A/N: Troy and Kelsi's friendship is very important to me and I wish it had been explored more in the movies, so I've decided to write a bunch of missing scenes and one post-canon scene. The draft has been finished for over a month, but Camp Nanowrimo got in the way, so I'm now finally posting it!
Reviews are love! And you can find me on Tumblr at gabriellabolton (my main blog) and bisexualsharpay (my HSM sideblog).
i.
Troy doesn't know how to feel about Kelsi Nielsen.
Sure, she seems nice and she's very obviously talented, but there's something about her behaviour that he doesn't quite understand.
When he met her a few days ago, she was very quiet and she was almost shell-shocked because he was talking to her. He hates it when people act that way around him. It pushes him into that box that confines him so much – he's not a star or even a cool person, he's just a guy. However, he'd hoped that his reassurance that she's not a nobody in the theatre department and definitely not Sharpay Evans' personal slave would convince her that he really isn't that intimidating.
It did. After he had offered his words of encouragement and even made a playmaker reference to show her that their respective worlds really weren't so different, she had lit up and had been eager for him and Gabriella to perform her work as initially intended. This had led to a callback for a musical he isn't sure he wants to take part in – that's a lie, a voice says in his head – and consequently, the wrath of most of the school.
At the time, he was scared, but it was worth it for the way Gabriella smiled at him and the way Kelsi lit up at the possibility of working with people other than the Evans twins.
Now, sitting at Kelsi's kitchen table with a cup of tea, the girl quiet and looking everywhere but at him, he isn't sure anymore whether he made the right decision.
She's barely said a word to him since he entered her house, despite the fact that he's tried to break the ice several times, even asking about a Disney DVD he's seen on her shelf.
He can sense that she feels awkward around him and if he's honest, it hurts a little. He barely knows her, but he thought that she would see past his Wildcat stardom. Apparently, he was wrong.
Still, he wants to get through to her and convince her that there's no need for discomfort. No, he needs to get through to her.
If he can't convince someone like Kelsi Nielsen that he's not just the basketball boy, how is he going to convince the entire school body?
But that's not all. He looks at her determinedly as she stares out the window, her thumb tracing the rim of her mug and a rosy blush adorning her cheeks, and he just knows that she's a great person who is confined by other people's choices and opinions and who is desperate to just be herself, just like him. He has to get through to her, even if it's the last thing he does.
So, he tries again.
"So, why did you decide to become a composer?"
Kelsi blinks and snaps her from the daze she was in and turns to him with wide eyes, her blush deepening.
She doesn't respond and instead just stares at him with apprehensive eyes. Troy raises his eyebrows and shrugs, before motioning at her in an attempt to encourage her to say something, anything.
However, as she cowers below his gaze, he realizes that one should not approach Kelsi Nielsen with forcefulness. What does work is complimenting and gently encouraging her.
One more attempt, then.
"I mean, this is good stuff," he says, motioning to the music sheet that is laying before him and that he definitely can't read, but he likes the sound of it when it is translated to actual music. "I'm guessing you've been doing this for a while."
This seems to work, since Kelsi smiles bashfully, gratefully and her eyes light up the same way they did when he encouraged her after the auditions. However, it does not last, her smile quickly morphing into a meek frown as she ducks her head to avoid his prying eyes.
"It's embarrassing," she mutters almost inaudibly and he feels a slight guilt wash over him as he hears the nerves in her voice and he wonders if he's doing the right thing.
It doesn't matter what she thinks of him in the grand scheme of things. Nothing about all of this matters. Yet something inside him is telling him not to give up. Not just for himself and his own insecurities – although it does strangely bug him that she doesn't seem to trust him –, but also for her.
He suspects she really needs someone to be on her side and he can do that. At least, he thinks he can, if she allows him.
"I'm sure it's not," he assures her gently and he briefly considers reiterating his good intentions nonverbally by squeezing her shoulder in comfort and encouragement, but he refrains, for he's sure she would spontaneously combust if he touched her.
However, something in his words, perhaps in his tone, seems to have convinced her, her gaze moving back up to meet his, and while she still looks afraid, she sighs as she smiles at him weakly.
"I've always had a lively imagination," she admits and Troy opens his mouth to tell her that that is not embarrassing in the slightest, but before he can respond, she continues, "I think it was that way because I've always been alone and it was a good way to cope with the loneliness. And I've always loved music. It's always comforted me. So, I just combined those two things that made me happy."
There it is.
Troy's feels his heart break slightly as he smiles at her almost pitifully, now not refraining from squeezing her shoulder comfortingly. He considers the fact that she doesn't pull away immediately a victory.
"That's not at all embarrassing, Kelsi," he whispers and he pauses as she stares at him disbelieving, before retracting his hand from her shoulder and rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Believe it or not, I feel alone too."
"Sure," she says doubtfully, apprehensively, but there is a small, amused smile playing at the edges of her mouth.
"No, really," he says earnestly, "Having a lot of people around you doesn't necessarily mean that you're not lonely. Most people around me don't really see the real me. They just see the guy who leads the team to victory. I never feel like I can truly be myself around them."
A frown casts over Kelsi's features as she seems to contemplate his words. Now he feels like he can't look at her. He ducks his face as he feels his cheeks flush, suddenly understanding why she feels so embarrassed about admitting how lonely she is.
It's also nice, though, to be able to admit his weaknesses. And now he has two people who could listen, who could understand. The thought of not being so alone anymore pleases him.
As he dares to look back to up, she's still staring at him, her gaze unreadable.
He desperately hopes she understands.
"I'm sorry," she finally says and he shrugs, opening his mouth to start a whole spiel about how he understands how he comes across, but she shakes her head. "I mean, for making you feel so uncomfortable."
She smiles shyly as she looks up at him, a little nervously. "I'm not used to this, having friends over. Much less the most popular guy in the school. I got nervous."
"I'm just a guy," he assures her, almost pleadingly, and his eyes briefly wander to her hands that are still clutching the mug tightly and he wonders if he would scare her off if he touched her.
"I know," she says, her voice small, her smile still nervous, and he can't help but offer her a broad, genuine grin in return as he notes how earnest she sounds.
