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Sharpay didn't usually openly stare at other students at East High, okay she did, but never had Sharpay really stared at someone else like she was currently doing as Troy and Gabriella walked down the halls of East High, looking like the glorious perfect couple of the school Sharpay knew was supposed to be her and Troy, not the stupid brainiac. She narrowed her eyes as they passed right by her and her pink locker, not even looking her way the entire time, and watched as Troy untangled his hand from Gabriella's only to wrap his arm around the brunette's shoulders and place a kiss on the top of her head.
'That's supposed to be me he's kissing, not her! What the hell happened this weekend? Didn't Tristan come and do his stupid, simple job of winning her back?' thought an enraged Sharpay.
Ryan sensed before he felt the pissed off mood his twin had just fallen into after a whole first half of the day being unusually cheerful. He quirked an eyebrow a little as he continued to receive the same series of vibes from her, wondering what could have set her off. Realizing that Sharpay was still intently staring at something down the hall, Ryan turned his head and barely suppressed a groan as he saw Troy and Gabriella walking down the hall together with Troy's arm around her shoulders while hers was around his waist. 'Still, it's all about this? Sharpay's obsession with what she cannot have?' he wondered, feeling frustrations from this past summer come back.
In no way was Ryan actually jealous of the attention his sister was giving Troy but he was still perturbed by the way Sharpay had up and dropped Ryan like a hot potato this summer in order to concentrate on doing everything in her power to gain the attention of Troy and then keep it. Ryan even had to perform for the first time on his own for the Star Dazzle Award, which he lost of course to Sharpay and her backup singers after Troy came down with laryngitis. 'Of course we all know that was fake though. Good for Troy to be that good of an actor to fake that with the drama queen…'
Sharpay let out a low growl that surprised even Ryan, who saw many East High students quickly back away from their locker area. He shot them an apologetic look before addressing his sister. "Shar, come on, why are you torturing yourself like this? You could have Zeke Baylor easily if you want a boyfriend so badly."
"Zeke? Boyfriend?" shrieked Sharpay, now narrowing her eyes on her brother. "Ryan, do you not understand? This is more than just having a boyfriend! This is about status, this is about respect! Gabriella Montez does not deserve to have the popularity handed to her by dating Troy Bolton! I do! I need it to enhance my own popularity! I refuse to be less popular and seen as less fabulous in comparison to some mathlete!"
Ryan resisted the urge to touch his sister, knowing more than likely he would have his hand bitten off at the small gesture, quite literally. "Sharpay, honestly, I think you are being a bit of a drama queen about this whole thing about Troy, more than usual at least. Why can't you just accept that they are happy together? It's not like they are trying to take away your shows again this year. You have the lead!"
Sharpay simply scoffed at her brother's words. "I have the lead because I deserve it, not because they don't want to be in the show. I have no doubt that I, I mean we, would beat them out if given a second chance at finals auditions. I should have known that moment how much of a danger Montez would be to my life here at East High. Of course I can certainly fix that."
"Shar, what the hell are you talking about?" asked Ryan, getting nervous as he saw the crazed look in Sharpay's eyes that he had seen before, the first time being when they were younger and Sharpay decided she would blackmail her first victim on the playground to get the fourth grader to give her the girl's pink Barbie lunch pail.
"Don't worry about it Ry, absolutely nothing at all," replied Sharpay sweetly, grabbing her cell phone from the top shelf of her locker, grabbing her chef prepared lunch, and closing the locker door before she strutted down the hallway, leaving Ryan staring at her.
As soon as Sharpay was in her dressing room in the theater, she closed and locked the door, uncaring if anyone was around working on the set or props. She placed her lunch on her vanity and sat down, flipping through her address book until she found Tristan's name. The phone continued to ring and ring on the other end until Sharpay heard Tristan's voicemail come on, frustrating Sharpay just a little but not enough to lose her focus and what she wanted to say to him. When the beep came, Sharpay left a precise and deliberate message for her failure of an accomplice.
