A/N: I'm going to try updating as much as possible but my schedule is crazy. Sorry that this took so long. Oh, and the play is now a musical lol it fit better.

Edeil- Well I was thinking about it and I didn't see much about just the HS years so I decided why not?

Sharpay and zashley 358- Here you go!

Thanks to all of you!

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1


Soon enough, the freshman at East High adjusted to the new mountain of homework given out every night, while balancing extra curricular activities. The school year had finally got into a rhythm with people counting the days to the next day off of school. It was October and it was becoming a little bit cooler in Albuquerque than the hot summer months. What wasn't cooling down was the tension between Sharpay and Troy. They had been friends ever since they met but all their friends could see they both wanted more even if they couldn't.

It was October 15th, the day of the Fall Musical audition. Kelsi and Ryan were talking after school at Kelsi's locker right before.

"Kelsi, we have to help them," Ryan whined to her.

"We cannot interfere in other people's problems. Do you remember what happened last time?" Kelsi reminded him.

"Don't remind me, that was a bad mistake," he said as he remembered getting Sharpay together with Zach.

"See you have to let nature or in this case love take its course,"

'But I have never been very good at waiting.' Ryan thought to himself.

"Stop thinking that," she said reading his mind, "Anyways don't you have to focus on the auditions for Grease with Sharpay?"

"Oh yeah," he remembered checking his watch, "Damnit if I'm late, Shar is going to kill me."

They sprinted to the Auditorium, and made it just as Ms. Darbus started talking.

"We will have pairs and singles auditions. Pairs will go first starting with Ryan and Sharpay Evans," she announced.

They went through the routine flawlessly, Sharpay sang beautifully and they both danced incredibly. Little did they know a certain basketball star was watching in the back. He was admiring the talent of Sharpay's amazing voice and graceful dancing. He stepped out of the shadows and clapped along with the other students.

He walked up to her, "Sharpay, you were great!"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she spit out angrily. He was not who she wanted to see right now.

He grabbed her arm and said, "Why are you being such a bitch to me I am just trying to be friendly…"

"Zach, save it for another girl who will buy what bullshit you sell!" she interrupted him.

Ryan was standing back in awe of the anger Sharpay had at Zach. He couldn't blame her though; Zach had shattered her heart and devastated her when she found out he cheated on her. She had thought that he cared about her and was destroyed to find that he didn't care about her as much as she did about him.

Zach didn't let up on his grip; his grip on her became even tighter as she talked to him.

"Harol, let go of my arm now!" she yelled at him.

"Not until we talk,"

"Okay, well let me explain to you what happened, we dated for a year, you cheated, we broke up, end up story," Sharpay said angrily, losing her patience, "It's OVER! It has been!"

"Not until I say it is!" he shouted at her as he let go of her arm and grabbed her shoulders to bring her closer to him.

"Let go of her right now," a voice commanded, as Troy Bolton emerged from the shadows. He had come to support Sharpay.

"Why should I listen to you, freshman?" Zach scoffed.

"I said let her go,"

"Mind your own damn business,"

"Not if it involves my friend,"

"Well she's my girlfriend, so butt out,"

"I am not your girlfriend! Let go of me!" Sharpay said as Zach started to force her to go with him as he walked away with a strong grip on her shoulders.

Whack!

Troy punched Zach square in the jaw. He had had enough of his bullshit. Everyone in the auditorium gasped, a loud thump was heard and Kelsi saw Ms. Darbus fall to the ground. Zach was lying on the ground, thrown back because of the punch.

"You're going to pay for that Bolton!" Zach screamed after Sharpay and Troy who were walking out of the auditorium with Kelsi and Ryan in tow.

"I can't believe you just did that!" Sharpay admitted to Troy as they left the auditorium.

"Well, I didn't like him in the first place and he was treating you like a jerk," Troy told her.

"Nice job man," Ryan said as he fist bumped Troy. He had wanted to do that to Zach himself but was shocked at what had been going on.

"Hopefully he will leave you alone now," Troy said seriously as they left the school building to wait for their parents to pick them up.

Sharpay and Ryan's mom pulled up to the curb in front of the school. Ryan and Kelsi got into the car; Kelsi just lived two houses down from them. Sharpay hung back for a second to talk to Troy.

"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," Sharpay murmured to Troy while giving him a quick peck on the cheek, "Thank you."

She got into the car and waved to Troy as the car sped away. He stood their in shock of what had just happened to him. He would never admit it but he was forming a crush on his friend.

