Disclaimer: I don't own HSM.

A/N: Thanks to my reviewers. I hope you enjoy chappie # 2!


Chapter two: Basketball Players Don't Get Cs

Troy and Chad sat in the Bolton's kitchen, doing their homework Sunday afternoon. "Hey Troy," Chad said looking up from his book. "Wanna shoot some hoops later?"

"Yeah…" Troy began, but as that exact moment his phone rang. "One sec," he said to Chad and picked up his phone.

"Hello?"

"Girlfreind alert," Chad mumbled.

"Hey Troy!" Troy smiled as he heard Gabriella's voice. Slightly blushing, Troy walked out of the room. Chad rolled his eyes, but good-naturedly.

"Hey Gabriella, what's up?"

"I finished my homework, wanna hang?" Troy hesitated.

"Well. I…" but then he had a brilliant idea. "Yeah, but bring Taylor with you,okay?"

"Okay. See you in a few minutes," Gabriella said.

"Alright, bye."

When Troy went back into the kitchen, Chad questioned him.

"What was that about?" Troy hesitated.

"Oh, um, Gabriella's coming over." Chad glared at him.

"Troy, what about our game?" Troy smiled.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget."

Later, they were engaged in an evenly matched game of two on two: Chad and Taylor verses Troy and Gabriella, and Troy had the ball. Chad was blocking his shot. He passed it to Gabriella, who had a clear shot. She caught the ball, shot it and made a basket.

"Yes!" Troy exclaimed. Troy and Gabriella high-fived. "24 to 22! We're in the lead!" Gabriella glanced at the time on her phone.

"Oh no Troy. I have to go. My mom said—"

"Alright. See you tomorrow," Troy said. "Bye Taylor, Chad. Good game."

"Yeah," they said. Then Troy waked her home.

The next day, Troy got his math test back. When he saw the grade his face fell. How could he have gotten a C? He couldn't stay on the basketball team with Cs. He thought back. He had opened the math book… and has barely finished reading the first two pages of the chapter when his phone rang. He and Gabriella had been on the phone until midnight.

Troy took his time packing his bag after the bell rang.

"Um… Mrs. Trayvor?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes Troy?" the math teacher asked kindly, looking up at the boy from behind her desk. He placed his test in front of her.

"About the test," Troy started.

"Not your best work, I must say," Mrs. Trayvor agreed, going back to grading papers.

"Right," Troy said uncomfortably. "How much does this test go towards my final grade?" Mrs. Trayvor looked up at troy over her papers.

"Troy, this was just one test. As long as you keep up you grades for the rest of the year you should be fine." Troy sighed with relief.

"Thanks Mrs. Trayvor."

Later that night:

"What do you mean you got a C?" Coach Bolton asked his son. He had just asked his son about his math test. "When I left you, you were studying. What happened?" Troy hesitated.

"I… my phone rang and…"

"Troy!" Coach Bolton was aggravated. "If dating Gabriella Montez is going to distract you from your school work, then I hate to say it but you won't be allowed to date."

"What!? But dad!"

"Troy. C students can't play basketball."

"Dad!" Troy exclaimed. "It was just one test. Mrs. Trayvor said that as long as I keep up my grades, it shouldn't hurt me at all."

"Well, I hope not," Coach Bolton said.

"It won't," Troy insisted.

"Okay," Coach Bolton said. A smile crept onto his face. "Now get upstairs and study. Go go go go!" He said it as if he were coaching Troy in a basketball game. Troy tramped upstairs.