Hi, thanks for the reviews. Now I've got one exam out of the way, actually the worst one, so it's back on track next Monday, but I've got a nice weekend to chill in, so you'll probably see another update already tomorrow or Sunday.

Disclaimer; I don't own HSM.

Queen Chica's Spell

Chapter 8.

Out in the Open.

The next day, Troy and Sharpay were oddly friendly towards each other, and their 6 friends were finding it really weird. Chad was almost disgusted by the sight of them. Sharpay was talking really sweet to Troy, and she didn't insult him one time, while Troy didn't even tell her how much everybody hated her. So Chad and Gabriella suspected that something was wrong, and they intended to ask Troy later.

Troy was sitting by at a bench outside with Kelsi, Ryan, Jason, Zeke and Taylor, enjoying the sun. He kept sending glances towards Sharpay, who was sitting underneath a tree, with Gabriella and Chad. He didn't know why, but somehow the three of them were afraid of getting sunburned, so they preferred the shadow.

He hated not being near her. Not because he was addicted or anything, he just didn't know if she did anything to embarrass him. They had agreed last night to cut the childish games and stay friends and be cool, because all this, embarrassing-each-other-thing, was just hurting themselves and people around them.

And then he just liked her company. But she didn't know that. And he didn't know how to tell her. Sigh, if just she knew…

--

Sharpay shot another look towards Troy and the other guys, making sure he didn't touch her anywhere. She knew he really wouldn't be able to because he was with them, but she was still nervous. As much as she'd grown to like him, she still didn't trust him with her body. He was a guy, after all.

"Troy?" Gabriella asked, catching Sharpay's attention, "What's going on with you and Sharpay?"

"What do you mean?" Sharpay questioned.

"Well, she's being all nice." Chad said, nodding towards their friends in the sun, "She doesn't even yell at you dude. What happened?"

"And!" Gabriella chipped in, "She keeps looking at you. Did you tell her?"

"Tell her what?" Sharpay asked, finding this conversation weirder and weirder by the minute. They were obviously talking about something between the three of them, something that was about her, and she had no idea what it was. "Tell her what?" she repeated.

"Troy, have you lost your mind?" Gabriella asked, placing a hand on Sharpay's forehead, "Are you sick? You're acting weird now. Usually you are the one talking to us about how she hates you, and now when she's being nice to you, you're all calm and collected."

"What's going on?" Sharpay asked, her eyes wide, "Why wouldn't I be calm and collected? Why?"

"Well, it is kinda creepy." Chad said, "That she's so nice. But why? Is it because you told her? See, now she's looking at you again!"

"What did I tell her?" Sharpay questioned, wishing they'd just spill the beans.

"That you're in love with her." Gabriella said, as a matter of fact, "Duh. What else?"

"WHAT!?" Sharpay shrieked standing up, "Troy is in love with me?! I mean, am I in love with Sharpay!?"

"I really think you're losing it, Troy." Chad said, "Normally you can't stop going on about her. But I take it you haven't told her since you're acting this way. But maybe she likes you too now. Y'know, since she's so nice to you?"

Sharpay breathed in and sat back down, looking at Chad and Gabriella. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was Troy really in love with her? God, she felt so stupid! How could she not have noticed that!? He did leave a few hints here and there, especially since they switched bodies. But how come he didn't tell her? And how come he acted like a jerk in front of her, if he liked her?

This was really, really weird. She didn't know what to think of this. I mean… it was Troy. Urgh, she was stupid! What should she do now? Should she tell him she knew? Should she make it clear that she didn't like him that way, and leave hints here and there, or…

Maybe it would be a good idea to figure out if she liked him too first. She had never really thought of him that way. Well, of course she had. She used to have a crush on him, like they talked about the other night. But she really believed she had gotten over that. But maybe she hadn't.

She really didn't know.

"Troy!?" Gabriella said, "Have you? Have you told her?"

"No…" Sharpay said, "But do you think she's acting sweeter?"

"Definitely." Chad said, nodding his head, so his hair bounced up and down, "She hasn't even yelled at you once today and it's already noon. That's improvement."

"Okay…" Sharpay trailed off, looking at Troy, as he laughed with Kelsi and Taylor. He really liked playing with her hair, she noticed. He always pulled a strand between his fingers, and curled it around his other fingers. Maybe he did like her. Now when she watched the way he played with her hair, it actually made sense.

God, what was she gonna do now?

--

Sharpay quickly made her way up the huge stairwell, afraid to let her mother or father see her. But they probably weren't home, so her main concern would be Ryan. But he knew that Troy was there every night anyway. He probably found it very, very weird.

She quickly went in the door to her room, and found Troy lying on her bed. He'd changed from the cute little outfit she'd made him wear this morning, into a pair of shorts and regular top instead. It was more casual, and he was on his stomach, doing some of her Creative Writing homework. Troy didn't take that class and Sharpay really missed it. They would probably switch homework now that she was home, so they could actually do their own.

"Hi." She softly said, closing the door behind her, "I didn't know basketball practise took this long. It's really hard."

