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Troy sleepily walked to his locker to get out the things he'd need for the first three periods of the day. 'I really hate Mondays,' thought Troy as he grabbed his three notebooks and then closed his locker.
He turned around and felt himself instantly wake up as he spotted Gabriella smiling back at him from down the hall. Troy started walking towards her but felt two arms being thrown about his waist from behind. He turned to see who it was and suppressed a groan as he saw Sharpay grinning back at him. Quickly, he turned his attention back down the hall just in time to see Gabriella give him an even bigger smile that stumped him before she turned around and walked casually back down the hall.
"Brie!" he called out, realizing that she was too far down in the crowded hallway to hear him. Troy instead looked back down at Sharpay who was blinking her eyes innocently at him. "Sharpay, I thought we were clear yesterday."
"We were, just friends, but I still think that you're giving up something great which is why I've already forgiven you Troy. We were simply meant to be and I won't allow a rash decision on your part ruin something great," stated Sharpay, her arms still tightly wound around his waist.
Troy firmly grabbed Sharpay's hands that were locked together at his waist and separated them, allowing him to step out of her grasp. "Sharpay, please, don't make this any harder than it already is. I thought you understood, we're going to be just friends from now on at the most, nothing more."
"But Troy," started Sharpay, ending when Troy shook his head.
"No Sharpay and I mean it," replied Troy, looking Sharpay in the eyes so she knew he was absolutely serious. With that, he turned on his heel and walked down the hall, oblivious to the stare that Sharpay was openly giving him as she stood where he left her, absolutely shocked that he blew her off so easily.
"Hey guys, what's up?" asked Troy as he approached Chad and Jason as they were lounging outside of the classroom where homeroom would start in a few minutes.
"Not much. Where's the perky blonde?" teased Chad as he and Troy did their special shake in greeting. "Usually, I'd hear her stupid fake giggle by now."
"You make her sound like an airhead," returned Troy, rolling his eyes.
"Well isn't she?" asked Jason, causing a laugh from both boys. "I mean, just some of the things she does, things even I wouldn't do. I can openly admit I'm on the slower side but that girl, she'll cover it up with her dramatic ways and everything if she can."
Chad scoffed at this. "You actually think she's slow J?"
The three guys turned their heads in the direction of a not so discreet cough and saw Zeke standing a few feet away as he started walking towards them again. "You aren't trashing poor Sharpay again are you?"
Chad rolled his eyes. "Of course not, nothing but the truth right guys?"
Jason nodded his agreement. "You have to admit Zeke, she's not the best girlfriend material. Even Troy here knows that enough to back out of whatever dating scenario he had going on with her."
Zeke turned his attention back to Troy, a now hopeful expression on his face. "You actually ended the dating?"
Troy nodded his head. "Was way overdue. Just wasn't meant to be. Besides, to be honest man, I started getting this feeling you cared for her way more than I ever did."
Zeke's cheeks blushed at this statement and shyly nodded his head. "I can't help it Troy, she's just, amazing."
A louder cough was heard this time and the two looked up to see Chad barely holding in his laughter. "Chad," warned Troy, knowing how sensitive Zeke was about his crush on Sharpay. After Gabriella returned from the summer, not only did Troy spend time thinking about her and their possible future but he had also started noticing how Zeke's face lit up in that special way whenever Sharpay was in the same room with him, the way Zeke's eyes always followed Sharpay around. 'He does have it bad for her and as much as I was attracted to her, I don't see how he could be that much into her but hey, to each his own.'
"What? It's just, I find it hilarious how whipped this boy is over a girl who barely acknowledges he breathes!" exclaimed Chad, earning a glare from Zeke. "Dude, come on, there are way better girls for you than Sharpay Evans. What about Martha?"
"No offense to Martha but no thanks. You just don't see Sharpay like I do and probably never will," returned Zeke, anger in his voice.
Instead of taunting him further, Chad just nodded his head. "All right dude, all right. I didn't mean to make you mad."
Zeke took a few moment before he put a smile on his face again. "It's all right Chad but can you guys just lay off of me about this? I know it's a long shot that may never happen but I'm allowed to crush on whoever I choose, no matter what you guys think, all right?"
"I'm with you there man, we all are," replied Troy, new respect blooming in him for his friend. "Well that is except for Chad and Jason here who happen to have girlfriends who are now coming down the hall."
"Hey guys," greeted Taylor, kissing Chad on the cheek before walking into the classroom. Kelsi waved as she went by, stopping briefly to kiss Jason on the cheek as well, before heading into the classroom to join Taylor at her desk.
