Thank you to everybody who read or left kudos for the last chapter. I adore you all. I actually started working on this chapter on Black Friday, 2020. Although I didn't finish because this chapter contains very little of the original material.
Like I did earlier, I reduced the original material back to an outline and rewrote accordingly. I also decided to move a lot of these events to Friday. Now that I have a decade of writing experience, I realize that I wrote way too much happening on Thanksgiving itself. It would make sense that a lot of the stuff would happen the next day. It takes a while to check somebody into the hospital.
Also, in 2015, I had my own Thanksgiving hell week. I had two family members die within seven days of each other around the holiday, which necessitated an emergency flight. That experience made me re-examine many of the things in the story and one of the reasons I've chosen to rewrite it.
I made the conscious decision for Ryan to know about Darby's abuse, Kelsey's relationship with Natasha, and Malick sexually assaulting his sister before we get to this point. That really changed Ryan's interactions with everyone for the rest of the weekend. All of that had to be rewritten.
Plus, I added Madison and Zack to the mix. I know not everybody loves original characters, but I feel like they added an extra dimension this time. I'm writing this story again more for myself than anybody else. Some people got a pet during the pandemic, I rewrote a story.
Chapter 46: Black Friday
From: SummersAX
begins
To: The fabulous drama King
Subject: What the fuck happened today?
Time sent: 11/27/2008 20:10:12
I was there, and I'm still confused about what happened.
I regret that the first time we met in person is me helping you get Gabriella to Zack's car. I also regret your sister accidentally breaking my cell phone, so I didn't get any of your phone messages. I'm only getting Taylor's emails now that we're back at the house. It's been one of those days. Just so you know, we have Alex and Jason.
So here's a rundown. Chad's father is a homophobic prick and all-around creep. He made a pass at me in front of his Aunt Claudia. She kept me with her until we left because we just couldn't deal with him anymore. I think she hates her nephew. We left early because Charles is a homophobic asshole who can't keep his mouth shut long enough for one family luncheon. Chad ended up punching him when he used that F word. In good news, Tiffany left his ass. This is why she was at a very Bolton Thanksgiving to attend to Maria's wounds. (We let Lucy bleed until the EMTs got there, and they took her to the hospital.)
Your mom showed up to a very Sanchez Thanksgiving. So apparently, José was only with your mom for braces money and really does play for your team. Although now it would just be creepy, so stick with Zack and Taylor. Are you dating one or both? Regardless, I'm glad you have somebody.
So because of your mom being a bitch, Chad and Sharpay got engaged. Jason won the pool. We know about Jason winning because he ran away from home. Taylor and Jason will need to talk tomorrow, and you should definitely be there for it. She's going to need you.
You should know that on the car ride back to Sharpay's house, Chad and Sharpay agreed not to tell you about the engagement right away. She even took the engagement ring off. She doesn't want to cause you any more pain.
I'm telling you because you should find out from one of us and not YouTube. I've already received the link to fantasy girl gets engaged three times. We assume it will be trending by morning. Chad thinks one of his cousins uploaded the video. They were kind enough to cut the first part out that calls your mom out on her abuse. But I think another relative sent the press the unedited version because we're getting calls.
So I feel like there's a lot more going on here than Lucy manipulating Gabriella into coming to Albuquerque just to break up Kim and Troy. Did you know that Kim's mom paid Lucy $1 million to keep Kim and Troy apart? I found out that little tidbit from Jason because he doesn't get privacy. Supergenius 12-year-olds can be dangerous.
If you didn't know about the bribery, you probably will by morning anyway. It's starting to unravel. The fight made the 11 o'clock news. Although nobody knows that the billionaire hotel heiress of Albuquerque was involved just yet.
XXXX
From: The fabulous drama King
To: SummersAX
Subject: I'm still not sure what happened
Time sent: 11/28/2008 00:10:12
I'm glad I switched phone numbers when I went to New York. Thankfully I have not received any request from the press just yet. Hopefully, nobody will know I'm in Albuquerque and not New York right now. Outside of Kristin anyway, and she just tells everyone to fuck off. I also know better to even look at my school email account right now.
I also had Thanksgiving in the engage pool, so I'm neither shocked nor surprised. I made out with Taylor last night. I'm a bit more OK with Chad marrying my sister than I would've otherwise. Especially because the engagement video is now trending on YouTube and not the version that cuts the Darby stuff out. Kristin sent me the link.
