So this is an indredibly short chapter! And i'm so sorry! But it seemed like a good way to stop there and i wasnt sure when i was going to find the time or get such a creative flow so i decided to upload this.

I'm sorry i'm taking so long, i'm just so busy atm, and i really want to finish this! As i have so many ideas for this fic, so i hope you stick around and just to say, the road for T/S is a long one. Thats not to say they aren't going to be doing stuff soon, its just a long road until its a official! ;)

But yes, i'm sorry for the length of time its taking me but i really hope i dont need to abandon this story because i am truly looking forward to writing the storylines and hearing about your thoughts. Your reviews mean everything so thank you so much! :)

Chapter Nine

Sharpay unlocked the door to hers and Troy's apartment; there was only a small lamp on in the living room, which meant that Troy had already gone to bed. She had realised after these months that whenever Troy had, had a long day at work, he would usually go to bed before she got home from the bar, but he would leave a light switched on for her, not wanting her to be lost and rustling around in the dark.

It was yet again, another one of those things that she was beginning to love about Troy, he was so sweet and kind and just plain adorable. How could anyone not love him?

But how on earth was she supposed to talk to Troy about Ryan and Gabriella? Just the pure mention of them, made him close up and stutter. It may have been months but they were two people he loved and they had betrayed him. So, maybe Troy didn't love Gabriella in the way a boyfriend, perhaps should with his girlfriend but still, it didn't change anything. It just ended friendships.

She wondered how to bring it up to him, the Ryan and Gabriella thing. If she brought it up to him at all…Sharpay suddenly thought. Maybe, she didn't have to tell him? He would only close up and change the conversation anyway.

Okay, maybe she shouldn't meddle but Ryan and Gabriella had asked her specifically hadn't they? They'd said, Troy listens to her! Her! Of all people, which meant if Troy honestly wanted his friendships to not officially end then he would listen to Sharpay. He may be pissed off but in the end he would see sense! Right?

Whilst Troy was at work the next day and Sharpay was sure he would come home all dirty from the grit and sand he would be working with. Although, she would pretend to Troy that she hated the way he looked when he got home, all dishevelled and such, in actual fact she loved it. It made him so un-perfect looking and Sharpay had come to learn, she hated perfection more then anything. Sharpay called up Gabriella. Gabriella answered on the first ring, Sharpay wondered if she'd been waiting by the phone, anticipating her call.

"Sharpay?" There was a high squeak tone to her voice and Sharpay had resist covering her ears.

"Erm…yeah, its me-"

"Did you speak to Troy?" Gabriella asked, hastily and cutting her off. Sharpay sighed loudly down the phone.

"No…I haven't." Gabriella let out a soft groan before Sharpay had the chance to continue. "But, I was thinking you guys could come here? You know…to the apartment and…I could cook or something?" She'd been thinking about it all night, lying in bed whilst the sound of Troy's soft snores and her iPod soothed her. Gabriella sighed on the end of the line.

"I don't know, Shar. The idea of ambushing Troy without his knowledge in his own home? It just…it doesn't sit well for me."

"Well, its all I've got!" Sharpay snapped, she groaned before talking again as Gabriella gave her nothing but silence. "I'm sorry, Gab, I just…I want you guys to be friends again too! Okay, there is nothing more that I want to see right now then Troy happy and having his friends back in his life and I think this might be the only way." There was a moment of silence.

"Yes, maybe you're right." Gabriella relented and Sharpay gave a sigh of relief. "So what time and when is this happening?" Sharpay glance around the apartment, it was a Tuesday and Tuesday's were Troy's late days, most of the time, he didn't even get home till about seven which gave Sharpay plenty of time to head to the shop for some ingredients and attempt to cook it. She wasn't the World's greatest cook and she didn't have that much experience so it would have to be something simple.

"Erm…tonight? Around 6:30. Troy usually gets in around seven." Gabriella giggled down the phone and Sharpay felt confused. "What?" She asked, intrigued.

"Oh nothing, I just love how you know his work schedule so well…okay then I'll see you tonight!" There was a sudden cheerful tone added to her voice now but Sharpay was still left reeling over Gabriella's comment.

"O…kay".

"Oh and Sharpay?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For everything." She sounded so sincere, Sharpay wanted to reach down the phone and pull her into a great big hug. Sharpay smiled.

"Don't worry about it, Gabs."

Sharpay quickly darted in and out the bathroom and her own bedroom, she was attempting to dress casual and it wasn't going as well as she hoped. She couldn't find her tracksuit bottoms and she couldn't find her dirt-covered, also her favourite pair, of trainers. It looked like her attempt to be casual was going straight down the toilet. In the end, she settled on a simple pair of jeans and normal, logo top. She couldn't find her trainers so instead settled on a pair of pumps, grabbed her purse and headed to a supermarket.

When she had arrived at the local supermarket, she grabbed a basket and began heading towards the vegetable aisle. She hadn't officially decided what to cook yet but Sharpay had decided to settle on something short and easy, and decided to go with pasta. She picked up several packets of pasta – she wasn't sure about Ryan but she knew Troy and the man loved to eat, especially when he got home from work. She contemplated using an unusual sauce to add to the flavouring of the meal, since inevitably the situation was going to be awkward and unusual but instead decided on a simple, tomato sauce.

