Of Diamond Rings and Three Letter Words - Part 2

Zeke/Sharpay - Opening Night

'So Sharpay, when are you getting married?'

It was the off-handed, casual way that her grandmother asked her that threw Sharpay completely off guard. Zeke began to choke on his scotch, and the newly married Ryan snorted into his.

'Excuse me?' Sharpay demanded, 'Grandma…' she added hastily.

'I said, when are you getting married?' the old woman demanded again.

Even Kelsi turned around this time, her eyebrows disappearing beneath her bangs.

'Uh…well…' Sharpay threw a hesitant look at Zeke who's eyes were trained firmly on the ceiling, well away from her, 'It's not…it's not something Zeke and I have actually…talked out…yet,'

'Well you should talk about it dear,' her grandmother ordered, 'You're not getting any younger you know. He should make an honest woman out of you. And didn't you always want to get married?'

Sharpay rolled her eyes. Possibly no one else on this planet wanted to get married more than she did. God, she gave Gabriella Montez a concussion at Ryan's wedding in her attempt to catch the bouquet she was that desperate for it. But even after Gabriella had spent the reception with Troy holding a bag of frozen peas to her head, and Sharpay clutching the bouquet feverishly, Zeke still didn't seem to get the hint. He didn't propose and she didn't talk about marriage. It was just the way they worked.

'Yes grandma…I'll think about it,' she said sweetly.

'Good,'

With that her grandmother moved off primly, satisfied that she had imparted wisdom upon her granddaughter.

Thankfully after that horrendous Christmas party, life went on. She found a role in an off-Broadway play and Zeke had an internship at a restaurant in Manhattan so he could stay with her. They co-existed together peacefully but from that moment on her grandmother's well-meant warning rung through her head.

What if Zeke wasn't the marrying kind? What if he was just biding his time and never intended to grow up and have a real life? What if he really was a lunkhead basketball boy at heart?

And if he did propose…what would he do? She may have been a girly romantic and her childhood Barbies had suffered the sweet, moonlit picnic proposal that she had always wanted but…this was Zeke. She could only pray that he wouldn't bake the ring in a chocolate cake, or make a giant cookie with the proposal written on it in blue and green frosting. Please, anything but a giant cookie.

'Shar?'

To an outsider this could have been an amusing scene. She was curled up in an armchair, her arms folded protectively across her body, bottom lip jutting out. He was standing in front of her, a hesitant grin on his face, his arms outstretched hopefully.

She threw him a dark glare and continued to pout at him.

He sighed heavily and shoved his hands in his pockets, 'I love you baby,' he coerced.

In reply, she rolled her eyes and huffed for dramatic effect.

'Come on girl…' he groaned, 'Please. I'm sorry!'

Sharpay only stuck her bottom lip out lower. He had to know this was not okay.

'Come on baby girl,' he said, 'I love you!'

His watched beeped insistently on his wrist and he groaned, 'I gotta go,'

'Goodbye,' she sniped coldly.

He smiled nevertheless and kissed her head, 'You spoke to me,' he said triumphantly, 'I love you. Break a leg. I'll see you Thursday morning,'

She turned up her head, allowing him to kiss her softly and he stroked the side of her face, 'Miss you babe,'

And with that, duffel slung over his shoulder, he disappeared.

It was her opening night that night. After months of hard work, rehearsals, routines and many a cookie eaten it was all coming together. She was going onto the stage a star and the man she loved wasn't even going to be there for it.

It wasn't his fault, she knew that. It wasn't his fault that the head chef at his restaurant needed his presence at the new franchise in Seattle. It wasn't his fault.

But god, it still hurt like hell.

Her phone began to ring and dejectedly, she scooped it up.

'Hello?' she demanded, still pouting.

'Hey Shar. We're all wondering where you are. Are you going to be getting to the theatre any time soon?' the director's voice boomed through the line.

Sharpay sighed, 'I'm on my way boss,'

As she finished the final notes on her final solo, she raised her arms about her head. The crowd showered her with applause and the curtain dropped.

