Chapter Text
Sharpay has all the makings of a supervillain; wealth, an attitude, and the power of persuasion that borders on vindictive manipulation. She isn’t evil though, at least I don’t think so. As her twin, I would have the inside knowledge to know if she was truly as much of a bitch as she seems. I think the real truth is much simpler, she is spoiled rotten. She’s never been told no a day in her life. If she asked for the moon I am sure our parents would find a way to yank it from the sky and place it in her bedroom and she would find a way to take a quarter of it and fit it in mine. If she gets a pink dress, I get a pink hat. If she gets a lead role, I get the second. If she has a date I...choose the outfit. She tries her best to make sure all of her victories are our victories.
Similarly, she makes sure my failures are ours to share. When I break something she says I was trying to fix it for her. When she can’t secure me a role she says she didn’t get cast either. I am aware that this dynamic makes people assume I am her lap dog or in some way complicit in her less kind schemes. I am aware that in some way that is true. It isn’t because of some manipulation though, I want to be there to catch her if she somehow falls off her high horse atop the pedestal she sits on.
I can’t say I’m not spoiled either, I have a huge room in a huge house, with a family who never struggles to provide. I am allowed to act and dance and wear bright colours. Although, I have been told no. I have been told to tone myself down around others, to pay attention to the men at Lava Springs, and emulate how to be reserved and masculine. I have been told that there is more to life than theatre and Sharpay.
But theatre is where I am the most myself, in technicality, it’s where I am the least myself as well. Ms. Darbus never tells me my desire to learn the parts or help choreograph or design sets is too intense. Sharpay never worries I might upstage her because we are always playing off each other's energies. I don't know that I would be so confident to climb onstage in sequins and dance around how I actually like to at home.
It’s Sharpay who convinced our parents to get donors to funnel money into East High’s drastically underfunded drama program. The heft of the school's budget goes into sports, specifically basketball. This has also led Sharpay to consider the head of the drama club (herself) and the captain of the basketball team (Troy Bolton) the queen and king of East High and a queen deserves the attention of her king.
Only, Troy has never liked Sharpay. Since they first met in 7th Grade Sharpay has made her infatuation with him quite apparent and Troy has kept her at arm's length.
Sharpay was told no for the first time, over and over and over again. She is sure this is her year no way could Troy resist her after the three years of hard work she had been putting into her ideal body and wardrobe. If the basketball-brain liked cheerleaders then she would be more than happy to play the part.
It doesn’t matter how many times I try to tell her this is a bad idea, or suggest her things that seem less extreme she is convinced every plan she makes is the best. I should be the one she can lean on when it inevitably fails, not the one telling her she can’t do it.
High school hasn’t been the most kind to either of us, but at least most of the things being said to and about me were things I had been hearing for years now. Sharpay was used to being the best, brightest, most beautiful in a room, suddenly she’s being called a brat who needs to learn that drama belongs at the bottom of the social ladder. She doesn’t have very thick skin and it upsets her more than she would ever let on in the hallway.
Sharpay is sad, stressed, and taking all of it out on me and while I will never tell her that she cannot vent to me some of it is really starting to get under my skin. I know siblings grow tired of each other and bicker, but I cannot remember a single full fight the two of us may have had with each other. I can feel one building now, bubbling just below our matching smiles.