Year 15: Mistletoe

Another awkward year had passed for Ryan and Kelsi. Now they were both pretty sure that they knew how the other felt about them, but neither knew how to approach the subject. Sitting in homeroom, they groaned as yet again Sharpay went to the head of the class to announce her newest idea.
"As you know, christmas is coming up, so I think that, in conjunction with the Gardening Club." Sharpay gave a sarcastic wave to the members of said club, who only rolled their eyes in response. "That we sell mistletoe in the school cafeteria during lunch. This could be some people's only chance of getting kissed!" She quickly shot a look at Ryan, who ignored it, but couldn't help but think for the first time that Sharpay might have a point. Maybe this would be the time he was able to bring up the subject with Kelsi. The year that had passed had only served to improve her beauty.

Kelsi was feeling a similar way about Sharpay's ideas. She knew that it was tradition for people to kiss under mistletoe, but she didn't know if this was the right way to explain to Ryan clearly how she felt. She was pretty sure that since last Christmas, Ryan knew that she had a crush on him, just like she was sure he felt the same about her. At hearing the first batch would be on sale that lunchtime, Kelsi quickly counted her lunch money. She could go without eating for one lunch period, this was a matter of life or death!

Kelsi stood in the line, looking around cautiously for Ryan or Sharpay, who would be getting to the drama clubs table any minute. As she reached the front of the line, she saw Sharpay coming in the doors, followed by Ryan, and the rest of the drama club. Sharpay was making a b-line for the mistletoe line, most likely to buy some to try and get a kiss from Troy. A million excuses ran through her head, but quickly she thought of one.
"Sharpay! I saved your place in line!" She said, nervously waving her over. Ryan raised an eyebrow at her.
"You did?" He asked, confused, and Kelsi nodded vigourously.
"I um...know how much Sharpay likes to spend her lunch period...not waiting so...I thought I'd wait for her."
"Well thank you Kelsi. You can go now." She said, condescendingly. Kelsi stepped out of the line, and looked at Ryan, nervously.
"I have to get back to writing." She said, quickly rushing off to the music room. Ryan smiled inside, and stood in the line behind Sharpay. If Kelsi couldn't get the mistletoe, he'd get it.

A few days later, and Ryan and Kelsi seemed increasingly tense around eachother. Some of the students who had bought the mistletoe had been seen kissing already, and Ryan was feeling the pressure that he had to kiss Kelsi soon. Kelsi was feeling just as nervous. She knew Ryan well enough to know he had probably bought some, and hoped that it would be for her. But at the same time, she was terrified at kissing. She was scared she would do something wrong, or embaress herself, or do something that would make Ryan laugh at her. Breaking away from the drama club one day, she snuck down the stairs, and over to the basketball table.
"Um....hey." She said, nervously. Chad ignored her, so she tried to speak clearer. "Um...excuse me? Chad--"
"Oh um...hi?" Said Chad, confused. "....Do I know you?" Kelsi rolled her eyes, and froze up even more as Troy approached them.
"Oh uh...Kelsi, isn't it?" He said. Kelsi nodded, but no words came out of her mouth.
"...Don't worry I'm really dumb for coming here to ask you." She said, trying to step away from the table. She tripped over someones bag, but quickly pulled herself up.
"Hey, we're not gonna bite. Okay, Chad might but that's because he was dropped on his head at birth." Troy joked. "What was it you wanted to ask?"
"Well you've....probably had girlfriends a-and...I was just wondering..." She was shaking as she finished the sentence. "If...if one of you can tell me how to kiss!" Chad and Troy looked at eachother shocked for a minute, and Troy smiled.
"You so do have a crush on Ryan, right? The Ice Princess' sister?"
"...Yeah." Admitted Kelsi, shyly. "I....I got mistletoe but I'm scared to use it, a-and..."
"Hey don't worry, I'm the expert." Said Chad, patting her on the shoulder. "I'll tell you everything you need to know."

As Sharpay complained about her nail polish not being pink enough, and the fact that the piano in the school hall was out of tune, Ryan wondered to the railing to look down on the students in the cafeteria. Looking around, he did a double check, as he swore Kelsi was standing with the jocks and the cheerleaders. Not wanting to say anything to alert Sharpay, he peered closer, and gasped when he indeed, saw Kelsi standing with Chad, who was pulling a kissy face at her. Ryan closed his eyes. How could he be so stupid. It wasn't him Kelsi wanted to kiss, it was one of the basketball players. Why not, everyone else wanted to...Upset, Ryan stormed out of the cafeteria.

Kelsi was confused. Ryan hadn't spoken to her at all during the afternoon, or after school when he was waiting with Sharpay for her to tune the piano. She wasn't sure what had upset him during lunch period, as she had spent it with Chad, who had told her all the do's and don'ts, claiming the only other way he could teach her was to kiss her, and both were grossed out at the thought of that. At last she saw him on his own waiting for the bus, something he rarely did now.
"Hey...Not riding with Sharpay?" She asked, and Ryan turned away.
"She got a ride with one of the drama club. What do you care?" He spat.
"Ryan, why are you being like this with me! Just because I didn't spend lunch with you and Sharpay? I was busy!"
"Busy kissing Chad Danforth, I know!" Shouted Ryan. "Look! If you didn't like me like that you should've just said! Seriously Kels, because I was planning on kissing you with this!" He pulled the mistletoe out of his bag, and threw it on the floor angrily. "But I guess that was a waste of money!" Kelsi sighed.
"Chad was....he was..." Kelsi rolled her eyes, and picked up the mistletoe. "Ryan, just shut up and close your eyes."
"What! Why--"
"Just do it." Smiled Kelsi. Ryan huffed angrily, and did as he was told. Leaning up, Kelsi held the mistletoe above her, and captured Ryan's lips, kissing softly. Ryan wrapped an arm around her waist. A few seconds later, they pulled away, Ryan a little breathless.
"How did you--"
"Learn how to kiss like that? Let's just say Chads an expert." Ryan looked a little alarmed at that, and Kelsi smiled. "No I didn't kiss him. You were definietly my first kiss. And I couldn't think of anyone better to share it with than my best friend."