Chances

by: skyz

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Don't sue.

He paced back and forth along the hallway outside her door. His hands were shoved deep into his coat pockets and his head lowered. He wasn't even sure what he was doing here or why he was still wasting time in the hallway.

He shook his head sending locks of his shaggy hair into his eyes. His eyes wandered to her apartment door again and he paused mid-step. He couldn't keep doing this, he realized. He couldn't keep driving himself crazy over this. It wasn't doing anyone any good and he really needed his life back.

Abruptly he walked to the apartment door and knocked twice.

He hoped she wasn't home.

The door swung open a second later and Sharpay stood there staring at him.

"Can I come in?" he asked gruffly avoiding her mildly curious gaze.

He thought for a moment she would say no from the way her eyes narrowed but she didn't. Sharpay merely stepped aside to let him in.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she headed for her couch and took a seat.

Chad glanced around her condo taking in the pastels and the muted decorations. He hadn't expected her place to be so...boring. He glanced at her to find her staring at her nails.

Trying to ignore him, he thought with a roll of his eyes. Or maybe she really was ignoring him. He didn't know what went on in her head most days.

"How are you?" he asked finally. Feeling as if he should at least appear to have manners.

"Fine," came her clipped response.

He fiddled with his belt loop and took a step closer to her. He wasn't sure if he should take a seat next to her or in one of the armchairs. He'd made a point never to be too close to her and right now being close to her wouldn't help him. He had to keep his nerve.

"Your silence is beginning to become creepy," Sharpay remarked dryly as she finally glanced up and met his eyes.

He looked away uncomfortable with what she'd see in his gaze.

He finally settled for a spot at the opposite end of the couch she sat on. If he was going to talk to her he wanted to have her attention.

He glanced around again seeing signs of Troy all over the place. His old basketball trophies littered one bookcase, his poster of his NCAA championship winning college team adorned the wall next to the entrance to their den.

He couldn't believe Sharpay let Troy put up a poster that didn't go with the color scheme never mind the trophies.

He rubbed his jaw and sighed heavily.

"Where's Troy?" he asked breaking the long silence. He didn't really care just had to be sure Troy wouldn't come in and interupt them.

"Not here," Sharpay responded coolly. "He had some errands to run."

"Will he back soon?" Chad asked. Had to know how long he had before his best friend showed up. He didn't want to be here when Troy came home.

It would just be weird and awkward since he'd never once been over to the condo Troy and Sharpay shared before. Troy would be full of questions.

Chad wasn't sure he'd have answers for them.

"Chad..." Sharpay began suddenly then trailed off with a sharp shake of her head.

"You look at me," Chad stated softly.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Sharpay. Watched her frown and then sigh.

"I don't," she denied almost tentatively.

"I can feel you looking at me. You watch me, Sharpay. And I watch you. We watch each other. All of the time. I thought at first it was because we didn't trust each other, didn't like each other. I mean I hated it when Troy told me he was seeing you. Of all people it had to be you. I thought that was the cause. Hate's a pretty...pretty friendly bedfellow. But you know what they say about hate..."

"I'm not... Whatever it is you're implying is wrong. I don't. I just don't Chad."

He turned fully to watch her. Took in the hair she'd chopped to just above her ears, the understated diamond studs in her ears, the paleness of her skin.

The pounding pulse at the hollow of her throat.

"But you do. Because you're always looking and I can see it you know. I can see things that maybe you don't want me to. Maybe you don't even know. Maybe I'm making a fool of myself. I don't know. I couldn't not talk to you about this. I need to...I just have to get this out. You...um you don't wear so much pink anymore and I wondered why? But then I realized Troy hates pink. You're not much of a bitch anymore either and I miss that. I miss your spark. I'm looking at you all the time, Sharpay. I want...things. Things I shouldn't."

"People change. I've changed. I've grown up. Did you expect me to stay that selfish, immature fool for the rest of my life? Is that who you want Chad? You want that bitchy, foolish, idealistic Sharpay, right?" Sharpay's voice was low and taut as she almost spat out the words.

Chad reached out before he could stop himself. His fingers found the bare flesh of her shoulder and rested against her skin.

He felt her tremble beneath his fingers.

He'd never touched her before. Always made it a habit not to do it. He'd known that nothing good would come of it.

And he was right.

Feeling her soft flesh made him want to explore, to touch to his hearts content, and that...was a very bad thing.

His fingers slid across her shoulder, down her arm, and traced a path backwards.

"I want you. I want Sharpay, not this pale imitation, this water downed Sharpay."

She didn't move, didn't make a sound, held completely still beneath his touch.

"He's going to ask you to marry him."

She moved then jerking away from his touch and running her hands up and down her bare arms. She turned to look at him with eyes dark and angry.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, tiredly.

He reached out again touching her clenched fist and uncurling her fingers until they intertwined with his own.

"Because I think maybe we could have a chance."