"So you're coming tonight, right?" Jake asked Gabriella as he was leaning against a locker that was right by hers in a cocky way as Gabriella quickly stuck her head out of her locker to briefly look at him and then turned back around to finish shoving her books in there.
"Jake." Gabriella huffed out as she managed to just close her locker without letting anything fall from it. Gabriella sighed happily as she looked at her locker which only had one piece of paper one fourth of the way sticking out. Gabriella turned to look at one of her best friends, "I wish I could, but I can't." Gabriella thought that it would click in his head that she had another hard dance practice with her mom, but his face still stayed the same. Gabriella sighed again, "I have practice, remember? It's Friday and as much as I want to see the basketball team play against each other, she won't let me miss especially not after getting detention on Monday." Gabriella said as she started to walk away knowing Jake would follow.
Jake had short blonde hair, light baby blue eyes, his arms were built and Gabriella knew he had a six pack starting to form on his stomach from all the football practices. He was good looking enough that you didn't even have to know he was starting quarter back for their football team.
Jake caught up as he pushed past other kids in the hallway. "Can't you just like…double practice time tomorrow?" Gabriella almost let a smile crack on her face at just how adorable and desperate he sounded, but instead rolled her eyes.
Gabriella clicked her tongue and then flashed him a quick glimpse of her white teeth as she turned the corner with him hot on her heels. "Why are you even going tonight, I didn't even know that you were into basketball?"
"The cheerleaders." Jake said in a duh tone. "And I have friends that play."
"Of course you do." Gabriella mumbled as she knew that Jake was one of the most popular guys at school, as he was ranked up there with all of the major sports captains, along with Troy, Trevor who played soccer, Steve who swam, and Kyle who lead their hockey team to state champs.
Gabriella and Jake got separated for a couple of seconds as kids collided with them down the halls and some greeted them with 'heys' or 'what's up?'. Gabriella smiled and answered some of them shortly as she got out of the mob that consisted of cheerleaders all in their uniforms ready for the scrimmage that was tonight, at least half of them were jocks, and then the rest were the kids that didn't play sports that just fit in with them.
"So the game is at 7 and will only go to like 8." Jake said as he caught up with Gabriella again outside their homeroom door.
Gabriella sighed as they entered and noticed that there were only 4 other kids in there working on homework that should've been done the night before.
"Jake…" Gabriella breathed out. "What do I have to say to get it through your head that I can't go."
Jake smirked as Gabriella tried to keep herself from groaning as she knew that look. "Say nothing, but do…" Jake trailed off. "We could negotiate."
Gabriella rolled her eyes as she hit him on the shoulder, "God, you are such a guy." As Jake let out a chuckle Gabriella couldn't help but lighten up and sit back in her seat lazily as she let out her own laughter.
"I would hope that I'm a guy." Jake said as more kids started coming into the room, one by one. "So what about I bring by some dinner tonight around 6:30ish before I head over to the game?" Jake suggested knowing Gabriella usually went straight from school to the studios and then stayed there until closing which the last class went to 9 and then she would sometimes stay to work herself.
Gabriella thought about it as something or rather someone caught her attention. In walked the boy with the captivating blue eyes that she could just drown in. Now Gabriella wasn't one for clichés or cheesy sayings, but somehow that is just the affect Troy had over her, and they haven't even spoke one word to each other!
Jake saw that Gabriella was deep in thought and looking at something as he turned his head to see where she was looking he just saw Troy Bolton and Zeke Baylor walk in the classroom. Jake shook his head as there was no way that Gabi likes Zeke or Troy, was there? There was nothing wrong with it seeing as they were only friends, but he just never saw Gabriella as the type to go after the basketball captain or one of his close friends, but then again Gabriella was one of the more popular girls at school and did hang out with the jock group while during school hours.
Jake sat back in his desk and looked at Gabriella. "So dinner tonight, do you want me to stop at McDonalds or Culvers and pick up a hamburger or something?" Jake asked.
