Disclaimer: Clearly I do not own the High School Musical franchise.
Chapter 3: No Drama. No Complications. No Game.
The one place where Gabriella felt completely at home during the school day was in a science lab. She loved mixing chemicals, writing equations and dissecting the anatomy of animals, particularly ocean animals. Marine Biology was her dream. It was her favorite course. And she missed it. Tossing her books on her lab desk, she laid her head on top of the pile and turned to look out the window.
"Gabi?" Zeke came to sit next to her, "You okay?"
Gabriella raised her head. She liked Zeke, he was nice. How he was able to stand Sharpay was beyond her. "I'm fine Zeke, just tired." He nodded and didn't push her. "How was your two-on-two game?" She didn't know why she was asking.
He nodded, "Troy and I kicked Jason and Chad's asses." He paused, "You're an incredible dancer Gabi." He wasn't sure if he should actually say anything, but he'd been wanting to tell her that.
She was going to respond, but someone cleared her throat. Zeke and Gabriella looked up to see Tiara, or Sharpay's freshman. "Gabriella, Sharpay requests that you meet her in the theater after school." Gabriella nodded and Tiara scurried off.
"God if I have to listen to that awful song again, I'll kill your girlfriend." Gabriella faced Zeke and gave him a small, timid smile
Zeke gave her a big grin, indicating it was okay to talk to him, "Yeah most of her's and Ryan's songs suck. But I didn't say that." He winked at her as their teacher came into the room. Gabriella even let a little giggle slip from her lips.
Taylor and Kelsi watched Gabriella's interaction with Zeke from across the classroom. She seemed like she was relaxing. Taylor didn't understand Gabriella at all. She was fascinating through, and she had Troy enthralled, which was even stranger. However played out, it would be interesting. And Taylor loved watching new, unpredictable situations, especially those involving Troy. She loved seeing how he would react to new people and new situations. Particularly ones that challenged him. Even though he could get positively dangerous if he didn't get his way.
Kelsi was thinking something completely different as she watched Gabriella interact with Zeke. Kelsi knew this would happen one day, she just wasn't sure when. Someone would walk through East High's doors who would challenge and fascinate Troy. Not challenge him like Sharpay did. Sharpay just argued with him and wanted her way. She was a princess. No Troy was going to meet someone who was just as difficult to read as he was. Someone everyone would gravitate to who he couldn't read like an open book. Someone who would fascinate him, who he would obsess over, who he would unintentionally fall in love with and he would let in. And Gabriella Montez was that person. Kelsi could already see Troy falling in love with her.
Kelsi didn't realize she'd spent all of AP Chemistry thinking about the potential of Troy and Gabriella's future relationship until Taylor hit her arm, "Come on Kels, it's the end of the day. Let's go home." Kelsi nodded, smiling an apology to Taylor. Looking over her shoulder she saw Gabriella was already gone.
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When Gabriella walked into the theater, the room was pitch black, "Damn it Sharpay! I don't have time for this shit!" She wailed, hoping the blonde would at least turn on the lights. Not knowing where the switch was, she made her way down the center aisle with the help of the backlight of her phone. Taking a seat in the dark, she muttered, "Unbelievable Sharpay, unfuckingbelievable."
Deciding to give Sharpay five minutes, she was shocked when a single spotlight flashed on. And Sharpay was sitting on a stool in black sequined leggings and a black tank top studded in rhinestones. "Oh boy." Gabriella murmured.
"Gabriella Montez." Sharpay began in a monotone voice, "The mysterious new student. Who she is or where she came from nobody knows," Gabriella rolled her eyes, isn't that a line from Cinderella? "but this fascinating beauty has captured the attention of East High's dangerous Troy Bolton." Sharpay covered her eyes, "He wants to know who she is. HE wants to know why she is the way she is." She shook her head, "No it's more than wants. He needs to know. Or he will go insane." Gabriella rolled her eyes again. Sharpay's other hand stretched out in front of her, "He will convert to the cold-hearted bad boy who destroys anyone who comes in his path." She paused dramatically, "If Gabriella is to save East High from certain destruction, she will open her heart up to Troy and she will trust Sharpay." Gabriella snorted at Sharpay's words. Just as suddenly as the light came on, it went out.
