A/N: Hi (Stessa here, lol) thanks for the reviews. They mean a lot to the both of us!

Chapter 3

Sharpay made her way into the big gymnasium, where the reunion was being held. She had gotten to Albuquerque safely, and was staying at a hotel. She could have stayed with her parents, but she didn't want to go back to the house that held so many memories of Ryan.

She had found the perfect dress. It was simple, but fit her very well. It highlighted her good features and covered her bad ones. What more could a girl want, you know? Her hair was straightened as it used to be in high school, and her makeup was perfect. She was ready to face all her old class mates.

But she was scared. Beyond scared. She had to go there without Ryan and since he died, she'd hadn't been confident in all areas except acting. She couldn't even get herself to ask out a guy anymore, it was quite terrifying, when she remembered how she used to be in high school.

She made her way to a table, sitting down on a chair, watching as the gym filled up with people she couldn't even remember. Only a few faces stood out here and there. She recognized Kelsi as she made her way into the gym, her hand linked with some unknown guy's. Her hair was short, but she still had those round glasses and a weird hat on top of her head. It was funny. Sharpay always believed, that Ryan and Kelsi would have made a cute couple, but Kelsi only had eyes for Jason back then.

Sharpay took a glass of Champaign from a tray that one of the waiters carried. She was absolutely positively going to get herself drunk tonight so she wouldn't have to deal with too many people. If she was drunk, they wouldn't speak to her, and she would end up falling asleep, or going home early to get some sleep in her small hotel room.

Her eyes went wide, as a pair of blue eyes linked with hers. Oh God. Oh no. That wasn't true. Why was HE there? Why didn't he come? Wasn't he busy somewhere? This couldn't be true! He wasn't supposed to be there! Though she wished to see him, she dreaded it too! Oh God. Oh no. Repeat. Oh God. Oh no. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

She hit her across the forehead and looked away, hoping he hadn't seen her. The same sentence kept going over and over in her head. No, no, no, no! He wasn't there! It couldn't be true!

She placed her drink on the table, and stood up, making her way across the room. She regretted coming here. She wanted to go now, before she came face to face with one of them. She was stopped by some one touching her arm, and she turned to find Zeke.

They chatted for a few seconds, and she told him they had to keep in touch, though she really didn't mean it. Then she turned around, ready to get the hell out of there, but she crashed right into a girl, who stumbled backwards into a guy, dragging Sharpay with her by the hand.

They landed in a heap on the floor, and they all quickly got up, dusting themselves off. When Sharpay looked up, she froze. It was Troy and Gabriella. Troy's mouth went wide, as he realized the same.

"Troy!" Gabriella smiled.

"Gabriella!" Sharpay greeted, seeing the brown beauty.

"Sharpay!" Troy cheered, opening his arms.

"Ry- -" Gabriella stopped, her voice faded out. She squeezed her eyebrows together, confused. She had expected Ryan to be there with Sharpay. After all, where his sister went, Ryan went too. Why wasn't he there.

Both Troy and Gabriella's eyes shifted towards her, and her breath got caught in her throat. She looked from one to the other, lowered her head, and brushed through them, and right out of the gym.

Sharpay stopped running when she found a bench outside of her school. She remembered this place. It was where she always used to go when she needed to think. There was never anyone there.. It was kind of hidden behind a tree.

Sharpay looked up in the sky and sighed. She could feel tears violently pushing at the backs of her eyes. Maybe she was right in the first place. It definitely wasn't easy to be here without Ryan. No one knew. She'd have to explain it to everyone.

Meanwhile, Gabriella looked at Troy oddly. "What just happened?" she asked. Troy shrugged.

"I'm going to go look for her," he said. With that, Troy ran off in the same direction that Sharpay had.

Once he found her, Sharpay's head was in her hands and her high heels were kicked off the the side.

"Pay... Are you okay? What happened back there?" Troy asked, using the nickname he had for her a long time ago. Even before high school. Sharpay looked up at his blue eyes and back down at the ground. She shook her head, signaling that she didn't want to talk about it. 'Why is he here?' she asked herself. 'Doesn't he know he's making everything worse?'

"Well I'll be here when you're ready to tell me," Troy said. He sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around here. 'Why does he care all of a sudden? He used to hate me..' Sharpay told herself silently. She nodded and buried her head in his shirt. Sharpay let herself cry.

When it seemed that all the tears had drained from her, Sharpay looked up at Troy. "Sorry about getting your shirt wet," she said, quietly.

"It's fine. Really," Troy said, looking down at the wet spot on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" Sharpay nodded. "Okay. Let's start with this question... Why isn't Ryan here?" Troy could've guessed the answer, but every time he thought about it, his heart tore. Sharpay and Ryan were so close in high school. He couldn't imagine how that must hurt.

"He died," Sharpay answered suddenly. Troy sat there with a shocked look in his eyes.

"I didn't know..."

"You wouldn't have cared even if I told you. You never liked me, Troy." Sharpay let another couple of tears fall, but Troy wiped them away.

"Of course I cared!"

"Oh. So that's why you called me an ice queen with all of your friends?" Sharpay sneered.

"I... I..." Troy stuttered. What she said was true... he couldn't deny that. "I was stupid." His voice lowered. Sharpay simply nodded. Troy smiled.

"It'll all be alright, Pay. I'll be here for you. Only a phone call away." Troy handed her a small piece of paper with his number on it. Sharpay smiled and slid the tiny paper in her purse. She cautiously wrapped her arms around Troy and he hugged her back.

"TROY BOLTON WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" a voice called. It was Gabriella. She had seen them.

A/N: Tis me. Paige. How did you like it? Press the little "go" button down at the bottom of the page and tell us... please?