A/N: Hi guys! It's me again, and this chapter's been quite tough for me to write, in every aspect possible. I know you guys always wonder why it's taking me so damn long to update, but I really do want to make every chapter as perfect as possible (because Troypay deserves nothing less). On top of that, I have a full-time job that requires a lot of my time, but I will always be writing at any opportunity I have. Anyway, I should stop with the rambling. On with the chapter! Enjoy!
xXx
CeruleanBlues
The Way You Look At Me
Chapter 25
"You have to tell him, Shar," Dan told her earnestly from the other end of the receiver, the bustling background noise indicating that he was probably downtown running some errands.
Sharpay sighed, admittedly knowing that he was right—as always. Her pearl-white stilettos clicked on the linoleum floor in sync with each step she took as she walked down the empty hallway after school. Shifting the neatly bound proposal in her arm, she switched her cellphone to the other ear and replied, "I'll tell him when the time is right, okay? Now hang up the phone, jerk, I've got some business to attend to that doesn't require entertaining you."
"You're so bossy," she heard him huff.
"And you're like a pest that wouldn't stop bugging me," she retorted, rounding at a corner. "I swear, Dan Patch, if you call me again in the next ten minutes, I'm going to file a restraining order against you."
"Yes, 'cause I'm sure that worked brilliantly with Troy—"
Jerk.
Sharpay rolled her hazel eyes, unable to comprehend his semi guy code. It was like learning a whole new language. She loved the guy to death, but sometimes she felt like she needed a guidebook to understand him. More often rather than not, Dan was a perfect confidant. He could read her like one of his comic books, and he usually knew right away what was on her mind even before she would verbalize it. However, there were rare moments where his wiring just fell a little short and their frequency would get lost in the conversation.
"Fuck off, Dan, and stop hogging my line every five seconds."
He let out a low mocking whistle. "Peachy."
"Not peachy, just annoyed," she said. "Your incessant babbling is wearing off my last nerve."
There was a beat of a pause. "Bitter."
"Just for you," she told him sweetly with underlying sarcasm. "Now, beat it!"
"Alright, fine," he relented, not even bothering to hide the laughter in his voice. "Jesus, Shar, if I'd known you'd turn into such a prissy monster, I wouldn't have returned you to school."
"Ha, ha," she drawled dryly.
"But you'll tell him, won't you?"
Sharpay arrived at the foot of her destination, one hand poised on the cool metal door handle. Through the glass plane, she could see the bored receptionist eyeing her wearily, and in return flashed the lady a triumphant, mega-watt award-winning smile. For full effect, she wriggled her fingers pompously and pretentiously.
"I'll tell him," Sharpay promised over the phone, exaggeratingly enunciating each syllable.
"Okay then, I'll talk to you soon. Love you."
Her face softened as his warmly uttered words liquefied her heart. "Love you too," she said and then hung up the phone, tucking the device into the front pocket of her snow-white star-studded denim jeans. Pushing the door open, she entered the premise and leaned against the counter. "I'd like to see Mrs. Darbus, please," she politely requested, unleashing her full power as an actress with a bat of an eyelash.
"First door to—"
Sharpay didn't even bother waiting for her to finish. "Thank you," she cut in, totally ignoring the older woman's disapproving look as she made her way over to her drama teacher's room. She grinned at the overly-decorated lilac door, identifying herself in some of the photos, and gave it several knocks.
"Come in."
"Hi, Mrs. Darbus!" Sharpay enthusiastically greeted her acting coach the instant she stepped into the comfort of her office.
Mrs. Darbus's face immediately lit up when she saw her. "Why, hello, Sharpay," she grinned, flipping her laptop shut and motioning for her to come closer. "To what do I owe this honour?"
Sharpay eagerly handed over the bound document. "This is the new proposal for our play, complete with background information on Zashley Orphanage, as well as statistics and a new budget breakdown. The photocopied legal documents and financial tabs are also inside, should the board need such information," she explained while the teacher skimmed through the pages. "I've also added in testimonials from the children in the orphanage and potential sponsors that might help out with the production in terms of costumes and props. Carmen Zashley's dad is in the carpentry business, and he's willing to lend a few of his men in whatever way we need."
"This is very impressive, Sharpay," Mrs. Darbus beamed. "You've done quite a thorough job on this proposal, and I'm sure a lot of work had been put into this."
"Well, Troy Bolton offered to help," she revealed.
Mrs. Darbus raised her eyebrows, pleasantly surprised. "Did he, now?"
Sharpay shrugged. "He's actually quite resourceful—for a lunkhead basketball captain."
The bespectacled lady chuckled as she continued reading the proposal. "I must say, Sharpay, I doubt the board could deny you after this. I'm very confident we'll get an approval."
"I've emailed you a copy as well, should you need to change certain things," Sharpay informed.
"I think you have it all covered, Sharpay," Mrs. Darbus said, propping her elbows on the table and weaving her fingers together to rest her chin atop it. "I'm truly amazed."
"There's just one thing, though."
"Oh? What is it?"
Sharpay took a seat in the chair directly in front of her teacher and took a deep breath. "We need to push the production forward—two weeks earlier to be precise."
Mrs. Darbus pushed her glasses higher up the bridge of her nose. "Two weeks?"
"I've done up a new timeline, and I've given ample buffer time for the board to get back to us on this. In the meantime, we'll run auditions first and get the cast up and running, to learn their lines and their songs," Sharpay told her calmly. She leaned over and flipped through the document to find the correct page. There was a fully-coloured chart across the spread, neatly done up in extreme detail. "We'll be able to produce this play if we stick closely to this timeline."
Mrs. Darbus took a moment to study the chart. She slowly nodded, "this could work, Shar, but might I ask what the urgency is? I mean, do we really need to rush this?"
Sharpay paused for a moment, contemplating her words. There was only one simple truth to that answer, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She knew that the luxury of time wasn't in her favour, and if this was going to be the last thing she did, she was to finish it. However, she wasn't going to let her selfish—or rather selfless—reasons uphold such a responsibility. This was for Lily and Josh, and for all the children in the orphanage—not her.
