Author Note: Okay, so it's not the weekend, exactly =S sorry about the delay, it's been hectic in my flat, we're all trying to find somewhere to live next year so it's very stressful! But i shall post this now before i forget!

Thank you SO much to everyone who has reviewed this, and any of my other stories! You all make me feel so loved =) you review, i'm happy and clap like London therefore i get motivated to write and post more =) it's a beautiful circle!

Enjoy =)

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing. It sucks.

Chapter 6

When I finally managed to escape from Taylor I was thoroughly exhausted. She hadn't stopped pestering me the whole day. The only reprieve I got was when Chad called and she disappeared off to talk to him.

Kelsi was no help at all. I could tell she was enjoying watching me suffer and squirm under the torrent of embarrassing questions. I would have to remember to tell Ryan that she has a picture of him stuck in her locker. That ought to get their relationship going.

"Mom, I'm home!" I shut the door behind me and threw my bags at the foot of the stairs. "What's for dinner? I'm starving, haven't eaten anything but ice cream and gummy bears since lunch yesterday, think I'm starting to look like one of those bears, it's not good!" I found my Mom in the kitchen, way ahead of me. She beamed as I walked in and offered me a carrot.

"You girls have fun last night? Hope you managed to get some sleep!"

"You worry too much, Mom, but yeah, it was great." I leant over the counter to dip my carrot in the pasta sauce she was cooking.

"So?"

"So what?"

"I never got a chance to ask you before but-"

"Oh my God! Mom, I do not have a new boyfriend! Why won't anyone believe me?" I slammed the carrot on the counter. How the hell did my Mom know about this too?

"Umm I believe you, honey! What I was actually going to ask you about was Sharpay." That shut me up.

"S-Sharpay? What about her?" She couldn't know… could she?

"Yeah, she came to see you yesterday after school but you weren't in, so I directed her to the park. Did she find you?"

"Oh." My heartbeat slowed. "Yeah, she did. Thanks."

"Was she okay with you? Because I know you two have had your differences!" My Mom looked concerned, it was warranted as Sharpay had pretty much had it in for me since we moved here, but… but things had changed.

"Don't worry, Mom, she just wanted to talk. I helped her and Ryan out at school so she was saying thank you. That's all." I couldn't bring myself to tell my Mom any more. I knew she would be supportive, but for now, I wanted to keep this secret all to myself. Well, myself and Ryan, and possibly Kelsi…

"Good, I'm glad you two are getting along. You're so different that you probably just rub each other up the wrong way sometimes. Difference of opinion can do that." My face started to get hot as my Mom kept on talking. Images of Sharpay 'rubbing me up the wrong way' filled my head. I had to excuse myself and escape to my room before I exploded.

"Yeah, you're probably right, Mom, I gotta go! Shout me when dinner's ready, okay?" I dashed up the stairs and slammed my door shut. I leant against it to get my breath back, but quickly moved away when I started to have flashbacks of certain classrooms I'd been pulled into by a certain blonde.

This wasn't good.

I spent the rest of the weekend with my head buried in books and homework. But that still didn't stop me from checking my phone every two minutes to see if Sharpay had text. It didn't matter that it was on loud, for some reason I didn't trust it to give me the message!

I guess a watched phone really doesn't ring, so hearing nothing from her by late Sunday night I decided to take matters into my own hands.

'Hey, you okay?' The reply was lightning fast.

'Why wouldn't I be?'

'Oh, no reason, I guess.' I stayed awake as long as I could but I never got a reply. It looked like I'd have my work cut out for me at school tomorrow.

I hurried to school again, determined to avoid both Taylor and Troy. I couldn't hide in the girls' bathroom anymore, because Taylor, at least, could find me there, so I opted for the Auditorium instead.

There were a few people there today, so I slipped in unnoticed and hid in the wings behind one of the curtains. It was peaceful sat there; the hustle and bustle of the people around me lulled me slowly to sleep. It didn't last long though. I was rudely woken by the sound of shouting coming from the stage.

"Kelsi! Kelsi! Where the hell is she?"

I heard the sound of running feet as Kelsi appeared. "I'm here!"

"Where have you been? You were supposed to be here three minutes ago! The Theatre waits for no man!"

"Umm isn't that time?" Silence. "Sorry. I'll be here on time tomorrow, I promise." Wow, I was guessing that the silence was one of Sharpay's famous glares doing its job.

