Summary: Ten friends. One holiday party. Four determined girls. And the songs that can change it all.
Author's Note: I thought I'd post this in the spirit of the holidays. Most of the scenes in the song portion are while she sings, but the last occur after she performs. Who is 'she'? Read to find out!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the songs in this one-shot, Princess Diaries, or High School Musical.
Her hands shook; she glanced constantly from side to side. Her friends giggled all around her. The boys were oblivious to her nerves, but the girls knew exactly what was to come. She gulped and took a deep breath, her eyes straying across the room to look at him again.
Him. This was all his fault. If only he wasn't so cute or caring...it was his fault that she had fallen for him. He was even to blame for the way his sister had found out...
Flashback
"Kelsi, what do you keep looking at?" Sharpay asked, beginning to get irritated. She had never had much patience, and the distracted girl beside her was pulling on her last nerve. Taylor sat up a little straighter, if that was possible.
"Gabriella, wasn't she like this in English class?" she asked.
"Yeah, why?" she asked with a nod of her head.
"Look," Taylor whispered, tilting her head in the direction Kelsi was staring.
"O my gosh," Martha gasped, finally noticing. "Why didn't we think of that before?" Gabriella glanced between the two girls. Taylor rolled her eyes. Gabriella looked back and forth before it clicked.
"His hat," she noticed.
"Whose hat?" Sharpay quipped. They froze, but Kelsi spoke for herself.
"Ryan's." Four pairs of eyes turned to her as they realized what she had revealed. "I mean...um..."
End Flashback
OK, so maybe that hadn't been his fault at all. In essence, that day had resulted in Sharpay's brilliant plan. As soon as they confirmed that Kelsi had a massive crush on Ryan, they began plotting to get the pair together. Through it all, they had refused to tell her what was going to happen aside from a few key points.
Flashback
"Can you guys at least tell me when this is going to happen?" Kelsi whined.
"No," Sharpay chuckled.
"We will tell you that it will include singing," Gabriella allowed.
"And candy canes," Taylor added with a little giggle. Kelsi almost cringed. If Taylor-serious, straight faced, efficient Taylor-was giggling and plotting along with the other girls, things were definitely off.
End Flashback
"Hey guys, why don't we do a little karaoke?" Sharpay finally suggested. After all Kelsi's worry, the moment had come at last. "Ryan, why don't you come up and help me start things off." It was more of a statement than a question. Once he was prepared, the introduction to "The First Noel" began to play. Kelsi was the first to note that it suited his tenor range perfectly, and that Sharpay's voice merely backed up her brother's for once instead of the other way around. He closed his eyes while he sang, letting the music completely take over. When they finished, she applauded carefully. He heard her anyway, as he always did. As planned, Gabriella grabbed Troy's arm and begged him to sing with her. He caved on the condition that he would choose the song, also as planned.
Jason had done an excellent job of hooking up the sound system in Chad's basement. The golden couple's voices blended in perfect harmony and resonated through the small system. They sang a holiday classic, "Baby It's Cold Outside," which Kelsi knew to be a favorite of Ryan's. At the end of the song, Taylor and Sharpay each grabbed one of her arms and dragged her onto the makeshift stage.
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
As the music began, she froze. Why, of all the songs they could have chosen, had they selected this one? Her eyes wandered around the room and fell on his. She knew he was thinking the same thoughts as she was. After all, it was his fault.
Once bitten and twice shied
I keep my distance but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby
Do you recognize me?
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
Merry Christmas, I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying 'I love you', I meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kiss me now, I know you'd fool me again
Flashback
Jason and Kelsi had gone to the neighborhood holiday party together for as long as they could remember. They lived next door to each other, and it always made sense for them to walk down the block as a pair. This year, however, something was a little different. Perhaps it was the messily wrapped present Jason held out to her. Or maybe it was the sheepish grin on his face.
"Merry Christmas, Kelsi."
End Flashback
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Two boys looked at each other. The other three looked on from the side. No one else knew anything about her short relationship. Sure, the other girls had teased her about having a crush on him after the basketball shot, but she had remained silent. In her time of need, she had gone to the closest thing she had to a friend. She'd sworn him to secrecy.
As she sang, she tried not to look at any of them. Choose a spot on the wall and don't take your eyes off it, she thought, remembering the line from 'the Princess Diaries.'
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Flashback
"Please don't tell anyone, Ryan," Kelsi requested, her tears finally dry. Through the crack in the door, Sharpay could see her brother nod. The pair sat on his bed. Kelsi looked heart-broken, her eyes red and puffy from crying. The break-up had been brutal.
Jason wasn't going to get away with it.
End Flashback
A crowded room and friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you and your soul of ice
My God, I thought you were someone to rely on
Me, I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A girl on a cover but you tore her apart
Maybe this year
Maybe this year I'll give it to someone special
She stared at her ex-boyfriend when he looked back to her. He squirmed. She glanced at her very own 'someone special' and almost smiled. The pride in his eyes gave her the strength to finish singing. She stepped off the stage.
Cause last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Gabriella, Taylor, Sharpay and Martha engulfed Kelsi in a huge hug the moment she stepped down. Over their shoulders, she met Ryan's gaze. As overly protective as Zeke, Chad, and Troy felt, they let the girls console Kelsi.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"I was eavesdropping," Sharpay revealed. The other girls gaped at her. "Don't look at me like that! It was before I turned good." They all laughed.
At the end of the night, Ryan drove Kelsi home on his Vespa. Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as she held on for dear life. They finally approached her house. She reluctantly slid off the scooter and removed her helmet. She walked toward her front door; he followed her a few paces behind. Suddenly, she stopped and turned around.
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
"You know, you've always been someone special to me," she whispered. He closed the gap between them with a swift kiss. She smiled and wished him an early Merry Christmas before resuming her approach to the house. She opened the door. At the last second, she turned and blew him a kiss. He caught it and held it to his heart.
The snow fell around him and the light shined through the door, illuminating the space around her. She looked like an angel. His angel.
She closed the door behind her, unable to remove the smile from her face. With a sigh, she climbed the stairs leading to her bedroom. She changed into her pajamas and sank onto her bed. Still smiling, she realized why...it was his fault.
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