Time to Relax (Most Ryan and Benji)

[Ryan Evans]

Ryan was sitting by the pool, yawning happily in the lazy sun. He was completely content with how things were going at the moment; he had a beautiful girlfriend, a bright future, and the rest of the summer stretched before him to enjoy every moment of it.

He looked to the chaise beside him, and couldn't help but feel the slight pang of lonliness, but he knew it would be short lived pain, they had their whole lives together, they could spend time apart for now.

He let out another yawn, closing his eyes, lying back and enjoying the warmth of the Albuquerque sun on his face.

This is the life

[bennu]

A shadow passed over Ryan and stopped. So much for the Sun. Benji looked down at him, a large umbrella held over her to protect her from the sun that Ryan seemed to have been anjoying. He looked happier then he had the last time she had seen him. It had been a while since she had actualy taken a good look at him, though. Benji had been busy with the choir, and her job, searching and applying for colleges, among other things.

"Hey there, Twinkle Toes." Benji smiled, and moved out of the sun light to the empty seat next to Ryan. "Whats up? I'm on break now for a while, mind if I join you?"

[Ryan Evans]

Ryan opened his eyes in light confusion as a shadow began to block his once warm sun. "What the--" He looked up to see Benji smiling at him, sun umbrella in hand.

"Twinkle toes?" He repeated in playful confusion, shielding his eyes as he looked up, the bright sun filtering back into his view. "I see how it is, but just remember, I knew you before you were Benji," He looked at her mischievously. "Benjilynn." He spat playfully.

He gestured to the chaise to his right, the one on his left held a special place. "If you want to spend your break with me, I can't stop you." He readjusted his sunglasses and laughed again.

[bennu]

"I don't mind being Called Benjilynn. Its a beautiful name, in my opinion. But Benji is shorter and goes better with Bad Ass, which I totaly am." She said, grinning. Good to see he was still able to joke. It had gotten alot better since the Talent show, she had noticed and heard. Alot of people were noticing things about Ryan that were different. Even more so about Sharpay who seemed alot more tolerent of people these days.

"Thanks, I've been needing it. They've got us running around like chickens with our heads cut off because a few people didn't show up today. Some sort of 'summer flu'!" Benji said, exasperated. "I mean, really!? Who ever heard of a summer flu? Someone is just being lazy and making everyone else pick up the slack." She sighed and sat back, positioning her umbrella so that to most effectively protect her from the burning sun. Her skin burned to easily, even with the sunblock she had put on, it was best just to use the umbrella.

"So what have you been up to lately?" Benji asked, looking over.

[Ryan Evans]

Ryan let out a contented sigh at Benj's question, he knew what he wanted to say, it had been the one thought that had overrun his mind in any and all moments without Sharpay. "Oh, you know," He waved his hand off nonchalantly. "Just keeping busy with the usual." His eyes faltering lightly under his glasses as she hoped that she didn't pressure the question of the usual.

He couldn't help but think back to her reaction of working for Lava Springs. "Is it really all that bad?" He started, looking over at her. "Working here I mean."

[bennu]

She did let it go. Obviously, he was still being bored to death by the Sharpay, probably still being thrown around to do her bidding. Just like in the 8th grade. He did seem happier about soemthing, though. Maybe he liked a girl? That would be a shock to Benji's system. Not because he liked a girl and she was jealous, but because it ment he was hidding it from Sharpay. Didn't he learn the last time?

"Oh, its okay. I guess. I mean, the food it good when their are enough left overs from the brunches and stuff. And I can sneek off often enough not to go crazy by all the jocks in the kitchen. At least I was promoted to waitress, now that I'm 18, for the bar. I won't have to spend all my time trying not to die in the kitchen dodging flying bowls and roughion-boys."

[Ryan Evans]

Ryan couldn't help but laugh, somethings never changed, and leave it up to Benji to make even the most depressing parts of a job seem like the perks to it. "The jocks can't be that bad, can they?" He asked, laughing at how stupid his own question was, he basically knew the answer himself. They were his friends, but even still sometimes they got to be too much for even his high tolerance levels.

He sighed again, and looked off to the shimmering waters of the pool again. "I like it here, it's relaxing, you know." He said into a sigh as he relaxed into his chair some more.

[bennu]

Benji gave him 'one of those looks'; a 'you-gotta-be-kidding-me-don't-you-know-how-bad-it-is-in-there-you-can-die!' looks. She settled for that, shaking her head as if exasperated and falling back into the chair a little. When she looked back at him, she was laughing too.

"Yeah, it is a bit. But I'm not in there that much anymore. I can just pick up the orders at the window. Oh! Mum said I can take barista lessons next summer so I can work in the actually bar and serve drinks." She was laughing again. The matter of fact was, they had made a deal and mum had broken it and, well... Benji was very persuasive when she wanted to be.

"So what have you been up too? I've seen you on the diamond, did you join a team or something?"