Chapter 11!!!! Things are picking up now, I promise. The moping is pretty much over with. And I've been pretty swamped with school work, so the chapters are coming later than before. There is a song in this chapter, and...Disney owns it? I think that's right. Anyway, it was kinda in Pocahontas, which is one of the best Disney movies ever, even if it's so inaccurate it makes me cry.

Exactly two weeks later, Chad called Troy as he got out of the shower.

"Dude, where have you been?" He asked. "I've been calling for the last twenty minutes.

"I'm sorry that I take my personal hygiene a little more seriously than you do." Troy said. "Anyway, what is so important that it can't wait another forty minutes for me to get to school?"

"You, me, and Sharpay are meeting at lunch today to discuss the Ryan/Sarah situation." He said. "So make up some excuse as to why you wouldn't be at the usual table. I'm using Darbus as an excuse, so think of your own."

"Why can't I use Darbus too?" He asked.

"It's too conspicuous." Chad said. "Just meet us at Sharpay's locker at the lunch bell." He hung up, and Troy just rolled his eyes.

The lunch bell rang after an awkward morning in classes with Ryan and Sarah, and Troy found himself standing in front of Sharpay's pink locker, trying to look inconspicuous.

"No need to look so suspicious." Chad said, meeting him.

"You did make it seem like mission impossible." Troy pointed out.

"Dun dun dun da-da-da-dun." Chad sang, grinning.

"Can you please act professional?" Sharpay asked, approaching them.

"No." Both boys answered together.

The blond just rolled her eyes. "Come on." She said, leading them through the halls and to the balcony over the cafeteria, which was mercifully empty. Coming from above meant that few of classmates noticed, and certainly not the two people they were conspiring against. Sharpay spoke first, settling in between the two boys.

"He needs to win her back." Troy was surprised by the fire in her eyes. He had never seen her so passionate about something. "He's miserable, she's miserable, and it's affecting my cast." Troy raised an eyebrow at her. "And it's destroying Ryan." She added, and Chad nodded. "He's my brother. I can't just sit back and watch this happen to him. And surely you feel the same way about Sarah."

"Of course." Chad agreed. "They're just hurting themselves." He frowned. "But Ryan is already pretty set in just letting her go. He's not going to start any sort of campaign any time soon."

"So we need a plan." She said, flipping her hair over her shoulder and eyeing her brother.

"You already have one, don't you?" Troy asked.

"Kind of." She frowned in concentration. "The trick is to bring them together without being obvious about it. We've got to get inside their psyche and find out what is it that makes them think about the other, and bring that trigger up as much as possible."

Troy nodded, slightly unsure of what she meant by a trigger. He instead turned his gaze to follow hers, looking out on the crowded cafeteria. His gaze found Sarah instantly. She was sitting at the lunch table he had blown off, wearing a shallow smile that no one believed, bopping her head to the beat booming from the pink ear buds she was sharing with Taylor. Just beyond that table was Ryan with Kelsi and some drama kids. He watched as Ryan interacted with them, but the laughter never seemed to reach his eyes. They were good actors, but not good enough.

"So what's the plan?" Troy asked, his own passion now invested into the plot.

"Right now we observe." Sharpay said, her blue eyes still narrowed on her brother. "We wait and watch and find out what makes them really miss each other. Then, we attack." Her gaze darted to Sarah and her surrounding friends. "Talk to Taylor, Gabriella and Martha. They'll know tons. Kelsi too. She's really close to both of them." She glanced at the two boys before continuing. "They're perfect for each other. They just need some help remembering that." She sighed. "We'll meet back here on Friday to conference. That's when we'll come up with a real plan of action. I think it should be a lot of little moves leading to one big moment. That way, not only is it romantic, but it is a constant reminder to both of them how happy they are together." Sharpay suddenly broke into a devious smile.

"You're going to have them rehearse the kiss all week, aren't you?" Troy asked.

"Of course. And all their really romantic songs. They have plenty of them." Sharpay said. She snickered. "Talk about a reminder."

"Wait, they kiss?" Chad asked. The other two nodded. "I didn't know that."

"If you started showing up to rehearsal, you might have." Sharpay said, an icy note in her voice. She returned her gaze to her brother. "It's just going to take some time." She snapped out of her stupor and jumped up. "Okay, who's hungry?" Of course, there is only one answer to that question when addressed to any boy.

"Me." They both said, jumping up.

Sharpay put her plan into immediate action, starting at rehearsal that day. The show was blocked by now, even the dance numbers. Now that her actors knew what they were doing, she had Kelsi pull people for song rehearsals. She had been carefully avoiding Sarah and Ryan's many duets, but decided that she couldn't any longer.

"Troy, Gabs, I want you two to run the work scene on stage." She commanded in a stage voice. "Ryan, Sarah, go with Kelsi and work on "If I Never Knew You." It's a tough song, and you too need to be-"

"Perfect." They both muttered, more to summarize their own thoughts than to finish Sharpay's sentence.

