(Please read the Author's note right after reading this story :D )

It had been exactly two weeks since the gang's sleepover. Nothing big really happened; all they did was hang out at lunch, go to their corresponding classes, go home, then go back to school and do the same thing all over again.

Troy, ever since the night he found out about Sharpay's secret, had been keeping a close eye on Sharpay. He had noticed how she barely finishes half of her food during lunch, and how she despises every bite she takes of the cafeteria food. He couldn't believe he didn't notice that.

It was lunch hour, students filled the halls and queues began to form in the cafeteria. They were serving lots of alternatives today, Lunch lady must be in a good mood, Troy thought.

Chad grabbed almost everything that looked good to him. Troy almost did the same, but not as much as Chad's, Ryan ate the least among the three boys.

The girls stuck with their usual; Salads, desserts, and one serving of junk foods and a cup of juice. Well, Gabriella and Taylor did. Sharpay grabbed a fruit cup, a salad, and a bottle of water.

They sat in their usual round table. Troy sat across Sharpay, and he noticed how casually she ate her fruit cup. She must've felt safe eating this one. Ryan was proud that she was at least trying.

They had finished eating their lunches and are now headed to their lockers.

Troy's locker was about 10 lockers down from Sharpay's. He saw her fix her hair and sigh with a frown, then restart on it again. He wanted to tell her that it was fine, and that she didn't have to worry about it anymore, for she looked beautiful…

Troy shook it off his mind. He did not want anything to do with Sharpay. Especially when he found out about her condition; he pitied her, he was, shockingly, very disappointed, and he also was, to the highest point of shock, was worried and concerned. Inside, although he never admitted it to himself, he wanted to talk to her and hope that maybe he could be of help in helping her recovery.

He shut his locker rather hardly, and very loudly. He, himself, jumped in surprise in the sound he heard and made. He looked at some students, who shot him weird glances, then at Sharpay, only to find her looking at him with curious eyes, then looking away, closing her locker, then leave.

--

It was time for the class that Troy loved the most: PE CLASS. He felt like he was at home. Although, having Sharpay in his PE class was new, he didn't despise it. He was in a rather cheerful mood, maybe he would actually talk to her today.

Strange as it seems, for the first month Sharpay was around, they never actually spoke a word to each other. What makes that strange? Well, what with the numerous group lunches and meetings your friends hold, you are bound to talk, right? These two… don't.

Another thing that made this PE class rather different is the fact that Alexandra was also attending this class. It just so happened that she had to skip her last PE Class, and his dad made her make up for it by attending this class, which period was supposed to be her Study Hall.

She didn't have a choice, nonetheless. You can't turn down the Gym teacher.

Alexandra wore the East High, specially made, sweatpants with the East High, specially made, T-shirt.

Sharpay wore the same thing, except she wore the specially made shorts instead.

Troy couldn't help but notice how small, thin, and breakable-looking her legs were. But he also couldn't notice they were perfectly tan and long.

"Alright kids," Jack Bolton, or, Coach Bolton, said before he blew his whistle. The gymnasium was now silent.

"You'll all be playing Dodge Ball today. Troy, Chad," He called, "Go get the balls in the storage room" He ordered and the two did as they were told.

--

The coach blew his whistle.

The game began.

Troy and Sharpay were in one group, And Alexandra and Chad were in the other.

Troy and Chad both ran towards the center line to get the three balls. Troy passed two balls to two random guys, and kept the other one for him.

The dodge balls were flying over head. Alexandra caught one and looked at Sharpay, whose eyes also landed on hers and saw her looking at her with an impish grin.

"Oh no…" Sharpay muttered before closing her eyes,

Troy, who was busy throwing balls to the other group was caught off guard when he heard Sharpay, who was standing beside him, let out a blood curdling scream, and landed on him.

It just so happened that Alexandra was a very good Volleyball player, It just so happened that she had hit her on her head, and It just so happened that he lost his balance when Sharpay landed on him and they both fell on the hard floor of the gym.

The whole room was silent. Everyone knew they had "issues", no one just knew what kind.

Chad let out a silent chuckle, while Alexandra and some of the girls in her clique laughed aloud.

