The sky was pitch black now, as Gabriella walked toward Sharpay. Feeling kind of awkward, she slowed her stride and thought about what she would say. Should she say . . . she was sorry? Should she try to be friends with her? Or should she just leave her alone and leave everything unsaid?
Gabriella hesitated, but kept walking. Sharpay let her know she was award of her presence by turning around in her direction.
"I saw a shadow and figured it was you trying to make 'peace' with me," Sharpay declared, "because that is what all perfect people would do."
"Sharpay . . . you don't even know me, I'm far from perfect!" Gabriella exclaimed, wrapping her beach towel around her shoulders.
"You're perfect, Troy likes you and you get everything I want," Sharpay yelled, "If you're not so perfect, then what is wrong with you?"
Gabriella glanced at the oblivious party guests in the distance to stall her answer.
"See? Nothing," Sharpay snapped, standing up.
"Sharpay . . . stop!" Gabriella demanded, holding out her hand.
"Why should I? You already took my lead part from me," she said, "I have nothing left unless you want my house, my clothes, or my brother."
Gabriella took a deep breath, "Could we please start over?"
For a second, Sharpay considered the idea. Why not be friends and end this awkward feud? But then she realized that she would be giving something else to Gabriella: her friendship. No, she would not give Gabriella that satisfaction.
"No!" Sharpay cried out, tears shining in her eyes under the pool light.
Gabriella felt remorse because she had caused her to cry, and almost felt like breaking down herself. She thought that maybe Sharpay wasn't so bad if she would just give her a chance.
Gabriella held out her hand, this time as a gesture to become friends. It was a gesture of peace. Sharpay stared at her hand like it was poison. Anger shot through her body, and her mind couldn't stop her from doing what she did next.
As she took her hand, Gabriella flashed a wide smile. For a second there was less tension in the air. Gabriella's smile turned to fear as Sharpay grabbed her other arm and flung her backwards into the swimming pool.
Gabriella flew through the air as if she were in slow motion. The force had been too hard for her to regain her balance. Brown curls gleamed in the one light. Sharpay envied how even when falling, she looked graceful. As her body hit the water, it was like a splash of color erupting around her curves. She disappeared beneath the surface, and Sharpay was nervous when she didn't come up for awhile.
Time stood still, but then Gabriella finally emerged to the surface of the water. As if by magic, she glowed with an abnormal beauty that awed Sharpay. Gabriella was like a new creature, unveiled before Sharpay's very eyes. The girls face suddenly changed to fear as Sharpay gawked at her.
Trailing behind Gabriella was . . . a tail, or rather, a fin, decked in magnificent scales that shone in the reflections on the water.
Sharpay had found her flaw alright, but hardly saw it as a flaw. She was still as envious as ever.
Gabriella felt similar, but her heart was filled with fear. Sharpay knew her secret, and it was all over.
"You're . . . a . . . a . . ."
" . . . Mermaid," Gabriella finished, "Just let me explain Sharpay!"
"Oh, I'm listening alright," Sharpay stated, still struck with confusion. She sat down on the side of the pool and dangled her legs in the water.
"I was born a mermaid . . . in the ocean," she explained, "My parents gave me to a human . . . my mom right now."
"Why would they give you away?"
"There were a lot of dangers in the ocean, and huge risks of us getting caught so I guess it was for the best," she declared, "There are actually a lot of . . . my kind walking around. You just wouldn't know."
"How do you look like a human then?"
"We're in human form as long as we aren't in a certain depth of water."
Sharpay took in this information and processed it slowly. How was this possible? She couldn't believe it, and yet proof was right before her eyes. But then the gears started clicking in her mind.
If she had discovered a real live mermaid . . . she could be a national, or even a world wide hero. And since Gabriella was just a fish, Troy couldn't possibly like her anymore. Sharpay smiled at her genius plan, but Gabriella took the smile a different way.
"I'm so glad you understand Sharpay," she exclaimed, "You won't tell anyone, right?"
"Oh, of course not," Sharpay lied, "You better get out before someone sees you."
Gabriella put her hands on the edge of the pool and pulled herself up. Sharpay saw the beauty of her fin up close, and was once again awe struck. Like magic, the fin disappeared.
"I should really go, I bet Taylor is looking for me so we can go," Gabriella stated, "bye Sharpay."
"Bye!" she exclaimed sweetly.
Though she had pushed her in the pool Gabriella still forgave her and thought they were friends. How very wrong she was.
Something shimmered in the corner of Sharpay's eye, a single scale. Sharpay picked it up and felt its warmth. She pocketed the scale in her cover-up shorts.
Just a few yards away out of earshot, Troy stood in disbelief. He had come back to look for his sunglasses, but instead saw something he thought he thought he had imagined. He couldn't possibly have kissed . . . a mermaid.
