You know what I hate?

School.

That's all.

"So?" Ryan nervously wrung out his hands as I emerged from the principal's office. The hallways were empty, and Ryan and I were already late for rehearsal at the high school for the Sound of Music, and we would both have to face Corinne Zeller's wrath. "What'd he say? Are you in trouble? Tell me already, Sharpay." he pressed desperately. I stayed silent as I thought of my next words, wondering how to break the news to him.

Looking down the expanded corridor, seeing the way the light flooded our open windows... it all gave me a thundering feeling of humiliation of regret. Not only had I humiliated myself and Troy, but I had become Sharpay Evans again, the annoying girl that squeezed her way into to tight places, yearning for the attention. That wasn't me. I sighed as we headed towards the back doors, thinking of what the next day at school would hold, how everyone would react. And I didn't even want to begin thinking about Jason at that moment... "He gave me detention for the next two weeks. Not only that, but I have to scrape the gum off of the under sides of the lunch tables." I grimaced at the thought.

"What?" Ryan exclaimed as we were exposed to the afternoon air. "That's so wrong, Sharpay." he stated. "All you were doing was standing up for your rights. Aren't we allowed to exercise our own rights?" I shrugged at his question, continuing my story.

"But anyways, we sort of made a deal. He explained to me that the reason the school has to get rid of the music program is because of the unpaid equipment that was pre-ordered. He said that their budget and those prices just didn't mix." I said just as we opened up the main doors to East High. The high-pitched squeal of the microphone and Corrine Zeller's shrieking seeped into the hallway. "So I agreed to organize a fundraiser for the school. I just need to know where to begin..."

"Sharpay!" Corrine screamed from stage. The anger growing behind her hazel eyes was clearly aimed at me across the auditorium. "You're late and I..." her words went in one ear and left the other. For once it didn't matter that she was chewing me out, because there was no important audience to witness it all. Maybe if Jason had been there, I would have put a little more effort into it...

Jason.

"Sharpay! Are you even listening to me?" she questioned, noticing how I gazed at her, almost looking right through her. "Sharpay!" she snapped again. But by that time, I had already spun on my heel and hastened out out of the auditorium. On impulse, and pure helplessness.

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"What do you want me to do, then?"

"I don't know, Jason! Just... figure something out!"

"Oh... no... you want me to play... matchmaker? What do I look like, a girl?"

"No... it's just... I don't know, Jason... I really don't know..."

All I wanted was someone to talk to, and Jason had always been there. But now he seemed occupied as well, like he had been wrapped up in the important world of Tory Bolton too. The pounding of the headache that I had developed reverberated off of Jason's bedroom doorframe. Just a few yards through his open door, my best friend held a conversation with the talk of the talk of the day, Troy Bolton. I was suddenly struck with embarrassment again. Why was it so difficult for me to think about my choices before I actually made them?

"This is Sharpay we're talking about, Troy!"

That was why.

Because I had already created a profile for myself. Because I would always be known as Sharpay, the dramatic, no matter how frequently I tried to change. It was what they expected of me. Just for once, I wanted to rebel. To show how different and independent I really could be. I stepped away from Jason's door silently, hoping that he hadn't detected me there in the first place. And from there, I let all impulses and helplessness fly out the window.

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The utterly loud silence of the detention room loomed over the atmosphere. I slumped in the seat I was assigned, and waited. For the first day of detention to be over. For time to fly... for the world to explode... anything...

"She's right in here. I'm sure you guys will have a fine time with this project. Make the school proud." The principal's authoritative voice grew closer as I sat up in my seat. The detention room door opened, and the principal walked in with someone in tow. "Sharpay!" the sickly bright smile on the principal's face made me roll my eyes. "Look who's here to help with the school fundraiser."

And even with two people in the room, both of our heads still turned to the doorway, and time still seemed to stop.

Bridgett Oliver sauntered into the room, bringing her false illumination with her. Brown hair that I had the craving to pull descended down her shoulders and that irritating flicker of mischief that I wanted played behind her green eyes. The cracked smile on her face teased me. Her simple, but confident words dropped me back in the fifth grade, where the hate we harbored for each other had actually developed. "Hi, Sharpay."

It's been three months. I'm not even kidding. But anyways, leave a review, because I guarantee, the claws will be coming out VERY soon.