The Fight for the Throne

Chapter 2- Beautiful Eyes

The next day during free period, it was like a jungle in the auditorium. Troy and Gabriella were working on 'Start of Something New', Ryan and Sharpay were working on 'Bop to the Top' for the millionth time, and Claire and Lawrence were on 'Highway to Nowhere', which was their best piece.

Finally, Mrs. Darbus told the six to sit down, as the auditions were about to start.

First to start was a freshman that sang ok, but was not fit for the theatre.

Next was a young man who sang fairly well, would get a good supporting role. The auditions went fairly well; Mrs. Darbus hadn't reduced anyone to tears yet. As the auditions went on, Ryan whispered to Sharpay, "Better than last semester."

"Yeah… those newbies don't have a chance." She replied.

Claire suddenly realized why people called the 'Ice Queen".

"Pairs! Troy and Gabriella, you first!"

Troy and Gabriella walked onto the stage, then the music started. They sang:

Living in my own world

Didn't understand

That anything can happen

When you take a chance

I never believed in

What I couldn't see

I never opened my eyed

To all the possibilities

Their song was good, but Claire thought that their song would be much better.

"Good, good. Ryan and Sharpay Evans!"

Sharpay stood up and strutted onto the stage, Ryan behind her, rolling his eyes at his star-struck sister. Their music had a Spanish tone to it. They even through in some Spanish words in it, before they started singing:

I believe in dreaming

Shooting for the stars

Baby to be number one

You've got to raise the bar

Kicking and a scratching

Grinding out my best

Anything it takes to climb the ladder of success

The song continued; it seemed to never stop. They were pretty good in Lawrence's opinion.

"Magnificent!" Mrs. Darbus stated when they finally finished. " Claire and Lawrence Simons, your turn!"

They walked onstage, then heard the music start to play, so they sang:

I'm tired of all your excuses

I'm tired of all your lies

Your filthy schemes and abused

Well I've finally grown wise

Got tired of chasing it down

Maybe it's better that I'm not around

And I'm on a highway to nowhere

Trying to get by

Without you

And I don't know why

It took me so long too

Wind up back in nowhere with you

Oh

Wind up back in nowhere with you

They continued the song, which turned out to be very good. When they finished, Mrs. Darbus said, " Come back after school, and I will have the cast list posted up."

Claire and Lawrence couldn't wait until the end of the day. During lunch, Troy, Gabriella, Ryan, Sharpay, Taylor, Chad, Zeke, and Kelsie invited them to sit with them during lunch. They thought it was nice of them to invite Claire and Lawrence to eat with them.

Troy wanted to get to know them, so he started a small bit of conversation, "So who do you think is going to get the lead, if you don't that is?" he asked casually.

Claire immediatly answered, cutting off her brother, " I think you and Gabriella did really good!"

"Well I think Sharpay and Ryan did great ." Lawrence said, slightly annoyed at his sister for cutting him off.

"Well, thank you! You did good too, but not as--" Sharpay started, but Ryan cut her off, " You did good, much better than us."

"Thanks, you did really well too." Claire said, smiling. She just now realized how... entertaining Ryan could be. She pictured him as a pushover who let his sister walk all over him, but just then, she realized he had much more to him. She looked into his eyes. They were sparkling with personality just waiting to come out and be someone other than his sister's shadow; himself.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" he asked after he noticed that she was staring at him.

"No, nothing." she said, embarresed. She faced Troy and asked, " I heard you and Gabriella won the lead for 'Twinkle Town' last semester."

"Yeah... that was pretty cool." he said, grinning.

"I just don't know if I could take all the attention again." Gabriella said, blushing.

"It's not that big of a deal once you get used to it." Claire said, comforting her.

They finished lunch in silence, then when they threw out their lunch trays, Sharpay pulled Claire aside and putting her arm over Claire's shoulder like they had been best friends since kindergarten, said, " Um... why did you try and build up that Gabriella girl's confindence?" she said, infuriated.

"I was trying to be a good friend!" she exclaimed.

Sharpay took a breath as if she was calming herself down, then said, " Ok. You want the lead part, right?" She sounded annoyed.

" Yeah..." Claire had no idea where she was going with this.

"Gabriella is good. You know that. I know that. If you want the lead, you have to take her down."

Claire thought about what Sharpay said to her all that afternoon. Then during eighth period, Claire got very nervous. What if what Sharpay said was the truth? Was her and Lawrence's 9-year star-streak going to come to an end? She really hoped not; she loved acting. She knew for a fact that Lawrence didn't like the theatre as much as she, but he was willing to do whatever he could for her. They were twins after all!

Then finally the final bell rang, leaving the Drama Club to go to the auditorium to see if there would be call backs. Of course, Sharpay was the first one there. Claire saw her run to the list, read it for a second, then let out an ear-shattering scream. Ryan and Lawrence were following Claire, so as soon as Sharpay yelled her girlish scream, all three of them ran down to her. They looked at the cast list and it read:

Talyor and Lauren-

Ryan Evans

Claire Simons

"What the...?" Claire whispered to no one in particular.

"I see you have seen the cast list." Mrs. Darbus said, appearing out of nowhere. "Ryan and Claire, you will sing the final song together."

"Claire nodded, then grabbed her brother by the upper arm, then led him to the opposited corner of the room than everyone else.

"Is it alright that I am performing with someone other than you?" She asked.

"Yeah... is it ok if..." he said, then started to trail off towards the end.

"You what?"

He took a deep breath, then said, " I don't want to do drama anymore." he said softly.

Claire was silent for a seconed, then she said, " If you didn't want to do drama anymore, why didn't you tell me?" she asked softly.

" I was afraid at what you would say." he muttered.

Claire sighed. Sometimes her brother could be such a dope." You do realize that i'll support you in whatever you want to do, right?" she asked.

Lawrence opened his mouth, paused, then said, "Yeah..."

"Claire Simons, come here!" Mrs. Darbus yelled.

"Bye!" she said to Lawrence, then she quickly walked to where Mrs. Darbus and Ryan were standing. Sharpay left while Claire and Lawrence were talking.

"Ok, I want you two to sing the song from the final act... here" she said, handing them a massive script. "Learn your lines. You should practice the first act tonight, we will be going over it tommorrow during free period." Mrs. Darbus said.

"Yes ma'am." Claire and Ryan said simutaniously.

Claire looked at the last song; It was really good, very well written"

Taylor: Wake up

It's time to get your things together

And travel away

Lauren:Be though,
Future days treat you better

That's what they say

Taylor: Another day

Together:Gone without a say

Lauren:But it's ok

Together:If you turn around

And feel the memories

Bringing you down

And in the end

Are we stronger

Do you no longer

Need to recover

And where have you been

Since it's been over

Over my shoulder

Under my skin

Will you ever return

Now again?

When Clair finished reading the script, she looked up at Ryan and found that he was looking at her with those beautiful eyes. The eyes that she loved.