Better than Revenge
SUMMARY: Various characters' reflections of the past and past and present: Troyella. Based around Taylor Swift's "Better than Revenge". SONGFIC
DISCLAIMER: I don't own "High School Musical" or "Better than Revenge", Disney and Taylor Swift do.
The story starts when it was hot and it was summer
And I had it all, I had him right there where I wanted him
She came along, got him alone, and let's hear the applause
She took him faster than you can say sabotage
22 year-old Gabriella Montez looked out the window, watching the leaves fall from the trees as the October wind blew throughout campus, in exhaustion and ran a hand threw her dark brown curly hair. She knew that she had to keep studying; she was
on a scholarship, after all. The door slammed open and she looked up. "Sorry," her best friend Taylor McKessie said "I'm done studying for the day, do you want to come with Chad and I to a movie?" Upon hearing his name, Gabriella privately wondered
why Chad Danforth decided to go to law school, but so far he had managed to thrive, probably because it involved arguing with various people. Taylor cleared her throat and finally Gabriella shook her head, "I have to memorize the anatomy of the
digestive system for tomorrow's practical exam, maybe another time." Taylor nodded and left the room. Gabriella tried to concentrate on her notes but found that she couldn't focus; medical school had been her dream since she was a little girl and she
couldn't be happier that it was finally a reality. However, when she was alone, she always wished that she could share it with him.
FLASHBACK:
It was mid-June as Gabriella anxiously paced the around her dorm room at Stanford. Today was the day that she would receive notice if she was admitted to Berkeley medical school or not. She had studied intently for the past four years of her
undergrad, wrote the MCAT to the best of her abilities, and volunteered at various hospitals. And now, it had come to this. She willed herself to exit the room and walk downstairs to the mail boxes, texting Troy Bolton her boyfriend, who was visiting her
this week, to meet her there. She met the mailman and intercepting him, managed to get her letter. At that moment Troy appeared his light brown hair windswept and his blue eyes looking apprehensively at the envelope in Gabriella's hand. "It's now or
never," he began, "I have a good feeling though." Gabriella nodded and slowly opened the official looking letter. Suddenly a huge grin overtook her face. "I got in!" she screamed and wrapped her arms around Troy. He hugged her back fiercely and
whispered in her ear, "I knew you would, I'm so proud." Gabriella winced at the tone of voice; it was as though Troy had been the one writing her acceptance letter, like he knew that she was going to get in without a doubt. Chalking it up to her
imagination, she put the thought at the back of her mind.
I never saw it coming, wouldn't have suspected it
I underestimated just who I was dealing with
She had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum
She underestimated just who she was stealing from
Coming out of her musings, Gabriella realized that at that moment she should have known that her relationship was unraveling, but she didn't. The last few weeks of June had her studying for finals, and once school was out, all she wanted to do was
hang out with Troy. And so she did, for a while, anyway. He was busy this summer. He worked at the country club volunteering with children, teaching them golf, as a way to gain experience for his future work in teacher's college at the University of
Albuquerque in the fall. He told her months prior when he was applying that he wanted to be close to East High, in case he managed to get a practicum position there. Gabriella was very much aware that Sharpay Evans was at the club for summer break,
but she didn't think anything of it. After all, that jealously had ended in high school, or so she thought.
FLASHBACK:
"I'm sorry Gabriella, you and I, we are over." Troy mumbled. Gabriella felt like a knife had been stabbed in her gut. "What? Why?" she asked, with tears in her brown eyes. "Because I don't want to do long distance again, it was hard enough over the
past four years. I'm done, goodbye, and good luck." Troy said softly as he kissed her on the cheek and walked away, his figure slowly melting away in the moonlight. Gabriella walked into her room and shut the door. She didn't understand, what
happened? She kept running over the last few weeks and the break-up in her mind and came up with nothing, nothing to antagonize him, much less warrant a break-up. Freezing her memories in place, she thought that Troy almost seemed sad to let her
go, like he didn't really want to break-up. She shook her head, knowing that it was just wishful thinking. Over the next weeks Gabriella forced herself to get out of bed, the only thing keeping her motivated was that she would begin to study medicine at
her dream school, Berkeley, in the fall. She would be a doctor, hopefully a cardiologist, and aid in repairing the broken hearts of others.
She's not a saint, and she's not what you think
She's an actress, whoa
She's better known for the things that she does
On the mattress, whoa
"Troy! Are you ready yet? Our reservations are at 7pm." Sharpay called. Hearing him mutter in response from the bathroom, Sharpay assumed that he was at least somewhat ready. In the bathroom Troy was staring at his reflection in the mirror, feeling
completely dejected. He missed Gabriella with every fibre of his being. He wished, every day, that he could tell her the truth. Running a brush through his hair, he knew that wasn't possible, because she would lose her scholarship and thereby loose
medical school. He couldn't do that to her, it was her dream and she deserved happiness. On the other side of the door, Sharpay couldn't be more proud of herself. She was at the University of Albuquerque, currently working on a graduate degree in
theatre and film studies, and she had Troy Bolton. After years of watching him be with that ridiculous Gabriella, she finally had him. Although her methods were somewhat unconventional, they did work. She realized that she had the talent needed for
business, she saw an opening and she went for her goal, with Daddy's help, but nevertheless, the plan was completely hers. Fixing her blonde hair in the vanity mirror beside her bed, Sharpay was sure that when the time came, she would be one of the
most recognized actresses of her time. She would be the best.
