Hi there, summer is officially here for me which means a little bit more computer time (not much) and volleyball training. I'm going to be out of town next week and then a couple more weeks for volleyball camps. Who knows? Anywho, I apologize about that preview not really making sense. I wanted it to be like the previews you see in movie theaters. The boy and girl from the preview are introduced in this new chapter as Paul Timm and Kate Stapleton. I'm really sorry about the confusion with the preview.

And yes, some of the characters from the original High School Musical will make appearances.

Muchos Gracias, please read and review

VBBabe9

Troy Bolton stepped out of his car and looked at the brick, three-story school in front of him. Lourdes High School. Troy was bound to spend his junior and senior years at this small private school. Troy closed his car door and pressed the button on the remote, locking his car. He began walking towards the school when he bumped into a girl with long, black hair, digging in the trunk of her car for something.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," Troy said, watching as the girl picked up the book on the ground. "I'm new here. Can you tell me where I might find the main office?"

"Um, yeah. That's actually where I'm headed right now, you can follow me," the girl said, grabbing a pink backpack from her trunk, swishing her long hair out of her face. "I'm Jessica, by the way. Jessica McManus."

"Troy Bolton. I just transferred here from New Mexico," Troy answered, lightly shaking the hand the girl extended to him. They walked down a long ramped hallway before they encountered a large windowed office.

"This is the main office. I was nice meeting you Troy. Welcome to Lourdes," Jessica said, walking away before Troy could even thank her. Troy glanced around him before opening the office door, preparing for the long first day at this new school.

The halls were already crowded when Kate Stapleton walked into school. A new year, new teachers, same best friends. Kate walked over to her locker, twisting the lock and opening the door. The inside of the locker was covered with pictures of her and her friends, her volleyball teams, and then the picture in the back corner. The one of her and her boyfriend, Paul Timm. They had been secretly dating for almost a year now and only a handful of people knew. Kate grabbed the things she would need for her classes and closed her locker, jumping when Paul appeared from behind the door.

"Hi," Paul said, leaning against the locker next to Kate's. Paul was the typical, in-shape, All-American athlete, with good looks to go with it. He had grown over the summer and now stood at six-foot-one, with Kate's head just able to hit his shoulder.

"Don't do that. You scared me," Kate said, trying to steady the messenger bag hanging off her arm. Her shoulder length dirty blonde hair swayed as she walked down the hall towards her best friends. "I'll see you in biology. Save me a seat if you get there first."

Paul waved a hand behind him, acknowledging that he heard her. Their relationship was a different one, in the sense of the two totally opposite worlds they came from. They had known each other since they had been in kindergarten and their friendship had become something more by the middle of sophomore year.

Paul was in a big family, with six bothers, and he played so many sports even Kate couldn't keep up with it. Paul was also a perfect 4.0 GPA student and one of the most popular guys in the junior class.

Kate, on the other hand, was an only child and played one sport, volleyball. She was an average student who maintained an above 3.0 GPA, yet she wasn't one of those popular girls that guys drooled over and girls were jealous of. Kate was just Kate.

That was what Kate didn't understand about Lourdes. The social barriers. They had been basically set in stone since the end of freshman year and nobody had tried to change them since, for fear of becoming an outcast.

Kate walked over to her group of friends and was immediately enveloped in hugs and included in conversations. Her small group of friends may have been on the fringe of popularity but Kate liked it that way. She didn't have to put that much effort into looking good, yet she put enough in that everyone thought she spent way to much time getting ready. In actuality too much time was only twenty minutes.

Kate's best friend Emily Matthees was bouncing around, her hair following suit, which was why Kate loved the energy surrounding Emily. Cara McGrane stood breathing heavily, late as usual, towering over the group of friends. And then there was Jessica McManus. Kate and Jessica had been friends since freshman year, taking over the role of group 'leaders.' They hated it when people called them that though, it made them seem superior, when they were the exact same as their other friends.

