Hi you guys. You are fucking amazing! I can't believe you… those reviews just mean so much to me; all of them! It's just like… I'm writing this with the hugest smile on my face, I dunno what I'd do without your reviews, they rock! And the reactions from last chapter… wow… And hey! If you haven't, please check out my new story "Twist of Love", I'm writing it with my good friend AK-tutti, and it's posted on her profile, so… please take a look?

Disclaimer; I don't own High School Musical.

Her Heartbeat

Chapter 13.

--

Laugh when nothing's funny, Dance when there's no music,
Sing like you've never sung before, Love till it hurts,
Cry when you're sad, Smile when you're happy,
And always live each day like its your LAST

--

Troy, Gabby, Taylor and Chad were waiting by the school's entrance for Ryan. They wanted to be there for him the minute he stepped in, because they knew that people soon would discover that Sharpay wasn't with him.

Just then he stepped through the door. He looked tired, like he just rolled out of bed, and his clothes was nothing like he usually wore. His shirt was not straightened, it was also just simple and white. Gabriella couldn't figure out where her boyfriend had gone.

She rushed up and into his open arms. She knew he needed it, "Hi sweetie," she whispered, kissing his cheek, "How are you feeling?"

"Better now." Ryan smiled, holding her close to him.

"Hey Becca!" Troy smiled, approaching them along with Chad and Taylor, "Good luck talking to the principle."

Becca rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I'm gonna need it. I just know we have to tell him, because… Doctor Gellar fears the worst, so…"

"But we're gonna stay positive!" Taylor exclaimed.

"Yeah, of course we are." Becca said.

"Has anyone heard from the hospital yet?" Chad asked, "Has she… woken up?"

"Yeah," Ryan smiled, "They gave us a quick call before we left, and… Told us everything was fine in the moment, even though her heart rate went up a little, but… That's to be expected, eh?"

"We better get to homeroom." Taylor said, "We'll see you at the hospital later, right Becca?"

"Sure Taylor." Becca smiled, and watching them leave, before she headed towards the principle's office.

"Troy!?" Zeke yelled, storming through the crowded hallways, to approach the group. He stopped before them and caught his breath, "How's Sharpay doing? Is she feeling better?"

Troy shook his head, "Nah… We're going there after school to talk to her… She missed you and Kels when she woke up yesterday."

"Really?" Zeke said, "I feel bad now, but I had to leave."

"Yeah, but maybe it's also better," Gabriella said, "She's too weak to talk to too many people. She'll just overextend herself."

"You're pry right, Gabby," Taylor said, shooting herself into her seat in the classroom, which they'd now reached, "I'm just gonna say hi to her today, we've already had our talk."

"I'm gonna talk to her today, I guess." Chad mumbled, "I think I might cry. I can't stand these kind of things."

"It's okay to cry, sweetie." Taylor mumbled, padding his arm lovingly.

"Take a seat, students!" Mrs. Darbus said, getting the class' attention. "Let me see… Oh, where's ms. Evans?"

"She's at the hospital, Mrs. Darbus," Gabriella said, squeezing Ryan's hand tight, "She got there this Friday."

"Oh, what happened? Nothing too bad, I hope?" Mrs. Darbus asked.

"We don't know yet." Gabriella said, sighing hard, wishing for this conversation to be over.

"Okay… Send her my bet wishes."

"Shall do."

--

"Hi Paypay," Becca whispered, "Doctor Gellar told me you were sleeping now, but I just wanted to sit with you… He told me you're doing fine right now, though you'll only feel worse and worse the next couple of days, until…" she swallowed, "I don't want to think about death right now. I can't imagine what it's gonna be like when you're not here any longer. Matt and I have prepared us self for this happening in many years now, because we knew it was coming, but… Now when it's happening, I'm still caught of guard, and not ready to say goodbye."

Becca let a tear slide down her cheek and took Sharpay's cold, bony hand, "I'm not ready to let you go, Paypay. Not at all. I don't know what I'll do without you. All I can imagine is how sad our lives will be. You've always been the one to cheer the rest of us when we were having a bad day. I couldn't understand why you always were that happy, when you were the one with the dying disease. But now I understand. You didn't want to waste your life."

Becca knew Sharpay couldn't hear her, because she was sleeping tight, but she knew she'd feel better herself after opening up. Even though no-one would respond.

