Title: Faithfully

Author: Me!

Rating: PG-13 but there is a good possibility for an 'R' or 'M'.

Feedback: I'd love me some it!

Summary: Taylor McKessie and Troy Bolton are connected. Though their best friends date the other, these two teens have no idea of the untapped potential they have. And when that potential is tapped into, there is nowhere to hide. There will be consequences.

Disclaimer: I own not High School Musical…still. What a pity.

ATTENTION: Yes! Your eyes do not deceive. I'm back after a long hiatus. I've slowly been getting back into this story. I know I left you all with a crappy chapter before but now I hope that this will make up for that. I've developed this story to go somewhere else – somewhere it wasn't supposed to go originally.

I'm going to continue with the old format (as in not take off the previous chapters or try to update them), blending it into the new. Each chapter will be either Troy or Taylor POV but, after this chappy, there won't be multiple POV changes inside a chapter. If this doesn't work, I'll probably start again. But I hope that this story with be what everyone wants.

Oh yeah!

HSM2 has come out since this story so I'll try and incorporate some aspects of that into this without taking away for 'Faithfully'. I intend to add in Troy's darker hair, for one, sometime into this.

Won't Let Go.

Troy.

Could life get any stranger? Looking across the room, Troy watched Taylor not watching him. She was being so distant. He didn't understand what was going on. Finally not cheating on his girlfriend should make him happy. After all, Troy pictured his life just a few weeks ago as hanging out with his best friend and loving Gabriella. Life was to be simple and yet he wanted to love Taylor.

He saw what she was beneath that brainy exterior. She was more than facts and formulas and dates. Taylor was a beautiful, funny, and amazing young woman.

Troy shook his head. I'm thinking about her as if she were dead. Well, it is like she's dead since she no longer wants to be with me.

"Troy? Troy?"

The sound of his name cleared his head of thoughts that did nothing to fix themselves. Gabriella was looking at him with worry etched on her pretty face.

"Yeah. Sorry…what did you say?"

"I said we have to go. The bell for next class has rung. Let's go."

And indeed the students of East High were stampeding out of the cafeteria to get to their classes on time or perhaps to make it to the restrooms before the line got to long to deal with without the threat of a tardy slip. Troy collected his trash and got up from his seat.

That perfume. He smelled the air as a whiff of subtle flowers blew past him. Whipping around, he caught a glimpse of the back of Taylor's head. Couldn't she just leave him alone?

"Are you ready?" Gabi's hand gently rested on his shoulder.

"Yeah. Sorry, I just can't seem to focus today."

"I don't blame you." The couple threw their trash away, continuing on the trek to class. "School has just started and it can take a while before one can get used to the schedule."

"That's it." Draping his arm across her shoulders, Troy pulled his girlfriend – his true love, not Taylor who wouldn't look at him or care about him – close to his chest. "You're so smart about these kinds of things. Love ya." He kissed the top of her head.

Gabriella giggled they came to his locker. "Well, get your stuff so you're not late. I have class on the end of this hall. See you later?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

Troy watched as she disappeared down the hall. Cracking his locker open and grabbing what he needed, the basketball captain has a sudden change of satisfaction wash over him. He shouldn't worry about Taylor and her leaving him! He had a wonderful girl who was with him now who wouldn't toss him aside.

Making his way through the hallways and up the stairwell to the third floor, Troy arrived at his class which was Physics. "Oh, dear God."

He wasn't praising any sort of higher being for making it just before the tardy bell sounded. He wasn't upset about all the students in their seats leaving him one option. He was wishing for some sort of intervention because the only seat available was next to Taylor McKessie.

Did life really have to hate him? Did Fate feel the need to throw him off the cliff just as he pulled himself up?

Taylor hadn't noticed him enter her classroom as she continued to write some notes in her planner.

She didn't see me. I could slip out, head to guidance, and drop the class. Troy rationalized.

But too bad to graduate with his classmates, he needed a science credit. He already took earth science, chemistry, and biology. It was either this class or an advanced science…and he knew he wasn't heading down that path.

Okay. I can do this. Just sit there today and next class show up early so you can sit elsewhere…far away from her.

Taking a deep breath, he collected his strength, walked toward the back row to the empty seat that was available to him and parked his butt in the lab stool. He threw his books on the lab table, grabbing her attention instantly. Before she was able to protest, the teacher began her first day speech.

