It was exactly 5:30am when everybody got up, well almost everyone.
"Sharpay, Troy, get up!" Gabriella said as she threw a pillow to Troy.
"Go away." Troy mumbled. Gabriella huffed, and walked over to him.
"Don't make me do this, Troy." Gabriella warned.
"Go away" He mumbled, but with an increase of volume.
Gabriella sighed and shrugged, "I warned you."
Just then, she placed her lips on his cheek. She leaned away, and his eyes snapped open.
"Eww! Gabs, what was that for?" He said as he wiped his cheek.
"I warned you, didn't I? now, get up! Everyone is having breakfast downstairs already." She said as she threw another pillow at him.
He sighed. Ever since they (Chad, Gabriella and Troy) were just kids, Gabriella always had to be the one to wake them up whenever their parents would have an adult party that would last all night. And whenever they won't wake up, she would kiss their cheeks and they would immediately get up. The boys would freak out and washed their faces before Gabriella's "girl cooties" rubbed off on them. But as time flew past, they grew up, and the cooties weren't such a big deal to them anymore; but still, they would wake up immediately.
"Must you always do that to wake me up?" He asked,
"It always worked when we were kids. And besides, would you move an inch if I didn't?" She shot back at him.
"Probably not," He said with a smile and a laugh.
"Now, get up," She ordered before standing up and walked to the side to give Troy some room.
He stood up and stretched, his eyes landed on the bed and saw Sharpay still sleeping.
"Why won't you wake her up?" Troy asked Gabriella with an eyebrow raised and a smirk planted on his lips.
"I've tried, Troy, I've tried. You know, she is almost as stubborn as you are!" She teased,
"Ha, ha." He said sarcastically. Then he walked towards Sharpay with Gabriella following him. Gabriella hovered to her side while Troy stayed on the other.
She shook her gently, "Sharpay? Sharpay?" She cooed.
Her body swayed to the other side groaned, "Go away," she said,
"See what I mean?" Gabriella teased.
"Whatever." Troy said, but then an idea found its way to his brain, "Why not we tickle her until she wakes up?"
"Well, she is very ticklish. Let's give it a go" Gabriella said,
Troy poked one side of her waist, while Gabriella poked the other.
Her eyes suddenly snapped open, "Whoa!" She yelled, and since Gabriella and Troy were too close to her, she accidentally smacked Troy's face with her hand,
"Ow!" He cried as he stumbled backwards, falling off the bed.
"Oh! Troy I am so sorry!" She apologized, she quickly sat up, but in the process her forehead hit Gabriella's.
"Ow!" The two girls winced.
"I am so sorry, guys! It didn't mean to" She apologized as she was rubbing her forehead,
"We know…" Gabriella said as she rubbed her forehead as well.
"It's our fault for leaning too close" Troy said as he massaged the high tips of his nose.
"Yeah. We're sorry for tickling you, too" Gabriella said
"Okay," Sharpay replied simply. They all looked at each other; they were all holding their injured parts simultaneously.
Then they all laughed.
"We should go down now, everyone's waiting" Gabriella said as she started for the door with Troy and Sharpay following her.
--
When the three got down, everyone was already eating breakfast.
"Morning, kids." Derby greeted.
"Morning" They greeted.
"What happened to the three of you?" Vance asked as he noticed how the three were rubbing different parts of their faces.
"Nothing, sir." Troy said as he sat down on a chair next to Chad and Ryan. Gabriella and Sharpay sat next to Taylor.
"If you say so," Vance shrugged.
"So anyway, as I was saying, we should definitely go cruising during the weekend, daddy" Alexandra said with her girly tone,
"Yeah," her posse cooed.
"We'll see what we can do, dear." Vance said.
"Thank you, daddy; Oh! I just can't wait any longer! Our cousins will be there, also our aunts and uncles. And, of course, I can never forget Grandma will be there" Alexandra said, eyeing Sharpay
The gang noticed this small action and looked at Sharpay. She looked very uncomfortable and suddenly worried.
"I just love it when she says that I'm her favorite grandchild. I wonder why that is" Alexandra said, obviously aiming daggers on Sharpay.
"Enough, Alexandra; my mother, your grandmother loves all of you three equally." Vance said with a fake smile but the disparaging look on his eyes was evident.
The gang felt the tension in the room.
"Don't seem like it" Alexandra commented.
"Alexandra!" Vance almost yelled
There was silence in the room. "Sorry." Alexandra apologized.
The gang continued eating quietly.
"So, dad, what can we do in the beach where we're going?" Ryan asked, count on him to break the tension.
"Lots of things; you can go surfing, jet skiing, scuba diving, whatever you like" Vance said
"Cool!" Ryan said cheerfully, but it was obvious that he was trying to fill the room with comfortable chatters again.
And, indeed, after that, the room started to fill with chatters again. Thank you, Ryan!
--
When they were at the airport, Sharpay's day started to get ruined. Alexandra and her posse would always 'bully' the girls and sometimes Ryan, but never Troy and Chad. She would often 'accidentally' bump them, causing their luggage to fall. And also 'accidentally' cause them to trip.
