Why Is She Really The Ice Queen?

Disclaimer: Surprise, surprise --- I don't own High School Musical, the mouse does.

Chapter 2: School Day

Sharpay pulls down the visor mirror and methodically repairs any damage her crying jag has caused to her make-up. When she is satisfied with the results, she slowly composes herself and gets out of the car. She straightens her tailored silk pants and tucks in her blouse which had come untucked when she switched seats in the car. She slowly picks up her purse and her bright pink backpack and shuts the car door. Then, an amazing transformation occurs. She slowly rolls her slumped shoulders up and uncurls her spine until she is standing ramrod straight. Her face loses its strickened look as she slips on another mask --- the Ice Queen mask, this time. The Ice Queen mask is impenetrable and can protect her from anything the outside world has to dish out.

She hits the front doors of school with confidence, just like every morning. Except this morning there is no Ryan. Deciding not to think about that, she is pleased that the crowd of students still automatically parts for her and some of the freshmen even seems to run in fear.

Sitting in homeroom, Sharpay decides to ignore Ryan and it seems like he has made the same decision. Instead, she decides speaks to Kelsi about the upcoming musical.

"Hi, Kelsi! I must say that is a very attractive bowler you're wearing today", Sharpay says with syrupy sweetness. Oh, God. This had better be worth it; I think I'm making myself ill.

Her plan is to find out surreptitiously if there are any unpaired guys who want to try out for the musicale, but have no partners.

"Um ... thanks, Sharpay", Kelsi replies nervously. "It's new. My first bowler got crushed during our big celebration in the gym, back in January."

Trying not to look bored to death, Sharpay continues, "Oh, that's a real shame about your old hat. Those must be really difficult to find."

"Yeah, you're right; they are." Kelsi is still suspicious, but she's starting to relax a little.

"Hey, I was wondering ... ", she starts and then, deliberately pauses for effect, "but no, I can't ask you that."

"What?" Kelsi's curiosity is getting the better of her.

"Well ... I was wondering if you knew of any guys who don't have partners for the auditions."

"Oh, as a matter of fact ... but wait a minute. Why are you asking? You always work with Ryan."

"Actually, Ryan has decided to take a break this time", and then she quickly adds, "but I'm sure he'll be back for the winter play."

"Oh ... well, Troy tolds me he would like to audition, but Gabriella has a heavy classload this year. She's taking every AP class possible. She's concentrating on classwork this year and doesn't want to. Since basketball season doesn't start until December, Troy has time to spare; he just doesn't have a partner."

"Troy Bolton, uh?" This might work; all I need to do is convince him to work with me. Who wouldn't want to do that? Can Sharpay approach Troy about auditioning together? No way! Despite how the school came together in the Winter musicale last year, she knows he still holds a grudge against her and Ryan for manipulating the call back times. She never even felt guilty about that. After all, play is her life. What do these usurpers to her throne think they are doing? They have a life. They have other interests. Troy has basketball; Gabriella has the scholastic decathlon team. What does she have? Sharpay has only Ryan and play. And now she doesn't even have Ryan.

"Well, yeah. Hey, you aren't thinking of ...", Kelsi starts to reply, but before she can finish, the bell rings and Mrs. Richardson enters the room.

Mrs. Richardson is their senior homeroom teacher. It seems like all their homeroom teachers have their little quirks. With Mrs. Darbus it was cell phones. With Mrs. Richardson it's chewing gum. She lectures them every day about the evils of gum. 'Like cows chewing the cud' she says and if she catches you with gum in your mouth, she makes you serve detention by scraping old gum off the bottoms of the desks.

The bell rings for first period and Sharpay starts to plan her scheme for convincing Troy to work with her. First period is American History with Mr. Link that she shares with Troy and Ryan. Maybe she'll get a chance to talk to him about the auditions.

A/N 1: They're seniors now, so they don't have Mrs. Darbus for homeroom anymore. In my school, homeroom was determined by alphabetical order, so I was in homeroom with the same people from sixth grade through twelfth grade. So I guess we just pretend that they alphabetize by first name: Kelsi, Ryan, Sharpay, Troy --- or not.

A/N 2: I actually had Mrs. Richardson, but I changed her name. Seriously, the whole 'cows chewing the cud' was real. Scraping the gum is made just to add dimension to the story.