"Welcome everyone to Physics. I'm Ms. Rankin. You all may remember Mr. Rankin, who has gone off to teach at the university. He's my father if you're wondering about a possible name relation. As I pass out the lab booklets, turn to your neighbor, get to know them for they will be your lab partner for the rest of term."

"You've got to be fucking kidding." muttered Taylor under her breath.

"I agree,"

Now what was he to do? This was his damned partner. It couldn't be that bad…she could help with anything he couldn't quite grasp…

…or maybe not. Looking over at her seething gently proved that she was in no mood to be near him for longer than the time that had already elapsed.

"So…how has you're classes been?" If she were to be his partner, Troy figured it would be best if they attempted to be civil even if it were just at school – in the class.

"Don't talk to me." She continued writing in her schedule book.

"Don't act like that. We're stuck in this situation and we might was well be civil while here. Shit. I know that this is weird after everything we've been through b-"

Taylor abruptly dropped her pen, whipping her head up to stare into his eyes. "Get this straight now, Bolton." Her finger pointed at him threateningly. "We have been through not a damn thing. Got it? We aren't doing anything wrong here."

"Then, you might want to stop acting like we are. You made sure of that."

"Damn right I did. What we were doing was wrong." Her voice lowered so no one around would overhear. "Being together was stupid."

"I doubt you could call that 'being together'. We didn't do anything."

"We tried to do something." She smiled as the teacher handed her two booklets.

He grabbed his lab manual from Taylor. "And why can't we still? Why did you break things off?" Troy's voice became gentle. He understood the moral ramifications that could be bestowed upon him for even thinking about cheating on Gabriella but the summer he spent was Taylor was something he could only dream off. She listened to him. She laughed with him. She cared for him in a way that really spoke to him.

"Troy, please. What I did this morning was right. You know that. Drop it, please?"

Her chocolate brown eyes sparkled and pleaded and touched his core. "I'll drop it – for now. I'm not ready for us to be done with…at least as far as being friends go."

"Fine. Just pay attention."

Getting through that class was a pure hell that raged inside of his heart for the rest of the school day. Troy sat in contemplation as he waited for his teammates around him to finish getting ready for practice.

"Yo, Troy, man. What's going on?"

The last voice he needed to hear. "Nothin' much, Chad. Just not used to getting up so early."

"I hear that. Well, the day is so close to being over. Practice will hopefully be short."

"Yeah. Quite doubt that."

Chad shut his locker. "True…this is true. It will be long but at least that's all that we gotta do for the rest of the day."

Smiling at his best friend, Troy got up. "Let's get through this."

The Wildcats basketball champions jogged out of the locker room and towards the track where the typically started their practices. A half-mile of running, a lap of sprinting, and a lap of leg lifting, the team were doing drills as well as working on passing as there were a few new teammates.

Once all was said and done, the team headed inside, winded and sweaty, to shower up. Troy let the hot water drill down upon his head, letting the rhythm take him elsewhere.

It didn't take too long for his thoughts to drift towards Gabriella and her gentle demeanor. She cared so deeply for him. But so did Taylor and he knew it. There was no denying the attraction that sparked between them. He had already decided on pursuing her, on trying to make the two of them work no matter what had to be done.

Troy caught a ride with Jason who jovially kept the conversation going the whole trip to his house.

"Thanks again, bro." Troy pushed open the passenger side door. "Let's hope that I can find my car keys."

"Let's," Jason replied smarmily.

Troy grinned. "Thanks for the support. See you in homeroom."

Jason sped off as Troy unlocked the front door. No one was home yet to his joy. He couldn't handle having his parents question how his day went.

How could he respond? 'Oh, well broke up with Taylor – you know, my mistress…other woman…whatever you'd like to call her. And I really want her back without breaking Gabriella's feelings.'

"That would go over well." He grunted as he raided the refrigerator for something to snack on. Pulling out jam and peanut butter, Troy set out upon making his signature dish: a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

After making his snack, discarding the used utensil into the sink, and cramming the bread into his mouth, the head Wildcat took to his staircase two at a time to reach his room. Flicking on the light switch, Troy noticed his keys sitting right where he left them this morning. He thought that leaving them there this morning would be a great idea…

…though all he wanted was a moment's peace with Taylor, he got a day filled with turmoil.

Taylor.

She had been home for more than two hours. She had finished what little homework she had an hour and a half ago. She went through her class schedule and drew up a personal planner for home use complete with club times and study hours. She even went through her closet to decide on an outfit for tomorrow that would allow her ten extra minutes to herself in the morning before heading off to school.

