Another High School Musical

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ACT ONE: JUNIOR YEAR

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Chapter One: New

Lucille Bolton had lived in California her entire life. She visited the beach on every birthday with her brother and mother. She went on long walks on the boardwalk with her friends. She had been there from her birth. She had been there with ever spill and every time her mom went on longer trip, she had been there in California waiting for her. She felt like she was abandoning her old life in favor of one that she'd didn't even truly want in the first place.

How could she?

Her entire life is in California. No, she thought. Her entire life was in California. Her brother had long since left California and her mother had gone with him. For the past few months, it's been her and her father and her friends. For the past few weeks, just her and her father.

"Hey," her father spoke.

Lucille glanced stole a glance towards her father, who walked into the living room with a cup of coffee in his hand. Her father stood in the doorway to the living room, dressed for the first day of school like she is. His brown hair was styled to spike in the front and his blue eyes were as bright as they were in California. He had dressed in a red button up with a pair of jeans. But, despite that, he seemed more nervous than she felt.

She sat in her grandfather's living room, feet propped up on the coffee table, and ready for the first day of the school semester. Since their arrival the night before, he was dancing around the topic, trying to tell her sorry for dragging her halfway across the country and into a new place that she didn't know.

"It's okay, Dad," she spoke. "I understand." Her father dropped his head and ran his free hand through his brown hair. Then, he stepped closer, stepping around the couch and dropping beside her. She reached out to take the cup of coffee and gingerly took a sip of it. She glanced over at him and looked at the nervousness on his face.

"I know you understand," Troy Bolton spoke. The son of a basketball player and a typical supportive mom, he spent his five college years bouncing between the basketball court and the theater. In his third year, he decided to major in social studies education to follow in his father's footsteps. And now, nearly fifteen years later, he was moving back to his hometown, to teach at his old school, in his father's place after his accident to be around the school where everything changed and he always seemed to be trying to get back to.

Even though he was here, he seemed uneasy.

"But, that doesn't make it any harder for you," he continued, straightening up in his seat. He seemed uncomfortable.

"Dad," Lucille spoke, sitting up. She felt the need to comfort him despite the desperate need in her gut to go back to something familiar. "Besides, we are here for Grandpa. He needs someone to help him after his accident. And, the school called you specifically for his replacement after Grandpa asked." She reached out to touch his knee. "Besides, I have no life back in California."

Troy is quiet. "Yes, you do," he replied. "You just lost someone. You can always go back after you graduate and build a new life." He reached out to push a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can't think of anyone hurting you like that ever again."

"It's going to happen, Dad," Lucille reassured. "It's life."

"Life can be brutal," he spoke. "Promise me that you'll tell me if things get that bad ever again. Do you understand me?"

Lucille nodded, avoiding his gaze in shame. "I won't let anyone hurt me like that ever again." Her stomach twisted the weight of her previous lie heavy on her mind. Her stomach twisted in knots as she stared into the coffee. She would never let anyone hurt her like that again.

Her father's arm around her shoulder and a gentle kiss against her head startled her, causing her to jump beneath his arm. Her father chuckled for a moment and made a joke about startling her, but his voice just came across as fuzziness in her ears. She nodded her head and faked a smile as she sat up to put the cup of coffee on the table.

"Are you ready to go?" her father questioned.

Lucille turned towards him. "Are you?"

Her father's lips pursed together as he thought about it. "As ready as I can be." Then he headed into the kitchen once again. Lucille stood up, flattening out her skirt and then her shirt, buying time until her father returned. She bent down and picked up her backpack, checking to make sure the laces of her boots were tied. "You look beautiful," he informed her, wrapping an arm around her and guiding her out the door.

"Thanks Dad."

