Summary: The cell phone. A wonderful invention or a horrible distraction? A collection of various parings answering the phone while occupied.

A/n: I changed the title. I decided I like this one better. It was "Don't Answer the Phone!" but I think "The Switch Board" is classier and I'm all about class. I also changed the summary, for reasons of class again, but I bet no one knows what I'm talking about because it's been forever since I've updated this. Anyways, enjoy!

Pairing: Gabpay (Requested by Love Butterfly and xCuteyCupcakesx)

Timeline: After the winter musical.

Word Count: Almost 2,200 (I've decided I can't write anything short.)

Genre: Drama

Setting: Gabriella and Sharpay have a private celebration after the final curtain of Twinkle Town.

"Backstage"

Gabriella walked down the dimly lit hallway next to the Auditorium. The sounds of her large gown rustling quietly was the only noise besides the constant buzzing that was always around an aud.

There was no one else around. The majority of the cast was in the lobby or still in the auditorium talking to family or friends and some even went home right after the show.

Her parents couldn't make it because they both had to work late, thus letting her disappear.

She opened the last door on the right. Closing it behind her, she made sure it was locked.

She sighed from relief and removed the wig she had to wear and set it on a near by table. She kicked her uncomfortable tan character shoes and pushed them under the table. It was finally over. All the make-up, costumes and performing was finally over. She realized it was a lot more work then it looked about a week in.

When she turned around, she noticed Sharpay was sitting in front of the TV that was used mainly by the chorus members for making longer cues; the glow from the television on her face was the only light in the room.

She admired how beautiful the blonde looked in her simple all black outfit before saying, "Hey," shyly.

Sharpay jumped a little and looked towards the other girl, "Hey," she said back.

Gabriella ignored the jump and asked, "What are you doing in here and not out signing autographs for your adoring fans?"

"Ryan's off somewhere. I could ask you the same thing though," Sharpay retorted.

"I was out there for a little while, but nobody wanted me to sign anything. They all wanted yours."

"That's not the truth," she smiled, "You don't know how to lie. You were the star so they want you. I just sat here all night."

"Okay so it's not, but I would not have been so good without your help."

"I know. I am a great teacher," she said keeping the same tone in her voice.

"Wow, could you be a little more conceited?" Gabriella said laughing quietly, "But it's true," she walked and sat in the chair next to Sharpay and motioned to the TV, "What are you watching?"

"Nothing, just a rerun of the performance. It was really good tonight."

They both stopped talking and watched for a moment.

After Gabriella shifted in her chair and cleared her throat, "I… umm… actually came here to talk to you."

Sharpay copied her shift, "What's there to talk about?" She asked knowing fully where this was going.

"What happened between us can't ever happen again," She said with the best sternness she could find.

"I was afraid you were going there. But what we did was nothing but harmless fun."

"Exactly, but it's the kind of fun that could get me in trouble with my boyfriend. I am dating Troy," She stated.

"But he doesn't have to know about it. It can stay between us and we can continue to do what makes us happy."

"I wish it could be that way, I really do, but it doesn't feel right. I haven't even been dating Troy that long and already I'm cheating on him. It's just not fair."

Sharpay looked at the smaller girl, "It's not cheating," She snapped back fast.

Gabriella back down in her chair scared of the girl in front of her.

The blonde girl noticed that and softened her voice before saying, "When we started it was just a way to relieve stress and help you with your stage fright. It's nothing serious."

She looked up, "Okay, I guess that means we're on the same page," she said trying hard to smiling and only producing a half smiling.

Sharpay flashed a devious grin, "Since we are stopping how about we have a little good-bye soirée?"

"What do you mean?" she asked shyly.

"I think you know what I mean," she said placing a hand on the smaller girl's knee.

"I don't know Shar," she said warily.

"Come on, please. It will be fun. I promise." the blonde girl said trying to coerce the other.

"But…what about… everyone else? Won't they…. Umm… be coming… back soon?" She said trying to put words together, but the feeling of Sharpay's hand on her knee even through several layers of fabric was messing up her thinking.

"This room isn't really used by anyone after the show is over, and I don't think anyone will be back soon," she said still trying to convince her.

"But all the cell phones are over there," she said pointing to the table that indeed had all the phones of the cast members. One of Ms. Darbus' ways to keep use of cell phones down during the performances and just in general.

"Don't worry. You locked the door didn't you?"

"I'm still not sure…" Gabriella stopped talking because she felt the hand that was on her knee slowly advancing higher on her leg.

It didn't stop, but kept its upward procession that was also accompanied by the owner of the hand leaning forward slowly, "You know you want this," she said when the hand reached her cheek before kissing her.

For a moment, Gabriella didn't respond. She knew this was wrong and she knew she shouldn't be doing this, but somehow it felt right.

She kissed her back.

After a moment Sharpay pulled away and said, "See it's not so bad," before attacking the smaller girl again.

This time there was no hesitation on Gabriella's part.

She soon felt an arm snake around her back and slowly start to unzip her gown. Once it was all the way down Sharpay started to pull down the large sleeves with Gabriella's help to reveal her beige camisole.

Gabriella smiled and giggled a little before reaching towards the other girl to unbutton her dark blazer.

The blonder girl smacked the hand away and said, "My turn first," before grabbing the bottom of the cami and pulling it over the owner's head.

She was now only in her bra, but she still had the skirt of the massive dress on.

"Stand up," Sharpay ordered.

The smaller girl listened and stood quickly almost tripping over the ugly fabric at her feet.

The blonde girl laughed to herself before dropping to her knees, "Just relax," she said before pulling the dress down all the way. Revealing a crinoline.