"Good. Now, play, Piano girl!" Kelsi dashed to the piano and started playing. The song was upbeat, like most of Sharpay and Ryan's songs were, they were entertainers, after all. I listened quietly as Sharpay sang, her voice clear and beautiful as ever, but a verse of so in she let out a frustrated yell. Kelsi faltered and stopped playing, waiting for a command from the blonde. "You're not playing it right! Start again!" Kelsi obliged. It was all going perfectly well until she got to the same verse. "No, no, no! It's not right!"

"Well what do you want me to do? Like you said, I'm only the Piano girl! You're singing the damn song!" I couldn't help the giggle that came out my mouth. Even Kelsi got annoyed sometimes.

Suddenly the curtains beside me started to rustle. I edged away slowly, thinking someone was trying to find something, but then a blonde head appeared and grinned at me.

"Thought it was you!" Ryan sat down next to me.

"You almost gave me a heart attack! How on earth did you know I was here?"

He just shrugged and tapped his nose. "I have a gift. Anyway, I thought you could help us out."

"Us?"

"Yeah, me and Shar."

I groaned inwardly. "Help you with what, exactly?"

"As you can probably tell we're having a problem with the song. Shar doesn't think it's right but she's not sure why. Any ideas?"

I thought for a second. The song was nice, but too fast. "The lyrics don't fit quite right with the tempo so if you just slow it down they'll flow more naturally, and won't seem so rushed." Ryan nodded thoughtfully before breaking into a smile.

"You're right, Gabs! Why not come give us a hand?" Before I could protest, Ryan had pulled me to my feet and dragged me out onto the stage. "Hey, Shar! Gabbie had a great idea; she thinks it'll fix the problem!"

Sharpay looked unimpressed. "What makes you think I need your help?"

"Umm…" I glanced uncertainly at Ryan who nodded enthusiastically. "Well, if you don't think the song is right the way it is, why not slow it down?"

"Yeah, and that way it'll sound more natural and not as rushed!" Ryan hurried over to Kelsi and started scribbling on the music sheets. "Right, Gabs?"

The way Sharpay was glaring at me, I wished I wasn't right. But I nodded anyway. As Kelsi started playing the song again, slower this time, Sharpay crossed the stage to stand in front of me, hands firmly on her hips. "I don't know where you get off interfering with my show, but I won't stand for it." Her voice was low, too quiet for anyone but me to hear. "And I don't want you in here again. The Theatre's my domain, so why don't you just go back to the science lab with the rest of the geeky losers."

I couldn't believe it was Sharpay saying these things to me. I know she had to maintain a front for the rest of the school, but only her brother and Kelsi were around and even they couldn't hear us from where they were sat.

"Sharpay-"

"What? Are you going to try and apologise? Well don't bother; I don't want to hear it." She turned to storm off but I grabbed her hand.

"Wait! I don't under-" I didn't get any further, as she whipped round and slapped me so hard it felt like my jaw was broken.

"Just go."

I stared open mouthed at her; the whole world seemed to be frozen because the cold, hard look in her eye didn't change. I let go of her hand, spun and ran as fast as I could to get away from her.

Questions took over my mind as I pushed through the crowded corridors. Why's and what's and how's all vied for attention, all wanting answers but I had none to give. I didn't understand it. The only thing I knew for sure was that she hated me even more now than when this whole thing between us began.

Not paying attention to where I was going, I ran head long into someone.

"Whoa! What's the rush?" Great, that was all I needed, Troy trying to hit on me again. "Where you heading in such a hurry? To see your new boyfriend?" I looked up to find him watching me coldly.

"New… boyfriend?"

"Yeah, your new boyfriend. It's all round school, everyone knows! But you know what? I don't care. I saw you first, you're mine and I won't let him have you!" Things finally began to fall into place. "You hear me?" Troy spun round to address the whole corridor. "I don't care who you are or how much you think she loves you, she doesn't! She still loves me, I know it, she's just too scared to admit it! So back off or I'll have to make you!"

There was silence as students looked about, trying to find someone that knew who Troy was talking to. But of course, no one did. Because there was no other guy. And now, there was no girl either.

I shoved Troy away from me. "Am I not saying it right? Am I speaking Japanese or something? I don't love you! I don't want to be with you, so for God's sake, leave me alone!" With everyone still watching me, I turned and headed for Ms. Darbus' room, knowing that's where I'd find her.

Author Note: Heh heh gotta love the drama XD so yeah, review and lemmie know what you liked/what you'd like to see more of/what you didn't particularly like, etc etc =) Peace Out.