Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical or its characters.

Author's Note: And here's the next chapter … a shocker! I'm sure no one saw this coming. :-P

High School Drama
Based on 'High School Musical'
By Fiyero Oberon
Chapter Eight
You're Fault

Everyone was blaming Sharpay.

And she had no idea what was wrong.

When Sharpay and Ryan walked into rehearsal, the first rehearsal with lights, the spotlight swung straight from its position on Darbus to glare Sharpay right in the eye. Sharpay raised her arm, blocking the blinding light from her eyes as the students stormed up the aisle towards her.

"Why'd you do it, Sharpay?"

"It's not fair to any of us."

"You really are the Wicked Witch of the West!"

"Drama queen!"

"It must be because she's blonde – she didn't think. She didn't think we'd figure it out."

"Just because you didn't get the role you wanted doesn't mean you have to ruin the show for all of us!"

"What's wrong with you?"

Sharpay looked around, bewildered. "I didn't do anything!" she cried. "What's going on?"

The crowd parted like the Red Sea, making way for Ms. Darbus as she made her way through the mass to Sharpay. "Sharpay Evans," Darbus snapped, "I demand to know where you put the shoes!"

"The shoes?"

Darbus rolled her eyes, throwing her hands in the air dramatically. "The shoes!" she insisted. "The only shoes featured in the show!"

Sharpay's eyebrows shot up. "The ruby slippers are gone?"

"Well aren't you the little detective," Darbus said, a sarcastic edge to her voice. "Now where are they?"

Sharpay snorted. "I didn't take them! What would I want with a pair of tacky red heels?" Turning up her nose, Sharpay whirled on her heel and marched out of the auditorium, towards her dressing room. The buzzing swarm of students did not follow her, but Ryan and Ms. Darbus did.

"I don't understand, Sharpay," Darbus twittered, "why would you do this? I mean, sure, you didn't get the part you wanted but I mean… really? Is it that big of a deal? Are you trying to get into character? The Witch wants the shoes… you want the role… so you take the shoes to get the role?"

"Ms. Darbus!" Sharpay shouted. Darbus opened her mouth to say something, then decided it would be better to not talk and let Sharpay speak. "I did not take the shoes. I do not want the shoes. I don't care about being Dorothy. I'll be the star no matter what role I'm in. I am not trying to get into character, I do that well enough thank you. Now if you would please leave me alone while I prepare, it would be muchly appreciated. K? Thanks. Bye." And with that, Sharpay stormed into the room with the gold star with the name "Sharpay" written on it in swirling purple letters. Ryan hurried in after his sister.

Ryan began applauding as soon as he entered the room. "That was a wonderful performance, Sharpay!" he said, hands pumping enthusiastically. "You can go apologize now and explain that you were just kidding."

Sharpay began applying makeup. "I wasn't kidding, Ryan."

"No, seriously," he said, his applause fading. "Let's go."

Sharpay dug in her bag for her powder puff and, finding it, began puffing her face. "No, seriously," she repeated. "I was serious."

"Sharpay!" Ryan cried, flinging himself onto one of the matching sofas. "You're going to get us kicked out of the show!"

Sharpay smirked in the mirror. "They can't kick us out, Ryan," she explained. "We're leads. You can't kick leads out of a show in the final week before performances! We're golden!"

Just then, Darbus came in.

"Sharpay Evans," she announced, "I'm kicking you out of the show."

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