Previously:

"The job" She sighed again, rubbing her hands nervously. "is in Europe."

The look of her son's face, it was the saddest thing she had ever seen. All the colors from his face was drained, he stood up, his eyes wide as if someone had just died.

"What?!"

"You can't be serious."

Tara shook her head, her son was in denial. "I hate to tell it you Zeke, but it's true."

"But- my friends and everything, I don't want to leave them Mom. I really don't." His voice was different, it wounded weak and it was begging.

"I understand dear, that's why I told you this earlier. We have a month before leaving, and your father and I talked. We decided not to sell the house. You can stay here if you want. Take care of the house, finish your last year in High School, and then we'll see after a year." She explained slowly, letting the news sink in.

"You're still going?" He asked, his voice becoming weaker.

Tara nodded, "Of course. This is a big opportunity for us Zeke. We need the money."

"So, in short, I have to decide between staying here but without my family, or going with you and leaving everything behind?" Zeke bowed his head; he felt a tear role down. Just one, but he didn't want his Mom to see it.

"Whatever your decision is Zeke, as long as you're happy, we're happy too."

Zeke became silent, his mind was throbbing. He didn't like it, he didn't like choosing. He didn't know what to do.

Tara glanced at the clock, "Zeke, honey, you're already late. You're going to get into more trouble if you came to school any later." She walked over to her son and kissed the top of his head, before going upstairs.

Zeke stayed there for awhile, before getting up and driving to school.

"Hey guys." Gabriella greeted, as she and Troy walked over to their friends.

"Hey Gabs, Troy." Everybody greeted, they were all smiling.

"We're seniors!" Kelsi finally squealed, the girls soon joined as the boys rolled their eyes.

Chad smirked, "We're older, we're wiser, and we rule the school!"

Ryan walked up to them, "You have always ruled the school, since Golden Boy here made it to the team."

Troy and Jason chuckled, as Chad glared. "I am insulted." He said, as he tried to say it in a snobbish voice.

Gabriella looked at everybody near her. There was Troy, her boyfriend, Taylor and Chad, Jason and Kelsi, and Ryan. So that's why it's too quiet, Sharpay and Zeke are missing. They're always noisy, fighting and teasing. "Hey Ry?"

Ryan stopped teasing Chad to look at Gabriella, "Yeah?"

"Have you seen Sharpay or Zeke?"

All the heads looked for them, "So that's why it's a bit quiet than usual. The almost divorced couple is missing!" Taylor commented.

Jason put his head sideways; confusion was etched in his face. "Almost divorced?"

Taylor sighed, she's been explaining to Jason the whole summer. He still hasn't got it. Kelsi saved her from trouble and started to slowly explain to her boyfriend.

"Sharpay said that Zeke was picking her up this morning." Ryan shrugged, "I think."

Suddenly, everybody heard it. The loud of opening of the doors, the heels clicking on the floor, and the students scrambling to move out of the way in fear of dying. All heads turned to the marching figure over them, "Where is he?" She muttered, looking at every face that circled her. Her eyes were like fire, she was dangerous.

They all knew what she was talking about; they knew that their friend had done something wrong to make her this angry. "He's not here yet." Chad said.

Sharpay glared at him with intensity, before trudging down the hall to her homeroom class. A poor freshman boy bumped into her. "Sorry." He muttered.

"Move!" She said, in a booming voice. The boy ran out of the school with tears. When she disappeared around the corner, everyone went back to what they were doing.

Troy shook his head, "Poor Zeke." I pity him.

Ryan looked at him with wide eyes, "Poor Zeke? How about me? I live with the freakin' human time bomb. I think I'm in more danger that him."

The others laughed at Ryan's situation, "Don't worry, we'll come to the funeral. We won't forget you." Jason said seriously.

The others chuckled at walked to their homeroom class.

Today really wasn't the best day for Zeke.

He stomped to Ms. Darbus' class with a slip in his hand. He was given detention for being late. Oh joy, I loooveeee this day. I'll love it even more when my girlfriend breaks up with me for being late on the first day. A woot woot for Zeke!

