Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter. You are also fabulous. Probably about 80% of this chapter is new material. It's time for some hard conversations.
Chapter 12: Conversations You Wish You Could Get Out Of
Evening September 19, 2008
She was not angry at the fact Josh ditched her on their date. Despite the fact she was already contemplating leaving herself, Sharpay was just a bit hurt that he ditched her despite not actually liking Josh. Sharpay preferred to be the one doing the ditching. Sharpay couldn't help but wondered what it was about her that made people leave.
She was also still annoyed that Ryan hasn't texted her back yet. It's still an okay time in New York because her date went bad early. At least Sharpay will have more time to hang out with Chad tonight. She was about to call for a taxi when she noticed the black Lexus with the Shar II license plate parked out front.
She remembered that Kim was going to distract Chad by the two of them taking Alex to Pizza Village. Pizza Village was located across the hallway from the House of Games. She had a feeling that Josh's decision to change their date may have had a little help from a particular curly-haired basketball player. She should be angry at Chad, but she wasn't because at least this way, Sharpay now had a ride home.
She quickly got her keys out of her purse and got into the car. If she wasn't so upset, she would probably join Kim, Alex, and Chad at Pizza Village. She didn't feel like playing more games with small children.
Sharpay considered calling her therapist to talk about her inadequacies as a girlfriend. However, Sharpay didn't want to risk ruining her therapist's evening for something so trivial. Sharpay was going to only use those after-hours Friday therapist phone calls for emergencies, and this didn't quite meet that threshold. This was nothing like two weeks ago.
Her second thought was to call up her ex-boyfriends and figure out why they left her. She is still not speaking to Zeke. There was no way she would ever talk to Malick voluntarily. Besides, sexual assault was an automatic relationship killer.
Therefore, Sharpay decided to call the only guy that she was actually willing to talk to. Not that she actually dated him. It was more like a crush that was never reciprocated. But it wouldn't hurt to know why it couldn't be returned. She quickly pulled out her phone and call Troy.
"Hi Sharpay, aren't you supposed to be on a date right now?" Troy asked.
"Yes, unfortunately, he ditched me at the mall."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Apparently, Kim and Chad came to this mall to entertain Alex. So at least I don't have to take a cab home. I decided to sit in my car in the mall parking lot and figure out why people do stupid things. Because you are the only ex I have that I'm still on speaking terms with, I decided to call you to figure out why no one loves me."
"We'd never really dated Sharpay. I don't even think we've actually kissed outside of the play." This only ended up happening because Troy was the only person she felt comfortable kissing, even while performing.
"I know it was always an unreciprocated crush on my part. If we did ever get together, I probably wouldn't be speaking to you either right now. You would have slept with Gabriella behind my back." Sharpay lamented.
"You know I would never do anything like that if we were in a relationship together." Troy tried to reassure her.
"You're a good person Troy Bolton. You're not with Gabby right now, are you?" Sharpay asked.
"She had a sorority commitment. I was supposed to go with my friends to a hip-hop version of Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, Yolanda got the dates mixed up. We are watching someone throw balloons filled with paint on a canvas. I rather talk to you, then be in there." It was nice to know that somebody preferred spending time with her.
"You're getting really involved with the arts. Although I cannot believe that shy Gabriella is joining a sorority. I'm not joining a sorority, although I am not a sorority person." Darby wanted her to join one, but Sharpay just didn't have the energy.
"She is not that shy anymore. It's like Gabriella is an entirely different person now; she seems very manic. I don't think all the behavior differences are because her mom is in New York now. You know how she likes to belong within a group. Gabby has this new friend Mercedes, and I already feel like she is a horrible influence. I'm worried, but she doesn't listen to me. " Troy remarked.
"I know. I've seen the pictures. Do you have to keep sending me pictures of your girlfriend's breasts? My breasts are so much better than hers." Troy responded by laughing.
"Sharpay, you are not a sorority person. You wouldn't make it through rush without beating up one of the girls."
"I'm just not good at taking orders." Sharpay joked.
"You're much better at giving them."
"So, back to the question, why couldn't you love me?" Sharpay wasn't letting Troy get out of answering this question. She needed to know what was wrong with her.
XXXX
The server just brought their food, and Chad knew that Kim would have to come back to the table. As soon as he asked her the question, she ran away, saying something about Alex wanting to play in the ballroom. Chad knew it was just an excuse to avoid his question. She probably would have stayed out there all night if little Alex did not run for the table when he saw the food. Alex was definitely Troy's kid.
