Easy
by: skyz
Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or Chad or Sharpay.
17.
"Sharpay I'm reading something interesting."
"What is it?" Sharpay demanded as she deftly avoided brushing shoulders with anyone walking the crowded New York City sidewalk.
"Hmm. It's so intriguing. I think that you should read it too. As it does involve you," Ryan sounded as if he was only keeping from laughing out of politeness.
"No. You read it and tell me what it says, Ryan. I'm too tired to read." Not a lie really, but she was busy trying not to catch some disease by brushing up against peons.
"Have you noticed any funny stares today?" She could tell he was loving dragging this out.
Sharpay cocked her head to the side pondering that.
She'd gotten an odd look from Robert her doorman and even Devon her driver had a peculiar look on his face as he opened the car door this morning.
"Why?"
"You need to get the latest People Magazine. Post haste, sister dear."
She stopped at a newsstand. The man stared at her for a long moment then grinned. She watched as his hand eerily went to the People rack.
"For free," he said, his accent thick.
Incredulous, she stared at the cover.
"Damn him," she breathed the magazine crumpling beneath her clenched fingers.
Chad Danforth posed indolently sexy on the cover. The headline proclaiming Unrequited Love and the Basketball Star. The byline stating something about marriage and declined proposals or something just as idiotic.
Only Chad could think this was romantic. She rolled her eyes wondering why Chad's head had to be as hard as a rock. The man never seemed to learn.
"It's a wonderful article," Ryan's voice was an annoying buzz in her ear.
"My name is in this?" She asked the question to be sure. She knew that it was probably about her unless Chad had some other woman he was obsessively in love with.
"In bold print," Ryan confirmed and she could hear his smirk. "And something else too. I'm sure you'll never guess... He's only asked the same question dozens of times."
Prick, she thought unkindly. She wasn't sure if she meant Chad or Ryan.
She stabbed at the end button on her cell phone.
"What is the answer?" The newsstand man asked and she sent him a glare.
"Excuse me?" she asked coldly. Why couldn't Chad keep her name out of the papers?
"You say yes to Mr. Chad? Many proposals. Needs an answer."
She stalked away from stand the laughter of the man following in her wake.
"No," she called over her shoulder. "The answer is a resounding N. O."
She struggled through the crowd to the curb and hailed a taxi.
Slipping in she hit speed dial one on her phone.
Chad didn't waste anytime in answering.
"Sharpay?" He sounded almost apologetic but still hopeful.
"No. Find another way," she ordered.
"But--"
"I told you to be creative. But not like this. Try again."
She hung up before he could say another word.
She leaned back and couldn't help a satisfied smile.
She was enjoying this far too much she knew. Chad had asked again and again in many different ways and her answer was always the same. She enjoyed the chase, but supposed that soon she'd have to say yes when he asked her once again. She couldn't string him along forever, besides this would be a hell of a story for their children one day.
She would say yes, she decided, next month because she couldn't be too quick about it after all. Wouldn't do to have Chad thinking she was easy.