Dedication: For Ellie, who continues inspiring me to write.
And, to all the 'rooftoppers' who keep me laughing, and finding new ways to write stories. Thank you!

Disclaimer: The words and plot are mine. I’m not cool enough to have thought up Troy Bolton and the wildcats.

Sharpay waltzed down the hallway, hips sashaying as if she were working a runway at Milan Fashion Week. Her blackberry lay glued to her ear as she ecstatically chattered into the receiver clicking and clacking alongside the row of lockers. She wore dark wash skinny jeans , a lose fitting red t-shirt with the words ’You Know you Love Me’ scrawled across in bold yellow print and black stiletto pumps. Her blonde hair draped over her shoulders and down her back in wavy mounds bouncing in perfect rhythm with each step. Her pace never slowed; timid freshman huddled closer together as she approached, student’s lugging backpacks on wheels behind them hurriedly clamored out of the line of fire. Sharpay had approached her final destination: homeroom. She rolled her eyes, slightly annoyed at having to end her conversation.

“Damien, butterscotch highlights are not going to cut it for the spring! Honey is all the rage now, don’t be silly.” she loudly bolstered.

Ms. Darbus opened the classroom door, wide-eyed and menacing. She glared at Sharpay loudly clacking her tongue.

“Miss Evans, so lovely of you to join us. I wouldn’t want to interrupt you and your busy schedule.”

“No worries Ms. Darbus! Damien and I have come to a mutual conclusion that honey colored high lights will blend best for the spring. Inspiring, isn’t it?”

To keep the inviting idea of grabbing Sharpay by the hair and chucking her into the classroom at bay, Ms. Darbus blinked feverishly before settling on,

“Miss Evans. Class. NOW!”

Sharpay stumbled slightly, taken aback by Ms. Darbus’ tone.

“Damien, we’ll continue this conversation later. Ciao darling!”

Sharpay gave a vapid smile in Ms. Darbus’ direction as she made her way into the classroom.

---

In the back of the classroom Gabriella and Troy whispered together before the bell rang. Troy leaned against a wall, Gabriella standing in between his legs, their hands intertwined.

“What are your plans after school?”

“Well, we don’t have basketball practice tonight. Want to come over after school?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

“Just meet me at my car after sixth period okay?”

“Troy, I get out at fifth period now, remember?”

Troy smiled, remembering Gabriella’s multiple AP classes had left her in the lucrative position of only having five classes. She finished at 1:10pm while Troy had to attend Chemistry and wouldn’t be finished until 2:45pm.

“That’s right, little Miss Smarty Pants here only has five courses this semester, don’t you?”

“Miss Smarty Pants!” Gabriella playfully scoffed. She puckered out her bottom lip.

Troy grabbed her waist, pulling her closer. He lightly kissed the top of her nose, and let his lips brush across hers. He pulled back staring into her cocoa eyes. She smiled, brushing her nose against his once more.

“I need to go to the library for a research paper anyway. I’ll meet you at your car after sixth period.”

“Ouch, you already have a paper assigned? It’s the first day back from Christmas break!”

“That’s how we Smarty Pants roll” she smirked.

“Ohhh!!!” Troy exclaimed, tickling her sides sending Gabriella into a fit of giggles.

Chad glanced up from his notebook where he had been doodling in the margin. He was in a rather foul mood this particular morning. He had stayed up watching the state basketball game with his dad that had gone into double overtime. With little rest and an empty stomach from sleeping in past breakfast, he grumbled.

“Are we going to get this show on the road or what?”

As if summoned on command, Ms. Darbus appeared, sending the students diving for their individual seats. Troy took off so fast he tripped over Taylor’s backpack.

“Sorry Tay” he mouthed weakly, as she bent down to retrieve a few lose pens that had gone sprawling from the contents of her bag.

Ms. Darbus had a strict tardy policy. If you were not sitting in your seat by the time she got to her podium, you were late. No questions, no excuses; simply a red check by your name in the attendance book.

