"Why were you visiting the nurse?" asked Gabriella to Ryan, who just returned from the lunch line with some cheese fries.

They were all sitting at their usual table in the cafeteria during their lunch period. Except for Jason, who had gone to his locker and not returned so far.

"Oh, um," said Ryan caught off guard by the sudden question, "I was feeling this pain in my shoulder. Almost like I had been thrown against a wall."

Sharpay caught the not so subtle hint and replied, "Well those walls are pretty tricky. Sometimes they just jump out of nowhere and you end up bumping into them."

Suddenly all eyes were on the twins who were staring each other down from opposite sides of the table. It was Ryan who folded first and returned to eating his basket of fries covered in cheese.

"Hey, Ryan," said Sharpay innocently, "I was talking to Jason outside and he said you might know something about why he was so wet. Do you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sharpay." said Ryan defensively with a false smile. "When I got to school I came right inside without seeing Jason. How could I possibly know how he got wet?"

"I was just repeating something I heard, Ryan." said Sharpay with a look a good-natured curiosity. "You don't have to get all defensive. It's not like I'm accusing you of anything."

"I'm not getting defensive, Sharpay." said Ryan, trying to keep his cool.

"Oh, but you are my dear twin." said Sharpay. "I'm sure everyone here would agree with me on that."

"You are getting kinda defensive, Ryan." Chad put in.

"You know what, Chad," said Ryan angrily, "Denzel Washington!"

"Oh come on!" shouted Chad angrily. "Not you to! Why is everyone so mean to me?!"

"Ryan, Ryan, Ryan," said Sharpay wagging a finger at her brother, "No need to get so angry at Chad for stating a simple fact."

Ryan was beginning to dig his nails into the edging of the lunch table, but he quickly regained his cool composure and put on a nice smile. "You're right, Sharpay," he stated in a nice tone, "I shouldn't be getting mad. I should get glad."

"You . . . should?" asked Sharpay confused by her brother's sudden happy demeanor.

"Yes, I'm here surrounded by my loving sister, my friends, Kevin Madison, and these delicious cheese fries." said Ryan making sure his sister heard the third item before he took one his fries and put it into his mouth with a smirk.

"What was that?" asked Sharpay losing her superior air.

"These cheese fries; they're so good and warm." said Ryan.

"Can I have one?" asked Chad.

"Denzel Washington." said Ryan quickly, which caused Chad to groan and bow his head in shame.

"Before that." said Sharpay getting annoyed with her brother's antics.

"Our friends?" said Ryan indicating the group that was staring at them suspiciously.

"Ryan!" shouted Sharpay who was not up to playing any more games.

"Oh you mean, Kevin . . . Madison." said Ryan putting a pause between the first and last names. As Sharpay stared at him coldly he kissed the air just to rub it in her face even more.

"You dirty, son of a bitch." hissed Sharpay.

"Guess that makes you the daughter of a bitch, you psychotic shrew." Ryan shot right back at her.

"What are they fighting about now?"

Everyone turned to see Jason standing behind them standing in a dry Wildcats sweatshirt and matching sweatpants. He looked from each face to another curiously, searching for an answer to his question, but everyone just stared back at him, and it made him nervous.

"Is there something on my face?" he asked.

"No," Kelsi responded first, "We're just surprised to hear you talking again."

"It's not like I'm mute." said Jason putting on a grin. "So what are the twins squabbling about now?"

"Um, I think I should go." said Ryan suddenly as he got up from his seat at the table.

"Where are you going?" asked Gabriella.

"I think I'll go sit with the Drama Club." said Ryan pointing towards the second level of the cafeteria where the table sat next to the railing. "Probably ask them about the next play."

"You're not in Drama Club. Remember?" said Sharpay bitingly.

"That doesn't mean I can't be supportive of their efforts." said Ryan just as fiercely before returning to a normal tone. "Besides I never congratulated them on the winter musical. And I'm sure that they deserve it."

"It can wait right?" asked Jason. "You can just take one minute to talk right?"

Ryan looked at Jason to see the boy was staring straight at him and only him. Like he and Jason were the only two people in the cafeteria having their own conversation. Jason eyes pleaded him to stay and talk things out, but his brain told him the exact opposite. And it was his brain that he chose to listen to, completely deaf to what his heart was trying to tell him.

"I'm sorry." said Ryan more to the group than the boy he was looking at. "I have to go."

Ryan turned his back on them and walked up the stairs to the second level of the cafeteria where they weren't able to see him. When he was out so sight everyone turned their gaze on Jason who just stared at the second level for a minute longer before returning his gaze to the group.

"I gotta go talk to Mrs. Briggs about the Calculus homework. I still don't get it." Jason said before he was gone from the cafeteria.

With him and Ryan gone all eyes turned to Sharpay, who would normally love the attention, but just wanted to get away from it.

"I need to go talk to Ms. Darbus about the spring musical." she said before she was also gone from the cafeteria.

The table was quiet for a few moments as the drama of today's lunch sunk in.

"What is going on with all of them?" asked Taylor to her friends, who seemed just as baffled as she did.

"I don't know." said Troy. "But I think we need to find out."

"Me, Taylor, and Kelsi will take Sharpay." volunteered Gabriella.

"Yeah." Kelsi agreed.

"Ok." said Taylor.

"I'll talk to Jason." said Zeke.

"I'll go with you." said Troy.

"So it's just me and Chad left to get Ryan." figured Martha.

"Right." said Chad through a mouth full of cheese fries that Ryan had left behind. "Can we start after I finish these?"