Wednesday: Last Day of School

Chad and Taylor looked up at the click of the classroom door. It was only Ryan and Avery, hand in hand as always. Taylor got up to greet them, and Chad went back to finishing his math project. He had always been behind on homework. Avery and her boyfriend chatted with Taylor for a little bit before walking to their traditional spots at the back of the classroom, right next to each other. Taylor sighed to herself, and then walked over to Sharpay and Zeke, who had just come in themselves.

"I swear, your twin and Avery are joined at the hip. I am yet to see one without the other. Doesn't it ever bug you how much time they spend together?" Sharpay rolled her eyes, and sat down in her respective seat.

"It normally would, but it really isn't that bad. He needs her. Ryan seems lost without her"

"Why's that?" Taylor asked, weirded out once again, and sat down next to her.

"She is his key to society. Ever since…you know what," the blonde said in a dramatically hushed voice, as if discussing a murder, "he has a hard time talking to people. That and trusting them in general. He is just paranoid like that. Besides, he likes the attention. Avery gives him plenty of it. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders are nice enough, but act like he is made of glass. They are afraid to break him or something stupid like that. The foster home told them that Ryan was sensitive to touch, so they barely ever touch him" Sharpay snorted with disgust. ""It didn't occur to them that he 'needs love'…I think that's how our physiatrist put it"

"Psychiatrist?" Taylor said in surprise.

"Yah, they put all the kids with abusive backgrounds in psychiatric sessions. They are extremely dull. Anyways, the psychiatrist said that Ryan 'is a very special case, and needs lots of love and attention'. I pay attention to him more, but Avery makes up for everybody else. Always hugging him, and freely giving out kisses. It would be disgusting if it wasn't so dang cute. Don't you hate it when that happens? You want to be grossed out, but they are such a cute couple that you can only say 'aww'?"

"Uh, Shar?" Gabi said, sitting down next to her. "Did you take caffeine pills or something this morning?"

"Why do say that?" Sharpay asked, her eyes bulging more than they did normally.

"'Cause you've been talking nonstop and are being very open about your personal life. You never do that unless you are on a sugar high"

"All I had was a double-shot espresso," Sharpay said brightly. "Oh, and guess what?"

"What?" Gabi said tiredly, hoping the twin's energy would fail her soon.

"I got a call from the police department the other day that they caught our father. He was trying to get across the border, but her was drunk again, so it didn't work to well"

"And your mother?"

"They got her ages ago. She tried to get out on proving the fact that she hadn't known prostitution was illegal and that since her father had been abusive, there was no way she could have known that she was supposed to report her husband"

"Was your grandfather actually abusive?"

"They are looking into it. I think he was, but as I never met him, I really wouldn't know. Oh look, Chad is here!" Sharpay bounced over to see what Zeke and Chad were talking about. Taylor looked at Gabi hopelessly, and Gabi rolled her eyes.

"That's Sharpay for you" Suddenly, Sharpay bounced out the door, shouting back to her friends,

"I have an exam in two minutes! Toodles!" And away she went, dragging the happy Zeke behind her. Taylor laughed, shook her head, and muttered something that sounded like "Evans" underneath her breath, and then walked back to her desk, passing by Ryan's, on which his girlfriend was sitting comfortably on top of.

"Nice outfit, Ry" Avery said happily, fixing his slightly rumpled shirt and cocked hat. "Did that shirt just come back from the dry cleaners?"

"Yah, Shar was going ballistic that it wouldn't be back in time for the last week of school. You know how she is about small things like that" The shadow of a frown showed across his brow. "Do you mind me wearing these nice clothes again?" She smiled, ran a finger down his face, and winked at him.

"No; it's the real you. It's the only way I want to see you dress"