"Mrs. Darbus, the orphanage is running out of time. They have rent that are long overdue, and if they don't pay up soon, they might have to close down," Sharpay's voice wavered slightly, choked with emotion. The more she thought about the children, Josh and Lily, and their fates if this didn't work, the more determined she got to ensure that nothing unfortunate would happen to the place those kids call home. "I just—I can't let that happen—not on my watch."
"Sharpay," Mrs. Darbus sighed, sliding her glasses down to let it dangle around her neck. "This is going to work, alright?" she assured, reaching forward to affectionately squeeze her student's hand. "I'll get this to the board, and I promise you that without a doubt they'll approve of this in a second. The school could use some wonderful publicity, and this production is a perfect way to get it."
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Darbus," Sharpay gushed gratefully, jumping to her feet and startling her teacher with a heart-felt hug.
"No, thank you, my dear," Mrs. Darbus returned, gently patting the teenager's back. "We'll move the auditions to this Tuesday. Please let Kelsi know."
"Of course," Sharpay agreed, excitement quickly taking over. She loved the rush of a production, and nothing says business like show business. "I'll spread the word around."
"Alright, Shar. I'll let you know about the verdict as soon as possible," she vowed.
After expressing another round of gratitude to Mrs. Darbus, Sharpay headed out of the room, so completely ecstatic that she even waved a friendly goodbye to the catatonic receptionist as she exited the office. Whipping out her cellphone, she began dialing Kelsi's number, who answered on the second ring.
"Hello, Sharpay?" she timidly began.
"Kelsi!" the blonde actress snapped, resuming her commanding demeanor. "I need posters and flyers by tomorrow morning. Auditions are moved to Tuesday, and the play's pushed forward. I'll email you the new timeline right now."
"But—"
"Whatever plans you may have with my shit-ass brother tonight, tell him to suck it up or I'll fucking kick his balls," she added saucily, sauntering down the corridor.
"Alright," Kelsi mumbled.
"Toodles!" Sharpay concluded the call, and then promptly sent Kelsi the relevant information.
There was an extra bounce in her stride as she headed out of the building, fingers skating through the keypad at top speed while she composed an update for the play on the school's blog. She passed by empty classrooms when al of a sudden something in her peripheral vision caught her interest, halting her in her tracks. Comically, she retraced her footsteps—trying to be as silent as she possibly could in her high heels—till she came to an opened door. Hiding behind a pillar, she peeked into the classroom. The first person she saw was Ms. Dulaine, sitting behind a desk, occupied with her work. Sharpay shifted her position and her almond eyes rested upon a sole figure in the center of the room, shaggy brunette hair falling over bright sapphire eyes as he hunched over the desk reading a textbook.
As though sensing her presence, he glanced up and met her gaze. Sharpay teased him with a smirk, and he in turn gave her a small, sheepish wave, embarrassed to be caught serving detention.
"One more hour," she mouthed out to him, holding one index finger up.
Troy took a glimpse at the circular clock on the wall and shrugged helplessly. Giggling softly, she playfully blew him a kiss, accidentally laughing out loud when she saw him blush a deep crimson. It attracted Ms. Dulaine's attention, and Sharpay swiftly dodged out of view just as the teacher swung her head towards her direction, clasping a hand over her mouth, stifling the rest of her laughter. She figured she ought to leave before she got Troy into any more trouble, but in the midst of deciding, she remembered the good news she had that he definitely deserved to know about.
Bending over, Sharpay quickly removed the shoes on her feet and tiptoed across to the other side of the hallway where she sat down on the cold floor and patiently waited.
"Troy!"
He heard her squeal his name the second he set foot outside the classroom, but before he could register anything, she had launched herself at him and tightly wrapped her arms around his neck, showering him with a blur of golden blonde hair and glee. Troy reciprocated with parallel gusto, relishing in the delicious feel of her warm petite body pushing against his, and inhaling the sweet scent of all that is Sharpay Evans. It was heavenly, and he didn't want to let her go. He buried his face into her neck, softly nuzzling her soft skin.
"Hey, Shar," he murmured in her ear. "Not that I'm complaining, but what's going on?"
She released her grasp on him and stepped back, and Troy almost groaned at the lost in contact, mentally kicking himself in the butt for asking. He instantly regretted it and yearned to just pull her back into his arms.
"I presented the proposal to Mrs. Darbus and she loved it!" she burbled animatedly. "She said that there was no doubt the board would approve!"
"Congratulations, Shar," he said, extending his arms and enveloping her in another fervent embrace. "That's great news!"
"I know!" she replied, looking relieved and anxious all at once, her radiant smile illuminating her already gorgeous face.
Troy chortled and cradled her cheeks between his palms. "All of your hard work paid off, huh?"
"Our hard work," she corrected, staring up at him, the giddy glow coating her skin a healthy sheen.
The way she looked at him took his breath away, and for that few heartbeats he had forgotten how to speak. She was ethereal and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her no matter how hard he tried. He was unaware that his hands were still cocooning her face although he could feel the intensified electricity crackling in his nerves. Sharpay must've felt it too because she withdrew herself, as though stung—or burnt—as soon as she realized the danger in their proximity.
"Sorry," he muttered, dropping his hands to his sides.
"No, it's okay."
Troy blinked, unsure if he'd heard her right.
Did she just say 'it's okay'?
He cleared his throat, awkwardly rubbing the nape of his neck. "So, what else did Mrs. Darbus say?"
"Oh, auditions are moved to Tuesday," she notified him.
"Alright," he said, lightheartedly nudging her side. "But I'm ready for it, aren't I?"
Sharpay smirked up at him. "You'll manage."
"Wow, so much for the vote of confidence, Shar."
She snickered, lowering herself to snatch her footwear from the floor. Troy's eyebrows sprung up at the unlady-like manner in which she was trying to put her stilettos on, grabbing onto his bicep when she almost lost her balance. He watched as she hooked the buckles, his mouth tasting like sand when he noticed that her head was merely inches from a rather sensitive region of his body. Troy had to channel all of his thoughts on terrifying movie scenes to settle the tent that was starting to pitch in his pants.
"Hey, Troy, do you want to go grab dinner?" she suddenly suggested, straightening herself to face him again.
