Chapter 2

Gabriella thanked Sharpay for giving her a ride home, and climbed out of the small vehicle. She closed the door behind her, hearing her friend drive away. She glared up at the blue house. Sometimes she really hated her home life. When her mom died four years ago, her father has been a workaholic, a basket case really, barely paying attention to his two daughters. Gabriella was in seventh grade when her mom passed away. One of the worst times to lose a mom, if anytime is actually good. In the beginning of teenage years is when you need a mom most.

As for Gabriella's little sister, Anna, she was now in seventh grade herself, making her in third grade when her mom died, losing the battle to skin cancer.

Sighing, Gabriella opened the heavy front door. She dropped her bags at the bottom of the stairs. Walking into the kitchen, she saw her sister sitting at the island in the middle of Algebra homework. Anna looked up, then turned her attention back to the horrific homework.

"Dad has some business trip this week," Anna informed Gabriella without looking up.

"How long?" Gabriella asked, scanning her options in the fridge.

"Two weeks or something."

"Great," Gabriella commented bitterly.

"He left money for dinner," Anna said.

"Pizza and chinease for two weeks. How healthy."

"You can't cook?" Anna looked up, giving her sister a confused look, seeing as Gabriella was the chef in the family, taking after her mom.

"With what, Anna? Who knows how long it's been since we went to the grocery store last."

"Oh."

Gabriella sat down across from her sister. "Need any help?" She asked, knowing Anna hated math.

"Nah, this stuff is easy," She responded, scribbling numbers all over her paper.

"Okay, if you need me I'll be upstairs."

--

Gabriella stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around herself. She opened the bathroom door, walking across the hall to her room, shutting her door. She dug through the pile of clothes growing on her floor. She picked out sweatpants and a tank top.

She heard her phone ringing on her dresser. She walked over, still wrapped in a towel.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, wanna go to a party tonight?" Sharpay's voice rang on the other end.

"Who's?"

"Uhm, Chad somethings. I think it's Danforth."

"Uh," Gabriella paused thinking. "Well-"

"C'mon Gabby. Anna will be fine till your dad gets home."

"He won't be home for two weeks. I just," She sighed. "I feel bad leaving her by herself. And I'll probably be walking in the door at three in the morning, drunk as hell."

"Ask if she can go over a friend's house or something. Then you can just sleep over here. God knows my parents won't care what condition I come home in," Sharpay sighed.

"I'll call you back," She flipped her phone shut and quickly threw on the sweatpants and tank top she picked out earlier.

Gabriella jogged down the steps and into the kitchen. "Hey, Anna, would you care if I went to a party tonight?"

Her answer was a simple shrug. "Whatever."

"You won't mind being here by yourself?"

"When am I not?"

"Hey, if you don't want me to go-"

"It's fine," She answered.

"Okay, do you wanna call a friend to come over or-"

"I'll be fine, Gabby," She smiled. "But hopefully you aren't going in that." Glancing down, she eyed her sister's clothes.

Gabriella smiled before running up the stairs. She grabbed her phone texting Sharpay.

Pick me up soon?

She looked through the clothes in her closet. She sighed, seeing as nothing was party worthy. She then remembered her last mall trip with Sharpay. Gabriella ran back down the stairs in hunt for the Urban Outfitters bag. She finally spotted it, picking it up and running back up to her room.

Her phone beeped walking back in. A reply from Sharpay.

Be there in 20

She dumped the bag onto her bed. She took her shirt off, putting the new dark turquoise knit top. She slipped her sweatpants off, replacing them with skinny jeans.

Throwing clothes everywhere, she hunted for her ballet flats. Smiling, when she spotted them, she slipped them on her feet. She ran into the bathroom, plugging her hair dryer in. She cranked it on high, trying to dry her hair as quickly as possible.

When it was finally complete, she threw her hair over her shoulders, spraying a little hairspray over it. Walking back into her room, she put on a little make up, stuffing lip gloss and her cell phone in her pocket.

She heard Sharpay's high pitched horn beeping outside.

"Call me if you need anything," She told Anna, running down the steps and out the door. She hopped in Sharpay's car and the two girls drove off.

--

Sharpay came to a sudden stop. "Sorry," She apologized. "You know I'm new with the whole driving thing."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "And I wonder how people like you get a license and I don't."

Sharpay glared at her, "Let's go, Gabby."

The best friends climbed out of the car, walking into the house with blaring music and people scattered everywhere.

"Shar, Gabby!" Natalie Blake screamed as the two walked in.

Gabriella sighed. Natalie was the friend you can't stand, the one you hate, but still feel the need to invite over your house. The girl who's jeans you'll compliment, but secretly think they're the most hideous thing since shoulder pads. You could always sense tension between Gabriella and Natalie, but figured that was just the way their relationship was.

"Hey, Nat," Sharpay grinned, wrapping an arm around the light red head. Not many people could pull of having red hair, but Natalie was part of the rare percent that could.

"Gabriella," Natalie smiled, but in a way like she was trying to be polite.

She smiled in response, not saying anything.

"So," Sharpay clapped her hands together. "Seen any hot guys?"

"Uh, duh! Troy Bolton and his little group over by the kegs. Talk about hotties," Natalie squealed.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, Troy Bolton and his followers of enraged hormone friends, never seemed to phase her. Being one of the most popular girls in school, meant half the boy population hitting on her, something she was never a fan of.

"C'mon, Gabs," Sharpay nudged her with her elbow. "Lighten up."

Gabriella sighed, looking around. People walking around, drunk, and then there were the ones who practically had sex right in front of everyone. She ripped her eyes off the major PDA couple and tapped Sharpay's shoulder. "I'm gonna go get a drink. You want anything?" She shouted over the music.

Sharpay shook her head. "No thanks."

Gabriella made her way over to where the kegs sat, stepping over people who passed out and sliding her way through people grinding. She grabbed the hose to the keg, and squeezed it.

Nothing.

She tried once again, but still nothing came out.

"Don't know how to work that?" A deep voice whispered in her ear. She smelled the alcohol coming off his breath.

She turned around and a little smile formed on her lips. "Hey, Derek. I haven't seen you for a while."

"Yeah, I've been up north a lot this year."

"Oh," Gabriella nodded, feeling awkward. It was obvious that Derek always had a thing for her, and was a major perv.

"So, you need help?" His eyes slanted down towards the keg.

"Yeah," She smiled. "Thanks." She handed him the cup she was holding.

Derek pumped it, and squeezed the hose, as beer filled the cup. "Here ya go," He said, handing her the cup.

"Thank you." She tipped her cup, putting it to her lips, and drinking it. Her vision blurred for a second, then went back to normal. She felt dizzy, as her legs swayed back and fourth.

Suddenly, Gabriella knew this drink wasn't the best idea.

A/N: Okay, so I got like two reviews last time. I'm not trying to come off as a bitch, but please review. Thanks.