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It was a cold night. Ryan had always thought of the Southwest as a land of perpetual sunshine, but he was shivering as he stared up at the sky. He felt lied to. Maybe the Grand Canyon wasn't real, either.
"Ducky?"
Ryan pasted a smile on his face as he turned to his mother. "You look fabulous," he said. The words were automatic, out before he even saw her, but they were true all the same. She was wearing a silver gown, spangled and sequined to a degree only allowable on stage or during the holidays, and it made her glow.
"Thank you, darling," she said warmly, and Ryan relaxed at having distracted her with the compliment. "Where's your sister?" Damn.
Ryan opened his eyes wide and innocent. "I think she's in our suite getting ready," he said. "You know how she is when she can't decide on an outfit." Actually, Sharpay had picked out tonight's outfit three days ago, twirling around the suite with a soft cream colored sweater that would, in her words, "totally fool Jean Claude into thinking I'm non-threatening."
His mom pursed her lips, but she nodded her head. "Alright. If she's not down soon, you go on to the party without her."
"Oh, I will," Ryan promised honestly.
"Good. It will do you good to meet some new people," she said with an encouraging smile. "Get into practice making new friends."
Ryan huffed out a sigh but did not roll his eyes. "If we were staying in Rhode Island, I wouldn't have to make new friends." He didn't bother putting much heat into the words; it wasn't like he was going to change his parents' minds at this late date.
His mom shook her head. "I know, darling, but you're just going to have to make the best of it. You can start tonight," she said brightly. "It's a whole new year. You can make it anything you want."
Ryan wondered where his mother got the idea that positive thinking could change the world. He thought maybe he'd have to hide her copy of The Secret until she got over it. He didn't argue, though. He just tilted his face so she could kiss him on the cheek. "Happy New Year, Mom." She left the room in a swirl of silver sparkles, and Ryan looked back out the window at the snow covered mountain.
After a moment, he let his eyes focus on his own reflection instead. Like his mother, he'd taken advantage of the holiday as an excuse for sequins, and his black pork pie hat glittered back at him. He sighed so hard it fogged the glass and blurred his face. "Right," he said. "A whole new year."
He turned away from the window and headed toward the Freestyle Club.
***
Chad was the undisputed master of the layup. Seriously, Coach Bolton was going to give him some kind of medal when he got back. Chad trotted around the tiny court and came at the basket from the left this time, and yeah. He was just as awesome on the left side as he was on the right.
Okay, maybe it was a little easier to make the basket when no one was blocking him. Chad dribbled the ball and glared at the empty room. His folks had been really excited about the idea of spending Christmas break away at a resort, but Chad missed hanging out with the other guys on the team. There was only so much free-throw practice a guy needed, and anything else was way more fun with someone to play with.
He made a face and tossed the ball toward the storage bin. He'd just turned toward the open door when his dad appeared in it. "Good," he said, "I'm glad you remembered to finish up in time to get ready for the party."
Chad's shoulders slumped. "Do I really have to go to that?" he whined. He'd deny it to anyone else, but in his head, he knew that was whining. "I could play a little more ball, then go to the room and watch the ball drop on TV."
His dad frowned. On most men a frown wrinkled up their eyebrows and forehead, but since Chad's dad was bald, his entire head looked disapproving. "Now, we've talked about this, Chad. You might love basketball, but your life is going to depend more on your networking skills than on your net skills." He looked kind of pleased at his play on words, despite the fact that it was completely lame. "I want you to go interact with some of the other young people here. Learn how to talk to people who don't live and breathe the Wildcats."
"Yes, sir," Chad said. He wondered how grounded he would be if he gave his dad a mocking salute and decided it wasn't worth it. With his luck, his dad would decide to punish him by making him 'network' with ski-grannies. He waited until his dad was out of the room and down the hall, then he walked over to the wall and kicked it hard.
Then he limped off the tiny court and up to his room to shower. At least at a ski lodge, no one was going to question how he hurt his foot.
