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"Dude, where the hell is she?" murmured Troy in a low voice so only he and Chad could hear. "I don't understand why she wouldn't let me pick her up."
Chad laid a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder, feeling immediately how tense Troy was as his blue eyes scanned the quickly filling hallway where Gabriella's locker was located, Troy's back resting against Gabriella's locker, his healing right hand holding a small bouquet of white and mixed red and yellow gerbera daisies. "Gab will be here, don't worry," he assured Troy, seeing Troy acknowledge him with a small nod.
Troy jumped as he felt a light hand on his left arm, tearing his gaze away from his search to gaze into a pair of light brown eyes that were definitely not Gabriella's. "Sharpay…"
"Hi Troy," she greeted, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "How was your weekend?"
He felt her hand begin to circle his upper arm and quickly stepped away, smiling instead back at her. "Umm, hey Sharpay. Weekend was great, yours?"
Sharpay tilted her blonde head to the right, giving Troy a suspicious look. "Fabulous as usual," replied Sharpay. "You didn't call me as you promised."
"Didn't I?" returned Troy, distracted by a brunette head of hair he spotted far down the hall, moving closer to him.
As the slow smile spread across Troy's face, Sharpay narrowed her eyes on him, not seeing Chad who was staring at her. "Troy, you most certainly didn't! Troy, I'm talking here!"
Troy's head snapped back to glance back at Sharpay, modifying the smile on his face to give her a distracted but apologetic smile before turning his head again to watch Gabriella get closer to him, dressed in skinny jeans and a purple sweater, talking to Taylor, Kelsi, and Martha all the way. Without another thought of the blonde dressed in all shades of pink behind him, Troy walked through the crowd of East High students to meet Gabriella halfway, resisting the urge to scoop her up in his arms as she graced him with her sweet smile.
"For you madam," said Troy as he presented her with the bouquet he had been hiding behind his back. He felt his grin stretch as Gabriella took them from his hand, surprising him by taking his right hand in hers and lightly kissing the back of it where his wounds were still healing before leaning up and kissing his cheek.
"Thanks Wildcat," she murmured, a blush on both of their cheeks. "Being sweet to distract me from all these death glares I'm getting huh?"
Troy looked around and rolled his eyes as he saw some of the crowd staring and whispering while others were giving Gabriella dirty looks while others plainly didn't seem to notice anything unusual. "Yeah, well, I am partially responsible for the death glares."
"What do you mean?" asked Gabriella, puzzled by his admission.
Taking her hand in his good one, Troy started them walking towards Gabriella's locker so she could get her stuff for the morning. "Well, when we weren't together, although I think we were still together but I misunderstood things, I was a bit careless in whatever messages I was sending girls as Taylor so accurately and plainly pointed out to me."
Taylor scoffed from behind the pair. "Now he says he believes me."
Troy glanced back and just smiled at her while Taylor rolled her own eyes at him. "So I was dense at the time. I know now right?"
"I suppose," returned Taylor, kissing Chad as soon as they reached Gabriella's locker where he was now leaning against a set of lockers a few down with no sign of Sharpay. "You must be hanging out with this one too much."
Kelsi and Martha both burst into giggles at this, making Chad very suspicious as to why he was the butt of the joke again. "Do I want to know?" he asked.
Martha shook her head. "No, nothing new anyway."
Troy enjoyed the sound of Gabriella's own giggle, the only one he really heard, as she opened her locker and started going through it, putting the flowers in her open backpack as a temporary place for them to be held. "I've missed that giggle of yours. It's like music to my ears."
Kelsi smiled as she saw Troy and Gabriella share a quick but tender kiss, glad to see with her own eyes that things were okay, having trusted Taylor at her word when she told Martha and Kelsi beforehand that Troy and Gabriella were back together but knowing that seeing this was far more believable than anything else. She watched as Gabriella focused again on her locker, noticing how Troy kept his healing hand on Gabriella's waist at all times, almost unconsciously as Troy was now busy talking to Chad.
