A/N: Welcome to my High School Musical fic! when i saw HSM 2 i really fell in love with Ryan. I'm glad they made him smarter and rebelious against Sharpay. That was the inspiration for this. enjoy!

Chapter 1: Late Arrival

The sound of heels echoed down the empty halls of East High in a steady rhythm as she strutted toward homeroom. She stood at the door and gazed her water blue eyes through the window to see Ms. Darbus dramatically explaining something and scoffed. Her smile dropping to make her serious, she flipped her sideways, ebony black ponytail and grasped the door handle, but found the door locked. It apparently caught Ms. Darbus's attention because she shot an irritated look at the door and the girl on the other side of the door waved a bit nervously, a piece of paper in her hand.

Ms. Darbus glared at the girl as she marched to the door and unlocked it. The student stepped in, placing the paper she was holding in the teacher's hand and strutting toward an empty seat on the other side of the room as the rest of the students stared at her in astonishment and slight fear. All eyes then shot to Sharpay, who glared evilly and dramatically at the girl, but she only held her head up triumphantly, ignoring the blonde.

Gabriella leaned toward Taylor and whispered, "Who's that?"

"That's Chanel Herdz," Taylor explained and a hurried whisper as Ms. Darbus read the paper in her hand.

"Well, Miss Herdz," Ms. Darbus announced as the new arrival took a seat on the other side of Sharpay's brother. "It was very generous of your father to let you resume your country-frolicking this summer rather than keeping you in Egypt for the rest of the school year."

"It was, wasn't it?" Chanel smiled, tightly as she twirled her ponytail in her fingers and the classroom echoed with hurt sounds as the students turned to Ms. Darbus for her reaction.

"For that smart remark, I expect to see you in detention, thirty minutes," the teacher retorted with a glare.

Chanel shrugged and sat back in her seat then turned her gaze to Ryan as Ms. Darbus continued her story. Sharpay's brother tried in vain to pretend not to notice her, knowing it would upset his sister if he even acknowledged her.

Just then, the bell rang and the students quickly stood and hustled from the room before Ms. Darbus finished her sentence. Chanel sauntered after the crowd then pushed through, her head held high. As a crowd parted for Sharpay, Ryan trailing behind her, they crowded around Chanel who smiled widely to everyone as they greeted her and asked about her trips to other countries. Taylor ushered Gabriella toward their lockers to watch Sharpay whirl around dramatically and Chanel look at her at the same time from opposite ends of the hall. The blonde sneered at the other girl as Chanel only shrugged it off and turned back to her conversation.

"What's going on here?" Gabriella wondered to Taylor, neither one of them turning away the scene.

"Chanel Herdz," Taylor began, crossing her arms. "Sharpay's arch nemesis. If only she had been here during that whole, call-back fiasco."

"How is she Sharpay's arch nemesis?" Gabriella asked with a slight frown as the crowd split up and headed for their classes, as did the two girls.

"Chanel is the almost exact opposite of Sharpay," Taylor explained. "She's just as dramatic, but way more modest about her talents and way nicer."

"Is that why everyone pretty much flocked to her?" Gabriella smirked and Taylor nodded with a laugh. "I noticed that she was looking at Ryan though. Are they secret friends?"

"Rumor has it that Ryan told Chanel about a secret crush he's had on her since the beginning of sophomore year," Taylor replied excitedly, then recovered quickly and looked around. "Of course, it's only a rumor."

"Hey, cutie," Troy suddenly murmured in Gabriella's ear making her jump with a start and turn to him with wide eyes.

"Meet you at break?" he hoped with a charming smile that made her smile back.

"Sure," she replied and his face lit up. Chad suddenly came around on Taylor's side and set his arm on her shoulders.

"I'll see you at break too, right?" he wondered and Taylor felt herself about to get giddy.

"I guess," she replied, trying to be aloof.

"Alright then," he smiled and flipped his basketball in one hand. "See ya later. Hey, Hoops! Heads up!"

