Chapter 3 – Friends

When the bell rang, Troy looked at his timetable to see where he should go next, when an Afro-Americans boy came over to him, "hey," the boy said.

"Uhm, hey," Troy said still looking at his timetable.

"What do you have now?" Chad asked looking at Troy's timetable, "Awesome, the same as me! PE."

Troy smiled, "yeah, and where do I find the gym?"

"Come with me," Chad said and took his own things and the two of them started making their way to the gym.

When they came to the door into the boys' locker room, a girl suddenly called at Chad, "Chad?"

He turned around, "What's up, sis?" he smiled at Gabriella.

"I haven't got my sweat suit with me today; do you have something I can borrow?" Gabriella asked and smiled at him.

"When do you actually bring your clothes for PE, babysis?" he asked playfully.

"The day you actually bring your math, big bro" she shoot back.

"Right," Chad laughed, "well, wait a moment; I'll just go get something in my locker for you, if you can use some shorts and a shirt, miss."

"I'll be waiting, and thanks, Chad" Gabriella smiled.

Two minutes later Chad came out with a shirt and a pair of shorts, "here you go, Brie," Chad smiled and gave her the clothes, "oh and by the way, I didn't have another shirt in the locker, so the shirt is Troy's."

"Troy?" she asked confused.

"Gabriella! The new boy, dummy," Chad smiled.

"Oh right, he actually smell good," she said without thinking.

"Gosh! Brie!" Chad laughed, "now go change!"

"Yes, daddy," Gabriella giggled and ran into the girls' locker room before Chad realized what she said… "Gabriella! I'm still not your dad!" he shouted after her.

With Gabriella, Taylor and Sharpay, in the girls' locker room.

"So did Chad have something you could borrow?" Sharpay asked.

"He always has clothes for her," Taylor laughed.

"Yeah, he had a pair of shorts, but the shirt is Troy's," Gabriella said and then hurried to put on the clothes.

"So you are wearing the new boy's clothes?" Sharpay asked.

"She just said that, Shar!" Taylor said abounding.

"I heard that, Tay," Sharpay said.

"Then why did you ask?" Gabriella looked confused at Sharpay.

"I don't know," Sparpay laughed.

In PE the girls were playing volleyball and the boys were playing (surprise) basket.

While the girls are playing volleyball, Gabriella saves the ball from being out, but trips and falls, when two strong arms saves her from fall onto the ground.

"Hey," Troy smiled at her, "you know, you should keep staying at your feeds, it would do the game so much easier for you!"

Gabriella looked into his baby-blue, electric eyes and smiled a little, "uhm, thanks for catching me," she looked nervous away, "and thanks for the tip."

"No problem, anytime," Troy smiled at her, "well, I guess I'll see you later." He smiled and turned around to back to the basketball game with the boys.

Chad came over to Troy, "thanks for helping my little sister," he smiled.

"Is she your real sister?" Troy asked looking at Gabriella.

"No, not my real sister, but she is like a sister to me, and she is younger than me, so she is my little sister," Chad smiled.

"Oh, okay," Troy said still looking at the brown haired girl playing volleyball at the other field, "how long have you known each other?" The two boys made their way back to the locker room.

"Since kindergarten, so that would be around 11 years, I think," Chad smiled while pulling of his clothes to go to the showers.

"Okay, so you guys are close?" Troy asked still thinking of Gabriella.

"Yeah, pretty much, she knows me better than anybody else, and well, I know her pretty well as well," Chad said while showering.

"Oh, cool!" Troy said, while putting on some clothes, after the shower.

In the lunch hour; after the PE.

"So, do you want to sit with me and my friends for lunch?" Chad asked Troy.

"Uhm, if it's okay with your friends, then yes," Troy said smiling. He did not want to disturb them, if they did not want him there.

"Of course it's okay with my friends," Chad said while making his way to the cafeteria.

"Okay then," Troy said following Chad.

At the table; with Gabriella, Taylor, Sharpay and Ryan.

"Gab?" Ryan asked concerned.

"What?" Gabriella asked not really paying attention.

"Why don't you eat something?" Sharpay asked looking at her.

"I'm not hungry," Gabriella said lying. The true was that she was starving, but she didn't want to eat, because then she would just throw it all up again.

"Oh…" Sharpay said and started eating her food.

"Hey guys," Chad said while he sat down, "I hope you don't mind I brought Troy."

"Of course not," Sharpay said, "as long as you aren't a looser, you can sit with us."

"Eh, thanks," Troy said while sitting down between Chad and Gabriella, "why don't you eat, Gabriella?"

"I'm not hungry," she answered looking down.

"Okay," Troy said, but he could tell from the way she looked down, and tried not to look at him or anyone else, that she was lying, but why? He kept thinking about it the rest of the day.

After school at Gabriella's place with Gabriella home alone.

Gabriella unlocked the door and got inside and then locked the door behind her and sighed. She had just survived a day at school without questions about her jacket, her smile or anything, well except for the not eating thing, then she had not got any questions…