Disclaimer: i do not own high school musical, i have merely created its dark side

Chapter 10: chasers

troy

I could tell the night was going to be a shit show the second i walked into the bar. Chasers was an obvious dive, but it was a half busy dive. Naomi looked like a pro on the other side of the bar and the over pouring was obvious with the first sip of every drink. Sharpay was present as well, digging into a plate of chicken wings with no shame as we all looked on to a tight game of pool between josh and shy little tally. " you could beat him" Ryan encouraged with a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged.

" i don't have anyone to impress." i said, i wasn't interested in showing josh up. I didn't want to be that person not here with them. Josh had said he was sorry he had been the bigger man and i wasn't going to further shove that in his face over a grudge match game of pool. I took a sip of my beer and thought about what my mom had said about me not being better. It had pretty much put a damper on a day that i had hoped would be one of the best days of the summer. I had told Ryan i loved him today, i had shared my true feelings with him and it was like a weight had lifted off of me. Like i had been suppressing it for so long and i was finally realizing he truly is what i want. I tried not to think about my parents disapproval of my behaviour, just because they didn't understand how i feel doesn't mean i am not getting better. Though when i say my parents i really should say mother. My dad had barely talked to me in the past few weeks. To say it annoyed me was an understatement, i had always had a good relationship with my father and now i didn't even know how to address him and it all came down to basketball.

Josh groaned loudly and the group let out a cheer. " take that you fucking loser" tally cried uncharacteristically. I laughed quietly.

" okay okay" he said with a groan of humiliation, i smirked, i was okay with a 5 foot 4 little ginger whooping his ass. Upon seeing Sharpay and him together i could see how happy she really was. Sharpay was coming out of her shell to these people there was no competition no standard, whoever you are was okay and welcomed and Sharpay was letting her guard down . Josh was a good guy at the end of the day, a hot blooded jock not unlike myself so i quickly understood his apology.

" loser buys a round of shots if i remember" Sharpay teased and he shot her a playful glare.

" don't try to get out of it loser" tally said. Taylor sat back watching the others with suspicion. I wasn't sure how i felt about her being here out of nowhere. I was never really friends with Taylor but more with chad and as such never really knew what common ground we have. I didn't know how to talk to Taylor without wanting to kill chad and it just felt weird. Suddenly Micky appeared out of nowhere slapping a roll of money on the pool table.

" drinks are on me all night" he said. We all stared at him unbelieving.

" where did you get that?" Taylor asked with an eyebrow raised. Micky turned to Taylor with a salesman smile and sat down at the table across from her.

" well mystery lady" he said putting his hands together. Naomi rolled her eyes from the bar. " i get it from you"

" oh here we go" Sharpay said leaning against the pool table Ryan chuckled, Taylor looked doubtfully amused but listened

" i get it from your friends , your enemies , your grandmothers with glaucoma" he said, tally let out a snort shaking her head. " I'm a sales man of sin"

" he's a fucking drug dealer" josh said plainly Micky glared at him over his shoulder. He didn't like the term drug dealer but no one cared because that's what you are called when you sell drugs and he just had some crazy ideas which Naomi would say were because of drugs in the first place.

" yeah, yeah" he said " who's buying you all shots? A drug dealer so live with that you fucks, nay nay seven shots of you're cheapest swill for the bible thumping virgins" my face felt hot when he said , i tried not to let my uncomfortably about being a virgin reveal itself but Ryan sensed my indiscretion right off the bat.

" what do you sell anyway?" Taylor asked.

" it would probably be easier for him to tell you what he doesn't sell" tally said breaking the pool balls again as sharpay chalked a pool Que.

" shhh you little leprechaun, i don't sell meth, or heroine" he said scrunching his face. " heroin ruins lives"

" i can imagine" Taylor said humorously.

" you okay?, you seem off" Ryan said once everyone was in there own conversation. " was it the virgin thing?" the fact that my boyfriend was making sure i was okay about a comment about virgins was more embarrassing then being a virgin in the first place.

