Chapter 9 –

Chapter 9 – Troy's decision

"Gabby, are you okay?" Ryan asked for the second time.

"Yeah, I'm great." She mumbled, trying to concentrate on the algebraic formulas she was expanding.

"You've been quiet." He explained slowly.

She lifted her head and shrugged. "As opposed to…"

"As opposed to you chatting non-stop about stuff. Probably useless stuff. You know more random facts than anyone else I know. I didn't know that dibble means to drink like a duck before you. What's wrong?" He asked impatiently.

She shrugged helplessly and fiddled with her pen, trying to hold back her tears. "I just feel so hopeless all of the time. I don't know what's what and I always make a fool of myself!"

He reached across the desk and touched her hand. "Hey, it's not your fault this is your first time in a high school."

"I know that but, I just know that I'm such a misfit. I hang out with you guys and then with Chad and I don't know where I belong." She cried.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Listen, this is high school. No one knows where they belong." He said softly. "It's all about peer pressure and stuff." He furrowed his brow thoughtfully.

"But, everything's so different here and it's awful." She whimpered. "Ryan, can I tell you something, you know in confidence?"

He nodded solemnly, not liking her tone. "Of course you can. I won't tell anyone at all."

She swallowed nervously and looked down at her desk, breathing heavily as she tried not to cry. "Blake Fields tried to rape me." She whispered.

"What?" Ryan exclaimed, gaining the attention of the room.

"Mr Evans!" Mr English warned. Gabriella found it pretty ironic that he was called Mr English, yet he taught geometry.

"Sorry sir." He apologised quickly before ducking his head and leaning closer to Gabriella. "What are you talking about?"

"On Wednesday during free period. I went to the gym first to tell Troy that I'd be able to do the drama project straight after school because Chad was doing his with Taylor." She rubbed her forehead, trying to explain it in a way that actually made sense spoke aloud. "Then, I went to my locker. I was only going to sit in the library and read. And, then, Blake Fields pinned me against the lockers and hurt me in so many places." She whimpered and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket.

"Well, you told someone, right?" Ryan asked sternly.

"Not me, exactly. Don't tell anyone, Chad is the only other person that knows about this part. I haven't told him about Blake yet."

Ryan nodded.

"Well, Troy helped. He was so sweet and he told his Dad and Blake was expelled. And, I think…" She sighed and took a deep breath. This would take a lot to get out.

Troy sighed dreamily at the back of Gabriella's head. Her soft, dark locks were cascading down her back as she bent down to concentrate on her work. His work, however, was getting crumpled as he leaned forward, creasing it against the edge of the table. God, she was beautiful. Her hand was scribbling furiously as her mind ticked, working out the answers. And she was smart. A rare combination indeed and that seemed to make Troy desire her more.

Troy groaned and rubbed the back of his head as Chad's text book collided with it. "What?" He hissed. Ever since their 'discussion', Troy had barely talked to Chad, or anyone else. It was clear he was thinking, even clearer when he started drooling at the sight of the back of Gabriella's head.

"You're drooling." He raised his eyebrows.

Troy wiped his chin and scowled at his friend. "I'm sorry about everything." He mumbled.

"Hey, at least now I know what it's like to listen to me when I talk about Taylor." He chuckled. His laughter trailed off and he breathed out slightly. "Have you thought about it?"

Troy nodded his head vigorously. "I didn't even have to think about it. It's going to be tough, but it'll be worth it."

Chad raised his eyebrows. "So, what's it going to be?"

Troy took a deep breath, finally turning to look Chad in the eyes. "The right one."

He furrowed his brow as Ryan and Gabriella started talking and a minute later, Mr English warned them both to quieten down. They leaned closer to each other and whisper to each other, however, he was angered when he couldn't lip read what they were saying. He clenched his fists and his eyes misted over to a misty grey when Ryan held her hand softly.

"Dude, what's wrong?" Chad asked worriedly.

"That." Troy hissed, glaring at Ryan.

Chad shrugged helplessly. "Dude, they're just friends. She's into you. So, calm down and work."

"I can't concentrate." He mumbled.

