Disclaimer: I do not own HSM…or any of the songs that may or may not make an appearance throughout the fic.
Chapter Two
The final bell of the day would find Troy on his way to the auditorium for the 'End of the Year Production' meeting. The set was all done, now all that was left was for Ms. Darbus to say what play they'd be doing, and when the auditions were. The EYP was just a play, never a musical, so Troy didn't have to worry about a pairs audition; it would be all single monologues and such. But that also meant that it was up to Darbus on who would be paired with whom.
He shook his head clear of thoughts of being paired with a certain blonde…when he heard hushed voiced around the corner.
He stopped, peering over the edge to see Ryan and Sharpay walking towards him. He ducked back around, but then heard the click of Sharpay's heels stop short, so he listened.
"…don't understand why you're not coming to the meeting today," he heard Ryan say, he peered over again. "Darbus isn't going to be happy."
Sharpay sighed exasperatedly, "Just tell Ms. Darbus that my 'orthodontist' appointment was rescheduled, she'll know what I mean."
"Orthodontist?" Ryan asked, eyebrows scrunching in confusion. "But you don't need braces…"
Sharpay rolled her eyes, "Ryan…think! Use those brains that I know you have, what do I do on Fridays?"
Ryan thought for a moment, "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed as realization dawned on him, "You volunteer at the Nursing ho…"
He was cut off by Sharpay quickly putting her hand over his mouth, "Ryan!" She exclaimed, "What did I tell you about bringing up my volunteer work!" she hissed quietly at him.
"Right…sorry," he said sheepishly.
Sharpay smiled gently, "Can you also tell Ms. Darbus that I might be a little late for tomorrow's Saturday tryouts?"
"Sure…" he started, "Do I want to know why?"
"It's Cassie's birthday." She said simply, smiling more as Ryan got what she was talking about.
"Oh yeah," he nodded, "And let me guess, Princess Sharpay is going to read her favorite story?"
Sharpay laughed gently, "No, I couldn't read her whole story, those Harry Potter books would take a week to read. I'm just going to read her favorite part."
Just then a student came out of one of the class rooms and made his way down the hall, snapping the two siblings out of their siblingness and into the world of the school hall way.
"Right…" Ryan said, "So I'll tell her."
"You'd better." Sharpay snapped, walking off.
Troy shook his head as Sharpay walked quickly past him, not noticing him lurking around the corner. He waited till Sharpay and Ryan both left before stepping into the hall.
"Troy!" a voice called.
He inwardly groaned as he realized who it was, "Hey Gabby," he replied, turning to face her.
"So are you ready for the meeting?" She asked excitedly, latching onto his arm, "I think we definitely have a shot at getting the leads again."
"Uh…yeah…I completely forgot, but I can't make the meeting today, can you get the information for me?" he asked.
"Sure, but why can't you come?" she asked.
"I forgot I had a…dentist appointment. Yeah, a dentist appointment." He said, trying to sound like he didn't make it up on the spot.
"Oh, well okay!" Gabby giggled, "See you tomorrow!"
He watched her walk off towards the auditorium, "Yeah…tomorrow."
As soon as he was sure that she was in the auditorium, he ran for the exit hoping to make it to his car in order to follow Sharpay. As luck would have it, just as he reached his car, he saw her drive past, heading for the street. He quickly got in his old red Cadillac and followed after her.
He made sure to keep at a distance so Sharpay wouldn't notice him tailing her. She didn't and before he knew it, he watched her pull into the parking lot for the town's Nursing Home. Troy drove around the block so Sharpay wouldn't notice him. He pulled in the back way, watching as Sharpay disappeared around the corner of the building heading for the entrance.
He quickly got out of his car and ran to the entrance, managing to slip in while Sharpay and a nurse at the main desk were distracted by a woman pushing a man in a wheel chair. He quickly jumped behind a corner wall just as the nurse at the main desk turned back to her seat. He looked over watching as Sharpay pulled a red and white striped apron over her.
The main nurse huffed as she slumped in her seat. She blew a strand of her graying brown hair from her face before turning to Sharpay.
"Thank you Sharpay," she started, "for coming in so early. It's just that Lisa's sick and we can't afford her coming here and getting the residents sick as well, and I can't leave the desk since I'm the only one who knows how to work the computer, and you know that we don't really have enough workers to help out and…"
"Janice," Sharpay said, a laugh in her voice, "Breathe…"
Janice took a deep breath, beginning to feel a little better, "It's just…I know that you have your play meeting today and…"
"It's alright," Sharpay cut her off, "It's no big deal."