She does know. She understands.
Her own smile growing, Kelsi suddenly stands up from where she's sitting and holds out her hand to him. "So, how about we go rehearse? That's what you came for after all."
He grins as he takes her hand and lets her lead the way.
"Next time I'm over, we'll just be hanging out," he tells her as they sit down in front of the piano, raising his eyebrows as he leans closer to her. "As friends."
He laughs as he pulls away and turns to the sheet music, noting how her mouth is slightly agape and her eyes are wide. Yet her shock is different from the first time they met. There's a hopeful joy in her eyes.
As she plays the opening notes to the song, their eyes meet once again and they share a grin.
It was a definitely a good idea to try to win her over.
ii.
Kelsi can still hardly believe it. People are actually singing her compositions as intended. People are actually appreciating her work. She actually has friends.
One of her friends is Troy Bolton.
If someone had told her that a week ago, she would have laughed in their face.
Yet she's sitting in the rehearsal room, actually excited to rehearse for once, humming to herself as she pours three cups of tea as she waits for Troy and Gabriella.
It's almost too good to be true, she thinks with a smile on her face.
"We're not doing the callbacks."
And now she's jinxed it.
Kelsi's smile falls from her face as Troy storms into the room, looking distraught as he pushes some papers into her hand and plops down next to her with a deep sigh.
Bewildered, Kelsi looks at the papers and her eyebrows furrow in confusion. It's the sheet music for Breaking Free. Gabriella's copy. Kelsi recognizes the heart that Gabriella has drawn next to the title and her handwriting in the notes.
She doesn't understand.
Neither had wanted to admit it initially, but both Troy and Gabriella were excited for the callbacks. Despite her awkward first encounter with Troy alone, Kelsi has become fast friends with both of them and they have both been enthusiastic and dedicated in rehearsals.
Gabriella, Kelsi remembers, was also the first of the two of them to want to try out for the musical in the first place.
It doesn't make sense for Gabriella to give up now.
But, as Kelsi sneaks a glance at Troy, who's sitting with his head in his hands now, she gets a feeling that there's a good reason.
"What happened?" she asks softly, hesitantly, as it dawns on her how short it's really been since she met Troy.
Yes, she has seen him nervous and uncomfortable before – she has even caused him discomfort herself –, but she hasn't seen him this upset and forlorn yet, and it registers how little she actually knows him. She has no idea what would comfort him.
"I have no idea," he answers, his eyes, filled with pain, briefly meeting hers before he stands up and starts pacing the room frantically. "She just told me that she didn't want to do it and then gave me back the sheet music."
Suddenly, his eyes fall on hers and his frown grows deeper as he stares at her intensely for a few seconds, appearing to contemplate something.
"Can I tell you something?" he eventually asks and after Kelsi merely nods, his hand flies up to his neck and rubs awkwardly as he averts his gaze from hers. "I really wanted to do the callbacks. I would never admit it to anyone but you and Gabriella, but I love singing. It makes me feel… free."
This makes Kelsi smile. "I've already figured that out just by watching you, Troy."
He lets out a small chuckle as his cheeks flush and he scratches his neck again, but there's no joy or amusement in his laughter. Sighing again, he sits back down next to her, staring at the sheets stacked on the piano.
"And now I ruined it. And I don't even know what I did wrong."
"What makes you think that it's your fault?" she asks and Troy turns back to her with sadness shining in his big, blue eyes.
She can't help but be reminded of a little lost puppy and she desperately wishes she could just hug all his worries away.
"She won't return any of my texts or calls."
"Oh," is all Kelsi can say in reply and she watches as something changes in his eyes. There's not merely his own anguish anymore, but there's also something reminiscent of sympathy.
"I ruined it for you too. I know how much this means to you," he laments and it's then that it really hits her.
She really thought something changed. She really thought her hard work would finally pay off. She really thought someone would finally be in her corner.
Someone is still in her corner. Whether Troy and Gabriella do the callback or not, they're still her friends.
As she glances back at the sheet with Gabriella's doodled heart, she decides she's not going to give up this easily.
"I'll be okay," she insists and while Troy raises his eyebrows at her disbelievingly, she means it. "And you'll be too."
Ignoring Troy's reactionary scoff, she grabs Gabriella's sheets and holds them up to his face. "You hold on to these. She'll want them back eventually. I'm sure of it."
Troy doesn't seem convinced of this, but after a moment of silence, he still hesitantly grabs the sheet from her and neatly tucks it on his lap.
"Is it okay if I stay for tea?" he asks quietly and Kelsi smiles at him and nods, squeezing his shoulder as she stands up and grabs a cup to hand to him.
"Thanks for helping," he says as he takes a sip and she feels a flush coming over her cheeks as she sits down next to him again.
"I barely did anything," she says, a little nervously, and she wonders why she is suddenly feeling so bashful.
It's now Troy's turn to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly as he smiles at her, his first smile since he came in here. "Just listening is enough."
Returning his smile shyly, she tucks this information away in the back of her mind. If he is in her corner, she wants to be in his too. In any way she can.
Maybe it is too good to be true, her work being acknowledged and having friends at the same time. Maybe it won't turn out fine after all.
But she's going to hold on to this new friendship with Troy Bolton as much as she can.
iii.
Troy still isn't sure how this has happened, how he has ended up here, in a dressing room preparing for opening night of a musical he's starring in.
The past few months have been overwhelming, but as he looks at his own reflection in the vanity mirror, he decides that it's been a good kind of overwhelming. He feels like he's a more complete person now, with new experiences and new interests and new people in his life, and he feels more free and happy than he's ever felt before.
That doesn't mean he isn't terrified.
He knows there is no reason to be – the callback performance in front of the entire school had been an overwhelming success and he knows that he doesn't have to convince anyone that he's worthy of being on stage anymore.
Yet, somehow, he still feels the pressure. What if he forgets his lines? What if he sings off-key? What if he messes up the choreography? What if this ends up being a complete disaster? What if he makes a fool out of himself in front of the entire school?
What if it turns out that he's nothing more than the basketball guy after all?
