Chapter Ten

Troy pushed the door open, fumbling with a carrier bag that held a pack of cans for him and a bottle of wine for Sharpay, he'd thought that maybe they could order in some food and relax in front of the television, stick a film on and…cuddle or something. Yes, he'd been thinking about cuddling Sharpay.

He was lost in his thought about cuddling Sharpay on the couch, would she let him? She let you the other night…his brain argued, he sighed. Why was he so nervous around Sharpay? He was usually so confident with girls but Sharpay? Not at all.

"Hi, Troy…" He heard Sharpay's voice before he saw her, for a brief second, he wondered why she sounded so timid and then he saw.

Ryan and Gabriella were standing just behind her, he had to force himself not to gape but he couldn't prevent the what the fuck? look that formed on his face. His eyes flitted around the apartment, his nose twitching, what was that smell? Until his eyes landed on the neatly set up table. She was cooking. Sharpay was cooking and for Ryan and Gabriella of all people! He was furious. Why has she invited them? Why would she think that he would want to sit down and have a meal with them?

"Sharpay, can I have a word with you in my bedroom, please?" He said through gritted teeth. Sharpay gulped.

"Of course." She replied, meekly. She glanced at the couple and briefly smiled before making her way towards Troy's bedroom, Troy dropped his carrier bag on the table and followed her, not even giving a glance to Ryan or Gabriella.

Once in the bedroom, Troy closed the door with a lot more force then he had intended, Sharpay shuddered. Yep, this had definitely been a bad idea!

"Okay, I know what you're going to say! But Ryan and Gabriella turned up at work yesterday and they really wanted to be friends with you again, they missed you and they were sorry and for some weird reason, they thought that I should be the one to talk to you and I really don't know why but I felt so bad for them I agreed and so I cooked some food and thought we could have a meal and that you guys could talk…" Sharpay trailed off as she ran out of things to ramble about, she had wanted to explain herself so desperately that she tried to get it all out as fast as she could, she wasn't even sure if it had made sense. Troy was just staring at her.

"I know you're mad at me and I know you're mad at them too but I honestly believe that they never meant to hurt you." She was staring at the floor, trying to avoid looking up at Troy. "Sometimes you just can't help who you fall for…" She glanced up at him, almost willing him to understand what she meant for Ryan and Gabriella and what she meant about her feelings for him. Troy felt his heart begin to beat harder against his chest. Yes, he understood falling for someone he shouldn't very well… Wasn't he technically falling for someone else whilst being in a relationship? He sighed visibly and stepped forward, he uncrossed his previously folded arms and placed a each hand on one of Sharpay's arms.

"You really want me to sit down and have a meal with them, listen to what they've got to say? It means this much to you?" Troy asked, his eyes glistening. Sharpay gave a small nod.

"I do. They are my friends, Gabriella at least and I care for her, I don't want to see her sad. I don't want to see you sad either and I think you miss having Ryan in your life." Troy actually felt his eyes welling up over how much this girl cared for him. She cared for him this much? Wow. He sighed.

"Here we go!" Sharpay placed her dish of pasta in the centre of the table, she felt rather pleased with herself. It had not been a disaster in the kitchen and it smelled quite delicious, if she did say so herself.

"Thanks Shar, smells amazing!" Gabriella said and Ryan nodded, Troy grinned, his hand already on the move, Sharpay swatted away.

"Don't even think about it, Mr. I know your game!" She winked. Gabriella blushed and for what felt like the millionth time, she knew she had made the right decision, just watching Troy interact with Sharpay was enough to prove that.

"So…Troy, how's work been going?" Gabriella asked, sweetly and Troy tried hard to prevent his smile from faltering, he swallowed his food. He shrugged.

"Its been alright, I guess. Working on some fancy pants hotel at the moment." Troy rolled his eyes and Ryan interrupted.

"Guile?" Troy glanced before nodding. "Damn, greedy fuckers building two at the same time." Troy spluttered, seriously?

"No way. Heck, at least he did it with the same company!" That would explain why Troy had successfully managed to avoid Ryan then, Troy thought to himself.

Just like that, the girls had to find themselves something to talk about whilst the guys bitched and complained about some guy called "Guile" and his obsession with perfection over his many, many hotels.

"Okay, I have dessert!" Sharpay exclaimed when it had been twenty minutes since everybody had finished their meals.

"Dessert? Wow, you went all out Sharpay!" Ryan joked.

"Tell me you got jelly!" Troy grinned like a child and Sharpay laughed. Troy gave her a pout.

"No, Troy. I did not buy jelly but if you buy some at the weekend then I will make some for you, okay!" Sharpay laughed and Troy relented, still pouting. Gabriella gave a high pitched squeal.

"Nice Gabs." Ryan muttered and Gabriella covered her mouth.

"I'm sorry, its just the pair of you are so cute together!" A wave of silence came over the room. How awkward was that? A girl telling her ex boyfriend that he looked cute with someone else?

"And now for desserts!" Sharpay hastily said and ran to the kitchen, not that it shielded her since it was in the same room…but at least gave her a distraction.

"Really, Gabriella?" Troy said in a hushed tone. Gabriella blushed.

"Sorry, its just…true. Its so obvious that you have feelings for her!" Gabriella replied in an equally hushed tone. Sharpay was oblivious to it all as he dished out the cheesecake and sponge cake.

"Well, that may be so but that doesn't mean she has feelings for me to."

"So you admit you have feelings for her?" Ryan asked, his interest suddenly spiked. He knew it. Troy glanced at the floor.

"Does it matter?"

"What do you mean 'does it matter?'" Ryan leaned forward. "You've got feelings for someone and she definitely has them for you! Of course it matters!" Troy shook his head.

"No, you don't know Ryan! And what if she doesn't? What if you're wrong? A-and she feels uncomfortable so she moves out but she has nowhere to go but back home to her parents. I would never do that to her. I would never put her in that position." Ryan contemplated this and stayed silent for a bit, he took a sip of his beer and then spoke once more.

"You realised that there is something you haven't considered?" Troy looked confused.

"And what's that?" Ryan didn't miss a beat.

"What if I'm right?"