PLAY IT MY WAY
PART TEN – ALL I GOTTA DO IS BELIEVE
Disclaimer: I am a poor university student, not a millionaire like the individuals responsible for HSM would now be after the mass production of HSM paraphernalia plastered with Zac's soulful eyes gazing at me. The point being – I acknowledge that I am borrowing the characters and just playing with them.
Author's Note: Bonjourno from Roma! I feel a little silly for my end AN at the end of the last chapter, I'd had a pretty crap day and stuff when I posted... and especially now feel silly because oh my God was the response overwhelming or what! Seriously... you guys rock my world. I think my favourite is when people just suddenly emerge from thin air that I had no idea existed or followed my work at all. Bah. Fantastic. Awesome. Buzzing. Now.. if you could all just stick around and keep reviewing :-P
Anyway. Umm this chapter is kinda a piece of fluff but yes... anyway. Just read. Thanks.
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Monday morning was a return to the normal routine of school life. Well, as normal as it would ever get for Troy. Since returning home and following very strictly to his physio regime - under the watchful eye of parents, friends and girlfriend - he was recovering fairly well. Still, Jack Bolton was insistent that Troy continue to use crutches for at least another week. Troy knew that he was right, but it was still frustrating.
Some people would have loved the added attention. Troy hated it. Timetabling must have known at the start of the year that this situation was arise. Suddenly Troy realised just how many times he went up and down stairs throughout each day. East High was certainly not wheelchair friendly. The East High grapevine was fairly efficient. Throughout the tournament, the boys had taken it upon themselves to ensure that interested basketball Wildcats and cheerleaders were kept informed of the progress of the competition. Subsequently being informed of the injury. Suddenly. girls who had given up on Troy after the arrival of Gabriella were offering flirtatiously to help carry his bag. He knew that Gabriella's patience was wearing thin.
However more stressful was that from Day 1, the pressure was on. With a short few months until ACT exams; assignments piling up and due within a month; end of year exams. The excuse of the study motivated Troy being injured along with his hamstring was not good enough.
By lunchtime, Troy had worked himself into a state of near panic. After plonking down next to Chad with his brown paper bag lunch and easing the crutches to rest on the floor; Troy pulled out his school diary, along with various assignment sheets and notebooks.
"Dude, lunch time is for lunch," Chad reprimanded.
"Shut the hell up man. Do you have any idea how far behind I am?"
"No further behind than me I bet," Jason said. "And I don't have the excuse of being on some flashy basketball team."
"Good thing I'm crippled and can't even play for the golf team for a few weeks. I dunno how I'm gonna do all this."
"You're still coming up to Santa Fe on Saturday, aren't you?" Zeke asked.
"Santa Fe.. Saturday?" Troy said blankly.
"The regional decathlon final?" Chad supplied.
"He didn't have Tay and Gabi going on and on and on and on about it last weekend, we had to put up with that," Jason remarked.
"Taylor kept whinging that you got to go interstate for your final, but theirs is in Santa Fe," Zeke said.
"Damn straight I should be whinging about it," Taylor said, approaching from behind them, Gabriella in tow. "It's so unfair!"
Gabriella squeezed Troy's arm in greeting, sliding into the gap beside him.
"Phoenix wasn't exactly the shiz Tay," Troy commented. "Now Los Angeles - that would be cool."
"The national decathlon final is in Los Angeles this year," Gabriella supplied.
"Don't talk about nationals Gabriella. One step at a time."
"So I was thinking we should all go out and do something this Saturday night," Chad said casually. "After your final. Pizza and a movie or something. Not every day a man turns seventeen, Mr Troy 'I'm not even going to TALK about my birthday' Bolton."
"Oh, when's your birthday?" Taylor asked Troy.
"Next Tuesday," Gabriella replied immediately. "I think we should do something. It'll be a, celebrate Troy's birthday/post decathlon shindig."
Troy was staring down at his 'to do list' he'd started to compile in his diary.
"Hey, you can give yourself some time off for your birthday," Gabriella said softly.
"Yeah. Fully," Troy said warily.
"Did you get the rest of that algebra stuff done over the weekend? Did you want me to look at it? And how about we get together on Friday night and knock over that joint chem lab report? One less thing to worry about then," Gabriella suggested.
"Your team isn't meeting Friday night?" Troy queried.