***
Sharpay was going to owe Ryan forever. There was no way he deserved to suffer through this party by himself. It was so ... juvenile. 'Youth party' apparently meant thirteen and up, so there were junior high kids all over the room, talking and drinking unspiked punch and playing what looked like foosball over in the corner.
If Sharpay hadn't decided she needed to seduce a ski instructor, Ryan at least would have had someone to mock it with.
He edged his way around the room, past a girl in a tiara, a kid in a giant orange cowboy hat, and several boys in glittered top hats. Ryan fingered the brim of his own hat, wondering if it had been a bad choice. But no. His hat was gorgeous and went perfectly with his black sweater. The sea of plastic bowlers and bad taste around him didn't change that.
In the center of the room, there was a karaoke stage set up, and Ryan eyed it wistfully. It was yet another thing to blame Sharpay for; all of his best karaoke songs were duets. Ryan was an incredible performer, of course, but he couldn't be expected to pull off 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' by himself.
The awkward duo on the stage finished their song, and the emcee started looking around the room for volunteers. Ryan almost, almost stepped forward out of sheer force of habit, but he stopped himself and dropped down onto a sofa instead. Which is why it took him a moment to realize that the spotlight staring him in the face meant he was supposed to get up and sing. It took a redheaded girl (who couldn't have been more than twelve) knocking him on the shoulder and hissing, "You're supposed to get on the stage," before he understood.
Ryan rolled his eyes, but he stood up, threw his shoulders back, and stepped up onto the small platform. This might be a stupid party full of stupid kids at a stupid resort, but he was a professional. The emcee picked a partner for him - a guy with a burgundy shirt and a head full of curls - and Ryan felt an unexpected wave of relief go through him. It would have felt weird to perform on his own. He gave the other singer a little grin and wondered how he would feel to know he was standing in for Ryan's blonde diva of a sister.
The lyrics came up on the prompter, and Ryan took a deep breath. "Living in my own world ..."
***
Chad was so glad his skin didn't really show when he was blushing. What kind of luck did it take to get dragged up on stage within five minutes of arriving at a party? He was starting to think someone back home had a little Chad voodoo doll, and they were sticking pins in it and gluing a microphone to its hand right now.
He stood uncomfortably on the stage and waited for it all to be over. At least there was another dude sharing the ordeal. Not that he looked all that troubled by it. Chad gave the guy a once-over and decided he looked way too comfortable in front of the microphone.
Then he opened his mouth, and Chad knew why.
It was deeply unfair that he'd been paired up with the male version of Britney Spears. Chad bit his lip and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, but his verse began before he'd had time to concoct an escape plan. All he could do was sing the words and thank heaven that the kids at the party were pretty much ignoring him.
By the end of his verse, though, one person wasn't ignoring him. The guy with the other microphone was beaming at him, focusing a smile on Chad that felt brighter than the spotlight.
Yeah, Chad was totally going to thank his dad for the genes that hid his blushes, because otherwise he'd be red right now.
The other guy was singing to Chad now, like the rest of the party didn't even exist, and it made Chad want to sing back. The blood pounded in his ears, but he could still hear the music, so he sang. It was fun trading verses and feeling the song build up around them. Chad grinned at the blond singer, and he was rewarded with a delighted smile and some kind of dance step. Chad shook his head and mimicked the step, and the other boy clapped for him and almost missed his cue. They sang together, right to each other, and it rocked.
When the song ended, Chad was shocked to hear applause. The kids at the party, who had been cheerfully ignoring them at the beginning of their song, were gathered around, staring up at them and clapping. Chad stumbled back a step, but the other singer caught him by the arm.
"Hey, I'm Ryan," he said. He was just talking, but he still made Chad feel like the rest of the party had disappeared.
"Chad." He put his microphone back in its stand and then regretted it. He fidgeted his empty fingers.
"Come on," Ryan said, "I'll buy you a cocoa."
If anyone asked, Chad would say he couldn't turn down chocolate. But privately, he thought he would have followed Ryan no matter what he'd been offering.
