Hey all, I hope you like this chapter of Hide And Seek. I tried to make this longer than the others, you can tell me if I succeeded or not.

Reviewer Time!

Angel Of The Starz: Thank you, as I said I am trying to make this detailed and a lot more vivid.
ArabellaKye: Aww gee, thanks! Haha yay I rock. :) You rock too cause you reviewed!
-MaDtV-: Sorry but I am totally against the view that cutting is for emos. Cutting isn't just for emos. I know lots of emos who don't cut and I know lots of people who aren't emos that do or have. But thanks for reviewing!
AlwaysxAddicted: Thanks so much, I was pretty glad with my description there. I liked it. Sharpay be a woman of her word, she is self-destructing. Slowly a ticking timebomb. Tick...tock...
XBeautifulBabe405X: Aww sorry I made you cry. I'll try not to do it again. Thanks!

This chapter is a lighter, happier part of the story. I think there should be a few of those, so I made the first bit. Hope you all enjoy. And REVIEW...I'll love you for life. 3
Coop XxX

In On The Game

I awakened the next morning at around 5am, which was plenty of time to clean up but it wasn't like I woud have to because my father would never come into the room - unless we were playing Hide And Seek. But its not like he would notice blood on my bed covers when he is trying to create blood himself. But I knew I would have to clean myself up, so I crawled out of bed and walked into my ens-suite, I turned on the shower purposefully too hot - I always did that but I never knew why, I proobably just liked the factthat the hot water droplets were making huge red streaks wherever they hit - and took my pyjamas, I stepped in and felt my skin burn a little every time a water droplet hit me, soon I was used to it but I was only concerned in scrubbing off all the dried blood on my hands. I scrubbed for half an hour and my arm still didn't look clean, but it was fine enough so I began to wash my hair.

Getting ready for school in the morning has to be the quietest thing I have ever done, sometimes I like to think of it as another game we play, but I don't know what happens when I lose. My father is wherever he blacked out, sometimes at the kitchen table, on the sitting room couch and if I'm really lucky...in the bathroom downstairs. I crept around my room as quietly as possible and got myself drssed, making sure to wear a long-sleeved top and flat shoes. Once I had applied a little make-up and got my school bag ready I opened the door to my room so slowly and quietly as I could, then I stepped out taking care to avoid the creaky floorboard right outside my room, and as slowly as possible I shut the door behind me. All I had to do was get downstairs and out the hallway. I slowly walked along the corridor, I could see the top of the stairs now but they still felt a long way away, they always do when you're tiptoeing. Still, I crept along that corridor with all the hope in the world I wouldn't wake father up wherever he was, and I reached the top of the stairs. The stairs were my main problem: every single stair was creaky. But I had learned quickly that if you walked along the sides, they wouldn't creak. I didn't know exactly why but Ryan and I used to do it a lot to sneak downstairs.
I walked down the edges of the stairs in a zig zagged pattern, counting them as I went 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8..9...10... and so on until I got to 20, then I was at the bottom. Somehow counting helped to distract me from what I was doing, I never knew I would be sneaking out of the house every morning to go to school. But being at school was so much better than home. It was only 7am by now but I had the theatre key so I would just go and hang around in there, like I aways did when I woke up so early, which wasn't often. Once I was at the end of the hallway and the door, I opened it and put on my fake smile. It was such an easy thing to do, to pretend you are okay. Of course it is only easy when you know that you are screwed, but when you really don't want anyone else to know you have to do what you have to do to stop them finding out.

I shut the front door behind me and my heart felt a relief, I relaxed a little bit for I had been tense in the house and I walked out of the shadows and into the sun, like I did every morning. I walked down the long pathway to the school and felt my stomach rumble its little protest to me, I hadn't eaten since the day before at lunch time and that had only been a sandwich. I didn't mind, I kind of liked the feeling of being hungry even though I knew I shouldn't. In my hand I held the small little brass key I treasured so much, the key to the theatre and once I had reached it I pulled on the handle just in case it was already open and I was surprised to find it was. I opened the door and walked inside, the theatre was dark and where I had opened the door cause a thin stream of light to crawl down one of the many aisles.I shut the door behind me quietly and looked at the stage, there was a figure there. I began to walk, soundlessly down the the stage on account of my flats and not my heels. Once I reached the edge I realised the figure was my own brother, my own twin. Ryan. He was sitting on his knees, with his head down like he was deep in though. I desperately wanted to know what was on his mind, what he was thinking about. To be honest I missed him, but I wasn't about to admit that to anyone. Except Ryan that is.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, he turned around and I walked towards him.

"I was just..thinking. I come here to think sometimes in the morning." He replied and I sat beside him, on my knees too.

"I see." I didn't look at him, only straight ahead but I could tell he was looking at me.

"What are you doing here?"

