Disclaimer: Clearly I do not own the High School Musical franchise
I was asked this question a few days ago, quite rudely actually, so I'm going to address it now: How many chapters will be in your stories? The short answer is I don't know. The long answer is I have a vague idea of what I want to happen in each of my stories; however, I have no idea how long it will take to get there. For now I am focusing on consistently updating the five stories I have going. Everything else will just come. I did not realize it mattered how many chapters a story had, just as long as it was completed. Now, onto more fun and important things, like Chapter Three!
XOXO
MAS
Chapter Three: He Loves Her
Troy stared at Sharpay. Zeke loved Gabriella? Zeke loved his girlfriend? Zeke loved his Brie? And had since high school? No that wasn't possible. He would've known. Zeke and Sharpay didn't start dating until college, he and Brie were both single in high school, he had plenty of time to ask her out. Zeke only had eyes for Shar in high school. He was so in love with her, but she wouldn't give him the time of day until Senior Prom.
"Shar," Troy started, "I think you're wrong. I think something was misunderstood. I don't think Zeke loves Gabriella."
Sharpay sniffed and then huffed, "He did say that. And he said I still loved you. Imagine that. Just because I had a stalker crush on you in high school." She stomped her foot. A Sharpay Tantrum was coming. Troy could just feel it.
He held his hands up in a sign of defeat, "Okay Shar, let's try to be logical." He knew it may be too much to ask of the blonde at this point, "If Zeke has loved Gabriella since high school, why didn't he just ask her out then? And why did he spend the six years of middle and high school mooning over you trying to get you to notice him? Shar, you're the only woman he's ever loved. Ever." Troy lowered his hands, "I promise. This is about something else entirely."
Sharpay looked panicked, but only for a moment, before she let the tears loose again in an effort to gain the upper hand. Troy looked around the room helplessly before engulfing Sharpay in another hug.
HSMHSMHSM
Gabriella stared expectantly at Zeke waiting for a response. She needed to know why he dumped her best friend. And he better have a damn good explanation for it. "Zeke," she repeated, "why did you break up with Sharpay?"
"Because," he paused, his whole body shuddering, "I don't love her."
Gabriella sucked in a breath. She hadn't known Zeke as long as the rest of the group had, she was a late addition, coming into East High second semester of junior year, but what she came to realize immediately was that Zeke loved Sharpay Evans. He loved her way too much. Especially in high school when she was pretty much just a self-centered bitch.
"Okay," Gabriella rubbed his back, "so what made you realize this?"
Zeke sighed, "It wasn't something I just realized. It was something I've known since like junior year of high school." He put his head in his hands, "I've just denied it until recently."
"Okay, so let me make sure I understand this correctly," Gabriella leaned back against the sofa, "even though you did everything you could to make Sharpay notice you junior and senior year of high school, you didn't love her. And then you followed her to college and then back here to Albuquerque because you thought you loved her, but you really didn't?" Gabriella closed her eyes. That made absolutely zero sense whatsoever.
Zeke shook his head and frowned, "It's more like I was afraid to admit that I really loved, love, someone else."
Gabriella nodded, this was making more sense, "Okay so who do you love?"
Zeke's head shot up and he caught her stare in an intense gaze. Her eyes widened as she realized what he was implying. Me? He loves me? Since junior year. What changed then? I came into the picture. But me? I've always had a thing for Troy. Zeke's never been my type. It's always been Troy. And now I'm dating Troy. And now Troy will kill Zeke. Violently. Oh is this a twisted situation. Why did Zeke have to call me?
She cleared her throat and scooted away from him on the sofa, "Zeke," she paused, unsure how to finish the sentence, "I um," she floundered.
"Ella," he took her hands, "it's been you for a long time now. It was just safer loving Sharpay." Now that made about as much sense as a mouse riding a bicycle.
Gabriella stood up, "Um Zeke, look this is a lot to take in. You probably should've called someone else to get you through this. I'm way too involved in the situation. And I need to talk to Shar now." Picking up her purse, she sprinted out of the house and to her car. Once she was tucked in with the doors locked, she rested her head on the steering wheel and took yoga fire breaths. This was way bad and complicated.
Pulling out her cell phone, she punched in Troy's number.
"Hello?"
"We need to meet. Somewhere away. Now." She directed him.
"15 minutes. Our coffee shop." He hung up. She pressed the end key and put her car in reverse, flying out of the driveway and whipping down the street. She was at The Coffee Grinder, which was just on the outskirts of Albuquerque, in 12 minutes. Hopping out of her car, she went into the shop and ordered their usual drinks before taking a seat on the loveseat in the corner. This was so bad. She took a long sip of her hot tea and shifted herself so she could lie down on the sofa.
