Chapter 12: Stir It Up

A/N: So I lied and totally missed last week's update. I was busy with a bunch of things and didn't have the time. I also decided to split this chapter in two. On a side note, last chapter didn't do as well as I had hoped. Though everyone says that they like the story, I get the feeling that maybe some of you aren't happy about something in the story. Sorry. I try my best to listen to suggestions but I'm an idiot sometimes so bare with me. I also think that this story gets bumped off the first page so fast that people don't realize that I've updated. Put the story on alert or on your favorties so that you'll know when I update.

Excitement. That was the one word that described what Maddie was feeling for the rest of the week as she waited for her best friend, London, to arrive. Sharpay and Ryan sat rather amusedly at the dining room table as Maddie recounted another tale of herself and the heiress in one of their many mishaps.

"And then boom! The clothes rack fell down and broke the door knob. We were locked in there for hours." Maddie slapped her hand on the table to emphasize the crash.

"So you were stuck in a closet with London Tipton for a few hours. What did you do to pass the time?" Ryan asked her.

"Well we tried calling someone but we couldn't get good reception in the closet. So I put London on my shoulders so that she could call someone. I guess she lost track of what she was doing because her battery died before she could tell her anything." Maddie said with a laugh.

"So when London gets here tomorrow are you going to totally blow us off and hang with her all day?" Sharpay asked her. She reached up to scratch her head but couldn't because her arm was still in the sling.

"Ryan, scratch." Sharpay commanded. He immediately reached up with his hand and scratched the top of her head.

"You know, only one of your hands is in a sling." Ryan told her when she sighed with contentment.

"What's your point?" She glared at Ryan for being insensitive. He grudgingly continued to scratch that itchy spot on her head that she couldn't reach.

"I was thinking that we would all hang out together. London is a great person deep down. She may be shallow and conceited or snobby but she really doesn't mean it. There are times when she is the nicest person on the planet and you wonder why you ever thought she was mean in the first place." Maddie sighed wistfully when she finished talking about her friend.

"Jeez Maddie, if you love her so much, why don't you marry her?" Ryan suggested jokingly. Sharpay and Ryan both broke into laughter while Maddie flushed noticeably. Noticing her discomfort, Sharpay hit Ryan on the arm and glared at him.

"You insensitive jerk. That's her best friend you're talking about." Ryan stopped laughing immediately and began to look sheepish. He muttered an apology as he rubbed his arm where Sharpay had hit him.

"So you were locked in the closet. Did you finally get out of the closet?" Sharpay winked at Ryan to signal her brilliant play on words. In true Ryan fashion, the wordplay went over his head and left him clueless.

"Are you suggesting that I'm a closet lesbian?" Maddie turned Sharpay in her barstool so that they were eye to eye. It was Sharpay's turn to be uncomfortable as Maddie stared into her sister's eyes, daring her to answer.

"Of course not! It was just a joke Maddie, lighten up." Ryan stood up and put his arms over their shoulders.

"Now girls, no fighting. Remember, you promised." They apologized to each other and Ryan pulled them into a hug.

"What would you girls do without me?" Ryan asked his sisters while they were still in a hug.

"We would be able to breathe for one." Sharpay said as she pulled out of Ryan's hug. His hugs tended to be suffocating as he pulled both of them close to his chest.

"And we would be able to have whole conversations without having to stop to explain things." Maddie interjected dryly. Ryan gasped at her.

"Touché."

Next day

London gave the directions to the Evan's residence to her limousine driver and sat back to enjoy her ride. She was very excited to finally see her friend after being separated for three months. She pushed the button that lowered the glass partition so that she could speak with the driver.

"Joe, how much longer until we get there?" Joe glanced at her through the rear-view mirror.

"Aren't you impatient today Ms. Tipton. You just got into the limo a minute ago." He pointed out the window to show her that they hadn't even started moving yet.

"Oh, right. Wake me up before we get there, I'm tired." She pushed the button again and the partition began to rise.

"Yes Ms. Tipton." He rolled his eyes at the silly girl.

Thirty minutes on the road saw them pulling into a quiet suburban district. Joe had woken up London by taking a turn sharply; causing her head to smash into the window she was leaning against. She rubbed her eyes groggily before she instantly perked up when she remembered what it was she was doing.

"We will be there in five minutes Ms. Tipton, I hope you're ready." Joe called back to her. London busied herself in front of the mirror, fixing her hair and makeup so that she would look presentable. The blow to the head didn't slow her down in the least. It was as if it never even happened.

"Joe, do I look okay?" London asked him when he was stopped at a red light.

"You look fine Ms. Tipton." He answered without taking his eyes off of the road.

"You didn't even look." She accused him as she stuck her head through the lowered partition.