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"There you are,"

Chem teacher, Gabriella Castillo (formerly known as Gabriella Montez) looked up to find her best friend, Sharpay Leverett (formerly Sharpay Evans, Broadway star), in the doorway. The blonde was standing in the doorway, looking over the Chem teacher with an accusing look on her face. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her, before crossing over to sit on one of the black desks. "I thought we talked about this Gabriella," Sharpey teased. "Why are you here so early?"

"Phillip had baseball practice and Antonio had band practice," Gabriella responded. "And Raphael has a meeting with Coach Bolton's replacement and his daughter so I ended up needing to take him to school."

"And, Luisa?" Sharpay questioned.

"Your husband has her," Gabriella responded with a smirk. Sharpay nodded her head in understanding, looking out the window. "He's going to take her to the middle school when he takes Tiana. Where have you been?"

Sharpey shrugged her shoulders. "I had a meeting at the Country Club," she responded. When Gabriella gave her a confused look, she continued. "Mom and Fulton needed my input about something. Ever since Dad died, they've been incorporating me into the decision making. They're worried about business." She's quiet for a minute, turning her gaze to the window. "Ryan was always better at business decisions than me."

A pause. "Any news?"

"No," Sharpay huffed. "He's still—"

The door to the classroom opened and Sharpay stopped talking to turn towards the person walking in the door. Gabriella followed her gaze to find a short brunette girl with blue-gray eyes as wide as saucers, realizing she interrupted a conversation between the two teachers. She's dressed in a black skirt with white leggings beneath it. She had a white "Matty Neilson" shirt and an army green jacket over it. "I'm sorry," she spoke, quickly. Gabriella's eyes furrowed in confusion. She seemed almost… familiar. "Principal Castillo suggested that I should start meeting my teachers before school starts."

"It's okay," Gabriella spoke, standing up from her seat and walking towards her. "Do you have Chemistry with me?"

She nodded her head. "Yes," she glanced down at the paper in her hand. "Fourth hour, right before lunch." She paused, looking away. "I think."

"That's good, we're not far from the cafeteria so you can get there quickly. I'm Mrs. Castillo, the Principal's wife," Gabriella responded. Gabriella reached out and shook the girl's hand. It was obvious that she was nervous. "And this is Mrs. Leverett." Sharpay waved from her spot on the desk. "She's our drama teacher."

"Oh," the girl spoke, looking down at her schedule again. Then, she looked back towards the blonde. "I think I have homeroom with you, Mrs. Leverett."

"That's great," Sharpay spoke, hoping down off the table. "So, you are the daughter of the basketball coach replacement?"

"Yes," the girl spoke, suddenly looking nervous. "I am the daughter of Coach Bolton's replacement," she echoed, looking at her schedule once again before glancing between the two of them. "But, I'm also the granddaughter of Coach Bolton." The blonde beside her is quiet, glancing at Gabriella who is just mystified and confused. "My father took the position once Principal Castillo called and offered it to him."

"You're," Gabriella spoke. "You're Troy's daughter?"

"Yes," the girl spoke. She reached out her hand again. "I'm Lucille Bolton."

…

"Dad," Troy pivoted to see a black-haired boy running up to him. There was sweat on his forehead and a baseball backpack on his shoulder. He was dressed in an army green shirt and a pair of jeans along with a hat that seemed to signify his position on the baseball team. He jogged up to the Principal without much of an additional sweat. "Evan and I need to work on a project for American History. Is it okay if I go with him after school today?

Troy glanced towards the principal, who gave his son a look. "And where is Daisy going to be?"

The boy turned red, glancing towards Troy as though appalled his dad would even mention his crush in front of a new, foreign teacher. "Dad!"

"You spent the majority of the time at Evan's house for the entire break," the principal continued with a tone that bordered on teasing. "Why didn't you and Evan do that project while you were over there?" The boy shrugged. "Fine, you can go. Phillip, this is Coach Bolton, the new basketball coach and your new history teacher."

Phillip briefly paled. "Oh, any relation to the previous Coach Bolton?"

