It was a Sunday in church, we were only six and a half…Sharpay had been a tiny pint sized diva wearing a tiara and a princess Cinderella outfit. The day? The day of the church talent show. It really all started when we were in the back room with mom, who was preparing Sharpay for her….grand entrance.

"There!" smiled proudly as she admired her daughter "You look very fabulous darling."

"Thank you mother!" Sharpay smiled

"Does the dress have to be that…poofy?" Ryan said disturbed

"Why of course dear…" said airily with a smile. "Poofy adds flair." she said

"And everyone loves a girl with flair!" Sharpay said

"Right you are sweetie." said

Just then the restroom door opened, Taylor stepped in and her eyes suddenly widened in terror. She screamed a scream so full of horror, she didn't even know she was capable of it. The pastor didn't know it was her.

"In the name of Jesus I command all demons OUT of my church!" He roared

Back in the bathroom, Taylor blinked.

"Um…" The poor 6 year old began "Don't mind me i was just…" She began backing out "Coming to check my hair." She nodded quickly before running out "KELSI!" she screamed

Wait. Why was Taylor there?

Oh she was making her monthly trip from New York.

The little pest. (joke)

(Taylor smacks Chad's leg) Heard it.

Can we get back to the story now?

"She looks like Charlotte from the Princess and the Frog!" Ryan motioned his hand to the door

"Okay," straightened Sharpay's outfit once more. "Now, I want you to show them who's best."

"How will I know if I did best?" Sharpay said confused

"Well…" Her mother folded her hands into her lap "Whenever a great singer or performer finishes their act…they get a standing ovation. A standing ovation is when the entire or majority of the audience stands up as they clap. and THAT is how you know you were a hit!" She crossed her arms

"Getting a standing ovation will be easy!" Sharpay waved her hand

"Oh? And how can you be so sure?" Ryan folded his arms

"Because I am Sharpay Evans." She held her head high. " People know an angel when they see one." She lifted her dress slightly and began to sashay out. She turned her head slightly "And hear one." She added

Oh yes Sharpay was good…

"A dream that you wish…will,come…true!…." She sang as she lifted her hands

The audience rose and clapped, Sharpay beamed proudly, bouncing to the back.

"Mommy Mommy i did it!" She jumped

"Yes you did!" beamed. Ryan gave her a hi five.

But what she didn't know…

"Baby you're so classic!" Troy and Chad completed as they did finishing dance moves, finally, they posed back to back.

The crowd rose and clapped!

Is that when you're six years old….

" She's there…The phantom of the opera!…" Kelsi sang, dressed as Christine. Taylor wore a black dress, black long gloves and leggings, not wanting anyone to know it was her. They were doing a female version of the Phantom of the Opera.

"They might as well have just hurt me…" Chad groaned

"Whoever the other girl is…" Ryan raised an eyebrow

"Sh!" Troy nudged

As Kelsi finished her final note, The audience rose and clapped.

Everyone is going to give you a standing ovation….

As the final act completed, Sharpay tugged on her mother's skirt

"Mom?" she said

"Yes kitten?" She leaned her head down

"Everyone is getting a standing ovation!" She whispered worriedly

"Well, Yeah Shar, because it's the nice thing to do!" Ryan reasoned. Sharpay turned red. "Shar?…Shar?…" Ryan said worried, with that Sharpay headed back in and stepped onto the stage

"Sharpay!" her mother called

"I think all of you should be ashamed of yourselves." Sharpay said with her hands on her hips "Lying to children like that."

"What is she talking about?" Taylor whispered to Kelsi, who shrugged. Her eyes wide.

"Everyone can NOT get a standing ovation!" she began to walk "There is clearly a winner and a loser. You don't seem to be noticing this." She said, shaking her head sarcastically.

"It isn't a game Sharpay." Kelsi reasoned

"Zip!" She pointed "Now it is. Once and for all, i challenge ANY willing performer to come and challenge ME!" She grinned evilly "We'll see who deserves a standing ovation."

By now Taylor and Kelsi had left the room to control their breathing before they both died from laughing.

She didn't! Gabriella laughed

Oh yeah she did! Ryan nodded quickly and seriously

Don't know why she bothered though… Troy began

Yes, we were OBVIOUSLY the most talented. Chad shrugged

Were not! Sharpay hissed

Yeah she's right! Kelsi poked her head in Because Taylor and i obviously were! she laughed

That was you?! The guys yelled in disbelief

Hey… Taylor gave a weak smile and shrug

Dude…you sing good… Ryan blinked

No kidding… Chad said

Thanks…. she shrugged shyly

K, back to Sharpay.