And then mayhem broke out.

'Sharpay! Get out of that costume it has to be fixed again. You stepped on the train during the third number. It's about to fall off you,'

'Can someone get that goddamn phone?'

'Someone go talk to the journo's. Please. I don't have time for this,'

Sharpay scurried off backstage, heading to her table. As she moved she was offered congratulations to which she smiled and nodded, but kept her head down at all times.

She'd done it. The first real, non-educational related performance. She'd done it, and it was successful.

But no one was there.

Ryan and Kelsi were both out of town, her parents were in the Maldives and Zeke…he was in Seattle without her.

So she had something to celebrate and no one to celebrate it with.

Sharpay shimmied out of the blue ball gown she was wearing and exchanged it for a pink pair of leggings and a wife beater. She padded barefoot to her dressing table, and sat down heavily swiping the thick makeup off her face.

She wondered what Zeke was doing right now. Was he helping to set up the new restaurant? Was he thinking of her too?

'Honey!'

Sharpay turned around to see a tall man approaching one of the chorus girls clutching a white rose. Her heart twinged and tears began to sting her eyes. She rubbed her eyes furiously. She was the star. Stars don't cry. Stars bask in their own glory.

But if she was a star, shouldn't that be her with the white rose?

She bit back tears and reached for his green hoodie tucked firmly in her bag under her desk. She slipped it over her head and pulled her knees to her chest vulnerably. The sweatshirt swum on her small frame and fell well past her hands and thighs. She pulled it closer to her, burying her face in its neck. It smelt like him, like chocolate, and vanilla and the faintest lingering of his cologne. It was comforting. Almost as if he was there with her. Almost.

Her eyes landed on the picture of them taped to her mirror. They had their arms wrapped around one another, the setting sun their backdrop. Gabriella had taken it for them when they all went to Mexico for their spring break in sophomore year.

God, why did Zeke's boss need him this night of all nights? She needed him tonight, more than anyone else.

'I'm looking for a Miss Evans?'

Sharpay turned around to find a dazed delivery guy standing in the middle of the dressing room. He appeared to be more interested in the half naked dancer brushing her hair out in front of her mirror than finding his charge.

'That's…that's me,' Sharpay called out.

The delivery guy tore his eyes away from the dancer and looked at her, 'Uh…package for you lady,'

Sharpay outstretched her arms and he made his way over to her. He thrust a small white box in her hands followed by a clipboard.

'Sign here,'

Furrowing her brow, Sharpay scrawled her name on the line. Who was sending her a package?

The delivery guy disappeared, obviously to pursue his dancer girl. Sharpay turned back to her table, and placed the box on it.

Gently she tugged on the red ribbon, and lifted off the lid. A chocolate cupcake.

She choked back a giggly sob, covering her mouth with her hands. A chocolate cupcake, laden with Zeke's orgasmic chocolate frosting, topped with white chocolate swirls that spelt out the word, 'Superstar'.
Her heart positively melted at his thoughtful, sweet gift and despite all the weeks of whining to Zeke that his food had made her put on a zillion pounds she didn't hesitate to demolish the cupcake. Each bite was heavenly and reminded her so much of the man who wasn't there to see her.

Just as she had licked the last of the frosting from her fingers another voice appeared.

'Miss Sharpay Evans? Is there a Miss Sharpay Evans here?'

Sharpay looked up in surprise. What now?

'I have a delivery for you,'

The man approached her, offering her a large bunch of pink lilies. Sharpay smiled softly at them, stroking her finger along one of the flowers.

'Who are these from?' she asked, looking at the retreating man.

'I dunno,' he shrugged, 'Read the card,'

Sharpay searched the bunch of flowers until she located a small pink card attached to the pink cellophane wrapped around them.

Dear Superstar,

You shone brighter than any other star out there tonight. I love you and I'm thinking of you.

Zeke

Sharpay's eyes prickled with tears again. He was being so sweet…
Fondly she studied the delicate flowers thinking of the man who sent them. He was…amazing.