"What?" he managed to croak out.
"I know it's still kind of early, but there's this amazing Italian restaurant down town and, well, I want to properly thank you for helping me with the proposal, so I reckon I'd treat you to a nice meal," she said.
He tilted his head to give her a boyishly lopsided smile. "That's not necessary, really, you don't have to do anything to repay me."
"Well, I figured you've put up a lot with me, the least I can do it buy you dinner."
"But that feels so formal," he protested weakly, mindful that he was fighting a losing battle. When Sharpay wanted something, she usually got it, damn the consequences. "We're way past that, right?"
Sharpay arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and planted a hand on her hip, shifting her weight on one leg. "Let me put it this way, then. I want to buy you dinner."
"But—"
"And I'll hogtie you if need be, so I suggested you just accept this graciously and we'll be able to proceed on." Her tone was almost teasing, but the threat was quite eminent. Troy actually believed that she would follow through to her words. An image appeared in his head and he inwardly winced. It wasn't a pretty picture at all.
"Alright, alright," he agreed, raising his hands up in surrender. "We'll go."
Sharpay flashed him a satisfied grin. "Great, then, I'm glad we understand each other."
"Your car or mine?" Troy asked as they walked across the parking lot.
She wrinkled her nose in mock distaste. "I think we'll get better valet parking if we weren't driving your piece of scrap."
"Hey!" he exclaimed, looking offended. "It was either the red Saab or the white van, and I didn't want to look like a hippie."
Sharpay unlocked the doors of her sleek black convertible and got in, Troy following suit. She stuck key in the ignition and started the engine. "I can just imagine what that would do to your macho reputation in school," she snickered.
"I'll look like I came out of a Scooby Doo cartoon," he grumbled, securing his seat belt.
"You and your miniature posse solving mysteries," she said as she drove out of the school compound. "Chad could very well be Shaggy, or should he rather be Scooby?"
"The trusted sidekick and all?"
Sharpay detected the venom in his words, and knew that Troy was far from forgiving his friend, but she didn't want to fan the flames that were already burning in his person, so she did the best thing possible: to ignore and pretend she didn't hear him. "Taylor could be Velma, and your ex-girlfriend could play Daphne."
"That's you."
"Excuse me?"
"You're Daphne," he said. At her deadpanned quizzical look, he clarified, "I didn't mean that you're always the damsel in distress, but if Chad's Shaggy or Scooby, that would make me Fred, right?"
She slowly nodded, unsure where this was heading. "Right."
"And Fred gets Daphne."
Sharpay felt herself blush all the way to the tips of her ears and kept her eyes glued to the road, unable to build a decent response. She wondered if she would ever be immune to his charming ways, for it was rendering her rather deficient, and she hated feeling stupid.
"By the way, Shar, how'd you escape detention?" he asked, curiously interested.
She had to bite on her lower lip to stop the smug grin that was spreading on her luscious lips. "I'm Sharpay Evans," she carelessly offered.
"You bribed the headmaster?" he guessed, his cerulean blue eyes growing wide in disbelief.
"Don't be ridiculous," she uttered. "Everybody knows that he doesn't give a shit about money. His monthly income's enough to burst his bank account."
Troy tilted his head. "How'd you know that?"
Sharpay shrugged her dainty shoulders. "He plays golf with my dad, and his wife is a compulsive gossip queen."
"Sure, but that doesn't explain how you managed to dodge detention."
"I gave him a sob story," she explained nonchalantly. "Told him how difficult it's been with my parents being away so much. If there's one thing he can't take, it's teenage girls crying. It's like an amazing guilt trip."
"Seriously?"
"Why do you think he doesn't have children?"
"And it worked?"
"I got out of detention, didn't I?" she gave him an elvish wink.
"Wow, I'm impressed."
"Well, thank you."
"Do you think it'll work on me?"
Sharpay eyed him incredulously. "Maybe if you put on a skirt and apply some lip gloss, perhaps. I don't think your masculine ways appeal to him so much."
"You think I'm masculine?"
"I think you're barely finished with puberty," she shot back kiddishly.
Troy faked a wound to his chest. "Ouch!"
She was really enjoying this—their playful banter—and the comfort that it brought. It gave her a glimmer or hope, like maybe normalcy and monogamy could be possible with him. Sharpay really needed that right now, that simplicity of being with someone—the emotional and physical ease—that little piece of heaven.
Dan's words were a continuous whisper in her ears, calling out to her.
A chance, that's all he needs.
"Where are you dragging me to, anyway?"
His voice broke into her thoughts. She was fortunate enough to capture the last bits, before he could think that she was in fact spacing out.
"Now, now, dragging would mean that I forced you against your will," she said. "You came on your own free will."
"You threatened to hogtie me," he flatly pointed out.
Sharpay laughed. "Touché."
"So, where are we going?"
"There's an Italian place downtown called Valentino's Cucina Italiana. Nothing too fancy, I'm sure you can handle it," she assured him in a patronizing tone.
"I'll have you know that I can be sophisticated if I want to."
"Sure you can. A handful of hair gel, close one eye, close another eye, and you'll look like Antonio Banderas."
Troy narrowed his eyes at her. "You just punctured the last fragment of ego I had left."
The fit of giggles that burst out of her was spontaneous, and it astounded her how natural it sounded, like it didn't take much to coax out. Somehow, it frightened her. Experiencing any form of joy meant that it could be taken away from her, and she couldn't afford that cruelty.
Perhaps she could prevent it.
A chance, that's all he needs.
Before long, a grand—rather intimidating-looking—high-rise building came into view and Sharpay pulled over by the curb. Two men, neatly dressed in a grey suit and white gloves, stood on the pavement, and she instantly recognized one of them as she got out of her car.
"Hey, Keith!" she addressed as she rounded the vehicle.
The guy nodded in acknowledgement, needing to maintain a professional facade. "Hey, Shar," he said politely, and when Troy stepped out of the convertible, Keith formally shook his hand. "Troy."
"Hi, Keith," he returned in slight daze.
Sharpay tossed her set of keys towards her friend, who caught it perfectly. "You know what to do."