Kim sat down and started to cut the pizza into little pieces for Alex to eat. She was doing her best to ignore him.
"So, are you finally ready to answer my question?" Chad asked, not letting her get out of this.
"Not really. How did you figure it out? I didn't exactly give you any clues." Kim asked.
"It was easy, once I stopped assuming my best friend was still a virgin. Alex looks so much like Troy; it's ridiculous. Alex also acts like Troy did when he was little. I have known Troy since the day after I was born. I think what was hard to accept was Troy just isn't the type of person to have a random one-night stand. I know he had a crush on you, but…"
"And that crush was reciprocated. We were secretly dating for most of Troy's sophomore year."
That fact shocked him more than anything else. How could Troy hide something like that from him for months? Chad told Troy everything, including Jamie and Ryan. He terrified Troy would hate him for not being straight, but he told Troy anyway. Doesn't Chad deserve the same courtesy?
"Why didn't he tell me?" Chad didn't mean to say that out loud.
"You know how jealous you get every time he was with somebody new. He told me all about the winter musical incident. Remember how bad the social apartheid was during your sophomore year? If the star basketball player and the drama girl got together, things would completely fall apart. Not to mention, I'm more than two years older than him. It's okay for a senior boy to date a sophomore girl. However, no one could take it if it was the other way around. Double standard suck."
Unfortunately, he knew she was right. It was part of the reason why Taylor doesn't know that he still just 17.
"They really do. I understand why you wouldn't want to go public. I can respect that decision. However, why didn't you guys tell me? I acknowledge I probably would've acted like a spoiled five-year-old at first. However, eventually, I would've understood and been the most supportive friend ever."
"You understand now because you're not who you were when you were a sophomore. You have grown up a lot in these last two and a half years. You understand that love has no common sense and cares nothing about social standing. I don't think you could understand what love was back then." Probably not until the Jamie incident, at least.
"Sometimes, I don't think he understood it. But I know that he loved me."
"You loved him, and he loved you?" Chad asked, even though he was sure he knew the answer.
"Yes, I love Troy. Even now, after everything. You don't seem as shocked as I thought you would be," Kim remarked.
"I've been thinking a lot about basketball camp 2006 lately, and I remember what a mess Troy was. It wasn't just a crush. He really loves you?"
"Definitely back then. Part of me thinks he still does. He told me he did a couple of weeks ago. I just don't think he will ever forgive me." Kim confessed.
"Did you leave when you found out you were pregnant?" Chad remembered how distracted Troy was during June of his sophomore year after Kim left school early for some honors program in New York.
"No, his mom found out we were sleeping together. She threatened to never let Troy play basketball again, along with threatening to send me to jail for statutory rape if I didn't leave immediately. I couldn't let her hurt him. I had to go. I loved him so much, but I didn't have a choice. " He passed her a tissue as she started to cry.
"But, you're less than three years older than Troy? Lucy couldn't throw you in jail for statutory. Also, Jack would've filed for divorce before letting Lucy do that to Troy, and my mom would've helped him file the paperwork." They just had that type of friendship.
"I don't know about Jack, but I didn't know about New Mexico's actual statutory laws until your girlfriend sent me the email that your mom sent her. By the way, your mom wanted to let Sharpay know that it was legal for her to have sex with you but to use protection."
"I'm mortified but not surprised. Sometimes it's good to have a mom that is a lawyer."
"My biological mom Zhēn Cáo is a Sociopath, so I don't think it would help me. I'm fully aware that I acted like a scared 18-year-old who really should've consulted a lawyer but didn't think to at the time. Plus, all the stuff with Richard just happened, so I wasn't making the best choices."
"I can understand why you believe Lucy, though. She's very intimidating." And she really hated Chad and his mom for reasons that Chad never understood.
"Anyway, during the summer session at the University of Manhattan, I passed out in one of my classes. That is when I found out I was three months pregnant. I was terrified. I actually did try to call Troy, but all the numbers were different. I was too afraid of Lucy's threats to try harder. I was alone."
"Were you really all alone? At the very least, you had Sharpay. Also, I know you're friends with Ryan too. What about your parents?" Chad asked.
"Actually, at the time, I wasn't that close to Ryan. That didn't happen until his post-baseball seduction incident freak out. So I actually have you to thank for our friendship." Kim smiled at him.
