Here's what you've all been waiting for: finally a bit of cute and fluffy Chyan. But not too much…it's also a bit angsty and… well, it may seem like we're finally getting closer to 'happily ever after' but… we're not. I put some lyrics in here as well, I think you'll know the song. It just fit perfectly and I had to use it.


Chapter Eleven

What the fuck was that, Shar?

Bits and pieces of the fight with his twin had flashed through Ryan's mind when he'd dragged his feet out of the halls of East High; out and away from everything. He didn't care where he was going, he'd just needed to get away, away and out of Sharpay's lying face. She'd actually had the nerve to look hurt by what he'd thrown at her!

Did you pay him? Are you my pimp now?

He'd ignored the gasps from all the students around just like he'd ignored Sharpay's feeble attempts to give back a word of protest. He'd continued in a frenzy:

How did you do it, hm? Put a flashing note on the blackboard saying: My queer brother needs to get laid, who's volunteering?

The following look of stunned incredulity on her face had been too much then and Ryan had turned away disgusted and had simply walked out.

The surrounding students had formed a natural lane for him and he'd walked through with his head held high, not caring about their whispered comments or shocked stares.

He'd set one foot in front of the other, out of the halls and through doors and corridors he couldn't remember ever entering before.

On and on he'd walked in trance, not seeing or hearing anything.

Nothing but his sister's hurt eyes and… that kid's, Alan's, face when he'd said:

"Sharpay told me… I didn't mind…"


Mechanically Ryan opened a door that had appeared in his way and entered a large and sparsely lightened room. The stands at his side were left in dim light and only the center of the room was bathed in a single spotlight.

Ryan was unaware of standing in the gym's entrance as well as to someone dribbling to and fro with a ball; all conscious thoughts were still on Sharpay and Alan and all that had happened earlier.

But now Ryan started to feel that the earlier power-rush had really drained his body and the fury and anger slowly faded away to make room for a bone-deep weariness settling into his heart.

Exhaustion, sadness and fatigue took over and Ryan felt the blood rushing in his ears, his sight suddenly blurred and he knew his knees would give out under him soon.

But then there was abruptly someone standing in front of him, glaring and...

Chad had come running up to Ryan; furious at the intrusion per se but mostly simply furious at Ryan.

He jumped right into the very exhausted looking blonde's face and screamed:

"What do you want? Get out, Ryan! Get the hell out of my face!"

And he pushed the other boy's chest so hard that Ryan stumbled backwards and slammed against the door. Chad followed two steps an panted desperately:

"Leave me alone, Evans! Why won't you leave me alone? Get out of my mind! Please, get out of my…"

Ryan stared at the boy in front of him… was that Chad? He couldn't be sure because everything seemed so hazy… but bouncy dark curls usually meant Chad.

It was Chad… who was screaming something…

"Please, get out…"

… but Ryan couldn't hear the words; he realized Chad's lips were moving but the blood rushing in his ears drowned out every other sound. He tried to concentrate on Chad's blurry face, it was swimming and dancing before his eyes and…

And then everything went black and Ryan slumped to the ground unconscious.


Chad watched the blond boy sink lifeless to the ground and instantly all frustration washed away to leave pure shock behind. He crouched down and cried:

"Ryan! Ryan, god… what's wrong? Ryan?"

Nothing.

Chad felt panic rising up inside his stomach but he choked it down and screwed his eyes shut for a brief moment to get his thoughts together.

What had Mrs. Brody tried to teach them in health class when first aid had been the subject? An unconscious person… lie'em down, feet propped up in the air… something put under the head…

Chad pulled Ryan's unresponsive body away from the wall and stretched it out on the cold floor. Then he looked around frantically for something to put under Ryan's feet and Chad's eyes fell onto his basketball. He jumped up, ran over to it and returned only seconds later to his still out-cold friend.

Outbalancing Ryan's legs to stay put on the damn ball proved to be more than difficult and Chad cursed angrily.

But eventually the ball stopped rolling away and was placed securely under Ryan's knees.

Chad slid up to where the unresponsive head lay on the hard floor and without a second thought he lifted it and gently pulled it onto his knees and in his lap.

He ran badly shaking hands through Ryan's soft blond strands and whispered:

"Come on, Ry… wake up! Please wake up."

Gently caressing Ryan's face Chad noticed that the cheeks and neck felt cold and clammy but he also realized a sudden fluttering behind Ryan's closed eyelids.

"Ryan?" Chad asked anxiously, "Ryan, can you hear me?"

A low moan reached Chad's ears and then the head in his lap turned slightly and disorientated blue eyes met his frightened brown ones.

