"Troy, have you memorized all the lyrics to the song yet?" Sharpay asked impatiently as Troy was walking around with the music sheet. "I had it made just for us for the fall musicale auditions."

Troy had gone over the sheet at least ten times but just couldn't get into the song. "Sorry, Sharpay. It's taking me a little longer than usual to memorize these. Besides, I thought you understood this summer that I don't really like to perform now," Troy responded.

"Oh, you are such a kidder, Troy! I know you wouldn't want to disappoint Daddy and the rest of the U of A alumni now, would you?" Sharpay asked, giving Troy a look of question.

"No, of course not," Troy answered after being reminded of what control Sharpay still had over his future. "Give me fifteen more minutes and I should have this down."

"Fabulous," Sharpay replied as she took a seat and called one of the servants to get her a lemonade and water for Troy.

Troy had just finished thinking about how he found himself back in the theater of East High when Sharpay walked in and took her seat next to him. "Ready Troy? We are so going to blast the competition out of the water today! That is, if anyone dares to try out against us," Sharpay said.

"I'm sure there'll be others, a lot of people got interested in the musicales after last winter," Troy answered.

Sharpay gave him a disgusted look. "Don't mention the winter musicale to me ever again. I care to forget when you and Gabriella stole my spotlight. But no matter, I have the guy now," she responded with smirk as she snaked her hand around his upper arm. "Right, Troy?"

"Sure," Troy automatically answered. 'I wish I was anywhere but here,' he thought to himself. Over the past few weeks, Troy found that the more time he spent with Sharpay, the more he wanted to just erase her from his life. 'Instead of making me feel better about my life, Sharpay always manages to make me feel worse. From my truck not meeting her standards to her constant dressing me. Gabriella never made me feel this low, quite the opposite actually.'

"Ugh, what are you doing here?" he heard Sharpay ask of an approaching Ryan and Gabriella, followed by Audrina.

"What's wrong sis, can't stand the competition?" Ryan teased.

Gabriella eyed Troy sitting next to Sharpay before she turned her attention back to the blonde. "Unlike this summer Sharpay, I hate to break it to you, but you can't ban everyone else from competing so you have free range of winning the prize. This isn't Lava Springs and this is not your family's Stardazzle Award Show. You can't demand Ms. Darbus to keep us from auditioning for the fall musicale as you had your henchman ban the junior employees of Lava Springs from performing this summer. I told you that night this summer that I was done with your games, Sharpay," Gabriella stated as Ryan wrapped his arm around her waist. "You don't rule everything in life, you better get used to it."

"Shut up, Gabriella. It's your own demise anyway if you go up against me for the lead," Sharpay stated. "Troy and I are going to easily blow you two out of the water."

"We'll see about that, but what of Audrina and the other girls trying for the lead?" Gabriella asked, making Sharpay realize for the first time there were other girls present with a partner or going solo for the audition. "It's not just you and me but everyone here who wants to be a star."

"Wait a second," Troy said, hung up on something. "Gabriella, did you just say that Sharpay banned the junior employees from performing?"

"Yes," Gabriella answered. "You never knew? That's why we, well the rest of the gang could not perform the number they had worked so hard on with Ryan at the talent show, why you guys were unopposed. I thought you knew."

Troy shook his head. "I had no idea. Sharpay, how could you?"

"Oh please, like they would have had a chance anyway! Troy, please, we have an audition to focus on now," Sharpay stated. "We'll talk about this later tonight. Daddy will want you to stop by tonight as he his having some of his U of A buddies coming by for some drinks."

Gabriella, Ryan, and Audrina took their seats a few rows behind the couple but even then, Gabriella saw from there how disturbed Troy was by this news. 'I honestly thought he knew this whole time,' Gabriella thought as she saw the stiffness in his body language now. 'Maybe I have misjudged him and why he has been acting the way he has.'

"Soloists are up first. Audrina?" Ms. Darbus called out.

Audrina took in a deep breath before getting up, receiving a hug from Gabriella before taking the stage. She handed Kelsi her music and took her position at the center of the stage as she sang the song she had prepared.

'Wow, I never knew she had that strong of a voice,' Gabriella thought. 'I could so see her with the lead this fall.' Gabriella looked over at Ryan and saw that he appeared just as amazed by Audrina's talent.

When Audrina was done, the audience clapped along with Ms. Darbus, who was clearly impressed with the junior. Audrina took her seat back next to Gabriella and received a smile and a thumb's up sign from Ryan.

After the other soloists were done, Ms. Darbus changed over to the pairs auditions. "Gabriella and Ryan? Wait, did I read that right?" Ms. Darbus called out.

