The wildcats
The east side of Albuquerque New Mexico has always been divided into two halves. Segregated is actually a better word the two sides avoid each other like opposing magnets and are separated only by the local mall and the hospital. One side is known as upper east Albuquerque and the other is know as lower east Albuquerque, which is fitting seeing as the upper side is just that the upper class society of Albuquerque.
Things are about it change around east Albuquerque
Due to vandalism and poor attendance rates lower east high is being closed down forcing all the students to attend upper east high or as it is now to be known just plain east high.
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Sixteen year old Gabriella Montez awoke Monday morning at seven to find the house dead quite like usual. She had showered and was dressed in a pair of tight fitting black shorts, a purple tank top with a white one slightly showing underneath and a pair of white flip flops before she heard seventeen year old Zeke Baylor hollering for everyone to get their arses out of bed. Some make up and a white baseball cap and she was ready. Gabby lived in lower east Albuquerque with her friends Chad Danforth, Jason Cross and Zeke. It may sound weird her living with three teenage boys but they were like her brothers. She has known them ever since she was 13 and joined the street gang they were in called The Wildcats.
She walked happily into the kitchen to find all three teenage boys wearing just their jeans and gathered around the bench practically inhaling their cereal.
"Chew boys or you will get stomach aches" she warned playfully while she filled a bowl for herself.
Chad tossed his bowl into the sink, he walked over to gabby and grabbed the two plaits resting by her ears pulling them across her face and covering her eyes. She giggled at his childishness and he chuckled at her laughter. Chad released her hair and walked past her grabbing his t-shirt and hoody from the couch and puling both over his head. One after another Jason and zeke tossed their bowls into the sink and pulled on their own shirts and hoodies.
"Everyone ready for hell on earth?" zeke complained referring to the fact that they would be spending the day on the upper side of town.
"It wont be that bad" gabby tried to reason while she stuffed some books and pens into her school bag. All three boys shared a look and rolled their eyes. Gabriella caught Jason rolling his.
"Hey! It wont be that bad, we have each other, we wont even have to talk to them promise" she was now trying to bargain with them they all gathered their own bags as she said this.
"Of course you won't talk to them" Levi Danforth said entering the house. He was taking them all to school today and would pick them up as well he didn't want his family in upper any longer than they had to be especially with out him. Gabriella sent him an annoyed look clear picking up on the emphases he had placed on the word you. Levi is highly over protective of her she really doesn't leave the house without a guard of at least one wildcat. He walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek to which she sulkily didn't respond to. He looked a lot like Chad only older and with shorter more tamed hair. Gabriella wasn't sure if she loved him but he was the only boyfriend she had ever had and he treated her like royalty. Don't get the wrong idea she defiantly had strong feelings for him she just wasn't sure if it was love.
When they got to school it became quite clear that the boys were to play the role of her body guards while they were at east high, just like when they went to parties at least one member was to be with her at all times. It wasn't like that at her old school because everyone there knew the rules. You don't mess with a wildcat and you really don't mess with their girl. Here the boys had even scheduled their classes around hers.
They all exited the car, Levi lent against the car pulling gabby into his arms. Jason, Chad and zeke all spun around and faced the school watching all the preppy upper east kids in their designer clothes shot looks at anyone from lower east. All the lower east kids looked familiar in the crowd, they completely ignore the upper east kids stare's and upon spotting the wildcats took measures to stay out of their way.
Levi brushed his chocolate fingers against Gabriella's left cheek.
"Forgive me, for being worried?" he whispered for only her to hear. She smiled at him and met his lips in a kiss.
"Yes, but I can hold my own, I bunch of snotty upper kids don't scare me" she said confidently grinning at him. He kissed her again and wished her a good day.
As they started inside he called back to her.
"Don't worry Gab's I know you can handle yourself" he assured her and watched the smile on her face grow even bigger.
The corridor was bustling with kids going to new lockers and new homerooms chatting excitedly about the New Year all the new changes. As the main doors opened revealing beautiful Gabriella with Chad's arm slung protectively around her waist and Jason and zeke flanking the two, they looked highly intimidating. The boys were all well muscled and Gabriella could pass for a model. The boys had pulled their hoods over their heads and gabby was wearing her hat they all displayed strong confidence. The lower east kids either went quite hurrying to get out of the hall or fell into step behind Zeke and Jason. Upon noticing the lower kid's reaction to their entrance and after taking a good look at the wildcats most upper kids stared as they passed and melted into the walls. Some however refused to be intimidated like Sharpay Evans.
"Who do they think they are?" she scoffed in disbelieve as someone other than her self managed to get most of the school to part like obedient servants. She slammed her locker shut and made her way to the middle of the corridor determined to not move as the wildcats slowly approached her, she would just have to teach them about how things ran in this school. She flicked her blonde locks back purposefully.
"I can't watch this! Are you crazy!" Martha Cox a seventeen year old from lower east pushed Sharpay out of the way just as the wildcats passed.
"What do you think your doing?" Sharpay shouted at her causing a group of upper kids to crowd around the two girls.
"Duh! Saving your life because you must have a death wish if you were not planning on moving" Martha snapped back annoyed that she had just risked a lot to help someone so rude.
Troy Bolton who had seen the whole thing was standing to Martha's right when she had replied to Sharpay.
