Chapter 9:

"So how are things with lunk head basketball man?" Cassandra asked as she leaned against the row of lockers next to Sharpay's. She wasn't going to beat around the bush and wait for her friend the tell her. She wanted to know and that was all that she cared about.

"I don't know…" Sharpay said shutting her locker revealing her regular outfit to the crowds in the highway. She was just wearing a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. She didn't feel the need to put up the façade any more. If Troy was going to be by her side, that was all that mattered.

"Oh my god!" Cassandra said as she looked down the hall to see Ryan kiss Gabriella and hand her, her books.

Sharpay turned around and didn't say anything. He could live his life as he wanted to. It was clear that they were walking down separate paths now. If he wanted to date a little…Then all the more power to him. She wasn't going to run over there and try to win her brother back. He was finally happy.

"I didn't even know you owned anything denim" Troy said walking up smiling. He had this skip in his step showing that Sharpay really did make him happy. He just rolled his eyes as the other students began to whisper… They were just jealous.

"Troy!"

"Hey Sugar."

"Sugar?" Cassandra whispered joking as she started to walk to her class. She winked at Sharpay as she turned around.

"Um… Hi!"

"About last night…"

"You don't have to say anything."

"Well you did just run into the house leaving me out on the street wondering what happened."

"I'm scared, but I know I am willing to try anything as long as you are with me. Last night I was breathless and too scared to even admit that I like you. Today I realize you were right all along and I need you."

"You need me? I find that hard to believe!"

Sharpay hit him in his arm playfully and giggled. She was different around him, she was herself. She didn't know how he did it. She couldn't turn away if she wanted to. He had her hook line and sinker.

Troy grabbed her booked and put one arm around her as they walked to class well aware that they were late. They didn't care. They had each other. It was weird, really weird, but it felt perfect.

"Mr. Bolton! Ms. Evans! You're late for homeroom!" Darbus said as she started to erase her attendance log. She cursed under her breath for using a pen and motioned for them to just take a seat.

"Troy can I talk to you?" Gabriella asked quietly from the seat next to him. She didn't want to leave things on a bad note. They could always be friends. They both moved on, why should there be any hard feelings.

"What Gabi! You said you never wanted to talk to me again, remember?"

"I was mad that you were dumping me."

"I see you had no problems getting over it."

"Why can't we just be friends?"

"That's the thing Gabi… We were never just friends."

"You don't mean that."

"I don't know what to tell you. I will always care for you even as I move one. I will never be able to see you with other guys. I am sure it goes the same way for you." Troy said as he grabbed Sharpay's hand for across the aisle and smiled at her. It wasn't that he didn't want to be friends with Gabi; he just didn't want to ruin anything with Sharpay. He didn't want her to get all jealous of him spending time with Gabriella. He just figured it would be for the best if they went their separate ways completely, at least for now.

Sharpay looked at Ryan as he wrote in his notebook. He was always jotting down new dance ideas. He lived at that studio. She sighed, she used to be his partner. How could she just forget about her own flesh and blood?

"I think we should double date," Sharpay smiled sweetly. It gave her a chance to keep an eye on her brother without coming on as overbearing. Plus it made it look like she wasn't jealous Gabi was his ex. She could totally change. She was surprising herself with the progress she was making.

"Sounds like fun," Gabi clapped to herself as she jotted the date down in her planner. Friday night they would all go out for dinner and a movie. It was going to be very interesting.

"I think we should just focus on the musical." Troy said a little uncomfortable with the idea of double dating with Gabriella. He could love Sharpay more than anything in the world, but there will always be a place in his heart for Gabriella. It was too soon to act like nothing happened.

"Practice starts today. We have plenty of time to focus on the musical." Sharpay said giving him her puppy dog eyes. No one could resist those. She looked at him hoping he wouldn't object anymore.

Troy just nodded in agreement. He could already tell that this wasn't going to go exactly as Sharpay had planned, but he was going to ruin this just yet. He just looked at Ryan and Gabriella and smiled.

Free period went by quicker than anyone had expected. They got the scripts for the musical and the song book. It was about a girl who walked life alone until a mysterious stranger sweeps her off her feet. It was based of the Christina Aguilera/ Ricky Martin song "Nobody wants to be Lonely"

AN: I know this chapter was a little short but I had to set the background for the next chapter…