Pen Pals

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Chapter 9

"So who we against tonight?" asks Gabriella as her and Taylor walk into the packed gym.

"The wildcats or something from Albuquerque," replies Taylor

"Are they our main rivals?" asks Gabriella

"Next to Michigan Minks yeah," says Taylor

"My boyfriend is my rival," thinks Gabriella

As Taylor and Gabriella take there seats, the wildcats come out onto the court.

And a brunette in the crowd catches the wildcat captain's eye.

"Crap my girlfriend is my rival," thinks Troy

Gabriella turns her head and her eyes lock with Troy. "Good luck" she mouths

Troy grins at her and then as he sees Taylor turn to talk to Gabriella, he turns his attention to his team mates.

Gabriella's mind drifted from her conversation with Taylor, her eyes wandering to observe her boyfriend as he practices some passes with Chad.

In becomes apparent that Troy isn't the only one concentrating when a shout from Chad snaps Gabriella out of her daze.

"Yo watch Sandra," shouts Chad

"You names your afro," says Troy
"Of course," says Chad

Troy rolled his eyes before turning back to the passes.

The rest of the wildcat team trudge into the gym, heading over to were there co-captains were stood.

Troy was stood staring into the crowd and Chad, it seemed to the team and everyone in the stands he was brushing his hair and talking to it.

5 rows up from were this was happening Gabriella had to hold in her laughter as she watched. Troy had told her Chad was an oddball but this was very amusing.

But as Troy turned and shot the ball at Chad and it bounced of his afro again Gabriella couldn't help but let the giggles emitted.

Whilst Chad was shooting glaring glances at Troy for hitting Sandra again. Troy was nervously rubbing the back of his neck like he did before the start of every game.

He turned and Gabriella could see the worry shining in his eyes.

His eyes travelled the crowd and landed on her.

"You'll be fine," she mouths

Troy sends a smile up to her before turning back to the team calling them into a huddle for the pre game talk.

Gabriella knows this game is tough of Troy as she is fairly certain there are scouts from colleges observing her man.

The cheers get louder as the home team come out of the locker rooms grinning cockily.

"There's ego are too big for there heads," mutters Gabriella to Taylor

"Ain't that right," laughs Taylor

The commentator then shouted Troy Bolton which got the biggest cheer of all. The team got to centre court before practicing the shooting. Troy shows of with a three pointer and it went swish in to the net. Cheers erupted again and all around people cheered for him. The other team come in with swagger to the run and cockily smirked at the wildcats. boos came from stands and the wildcats glared at them. Then the teams got into position and the whistle blew. The teams got into position, the Michigan Meerkats ran around the wildcats to get to their places smirking. They thought they had it in the bag. But Troy had love on his side, he had his girl watching and he was going to do his best.

"1,2,3 getcha head in game" the wildcat cheer erupted from the stands for wildcat.

The cheerleaders leading the audiences in the cheers to get everyone riled up.

The whistle blew, the silence was the most painful moment in history everyone held their breath, as the ball flew in the air. Eyes watching for who would catch it. Chad jumps to catch it and passed to Zeke who was floored by a defender from the Meerkats.

The whistle blew, Zeke got to his feet and stood on the penalty line. He focused on the basket. He got ready to take his shot and let go. The ball propelled though the air and everyone watched with baited breath. Swish nothing but net 3 points to the wildcats.

The gym erupted into he biggest cheer yet while the other team glared at the wildcats.

Silently in her head Gabriella was cheering and trying to keep the huge grin of her face which was almost impossible.

3 minutes later came the end of the first quarter. With a quick water break the second quarter began.

The ball went back to the centre but this time to the other team and wildcats chased after them, the team got to the net but rebounded, which Jason caught and passed to Chad who got intercepted by a meerkat. The meerkat swivelled and passed to another player, the player jump and shot and got it in the net. The score was now 3-3.

16 minutes later the score was tied 32-32. The wildcats had the ball, Troy was charging down court, there was 2 minutes left on the clock. Troy jumped to take a shot when the air was knocked out of him as captain of the Meerkats Danny Smith knocked into him stealing the ball. It took all the will power that Gabriella had not to leapt up and go to Troy who lay on the floor winded. The ref's whistle blew, Troy got a penalty, he lined up for it taking his time. There was now 30 secs left on the clock. As the seconds ticked by so did the beats of Troy's heart, adrenaline pumped though his veins. He bent his knees and jumped the ball seemed to go in slow motion as it made it's path though the air. Every eye in gym was trained as the ball swished straight though the net as the end of the game buzzer sounded. The wildcats erupted in cheers and as Troy was caught up by his team mates, he turned his head to look at Gabriella and winked.

Gabriella knew in that wink that basket had been for her. Her legs ached to run down and hug Troy, but she knew she couldn't she would get so ribbed if she did. She would be an outcast and there was nothing worse and Michigan High then being an outcast.

Whoops and shouts of celebration flew the air as the wildcats celebrated their win. Disappointed Meerkats trudged out the gym heading for home. Though there was one Meerkat who didn't want to go. And as Taylor dragged her out of the gym she snuck a glance over her shoulder for one last look at her man. He was on the teams shoulder, with cheerleaders clustered around them. And a look to the left showed Coach Bolton talking to some men in suits the scouts.

"What are you looking at?" asks Taylor

"What oh um nothing," says Gabriella

Taylor casts her a curious look and drops the matter.

"So sleepover?" asks Taylor

"Hmm," says Gabriella who has suddenly become very interested in her phone.

"Sleepover?" asks Taylor again

"Oh no mum wants me home," says Gabriella

"Want me to drop you off?" asks Taylor

"Oh no it's ok. It's still light I'll walk," says Gabriella

"Alright see you Monday," calls Taylor as she proceeds down the hall

As Taylor moves out of sight, Gabriella slows her movements down to a halt and allows the crowd to go past her.

With the long journey back, the wildcats were staying the night in Michigan and starting there journey back the next day.

Unfortunately the team was camping out on the gym floor of Michigan High.

Apart from one Troy Bolton who was staying at Gabriella house just down the road.

The upside of this was it was spring break, which is why it was ok for the wildcats to have such a long trip. The upside for Troy he wasn't going back until the end of the week.

As Gabriella waited in the hallway for her boyfriend to sleep away, she pounded how lucky she was to have this time with him. Because if it wasn't for this game the only time she would of seen Troy this week was the other end of the computer screen.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a pair of arms circling her waist and she looked up into cerulean eyes.

"Hey wildcat," she whispers

"Hey yourself," whispers Troy

"Congratulations," she whispers

"Thanks," he whispers

"Why are we whispering?" asks Gabriella still in a whisper

"I don't know," whispers Troy

The pair break into giggles and then hear footsteps coming down the hall towards them.

"Troy you forgot your bag," says Jack

"Thanks dad," smiles Troy taking it off him

"See you next week," says his dad turning and striding off.

Hand in hand Troy and Gabriella vacated Michigan High and head towards Gabriella's house.

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Gabriella Somerfield