Disclaimer: I obviously don't own HSM, but a girl can dream.

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A/N - Sorry for the updates being once every 17 kajrillion years, but you guys have no idea how busy I am. Oh goodness. I'm yawning as I type this, actually. Again, I'm NOT abandoning this story, just so everyone knows. Anyway, this chapter is probably the second to last one in this story… But I WILL be making a sequel definitely. You can count on that.

This is basically building up for the last chapter, which will be the next installment… gahh… and that's the one I've been dying to write since I started this story. I seriously have the entire ending planned out in my head. So yes. Read, review, enjoy, do whatever. Haha.

Thank you to ALL my reviewers, new and old. They keep me writing, seriously. And thank you for putting up with my lack of updateness. :D

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"Oh, that's awesome, Sharpay," said Ryan when his sister called him from her cell phone on the way to Gabriella's house. Ryan couldn't see her face, but he knew she was frowning.

"You're not happy," Sharpay said more like a statement.

"No, of course I am. I just get bored," he shrugged.

"Promise you'll be okay?"

"Yeah! Definitely. You don't have to worry, I'm not two years old, here." Ryan let out a small laugh.

"Well, I'm kinda driving… so I have to go."

"Okay."

"I'll call later tonight with our plans for our party, to see if you like it, all right?"

"Sounds great."

There was a pause. "Love you."

"Love you, too." Ryan put the phone back on its cradle and stood up to try and find something to busy himself with.

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Sharpay turned her pink cell phone off and turned her attention back to driving.

"You have an incredible relationship with your brother, are you aware of that?" asked Gabriella who was sitting in the passenger seat of Sharpay's car.

Sharpay smiled. "We've always been 'close', but… we've grown even closer these past few weeks."

"Any particular reason?"

"Yeah," Sharpay said with an edge in her voice, making it quite obvious that she wasn't going to talk about it.

"Oh…" Gabriella said meekly while folding her hands in her lap and looking out the window to her right. She didn't know if she wanted to risk saying anything more, so she just kept her mouth shut. They were silent for a block or two, but Sharpay tried changing the subject.

"So… I don't think I've ever seen your house before." Sharpay adjusted her mirrors so she could get a better look at the cars behind her. "After almost a year, isn't that odd?"

"It's nothing compared to yours," Gabriella said quietly.

"Well… I…" Sharpay didn't know what to say. I don't mind? Or… It's okay, because I hate my house and I'd probably rather live in yours anyway?

"You can be the judge, it's coming up, the next driveway on your right. Home sweet home."

Sharpay slowed down her car and turned into the driveway. As she pressed on the brakes to park the car, Sharpay's jaw dropped as she took a good look at the house in front of her. To Sharpay, Gabriella's house was like the most quintessential suburban house she could have ever dreamed about. The white arch in the front with wavy vines and colorful flowers flowing from every which way… the beautiful full length glass window on the side of the front door… Sharpay was resisting the urge from asking Gabriella how much of a burden it would be for her to move in with them.

"What are you talking about, 'nothing compared to mine'… I absolutely love it!"

"Stop being nice," Gabriella laughed.

"I'm serious!" Sharpay turned off her car, unbuckled, grabbed her purse and opened up the car door, still unable to peel her eyes away from the house.

"Just a heads up on my family, my mom is home right now, she's probably taking care of my little sister—"

"You have a little sister?" Her attention snapped to Gabriella. "How cute!" she squealed. "What's her name?"

Gabriella chuckled and stepped out of the car also. The two girls walked towards the entrance of the home.

"Georgiana, but we call her Gigi. She's eight."

"Georgiana," Sharpay repeated with the same accent as Gabriella said. "That is such an awesome name."

"My dad comes home real late, like around midnight or so. He works weird hours." Gabriella turned the handle of the door and they walked inside.

