September 28, 2007. Walking to School, 7:33 AM.
I am unbelievably tired this morning. My Mom came home around 3:00 in the morning, and then I couldn't fall asleep until around 5:00 because I was talking to her, so, yeah. I hate when I'm tired on Mondays, too. I'm supposed to get a good night's sleep Sunday night so I can jump start my week. But, no. This week I'm starting my week by falling asleep in my classes. Oh, gosh, I hope I don't fall asleep in my classes!
Why, oh why did I have to stay up late talking to my Mom? I mean, talking to the parents, I'm all for it! Ahem. But, really, it's better at a more reasonable time. Even greater when the topic doesn't revolve around whose boxers I seemed to be donning instead of my own pajamas. Here was pour basic conversation:
Me: Hi, Mom, how was your flight?
Mom: It was good, honey, how was your weekend . . . Wait a minute.
Me: What's wrong?
Mom: Do we need to have the sex talk, Gabriella Anne Montez?
Me: WHAT?
Mom: Why on Earth are you wearing a pair of Boy's Underwear?
Me: looking down and recognizing my attire and also realizing that I walked home in it Um, its not what you think
Mom: Please tell me you're not having sex, Gabriella
Me: Ha! With Troy? That's a riot.
Mom: Gabi . . .
Me: Nothing happened, Mom. I just, erm, fell into his pool and he gave me an extra pair of clothes.
OOPS.
Yes, that's right. I nearly drowned, AND I wore Troy Bolton's boxers to sleep last night. But don't go getting perverted thoughts in your twisted, dirty mind! I only did it because, well, I found it unreasonable to waste another pair of clothes considering I ruined my previous outfit and then LEFT it at Troy's house. Okay, terrible reason, but whatever. You're just a stupid diary that I can return back to the store my Mom bought you from whenever I want to.
Yes, I'm fully aware of the fact that I've already filled a good portion of your pages with my miserable life. It's not so hard to just rip those pages out . . . Ha! You didn't think of that, did you! Oh, my gosh, I'm going crazy. I mean, really. I'm freaking talking to a diary. But . . . Just in case you're not a diary and actually some sort of spy gear in disguise, I will never let you out of my sight. No one can know about yesterday. NO ONE.
Troy and I may have come to some sort of silent understanding, but I bet you a million dollars that as soon as I reach East High, he'll go straight back to ignoring me like always. And I know yesterday it SEEMED like we became friends. And maybe we did, but this is high school we're talking about. Life doesn't go the way we want it to in high school. If it did, I wouldn't have almost drowned and wouldn't be wearing my contacts today.
Oh, and before I say anything else, I know that I lied to my Mom about the whole 'drowning' incident. But, really. I'm fine. I didn't die. So what would be the point of worrying her? So, yeah. Case closed about that topic.
But anyway, my contacts. Usually I only wore my glasses for when I read, but, considering I'm always reading, I was always wearing them. However, they, like my jacket, bra, and other items, remain at Troy's house. I'm really hoping he hasn't noticed the bra and that when I go over to tutor him tonight, I can just grab it and shove it in my backpack, or something.
Aw, crud. I've reached the school.
September 28, 2007. Homeroom, 8:03 AM.
Well, here I am, watching some substitute teacher write something on the board. I wonder where Ms. Darbus is . . . Miss? No, Mrs.? Actually, who would want to marry her? I'll stick with Ms. Darbus. Anyway, I'm like the only person in class right now, considering class doesn't start for 5 more minutes. Actually, I don't understand why they do that. Why can't they just make school start at 8:10 instead of 8:08? What is up with that???
The sub. is now stepping away from the board. Wow, she practically wrote an entire paragraph . . . .
Hello, students. My name is Ms. Brown, and I will be your teacher for the next month or so. I am sorry to say that Ms. Darbus has had a family emergency, but she will be coming back as soon as she can. Please sit in your usual seats so I can take roll. Thank you!
I wonder what Ms. Darbus's emergency is? Maybe a family member passed away, or something. Whatever. All this means is that for the next month, this classroom will be in utter chaos. Great. Taylor just walked in. It's weird, because I haven't talked to her since that awkward conversation over instant messaging.
"Hi, Taylor," I said as she took her seat which is a few behind me and to my left.
She looked up at me weirdly, but then smiled. Okaaaaay. 'Hello, Gabriella. How are you?' 'Oh, fine, thanks. Yourself?'
Does that sound hard to you? Because it doesn't to me! It's weird, Taylor used to be my best friend. But now its like, over night we just drifted apart, or something. I'm going try again to engage her in a conversation.
