Chapter 10
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The championship game...
The team just left the locker-room whooping and cheering as they headed out sprinting and jumping into the hall that led to the gym where the game was being held. As they entered onto the court with the mascot leading the team, the audience of students started cheering for them and they started to grab basketballs of the rack and started to do dribbles, layups and shooting hoops.
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The auditorium...
Most of the students that was attending to see the audition had already sate down in the front center seats of the auditorium, when students from the decathlon started to enter as well with Taylor leading and started to sit down.
"My, my what do we have here." the teacher wondered why the sudden increase of attendees.
"Mr. Darbus, didn't you say you wanted more students to be interested in theatre?" Taylor asked her and took her seat.
"Well yes I suppose so, anyways thank you all for attending our auditions. Casting the leads of the show is both a challenge and a responsibility, a joy and a burden. I commend you and all other young artist to hold out the moon, the sun and the stars." Darbus announced and everyone clapped while her assistant took a picture.
"Shall we soar together! Sharpay and Gabriella!"
Immediately hip hop type of tango mixture kind of music started to play and Gabriella came out in a red dress from the right side of the stage and Sharpay came out of the other side in a blue dress and started to sing.
Sharpay:
I believe in dreamin',
Shooting for the stars
(Sharpay stepped up dancing a bit followed by Gabriella.)
Gabiella:
Baby, to be number one,
You've got to raise the bar
Sharpay:
Kickin' and a scratchin',
Grinding out my best
(The blond did a small outward kick and put her hands in a clawing like motion ending with swinging her hip from side to side.)
Gabiella:
Anything it takes,
To climb the ladder of success
(Gabriella then continued off with her hips swinging ending with a climbing a ladder like motion with her hands.)
Both:
Work our tails off everyday,
Gotta bump the competition,
Blow them all away
(Both girls brought their arms up to head level with one forearm up and the other on its side touching it's elbow and then alternate positions a couple of times before bumping their hips together. Then end it off with Sharpay doing a blowing kiss gesture and the other girl did a sliding away dance move and quickly sprinted back to the other girl.)
Sharpay: Yeah, we're gonna
Both:
Bop, bop, bop,
Bop to the top
Gabiella: Slip and slide and ride that rhythm
Both:
Jump and hop,
Hop 'til we drop
Sharpay: And start again
Both:
Zip, zap, zop,
Pop like a mop
(They did a bunch of dance moves which were based on salsa moves ending with couple salsa dance.)
Gabiella: Scoot around the corner
Both:
Move it to the groove,
'Til the music stops,
Do the bop, bop, bop to the top,
Don't ever stop,
Bop to the top,
Gimme, gimme,
Shimmy, shimmy
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Back in the gym...
The championship game was about to start between the Wildcats and the opposing team and Troy and his teammates were in a circle facing one another with their hands all at the center, ready to go. After their break, the team entered the court and shook hands with the opposite team members and quickly took their positions for the started of their game and after the referee blew his whistle, the game begins.
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Back in the auditorium...
Both:
Shake some booty and turn around,
Flash a smile in their direction
(The two girls continued with their couple salsa dancing then going back in to a series of mimicking each other dance moves.)
Sharpay: Show some muscle
Gabiella: Do the hustle
Sharpay: Yeah, we're gonna
Both:
Bop, bop, bop,
Bop to the top
Gabiella: Wipe away your inhibitions
Both:
Stump, stump, stump,
Do the rump
Sharpay: And strut your stuff
Both:
Bop, bop, bop,
Straight to the top,
Going for the glory,
We'll keep stepping up,
And we just won't stop,
'Til we reach the top,
Bop to the top
The girls continued with their dance and as their song came to an end the curtains behind them started to open up revealing a step ladder decorated in gold tinsel and a disco ball hanging near the top. On their last few lines both started to climb up the ladder with Sharpay a bit higher than Gabriella and when they finished both girls had one of their arms throw out to the side.
The audience start clapping right after the performance which gave Taylor the cue who had her laptop open on her lap and did a couple of quick key stokes on the keyboard.
