Author's Note: This might be a little shorter than chapter one, but I hope you like it anyways: enter Jacob Ackerman, lol.

Chapter Two: Backup Boy

Haylie would never fall in love with another guy unless she was certain that things wouldn't work out between her and Ryan.

But, nothing happened between her and Ryan just yet, so why should she bother?

When Sharpay told her she should have a backup boy, she nearly fell over laughing.

"Shar, are you serious?" Haylie asked, and Sharpay nodded.

"I'm serious. I heard some senior girls talking about it, and I felt it was a good idea to pass along...to you, anyways."

"So, let me get this straight: you are telling me to find a backup boy, if anything ever happened between me and Ryan?" she asked.

Sharpay nodded, and she smiled.

"Yes. That's what I'm saying."

Basically, that was the stupidest idea Haylie had ever heard, but one thing she learned about being Sharpay's friend, it was to never make her angry.

"Well, how do I find this backup boy?" Haylie asked.

"Easy. I know some pretty cute boys in the drama club. You'll find one you like, and you can show me." Sharpay explained, grabbing her hand, and Haylie was introduced to the familiar gut feeling in her insides when she knew something of Sharpay's is going to go horribly wrong, even though Sharpay wasn't excately Mountain Lion mean anymore (on some days, a snapping turtle, but that's about it).

They entered the auditorium, and they saw a few people (mostly guys) milling around, reading over scripts, or just plain talking.

Haylie felt somewhat out of place, because she hardly visits the auditorium anymore, unless it was to talk to Ryan.

"See anyone you like yet?" Sharpay asked, and Haylie shook her head.

"Well, let me point someone out to you. See that guy there?" Sharpay pointed to a guy that was sitting on the stage, with his script in his lap.

"His name is Jacob Ackerman, but everyone calls him Jake." Sharpay explained quietly, and Haylie nodded.

She guessed he was kind of cute: dark brown hair that almost seemed black, and chocolate brown eyes that reminded her of a puppy, and from where she was sitting, she could tell he was abit taller than her.

If she wasn't dating Ryan, Haylie would allow herself to get to know Jacob better.

"Come on, I'll introduce you!"

"Oh, no, Sharpay, that's okay--"

But, the blonde was already going to the stage, and Haylie had to follow, weather or not her gut was telling her no, bad idea.

Jacob looked up to see the two girls coming, and he flashed them a smile.

"Sharpay!" he replied, and Sharpay smiled.

"Hey, Jake. I like to meet a personal friend of mine, Haylie Anderson."

Haylie smiled timidly at him, and Jacob smiled even bigger.

"Oh, wow! Isn't she pretty?" he asked, and Haylie felt her cheeks burn.

Sharpay smiled, and nodded.

"She's a fellow drama club member, and she hasn't really interected with anyone from the drama club except me and Ryan, so I decided I should bring her to you guys."

"Well, that's very kind of you, Sharpay." Jacob stated, and Haylie almost wanted to laugh.

Jacob barely noticed Sharpay's tranformation, but she guessed everyone knew why, including the drama department.

"I'll let you two talk. I'll be back in a few minutes."

As Sharpay went over to talk to a girl, Haylie was left alone with Jacob, who set aside his script.

"So, tell me some things about yourself, Haylie, other than the fact that you are theater material. Where did you hail from?" he asked.

"Los Angles. California." Haylie explained, and Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Really? That's interesting. I bet you acted in television and movies than unoriginal school plays, right?"

Haylie felt her cheeks burn again, as she shook her head.

"Nope. Just school plays. Producers would tell me I'm too pretty to audition."

"I never heard that line before." Jacob replied, and Haylie smiled.

"Well, it's true. But, I like doing school plays. It keeps me grounded."

"Me too. Not that I would want to break into the business, but sometimes you have to settle for less than more."

Strangely enough, Jacob's personality clashed with Ryan's: it was as if Jacob had the same personality as him!

"And I guess someone as pretty as you has a boyfriend already." Jacob was saying, and Haylie shook her head.

"What?" she asked.

Jacob chuckled, and repeated his question: "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Oh..yeah. It's Ryan, actually." Haylie said.

"Ryan? As in, Ryan Evans?" Jacob asked, sort of surprised, and she nodded.

"Yeah...why?"

"Well, Sharpay has been fixing him up with her friends ever since I could remember! You must have been a real page-turner for the both of them!" Jacob exclaimed, and Haylie grinned.

"On Ryan, I was. Sharpay had to warm up to me first before I became her friend."

"I noticed. It's not everyday Sharpay takes someone under her wing, and I don't mean the Sharpettes neither." he said.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sharpay smiling in her direction, and she then turned her attention to Jacob again.

"I guess I'm lucky." Haylie stated, and Jacob gave her a smile.

"I can tell. Do you also pal around with the Wildcats and their girlfriends as well?"

"Yes. Aside from Sharpay, Gabriella, Taylor, and Kelsi all became the best friends I never really had."

Jacob shook his head, and stated, "Dating Ryan Evans, and is friends with every Wildcat...must be a dream come true, huh?"

Haylie nodded as she looked at him.

"Yeah. I guess it is."

Jacob got up, and grabbed his script.

"Well, Ms. Anderson, I shall bid you a farewell."

Jacob went behind the curtain, and Sharpay came over to her, asking, "Well, how is he?"

Haylie smiled at the blonde-haired girl.

"He's nice, I guess."

Sharpay clapped her hands, a trademark that only Sharpay could do, and noone else.

"We found you a backup boy! Congraulations, Haylie!"

So why does it feel that she's doing something wrong?