Chapter Text
Her gaze slowly tracked towards the big windows where the sun started to make its presence known in a pink, warm sunrise. She picked up her phone, trying to keep half her attention on the team around her as they changed a few settings. She typed quickly, the ghost of a smile on her lips. She could already see her brother typing up a reply. The warmth of imagining Ryan on his way to work or already settled in the studio did not have time to settle in her chest as her attention was snagged by a tall figure entering the room. Her eyebrows furrowed, but only for a moment, before a sunny, calm smile came to her lips.
“Hey, Nick, give me five,” she said towards her producer, already getting up from her seat behind the news desk. Chad’s eyes locked onto hers as she started walking over, confusion then something else, something like a grimace settling on his face. He looked… Tired. At least she thought so.
“If it isn’t Chad Danforth,” he said, in a singsong voice, leaning in to plant airy kisses on each side of Chad's face. He tried to pull a smile onto his lips, his gaze searching hers. She could almost read his questions and demands in the way he looked at her.
“Sharpay,” he breathed, “how are you?” She tried not to wince at the question, the way it was coated in a layer of politeness rather than real interest. She caught the glance of the production assistant that was saddled with babysitting the talent, providing a small, reassuring smile.
“All good. Busy as usual,” she provided, a gentle shrug lifting her shoulders, making waves of blond hair fall off them. She watched Chad work up a smile that looked more than polite or annoyed. “You? How are you, Chad?” she asked and her voice held something soft and secret in it. She still could hear Ryan’s thin sobs over the phone, the long stretch of silence two years ago that made her take a flight out to New York as soon as she could. At the same time, she rationally knew Ryan had not been the only one hurt - she didn’t really know it until this moment, staring into Chad’s tired, pensive face.
“Okay. I’m okay,” he said in the end, working a ring around and around his middle finger. She could decipher his next question even before he let it fall off his lips. “How is… How’s Ryan?”
She could see it all, in that moment. Chad’s brave facade, the tabloids praising his wins, the women that claimed he was dating them - all of it, the glitz and glamour of fame and winning, disguising something that would never be filled with any of those things. She saw the sadness in his eyes and knew it matched the one in her brother’s gaze.
“Not here.” She sighed, hand reaching to gently take his elbow, offering a small, apologetic smile to the production assistant as she guided Chad towards a darker corner of the studio. Once alone, Sharpay turned to look into Chad’s expecting face again - it was too much even for her. His yearning, his loss was immediately apparent. She looked down towards their shoes, before lifting her gaze to his shoulder, where she kept it as she spoke. “Listen, Chad… I don’t think you should be asking about him.” Chad gave a soft sound at that - she wasn’t sure if it was annoyance or sadness. She didn’t have the mental fortitude to try to decipher it at that moment. “I think… Look, I don’t know why he did what he did or… Still does, I guess. But it’s not good for you. Honestly,” she met his gaze again, finding surprise there. “You should… God, you should be so fucking angry, you should never want to hear about him again, Chad. Fucking get a spine,” she hissed, quietly, despite the quiet rage in her tone. She could see the shock of her words hitting Chad. He looked like he was made a statue for a moment, then something gave way. He snorted, loud and amused, chuckling quietly despite the way some misery lingered in his eyes.
“You’re right,” he said, taking in a breath, prompting Sharpay to do the same. She felt her pulse calm down as she did, a warm smile coming up to her lips.
“Sorry, big guy,” she said, opening her arms for Chad to slot against her in a hug. He held onto her tightly and she briefly wondered if anyone had given this man a hug since her brother stopped talking to him two years prior. She patted him on the shoulder as they pulled apart. He rewarded her with a dazzling, genuine smile.
“Thanks, Sharpay.” He seemed slightly surprised to be saying it himself, as if he couldn’t quite believe that she actually comforted him. With another smile, he started turning away from her. Her hand reached almost on instinct and she grabbed at his arm, stopping him in his tracks.
“He’s uh… He’s okay,” she said, and the way she said those words strongly implied her brother’s version of ‘okay’ was the same as Chad's. “He’s been doing therapy and stuff. He’s alright,” she added, letting go of the man. She took in another breath, a smile on her lips as she pulled her shoulders back, the very image of professionalism. “Good luck with your interview. You’ll be great, I’m sure.” Chad nodded, offering a smile in return.
Somehow, she knew he would indeed be good - for both the interview and in general.
When she got back to her desk, she picked up her phone, seeing a few messages from Ryan had come through. She looked around for the familiar silhouette of the boxer, but he was already gone. It was for the best