" yeah I'm fine its just, everything else" i said with a sigh. He rubbed my arm discreetly. " i need to find something to do with my time Ryan"

" yeah i get it troy you want something for your life" he said " so do i, so does everyone but right now its the summer and you are only 19"

" yeah but i wasted a year in a hospital, a year I'll never get back and i feel like if i don't figure things out soon it will all just start to slip by" i said, i shook my head knowing i was over analysis just about everything. He smiled gently

" i cant tell you how to feel troy but..." he grabbed my hand and ran his thumb over my palm " i can tell you i will never let you just exist without a purpose"

" i know" i said bumping him with my shoulder. But it didn't mean i didn't feel the same anxiety i still worried and in a way i feel like that is what my parents are worried about, that I'll never find motivation to do anything with my life. My dad was worried i would never find the motivation to get back on the court. " think we can go ..." i put my fingers to my lips and Ryan got the hint immediately. But before either of us could act on it i felt a firm slap on my ass and Naomi walked by me with a trey of shots.

I had the sneaking suspicion that Naomi had a crush on me but with her you had no idea. She was flirtatious by nature but sometimes i got the feeling that she actually was waiting for a reaction. " oh bad girl" she said putting the trey down on the table. " okay you lost boys and girls, a toast to friends"

" new and old" Ryan said. We all did a shot, including Naomi. I wondered about Naomi's position at chasers. She was the only bartender on staff but it wasn't super busy considering it was a Tuesday but besides that i had scene her break about a dozen rules already. Taylor shook her head from the back lash and Micky let out a wolf call. " so about that spliff?" i smiled and pulled him to the door we walked out unnoticed as the others had a good time together.

As soon as we where out the door i kissed Ryan on the lips. " you're a good boyfriend" i said and he blushed.

" is that what i am?" he asked modestly. I rolled my eyes.

" yeah, i think that's what we are" i said then kissed him again on the cheek. The street was dead but we still stood at the mouth of the ally around the corner.

" do you think..." he said trialing off and lighting the joint.

"what?" i pushed.

He shook his head but i noticed the look of contemplation on his face" nothing, its no big deal" i wanted to know but i didn't want to push Ryan into anything. He would tell me if i pushed hard enough and that's why i knew i couldn't force him. It brought up the other things that had gone unsaid before like the time at Maratha's party.

" you don't have to be uncomfortable saying anything to me" i said "if that's what it is, i don't care i would never judge you" he passed me the joint and i took a hit and closed my eyes.

" i know its just, sometimes i think Naomi might like you" he said looking down at his feet. The fact that i was just thinking the same thing brought a smile to my face, we thought a lot of the same things we saw a lot of the same signs.

" yeah" i said he frowned and i put a hand on his shoulder. " i said yeah because i think you are right not because i feel the same"

"i know that i was just pointing it out" he said crossing his arms "its why i didn't say anything" i took him in my arms.

" at least we are both on the same page" i said kissing his head. We smoked the joint for a few more minutes until we where both high. It helped to forget the complications in my life. We walked back towards the bar and a sign on the front window caught my eye. HELP WANTED

"seriously troy?" Ryan asked skeptically

" i need a job Ryan" i said sold completely on the idea. If Naomi had any sway at all this would be a no brainier. I marched straight over to the bar to Naomi as Ryan looked on walking back to the group at the back.

" what kind of help do you need?" i asked leaning against the bar.

" excuse me?" Naomi asked " i could think of a few things i need help with"

" no, I'm talking about the help wanted sign outside." i said she looked over to the window.

" V honestly just put that up today" she said enthusiastically.

" V?" i asked

"Vanessa, shes the owner and my moms oldest friend" she said with a shrug. Naomi had never really mentioned anything about her family before. " anyway yeah we need a new bus boy the old one OD'd"

" seriously?" i asked incredulously

" yeah serious crack head" she said " but he was a cousin of V's so i guess the apple doesn't fall far... anyway if you want it she would totally love you, clean boy"

" clean?" i asked " I'm not exactly clean"

" well i know you're not dirty" she said the way she always does when she wants to get a rise out of me. I walked away before i made it awkward and joined the group back at the pool tables. I caught Taylor's eye and decided to sit down next to her something tells me she had just observed my and Naomi's conversation.

" any words?" i asked cutting to the chase.

" that girl is trouble" she said sucking her teeth.

" shes just a flirt" i said but i didn't really know if i believed it myself. No one knew about me and Ryan so its not like she wasn't aloud to like me, but that being said she knows how much Ryan likes me she had made that clear the day of Maratha's party. The last thing i wanted was to come between friends and i didn't think i was going to, eventually it will come out that he and i are together until then i will have to roll with the punches.