He tossed the ball at his friend who caught it and they started their own one on one in the hallway, which was quickly broken up by one of the teachers. The boys then hurried down the hall to their next class and Troy accidentally bumped into someone. He quickly spun around and threw out an apology to Chanel who called back that it was ok. She rummaged through her pocket and pulled out another piece of paper with her schedule on it.

"English, math, science, history, elective, gym…" She trailed off and gave a heavy sigh. "Why don't we tackle English first, before driving ourselves crazy thinking about the other classes, huh?"

She took a glance at the room number and hurried through the hall, books in hand, to find it. When she did she stopped dead when she saw Sharpay sashaying her way down the hall, Ryan by her side.

Oh,great, she thought, but straightened and held her chin up as she attempted to walk into the room.

"Uh, excuse me."

Chanel resisted a heavy sigh accompanied with an eye roll when she turned to Sharpay, a hand on her hip as the blonde approached.

"This is my English class," Sharpay said, indignantly, a hand on her hip as well.

"Really?" Chanel wondered, sarcastically and over-dramatizing her fake astonishment. "I had no idea!" She gasped then continued. "It's gonna be so much fun! Us being in the same English class together!"

"W-What?" Ryan sputtered as Sharpay stared at her, speechless.

"Yeah," Chanel shrugged cutely. "And we should get used to being around each other anyway, since my daddy got me into the musical this winter!"

"What?" Sharpay screeched.

"Yeah!" Chanel nodded. "I can't wait to work with you guys—!" She cut herself off and gave a dramatically thoughtful expression, complete with frown and a finger on her lower lip. "Oh…wait. You're not the leads this time…are you?"

Chanel shrugged cutely and without another word, walked into the classroom, leaving Sharpay and Ryan Evans completely dumbfounded. She'd known for a while about things that had happened at East High. Being friends with Kelsi, the musician kept her very informed on everything that was going on, and she was sure it always kept her one step ahead of Sharpay, something she always wanted to be.

Break...

"Chanel!"

She whirled around to see Kelsi hurrying toward her, books in hand.

"Kelsi! Where've you been?"

The two girls laughed and hugged before heading down the hall again.

"I tried to get to you after homeroom but you had all those people around you asking how your trip was," Kelsi began as they turned into the music room. They both sat at an empty table and she asked, "So, how was Egypt?"

"Oh, fantastic!" Chanel grinned. "We saw all kinds of tombs and the pyramids. We're still not done though. I haven't seen the sphinx, or the Nile."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Chanel sighed. "We had just gotten there when dad said I had to go to school."

"Well, I'm glad you're back," Kelsi grinned. "As you know, I was totally lost without anyone to really talk to."

"Well, I'm back, so have no fear," Chanel grinned back and they both laughed. "So, tell me, Troy and this Gabriella girl…are they really as good as you say they are?"

"Better," Kelsi nodded. "You still need to hear them, though. Oh! That reminds me!" She pulled her bag closer to her and rummaged through it. "I have your solo here…"

"I get a solo?" Chanel wondered, her face lighting up as Kelsi nodded with a smile then pulled out some manuscript papers and placed it in front of the other girl.

"If you want, we can go over it now," she assured Chanel as she grabbed the pile of papers and looked through them.

"No, I'll try it at home first then have you play it for me tomorrow after school," Chanel replied, still looking through the song. "It'll be great, I know it."

There was a moment of silence before Kelsi couldn't hold her question in any longer.

"So," she tried. "What are you gonna do about Ryan?"

Chanel shot her gaze of surprise at Kelsi who only waited for her answer, expectantly. Chanel relaxed and straightened, looking back at the song.

"So, you heard, huh?" she muttered.

"Sorry to say, but everyone heard," Kelsi replied and Chanel sighed in exasperation.

"Well, what should I do?" she began. "I mean, he said he likes me…that he's liked me since the beginning of sophomore year and that if Sharpay found out, she would disown him as a brother."

"He said she would do that?" Kelsi breathed in disbelief.

