Thanks To Everyone Who Has Reviewed :D College starts back again tomorrow and my updates wont be as regular as they have been, hopefully if I can't get anything done before my next update will be on WEDNESDAY!
Troy headed to English alone, Ryan headed to his business class and Troy was glad that the young drama student seemed some what happier. Chad was waiting for him with a confused look, "Well what's going on man?" He asked as they headed into the class.
"He didn't want to talk about it," Troy answered truthfully. "Seemed okay when I left him though."
"Maybe everything is just catching up with him," Chad shrugged as they took their seats.
"What do you mean everything is catching up with him?" Troy asked.
"I mean, him being gay and open about it. Can't be easy for him." Chad sighed. "And being Sharpay's sister can't exactly be easy, being in the light all the time."
"He's a drama major, Chad. I'm pretty sure he's used to being in the light." Troy laughed. "But yeah, maybe. I'm seeing him later I'll talk to him then."
"You're seeing him later?" Chad asked a little surprised.
"Yeah, I'm helping him with his maths."
"I didn't realise you two were close." Chad shrugged. "He's a nice kid though, not like his sister."
"She's not that bad." Troy laughed. "She was nice to Ryan today."
"She's his brother, I think for her being nice to the only person willing to hang around with you she sort of has to be nice to him." Chad offered with a smile. Troy just shrugged as the teacher walked in and everyone pulled out their text.
The class seemed to drag for Troy, he couldn't concentrate on the work all he could focus on was Ryan. He thought about the way he smiled yesterday, it had been a rare private smile and he was glad that he was the lucky one to see that smile. He thought back to the words Ryan had said; "It's scary yesterday you saw the real me, and I've kept him hidden for sixteen years." Troy smiled. He couldn't wait to see more of the boy he had met yesterday, because the boy he had known forever and the boy he saw yesterday were two completely different people. He hated seeing him so sad, he could still feel the tears on his shoulder from where Ryan had cried, and he wanted nothing more then to make him feel better.
English finished once a three paged essay was assigned that had the whole class moaning loudly as they walked out. "Three pages," Chad continued to moan as they made their way to the gym for after school practice. "I mean, three pages on a poem that was only five lines long!" Troy just shrugged, it was a hard assignment but they would all get it done, they had to.
Practice was hard as always. Even though his father was the coach, Troy didn't get any special treatment, and being the captain of the team he always worked the hardest, because being Captain wasn't something that was just given to anyone, it was earned. After the hours practice had finished, Troy found it odd that he hadn't stopped thinking about Ryan. When he scored a basket he wondered whether or not Ryan had ever played before, if he supported a team, or if he liked any other sports. He couldn't picture it, but when he did picture Ryan in a sports uniform it had made him feel... warm.
He showered and changed quickly and as he walked out towards the parking lot he found himself excited about seeing Ryan again. Ryan was standing leaning against his car door. Troy found himself just staring, the way the skinny figure seemed so perfect in the afternoon sunlight. Ryan looked good, and Troy was passed questioning his thoughts because he knew they would just leave him confused. What ever was going on in his mind, he didn't care. He liked it. He walked over to him with a smile, once he was noticed Ryan grinned back.
"Hey," Ryan smiled.
"Hey yourself," Troy grinned back. "You okay?" Ryan blushed, he was completely embarrassed that Troy of all people had seen his breakdown.
"Yeah, thanks. For earlier I mean, you didn't have..."
"I wanted to." Troy cut him off. "So coffee and maths?" Ryan nodded with a smile and opened his car door, Troy slid into the passenger side and watched as Ryan started the car. The car ride was filled with a comfortable silence; Ryan focused on his driving, and Troy, he focused on Ryan. The way his eyes glistened in the light, the way his pale skin made him even more beautiful, and the way his soft pink lips begged to be kissed.
The coffee shop was crowded with students and Ryan liked it better that way. He found that when everything was silent he had more time to think about everything he didn't want to think about. Troy ordered them their drinks and something to eat. Ryan eyed the food before saying he would have it later as he pulled out his maths book. Troy noticed as he looked through Ryan's work that he had tried to do a lot of the work last night. "You got some right." Troy smiled proudly.
"Like I said yesterday, you're a good teacher." Ryan grinned. They started to study, Ryan listening intently to what Troy had to say. Ryan worked hard to get the answers right, because when he was did he was rewarded with a private smile from the basketball Captain and he found himself wanting more and more of them. After an hour of studying Ryan deemed that his brain was fried and they should do something else.
