Step two - go through cell and diary and delete all contacts that I no longer want in my life…
"This should be easy Shar, seriously. What's taking you so long?" Sharpay Evans looked up to her brother's concerned yet bored face. "The diary took about five minutes, why is the phone taking so much longer?"
"Because," Sharpay replied dryly, "the diary we just threw in the bin without looking through it. My phone I am actually going through and deleting people. I'll have you know that out of the three hundred and four people I have been through already, I have deleted two hundred and ninety eight of them." She watched as Ryan's eyes widened as his mind calculated exactly what she had just done.
"So you've only got six people left in your contacts?"
"Yes." She nodded, "Well, out of the people I've been through so far. I've still got one hundred and forty seven to go." She frowned as she scrolled down and another name came up that she honestly couldn't remember ever using. "Make that one hundred and forty six!"
She smiled as Ryan groaned from opposite her.
"Shar, as cleansing as this is for you and as much as I am enjoying helping you in that, do you mind if I get a snack?" She shook her head, not once looking up from her phone as she carried on deleting those people she felt were only a bad influence and who she needed to get rid of. She sensed Ryan moving around the kitchen, finding food and drink.
"So who exactly have you got left so far?" He asked, her eyes flickered up briefly for a second to check he did actually want to know before moving back down to the device in front of her.
"So far you, Mom and Dad, both sets of Grandparents, Gabriella, Chad and Troy." He coughed suddenly causing her to glance up once again. "What Ryan?"
"Are you sure you want to keep the last three?" She rolled her eyes.
"Yes Ryan, I want to make things right with them remember? I'm not gonna be able to do that unless I have their number. Besides, once all this has blown over I at least hope to be acquaintances with them if not friends." She shook her head at his raised eyebrows, "Don't look at me like that. I know what I did was wrong but that week away did me good, I honestly want to change Ry, you need to believe me and trust me in that!"
"I know sis, I do, honest." He came to sit opposite her once again, "It's just that I'm not so sure they'll believe you. Chad may but Troy and Gabriella may need a bit more of an explanation and a lot more apologies. You did kinda put them through hell these past few weeks." She nodded, knowing that Ryan was indeed right. She had figured this out when at her parents' house after all. She glanced back down at her cell phone, the name highlighted causing her to pause in her mass-deleting spree.
"Oh."
"What?"
"It's Minnie." She looked up to Ryan for help, eyes wide. "I don't… I mean, she was a massive part of my life for so long and seemingly a friend. I just…" She trailed off.
"Good or bad influence, Shar?"
"She…" The look Ryan sent her showed her what she should do. She sighed, "Bad."
Pressing delete, she closed her eyes as she clicked the button that said ok. Opening her brown orbs once again she looked back down to check that Minnie's name had in fact been deleted.
"She's gone Ryan. I've just deleted the one person who actually talked to me properly these past couple of years."
"No." He shook his head, "The only people who have talked to the real Sharpay Evans these past couple of years have been me and Troy. Minnie was the friend of the Sharpay Evans you invented. Remember, you want the old one back." She nodded as her brother finished his words of wisdom.
"Thanks Ryan." She smiled, "I needed that." There was a slight pause as the two Evans twins continued their own separate activities for a moment.
"I'm done Ryan. My phone no longer holds those people of bad influence." She smiled and sighed, feeling better already even if only two parts of her list had been completed.
"Dare I ask how many contacts you have left?"
She laughed slightly. "You, Mom, Dad, both Grandmothers, Granddad, Grandpa, Troy, Chad, Gabriella, Martha, Kelsi, Jason and Zeke so fourteen. Sixteen if you include my hairdresser and my lawyer."
"And how do you feel?"
"Better. Much, much better. I think I'm gonna ring Martha and Kelsi and see if their numbers are still in use. I haven't seen them since high school and I miss them. They're my link to the old Sharpay and I think that it'll help me to move on but first I need to complete my other steps." She grabbed the list that lay discarded on the table next to where she had placed her cell.
"Step number three," She read, "Go to lawyer's and sort out divorce papers."
She sighed, looking up at Ryan who smiled sympathetically knowing that this one could possibly be one of the hardest steps.
"Number three it is then. Would you like me to drive you?" She nodded.
"Could you stay with me through the whole thing? I think I'm gonna need someone to lean on for strength!"
"Sure thing." She stood up, knowing that even though she may not love Troy in the way she had done once, they had been married after all and this was going to take every ounce of her willpower to go through with it without ending up in tears.
Xxx
Troy Bolton sighed as he rolled over in bed, the sunlight streaming in through the crack in the curtains disturbing his once peaceful sleep. He smiled to himself as his eyes took in the sight of the beauty lying asleep facing him. He brought his arm up from where it had been draped over her waist to push a piece of dark, curly hair behind her ear. Stretching forward, he began to place kisses on her forehead, moving down to place them on her closed eyelids, cheeks and then finally her lips.
