Rated: T , just to be safe.
Pairings: Ryella, Troypay, hints of Chaylor
Author's Note: so i wrote this last night and into this morning like immediately after i posted the second chapter. i figured i will update as much as i can before school starts. I am so happy everyone loves my story. And I apologize for the short chapters. This one will be a lot longer for sure. so here is what you've been waiting for, not that it was a long wait, How Will I Know : Chapter 3! Enjoy x3!
How Will I Know?
Chapter 3
5:30 AM
Troy woke up to the sound of his alarm clock blaring. On a regular day, Troy would hit the snooze button a few times and mope around the house trying to get ready before the bus came. Today, however, was a different story. He jumped out of bed and got ready, almost like he was excited. He was. Today is the day, he thought. He was going to ask out Gabriella Montez today. They had only known each other for about a week, including New Years Eve, but he couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to make Gabriella his. He has only had one other girlfriend before. Sharpay Evans. Okay, so it was only kindergarten, but it still counts!
Troy rushed out the door, barely having enough time to grab his usually Strawberry Poptart, and got on the bus. He waited impatiently for about 20 minutes for the bus to get to the school when it finally arrived. Troy was the first one off the bus. As usual, a crowd was waiting for him to get off the bus but he just bolted past them. Chad, his best friend, was the only one who tried to catch up with him, knowing something was up.
"Troy, dude, hold up!" Chad yelled, catching up to Troy. Troy could hear in his voice that he was out of breathe so he turned around to talk.
"Hey Chad, Whatsup?"
"You tell me. Where are you running off to in such a hurry?" Chad asked with a curious look on his face. Troy realized he never told Chad about singing with Gabriella. To him, she was just the new girl, but to Troy, she was so much more. So he told Chad the whole story and how he was going to ask her out today before homeroom.
"That's cool, man. But I didn't need your life story." Chad said with a smirk, "You go off and try to win this girl's heart. Oh and I can't make basketball practice next Wednesday. Me and Tay have our one month anniversary. I promised to make it special for her."
"Got it." Troy said, and sped off to Gabriella's locker.
Ryan walked into the school, behind Sharpay of course, humming the tune to his audition music as Sharpay sang it to herself. He was very anxious about the auditions this time around. He just wanted to get them over with at this point. As he walked, still behind Sharpay, he saw Gabriella alone at her locker. Perfect. He turned and began to walk toward her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Sharpay asked, startling Ryan.
"Uhh." Come on Ryan think!, "I was just going to put my math book in the History room." I am such an idiot.
"Oh. Okay. Tootles!" Wow...Ryan thought as Sharpay walked away. I guess it does pay off to have a ditzy sister. Ryan was a mere 2 feet from Gabriella, when Troy came out of nowhere. Ryan quickly hid around the corner, still in earshot distance, and listened.
"Hey there!" Troy said.
"Hey." Gabriella giggled.
"So, I know we haven't known each other that long but I really like you, Gabriella..." Ryan could feel his heart breaking. "...and I want you to have this." Ryan looked to see what Troy was giving her. It was his class ring. He held it out to her. "Gabby, Will you be my girlfriend?"
"Oh Troy!" She leaped up and hugged him. "Of course!" He put the ring on her right ring finger and the two walked off hand in hand. Ryan, still around the corner, could feel his little bit of perfect slipping away, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. I should have seen this coming. A look of disappointment crossed his face and he walked to homeroom staring at the floor. As he walked away, Taylor watched him, having seen everything.
Gabriella walked to homeroom with a smile that wouldn't fade off of her face. She walked over and sat next to Taylor.
"Hey Miss Brainiac, what's got you smiling?" Taylor asked, as if she didn't know. Gabriella told Taylor everything that happened that morning. Taylor was truly happy for her friend, but she couldn't help but feel bad for Ryan. He was such a great guy once you got to know him, and a much better person than Troy. But that were only her observations. She opened her mouth to congratulate Gabby when the bell rang and Ms. Darbus began to talk. She went on about how auditions for the winter musical were being held next period, and caught Gabriella's attention. Maybe if I could get Troy to sing with me. She always had a fear of stage fright, but when she sang with Troy... everything changed.
The bell rang and Gabriella jumped, knocking all of the books off of her desk. Everyone rushed out of the room, leaving her to pick up her books alone, or so she thought. She felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped again, dropping the books she had already picked up.
"A little jumpy there, are we?" She turned around to see the blonde haired, blue eyed drama king. He was beaming down at her.