"Well don't be so enthusiastic." Kelsi said, leading them to the backstage entrance of the music room.

"Sorry Kels." Sarah sighed, taking a sip from the pink Nalgene she carried everywhere. "I promise to at least act enthusiastic." She screwed the top back on. "Maybe."

Ryan didn't say anything. This was the most Sarah had said in his presence since that fateful dinner, and he was absorbing the sound of her voice. Though he would never admit it, he missed her desperately.

"Okay guys, you know the drill." Kelsi sat down on the piano bench, Ryan and Sarah taking their stations at either side of her. "It's pretty self-explanatory. Do you want to start it at half-time and then pick it up?" Both singers shook their heads. "All right, let's just dive in, then." She played the opening, Ryan voice starting low and hoarse from lack of use but warming up quickly.

Ryan: If I never knew you
If I never felt this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be

And if I never held you
I would never have a clue
How at last I'd find in you
The missing part of me

In this world so full of fear
Full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear
In your eyes
So dry your eyes

Try as he might, Ryan could not stop thinking about Sarah. I've never sang truer words. He thought, praying his voice wouldn't crack. Stop.He scolded himself. This is what she wants. Be happy for her.

Ryan: And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

Sarah: If I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true

I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

This was the right choice. She reminded herself, careful not to look at him. This is how it should be. This is right. She glanced up at him. No it's not. How could it be? I'm in love with him. NO!! I did not just say that. No. I don't love him.

Sarah: I thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we made the whole world bright
I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they'd leave us where these whispers in the night
But still my heart is singing
We were right

Sarah: If I never knew you

Ryan: There's no moment I regret
Sarah: If I never knew this love

Ryan: Since the moment that we met
Sarah: I would have no inkling of
Ryan: If our time has gone too fast
Sarah: How precious life can be
Ryan: I've lived at last...

Ryan: And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Empty as the sky

Sarah: Never knowing why

Both: Lost forever
If I never knew you

"Wow." Kelsi said. "That was good. You guys really sounded like you meant it." HINT HINT!!!! She thought.

"Thanks Kels." Ryan said, refusing to look up.

"Yeah, thanks." Sarah echoed, also looking away.

Kelsi sighed, her hands hitting the keys in a discord of noise. This was going to be a long three months.

That Friday during lunch, Kelsi, Ryan and Sarah were locked up in the music room, still rehearsing. They didn't really need it, but it was a useful way to keep the pair out of the lunch room so that their friends could convene.

"Okay, so it's obvious that this is going to be a challenge." Sharpay said, assuming the leadership position per usual. "But it's not possible. They are missing each other pretty badly, so we need to keep reminding them of how perfect they are."

"Sarah's doubting herself." Taylor chimed in. "She keeps asking if she did the right thing."

"Start telling her she didn't." Sharpay said. "Point out how miserable she is now." She paused, and turned to Troy. "She is miserable, right?"

"I don't think I've seen so many empty Ben and Jerry's pints in one place at one time." Troy said. "The grocery bill has gone up about thirty dollars from it."

"How does she still fit in her jeans?" Gabriella asked, amazed.

"When she's not stuffing her face, she's dancing." Troy shrugged. "Her laundry smells worse than mine right now."

"Okay, so she's miserable." Sharpay plowed through. "We need to use that. Ryan is also doubting it. He can't believe that this is happening, and he won't sing anymore, save for rehearsals. Not even in the car." A weird, hushed sort of groan of shock ran through the group. Ryan not singing was like Sharpay wearing all black. Or Zeke actually burning something. Or Chad chopping his hair off.

"So what's the plan?" Chad asked.

"I'm…not sure." Sharpay said. "The only thing I have come up with is-"

"A sleepover." Taylor said. Her eyes were wide and sparkling. "We have a sleepover. We play all those lame sleepover games, and all of us couples-" She looked at Chad, Troy, and Gabriella. "Prove just how much we love each other, and get them to think of how much they love each other."

"Okay." Sharpay nodded. "Not quite what I had in mind, but I guess it will work." Her eyes suddenly brightened as well. "We can have it at my house! That way we can do my idea too!!"

"What was your idea?" Troy asked a little hesitantly.

"Karaoke." She said with a shrug. "It's both of their strong points. And anyway, it's cute. Like in a movie." She caught Chad rolling his eyes. "It's better than your idea, Danforth."

"What idea?" He asked, unaware that he had come up with anything.

"Exactly." Sharpay said.

"So when is this happening?" Gabriella asked. Sharpay thought for a minute.

"Next Saturday." She said. "It gives them enough time to work up to it, you know?" The group nodded in agreement, and saved the date to tell the other three, all hoping that their plan would work.

So my little duckies, you know what to do from here!! Short story: My teacher called us her 'duckies' the other day and I cracked up and turned to one of my friends and we did the little finger kiss thing that Ryan and his mom does. My teacher thought we were nuts. Anyway, please review!! You must have some idea of how much they help by now...don't you?

Lessthanthree,

Karina