A/N: So happy to see all the positive reviews :) people keep on reviewing! They really are a sweet balm to my soul.

Even Mrs. Darbus's confiscating her state-of-the-art diamond-studded hand phone, with over 4000 worth of MB and 100 hours of video – not to mention Hi-Speed Internet Connection and 10 of the best hand phone games did not dim her mood. Troy was treating her to a romantic back-to-school picnic by the beach, just the two of them, and although Sharpay was bringing all the food (sandwiches imported from Paris), she was sure they were going to have a great time.

Someone snapped his fingers in front of her, startling her from her beautiful daydream back to reality. "Psst, Shar," Ryan warned. "Listen." Sharpay shot Ryan a death glare, then listened.

"And Ms Montez! I see you're new here today. The theater always welcomes a new face. Auditions for the Winter Musical begin next week during free period, and if you decide that your calling belongs to the stage, I will embrace you with open arms." Mrs. Darbus stretched her arms out wide, her long sleeves fluttering, looking very much like a vulture descending upon a carcass. "Well, Ms Montez, since you and Ms Evans seem to already know each other -" With a dramatic gasp Sharpay peered, wide-eyed, at the brunette sitting beside her and let out a small scream – "Ms Evans, you shall be Ms Montez's guide at East High for the next couple of days."

Sharpay hyperventilated.

Gabriella shot Sharpay a polite smile, saw she was red in the face, and started whacking Sharpay's back.

Ryan wondered if he needed to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He decided it was unnecessary, and shrugged at a displeased Mrs. Darbus.

Amidst all this, Troy racked his brains on ways to approach Gabriella without arousing the anger of her newly-elected watchdog – i.e. Sharpay Evans.

Then the bell rang.

---

"So that's the gym – where all the sweaty people play – and that's the library – where all the geeky people read – and there are the Science and Computer labs – where all the nerdy people do research – and there's the hall – where all the talented people like me perform – there's the field where all the tall people run – and that's the quadrangle – where all the cheerleader people practice – toilets, toilets – Principal's Office – Staff Lounge – General Office – classrooms, classrooms – oh yeah, there's one of the eleven Empty Cupboards that we have in our school, perfect for kissing –" Sharpay flung open the door and Gabriella let out a small squeak as she spotted, in the half-darkness, a guy's half naked body pressed up against a bosomy figure - "Those are the Music Rooms – Dance Rooms – Janitor's Office, a great place to steal cigars, drugs and needles if you are really desperate – Bookshop – Maths, Science, English, History Foyers – Cafetaria."

Sharpay braked her speeding train of speech. They had been walking all around the school, with Sharpay waving her hands around like a traffic police, pointing at the different places of the school, all the while keeping up a fast stream of narrative as Gabriella trailed uncertainly behind.

Now a handsome blond teenager with a basketball under his arm was greeting them with a grin, flanked by a guy with a familiar bouncy afro.

"Gabriella, meet Troy – my boyfriend." Sharpay ignored Chad, who didn't really notice – he was staring at Gabriella, eyes wide, looking as if the sky had fallen down from the sky.

"Gabby?" – Chad.

"Chad?" – Gabriella.

"Chad, do you and Gabby know each other?" – Troy.

"Troy, why are you calling her 'Gabby'?" – Sharpay

"Troy?" – Gabriella. She had not noticed Troy (nor Chad, for that matter) in class; she was too busy listening to Mrs. Darbus.

"I met her during a New Year's Party." – Troy, red in the face.

"I met her at summer camp." – Chad.

"And you didn't tell me?" – Sharpay, furious.

"Chad…" – Gabriella, at a loss for words.

... Everyone fell silent.

"Look," said Sharpay, annoyed at how everyone was keeping a secret that she didn't know. "We aren't going anywhere. Troy, what New Year's Party is this?"

"At a ski lodge." He didn't mention that he had fallen in love at first sight, nor did he mention that he and Gabriella exchanged a lot of other messages since that party.

"Chad?"

"At this camp my mom made me attend last summer," Chad said sullenly, and Troy wondered if he was the only one keeping a secret.

Gabriella's eyes were cast down.

Sharpay narrowed her eyes at all of them, then tugged Gabriella sharply on the arm and marched her through the cafeteria, continuing her chatter as though she never paused.

"Nerds here, jocks here, cheerleaders here, punks here, Goths here, people-who-are-feeling-emo-that-day-and-need-some-cheering-up-and-pity here, lovebirds-who-want-to-show-their-love-publicly here, and the top-of-the-school-elites sits – " Sharpay led Gabriella up the stairs – "here."

The tabletops were all sparkly and in bright neon colors, quite unlike the dull blue ones below. There was an exquisite pink glass table in the center of it all, big enough for at least five people to sit around, carved like a rose, that had the word "Evans" etched onto its surface. Ryan was already sitting there.

"Since we're almost friends, you can sit here with us – meaning me, Ryan and Troy – and sometimes some of the Wildcats team, and a couple of the cheerleaders," Sharpay kindly offered. "Here's a tip: don't buy food from that crazy woman running the Italian stall; if you don't wipe your bowl clean of every last crumb of pizza she'll butcher you with a knife."

Gabriella gulped. Perhaps life at East High wasn't gonna be so easy after all.