"What do you mean? Who are they?" he asked her cautiously. Taylor, Ryan and kelsi all from the upper side gathered around too. Eager to hear the answer to troy's questions. Martha looked at them wide eyed.
"You're kidding right! That was four very important members of The Wildcats, the strongest street gang around, unless you don't wanna see tomorrow you stay well clear from them" she explained troy's attention was now on Gabriella his eyes travelling down her tanned legs. All four wildcats stood around the door to Miss Darbus's homeroom.
"Don't even think about it!" Martha broke through his thoughts by placing a hand on his shoulder.
"That's Gabriella Montez, the only female member of The Wildcats; she is the leader Levi Danforth's girl she is 100% off limits to all member or not see the guy with the weird hair? That's Chad Danforth, Levi's little brother, the other two are Jason cross, not the smartest of guys but his got a good right hook, and Zeke Baylor he's a quite one but you and guarantee that he wont let her out of his sight" she pointed to each one as she introduced them to the group.
"Hypothetically, how does one join this group?" Ryan asked everyone turned to him with stunned faces. Martha laughed.
"Don't worry he wont" she said and turned to walk away but Ryan stopped her.
"You just met me how could you know something like that?" he challenged. She turned back around.
"You wouldn't survive initiation! Most people don't, besides it's a sell your soul kinda deal, once your in your in for life and trust me when I say the costs outweigh the benefits" she walked away when she was done and no one called her back this time. They were all pondering what she had said.
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The bell rang abruptly calling everyone in homeroom to attention. Miss Darbus entered the room in her usual extravagant attire.
"Good morning class! And welcome to a new year!" She threw her arms out wildly as she spoke sending most of the lower east kids into fits of laughter. The upper kids knew better than to openly laugh at her. Miss Darbus expression became harsh in a flash but she chose to ignore the disruption.
"As we are no longer two schools but united as one! Let's do a little getting to know you!" she called brightly across the class room.
"Who shows the courage to stand here and bare their soul first?" the entire class excluding Sharpay and Ryan looked as if she had just spoken to them in Greek. Sighing Miss Darbus pointed to a girl seated at the back of the room.
"You! Come up here and introduce yourself to the class" she commanded. Gabriella's head snapped up in surprise at being addressed. Teachers didn't usually call on her in class, in fact teachers at lower east didn't really teach at all. Zeke sitting in front of her was quick to his feet.
"I don't think so" he said his voice calm yet had a forceful edge to it. Many students gasped at his actions. Miss Darbus looked appalled. She opened her mouth ready to issue a detention; Jason and Chad were instantly flanking Zeke creating a protective wall around Gabriella. When the bell rang signalling the end of homeroom and the class was empty in a flash no one was keen to hang around.
Gabby stood angrily hands on hips and glared at the three boys and a few others who had also stood all she recognised as wannabe wildcats.
"I can't believe you! She wasn't going to hurt me! It was just a question! If you're going to be like this 24/7 I will go to Levi!" She threatened every last one took a shameful step back.
She ignore the lot of them and left the room alone, well not completely alone they were all following at a safe distance behind her. She careful examined her surroundings.
"Wow this place is like super clean and is clearly big on team spirit" she said to herself there where giant red E's everywhere as well as posters of the school basketball team. She paused at one of the posters in question that was just outside of the gym.
"You boys should try out for the team, could be fun" she suggested loudly knowing they were listening in from their place a few meters behind her. She turned giving them a playful smile.
"Is it safe for me to enter the change room or does someone have to come with me there too?" she teased. The boys smiled happy to see they were forgiven and wouldn't have to face the wrath of Levi when they got home.
"Or we could just take you with us" Chad teased scooping her up and carrying her towards the boys change room. Gabriella squealed.
"You wouldn't!" she gripped his neck firmly he had one arm under her knees and the other around her back. He set her back down laughing at himself.
"Your right I wouldn't" he ducked around her avoiding her arm which was ready to hit him and followed by the gang of boys headed into the change room.
She slipped quietly into the change room to hear some girls talking about the wildcats. She moved almost invisibly and started to get changed next to one of the girls. She was a small brunette, she was apart of the conversation but wasn't saying anything.
"Wonder what the initiation is" kelsi said thoughtfully as she Taylor and Sharpay got changed for gym after homeroom.
"You could just ask" an unfamiliar voice said on the other side of her. All three girls stared gobsmacked at Gabriella Montez would had just interrupted their conversation.
The girl pulled her top over her head ignoring them and replaced it with the uniform white t-shirt. She had already changed her shorts to the red ones that went with the top. As she changed Taylor caught sight of what appeared to be a tattoo of a big cat on her right hip.
"Is that it?" she asked pointing to it causing the brunette girl to laugh.
"No!" gabby cried folding the clothes she had just taken off.
"You get that when you pass" she clarified then turned to them to see if they had anymore theories as to what the wildcat initiation was.
"Couldn't you just tell us?" kelsi asked timidly. Gabriella smiled nicely at the girl and shrugged.
"I will tell you anything you want to know about the wildcats that I can tell you" she sighed and turned to leave.
"I just asked" kelsi continued. Gabby smiled it would be nice to have some friends who are girls.
"At lunch" she finished and left the change room.
AN: thats chapter one please review and tell me what you think. any tips or ideas to make it better would be great. i hope you liked it i have another chapter written which i will post when i get five reviews so please review.
princess kay
