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Gabriella and Troy were walking along the path next to the field towards the gym on the Wednesday afternoon of the playoff game against West High when Gabriella noticed Troy tensed up significantly. She tugged on his hand gently but enough to make him look over at her. "What?" asked Troy.
Knowing they had some time since she had finished their tutoring session at 4:15 that day, Gabriella pulled Troy to sit with her on a bench along the wall. "Why are you so nervous?"
"I'm not nervous, you're crazy," replied Troy.
"No I'm not and stop lying. It's okay to be nervous about the game, Troy," returned Gabriella. "You have a lot at stake, like the rest of the team."
Troy let out a huge sigh and nodded his head. "Okay, I admit it, I'm not nervous but terrified. This is a huge game for East High and it's a huge game for me personally. If we don't win, our season ends today and this year, this year I want to see us get to State more than ever."
Gabriella hugged Troy as best as she could from where they were sitting and said, "Troy, I can completely understand your desire to win and make that difference this year. It's how I feel about the Scholastic Decathlon Competition this year, but even if you don't make it, you are still going to have the people who care about you most there for you. And if it's the scouts you are thinking of, they have been here in the gym plenty of times before to look at you and the other guys. One day isn't going to break any scholarship offerings."
"But that's what I'm afraid of. They see today as a pressure day, the day that it all comes down to and matters the most. What if I blow it?" asked Troy.
"Troy Bolton, I've watched you play all season this year and what I could after I transferred and I've never seen you drop the ball during a game. It's not going to start today, especially if you can put a sunny outlook on things," replied Gabriella. "Just go out there and do your best, lead by example. These guys on your team, they look up to you and Chad for guidance. If they see you freaking out, they will too. You have the makings of being a big time basketball player if that's where your dreams are made of, but you still have to take it day by day, game by game. Remember the gang's mantra this year, live for the moment today, not the future."
Troy grinned at his girlfriend as he nodded his head. "What did I do to deserve such an amazingly intelligent woman as my girlfriend?"
Gabriella shrugged with a small smile on her lips. "I don't know, I'll have to think of that and get back to you later."
She giggled as Troy pulled her onto his lap and kissed her neck gently. Gabriella pulled away and smiled at him before she kissed him softly on the lips. "Mmm, that is actually kind of soothing, kiss me again?" he asked.
Gabriella rolled her eyes but leaned in to kiss him again, this time a little longer and more passionate. Eventually, Gabriella pulled away and gave Troy a sweet look. "Now that the Wildcat Superstar is soothed, he's going to go out and play his heart out, right?"
Troy chuckled at her nickname for him and nodded. "Just for you, this game and this win, I am telling you now is dedicated to you, Gabriella."
"Then go out and do it," she returned as she scooted off of his lap and took his hand as they started walking towards the gym again.
Before Troy went into the locker room, he grabbed Gabriella's hand and pulled her close to him for one last, lingering kiss. "Had to have one for the game," said Troy with a wink before he disappeared into the locker room.
Gabriella turned and walked up the bleachers to the girls' usual spot for the games and was soon joined by Martha, Kelsi, Taylor, and Audrina. The girls started talking about their usual while Gabriella scanned the stands every once in a while. 'I hope Troy does play his best today. He was right, there are a number of scouts out here,' she thought as she finally spotted a few scattered about.
"So Gabriella, Kelsi, Taylor, and I were thinking that when the guys go to State this weekend, we would make a road trip and go to support them," stated Martha. "Want to come?"
Without hesitation, Gabriella agreed. "That sounds great and I really like this positive thinking, the guys need it right now," replied Gabriella. "Audrina, you aren't coming?"
Audrina shook her head. "I can't. My family and I already have tickets to go visit my grandparents in Texas for the weekend. I wish I could, but I trust that you will support Ryan enough for me."
"Yeah, but it won't be the same type of support he's used to from his girlfriend," answered Gabriella. "I don't think Troy would be all that happy if I jumped in his arms and kissed him square on the lips like you always do after a game."
"That's true, and I don't think I would be that happy either if you did that," replied Audrina with a little laugh.
"Speaking of relationships, looks like you and Troy worked triple time to recover from Saturday," mentioned Kelsi. "Are you truly okay now?"
"We are for the most part," spoke Gabriella. "I think he understands the situation with Sharpay a little better and I can see his thought process in not wanting to tell me, but we've agreed on how we're going to handle things going forward so it doesn't happen again."
