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The Problem with Ryan
Chapter 12: And again.
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"Hey man," Chad found Troy at his locker, stuffing his usually flat book bag, now puffed up into a round bulgy bag, into the small space of his locker roughly, "Uh, you need help there?"
Troy grunted as he banged his book bag into his locker, "No, it's just," he gave one last shove, "Argh!" He looked annoyed at the stuck bag.
Chad chuckled at his friend, "Why don't you just take some stuff out," he suggested.
"Yeah," Troy unzipped his bag, "Good idea," he took several items out one by one.
Chad watched in amazement as a long scarf, a crumpled top hat, different pair of gloves, and two pairs of dancing shoes all came out of that puffed up yet small blue book bag. "Dude, what's with all the stuff?"
"The play is on Friday and in order to do dress rehearsal Sharpay wants us to carry some of the costumes home and practice every night," he sighed.
Chad nodded, even though he found it kind of strange, "So are you up for the movies tomorrow night?" he asked hopefully, "Jason said there was this new horror flick he wants to see, the team is free so," he trailed off once he noticed Troy's face, he slumped his shoulders, "But you're busy," he said, already knowing what the shaggy brunet was going to say.
"Yeah," Troy looked down, "I'm sorry, but the play is in a couple of days and we're two weeks behind," he hated letting Chad down, "But, hey, after all this we should all do something!" he said suddenly.
"Yeah, okay," Chad said, slightly disappointed, "I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow," he put on a smile.
"Yeah, and you'll be there at the opening night right?" Troy asked.
"Of course, I'll be there," Chad grinned, "Wouldn't miss seeing you prance around," he laughed.
"Hey!" Troy said indignant, "I'm going to take that as good luck," he replied smiling.
Chad just shook his head amused before heading home.
x x xxxxx x x
When Ryan walked into the newly renovated dance-studio that afternoon he noticed two major things, one was the pink floor that made his eyes squint if he looked directly down, and two was Sharpay humming to herself sitting on a beautifully handcrafted bench, her named engraved on the back next to an identical bench except with his own name.
Ryan raised his eyebrows, "Nice," he felt the smooth texture of dark wood underneath his fingers, tracing over the letters of his name.
"I know," his sister replied regally. Suddenly she sighed deeply, "Ry, I think I finally made a good plan to get Troy," she gazed at her brother, a small smile at her lips.
Ryan completely entranced by his new bench turned to his sister with guarded eyes, "Oh?" he feigned interested, on the inside he felt like curling up into a ball maybe on this nice new bench, he thought suddenly.
"Ry, would you stop touching the bench and listen to me!" Sharpay looked agitated, Ryan thought, 'maybe I should look more attentive.'
He sat on the bench and turned to regard his sister fully, she nodded in approval before continuing, "You know how we have the senior trip planned after winter break?"
Ryan nodded slowly, "Yeah," It was supposedly the best trip of your entire high-school career, the seniors got to spend a weekend at a resort, and at night, much to the teacher's and administration's denial, the student were unsupervised.
"You," she smiled, "Are going to be Troy's roommate."
Ryan's eyes widened, "But Chad is probably going to be—"
"Oh, Ry," She laughed a little, "Don't you know what happens at night every year on that trip?"
"Um, no," he said, slightly confused at her tone.
"No one really sticks to sleeping in the same room as their assigned roommate," she smirked, "When the teachers go to bed, that's when the fun begins."
Ryan swallowed thickly, "Fun?"
Suddenly a knock was heard from the studio entrance, "Come in," Sharpay sang, "We'll talk about this later," she said low to Ryan.
Ryan sighed deeply at the sight of Michael sauntering in, "Why, hello," he smiled, looking at Ryan.
Sharpay looked between the two and smiled widely, "I leave you two alone," she winked at Ryan before walking toward the back of the studio.
Ryan felt like fleeing at that moment, "Hey," he replied awkwardly.
"Our date ended sort of soon," Michael started, "I was wondering if you'd want to go somewhere, like today?"
