A week later, Troy gets off the bus and is greeted by his basketball friends. They walk inside and to their homeroom. Meanwhile, Galleria pulls in the parking lot and walks her sisters inside. They go to the principal's office and Mr. Matsui smiled. "You must be the Montez's."
"Yes, Sir." Galleria said. "I'm Galleria. I'm the legal guardian and oldest of my sisters."
"Of course. You're the one that sent their transcripts."
"I'm Gabriella and this is Gracie." Gabriella spoke up pointing to herself and Gracie.
"Of course. Here you girls are." He said handing them their schedules.
"Thanks." She replied and Gracie nodded in agreement.
"Alright. Follow me." He said getting up and walking them to their lockers. He then walked around to Mr. Clancy's classroom. "This is Gracie's homeroom. You'll come here first every morning."
"Thank you, Principal Matsui." She replied. He nodded and she hugged her sisters. "I'll see you later, Gabby." And she walked in her homeroom.
Principal Matsui guided them to some stairs. "And your homeroom is just up those stairs. Third door on the left."
Gabriella turned to her sister scared. "I don't think I can do this."
"You'll be fine."
"But I don't wanna be the school's freaky genius girl again."
"Just be Gabriella." Galleria replied and kissed her forehead. "I made my company promise not to transfer me until after Gracie graduates. You'll do great. Besides, it's your last year. Enjoy it while you can."
She slowly started up the stairs looking back unsure, but then Galleria nodded and she ran up to her homeroom.
Gabriella walked into homeroom and went to sit in the back. She accidentally bumped someone's arm. "Sorry. Excuse me." She said timidly then sat at the back desk.
Troy was sitting on his desk talking to his friend Chad when he saw the dark brown-haired girl walk past. Sharpay Evans the ice queen walked by. "Hi, Troy."
"Hi." He quickly greeted and tried to see the new girl's face.
Sharpay sat in her seat and Troy turned around quickly grabbing his cell. He turned it on and the bell rang. Ms. Darbus walked in and started yapping away. Troy quickly texted Gabriella. Gabriella was reading her book when she heard her phone beep. "Ah. The cell phone menace has returned." Said Ms. Darbus.
Gabriella reached for her phone in her bag and looked at the text. Seeing it was from Troy, she smiled. Ms. Darbus grabbed her bucket labeled 'No Cell Phones' and gathered everyone's phone that was out. She got to Gabriella and stopped. "Ah. We here don't tolerate cell phones in class. Phone and I will see you in detention." She said walking away as Gabriella handed her phone over. "And welcome to East High, Miss Montez."
The bell rang again and everyone filed out of the room. Troy leaned against the doorframe and saw Gabriella come out last. "I don't..."
"Believe..."
"It..."
"Me..."
"Either. But how?"
"Well, my older sister Galleria was transferred here to Albuquerque. We move around every semester, but she made her company promise not to transfer her again until Gracie graduates."
"That's so cool." He whispered as she took off down the corridor. He followed. "Well, welcome to East High."
She smiled. "Why are you whispering?"
"huh? Oh." He realized. "My friends, they know about the snowboarding and skiing thing. I haven't told them about the... singing thing." He whispered the singing part.
"Why not?"
"Well, see, um... Here that's not really my thing. It's not what I do. Here, I'm the basketball guy." He rambled. Gabriella turned a corner suddenly and he smiled following. Coming around he chuckled. "Well, now that you've met Ms. Darbus, I bet you just can't wait to sign up for that." He said pointing to the musical audition on the bulletin board.
"Oh no. I don't think I'll be signing up for anything for a while. I just wanna catch up. Get to know the school."
Sharpay came around and signed her name real big on the musical audition sign-up sheet. Turning, she saw the two. "Oh. Were you guys gonna sign up too? My brother and I starred in seventeen school productions and this will be our eighteenth. There are a lot of supporting roles, so I'm sure we can find SOMETHING for you."
"Oh no. Troy was just showing me around. Lots going on at this school." She said in a friendly manner.