Intermission: Set Me Free

A/N: Another intermission. THe real next chapter will be up tomorrow. Please keep reviewing.

The phone had been ringing off the hook for a half an hour before Sharpay finally got up to pick it up. After she had made Troy leave she had gone to her room and cried into her pillow. She had ignored all of the phone calls that he had been making until now. Without even looking at the phone she threw the ringing phone out the window, turning back to her pillow and continuing to cry. She eventually fell into a fitful sleep, finally growing tired of the crying. Ryan had tried to comfort his sister but she could not be consoled. She kicked him out of her room as well and shut the door.

"Shar, come on. Open this door so I can talk to you." Ryan had been sitting on the other side of the door talking to her. Unknown to him, she had fallen asleep and could not have possibly been listening to her. Giving up for the time being, Ryan got up and drove to Troy and Gabriella's apartment. When he arrived he found Troy nursing his hand with a wet towel, a large hole in the wall next to him.

"Do you mind explaining yourself, Troy?" Ryan asked him as he sat next to him. Troy just glared at him and turned back to his hand which was bleeding.

"Why'd you do it? If you love my sister as much as you say you do, why'd you do it?" Ryan asked as he went to the fridge and got some ice. Reluctantly, Troy told Ryan about his side of the story. He explained that he had quit his job, outraged at the way the company was using his pictures to destroy her reputation. He also explained that he had been on his way to tell Sharpay the truth when she must've already known. Ryan then showed Troy the newspaper article. Instantly knowing who had done it, he ripped the paper to shreds and threw it across the room.

"That bastard! This is low even for him!" Troy got up and punched another wall, this time hitting a stud. He gripped his hand in pain and began to curse loudly.

"You know who put the article in the paper?" Ryan asked him as he went to help him with his hand.

"It must be Al, my boss. I must've gotten him mad so to get back at me he printed that." He pointed to the pile of paper on the other side of the room.

"Lucy, I'm home!" Doug said as he came in the front door. Ryan and Troy just stared at him oddly.

"This is not a good time Doug." Troy said as he gestured to the hole in the wall.

"Go to her man. She needs to know that you didn't mean to hurt her and that you really do love her." Doug said as he went to the fridge to get a beer. Troy's eyes widened at how perceptive he was to the problem.

"How did…how did you know?" Troy stuttered out.

"How many times do I have to say it before you believe me. I'm a genius." Doug smirked as he tapped the bottle to his forehead.

"I think mister genius here is right though. You better get going." Ryan said as he walked toward the door. Troy caught a ride with Ryan and soon they were walking into the condominium. The first thing they both noticed was Sharpay's door was open. Quickly rushing over to the door they found the room in disarray. Clothing was everywhere and the sheets were rumpled into a ball on the floor. A quick scan of the condo turned up nothing. Sharpay was nowhere to be found. Sitting down at the table, Troy put his head in his hands and groaned.

"You want something to drink while we wait?" Ryan asked as he made his way to the fridge. Noticing a note on the fridge he pulled it off and started to read it aloud.

"Dear Ryan,

I'm really sorry that I was so cold to you earlier but I was so upset. I've decided that I can't live like this anymore and I'm moving back to New York. I dropped out of the movie and am going back to Broadway. I got our old apartment back so don't worry, I have a place to stay.

Love you,

Sharpay"

Ryan dropped the note to the floor as he read the last lines. Troy had his head up and eyes open wide as Ryan read the note. Without a word spoken to each other they both ran out the door and started driving to the airport.

"Damn it Sharpay, why'd you go?" Troy asked himself as Ryan sped down the freeway.

A/N: I know it's short but that's the point of an intermission. I got more reviews for last chapter but I still think I could get more. The chapter title is the title of a song by a local band, Go Jimmy Go. Should listen to some of their stuff, they're a pretty good band.