Also, Zack just spent five hours with me at a hospital and didn't run away. So things in the romance department are looking up for me. I can be happy about my sister finding someone that really loves her instead of being sad that he didn't love me that way. Or at least not enough. I will deal with these complex emotions after food and sleep. I'm so glad it's officially Friday because this has been just a horrible day.
Zack is driving us home right now. I think we will be there in 20 after dropping off grandma Katrina. We decided to leave when Troy's aunt Julie showed up. Rather Troy's grandma Katrina decided for us. They can't be in a room together right now. Tiffany's aunt and Madison are dealing with her because Troy cannot deal right now.
I want to stay, but we were forced to leave. Apparently, someone realized that we've been up since 4 AM East Coast time. Although Madison is staying. I'm not sure she has gotten any sleep since Tuesday. Although she still says it's better than last year. Considering her sister died last year, I do not find that reassuring.
Words are blurry, and I bet there are like 19 typos in this letter at a minimum. We'll talk more tomorrow. Although please make sure Sharpay doesn't even think about waking me up to go shopping with her. I just can't.
Taylor's mom and Vanessa called, and she's having brunch with them tomorrow. I'll assume she will find out what's going on with her brother then. She says I'm not allowed to go with her because it's too soon for me to meet the parents. This afternoon with my dad was awkward enough for her and for me. But silver lining, he no longer thinks I'm screwing Chad. Although he does think I'm screwing Zack. This may eventually become true but not yet. It's been a weird 24 hours.
XXXX
Friday, November 28, 2008, 12:14 AM
Number unknown: Hey, this is Chad. We grabbed one of the Evans Group work phones. Vince didn't want us to be without a phone, not after not having phone access caused so much chaos today.
Number unknown: We had to unhook the landline because we're getting phone calls from the media. Somebody at the very Sanchez Thanksgiving uploaded the video of the confrontation with Darby to YouTube. That version has going viral instead of the edited version that Carmen posted. Apparently, everybody loves that fantasy girl got engaged despite her abusive mom. We're getting press inquiries.
Unknown number: Amanda says we should be happy that we were trending for a much better reason this time. I would be if it was Carmen's version. But everybody loves a scandal.
Troy: At least they'll be two scandals at the same time.
Chad temporary: Currently, it's being reported as a fight breaking out at the home state championship basketball coach Jack Bolton of East High. Nobody knows that billionaire hotel heiress Kimberly C. K. Bolton was involved. Although there was an article about the reclusive granddaughter of the head of Beijing Gardens becoming the sole heir to the family Fortune. In addition to speculation about why his daughter was kicked off the board and out of the family.
Troy: It's just a matter of time before somebody connects the dots. I'm sure everything will come out eventually. I hope a lot of it does. You missed Lucy telling everybody that my parents were divorced because Jack is fucking your mom.
Chad temporary: I'm glad I was hiding in your dad's new room. Where I was subsequently found by our parents. We may have been involved in our own argument when Gabriella punched out your mom.
Troy: I missed it too. I didn't get there fast enough. Although I did see Maria go off. If someone did to Alex what Lucy did to Gabriella, I would have went off too.
Troy: What were you doing in my room?
Chad temporary: Sharpay says that doesn't make us even for the YouTube sex tape, but she's open to Gabriella eventually making penance. Punching out your mom was a good start.
Chad temporary: Are you aware that our parents are actually kind of dating? That wasn't completely your mom being a bitch, even though we all know she made her own bed when it came to this divorce. I found out right before I got there. Which was why I was hiding upstairs in your former room now occupied by your father.
Troy: He really did move out of their bedroom?
Chad temporary: Yes. He talked about it during the raw footage of our interview with him for the midterm project. Things haven't been good for a while. If Jack was anything like my mom, he was hiding it. I didn't even know the real reason why my parents divorced until about two days ago.
Troy: I don't think I saw the raw footage. I am well aware he was keeping things from me. I don't think it's been good for a while.
Chad temporary: I watched it again when we got back here. Things make a lot more sense in hindsight. I will send it to you.
Troy: I think I want to see it but not today. It's been a long day.
Chad temporary: It's after midnight, so it's technically Friday.
Troy: The last few hours have just blurred together. I'm also a little annoyed with you.
Chad temporary: Why? I didn't know our parents were hooking up until like 15 minutes before I showed up at your house. If I had a phone, I would've warned you. Also, the big epiphany didn't happen until Wednesday. Apparently, there was one kissed last year that nobody talked about because my mom and I are so much alike.
