Lunch time! (tag ANYONE!)

[Cayden Driscoll]

Jude slid into place besides Zooey, smiling in a friendly way at Delilah. He set down his apple and chocolate milk, noticing her uneaten macaroni which seemed to have cooled and his smile widenned at the thought that all the kids at this school seemed to have meager appetites.

He introducing himself as well, "Jude Driscoll." He said, offering his own hand in turn.

[Sharpay Evans]

Rabbit food. That's what her dad called salads, he never did like them. Whenever mom tried to force him to 'look after his health' and eat one he'd say it was rabbit food and that he wasn't a rabbit. As Sharpay picked over her salad this is what came to mind, why, she didn't know. She really must be bored.

Sharpay sighed and looked around desperately for Ry, Leah, even Kelsi. She didn't like being by herself, as independant as she claimed she was. Oh well...

Then she spotted her---Mrs. Darbus was entering the cafeteria chattering away on her cell phone. Sharpay's chewing slowed as she calculated away to get Mrs. Darbus to join her. After she realized she hadn't pestered her about what the school musical would be lately she made her move, picking up her salad and jogging down the stairs to meet her. Everything seemed to be going swimmingly when some loner loser with brown scraggley hair ran past and bumped her, causing her rabbit food to fall first onto her and then to the floor.

She stared up at him with a gaping mouth and then to her outfit which held some of the evidence of the catastrophy. What was wrong with this school lately? Nothing was going right! Even worse he just mumbled sorry and kept walking!!

The surrounding tables' conversations paused while they anticipated her explosion and normally Shar would've made a scene and shrieked until she got her way but she just didn't have the energy. Instead she shook her head, sighed, and headed to get some napkins. The tables slowly went back to talking about whatever simpletons talked about while she wiped dressing from her shirt, leaving her salad for someone else to clean up.

[dels]

Delilah had begun to chew her deep redish brown hair, which she knew as bad, but she couldn't help it. She was bored and lonely but would never admit it. Dels liked being independant; not depending on others and them not needing her. Or so she said, she really did want people to want her. So, when Xander and his group walked over she spit out her hair and barely surpressed her grin. Her damp locks were stuck together in a lump to one side but she didn't notice.

"How's it going? I'm Delilah." She smiled warmly at the blonde and shook her hand before looking up at the still standing Xander. "I like friends.." She commented, replying to what he had originaly said.

Then Jude spoke, his accent charming and bewildering. She stared at him a moment before shaking his hand as well. She smiled with a bit less warmth at him just because she didn't want a relationship and disliked that she liked him so much. After the initial shake and lack of words she looked back at the Xan-Man. "You gonna sit down? You do sit, right? Your legs bend and all?"

(Who can guess the quote?? =D)

[Xander Donova (Scott)]

((Music Man! ))

He smiled and replied, "Yes, they do." and he was about to take his seat when he found himself distracted again. This time by Sharpay Evans. She had gotten to the bottom of the stairs and someone had run into her. Her salad was lost and her skirt had found the dressing. His mouth was slightly hanging open as he noticed that she didn't throw a fit. She just tried to clean off her skirt. This was perplexing to Xander, something must be wrong.

He turned to the rest of the group, "Uh- I forgot to pick up some ketchup, keep a spot open for me. I'll be back." He had of course lied as he did have to keep up the facade of not caring about the most popular drama girl in school. Xander approached Sharpay by the napkins, "Hey, um- you ok?" It was hard for Xander to not say something with sarcasm as all of his sentences usually were dripping with it. But this he had said with sincerity as he lowered his head slightly to try and catch her eyes.

((Is it good Shar?))

[Sharpay Evans]

((Give the girl a prize. ))

Some people dabbed stains: tentative to the damage that might occur if they rub too hard. Others scrubbed: forcing the unwanted mess out of their fabrics(or trying to). Sharpay was a scrubber. Just as with life she hit it with determination and such ardent force that it usually only made things worse. Like now, for example. The bit of white ranch dressing, which had been a small dab, was now spreading and becoming it's own addition to her purple shirt. Luckily it was a dark color so it wasn't that noticable..and she had spare outfits. Still...

"Come out..." She growled, her pale little fist clenched around a tormented napkin as she relentlessly scrubbed. Shreds of paper napkin were also making nest in her shirt now and on the floor. Normally Sharpay would have already left and maybe even gone home, counting the day as a loss. She suspected Ryan was there watching My Sweet Sixteen and pictured making fun of their lame attempts at popularity with him...but she could also picture his swelled face. Sharpay didn't want to picture that. She couldn't be there when he was there counting on her and she'd let him down; which never happened! (She's the Alpha-twin, after all)

"Come out, come out , come out!" What had once started as an angry hiss had elevated to her normal tone-which was pretty loud. She was so frustrated, though. Why couldn't she fix anything?

"Hey, um - you ok?"

Sharpay threw the defeated napkin to the ground and stood up straight. Her porceline doll's face was twisted with frustration and anger. It would've been normal for any boy (or anyone) to turn and run for their lives at the site of the enraged Sharpay, but maybe Xander wasn't 'any boy'.

"Ok...?" She repeated, her eyes boring into his, something she usually avoided just because she didn't want to talk to this particular boy. "Am I..okay?" A short laugh.

"Yeah, I'm 'Practically Perfect'." Sharpay spat, her sarcasm evident. What wasn't so obvious was the Broadway referal she had made. 'Practically Perfect' was a song from the Disney Musical Mary Poppins. Even in such a state she could pop out showtune references, which could be taken as a good sign...maybe.

((LOVED your post. Amazing.

[Xander Donova (Scott)]

Sharpay's angry eyes bore into his concerned ones, this did not phase him though. He stood there as she went on with her sorry facade. He could tell something was wrong other than her stained shirt. He lived with his mom so Xander had a slightly better understanding of the female species. He could read moods a bit better but not in a creepy way, there were still many things about girls that confused him.

When she had finished, Xander sighed and looked down, he looked back up at her, "Yeah, you're perfect but, you're not ok." He honestly did think she was perfect, he didn't let others in on this though because they wouldn't understand.

[Sharpay Evans]

It was sort of unnerving that he didn't flinch under her gaze. She wasn't used to it, but not only that he looked so...sympathetic. It was really very irritating, he needn't be worried for her. Sharpay Evans was a champion, not some loser who deserved pity. At first the look fueled her anger and she wanted to hit him, more than anything. It was overwhelming how much she wanted to just hit something.

Finally he looked down and she felt smugly proud, as if she had 'won' in some sick stare-down. When he looked back he had a different kind of look and she understood he was concerned for her. For some reason this was worse...but only because the anger was gone. She understood anger, a lot of people even expected it from her...but not this uncontrolable sadness.

"Yeah you're perfect but, you're not ok." Tears burned behind her eyes and she blinked furiosly to hide them. His bizarre understanding had broken her armor and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't hide the whimper that broke through her lips. Looking to make sure no one saw, Sharpay ran past him and went through the door. She didn't know if he'd follow or not and didn't know if she wanted him to..she just had to get away from everyone else.

(To the theater!)

[Xander Donova (Scott)]

Xander watched as the proud Sharpay Evans seemed to fade into a confused and hurt girl. She was holding back tears. He didn't know what to say next but, before he could say anything she ran out of the lunch room. His gaze followed her out the door. He looked around, she probably hadn't wanted people to see her cry.

While looking about he glanced back at his table, they seemed fine. ...It's now or never. He ran after her, through the door, out into the hallway and then, where would this diva go to unwind? Luckily, Xander was able to keep track of her because he didn't know the answer to that question.

(to the theater )