Ryan strained a polite smile, "Uh, I don't," he looked past Michael and saw Sharpay nodding, gesturing with her hands for him to accept Michael's offer, "Uh, I mean, I have to practice, yeah, I have a play on Friday. I don't really have time to," he trailed off, glancing to the side in hopes that Michael would take the hint.
"Well, I'm sure you'll do fine," he smiled, "I got you something," he said, taking out a small black box from his light coat.
"Really?" Ryan raised his eyebrows as he opened it, a small gold pin with the Banes company logo, a half moon and small star, kind of weird, Ryan thought, Michael gave him his family's company pin, of course, Michael Banes future company president would think this was beautiful. "It's nice."
"Yeah, well, I know it isn't particularly romantic but it holds a lot of sentimental value. My father said he gave it to my mother when they first started going out," he shrugged elegantly, "Of course back then the company wasn't a multimillion dollar corporation."
"Oh," Ryan smiled suddenly, "Well, that's pretty special then," he placed the pin back in the box and then beside him on the bench, "I'll keep it safe," he smiled.
"Ah, there's more," Michael grinned, "It's not that hard to get," he revealed, winking conspiratorially.
Ryan laughed a little, and suddenly Sharpay walked over, "Um, Ry, we need to practice," she smiled at Michael who took her hand and kissed the back of it.
She giggled slightly, "Well, I'm off," he waved, "Nice talking to you, Ryan," he smiled at the blond before leaving.
Ryan looked at the door after he left, 'Maybe he's not so bad,' he thought. 'It's kind of nice to be wanted.'
"Well, go after him," Sharpay said, breaking Ryan's thoughts, she shooed him away, "Ask him to our opening night," Ryan jogged slightly to catch up to the raven-haired teen already in the long driveway, yet halted when he heard him speaking.
"Yeah, I think I had him enamored," Michael chuckled condescendingly into his handheld device, "The Banes Company and Evans company merge will definitely be in for the long haul," The raven-haired teen leaned against his car, a self-satisfied grin etched on his face, "And if I get something out of it, then I guess everyone wins," He smiled, "Alright, bye father," he slipped his blackberry into his coat and got into his car.
Ryan felt disgust coil around his throat, stepping behind a large pillar and away from Michael, his heart clenched as thought about how the other teen used him. 'If I get something out of it,' Ryan repeated mentally, 'Is that all I'm worth? A good roll in the hay...' and suddenly he felt a drop of liquid tickle down his cheek, surprised at his own reaction he wiped the stray tear away roughly, 'Why should I even cry?' He thought angrily, 'That asshole isn't even worth it,' he walked back inside as the convertible drove off, feeling his chest lighten as he thought, 'he doesn't even deserve me.'
x x xxxxx x x
Troy watched Ryan dance on stage from his spot at the side of the auditorium, Ryan lifted himself off the ground in one swift leap, landing softly on the other side of the stage beside his sister, they sang together. It wasn't at all like how he danced that evening after basketball practice, when Troy caught him dancing so freely, Troy remembered it often, no, this was calculated and restrained. It was all forced cheerfulness and show.
His muscles weren't defined like Troy's, the brunet noticed, Ryan's body was all smooth planes of skin and faint muscles that appeared when he stretched or wore tight clothing. Troy took notice of this especially in gym class, when Ryan was forced out of his restrictive dress shirt and into a thinner and looser gym uniform.
"You should just talk to him," Gabriella broke his trance like a splash of ice water aimed at his head.
"And what," Troy drawled, "Are you talking about?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "You know," she looked at Ryan and Sharpay on stage as she leaned against the wall next to Troy, "It's so obvious, well, to those of us who care to really notice," she said knowingly, her eyes still on the blond twins on stage.
Troy felt unnerved at how blunt the brunette girl was being, sighing, he relented, "So what?" he looked at her uncertainly, "I can't really do anything about it."
Suddenly Gabriella smiled, "So, you're admitting it," her deep brown eyes twinkled in amusement, "You like Ryan."
"Didn't you just say it was obvious," Troy huffed, he crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly self-conscious, "It's not something I go around telling people," he muttered.
"It's not so ...taboo, Troy," the brunette girl felt like rolling her eyes, "I mean look at Ryan, everyone knows he's gay and no one really cares."
