I don't own anything.

I'm sorry it took so long to put out this chapter; I had to go back through my notes and rewrite the storyline about three times. Well now I think I am finally happy with the direction of the story and I hope you guys will be as well. As always I want to thank my reviewers for their feedback. Please remember to Read and Review.

Baby S

Chapter Four

After class with Gabriella the only thing running through her mind was what had been told to her by Gabriella. Was she right was Troy a player and if so was he trying to add her to the list. She thought about that the entire time before bell rang, and was still thinking about. With a sigh she opened up her locker and unloaded her books silently thanking God that it was time for her favorite class beside chemistry 2, with a small smile she waved at some of her classmates before returning her attention to her locker and packing. "I swear, the only time I can beat you to your locker is at the beginning of school." Troy said coming up to her smiling as he leaned on the lockers beside her. Taylor looked over at him and just shrugged.

"Why would you worry about that." She said zipping up her book bag and leaving. Troy watched her with shock written all over his face. Before he followed her down the hallway ignoring the looks and stares he got from their fellow East High students. Moving quickly he finally caught her in the hallway and grabbed her arm and pulled her around so that she was looking at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Sucking his teeth, Troy pulled Taylor into a nearby empty classroom, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You mind answering me again and telling me the truth this time." He asked calmly even though he was edge. He didn't want to think about what Taylor could have heard to make her not want to talk to him. Taylor looked away not even bothering to speak, reaching out Troy grabbed her chin gently in his hand and forced her to look at him. "Please tell me what's wrong?"

"I…someone told me something and I don't want you to play games with me or my feelings Troy." He shook his head and looked down at her for a moment before speaking.

"I have no intention of playing games with you…to tell you the truth I really care about you." He whispered softly. "And just to be clear I've never thought about playing games with you."

"And how am I supposed to believe you?"

"What have I done to you that would make you believe that since I got here? I care about you and I've never done anything but proven to you that I care." Taylor sighed and slowly nodded her head as Troy reached out and pulled her into his arms. She couldn't explain the feeling of relief that washed over her when Troy pulled her into his arms; she simply wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest. They stood there silently in each other's arms just being comforted by the other's presence. They jumped apart as the late bell rang; Taylor looked away from him, as Troy stood there looking at her with a small smile on his face. "Tay?"

"We should probably get to class before we get in trouble." She said busily getting her book bag of the floor, she gasped when Troy turned her around and forcing her to look at him.

"Who told you all this?" he asked as calmly as he possibly could, Taylor just shrugged her shoulders and looked up at him with a small smile.

"It doesn't matter, Troy. You cleared it all up and I promise you that it doesn't matter." He shook his head furiously for a moment before looking at her.

"It does matter…you almost stopped talking to me, hell I had to chase you down and plead my case to you." He stated furiously. "And I want to know who the hell told you I was this so-called player."

"So you weren't a player at West High." Troy sighed and nodded his head. "Oh I see."

"What do you see…I've changed, I changed before I even came here, Taylor and I wasn't thinking about going back to the way I was before because to tell you the truth I never liked the way I used to be. So please don't hold my past against me." He whispered, Taylor looked up at him and nodded her in agreement. "Now that we have that out of the way, how about you tell me who told you that."

"It was Gabriella." She whispered looking away from him; he sighed and lifted her face so that she was facing him.

"Gabriella…Chad's girlfriend…okay well I'll just go talk to her sometime later on today, Taylor so how about you come with me and let's get to class." He said with a sigh before taking Taylor's book bag handle and leading her out of the room.

Gabriella walked towards her next class alone; Chad was currently practicing with the team. However she was very surprise to see Troy Bolton walking in her direction with a frown marring his face. "Just the person I wanted to see." He stated coldly as he came up to her stopping her from going forward. "You mind telling me why you told, Taylor I was a player." Gabriella looked at him for a brief moment as if she couldn't believe he was asking her this question.

"Because I felt that she needed to know…I won't have you make a fool out of my best friend."

"She must not be your only best friend since you're running around here putting lies in her head." He snapped back looking at her not bothering to hide the angry in his eyes from her view. Gabriella cautiously stepped back and looked up him daring him to do anything.

"It wasn't a lie my cousin who goes to West High told me that you were a player there so what is really going to stop you from starting here, and I won't let you start with my friend." Troy rolled his eyes at the woman before him and just shook his head.