"Yes, Ms. Darbus," Ryan answered for them as he and Gabriella took the stage. Gabriella handed Kelsi their sheet music as she took her spot next to Ryan.

As he heard his cue, Ryan started to sing his verse first, followed quickly by Gabriella's verse and then their duet. Still thinking about what he had just learned about the summer's talent show, Troy turned his attention to the couple on the stage. He watched from the audience and felt his heart ache at the scene on the stage, his ex singing with her new boyfriend, a stage that they had shared together only half a year ago.

Troy and Gabriella had just finished the last line of the last song of Twinkle Towne and were in each other's arms as they stared into each other's gazes. Both naturally started to migrate towards the other's face, their lips centimeters apart, when Chad came onto the stage from the audience and wrapped his arms around the two.

"Great job, you two!" Chad congratulated. "That was amazing!"

Troy turned his attention from Gabriella to his best friend. "Thanks man, that means a lot coming from you." Troy dropped his arms from Gabriella's waist as she did the same, spotting her mother coming in her direction.

"You were perfection, Gabriella! You too, Troy!" Ms. Montez greeted the two, giving Gabriella a big hug. "You looked just as your characters should. In love!"

Gabriella nervously looked over at Troy as he returned her gaze, a smile on his lips and a blush on her cheeks. "Yeah, great acting, Troy," she managed to get out.

"You too," he returned, both knowing it was anything but acting when it came to their chemistry.

'Ah, the start of something wonderful,' Troy thought to himself, grinning at the memory. He felt a slap on his arm and turned to see Sharpay glaring at him. "What?"

"Troy Bolton, this spacing out on me is just getting ridiculous! If I didn't know better, I would think that you were imagining yourself with that brainiac again!" Sharpay accused.

'Not quite but close, Sharpay,' Troy admitted internally. "Sorry, Sharpay. I was concentrating on our audition. When are we slated?"

"Last, of course. I wanted to scope out the competition. We should be on in ten minutes," Sharpay supplied. "Can you stick with me and watch so we know what we are going against? I don't think Gabriella is a problem for me, she seemed to not be quite with it, but Ryan is definitely competition for you."

"Oh, well I'll do my best," Troy replied, turning his attention to the stage as he realized he had missed the rest of Gabriella and Ryan's audition. 'Probably was for the best,' he thought.

"Sharpay and Troy!" Ms. Darbus called out. 'Yet another odd couple.'

"Come on, Troy," Sharpay exclaimed, getting up and dragging Troy up to the stage with her.

Kelsi already knowing the drill when it came to Sharpay just sat back at the piano while Sharpay had one of her crew put in the CD of the music she and Troy would be singing to. 'I wonder what she has up her sleeve this time,' Kelsi thought.

Gabriella and Ryan watched from their seats, hearing the start of the upbeat song. Sharpay started singing the song while Troy joined infrequently until the middle where he had a whole verse to himself. As Gabriella sat and listened to his voice, she was reminded of the winter musicale audition back in junior year when she had froze after realizing how many people were in the audience. She still remembered the comfort Troy was able to give her at that moment. He had reminded her that it was just like kindergarten, that she was singing just with him. Gabriella never had told Troy how wonderful it felt to just have him standing next to her as he looked at her with understanding in his eyes. She had known that day that Troy would have done anything for her, that he was the guy for her, that Troy understood her better than most in her life here in Albuquerque with the exception of her mom. 'What happened to change that guy into who he was and maybe still is in the summer?' she wondered, not realizing she had tears on her cheeks until Audrina gave her a worried look.

Before Ryan could see, Gabriella wiped her cheeks and blinked several times to push back the tears. She looked up at the stage and saw that Troy and Sharpay had just concluded their song, but Troy was unnervingly staring right at her. 'Oh God, he saw me cry,' she thought.

"That was fantastic everyone, thank you for auditioning. This is probably the best turn out in a long time for one of the musicales. I will post the final list on Tuesday. If you do not make it this season, please volunteer to help backstage or audition again in the winter and spring. Thank you everyone!" said Ms. Darbus as she turned off the light on her table and walked to join Kelsi on stage to discuss a few things.

Gabriella got out of her seat and hurried out of the theater with Audrina by her side, Ryan following behind. She hadn't realized how fast she was walking until Audrina reached out her hand and stopped her, panting.

"Where's the fire?" Audrina asked, catching her breath. "You started walking extremely fast, bordering on running, as soon as we cleared the theater doors."

"Sorry," Gabriella returned. "Just thinking."

