"Okay, can we get through the song once without you yelling at me?!" Troy groaned, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"It's not my fault you keep getting the wrong pitch!" Sharpay barked back.

"Fine, tell me what to do!" Troy threw his hands out to the side like a human sacrifice.

"First of all, you're way too nervous to sing. It's coming out like a croak because you're so afraid you're going to screw up!" Troy was going to protest but Sharpay put a finger to his mouth, "It's my turn so sit down and shut up."

She ordered and he quickly sat down at the piano bench. "Secondly, you're a boy. You're voice should be deeper. So breathe through your nose when you can, not through your mouth. Your nose will fill your lungs with enough air to support your voice without raising the octaves."

Sharpay breathed through her mouth and held a shrill note which caused Troy to plug his ears. She nodded then breathed through her nose and hit the same note but it was much softer and fuller. "See?"

"That's so weird…" Troy laughed and Sharpay rolled her eyes at him.

"Next, don't think about the notes. As soon as you think about what note we're on, you screw it up! So think about the lyrics and let the notes come to you!" Troy nodded gamely, trying to absorb all of this. "Fill your diaphragm with air and don't push your notes. Never, ever, ever push anything!" Sharpay instructed, "So take a deep breath, through your nose, fill your diaphragm and let it come. Kay?"

"Alright…"

"Try again." Troy messed up 5 more times then finally, he understood what she was saying. "That's so much better!" Sharpay called over the piano to a singing Troy. Troy nodded and kept singing then Sharpay joined in with him.

"We might actually pull this off…" Sharpay said breathlessly.

"Ya think?" Troy was practically panting.

"Okay, let's take a break."

"Finally!" Troy collapsed on the ground and Sharpay fell next to him.

"Shar?"

"What?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did." Troy stayed silent while Sharpay giggled, "Okay, okay what?"

"Why do you act so tough? Why do you purposely act like the 'ice queen' when you're actually nice?" Sharpay was silent for so long Troy thought she was ignoring him. "Because 'nice guys finish last.'" Sharpay responded softly, "Because when you act nice, people walk all over you. Because when people see you cry, they know you're weak."

Troy was trying to make sense of this twisted logic, "But you catch more flies with honey." He pointed out.

"But ice doesn't go bad." She shot back. "Maybe if I were nicer, people would like me more. Maybe if I didn't act so tough, I'd have more friends. Maybe if I let people in, they'd relate better. But then I wouldn't be on top."

"One is the loneliest number." Troy finally understood why Sharpay rarely smiled; why she glazed her eyes over to everything; why she acted unfazed; it wasn't that she didn't feel things, she just knew how to hide them.

"Come on, we can perfect until dinner then you're free." Sharpay pulled Troy to his feet and the music started again.

"And if I open my heart to you, I'm hoping you'll show me what to do; and if you help me to start again, you know that I'll be there for you in the end!" They finished the song for the billionth time and it was almost 7.

"I was about to call the SWAT team to pry you two away from the piano!" Naomi teased, sliding two plates of pasta in front of them.

"Haha, very funny, Nay." Sharpay rolled her eyes, getting them bottles of water.

"I'm impressed Troy," Naomi stated, "Most people would have ripped their hair out and begged for freedom by now."

"Naomi!" Sharpay gasped, flicking some water at her.

Troy snorted, "Believe me, the only thing keeping me here was your amazing food!"

Naomi glowed and blushed, "Oh, you are the sweetest thing ever!"

Sharpay snorted and muttered something into her food while Troy glared at her good naturedly.

"Where's Ryan?" Sharpay asked, looking around the kitchen for her twin.

"That's what I'm wondering…" Naomi wrung her hands nervously and glanced out the window.

"Well, when did he leave?"

"This morning. He said he'd be back soon…" Naomi murmured.

"Did you try his cell?"

"It's not on." Just then the front door open and Naomi ran into the foyer and screamed. Sharpay and Troy leapt off their stools and ran into the foyer only to see Naomi lying on a very dazed looking Ryan.

"What's going on?!" Sharpay shrieked as Troy rushed forward and pulled the young woman up off the squashed teen. Then Sharpay turned and jumped on Ryan as he was trying to get up, causing him to fall back to the floor, "Where were you?!" She demanded.

"Shar…Can't. Breath!" Ryan gasped, comically widening his eyes. Troy rolled his eyes and pulled her up by her elbows. As Ryan was sitting up, he eyed Troy warily, "You're not going to jump me too, are you?"

Troy's eyes widened and he shook his head, "N-no! Of course not!"

