A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I took so long to update! I just finished typing today as I started on Tuesday and my mom kept yelling at me to get off of the computer because she had to do something important. And whenever I get a chance to go on, there's never enough time because then she yells at me to turn it off and go to sleep. And I was actually waiting for more reviews since the other chapter had 6 and the last chapter only had 3. Thanks anyway!
ZacCorbinLucasLover714: Read to find out!
lol925: Thank you very much! And I haven't read your stories yet. Maybe I'll come by and check them out!
megan: Thanks! Here's an update! Sorry it took so long!
Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter! This is just kinda like a filler, or maybe not. :)
This Is War
Chapter 10: Master Plan
It was snowing in New York. Big, white, snowflakes fell from the sky. Even though it was snowing, people were still rustling and bustling, trying to buy last minute Christmas presents to give to friends and family tomorrow on Christmas.
"What's in your wish list?" Rachelle asked her sister.
"Well, I want new clothes, new shoes, a new purse, a laptop, a puppy dog, and Leslie to be our mom." Roxanne said.
"You know, I still don't know why we're not separating Ms. M and dad anymore. They're all over each other!"
"Because, like Aunt Shar said, we're supposed to be happy when dad's happy. Think about it, dad put his whole life on hold for us, so we could have our lives. What does he get back? I don't want to hurt him anymore." Roxanne told her twin.
"Why can't he be happy with Leslie?" Rachelle asked.
"I don't know. I think it's a long story and maybe because she left us five years ago. That must've scarred dad emotionally really bad."
"I suppose. Well, we better get these wish lists in our Christmas socks so Santa can read it tonight." Rachelle said as she took her wish list along with her sister's and ran downstairs.
Sharpay, Zeke, Kelsi, and Jason decide to visit Ryan and the girls while they rehearse for their last musical.
"Come on guys, we're gonna be late. I really wanna see them rehearse!" Kelsi yelled for Zeke, Sharpay, and Jason to get out of the car.
"Easy there honey. You're five months pregnant. You don't want to stress out our little girl." Jason said.
"I'm not stressing out! I'm trying to get you guys to hurry up. Man! I'm about two times heavier than you and I'm still faster!" Kelsi said as Sharpay got out of the car. When they locked it, they went into the theatre.
Fallin' out, fallin' inNothin's sure in this world, no, no
Breakin' out, breakin' in
Never knowin' what lies just ahead
We can really never tell it all
"Oh… my… God." Kelsi exclaimed. The four of them just heard Ryan singing while playing his guitar.
"Kels, isn't that the song that you wrote just before Ryan went to Broadway when we were in high school?" Zeke asked. But Kelsi was speechless. She didn't think that Ryan would actually put her song, which she composed, into a musical.
Say goodbye, say helloTo a lover or friend
Sometimes we, never could understand
Why good things begin then just end
We can really never tell it all (no, no, no)
"So why didn't we hear this song when we went to the play?" Jason asked.
Sharpay shrugged. "Maybe it's for a new musical." She said.
Refrain:
But oh, can't you see
That no matter what happens
Life goes on and on
So baby, please smile
'Cause I'm always around you
And I'll make you see how beautiful
Life is for you and me
"Hey Ryan!" Sharpay interrupted his singing. Ryan stopped playing and looked up from his guitar to see his sister and his friends.
"Oh hey. I didn't know you guys were coming."
"We decided to see an aspiring actor at work." Jason said.
"Well, you should've said something. I would've dressed up a little instead of just being in a t-shirt and jeans." Ryan said, a little embarrassed that he didn't look presentable enough.
"Ryan, we're your friends." Zeke said.
"You don't have to wear any pants for all we care." Kelsi said. Everybody laughed except for Jason. He looked at his wife. "Jays, I didn't mean it like that, you know you're my only guy." Kelsi reassured her husband. Then she gave him a light kiss on the lips. "Great to know." Jason said.
"You guys wanna come into my dressing room?" Ryan offered. They all went into his dressing room.
"You guys can make yourselves comfortable. I still have to pick the girls up from their friend's house. You guys won't mind, will you?"
"No, of course not. Go and fetch the girls so we can see them rehearse too!" Sharpay shouted.
"All right. Well, I'll see you guys in a few minutes." Ryan said as he took his heavy coat and fedora hat and went out of the theatre.
Sharpay and the rest of them started looking around Ryan's dressing room.
"Ryan's dressing room is kinda nice." Zeke said.
"Yeah, feels homey and comfy." Jason said.
"I like the pictures on the wall." Kelsi said.