"You okay?" Audrina asked, concern in her eyes. "You didn't seem too good while Sharpay and Troy were auditioning."

"Something is wrong?" Ryan asked, finally caught up with the two.

"No, everything is fine," Gabriella returned, forcing a smile on her face. "Audrina, you totally lied to me by the way! You have such a talented voice!"

Audrina blushed at the compliment. "I don't think so, but I've loved singing since I was little. You did really well too, both of you."

"Thanks," Ryan returned. "Well, with auditions over and there being no practice, and since it is officially the weekend now, what do you say the three of us go get some ice-cream?"

"Sounds great!" Audrina agreed.

"Actually, would you mind taking me home, Ryan? I'm not feeling so good," Gabriella said. "You two should go and celebrate your successful auditions today, but I think I just need to lie down or something."

Ryan shook his head. "If you aren't going, I'll take you home and stay with you."

"No, it's all right Ryan. I want you and Audrina to go out and have a good time. It's nice knowing my boyfriend and one of my good friends are getting to know each other better," she returned.

"If you say so," Ryan answered before he led the two girls to his car.

Ryan walked Gabriella to her door, a worried look in his eyes. "Hey, Gabriella, seriously, are you all right?"

Gabriella saw the genuine concern in his gaze and felt her heart break more. 'Ryan is such a good guy, he doesn't deserve all this confusion and doubt on my part,' she thought before she gave him a nod. "I'm fine Ryan, just a long week."

Ryan didn't quite believe her but knew he wouldn't get anything else out of her. Gabriella had been rather reserved lately, especially when they decided to audition for the fall musicale. Part of him felt that she did it just because she knew he really wanted to do it, not because she wanted to do it with him. Ryan leaned down and kissed Gabriella lightly before he gave her a hug. "Call me if you need me, all right?" he asked.

"I will," Gabriella agreed as she stepped out of his embrace and into her house with a quiet good-bye. She leaned against the closed door, unsure of what to do as she heard Ryan walk down the porch steps and back to his car.

Gabriella wandered into the kitchen and drank a glass of apple juice, leaning against the counter as she thought of the various thoughts and emotions running through her at the moment. 'I really care for Ryan, don't I? Of course I do, he's so sweet and caring of me. Then why have I been thinking of Troy so much? Remembering all those good memories we shared, never thinking of the bad until I force myself to?' wondered Gabriella. 'Am I just fooling myself in all of this?'

Her cell started ringing and Gabriella looked over to see Troy's picture on the screen. "Hello?" she answered.

"Hey," Troy greeted. "I know, it's been a long time since I called on your cell."

"Yes, it has been," Gabriella agreed. "I didn't forget about a tutoring session or something, did I?"

Troy laughed. "No, not at all. I just wanted to call and make sure you were okay."

"I am, why wouldn't I be?" she answered.

"I don't know, maybe because you had a few tears on your face and your eyes earlier today in the theater," Troy said.

"You must have imagined things, Troy," Gabriella stated, immediately knowing he would see through her.

"Don't lie, Gabriella. I saw you before you rushed out of the theater like it was on fire or something. Come on, it's me you are talking to," Troy emphasized. "You don't have to hide."

Gabriella took a deep breath in and exhaled as she felt her stomach tighten. "Maybe there were some tears. I was just being stupid, honest. I'm fine now, really."

Troy sighed and let a few moments pass before he spoke again. "How did we let things get so bad, Gabriella? Why can't we even be friends like we used to be?"

"Because we were never truly just friends," Gabriella explained, having thought about this earlier on in the week. "We always had some more intense chemistry going on with us, whether we were dating or not. Now that we are dating other people, I don't think we know how to behave. Besides that, I can honestly say I don't know who you are either as you stand today."

"Always so complicated," commented Troy. "I think I have to agree with you fully. But honestly, I do want to try being just friend Gabriella. I want you to get to know who I am again."

Gabriella paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "I think I have already been doing that. Slowly, I have been opening my mind to figuring out who you are, what changes have remained, and what have disappeared from this summer. I got hurt because of it at the Evans dinner, but seeing what you have done for the team and for Chad, I can't help but wonder again."

"Well, it's a start. All right, Gabriella. I'm going to let you go because I have to go pick up someone for dinner. I just wanted to call and make sure you were all right," Troy said.

"Thank you, Troy, that means a lot, truly. Have fun on your dinner date with Sharpay," Gabriella replied, knowing that was what he was doing.

"Stop reading my mind," Troy answered with a chuckle. "Good night, Gabriella."

"Bye Troy," she responded, hanging up as she leaned her head against the cabinet above the counter. 'What in the world am I going to do?'

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