"You don't mind if I go visit with the girls, do you Shar," Ryan Evans asked, slightly concerned for the well-being of his sister. Sharpay had been acting weirdly lately. Normally she would have an up beat and determined demeanor, but for the past weeks she was the very opposite. She always had a sad expression on her face. Sharpay even seemed to have lost her well known enthusiasm for drama. Something had to be wrong.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. That's fine," she replied, startled out of her thoughts.

"Okay, I'll be back," he said, walking over to a red cafeteria table filled with the familiar faces of their wildcat classmates. Sharpay watched her brother leave to visit with his friends, secretly wishing she could have his fortune.

For three years, she was the "it" girl of East High School. She was always known as one of the prettiest, coolest, and richest upper classmen of her class. It was just unusual how she felt like that wasn't enough. Deep inside, she felt like there was a hole eating away at her. There was nothing she didn't try to do to fill the bottomless pit of insecurity in her chest. She constantly went shopping at the East Charter mall for earrings, hats, boots, and skirts, desperately hoping that her passion for fashion would relieve these feelings.

She took another sorrowful glance at Ryan, who was standing with his friends. He was so happy and cheerful all the time. The only time a smile would be wiped off his face was when she made him help her do "dirty work" that always backfired and blew-up in their faces.


About five tables away, slightly seated in the corner, sat Jimmie "The Rocket" Zara and his best bud, Donnie Dion. Every once and again Jimmie would glance over at Sharpay. He couldn't help himself, for he liked looking at her. She was a fine and sweet piece of eye candy.

"Dude, pay attention here," Donnie said clapping his hands in Jimmie's face. "Check out the girls later. I'm trying to come up with a plan for you to get big and entertain everybody in the school," he shouted.

Jimmie laughed and smiled at him. "Lay it on me."

"Okay, well you should bust out your guitar one morning, while everyone is in class. Youll be jamin so loud that everyone has to come out and see what's going on." Donnie was filled with hopeful anticipation.

"Yeah man, that sounds awesome," Jimmie laughed, bumping fists with Donnie. "Maybe Troy will see and be impressed. And you know what that means."

"We get first dibs on their gym lockers man. Soon we'll be shooting our way to the top."


"Come on Gabby, please," Ryan pestered as he pulled on the sleeve of Gabriella Montez's white blouse.

She, Taylor, Kelsie, and Martha started laughing uncontrollably. "Yeah right," she snickered. "There is no way that I'm going to try to be friends with your sister. Besides, she seems perfectly fine to me."

Ryan looked back at Sharpay, who was sitting alone, poking at her tuna salad with her fork. Her was face downtrodden as she repeatedly stabbed at her plate. "I really don't think so. I've never seen her like this before. What she really needs right now are some friends." He was hoping that he could convince Gabriella to comfort Sharpay. Gabriella was the fort that held the group together. If anyone could convince others to join in on helping out Sharpay, it would be her.

Gabriella slowly stopped giggling and started to get serious about the subject. "You're really worried about her, aren't you? It's quite scary."

"The thing is that we've always tried to be nice to Sharpay. We've always forgive her for the wrongs she dealt us, but enough is enough," Taylor McKessie interrupted, trying to control the angry tone in her voice.

Ryan nodded. They weren't giving in, so it was time for him to pull out the big guns. "Kelsie….," he begged, trying to widen his eyes to gain sympathy from her.

Kelsie nearly choked on her meatloaf. Was he joking? It was Sharpay for goodness sake! Did he forget how she constantly would take her music and change its tempo and romantic meaning? Did he not remember how Sharpay would always boss her around, as if that wasn't Tiara Gold's job?

"How does Sharpay feel about you recruiting friends for her," Martha asked, an inquisitive smile creeping across her face.

"We are on a need to know basis, and this is something she doesn't need to know about." Everyone laughed, except Gabriella, who was feeling a little convicted.


Suddenly, the bell rang ending lunch period. Sharpay stood up, ready to leave, but turned around to face a rather quirky looking younger boy, with slick black hair poking out of his beanie hat. "Hey babe, fancy meeting you here again," he said.

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "Look, I don't have time for this right now, skater boy."

"Actually, it's Rocket Man. Jim-," he began, only to be cut off when Sharpay rudely walked away. He sighed to himself. It was really hard getting the attention of the Sharpay Evans, and holding her interest for long.

Little did either of them know that Gabriella and Ryan both saw their minor interaction from afar. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking," Gabriella asked Ryan.

"No."

"Well I've got an idea," she said, pulling him closer.