Disclaimer: I don't own HSM, though I do tend to burst into song when I'm playing sports, when I'm happy, sad, when school ends, at lunchtime, when I win things, when I'm alone and when I'm with my friends.

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Missing You

Part Thirteen

"I'm Clarissa. Ryan's girlfriend,"
Ryan had never hated himself more at the point he saw Gabriella's face, a mix of hurt, confusion, shock and, worst of all, anger.

"Ryan's girlfriend, huh?" Gabriella stuttered, her voice shaking, before forcing a fake smile onto her face, and she shook Clarissa's hand, "I'm Gabriella, mother of Ryan's child."

Clarissa frowned, "What?"
Before Ryan could step in, Troy and Sharpay stumbled into the room. Upon seeing Clarissa, Troy's eyes widened and he squeaked girlishly before attempting to run away, but by now Clarissa had engulfed him.

"Troy!" she cried, hugging him. Sharpay looked worriedly at Zoë, who was being crushed between them. Luckily enough for Sharpay's maternal instinct, Zoë could hold her own and she let out a loud, angry shriek, causing Clarissa to leap back in surprise. The blonde stared at Zoë, who just glared right back while clutching onto her daddy's shirt.

"Troy…who's the kid?" Clarissa demanded. Troy smiled.
"This is my daughter, Zoë. And this is the mother, Sharpay Evans."
Sharpay waved uncomfortably while Clarissa stared at her with wide open eyes.

"Sharpay Evans? Ry's sister who disappeared four years ago?"
Sharpay frowned, "Nice to see someone remembers me."
Clarissa then looked at Gabriella, "And you're the friend she ran off with."

"Yes, that's me,"
Clarissa then turned to Ryan, "And what's this about a kid?"
"We'll explain, Clarissa!" Chad and Troy yelled, before grabbing one of her arms each and yanking her out the room. Taylor and Sharpay looked at one another before following, taking Dylan as well.
Ryan turned to Gabriella, whose face was red with anger, her arms were folded and her eyes were cold.

"You have a girlfriend?" she snarled. Ryan suddenly had a very keen interest in his shoes.

"You have a girlfriend?" Gabriella repeated with more force. Ryan nodded.

"Yeah. I-I do."
Gabriella felt her eyes fill up with tears, "I cannot believe you! You spent the night with me while you had a girlfriend?"

"Look, Gabriella, I can explain—"

"What do you have to say?!" Gabriella yelled, gesturing wildly at the door, "There is nothing you can say to make me feel better about being the other woman!!"
"I know, but—"

"God, Shar was right!" Gabriella sneered, "Even by getting in this deep, I still get hurt!"

Ryan stared at her, "What do you mean, this deep?"
Gabriella shrugged the question off, "Ryan Evans, I cannot even look at you anymore! I'm going!"
She glared at him once more before charging into the kitchen, where Troy and Chad were explaining things to Clarissa, and Gabriella grabbed Dylan off Taylor and took Sharpay by the wrist, dragging her and Zoë out the apartment.

"Well, that was surreal," Clarissa murmured.

Chad looked at her, resisting the urge to ask her if she actually knew what surreal meant.

"I can't believe that jerk!" Sharpay seethed, angrily punching her armrest. She and Gabriella sat on the sofa back in the motel, having some 'girl' time.

"I know!" Gabriella cried, taking the cucumber off her eyes and sitting up slightly.

"Oh, don't do that." Sharpay muttered, "And don't try to smile, you'll crack your mask."
Gabriella sighed and lay back down, "I just can't believe he would hurt me this way!"
"Me neither," Sharpay said, "Y'know, it was nice talking to Troy again,"
"Really?" Gabriella asked, "I thought you didn't like him anymore, cos he was mean to you and Zoë,"
"Well, we had a good talk today. In fact, he was suggesting a better hotel nearer him," Sharpay said, as she idly put nail-varnish on her toenails.

"It would be better than this dump!" Gabriella fumed.

"Yeah. Well, maybe we should go and stay there for a couple of days 'til we book a flight to Manhattan."
Gabriella shrugged, "Maybe. I—"

"It has a pool,"
"—am so there!"
Sharpay laughed and pinched one of Gabriella's cucumber slices, putting it in her mouth.

"Hey!" Gabriella giggled, sitting up.

"Um! No smiling!" Sharpay scolded, jokingly.

"Sorry!" Gabriella cried, before sighing, "Sharpay, you were right. And I hate it when you're right!"
"Meaning?"

"I was in too deep," Gabriella muttered, "I let Ryan…weed his way into my heart!"
"Weed?! Dear me, that's gotta help a guy's self-esteem."
Gabriella sighed again, "Men. Who needs them?"

"Women. Who needs them?"
Chad raised a hand, "I do!"
Taylor affectionately patted his hair, as Ryan just wrinkled his nose.

"Hey, you were the one who slept with Gabs when you had Clarissa!" Troy pointed out.

"I know,"
After Gabriella had left, Clarissa had been told the whole story and decided to head to a hotel to mull things over. Taylor, Chad and Troy highly doubted she even knew how to 'mull' things over. She was probably just going to get stinking drunk!
"Do you love Clarissa?" Taylor suddenly asked. Ryan stared at her.

"Love her? C'mon, I've only been dating her, like, six months! We're hardly—"

"Do you love her?" Taylor asked again. Ryan shrugged, stubbornly.

"Okay. Did you feel the click when you first met her?" Taylor asked, trying a different strategy. Ryan paused, before slowly shaking his head.

"And, we all know you had a crush on Gabriella in high school, so…do you love her?"
Ryan spluttered on his beer, "What?! C'mon, guys, I barely know her! She's been gone four years!"
Taylor rolled her eyes, "MEN! Who needs them?!!"

Next Time…

Clarissa thoughtfully sat in her car, outside the Blitz hotel. She knew that Gabriella girl and her friend Sharpay were staying there, and she also knew that Gabriella had spent a night with Ryan. Which is why he dumped her tonight! He'd admitted it all. Well, Clarissa was furious as you may imagine. She had cheated on him before, sure, but it wasn't okay for him to cheat on her. She was Clarissa Robinson. If she couldn't have Ryan Evans, why should anyone else?

Yeah, just to warn you, something bad and dramatic happens to our fav. girls in the next chappie. Just a warning : ) Oh, and after the dramatic thing we'll have some TROYPAY - :D YAY!

Review review review - :D