'I got a package for Evans, Sharpay,'

The dressing room groaned collectively, and Sharpay looked up for a third time.

'Me?'

'You Sharpay Evans?'

'Well…yeah,'

'Then this is for you,'

Sharpay stood up this time reaching for the largish box in the man's hands. She signed her name quickly and grabbed hold of it.

'Thanks,'

She hurried back to her table, and curled up in the chair. Her lunkhead basketball man was turning into a romantic…

Gently she tugged on the magenta silk ribbon releasing its hold around the box. She lifted off the lid. What on earth did Zeke have left to give her?

Large amounts of pink tissue paper were scrunched within the box and she ruffled through it. Was there even anything in here?

She rifled amongst the paper until her hand contacted with something solid. It was small. That much she could tell…

She began to throw all the pieces of paper out of the box making them fall haphazardly around her. Until…

'Oh my god,' she murmured.

In her hands she clutched a small, blue velvet box. There was only one thing that came in boxes like that…

The entire room was silent and they all watched Sharpay with bated breath. Heart thudding Sharpay prised open the box hopeful of what would find, terrified of what she may not.

'What the hell?'

The box was empty. Absolutely devoid of any kind of jewellery whatsoever. She lifted out the velvet padding in case it had slipped in side the box and still found nothing.

'Is this what you're looking for?'

Sharpay spun around at the sound of the familiar voice that she listened to every day of her life.

'Zeke?' she breathed.

Her boyfriend was walking toward her, a wide grin on his face, twirling a platinum diamond ring in his nimble fingers.

'Hi baby. Great show,'

'But…Seattle?'

'Oh…that,' he shrugged nonchalantly, 'You see…I had this really important thing to do here in the city,'

'W-what was that?' she stuttered.

Zeke's grin widened and standing feet before her, he lowered himself to his knee.

'This,'

She stared at him wide eyed. This couldn't be…

'Shar. You know, as well as I do, that I have had the hugest, most dorky crush on you for…ever. And being able to…to be like this, in front of you is both the greatest honour, and the biggest dream come true. Sometimes, around you, I still feel like a crazed sixteen-year-old fanboy and I can't believe that…that I'm doing this. But Sharpay, you know this already, I love you, and I would do anything for you even if it took the rest of my life. Shar, you mean so much to me. Will you please marry me?'

'Oh my god,' Sharpay murmured, her hand flying to her mouth, staring down at the sparkling ring, 'Oh…oh my god,'

He chuckled, 'Is that a yes?'

'Oh my…' she began again, dumbfounded, 'Yes! Yes!'

An elated laugh escaped her lips and a wide smile spread over her face, 'Zeke! Yes!'

He laughed, pulling her up to her feet. She kissed him soundly and the entire dressing room burst out into applause and cheers.

Amid whoops Zeke slid the ring onto her finger. It fit snugly there and she pulled him in for another kiss.

'I love you,' she murmured, 'But what happened to Seattle?'

'Well…' he laughed, 'My boss wasn't too pleased…but I had somewhere to be,'

'With me?' she turned her eyes up at him hopefully.

'Yeah. Right here with you,'

Sharpay leant into him, burying her head in his chest. Suddenly she pulled away, struck by a thought.

'What?' Zeke questioned frowning.

'I have to go tell…everyone!' she shrieked, her limbs in a frenetic flurry of motion, 'I'm engaged!'

'So when are you getting married Sharpay?'

When the question was posed to her again nobody choked on their beverages. Kelsi let out a muffled squeal and Zeke squeezed her hand.

'In September grandma,' Sharpay said proudly, outstretching her left hand.

'Oh…' the old woman harrumphed.

She wandered away without another word and Sharpay turned to her fiancé with a wide smile gracing her lips.

'Thank god I'll never have to hear that question again,'

'And there'll be no more crazy bouquet catches right?' Zeke laughed.

Sharpay pondered on this thought, 'I think I'll let Gabriella catch my bouquet…I think I owe her that much…'

Thanks so much for your support last chapter. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!