"Troy Bolton to the office, please," the secretary's voice boomed through the hallways of East High.

"Dude, what'd you do this time?" Chad asked.

Troy shrugged. "I'll tell you later." He took off in a sprint down the hallway.

He got to the office and went in. "Oh, Troy, he's in his office, go on in." The secretary said.

Troy opened the door. "What's up Matsui?"

"You will address me by Mr. or Principal Matsui," Matsui replied, looking up from his file.

"What did I do this time?" Troy asked.

"Well, you'll have detention if you don't lose the attitude," Matsui smirked. "But, you're failing out of history."

"Okay?" Troy asked. "So?"

"You have to have a decent grade- at least a C- in every class to stay on the basketball team." Matsui replied, matter of factly. Troy's eyes widened.

"What? Since when?"

"Since forever," Matsui nodded. "But, I will give you one last chance."

"What's the catch?" Troy asked.

"You have to be tutored every afternoon by a student from this school."

"What about practi-wait, you mean by a nerd?" Troy gulped.

"You can still attend basketball practice, and do not address the smarter students as nerds. You didn't even let me finish. Anyways, you also have to attend drama club every Thursday and participate in the spring musical."

"What?!" Troy choked. "A musical?!"

"Yes, sir. You will, or you're off the team. It's your choice."

Troy swallowed hard and his face went pale. "This is not going to be good for my rep."

"I think otherwise. I think it will get you hanging out with a better crowd of people," Matsui smiled.

"Who do I have to be tutored by?" Troy asked, swallowing hard.

"Hmm, " Matsui said, looking down at the file in his hand. "Seems the only open tutorer would be Gabriella Montez."

"Montez?!" Troy yelped, jumping out of his chair.

"Yes, Miss Montez." Matsui said, pushing the file across his desk. "You see this girl right here?" He pointed to her picture with a stubby finger.

"I know who she is, but- I-no…"Troy stuttered.

"It's your choice," Matsui said, shrugging. Troy sighed.

"Fine."

"Have a good day, Bolton," Matsui said.

"Not likely," Troy muttered, walking out the door and slamming it behind him.

"Troy!" Chad yelled. He'd been standing at the door. "What happened?"

"I'm failing out of history." Troy replied, stopping across the hall at his locker.

"So, what's the problem?" Chad asked, confusion written over his face.

"You remember the rules they mentioned to us at the beginning of the year?" Troy asked, looking at him.

"Yeah…" Chad said, deep in thought.

"Remember that one that said we have a C- in every class to stay on the team?" Troy questioned. Chad nodded. "You see me problem?"

"Oh!" Chad said, realization hitting him. "You're not off the team are you?!"

"No, I just have to be tutored, go to Drama Club, and participate in the spring musical," Troy recalled.

"What?!" Chad cried out. Troy nodded and opened his locker.

"You know what that's going to do to your popularity?" Chad shrieked, like a girl.

"Dude, calm down. Just try not to mention it to anyone yet, okay?" Troy asked.

"You've got my word," Chad said. "But, so you know, if you go down, you're not dragging me with you."

"What a best friend you are," Troy laughed, pulling out his books. They walked to homeroom. The bell rang just as they got into class. Miss Darbus began taking roll.

"Atkinson?"

"Here."

"Barrett?"

"Here."

"Baylor?"

"Alive and sexy," Zeke laughed.

"Bolton?"

"Here," Troy said, in a deep voice. A few cheerleaders giggled and he saw Gabriella shudder in her seat at the front of the room.

"Cox?"

"Here," Martha said cheerfully.

"Cross?"

"Huh?" Jason asked looking up from his desk, on which he'd been drawing. "Oh, here."

"Danforth?"

"Oh, here, babe," Chad joked. Everyone laughed as Miss Darbus gave him a glare.

"Evans'?"

"Here," Sharpay said in a preppy voice.

"Here," Her twin, Ryan, replied in a tired voice.

"Holly?"

"Here."

"Hunt?"

"Here."

"Jordan?"

"Here."

"Lipton?"

"Here."

"McKessie?"

"Here," Taylor called, nodding her head.

"Montez?"

"Hi," Gabriella answered, waving at Miss Darbus.

"Hello, dear. Nielson?"

"Here," Kelsi's small voice replied.

"And Williamson?"

"Here."

"Okay, I would like to talk to you about the musical coming up next week. But, first, I have been told by Mr. Matsui to inform you that after school tutoring begins here after school. Or, you can get with your buddy and decide if you'd rather tutor in private at a house."

"Auditions for the Spring Musical are next Monday. All you will have to do is read a few lines out of the script that I give you and sing the song off the sheet music I will be giving you. Come and see me later to get those." Miss Darbus said. "Any questions?"

"Do you ever shut up?" Chad mumbled. The people that heard him laughed.

"Yes and detention, Danforth."

"But-"

"No, buts."

"Ha, you said but." Chad laughed.