A/n: Hey everyone. So this is my first try at something for HSM; hopefully well received and filled with slashy goodness. Set in HSM 2 and beyond... I'm hoping to trudge through and finish this fic quickly so I can get back my Hermione/Snape story that has given me such writers block. Please R&R... more than likely... the more reviews that are positive, the more I'll put in to this story. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story- all right reserved by Disney/ABC Co.

Ryan Evans did not normally walk alone at night. But here he was walking the short trail near the neighborhood playground trying to collect his thoughts on the summer. After the spring and all of the cliques at school had all but disappeared Ryan had made so many new friends. In a last ditch effort to pursue star jock Troy Bolton, his twin sister had fixed it so he could get a job at their country club. Of course unbeknownst to Sharpay, that meant most of Ryan's new friends, those also of Troy Bolton, were going to be around the club that summer.

Pretty much his whole life had been about dancing; but this year it seemed to be all new because he had someone to hang out with besides his twin sister. He had gotten closer to some of the other kids from the spring musical, such as Troy's girlfriend Gabriella. Even now Ryan was being treated as one of the guys by some of the other jocks like Troy's best friend Chad. That was the other part that was new: one of the guys. Ryan had grown up with the curse of being more feminine than others. He was a bit sensitive emotionally, like when he cried in chick flicks, and also physically, like when he had some toes broken trying to play Little League as a youngster. Most boys stayed away from Ryan. They thought he was different. There was something weird about him. Ryan knew that all of that was true. It wasn't really apparent to him all of his life, but now at 17 he pretty much knew: he was gay.

Not only was he gay, but now he was crushing on the same guy as his sister, one Troy Bolton. One very straight Troy Bolton. Of course I like Troy. Ryan thought to himself. Not only is he good looking and all of that but he is confident and tries to be understanding. He is good at everything from sports to singing. It's like he doesn't even try. He is the best with hardy any effort and people take notice of him. I wish I could be the way his is with other people. He's always laughing and talking to people... Me? I just hide in my sister's shadow. She speaks for both of us. Technically I don't think she would have it any other way.

Ryan kept marveling at what he thought would be his perfect first boyfriend as he came upon two figures on the playground. From a distance he could tell it was a boy and a girl and they were fighting. The boy took the girls in his arms and maybe even wiped away a tear on her cheek. She broke free from him and ran down the path. As she went under the streetlight Ryan saw her face. It was Gabi. Troy's girlfriend. Torn between maybe getting to console his crush after a big fight and helping an actual friend, Ryan hesitated and then followed the girl down the path, jogging a bit to to keep up with her.