Troy: You still had a functioning cell phone when you found out about Charles and Tiffany. I found out from Taylor. I even sent you text messages about what happened at the lawyers, and you still didn't tell me about that. You're supposed to tell me the stuff. You could've at least told me that you came out to Charles, and it went badly.
Chad temporary: That's when I lost the cell phone.
Troy: Sharpay's was still functional for a bit. And I don't think my email at that point was overfilled with ramblings from Lucy. Or other family members. Lucy's side of the family thinks your mom is a home-wrecking bitch.
Troy: Outside of her non-Julie siblings anyway. It's not a good sign when your siblings take your soon-to-be ex-husband's side in the breakup?
Chad temporary: Jason was on my side, so make of that what you will.
Chad temporary: I didn't tell you because you told me what happened at the lawyers. I just didn't want to give you one more thing to worry about. I would've told you Friday. I was originally planning to raid the wine collection with you as I spill all. Actually, we're still doing that as soon as we figure out who will be the sober designated babysitter.
Troy: Our parents?
Chad temporary: They have their own plans that I don't want to think about. Or they did before everything fell apart.
Troy: I am now at the hospital as my ex-girlfriend goes through a psych evaluation.
Troy: I'm waiting for Dr. Suarez to come to talk to us. I'm thankful Gabriella made me her emergency medical contact when we moved to California.
Chad temporary: This makes sense after Gabriella broke Lucy's nose.
Troy: And Maria broke several other bones. Per Aunt Julie, she's at another hospital and, thankfully, under lock guard. She's going to have to have surgery. That's as much as I heard before Tiffany's aunt got me the hell out of there.
Chad temporary: I'm glad you were able to escape.
Troy: Aunt Julie thinks I should be at that hospital right now when the thought of seeing Lucy again makes me want to vomit. Thankfully Madison is dealing with her because I just can't.
Chad temporary: You manage to get some really great friends at Berkeley.
Troy: I know. Yolanda has been yelling at me for the last two hours for not telling her what's going on or bothering to give her my new cell phone number. She even offered to come here.
Chad: Do you need me to come down there? I can.
Troy: No, you have Alex. I feel better knowing that my son is safe with you.
Chad temporary: Yes, he is still with us even though your dad got here like 20 minutes ago. He came up for a hug, but he decided to leave Alex here, probably because he woke him up again. Sharpay is trying to get him and Jason back to sleep. It's not going well.
Troy: Do I want to know why Jason is there?
Chad temporary: He refuses to go home. He is very mad at his parents for keeping something from him and Taylor for a while. I can't tell you what it is because it's Jason and Taylor's secret to tell.
Troy: Kim's stepmom is Taylor's biological mom. I know. I was there for when it all came out. Kim ran away to Starbucks, which is where she found Tiffany after she dumped your dad on his ass.
Chad temporary: Praise the Lord.
Troy: Allegedly, Jason went to hide in his room but apparently somehow ended up with you.
Chad temporary: Long dysfunctional story, but we got your father's phone back. I can see why you would need to get reinforcements from Berkeley. Today was a lot, or rather yesterday.
Troy: I told Yolanda not to come here, but she will pick us up from the airport. I think we're going to probably leave early Monday or late Sunday. I don't know yet; it depends on if Gabriella is at a point we can talk to her.
Troy: I want to at least talk to her before I leave. She was out of it on the ride here.
Chad temporary: That is understandable.
Troy: Lots of crying and apologies.
Troy: Ryan now knows about the video. Also, it was totally Mercedes idea to do it.
Chad temporary: And Gabriella made it to the hospital breathing? Because both twins have a homicidal streak. You always have to worry about the quiet ones.
Troy: Zack talked him down. Or Taylor made out with him in the car or possibly both. Madison convinced him that his vengeance should be focused solely on Mercedes.
Troy: What is going on there?
Chad temporary: I think Ryan managed to get himself a boyfriend and a girlfriend in about two days. I'm not entirely sure. I actually am glad because it makes me feel less guilty about getting engaged to his sister.
Chad temporary: Sharpay doesn't want to tell him right away because things are already fucked up, but we're trending on YouTube again. We probably should tell him first thing in the morning before he sees the video.
Troy: He already saw the video.
