It was nearing dusk and the stars were twinkling brightly against the soft purple sky. The sun had fallen a few moments ago, and people were beginning open the windows and doors of their houses, hoping for a breeze. The New Mexico summers were harsh and many chose to wait for the darker hours when it was cool to go outside. It was also the time when many couples would go out together, Troy and Ryan included.
Tonight would be their first official date together as a couple, and Troy was running around his room getting ready trying to avoid being late. The brunet had went to lie down and rest after work, thinking he would only nap for a few hours. He had also forgotten to set the timer on his cell phone, and he woke up to the setting sun blaring through the living room curtains. Now he was frantically running around his room with only a towel around his waist, trying to find the clothes he had picked yesterday for their date.
The athletic teen was the opposite of fashion forward and hopeless when it came to dressing himself. That's why he had called Sharpay yesterday and asked her to help him to find something to wear for his first date with Ryan. Sharpay had agreed and said she would be there in half and hour. Two hours later she showed up honking the horn in her pink convertible. Troy then received a text from the diva saying she already knew that it would be useless to go through his closet and that they were heading to the mall.
***Flashback***
Troy was laying on his bed watching television, well actually he was trying to find something good on the set. All that was on at the moment were reality shows and sitcoms from the previous decade. In the distance, he heard an engine roaring. It was getting closer and soon it was what Troy assumed to be right next to his house. Then the engine was turned off and honking began. The brunet assumed it was one of the neighbors friends and payed no mind to it. After a few minutes his cell phone went off; it was a text from Sharpay, she wrote that she was the one outside honking and that he needed to get his butt in the car because there was nothing in that closet of his that was date material. Troy quickly sent his mom a text explaining where he was going and promised to call her when she got off work and grabbed his shoes.
When he went outside he was met with the sight of Sharpay sitting on the hood of her car, posing like a model.
"Umm, Sharpay? Why are you sitting on your car like that?" Troy asked.
"I felt like surprising you." Sharpay hopped off of the car and walked up to Troy. "Now tell me, if you weren't with Ryan and you liked girls-" Troy shot her a look. "-okay, well, whatever you are… would you consider that a pleasant surprise?"
"I guess…" Troy trailed off.
"Good. That's the kind of effect I'm hoping for when Ryan sees you tomorrow." She clapped her hands excitedly.
"I don't know about that Sharpay, if I do things like that, I'm going to look easy." Troy said, not feeling like having to pose on the car.
"I don't mean pose on the car! My god you are so clueless." Sharpay exclaimed. "You're used to seeing me dressed to the nines, so I had to do something else. Trust me, my brother seeing you in actual clothing will have the same effect without the car."
"What's wrong with my clothes?" Troy asked.
"Well, nothing big but everything you own is kind of boring. You need something to make you stand out." She explained.
"No thanks, I've seen how Ryan 'stands out,' and as much as I like him thats his thing, not mine."
"Whatever. You asked for my help, and you're going to get it whether you like it or not." Sharpay grabbed the brunet by the arm and dragged him into the depths of her pink car.
***
Troy had been standing in line for Sharpay's coffee for the past twenty minutes, and he still hadn't even ordered yet. Some guy ahead of him was paying for twenty dollars worth of coffee and pastries with small change. The brunet wondered if Ryan had to go through this whenever he went shopping with his sister, because if so, the blond deserved a lot more credit than anyone has ever given him.
When they first arrived at the mall, the first place they went to was the department store at the wealthy side of the mall. They carried all of the big labels, Sharpay explained, and she just knew that they would find something to match Troy's style. The spent fifteen minutes in that store and all hey came out of there was some new boxers for the brunet and a few pairs of sock. Sharpay already knew that's all she was going to get in that store, it was Troy who made it take forever. He refused to wear some of the undergarments the blond had chosen for him, thinking about the stares he would get if he showed up in the locker room at East High wearing something very tight and purple. The total for these had already hit over one hundred dollars and Troy was about to take them all back when the blond diva pulled out her credit card and flashed a grin at him.
"Don't sweat the small stuff Troy, I'm fully laminated." She boasted.
Well, that was one worry off of his mind. Now all he had to worry about was Sharpay trying to get him to wear a silk ruffled shirt like Gabriella had tried to.
The next shop was a place for formal wear. Troy objected, saying he knew for sure that Ryan would not be wearing a suit for dinner and a night at the movies. Sharpay just rolled her eyes and continued through the racks. She had pulled out several different shirts, all varying from blazers to dress shirts to t-shirts. After what felt like forever, the girl went 'ah - ha!' and pulled out something. It was a simple black leather jacket and Troy was glad it wasn't frilly, then she ran over to a different rack and pulled up a simple white v-neck tee. The female actress held the combination up to Troy's body and nodded her head. Sharpay paid for the jacket and tee and then they walked out of the shop.
