Chapter Eleven

October 10th

"Repeat?" Gabriella demanded. She must have heard wrong. She thought Sharpay said they should be friends. And that could not be what Sharpay Evans had just suggested.

"Look, it was hard enough to gag out the first time, don't make me do it again."

"You are not serious, Blondie. We cannot be friends for one perfectly good reason."

"And what's that?" Sharpay asked.

"I hate you!"

"Besides that." Gabriella rolled her eyes and began to walk away. But Sharpay grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Look, I'm Troy's friend. And soon, odds are, you'll be Troy's girlfriend. And if we're constantly fighting, one of us might lose him." Sharpay explained.

"Good. Let it be you." Gabriella offered.

"No. It's either both of us, or neither of us. And Troy wants both of us." Sharpay could see, based Gabriella's constant rolling of her eyes that she still hadn't gotten through.

"Gabriella, you like Troy, right?" Sharpay asked seriously.

No. "Yes."

"And you want him to be happy, right?"

No, I want to be happy. "Yes."

"Then this is really the only solution." Sharpay stuck her hand out, waiting to confirm the new…friendship (this was not going to be easy to explain to the rest of her friends).

Gabriella looked down at the blond girl's hand. "One condition."

"What?"

"We only pretend to be friends. Otherwise I can go back to hating you."

"Whatever. Deal." Sharpay agreed. Gabriella daintily took one of Sharpay's fingers and shook it. Sharpay guessed that's Gabriella's version of a handshake. This was going to be a painful, painful friendship.

--

October 11th

The leaves crumbled under Sharpay's shoes as she walked down the sidewalk. She always took walks around town early on Saturday mornings, but that wasn't her purpose today. Today, she was looking for Troy.

Yesterday evening when she and Zeke returned, she had just checked her phone to find multiple text and voice messages from all of her friends, asking where the heck she was. She hadn't answered any of them yet, though. She was planning too, but right now, she needed to find Troy. Fixing this issue with him was her highest priority.

The only problem? She had walked around town five times, and still no sign of her best friend.

"Where the heck could he be?" Sharpay mumbled to herself. She mentally kicked herself for not knowing a spell that could find people.

Okay okay, pretend that you're Troy, and you ditched your pep rally to find your best friend, after getting a kiss from the girl who has bullied you and your friends for your entire lives but who you also may possibly like…where would I be?

"…Wait…of course!" Sharpay realized aloud, and began to run down streets and turn corners until she finally made it to Troy's backyard. She walked over to a tall tree, and began climbing up the built-in ladder. When she finally reached the entrance to the clubhouse, what did she see?

Troy snoring like a foghorn. Sharpay couldn't help but smile at the image before her. She climbed into the treehouse and sat in front of Troy, watching him sleep peacefully for a few minutes.

He was beautiful when he slept. And yes, Sharpay knew that no guy thinks that them being beautiful is a compliment, but it really is. He wasn't being cute, or hot, or sexy, or handsome at the moment. He was being himself, and being natural. The way his chest slowly raised and fell with each breath he took; the way his eyes would occasionally flutter, but no open; the way his lips were slightly parted; and the way his nostrils flared ever now and then. Even his snoring was beautiful.

But Sharpay wanted to stop feeling like Chad stalking Hannah Montana, so she decided to wake the sandy haired boy up. But who ever said she had to be nice about it?

She scooted up to his side, and closely leaned in next to his ear. "Hey sexy," she whispered. Troy stirred in his sleep as a response.

"You're looking so hot, Troy." Sharpay whispered again.

"Mmm thank you," Troy whispered back, probably thinking that he was dreaming.

"You get me so hot and bothered, Troy," Sharpay said, a huge smile spreading across her cheeks.

"You turn me on too, baby."

"Oh yeah? I turn you on? How much?" Sharpay said, playing along with Troy's little fantasy.

"I wanna do so many bad things to you."

"Tell me about them." Sharpay had to bit her cheeks now to keep from laughing.

"Not here, baby."

"Well then, how about at my place?" Sharpay asked seductively. Troy turned to her in his sleep, a lustful smile planted on his face.

"You think you're ready for me, babe?"

"I think the real question is are you ready for me."

"Oh, I think I can handle you, Sharpay." Troy answered back. Sharpay lost her smile and need to laugh. Wait, did he just say her name? As in he thought she really was in this conversation? No, no, maybe he was just joking with her. Yeah, he was awake, and new she was trying to mess with him, and he was messing with her back. Yeah, that had to be it. Troy couldn't really be having a…dirty dream about her…could he? Sharpay was pretty sure it was time for Troy to really wake up.

