Chapter 7: It's Time For Action
It had been two weeks since Troy and Gabriella's evening together, and neither of them had made an attempt to speak of what had happened during that time to their friends. Gabriella was far too embarrassed to tell Taylor anything about how she and Troy had almost kissed in that intimate moment, or how she had felt such strong emotions during the conversation they'd had when he'd walked her out when the night was over. Taylor didn't probe for details, although she knew something big had to have happened when she'd seen the self-conscious look on Gabriella's face after Taylor asked how her evening with him went.
"Fine." Gabriella had said meekly as her cheeks turned pink, looking away from her uncomfortably.
As much as Taylor wanted to know exactly what went down, she realized that Gabriella had to come to terms with this on her own before sharing anything personal, and she respected her wishes and didn't bother her.
Chad, on the other hand, wouldn't leave Troy alone for a second. For the past two weeks, he'd been constantly on Troy's heels, badgering him for information about his and Gabriella's "not date." Troy hadn't spoken a word about it to him, afraid that he would end up slipping and letting everyone in the school know about it and jump to conclusions. Chad wasn't the easiest person to ignore though, and it was getting to the point where Troy seriously considered whether he should punch Chad in the face or keep giving him the silent treatment ,as he'd been doing for the past few days. Chad knew Troy was keeping something from him about that night. Something had definitely happened, and he intended on finding out what.
Gabriella and Taylor sat in biology class, practically falling asleep from boredom. They had finished class early for the day, and they'd been given the rest of the class as a free period, although their one rule was that they could not under any circumstances talk to one another. Everyone obeyed this rule knowing that if they didn't, their teacher would show them no mercy and land them in detention faster than the eye could blink.
Gabriella felt her eyes close as she held up her heavy head with her hand. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night due to a late-night practice for the musical. Mrs. Darbus had really been coming down on her and Troy, letting them know exactly how a scene needed to be done or which lines needed more feeling and passion. She could handle Mrs. Darbus and her criticism, but she couldn't handle seeing the same face staring at her from the back of the auditorium day after day for the entire practice.
Sharpay always seemed to be there, glaring at her menacingly. She'd been coming to every single practice, unfortunately never missing one. She'd take the same seat she always sat in, at the very back, and just watched her and Troy. It seemed like she was trying to catch Gabriella doing something wrong, and when Mrs. Darbus corrected her mistakes, Sharpay could be seen with a small smirk on her face.
Gabriella opened her eyes as she felt something touch her arm. Looking down, she saw that it was a piece of paper folded in half. Opening it, she began to read Taylor's familiar handwriting.
I'm so excited about the Winter Formal this Friday! What about you? Taylor had written.
Gabriella pulled out her pen and began to write a message back. I'm not so sure anymore. I thought I was, but now I don't know if I'm even going. Folding the paper back up, she cautiously slid it to Taylor, who began to write another message almost as soon as it landed in her fingers.
WHAT? Why not? We spent two days looking for that dress of yours. You can't back out now! She gave it back to Gabriella with an unhappy look on her face..
I really think I should. Gabriella folded the note and jumped as she heard a noise behind her. Thankfully, it was just someone shuffling in their seat.
Taylor barely glanced over her reply and hastily wrote another message, slowly working her way up to the real purpose of the conversation. Did anyone ask you yet?
Gabriella sighed sadly when she read this message. No, that's the reason I'm not going. You and Chad are going, and I don't want to ruin your fun. Since I haven't made a lot of really good friends yet, there's no one I can really hang out with. She slipped it back to Taylor, who paused before writing down the idea she'd been wanting to propose.
What about Troy? Chad told me he's not going with anyone either. Taylor passed it back to Gabriella and anxiously waited for her reaction.
Gabriella closed her eyes with a mixture of anger, desolation, and evident fear that could be seen in her eyes. She'd thought of asking Troy several times to go with her to the Formal, but hadn't plucked up the courage to actually go through with it.
I don't know Taylor… Everyone wants to go with him. He'll probably have a date by the end of the day. Gabriella wrote wistfully. Folding it once more, she gave it to Taylor who looked over it a few times with an unreadable expression.