"Jessica, how was New York? I missed you so much and I kept forgetting to call," Kate bounced over to her friends, setting her bag on the floor by her feet. She needed a new backpack, her messenger bag was never going to last. "I just got so busy with volleyball and my cousin came out and visited."

"New York was good. I have pictures to show you, oh and you're supposed to go down and see Mrs. Groven before the end of the day. Something about your transcript being wanted by a college," Jessica said, handing over a stack of photos taken while she had been in New York over the summer vacation. Jessica walked over and leaned closer to talk privately with Kate. "So how was summer vacation with Paul? Did you guys go up to his family's cabin?"

"You're so nosy. It was a good vacation, when we could actually see each other," Kate replied, hitting Jessica with the photos before continuing looking at them. "He was busy with camps and I was busy with camps. We actually did manage to go up to the cabin with his family for a week, but otherwise I could only talk to him over the phone."

"Oh, Kate. There's some new transfer that's starting here today. Really cute basketball player from New Mexico. Thought you might want to know," Emily said, wiggling her eyebrows. "After all, this year we have the upper hand on the freshman and sophomores. We get first dibs on the hot ones."

"We had the upper hand on the freshman last year when we were the sophomores, Emily Lynn. Besides, I have to see it to believe it," Kate said looking around the crowded hall hoping to spot this new guy. "I can't always trust your sources. New Mexico, that is like desert central. Do you think he's any good at basketball?"

"Apparently, he made the starting varsity last year as a sophomore and was also voted captain. His dad was the head coach there and is that new girls coach," Cara ticked off, digging under her nails at the invisible dirt only she could see. "You know, Coach Jack Bolton. The new guy's name is Troy. I found out when I was talking to Dan this morning.

"Wait, his name is Troy Bolton?" Jessica asked, tugging at Cara's arm, wanting an answer to her question. Cara just nodded, scared at what Jessica would do. "I met him this morning. He ran into me and wanted to know where the office was. He is a hottie, I mean like hotter than the New Mexico desert hot."

"Cara, you said you were talking to Dan. Like as in Dan Martin, chess club Dan Martin," Kate asked Cara, an incredulous look on her face. Just as Cara was about to answer the bell rang, signaling for everyone to get to their homerooms. "And once again you are saved by the bell. You got off lucky this time, but I still want answers."

"He plays basketball too, you know."

Troy found himself walking behind the short, portly man who had introduced himself as Mr. Nigon, the principal. Mr. Nigon's balding head just barely reached Troy's shoulder and the man's stride was so small that Troy would eventually trip himself or the principal.

"Here at Lourdes our students are recognized for their academics. Most, if not all, go on to colleges and get degrees. We pride ourselves on the excellent behavior and poise that all students hold. I hope that you will be another good example for the new freshman, even though you are new to the Lourdes community yourself," Mr. Nigon had stopped walking for the short time that he spent giving his speech, before walking into a trophy room. Troy could see other teens scurrying to their homerooms, trying to get their on time.

"I'll try my best sir. I know how hard it is to be a freshman and hope to exemplify a good conduct," Troy just about snickered at what he was saying. If his best friend Chad Danforth had been there they both would have been rolling on the floor in laughter. But that couldn't be Troy anymore. His dad really wanted this new job to go well and Troy wasn't about to screw it up for his dad.

"And this is your homeroom, 106. Mr. Englund knows to expect you so you can just go on in. Welcome to the Lourdes community, Mr. Bolton, I hope to see you excel here," the stocky man walked off after shaking Troy's hand, leaving Tory to stand in front of the door. Troy didn't know how long he had been standing there when a boy suddenly walked up behind him.

"You going to just stand there or are you going to at least attempt to face your doom like the rest of us?" the boy asked Troy, laughing at Troy's scared expression. "I was just joking with you. It's not that bad. Mark Fruend, you must be the new guy Troy. I've heard a lot about you."

"That would be me. I hope you've only heard good things though. I wouldn't want to be labeled a bad person on my first day," Troy said before walking into the classroom with Mark, not dreading the day as badly as he had before.