Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this crazy story. Thank you to everyone who is still reading. This is a chapter where I had to change a lot of things. I did some things as a baby writer in this chapter I would not do now, so I had to fix some stuff.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable (unless you vaguely remember it from the first version of the story). I name-drop a couple of properties in this chapter; I don't own those properties either.

Chapter 69: Returning to high school hell

Early morning December 17, 2008

"Ok, why are you up at 6:10 am? More importantly, why are you getting me up at 6 am?" Chad asked his girlfriend, still half asleep. They got back way too late the night before from Lamaze class. He just really wanted to cuddle in his blanket for another three hours. Zack wasn't picking him up until at least 11 am.

"I have to be at the school by 7:30 am. I wanted to say goodbye to you before I left. I'm not going to be able to vent to you about spending quality time with Kelsi."

"You can still text me."

"It's not the same thing."

"Sorry. I don't get to choose when away games are. Personally, I prefer to spend the day with you in bed. We didn't get to do that yesterday." Chad said, pulling her back into bed.

"Not going to happen. Get dressed. I am going to work on breakfast."

"That's ok. I will have cereal." He will have to arrange cooking lessons with Aunt Claudia before he tries anything Sharpay attempts to cook again. He'll have to text her on the way to the airport.

"The only way I'm going to get better is to keep practicing. I'm going to do something simple, cheesy scrambled eggs and hash browns. Tiffany emailed me an easy recipe to try for this morning." In his mind, Chad already came up with 15 different ways Sharpay would ruin that "easy recipe."

He decided to let her try anyway. If worse comes to worst, he can always have cereal after she leaves for the school. Also, if he accidentally got food poisoning, he wouldn't have to go to the away game. Honestly, Chad would prefer that with the way his teammates treat him.

"Fine, you can cook. I'm going to go take a shower," Chad said, kissing her on the cheek quickly as he got up. During the shower, he heard the fire alarm go off twice. He's definitely getting Aunt Claudia involved. Or maybe Teresa. Although he may text Kim first to see what her hours are.

Chad was expecting to see the kitchen and living space filled with smoke when he exited the bathroom. Instead, he saw breakfast sitting on the table. It was cheesy eggs and toast instead of hashbrowns, but it only looked slightly burnt.

"I told you I could do this," Sharpay said looking hopefully at the breakfast.

"We'll see," Chad said as he sat down in his seat and ate a bite of the eggs. "They're actually edible." That earned him a smack on the shoulder.

"I told you I could do this."

"Yes, you actually learned how to cook scrambled eggs and toast."

"You're such an ass before breakfast." She said, laughing.

"You love me anyway," Chad said, leaning over to kiss her.

Xxx

35 minutes later

The daughter-in-law: Thank you for talking me through how to make eggs.

The daughter-in-law: I only screwed up one egg and lost the hashbrowns, but it was better than the macaroni yesterday.

Carolyn: It's ok, you tried. We will do cooking lessons when I get there next week. Or I could ask Claudia to come to teach you.

The daughter-in-law: What about your boyfriend? I heard stories from Taylor. Therefore, I don't want Claudia to teach me how to cook. I'm sure Chad's going to text Claudia, but no. Besides, I'm sure your boyfriend can use a reprieve from his mother.

Carolyn: Actually, Jack says this is the best visit he's had with his mom. I think she's still pleased about the divorce.

The daughter-in-law: I'm sure it helps that Karen is still in Santa Fe.

Carolyn: Definitely. Claudia will probably teach you anyway the next time you have dinner at her place. However, I'll see if I can make other arrangements.

The daughter-in-law: Thank you.

Carolyn: How are things going? Chad has yet to respond to my email from yesterday.

The daughter-in-law: I think it's because he believes it was comments on our budget. Chad wants to wait until after the basketball game to deal with that. He is meeting Zack's sister tonight.

Carolyn: Actually, you and Chad did well. You can be a little more liberal with the grocery budget. You can afford it.

The daughter-in-law: Chad said something similar when he realized the only meat I got was lunchmeat and chicken strips. I was going for things I thought we could actually cook.

Carolyn: You'll figure it out. Although remember you can call me if you need help.

