Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thank you for not giving up on me and my ever-so-slow chapters but there's a plus! They are much longer and in depth so I hope that counts for something.

Summary: After the call backs, Troy and Gabriella's relationship begins to blossom. But Sharpay wants Troy, and the part of Minnie. Will Troy and Gabriella be able to pull through? Or will Sharpay succeed?

It's All Just Fun and Games

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Chapter 18

Sharpay looked at herself in the mirror. She knew she couldn't tell Troy what she saw. She had to do all it took to keep him. She bit her lip, she knew the worst was soon to come. It seemed the more she was mean to Gabriella and her friends, the more Troy disliked her. She knew it would be a challenge but she had to keep her man.

—

"Gabby, Gabby!" Sharpay called out to Gabriella racing towards her.

Gabriella looked around curiously around to see if Sharpay was actually calling her name.

"Wow I never knew you had such talent in you Gabby. Your such a great singer," Sharpay cooed with a slight fake tone in her voice.

Gabriella cringed at her apparent new nickname then let out a slight smile.

"Uh, thanks Sharpay," a confused Gabriella replied.

"Shar you feeling ok?" Troy asked.

"Fine!" Sharpay replied happily. "Oh and Taylor that blouse looks amazing on you," Sharpay cooed again.

"What did you just say to-oh, thanks," Taylor's anger stemmed down as she realized that Sharpay had just...complimented her.

Taylor wanted to get off the subject, she hated when the people she truly despised were kind to her.

"So Gabriella any decision on wether or not you are going to the Peterson school?" Taylor asked curiously.

Gabriella shrugged her shoulders.

"You got accepted to the Peterson School in Washington D.C.?!" Troy asked nervously.

Gabriella nodded shyly.

"All the way in Washington D.C.?" He said his face falling.

Gabriella nodded again.

Troy's heart saddened as he fell into an awkward daze.

'If Gabriella goes to that school, we may never see each other again,' Troy thought to himself as the rest of the gang chattered around him. 'I've got to tell her how I feel, or else it will be too late,' he thought to himself again.

"Are you going to go?" Troy mumbled softly, only Gabriella heard him.

"I don't know," She replied faintly.

They looked down innocently at the tablecloth as they both were silent.

"Well we'll sure miss you Gabriella!" Sharpay pipped up happily.

"She said she didn't make a decision yet," Taylor snapped back to her.

"Well, either way it goes we'll always have our memories!" Sharpay cooed as she reached over and gave Gabriella a little hug.

Gabriella cringed as she gently broke away from Sharpay's tight grip.

'Yeah so many memories,' Gabriella thought sarcastically to herself.

Sharpay went on being polite, kind and even fun for the rest of the night. There were no crude jokes, no displays of public affection with Troy, it was great. But why. That was only question the gang had about Sharpay's particular behavior.

"Here's the check." The waitress said groggily as she made her way over to the table. She smacked the check on the wood and trudged off.

Abigail reached over to look at it when Sharpay halted her.

"Oh Abigail! What great nail beds!" Sharpay cooed grabbing Abigail's hand and examining her fingernails.

"Uh...thanks," Abigail replied skeptically pulling her hand away.

"Oh well look at the time. We shouldn't worry about the check, the school covers it. Those waitresses work too hard. It must have slipped their minds. We better get on the bus before the seats are taken!" Sharpay insisted as they all made their way towards the bus.

Taylor looked coldly at Sharpay before sliding into the seat next to Gabriella's.

"Kelsi! Come, come sit with me!" Sharpay cooed happily as she energeticly pulled Kelsi into the seat beside her.

Troy looked awkwardly confused the entire time. He'd never seen this side of Sharpay. Well, maybe once when he first fell for her but that was it.

"Maybe someone hit her in the head," Chad suggested as him and Troy took their seats.

"Maybe she's just nice," Troy mumbled.

"Come on dude, get real, you know her better then that," replied Chad

Troy was even more confused. Did he like Sharpay, or Gabriella. It seemed his world was being turned upside down. But he did know one thing, he could not like them both.

—

"Oh Kelsi, have I told you how much I love your compositions for Twinkle Towne? It's simply to die for," Sharpay cooed over-dramatically.

"Yes, you have told her Sharpay. This would be the 20th time now," Taylor snapped.

"Well it still means a lot Sharpay," Kelsi said politely, giving Taylor a glare.

Taylor rolled her eyes and leaned back into her seat. Sharpay was acting sweet, but Taylor still could not stand her.

—

The crowd of kids entered groggily into the hotel lobby. Most shuffled off to their rooms, while others tried to regain their energy with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Gabriella was one of the many who were making their way up to their rooms.

Gabriella yawned as she sleepily walked into the elevator. Before it closed Sharpay stuck her heel in the middle of the closing doors causing them to reopen. Sharpay boldly entered.

