Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical. I only own Rachel Hamilton.
Full Summary: He was the school's leading man. She was the girl no one wanted. What happens when they are forced to work together?
Author's Note: First High School Musical fic. Wow…I fell in love with this movie! And I love Ryan Evans! Lucas Grabeel was awesome in the movie and I like his character.
- Pairings: Troy/Gabriella, Chad/Taylor, Ryan/Rachel, Zeke/Sharpay, Jason/Kelsi
- I also made up Jason and Zeke's last names as well as Sharpay's middle name.
Love Song For No One
(formerly Let The World Hear You)
By: that drama queen
Chapter 1: The Mysterious Voice
I don't wanna be all by myself anymore…
It was the first day of school and Ryan Evans was walking down the hall with his twin sister Sharpay when he heard a female voice's soulful singing accompanied by the piano. He watched as his sister went over to where their friends were down the hall then turned around and went down to the music room to check on who was singing. Once he got there, though, the room was empty.
"Where did she go?" he wondered to himself.
Sharpay was in the middle of a group of friends that comprised of Troy Bolton, Gabriella Montez, Chad Danforth, Taylor McKessie, Zeke Brown, Jason Malone and Kelsi Nielsen. She was in the middle of talking about how awesome the surprise party was that Gabriella and Taylor had thrown for her and Ryan when she realized something.
"Guys, have you seen Ryan?"
Everyone exchanged looks and finally Troy spoke up and said, "Uh, Sharpay, we thought he'd be with you."
There were murmurs of agreement then Ryan snuck up behind the group and exclaimed, "Hey everyone! Great party last week!"
"Ryan!" Sharpay snapped, "Don't disappear like that!"
"Where'd you go?" Gabriella asked gently.
"Nowhere," Ryan replied nonchalantly.
"So what's everyone got for homeroom?" Taylor asked, changing the subject.
Everyone whipped out their schedules.
"Home ec," Zeke announced much to his basketball teammates' dismay.
"Drama," Sharpay said with a nod.
Gabriella chimed in with, "Me too, Sharpay." When everyone gave her a look, she explained, "My mom said it would be a good idea to learn to fight the stage fright and she thought I did great onstage in the musical."
"Gym with Jason," Troy declared, glancing at Jason, exchanging nods.
"I've got English with Taylor," Chad announced, smiling fondly at his girlfriend.
Kelsi grabbed Ryan's schedule and revealed, "It looks like I've got Vocal Music with you, Ryan!"
As Ryan took his schedule back from Kelsi, Sharpay shot him a look and asked, "Why didn't you take Drama again?"
After a moment of silence, Ryan explained with a serious tone of voice, "Sharpay, the Broadway dream, it's yours. I've got different dreams, and you can't bully me out of them."
As the gang watched Ryan walk off, Kelsi asked Sharpay, "Hey, what's with him?"
"I don't know," Sharpay said softly, "I didn't think I was bullying him into anything…"
The warning bell rang and soon, everyone split up to go to class. What no one had noticed was a girl in the distance who had been listening to them, but mainly listening to Ryan.
Miss Delgado, the vocal music teacher, studied at the Rayart Conservatory of Music, a world-renowned musical academy for 12-18 year olds. She was the best vocal coach in the city and while she taught at East High, she also taught private lessons on the weekends. Ryan admired her and even spent time with her during free periods whenever he could escape Sharpay, improving his technique with her.
"Ryan! It's great that you could join us this semester!" Miss Delgado greeted Ryan when he came into the classroom, then added jokingly, "Finally able to escape the jaws of Sharpay?"
Laughing, Ryan replied, "Yeah something like that." He sat next to a lonely looking girl with wavy long brown hair and chocolate brown eyes at the back of the room as he spoke, "I just had to take a stand this year. I mean, we may be twins, but we're totally different."
"Good for you!" Miss Delgado exclaimed with a smile.
The quiet brunette gave Ryan an indifferent glance then looked out the window. "You have a good ear. I have to be more careful. You almost found me out, Evans. I can't let that happen," she thought to herself.