"Alright Wildcats, time for an orderly exit." the girl stated as a program on her computer started to activate with an message box popping up at the end saying 'message transmitted' sending something through the school's computer system.
Sharpay and Gabriella had gotten off the step ladder and was doing thank you bows to the audience and noticed Taylor giving them the thumbs up stating that the second part of the plan was in motion.
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Back in the gym...
The championship game was still going on with the score tied at 8 for each team when all of the sudden the score board started to go on a frizz with the lights going on and off and everything just stop.
"We seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties uh, some is wrong with the board here. The referee is requesting a time out." a voice announced over the speakers with the referee blowing the whistle.
Of course Troy was just grinning as it happens and Chad came up behind him and elbowed him a bit to tell him to get moving and quickly the captain ran off the court and of course with the coach seeing the entire exchange. After a few moments of discussion between the judges, both teams were gathered around their table to wait for the decision of the current situation and finally the principle of the school stood up.
"We are currently having problems with the equipment but we will get this figured out very soon. In the mean time for safety regulations, we need to make an all orderly exit from the gym. Please, thank you." the principle stated and immediately Troy's basketball team started to leave the gym.
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Back in the auditorium...
The girls were continuing doing bows more like Sharpay was still doing them with some of the audience members standing up still clapping and the female Evans spotted someone and did a call me. Both of them then leaves the stage exiting on the right as Ms. Darbus got up and started head towards onto the stage with her assistants following her as the step ladder and the disco ball was being removed.
"Do you see why we love the theatre people, well done. Ah, Troy Bolton and Ryan Evans." Ms. Darbus called out as the two girls came back out from the side of the stage.
Noticing not either of the boys had showed up the drama teacher turned to Sharpay.
"Sharpay, where is your brother?"
"Uh, he had and upset stomach and is in the backstage washroom." the girl answered hoping to give Troy more time to get to the auditorium.
Immediately the teacher head towards the back of the stage with the girls following to where the dress-rooms and washrooms were and knocked on the door to the washrooms.
"Ryan! Are you okay in there?"
"Um, yes I am Ms. Darbus! Just having a bit of stage fright?" Ryan answered nervously as he was pacing back and forth behind the door wearing a pair of jeans with an unbuttoned shirt with a t-shirt underneath and the sleeves rolled up.
"First of all you never had stage fright before so this isn't a ploy to waste time is it?" the teacher ask suspiciously.
"Um, no?" the boy answered hopefully that the teacher would buy it.
"I will give you the count of 3 to open this door or you will be disqualified from the auditions, you hear me! 1...2..." the teacher counted and immediately Ryan opened the door.
"I'm fine."
"Good, now lets go." and the drama teacher turned around and headed back out to the stage with Ryan and the girls following her.
"As I was saying, Troy Bolton and Ryan Evans." Ms. Darbus stated once again and one last time, "Troy!".
At that point Ryan was starting to get his hopes up and was hoping the other boy would show up soon.
"He'll be here." Ryan spoke out.
"The theatre as I always pointed out, waits for no one. I'm sorry." the teacher turned to the blond boy.
"Well we are done here and I am sorry to say that this musical won't go through." announced to the entire group.
At that moment Troy comes running in from the main doors of the auditorium with a white jacket and sports pants entire which he put on when he left the gym and immediately Ryan's spirits were up and started to smile.
"No wait! Wait! Ms. Darbus! I'm ready! We can sing!" the captain called out as he ran up onto the stage up to the teacher.
"I've called your name twice."
"Ms. Darbus please? Please?" Ryan was now standing opposite of Troy begging.
"Rules are rules." she stated.
The audience members starts to leave the auditorium but was stopped by the crowd of student coming from the basketball game so they could watch the auditions apparently.
"I don't know what is going on here but in any case its far too late..." the teacher said as she sees the crowd filling up the seats.
"Nothings too late, didn't you always say the show must go on?" Kelsi stated and heads towards the piano that was pushed out on stage.
"Indeed I did, I guess that's show biz." and Ms. Darbus just looked at the crowd of people and walks off the stage.
