Author's Note: Here's chapter nine! Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: Ryan's First Basketball Game

Haylie was shocked when Ryan told her that he didn't go to basketball games.

At her old school, any type of game dealing with a ball was considered a social event.

But here?

Totally choas and mayhem.

"Your kidding me!" she cried, feeling the laughter shake through her body.

Ryan shook his head.

"I'm not. Sharpay never wanted to go to a basketball game, even if Troy was in it."

"Then we better get you to one! Come on, it'll be fun!"

Haylie knew the basketball team was praticing outside, because basketball was a winter sport, and not a spring sport.

So, they didn't go to the gym, but to the basketball courts, where the basketball team was doing a game unprofessionally.

"Hey, guys!" she called out, still dragging Ryan by the hand.

The guys stopped playing to glance at her, and then to Ryan. Troy was the only one who smiled in their direction.

Chad walked up to her, with a smile that didn't match Troy's.

"Haylie, didn't anyone tell you? Your not allowed when the team is playing." he explained.

"Noone told me anything, and besides, your not praticing are you? So me and Ryan can watch." Haylie told Chad.

Chad looked around, for some kind of support from his team, but he didn't get any.

"Alright. But, Troy is the team captain, and he decides who goes and who stays." Chad explained, looking at him.

"I say they can watch, Chad. There's no rule saying they can't."

"But..." Chad started, but Troy glared at him.

"Chad."

"Fine. They can stay."

The team contuined playing, and Haylie and Ryan found some seats on the bleachers.

"Are you sure they wanted us to stay?" Ryan asked, taking off his hat, and playing with it.

"Of course, Ryan." Haylie replied, fixing her gaze on the game.

"It was just that...they didn't seem to want me here." Ryan told her.

"Well, that's just Chad. Chad's always like that when their playing a game, professionally or not." Haylie explained.

Suddenly, Ryan's expression turned angry.

"Haylie, don't you get it? Your being seen with a freak." he whispered.

Haylie's head snapped so fast that she almost thought her head would fall off.

"What?" she asked.

"Your being seen with a freak. A gay." Ryan explained.

"Ryan, your not a freak! Or a gay! Please...what made you think that?" Haylie asked.

"You don't deserve to be seen with me. Your too good for that, and I found out you found your spot among them." Ryan explained, dismissing her question.

"'Them'? Wait-" Haylie said, but Ryan was long gone.

Haylie was still sitting there when Troy came to get her.

"Haylie, Gabriella's looking for you. Are you okay? I saw you and Ryan talking...Haylie?"

When she looked up, Troy was surprised to see her crying.

"Haylie, what happened?" Troy asked, alarmed.

But, Haylie didn't reply.

All she did was hiccup.