Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical….shocked no?

A/N: After this chapter things will start to…eh, move? So, read on and I hope you enjoy it. Also, Sharpay is one of my favorite characters, so how she is in this chapter does not reflect my actual view of her. Oh, and ya'll know the forum that's the High School Musical Awards? I really wish that they had a catagory for best Ryan/Troy fandom, but everytime I bring it up no one says anything. Of course we could make up awards with really really screwed up catagories, like...best chapter, or best paragraph in a story...or best title! (The actual story sucks metaphorical ass but what a catchy title!)...eh...I'm wierd...I apologize.

Special Thanks to:

Repeated reviewers:

xMissxLovelyx: Thanks for the advice. I'm really glad you're back and I can't wait to start reading Untitled again!

ANoRDaE: Don't fell bad that you didn't review because when you do it makes up for it! Ha! I love your story, it is exceptionally well written!

Pollypocket911 : Yay! I'm glad you caught the foreshadowing! Thanks for reviewing all this time, and I really hope I never let you down in my story! Much Love!

Braids21: Yes, I thought it was about time that I start getting into the physical aspects of my characters. Yeah, I'm only 16. I am a very young junior. Anyways, you write very well yourself! Thanks for reviewing!

MyFictionalAnnihilation: Once again, I really admire the fact that you help out and befriend people who actually need it! You're awesome!

ZacEfronLuver: You make me laugh, and yay, here's another chapter! Much Love!

theferretmenace: look, I updated. Are you gonna love me long time like you promised? You will make me sad if you don't!

Mondler4EvEr: Yay! Go theatre addicts! Woot! I just ready El Tango de Gabriella! It was fantastic! Also, I love when you reviewer it makes me happy! Hey, I sing too!

Playmaker16: Something is going to happen in the next few chapters….I promise! Thanks for reviewing!

New Reviewers:

empath89: I'm glad that you like it! I love the name by the way! Well, about the whole Troy helping Ryan out thing…it's all in my head, so you're just gonna have to wait and see!

Diana Shra: It's ok that you haven't reviewed before because you're reviewing now! Yeah, it's OOC, but I think that it could apply as hidden emotions that we don't see in the movie! Thanks so much for reviewing!

potterluvva: Yay! You think my story is excellent! That makes me happy! Thanks so much!

Ryan.Evans.Is.King: Thanks for liking the story, and I have to agree with you, Ryan Evans is king! Haha! Much Love!

Phew, 13 reviewers! That's the most I've had so far……and I think I used 'Yay' like 20 different times…but eh, whatever. Anyways, this next chapter is Ryan centric! Enjoy! Much Love!

Is It?

Is it disappointing to think that every morning when Ryan opens his eyes that he's only waking up for one reason and one reason alone? Is it pathetic that he only has one thing to look forward to as he gets in his car and drives towards his hell. Is it something to be pitied that when 3:30 rolls around everyday that Ryan can't control the surge of excitement that courses through every fiber of his body? Well, is it? Ryan asks himself these questions every single minute of every single day and every time he comes to the same resolution. It depends on what's making you feel that way. And when he thinks about what it is a single face pops into his mind and all his questions are answered.

"So how can you stand to live with someone like Sharpay?" Came the blunt question from Troy Bolton. Ryan couldn't help but laugh at Troy's honest bewilderment.

"Well, she's really not all that bad." Troy gave him a quizzical stare. "Look, I know she can be a little difficult." Troy snorted. "Ok she can be really difficult, but she knows what she wants and she knows what she has to do to get it…..plus she's my sister and I think it's in the manual that I have to love her…….and most of it is just an act, a mask, you know? Maybe one day you'll see that."

"Eh, to each his own." Troy said shrugging his shoulders and both of the boys burst out laughing. Ryan loved the way that Troy laughed. He loved the way that his lips parted and his eyes closed tightly shut. He would sit transfixed as Troy would throw his head back and his light brown hair would fall away from his face.

It was his second favorite thing about Troy. The first was much more important to Ryan. It was Troy's smile. Not just any smile but the smile that he showed to Ryan alone. Ryan would watch Troy through cautious glances everyday in the halls of their school and never once would he see that smile grace Troy's lips. Whether he was with Gabriella, Chad or anyone of his posse, his smile always seemed to be forced and laced with…lies. When he smiled around Ryan his whole face would light up. There was no secrets hidden behind it only truth and innocence and it was all for Ryan and Ryan alone.

"You know Ryan….you-you're one of my best friends." It was such a simple statement, clouded with shyness and somewhat child-like, but Ryan was taken aback none-the-less. He hadn't expected that. Thirty seconds ago they had been laughing and joking and now they were both stunned into silence. Troy, by his own sudden outburst and Ryan, by the actual meaning of the words. In the hallways statements like this were said all the time between friends and most of the time it was casual and obvious, but not here, not in this place. To them those words would never be just words.

"Yeah, you mean a lot to me too." You'll never know just how much. Both of them looked away from each other then, the truths that they had just revealed making them shy and nervous, but they didn't stay in silence for long.

"Ryan….please tell me about your dad." Ryan looked back at Troy. Oh great. Here it was. He should of known that this type of question was going to come sooner or later. He took a deep breath….

