I can't believe it but this little story is almost over. Only one more chapter and I'll be done for good. Well I'll save the thank yous for next chapter when it's actually over I guess. But I would like to say thank you to every one who reviewed the last chapter, they were much appreciated!

Oh and no, I don't own or claim to own Seventeen and even though Gabriella casts it in a bad light I'm not saying it's a bad magazine.

It's a little known fact about me but I have a minor case of kainotophobia (that's fear of change people). And okay yes, it's undiagnosed and yes anyone who spends a few hours with me (or even just near me) would probably find out about it (my kainotophobia that is) but still. What about the fact that I change schools once or twice a year? Well no, it's not that kind of change that bothers me, it's the little things (but isn't it always?). Things like, I freak out if I don't have cereal for breakfast every morning or, oh I don't know, say for example I find out I'm in love with some guy. Some guy who's completely amazing but still, it sucks.

I want all of you out there to forget what you've heard about love, okay? Because you know what? The movies lie alright, they make it seem like you fall in love and it's great. You get to walk around all day in a daze and then magically the guy just happens to like you back. Well it doesn't happen like that (well, actually you do walk around in a daze but that part sucks, I have a giant bruise on my hip from where I ran into a wall). Turns out you actually have to work to make the guy like you. Seriously.

I've been reading Seventeen magazine for about a day ( mean a whole day, all twenty-four hours of it) now and all the issues say that you have to flirt and smile and wear vile smelling perfume (I really do not want to smell like Eau Delicaté, even if it does smell like 'a bouquet of floral passion'). And the things that magazine tells me to wear! There are shoes that look like bananas, dresses that look like paper bags, and shorts that could quite conceivably be underwear (please don't get me started on the actual underwear). Oh but that's just to get his attention.

Then apparently I have to be friendly with his guy friends (but not too friendly because if one of them developed a crush on me I'm off limits, I thought that was just with girls), but bitchy to his girl friends (I never liked the cheerleaders anyway), and of course I need to hang out with him but I also have to give him space. I should also date some other guy just to make him jealous but then break up with him before it gets too serious (but sometimes that gives the impression of not wanting a serious relationship at the moment, so sometimes it's better to skip this step; gee thanks Seventeen).

How could I forget, before I do any of that I have to pick the right kind of man. Older guys are sophisticated but might want to take things too far, younger guys are usually fun but immature, and guys my age can be immature but we'll at least know the same people (but I already have I guy in mind and he's perfect so I skipped this step).

After reading all of that I decided that I'd have a better chance of getting Troy if I was just myself (and we all know how much that says).

After Troy and I (in a sense) got back together and began practicing again things started to pass in a blur. I'd wake up, practice with Kelsi before school, practice with Kelsi during lunch, and practice with both Kelsi and Troy after school. Then I'd go home do my homework and start over again.

All in all things were going pretty well. I had finally memorized the song (if I was going to have to go through that for every song I might just let Sharpay have the part, I didn't need that kind of torture along with Sharpay's own special animosity), Troy had convinced his dad that the musical would look good on his college applications, and all of our friends were finally supporting us. What could go wrong?

Naturally when someone says this something must go wrong. It's Murphy's law, you know, 'whatever can go wrong will go wrong'. It's like Mother Nature's (or God's, or whatever deity you believe in I suppose) way of telling you 'hey you puny human, your life has been a little too good so far so I'll just throw a little misfortune in your way, just because.'

So things were going good and we were feeling like nothing could go wrong. Of course we were wrong, after all Sharpay did still want the same part as me. And I could bet anything that she would do everything in her power to get it. Some people just get fixed on something and have to have it, kinda like me and getting A's. You know, I don't think I can really blame her, I mean if our teacher was giving out just one A and Sharpay and I were competing to get it (even though Sharpay's academic record is pretty appalling) I would do anything to get it.

Except get the times of the basketball championship, science decathlon, and call backs switched to the same time. I wouldn't do that. According to Kelsi though Sharpay would. Also according to Kelsi, and I believed her, Ms. Darbus was fooled into switching the call backs times (the theater obviously couldn't wait an hour or two). Oh and get this, Ryan was in on it (what do you know the boy does have a backbone).