What has he gotten himself into?
Before he can dwell on his worst fears and nightmares even further, he hears the door to his dressing room creak open and he sees a bespectacled head of auburn hair poke in.
"Hey, can I come in?"
Troy nods and attempts to return the grin that she offers him, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Kelsi seems to notice that something's up, slight worry clouding her features as she slips into the room.
"Nervous?" she asks as she stands next to the vanity, forcing Troy to avert his gaze from his own reflection and look at her instead.
He chuckles a little, a part of him wanting to deny that he's afraid. He's the Wildcats superstar, he's a leader, he's the person who encourages others to face their fears. He shouldn't be feeling this scared himself.
Yet he knows that Kelsi will understand. She knows a little bit about fear as well. So, he reluctantly nods. "A little."
Kelsi giggles. "Me too. But I'm also really excited. I know they've used parts of my compositions before, but this time, it's really my show."
Troy's stomach sinks at the broad grin adorning her face, a realization dawning on him. If he screws up, he won't only be screwing up for himself, he'll also screw up for Kelsi and Gabriella and they worked so hard for their chance to step out of their shells.
He musters a small smile as he assures Kelsi, "Your music is great. Everyone's going to love it."
"And they will love you too," Kelsi replies sincerely, "Don't worry, it's normal to be nervous. I'm sure Gabriella is too. At least you have me here. I saw Sharpay going into Gabi's dressing room earlier. I have a feeling that won't end well."
Troy can't help but let out a genuine chuckle out at this notion. Sharpay has been, unsurprisingly, less than welcoming to him and Gabriella in the drama club and he doubts she would offer Gabriella any words of genuine comfort.
"At least I have you," he repeats with a small smile, before sighing as his eyes move back to his reflection in the mirror. "I'm just really scared, you know. I don't want to screw up."
"You won't," Kelsi assures him, her tone stern yet kind. "You've done so well in rehearsals. Why would it be any different now?"
"Nerves?" he retorts sarcastically as their eyes meet again, hers still shining with nervous excitement, and her smile sympathetic.
"You know what?" she says after a moment of appearing to contemplate something. "If you think you can't do it anymore, just look for me, just like you make Gabriella look for you."
This makes Troy smile. The jittery feeling of anxiety still sits in his stomach, but it's a relief to know that there's someone who will encourage him.
"Thanks," he mutters, hoping his eyes convey how earnestly grateful he is for her in this moment, and Kelsi just smiles and nods.
"Any time," she says as she moves from her spot and pats his shoulder.
"Break a leg," she says cheekily, before laughing to herself. "I think I'm going to check on Gabi, see if Sharpay hasn't pulled a Tonya Harding and actually broken her leg."
Troy snorts in laughter at this, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth as he nods. "Go. And you break a leg too."
With one last giggle, Kelsi leaves the room and he's left with silence and his own thoughts again. Yet, as he now nervously gazes into the mirror, he feels a hint of excitement bubbling in his stomach.
He can do this.
iv.
Nothing good ever comes from transposing songs into Sharpay's key. Kelsi has known that giving away songs to Sharpay has never boded well for her and for some unbeknownst reason, she hoped that it wouldn't happen this summer.
"You look like you're having fun."
Oh yeah, that's the reason. Troy and her other new friends.
Kelsi sighs as she sits up straight, removing her elbows from the piano keys, and shoots Troy a wry glance. "So much fun."
Her gaze travelling over his appearance, she can't help but notice that there's something different about him. Of course, there's the obvious that he was promoted this morning – it had caused quite a stir amongst employees – but there is also something else. She can see it in the way his eyes are shining with barely hidden excitement.
"So, golf teacher, huh?" she questions, watching him carefully as he chuckles bashfully and rubs his neck awkwardly.
"I honestly have no idea how that happened," he says, and Kelsi can't help but frown as she recognizes the truth in his voice.
She has an idea.
"So, I guess you're doing the talent show with Sharpay then," she carefully prods and she offers him a sympathetic smile when Troy's face falls at the mention of that.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I know it's probably not what you imagined," he apologizes and he continues to rub his neck. "But at least I didn't have to sing with her last night, I guess. Thanks for that, by the way."
Kelsi lets out a small laugh as she turns back the piano and glances at the sheet music.
She can't help but feel a little disappointed. She had such great plans for this performance and she knows that despite Troy's initial reluctance, it would have been great.
But it's not his fault. She knows him, she knows how quickly he succumbs to any kind of pressure. She also knows Sharpay and how well she puts on the pressure to which he so easily falls prey.
"I'm not sure if it was a good idea to not sing with her last night," she says quietly, a little solemnly, and she hears Troy sigh beside her.
"Yeah."
Looking back up at him again, Kelsi smiles. "So, what were you so chipper about just now? Besides the promotion, I mean."
Troy furrows his eyebrows, but she can see that sparkle of excitement return to his eyes.
"Nothing," he answers innocently, and Kelsi just raises her eyebrows at him in amusement, making Troy playfully roll his eyes at her.
"I was just invited to have lunch and play with some of the Redhawks," he replies, and she can hear the utter delight in his voice, which makes the pit drop to her stomach even harder.
She's excited for him. She truly is. She knows how much he loves the Redhawks, how much he wants to be one of them one day. This is an amazing opportunity for him and he deserves it.
But she can't help but wonder – and assume – how this opportunity came to be and it doesn't sit entirely well with her.
"That's great," she states, offering him a kind smile, but she can see in his face that he recognizes her apprehension.
He frowns a little as he leans his elbow on the piano. "I know what you're thinking."
Kelsi blushes a little as she ducks her head. Sometimes, she hates that she's such an open book. She doesn't want to be the person to put a damper on this opportunity for him, but she feels the need to warn him.
As much as she thinks he deserves the world because he's friend, the fact that he's her friend also means she has to be honest with him and prevent him from making horrible mistakes and decisions.
Mistakes and decisions such as getting entangled in the web that Sharpay Evans is spinning for him.
Before she can voice her concerns, Troy speaks up himself, sighing as he replies, "I know what Sharpay's doing. I'm not blind."
