Finally! An update on time! Don't hate me for this chapter.

It is extremely dramatic.

Oh and by the way, I spent my entire day at Starbucks. W00t - my friend works there so I was allowed to hang out all day for half price coffee - yeah! Long live the Starbucks - y'all are the best! :)

A coffee for your thoughts on the chapter.

Cheers!

;)

...

''I...'' Sharpay's fingers clenched and unclenched their grip on Chad's shirt. She sighed.

''I don't know...''

''You have no idea how I felt when you did that. You were the first person I've ever trusted... You can't - you'll really never know how hard it was to do what I did - for me. And now - look at me now. This is where the whole 'us' concept has gotten me. I don't -- I didn't want it to be like this... I wanted different. I wanted to be happy.''

Sharpay pulled away, tears flowing down her cheeks. ''And right now - I'm not.''

''Pay, please... don't do this.'' whispered Chad, trying to hold on to her with his last hope. ''Remember when we were at Sweet Mints? When you said we'd be together no matter what. No matter what, Pay...''

She shook her head tearfully. ''That was before you did what you did...''

''Pay, I'll make it up to you. I swear I'll never look at another girl again if that's what it takes. I need you Shar... please don't do this. Don't pretend we'll move on and be fine... Don't pretend you don't need me... Don't lie to yourself, Sharpay.'' Chad was almost on his knees. Every word she said was making him feel like his heart was being ripped out. He could heart it beating feebly, ringing in his ears as he struggled to think straight - to stay sane.

''I do need you, Chad. I really do, and I don't think I'll ever be the same. But this is just not healthy - I don't feel alright, I need to find myself again. I need to break away from this, Chad. You and I both know it's true... It's what's best.'' she paused and tried to brush away a tear, but her hand shook too much. ''This is not healthy for either of us...''

Chad shook his head desperately, grabbing the blond by the shoulders so hard, she flinched. ''Don't.'' he said brokenly, almost on the verge of tears himself. They stung his eyes - the feeling was foreign to him. He hadn't cried since he was eight - tears were simply a weakness to him and nothing more. Yet, right know, it was taking him all he had to stop them form pouring down his cheeks.

Sharpay breathed in, one long, shuddering breath. She reached into the pocket of her sundress and slowly pulled out a tiny, crumpled piece of paper that looked like it would fall to pieces any minute. The former Ice Queen let another tear fall before she pressed the object into his hands. ''I'm sorry...'' she choked, running back into her room and locking the balcony door.

Chad heard her body slam against the glass as she slid down, sobbing uncontrollably.

He looked down numbly at the pathetic, torn up paper in his hands, unfolding it, as if in a trance. His eyes moved over the paper again and again and again as he read it over and over...

Reezuns Y I Luv Sharpie Evenz

1. She iz the purttiest girl I hav evr seen and I dunt like gurls cuz my cusin Jenelle iz evil

2. She has a smile taht iz braigter than anyfink evur!

3. She iz not too shy wen I talk too her becuz most gurls say I hav cootiez in my hair and I do not reali

4. Herr eyez remind me of chocolate becuz they ar so purtty

5. I think dat wen teh sun shines on her hair I believed my mommi wen she said angels exist

I Luv Her 4 Evur!

At the end of the note was a huge smiley face and a lopsided, over sized heart that took up all the rest of the page. Chad's fist closed around it, crumpling his last hope. He was shaking with anger, disappointment - and the sudden empty feeling that told him she would never smile at him again.

It just hurt. Hurt to know that he had finally gotten something he had really wanted - that made him happy - and that he had lost it. Hurt to know that it was indeed his fault and that she had every right to react the way she did.

''I'll always love you, Sharpay Juliette Anabell Evans...'' he whispered with one last look at the shaking curtains behind glass that told him Sharpay was still crying. He resisted the urge to smash past the transparent wall separating them and kiss her one last time - he had to let go...Sharpay was right... this wasn't healthy...

Chad turned to go, swinging a leg carelessly over the balcony railing as he reached for a tree branch. His movements were sluggish - dead-...ish...

One puffy chocolate brown eye was peeking through the white lace curtains, watching him go. Sharpay clenched her hands so hard she felt blood trickle through her palms. Every fibre of her being was screaming in protest - her mind was hovering on the brink of insanity as she struggled to control herself. This was the last part. All she had to do was let him go and it would be over - it would be easier to bear...

Sharpay looked at him, her eyes drinking his image in hungrily - his fit form hanging off her balcony. His scuffed jeans and green graphic tee - the way the sun danced around teasingly through the corkscrew curls that were his afro.

She wanted to stare at him for as long as possible - to stare at Chad. Not lunkhead gorilla Danforth, the guy he would have to go back to being for her.

She felt something in her snap as she saw the last of his afro disappear down her railing. No!

''Chad!''

And then everything was a blur - the balcony door swung open as she flew out, defeated and hopeful...his shocked face snapping up to meet hers... Those happy brown eyes sparkling for a split second before... before there was a scream - she did not know where it came from... maybe it was her own. A loud, heart shattering scream as she saw him lose hold - and fall three storeys down off her balcony.

She remembered leaning over the uselessly dangling her hand down for him to catch before watching his body plunge down and hit the concrete path below with a sickening thud.

Over and over, she screamed his name, her legs giving out from underneath when he did not reply.

Sharpay tore herself off the floor and shoved past a bewildered Ryan as she almost tumbled down the stairs, still screaming Chad's name. She heard a loud rip as her dress caught onto something, drawing blood from a cut on her leg. The blond rushed outside, ignoring her brother's cries that rang through the house.

The older Evans twin dropped to her knees beside Chad's unconscious form by the poolside, not caring that she was scabbing her knees in the process. Her fingers touched blood and she screamed.

''Chad - Chad wake up! Open your eyes, Chad! Talk to me, please! Please Chad, god don't leave me. I love you, I love you, Chad, please, say something!'' she was was completely hysterical as she shook him, harder and harder, her efforts climaxing in a wail as she collapsed over his chest, shaking uncontrollably.

''Shar! What's going o-- Oh my god, Shar!'' Ryan's eyes were wide as he saw his sister lying over the apparently lifeless form of Chad Danforth. His head was reeling as he struggled to wrap his brain around the alarming scene.

''Ryan, call the paramedics! HURRY!'' Sharpay's voice echoed harshly in his ears, galvanizing him into action.

''Is he breathing?'' he questioned rapidly, whipping out his cell.

''Yes, just hurry!'' sobbed the blond. Sharpay pulled Chad's head onto her lap as she scooped up some of the water from the pool in her palm, pouring it over his face.

''You'll be okay, Chad.'' she hiccuped. ''Ry's calling the medics - please hold on, you'll be okay...''

Her fingers shakily traced his features as she brushed a few stray curls out of his face.

Somewhere distant, she heard sirens - then suddenly there were people. So many people everywhere. They took him away from her and locked him away in the van. She remembered screaming and protesting - she even bit one of the medics on the arm when he tried to hold her back. But the van left without her.

Fucking idiots - she had called them that.

Sharpay couldn't remember much clearly. She didn't know how many speed limits she had broken on the way to the hospital - all she knew was, she had gotten there. She had kicked and protested, screeching angrily until they finally allowed her to see him three hours later.

''I love you Chad...'' she had said, squeezing his chocolate brown, immobile hand. ''Please stay with me...''

...

I am SO sorry for doing that. But it had to be done. Sharpay is one stubborn cookie and I needed something really drastic to get her to change her mind.

Poor Chad. (tear)

Review!

Luff,

Iliii - aka Crystal-Fey