Hi all...thank you so much for reading...and reviewing. I love to hear your thoughts and I always try to listen to possible suggestions. Wishing you all a lovely week! Love, Jen
Kelsi stood in the doorway to her small apartment, looking at Sharpay with something akin to shock, her small narrow hand still covering her mouth where the curse word had just escaped. She couldn't believe she had just sworn...she never cursed...EVER! And now, in the last two days she had sworn twice...twice. Dear Lord, what was happening to her. Kelsi worked to shake off her surprising vocabulary, instead choosing to focus on the woman who had just strutted into her apartment. The word "strut" being the operative term. What was Sharpay doing here...in Chicago and in her apartment? This couldn't be good. In fact this had to be the exact opposite of good, this had "bad" written all over it.
Sharpay watched with a mixture of humor and impatience as Kelsi struggled to control her emotions. The smaller woman really was pretty apparent, every emotion that flashed in her mind immediately made itself known through her expressions. Sharpay never would have thought Kelsi would be the type of woman her brother would fall for. She always pictured him with someone who was....more like her. But as she watched the young composer struggle to center herself, she recognized that Kelsi was the perfect match for her brother. Probably in the same way that Zeke was perfect for her. Kelsi had the ability to get through to Ryan when no one else could. Well, at least she used to have that ability...back when they were friends. Sharpay literally shook off her thoughts, she wasn't here to ponder the "what if scenarios", she was here to get some results.
"Well, that wasn't exactly the greeting I had in mind, but it'll work." Sharpay stated, referring back to Kelsi's previous comment.
Kelsi's big blue eyes looked like they were ready to pop right through the glass of her glasses.
"S-sorry about that. Um...I'm j-just a little surprised really about w-why you're here...right now...in my apartment...this early?" Kelsi said, her complexion turning multiple shades of red with each passing word. My God, could she sound any less coherent. What was wrong with her? The Evans twins come to Chicago, and all of the sudden she is robbed of her rational mind. Kelsi started to take deep breaths, hoping to work up some calming forces.
Sharpay looked at Kelsi with alarm...why was she suddenly breathing so hard? She looked like she was trying to blow up a kiddie pool or something. This was so not going the way she imagined.
"Kelsi! Calm down, you're going to pass out if you keep taking in those gulping breaths!" Sharpay ordered sharply, lightening the stern tone of her voice by taking Kelsi's hand and leading her towards the sofa in the middle of the room.
Kelsi immediately stopped the huge gusts of breath she had been inhaling. She was completely bowled over by the gentleness of Sharpay's actions. As she sat on the sofa, she felt Sharpay's nicely manicured hand softly rubbing her back in soothing circles. Who was this woman and what had she done with the real Sharpay? It was true that by the time all of them had graduated college, Sharpay had softened some, but Kelsi never would have imagined Sharpay to be a nurturer. Kelsi kept sneaking glances at Sharpay as she sat by her side. Trying not to be too obvious about the course of her thoughts.
Sharpay was trying to stifle her annoyance. Kelsi kept looking at her like she had suddenly grown a horse's head. Here she was trying to be nice...sweet even, and in return she was getting the weirdest looks from Kelsi. Sharpay finally couldn't take it anymore.
"What? Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Sharpay asked briskly.
"You're being...nice...to me." Kelsi said, a hint of pink coloring her expression with the admission.
"Well, yeah, I can be nice...sometimes, when it's warranted." Sharpay responded, still rubbing Kelsi's back reassuringly.
"Yes, you can, but usually there is something in it for you. Something you can gain. Right now...you're just doing it to...do it. You're just...nice." Kelsi said, her mouth hanging open in continued shock.
Sharpay couldn't help but smile. True, this wasn't how she had pictured her meeting with Kelsi, but that was okay. She couldn't help but enjoy the petite woman's disbelief. It was almost...endearing.
"Kelsi, contrary to what you may believe, I like you." Sharpay stated simply.
Kelsi just stared...and stared...more starring. Surely she had heard Sharpay wrong. There was no way Sharpay Evans had just claimed to like her.
"I'm sorry? What did you say?" Kelsi asked, her brow furrowed in concentration.
"I like you Kelsi. I really do." Sharpay repeated.
"Why?" Kelsi asked, surprise dripping from the one-word question.
"Because you are sweet, nice, talented, genuine, loyal and my brother's crazy about you." Sharpay supplied honestly.
Kelsi was so taken aback by the first couple compliments, it took her a moment to fully comprehend Sharpay's final comment. And when she did, she realized exactly why Sharpay was here.
"Ah, now I understand." Kelsi said, quickly standing up. "You're here for your brother."
Sharpay could tell that her final comment had a sort of cooling effect on the Kelsi.