Kelsi smiles a little sheepishly. "Sorry, I just can't help being a little just worried. I know how ruthless she can be. I just saw her throw Ryan under the bus, just so she can perform with you."
This makes Troy's frown deepen and the muscles in his jaw tense, but he doesn't respond directly.
"I just can't refuse, you know?" he says as he turns back to her, his eyes revealing some inner torment. "I mean, I'd be a fool to say no. Right?"
Suddenly, it's clear that he's seeking her approval and a part of her feels overjoyed that her opinion apparently matters so much.
Yet the apprehension prevails and Troy seems to notice it. He stares into her eyes, a little desperately. "I'll be careful. I can handle myself."
She contemplates her answer for a moment – she doesn't really know if there's an answer that could ease both of their minds –, but he speaks up again before she can open her mouth.
"I have to go," he says and she wonders if he's just trying to find a way out of this situation. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Have fun with those basketball guys!" she calls after him as she watches him speed away and he turns back for less than a second to shoot her a brilliant, grateful smile.
Turning back to the piano, she lets out another sigh.
She doesn't know if he can handle himself, but she wants to support him. As a friend, she owes him that.
She just hopes that he truly knows what he's doing.
v.
"I need some air."
He may have underestimated Sharpay Evans. He may have really underestimated her.
He feels as if in a trance as he walks away from the stage, unable to process what just happened. The choreography, the fast-paced music, the damn fireworks. It's all too much for him.
At least he's now sure that Sharpay Evans' way of performing is not for him. Not that he ever thought it would be.
How did he get roped into doing this? Oh, right, because she's offering him everything he's ever wanted on a silver platter.
The problem is that now he has no idea how to get out of this mess.
"I told you that you should have just performed with her when she asked you at that dinner party."
Turning around and finally realizing he's been breathing a little too heavily for the past few minutes or so, Troy turns to Kelsi and grimaces at her.
"Yeah. That was surely… something," he states wryly and Kelsi giggles in reply as she shrugs.
"Welcome to the wondrous world of Sharpay Evans," she replies and Troy feels a surge of sympathy wash over him as he contemplates how often Kelsi has been subjected to the drama that is Sharpay's way of performing.
At least she hasn't had to actually perform with her. She's just been forced to turn her work be into a glitzy ghost of what it is intended to be. Which is still bad, but at least she hasn't been pushed and pulled all over the stage like he just was.
"For what it's worth, I think you did quite well for your first time working with Sharpay," Kelsi snaps him out of his thoughts with a small, teasing grin and Troy can't help but grin a little himself as he rolls his eyes.
"Did you see me up there, Kelsi?" he asks, a little exasperated. "I think I was about to throw up."
"But you didn't. And that's worth something, right?" she offers with a shrug.
Troy sighs as he brings up his hand to run it through his hair, conceding, "I guess. And at least she didn't force me to play a fish prince."
As Kelsi raises her eyebrows questioningly, he rolls his eyes. "Long story. But either way, I don't think I can do this again, much less in front of a bunch of college boosters."
"Sure you can. Remember what I told you the night of the opening of Twinkle Towne?"
Troy smiles for a moment as he recalls how nervous he was then. It was definitely similar to the utter panic that is engulfing him right now. Only now, he feels like he's completely, utterly out of his element.
Seeing in his smile that he recognizes what she's referring to, Kelsi continues, "I'll be there every step of the way. If you're too overwhelmed, just look at me."
Troy nods slowly, although the reluctance to go through with this performance is still at the front of his mind.
Oh, how much he'd rather sing this song with Gabriella, how much he'd rather perform in a way that is comfortable to him.
"You know, I liked your original version of that song much more," he says with a pout as he finds a chair and sits down, silently hoping that Taylor and Martha wouldn't come to chastise him for potentially messing up their decorations.
Kelsi laughs as she grabs the chair opposite him and sits down too. "I would have preferred that as well. But what Sharpay wants, Sharpay gets."
Letting his head fall to the table, Troy groans. "I should have never agreed to this. I'm such a pushover."
"Well, you're not the only one. I rewrote the song for her," Kelsi replies and she laughs when Troy grunts again. "We're quite the pair, aren't we?"
"We sure are," Troy replies sarcastically as he lifts his head from the table to examine her. She still seems so chipper, so unfazed by all of it.
He definitely noticed her annoyance during the rehearsal though, and a part of him feels like he has betrayed her, disappointed her. He's the reason why she's fallen prey to Sharpay again. He's the reason why they're now performing a version of Kelsi's song that neither of them likes.
"I don't know what to do," he says, a little quietly, a little desperately, as if she holds the solution to all his problems.
He knows she doesn't, and that it isn't fair to put her on that kind of pedestal, but he still wishes so desperately that she can calm his mind.
Kelsi frowns as she sighs, appearing to contemplate an answer as well.
"There's nothing we can do," she finally responds and Troy closes his eyes in pain, even though he knows she's right – there's no way out of this mess. "If we don't do the performance, she'll fire both of us and you won't get to meet those big time U of A people."
The U of A boosters. He suddenly wonders if meeting them is really worth it to get too involved with Sharpay Evans and alienate himself from his friends.
Of course it is. These people could offer him a future. He would be an idiot if he refuses just because Sharpay Evans is a demanding performer.
"Yeah," he merely responds and Kelsi offers him a sympathetic smile as she shrugs, before getting up out of her chair.
"Come on, we have to get back before Sharpay throws a tantrum."
Let her, a voice in the back of his mind thinks. If that keeps him away from her just a little longer, then so be it.
But as Kelsi grabs his hand, he sighs and reluctantly lets her pull him back to the stage, where Sharpay and her back-up dancers already seem to be waiting for them, ready to go again.
He's not ready to go again. He's not ready to go at all. But he has no choice. At least he's not alone in having no choice, though.
"So, a fish prince?" Kelsi whispers beside him and he laughs as he shakes his head in amusement.
"Like I said, long story. Really long story."
vi.
"Can I ask you something?"
Kelsi smiles as she looks up from the sheet and stares straight into Troy's eyes. She can still see the anxiety in his eyes that has been there since he started getting too caught up in Sharpay's scheme, but he does look like a little better – he appears relieved, almost hopeful.