"Ugh… Chad?"

"Shht, Ryan, relax. I got you," Chad shushed the other boy, "Everything's alright now… I got you!"

Ryan relaxed and closed his eyes again for a second to get his thoughts back together. What had happened? Why was he lying down? And where?

And why was Chad holding him and caressing his cheek… mhm, that felt really nice…

Ryan sighed and leaned into the soft touch. Chad's hands were warm and kept stroking the hair from his forehead and then fingers ran down to the nape of his neck and made the short hair there stand on end.

Ryan looked up again into Chad's anxious but also relieved face and a small smile formed at the corner of his mouth.


And through all the ups and downs

I'll always be around

You know when nothing goes your way

When nothing goes your way

You know I will


This felt so right!

Lying here in Chad's arms… this was what he'd needed all along. Chad was, and not… not…

Oh God!

Suddenly everything came rushing back to Ryan's mind.

What he'd done in the restroom earlier with Alan… and then the fight with Sharpay… shouting at her… had he really said all those terrible things?

And the whole school had been there to see and hear it!

Ryan let out a shocked gasp. This was worse than all his nightmares together!

Panic took over and Ryan could feel tears starting to prickle in his eyes. He closed them quickly… he wouldn't cry in front of Chad, not again!

Chad felt the body in his arms starting to tremble all of a sudden and he gripped Ryan's shoulders and asked frightened:

"Ryan, what's wrong? Ry… please, what…"

The blond boy couldn't stop a sob from coming out. He tried to wriggle out of Chad's lap, he had to get away now, before…

Strong hands came around his torso and pulled him into a half-sitting position and Ryan tried to back away but Chad's arms wouldn't budge and…


And if you slip and fall off track

I'll carry you on my back

You know when nothing goes your way

When nothing goes your way

You know I will


… and then Chad's voice whispered soothing words of nonsense directly into his ear and hair and…

…and Ryan couldn't fight it anymore. His arms came up and wrapped around Chad's body and he clung to him desperately choking and sobbing:

"Oh God, Chad! What did I do?"

"Shht, Ry, it's okay…" Chad pulled the other's face even tighter against his own and tried to calm him; shushing over and over into his ear and nuzzling the pale cheek and neck.

Chad didn't know what had gotten Ryan this upset but… right now he didn't need to. All he wanted was to hold Ryan and offer all the comfort he could give.

And somehow it seemed to work because after a few minutes (or a few hours, Chad didn't know) Ryan gradually stopped trembling and the sobs wrecking his body became softer and softer till eventually the two boys clung together in silence, hugging each other tightly.


And through all the ups and downs

I'll always be around

You know when nothing goes your way

When nothing goes your way

You know I will

I'll stand between you and your darkest fear

You know I will

I'll be the shoulder for your fallin' tear

You know I will

I'll be behind you till you're in the clear


Time seemed to have stopped for the two boys clinging to each other on the gym's floor. Ryan had buried his face in the crook of Chad's neck and he softly breathed in his scent. Chad smelled of soap and sweat mixed with something that was undoubtedly Chad; he smelled warm and soft and comforting somehow and inevitably Ryan had to think about sitting by a window at home when it was raining outside, huddled in a soft blanket, a mug of hot chocolate in one hand and his mother holding the other in hers on her lap while she was telling sweet nothings…

… and that's exactly how Chad made him feel now.

Comfortable and… simply at home.

But underneath that wonderful comfy feeling Ryan also noticed that those body parts that weren't in direct contact with Chad, his feet and legs and his butt, were starting to get cold. Eventually they had to move off the ground but Ryan didn't want to.

In fact he didn't dare to move a single muscle, afraid that the smallest change in position might scare Chad into ending this… whatever this was.

But just like you don't dare to laugh at a funeral and then, thinking about it, you simply can't not do it… just like that Ryan felt his feet twitching slightly and his arms starting to cramp.

He had to loosen his grip on Chad's shoulders and soon enough he heard Chad sigh and whisper:

"Ryan?"

"I know, we need to get up." the blonde quickly answered and started to pull out of the embrace. But Chad's grip on him only tightened and he replied:

"That's not what I meant. Though now that you mention it," Chad turned his face to send Ryan a sheepish smile, "I think my butt is freezing. And my legs fell asleep hours ago."

"You should have said something," Ryan murmured, "then I would have…"

Chad turned his head away again when he whispered:

"I didn't want you to move. This…," he squeezed Ryan's arm briefly, "this felt…"

"Right," Ryan finished for him and Chad nodded in response.

"Yeah," he sighed and for the first time in days he wasn't too scared to admit to himself that he'd come to LIKE Ryan.

