Hey you guys! I AM SO SORRY THAT IT HAS BEEN FOREVER SINCE I UPDATED! And I know that this update is short but I figured that something was better than nothing. I've had a bit of writer's block lately so PLEASE be brutally honest when you review! BECAUSE OF COURSE YOU WILL REVIEW... duh. Love you all!

And I still don't own anything...dammit.

Chapter 11

At 2:00, Sharpay and Troy finally stepped onto the front porch of Kelsi's house. Sharpay reached up to ring the doorbell just as her purse buzzed, She checked her phone and read the new text message. Heard the car engine. We're out back. Just come through the side gate.

Sharpay looked up at Troy and shrugged lightly. She walked around the left side of the two story colonial style home. Troy opened the gate for her and she walked around to the back of the surprisingly nice house.

"Well there's the beauty queen now!" she heard Kelsi shout out to her from the other side of the table. She stood up and embraced Sharpay in a hug. "I'm so glad you two could make it!"

"It's your birthday crazy girl! I wouldn't miss it." Sharpay looked around to everyone else and said her hellos. After she had stripped down to her swimsuit, she looked around a final time. "Where's Ryan?"

Just as she finished her sentence, she felt someone pick her up bridal style and throw her into the pool. She screamed loudly and squeezed her eyes shut.

When she came up for air, she looked completely pitiful, all drenched and everything, but no one could stop laughing, especially Ryan, the convict in the situation. Sharpay looked angrily at Ryan and then sadly at Troy. He walked to the side of the pool and helped her out. Sopping wet, he held her close to him still. He smiled at her.

"What?" she tried to rub off any mascara that had escaped her eyes.

He held her hands and kissed them gently. "You look so cute all mad and drenched like that." He smiled at her sweetly. Then, he quickly picked her up and jumped with her in his embrace, into the more shallow end of the pool. When they both came up, she was still in his arms.

"You are such a jerk." she hit him playfully on the chest.

"But I'm your jerk." he smiled goofily at her and then kissed her lightly on the forehead. They just sat there for a little while enjoying each others company, until Troy started to notice Gabriella glaring at Sharpay uncomfortably. "You know I love you right?"

Sharpay knitted her eyebrows together and looked at him quizzically. "Of course, Troy. And you know I love you too. What's this about?"

Ignoring her question, Troy went on. "And you know I want to spend my whole life with you right?" The seriousness of his tone was starting to worry Sharpay. She grabbed his hand and led him off to a more private section of the backyard. Ryan got up to go see if everything was ok, but Kelsi held him back.

Sharpay turned around to look at Troy with worry in her eyes. "Troy, where is all of this coming from? You're starting to scare me."

After a moment of silence and of Troy and Sharpay just looking into each others eyes, Troy broke the silence. "I talked to my grandmother today while you were shopping for Kelsi." Sharpay looked at him eagerly to egg him on a bit. "She kept saying thing like 'If you and Sharpay get married...' or 'If you and Sharpay stay together forever...'. I realized today that I don't want us to be an 'if'. I want this to happen. I need this to happen Sharpay. I don't know what I'd do without you." Sharpay could tell that Troy was starting to get emotional, something he normally didn't do. She placed her hands on his cheeks and smiled gently at him.

"Troy, you have nothing to worry about. I am right here and I'm not going anywhere." She paused briefly. And in a sarcastic tone said, "But if Bradley Cooper comes along, its bye bye Troy." They both laughed and Sharpay looked deep into his eyes. "I love you Troy Bolton. And you're all that I want.. Forever."

Troy leaned down and quickly closed the space between their lips. The kiss, although intimate, was light and gentle, like air.

After a couple of minutes, Troy and Sharpay pulled apart longingly and smiled at each other.

"Sharpay?"

"Yes Troy?"

"Just FYI: I think your cute all the time. Not just when you're angry and drenched." He smiled at her and she slapped his arm playfully.

"Maybe we should get back to the party Troy." she took his hand and dragged him back to civilization.

An hour later, almost four o clock, they all decided that it was well past time for Kelsi to open her presents. She, of course, opened Ryan's first. Then Gabriella's, Taylor's, etc.

Lastly, Kelsi got to a small baby blue box tied up with a soft white ribbon. When Gabriella and Taylor caught sight of the Tiffany blue box, the gasped slightly. Kelsi opened the gift slowly and diligently. She too gasped when she saw what was inside the box. She reached down and pulled out a beautiful silver necklace. It had a piano pendant hanging from it and on the back it read A composer is a person who goes around forcing their will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians.Kelsi put her hand over her mouth.

"Shar, Troy, it's beautiful." She got up and hugged them both. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome Kelsi." Sharpay stepped back from the small composer girl and backed into Troy embrace. His arm went immediately around her and he kissed her temple. He could still feel Gabriella staring at them. He whispered into Sharpay's ear.

"I need to talk to you later. Nothing serious, just need to ask you something." Sharpay looked up at him with a puzzled expression. He looked at her assuredly and squeezed her side, making her giggle from the tickling sensation. She slapped him on the arm, like she so loved doing, and turned around to everyone else.

"Hey you guys, I think Troy and I are going to head out but we're all still on for dinner tonight right?" Everyone mumbled yes, and then Sharpay hugged Kelsi and her brother one last time before she and Troy left the party.