The Fight for the Throne

Ouch!

My sister, Sharpay, was furious. She wouldn't speak to me until we were at home in the study. Wasn't she glad that I got the part? It may be with another girl, but it was the lead, wasn't it? Oh, I know why. She wanted the lead to herself. But you have to admit that Claire was a good singer! She hit every note perfectly, and the song had many high notes and low notes. Sharpay didn't like Claire, but I think she would be cool to hang out with. Her brother, Lawrence, seemed very shy, but if he came out of his shell, he would probably have a unique personality.

"Ryan!" Sharpay yelled. Why yell, you're sitting right in front of me?

"You don't have to yell, I'm right here." I muttered. She ignored me as usual, then burst out, " How could that new girl take my spot in the musical? How dare she!"

I sighed. "At least it wasn't that Gabriella girl and Troy who got the lead parts." I suggested, trying to get her to calm down, but she once again ignored me, and continued blabbing on about that how horrible it was not to get the lead part (as if I didn't know). Here comes the lecture… It went on for ages… 'How could Mrs. Darbus put her in and make me have a supporting role?'… 'I knew I wouldn't like her from the moment I set my eyes on her'…

Suddenly, I stood up and said angrily, "All you can think about is yourself! You didn't even congratulate me when I got the part! I'm disgusted to call you my sister!" I stopped for a second to catch my breath, and to take a look at Sharpay's stunned face, then I walked out of the room and to the kitchen. I grabbed the phone and called Claire's cell phone number. When she picked up, I said, " Will you practice with me tonight?"

"Wow." I said as I entered the Simons' 'Drama Room' as they called it. There was a dance floor, a wall of mirrors, a baby grand piano, a guitar, a drum set, a stereo system, hundreds of CD's, and four wireless microphones sitting on a small table. The walls were painted many colors, orange, blue, red, yellow, green, and purple. " I thought you just moved here from California?" I asked, disbelieving what was sitting right in front of my eyes.

"We did," Claire said, looking through her script and sitting down in one of the many squishy chairs located on a corner of the room.

" Then…" I said, but Claire cut me off.

"Never mind about that. We really should get started; do you know if Lauren and Taylor are the only two in the first act, or are there other characters?"

" Um… I haven't looked in the script yet. Sharpay was giving me a lecture…" I looked her, she wore a confused look on her face, " Don't ask… let me see…" he looked through the script. "No, only Lauren and Taylor speak. It's the opening to it, right?" I asked.

"Yeah… let's get started, shall we?" Claire asked, standing up and walking to the dance floor. "Ok, music starts, then I say, " There are many problems in the small town of Creltview… for example, Carmen loves Eric, but Eric loves Stacie, and Stacie loves Taylor, but Taylor secretly loves me."

"Wow." I said, amazed at how all that could happen in such a small town. " Talk about a love triangle, huh?"

"Yeah… that's actually hilarious how many different couplings could happen, you know?"

"Yep… so then I walk on stage and say, " There you are, Lauren, I have been looking for you!"

The next thing I heard was my cell phone going off, so naturally I walked over and answered it.

" Hello?" I asked.

" RYAN LUCAS EVANS, YOU GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!" Sharpay yelled in my ear. Ok, I was wrong, now I'm going to get a lecture. All I did was hold the phone an arm's length from my ear while she continued to yell. I learned how to deal with Sharpay when she was angry, just ignore her and eventually she'll get over it. I made absolute sure that she was done yelling, then while keeping the phone as far away from my ear as possible, said, " Ok, Sharpay, I'll be home soon, now STOP YELLING!" then I hung up. I grinned in spite of the telling off I would get when I got home; I just told off Sharpay Evans. Her own brother, now who would have thought of that?

I sadly said goodbye to Claire, and then walked home sullenly, knowing what awaited me once I got there. I was halfway home, then just my luck, it started to rain. About ten minutes later, I walked through the front door, very soggy. Just as I was wringing out my bucket hat, Sharpay walked in, eyes so mad they were slits.

" First of all, where did you go?" she asked, trying to keep her voice under control.

"Relax, I was practicing with Claire." I explained smoothly. I wanted to get out of this mess as soon as possible. " Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go upstairs—"

" You're not going anywhere! Actually, yes you are. You are going to come and practice our routine with me." She added triumphantly.

Why did Sharpay always do that? She always had to practice, practice, and practice some more. For example, when they were seven, there was this big audition where three pairs were chosen to be in this music program during the summer and of course we practiced for over 100 hours. Yes, we did win a spot, but I was so tired of the routine by the time we went to the finals, I really wanted to give up. But, of course, Sharpay wouldn't allow it.

" Do I have to?" I whined. I didn't even know which routine she was talking about, there was so many.

" Yes, you have to!" she spat back.

I trudged up the stairs to our workshop, which had a piano, a small stage, and a stereo. It was nothing compared to Claire's, but it worked. " Which routine?" I asked.

" I thought we could do one from 'Twinkle Town' since that was the one production we didn't make."

" What I've been looking for?" I asked.

" Yes, so get the CD and put it in."

I grunted. I really didn't like this routine; I looked too preppy, which is exactly what Sharpay wants. Why can't she let me be what I want to be instead of what she wants? Her dream was to be on Broadway, imagine that. I don't really know what I want to be yet, but I must admit that it would be cool to be on Broadway.

I pushed the play button on the remote a minute later, then started the rather cheesy routine. Right in the middle of the routine, I realized how tired I was from the day's activities. I messed up like four times before Sharpay finally stopped and went to turn off the music.

"What is your problem today?" she asked, obviously ticked off at my performance.

"I'm tired, I did a lot today, unlike you!" I protested.

"Well at least I'm not dancing like a baboon!" this was most unlike Sharpay, I had never seen her act like that before. " So you really think I dance like a baboon?" I asked. I didn't like this statement, I wasn't a baboon!

"Yes, I really do!"

"Well, then!" I said, before storming out of the room and into my own. I sat on my blue bed, just staring at the ceiling. That statement Sharpay said earlier really hurt. I thought I danced pretty well. At least I didn't sing like a baboon.

I sat there like that for the rest of the night, just staring at the ceiling until I fell asleep; I didn't even bother to change out of my soggy blue button-down shirt, which I would have normally done as soon as I got the chance to. The next thing I knew, Sharpay was shaking me awake, telling me something was wrong with Claire, something about her leg.

"What!"