Sharpay sat in her last class of the day waiting for the bell to ring. Everyone of course was talking about the incident in the cafeteria. Sharpay was still convinced they would get back together, they always did, but another part of her was starting to think maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change. The way Chad was on her side, the way Taylor laughed at her comment about Gabriella, was everyone finally seeing what Sharpay had seen all along in Gabriella Montez? She decided to finally start taking notes when she felt her phone vibrate, so she reached for her sparkly device and saw it was from Troy.
Can we please talk it's important, it read.
She rolled her eyes and went back to taking notes. She wasn't going to do anything until she knew he was 100% done with Montez. It kept vibrating with texts from him she finally responded just so he would stop: Troy leave me alone I'm not getting sucked back into this game, you'll get back together with her and life will go on as it has since this summer, she quickly typed.
Troy was still ignoring a text storm from Gabriella when he saw Sharpay had finally responded. His heart sank when he read it. He really was done with Gabriella. He meant everything he said in the cafeteria. He was finally done being the guy everyone told him to be, or who he thought he should be. He didn't know how Gabriella got him to change who he was, but he was done with that. After another text from Gabriella he turned around. "Can you just stop for five seconds," he snapped at her, and she bit her lip like she was going to cry. He rolled his eyes. The tears didn't work on him anymore. They lost their effect over the summer. Before the final bell rang, he sent one more text to Sharpay.
Pay please talk to me.
As Sharpay got up to head to the parking lot she saw Troy's text and furiously typed: Don't call me that you aren't allowed to ever call me that, and threw her phone in her purse. She got to the parking lot where (surprise) Troy and Gabriella were at it again but this time there was no making out or cheesy declarations of love.
"I think it's over for good," a voice said, startling Sharpay. It was Taylor.
"What makes you say that?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the couple.
"Chad said Troy is done. We kind of all are after today and this summer," she said, turning to the blonde. "Sharpay, I'm sorry for how I've acted I never gave you a chance I just went off of what everyone said."
The blonde gave a small smile. "I know what everyone says about me. I came to terms with that in middle school, but I never truly hated any of you," she said with a sigh.
"Well, all that is going to change," Taylor promised while hugging the blonde. "We've got your back now, and I think we are going to be best friends," she added.
Sharpay smiled. "I would really like that."
Meanwhile, Gabriella yelled at Troy, "We never actually break up! You just need some time to cool off, Wildcat," she said and tried to hug him.
"Gabriella, just stop! OK? It's over! You offended half this school and I'm honestly exhausted. I can't be your boyfriend anymore. A relationship shouldn't be this hard all the time but for some reason with us it is" he said, noticing Sharpay and Taylor standing together by her car who were soon joined by the rest of the gang.
Chad said, "It's over, guys. He finally wants to be himself again"
"Maybe we could party at my parents' house this weekend," Sharpay said to the group. "They are in London for two weeks and I know you guys could use some real fun instead of wholesome golly gee game nights," she added and earned a laugh from everyone.
"Evans, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship," Chad said.
Troy noticed Sharpay and Chad talking. She looked happy, almost excited. He longed to be over there with them to be part of that.
"Troy, I can change! Please, we are supposed to be together. It's senior year," Gabriella cried, still not giving up.
"It's over," Troy said before pulling out of the parking lot.
"Well everyone, I guess that settles it!" Ryan said. "Party at the Evans house this weekend!"
"Party? What party?" Gabriella said with a confused look on her face.
"A party? You know, things people have for fun?" Sharpay said, not caring if she sounded like a bitch. "You can come, but I know you don't drink," she added, looking the brunette up and down.
"Sharpay, this party isn't happening by this weekend. They will all hate you again and me and Troy will be back together," she said stepping up to the blonde.
Sharpay laughed. "Oh sweetie, you have no idea how hard your fall from grace is going to be." She turned around and whipped the brunette with her long blonde hair
"Excuse me?" Gabriella said looking at her friends
"You're excused," piped Kelsi who turned red.
"Go Kelsi," Jason said.
"They all hate you" Gabriella said to Sharpay before walking off towards her mom's car.
Deep down Sharpay still had that fear, but she wasn't going to let them see her sweat.
"We will see you guys tomorrow," Ryan said, getting into the pink convertible so he and his sister could get home before she cried. He always knew when she was about to.
"Text us later," Sharpay said before speeding out of the parking lot. "Thank you Ry"
"Sharpay, they are your friends. You've been trying, I know you have. It hasn't gone unnoticed," he added, "I think this is going to be your year."
When they pulled up to their house and got out there were flowers at the door. "You don't think those are from Troy do you?" Sharpay said, approaching the bouquet of pink peonies her favorite flower.
Ryan picked them up and read the card "Sharpay I know what I want and I'm not giving up XO, Troy.
"It does not say that," Sharpay said and grabbed the card from her brother. Sure enough, that's precisely what it said.
"Maybe you are right, Ryan." She headed inside to their kitchen and put the flowers in a vase before heading up to her bedroom. She sat on her bed doing math homework with her dog Boi, catching herself staring at the flowers and reading the card over and over. She grabbed her phone and took a picture of them to post on Instagram with the caption: Anything can happen.
At Troy's house, he was shooting hoops in his backyard when he got the notification that Sharpay had posted on Instagram and smiled when he saw the picture, knowing he had a chance to finally get things right.
Gabriella Montez also saw that post and felt an anger she had never felt before. "That bitch is going down."
The next morning Sharpay woke up and looked at her phone. "Fuck!" She had overslept. She quickly got dressed and ran downstairs. "Ryan, you didn't wake me up!" She yelled, grabbing her back and waiting for a response but her twin wasn't in the house. She walked outside and her car was gone but in its place was a familiar beat up truck and a gorgeous boy in the driver's seat.
"Need a ride?" Troy asked his signature smirk on his face. Sharpay didn't know if she should be mad or flattered that the boy of her dreams was trying this hard.
"Did you really set all of this up to get me to talk to you?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Well you won't talk to me, so I figured this was my best option," he said, opening the door for her.
She pretended to be annoyed and got in his car. "You want to talk so bad so start talking, Bolton" she said putting on a fresh layer of lip gloss and fluffing her hair, wanting to make sure she looked perfect.