For a week, the sad soulful voice kept haunting Ryan, but whenever he would go into the music room to find out who was singing, there was no one there singing. Nine days into the semester, he found Miss Delgado there, sitting at her desk.
"Hey, Ryan, did you want a private lesson today?" the Latina woman asked cheerfully.
"No…actually, I was wondering something…I keep hearing someone's singing from here, but when I get here, it's empty. Do you know who's in here singing?"
Rowena Delgado sighed to herself. Ryan was always a bright pupil and his musicality and his ear were quite developed. She knew he would notice it sooner or later. However, the problem was, she promised this other student that she would keep her identity a secret. "I'm sorry, Ryan, I couldn't tell you, but I wanted to run something by you." Ryan raised an eyebrow as his favorite teacher asked, "How do you feel about preparing a duet for 25 percent of your final mark?"
"Really? I always thought you put that final performance as a solo."
"I thought it could be fun…and I think it would help a student to learn from a talented singer like you."
"Which one? The quiet brunette who keeps to herself?" Ryan inquired, narrowing his eyes.
"Rachel Hamilton," Miss Delgado explained, "She's a junior and all she does is sing and write. She doesn't interact with other students much."
"A bit shy?"
"No…I think it's something deeper than that, and I think you have the right sensitivity to break through."
"Okay, fine, I'll do it…but you have to be honest with me, Miss D. It was Rachel, wasn't it?"
Miss Delgado simply nodded. "So it's okay that I do this?"
Ryan nodded back. "Listen, I gotta go. Free period's almost over and I gotta get some lunch."
"Okay, well, just don't tell anyone about this conversation."
"What conversation?" Ryan quipped, "I gotta go, Miss Delgado. Bye!"
"Bye, Ryan! See you in class tomorrow." Miss Delgado smiled as she watched Ryan walk out of the classroom.
Ryan sat down between his sister and Kelsi five minutes after the start of the lunch period.
"You just had a free period, how could you be late for lunch?" Sharpay asked in her typical annoying way.
"Lay off, Sharpay," Ryan mumbled to her, poking at his lunch.
"You've been acting weird all week, disappearing and reappearing all the time!" Sharpay went on, "What's going on with you?"
"It's really none of your business!"
"I'm your twin sister! You used to tell me everything."
"I know, and I've regretted it! You know what, Sharpay Angelina Evans, I am sick of you getting on my case like this!"
Ryan stormed off, leaving the group for the second time since the semester started.
"What's making him so moody all of a sudden, Sharpay?" Gabriella asked out of curiosity.
"I really wish I knew," the blonde replied with a hint of sadness.
Ryan walked by the music room again after running out of the cafeteria and stopped when he heard the singing again.
I'm just reaching out for something more
Looking for a brighter day
Oh, I'm calling out for someone
Someone to rescue me from this pain
Ryan sat down by the door and continued to listen to the beautiful singing.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, just don't wanna be alone anymore
I can't live this way, I can't fight alone
All the time I've spent fighting is killing me slowly
I don't wanna be all by myself anymore…
"Thanks for letting me use the music room, Miss Delgado," came a voice unfamiliar to Ryan after the piano solo ended.
Miss Delgado replied, "No problem, Rachel. I don't know why you don't open up and perform for people more often. You have such a pretty voice."
"I have my reasons. Besides, with Sharpay and Ryan Evans, Troy Bolton, Gabriella Montez…I don't stand a chance. Thanks again for letting me use the music room though."
"No problem, Rachel…but you know, with your talent, you could easily find your place in the musicals here…and even more so at Rayart. You would only be there for a year but you could benefit from the formal training and you've got enough natural talent to get in."
"I sing for me, Miss D, and no one else. Anyway, I gotta go. AP Bio."
Ryan stood up quickly and ran off before he could get busted for eavesdropping. He glanced over his shoulder to find Rachel walking in the opposite direction. "I'll figure you out, Rachel…I'll figure out why you keep your beautiful voice such a big secret," he promised himself.