Ryan woke up and smiled. He was wrapped protectively in Chad's strong arms. He knew that nothing could hurt him as long as he stayed where he was. "I thought you were going to sleep forever." Chad laughed above him.

"Sorry," Ryan smiled and went to move away but Chad pulled him back closer.

"Don't be," Chad said and ran his fingers through his hair. "You're beautiful when you sleep, you know that." Ryan blushed and tried to hide it in Chad's shirt but he knew he had failed when he heard Chad laugh from above him. "I think maybe we should talk now."

"Yeah," Ryan mumbled.

"I like you." Chad said in a very rushed tone.

"You... you do?" Ryan asked his eyes wide and voice high pitched. He had hoped Chad liked him. The kiss Chad had given him before he fell back to sleep was soft and sweet but Ryan figured it was just a friendly kiss.

"So much. I... I'd understand if you didn't or if you wanted to wait till everything got better but... will you go out with me like on a date?"

"I'd love to." Ryan grinned, he didn't need to think about it. He wanted to go out with Chad, he wanted to be wined and dined and romance god he wanted romance. Chad grinned and kissed Ryan softly.

"Friday night okay with you?" Chad asked.

"Sounds perfect." Ryan smiled.

The two boys spent the rest of Sunday doing last minute homework and just idly kissing each other. That night Ryan slept perfectly with no nightmares and Monday morning he woke up smiling.

"Will you be okay?" Chad asked as they walked into school, they could clearly see Sharpay and everyone gathered around the lockers, Troy being there as well.

"Yeah," Ryan said quietly. He hadn't thought about Troy since Saturday and seeing him made him a little scared though he knew he didn't need to be. Chad smiled at him, telling him silently that he was there for him.

"What time do you call this?" Sharpay said. "You're almost late."

"Almost being the key word there princess." Chad smiled.

"So what's your excuse this time?" Gabriella laughed.

"You know how long it takes for Chad to do his hair." Ryan joked. "Every curl has to be perfect." Ryan put his fingers through Chad's hair and started to mess it a little. "Much better."

"You little brat." Chad laughed trying to tidy his hair back but everyone was already laughing. Ryan poked his tongue out at Chad causing the girls to giggle. Chad smiled he could tell that Ryan was happy and he was glad that this wasn't some show for Troy.

Still laughing the group made their way to home room, Chad sat down next to Ryan instead of Troy. "You okay?" Chad asked softly.

"I'm fine, honest." Ryan smiled.

"Good." Chad grinned.

After home room Chad smiled bye to Ryan as he and the boys headed to basketball, the girls and Ryan all headed to the drama room to spend free period. "So you and Chad!" Sharpay jumped up excitedly.

"Are friends?" Ryan smiled hopefully. He and Chad hadn't spoke about what to say to their friends, though he knew that they had all figured it out.

"Oh please. Something happened over the weekend Ryan. Spill." Sharpay demanded.

"I... look I don't want to talk about it." Ryan said, he didn't want to even think about it. Sharpay noticed that her brothers face seemed to have paled and she stopped walking.

"Did he hurt you Ry?"

"No. Chad he would never hurt me." Ryan said confidently.

"But something happened?" Ryan nodded and his sister pulled him into a tight hug.

"Well well well." Trevor laughed as he walked towards them, the girls all glared at him but Ryan shied away slightly. "Hello Ryan." He smiled.

"Go away Trevor." Ryan sighed. "I've nothing to say to you."

"Too bad," Trevor smiled. "I have a lot to say to you."

"He said to go away!" Gabriella shouted. "Why can't you leave him alone?"

"Because I want to talk to him." Trevor smiled, he was clearly high. The girls could all smell it on him, and none of them seemed to notice Ryan start to shake as the smell that was so beautiful to him sent shivers through him. He walked closer to Ryan and grinned. "And I always get what I want."

"Just go..." Ryan said but this time more weakly, the smell was over powering and Trevor seemed to notice.

"I know what you want." Trevor said and pulled out a joint from his pocket. "And it's yours." He pushed it into Ryan's hand and watched as the blond boy stared at it. "Come back to me, Ry. Everything can be so much simpler."

"I..."

"You want to."

"No." Ryan shook his head and dropped the joint onto the floor. He stepped on it moving his foot and breaking it beneath him. "Stay away from me." Ryan said as he ran in the opposite direction. Trevor just laughed as the girls ran after him, but none of them could find him.