A/N: Soooo sorry for the lateness, the once a week update is getting harder to do since I can't quite get a good ending for this story …grr it's giving me such trouble. Oh and if anyone wants to check out my other story I just started it's also a Tryan.

Knowing All

Chapter 9

Raining Away

The rain showered the streets, washing through the sidewalk and flooding the school yard. Sharpay stomped her foot in irritation as the bottom of her pants got wet. Ryan just shook his head, gazing ahead, he saw everyone running to school with umbrellas bent in the harsh wind. This was the first time he saw people running into school instead of them running out of it.

The rain seemed to continue pouring since the beginning of the week. He had been avoiding Sharpay ever since he came home from Troy's house the other day. He didn't know if she noticed since she seemed busy with something else of her own.

Ryan held the umbrella for her as she stepped out of her car in a huff, "I hate this rain," she grumbled as she walked briskly, making Ryan jog slightly to keep up with her as he kept hold of the umbrella above their heads.

Ryan looked around the school yard, watching as the rain crashed all around them, finding it kind of serene and beautiful in its own way. He didn't mind the rain as much as Sharpay.

When they walked into school the floors were streaked with wet foot prints and the smell of wet clothes emitted from the halls.

Sharpay went to the bathroom to fix her hair, grumbling about the rain.

The blond boy walked over to his locker, taking out his books from his messenger bag and putting them in his locker. His thoughts kept drifting back to the afternoon in Troy's house, staring into his locker, his eyebrows furrowed as he thought about the questions again, how do I know? He thought again and again.

Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, he twirled around surprised, "Hey, didn't mean to spook you there," Troy smiled. Ryan breathed out a sigh of relief, watching Troy smile at him gave him the comfort he desperately needed right now.

He also noticed how wet Troy was, his hair clung to his forehead and his shirt stuck to his lean frame, outlining his faint muscles. Ryan watched as a drop of water made its way from Troy's cheek down his neck.

"You're all wet," Ryan said, flushing slightly as Troy grinned at him.

"Yeah, I forgot my umbrella in my car and by the time I remembered I already locked the door, so when I went to get my keys they dropped into a puddle," he sighed, "So since I was already wet I decided to just run for it," he concluded.

"Really," Ryan smiled, amused by Troy's little story, "So you're just going to walk around wet like that?" he asked innocently.

Was it Troy or was that an innuendo? This was Ryan, Troy thought, he'd never say things with dirty double meanings like that, would he? He quirked an eyebrow at Ryan's smile, then the brunet grinned, or maybe he did, Troy thought.

Two can play this game.

"It's not the only time I was wet in school," he said, grinning.

Ryan blushed scarlet, "T-Troy," he looked around them, "You shouldn't say things like that here," he said flustered. The blond closed his locker and started to class, Troy walked beside him.

The brunet laughed, "Like they'd know what we were talking about," he said, amused at Ryan's cheeks still red, he couldn't remember ever getting Ryan to blush this much. And he liked it.

When they turned the corner Ryan took his hat off, finding it wet and bothersome, he ran his fingers through his hair. Troy found the blond to be irresistible without his hat, he'd never tell Ryan that of course, he liked it better when the blond didn't wear his hat around him, if that made any sense. Troy felt he was the only one allowed to see Ryan flushed with his blond hair messy.

When Ryan looked at him, his clear blue eyes wide and his blond hair all over the place, cheeks slightly reddened, Troy had to bite his lip in order to not kiss the blond in the hallway.

"Troy?" Ryan tilted his head, oddly entranced by the way Troy was looking at him, he couldn't help but flush, feeling warmth spread around his body.

The brunet felt like a magnet attracted to the blond as his body move closer to him. Ryan stood there, slightly dazed, watching Troy come towards him. Suddenly the bell rang and Troy stepped back quickly, flustered as he glanced around them.

"Uh, I-I guess we better get to class," he told Ryan, quickly walking into the classroom.

Ryan stared after him, confused as he walked into class as well. They went to their desks. Ryan shrugged it off while Troy's head filled with thoughts.

The brunet was finding it extremely difficult to hide his feelings for Ryan in front of everyone. It was not like him to hide his feelings, especially feelings this strong, like a secret. And sometimes Ryan made him feel so weak. The blond took away his control by just his simple presence.

Troy loves Ryan. The brunet bit his lip as his heart swelled at the thought. He looked over to the blond and found him writing notes, suddenly he turned and his blue eyes locked with Troy's. The brunet smiled, his heart beating wildly, Ryan smiled back, shaking his head in amusement. Troy cocked his head to the side with a questioning expression and Ryan smiled before mouthing 'pay attention', pointing to the black board. Troy grinned and tried to pay attention to the teacher as she droned on about the novel they were supposed to be reading.