Troy then walks off the stage and grabs two mikes and headed back over to Ryan and handed over one to him, then walks back over to where Kelsi was on the piano and stood next to it with the blond boy standing at the middle of the stage. The captain then just nodded towards Kelsi to signal her to start playing but the male Evans just stood there staring at the audience. The basketball star turned towards him and wondered whats wrong with him and signalled Kelsi to stop and headed over to the other boy.
"I can't do it Troy." Ryan turned to Troy.
"Why not? You did it a lot of times before. This shouldn't be any different." the brunette whispered.
"But not with all these people staring and not with you here. Its always been with my sister." and started to turn away from the stage.
"Hey, hey look at me, right at me. Just forget they are there and look at me. Just like the first time we sing together, remember? Like kindergarten." Troy grabbed hold of Ryan by the wrist and stopped him making the other boy stare at him.
When the captain was sure the boy wasn't going to leave, he turned back towards Kelsi and signalled her again to start playing and he let go of the blond boy's wrist and just stood by him as the pianist began playing and a backdrop of a city at night was placed behind them.
Troy:
We're soarin', flying,
There's not a star in heaven,
That we can't reach
(Troy lifted the mike up near his mouth and stared into the other boy's eyes as he singed to him and raised his hand palm up towards the other boy.)
Ryan:
If we're tryin',
So we're breakin free
(Ryan this time started to sing and raised his own free hand and lightly touch and slid across Troy's.)
Troy:
You know the world can see us,
In a way that's different than who we are
(Troy took hold of Ryan's hand not caring about the reaction of the audience and as they take a couple of steps forward facing the audience.)
Ryan:
Creating space between us,
'Til we're separate hearts
(They let go of their holding hands and stepped away from each other.)
Both:
But your faith, it gives me strength,
Strength to believe...
Troy: We're breakin' free
(Immediately the music went right into a faster upbeat melody and Troy quickly stepped back up to Ryan and smiled at him.)
Ryan: We're soarin'
(The other boy started to smile back.)
Troy: Flyin'
(The audience surprisingly had started to move and clap to the beat themselves obvious to what the two boys were doing.)
Both:
There's not a star in heaven,
That we can't reach
(Both boys started to have fun and began to move to the beat of the song.)
Troy: If we're tryin'
Both: Yeah, we're breaking free
Troy: Oh, we're breakin' free
Ryan: Ohhhh
Troy:
Can you feel it building,
Like a wave the ocean just can't control
(The two boys started to move away from each other towards the opposite ends of the stage.)
Ryan:
Connected by a feelin',
Ohhh, in our very souls
Troy: Our very souls, ooooh
Both:
Rising 'til it lifts us up,
So everyone can see...
(The two of them started to move back towards the center facing each other once more.)
Troy: We're breaking free
Ryan: We're soarin'
(Both boys circled each other with Ryan twirling a bit and Troy had one of his arms out like a bird that was flying and ended up on their own same side.)
Troy: Flyin'
Both:
There's not a star in heaven,
That we can't reach
Troy: If we're tryin'
Both: Yeah, we're breakin' free
Troy: Oh, we're breakin' free
Ryan: Ohhhh, runnin'
(The blond started to back step and circle Troy this time to his right side, while the other boy turned his body and head to follow his partner's movement. Then the same the basketball captain repeated what Ryan did and returned back to his original position beside the other boy.)
Troy:
Climbin'
To get to that place
Both: To be all that we can be
Troy: Now's the time
(At this time the audience was started to get into the song as well.)
Both: So we're breaking free
Troy: We're breakin free
Ryan: Ohhh, yeah
(Ryan started to move to where Kelsi was and Troy followed and both stood near the piano dancing while they continued to sing. Kelsi immediately stood up and kicked the piano bench away from her and continued playing standing up.)
Troy:
More than hope,
More than faith
(Chad started to stand up and started to clap to the beat and the rest of his team started to join him.)
Ryan:
This is truth,
This is fate,
And together,
Both: We see it comin'
(As this was happening, at the main entrance of the auditorium, Coach Bolton walked watched his son and Ryan on stage singing and started to smile a bit.)
Troy:
More than you,
More than me
(Suddenly a large crescent moon with a face prop started to lower down onto the middle of the stage and Ryan started to head back to where the moon was dragging Troy along with him by his hand.)