"Stop staring at them, you know they can feel that," teased Martha as she also walked by, a teasing grin on her face. "God, I love a good taunt in the morning."
A small giggle came from behind her, causing Troy to look over and grin himself as he saw Gabriella with a free smile on her lips. 'She really is so beautiful and just so adorable,' thought Troy as she walked closer to the guys. "Morning everyone!" she greeted, waving at the three other guys before turning her brown eyes on Troy's blue eyes, staring intently into his for a moment before she gave him another sweet smile and walked into the classroom.
Troy was about to follow her in when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Zeke grinning back at him. "Got it bad for her still huh? I figured as much at the party."
"Yeah, well, what can I say? I was stupid this summer but have now come to my senses. I gladly clear the way for you to have Sharpay but I'll do that with Brie, never," returned Troy, doing his best to ignore the smirks and chuckles coming from Chad and Jason at that very moment.
"I hear you man, I hear you," said Zeke as he and Troy both walked into the classroom, leaving Jason and Chad to burst into laughter back in the hall.
Lunch so far had been uneventful for the gang as they sat around their usual table in the cafeteria and talked about everything from the test later on in the day for the honors students to the latest draft in some professional sport none of the girls were paying much attention to. Gabriella had sat in between Taylor and Kelsi at the table, quietly eating her lunch directly across from Troy, who had been unabashedly watching her from there as he ate his own lunch. He found it charming the way that they had come full circle to this shy stage again despite everything that had happened between the two of them so far. Troy felt his heart speed up as Gabriella giggled at something probably stupid that Jason just said and felt himself shaking his own head at the silly state of mind he found himself in by just being with her, even without talking.
Luckily, Sharpay and Ryan had both moved back to their own drama club table on the upper level today, hinting that maybe that would be their new spot from now on. Troy caught Zeke glancing up that way and smirked, knowing the same longing look probably was on his own face as he went back to gaze across the way at Gabriella.
"So Gabriella, I was thinking we should totally have a girls' night on Saturday. We could go to the movies and have one of our infamous sleepovers. We haven't done that in quite some time, you have to agree," announced Taylor, also looking at Martha and Kelsi. "Girls' night all right for you two?"
"Sounds like fun," agreed Martha. "Just, well we have to make sure we pull the blinds and curtains tightly this time to avoid any peepers like last time all right?"
Kelsi laughed and nodded her agreement. "I'm in and I have to agree on the curtains thing. No more spying, got us boys?"
"Hey, just because Jason almost broke his arm from falling out of the tree when he saw you sliding on a pair of boxer shorts for pajamas does not mean we were spying," defended Chad. "I mean, we love tree climbing for our guys' nights."
"Do you even know how stupid you sound Chad?" asked Taylor as she rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. "Tree climbing as a guys' night. Why don't you go rock climbing instead then?"
"That's actually not a bad idea," threw in Zeke. "What do you say boys? Have our own night of fun Saturday?"
Jason immediately nodded his head. "Rock climbing sounds fun. There's also a great go-kart track in that new center they built last year. We could go there."
"Dude, that's brilliant!" exclaimed Chad, a grin now on his face. "See girls, we will be safely occupied and away from your home to invade. Whose house is it going to be at anyway?"
"Whoa, hang on, neither Gabriella or Troy have said anything. You two haven't planned something on your own yet have you?" asked Taylor.
Troy shook his head. "Although, that doesn't sounds like a bad idea. What do you think Brie? You and me, alone?"
Gabriella giggled softly as he wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I'm sorry guys but I can't. I have plans this weekend already."
"Plans? Come on Gab, we haven't hung out with just us girls for so long," pleaded Martha. "Please?"
Gabriella shook her head at her friend. "I'm sorry, I can't. You three will have fun without me, trust me."
"No we won't, it's not the same without your beautiful singing voice rounding out our performances with Martha dancing, Kelsi playing, and me just making a fool of myself in front of that stupid camcorder," replied Taylor.
"Camcorder?" asked Chad, his interest piqued.
"Performing?" repeated Jason, himself also intrigued as to what else really happened during these girls' nights.
"Yes and yes but no you will never see the tapes," replied Kelsi, smiling a little at Jason's groan at this.
The friends continued to argue over the future of the tapes the girls had filmed already, leaving Troy and Gabriella to stare at each other without words, silently communicating with each other. He grinned at her and tilted his head towards the exit of the cafeteria and Gabriella, who had just finished her lunch, nodded her head in agreement. The two gathered their things and left with only Zeke and Taylor seeing them leave, neither saying a word as Gabriella and Troy headed out to Troy's spot on the roof, unconsciously holding hands.
