Chapter Forty-Four – Monday Morning
(Sharpay)

When Sharpay arrived at school the next morning, she wasn't pleased to see that Ryan, Troy, and Gabriella had beaten her there. She walked into Ms. Darbus's homeroom, and slammed the bag full of Ryan's stuff onto his desk where he was sitting.

"Thought you might be needing this," said Sharpay.

"Thanks, Shar," said Ryan. After this brief interlude they went back to pretending that the other didn't exist, or at least Sharpay did, while Ryan looked through the bag. "Is my music in here?" he asked. Sharpay nodded. "Thank you," Ryan said. Sharpay's conscience was clear. At that moment, Ms. Darbus walked into the room and gave her usual morning announcements, including the one about the auditions. Sharpay was very excited. They were this afternoon, right after school.

As first period Algebra One dragged on, Sharpay kept running through the words to her audition song in her head. When she got to English, she hadn't read a word of the Wizard of Oz, but she didn't care. She and Troy partnered up, and as he recounted the book to her, she stopped him.

"The scarecrow has a name, it's Fiyero. He's in love with Elphaba, that's the Wicked Witch of the West. Her sister, Nessarose, is the Wicked Witch of the East. They all went to school together along with Galinda, who is now just Glinda, and Boq, who is now the tin man. And the Wizard isn't all that Wonderful. He's really Elphaba's father, but she doesn't know that. And it was all Madame Morrible's fault, really. And all Elphie really wanted was the shoes. They were Nessa's and that wretched little farm girl walked off with them. Takes a dead woman's shoes, she must have been born in a barn. Why didn't I play Elphie?" she asked. Troy was looking at her like she was crazy, and he went back to explaining the book. The teacher assigned them an essay to write on the Wizard of Oz.

When the bell rang for History, Sharpay was less than excited. She didn't like having the same class as Gabriella, and it was really hard. She doodled the words to her audition song in her notebook. She was very relieved as the lunch bell rang. She hurried to her usual table on the second level of the café. She wondered why it looked so empty but then remembered that Ryan and Kelsi weren't speaking to her. It was probably for the best, she thought as she ate.

Chapter Forty-Five – The Break Up
(Gabriella)

Gabriella sighed. She was sitting in Spanish with Troy. She had been putting off breaking up with him all day, and here she was. She couldn't put it off any longer.

"Troy, te dejo," she said. She hated the thought of what she was doing to Troy, but then Ryan's smiling face floated into her head. She had to do this.

"What?" said Troy. He wasn't very good at Spanish.

"Troy, I don't know how to say this, but te dejo. Je te quitte. I'm breaking up with you," she said. Gee, you have to be trilingual just to break up with this guy, she thought. Troy's face was one of complete and utter disbelief. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the box that contained the ring and necklace. "Here, I'm giving these back."

"But why? I thought we were in love," said Troy. Gabriella's eyes filled with tears at the sight of Troy's grief-stricken face. "Is there someone else?" Gabriella nodded. She didn't think she could get out another word through the tears. "Who?" Gabriella shook her head. "You're not going to tell me?" Gabriella nodded. "Gabs, what's going on?" Gabriella took a deep breath.

"I'm breaking up with you. I–" began Gabriella. She took another deep breath to hold back the tears. "There's someone else. I love him, and that's all I can say." Fortunately, the bell rang just then, and Gabriella gathered her stuff and ran out of the classroom. She knew Troy was watching her. Her tears dried instantly as she met up with Ryan. They walked down the hall.

"What's wrong, Gabs?" said Ryan, putting his arm around her shoulders. She put an arm around his waist.

"I broke up with Troy, and it was sad. But now I'm with you, and it's happy again," she said. They got to the Physics classroom, to find that they would be doing a lab with vectors. "He took it pretty well, but I'm sure it was just a cover up. He was definitely pretty confused. Although that could have been because I broke up with him in three different languages." They completed the lab and white-boarded their answers. The teacher came around and gave them a 10 out of 10 for getting the exact expected results. "I don't know what will happen though, because I didn't tell him about you," she continued.

"I'm sure it will all turn out okay. I packed my car this morning, so when he kicks me out all I'll have to do is leave," said Ryan. Gabriella knew that it was an inevitable fact. Troy was going to find out sooner or later. She just had to tell him. "Or maybe you don't have to tell him. We could just not tell him, and he'd just figure it out for himself." There was a pause. "No, you've got to tell him, but not until later, okay? We have to get through auditions and b-ball practice first." There was another pause as the bell rang. "But there's no reason to avoid him, so to homeroom we go." Gabriella took his hand and they walked back to Ms. Darbus's homeroom.