As Ms. Darbus strode toward her podium, everyone could hear a loud clacking followed by giggling just outside the door. In a flash, Ms. Darbus quickly paced toward the door, flinging it open in one swift movement. The class rubber-necked, ease-dropping on theconversation transpiring between Sharpay and Ms. Darbus.

Sharpay sauntered into the classroom, hot tempered and annoyed. Everyone cast their gaze downward, warding off any evil glares she might hurl their way. Troy shook his head. It was too early for drama, and he simply wanted this first day back to be over. He had become used to spending his days lulling around either his or Chad’s basement playing Xbox 360, going on drives and dates with Gabriella, and of course playing basketball. Thinking of the dates with Gabriella, he glanced over his shoulder smiling brightly at her. Her eyes met his and she blew a discreet kiss in his direction. Troy blushed immediately.

“Mr. Bolton!”

“Yeah? I mean here! Uh, present!” Troy stumbled.

“Daydreaming are we ?

“No m’am.“ he answered sinking lower into his seat. Troy could feel his cheeks growing hotter. He shifted uneasily in his chair.

'Great start to the new year.' Troy solemnly thought to himself, eyes focused forward the rest of the period. He smiled to himself, anxious for the alone time with Gabriella after the long day he knew lurked ahead.

---

Gabriella found her way to Room 206B. Although she had been at East High for the past year, some wings of the school still left her puzzled. As she eased herself into a seat near the front of the classroom, her cell phone buzzed. With a few moments before the bell rang, she glanced down at the new text message.

Can’t wait to see you.
Xo,
T

Gabriella sighed happily. She and Troy had only grown closer since the NYE radio contest, spending as much time together when they found time to tear themselves away from family priorities and friends over the holiday season. She thought back to the end of the evening after dropping off Chad and Taylor. Troy had parked in a vacant elementary school lot

“I still can’t believe we were on the radio, that’s insane!” Troy exclaimed, loosening the still too tight tie knot. His father had unfortunately found him fumbling with it during the course of the evening, and tightened the knot much to his chagrin.

“I know, singing with you Troy. It’s just so easy.”

Gabriella searched Troy's eyes under the dim glow of the light posts. She felt her breath quicken in pace as he leaned over, grazing the hem of her skirt with one hand, gently placing his other hand on the back of her neck as they kissed. He always handled Gabriella with the utmost care, like a porcelain doll, delicate and careful.

“Ew, what are you doing?” a prissy voice questioned

Gabriella snapped out of her drunken-like daze, glancing around nervously.

“You might as well be drooling with your mouth hanging open like that.”

Sharpay sat in the next seat over, legs crossed, staring at Gabriella with her head tilted to the side. Gabriella opened her notebook, scrawling the days’ date in the upper right margin, desperately trying to ignore any confrontation with Sharpay.

“I have the unfortunate pleasure of hearing you and Troy’s song all over the radio. It’s like they’ve had it in full rotation since New Years day. I thought the prize was just one spin at midnight and that’s it. But oh no. That would have been wishful thinking. Instead I hear that tune each time I get into my car, it’s every where. Now why is that Gabriella?”

“Sharpay, I don’t know. I guess the listeners request it.” Gabriella replied, shaking off the bubbling feeling of anger rising in her.

“Oh would you give it a rest Sharpay? You know good and well why that song is on the radio all the time. It’s amazing and you’re just jealous.”

Sharpay reeled in her seat, mouth agape. Taylor stood one hand at her hip, her eyes testily daring Sharpay to respond or undercut Gabriella again.

“Who’s looking like they may drool now?” Taylor asked, driving Sharpay to pick up her pink notebook and feathered pen and relocate to another seat clear across the room.

Gabriella mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to Taylor as she occupied the seat Sharpay had fled. The tactic to kill her with kindness proved harder than she thought. With graduation looming ahead, Gabriella needed no reasons to jeopardize her squeaky clean record by arguing with Sharpay.

