A/N: As you all know, I have no rights of ownership to anything recognizable. I do, however, own the ocs mentioned n this chapter as well as the Troy/Ryan duet, which is a song that I wrote. I apologize beforehand if it is awful.

Chapter 13: Rivalry

"Today we shall be working on collaboration." The voice of Ms. Darbus reverberated off of the walls in the auditorium.

Ryan and Troy whom stood side by side exchanged a glance.

"In our exercise today," the bespectacled drama teacher went on, "I will split you all into pairs. Working with your partner, you will cultivate a classic routine combining singing and choreography. I will score you on how well your talents mesh in the final presentation."

"If Chad was here," Troy whispered, tickling Ryan's ears, "he'd request that she translate that into English."

Ryan muffled laughter with his hand.

Sharpay and Gabriella cast a glare in the direction of the two boys, sniffing with disdain at their private joke.

"I will now announce the pairs," Ms. Darbus stated, getting the attention of the adolescents once more. "Sharpay, you will be partnered with Ms. Montez."

The two girls looked to one another with smiles of false warmth.

"Kelsi, you will assist Ms. Allison Finch."

The brunette composer gave the newcomer to the drama department a welcoming smile.

Ms. Darbus continued on down her list of names. "Cassidy Freeman and Alan Jacobs. Erica Stewart and Joseph Mason. Jeremy Chen and Jesse Fitz. And Ryan," she fixed the blond theater king in her gaze, "you will be working with Mr. Bolton."

Feeling a trill of joy, Ryan playfully nudged his partner. "Did you hear that, 'Mr. Bolton'?"

"That I did, Mr. Evans." Troy gave him a nudge back, careful, of course, to be much more gentle than he was with any of his friends.

"Do you all of you comprehend the assignment?" The elderly woman glared at her students through the lenses of her glasses. Even if they didn't understand what was expected of them, they knew better than to voice it. A silence instantly descended on the room. "Good. Begin."

Clamoring ensued as six pairs rushed onstage, their chatter resuming.

"What combination of "singing and choreography" shall we present, Ry?" Troy inquired, imitating their instructor's flowery speech.

Before, Ryan would have sought out his sister and consulted her, however, this option was no longer accessible to him. His heart ached bitterly, but he knew that Troy was standing there awaiting an answer and he would be damned if he was going to let the divine being down. "We'll think of something. For now, let's just make sure that we can mesh," he symbolized the word by interlacing his fingers, "as dance partners. We can do everything else amazingly well."

"Absolutely!" Troy agreed.

From their flushed faces, it was obvious that they were both recalling the events of the previous Friday.

"D-Do you want me to lead or…"

"You lead, Ryan. Your dancing skills far surpass mine."

Warmed and flattered by the compliment, the blond stepped in and took the other boy's hand. "Follow my lead. We'll just try out a simple waltz." Clasping Troy's hand tightly, he took the first step, the golden boy following his lead. He counted the steps, keeping the rhythm smooth. "One two three. Four five six. One two three. Four five six."

As he listened to the light voice of the other boy, a transition occurred within the Troy. He became more comfortable with the step pattern and allowed himself to gain confidence. With a rush of exhilaration, he took the lead and twirled the blond performer around. They became freer with the moves and as Ryan began to shake his hips, the athlete's hand crept to the blond's pelvis bone. Now in synch, the counting out o the rhythm was no longer necessary. The ease with which the two stepped so gracefully across the stage, their timing and execution flawless warranted stares from their peers.

Jeremy and Jesse, the other pair of boys felt incredibly awkward by comparison.

It was so natural, dancing with Troy. Looking into the eyes of the other boy, Ryan felt the world falling away around him and he paid it no mind. They were in another place where a single spotlight illuminated them, dancing to music they alone could hear.

Words formed within the mind of the actor, rolling off of his tongue.

Can you believe

Where we now stand?

My eyes on yours

Your hand in my hand

Someone pinch me

I'm off in dreamland

But when I blink-

Troy twirled him slowly and the boy continued singing.

My vision becomes clear

And there you are

Still standing here

Could someone wake me

Because suddenly, I have no fear

After listening intently, Troy pressed his hand, palm open to the other boy's. It was now his turn to voice what he felt.

You're free falling

And so am I

So take my hand

And together we'll fly

With feet so light

We'll never touch the ground

Mmm Ryan hummed sweetly, sotto voce.

Their voices blended once more.

And let the people stop and stare

No force, no power anywhere

Can make me regret

Taking a chance

Gravity can't reach me

I'm up so high

That sense can't breach me

I'm losing my grip on reality

Baby I can feel the music

When we dance

The brunette tipped the blond and the illusion slowly faded. They were back in the real world, dazed, breathless and mesmerized; transfixed by one another's eyes.

"Bravo!" Ms. Darbus exclaimed, breaking into applause. Kelsi and Allison jumped in and with some encouragement, the rest of their peers joined them.

Broken out of the trance, Ryan and Troy stared around them, wearing faint smiles at the applause the routine had earned.

"Well done Mr. Bolton, Mr. Evans. I believe the two of you shall excel at this exercise. Such wonderful compatibility."

A murmur of agreement came form the petite brunette composer.

From what Ryan could see, there was but one person visibly rankled by the praise he and Troy received. Gabriella Montez wore a look of scorn, her brown eyes narrowed.

Looking at the girl's expression, a feeling of dread took form in the sensitive stomach of the blond. Obviously, she was not pleased that her former beau had found himself with another to hold, kiss and fondle. Especially so since the newly claimed object of his affections was a male. She has no right, Ryan thought, carefully restricting his own feelings of contempt for the adulterous female, not after the way she mal-handled Troy.

The girl's eyes gleamed menacingly, her glare intended for him and Troy alone.

Ryan met the gaze unflinchingly, undaunted by the light of battle in those pools of brown. For Troy's behalf and for his own. He had to prepare himself for the challenge being proposed. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Gabriella will not rest until she makes the both of us pay.

Troy was not blind to the malignant stare his former flame was giving his partner. He draped his arm protectively around the smaller boy. His touch was warm and very welcome for the soothing affect it had. "If she tries anything," he whispered against the boy's ear, reviving the intimacy that had been momentarily forgotten, "we'll fight her. We'll fight back like hell. She won't go down without a struggle and neither will we, Ry." Although his voice was soft, fury backed up every syllable. Troy was not about to lose what he had worked so hard to fortify. Ryan had been but a fragile snowflake and slowly with him as support beam, the blond had been morphed into a more crystallized form. There was still quite a way's to go before he became the substance hard enough to deflect and rebound from the onslaught of hard-edged words and swinging fists. And he needs me to help him get there, the basketball god resolved. I'll be damned if I lose him because of her.

Their stance defensive, the two boys regarded the girl. Their enemy.