It was then that Sharpay claimed she was thirsty and tired and asked Troy to go to the coffee shop down the way and get her a chai tea latte. He looked in the direction she pointed to and saw a huge line of people there, all waiting for their coffee. The brunette then looked to the other side of the mall and saw another coffee stand, by a smaller chain, and asked why not just go to that one. Sharpay rolled her eyes and said that the coffee form the other place never tasted as good. Troy just backed away and went over to the crowded coffee shop, trying to appease the girl who was practically paying for his date tomorrow.
***
"Next!" An energetic barista called out. "Hey, you!"
Troy snapped out of his daydreaming and realized that the copper headed barista was calling him. He walked quickly to the counter and froze: what was Sharpay's order again? He tried to rack his brain to remember but was at a loss.
"Do you know what you want?" The copper headed girl asked, getting slightly annoyed.
"Umm, kind of… it was some sort of hot drink. It sounded something like 'yoga' or something." Troy started saying things that he felt were relevant to the order. "I think it was a yoga late."
"You mean a chai tea latte, right?" The girl asked, flabbergasted that someone so young could be so out of touch.
"That was it! I thought it sounded like an exercise - like tai chi, and I thought Sharpay was just using an accent when she said 'latte." Troy quickly elaborated.
"You said Sharpay?" The girl asked.
Troy nodded.
"Hey John!" The girl screamed. "The 'princess' wants her usual, make sure you make it like she wants it!"
"Thanks… Brittany." Troy had to read the tag. "Here's five dollars, I think that should cover it."
"Oh, don't worry about it. Sharpay has a tab here, we bill her every time it hits one hundred dollars." Brittany explained as she wrote down his order on a slip of paper and put it in the register.
"Oh." Troy stated. "How often does it reach one hundred dollars?"
"About every two weeks." The teen girl answered. She saw Troy's awestruck face and quickly explained. "She doesn't spend it all on herself, most of the time she pays for all of her friends. Despite her icy exterior, she can be very generous." The girl smiled. "And she tips very generously."
"I see."
"Hey Troy!" A guy who looked to be in his twenties called to him, he must have been John. "Sharpay's order is ready. You better hurry, though, she likes her latte very hot." John gave him a wink as he handed it to him. "Here's your napkin."
Troy took it and looked at it. The napkin had writing on it, 'John: XXX-XXXX call me! Xoxo.' The brunet looked at the guy again, John was winking at him!
"Hey man, thanks for the number, but I'm already taken." Troy handed the napkin back.
"Aww." John whined. "Well, he's very lucky to have a guy like you. What's he like-"
"Wait," Troy interrupted, "what makes you think I'm gay?"
"Oh, your not?" The barista asked. "My bad, I just thought you were… well never mind. Enjoy your day." John quickly went back to making orders.
Troy walked away feeling very confused. Was he acting differently than how he used to? He felt the same as he always had, he was just dating a guy this time. He wasn't even sure if he was fully gay: he only felt this way about Ryan. Then again, he didn't feel that way when Sharpay was posing on the car. That would normally get his attention, but not even girls like Sharpay or Gabriella made him feel like he did when he was with Ryan.
He returned to the bench next to the fountain where Sharpay was sitting and gave her the drink she ordered. She took a sip, sighed, and smiled.
"So you did get it right… I was afraid you wouldn't mention it was for me." She looked at his face. "What's wrong?"
"Sharpay, do I- do I seem different to you now?" The athletic teen asked.
"Of course, you're with my brother, which kind of makes me see you in a different light." The blond diva put simply.
"Yeah, but I mean do I seem more…," Troy paused, " gay?"
"What? No, you still act like the same old Troy. Why, did someone call you, you know, the 'f' word?" Sharpay asked, getting ready to show people how scary she could really be.
"No, it wasn't like that. It's just that the barista over there was hitting on me. Now I'm used to guys hitting on me, it's happened quite a few times already, but when I told him that I was already with someone he said that 'that guy' was very lucky." Troy looked to the blond girl. "How could he know that I was with a guy? Does gaydar really exist?"
"Was his name John?" Troy nodded. "Don't worry Troy, he thinks every cute guy is gay, or least he hopes they are."
"Oh."
Troy felt as if a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. He wasn't ashamed to be with Ryan, but he was afraid that his dad would become suspicious, and John just made him more afraid. He still had no idea how his parents would react to him coming out, and he didn't want to find out just yet. He knew there would be a point where he would want to introduce the guy who made him so happy to his parents, but for now he would wait and observe.
"So… there's only two things left to get: your jeans and accessories. First the denim, and I know just the place. Trust me, these jeans will make your ass look absolutely fantastic." She boasted as she dragged him along.
