One Week Later

Albuquerque, New Mexico

"Mum, my stomach," I complained as we were walking through the school halls.

"Sky, it fine." Mum told me. "You're just nervous. It'll go away soon. You'll do great. You always do. You can't transfer to a new school until you graduate."

"You'll be fine," Luke told me. "I got like that when I started school. I was as nervous as you are now."

"I viewed your impressive transcripts. I expect you're bright and have a lot of questions to ask."

"I'm very inquisitive; there is still a lot of stuff I don't know yet." I told him.

"Well, Sky Smith, we need someone like you here at East High."

"I don't want to be the school's genius again Mum. Last time, everyone in my class teased me because of it."

"Just be you," Luke told me. "It is the best way to get through school."

"Thanks Luke," I said.

"This way," the man told me, leading me to my class.

I looked back to see Mum and Luke waving. I waved back before we climbed the stairs.

When I entered the classroom, I saw the teacher studying some papers. I gave her my sheet to tell her that I joined her class.

"Excuse me," I said as I tried to get to my desk.

"I trust you all had splendid holidays," the teacher said once the bell rang to signal the start of lessons. "Check the sign-up sheets in the lobby for new activities Mr Bolton, especially our winter musical. We will have singles auditions for our supporting roles and pairs auditions for our two leads. Mr Danfourth, this is a place of learning, not a hockey arena. There is also a final sign up for next week's scholastic decathlon competition," I couldn't hear what she said next, for I heard my phone go off. Oh dear, and I was supposed to turn it off during lesson time too.

"Ah, the cell phone menace has returned to our crucible of learning." Our teacher said. "Sharpay and Ryan, cell phones and I will see you in detention." They had to put their phones into a bucket. I hoped that I wouldn't be spotted. "We have zero retolorance of cell phones in class, so we will get to know each other in detentions."

Oh dear… she had spotted me. "Cell phone!" She snapped. I placed mine in the bucket, wondering what on earth my mum would say when she found out I had a detention. "And welcome to East High Miss Smith. Mr Bolton, I see your cell phone is involved, so we will see you in detention as well."

I noticed someone in the second row put his hand up. "But that's not even a possibility Miss Darbus, your honour, you see, we have basketball practise and Troy-"

"That will be fifteen minutes for you too, Mr Danfourth. Countable. Taylor Mckessy, fifteen minutes." She slammed the bucket on the table. "Shall the carnage continue? Holidays are over, people. Way over. Now, any more comments? Questions? Jason?"

"So, how were your holidays Miss Darbus?" Everyone moaned. "What?" Jason asked.

The bell rang for the end of lesson and we all got up to go.

When I left the classroom, Troy came after me. "Hey," he said, running up to me.

"I don't believe it," I cried.

"Me neither. But how?"

"My mum moved to Albuquerque as there seems to be more aliens trying to invade America than England at the moment, so we're trying to keep track of everything. We still got lots of unpacking to do."

"Wait, did you say aliens?"

"Oh no, my mum's gonna kill me."

"Don't worry, I can keep a secret. You can trust me. So, where do you live?"

"I looked for you at the lodge on New Year's day."
"We had to leave first thing."

"Why are you whispering?" I asked him.

"What…oh, my friends know about the snowboarding. I haven't quite told them about the singing thing."

"What's up?" someone asked Troy.

"Hey," Troy replied before he turned back to me.

"Too much for them to handle?"

"No, it was cool," Troy replied. "But you know, my friends, it's uh… it's not what I do. That was, like, a different person. So, uh… anyway, welcome to East High. Oh, now you've met Miss Darbus, I bet you can't wait to sign up for that."

"I won't be signing up for anything for a while," I told him. "I just want to get to know the school. But, if you sign up, I'd consider coming to the show."

"Yeah, yeah, that's completely impossible," Troy told me.

"What's impossible, Troy?" someone asked. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and she was wearing a pink outfit. She looked like a queen compared to me in my t-shirt and jeans. "I wouldn't think 'impossible' was even in your vocabulary. Oh, so nice of you to show our new classmate around. "

She took out a pink pen and signed her name on the sheet of paper. She turned back to us. "Oh, were you going to sign up too? My brother and I have starred in all the school's productions and we really welcome newcomers. There are a lot of supporting roles in the show. I'm sure we could find something for you."

"No, no, no. I was just looking at all the bulletin boards. Lots going on in this school. It's amazing. I've never been in America before."

"There are a lot of things to do here." she said. "I'm Sharpay Evans."

"I'm Sky Smith."

"So, why did you move here?"

"My mum wanted me to go to a really good school."

