Over the next couple of days, Ryan and Troy were the hottest gossip throughout the school. And the best part about it was that neither of them cared. They were enjoying each other's company so much that anything that reached their ears about the whole Chad situation didn't bother them a bit. Not only were they the best gossip on the school, but also they were East High's hottest couple. Everyone wanted to catch them doing something like holding hands or kissing. Ryan and Troy didn't notice though, for they only had eyes for each other. There were a few people who were not enjoying all of the commotion though. Sharpay for one was not happy about being second in the spotlight, and then there was Chad and the rest of the basketball team who, luckily hadn't told Coach Bolton about Troy's little secret yet, but wouldn't pass him the ball and refused to change in the locker room while he was present. Troy had tried to reason with them and explain that he hadn't changed at all, that it was still him, and that they didn't need to worry about him being attracted to any of them. But they refused to listen to his explanations and they had all but ostracized him.

On Tuesday of the following week, Ryan and Troy ventured to the park and sat on the swings as they talked about life.

"So…" said Ryan.

"So…" Said Troy.

"Are we like…you know, boyfriends?" asked Ryan pensively. Troy looked into his eyes and nodded.

"If you want to be…" Ryan nodded as well and blushed, then took Troy's hand. What they didn't know is that they were being watched.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

Sharpay scowled and crossed her arms. Chad turned off the video camera. Then they turned to each other.

"We have to do something about this." They said in perfect unison. They nodded at each other and shook hands on it.

"I want my spotlight back and you want … what out of this?" said Sharpay in confusion.

'My best friend…" said Chad in that, "duh" voice.

"Right." said Sharpay, "Lets go back to my house and we'll figure out what the hell we're going to do." Chad nodded and they got into Sharpay's car and drove away.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMSHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

Ryan was surprised when he saw Sharpay drive past and he thought he saw someone else in the car as well. But he decided it must have been his imagination for Sharpay had no friends. She must've been going to get her weekly manicure.

"You ok?" asked Troy looking at Ryan. Ryan nodded and smiled at his boyfriend. Suddenly troy jumped up.

"Lets go and play in the tunnels!" he said excitedly. Ryan gave him a funny look. He hadn't "played in the tunnels" since he was five but he nodded and followed Troy over to the play set.

They climbed into the tunnel and giggled like little kids as Ryan followed Troy towards the slide. Ryan hadn't had this much fun since the night that Troy had come over to his house. Troy went down the slide and got stuck halfway to the bottom. Ryan still followed him any way and so there they were, the pair of them stuck in the slide. Ryan kissed Troy and when he pulled away, Troy was laughing.

"What?" Ryan asked him. Troy put up a finger as if to say "hold on" then said,

"I just would have never thought that I would be sitting halfway down a slide kissing another guy.

"Are you disappointed?" asked Ryan.

"No way." Said Troy and he kissed Ryan once more.