"A lot of good friendships came out of that incident. I don't think I could've survived my parents' divorce, and Troy ditching me for Berkeley without Ryan."
"I'm glad things ended up the way they needed to. I didn't actually have Sharpay's support either during the pregnancy. The Richard incident just happened, and I didn't want to burden her, which is why I didn't even tell her I was pregnant until after I gave birth. Shar was such a mess. You did not see her after it first happened. She couldn't even let Ryan hug her."
"Ryan told me. Sharpay finally told him what happened the Saturday after the welcome back dance fiasco. He was also hurt that Shar didn't confide in him at the time." Now that Ryan knew, the two of them talked a lot about the signs they missed.
"I don't think she was ready to until recently, and even that took your help. She couldn't deal with people right after. It's why she spent the whole summer traveling with her dad. Vince knew, but Darby didn't. It was better that way."
"I'm getting the impression that Vince is the parent that actually cares."
"About the right things anyway. As for my parents, my dad is just starting to talk to me again without going through Vanessa. That wretched woman who gave birth to me, Zhēn, still hates me and will not acknowledge my child because he's half White. She forgot she married a man who is a first-generation Korean American. But it's okay in her mind because at least he is Asian." Kim sighed in frustration.
"Actually, Alex may only be like 1/3 white. Troy does have some Native American and Mexican American ancestry in there somewhere.
"Still not Asian. Zhēn told me to get an abortion. When I said no, she used my trust fund to force me to give Alex up for adoption. My stepmom and some of her family were the only once who stood by me. Vanessa even found a way to get my trust fund restored, which is why I'm not going to college, working fulltime, and taking care of a child this semester."
"Just two of those three things, which is still enough," Chad remembered everything his mom went through when she went back to law school. "Why did you decide to keep the baby? Especially with everyone pressuring you to give up."
"I loved Alex from the moment I knew of his existence. He is my baby, and I would do everything in my power to protect Alex, even from Zhēn. Also, I didn't want to lose the last thing that connected me to the person I love the most. As long as Alex is with me, I knew that at least one time in my life, I was really in love." Kim was actually crying at this point.
"Yet, you couldn't tell Troy about Alex." Chad passed Kim a napkin to wipe away her tears. "Yes, you mentioned that the numbers were changed, but I know you're in contact with Troy again now."
"Ryan gave me his phone number and email address, so we could enlist his help in getting your head out of your ass when it comes to Sharpay. It was hard enough dealing with his crush falling in love with his sister. He needed backup." At Kim's words, Chad realized how awkward of a situation he put Ryan in.
"That means that at any point, you could have asked Ryan or Sharpay for Troy's phone number. But you didn't."
"I know. Troy was just 16 when Alex was born. I knew he wasn't ready to be a dad. I was barely prepared for motherhood. If I tell Troy about Alex, it will change everything. This is a truth that will change Troy's life. Everybody comes to a point in their life where they have to confess a truth that will alter everything. Yet the thought of admitting that truth terrifies you because you know that once the truth is out there, nothing will ever be the same again." He understood what she was saying.
"I get it. You're aware of basketball camp 2006."
"Yet, I heard you told Blaise that your bi. Congratulations."
"Honestly, it feels good for that truth to be out there. At the same time, that feels like a little secret compared to the bigger truth I'm sitting on right now," Chad confessed.
"And what truth is that? That you love Sharpay or that you don't love Taylor?" His eyes went wide at Kim's question. Why does she know him so well already?
"I will take that as a yes. You don't love Taylor. Even her little brother knows that. You are just too afraid to tell her."
"I realized that we're not as close as we should be. We don't talk to each other. Maybe it's a bad sign that I tell my roommate I am bisexual before my girlfriend." Chad confessed.
"A very bad sign. The situation is probably made worse by the fact you fell in love with Sharpay."
"I trust Sharpay. I feel comfortable telling her the truth about my screwed up family and everything that happened at basketball camp 2006. This includes the fact I'm now reluctant to start a real relationship because of how badly things with Jamie ended. My heart was never in it with Taylor. I get that now." Chad explained.
"Yet, despite that reluctance, you fell head over feet for Sharpay. You don't know how it happened because you were supposed to hate her. Trust me, I get it. I didn't start tutoring Troy to fall in love with him. It just happened."
"How did we get to this point?" Chad asked. "You are too afraid to tell Troy that the two of you have a child together. I'm too scared to tell Taylor that I don't love her and never really did because I got burned too badly by my first boyfriend."
