Title: Elucidations to the Heart
Author: EvilAnimeGoodness
Form: Drabble-Story
Word Count: 1,550
Summary: The Eastside student body really should stay away from gossip.
Genre(s): Romance, Angst
Rating: PG/K+
Pairing(s): Troy/Gabriella/Ryan
Status: 8/10
Setting: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Period: Post-Lava Springs
Warnings/Thoughts: Don't tell me it's been almost an entire year since I updated…

.-.-.

"We need to talk." Sensing the other basketball players urgency, Troy furrowed his eyebrows. "About what?"

"Gabriella."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Sharpay brushed her words off. "But first things first, do you like Ryan?" This was going to be a long night.

The entire school was abuzz Monday morning. True to Taylor's words, the topics on the entire student's mind was Gabriella's fidelity. While some were offended that this rumor had spread this far, others claimed that they weren't in the least bit surprise.

So when Gabriella and Taylor walked into school with Sharpay and Ryan not far behind, it wasn't shocking to see everyone's eyes on them. Words faded in the air once the quartet appeared in the area.

"This is getting ridiculous." Sharpay hissed out as their dreadfully long walk ended at the threshold of their homeroom. Much to Gabriella's chagrin; Troy, Chad and Zeke had already arrived and had abruptly ended their conversation to stare at them.

"The tension, the anger, the anxiety!" The class turned to the owner of the shrill voice. "Oh my, tis the very nature of drama. I may not know its origins, but the sheer atmosphere draws out my inner teenagehood!" Jingles of jewelry rung as the director of the drama department clasped her hands together.

"Good morning, Ms. Darbus." A select few greeted their homeroom teacher.

Taylor waved her beau an uncertain hello before placing her hand on her best friends shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry girl, we have your back. Just as the words were uttered, Sharpay waltzed over to Zeke and placed a kiss on his cheek. She smiled coming back with Taylor's glare in sight.

"He's my boyfriend; I'm not one to snuff him out because of this fiasco." A mutter disturbed Eastside's Acting Queen from continuing. "I'm sorry…" She purred to Chad. "What did you say?" Chad stood up to change his previously defensive slouch into a more defiant stance.

"I said… what a bunch of liars is what you are." Sharpay barked a laugh at his expression.

"Look at you, Mr. High and Mighty." She taunted, stirring her freshly manicured nails around. "Too bad spreading rumors isn't beneath you. Maybe then we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with."

"Your one to talk, don't tell me the Ice Queen is afraid of a little frostbite." Chad quipped back. Gabriella, Taylor stood tentatively behind Sharpay as her brother stood dutifully next to her. Zeke diffidently rose from his seat to back his friend up. All the while Troy had his face turned away from the scene.

Gabriella walked past Sharpay and Chad's squabbling to sit in an empty seat next to Troy. "Troy?" She reached out for his arm only to have it swatted away.

"I can't talk to you now."

"Troy, please don't do this."

"Gabriella, I said-"

"I don't know what they told you but-"

"Gabriella." Troy whipped his head to face his girlfriend. She thought she was going to be relieved to see his face, but was quickly proven wrong. His tussled auburn hair had knots clumped in a neglectful fashion. He glared at her through his red, swollen eyes. "I was the first person in this school to hear your voice. I've known you longer than anyone here, yet yesterday, all last night I sat in my bed wondering if what I heard was true. I came in here today only to confirm my doubtful suspicion. So, I hope you'll understand when I say: I can't talk to you right now."

The class full of students (and a teacher whom could be considered to have the mentality of a student) hushed to a deathly silence. Gabriella's pleading eyes did nothing to move Troy's resentment. The bells seemed louder than normal as they beseeched students to their next class. It only took Eastside's genius a second of looking down for Troy to leave. She tried to call out to him but it ended in vain. Taylor hurried to assist her friend to their chemistry class. Ryan inched himself towards his fallen friend when Sharpay grabbed his wrist. Chad, who noticed this action, quickly replied. "Don't you think you've done enough damage, Evans?"