Gabriella lifted her feet and once it was out from under her the other girl threw it across the room, "That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. It makes me glad I didn't get the lead."

"I didn't pick it out. Darbus and the costume ladies thought it fit the character perfectly. However Kelsi thought it was ugly, but she didn't want to say anything, but I thought she should have because it was her show and she does--" she was cut off by lips on hers.

"Calm down," the lips said once they were finished.

"Sorry," she said about her rambling.

"Just trust me," the other girl said before returning to her knees. She grabbed the top of the crinoline, but felt another layer of fabric under it, "Are you wearing shorts too?"

"Yeah, and Pantyhose and underwear. Why?"

"At this rate, you won't be naked 'til graduation."

Gabriella tried to laugh at this, but she didn't like to think of graduation because she didn't even know what school she was going to be attending when she did.

"Only kidding," Sharpay said taking the crinoline, shorts and pantyhose in her hands and in one move pulling them down quickly.

This was unexpected and Gabriella lost her balance and fell back into the chair.

Sharpay laughed at her, while pulling the rest the pantyhose off and throwing the buddle in the same direction as the dress, "I said just relax and if you don't start I'll make you pay for it," she teased.

Gabriella liked the teasing, "Then I'll just have to get you back," she countered while trying to stand up, but was pushed back down.

"Stay there," she said removing her blazer herself revealing her black lace bra.

She stood up and leant over the sitting girl to place a sweet kiss on her lips. She then went lower to her neck placing innocent butterfly kisses on her neck. Her decent continued to the brunette's belly button where she placed more kisses. She grabbed the top of the underwear and looked up at the other girl.

Gabriella's was smiling eyes shut enjoying the relaxation she was getting from the others girl's actions.

That satisfied Sharpay enough and she was about to pull down the panties when there was an obnoxiously loud rattle come from the table of phones.

Gabriella instinctively jumped and looked over to the table. The light coming from the phone looked like the kind she had, "I think that might be mine," she said getting up and walking to the table leaving an annoyed Sharpay to follow her.

Sure enough the phone was hers. She picked it up to see who was calling, "It's Mr. Bolton," she said not sure why her would be calling her now.

"You have his number?" Sharpay asked.

"Yeah, he gave it to me just in case," she said, "Should I answer it?"

Sharpay shrugged her shoulders.

She decided to answer it, "Hello?" she said to the phone.

"Where are you?" The voice of her boyfriend, Troy, came through. Realizing that his phone was sitting next to where hers used to be and that's why Mr. Bolton was calling her.

"Umm… The dressing room. I came here to change out of that horrible dress," she lied.

Oh, my parents wanted to get some pictures of us together," he said sounding disappointed.

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to change back? I could if you want," she feeling completely guilty about everything.

"If you don't mind. I know how much you hated that dress," he said his voice rising slightly.

"I'll be there in a few," she said hanging up.

Sharpay was back by the chairs putting her blazer back on.

"I have to go," she said gathering her things and starting to redress quickly.

The blonde girl didn't say anything but went to the table and fished out hers and Ryan's phone.

"I'm sorry," she said, "His parents want to take pictures, and I couldn't say no."

The blonde girl looked up at her and she noticed that her eyes were shiny, "It's okay. It means nothing," She said her voice wavering a bit.

Gabriella felt more guilt, "No it's not nothing," she said walking over to her. She was now completely dressed. She placed a hand on the other girl's arm, "I like you," she said complete over the whole shock of possibly being bisexual thing, "but this can't happen. I have a boyfriend and we both have our reputations."

"I know," she simply said then looked at her phone, "The cast party starts soon, so everyone should be coming back. This was a bad idea anyway."

Gabriella thought for a moment. She was in a mental dilemma. She really liked Troy and he was great, perfect almost and he was he easy way out. Sharpay was beautiful, fun and at sometimes difficult, but she was what she wanted, but things would never be simple. They would always be faced with something or someone who didn't like it. She knew she was wimping out, but it was what was better for the three of them, Troy included.

But she couldn't just drop Sharpay. She wanted to keep Sharpay. She was selfish.

"When is the party over?"

"I think one maybe two. Why?"

"How about after I go over to your place and we finish what we started?"

Sharpay looked at her. Almost glaring, but not quiet. She could tell the blonde girl was thinking and she didn't want to interrupt, so she waited.

"You promise?" she asked after a moment.

"Yes, we can even leave early if you want," she smiled.

"Yeah, defiantly. I'd rather spent time with you then the chorus. I'll get Ryan to find a ride home," she said walking to the door.

"Sharpay," the brunette called after the retreating blonde.

"Yeah," she said turning around.

"Can you zip me up?" she asked turning around to reveal the open zipper.

"Sure," she said zipping the dress.

Gabriella turned around once she was done and kissing her soundly on the lips, "Thanks. Can't wait 'til later," she said then slipping through the door leaving her shoes and a stunned Sharpay behind.

She didn't accomplish what she planned on when she went into the room, but she got some things cleared up in her head. She felt bad for Troy, but felt even worse for herself and Sharpay because they could never work in real life even if they both were single and completely open things would never work. They would have to stay in the shadows. It was just the way things had to be and they both didn't care as long as somewhere in the world they could be together. Backstage would have to do at least until they could take the stage together.

Fin.

A/n: I had the worst time trying to end this. I didn't know whether to do it happy or sad. I hope that this way it is ambiguous. If anyone likes this, I will eventually be making a longer Gabpay story that is based on something like this. It won't be for a while, but it will be there because I'm a femslash whore. Any requests please send them. I'll literally do anything (I have a Chyan in the works, but it needs a few tweaks and won't be out until "Annoying" is complete). Thanks for reading!