Chapter 8

The meeting started at eight, but Sharpay and Ryan were already sitting in the empty swimming pool by 7.50. Sharpay had a long list of notes on how to improve the show. Ryan was wearing his thinking hat. Sharpay tapped her foot as they waited for people to arrive. Not a single person was early. She shook her head, they wouldn't get away with this once she was in charge.

At 8.03, Kelsi arrived, carrying a huge stack of music under her arm. 'I looked through all my music to find songs about work,' she explained. 'I thought Trey could do this one about cleaning windows, and while he's singing it, he can actually be cleaning a window on the stage.'

'Mmm,' said Sharpay. 'That's unusual.'

'Interactive theatre,' Ryan added.

Kelsi beamed. 'I'm so glad you guys came,' she said, then rushed off to help Zeke carry the huge cake he had brought. Sharpay and Ryan exchanged a look.

'Yikes,' said Ryan.

'This won't do,' said Sharpay. 'We've got our work cut out for us.'

By 8:15 most people had arrived. Kelsi corralled them all into sitting in the empty pool.

'Right,' she said as she stood up in front of everyone. 'Who's ready to plan this year's talent show!'

One person at the back whooped but apart from that she was met with silence.

'Come on!' Kelsi said. 'Don't you want to save Bontins? Literally all of our jobs are on the line here.'

Chad sighed. 'Sorry Kels, but like...do you really think this will work? Nobody ever comes to these shows.'

'It won't with that attitude! We're really gonna make it good this year so I need you all to get excited!'

A few more people cheered to show willing but it was obvious their hearts weren't in it.

'Well I'm excited,' said Sharpay, standing up. 'And Ryan and I have just prepared a few ideas to make it really good, just like the Star Dazzle award at the country club.'

'Didn't your family lose that club when you went bankrupt?' someone muttered.

'Yes,' said Sharpay loudly. 'It did have a few financial issues. But the talent show was unmatched. Everyone said so.'

'Thanks Sharpay,' said Kelsi. 'See guys, this is the kind of attitude we need!'

There was muttering from the crowd but it sounded like interested muttering, not grumbling.

'I had an idea about the theme…' Sharpay said to Kelsi. She handed Kelsi one of her sheets of paper. It was a draft for a new poster, much better than the crappy one Kelsi had handed out earlier.

'Summertime?' Kelsi read. 'Sharpay, this is a whole different theme. We already know the theme.'

'No offence, Kelsi, but no one wants to go to a show where someone cleans windows on stage,' Sharpay said, lying about the no offence bit.

Kelsi gasped as the crowd muttered.

'Sorry,' whispered Ryan.

'Summertime is a way better theme, it's more fun! The audience needs to have fun or they won't come back,' Sharpay said.

'Look Sharpay, I am the entertainment manager, and I think I know a little more about this than-'

'Er...guys?' a voice interrupted Kelsi.

'What?!' Kelsi and Sharpay snapped, glaring at each other. Zeke looked taken aback, but kept going.

'Why don't we just vote on the theme? And then have some cake maybe.'

'You want to vote on this? I thought you guys liked the work theme,' Kelsi said.

'I actually kind of like the other one,' Gabriella admitted quietly.

'Who else prefers my summertime theme?' Sharpay asked, taking back control.

A few hands went up, including Gabriella's.

Sharpay scowled at the group. Some of them were shuffling awkwardly. This wouldn't do.

Kelsi smiled. 'Well then, we're agreed on the work theme.' She clapped her hands. 'I thought we could start off with a group number and then you can sign up to do individual entries at the end of the meeting today.'

Ten minutes later, Kelsi had everyone arranged in their positions for the opening number, 'Work This Out'.

'So Taylor, your first line is "I don't recall you mentioning, the boss is such a creep",' she announced.

'Hey!' Troy said. 'My dad isn't a creep!'

'...Mr Evans isn't your dad, Troy, we've been through this,' said Gabriella.

'No, I mean Coach,' Troy said.

There was a beat of stunned silence as everyone processed this.

'Are you confused again, sweetie?' asked Gabriella.

'Actually, Coach is kind of… you know,' said Zeke.

'This explains so much,' said Chad.

'If he's your dad then what does he look like under the suit?' asked Ryan.

'What suit?' asked Troy.

There was another silence.

'Look, guys, can we just get back to rehearsing?' Kelsi suggested. 'The boss is fictional, OK? It's a fictional scenario.'

'But I thought you said this show was about our real jobs?' Chad said.

'Well...OK, maybe we can change that line later. Let's just move on.'

Sharpay rolled her eyes at how unprofessional everyone was acting. How did they think they would learn this song if they kept getting sidetracked? Kelsi wasn't strict enough to keep a group like this under control.

'Maybe we should try the next line,' Ryan said diplomatically.

'OK,' said Kelsi. 'Zeke, you're next, and you say, "We still have the ingredients to make this summer sweet".'

'That's so corny,' complained Chad. 'Where did you even find this song?'

'I wrote it myself…' said Kelsi.

An awkward silence rippled across the room.

'Yikes,' Sharpay whispered to Ryan.

Chad stuttered an apology and quickly excused himself to go to the bathroom.

Cute, thought Ryan.

Kelsi bravely soldiered on through the rest of the awful, awful rehearsal, but she just couldn't control the group - to Sharpay's equal delight and annoyance.

'That was the biggest mess I have ever witnessed,' Sharpay told Ryan as they left, a long hour later.

He nodded in agreement but felt a little bad about it, he and Kelsi were on their way to being friends after all. Sharpay was great and all, but he was kind of hoping to make at least one friend around here.

'Hey, wait up!' someone called from behind them. They turned to see Zeke jogging towards them. 'Aren't you going to sign up for an individual entry? I thought you two would be first in line!' he said.

Sharpay scoffed. 'I don't want to be associated with that disaster, it could ruin my reputation.'

Zeke's face fell. He looked like a kicked puppy.

'Sorry,' Ryan said. 'It's just...you know. It's not going very well, is it?'

'No,' Zeke admitted, 'but it is literally the only way we're keeping this place open.'

Ryan sighed. He felt bad enough already.

'I have to get back to the kitchen,' Zeke said. 'I'll see you guys later. And I hope you reconsider.'

'I'll reconsider if you put me in charge!' Sharpay yelled after him as he walked off. She crossed her arms and huffed when he didn't acknowledge her.

'Well that didn't make you sound like a crazy lady,' said Ryan.

'I just don't know why they don't want to use my experience,' Sharpay said. 'And you, I mean, you go to Julliard!'

'I went to Julliard,' Ryan corrected sadly.

'Well sure, but you have talent. They should be able to see that we could produce a better show.'

'I guess,' Ryan said. He still felt bad about them ditching Kelsi's show. He wasn't looking forward to seeing Zeke later when it was time to wash dishes.