"Shar", I said, a little embarrassed asking for her help. "What is this
word?"
I know, I know.It's pathetic for a guy in high school to have trouble
reading, but no one in my family ever gave a thought about helping me learn
how to read, so in the end I had to teach myself. And the first grade teacher
was no help either. Now here I am, studying a script for an upcoming play,
asking for my twin's help.
"God, Ryan. It's not my fault that you never learned to read!" she
growled, snatching my script to look at it more closely. "That word is caravan." As she said that she shoved it back into my hands.
I felt like crying, and I guess she must have noticed.
"Cry if you want, but I can tell the whole school you are a cry
baby," she said with a little pout.
"I gotta go," I mumbled.
Sometimes older sisters could be so annoying, so I did what I always did when she got really mean, I ran. I kept on running-but hey, running with a hat is a lot of work! I finally stopped when I got to the park, just in time to see the lovely and wonderful Miss Gabriella Abby Montez sitting under a tree. I have had a crush on her ever since I laid my eyes on her, but she's with Troy: Basketball Boy." Unfortunately for me, they had been flirting like the dickens ever since she came to East High.
I decided to sit down on a bench across from where she was under The tree, reading. Gabriella finally looked up, waving when she saw me…I waved back, hoping that she would come over and talk. She did.
"Hey Ryan!" she said, as bubbly as ever. Dang! Why did she have to be so cute? "Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Not really," I mumble.
"I know you, Ryan Oliver Evans," Gabriella informed me, and there is
something wrong! Would it help if I told you my deepest, darkest secret?"
"It might," I replied, trying to flirt a bit by looking at her
mischievously.
"I still watch cartoons like Justice League," she said, lowering her voice so that her words are for me alone. "You are the only other person
who knows that except for my mom."
I laugh. "That's your deepest, darkest secret?" Then I grew
sober,deciding that she deserved to know what was bothering me.
"It's okay" Gabriella said at last, soothing me once I'd finished with my story. She pulled me into a hug. Do you want me to help you?
Okay, this is practically my dream-right after me becoming the next Brad Pitt.
"Sure," I replied. "But can this be just between you and me? After with what happened with Sharpay, I don't want the whole school to know, too."
"Yeah," she replied calmly. "I don't really blame you; I wouldn't
want anyone to know if I was in your position."
"Thank you."
"Oh, and one other thing," she remarked suddenly.
"What?"
"Well two, actually, one: don't tell anyone my secret. Two: I'll hang
out with you tomorrow at school if you want, since you probably don't want
to be around the Ice Queen at all."
"Thanks Gabby, but I am going to have to face her sooner or later."
"Do you want me to be there when you do it?"
"That would make it easier."
It was my turn to pull her into a hug. I also kissed her head.
Gabriella looked up at me with a confused expression on her face. Wow, did I feel like an idiot.
"What-what was that?" she stammered.
"I-I am sorry."
Well isn't that the truth?
"Look, the next play coming up is Aladdin; would you consider trying out with me?" I ask her.
"Sure, as long as we try out for the two main roles. It is one of my
favorite Disney movies ever!"
I lead her into song.
Well Ali Baba had them forty thieves,
Scheherezad-ie had a thousand tales,
But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves,
You got a brand of magic never fails!
You got some power in your corner now.
Some heavy ammunition in your camp.
You got some punch, pizzazz, yahoo and how!
See all you gotta do is rub that lamp, and I'll say:
Mister Aladdin, sir!
What will your pleasure be?
Let me take your order, Jot it down.
You ain't never had a friend like me. No, no, no!
We were finally singing together!
Life is your restaurant, and I'm your maitre d'!
C'mon whisper what it is you want,
You ain't never had a friend like me!
Yes sir, we pride ourselves on service.
You're the boss, the king, the shah!
Say what you wish.
It's yours! True dish!
How about a little more Baklava?
Have some of column "A", Try all of column "B"!
I'm in the mood to help you dude.
You ain't never had a friend like me.
Can your friends do this?
Do your friends do that?
Do your friends pull this out their little hat?
Can your friends go, poof?
Well, looky here
Can your friends go, Abracadabra, let 'er rip
And then make the sucker disappear?
So doncha sit there slack jawed, buggy eyed
I'm here to answer all your midday prayers
You got me bona fide, certified
You got a genie for your charge d'affaires
I got a powerful urge to help you out
So what-cha wish? I really wanna know
You got a list that's three miles long, no doubt
Well, all you gotta do is rub like so - and oh
Mister Aladdin, sir, have a wish or two or three
I'm on the job, you big nabob
You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend
You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend
You ain't never had a friend like me
You ain't never had a friend like me, hah
I guess Gabby had figured out the time since she suddenly exclaimed, "I really gotta go! I'm so sorry, but if I stay any longer, I'll be late!"
"Late for what?" I inquired.
"I have a date with Troy tonight," she explained. "But it has been getting a little boring; we don't have much in common anymore. I don't know, I might break up with him." She starts to look a little uneasy.
"Go, just go. Whatever happens, I'll always be here for you."
"Thank you," said Gabriella, giving me a quick hug. "Bye."
"Bye, Gabby," I responded sadly. There she goes, the girl I dream about every night, to another guy's arms. I probably don't have a chance.
Later that night at ten she calls. She is crying.
"Troy was cheating on me."
"Who else was he with?"
I can barely hear her as she chokes out "Your sister, Sharpay."
"I will personally kill her tomorrow morning when I go to wake her
up."
I have always been the early bird.
"Thanks," she says, sniffling. "Thanks for everything."
"You're welcome. So when will you start helping me?"
"How about tomorrow morning, before school in the music room?"
"Or you could come over to my house."
"Okay. Well I will see you then. Bye, Ryan."
"Bye, Gabby."
What more could I want? Well, a nicer twin would be nice.
The next morning when I woke I knew what I had to do…
"HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO GABRIELLA?!" I shouted, pleased that I was
giving her a rude awakening.
Well at least I can read," she replied smugly as she sat up in her
bed.
"I will not be singing with you any more," I told her, my voice
icy.
"Excuse me? But who else would you do the auditions with besides me? And who would I do the auditions with?"
"Try your new boyfriend Troy for you, and my friend Gabby for me.
Bye."
I walked out.
Okay, there is one thing I hate about having to wake up Shar every morning: I see her in her pajamas and she sees me in mine. Still…it is very uncomfortable, even for us twins.
I decided to get dressed while Sharpay searched the house for the perfect outfit, screaming her head off at the maids. How fun. Fifteen minutes later I was busy choosing the perfect hat. Finally I selected a tan fedora to matchthe olive green polo shirt I am wearing, along with tan pants.
Ten more minutes and Gabriella will be here.
I decided to go across the street to the bakery and pick up coffee and
blueberry muffins. Don't call me a stalker, but I know that blueberry muffins are her absolute favorite food in the whole world. On her birthday
Troy found out so Zeke could make some for her. And ,boy, did she just love
them.
Walking back towards the house I could see Sharpay looking at me through the glass in the dining room window, and she looked mad.
"Troy-poo," she says talking into her rhinestone covered pink sidekick."Do you want to come over this morning and have a full make out session?"
Oh, no. Oh no, not Troy! That would just make Gabriella feel worse. Her seeing Sharpay making out with Troy is a bad idea.
I decide to call her to tell her that we cannot meet here; we can meet
somewhere else. She agrees, despite the fact that I don't explain why. She says we can meet at the library. I guess it wouldn't be too bad.