Upon their arrival, they sat down in their usual seats, which were coincidentally situated right behind the people that they were no longer speaking to. Troy walked in closely followed by Sharpay who was now wearing different clothes than she had been that morning. Gabriella thought this typical Sharpay behavior. Troy's eyes met hers as he sat down. "Nine months," he said to her. "Nine months, and this is how it ends." She nodded, and tried not to look at Troy or Ryan for the remainder of the period. When the bell finally rang, Gabriella, Troy, Sharpay, and Ryan all made their way to the auditorium, where auditions were to be held. As the students auditioning for the smaller roles read monologues, Gabriella thought about all the good times she had had with Troy. She knew he must also be thinking about them. But Gabriella also thought about the good times she was sure to have with Ryan.

She was pulled out of her reverie by Ms. Darbus calling, "Gabriella and Troy!"

"Actually, Ms. Darbus, I'm going to be auditioning with Ryan, and Troy's singing alone," said Gabriella. She stood up along with Ryan, and they made their way onstage where two microphones stood waiting for them. Ryan cued Kelsi, and the brand new couple sang their way through one of the most romantic duets in all of Musical Theatre, which had newfound meaning for the both of them. When they were finished, there was applause. They sat back down in the audience to watch as Troy sang Ladies' Choice, and Sharpay sang Kiss the Girl, applauding for each when they finished. Then Ms. Darbus announced callbacks, and everyone left. Callbacks were to be on Friday.

Gabriella and Ryan parted in the hall. Ryan had basketball practice, and Gabriella was meeting Taylor for the first meeting of their clubs. Gabriella was dreading the next part of her breakup so much, if it weren't for Ryan, it probably wouldn't have been worth it.

Chapter Forty-Six – Conspiracy?
(Sharpay)

Sharpay followed Ms. Darbus to the Drama Club room. Upon their arrival, Sharpay collapsed into the couch. She had almost never sung by herself before. "Ms. Darbus, I don't suppose you know who you're going to cast yet, because I think that I would be perfect for Stacey," said Sharpay, as Ms. Darbus shuffled her papers, evidently looking for a script. "And I think that Troy would be perfect for Keith. Which leaves Ryan and Gabriella as Brian and Amanda. It's perfect." She looked expectantly at Ms. Darbus.

"Sharpay, I will be making this decision myself, but I have to say that's exactly what I was thinking. I personally think that you star opposite your brother too much and this play was a good way to find diversity," said Ms. Darbus, who had found her script and was now sitting in a chair, reading through it. "And with you and Ryan not speaking, and now that Troy and Gabriella have broken up it does seem like the only choice we've got."

"Troy and Gabriella didn't break up, did they?" asked Sharpay. Ms. Darbus nodded. "Can you excuse me for a bit?" Sharpay left the room and ran down the hall to the Room 125, where Gabriella and Taylor were holding their clubs. Sharpay had memorized the afternoon schedule. "Gabriella, can I talk to you?" she said when she arrived. Gabriella walked with her into the hall. "Did you really break up with Troy?"

"Yes, Sharpay, you will be very happy to know that he is all yours now," said Gabriella. Sharpay was halfway to a malicious grin when she realized the tone of Gabriella's voice.

"Wait. You dumped him? Why? For who? Or is it whom?" said Sharpay.

"Yes, I dumped him. He's all yours now. Goodbye," said Gabriella. She turned away and went back into the room, closing the door behind her. Sharpay thought this breakup very out of the blue. She checked her watch. It was that time of day when the boys would be in the locker room after their practice. She raced there hoping to find some answers. She almost ran into Troy upon her arrival.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your breakup, Troy, but don't worry. I'm here for you," said Sharpay, sympathetically.

"Sharpay, I don't really want to talk about it, and for the eighth time this week, no, I don't want to go out with you again," said Troy. Sharpay scowled.

"It would make Gabriella jealous," she offered.

"No, it wouldn't. She's already got someone else," said Troy. Sharpay wondered who on earth that could be and then gasped. "What?"

"Do you know who this someone else is?" she asked him, positively grinning. Troy shook his head. "Why don't you go and see if my dear brother knows," she said to him, turning him around and pushing him to give him a head start. Sharpay sat admiring her nails until she heard the telltale shriek that told her that she was right. Troy came running back towards her. "Was I right?" she asked, innocently.

"Did you do this? Are you paying him somehow? And how you got Gabriella roped in on this I can't even begin to imagine," said Troy, very fast, suddenly furious. Sharpay couldn't see what on earth he was talking about.