"Well, I didn't know until the beginning of this year," Troy argued.
She sighed, "That's because you don't really notice anything," she laughed a little at Troy's pout, "I'm not saying you're dumb, it's just you didn't really talk to Ryan until we started practicing for the Twinkle Town Musicale last year and even then it wasn't much," she shrugged her shoulders, "He's not the only gay person in our school," she continued, "There's Kasey, Luke, and—"
"Wait, Kasey, the head cheerleader, is a lesbian," Troy interrupted.
Gabriella half-glared, "Yes, Troy, she is."
"Oh," Troy looked puzzled for a moment then chuckled suddenly, "I guess I don't notice things," he shook his head, "I think I focused on basketball so much I blocked out the first two years of high school."
"And the third?" Gabriella asked cheekily.
Troy narrowed his eyes playfully, "I was too focused on a certain brunette girl with an encyclopedia lodged in her brain," he teased.
Gabriella hit Troy's arm, "Hey, I was a very good girlfriend," she nodded resolute, "I even realized how we weren't right for each other," she said teasingly, but her tone held the seriousness of the topic often unmentioned by the pair.
"I'm starting to realize why," Troy said quietly, his eyes gazing at Ryan, who was done dancing and listening to Sharpay rattle on about something, his attention didn't seem to be on his sister however, they were gazing at a spot just beside her head, he smiled slightly as the blond boy seemed to be nodding at what his sister was saying, probably had no idea what she was talking about, Troy thought amused.
"Let's say you come out," Gabriella said suddenly.
Troy jerked in surprised, turning in her direction with wide-eyes, "Not so loud," he hissed.
"What?" Gabriella asked nonchalantly, "Troy, please, I'm being hypothetical," She sighed at Troy's puzzled look, "A 'what if' scenario," she supplied.
"Okay," Troy glanced around them before hesitantly agreeing, "If I were to …come out," he whispered the last two words.
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Oh come on, do you really think you'll be ostracized," and again Troy's face twisted in confusion, she rolled her eyes, "Really, Troy, pick up a book," she scolded, "You know, made fun of, disliked, cast away by society," she listed.
"Yes!" Troy said nodding vigorously, "I can't just," he gestured vaguely with his hands, apparently, Gabriella thought, in indication of 'coming out.'
"Well, you won't," she said levelly, "And if you think that little of the wild cats then maybe you're not so much of a friend," she added.
Troy gaze fell to the floor, "I'm just not ready," he said quietly.
"Maybe," her eyes softened, "Maybe, first you need to tell those you feel you can safely confined in," she suggested, "Like Chad."
"Chad?" Troy furrowed his eyebrows, "I don't know."
"You know, your best-friend, practically your brother," her eyes glanced to the side, "If you can't tell him then how do you expect to tell …anyone."
She walked away, leaving Troy with furrowed eyebrows deep in thought.
x x xxxxx x x
On the opening night of the musicale it was hectic, stressful, irritating, and Ryan loved every minute of it.
"Mah! Mah! Mah!" Sharpay chanted into her mirror, instead of with Ryan, she was slightly ticked off when she heard he did his voice exercises with Gabriella instead of her and now she refused to look at him.
"Sharpay—"
"MAH!" She continued even louder drowning out her brother's attempts to apologize.
He breathed in deeply. Take a deep breath Ryan, he thought, she's just stressed over opening night. He exhaled.
"Oh, get over it," Gabriella said calmly, placing some blush on her cheeks, she looked at Ryan in the mirror, "Is she still not talking?" She asked tiredly.
Ryan nodded at Gabriella's reflection.
Sharpay narrowed her eyes, "I will be in the dress room," she pushed past her brother, "Without backstabbing brothers," she said as she left with a slam.
Troy walked into small room a bit startled, "What happened?" he asked bewildered at Sharpay, her hair slapped him as she passed him down the narrow hallway.
"Nothing," Gabriella sighed, "Apparently, Sharpay's angry with Ryan for cheating on her with me," she laughed a little at her own joke.
Ryan smiled as well, "Well, who can blame me," he played along with a smile, kissing the back of her hand.
