AN: This series takes place directly after "High School Musical 3" and follows the canon of the original "High School Musical" trilogy. Comments are very much appreciated. Thank you. :)
FADE IN.
EXT. STANFORD UNIVERSITY
INT. CHEMISTRY CLASSROOM
GABRIELLA MONTEZ stands behind two flasks and a beaker, all filled with dark liquid.
GABRIELLA: (Singing as she glances anxiously up at the wall) Looking at the clock.
C.U. on the clock, which reads: 2:25 PM.
GABRIELLA: (O.S., singing): Awaiting my escape.
C.U. on GABRIELLA'S impatient and nervous face.
GABRIELLA looks nervously at her experiment and pours a small amount of a vague liquid into her beaker.
GABRIELLA: (Singing) Just one more final I've simply got to take!
Her professor looks over to her with a disapproving look, and she catches his glance. She returns it with an uncertain and worried expression before looking down at her experiment and realizing that her beaker is bubbling over.
GABRIELLA: (Singing) Oh, no, no time for this! This can't be happening!
She gasps and looks at the clock once more as the professor dismisses the rest of the class.
PROFESSOR: (Singing) You ruin the experiment and all you can do is sing?
GABRIELLA: (Singing) Oh, no, professor, don't mind me! I'm going to clean it now!
As the other students rush past her excitedly, she picks up her beaker and rushes it to the sink at the other end of the room. She places it inside and sighs, relieved. However, she then looks behind her and sees that the liquid had dripped onto the ground.
She looks at her professor, who still glares at her and raises an eyebrow. She smiles nervously and heads for the paper towels, gazing once more at the clock anxiously.
GABRIELLA: (Singing as she begins cleaning the spill with the towels) I'll make it out of this class and onto that plane somehow!
CUT TO:
EXT. STANFORD UNIVERSITY COURTYARD
GABRIELLA is now walking away from her classroom, smiling.
GABRIELLA: (Singing) Oh, classes are out, finals are over.
Winter vacation is just around the corner!
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. GABRIELLA'S ROOM
C.U. on a framed photograph of GABRIELLA with her friends.
GABRIELLA: (O.S., singing) It's been much too long since I've seen my friends!
She then stacks books on a shelf.
GABRIELLA: (Singing) Bid farewell to the books! (Waving to a teacher who walks by her room) Au revoir to the teachers. (Picking up her suitcases) Adios to the dorms, the library, the bleachers. Say goodbye to the stress that we thought would never end! (Smiling and exiting her room) And say hi to fun again! (Spoken) It's winter vacation!
CUT TO:
INT. AUDITORIUM.
TAYLOR MCKESSIE is standing at a podium on stage before a large crowd of students. She dons a Yale sweatshirt and smiles before her audience.
TAYLOR: (Singing) Well, hello to my fans! Thank you all for your vote!
Many members of the crowd hold up signs reading "Tay is the Way", "McKessie for Pressie", "Vote McKessie", and other similar slogans.
TAYLOR: (O.S., singing) And thank you all for listening to the speech that I wrote.
TAYLOR: (Singing as she looks out to her fellow students excitedly and gratefully before dancing down the small stairwell off the stage and ambling confidently down the passageway between the two sides of the audience) This is a big step for me, and you've made it this way.
FLASH-FORWARD:
TAYLOR stands in front of the White House.
TAYLOR: (Singing as she turns to face the White House) And who knows where it could lead me someday!
FLASH TO THE PRESENT: TAYLOR snaps out of her reverie as she looks to the wall.
C.U. on the clock reading: 2:25.
TAYLOR: (Singing) But while this rally suits me, and you all have been kind, there is something else that is on all of our minds. (Waving hurriedly to her students and blows them kisses as she darts out of the auditorium, singing in unison with the crowd) Classes are out, finals are over! Winter vacation is just around the corner! And it's been much too long since I've seen my friends.
EXT. YALE UNIVERSITY COURTYARD
TAYLOR: (Running out of the room) Bid farewell to the books. Au revoir to the teachers. (Turning around to wave to her crowd once more) Adios to the dorms, the library, the bleachers. Say goodbye to the stress that we thought would never end! (Turning back again and running away from the room) And say hi to fun again!
CUT TO:
INT. EAST HIGH AUDITORIUM
ROCKET MAN and TIARA GOLD are standing center stage while SHARPAY EVANS is observing them off to the side. Other cast members are watching from the audience.
SHARPAY: (Singing to herself as she watches) And why do I have to be stuck with these amateurs from hell?
ROCKET MAN steps on TIARA'S toes and she flashes him an angry look He looks anxious but shrugs impishly while TIARA takes his hand again.
SHARPAY: (O.S., singing) I swear I wonder if there's just one thing they can do well.
They try the move once more but he steps on her toes again, and TIARA lets out a frustrated squeak.