"What on earth are you talking about? Ryan and I haven't spoken since Thursday. Gabriella genuinely broke up with you. I had nothing to do with it," she told him. Sharpay caught sight of Ryan looking at them and smiled sweetly. Ryan looked even more furious than Troy, if that was possible. Sharpay watched from behind Troy as Ryan left the locker room. "And now it looks like Prince Charming has gone to find his good lady," she said to him. Troy whipped around to see the locker room door shut.

Troy made to follow him, but Sharpay grabbed the back of his shirt. "Let me go," he said, struggling furiously. Sharpay had much practice in such arts, and didn't budge.

"Stay with me, Troy, and everything will be better," she said, retracting him to her, while standing up. She planted a big one on his lips, and felt him returning the favor for the first time in two and a half years. It felt good. "See," she said, ending the kiss, "it's going to be all right. Just stay with me. That's right." He had stopped struggling to get away and she let go. He stood limply next to her. Sharpay saw the rest of his basketball team staring and said, "What are you looking at?"

"Sharpay, I don't know what to say," said Troy. "I'm still not going to date you. This doesn't change anything." And he turned and left the locker room.

Chapter Forty-Seven – Love and Kissing
(Ryan)

Ryan ran down the hall in the direction of Room 125. He opened the door and went inside. He found Gabriella in the midst of a math problem. She looked at him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Troy…knows…Sharpay…told…very…angry," Ryan gasped. He was in good shape, but not that good. He took deep breaths.

"That's probably not good," said Gabriella.

"Oh, you think?" said Ryan, sarcastically. Gabriella laughed.

"Um, Gabriella, did I miss something?" said Taylor. Ryan looked between her and Gabriella.

"You didn't tell her?" said Ryan. Gabriella shook her head. "Gabriella dumped Troy for me and now Troy found out about the me part, and he's really angry. It really is a good thing we foresaw this," he added to Gabriella.

"Wait, you broke up with Troy? For Ryan? Are you crazy?" said Taylor.

"Yes, yes, and no I'm not crazy," said Gabriella. "Can we drop this, please? It's not a big deal."

"It's a huge deal. It's the biggest deal since…since the New Deal," said Taylor.

"Fine, but now is not the time," said Gabriella. She had been packing during this whole thing. "Let's go," she said to Ryan, but it was too late. Troy burst into the room with Sharpay and Chad right behind him. "Hey, man, what's up?" Gabriella said to Troy, stepping in front of Ryan.

"I'll tell you what's up! Ryan is what's up. And I know Sharpay's behind this," said Troy, "so you can stop this whole charade now. It was funny. Now stop."

"What are you talking about? I broke up with you. For Ryan. And Sharpay had nothing to do with it," said Gabriella. Ryan noticed everyone else's heads following the conversation like a tennis match. "Believe me, I would never do anything because Sharpay told me to."

"I told you I had nothing to do with it," said Sharpay. Troy ignored her.

"You know, Troy," said Ryan, stepping out from behind Gabriella, "this may be the one time Sharpay is telling the truth. This is really my fault, not hers, and certainly not Gabriella's. And you can be as mad at me as you want, but that's probably not going to change anything." He looked at Troy who had been seething, but had stopped.

"Sharpay really had nothing to do with it?" said Troy. Ryan shook his head. Ryan took a deep breath to continue talking, but Troy cut him off. "You stole my girlfriend?" Ryan nodded timidly. He was afraid of the wrath of Troy and had not anticipated that this fight would happen at the school in front of so many watching observers, most whom were freshmen. "So that's why you were gone so long yesterday to her house. And why she even came over in the first place. You two have been having this big secret relationship! That's it. That is it, isn't it?" Ryan shook his head. "Then what is it?"

"Yesterday, she came over to your house to tell me that she was going to stay with you. Then we went back outside to watch your game, and I asked her that if there was no you if it would be me that she picked, and she said yes, and kissed me. And then I drove her home. And we kissed again in my car. And I asked her if that's the way it was going to be, and she said yes. So we went inside and I told her that she really shouldn't do this just because of my feelings, and after a few failed attempts, she managed to tell me that love is looking into someone's eyes and finding forever, and she apparently found forever in mine," explained Ryan. He looked at Troy, who was still angry. He looked at Gabriella, who was watching Troy's eyes dart around the room. He looked at Taylor, who was shocked. He looked at Chad, who was staring very pointedly downwards. And he looked at Sharpay, who was positively grinning.

"So, that's how it really happened? This is all Gabriella's fault?" said Troy.

"No, I said it was my fault," said Ryan.