Ryan snorted, "Dude, chill, I was kidding." Troy instantly relaxed and Naomi ushered them back into the kitchen. Ryan dragged another stool over and Naomi handed him a huge plate of pasta.

"Okay, where were you?" Sharpay asked again, much calmer this time.

"I went to the park and met up with Gabriella…" Ryan trailed off, not really wanting to tell them his magical day.

"And!" Sharpay prodded.

"And we hung out…"

"Doing?" Naomi asked impatiently.

"We went shopping and got ice cream and I made her try sushi." Ryan shrugged.

"Was this a planned outing?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"You're so weird, Ryan!" Sharpay teased and Ryan grinned at her.

"Wait, you went biking with Gabriella?" Troy asked slowly.

"Uh, yeah?" Ryan laughed.

"You went biking with Gabriella when she has a sprained ankle?" Troy asked incredulously.

Ryan was about to respond then thought for a few minutes. "You're right…" He looked perplexed, "Nay, may I be excused?"

"Sure honey." Naomi replied, not looking away from the TV.

Ryan ran upstairs to his room and grabbed his phone, dialing in Gabriella's number quickly.

"Hello?" Gabriella's mom asked as she chopped vegetables.

"Hello, Miss Montez, this is Ryan Evans."

"Hello Ryan, how are you?"

"Fine, how are you?"

"Can't complain. Are you looking for Gabriella?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay, hold on just a sec." Ryan nodded even though she couldn't see him and waited patiently for Gabriella to pick up.

"I got it mom!" Gabriella waited until she heard the click of her mom hanging up then grinned. "Hey!"

"Hey, how's it goin?" Ryan asked, decided to wait a few minutes before asking about her ankle.

"Great, how's it going with you?" Gabriella tried not to giggle with giddiness.

"Pretty good. Hey Gabriella?"

"Yup?" Gabriella was spinning around wearing the pink bowler hat Ryan had picked out for her.

"How's your ankle?"

"Huh?" She asked, stopping her spinning and cocking an eyebrow.

"The ankle you sprained a few days ago." Ryan said slowly, waiting for her answer.

"Oh, right!" Gabriella groaned inwardly, "I, uh, kinda, sorta didn't sprain it…"

Ryan closed his eyes and pressed his lips together, "You lied to everyone? To me?"

"Ryan, please listen to me!" Gabriella begged, "I did hurt it! Just not as badly as everyone thought! It was all part of my plan to get Troy and Sharpay together, remember?"

Ryan sighed, "So you lied to get them together?"

"I had to! I had no choice!" Gabriella insisted, desperate for him to believe her.

"Okay…" Ryan had to believe her, had to believe that she was doing the right thing.

"Ryan, I'm so sorry." Gabriella whispered.

"Yeah. See you Monday." Ryan said coolly, hanging up the phone and falling back on his bed tiredly.

Gabriella sighed and dropped her phone, dragging herself into bed and falling asleep instantly.

TotR

Sunday passed lazily and soon, Gabriella and Ryan found themselves at school together again.

"Hey." Gabriella said quietly. Ryan had been standing at his locker, staring at a picture of him and Sharpay dancing together.

"Hey," He turned around and smiled at her and Gabriella instantly relaxed.

"I've decided that if this is what you need to do, I'm going to help you." He said quietly, putting one arm loosely around her shoulders and leading her into homeroom.

"Are you serious?" She asked excitedly. Ryan just looked at her amusedly and she squealed then stifled it so they wouldn't attract too much attention.

"But what are you going to do?"

"Make sure that Sharpay falls for Troy!"

"How?" Ryan just grinned at her and walked away. "Ryan Evans, you get back here and tell me!" Gabriella yelled but he just looked at her over his shoulder and winked.

During lunch, Ryan moved in for the kill with Sharpay. "So Shar, how's Troy?"

Sharpay looked at him confusedly, "What are you talking about?"

"Word on the street is you have a secret admirer that's not so secret…" Ryan wiggled his eyebrows.

"What, who told you that?"

"I just heard it." He shrugged.

"Well, what do you think?"

"That he's a total jerk and you should have nothing to do with him." Sharpay chewed her lip thoughtfully and Ryan smirked on the inside. If there was one thing Sharpay could not stand, it was when Ryan went 'over protective' on her.

"He is not, he's really sweet!" Sharpay defended.

"Oh sure, if you like lunkhead basketball players." Ryan rolled his eyes.

"You know what, Ryan? You don't even know Troy so just shut up!" Sharpay hissed then stormed off.

Ryan grinned then went to his next class.

That afternoon, Troy fidgeted with his sheet music back stage while people rushed around him, preparing the sound equipment.