C.U. SHARPAY, rolling her eyes at the pair.
SHARPAY: (Singing as she then stands tall) I guess the only thing to do… (Stepping up the small stairwell to the stage) …is show them how it's done.
She walks confidently to its center.
C.U. on her glitter-laden, fuchsia high heels on the stage.
PAN UP to her determined, confident face.
SHARPAY: (Singing) And, in some sadistic way, it might be a little fun.
ROCKET MAN and TIARA move aside on the stage. ROCKET MAN'S face is of awe while TIARA glares at SHARPAY with jealousy and resentment.
SHARPAY then moves her feet to the left before twirling herself around and taking ROCKET MAN'S hand. She moves her left foot forward, and he clumsily moves his back. She then moves her right foot back, and he almost falls forward.
She then rolls her eyes at him and unlinks her hand from his. She steps aside and steps left onto the inside edge of her left foot. She then rolls her left foot and drags her right foot to a close, returning to the starting position.
She gives him a daring look, expecting him to execute the complementary steps. However, he instead puts his left foot back and his right foot forward and attempts to slide his left foot to the right. He almost trips.
SHARPAY shakes her head disapprovingly and glances up at the wall clock.
SHARPAY: (Singing, O.S.) Oh, well, it's time for giving up 'cause I don't have the time! (Rushing down the stairwell) Because classes are out, finals are over. Winter vacation is just around the corner! And it's been much too long since I've seen my friends.
SHARPAY: (Looking over to MRS. DARBUS) Ms. D, are we still scheduled to put on the Winter Show over vacation at the cabin?
DARBUS: Of course, Ms. Evans. I know your friends will be thrilled.
SHARPAY grins.
SHARPAY: Oh, I know it!
She gives her a quick hug before gathering her stuff.
SHARPAY: (Singing as she rushes out of the auditorium) Say goodbye to the stress that we thought would never end. And say hi to fun again!
CUT TO:
EXT. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
INT. BASKETBALL COURT
TROY BOLTON is dribbling the ball down the court, his face intense.
TROY: (Singing) Just ten more minutes to win this game, till freedom with relaxation as its only aim.
CHAD DANFORTH approaches from behind him and attempts to knock the ball out of his hand.
TROY: (Singing as he dodges CHAD and shoots the ball) Back off, Chad, and let me shoot!
It bounces on the rim several times before going in.
TROY: (Singing excitedly) Hey, hey, hey, another hoop!
C.U. on the timer, which reads: HOME: 78, VISITORS: 78, 00:28 as cheers from the audience sound loudly.
CHAD catches the falling ball and dribbles down the court.
CHAD: (Singing as one of the players timidly tries to steal the ball) Hey, I'm excited for vacation too. (As he steps out of the way) But only if I beat your team and you!
Another player runs up to CHAD, and CHAD does a quick jab step towards him before taking a short pause. The player lunges towards CHAD, and CHAD drives through to the basket. As CHAD shoots, TROY jumps, making an attempt to block the ball.
C.U. on the basket. The ball bounces on the rim several times.
CHAD: (O.S., singing) This is the moment.
C.U. on CHAD'S nervous face.
TROY: (O.S., singing) This is the shot.
C.U. on TROY'S defeated face.
C.U. on the ball dropping into the basket.
The buzzer sounds.
CHAD: (Singing as he eagerly runs up to his team) Hey, tell me who's right. Tell me who's hot!
CHAD'S team raises him into the air as they cheer, and TROY rolls his eyes at the display. He then looks down at his watch.
C.U. on TROY'S watch, which reads: 2:25.
TROY yells to get CHAD'S attention. CHAD confusedly looks over.
TROY: (Singing) Come on, Chad! Classes are out, the game is over.
Winter vacation is just around the corner!
CHAD: (Singing as he nods) And it's been much too long since we've seen our friends. (Motions to his friends to lower him) Bid farewell to the books. Au revoir to the teachers.
TROY: (Singing as he packs up his bag and slinging it around his shoulder) Adios to the dorms, the library, the bleachers!
TROY and CHAD: (Singing in unison) Say goodbye to the stress that we thought would never end! And say hi to fun again!
TROY runs out of the court and CHAD follows.
CUT TO:
INT. JULLIARD DRAMA ROOM
WIDE-SHOT of the large room. Only a stage and piano are visible, and piano music can be heard only softly at first.
C.U. on two pairs of hands against the keys of the piano.
PAN-UP to the upper bodies and faces of RYAN EVANS and KELSI NIELSEN, seated next to each other on the bench as they play the piano. They are smiling and gazing into one another's eyes.
RYAN: (Singing) It feels like our dreams are coming true.
KELSI: (Singing) I can feel it just sitting here with you.
RYAN then stands up from his seat and sits atop the piano. KELSI giggles and continues to play. He offers her his hand and she takes it, joining him on the piano.
