Epilogue
Three Months Later
Sharpay felt like a wreck. She steered her car over a bump in the road where it turned from dirt to worn out asphalt. She was back in Nowhere. Except this time, she had her license, and she was the one in the driver's seat.
It was her first time back since she had left for Los Angeles, and she was scared about facing her family for the first time since she had run away.
Sharpay shifted her right foot from the accelerator over to the break. It hovered there for a moment, and then she shifted her foot back to the accelerator. She had to do this.
Life in Los Angeles hadn't exactly been easy for the past three months. She was still waitressing at Granata's Italian Villa, but she cut back her hours when she started attending the University of Southern California two months ago.
School had been going smoothly. She was working to get a portfolio together so she could apply for the singing and performance program the next fall. Right now, she was taking her general classes while she waited to audition.
Sharpay's nerves and heart rate grew as her house loomed in the distance. This was it.
She slowly pulled into the driveway, put her car in park, and cut the ignition.
She had saved up to get a car so it was easier for her to commute between Troy's grandpa's house and school.
She walked up to the front door, and her hand lingered over the door handle. She thought twice and decided to ring the doorbell.
Before she knew what was happening, the door was flung wide open and she was attacked with two pairs of arms: her mother's and her father's.
The next several hours were a teary blur.
Her parents told her how much they had missed her and how upset they were that she had run off.
Sharpay did her best to explain to them why she had left, but they refused to understand.
Regardless, though, they were still ecstatic to be able to hug their daughter again, even if it was only for two days, before she was to head back to Los Angeles.
Sharpay had come back for Gabriella and Ryan's wedding.
It was a beautiful ceremony in the small white church in town. And the whole town squeezed into the sanctuary for the occasion.
Gabriella looked stunning in her large white dress as she confidently made her way down the aisle.
Sharpay noticed Ryan getting all choked up as she approached the alter. Ryan would probably never admit it, but Sharpay knew that he was a softie at heart.
After Gabriella and Ryan ended the ceremony with a confident kiss, Sharpay joined them for the reception at her house.
The two days Sharpay spent in Nowhere were a blur. She was sort of a celebrity in the town, since she was the first woman to ever leave. Everybody was curious about her and her "epic adventure" as one person had put it.
Sharpay found a moment to catch up with her brother before he and Gabriella left for their Honeymoon. They were going to the Grand Canyon—another first for Nowhere. No couple from Nowhere had ever actually gone on a honeymoon before.
Before she knew it, it was time for her to say goodbye. The goodbyes were as teary as the hellos, and as Sharpay drove off the asphalt and onto the dirt road, she again contemplated turning around, but she knew it was time to go back to Los Angeles. It was time to go back to her home.
On the way back to Los Angeles, Sharpay saw a sign for Interstate 25 to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
All of the memories of her and Troy came flooding back to her, and she exited before she could consider the consequences.
The two had kept in touch mostly via My Space and a few sporadic phone conversations, but Sharpay really wanted to see him in person again.
She spent the three hour trip reminiscing on the month she had spent with Troy.
As she pulled up to the college Troy was at, she called him.
"Hey, Sharpay," Troy answered.
"Where are you right now?" Sharpay asked, getting right down to business.
"What do you mean? I'm at school."
"Duh. Where at school are you?"
Troy let out a confused laugh. "My room. Why?"
"Okay, well look out your window."
"Sharpay, I have no idea- Sharpay!" he exclaimed.
Sharpay was standing outside of his dorm. Before she could say another word, Troy was sprinting out of his dorm and embracing Sharpay in a huge hug.
"What are you doing here?" he asked breathlessly.
"I just went to Nowhere for Ryan and Gabriella's wedding. I was driving down interstate 10 when I saw a sign for Albuquerque, and thought I might drop by and see how you were."
"Drop by?" Troy asked incredulously. "You must be at least three hours off your route."
Sharpay smiled. "What can I say? Curiosity got the best of me. I really don't have much time, though. I need to get enough driving in tonight so I can make my shift at Granata's tomorrow. Wanna do coffee or something?"
"Sure," Troy replied. "My treat, though."
Sharpay rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, I guess that's the least you can do, since I drove three hours out of my way to see you."
A few minutes later, Sharpay found herself in a small coffee shop, just off of Troy's campus, catching up.
"Basketball is great!" he gushed. "I mean it is so challenging, but I really feel like I'm hanging in with them. I'm feeling really optimistic about getting a full ride next year."
Sharpay laughed. "I guess that means I won't be seeing much of you in LA for the next few years."
Troy joined Sharpay's laugh. "Probably not, but maybe if you don't get into the singing and performance school, you can transfer out here."
"I don't think so. I have a roll in the school's musical this winter, and the singing and performance professors have been bugging me about applying for their program."
Troy nodded. "It's been weird not having you around."
Sharpay agreed. She really did miss Troy, but she wasn't ready to give it all up for him.
"Yeah. It's kinda lonely at your grandpa's house. If I weren't so busy, it would be really tough to live there."
"I'm glad that's working out for you, though."
"It's been really good." Sharpay glanced at her watch and sighed. "I need to go."
Troy stood up. "May I escort you to your car?" he asked, holding out his elbow.
Sharpay giggled. They had been apart for three months, but nothing felt awkward between them.
She accepted his arm and they walked out to her car.
Troy enveloped Sharpay in a big hug. "I'm so glad you stopped by," he said into her hair.
"Yeah," Sharpay said, hugging Troy back. She willed with all of her might to not let go, but soon the moment was gone and Troy stepped back.
Troy looked at the ground and played with a pebble with his shoe. He looked like he was gathering the nerve to say something, but Sharpay couldn't be sure.
Finally, he looked up. "Um, can I kiss you goodbye? I don't mean like a boyfriend girlfriend kiss or anything. Just like a parting kiss."
Sharpay smiled. "That would be nice," she replied, closing her eyelids.
Troy leaned in and gave her a meaningful kiss on the cheek.
Sharpay opened her eyes, feeling slightly disappointed that it wasn't her lips, but she knew that Troy really just wanted to respect her.
"I'll see you around?" he asked as Sharpay opened her door and sat in the driver's seat.
"Yeah. You might be able to escape me for the next few years, but you can't escape me forever," Sharpay replied.
"I'll take that as a promise," Troy laughed.
Sharpay smiled sadly at him and started the ignition of her car.
"Bye," she said, and closed her door.
She put her car into drive and did her best to keep the road in focus as she found her way to the highway.
She really hoped that it was a promise.
The End
A/N: Thanks for sticking with me through this story. Please give me some final impressions and overall suggestions for my future writing. Unfortunately, while I hope to write again, it probably won't be very soon because I am back at school and real life (as opposed to virtual life) calls. So blessings on you all!