"I don't know how you do it," stated Taylor. "I mean, you seem to manage to have the most intense relationship with a guy out of all of us and yet you seem to hold it together through it all."
Gabriella stared at her best friend with a disbelieving look. "Umm, let's think of who was in tears on Saturday, and several times before that. I wouldn't call that being together."
"Maybe," replied Martha, "but you always seem to be able to work through it instead of running away. Even this summer when you walked away from him, you weren't running away, not really."
"You had struggled up until that point at Lava Springs to try to hang on and even after the break, and when it was clear he wanted to try again, you gave him the opportunity. Troy is very lucky he has a mature and understanding girlfriend," added Kelsi. "You two have been through a lot but I think it has only made the two of you that much stronger. That isn't to say you are immune to nasty plots but that you at least fight for your love more than I think most people our age would. For me, you are a proof that special bond between two people isn't a myth but truth and that love does conquer all, Gabriella."
"At least I hope it does," murmured Gabriella as she spotted Sharpay with Tara and Joanna enter the gym on the opposite side and take a seat near the bottom on the opposite bleachers, most likely because East High's side was already full.
The guys from both teams entered the gym and started warming up shortly after and then gathered on their respective sides for meetings with their coaches. Soon Chad, Troy, Zeke, Jason, and Ryan were on the court, taking their positions for the start of the game. The ball was tossed up and Chad managed to knock it over in Ryan's direction, who took command and dribbled it down past a West player before he got blocked and passed to Jason, who made a clean shot.
After about an hour, the buzzer sounded, which indicated that the second quarter was now over and that the guys would have a fifteen-minute break spent in the locker room with Coach Bolton. Gabriella bounded down the bleachers before Troy went in and waved to him. He smiled back so she blew him a kiss and yelled "Go Wildcat Superstar!" which made Troy grin before he disappeared into the locker room.
"You know, you can be so sickly sweet," said Sharpay from behind Gabriella.
She turned and saw the evil blonde herself standing not two feet away with Joanna and Tara by her side. "Yeah, and it's not that good sticky sweet like taffy," added Tara.
Sharpay rolled her eyes at this. "I can't believe you are so naïve, Gabriella, to think that Troy would want you after he had me."
Gabriella stared at Sharpay for a moment before she dared to ask, "What are you talking about, Sharpay?"
"Well think about it, he and I were together for at least a couple of months. Do you really think that he would have stayed with me if I didn't keep him satisfied? After all, that's what you have to do to keep him, isn't it?" stated Sharpay.
"Actually, it's not. Sex isn't the only thing that keeps a guy happy in a relationship, Sharpay," returned Gabriella. "A guy like Troy requires someone who is connected to him heart and soul and who he can be himself with and that just wasn't you, Sharpay."
"Ouch, she got you there," commented Joanna.
"Shut up!" exclaimed Sharpay before she turned her attention back on Gabriella. "So you still haven't done it with him, huh? That's classic! It makes me wonder why he is with such a mousy little girl then when he could have me back in his arms. Maybe he'll realize what he's been missing lately when his appetite I used to satisfy comes back in full force, or has it already?"
Doubts and a small fear started forming in Gabriella's mind but she wasn't about to let Sharpay know that she succeeded in messing with her mind again. "I guess we'll just see about that, but as to why Troy would want something he already had, someone like you who he obviously left, I'll never know. Must suck to watch someone you are obviously so obsessed with be with someone who he truly loves when you never felt that feeling with him."
Sharpay looked briefly at Gabriella, surprised that there wasn't doubt on her face, before she said, "Actually, I was wondering how you must feel knowing you have to live up to another's girl's performance in bed. Maybe that's why you haven't done it with him. It's so sad that I had him before you did, that I even felt what his lips felt like on me before you did. If you want to talk about hand me downs, that's certainly a prime example."
"Well if he is so used Sharpay, why would a girl like you want him?" returned Gabriella, forcing herself to remain strong. "You always seem to like the newest and greatest things when it comes to everything, clothes, purses, a specially designed pink Mustang."
"For Troy, I make an exception to the rule, especially when I know he hasn't tasted any other girl yet since me. And if you had him already, you'd understand," replied Sharpay.
The guys started filing out of the locker rooms near where they were standing, ending that particular episode between the two girls. Sharpay, Joanna, and Tara flounced off back to their seats only after they gave Gabriella one last nasty look. Ryan noticed Sharpay leaving Gabriella behind her and saw the troubled eyes Gabriella had at the moment. He was about to go over to her when Coach Bolton called him over to the rest of the team. 'Later, I'll find out what's up later,' he thought as he jogged back up to the team.