Chad temporary: Shit! Which version? The sweet happy Carmen version that I'm still a little mad about but find the video adorable. Or the other version that anger my grandmother to the point she's planning to excommunicate someone from the family. Good news my ability to read Spanish is better than I thought it was. Especially the curse words.
Troy: The second version. Ryan actually showed me the video. Kristin texted him. Did you actually get engaged, or were you just fucking with Darby? Ryan thinks it's real. I think you just want to screw with the evil one.
Troy: Ryan did get another hug from Zack out of it and a kiss on the cheek. Taylor kissed him on the mouth. You might be right about Ryan being with both. Zack stayed with us for over five hours. He brought me coffee twice.
Chad temporary: Zack is such a sweetheart. We are really engaged, but we're planning an extra-long engagement of about four years. Also, we need to go pick out matching engagement rings.
Troy: Well, we now have a bonding activity for Saturday. Do they make engagement rings for men?
Chad temporary: They should.
Troy: When things are less crazy, you have to introduce my dad to Zack because he wants to ask him questions. While distracting me from the screwed up state of my life, we concluded that my dad played basketball with his biological dad. So he might be able to help Zack find him.
Chad temporary: It will be on my list, although it might be at least another week before I am ready to really talk to him. I'm a little annoyed with your dad.
Troy: That there together?
Chad temporary: That it didn't happen sooner. We could've grown up together in the same house with parents that actually care about us. Then maybe you would've never broken up with Kim.
Troy: In this alternate timeline, you might be with Ryan.
Chad temporary: Or you could be with Sharpay.
Chad temporary: Hey, this is Sharpay. Your kid is now asleep, again. Don't even think about coming here before morning to come to get him. Although if you want somewhere to crash that's closer to the hospital, we have a guestroom with your name on it.
Troy: Kim is trying to see if she can get us rooms at the garden hotel next door. It's Thanksgiving weekend, but she owns the hotel chain. But thank you. Hopefully, one of us will be able to get Alex in the morning.
Troy: Kim is with Carolyn trying to get Maria out of jail.
Chad temporary: How is that going?
Troy: They're not here yet. I'm not taking that as a good sign.
Chad temporary: Send a text to this number when you hear anything. I'll let you know when we have our regular phones back. I'm planning to leave first thing in the morning to pick up phones and some essentials for Maria. I know she didn't bring much.
Troy: Thank you. Ryan and Taylor are on the way back to you. Although they're dropping my grandmother off at my house first. Taylor will show her around before going back to the mansion with Ryan. So who knows when they'll get there.
Troy: I convince Ryan that it would be way too late to drop Taylor at her parents' house. I don't think she needs another shock tonight. Although apparently, the moms are coming over tomorrow to have a chat.
Chad temporary: Good call. I'll arrange for backup.
Chad temporary: This is Chad again. Next year we should go to the Bahamas for Thanksgiving. I'm sure Kim can afford it.
Troy: I'll raise it with Kim. We survived Thanksgiving hell 2008.
Chad temporary: Barely.
Xxx
Just as he typed his last words to Chad, Madison walked in carrying what Troy thinks is one of the picnic coolers from his house.
"Did you get her to leave?" Troy asked. He really could not deal with aunt Julie. She's always the worst.
"Your Uncles Zachary and Chris did. Although Julie still thinks you should go see Lucy even after I showed the confessions of Kim's egg donor."
"I knew I could count on the fellow black sheep of the family. Lucy wasn't the most supportive sister when Chris came out. You showed them the letters? How did you even get a hold of that?" Troy asked, surprised.
"Maria. Although she's really regretting sending a copy to Jack."
"Jason sent it to me. I would be angry if my fiancé wasn't responsible for shattering his entire worldview at Thanksgiving this morning." Troy half-joked.
"It's been a bad day, so I'm not going to asked you to elaborate on that."
"This is probably best."
"The food came from your Aunt Janya. She managed to smuggle some things out of the house before it became a crime scene." Janya married his uncle David five years ago even though Lucy tried to talk him out of it. Janya is his favorite aunt after Liz. Although with Julie as her competition, it wouldn't be that hard.
"She also said she would drive you back to pick up your kid. She's mad she didn't get to play with her nephew because your mom turned out to be as evil as Janya always thought she was." There was definitely no love lost there.
"I'll call her later and invite her to come over Saturday. Even though Janya will not interrogate me about getting married without her there, I don't think I can deal with that car ride right now. I heard Julie yelling that from the hallway."