The first thing that hit Sharpay was the fresh smell of what seemed to be some type of vanilla and spices. She took deep breaths and tried suppressing her excitement. Sharpay could see a bunch of family portraits hanging by think wooden frames and paintings that perfectly matched the flow of the room. Everything was so warm, cozy, and inviting. She loved it.

"Gabriella?" a woman questioned from what seemed to be the kitchen. She walked into view wearing a blue flowered apron over her blouse and jeans. Her dark hair was tied back in a low ponytail and Sharpay automatically knew it was Gabriella's mom because they looked so much alike.

"Hey, Mommy."

"Gabbi! Gabbi! Gabbi!" An energetic little girl with long dark wavy hair came bouncing in the room eating a chocolate chip cookie. She was wearing yellow capris and a matching tank top, and her hair was in pigtails, so every time she moved around, her hair would swoosh in every direction. She stopped in her tracks as she saw the newest visitor and stayed next to her mom.

"Hey Gigi!" Gabriella laughed. "Mom, Gigi, this is Sharpay."

"You can call me Rose," Rose smiled.

"Rosamaria," Gabriella said with a smirk, rolling her "r's"

Sharpay couldn't stop smiling. The entire atmosphere of the house was filled with love and support, something Sharpay definitely wasn't used to. It amazed Sharpay that a family like that even existed.

"Mom, is it okay if Sharpay spends the night? I know," Gabriella sighed, "I probably should have asked first, but—"

"Of course!" she flicked her wrist forward, shook her head and smiled. "That's fine, hun. Oh, girls, I made some cookies, if you two want some, just say so."

"All right. Gigi, are the cookies good?" Gabriella bent down so she was eye level with her sister. Gigi just nodded, chewing a whole half of the cookie in her tiny mouth. Gabriella put her hand on Gigi's head and as she stood up straight. "Well, don't be shy. Say hi to Sharpay, Gigi."

"Hi." Gigi hid behind Gabriella's legs, mouth still full of crumbs. She peeked her big brown eyes around and came to the conclusion that Sharpay was okay, so she came out from hiding awkwardly, but she still stayed close to her big sister.

"We're going to head upstairs… making some birthday party plans for Sharpay and her brother."

"Oh? When's your birthday, Sharpay?" Rose asked.

"On the 8th," Sharpay responded quietly, though she smiled.

"Well, happy early birthday!" Rose smiled.

"C'mon, Sharpay." Gabriella grabbed Sharpay's hand and dragged her up the stairs, but not before Sharpay chuckled a quick 'thank you' to Rose. Gabriella stopped at the first door they came to at the top of the stairs and opened the door. This time, Sharpay couldn't contain her excitement.

"Gabriella, I want your room!"

Gabriella laughed. "Wanna trade?" she said sarcastically, even though part of her meant it. Like Sharpay's room, there was pink everywhere. There was a plaid chair and a computer on the other side of the room, with bookshelves to match.

"You even have a balcony? No fair!"

"Gabriella?" Rose called from the bottom of the stairs. "Can you come here for a second?"

"I'll be right back, Sharpay."

"Uh…where's your bathroom?" Sharpay asked before Gabriella got to the door.

"Right across the hall, first door. Coming, Mom!"

Sharpay walked out after Gabriella and quickly found the bathroom as she heard her friend trudge down the stairs. She was just about to close the door shut, but that was before she heard her name mentioned from the conversation happening downstairs. Sharpay suddenly forgot about her urge to pee and instead, she decided to let her curiosity get the best of her. She crept down the stairs, trying her best not to make the steps creak and stopped right as she got to the edge of where the wall ended.

"…Mom, she's different!" Sharpay heard Gabriella say in an urgent whisper.

"Isn't this the same girl who made you cry yourself to sleep all the time? I know she is, I recognize the name."

"Mom…"

Sharpay froze. She made Gabriella cry? Was I really that mean? I am a horrible person. Oh my God.

"…but I'm not going to judge. I trust you, Gabbi."

