Author's Note: -sniff, sniff- So this it. The conclusion! A bit lovey-dovey, a bit corny, hopefully fulfilling. Thanks for reading…
EPILOGUE
Drawing The Future
"I have always suffered from a degree of academic arrogance. I believed that I could learn everything I needed to about the world from books. But there are some things that textbooks cannot teach…like how to lose lovers and gain friends, or how to pick yourself up after failure. These are some of the lessons I have learned from my fellow Wildcats…
Being valedictorian does not make the smartest person here. I still have a long way to go. But I have loved every minute of being with you guys. And before we say our goodbyes, I would like- at the risk of sounding incredibly stupid- to ask you all a question…WHAT TEAM?!"
"Wildcats!"
"WHAT
TEAM?!" "Wildcats!"
"WILDCATS!"
"Getcha head in the game!"
Taylor grinned amid the bright red hats being flung to the sky…
The warm day was brightened further still by the shrieking laughter and chatter of nearly a hundred young adults. Parents flitted around in between them, digital cameras flashing.
Among these were Chad Danforth and his mother, who was picking imaginary lint off his robe. "You're dad would've been so proud of you, Moppy," she murmured, cupping his cheek with her hand. "He was proud before you were born."
At the mention of his father Chad felt a sudden swell of gloom. Why did it seem like there were so many dads all of a sudden? His eyes roamed in search of the only person who could remedy all grief…and there she was. Sharpay Evans stood with her family, a pink and gold hat perched on her head. At that moment she was swatting away her whimpering mother. Chad grinned and returned his attention to the mother he was indescribably grateful to have. Even if she kept messing with his hair…
Sharpay Evans adjusted her hat, which she had scrambled to catch almost as soon as she threw it in the air. Mrs. Evans kept throwing herself on her, so that the pink creation ended up skewed. She looked to her snorting brother and father, a welcome addition to the party. It seemed like they only ever saw him on special occasions. His hair looked grayer, his tall frame diminished. But Sharpay was glad to have him there all the same.
Mr. Evans smiled at her. "Gosh, you kids grow up so fast! Too fast. Where've I been all year?"
Sharpay wondered the same thing, but did not say so, opting to look around instead. Almost immediately she came across Chad, and found he had been watching her from where he stood with Mrs. Danforth. She still shivered. Even after what felt like years of him watching her.
Her parents were nattering on about something. Ryan had gone off to see his Taylor. Sharpay was not permitted to call her his 'girlfriend', seeing as they had only been out alone together a few times and apparently kissed once, 'nothing official'. She slipped away from Mr. and Mrs. Evans and made her way to her official boyfriend.
"Hey, Jo." She had been made to call Mrs. Danforth by her first name. An awkward transition at first, but it made Sharpay feel quite grown up in the end. "Can I borrow him?"
"Take him off my hands more like!" Mrs. Danforth waved to the approaching Coach and Mrs. Bolton. "Yes. Please do."
She grabbed a fistful of Chad's robes and dragged him away.
They roamed the red and white halls in silence for what felt like the last time. It would have been a very profound moment had Chad not been kissing her against lockers at random intervals.
They stopped by Sharpay's infamous pink locker. She smiled, untangled herself from him and leaned against it.
"I kept the drawing."
"What?"
She reached into her pocket and extracted the frayed piece of paper. Chad's eyes widened as he took it.
"No way. Sharpay, this is like twelve years old!"
"I know. Don't look at me like I'm an obsessive freak! That's probably the only thing I still have from my little girlhood. I figure you should keep it. Since I've had it for so long. Stick it up in your dorm room. Or put it in a box or…" Sharpay bit her lip and tried not to think of the inevitable separation.
Chad felt the waxy paper with his thumb and tried not to miss her already. "We've been together a lot longer than we thought…"
"You say that like it's over."
He folded up the drawing. "It's not." He tucked it into his pocket, "Doesn't matter where we go, Evans," and drew her into his arms. "It'll be you and me in the end."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
And as Chad kissed her cheek Sharpay knew that no amount of distance or years would ever divide them…
Author's Note: I am now hooked on Chadpay! They're seriously fun. But school will not permit me to write anything substantial for a while. So until the next (sequel or not, je ne sais pas), ciao for now!
GBU (God Bless U)
EbonyHedlund