A/N: I was reading an excellent FanFiction called Free Throw by sleepy-orange, and I decided that I thought Kelsi and Jason were just about the cutest and least-talked about couple on High School Musical. So here I am. Writing a Jelsi. Wish me luck!
DISCOVERED
Kelsi Nielson had never been noticed. People had brushed past her, thinking of her as a "small person." A small person who wore hats. Every day.
Kelsi had always been Mrs. Darbus' composer, her pianist. She was in the Drama Club for that reason and only that reason. She had never known a life with friends, at East High. She had only known the constant hat-wearing, finger-moving, silent life at school. She had never really thought about how else High School could be. She spoke only when she was spoken to. She didn't know what other type of life to live.
Kelsi wasn't really strange. She had a hidden reason for her quiet, non-noticed life. She was afraid. She was afraid that if she did anything--anything out of routine--that her life would be flipped upside down--that one small out-of-place word would change her life. Kelsi didn't know what she could be doing. She thought she knew who she was--but she didn't, really. Not until he came along.
Yes, Troy changed her life. He taught her what she really could be. Who she really was. He noticed her! Really, truly noticed her! And it was true, her one out-of-place action--her dropping her sheet music--changed her life. But for the better. Yes, Troy had noticed her--but he hadn't discovered her.
She still wore her hats. Kelsi was so used to it--so used to the routine: get up, get into your clothes, put on a hat. Of course, her life at school had changed, since Troy came in, but she still wore her hats. She was still secretly afraid to take them off at school.
And then Troy gave her the game ball! She felt so awkward, holding the miraculous orange, bouncing object in her hand. She stood there, in her hat, so short, almost invisible among the tall, popular people. No one except Troy and Gabriella had noticed her. And when he gave her the ball--she was suddenly a very interesting girl. No one knew it--but after she recieved the ball, Gabriella eyed her suspiciously for one brief moment, glanced at Troy's dreamy-for-her face, then wiped the look off her face and smiled gloriously at Kelsi (A/N: sorry, guys, I'm just not too big a fan of Gabriella...and definitely not her singing!).
And then him--oh, him! He came up to her, of his own free will! Yes, for no known reason he walked up to Kelsi Nielson. And in one flashing second, one moment, a boy she had never spoken to before in her life had discovered her.
Yes, I'm saying it. Jason took off her hat.
She was surprised--so surprised! She had never crushed on Troy, no matter what Gabriella thought. She had never like-liked anyone, and no one had ever like-liked her. But now...Now, staring into his chocolate brown eyes, his smiling face, with that dark, dark hair, and--she was entranced. Was he actually smiling at her? Yes, he was! Smiling at Kelsi! She couldn't help it. Out of the corner of her eye, Kelsi saw cheerleaders. Gorgeous, killer-cheek-boned, blond, perfect-bodied cheerleaders, with jealous faces. Yes, it was happening! Cheerleaders were jealous of her, Kelsi Nielson!
She smiled.
He helped her shoot the ball through the East High hoop. They shared a smile, the envious cheerleaders' cheers not quite so enthusiastic.
And before they broke out into song and dance, Kelsi had a secret. Yes, a secret. She still hadn't said anything to Jason, and he pecked her on the cheek. No one was looking. But he had kissed her! On the cheek! She saw the dancing people, their enthusiastic smiles spreading from ear-to-ear.
But Kelsi Nielson hesitated. She hesitated for one moment, to touch the place on her cheek where Jason had kissed her. She knew that her cheeks were probably bright red, but she was smiling, really smiling.
She had been discovered.