" mmmmhmmm" she said unconvinced. " shes got eyes for you troy" she took a sip of her drink. She crossed her leg and lowered her voice. " I'm not trying to cause trouble troy... i just know girls." part of me wanted to believe her another part of me believed that Taylor was still incredibly bitter from what happened with chad and Gabi. Where i had blown up unexpectedly she had bottled it all up and now she cant trust another person. Especially one who looks so much like Gabriela.

" how did you deal with it?" i asked out of nowhere. She raised an eye brow. " with chad, and Gabi?" her eyes went wide in realization that the topic had finally been brought up between the two of us. "sorry... i just wondered what it was like for you."

" it was hard" she said quickly. I could hear the hurt in her tone, the frustration. " i didn't know how to feel, i had lost my love my best friend"

" my whole world fell apart that day" i said eyes glossed thinking about that day, about the jersey on the banister. Taylor put her hand on mine.

" well your feelings where rooted much more then mine ever where" she said. " i cant say i understand why you went so far." i thought about him thrusting into her, of her cries. i love you she had cried. When i thought about it i wondered why i hadn't gone further.

" it changed me, seeing them just..." i couldn't even bring it to words. In the months since i had come back from the hospital i had come to terms with the fact that that part of my life, the life of being friends with chad the life of happily ever after in California with Gabi was gone and never coming back.

The look of confusion on her face was something i couldn't ignore. "seeing them?" she asked

" yeah" i said " having sex, that's how i found out about them , that's when i... beat the shit out of him." there was an air of horror in her demeanour but it quickly turned to pity but i had scene it and it gnawed at the back of my head. What did i not know?

" right, i had forgotten that that's how it had all gone down" she said nodding with a friendly smile. " I'm sorry that you had to go threw that, I'm gonna go to the little girls room" she got up and made her way to the back. I shook my head quickly and got up walking to the bar.

" what will it be troy boy?" Naomi cooed.

" tequila" i said " no lemon or salt, jut the booze" she nodded impressed with my further integration into her life style.

" you seem a little raddled." she said " something wrong?"

"no" i said taping my fingers on the bar. I looked to the back at Ryan, he was happy smiling and laughing with his friends. I turned back to Naomi. " have you ever felt like.. you don't know the whole truth about someone?"

Naomi looked over at the group. " trust me, i don't think anyone knows the whole truth about Ryan"

" its not Ryan" i said " i don't know sometimes i just feel like there's a secret I'm not in on, i know my past is a mess and i was gone for a long time, i just get vibes."

She nodded looking more serious then i had ever scene her. " yeah i get that , i get what you are saying" she said " you feel closed off"

" i just, they know what i did yes i understand what i did was wrong" i said

" who?" she asked confused.

" all of my friends, they know what he did and still they choose him over me, i don't understand it" i said frustrated. " was it the convenience that he was there, did they pick him because he was the lucky one who didn't get reprimanded for his actions?"

" troy i don't know any of these people" she said " all i know of your situation i heard from you and Ryan and i don't want to tell you what to do but why don't you ask?"

i had never thought of asking. It was just something i thought would just be. I never thought i would have to fight for my friends i had always just thought they didn't get it, that they didn't know what was going on but maybe it was true. I needed to ask why they choose him over me. We both did bad things i needed to know why they didn't choose me why they felt the need to choose at all. I smiled " you're right"

" I'm always right" she said with a wink walking away to help another customer ta the other end of the bar. But would Zeke even want to talk to me after i had lost it on hm today? I was confused i wished i could be on the same page as everyone else but at the dame time i am conflicted with weather i should even care at all. I wanted to just let it all go, let the past be the past but it always seems to just pop up again. I noticed the group had gotten significantly larger and i went back to see what was going on.

" where were you?" Ryan asked as i approached.

" i was at the bar" i said leaving out the fact that i was talking to Naomi. If Ryan had noticed her attraction and Taylor had also noticed then it was safe to say i had to tip toe around this carefully." who are they?" i asked in reference to the group of for lack of a better word thugs talking to Micky at a booth.

" the black one is Darcy, the white one trying to be black is Reed but he goes by Re" Ryan said rolling his eyes. " the others are the losers who follow them around"

" i never would have thought" i said sarcastically " i also never would have thought you would be on a first name bases"

" they're mickeys people" he shrugged. " their those guys who would always be at your party and bring about 30 people you have never met before"

" are they dangerous?" i asked watching the interaction between them.