"But in your little story she was the one to initiate the kissing," said Troy.

"Yes, but only because I was in love with her. It all comes back to me, and for what it's worth, I'm really sorry you had to find out like this," said Ryan, sending a glare in the direction of Sharpay.

"I believe you," said Troy. He left the room, closely followed by Sharpay.

Chapter Forty-Eight – Wait!
(Gabriella)

Gabriella looked at Ryan, who looked back. There were shocked faces around the room. Taylor and Chad, in particular, were very shocked. "So, as I was saying, the answer is six, see you all tomorrow after school," said Gabriella, taking Ryan's hand and pulling him out of the room. Ryan closed the door behind them, and Gabriella ran down the hall. "Troy, wait!" she said. She could just see Troy turning around to look at her. She ran towards him. "Troy, I didn't mean for this to happen, I just…love him, I guess."

"I thought you loved me, because that's what you told me. I'd be careful with that word if I were you," said Troy.

"I did. I did love you. I went over to your house to tell Ryan that I picked you, honest. And then out of nowhere, I changed my mind, and I'm sorry," said Gabriella. "I know we said that no crazy, left-handed, singing, blonde people could break us up, but I was thinking of Sharpay. And then again when we said that no member of the Evans family could take us away from each other. It's kind of ironic, I guess. Everyone thought that if anyone was going to break us up it would be Sharpay, when in reality it was Ryan. Well, really, me, but also Ryan." She looked into Troy's eyes. "Please don't be angry with us," she pleaded. Troy shook his head and turned back around.

"Nine months. Nine months, and this is how it ends," he repeated, as he and Sharpay left. Gabriella sighed.

"Where do you suppose he's going?" said Ryan. "He doesn't have a car here, we took mine this morning."

"Sharpay will probably drive him to your house, I guess," said Gabriella. The ultimate worst had happened. Sharpay had gotten Troy. "I suppose, though, it doesn't count if he leaves with her voluntarily. She didn't really win, he chose it. It's like the lesser of the two evils." She walked out the front door, with Ryan at her shoulder. They got into his car. After a brief contemplation of where they should go, they decided to go to Troy's house.

Upon their arrival, they sat down at the dining room table to await Troy's return to the house. After about twenty minutes, that very well could have been several hours, Troy walked in the door. He noticed them sitting there, and said, "Oh, it's you."

"Yes, Troy, it's us," said Gabriella. "We came back here to say again that we're sorry and that we didn't mean for it to end up like this." Sharpay walked in the door at that moment.

"I'm going upstairs," said Troy. "Ryan can stay here if he really wants to, I don't even care." He disappeared up the stairs with Sharpay following closely behind.

"So, he seems to be pretty over you," said Ryan. "I wonder why it took them twenty minutes to get here, especially since they left first."

"Oh, gee, I wonder," said Gabriella, sarcastically. "He's really upset right now. Sharpay isn't what he needs, and he knows that. What is he doing to himself?"

"I don't know, but I know one thing for certain. I never, ever want to break up with anyone. This sucks," said Ryan. Gabriella looked at him and they both laughed. "Let's go," he said, and they got back into Ryan's car. "Are you hungry?" he said to her as he drove. She nodded. When the car finally stopped, she looked around and realized they were at the Pizza Place. She got out and took Ryan's hand, and together they embarked on the journey of their first official date. Once inside, they found their regular booth half-occupied by Taylor and Chad. Gabriella pulled Ryan into the booth. Chad and Taylor looked up.

"We've actually been expecting you. Congratulations," said Taylor. "By the way, it's pretty much common knowledge in the school that you and Troy broke up and that you and Ryan are together, and that Sharpay is with Troy."

"But Troy isn't with Sharpay," Gabriella said, frowning.

"Gabs, think of where they are right now," said Ryan.

"Oh, yeah," she said. "So the good news is that Troy seems to be over being angry. The bad news is that he seems to be taking our breakup out on Sharpay, which isn't helped by the fact that that's exactly what she wants."

"By the way, we're not taking sides in this," said Chad. "You know, in case you were wondering. We decided that there's no right or wrong, and also because we'd probably break up in the process, because I'd choose Troy, and Taylor would choose you." Gabriella thought this was good to know.

A/N: Okay, kids, I'm sorry. I really am. I couldn't fit the Troypay into this update. But I swear it is coming in the next one, whenever that is. Although, it might be a while because I seem to be experiencing a severe lack of reviews. I don't know what that's about, but anyways, thanks for reading, and PLEASE review. Please??

Samantha.

And I don't own anything. As always.