"Tristan, I think I overestimated you given the fact that I just saw your supposed love of your life walking down the hall with my basketball captain. I paid for that first class ticket to get you here this weekend to break them up, not allow them to get even closer. Do you not care about Gabriella? Do you not care that she is slipping further and further away from you each day you aren't here to help me? Maybe she's right, maybe you truly are weak. That's why she couldn't choose you when she had a real guy in Troy here. You are too weak Tristan, you can't even fight for the girl you supposedly love. The only thing I think you have excelled in is fucking up whatever you had with the smartie brunette by cheating. Honestly Tristan, I'm realizing now that picking you as my accomplice was the dumbest thing I've done in a while. Of course you wouldn't be man enough to play dirty for the hand of this girl. Either you don't care enough about her or you really are stupid. Either way, I'm done playing with you. This game is now my own and I plan on playing by my own rules unless I see a change in the current situation with Troy and Gabriella being the super cute couple here. I give you one week grace Tristan and if nothing happens, it's on your head if anything happens to Montez," stated Sharpay, snapping shut her cell phone and grinning, knowing that Tristan would surely listen to her message and take action for he didn't know that Sharpay didn't truly intend to hurt Gabriella via a hitman. 'There are many other ways though to hurt her, primarily via her precious Wildcat…'
"Thanks for the lovely dinner Mrs. Bolton," said Gabriella as she wiped her mouth of any lingering barbeque sauce. "It's been ages since I've had such delicious ribs."
Lucille smiled at her son's girlfriend seated to her right, across from Troy. "I'm just glad that you accepted our invitation for dinner Gabriella. It's been a while since we've seen you over here. Perhaps next time we can plan this out better to include your mother as well."
Gabriella returned Lucille's smile. "I think we'd both like that, thank you. May I do the dishes as a form of repayment?"
It was Jack's turn to grin at his son's girlfriend, a look of approval on his face. "That was sweet of you to offer Gabriella but I think Lucille and I have it covered."
The young brunette wouldn't hear of it though. "Please, it is the least I can do for having me over for dinner and allowing me to come over to help Troy with his paper."
"Well, if you insist," replied Jack, kicking Troy in the leg, causing Troy to choke a little on the lemonade he had just swallowed.
"What was that for Dad?" exclaimed Troy after he coughed a few times, wiping his mouth with the napkin in his lap.
Jack just rolled his eyes and tilted his head towards Gabriella, who was already up and gathering the dishes she could carry before she headed into the kitchen. "Your girlfriend just impressed your mother and I with her manners and thoughtfulness. Mind proving that she may have rubbed off and instilled good manners in you in the short time you have been dating since we clearly did not?"
Troy groaned as he rubbed his leg a little. "All right, all right. Helpful son and boyfriend present," grumbled Troy as he got up and gathered more dishes to bring into the kitchen.
On his way in, he stopped suddenly as Gabriella and he almost collided, causing an adorable blush to appear on her cheeks. "Sorry Wildcat, thought I was operating alone here."
"Like I'd let that happen," replied Troy as he walked around her to safely put the dishes down, giving her his most charming smile.
"A.K.A., your parents made you help your sweet girlfriend do the dishes instead of sitting on your lazy behind?" offered Gabriella, letting out a squeal of laughter as Troy quickly covered the distance between them to wrap her in his arms and tickle her sides. "Troy! Stop!"
"Not until you retract that lazy comment! I'll have you know I'm one of the most fit guys at East and West combined!" exclaimed Troy, speeding up the rate at which his fingers glided over Gabriella's side, enjoying the sound of her laughter.
Before Troy knew it though, instead of Gabriella admitting defeat by uttering the words he demanded, Gabriella managed to turn herself around so that she could tickle Troy back, causing his own laughter to mingle with hers in the air. After some maneuvering, Troy was able to capture Gabriella's arms within his grasp, stopping her attack on him, but also making it difficult for him to tickle her still. Instead, Troy sat down on the stool nearby, bringing Gabriella to sit down on his lap, still giggling while he chuckled, both just enjoying their time together.
A few moments later, both Lucille and Jack popped their heads around the corner and just shook their heads at the two teenagers. "Having fun kids?" asked Jack, alerting Troy and Gabriella that they now had company in the kitchen. "I don't remember the dishes ever being as fun as it just sounded like moments ago."
