CHAPTER 18: Empty

"Maybe we're trying

Trying too hard

Maybe we're torn apart

We're empty"

"Oh Prince is going to introduce you to the world," Troy grinned at her. "I'm totally gonna read the papers tomorrow. SHARPAY EVANS: PRINCE RICHARDS' BELOVED GIRLFRIEND. You're going to be famous!"

Sharpay giggles as she playfully hit him.

In the interview.

"Prince?" the host called Prince's attention.

"Um…I-I don't have a girldfriend," Prince flashed a fake smile.

"WHAT??" Troy stood up in surprised.

Sharpay was surprised too. She is his girlfriend! How painful that it! She just freeze there…unsure of what to do…unsure of what to say.

Back in the interview.

"Then who is the blonde girl?" the host asked while the fans were screaming knowing that Prince don't have a girlfriend.

"She's just…someone in my life," Prince tried to hide the sadness he felt and the guilt in his eyes. "An avid fan, you know. It's just that we coincidentally meet on some places and she would ask me to sign autographs for her and take pictures with her. Well. I can't resist the fans. They're part of my life now…and they're truly amazing, I love them so much!"

The fans screamed, "WE LOVE YOU PRINCE!"

Prince let out a fake laugh.

Meanwhile, at the Evans' house.

Snow was barking at the TV, must be mad at Prince.

Troy immediately turned off the TV then he sat next to Sharpay, "Friendship?"

"I…" tears were rolling down her face. She wanted to speak or move but she can't. It's like she lost her strength and all she can do is cry.

"Sharpay," he was worried. "Say something. Please?"

She buried her head on his chest, "W-Why…is he…d-doing this to me? Why?"

Troy hugged her tight, "You know what? Just forget about it…t-that was too much."

"I thought he loves me," she sobbed.

Suddenly, her phone started ringing. Troy took it and looked at the caller ID.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"It's…Prince," he replied. "Are you going to answer it?"

Sharpay took the phone from him. After thinking it over, she turned off the phone, "I don't wanna talk to him."

"Um…wanna go outside? Have some walk?" he asked.

She slowly nodded.

Snow barked.

"Come on," Troy picked her up while Sharpay stood up.

Then, they started walking away from the house. Sharpay was trying hard not to cry. There was silence along their way until they reached the park. Like every night, there are some people around the park like the teenagers. They started playing Empty.

"Tried to take a picture of love

Didn't think I'd miss her that much

I want to fill in this new frame but it's empty"

Snow looked up at Sharpay and gave her a please don't cry look.

Troy held her hand, "Sharpay?"

"Why does he need to do that?" Sharpay cried. "I was supposed to give him another chance."

"Maybe we're tyring

Trying to hard

Maybe we're torn apart

Maybe the timing

Is beating our hearts

We're empty"

"You know what?" he started. "When you feel like your world is crashing down and your heart is like torn into pieces, I'm here for you and…never frown when you're sad 'cause…y-you never know who's falling in love with your smile."

She just laughed.

"Seriously," he said. This is it, Troy. This is it. "If he can't be your boyfriend then I will."

"Huh?" she was very surprised. "Why? W-We don't even like each other."

"I like you," he decided not to look at her. "I mean it…I really REALLY like you."

Sharpay just looked at him. Her eyes widened and her jaw on the floor.

"No," Troy looked at her. "I…I-I love you Sharpay."

"I-I…" she startled.

Suddenly, Snow started barking.

"Sharpay," Troy and SHarpay turned around to see Prince standing there.

"Prince?" Sharpay stood up.

He walked towards her and hugged her tight, ignoring the prescence of Troy and the barks from Snow.

"Prince," she pushed him lightly as she started to tear up.

"Will she?" Troy whispered to himself.

"What?" Prince started to get worry. "Are you okay? Why are you crying?"

"I-I can't do this anymore," she shook her head.

"What?" Prince felt like his world stopped.

"Who are you?! You're not the ordinary guy I loved," she tried to look at him. "You're a different person now, Prince."

"What do you want me to do?" it was obvious he's starting to get panicked.

"I thought I'm your GIRLFRIEND," she emphasized the word.

"You are, Sharpay!" he exclaimed. "I love you!"

"Prince…don't you think I'm just one of your leading ladies?" she looked at him in the eye. "After a show…it's all over!"

"No," he held her hands. "No no no. Don't say that. It's not true!"

"I'm so sick of this! I'm tired of being just someone in your life," she cried. "And, I can't just let you hurt me, make me cry, cause me all the pain over and over again. Maybe we don't really love each other."

He placed his hands on her cheeks as tears started to fell from his eyes. "I love you," he really do.