"Troy…Troy-Boy, time to wake up." Sharpay said, shaking Troy's shoulder lightly. A few moments later, Troy's eyes fluttered open, taking in the sunlight of the morning. He stretched a little before realizing Sharpay was sitting right next to him.

"Sharpay!" Troy exclaimed, immediately pouncing on his best friend and holding her in a tight embrace.

"Wow, someone's sure happy to see me." Sharpay giggled.

"Oh you have no ideal, Shar. Where were you!? Everyone's been looking for you since yesterday. Where did you go? Why did you even leave? When did you come back? When did you come -"

"Whoa, easy there, boy. One question at a time. I was just…clearing my mind out yesterday." Sharpay cut him off.

"Where?" Troy asked.

"…You know, just around. Sorry, I just saw your messages this morning. I uh…didn't get reception where I was."

"Shar, why did you even leave?" Troy asked. Oh, how could she lie to him? With those big, beautiful blue eyes. He was her best friend, and they never kept secrets from each other (excluding the whole "witch" secret, of course).

"I didn't…I didn't like seeing you and Gabriella…together. And I know she's your special girl or whatever but…it's just going to be hard for me, you know?"

Troy looked Sharpay dead in her lively brown eyes. He knew that his dating Gabriella would be hard for her. But Troy never wanted anything to be hard for Sharpay to get used to or unpleasant for her.

"I think that for now, the only special girl in my life should be you…and Ellie…and my mom." Troy confessed sincerely.

"Troy, you're seventeen. Do you really want to spend your senior year single?"

"If it means keeping you? Yeah, I do. Besides, I could never date a girl who you weren't friends with."

Sharpay took in a deep breath. "But, what if Gabriella and I…were friends?"

Troy stared at her for a while, contemplating what his best friend just said. Then an eerie smile appeared on his face.

"Troy?"

Troy then began to laugh hysterically. Sharpay watched him, not entirely sure what she said that was humorous. But Troy just continued laughing that same laugh.

"Troy, why are you laughing?" Sharpay asked seriously.

"You? Gabriella?" Troy said between fits of laughter, "FRIENDS?! That's the funniest thing you've ever told me!"

Sharpay frowned at the boy as he continued to cackle. "Troy, I'm not kidding." With the seriousness of her tone, Troy controlled his giggles.

"You can't be serious," Troy said. But from the look in her eyes, Troy could tell she was.

"Why would you ever be friends with Gabriella? You hate each other."

"But I love you…uh, you know, like the brother I never got. You mean everything to me, Troy. And I would do anything for you."

"Even if that meant being friends with Gabriella?" Troy asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Even that." Sharpay waited in an awkward silence for Troy to respond. But finally, he reached over and hugged her tightly.

"You are one strange girl, Sharpay Evans. Maybe that's why you're my best friend." he whispered into her ear, sending shivers down Sharpay's spine.

Sharpay didn't want the hug to end. In Troy's strong arms was where she felt safest. It was hard to explain, but hugging Troy just…felt right. Her body just fit his. Oh well, maybe it was just her imagination. But she knew that his arms would always be there for her when she needed them.

Troy pulled away. "I'm really tired of drama. Do you think we can just have a fun day together?" he asked.

"Sure. Want me to call the guys?" Sharpay asked, already pulling her cell phone out of her jeans' pocket.

"Actually," Troy said, making Sharpay stop going through her contacts list to look at him, "I was kinda hoping it could be just…you know, you and me. If that's okay, I mean."

Sharpay smiled at Troy, slid her phone back into her pocket, and kissed his cheek.

"That's perfect." She said, causing Troy to smile in return. They both climbed out of the treehouse and began walking down Troy's lawn. Troy protectively had his arm over Sharpay's shoulders, hoping that in a weird way it would keep her from disappearing again.

"So, Sharpie, what do you want to do on the National Troy and Sharpay are Best Friends Day?" Troy asked.

"National Troy and Sharpay are Best Friends Day?" Sharpay asked. Troy could be the corniest guy in the world sometimes. But she couldn't help but love that about him.

"Has a ring to it, don't ya think?"

"Actually, it kind of does. And, how about we go into your house and make our favorite snack." Sharpay smiled, leaning her head on Troy's shoulder.

"You don't mean -"

"- Oh yeah, I do."

"But we haven't had since we were in like, middle school."

"All the more reason to make them now."

"Wow…wait we're both talking about the same thing, right?"

