Troy awoke on the couch in his living room with a terrible headache and the urge to vomit. The urge was growing and he ran to the stairs stumbling trying to reach to the bathroom to puke. He opened the door quietly trying not to make it squeak and hurried inside when the opening was large enough, he learned over the toilet and began to let it all out. When there was nothing else to throw up he stopped leaning over the toilet and sat on the floor. Wiping his mouth he tried to think of something he ate that would of made him puke. He couldn't remember what he had ate the day before or why he had fallen asleep on the couch. He smelled his clothes and they smelled like beer, he figured he fell asleep on the couch because that's where he had passed out at, he figured he was drunk. Feeling the urge again he leaned over the toilet once me and began to puke. A short while after he finished and once again sat on the floor to think. The next question on his mind was why he got drunk in the first place and where was he at when he did. Troy's dad heard him in the bathroom and got out of bed to see if he was alright. When Troy heard a knock on the bathroom door and his dad's voice ask if "Troy was in the bathroom and if he was alright" and he raced to his feet and to lock the door, but not before tripping on the rug and hitting the ground hard with a loud thump.
"Yeah dad I am in the bathroom I'll be out in a minute" Troy said in pain as he got up from the floor. "Are you alright it sounded as if you were throwing up" his dad said leaning against the outside of the bathroom door. "Yeah, I'm fine, I think I ate something bad that's all." Troy replied as he wiped his mouth with a piece of tissue. "Ok son, I was just making sure you were alright." Mr. Bolton returned to bed with his wife and fell back to sleep.
Troy sat on the toilet to finish wiping his mouth and then stood up the use the bathroom. When he was finished he began to unbutton his pants and slipped them off onto the floor, and took off his jacket and shirt and entered the shower. He sat under the warm water thinking of how he would explain the smell of beer on his clothes to his mother, who, every Sunday did his laundry. He decided to put the clothes into the wash and attempt to wash them his self. He picked up the bar of soap that sat on a racked supported by the shower. He lathered his body and rinsed it off with a wash towel, then lather his face that still smelled of Budweiser with the soap and washed his face with the wash towel. After 30 minutes of lather, rinse, lather, rinse, Troy stepped out of the shower. He walked over to the mirror and admired his physique, he was tan and had a well toned abdomen, shaped triceps and biceps, also a well established chest. Troy thought of his body before he began to work out, he thought of his bird chest and un toned arms with no shape in his stomach. Then Troy imagined his figure if he kept drinking. He imagined his self with a beer bell, saggy un toned arms, and man boobs. He shook this memory from his mind and promised himself that he would never drink again.
At the breakfast table Troy sat blankly staring at the syrupy stacks of pancakes his mom had fixed, but couldn't find himself to eat any, his mind was elsewhere. He was trying to figure out why he would of gotten drunk, but his mind once again went blank.
"Troy are you alright. . . you haven't eaten anything ?" His mother said with a concerned look on her face.
"Yeah, I'm fine." he replied with a smile as he picked up the fork and poked at the pancakes.
"You know Troy, everyone is entitled to at least one bad day." His mother implied with a warming smile.
"Troy, don't tell me your still frowning about last night's game?" his father spoke interrupting his wife.
Troy looked with a puzzled look on his face not knowing what his dad was taking about. "Last nights game." Troy spoke with a puzzled look. He then realized that his parent didn't know of his condition now, that he can't remember anything from yesterday. "No, no I'm fine. I'm just not that hungry." Troy said trying to play off the fact that he had no idea of what game they were talking about. "Ok, then you better be on your way to school then." Mrs. Bolton said as she cleared his plate from in front of him.
Troy arose from the table grabbing his book bag and kissing his mother on the cheek and headed out the door. I got drunk?, and Last nights game? Were the questions that were playing over and over in Troy's mind the whole way to school. When he walked into the school he was greeted by teachers and fellow students showing their sympathy about last nights game, that he had no memory of. Troy arrived at his locker still with the thought of his drinking last night, but it was put on hold when he discovered a note on his locker that read:
Troy,
We need to talk ASAP.
Sharpay
Troy hung his head after reading the note, "What have I done?" He whispered to myself. Assuming that he must of done something wrong last night. When he looked up he saw his girlfriend Gabriella coming towards me with a smile on her face. "Hi Troy, are you alright" she said in a sweet voice. Trying to comfort him. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine just a little tired" He said as he leaned down to kiss her. Their kiss brought a smile the his face. "Oh, ok I thought you were a still upset about last nights game" she said as she grabbed his hand and started walking down the hallway. Troy stopped walking.
"Wait, what" He said shaking his head. He forgot that everyone else must of went to the game and remembers, except him, decided that she was the person to ask about last's game. "Don't you remember the game from last night?" "No why, what happened?" "Well. . ." she said pulling her hand away from mine. " You weren't playing to well, I don't think you head was in the game. You kept looking into the crowed as if you were looking for someone and not paying attention to the game." "Well it's not like we lost or anything" Troy said being cocky. "Troy, you did lose the game. Are you sure your alright?" "Uh . . . yeah I'll be fine, I guess it just slipped my mind." He said trying to play it off. "I think I'll go lay down in the nurses office to rest." "Ok, well I'll see you at lunch then?" she said smiling as he walked away towards the office. "Yeah, I'll meet you outside by the benches." He told her as he was still walking away.
Troy lied he wasn't going to the nurses office, he went to find Sharpay to ask her about why they needed to talk. When he turned the corner he found Sharpay at her locker with her boyfriend Zeke. Troy walked up to the two of them smiling like nothing was wrong and he wasn't worried about the note and what he may have done last night.