Ryan: Not a want, but a need
Both: Both of us breakin' free
(Once they got to the moon, Troy swung his arm that had Ryan's hand in it and launched the blond into a spin. The drama boy started to twirl away a bit from his partner like ballet dancer and Troy slid forward a bit following the other boy.)
Ryan: Soarin'
Troy: Flyin'
Both:
There's not a star in heaven,
That we can't reach,
If we're tryin'
(Now the entire basketball team, cheerleaders along with Sharpay and Gabriella were standing up moving and clapping to the beat of the song and even Ms. Darbus joined in as well.)
Troy: Yeah, we're breakin' free
Ryan:
Breakin' free,
We're runnin'
(Then the two boys pranced their way towards the back of the stage and went around behind the moon prop in opposite directions ending up back towards the front of the stage once more.)
Troy: Ohhh, climbin'
Both:
To get to the place,
To be all that we can be,
Now's the time
Troy: Now's the time, yeah
Ryan: So we're breakin' free
Troy: Oh, we're breakin' free
Ryan: Ohhhh
(As the boys started to slow down and catch their breath from all the moving around the stage and singing, they turn towards one another and stared into each other eyes.)
Both: You know the world can see us,
In a way that's different than who we are
As the song ended everyone was standing up, screaming in applause and cheering for the two especially the Troy's teammates and the two boys just looked at the audience and started to smile. Even Coach Bolton was impressed and even felt proud of his son at that moment and started to smile like crazy just a bit.
The boys then gestured at Kelsi for additional applause and the pianist stood towards the audience and did a bow with huge grin on her face. Then out of nowhere without even thinking, Troy leaned over towards Ryan and kissed the boy on the cheek which of course he just sort of stood there in shock of what just happened. He couldn't believe that Troy kissed him in front of the almost entire school, even though it wasn't on the lips it was still something. He was brought out of his shock by Troy's hand squeezing his and the other boy was smiling at him and the blond just blushed shyly and smiled back.
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Back in the gym...
The championship basketball game had resumed and it was during the last part of the game with less than 10 seconds left on the clock and Troy was dribbling down the court towards the opposing team's side. It was 66 to 67 and if they make this basket then they would win. Troy quickly passed the ball to Zeke who immediately did a fake pass and then a real one to Troy who was in the open and quickly toss the ball and scored a basket as the timer went off and won the game.
The rest of the team, cheerleaders and the audience started cheering and screaming and the team itself started to group together in the middle of the court, bouncing around in excitement.
"The East High Wildcats are the champions! Congratulations!" the announcer announced.
Over to the side Coach Bolton was already holding the trophy in his hand and was shaking hands with the other team's coach thanking him for a good game and immediately started to head towards his team on the court.
"Coming through! Coming through!" the coach shouted as he walked towards his son.
Handing the trophy over to his son congratulating him and the team, Chad and the others lifted up Troy carrying him around with the trophy in his hand lifted up over his head.
"Go team! Wildcats! Go team! Wildcats!" everyone shouted.
Once his team let him down, Troy handed the trophy over to Chad who took off with it around the court with everyone else following.
"I'm proud of you son!" the coach hugged Troy.
"Oh! Thanks dad!" the brunette hugged back happily, smiling.
"Bravo!" Ms. Darbus came up to them congratulating them.
"Brava!" the coach replied, now being on good terms with the drama teacher.
As the two teachers left Troy to himself we see Ryan walking up from behind him with a smile on his face as the star captain was being appraised by others.
"Congratulations, Wildcat!" Ryan stood behind Troy grinning.
Turning around the star pulled the other boy into an embrace, hugging the blond tightly with arms around the waist then loosening his hold a bit before pulling away a bit and grinned at his singing partner.
"Thanks. So you want to go with me to the after party?" Troy asked the other boy smiling at him.
"You're asking me to the after party?"
"Of course, who else would I ask to go with me." the brunette grinned and the blond nodded happily in response.
At the heat of the moment Troy pulled the other boy towards him a bit more and started to lean forward like he was about to kiss him on the lips, when Chad came bounding up towards them with the ball in his hand.
