Chapter 2: Will I Regret This?
Ryan stared at the road ahead. His car wasn't going to go very far. And it was dark. Pitch black. His headlights were barely working. He wondered what was going on at home. Sharpay was probably crying her eyes out. Mom was probably still at work. Dad, who knows where he was."Well which Dad are you thinking about?" Ryan asked himself. His birth dad? He was probably dead by now. Their first stepdad was probably dead too. Second and third one were probably in jail. Third one...
"Arthur was the worst stepdad I've ever had. Why should I care about what happened to him?" Ryan asked himself. He decided to keep his mind off his past Dads. He thought about Sharpay again. She really didn't want to come, but she would want to go everywhere with her brother. He was always so protective of her. Their last stepdad was so violent. He remembered that day vividly...
"Sharpay! Are you listening to me? Am I not speaking English?" Arthur screamed furiously at his stepdaughter. Sharpay whimpered and looked at him. Suddenly, Ryan came home and noticed that his stepdad was about to slap Sharpay.
"Hey! You leave her alone!" Ryan shouted. Arthur looked at Ryan. He had a wicked smile.
"Oh yeah, what are you gonna do to me?" Ryan slowly approached Sharpay.
"Just don't hurt her. Hurt me, don't hurt her." Ryan said with a boldness he never knew he had.
"Ryan..." Sharpay whispered.
"Be quiet, Sharpay, I got this."
Arthur smiled again. It wasn't a nice smile.
"Okay, Ryan. Since you think you're so strong." he took off his leather belt. Ryan winced.
"Shar, get out. NOW."
Sharpay whimpered, and ran out of the house.
"Do it Arthur. I'm not scared of you."
Arthur raised the belt. Ryan tried to shut of his nerves...He shut his eyes.
"ARTHUR!!!"
Ryan opened his eyes. His mom had come home.
"Ryan get out now." she ordered.
Ryan ran out fast. This was not home...
Ryan found that his headlights were working again. He felt a lot better now. He had to take his mind off of things. He turned on the radio. His favorite song was playing. He sang along. After it ended, "Never Far Behind" started playing. It reminded him of Sharpay again...
"I'm running away, Sharpay." Ryan said to Sharpay one night as she tried to sleep.
"I'm dreaming..." she said.
"Shar, wake up."
"Okay I'm up. What is it, Ryan? It's like 2 in the morning."
"Sharpay. I'm running away."
"What?!"
"You heard me. I'm running away. To L.A."
"Are you crazy?!"
Ryan clamped his hand over his sister's mouth.
"Shh. No I'm not crazy. I have to leave."
"But, why?!"
"I can't stand moving again."
"Ryan shut up. You can't leave. We're moving in the morning."
"Well I can't stand trying to make new friends."
"Ryan go back to sleep. We have to move tomorrow."
"So you're not coming?"
There was an awkward silence. Sharpay thought he was just trying to cheer her up when he said they were going to pick up and move to L.A.
"Ryan, I can't."
"You promised."
"Well I have to break my promise."
"Fine. I'm leaving tonight."
Ryan walked out of Sharpay's room.
"Ryan, wait!"
He went back into her bedroom.
"I will always be there for you, Ryan. Follow your heart. And remember Ryan. I am always here, well, if you need me."
"Thanks, Shar. I'm really leaving. Really."
Ryan knew exactly what she was thinking: "Ya right."
"But I am leaving. Nothing's gonna stop me."
Ryan thought and wondered, "Is this a big mistake? Can I turn back?"
"Will I regret this?"