Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical nor any of the characters (with the exception of Stacy Evans. She's mine). I only take credit for the plot of this fanfiction.

Chapter 1 - Enter Stacy Evans, Stage Right

East High was crawling with freaks. That was obvious. Stacy Evans stood just inside the main door of the school, waiting for her cousins, Ryan and Sharpay, to meet her. School had finished for the day around an hour ago and people were still walking around, heading to and from meetings, or the library, or wherever people went after classes. Stacy scoffed. Everyone she saw was just so weird. There was no other way to describe them! Some were sporting messy hair-do's, some were wearing clothes much too large for their bodies...she had even caught sight of one guy wearing a striped button-up shirt (complete with pocket protector!), pants several inches too short for his long spindly legs, and suspenders. Bright green suspenders. Stacy had nearly gagged at the sight of him. Surely this type of individuality would never be allowed at her private school back in Florida.

Stacy had come to Albuquerque for two weeks with her father, Ryan and Sharpay's uncle, while he was on business in town. It had been ages since she had seen her cousins, but the school they went to, in Stacy's opinion, left a lot to be desired. Good thing I don't have to go here! Stacy reminded herself, looking at the huge clock in the foyer. Ryan and Sharpay had promised to meet her at 4:30, as soon as the rehearsal for their spring musical let out. It was now 4:45. They're late! Stacy muttered, crossing her arms and tapping her high-heeled foot on the linoleum.

"Stacy!"

A shrill cry rang from the auditorium door a few minutes later. Stacy looked over to see her older cousins, her favourite people in the world, standing in the doorway.

"Sharpay! Ryan!" Stacy screeched, over-emphasizing syllables the way she always did when she talked. She ran over to greet the twins and kissed them both once on each cheek. "Oh, how have you been? It's been way too long!" she asked.

"Oh fine, darling, just fine," Sharpay told her, slipping her arm through Stacy's, "our drama club got completely taken oven for the winter musical this year but we bounced back..."

"...as always!" Stacy interjected, smiling.

Sharpay grinned. "...as always, of course, and the spring musical is going to be the best show East High has ever seen! I'm so glad you're going to be here for it, Stacy."

Stacy was just as big a theatre person as her cousins were, and it just so happened that her father's business trip to Albuquerque coincided with Ryan and Sharpay's show. She had been delighted at the chance to come and watch it, and maybe even help out backstage. Stacy grinned widely.

"So am I !" she said. Just then, someone knocked her shoulder roughly as they hurried past her at high speed.

"Sorry about that!" the boy called without looking back, obviously in a great rush to get somewhere. He was wearing a red and white basketball practice jersey and white speakers. His dark hair seemed to sit perfectly on his head, even as he ran, and gleamed in the light.

Wow, Stacy thought, this guy definitely isn't a freak!

Sharpay noticed the dazed look on her cousin's face and laughed.

"Don't even try it, Stacy," she began, "that's Troy Bolton: basketball star supreme turned actor" (at the word "actor" she made quotation marks in the air with her free hand and seemed to spit the word out as though it was acidic) "and currently taken. He's working lights in our show this time since Ryan aced him out of the part he wanted." Ryan beamed at these words and puffed out his chest.

Troy Bolton... Stacy thought to herself, I don't care if you are taken. I think it's time to introduce myself to you!"

With an evil chuckle, Stacy walked out the doors of East High with her cousins, getting the feeling that she was going to enjoy her stay in Albuquerque, and her visits to East High, a lot more than she'd bargained for.

So what do you think? Need I write more?

Any and all feedback is hugely appreciated. I'll give you cookies!

Well, maybe not. I'm a poor university student, so all I can promise is my unconditional love and that I'll read and review your stuff as well.

Thanks guys:)