Gabriella jerked her head towards Jake and nodded hesitantly as she momentarily forgot what they were talking about. "If you don't mind, that would be okay." Gabriella said not knowing how her mom would react to someone bringing her a fatty food, especially a guy.
Gabriella glanced forward again briefly and swore that she saw Troy turn his head and lean back a little more just to hear what Jake and her were saying while he was obviously pretending to listen to something Zeke was telling him while pointing at one of the drama queens at their school, Sharpay Evens.
The bell finally rung as Tay and Chad both just made it in time for Chad to do his guy handshake with Troy and the two to make it to their seats before Ms. Darbus started roll call. Gabriella smirked at Tay as Tay tried to smooth out her hair and straighten out her shirt as Chad didn't even try to hide his wrinkled clothes, his damp roots, and slightly sweaty forehead. Tay looked at Gabriella and saw her look as Gabriella kinked an eye brow at her best friend. Gabriella let out a small laugh as Tay looked away and blushed.
"Miss. Montez, is there something that you would like to inform the class that's so funny?" Ms. Darbus raised her eye brow and looked at Gabriella sternly.
Gabriella shrugged her shoulders as Jake let out a small chuckle which he concealed as a cough as Ms. Darbus looked at him and sent him daggers. By now the whole class was looking at the three.
"Or would you like to join me after school today as well." Ms. Darbus threatened and warning sirens went off in Gabriella's head as her face dropped, a total different reaction than Monday, Gabriella could deal with one detention in the week seeing as she could just make up the dance time later in the week, but her mom was pretty ticked off as it was that she missed an hour, so one more mess up could really get her in trouble.
Gabriella sighed, "No Ms. Darbus." Gabriella admitted in a defeated tone.
Ms. Darbus looked at Gabriella like she finally won even though they both knew that Gabriella would be back the next week with her same smug attitude that she played off so well. But Gabriella could see that Ms. Darbus wasn't going to back down anytime soon once she saw that Gabriella we actually surrendering.
"Did I say that that was a question?" Ms. Darbus now asked.
Gabriella's mouth opened but no words were forming as she knew that Ms. Darbus was winning this one. She really couldn't get another detention after school this week, maybe after a week had past from her last one that would be fine because she would've had time to get on her mother's good side, but not now, her mom would absolutely ground her from the little freedom she had left.
Gabriella found no use in trying to argue with Ms. Darbus seeing as maybe Ms. Darbus would actually see that Gabriella was not taking an attitude with her. "No Ms. Darbus." Gabriella said looking down at her desk.
Ms. Darbus sighed seeing as one of her favorite students wasn't even trying to retaliate. That was one of the reasons why Ms. Darbus liked Gabriella so much but never showed it, because she always fought back. "Very well Montez. Just don't disturb my class again."
Gabriella let out a quiet sigh as Jake looked at her with a smirk and kinked eye brow as Gabriella narrowed her eyes on him playfully as she felt two piercing eyes looking at her from the front of the room. Gabriella looked up and her narrowed eyes immediately softened as they came into contact with Troy's. Gabriella put on an innocent smile as she saw Troy motion with his eyes to and from Ms. Darbus who was at her computer taking attendance and then his eyes landed back on Gabriella's.
Gabriella just shrugged in her response as it seemed to both of them that they could tell what the other one was thinking and communicating. Gabriella knew that Troy just asked her, 'Why the hell didn't you speak up?' and Gabriella just shrugged her shoulders and added a small smirk to show that she can play innocent sometimes. In a way Gabriella almost counted this as a type of flirting.
It was now free period again and Troy found himself walking down the halls by himself with some people here or there as he made his way to the gym. He had already seen Gabriella at her locker as Jake the captain of the football team was with her. Troy had heard rumors that they were secretly dating, but at other times he had heard that they were just friends, and he knew of Jake's reputation because they were almost the same, although Troy didn't sleep with as many girls as Jake did. Not that he couldn't, he just chose not to.