"I don't know. Are we?"

"Chicken nugget sandwiches?"

"Chicken nugget sandwiches."

--

"…And then Chad's in a blonde wig singing The Climb." Troy said, finishing his story as he took another bite of his sandwich.

"I really worry about that boy. I even lose sleep thinking of what could be wrong with him." Sharpay said while chewing a bite of her own sandwich.

"Tell me about it. But, he's made it through seventeen years in society somewhat normally, so I don't worry that much. All I worry about is if that puff ball on his head is going to come back to life."

"You are one strange boy, Troy Bolton. But you introduced me to chicken nugget sandwiches, so you're off the hook."

"Thank you. So, are they as good as you remember?"

"Yes! Seriously, we should sell this recipe to some restaurant for big bucks. We'd be millionaires by the time we graduate! And then you can buy an entire basketball team, and I can buy Joe Jonas, and he and I can get all hot and steamy one night and-"

"Sharpay if you end up having your hot and sexy honeymoon with Joe Jonas then I'm going to give you my money from selling chicken nugget sandwiches. So until that day I don't need to know your…fantasies." Troy interrupted. Oh, he had to use that word. Should she? Should Sharpay be cruel and evil, or should she be a good friend and let what she heard earlier slide?

If you thought it'd be the second one, you obviously don't know Sharpay Evans.

"Speaking of fantasies, I heard you had one of your very own, Troy-Boy." Sharpay said coyly. She smiled evilly when she saw Troy's cheeks turn crimson.

"What are you talking about, Sharpay?" Troy asked, praying to God he hadn't been talking in his sleep this morning.

"Don't you remember? Here, let me remind you," Sharpay said. She put her sandwich down, and walked over to Troy, who was sitting in a chair at the kitchen table. Sharpay sat on his lap and whispered in his ear, "You get me so hot and bothered, Troy."

Was it just Troy, or was the air in the room suddenly very hot and very thick? And why were his jeans…tighter? Oh Lord. She had heard him.

"Uh…" Troy has no idea how to respond.

"It's okay Troysie. I promise I won't mention it to anyone else…on one condition." Sharpay giggles.

"Anything." Troy immediately agrees.

"Tell me, was it good?" It took Troy a moment to figure out what she meant. But the look in her eyes made it pretty obvious. Oh boy. How was he supposed to answer? Honestly? Or with a lie? Or does every girl just want to know if they were "good?"

All Troy could manage was a nod. Thankfully, it was all Sharpay needed.

"Cool. Thanks for being honest, Troysie." She said, kissing his cheek. She got up off his lap and went back to her seat across from him at the table. "So, what to you wanna do now?"

"Um, well, before we plan anything else, do you mind if I change? I've, uh, been these clothes since yesterday afternoon." Troy asked sheepishly.

"Totally. I'll be down here, thinking of how hot Joe Jonas is." Sharpay smiled.

"Glad to see that can always occupy your time. I'll just be a couple minutes." Troy said, heading for the stairs.

Nice move, Evans! "Tell me, was it good?" "Cool. Thanks for being honest, Troysie." Could you be anymore of a perv! Geez, you sounded like Chad! Just drop the subject, Sharpay! Drop it!

Sharpay couldn't believe she had actually said those things. How was she supposed to face Troy now? Oh yeah, because he was the most forgiving and sweetest guy she had ever met.

She smiled as she forgot her embarrassment. Troy could do that to her. She could be feeling like total crap one minute, and then a princess the next. Troy just made her happy, no matter what. But why?

Because he cared about her. And she knew it. She knew no matter who he dated, he'd still care about her more than most best friends do. She knew that nothing would change between them, because what they had was too good to lose. Troy would always be the over-protective, silly, adorable, sometimes annoying, chicken nugget sandwich making best friend.


I'm not even going to try to give you guys an excuse for my crappy updating, because I don't have one. My life was busy. I had state-wide testing, projects, drama rehearsals everyday until 6, day performances, trips, finals, end of the year junk, graduation, and camp. And honestly, I think I was being super bitchy, not even letting you guys know why. So if you have lost all faith in me, I completely understand. Heck, I encourage it. But I will continue updating. And if I know I won't be able to for some time, I'll let you guys know. But I can never apologize enough to you guys, because you mean everything to me.

And if you care (which you probably don't) I've posted a link to the poster for this story. Sorry it isn't fantastic – I had a time constraint.

Thanks, and sorry again you guys.

-Jenna/ZashleySilver

PS - Chicken nugget sandwiches are awesome. I highly recommend them. =]