" if they wanted to be yeah i believe they could be" he said " but that's why Micky deals with them, he sells them drugs they are happy no violence"

" seems a little crazy" i argued. I would never want to live with the danger of selling drugs.

"have you met Micky before?" Ryan asked. It was true, he was going to do what he wanted at the end of the day, and the allure of money was more important then avoiding fraternizing with low life's who can put him into danger

" you'll get your money" the one called Darcy said, they gave daps and then they where out the door. I felt a thin line of tension break and everyone got back to what they where doing.

" well another shipment sealed and dealed Micky said followed by downing the rest of his beer.

" how much does he owe?" josh asked irritated. I had found out threw Ryan that Micky and josh where room mates and that he hated when Micky would throw parties just to sell drugs. It explained why he offered me E on the first night i met him. I didn't know he was planing to charge me for it.

" whats pennies and nickels?" Micky said shrugging. Josh couldn't hold back his irritation at this point Sharpay put a hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off.

" rent" he said threw clenched teeth " how much?"

" half" Micky said.

" half of what !?" josh asked heated. Everyone looked on silent and uncomfortable. If i were in joshes shoes i would be just as angry and the fact that Micky just mocked him was salt in the wound, when you are struggling to make rent and you have limited options spotting someone drugs is always risky.

" he got a a half pound" Micky said " a half pound is.."

" twelve hundred, he owes you six hundred dollars?" josh seethed.

Micky put his had up to signal more shots. " and you heard the man he said I'll get my money" josh was not impressed and i could tell he had reason to be. He dropped the pool Que.

" no more shots" josh said to Naomi mid pour. Micky made to say something but josh was in his face in an instant pushed against the wall.

"josh!" Sharpay said.

" two months ive covered your rent and you're spotting those losers left and right" he yelled.

" josh give it a rest" Naomi yelled. Other people in the bar were looking at the altercation.

" no I'm tired of this shit, Micky!" he yelled he shoved a table and a full glasses fell on the floor. He stormed out of the bar the door hitting the wall outside and slamming back. The bar was silent. Micky sat there somber and defensive and tally just rubbed her forehead. The mood of the night had changed significantly. Sharpay stood and walked out of the bar slowly and calmly with all of the poise and gentleness she possessed. Me and Ryan said nothing and just followed knowing the night was at an end. Tally looked on clearly upset.

" what you guys are just leaving?" Micky yelled drinking more beer. "its a fucking party"

" Micky shut the fuck up!" tally yelled. She looked about to cry and i felt really bad, tally was actually a nice girl she was smart and kind hearted and she cared about her friends a lot. " I'm sorry guys" i frowned she didn't deserve to stay here and tell Micky he wasn't wrong.

" whats going on right now because its only mid night?" i said " i don't want to stay here but..."

" you don't want to go home?" Ryan asked. He turned to Taylor who was collecting her things. " my place?" i looked back over at tally who was stalking over to the bar.

" yes lets get out of here" Taylor said. Micky was across the bar talking to a few other girls he must have known.

" hey troy" Naomi called. I turned back to the bar " i know after tonight you probably don't ever want to come here again but if you want, V will be in on Sunday night"

i had forgotten about that, when it came down to it i needed money, i needed income to do anything with my life and i had an opportunity standing right in front of me even if it was the worst bar i had ever set foot in i still needed a job. " yeah, ill be by" tally looked miserable siting at the bar, for her the night was over and the fun was at an end but it didn't have to be. " tally you coming?" she looked up.

" really?" she asked unbelieving.

" yeah, we're going back to Ryan's" i said lowering my voice. " why should you have to miss out on the fun?" she smiled and blushed and i knew i had gotten her. It was a comfort knowing that my charm was still intact.

" okay" she hoped off of the bar stool and followed me out of the bar.

" lets go the cab is here!" Sharpay yelled from the road we all packed in and headed off to the safe haven that was the Evans mansion.

A/N: this one was a bitch, i had a lot of struggles finding a way it all gelled for a while but i figured it out and it works i guess but i wish it could have been better, its inevitable that shit is soon going to be hitting the fan for our gang of misfits i hope you can handle it.