The daughter-in-law: Thank you.

Xxx

December 17, 2008, 8:45 am

Sharpay had no idea why she agreed to do this. It was already painful packing up Ms. Darbus's classroom yesterday. She wasn't supposed to come back until the second week of January. That was before everything was changed by a stupid cancer diagnosis.

Sharpay knew things were worse than what she was told because Ms. Darbus couldn't stay another week to oversee the final exams herself.

Now Sharpey found herself covering finals with Ryan and Kelsi. If Jackie did not share her guilt chocolate with Sharpay, she would strangle them both. Actually, that might be why Jackie shared her chocolate. She's pretty sure Jackie does know that Jimmy chose her BFF, but she refuses to talk about it. Although that might just be on principle because Kelsi is in the room, and she's trying to avoid her sister.

One hour into the Drama I performances, Sharpay has a massive headache. Over the next two days, each student in groups of two will perform 2 scenes from a play or film chosen by Ms. Darbus.

Some of the performances were really good. Chad's Cousin Carmen performed a scene from the play Graceland with her best friend, Margarita Rodriguez. Other performances were absolutely horrible. She wished Ryan would let her pour her iced cappuccino on top of Donny. He screwed up half his lines. However, she didn't feel like channeling Darby at the moment. It was apparent to Sharpay that he didn't rehearse enough. She knows he can do better.

Unlike in previous years, this semester, the performances had an audience. The evil principal they hated decided that the two teachers taking over the drama department next year should monitor the final exams. Their students sat in the back watching the performances. If the performance was good, they clapped. If it was terrible, they threw things. By the end of Donny's performance from Hamlet, the stage was covered with paper and candy wrappers.

Jack and Ms. Ortega agreed with Ms. Darbus's suggestion that three students familiar with the performing arts should grade the performances. Sharpay blamed Kim for her current predicament. If Kim was not off in California house hunting with Troy, she would be the third person. Instead, they were stuck with Kelsi.

Penelope would have been a preferred alternative. If this keeps up, Sharpay might ask her tonight to fill in. She is also staying at Sharpay's house tonight because nobody trusts Malick. Sharpay is sure Ryan agreed to it yesterday when Zack gave him a blow job. However, Ryan refuses to confirm that, and Taylor hasn't returned her text message yet.

Of course, the worst part of this is Kelsi and Ryan arguing. Sharpay made the mistake of asking about the blow job thing in front of Kelsi. It all went downhill from there. The ex-girlfriend wasn't happy that Ryan had moved on to better people.

"Of course, I moved on. You did. Unlike you, though, I moved on to people who actually know who I am. You lied to Natasha, and now she hates you."

"She doesn't hate me."

"She hates you. So do I. I don't really care how much my mom is paying you. We are never ever getting back together. I would tell you to take your danish and go fuck yourself, but we have to go grade 14-year-olds." Ryan said just as his phone started ringing.

It got even worse after Ryan returned from his phone call. They couldn't go more than 20 seconds without making a snide comment. Ryan was out for blood, and Sharpay didn't know why.

"I thought you said you were going to ignore her," Sharpay whispered to her brother during the last performance of the drama I class. The cheerleader who offered her boyfriend a blowjob last Friday was currently on stage performing the final scene from Romeo and Juliet. Nicholas Cross had the misfortune of being her partner. Sharpay personally wished stupid cheerleader number one was actually drinking poison up there.

"It is tough to ignore someone like Kelsi," Ryan said, passing his cell phone to her. "You need to read the email I got from dad's private investigator. Marcy called to force me to check my email." In front of Sharpay was proof that Kelsi was taking money directly from Darby. And it began a few weeks before the prom last year.

"Fuck!"

"I'm sure she brought me danishes to get back on my good side."

"I don't regret asking her if Zack really did use a BJ to convince you to have Penelope come over." Ryan blushed again at her words.

"She's not happy about that. Although considering she took money to date me, she doesn't have a right to be upset that I've moved on to better things."

"She is sitting right next to you. I didn't take money to date you. Although I wish I had." Kelsi said in her own defense.

"My investigator has receipts, literally," Ryan replied bitterly.