"Nah, but we're meeting every other day this week," Gabriella informed him.
Troy nodded. "Okay then. And yeah, I did catch up with all the algebra actually. Your tutoring seems to have paid off, I actually understood what was going on. You can check it if you like. If you have time."
Gabriella smiled. "It's fine."
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As after every school vacation, routine was formed quickly. Replacing Troy's previous work out regime was a physiotherapy regime. Troy was determined to recover from the injury as soon as possible. By the end of the week, Troy could limp with minor pain - although each time any parent or friend saw him without his crutches in hand, he would quickly be scolded
By force of some miracle, Gabriella managed to fit in hours of decathlon practice each day and still be there to prod and guide Troy with his schoolwork. A feat he decided not to question. Her calls each night were timely, about an hour into his study block so he could bring up any math or science related queries. He'd lucked out switching lab partners in chemistry to be with Gabriella. They had a big partner project due in a couple of weeks - the project Gabriella had suggested they get stuck into on Friday night. Troy insisted he come over to her house, claiming to be sick of his own.
They spent a couple of hours working on the report, making a significant dent in it.
"Can I just stay study here for a bit?" Troy asked. "My mom said she'd come at about 10, if that's cool?"
"Course it's fine, I'm just going to do some revision for the decathlon is all."
Troy flipped open his English novel, lying back on her bed and began to flick through.
"Okay... American presidents in Alphabetical order..." Gabriella murmured.
"Uh... Gabi?"
"Mmm?"
"Why are you lisitng US presidents? You aren't doing US history," Troy ventured.
"I told you, it's for the decathlon."
"I thought Jeremy and Jenna were your history buffs?"
"It never hurts to be prepared... so... in 1857..."
"There is such a thing is overpreparing," Troy commented. "I thought you were the one who always said that you shouldn't prepare the night before."
Gabriella looked at him. "Normally. Yes. But... I'm nervous about it. And stressed. And... I need to distract myself," Gabriella admitted.
Troy grinned cheekily. 'You want to be distracted? Have I ever told you how adorable you look when you're stressed?"
Gabriella had been staring at the book in front of her so intently that it took her a moment to register what he had said.
"Huh... oh... Troy!" she blushed.
"Well you do. Then again, we have previously established that you look cute in a potato sack, so it's not a surprise really."
She giggled. "You have to say that."
"Say what?"
"That I look cute."
"I don't HAVE to say anything!" Troy said indignantly. "Troy Bolton only speaks the truth. Don't tell me you're one of these 'oh I'm so ugly' girls? Because if you are then you're not the person I thought you were."
Gabriella stood from her desk, sitting on the bed next to Troy.
"No. I don't think I'm UGLY. I just... don't think I'm anything SPECIAL is all."
"Which is one of the many reasons why you are special. You don't realise you're special."
Lips connected in a gentle probing kiss. As Troy pulled away, he lightly kissed the top of Gariella's head, taking in the sweet smell of her vanilla scented hair.
"I feel like it's been too long since we have done that," Gabriella said softly. "Even though it was only a week ago."
"A week is too long though," Troy replied softly. "I know things have been crazy... with... well me and everything."
"It's not just you though, my life is crazy as well," Gabriella said consolingly.
"I wish I could just make it all go away. Click my fingers and have school and assignments and my stupid physiotherapy and basketball all ust go away... and make it all about you and me."
"Take basketball away?" Gabriella asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Okay okay... maybe not basketball," Troy agreed begrudgingly. "But you know what I mean."
"There's only a few months til summer."
"Months. MONTHS!"
"It'll fly. You know it will."
"And til then?"
"We take the moments we get," Gabriella said softly, but decisively.
"Like right now?"
"Like right now."
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The contingent of support heading up to Santa Fe for the decathlon south western regionals was overwhelming. Similarly to the state finals, they met outside of East High to organise a series of carpools. Troy and Chad in particular had been very vocal in rounding up support. Taylor protested each time she heard them insisting someone come along adorned in red and white; but Gabriella was quick to remind her that they should use the 'home state advantage' they had. She had competed against some of these other schools before in previous years of the competition, and she knew that they would bring a huge support base, whether they be miles away from home or not.