Throughout the period Gabriella frequently let her mind wonder. She was not quiet settled back into school mode. She thought about her research paper, after- school activities and of course, Troy. She looked over and was met with a judgmental glare from Sharpay complete with an audible huff. Gabriella rolled her eyes trying to focus on the equations on the board but only half heartedly listening. Taylor sat furiously scribbling notes as their teacher droned on. Gabriella’s hand shot up instantly.

“Yes, Miss Montez?”

“May I have the bathroom pass?”

Their math teacher handed over the stuffed animal which served as a hall pass, and Gabriella set off down the hallway. She rounded a corner and saw Troy hunched over tying his shoelaces. She smiled happily, breaking into a playful jog. Troy’s eyes glanced up at the quickening footsteps and he beamed as he saw Gabriella trotting down the hallway. She playfully tackled him, as he scooped her up into a bear hug.

“Hey! What are you doing out here?”

“I should ask you the same thing, wildcat.”

“I don’t know. Just not really feeling this whole school thing today I guess. I’ve been gone ten minutes already. Just walking around” his voice trailed off as he gazed out the window.

“Do you want to get out of here?”

Troy’s eyebrows arched, questioning her last statement.

“C’mon Gabi, you don’t ditch. You’d never do that in a million years.”

“Well, a million years came today. You want to?”

Troy shuffled his feet. He had ditched a few times over his course at East High, but he usually just went to the video store with Chad and hung out at a local burger joint before heading home. The prospect of an afternoon together with Gabriella was tempting, but it was their first day back and he didn’t want to steer her to do something she’d later regret.

“Okay, your loss…” she teased, pretending to walk away.

“All right. Yeah, let’s do it.”

Gabriella smiled. She was surprised at her own eagerness to leave school early, but went along with the feelings, pushing away any pestering thoughts of getting caught.

“Okay, just let me get my stuff. I’m in 206B. Where do you want to meet?”

“Just meet me back here in 5 minutes. I’ve got to go get my stuff too.”

Gabriella walked back toward the classroom, her stomach filled with anxiety. She knew it was wrong to ditch, and had never fathomed the idea before. Now how she would get her bag out of the classroom early without being caught was a whole other story.
She stood at the doorway, looking into the classroom. Their teacher had broken them up into groups, and everyone was working on graph paper plotting out charts with rulers.

Taylor sat with Kelsi and another girl penciling in lines with deep concentration. Gabriella waved her arms frantically at Kelsi, who was dozing off slightly, her head bobbing up and down a little as her eyes closed. She shook herself awake and caught sight of Gabriella’s gestures. Her head perked up.

Gabriella gestured to her backpack on the ground. Kelsi’s head followed putting two and two together. Gabriella shook the teddy bear in her hand indicating she still had the bathroom pass and pointed at their teachers’ desk. She needed Kelsi to get the bear back on the desk without the teacher noticing Gabriella hadn’t returned from her bathroom trip. Kelsi nodded slowly, excusing herself from the group. She nonchalantly picked up Gabriella’s bag keeping it low at her side. She strode over to the door, quickly exchanging the bag for the bear before frantically whispering.

“Gabi what are you doing? You can’t ditch!”

Gabriella mouthed a ‘thank you’ to Kelsi and put her hand up to her ear, signaling to call her later. Kelsi stared after her friend, sprinting down the hallway.

Gabriella was surprised to find Troy already waiting, casually leaning against the window, his backpack hanging off one shoulder as he fooled around with his cell phone.

“How are you already back here so fast?”

“I don’t know. I just walked in , grabbed my bag, and took off.”

“But, how?”

“It’s shop, Gabi. Mr. Stone is infamous for taking naps at his desk once he’s given us our homework. Chad’s just dropping off the work later for me, no biggie.”

Gabriella accepted Troy’s hand as they walked down the hallway. She hadn’t even thought to ask anyone for the homework. She’d text Kelsi later asking her to get her math and history work for her. In the pit of her stomach she felt a knot. Against her better judgment, she shook the feeling away.

“Want to go get a milkshake or something?” she asked.

“Sure, we’ve got the whole afternoon free. We can do whatever we want!”

Gabriella smiled. At least if she were breaking the rules she was doing it with the hottest boy at East High.