"Hi Troy" she said smiling. "Hi Sharpay. . . and Zeke" " Hey what's up man, are you still bummed about the game last night?" Zeke said as he shook Troy's hand. " No, I better now" Troy said looking at Sharpay. "Ok man, I'll see you at practice." "Yeah, see you there." Troy said pointing at him. Zeke bent down and gave Sharpay a kiss before he took off for class. As Zeke left Troy's friendly smile turn into a concerned one. "Troy is everything alright?" Sharpay said with a concerned look also. "No, I need to know what happened between us, or if anything happened between us last night when I was drunk." he said rambling. "Troy what are you talking about when you were drun . . . oh that's why you bailed on me yesterday to go get drunk?" She said in an angry voice. "Sharpay what are you talking about bailed on you I never had plans with you." "Yes we did, Ms. Darbus asked you if you wouldn't mind helping me prepare for the Christmas production, since Gabriella couldn't and you said sure you wouldn't mind." "Wait, what, when was this?" "Yesterday during free period, don't you remember?" "I can't really remember too much about yesterday." Troy confessed. "Well try not to forget that we need to meet in the auditorium after basketball practice to get the songs finished." The 2 minute bell for class rang. "Ok, I won't I'll have Gabriella remind me after school incase I forget." He said as he was walking away to class.
During the school day Troy didn't pay attention in any of his classes, he was trying to put the pieces together of lasts night incidents, him spacing throughout the game, him bailing on Sharpay, and getting drunk and crashing on the couch. During lunch he went into the nurses office to sleep and take the stress of yesterday off his shoulder, forgetting about Gabriella. Although she was stood up Gabriella wasn't mad, she understood that Troy was having a rough day and probably needed to rest.
After school during basketball practice Troy was finally focused was focused on the present and not so much the past. "Ok, we are looking better." Coach Bolton spoke with authority. Troy was staring off into space, although he was focused on the present Troy hated hearing the long speeches his dad gave who was also his coach. "Troy!" Coach Bolton yelled to try and get his attention. Troy was startled and turned to see his coach/dad glaring at him. "Troy we can't afford another lose like yesterday, I need you to get your head in the game!" Coach Bolton went on lecturing the team and Troy again went off into his space mode. Despite him not paying attention to anything the coach had to say Troy had a great practice. He stopped thinking about last night and focused on his free throws.
In the locker the guys were joking, laughing, and discussing what they did yesterday. When Jason asked Troy what he did after the game his mind went blank, he didn't know what to say. "Uh. . . I went home. . . no I went to. . . I can't remember." Troy spoke with disappointment. The crowed looked with question and then turned away to carry on with their other discussions and then gathered their things to be on there way. Troy left the locker room feeling embarrassed but then remembered that he was to meet Sharpay in the auditorium to work on the Christmas production.
Troy opened the door to the auditorium to find Sharpay sitting at the piano making corrections to a sheet of music. When the door closed she saw him and gestured to him to get up there and help her with the sheet of music. Troy rushed to the stage and sat beside Sharpay as she commanded. It was not a good idea to anger Sharpay.
"Ok, tell me if this sounds right." she said with authority
Christmas cheer filled the air, with sleigh bells ringing everywhere.
Children laugh and play with jeer, with no fear. . .
Troy was actually focused on her singing because had never heard Sharpay sing like that before, it was beautiful. He was used to all the show music, but this piece that she was singing was heartfelt he thought. He was mesmerized by her eyes as he listened to her sing, she sounded like an angel. When she was finished she looked over and saw Troy staring into her eyes but not realizing that she had finished singing.
"Troy. . . Troy, are you alright?" she said smiling. Troy was trapped in Sharpay's eyes. He was stilling staring at her but couldn't here her calling his name.
"Troy!" she screamed. "Uh?" he said shaking off the trance. "How did that sound?" "It sounded amazing, did you make that up yourself?"
Troy was mesmerized by her voice and the way she was looking at him. Her big browns eyes looking into his. He noticed a strand of hair in her faced and reached his arm up to fix. When he touched her skin she smiled looking to see what he was doing and giggled.
"Yeah I was working on it all last night when I was here by myself." Emphasizing her statement. "Oh, yeah I'm sorry about that." "It's alright just don't do it again." She said as she stood up.
When she stood up she tripped over his book bag and the sheets of music fell out of her hands. He got up to help her pick up the papers. As they picked up the sheets of paper they both grabbed for the same paper and their hands met. They both looked up and were nose to nose looking into each others eyes, and once again he was lost in hers. Troy felt a connection with Sharpay that he never felt with anyone else before. Troy was seeing the nicer side of Sharpay and not he Drama Queen he thought her to be. There eyes were locked and nothing could break it. But finally Troy stood up and began to fix his jeans and then extending his hand to Sharpay helping her to her feet. The sat on the edge of the stage going over the music and making corrections. Troy took advantage of this new connection with Sharpay and confessed to everything, all the incidents that had happened. When he was finished Sharpay was astound, and her jaw fell. Troy reached over and lifted her chin closing her mouth. Once again he looked into her eyes and felt warmth and comfort, that she was the right person to vent to. Sharpay always had feelings for Troy, but was never able to express her feelings for him, so she took advantage of his weakness and leaned in to kiss him. Surprisingly Troy was not shocked, nor did he pull away. When they finally did pulled away Sharpay turned to see that someone had been watching them and seen their kiss.