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The Problem with Ryan

Chapter 6: Struggles of the path.

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"I HATE it."

"But it's what you wanted," Kelsi said, looking at Sharpay expectantly.

"I wanted—I don't want to fight with him, that's not what I meant by having a part with him," she took a deep breath, "Just change it!" She handed the script to Kelsi, "And make it so that he loves me," she added.

"But," Kelsi jogged slightly to catch up with the stalking blonde, "Professor Smith is supposed to be an older more experienced teacher and it wouldn't—"

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Sharpay stopped abruptly, causing Kelsi to halt suddenly and almost lose balance, "Just do it, you're the writer, write it!"

Sharpay walked away in a huff, leaving an upset play writer, sighing as she gazed at her script. Easy for you to say.

x x xxxxx x x

When Ryan walked into the auditorium, he expected it to be empty but instead found Kelsi, scribbling away in her notebook, "Kelsi?"

She looked up alarmed, but relaxed when she saw it was Ryan, "Hey Ryan," she smiled. Ryan walked over and stood over her on the stage, she sat at the corner with her notes spread around her in a circle.

He bent down and picked up a page, his eyebrows furrowed as he read the lines, yet he couldn't decipher them, half of all the sentences were crossed out. "Are you re-writing Troy and Sharpay's scene?" he asked a little surprise. Suddenly he took a good look at her, finding her forehead creased in stress, her hat askew, and her form tired.

He sighed, sitting next to her, "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

She looked up, breaking her intense focus on her writing, "Nothing," she replied, tiredly, "I just—I need to rewrite this," she stated.

"Why? It's so good," he asked, not understanding her change of heart on a scene that seemed perfect, at least to his eyes.

"Sharpay," she said simply, Ryan suddenly understood everything.

"Let me guess, she wanted a scene with her and Troy, which was the new scene you added suddenly, but the one that we read wasn't what she had in mind, so now you're changing it again," he sighed. Typical.

"Yeah," she looked a little ashamed, "I can't seem to stand up for myself," she admitted.

"Well, maybe you can write a scene that satisfies her while staying true to the play," he suggested. Looking around her, suddenly he realized that's exactly what she's trying to do.

"It's so difficult," she said, sounding slightly defeated, "She wants Troy's character to love hers," She looked up at Ryan and saw a look of incredulity on his features.

"But he's like an old professor!" He laughed, "That's just weird." He realized how difficult this was going to be, "What do you want people to get out of your play?" he asked suddenly, "What's the meaning?"

"It's supposed to be about change," she spoke, "About understanding and trying to give what you have to help others," her eyes held a look of determination and Ryan found himself admiring her vision.

"Well, that sounds inspirational," he said, Kelsi looked slightly taken aback, mostly because of how much she spoke to him. "And you know what, keep the scene just the way it is," he added, "I have your back."

She looked at him surprised, and then she smiled, "Thanks Ryan."

x x xxxxx x x

When rehearsal rolled around, everyone was free to work on what they felt needed work. Sharpay had Mrs. Darbus cornered; sharing her ideas about the play she was bent on making the best.

Gabriella shook her head at Sharpay's actions, deciding this may be a good time to practice that dance scene Troy had so much trouble with.

"Troy?" Gabriella turned around and found Troy's attention directed at a certain blond teen stretching in the back of the stage, she smirked, "Oh, Troy," she said innocently.

Now, this was very interesting.

Troy watched as Ryan leaned downward, his whole body moved forward, his chest touching his leg, 'wow, he sure is flexible,' Troy thought, as the blond reached for his toes his thin undershirt moving up his back, revealing the smooth skin underneath. Troy felt his body heat as he focused on the peak of skin.

"Troy!" Gabriella shouted, her hands by her mouth, amplifying her voice close to his ear.

Troy jumped up at the sudden call, blushing intensely, "H-hey Gabby," he smiled, his face still red.

Gabriella smirked, "Watch doin'?" she asked, cheekily. This was too funny, she thought, Troy was actually checking out Ryan.

First of all, she thought, it was very cute.

Second of all, of all people Ryan, it seemed kind of ironic. Ryan being a little on the oblivious side, she loved Ryan as a friend but sometimes he didn't get things right away. And that just made him, Ryan. It doesn't mean he's not smart, he's very smart he just has social …inadequacies. And being Sharpay's brother did not help matters.

Third of all, it was so cute!

She smiled to herself, she already knew she thought of the third point again but she couldn't help herself.

"So," She smiled at Troy, "You and Ryan," she nudged him in the ribs.

"W-what?" Troy's eyes widened, "I-I don't know what you're talking about," he said firmly.

The brunette girl furrowed her eyebrows, "I was just asking since," suddenly she paused, does Troy know he's gay? She scoffed internally at her own question, of course he should know, right?

Or, he's just in denial.

"Troy," she said gently, "I think—

"Hey guys," Ryan said cheerfully, his skin slightly damp with sweat, Troy's eyes lingered on his damp shirt, revealing the slightly muscular and lean frame of the blond.

Gabriella watched as Troy slowly backed away from them both, "I-I have to go," he said quickly, walking briskly out of the stage and towards the exit.