"You would never know they had a break or a fight or whatever it was," murmured Martha, voicing Kelsi's own thoughts.
"I've always thought they were meant to be, destined to be together," returned Kelsi, her own eyes twinkling with happiness at seeing both of her friends in a much better state together than they had been apart.
"You always have been a hopeless romantic, even in third grade," commented Martha, nudging Kelsi's shoulder with her own when she spied Gabriella and Troy looking at some of the pictures on Gabriella's locker door. "You know, we should surprise her with some new pictures. All those were from last year."
"But there weren't any from the summer," Kelsi said, reminding Martha that Gabriella had been interning in Los Angeles and not with them at Lava Springs.
Taylor overheard this idea and thought it was a great way to get Gabriella looking forward, to have recent pictures. "I think I have some from the last parts of summer, group shots and them alone. Maybe you two can come over today after school and we can pick the ones we want and surprise her tomorrow?"
"So there!" exclaimed Martha while Kelsi just nodded her head.
The warning bell interrupted their plans from going any further as the group of six friends moved away from Gabriella's locker to make their way to homeroom, temporarily leaving a blonde behind who had heard exactly what she wanted to, knowing the next move she would make. 'Troy and Gabriella are back together, how very cute. Too bad they won't remain happily together for much longer, not after a strategic attack and thankfully I have exactly what I need to make it all happen by the time school ends…'
"But Troy, I thought you left Gabriella," a petite blonde pouted from one side.
"Of course he did. Don't you know, Troy is my boyfriend now," stated a taller brunette from the other side, having the guts to lay her hand on Troy's left arm.
"Are you kidding? He so has plans to hook up with me today, don't you Troy?" argued a red head from another side while another brunette just stared at Troy from where she was standing before him, giving him a flirtatious wink and appraising glance.
Troy coughed and nervously ran his hand up and down the back of his neck, feeling highly uncomfortable at the moment, surrounded by some cheerleaders who he had previously allowed to hang onto him and flirt with him a few weeks ago. 'Perhaps it really was a short time ago but it seems like forever now…'
"So who is right Troy? Who did you pick?" demanded the red head, getting tired of the idea of sharing the hot basketball captain with other girls, even if they were her friends.
He gently shook any hold any of them had on him as he dragged in a deep breath, choosing his words wisely. "Actually, I'm sorry but I couldn't have possibly have chosen from any of you amazing girls so it's none of you, sorry."
"But Troy!" exclaimed one of the brunettes.
"What about us? Our connection?" demanded the blonde.
"Your connection? All you could possibly be connected to is that cell phone you are always on!" argued the red head.
Amidst the chaos unfolding around Troy after school where his locker was, Troy's ears picked out the distinct and familiar giggle of a girlfriend nearby. His head snapped up as he flung some of his hair out of his face, his blue eyes searching for the owner, resisting the urge to grin from ear to ear at the sight of her laughing at him along with Chad and Zeke just yards away. Troy's heart momentarily contracted at the thought that Gabriella could be upset by this scene but reminded himself that if she was laughing at him that Gabriella saw the humor in the situation and found it very entertaining at his cost.
"Ladies, please. I'm sorry, but I really must go," stated Troy, cutting through the semi-circle he had allowed himself to get boxed into against his locker, sauntering the rest of the way over to his girlfriend and friends. "Well I'm glad you found that amusing Miss Montez."
Gabriella just smiled her sweet smile at him and shook her head. "I can tell you really did give the girls reasons to glare at me this morning. Neon lights declaring you were single again I hear were used."
"Maybe so if their behavior back there was any indication," returned Troy, grabbing a hold of her hand with his as the four started walking towards Gabriella's locker a few hallways down. "Despite your laughter, you're probably mad at me huh?"
Surprising all three boys, Gabriella shook her head. "How can I be when you thought we were over? I think in the last week plus alone, you have shown me who really matters to you and that means more than any silly glance you give a girl."
