Chapter Text
== 🩰 + 🏀 ==
Ryan groaned, his sister’s voice grating on his ears. “It was only meant to be Troy! My grand plan to be close to Troy all summer, Ryan! Just for the whole student body to show up too–!”
Whatever Sharpay was currently whining about, it was going in one ear and out the other.
Something something Troy Bolton, East High students working at the resort– Ryan really couldn't care less. Sharpay, however, was getting on his nerves. “It’s supposed to be summer vacation, Shar, why stress so much–” Trying to voice that to Sharpay, though, proved unsuccessful every time. “–Think of the talent show, Ryan!”
Zoning out momentarily, Ryan let himself put the pieces together. If a bunch of East High students now worked at the resort, that meant Chad was most likely also here? He’d never admit aloud to the interest he'd taken in the jock during the school year, but… He noticed when the other would come to school performances. Even if he knew it was for Troy, he admired the effort. And honestly? He had some game on the court too.
Sharpay’s endless complaints snapped him back to reality. What had he even been thinking about? “We need to do something about this–” “–Who’s we, Shar? Just let it go.” She always won anyway, never him, so why would he care? So he stood and left her, leaving his sister looking offended and his own sanity only mostly gone. With a deep breath, he mentally told himself that maybe, just maybe, this summer would be the summer he’d finally stop being Sharpay’s dog.
Thankfully, his day went on pretty normally; yoga with mother, a quick outing to the putting green with father, a sit by the pool. He only saw so much of his classmates, which was fine by him. Near the end of the day, when the sun hung low in the sky, Ryan slipped into his practice room. The setting sun cast golden light into the room, bouncing off the mirrors that stretched the length of the wall.
He dropped his bag near the wall, changing his shoes to ones more suitable for dancing. Dropping his cap to the floor, he fluffed up his hair in the mirror and soon lost himself to some improvised choreography. While Ryan was widely known around school for jazz and broadway dancing, he had a private passion for ballet.
He leapt and spun around the room, movements graceful and carefully chosen to string together a smooth routine. These quiet evenings were Ryan’s favorite, when it was just him, a dying sun, an open floor, and a wall of mirrors. In these moments, he let himself dream of a world where he went to New York, to Juilliard to dance and become a performer in the country’s most renowned ballets.
As his performance and little fantasy came to a close and the sun was beneath the horizon, Ryan stared at himself in the mirror, a small, shy smile pulled at the corners of his lips. A boy could dream.
Briefly, the feeling of being watched befell him, and his head snapped towards the door, swearing there was the smallest flash of movement.
Probably nothing.
== 🩰 + 🏀 ==
Chad was hyped to find out he'd locked down a summer job all thanks to Troy. The fact it was the Evans’ summer resort sullied the idea a bit, but hey, he’d be working with his friends and classmates all summer! They could work this out, right?
Waiting in the dining room all day for rich snobs was exhausting Chad’s patience, so when his lunch break rolled around, he clocked out happily and went to find Troy sitting in the kitchen with Gabriella and Taylor, whose own lunch breaks were just ending when Chad sat down. Giving Taylor a wave, he turned to Troy and groaned.
“Man, if the pay weren't so solid, I’d have lost it on these prissy people hours ago.” The other chuckled, clapping Chad on the back. “Hey, stick this out, and maybe you’ll be able to buy the car you keep goin’ on about. A life lesson in patience and all that.” Chad snorted. “Yeah, something like that.”
“But remember, we’re all in this together. We stick together this summer, and not even Sharpay will be able to shake us by the end.” Troy grinned, and his positivity was highly contagious, bringing a smile to Chad’s own lips and to the rest of the kitchen quickly.
The rest of Chad’s work day passed by painfully slowly, but he did his best to keep his goals in mind as he dealt with the wants and needs of resort guests. Thankfully he hadn't had to interact with the Evans family… The very thought made him shudder.
Clocking out, he changed out of uniform and grabbed his stuff, going to find Troy so they could go home together… But he was nowhere to be found. Did he leave already? They were meant to ride home together today!
Wandering the now relatively empty halls of the resort, save for the occasional staff member on their way out, Chad passed the dining room, spa, and activity rooms, but still had no luck finding Troy. He eventually passed a large, empty room, stopping to watch the movement inside that was Ryan Evans. Against all that was typically him, Chad looked in through the window in the door and was quickly mesmerized by the elegant fluidity of his dance. With stars in his eyes, Chad watched Ryan’s lithe figure in his element, seeing him in a state he’d never seen on stage.
Since his best friend had gotten involved with the drama club this school year, Chad often found himself somewhere in the audience, ready to support Troy. Coming to performances also meant witnessing the dance craft of Ryan Evans. He never knew how to describe it, but watching him was… Enchanting, almost. Ryan thrived on the stage, bloomed under the eyes of an audience, and it was captivating.
Blinking away visions of the stage, all that remained was Evans dancing alone in the empty practice room. Had he always been this pretty, or was it just the style of dance..? Tall, thin, elegant, with a look on his face that reflected the love and passion he carried for what he was doing… It was admirable, almost, and the thought spooked Chad– respect for an Evans?
Impossible. Chad didn't think Ryan was pretty. He was girly if anything, ballet was girly, and guys weren't pretty like girls were.
Ryan came to a stop in front of the mirror, chest rising and falling in deep, quick breaths out of exertion. Chad decided this would be the time to dash away, finally noticing the strange heat that had settled in his face.
It was hard to ignore, even harder to will away as he eventually found Troy waiting by his truck in the parking lot. “What took you so long, dude?” He shouted at Chad, swinging his keys around his finger.
“Sorry– just got caught up in a convo with.. Fulton, yeah.” Chad threw his stuff into the back of Troy’s truck, hoping he didn't suspect anything weird going on with him. Chad told himself it was probably nothing. Ryan was just… stupidly talented, or whatever. Troy went on rambling about Gabriella and plans and summer, but Chad wasn't really listening, too caught up on what he'd seen this evening. He avoided thinking, though, about how it made him feel.
He just had to get his head in the game.
== 🩰 + 🏀 ==