Chapter 18

Sharpay went home, thinking about what Gloria had said about Sharpay being pregnant.

Sharpay knew that there was a possibilty that she was pregnant. She had sex with Troy with no protection.

She went to her room. She logged onto the computer and typed 'pregnancy' into the search box.

Soon a million articles popped out. Sharpay clicked one the one that read: 'Symptoms of Pregnancy.'

A list popped up.

Missed a period

Breasts are swelling

Craving for (sometimes unsual) food and sweets

Morning sickness (barfing, cramps, etc)

Mood swings (how quickly depends on the woman)

Energy decreases quickly

Stomach starts to expand

The list was short and very disappointing. Sharpay hadn't had any of those symptoms. If she was pregnant, she would've had at least one symtpom by now. But no. Sharpay had never had food cravings, mood swings, or morning sicknesses--none!

But Troy didn't know that.

Now for the first time, Sharpay started thinking about the positives and negatives of this plan.

Positives: Troy will be mine and Gabi would be heartbroken.

Negatives: I would have to eat sweets, somehow make my stomach expand, and eventually waste money on a pregnancy suit. Troy would never have sex with me again to keep the baby safe and where are we going to get a baby that looks like me or Troy?

Sharpay shook her head. The plan wasn't going to work. It was too risky, way riskier than actually getting Troy to have sex with her.

She groaned. How was she going to make Troy hers? She just had to have him! Not only because Troy was charming and cool, but also because it was completely embarrasing to have Gabriella get Troy!

Sharpay threw her hands up in fustration. She dug through her yearbooks and finally found the picture she was looking for.

Last year's prom: her first and last date with Troy.

Everyone had gotten dates for the prom, but Sharpay. Troy, feeling sorry for her, had asked her.

Troy was so nice.

Wait...nice.

Suddenly Sharpay started thinking. Troy was nice, which also meant he was sensitive and hated seeing people so sad. So all she had to do was make Troy feel sorry for her. Troy would spend time with her more. Gabi would get mad and start acting like a horrible, jealous, clingy girlfriend. Troy would get fed up and end it with Gabi, and start hanging out with Sharpay!

Sharpay knew this plan was going to work--it had to!

She knew for a fact that Troy and Gabi were hanging out together at the park today. Sharpay undid her hairdo, made her hair hang limp, and made a few tears come out. Now all she had to do was come with a good excuse why she was crying.

Someone dying or dead--nah.

How about losing her most valuable possesion--too silly.

Thinking everyone hated her--that was it! It was a bit true, since most people at school did call her the Ice Queen. And if Sharpay said she thought...no knew that everyone at school hated her, Troy would feel guilty and extra-sorry for her.

Sharpay made a few more tears come out and smiled. She left the house, before anyone could see her and ask questions.

Troy and Gabi were strolling in the park, hand in hand. They had just stopped at a diner on the way and now they were enjoying the peaceful quiet atmosphere.

Troy couldn't help but smile when Gabi bent down to smell a flower, like she had done so many times earlier. Gabi loved flowers and sniffing them made her smile. Troy loved watching her. Gabi looked so pretty with her wavy black hair framing her pretty face. How she looked so peaceful with her beautiful eyes closed and a small smile forming on her pretty lips.

Gabi stood up to look at the scene in front of her. The park was filled with flowers and Gabi stared at them. In fact, she completely forgot where she was and just stared at the floweres with a smile.

Troy waited for her to snap back into reality, but she never did. She just stared at the flowers with a pretty smile. Troy thought she looked very pretty, but soon he got impatient of waiting.

He stood behind and wrapped his arms around the Gabi's waist. He kissed her shoulder, which made Gabi giggle. Troy kissed the top of Gabi's head and stared at the flowers with her.

Just then they heard someone crying. They looked toward the picnic tables and saw a girl with blonde hair crying.

They got closer and realized the girl was Sharpay.

Troy sat down next to her.

"Hey, Sharpay," he said softly. Gabi watched the whole scene, shocked. Sharpay, the horrible Ice Queen, was crying!

Sharpay looked up and Troy was swept over with sorrow when he saw Sharpay's tear-streaked face.

"Uh, is there anything wrong?" Troy asked. Sharpay sniffed and shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Troy insisted.

Sharpay finally burst into sobs.

Troy patted her back. "What's wrong?"

Sharpay looked up and said, "Nobody likes me! They call me the Ice Queen. Even Ryan doesn't like me anymore! And you hate me and Gabi hates me and..."

She stopped and started crying again.

Troy put his arm around her.

"Hey, hey, look at me," he said softly. "A lot of people...admire you. You just don't see it yet. And I don't hate you. I'm sorry that you got the wrong message"

Gabi watched with jealousy. Troy had never done that when she was crying. All he did was grab her hands say he was truly sorry. He never leaned iin like he was doing with Sharpay. And Troy seemed to be paying a lot of attention to the blonde.

Gabi felt even more jealous when Troy hugged Sharpay. What made her more angry though was Sharpay's victorious smile, which Troy couldn't see...but Gabi could.

So this was just another plan to steal Troy. Gabi left the park, ignoring a red-haired boy near the gate. She walked home, frowing.

Troy finally let go of Sharpay and said, "I don't hate you. Remember that."

Sharpay nodded. Troy looked around and realized Gabi was gone.

"Where did Gabi go?" Troy asked. She had been standing a few feet away watching them.

Troy walked around the park, trying to find Gabi.

A redhead boy walked over to Troy.

"Are you looking for a brunette with tanned skin?" the boy asked in a British accent (Can you guess who he is?)

Troy nodded.

The redhead gestured toward the gate. "She left. And I don't think she was very happy. She looked like she was about to cry. I was about to ask what was wrong, but she ran off."

Troy said, "Thanks." He left the park and ran towards Gabi's house, wondering why she ran off like that.

Then it occured to him: Jealousy.

Gabi was jealous that Troy was paying so much attention to Sharpay.

Now that Troy thought about it, he had paid a bit too much attention to the Ice Queen. And he remembered that he had put his arm around her and had left Gabi all alone.

Ugh, Troy groaned. How could I be so stupid?

He got on Gabi's porch and knocked on the door. He knew Gabi was home, because he could see her throuh the window next to the door. Gabi was talking on the phone and stuffing herself with Rocky Road ice cream. Troy knew she was mad by her expression and Gabi had one told her that she only ate Rocky Road when she was mad.

Troy sighed and headed home. He had brought Gabi to the park to ask him to be his date to the Homecoming Dance, but he had blown his chance.

The earlier part of the chapter was inspired to me by Rizmu! Thanks, Rizmu!