Okay, maybe not. Chad just walked in and sat down next to her. HOLD IT! What in the world am I missing here? Okay, think Gabriella. What could have happened that made Chad and Taylor like each other? It couldn't have happened over night like Taylor's and my sudden rift.
She and Chad are now talking. Oh, hahahaha! That is sooo funny, Chad! Pshhh. Please, this is disgusting. I can't think of anything more gros --
I stand corrected. Troy just walked in wearing his usual outfit: jeans, an unbuttoned collared shirt with an undershirt beneath it, and a blonde hanging off his arm. See, I told you today would be just like it always was. Well, with the exception of Taylor. I wonder if she's mad at me for some reason . . .
Bell just rang. I can sense the whole 'inspirational substitute speech' coming up. Yup, here it is. I should have brought some earplugs.
"Good morning, class," Ms. Brown said as she stood in front of the white board. "If you have not already read the board, my name is Ms. Brown. I will be filling in for your usual teacher, Ms. Darbus, until she is able to return."
There was a smattering of hollers and cheers which I think is rather rude, considering Ms. Darbus has a family emergency. At least Troy wasn't one of the disrespectful idiots.
"Now, I know you usually use this hour of class time to complete any homework or to study for a test or two. However, Ms. Darbus seemed to think you would not be using this time wisely whilst she is not present in this room."
This is so true. When a substitute replaces the real teacher, it's almost tradition that the students don't listen to the proper instructions. I guess Ms. Darbus suspected this, of course.
"And so," Ms. Brown continued, obviously unaware of the fact that I am probably the only student listening. Troy and the blonde, Lindsay I think her name is, are busy sharing saliva. It surprising how unappealing the sight is, considering how hot Troy is. And then Chad and Taylor are being all cutesy behind me. It's rather annoying, really. I really don't understand what happened between us. "Ms. Darbus has instructed me to assign partners."
What?
There was an uproar throughout the class, but then Ms. Brown said, "Partners will be chosen, but choose wisely, because you do not want to have a partner who does not wish to study."
Oh, gosh. Partners? Does Ms. Darbus really think that that will help us to study during class time? I just turned around to see if Taylor would be my partner, but she was already practically sitting on Chad's desk. I'm pretty sure we need to have a talk.
Everyone has a partner except for me. That's, right. I, Gabriella Ann Montez, am officially a loner. Even Kelsi is paired up with Martha Cox because 'she thought Taylor and I would be partners'. I hate myself.
I have to admit that part of me wanted to be Troy's partner, but I guess it was a little far fetched. He's still making out with Lindsay. Jeeze, what's so great about kissing, anyway? I'm sure exchanging saliva as well as mononucleosis is great fun. There must be something I'm missing, which is obvious because I've never even held a guy's hand before.
I must be some kind of a reject. Even Taylor, who I thought was my best friend, has a guy who's interested in her. She must be prettier then me. Smarter then me. No, wait. I'm smarter than Lindsay by miles, so that can't be it. I'm definitely sure it's just my 'un-beautifulness'. I hate to admit it, but for once in my life I feel like I care how I look . . .
All I'm wearing right now is an old sweatshirt, baggy jeans, and converse sneakers. My hair is in it's usual messy bun, and I have never worn make-up in my entire life. But you know what? I'm not about to start changing the way I look just because boys don't notice me. I'm not that person, I'm not needy. If a guy can't deal with how I dress or act, then he isn't good enough for me.
Chemistry Notes: The atom
Atom: A unit of matter, the smallest unit of an element, having all the characteristics of that element and consisting of a dense, central, positively charged nucleus surrounded by a system of electrons. The entire structure has an approximate diameter of 10-8 centimeter and characteristically remains undivided in chemical reactions except for limited removal, transfer, or exchange of certain electrons.
September 28, 2007. Lunch, 12:30.
Well, I'm sitting up in this random area. It's this place up on the roof where the science club grows all these beautiful flowers, and you can breath in the fresh air. Even if there's not exactly much to do up here . . . And I'm starving because I left my lunch in the cafeteria. The worst part is that I can only blame one -- no, two -- people for why I'm sitting all alone in an area of the campus that only geeks like me know about. Taylor and Chad.
I know I saw it coming. If I look back at my previous entries in this diary I can read the absolute evidence of their relationship. The only thing I didn't notice was the fact that their relationship was not just blossoming. No, as of today, I know they have been a couple. FOR A WHILE.
I don't know why Taylor didn't tell me. I'm practically her best friend, and yet somehow she's managed to keep this HUGE secret. It was right under my nose! The entire, freaking time! And, okay. I didn't exactly give Taylor a chance to explain herself after I found out. Right now I'm just . . . You know what? I'm not even going to care anymore. Let Taylor hang out with stupid Chad and hide stupid love notes in her stupid bag. That's how I found out. About her and Chad's relationship, I mean.