"She's mad about that. In addition to you being by the side of the woman who broke your mom's nose instead of your mom. Why does your Aunt Julie think you're actually married to Kim?" Madison asked.
"The name change thing is public, and there are only so many reasons why you get a new last name. I decided it would be in my best interest not to correct that assumption even if I could. If they realize my relationship with Kim is permanent, maybe they'll say less stupid things to Kim." Troy explained.
"One can hope." Madison sighed. "Although it seems like Julie's the only one in shock. All the others I met seem OK with it. I think you definitely are going to have to do something Saturday, at least for the local family."
"Probably. Only Julie and the grandmas live far away. No one else is farther than Santa Fe. I'm probably going to have to call Liz tomorrow." And he expected to be yelled at by her because she found out the Alex truth from someone else. Potentially from grandma or someone else in the family. Possibly one of the cousins. Most of the cousins that were there were definitely team Lucy.
"I completely understand you wanting to avoid your family. Thankfully taxis exist, and they have them here. You should probably go home to your kid. Where is your kid? I barely got to see him." Madison asked.
"Chad and Sharpay have him. I will get him in the morning. He's currently in Ryan's old room, cuddled with Jason. Apparently, it took forever to get both asleep, and I'm not allowed to wake them up." That's when Troy passes his phone, so Madison can see the picture of the two that Chad just sent.
"OK, that's kind of adorable. I still think you should go home and sleep. I can stay here. I know the drill." Madison told him, sitting down next to him on one of the couches in the waiting room. Thankfully they were alone right now.
"I want to stay here." He needed to stay because this was all his fault. They only met each other because Lucy wanted to keep him away from Kim. "At least until Kim and Carolyn manage to get Maria out of lock-up. I don't want Gabriella to be here by herself." He owed her that after Lucy used her.
"Gabby is going to be pretty out of it for the next couple of hours or even days. They probably won't even let visitors in for a while."
"But I still need to be here right now. This is my fault." Troy felt like he was going to cry as Madison placed an arm around him.
"No, it's not Troy. Gabriella had problems long before she even met you. For all, you know, maybe meeting you saved her life." His friend told him.
"And then my mother brought her here purposely because she hated Kim so much. She thought Gabriella would be the perfect girl for me to fall in love with."
"Again, none of that's your fault."
"It feels like it is," Troy whispered.
"I get it. A year ago, I felt the same way because I couldn't save my sister." Madison said sadly, "But we are here at the hospital and not at the morgue. This is the best outcome we could've hoped for."
"This doesn't feel like a good outcome." Realizing it could've been so much worse doesn't make Troy feel better.
"Gabriella came here willingly. Even before punching out your mom Gabriella asked me to call her old doctor." Madison told him.
"She did?" Troy asked, surprised.
"Yes, that's how I knew who to call after she hit your mom, who totally deserved it."
"I will not argue that point."
"Also, being in Albuquerque meant that Gabriella is with a doctor that she trusts. Which is what she needs right now." Troy looks at her. "Apparently, she hated her new doctor on campus. This may have contributed to her going off her meds."
"And then Marcedes made it worse." Why didn't he see this happening?
"Because Mercedes is pure evil. I really want to deck her when I see her Monday, but I'll let Cassandra throw the first punch." Madison smiled at him.
"She deserves it." Troy was so done with Mercedes.
"So much. Mercedes did fuck Cassandra's boyfriend or rather former boyfriend because she has some self-respect. Apparently, Mercedes was screwing with Gabriella just to get you." Madison's last words confused him.
"Wait, what?" Troy asked, confused.
"When your lawyers' hand over your text messages, you are going to have such wonderful reading. You have a full sorority soap opera on there." Mercedes smirked at him.
"I should've just given you the new number." Troy groaned, realizing how much could've been avoided with just that.
"You needed a couple of days of peace and quiet. I get that. It's been rough."
"Why did Lucy do all of this? Was the money worth it?" Troy asked angrily.
"Only Lucy can answer that question. Although your Aunt Janya is going with bigotry, and Chris agrees." Troy remembers going to his uncle's wedding without his mom, which seems strange because he was her brother. Although his dad was friends with David first. They were roommates freshman year at U of A. Apparently, his mom was unhappy about the traditional Hindu ceremony. At least, that's what he gathered from the argument he overheard. Was that the beginning of the end?
"I don't know if I ever want to get close enough to her to ask. I'm starting to reevaluate everything I thought I knew," Troy acknowledged.