"Hey Troy." Kristin greeted as she walked in sink with Troy while wearing her cheerleading uniform.
"Hey." Troy said back as he kept looking forward and away from the light brown, medium height, cheer girl at his side.
"So I heard that you are going to that one club tonight?" Kristin said as Troy could tell that she was fishing around.
Troy stopped in his tracks. Not that he was a mean person, he just didn't like people trying to flirt with him or get information on him just because he was a basketball guy. "Kristin." Troy said which made her stop in her tracks and look at him as she tried to pull off the innocent look. "I would love to do something with you tonight" They both knew that he meant something sexual, but sugar coated it. "But I promised Chad that we would have a guys night." Troy lied through his teeth. He didn't wait for a response as he continued his walk to the gym where hopefully Chad would be.
He might have sounded mean, or cold hearted but he just wasn't interested, especially since her best friend was the last person he had sex with during the last week of summer. And Troy was not into all that drama that came with ex's best friends making a triangle.
"Hey man." Chad greeted as Troy walked into the gym.
"So guess who I ran into just now." Troy softly demanded as it wasn't like a question.
Chad rolled his eyes as he shot from the free throw line and the ball went in. "I don't know, but I think you're going to tell me." Chad said faking enthusiasm which Troy rolled his eyes to while getting the rebound.
"Kristin." Troy said as the name rolled off his tongue and he shot the ball from the three point line as it spun around the rim and sunk through.
Chad stuck his tongue out in distaste. "She better not be coming tonight or I swear Tay's gonna have a fit and then I'm gonna get the short end of the stick and you do not want that to happen to your best friend." Chad said seriously which made Troy smile at how funny his friend was talking.
"Relax, I told her flat out no." Troy said as he got his own rebound and passed it to Chad.
Chad sighed out of relief. "Thank God, Tay is already disappointed that Gabi can't come tonight, and if you brought along 'tag-a-long-Kristin' then Tay would turn from half happy Tay to glaring pmsing Tay." Chad said as he shot the ball while Troy let out a chuckle. "And trust me, that is never good."
"I'm sure." Troy said as he shot the ball and had it sink through the net. Troy cringed as for once he just wanted to miss the basket. "Fuck." Troy muttered.
"Do you know how many guys would die to have your talent?" Chad asked. Troy shrugged as he didn't care what other guys would do. If they would die for his talent, then they wouldn't be alive to use it. "What's up?" Chad asked with concern.
"Maybe they're the lucky ones." Troy said and sighed. Chad gave Troy another concerned look and Troy ran his hand through his hair and put on a smile. "Just joking, God you should've seen your face." Troy lied through his teeth for the second time that day and Chad laughed along with him.
It wasn't that Troy hated or even disliked basketball one bit, he was just tired that it was taking up most of his life and people just expected him to be perfect. Chad took a shot from the three point line and watched it hit the backboard too hard and came bouncing back to him. Chad let out a frustrated groan which made Troy chuckle a bit again. "You know, that's why my dad has you shoot closer in." Troy said referring to his dad being their coach.
Chad sighed. "Yeah, I know, but hey…" Chad shrugged as he rolled the basketball to the middle of the court. "It never hurts to try."
"So if Kristin doesn't come tonight, who am I supposed to take?" Troy asked as he already knew the answer.
"You'll meet someone at the club." Chad said as they walked out of the gym. They both knew that it would almost be useless for Troy to take someone to the club because half the time he would end up leaving with someone else and that never turned out good for the girl he took originally.
"You ready for tonight?" Chad asked to make light conversation seeing as they were the only ones in the hall.
Troy shrugged, "Who isn't? It's just a scrimmage against guys we've been playing with since 7th grade." Troy said as they turned the corner and the bell rang as kids hurried out of their classes and Troy and Chad merged in with them to reach their lockers.