When Gabriella and Troy settled down on the bench, Troy turned his attention back on Gabriella and softly cupped Gabriella's face between his hands. Before Gabriella knew it, Troy was kissing her, a series of kisses that were both sweet and sensual.
"Mmm, Troy," murmured Gabriella, gently pulling away from his hold on her. "As much as I love that, I have a feeling you pulled me up here for a reason and we don't have that much time left of lunch."
Troy checked his watch and saw that Gabriella was right, there were only eleven minutes left until the bell. He drew in a deep breath and let it out before looking back into her eyes. "Will you go out with me Friday night as it seems like you're busy on Saturday?"
Gabriella bit her lip a little as she shook her head. "I'm sorry Troy, I can't. I'm busy this weekend."
"Oh," returned Troy, looking away in hopes of masking his disappointment. He let the silence continue as he thought of what she could be doing and realized what the answer was to keep her busy all weekend. "Tristan's coming back into town isn't he?"
She hesitated for a moment before she nodded her head. "He is," replied Gabriella softly. "Look Troy, I'm sorry."
Troy shook his head at this. "Don't be, you're a free agent, free to date whoever you want. I just wish it was different, that you'd date me."
Gabriella saw the pain on his face and felt her heart tug at this. Not knowing what else to do, she dropped down onto her knees on the floor in front of Troy, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Troy, you know that I care for you, honestly I do. We agreed remember? No restrictions, just time, time to figure everything out for both of us. I know last week kind of was a bad reflection of that agreement but that was both of us misunderstanding each other. I put a lot of thought into what you said to me on Saturday night and I agree, you aren't the type to cheat on me, not if you knew that my heart would be so easily jeopardized but it's hard for me because it happened to me not even a year ago. That type of stuff doesn't leave a girl that easily."
"And I get that, I do, but why do I have to pay the price for someone else's mistakes?" asked Troy, his voice husky with unexpressed emotions. "I'm telling you Brie, whoever cheated on you was an idiot and I don't know if you know but I called it quits with Sharpay this weekend. No more casual dating for me, I just want you."
She blinked back tears at this, sitting back a little. "Do you really mean that?"
"I wouldn't say it unless it was true Brie," returned Troy. He reached out and cupped her face again in his hands. "You really do mean that much to me and I realized that this past week. If you still are deciding, then you're deciding but my decision has been made."
"Oh Troy," murmured Gabriella before she launched herself into his arms, feeling him picking her up from the ground and placing her down on his lap so she was now sitting sideways to him, his left arm supporting her lower back as his hand rested flat against her stomach.
"No words Brie, nothing else matters right now but that you're here with me," said Troy as he leaned in and kissed her with all the soft emotions he was feeling at the moment.
They stayed in that embrace together until the bell rang, forcing them both to pull away with sheepish smiles on their face. "You really are too sweet Wildcat."
"Just another perfect memory to remember Brie," returned Troy before he picked up his stuff as she did the same.
Gabriella and Troy walked back down the stairs, hands intertwined, and soon joined the general student body who were all milling around, getting ready for the second half of their day at East High. Before Troy dropped Gabriella off at her classroom, Troy remembered his earlier confusion over Gabriella's smile at Sharpay's affections.
"Brie, before you go, why'd you smile at me when Sharpay wrapped herself around me this morning?" asked Troy, wanting to know the answer.
She gave him a sweet smile before she explained, "Because, like I said upstairs, I know now that your intentions are true and good and that you would never intentionally hurt me. Besides, I could tell from your body language this morning that you didn't welcome it and that said a lot to me Wildcat. Not bad for not even knowing until lunch that you two were over. Are you still sure about that though?"
Troy instantly nodded his head. "I couldn't be more so if I tried to be. Shit, I better run before I'm late," muttered Troy as he saw the clock down the hall showed he had a minute left to get to class. He leaned down and kissed Gabriella quickly before he reluctantly let her go and ran down the hall.
Gabriella watched as he rounded the corner down the hallway before she herself walked into her classroom, instantly blushing as she saw Taylor giving her a knowing look as she took a seat next to her best friend. "What?"
Taylor smirked and shook her head. "Nothing."
The two shared a smile as the bell rang, both knowing that Gabriella may have a lot on her mind but her decision was starting to look clearer as each day passed.