Hey there, I'm back with a new chapter. You know, I wasn't too happy with the last few parts (though obviously a lot of you liked what went on since the karaoke party). But now I feel like I've found my former writing style again and the story is finally back on track. I really like this chapter and I hope you will, too.

My sister Chris is partly responsible for what's happening here because she requested Sharpay's appearance and she also wanted to see Alan again. And this is what she gets (and you, too): Twin talkage, Alan coming on to Ryan again and Chad getting jealous.

Chapter Twelve

Ryan had planned to walk directly up to his room once he'd arrived home. This day had possibly been the worst school day ever, well… maybe apart from the day he'd learned about the call-back's for "Twinkle Towne" last year and he'd had to endure Sharpay's yammering all day long… actually, no! Today had been worse.

All that emotional stress… the thing with Alan, then his fight with Sharpay and on top of all his whatever-it–had-been-with-Chad-in-the-gym… well, the emotional roller coaster he'd been on as well as the physical strain (fainting did take a lot out of you, Ryan had noticed) had left the blond boy quite drained and in a horribly depressing mood.

Last but not least he'd realized after leaving the gym that he would have to walk home… WALK; he, Ryan Evans, had to walk six miles home in the hot afternoon sun!

Ryan had thought briefly about calling one of the Evans' chauffeurs to pick him up from school (for a ride home with Sharpay wasn't likely to happen after today, was it?). But then he'd decided that he didn't want to worry his mom and if he did call for a pick up she would know and would worry… so walking home had been the best option.

But now, when he'd finally reached the Evans' mansion with his shirt clinging sweaty to his back and on the verge of passing out again, Ryan scolded himself for being so stupid.

So he'd wanted nothing but to go straight up to his room and pass out on his bed; not waking up till… possibly graduation day… but the sight of the large staircase in front of him was too frightening and so Ryan made a slight turn to the left and flopped down onto the first cushioned furniture available.

And that's why he woke up some time later on the couch in the living room to someone shaking his shoulder not so gently and screaming in his face.

"Ryan, wake up damn it!"

Ryan reluctantly opened his eyes to see Sharpay standing bend over with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Okay," the Drama Queen demanded in full Sharpay-mode, "talk!" And plopping down in the leather armchair next to the couch she added: "And if you call me a pimp again you know I will scratch your eyes out!"

"What do you want me to say, Shar?" Ryan grumbled and propped his head up on one elbow. He was still furious at her but right now the curiosity of what his sister had actually wanted to achieve with her stupid prank outweighed his anger. "I'd rather think you owe me an explanation for setting that Alan-kid on me!"

"Hey, I didn't set him on you!" Sharpay quickly replied, "I just pointed out to him that he should perhaps think about eventually doing something about his crush on you. You make it sound like I ordered him to molest you or…"

She broke off when Ryan shot her a look that clearly said "Duh!"

"Oh no, he didn't, did he?" the blonde sighed in feigned annoyance but added to herself: "That kid's more upfront than I thought!"

"He did!" Ryan stated, "And you let him drag me away to jump me in the restrooms! Don't tell me you didn't count on that! Come on Shar, you forget who you're talking to."

Ryan sat up on the couch and faced his twin with a look only a true Evans could pull of.

"I've been involved in your little schemes for seventeen years now and just because I don't always like them or won't go along with them any longer you shouldn't forget that I'm very familiar with how your brain works. I know this is just what you'd planned all along. And I want to know why!"

Sharpay stared at her brother both annoyed and impressed at the same time and for the umpteenth time since Lava Springs she couldn't stop wondering how he'd managed to change from her poodle that unquestioningly did her bidding to a challenging force she had to reckon with.

So despite being a perfect actor she couldn't quite ban the bewilderment from her voice when she finally answered:

"You know Ryan, I just wanted to help you."

"Help me? With what, getting some?" Ryan scoffed and shook his head, "You know, I think I prefer working off steam simply by dancing. It's not like I'm not already familiar with that!"

And as an afterthought he added quietly: "Or my own hand for that matter."

Sharpay had caught the last part despite Ryan speaking mostly to himself and she said: "Well, looks like your hand is doing a pretty poor job lately or else you wouldn't have those stupid nightmares now, would you?"

Ryan looked at his sister in shocked embarrassment. Not only had she never before talked about anything involving hands… but now she'd brought the nightmares into this as well. Those damn nightmares that represented the strongest remaining link to his former apprehensive poodle-self.