"She's not like that anymore, I swear!"

She's defending me. Sharpay thought in disbelief as the conversation went on. Why is she defending me? She really believes that I've changed. She paused and frowned. Have I changed? She pondered that thought for a moment. I have! I've changed. I've turned a completely new leaf. I— Sharpay's eyes grew wide and she scrambled silently up the stairs and into Gabriella's room as she heard her friend enter the room and head for the stairs. Sharpay leaped onto the bed in a dash and casually started fiddling with her purse.

"I brought cookies!" Gabriella said cheerfully as she walked into the room.

"Oh!" Sharpay forced a smile and dully reached over for one. She toyed with one of the melting chocolate chips on the top of it for a moment. "Your mom doesn't like me," she burst. She bit off a half of her cookie and started chewing so she couldn't say anything more.

"Sharpay…"

"Rrr mde yoo crr!" Sharpay snorted at her own stupidity and quickly finished chewing and swallowing. "I made you cry?" she repeated, mouth now empty. "I'm a bitch! A royal ice princess bitch, just like everyone thinks."

"No—"

"Why are you trying to defend me?" Sharpay asked desperately. "I don't deserve to be defended. I don't deserve anything."

"What you deserve," Gabriella sat down next to Sharpay, "is a second chance. A do-over. You know, the things you think you don't deserve are actually the things you need the most."

Sharpay frowned, but then her expression changed into a little smile. "You've been talking to Ryan."

Gabriella smirked a bit. "Maybe… a little… Man, do you know everything? My goodness."

"Thess rr vrry good," Sharpay said with her mouth filled with the rest of her cookie.

"I'll be sure to tell my mom that," Gabriella laughed. "Now— Party plans."

"Can we go out there?" Sharpay asked, pointing to the balcony that was showered with the bright afternoon sun.

"Sure!" Gabriella grabbed a notebook and a pen from her desk and turned the latch on the door and stepped outside. "For starters, where do you want this party to be held?" Gabriella sat down on the bench that was in the shade next to the side of the house.

"My… backyard?" Sharpay took a seat on the wooden deck.

"You know, you could sit on a chair, if you'd like."

"I like the ground. Plus, it's in the sun. I love the sun." Sharpay closed her eyes and lowered herself down so she was lying on her back. She took a slow deep breath, soaking in all the sounds, smells, and emotions around her.

"It might be cooler if you weren't lying in bird poop."

Sharpay let out a yelp and sat up in a flash. Gabriella couldn't stop laughing.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I swear."

Sharpay tried giving her infamous death glare after she checked to see if she really had laid on anything, but she broke into a grin before long.

"'S not funny," she lay back down.

"Okay, back to business." Gabriella tucked one leg underneath her and pushed the hair out of her face as she wrote. "Location: Evans' backyard. Date?"

"On… my birthday?"

"Good point. July 8th," Gabriella mumbled to herself as she wrote it down. "Time?"

"Well…" Sharpay put her hands over her closed eyes and rubbed them back and forth in deep thought. "It could be a pool party and then a dance… or is that too cheesy?"

"No! If it's planned right, it could be awesome!" Gabriella scribbled some notes down.

"Dance and a pool party?" A young male's voice was heard from down in the Montez's backyard. "Can I come?"

"No, Troy," Gabriella said without looking up from her paper. "You're not invited." She grinned and looked down at her boyfriend. Sharpay rolled herself over so she could take a look at the handsome boy through the white spokes of the deck. She smiled when she saw him, with his khaki cargo shorts and red American Eagle shirt and his dreamy smile on his face smiling back at her.

"Hey! What's she doing here?" Troy joked, putting his hands on his hips and squinting as he looked up.

"It's my party we're planning, numbnuts." Sharpay added the nickname just to see what type of a reaction she could get out of him.

"You, missy," Troy started climbing the tree that led to the balcony, "aren't very nice."

"So I've been told," Sharpay sighed.