Without warning, the bell rang and students began to exit the classroom, happy that they were free from class. Gabriella made her way to the door, but then felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and took the note in Taylor's hands. Taylor gave her a sad smile and then left, wondering how much more of this madness she could take from these two.
Gabriella watched her go for a moment before opening the paper up to see Taylor's last note quickly scrawled out at the bottom of the page.
Troy won't have a date today, and he won't have one by Friday. He's been asked, but he's turned down every single one… You could be the one he's been waiting for. Don't let this chance slip away.
Three days later…
Troy made his way through the crowded halls and quickly shoved his books into his messy, disorganized locker while looking for his basketball shorts. He really didn't want to go to practice today. His dad had been working the team harder than usual, giving them few rests and two-minute water breaks along with grueling drills that left each player feeling sore and lightheaded.
As Troy finally found his shorts and t-shirt, he heard a small giggle behind him. Shutting his locker, he turned to see a dark-haired girl with a sly smile on her face.
"Hi, Troy…" She said as she twirled her hair.
Troy gave her a weak smile. "Hi, um… have we met?" He asked, knowing the answer already.
"No, but that doesn't matter. We've met right now." Moving closer to Troy, she put one hand on his shoulder while the other fixed his lopsided collar, letting her hands linger. "The Winter Formal is this Friday… and I don't have anyone to go with," She said as she gave him a fake sad look. "And I was just wondering, if… you'd go with me?" The girl looked into his eyes flirtatiously and smiled.
Troy sighed and removed her hands from his body. "I'm sorry, but no."
The girl stepped back, shocked that she'd been turned down, something that had never happened before. She waited a second to see if he would hopefully change his mind, but as he gave her a firm look, she made an angry noise and sulked away down the hall.
Troy turned from her direction, not hesitating for a single moment. He'd been getting requests like this for the past four days from girls who seemingly longed to go to the formal with him, but he knew the real reason why they constantly pursued him - popularity. They only wanted to use him as an accessory to match their dress, not because they really liked him as a person. He only knew of one girl who wasn't like all the others.
Working up the courage to ask Gabriella to the formal was much harder than he'd ever imagined. There were so many moments where he could've made a move, but he never got around to it. He wanted to so badly, but fear always took hold of him just as he was about to get the words that so desired to be spoken out. What if she said no? What if he made a fool of himself?
With an aggravated sigh, Troy entered the gym and quickly grabbed a basketball from the rack, dribbling his way down to the net. Taking a shot, he watched as it soared through the air and hit the rim, bouncing off in the opposite direction. His game still hadn't improved much, disappointing not only his dad, but the entire team. He took another shot and this time he made it with a satisfying 'swish', but just barely. Chad watched from behind and shook his head.
"Troy, you've got to focus. We're never gonna win the state championships with shots like that." He said as he made a basket next to him, making it in without any trouble.
"I know, I know." Troy said exasperatedly. "But they won't be here for ages."
"That may be true, but we're getting closer. And no offense man, but your dad is getting more worked up at practice each day." Chad said in a hushed tone, as if he were afraid that his coach could hear him from across the gym.
Troy nodded agreeing. "He's never been this hard on us. I guess it's just excitement. I mean, he hasn't gotten to go to state championships since he played. I'm sure he's anxious to get back out there again."
"Troy! Chad!" Coach Bolton yelled. "Are you two just going to stand there all day and chat or am I going to have to make you wake up with some suicides?"
"No, Coach…" Troy and Chad replied. Suicides were the last thing they wanted. They each took a ball from the rack and made their way to the net.
"You call that excitement?" Chad asked incredulously. Troy chuckled under his breath and took a basket, promptly missing once again.
After practice, Troy and Chad went to the locker room to change into dryer, more clean-smelling clothes before going home for the day. Troy was putting on a fresh shirt while Chad lay on the nice cool floor, feeling his body heat rising from his limbs. His legs were sore and he couldn't remember the last time his arms had hurt this much. As much as he wanted to win the state championships, he didn't know how many more practices like today's he could endure before his body shut down altogether from exhaustion.
Chad looked at Troy as he pulled his shirt on and knew there was one more thing he had to talk to him about, but he wasn't sure if Troy would stick around long enough to listen since he'd been pressing him for details about it for almost three weeks. Chad honestly felt a little sorry about how pushy he'd been, but not enough to let him get away without one final fight.