After a deep breath, Gabriella walked back to the bleachers where her four friends demanded details of the run in which they had watched from a distance away. Knowing Sharpay was still watching her, Gabriella forced a smile on her face as she told them a recap of what happened.
"She so did not pull that stunt!" exclaimed Taylor. "Gabriella, you need to shut her up once and for all."
"I know that Taylor, but how?" asked Gabriella.
"Beat her at her own game," supplied Martha.
"But I don't want to play her game, period!" protested Gabriella. "That's her goal, she's trying to egg me on to get me to do what she wants."
"No, her goal is to make your life miserable," returned Audrina.
Taylor nodded her agreement. "Audrina is right. Sharpay is used to a Gabriella who is so quiet and demure that she would let Sharpay just waltz right in and take Troy away from you. Something similar that happened to this summer except that you started to surprise her and show her your backbone. If you want this relationship, you have to fight for it with everything you have."
"And it doesn't mean playing her game of nasty tricks either," said Kelsi. "Just be yourself and show what strength you have that she doesn't know about. That will surprise her even more."
"But what she said, what if Sharpay and Troy really were together like that? We all know her rep, I'd never live up to that," revealed Gabriella.
Taylor looked at her best friend sympathetically. "Look, if that's what has you worried, don't be. Troy wouldn't have put in the time and effort to win you back last semester if all he was after was sex. If what Sharpay says is true, he already had it with her but he left her primarily for you, which shows that he values you, Gabriella, not any sexual relationship he could have with anyone else."
"It bothers you though that he could have lost his virginity to her before you two even shared your first kiss though, huh?" voiced Kelsi.
Gabriella slowly nodded her head. "You hit it right on the spot, Kelsi."
The four girls didn't know what to say to this. Nothing would change the way she felt about Troy's possible past. Instead, they turned their attention back to the playoff game, which was now near the end of the third quarter. They collectively groaned as West stole the ball from Zeke, but cheered when Charles got it back and passed it to Troy, who made a three pointer.
After she cheered with the rest of the crowd, Gabriella sat back down and thought about what it would really mean if she heard it from Troy himself that he had shared his first time with Sharpay. 'Would it mean the end?' she thought. 'No, it's the past, right? But what if he does compare me when we do it, whenever that is? Gabriella, slow down. He has told you himself he can wait for you. But if he has already tasted it?' Gabriella shook her head to clear her troubled thoughts when the buzzer went off declaring the end of third quarter.
Down on the court, Troy looked up at the scoreboard and sighed, trying not to let his frustration rule his head. 'We're down fifteen points with only one quarter to go. Come on, Troy, think positive, like Gabriella said. It's just what, five three pointers to tie it up?' thought Troy as he tried to convince himself it was still possible to catch up.
"All right team, we may be down now but this last quarter has historically proven to always be your best," said Coach Bolton. "Keep your eyes on Chad and Troy. They are making the calls on the plays out there. I have faith that you guys can come back and more, you just have to be fast on your feet like you have been all season so far. But I have to say this now, win or lose, you guys will always be my boys."
The team nodded before Chad and Troy stepped in with the plays they wanted to execute before Chad led them in their traditional chant:
"WHAT TEAM?"
"WILDCATS!"
"WHAT TEAM?"
"WILDCATS!"
"WHAT TEAM?"
"WILDCATS!"
"WILDCATS!"
"GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!"
The girls realized they were yelling with the rest of the team from the bleachers when people around them stared at the five of them. "Oops," said Kelsi with a blush.
"Guess we've been hanging out with the guys too long," commented Martha with a laugh.
"Yeah, Chad would be so proud," joked Taylor.
They settled down after this and spoke only to cheer on the boys as the fourth quarter continued and they watched their friends play their best game ever, enough to actually catch up to the West High Knights. There were two and a half minutes left when a foul was called by a ref, who awarded West High with two free shots for having been knocked over by Jason. The player made both shots, which pushed West High back on top but Chad made sure to get his team back into position by throwing the ball over to Zeke, who made a three pointer, and then to Jason, who passed it successfully to Ryan, who did a layup to score again.
It came down to the last seven seconds and Troy knew he had to make this shot as he dribbled the ball back down the court. He chanced a look out at the stands and saw Gabriella smiling and knew he could do it. Troy stopped at the top of the key and shot the ball, not having much of a choice as two Knights headed his way. Everyone watched as the ball left Troy's fingertips and traveled the distance to the hoop. Swish!