"More like klutzy." Gabriella said giggling. There is that giggle again. Ryan couldn't help but like her, even if she was now off limits. He bent down and helped her pick up her books. As he handed her the books, he noticed the ring on her finger. It was mocking him. Telling him that he couldn't have her. He tried to shake off the feeling and move on.
"So did you ever decide to audition for the musical?" Ryan asked, hoping to keep the subject off Troy, but since when did hoping do him any good?
"Well, I was going to ask Troy to sing with me, he is really the only one I feel comfortable singing with, including myself. But he ran out of the room, I'm guessing for basketball. So I don't think so. Are you?"
"Yeah, my sister and I always audition together. Do you want to come watch?"
"Sure!" Gabriella beamed. "Let me just drop these books off at my locker, so I don't drop them anywhere else." Ryan laughed.
"Okay, See you there then." Ryan walked away feeling accomplished. She is coming to watch me. Not her boyfriend. Me.
As Gabriella walked off to her locker, she saw Troy in the hallway and she ran over to him.
"Hey!" She said and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hey cutie!"
"Wanna come watch Ryan and Sharpay audition for the musical with me?" Gabriella asked hopefully. Well if Sharpay is there... wait, what am I saying? I have a girlfriend!
"Actually I was going to hit the gym with the rest of the guys." Gabriella looked disappointed. He continued, "I will make it up to you, I promise. Meet me in the gym after free period."
"Okay, see ya."
She pecked Troy on the cheek once more and headed for the auditorium. Once she got there, she took a seat in the back and waited for Ryan to come on. After about 10 minutes, Ms. Darbus finally announced the pairs auditions beginning. Gabriella sat up in her seat and watched the amazing performance the Evan's put on, giggling every now and then at a few moves Ryan made. Once the auditions were finished, Gabriella sat in her seat and waited for everyone to leave. When she was sure they were gone, she walked up to the stage and sat down at the piano. Kelsi left her music there and Gabriella began to play the music Ryan and Sharpay just sang to, only the softer version. Gabriella read the music and began to sing along to her accompaniment, not knowing anyone was listening.
Sharpay and Ryan stayed backstage and worked on some costume designs with Ms. Darbus, when they were interrupted by a beautiful voice coming from the stage. All three got up and walked out onto the stage simultaneously and all were thinking the same thing. Gabriella has an amazing voice. They exchanged glances and Ms.Darbus spoke. "Montez." Gabriella turned around, her face turning pink, "You have a callback for the role of Minnie in the musical if you so choose." Sharpay gasped.
"That would be amazing Ms. Darbus, but I'll have to think about it." Ms. Darbus nodded and went backstage, Sharpay followed, going on about how Mr. Darbus couldn't possibly be serious. Ryan stayed behind to talk to Gabriella. He was stunned.
"Gabriella..." He was speechless, "You have... an incredible voice." He knew he heard her sing in the car, but that was nothing compared to what he just heard out of her mouth.
"Thanks Ryan, but maybe I should just let Sharpay take the part. She seemed really mad and I don't want to cause any trouble."
"Don't let her make your decision for you. This is your time to shine. Sharpay will just have to deal with the fact someone has a better voice than her." Ryan was looking directly into her beautiful brown eyes now, waiting for her to make eye contact. He could tell she was trying to avoid it.
"Well I don't know about that." She smirked and looked down.
"I do." She couldn't fight the temptation to look up at him any longer. She raised her head, and their eyes met for the first time. Neither of them could move, but, they didn't want to. They began to lean in towards each other, their lips just inches apart when they heard footsteps. Gabriella immediately backed away and looked over to see Kelsi.
"Oh I'm sorry." Kelsi said nervously. "I just came to get my music."
"That's okay. I, uhh, I have to go meet Troy in the gym anyway. See you guys later!" With that, Gabriella hurried off, just as confused as she left Ryan. He looked up a Kelsi, now the only two left there. "Perfect timing, Kels." She shot him a sympathetic look and he accepted his friend's silent apology. He got up and went after Gabriella. He was going to do it. I'm going to tell her how much I like her. And not even Troy in his way would stop him.
There you have it! I hope you liked it. It was crazy long i know, Review please! I want everyone's input on the story, idea's, suggestions, comments, etc. YAY! Ryan is going to tell Gabriella! But will she feel the same way? And Troy hinting towards liking Sharpay. OH BOY! only time will tell what happens next. i will hopefully update by the end of the week.