"So, Troy…" Chad began casually. "There's been a lot of girls hanging over you lately - more than usual anyway."
Troy made a face and stuffed his sweaty shirt in his bag. "Please, don't remind me. It's bad enough without a recap of the week." He then proceeded to comb his wet hair, not having a lot of success.
"Well, have you even considered one of them as a potential date for the formal?" Chad asked.
Troy looked at him strangely. "You're not serious, are you? They're all the same, like clones or something. And they keep multiplying! Right out of thin air! I'd rather go to the formal with one of the lab rats than another short-skirted, popularity-seeking princess."
Chad laughed a little and then paused, knowing he had to ease into what he was about to say. "Maybe you won't have to be that drastic." He said as he began to get off the floor.
Troy looked up. "What do you mean?"
Chad sat down next to him and chose his next words carefully. "You know, I can think of one person who'd love to go with you, and she's not like any of those girls."
Troy was genuinely confused. "Who?"
"Gabriella." Chad said with a grin.
Troy was silent for a moment, completely taken aback. "She hasn't been asked yet?"
"Nope. I think everyone's too afraid that you'll kick the crap out of them if they even talk to her, ever since that Vince thing." Chad could've sworn he saw a flicker of a smile on Troy's face before he hesitantly continued. "So, are you?"
"Am I what?" Troy asked.
"Are you going to ask Gabriella out?" Chad said intolerantly.
Troy sighed. "I don't know. I mean, I want to… but - "
"But what?" Chad asked, suddenly standing up. "Dude, you've been running away from your feelings for almost three months, and don't even start with me about how you have none of these said feelings." Chad said as he held up a warning finger before Troy could argue. "Face it, you've changed ever since she came to East High. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's really good, but it's taking you a whole lot longer to figure this out than any of us ever thought."
"Who's 'us?'" Troy asked. Chad ignored him and kept going on with his rant.
"Gabriella is special to you. I know that, Taylor knows that, the whole school knows how you feel… everyone except Gabriella." Chad took a deep breath. "She's not going to wait forever, Troy. Eventually she'll find someone else who isn't afraid to tell her he wants to be with her, and you won't get another chance. You will regret it, and guess what? Tough - because it'll be your own fault."
Chad leaned over and looked Troy straight in the eye, anxious to get his point through to him. "When are you going to admit it, Troy? You don't have to sayanything to me, but at least admitit to yourself." And with that last statement, he left Troy to think about all he had said.
Troy was stunned as he remained on the bench of the locker room. Chad's words seemed to repeat over and over in his head, making his stomach twist uncomfortably with newfound realization. He hadn't even considered the thought of Gabriella with someone else. Just imagining it caused a twinge of jealousy to run through his veins. She'll find someone else, and you won't get another chance. It'll be your own fault… Those particular words jumped out the most, giving him a deeply troubled feeling in his heart.
As he stood up to leave, Troy knew exactly what to do.
Sharpay pulled out a large pink makeup bag from her purse and set it down on the counter of the school bathroom, opening it and selecting a tube of lip gloss and mascara. She leaned forward, edging herself closer to the mirror and paused, admiring her golden-blonde hair as it reflected against the light in a dazzling shine of color. Applying the makeup, her head flooded with images of Gabriella on the stage, singing her songs and acting out her part. It made her crazy with anger at how everything had turned out the way it did. She'd never been so overcome with jealousy for one human being - and she wasn't just referring to the musical casting.
Gabriella had obtained in less than a month the one thing Sharpay had always wanted and secretly longed for ever since grade school… The attention of Troy Bolton. Sharpay's heart ached as she recalled the first moment she'd seen Troy on that elementary school playground in the first grade, bouncing a rubbery ball on the sidewalk with an adorable look on his face as he concentrated on making a hundred dribbles in a row. The first time he'd looked at her and smiled, Sharpay knew inside that the funny turning inside her stomach wouldn't go away. And even after all these years, her feelings for Troy hadn't dwindled for a second.
