hey hey heeyy!
sorry last chapter was so short! to make up for it, i made this one nice and long for y'all :)
this chapter was really fun. This chapter is following a trend i started last chapter in that I'm including other main characters instead of having the story focuss solely on Troy and Ryan. after all, they're all in this together, right?
...yes i realize that joke is largely overused.
this chapter is jam-packed with drama, so get ready to watch the feathers fly.
A Plan in Action
Gabriella sauntered to her locker, looking particularly smug. Opening the door, she dropped all her books into it and locked it up once again. She checked her watch. The last bell had gone, and it was time for rehearsal. That also meant it was time to put her master plan into action. Taking long strides, Gabriella marched to her first destination.
Sharpay wasn't exactly sure what Gabriella was up to. She was mum on the victim, or victims it sounded like. She did ask Sharpay a lot of questions though. Naturally, getting even with people was one of Sharpay's lesser known skills. Well, at least she thought it was a lesser-known skill. So she was more than happy to help.
Gabriella was cautious as she quietly sneaked to Troy's locker. In her hand she held a brief note, which she slipped into the vent in Troy's locker. She considered opening Troy's locker up to see if it landed in an obvious spot when she heard someone approaching. Turning her head in the direction of the incoming stranger, she hurried off in the opposite direction. She ducked down another hallway and pressed her back against the wall. She heard the footsteps get louder until they stopped. A locker was opened and the creak of its rusty hinges echoed in the empty hallway. Gabriella inched her head around the corner, and she could make out the back of Troy's head. Gabriella grinned. Phase one was complete.
Troy smiled brightly as he read the note Ryan had left in his locker. He slipped it into his pocket and walked over to the auditorium. Sharpay had stolen Ryan away from him right after class, and Troy was looking forward to a few minutes of alone time with him before rehearsal. He would just have to pull Ryan backstage and see where things would go in the darkness behind the curtain.
Ryan twiddled his thumbs as he stood rooted on the spot Sharpay had left him. She told him that they were doing a lights test, but as far as Ryan could tell all the lights were turned off. Still, he didn't move. The last thing he needed was Sharpay angry at him. He sighed and checked his watch. Rehearsal was due to stare in less than five minutes, where was everyone? As if answering his question, he heard the sound of someone's shoes against the stage floor. Ryan turned around and saw Troy smiling at him through a split in the left wing curtains.
"Hello love." Ryan smiled as Troy approached.
"Well isn't this a cozy rendezvous." Troy said, sidling up to Ryan and taking his hands. "What are you doing here all alone?"
Ryan leaned in a few inches closer. "Sharpay said we were doing a lights test." Troy faltered.
"Sharpay?"
Sharpay was standing on the edge of the stage, just in front of the curtains that concealed the rest of it. She watched as the seats filled up with people. She was starting to get concerned. Sure, it was her who said that revenge was always sweeter when you had an audience, but it was Ryan on the other side of the curtains. She held her walkie-talkie to her mouth and hit the 'talk' button.
"Freaky Math Girl, this is Golden Throat, do you copy?"
"Roger." Came Gabriella's crackly reply. "What is it Sharpay?"
"Run by me again what Ryan's role in this big plan of yours is."
Gabriella's laugh sounded creepy over the radio when she replied. "When did you start caring?"
Sharpay frowned. What was that supposed to mean? She had always cared about Ryan! "Gabriella, what are you planning? Tell me why Ryan's behind the curtain!"
"I told you, Sharpay." Gabriella said. "It's a surprise."
Sharpay swallowed. By now, the entire auditorium was filled. Was Ryan still standing centre stage? What was going to happen to him? Now Sharpay was really worried. Was it him Gabriella was trying to get revenge on?
Troy and Ryan were still standing in the dark.
"You sure we can trust her?" Troy asked.
"Of course. I know Sharpay, and I know when she's about to put a plan into action. We're fine for now." Ryan said. His arms were wrapped around Troy's waist, and he was scarcely and inch from Troy. They were standing that close for far too long now. He slowly brought his mouth closer to Troy's, tilting his head up to compensate for Troy's height…
Sharpay heard someone yell 'Curtain!', and she could not stop herself. She dodged behind the curtain to see what everyone was about to witness. By the light of her iPod nano, she could make out Ryan's figure ensnared in someone else arms. She lifted the mp3 player a bit higher and saw the face of her brother's visitor. It hit Sharpay all at once like a subway train and she ran to the middle of the stage. As the curtains slowly slid open, she could see a spotlight flicker as it warmed up. She jumped into the air, aiming herself at the two boys standing centre stage.
Everything happened in a heartbeat. Ryan felt someone else's arms close around his back as a scream filled the air. He was pushed into Troy, and the three toppled over. As they hit the ground, the stage exploded with light. Dazed, confused, and blind, the only thing Ryan was aware of was the rush of murmurs that seemed to issue from the auditorium in front of him. Since when did people come to watch their rehearsals? The neck of his shirt dug into his throat as someone grabbed the back of it and tried to drag him away.
"Get up you two!" Hissed a familiar voice. Ryan did what he was told, or at least he tried to, and crawled off the stage, Troy wobbling beside him. The lights were dimmer offstage, and Ryan was finally able to recognize Sharpay.
He swayed a bit on the spot he sat on. "Shar, what just happened?"
