A/N: I am sooo sorry (x135) that I didn't get this chapter written as soon as I would have liked to. I was supermega busy all weekend and barely touched my computer, then I went back to working full time again on Monday. But hey, at least this is my last week of work for the summer, which hopefully translates to me having more time to write this thing before the semester starts at the end of August.

And once again, thank you so much for the reviews, they definitely keep me motivated to keep writing this for you all. Oh and don't hesitate to pm me with any questions or just to chat... I get bored easily and would love someone to talk to ;o)

Finally! Chapter 8! And I apologize that the songs take up so much space, but they're duets!

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical nor its characters nor its songs and I do not own RENT nor its characters nor its songs. Don't sue me for feeling inspired.

Take Me, Baby, or Leave Me

Chapter 8

"Troy Bolton!"

Troy snapped his head toward Ms. Darbus, who had just yelled out his name, yet was not looking at him.

Now glancing up from her auditions paper, she continued, "You will be performing in the 'Light My Candle' duet as Roger. Mimi will be Miss Montez."

Gabriella turned herself away from her conversation with Taylor upon hearing her last name. She looked from Ms. Darbus over to Troy, who had also just turned his head to look at her. Upon eyes meeting, they both flushed a little pink on their cheeks and smiled. Quickly, they turned away and faced Ms. Darbus again.

"You may join me on the stage any time now," Ms. Darbus said with a chuckle.

Troy and Gabriella quickly emerged from their seats, Gabriella leaving her parka behind. Troy swallowed hard, twice, knowing that just a few steps behind him, Gabriella was climbing the stairs to join him in a duet on stage in that sexy black outfit of hers. And he was going to have to look into her dark, smoldering eyes and sing to her. Trying to focus himself, he thought I can't think about my friends like that. That's what she said she wanted. Friends. He briefly reminisced back to that fateful evening, but Ms. Darbus' voice shattered his thought process and brought him back.

"To conserve on time, I would like you two to start the duet when Mimi knocks for the second time. You know, where she looks for her 'stash'," Ms. Darbus requested, bringing back the air-quotes. Handing Gabriella her pencil, she said, "Here, pretend this is your candle," and then returned to her seat.

Clutching the pencil as if it were a candle, Gabriella moved to the right side of the stage to simulate her coming through the door at the beginning of the song. Kelsi would cue the knock, which would begin the duet.

Troy:
'It blew out again?'
Gabriella:
'No - I think that I dropped my stash'

Gabriella got on her hands and knees, pretending to search for the stash on the floor.
Troy:
'I know I've seen you out and about
When I used to go out
Your candle's out'

Gabriella rose to her feet again, looking at Troy yet walking away from him, singing:
'I'm illin' -
I had it when I walked in the door
It was pure -
Is it on the floor?'

At the word 'floor' she dropped on her hands and knees again pretending to search, this time making sure she was facing away from Troy and arching her body so her backside stuck up higher than the rest of her body.
Troy:
'The floor?'
Gabriella:
'They say that I have the best ass below 14th street
Is it true?'
Troy:
'What?'
Gabriella:
'You're staring again'
Troy:
'Oh no
I mean you do -- have a nice --'
I mean -- You look familiar'

Gabriella stood up again, walking slowly past Troy back to the right side of the stage again and continued:
'Like your dead girlfriend'?
Troy:
'Only when you smile
But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else --'
Gabriella:
'Do you go to the Cat Scratch Club
That's where I work - I dance - help me look'

Gabriella dropped to her knees a third time upon the word 'look.'
Troy:
'Yes!
They used to tie you up -'
Gabriella:
'It's a living'
Troy:
'I didn't recognize you
Without the handcuffs'

Having turned to face Troy during her previous line, Gabriella held out the pencil toward him, slowly rising to her feet, looking him in the eye with a sultry gaze the entire time, singing:
'We could light the candlllllle
Oh won't you light the candlllllllle'
Troy:
'Why don't you forget that stuff
You look like you're sixteen'

Gabriella walked past Troy again, this time looking seductively back over her shoulder to respond:
'I'm nineteen - but I'm old for my age
I'm just born to be bad'
Troy:
'I once was born to be bad
I used to shiver like that'