He has reason to hope, she thinks to herself as she suppresses the knowing smirk that threatens to form on her face.
If everything goes according to plan, he'll be reunited with everyone soon. Everyone.
However, for everything to go well, he does need to master this song within the next few minutes.
"We don't have a lot of time here," she tells with a small laugh and he scoffs as he shoots a desperate glance at the papers in his hand.
Yet he pushes on.
"Why did you help me?"
He shrugs when Kelsi shows him a confused look. "I mean, when everyone was ignoring me, you were still nice to me. You were the one who showed me Fulton's letter and made me realize that all of this had gone too far."
Kelsi purses her lips as she folds her hands in her lap, contemplating his words. The past few weeks have definitely been difficult for her. It hasn't been easy to see one of her close friends get so caught up with someone like Sharpay and lose himself, and to see her other friends get hurt by him.
Still, as much as everyone around her turned their backs on him, she has never felt the need to. Despite everything, he is still her friend and she has promised herself that she would support him through anything. And she has promised herself that if something were wrong, she would push him in the right direction the same way he helped her improve herself half a year ago.
"I didn't think it was your fault," she says softly and she watches as his face tightens with a guilty frown. "Well, not entirely. You should not have constantly stood everyone up like that, but I don't think it's your fault that you were given those opportunities and that Sharpay was trying to win you over."
At Troy's little sigh after hearing Sharpay's name, Kelsi giggles a little as she shoots him a quick wink. "I know how determined she can be. It's an almost impossible fight against her."
Troy nods exasperatedly as he holds up his sheet music. "I hope she knows what she's doing with this new song, because I don't think this will end well."
"Oh, it will," Kelsi says resolutely, before she can realize what she's saying, and Troy narrows his eyes at her, as if he knows she's hiding something.
"Because I believe in you," she adds quickly – and it's not entirely a lie; a large part of this does depend on his ability to learn this song in a very short amount of time.
She relaxes as Troy nods in understanding – although she can see in his eyes he doesn't quite believe in himself the same way she has faith in him – and she quickly changes the subject. "And about the letter, I figured nobody had told you and I thought you deserved to know."
"Well, thanks for that. It was the last push I needed to get myself together," he tells her, earnestly grateful, and she watches on curiously as he suddenly starts to blush and his hand flutters up his neck to rub in a nervous habit.
"I hoped it would be," she replies truthfully. Watching him over the past weeks, she knows he had wanted a way out of this mess and while the staff being prohibited to perform in the show was awful and disappointing, she knew the moment she heard the news that this would be his way out.
She was so glad and so proud when she turned out to be right, watching him turn Sharpay down a couple of days ago. Since then, she has watched him find himself again and regain his friendships, and she is beyond thrilled to see that he's almost back to his old self.
Almost.
"I'm sorry," he suddenly says, just as she turns back to the piano to rehearse again – as much as she loves their heart-to-hearts, there's really no time to lose.
As she returns her focus to him, he smiles sadly, the anxiety swimming through his eyes again. "I've disappointed you."
Kelsi grins kindly at him as she leans up to place her hand softly, reassuringly on his bicep. "You don't need to apologize. Everyone makes mistakes. And everyone has forgiven you."
Troy smiles back at her, but his smile is still too small, too unsure, and she can still see the sorrow in his gaze.
She sees less sorrow than before, though, and she counts that as a win. He's one step closer to being happy again.
He just needs one thing to be fully there again.
"Not everyone," he whispers, more to himself than to her, but she hears it and she can't help but sigh as she shoots him an apologetic look.
"She'll come around," she assures him and she sees a tiny glint of hope appear in Troy's features as she speaks the words, but it's still masked by worry and heartbreak.
If only he knew how quickly she might come around.
Kelsi frowns a little as she realizes that his happiness is out of her hands now. She's done her part, now it's up to Taylor to convince Gabriella, and up to Gabriella to stop being in denial and give into her heart.
"Come on, let's go through the song one more time," Kelsi tells Troy before she can let the worries to take over and Troy nods, turning to his music as Kelsi starts playing.
And, as she loses herself in the music and in Troy's voice, she assures herself that everything will be okay soon.
vii.
In the past few months, Troy has begun to appreciate early mornings. He never did before – it's always been difficult to get himself out of bed to go school, especially when his mother is yelling at him about being late – but lately, he doesn't mind getting up early anymore.
Mornings are quiet. There's no pressure, no chaos in his head. It's great.
The downside of the quiet is that it allows him to think. Even though he wakes up with a clear mind, it doesn't take long for the worries to take over.
It's a good thing Kelsi is a morning person too.
Leaning against the doorpost in the opening to the rehearsal room, he grins as he watches her. She hasn't noticed him yet, so lost in her own world, scribbling furiously on the paper in front of her, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she plays strings of notes.
She looks happy, he thinks. She looks just as stressed out as everyone else around him is, but she's happy nevertheless. He wishes he could be as happy as her.
He can't say he's unhappy, though. He can't deny that he's changed over the course of the past year, that he's found a pleasure in life that he didn't think was possible before. But there's something in her unbridled joy in life that he hasn't quite achieved.
There's something serene about her. Something untroubled.
Deciding not to dwell on his lack of complete calm, he pushes himself away from the post and makes his presence known.
"Morning," he says quietly and Kelsi's head shoots up, her curls, which she's been wearing down lately, flying as she sends him a broad grin.
"Morning!" she replies cheerfully as she reaches for the teapot that's sitting next to the piano. "Cup of tea?"
"Sure," he says as he moves to stand behind her, looking at the papers she's been scribbling on. "Am I interrupting?"
Kelsi rolls her eyes good-heartedly as she hands him a cup. "Never. I could actually use your input. I'm writing a song about the championship game."
She raises her eyebrows in amusement as Troy pulls a face at the mention of the championship game. "Not a good idea? I thought it would be necessary to include, Mr. MVP-for-the-entire-season-two-times-in-a-row."