He quickly tried to regain his self-composure and asked:

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ry," Sharpay switched to the affectionate name unconsciously, "you remember as well as I do that those dreams died down once you'd gotten over your fear of outing yourself. And they stopped when you started dating your sex-obsessed Latino-lover."

"Hey," Ryan interrupted huffily, "Miguel wasn't sex-obsessed, he was eighteen after all!"

"Yes, and you were only fourteen, Ryan!" Sharpay's voice clearly showed what she thought of that. Honestly she'd never really gotten over the fact that having sex was one thing (the only thing she hoped) her twin had ever beaten her to. He was the younger one after all (only twenty minutes, but still)!

"But," she quickly went on when Ryan was about to protest, "I'm not complaining because… well, it helped, didn't it? Getting it on with Miguel killed those damn nightmares!"

Ryan stared at her and tried to process what she was talking about.

"So… you're saying that… you set me up with Alan because you thought that having sex would make the dreams go away?"

Sharpay rolled her eyes and couldn't suppress a quick "Duh!" before she smiled sweetly and padded her brother's knee.

"Finally you're getting it!" Then she stood up and in swaying away she added: "You should know by now that I've only your welfare in mind!"

Ryan watched her go and shook his head in doubt. "Why do I have problems believing that?" he shouted after her.

"Have a little faith in me, Ry! You'll see, it will all work out!" he heard her shout back from the stairs and he couldn't help smiling at that.

How come he never managed to stay angry at her for too long?

No matter what Sharpay did, she always found a way back into his good graces. Well, she was his twin after all, and an Evans on top. That explained a lot.

The rumors about East High's strongest pair's fall-out (pair in the non-romantic but 'sticking-together-no-matter-what' kind of way) died once the Evans' twins showed up at school in perfect sync the next day.

They walked down the halls close to each other wearing matching outfits; Sharpay in a light brown skirt with cream-colored knee-length boots and a beige top and Ryan dressed in brown slacks, his cream-colored cardigan and a cream and chocolate-colored newsboy cap.

Heads held high in typical Evans' manner and smiling confidently Ryan and Sharpay were the very picture of unity and every student who walked past didn't dare to utter so much as a peep about what had happened between them the day before.

And, best of all, the harmony wasn't even an act. Just like Ryan had predicted he couldn't stay angry at his sister for too long. And Sharpay's grudge against what Ryan had called her in the heat of the moment had pretty much dissolved the second she'd woken up this morning, for once, well rested.

Ryan hadn't had a nightmare last night and Sharpay was convinced that her little scheme had fulfilled its purpose.

The Drama King of course knew better. Sure, he'd slept peacefully through the night, but relieving some sexual tension had nothing to do with it.

Or, well, it had, but not in the way Sharpay thought.

Ryan's sleep had been quiet and calm because he'd dreamed of being held by strong coffee-colored arms. Arms wrapped around his body holding him tight and making him feel like he got the strongest promise of comfort and love.

In his dreams Ryan had pulled Chad's body close and had buried his face in the thick brown curls. He'd pressed tender kisses against the soft skin of Chad's neck down to his collarbone. And still further down his mouth had wandered, over a bare chest and stomach to sensitive hipbones, gently nibbling them and smiling affectionately at making Chad squirm.

And in the morning Ryan had woken up in sticky boxers and with a satisfied dopey grin on his face and the wonderful sensation had quickly squashed the small lingering guilt he felt for having that kind of dream about Chad when he knew the feelings he had developed for the jock weren't mutual.

So after a quick check-in with Sharpay to clear the coast so to speak (and to match their clothes) Ryan had dressed in one of his favorite outfits and hadn't spent a thought on what would await the pair at school today.

Rumors would always go around about him, he'd long ago made his peace with that. And who knew, maybe today something totally outrageous would happen to somebody else; something that would make even better canon fodder for East High's rumor mills than Ryan Evans, gay Drama King, having been successfully hit on by another student (at his own sister's orders).

Stranger things had happened, right?

Well, Chad didn't think so.

During his free-period after lunch the rumors about what had been the cause of the Evans' twins' verbal fight finally reached the jock's ears through Troy and Zeke. They'd heard it from another basketball friend who again had heard it from his sister who again had been standing at the end of "THAT HALL" where "it" had taken place.

Chad left his friends on the basketball court with an excuse and walked away to the other side of the school yard to find a quiet corner for himself. He plopped down onto the grass, his back leaned against a thick tree trunk, and tried to wrap his mind around what Troy and Zeke had said. And really, Chad didn't know if he'd ever heard something more weird.