"Do you think that you loved Jamie?"
"Almost, but as the song goes, almost doesn't count. I think it could've ended that way if he actually returned any of my phone calls or emails after leaving the basketball camp bubble. I think I was afraid of trying again after that, and Taylor was safe. A lot safer than Ryan, at least. I'm terrified of telling Taylor that."
"I think she'll understand eventually." Kim grabbed his hand in reassurance.
"How do I tell Taylor that I'm starting to fall in love with Sharpay? More importantly, how do I tell her that I feel like Sharpay is worth risking my heart for?" That was the first time he ever admitted that he may be in love with Sharpay.
"I'm not sure, but we can't keep quiet anymore. I understand that you're scared because I'm terrified. I'm scared that Troy will completely reject Alex and me." Kim confessed.
"He won't do that. He will be scared, but he will set up and help you with Alex." Chad tried to reassure Kim.
"You don't know that," Kim argued.
"Yes, I do. Trust me. Let's make a deal. I will tell Taylor the truth when she comes to visit in October. But only if you will tell Troy when he comes for Thanksgiving in November?" Even if Kim says no, he knows he's going to have to have this conversation with Taylor anyway. The relationship was over. Honestly, it never was really there.
"Deal. What are you going to do about Sharpay?" Kim asked.
"The first thing I'm going to do is go scare off her date. I'll figure out where to go from there." Chad wasn't entirely sure how he would handle the situation with Sharpay, but he knew he wouldn't run this time. You rarely get a third chance in life.
"I don't think you'll need to do that anymore," Kim said as she pointed to Joshua leaving the game center. That's one less thing to do.
XXXX
"You never ask easy questions, do you?" Troy asked as he started making his way out to the lobby of the theater where they were. Troy felt it would be best to be somewhere else for this conversation.
"Not really. I just want to know why I'm unlovable." That question broke Troy's heart. Troy wished he was in Albuquerque so he could hug her.
"You're not unlovable. You are full of love." Troy so that firsthand.
"Yes, I am. Name one person who loves me, not related to me by blood."
"Chad," Troy said the name without any hesitation whatsoever.
"He doesn't love me. He loves Taylor." Troy never heard Taylor's name said with so much venom before in his life. He chose to focus on the Taylor part because maybe he should not tell Sharpay something that she is not ready to hear.
"He told me he didn't love Taylor. Actually, he feels now that he chose Taylor because he wasn't ready for something that could become real after Jamie. He is just not sure how to tell Taylor that he never loved her."
"Why are you telling me this?" Sharpay asked.
"So you don't make the mistake I did," Troy explained. "The reason why things didn't work out between you and me is not that I didn't like you. I did like you; I just do not think I was ready to go into another real relationship. There was also the fact that I'm pretty sure that Chad was convincing me not to go after you because he had a crush on you already."
"Chad had a crush on me? Are you sure it wasn't a crush on Ryan?"
"It was probably on both of you." Sharpay snorted at that. "Chad did say you were cute," Troy said, editing out the mountain lion comment.
"That's sweet."
"If you and I would have gotten together, it would have been a real relationship that would be complicated and messy. With Gabriella, it was just this easy, simple thing. It was a friendship with occasional make out privileges. It was nothing like the relationship I had with… My first girlfriend." Because he knew Kim and Sharpay were best friends, he didn't feel like it was his place to tell her that he was with Kim. He would leave that to her.
"There was someone else before Gabriella? I thought the only real relationship you have ever had was with Gabriella? I don't remember you with anyone else unless this basketball camp of yours was coed? Did you have your own Jamie?"
"Not exactly because at least this person called me again, and I'm pretty sure girl X wasn't with me just to have sex," Troy explained. He decided it would probably be best to refer to Kim as girl X until Kim tells Sharpay the truth.
"That's already better than the Jamie incident." Not that it would be hard, Troy thought bitterly. Despite Kim leaving, Troy never doubted that she cared about him a little bit (after the first angry weekend anyway). She left Albuquerque because she loved him. Jamie just used Chad. If Troy ever saw that guy again, he would punch him out.
"When we were sophomores, I was secretly dating a female senior. No one knew about us because I knew we will both get so much crap for it, or at least she would. I did not even tell Chad." Troy explained.
"You know he's going to be mad when he finds out. You knew about Jamie and Ryan." Sharpay said pointedly.