"It's pictures of all of us." Sharpay said.
"Really?" Zeke said as he approached the pictures on the wall to look at them. "Oh, I remember that!" He said while pointing to a picture showing Chad and Troy's faces covered in icing.
"Oh yeah! That was hilarious!" Jason said.
"What happened exactly?" Kelsi asked.
"I can't believe you weren't there." Zeke said. "Well, I baked Ryan and Sharpay each a birthday cake because it was their birthday. As Troy and Chad were bringing them out, Troy slipped on something, causing him to lose his balance, knocking into Chad in the process. Chad threw the cake up high while he put his hand on Troy's head to balance himself, causing Troy's face to end up in the cake while the other cake landed on Chad."
"And then I took a picture for keepsakes." Jason said while smiling.
"I can't believe I missed it! Where was I?"
"You were late because you had a meeting with Ms. Darbus." Sharpay said.
"Oh yeah." Kelsi said. "Sorry I was late. You know, I would've ditched her if she wasn't so scary at times."
"It's all right, I understand." Sharpay said.
"Hey guys look at this. He has a separate space for a couple of pictures." Jason said.
"They're all pictures of him and Gabriella." Kelsi said.
"Man, he's fallen for her." Zeke said.
"Hard." Jason added.
"Well, you guys should see Gabriella. I think she purposely tripped him." Sharpay said.
"What?" Jason said, confused by what Sharpay meant.
"I mean, if Ryan fell for her, that means she tripped him." Sharpay explained herself
"Oh, I get it now." Jason said.
"Hey what else is backstage?" Zeke asked.
"I don't know. Why don't we go and explore?" Sharpay said as she led the other three out of Ryan's dressing room to explore what else is backstage.
A few minutes of looking and they found an open door. The sign read, Playwright's Office. They went inside and looked around. It was bare. No pictures, no paintings, nothing on the wall. All there is in the room is a desk, a chair, and a lamp. They opened the drawers and found some scripts, playbills and books. Then they found a manila folder labeled MASTER PLAN in bold, capital letters and underlined three times. They looked at each other. They were about to open it but they heard someone come into the theatre. They also heard… heels clicking. It can't be Ryan. They all thought. Then they thought the exact same thing. Leslie. They hurriedly put the file back and ran out of the door and back into Ryan's dressing room.
"What do you think is in that folder?" Jason asked.
"I have no clue whatsoever." Zeke and Sharpay both said. "But whatever it is, knowing Leslie, it's sure to be sinister." Sharpay added.
The girls got into the car and were immediately buckled in by their father. Then when Ryan got in the driver's seat, he asked the girls a question.
"Hey girls, can I ask you something? What do you think of Gabriella?" Ryan asked.
"I think she's nice, she can teach, and she's pretty." Rachelle answered her dad.
"What about you Roxanne?"
"Same. She's pretty, she's nice, she's friendly, and she has a good fashion sense." Roxanne answered.
"Is that what you really think of her? Tell me the truth." Ryan demanded.
"What more can we say? She's perfect!" Rachelle said.
"Great to know." Ryan said as he smiled. Ryan started the car and drove for a few minutes. He stopped in front of a jewelry store and told the girls to wait in the car as he got out and went inside.
When he came back, he had a paper bag in his hand and he put it in his pocket. Then he started the car up again and went to the theatre.
When Ryan and the twins came back to the theatre, they found Sharpay, Kelsi, Zeke, and Jason trying to mess with his guitar and the equipment.
"What are you guys doing?" Ryan interrogated.
"How do you guys work this stuff?" Zeke asked as he held two ropes controlling the curtains.
"It's not really that hard… if you know what you're doing." Jason said as he took the ropes from Zeke and pulled them causing the curtains to open and close.
"Girls, shall we?" Ryan said as he took his guitar and continued the song he was singing earlier but this time, Rachelle and Roxanne are joining in.
Chorus:
Take a little time, baby
See the butterfly's colors
Listen to the birds
That were sent to sing for me and you
Can you feel me?
This is such a wonderful place to be
Gabriella was just entering the theatre, trying to see if Ryan and the twins were there. As she entered, she heard voices singing a very familiar song. Then Ryan, the twins, and her friends came into view. She decided to show her presence by singing along with the three.
Even if there is pain now
Everything will be all right
For as long as the world still turns
There will be night and day
Can you hear me?
There's a rainbow always after the rain
Ryan stopped playing and looked up to see Gabriella in the doorway, smiling and running towards them.