He drew a little heart in his notebook. He knows he loves Ryan. But how would the blond react to his feelings. Would he scare him away? Troy was afraid to find out.

After classes were over, Chad stood in front of Sharpay's locker, the pink locker obviously identifying it as the blonde's. He looked around the hall, finding no sign of the blonde girl he sighed and walked away.

Meanwhile Sharpay looked from behind a corner and watched as the curly brunet made his way down the hall away from her. She sighed in relief as she walked to her locker. She was not prepared to face him yet. This was the first time she liked someone for no other real reason but her feelings, not money or popularity. And that scared her.

She took out her books and put them in her bag. As she fixed her hair in her mirror, she spotted Ryan behind her in her reflection, walking towards her.

"Hey Shar," he said smiling; Sharpay turned around and narrowed her eyes.

"Where were you?" She asked. Ryan was late yet again meeting her at her locker. Time for operation: Interrogate lying twin brother.

Ryan swallowed thickly, "I-I was at my locker and—"

"Let me guess, Troy was there," she said tightly, boring her eyes into Ryan's, watching him squirm.

Ryan felt his heart beating frantically, "No," he said quickly, "I was talking to Chad," he lied.

"Really, well I just saw Chad." She said, putting one hand on her hip, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Oh," Ryan looked away, 'Crap,' he thought. "He must have come to you afterwards," he said lamely, too late to find another story he thought, might as well stick to this one.

"Well whatever, I'm going to Gabriella's house this afternoon," she said casually, closing her locker before flipping her hair.

Ryan raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Since when are you friends with Gabriella?" he asked.

She turned around in a huff, "Maybe if you paid more attention to something else besides—" She was about to say Troy but stopped, deciding to just leave him there as she walked to her car, "I'll be seeing you," she said lightly.

"Besides what?" He asked, looking at her retreating figure down the hall.

He sighed as he went to the library to meet Troy.

Troy was outside the library when he saw Chad walking down the hall, he hesitated, unsure if he should approach the curly brunet or not. He felt bad for forcing Sharpay on him and realized how much of a friend Chad was to put up with his 'plan' or lack thereof. He shook his head, he had to talk to him.

Troy walked over to his best friend, jogging slightly to catch up to him. Chad turned slightly, "Hey," he said, looking at Troy.

"Hey," Troy said as well, half-smiling, "I'm sorry," he stated.

Chad shook his head, "No, I shouldn't have blown up like that."

"Yeah, but I kept asking too much from you," Troy said.

"Yeah, you're right about that," Chad laughed.

They both laughed a bit, feeling relieved that there was no anger between them.

"So, what's up?" Troy asked, "Where you headed?"

"Actually," Chad started, unsure of how Troy will take this, "I'm looking for Sharpay," he said.

Troy eyes-widened, "Really?" He laughed, "Don't tell me she did something to you?"

"No, well kinda but…"Chad looked away, "She sort of kissed me the other day," he said, glancing at Troy from the corner of his eye.

"What?!" Troy said loudly, not believing his ears, "She kissed you?"

"Not so loud," he walked to the side of the hall, Troy followed him, "And I don't know why or what she meant by it," he continued, "So I want to ask her about it."

"Did you like it?" Troy asked hesitantly, not sure he liked the imagery at all.

"Well," Chad looked away, already knowing Troy reaction, "Yeah," he waited for the outburst but when he didn't hear anything he turned around and found Troy staring at him wide-eyed.

"Um, good for you?" Troy tried, really Sharpay? Troy thought, he shook his head, "I mean, it's alright just be careful, you know, Sharpay can be..." Troy tried to find a word that would describe her a bit more nicely but couldn't find anything.

"Yeah, I know," Chad smiled, "Thanks man," he patted Troy's back.

"Troy?"

Troy turned around and found Ryan walking towards them, he smiled, "Hey babe."

Chad shook his head, "Really, and you say you're not obvious," he smirked at Troy.

"Shut up," Troy glared at the curly brunet.

"I'm just sayin' I was right about—"

"Alright, alright," Troy interrupted. He was not going to get into another argument. Even though he wanted to point out there was no one in the halls to hear them.

Ryan came over before he could, "Hey guys, I just saw Sharpay, did you talk to her Chad?"

"No, I was looking for her actually,"

"Then why did she say she saw you?" he asked confused.

"She's avoiding me," Chad sighed, realizing why she wasn't at her locker, "I'll see you guys later," he said as he walked away.

"What's with him?" Ryan asked.