According to his friends Ryan had fought with his sister because "Ryan's boyfriend had broken up with the Drama King at lunch-break after confirming that, yes, he'd only had sex with Ryan because Sharpay had paid him and had threatened to blackmail him if he didn't".

There were so many things wrong with that sentence that Chad just didn't know where to begin with his doubts.

Okay, first of all: Ryan had had a boyfriend?? Huh? Since when?

The other boy had never said anything about having a boyfriend and neither had Chad ever seen Ryan with someone who would have fit that title. In fact, most times Ryan had been either alone or with Sharpay.

Okay, since beginning of this school year Ryan had been hanging out with Chad and some other Wildcats, but… well, Chad knew for sure that none of his basketball friends was THAT close to the Drama King.

And Chad wasn't said boyfriend either. If he were then there would be no reason for rumors because he would never have broken up with Ryan in the first place.

And… hadn't Ryan hinted only yesterday that he was interested in Chad? Or had he mistaken Ryan's parting words in the gym?

Chad clearly recalled what Ryan had said when he'd left (You wanna know what's wrong?You just said it yourself, Chad. You're not interested!') Had he possibly read too much into that statement? But… there was nothing to take the wrong way, was there? Ryan wanted him and…

And why the hell was he thinking of himself as a probable candidate to be Ryan's boyfriend now? What was wrong with him, didn't he have other things to worry about?

Right, so… the next unbelievable thing of that ridiculous gossip was: if Ryan's boyfriend had broken up with him at lunch-break, it would mean that it had been an East High student.

NO WAY!! was Chad's only comment on that. There wasn't anyone eligible, period.

Ryan would have told him if there'd been something going on with another student, right?

Right… then the next thing was: Ryan had had sex? With… another person? Chad didn't want to think about that possibility too much but he remembered only too clearly how Ryan had looked yesterday.

Flushed and disheveled… like he'd just had sex. So that part of the rumor was most likely the truest.

Chad really didn't like that part and wanted nothing more than to move on quickly with his thoughts but at the same time he couldn't chase the picture from his mind once it was there. He imagined Ryan, naked… sweat glistening on his pale back and running down his well-formed thighs… panting and moving on top of… somebody… gahh… Chad felt his cheeks go aflame just thinking about it.

And hadn't Ryan said something about his sex life yesterday in the gym as well? So… Ryan probably really had a sex life, at least more so than Chad (for he was sure his own hand didn't count, did it?).

'But', Chad thought suddenly, 'if that part of the gossip is true, doesn't that mean everything else is, too?'

Chad tried to concentrate back on what he was doing, namely analyzing the rumor… why would Sharpay pay someone for having sex with her brother?

It's not that Chad couldn't picture the ice-princess doing so… in fact it wasn't hard to imagine Sharpay waving around a stack of Benjamin's.

But paying someone to have sex with her brother? What was it to her? Why would she care whether he was getting some or not? Was that one of those weird twin things that non-twins simply couldn't relate to?

Chad had heard of things like that but… not in any constellation had sex been involved!

And thinking about Sharpay and Ryan and sex in one sentence made Chad somewhat nauseous and the beginning arousal he'd felt when thinking about Ryan having sex was quickly deflated.

Thank God it was because the next moment someone flopped down onto the ground beside him and when Chad turned his head he looked straight into the clear blue eyes of none other than Ryan Evans.

"Hey Chad," the blonde boy greeted him cautiously, "how are you?"

"Ugh, hi…" Chad stuttered and looked Ryan up and down. He seemed to be quite chipper today, nothing like yesterday in the gym.

Chad was confused. Was it an act? He knew that Ryan was more than able to hide his true emotions behind a character he chose to play but…

Chad had thought they were friends and that Ryan wouldn't feel the need to play a role around him. Like yesterday… that had been true Ryan, hadn't it?

Chad suddenly noticed that Ryan had continued to talk and so he tried to zone in.

"You know," Ryan said now, "I just wanted to say Thank you for… well, being there I guess."

Chad stared at the other boy for a second before he blurted out:

"Ryan, did your boyfriend really break up with you?"

"WHAT?" Ryan yelped.

Chad went on quickly: "I know it's none of my business but…" he felt a blush coming on again and quickly looked away.

Ryan tried to regain the ability to talk. Why would Chad think that? Had it been one of the countless rumors going around? But… Chad knew that he didn't have a boyfriend, he had to know.

"Chad," Ryan tried to clarify but before he could go on there was suddenly someone clearing his throat beside him.