"I'm not sure if I want people staring at my ass…" Troy interrupted.
"You want to look good for Ryan, don't you?" She looked at him.
"Well, yeah, but isn't that something we could do in private?" He suggested.
"Oh god, don't make me think about you that! He's my brother for goodness sakes." She shook her head trying to erase the image. "Well, anyways, if you want to impress him, you'll just have to get used to other people looking."
They had reacher their destination: one of those high end stores that main focus was to make their denim as rock star glamorous as possible. Troy wasn't going to lie, he actually like the clothing there, but it was the price tag that had stopped him from ever entering the store.
***
Once inside, Sharpay was surprised to find Troy taking an active role in finding the perfect pair of jeans. He had also found many other things that he liked, from tee shirts to jewelry, he was actually having fun shopping. Finally the blond girl had found it: the perfect pair of denim. It was a vintage wash dark blue pair of jeans that had a few little holes in it, not one of those tacky pairs where the entire legs is practically exposed - it also had some chains and rivets on the waistband. If Sharpay weren't buying them for Troy, she would have gotten them for Ryan, knowing exactly which outfits she would plan for the both of them. She quickly asked the brunet what size he was and picked it up. Then, without him looking, she went and picked up a few other things that she saw him eyeing. If was going to take an interest in fashion, then who was she to deny him? He had at least enough for a few outfits to tie together. Now it was her turn.
She put Troy's clothes on the counter and asked the sales associate to hold on to them until she was finished. To her shock, the woman said no and said if they were just there to fool around and make a mess then there was no need to hang on to them, since they couldn't afford it anyways. The blond chanteuse simply smiled and walked of to the racks, intent on buying as many clothed as she could fit in her trunk and showing the ignorant woman exactly how 'poor' she really was.
In practically no time at all, the Sharpay had pulled almost every article of clothing in her size off of the rack and put it on the counter. Troy watched with wide eyes as the stand off progressed. The woman behind the counter gave a calculating smile to the pair. A security officer came into the store, going to the counter as well.
"So, what was the problem that you were having miss?" The guard asked.
"It's these children officer, I asked them to put the clothes back since they couldn't afford them and they refuse to do so." She said in a whining voice. "Could you please tell them to leave?" Her voice sounded frail and pleading, probably trying to make the guard feel like a hero.
Sharpay smiled at the associate's manipulative abilities. This was going to be very interesting. The blond girl waited patiently as the guard walked up to her, smile on hand.
"Little miss, I think you owe this lady an apology. If you agree to put all of the things back on the racks, I will let you off with a warning and won't call your parents." The guard put on a friendly voice. "Alright sweetie?"
"Just one moment officer, I need to make an important call." Sharpay dug through her handbag and pulled out her crystal encrusted cell phone and called the number that would win her the match. "Hello? Hey Richard, it's Sharpay. Yes, my mom is fine, thank you for asking. Oh, well I'm calling about one of your associates, yes, that does sound like her." Sharpay's flicked in the woman's direction, eyes full of malice. "Well I was shopping with a friend when the sales associate refused to hold my items at the counter. She accused me of being unable to pay, and then called the security guard saying I was creating a ruckus."
The sales lady's face went slack, no, it couldn't be that Richard.
"Okay, let me out you on speakerphone." The blond pushed a few buttons and then the sound of a male voice filled the air.
"Hello Christine." The apparent Richard greeted.
"H-hello Richard."
"Tell me Christine, what all - important book is located under the register. You know, the one I asked you to read."
"It's the book 'Valued Customers,' it list al of our biggest clients." She said with a cracking voice.
"So tell me, who is number one on the list?" Richard's voice asked.
"I don't know, I haven't read it yet."
"Well, read it now." He commanded.
Christine picked the book out of it's hiding place and flipped to the first page. There was Sharpay, in all of her glory, wearing a sparkly tiara with the words "#1 Customer: Highest Priority" under it.
"Oh shit…" She lamented.
"I think that about sums it up." Richard agreed. "I will be talking to you tomorrow. Bye Sharpay, tell Christine to give you a thirty percent discount on all of your purchases, okay?" Then the other line clicked off.
"Well, I guess I'm of no use here." The security guard said. "Have a good time you two and sorry about the misunderstanding."
"Oh don't worry officer, it wasn't your fault, you didn't know know. Nor could you have known beforehand, unlike some other people here." Sharpay tilted her head in the direction of the register.
The officer walked out, but not before giving Christine a look of sympathy.
"So Christine, how about that discount?" Sharpay smiled.
Yes, Sharpay Evans loved to win.