Troy shook his head, "Long story," then he checked the halls before grabbing Ryan's waist, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Ryan smiled.

Ryan twirled a pen in his hand while trying to think of a good introduction to their English report. He looked over to Troy, who was lying on his stomach on the bed, reading with his eyebrows knitted together. Ryan smiled at the sight, "What's wrong?"

Troy looked up from the novel, Great Expectations, "Why does Pip even like Estella? You know she kinda reminds me of Sharpay," he half-smiled.

Ryan laughed, "Yeah, I never thought of that," he calmed a bit, thinking of Troy's question, "I guess he wants what he can't have or what he thinks is perfect," he answered.

Troy scoffed, "What's so perfect about someone who insults you all the time," he said.

Ryan just smiled, "The heart wants what it wants," Troy rolled his eyes at the cliché.

Ryan went back to his notebook, so far all he's written is: In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens,

He sighed, this was going to one long night.

"Oh!" Troy sat up on his bed, "I get it!"

Ryan swiveled around in Troy's comfy desk chair, raising one eyebrow at Troy's sudden exclamation.

"It's love," he smiled at the blond, "And he can't control who he loves," Ryan laughed, "What?"

"It's just," Ryan bit his lip to stop laughing, "I thought I said all the clichés," he smiled, cheekily.

Troy just shook his head amused, "Well, I never mentioned anything," he glared at the blond playfully.

Ryan watched as the brunet read, his eyes narrowed in concentration as they scanned the page. Ryan never felt like this about anyone before, it was love, he thought, it had to be.

Ryan loves Troy. He knew it in his heart and he knew it was the answer to the question ...Is worth it..?. He stared at his paper as he thought about what this would mean, about everything he would have to risk just to be with Troy.

"I think I know the answer to Gabriella's question now," Ryan said, "And I would risk it," he said, almost to himself.

Troy looked up, "What?" Ryan sat up suddenly, his notebook dangling from the desk.

"I-I want to tell my sister," Ryan said, afraid of Troy's reaction, "I want to come out," he looked up at the brunet.

Troy's eyes widened at the information ...come out? "But we never talked about this, I-I mean," he looked at Ryan more deeply, taking in Ryan's serious demeanor…Where was this coming from?

"I don't think I can do that," Troy said slowly. Ryan dropped his notebook, his eyes clouded as he felt a sharp tinge of pain in his chest. He broke his gaze from Troy's and ran outside his room, heading for the front door.

Ryan walked briskly outside, the heavy rain soaking him as he walked down the path of the yard into the sidewalk.

"Ryan, wait!"

Troy ran outside into the rain trying to grab Ryan's hand but the rain made it easy for Ryan to snatch his wrist away. Troy looked down at his hands, "…Ryan,"

"I think I better go home now," Ryan looked away trying to keep himself from crying, not realizing that the rain would wash it away anyway. He hugged himself trying to keep the heat inside his body.

"Are you mad at me?" Troy asked, "Are you mad? Because so am I, I'm mad too, Ryan,"

"I'm going," Yet, Ryan's shoulders were held by tan hands, he was turned around, and forced to look into Troy's bright blue eyes filled with pain, his golden brown hair dark with water.

"I'm so mad at myself," Troy stared into Ryan's eyes so deeply that Ryan forgot it was raining, and dark, and so cold that goose bumps flared on his arms, "because I'm not as brave as everyone thinks I am."

Ryan looked down, Troy's sneakers were soaked, his laces almost black in the little light from the porch, "So? Do you want me feel sorry for you? You want me to forgive and forget? Go up stairs and—"

"No! I just—I'm not using you, okay, I …love you," Troy said the last two works so softly Ryan had to look up, almost afraid it was just the rain tapping on the cement or the wind blowing past them.

Troy was tired of this pain, tired of everything he had to keep in his chest, tired of lying and hiding what he felt. He pulled Ryan towards him and squeezed, hugging him tight and burying his face into Ryan's neck. Ryan stilled, stunned by what Troy confessed and feeling his heart mend all the little cracks that Troy caused. "I-I love you too," he said, still dazed, slowly, he griped Troy back, his hands clutching the back of Troy's soaked t-shirt. They stayed like that for a few minutes, hearing nothing but their own breaths, and the rain tapping the cement under them.

"Let's go inside," Troy sniffed.

"Okay," Ryan whispered.

A/N: Curious to see everyone's reaction since I've never written scenes like this before …and I think they're never going to finish that report lol.

Next Chapter:

Get in the Closet: We find out what Sharpay and Gabriella are up to. And Gabriella learns that …maybe Sharpay isn't the best person to hang out with.

Review please.