FLASHBACK:
One afternoon in March, Sharpay walked into her father's office to retrieve a pen. She was about to leave when a medical school application caught her eye. Gabriella Montez was applying to Berkeley. Sharpay fumed, that girl was too perfect for her own
good. She had Troy, amazing grades, volunteer positions, everything. It was insufferable. Turning on her heel, Sharpay left the room, all that effort that she put into being "nice" to Gabriella, to lure her into a false friendship, with every intention to break
her somewhere down the line was for nothing. Sighing dramatically, she sat on a stool in the kitchen beside her father. "What's wrong Princess?" her father asked. "Gabriella is applying to Berkeley, she'll get in and continue being perfect." Sharpay spat.
Her father looked at her, "Actually, she won't, not without a scholarship, anyway." Sharpay whipped around and stared at her father. "Daddy," she began, "since you're a rather large contributor to the medical school at Berkeley, would you mind giving
Gabriella a scholarship, she's a good student, who deserves to be a doctor." Mr. Evans looked at his daughter, completely bemused. She wasn't the type of girl to help others, she cared more about herself. "Is this a trick Princess?" Looking her father
straight in the eyes, she shook her head, hopped off the stool and went to her room saying that she had to study. Sharpay slammed the door behind her and pulling out her cell phone, she called Troy. "Bolton, you want your precious girlfriend in medical
school?" she questioned. "That goes without saying Sharpay." Troy answered. "That's good to hear, because she'll definitely get her scholarship and become a doctor." Sharpay told him. Hearing a silence, she pressed on, "My father will provide her with
a scholarship, as long as you break-up with her and be my boyfriend, not right away, as I don't want people suspecting anything, but a few months after the break-up will be fine. Think it over." Hanging up on him, Sharpay returned to her work. About
three days later, Troy called her, agreeing to her plan. "One condition Bolton: this stays between you and me."
Soon she's gonna find stealing other people's toys
On the playground won't make you many friends
She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind
There is nothing I do better than revenge, ha
Gabriella pulled into her mother's driveway, grinning from ear to ear. It was mid-November, and she couldn't be happier about her post-exam break. Her mother, Maria, ran towards her and hugged her. "Mom, I can't breathe." Gabriella gasped. Her
mother pulled away, looked at her only daughter with pride, and led Gabriella inside. "So mom, what's been happening around here?" Gabriella asked her mother. Looking quite forlorn, her mother sat down. "I finally managed to have lunch with Lucille
Bolton the other day, plans kept getting delayed for months. It appears that Troy and Sharpay are dating." Gabriella almost choked on the glass of wine that she was drinking. She couldn't believe it: Troy was dating Sharpay? After he had broken up with
Gabriella only a few months prior? And Troy didn't even see Sharpay that way, she far as she knew. "Is he happy?" she finally asked her mother. "I'm not sure, Lucille didn't seem very eager to talk about the relationship though. She sends her best."
Maria finished with a smile. Gabriella nodded.
Hours later, as Gabriella attempted to fall asleep, a noise startled her awake. Groaning, she pulled herself out of bed to find a small letter on her balcony. She looked suspiciously around, but seeing no one in the dark, she went back to her room. She
opened the letter curiously, "I'm sorry I had no choice," was all it said. Frowning, she thought that that the writing looked familiar, almost like Troy's. Something was going on, and she was going to figure out what exactly it was.
She lives her life like it's a party and she's on the list
She looks at me like I'm a trend and she's so over it
I think her ever present frown is a little troubling
She thinks I'm psycho 'cause I like to rhyme her name with things but
Sophistication isn't what you wear or who you know
Or pushing people down to get you where you wanna go
Oh, they didn't teach you that in prep school, so it's up to me
But no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity
I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at, honey
You might have him, but haven't you heard?
I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at, honey
You might have him, but I always get the last word
Gabriella thought that this day couldn't get much worse. She was wrong, dead wrong. She had no idea why she agreed with to drive home with Taylor immediately the morning after their last pre-Christmas break exam. She also had no idea what
possessed her to do all of her laundry upon returning home. And she really had no idea why she agreed to go to a club with Taylor, Chad, Ryan Evans and Kelsi Neilsen, because she would the fifth wheel. All these events coupled together were bad
enough, but what was about to happen was catastrophic. She would be forced to see Sharpay and Troy. The pair was far ahead of the group of five in the line at the door but she could hear Sharpay's voice snarl at the bouncer, "I'm Sharpay Evans and
I'm sure as hell not paying a cover." Ryan rolled his eyes, "I feel sorry for the bouncer." Minutes went by until finally the line continued to move. They reached the doorway and flashing their IDs, they went inside. "I apologize for my sister. She sometimes
thinks that the whole universe revolves around her." Ryan said kindly to the man at the door. "No worries, man. I see girls like that all the time. I feel bad for her boyfriend; he looked like he had just about enough of her."