When they finally made it to the business class lounge, the girls took a seat with exhausted sighs.
"I swear, if I only had the chance, I would bury that girl alive!" Taylor said with her eyebrows knitted together.
"That would take too much time and work; just throw her in a vat of toxic waste." Gabriella said,
They all laughed.
"So, do you guys want anything? We're gonna raid the food table" Troy asked,
"Water would be nice" Taylor said,
"I want pineapple juice, please" Gabriella said
"Four seasons drink for me" Sharpay said,
"Alright, be back in a bit" Troy said as he stood up and walked over to where the food was with Ryan and Chad following him.
"Isn't Chad so sweet?" Taylor said as she watched Chad fit a whole slice of pizza on his mouth on only one try.
The girls turned their heads to where Taylor was looking and saw the same scene,
"Oh yeah, very sweet" Gabriella said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.
"Well, he is. He just eats like there's no tomorrow" Taylor said,
"And, like a pig" Sharpay said with a bewildered tone as she saw Chad practically giving a burrito a French kiss.
"That, too; but beyond that, he's sweet." Taylor said,
"I guess." Sharpay said as she shrugged her shoulders and started to read a magazine.
"I think Ryan is sort of sweet. He looks kinda cute, too." Gabriella mumbled shyly,
Sharpay's eyes snapped out of the magazine and into Gabriella,
"Seriously?" Sharpay and Taylor asked with bewildered features.
"Well, yeah, but…Sharpay--" Gabriella said, her voice as soft as a whisper,
"Don't worry, Gabs, I'm not mad or anything, just shocked! When did this happen?" Sharpay asked her with a giddy smile,
Gabriella blushed, "Well, ever since we became friends."
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?!" Sharpay and Taylor questioned her with voices so loud.
Troy, Chad, Ryan, and almost everyone in the lounge turned their heads and looked at them with curious eyes.
"Sssssh! Keep it down. I'll tell you, okay? Just keep calm" Gabriella said as she sank in her seat
"Well, explain." Sharpay whispered,
"I liked him ever since a few days after the sleepover. I couldn't tell you right away because I wasn't so sure yet, and it seems like Kelsi likes him, too, and I don't want to get into an awkward friendship with her." Gabriella whispered.
"Oh. Well, you're not so sure that Kelsi likes him, make sure of it first. And I'm glad you told us." Taylor said,
"Well, of course I have to tell you. I just took a long time because I wasn't sure." Gabriella said, with a shrug, hoping to get the conversation off of her.
"So, since you told us now, that means you're sure?" Sharpay asked, Gabriella shyly nodded,
"I knew it!" Sharpay said,
"Knew what?" Ryan asked as he and the other two boys following behind him,
"Nothing…" The girls said in unison. All had different looks on their eyes.
Sharpay-smug
Gabriella-mortified
Taylor-smiling
"Oh, so you're keeping secrets from us now?" Chad asked as he sat beside Taylor,
"Not really." Taylor said as she grabbed her bottle of water.
Sharpay giggled.
Ryan sat beside Gabriella and the two girls were smirking at her, she blushed all the different shades of red and buried her face under her hands.
"I believe you ordered pineapple juice?" Ryan asked as he offered her the bottle.
"Yeah, thanks" Gabriella said as she took the bottle from his hand. Her voice cracked.
Taylor stifled a laugh while Sharpay put her face between her knees and started to laugh quietly, but her body was vibrating.
She couldn't help it. Gabriella was so cute and Ryan had no clue.
Troy, who was seated beside Sharpay, raised an eyebrow.
"You seem awfully happy today" He noted.
Sharpay sat up and bit her lip
"I guess you can say that," She said; he chuckled and shook his head, 'women' he thought.
"Mind telling me what the reason behind your happiness is?" He asked,
"Sorry, Troy, but no can do, it's a girl thing" Sharpay said,
"I think I can keep up" Troy urged,
"I doubt that"
Troy huffed, then flicked every corner of Sharpay's head, causing her hair to scatter.
She laughed, then poked his side. He jumped. Sharpay gasped then laughed,
"I found your tickle spot!" She said as she started poking him on the side,
"Stop that!" He cried, but he still had a smile planted on his face.
Everyone laughed at their antics. They were just happy they were finally friends.
"I'm warning you, Sharpay! I know where your tickle spot is, too. And I have bigger and stronger arms and hands than you do!" He threatened, but she never stopped.
"So?" She asked as she continued poking him, he was laughing and jumping on his seat.
"I warned you!" Troy said as he started to poke her sides as well. She laughed out loud and stood up and ran away, Troy chased her around the lounge. Some older people were smiling at them, and some shook their heads. Derby and Vance watched the two with happy and loving faces.
When Troy finally caught up with her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her in circles. She giggled.
"So, are you still gonna tickle me now?" He asked with a smug face,
She chuckled, "No more, thank you" She said,
He let go of her but kept one arm around her waist.
--
Alexandra and her posse watched the whole scene. They were fuming. Her posse worshipped Troy, and Alexandra, well; she was pretty much claiming him without anyone's acknowledgement already.
She stood up, her posse watching her with curious eyes.