***
"You don't sing?" Ryan asked, frowning and clutching his mug. "What does that even mean? I just saw you sing."
Chad shrugged. He had good shoulders for shrugging, Ryan couldn't help noticing. "It's not a thing I do. Like, in public. In my shower, I'm a total rock star, but I don't sing in front of people."
Ryan ducked his head to sip his cocoa, because he couldn't look at Chad and think about showering without embarrassing himself in the middle of the party. "Well, I sing. A lot," Ryan told him. "And I thought you sounded great."
"Dude, I could tell you sing a lot," Chad said. He made some kind of enthusiastic gesture that almost upended his drink. "You were awesome."
"Yeah?" Ryan meant to sound cool and confident, but his voice came out sounding kind of shy. He was momentarily completely thrilled that his sister wasn't around to mock him for it.
"Yeah."
Ryan took another sip of cocoa and licked the chocolate from his lips. He looked up to find Chad staring at him in a way that made the night seem much, much warmer. "Thank you," he said softly. Chad took a half step forward, and then the party exploded around them, with kids running everywhere and chanting the countdown.
When they got to one, Ryan couldn't help swaying toward Chad. Fireworks burst through the sky, and Ryan flushed and pulled himself back. He usually had more self control than this.
"I should go," cover for my sister, "find my parents and say Happy New Year," he said.
Chad blinked and swallowed. "Yeah." He nodded. "Me, too." Neither of them moved, though, and Ryan's heart beat faster when he realized Chad wasn't going anywhere.
"I'll call you," Ryan said impulsively. He set down his mug and pulled out his phone. "Let me get your number."
"Oh, yeah. Me, too," Chad said. He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of Ryan, then handed him the phone. "Program yourself in, dude."
Ryan fought a goofy grin as he punched his name and number into Chad's phone. When he was done, he pressed it into Chad's hand. "You should call me," he said. "Really." He took his own phone back from Chad, and took a deep breath to pull himself together. "I've got to go. Thanks for the song."
He took one step away from Chad, then another. Then he was weaving through the crowd, his heart still pounding.
***
Chad stared down at the picture on his screen. It was a blond boy in a dumb hat, smiling happily, and Chad suddenly really regretted the fact that Ryan was walking away from him. The past hour had been the best part of this whole damned trip, and he didn't want it to be over.
He didn't realize he'd decided to follow Ryan until he'd already taken a half dozen steps.
He caught up with Ryan just down the hall from the Freestyle Club. The party was still loud inside, but the corridor was empty. "Hey," he said, and Ryan turned back toward him. If he'd wondered if this was a good idea, the look on Ryan's face would have reassured him.
"I, um." God, he didn't even know what he wanted to say. "I had fun," he said. He waved at the club doors. "You know."
"Yeah," Ryan said. "I know. Me, too."
"Okay, good." Chad rocked back on his heels. He felt awkward and clumsy and stupid, but damn it. Ryan seemed to like him, and if Chad was wrong, he never had to face him again. If he couldn't take a chance on odds like these, Chad was a way bigger pussy than he'd thought himself to be.
He took a step forward and cupped a hand around Ryan's elbow. He had to duck his head to get around the brim of the hat, but Ryan was tilting his head to make it easier, which was such a good sign that Chad almost started laughing out of relief. He kept it in, but his lips were still curved into a smile when they touched Ryan's.
It was ... good. Chad didn't have a better word. Ryan's lips were soft and warm, and his hands had come up to rest on Chad's shoulders, and it was good. When he pulled back, he took a second to just look at Ryan, flushed and smiling under his stupid sparkly hat.
"Happy New Year," Chad said.
"Happy New Year," Ryan replied. He bit his lip. "I really do have to go. Call me."
Chad watched him walk away with a smile on his face. It stayed there through brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed. He couldn't seem to get rid of it. He lay in his too-soft hotel bed that night, grinning up at the ceiling.
If the start of it was any indication, this was going to be an awesome year.