"What do you want to know?" Troy's eyes widened in surprise. He had asked the question but he hadn't really expect a reply.

"Anything…….how he used to treat you…… you know, before you…." Troy trailed off. They never talked about Ryan being gay. Neither of them were really comfortable with the subject. It was like a lurking shadow, always there and always aware but never addressed.

"Well, when I was little my dad was my hero. I know it sounds corny, but I always wanted to be around him. I was my dad's hope for the future. No one really knows this, but when I was seven I played football for about a year. My dad had been so proud. It was something that he had always wanted, 'a football star' and God, all I wanted was to make him happy, make him proud to have me as his son. Needless to say, I wasn't very good. I never got to play during games and during practice I was the target for the bigger kids…..kind of like it is now." Ryan laughed bitterly at the connection shaking his head and Troy just sat and waited for him to go on.

"So I quit after one season. I remember how upset he had been. It was the first time that I had ever really seen him angry at me. It only got worse when I was introduced to theatre and fell in love with it. After that dad didn't really treat me the same way. Theatre was alright for Sharpay but never for his son…… but it wasn't until about eight months ago that I completely ruined everything. I remember that we were all sitting around for dinner and……." Ryan turned his head away and began to chew on his already barely existent fingernails. He was nervous and Troy knew it. "And he asked me to pass the salt and, I didn't even realize I had said it. I passed him the salt and I said 'Dad, I'm gay.' Oh God Troy, I said it like I was talking about the fucking weather." Ryan didn't even seem to notice Troy now. He was lost in his thoughts, trapped in his memories. "I'll never forget the expression on his face. It was like I had killed him or something. I wanted to scream at him 'No, no dad, I didn't mean it. I was just kidding.' but he knew. He didn't talk to me the rest of that night and the next day when he came home from work he just stopped me in the hall and said simply, 'No you're not.'…… I guess to him that was enough."

It had hurt to say it out loud because it was like reliving it all over again but this time Ryan wasn't alone. Troy leaned over and placed a hand upon Ryan's. Calloused hands on top of smooth. Warmth against cold. "Never believe that you're disappointing, or that you're anything less than what you are, Ryan Evans, do you understand me?" Troy said firmly and Ryan slowly nodded his head, his eyes glistening slightly. Then Troy looked down at their hands. He just stared at them with curiosity, as if he hadn't realized what he had done. Then his eyes widened and he pulled away quickly clearing his throat.

"Hey Troy?"

"Yeah?" Troy said, running his hands through his hair in mild frustration. Ryan couldn't believe he was about to say this. He knew that he should just keep his mouth shut.

"Would you do me a favor?"

Troy looked at him, his eyes boring into his own. "Anything" and for the first time in Ryan's life, he felt as if that word was spoken in absolute sincerity.

"Stand up for me?" It sounded so simple and yet it was one of the most difficult of requests. Ryan didn't explain what he meant but Troy knew none the less. Troy's face faltered and for one sickening moment Ryan feared that he might actually say no, but then Troy smiled, the smile that was only for Ryan.

"I will."

Ryan had just arrived home late again, and he had been sitting his room alone for only about fifteen minutes before a mass of blonde hair stormed into his room. Ryan found himself slightly annoyed that she didn't knock, but then again, Sharpay never did.

"Where have you been?" She demanded.

"Well you don't waste time." Ryan replied dryly before taking a seat on his bed.

"Just answer the question Ryan."

"I've been out, Sharpay, just out." He said nonchalantly and pulled a magazine out from a drawer in his bedside table, hoping that she would take the hint that he was in no mood to talk.

"With who?" She never did give up. Ryan briefly toyed with the idea of lying to her but Sharpay could always tell when he was lying. After all she was his twin. "You're 'out' all the time, Ryan. You disappear everyday right after school. This isn't like you! So who is it?"

"Troy Bolton." Ryan replied shortly and sat back and waited for the fireworks to begin.

"What?" Sharpay's pale blue eyes widened in shock and her voice rose several octaves. "This isn't good."

"Sharpay-"

"No Ryan, you don't know what you're doing. It's like playing with fire when someone like you starts messing around with someone like Bolton."

"He's just a friend Sharpay."

"Fuck Ryan, don't lie to me!"

"It doesn't mean anything." Ryan was struggling to keep his voice calm.

"I said stop lying!"

"Please just leave it alone."

"Ryan-"

"He cares about me!" Both of them were stunned by Ryan's outburst. This was bad. He was just a friend. Just a friend. Don't do this to yourself Ryan.

"Forget about him Ryan."

"Get out." He said quietly, gripping the sheets on his bed so hard that his knuckles had begun to turn white. Sharpay was surprised, Ryan never stood up to her.

"What?" Maybe she had just heard him wrong.

"I said, GET OUT!" Ryan yelled at her and Sharpay jumped slightly but she turned towards the door never-the-less. Before she walked out of the room she gave him a look of worry and pity and said two simple words. "Be careful."

Was it disappointing? No. Was it pathetic? No. Was it something to be pitied?……No. But one question would haunt Ryan the rest of that night. Were these feelings, this uncontrollable longing, terrifying?….Yes, yes it was.