She grabbed a cup from the beverage area and made steaming hot coffee.
She walked over to where Sharpay and Troy were. She pretended like she was just walking and looking around the lounge. When she was close enough, she spilled the hot coffee on Sharpay's chest.
--
Sharpay gasped, "Ow!" She yelped in pain. The steaming hot coffee practically burned her skin and stained her white shirt.
"Oh My! Dear sister, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to!" She said with a plastic innocent face, she batted her eyelashes and usually glances at Troy, who was looking at her with irritated features.
"You so did that on purpose!" Sharpay said,
"Does it matter? Anything would make that outfit look better," She poured more coffee on her chest, "See?"
"Alexandra, what is your problem?" Troy exclaimed, he ran towards the food table, grabbed table napkins, and started to wipe the coffee off of her chest, he handed Sharpay some of the napkins he got and they both started to wipe some off. Alexandra, feeling stupid just standing there, walked back to her seat where her friends gave her a high-five.
"Troy, this isn't gonna work" Sharpay said s she crumpled the tissues and walked over to the trash bin and disposed her tissues; she then walked back to where Troy was.
"Here, take this." He said as he took off his jacket and put it on her. He zipped it up to cover the stain.
"Thanks." She said as they walked back to their seats.
"You know, I'll consider burying that psychotic sister of mine, no matter how hard working on it would be" Sharpay said as she sat down and drank her four seasons juice
"Of course." Taylor said.
"So, what do you guys wanna do when we arrive?" Gabriella asked them,
"I wanna surf" Troy said,
"I wanna play beach volleyball" Chad said
"I wanna got Jet skiing" Taylor said
"I wanna build a sandcastle" Gabriella said,
"I wanna swim." Ryan said,
"I wanna do all what you wanna do" Sharpay said,
"What time is our flight? I can't wait any longer!" Chad whined
"It'll be here at 7:30am. It's already 7:15am. Just wait, Chad" Taylor said as she snuggled next to him.
--
The flight had finally arrived, and they were loading the plane. They found their seats in the business class.
Alexandra and her posse were all seated together at the back. Vance and Derby were seated together by the front. While the gang was divided into three.
Troy, Sharpay and Gabriella were at the other front, while Chad, Taylor and Ryan were seated behind them.
They buckled their seatbelts. And the plane took off.
About an hour later, Troy was reading a magazine and noticed how quiet it has gone.
He looked at his side and saw the two girls, Sharpay and Gabriella, asleep. Gabriella's head was leaning on Sharpay's shoulder while Sharpay's head rested on Gabriella's head
He chuckled at the sight. He felt happy. His best friend found another best friend other than Taylor and Kelsi and Martha. And he felt happy for Sharpay; she made such great friends in her first days in East High. Truthfully, he was proud of all his friends for welcoming the Evans twins.
Troy was amazed on how Sharpay changed his view towards the rich. She was kind and fun to be with. Ryan was another thing, he can be protective over all of them, and at the same time, he can be reckless, too. He looked behind him and saw Ryan, Taylor and Chad sleeping as well.
He turned his gaze back to Sharpay. A memory came flooding by his head.
"I'm Bulimic, Ryan! I can't just stop! I've tried so hard to stop sticking my finger down my throat but I just can't, okay? Alexandra just keeps on urging me to…" She swallowed hard, and closing her eyes shut.
"I don't want to see you lying down on a hospital bed with tubes connected to your systems again, Shar. Once is enough. When I found out you stuck your finger down your throat just this afternoon, I saw you in the hospital in my head again. The doctor told me that your digestive system is weak and you need to stop doing this and eat, or else, you'll have to go back." Ryan said in panicked voice.
"I'm sorry, Ryan." Sharpay said softly,
Troy shook his head and gently pulled Sharpay's head towards his shoulder. Gabriella stirred on her seat and snuggled closer to Sharpay. He chuckled. He carefully wrapped his arms around Sharpay and Gabriella, and leaned his head on Sharpay's.
He couldn't understand how he was feeling. A few days ago, he despised the Evans girl and Evans boy. But now, he felt a deep connection between them. She made him feel light, and that he could be reckless and honest with her. And he made him want to be more protective over his friends, but he knows he'll beat him any day
He sighed. He felt the coldness of the two girl's shoulders. He clicked the button which requested for a flight attendant.
Few seconds later, a kind woman who seemed to be in her 30's walked over with a smile on her face
She noticed how he was surrounded by two sleeping girls.
"How may I help you?" She whispered
"Can we have a blanket? They're starting to get cold. And, can you also give the sleeping trio one, too?" He requested with kindness shimmering on his face, as he pointed to the three people sleeping behind their seats.
"Definitely. I'll be right back" She said as she walked behind the curtains and came out with two big folded blankets.
"Here you go" She handed Troy the blanket, and went over to the 'sleeping trio' and wrapped the blanket around them.
"Thank you" Troy thanked as he spread the blanket to Sharpay, Gabriella and himself.
"You're welcome" she replied as she walked back to the crew's cabin.
He fell asleep soon after.
Author's Note: I hope you like this chapter! I had fun writing it! Please review!
With Hearts,
LA2021~