Thanks for the reviews. Also, a clementine is an orange, the tiny ones.

So.

Chapter 10

Zeke stood next to Sharpay and Ben, who were deep in conversation, when he noticed Troy storm in the school, Chad and Jason right behind him. He pushed kids out of the way if they blocked his path. A mixed look of disgust and terror was spread across his face and a single tear slid down his cheek.

Seeing that Chad and Jason were just making Troy's attitude worse, Zeke unlatched his hand from Sharpay's and followed the three basketball stars. He knew what today was, and even if he wasn't their friend anymore, the least Zeke could do was say he was sorry.

"Get lost!" Zeke heard. He walked into an empty classroom as Chad and Jason exited. Chad gave Zeke a long glare, but Jason looked at Zeke with a hoping look on his face. A look that said, maybe you can help.

Troy was seated on a desk, his knees brought to his chest and his eyes focused out the window. "Hey," Zeke said. "How are you feeling?"

Troy looked away from the window and at his former friend. "What are you doing here? I thought you hated me," he said.

Zeke sat beside Troy on a different desk and shrugged. "Today's going to rough, it always is." He paused. "Do you miss Jude?"

"How could I not?" Troy asked in a whisper. "He's my brother and it's my fault he's not here. If I hadn't made such a big fuss to be able to go that stupid game, Jude wouldn't have come to pick me up and he wouldn't have died."

"Troy..."

"No it is my fault," Troy said. "Dad told me to just enjoy Chad's party, but I had to see them make it to championships. I had to. Jude said 'no, it's fine, I'll pick him up on my way to the game.' But he never came and I walked home and pushed chairs over, I wanted them to remember that they forgot me."

There was a moment of silence. "Then Mom and Dad came home," Troy whispered. "They told me Jude was gone, forever. He was never coming back; he was dead. Mom went out a friend's and Dad got mad. He told me it was my fault."

Zeke listened to Troy and suddenly, he knew why Troy was getting in trouble when Jude didn't. Jack blamed Troy for Jude's death.

The bell rang, and Troy stood. "Hey Zeke," Troy said. "Our championships are after vacation, like last year. You should come."

"I'll think about it," Zeke said. Vacation was in two days. It was December 19.

"Troy, are you sure you don't want a ride?" Jason asked as he and Zeke jumped into Jason's father's truck. Troy was sitting in Chad's front yard.

"Yeah, I'll just walk home."

"Okay, cool, see you tomorrow," Zeke added. "Happy Birthday, Chad!"

When Zeke had said that they'd see Troy the next day, they had thought they'd see him a school. But, the following Monday had found the four boys in Troy's backyard trying to cheer him up. A tear didn't fall that day, but he was upset and after a day, Troy had finally cracked a smile.

"Hey," came a voice from the hall. Zeke shook his head and noticed Troy had left and Jason was now standing in the doorway. "Thanks," he said. "You're the only one who can cheer him up today."

"Yeah, I don't know how," Zeke said.

"You just have that special touch, I guess," Jason said, turning and walking out of the room. Zeke sat there for a moment longer before going to his first class. During the day he found out that Coach Bolton hadn't come to school, but had forced Troy to come. Although, the staff and student body didn't know that. They thought Troy wanted to get out of the house, but Zeke knew that wasn't the reason.

Or, maybe it was.

Line break

Zeke smiled at Sharpay before turning back to his work. Things were starting to turn around for him. Troy and Jason were civil to him, Chad just ignored him – which was better than torment – and didn't talk to him at all. Plus, this was his first Christmas with Sharpay. He had gotten her a very pretty necklace and couldn't wait to give it to her. He knew she'd like it.

He heard Sharpay giggle across the room. Ms. Darbus gave her a look and she looked down. "Ms. Evans!" Ms. Darbus said.

Sharpay turned around. "I just got a text message from Gabriella," she directed to the room. "She says 'Merry Christmas!' to you all."

Zeke thought for sure Sharpay was going to get in trouble for having her cellphone out, but Ms. Darbus seemed to ignore it. "You still talk to her?" someone behind Zeke spouted off.

As conversation filled the room, Zeke looked up at Troy. He had a smile on his face. Zeke decided that the new year was going to be great. It was just looking as if it was going to be good for everyone.

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