Sharpay and Ryan got up early and had to go straight to school. Ms. Darbus had ordered everyone to do another run-through of the show Saturday morning before the last performance. Ashley spent most of the day finishing up her homework for spring break. When she finished she sat down and read a book until it was time to go see the musical.

This time she got there early enough to get a good seat. She sat next to people she didn't know, but she never really noticed. She was too busy focusing and critiquing the performance. Sharpay had asked her to find the mistakes so they could make sure to work on those things in future performances. During intermission Ashley got up to stretch her legs. She walked around the lobby for a few minutes, but never saw anyone she recognized so she went back to her seat.

At the end of the performance all the actors stood on stage and together gave a gift to Ms. Darbus for all her hard work. Ms. Darbus went into a long speech about everything she puts into every musical, and by the end, most of the audience had left. Ashley went backstage and helped Sharpay take off her stage make-up for the after-party, which was being held at their house. Sharpay gave her permission to attend the party instead of banishing her to her room.

"So how long do these parties usually last?" Ashley asked Ryan on the ride over.

"It depends. Sometimes they only last a few hours, sometimes they last all night. This one will probably be a long one since it's spring break, but you can go up to your room whenever you want."

Ryan spent his time talking with the other actors and techies from the show. Ashley left him in search of a familiar face. She spotted Gabriella across the room, standing next to Troy, who was being held up by Sharpay. It was obvious that Troy would rather be spending time with Gabriella instead of Sharpay, so Ashley intervened.

"Sharpay, one of the actors is looking for you in the living room. They wanted to congratulate you on your spectacular performance." Sharpay quickly left Troy in search of the non-existent suck-up.

"Thanks Ash," Troy told her. "I thought she'd never leave."

"I know. I figured you were looking for an escape route. I've lived with her long enough to know exactly what to say to get her to go away."

"Did you like the show?" Gabriella asked.

"Yes. I saw it last night too, but Sharpay wanted me to go and find all the mistakes."

"Why would she want you to do that?"

"Who cares," Troy said. "Is there food in the kitchen?" Ashley nodded and Troy disappeared.

"I guess I know where his priorities lie," Gabriella commented.

"He's just hungry, like all boys. Speaking of boys, have you seen Chad? I know Troy invited him."

"Taylor told me they wouldn't be coming because they were going to have a talk. She said you two talked at the performance last night and you told her to talk to Chad about some things. Hopefully they work things out. I'd hate to see them break up."

"They seem happy together. I think they'll be able to work things out. What about you and Troy? How are things going?"

"We're doing fine. He actually gave me this necklace tonight after the performance." She pointed to the necklace she was wearing: a plain silver chain with a silver pendant in the shape of a "T" and a red stone embedded in it.

"That's sweet." Troy came back then with a small plate of food and took Gabriella away.

Ashley wandered around, congratulating people here and there. Right when she was about to go up to her room and retire for the night, she saw a head of big, brown hair walk through the door. She left the stairs and walked over to greet Chad.

"Hey Chad." She noticed Taylor didn't appear behind him. "Where's Taylor?" Chad's smile faltered slightly when he heard Taylor's name.

"She's not coming. How was the play?" he asked while walking to the kitchen. He started piling food on a plate.

"It was fine. I think Troy might have left with Gabriella already, in case you're looking for him."

"Chad!" Chad had only seconds to set his plate of food down before being hugged from behind and lifted away from the table. When he was set on the ground again he turned to talk to his tormenter.

"Hey Troy, I was told you'd left." Chad picked up his food and followed Troy into the living room.

"Nope, I'm still here. I had to take Gabriella home but I came back to see you. So where's Taylor?"

"She decided not to come. How's the party so far?" Chad started eating his food while Troy talked.

"It's not very exciting. Of course, the food is pretty good." Troy watched Chad shove bite after bite into his mouth. "I don't think you got quite enough food." Chad didn't respond, which Troy thought was weird. "Chad, are you okay?"

"Fine," he said in between bites. Sharpay chose that moment to drag Troy away to introduce him to more people. Chad headed back to the kitchen.

On his way he passed the doors leading to the patio by the pool. Ashley was standing outside by herself. Chad threw his plate into the already overflowing trashcan and walked outside. He shut the door behind him and Ashley turned around.

"Hey Chad."

"What are you doing out here?"

"I thought the pool looked pretty," Ashley said sarcastically. Chad laughed. "So what's bothering you?" She had seen the way he acted with Troy. It was obvious that something was wrong because he wasn't his normal, happy self.

"Nothing." Ashley gave him a skeptical look. Chad sighed. "Taylor and I broke up." Ashley was silent, not knowing what to say. The silence stretched on until Ashley finally asked the question that was on her mind.