"I'm taking this baby for a spin," Keith grinned devilishly.
"Don't even," Sharpay warned.
"She knows I'm kidding," Keith told Troy. "Don't want to get into trouble with her old man again."
She rolled her hazel eyes impatiently and reached out to take Troy's arm. "Bye, Keith!" she called out with a backwards glance, waving her hand as she strolled down a red carpet leading towards the entrance.
"You said it wasn't going to be anything fancy," he whispered, still in awe at the sheer vastness of the place, clearly meant solely for the higher-class socialites.
"It isn't."
"But we're at a hotel. No, not just a hotel, but we're at Tisdale's Square—"
"Sharpay Evans," she cut into his ramble to introduce herself to the hostess behind the podium.
The girl, probably a year or two older than they were, snapped her head up in attention, tight blonde curls bobbing, and Sharpay noted that her name was Marti. "Oh, Miss Evans!" she gushed, practically tripping over her words. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Table for two?"
Sharpay blanked out the confused look that Troy was sending her way, suddenly second guessing her decision to bring him there. "Yes."
"Right this way, please," Marti blurted out, hurriedly escorting them to an empty table in a private VIP booth, which probably didn't help soothe Troy's mounting curiosity.
Sharpay slid into the plush cushioned chair—throne, really—and watched as Troy nervously took the seat in front of her. She spared him an apologetic smile when Marti placed the menu on the table and saw his overwhelmed expression.
"Would you like something to drink before you place your order, Miss Evans?"
"Just a glass of water would do," Sharpay answered and glanced over at Troy. When he didn't say anything she gave him a kick to his shin.
"Yeah, yeah, water for me too," he said, flustered.
Marti scampered off, and in delaying the inevitable, Sharpay sunk her nose into reading the menu and avoided Troy's intense gaze as best as she could, but her efforts were in vain. She could feel his eyes penetrating into her skin, telepathically urging her to look up. Eventually she did, sighing in defeat.
"My dad co-owns this hotel," she reluctantly admitted.
Troy blinked. "You said your dad was a businessman."
"He deals with real estate," she clarified. "This hotel is a joint investment with his childhood friend."
"So you dine here for free?"
"More or less."
The corner of his lips perked up. "That's cool. Do you come here often?"
Sharpay shook her head. "Not really. There are too many pretentious guests, and over-eager waiters and waitresses trying way too hard to impress. It gets quite unbearable sometimes."
"Being treated like royalty is unbearable?" he teased.
"It's being fussed over that I can't stand, actually," she muttered, leaning forward so that only he could hear her. "Seriously, if they think I'm going to put a good word in just so they'd get promoted, that's really sad. Chances are I wouldn't remember any of them by the time I leave."
"You're such a heartbreaker."
She clicked her tongue and held the menu back up just as a dapper-looking waiter came over to take their order.
"Good afternoon, my name's Nate and I'll be your server," he acquainted. "What can I get you today?"
"Great," Sharpay said, taking a final browse before deciding. "I'll have the Linguini Cala Di Volpe, less of the garlic, please."
"Certainly," Nate bowed slightly in acknowledgement. "And what about you, sir?"
Sharpay glanced at him from across the table and had to suppress the urge to laugh out loud. Troy's forehead was creased as he studied the menu in full concentration. She cleared her throat and figured she should fish him out of the pond. The poor guy seemed like he was on the verge of a stress meltdown.
"Troy?" she prompted.
He shot her a helpless look. "I don't—"
"He'll have the Filleto Di Manzo," she told the waiter.
"What did you just order for me?" Troy asked nervously the instant Nate was out of earshot. He pored over the menu once again in search of the dish.
"Relax," she told him. "It's just filet mignon."
He was still skeptical. "You sure you didn't just poison me with horse liver or something?"
Disgusted, Sharpay retorted, "ew! Maybe I should have."
Troy burst out laughing. "Have you even tried horse liver?"
"Just the sound of it nauseates me," she frowned.
"Come on, I mean, I'm sure you've traveled around the world, Shar. Surely you've encountered some weird food before."
Sharpay thought about it. "Snails, I suppose."
"How's that any worse than horse liver?" he wondered.
"It happens to be a delicacy in France."
"So I've heard. Does it taste anything like horse liver?"
"What's with you and horse liver?" she wanted to know. "Troy Bolton, stop it, okay? Be grateful I didn't feed you braised artichokes."
"Fine," he submitted, though the naughty glint was still in his ocean-deep eyes. It settled down after a few seconds and his face held an almost-dreamy persona. "I still can't believe that I'm here," he confessed.
Sharpay cocked her head to one side. "Why?"
Troy gazed up at the sparkling chandelier overhead and squint his eyes. "It feels surreal. I've driven past this building but I've never thought I'd ever set foot in here. It's better than I envisioned it would be."
"Yeah?"
He chuckled. "It actually feels like you're taking me out on a date. If I didn't know better, I would think that you hauling me here is a way of asking me out."
"You wish, Bolton!"
"I'll take that as a yes."
Sharpay stuck her tongue out childishly.
"But thank you," he said pleasantly. "You really don't need to do this, you know."
She lifted her shoulder in another shrug. "Well, when else would you be able to come here and dine for free, anyway?"
Their food arrived at the table and Sharpay bit back her laughter when she saw his astonished reaction to the amount—or lack thereof—on his plate. Everything was dainty, and she was sure that being Troy Bolton and playing basketball so much, the serving definitely wasn't enough for him.
"Is that going to fill you up?"
The instantaneous grin that stretched across his face felt like plastic, even to her. "Yes!"
"That's bullshit, and you know it. Just admit it, Troy."
Troy sent her a weak smile. "Fine, I could scarf ten of these and I'd still be hungry."
"Such a glutton," she huffed.
"Wouldn't want to hinder my growth, now, do I?"
"We can go get dessert somewhere else after this if you want," she offered generously. "I know a great ice cream place down the street."
"Deal."
"Okay, I am officially drunk!"
"On ice cream?"
Sharpay narrowed her chocolate eyes at him and jabbed her dessert spoon into his bicep. "Don't mock me and my ice cream," she said solemnly, holding her frown for barely a second before they both simultaneously doubled over, cackling and howling in a tiny booth in Pastel Palette after Troy had polished off his dinner in five minutes flat.
