Disclaimer: We do not own the High School Musical franchise or the song Let's Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas.
Troy's POV:
Why did I let Chad convince me into going to the reunion? I mean I'm having a decent time, but going back to East High brings back some memories I don't want to keep in mind. There's no point of staying when I know that when I see her, I'll fall for her all over again and I can't let that happen. So I start to walk out when I hear someone calling my name; I turn around to see a certain blonde waving energetically at me. Now my chances of escape are slim to none because Sharpay will want to talk all night.
"Troy Bolton!" she says. "Don't I get a friendly hug? Don't worry, Gabi knows we're just friends and I wouldn't want my Zekey start to think there is something going on with you and me."
I laugh nervously and start to give her an excuse to leave, but she starts to go on and on.
"So Troy! What have you been doing these past 20 years? I have to know since, as you know, I'm still the gossip queen as I was in high school and plus I haven't seen you since you and Gabi..." She stops before she ends her sentence and I look down at the ground when she mentions Gabi and me. I finally tell her what has been going on with me so I don't have to go back to thinking about what happened between Gabi and me.
"I've been around LA for the past 20 years. I finished college at UCLA; got a degree in media communications, and then got drafted into the Lakers. I played for them for 8 years before retiring because of a knee injury and now I work as a sideline NBA reporter for ESPN."
"Wow! That's one heck of a life. So Bolton, do you have someone you're romantically tied to or shall I assume you're still in love with one of my BFFs?"
"Uhh..." I start to say, but then end up speechless and blushing profusely.
"Well, I'll just have to wait and see then." With that, she turns her back to me, waves at Gabi, and then pushes me in the same direction as her.
Luckily all those weightlifting I done yesterday helped me to stand still when Sharpay was pushing me. I make a run to the men's room to avoid Gabi and try to plan an escape.
I never make it into the men's room because Jason and Zeke call to me from the other side of the auditorium. I plan to walk over there and greet them and tell them I got to go, but talking to Jason and Zeke never is that easy.
"Captain!" Jason and Zeke both shout and we all give each other manly hugs. "So what's going on?"
"Uhm...nothing much. Just you know, reporting and playing some ball for fun."
"So you're saying you didn't hang with any hot chicks or go to any celebrity parties?" Zeke asks with a sly grin.
"No! Well I've been on a few dates and I went to a teammate's party but that's about it."
"Troy, do you see Kelsi?" Jason asks with a worried look on his face. "Because I'm getting worried."
"Jason, you're such a lunkhead sometimes!" Zeke says with a chuckle. "Kelsi is backstage getting ready and if I am correct, you need to, also."
"Oh right. I got to go, but I'll talk to you later guys." Jason leaves and that leaves Zeke and me. 1 down, 1 to go.
"So what's with Jason and Kelsi?" I ask casually.
"They got married two years after graduating at Julliard and then they both were nominated for 7 Grammys for their composition in a box office hit. After the Grammys, Kelsi put composing on hold because of her pregnancy and Jason still composes, but for shows for kids. Kelsi has tried out singing, but now she is a stay at home mom for Chanelle, their 4 year old daughter."
"Amazing! I can't believe they did all that."
"Yup, so really what's going on with you?"
"Like I said, it's been pretty hectic because the season is starting and I need to be at games all over the country, so I haven't seen anyone. And if you're asking about Gabi, then I don't know what kind of answer I should give you...we haven't seen each other since the break up.
"Oh..."
"I miss her and I know she's still the love of my life, but she left me." I say with a little anger in my tone.
"Woah...Troy! Slow down, you can't blame Gabi for the ending of your relationship. If I'm not mistaken, you played a big part of why it ended so badly. Sharpay kept me up on you guys when you went your separate ways. Remember it takes two to tango and Gabi isn't all at fault here."
"So are you defending her now?"
"In a way, yes. Troy, you really hurt her then and I thought you would've known by now, but today you still are oblivious to what happened."
"Whatever man. So what's up with you and Sharpay?"
"Same old, same old. She's still confusing and I'm still lovesick." He says with a huge grin.
"You guys married or something?"
"Nah, well not yet. I'm planning to propose soon and I might need a little help." He says looking at me with a pleading look.
"Okay, I'll help. So, how's Ryan?"
"Ryan...well that's a long story for another day," he says hesitantly.
"What happened?"
"We haven't heard from him since our high school graduation and the only person who he kept in contact with was Sharpay. But she's quiet about him."
I nod and then Principal Matsui greets everyone and introduces Kelsi and Jason on stage. They sing a couple of songs and the audience is starting to ask for more encores, but they get off the stage. Everybody starts clapping until we hear a high-pitched scream coming from Sharpay. We turn to look at her and see Ryan Evans at her side. He still wears hats and dresses brightly like he did in high school, but today he looked paler and thinner than ever.
I walk over to the Evans siblings and overhear Sharpay scolding Ryan. "Ryan! You aren't supposed to be here! Why didn't you tell me you were going to come?!"
Ryan forces a smile. "I wanted to see everyone again, one last time."
"What do you mean one last time?" Chad says. "You never talk to us anymore. What's going on?"
"Oh nothing, just really busy…Is it just me or does it feel cold in here?" Ryan says, quickly trying to change the subject. He tightens his suit and crosses his arms over his chest. Sharpay moves her hand and feels Ryan's forehead and quickly removes it away.
"Ryan, you're burning! I told you, you shouldn't have come. Come on, I'll take you home," Sharpay says worriedly. I can see Ryan grimace as Sharpay's controlling personality rises up again.
"Let's wait for the time capsule," Ryan says. "I want to see what everyone put in it."