"Yo! Team voted you the game ball, captain." the boy handed the ball over happily, not knowing he was interrupting something.
"Yeah, thank you. Thanks a lot. Now if you would excuse me." pushing his friend away a bit with his arm and step forward again towards Ryan.
Putting the ball under his right arm, the captain wrapped his left around the others waist and pulled him up against his body and just grinned at him a bit. Ryan started to feel warm with Troy's body so close to his, his face started to heat up in embarrassment and he shy his head away. With his right hand still free Troy touched the other boy's cheek, turning his head back slowly towards himself. Staring into the blond's eyes Troy leaned forward and kissed the boy firmly on the lips, after a few moment he pulled away smiling with Ryan shyly looking back at him with rosy cheeks. It was both boys first kisses with anyone and they were glad it was each other then with some other person. At that moment being too busy with basking in each others closeness, the boys didn't notice Gabriella and Sharpay walking up to them until Gabriella congratulated Troy on his winning.
"Congratulations, Wildcat!" the girl shouted snapping both boys out of their moment.
"What about your team?" the star captain turned to Gabriella still smiling.
"We won too." the girl replied happily.
Shaking his head with a smile, Chad left the them alone and walked right into Taylor and grabbed her by the arms and swung her around making her stop in front of him.
"So, you are going with me to the after party right?" the boy stated.
"What? Like on a date?" the girl asked.
"Oh it must be your lucky day."
Immediately the girl turned around and headed over to where Gabriella was with Troy, Ryan and Sharpay and pulled her away a bit from the others all excited.
"Chad just asked me out?" Taylor stated happily and Gabriella smiled back being happy for her friend.
Sharpay at that moment decided to leave her brother and his suppose boyfriend alone and walked off but was stopped mid stride by Zeke who was holding a small red duffel bag in his hands.
"Hey Sharpay, I think that you are really good. I admire you so much."
"And why wouldn't you? And now bye, bye!" the drama queen looked at him with an unbelievable expression.
"Oh, wait and I baked you some cookies." the boy pulled out a bag of home made cookies and handed it over to her.
"Um thanks..." just lightly taking the cookies into her hands, not sure what to do with it before walking away again.
Back over with Troy and his group of teammates, cheerleaders and friends who still celebrating and cheering, the captain grabbed hold of Kelsi for a moment.
"Composer, here's your game ball. You deserve it, play-maker." Troy stated as he handed the ball over to the pianist and the group cheered.
Troy then turned back celebrating with Ryan and the others as Kelsi lightly played with the ball in her hands and looked around a bit, not sure of what to do now. Then Jason came by and took the hat that Kelsi was wearing off, letting her hair down then guiding her hands in a throwing position making the girl and boy smile and tossed the ball upward soaring through the air and into the basket.
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After the game...
The entire gym was cleared out since everyone went home to get ready for the after party and balloons, confetti and streamers were left on the main court to be cleaned up the next. We see Zeke standing alone on the court with a red balloon in his hand walking back and forth thinking until Sharpay came running in from one of the side doors towards the boy.
"These cookies are genius! The best thing I ever tasted! Would you make more for me Zeke!" the girl shouted out tossing the empty bag of cookies in her hands, making the player turn towards her in surprise.
Sharpay then started to dash towards him and Zeke started to back away in a bit of confusion, then started to run away from her. But before he could, Sharpay grabbed a hold of him in a glomp with a crazy grin making the boy stop.
"I might make you a creme brulee." Zeke grinned making the drama queen sigh in content.
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Sorry for such a long wait for the last chapter since my computer broke down again back in March and just recently I manage to get it up and running again so its been a couple of months. But I finally manage to finish this story after so long of a wait. Yea! Anyways thats the end of that story. For those who are asking if I am doing a sequel, I really don't know at this point. I am leaning toward maybe not because I have things to do and maybe thinking of continuing my other unfinished stories mostly the Power Ranger ones? Who knows? So thanks to all the reviewers who supported this story to the end and I hope you continue reviewing. So see you guys around, maybe in my other stories.
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