The music abruptly stopped when Ryan unplugged the karaoke machine. The area was mostly empty since the reunion had technically ended half an hour ago. A few stragglers were talking by the exit and several volunteers were picking up the vestiges of the snack and drink tables. Chad carried several large black trash bags to the dumpster with Troy.

"I saw you and Gabby come back inside after your little powwow. Looked pretty cozy." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Chad was poking fun at them, but seeing them together felt right.

Troy rolled his eyes. "Yeah."

Chad noticed the giant grin on Troy's face that could have powered a light bulb. He was genuinely happy for them. It had been painful seeing them apart. "That's great. Really."

"Thanks, man." They threw the bags in and closed the top. "What about Taylor?"

Chad shrugged. "She hasn't said much, but I'm trying to make the most of it. She's fun. I've missed her."

"I hear you. It's been nice to see everyone," Troy said before holding out a hand to stop himself. "Except Sharpay. I get enough of her."

Chad laughed. "I've been meaning to ask how that works. That woman is a handful."

Troy agreed. "She's a good friend though. Always pushing me around."

Chad knew that she was the one who talked (or forced) Troy into coming to the reunion in the first place. He was grateful for it. Troy had been his best friend for so long that it was strange not having him in his life. Many of his memories included him and he found himself reminded of their friendship frequently. Chad knew that childhood best friends could get stuck in that phase of life, but he had hoped that it wouldn't happen like that. There was something comforting and easy about being around someone that had known you for the majority of your life. It was hard to replicate or explain.

"But when I come visit, she won't be like, your roommate or anything, right?" Chad faked a look of disgust.

"God, no." Troy matched his expression. "I could never." They both laughed, Chad imagining pink leather couches and fluffy throw pillows beside Troy's basketballs and cameras. "You coming to visit would be great, though. Venice beach has some great ball courts."

Chad smiled as they joined the others, feeling the healing under the band-aid. Everyone was done helping to clean up and was procrastinating on saying goodbye. "Well, boys and girls, if you still remember how to party, I've got drinks in the fridge at my place."

Ryan landed on the couch with a sigh. Mark sat beside him, pulling Ryan's legs into his lap. Ryan fluffed a pillow under his head. Months of planning the perfect reunion and so many things had flopped. Most obviously, the band tried to ruin the festivities. He would be lying if he said he was still upset about it though. The karaoke machine was fun and had been a great conduit to bring everyone back together.

"Well, that was fun," Mark said. "It was nice to match faces to names. I've heard so many stories."

"Are you saying I talk too much?" Ryan put a hand to his chest in mock hurt. Mark laughed. "Sharing things about my life brings us closer." Mark took his words literally and pulled him closer on the couch so they were sharing one cushion.

Ryan happily snuggled into the embrace of his boyfriend. The comfort and confidence that he felt in his relationship and in himself made him proud. In high school, he had to manufacture his attitude. Fake it 'til you make it, right? In the decade since, he had become a bigger and brighter version of the Bop to the Top singer he once was. At one point he had imagined choreographing for major productions and having others hear his voice on the radio. What he had now was so much more fulfilling. He got to expose East High students to the arts and teach them how to present themselves on stage and in life. Ryan was actively instilling a love and respect for the things that made him him. Some days, it was a harder sell than others, but it was always a worthy task.

His days were made so much sweeter when he came home to Mark. He was kind, caring, and brought him so much joy. Ryan knew he had a great group of people who loved him. Sunday night dinners with the parents, weekly phone calls from Sharpay, and Netflix binges with Mark. He supposed that is what made him so dead set on making sure his friends had the same things. Crossing his fingers, he hoped silently that his friends would find the same sort of happiness he had.

Chad wasn't kidding when he said he had drinks at his place. Apparently, he had taken up brewing as a new hobby. The fridge held many brown bottles with an array of colored caps. On the door there was a scribbled key. Orange caps were blonde, yellow caps were wheat beer, red caps were lager, and green caps were a berliner weisse. Troy played it safe with an orange capped beer. He had already taken enough risks this weeked.

"You really should order some labels. Come up with a name! This makes it look like you cooked it in your bathtub." Sharpay was advising Chad.

"Brewed. Not cooked. It's not meth," Chad corrected before taking the green cap off of a bottle and handing it to her. "Just try it."

Sharpay did as she was told. Chad opened a red beer and passed it to Taylor. "How long does it take to make?"

"About six weeks," Chad began. He was detailing something about hops and malt as Taylor was talking about solubility and gas laws. "I've only exploded the bottles in one batch. Learned my lesson," he continued.

It was hard for Troy to focus on the conversation. He was watching the door, waiting for Gabriella. She said she was going to stop by Ryan's to change out of her leotard. Troy had shed most of his Marty McFly layers so he felt much less bulky. He has to remind himself not to tap his foot and to keep his pulse in check.

When she arrived, she looked relaxed in a pair of athletic shorts and a white SpaceX t-shirt. Here dark eyes searched and found him right away and his nerves calmed. Gabriella made her way over to him as Chad was passing out another round of drinks. He popped the caps off of all the bottles and placed them in the center of the kitchen island. Everyone reached in and grabbed one at random. Chad held his brown bottle up high. "To friendships," he said. Everyone raised their bottles in agreement. The sound of glass hitting glass filled the space.

"To everyday." Troy said only to Gabriella, snuggling her into his side. He was thinking of the last time she gave him another chance on a windy summer night. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. She tapped the neck of her bottle against his.

"Wildcats!" Chad yelled.

Everyone joined in. "Wildcats!"

"Getcha head in the game!"

After a few hours and twice as many drinks, the space looked like a middle school dance. The girls were stacked on the couches in the living room and the boys were in the kitchen, leaning on countertops. A burst of feminine laughter practically shook the walls. Troy saw Gabriella was flushed beet red and pulling her hands up to cover her face. All the men in the room quickly looked to Troy, knowing exactly what was going on. Some things never change.

Troy grabbed another orange capped beer out of the fridge and headed to the rescue. He held his arms straight out in front of him, a beer in each hand, like a point. He poked through Sharpay and Kelsi, spreading his arms wider as he did so until he was able to snare Gabriella. With her safely caught like a toy in a claw machine, he scooted them backwards and out of the circle of women.

"My hero!" Gabriella cried dramatically. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. A chorus of "aww" from their friends made her blush again.

"I can't stand to look at you two anymore," Chad said. "Movie?" He started looking through the shelving below the tv for the right pick. Kelsi and Taylor raided his pantry to find some bags of popcorn. Sharpay was opening the linen closet and distributing blankets. "Make yourselves at home, sure," Chad grumbled with a smile.

Troy and Gabriella took the loveseat, Taylor and Chad got the couch, and Kelsi and Sharpay squeezed into an oversized recliner. Chad had picked Varsity Blues. It was a great movie, but soon the conversations died down and the popcorn bowls were empty.

Troy saw that Taylor had laid her head in Chad's lap as she slept. Sharpay was the big spoon to Kelsi. Gabriella's head weighed heavy on his shoulder. He moved languidly to curl them both into a more comfortable position. He held Gabriella tightly, increasingly aware that the weekend was coming to an end. Troy's thoughts were plagued with equal parts worry and excitement to have her back in his arms.