She did all that. She accomplished so much in one day yet why did she feel so empty? So unfulfilled? So lacking?

Taylor was an incredibly smart young woman with a bright future ahead of her. She was captain of the Academic Decathlon Club who was starting to have colleges throw their attention upon her. Being in a stable, loving relationship was a dream she thought would never come to light yet here she was with Chad, a great athlete and wonderful young man.

Even still she was thankful. Her family was connected and positive. They loved each other genuinely, shared anything and everything with each other, and had fun.

Everything was going for her. So, if that were all true and satisfying, then why did she feel as if there were a hole in her life? She wanted – yearned to have someone around who didn't remind her so much of her academic life so often. She desired to be spontaneous and fun during the school year as well as like this summer. She didn't need people to treat her one way (inviting her to parties and the like) one moment and then turn around once school started to only speak to her when an answer needed to be procured.

Only one person truly seemed to be able to do that…and she turned him away.

Banging her head on her desk in her room, Taylor wished that morning hadn't of come in the fashion that it did. Staring at her Blackberry Pearl, Taylor McKessie wondered if it were possible that she made a mistake and if it were possible to right it.

Find that person's number was hard. It felt like she was admitting to a failure all the while committing one.

Shit, damn, and fuck me, she thought to herself as the ring tone sounded. It was probably only a few seconds of time that had passed but each ring seemed to last an hour.

And then salvation.

"You have reached the cell of Troy. First off, sorry I couldn't pick up. Second off, why don't you text me? I answer those. And third off, support the Wildcats – go to the games!"

"Why me? Why me? For once I don't know the answer." Not meaning to be recorded, Taylor went about questioning her life.

"And you don't always have to know."

Taylor almost fell off her computer chair. "Troy! When did you pick up?"

"Just now, obviously. Why are you calling here if you no longer want me around?"

"I don't know," Hearing his voice was soothing. Knowing that he was connected to her was natural. "I don't have an answer but what I do know is that…"

"What?" His voice sounded like home.

"I know that this is wrong…but…hell! Why can't I be happy? Why can't I do something that's not involved with textbooks? Troy, I'm sorry. Today was miserable! I couldn't look at you. You wouldn't look at me. Not sitting next to you and hearing how you're day went was so hard. I know this is unbelievable but I don't like this. I feel like I'm missing out and I don't like it. Weird as this sounds…I want you. I want to be with you."

"And where is this coming from? This is sudden. I don't want to be told one thing only to be told something else hours later."

Getting up from the chair, Taylor paced her room. She didn't expect that response.

"I get that. I understand. I must sound so confusing saying that I don't want this one moment and then calling you up to tell you I need this. I've been sitting here since school ended, going through the motions of daily life, and feeling as if it weren't right or complete or you. My life is amazing but it's not gratifying. Troy. Believe me when I say this: I love spending time with you. You make me feel like all the other girls not like a walking encyclopedia. And yet you make me feel special and not like all of the rest." She tittered gently.

Clearing his throat, Troy spoke. "Really? Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I'm saying that I'm sorry for ruining your day, if I did so. I'm saying that what I said early today is null and void. What I'm saying is that I was being stupid and want to be with you regardless of our situation."

"I'm liking what I'm hearing. I still want to be with you too."

And like that, her world seemed tinged with gold and diamonds. An unknowing anxiety lifted from her. If it hadn't left her so completely as it did, Taylor probably would have never picked up on the way she was feeling the world around.

"Okay…okay."

"Is that all you can say?"

Breathing softly, taking in his voice, Taylor grinned wildly. "No. Yes! I don't know what's going on. All I know is that I really like spending me time with you. When I'm not with you, I think about when can I see you or be with you or what you're doing. This is really confusing to me. I'm – I'm.-"

"Scared? Me too. What we're doing is new for both of us but I think it's worth it."

Taylor secretly smiled to herself as the world settled around her like a cozy blanket. He was scared about this too yet he was willing. Troy Bolton was willing to be with her no matter what. Basketball man, Mr. Popular, Mr. Could-Get-Anyone-He-Wanted wanted to be with her.

"Can I come over?"

"Of course. See you soon, Taylor." Troy whispered. He hung up quickly.

Taylor fell back on her bed, squealing like someone on the cheerleading squad. This wasn't going to be easy – she knew that already. But what she did know was one thing…

She and Troy were back together no matter what.