They'd had a thing, the summer before senior year. It was kind of predictable; Chad left alone Troy and Ryan by Sharpay. They'd been thrown together in the goody-goody let's-all-dance-and-sing-together crap neither of them really believed in, and eventually, on a silent understanding based on eye-rolling, they escaped together.

"So tell me," Chad said, sitting on one of the hills surrounding the Springs, chewing on a long bit of grass, because he was just that manly. I chew on grass, grunt, grunt. And how he'd gotten the grass in the first place was beyond Ryan, seeing as the grass was cut to exactly one and a half inches.

Anyway. "So tell me," Chad said, "are you gay?"

"Huh," Ryan heard himself say. "You must be the first person to ask me that."

"Seriously?"

"Shar basically told me I was, and then told Mom and Dad. Everyone else kind assumes I am. Unless the thought never occurs to them."

Chad's eyebrow went up. "Seriously?" He asked again.

"Troy and Gabriella," Ryan said.

"Oh," Chad said. "I see your point." Brief pause. "Well, are you?"

"Yeah," Ryan said. "I though it didn't really matter at first, y'know, you love who you love, but every girl I've ever loved I loved so platonically you could write books about the sheer platonicness."

"And…" Chad was blushing a tiny bit, a springy curl falling over his eyes. "Guys?"

Of course Ryan wanted to know what this was about. But Chad was an okay guy. They'd known each other since elementary school, and maybe they hardly spoke, but that didn't mean they didn't know each other reasonably well. He could trust Chad not to go homophobic on him. "Well, guys I'm not so platonic about," Ryan said.

"Cool," Chad said, looking out across the hills.

"Why?" Ryan asked voice determinedly casual.

Chad shifted a little bit. "Um. I think I…might be."

Ryan grinned to himself. "Cool," he said. He liked the whole gaydar thing. Mentally, he was dancing and screaming, I knew it. It was probably best not to say that out loud, though, because Chad would freak.

Chad looked up at him and smiled back. "Yeah," he said. "Cool."

The next second, their lips were on collision course, as if some invisible force was pushing them towards each other unstoppably, and then their lips meshed together in a slow slide that felt so right Ryan didn't know what to do. His hand crawled around Chad's neck and tangled in those curls that he'd always had a secret thing for, and suddenly it didn't really matter whether he knew what to do or not.

They met up in the dance room, during Chad's break, and practiced the Salsa and the art of frenching, and in the evenings they hid at the Evan's house, because no one else was there, and went a lot further than frenching. That summer would always remain ingrained in Ryan's mind, inexorably linked with warm, dark skin touching his and the feel of Chad's lips on his neck, his chest, his cheek.

They weren't in love. Love was different. They were too young for love, too inexperienced. While that didn't seem to bother their classmates, Ryan and Chad had their eyes wide open, had plans for life the other didn't fit in to.

When senior year started, they split ways amicably. "Everyone knows you don't stay with the guy you're with in high school," Ryan said when Chad brought up the topic uncomfortably.

"Yeah," Chad said. "Plus, coming out to the basketball team would probly be a bit uncomfortable."

Ryan smirked. "Friends?"

"Friends," Chad said, gave him the lazy jock-on-vacation grin one last time, stole one last kiss and walked off.

It was okay. At their age they were supposed to do stuff like this, hook up and unhook randomly, not look for anything serious. Summer fling, don't mean a thing. And if Ryan felt a little pang watching Chad go, and it Chad wasn't sure if this was what he wanted, well, that was okay too.

------------

A Year and a Bit Later

-----------------

To: .com, , .com, .com, .com, , ., .com

From: .com

Subject: Julliard FTW

Hi Everyone,

So we're here, in NYC, the big apple, blah-de-blah, and lemme tell you, it rocks. Julliard is like every theatre geek's wet dream come to life, there's dance halls and my roommate doesn't suck (although he does have a thing for Olivia Newton John, which is kinda scary), and Kels is currently off in heaven, playing with her latest song on a really cool piano, which is why she's not writing.

(Sorry if this bugs you, Shar. You've got to tell me all about U of A. Also, I borrowed your dark blue eyeliner and I still have it…)

Will write more after my first day. So how's it going for you guys?