"I know he's going to be pissed when he finds out. Anyway, I was completely in love with girl X, but she left me. At the time, I thought she left me because she didn't love me. I found out recently that she left to protect me. It does not matter because I'm stuck with Gabriella. I'm not even sure if I really love Gabriella or if I was making myself love her because I was afraid no one would ever really love me." He couldn't believe he was telling Sharpay these things. It must be the rum. Yolanda gave him the good stuff earlier.
"You and Chad are more alike than you think," Sharpay remarked. "You were both bitten by loved ones and now are afraid of real relationships, so you stay in fake ones that are not working."
"Pretty much."
"I thought it was bad going out on a date with another guy just to get over the one I cannot have."
'You can I have Chad, if you and Chad get over your intimacy issues,' However, Troy kept that thought to himself.
"You and I have some serious issues. Troy, you really shouldn't stay in a relationship just for the sake of staying in a relationship. Been there, done that, moved on. I think you should leave the sorority girl and go find the real love of your life— Whoever this girl X is."
"Sorry, I'm not telling you her name just yet," Troy said jokingly.
"You are almost as bad as Kim. She still will not tell me who Alex's father is." Wait, Alex is Kim's kid?
"So that story that the two of you told me a month ago was a complete lie?" Troy asked.
"Kim made us promise not to tell you. I don't know why it's not like you are the father. Even though I joke about the only reason why you're with Gabby is the sex, I know that's not true." As Sharpay continued speaking, Troy felt his chest tightening up. There could only be one reason why Kim asked Chad and Sharpay not to tell Troy about Alex. Alex had to be his son. However, he needed to be sure.
"Hey, Chad just found me in the car. I got to go." Before he could protest, she ended the call.
XXXX
After spotting Joshua, Chad spent the next 15 minutes looking for Sharpay. He looked in all her regular stores and couldn't find her. Chad decided to go outside to see if she was waiting for a taxi. Instead, he saw the brunette talking on her phone in her car.
"So how bad did your date go?" Chad asked as he got in the car with her.
"Very badly. Next time I only go out with you." Chad smiled at that. Maybe they were ready to finally stop lying to themselves. "I mean, I will only go out with you as a friend." Or not.
"I understand what you meant the first time Sharpay," Chad told her, kissing her cheek. "I want it that way too."
"So, did you have fun with Kim and the munchkin?" Sharpay asked as she placed her head on his shoulder.
"You know Pizza Village is so much more fun when you actually have a kid there. I saw you being ditched by your date, and I thought I would come to get you to hang out with us. Besides, Alex is a lot more fun than that idiot." Sharpay smiled at him.
"Thanks for the offer. I think I'll just stay here." She placed an arm around him. "I'm all comfortable now.
"I can call Kim and tell her to come to the car. Then we can drop her off. Afterward, you and me can head back to the mansion. I think you really want some puppy playtime." Chad suggested.
"I do love puppy time. I don't know why residents' life won't let me keep him in the dorms. He's so well behaved." Sharpay smiled at him.
"I knew that would cheer you up," Chad said as he went to kiss her on the cheek again. Instead, Sharpay accidentally moved slightly, and he ended up kissing her on the lips.
"I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to move," Sharpay said, blushing. He loved making her blush.
"That's okay. I think we are friends with kissing privileges. I mean, we did make out at a club last week just to irritate Penelope."
"That was fun. What will your girlfriend say about our arrangement?"
"I don't know. I guess we'll find out when I break up with Taylor in three weeks." He said, kissing her forehead.
"I guess we will," Sharpay said, lacing her fingers with his.
XXXX
Morning September 20, 2008
The good twin: so when are you finally going to break up with Taylor?
Chad: Probably October 10. Taylor will be coming home for her parents' 25th-anniversary party. It's better to do this in person.
The good twin: Wait, what? What happened?
Chad: I sabotaged your sister's date last night, and we decided to be friends with kissing privileges. If I'm going to keep kissing your sister, I need to break up with Taylor. Mainly because I realized I was only with Taylor because she was the safe choice.
The good twin: Finally, it only took five weeks.
Chad: Or 15 months depending on your point of view. I don't love Taylor. I don't think I could love Taylor.
The good twin: Okay.
Chad: And I think I knew that after the baseball seduction incident. I don't think I was emotionally ready for a replay of the Jamie incident. Despite the fact, I knew you wouldn't just be using me for blowjobs.
The good twin: I don't know how to reply to that. You still went back to Taylor even though you knew better. Why?