"That's OK too. I pretty much divorced my family."
"At least I have my dad."
"You have the rest of your family as well, except for probably Julie and the other Nana. Granted there a little annoyed at your dad for already dating Carolyn, but no one is shocked by it."
"Honestly, I'm not either."Troy acknowledged.
"Where is your dad?" Madison asked.
"Damage control with the other relatives. Good thing Kim's family owns a hotel chain. Apparently, grandma Karen refuses to go to a hotel, so she will be staying at my house. That's why Nana Bolton decided to go back. She didn't want to leave Karen in my house alone to snoop."
"I like your grandma, the non-Karen one," Madison tells him.
"She likes you too. I'm glad you're here." Because Troy would be completely falling apart without Madison.
"I'm glad I'm here too. If you're not going to go home, at least eat something." Madison said as she pulled out the bag from Aunt Janya. "What was the last thing you ate?"
"Does a rum and Coke count as food?"
"Normally no, but it's been a weird 24 hours," Madison remarked as she passed Troy a turkey sandwich. Of course, Janya grilled it and add a cranberry chutney to it. She was a chef.
"Although I think it was diet and caffeine-free. This is better."
"OK, then it's definitely not food." Madison grabbed her own sandwich from the bag. "All I had was airport food today, so I'm going to enjoy this," Madison said before biting her sandwich. "These are some good leftovers."
"It's technically Friday." Troy looked at the clock to see that it was, "Janya is a chef and works at some fancy restaurant in Santa Fe."
"My body is still on West Coast time, so I have another five minutes," Madison remarked as they both dined on Thanksgiving leftovers.
Xxx
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Albuquerque.
Ryan has been having a very weird day. They got to the Bolton house a few minutes too late to keep things from exploiting. Although after reading the true-crime confession of Kim's evil egg donor, he feels that Lucy really deserved it. Then he had to deal with Gabriella's confession on the way to the hospital, followed by the crying apology for the almost-sex tape. Now he's on his way home.
"Thank you for coming to get us," Taylor told Zack as he dropped them off at the mansion. Ryan completely adores this man already. He's been super nice to Taylor all day. He even got her M&Ms while they were dealing with Gabriella's intake.
"It was wonderful meeting you." And Ryan could tell Taylor really meant that "I just wish it was under different circumstances." Like not checking one of his friends into a psychiatric ward for an evaluation. OK, he's really mad about finding out Gabriella was responsible for the sex tape. After his conversation with Madison, he feels like Mercedes is the one who is truly accountable for what happened.
"It's OK. It was great meeting you as well." Zack reached over to hug Taylor. "I'll email you later, although. Maybe we can all meet up tomorrow for coffee. I feel like discussing boyfriend sharing should be an in-person conversation." Ryan was pretty sure that wasn't a joke.
"It probably should happen in person, but I think I know enough to be on board with this. You're definitely a better person than Kelsi." Taylor said, pulling out of the hug.
"I promise to post no videos from today on YouTube. I will also not begin sleeping with my roommate behind Ryan's back and not just because he's asexual." Zack joked.
"With that promise, I think you and Ryan should have coffee tomorrow while I'm dealing with brunch with my mom and Aunt Vanessa."
"That your mom specifically asked me to go with you too." Ryan pointed out.
"We already did one meet the parents thing this weekend. I barely avoided yelling at your dad in the car on your sister's behalf, so let's wait until Christmas." Taylor suggested.
"Fair," Zack replied. "I assume you just want pictures?
"This one trains quickly. He's a keeper." Taylor smiled at Ryan before grabbing her bag out of the trunk.
"I'm going in the house, but feel free to chat or make out," Taylor said, not before giving him a goodbye kiss. When he pulled away, Zack was actually smiling. This was going to be interesting.
"She is not who I was expecting," Zach told him once Taylor was out of earshot.
"The wrecking of Evans Hall definitely left an impression," Ryan remarked.
"But you have to like somebody who will fly halfway across the country for a friend that they're barely on speaking terms with to help out with something like today. Especially when the girl was just hitting on her man the day before. That's a person you want in your corner." Zack tells him.
"We're going to blame the gaslighting from Mercedes for that one. As Madison told you, Mercedes sees cruel intentions as a how-to guide for life and apparently didn't pay attention to the end at all." Mercedes has somehow managed to make it on his hate list, only behind Lucy and the rapist. Ryan is still trying to figure out who he hates more. Darby has her own special category.
