A/N - Thank you to everyone who's been following this story and has hung on for this chapter. This is for all of you, but especially for Cassie, who read this all those months ago when I was still in the UK and before this chapter started giving me angst. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 3

It took Kelsi three half fat double vanilla (but hold the cinnamon) chai lattes and the promise of her battered old copy of On the Town to get Ryan to do anything other than sit and stare blankly at the piano in the hour after rehearsals finished on Friday.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Ry..." she said, curling up next to him on the battered sofa they'd moved into the orchestra pit the week before. "He's seventeen-"

"Eighteen," Ryan interjected, not shifting his gaze from the piano keys. "He turned eighteen over Christmas break. You were in New York looking at schools, remember and-"

"I remember." She said abruptly. A little too abruptly, if the look on Ryan's face was anything to go by, but it wouldn't do for him to go off on a tangent when he was miserable enough as it was. "The point is," she took a sip from the mug of half cold latte that Ryan had left abandoned on the table. "The point is that he's an eighteen year old boy in an admittedly questionable relationship with an eighteen year old girl. The topic of sex was going to have come up eventually."

Ryan tore his gaze from the old piano and turned to look at Kelsi. "I just... I just kind of hoped he'd be with me when it did."

Right then, Kelsi hated Chad Danforth.

----

Mondays were widely acknowledged amongst the group of friends to be the best day to ask Taylor about everything and almost anything. For one it was Italian day in the cafeteria, and even Sharpay couldn't deny that the East High staff made a mean ziti and even meaner zabaglione. For two it was the day of Taylor's most beloved class: double chemistry. For three she was, strangely (to her friends at least) at her most relaxed and open. And this, Kelsi thought, was right where she needed her to be.

All things considered, if Kelsi was going to find out about Taylor's 'sleepover' with Chad that weekend, Monday lunchtime was really the best time to do it. Even if the thought did break her heart a little.

Kelsi sighed softly as she moved to sit at the table that she, Taylor, Gabriella, Martha and occasionally Sharpay (when Ryan was nowhere to be found and Tiara was running errands) had adopted as her own. She sat down carefully; mindful of not tripping over the bars that attached the seats to the table (because public humiliation would make this so much better). The things she did for Ryan.

Now, she thought as she tapped out a loose rhythm on the chipped tabletop, how to go about it?

Oddly enough, it was Gabriella who provided the perfect lead into what could have been, really, a very awkward conversation.

"Ohmygosh, girls, you will not believe what happened this weekend," she almost squealed as she sat down, taking her normal seat between Martha and Taylor. The cup of pink Jello on her tray wobbled dangerously as she brought it down on the table with a crash. "My mom let Troy stay over! It was so romantic..." she sighed, "We had a picnic, played board games and then stayed up talking until 4am..."

"Chad stayed round this weekend." Taylor said brusquely, interrupting Gabriella's monologue.

"And?" Martha nudged Taylor in the ribs, winking at her.

"And what?" Taylor said, confused by Martha's questioning. She brought her forkful of ziti to her mouth and ate, savouring the taste of her favourite dish.

"Spill, sister! How was it? How was he? You were safe, right?"

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

"Uh, Tay?" Kelsi intervened. Honestly. Gabi she would have expected this from (after all, Kelsi very much doubted that Gabriella even knew sex had purposes beyond reproduction, let alone knew what they were like), but this was Taylor. And like it or not, with three older sisters to keep her informed, Taylor was a lot more street smart than Gabriella and undoubtedly knew about these things. "She's asking what it was like."

"The sleepover?" Kelsi cringed as Taylor swung her head around to face her and looked at her questioningly. This was not something she really wanted to spell out. No Taylor, we're asking about the sex life you may or may not share with a boy who my best friend is totally in love with. Oh and I may or may not be totally in love with you. Happy now?

"The sex." She said eventually, not looking up from her plate.

"Oh, Honey, I didn't sleep with him." Taylor said, gesturing with her fork. She looked down at the table and then lifted her head, smiling slightly and shaking her head. "Don't get me wrong, I think I could have done had I pushed the issue. But he didn't ask and I didn't push. In any case I don't think Chad's emotionally ready for that." she frowned. "And, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure I want to sleep with someone who isn't entirely sure he wants me."

"But you two are so perfect for each other!" Gabriella exclaimed, waving her spoon around. Her cream covered spoon, Kelsi noted, as she dipped her head to avoid getting droplets in her hair. She rolled her eyes as Gabriella pouted prettily.

"We're really not," Taylor shook her head, "We have next to nothing in common, but we could work around that. We have different dreams and plans, but then who doesn't? But that's not it. It's just... we kiss and then he opens his eyes and there's just this look of surprise. Like I'm not who he expects to see."

"He just can't believe how lucky he is?" Gabriella said hopefully. Kelsi rolled her eyes.

"Maybe. But I don't think so." She sighed and ate her last mouthful of ziti. "Sometimes I think..." she trailed off.

"What?" said Kelsi, leaning in towards her.

"I think he's-"

"Ohmygod eeewwwwww!" Gabriella squealed, cutting Taylor off. She stood up quickly, revealing a fast spreading patch of what appeared to be milk (or at least Kelsi hoped it was milk) on her denim miniskirt. "Help me get it off before it stains!"

The class bell rang before Kelsi had a chance to talk to Taylor again.

-----

Kelsi had a pass from homeroom that afternoon to go to her advanced piano class, and so she wasn't able to see Ryan to tell him about Taylor's lunchtime revelation until rehearsals after school.

"So you're telling me they didn't…? Ryan asked, his eyes widening.

Kelsi nodded her head, scribbling frantically on the sheet music she was clutching. "Yup. Nothing, nada, niente, and Taylor's not sure about them at all."

"Then that could mean…"

Ryan was cut off by an angry shout.

"Ryan! Small person!" Kelsi's shoulders shook in silent laughter as Sharpay tottered over to them on too-high pink stiletto heels.

"Hey Shar-"

"Ryan," Sharpay interrupted shrilly. "Mother called. She said, and I repeat: 'Kitten, the dry cleaners had an unfortunate accident with your Chanel blazer-'" she paused, her eyes glowering, fuchsia lips pouting. Ryan and Kelsi both winced. "'Oh and tell Ducky that I picked him up a pint of dulce de leche Haagen Daaz and will meet him for yoga in the studio at 8.'"

Kelsi blinked slowly and raised her left eyebrow at Ryan.

Ryan swallowed nervously.

"Ice cream, Ryan?" Sharpay said, "Ice cream and yoga with mom? Even though you tried to deny it I knew you were moping this weekend and don't tell me it was over nothing because I'm giving up mourning my Chanel blazer for you."

"I uh… it was… you see…"

"Actually," said Kelsi, taking Ryan's hand in an unexpected move, "We could use your help."

"My help?" Sharpay asked incredulously. "My help, Small Person? You, who told me last week that you wouldn't ask for my help with anything to do with this show unless I was the last person left with any knowledge of theatre in all of Albuquerque."

"It's for Ryan, not for the show," Kelsi said quickly, elbowing Ryan in his side as he opened his mouth to question the wisdom of asking his sister for help in a matchmaking situation. Neither he nor Kelsi had forgotten Sharpay's disastrous attempts at it last summer at Lava Springs.

"Oh. Well then…"

"I've written you the biggest number in the production and it has pyrotechnics." Kelsi reached back to the piano, picking up the piece of music she had been working on and passing it to the other girl. She smiled winningly and winked at Ryan.

Ryan smiled uncomfortably, unsure if he really wanted his sister involved.

"OK I'll do it," Sharpay said finally. "But for Ryan, not for the song. Although I'll take that too."