"Any other reasons? I've heard that England has been attacked by aliens in the past, yet a gang that lived in Bannerman Road kept on stopping them. I'm a big fan of them, especially Clyde."

"All of the gang moved to America, so you may see some of us around."

"You just said 'us'. Are you one of them?"

"Yes, I am Sarah Jane's daughter."

"It's great to meet you."

"Oh, um… I should be going to lesson. Bye." I walked off, wanting to clear my head. I couldn't call mum about it as Miss Darbus still had my phone, so I would have to tell her when I got home.

In science, Sharpay talked to me a little.

"So, it seemed like you knew Troy Bolton."

"Not really," I told her. "He was just showing me around."

"Well, Troy usually doesn't interact with new students."

"Uh, why not?" I asked.

"It's pretty much basketball 24/7 with him."

I looked at the board. Luke taught me a lot about science. Science lessons with him were extremely cool. He seemed to know everything. "That should be 16 over pi…" I said.

"Yes, Miss Smith?" the teacher asked.

"I'm sorry; I was just… uh… Shouldn't the second equation read 16 over pi?"

"16 over pi? That's quite impossible." She checked on her calculator. "I stand corrected." I smiled and returned to my work. "Oh," she added. "And welcome aboard."

In detention, we were making costumes and making sets for the musical and competition. I wasn't paying attention to anything until Miss Darbus said: "Paint, Paint! Let's go!"

Taylor ran over to me. "The answer is yes!"

"Huh?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Our scholastic decathlon team has its first competition next week, and there is certainly a spot for you."

"Where did those come from?" I asked, pointing at the papers she was holding.

"Didn't you put them in my locker?"

"Of course not."

"Well, we'd love to have you on our team. We meet almost every day after school. Please?"

"I need to catch up on the curriculum here before I think about joining any clubs."

"Well, what a perfect way to get caught up." Sharpay said, walking over to us. "Meeting with the smartest kids in school. What a generous offer, Taylor. "

"So many new faces in detention today," Miss Darbus said. "I hope you don't make a habit of it, but the drama club could always use an extra hand. And while we are working, let us probe the mounting evils of cell phones, perhaps the most heinous example of cell-phone abuse is ringing in the theatre. What temerity! The theatre is a temple of art. A precious cornucopia of creative energy."

"Where's my team, Darbus?" A man asked as he walked into the room. "What the heck are those two doing in a tree?"

"It's called crime and punishment, Bolton. Besides, proximity to the arts is cleansing for the soul."

"Can we have a talk please?" Mr Bolton asked. "And you two, in the gym now!" Troy and another lad came out and went to the gym.

Once detention was over, our cell phones were given back to us and we were allowed to go.

"We've never made it past the first round of the scholastic decathlon. You could be our answered player." Taylor told me.

"I'm focusing on my studies this semester," I told her. "And helping my mum and brother get the new house organised. Maybe next year. What do you know about Troy Bolton?"

"Troy? Hmm." Taylor thought for a moment. "I'm not an expert on that particular sub-species, however, unless you speak cheerleader, as in 'Oh, my gosh! Isn't Troy Bolton just the hottie super-bum'?"

"Oh, he's beautiful," one of the cheerleaders beside us said.

"Ha-ha. See what I mean?"

"I don't know how to speak cheerleader," I told Taylor.

"We exist in an alternative universe to Troy the basketball boy."

"How you tried to get to know him?"

"Watch how it works tomorrow when you have lunch with us. Unless you'd rather sit with the cheerleaders and discuss firm nail beds."

"My nail beds are history," I told her, showing her my hands. She had shown hers too. "Sister!" I gasped.

Someone ahead honked the horn of their car.

"Come on, Sky!" Luke called.

"Wow, he's amazing," Taylor said.

"His is my brother, Luke Smith."

"Wait, are you from Bannerman Road? The Bannerman Road gang from what I heard moved to America. The whole lot. All because aliens are appearing in America more now than they used to. Mostly in New Mexico, where we live."

"Yes, I did used to live in Bannerman Road. The only trouble was that the Trickster claimed me to be his daughter and there was a big battle and Bannerman Road got blown up in the process. It wasn't cool, I can tell you that. Anyway, I have to go. Bye Taylor."

"Bye Sky." She said as I walked over to Luke.

"How's your day been?" Luke asked.

"I had a detention. My phone went off in Drama."

"I bet the teacher was really cross," Luke said.

"Not really. Our phones got taken off us and for our detention we had to paint sets and make costumes, so it wasn't that bad. I'm not planning on doing it again. I just want to stay out of trouble."