So here's Chapter two!!
Chapter Two – Monday Morning
God, please help Gabby talk me out of this! I silently prayed and opened the door to go to class.
He stands there in front of me, the man of my dreams. He has changed since this morning. The sleeveless tee and gym shorts have been replaced by a plain dress shirt and black slacks. Wait, did I just say 'slacks'? But they are. They're semi-casual dress pants that are hugging his gluteus like a second skin. Oh my God! Am I really checking the Student Council President out in the student parking lot?! I am such a fag!! He'll never like me.
Ryan gives me a kind and – dare I say – loving smile. I smile back with a dopey grin. "Wake up! Darbus would never forgive us if we were late to homeroom." And then it happened, he slapped me playfully on my triceps and made me follow him into the building. Thank God that the lil' buddy didn't come back to life. So I hypnotically follow Ryan across campus directly to the Drama Queen Bee's haven.
HSM – SY HSM – SY
Well, homeroom was semi-painful but not as horribly as last year. I just can't believe how much Ryan has changed since Sharpay left. But, of course she's the one that gets to spend her senior year in Paris. Surprisingly, Ryan is not bitter in the least. I was assigned the seat directly behind Ry but he sat sideways in his seat throughout the class. I can't handle seeing his face for thirty seven minutes every morning. I leave the classroom with a bolt as the bell rings. I forget that I was supposed to stay for the Drama Club meeting, considering that it is now Free Period.
Ryan rushes after me and grabs me by the elbow in the hallway. He looks pleadingly into my eyes and asks, "Aren't you staying for the meeting? I need my VP by my side if we're going to show these freshmen who means business."
I apologize as convincingly as I can muster. "Sorry, Ryan. I honestly forgot, but I need to go home and take a cold shower." He laughs uninhibitedly at my comment. "No, seriously, I can feel that I have a fever. I need to cool off before I get sick. Please, tell the rest of the club that I won't miss another meeting and I see y'all at Lunch." I turned on my heels and ran full speed away from Ryan. In all my fantasies, I never figured that I'd run AWAY from Ryan. I look back as I turn the corner and see Ryan still standing there, stupefied.
I arrive back at school just as lunch begins to find Ryan and Gabriella standing in my parking space. He's leaning against the hood of his powder blue Corvette and she stands straddling his left leg. There's nothing sexual in their stances, just looks like they're squishing to allow my passage. I was glad that my two best friends were waiting for me.
Gabby was actually the first to notice my clothes. I was now wearing a wife-beater under an open semi-opaque dress shirt and my clubbing jeans. She greeted me with the subconscious reaction for which I was hoping. "Ouch! Troy, you… are… HOTT!" I gave her a sheepish grin and shifted my gaze toward Ryan. He held the same stupefied expression and I noticed the reaction in his slacks. It's no secret that he's gay. He never came out, but he never denied the accusations either. That's why everyone was so comfortable with it; it was never gossip and conspicuous. I love how strong he is.
"So are you okay, Troy?" Gabby asks.
"I'm fine now." I keep Ry's eyes locked with mine as I answer. "Actually, I'm starving. Will you grab us a cheese pizza and put it on my account, Gabby?"
"Sure. Why don't you do it yourself?" Sometimes that girl can be so ditzy. I love her none the less. She's the one that I chose to come out to, she's the one that offered to be my beard, and she's just wonderful. She deserves nothing but the best.
"I need you to do it so I can talk with Ryan in private." I attempt being suave, but it was lost on the Einsteinette. "You know, we need to TALK about Drama Club." Her eyes light up and she leaves in nothing short of a dead sprint.
Ryan follows me into the woodshop and up to the Science Club botanical reserve. As we reach the door, I notice a swift movement around the corner and notice Eddie pulling up his jeans. I give him a wink and hear Chris ask, "Is the coast clear?"
I lean towards Eddie and whisper, "The secret's safe." I proceed to distract Ryan and note that the boys have recessed back into the wood shop.
"Troy, I don't think we should be up here." Ryan looks worried for a moment.
"Why would you say that?" I inquire shiftily.
"'Cause I think that Chris and Ed wanted some privacy." He giggles. This is definitely a good sign. At least I didn't have any secrets to keep from him. Well, I won't in about three seconds.
"Ry, what do you think of homosexuality?" I always focused on the end of the conversation. I never knew how to start it.
"Well, if I had a choice, I wouldn't have picked it. But, I'm happy with my life, gaiety and all." He responded like I was about to hit him. I grab him by the shoulders and he flinches. That flinch breaks my heart.
"No, no. That's not how I meant to ask that." He gives me another expression that somehow conveys that he wants me to re-ask my loaded question. "What I wanted to ask is, what do you think of MY homosexuality?" He blanches. Almost like he's going to be sick. Suddenly, I'm scared shitless.
"Fuck you, Troy Bolton. How could I ever think that you wanted to be my friend? This is just one huge practical joke. Well guess what, Troy? I won't let you make an ass of me. I finally became myself without Sharpay. I won't let you and your Sports Posse change me again." He turned to run away, tearful sobs coming from deep inside his throat. I dive in front of him and grab his shoulders again. He's crying so forcefully that he shakes within my grasp. At that moment, I loose my mind.
I lean in and place my lips upon his. I stifle him for a second and after applying just a little extra pressure he responds. I feel as if we've become one soul because he immediately stops crying while tears escape the ducts in my eyes. I suddenly have to hold him upright because his knees went weak.
I place him onto the bench that Gabby and I shared during her first week at East High. I just hold him and attempt to quit my sorrowful display. "How could you think that I would be so malicious? Do you realize how hard this is for me? More importantly, do you realize how hard YOU make me?" He looks deeply into my eyes and just begins to cuddle. Suddenly we hear the door open and we push each other away. He gives me a knowing look and here appears Gabriella with a large pizza.
She sits between us and suddenly my phone vibrates. Text Message Received – Ry Ev. Oh this WILL be good.