When she had picked up the main meal, she decided to fuss around such trivial things as candles and what was she to cook for dessert? Sharpay felt kind of bummed that she was unable to even pick up a bottle of wine, damn legal alcohol age, she cursed. She was sure Troy had picked up a couple of bottles a few weeks ago; she hoped he hadn't drunk them. She travelled down the sweet aisle of the supermarket; there was anything from cake to yoghurt. Instead of decided on just one dessert, because she simply couldn't. Out of all the possible things that could of happened at the meal, Sharpay was worried about the possibility of them arguing and complaining about the dessert. Yes, she realised her priority were a little fucked up. She ended up with a small, sponge cake and a strawberry cheesecake, because who could go wrong with a cheesecake?

Once she was done with the meal, she was still endlessly praying for there to be alcohol stocked at home because what was a meal without a little bit of alcohol? She began to simply peruse the supermarket. She ended up down the media section and bought a compilation disc, hoping to set the mood. If anything would stop the tension at the meal, she hoped it would be the music; nothing stops the tension like a good conversation about the latest chart-topping hits!

Sharpay decided then to buy a new top, because she simply didn't have enough! It was black and cling and made her feel great, once she had finally decided she had everything, she headed over to pay before someone stopped stood in front of her, a if stopping her from going anywhere else.

"Excuse me-" She looked up to hopefully make them move before she stopped. There was something about the young man, she was sure she recognised him from somewhere before.
"Sharpay?" And he sure as hell apparently recognized her. She stalled for a second, sure there was something recognizable about this guy, but she wasn't about to let on that she had no idea who this guy was!

"Yes…? Hi! Erm…" She began to trail off, hoping that this guy would get the picture and re-introduce himself.

"Its me! Zeke?" Zeke, Zeke…yes! Zeke! She was sure she had met him from when she had first moved in with Troy and had been bombarded by a load of his friends! She suddenly beamed.

"Zeke! Hi!" She grinned and smiled back. He glanced down at her filled-to-the-brim basket and raised his eye, she let out a short giggle. "I'm hoping to fix up a meal, to sort out a little issue." She gave him a short smile and even though she had been vague, he seemed to understand, almost straight away.

"Ahhh." He replied, his hand going to back of his neck and gently resting there. "Hoping to fix up Troy, Gabriella and Ryan by any chance?" Sharpay's cheeks began to deepen into a dark red colour, she looked towards the floor for a short while before glancing back.

"Am I that obvious?" Zeke gave out a soft chuckle.

"No, I just think all of us want nothing more then for Troy and Ryan and Gabriella to sort this out, I mean we understand y'know? It's just making some things more awkward." Sharpay nodded her head, to show that she understood where Zeke was coming from, she too wanted to see what it was like when there was no tension between the three of them, after all, Sharpay had only known all of them for a handle of months, she really didn't know what they were like when there was no tension and issues between them and she desperately wanted to know what that was like! "Anyway." Zeke sighed. "I'll let you go and pay, I need to get going." Sharpay grinned at him.

"Alright, well bye!" Zeke grinned back.

"Goodbye Sharpay and good luck for tonight!" Sharpay giggled.

"Thanks! I think I may need it, to be honest!" Zeke winked and walked down the aisles. Sharpay headed to the counter, laid everything out and got ready to pay for it. It wasn't till then, till the questions settled in her mind. Was this really a good idea?

Sharpay headed into the apartment, she was completely in a rush! She had less then an hour to prepare and cook the food, as well as get ready herself.

Luckily, whilst she'd been shopping for the ingredients for dinner, she had been deciding what to wear for the following evening. She knew it was going to be casual yet with a hint of formal since it was going to be awkward and well that always helped along the formalness, she thought. So she settled on a simple, jean skirt that finished a few inches above knee and strappy top. She usually didn't wear shoes around the flat but since this had some sort of an occasion strapped to it, she decided on wearing some of her platforms just to add to her height. Besides, she could always kick them off, if they began to give her some pain throughout the night! She guessed that was the benefit of holding a meal at her own apartment!

She flitted around the place, in between setting the table and getting ready, she was attempting to cook and so far it was going well! Ryan and Gabriella were due to show up in about twenty minutes and if Sharpay knew Gabriella, which she kind of hoped she did by now, she figured Sharpay was not going to be late! So she thought Troy would arrive about twenty minutes or so after Ryan and Gabriella would, she hated blocking him this way but she knew it was the only possibility they had in the hopes that Troy would move on.

Just as Sharpay was brushing on some eye-shadow they was a knock on the door, she felt her heart begin to thump harder. She was nervous and so tempted to scold herself into even thinking of organising such a thing as this. What would Troy think of her? Oh God, what if this sabotaged her and Troy's friendship forever!

She tried to shove it off as she went to answer the door to let Ryan and Gabriella in. She offered them each a glass of wine, thankful that Troy had in fact stocked up with the alcohol, the pair of them stood in the kitchen as Sharpay stirred the pasta sauce. Ryan was the first to speak.

"Sharpay, I just want to say, thank you so much for doing this for us." Ryan wrapped his arm around Gabriella and pulled her close, she nuzzled his neck. Sharpay figured they were showing such closeness because they knew it would be insensitive to do such in front of Troy. "You have no idea how much we appreciate this, how much we appreciate you!" Sharpay blushed and paused with her stirring.

"Look, I cant promise that this is going to work or even remotely work but I hope it does, because I know that the both of you really care for Troy and I know that you never set out to hurt him and I hope that Troy realises that." Gabriella sighed.

"You're such a Godsend, S. I'm so thankful that you're here and that you've been here for Troy throughout this time." Sharpay smiled, softly. She hoped that Troy viewed her the same way.

There was a fumble at the keyhole, any minute now, Troy was going to enter the kitchen and she knew. Nothing was going ever going to be the same again.

Again, sorry for the length, it just seemed like the right place to stop!

So thoughts, you like/hate it? I would love to hear from you! ;)