"I'm out of here Sharpay." Gabriella stood quickly and stumbled her way up the center aisle. As she skirted quickly through the school, Gabriella wondered, What the fuck was that? Did Troy put her up to it? No, maybe he asked her to talk to me, but certainly Troy didn't come up with that harebrained scheme. Grabbing her books from her locker, Gabriella darted to her car, not wanting to run into anyone who may still be on campus.
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"Come on Carlos, go to the left." Gabriella could hear her father and brother playing basketball in the backyard when she pulled up to her house. Not wanting to talk to anyone, Gabriella walked into the house as quietly as possible. Once she was in her room, she shut her door and walked into her bathroom. A nice bath will help me clear my head.
Stripping down, Gabriella sunk in the tub. Troy Bolton. It only took a moment for her mind to wonder to the blue eyes that bore into her's this afternoon in the gym. He didn't want to be friends. So what did he want? What would he do to get it? Was he dangerous? What kind of destruction could he cause? What did Sharpay mean? Or was she just blowing smoke? Lord knew she was melodramatic enough. I mean a single spotlight. Gabriella groaned and submerged herself completely in the bathtub. But when she came back up, she could still see Troy's eyes staring at her. Then it hit her, "Why do I care?" She asked aloud.
Deciding the bath hadn't worked, Gabriella got out and pulled on a pair of comfy sweats. "Homework." She muttered. Homework may be a good distraction Settling on her bed, she opened her book bag and pulled out Anna Karenina to begin her reading for AP Literature.
Gabriella hadn't noticed three hours has passed until there was a knock at her door, "Mija?" Her mother poked her head in the room, "Are you hungry?
Gabriella leaned back and closed her eyes, "Not really Mama, I just want to finish my homework and go to bed."
Anna nodded, "Okay Mija." She paused, "Your father said you were dancing beautifully today." She smiled before shutting the door.
Gabriella pinched the bridge of her nose, Troy had seen her dancing. Only Zeke had mentioned it so far, but she was Troy would make some comment about it the next day. And she wasn't sure why, but it bothered her.
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And Gabriella was not wrong.
This particular morning, Troy was waiting for her at her locker. When she first approached, she ignored him, just opening her locker without a word. Deciding he wanted her attention, he did just as he had the moment they'd met, entrapping her. "So my little lady is a ballerina." His little lady?
"Troy," she turned around, trying to remain composed when she was faced with his blue eyes, "what do you want?"
He smirked, bringing one hand up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear, letting his fingers trail down her cheek, neck, arm and finally resting on her hip, "I'm not sure yet."
She rolled her eyes and pushed his hand off her hip, "Well I am and that is nothing from you."
He shook his head, "Well then we're going to have a problem." His eyes hardened. The blue hue darkened. Gabriella had to fight off the shiver that wanted to course through her body at the look his was giving her. It was positively dangerous.
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Glad that her first period was free, Gabriella decided to wander around the school, looking for a place uninhabited by other students. During her search, she discovered a rooftop garden. Settling on a bench out in the sun, she stretched out, using her khaki blazer as a pillow. She tugged down her jean shirt as it rose up over her stomach and propped her legs, covered by white jeans and tan boots, up on the bench arm. She closed her eyes and began working out the twisted equation that was Troy Bolton. She'd always liked equations and problem-solving. Now she just had to apply this process to Troy.
Secure in her belief that no one would bother, her Gabriella began to work the equation aloud, "Okay," she talked to herself, "what are my options?" She paused, "Troy or no Troy." She nodded. "Troy means what?" She paused at length. "Troy means whatever he wants it to mean. Friends, complicated relationship, fuck buddies, study buddies, that is currently entirely up to Troy." Again she paused, "Not Troy means cutting off all contact. Whatever he's thinking about, we can't just be two people who eat lunch together. He wants something." Gabriella thought for another moment before determining that was the only answer. "No if I go with Troy, I'm going to have all those other people. Zeke is nice though. But my God Sharpay!" She sighed, "And then there's what about Sharpay was yammering on about yesterday." She groaned, "Now no Troy means nobody else. Which was the plan. No friends. No boyfriend. No drama. Join a dance studio. Graduate. Leave. That's it." She closed her eyes thinking about Chad, Jason, Zeke, Sharpay, Taylor, Kelsi and Ryan. "If I'm letting Troy go, then I should do it now. No harm, no foul with everyone else."
