Theatres of War

"You're sure you can pull this off?" my sister asks me.

"Yeah, I am." I'm just not sure that I should. After all, I know exactly what'll happen to Troy if this works, and it would probably crush him… oh yeah. I can totally do this.

"Remember to turn on the waterworks. Oh, and ham it up a little, but not too much. We want this to be believable." Yeah, I know. Sharpay and I spent long enough deciding how to get back at him, I was totally ready to just destroy Troy and start to build my life again. We argued long and hard about different methods of payback ("No, Sharpay, castration isn't a viable option!") before finally agreeing on our current strategy. I know just how much this will affect him. After all, I know him like no other person on the planet.

"Go!" she hisses at me, and I fling myself through the door in front of me. I fall back against the wall and allow myself to slide down it sobbing.

I find it all too easy to act distraught; I simply have to dwell on the sweet nothings, the tender kisses Troy Bolton bestowed upon me when we were together and the tears prick at the back of my eyes.

"Mr. Evans? Goodness, whatever is the matter!" That's Darbus for ya – falls for a good performance hook, line and sinker. I try to feign surprise at finding my drama teacher in the otherwise empty room.

"O-oh! Mrs. Darbus, I'm so sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here and, and, he was just so cruel and I had to get away-"

Rather worryingly, she immediately wraps her arms around my neck in what she obviously assumes is a comforting manner. I feel kinda bad about fooling her like this because, after all, I of all people know how it feels to be used. I just so badly want to hurt Troy back that my ethics have to take a back seat for now.

"Shh, shhh, shhh. Come now, Ryan. What's wrong? Who is he?" It's like one of Kelsi's scripts, how perfectly my drama teacher plays into our hands, saying exactly what she needs to.

"It's… no, I can't tell you. The basketball team would kill me if I did, and no one would believe me because he's just too popular!" I think this might be my finest performance yet.

"Who? What did this person say to upset you so?"

Time for act II, ladies and gentlemen. Time for revenge.

"It was… it was Troy Bolton. He was calling me stuff, like fag and homo and queer, and everyone was laughing and jeering and I just ran as fast as I could. What is so bad about being homosexual? Why can't people just accept me the way I am? I'm not hurting anyone just being myself, am I?" Again, the act isn't hard to put on. I've been discriminated against enough to accumulate real frustration with these small-minded idiots.

"I just don't know what to do. He just won't acc- I mean, he just won't leave me alone!" I use my most pitiful tone in an attempt to garner more sympathy. I do feel awful about this lie, as I feel it's almost… disrespectful to the people who really do suffer this. But I'm in far too deep now for regret. I have to inflict the same anguish on Troy as he has on me. I won't back down now it's simply not an option.

"Ryan… you did the right thing in telling me. You're absolutely right; there is no place in this school – in a civilised society – for that kind of bias. I think that we should go to the principal about this."

The spiteful side of me is cheering, and I bury my face in my arms to hide the satisfied smirk dawning on my face. I'm especially looking forward to this next part, as her reaction will be just so predictable.

"I would, miss, but it's Troy Bolton! The school would hate me more than they already do if I told on him and if people were to find out it was me. Plus, Coach Bolton won't be too happy about his son getting pulled in to the principal's office! He'll make my life a living hell!" Really, the near-hysteria in my tone should be enough to win an Oscar, or at the very least an Emmy.

Just as me and Sharpay predicted it would, Darbus's face adopted a defiant, angry expression.

"Ryan, don't concern yourself with that plebeian, simple minded fool, or his homophobic son. This old thespian still has some fight left in her, and I'll back you up the whole way. The report will be anonymous for everyone but the principal, your name won't be involved once and I'll make sure that brutish coach will have to go through me first to get anywhere near you." She chuckles softly and explains to me "After all, I can hardly have one of my best pupils so upset. All this drama would be better off on the stage."

Right on cue, Sharpay bursts through the door in a flurry of apparent concern and anxiety.

She looks me dead in the eye and tells me "Ryan, I just heard about what happened with that stupid jock! How did the," Sharpay pauses briefly and her eyes dart from mine to the unaware teacher beside me quickly before resuming her gaze with me, "confrontation work out?"

I bow my head slightly and tell her "Exactly the way we thought it would."

Sharpay looks briefly smug, before she addresses Darbus with her shrill voice.

"You can't let Troy get away with what he's doing to my brother! This has to stop! Please, do something!"

Darbus nods solemnly and tells her that we were just going to see about pursuing the allegations.

The first part of the plan worked, so now we see how the second phase progresses.

"Oh! My! GOD!" a blonde cheerleader whose name I forget hurtles towards my sister and me at lunch several days later.

"You'll never guess what happened! Troy Bolton – yes, the Troy Bolton – was pulled from the basketball team! It's unbelievable! No one knows why, and Troy just isn't saying anything about it." No sooner had she said this, my ex-lover stormed into the cafeteria like wrath incarnate. Fury and confusion were written all across his familiar face. I deliberately catch his eyes, and share a high five and a grin with my sister, my gaze not moving from his. The confusion is replaced with sheer hatred, and I shiver at the unbridled rage in Troy's eyes.

I can't help but feel that my achieving my revenge hasn't finished this chapter of my life; it's just begun a more trying one.

Thanks to those who left reviews and favourites, it really did mean a lot. Input from everyone is both welcomed and enjoyed, so if you have any particular route you want the story to take, I'll try my best to accommodate.