"You're better than the-"
"Knock knock."
Troy jumped slightly at the voice as someone wearing an East High basketball sweatshirt with his name and number on the back slid through his unlocked sliding patio door. Sharpay pushed it closed slowly, quietly, careful not to make too much noise. It was, after all, about two in the morning. On a Sunday- or Monday, technically. And it was time for school in about six hours. Having one of his parents walk in probably wouldn't be the best thing. She tucked her blonde hair behind her ear as she made her way towards him, smiling. "Couldn't sleep."
"Me neither." Troy grinned, toying with his blue guitar pick.
She slid out of her Ugg slippers and onto the bed, crossing her legs Indian-style. "Writing?"
"Trying."
"Please. I was spying for a few minutes before I walked in. You have the entire chorus down."
"Yeah, well," Troy started, aimlessly plucking the strings lightly, as he had been the past two hours. "The chorus is always the easy part."
Sharpay bit her lip, watching Troy's hands move. He noticed and his smile widened. He knew she loved it when he played for her. "Well, do I get to hear it?"
He shook his head and looked down at the acoustic, "It's not finished, yet..."
"You think I care, Troy?" She raised an eyebrow, challenging him. They stared at one another for a few moments before Troy caved and let out a defeated breath. "Fine, you win."
"I always do." She grinned in satisfaction, knowing full well he couldn't say no to her. "Now go on."
He took a moment, setting himself up. He was always a little nervous singing her his songs for the first time. Especially when they weren't finished. Especially when they were about her. "You´re better then the best, I´m lucky just to linger in your light. Cooler then the flip side of my pillow... that´s right...
"Completely unaware... Nothing can compare to where you send me, Lets me know that it´s okay, yeah it´s okay, and the moments where my good times start to fade..."
Sharpay's smile widened, as it normally did right before he got to the chorus. It made his pause, afraid he was going to forget the words he was sure he had memorized in his head. She touched his leg softly, whispering, "Go on."
He took another deep breath and made sure his fingers were holding the right strings before strumming, "You make me smile like the sun, Fall out of bed, Sing like a bird, Dizzy in my head, Spin like a record, Crazy on a Sunday night, You make me dance like a fool, Forget how to breathe, Shine like gold, Buzz like a bee... Just the thought of you can drive me wild. Oh, you make me smile..."
She was holding back a large smile, and he tried not to get too distracted. If he stopped again,], he'd probably use an outdoor voice.
"Even when you´re gone, Somehow you come along Just like a flower poking through the sidewalk crack... And just like that You steal away the rain and just like that... You make me smile like the sun Fall out of bed, sing like bird, Dizzy in my head, spin like a record, Crazy on a Sunday night... You make me dance like a fool, Forget how to breathe, Shine like gold, buzz like a bee, Just the thought of you can drive me wild... Oh you make me smile…"
He stopped playing and dropped his hand into his lap. She was still smiling when her shoulders slumped noticeable. "What's the matter?"
"That's where I'm stuck. I can't get the middle bridge…"
"You know what I think?" Sharpay asked, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. He raised an eyebrow and leaned back against his headboard. "What's that?"
"I think you're over-thinking it."
"Oh, really? I don't see you writing songs. It's harder than it looks."
"Yeah, Mr. Professional Basketball Slash Guitar Player? Is that why I've got a verse for you?" She smirked and tapped his knee lightly with excitement. "Play it again. The very beginning part. Except faster. Like… break it down."
He started laughing- a little too loud for the current hour. The pair looked over towards the closed bedroom door, scared that one of his parents had heard the jubilance and was about to catch the two of them in the middle of a midnight jam session. A few quiet seconds reassured that the noise had yet to wake anyone up. She turned back to look at him and he clarified her statement, "Break it down?"
"Oh, you know what I mean." She said with the flick of her wrist. "Come on! Before I forget it."
"Alright, alright." He grinned, trying, as she said, to 'break it down'. After two unsuccessful attempts, he finally got it to a pace at which she approved. He then had to repeat the chorus all over again and merge into the beat so that it would, as she put it, 'flow better'.
Sharpay cleared her throat and sat up a little straighter, ready to go once the last syllable slid off his tongue.
"I don't know how I live without you… 'Cause every time that I get around you… I see the best of me inside your eyes…"
Troy's grin widened, trying to watch her and not the guitar strings as he admired the way the words coasted from her lungs. Like she'd had the lyrics stuck in her head and she'd only now just found a place to put them. The perfect place. Their collaboration. Their song. His voice mixed in with hers perfectly, the phrase "you make me smi-ile" harmonizing flawlessly.
He continued, "You make me dance like a fool…"
She picked up, "Forget how to breathe…"
He sang, "Shine like gold and buzz like a bee…"
She smiled, "Just the thought of you can drive me-"
They harmonized, "-wild…"
He stopped to take a breath as her eyes went from the guitar, to his fingers, and then up to his eyes. He inhaled, "You make me smile like the sun, fall out of bed, sing like a bird, dizzy in my head, spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night…"
"You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe… Shine like gold and buzz like a bee… Just the thought of you can drive me wild. Oh, you make me-"
"Oh. You make me smile…"
"Oh… You make me smi-ile."
He held the yellow guitar pick in his hand, eyes frozen on hers. She stared back, brown eyes shining. He needed her to say something… Anything… Because he wasn't sure he could speak for himself.
After a few seconds, Sharpay bit the corner of her lip, grinning. "Do I really make you forget how to breathe?"
He relaxed instantly. "Mm. I don't even know how I'm managing right now. You might have to break out the inhaler."
"I'd imagine mouth-to-mouth works better in this type of situation." She corrected. He smirked, hand moving to slide the piece of plastic under the strings of the neck as she leaned towards him, closing in what little space there had been between them. She balanced her palms against the mattress near his crossed legs as his hand found it's normal spot at the nape of her neck. This was what he was talking about. This was how she took his breath away. Made him dizzy. Made him buzz.
She pulled back slightly, "Do I make you smile even when the good times aren't fading?"
He did, just to prove his point. "Like the sun."
She tilted her head towards the window, at the dark navy sky outside. She was still close enough for him to smell the toothpaste on her breath. "It's two thirty in the morning."
"Details." He mumbled, and kissed her again.