It's funny, really. Only an hour before now I was sitting peacefully in Mr. Lawrence's classroom taking notes on the French and Indian war. Gosh, my life was much simpler then. When I walked in and took my usual seat Troy even said hello to me, and during the note taking he asked me frequent questions on whether or not certain points were important.
But then I walked out of that world into a new one. It started out pretty normal. I bought my usual lunch and strode over to the table where Taylor and Kelsi were sitting. Right now I really wish I had at least taken a bite out of my sandwich before talking to her so I wouldn't be as hungry as I am now. But, whatever.
"Hey, Kels, Taylor," I had said as I sat between the two of them and placed my lunch on the table.
"Hi, Gabriella."
"Hello, Gabi."
I smiled, then turned to Taylor. "So, how come you and Chad are partners in homeroom? You didn't even talk to me at all, really."
Taylor actually had the decency to look slightly guilty before she replied, "Oh, you know. He asked me to . . . Tutor him with his studies. And I was tired, so I wasn't really in the mood to argue."
I have to admit that I believed her. That is, until what happened next.
"Oh, okay, then. I guess we'll be partners next time."
Taylor smiled, happy to be off the subject of Chad. Heck, if I were in her position I would have been happy too.
"So, Gabriella," Kelsi started. "Did you get that paper, yet?"
I looked up at Kelsi curiously. "What paper?" I asked.
Kelsi finished chewing her bite of pasta before saying, "The one you get in your math class. You know, about the Back to School Dance?"
My math class, Physics AP, isn't until my very last period. Maybe if I had gotten that stupid paper sooner this entire thing would not have happened.
"No, I haven't gotten that yet." I turned to Taylor whose backpack resided on the floor beside her. "Tay, you have Physics second period, can I see the paper?"
Taylor was busy reading some book for English, so she nodded and replied, "Yeah, it's in my homework binder."
I bent over and dragged her bag toward myself, then unzipped it open. The flier was in the folder of her homework binder and read:
EAST HIGH BACK TO SCHOOL DANCE!
Welcome back to East High School, home of the wildcats. In honor of last year's fabulous Testing scores and the large amount of students on Honor Roll, the staff has decided to award you all with a Back to School dance.
Sign ups for the Dance Committee are posted outside the front office, feel free to help set up! Tickets will be sold starting today at lunch and will cost fifteen dollars each. We hope you all come!
Dance Date: Friday, October 9
Okay, first of all, why are we having a 'Back to School dance' two months into the school year? By that time it's almost Halloween. I don't' understand the stupid Dance committee.
But, anyway. I had just finished reading the flier when I noticed there was something on the back of the paper. When I turned it over, it turned out to be handwriting. TWO sets of handwriting.
Hey, Tay. Wanna go to the dance with me?
Chad! Stop writing on my flier.
Who cares about the flier. I got mine ten minutes ago and I already don't know where it is.
. . . Taylor, are you actually paying attention in this class?
Chad, why are you even taking physics. You obviously don't like it.
So I can bug the shit out of you.
Don't swear.
Crap, shit, fuck, damn
CHAD!
I'll keep going if you don't go to the dance with me . . . .
I don't know, Chad. Nobody knows about us yet.
Tay, we've been dating for two months already. It's about time people knew. Troy's getting suspicious.
So is Gabriella.
Who's that again?
Why am I even your girlfriend?
Because you love me!
There was more, but then Taylor noticed what I was reading. She gasped loudly, and snatched the paper out of my hands. I kind of sat there, staring at the spot where the flier had been just moments before. Then I slowly turned to look at Taylor.
She was staring at me, holding the paper to her chest, her eyes wide with fear. "Why did you read that?! It's my personal property!"
Okay. I know its going to look like I snapped. But that's because I totally snapped.
"Your property?" I burst out, standing up from my seat. "You told me I could see the flier!"
"But you didn't have to read the back!"
"I cannot believe you've been lying to me for TWO MONTHS! I thought we were friends, Taylor!"
Taylor stood up too, ripping the paper to shreds. "I didn't lie, I just never told you!"
I started to laugh manically. The entire cafeteria was beginning to look our way, but I didn't care. "What, that you and Chad are boyfriend and girlfriend!"
And now the entire room was not only looking at us, but also silent. Taylor turned toward the jock table to see Chad staring at her with wide eyes. Then she wiped her head around and glared at me.
"You didn't have to announce it to the entire world, Gabriella!"
I threw my hands into the air. "They would have found out sometime! Probably before you even told me! Why, Taylor? Why didn't you tell me!"
