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At the second pre-season practice Coach Bolton called the following week, Troy felt that things had started to get back to normal. He pushed hard to run across the court and caught the pass from Charles and shot the ball right into the hoop to win this scrimmage for his team. Troy and Chad had agreed to split the Varsity team up to play against each other, Troy and Chad the elected leaders. This year, the Varsity team was made up of mostly the same guys from last year plus Ryan and Chad, along with some JV guys who had shown promise.
"Good scrimmage guys," Troy congratulated his group. "Charles, keep up your talents man, the stealing was awesome. Zeke, your blocking has gotten phenomenal, I think I'm glad this short guy is on your team."
Zeke laughed. "Whatever, Troy. At least you self admit you're short!" he teased.
"Hey!" Troy said back, smiling at the guys before they started to migrate towards the other group. He hung back, taking a seat on the bleachers and watched the group from a distance. 'It's not time quite yet to immerse myself in their world again, patience Troy,' Troy thought to himself despite the urge to go over and hang with the guys.
"We'll get them next time," Chad said to his group, smiling at the guys who were trying to catch their breaths. "Take a seat and rest, we'll start working on some drills next."
The team sat down together on the bleachers and drank water, talking among themselves.
Chad spotted Troy sitting on the other side of the gym on his own and felt some guilt over his estrangement. 'Why would I though when this was his own doing?' he thought to himself, instantly getting flooded by a memory.
Chad was on the see-saw in the elementary school playground during recess in first grade with one of the friends he'd made. They were having fun, going up and down, up and down, up and down. His friend abandoned Chad quickly though when a bigger kid came along and demanded his seat. Chad watched as his friend scooted away, leaving him with the older kid.
"Hey kid, want to go flying?" the older kid asked, greeted by a shake of the head from Chad. "Too bad!"
Chad felt the see-saw go faster and faster even though he no longer was helping the see-saw move. Next thing he knew, the bigger kid jumped off sending Chad straight to the ground at a fast rate and feeling the pain as he hit the ground on his back as he fell off the see-saw. Chad panicked as he couldn't breathe and shamefully started crying from the pain.
"Hey, it's okay," he heard a familiar voice soothe. Chad opened his eyes and saw it was Troy, his friend since pre-school. Troy helped Chad sit back up and looked him over for any cuts, which Chad had on his elbows. "I'll go get a teacher."
Before he left, Troy heard laughter coming from the older kids, one of who was on the see-saw with Chad. "Aww, what's wrong, the poor little baby got hurt?" the bully called out.
"Shut up!" Troy defended. "Why don't you go pick on someone your own size!"
"Oooh, I'm scared. The little boys are talking back," the bully responded. "What are you going to do about it?"
Troy knew he couldn't take on the older boys by physical force and wasn't quick enough to run away but during his indecision, the bully advanced on Troy and picked him up by his shirt collar. "Put me down," Troy demanded in a weak voice, internally terrified of what was about to happen.
"Right, like I'm going to do that, little squirt," the bully replied. "You should have just minded your own business."
Before he could do anything, Troy kicked out his leg and landed a strong kick to the bully's stomach, which resulted in Troy being dropped to the ground roughly as the bully grasped his side.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Chad and Troy's teacher called out.
"These two little kids just kicked me for no reason," the bully called out before Chad or Troy could say anything. "Ask my friends."
The teacher looked at the two little boys who were now sitting side by side with pain on their faces with cuts on their arms. "Is this true Chad, Troy?" she asked.
"No," Troy managed to get out as he was trying to catch his breath. "He dropped Chad on the see-saw on purpose and then picked me up by my collar when I tried to get him to leave Chad alone. See, my shirt is ripped."
She looked at Troy's shirt and saw the rips around the collar. "Thank you Troy. All right Max, you and your friends are getting a direct pass to the principal's office. NOW!" she commanded of the older kids, who hung their head down and headed to the principal's office. Another two teachers on recess duty accompanied the four kids to the office to make sure the story was told correctly.
"You poor things," their teacher cooed. "Let's get you to the nurse's office to tend to those cuts. Can you get up?"
Troy nodded his head and got up, wincing as he felt the pain from the cuts begin to throb at his movement. He held back his tears though as he saw Chad struggling to get up and tears still flowing down his cheeks. "Come on, Chad. I'll help you," Troy said, wrapping his arm around Chad's waist to help him up and then walk together to the nurse's office.
"Thanks, Troy," Chad got out, having stopped his tears finally. "That was brave."
"I'd do anything for my best friend, Chad. I'll always be here for you," Troy promised.
"Me too, Troy. Me too," Chad responded.
'Stupid playground bully,' Chad thought as he walked across the gym. 'Then again, that incident really cemented my best friendship with Troy, for all these years. He really is like my brother and has always been there except this summer. Maybe it is time to help him back into his life.'
"Hey man," Troy greeted, surprised Chad came over. "Want to run the drills next?"
"Sure," Chad responded. "But I also want to make sure you are okay. You know you don't have to separate yourself from the team. That won't help you get reacquainted with them."
Troy gave Chad a puzzled look. "I thought you guys wanted me out of your life."