Sharpay came in and smiled at Troy, "Ready?"

"Shar, what if I screw this up?"

"You won't screw up, Troy. You're perfect." Sharpay suddenly blushed and brushed past him, going into her old dressing room and beginning to touch up her makeup.

Gabriella snuck backstage, per a previously made plan with Ryan, and ran up to Troy.

"Hey!" She said brightly.

"Hey…" He was looking for her crutches, "How's the ankle?"

"Oh, much better! It still hurts but my doctor said I could deep six the crutches so it's all good!"

"Great…" Troy muttered absently.

"Are you alright?"

"Gabby, I'm so nervous, I can't even think." He confided.

"Why?"

"Because I'm doing this with Sharpay. She's, like, the perfect performer. I'm not up to her standards!"

"Troy, take a deep breath and relax. Now, think about this: You're only as good as you think you are. Just do your best, Sharpay can't yell at you if you do your best. Okay?" Troy nodded.

"Awesome! Break a leg!"

"Thanks Gabby…" Troy sighed and sat down at one of the vanities.

"Troy, are you warmed up?" Ms. Darbus looked completely harassed as she stormed through the area.

"Yes." Troy sighed shakily as Ms. Darbus knocked on Sharpay's door.

"5 minutes to show time, Miss Evans!" She barked then ran outside again. Sharpay didn't answer; she had burned some incense and was getting in the zone. "Troy, ready?" She asked when she was calm enough to go out into the backstage area.

"Yeah, are you?"

"Yes." Sharpay cleared her throat as he handed her a microphone. "You'll do great." Troy complimented.

"Thanks, you will too." Sharpay surprised both of them by hugging him tightly. Troy wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair without thinking and Sharpay pulled back then went to her side of the stage.

Troy sighed heavily and went to his side and waited for Kelsi to start playing their song. All of the things that had happened in the last week spun around Sharpay's head as she walked onto the stage and began singing.

I've been living with a
shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a
cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past
I just can't seem to move on.

Sharpay shrugged and looked towards where Troy was walking onto the stage.

I've been hiding all my
hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need
them again someday
I've been setting aside
time to clear a little
space in the corners of
my mind.

Sharpay and Troy slowly started singing together and she smiled at him reluctantly so he smiled back at her fully.

All I wanna do is find a
way back into love
I can't make it through
without a way back
into love
Oh oh oh

Sharpay really got into the song and felt the lyrics, looking at Troy desperately as if he knew her answer.


I've been watching but the
stars refuse to shine
I've been searching
but I just don't see
the signs
I know that it's out there
There's gotta be something
for my soul somewhere…

Troy nodded and glanced at the audience where Gabriella, Ryan and Miss Darbus were watching quietly.


I've been looking for
someone to shed some light
Not somebody just to get me
through the night
I could use some
direction and I'm open
to your suggestions!

Troy walked over to Sharpay and took her hand then spun her around at the end of the chorus.

All I wanna do is find a
way back into love
I can't make it through
without a way back into
love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I'm hoping
you'll be there for me
in the end!

Sharpay stepped away from Troy and held a hand subconsciously against her collarbone as she sang her solo verse. At the end, she turned to Troy and he saw something in her eyes he had never seen before. Is that vulnerability?

There are moments when I
don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration not just
another negotiation

Troy and Sharpay stepped towards each other again and grabbed each other's hands, smiling like they were in their own world.


All I want to do is find a
way back into love
I can't make it through
without a way back into
love
And if I open my heart
to you I'm hoping you'll
show me what to do
And if you'll help me to start again
You know that I'll be there
for you in the end!

Sharpay beamed at Troy as she finished with a final 'Oh…' Troy, without thinking, leaned down and kissed her flush on the mouth, causing Gabriella and Ryan to jump up and cheer wildly.

Sharpay wrapped her arms around Troy tightly and kissed him fiercly while Troy dropped his microphone (causing them all to wince) and entwined his fingers in her hair.

"Enough!" Ms. Darbus shouted, smiling faintly but looking slightly disturbed. Sharpay and Troy broke apart, breathing hard from love and singing and Sharpay cheered, "We did it!" and Troy grinned then spun her around joyfully.

Hello all! Thanks for the reviews! Okay, I realized today I forgot Gabriella had a sprained ankle! My bad! And sorry if this is rushed but I'm running out of ideas for this and I want to start another Ryella or Lucnessa so I'm trying to finish this one out. Thank you so, so, so much for reading this and reviewing! I think I have one maybe two chapters left so let me know if there's anything you want to see! Again, I apologize for rushing this so much! XOXO