Chad: Because Taylor made it easier to be who I was supposed to be. Being with you would mean being myself. It would also mean dealing with what happened with Jamie when I was still trying to pretend it didn't happen. I wasn't ready for that. Mainly because the day that I kissed you was also the day that I found out my parents were getting divorced.
The good twin: Shit!
Chad: I wasn't lying when I said I needed for us to be friends because I needed another friend more than anything else at that moment. The talent show was a good distraction from what was actually happening at the time.
The good twin: You needed Ryan, the friend, more than Ryan, the boyfriend?
Chad: Yes. I also needed not to lose anyone else. Everything else was changing, and I needed things to not change.
Chad: I was a little worried about your sister hating me too. I'm not sure how to interpret that now.
The good twin: I wish you would have told me this stuff at the time. I had no idea all of that was happening.
Chad: No one did, not even Troy at the time. Although that was because he's hanging around with your sister. Which was also causing jealous emotions to surface all on its own. I wasn't sure who I was jealous of.
Chad: I was just going through a lot that summer that I couldn't process. So not being in love with my girlfriend or realizing that I was never going to fall in love with her was something I couldn't comprehend yet.
The good twin: Not until you kissed Sharpay?
Chad: Are you mad that I'm ready to let go for your sister but not you?
The good twin: No. Although part of that might be because it's my sister. I'm looking forward to Sharpay not having an asshole for a boyfriend. I want to break Richard's teeth.
Chad: I promise to hold Malick down while you're beating the shit out of him. I will do my best to be the best boyfriend your sister has ever had.
The good twin: Not that it would be that hard. Although if you hurt Sharpay, be aware that they'll never find your body.
Chad: I'm sure of that.
Chad: Things worked out in the long run. You're with Kelsi. How did your date go last night?
The good twin: I rather talk more about you choosing my sister over me. All the pink was a turn on, right?
Chad: That bad?
The good twin: She invited her roommate, Natasha, on our date.
Chad: Maybe she didn't know it was an actual date? Kelsi probably just thought it was a group thing. Amanda went with us clubbing last week.
The good twin: In her defense, you didn't even think that was a date last week.
The good twin: You don't go to one of the best restaurants in Manhattan for a group thing.
Chad: So am I supposed to tell you that this will all work out eventually or give you Zach's phone number from the basketball team? He looks a lot like me except maybe not falling for your sister.
Chad: I actually have a picture of him all sweaty and shirtless. Sharpay took it last weekend. She sent it to my mom, who jokingly suggested a DNA test. I hope she was joking, anyway.
The good twin: I'm not sure yet but send the picture anyway.
The good twin: I thought you hated all your teammates?
Chad: I only despise the heterosexual teammates. I'm surrounded by homophobic jealous misogynistic pricks. They zap all my energy.
The good twin: Yesterday, you blamed your lack of energy on the roommate.
Chad: Because I can't even sleep in my own bed most days. His girlfriend is there all the time, and she propositioned me for a threesome yesterday. I should've never told Blaise I'm bisexual.
The good twin: ROFLMAO
The good twin: Did you tell Sharpay about that?
The good twin: No, because I'm not suicidal. Although that's part of the reason why I suggested we stay at the mansion this weekend. Amanda said they were fornicating again in the common room last night.
The good twin: I don't think you were that upset about having an excuse for another sleepover with Sharpay. Also, don't give me details, at least not until you officially break up with Taylor.
The good twin: Actually, never give me details. It's too weird.
Chad: Just three weeks to break up day. Suggestions? I've never actually broken up with anyone before. Jamie just ghosted me.
The good twin: I know you can do this. Just be honest with Taylor. She deserves the truth.
The good twin: Also, I think you should tell her about Jamie.
Chad: You might be right about that.
XXXX
Ryan: Sorry, I didn't text you last night. I had my own god awful date. Kelsi invited Natasha to come with us.
Sharpay: So sorry, baby brother. I'm sure you made good use of the massage oil when you got back to the room by yourself. Just don't think of my boyfriend.
Sharpay: I mean Chad.
Ryan: I got that the first time.
Ryan: I heard you had a breakthrough last night.
Sharpay: We are no longer in denial regarding our feelings for each other.
Ryan: Which is good.
Sharpay: But Chad doesn't want to break up with Taylor over the phone. So October 10 is going to be B-day. I just know this is going to backfire spectacularly.
Ryan: Possibly, but I understand why Chad would insist on doing it in person.