Troy nearly fell over at this. Sharpay…not caring about a play! What was she smoking?
Janice smiled softly before getting up and leading Sharpay off to a side room. Troy leaned over a little more but pulled back suddenly when Janice appeared at the desk again. He glanced over, back flattened against the wall as Sharpay appeared again.
"So what's on the to-do list?" she asked.
Janice flipped through a few pages on a clip board before answering. "Let's see…the third floor sheets need to be changed…the second floor bedpans have to be collected for cleaning and replaced…and, if you could, some of the residents on the first floor are…lonely…they haven't gotten many visitors and…"
Sharpay smiled, "Of course I'll visit them, see how they're doing."
"You are a god send Shar," Janice added, smiling, "Thank you."
"No problem," she said, brushing it off and walking down the hall to the elevator.
Troy looked down the hall he was hiding in; opposite of the one Sharpay had just gone down. There was a stairwell at the end. He crept down the hall and made it up the stairs in time to see Sharpay walk into her first room.
Troy watched as Sharpay changed all the sheets on the third floor, smiling the whole time as if she didn't even notice that she was in a stinky, old person's home. He watched as she collected the bedpans on the second floor, not even grimacing when she had to empty some of them, humming.
Soon she was finished, and only had to visit some of the residents on the first floor. Troy soon fell into a small routine. Sharpay would walk into a room while Troy stood just outside the door way, he'd listen to her short conversations, then hid in the room she'd been in just before till she moved into the next room.
Most of the conversations she had with the residents were simple, 'hello, how are you today's, but the last room she visited was the one that got to him.
The last room was down the other hall, the one he'd hid in when he got there, but most of the doors were shut, meaning that the residents either weren't there or were asleep. As she walked, Sharpay started to softly sing 'Breaking Free'…Troy made a note to ask her eventually how she knew the words and notes to that song.
She stopped singing just as she reached the last door. She knocked softly on the frame, leaning against it as the occupant turned to look at her.
"Ahhh, if it isn't little Miss Evans," the old male said, sitting up in his bed, "Come to visit an old man like me?"
Sharpay smiled, "Mr. Livingston, you are not an old man."
"Oh I'm not, am I?"
"No…you are ancient," she said matter-of-factly…right before laughing, getting a laugh from the old man as well.
She stepped into the room when Mr. Livingston held out his hand for her to come. Once she took it he spoke, "You know, I thought I heard an angel singing in the hall just now…and I knew it was you."
Troy could almost hear the blush and smile in her voice when she spoke next, "Thank you Mr. Livingston…" There was a lag in the conversation as the two just stood smiling in their comfortable silence. "So how are you doing today?"
"Ahh…" he trailed, "Same old, same old, aches and pains."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Sharpay said sincerely. Troy could tell that she cared for the old man. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Nah," he said, "I'm just old."
Sharpay smiled, glancing down at her watch, reading 6:15, her eyes widened, "I'm sorry Mr. Livingston, but I have to go now. Don't want to be late."
He nodded before reaching over and plucking a small flower from the vase by his bedside. He held out the small blue flower to her, "A flower, my lady?"
Sharpay gently took the flower from his outstretched hand, "Thank you, good sir," she said with a light medieval accent, "I shall cherish it forever."
Mr. Livingston smiled and nodded his head as she left. Troy hid in the stair well, waiting till Sharpay walked by towards the main desk to say good bye to Janice for the day. He could see Janice call to Sharpay before she left so he crept a little closer.
"Here Sharpay," she said, handing her a small piece of paper, "It's Lisa's pay for the day. She called and said that she wanted you to have it for taking over."
Sharpay shook her head, unwilling to accept it, "No, I can't."
"But you earned it."
"Janice, what's the meaning of volunteer?" Sharpay asked.
"You don't get paid." Janice answered knowingly.
Sharpay nodded, "Besides, god knows I have enough money already," she muttered in reference to her father being a lawyer. She said good bye one last time before walking out the door.
Troy ran back down the hall and out the exit in the stairwell in order to make it around the corner of the building before Sharpay saw him. He waited, hidden by the cars as Sharpay walked past him. She paused, fiddling with the small blue flower in her hand. "At least someone cares…" she whispered to herself before heading to her car as Troy did the same.
He thought that Sharpay was done for the day, but that wasn't the case. He followed her as she made her way to the town's athletic center making him all the more confused as to why she was there. She didn't appear to be a very athletic girl…but then again, she didn't appear to be a very compassionate human being either.
