The next day promised to be a great one judging from the weather. Taylor was making breakfast and as she did this, she thought of the excellent day she had yesterday. She spaced out, remembering every precious moment she had spent with Chad. But despite it all, she was worried it would turn out the same as last time.
Taylor remembered that day vividly. She thought that her and Chad's relationship was fine. They had been dating only two weeks, so she hadn't expected him to break up with her.
The next day after their break up, she found out he was dating someone from the cheerleading squad. Who was she kidding? She couldn't possibly have thought she could date someone from the varsity basketball team. And how she used to despise him . . . she questioned whether it ever was hate. Maybe, it was always a helpless crush she was trying to talk herself out of having.
And now, she had another chance to be a girl that Chad would want. She wouldn't and couldn't ruin this chance.
She wished things could be easy for her . . . like they seemed to be for Gabriella.
As she took a bite of her omelet, Taylor promised herself that she would use this opportunity to the fullest. She swallowed to seal the deal and to signify the change within herself.
Gabriella lounged on her back porch, staring into the abyss of the morning sunlight. She had woken up that morning, wondering if last night had been just a dream. But her muscles still ached from the transformation and she confirmed it had really happened.
Of course, she would not tell her mother what had happened. Often Gabriella wondered what life would be like if she were a normal human. For one, it would be so much easier. But she also wondered what it would be like living in the ocean with her real parents. She wondered what the scenery was like under the water. Closing her eyes, she pictured the sea life and coral shining brightly with all of their tropical colors.
Gabriella was stirred from her daydream by Troy's entrance.
"Your mom let me in," he explained, smiling when his eyes laid on her.
And almost as if the two had been together for years, they greeted each other in a kiss through their instinct.
"I couldn't stop thinking about you," Troy told her.
Though her face was already flushed, she blushed on top of that. She couldn't doubt that she had been thinking a lot about Troy since last night.
"Me either," she admitted shyly, brushing his brown hair out of his face with her hand.
The scene looked all too perfect. A bystander would see two people deeply in love, having a romantic moment. But inside the two, there were inner conflicts struggling to be set free.
Gabriella debated with her heart on whether or not to reveal her secret to Troy. Troy didn't know whether or not to ask Gabriella about this same secret that he already knew.
Troy's brain told him to ask her about it and admit he knew. But his heart told him not to spoil the moment. Gabriella would tell him eventually.
He had so many questions, and he still didn't quite believe it all himself. How could Gabriella possibly be a mermaid? The thought was strange to him, but either way, he knew inside that he would accept Gabriella for whoever she was.
That same morning, Sharpay was strategizing. She knew something . . . a secret that could change humanity. Where does she start? Should she become friends with Gabriella and learn more?
She thought of Troy Bolton, sweet, perfect, wonderful, Troy Bolton. Sharpay despised Gabriella with all of her being because she had him. Sharpay wanted to be the princess, and Troy to be her prince, but how is it that Gabriella gets to wear her crown?
She needed to do something . . . and fast. She had to do something before Troy began to fall for Gabriella even more. She made her decision to withhold the information until she paid Troy a little visit.
Sharpay held the mermaid scale in her palm, and smiled to herself. She almost felt like laughing.
Yes, she needed to talk to Troy.