Troy let out a huge sigh of relief that made Zeke and Chad both crack up. "Shut up you two!"
"Can't help it Captain! You have someone for sure looking over you, that much I am sure of now as I think they just saved you a bitchfest that I would have gotten from Taylor for even talking to one of those cheerleaders let alone four," commented Chad, glancing over his shoulder only to see the four cheerleaders staring at them with narrowed eyes. "And they are definitely intensifying those dirty looks now."
Zeke looked backed and chuckled, seeing the same look of envy each of the girls plus a few others were giving Gabriella at the moment. "Check it out! Gabriella sure is the center of attention and it's all for her eye candy!"
Gabriella and Chad both laughed at Zeke's joke while Troy glared at both Zeke and Chad. "Hey, if Gabriella is okay with me hanging out with them so should you two!"
"I think I'm fine with it when you thought what you thought then but I don't think in all honesty I can handle you flirting with them every day and it better not be anything more than just that Wildcat," said Gabriella, earning "oooh"s from Chad and Zeke before they started laughing again.
Troy just rolled his eyes, annoyed with their immaturity as they finally reached her locker. He gently pushed Gabriella against her locker, placing one hand each above her shoulders on the locker, looking down into her dark brown eyes. "You know that there's only one woman for me and that's you Brie, always will be. All the cheerleaders, drama queens, and female athletes in the world could never hold a single flame up to the wildfire that is you Gabriella."
Unconsciously, Gabriella's lips curved upward as she listened to Troy's words. "What did I do to deserve you Troy?"
"No, what did I ever do to deserve you?" he murmured before Troy leaned his head down and captured her lips with his, feeling the true connection and passion pass between them in that moment, savoring the feel of her petite hands reaching up and wrap around his neck. Troy didn't let up until he felt a hand pat Troy's right shoulder blade none too lightly.
"Captain, in the middle of a hallway here. Not exactly the place to get your freak on. School is out, take it home or something!" exclaimed Chad, laughing more as he got best friend's death glare. "Don't make me wish I had old moody, depressed, oblivious Troy back from a few weeks ago. I didn't think there would ever be a time when I'd want that again."
This caught Gabriella's attention as she finally looked away from Troy's amazing blue eyes that told her so much more than he communicated verbally. "What are you talking about Chad?"
"Oh, just when you were away, Troy was very down, quiet, heartbroken Troy," explained Zeke before Chad could open his mouth. "He'd disappear at lunches and was never himself, especially the guy that allowed for all those girls and even Sharpay hang on him and coo over him. Even before you came Gab, I've never seen Troy just be that passive with girls."
Gabriella arched a black eyebrow at this. "Passive? Troy? Not to say you are aggressive or anything Troy but I can't even picture you the way these two are painting you to have been right now."
Troy shrugged his shoulders, thinking back to his own thoughts of himself and his behavior only a few weeks ago now. "What can I say? Without you, I'm nothing," supplied Troy, earning himself a soft kiss on the cheek from his girlfriend.
"Ugh, I am so going to get a cavity from all this sweetness," joked Chad, pumping fists with Zeke, who chuckled with him. "Come on, let's get Gab's stuff so we can get out of this hell hole for the day! We've got an off day from practice today but Coach is expecting us at your house within an hour dude."
"All right, all right," said Troy, kissing Gabriella quickly one last time before pushing himself off her locker with his hands, allowing Gabriella to focus on her combination.
Troy leaned his shoulder on the locker next to hers instead, turning his attention to Zeke and Chad, who started talking about some new things they wanted to try for practice. His focus though was returned to Gabriella when he heard her small gasp, seeing tears well up in her eyes as she stared at a piece of paper in her hands. Shooting Chad an alarmed look, Troy quickly stood upright and peered over Gabriella's shoulder, barely holding in his anger at the idiot who put that note with pictures together.