"Like?" Troy grinned.
"It's not raining." Ryan smiled. "Can we go for a walk? I mean... if you have something..."
"A walk sounds fun." Troy grinned, he wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. They grabbed their bags and headed out into the sun. Ryan found himself walking closer to Troy, there was something comforting about his presence that made him feel at ease with himself. They reached a small park just a few minutes walk from Ryan's car and decided it would be nice to sit under one of the trees. Troy also decided that he was going to get to the bottom of everything.
Ryan sat with his legs crossed his hands folded over his chest as he stared up at the sun, Troy just stared at him. He wondered if the blond boy realised how beautiful he was, how captivating. He then figured that he probably didn't, because someone who looked this good bathed in light should never live under a shadow.
"Ryan," Troy started nervously. He was sitting next to him, and their legs were brushing and he was trying not to focus on how warm Ryan felt next to him, he needed to know what was wrong with him.
"Yeah?" Ryan asked softly, his eyes were closed and he was leaning back against the tree casually. When Troy didn't answer after a minute he opened his eyes and turned his head, coming face to face with the Captain of the basketball team staring at him. "Troy."
"Oh sorry, yeah..." Troy blushed a brilliant shade of red as Ryan caught him staring. "I'm worried about you."
"I told you before, there's no need to be worried about me."
"Doesn't mean I can just stop, Ry." Ryan didn't say anything he just stared at the grass. Troy reached out and grabbed Ryan's hand, linking their fingers together. The shock of contact surprised Ryan and he looked up to see Troy staring at him again, this time he blushed. "Please. Who did that to your eye?"
"It's not important," Ryan sighed.
"Do you think they're going to do it again?" Troy asked, when Ryan didn't reply he got the answer he didn't want. "Was it someone in your family?"
"What?" Ryan asked astonished that Troy could even think that. "No, it wasn't."
"Then who?" Troy asked loudly. "Please, I just want to know so I can make sure they don't do it again. I don't want to see you hurt." Ryan sighed, if he was going to tell Troy what happened he didn't want to look at him. He moved his body slightly so he could rest his head on Troy's shoulder. He felt protected when Troy wrapped an arm around him and kept their fingers locked together.
"I was dating this guy." Ryan began. "He was older and he was important in his family. He didn't want anyone to know who he was because he was ashamed. I thought that he was stupid for hiding but I liked him a lot so I went along with it. It wasn't as though he was a student as East high so it would be easy to hide it. Then we were out one night, dinner and a movie to anyone it looked as though we were just mates, it was nice being out in public with my boyfriend. He walked me home, and it was dark so he took my hand and every thing was perfect." Troy smiled at what Ryan was saying, he could imagine it and the thought of Ryan being happy made him happy, though the fact that he was happy with someone else made him jealous and he wasn't afraid to feel it.
"I heard laughter and when I turned around I saw a couple of boys from school, they had their camera phones out and had filmed us." Ryan sighed, he started to play with Troy's fingers a little, mainly so he was distracting himself from thinking too hard about what he was going to say. "Once he realised what had happened he pushed me away from him, telling me it was my fault that his life was going to be ruined because of me. He ran off leaving me to face the guys. They laughed, called me every homophobic name they could think of, which surprisingly was a lot. One hit me as he called me a fag. They showed me the pictures and told me they were going to print it and show the school. My face was as clear as hell in the photos, but his wasn't."
"No one would think anything If they saw the photos Ry," Troy said softly. "The school knows you're who you are and no one holds it against you. Not the people who matter."
"It's one thing knowing it Troy, it's another seeing it." Ryan snapped. "How would you feel if someone filmed your breakup and showed every one?" Troy thought about it, he would be scared of the humiliation, scared of the laughter and he'd be heartbroken. He knew it would be twice as hard for Ryan because a gay relationship was less common and would cause more of a reaction.
"Did they show anyone?" Troy asked avoiding the question.
"I don't know," Ryan sighed. He leaned in closer to Troy and the basketball held him closer. "I'm scared."
"It's okay, if anyone says something to you. I'll be there okay."
"Promise?" Ryan asked weakly.
Troy looked down at the boy in his arms and felt his heart ache for him, he pressed a gently kiss to the blonds forehead and whispered in his ear. "Promise. I'll always be here for you, Ry,"