"My nuts aren't numb," Troy stated as he finished climbing and his feet were planted on the deck.

"Yeah, uh-huh," Sharpay laughed, "who's going to be the judge of that?"

"I'm not quite sure, to be honest," Troy laughed also.

"Does my Mom know you're up here?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah, I stopped by the front before I came 'round back," he nodded. "Hey, why you on the ground?" he raised his eyebrow curiously at Sharpay.

Sharpay sat up and hugged her knees. "What's so weird about me sitting on the ground?"

"Nothin'," Troy shrugged while taking a seat next to Gabriella. "I just wouldn't think—"

"—that the ice princess would do something like that. Ugh. See, Gabriella! I'm a bitch and everyone thinks it." She closed her eyes and lay back down.

"It's never too late to change…" Troy suggested. "But come on, don't be worried. Even Gabbi here can be a bitch sometimes." Troy put his arm around her, crossed his legs and gave a sheepish smile.

Gabriella glared at Troy, which made Sharpay laugh. "Don't you mess with me, boy."

"She's PMS-ing," Troy said in a loud obvious whisper to Sharpay. "I can tell—OW!" he grabbed his now sore arm from where Gabriella punched him. "That hurt!" he whimpered..

"Good!" Gabriella laughed.

"So, who's going to be invited to this party? ….Sharpay?" Troy tried getting Sharpay's attention, but her eyes were closed and she almost looked asleep.

"Hmm?" she asked lazily, still not opening her eyes. The sun was so warm; it could have drained the energy out of anyone. "What didja say?"

"Who-is-com-ing-to-the-par-tay?" Troy said, enunciating his words. "You know, that actually looks really relaxing. I'm in." Troy slid off the bench and lay down relatively close to Sharpay. In Sharpay's eyes, it was just far enough away to not be obvious, and just close enough to hear the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. "Ohh, man this is nice," he said slowly.Sharpay hoped her cheeks weren't becoming flushed after he moaned that. "Gabriella, you should come down here."

"I'm okay in the shade, thanks," said Gabriella.

"All right… you're missing out though."

"Anyone can come, I guess," Sharpay said answering Troy's question from before. Both herself and Troy were lying on the backs, with their bodies in the same direction, so Sharpay just flopped her head to the left to look at him. Troy's head was leaning towards the right. Though she had to squint a bit, all of her vision and her thoughts at the moment were about the abnormal gorgeous color of Troy's eyes. They seemed to be the exact color of the bright blue summer sky above them. Or are they more of an ocean blue, she wondered to herself. Whatever color it was, Sharpay couldn't get enough of it. All Sharpay was capable of doing at the moment was smiling.

"Does that mean I'm invited now?" Troy asked in a low voice.

"No," said Sharpay, but her smirk gave away everything. She forced herself to break eye contact and look at some of the clouds above her.

"Fine then." Troy lifted his arms up and used his hands as a pillow. His right elbow brushed Sharpay's left shoulder briefly, and she swore she felt a spark race all the way down to her toes. She yearned for him to touch her again.

"Sharpay, you are going to love all these ideas I have in store for you!" Gabriella said while putting her pen and paper down and stretching her legs. Sharpay was startled. She had forgotten that Gabriella was sitting there completely.

"Oh, uhh… sweet! I wish I weren't so lazy, or else I would sit up and read what you have."

"That's okay, I'll show you later. You're lucky you have…" Gabriella counted on her fingers, "twelve days until your birthday. It's just enough time to plan. By any chance, do you have a price limit on this party?"

Sharpay peeked her eyes open. "Go crazy," she stated, using arm motions as emphasis. Gabriella squealed and jotted down more notes.

"I don't even want to know what's going on in her head," Troy laughed.

"Oh, I can't wait," Sharpay said as she bit her lip and smiled.

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After Sharpay and Gabriella ate dinner and Troy went home, the girls were hanging out in Gabriella's room.

