here and sit next to me."
"No, Troy, we're not doing that," Ryan said.
"I know that," I said. "This isn't about that. This is about…well, that. But not about that that, if you catch my drift."
"It comes and goes," Ryan said, taking a seat next to me on my bed. "So, what's up?"
"Us," I said. "We're up. Or down. Or something."
"Yeah," Ryan said, sighing and frowning at a pink minifridge that clashed horribly with the rest of the room. "What's with the fridge?"
"Oh, it's Sharpay's," I said. "She put it there as a joke." Ryan got up, went over to it, and opened it up.
"It's full of beer," Ryan said.
"Sharpay's idea of a joke," I said. "She knows I won't drink it, so she's hiding it in here. There's a coke or two in there left probably too."
"From who? Your teenaged son or daughter?" Ryan asked, laughing.
"I think from Zeke, although I can't be sure," I said, also laughing. Ryan picked up one of the cans and examined it. I went over to him and sat next to him on the ground, also examining the cans.
"This is our beer," Ryan said.
"So it is," I said. "By 'our beer' you mean the beer you serve at parties, or that we have a specific type of beer?"
"Both," Ryan said. He sighed again. "Life was just never the same."
"I know," I said.
"You were never the same," Ryan said.
"I know," I said again.
"Until now," Ryan said.
"I know," I said a third time.
"You sound like a creepy stalker person," Ryan said, cracking into a genuine smile.
"I know," I said once again, also smiling.
"You're so weird," Ryan said.
"I know," I said.
"And so modest as well," Ryan said.
"I am too modest!" I said. Ryan just rolled his eyes. There was a long silence while we stared in the fridge. Then, Ryan shrugged and opened one. "Hey, what are you doing?! You can't do that!"
"I'm having a beer," he said. "No harm in that, right?"
"Yes, there is! You have…obligations or something. You know, Step One: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable. Or whatever. Give me that," I said, taking the beer. He looked at me, surprised I knew what Step One was. "And I'm watching you." I set the open beer on top of the minifridge.
"Like I need watching," he said. "You're the one with four kids."
"Technically three," I said. "And a fetus. And Chris."
"Well, same difference," he said, taking one of the cans of Coke from inside the fridge and taking a drink of it. "Uck. I was always a Pepsi person."
"Yeah, me too," I said, picking up Ryan's beer and drinking some of it. I pulled a face. It was gross.
"What happened to watching me?" Ryan asked.
"You don't need watching," I said. "I mean, what shenanigans could you possibly get into?"
"I could go and have sex," Ryan said.
"With who?" I countered.
"Ruby," Ryan said. "She so wants me."
"Sure she does," I said. "And while you're at it, I'll have sex with Sapphire."
"Sounds like a deal," he said, laughing. "But seriously, though." He got up and pulled the fridge over to the edge of the bed before sitting on it again. "What's up? Besides us."
"The ceiling," I said. "And…the sky. Ooh, look at this. You'll appreciate this, I think." I got up and flicked the lights off.
"Troy, now it's all– Oh," Ryan said. I had glued all kinds of glow in the dark stars to the ceiling so that it looked like the night sky.
"So, the stars are pretty tonight," I joked, joining Ryan on the bed to stare at them.
"The stars are pretty every night," Ryan said. "Why are they so special tonight?"
"I'm here with you," I said. Ryan threw caution the winds and leaned right over and kissed me. I was almost so shocked I forgot how to kiss. Almost. "Wow. What was that for?"
"Wanted to see if it was still the same," he said, shrugging.
"Is it?" I asked.
"No," he said. I slumped in the bed. "It's better." I grinned and leaned over to kiss Ryan, more fervently this time. We made out, the cans of beer and coke forgotten. By the way, the beer was disgusting, I did not finish it. Before I had realized it, Ryan had already shucked the jacket he was wearing off and thrown his bowtie aside and started attempting to undress me.
"Whoa," I said. "Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it." Ryan stopped unbuttoning my dress shirt halfway through.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Is this a good idea?" I asked.
"Well, that's never stopped us before," he said.
"Okay, but let's leave ourselves a note so that we remember, should we forget. And by we, I mean I," I said. Ryan nodded, and I pulled a paper and a pen out of my bedside drawer.
Dear Troy and Ryan, it read. You had sex last night. Congratulations on the rejuvenation of your long lost relationship. Love, Troy and Ryan. 6.16.18
"It still creeps me out to date stuff 2018," I said. "Anyway, where were we?"
"About here," Ryan said, pulling my shirt off.
"Sneaky," I remarked. "How'd you get that unbuttoned?"
"Around the time you were trying to spell 'rejuvenation'," Ryan said, pulling off his own dress shirt. "Shall we?"
"Yes," I said, kissing Ryan again. "Actually, no." Ryan stopped kissing mid-kiss and looked annoyed. "Always practice safe sex." I reached into his bedside drawer again, and pulled out a box of condoms.