She thought about it for the next twenty minutes. IT all came down to if she wanted to deal with the mood of that blue eyed boy. "I just want to be left alone." She yelled as the bell rang. Sitting up, she realized that was it. She just wanted to be left alone. No Troy. No friends.
Standing up, Gabriella put her blazer back on and collected her AP Government books. She made her way to the classroom and sat down, not even glancing at Taylor, Zeke or Kelsi. The easiest way to do this would be to pass it onto Troy. His mood will tell them all they need to know.
When the bell rang, Gabriella left the class without waiting. She moved through her morning classes that way. Ignoring Taylor, or anyone else in her class. When lunch rolled around she strolled confidently past their table, she made no moves when Sharpay said her name. Instead, she sat down at a small table in the corner of the room alone. Opening her lunch box, she pulled out her sandwich and a book, deciding to ignore the rest of the school altogether, which was her plan before she moved here.
"Why is she sitting alone?" Kelsi asked, "What did you do Troy?"
Troy glanced at Kelsi, whose confidence wavered under his ice cold stare, "This isn't my fault. I'll just go get her to prove it. This is Sharpay's fault." He looked at Sharpay, "Ryan told me what you did." Ryan ducked his head when Sharpay turned to look at him.
Troy pushed his chair back and stalked over to Gabriella's small table. He pulled up a chair loudly and sat down with a bang. When Gabriella didn't look up from her book he said, "Taylor said you were a book worm, but I never thought it'd make you this blatantly rude."
She shut her book, "I'm out Troy." He stared at her, still amused, which pissed her off even more, "I don't want to play your game. I don't want to be your friend or anything. I don't want to be friends with Taylor, Sharpay, Kelsi, Zeke, Ryan, Chad or Jason. I want to be left alone. I just want to get through senior year without drama or complications. And you are drama and complications."
He sat back in his chair, unsure of how to proceed. He could tell one wrong word may set her of. And he didn't think that was a good idea. "You really don't get to dictate what games I play." He sighed and folded his hands over his stomach, letting his chair tip back on its hind legs.
"Yes I can, when they involve me. I don't want to play and you can't make me. Keep bothering me if you want, but as of now I'm through speaking to you, unless a class requires it." She stood up, collecting her things, "By kid."
Troy watched as she walked out of the cafeteria. She was so sure of herself. So sure she didn't want friends. Didn't need relationships. She wanted to be alienated. Her bold statements made her even more fascinating. And her strength made her more beautiful. Troy held in a groan, he was trapped. He had to know her. He had to break her.
But he didn't want to hurt her.
He didn't notice Zeke come take come and take Gabriella's now empty seat, "Let me guess, she doesn't want to play."
Troy shook his head, "She doesn't want any of us. She doesn't want friends." Zeke nodded, She's exactly like Troy. She wants to be in control and she's afraid of relinquishing it to even friends.
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Gabriella was kicking herself. It was easy to cut everyone out, except Zeke. Her lab partner for the remainder of the year. She couldn't just ignore him. When he sat down next to her in AP Chemistry, she didn't know what to do. She chose to stare straight ahead until she could make a decision.
"It's okay Gabi." He broke her internal debate. "We can just be lab partners." She looked at him skeptically. "As long as we're the lab partners that kick all the other groups' asses."
This time she smiled, "Thank you Zeke. And I'm sorry."
He shook his head, "Don't apologize, it's okay. I understand. You just want to get out and Troy's games can bring anyone down."
Even though he was being understanding, Gabriella still felt guilty. Zeke was nice and uncomplicated, but in this group it seemed to be all or none. "Still, you're a nice guy Zeke."
He held his hands up, "We're an all for one and all for one group, and that is complicated. That doesn't mean you and I can't be lab buddies though. Right Gabi?" She smiled and nodded her assent to the relationship.
By the end of the day, Gabriella felt okay about her plan. But this wasn't surprising. The hardest part for her was making the decision. She was curious if Troy was going to leave her alone or not though. I guess I'll find out tomorrow. He'd been unusually quiet in gym, just continuing with the passing and shooting lessons from the day before.
Tomorrow will be a new day.
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XOXO
MAS