"We wanted the new Troy out of our lives. I, for one, have amazing memories and a deep brotherhood with the old Troy, and if he's coming back, I want him back in my life," Chad answered. "Am I wrong about you again?"
"No, I have full intentions of trying to make things right again. My dad was right though, this is tough," Troy revealed. "I think it's worth it though. What's with the sudden faith?"
Chad chuckled. "Just seeing you like an outsider when I know you are trying. Troy, you've always had a good heart and faith in your friends. I feel a bit sad that we wasted a whole summer on this drama, kind of like girls do, by the way don't tell Taylor I said that, and I want to meet you half way and help you out. After all, you were there that one fateful afternoon in first grade to help with that bully after I got hurt."
A smile appeared on Troy's face as he remembered. "Oh yea, that sixth grader who jumped on the see-saw. I still have a scar from that!" Troy exclaimed, pointing to a small pale white slash on the back of his calf.
"Exactly," Chad replied with a smile. "We've been through a lot and I want to see many more similar years to come, maybe just with no bullies like elementary school."
Troy laughed. "I'm with you there, Chad. Thanks man, for coming over here. It means a lot. And Chad, you make a great co-captain, 100 percent. I'm glad to have you on board with me."
"With pleasure," Chad said.
"One more thing while we are having this rare heart to heart. I'm very sorry, from the bottom of my heart, for my behavior this summer and last couple of weeks at school Chad. The boy on that playground that day would have never treated you or the rest of our friends the way that I did this summer. Can you forgive me?" Troy asked.
Chad thought for a moment and nodded his head. "I think I have already started to. And if I can do it, it'll just take the gang some more time to let you back into their lives, trust issues and all. Friendship is about accepting the other person for who they truly are, but the persona we saw this summer in you just didn't seem like Troy Bolton, not the guy we've known for years."
"I agree and I'm working on putting him behind me. Anyway, enough of this mushy stuff. Ready to go run those drills?" Troy asked.
"You bet!" Chad exclaimed as he got up and ran to get the guys back on their feet to lead them in drills while Troy brought up the rear.
After a quick shower, Troy changed and grabbed his book bag as he ran to the library, knowing he was ten minutes late. Thankfully, he saw Gabriella still in the library but noticed too late that she wasn't alone.
"How was practice, Ryan?" Gabriella asked as Ryan took a seat on the table she was sitting at. "You look exhausted."
"I am but it'll be worth it. I can't believe I'm on the basketball team though. Who would have thought it?" Ryan asked, wiping some sweat off his forehead. "Sharpay certainly had a ball laughing at me when I told her and my parents this weekend."
Gabriella patted Ryan's thigh in a comforting gesture. "Don't worry about her, Ryan. She still doesn't know what she wants in her life and is only dissing you because she sadly has no clue what to do with herself."
"Not to mention she has to be jealous about my girlfriend still," Ryan answered, smiling as he saw Gabriella's blush. "She'll never be as pretty or as sweet or as intelligent."
"Aww, you charmer!" Gabriella responded. She spotted Troy as he just ran into the library. "Looks like Troy is here. Better scoot Ryan."
Ryan looked over and saw Troy approaching. "Hey Troy," he called out as he got off the table. "All right, Gabriella. I'll disappear but only because you have this great tutoring thing going on. Call you tonight?"
"Sure," Gabriella responded, leaning up for his kiss good-bye. She watched as he left the library and smiled at Troy as he took his usual seat.
Before she could say anything Troy spoke up and said, "Sorry, I know I am late and no this is not going to be a habit. I just, well I smelled, and I didn't think it fair to punish you for tutoring me that way."
Gabriella let out a giggle. "Don't worry, it's fine. I appreciate the thought though, definitely. Speaking of thought, I have to say giving Chad co-captainship was really well done, Troy. I know it made him very happy."
Troy nodded. "Good, he deserves it. Together, we were able to drill the team pretty hard and saw them really push themselves."
"I could see from the look on Ryan's face alone," she answered. "It's nice to see there's still heart in you, Troy."
"Thought I went all cold and heartless, huh?" Troy asked, a bit hurt.
"Well, considering who you are dating," Gabriella slipped out, covering her mouth instantly as she realized what she said. "Sorry, I didn't mean that!"
Troy laughed. "Don't be, and you did mean that. I know Sharpay's rep, and I get it, trust me I do. Looks like you're dating the Evans twin with the heart. I'm happy for you, Gabriella."
"Really?" she asked, looking him in the eyes. "Do you really mean that?"
"As much as I can," Troy answered truthfully. 'I still deeply care for her, but if Ryan makes her happy, that's the best I can hope for after everything that has happened.'
"Thanks, Troy," Gabriella responded. 'He's still not fully on board with me dating Ryan, but I can't expect him to be, especially if Troy has any clue that I still care for him while I'm dating another guy.'
"Shall we get started? I see you read my mind again and brought the Physics book back out," Troy said.
"Figured it was about time we turned back to your weakest subject," Gabriella supplied with a smile. "I even skimmed it before you came. Ready?"
"Always," he answered, flipping open his copy as they got started on this afternoon's session.