"Welcome to my world." Troy replied, sitting up on her bed, "I'm glad you're home. I can't write anything, I'm bad at it."

"Then you can do your own math homework, please." Sharpay said, throwing him his bag pack. She sat down on the bed, and took a look at the work he had started on. It was really bad. He was right, he can't write.

Troy sat on the bed too, and took out his math homework, and started working on it too. There was silent for some time, while they just did their stuff, and never said a word. Sharpay was soon finished, and threw herself backwards on the bed, resting her hands behind her head.

She had thought and thought about the news Gabriella and Chad had revealed. She had mused about it all day, and she still hadn't gotten a step closer to how she felt. All she knew was that she liked Troy. He was a cool, sweet guy, and a great friend. She honestly had no idea what to make of this. But it was hard, because she wanted to tell him, but she had no idea how he'd react and what he'd do. Maybe he'd go crazy, and run away or something?

"Uhm, Troy?" she begun, fiddling with her hands.

"Yeah?" Troy questioned, looking up from his homework, "Something wrong?"

"I – I heard something today." Sharpay said, looking seriously into his eyes, "Something about you. And me."

"Okay?" Troy said, moving a little so he was sitting more in front of her, "What is it?"

"Don't get mad at me." Sharpay said, biting her lip, "Because it wasn't my fault, but… I was sitting with Chad and Gabriella today, and they'd noticed how different we acted around each other. And they asked me if I'd told you." she paused, "So I know, Troy."

"Oh…" Troy paused, a hurt look in his eyes, "You do?"

"Yes." Sharpay said. You could tell it was serious, and the air in the room had just changed, and suddenly she felt very nervous, and warm everywhere. "Troy… I had no idea you felt his way! Why didn't you tell me? I thought you liked someone else, that girl Taylor was talking about, and that girl you talked about yourself…"

"That was you, Sharpay." Troy said, swallowing hard, "I'm in love with you. I – I've been for a long time."

"But… I don't understand," Sharpay protested, "You always treat me like hell, and… Why didn't you tell me!? I feel like a complete idiot towards you with all my crazy talk the other night about how I used to have a crush on you! It was completely insensitive!"

"You didn't know, Sharpay." Troy said, "And I only acted that way towards you because I didn't want you to know. And I like teasing you because you get so mad, and I do it out of love. And… I told Chad and Gabby because I needed to tell someone. And I got jealous when you showered with the guys, that's why I was so mad."

"But… I don't just understand why you couldn't tell me then?"

"Well, I never thought you liked me. You didn't exactly treat me very good either, and… You were dating Zeke. You guys seemed so happy. Well, until you broke up."

"Yeah, and do you remember why we broke up?" Sharpay questioned, out of nowhere.

"Yeah, because you liked that other guy, and Zeke found out." Troy replied.

"Well…" Sharpay said, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but that other guy was you."

"It was!?" Troy said, surprised. He couldn't believe this! Did she actually like him back, or something? Maybe he would be able to go out with her then? He couldn't comprehend it if that was.

"Yes," Sharpay smiled, "Of course it was. I was crazy about you then. Was."

"You're not anymore?" Troy asked, his heart quickly breaking into a million pieces. He couldn't believe that she had liked him. Why couldn't she like him now? Why that had, why not do? That didn't make sense. He wanted her to like him now. He wanted her to do. Right now. Love him now.

"I don't know…" Sharpay admitted, looking at her fingers, "It's a little sudden, Troy."

"Well, I need you to make up your mind." Troy said, crossing his arm in his best Sharpay-manner. "I like you, and I want to know if I stand a chance with you at all. So please, Sharpay, do you think that you could like me at all? Or do I just need to forget you ever knew I liked you and then move on?"

"I don't know…" Sharpay said, "I wish I did. I need a clue or something. I can't just figure it out of nowhere. I mean, first we end up in each other's bodies, and now this revelation. You're scaring me, Troy, I thought you hated me. So… I need something to know it."

"Well, then…" Troy said, lifting up her face, "Start knowing it now…" and then he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. After about two seconds though, they pulled back.

"Ew!" Sharpay said, "I just kissed myself!"

"I forgot." Troy said, hitting his forehead with a slap, "I got caught in the moment, we obviously shouldn't kiss while we're stuck like this!"

"No…" Sharpay chuckled, "But you know what, Troy. Maybe I still like you. I have fun with you, and you ain't that bad. Will you take me out once we're back to ourselves? On a date?"

"Really?" Troy asked, his face slowly getting happier.

"Yup." Sharpay said, "Really."

So, this was a short and pointless chapter, but it was needed. I didn't write it very good though, but hmm, I'll post it anyway. Please review. And also, guess what? I just got my Jump In CD, and yay! I love it! But I love almost everything Disney, so there's a surprise ;p And please, if you haven't, read my new story "Addicted to You", I'm writing it with paradise-maker786, and it's posted on her profile. "The Crazy Life of Libby Lee" will be updated soon too, MelleG and I are almost done with the chapter, it only needs a few datails.

Tootles, Stessa ;p