"Can't you let them do the surgery?" Becca whispered, squeezing Sharpay's hand, "Cant you… Can't you let them do it? Maybe you'll survive and then everything can be good again. I don't know what I'm gonna tell Brooke and Ben. They'll both be hurt so much, and miss you more than anyone else. And think about Troy! He's such a sweet boy, why can't you give your relationship a chance by doing the surgery? You deserve a chance to live, Paypay, you're too precious to die."

Becca sighed and let go of Sharpay's hand, "Anyway…" she whispered, standing up, to leave, "That was just what I wanted you to know. I love you lil sis. Forever and ever."

--

There was a knock on the door, and Sharpay happily smiled when she saw a big afro in the doorway. Chad was standing there. She could tell he was a bit insecure, but she waved him in, and he nervously took a seat next to her in one of the comfy chairs.

"Hi…" he whispered.

"Hi."

They looked at each other, not knowing what to say. The two of them weren't exactly known for liking each other, least at all getting along. That had changed though, the liking part that is, because they still didn't get along. In the last few weeks they'd managed to build a friendship, at some sort. It could probably had ended up as a lifelong one, if the circumstances had been different.

"Look, I dunno what to say." Chad admitted, grinning from ear to ear, "I want us to have an actually conversation now. No yelling!"

Sharpay giggled, and reached her hand out to take his. She grabbed it tightly, "You're cool guy, Chad." She said, "In your own funny way. And you really deserve Taylor. You guys are the perfect couple. I'm gonna miss you lots of lots."

Chad squeezed her hand and stood up. He awkwardly gave her a hug, and lingered there a long time, not letting go of the petite blonde, "You're sweet, Shar. You really are." He pulled back and sat down on the bed, right next to her, "We could really have had a great friendship… in it's own… funny, argument-al way."

Sharpay giggled softly again, "Yeah… We could."

"I hope you know I'm sorry for everything I've ever said about you." Chad said, "I didn't mean it… Well, I did, but… I didn't know you back then, and if I'd known you, I would have never said it."

"Ditto." Sharpay just replied, smiling brightly at him. He took a deep breath and leaned down and hugged her tightly again. Right now, he didn't want to let her go.

There was a soft knock on the door, and they broke apart to find Ryan looking at them. They smiled at him, Chad gave Sharpay one last hug, before skipping out of the room, to find the other guys.

Ryan stood in the door and looked at her. He already had tears streaming down his cheeks, and he didn't want to say goodbye. He knew he had to do it now though, because the doctors never knew if she'd make it one more day. She'd seen better days, and it was going downhill from there.

She could be gone tomorrow, or she could last a month – they never knew.

Ryan finally stepped into the room and closed the door safely behind him. He wanted privacy. He wanted a real goodbye. He moved to the bed and sat down next to her, where Chad had been sitting minutes before.

"What's up, lil sis?" he whispered, padding her sheets awkwardly.

"Not much, big bro." Sharpay replied, smiling at him, a sad glint in her eye, "What about you? Good day at school?"

"It was okay." Ryan replied, "I missed you though. A lot. Darbus asked where you were, and I told her you got hospitalized again. She's sending you her best wishes. Obviously the principle haven't talked to her yet about you." he sighed, "But that's okay, because Becca just told him this morning. He's probably announcing during lunch break tomorrow or so."

Sharpay flinched, "Does he really have to? Can't he wait until I'm gone and safe me from the embarrassment?"

"You want me to ask him?" Ryan asked.

Sharpay shrugged her shoulders, "It would be nice, but… Really, it isn't a big deal, it's not like I'm gonna face those morons again, anyway…" she giggled, "Just let it be."

"You're strong, Paypay." Ryan said, "I've always admired that about you, because that's a thing I'm certainly not. I don't know what I'll do when you're not here anymore. Who will I go to school with? Dance and sing with? Who will I tell everything to? Shar… You're my everything."

"Ry, you can always dance and sing with Gabby." Sharpay reminded him.

"It'll never be the same." Ryan said, "She can never take your place. She can always only be my girlfriend. She'll never be you."

Sharpay smiled, and took his hands, "No, of course not. She can always only be Gabriella. You have to promise me one thing, Ry; you have to promise me you wont let her slip away from you. Do not push her away when I'm gone. I know you're gonna have a hard time after that, but really,… if you don't hold on to her, you're gonna regret it. She's the strength you'll need."

Ryan let the tears roll freely down his cheeks and squeezed Sharpay tightly into his body, "I love you, Shar. Best sister ever."

"I don't want this to be goodbye." Sharpay mumbled, her voice hoarse.

