I forgot to mention in the last chapter... Thanks for pointing out my mistake. xD I really did mean intolerant not 'and tolerant'. :
This chapter is really just to show some background between Ryan and Ashley.
Yep, hope you like By the way: Italics flashback.
Cookies and Milk... Hmm that somehow reminded me of... Well...
Last year the drama club planned an annual winter ski trip to Breckenridge, Colorado. Me? Skiing? That is a laugh, really there was no particular reason for going. I just needed to be around my friends. All of them were going, so that would leave me all alone in boring New Mexico.
I had gotten myself some cookies and of course... milk to go along with them. I nibbled on one slowly when a sudden holiday spirit came over me. I turned on the radio and simply basked in my being alone. After a bit of babbling from the disc jockeys the legendary "White Christmas" started to play. I sang along graciously because I'd never really seen a white Christmas... Living in Albuquerque, that never came along, and it never would.
I stood up from the couch and stared out at the mountainous landscape. "With every Christmas card I write." I sang dragging out the last note as I traced an evergreen in the frost on the door of the balcony.
"May your days be merry and bright!" came another joyful voice that was undoubtedly familiar. I smiled and looked over my shoulder at Ryan. He grabbed my hand and spun me around in time with the song. I giggled as I faced him and he asked with a mock low voice, "May I have this dance, Madam?" I could only smile and nod, with a cookie in my mouth.
I grasped his left hand with my right, my remaining hand was placed on his shoulder. His barely in the middle of my back. We were in a sort of 'ballroom style' stance.
"Why aren't you with Taylor and the rest of them?" Ryan asked as we swayed to the song.
"I can't ski." I said simply and sounding slightly uninterested.
"Me neither." he said and glaced out the sliding glass door. "You know, Ash..." Ryan spoke breaking the silence of just background music. I gave him a questioning look and he continued, "I'm not anything like my sister." He looked at me thoughtfully.
"Yes, I know... /You/ can dance." I said with a joking smile.
He laughed a little, but remained serious. "No I mean just because we're related doesn't mean..."
"I know." I interrupted with a soft voice hoping to be assuring. "I never... You're not like Sharpay. I know that." I paused trying to find the right way to describe him. "You're..." I looked straight at Ryan only to find his anticipating expression upon me. I wanted to finish my sentence with: caring, kind, lovable...
"Perfect." The word settled for a while before I realized I had said it out loud. I dropped his hand and stepped away from our dance. "Want a cookie?" I asked uneasily trying to find some miracle of a way to make Ryan forget what I had said. He hadn't said anything which made me more uneasy. I started resituating pillows and magazines until the song on the radio ended.
"I really can't stay." was the female voice on the radio. For some unknown reason, "Baby It's Cold Outside" was my favorite wintery song.
"You didn't let me finish my dance." Ryan said pulling me away from my organizing. This time the 'ballroom style' was replaced by my arms around his neck and his around my waist.
"This evening has been... So very nice." I sang quietly as we swayed slowly. I knew the whole song by heart and couldn't resist singing along.
"I'll hold your hands they're cold as ice." I giggled at Ryan who had continued the duet.
"You know it too?" I asked him, surprised.
"Of course." he replied softly as the song played on.
"I ought to say no, no, no, sir." I sang barely shaking my head along with the no's.
"You mind if I move in closer?" Ryan sang back and did so. I laid my head on his shoulder forgetting practically everything.
"My mother will be suspicious." Our singing had slowly reduced to a whisper.
"Your lips look delicious."
I lifted my head up and my eyes stopped on the clock. The end of skiing for the group had already passed, about five minutes before. I began to pull away and Ryan whispered, "You'll never let me finish, will you?"
Guilt tripped by his pleading look I continued swaying with him to my song. "I really can't stay..." I sang and turned to leave again looking at my feet. Ryan lifted my chin gently with a finger.
"Oh, but baby it's cold outside." He finished the song by himself.
Getting all caught up in his deep, meaningful eyes, I felt myself getting closer to him. My mind was screaming at me: 'Stop! It would wreck your friendship! It's just a silly crush!' My thoughts were ignored like some meaningless babble inside my head as Ryan's lips reached mine. He started to pull away, realizing what he had done and I pushed myself forward to resume, and kissed him back.
"Hello! We're back!!" It was Sharpay's unmistakable, annoying voice. She practically echoed throughout the room. "Where...?" She turned the corner. "Ew!" she screeched. "Ryan! That's just wrong... and gross... and... ew!" she said shaking her head at him.
Ryan rolled his eyes at Sharpay. "Can you ever just..." he started to say furiously at her, but held back. He gave me an apologetic glance and walked out of the room. "See you all later." he said quietly while leaving.
I walked back over to the sliding back door and looked out. I took a deep breath to not explode at Sharpay. She was just... rude and obnoxious and...
Taylor, the reliable best friend stood next to me and rubbed my shoulder. "Go everyone!" she snapped. "Show's over!"
Sharpay smirked, being the last one to leave. She then turned on her heel and stalked out.
"Ash..." she said trying to calm me down. She turned from comforting to joking. "Girl, you two are so cute together! But I thought you guys were just... friendly." she said and nudged me.
I laughed and smiled at Taylor. I touched my lips recalling the kiss and told her what had happened. We giggled and after a while of that she said, "We need some popcorn and ice cream..." She nodded and looked through the drawers of things. "I bet they have some sort of chick flick here."
Laughing I sat down on the couch and sighed.
I had done it. Completely fallen for Ryan. That was what I had wanted to realize all along, but instead, for all these years, I had listened to my scolding mind. Ryan Evans! The sidekick for Sharpay, the most frozen tundra of a person I had ever met in my life. But... I never gave him a chance because of that. Because of /her/.
Again, tell me what you think. I won't continue if I don't know that all y'all like it. I love hearing feedback, and feel free to throw any ideas you have for me. I have a bit of a plot next, but after that I'm way open to suggestions. Luv you all!
-Ali x3