Troy forced a laugh at the two, jealousy stirring within his gut.
Suddenly Kelsi barged in, "You guys we have ten minutes!" she excitedly let out.
Chad came in through the open door, feeling slightly out of place, bunches of roses held in both hands. Spotting his friends he relaxed.
"Roses for you," the curly brunet handed a bouquet of flowers to Gabriella, who giggled before thanking him, "And you," he gave a separate set to Kelsi, who blushed and accepted them with a thank you as well. He placed another set on a pink table set with a pink framed mirror.
He turned around to Troy and Ryan, who stood just behind.
"Well, I can't exactly give you guys roses," Chad chuckled at Troy's raised eyebrows, "So, you guys each get a punch for good luck," he gave a swing at Troy then Ryan.
"I think I would have preferred the roses," Troy grumbled while rubbing his arm.
Ryan rubbed his arm as well, laughing, "Thanks for the luck, Chad" he said smiling.
Sharpay stalked into the already crowded back-stage, "We're going to need it," she said, suddenly she halted, looking at her makeup table, a bouquet of flowers sat in front of the mirror.
"I didn't forget about you," Chad said, hesitantly watching Sharpay's reaction.
"Well," Sharpay placed the flowers gently on the table next hers, "Thanks," she said uncomfortably, before returning to her usual tone, "Now get out, only actors and crew are allowed back here."
"Alright, alright," Chad backed off, waving at everyone, "I'll see you guys after the show," he said, looking at the crowded room briefly before leaving.
Troy found himself in the corner of the cramped small space of the backroom with Ryan close to him, his back brushing slightly against Troy's chest, and Troy was pressed against the wall, the rest of crew chatted loudly, the spark of before performance jitters seemed to shoot around the room and Troy found his body leaning forward, his chin slightly over Ryan's shoulder.
Ryan was in pre-performance mediation, his eyes closed, and Troy noticed his pale lashes swept above his cheeks, the room's dim light created soft shadows over the blond's face, he looked asleep, Troy thought, standing asleep.
Suddenly the blond's pale blue eyes snap open much to Troy's surprise, he's caught hovering slightly near Ryan's shoulder, his chest pressed against Ryan's back.
"Troy?" Ryan breathed. He turned his head slightly and felt a wispy brush of skin against Troy's cheek, the brunet backed away, as if electrically shocked by the contact.
"Y-yeah," Troy replied, trying to control his breathing, he felt the heat of the closed off space, the crowded room, and the amount of people suffocated him, and Ryan was so close.
Ryan seemed to be trapped in a trance, his muscles relaxed, his mind set, mentally prepared for his role, and so he was unaware of how his closeness was affecting Troy, and he felt himself detached from his current surroundings.
"Are you nervous?" He slightly whispered, his eyes were looking straight ahead.
Troy felt his heart beating rapidly, "A little," he admitted, he watched in fascination as Ryan turned his body slightly closer to him, his head titling up to look straight at the brunet.
"You're going to be great," he said resolute, and Troy breathed out, his nerves shot at the waves of energy Ryan was emitting.
The electricity of the room made his veins buzz, like the odd familiar feeling of being on the basketball court, and suddenly Troy realized why he liked singing so much, and why he started to like acting as well.
Ryan watched Troy's striking blue eyes narrow in determination, and the heat from his body made his senses sensitive, every brush of clothing, every breath he exhaled, every thump of his heart, he heard them all, he felt them all.
And when Troy smiled down at him, the sight almost blinded him with its brightness, with its light beauty.
And suddenly the heavy air was cut sharply with a shout, "It's show time!"
x x x TBC x x x
A/N: I'm not going to go into the whole play because, well, I'm too lazy and it would kind of be a bore. Some of you were mentioning when Michael was coming back and I have to admit I was surprised you guys sniffed it out, yeah, he's going to be in this for awhile, props to those of you who guessed/asked. :D
In other news, did anyone see Minute Men yet? The potential for slash in that movie was just… huge lol I think I watch anything and automatically think of slash…that can't be healthy for a girl :D
Enough of my ramblings,
Reviews are greatly appreciated and dearly loved.