The Knights took control of the ball in hope of trying to make something happen at the last second but Ryan stole the ball back just as the buzzer sounded, indicating that the East High Wildcats were victorious once again.
Kelsi, Taylor, Audrina, Martha, and Gabriella all jumped up and screamed as they headed down to the floor of the gym to congratulate the guys. Before Gabriella could step down off the bleachers though, she found Joanna and Tara stood in her way. "Move please," she said as she tried to get around them but they blocked her again.
"Sorry, can't do that," replied Tara with a nasty look on her face.
Gabriella gave them a frustrated look and asked, "Why?"
"We want you to see Troy's natural reaction to Sharpay," returned Joanna.
"What?" returned Gabriella but she understood their meaning as she saw Sharpay, who had beat the crowd to Troy, throw her arms around Troy tightly and that he returned the hug. 'I'm not going to let her get away with this.'
Gabriella pushed right through the middle of Tara and Joanna, who were both surprised by this and hurried over to where she last saw Troy with Sharpay. Gabriella pushed through the crowd that was gathered around the players and finally made it to Troy's side before Sharpay could kiss him. As she watched Sharpay's lips get closer to Troy's, Gabriella called Troy's name, which made him turn. "Gabriella!" he called out as he let go of Sharpay.
Gabriella took the moment to run to him and embrace him tightly as she kissed him passionately, not caring what anyone else thought. Troy picked Gabriella off the ground a little bit and then put her back down with a grin on his face. "Congratulations, Wildcat Superstar! I told you that you would be amazing!" she exclaimed.
"That you did. Actually, it was you who gave me that last bit of confidence I needed when I made that lost shot. Seeing you smiling down at me at that last moment helped," revealed Troy.
"Good, I'm glad I was able to help," replied Gabriella before she kissed him again. "I love you, Troy!"
"I love you too, Gabriella," answered Troy while Gabriella heard a distinct "hmph" from Sharpay before she saw the blonde fight her way out of the crowd. Gabriella smiled even wider after that and laughed as Troy was taken from her arms to be hoisted up into the air with Chad as their team carried them in celebration before the guys went into the locker room to change for a celebratory dinner with the gang.
At the gang's favorite diner down the street from East High, the mood was festive. Not only were they celebrating the win and trip the Wildcats basketball team just earned to State but also the scholastic decathlon team's victory at state this past Sunday.
"Can you believe it? Both teams are advancing to the final level!" exclaimed Taylor.
"Yeah except that your National isn't until the end of April, right? Ours is this weekend!" replied Chad. "I think I'd rather have more time to prepare!"
"Naw, our team is in great shape," said Zeke. "We play like we did today, as one, we'll be fine this Saturday."
"Winning something this huge is so euphoric," commented Ryan who had a grin from ear to ear.
The guys all looked at him and then laughed. "ROOKIE!" they teased as Ryan blushed.
Troy looked over at Gabriella who was sitting next to him at the table and smiled. "You happy?"
Gabriella pushed away the thoughts of his possible past with Sharpay that she was really thinking about and gave Troy the best smile she could. "Very! Taylor and I, along with the rest of the scholastic decathlon team, are qualified and are going to Nationals in April, and you and your basketball team that you hold so dear are going to State this weekend. What else could I wish for?"
Troy wrapped an arm around Gabriella's waist and pulled her closer to where he was sitting. "Oh, I don't know, a loving boyfriend?" asked Troy before he leaned down and kissed her.
Gabriella giggled as she pulled away. "Oh, that too," she murmured before she kissed him again. "Silly me to have forgotten."
"I'll teach you to forget," said Troy before he attacked her sides and made her squirm to try to get away from him and his tickling, accidently kicking the table, which made her glass of water spill a little onto the table.
"Kids, settle down!" exclaimed Taylor as she immediately put napkins to dry out the puddles now the table. "This is a restaurant. Troy if you want to torture Gabriella, wait until later."
"Yes, Mom," returned both Gabriella and Troy as they sobered up and Troy helped Gabriella sit back into her chair and scoot her back in towards the table. "We're sorry."
Taylor tried to keep a stern face but cracked up as she took in both of their pouts. "Oh God, you two really are made for each other."
This admission cracked up the whole gang, who joined in with the banter and filled the whole diner with the sounds of laughter and excited voices for the next few hours.