"Kelsi, I meant everything I said before." Sharpay started.
Kelsi practically cut off Sharpay's response, so rapid was her question.
"Are you here for your brother Sharpay?" Kelsi asked, her voice hardening a bit.
Sharpay was shocked, she had never seen this side of Kelsi's personality before. She honestly, didn't think the little woman had it in her. Sharpay couldn't seem to help the reluctant grin that passed upon her lips.
"Yes Kelsi, I am here for Ryan." Sharpay said honestly.
"Leav-" Kelsi started, only to be instantly interrupted by Sharpay.
"But, I am also here for you." Sharpay said with a pleased smirk.
Kelsi felt her mouth hang open dramatically, wishing she could close it, but knowing she didn't seem to have control at the moment. She shook her head lightly, trying to understand exactly what Sharpay was saying.
"Me? You're here for...me? Why?" Kelsi asked, not even aware of the nervous tapping of her right foot.
Sharpay got right to the point, standing up, she moved to face Kelsi. "Because it is so brutally obvious you and my brother need some sort of help. You both are incapable of handling this whole situation like adults. I mean look at you two. Both of you are scared, confused and nervous...neither of you are able to look at this whole reunion rationally."
"What do you mean?" Kelsi asked softly. Sharpay's words were starting to have a ring of truth to them. Kelsi willed herself to listen as Sharpay went about her explanation.
"You two are like a couple of yo-yo's. First you are going to try to be friends, then you're not, then you want space, then you want to be friends again. Seriously, I am surprised you both don't have a case of painful whip-lash. Why can't you both just sit down and talk about the past...like adults?" Kelsi started to try to interject, but Sharpay wasn't about to give her the chance...she wasn't finished yet. "I get that talking will be painful and hard. But neither of you are going to be able to move forward until you do. And I don't just mean forward with each other...I mean at all. And I get that being forced to relive that night is going to be painful. And I also understand that there are things that you probably think you are better off not knowing about...Amanda for one. Well, let's be honest, that's pretty much the main one. I just really think-"
"You're right." Kelsi interjected quietly.
Sharpay had to literally stop herself...man, she had been on a role. She loved it when she got going like that. She knew Kelsi had just said something, but she had been too wrapped up in her helpful tirade to hear what it was.
"Pardon?" Sharpay asked.
"You're right." Kelsi repeated, adding a bit more strength to her voice.
Sharpay quirked her head to one side, making sure she had heard correctly. She was pretty sure Kelsi had just said she was right. She was a tad bit surprised, she knew she was persuasive, but she had been expecting a bit more on the convincing side of things.
"You did just say I was right...right?" Sharpay asked, making sure they were on the same page.
Kelsi couldn't help but smile.
"I did. I do agree with you Sharpay. I am not proud of all of my actions yesterday. But in my defense, seeing your brother again, it was a pretty big shock." Kelsi said.
"I can imagine." Sharpay said dryly.
"That said, I should have handled things differently. There were definitely a few times when I majorly overreacted.. Kelsi shared, once again moving to sit down on the sofa.
"Don't feel too bad about that, so did he...trust me." Sharpay said dramatically, while she joined Kelsi on the sofa.
Kelsi shared a conspiratorial smile with the blond haired woman.
"But you're right about the whole "not moving on" part. I haven't been able to move forward, because I have been too caught up in the past. And that was an issue for me even before Ryan got here. Even if I did do a pretty great job of ignoring it. I know talking to Ryan will be painful and there will be some sections I would rather pass over...Amanda for example. But, we need to deal with this. And not only because we are doing a show together." Kelsi said, switching her gaze to her small hands.
"What other reason is there?" Sharpay asked softly.
Kelsi took a deep breath before answering.
"I miss him Sharpay. I have missed my best friend so much it hurts sometimes." Kelsi shifted her gaze to look at Sharpay. She saw comfort and understanding in the blond haired woman's deep brown eyes.
"He misses you too Kelsi."
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Kelsi closed the door to her apartment softly. Looking at her wall clock, Kelsi was amazed at how long Sharpay had stayed over to talk in her tiny apartment. After they had rehashed the whole Ryan situation, Sharpay and Kelsi had spoken of Zeke, the theater, what Sharpay was doing in New York...pretty much everything. And the kicker was, it was enjoyable. Kelsi had actually liked sharing the morning and part of the afternoon with Sharpay. And in all honesty, she was grateful to the pink-loving beauty queen. Because of Sharpay's interference, Kelsi had realized at a much more rapid pace how necessary it was for her to speak to Ryan. Kelsi was confidant she would have come to the same conclusion on her own...at some point. But she was glad, relieved even, to be able to deal with the issue sooner rather than later. She had no expectations pertaining to Ryan. While she would love to eventually be friends...real friends, she didn't hold any illusions about anything other than friendship in their future. In all honesty, she couldn't really think beyond that at the moment. This was one relationship that needed to move at a slower pace. Kelsi's own well-being depended on that.
