"Club and after school activity sign ups are today. Miss Darbus is looking for some talented composers to write her fall musical. And a week after that, try outs for the parts begin. Also, basketball team tryouts are today, both boys and girls. Yes, even you returning Wildcat superstars have to try out with the rest of them. Finally, the scholastic decathlon club meeting is tomorrow after school, voice lessons are today after school, art club is tomorrow after school, and soccer tryouts are next Monday, with the first game on Friday. I hope all you Wildcats make the best of the new school year, the same with the West Highers, you are welcome to join any activity that you want!. Have a great day!" Mr. Conners, a teacher at the school said during the end of school announcements.

Gabriella had been walking down the hallway with Alexis from her physics class, and just about all of her classes. She instantly became an ally to Alexis.

"So, are you going to join any clubs?" Gabriella asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I don't think anyone would like me and the rest of us over there at West, to be invading on anybody's turf." Alexis replied.

"You are not invading. People just need to get to know you as something more than that girl from West High." Gabriella replied.

"That'll be easy." Alexis replied sarcastically.

"Come on, there has to be something on those announcements that you'd like to do." Gabriella pursued.

"Well, at my old school I played basketball." Alexis said nervously.

"There you go!" Gabriella said, glad that she finally found something.

"But East High's basketball teams are pretty competitive. They won't want me there, the kids will think I'm trying to hack into their plays or something like that. They won't be nice." Alexis said looking down.

Gabriella thought Alexis was pretty cool, and sweet too. She was hurt easily, but anyone would be after the welcome she got. Why shouldn't she play basketball? It sounds like she'd like it.

"They won't bother you," Gabriella said suddenly, realizing something.

"Why not?" Alexis asked, with a little glimmer of hope.

"For tryouts, the boys and girls tryout together, right?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Alexis said.

"Like you pair up with a boy and do some two on two with them first. And then you pair up with your girl's team later, after the coaches saw how you would hold your own with someone other than a teammate?" Gabriella quickly continued.

"Um, yeah," Alexis said, really confused about what Gabriella meant.

"Great, then pair up with Troy!" Gabriella said.

"Who's Troy?" asked Alexis.

"He's my boyfriend and the captain of the boys basketball team. If he decides that you're cool, everyone will and they might be a lot more accepting of you. He practically runs the school." Gabriella explained.

"And you're sure he'll be nice?" Alexis asked, still worried.

"Positive." Gabriella stated. "But just in case I'll go in with you and talk to him."

"Thanks." Alexis said warmly.

"No problem."

Troy was already shooting some hoops when Gabriella and Alexis arrived.

"Troy," Gabriella said, motioning for him to come over.

"Hey," Troy said looking at Gabriella, then at Alexis. He realized that Alexis was from West High.

"What's up?" he asked unsurely, very confused as to why Gabriella would bring a West Higher over to him.

"Alexis is going to tryout for the team, but I think she needs someone to protect her from the Wildcat's. Could you do that?" Gabriella asked, for the first time in her life making a question to Troy sound more like an order that he has to oblige to. She knew it was in the name of good, but felt horrible after trying to order Troy around.

"Yeah," Troy said, after a few moments. "Sure, she can partner up with me. I'm Troy by the way." he said, showing a little more kindness than last time he expected himself to. He showed Alexis where she ca go to practice and looked back at Gaby, who while she was leaving looked back gratefully. Troy was fine with helping Alexis since Gabriella found her acceptable, but he's not so sure what the other East Higher's will think.

"You okay?" Alexis asked, catching Troy staring at nothing.

"Oh, yeah." he quickly said. "Let's shoot some hoops!" this time his voice sounded a lot more welcoming.

"Ugh!" Kelsi moaned, her head falling onto her piano in frustration. It was at this time that Gabriella was walking past the music room and she heard Kelsi.

"You alright?" she asked, coming in.

"Yeah, just stressed." Kelsi said, her head remaining in the position it was at before.

"Why?" Gabriella asked, taking the seat next to Kelsi. She was so used to this seat, because this was the seat she spent hours in while practicing for last year's musical.

"Because, that of that stupid wannabe Sharpay, Sarah Leslie!" Kelsi declared.

"What's so horrible about her?" Gabriella asked. Here was another person who didn't like someone from West High.

"Because she handed a composition for the fall musical in early, and Miss Darbus loved it. And I mean, loved it! If she could marry it, she would." Kelsi said, not even wanting to think about it.

"Well, there's still time to submit yours." Gabriella said.

"Mines not nearly as good." Kelsi replied.

"Well, let's hear it then." Gabriella said, scooting closer to the sheet of music. Kelsi began to slowly play the piano and Gabriella began to sing.

I don't know what to say

I've never felt this way

When your near, my knees go weak

Sometimes I find it to so hard to speak

What can I say

To tell you how I feel

What can I do

To show you this is real

Here's an invitation

To my heart

Time for celebration

This is where true love starts

Here's my deceleration

I love you so

So don't ever let me go

My defenses disappear

Whenever you are near

And it scares me too

That I feel the way I do

Sometimes it's hard to say

And tell you what I feel

'Cause you make me feel this way

I just wanna know it's real

What can I do to seal the deal?

Here's an invitation

To my heart

Time for celebration

This is where true love starts

Here's my deceleration

I love you so

So don't ever let me go

What would I do

If you I didn't have you

Forever

But never together

I would not survive

'Cause you make me feel

So alive

Oh, so alive

Here's an invitation

To my heart

Time for celebration

This is where true love starts

Here's my deceleration

I love you so

So don't ever let me go

So, don't ever let me go

Kelsi finished playing the piano and Gabriella finished singing and Gabriella stood there stunned.

"I know, it's horrible." Kelsi said, burying her head into her hands.

"No, it's far from horrible." Gabriella said. She loved that song so much because that was exactly how she felt about Troy. Grant it, she didn't give him the invitation to her heart yet, but she wanted to. The song was perfect.

"Kelsi, that was amazing." Gabriella said.

"Yeah, it was." someone else coming from the other side of the room said. It was Justin Thompson from Gabriella's Physics class.

"That was great." he said. "Oh, and Taylor sent me down to ask if you were joining the Scholastic Decathlon team this year." he said to Gabriella, remembering why he actually came down.

"Oh, tell her I will." Gabriella replied. "This is Kelsi," she said, introducing Kelsi to Justin.

"She wrote the song." Gabriella added.

"Well, it was beautiful." he said.

"Thanks." Kelsi said blushing.

"And you're voice, is amazing." he said, turning to Gabriella, who blushed even more.

"Well, I'm nothing without Kels, here." she said putting an arm around Kelsi.

"Well, great job. I'll see you girls around." Justin said, opening the door to leave, but giving one last smile to Gabriella.

Justin walked down the hallway and realized, he thought about Gaby's beauty, brains, and voice. Yeah, he liked her. But Troy won't like that too much.