Chapter 4-

After school, Troy hurried to find Gabriella before she left. He was just about to leave the building when someone called his name. He turned and grimaced when he saw Sharpay.

"Hi, Sharpay," he said with a forced smile.

She smiled cunningly. "Hi, Troy, why are you in such a hurry?"

He thought quickly. "I wanted to catch Chad before he left. I need to talk to him about our next game," he lied.

Sharpay studied him for a moment. Then she let the subject slide. "Are you and Gabriella going to audition together for the musical?"

"I'm not sure," he said slowly. "We haven't talked about it."

This seemed to please Sharpay. "Well, I have to be going, bye Troy." She spun and 'clicked' off to find her brother.

Troy breathed a sigh of relief and took off outside. By time he got out there though, Gabriella's bus was gone.

He groaned.

"Did you talk to Gabriella?" Chad called.

He shook his head. "No, she's already gone."

"I thought you were going to talk to her after school."

"I was, but I got caught up talking to Sharpay," Troy explained.

Chad's eyebrows rose. "What did she want?"

"To know if Gabriella and I were auditioning together," Troy said.

"She's really determined to get the lead this year, isn't she?" Chad asked.

Troy nodded. "Yeah, she is."

…………………………

Gabriella finished her homework and wandered down to the kitchen. Her mother was working late, so she was on her own for dinner.

After searching the fridge and cupboards, she settled on making a taco salad.

She took her dinner into the living room and turned on the TV.

She flipped through the channels until she found something worthwhile to watch. Then she began to eat her dinner.

She was halfway finished when the doorbell rang.

She sighed, set her salad on the coffee table, and went to get the door.

She pulled it open and found Troy standing on her doorstep. "Hi, Troy." She said.

He smiled nervously. "Hi."

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about the auditions," he began.

"I don't think I want to audition this year," she said. She stepped back and made her way back to the living room.

Troy, taking that as an invitation to come in, stepped inside and shut the door. Then he followed Gabriella. "Gabriella, are you going to let Sharpay intimidate you?" he asked from behind her.

She sighed. "Who told you?"

He shrugged. "I have my sources." He walked over and sat down beside her.

"I just want to fit in here, Troy," she said. "Sharpay will ruin my life."

Troy shook his head. "No, she won't. Your friends are always going to be your friends, no matter what Sharpay says, and what the other people say doesn't really matter, does it?"

She sighed. Then she smiled. "I guess you're right."

Troy grinned charmingly. "I know I'm right."

Her smile grew until both were laughing hysterically.