"Why?" Chad thought back to his last conversation with Taylor.

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"We need to talk," Taylor told him.

Chad stepped back in surprise. He hadn't seen Taylor all day because she was having a decathlon practice. She told him she wanted to get an early start for the next competition. That night he went to pick her up for the party Sharpay and Ryan were holding to celebrate the end of the musical. He knocked on her door and the first thing she said to him wasn't the "hello" he had been expecting.

"About what?"

"About us. You never seem to want to hang out with me anymore. You always have a reason for being somewhere else or having something else to do. I know I've been busy with my decathlon meetings, but I still try to make time for you. It just seems like you don't want to be together anymore."

"I haven't been avoiding you. I know you've been busy with the decathlon, but I told you I understood because I have basketball practices."

"What about during school, at lunch. You hardly talk to me anymore. You're either talking to Troy or Ashley when she sits with us."

"You're always talking to Gabriella, so I just figured I would have my own conversation. If you wanted to talk to me why didn't you say something?"

"I tried, but you never listened." By this time Taylor and Chad were sitting in chairs on the McKessie's front porch.

"I'm sorry that you've been feeling like I'm avoiding you. Can we work this out?"

"I don't know Chad. I think . . . I think we need a break." Chad stood up.

"Are you saying that you want to break up?"

"I don't know, maybe, kind of," Taylor said quickly. "Things are just getting too complicated and I don't think we're meant to be together. I'm sorry." Taylor stood up and ran into her house. Chad went to his car and sat there for a few minutes before driving to the party by himself.

---------

"It just wasn't working out," Chad told Ashley.

"I'm sorry." She hated seeing Chad hurt. "Why did you come to the party?"

"I guess I thought it would get my mind off things. It's not working though. I think I'm just going to go home."

"Wait," Ashley said. She knew if he went home he would only be thinking about things with Taylor, so she thought of a way to preoccupy his mind. "The parties always end with a musical. Don't you want to stay and watch it? You know that at this point you won't be able to get out of the house without offending Sharpay, and I know you don't want to do that." By now Chad was smiling as he saw he had no choice but to watch the movie.

"Oh fine, but it better not be something cheesy like The Sound of Music." Ashley smiled, because she had picked the movie out with permission from Sharpay. Luckily for Chad it wasn't The Sound of Music.

"Nope, nothing like that."

Ashley led Chad back inside the house. Sharpay had been waiting to start the movie until Ashley showed up since she had picked it. Most of the people had left, so there were only ten or so people remaining. Sharpay had held Troy up long enough to keep him around for the movie. Everyone scrambled to find good seats in the large living room. Ashley ended up sitting next to Chad on the couch too big for one person but just big enough for too. Once everyone found a seat they started watching The Happiest Millionaire.

Half way through the movie, Ashley looked over to see Chad asleep with his head leaning against the back of the couch. She smiled and went back to watching the movie, but a few minutes later she felt Chad's head slide over and rest on her shoulder. She wasn't sure what to do. She didn't mind because she could still watch the movie, but she wasn't sure what Chad or the other people in the room would say. She decided that if Chad was still asleep at the end of the movie she'd wake him before the lights got turned on. As it turned out, Ashley and her siblings were the only ones still awake at the end of the movie. She woke Chad up and then helped her siblings wake everyone else up.

"How long was I out?" Chad asked while Ashley was trying to wake up Troy.

"I noticed you were sleeping an hour into it, but I'm pretty sure you fell asleep before that. How do you wake this guy up?" she asked concerning Troy.

Chad smiled. He walked into the kitchen and came back with a pan and spoon. He put the pan next to Troy's head and began banging on it with the spoon. Troy woke up seconds after and hit his head on the pan.

"What's going on?" Troy asked. He seemed to remember quickly because a second later he asked, "How long have I been asleep?" Chad just laughed and helped Troy to his feet.

Troy and Chad were the last two to leave. Sharpay didn't seem to want to let Troy go. She hadn't quite gotten over him yet, but she wasn't actually trying to break him and Gabriella up; she just wanted Troy's attention on her. Ashley got Sharpay away from Troy so Ryan reminded Troy and Chad as they walked out the door that they were invited to another party on Monday. Troy was told to remind Gabriella and Chad was to tell Taylor.

"Hey Troy, do you think you could have Gabriella tell Taylor?"

"Why?"

"Taylor and I aren't on the best of terms right now," he said. He was hoping that he could talk to Taylor and get back together with her, but he wanted to give her a little space right now.

"Sure, I'll tell Gabriella. See you Monday then."

"See ya." Chad got in his car and drove home, ready to go back to sleep.