Sharpay glared at Chad before turning her brother away from the scene. "He's right, you know. It's my fault entirely." Ryan began. Sharpay looked at her brother as a cue to continue, he found her not speaking a nice comfort. "I never wanted it to happen this way." His sister's head recoiled slightly at the information.

"But you did want it to happen, right?"

Ryan not answering proved to be an answer above all. "I have to fix it."

"How? Why? It's not your fault Troy took it this far. Had he trusted his girlfriend, it never would have gotten this far."

"Had I never showed up, it never would have existed!" Ryan's confutation silenced Sharpay until they reached the chemistry lab.

She said barely above a whisper. "Whatever you do, I'll be behind you one hundred percent."

Ryan's eyes widened at his sisters words. "Thanks Shar."

"Oh, just get inside. I'll kill you if you make me late again."

His laughter soothed Sharpay's restless mind.

--

Up until lunch, the day had been (for a lack of Gabriella's intensive vocabulary) hell. Every class she had been to gave her the same treatment. Either unadulterated mistrust or pathetic pity, a couple of students even spat balls of paper at her head (cheerleaders, of course). Even a few of the students at the academic table examined her oddly. "Troy isn't here." She drearily noted. Just when things balanced on the point of no return, another unsettling turn of events transpired. A tap on her shoulder stopped Gabriella from reaching out to her chocolate milk. She turned around to have her shoulders tense in anxiety. "Ryan, what's up?"

"Um, you know, furthering my social separation. Same old, same old." Earning a chuckle from Gabriella, he scratched the back of his head nervously. "Do- do you mind if we talk a bit? In… private?"

Her smile diminished into nervousness. "Oh, I don't think that's-"

"Please?" Ryan pleaded. His eyes glimmered with the tiniest bit of hope. Her heart pulled her mind into saying 'yes' and sooner then Gabriella would have liked, they were walking away from the cafeteria and down an empty hall. "I'm sorry, about everything."

The brunette rushed to comfort her friend. "Don't be, it's not your fault. You were just being a good friend and things kind of spun out of control."

"That's not what ninety-seven percent of this school thinks." And neither do I. But I have to patch things up. Ryan added in his head. Untrue to his motives he included, "I kind of wished it were true." Uh-oh.

Gabriella seized her pace and turned her head slightly down in confusion. "Ryan, did you just…?" She stopped herself from finishing her sentence. "This wasn't a good idea, I should go now." Just as she was moments from sprinting back to the safety of the cafeteria, Ryan reached out for her hand.

"I'm sorry. I truly am. I just…" He felt like a fool for slipping up. Any second now, he'll get slapped and lose whatever he had with Gabriella.

"Ryan." She stopped him from saying anything that might have damaged their friendship; it was her turn to salvage. "I won't deny I've felt… attractions to you." Her body gratefully, was still twisted in the position that hid her face from his. "But…" She turned to face Ryan with a twinge of what could have been taken as regret. "Troy is the one I'm with. I can't do him wrong." It was Ryan's turn to hide his face.

"I…" He looked up Gabriella's conflicted face with a weak smile. "I know." They slowing began to walk again. "I really couldn't ask anything of you, I just needed to let you know. I made this mess though. And I intend to fix it." She looked at her friend in a puzzled manner. He guided her eyes to what was in front of them. A dully colored, gray, metal door.

"This is…!" She hugged Ryan gratefully. "Thank you so much, Ryan Evans.

Ryan smiled. "He's waiting. Go get him, Gabriella Montez."

Gabriella nodded and, without wait, opened the door to her redemption.

.-.-.

Woah! It's been so long, I bet you had to catch up on the story. Sorry guys! And sorry Ryan, oh my, she shut you down? Well, be mindful, there are two chapters left in our story. Hopefully, this doesn't seem so… rushed? Tune in next time for our semi-finale!