"AND A DREAM. THAT YOU WIIIIIIIIISH! WILL. COME." She paused "TRUE!….." She sang

Back in their seats the boys were shaking fearfully

"Well?…" Troy said "At least she didn't sound chirpy like Snow White this time?" he offered, the guys laughed nervously

Taylor (Now out of costume) then, with a mic in hand, got onto the stage.

"Thank you Sharpay for that marvelous performance!" She smiled "And now for our next act!"

"What are you doing onstage?!" Sharpay demanded suspiciously

" let me take over entrances!" She smiled proudly before looking at the ceiling "Something about his hearing aid…" She said, the audience laughed. Taylor shrugged "Okay then…" She said

Sharpay got off stage. Taylor placed the microphone into it's stand.

"Hi everyone." She said shyly, the audience returned the greeting

"This wasn't an original act, but it's here now so….there." she smiled weakly before looking down at the paper in her hands, she looked over at Kelsi, her current best friend before Gabriella, Kelsi nodded and Taylor began.

Better Than Ovation: By Taylor Nicole Mckessie, edited by best friend Kelsi Cassandra Nielsen.

Kelsi gave a thumbs up and the audience awed. Taylor took a deep breath.

Some of us preform for fun, some of us preform for competition.

But we all have to remember that our ways of thinking are different.

On Shar's side yes, it is kind of wrong to give EVERYBODY a standing ovation. *Lift eyes from paper a bit*

But does it really matter?

Taylor smiled a bit at Sharpay

What does a standing ovation really mean?

And the difference of it from just clapping?

Too me, a standing ovation, as I'm sure anyone else thinks, means you were spectacular.

But…clapping can mean the same thing. or that you were just good.

And, in the end, what was your main purpose?

Were you doing it for fun? *Smile at Kelsi, who does mini dance*

Were you doing it to look attractive? *Raise eyebrow at boys*

To impress? Break out of your shell? *Look down*

Or perhaps you just wanted to see if the spark was still there? *Look at a couple who had danced*

Ponder these reasons for a moment. Was the purpose fulfilled?

If so, why do you need a peanut gallery to critique? *Smile*

In the end, you made at least one person- if not yourself- happy.

And to me, that's better than ANY standing ovation. Real or fake.

The audience clapped genuinely, Kelsi ran onstage and hugged Taylor.

"Come on." Troy grinned "You know you wanna clap."He said to Chad

"I don't think so…" he smiled to himself

"Its okay! You can breathe now!" Kelsi laughed, Taylor exhaled. Sharpay walked onstage and smiled.

"You may have been wrong about the importance of a standing ovation…." She began "But…you were right about the purpose. Bravo." She smiled before winking. The girls giggled

"But I still want that competition." Sharpay pointed, the girls sighed before shaking her hand

"You're on." They smiled

*End*

"AND THAT!" Ryan began "Is how Sharpay learned, a lesson!" He clapped "Boo-Ya!"

"The end was bo-ring! Let's have another!" Troy groaned, hanging his head of the arm of the couch.

"Well I have one for you Bolton. Montez." Taylor smirked, hands on hips.

"Oh really? Hit me." Troy said doubtfully

Taylor placed her finger on her chin, as if thinking. "How a-bout….the riveting adventure of when…" She grinned slyly and put her hand on the floor "Troy led us all on the imaginary journey of Jack Danson?"

Troy's head shot up, Chad and Ryan began laughing hysterically

"No!" he gasped

"YES!" The guys laughed

"What? Taylor I never heard that story." Kelsi looked over confused

"I didn't either." Sharpay looked.

"Well, now you will!" Taylor beamed

"NO. Now they WON'T because that is a private story!" Troy said in disbelief

"That was preformed IN PUBLIC." Chad smirked

"Okay come on, you have to give me credit." Troy protested "Part of that whole thing was real!"

"Yeah, part of it." Ryan mumbled, before glaring Troy could fight back the door opened.

"We're here!" Jason called

"Sorry we took so long, the pizza guy was super duper slow." Zeke said

"Zeke! Jason!" Troy called "Tell Chad,Ryan, and Taylor that the Jack Danson adventure was real!" he requested, Jason and Zeke burst into laughter

"I thought we were never to speak of that again!" Jason laughed

"Yeah! How did it come up?!" Zeke demanded

"The other cats were telling me their childhood stories." Gabriella smiled "Care to join?"

"Gladly!" They said in unison

"I'll start!" Zeke said

"Take it away!" Ryan laughed

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