Always in My Dreams
The sound of a basketball being dribbled filled the East High gym. Only one person stood on the court. The varsity basketball team had all ready gone home since practice finished about an hour ago. Now it was just the team captain standing at the free throw line. With one basketball and one hoop.
Even though his face showed concentration. His bright blue eyes that always had a certain shine to them told a different story. There was confusion mixed with devastation. And if you looked deeper in. You could see the distressed eyes of his connect down to a hopeless heart.
He let the ball bounce twice before locking in his target. He twirled the orange basketball between his fingers and with one swift move; he jumped and let the ball fly into the air.
He watched the ball fly head strait toward the basket, as his right hand was still up above his head, waiting for the ball to swish into the net.
Everything came to a stop though when the ball hit the front of the rim, making the ball shoot all away across the opposite side of the gym. His hand dropped, the feeling of failure spread through his body.
Letting out a huff, he cursed, "Damn it!"
Not giving up yet, he wiped the sweat forming on his brow and picked up another ball sitting next to him on the hard wooden floor. He started to dribble the ball again but this time keeping a rhythm. He moved his feet right and left, side to side. Imagining someone was guarding him.
He faked right, but went left, and right when he was going to make a break to the hoop. The ball left his hands and skidded away to the side. Leaving him frustrated more then ever. Trying to still keep the temper in check, he ran his hands through his hair. Picking up another orange ball and walking to the free throw line.
Attempting to see if the 'third times a charm' saying was really true. He set up his stance, preparing to shoot. Bouncing it once, he shot it, and closed his eyes waiting for sound of the ball to fall through the net. But the only sound that was made was the echo of the ball bouncing on the wooden floor. The ball didn't even touch the bottom of the net.
The East High basketball team captain, a Wildcat champion, THE Troy Bolton, just air-balled for the first time ever in his basketball career.
"Fuck!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. Kicking the closest basketball by him with all his might while cursing out loud every word he could think of. He sat down in the middle of cold gym floor; he sat there with his hands covering the face. Anger was rushing through his veins, not an ounce of hope was in Troy's body. He felt like giving up.
After calming down a little bit Troy felt a figure standing right beside him. Troy looked up to see a petite girl with deep dark brown eyes was starring down at him. She crouched down meeting him at eye level, letting him have a closer look at her concerned face. Her worried eyes looked into his intense sky blue ones, before greeting him softly.
"Hi."
He gave her a sad smile in response before he shifted his eyes towards floor. He felt her sit down next to him and rest her head on his strong shoulder as she intertwined her hand with his.
After a few minutes of silence Troy decided to break it.
"How much did you see?" He asked. Hoping she didn't see him breakdown in the middle of the gym. He was worried. Worried because he never lets anyone see himself get that angry over shooting a few basketball shots.
Their eyes connected but the girl quickly broke it. "A lot." She whispered.
A pang of guilt shot through his body. He felt horrible for letting someone see him pretty much go mad. "Sorry" He shook his head. "I'm so sorry Gabriella."
Her eyes looked up to see Troy's head hanging down low and eyes locked on the floor. Gabriella had never seen him act like this since the two years she has known him. His usual relaxed mood switched to an emotion she thought he would show. It was unnatural for him to be like this.
She moved her hand to under his chin raising his head to meet hers face to face.
"Its ok, we all get angry once in a while." She said with a small smile as she comforted him by caressing her smooth thumb on his cheek.
He let out a small uncomfortable laugh and broke his eye contact with her. Her hands crept up his head and started to run her fingers through his hair.
"I know something is bugging you Troy. You've been uptight sense after last week's game." She said with a voice that dripped full worry.
Gabi could read him like a book and Troy knew it. All last week she kept asking him if he was ok. He saw it in her eyes that she knew something was up.
"Yeah, I've been a little overwhelmed I guess." He said trying to find away out the conversation. "You know, just school and basketball and my job and…" He couldn't think of anything else to say "and…stuff."
He watched her raise her brow and a facial expression that read 'No excuses. What's the real reason?'
He released a breath of air before murmuring "Its my Dad."
She felt uneasy about the way Troy spoke his last sentence. Now she really knew something wasn't right at all. She knew Troy's dad was hard of his son. She saw them last week at the basketball gym. Troy was running around doing drills, and his dad yelling at him. That night when they were studying, Troy could barley talk or move because he was so whipped out from practice.
"Well he's been pressuring the college subject a lot because last week he notice some college scout watching me play." He grabbed her small hand and intertwined their fingers together before talking.
"I told him I'm not sure what I want to do with college, and told him that I was still figuring it out for myself and then he…" She notice his face hardened. "He uh…" He shook his head and looked at her.
"He told me something that I cant get out of my head." He said with his jaw clenched tight.
He felt her rub his back. "Tell me what happen." She said in a comforting way.
He opened his mouth and told her about what had happen the night of last week's game.
"Dad, I'm still trying to figure out for myself what I want to do with the whole college thing." Troy tried to explain to his stubborn father.
"What is there to figure out?" He spat. "You're going to go play for the red hawks, I know it, they've been keeping an eye on you since your sophomore year."
"But Dad I-"
"Troy. You're going to graduate from high school, dump that little annoying girlfriend, move on with your life and play for the red hawks. Then after that its professional basketball for you."
Troy couldn't breath when he heard the word dump and girlfriend in the same sentence. He could imagine his life with out her. She was the only reason why He hasn't fallen apart yet; she has always been there for him.
"Wait, dump Gabriella?"
His father nodded. "She's too needy, and distracts you from your main focus every damn chance she gets." He shook his head "Don't let some girl get in the way of your future, your dream Troy. I don't want her ruining it."
Gabriella's heart sunk when she heard this. She didn't want to break up with Troy. It would kill her. He has helped her through so much. She would miss his hugs and his kisses. The little romantic moments they had together. She loved him. But she loved him so much that she would be willing to anything for him, even if it were to break up with him so he could reach his dream.
"Well if you have to break up with me…" Her lips where trembling. She couldn't help it, she lost a fight with the tears that were trying to fall. The little drops of salty water slipped down her cheeks. Her voice vanished. It was too painful for her to say anything else.
Troy's eyes widened. He softly wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. "Whoa, Baby." He said with thick concern in his tone. "I would never do that to you. I love you to much to let you go."
He felt a pair of arms wrap around him, arms that belonged to his dear Gabriella. She covered her face into the side of his chest. She was relieved that he felt same way she did.
"Thank goodness." She cried. Troy let a small happy sigh escape from his mouth and kissed the top her head in a loving way.
Troy slowly stood up bringing her with him. The couple stood hugging in a tight embrace. "Whatever my dream is, your always going to be in it, always remember that Gabi." He whispered in her ear.
A smile spread across her face as she nodded. She knew Troy really meant what he said.
"You'll be in mine too." He smiled at her and pressed his lips against hers. He was glad. Glad to have Gabriella. Glad they would both be in each other's dreams.
Note: Thanks for reading! Its my 1st story, I hoped it was enjoyable to read. It would be great if you could review it, let me know if I was good, or if it was so boring you almost fell asleep. (hopefully that's not the case. Lol.) Good and helpful criticism would be awesome to get. Hopefully I'll write another story soon. Talk to ya then
~Lo