Chapter 7 – The Playmaker
Troy and Gabriella walked to the drama rehearsals and started singing. After the rehearsals were done, Troy walked into the gym when everybody was finished. Chad throw a ball at Troy and Troy looked at his Dad upset and said ''I think I am going to stay awhile, work on some free throws''.
Mr Bolton looked at him angry and said ''well since you missed practice, I think your team deserves a little effort from you today''. Mr Bolton looked at him even angrier and walked away. Troy stood there upset and saw Gabriella come in. Gabriella got the ball and throw in the basket. Troy looked at her amazed and said ''whoa, don't tell me you're good at hoops too''.
Gabriella smiled at Troy and said ''you know, I once scored forty-one points on a league game''. Troy looked at her astonished and said ''no way''. Gabriella smiled at Troy and said ''yeah and on the same day, I invented the space shuttle and microwave popcorn''. Troy looked at her realizing that he has just been tricked and said ''ah, microwave popcorn, ha ha, very funny''.
Gabriella throw the ball at Troy and Troy chucked it back and Gabriella ran off with it and Troy said ''hey, that's travelling, really bad travelling''. Troy ran over to her and picked her up and Mr Bolton came in and said ''closed practice, Miss Montez''. Troy looked at his dad and said ''Dad, practice is over''. Troy's Dad looked at him and said '' not until the last player leaves the gym, team rule''.
Gabriella looked at Troy and waved goodbye at him and walked out the door. Troy looked at his Dad and said ''sorry, I missed practice, it wasn't Gabriella fault though''. Mr Bolton looked at him and said ''you haven't missed practice in three years. That girl shows up…''. Troy cuts in and says ''that girl is named Gabriella. And she's very nice''.
Mr Bolton looked at him angry and said ''well helping you miss practice doesn't make her very nice, not in my book or your team's''. Troy couldn't believe what his Dad was saying and said to him ''she not a problem, Dad, she just….a girl''.
Mr Bolton looked at him upset and said ''but your not just a guy, you're the team leader, so what you do not only affects this team, but the entire school. Without you completely focused, we won't win the game next week. And championship games don't come along all the time…..they're something special''.
Troy looked at his Dad in disbelief and said ''well a lot of things are special, Dad''. Mr Bolton looked at him upset and said ''you're the playmaker not a singer….right?''. Troy looked at him upset and said ''did you ever think maybe I could be both''.
Troy dropped the ball and walks past his Dad upset and walks out the door to see all of his friends standing there surprised.
Troy walked into the library and Chad followed him and said ''what spell has this elevated IQ temptress girl cast that makes you wanna audition for a musical''. Troy looked at his friend and said ''Look, I just did. Who cares''.
Chad couldn't believe what his mate said and said to him ''who cares, how about your most loyal best friend''. The librarian came in and had a go at Troy and Chad.
Chad throw his ball in air and Troy caught it and Chad said to him ''Look, you're a hoops dude. Not a musical singer person. Have you ever seen Michael Crawford on a cereal box''. Troy looked at him confused and said ''who Michael Crawford''.
Chad looked at him angry and said ''exactly my point. He was the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Now my Mom, she's seen the musical twenty-seven times and she put Michael Crawford's picture in our refrigerator. Not on it, in it. So my point is, if you sing, you'll end up in my Mom refrigerator''.
Troy looked at him confused and said ''why would she put his picture in your refrigerator''. Chad looked at him and said ''I don't know, one of her crazy diet ideas. Look I don't attempt to understand the female mind, Troy, it's foreign territory''.
Troy walked over to the tabled and sat down and Chad followed him and said ''how can you expect the rest of us to be focused on a game when you're off somewhere in leotards singing Twinkle Town''.
Troy cut in and said ''no one said anything about leotards''. Chad looked at Troy and said ''not yet my friend, but just you wait''. Troy looked at Chad freaked out and Chad looked at Troy in need of help and said ''we need you captain, big time''. The librarian came over to Chad and said ''quiet please''. Chad looked at Troy and said ''I tried to tell him, I really did''.