Gabriella glanced at the clock and saw that it was 6:34. She was busy doing an old dance routine so that her mom could pick out the little details she was forgetting so that it could possible help her perfect her new dance routine in a couple of months. Gabriella looked at the door as there was nothing to look at with the sun down, the street dark with the only light source being the street light that was right outside their studio, and everyone else's shops that were located on that street were all closing.
Gabriella looked forward again as she had been working at this and perfecting it for 45 minutes now as she had been dancing for three hours now. Gabriella stopped her hip hop dance at the sound of the bell tinkling which only meant one thing, someone had just entered the studio.
Before Gabriella's mom could say anything Gabriella looked at the door and ran quickly over to Jake who was carrying a bag from McDonalds and a soda in hand as she wrapped her arms around his built chest and he did his best to return the gesture. Anna cleared her throat as Jake looked up and met her eyes as he released his arms from around Gabriella as she pulled back also.
"Hello Jake." Anna greeted as she walked over to the two.
"Mom, Jake just brought by food. He's leaving in a minute, right?" Gabriella explained looking at Jake for conformation.
Jake caught Gabriella's eyes and nodded quickly as he handed Gabriella the diet coke and she took a quick sip. "Yeah, I was just headed out. Um…" Jake turned towards Gabriella and handed her the bag. "Double cheeseburger with small fries at your service." Jake said with a cheeky smile.
"Thanks so much Jake, and I'll see you later." Gabriella said as he trailed his eyes from daughter to mother and saw Anna's look.
Jake started making his way to the door and then turned around and called out to Gabriella. "You owe me Montez."
Gabriella rolled her eyes as he was saying this in front of her mother! "I know." Gabriella muttered as Jake waved one last time and left after calling out, "Nice seeing you again Ms. Montez."
"Likewise Jake." Anna called out before the door closed all the way.
Gabriella flashed her mom a smile not seeing Anna's look of disapproval as she sat down on one of the many benches in the back of the room. Gabriella opened the bag and unwrapped the burger as she was starving and could eat anything. Anna came over and stood hovering over Gabriella. "Want some?" Gabriella offered as she already had a bite in her mouth.
Anna shook her head no and had her arms crossed over her chest. Gabriella swallowed rather loudly as she took a sip of her soda again. "What?" Gabriella squeaked out.
Anna was tapping her foot rather annoyingly. "If you were hungry you could've told me and I could've gotten something a lot more…healthier."
Gabriella was busy eating a couple of fries as she looked up at her mom. "Mom, it was just Jake being Jake. He knew that I was hungry, so he brought me food." Gabriella said as if it was that simple.
"Ha!" Anna laughed out. "You call this food." Anna rolled her eyes. "I don't ever want to see you eat this ever again, do you know what that will do to you and then how do you expect to dance?" Anna asked in a knowingly tone as Gabriella stood up forgetting her food.
"Don't lecture me about my weight when I'm perfectly fine. You know it, I know it, so why not treat myself at times." Gabriella shot back. "Jake was just being nice knowing that I was stuck here working on my dance when I could've been at the basketball game tonight."
"Basketball, do you even like basketball?" Anna asked.
Gabriella huffed, "You would be the one to not know." Gabriella muttered.
"Repeat." Anna demanded as Gabriella shoved past her forgetting the food on the bench.
"I said that you should stop trying to understand my life." Gabriella twirled around and stared at her mother.
"I thought dancing was your life." Anna said taken aback.
Gabriella rolled her eyes as she just needed time away from all of this, her mother, the studio, and most of dancing, but just for a while. "I got to go." Gabriella said hastily.
"What? We still have a whole routine to go through." Anna said quickly as she couldn't believe her daughter would just walk out like this. "If this is about the food, then eat, don't let me stop you."
Gabriella sighed, "No mom, it's not about the food. I'll be back later." Gabriella said as she walked out the door knowing that it really wasn't about the food, that was just a little thing that led up to pushing Gabriella over into reality where she knew that she just needed to clear her mind from dancing. At times when she would dance to much then she just didn't see the fun in it anymore, it just took her a couple of hours to realize that dancing was supposed to be her life, at times it cleared her mind, and other times it clouded it more, and that was one of those times.