"You can't seriously get drunk on ice cream," he told her, although he was slightly slurring on the words himself.
"No, I really think I am this time," she insisted, digging her spoon into her solo pint of Rocky Road. "Either that, or I ate too much, my brain froze."
Troy snickered, taking a mouthful of his own Half-Baked Caramel Cookiedough ice cream. "Why is it that we always end up bonding over ice cream?" he randomly wondered.
Sharpay paused, reminiscing for a while, and then shrugged. "Endorphin rush, I guess."
"Big word for a blonde girl."
She pouted. "You're a big bully, Troy Bolton."
"What's with the 'B' words?" he pointed out, looking genuinely confused. It was adorable, really, him with that dazed expression on his handsome face. "Are we playing a game?"
Sharpay was rolling in the aisles, clutching onto her aching abdomen as she practically fell off the seat laughing. She took another glance at his still befuddled character and came to think that perhaps they were drunk. Sprouting nonsensical rubbish wouldn't have been so entertaining if they weren't at least a bit tipsy. The best word to describe their situation would be 'high', and Sharpay didn't know when was the last time she'd felt that way—like the troubles of the world was slowly fading into nothingness.
"Is there rum in this thing?" she asked, peering at the label on the tub. "Huh, there's zero point two percent rum in my ice cream."
"That explains a lot," Troy said, nodding like it's the most logical thing in the world. At the moment—with the less-than-sober state they were in—it probably did seem like it. "Did I tell you I dared Chad to put ice cream in his dad's car once?"
Sharpay squealed in delight at the newly-attained knowledge. "Tell me, tell me!"
"We were in third grade and it was Christmas Eve," he began, stopping briefly to take another bite of his ice cream. "It was freezing outside but we so badly wanted to play. There was too much snow, so we figured we'd take the snowmobile out. It wasn't there but we found his dad's car in the garage. A classic Buick LeSabre. The key was in the ignition and all. We decided it wouldn't hurt to give it a try, you know, have a little fun with the car. We got in and started it up but the gas was empty. So I told him to go get ice cream."
"Oh, my God, Troy, you're terrible!" she shrieked.
"Shh…"
Sharpay slapped her hand over her mouth, stifling her giggles, and quickly glanced around the room. Troy did the same and chuckled. Thankfully there weren't that many people and nobody was paying any attention to the two high school students. "Sorry," she apologized.
"I always got Chad into trouble when we were younger but I'd usually get away with it," he confessed, not the least bit ashamed of his juvenile behavior. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying it. "His dad was so mad at him too! That car was his baby."
"You were a really naughty little boy, weren't you?"
She hadn't intended for it to sound so sexual, but she couldn't take it back now. Troy had immediately caught onto her tone, and Sharpay didn't miss how his light azure eyes glazed over for a split second. It had to be the rum. Darn alcohol was messing with their body systems. She cleared her throat in hopes of breaking the electrified tension in the air, and he shoved a big spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.
"I told Chad he'd turn into Superman is he peed into the sandpit."
Sharpay nearly choked on her own spit at the abrupt laughter that left her lips. "Did he?"
"Let's just say that none of the kids ever wanted to play with him again," he told her with a smug grin. "Or that sandpit."
"You're so mean!"
He shrugged. "I was a kid. What do I know?"
"Probably a lot more than most people think."
The almost lovers exchanged knowing smiles before cracking up once again. Sharpay didn't know when it was the last time she'd laughed—actually laughed and not those forced ones that she usually used in school—and had a whirlwind time being with Troy Bolton. It was quite a paradigm shift. She was so used to the drama that surrounded and kept overshadowing their so-called friendship, it felt totally different letting her guard down. Without all the tension conspiring between them, they were real friends. The epiphany of her realization churned out a new emotion: hope.
Another thing she desperately needed.
Unknowingly, Troy Bolton had instilled belief in this twisted relationship of theirs. He had made her experience a sense of abundance—a realm of escape—full of promises. He'd done so much for her without question or complaint, and he hadn't asked for anything in return. He was content just by being in her life, and she could see how much that meant to him.
Maybe she was drunk.
Or it was the way he looked at her.
But she decided that she was going to give him a chance.
"Hey, do you want to get out of here?"
Troy perked up at the idea, having just drained down the last of his dessert. "Sure! Where to?"
"To the stars," she whispered, quoting a famous line as she wagged her eyebrows suggestively at him.
His lips quirked up in recognition to her words. He stood up and held a hand out for her to take. Sharpay giggled and accepted his gentlemanly gesture, giving him a little curtsy before joyfully skipping out of the door. Her black convertible was parked along the pavement. She hopped into the driver's seat with stunning agility. Troy let out a low whistle, having witnessed her mount and was thoroughly impressed. Sharpay smirked, that trademark way only she could do, and cocked her head up, silently daring him. Troy wasted no time contemplating. He was after all the captain of the school's basketball team, and he wouldn't tolerate it if she thought he was incompetent in any way. A guy still needs his ego. He stealthily jumped into his allocated seat with perfected accuracy, as though he'd practiced it a thousand times before.
He flashed her one of his irresistibly boyish grins, eyes twinkling victoriously, and Sharpay felt a re-activation of butterflies in her stomach. It was foreign yet familiar. A whiff f hair had fallen over his forehead, shielding her from the power of his cerulean blue orbs, and she craved to push it away.
"Not bad," she commented. "For a basketball player."
"Shut up."
Sharpay sniggered, putting the car into gear and pulling out of the parallel lot. She knew where she would like to go—a place she rarely shared with anybody, but figured it was time to share with him. An unchartered part of her belonged there—one so intimate she had only revealed it to one person.
Now, Troy Bolton was going to be granted the same privilege.
She entered the highway and coasted along, not in any much hurry to get there. Truth be told, she was nervous. It was almost tragic. Sharpay didn't know where the conflicting thoughts came from but it was wrecking havoc in her mind. She was thankful that the radio was off. It made thinking that much easier. Resting an elbow on the ledge of the door, she stole a quick glimpse at the guy sitting next to her, only an arm's length away. Even with the distance between them, Sharpay could feel the heat in their proximity. The ease of his presence helped a bit in her situation, but even as she took in his relaxed posture, she could tell that he probably was anything but.