As the day progressed, it became evident that decathlon watching was not an activity for everyone. Spirit and support was high - random cheers would ring out every time East High gained a point. But actual interest and attention was low. The fact was that it took a certain type of person to find a decathlon entertaining. Jason found himself sitting by Kelsi, the two passing random notes back and forth. Zeke was flipping through a recipe book. A couple of the cheerleaders were filing their nails.
However Troy was completely enamoured as he watched Gabriella. Even when another team member was answering a question, he would be gazing intently at her; as she furrowed her brow; made diligent notes.
At one point, Troy tore his eyes away to glance over at Chad. The look which had been on his own face - it was mirrored in Chad's expression. Except the object of the gaze was different. Troy smirked.
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After a gruelling battle, East High emerged as victors. Wildcat fever was running hot; and celebrations seemed to be high on the list of priorities for tonight.
"I'm so excited about tonight!' Martha gushed. "Not only do we get to celebrate our win, but also Troy's birthday!"
"It's just pizza," Troy said, raising his eyebrows.
"Pizza is cool!" Kelsi insisted.
"So I'm borrowing my mom's car tonight also. Seems there's a huge crowd coming."
"Do you think we should ring the pizza place?"
"I've already done that," Taylor said.
Troy looked at her surprised. "Between winning just twenty minutes ago and now, you've managed to get on top of the logistics of tonight?"
"I'm very efficient Troy. You know that," Taylor said defensively.
Troy slowly approached where Gabriella and her mother were in a tight embrace. Gabriella was getting a lift back with Chad, as her mom was going to a business dinner in Santa Fe that evening.
"Enjoy your party," Elena said, kissing Gabriella on the cheek.
"Thanks mom. I'll see you tomorrow.'
Elena smiled warmly at Troy as he approached.
"Happy birthday for Tuesday Troy," she said with a smile.
"Thanks Miss Montez," Troy said.
"Anyway, my queue to leave."
Elena disappeared, leaving Troy with Gabriella.
"Congratulations again," he said with a smile, kissing her softly.
"Thank you," she said, blushing. "Los Angeles for the nationals now. Scary."
"Hey, did I just hear your mom say, 'enjoy your party'?" Troy asked questioningly.
Gabriella laughed. "She just means tonight. You know, the movie and pizza. My mom thinks of any social gathering with more than four people as being a party," Gabriella explained.
"Oh okay."
"So what's going on? Who is driving me back, and where are we meeting?"
Chad poked his head into the conversation.
"I'm still driving you back," Chad volunteered. "So I've got Troy, Gab, Paula and Jacqui. Is everyone else right for a lift?"
Between the various decathlon members and other random supporters, everyone was accounted for.
"Right, if you're coming out for pizza and a movie, you can meet at mine to organise carpooling!" Chad called out.
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As they approached the outskirts of Albuquerque, Chad brought up the logistics for their plans for the evening ahead.
"I have to quickly run some errands for my mom before we meet up," Chad said.
"That's cool, just drop me home," Troy said. "I'd like to walk over."
"Walk?" Gabriella asked with alarm.
"It's only a few blocks. And it's good for me. I'm meant to be doing some gentle walking now."
"Oh. I uh... can't your dad drop you off?" Chad suggested, also sounding slightly panicked.
"Well no. Is that... okay?" Troy asked, raising his eyebrows at their weirdness.
"That's fine. Umm... how about he drops you at mine and we walk from my house then? It's a block closer, just in the other direction." Gabriella leaned over and whispered into Troy's ear. "I don't wanna walk to Chad's on my own. And... since my mom isn't around..."
Troy nodded, kissing her softly. "I'll get changed quickly and come over. Undoubtedly, you will take forever to get ready."
Gabriella smiled excitedly. "Awesome."
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Author's Note: Okay. So that was tiny and fluff and fillery compared to my usual standards and the vibe of this story. Especially as a follow up to the last few.
It might also seem like the vibe has changed somewhat, you know, moving away from the PIMW angst and more like a HWY vibe... there is logic here. There is logic to everything I do. Trust me. Pretty please.
I just sent the next chapter to my beta reader and I have nearly all of the next two chapters written in my notebooks so I'm about to go start work on typing it up. I might have sounded a little crazy at the end of the last chapter but I assure you, I will not stop posting. I finish what set out to achieve!
I'll give a virtual hug to anyone who can guess what is going to happen in the next chapter.