"Oh my gosh! Sharpay! Are you really that heavy to let the School Basketball Captain, who is supposed to be so strong, fall?" Alexandra taunted, before laughing again. Now, the whole class had to join in their fit of laughter.

Troy looked at Sharpay immediately, only to see her pained face looking at the floor in shame, then at him. He gave her a nod, she looked away.

Troy sighed, and stood up, he felt the need to do this, it didn't make any sense, but that's why he trusted it.

"Would you stop it, Alexandra? I lost my balance, and that was it. Stop messing with her, will you?" Troy said. The whole room looked at him in shock, Jack and Chad looked at each then smiled.

"Come on, Shar." Troy said as he offered his hand, which she shyly took. He pulled her up with ease.

He was surprised with how light she really was. But shook it off quickly. What do expect? Troy told himself mentally.

Then, the coach blew his whistle, resuming the game. Sharpay walked towards the bench, where she sat and watched the game quietly while rubbing her head.

Alexandra was shocked, and furious.

The game went on and on. Troy didn't think that Alexandra would be any harm now, so he focused on other players. But he was wrong. Alexandra grabbed the ball one of her teammates was holding; she worked on her aim, then fired. The ball came right to Troy's face, causing his nose to bleed.

"Oh!! Crap!" Troy cried as he covered his nose.

"Oops! I am so sorry! I so didn't mean to!" Alexandra said sarcastically.

Troy huffed before he walked over to the bench and sat beside Sharpay. No one talked, they just sat there in silence, touching their injured areas.

The coach walked over to them,

"You two should go to the nurse's office. Here, I made you two hall passes." Jack said, handing the passes to Sharpay, since her hands were not covered in blood.

"thank you, sir"

"Yeah, thanks, dad." Troy said before complaining, "Aw, dang, this hurts like hell!"

"Let's go" Sharpay said softly as they walked to the nurse's office

--

The two were stuck inside the office. They had insisted to the nurse that they were fine and should go back to class, but she declined and let them stay until the period ends. So there they were, seated in the lumpy sofa alone since she had to "take a call".

Sharpay hesitated at first, but decided it was the right thing to do.

"Um, Troy?" She whispered softly. She thought he wouldn't have heard her.

"Yes?" He asked,

"I wanted to thank you for sticking up for me" Sharpay said shyly.

"It's no problem… I just thought it was the right thing to do…" He said

Then there was silence again. Awkward silence, actually.

"Well, thank you, nonetheless." Sharpay added suddenly,

"You're welcome" Troy said.

And here comes silence again.

"Is… Alexandra always like that? you know… uh… mean? And…um… vengeful?" He asked pointing to his nose.

Sharpay chuckled, "Yes, she is. I am sorry for your nose, though; she did hit it pretty hard." Sharpay said.

"I've had worse, and I have seen more blood coming out of my body than this, but, they were from men of my size, or bigger… but never from a girl." Troy said with a smile before pressing the ice pack on his nose again.

They didn't understand why they were so nice to each other now. Troy had finally decided to give Sharpay a chance, but he was still watching his back as strictly as possible; he didn't expect it would be this easy to like her. Sharpay, on the other hand, was shocked when Troy stood up for her; she did feel irritated when he would always send her glares, but she softened just now.

"Alexandra isn't really your usual schoolmate, now, is she?" Sharpay asked, with sarcasm.

Troy chuckled, "No, never." He smiled.

Sharpay smiled back before looking at her folded hands.

"It must be tricky being her sister, huh?" Troy asked her intently, although he regretted ever asking it one he saw the change of expression of her face; her eyebrows suddenly furrowed with worry and her arms wrapped around her torso in insecurity.

"What do you mean?" She asked,

Troy thought of a way to change the meaning of his question,

"You know, having to hear her nagging all the time…" He made up. It was pretty good and acceptable, he was glad.

She seemed to have calmed down once she heard what Troy said, "Oh… well, yeah…these weeks with her have been pretty hectic. We bicker a lot. I think my dad's this close," She put her thumb and index finger closer to each other, "to making me move back to Italy" she finished with a smile.