The next day the cast list was posted, with Sharpay as Rizzo and the understudy of Sandy, Ryan was cast as Sonny and the understudy of Kenickie. The musical would debut in November but practice would start right away. Sharpay was incredibly happy to get such a large part as a freshman but still wanted the lead.


Tonight was Halloween. It was one of Sharpay's favorite holidays besides her birthday and Christmas. She loved dressing up as a character. She would be Sleeping Beauty, Kelsi as a '50's girl in a poodle skirt and Ryan as a mime.

Since Halloween was a Friday everyone at school wore their costumes to school and there would be parties at the end of the day in each homeroom. Classes went by incredibly slow and finally it was time for the party.

Sharpay strode in to the room in what was an exact replica of the animated Aurora's outfit. She looked amazing and more than one guy's jaw dropped as she walked into the room. She smiled to herself at one certain boy's jaw dropping. Slowly she walked over to the seat next to him.

"It looks like she has a plan, see we don't have to do anything," Kelsi whispered to Ryan.

Ryan looked around at the class, laughing to himself at their reactions to his sister.

"Guess not," he whispered back as he and Kelsi slid into seats next to Sharpay and Troy.

Sharpay was sitting casually in her seat and began talking to Ryan and Kelsi like any normal day. While Troy continued to stare at her in awe.

"Hey guys, what's up?" she asked them breezily.

"Nothing, but I see a lot is up with you," Ryan answered her.

"Every guy except for Ryan is wishing he could be your boyfriend Sharpay!" Kelsi whispered just loud enough for Troy to hear.

'She looks incredible in that costume,' he thought to himself as Chad leaned over to tell him something.

"You better make your move finally or someone is going to ask her," Chad warned him.

"Yeah man because if you don't I will," Zeke butted in.

"Thanks Zeke what a great friend you are to Troy," Jason told him sarcastically.

Troy was so zoned out he didn't even hear Zeke's comments. Just as he was about to talk to Sharpay, Mr. Elin walked in. As usual, Mr. Elin talked and talked finally he left them alone so they could snack, drink and talk. Troy finally decided to make his move.

"Hey Sharpay, how is musical practice going?" he asked nervously.

"Oh, it's going really well, I'm so excited for the premiere next week!" she told him genuinely, "You have to come."

She acted a bit like a dork when it came to her passion of acting, but all Troy saw was her enjoying something she loved. Of course he loved how big her smile got when she talked about it. She didn't even really seem to see how pretty she actually was. He was so busy admiring her that he didn't answer her question as she finished gushing about the musical.

"Troy… earth to Troy?" she questioned him.

"Huh?" he mumbled.

"You have to promise to come to the premiere of the show," she demanded taking his hand.

"Of course, I'll come to see you amaze everyone with your talents," he told her as they both stared at their intertwined hands. She let go, embarrassed and turned pink as she looked up at him.

"So you promise to come?" she whispered for only him to hear as they inched closer together.

"Promise," he whispered back.

He was about to lean in when… the bell rang, ending the school day. Troy groaned inwardly.

Kelsi and Ryan cringed at the bell. They had been watching from their seats watching Troy and Sharpay come so close to kissing. Sharpay exited the classroom with Troy following.

"So do you think that maybe we could go out sometime?" Troy asked her as he blushed.

"Sure, but actually I can't," she said.

"Oh… okay," he said crestfallen as he started to walk away.

"No, no! I mean just with musical practice and everything my schedule is crazy," she explained, "but maybe after the premiere of the play we could go out for pizza at Romeo's or something?" She watched him hopefully for his answer.

"That sounds great," he said leaning against the wall.

She walked over to him stopped when they were just inches apart. She gave him a light, tender kiss on the cheek.

"See you then," she remarked as she walked down the hall to catch up with Ryan and Kelsi and out of East High.

Chad, Jason, and Zeke walked over to Troy.

"Look at him; he's crushing on her bad man!" Chad exclaimed.

Troy just stood there smiling to himself at what had just happened. Too bad that he didn't notice someone else had also seen the encounter and wasn't happy about it at all.


A/N: Yeah, so you don't really have holiday parties in HS but oh well. I'm reallllllly sorry this chapter took so long but I think it is the best one out of the three. And what I said about the number of chapters, forget that, I don't know how long this story is going to be. Check out my one-shot, Before We Say Goodbye. It's also Troypay. Oh, and review please I see the number of hits I get but I get no reviews. I'm not sure I am going to continue this story, so if you want me to keep going review.