Hello yet again! I think Mya's ok now...
But we're going on strike and writing only gay ships
(It was Kaitlyn's idea) Anyways, Chapter 5:
The Thing About Friends
The next day, Zeke was in the locker room putting on his clothes. The biggest rule to follow when doing this is always look forward and never watch your fellow man get dressed. This was a little awkward for Zeke since the guy who's locker in next to him Liam Green loves to ask Zeke questions like, "Where'd you get those boxers?" Zeke used to get a little creeped out, but he's used to it, so he answers Liam like, "From the store dude."
But today, when Liam asked to borrow some lotion, Zeke's phone fell out his pocket. Liam noticed. "Dude, you dropped your ph-"
"Keep away!" Chad exclaimed. Even though he's changed since he's gotten with Taylor, he's still a fucking nuisance sometimes. He picked Zeke's phone up and threw it to James Garza, who was on the other side of the locker room. "Haha, nice catch!" He laughed when James caught it.
"Dude, give me my phone back." Zeke groaned.
"No way!" James cackled.
Liam stepped to Zeke's defense. "Yo! Shithead! Give Zeke's phone back to him."
"How took Zeke's phone?" Jason asked as he walked in the locker room James threw the phone to him, and when he did, it buzzed. Jason looked at the screen. "You have a text from Ryan Evans." He said. Zeke's heart dropped.
"Oooh!" Everyone said. James took the phone and started to read in a terrible Ryan impression. "Hewo Zeke! Thanks for teaching me how to bake a few days ago. I bought some stuff to make upside down cake! It's my favorite! Can you teach me today or tomorrow?" He read. "You've been hanging out with that guy?! Hahahahaha!"
All the other Wildcats joined in the laughter as Zeke's face felt hot. Just then, Troy Bolton walked in. "What's everybody laughing about in here?" He asked when he got all the way in.
"Zeke is hanging out with Ryan Evans!" Jason laughed. "He's teaching him to make upside down cake!"
"Guys, check this!" James said, looking at Zeke's phone still. "Ryan: I'll be over at 4:30, ok? Zeke: Ok. Ryan: See you then!" He looked up and pointed at the screen. "And there's a wittle wink face!" He showed the team and they laughed harder.
"Some friends you guys are." Zeke mumbled, snatching his phone out of James' hand. "I'm leaving now."
"Dude, are you ok?" Troy asked him before he could leave.
"I'm fine." Zeke said, putting his hoodie on. He left the locker room and silently walked down the hallway. Well, now he knew what would happen if he came out to his friends: They would laugh in his face. This was probably how Troy felt when he wanted to be with Gabriella, but everyone was tearing him down. Zeke should have helped Troy because he was a little hurt too when his friends went all bonkers over the fact baking is his passion.
As he turned the corner, he saw Ryan talking to Gabriella, Taylor, Martha, and Kelsi. He tried to turn around without him seeing him, but.. Ryan noticed him anyway. "Zeke!" He exclaimed.
The butterflies are awake again. "Ryan's here! Ryan's here! Ryan's here!" They're chanting as they start doing cartwheels. But Zeke has to keep his cool. "Hi." He waved.
"I'll catch up with you guys later." He said to the girls as they start to walk away. Ryan walked up to Zeke and smiled. "Hey! I was wondering if you know how to make upside down cake."
"Yeah..." Zeke replied, looking around to make sure his 'friends' weren't around. "Yeah, I can make upside down cake. Why?"
"I want to learn!" Ryan said happily. "Can you teach me how?"
"Why do you want to learn so bad?" Zeke asked, noticing one of his teammates walking past holding hands with a girl.
"Because it's fun." Ryan answered. He looked down at his shoes. "And I like hanging out with you..."
Zeke looked at him in surprise. "You do?"
Ryan shrugged. (Is it Zeke's imagination, or is he blushing?) "I just think you're really sweet and stuff..."
Zeke's heart sped up. "You... you think I'm sweet?"
Now Zeke knew for sure Ryan was blushing. "Y-yeah." Ryan stuttered. "I think you're nice t-too."
"O-k..." Zeke said, not sure if this is love, or an awkward situation in which two teenage boys have a conversation on how sweet they are. "Um... you're sweet and all, but I don't think..." He couldn't say what he was thinking: We can't be together. Nobody will approve. "I mean, thank you." Is what he actually said.
"So can you teach me to bake upside down cake?" Ryan asked.
Zeke thought about it. If he keeps hanging out with Ryan, the guys will find out about his crush on him. Then his family. Most of all, his parents. He can't let that happen. He almost said no. Almost. In fact, Ryan is Mr. Ocean Eyes... "Sure!" Zeke said happily.
Ryan smiled. "Cool! Today?"
Zeke nodded. "Sounds good." His stomach butterflies cheer. "Hooray for Zeke!"
"Ok." Ryan said still smiling like he won an award. "I'll see you later." He walked away.
Now Zeke wasn't confused. He only had one thing on his mind: Hanging out with Ryan Evans.
After School...
Instead of Ryan coming to Zeke's house, Zeke is going to Ryan's house. "Wait... All That is on?! Tell me what happens or if it's funny!" Zeke exclaimed.
"Of course it's going to be good." Zara said, who was visiting. "It has Kel Mitchell's fine ass on it." She smiled at the screen. "Momma likey."