But that thought didn't outweigh the fear for too long because the next second Chad acted all denial-ish and evasive again when he complained:

"Seriously Ryan, I need to stretch my legs now or…"

"Okay," Ryan nodded and tried not to feel too cold and empty when Chad's arms around him vanished and the dark-skinned boy slowly crawled to his feet.

Chad had to shake some feeling back into his legs first but after the tingling had stopped he turned towards Ryan who was still sitting on the ground.

"You think you can stand?" he asked.

"Huh?" Ryan frowned, "Why shouldn't I?"

"Dude, you fainted earlier, remember?"

"Oh," Ryan replied, "right."

He started to get up on shaky feet and Chad's hand shot out immediately to steady his arm. Ryan looked down at the hand holding him upright and then into Chad's face and wondered briefly what would happen if he were to kiss the other boy now.

He licked his lips unconsciously and started to lean forward but Chad's next words brought Ryan back to his senses before anything could happen.

"So, you wanna tell me what happened?" Chad asked.

Ryan quickly recoiled and turned away, picking his discarded hat from the ground in the process. Then he slumped down onto the lowest row of the stands and muttered:

"Chad, I…"

"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to but…" Chad sat down next to his friend and watched him turn his hat between pale hands, "you know, if you want to talk about what got you so upset…"

"I wasn't upset!" Ryan quickly stated.

"No? I guess Sharpay won't agree after all that screaming in her face and all," Chad gave back.

"You saw?" Ryan's eyes grew wide, "You were there, too?"

"Ugh," Chad fidgeted, suddenly uncomfortable, "well, kind of."

"If you already know what happened, why do you want me to…"

"I don't know what happened, dude!" Chad quickly relented, "I saw you screaming at her but… well, I didn't get a word of it."

"Huh?" Ryan frowned. How was it possible to have witnessed the scene he'd made and not… I mean, he'd been pretty clear with his accusations, hadn't he?

Chad looked down at his trainers. He seemed to be slightly embarrassed when he stuttered:

"I was, well… a little distracted."

"I guess I won't be so lucky with the rest of the school. I'm sure you can get the sordid little details of my pathetic sex life from the gossip that's bound to go around by now!" Ryan's voice was harsh and mocking.

"Your sex… huh?" Chad squealed out and stared at Ryan who was getting more and more worked up over… whatever it had been that had set him off. Chad wasn't sure now that he even wanted to hear more but Ryan went on already:

"Maybe my devilish sister will let you have a look at her drawn-out battle plan; she's known for outlining all her little schemes in detail, complete with sketches."

Chad had grown quite confused over Ryan's ramblings and so he tried to calm down the other boy by saying the first thing on his mind:

"Dude, I'm not interested in whatever the ice-princess cooked up now and… and I'm even less interested in your sex life," he blushed at that and didn't dare to look directly at Ryan, "I just want to know what's wrong."

Chad didn't notice the flicker of hurt cross Ryan's face at his words but he recognized the defeat when the boy said:

"You wanna know what's wrong?" Ryan sighed and stood up from the bench, ready to leave Chad and this whole fucking day behind, "you just said it, Chad. You're not interested!"

Ryan turned around and walked towards the door, his shoulders slumped and his eyes fixed on the hat still in his hand.


Chad watched Ryan leave through the door to the locker rooms, frozen in shocked comprehension. Had he really just heard what he think he did?

Had Ryan meant that Chad wasn't interested in him and… had he felt sorry for it?

Did that mean that… Ryan was interested… in him?

Chad felt his skin start to prickle and his stomach suddenly did some kind of weird flip-flops. Not being able to sit still any longer he jumped up from his seat and started pacing back and forth.

'Now that's some news I really need to wrap my mind around!' Chad thought and ran over to his discarded basketball.

He needed to shoot some hoops again now; and he wouldn't stop before he'd set his mind straight on what he really wanted.

'Okay, bad choice of words, dude!' Chad scolded his brain and started dribbling, 'Not so much with the straightness anymore I guess!'


TBC

Okay, I'm not really satisfied with the ending here but right now I just couldn't think of anything else. The first version had this Chapter ending in a kiss but that was too fluffy even for me.

I'm really at a loss for how this is going to continue. I know what else I want to put in here but I don't know how to get there. Help, please? I'm open for all kinds of suggestions.

Oh, and congratulations to my sister Chris, she wrote the 77th review and gets a gift. The next incentive I'm offering is for the 100th review. Come on guys, you know you want to :-)

By the way, the song was of course "You know I will" performed by Lucas Grabeel.