We're All In This Together (A High School Musical Fanfiction)

Episode 12: Happy Endings and Musical Numbers

The next day dawned with a sunrise the color of orange sherbet. Gabriella barely ate a bite of breakfast in her nervousness. Her mom tried to encourage her, but Gabriella barely heard her. All she could think about was Taylor.

Leonardo pulled up in front of the Montez house at precisely 8:24, exactly when Taylor had told Gabriella she was going to be there. Gabriella hurried out to the car as soon as it came to a full halt. The drive to school was filled with stony silence at first. Finally Gabriella couldn't take it any longer. "Taylor, I--"

"I know," Taylor said. "I don't hold it against you, Gabriella. You were just trying to protect me."

"So you're not mad?"

Taylor shook her head. "Just nervous. Everyone's saying I'm a shoe-in, but I . . . I just have this feeling. What if the buttons weren't enough?"

Gabriella smiled at her best friend. "Buttons or no buttons, you're the best, most efficient president East High has ever seen. Jeremy can't deny that."

The voting booths were open during lunchtime and free period. Most of Martha's dance club was missing, presumably to cast their votes. "Don't worry," Martha assured Taylor, "they assured me that you can count on their votes."

"But will it be enough?" Taylor murmured to Gabriella. "Jeremy has the debate team, the chess club, the environmental club, the computer science club, the Mathletes, and the yoga club."

"But you have the advantage of already winning one election," Gabriella pointed out. "When will they be done counting up the votes?"

"They should be done by the end of school." Taylor inhaled for seven seconds and exhaled for ten, a stress-relief technique she'd learned soon after she'd become student body president.

"Dance is a great stress-reliever," Ryan pointed out, randomly joining their conversation.

Taylor and Gabriella regarded him warily, wondering if there was any ulterior motive involved here.

Ryan held up his hands. "It is! Trust me; I have plenty of dance experience."

Gabriella decided politeness was the best way to go. "I've seen you during rehearsals; you're really good, Ryan."

"Thanks. You know, I know a lot of people think of me as Sharpay's poodle, but losing out to you and Troy made me realize that . . . maybe I don't want to be seen that way anymore."

Ryan's candor softened Taylor and Gabriella toward him. Taylor said, "So, what are you doing in the play now that Troy is going to be Arnold?"

Ryan stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'm trying my hand at being the stage manager. I'm hoping to convince Martha to step in to help me out with the choro. Her mind is brilliant when it comes to that sort of thing." He raised his voice for that last comment to draw her attention.

Martha's face turned red. "Oh, hush. You have way more experience than I do with making choreography."

Ryan put an arm around Martha in a friendly side-hug. "Then maybe two great minds together can make Twinkle Towne even better, huh? Think about it." He left the conversation to go join another group of dancers in a warm-up.

"Jason's not here," Martha fretted.

"I'm sure there's a good reason," Gabriella said immediately. "Besides, like Kelsi said, there's plenty of fish in the sea. Maybe you should take a swim." She nodded toward Ryan.

Martha followed the direction of Gabriella's nod. "Ryan? But he's Sharpay's brother! You remember Sharpay? She's the girl who tried to sabotage your callbacks for Arnold and Minnie?!"