"Mmmm…" He felt her smile gently against his lips, before pushing him away as she rolled onto her back, rubbing her eyes to wake herself up.
"Someone's tired today."
"Well I wouldn't be if a certain someone hadn't kept me awake last night doing…" He smiled as she lowered her voice slightly, "activities that really shouldn't be done in his parent's house and then someone else," His grin widened as she indicated her stomach, "kept waking me up by making me need to pee. I swear you're both in this together."
"Damn! How did you guess?" He grabbed her hand as she swung it round to slap him on the chest. "Hey! No hitting the baby daddy alright?" He pulled her closer, pressing another kiss to her lips, which she took with no complaints despite her previous grumbling.
There was a pause as they pulled away and just watched each other for a moment.
"Well the toilet trip explains why you covered up with my shirt then."
"Troy!" This time he wasn't fast enough to grab her hand which made contact with his bare chest.
"Ow!" He muttered, playfully sticking his tongue out, "what did I say about not hitting the baby daddy?"
"Sorry." He watched as Gabriella unsuccessfully tried to hide her grin, "But being as you're already teaching our kid to gang up on me despite him not even being born yet, I figure it's only fair." There was a pause as he took in what she had just said.
"Him?" He watched as she shrugged before his eyes found hers.
"Well yeah, I mean Chad's convinced that it's going to be a girl because he wants a God-daughter to spoil and I know that Taylor would love a girl to take on shopping trips and such but I want a boy just because he'd be like the big brother y'know? And then you could teach him basketball and how to be all protective and how to treat girls right including his mommy and… what?" She trailed off as the grin on his face gradually widened.
"Before I knew about you being pregnant I had this dream where you'd had a girl and how she'd be really spoilt and girly and amazing but now you've said all that I think that she can wait until baby number two."
"You had a dream about us?"
"Yeah," He smiled, slightly embarrassed but continued anyway, "She was perfect, like a mini version of you. It was the night I told Sharpay about us." He searched her face for a moment, searching for any clues as to what exactly she was feeling.
"I love you, Troy Alexander Bolton." She grinned, placing another kiss onto his lips, which he returned with as much passion as he was feeling at that moment in time.
"I love you too Gabriella Marie Montez," He whispered back, placing his forehead against hers as they pulled apart for air. "And just so you know I would like enough children for my own basketball team."
"Troy!" She scolded, slapping his chest lightly again, before pressing another kiss against his lips causing him to grin. "Now, as much as I love doing this with you, your parents still within this house with us and we haven't exactly told them about the baby yet which is the mission for today." He groaned as she pulled away from him, leaving him in the comfort of their bed as she grabbed the clothes she needed for the day and began to make her way out of the room to take a shower in the bathroom.
"Gabs?"
"Yeah?" He watched as she stuck her head round the door that she had just exited through. "Maybe we should tell them at breakfast, that way they have a whole three days to deal with it before we go back home." She shrugged in reply.
"I don't mind, Troy. I agreed that we'd tell them today so whenever." She disappeared again for a moment.
"Oh, and Troy?" He glanced back to the open door, "Put some clothes on before you go downstairs. I don't want your parents to get any ideas."
"Gabs," He began, pushing the covers back and swinging his legs round, searching for a pair of clean drawers and sweat pants, "you're pregnant. I think they're gonna get ideas anyway."
"So." She shrugged, blushing at his nakedness, "They're still your parents. Now, I'm going for a shower. Please put some clothes on!" He laughed as she disappeared for the final time, pulling his clothes on and making his way downstairs to the kitchen where he could hear his parent's voices laughing and talking with each other.
Xxx
Gabriella pulled a fresh t-shirt over her head, giving the bathroom a quick once over to check that she hadn't left anything that shouldn't be there, she made her way back to Troy's room where they were staying and dumped her dirty clothes before making her way downstairs to the kitchen and the sounds of her boyfriend and his family.
"Morning Gabriella!" She smiled as Lucille noticed her before she'd even set foot inside the room, calling out the greeting to her.
"Morning Lucille," She greeted back, "Morning Jack."
She nodded to her boyfriend's father who was sat at the kitchen table, reading the morning newspaper, opposite her boyfriend who was tucking into what she presumed was probably his fourth or fifth helping of pancakes.
"Morning Gabriella."
"Now, do you want some pancakes dear? I was just making some more for Jack here or we can do toast or cereal or…"
"Pancakes are fine Lucy, thanks." Gabriella cut in before the older woman could offer her anything else, causing her head to spin.
"Pancakes coming right up!" Gabriella smiled again in appreciation, sitting in the seat next to Troy who leaned across and placed a kiss on her cheek. He winked at her before turning back to the other woman in the room.
"Any chance of another pancake for me, Mom?"
"Troy Alexander! You've already had five!" Gabriella giggled, her guess had been correct then.
"Why do I feel like all that's happened so far today is me being told off?"
"Aww babe," Gabriella smiled as Troy's face turned into a pout, "maybe you should stop being so greedy then!" There was a round of laughter as both of Troy's parents took in their son's girlfriend's words.
