You Got Game?

Ryan Evans smiled as he walked away from Chad Danforth, pleased that he had got to play with one of the Wildcats.

"You did great, Ryan!" Gabriella exclaimed, running up and giving him a tight hug.

He hugged her back, still smiling brightly.

"Come on, let's celebrate!" Gabriella suggested, linking hands with him and pulling him into the bleacher area, where a few tables were set up with the usual ballpark foods on them.

Ryan sat down at one of them, and was surprised when Chad sat down beside him.

"Hey." Ryan said shyly, reaching out and pulling one of the prepared hotdog plates towards him, just as Chad did the same.

For a second, Chad's hand rested on Ryan's, but it was the briefest of seconds, as Chad quickly pulled his hand away.

Ryan looked away, briefly, attempting to hide his blushing face.

"You call that a little game?" Chad asked, squeezing ketchup onto his own hot dog.

Ryan shrugged.

"Little...League...Baseball...Rhode Island..Championships." he admitted.

Chad chuckled, jokingly hitting him upside the head as Gabriella gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"You could use a few pointers, though. Your pitch is good, but your catch needs a little strengthening." Chad said, taking a bite of his hot dog, pulling Taylor McKinsee onto his lap.

Gabriella slid in next to Ryan and handed him a bottle of water, which he accepted graciously.

"You got moves in any other sport?" Chad asked as he finished off the last bite of his hot dog.

Ryan only shrugged.

"I'd like to say I'm good at golf, but it's actually quite the opposite." he replied.

Chad glanced towards Gabriella, who nodded at him, and then glanced back towards Ryan.

"How about basketball? I was supposed to play a two-on-two game with Troy, but he ditched." Chad asked.

Ryan laughed.

"Basketball? No. That is one sport I could never play." he replied, laughing heartily.

"Come on. I bet I could show you a few moves." Chad offered.

Ryan's expression became thoughtful.

"I could deal with that." he said softly.

Chad smiled, going to stand.

"Good. Meet me at the staff hoop area in an hour. You're so on." he said, linking hands with Taylor and disappearing out of the dugout.

Ryan let out a sigh, questioning his choice to follow Chad onto the basketball court.

"You'll do fine." Gabriella said, as if reading his mind.

Ryan smiled timidly, looking down at his uneaten hot dog.

"Come on. I'll give you some pointers." Gabriella insisted, standing, and pulling Ryan along with her, almost dragging him out of the dugout.

Upon reaching the staff hoop area, Gabriella pointed towards the hoop.

"Now, Ryan, that is a hoop. You shoot the ball into it." she teased.

Ryan chuckled, poking Gabriella in the ribs.

"I know what a hoop is, Gabs." he shot back.

Gabriella only giggled further.

She went to the bench and grabbed the basketball that sat on top of it, tossing it towards Ryan, who caught it easily.

"Show me what you've got, Wildcat." Gabriella said, sitting down on the bench.

Ryan bit at his lower lip, turning to face the basketball hoop, stretching his arms out before him, tossing the ball into the air, and not even coming close to the hoop's rims.

Gabriella chuckled in the background.

Ryan gave her a glare as he scrambled to keep the ball from leaving the court.

When he stepped back into the center of the court, he found Gabriella standing there, holding out her hands, into which he let her have the basketball.

"Like this." she said, bending her knees slightly, holding her left hand against the basketball's left side, and her right hand facing outward, palm touching the ball, and shot it, making the hoop.

"Wow. Gabriella Montez, triple threat." Ryan said, catching the ball as it fell through the hoop.

Gabriella blushed as he threw her the ball.

"Come here. I'll show you how to shoot." she offered.

Ryan made his way over to her.

"Stand on the center line, here." Gabriella said, pointing to where the half court mark would be.

Ryan did just that, jumping as Gabriella placed her hands on the back of his knees.

"Bend your knees a little. There you go." she said, pulling back, wrapping her arms around him from behind, positioning in his hands.

"And all that's missing is the ball." she said, placing it in his positioned hands.

"Go for it, Ryan." Gabriella said, stepping back.

Ryan licked his lips before throwing the ball into the air, jumping with joy as it sailed through the hoop.

"I told you it was easy." Gabriella said with a wink, going to get the ball and tossing it back towards Ryan, who caught it and held it at his side.

Looking at Gabriella, Ryan found himself suddenly wanting to open up to her. He felt so comfortable around her, and that was something he had never felt. Sure, he had his sister, but opening up to Sharpay was like opening up to a brick wall.

"Hey, Gabriella? Can I ask you something?" Ryan asked, nodding towards the bench, letting the ball fall from his side to the cement.

Gabriella took his cue and followed him towards it, sitting down beside him.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Do you ever get the feeling that you're different than everyone else?" Ryan asked, avoiding eye contact with Gabriella.

Gabriella chuckled.

"All the time. I'm the mathlete, remember?" she replied.

Ryan bit at his lower lip before pushing further.

"Do you ever get the feeling that everyone knows something about you that you, yourself, don't know? Or, you know it, but you're afraid to admit it?" he questioned.

Gabriella raised her right eyebrow in question, reaching out and taking Ryan's hands into hers.

"If there's something you need to say, Ryan, I'm here. I'm listening." she promised.

Ryan closed his eyes as he felt Gabriella link their hands and give him an encouraging squeeze.

"I'm gay." he whispered.

When Gabriella didn't say anything, Ryan reluctantly opened his eyes, only to find Gabriella smilling at him.

"Feel better?" she asked.

Ryan let out a long sigh and then laughed.

"Yeah, I do, actually." he replied.

Gabriella let go of his hands and wrapped her arms aroud his neck, bringing him in for a hug, playing with the ends of his hair.

"Don't ever let anyone tell you it's not okay. You're no different than, say, Troy. You're just a man looking for love." she insisted, kissing him on the cheek before pulling back.

"Though, you're upsetting a lot of girls." she teased.

Ryan snorted, giving her a friendly shove.

"You think I'm kidding? Ryan, you're hot! You could have any girl you wanted!" Gabriella exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah." Ryan said with a bashful blush.

"Practice some more shots before your game with Chad. And, Ryan? Don't let him intimidate you." Gabriella said as she stood.

Ryan looked up at her with confusion gleaming in his eyes.

"Just don't." Gabriella repeated, turning on her heels and heading into the Lava Springs doors.