Author's Note: This is a bit of an angsty one. Got nothing much else to say for once!
Chapter 20: Painful Truths
Chad
Chad became very resourceful in avoiding Taylor that weekend. First, he was way too exhausted from the Lava Springs fiasco to go anywhere or apologize to anyone. Then Troy needed help with his free throws so of course he had to spend the afternoon at the Boltons'. Then he had to mow the lawn-
"Chad." Mrs. Danforth fixed him with a deliberate look and settled a hand on her hip. "You expect me to believe that you actually want to do chores?"
"I'm a considerate guy!"
But another silent glare resigned him to the fact that he could not run away forever. It wasn't fair on Taylor, or Sharpay, and if he cared about them he would give them what they had a right to- the truth.
Chad knocked on the door of the McKessie house that Sunday evening and tucked his hands into his jean pockets. A few seconds later it swung open to reveal a plump, smiling woman with thick black braids. Said woman's smile faded quick when her eyes fell on Chad.
"Hey, Mrs. McKessie." He attempted a grin of familiarity.
She nodded. "Chad."
"Uh…is Taylor here? Could I talk to her for a second please?"
Mrs. McKessie rested a hand on her hip and another on the doorknob.
"Well, I hope it takes more than a second for you to explain your attitude towards her."
Chad tried to speak, then hesitated, wondering if he should apologize, or explain his plight. He ended up gaping like a fish until Mrs. McKessie called back into the house:
"Tay, sweetheart? Your…Chad is here." She gave him one last look for good measure before moving back into the house. Chad's chest tightened as he waited. No turning back now.
After what felt like an hour Taylor emerged on the doorstep, closing the door behind her. Chad greeted her feebly and she folded her arms tight.
"How was Lava Springs?"
His shoulders hunched as he gazed at her sneakers. "I can explain that…"
"I don't want you to explain that," she muttered. "I want you to tell me now if there is something going on between you and Sharpay Evans."
Chad looked up, mute. Under the bright porch light he saw her eyes glisten and felt his own sting. He loved her. She was his friend. But there was no way of not hurting her now.
"Tay…" He couldn't bring himself to go on.
She stood motionless for a minute before: "Oh."
"I'm sorry."
"For how long?"
"I don't know," he answered in truth. Looking back, Chad couldn't remember ever not loving Sharpay, even when he hated her. But no good could come from divulging that. "I just…I love her. And I love you but…"
Taylor hugged herself and slumped back against the door. "But not in the same way, right?"
He took a step up. "I tried to end it, I swear. I didn't want you to get hurt."
"And that's the only reason you stayed with me? So you wouldn't hurt me."
"It sounds bad when you say it like that."
She gave a high, strangled sort of laugh. "It's not bad. It's stupid. Because this might've hurt a lot less if you'd just been honest. And I wasted all this time with you when I could've…" She bit her lip, shook her head.
Chad stood in helpless silence for a moment, waiting for her to yell, hit him, anything but this.
"Please don't hate me, Taylor." He took her hand and it went limp in his grasp.
She sniffed and pulled away. "I have to hate you, Chad. Just for a little while." A tear dropped so rapidly he might have missed it were his eyes not trained on her face.
"I'm sorry." It was pitiful and useless and she seemed not to hear as she opened the door. Taylor retreated back into the house, mumbling a goodnight…
He drove his car further up the street and sat in the dark. After a while Chad picked up his phone and called the only person he wanted to talk to just then.
"I told her."
"And?"
"She hates me."
"She doesn't. She's hurt, that's all. Give her time…"
"The year's almost over, Sharpay."
"She'll be okay. You'll be okay. And I know you care about her and you don't want to lose her and stuff. But it's not up to you, is it? So just wait. And maybe…maybe we should keep our distance for a while."
"How long is a while?"
A pause. "I don't know. As long as it takes for her to be okay, I guess."
He exhaled hard. "I'm not sorry about us. That's the truth."
"I know. Love you…"
Sharpay hung up abruptly and Chad found himself murmuring into the dark, "Love you, too."
Sharpay
It was times like this when Sharpay wished she had bothered to build a solid group of friends outside the Drama Club. She was shamefully late in finding a dress and had to resort to shopping with her mother, dragging Ryan along as well.
The one good thing about having Mrs. Evans around was that she knew her garb, as well as designers, so it was no trouble finding a store that catered to their specific requirements, i.e big, poofy French gowns of the 1900s. The owner of this boutique, Francois Castel, seemed a dignified and professional man, with his stately figure, frameless spectacles and smooth bald head. That was until he got his hands on Sharpay's corset strings.