"No, no, it's a good idea," he assures her, "It's just that it was very… stressful. It was worth it, of course, but there was a lot of pressure."
Knowing by now how terribly he handles pressure, Kelsi hums in understanding and sympathy. "Well, at least the competition is over, right?"
That's a loaded statement, Troy thinks. There's still definitely a few competitions going on for him in his head and his heart.
Of course, there's still also competitions going on at admissions offices. University of Albuquerque doesn't just offer scholarships for free. Neither do other schools, should he choose to consider them.
He doesn't think he will, but the mere thought doesn't help in keeping his stress at bay.
And then there's the competition that neither of them dare to even mention. The competition that might decide her future, the competition that first raised the questions and doubts currently plaguing his mind.
"By the way, you won't have to worry about reliving the pressure. I'm giving the song to Chad," Kelsi pulls him out of his thoughts and Troy, absentmindedly taking a sip of his tea as she says this, almost spurts out the liquid in amusement.
"A solo for Chad?" he asks with a disbelieving laugh. "Well, good luck with that."
Kelsi giggles as she shrugs. "It's about basketball, so maybe he'll actually comply."
"I'm sure he will if you let him use his own basketball as a prop," Troy retorts sarcastically and they both erupt in a fit of laughter, knowing the truth in that statement.
"I'll run that by Ryan."
As their laughter subsides, Kelsi stares thoughtfully at the sheets before her as she traces the rim of her teacup absentmindedly.
"So, what did you need my help with?" Troy asks her, "I mean, I can't help you with the piano. I can barely read music."
Kelsi amusedly mutters something under her breath that Troy can't quite catch, but his breath hitches when he catches the word "scholarship".
"What?"
Kelsi doesn't reply, instead explaining to him, "I need to get a feel of being on the court during the game. You know, the emotion, the feeling. I want to use that for the lyrics."
Troy hums thoughtfully as he ponders his answer. Truthfully, he doesn't know how to. Sure, there were many emotions during the championship game, but his feelings were so mixed. There was the thrill of the game, but there was also the pressure of winning. There was the voice in his head telling him to enjoy it because it would be his last game, but there was also the voice that told him that nothing would be the same afterwards.
So, he tells her, "There was a lot going on my head, you know. Not just because it was a high-stakes game, but also because it was my last game. It felt like it would be my legacy or something. My dad actually told us that we had sixteen minutes left in that Wildcats uniform and that hit all of us hard. It made everything real, you know."
"Sixteen minutes," Kelsi murmurs to herself. "I can work with that."
After scribbling the words in a corner of the paper, she turns back to Troy and looks at him thoughtfully.
He suddenly feels the need to escape. As much as he loves that he can talk to Kelsi, it sometimes unnerves him how easily she can read his mind by just looking at him with that scrutinizing yet sympathetic expression of hers.
"Do you think it will be your last ever game at a competitive level?" she finally asks, a little timidly, and Troy feels a pit in stomach as he realizes where this might be going.
"Well, no, I'm going to play for the Redhawks," he replies with a nervous laugh and he hopes that he sounds convincing, even though he's not sure anymore whether he really will.
But he's not ready to admit that just yet.
"Not if you go to Juilliard," Kelsi retorts, a little nervously, and Troy closes his eyes in agony.
There it is. The elephant in the room.
"Kelsi, I swear to you, I don't know why I'm up for this scholarship and I don't want it either," Troy tells her quickly, a little desperately, "And I definitely don't think I'll get it. You won't have to worry about me."
"I don't," Kelsi simply replies, and he feels slightly relieved about the evident truth in her voice. "I mean, I'm not getting my hopes up to win anyway."
Troy frowns at this, but before he can say anything, Kelsi cocks her head and narrows her eyes at him pensively. "The thing is that I'm not actually surprised you're up for the scholarship. I've seen you perform. You're really talented, Troy."
"What are you trying to say?"
"That there's more out there than the Redhawks."
Troy bites his lip and looks down as he thinks back to the conversation he had with Gabriella the other day when she told him she saw his enjoyment of being on stage. Which is true, he does love it, but is it serious enough to build a future around?
And are his doubts about U of A serious enough as well?
"Just thought I should tell you," Kelsi softly breaks the silence, pulling him out of his thoughts, and he can see the insecurity in her eyes, the fear that she overstepped, so he just smiles at her comfortingly.
Even if he's worried, he knows she's trying to help and he appreciates it. He appreciates her.
"You'll get the scholarship," he replies, changing the subject, and Kelsi frowns as she shakes her head.
"Not when I have to go up against both Sharpay and Ryan," she replies despondently and Troy furiously shakes his head.
"You will. I mean, Ryan and Sharpay are both great, but you're something else. I mean, you're seventeen and you're writing entire musicals by yourself. You're awesome."
Troy smiles as he watches Kelsi ducks her head, a shy, happy grin growing on her face as she blushes bright red.
Sometimes he forgets she still needs the encouragement just as much as he needs it.
It's nice to be able to help somebody.
"You're awesome too," she responds quietly and his smile grows, his own bashful blush rising, as she nudges him. "And you'll figure it out."
He sighs again, but slowly, apprehensively, he offers her a nod.
He hopes he will.
viii.
Kelsi likes to think she knows by now when something is up with Troy. She's seen him quiet and brooding too often during their short friendship not to notice when something is bothering him.
She's also seen him distressed too many times in the short period she's known him to know that he probably needs someone to talk to. And while he will usually go to Gabriella, she can see in his eyes as he watches his girlfriend during rehearsals that this something Gabriella can't help him with.
And when Troy pushes a piece of paper into Kelsi's hand after she asks him what's wrong, she understands why he can't go to Gabriella.
Gabriella has been admitted to an honours programme at Stanford. She's leaving East High early.
"She didn't tell me," Troy says quietly as Kelsi stares at the paper. "Even Sharpay knew about it and I didn't."
Kelsi face falls and she lets out a loud sigh as she hands back the paper to Troy. Something tells her that Sharpay wasn't supposed to know about this either.
"Did you know about it?" he asks and he groans in frustration as Kelsi shakes her head honestly. "Why didn't she tell me?"