"No, but I'm sure she would," Chanel corrected herself and Kelsi sighed in relief. "Besides, he's probably over it by now. Summer's change people."

"I don't think so," Kelsi replied, skeptically and Chanel looked up at her with wide eyes again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she wondered.

"Well, you should have seen his face when I told him and Sharpay that you were coming back—"

"No wonder she didn't look utterly shocked when I walked in!" Chanel gasped, slamming her hands on the table and making Kelsi jump, then she shrugged. "Oh, well. You were saying?"

"Yeah," Kelsi replied, recovering quickly. "Anyway, when I told them you were coming back, his face lit up…very subtly, but there was a glimmer in his eyes."

"Really?" Chanel cringed in worry and Kelsi nodded making her sigh. "I don't wanna hurt him. It's bad enough that when he told me I laughed, thinking it was some sort of joke, then when he said it wasn't I just stared at him till Sharpay called him to her as if he were her little lap dog." She slammed her fists on the table in sudden anger, lips pursed and a mad frown on her brow. "I hate the way she treats him!"

"Maybe that's a sign?" Kelsi mused and Chanel's rage turned to wonder.

"What do you mean?" she breathed.

"Maybe you not liking Sharpay's treatment of Ryan tells you how you feel about him?" Kelsi rephrased and Chanel stared into space in thought.

Before she could pursue it further the bell rang and the two girls jumped. Chanel hurriedly stuffed the song Kelsi had given her into her bag and they stood to leave the room.

"I'll see you at lunch, right?" Chanel smiled as they reached the door.

"Definitely," Kelsi nodded as they walked down the hall.

Chanel stopped them and turned to her friend completely.

"Thanks, Kels," she smiled. "I'll think about what you said."

"Don't think too hard," Kelsi advised with a smile. "You might pull something."

"You're so dead!" Chanel laughed as her friend took off down the hall, laughing as well. She turned back to hurry to her next class when she rammed into someone and it sent her to the floor. She scrunched her face in pain and looked up to see who she had run into that was still standing.

"Chanel…"

His voice trailed off, but she knew he wanted to say more. She stood, never looking away from him and deciding to play it cool.

"Ryan," she nodded with a small smile. "Where's Sharpay?"

"Getting something from her locker," he replied, rubbing his hands on his sides.

"Oh," she nodded and glanced at his Fedora hat with a zebra pattern.

"I like your hat," she smiled, nodding at it and he touched it self-consciously.

"Oh, thanks," he smiled and slid his hands into his a pockets. A moment of silence reigned between them and Chanel decided to be the one to break it.

"Well, I have to get to class," she said quickly, starting to walk around him. "I'm sure Sharpay would murder you if she saw you with me."

They both turned as she walked around so that they could talk face to face. Ryan reached out for her, grasping her arm gently and looking around to see if his sister was watching.

"I have to talk to you," he murmured as she took a small step back toward him. "Can we meet at lunch in the theater?"

Chanel frowned slightly in confusion, but seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she couldn't say no. Something was on his mind, and she could guess what it was.

"Sure," she nodded then glanced around in dramatic suspicion before stepping a bit closer to him. "We can have our lunch there, right?"

"Sh-Sure," Ryan replied, confused at why she was getting closer.

"Ok," she chirped with a wide smile and tapped his shoulder. "We'll do lunch."

She whirled around and strutted away, making Ryan frown as he watched her.

"Ryan!"

He whirled around to see his sister marching toward him.

"Why were talking with Chanel?" Sharpay asked, a hand on her hip and glaring at him in irritation. He glanced behind at her then turned back to his sister who waited impatiently for his reply. All he could do was laugh nervously and she sighed as she strolled around him to get to their next class. Ryan took a deep breath of relief and blew it out slowly.

"Too close," he murmured to himself, following Sharpay down the hall. He couldn't help but smile slightly.

Finally, I can explain everything to Chanel, he thought.

A/N: well, how'd i do? reviews please?