A/N: Paige here. You already know we're thankful for the reviews, so I'm not sure why I keep telling you this but, thanks to our reviewers! You still rock:)
Chapter Seven
Sharpay and Troy was just hanging around in his living room, watching TV and eating pizza a couple of days later, when suddenly Sharpay's phone started to ring. She turned around to find it on the coffee table, and was really surprised to find 'home' flashing across the screen. 'Home' meant where she grew up. Alias her mom and dad.
She was a bit hesitant as she picked the pink cell phone up. She wondered if her parents had figured out she was in Albuquerque. If they had called her dorm or May they would know. She knew she couldn't not pick up, so she threw Troy a quick smile and went into the kitchen for some privacy.
"Hi?"
"Sharpay?" it was her mom, "Sharpay honey, is that you?"
"Yes mom, it's me." Sharpay sighed, jumping onto the counter, "What do you want?"
"Well," her mom said, as a matter of factly, "I just called May, because I wanted to thank her for the lovely flowers she sent me for my birthday, and then she revealed that you're back here in New Mexico! Why haven't you called or visited?"
"I've been busy." Sharpay replied, studying her nails, "And I doubt I'll be going back to college, I feel home where I am right now."
"And where are you?"
"At Troy Bolton's." Sharpay said, "Remember him? My ex-boyfriend? Well, anyway, I felt so alone at college without Ry, and Troy has made me feel a whole lot better, so this is where I am for now."
"That's okay." Her mom said, "But I would have appreciated it if you would have told us, Sharpay! You and Troy can come for dinner soon! How about tonight?"
"Mom…" Sharpay said, biting her lip, "Why don't you just tell me what you really want, instead of beating around the bush? I know you would have never been okay with this unless you wanted to be on my good side. What do you want?"
Her mother let out a deep sigh, "Ah, yeah… we're selling the house."
"THE HOUSE!?" Sharpay shrieked, which caused Troy to come rushing into kitchen, questions in his eyes, "Why are you selling the house?"
"We don't need all this space, Sharpay." Her mom said, "And it's not like you ever visit us. You need to clear out your old room, and Ryan's too."
"No way." Sharpay quickly said, tapping her nails against the counter.
"We're selling it whether or not you like it, honey."
"That's not what I meant." Sharpay just said, "I'm not cleaning out Ryan's room. That's too painful."
"We certainly can't do it either!" her mother said, "Don't you think you can do this for us, Sharpay? I really can't face all that, and I know Ryan would have wanted you to do it. You two were so close."
"I guess so…" Sharpay sighed, feeling tears sting behind her now closed eyelids, "I'll come in two days or something? I need to figure out a place to have all my stuff."
"Okay, we'll be looking forward to seeing you, darling."
"You too, mom." Sharpay breathed, hanging up her phone. Troy immediately came up to her and wrapped his arms around her, as he saw tears in her eyes. She hugged him tightly, letting her head rest on his chest, "What's up?"
"My parents are selling their house, and I need to clean both me and Ry's rooms." Sharpay explained, looking into his deep ocean eyes.
"Oh no.. Will you be okay?" Troy asked, stroking his finger across her cheek, "Do you want me to come with you?"
"No…" Sharpay giggled, "No, that's silly."
"Why's it silly?" Troy asked, cocking his eyebrow.
"Cause I'm a grownup and I can handle this by myself." Sharpay replied, "Thanks for the offer though."
"You're welcome." Troy replied, thinking to himself, that he was gonna go with her, whether she liked it or not. He just had to find a way to convince her to let him.
--
The next morning Troy awoke to a sound asleep Sharpay next to him. He smiled to himself. Sharpay was dressed in one of Troy's old basketball jerseys and basketball shorts. Yet, he still thought she looked beautiful. Troy planted a soft kiss on Sharpay's cheek and she groaned. "Time to wake up, sweetie," he said and ran a hand through her hair.
"Mmmm..." Sharpay muttered.
"Okay, but I was going to take you shopping today," he said, sending Sharpay shooting up.
"Shopping?" Sharpay asked, raising an eyebrow and Troy laughed at how cute she looked.
"Yes. Shopping. Now get dressed." Sharpay scrambled to find the one pair of clothes she had packed and ran into the bathroom. After many minutes, she emerged from the bathroom dressed in a pink baby doll top and dark blue jeans.
"You look great," Troy said. Sharpay smiled.
"I know," she replied. Troy laughed. "Now let's go!" She slipped on some pink flip-flops and grabbed her purse. Troy shook his head, grabbed his wallet and followed Sharpay out to his car.
Once they arrived into the busiest part of Albuquerque, Troy parked the car, and they both stepped out. Sharpay paused to breathe in the fresh air, but quickly began walking to her favorite store with Troy right behind her.
After an hour of shopping, Troy was sick of it. "Come on, Troy!" Sharpay said, pushing him into another store.
"Sharpay!" he said. "Can we just take a break? Look, there's an ice cream place right over there." He pointed over to a small ice cream shop across the street and Sharpay sighed.
"Fine," she said and they walked over to the shop, shopping bags in hand.
Once they arrived and both ordered milkshakes, Troy sat them down at a table. "Pay, why won't you let me go clean out your house with you?" he asked, a slightly hurt expression on his face.
"I told you, Troy. I need to do this on my own," she said, stirring her milkshake with her straw.
"But why?" he asked with a frustrated sigh.
"I have to grow up. I have to do this by myself. I can handle it."
"But what if you can't!" Sharpay looked up at him.
"Will you stop bugging me if I let you come?" she asked and sighed.
"Yes!" he said, smiling. Sharpay couldn't resist Troy's perfect smile.
"Fine. You can come," she said and he gave her a kiss.
A/N: Tis me, Paige, again. Okay. Chapter 7, finished! Woo! So, please, please, please, review. Thanks. : )