"Sorry Mr. Bolton, we'll get right on those dishes," replied Gabriella, feeling guilty at playing around with her boyfriend in his family's house after she willingly volunteered to do the dishes. She reluctantly got up from Troy's grasp and gave his parents a small smile before she started filling the sink with water.
Lucille approached Gabriella and reached over to turn the faucet off, causing Gabriella to look over at her. "You know Jack was just teasing right? It's nice to hear such laughter and fun in this house again. I haven't heard Troy laugh this much in one night compared to all the nights in the past summer. We really are happy you two found your ways back to each other again Gabriella. In fact, why don't you and Troy go work on that paper or take a break for a little bit? I can do the dishes."
"Thanks Mrs. Bolton but I volunteered and offered to do them so I will. Besides, it'll give the Wildcat over there to get his ideas together for his outline ahead of time," stated Gabriella, directing her voice in Troy's direction where he was still seated on the stool, grinning at her.
"All right sweetheart but really, I want you to know, it's nice to have you back over at the house and to see you two so happy again. It really is," said Lucille, smiling again at Gabriella before leaving the kitchen with Jack right behind her.
Knowing that his parents had gone upstairs from the sounds of their fading footsteps, Troy got up from his stool and slowly crept up to Gabriella, who had now turned the faucet back on in the sink, adding soap to the rising water. He wrapped his arms around Gabriella's waist and kissed one of her favorite spots, where her shoulder and neck met, his blue eyes watching as Gabriella paused scrubbing at a plate as her body shivered in response to his touch. Troy chuckled softly, enjoying the effect he had on his girlfriend with the smallest gesture.
"You do realize that you don't have to be so sweet with my parents. Not only do you make me look like a terrible slacker and irresponsible son but they already love you as you are, just like I do," said Troy, realizing that his heart's secret was out in the open as Gabriella immediately dropped the utensils she was now scrubbing and the sponge back into the water.
He waited with his breath held as moments passed with no reaction from her until Gabriella slowly turned around and slowly brought up her chocolate colored eyes to meet his deep blue orbs. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours, both absorbing the fact that there was no fear or insincerity between them just then, just them, just their deep connection, but most importantly, their love. "You love me?" whispered Gabriella, finally being the one to break the silence.
"How could I not Gabriella? You have the smartest mind, purest soul, and most forgiving and loving heart of anyone I know. Those are only a few qualities I adore about you but I meant what I indirectly said a few moments ago. I love you Gabriella, I really do," replied Troy, his voice husky with the heartfelt emotions that were swirling through him, warming him while the look of happiness and adoration on his girlfriend's face pushed him even more over the edge of complete elation.
Gabriella tried to speak but only managed a tiny squeak, which caused a great deal of blood to rush to her cheeks, making Troy smirk a little at her before he brushed the back of his knuckles of his left hand against her right heated cheek. Clearing her throat and closing her eyes to try to regroup from that embarrassing moment, Gabriella opened her eyes again to stare back at her boyfriend with her cheek now resting in the palm of his left hand a little. "I love you too Troy," she declared, feeling a five ton brick being lifted off of her heart for finally voicing her true emotions. "I think I realized that a while ago and just didn't know how to say it, how you'd react."
Troy took his time studying her face, searching for the answer to the question in his mind, but decided to voice it instead. "Why were you so scared to tell me something so sweet, so meaningful?"
She gently shrugged her shoulders, leaning forward a little so she could wrap her arms around his waist, tucking her head right under his chin, enjoying the feel of his muscular arms wrapped around her in return. Filling her senses with his comforting scent that was uniquely him, Gabriella let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and replied, "I wanted you to know that I truly meant it, that I take those words seriously. I guess I was scared you'd think it was too soon and freak out about it, like how Chad did when Taylor told him during some big fight that if he truly cared for her, Chad would shave his head or at least cut his fro down."
Gabriella felt the chuckle echo in Troy's chest at the memory but felt it even more when he adamantly shook his head. "Babe, how could you even think that this was on the same level as Chad being an idiot and fighting with Taylor over something stupid, allowing it to escalate to him demanding to know how he was supposed to show her he cared when she wasn't getting enough of his attention earning that reply? No, this is far more important, far more emotional, far more romantic, and, well, far closer to the heart. The risk of both of us admitting our true feelings, our love, out loud, is one of the most amazing moments in my life so far Brie."
