a/n: There is yet another party in this chapter. Unfortunately, it's a very, very sad chapter. Bring out the tissues. They are much needed.
"What do you mean you can't go? You look great! Your own mom didn't recognize you! Kelsi! You have to go!" Angie paced back and forth through the living room. "You're due to leave in two days! Do you have any idea what this means? Tomorrow is your last day her. You have to go!" She collapsed on the couch next to her second cousin, who hadn't said a word since she was dragged into the room.
Kelsi remained silent for a while, thinking hard about how she could possibly argue with Angie. "I don't want to go out. Not today, not tomorrow. I'm not going anywhere."
Angie sighed. "It's a party. You were invited. It would be rude not to attend."
"It's a party. Parties are stupid. It would be pointless to go somewhere stupid. And besides, my mom just found out that we have to pay our own way. I should be here until we leave to help her."
"What about the letter?"
"I'll mail it."
"Ryan's going to be there."
"Angie," Kelsi murmured, standing up and walking to the window. "Ryan being there is the one reason I don't want to go."
Angie tilted her head slightly. She knew this was coming. "I have to be there early because I promised Sharpay I'd help with the food. Now, I'm not going to be here to force you to go, so I can't force you to go. But I want you to think about something, Kelsi. There has never been a day in my life that I've regretted speaking my mind. And I've made a lot of mistakes, I've gotten hurt, I've even been humiliated, but in the end, it all works out."
She started towards the door to get ready and stopped suddenly.
"One other thing," she said, smiling at Kelsi. "You don't have to chase what you can attract."
- - - - -
"You can do this. You can so do this. Just say it like it is. Confess your undying love for the girl you've always liked but never got around to saying anything about it." Sharpay told her brother with a smile. Somewhere below them, the doorbell rang.
"Oh, that must be Angie." She dashed downstairs, leaving Ryan alone in her room.
"No pressure," he muttered to himself sarcastically, following his sister. "No pressure at all."
- - - - -
When Sharpay opened the door, she found Angie looking apprehensive.
"How much more time do we have?" Angie asked as she was let in.
"About two hours. What did you tell her?" Sharpay closed the door behind her.
Angie ran a hand through her black and aqua hair. "I gave her the 'never regret speaking your mind' speech and told her that she doesn't have to chase what she can attract before I left."
"That's brilliant!" Sharpay gasped in delight, hugging her friend. Angie hushed her immediately, seeing Ryan come down the stairs.
"Hey, Ryan," Angie called, smiling kindly.
"Hi," he replied, his voice evidently nervous.
Angie gave Sharpay a look that clearly said "what did you do this time?"
As the Ice Princess led Angie into the kitchen, she said under her breath, "I'll explain later."
- - - - -
"Some people want diamond rings, and some just – want everything, but everything means nothing, if I ain't got you," Sharpay sang as she walked towards the door. The party was supposed to start at 5:00 in the evening. She checked her watch. 4:53.
Greeting her guests with a wide smile, Sharpay stepped aside to let in Troy, Chad, Gabriella, Zeke and Taylor. Frowning slightly, she checked to see if anyone else was outside before closing the door.
"Angie," she hissed, her hand still on the doorknob.
Angie turned around and walked over to the door. "If you let go of the knob, it stays closed, Sharpay. Really, you don't have to hold it like that."
Sharpay rolled her eyes, hitting Angie's shoulder lightly. "Kelsi isn't here."
"What?!" Angie grabbed the knob, swinging the door open. "Where is she? What time is it?"
Sharpay showed Angie her watch, shrugging.
"Give her ten more minutes. Maybe she's just running late. Maybe there's traffic." Before she could say any more, however, the door opened slowly, making them both stagger backwards in a hurry.
Kelsi stood in the doorway, her expression unfathomable. "Sorry I'm late."
- - - - -
Only half an hour into the party, Kelsi felt like leaving. She had barely spoken to Ryan since she'd arrived. The playmaker slipped a hand into her pocket, slowly running her fingers over the only thing inside: her letter to Ryan.
She had read and reread it several times before leaving, making sure she hadn't left anything out. After concluding that there was nothing she had to change, she had sealed the envelope, her hands shaking slightly.
"Kelsi?"
She turned around to see Ryan walking towards her. She tried hard to smile, pushing the envelope deeper into her pocket.
"Could I talk to you, please? Uhm – outside?" He asked, biting his lip. Unable to speak, she nodded quickly and followed him out the door.
"Kelsi," he sighed, trying to decide where to start. He took a deep breath and began. "Sometimes I have to wonder whether I'll ever be good enough for you..." His voice trailed off when Kelsi put a hand on his shoulder.
"Ryan, stop," she commanded simply, looking intensely into his eyes. Her voice shook slightly as she finally told him what he needed to know.
"Ryan, I...I'm moving. My mom's company is transferring her to another city – and – and I'm going with her." She shut her eyes to stop her tears from falling and took the envelope out of her pocket.
She handed it to him, gave him one last look and whispered, "I'm sorry." Without a second glance, she took off running, her tears almost blocking her vision completely. Running as fast and as hard as her legs would take her, away from the house, away from Ryan, and away from the truth that was making her so miserable.
- - - - -
"Kelsi? Kelsi!" Ryan called after her. Before he could start going after her, someone held on to his arm, making sure he stay put.
"Let her go." Angie's voice came from his left. "Let her sort things out. She needs time to think."
"Ange...she...she's, she's not..."
"We saw what happened," Sharpay joined them, putting a comforting arm around her brother.
Still in a state of shock, Ryan allowed the two girls to steer him inside and onto a couch.
"What's up with him?" Chad asked, walking over. Taylor and the rest came to see what was going on.
Sharpay looked across to Angie. "You tell them."
- - - - -
Kelsi stopped at what appeared to be a gas station, almost completely out of breath. Her tears were still flowing as she sank into a bench, covering her face with her hands.
"I told him," she whispered to herself. "I finally told him."
She could hear her phone ringing. Ignoring it entirely, she sat there, crying like she had never cried before.
Somewhere in the background, an old song played on the radio, its slow, steady tune mixing with the sound of the rain that had just started to hit the ground.
"I want you to come
Come and carry me home
Away from these long, lonely nights
I'm reaching for you
Are you feeling it, too?
Does the feeling seem oh so right?
And what would you say
If I call on you now
And said that I can't hold on?
There's no other way
It gets harder each day
Please love me
Or I'll be gone
I'll be gone..."
Sighing, the composer wiped her cheeks off with the back of her hand. She stood up to leave and the second half of the chorus rang in her ears.
"I'm all out of love
What am I without you?
I can't be too late
Too say that I was so wrong..."
She shook her head, knowing that she was nothing and she always would be nothing without Ryan, it was definitely too late for anything, and that she was wrong about everything beyond reason.
a/n: sniffsniff The song was "All Out of Love", not sure who sang it, but it's not mine. Now please excuse me while I go wail at the top of my lungs. - - - Nina