"Sharpay?" Troy said. He was stunned to see the blond-haired girl on his front porch.

"Don't look so surprised pretty-boy," Sharpay snapped, "We're friends right?"

"Yes . . ."

"So I can come over to your house, and it won't be weird," she said, stepping into his house without being offered.

The two stood there awkwardly for a few moments.

"So what brings you here?" he asked, anxious to get back to his microwave macaroni-and-cheese that was getting cold on the counter.

"I needed to talk to you," she informed him, sitting down on his blue couch.

"About . . . what?" he asked, trying to be polite, though her behavior wasn't really helping much.

"I heard you and Gabriella got together at my party," she said, studying her pink manicured nails.

Troy blushed.

"I guess you could call it that," he answered shyly, "What does this have to do with you?"

Sharpay studied his living room for a few moments. It was an average living room for such a person that she considered larger than life.

"Well . . . I just thought you should know something about her," she told him, glaring at him.

Troy stopped and thought for a moment. Sharpay had seen Gabriella last night. He remembered her stunned expression being similar to his. Should he tell her that he knows about it?

"You see it might sound crazy," she started, pulling something out of her pocket.

It was something shiny and multi-colored. Troy wondered what it was.

"But . . ." she finished, "Troy, you're in love with a fish."

Troy's mouth dropped open. Not because he was surprised at the news he already knew, but at the fact that Sharpay would be so blunt and careless about it.

"And?"

"Aren't you . . . surprised, mad, angry?" she offered, "Wait . . . you don't even know what I'm talking about. Don't tell me that Gabriella told you—"

"No, I saw it," he said, and whispered, "I know that she's a . . ."

"A?"

"A mermaid," he finished.

"And you don't even care? Why don't you hate her? What is wrong with you?" Sharpay shouted.

"Not so loud!" he stressed, "My dad is sleeping in the other room."

"Gabriella is just like the fish sticks you eat on Friday nights and you still like her?" she asked, stunned.

"Well, yes," he admitted, "But she doesn't know that I know."

"She's going to—"

"Fine, I'll accept her either way Sharpay," he declared, "It doesn't matter what she is, it's who she is."

Sharpay sat back into the couch. She couldn't believe what she was hearing! He didn't care that she was a mermaid and hid it from him! He didn't care that she was really a fish! He still loved her for . . . her personality? What a novel idea that was.

"You better not say anything to anyone else Sharpay," he demanded.

"Oh I won't," she laughed, putting on her 'halo' and pocketing the scale.

Meanwhile, Chad was sitting in his car across from Taylor's house. He was debating whether or not to go to the door. He really wanted to talk to her, and tell her that he was wrong the first time.

Who else wouldn't go for the cheerleader? But that relationship had also only lasted a short while. He broke up with Taylor because he was being stupid. He finally realized it.

It was one of those defining moments in life that made Chad realize that maybe relationships were based on the inside, rather than the outside.

He worked up enough courage to go to the door. Since it was the evening, a single light was on over her front porch.

He was happy to have gotten a second chance with Taylor. He used to hate her because she was really smart. Once he had gotten to know her, he found out she was really sweet and fun to be with.

Last night at Sharpay's house, he was reminded of this.

He reached the door and rang the doorbell. His heart started to beat faster, and he realized he was actually praying.

Please let don't let me screw this up again.

A woman who looked like an older version of Taylor answered the door, her mother.

"Hi Mrs. McKessie, I'm Chad, is Taylor around?" Chad asked nervously.

"Of course," she smiled, and called up the stairs, "TAYLOR!"

He heard stomping down the stairs, and Taylor appeared shortly after. Chad became even more nervous when he saw the surprised expression on her face.

Here goes nothing . . .