"Hh-ghuh… Ryan?"

The blond boy looked away from Chad and his eyes met a pair of loose corduroyed pants. Above it was an awfully brown and red striped shirt and then… Alan's face.

'Damn it!' Ryan thought.

"Ugh, Alan… I… what do you want?"

"I need to talk to you," the tall boy replied without a trace of his typical nervousness.

"Again? I don't think so!" Ryan shook his head and then threw a short glance at Chad beside him. The dark-skinned boy frowned from Alan to Ryan and back again quietly.

"Ryan, please," Alan begged, "about yesterday, you have to let me explain… it isn't like you think it is. I really like you and…"

"Okay, okay…" Ryan stopped the confession that was sure to come and stood up swiftly. He didn't want Chad to get the wrong impression and so he pulled Alan a few feet away with him.

Chad watched in stunned disbelief how Ryan pulled that other boy away by his sleeve, all the while talking animatedly. The jock wasn't able to hear the words spoken but…

He had eyes and could see just enough of what was going on. Now that Alan-guy was saying something and… he was touching Ryan's arm!

The Drama King didn't seem to notice at first for he didn't shake off the hand. 'Or', Chad thought suddenly, 'Ryan doesn't mind!'

So this was the one involved in yesterday's fuss? That… Drama freak? Chad's eyes narrowed while he gave him the once-over.

The pants… that shirt… the HAIR! God, Ryan could clearly do better, couldn't he? That boy looked ridiculous, like a true geek!

And he was far too tall, he towered over Ryan's head and made the Drama King look small and fragile in comparison. And that was not a look Chad liked to see.

In fact, the whole scene in front of him wasn't something Chad liked to see. His insides squirmed about and Chad suddenly felt like his lunch wanted to make a terrible reappearance at the sight of Ryan and that… that geek!

Talking confidentially, whispering closely and… and touching arms and…

And now Ryan was putting an arm onto the damn guy's shoulder and that… freak was throwing a look over to Chad! HE SMILED!

That was just too much, Chad couldn't stand the sight any longer.

He scrambled hastily up from his position on the ground and without another look at the 'PAIR' he stormed off.

"Yeah, well Alan, " Ryan said gently, "I'm sorry but that's just the way it is."

Alan looked down at his feet and then back up into Ryan's honest face. He briefly tried to be angry at the Drama King for rejecting him but… deep down he'd been expecting nothing else.

Alan maybe wasn't the brightest but he was clever enough to know that Ryan Evans, East High's most awed Drama student (at least for all the other males of the Drama Club) had been too far out of reach anyway.

Ryan was simply playing in a much higher league and… well, what Alan had gotten yesterday was far more than he'd ever dreamed of anyway.

He'd kissed that perfect mouth, he'd touched… places Alan was ashamed to name and… he was one of a very small group of people who knew what cute sounds the blond made when he came.

Alan would treasure that experience for the rest of his life!

And that's why he couldn't be mad at Ryan now for giving him the brush-off. When he felt Ryan's arm on his shoulder in a comforting gesture he even risked a small smile towards where Ryan's true feelings lay.

"You sure about him?" Alan asked and nodded towards Chad a few feet away, "I mean… he's a jock. Gorgeous, but still… a jock."

"I know," Ryan replied smiling, "but you can't help who you fall for, can you?"

"No," Alan sighed.

They shared an understanding smile and Ryan let go of Alan's shoulder eventually.

"So, we're clear?" he asked.

"Yeah," Alan replied and added, "and you can be sure I won't tell anyone about… him. Ugh," Alan looked around frowning, "where did he go?"

"Huh?" Ryan turned around to the tree Chad had been sitting under only moments before. He was gone.

"Shit," he gasped and his eyes wandered around frantically but there was no trace of Chad whatsoever.

"I need to go!" Ryan announced and quickly walked away to look for Chad.

"Good luck with that!" Alan shouted after him. He would need it after all, right?

TBC

I hope you all like this chapter as much as I do.

And I need to inform you of a few of my thoughts. Well, this is probably the last we see of Alan for now. I liked playing with him but now I think it's time for our beloved boys to finally get on the right train.

Maybe what's coming next will look a bit rushed but… I have to tell you I'm slowly getting tired of letting Ryan and Chad dance around each other. I want them to get it on with and that's what's gonna happen. But just because they may finally reveal their true feelings to each other that doesn't mean that the story will be over. I have still so many ideas in my head but… I need them to be kind of together for that.

I hope you don't mind.