***
Troy was amazed at the afternoon with Sharpay. He had managed to replace half of his closet with new name brand and designer clothing that he got out of spite. The fact that she could spend a few thousand dollars so easily was incomprehensible to the teen and he wondered silently to himself if Ryan was high maintenance. The last two shops that they went to to were for 'the essentials' as Sharpay put it. The first shop only held one item of interest: a pair of aviator sunglasses. The second was a little better, with him finding a few bracelets, belts and even some fragrance. He always thought it only smelled like perfume, but there were some that were very close to his body spray - except they smelled better. He just got a few sample sizes, knowing he would scarcely ever wear them any other time.
After spending the day shopping with Sharpay in the mall, Troy returned home to surprise his parents with an entire trunk full of new clothes. At first they immediately checked their wallets, making sure he hadn't stolen their credit cards, but once they heard that Sharpay had bought them, they were okay with it. His mom even made him try all of them on and do a fashion show in the living room.
"Wow, I knew the Evans' were wealthy, but the amount of money Sharpay spent on you is dumbfounding. She must really like you." Mrs. Bolton smiled.
"Actually, it was Ryan who gave her the idea to give me a makeover. He said since I was practically charming my way into their family, the least I could do was look the part." Troy lied - slightly.
Ryan really had said those things before jokingly, right before he claimed he like Troy just the way he was and then it led to a steamy make out session in the kitchens at Lava Springs. Chad walked in on them, and after they got him to calm down, he couldn't look Ryan in the eye, he apologized for freaking out. He claimed that he kept forgetting that Troy was with Ryan and that finding them like that still surprised him. Troy wasn't sure he believed him, but was glad that Chad was at least making an effort.
"That Ryan. He's quite a character, didn't he organize that whole talent show affair with the staff?" Mrs. Bolton smiled. "I like him."
Troy smiled, feeling all warm inside, he liked that his mom liked Ryan. It meant that she would probably be more accepting when the brunet they called their son came out to them.
"I don't know…," Jack Bolton started, "he dances. He doesn't really do many sports and when he does play basketball for P.E., he makes it look like some kind of dance. I'm not saying that I don't like the kid, he a great kid and all, it's just that he's a little off."
Troy felt his stomach lurch, it was almost as if he were saying those things about the brunet, after all, his son was with the boy who was 'off.'
"You know," Troy began, "Ryan says that dance and sports aren't all that different."
"Is that so?" Mr. Bolton scoffed. "How does he figure that?"
"Well, to start, both activities are heavily choreographed. Call it what you want, but we both go over moves and steps over and over until we get the moves perfect. Then there's the team: it isn't enough to simply know the moves, you have to be able to work as a team, knowing where your 'team' is and be able to cover if one of them should mess up - you have to work as one to achieve you goal." Troy said proudly, thinking his boyfriend was smart.
"How insightful," Troy's mom responded. "Don't you think so Jack?" Mrs. Bolton jabbed her husband's side. She knew Troy was trying to get his father to like Ryan, probably because he always liked to make people feel comfortable.
Mrs. Bolton knew that Ryan had been hanging out a lot lately, which was probably why Troy was trying to get Jack to like him. They usually spent their time locking in Troy's room, probably because Ryan was afraid of her husband, the poor dear.
"How about you invite Ryan to come over for dinner tomorrow? I'm sure he can handle non-five-star cuisine, if only for one night." Mrs. Bolton suggested.
"We can't. Me and Ryan wanted to go see that new action flick that just came out, and he already bough the tickets." Troy explained.
"Isn't that something that girlfriends and boyfriends do?" Jack said darkly.
"What?" Troy was feeling slightly sick.
"He's bought you the new clothes and now it sounds like he's taking you out to a movie for a date." Jack explained. "It just doesn't sound right."
"It's not like that dad," Troy quickly lied. "He bought the tickets because he lives closer to the theater than I do, and I'm buying the pizza afterward to pay him back."
"That sounds even more like a date." Jack repeated his thoughts. "Be careful, you don't want to send the wrong message to people and ruin your chances at a scholarship."
"Jack!" Mrs. Bolton scolded. "Leave them alone, they are just going out to a movie as friends, it's not like it's really a date. And how dare you talk like that about Ryan when he isn't even here to defend himself. I thought we were raising Troy to be accepting of all people for their faults and differences. Besides, I hate to burst your bubble, but Troy isn't doing basketball anymore. Remember?"
"It's not like I'm saying anything bad about him, I'm just saying that being seen with him can send the wrong impression to people. And I think Troy is gonna change his mind once school starts again, he loves basketball, it's in his blood." Jack smiled, saying he was in the right even when he knew he was wrong.
"You know dad, it's things like that that have made it so difficult for gay people to find equality in this world." He looked his dad in the eye. "I'm not saying Ryan is gay, but what you say are precisely the things that intolerant, hateful people say, and Ryan gets enough shit about it everyday from people our own age. Don't tell me you, an adult, are going to start picking on him too."