"Well there you are Gabriella. I've been searching everywhere for you!" Sharpay said.

Gabriella yawned again. "Hey Sharpay,"

Troy eavesdropped on their conversation from the other side of the crowded elevator. He peered over the many heads of kids to get a better look. He eagerly awaited what compliment Sharpay would give to Gabriella this time.

"All ready for bed?" Sharpay asked peppily.

"Uh-huh," Gabriella mumbled sleepily.

"Well, if you feel up to it tonight. Come and join us in our room, we have tons of food," Sharpay offered kindly.

"Thanks, but I think I'm just going to crash for the night," Gabriella replied.

"Well if you change your mind, you know where we are," Sharpay said informing her one last time.

Gabriella nodded.

"Here's our floor, toodles!" Sharpay said blowing Gabriella a kiss as they parted ways.

—

Gabriella fumbled for her key groggily as she stuck it into the door, then slid it back out and stuffed it in her pocket. The door exposed emptiness. Taylor must have gone to get some coco with Chad. Gabriella thought about Sharpay, and her odd behavior that night. She wondered what in the world got into her and if this new attitude would stick. Before Gabriella realized it she had fallen into a deep sleep. Some people never change.

—

Chad, Taylor and Troy sat silently sipping their hot coco. Neither of them dared to touch the coffee. They knew that if they took one sip of that stuff, they'd be up for days.

"So, what was going with Sharpay tonight?" Chad asked.

Troy sat his hot chocolate on the table.

"Truthfully, I have no idea," Troy replied.

"No matter how she acts I still can't stand her," Taylor mumbled as she took a sip of her steaming drink.

"Listen guys," Troy said seriously. "I know you have a problem with Sharpay. I get it, she's been rude and mean and a lot of other things in the past. But maybe, this time she's changed. Just give her one more chance," Troy pleaded.

Chad and Taylor turned to look at each other.

"Ok," Chad said.

"Fine," Taylor mumbled unhappily.

Troy smiled. "Ok, I'm going to go say goodnight to her. I'll be back in a few minutes, wait up for me," Troy said as she got up and walked away hastily.

—

Troy skidded out of the elevator and ran up the empty hallway. He was so overjoyed, everything was going perfectly, he was having doubts about Sharpay, but that night's events gave him a new perspective.

He heard the sound of Sharpay's high-pitched voice. He quickly paused before he rounded to corner to greet her.

"So, what was up with you tonight? You were being all nice to Troy's geek friends," said Brittany, a girl from their grade and one of Sharpay's only friends.

Troy eavesdropped stealthily from the other side of the wall.

"Oh that," Sharpay chuckled. "That was all an act to please Troy. I mean when would I ever be nice to those losers," Sharpay scoffed.

The words stung Troy like a bee. He couldn't believe what he had heard. An act? Nothing but a fatal attempt to regain his love? Troy bolted away and raced back to Chad and Taylor.

He saw them chatting happily as he stormed over and sat down.

"I hate her! I hate everything about her!" Troy roared out of no where.

Taylor and Chad looked suspiciously at Troy.

"And...I hate what I've become," He said meekly as he looked down at the floor.

Taylor put her hand sympathetically on Troy's.

"Well, glad to see you've woken up to reality Troy," Chad said softly.

"So what do I do now?" Troy asked helplessly.

"I think I have an idea," Taylor said eagerly as she looked up at Troy.

—

The next morning before they left for their next journey Troy decided it was then that he would gently let down Sharpay. He felt like such a jerk, but he, Chad and Taylor knew it had to be done.

He spotted Sharpay walking happily out of her hotel room when Troy rushed over to her.

"Sharpay? Can we talk?" Troy asked timidly.

Sharpay looked up at him and smiled as her and Troy walked off to the side.

"Listen, Sharpay you've made my part few months full of laughs and lots of happiness," Troy lied. "But, I think-what I mean to say is," Troy fumbled for his words as Sharpay looked worriedly up at him. "Sharpay, I think we should see other people," Troy said quietly.

For some odd reason, Sharpay smiled. She began to laugh hysterically as she tried to regain her breath.

"Oh Troy! You almost had me there for a minute, you are such a cutie!" Sharpay cooed as she gave him a peck on the cheek. "See you on the bus!" She chirped as she ran off.

Troy was left dumbfounded. How could she think he was joking?

Troy groaned aloud and ran off to seek advice from Chad.

Gabriella gently walked out from the corner where she had been during Sharpay and Troy's epic conversation. A small smiled spread across her face while sadness overcame her. Everyone was so confused, including herself. Before all this, they were only worried about making sure they didn't go astray from their tour group. But now, it turned into so much more.

Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The next one should take about the time frame that this one did so keep a look out.