For one thing, he hadn't spoken a word.
But it was alright.
Driving in silence allowed her the space to think and comprehend her decision. Was there even the slimmest chance of doubt? If there was, she failed to locate it. After the social suicide he'd taken for her, there wasn't much room for vacillation. It was do or die—however taboo it sounded—and Sharpay was determined to cherish this chance, for she would only allow this once.
It was all she could afford.
One chance.
And then they were back where they were the day before. However, blanketed in black, all but the starry night sky, nothing looked distinguishable. The faint glow of the streetlamps gave little clue to their whereabouts, and as they sat there—car parked on the road shoulder—Sharpay could sense Troy's reservation.
"Is something wrong?" she asked him.
"Where are we?"
She gave him a mysterious grin "Come on," she urged and got out of the convertible.
He cautiously stepped out. "Are you sure this is safe? Wouldn't anybody steal your car?"
"I've done this before, Troy, relax."
Still he wasn't convinced.
"Oh, live a little, Bolton," she cajoled, grabbing onto his wrist. "Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise."
"Fine," he relented, allowing himself to be tugged along.
Sharpay effortlessly navigated them through the rough grounds, much like she did before. For years, she had trekked down this same path, but never before had she traveled it this way, with this one person. She had each curve and bend memorized even in the darkness as he seem to desperately clutch onto her dainty fingers, slightly stumbling along the way.
"We should've brought a flashlight," he mumbled when he almost tripped over a solid rock.
She snorted. "It wouldn't have helped you, trust me."
The moment their feet touched the soft grains of sand, Sharpay released her grip on Troy's hand and jogged between the huge boulders to her favourite spot. He caught up with her a nanosecond later and she watched as a sense of familiarity crossed over the basketball player's face. Pleased with herself, Sharpay pulled her shoes off her feet and sat down on the beach, staring out at the ocean and listening as the waves lapped onto the shore. The light zephyr in the air smelt of salt. She inhaled deeply, loving the warm atmosphere before tilting her head up.
"Don't you want to sit down?"
"You brought me back here to slackline?" His tone was incredulous but he lowered himself down beside her nonetheless.
Sharpay rolled her hazel orbs. "Sure," she replied sarcastically. "Go set the line up and I'll be with you in a minute."
"Shar—"
"Troy?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up and enjoy the view."
Troy sheepishly rubbed the nape of his neck. "Right, sure."
They sat in silence, relishing in the serene moment.
"I saw you leave with Dan today."
Sharpay froze, unsure how to go about handling this, though she knew that she had nothing to hide. She was about to open her mouth to speak when he cut in.
"You don't need to explain anything to me if you don't want to."
She presented him with a genuinely sincere smile. Inwardly she was relieved and grateful for she still didn't know what to say. "Thanks."
"But you know you can tell me anything, right?"
Sharpay regarded him with interest, hearing the earnest yet semi-pleading note in his voice. His cobalt blue eyes were crystal clear, and she knew at once that he meant it.
"I will, Troy," she told him truthfully. "One day."
"Just not today."
There was a twinge of sadness that flickered over him—one she couldn't miss even if she tried—and she didn't like knowing that she was responsible for it. "I'm sorry."
"No, no, don't apologise."
Silence followed right after like a giant tsunami, crashing down on them, leaving unspoken words hanging like rocks in outer space—gravitating but never colliding. Sharpay didn't like this kind of silence. It stretched onto never ending roads, and she hated the uncertainty of the distance. This sort of silence only encourages unexplained feelings and unanswered questions. She felt constricted in the sound of vacuum. It was cutting off her breathing space, and she desperately needed to break free—the only way she knew how—amongst the ocean.
Lying here with you so close to me
It's hard to fight these feelings
When it feels so hard to breathe
Sharpay didn't give it a second thought. Pushing herself up on her feet, she took a few paces towards the shoreline. She was aware that Troy was watching, and so with a cheeky grin towards the horizon she lifted her bright pink tank top over her head.
Troy made a noise—something between a gasp and a sigh—but the moment her denim pants fell to the sand and pool around her feet, he felt all of the air escape his lungs in a single breath. Blindly, he reached over to the spot in which she'd previously occupied, and when all he could grasp were the straps of her sandals, he knew that he wasn't hallucinating.
Sharpay Evans was presented right in front of him, clad in just her pearly-white lace lingerie. Fuck, even her back was gorgeous! The sensual way her spine curved with every movement, punctuated by the two dimples on her lower back, it was assaulting his mind with vivid and inappropriate images that contrasted immensely with her angelic beauty.
Just when he thought that he couldn't have died any more than he already had, she casually unhooked her brassiere dropped it by her jeans. Troy let out an audible groan at the sheer torture he was going through, his rousing manhood throbbing with lust. He could hear the pounding of his heart in his ears.
And then she slipped the last fragment of clothing she had left down her smooth legs, and he was sure that he passed out this time.
"Troy!"
He blinked, slowly, as if to wake himself up, inhaling deeply to stabilize his pulse, afraid that he might burst a vein if his heart were to pump any faster than it already was.
"Don't be a wuss! Come on in!"
Troy shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how he felt about exposing himself to her like that, and then recalled that she had indeed seen all of him. She just didn't know it; or rather she had been a little too drunk to remember anything. However, there was a bulge in his pants that he was embarrassed of. He didn't want to let her know what she was extremely turning him on. Chances are she'd get disgusted and call him a perverted pig.
"Troy!" She was growing impatient now, and he reluctantly glanced up at her.
He was sorely disappointed when all he could see was her pretty little head bobbing on the surface of the water, wet blonde locks curtaining her face, the inked blackness masking the rest of her ethereal form. She was looking expectantly at him with those irresistible wide-set hazel eyes.
Caught up in this moment
Caught up in your smile
"What?"
"Get in here!" she hissed.
"I don't think—"
"It's just me, Troy."
There it was. The way she looked at him.