Taylor shook for a moment before bursting out, "Because you wouldn't have approved! You would have been, 'Oh, why are you dating a jock? They're stupid and mean and they just ignore people'. Well you know what, Gabriella? Have you ever thought that it was just you they ignored? Because from what I know of Chad and his friends is they are very nice people! And if you're going to judge others, maybe they're right to ignore you!"
I stood there, her words ringing in my ears over and over again. Taylor seemed to be experiencing the same thing, for her expression drained and sorrow filled her eyes.
"I-I didn't mean it like --"
I shook my head, hating myself for the tears that were filling my eyes. "No. You did."
Then I turned, leaving my lunch on the table, and ran from the room to Taylor calling my name. That's basically how I ended up here. Why is it that lately weird things have been happening to me? That I always seem to run away from others only to lock myself in a room to write in this stupid diary.
What is wrong with me? Is Taylor even right? Why do people ignore me? Maybe I'm just a freak. Maybe I'm just not meant to fit in anywhere. Maybe I --
September 28, 2007. My Bedroom, 4:30.
I leave for Troy's house in five minutes. Troy, whom three days ago I despised with a passion. Troy, who is now probably my only friend.
I stopped writing before because a voice had cut me off. "You're not a freak."
I screamed, dropping my pen. You would have too, because Troy was standing right beside me, reading over my shoulder while I wrote for who knows how long. How in the world did I not notice him? I really don't know.
"W-What," I stuttered, watching him laugh at me while I slammed my diary shut. "How long have you been standing there?"
He shrugged, sitting next to me then bending down to retrieve my fallen pen. "Not long. Probably a few minutes. You're not a freak, though."
I grabbed my pen from his fingers, looking at him incredulously. "If I'm not a freak then why don't I have any friends?"
"You have friends. Taylor is your friend." He paused for a second before saying, "I'm your friend."
I turned away from him, blushing. "Taylor isn't my friend. And If I'm not a freak, then why does everyone ignore me? Why did you ignore me?"
Troy remained silent and the two of us gazed at the beautiful flowers all around the rooftop. When he finally spoke, I was startled. "You're not a freak, Gabriella. You're just more . . . Real. And that's intimidating."
"What do you mean 'real'?" I asked.
"Well, you know, real. Like, you're not like most of the girls at this school who mold themselves to be what's in, or whatever. There's also the fact that your head always seems to be tucked in that little book writing things that aren't true about yourself."
I smiled a little, turning to face him again. There was just something about Troy that made me feel abnormal. But a good abnormal. Like I was pretty, or something. He made me feel good about myself without even trying.
"I didn't know either, you know," Troy said seriously. "About Chad and Taylor, I mean."
I swallowed, frowning slightly. "Yeah," was all I could think of to say.
"There were a lot of signs, though. Like, Chad would mysteriously be busy on Saturday nights."
I laughed, relating to Troy completely. "Taylor would have missed calls with somebody by the name of 'Lunkhead'. I thought it was her little brother, or something."
We both continued to laugh, then Troy gasped between peals of laughter, "When I found a pink, girl sweater in Chad's backpack, he said it was his mom's."
I choked, grabbing my sides as I giggled uncontrollably. "Taylor told me the reason she and Chad are partners in homeroom is because she was 'tutoring him'."
"Chad said the hickies on his neck were mosquito bites!"
"EW! Taylor said the reason she smelt like guy's cologne was because her great aunt gave her bad perfume and she didn't want to make her aunt feel bad by not wearing it!"
"Chad said the reason he wasn't seeing girls anymore was because he was considering the fact that he was gay!"
Troy's last comment made us both break down. We both collapsed into a heap on the ground, laughing loudly and weirdly with tears streaming down our faces. I was glad I wasn't the only person who was hurt by Chad and Taylor's lying, and I told Troy this when we both had finally calmed down.
"We're going to have to forgive them sometime," Troy said, running a hand through his already tousled hair.
I smiled deviously. "Just because we have to forgive them doesn't mean we can't let them think we won't."
Troy's mouth curled into a crooked grin, and his cobalt blue eyes glinted. "I had no idea you were this evil, Montez."
I shrugged, smiling innocently. "You don't know a lot about me, Bolton."
After that Troy and I basically talked until the bell rang. I was glad Taylor wasn't in my last two classes, because I wasn't ready to face her yet. After tonight with Troy, when we will construct our ground rules, I'm sure I will be more than ready. I will, of course, tutor him before we plan out what we are going to do tomorrow. But more importantly than that, I REALLY need to retrieve my bra from his bathroom drawer.
A/N: Okay, so a more serious chapter. But the next one will be way more fun and comical. I'll post a preview in my blog, okay! Please review and visit my blog, the link is in my profile.
