"What A Milestone Gives You"
by TehFuzzyPenguin

Disclaimer: So not mine.

To begin with, the entire place looked like an overgrown garden, flower baskets hanging from the rafters and colorful pots lining the railings. The contractor had the foresight to install a bench along the edges, and if it wasn't for the terrible view and the stagnant air, it would have looked like a beachfront resort. The atmosphere made Sharpay want to gag, but opportunities like this were few.

Sharpay fumbled with the Bic lighter, the wax on the wick of the candle stubbornly refusing to melt under the short bursts of flame she could get out of the lighter. She shook it, frowning at the minimal sloshing inside. There was no more fluid. She sniffed. She was allergic to pollen.

"Damn."

"What?" Shaking her hair out of her face, Sharpay straightened and whirled.

"Oh," she said. "Oh, it's you. Good."

Kelsi ascended that last few steps to the garden and said, "Yeah, it's me. What did you want?"

"Nothing, nothing. Do you have next period off, too?"

"I didn't have this period off, Sharpay."

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "Okay. Okay, fine, let's just do this, and I suppose you can go back to your classes or whatever." She reached behind her, fingers grazing plastic edges, and carefully brought the box around with her left hand. "Happy birthday, Kelsi."

Nestled in the pink plastic was a chocolate cupcake, light blue frosting dashed on in a deceptively careless fashion. Silvery liner peeked out over the edge. A despondent, unlit candle rooted perfectly from the center.

Judging by Kelsi's face, Sharpay could tell that despite all her attempts at branching out, all the songs she'd written, all her Facebook pictures and notifications—Troy and Gabriella had forgotten her birthday.

"I couldn't get it to light," said Sharpay. "I think the lighter's defective."

"It's fine. It's—um. It's fine." Kelsi dropped her bookbag and stepped forward to take the cupcake. "Thanks."

"Enjoy. I spent all night keeping Ryan from eating it so—you know." Sharpay sat down on the bench and Kelsi, still holding the box, sat next to her.

"What exactly is this?" she asked.

Sharpay shrugged, taking the opportunity to watch Kelsi as Kelsi looked around the place. Brown wisps of hair escaped the brim of her hat. Her glasses were slightly askew. She gnawed on her lower lip.

"The biology kids use it, I think," said Sharpay. Kelsi turned at her voice, and Sharpay snapped back. "They—um—when they get to the plant unit, I guess."

"Huh."

"Actually, I followed Troy and Gabriella up here last year."

"Oh."

"I felt the need to mock them." Kelsi couldn't help it; her shoulders hunched, and Sharpay would have assumed she was angry, except—well, except that she was laughing.

"God, you're terrible," she said.

"But I brought you a cupcake," said Sharpay. "It's all very Sixteen Candles. Make a wish."

Kelsi rolled her eyes and, refusing to follow along, said, "It's beautiful. Thank you."

Sharpay laughed and stretched her arms out, settling one around Kelsi's waist. "When you're eighteen," she said, "I'm gonna take you to a hookah bar. And we'll play the lottery. And then go clubbing."

"Sharpay, can't we just watch a movie and then eat some pizza when I turn eighteen?"

"No!"

Kelsi smiled and began unwrapping her cupcake. Sharpay brought her other arm around and encircled Kelsi's midsection. She rested her chin on her shoulder.

"Here," said Kelsi, "Have half."

"I'm good. Anyway, back to my plan."

"Back to your plan," she said, before biting down. "Mm, this is amazing."

"—I know—Back to my plan. After we do everything that's illegal that we'd been doing anyway, I'm gonna take you to Canada, and we'll get married."

"Really?"

"Let's. I've never been married before."

"Okay."

Sharpay grinned. "We won't get married."

"Probably not. The income tax is ridiculous."

"What?"

"Never mind." Kelsi took another bite. She took off the entire silver wrapper and started eating the bottom.

"Hey," said Sharpay, "why don't we go to Italy when we grow up? Why don't we go buy a villa and live there and sing songs all day long and play charades with the French family next door? And we would be best friends with Idina Menzel and Cheyenne Jackson."

"Well sure." Kelsi started in on the iced top.

"Or would you like to live in New York?"

"I don't care, Sharpay. Wherever you want."

"I mean, there would be ten thousand Idina Menzels and tons of people, and we'd be friends with everyone and we'd always have jobs."

"Sharpay," said Kelsi.

"What?"

"Shut up."

"Bitch." Sharpay pouted, but she smiled when Kelsi finished the cupcake. "Happy birthday."

"Best ever." Kelsi smiled back. "I'd kiss you, but I'm all sticky."

"It's okay." Sharpay stretched up and pressed her lips to Kelsi's cheek. "Now skip next period. We have to plan our wedding."

"I don't know." Kelsi folded up the wrapper and put it back in the plastic box. "I kinda like New York better."

"Oh don't be a buzz kill. I'll take you kayaking."

"I've never been kayaking."

"Takes a lot of arm strength. Death defying rapids. It would be fun."

"Really?"

"I've never been kayaking either," said Sharpay with a shrug.

"Hey," said Kelsi. "Let's just celebrate today. Today's not so bad."

"It's terrible," Sharpay moaned. She sniffed, the pollen finally getting to her. "Let's get out of here. Let's just ditch the rest of school."

"I have a pre-cal test."

"On your birthday?" Kelsi nodded. "That's obscene." Kelsi nodded again. Several feet below them, the bell rang. She made no move to get up.

"You're in a good mood," she said.

"Fantastic," said Sharpay. "Let's skip class somewhere else, can we?"

"Sure. Oh god, you're allergic to pollen." Kelsi stood quickly, gathering up her bookbag. "Oh no. Do you need anything? Your epi pen?"

"I'm fine," said Sharpay. She stood as well, reaching out her hand and grasping Kelsi's. Kelsi still looked worried, as though Sharpay might puff up any second and cause the school a liability. "I don't even have an epi pen."

"Oh. Oh, that's right."

Sharpay led the way down the stairs. "Come on. We can go to England. It's like New York, only classier."

"Can we just—eat pizza and watch a movie? It's my birthday."

Sharpay thought for a second. "Well, okay. Okay, fine. But only because seventeen is the most worthless age."

Kelsi ducked her head and smiled, tugging on Sharpay's hand to that they could walk faster. She'd seen Troy and Gabriella approaching from the other side of school. "Come on," said Kelsi. "Come on, let's go to Mexico. And we make our own story there."

Sharpay snorted. "God, you are so sappy."

-end-

A/N: This was originally written as a request for LJ Bard (hope this was what you were looking for!), and then I realized that I completely forgot about StarVitamin's birthday at the end of February! I'm such a terrible friend! And then, even better, I remembered that she'd written a similar story for me when it was my birthday. But by then, the kayaking part was written, and I loved that part too much. But in light of all that,

review?