"That was to make sure Sharpey didn't take over the senior play. I would've done that for free," Kelsi said sharply as she turned back around to face the stage just as stupid cheerleader number one screwed up the most critical line in the entire scene. Sharpay concentrated on the scene, trying not to think about Darby actually paying people to make her miserable.

"That's even worse. Everything I thought about you was wrong. You are a horrible person that I deeply regret fucking. Especially because you're so bad at it. I knew you were gay because you're not that good of an actress. Zack and Taylor are so much better." So they definitely had sex last night. That was not a visual that Sharpay wanted to have in her mind. She did not wanna know about her brother's sex life, especially now that it involved her boyfriend's recently discovered brother.

Sharpay continued focusing on stupid cheerleader number one as she essentially molested Nicholas onstage. Unfortunately for stupid cheerleader number one, Nicholas's girlfriend was in Ms. Ortega's 10th grade English class. Stupid cheerleader number one was in serious trouble. Sharpay was planning to look the other way when she got smacked upside her head during the break. Besides, she knew the principal wouldn't do anything about the sexual harassment.

Xxx

A little bit later

Hot boyfriend: What did I ever see in Kelsi? How could I have even been friends with her? She actually did accept money from Darby to screw with Sharpay.

Zack: Fuck

Hot boyfriend: She also tried to suck up to me this morning with danishes. I honestly think she wanted to get back together. Probably so she won't lose her school money for next here.

Zack: Probably. Although if Darby pulls her money, you won't have to see her next year.

Hot boyfriend: I really hope that's the case.

Hot boyfriend: I don't know if I can deal with being around her for the next two days. Texting you is the only thing keeping me sane right now.

Zack: And I'm going to be on my way to Arizona in a little bit.

Hot boyfriend: I guess you already picked up Chad?

Zack: I came over early so we could talk. We had a long conversation about how to tell Tiffany about me. We're thinking Saturday over ice cream before her hot chocolate date with Damien and Jorge.

Hot boyfriend: Yes, this seems like a conversation that would need ice cream.

Zac: Actually, it's a conversation that needs at least three shots of vodka to happen. However, I would feel guilty taking Tiffany to a bar right now. My biological father got her pregnant, and we're nearly the same damn age.

Hot boyfriend: You are also younger than Chad's ex-boyfriend.

Zack: If I ever see him, I will punch him out for preying on my baby brother.

Hot boyfriend: See, it's only been 24 hours, and you already get the sibling thing.

Zac: I already had a big sister, now I have a little brother. She's coming to the game tonight, so we will have a late dinner afterward. I'll tell her everything.

Hot boyfriend: Good.

Zack: Chad and I are trying to decide if we tell the coach that we are actually brothers.

Hot boyfriend: I think you should just fuck with everybody and switch numbers tonight.

Zack: We will consider it. I'll call you when I get to the hotel.

Hot boyfriend: You better. Talking to you keeps me sane, and I am upset that you won't be able to do that.

Xx

A little bit later.

The boyfriend: If Ryan strangles Kelsi during the drama III

performances, will you help him get out of jail?

Carolyn: How bad?

The boyfriend: Kelsi, admitted that Darby was paying her to fuck with Sharpay in high school. This is only after Vince's attorney sent actual receipts of payments Darby made to Kelsi shortly before prom this year.

Carolyn: I think I can come up with a good defense. Although maybe separate them. Also, this goes into the conversations not to have in writing category.

The boyfriend: I'm going to sit between the twins and Kelsi.

The boyfriend: Kerri just volunteered to help. She needs to talk to Sharpay anyway about Jackie.

Carolyn: That's probably best. I really don't want to have to get my daughter-in-law off of murder charges.

Jack: Actually, she is the one holding Ryan back right now.

Carolyn: Oh God. Good luck. You need it.

xxx

A little bit later.

Thanks to the shouting match between Kelsi and Ryan, Jack decided he was sitting between the twins and Kelsi. Sharpay only stayed out of it because Jackie and Jason held her back. This was for the best. Especially with Kerri joining. Despite all outward appearances, Kelsi and her never really got along. They were frenemies at best. Finding out that Kelsi was actually paid to keep her from taking over the senior musical made them enemies. Although they were already there because Kelsi broke Ryan's heart. At least Natasha apologized. She even sent Sharpay chocolates. Unlike Kelsi, Sharpay was sure it was a gesture of goodwill.