Troy got his things and walked out of the living room. He hurried into his room and closed the door, fighting back the tears he knew were welling up inside him. His mom would be up in a minute, she always did when he got like this. He just had to fight back the tears until then. He threw his bags under his bed for now, he would put them away properly tomorrow.
A soft knock let him know it was time, he opened the door and let his mom in. She immediately wrapped him in a tight hug and placed a kiss on his forehead.
"I'm so proud of you Troy." She whispered in his ear. "You stood up for what you believed in and didn't back down. Just like I - and your father - taught you."
Troy stiffened at the sound of his father's name. He shut his eyes tightly, trying his best to fight back the tears.
"I know mom, I just wished dad wouldn't talk like that." The brunet choked. "It scares me thinking he could be full of hate for no reason."
"He's trying. He was raised to think being gay was worse than death, and although he's not perfect, he's come a long way." She looked her son in the eyes. "Just know that no matter if you date a girl, or a boy, I'll always love you."
Troy wrapped his arms around his mom and hugged her tightly. "I know."
They stood in the teens room, locked in a tight embrace for a few minutes. Finally Troy spoke.
"I'm dating Ryan Evans, and I really like him." Troy confessed.
"Really? Since when?" Mrs. Bolton asked.
"A few weeks ago, I haven't told you guys because of dad. He scares me a bit." Troy began to explain. "I'm scared that dad will freak out if he ever finds out. That he will disown me and kick me out. I don't want him to hate me because I accidentally fell in love with the wrong sex!"
Love.
Did he really love Ryan Evans? It was the first word that formed in his head when he thought about the blond and certainly was the last thought. How did you define love? You would think you would know when your in love. But Troy didn't know, he always felt the word held no meaning, it was the same as liking someone. True love to him was when you would risk everything to be with the one you love. When you couldn't go a day without seeing, feeling and thinking about the one you were with. So could Troy really love Ryan Evans? He couldn't even find the strength to come out to his own father.
"Honey, your dad could never hate you. It will definitely be something to get over, but he'll deal. And you didn't fall in love with the wrong sex, you just happened to fall in love, and it just happened to be a boy." She whispered as she consoled her son, silent tears streaming down his face; she hated seeing Troy like this.
"I don't even know if I love him. How can I be sure about it?" Troy said, his voice cracking.
"I don't know, that's something that your going to figure out yourself. Just know that love is a beautiful thing whether it is a man and woman or whatever else the combination." She kissed his head. "I've got to go do the dishes, and don't worry, I won't tell your dad. You guys have fun tomorrow alright? Goodnight Troy."
"Goodnight mom." Troy said, feeling a little better that he at least told his mom.
"Oh and Troy," Mrs. Bolton smiled. "I'll let you keep the door closed when Ryan's over since it's still a secret, but I want you to give me your word you won't do anything in here that's… well you get it. Okay? "
"Alright mom, I promise." Troy said.
Troy's mother closed the door behind her and left her son to think over things. He still had no idea if he was gay or bisexual, or if he was in love. He hoped it was more than a high school crush, but you never knew. The real test would come when school started and he was in the public eye once again.
He didn't want Ryan to feel like a dirty secret or that their relationship was anything less than fantastic, because it was. The past few weeks with Ryan some of the best in his life. Every time their lips touched it felt like the athletic teen had scored the winning shot at the basketball game. Every time he saw the blond it felt like he was waking up to Christmas morning, and he didn't want to do anything that could ever change that.
***End Flashback***
Troy then remembered: under the bed. He chided himself for not looking there, it was the most obvious place to look since he shoved everything under there until he could get to it. There the were, the small pile of bags of new clothing, still unwrinkled and ready to wear.
Troy found the outfit that Sharpay had assembled for him: a white v-neck tee shirt with a vest, the summer was too hot for a jacket, and the pair of jeans that made his ass look 'ravishing' as Ryan's twin put it. He put the tee and jeans on, the vest would come later when it was cooler, and went through the accessories he had. He chose a distressed leather belt and two bracelets: one belt that looked like the one on his waist and a simple braided chord in white. Troy felt a little foolish dressing up like this, but felt it that it was necessary since he wanted to impress Ryan.
He stayed in his room when he was done, not wanting his father to question why he was so dressed up for a movie with a friend. There wasn't much to do in there, he had a television, but nothing was on at this time and his laptop's wireless card had died the other day, so he had no internet either. Instead, he pulled out his cell phone flicking through the pictures of his boyfriend and him. He smiled as he found some of Ryan making 'deep' faces; they were trying to get an emo picture of him so Troy could put it up as his wallpaper. Instead they ended the last few frames of Ryan laughing and Troy moving in to kiss him. Poor Chad, he was the one taking the pictures and he looked like it was uncomfortable for him to photograph it.