"Hey guys! I didn't know you'd be here!" Gabriella shouted as she leaped onto the stage.
"That was really good Gabby. Ever think about being in a musical?" Sharpay asked, winking at her. Gabriella blushed. "If you're interested, here's my agent's number. I'm sure he'll hook you up somehow." Sharpay said, handing Gabriella a calling card.
"Gabriella, how do you know my song?" Kelsi asked.
"When you gave it to Ryan, I took it for a while and looked at it. It's a really good song by the way." Gabriella complimented.
"Thanks." Kelsi said. Then she felt a jolt in her stomach. "Oh, looks like our little girl says thanks too!" Kelsi said.
"Can you guys sing again? It was great." Jason said.
"Gladly." Gabriella said as she looked at Ryan and he started playing again.
Hittin' high, hittin' low
Win or lose you should go (yeah, yeah)
Getting warm, getting cold
Weather could be so good or bad
But baby this is life
So don't get mad
Repeat refrain and chorus
Chad and Taylor are coming into the theatre with little Devon holding their hands. They found Gabriella and everybody else on the stage while Gabriella, Ryan, and the twins were singing. So they came in as quietly as possible as Ryan and Gabriella finished their song.
Bridge:
Life's full of challenges
Not all the time we get what we want
But don't despair my dear
(And I know that) You'll take each trial
And you'll make it through the storm coz you're strong
My faith in you is clear
So I'll say once again this world's wonderful
And let us celebrate life that's so beautiful, so beautiful
Repeat Chorus
When Gabriella and Ryan finished, Chad, Taylor, and little Devon climbed up on stage and started applauding with all the others.
"When did you guys get here?" Ryan directed the question to Chad, Taylor and little Devon.
"Just now. We heard you guys singing so we were quiet." Chad answered.
"What brings you guys here?" Gabriella asked.
"Well, we tried calling you guys but you weren't home so we were thinking where to find you and all we thought about was Ryan and the theatre but we didn't expect all of you guys to be here!" Taylor answered.
"We were gonna ask who's hosting the annual Christmas party." Chad said.
"Oh, I am." Ryan said as he raised his hand.
"What annual Christmas party?" Gabriella asked.
"Oh, we've been having Christmas parties every year and this year, Ryan is hosting it." Sharpay explained.
"Yeah, so if you wanna come, you're welcome anytime." Ryan said flirtatiously. Gabriella tapped her chin. "I'll have to think about it." She said sarcastically. "I'll have to check my schedule." Gabriella said, winking.
A few minutes later, Troy came through the doors and saw everybody on the stage.
"Oh hey guys! What are you guys doing here?" He asked.
"Nothing really, just hanging out." Zeke said. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I came to pick Leslie up."
"Leslie's here?" Ryan said, looking around.
"Yes Ryan, I'm here." Leslie said as she came out of her office.
"Okay, are we still on for the Christmas party?" Troy asked.
"Yeah, we're doing it at Ryan's this year." Kelsi answered.
"Okay. I'll be there." Troy said.
"What about me? Why didn't anybody invite me?" Leslie asked, oh-so innocently. Nobody answered. "Huh, Ryan?" Leslie asked as she looked at him.
"Well maybe because nobody wants you near them." Ryan said harshly. Leslie rolls her eyes and goes to Troy.
"Come on Troy, let's leave these losers." She said as she drags Troy out of the theatre. Before they get out, Troy shot everybody a "help me" look using his eyes. Then they disappeared.
"Somebody really needs to help that boy." Taylor said.
"Why doesn't he just break up with her?" Jason asks.
"Are you kidding? Nobody and I mean nobody breaks up with her. And if they do, they'll be sorry. Who knows what she'll do to him?" Ryan said.
"How'd you survive?" Chad asked.
"I didn't break up with her. She broke up with me." Ryan explained.
"Well, I've gotta go, see you guys tonight!" Sharpay said as she took her purse and ran outside.
Rachelle started inching towards Roxanne and started whispering to her. "I feel bad for Leslie. Do you think we should invite her later?" Rachelle asked.
"Maybe we should. What do you think?" Roxanne answered.
"I think we should."
"Okay, then we'll ask her later."
Oooh, what do you guys think about that? Did you guys like it? Sorry if it was short. Please let me know what you think in your reviews. I'm not sure if I'm going to make the next chapter a filler or not. If I do make it a filler, it's because I just want to make my story longer, but I think it's long enough.
Oh, and Kelsi didn't really compose that song. If you guys want to hear the song, go to my profile and click on the youtube link.
PLEASE R&R!!!