Sharpay didn't understand how Gabriella had done it. Troy had never been in an actual relationship with anyone before, despite the fact that girls clung to him tighter than his own clothing. Sharpay knew Troy, he had been waiting for someone exceptionally special to come along before jumping into a relationship head-on. What she couldn't seem to comprehend was how a simple, shy brainiac had won him over so easily. What was it about Gabriella that Troy was so drawn to that he zoned out of whatever conversation he was having at the moment when she walked into the room? What did she have that Sharpay didn't? She'd known Troy much longer than Gabriella had, she knew more about him than Gabriella did, and she certainly knew how to make Troy happy much better than Gabriella could ever hope to do. She just had to make Troy realize that.
The bathroom door opened and Sharpay jumped at the sudden surprise. When it had opened to its full extent, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, it's just you Allison." Sharpay said as she applied another coat of mascara to her long eyelashes.
Allison rolled her eyes and placed one hand on her hip, mockingly insulted. "Oh, is that how you greet your friends now?" Allison said with a thin smile. She was dressed in another short skirt, but it was a light shade of orange and she had a pale yellow shirt that showed a decent amount of her flat stomach. Sunglasses were perched on top of her head and she wore long earrings that danced about whenever she spoke.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Sharpay asked.
Allison walked over and talked to her reflection in the mirror while checking her hair. "Well, if you must know, I'm being tutored in algebra every Thursday. I have to keep it to at least a C if I want to go to the formal."
"And what's your grade?" Sharpay questioned.
Allison smiled. "A seventy two."
"Ooh, bravo, your parents must be really proud…" Sharpay said sarcastically.
"Well, it doesn't matter, because I kept my end of the bargain and now they have to keep theirs." Allison said with a sense of accomplishment.
"Are you going with anyone?" Sharpay asked formally as she began to brush her hair, careful not to pull on it too hard.
"Yes, actually." Allison said as she blushed faintly. "With Justin, from the soccer team. Know him?"
"I've heard things…" Sharpay said without feeling.
Allison stared at her, wondering if she should ask her next question. "So.. What about you? Who're you going with?"
Sharpay slammed her makeup bag shut, her throat suddenly becoming very tight and tears pricked at the side of her eyes. "No one." She said coldly.
Allison looked at her sympathetically. "No one asked you? Not even Chef Boyar-zeke?"
"No, Allison, ok? No one asked me to the formal. Are you satisfied? And don't think about showing me pity, because Sharpay Evans does not do pity. Any other emotion you throw at me, I can do, but pity and weakness do not exist in my vocabulary." Sharpay said angrily.
Never-the-less, Allison couldn't feel anything but remorse for her. "I'm sorry…" She said softly.
For a brief moment, Sharpay appreciated the compassion Allison gave to her. But then, the instinct that had been drilled into her since birth kicked in and she thought nothing of it. "Don't be." She said bluntly. "Besides, tomorrow, everything's going to change and I won't need anyone to feel sorry for me anymore."
Allison gave her a look. "Why do I get the feeling this is about Troy?"
Sharpay smiled smugly. "Because you have a gifted mind for knowing these sort of things, Allison."
Allison rolled her eyes, paying no attention to the comment. "Sharpay, what are you doing now?"
"It's not what I'm doing," Sharpay said with a grin. "It's what I'm going to do."
"Is there a difference when you're involved?" Allison asked as she crossed her arms.
Sharpay smiled wider and turned to face Allison. "Do you know why Troy's rejected every girl who's begged him to take her to the Winter Formal?" She didn't allow any time for her to respond. "He's been waiting. Waiting patiently for the right girl to ask him, and waiting for the right girl that he could willingly and happily call his girlfriend, the one girl he's been so desperately anxious to find. And now, he's about to find her."
Allison gave her a wary look. "What if he already has? You know he and Gabriella - "
"Oh, please," Sharpay said with a scoff. "That girl doesn't have a chance with Troy Bolton. She didn't know what she was getting into when she auditioned for the musical with him, but now she's about to find out." Sharpay looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed softly to herself, feeling her heart squeeze uncomfortably. "I know I'm never going to get back in the musical. Darbus has made it perfectly clear that she's made her final choice with Gabriella as the lead girl's role, despite how wrong a decision she's made… but that doesn't mean I can't fight for her partner." Sharpay added quietly.