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Sharpay couldn't believe how easy it had been. She had been expecting a morning and afternoon in which she would be convincing Kelsi all of the positives that would come out of talking with Ryan. She had been amazed when Kelsi readily agreed with her arguments so early on. Truth be told, Sharpay was even a little disappointed. She had been looking forward to giving grand speech after grand speech. It was good though, no, scratch that...perfect that Kelsi saw the truth to Sharpay's words so quickly. That had been a very telling move on Kelsi's part. Not only was she ready to talk to Ryan, she may even possibly be ready to forgive him. Sharpay thought on that for a moment. As she let her mind drift away, she took a moment to study her surroundings. She had been so caught up in her reason for being in Chicago, she hadn't given herself the time to really appreciate the city. And it was beautiful. There was definitely a reason they called it the "second city." It was not as big as New York, but it was just as special and magical. Sharpay had loved the taxi ride down Lake Shore Drive. The winding road had seemed like a mini race track, with people from various walks of life hurrying to get from one place to the next. The beach to the east of the city was lovely. It looked like a winter wonderland this time of year, with ice crested waves crashing into the snow covered banks. Sharpay imagined in the summer it would be filled with sunbathers, volleyball players and people walking, running or riding their bikes on the track bordering the beach. As Sharpay presently walked down Michigan Avenue, she was struck by the fancy shops...they had every designer imaginable. Sharpay had to force herself not to walk into Chanel, they had the most gorgeous pink scarf in the window. "No," Sharpay told herself, "I need to get back to the hotel to check on Ryan." She imagined her twin had already begun to wonder where she was. She had been at Kelsi's longer than she planned. Whereas, she wasn't expecting their talk to go quite so quickly, she also hadn't expected to stay visiting for so long of a time. Checking her phone, Sharpay blanched at the time. Oh God, Ryan was definitely wondering where she was by now. Sharpay's pink high heels clicked on the pavement, as she ran towards her waiting hotel.
Ryan was pacing the length of the hotel lobby when Sharpay's pink clad figure graced the entrance. He had gone up to her room an hour ago to see if she wanted to get lunch. He was beyond surprised to find her unaccounted for. He had no idea where she would go, it's not like she knew anyone in Chicago. Well, except for Kelsi. That's when realization had hit. He knew exactly where his sister had gone. Panic had seemed to overwhelm him when he couldn't reach her by phone. God only knew what she was saying or doing to Kelsi. He found himself haunted by visions of the smaller girl huddled in a corner crying, while Sharpay unleashed her fury. Not that he could understand what Sharpay had to base her fury on. But it wasn't like she needed a reason or excuse. If Sharpay felt like telling someone off, she was going to tell them off, end of story. Ryan continued to let his imagination get the best of him for the hour he had awaited her return. When he couldn't take it anymore he had moved to the lobby. Not only did it give him more room to pace, it also gave him immediate access to his sister the moment she walked through the doors.
Sharpay felt like some kind of fugitive upon her entrance into the hotel lobby. She was just starting to defrost from the bitter cold outside, when her brother came flying at her, demanding she tell him everything she had done that afternoon.
"Sharpay, where the hell have you been?" Ryan said quietly, anger present in every aspect of his voice and tense body.
"Hello to you to Ryan. I was out and about, you know, doing the usual, window shopping, catching some sights." Sharpay said, not completely lying, but not telling the whole truth either.
Ryan was having none of his sister's excuses.
"Cut the crap Sharpay. You went to see Kelsi, didn't you?" Ryan said, unaware of the way his voice had started to rise.
Sharpay roughly grabbed her brother's arm and started hauling him off towards the elevators.
"For God's sake Ryan, do you need to share our business with the whole hotel. Let's go up to my suite, I'll tell you everything then....okay?" Sharpay asked, her own voice lowering to what Ryan knew was a dangerous level.
"Fine, but I want to know everything." Ryan said, yanking his arm out of his sister's grasp and following her on to the waiting elevator.
"Didn't I just say that...in those exact words even? Sharpay questioned, giving her twin an exasperating look. "Just try to be patient a bit longer okay?"
Sharpay understood why her brother was angry. She would be furious if their roles were reversed and he had decided to talk to Zeke. That said, her brother was definitely overreacting. And people said she was dramatic!
Ryan stayed silent for the entire elevator ride. He knew Sharpay had meant well, but he really wished she would stop sticking her powdered nose in his business. He was a grown man, he could handle his relationships without any help, thank you very much. Not that he and Kelsi were exactly in a relationship, or anything that even slightly resembled one, but it was the principle. The elevator doors opened, and Ryan wordlessly followed his sister into her suite.