"Hey! There are condoms in this house!" Ryan said, sarcastically. "You don't think I could have found those by myself?" I shrugged, and Ryan's lips came at mine again.
We banged.
A little while later, we collapsed, exhausted, back into the bed.
"Well, thank God you're not a screamer," Ryan panted.
"And why's that?" I replied.
"There's still a ton of people downstairs," Ryan said.
"Enh, screw em," I said.
"Happy to, but I'm a little tired at the moment. Perhaps a raincheck?" Ryan asked.
"I love you," I said.
"I love you too," Ryan said.
"Hey, Ry?" I asked.
"Yes, Troy?" he replied.
"Happy Birthday," I said. He just took my word for it that it was after midnight, given my uncanny knack for knowing the time, and the fact that he was too tired to look at the clock.
"Best birthday present ever," he said sleepily.
The next morning, we woke up to Maddie knocking on the bedroom door.
"You have reached the bedroom of Troy Bolton and Ryan Evans. If it's an emergency, leave a note under the door. If not, please return at a later hour," Ryan said, in the same tone of voice that tour guide Barbie uses. There was a noise of Maddie laughing, and retreating back down the hall. I chuckled to myself and rolled over to face my newly reinstated boyfriend.
"Good morning, boyfriend," I said.
"Mmm. Good morning, boyfriend," Ryan replied.
"So, who wants breakfast?" I asked.
"Ooh, pick me," he said. "Toaster Strudel?"
"What else?" I asked. We hurried to get dressed for breakfast. When at last we did, we met Sharpay downstairs in the kitchen. Sharpay surveyed us over her newspaper idly, then took a sip of her coffee. Maddie giggled from her chair on the other side of the table. We sat down and helped ourselves to Toaster Strudel.
"Good morning, Sharpay," we said.
"Good morning, boys," she said. "What are you two up to?"
"Oh, nothing," Ryan said. "Nothing much, at least." Maddie giggled again.
"So, what's this I hear about the new message service in Troy's room?" Sharpay asked.
"Well, see, it was Ry's idea," I said. "He said we needed one, because otherwise people would keep interrupting us when we were trying to sleep. Or have sex. You know, whichever."
"Mhm," Sharpay said, taking a sip of her coffee.
"You know, she isn't as happy as I expected her to be," I remarked to Ryan.
"Oh, you know those pregnancy hormones," Ryan said.
"Well, not really, but I've heard of them," I said.
"You guys know I'm just messing with you, right?" Sharpay said, throwing her newspaper over her shoulder.
"Yeah," I said. "We figured. So, whatddya think?"
"I think it's…wonderful," Sharpay said.
"Yeah, we figured," Ryan said. Maddie was grinning from ear-to-ear.
"So, when is an acceptable time to call everyone we know and tell them the good news?" Sharpay asked, excitedly. Her face fell as me and Ryan exchanged looks. "Don't tell me we're doing the secret thing again. That was so eleven years ago."
"Gee, Shar, I don't know," I said. "I mean, how would we choose who to call first?"
"Gabriella," Maddie suggested. "Or maybe Zeke. Or, you know, the rest of your children? Your parents? Chad and Taylor? Ruby and Sapphire?"
"Speaking of whom, what is up with them?" Ryan asked.
"Oh, you know," I said. "They used to beard for me and Chuckie in high school."
"I knew that. But can you go three seconds without mentioning him?" Ryan asked.
"Well, I can try," I said. "It might help if you kissed me."
"Well, I can do that," Ryan said. Ryan kissed me, chastely on the lips, and unfortunately for Zeke, Zeke walked in at that moment.
"Oh, ew," Zeke said. "What did I say about that?" He walked over to the toaster (which was the only appliance in the Evans' dining room besides the Coffee Maker), and picked up some Toaster Strudel. That's when he did a double take. He dropped the strudel he was holding (fortunately right into the toaster) and whipped around to stare at me and Ryan who were grinning like idiots from the table. "How did – I mean, when did – I mean…what?"
"We're back together," I said.
"For good," Ryan said.
"That's great!" Zeke said. "But how? And when?"
"Last night," I said.
"And you really don't want to know how," Ryan said, grinning.
"Oh, ew," Zeke said. "Please tell me it was after everyone left." Ryan and I shook our heads. "Ew!"
"Ew-er than that time you and Sharpay had sex with our parents in the house?" Ryan asked. Zeke looked at the ground, embarrassed. I started laughing hysterically. "Or that time they almost caught you two fooling around in high school, and you had to climb down the rosebush trellis outside Sharpay's balcony?"
"That wasn't me," Zeke said.
"Oh, I know," Ryan said. Zeke's head turned to me and I blushed furiously. Maddie started laughing again and Sharpay smirked.