That was how Troy found her. Their drinks on the coffee table, her arm over her eyes, lying down on the sofa. "Brie?" He picked up her feet and placed them on his lap. She mumbled something incoherent and sat up, switching her position so her head could rest on his lap. "That bad huh?" He asked, stroking his fingers through her hair.
"He said he'd loved me since junior year of high school, but loving Sharpay was safer." She groaned and put her face in her hands. "That makes no sense. Why would he just determine that he's loved me for so long now? And since when is Sharpay safer than me?"
Troy moved a hand to rest on her stomach, "Babe, I don't know, but Shar seems pretty convinced that it's true."
Gabriella groaned, "Great so am I even going to be able to go home tonight? And I can't stay at y'alls' place, I mean not with Zeke there. And Jase and Carrie are going to be so pissed so staying with them may be out. What am I supposed to do?"
"Baby take a few deep breaths." He rubbed circles on her stomach, "Come on sweetie, we'll figure all this out."
"Troy," Gabriella opened her eyes and rolled slightly into him, "this makes no sense. I don't, I just, I don't understand."
Troy nodded, "I know baby girl, how about we stay at a hotel tonight? Then we can try to figure all this out."
Gabriella thought about it for a moment, but finally nodded, "Alright." She pulled herself upright and looked at her boyfriend of three months. She leaned in and gave him a kiss, "I love you Wildcat. You know that right? I've never been interested in Zeke, and if he really is, it doesn't matter."
Troy ran his hand down her cheek, "Hey," he caught her eyes, "I know. I'm all yours and you're all mine." He gave her another quick kiss and stood up, "Let's go check into a hotel. What do you say?"
Gabriella grabbed a hold of his hand and heaved herself up, "Fine, but we're going to have to face this at some point." She poked him in the side when he didn't respond, instead he just shrugged.
When they pulled up to a Renaissance Marriot just outside of Albuquerque, Gabriella began to wonder if staying at a hotel was such a good idea. It was a sure way to get caught. Everyone knew who they were. Jason was a well-known attorney in town. Ryan owned Lava Springs. Kelsi ran the best music studio in the state and wrote songs for musicals in Hollywood. Taylor was a resident at Albuquerque East. Annabel taught at U of A. All the boys, except Ryan, played college ball. Now Troy and Chad coached at East High. Gabriella was a well-known attorney in town. Zeke ran the best restaurant in Albuquerque. And Sharpay flew back and forth between Albuquerque and Hollywood for her various acting jobs. Someone would recognize them and know they shouldn't be together. Especially since Troy was slated to play for the Lakers before he tore his ACL and ended up coaching one of the best high school teams in the country.
She didn't realize she'd been standing still for too long until Troy came over and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Come on El, let's just go inside. We'll sort this all out and Shar and Zeke will end up back together. We both know they don't belong with anyone else."
Gabriella looked up at him skeptically, something about this whole thing was wrong. Something was entirely wrong. She just couldn't figure out what it was. Shaking her head, she smiled, "I was just thinking about how we were going to explain this when Sharpay hears about us staying at a hotel together."
Troy laughed and draped an arm over her shoulder, "Eh, we'll come up with something. Besides, if she really was as upset as she was acting today, then I highly doubt she'll even be speaking to you any time soon."
Gabriella groaned and laid her head on the front counter as Troy asked the receptionist for a room, "Thanks for reminding me Wildcat." She muttered.
He shrugged as he dug a credit card out of his back pocket, "No problem Ella." He patted her arm in a mock effort to comfort her. She just swatted him away playfully.
A few minutes later, they were riding the elevator up to the eighth floor of the Marriot, searching for room 8025. "Ah, here we are." Troy slid the key in the lock and waited for it to flash green before opening the door to let them in, "After you Miss Montez."
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "You keep that accent up Bolton and you definitely won't be getting lucky tonight."
Troy threw his hand over his heart in mock hurt, "And after I bought you the classiest hotel room in all of Albuquerque!" He sighed dramatically, "To think that this is how I am being repaid."
Gabriella patted his back as she went to sit down on the bed, kicking her heels off, "You have been spending too much time with Ryan."
"I do live with him you know." Troy pointed out, lying down behind her.
Gabriella spun around, "And I live with Sharpay, but you don't see me being all overly dramatic." She wagged a finger playfully at him, which he caught between his teeth. She squealed in surprise. And then let out another shriek when Troy released her finger and pushed her down on the bed, pinning her beneath him.
"Now," he started as he began unbuttoning her shirt, "what was this about me not getting laid tonight?" He asked, grinning as she tried to suppress a giggle, failing miserably.
HSMHSMHSM
"I'm telling you, she just took off. The minute I made it clear I was in love with her, she was gone." The rest of the Wildcats sat at their corner table that evening at Baylor's Bistro.