But Sharpay didn't reply. In her hand she clutched his walkie-talkie. "GABRIELLA! HOW COULD YOU?!"
"Sharpay, what did you do that for?" Came Gabriella's annoyed response.
Sharpay was beside herself in fury. Her whole body shook as she screamed into her walkie-talkie. "HOW DARE YOU USE ME TO GET REVENGE ON MY BROTHER!"
This time, Gabriella did not reply.
"GABRIELLA!" Sharpay shrieked once more.
"She's gone." Troy gathered, finally coming to his senses. He was now fully aware of what just happened, and what almost happened.
"Not for long." Ryan said, he sounded like he was caught up too. "Shar, follow the GPS on the walkie-talkie."
Sharpay was already hitting buttons and reading the display. "That bitch! She's heading for the parking lot." Troy and Ryan scrambled to their feet and proceeded to run out of the auditorium. Sharpay was a bit slower getting there, as both her heels snapped off during her miraculous save. She hobbled along in her now demolished Louis Vuitton pumps after the two boys. The auditorium wasn't far from the south exit doors that lead into the student parking lot, and Ryan and Troy made good time getting there. Troy spotting Gabriella hopping into her mom's SUV, which she frequently borrowed. Ryan made for Sharpay's convertible, Sharpay not far behind. Troy, on the other hand, ran straight for the SUV.
Gabriella was about the floor the accelerator when Troy ran in front of her car. Her foot hovered over the pedal as Troy spread his arms out. She rolled the window down.
"Don't make me run you over, Troy!" She called out.
Troy laughed. "Hah, yeah right. You wouldn't run over a beetle let alone me."
Ryan watched from Sharpay's car.
"What is he doing?" Sharpay asked.
Ryan's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't… wait!" He jumped out of the car and ran over to Troy.
"Get out of the car Gabriella!" Troy said, as Ryan met him at his side.
"No!" She said.
Sharpay soon joined them and rolled her eyes. "Gabriella, stop trying to be badass. We know the car is still in park.
Gabriella grumbled. There was not fighting it. Deep down, she was still a goody-goody. She sighed in defeat and turned the car off. Slowly, she opened the door and stepped out of the car. She turned to face the three when she felt a hand slap her hard across the face. She gasped her head bounced off the car door.
"That was for doing for being a lowly piece of scum!" Sharpay said. Despite this, Gabriella let out that freaky laugh again.
"You're one to talk." Gabriella said. "You're the queen of trickery."
"I would never stoop that low!" Sharpay bellowed. "How dare you do that to my brother!"
"That brother of yours happens to be a cock-loving fag if you didn't know." Gabriella said nastily.
"That brother of mine happens to be someone I love if you didn't know!" Sharpay cried. "Just because you're not capable of loving someone doesn't mean I'm not."
Gabriella's steely glare faltered. She was not counting on this. Wasn't Sharpay supposed to not care about Ryan? Wasn't Ryan just her little sidekick? She grumbled. Why did everyone have to be so… caring about each other! It just wasn't right! She was done with Sharpay; she obviously could not be trusted. She turned away from her and looked at Ryan and Troy.
"If you're going to stand there all day, I may as well just walk home." And with that, Gabriella turned around and walked away from the trio standing around her mother's SUV.
Sharpay let out an exhausted breath and turned around. She was met with two gaping stares.
"What? Did my eyeliner smudge?"
Ryan shook his head, moving his mouth like he was trying to talk. "Shar…pay…"
"Yes?" Sharpay asked, frowning slightly. "That's my name."
"I…"
Sharpay continued to look curiously at her brother until she was suddenly engulfed in his arms.
"Eek! Ryan, what are you doing you moron?!"
Ryan squeezed his sister tightly. "Thank you," was all he could say.
"For what?" Sharpay asked.
Ryan pulled away and gave her a great smile. "For… for caring about me."
"What?" Sharpay spat. "Of course I care about you! What are you on?"
Ryan laughed. Even if she cared about him she had to act like he was a complete idiot. "I don't know." He said.
"Well." Sharpay said, shutting her eyes. "I'm going home. I'm exhausted, and I need my rest. Saving your skin and screaming at Gabriella is very taxing." She gave her brother one last quick hug before walking past him. As she passed Troy, she paused.
"Take good care of him."
Troy nodded. "I will." Sharpay nodded too and walked to car, complaining about frown lines and broken shoes.
Troy and Ryan watched as Sharpay's Corvette sped out of the parking lot, leaving skid marks in its wake. They stood still for a good long while, until the squeal of Sharpay's tires could no longer be heard. They turned to face each other.
"We really suck at keeping a secret."
they seriously do.
i can not get over the ending to By Starlight (BitterGrin). it was just so... beautiful! it was such a great story and i'm sad to know that it's over.
anyways, back to my story. i really like Sharpay's character. She's like an older sister to Ryan, even though they're twins. i think they have a great bond.
and i just love making Gabriella this crazy-lunatic, but one who's still afraid of really going bad. if she actually considered running over Troy, i'd have to say that would be complete betrayal of her actual character, which i've mangled enough as it is.
so i hope you all enjoyed that chapter. you'd better, as i'm supposed to be doing lifeguard homework right now! if i fail, i'll blame YOU!
im just kiddin.. thats all for now, i have to go eat
peace out!