Gabriella turned around to face her whole body toward him again.
'I have no heat - I told you'
Troy:
'I used to sweat'
Gabriella:
'I got a cold'
Troy:
'Uh huh
I used to be a junkie'

Gabriella turned and slowly faced away again as she sang:
'But now and then I like to --'
Troy:
'Uh huh'
Gabriella:
'Feel good'

Troy bent down, pretending to pick something up while Gabriella's back was turned.
'Oh here it--'

Gabriella, whipping around and approaching him, sang:
'What's that?'
Troy:
'Candy bar wrapper'

Gabriella placed herself a foot away from Troy, holding up the pencil and staring into his eyes once more.
'We could light the candllllle
Oh what'd you do with my candlllllle?'
Troy:
'That was my last match'
Gabriella:
'Our eyes'll adjust, thank God for the moon'
Troy:
'Maybe it's not the moon at all
I hear Spike Lee's shooting down the street'
Gabriella:
'Bah humbug ... Bah humbug'

Troy took Gabriella's hands in his. Though they were warm and soft, the line called for him to sing:
'Cold hands'
Gabriella:
'Yours too.
Big. Like my father's
You wanna dance?'
Troy:
'With you?'
Gabriella:
'No - with my father'
Troy:
'I'm Roger'

The two drew together as if they were really slow dancing. Gabriella locked her eyes onto Troy's and slipped her left hand into his back pocket, singing:
'They call me
They call me
Mimiiiiiiiiiiiii'

Gabriella pulled her hand out of Troy's pocket and held her fist up in the air, turning to the audience as if she had successfully retrieved her stash. The music ended and the crowd was cheering at how well acted and comical the performance was. Gabriella turned around and looked at Troy, who was bright red and grinning sheepishly. Seeing his flushed face made her blush as well. She turned quickly back toward the crowd again and smiled in spite of herself.

"Absolutely magnificent, you two! What chemistry you have on the stage together," gushed Ms. Darbus.

Troy glanced sideways at Gabriella, still red and still smiling, as he walked past her to return to his seat in the audience. Gabriella followed behind him and returned to her own seat next to Taylor, who was giving her a knowing look. Gabriella blushed even deeper upon noticing Taylor, then sat down and tried not to look at her or at Troy.

Troy sat in his seat in a bit of a daze, spaced out staring at nothing. Chad slapped his arm to knock him out of it and then shot him a look.

"What?" Troy replied with a slightly annoyed undertone. "Like you should be the one to judge with the way you've been acting today."

Chad frowned and faced the stage, where Ms. Darbus had called students up to perform the title song, "Rent." Since Troy and Chad had both engaged in a duet no longer than 10 minutes before, they were not called upon to perform in the ensemble. Instead, Jason was on stage to perform as Mark and the freshman boy that they didn't know the name of was asked to give Roger a try. Zeke would be performing as Benny, and then those students that had wanted a spot in the chorus were also all on stage singing either various small parts or just with the chorus.

Troy and Chad sat in silence during the performance, cooling off from being annoyed with each other. But that didn't mean they both weren't on fire inside for other reasons. Troy kept stealing glances at Gabriella, who was enjoying herself watching the audition. Chad was trying to nonchalantly look sideways in an attempt to catch Ryan staring at him again. Though by the end of the song Troy and Chad had simmered and were good with each other again, they were still flustered from their respective duets.

Jason, Zeke, and the rest of the performers exited the stage amidst compliments from Ms. Darbus on how well they all meshed with no prior experience together. She looked down at her list one final time for the evening, as the next would be the last duet.

"Now I know it has been a long afternoon for you all, but it has certainly been productive," started Ms. Darbus. "We have reached our last duet. Closing out the auditions performing 'Take Me or Leave Me' will be Sharpay Evans as Maureen and Taylor McKessie as Joanne," she finished with a warm smile and clapped her hands silently.

Both Sharpay and Taylor shot their heads around, glaring at the other. Simultaneously, they rose from their seats and met in the middle before heading up the stairs to the stage together.