Under normal circumstances, Chad might have stopped taking pictures, but he was still trying to get back into the good graces of the rest of their friends, and spending a lot of time with Ryan and Troy helped to do so. Jason, Zeke and the rest of the basketball team had forgiven him, but the the girls still gave him the cold shoulder. Chad did take it all in stride, though, he even joked he could see where Troy was coming from since girls hold onto grudges much longer than boys. Troy and Ryan thought it was funny, but Taylor heard and Ryan was sure that it must have added another week of damage control.
There were more photos of the couple: eating in the kitchens, playing basketball with the other wildcats - Troy and Ryan beat Jason and Chad - and even a few of Ryan bending over to pick something up. The blond didn't know about those yet. Troy usually wasn't so oversexed, but being with the blond made him hornier than he had ever been with Gabriella. That wasn't to say Gabriella wasn't attractive, but there was something about being with someone who wanted sex as much as you that made it that much hotter.
Troy then tried to focus on something else to distract himself from his lecherous thoughts. He closed his phone and went downstairs to get some lemonade. Luckily his dad was napping on the couch and the brunet was able to sneak past him. That's when his phone went off, and he pulled it out of his pocket. The alarm had went off, telling Troy he should pick up Ryan now. He downed the lemonade and ran up stairs to gather his things. The brunet was out of the house within a minute and out of the driveway within five minutes. The golden boy was sure the 'truck' he received from his dad was some sort of cruel joke.
After a brief drive to the Evans' estate, Troy was jogging up the steps to his date's front door. Mr. Evans answered the door and immediately broke out into a wide grin.
"Troy!" He boomed. "So your the guy going out with Ryan!"
"He told you about us?" Troy froze.
"Yes, he sure did!" Mr. Evans continued. "He told me that the two of you lady killers are going out on the prowl for some night time mischief. Don't worry about Sharpay, she said that she's okay with you scoping out other girls with her brother."
"Oh." The brunet was dumbstruck. Lady killers? "That's good, I was a little nervous about coming here."
"Not at all Troy! Come on, I'll show you where Ryan's room is." He gestured for the teen to follow him.
They made their way down the upstairs hallway, passing numerous rooms that Troy assumed were guest rooms. Finally, they stopped at the end of the hallway. There were two doors: one bright pink with glitter spelling out Sharpay's name, and the other with a gold star plaque on it. The plaque read 'Ryan.'
"Thank you Mr. Evans."
"Not at all Troy, come over again sometime and we can talk about your future some more." Mr. Evans gave the smaller man a thump on the back and walked off.
Troy snuck into Ryan's room and saw Ryan in an undershirt and his underwear, the blond had not noticed troy come in yet. Feeling a bit frisky, the brunet moved furtively behind his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around the blond, taking the smaller one by surprise.
"When did you get here?" Ryan gasped
"A moment ago, I had to escape the clutches of your father. Apparently we're going out to scope chicks, which is funny because I thought we were going out on a date. Oh well, I suppose these new duds could pick up some girls." Troy turned around and modeled his new look.
"Troy! You look… you look really sexy right now." Ryan moaned. "Turn around again."
Troy did as he was told, but his boyfriend told him to stop midway with his back side turned to him.
"Those jeans make your ass look hot. Who helped you pick this out?" Ryan asked.
"Your sister," Troy answered. "She also replaced half of my closet to get back at some uptight byotch at that one store. Which means there are more 'new Troy' looks for you to see."
"I think the only sad thing about this is that I'd rather take your clothes off than see you in them any longer." Ryan smiled, stealing a kiss from his boyfriend. Troy was really getting into it when Ryan pulled back. "I have to go get dressed now, or we'll be late for our movie."
Troy watched Ryan walk into his closet, well he watched Ryan's backside walk into the closet, and smiled. They did that a lot: the teasing and innuendos. The only thing that seemed a bit negative about the whole thing was the feeling afterwards; it left both boys feeling frustrated. But they had agreed to wait, and that was what they were going to do. Troy sometimes felt he was a little too lewd in his behavior with Ryan, but then reminded himself that there were plenty of people his age that did a lot more than make out. In fact, the pair were taking it a lot slower than most couples in their school did.
Ryan finally sashayed out of his walk - in closet, dressed to the nines in an outfit that put his boyfriend in one mode: sex. The blond smiled and walked up to the brunet, relishing the effect he was having on him.
"Are you ready?" Ryan asked.
"Ready and willing." Troy smirked.
Ryan smiled back and gave Troy a chaste kiss on the lips.
"Well that's a bummer because this isn't what I'm wearing. Hang on, I'm not really wearing this out. This is a bit much - even for me. Besides, it's more of a bedroom look, for when we… you know." Ryan hinted.