Surprise! I couldn't resist coming to see you, ditching school and all. I was staring at these pictures of us over the weekend and despite everything, I really love you Ella. Come meet me tonight, midnight, at that park you took me to with your friends for that picnic during the end of summer. I'll be waiting and can't wait to hold you in my arms again. Love, Tristan
Troy's eyes saw the pictures of Gabriella with Tristan, three in total, one printed above the typed out letter itself and the two at the bottom, both looking to be within the last year. 'Who the fuck could be sick enough to do this?'
Feeling his senses pick up a heavy stare, Troy tore his eyes away from the pictures and printed letter and quickly scanned the hallway, feeling his hands, even his still healing right hand, ball into tight fists as he spied the source.
Chad too looked around and spotted the smirking blonde who was openly watching Gabriella's breakdown with amusement and another look on her face, something very close to victory. "Why that little pink bitch…"
It was only Gabriella's sniffles that sneaked their way into Troy's mind that drew him back to the issue at hand, Gabriella's emotional reaction to the obviously fake letter. "Come here babe, it's okay," he murmured, embracing Gabriella tightly, letting her cry for a while before she managed to recompose herself.
Chad meanwhile managed to sneak the letter away from Gabriella's hands, quickly folding it and sliding it into his pocket before he looked back over to see Sharpay still watching the scene unfold. "What the fuck did she want to accomplish with this and why is she watching with that almost prideful look on her face?"
Zeke, who by now was putting it all together, at least enough to know that Sharpay had managed to somehow make Gabriella upset yet again, just shook his head, wondering how he could have crushed on someone for so long that was so devious and seemingly heartless. "I don't know but the guts to just watch like this is, well, wow. What's in the letter that's making Gab this upset?"
Glancing back and seeing Gabriella now in better control, Chad just shook his head. "Later man, later."
"Zeke, can you stay with Gabriella?" asked Troy suddenly, his blue eyes now hard and narrowed on the pink clad girl down the hallway.
"Uh, sure," replied Zeke, even now more confused.
"Troy, what's going on? Where are you going?" questioned Gabriella, wiping away the last of the tears, more focused on what was going on now with her boyfriend, forgetting temporarily about the reason why she had cried in the first place.
"Taking care of this and making sure she never hurts you again," murmured Troy, kissing Gabriella's forehead before reluctantly letting her go. He saw Zeke wrap a comforting arm around Gabriella's waist before Troy pulled the plug on his barely contained control as he stalked down the hallway toward the blonde, who just now seemed to realize that Troy had put it all together correctly. Before she scurried down the hall too far, Troy managed to step in front of Sharpay, halting her escape, barely aware that Chad was hovering somewhere nearby.
"Troy! How nice of you to come talk to me. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me, about us," stated Sharpay, putting her best face forward.
"Cut the shit Sharpay. There is no us and heaven help me but I wish I could just forget all about you, that I was a big enough idiot to not see you for what you are," gritted Troy, controlling himself enough to not physically lash out at the girl, knowing he'd never be able to live with himself if he went that far. "What is your issue? You came off just a few weeks ago like you wanted to be sincere friends but then you pull this type of crap?"
"Language Troy," returned Sharpay, smirking a little at him, enjoying the raw passion that rolled off him at that very moment, even if it was anger and directed at her. "I don't know what you are talking about. Did Tristan do something again?"
"No, he certainly didn't. This has the smell of expensive yet cheap smelling perfume. You may as well have hand written it with a pink sparkly pen Sharpay. What were you hoping for with that letter? To get Gabriella to yearn for Tristan and for us to fight?" demanded Troy.
Sharpay paused, realizing that her cleverly devised plan was quickly falling apart, one she put together at lunch with a computer in the library and pictures she had Tristan send her when they were planning the breakup plan together initially. "Well aren't you angry that Gabriella is here with you again only to be having a rendezvous with Tristan?"