Once inside, the group immediately ran for a booth. Chad and Ryan got up to order drinks and left the girls to catch-up. Kelsi was in the middle of a story about one of her graduate classes at Juilliard when a voice interrupted her. "Fascinating Kelsi but
honestly, your story isn't all that amazing. Now, my stories about my classes are much more intriguing." Gabriella felt her jaw lock as she heard that voice. Turning around, she saw Sharpay, dressed from head to toe in Chanel, grinning. "Isn't this so
cute? A reunion." Sharpay said as she sat down beside Kelsi, who immediately leaned toward Taylor. "Gabriella," the blonde began, "this place does have a dress code. Could you kindly respect that?" Gabriella looked her straight in the eye and snapped,
"Sharpay, this place where we live called Earth has various codes too. For instant, could you kindly not date my ex-boyfriend after we break-up?" "Sweetheart, it was months after. Move the fuck on." Sharpay smirked. Just as Taylor was about to
separate the two girls, Troy, Chad and Ryan appeared. For a moment Troy looked happy, but once he looked in the direction of the table, his face immediately dropped. Gabriella felt her heart drop at seeing him. Clearly it must have been written on her
face, because Sharpay decided to be a bitch. The blonde grabbed Troy, and pulling him towards her, they kissed.
And do you still feel like you know what you're doing?
'Cause I don't think you do, oh
Do you still feel like you know what you're doing?
I don't think you do, I don't think you do
It was mid-May and Gabriella was tired, exhausted really. Final exams were coming up and she couldn't wait till the summer holidays. Gabriella promised herself that this summer she would move on from Troy. She never heard from him again after that
letter, assuming that it was from him. She walked into her dorm room and said hello to Taylor, who immediately greeted her, informing her that her mail arrived and that there was a message for her on the phone. A woman by the name of Mrs. Gilbertson
wanted to meet with her in relation to her scholarship at 5pm. Looking at her watch, she saw that it was 4:45, and with that, gathered her things and left. About an hour later, Gabriella was walking out of Mrs. Gilbertson's office in shock. Mr. Evans was
behind her scholarship and he wanted to offer her a scholarship for the rest of medical school. She never knew. She decided to call him to at least thank the man for his supporting her education. Calling the number she received from Mrs. Gilbertson,
Gabriella greeted Mr. Evans and profusely thanked him for the scholarship funding. "It was no trouble Ms. Montez. It was Sharpay's encouragement that was my motivating factor." Puzzled, Gabriella thanked him again and hung up the phone. She wasn't
aware that Mr. Evans was related to scholarships at Berkeley. And, more importantly, why did Sharpay want to help her? She couldn't shake off the feeling that she was missing something. Gabriella walked to her room in a daze, and opening her
drawers, she pulled out her "T" necklace that she kept buried under her clothes. As she gazed at the necklace, memories of Troy that she tried to keep hidden flooded her mind. One memory stood out above all the others, Troy's voice when she received
her acceptance letter almost one year ago. In a flash of intuition, Gabriella understood everything, how that blonde bitch Sharpay blackmailed Troy into dating her and break-up with Gabriella, how Troy didn't want to follow through, how his sadness that
night at the club was based on that bitch, and how he found a way to help Gabriella find the truth with his letter. "That bitch is going down." She exclaimed as she raced out the door, leaving Taylor completely confused.
Let's hear the applause
C'mon show me how much better you are
See you deserve some applause
'Cause you're so much better
She took him faster than you can say sabotage
For once Gabriella was being spontaneous, anger was an interesting motivator she mused as she raced down the highway. Following the directions that Chad gave her, she finally found Troy and Sharpay's townhouse. She got out of her car and walked
up to the door and rang the doorbell, grimacing at the pink stairs. The door opened revealing Sharpay. "Oh hi Gabriella, Troy and I were just going out. Can you get out of the way?" At the mention of her name Troy looked up, his beautiful blue eyes
flashing with happiness. "Alright Sharpay this will only take a second though. I called your dad, told him about how you blackmailed Troy- how you weren't being supportive, just being a bitch, although I'm not really surprised, you can't help it I suppose.
Anyways, I have a permanent scholarship, and I'll just have Troy back now. We'll hire some movers to get his things later in the week. Thanks for the drama sweetie, you deserve some applause." Sharpay looked stunned as Gabriella grabbed Troy's
hand and led him towards her car. She was about to open the door when she felt a tug on her arm. Troy spun her around in his arms and kissed her. "Thanks for forgiving me Gabriella. I honestly hate Sharpay, I'd never be with her, but she blackmailed
me, as you know." "Don't worry Troy," she grinned, "if there's one thing I'm good at, it is revenge."
TGTGTG
Hope you guys enjoyed the story. I was listening to this song this past weekend and an idea for a story just hit me. Please read and review. Also, I know that the time frame was a bit off in terms of class time and when acceptance letters are delivered, but let's just go with it.