Ryan's eyebrows knitted together, "I don't think he likes me," he frowned, watching Troy briskly walk towards the exit.

The brunette girl sighed, guys never do what you want them to do, she thought, as she looked at Ryan's confused face she simply said, "You have no idea," as they both watched the door close with a slam.

Meanwhile Troy dashed down the hall, his chest tight as tried to get away, running faster and faster. This is not happening. This is not happening. This can't be happening…

He ended up in the boy's bathroom, realizing how cowardly he was acting he suddenly felt angry at himself.

"I can't believe this!" Troy punched the wall, his fist hurt like hell, as he looked at the slight crack in the wall his eyes widened, shocked at his actions.

"This is not happening," he said calmly, leaning against the wall, "Yeah, this is not happening," he said to himself, "I'm not feeling…"he shook his head trying to get it out, but instead he settled for, "This."

His head knocked into the wall as he slid down, against the wall behind him, landing on the floor, "Yeah, I'm not feeling this at all," he said to himself. His knees bent, as he sat on the bathroom floor, tired and in denial, but he wouldn't acknowledge the latter.

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When Troy walked into school the next day, he was very surprised to find a certain blond talking to Chad by his locker. It seemed like everywhere he went Ryan was there and it unnerved him.

He decided to play it cool, not avoid him and just pretend these feeling he was having did not exist. It was loads safer, he thought firmly.

"Yeah, so try out, we need a pitcher like you," Chad said, he looked behind Ryan and spotted Troy, "Hey! Troy!" The brunet felt anxious as Ryan turned to look at him as well.

"Hey guys," Troy smiled, he noticed Ryan was wearing a sea green dress shirt and white hat that made his blue eyes bold against the light color.

Ryan simply smiled at the brunet, he has a cute smile, Troy thought, "So, I was just telling Ryan about our baseball team," Chad said, excitement in his voice, "With his pitching and your batting, ha, we are so going to win," he grinned.

"Hello boys," Sharpay said, her fingers trailing along Troy's collar as she walked past him. Chad rolled his eyes and Ryan felt like doing the same but decided against it. "I'll be seeing you," she winked at Troy, who looked at her wide-eyed, a little startled.

Suddenly Sharpay turns on her heal and walks away from them, Ryan watches her leave, not intending on following her as he usually does. Chad and Troy eye him oddly, finding it unusual that he wasn't following his sister as well. As she reaches half-way down the hall she realizes no one is beside her, feeling angered she turns around quickly, finding Ryan still beside the two jocks.

"Ryan!" She yells, "We're leaving, incase you didn't get the idea," she says sarcastically.

"I want to stay here," he says, slightly annoyed at his sister's sole decision to leave affecting him as well.

"Ryan," Sharpay eyes held a serious look, "We need to talk," she walked down the hall. Ryan looked at the guys, feeling slight dread, and then turned to follow his sister.

"Oh no," Chad said, shaking his head in remorse, "You know what 'we need to talk' means in girl language."

Troy looked over at the curly brunet, "She's not his girlfriend," he says, slightly put off by the idea.

"No way," Chad replied slightly disgusted, "But you gotta admit if Ryan was a girl," he trailed off suggestively, raising his eyebrows at Troy.

Troy's jaw drops, "Chad!" he stares at the curly brunet shocked, "You can't be serious."

"Like you weren't thinking it," Chad says defensively. "Come one, twin chicks," he looks at Troy as if the very idea of not thinking about is unheard of.

Troy liked the idea of Ryan as a guy, on the other hand...He shook his head at the thought.

"You're saying if Ryan," Troy starts, "Ryan," he repeats, looking at Chad, "Was a girl and was with Sharpay," Troy continues, "Sharpay," he repeats, still looking at Chad.

"On second thought," Chad says suddenly, slight color on his cheeks, which Troy refuses to acknowledge.

They look at each other for a moment and suddenly look away.

Troy takes a deep breath, "We never bring up this conversation again," he says, glancing at Chad from the corner of his eye.

Chad looks straight ahead as well, "Deal. It never happened."

On the other side of the hallway,

"Mind telling me what your problem is?" Sharpay asked rudely, looking at Ryan with raised eyebrows.

Ryan sighs, "Why? Because I didn't follow you?" he narrowed his eyes, "I'm not boi, your stupid tote dog."

Sharpay gasped, "How dare you talk about boi like that! He is not a tote dog!"

Ryan shook his head, "I'm sorry," he looked away, he didn't know what to say to his sister anymore, "It's just, you seem a little preoccupied with getting Troy to consider what I feel," he finished, looking straight at his sister.

He was surprised to find a look of remorse on her features, "I'm sorry Ry," she smiled, "I'll make it up to you!" she hugged her brother suddenly, startling him a bit.

Ryan felt a little pleased after their talk but he couldn't shake this feeling, why did he have such a bad feeling about this?

x x x TBC x x x

A/N: All lot of you are annoyed with Troy, hey, even I'm started to get annoyed by him but he needs his denial stage, unfortunately.

Ah, and I know you probably thought I'd update my other story first but I'm so into this one I can't stop writing for it. I'm stuck on my other story but don't worry …I'll think of something : )

Thanks for the reviews!