Her question made Troy shake his head in frustration, unsure of how Sharpay could be so calculating yet so stupid in her answering for it. "Don't you see what you just did there? You know what's in the letter Sharpay and I'm willing to bet that your intention was to cause more trouble for us but more importantly to hurt Gabriella. I won't stand for this, especially with what's happened recently with Tristan. How cruel can you be?"
"Cruel?" scoffed Sharpay. "Cruel is your supposed girlfriend harboring a love for some other guy of her past. How can you stand her hurting you so? Using you since Tristan isn't here. So maybe I did write the note but it was for your own good so you would see her true feelings for him. I bet she would have gone to that lake too."
"So you admit it then, that it was you," stated Troy, simply and to the point, his eyes boring into hers.
Sharpay shrugged her shoulders, not seeing the harm into admitting to it now. "I did but it was for you Troy! I want to protect you, I have your best interests in heart, honest!"
A deep sarcastic laugh escaped Troy's lips as he heard Sharpay's words, rolling off too easily for Troy to believe that Sharpay harbored any guilt whatsoever about her actions and what they meant. "If you are so interested in my well-being, stay the hell away from me and Gabriella both, do you hear me? I honestly thought you were better than this Sharpay, that you had a heart somewhere inside you but I guess I was wrong."
"Well if I did have a heart, it was ripped out by your own hands when you broke up with me!" screamed Sharpay, accidentally confessing a feeling she hadn't voiced to anyone, not even her twin or her faithful followers. "Yes, status and everything else that goes with dating you is amazing but did you even stop to think that I could have really cared for you, still care?"
This caught Troy off guard, so much that he had no words to respond back with but heard Chad replying for him. "Really? You really expect Troy to believe that you truly care for him, for who he is without the Captain title, away from East High after all you have done?"
"I did it for him Puffball although I admit I have my own motives but Troy deserves the best, simply put. Can't you see that now Troy? How I've been trying to show you that I am the best for you, that Gabriella is still hung up on her ex?" returned Sharpay, turning her attention from Chad back to Troy, her eyes searching his face.
After a few more moments of silence that dragged on between them, Troy finally made a move by shaking his head. "I think that you'd like to believe you care for me, just as I honestly cared for you, but I think if nothing else I have learned that Sharpay Evans only cares for Sharpay Evans. I do have to ask this though. What were you planning on doing once Gabriella was at that lake? Were you going to ambush her with more torturous images of her past?"
The remaining steel in his voice caught Sharpay's attention. "Torturous images of her past? Tristan is still in her life as far as I know," stated Sharpay, wondering what Troy was getting at, some part of her in the deepest part of her soul getting a sinking feeling.
"Tristan is dead Sharpay," replied Troy, letting those four words hang between the three of them as he watched her face carefully, seeing if Sharpay actually knew.
"What? No, now I know you're tricking me," stumbled Sharpay, shock of the news resonating in her mind, a part of her brain realizing why Gabriella had reacted the way she had, why Troy was now so angry with her. "Tristan can't be dead. She's lying to you if she told you that! She just wants you back!"
Seeing the genuine shock on her face and knowing she wasn't that good of an actress to pull that off so well, Troy found himself believing her. "Trust me, he is, not that it should matter much to you anyway. Just please Sharpay, if you ever cared for me at all, which I struggled to believe right now, leave Brie alone. She's doing the best she can without your interference."
Before Sharpay could say anything further, Chad and Troy both left her standing in the middle of the hallway, watching them return back to Zeke and Gabriella, watching with light brown eyes as Troy naturally wrapped Gabriella in his strong arms, holding her there before placing a gentle kiss on the top of her dark head, seeing the relief and love on Gabriella's face. For the first time in a very long time, Sharpay watched the couple as they finished getting Gabriella's stuff from her locker before closing it securely and walking off with Zeke and Chad without narrowed eyes or calculating thoughts swirling in her head. No, this time was different and it was different because Sharpay was for once speechless, in shock over what she had just learned about her former partner in crime, and actually as vulnerable as Sharpay Evans could be.