RYAN: (Singing) New York and college…
KELSI: (Singing) I can't get enough.
RYAN: (Singing) Studying and doing what we truly love!
They look into each other's eyes.
KELSI: (Singing) Writing music straight from my heart.
RYAN then jumps down from the piano. KELSI looks surprised but takes his hand again as he offers it.
RYAN: (Singing) And then there's that very best part…
KELSI: What's that?
He helps her down from the piano, and they begin to waltz around the room.
RYAN: (Singing) Finding out you could rollerblade.
KELSI: (Singing) Getting to see that short film you made.
QUICK BIRD'S EYE VIEW SHOT of the two twirling towards the door of the auditorium.
RYAN: (Singing) Finding out you knew Latin and like photography.
They then stop their dance but remain in the position, hands linked.
KELSI: (Singing) Finding out that you always had a crush on me.
They smile at each other awkwardly. RYAN then resumes their dance.
RYAN: (Singing) And now we have the whole winter together.
KELSI: (Singing) Hot cocoa and sleigh rides in the freezing cold weather.
RYAN: (Singing) Because classes are out, finals are over. Winter vacation is just around the corner!
KELSI: (Singing) It's been much too long since we've seen our friends.
They twirl over to the piano and stop dancing.
RYAN: (Singing as he packs away his books) Bid farewell to the books. Au revoir to the teachers.
KELSI: (Taking her music down from the piano and packing it away) Adios to the dorms, the library, the bleachers!
RYAN and KELSI: (Singing in unison) Say goodbye to the stress that we thought would never end! And say hi to fun again! It's winter vacation!
They both put their bags around their shoulders and link their hands as they proceeding to walk out the door together.
EXT. JULLIARD CORRIDOR
RYAN and KELSI begin walking away from the drama room.
RYAN: Oh, Kelsi, I forgot something!
KELSI: (Alarmed) What?
RYAN: I forgot to buy the plane tickets.
KELSI laughs and punches RYAN'S arm playfully. RYAN smirks.
RYAN: Nah, I did forget my hat though in the drama room. I'll just go get it.
KELSI: Okay, Jazz Square. I'll just go get a drink from the fountain over there real quick.
RYAN: All right, Playmaker.
RYAN walks back into the room. KELSI smiles and walks off.
CUT TO:
INT. DRAMA ROOM
RYAN scans the room for his hat. He narrows his eyes as he searches. He approaches the stage and looks near the stairs.
VOICE: (O.S.) Hey, Ryan.
RYAN jumps, startled, and turns around.
An attractive boy RYAN'S age, EMERSON DALEY, stands before him.
RYAN: (Taken aback) Oh, hey, Emerson. What are you doing here?
EMERSON: Came to see you.
RYAN looks surprised but turns towards the stage to continue looking for his hat.
RYAN: What about?
EMERSON: Uh, I was just wondering…um…
RYAN: Yes?
EMERSON: Are there auditions still going for the musical?
RYAN turns to face EMERSON, confused.
RYAN: What? Emerson, you know they ended weeks ago.
EMERSON laughs nervously.
EMERSON: Yeah, yeah. Um. I mean, could you use an understudy?
RYAN hesitates.
RYAN: Sure, yeah, we could. (Walking over to the piano to look for his hat) Since when did you discover your love of theater? I know you can write some awesome music, but I thought you hated performing.
EMERSON pauses.
EMERSON: I don't know. You already have a composer, right?
RYAN smiles at the thought of KELSI.
RYAN: Oh, yeah. A great composer.
EMERSON: Yeah, I figured. But lately, I've been thinking maybe I could do the whole stage thing.
EMERSON takes a deep breath and looks to the ground.
EMERSON: I guess I've been discovering a lot about myself lately.
RYAN: (Preoccupied with his search) Yeah?
EMERSON: (Hesitantly) Yeah.
RYAN: Like what else?
EMERSON: Like…maybe the other night wasn't so meaningless.
RYAN turns around quickly, shocked.
RYAN: What?
EMERSON: I don't know, Ryan. Just…here's my number. Call me over break, okay?
RYAN: (Unsurely) Um. Yeah. Okay.
EMERSON: (Nervously) Or I'll call you. Whatever. I have your number.
RYAN nods at EMERSON with a bewildered expression. EMERSON self-consciously begins to exit the room.
EMERSON: Have a good Christmas, Ryan.
RYAN: You too.
EMERSON exits, and RYAN then stands alone.
RYAN: What just happened?
RYAN looks around the room, slightly dazed. He then spots his lavender-hued newsboy cap on the ground near a music stand. He approaches it and picks it up.
KELSI: (O.S.) Ready to go, Ryan?
RYAN turns around to face her, placing the hat on his head and feigning a carefree smile.
RYAN: Ready when you are.
The two exit the room together.
(To be continued, of course. :P)