And he couldn't deny her anything.
Fuck it, he thought, getting to his feet and stripping off his clothes. When he got to his boxers, he paused and bit his lower lip. Fuck it, Troy, just fuck it.
He took a quick glimpse out at the sea in time to catch her diving into the water and giving him a splendid view of her bare rear. Whatever work he had done to restrain his gorging member from standing flew right back into the wind.
Damnit!
Taking advantage of her distraction, Troy quietly slipped into the water with his boxers on, pleasantly surprised that it was rather warm. He plunged his head to wet his hair.
"I saw that."
He turned half a round to face her, threading water as they went further out into the calm sea. Sharpay had an eyebrow arched and her characteristic smirk playing on her luscious lips.
Busted.
"Saw what?" he asked, playing innocent.
"You're a cheater, Troy Bolton," she accused.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Take it off."
"Take what off?" he mimicked.
"Your boxers," she replied, directing him with a warning look. "Take them off."
Troy was at a loss. Defeated, he sighed. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Shar."
She tilted her head questioningly. "Why not?"
"Well, I—see…" he trailed off, completely forgetting what he was meant to say because somehow she had drifted closer to him and he was suddenly conscious of the amount of space between them. Her skin glistened beneath the moonlight, made silvery by the droplets of water that trickled down. Those hypnotic eyes of hers held him spellbound, drawing him in like a moth to a flame. "I—You turn me on, Shar, so much that it scares me, but I don't want to frighten you in any way."
I never open up to anyone
So hard to hold back
When I'm holding you in my arms
Her hand emerged from the water and Troy sucked in a lungful of air when she ran a finger delicately down his shoulder, tracing the taunt muscles of his bicep and leaving a blazing trail in its wake. "It's okay, Troy," she whispered, her mouth merely an inch away from his. "I trust you."
And then Sharpay did the unthinkable.
She kissed him.
Sweetly. Gently.
We don't need to rush this
Let's just take it slow
There was a swoosh and before he knew it, she had swiftly removed his cotton boxers. Troy, still too preoccupied, didn't even realize he was stark naked in the water until his wet clothing was slapped onto his chest and she pushed him away. The victorious smile she had left him stunned for a nanosecond before he quickly regained his equilibrium and caught her around her waist just as she was about to swim off. Their wet bodies collided, and the skin-on-skin contact ignited a passion they never knew existed.
He gazed into her golden eyes, his heart swelling with joy.
Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright
I don't want to mess this thing up
I don't want to push too far
"Say that again," he murmured, wanting to hear it one more time.
"I trust you."
The weight of those words created an impact like no other.
"Do you mean that?"
Sharpay affectionately cupped his cheeks. "I do."
Just a shot in the dark that you just might
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life
So baby I'm alright with just a kiss goodnight
Troy couldn't believe it. He'd been aching for this instant for so long, but now that it was coming true, something felt strangely wrong, like he didn't deserve it.
Guilt.
That horrible sense of dread seemed to slam into his being for he knew he hadn't exactly fulfilled his half of the deal. He hadn't exactly been entirely truthful to her, and it pained him that he had to do it now. She wanted to start something new with him—something so sacred and pure—that he couldn't afford to taint it with a single fleck of contamination. He couldn't—he wouldn't—do that to her.
"Sharpay, you have no idea how much that means to me…"
She sensed his hesitation and her brows furrowed. "But…?"
"There's something important I need to tell you."
Pulling away from his grasp, she asked, "what is it?"
He hated every second of this, regretting ever mentioning it to begin with, but it was an important piece of their puzzle. This very confession could either make or break them. It was the right thing to do. However, he needed her reassurance that she was going to believe him—regardless of the truth—and as he drowned himself in the depths of her honey-coloured eyes, he knew he couldn't lie to her anymore.
I know that if we give this a little time
It'll only bring us closer to the love we wanna find
It's never felt so real
No it's never felt so right
Troy moved aside the damp strands of blonde hair that had fallen over her forehead and tucked them behind her ear. "You trust me, right?"
A new emotion transpired across her flawless features: anxiety.
"What is it, Troy?" she repeated, stronger this time.
"You trust me, don't you?" His voice was desperate now, and he feared that she had perhaps misspoken.
"Yes."
"Do you?"
"I do," she replied automatically, though her confusion was apparent.
He took a deep breath. "Sharpay, I lied to you."
"About what?"
"I didn't mean to lie to you, but I was scared."
"Of what?"
"Losing you," he croaked out.
"Troy, nothing you say is making any sense right now."
He glanced away, ashamed. "That night, at the party—"
"What party?"
"That party," he paused, clearing his throat. "Where I told you nothing happened between us, I lied about it."
Sharpay distanced herself further away from him, towards the shore as though she might make a run for it. "What are you trying to say?" she demanded unevenly.
He tried to reach out for her, but she angled away from his touch, and he knew he was losing it. "You have to trust me on this, Shar. I've never meant for anything bad—"
"Troy." His name was a plea, and it broke his heart that she would have to ever use it.
"We were together. Physically."
She stared at him for a moment, searching his face for something—anything—that perhaps this time he was playing another cruel joke on her.
"You said—"
"I lied."
"Why?"
There was no easy way out.
"Because I love you, Shar, that's why," he spat out, all of his pent-up frustration and anguish pouring out. "I fucking fell in love with you and I don't want you to keep pushing me away. I wanted you so much, but I also wanted you to want to be with me and not see me as this perverse high school jock who only cared about sex. I wanted you to love me—for me."
Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright
Her glare would've killed even the scariest Viking, but Troy wasn't going to back down now—not after all that he'd said. He reckoned that whether or not she was going to forgive him this time, at least she was given an explanation. She had to know that he had long entrusted his heart with her, regardless of how she felt for him. Sharpay could hate him after this, and he would graciously accept it.
I don't want to mess this thing up
I don't want to push too far
"You lied to me—twice—no, you told me the truth and then made me think that you lied so that you can start on a clean slate? Is that it?" she lashed out.
At least she wasn't choking him to death.
"I'm not proud of it, Sharpay, but I was desperate."
"I trusted you!"
"Which is why I don't want to start this with a lie."