Ryan

-----

To: .com

From:

Subject: Yo

Hey Dude,

It's great Julliard is working out so well for you. U of A is made of awesome. Well. My roomie's and ex-West High Knight, which is a bit weird, but it's cool. The basketball team rocks, too, and the other courses aren't bad. I finally picked other subjects I want to continue: English and Poli-Sci. Shut up.

I suddenly find myself hanging out a lot with your sister, because besides her, Zeke's, like, the only person here I know, and let's face it, Zeke's always with Sharpay. So. Yeah. Stay cool.

Chad

P.S.: Do I want to know what you're doing with Sharpay's eyeliner?

---------

To:

From: .com

Subject: Who the hell puts Yo in the subject line??

And who the hell starts an email with "Hey Dude"??

Watch out for Shar for me, okay? I'm a bit worried about how she's dealing. She's not used to being self-sufficient. I know you don't want me to ask you this, but seriously, who else do I ask? Zeke? Fucking her does so not count as looking out for her. Fuck, while I'm at it, keep him off her. I don't want my sister being pressured into sleeping with someone.

Julliard continues in its regiment of awesomeness. Broadway, here I come.

Ryan

P.S.: Well, gee, Sherlock, what do you do with eyeliner?

-----------

To: .com

From:

Subject: You got something against the word Yo?

I start emails with "Hey Dude", that's who!

Uh, dude, have you met Sharpay? No one can pressure her into anything. Unless they were offering it in exchange for a chance to play, like, Galinda on Broadway or something. Also, seeing as I'm pretty aware of what happened to your virginity, that's a bit hypocritical.

I think I actually like Shakespeare.

Chad

P.S.: Y'know, Sherlock and Watson were totally fucking.

---------

Ryan's first visit threw Chad off completely. Not in a bad way.

He and Zeke were in Sharpay's dorm when he came, and Sharpay was reading the riot act about a professor not giving her an A, and the two of them were listening with something approaching amusement.

Zeke's fascination with Sharpay had dimmed down a little, for two very good reasons: 1) He was now in a world populated by hot college babes, 2) He had realized that Sharpay would always want what she couldn't have.

As for Chad, he'd been getting along with Sharpay recently. She'd mellowed since East High, the Julliard disappointment, separation from her brother, and her college workload all combining to steady her a little. Only a little, she was still an egotistical airheaded bitch, but Chad could work with that. He wasn't the sort to take anyone's crap.

She was reaching her, "and what will Daddy say" moment in the How-Dare-He-Give-Me-A-B+-Speech, and topped it off with, "He'll be proud of me for standing up in what I believe in."

Chad had already passed the eye-rolling stage and was well on the way to direct criticism. He'd learned the best way to express that was in a language she understood, so he took up his best opera pose and wailed, "our daughter's daughters will adore us," at the top of his lungs.

She looked like she was about to pull an ice-queen on him when a familiar voice carried on: "And they'll sing in grateful chorus…"

Chad turned around to see Ryan standing in the doorway and hardly had time to contemplate the sudden swell of…something…in his chest and the blinding realization of how much he'd missed Ryan before they were turning back to Sharpay and finishing with a dramatic, "Well done, Sister Suffragette!"

Thankfully, Sharpay was too busy assaulting her brother to hit either of them, and Ryan was too busy being assaulted to notice Chad's face jump from surprise to Oh-My-God-I-Never-Got-Over-Him.

Once she'd released him, Ryan turned to Chad and they looked at each other awkwardly for a moment before Chad pulled Ryan into a bear hug and they were both laughing.

Sharpay immediately proceeded to give Ryan the grand tour of the campus, as if it was the most important thing in the world, as if he hadn't grown up right next to the U of A campus.

Chad and Zeke tagged along, and while Zeke was fascinated with Sharpay's view of campus, Ryan and Chad had a steady whispered conversation that went something like this:

SHARPAY: This is the cafeteria. They don't have enough diet sodas, and the meatloaf…

CHAD (whispering): Is this weird?

RYAN: No, Why?

CHAD: Well, I'm friends with my ex's sister.

RYAN: Well when you put it like that…

CHAD: But we're cool?

RYAN: Yeah. Sure. So…how're Troy and Gabriella?

CHAD: Sickening. Kels?

RYAN: Oh, she's great. Written some great songs. I should send them sometime, your voice'd be great in one.

CHAD: I don't sing.

RYAN: Oh, riiight. You don't sing, except in musically and when you're annoying my sister and when you're entertaining the showerhead. You don't dance, except for when you do. You live in denial.

CHAD: Do not!

RYAN: Have you even told anyone you're gay?

CHAD: Uh. My mom.

RYAN: Seriously?

CHAD: Yeah. She…took it really well.

RYAN: Well…congrats. So…are you seeing someone?

CHAD: Uh. Well, more fucking than seeing, if you know what I mean.

RYAN: Sure. Like us back then.

CHAD: Nah, we were seeing each other.

RYAN: Really?

CHAD: Sure. I mean, we talked, too, and you taught me to dance, we even went bowling that one time.

RYAN (winces): Huh. Yeah, I guess.

CHAD: Are you seein' someone?

RYAN: Hm. Not…really. Y'know.

CHAD: Fuckbuddy, you mean.

RYAN: If you must be crude.

CHAD: I must.

SHARPAY: Ooh, and Ry, this is where I have theatre classes…

RYAN: Do you ever…want something lasting?

CHAD: A relationship?

RYAN: No, a cookie that will never go stale. Yes, a relationship.

CHAD: Heh. Yeah, course I do. But we're so young, y'know.

RYAN: Yeah. Yeah, I know.

CHAD: So about that cookie…

RYAN: Shut up.

CHAD: Good to have you back, Ry.

SHARPAY: LISTEN TO ME!!

The night Ryan left, Zeke, while baking apple pan dowdy for dinner (Chad would never be able to take care of himself. He'd just live off of Zeke's baked goods forever and ever and then he'd be so fat he'd die), said, casually, "So, were you ever going to tell me you're gay?"

Chad nearly dropped the plates he was carrying. "Sorry?" He asked, voice at least an octave too high.

"You. And your shocking lack of heterosexuality."

"Um. How d'you know?" Chad asked, sitting down carefully, in case the chair decided to blow up or his legs gave way. After the bombshell Zeke'd just dropped he wouldn't have been surprised at either. Well, a bit less at the latter, but that was a given.

"You and Ryan," Zeke said, pulling out the apple pan dowdy with ridiculous pink sparkly oven mitts Sharpay had once given him in exchange for a lifelong supply of chocolate cookies. "You were all over each other. Didn't take a genius."

Chad snorted, because, hello, irony. "Uh. That's not happening."

"Why not? He turn you down?"

That was a tiny bit insulting. "Nah," Chad said. "That…uh, ship has sailed."

"Seriously?" Zeke said.

"Yeah."

"When?"

Chad bit into the apple pan dowdy fiercely. Sadly, it helped abate his annoyance with Zeke. Carbs were one of the surest ways to get to him. "Summer before senior year," he said.

"Fuck!" Zeke said. "You've been gay for more than a year and you didn't tell us?"

"We shared a changing room! Didn't seem like a good idea to announce I like dick."

"Point." Zeke studied him curiously. "Does Troy know?"

Chad rubbed the back of his neck, a sure sign of nervousness. "No. Just when I was thinking of telling him, he started the whole eternal love, theatre is my passion stuff and fucked off to California."

"Dude," Zeke said around a mouthful, "you can talk to us. We're not gonna hate you for being gay."

Chad smiled shyly. "Thanks," he said, looking at Zeke from lowered eyelashes, brushing their legs together under the table.

Zeke's eyes started showing a bit too much white.

"Does freak you out, after all," Chad snorted, "relax, dude. You're not my type."

Zeke breathed out slowly. "Sorry. It's just…"

"Yeah, I know," Chad said. "Hey, do me a favour, don't spread this around. It's just not the sort of thing that sells well in professional basketball."

"Gotcha. So…are you gonna tell me anything about any boyfriend you've ever had?"