"Gabi, I honestly feel that you are the best thing that has ever happened to my son!" Gabriella smiled as Jack Bolton placed down his newspaper and addressed her. "Now, Troy all you have to do is listen to her and her wise words!"
There was another round of laughter from within the kitchen.
"See? I am being picked on!" Gabriella's giggling continued, enjoying these precious moments that she knew she would remember for a long time.
"Aw thanks Lucille, these look great!" She smiled as a plate of pancakes was placed in front of her, another for Jack and Lucille and then one was placed on Troy's plate, who grinned.
"Thanks Ma."
She breathed in deeply, savouring the smell of the freshly cooked batter.
"Now eat up, all of you!" Troy's mother spoke as she sat down next to her husband, reaching for the syrup, which had also been placed on the table.
"Erm, Lucille, do you have any chocolate spread?"
"Of course dear, it's…"
"I'll get it!" Troy stood up, going through the cupboard next to the sink until he found what she wanted.
"Thanks." She smiled at him as he came back to sit next to her, handing her the jar of chocolate that she had been craving ever since she had first begun to suspect this pregnancy. She paused for a moment, grabbing her knife and scooping a large amount onto the plate in front of her before spreading it onto the pancakes and began to eat. Resisting the urge to moan in satisfaction, she instead concentrated on Lucille's words.
"So are we still going out for lunch today?" Gabriella nodded although the voice inside her head screamed something along the lines of 'that's if you still want to after we tell you.' She frowned, her internal battle continuing as Troy and his parents continued to talk.
'Don't be stupid Gabriella, they love you, they'll be happy that you and Troy are happy!'
'Yeah but what if they're not? What if they hate me for taking their son away from them?'
'Gabriella, Sharpay did that a long time ago. It's nothing new. If anything, you brought him back again.'
'Yet another reason not to tell them – they want their son back not him and his baggage.'
'You are most certainly not baggage...'
"Gabriella?"
"Huh?" She was jerked out of her thoughts as Lucille spoke her name, her eyes flickered round the table to realise that all three other pairs were looking at her. "Are you okay? You seemed really out if it just then."
"Oh, erm, yeah. I'm fine. Just appreciating how good these pancakes are!" She smiled, hoping that Troy's parents would accept that and move on. Luckily for her, they nodded and went back to eating their breakfast.
Troy, on the other hand, was still looking at her and frowning.
"Are you sure you're okay?" He mouthed, to which she nodded her head in reply before sighing.
"Can we just tell them now?" She asked back. This time it was his turn to nod in response.
"Mom, Dad, we have something to tell you."
"Oh?" Jack questioned, placing his knife and fork down and glanced between the two, Lucille copying his actions. Gabriella glanced at Troy, grabbing his hand under the table as though she would never let go. They shared a quick smile before she took a deep breath and spoke.
"I'm pregnant and it's Troy's baby. Well, obviously it's Troy's baby that was kind of a stupid thing to say. I mean I love Troy and he loves me and this baby obviously shows that and…" She trailed off as she felt Troy squeeze her hand. She glanced over at him.
"You're babbling again, babe."
"Oh."
There was a pause for a moment as she watched Jack and Lucille's faces that didn't appear to be too shocked.
"Well we were wondering when you were officially going to tell us." Gabriella blinked in surprise.
"What?" It seemed that Troy had voiced her thoughts for her.
"Troy, you're forgetting that I was pregnant with you once. I know the signs – the getting up for the toilet in the middle of the night as well as sneaky trips to raid the cupboard for those cravings - I'm a light sleeper, I hear these things. Plus there's the fact that Gabriella's starting to show slightly and I did work as a Doctor's receptionist for fifteen years of my life, I've seen it a million times before!"
"So, you're not mad?" Gabriella thought it best to ask, just in case.
"No my dear, of course not. Now come here and give this future grandmother a hug!" Gabriella giggled as she stood up and went over to Lucille who engulfed her within her arms, watching as Troy too stood up and went to shake his father's hand.
"Well done son. Thought it was about time me and your mother saw some youngsters running round!" Gabriella laughed as Troy rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, a sure sign that he was nervous. Pulling away from Lucille, she was then moved into another hug by Jack.
"Has he told you about his basketball team dream yet?" He asked, holding her at arms length for a moment. She nodded, blushing slightly at what that meant.
"Yes, but I'm not entirely sure he's gonna get his wish!" There was more laughter as the congratulations drew to a close.
"Well me and Jack are going to get ready then I think a celebratory lunch is in order, don't you two?" Gabriella nodded as Troy came to stand with her once again, his hands clasped over her stomach, rubbing it gently.
"We'll see you two down here in a few." Gabriella nodded again, smiling as the two older adults left the room.
"I told you they'd be happy with the news!" Troy mumbled into her hair, placing kisses into it along the way.
She smiled, turning round in his arms so that he could place a kiss to her lips, "Now all that's left is for you to meet my parents, superstar."