Ryan went through his racks, trying to find something a little more appropriate for a first date that didn't end up in the bedroom. He was roaming through the various textiles when an arm wrapped around his waist. He felt the warm presence of his boyfriend and smiled to himself. He knew exactly what he wanted to wear. He picked out a simple outfit: a pale blue v-neck with some random black stripes and a pair of tight black pants. He was going for an emo look tonight, a change of pace for himself, and wanted to look hot without going overboard.
After all of the drama of what they were going to wear, the couple took Ryan's car, knowing full and well that Troy's truck was chancing not coming home again. Ryan had a very nice car. It wasn't as flashy as Sharpay's, in fact, it looked like any other car on the street, but it suited the blond. They turned on the radio, both singing loudly to a fun dance song that had recently taken the airwaves by storm. They took turns singing the verses, the sexual lyrics ringing true to the teens current mood. It was all in good fun, and the stares they received from other cars went by unnoticed.
Arriving at the theater with time to spare, they went to the concession stand, ordering as much junk food as they could carry.
"Ryan, I was thinking." Troy began. "If you eat all of this candy, will you have room for our dinner?"
"Troy," Ryan started, "I'm a guy remember? And I stay pretty active, I wouldn't be surprised if I ate as much as you do. So to answer your question, yes, I think I will have room for dinner and dessert."
"Okay, duly noted… So, why did you choose this movie? I know you like the occasional action flick, but it doesn't seem like your kind of movie." The brunet boyfriend asked.
"Well I figured that I could give it a chance, because I know if I don't really like it, I can make out loudly with my boyfriend in the back of the theater while the explosions cover up the sound." he blond teen said playfully.
"What if your wrong, and there are no explosions?"
"Then I feel sorry for the people around us, because it could get pretty loud." Ryan said with an impish grin.
Troy and Ryan had opted for a heavy make out session halfway in the movie. It was Troy who had accidentally initiated the affair, but he had no regrets.
*** Flashback ***
Troy was eating the candy in front of him by the handful. He had put a little bit of everything in his hand and shoveled away. He had a few interesting flavors: black licorice jellybean with butterscotch jelly beans, or green apple hard candy with a chocolate raisin, but his favorite combination was a piece of chocolate with a strawberry jellybean. The teen turned to Ryan to see if he wanted any.
"Hey Ryan," the brunet whispered in his ear. "Did you want some of my candy?"
"Not really, yours is all mixed up, and I prefer mine sorted out." Ryan said cooly.
"Come on, at least try it." Troy whined, "This could very well be the best chocolate covered strawberry jelly bean in the world and you wouldn't know because you haven't tried it."
Troy popped another of the aforementioned candy combination into his mouth and held out another for the blond.
"Well, I guess I could try…" The blond replied slyly.
Ryan moved in and caught the brunet's mouth with his own. The sweet taste of chocolate and strawberries wasn't missed by the blond, and it only led to him deepening the kiss. Troy dropped the candies on the floor and pulled his boyfriend in closer. The armrest had been pushed up before the movie had even started. Ryan slid his tongue between the brunet's lips, teasing him. Troy responded with a loud moan and parted his lips, granting entrance for the blond.
Troy moved his hand to the small of Ryan's back, inching his way to the blond's derriere. Ryan grabbed the chocolate haired teen's hand and put them on his ass.
"There," Ryan whispered in a breathy voice. "Now keep on kissing me."
Troy obliged, deepening the kiss and running his hands all over his boyfriend, who was doing the same. The couple heard some whispering from the couple beside them, but paid them no mind. They were caught in the moment.
*** End Flashback ***
They had continued their make out session for another five minutes when the couple next to them asked them to stop. They agreed to, feeling bad they were ruining the movie for some, and settled down to watch the rest of the film. Troy and Ryan went back to the candy they were eating, but had a new appreciation for chocolate covered strawberry jellybeans.
***
When the movie was over, they stood up, stretched, and apologized to the couple beside them for the distraction. The couple accepted the apology and said they remembered what it was like to be young.
With their candy nearly gone, and a new appetite forming already, the two put the remaining goodies in Ryan's car and walked through the mall's many restaurants, trying to find a place that they liked. Ryan had suggested sushi, but the brunet said no, simply because he wanted something cooked that night; Troy had no problem with sushi usually. Then the basketball player said they could get some Italian, but Ryan snorted and said that there was no way some Italian guy was going to get Troy before he did.
"Wow Ryan, that wasn't what I meant at all. Get your head out of the gutter." Troy joked, ruffling the blond's hair.
"Whatever, you know your amazed by my quick wit." The blond teased.