"Took off like she believed you and was freaked out or took off like you were an idiot and full of shit?" Sharpay asked her boyfriend. She was tapping her fingers rhythmically on the table top, a sure sign she was scheming.
"Like she believed me and couldn't believe what I had said and didn't know how to handle the news." Zeke responded, taking a sip of his beer.
"So wait, she believed you, but didn't believe you?" Jason asked.
Zeke groaned, he was tired of going over this, "She believed me. She thinks I've been in love with her all this time. She just didn't know how to process the information." He looked at Chad, who wanted to speak, "Do not make me say it again. Got it?" Chad nodded, shutting his mouth.
"Alright," Taylor looked over at Sharpay, who was still tapping her nails, "how did it go with Troy?"
Sharpay sighed, "I'm not sure. He bought that you broke up with me, but he didn't believe you were in love with Gabs. In fact, just the very thought made him so mad. Like he wanted to kill you or something." She stopped tapping long enough to point her finger at Zeke.
Zeke's eyes went wide, he hadn't considered that one, "Um Shar, Troy could totally take me in a fight. Please don't let him beat me up. Alright?"
Sharpay waved him off before snapping her fingers, indicating to the waiter it was time for him to return to the table. "Another pinot noir." She requested, handing him her empty glass.
"Um Sharpay? Troy? Killing your boyfriend over here? Not a good thing." Zeke waved a hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention.
Sharpay ignored him until the waiter handed her the glass back. After taking a sip she turned to face him, "Sweetie, Troy is not going to kill you. Trust me. Now it's time for part two of the plan."
"Part two?" Zeke stared at her, "Part one was hard enough, why does there have to be a part two?" He whined, not wanting to continue acting.
"Zeke, Zeke, Zeke," Chad repeated his name, "the plan has many different parts. It's multi-faceted really."
Taylor turned to face her boyfriend, "Did you get word of the day toilet paper again?" Chad nodded proudly. Taylor just rolled her eyes, "Anyhow, I did watch this episode of Friends, thank you Shar for letting me use your DVDs, and yes the next step is that Troy and Gabriella have to know we know they're dating."
Sharpay nodded, "And they have to think that we don't know that they know that we know that they're dating."
Chad picked up the plot line, "When all the while we actually do know that they know that we know that they know that we know they're dating."
Kelsi stared around the table, "All of that made absolutely no sense whatsoever." She downed her wine, "I think I need another glass." She pointed to Ryan, indicating he should flag down the waiter.
"Okay," Zeke raised his hands, "how do we make sure they know that we know that they know that Jupiter knows or whatever?"
Sharpay just smiled, "I bet you anything they'll figure it out tonight. It's their move now."
HSMHSMHSM
Tangled up in the sheets and comforter, Gabriella and Troy munched on the room service they'd ordered a half an hour before. Leaning around Troy, Gabriella picked up a french frie from the plate sitting on the nightstand. "So Troy, I was thinking," she began.
Troy laughed and gently combed through Gabriella's hair with his fingers from her position on his lap looking up at him as she swallowed, "Well there is a first time for everything." He responded
He smiled as she frowned before continuing, "Why do you think Zeke chose now to tell me he liked me?"
It was his turn to frown, "What do you mean now?"
"I mean now that we're dating. Not when I was dating someone else. Not when I was single."
"But they think we're single." Troy pointed out.
Gabriella chewed on that fact for a moment before sitting up so quickly she almost collided heads with Troy, "Oh my God they know."
Troy looked at her confused, "Know what?"
She motioned between them, "Know about us."
"How could they possibly know about us?" Troy shook his head, "We've been super discreet."
"Troy, going to a hotel in Albuquerque is not super discreet. I bet you anything they know." She smacked her fist into her palm, "This was all Sharpay's doing too. It's got 'Sharpay Scheme' written all over it."
Troy rubbed her bare shoulders, "Ella I think you're overreacting. I think Zeke really does love you. It's not so unbelievable. I've been in love with you since high school too. You're pretty hard to resist." He tapped her nose.
She swatted him away, "No Troy think about it. This is exactly like that episode of Friends when Rachel, Phoebe and Joey plot against Chandler and Monica when they find out Chandler and Monica are dating. They know."
"Shar wouldn't copy a t.v. show." Troy argued.
Gabriella rolled her eyes and stood up, walking across the room she did her best to ignore Troy's admiring gaze as she picked up her purse and dug through it until she found her phone. Climbing back into bed, she turned her phone on and opened up the internet. Surfing through the results, she finally found a Youtube clip that showed the entire Friends episode. "Just watch." She instructed Troy, as she turned up the volume.
Twenty minutes later she faced Troy with an 'I told you so' look plastered on her face. He raised his hands, "I give, you're right." He acknowledged. "Now the question is what do we do?"
Gabriella laughed, "I go on a date with Zeke."
HSMHSMHSM
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XOXO
MAS