"Your mom is an awesome cook," Sharpay said, leaning up against the headboard on Gabriella's bed.

"I'll tell her that!" Gabriella smiled, who was on the bed next to her.

"Ooh, crap, I need to call Ryan." Sharpay leaned over the bed and grabbed her purse and took out her cell phone. She stayed lying on her stomach as she dialed the number to her house.

"Hey, Sharpay," she heard Ryan say.

"Hey, Ry." Sharpay put her elbow up and supported her head with her hand. "We have party plans!"

"Let's hear 'em!"

"Okay. There's gonna be a pool party in the afternoon and evening, and a dance later that night. Oh, and there's not going to be any real theme, but there are going to be decorations everywhere. We called a DJ a little while ago, and we're going to set up a dance floor and there are going to be lights… Ryan, this is going to be awesome!"

"Sounds like you two have been busy! Tell Gabriella I said hi."

Sharpay put her cell phone to her shoulder, "Ryan says hi."

"Hi, Ryan!" Gabriella laughed.

"What did you have for dinner?"

"I ordered Chinese food. Didn't feel like cooking."

"Oh…" Sharpay hesitated before she spoke again, but she'd been meaning to ask him for a while. "Any word from…" she implied the words 'mom and dad' but she couldn't get herself to say it.

"No… why?" Ryan asked softly.

"I dunno… I was thinking about it, and I guess part of me kind of… wants them to be here for our birthday." She glanced over at Gabriella, who was staring intently back at her, which caught her off guard. Sharpay quickly looked away and tried changing the subject. "Uh… yeah, so you sound bored."

"I am," Ryan laughed.

"Make a list of people you want to invite to our party, okay? We'll do the same. That'll give you something to do."

"Okay, I might do that in a bit, I have to do something right now, but I promise I'll make a list and call back later."

"'Kay, talk to you soon." Sharpay hung up her cell. "He sounds miserable… I feel bad,"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gabriella asked while she hugged her purple feathered pillow.

Sharpay sat up and crossed her legs in an indian-style. "Talk about… what?"

"Your parents."

Sharpay swallowed, but couldn't say a thing. The subject of her parents was buried deep inside her, something she really didn't feel like digging back up again. She longed to say yes, she didn't have the heart to say no… Her mouth opened up but neither word escaped her lips because frankly, she didn't know where to start! For a reason beyond her knowledge, she had an urge to cry. Sharpay fought those instincts though, feeling that she was becoming a sappy prissy and weak person, who for so long she believed she wasn't. Why am I so different now? Who or what the hell made me this way? Sharpay suddenly blinked herself out of her slight daydream and noticed that Gabriella was still looking at her.

"You okay?"

Sharpay cleared her throat and dabbed at her eye with the back of her hand. "Touchy subject," was all that she could muster up to say.

"That's all right," Gabriella said kindly.

"I'm really emotional lately. Or… should I say really openly emotional lately. And I don't know why."

"Having some mood swings?" Gabriella smirked, preparing to use her pillow for a shield if Sharpay made an attack.

Sharpay laughed, "No, at least not the kind you're thinking about. More like mood swings 24/7 now-a-days."

"Maybe… it's who you are," Gabriella said after a slight contemplation.

Sharpay frowned and let that thought sink in, which made the room silent and tranquil. Me? Emotional? Since when? … Since now, you ding-dong, another part of her mind answered. But she wasn't going to believe it. "I'm not emotional. Sharpay Evans is not emotional." She just had to keep saying that to herself.

"Uh-huh."

"I'm not!" Sharpay protested. "Well… I never used to be," she added once she saw Gabriella's expression.

"See! Maybe you're becoming someone you always were but never wanted to think you were because you used to be someone everyone thought you were and you needed to keep your image," Gabriella ended in a nod.