I start to follow the siblings towards the front of the stage, but I was suddenly stopped by Chad. "Let's go Troy, it's time to say hello to the wonderful Gabriella," he says with a grin on his face, immediately forgetting the situation with Ryan.
I try to resist, hoping that Chad would let go, but resistance was futile. Every step Chad pushed me into walking towards Gabriella made my heart beat faster and faster. I could see her talking to Taylor, smiling her beautiful smile. I tried to use Taylor to my advantage.
"Hey, Chad. Taylor's there with Gabi. Are you sure you want to talk with her after all these years?"
Chad stopped pushing, but resume after a few seconds. "I'll just have to take my chances, won't I?"
At that moment, we were in hearing range of Gabriella and Taylor, but far enough that they still didn't notice us. I tried to resist again, a little more successful than last time, when I see a boy of about 15, coming up Gabriella.
"Hey," the boy says to her.
"What's a kid doing here?" Chad asks me. I shrug my shoulders in response.
"Mitchell! What are you doing here?" Gabriella says in surprise.
"You forgot your keys and phone, so I decided to sneak in to give it to you, mom," the boy answers, smiling mischievously.
I'm in shock.
"MOM?!" Chad and I say together in disbelief. They finally notice us, and I see Gabriella and Taylor's eyes widening up in surprise.
"Chad?!" Taylor shrieks.
"TROY?!" Gabriella exclaims, and she drops the paper cup she held in her hands. It rolls on the floor forgotten.
It was like a horribly written soap opera. Time had stopped. I stare into Gabriella's eyes. She stares right back into mine. Eventually, Chad pulls me out of it. Instead of pushing me towards them, he pushes me the other way. Walking was a reflex. I could practically hear Chad thinking. I just couldn't believe my ex-girlfriend had a son. Who was that kid? More importantly, who was the father?
"…it, Troy. Snap out of it. OI!" Chad starts to shake my shoulders.
"Huh?" I ask dumbly. In five minutes, this reunion had turned from a great time to a horrible one for me.
Chad sighs. "You know Troy…That kid kind of looks like you. Don't look so surprised! The kid has your hair and your eyes, but he has Gabi's-"
"-smile. He has Gabi's smile, I know. I saw it myself, Chad." The kid does have Gabriella's smile. It's the same exact smile that haunts me in my dreams. I clench and unclench my sweaty hands. "I-It just doesn't make sense. I haven't seen Gabi since high school. It's been twenty years, Chad. That kid doesn't look a day over fifteen."
"Are you sure? He looks like a mini-you, I'm positive," Chad says.
Instead of answering, I look at Gabriella and her son. I can see her scolding the kid. I sigh. It's been years since I've seen her, and she still looks gorgeous. My heart begins to ache.
Gabriella's POV:
He's still handsome. That's the first thing that comes to my mind when I see him.
Mitchell begins to shake my arm, and I look at him. "Mom, who were they? You've look like you've seen a ghost."
"She didn't see a ghost, Mitchell. She saw…" Taylor pauses dramatically, "her ex-boyfriend."
"Oh shut up, Taylor. You saw your ex-boyfriend, too. Anyways, Mitchell, I thought I told you to stay home while I was at the reunion," I say.
"I know, but I was bored! And then I noticed that you forgot your keys and phone at home, so I decided to see if I could sneak into the reunion to give it to you. Security sucks here today, you know?" Mitchell says.
"Well, I guess I'll have to take you back home," I say, sighing.
"At least stay for the time capsule to finish. It's almost over anyways," Taylor says.
"Alright, but then we have to go," I reply.
Ten minutes and one attempt to drink the alcoholic punch from Mitchell later, the time capsule revealing was over. I scold Mitchell for trying to steal the punch, but he laughs and ignores me. For as long as I remember, Mitchell had always been a sneaky, playful child, trying to pick the locks in the window, and getting the occasional detentions at school. It always amazes me whenever he brings home straight A's. He must've inherited my brains.
I tell Taylor that we needed to go now, since the time capsule was finished, and she nods her head.
"Bye Gabi, bye Mitchie," she says.
"Don't call me that!" I hear Mitchell exclaim.
"Aww, but you still love your auntie, don't you?" Ever since Taylor had found out I was pregnant, she was always by my side. She became Mitchell's self-proclaimed aunt, and always treated him like a child, despite already being a teenager. She would ask who the father was, but I never told her. It was a secret I've never told anyone, not even Mitchell. I wasn't ready to tell him who his father was.
Troy's POV:
I see Gabriella and her son start to leave. "Chad," I say to him, "I'm going to follow Gabi. I'll see you later."
"Alright, see you at the hotel," Chad replies back.
I carefully maneuver past the tables, following Gabriella to the gym doors, but another group makes it to the doors first. Ryan and Sharpay. Sharpay tries to open the door, and I see it takes Sharpay all her strength. Sharpay never was a strong one. She gives it a sharp tug, and it suddenly opens. The wind blows strongly into the gym. Ryan tries to grab onto his hat before it blows away, but he was too late. His hand comes down on his head with a 'SMACK'.
I gasp. I hear Gabriella gasp. In fact, I hear gasps all around me. This was a surprise that almost rivaled the surprise of Gabriella's son.
Ryan Evans, one of my old friends from high school, was bald.
Author's Corner: Cue dramatic music. So anyways, if you don't understand Mitchell's personality, imagine James Potter and Sirius Black from Harry Potter. Troublemakers but top of the class. And if you haven't read Harry Potter...iono. Michael Phelps is so HOT!! hahah that's so random, but seriously how many of you agree? He's hot and also a great swimmer! Mitchell Montez equals the love child!