"And what a long life you've lived at seventeen years Wildcat," teased Gabriella, giggling as he laughed with her.
"All right jokester, since when am I the sentimental and vulnerable one, aka the girl, while you get to be the insensitive moment breaker, aka the guy?" joked back Troy, chuckling a bit more as Gabriella rolled her eyes.
"Hey, does that mean I get to wear my pants halfway down my butt so that I can be cool, showing off my underwear?" threw back Gabriella, grinning as Troy let out a low growl from his throat. "Aww, the Wildcat seems mad all of a sudden."
Troy unconsciously tightened his hold on Gabriella, bringing her body so it was even more so flush against his body while he stared down into her face. "Because, you're my Brie! Only I get to see those sexy undergarments and I haven't even seen them so why should every other guy get to?"
Gabriella's mouth formed an O shape as she understood his angle better. "And that's different than all the girls at school knowing what color your boxers are and whether you are a boxer or brief guy how?"
"Why Gabriella, I had no idea you checked out my ass so often," smirked Troy, over exaggerating his pain as Gabriella rightfully so smacked him on the arm. "Oww, you are stronger than you look."
"And you say I ruin the moment. You just completely derailed it," huffed Gabriella before turning back around and scooping up the utensils she was washing again.
Troy let her go and took a step back, quietly observing her movements, trying to decipher from her body language if he was really in trouble or not. 'She started the joking first so I thought we were just teasing each other. Brie can't be that mad over my joke can she? Nah, look at the way her back is still fairly relaxed. Whenever she's mad, her back stiffens completely. Yeah, you're okay Bolton, but just to make sure, gotta do something sweet here man.'
Gabriella heard his approaching steps just before she saw his arms reach into the water to grab the spare sponge to start washing the pot that had been soaking beneath the lukewarm suds. She felt her body tremble a little as Troy's arms brushed against each of her sides, caging her in to the sink, finding she didn't mind at all. Both continued to wash the dishes together that way, managing not to break anything in the process. As Troy put the last glass into the dishwasher, he returned to his former position while Gabriella was busy draining the sink and then rinsing the lingering suds off the sides.
When that was complete, Gabriella was unable to resist any longer and allowed her back to rest against his hardened chest, a sigh escaping her lips as Troy's arms circled her waist again, keeping her snuggly there in front of him. She turned her head and gave him a sweet smile before she leaned up and kissed Troy's chin, being the only part of his face she could reach from her position. "Thanks for helping Troy. See, your parents know they raised you right."
"Only when you're around," said Troy, smiling back at her before kissing her forehead.
Gabriella took the initiative this time and turned herself around, never losing eye contact with Troy until they were properly face to face. Troy allowed her to continue taking the lead and bit back a moan as her soft lips finally met his, her tongue tentatively seeking permission to enter his as her arms went up to circle around his neck, Gabriella's toes elevating her just enough to properly kiss Troy, effectively, deeply, and passionately. When she pulled away, she couldn't help but grin as Gabriella saw the slight puffiness of Troy's lips that outlined his grin at the moment. It was those twinkling light blue eyes of Troy's though that took Gabriella's breath away, seeing every soft emotion he was feeling at the moment, the way she was sure hers were echoing the same. "I love you Troy," she murmured, savoring the freedom and ease at which those meaningful words left her mouth.
"I love you too Gabriella," replied Troy, brushing back some of the stray wavy hairs that had escaped her half ponytail so that the dark tendrils now curled behind her ear. "That feels so damn good, you know that?"
She nodded her agreement. "Oh, I know all right. You know, as much of a struggle and effort this whole process was, to get us to where we are today, I can't be sorry for any of it."
"You mean that?" he asked, knowing he didn't really need to based on the sincerity currently on her face.
"Every word," stated Gabriella, realizing at that very moment how very light and happy her mood was, all because of three simple words strung together and hearing them back from the guy who meant the world to her now and probably forever.