"Okay, enough telling stories in front of Maddie," I said. "Speaking of, Maddie, why were you upset last night?"
"Oh, nothing," she said. "It's…much better now." Ryan and I looked at each other and smiled again, thinking that we probably knew what was "much better" in the universe now.
Three Weeks Later:
"Ryan, I need to use the bathroom! I have a very important doctor's appointment today!" Sharpay yelled at her bathroom door.
"Hold your horses," Ryan said. I could be heard giggling inside the bathroom.
"Troy, put some damn clothes on, and get out here. You're impeding the progress!" Sharpay continued to yell. I came out of the bathroom, disgruntled, pulling my pants back on. "Now hurry up!"
"Sharpay, there are, like, seventeen other bathrooms in this house. Use one of those," Ryan called out. "I'm blow drying."
"Please tell me that that means you are blow drying your hair," Sharpay said. I giggled.
"Unfortunately, it does," Ryan called. Sharpay fell, annoyed, back onto her bed.
"This is all your fault," she said to me, and I sat next to her.
"How is this my fault?" I asked.
"It's like I'm in high school again," Sharpay said. "He's here when I get home, he's here when I wake up, he's here when I want to use my bathroom! If he's going to be here all the time, why don't you just ask him to move back in?"
"You don't think I haven't?" I said. "You don't think I find it extremely weird that I'm living at the Evans' Mansion and the Evans I'm dating isn't?"
"Okay, that's weird," Sharpay said. "Why won't he move back in?"
"Because he says he doesn't want to leave Gabriella all alone," I said.
"Well, that's dumb," Sharpay said. "Why doesn't she just move in, too?"
"Because Drew's living with her now," I said. "See, it doesn't even make any sense."
"Whatever," Sharpay said. "But when he does move back in, make sure he gets his own bathroom."
"I'm not even going to ask how you handled this in high school," I said.
"I had to get up extra early," Sharpay said. "And he usually didn't take that long, because for the most part him and his boyfriend weren't doing naughty things in my shower."
"We weren't doing naughty things in the shower," I said, innocently.
"No, we were doing them near the shower," Ryan said, finally emerging from the bathroom in a towel. "And basically all around the bathroom. We were showering in the shower."
"I'm going to have to have that bathroom disinfected again, aren't I?" Sharpay asked. Ryan and I nodded.
"Come on, it's not as bad as that time you and Zeke were having some all around fun time in our bathroom," Ryan said. "It's harmless. So, breakfast?"
Later, Sharpay was home from her appointment, and she was trying to watch TV.
"I want to watch Legally Blonde!" Sharpay yelled.
"Well, I want to watch Rock of Love," Ryan yelled. Zeke, Maddie, Chris, and I scurried for cover in the dining room, but it was too late.
"Troy, tell him Legally Blonde!" Sharpay said.
"No, tell her Rock of Love!" Ryan said.
"How about we watch something else? Maybe something non-stupid?" I said. Both Sharpay and Ryan looked outraged.
"How dare you say it's stupid!" Ryan and Sharpay yelled at the same time. Then they turned to each other. "No, yours is stupid!"
"Okay, JINX!" I bellowed. Both Ryan and Sharpay immediately fell silent. "Wow, I didn't expect that to work. Okay, now, there is more than one TV in this house, there is more than one bathroom in this house. I suggest you find them, because this one is currently occupied by me and Zeke. We are watching the game."
"What game?" Zeke whispered.
"I don't care," I whispered back. "I said go. Go on." Sharpay and Ryan, still completely silent walked to the door leading to the stairs. "I thought they'd never leave. God, how do you deal with this?"
"I have no idea," Zeke said. "I never thought of jinxing them. That was brilliant."
"Jinx doesn't usually work on 28 year olds," I reminded him. "Now what do you really want to watch?" Yelling could be heard from upstairs. "Maddie, go tell them they're still jinxed, and do it without using their names." Maddie stomped up the stairs and was heard yelling very loudly at them.
"You sure she's not an Evans?" Zeke said, hearing the volume.
"Positive," I said. "100% Montez–Bolton."
"Yeah I know," Zeke said. "In my defense, I tried to make her as un-Sharpay-ish as possible."
"I'm sure you did," I said, patting Zeke on the knee, while flipping through the channels, before finally landing on the Disney Channel. "Oh, see, look, High School Musical Triple Feature is on. The first three High School Musical movies."
"What's this about?" Zeke asked.
"As far as I can tell…us," I said. Zeke nodded and got comfortable.
Six hours later, Zeke stretched and yawned, content with how the movies had gone. I, however, was outraged.
"That is not how it went at all!" I screamed at the TV.
"So write your own story," Zeke said, lazily.
"I will!" I declared. I hurried down the hall to my computer room, opened a word document, and began to type.
note: this also has two epilogues wow here we go