In the past, Sharpay was civil to Kelsi because she was her brother's friend and later girlfriend. She couldn't stand her for what she did to Ryan. That was before she knew about the money that changed hands between her and Darby.

Unfortunately, Sharpay was still friends with Jackie. Even though she was mad at her sister, Sharpay couldn't punch her. Besides, that would be something Darby would do, and Sharpay is not her mother.

Sharpay was still edgy from the disastrous First period when the drama III students took the stage. There are only 12 students in this class, which means significantly longer performances. The main difference was Drama III students were allowed to choose anything they wanted to perform as long as they could find a copy of the script. Students chose scenes from everything from Ugly Betty to Star Trek.

Sandi, AKA the girl she caught on the roof at the welcome back dance with her two partners, performed a scene from the episode Lovers Walk from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The fashion-obsessed fake friends that Sharpay had in high school would fall out of their seats if they saw Anita's Betty costume.

"I grew up watching Star Trek. I don't remember that much 'tension' between Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk. At least not that type of tension." Jack said to Sharpay as Cory Huntsman and Shawn Matthews walked off the stage after performing a scene from TOS. She could hear Ryan snickering at this comment.

"I will email you link to the ship's closet videos after this," Ryan mumbled under his breath.

"You're currently dating your best friend. Really, you should know some friendships are more than just friendships." Sharpay said in exasperation.

"I'm not responding to that. I can't believe Ms. Darbus let you guys do this sort of stuff." Jack said to her.

"Because the principal always over censored the school productions, Ms. Darbus would always let us go a little bit wild with our midterm and finals pieces," Sharpay explained. "The Drama III class has the lease restrictions. Kim's class performed the entire episode/musical Once More, with Feeling for their Drama III midterm." Thanks to the new semester system, the fall play served as the midterm this year. The spring musical might serve the same purpose next semester if Jack and Ms. Ortega agree.

"Please tell me there's a video of that?" Kerri asked from beside her.

"Of course, there is. I'll look for the DVD later." Sharpay told the girl.

"Up next, we have Tiara Gold performing a scene from the film Singing in the Halls." Ms. Ortega announced from behind.

"I thought the pieces were supposed to be performed with at least two people?" Ryan asked his sister.

"They are. However, nobody would work with Tiara. Ms. Darbus gave her special permission to work alone. Why do you think Sandi had a Spike and an Angel to work with?" Sharpay said as she picked up the script for this performance.

"I'm surprised that never happened to you. You were the bitch of the drama department." Sharpay heard Kelsi say the last sentence under her breath. Sharpay took a deep breath to steady herself until the performance was over. She didn't have the energy to deal with Kelsi at the moment. It helped that Ryan was squeezing her hand in support.

Finally, the bell rang, and the morning torture session was over. She walked over to Jack and Ms. Ortega to hand them the results from this morning's performances. She did so quickly because she was 30 seconds from shoving her designer shoe into Kelsi's skull. Kerri wasn't as willing to hold her back, unlike Jackie and Jason. Actually, Kerri was ready to remove her earrings. Apparently, Kelsi hurt Jackie one too many times.

"Here are the grades from the last group of students. Cory and Shawn did the best, followed by Sandi's Group. I gave Anita extra points for the costume, but Rachel did not pull off Amanda Tanned Somers. I would suggest Tiara repeat this class next year. I don't think tomorrow will be better. However, if Ms. Darbus does return, I don't want to put her through that torture. I'm really starting to doubt she spent two years at a performing arts school before coming here. These 3 hours have made me completely rule out the possibility of becoming an education major." Sharpay told the two teachers as she took the empty seat next to them.

"I thought you already decided you are to be a Broadway Star. That's always been your dream/delusion." Kelsi said snidely from the front. She felt Jack grab her wrist because he already knew her too well.

"I wasn't talking to you," Sharpay said with an eye roll. "If you didn't completely burn all your bridges with my brother or were still on speaking terms with your sister, you would know that I switched majors weeks ago. I love being on stage. I just don't want to do it for the rest of my life."