"Well, that's too late now, isn't it?" she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"No, it's not. Nothing's too late," he said adamantly.
Just a shot in the dark that you just might
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life
Her expression softened very slightly. "How could you, Troy?"
The betrayal that she portrayed made him wish that he was buried six feet underground. Hopefully a giant sea monster would appear and eat him alive. At least he wouldn't have to witness the amount of hurt he'd caused her.
So baby I'm alright with just a kiss goodnight
"I needed you to see me," he lowly uttered.
"I did see you, regardless of what I thought we did or didn't do," she told him. "I saw you years ago at your very first basketball tournament. I saw you win all those trophies and I saw you on stage for TwinkleTown. I've always seen you, Troy, and I didn't need you to lie to me at all. Would you have seen me if we hadn't been together that night?"
"I saw you, Shar—"
"Did you?" she challenged. "Or were you like everybody else in school?"
"Those days are over."
"It wouldn't have been if it weren't for that night—"
"Do you regret it?"
He just had to know.
"I can't even remember it!"
Troy fell silent. "It doesn't have to be this way—"
"God, I trusted you, Troy." Her speech cracked. A tiny sob escaped her lips, and he wanted nothing more than to take her sadness away.
He strayed nearer to her, and throwing caution to the wind, he held the nape of her neck, gently resting his forehead against hers. "You can trust me this time," he promised.
"Why?" she whispered. "What difference does this time make?"
Troy rubbed soothing circles on the sensitive patch of skin behind her ear. "Because I have nothing else to lose, but you. And I can't lose you, Shar—not like this and not right now." He took a deep breath, inhaling her mesmerizing scent. "Everyday I wake up in the morning only because I look forward to seeing you, and every night I hope that I've done enough to prove to you that I care—only to wake up again the next morning thinking that maybe I hadn't—but I didn't dare give up on you. And for that I'm begging you, Sharpay, please, don't give up on me too."
Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright
I don't want to mess this thing up
I don't want to push too far
A single tear rolled down her porcelain cheek, leaving behind a trail of moisture. He wiped it away, only to trigger the rest that came trickling down after.
"I'll think about it, Troy."
Just a shot in the dark that you just might
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life
That was enough of a promise for him. It was more than he deserved.
Closing what little gap there was, he tenderly captured her rosy lips with his, and kissed her with everything he had.
So baby I'm alright with just a kiss goodnight
"Take all the time you need. I'll be waiting."
A/N: Okay, firstly, I cannot express how disappointed I am that CW cancelled Hellcats! That's preposterous! I've loved every single episode so far, and I think the season finale had wonderful opportunities for a continuation in season two! It's totally unfair.
Secondly, yes, I'm giving you a chapter on Sharpay and Troy's skinny dipping escapade! Yay! I know it's not how most of you would envision it, but I thought this was important because it's a turning point for the both of them.
Thirdly, I would like to assure you guys, my lovely and wonderful readers, that this story has a happy ending. I'm not sadistic in any way. I'm just a romantic.
Fourthly, I am so happy with the number of reviews I've received! You guys are AWESOME!
Xcreamchip: (In my best Dan Patch impersonation) Well, hello there! Yes, I'll admit that I like the friendship things going on between Dan and Sharpay. It's unlike any kind of friendship because it goes beyond the surface (woo…deep…). I'm sorry if I scared you with the last part about Sharpay and not having enough time, but rest assured that this story has a happy ending, really! Thank you so much for the wonderful comments! (blush…) and also for being an amazing reader who's constantly reviewing and giving me opinions. It's what always keeps me going! Hope you like this chapter and I look forward to your thoughts about it! :D
62toasters62: No, no, don't cry! This story's going to have a happy ending, I swear! I know that's kind of a spoiler for everyone but I think I've tortured you guys enough with all the waiting and anticipation on what's wrong with Sharpay. Thank you so much for the lovely comments! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Nikita jain: Hi there! Thank you so much for the lovely comments! I'm glad that you liked the previous chapter! There is a sort of triangle between Sharpay, Troy and Dan, and I love exploring Dan Patch as a character and as an important person in Sharpay's life. There will definitely be more of him, don't worry! (wink, wink!) Let me know what you think of this update, yeah? :D
Virmett: Hello! Well, I don't really want anything bad to happen to her either, and things might escalate from here for Sharpay and Troy. I'm glad that you feel connected to the characters! It's an amazing feeling when people tell me that they can relate to the story, and it makes me work harder to make the story so much better. Thank you so much for your awesome comments! I really appreciate it! No worries about chapter 23. I know how tough the exam periods can be, and education always comes first :P Let me know if you like this chapter, alright? Cheers!
Neila_cross: I am a huge Hellcats fan! I don't get CW where I live but I watch it online every week! I'm so upset that they cancelled it after one season! Thank you so much for your lovely comments! Yes, I felt that a little too much of Troy panting over Sharpay is not the best way to portray his character. He is still his own person so he still has his own life to deal with. Hehe…I know I'm being such an pain in the ass with all this prolonging of Sharpay's…situation, but I've crafted a suitable time for the reveal. I'm so sorry to have to keep you in suspense for a while longer, but I promise that you'll understand why when the time comes. Please don't hate me for it (hides behind a bush)! Hope you've enjoyed this chapter!
Bottle_It_Up25: Hi! Thank you so much for reviewing and leaving a wonderful comment! I'm glad you like this story! Sorry to keep you waiting! Hope you like this chapter!
Mumuu: Hello there! Awww…thank you so much for reading this fanfic and for your lovely comments as well! It's always nice to hear from a new reader! :D
Lachicarebelde22: Hi! Thank you so much for your review! Yes, I will continue writing this story until the very end :D
ILoveZacEfron27: Hello! Wow! Thank you so much for spending so much time reading my story! I am truly flattered! I hope I didn't distract you too much, though :P I think Sharpay should give Troy a chance too, which is why I figured it was time that she let him in! Thank you so much for your wonderful comments (blush)…awww…you're such a sweetheart! I always try and give my best ('cause Troypay deserves nothing less…hey, that rhymes!) Good luck for your exams! And I hope you've enjoyed this chapter!
Song used — "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum