Here is the next update. Thank you so much for your reviews! They mean the world to us!

Disclaimer; We don't own HSM or Popular.

Popular!

Chapter 9.

--

Now that I've chosen to be come a pal, a
Sister and adviser
There's nobody wiser
Not when it comes to popular -
I know about popular

--

Ryan opened his locker, finding his books for first period. They had homeroom first, but no use going back to get them out after. He felt kinda bad about turning Gabriella down yesterday, because he actually really liked her. She was just turning into another Sharpay, and it wasn't because he hated his sister, it was just a little gross.

He liked Gabriella, because she was Gabriella. He admitted that she could use a haircut and a few new jeans, but he didn't want her to wear sparkly clothes like Sharpay. He wanted her to be Gabriella, with a few changes. But if she hadn't changed, that would have been okay too, he wasn't superficial.

Sharpay had acted really weird yesterday during their talk. She wasn't hurt, like he'd thought she would be, she was… in a hurry to get out of there. He had no idea what she was up to now, and he couldn't wait to figure it out. She had come home really late last night, so she didn't even speak to him, she went straight to bed.

He grabbed his math book, and stuffed it into his bag. He then fixed his hat and closed his locker. Just then gasps were heard from down the hall, and he turned around to find everybody looking at two people, who had just entered their school.

It was a blonde girl, and a brunette girl. There was no doubt who it was. Sharpay was wearing her usual sparkly outfit. A pink top, and a white skirt. Knee high boots and her hair was in a two braids. But the person next to her, was just… wow.

Gabriella was wearing a plain white top, with a light pink button-up shirt over it. She was then wearing a jeans skirt, and a pair of her black flat, shoes. Her hair was down straight, and you couldn't tell if she was wearing makeup or not. She looked… perfect.

Ryan seriously had to pick his jaw up from the floor. She was back to her old self, but with a few improvements. Just liked he'd wished her to be. The jeans skirt was Sharpay-ish, but not too much, and her top and shoes were clothes he'd seen her wear before Sharpay gave her the complete makeover.

Gabriella was now a mix between herself and Sharpay, which worked very well. It made her look radiant and sophisticated. Not plain and normal, like before. Or not Slutty and self centred like just yesterday. She was just… really, really beautiful.

He knew what he had to do now. He had to march right over there and ask her out before someone else beat him to it. With the way she looked today, he was sure someone else would have the same thoughts as himself. He just hoped she'd agree to go out with him even though he had said no yesterday. He prayed she would say yes.

--

Gabriella was nervous, as she felt everyone's eyes on her and Sharpay when they entered the school. She heard gasps, and couldn't help a blush creep into her cheeks. Sharpay just held her head high and waltzed down the hallway, Gabriella trailing behind her.

They stopped by Sharpay's locker, where she fixed her makeup, and Gabriella looked down the hallway, where she found Ryan, staring intensely at her. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach, hoping he might ask her out now. She would say yes in a heartbeat.

Sharpay turned to her, a smile playing on her over-glossed lips, "I think he's coming, oh yes, Gabby!" she said, "He is so coming. Stay there, I'm gonna hide behind my locker."

She pushed Gabriella a few steps forward and opened her locker wide, moving the stand behind it, as if she was busy getting something in the back of it. Not that it really worked, it was obvious that she was listening intensely.

"Hi…" Gabriella smiled, when Ryan stopped in front of her. She fiddled with her jeans skirt, straightening out invisible wrinkles on it. "What's up?"

Ryan awkwardly cleared his throat, "Hey…" he smiled, "You look good today, Gabriella."

Sharpay let out at snigger from inside her locker, and Gabriella awkwardly smacked her hand against it, causing it to hit Sharpay in the back of her head. She then cried out in pain and retired her head from the locker, rubbing it awkwardly. She shot Gabriella a death glare and closed her locker, moving down the hallway as fast as her high heels would allow her.

"You were saying?" Gabriella asked, a sweet smile on her lips, even though she had just injured his sister.

"You look good today." Ryan repeated, letting his eyes move down her body, taking in every inch of it.

Gabriella let out a giggle, "You too." She said, "Anything you wanted then?"

"Ah…" Ryan awkwardly scratched his nose, figuring out a way to approach this. It was kinda bad when he just turned her down yesterday, but he really had to do this. He figured she must like him too, since she asked him out.

"Ah what?" Gabriella asked. The table had certainly turned since yesterday, when she had been the dumb one, who didn't know how to form her question.

"I really just wanted to ask you out." Ryan smiled, licking his lip, "If you want to?"

"Go out with you?" Gabriella teased him, "Duh, I like you Ryan. I asked you yesterday. Of course I'll go out with you!"

"Really?!"

"Sure." Gabriella said, "When? I'm free."