"You're gross!" Makayla and Zion Jr. laughed.
Zeke shook his head with a smile and walked out the house. When he got to the Evans Mansion, he gasped in awe. "Whoa. This is your house? You like... live here?!"
Ryan nodded and smiled his big happy 'I'm glad you're here!' smile. "Yup. Ever since we moved here in 5th grade. you probably don't remember that, but we did." Zeke remember that day all too well. "So, I googled the ingredients to making upside down cake. Can you make strawberry?"
Zeke smirked. "I can make anything." He replied in a flirty voice.
"Can you now?" Ryan said in a flirty tone too.
"Cookies, Crème Brulee, cake, brownies, you name it, I can make it." Zeke bragged. He's turning on his charm. (Idea from Zara)
Ryan smiled up at him adoringly. "I know you're talented and all, but if I could bake, I would bake way better than you." He's turning on his charm too, but with a fierce (sexy) twist.
"Oh yeah?" Zeke laughed. "But you can't bake yet."
"Yet!" Ryan repeated. "You said yet. You still have to teach me how to bake."
Zeke nodded. "True... but I think it would be unfortunate if I taught you incorrectly..."
Ryan joke fully nudged him in the arm. "Don't you dare Zeke Baylor."
"I wont. I shalt show thine mercy." Zeke said with a funny accent.
Ryan laughed and turned to him. "Are you going to show me how to bake or what?"
"Right, right, right..." Zeke said, giggling.
They spent the rest of the time joking around with each other while baking an upside down cake. It all went nice, even the part when you had to flip the pan. The cake came out perfectly, and it was delicious. They let Mr. and Mrs. Evans have a piece.
"Oh my goodness!" Mrs. Evans exclaimed when she took a bite using a fancy fork. "This is so good!"
"My my, indeed!" Mr. Evans agreed.
"Zeke and I made it!" Ryan told them.
"Oh, Zeke!" Mrs. Evans stood up. "You are a baking genius! Way better than that guy I hired to make Ryan and Sharpay's birthday cake last year. What was his name again?" She thought about it. "Umm... Phillip! There it is. Phillip."
Zeke smiled. "Thank you ma'am."
"Don't call me ma'am, call me mom!" She exclaimed.
"Mom?" Zeke asked as he noticed Ryan's face turn red.
"Yeah." Mrs. Evans answered. "Sharpay told Ryan that he could have y-"
"Oh, look at the time!" Ryan interrupted. "We have to get going! Bye-bye mommy!" They both walked away and back into the kitchen. "Sorry about my mom. She's kind of weird." He shook his head as he put the flour away.
"That's ok." Zeke said. "I think she's nice actually." He put away the rest of the stuff. "So do you think you like making cookies or upside down cake more?" He asked Ryan.
"Upside down cake was fun." Ryan answered. "And maybe one day you can teach me how to make icing in a blender without a mess." He joked. Zeke laughed, then Ryan did.
Just then, Sharpay walked in. "What the fuck are you two doing?!" She asked.
"He's teaching me how to bake." Ryan said smoothly.
Sharpay looked from him to Zeke and back again. "No, I'm asking, Why the fuck are you too hanging out so much? What's the deal with that?" She pointed at Zeke. "You're my boyfriend, yet you hang out with my brother more than you hang out with me!" She looked like she had a realization. "Omg, do you like Ryan?!"
Zeke's heart was running and he would be absolutely fine with passing out right now. The butterflies in his stomach were having a nervous breakdown. "They know! Repent! They knooooooow!" He didn't say anything, but thankfully, his phone rung. "I got to take this..." He walked outside and sat on the porch. The call was from his mom. Thank god for her perfect timing. "Hello?"
"Boy, where the hell are you?" His mom asked.
"At a friend's house." He answered.
"Oh." Zeke's mom said. "When you get home, finish your homework."
"Already did." Zeke told her. He has to make sure he's always doing his work so he doesn't get kicked off the team. "I'm on my way home right now ok?" Zeke's mom made a hum noise. "Bye mom. See you in a few." He hung up and pressed his ear against the door. He couldn't hear anything.
That was until Ryan opened the door. "Hey." He said.
Zeke jumped, but kept his cool. "Oh, hey dude."
Ryan sat next to him. "I think Sharpay was overreacting." He whispered. "It's ok if we hang out. Nobody should really care." He patted Zeke's shoulder which sent chills through his body. "I enjoy hanging out with you and that's all that matters, ok?"
Zeke smiled as his butterflies swooned. "He's so nice..." He nodded slowly. "Ok." Was this finally it? Was this the part in the movie where the main character's crush realizes that they liked her/him all along? Was this the part where Zeke would finally get the boyfriend he's been wanting for years now? Was this the part where he could come out to everyone, but have Ryan by his side for comfort?
"Ryan, mom needs you." Sharpay said as she swung the door open out of nowhere.
"Oh, um... coming." Ryan said. He waved good-bye to Zeke and walked in the house.
Zeke's dad's car pulled up a few minutes later. "How are you?" He asked Zeke once he got in the car.
"Good." Zeke answered, thinking about how fun it was to hang out with Ryan and have a moment with him too. "I'm really good."
To be continued...