"You always look beautiful, no matter what." London smiled and sat back in her seat.

"Aww thanks Joe."

"We're here." Joe said as he parked the limo in the driveway. He circled the car to London's door and held it open as she stepped out. Maddie, who had been watching from a window, appeared in the doorway.

"Hey London, long time no see." Maddie said as she walked down the driveway. She quickly pulled London into a hug which was readily returned.

"I missed you so much. It's so boring at the hotel because you're gone. Maddie you know that you're my best and only friend right?" London asked her.

"Promise me you'll come back soon."

"London, you have plenty of other friends. I'll be back for summer break don't worry about that." Joe cleared his throat to bring the girls' attention back to him.

"Now if that will be all Ms. Tipton, I'll have your things sent here soon. I'll be back on Monday to take you home." Joe gestured to London to go with Maddie.

"Ok, bye Joe." She said, hugging the family driver. After hugging London, Joe shook Maddie's hand.

"Ms. Fitzpatrick, always a pleasure." Maddie hugged Joe as well.

"Come on Joe, I keep telling you to call me Maddie." A small grin crossed his lips as he waved goodbye to them and he turned to leave. They waved back to him as he backed out of the driveway and drove off into the distance.

"So is he here?" London got right to the point as soon as Joe was out of sight.

"Who?"

"The guy that you're crushing on. You know, the one that's going out with your sister." London waited for Maddie to answer her.

"No, Troy is not here. But we are going to meet him and the rest of our friends for dinner and a movie." At the mention of going out, London immediately got excited.

"Ooh, a night on the town." London started dancing in the middle of the driveway.

"Come on party girl, let me introduce you to the family." Maddie pulled London into the house and into the living room. Sharpay was sprawled out on the couch, a fluffy pillow holding her leg up. Ryan was flipping through channels on their big TV, not paying attention to what was on the screen.

"Ryan, can you just keep it on one channel, you're giving me a headache." Sharpay put her arm over her eyes to stop the flashing images from aggravating her headache anymore.

"Hey guys, guess who's here." Maddie called into the living room. Sharpay sat up in the couch and turned to look at who it was. Ryan continued to flip through channels, absentmindedly saying 'in a minute.'

"Hello, you're London Tipton. I'm Sharpay, Maddie's long lost twin sister." Ryan stopped his channel surfing and turned off the TV.

"Twin, last time I checked we were triplets." Ryan interjected.

"A minor technicality. That's Ryan, our brother." Ryan waved from where he was sitting. Nobody made an effort to move or continue the conversation at that point.

"Well, this is awkward, I'll show you my room London." Maddie pulled London upstairs as Sharpay hobbled off the couch to follow them. With nothing better to do, Ryan dropped the remote on the couch and also followed them.

"Maddie, that girl looks exactly like you." London whispered to her.

"I already told you, we're triplets. It's almost the same thing as twins, like Zack and Cody." London gave her a confused look as if she still didn't comprehend what she was saying.

"They're twins? I didn't notice." Maddie rolled her eyes and opened the door to her bedroom. They each sat on the bed and were about to speak when Sharpay hobbled her way into the room and plopped onto the bed beside Maddie.

"Sharpay, what are you doing?" Maddie asked as Sharpay rolled over so that she was on her back.

"Joining you for girl talk, what else?" Not wanting to start another fight, she shrugged and didn't say anything.

"So where are we going tonight?" London asked them when they were all settled.

"Well first we're going to Taylor's dad's restaurant and then whatever after that." Ryan answered first as he entered the bedroom and took a seat on the floor.

"Uh, Ryan. Girl talk." Sharpay said as she kicked him lightly with her good foot.

"What, I haven't heard anything girly yet so it's still safe. Plus I'm bored so I don't care." He answered while pushing Sharpay's feet out of his face.

"So this guy Josh, like, totally looked at me the other day. He is so cute but sometimes I get the feeling that he doesn't know I exist." Maddie started a random conversation in hopes of getting rid of their nosy brother.

"You don't even know anyone named Josh. Nice try though." Ryan said as he played with the fringe on the bed. Maddie got up off the bed and pulled Ryan out the door. She slammed the door in his face and locked it so that he couldn't get back in.

"Fine, but be ready by five thirty or I'm leaving without you three." He smirked to himself and his ability at getting a rise out of her.

A/N: First off, Joe the limo driver was modeled after the limo driver of the same name from the Prnicess Diaries. Why was I watching that movie? I have no clue. But he was pretty cool and I needed to get London to the house somehow. I also need a name for Taylor's dad and his restaurant. I would also like to hear your feedback on the Maddie/London pairing. Although it is unconventional, I often joke about it in my writing. There are also many scenes within the show that point toward it being a possibility. Don't hate me please. Peace out.