"Maybe you just finally realized you don't have the talent for it. Gabriella was so much better than you at just about everything." Kelsi said smugly. Sharpay always saw this side of Kelsi, but it was obviously something new for Ryan.

Sharpay regrets promising Troy that she would keep quiet about Gabriella's hospitalization. Otherwise, she would say something about how Gabriella's acting skills were cultivated by her trying to act like Miss Mary sunshine all the time. Fortunately, Ms. Ortega stepped in before anything terrible happened.

"Kelsi, why don't I walk you to your car. I am on lunch at the moment. You do not need to be back here until 2:00 for the afternoon class." Ms. Ortega said, essentially pushing Kelsi out of the auditorium.

"Seriously, what did you see in her?" Sharpay asked out loud as soon as Kelsi was out of the room.

"I asked the same of Zack earlier. I think it was a temporary lapse of good judgment," Ryan said to his sister. "Or maybe Darby drugged me. I don't even know anymore."

"Are you going to be able to work with her this afternoon?" Jack asked the two.

"Not really, but we don't have a choice. The principal says there have to be three people here to do this." Sharpay said with an angry sigh.

"If you can find someone qualified to do the grading, I will personally ask Kelsi not to come tomorrow," Jack told Sharpay quietly.

"This wouldn't be happening if Kim was here. Excuse me while I go yell at your future daughter-in-law. I would call your future stepson to complain, but he's on an airplane at this point."

Xx

Pay Pay: I hate you.

Kim: Oh god, what happened?

Pay Pay: Darby really did pay Kelsi the fuck with my life. Although she emphatically denies that she took money to date Ryan.

Kim: Just her parents, which was bad enough. Although why do you hate me? If I was going to pay somebody to date your brother, it would be Zack. In his case, the money would be an incentive to switch to a school where he could be out. Preferably one closer to Ryan.

Pay Pay: If you weren't shopping for a new house right now, you could be here instead. Seriously how can Teresa and Jackie be related to her?

Kim: I say the same thing about you and Darby.

Kim: I'm sorry. Although, if it makes you feel better, the first realtor was a complete ass to us because I am 21 with a two-year-old. He stuck us with his underling.

Pay Pay: Shouldn't he have known better from your credit check?

Kim: My credit is uneven because of the time without the trust fun. Although credit means very little when you have well over $250 million in assets. I didn't even bother to get prequalified for a loan since we will pay cash. The fact that we didn't do that might be why we got stuck with the underling.

Kim: However, Jennifer has been lovely. She's definitely going to find us the perfect place. It helps that she actually spoke to us before making a snap judgment.

Pay Pay: He will be so mad when he sees what you actually buy.

Kim: I'm counting on it.

Pay Pay: The good news is Jack said if I could find somebody else, he would get rid of Kelsi for me. Did any of our drama club friends stay in Albuquerque? Preferably someone who could show up before 2 pm.

Kim: Not any that you don't hate with a fiery passion.

Pay Pay: Oh god, that means I'm gonna have to ask Penelope.

Kim: I thought things were better?

Pay Pay: It is only better because I feel guilty that my silence almost got her raped. Plus, she's now dealing with Malick ripping her to shreds. Even her own mom is talking shit about her to the press. This is why she is staying over at our house tonight while Zack is at the away game.

Kim: Guilt is a very powerful thing. You should talk to her tonight.

Pay Pay: I don't want to put anything else on her because of all the Malick stuff. She's at her lawyer's office again today because he's being such a dick.

Kim: I'll see if I can find someone else, but I think Penelope is your best bet. Since she thinks Ryan is paying for her attorney, I think she will stay on her best behavior.

Pay Pay: This is true. Ryan is taking me out to lunch so we can forget Kelsi even exists.

Kim: Smart.

To be continued…

It's funny when I wrote this story the first time, I had yet to buy a house. I think I was probably going by things I saw on TV. Since then, I actually purchased a home, or rather a condo. I'm putting some of my own experiences into this. Kim's real estate agent happens to share a name with my agent. She was fabulous.