Sharpay raised her eyebrow and was staring at a spot on the bed as she processed that thought in her brain. "Sad thing is, I actually understood that," she sighed. "And you're right." She slapped a palm to her forehead. "Gabriella," she whined, "I'm turning into a wimp."

"Awww, how cute." Gabriella reached over and pinched the blonde's cheek. "I like wimpy Sharpay."

"I'm not so sure I do…"

Gabriella's door creaked open a tiny bit. "Why are you a wimp?" a small girls' voice asked.

"Gigi," Gabriella laughed and rolled her eyes, "what did I tell you about eavesdropping?"

"It's not polite…I know. But I just wanna play."

"Come on in," Gabriella sighed.

Gigi giggled and pushed the door open. She ran and jumped onto the bed where Sharpay and Gabriella were sitting. Sharpay was in awe; she thought Gigi was almost an exact clone of Gabriella. Gigi had Gabriella's eyes, hair and smile most definitely.

"She looks so much like you," Sharpay smiled. Gigi put her hands up to her face to hide her embarrassment.

"No… No, I don't." Gigi slid her hands off her face. "Gabbi looks like me!" she replied happily.

"Oh," Sharpay laughed, "is that how it is?"

"Yeah," Gigi nodded, a smile still beaming from her face.

"I've always wanted a little sister… Gabriella, you're so lucky." Sharpay tilted her head and smiled back warmly at the child in front of her. She adored Gigi.

"So!" Gabriella retorted, "I've always wanted a twin!"

Gigi gasped and looked wide-eyed at Sharpay. "You have a twin? That's so cool!"

"Yeah, his name is Ryan."

At that last statement, Gigi wrinkled her nose. "You have a boy twin?" She made sure she put special emphasis on word 'boy'.

"Hey! He's not half-bad." Speaking of which, he hasn't called back yet. Sharpay thought to herself.

"Well, I don't like boys," Gigi said with a snobbish tone.

"Why's that?" Sharpay asked. She looked at Gabriella briefly and both tried to hold in their laughter and hold their attention at the same time.

"Because. They roll around in the mud… they chase after us at recess… they like bugs…" Gigi was numbering off all the reasons with her fingers. She gave a dramatic eight-year-old sigh. "And because they are just weird."

"I agree, high-five for that, girl!" Sharpay put up her hand and Gigi giggled while she slapped it.

Gabriella sent Gigi out of the room shortly, leaving the two girls to their late night talks and juicy gossip. Sharpay swore she got the biggest ab-workout because of how much she laughed that night, and her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

When it was time to leave the next morning, Sharpay was nearly reluctant to go. She almost didn't want to go back to her desolate empty mansion. It wasn't significant enough in her mind to call it a 'home'. Gabriella's house was a home. The Evans' mansion would always and forever be just a bunch of wood, bricks, and plywood nailed together to keep sheltered from the weather. Nothing else.

"Ry, I'm home!" Sharpay called after she opened up the front door. Her voice echoed and bounced off the tiles, but she didn't hear a response back. She wondered if she should call his name again. "Ryan?" she yelled again. Sharpay slipped off her shoes and put her purse on a bench in the main lobby, and proceeded to wander throughout the house to try and find her brother.

"I'm in here, Sharpay," she heard him call from what seemed to be the living room.

His voice sounds strained… That only happens when he's frustrated or depressed or— Sharpay's body was suddenly frozen in mid-step as soon as she walked into the room and noticed who was sitting on the couch.

"Mom? D-Dad?"

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A/N – Sucky place to end, haha, sorry, but I had to end it somewhere. So yes, the next chapter is going to be the last one of this story… Half of the reason why this was so late, was because I was trying to figure out where I wanted to go with this story… and half was writer's block.. Very minor writer's block though… Okay anyway…

Next chapter: Evans' family talk, the par-tay! And some MUCH awaited Troypay fluffiness.

Sorry if there's any typos or grammar mistakes, I typed this up really fast because I know how much you guys must hate me for not updating… lol.

Love to all. :D