Chapter 11

Ryan had thought that getting Sharpay involved would somehow magically make rehearsals stay on track. He had been wrong. The main issue of Sharpay and Kelsi's conflicting ideas hadn't suddenly been solved and the tension in the room was suffocating.

'I thought we were still doing the jobs theme!' Kelsi protested when Sharpay started arranging the cast to perform a musical number about a Hawaiian prince.

'This is better!' Sharpay said. 'Nobody wants to see Troy wash windows.'

'Hey!' Troy interjected, pouting, but everyone ignored him.

'So like...are we doing the Hawaiian prince song or not?' Zeke asked. 'Because if not I should get to the kitchen…'

'Yes, stay where you are,' Sharpay said, before turning back to argue with Kelsi.

'No!' Kelsi yelled.

Zeke froze, looking nervously between them as they glared at each other. Ryan got up to intervene.

'Guys, please. This isn't helping,' he said. 'We have to rehearse something or we won't have a show to perform.'

Sharpay crossed her arms. 'Tell that to her.'

Ryan rolled his eyes. 'Why don't we have a double theme? Work and holidays?'

Kelsi raised an eyebrow. 'That doesn't make sense.'

'No, it doesn't,' Sharpay added.

'Hey, look at that!' Ryan said. 'You agreed on something!'

Sharpay and Kelsi glared at him.

'Maybe we should just stop trying,' said Chad, stepping forward. 'There's no way we can make this show good enough to save Bontins, so why bother?'

Ryan was taken aback, Chad's opinion had certainly changed from two days ago.

'No!' Sharpay and Kelsi yelled.

'Well then, you both want this show to be good, so you need to start working together. I think what we need is a team bonding exercise.'

'Like what?' Kelsi asked.

'I know just the thing,' Chad said. 'Come on, we're going outside.'

'What the fuck is rounders?' asked Sharpay. Ryan didn't know either, he thought that Chad may have just made it up.

'It's like baseball but easier,' Chad explained as he set up the cones.

'Why don't we just play baseball?' Ryan said.

Chad shrugged. 'We're in England, no one knows how to play baseball.'

'You just said it was the same though.'

'Rounders is an art,' Chad said. 'You can't expect to just roll up and know how to do it.'

Ryan laughed. 'Sure.'

Chad smirked and threw him the bat. 'Step up to the plate, Evans.'

Ryan gripped the bat and got into position to hit the ball.

'Wrong!' said Chad. 'Hold it one handed.'

Ryan dropped a hand and Chad pitched the ball.

Ryan missed. In his defence, he wasn't used to hitting it one handed. He got ready for his next swing.

'You should be running!' called Chad. He sauntered over to first base. 'You're out. Not as easy as you thought.'

'This was a practice!'

Chad laughed at him.

'Ryan, you're on my team,' said Sharpay.

'I get Chad!' Kelsi said.

'We're not doing it like that,' said Chad. 'This is about overcoming your differences, not a battle to see whose idea is better.. Me and Ryan will be team captains.'

Chad and Ryan drew names to see who else was in their teams. Ryan got Sharpay, Martha, Troy and, to Sharpay's extreme annoyance, Kelsi. Chad got Zeke, Taylor, Jason and Gabriella.

Ryan's team went up to bat first but it wasn't until it was their turn to field that the breakthrough happened.

Kelsi pitched the ball at Gabriella, who sent it flying towards Sharpay.

'Catch it!' screamed Troy.

To Ryan's surprise, Sharpay ran towards the ball, arms outstretched. She was wearing her one remaining designer shirt - she had had to sell all the others - but this didn't seem to bother her. She dived as the ball dropped and she landed in the middle of a massive puddle.

The rest of the group held their breath.

'Out!' yelled Sharpay, holding the ball up.

Her team cheered for her.

'Amazing catch, Sharpay!' said Kelsi, running over to help her up.

Sharpay flipped her hair happily.

'Your great bowling made it possible!' she said.

Ryan's jaw dropped, Sharpay never gave compliments!

'You're soaked!' Kelsi exclaimed. She pulled out some tissues and tried to dab at Sharpay's shirt. 'Your clothes are ruined!'

Sharpay waved her off. 'We've all got to make sacrifices for the sake of teamwork sometimes don't we. Sorry I've been so stubborn.'

'It's OK,' Kelsi said. 'I'm glad you're in the show. I think together we could make it really good.'

'Hey, maybe that should be our new theme!' said Sharpay.

'What? Teamwork?'

Sharpay nodded enthusiastically.

'I love it!' squealed Kelsi.

The rest of the group cheered and bundled in for a group hug.

'This will be the best show ever!' shouted Troy.