TITLE: What's Best For Me
AUTHOR: Pilla Jeffrey
CATEGORY: Drama, Angst
PAIRING: Troy/Gabriella, Troy/Sharpay
SPOILERS: Have you seen the movies?
SEASON / SEQUEL: After HSM2
RATING: PG
CONTENT WARNINGS: mild language
SUMMARY: Troy realizes some hard truths about his relationship with Gabriella.
ARCHIVE: anywhere else, ask.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own HSM in any incarnation. All original characters and ideas are mine, though, so don't archive without my permission!
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Is it just me, or did Gabriella act like a completely selfish nutjob in HSM2? (I mean, come on. "I've gotta do was best for me" x ad nauseam?) Anyone who's applied to college knows how important it is to network and do whatever it takes to get in, especially if you want to be in something as selective as a basketball team. Troy wasn't even neglecting her that much. In general, I've found that Gabriella doesn't trust Troy and is more concerned with herself than their relationship, thus doesn't deserve him. Not to mention that the most honest scene in the entire movie was when Troy and Sharpay talked in her dressing room, with Gabi out of sight, and, in my case, out of mind. End rant, start story.

Chapter One: Another Color Turns to Gray

"Oh, Troy," Gabriella giggled, pushing him away in the water. "You can't hold onto me or else I won't be able to tread and we'll drown."

"Oh, I'm sure you could save me, Miss Lifeguard," Troy teased, kissing the tip of her nose. The pool party had been a success. Everyone was having a great time. Gabriella and he had been splashing around in the pool for a good half-hour. They'd tried to get Chad and Taylor to join them—Sharpay and Ryan, they knew, would be lost causes, never wanting to ruin their Dolce and Gabbana—but to no avail.

Gabriela shivered. "I knew this whole 'jumping-into-the-pool-clothed thing was a bad idea. Now I'm waterlogged and freezing, instead of just freezing."

"Spoilsport," Troy playfully whispered into her ear. Gabriella laughed and leaned back, floating face-up as she kicked herself to edge of the pool. Troy followed her out, grabbing a towel. Unlike Gabriella, he'd forgotten to bring a change of clothes and would have to make due with a wet outfit.

As Gabriella hurried into the locker room, Troy toweled himself off. He thought that he should feel like he'd never been happier in his entire life. He and Gabriella were back together. His friends didn't hate him anymore. He had made a cool $3,000 dollars that could go toward college. He'd played with the Red Wings. After being so close to losing everything, he'd gotten all he'd ever wanted. To a certain extent, he was happy. He was extremely happy. And yet something was nagging him.

He sat down on a pool chair and looked out at all of his fellow Wildcats. Chad was teasing Taylor into a kiss. Jason was trying to help Kelsi salvage her electronic keyboard that had gotten wet. Ryan was teaching Martha the basics of tap, which was hard to do on a pool deck.

And then there was Sharpay. She'd been dancing with Zeke earlier, but the young chef had faced one of the drama queen's patented mood swings and left to play basketball with some of the other Wildcats. So there was Sharpay, alone. She sat at the edge of the pool, as if contemplating something so hard that she for once didn't need to be the center of attention. One of her Sharpayettes had handed her a lemonade and she was chewing the straw in perfect rhythm.

He couldn't help but feel bad for Sharpay. Even though he hadn't tricked her off the stage, he still felt responsible for it. He'd promised to sing with her and, even though it was inadvertent, he'd lied to her.

He still could see the mascara running down her face when he confronted her. He could see her heart breaking quietly when she told him that she'd wished he was doing it all for her. Before, He had thought that Sharpay just wanted him as some sort of arm candy. To see how much she genuinely cared about him was a rude awakening. It had made him uncomfortable and flattered, but mostly uncomfortable. It was so much easier to deal with Sharpay when he pretended that she didn't have feelings.

But her hoarse voice still fluttered in his ear and her teary face still floated in his sight. When he'd grabbed her to join them all onstage, she's never looked so genuine and so beautiful. He had seen her hurting from the wings and he couldn't bear to be part of the group subjugating her.

Towel in hand, he went and sat down next to her. "Great party, huh?" he said brightly.

Sharpay shrugged. "I guess."

Troy leaned into her a bit, lowering his voice. "Are you okay, Sharpay?"

She inhaled deeply, but not dramatically. "Okay enough."

"I saw you dancing with Zeke. You know, he really likes you."

"I don't know why. I'm not really that likeable." Her voice was flat. "Zeke's nice and a great baker. Trust me, it's been hard to maintain my figure with all the chocolate chip cookies he's been leaving in my locker all year. But he's not for me."

Troy felt uncomfortable again, but he swallowed it. "Well, senior year's going to be great!" he said awkwardly.

"Listen, Troy." Sharpay's voice was sharp. "I appreciate whatever you're trying to do here. But I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity—"

"I know what pity is, Troy. I've been a performer long enough to know when someone is being insincere." Whatever she'd been contemplating before was spinning in her mind, waiting to get out.

She faced Troy, her eyes locking with his. "Let's be frank, Troy. Gabi doesn't deserve you. You're a great guy. You always think about others first and you stick to your guns no matter what. No matter who," she added softly. "And I really respect that about you, Troy. Whatever I did this summer, I did it with your future in mind. I was thinking about how to help you. What was Gabriella doing? Standing in your way. Demanding that her present is more important than your future. That she's more important than your relationship."

Sharpay leaned closer. Troy could smell the slightly citrusy scent of her hair and see her coffee eyes—not as dark as Gabriella's, but just as captivating—soften ever-so-slightly.

"Troy, I'm a bitch." Troy opened his mouth instinctively protest and Sharpay put her finger to his lips. "Don't try to lie to me, it's true. I don't pretend to be anything more than I am. What's Gabriella's excuse?"

With that, she retracted her finger and gave him one last serious look before she deliberately got up and left, the citrus smell still meandering through the air.

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Next Chapter:

Troy never cried. He hadn't cried since his father told him that real boys didn't cry. But he could feel the hot tears haunting his eyes and clouding his vision. Gabriella was already in a fit, bereft with tears.