Troy nodded. "He's my father. My daughter is around here somewhere but I don't know which way she went. I'm not caught up on the curriculum yet," he spoke with a nod. "But I look forward to having my father help me grade your projects."

Phillip nodded, reaching out his hand. "I'm Phillip Castillo, though my name is probably filed under M section. Technically, it's Phillip Castillo Montez; but, I generally go by Castillo." Troy moved to say something because there's something familiar in the way he stands in talks that makes him think maybe. But, there's the sound of heels behind him and Phillip reacts before he can turn around, "Hey Mom, Dad said I can go to Evan's after school, is that okay?"

"Yes, that's fine," the familiar voice spoke. Troy turned. Sure enough, there she was: Gabriella Montez. It had been nearly twenty years since their breakup in their junior year of college. Troy thought back, briefly, on all the tears spilled in that week long process where they both thought do we really want to do this and ended up with deleted numbers and wishful thoughts. She looked different but felt like the same old Gabriella.

She had cut her hair to her shoulders in an angled cut, with the loose curls she always remained replaced with only a slight wave. She wore a floral red top, white denim jeans, and a pair of flats to top it all off. The remains of her high school style still remained. However, she had darker makeup and applied a dark shade of lipstick on her lips. She smiled at Troy before turning her attention to her son.

"Be sure you ask your aunt," Gabriella scolded him.

On instinct, Phillip responded, "Aunt Shar, is that okay?"

Aunt Shar? Sure enough, not far behind Gabriella, stood Sharpay. Last time Troy had heard of her, she was a Broadway star, starring in several productions, before retiring and returning home to Albuquerque. But he didn't think the Broadway star would trade in the spotlight for a teacher's salary. But, here she was. He briefly wondered how that story started. The blonde still had her typical curls and dressy but casual style. But, she seemed to have traded hot pink for a more subtle light pink. She was wearing a pair of denim jeans and an accenting light pink top with a gray jacket over it.

"Yes, Phillip," Sharpay spoke. "That's fine."

Behind Sharpay was Lucille, who simply looked confused. "Dad, why didn't you tell me your old friends were teachers here?"

Troy shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just as surprised as you." He pivoted towards Phillip, who was looking at the group confused. "Phillip, this is my daughter, Lucille Bolton. Lucky, this is Phillip Castillo Montez, the son of Principal Castillo and Mrs. Castillo." The two teenagers shifted through bodies to briefly shake hands with each other.

Gabriella spoke up. "Phillip, Ms. Bolton is in your Chemistry class and your homeroom. Do you mind showing her where her other classes will be?"

"Of course," Phillip spoke, looking at Lucille confused. Lucille seemed to exchange an equally as puzzled look. "What are your other classes?" Lucille handed off her schedule. As Phillip looked over the schedule, Lucille glanced towards her father. There's a silent communication tell me later before Phillip spoke up. Then, the two of them left towards the way that Lucille had come. Troy spotted Phillip look behind him as well.

But the moment the two teenagers turned the corner, Gabriella turned towards the Principal with a sad look in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me, Raphael?" Troy looked towards Sharpey, who returned the glance. Then, Troy understood. Raphael and Gabriella's relationship was built on open communication, telling each other everything. Troy's appointment wasn't something they seemed to have discussed.

"I don't know," Raphael spoke, his voice quiet.

"Troy," Sharpay's voice cut through them. She maneuvered around the couple and looped one of her arm's with Troy's. "You know, there is an excellent bakery right across the street. I'll show you."

"I'm not—" Even years later, Sharpay refused to take no for an answer as she dragged Troy towards the front door and then across the street

...

Update: I have changed Sharpey's name.

Hey guys, I have returned with a new and updated version of the first three chapters. I hope to bring you guys chapter two soon but school has been kicking my butt lately so I hope you guys stay with me on this one. Next chapter: a bakery & lunchtime & Daisy Pickens & a surprise.