Hang On To Me

All previous disclaimers apply.

Author’s Note: Sorry this took so long to get up. Sorry the chapter is so short. And this is the last chapter. I think that about covers it!


“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Ryan asked quietly, linking his finger’s with Chad’s as the other put his fairly newly acquired used truck in park and turned the key. He expected Chad to take a moment, to collect his thoughts, but his boyfriend simply turned as soon as the question was asked and cupped his cheek in his free hand.

“Ryan, I have never been more ready for anything,” Chad assured him quietly with a gentle smile, “My family knows about us and couldn’t be happier. The only friends that matter have already told us that they have no problems with us.”

“But, Chad…” Ryan couldn’t help the lump of emotion that lodged itself in his throat, “If we don’t do this you can still deny it. We don’t have to come out, you know.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Chad pulled his hand away, the uncertainty in his voice echoed as a hurt in his wide eyes, “Are you having second thoughts? Is it something I’ve done? You don’t want people to know that I love you?”

“No!” Ryan wasn’t surprised with how strong his denial was, but Chad flinched a little at the strength in his normally gentle voice. He lowered it immediately, ducking his head a little so that Chad didn’t see the way he was blushing, “I love you, Chad, and I want the whole world to know it, but… what about schools, Chad? How many colleges are going to be able to get past the gay thing to let you play on their teams and give you scholarships? I know that the world isn’t how it used to be, but it’s still got a long way to go. I don’t want you to have to change all of your plans just so that people know about us when I can wait until we’re out of school to be out of the closet.”

“You’re worried about my future?” Chad asked, lowering his face a little so that Ryan could no longer see his eyes.

“Chad?” Ryan asked, setting a hand to the Chad’s knee, a little unsure of what was going on and a little frightened because of that fact.

“Sorry,” Chad lifted his head and Ryan could see that there were tears in his eyes that he would never allow to spill over, “Just had to get my emotions in check a little bit. Don’t want people to see me crying in the parking lot. I’m already gay, they don’t need anymore fuel for the fire.”

“See, Chad? That’s exactly what I’m talking about!”

“Ryan,” Chad linked the fingers on both of their hands, “People are always going to talk when it comes to you and me. I mean, not only are we gay, but in case you didn’t notice, you’re white and I’m black.”

“No, really?” Ryan rolled his eyes.

“I know you don’t think it happens anymore, Ry, but racism is still around, even here. It was hard for Darrick and Emily for a while and they’re a married man and woman above consenting age. What I’m trying to say is… if you and I spend the rest of our lives worried about what people might say about us, then we’re going to worry our lives away. All of the people who should matter to us, our families and our friends, have no problem with us. I know my future, Ryan Evans. My future is you. If some teams and schools can’t accept that, then I say fuck ‘em. I love you. I am never going to be ashamed of that fact.”

Ryan could help but throw his arms around Chad’s neck and press their lips together in a searing kiss.

“Besides,” Chad panted, as they pulled apart, “I kind of busted out of the closet when you were hurt. No chance of going back now, anyway.”

Ryan simply laughed and allowed it when Chad wanted to open his door and carry his backpack inside. He couldn’t keep the smile from his face when he reached out to link his fingers with Chad’s as they walked up to the school and Chad allowed it with a small nod and a smile of his own. It felt strange as they were walking that immediately Chad was flanked by people. Troy and Gabriella, Jason and Kelsi, Zeke, others from the basketball team. They all seemed to immediately fall into step and no one even looked sideways at their joined hands. Ryan had never been part of a group like this. He’d never had enough friends, but here were people asking him how he was feeling, offering to help him with homework if he needed a little extra time to get all caught up. What was more, they actually seemed interested in his answers. When Sharpay made her entrance and joined Zeke, they did the same for her.

“Gabriella?” Ryan asked as they were all walking to homeroom. Chad had dropped his hand to enthusiastically describe the last five minutes of a basketball game that had been on television the night before.

“Yes?” They seemed to fall a little behind everyone automatically so their conversation stayed a little more private.

“Isn’t this all a little easy?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, these are jocks, and I’m gay and Chad’s gay and we do indeed have sex… with each other. Aren’t these guys just going with the flow a little to easily?”

“Not really,” Gabriella smiled at him and linked her arm with his, “You’ve been gone for a couple of weeks, Ryan. It was harder for some of them at first, but they came around once they saw that Chad was still the same Chad he’d always been. And it helped, of course, that Troy said he was sticking by you guys no matter what. We are still in high school, after all, and what the most popular boy says still has a lot of influence. There are going to be plenty of people who are going to give you and Chad a hard time all your lives, Ryan. Why not be happy that there are some right now that it doesn’t matter to in the least?”

“You’re right, I know,” Ryan’s voice was still a little unsure, “I guess, I just expected it to be… harder.”

“So, have a little more faith next time.”

“Ryan?” Chad finally seemed to notice that his boyfriend was not by his side any longer and turned around. Ryan smiled at him, thanked Gabriella quietly and then took big steps to link his fingers with Chad’s again just as they walked into homeroom.

“I love you,” Ryan whispered.

“I love you,” Chad whispered back.

They took seats next to each other and Ryan smiled when Chad placed a sweet kiss to the back of his hand before releasing it reluctantly. They smiled when Troy made a gagging noise from the back of his throat. Chad turned his head, ready to be angry until he saw the smile on Troy’s face and he and Ryan laughed with everyone else.

“Alright!” Darbus made her usual entrance, sashaying to the front of the room and holding court, “Quiet now and we shall observe the sanctity which comes from silence. After a moment we will have discussion on why silence in imperative to a wonderful theatrical experience!”

“The more things change,” Chad whispered under his breath.

“The more they stay the same,” Ryan finished. And they smiled.


That’s it, the end of this fic. I’ve been debating a sequel, but I’m not sure what it would be. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to everyone who stuck with this and anyone who reviewed!