"It will be," Ryan said, "We'll see each other again, but this is official goodbye, because I cant do it again, sweetie."

Sharpay laughed and let him go. "I love you too, Ryan. Have a good life. Make me proud."

"Will do, lil sis." Ryan said, heading for the door, "And hey!" he pointed upwards, "Say hello to the old ones up there. I miss them." He smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Sharpay sighed and leaned back in her bed. Her heart was throbbing, her head was bursting, and her throat was hoarse. She looked at her bedside table, and called the nurse.

--

"Yeah sure," Matt said, holding tightly on to the phone in his hand, "Yeah of course, I'll ask her that. I bet she will. Yeah, I know. Thanks a lot… That means a lot to us. Really? Great, I'll get back to you soon. Okay. Bye." He hung up the phone and turned to face Becca.

"What?" she asked.

"It was the mortician." Matt told her, "I talked to him about a future funeral, and since I mentioned it was for Sharpay… and that he knows Sharpay, he thought she might want to choose a casket herself? What do you think?"

Becca swallowed hard, "I think she'd like that." she whispered, clutching her hands together.

"Okay then," Matt said, "I'll just go down there and get some folders, we better talk to her about it tonight, don't you think? Or… What?"

"Better now than never." Becca said, "What are we gonna do about Brooke and Ben?" she asked, tears in her eyes, "I don't know how to tell them that Sharpay will never be able to play ´Go Fish´ with them again. I don't know how to tell Brooke that her hero, the most important person in her life, the person she's looked up at since she was little – is not going to be there for her anymore! I don't know how to tell her!"

Matt sighed and pulled her into a deep hug, "Bring Brooke and Ben here first thing tomorrow," he said, "Get them the day off from kindergarten and preschool, and just… take them here to say goodbye to Paypay. You owe them that. All three of them."

"I know…" Becca said, "I know. Listen… I'm gonna go home now, and you're gonna find those folders and then talk to Sharpay, okay?"

"Yeah, I need to give her a real goodbye too, anyway…" Matt trailed off.

--

"What do you want?" Matt asked, holding the folder up for her to see, "Oak? Or do you want something else?"

"I want a white one." Sharpay decided, "A really beautiful, white one? Please?"

"Anything for you, Sharpay." Matt said, fiddling with the folder which contained all the white caskets, "Look in this one. Choose exactly the one you want, the price does not matter at all."

"Thanks, Matt." Sharpay said. She took the folder and studied it for awhile, flipping back and forth between the pages. Then she rested her hands on her stomach, and sighed, "You know what? It doesn't even fucking matter which casket I have. I'm dead, I wont know. This is stupid!"

"Shar…" Matt started, but she cut him off:

"Don't ´Shar´ me!" she yelled, "I don't want to hear it! I know these things can be important for some people, but it's not like I'll even know if you give me the casket I want even though I told you to! I can hope you will, because I trust you. But do I know? No. So see Matt, I like this one." She pointed in the folder at a white casket, "But it's your decision in the end."

"Okay then," Matt smiled, taking the folder from her, "Number 12 then. Good choice, Sharpay. I'll make sure you get that one. Now lay back on your pillow, and rest your head, because you're pretty worked up."

"You would be too if you had to pick your own casket." Sharpay mumbled, resting her head against the pillow again. She paused and sighed, "No, Matt. Scratch that. I'm not mad tonight, I'm happy that you're here. I don't want to be mad when I may never see you again. I love you."

"I love you too." Matt said, "And I'm gonna miss you a whole lot when you're not here anymore. Believe it or not, you've always been like a real daughter to me. You're awesome, Sharpay. Great personality. The rest of us could learn a lot from you."

"Promise me to take good care of the others." Sharpay said, "Of Brooke, Ben and Becca. Ryan will take care of himself soon, but take care of them."

"I promise." Matt whispered, hugging her, "But I'll leave you to sleep now. You need to be fresh in the morning. Night, night."

"Night, night."

Okay, the end of chapter 13. I hope you liked it, and that it wasn't too cheesy, I dunno, maybe it was? Anyway, please leave me a review, because they still mean so much to me. I don't know what I'd do without them. Thanks,

A word from the lovely Friends;

Chandler: (entering in a bathrobe) I just walked in the bathroom and saw Kathy naked! It was like torture!

Ross: Y'know if we ever go to war and you're captured, you're in for a big surprise.

Lol, loved that episode. I'll catch you soon, eh? Tootles, Stessa ;p