"Well, I don't know about that, by am amazed by your…" Troy whispered the last of it in his boyfriends ear, the words rhyming with 'quick wit,' but completely different..
"My god, Troy! Geez, I thought this was light and playful banter, not full on dirty talk." Ryan gasped, although loving every minute of it.
"What can I say, you make me a dirty guy." Troy moved in for a kiss, since no one was around at the moment.
"Oh look!" Ryan walked out of target, and Troy's attempt at a kiss was thwarted. "There's that new teppanyaki restaurant that opened up, I heard it's really cool in there."
"Well I guess we could give it a shot… it is cooked food right? Because I just ate a few pounds of candy, and I could go for some real, hot, food."
"It sure is. They cook the food in front of you and everything! It's kind of like a show." Ryan continued to explain all of the details on their way there.
"It sounds neat," Troy said, getting a bit hyped up about it. "So, this is a new one they just opened up? I wonder what it's like…"
The couple walked in, immediately taken aback by their surroundings. They expected a stereotypical asian restaurant with the ink paintings, paper doors, and weird little rock gardens; but this one was completely different. It was what you would expect a posh eatery in Japan to look like: there were glossy glass walls with water flowing under them. The koi pond was in the ceiling with a colored light show within the water, and the people working there were dressed in the latest japanese style rather than kimono.
"I like this, it's all future-y." Troy awed.
"Yeah, it is." RYan agreed.
The host soon welcomed them and asked how many people were joining them. They said it was the two of them and was going to put them in the section for friends, family, etc; but Troy said that this was a date and they wanted one of the good spots. The host hesitated for a moment, but showed them to a table near the koi pond in an alcove. She took their drink orders and got them some appetizers, rice balls, and told them their cook would be there shortly.
Meanwhile, the two boys talked about school, since it was only two weeks from starting. Troy still hadn't decided if he wanted to come right out, or just enjoy what he had and wait for a bit. Ryan was very calm about it all, saying he could wait if needed, but he didn't want to wait all year. Troy assured him that it would never be that long, he just needed to think about how he was going to go about telling people.
The chef came to their table and greeted them. He asked I they had ever came here before and if they had what they would like. Ryan said that they never had Japanese, but were willing to try new things. The chef then proceeded to ask what various foods they liked. Troy immediately responded with actual meals like burgers, pizza, and spaghetti; but Ryan got what the man meant. The blond started naming off a few vegetables and meats that he liked, then the chocolate haired teen caught on and added his bit of foods. Soon the chef had an idea of what to make and heated up the grill.
The two teens enjoyed the dazzling display of their food being made in front of them and got to talk a bit with the chef while he cooked. Every now and then Ryan would ask to hold off on a certain sauce or add more seasoning of some sort, but he managed to do it in a friendly way. Troy was lost on the subject of food preparation, his only cooking involving a bowl of milk and cereal, but was glad to have a kitchen savvy boyfriend. Soon their food was done, and the two tipped the chef before he left. They piled the stir fry food on their plates and dug in.
"Mmm!" Troy moaned. "This is delicious! Ryan, I trust you to cook for me whenever you want, you seem to know how to cook."
"Well I used to take cooking classes with my mom to keep close, but I ended up being a natural at cooking and just know what goes together." Ryan reminisced. "But you have another thing coming if you think I'm going to end up as your kitchen slave. I won't get out of bed and 'make you a sandwich."
"I could care less about sandwich. What comes before it sound more appealing." The brunet hinted.
The two finished their meal and took what was left home in separate boxes. The Teppanyaki place didn't have dessert there, so they went without. Neither complained, feeling close to bursting after the stir fry. Instead they made their to the car and drove off, heading to Ryan's place. While in the car, hands went places and certain sounds were made as the two distracted each other from the road and endangered both of their lives. Luckily the coroner had a slow night that night and the two boys were not in his schedule. They made it to the blond's house and Ryan walked Troy to his truck. They said good bye and gave a good night kiss, their First Date goodnight kiss.
Troy drove home feeling like the luckiest guy in the world, having a guy like Ryan Evans in his life, who made everyday moment feel like Christmas morning.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aww cheesy!
Hey, another chapter done! In this case it was a bonus chapter, a very long bonus chapter. I decided to give you this while a continued to plan out the sequel. I'm not sure when I'll start it, but I hope this laid out the grounds for what to expect in the next installment. Well I hope you liked it, and if you did, send reviews; if not, send reviews anyways, tell me how I could improve.
A side note from the author. I have never had teppanyaki, but my Sim has. I assumed what it was like and made up the restaurant, so yeah, sorry if I was way off. Also, if you couldn't guess what Troy was whispering in Ryan's ear, it was 'big dick.' It rhymed with 'quick wit' and my gutter mind sort of just went there so yeah.
All the best,
-(RAWR!)