Surprisingly Chad and Taylor were angrier than Troy and I were, I think they were trying to show us that they really are supporting us this time (although it did get kind of creepy when Chad started threatening Sharpay and Ryan). It was actually Troy who formed the original plan, with modifications made by Taylor and I. Oh and Kelsi and the other basketball guys did…well I'm not entirely sure what part they played in the plan (except for Kelsi agreeing to play piano for us, but was that really a surprise?) but they were there and eager to play some part so I guess that counts for something.

The next day after school (the day of the callbacks/decathlon/championship) our plan took action. Taylor and I entered the decathlon normally (and in my matching white lab coat I looked as normal as all the other nerds in white lab coats, a big accomplishment for me) and took our places.

((Now (this is off topic but I feel it's past time I addressed it) I've noticed that I've been referring to myself, whether it be directly or indirectly, as a nerd/geek/loser for a while now. This isn't because I have low self esteem (mine is surprisingly high) or anything, it's just because I've accepted it (feels good to get that off my chest, you know?). Continuing on with the actual plot now….))

At first we went along like normal, and I have to say I think I was pretty much dominating the entire competition. Those West High (yes our stupid clichéd school actually has a rival called West High) mathletes aren't so smart. I mean I did this math problem in like three minutes and by the time I finished the guy I was competing against wasn't even half way done (needless to say I pretty much stopped trying after that, not to sound egotistic or anything but I was still beating them even after I decided to stop rushing through the problems). Soon though the chemistry set of the competition started and Taylor gave me the signal.

The signal was Taylor discreetly sneezing (looking back though it's pretty hard to sneeze discreetly so I'm pretty sure everyone noticed) so when I heard a faint 'achoo' and a mumbled 'bless you' I sprung into action. Since the chemicals I was working with were mildly dangerous though I didn't so much as 'spring' as I did 'slowly ease' into action. So slowly easeing into action I mixed a concoction of chemicals together fully knowing that they would produce a foul smell that would prompt the administrator to ask us to clear out of the room.

As soon as we escaped the decathlon Taylor and I headed towards a broom closet where she had set up some sort of a mechanism (however smart I might be, it was clear that mechanics and electronics would never be my strong point) that would mess with the power in the gym. She fiddled with a few buttons on her lap top and the lights on the device lit up and blinked. This apparently meant that it had worked (obviously right) because Taylor smiled and said,

"Alright let's get you to the auditorium," She cackled a little bit before continuing, "This should surprise the hell out of that girl."

We hurried to the backstage area where Taylor left me to find a seat; I looked around but didn't see Troy or Kelsi so I headed over to Ms. Darbus.

"Hi, Ms. Darbus. Sorry if I'm late but-" As per the usual (with this school anyway) she cut me off.

"I'm sorry Miss. Montez but you are late and the theater waits for no one." She informed me primly before flipped her scarf and walked away. Around this time Troy ran in and apologized for being late, whereupon he was met with the same information that the theater could not possible wait for him -or anyone else for that matter.

According to the plan everything was going right, there were people spilling into the auditorium as Troy and I stood on the stage and Kelsi had returned to inform Ms. Darbus that she would be willing to play the piano after all (she must have refused at some point before I'd entered the room). Unfortunately Sharpay had also returned and offered to sing again for the new arrivals.

Before I knew what was happening Ms. Darbus said something about show business, Sharpay stormed off stage, Ryan followed her, and someone shoved a microphone in my hand. I found myself standing on stage with hundreds of eyes trained on me (and what was I wearing? A stupid looking white lab coat, not the cute flirty outfit that seventeen advised me to wear).

Have I mentioned my (undiagnosed) kainotophobia? And the fact that singing in front of hundreds of people (or the very least one hundred) was a big change for me?

I thought I might have.

I just realized that there isn't much dialougue in this chapter, sorry if that bothered anyone (I know that would annoy me).