"I come here sometimes when I wake up too early. The theatre is my safety, my sanctuary. I would do anything as long as I don't have to be in the awful house." I said and then gasped, realising I had said far too much. I felt Ryans arm go around my shoulders and pull me to him.

"Shar...whats going on? You never speak about it but we all know theres something wrong." He asked, concerned. I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Theres nothing going on. I swear." I felt a hot tear roll down my cheek, great I was crying. This would make things so much better I thought bitterly.

"Sharpay, you know I don't believe that." His hand soothingly caressed my arm and I let out a sob. I couldn't help myself, I just burst into tears and ruined all my make-up but I didn't care at all, I just wanted someone to pour my heart out to but I was so worried that if I did that to Ryan I would hurt him, and that was the last thing I could ever want to do. Besides then Ryan would know he had been right, and I hate giving people that satisfaction, no matter what it cost me. I leaned into his chest and kept myself there, sobbing my heart out and I could feel both his arms around me, rubbing circles into my back.

"Please tell me whats going on?" He asked and looked at me, wiping away a few of my many tears.

"I can't, I just can't." I said in between sobs.

"Sharpay please!" Ryan said and looked at me seriously, "You have to swallow your pride for one second here and think about your friends, you are all suffering because you are too. We all want to help you but you're not listening Sharpay. I'm so worried about you, its dad isn't it? Is he hitting you? Is he doing more? Please just tell me...please." Ryan looked like he might cry too, and I felt so guilty it just sort of slipped out.

"Yes." I whispered, and looked at the ground.

"Yes what? Yes you'll tell me?" He asked, confused now.

"No...yes its dad, yes he's hitting me, yes he's doing more and he has for a while now." I muttered and felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders.

"Oh my god...I always knew this would happen, thats why I begged you to come with us. Why didn't you?" He asked and I could tell he really was going to cry now.

"I promised him. I couldn't leave. I can't." I whispered and he pulled into me again, I felt the tears in his eyes and heard him heave sobs which I also did. I couldn't believe this was all happening, I had told someone, but not just anyone. I had told Ryan, and now I had someone to turn to, maybe things would be a little easier? Ryan looked at me, his tear stained cheeks glistened.

"Sharpay promise me one thing." He said and took my hands in his.

"What is it?"

"If it every gets so bad, you'll come to me. You won't stay in that house."

"I promise."

Ryan smiled at that and so did I, we hugged tightly and we lay there, on the theatre floor speaking about memories, things we had done, when we had gotten into trouble, the musicales, school. Everything. And it felt so good to be holding his hand, listening to him laugh and my laugh along beside him, it felt so odd hearing my genuine laugh because I hadn't laughed in such a long time. It was almost like a stranger to me, everytime I laughed I jumped a bit inside, surprised. I looked at Ryan smile and me and I smiled back. I hugged him tightly, and we danced along the stage to Bop To The Top and What I've Been Looking For. It was so odd that we still knew the dances after a year but it was fun anyway. We were shocked when the bell went cause we hadn't realised it had been that late, but we hugged and kissed eachothers cheeks, I thanked him. I was grateful. He had given me one of the best mornings in my life.

That night walking home, I could feel my legs tightening. I didn't want to go, I shouldn't have to. I could always run to Ryans, but I knew that would be leaving him. And I had made a promise, I keep to my word even if I don't want to. The sun seemed to be bearing down on me too heavily, it was too bright and the noises were too loud. I guess I stumbled a little bit too but there was a car beside me at one point, and then it was gone. I was confused, I didn't know what was going on. Everything was blurry, and so far away. Was I having a breakdown? Was I dying? What would they say? I'm only sixteen! I'm only sixteen!!!! I shrieked inside my head as I frantically spun around and then there was a car beside me again, only this time is wasn't going away. I heard a voice but I couldn't make it out, then I heard my own voice. What was I saying? Then I was being lifted into the car and gently placed on the back seat. Was I being kidnapped? I didn't mind, I lay on the seat listening to the hum of the engine and relaxing with it, like it was playing a little tune. I watched the world go by through the windows and I heard the driver sigh a couple of times. I still didn't know whos car I was in.

Pretty soon the car stopped, and the driver got out. There was a little wait until he came back, but I was dancing in my head, i didn't know why. I didn't know where I was either, but I didn't care much. It took me away from what was lying in wait for me at my own house. And so, I was glad. When the driver did come back, the door behind me opened. Gentle hands lifted me up to a seated position.

"Come on..." I heard a gently voice and a hand pull me out the car. I shielded my eyes, the sun was too bright. I felt my stomach protest once more and lifted my hands to it sighing. When had I last eaten? Yesterday...lunchtime..it had to be since I hadn't eaten at all today. The hands of this lovely boy crept round my waist and I turned to face my rescuer. I came face-to-face with none other than Troy Bolton. And he was worried, I could see it in his eyes.