Chad grinned. "I've had all of three. Ryan, this guy I met at a gay bar and dated for all of two weeks, and…this guy I'm not really dating."

Zeke looked at him, question mark written all over his face in big, neon lighting.

"Fuckbuddy," Chad said.

Zeke pulled a face.

------

Yo, Ryan,

I know, I know. I don't write letters. Heck, who does? It's weird. Just…didn't want to send an email, I guess.

So here's the thing. I miss having you around. Like, I miss talking to you, and being around you, and…I just miss you.

Out of the blue, I know, but in addition to being the guy I was having sex with, you were also the…guy I was with. You said, when you were here, that you wanted a serious relationship.

You were the most serious relationship I've ever had, and I think if we'd given it a chance in stead of just saying we were too young (which we kind of are, I know), we'd have made it. It's just, when I think of someone I want to spend time with, (if you ever say I wrote this, I'll hurt you) grow old with, it's a blond guy singing show tunes and wearing pink.

There you go. I miss you, and I'm wondering if maybe we called it quits too soon.

Chad

P.S.: I broke up with my not-boyfriend. I was dreaming of you. With eyeliner.

---------

Dear Chad,

------

Chad, I

------

I think you're right

-------

I think you're wrong

-------

FUCK

--------

Troy and Gabriella came down to Albuquerque a few weeks before Christmas. They had a different vacation schedule, so when they came Chad was in his last class before winter break, and they snuck into the back of the room while Chad was holding a presentation in Poli-Sci, which nearly freaked him out.

Afterwards he walked to the back, high-fived Troy and gave him that dumb manly hug that never failed to ram someone's elbow into someone else's chest. He kissed Gabi on the cheek. The two of them were closer than ever, and he wondered idly if they'd finally moved all the way to second base.

Zeke, who was in the same class, moved over to greet them, and of course Chad had to yell, "WHAT TEAM?" for old times sake, despite the dirty look his roommate shot him when they yelled "WILDCATS!"

Sharpay joined them in the café they'd already liked in high school, but she was permanently glued to her cell phone, waiting for Ryan's text. "He'll be here any minute," she kept saying.

As if that didn't have Chad on his toes already, because Ryan had never written back to him, even though they'd continued emailing as if nothing had happened, Zeke kept sending him meaningful glances that read as, Come Out Now.

He had already wondered if Ryan had gotten the letter at all. He'd sent it off two weeks ago, and still, nothing. Zeke was so not helping his stress levels.

And then Ryan walked in, blonde, gorgeous. His sister ambushed him, as per usual. But his eyes met Chad's over her shoulder, under the cover of the hustle as the others greeted Kelsi.

Chad jerked his head towards the exit, and walked out while no one was watching him.

Ryan came out to find him leaning against the wall, staring at his sneakers. "So," Ryan said. "You wanna…go somewhere quieter?" he asked.

"God, yes," Chad answered.

They drove for a while in silence, just beyond the outskirts of the town. Chad stopped at an appropriately scenic view of desert.

"Nice," Ryan said.

"That all you're gonna say?" Chad asked. He was too keyed up to be polite, and a bit pissed off Ryan hadn't answered before.

"No," Ryan said, leaning back in his seat, eyes still stubbornly fixed on the desert.

Chad waited.

Ryan sighed. "I think it's nuts. I think we're definitely too young, and we live way too far apart, and we're too different."

Chad's face darkened, his shoulders hunched. He opened his mouth to answer, but Ryan held up a hand.

"I'm not done," he said. "It's nuts, but…I don't think I ever got over you, either."

Chad smiled up at him, the real smile Ryan realized he'd only ever seen before in that summer. "You're the one that I want," he sang, softly, a tiny bit off-key.

"Oh, shut up!" Ryan said, and kissed him before he could quote Grease again. Because really.

---------

"Where did Ryan and Chad go?" Troy asked.

"I wouldn't worry," Zeke said.

"Why?" Gabriella asked, giving him her innocent-little-girl look.

Zeke shrugged. "Not for me to tell. But one way or another, they'll probably have something to tell you."

------------

So, there ya go. I'm thinking of a possible sequel, but I need to know if it's worth it.