"I feel like most rich kids are like that," Zack remarked.
"I have never been normal."
"I like that about you," Zack smirked at him. "I'm looking forward to spending more time with you."
"Does that mean you're OK with Taylor's proposal?
"I kind of like the idea of friends with make out privileges. I am familiar with the concept of rotational dating. Which I think this is more of what this is, then poly." Note to self: look up rotational dating.
"One of my friends introduced me to the concept after she found out her boyfriend of two years was dating someone at the rival school. She's never doing an exclusive relationship again until she gets a ring."
"That also happened to my sister. It's one of the reasons I've made peace with Chad being with Sharpay."
"You wouldn't want your sister with somebody you wouldn't date yourself." Zack joked.
"Exactly. So is this the world's worst first date?" Ryan asked.
"No. This is the strangest first date I've had but not the worst one I ever had. Definitely better than my first date with the friend I mentioned earlier when I discovered I was really, really gay. At least we're best friends now, though." Zack explained.
"Actually, I just realized I never had a first date before. Not really, but I've had horrible dates." In hindsight, Ryan realized he just slipped into a relationship with everyone else. Maybe that's why it all went so badly. Now he was going to try to date two people at the same time. This was either going to be brilliant or catastrophic.
"Chad told me that you're now-former girlfriend kept bringing her now current girlfriend on your dates. At least I know what I'm signing up for."
"If I didn't scare you off entirely by meeting my father and spending several hours at a hospital getting my friend checked in for a psych evaluation, I would like to have coffee with you tomorrow. Or we could meet for dinner? I feel like I owe you dinner for this." He still doesn't get why Zack didn't just leave them at the hospital.
"You do, but let's save that for December. I want to at least become text message friends with Taylor before you, and I go too far."
"That's fair." That's when Zach leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll pick you up at 11 AM tomorrow?"
"I'll be here waiting." Ryan walked into the house, smiling the entire way.
Xxx
"So, did you get a good night kiss?" Taylor may have been watching from the window, but Ryan didn't need to know that.
"On the cheek. Although he's picking me up at 11 for coffee. You're still OK with that?" Ryan asked. She thinks it's sweet that he keeps checking to make sure she hasn't changed her mind. She isn't completely sure of where she is with Ryan, but she knows he needs to explore things with Zack.
"Yes. I think Zack is good for you. Also, he's smart enough to let you sleep in because we still need sleep. I don't even know how many hours we've been up." She tried to take a nap at the hospital, and it just didn't happen.
"Too many." Ryan yawned as he grabbed her bag and started to lead her up the stairs. "It's 1 AM here, which would mean it's three in New York, and we've been up since almost 5. So nearly 22 hours." And it wasn't like they got much sleep the night before either.
"You should text Zack and tell him not to come to get you until at least 3 PM." Taylor joked. Although she already knew she wasn't sleeping in and had brunch with her aunt and mom in the morning. At least they were kind enough to bring brunch to her because she didn't have the energy to go to a restaurant.
"Probably, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep tonight."
"Gabriela? I am sorry that I didn't tell you she was responsible for the video, but Troy told me not to. Then he ended up telling your sister himself." Taylor was still annoyed about that.
"It wasn't your secret to tell me. I get that. Although Mercedes is going down. Did Madison show you the screenshots?"
"Yep. We will let your sister come up with an appropriate punishment."
"Although I think my wrath should be aimed at whoever posted the engagement video. The non-Carmen version."
"Getting a video from Kristen probably isn't how you want to find out your ex is marrying your sister?" Taylor has decided to refer to Chad as Ryan's ex instead of hers because at least Chad loved him. It's helping her reconcile things.
"Everybody's going to know about the abuse now. I do wish I got Amanda's recap before seeing the video." Let's just say nobody had a good Thanksgiving, although Chad punching his father makes her feel a little bit better.
"I hope she's able to get pictures of Chad punching Charles from somebody," Taylor told him.
"We should've just came to Albuquerque in the first place. I shouldn't have let him deal with that alone." Ryan lamented.
"Chad wasn't alone. He had your sister, Amanda, and even Tiffany. If we didn't go to New York, then Gabriella would've gone to Colorado with Mercedes. She wouldn't be safe at the hospital right now." Taylor argued.
"You have a point. Let me find you an empty guestroom." Ryan offered.
"It's too late; I'll just share with you. Or would that upset your other boyfriend?" Taylor asked.