Sharpay waited until the doors to her suite were securely closed before turning in a twirl of pink winter garb to face her fuming brother.
"Now you may ask me your questions." She invited, figuring that was the easiest way to get down to business.
Ryan wasted no time with niceties.
"Did you go to Kelsi's?" Ryan asked, already knowing the answer, but hoping Sharpay would prove him wrong.
"Affirmative. Next question." Sharpay supplied, sitting with a huff onto the upholstered sofa.
"Why, w-why would you go to see her? What would ever propel you to do such a thing? I mean, you don't even like her?" Ryan's voice rambled, as he resumed his earlier pacing.
"Why does everyone assume I don't like Kelsi? I like her. She's fine, great, peachy....I actually like her more after speaking with her today than I did yesterday." Sharpay said, sounding quite pleased with herself.
Ryan stopped pacing abruptly and just starred at his sister in disbelief. Who was this woman and what had she done with his sister?
"So...does this mean your talk with Kelsi went well?" Ryan asked apprehensively, while an internal ramble went off in his head chorusing "please say yes, please say yes..."
Sharpay stood up and playfully patted both of her brother's cheeks, before moving over to the min-fridge tucked in the corner of the suite's bar. She started shuffling through the contents, looking for something that resembled a sweet...God, she missed Zeke's baking. Finding a spare chocolate bar, Sharpay drew her focus back to the conversation at hand.
"Our conversation went amazingly well Ry. Even better than I could have expected." Sharpay shared, taking a dainty test bite of the chocolate before going all out with a huge bite. "God, this is really good." Sharpay said, holding up her candy in explanation.
"Sharpay, can you direct your focus from the chocolate and back to me for a few more seconds please?" Ryan received his sister's waving hand gesture, which he understood to be sign language for yes. "Great...So, what happened? What did she say? Did she mention me?"
Sharpay almost choked on her candy bar on Ryan's last question. For drama's sake, sometimes guys could be completely and utterly clueless.
"Of course we spoke about you Ryan, why else would have I gone over there." Ryan started to try to interject, but Sharpay silenced him with a wave of her candy bar. "Just let me finish. This is sure to go much quicker if you just let me talk. So, I went over there and shocked the life out of your favorite little person. She actually swore Ryan! Can you believe it? It was pretty humorous really."
"Sharpay focus!" Ryan stated, before quickly adding, "she really swore?"
"Yeah, I know right?" Sharpay said with a laugh, before finishing up her candy bar. "So, after she got over her shock, she kind of hemmed and hawed over what I was doing there. She figured out I was there for you."
"Oh God, that's great." Ryan interjected sarcastically.
"Ryan! Will you let me finish. Sometimes you are impossible. Any who, where was I? Oh right. So, I informed her that I in fact wasn't just there for you, I was there for her as well."
Ryan's eyes looked ready to bug out of his head, he was looking at his sister in shock.
"You said something nice to her?" Ryan said, disbelief lacing his tone.
"Yes, I can be nice you know. Why is this so hard for everyone to believe." Sharpay dramatically paused before once again continuing. "Moving on...I told her how you two should be friends again, that you had a lot that needed to be cleared up, that it may be painful, but it was worth it, and that neither of you would be able to move forward in your lives until you spoke and cleared the air...yadda, yadda, yadda...you get the drift. Oh, and then she gave me some green tea. I decided to try it, you know to be polite. It tasted like cat pee. Not that I have ever tasted cat pee. But it tasted how I would assume cat pee would taste." Sharpay finished with an overly sweet smile.
Ryan stood frozen, looking at his sister, a stunned look across his features.
"Wow Shar, that was actually...good and sound advice. Except for the whole cat pee part, that was just gross." Ryan said, moving to stand next to his sister, leaning forward on the bar so that his elbows rested on the granite surface.
"I have been known to impart a wise word every now and then." Sharpay supplied, leaning over to give Ryan a peck on the cheek.
"So, should I be afraid to ask what Kelsi said?" Ryan asked tentatively.
Sharpay looked into her brother's blue eyes. She saw the fear there and the hesitation. Even if he wasn't able to realize it yet, Sharpay knew her brother was either close to being in love with Kelsi or already there. The thought warmed her heart. It was about time her brother found a partner who could appreciate all of the wonderful qualities he had to offer.
"She's willing to give you a chance Ry. She's willing to attempt to be your friend. And not just a tentative friend that you make truce's with, a real friend...like you were before."
It felt like a huge balloon of hope filled Ryan's body with each passing word out of Sharpay's mouth. Friendship...with Kelsi. That was more than he could have ever even conceived of hoping for.