A/N (6/23/2019): Welcome. If you're here for the rewrites, they start at Chapter 9. You can witness how awful this was before that. I'm leaving this up so you can see how good the rewrites are in comparison.

A/N: Hey, guys, this is my new trilogy, most particularly based off the High School Musical series with traces of other teen movies (i.e. Grease, Mean Girls) in the mix. If you've seen the HSM movies, you have a bit of a head-start on the turnout, but this will also derive from the source material. It also features a great deal of OCs I created (most of whom can be seen in other stories featuring the Warblers). But please leave a review if you can, telling me if you like it, you want me to continue, or if you hate it and want to express that.

It was two hours until New Year's and Jeff Sterling sat in the hotel lounge, reading a paperback copy of Tess of the D'Urbervilles when a hand pulled the book from his grip. The blond looked up to see his mom in a scarlet red dress.

"Mom, I don't wanna go to the party." He crossed his arms and slumped into the couch.

"Jeffrey, I don't ask you for much, but please, for your own good, go to the teen party and meet some people," Jane Sterling said. "Can't you be like your sister?"

"Ma!" Jeff whined. "I can't be like Jenny. Jenny's popular and boys like her 'cause she's pretty. There, I said it. My sister is pretty. She was born with the looks. I was born with nothing special."

"Jeff, you're smart and that's a good quality, but you're in high school and… Okay, I'm going to be blunt here. I don't want you coming home in tears because some kids picked on you like you did in junior high," she sighed. "Kids can be cruel, but you need to show them that you can stand up for yourself. Now, if you don't get into that party in the next thirty seconds, you cannot read for pleasure for a month."

Jeff stood up and walked to the rec room, where people were milling about; a boy and a girl were onstage, singing karaoke and he could see Jenny sitting on a couch, surrounded by boys. He wouldn't admit this to anyone else, but Jeff sometimes wished boys would come running to him the way they did for Jenny.

"Boys!" Narissa Duval called over the excited shouts of her husband and son. "Time to go."

"But, Mom, just another basket, please," Nick begged, dribbling the ball impatiently.

"Nick, you said another basket ten minutes ago," Narissa chuckled. "I've heard at least twenty baskets since then. Now get your best suit on and go to the party. Norton, you too." Nick's father blew out of the side of his mouth and moved to follow his wife.

"Great job, Nick. We'll beat the Titans this year." Norton was filled with pride for his sixteen-year-old son. Nick followed his father and paid special attention to his tie as he dressed. There was someone in particular he was hoping to impress: that bookish blond boy he'd seen about the hotel over the past week.

"Nick! Get down here!" Narissa yelled up the stairs. Nick rolled his eyes and ran downstairs.

"Who's up for some karaoke?" Nick wasn't much for singing, but he saw the blond inching towards the stage. "How about you?" the DJ put the spotlight on the blond and Nick grinned.

"I'll do it!" he piped up. The blond looked like a deer in headlights when he saw Nick's hand waving in the air.

"Nick, don't do karaoke, for the love of God," Nate whispered from his spot close to a tall blonde girl. Nick ignored his brother and jumped onto the stage.

"Ooh, looks like we've got a couple of budding lovebirds here," the DJ teased. Nick watched the blond turn a new shade of red and look at the floor. The techno beat swept the room. Nick smiled and began to sing:

"Been there, done that, messed around

I'm having fun, don't put me down

I'll never let you sweep me off my feet

I won't let you in again"

Nick turned to the blond, who began to sing softly, but his voice became stronger as the song continued.

"The messages I've tried to send

My information's just not going in

Burning bridges, shore to shore

I break away from something more"

Nick felt a jolt of excitement as their voices came together:

"I'm not turned on to love until it's cheap

Been there, done that, messed around

I'm having fun, don't put me down

I'll never let you sweep me off my feet

This time, baby, I'll be bulletproof

This time, baby, I'll be bulletproof"

The crowd was cheering as the boys finished the song.

"I'm Nick," Nick said, extending a hand. The blond flushed.

"Jeff," he grinned, shaking it.

"Was that your first time onstage?" Nick asked. The two were out on the balcony and the snow seemed to swirl around them. Nick hitched himself up on the balcony and Jeff held back a giggle, noticing how muscled Nick was.