"Tell that to Mr English who really wants you to pass this semester. Remember, you need at least a C to stay on the team." Chad reminded him. "And so far you've been telling Mr English you've had something on your mind for the past two years."

"But it's finally true." Troy muttered.

"How many times have you thought about her?" Chad asked.

"Once." He looked back at Chad and his blue eyes sparkled slightly, returning back to the usual pale blue. "I never stopped."

Gabriella breathed out and closed her eyes, clutching the edge of the desk tighter. Her eyes fluttered back open and she winced slightly as tears stung her eyes. "I think I've fallen in love with him." She whispered.

"Wow." Ryan whispered. "I've heard of girls falling under his charm but, my, that's quick."

"I haven't fallen under his charm." Gabriella protested. "I just got to know him."

"He's bad news." Ryan said gently.

"The guy you think he is. The guy I know he is, he's amazing. Don't tell anyone." She pleaded frantically.

He nodded after a moment. "Have you…done anything?"

She shook her head silently. "We kissed a few times but nothing too graphic."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "Well, I was upset and they were just comfort kisses, I guess. And then it happened."

"What?"

"I fell for him. Hard. But, then Chad clued me on high school and he broke my heart without him knowing." She wiped her cheeks and sniffed. "I just wish I knew what to do."

Troy jumped, shooting the ball from his hand and groaned as it didn't even make the hoop, falling onto the gym floor making the bounce echoing. He groaned and ran a hand through his sweat slicked hair. It was lunch and he was attempting to shoot some hoops to clear his mind. So far the exact opposite had happened. Thoughts of Gabriella and how he had hurt her kept flooding his thoughts and apparently this caused his basketball skills to weaken.

"Son?" A voice caused him to turn to face the entrance to the gym and saw Jack and Lucille walking towards him.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" He asked worriedly.

"I came to visit your Dad. Is that okay or do I need your permission?" She asked cheekily. Even being married for eighteen years, they still acted like newlyweds, much to Troy's displeasure. Although, if he had his way, he hoped one day he and Gabriella would be like that.

Troy rolled his eyes and walked over to the bleachers, sitting down and staring at the floor. All he wanted was to hold her again, feeling the curves in her body that he had somehow overlooked the previous day. Her soft lips against his and her hair tickling his neck as she buried her nose into his chest.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Lucille asked worriedly, sitting next to Troy and Jack sat on the other side.

Tears formed in his eyes and he shook his head, looking up at the ceiling, as if searching for the answers to all of his problems. He had no trouble opening up to his parents, he trusted them and their judgement and they were all very close. "I feel so horrible, all the time and it's all because of Gabriella. On the one hand, I hate her for it. This wouldn't have happened if she hadn't turned up. But, then again, it's great to be able to be the old me again."

"Why do you feel horrible?" Jack asked.

"Because I'm a bad guy, alright? I always have been. Ever since freshman year when I started wearing contacts and wearing cool clothes."

"When I lost my job." Lucille whispered.

Troy nodded. "I'm a player, okay? I've been sleeping with girls since I made the team and the cheerleaders liked me. I bully people and I'm scared. Because now, this girl, this amazing, beautiful, smart, freakish outcast girl comes along and suddenly I don't have the mind or strength to do any of that stuff because when I'm around her I'm the geeky Troy Bolton that everyone bullied." He admitted softly. He hadn't told them about him being a player. Jack, of course, knew about his reputation but assumed it was because of his status of a jock.

Lucille was quiet for a minute. "Honey, but, where's-"

"I kissed Gabriella. I kissed her loads of times. But, she's old fashioned and with her it's a case of being a couple or being friends. And now she thinks that we're friends with benefits and now she won't talk to me, Chad's making me make a choice and if I break up with Sharpay, she'll tell the whole school about home." He cried, sobbing into his mother's shoulders.

Both parents were disappointed with what their son had done, however, they could see his distress and thought it best to let it come out and deal with punishments later. "Son, I'm disappointed that you did all of that but Gabriella's changed you and you didn't even know it."

Troy nodded. "I know what I have to do. It's going to be hard and people will get hurt. But, I know it's the right choice."