Kelsi bites her lip as she contemplates this. She may not be as close with Gabriella as she is with Troy, but she likes to think she knows Gabriella too. And she knows that Gabriella gets scared just as easily as Troy does.
"Maybe she didn't know how to tell you."
Troy purses his lips, before shaking his head. "You know what Sharpay told me? That I was holding Gabriella back. What if that's the reason she didn't tell me? Because she wanted to spare my feelings?"
"You know you shouldn't trust what Sharpay says," Kelsi says and Troy rolls his eyes. "I'm sure that's not the reason. If she is conflicted, it's probably not just because of you. She has to leave everything behind, miss the last few weeks of high school. That's a huge deal."
Troy stays quiet for a moment as he lets her words sink in, continuing to stare at the paper in his hand. "I just wish she would talk to me."
"Then talk to her."
"I don't know how to," Troy replies sombrely, and Kelsi can't help but smile.
"No, you're scared to," she replies, watching as Troy frowns in response.
She expects him to deny it, to act as if he is tougher than he is like he often does, but surprisingly, he doesn't fight it this time.
"I'm scared of a lot of things," he admits and Kelsi wonders what else he's scared of. She knows he's been bothered by a lot of things lately – she can see it in his behaviour and she picks up the careful hints he drops in their conversations – but he seems to not want to talk about the details.
She can respect that. There's a lot of things that make her feel vulnerable and embarrassed and scared too. But he's taught her that there's no need to be embarrassed about being afraid and that there's more strength inside her than she thinks there is.
She wishes he could see that same strength in himself that he sees in her.
"I mean, graduation is scary," she agrees, "We're leaving a lot behind. But we're also getting the chance to start afresh, start a new chapter. It's exciting. And then there's also prom and all that stuff!"
Perhaps that won't be too exciting for Troy, Kelsi realizes as she sees his frown deepen. In her attempt to put a positive spin on his troubles, she probably made him realize that missing the last few weeks of high school means Gabriella might miss prom too.
She doubts she would, but if there's one thing she knows about Troy, it's that she shouldn't trigger his insecurities.
He doesn't dwell on his own troubles again, though, quickly changing the subject. "I heard you're going with Ryan. What's that all about?"
Kelsi smiles as she tucks a lock of auburn hair behind her ear. "It's nothing. We're going as friends."
Troy raises an eyebrow and Kelsi almost breathes a sigh of relief as she sees a sparkle of amusement and mischief in his eyes.
"Really?"
Kelsi rolls her eyes and shoots him a look. "Yes. Really."
It's the truth. Ryan is a great guy, but she knows he's not interested in her – or any girl – like that and she isn't interested in him either.
But she will welcome his friendship and she will gladly take an opportunity to go to prom without feeling alone. That's something she never thought was possible a year and a half ago.
"I wasn't even interested in going to prom until he asked me," she admits with an embarrassed blush. "I still have so much to do for the musical and I didn't want to go alone, but now I'm really glad he asked me."
"Hey, you wouldn't have been alone. We're all going to be there!" Troy says and she can see a hint of fear flicker through his eyes again as he utters the words.
"I don't know if you've been listening to Taylor and Martha lately, but the theme is The Last Waltz. I can't waltz with myself," Kelsi retorts, laughing as Troy playfully sticks out his tongue in response, despite his facial expressions clouding again.
Kelsi's heart breaks a little as she realizes that Troy is probably wondering whether it will be his last dance with Gabriella and whether he will get that last dance at all.
"Just talk to her," she repeats quietly, softly placing a hand on his shoulder and rubbing comfortingly as Troy nods.
"I will," he agrees, smiling at her appreciatively as he rubs his temple with mild frustration. "I just need to gather the courage."
"You have that already," she replies firmly, squeezing his shoulder for emphasis before removing her hand. "I know you do."
Troy smiles again, quietly muttering, "Thanks."
She knows he doesn't believe her and it hurts. She wishes he could see what she sees. She wishes she could convince him how great he is and how everything will turn out fine.
She wishes that one day he would believe her.
ix.
"Congratulations, Juilliard."
Troy can't contain his huge grin as Kelsi snaps out of her daze and smiles up at him happily. "Congratulations to you too, Mr. Berkeley."
Troy chuckles as he leans against the tree next to her and watches the scene before him. All of his friends are here, in his backyard, laughing and eating, enjoying the little time they have left together.
A couple of weeks – heck, even a few days – ago, this would have freaked him out. Today has been inevitable and it's been something he's dreaded. Yet, as he stands here, he feels no panic, no uncertainty, no sadness.
All he feels is excitement for the future, for the unknown.
"Why are you standing here on your own?" he asks Kelsi as he turns back to her. He feels even more joyous when he sees that same carefree happiness that he's finally achieved on her face too.
"I was just… watching," she says as she gestures at the scene before them, her smile widening as she hears Chad's loud laugh beyond the noise. "Just taking it all in. It will be a long time before we'll get to do this again."
Troy smile falls a little as the bittersweet melancholy hits him after all, but as he sees Kelsi's eyes widen from the corner of his eye, he shakes his head quickly.
"I'm not scared anymore, Kels," he assures her, furrowing his eyebrows as he pauses for a moment. "Well, just a little. But I think we all are."
Kelsi laughs a little as she nods, biting her lip as she continues to stare at their friends. "You know what I'm scared of?"
"What?"
"That we will all lose touch eventually."
Troy gulps as her words sink in. He's been so worried about his own future and about Gabriella the past few months that he never really let the reality sink in that they're all going their separate ways.
However, if there's something he's learned over the past few months, it's that effort and a little bit of courage go a long way.
"We won't," he says firmly, hopefully convincingly, as he turns to her and stares at her intensely.
Kelsi just offers him a small smile in return, shrugging casually. "I mean, I hope we won't, but it does scare me a little that we'll all be so far away from each other. Now that I've found friends, I don't want to lose them."
She pauses briefly, before shooting him a weak smile. "When I started high school, I never thought I'd be here. I never thought I'd have friends and have the chance to write my own musical for my senior year project. And I sure never thought I'd actually get into Juilliard."
