Disclaimer: HSM and most of the characters you see here belong to Disney.
Summary: Sharpay Evans finally has everything she's been wishing for … right? Troy/Sharpay
A/N: Next chapter, yay! If Troy seems out of character don't worry, there's a reason.
Thank you so much for all of your comments. I really appreciate you taking the time to review.
In the know
Chapter 2: You would live a hundred years
For a lot of students much had changed in East High, ever since last year's sophomore class single handedly altered the balance most were accustomed to. The cheerleaders went out with the skaters', everyone knew nearly all of the drama club members and not just by name, and the basketball Jocks were friendly with the science geeks.
Chaos. Sharpay thought as she sauntered into the cafeteria with her set of followers trailing behind. Yes, things were different on the surface. Everybody said Hi to each other and played nice, but she knew this was just some new thing to do because a popular jock had started the trend and that the groups stayed the same for the most part. And it would remain this way.
Unless Gabriella and her boy toy do something stupid again.
Keeping up the pretense meant that the cafeteria no longer held all the different cliques by table, leaving Sharpay without her usual seat and feeling like an idiot carrying her lunch tray while looking for one.
"Shar!"
The blonde sighed in relief looking at her twin signaling towards his table. She wasn't at ease because of the seat, although it couldn't have come at a better time, it was because her brother sat there calmly staring back at her.
That very morning in the Evans house there was fresh breakfast on the table, a car tank full of gas and no Ryan in sight. He left awfully early that day without telling her a single word about it. To top it off he wasn't in second period History, their only class together on Tuesdays, nor did they collide in the halls like they normally would.
And if she was honest (only to herself, as usual) she felt that it was because of her.
Obvious avoidance going on, right?
Of course the 'Ice Queen' didn't care about those things, there were plenty of other people around. Plus as far as she knew she hadn't even done anything. Except that it wasn't just someone in school; it was Ryan.
With that thought on her mind she turned to the four girls chatting behind her. "Ladies" she started with her sugary voice "I have some prop issues to discuss with my brother, kay? Tootles!" She left the girls on their own to come sit across from Ryan.
Before he had a chance to even open his mouth Sharpay sent him a withering glare.
"Where exactly were you all day?"
"Around." he answered, afterward proceeding to eat the chips on his lunch tray one by one as if he hadn't a care in the world.
The glare intensified. "Around? Around? While I looked in your room, in the auditorium, the music room and knocked on the door of every single men's room in this freaking school you were just 'around'."
"Yeah, pretty much." When he saw that she was about ready to throw her drink at him Ryan laughed nervously. "Okay, relax! I came early to meet with my tutor and then I spent most of my time studying for my algebra quiz."
Her glare swiftly turned into a puzzled frown. "Tutor? Since when do you need a tutor?"
"I'- Not a tutor. Just someone helping me out, I've been kind of stressed with try outs and now auditions, plus I haven't really been paying attention with Mr. Roberts. You know how his voice is slow and hushed, it always makes me sleepy. "
"Yeah, but you didn't tell me. Since when do you not tell me things?"
"I don't know, you were busy too. Look its no big deal."
They both blinked in sync therefore looking down at the table at the same time. Sharpay takes a deep breath before breaking the silence.
"Are you mad at me?" She went on without pause. "Because I couldn't refuse the lead part." She kept rambling on without looking him in the eyes. "And I know you should have been the lead with me, it's not my fault that you aren't." "And-and maybe Troy will get sick too! He and Gabriella are always playing tonsil hockey every chance they get, maybe it'll rub off on him. "
"Shar!" He finally interrupted before she could keep on talking incoherently.
"It's fine. I love my part plus I'm busy enough as it is. Been the lead just means more pressure."
Sharpay paused before waving her hands in the air.
"You're fine, you're busy. What about me?" Already used to her selfish tantrums Ryan merely rolled his eyes. "I always have you on stage with me."
"We have scenes together."
"Just a few. Most of mine are with Bolton, and he isn't going to prep with me or bring me water with a twist of lime, or practice our lines, and he isn't you! We always do this together." She finishes with a gloomy whimper.
Ryan looks sad but manages to smile optimistically at her. "Maybe it just means were growing up."
"Yes" She agreed promptly. "And it really sucks."
Came time for rehearsal and 'Michael' was nowhere in sight. Already fifteen minutes had passed and they we're forced to begin by Miss Darbus reading with Sharpay on stage while Kelsi looked frantically for her organizer, where she kept all of her songs and had seemed to misplace today.
"You're late Mr. Bolton"
Troy finally appeared looking worn out and irritable. Whatever excuse he had he told only to Mrs. Darbus quietly before getting on stage with Sharpay.
While their teacher went with Kelsi to find the sheet music Troy took one of the chairs on the stage and swiftly sat down to read his script.
He read in silence for about a minute, eyes only on the paper, without a word to her or anyone else. And by looking at him there, so at ease, Sharpay felt anger swelling inside of her.
How dare he just sit there? As if he doesn't even care.
"Troy" She called out once again using her sing-song voice. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting your brooding session? I'll be quick." Now she was in front of him, showing her profile to the side of the audience.
"Next time you decide you're going to be late, do you mind letting the rest of us know about it? Not everyone can be like the great Troy Bolton, some people actually want to rehearse."
It seemed as though he wouldn't react to her comments but she noticed how he tightened his grip on the stack of papers.
"Then again, Mr. Perfect might think he just doesn't need any practice."
This seemed to really get to him for he stoop out of his chair and faced Sharpay, murmuring loud enough for her to hear.
"Bite me, Barbie."
By now all eyes were fixed on them.
Sharpay placed both hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes and lifting her had high.
"Listen Bolton, this isn't going to go like last year. You can't just come here when you want and do what you want. I will not let you ruin my show!"
He narrowed is eyes at her as well while slowly coming closer.
"Listen Sharpay, I work my ass off last year. I'm working my ass off now, just like everyone else is doing too. This is not your show and you do not get to tell me what I can and can't do."
She gasped dramatically at his words. "You are nothing but an-inconsiderate-JOCK." She emphasized each word by poking her finger in his chest.
"And you are nothing but a self centered, superficial Ice queen."
They both stood glaring daggers at each other, unaware of all the people surrounding them.
"Brava! Brava!" Darbus's voice shook them out of their murderous thoughts, making them look down towards where she stood. "Such fire, such passion. Exactly why I wanted you both for the parts." She said this with a cheery voice that soon after turned into a stern one.
"I do hope that was a warm up exercise and not a reason for me to give my two leading actors a weeks worth of detention."
Both students nodded, taking their places as far from each other as they could.
"Very well then, let us begin."