He crept up along the building watching as Sharpay made her way to a bathroom. He waited a minute or two only to see her walk out in a white robe or something, check her watch at 6:25 and head to the back room. So he ran around the building, peering through the window to see Sharpay walking over to a group of children dressed in similar white robes, and an adult, also in a white robe. He watched as Sharpay led the children through some stretches and exercises, realizing that it was a karate class when the instructor went over various kicks and blocks, using Sharpay to demonstrate.
He hid outside, watching, for only about an hour when Sharpay looked at her watch, 7:55, said something to the sensei, and ran out.
Somehow Troy managed to follow her to her next location…a simple house near the middle of town. Thankfully, this house was surrounded by bushes, making it easier for Troy to hide out and watch. He made it to a bush on the side of the house and followed it around as he heard Sharpay knock on the front door.
A short, frail, red headed woman opened the door. She looked down at her watch, 8:05, smiling softly at Sharpay. "You're late."
"I know," Sharpay exclaimed, "Karate ran late and I had to rush here and I didn't even get to change and I…"
"It's alright," she sighed, "Well, come in, must get on with the lesson."
Troy followed them through the window, watching as the woman led her into a small room with an old piano. Sharpay sat down and the woman placed sheet music in front of her before she walked to the opposite end of the piano. Moment later a beautiful melody filled the air. Troy recognized it; his mother loved playing classical music when he was younger, so of course he knew it. It was Rachmaninov's 3rd Piano Concerto, one of the most difficult pieces to play. It was slower than he remembered it, but then again it must be hard for Sharpay to play with such small hands…hands that would fit perfectly with his ow…
He mentally smacked himself for thinking that as he continued to listen to Sharpay play. It was beautiful; it even made Troy sad when it was over. He looked into the window to see the instructor shaking her head at Sharpay. He couldn't quite hear what she was saying, she spoke very quietly, but from Sharpay's expression, he could tell that she was critiquing the performance. Sharpay's expression drooped as the instructor picked up the music and replaced it with something else.
That was how most of the next hour was spent, with Sharpay playing an assortment of classical pieces. It wasn't until about 8:50 that the woman took up the final piece of classical music and, from what Troy could see, let Sharpay pick from a large selection. She immediately picked a bright green book and put it on the piano, beginning to play a song as soon as the book was open.
Troy knew this one too. Chad's mom had moved on from her Phantom of the Opera stage, discovering the wonder of the other Broadway shows. He recognized the song as 'Defying Gravity' from the musical Wicked. He'd never admit it to Chad, but he really wanted to go and see that musical during the three day break in a few weeks, before school ended. The only problem was that he really didn't have anyone to go with. He'd discovered recently that Gabriella was a religious girl. She refused to have anything to do with witchcraft, witches, even the Ouija board. They'd been playing one time at Taylor's house and Gabby refused to even be in the same room with them. She refused to kiss him until he went to church with her to 'cleanse' himself.
So…seeing a musical about witches and wizards was out of the question. (A/N – I had a friend like that once. Hypocritical botch who wanted nothing to do with magic. Wouldn't have anything to do with Harry Potter or Wicked…even though she watched Charmed and Lord of the Rings.)
He was brought back to the world of reality by the front door shutting. Somewhere amidst his thoughts Sharpay had finished the song and was currently heading down to her car. So Troy did the same.
It was around 9:10 when Sharpay finally pulled into the driveway of her house. Troy parked across the street with his lights off so she wouldn't see him. He wasn't going to watch her, just wanted to make sure she got in alright. He waited as she pulled something heavy from the back seat of her car. It was a backpack which looked like it was crammed full with books.
That was when it hit him. He and Sharpay only had one class together, AP English. The AP classes rarely stopped giving homework and assignments till the day before the last day of school. Was Sharpay in other AP classes? It would make sense with the load of her backpack. He looked at his clock. How long would it take her to do that work? It was already really late.
He thanked whatever powers that were looking out for him that he didn't have that much homework that night…unlike Sharpay.
He glanced up to see Sharpay make her way into her house, shutting the door behind her, before he drove home to ponder what Sharpay would be up to tomorrow…
A/N – Yeah, I know Troy seems a little stalkerish. But if you saw Sharpay, the Ice Queen nearly have a breakdown; wouldn't you be curious as to what she's hiding? He's seeing the actual person behind her façade. But just a warning, Sharpay does a lot more than what she lets on at school, a whole lot more. Where she volunteers the rest of the week, the sports and lessons she takes will also be discovered. There are only about two chapters before one where Sharpay makes a dramatic decision that may lead to some harsh and angry words from Ryan. But you'll have to wait to find out what it is.
P.S. I know Sharpay may seem really OOC, but that is her true self in my fic. The volunteering and things like that, why she does it will be explained later.