Allison thenrealized how serious Sharpay was about this. She never thought her feelings ran that deep for Troy. Despite their friendship, she didn't want Sharpay to hurt either of them just so she could get what she wanted. Personally, Allison thought Gabriella was the best thing that had ever happened to Troy. She'd seen them together countless times, and the chemistry between them was like nothing she'd ever seen before. She knew though that she couldn't tell Sharpay that she honestly thought she should back off and let them be. Allison could only imagine what Sharpay would say if she knew she fully supported Troy and Gabriella as more than friends.
Allison jumped slightly as she heard loud footsteps running outside the door. Sharpay heard them too and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Getting on her knees, she leaned underneath one of the sinks and crouched down. Allison curiously kneeled next to her and watched as Sharpay began to undo the already loose screws on the cover of an air vent that led outside of the bathroom. Through the cracks, Sharpay could make out a tall white shape running past and then stopping suddenly.
"It's Troy…" Sharpay whispered as she motioned for Allison to be quiet. They leaned closer to the vent and began to listen intently when they heard him begin to speak.
A few minutes earlier…
Troy walked down the long hallway, still thinking of what Chad had said to him back in the locker room. His words had hit him like bullets, leaving a wound so big it could only take one person to completely fill it up again. Troy quickened his pace, anxious to get home and change into something more presentable. He had it all planned out - he would go to Gabriella's house as soon as he was decent-looking and cleaned up from practice, take her someplace quiet and private, and ask her to go to the Winter Formal with him. The mere thought of asking her still made his stomach turn nervously, but he knew he had to do this. He really wanted to do this.
As he turned a corner, he stopped dead in his tracks as he saw what walked before him, almost a hundred yards further up. Gabriella was walking slowly with her bag over her shoulder, unaware that Troy was just down the hall from her. She was completely alone and there was no one else on that side of the school but them.
Troy was about to bolt in the opposite direction out of fear before Chad's voice echoed in his head again. You will regret it. And it'll be all your fault… Troy saw a brief image of Gabriella and a faceless boy with his arms wrapped around her, Gabriella smiling… Troy nowhere to be seen in his own make believe picture.
Making up his mind before he could do otherwise, he ran towards Gabriella, forgetting about his sore legs as they pounded under his body. The hallway seemed to be endless, and he was afraid he wouldn't get to her before she disappeared (as she often had a habit of doing.) He found his voice and called out to her urgently.
"Gabriella! Wait!" Troy yelled, panting from the sprint.
Gabriella wheeled around, surprised, but very pleased to see him. "Troy? What are you still doing here? I thought you would be home by now." She said as Troy stopped running, finally reaching her. Troy paused for a moment, catching his breath.
"No, my-my dad's getting read-ready to leave right now…" Troy breathed in heavily. "What's your excuse?" He asked as he stood upright, now breathing easier than before.
"I was working on some of the songs for the musical with Kelsi. Mrs. Darbus thought I should get a little extra practice while you had basketball." Gabriella replied.
"It's not like you need it." Troy said without thinking. "You're incredible."
Gabriella blushed at the unexpected compliment and looked down, unsure of what to say.
The nerves that so taunted Troy had come back again, making him freeze up with fear of rejection and looking like an idiot if she said no. He too looked down, and telling himself viciously for the thousandth time that he had to do this, he began to speak shakily.
"S-so, umm… are you going to the formal tomorrow night?" Troy asked, not looking at her, but instead focusing his attention on the intricate lines of the concrete floor.
Gabriella felt her heart beat a bit faster, but tried not to get her hopes up higher than they already were. "Well, I was going to, but I'm not so sure anymore." She said quietly.
"Why not?" Troy asked with a sense of dread.
Gabriella held her arms close to her, much like when she had sung on stage on New Year's Eve. "No one's asked me. I was going with Taylor, but her and Chad are going now, and I don't want to be a third wheel. I think it would just be best if I -"
"Gabriella, will you go to the formal with me?" Troy blurted before he could stop the words from spilling from his mouth. He wanted to kick himself for being so incredibly idiotic. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to be in school, right in front of a bathroom. He wasn't supposed to be sweating profusely and clutching a gym bag to his side like it was gold. He wasn't supposed to be nervous or tongue-tied or fearful. He was supposed to do this all differently, in a way Gabriella wouldn't be able to resist. Troy apprehensively averted his gaze from the floor and met her eyes with a jolt that sent a wave of electricity through his body.