"I think he's cool with it. Although coffee will probably be talking a lot of this stuff out from our chat earlier, he thinks it's a good idea because we are all in different states."
"Which is something I definitely should've considered this summer." They should definitely went with an open relationship. Maybe the plasma TV incident wouldn't have happened if they talk things out before she went to school across the country. "You know if Chad was actually sexually attractive to me at all. Remind me to yell at him in the morning for hot boy lava springs." Taylor isn't going to analyze why she instantly forgave Ryan for being hot boy lava Springs but is still annoyed with Chad for not telling her.
"I will," Ryan said just as he opens his door. Unfortunately, his bed was occupied with Alex and her little brother.
"Do you have any idea why my little brother is sleeping in your room? The fight couldn't have been that bad."
"I don't know because Amanda wouldn't say what caused the fight. You're going to have to ask your mom in the morning." Ryan said just as he heard the door to Sharpay's room open. Chad quickly walked over and softly shut the door to Ryan's room.
"Don't wake up the kids. It took us forever to get them asleep. Jason is really mad at your mom and dad, and Alex really wants his mom and dad. So we had to put them together." Sharpay explained.
"In my room?" Ryan asked.
"I keep forgetting to get a baby monitor. This way, I can keep the door open." Sharpay told him.
"Point."
"Also, I don't think you want to be close enough to hear us," Chad argued. Taylor could tell they were deliberately trying not to be ridiculously affectionate right now. She wondered if it was for her sake or Ryan's.
"Also, a good point, and if you're watching small children, you probably won't do anything." Ryan joked.
"It's Kim's favorite form of birth control. I would send Alex over to grandpa in the guest house, but he's had a very long day." Sharpay added. "Although honestly were too tired to do anything. And I know I'm getting up ridiculously early to get phones.
"Which you can do on your own without me. We've been up for about 22 hours. We just want to sleep for a while," Ryan responded.
"Understandable. We made up guestroom three for you. And I will pick out an outfit for brunch with Taylor's mom and aunt tomorrow."
"Ryan has a date with Zack instead. I'm not throwing him to my mom and aunt until we're together for at least three months." At her words, Chad and Sharpay share a look. She really would love to know what they're talking about without words.
"Understandable, although if things go badly, I'm leaving Chad here for you. He's grounded anyway for punching his dad. So no shopping for him." Taylor was going to ask why his mom was still grounding him, but then she remembered that Chad wasn't 18 yet. Knowing Carolyn, Taylor wasn't sure that would matter.
"It's worth it. Just call me if you want me to run interference." Chad offered.
"Guestroom three doesn't have its own bathroom, though. What about guestroom four?" Ryan asked.
"Dad sleeps there when he doesn't stay at his apartment at the office. He can't go into the master bedroom anymore." Sharpay explained.
"Good thing they're selling the house soon," Ryan said sadly.
"When you come back for Christmas, you will probably need to pack everything and get it into storage," Sharpay suggested.
"We'll talk in the morning. Although if I forget in the morning, congratulations on the engagement." Sharpay seemed surprised, but Chad wasn't.
"You saw the video?" Sharpay asked. "The bad version?"
"Yes and unfortunately yes, also Amanda warned me. After I get at least 10 hours of sleep, we have so much to talk about. Like, stop keeping secrets from me to protect me. But I promise I'm happy." That didn't seem to be a lie, but even she was concerned.
"I'll try to do better in that regard. I miss you, and I'm glad you're here." Sharpay said as she ran over to hug her brother.
"I'm glad you're here too." Sharpay turned to Taylor.
"I'm glad we are here," Taylor said as she noticed that Ryan was hugging Chad. She couldn't hear what they were saying to each other, but Ryan seemed to be OK.
XXXX
"So on a scale of 1 to 10, how awkward was that?" Taylor asked once they were safe in their room.
"Like a three, which all things considered, this is miraculous," Ryan answered. "I'm happy for her, I really am. Chad actually loves me, which is definitely an improvement on Kelsi."
"He does, which is why he's worried about you. Although it helps that you have a date with Chad's clone tomorrow, though." Taylor joked.
"Very true. I have you in my bed tonight." Ryan leaned over to kiss her.
"I'm glad I can make things better," Taylor said before grabbing her bag. As much as she wanted to do more, they really did need sleep. Besides, cuddling with Ryan seemed very appealing right now.
To be continued…