Chapter 3

Two white poles hold up a banner settled in front of East High, which welcomes all the Wildcats back for yet another school year. More red and white banners are hanging off beige brick walls between large windows. Most of the students are gathered outside in large, frenzied clumps, many believing that summer vacation isn't over until their first step on freshly waxed linoleum floors.

Troy takes in the familiar setting as he steers his white truck into an empty parking spot. He's close enough to be able to spot his friends, who also happen to be his teammates, conversing near the fountain.

Because of his height, Zeke is the first one to see him and alerts the others. They exchange greetings while the rest of the school buzzes around them.

Chad addresses the group, "This is it, guys. We're seniors. It's our final year at East High -- "

"Thank God for that," interjects Jason.

" -- We're going to graduate in June. It's never going to be the same again. This is our last time to make the most out of high school."

"You're sounding really redundant there," Troy comments.

Zeke claps Chad on the back. "Feeling sentimental?"

He grins. "Just trying to make this memory as poignant as possible."

-

East High, Gabriella decides, already looks predictable. Another year will simply pass her by.

Strangely enough, this is the second school named East High that's she's encountered. The last one was in California, smaller and surrounded by a permanent ring of smoke left by students who simply showed up to go through a pack of cigarettes and obtain drugs. It was pretty ironic how their parents sent them off to an educational institution to get smarter when, really, they were gradually losing brain cells. She remembered this one well because she'd received a suspension after she knocked out a guy's tooth with her fist after he'd tried to slip a hand under her skirt.

This East High appears to be much safer than the other, but Gabriella doubts she'll be able to endure its ordinariness and monotony.

Seated in the passenger seat of Giselle's Honda, she rolls down the tinted window and surveys the scene glumly. "I have déjà vu," she tells her cousin, who's beside her with her fingers impatiently tapping on the steering wheel.

"How fascinating," Giselle replies dryly, not at all appreciating her mom's order to drive Gabriella to school on her first day. This morning, she's running solely on a cup of coffee due to her lack of sleep last night. There was a part of her that regretted her decision to chop up something of Gabriella's, as she wouldn't be surprised if she woke up bald.

"Want to drop me off at the mall instead?"

"Nope." Giselle presses the button to unlock the doors. "Have fun, kiddo."

-

Zeke turns to Troy. "How's it going with Sharpay?"

"She hasn't responded to any of my messages yet," he answers.

"You know, I hear the play this year's going to be Twelfth Night, and Sharpay's already got the role of Viola in her clutches."

Jason exclaims, "Dude, if you want to get her back, try out for Malvolio."

"Orsino, Jason," Zeke says, "Viola falls in love with Orsino. Malvolio was the servant."

Troy smiles. "It's not a bad idea. I mean, what's the harm in being well-rounded, right?"

Chad mutters something about how if Troy were to play the Duke Orsino, Sharpay would be better suited for Olivia, the beautiful countess being pursued by a man who only loves being in love.

"What did you say?" Troy asks.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it," Chad grumbles.

-

Suddenly, Gabriella's eyes light up as if she's found out that the first ray of sunshine has broken through a dismal blanket of clouds. She clutches the edge of the car seat in excitement when she spots the boy from the carnival and his friend, the one Giselle was infatuated with, near the dinkiest fountain she's ever seen. They're accompanied by two others, a tall, dark guy and a shorter one, trying to see past the shag of hair hanging over his eyes.

The group starts to move, not towards the school but closer to the parking lot, where Gabriella is, and she becomes giddy with happiness.

-

Not only Troy, but everyone outside, has spotted Sharpay's pink convertible. She gets out of her car, long, tanned legs first, and adjusts her sunglasses. His heart quickens as he walks over to meet her, his friends close behind.

"Hey, Sharpay," he breathes once he's face to face with her, hoping desperately that she isn't just opening her mouth to ask him if they have Physics together this year.

-

"Oh, I see someone we know!"

"What? Who?" Giselle cranes her neck, searching for a familiar face in the sea of constantly moving students. "Where?"

"Good-bye, Gizzy. I'm going to go say hi to them now."

"But who is it?" Giselle questions again, planning to stick around a bit longer to find out the identity of someone who has met Gabriella and is unrelated to her but willingly chose not to move out of town.

"You'll see." After taking a long sip of ice water from her bottle, Gabriella gets out of the car and glides over to the fountain, fully aware she's being watched by her confused cousin and knowing how exactly she would avenge her beloved wig.

-

Troy briefly registers Chad incredulously whispering, "No fucking way," while staring at something out of his own line of view, but his body freezes when Sharpay clamps her mouth shut before she has the chance to take him back.

Confused, he waits for the worst until the shock from a pair of cold, foreign lips landing on his own haphazardly flips his whole world upside-down.