Ryan walked down the hall, searching for Gabriella. She had been avoiding him all day. In science class she would look down and pretend to be writing data in her notebook, and she left the lunchroom when she saw him approaching her at lunch. The final bell had just rung, and he intended to beat her to her locker.
He finally found her locker and leaned up against it. He noticed her turning a corner and heading his way. She hesitated when she saw him but dropped her head so that she wouldn't have to stare into his eyes and slowly approached her locker.
"Um, hi, Gabriella," said Ryan, cautiously. He was afraid to speak too loud or too fast, she looked ready to bolt at any given moment.
"Hi, Ryan," she said, hoarsely. She didn't even glance up.
"Uh… Gabby, were you… avoiding me?" He asked, hoping that her answer would be "no", hoping that he was just being paranoid.
Gabby didn't respond, she just continued fiddling with her lock.
"Gabriella, did you hear me? I said-"
"Ryan! Can't you take a hint? LEAVE ME ALONE," she almost shouted. Her sudden outburst took Ryan by surprise. It was very out-of-character. Gabriella was usually sweet and soft-spoken.
"I'm sorry, Gabby, it's just that… after what happened-"
"NOTHING happened, Ryan! It was just a… a mistake. An accident. Okay, got it?" She lowered her voice, "Please, just… just go."
Ryan's shoulders dropped, he hung his head, and slowly walked away, hurt.
Sharpay had heard every word. She was walking past Gabriella's locker when she heard her brother's voice and decided to find out what he was doing there. His locker was on the other side of the school.
"Hmph!" she snorted and turned around, bumping into Taylor McKessie. She had obviously been listening, too.
Sharpay had never liked Taylor, but she figured that now would be a pretty good time to find an alliance. "Taylor, something is very wrong, and we need to fix it!"