"She's my friend…the only friend I have right now, what makes you think that I'm going to do anything like that to her. Look I'm only going to tell you think one time and that's mind your own damn business, Gabriella."

"Taylor is my business…she's my friend and what type of friend would I be if I just let her hang around a known player who might turn his sight on her." Troy narrowed his eyes at er words and took a step forward.

"If I was still the same guy I was back at West High I would have already started getting with the girls here, but I haven't and I'm not going to. Not that it's any of your business but I plan to start over here and leave my player days behind me."

"Well you're going to have to prove it."

"I don't have to prove a damn thing to you…Taylor however is another matter. So do as I say mind your own business, Gabriella and believe me when I say I do not want to have this conversation again." With that Troy took a step away from Gabriella and walked around her continuing down the hall. Gabriella turned a watched him before rolling her eyes and heading in the other direction.

Troy found Taylor packing her book bag after he got finished talking to Gabriella. Smiling he walked over to her and touched her shoulder immediately getting her attention. "I talked to Gabriella." Taylor sighed and shook her head.

"I wish you hadn't done that…I mean it wasn't that serious you cleared it up and we're okay. She was just looking out for me." He shook his head.

"Telling you something like that…oh please she was just being nosy." He said laughing; Taylor giggled a little and zipped her things up. "Come on let me walk you to your car." He said with small smile.

"You don't have to do that."

"Taylor if I didn't want to do I wouldn't. But believe me I want to do this, helping you doesn't bother me in fact I rather enjoy it." He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Taylor shook her head at him and allowed him to hook an arm around her shoulder as he took her book bag from her and led it out of the room.

"So when are we suppose to do this tutoring on Saturday?" Troy asked as they stopped by her car, Taylor looked at him for a moment before speaking.

"You meet me at the library around nine in the morning…and we will study until twelve." Troy winced as she mentioned the time and shook his head. "What? You have to put in the time for the grades."

"I guess you're right."

"Believe me, Troy I would know how to get the grades." She said with a wink as she opened her car door, and Troy placed her book bag in the back. She smiled at him for a moment before reaching out to close the door; instead he placed his hand in the way and asked.

"How about I pick you up tomorrow?" Thinking of her father she shook her head.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." He shook his head with a smile before saying.

"Oh come on I want to…I'll pick you up at eight forty-five and we can go to the library together. I mean it will help you save gas and I guess it could be another way to thank you for doing this for me."

"Okay, you talked me into it but my little sister Victoria is going come along."

"How old is she?"

"Four, don't worry I'm sure she'll like you." Taylor said with a smirk, before Troy stopped her again.

"Wait I don't even have your number." Taylor nodded and reached into her pocketbook and pulled out a black pen and grabbed Troy's hand and scribbled her cell phone number into his palm and then released his hand.

"There now you have it." She said closing the door, moments later she was off driving down the street. Troy stood there in the same spot with a silly grin on his face as he watched her leave the school parking lot.

There was no denying that Troy Bolton was in a good mood once he returned home that evening. Jack Bolton looked up from the sofa, as Troy entered the room carrying two shirts, two pair of jeans and some sneakers. "What's all this son?" Jack asked smiling at his boy. Troy dropped the clothing on the lazy boy and then looked at his father.

"I need your help."

"With what?"

"What do I wear if I wanna impress someone but don't want to come off as trying to hard?" Troy asked looking at his father impatiently awaiting the answer. "I mean should I wear something classy or nice causal."

"Wait back up…who are you trying to impress."

"This girl named Taylor McKessie at East High, you know that girl showed me around early well she's going to tutor me and I am meeting her tomorrow to being our session and I really want to impress her."

"I really don't know how much do you like her."

"I…I guess I like her a lot."

"Well I would suggest nice causal…like that black collar shirt your khaki and some sneakers." Jack said getting up and pulling out the outfit he thought would be perfect for his son. He felt a little sad that his wife, Troy's mother was no longer there. She would have loved to help Troy put together this outfit.

"You really think I'll look good in this outfit." Jack stepped back and looked at the outfit he had picked out for his son. With a smile he nodded his head and placed his hands on his hips as he looked at his son.

"Yeah, son I think you are really going to get her attention with this." Troy smiled and then picked up the clothing and headed upstairs, shouting that he was going to iron his clothes. Jack watched him go upstairs, and then with a smile he sat down and shook his head thinking that maybe the move to East High wasn't such a bad idea after all.