Author's Note: Short, I know, but I WOULD had time if my sister didn't want to go on for another ten minutes, so...here it is! Enjoy, and happy reading!
Chapter Five: Regina Steps In
Day two of play practice had arrived, and Haylie still saw no sign of Regina doing any evil, just as Ryan suggested (the Wildcats and Sharpay still felt that she was up to no good).
Haylie was coming out from one of the dressing rooms from changing out of her Cinderella costume when she bumped into Regina.
"Oh! Hey! Sorry." Haylie replied, and Regina smiled.
"No worries, Haylie..I was just zoning off." Regina told her, and as Haylie was going to meet the others, she heard Regina mutter, "Ryan and Regina.."
Haylie twirled around, and asked, "Pardon?"
Regina laughed, as she looked at her.
"Play practice is over, Haylie. Quit living in Cinderella's castle!" Regina explained, and Haylie shook her head.
"Okay...what?" Haylie asked.
"I said 'Ryan and Regina'...it has a lovely ring, don't you think?" she asked.
"Um...yeah, but--"
"Yes, you do. And I think everyone else does too." Regina stated, gesturing to the Wildcats were waiting for Haylie to appear.
Haylie just stood there, looking at her with her mouth slightly agape.
"If you haven't noticed, me and Ryan are dating." Haylie explained, and Regina smiled.
"I know that. If I even come up with the slightest attempt to bring up the idea about Ryan being with another girl, they'd all say that he's faithful to you! Ha! Faithful! He's a guy! What does he know about commitment anyway? All he should know about is hook-ups and one-night stands!" Regina commented, the smile disappearing into a scowl.
"Maybe Ryan isn't that type of guy. You know, there are guys like that." Haylie pointed out.
"Really? Then why don't you go find one? I'll stay with Ryan." Regina said, and Haylie shook her head.
"No, you don't understand." she explained.
"I understand perfectly. I didn't notice Ryan untill I saw you standing next to him, and when I was doing some checking around, everyone told me you were the super side kick to Troy and Gabriella: can you believe it? I'd except it to be Taylor and Chad!" Regina stated.
"Yes, well, that's our nickname, but we don't go by it. Not every relationship is like that. Ryan told me so." Haylie commented, and Regina smirked.
"Oh? What else did he tell you? He'd protect you no matter what?"
"Yes, that's right." Haylie explained.
Where was she carrying this conversation?
"Haylie, Ryan lies to you! Guys who protect go into harm's way so you won't get hurt! All Ryan does is lies."
"That is not true! He protects me better than any guy I ever met!" Haylie said, and and Regina sneered.
"Sure he does. He's just with you because he wants to make your mother happy because she never had one like him."
Haylie's eyes widen, and she looked at Regina.
"H--how did you know that?" she asked.
"I heard Sharpay talking about it one day...you know, you also pick your friends wisely, too. You never know when they will turn their back on you." Regina contuined.
"Sharpay would never do that! She's one of my best friends!"
"Are you sure? You even care she was a Mountain Lion before?" Regina asked, and Haylie felt the tears coming to her eyes.
"I--"
"Haylie? Are you ready to go?"
Ryan walked over to the two girls with a smile on his face, but his smile disappeared when he saw Haylie's expression.
"Are you alright?" he asked, lifting her chin up, but Haylie tore away from his touch, and he looked Regina.
"What did you say to her?" Ryan questioned, and Regina rolled her eyes as she picked up her bag.
"She just started to cry while I was talking to her."
"That's not true! She said some stuff about you, Sharpay, and my mom!" Haylie almost yelled, and fresh tears broke out again.
Ryan smiled softly at her, and gave her a small hug.
"What did I tell you?" he whispered, but Haylie was still crying softly as he led her back to the Wildcats.
Gabriella was the first one to notice the blonde, as always.
"Ryan, what's wrong?" she asked, and Ryan nodded as he gave Haylie a tighter hug, and a kiss on the cheek.
"She's still upset about her father. Regina was talking about him, and she overheard." Ryan explained, and Haylie lifted her head from his chest.
"That's not--" she started to say, but the Wildcats already took in Ryan's white lie.
"Haylie, that's mean! Why didn't you say anything?" Sharpay said, but Haylie could easily see that Sharpay wasn't fooled by her brother's lie.
"I--I...don't know." Haylie said softly.
Why didn't she?
She could have stuck up to Ryan, just like Ryan stuck up to her, and she did a terrible job at it.
It wasn't Regina's words that made her cry, but her bad display of being a girlfriend.
When Ryan was driving her home, Haylie asked, "Why did you lie, Ryan? Even Sharpay knew that didn't happen!"
"I had too. They would have been all your case, and with the play coming up, I don't think they need anymore drama than they can handle." Ryan told her, and Haylie stared out the window.
"But, what I really wanted to know what she said to you that made you cry like that. Usually you don't do that, and it bothers me." Ryan said, and Haylie was staring outside.
"She told me that you and I don't belong together, Ryan. She said that you don't even know what commitment means." she muttered.
"Of course I know what commitment means! I'm not a guy that's a player, if that's what she's thinking." Ryan responded.
"Well, she says you should be."
"And I'm not. Like I said before, I do not play that game. When people do, it gets dangerous, and I don't like to get sucked into it." Ryan repiled, and Haylie finally turned her attention towards him.
"I know that. I heard you tell it to me a million times."
Ryan smiled as he parked outside her house, and looked at her.
"Then don't believe her, because she's a walking rumor mill that doesn't even get believers. If I were you, I think I'd believe my friends and boyfriend more than a enemy." Ryan contuined, and Haylie smiled as she leaned into give him a kiss on the cheek.
That was best advice she heard all day, atleast to her, that is.