He watched her intently with his glittering blue eyes, "Huh. Well, I hope you won't." He said,

"Really?" she asked disbelievingly,

"Yeah… I mean, I just started to get to know you better. Why is it so hard to believe?" He asked her, although he knew why.

"I don't know… it's just that, the days before today, you've been giving me the impression that you do want me to leave" Sharpay said, her voice getting softer after every word.

Troy grimaced, "Oh. Well, I changed my mind, and I'm glad I did. You're pretty cool to have around after all." He said.

Sharpay smiled, "Thanks, and you too" she said.

Then the bell rung.

"We should get going; the period is over anyway, so maybe we can leave now" Sharpay said,

"Yeah… let's go." Troy said as he opened the door for Sharpay.

They headed to the locker rooms where they would change into their normal clothes.

--

Troy finished up earlier than Sharpay did. He hesitated whether he'd wait for her or he'll just go ahead. But, momma didn't raise any fool; he would be a gentlemen his parents told him to be and wait for Sharpay. He sat on the bleachers and started to wait.

--

45 minutes later, Sharpay came out of the locker room and entered the big gymnasium. She expected that Troy had already left, but when she saw him, on the bleachers, asleep, her expectation died.

She smiled to herself to see Troy, with his face on top of his crossed arms, which were rested on his knees, asleep.

She sat beside him, and gently fixed his hair, which was still slightly wet and were pointed on different directions. She finished and smiled to herself.

He must've been so tired, she thought. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, and shook his slightly,

"Troy?" She called,

He slowly raised his head and rubbed his eyes, he looked at Sharpay and gave her an embarrassed smile,

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," Sharpay said,
"It's fine." He replied.

Troy stretched and looked at his watch, it read 4:00pm.

"Whoa! It's 4pm, already?" He said with shock,

"Oh! We should hurry before they get impatient…" Sharpay said with guilt,

"Yeah… let's go" He said as he stood up grabbed his bag and ran towards the door with Sharpay behind him.

--

"Hey! Have you seen Troy?" Chad asked them as he finally saw his friends sitting on Troy's truck, which was now always parked beside The Porsche

"No. Have you seen Sharpay?" Ryan asked,

"No…" Chad answered before he remembered the scene during PE class.

"I have something great to tell you!" He said excitedly,

"What?" Gabriella asked,

"Sharpay and Troy are finally friends" Chad said,

All their eyes were wide, and their mouths were all open.

"Are you serious?!!" Gabriella asked, as she jumped off the truck and grabbed Chad's shoulders, then shaking him.

"Yeah, Alexandra was totally mean to her during PE Class, and Troy stood up for her. It was a priceless moment in the history of high school miracles" Chad replied.

"Tell me every detail!" Gabriella said excitedly.

Chad told her everything. Starting from when Alexandra hit Sharpay hard on the head with the dodge ball, and ending with them going to the Nurse's Office together.

Once Chad finished his story, they all had unreadable faces. But you can tell they were all happy about it. Gabriella and Taylor were just about to hover, but then arrived Troy and Sharpay running towards them.

"Guys, we are so sorry! The nurse kept us in until the end of the period and we still had to freshen up… which is why we're late." Troy said as he tried to catch his breath

"Oh, it's alright." Ryan said with a smirk on his face,

"Yeah, we were just talking" Gabriella said

"Really? What about?" Sharpay asked,

"Nothing, hey, do you all want to go for pizza?" Taylor asked,

"Sure!" They all agreed,

"Great! We have so much to celebrate!" Taylor said, Gabriella frowned and gave her a hard look.

"Really? What?" Sharpay asked,

"Oh, you know, the fact that Chad's still in school, the fact that… Troy is still… blue-eyed…and… oh! I just wanna go for pizza, okay?" Taylor laughed, they all did, too.

"No prob, Tay, we'll go. Now, let's go" Chad said as he urged everyone to their respective cars.

Could things get any better than this?

Author's Note: Hey Guys! Thanks for Reading! I know you are all pleased with the new friendship between Troy and Sharpay. But this is just the beginning of the real "FIGURES". Figures is really a dramatic story, and since they had found their friendship already, the drama is to begin. BE PREPARED! LOL! Thanks again! Please review and watch out for the next chapter!

With Hearts,

LA2021~