Here she is. Rachael finally appears. She is of my own creation.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything except for Rachael. The song is owned by Ashley Tisdale's record label.

CHAPTER NINE

A New Enemy and A New Romance

After Troy and Gabriella's performance

In the audience, a newcomer to East High stood toward the corner of the room. She saw when Troy walked into the room. His confidence, his smoothness, and that he was really cute. She saw Troy and Gabriella perform, or at least Troy performing. She could only keep her eyes on Troy. She didn't care about this Gabriella girl.

This newcomer was Rachael Simmons. She had dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. She was skinny and very pretty. Tonight she was wearing a black dress that was bare-back. She was friends with Sharpay and Ryan from drama camp and her family just moved here. Sharpay invited her to the party to help her adjust. Not that she needed it. She already founded something she wanted.

She was thinking about introducing herself to Troy, but her plans were ruined when she saw the look in Troy's eyes when he looked at Gabriella. She was envious. Envious of this girl.

Pushing those thoughts aside, she walked up to Troy and tapped him on the shoulder.

Troy was talking to Chad at the moment when he felt something tap him on the shoulder.

"Hi," she said, "I'm Rachael Simmons. I just moved here. Saw your performance. Excellent job," she said with a smile on her face. Her hand was extended, waiting for Troy to take it.

"Hi, Troy Bolton," Troy answered. She shook her hand. "Where are you going to school?"

"East High."

"Cool, I go there. Probably see you around."

"Hope so. What was it that Sharpay was saying about a musical?"

"About that. We're putting on a musical in the spring and…"

Just then Gabriella walked up to Troy and Rachael became unhappy.

"Hey Troy!" Gabriella said.

"Hey! We were just talking about the musical. Gabriella, this is Rachael Simmons. She just moved here. She's going to East High," he told Gabriella. "Rachael, me and Gabriella here are the leads in the musical."

"Oh, that's nice," she said slightly coldly. "Hope you do well." She just spotted Sharpay walking across the room and decided to go talk to her. She just left without saying good-bye.

"What was that about?" Gabriella asked Troy.

"What do you mean?" Troy said, unsure of what she meant.

"The way she said things. She sounded cold."

"Gabi, I just thing you're imagining things. Come on, dance with me."

They ran over and joined Taylor and Chad.

Pounding through the speakers was "He Said, She Said" by Ashley Tisdale. It was a great upbeat song and the whole club was dancing to it.

Rachael found Sharpay amongst a group of thespians, telling them riveting stories.

Ryan looked up and saw Rachael standing there, alone. "Rachael, come join us."

Upon hearing this, Sharpay's head jerked up. "Look. It's my friend from drama camp. Everyone this is Rachael. She just moved here. She'll be joining us in the drama program."

"Hi, everyone," she said to the crowd, "Sharpay can I speak to you?"

"Sure."

They walked away from the group.

"Sharpay, was that the Troy Bolton you told me about in your e-mails?"

"Yeah. Cute, isn't he?"

"You never told me he sings."

"Didn't know until last month."

"And they got the lead roles in the musical. Don't you and Ryan always get them?"

"Somehow, they beat us."

"Who is this Gabriella girl? I don't like her."

"You, too? Join the club."

"Well, who is she?!"

"She just moved here about a month ago. She's in the science club and is one of the geniuses here. She and Troy auditioned, wait no they didn't, but I guess they were singing and Ms. Darbus heard them and gave them a call-back. You know the story from there."

"What does Troy see in her?"

"I don't know. Ask him yourself."

"Are you crazy?!"

"Why do you care?" Sharpay said. She thought about it.

Then it came to her.

"You like him, don't you?!"

"Duh! That's exactly why I don't like Gabriella."

"Well good luck trying to break them up. I've tried everything. Forcing them on stage to sing was another one of my ideas that didn't work."

Rachael was thinking. She wanted to break them up so badly. She thought about it all night.

Troy, Gabriella, Chad, and Taylor were dancing the night away. Just as the dance music seemed like it wasn't going to stop, a ballad came on.

As soon as it came on, most of the crowd went to take their seats or to get some refreshments.

About 5 couples remained on the dance floor.

Troy and Gabriella, gazing at each other, were quite comfortable now with each other. They were saying things that were only audible to each other.

On the other hand, Chad and Taylor paired up, but looked awkward. They never really went anywhere together except for the after party.

"They really are the perfect couple, aren't they?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, but they aren't the best one I can think of," Chad replied.

"Really? What other couple do you know that are more made for each other?" she said.

Ever since they started this conversation, both of them have really loosened up. They weren't as awkward as they were before.

"Us, of course."

At this moment, it really dawned on Taylor that Chad was really serious with her.

"You think so?"

"Know so."

Just then Troy and Gabriella waltzed by and they shared another kiss.

Chad and Taylor looked at each other. They weren't sure whether they were ready to kiss, not yet.

Chad broke into a smile that made Taylor laugh.

"You always know how to make me laugh," Taylor said.

"That's what I'm here for."

The song ended and the usual dance party music came back on. The dance floor once again became crowded.

By the end of the night, Chad and Taylor grew so much closer together.

Troy and Gabriella, well they were the perfect couple.

Rachael, well let's just say that East High won't be the same after tonight.