"Friday, at 6 o'clock." Ryan smiled, "We'll just hit the movies, maybe, and then go eat something on a café or something."

"Sounds good." Gabriella said, "I'll see you there." And then she turned around, waltzing down the hallway, shipping her hips from side to side, the way Sharpay had taught her to do. When she turned the corner, she found Sharpay listening closely to their conversation, and when she saw her tutor, she couldn't help but let out a high squeal and hug her to death.

"I guess he asked you out then?" Sharpay laughed.

"Yes…" Gabriella whispered, "This is the best day ever. Thank you so much Sharpay."

"Yeah," Sharpay mumbled, "I can't believe I helped you when you turn violent against me." she rubbed her head again, "Those locker doors can really smack."

"I'm sorry." Gabriella told her, letting out a deep breath, "But it worked, we're going out this Friday."

"Great," Sharpay said, "We have to pick out an outfit."

--

It was Friday afternoon. Sharpay was over at Gabriella's house. They were getting Gabriella ready for her big date with Ryan. Gabriella was really nervous. She was about to call Ryan and call off the date, but Sharpay had taken her phone. Sharpay was looking at all Gabriella's clothes. She wanted her to look really great, but not too dressed. They were only going to the movies.

She couldn't decide between the red short dress with Gabriella's red ballerina shoes or her skinny jeans with a green short dress together with the white high heels. Maybe the dress was too much. Gabriella was looking at Sharpay.

"What would you rather wear?" Sharpay finally asked Gabby.

"The green dress and the jeans. I personally think the red dress is too much." Gabriella decided.

"Couldn't you have told me that before, then I didn't need to spend 10 minutes thinking which one you should wear?" Sharpay complained. "Now change. You still need to do your hair and make-up."

Gabriella took the clothes and changed quickly. Sharpay looked at her. Yeah, it would work perfectly. Not too dressed, but beautiful still.

Gabriella put herself on her bed. "Sharpay, I don't think I can do this. He won't like me. I am too boring. I am not sexy enough. I can't satisfy him." Gabriella totally freaked out.

"Gabriella, look at me! You are smart and sexy and beautiful. Ryan like you just the way you are. Even if you are a little bit boring as you claim you are. You can do this Gabby. After all I won't let you give up now that we have come so far." Sharpay tried to assure her.

"NO, I can't. Sharpay please come with me?!" Gabriella begged Sharpay with her puppy eyes.

"No. I don't want to be the third wheel. I don't want to look at you two kissing the whole evening. That is just waste of time and it is gross." Sharpay said.

"Please?!" Gabriella said in desperation.

"NO!" Sharpay hold.

"What if I make Troy come? Then you aren't alone" Gabriella suggested.

"Okay. But if he doesn't show up. You are dead." Sharpay warned her.

"Fine, can I have my phone back so I can call him?" Gabriella asked.

"Okay, but I have to go. Suddenly I have got a date, you know." Sharpay winked, and handed Gabriella her phone. "Toodles." She waved and left Gabriella's room.

Gabriella sighed. Now she just had to convince Troy to come. Gabriella crossed her fingers and called Troy up. He answered it right away.

"Gabby?" Troy asked.

"Yes, Troy I need your help." Gabriella told him.

"No. I am not gonna be your doll or whatever you want me to." Troy said, freaking out immediately. He would not let them put more makeup on him, he sat his foot down!

"Well, you don't have to. Ryan have asked me out." Gabriella explained.

"Then what do you need my help for?" Troy questioned.

"You have to go with me and be Sharpay's date." Gabriella said and waited for the thunder she knew he would come with.

"NO WAY AM I GOING AS SHARPAY'S DATE!" Troy yelled into the phone.

Gabriella held the cell away from her ear, not wanting to lose her hearing, "Troy please? She is going to kill me if you aren't there. Anyway, you look like you liked each other when you kissed in my room." Gabriella begged him.

"Well, we don't." Troy denied.

"Troy please? You promised me you would help me. Please?"

"Yeah, but I have already helped you more than enough. You put makeup on me." Troy said.

"Pretty please, Troy?!"

Okay, it couldn't hurt. And he would keep what he promised her. And get a hot date. He couldn't deny that he liked Sharpay no matter how much he tried, "Okay" Troy finally gave in.

"Thank you so much. Come over to my house at 6. See you then." Gabriella hung up so he didn't have a change to back out. She went into the bathroom and did her hair and make-up.

Tonight was gonna be great!

Well then. Another chapter done. We will try to post the last ones soon. There's only two left, so it will be finished before our summer holidays are over. But there will probably be a little more than a week before next update, since Stessa is going away for a week next Monday. We will update as soon as she get back though. We hoped you liked this, and next chapter is the date!

Toodles, Noukka and Stessa.

Peace out!