"Yes." Jeff nodded and sighed. "I used to sing in my room where no one could judge me. I know how critical the real world is."

"It's not all bad. I mean, I don't really sing a lot, but it's not like people who can't sing are frowned upon. Look at American Idol." Nick shrugged and inched his arm closer to Jeff's. Jeff smiled briefly and looked out at the dark blue skies.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!" The crowd chanted.

"Well, looks like 2013's about to be rung in," Nick remarked.

"Six! Five! Four!"

"Can I get your number?" Jeff asked, feeling braver than ever.

"Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!"

"Yeah, totally," Nick agreed, exchanging phones with Jeff. He took a picture of himself and handed it back. His phone was handed back. "So where do you..." Jeff was gone. "Live?"

Nick looked down at his phone and smiled softly. "Jeff."

"Hey, honey, happy new year!" Jane hugged her son. "Jenny! Come here!" Jenny Sterling, tall, blond, and seventeen, came running over and picked up her younger brother.

"Jenny, you know I hate that!" Jeff shouted, swatting at his sister.

"Well, why do you think I do it?" She grinned and ruffled his hair.

"Stop!" he whined. "I just combed it."

"I saw you onstage with that boy. What's his name?" Jenny bent to her brother's level and stared into his blue eyes. "Come on, Jeffy, I know that look anywhere. You're in love."

"You met a boy?" Jane asked. Jeff shrugged, not looking at either of them.

"His name's Nick," he mumbled.

"He's really cute. If he's singing with Jeff, he's probably gay, especially all those looks they shared," Jenny noted, smirking.

"Okay, Jenny, that's enough," Jane interrupted before Jeff could open his mouth. "Are you two ready for your first day at Dalton High on Monday?" Jenny nodded.

"It'll be like the old school. I met a guy who already goes there. He's super popular and he thinks I'm hot," she simpered. "And don't worry, mother dearest, I'll make sure Jeffers is safe." She went for Jeff's hair again but he ducked away and slumped against the wall.

"I don't want to go to a new school," he muttered.

"You can be part of the scholastic decathlon again, huh? All the nerds in a room together, talking about scientific equations and which one of them can build the biggest TARDIS," Jenny snickered. Jeff glared at his sister and down at his shoes.

"You ready for the new semester, honey?" Narissa asked Nick, who was laying on his bed, texting his friends.

"Yep," he replied nonchalantly.

"You know, Nick, there are times for texting your friends and times when you should simply put the phone down and talk to your mother." Narissa plucked the phone from his hand and examined it. "Ah, yes, texting Craig, of course. You know I really don't approve of you hanging out with him."

"He's not a bad guy, Mom, really," Nick sighed.

"In and out of juvenile hall since he was eleven?" Narissa raised an eyebrow. "His parents disowning him? Living in a group home?"

"Okay, fair point, but it's not like I'm going to succumb to peer pressure and follow him like a puppy," Nick protested.

"Of course, because he already has Louis and Ted to do that. I'm not going to stop you, but let me know when you realize how big a bad influence he really is." Narissa disappeared into the adjoining room.

"Hey, bro, how's your new boyfriend?" Nate asked, walking into the room.

"He's not my boyfriend, Nate," Nick grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Didn't look that way," Nate smirked. "Oh yeah, I got that blonde girl's number. She is so cool. Jenny, she's into everything I am: Radiohead, Monty Python, and Game of Thrones…she's like my dream girl."

"At least you're happy," Nick said, feeling slightly jealous of his brother. If singing was the only thing he and Jeff had in common, they might not get very far.

"Come on, buck up, Nick," Nate said, sitting on the bed next to him. "I know you're not out yet and that's cool. Just be glad I'm not one of those asshole older brothers who go around telling all his friends his brother's gay. Now, let's get some sleep. Our flight's at nine." Nick smiled; he was glad he had an older brother like Nate. Nate was the one who always stopped what he was doing to listen to him, to stand up for him, to be there.

"Night, Nate," Nick whispered, pulling the covers over himself.

Songs featured:

-Bulletproof (La Roux) - Nick, Jeff