Gabriella was half shocked and half in disbelief that those words had actually come out of Troy Bolton's mouth. She could feel her jaw opening slightly, but no words came. Coughing timidly, she gulped and opened her mouth again.
"What did you say?" She said in almost a whisper.
Troy gently reached out and took her cold hands in his, looking down at them before making contact with her eyes once more. "Gabriella, will you do me the honor of allowing me to take you to the Winter Formal tomorrow night?" He asked again with a little more confidence.
Gabriella breathed in slowly, pleading her stomach to stop doing flips long enough for her to get her answer out. She hesitantly ran her fingers over his, their hands still clasped together. Feeling herself hold his gaze, she finally got out Troy's long-awaited response.
"Yes." Gabriella said as a smile gradually made its way across her face.
Troy was stunned. "You will?" He asked, making sure it was real.
"Yes." Gabriella said again, with more feeling. "Yes, Troy, I'd love to go with you."
Troy let go of her hands and stupidly held his own in thin air, unable to move. "You're sure?"
Gabriella shook her head with an elated grin, guiding his arms back to his sides and kissing his cheek softly. "Positive." She whispered in his ear before pulling away.
"O-ok…" Troy said as he came to his senses. "I'll uh, I'll pick you up around seven. Is that good for you?" He asked as Gabriella backed away without turning from him.
"That's perfect." She said as her heart began to flutter like mad. Before Troy could utter another word, Gabriella was out of hearing range and disappeared from view. For a good minute, Troy stood rooted to the spot, amazed by how well something that unplanned had gone.
Maybe it was coincidence. Troy thought as his own grin grew wider at his triumph. He headed the opposite way, rounded the corner and beginning to run, jumping in the air with jubilation every few strides as he punched the air happily.
Maybe it was fate.
Sharpay was motionless as she sat on the bathroom floor, hearing Troy's footsteps fading into the distance. She couldn't seem to grasp what had just happened, and then it came on her so quickly she felt like her head was spinning from the unexpectedness of it all. Troy had finally done it. He had asked a girl out, and she had said yes. Sharpay had witnessed it - the joy Gabriella had emitted from the request of being Troy's date, the look of pure disbelieve on his face when Gabriella accepted, and the obvious feelings of happiness they had shared when all was said and done.
Sharpay's worst fear had come true. Gabriella had gotten to Troy sooner than she did, and it had cost her greatly. Without saying a word to Allison, who was sitting next to her with a mixed look of grief for her friend and confusion of what to do next, Sharpay turned the screws back in their places and stood up with an indescribable look pasted across her face. She stared into the mirror at her reflection, feeling her hopes ebb away and despair begin to take over.
Allison placed a warm hand on Sharpay's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Sharpay, I know you don't want to hear this, but you have to face the facts. You didn't win this time. It'll be best for everyone if you just let this go and get on with life instead of constantly pining over Troy. You need to know when it's time to give up."
Sharpay lifted her head at this and her face twisted into a bitter, lethal gaze that bore into their reflections in the mirror. Sharpay shoved Allison's hand off and turned to face her intensely.
"I don't lose." She said maliciously. "I don't give up. I will not let this go until I have what I want. This changes nothing." She spat as she pushed the door open with an anger like no other rising in her very soul. As she sauntered down the hall, a plan began to arise from the darkest corners of her mind, swirling around and around until everything pieced together. An evil smile found residence on Sharpay's smug mouth and she walked with her head a little higher.
Gabriella Montez may have taken her spotlight, her glory, and her status in East High, but there was no possible way she would let her take Troy Bolton without a fight.
And the drama begins... I got a little carried away with this chapter, considering it was only supposed to be a filler... and now its my longest chapter! lol, sorry it took me longer to write this one, but i went back to school last week and lets just say they aren't showing us any mercy until summer break : ( hate to dissapoint you all but it'll probably take me another week (or possibly longer) to get the next chapter up. I've got most of it planned out, so who knows? maybe it'll take me less time than i thought. Anyway, Troy finally asked Gabriella out (with a littlepush from Chad), Sharpay has a jealous fit of rage and begins to form a disasterous plan, and poor Allison is caught between Sharpay and her own opinions of Troy and Gabriella. It's time for action...