"I thought you might get in," Troy says, a mirthful twinkle in his eyes and Kelsi ducks her head shyly in response, a rosy blush covering her cheeks.
"And I thought you might figure out what you should do about your future," she shoots back and now it's Troy's turn to rub his neck bashfully as his gaze roams around the backyard and finds Gabriella.
He understands how Kelsi feels all too well. He sure never would have believed it if anyone told him about his current life four years ago. He can't believe how much his life has truly changed, how he's found happiness in places he never would have looked in, in ways he didn't think were possible.
And like Kelsi, he doesn't want to lose that.
"Thank you," he says quietly, shrugging as Kelsi raises her eyebrows questioningly. "You helped me a lot."
Kelsi chuckles bashfully. "With your dilemma? I didn't do anything. You never even told me all of it."
Troy grins as he directs his gaze to Kelsi again and nudges her. "You listened. And you believed in me. It's nice to have someone who believes in you."
Kelsi blushes again as she nudges him back. "Same."
Troy's grin widens, knowing how important his encouragement has been to her, and the realization suddenly hits him how important Kelsi's friendship is. How much he needs her support and how much she needs his.
He's going to hold on to that friendship.
Determined, he turns to her, leaning against the tree with his arm as he faces her. "Let's make a pact."
Kelsi turns to him as well, amused as she raises her eyebrows. "About what?"
"When I'm in California and you're in New York, we'll call each other at least every week," he offers her, beaming as he sees her face light up. "I don't know what will happen to the entire gang now we go to college, but I'd like you to stay in my life."
"I'd like that too," Kelsi replies quietly, giggling as Troy holds out a hand and shaking it firmly.
Then, before he knows what's happening, she has lunged into his arms in a quick, but firm hug. She squeezes his shoulder tightly and he squeezes her waist in return, before pulling back.
When he lets her go, he can see the excitement in her eyes, but he also notices something else in her eyes – a deep appreciation that he knows is mutual as he grins back at her lopsidedly.
"Let's go back," she states, not waiting for a response as she grabs his wrist and starts dragging him back to the party, both of them laughing.
And as Troy spends his final moments together with his friends and family before leaving for college, he knows it won't be the end at all.
Not if he has anything to do with it.
x.
There's something exciting about airports for Kelsi. The idea of getting on a plane and being in a completely different place within a few hours is exhilarating.
It's especially exhilarating when that completely different place is home.
So, as she sits in JFK waiting to board her flight that will take her to Albuquerque, to her friends that she hasn't seen in far too long, Kelsi can barely sit still.
Hearing her phone ring, she feels even more excited when she sees who is calling, her face breaking into a huge grin.
"I don't have long before I board," she answers the phone, not bothering to greet the person on the other end of the line.
An all too familiar chuckle floats through the speakers. "You didn't think I would break our pact just because you have to get on a plane, right? I've done my fair share of breaking promises. That part of my life is over."
"I sure hope it is," Kelsi says teasingly, "Especially considering you're about to make the most important promise of your life."
She hears Troy sigh on the other side of the line and she can't help but grin as she picks up on the perfect balance between happiness and anxiety that is so him.
It's amazing to her how well they've become attuned to each other's voices and sounds. In high school, she could already read his facial expressions like a book, but the distance has made their connection and their uncanny ability to know what the other is feeling even more profound.
Apparently, absence really does make the heart grow fonder. However, she's more than ready to for the distance between them to dissipate.
"So, how's the last bit of wedding planning going? Are you having an existential crisis yet?" she asks teasingly as she fiddles with the earbuds hanging from the top of her coat.
"You know, it's surprisingly good," Troy replies and she swears she can hear the smile in his voice. "The organizing part is definitely stressful, but I'm actually rather calm other than that. I've done enough soul searching in high school. I know this is what I want."
Kelsi smiles. "That's good."
"Yeah, it is," Troy replies wistfully, before sighing again. "I'm a little jealous of Brie, though. She gets Taylor as her maid of honour and meanwhile, I'm stuck with Chad."
Kelsi giggles, shaking her head as she imagines how aggravated Troy must be right now. "You should have asked Zeke."
Troy huffs. "If I hadn't asked Chad, I'm pretty sure he would have died from heartbreak. And I would feel bad asking Zeke. He's already doing the wedding cake, I can't ask him to be best man on top of that as well."
He pauses, before letting out a small chuckle. "Maybe I should have asked you."
"Gabriella already has dibs on me," Kelsi reminds him, giggling as Troy scoffs in response. "Also, I'm a little offended you wouldn't feel bad giving me extra duties."
"Well, I would," Troy replies, sounding a little embarrassed. "But you're my best girl friend and I trust you much more than I trust Chad."
"Don't tell him that. I don't want to be killed in my sleep."
Troy lets out a loud laugh and Kelsi doesn't think her smile can get any wider. She loves how happy he is. After all that he's been through, he deserves it.
"Thank you for the song, by the way. I can't get it out of my head," he says. He pauses for a second, before adding, "Don't worry, I won't sing it to you. That might be a little weird."
Kelsi giggles as she feels a blush rise to her cheeks. Troy singing to her over the phone has become a regular occurrence. It's probably one of her favourite things in the world and it's the highlight of every week.
She does agree, however, that him singing the wedding song she wrote for him and his wife-to-be would be a little odd.
"No, but really. It's perfect," Troy's voice, grateful and earnest, snaps her out of her thoughts. "You always know exactly how to put our feelings into words."
Kelsi feels herself blush again as she shrugs in response, even though she's aware that he can't see her. "I guess I just know you well."
"Yeah, you do," Troy replies quietly, his voice filled with the same emotion that she is feeling.
That same gratitude, love and understanding that she feels towards him.
Suddenly seeing on the screen in front of her that her flight is starting boarding, she smiles. "Hey, I have to board, so I'm going to hang up. See you on the other side!"
"See you soon!"
She smiles at the excitement in his voice. She puts her phone in her pocket as the line goes dead and feels a surge of excitement herself as she starts making her way towards the gate, ready to make the journey back home and ready to see Troy and the rest of her friends again.
She can't wait.