"I'm sorry," she took the bracelet from her pocket. "Now…you can go back to your fans. Nothing's gonna happen to your career if you're just gonna stick to this one blonde girl." For Sharpay, that was the hardest thing to do…the hardest words to say.

"No," he shook his head.

Sharpay took his hand. She placed the bracelet on his palm and closed it tightly, "You can say I love you to them…and for sure, they'll say the same thing to you."

Prince just looked at her, tears still streaming down his face.

Sharpay turned to Troy and took his hand, "Let's go."

Troy looked at Prince. He could so the plead in Prince's eyes. Please Troy. Please. Please make her stay. I need her. I love her. PLEASE! Then, she looked at Sharpay, "But…"

Sharpay interrupted, "I made my decision."

Troy looked back at Prince. I'm sorry Prince.

Troy and Sharpay with Snow started to walk away. As she did this, her heart is slowly tearing up into pieces. She never wanted to do this. She never wanted to walk away from Prince. From the man she loves. From the man she loves more than anything. But fate made her do it.

Later on, at Troy and SHarpay just entered her room.

"Um…I'll just clean up the living room," Troy spoke.

Sharpay slowly nodded.

As long as Troy had left the room she started crying again. Snow looked up at her. Then, Sharpay started removing Prince's posters on the wall, tearing them into pieces. Troy could actually hear her and he wanted to give her a time to be alone. Then, the front door opened.

"Hey dude," Ryan closed the door behind him. "Rebecca can't stay so late but…I had a great night! Oh…you ordered another set of food?"

Suddenly, both of them heard a scream from Sharpay's room. That's definitely Sharpay.

Ryan looked up at the ceiling. He could already sense that something is going wrong. He looked at Troy with a worried face asking for explanation.

"Um…I guess you should go and see your sister, Ryan," Troy said.

"What happened?" Ryan asked.

"She's in her room right now. Go talk to her. I'll just start cleaning up down here," that's all he can say.

Ryan rushed into her room – without knocking. There he saw torn pieces of paper or posters on the floor and Sharpay sank down the floor, leaning her back on the side of her head.

"Hey," Ryan whispered to her as he kneeled down to face her. "What happened to Prince Richards' number one fan?"

"I followed your number one advice," tears still streaming down her face.

"Why?" he asked. Somehow, there's a felling of guilt in Ryan. Sure he hates Prince. He believes Troy is better for his sister. But, even in any angle, he knows that Sharpay loves Prince so much. Pure hundred percent of love. And he hates it seeing her like this.

"I don't wanna hurt myself anymore," she whispered. "Things aren't working out like how it used to and supposed to be."

Ryan hugged her, "I'll just help Troy clean up downstairs ok?"

Sharpay nodded.

Ryan kissed her head before going out and joining Troy in the living room.

11:50 pm. Prince was knocking hard on Chrystal's door.

Chrystal quickly opened it, "Prince?"

He was drunk and holding a bottle of beer, "H-Hey Chrystal."

"Oh gosh! What happened to you?" she helped him in before he could head butt the door and let him sit on the couch before closing the door. "Why did you drink?"

"S-Sharpay," he drunk again. "S-She…hic…b-broke up…hic…with m-me."

"What?" she can't believe it. "I'm sure you'll get through all this."

He tried to laugh, "I-I hope."

"Well…drinking won't help Prince," she took the bottle from his hand. "That's enough!"

He took the bottle back, "I LOVE HER!"

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" she exclaimed and took the bottle again. "I'm calling Karl."

"Why?" he asked. "I-I don't want…hic…him. I-I want…Sharpay. I need…her."

"Look at you," she said. "You're drunk. You don't look like the Prince everybody loves. The Prince SHARPAY LOVES SO MUCH. Hallo?! Is anybody there? Where are you Prince? Sharpay's looking for you!"

Prince just looked at her.

"Let me fix this," she fixed him…his hair and his clothes. "You should look really good ok?"

He stopped her, "D-Do you really think…t-that I can get S-Sharpay back?"

"Of course! If you can get Prince Richards back for her," she smiled. "I'll call Karl now ok? He can drive you home without crashing the car, you know. Tour mom's probably worried now."

Prince slowly nodded.

Meanwhile, at the Evans'. Ryan just left Sharpay's room.

"I think she's already asleep," Ryan informed Troy.

"I just want to see her," Troy said. "Then, I'll go."

Ryan smiled and nodded. Then, Troy entered. He stood beside Sharpay's bed. He smiled when he saw Sharpay peacefully sleeping and also Snow right beside her.

"You deserve some good rest after everything that had happened," he whispered. "This night must be really tough to you. Goodnight…I…I-I love you."

"You promised to stay with me," she slowly opened her eyes. "I need you now Troy. Please?"

Troy lie down next to her and hugged her tight.