"You think you're a big deal because you put on one decent performance? Better be ready for the A-list this time," Sharpay warned in a low voice that only Taylor could hear.

"Just because you've been the Drama Queen for years doesn't mean you can't be dethroned... again," Taylor shot back, in a voice equally as quiet.

Sharpay's eyes were shooting daggers now.

"Gotta watch out for us science chicks," Taylor retorted.

She is SO done! thought a furious Sharpay. She better be ready to eat those words, cuz I'm coming at her full-force Maureen style!

On the stage, Sharpay and Taylor stood 3 feet apart, just glaring with blazing eyes. They didn't know why they had that effect on each other, but they both knew this was going to be one hell of a performance with the way they were feeling at this given moment. The familiar music started to play, and Sharpay began singing her long solo right on cue:

'Every single day
I walk down the street
I hear people say,
"Baaaaby's so sweet"
Ever since puberty
Everybody stares at me
Boys - girls
I can't help it baaaaaby'

Sharpay ran her right hand down the left cheek of a statuesque, seething Taylor, and afterwards took Taylor's head in both her hands.
'So be kind
Don't lose your mind
Just remember that I'm your baaaabyyyy'

Grabbing both of Taylor's hands, she interlocked their fingers and gracefully moved them around in time with the music, singing:
'Take me for what I aaaaam
Who I was meant to beeeeee
Aaaaand if you give a daaaaamn
Take me, baby, or leave me'

Sharpay released Taylor's hands and circled around her, turning back around to face her again, making emphatic gestures while singing:
'Take me, baby, or leave me

A tiger in a cage
Can never see the sun
This diva needs her stage
Baaaby - let's have fun!
You are the one I choooose
Folks'd kill to fill your shoes
You love the limelight too, baaaaaaby
So be mine
Or don't waste my tiiiiiime
Cryin' - "Honeybear - are you still my, my babyyyy?"

Take me foooor what I aaaaaam
Who I was meant to beeeee
Aaand if yooou give a daaamn
Take me, baby, or leave me'

At this point, Sharpay spread her legs apart, bending at the knees. She then placed her hands on her knees and moved both her shoulders and hips around seductively.
'No waaaay - can I be what I'm not
But hey - don't you want your girl hot!'

Sharpay stood up again and marched toward Taylor, hands raised, pointing at her.
'Don't fight - don't lose your head
Cause every night - who's in your beeeeeed? Who?'

She then shuffled quickly over so she was only a foot away. She leaned her head in playfully, singing:
'Whoooo's in your beeeed?
Kiss, Pookie?'

It was finally the time for Taylor to retaliate. She could tell Sharpay had not just been simply singing the lines. The way she was acting and the fire in her eyes suggested otherwise. Sharpay had been singing those words at her deliberately. Taylor stood up straighter and held her arms out in an attempt to look more ominous, starting:
'It won't work
I look before I leap
I love margins and discipline
I make lists in my sleep
Baaaaaby what's my sin?
Never quit - I follow through
I hate mess - but I loooove you
What to do
With my impromptu baaaabyyy
So be wise
This girl satisfiiiiiiies
You've got a prize
But don't compromise
You're one lucky baaaabyyyyy

Take me fooooooor what I am'

Sharpay turned her back slightly toward Taylor, who was still basically singing at her face. She folded her arms, and even though the next lines were all straight from the song, she meant every word she said, so she sang with conviction:
'A control freak'
Taylor:
'Whooo I was meant to be'
Sharpay:
'A snob - yet over-attentive'
Taylor:
'And if youuu giiive a daaamn'
Sharpay:
'A lovable, droll geek'
Taylor:
'Take me, babyyy, or leave me'
Sharpay:
'And anal retentive!'

Taylor grabbed Sharpay's shoulder roughly and spun her around as they both sang:
'That's iiiiiiit!'
Taylor:
'The straw that breaks my back'
Both:
'I quiiiiiiit'
Taylor:
'Unless you taaake it back'
Both:
'Womeeeeeeen'
Sharpay:
'Whaaaaat is it about theeem?'
Both:
'Can't live -
With them -
Or without theeeeeeeem!'

