A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! You guys are great! Sorry for not updating sooner! I have been super busy with other stories, and school! Also, for those who are interested, I have been working on the chapter for "Alone With the Stranger," but it is not finished. That chapter will be posted in a few days. As for this chapter, I promised some Troypay, and I am here to deliver! Here is Chapter 9.

Disclaimer- Again, I do not own High School Musical.

Ice Queen

Chapter 9: Almost (Part 1)

Sharpay Evans walked through the school hallways, still Ryanless. She knew Ryan would not come back to school until the end of the week. She missed not having him around in school, but she knew it would not be too long till he came back. She walked past the basketball jocks, catching a glimpse of Troy Bolton. She could hear the names Chad and the others were calling her, but to her surprise Troy was not joining in. He just looked into her eyes, and mouthed 'I'm sorry.' Sharpay simply nodded. Sharpay understood that what Troy and her have is something that few people should know about. She just wished that the two did not have to keep their friendship a secret. "Wait, why I am I thinking this? I shouldn't care whether me and him are friends… right? This way to confusing." Sharpay thought to herself. She brushed away the thought and walked to her locker. She unpacked her books and placed them in her locker. She then did her daily make-up check. After she was satisfied, she closed the locker. "Hey Sharpay." a voice said softly. Sharpay turned around, clutching on her black Chanel bag, which went well with her black ensemble.

"Hey Troy." she simply replied.

"I'm sorry for what the guys said to you. They can sometimes be…"

"Pricks." Sharpay said, finishing Troy's sentence. Troy nodded. "It's okay, Troy. I understand."

"You do?" Troy asked, a little shocked that Sharpay was taking it so well.

"Yes, I do." Sharpay responded. "I know that if word found out that the Basketball jock and the… 'Ice Queen' were friends, people would start talking."

"I know what you mean." Troy told her. "I mean imagine if we were a coup…" but Sharpay cut him off.

"You can't imagine that." Sharpay muttered.

"What?" Troy asked.

"I mean, you have Gabriella." Sharpay said.

"I know… it's just that… never mind." Troy mumbled. "So… are you still coming over my house?" Troy asked.

"Excuse me?" Sharpay asked, shocked at Troy's remark.

"To practice our lines. I asked you yesterday." Troy explained.

"Oh, that." Sharpay replied. "I completely forgot about that."

"Oh, well… are you up to coming?" Troy asked, hoping that she would say yes.

"Okay, what time?" Sharpay asked.

"After rehearsals?" Troy suggested.

"Cool. Well I am going to go return a book from the library." Sharpay announced. "I'll see ya later." Sharpay walked away. Troy stood they, revealing a boyish smile. He did not know what was happening. Why was Sharpay having this effect on him?

"Hey Troy." a voice said. He knew who it was. It was the girl he was supposed to be obsessed with; the girl that was supposed to be all he could think about. Troy turned around.

"Hey Gabs." Troy greeted her with a hug and a quick peck on the cheek.

"Nothing. What are you doing here?" Gabriella asked. "Your locker is over there." Gabriella said as she pointed to the left.

"Oh right. I was actually talking to Sharpay." Troy told her.

"Oh." Gabriella mumbled.

"It's not like that, Gabi." Troy said.

"I know. I know you wouldn't be cheating on me behind my back." Gabriella replied. "I trust you." Gabriella embraced Troy in a hug, and gently placed her lips onto his. Troy pulled away.

"What's wrong?" Gabriella asked.

"Nothing, it's just that I had this cold sore earlier, and I don't want you to get it." Troy lied.

"Oh." Gabriella responded, sounding hurt. "So… how are rehearsals?" Gabriella asked, trying to ease the tension.

"Pretty good, but you know how Ms. Darbus is? She always wants everything to be perfect." Troy replied.

"Yeah, she does." Gabriella giggled. As the two of them were talking, Taylor called out Gabriella's name.

"Gabi!"

"Coming Tay." Gabriella turned her attention to Troy. "Anyway, Troy. You were right about Sharpay."

"What do you mean?" Troy asked.

"I talked to her yesterday, at Mocha Chic. She is pretty cool once you get to talk to her." Gabriella explained.

"Oh." Troy mumbled.

"Gabi! Come on!" Taylor shouted.

"In a minute!" Gabriella exclaimed. She faced Troy. "I should get going."

"Okay." Troy said. He kissed her on the cheek. "See ya later." Gabriella nodded and began walking to Taylor.

"Gabi!" Troy shouted. Gabriella turned to him.

"What is it, Troy?' Gabriella asked.

"Thank you." Troy replied.

"For what?"

"For trusting me." Troy explained. Gabriella smiled, and walked away, along with Taylor. Troy laid his head on a locker. "Even if I don't deserve your trust."

School had ended and Troy was standing next to the doors that led to the auditorium, waiting for a certain blonde. After a few minutes, she appeared, looking as radiant as ever. But Troy noticed something that was way different form the usually. She was being accompanied by Zeke. "What is Zeke doing?' Troy mumbled.

After the bell rang, which signaled the end of the day, Sharpay walked to her locker, and packed her belongings. For some strange reason, she was looking forward to rehearsals. "wait! Why should I be so excited. It's just Bolton. That's right, it's just Bolton." She kept telling herself that, but she couldn't believe it. "Oh Bolton. What are you doing to me." Sharpay mumbled.

