A/N: This chapter and the next one both aren't very long. However, you all might like this one a bit better because it's about the last of the sunny days for a while. Anyhoo, the peanut butter thing – I was eating peanut butter on celery (a.k.a ants on a log, only w/o the ants) while I was writing it so I thought: what the hay? However, I didn't mention the celery part thing in the story so if you're all going: wth with the peanut butter? u now know what they are eating (supposedly).
Chapter Twenty-Six: Loose Connections
"You should really call your parents," Ryan informed Troy when he returned, carrying two boxes towards Troy's Chevy. "They miss you more than you think." Troy looked down at his shoes before taking one of the boxes and loading it into the trunk. It was a depressing thought, packing things up. How much time did he have left until he started the drive to Berkeley? A week? He wasn't sure since he had been specifically avoiding the date when he and Ryan would have to drift apart. In fact, both were avoiding the inevitable as if the longer it went unsaid, the more time they'd get with each other.
"Thanks for getting my stuff, Ry," he said. Ryan dragged a few more boxes out of his truck before hauling them back to Troy's vehicle.
"I'm serious, Troy," he told him. "You've got to talk to them." Troy's jaw clenched, his attempt at diverting the subject not working too nicely for him.
"I already tried that, Ryan," he replied. "You know how that went."
"Well, your mom looks like a ghost and your dad's obviously missing you," Ryan retorted. "Just man up and call them."
"Well, if he did 'man up', Ryan, I'm sure he wouldn't have asked us to get his stuff," Sharpay said pointedly, coming around the car and situating herself to watching her brother move the boxes.
"What are you doing here?" Troy asked, an edge to his voice. Sharpay lifted one well-plucked blonde brow.
"Helping Ryan," she responded.
"I thought you two weren't talking," Troy said to the male twin.
"She's my sister, Troy," he explained. "We never stay mad at each other forever." Troy's expression suggested otherwise but Ryan refused to acknowledge it. Ryan grabbed the remaining boxes and handed them to Troy.
"Thanks again," he murmured as he took them and shut the hood of the Chevy. Ryan nodded.
"You still need to call them though," he said as they walked towards Sharpay. "They really miss you."
"You sure?"
Ryan nodded, taking his hand. "I'm sure."
Sharpay looked the two up and down as they neared.
"Look at you two and your dopey grins," she commented. "Troy, would you mind parking the Porsche in the shade?" She then tossed him the keys. He nodded, although he looked slightly puzzled as he started the car.
"You know, Shar, that's what the valet is for," Ryan reminded her.
"I know," she insisted. "I just wanted to talk to you a moment."
"Okay," he said smoothly, although his face remained guarded.
"You ever think of Luca anymore?" She wondered. An expression of discomfort crossed his eyes, the name basically igniting a spark.
"Not really," he answered honestly. "But sometimes I'll think about him. Although, Troy has been doing a pretty good job helping me move on." She nodded.
"I see that," she allowed. "He makes you…happy." He nodded.
"I guess," he said. "I like being around him. He makes me…" a smile touched his features, "normal." His sister gave him a quizzical glance at his soft expression. Whatever magic Troy was using, it was definitely making Ryan happier again. Any traces of the Ryan she saw at the beginning of the summer were long gone. And although she hated to admit it, Troy was probably a good investment for Ryan.
"You must really care about him," she commented. "Hopefully you guys will last a while." Ryan winced.
"That's the thing Shar, we can't," he told her. "Don't get me wrong, I do like what Troy and I have, but…it'll be done before we go our separate ways. Long distance just doesn't work, you know."
"So you worked this hard for the relationship you have now, and you're going to throw it all away?" She asked in disbelief. "You're just going to break his heart and return to Julliard with a smile on your face?" Ryan didn't agree or deny her statements, although that response just confirmed what she already knew. "I see the way he looks at you Ryan, and you're going to destroy him. If you thought Luca was painful for you, then expect another round. And I think that somewhere in there, you know it too." She shook her head and walked away, heels clicking behind her.
"Shar," he called after her. But as was typical with Sharpay: she ignored him.
x x x Xx x x
As their laughter died down, Ryan's face grew a bit more serious. "Can we talk?" He inquired, setting down the peanut butter. Troy's face still glowed with contentment.
"Sure," he allowed. "What's up, Ryan?" He moved himself a bit closer. Ryan bit his tongue nervously, hating himself for trying to broach the topic of their eventual departure. The worst part was that he had a difficult time convincing himself to go through with it. Oh how he hated when Sharpay was right.
"You've got peanut butter on your face," he announced instead, a smile gracing his features ever so slightly. As Troy tried to find it, Ryan dug out another blob of Skippy and smeared it over Troy's pretty face.
The brunette shook his head in disbelief.
"You will pay Ryan Evans," he threatened, grabbing their shared jar. "Prepare to die." He took his own knife and plastered the thick substance onto his face as well. Satisfied with his revenge, Troy sat back and wiped the peanut butter off his own face.
"Well," Ryan remarked. "That was the lousiest revenge you've ever done."
"That's 'cause I wasn't trying," he replied, sitting back. A few seconds passed before he spoke up again. "You know, I thought about what you said. About my parents and all."
"Really?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Maybe I'll call them later or something."
Ryan smiled at the slight relief. At least there'll be one thing he won't screw up.