Sharpay: Are you mad at me?
Ryan: For spending the last five weeks in complete denial about your feelings for Chad? No. It was kind of entertaining. Extremely frustrating, but it also got my mind off of classes and things being weird with Kelsi.
Sharpay: Is it better or worse than extreme Darby training?
Ryan: About the same, which kind of worries me.
Sharpay: This really shouldn't surprise either of us.
Ryan: No, it shouldn't.
Sharpay: I mean, are you mad about me and Chad getting together? I know about your crush and the kissing.
Ryan: It's okay.
Sharpay: Is it?
Ryan: I love you. You are my best friend. I want you to be happy, but more importantly, I want you to be with somebody that can appreciate you. It makes me feel better knowing you're with someone that won't pull a Malick again.
Sharpay: This is true. I love you too. It's too early for you to make me cry. I just did my makeup.
Ryan: It's only fair because I'm crying too right now. Maybe some people aren't meant to be together. Perhaps they're only meant to be good friends. I think Chad needed me as a friend more than as his boyfriend.
Sharpay: Chad did tell me that he wouldn't have survived his parents' divorce without you.
Sharpay: I kind of think something similar happened with Troy and me. We had a long talk last night. Apparently, Troy chose Gabriela over me because it would have been real between us. Troy wasn't ready for a real relationship because he was in love with someone else and has been since he was a sophomore.
Ryan: Then, we made the right decision. There was another Troy Bolton girlfriend? How did I not know anything about this?
Sharpay: Yes, and Troy won't tell me who. Although I'm totally asking Chad if Troy had a crush on anybody during our sophomore year. Troy said Chad didn't know, but Chad would have picked up on something.
Ryan: It's very easy to miss the obvious signs sometimes. Especially when you're too close to a situation.
Ryan: Look, you don't need to feel guilty because you are the one who got the guy. Sharpay, I promise I'll be okay. I'm happy for my big sister. I'll find my Prince Charming eventually.
Sharpay: I'm going to be a good sister and just avoid that last line. At least until you break up with Kelsi. You deserve better.
Ryan: Thank you.
Sharpay: Besides, I already feel guilty enough. I stole Taylor's boyfriend. Everybody in high school accused me of taking Troy from Gabriela, and I actually stole Chad.
Ryan: I feel like you got the upgrade here.
Sharpay: This is true.
Ryan: But you have to realize there were cracks in the foundation of that relationship before you and Chad started to get close. This break-up isn't about you. It's about what Chad needs.
Sharpay: That's an excellent way to look at it.
Sharpay: Would it look weird if I send her a chocolate apology gift basket now?
Ryan: Wait until after the break-up, and we can send one jointly.
Sharpay: You're a good brother.
Ryan: I'm trying to be. I just want you to be happy.
Sharpay: I'm trying. I want you to be happy too.
XXXX
Ryan: So I heard from both my sister and Chad that they are together. Chad will be officially breaking up with Taylor in October.
Kim: Chad and I made a deal last night. He will break up with Taylor if I tell Alex's daddy about his existence. I'm willing to do anything for the cause.
Ryan: So how are you planning to break the news to Troy?
Kim: You know?
Ryan: It's very easy to put the pieces together when you're good at listening. You may need to tell Sharpay sooner rather than later. Troy told her about this girl he was in love with sophomore year. Since Chad already told me about Troy's giant crush on you his sophomore year, it wasn't that hard to put the pieces together.
Ryan: You were also a little too eager about getting Troy's new phone number.
Kim: Point. Chad already figured it out, too, because Alex has the same allergies as Troy. I've been told never to give Alex strawberries. I promise I will tell Sharpay after I tell Troy. He should know first.
Ryan: I won't say anything to Sharpay, but I think it would be horrible if she found out by accident. Remember, I am the understanding twin.
Kim: Good point.
To be continued
So this was a very different chapter from the original version lots of new material. Which is why the original version had to be cut into two parts.
Thank you to Constance for helping me choose the name for Kim's mom in this new story.
Constance is the translator on my I Hope You Have Unlimited Text Message series. However, she has graciously helped me with multiple stories when I need help related to the Chinese language or culture. She will be advising me on the story to make the Cáo family more vivid than they were the first time around. I didn't even remember giving the family a last name in the first version of the story. Which shows you how underdeveloped they were. I finally discovered it again when I was going over the Thanksgiving arc, but it was very generic. So I'm going with what we've developed together.