"Ryan, drop it," Kelsi whispers in my ear. "Just leave it." She doesn't want to create a scene, and she isn't used to all of the stares that I've become accustomed to receiving.
"No!" I hiss back. "I don't want to live with that anymore. I'm the one who has to put up with this day in, day out, and I don't think I can do that anymore. If it makes you feel better, go and sit with Chad, and them lot, yeah?" Kelsi sighs, and crosses the room to sit with Gabriella. Her touch lingers on me as she leaves me to face Sharpay alone.
"That was considerate of you, Ryan, taking away the eyesore," Sharpay smirks, firing a glare at Kelsi for a brief moment. Her brown eyes connect with my eyes, and neither of us want to be the first to look away, although I - along with everybody else - know that it's going to be me. I can tell that nobody in this room is watching as such, they're just there gaping at us. It feels like being in a zoo or something.
"She is worth at least ten of you," I say quietly, trying to stay calm, and trying not to let things fire up. Pretty stupid really, because that's Sharpay's job. She can't go a day without drama.
"Hmm, let's see about that. Who's president of the drama club? Not Kelsi. Who is the most popular, and fabulous person in this dump? Again, not her. Who could take their pick of the entire school? What a shock! Not Kelsi! Face it, Ryan, you just want to make me look bad."
"I want to make you look bad? I'm not the one completely cutting myself off from my own twin! True, I feel like I'd rather be somebody else, but you've made me that way, Sharpay. I used to be proud of you. It's hard to believe, but it's true. Right down from when we were kids, I was so proud and happy to be your twin brother. But now? I'd rather be nowhere near you," I turn and run out of the cafeteria, tears blurring my vision. I can still feel the stares of my classmates burning into me, and Sharpay's biting comments. She'll never be satisfied with me, and I probably do make her look bad. It's not like I want to, though. I just want to be her brother. What is so wrong with that?
"Ryan! Ryan, stop," I try to pretend I can't hear people trying to make me talk to them, but I answer them anyway.
"Piss off, Chad, Troy, whoever you are. I really don't care," I sigh, picking up the pace slightly. I don't want to face anybody right now. I don't want to speak about things. I don't even want to be me.
"Chad," he confirms who I just swore at. "Look, Ryan, will you hear us out?"
"I was never supposed to be your friend. You're on the basketball team, and I'm in the drama club."
"But Troy-"
"Forget Troy!" I snap. "I don't care. You might think you want to be my friend because of what just happened, but I know it's not what you want. You're always the one saying 'stick to the status quo'."
"Okay, well...Good luck with your audition tonight," Chad says in another attempt to start up a proper conversation, and I stop in my place, the realisation dawning on me. The auditions are tonight?!