Chapter 2: The Musings of a Musical Mastermind

A/N: Okay chapter 2. Thanks to the people who actually reviewed, and to the people who favorited it but didn't review...please leave one this time :) . They make me want to write more!

Note to flammers: Burn me, I burn you back.

Disclaimer: I Own nothin' you recognize from HSM!

Ryan wandered through the halls, in no particular rush to get to rehearsals. Better to arrive fashionably late then desperately early. He hummed a tune under his breath, and ran his hand over the rail as he descended the stairs at a leisurely pace. He recited his lines in his head again, skipping slightly down the hall as he shuffled his feet and spiraled on one foot to the beat he was clicking with his fingers.

His mind wandered as he thought about the way Troy had looked yesterday, bent over his arm, but positively horrified. Ryan was starting to think it was damn near impossible to draw a confession from him. After all, jocks don't admit their homosexuality everyday. It was going to take some clever planning. Picking up his pace he started jogging down the brightly lit corridor, suddenly eager to get to rehearsal.

Ryan burst into the theater, breathing in the familiar smell of paint and wood. He trotted down the steps, thumping a little and reached Miss Darbus' desk, gasping. He shifted his feet on the carpet, and caught his breath.

"I'm Here," he gasped, patting his hat into place, as he smiled at Sharpay. She gave him a disgusted look from the stands and started reading her script with a sulky expression. Miss Darbus gave Ryan a dark look and stabbed at her notes with the tip of her finger.

"Start where we finished yesterday," she told him and then took a long sip of water.

Ryan bounded onto stage, happily jogging on the spot and the shaking his limbs out. He gazed at Troy who was fiddling about with the CD player behind the curtain. Ryan crept up behind him, stepping quickly and lightly so his feet made little noise. He shuffled up very close and the tapped him on the shoulder. Troy started in fright and wheeled around, finding himself almost nose to nose with Ryan.

"We need you on stage...right now," he said, smirking slightly and hurrying back out into the lights streaming down onto the main stage area. Troy followed him like a lost puppy, his head looking determinedly at his feet. He cleared his throat. He was NOT going to be bullied by Evans again today, Troy vowed to himself. He straightened his back and got into character, sighing as he watched Ryan warm up his voice. He was NOT someone to be pushed around, especially not by some jumped up puff who spends his days in leotards.

"Okay!" called Miss Darbus, her voice carrying through the vast hall.

"Act four, scene three again please boys!"

Troy nodded, and huddled his shoulders low, loosing himself in his character, Johnathan Wilkes. The shy ,quiet and submissive one. Troy waited for Ryan to make the first move of the evening. As the script instructed, Ryan stepped forwards, eyes blazing. However as he got less than a few paces away he let out an almighty yelp. Doubling over he cried out again.

"Cramp in my leg," he whimpered, clutching at his thigh. Miss Darbus let out a huff of exasperation. Ryan straightened up gingerly, his face scrunched up in agony as he looked at Troy with a pleading look.

"Can you help me stretch it out?" he asked in a small voice, eyes welling up.

Far back in the seats Sharpay noticed Ryan's clever crocodile tears and let her mouth drop open. So he was playing dirty now. She folded her arms and pouted, trying to think of something equally as cunning.

Troy didn't know what to say, he'd had cramp plenty of times in practice, and knew just how painful it could be. So ,feeling sorry for Ryan he helped him to sit down and held his foot tight against the floor, the affected leg outstretched and his good one bent. Ryan groaned in a low rumble and reached forwards, grasping the top of his outstretched foot and lying his body flat on top of it as he gently pulled his foot up. The back of his shirt rose up, exposing a long pale back, well toned and defined. Troy couldn't help but look.

Ryan straightened up suddenly, and groaned again. He ran a hand through his sweaty hair.

"Could you just massage my leg for a second?" he asked.

Troy gazed at his drama partner with narrowed eyes, and was only met with a sincere look. Finally deciding that Ryan had no ulterior motive he gently took hold of his thigh and began to rub small circles around it. Putting pressure on it every now and again.

"Better?" he asked Ryan, watching the blond shake his head and close his eyes. Troy massaged a little bit lower, becoming slightly wary. Ryan bit his lip involuntary and then...

"If you boys showed that much care for each other on stage, We'd having a winner!" cried Miss Darbus, her lips pursed , Sharpay was hovering smugly by her shoulder.

Troy ripped his hands back off Ryan's leg as if he had been burned and stood up again, coughing as he did so.

Ryan stood up slowly too, his face bright pink. He had lost control of the situation and probably cost him his cover with the cramp act. Still it felt so nice. He looked at his feet, loosing all his previous confidence.

NEXT DAY:

Troy sat in calculus class, unusually subdued, and refused to to join in the class's fooling about. He was watching a certain blond boy sat three seats in front, talking animatedly to his sister. He looked very happy from the way his eyes crinkled in the corner and the his mouth twitched when he tried not to laugh. Troy couldn't help but smile too, looking down at his pencil case as he chuckled to himself.

It wasn't until the teacher came in that Troy felt the dreaded worry again. He had been asked to run an errand, with Ryan, to the store cupboard. So now they both stood confined in the tight space, their chest toughing and legs tangled.

" I can't reach that!" Troy said sighing as he pointed to box on the top shelf. Ryan shook his head, "me neither," they both looked at each other and laughed.

"Gimme a boost?" Troy asked. Ryan dropped to his knees immediately and cupped his hands together. Troy stepped on his hands and reached up high ,his fingers just scrabbling the edge of the box. Then he started to slip back down again. But not before Ryan grabbed both of his legs and lifted him back up again, grunting with effort.

Ryan couldn't help but notice the way Troy's pants had ridden down low on his hips, exposing the waistband of blue plaid boxer. He grinned, and then the smile vanished as he faltered on his feet, loosing his grip on Troy so they both went crashing to the floor, boxes falling around their heads.

A/N: Short chapter for now, I write more tomorrow!

Much Love! XxX

Gabriella