He had finally arrived at the desired classroom, but did not go in. Instead, he took a peek inside. He first glanced at one side of the classroom. Gabriella and Taylor were whispering quietly to each other, and Kelsi was writing in her song sheets. Chad was sleeping on top of his basketball, while Troy was blowing his bangs aside.

He looked at the other side as saw Ryan staring out into nothing, while Sharpay had an irritated look on her face. Jason was raising his hand; obviously, he was going to ask Ms. Darbus another stupid question. Like how was your summer or something like that.

Zeke finally gathered the courage and walked in the classroom. All eyes were averted from Ms. Darbus to him. He gloomily walked to her, handing her the slip. He refused to meet anyone's eyes, especially Sharpay's, which was really hard considering that he was seated right next to her. He could feel his friends' pitiful looks, Sharpay obviously made her bad mood known to the other people.

He watched Darbus read the slip with a knowing look on her face. "Ah, late again Zeke, and on the first day, what a wonderful start to your Senior year." She smiled an old smile, "Welcome back and good morning."

Zeke raised an eyebrow at her; she was on a first name basis with him? Yes indeed, what a day it is. "Morning Ms. Darbus."

The other 10 minutes he spent in that room, he felt Sharpay's glare get worse. If looks could kill, I think I would be dead now. But somehow, I couldn't care less. I'm not in the mood to neither apologize nor fight with her.

Finally, the bell rang and everybody started to exit. Luckily, they all had a free period and after that free period was recess, so all had relaxed. Zeke had picked up his backpack and left just as Sharpay was going to him. She followed him until he got to his locker.

Sharpay fixed herself before walking to him. "Ahem." She managed to say, in a mean, snobbish, scary voice. But she was ignored. She tried catching his attention again, but he still hasn't acknowledged her 

presence. It would have been better if he had just said sorry, Sharpay was ready to forgive. But she didn't like being ignored.

Zeke took a glance at her before closing his locker, "I'm sorry for not picking you up, okay?" He said before walking to the other direction without a second glance back at her.

She couldn't believe what had happened, it was so fast. She turned to where he was walking, "Don't dare walk away from me Baylor." She said in a menacingly loud voice.

Meanwhile, the gang was huddled up near Chad's locker. Chad was showing off his new basketball his parents had gotten him since his old basketball inflated. "Eww. That's just vain, Chad. It really is." Kelsi said, looking at it again.

"I agree." Troy said, taking a step back away from him and the ball.

Chad looked up, "I didn't want it, and my parents got it for me." He said in a defensive tone.

Jason took the ball and began bouncing the ball, "Hey, look. I'm hitting Chad's face on the floor." He laughed. The basketball apparently had his face on it. The others laughed along while Chad stood there, thinking that maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring it to school.

Then, they heard Sharpay's loud voice. All their heads looked at Sharpay and the retreating figure of Zeke.

Zeke stopped walking and looked back, "What do you want? I said I was sorry, I'm in no mood to talk to anyone right now." He said, glumly.

Sharpay chuckled darkly, "Yeah. You did. But did you know how you did it? You said it in the coldest voice I've ever heard you use. You're acting as if it's my fault you're in a crappy mood." She watched him turn back around to where he was headed, "God! What is your problem today?!" She said, obviously frustrated.

Zeke realized what he had done and walked back to her. "Look, I'm really sorry. I'm just having a bad day, and I woke up late." He barely said.

Sharpay's eyes were still full of fury, she still hasn't said anything. "Can we please talk somewhere?" Zeke pleaded. Sharpay nodded and followed him to wherever they were going.

As they left, the others were gawking and still in awe of what Zeke did.

The theater.

Also known as Sharpay's "safe" place, or in other words, refuge, whenever they would talk there, it's like they were the only persons on Earth. Whenever she was upset, she would come here.

They went inside and sat at the last row of chairs. "Sharpay, I'm really sorry. I don't want you to be angry."

Sharpay looked up, "I'm not angry. But the tone you used, it was different, as if you're a different person."

"Did I scare you?" He smiled, but his eyes were full of concern. "I don't want you to be scared. I was just upset. I've really been having a bad day."

"It's okay. Just, don't ever do it again okay?" She asked. She was totally different than before, she was nicer than her usual nice.

He nodded, "But, I have something to tell you actually." He said.

"What is it?"

"Well –"