"Hey Sharpay." The voice greeted her.

"Ah!" She shrieked. She turned around, only to be surprised at who was greeting her. The boy was wearing a white button down shirt, a pair of jeans. She recognized the boy. She recognized his dark chocolate skin, his dark brown eyes, his goofy smile.

"Zeke?" Sharpay muttered.

"Hey Sharpay." He repeated from before.

"What do you want?" Sharpay asked in her 'Ice Queen' mode.

"I just wanted to…talk." Zeke managed to say. Sharpay slammed her locker, and gazed at him.

"Sorry, I don't have time to talk." Sharpay coolly said. She grabbed her book pack and purse, and headed to the auditorium, Zeke following her.

"Zeke, leave me alone." Sharpay commanded.

"Not until you talk to me." Zeke pleaded. Sharpay was not paying attention to him. She was only a few feet away from the auditorium. She could see that Troy was already there. He was leaning on the door, looking at her and Zeke with much curiosity.

"Sharpay! Are you even listening to me?" Zeke whined. Sharpay stopped dead in her tracks. She turned to Zeke.

"Zeke! You never talk to me like that! Got it!" Sharpay exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Shar." Zeke replied.

"And another thing. Don't call me 'Shar'." Sharpay ordered. She flipped her hair and continued on her way to the auditorium, moving past Troy. Troy gazed at Zeke, who immediately left. Troy followed Sharpay inside the auditorium. Sharpay placed her belonging in a chair. Troy placed his things next to Sharpay's.

"So… what was that about?" Troy asked.

"It was… nothing." Sharpay responded.

"You know, you can tell me anything." Troy assured her.

"I don't want to tell you anything!" Sharpay shouted.

"Oh." Troy murmured in a hurt tone.

"I'm sorry Troy." Sharpay whispered. "It's just… Zeke wants to get back together."

"And what did you tell him?" Troy asked with much curiosity.

"I told him no. But he keeps on bothering me. This is like the fifth time this month." Sharpay told him.

"I didn't know that." Troy replied

"Well he does. And it's annoying. But when he's with his friends he talk about me, and how I am a bitch." Sharpay explained. "That's what frustrates me."

"If there is anything that I can do to help you, I will." Troy told her.

"It's okay Troy. I think I can handle this on my own." Sharpay smiled…. A genuine smile. Troy could not help but give her one of his famous smiles. Pretty soon the auditorium was filled with actors, stage crew, and Ms. Darbus.

"Places people!" Ms. Darbus announced. Troy and Sharpay pulled out their scripts and walked on stage. John, Melinda, and Baron soon followed, but Ms. Darbus stopped them.

"We won't need you three for this scene. I just want Sharpay and Troy to do the part where they first meet." Ms. Darbus explained. The three of them nodded, and seated themselves in a chair. Ms. Darbus turned her attention to Troy and Sharpay.

"Okay you two. This is where you two begin to fall in love with each other." Ms. Darbus explained. "You two will first talk here, pretending like you are inside. Then , you two will walk as if you are walking to the terrace, meaning you will walk to the right. Sharpay, you will look up as if you are looking at the stars." She turned her attention to Troy. "Troy, you will wrap your arms around her waist, and you will lean and kiss her passionately!" Ms. Darbus explained with passion. Sharpay and Troy nodded.

"Okay, places people." Ms. Darbus announced. The light dimmed, and bright lights shined on Troy and Sharpay.

"So, what's brings you here?" Sharpay asked trying not to sound interested.

"Well, I was… actually going to meet someone here." Troy admitted.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry if I have kept this person waiting." Sharpay blushed a light pink. "I think I should get going."

"No!" Troy exclaimed. "I mean… I am happy being here… with you." Sharpay blushed a darker shade of pink. Sharpay began to walk across the room and to the end of the stage.

"It's beautiful night." Sharpay commented.

"Yeah it is." Troy whispered. He gently placed his hands on Sharpay's chin, and gazed into her hazel eyes. "Wow. She is so beautiful." Troy thought to himself. Sharpay gazed into his clear lagoon eyes.

"Why am I getting so nervous. I mean… it's just a kiss. Why do I feel like I am having knots in my stomachs." Sharpay thought. Troy gently brushed aside a blonde strand from Sharpay's face. Sharpay let out a small chuckle.

"Now, you will kiss her with passion and I want to see the emotions running through your bodies." Ms. Darbus said. The two nodded, and turned to face each other once more. Sharpay closed her eyes, and Troy leaned in. Their lips were about to touch when…

TBC

A/N: Hehehe. I am so evil. Sorry that I had to end it there. The next chapter will have more Troypay fluff, and Troy will start to discover who and why Sharpay has the scar. Now the next update will probably be in one or two weeks, but that is not a definite. School has been getting in the way, but I am using my spare time to update. The next updates will probably be "Mission Impossible," and "Alone With the Stranger." Until then, see ya.

P.S. Vote for this story for Best Drama, Tragedy, or Angst, for the New 2006 HSM Awards. You can find it in my forum.