Taylor and Sharpay were now inches from each other's faces, eyes glaring dangerously.
'Take me for what I aaaaaaaaaam
Who I was meant to beeeeee
And if you giiiiive a daaamn
Take me, baby, or leave me
Take me babyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy'

Sharpay turned away dramatically as they sang:
'Or leave me

Guess I'm leavin'
I'm gone!'

Both girls were as beet red as Troy and Gabriella had been after their performance, but neither was embarrassed. Instead, Taylor and Sharpay each had a sort of wild blaze in her eyes that spread to her face, ignited from the heated argument contained within the song. If it seemed like they were fighting while singing, it was because they were. Taylor knew that Sharpay didn't think much of Taylor wanting to act, and Sharpay knew that Taylor didn't think much of respecting the Drama Queen's status over the rest of them. Each was infuriated that the other neither understood nor intended to understand where she was coming from. Both stormed off the stage amid praise from Ms. Darbus and the audience, though neither of them paid any attention to it.

Sharpay plopped down into the seat next to her brother, arms crossed. Ryan opened his mouth to say something, but Sharpay shot him a glare so icy that his mouth froze, leaving him with a dumb expression on his face. After a moment he closed his mouth and turned to face the stage again.

Taylor, in the meantime, had not returned to her seat. Instead, she locked eyes with Chad, giving him a look that said "come with me" as she continued to charge her way out of the auditorium. Chad, still flustered from replaying the duet with Ryan over and over in his head, rose from his seat and followed her out, jogging to catch up to a hastily-walking Taylor. He caught up to her as they rounded a corner in the hallway. Taylor spun around to face Chad, whose eyes reflected the same passionate gleam seen in Taylor's own.

Without any further hesitation, their lips came crashing together furiously. Tongues battling for control, Taylor shoved Chad up against the nearby locker. After a moment, they pulled away and looked into each other's eyes again.

"Nothing," whispered Taylor in mild surprise.

The raging fires dancing on their retinas mere moments ago had been extinguished. Both had been so worked up and frustrated over auditioning and over an Evans that they though they wanted nothing more at that point than to just ravage each other... but...

"Nothing," Chad stated in a more concrete tone.

Taylor took a half-step back, though Chad still had his hands on her hips.

"So does this mean..." Taylor started.

Chad removed his hands from her waist and shrugged, "Yeah, I guess so."

"Still friends though, right?" Taylor asked in a slightly nervous tone. Just because they weren't going to be together anymore didn't mean she wanted to lose his friendship.

Chad's face split into a grin. "Only the best of!" he said sincerely. He knew things would remain pretty much as they were before, except now there was no pressure to appear affectionate in front of people.

His declaration made Taylor smile in relief. "Well then whatcha say we go back to the auditorium, Mr. Big Dumb Jock?" she suggested with a wicked grin.

Chad, after gasping and pretending to be hurt, chuckled and replied, "Whatever you say, Little Miss Smarty-pants."

He put his arm around her shoulder in a friendly gesture and they walked back to the auditorium with huge smiles on their faces, relieved that the stalemate was finally over. They returned in time to catch the tail end of Ms. Darbus' end-of-auditions speech.

"And so," finished Ms. Darbus, "the cast list will be posted tomorrow morning precisely 10 minutes before homeroom. Don't bother coming in early, it won't be up yet, I promise. Thank you all once again for your time and your incredible effort this evening. Have a safe trip home, everyone!"

Still at the back of the auditorium, Chad removed his arm from Taylor and walking backwards down the aisle for a few steps, he called back earnestly, "Sorry to run, I gotta get my stuff quick. Troy is giving me a ride home. See you tomorrow!" He turned around and jogged the rest of the way to his stuff, as Taylor casually strolled down the aisle, shaking her head and laughing to herself.

Though both appeared outwardly happy, their insides were still in turmoil. Knowing the source, Chad and Taylor each discreetly glanced at their respective Evans twin, neither of whom were aware of the eyes on them, and thought simultaneously, What do you do to me?