"East High wins again with the lead scorer Troy Bolton with 24 points!" The announcer yelled as Troy usually would roll his eyes at this seeing as it didn't matter if white or red won since they were both from east high and this was supposed to just be for fun and entertainment.
"Way to go son." Jack Bolton said as he clapped him on the back and Troy was surrounded by people he went to school with that he hardly recognized as they all congratulated him and gave him high fives.
This was one of two main reasons why Troy loved basketball. It wasn't because he loved the attention, the popularity, the six pack that built up with years of playing and working hard, it was the feeling of accomplishment. It was playing something he worked hard for and actually succeeding in the goal he set out to do. Troy felt some girl ruffle his hair as cheers were still heard and he pushed through the crowd even more. The other reason Troy loved basketball was because he just did. It was as simple as that for he felt no reason to defy himself to other people.
"You played great man." Zeke greeted happily while slapping Troy on the back even though they both were on different teams this game.
Troy smiled as his eyes scanned the crowd for the first time since the game started and landed on a pair of chocolate orbs. What was Gabi doing here? Last time he heard from multiple of conversations that just happened to be by him was that she couldn't come because she was busy. Busy doing what, he didn't know because dancing couldn't take up that much time, could it?
He saw her stand up as her eyes never left his. They seemed to be telling him something as her face was set with a straight mouth, but her eyes gave it all away. They seemed to be dancing for him, glowing with joy, admiration, and they seemed to be telling him 'well done'.
"Thanks…" Troy said distractedly to Zeke not really knowing if he was still by him as his eye followed the retreating petite figure as she hopped off of the bleachers and pushed past people as he saw a group of guys that were all from different groups nod at Gabriella with an all to well known smirk that any teenage guy would recognize seeing as they all used it to tell the girls that they wanted them. Troy rolled his eyes at their feeble attempts as Gabriella just nodded her head and walked past them at a brisk pace.
Troy pushed past his classmates as they all tried to stop him and talk to him about the game that he just played, but Troy had nothing of it as he just simply squeezed his way through, couldn't these people see that he didn't want to talk right now and that he was busy trying to find her?
She slipped past the big wooden doors that lead out into the lobby where the teachers and parents usually stood after the game so they didn't get mulled over by half the school as they all run off the bleachers and onto the court when the game is over. Troy picks up his pace ignoring Chad calling his name from the middle of the gym. He opens the door and steps out into the cold lobby as he scans over the thirty or so people in there as he was looking for her dark brunette curls, the faded black graphic T, but most importantly he looked for her eyes.
He stepped out further into the lobby letting the door close behind him as it seemed quieter now. He looked at the doors that led to the outside and saw them just close shut. Troy didn't think twice about what he was doing as he ran towards them and shoved them open revealing…nothing. He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair as there was no movement, no sound, no anything except the crisp fall air in Albuquerque.
Gabriella returned back from the game and walked right into the studio without even looking around for her mom, she turned on the upbeat pop music and started to let her body unwind. Let her mind clear away the thoughts of Troy Bolton and his deep blue eyes that sought to find her. At the game it had been too close of him to almost finding her. It wasn't that she was scared of a relationship because that was the complete opposite, she longed for one, but as long as she still had dance in her life, she couldn't have any distractions.
"Did you clear your head?" Anna asked all of a sudden as she had just come back from her office.
Gabriella stopped and kept her back to her mom looking at her through the mirror. "Yeah…" Gabriella breathed out as her heart just got a dent in it as she realized that nothing could happen between her and Troy.
Anna just smiled softly as she went back to her office knowing that she didn't have to ask where Gabriella went as long as her method of clearing of the mind worked and her coming back to dance proved that. Anna knew her daughter was going to go far in life, especially if she was shielded from the distractions of life. But unknowing to the both of them, some distractions you just can't control.
