Shippy Moment of the Day: "I Just Sort of Wish You Were Doing This for Me" (High School Musical)

Troy Gives Sharpay an Ultimatum
High School Musical 2

Recap: Sharpay maneuvered Troy to sing a duet with her at the talent show and keep the other Wildcats from performing. Right before the show, Troy refuses to perform with her. Sharpay is at a complete loss.

The Moment:

Oh, Sharpay. You can't help but feel sorry for her in this scene. All of her
scheming has finally screwed her over, just like in the first movie.

Troy: How's your show going?
Sharpay: How's it going? The show makes the captain of the Titanic look like he won the lottery.

Troy. With the dark hair. Mmm.

Troy: I'll sing with you Sharpay. I promised. And I keep my promises. But what was the first thing you said to me when I started working here?

Sharpay: Bring me more iced tea?
Troy: Think harder. We're--
Sharpay: All in this together.
Troy: Exactly.

Sharpay. So freaking fabulous.

Sharpay: Well, we are! Let's get out there and knock 'em dead, Troy Bolton.

Troy: I do the show if the Wildcats do the show. And I'd think fast.

And then the real Sharpay comes out.

Sharpay: I just sort of wish you were doing this for me. You're a good guy, Troy. Actually, right now, I think I like you more than I like myself. Did I just say that?

There's an uncomfortableness in Troy at Sharpay's confession, but
at the same time, I think he's touched by it. It's one thing to be the object
of affection of someone because she thinks you'd look good on her arm.
It's another to realize that she actually, truly has feelings for you.

Thoughts: What I hate? Is that right after this moment, Troy is tricked into breaking his promise with Sharpay by the Wildcats who sneak Gabriella into Sharpay's place. What I love? That Troy, remembering his promise, pulls Sharpay onstage.

SQUEE!

I love Troy/Sharpay (Troypay, if you will) because of this moment. I would argue that it's the most honest scene in the entirety of the HSM franchise and possibly the only reason HSM2 has rewatchability value. For the most part, Ashley toys the line between campy and sincere just to the point where she can actually strip down Sharpay to her core (I hate the double take on "Did I just say that?" but I think that was probably more of a directing choice). I nearly died at the end of this scene when I first watched it. It fully ignited Troypay as a real, honest-to-goodness ship (or, at least, a real, honest-to-goodness unrequited love of ANGST!).

I feel that Sharpay is screwed over so much in these movies. She's reduced to such a one-note character that I was surprised that she got a scene like this. Her feelings are real. Her dreams are real. But, in an attempt to make her a villain, HSM devalues her character.

The real Sharpay comes out with Troy. She cares about him a lot. She's willing to fight for him, something that Gabi refuses to do (Really, Gabi? He means that little to you that you don't want to talk out your problems?). It may be my Gabriella hate that draws me to Troypay, but I think it also has to do with how I know that Sharpay is more than the movies often show. And in this moment, she shows her true colors and it's just heartbreaking.