"Do I really need this, mother?" she wheezed as Francois tightened the cords of the pretty pink thing again. She stood on a little platform in front of a bunch of mirrors, Ryan and her mother plopped down in cushioned blue chairs behind her.
"Of course, sweetheart!" she trilled, sipping her Red Bull. "You need to squeeze in and push up the little that you have."
"C'est vrai," Francois murmured, giving one last tug.
Sharpay cocked an eyebrow at her new cleavage. "I can barely breathe! I'll be passing out the whole night."
"We 'ave ze smelling salts," he intoned. "Now. I shall go and brrring you ze robe!"
As she watched him strut out of the room, Sharpay was weighed down by the feeling that this was all in vain. She was currently dateless. Lee was pretending she didn't exist and Chad was doing the same, on her advice. Why had she given him such foolish counsel? Because she cared about what he cared about now. And Chad cared about Taylor's happiness. So there would be no pressure over Prom or announcing their 'relationship'. She never expected it to be easy…
"Oh, you'll look such a treat, darling," her mother cooed, causing both her children to roll their eyes.
"Do you have to be here, woman?" she spoke to the reflection. "You're not being particularly helpful."
Mrs. Evans gave her a grave look. "Sharpay, dearest. This is the last time I'll ever get to go dress-shopping with you. Except for your wedding. But who knows when that'll be! Besides, she continued, before Sharpay could remark. "I'm paying. So hush."
Sharpay groaned and hopped off her perch. "I'm going to talk to Francois about this bodice of death…"
This decision, Sharpay soon realized, was a bad one. For who should she see upon stepping out of the changing room but Gabbie and Taylor, each with a shopping bag in hand, smiling up at Francois. She thought of doubling back, but as she did so Taylor looked past the tailor to her. She froze. Sharpay froze. Gabriella froze. Francois chattered.
There was no backing down now. Sharpay advanced slowly in her too-tight corset and jeans, feeling vulnerable and panicky.
"Um…what are you two doing here?" Francois stopped his wild gesticulating and turned.
"Ms. Darbus mentioned it," Taylor muttered. "Said they have some beautiful stuff."
Sharpay bit her lip. All this civility was getting to her. "Yeah. They do…" And suddenly, she snapped. "Taylor, I am so sorry." She closed the space between them in few strides, clasping her hands in a humility that was alien to her. "I wasn't trying to hurt you or cause any trouble or…"
"Sharpay." She held up a hand to stop her. "I'd rather not talk to you right now."
"Oh. Okay." She felt injured somehow as she began to retreat, but Taylor fired up suddenly;
"What is it about you? What do you have over me?"
"Nothing!" She was compelled forward once more. "And if I were Chad I would pick you in a heartbeat."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sharpay nodded. Taylor scoffed and rolled her eyes. A pause. A painful pause. Francois coughed quietly.
"Erm…let me see to zat dress of yours, Sharpay."
And he left the trio to stare at each other.
"Tay," Gabbie murmured. "There's some cute stuff over there…" She gestured vaguely away.
Taylor nodded, paused, and then glowered at Sharpay once more.
"I'll be out of here in a minute."
"No. You were here first. But when we come back in an hour you'll be gone, won't you?"
Sharpay nodded, willing to submit to anything under such a gaze.
Taylor took a step forward and she stood her ground. "He says he loves you," she murmured. "If you hurt that boy…"
"I won't."
Taylor nodded. Sharpay nodded. The girls left and she retreated to the changing room with reddened cheeks.
"Taylor McKessie was here," she mumbled to Ryan's reflection, stepping back onto the platform. "You wanna go see her?"
She could tell what he wanted from the way he sat up. But he answered with a sound, "No. She doesn't need me hovering right now. Anyway…I wanna see your dress."
Sharpay smiled quietly as her mother inquired, "Duckie, do you like that brainy girl?"
"Yes. But she just ended a two-year relationship with the guy Sharpay is now dating."
"We're not dating," she sighed. "I don't know what we are right now."
"But you like him?"
"Love him."
Mrs. Evans paused a moment. "My Pay-Pay? In love? Maybe a wedding isn't too far off after all!" And she continued to sip her Red Bull.
There came another synchronized roll of the eyes as Francois swept in with the most gorgeous red dress Sharpay had ever seen…
Author's Note: So that's where they're at right now. It hasn't gotten any easier for these two, has it? Next chappie is Prom! Our story's coming to an end, folks! Hopefully a good one…