Disclaimer: I do not own the High School Musical franchise
Chapter Ten: 1,000 Faces
"All students please report to the gym for the first pep rally of the year. Let's support our East High Wildcats!" The all call from the peppy redhead who sat at the front desk rang through the school's PA system.
"Come on Gabs, let's go meet Shar." Zeke stood up and collected her books for her.
"Zeke you really don't need to carry those." She protested. He just rolled his eyes and swatted her away as he held the classroom door open for her.
Zeke guided her down the hallway, "I be gentlemanly." He bowed as they came to a stop in front of Gabriella's locker.
Rolling her eyes she opened it, "You be a freak." She muttered, smiling nonetheless.
Zeke shrugged and shoved the books in her locker, "And yet you still love me for it." He grinned as he tossed his arm over her shoulder, guiding her down the hallway to his own locker. "So Gabs you excited your first pep rally at East High?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Not really Z, I mean won't it be like every other pep rally at every other school?"
Zeke nudged her hip, "Well think about it this way, you're going to get to see your best guy friend be a star." He lunged into a pose wiggling his fingers in spirit fingers.
The seriousness on Zeke's face made Gabriella laugh so hard she had to stop walking and lean against the lockers as she doubled over in a fit of laughter. Okay so no friends was a bad idea. I mean I would've been devastated if I'd missed Z doing this! I mean who does this? Her laughing got even more bubbly and hysterical as she clutched her stomach and began gasping and wiping away tears.
"Seriously Gabs, I mean I know I'm talented and all, but for reals, hold it together. Us stars don't like having attention drawn to us." His hand flew over his heart and he began to look around as he ducked out of the way of fake cameras.
Gabriella did her best to straighten up as she gasped out, "What did you eat for lunch today? You're so weird."
Zeke threw his arm back over her shoulder, "And yet you hang out with me. That must make you weird." He poked her arm as he guided her to the gym.
"It must." She conceded, "Hey there's Shar!" Gabriella waved her friend down.
"And this ladies is where I must part with you two to go be a star without you." He turned on his heel and made a dramatic exit towards the back of the gym where the basketball team was huddled together.
"What on earth is up with him?" Sharpay asked as she linked her arm through Gabriella's, waving at Mandy and the other cheerleaders who were standing in a circle probably preparing for the rally.
Gabriella shook her head and followed Sharpay up the bleachers, "No earthly clue. He's on some sort of high."
"First pep rally of the semester and basketball's starting back up again." Sharpay explained, settling in and pulling a nail file out of her bag. "These things are so boring."
Gabriella nodded, "They always are, that's why I brought these." She fished in her oversized purse and revealed four magazines.
Sharpay squealed and clapped her hands, "You are a genius!" She picked the top magazine up and opened up the first page. "We are officially friends forever." She murmured, resting her head on Gabriella's shoulder.
Gabriella smiled and placed her head on top of Sharpay's, "I'm glad you found me Pay." She whispered back as she opened up one of the magazines just as Principal Matusi started speaking.
"Quiet, students, we have quite a treat for you today. Running the show is the varsity cheerleading squad." Principal Matusi took a step back as the captain, Mandy, took the microphone. As much as Gabriella loved Mandy, she really didn't want to listen. Deciding to ignore her, she continued to read her copy of People magazine.
Sharpay nudged Gabriella a moment later, "Look their announcing the basketball team." Gabriella just swatted her away, "Come on don't you want to see Zeke?"
Gabriella sighed and looked up, making a little bit of a show of watching Zeke run onto the court, "Yay Z!" She shouted before turning to look at Sharpay, "Happy?"
"Ecstatic." Sharpay rolled her eyes and looked back down at her magazine.
"Now," Mandy moved back to the center of the gym court, "our student body president, Larry Tudgeman."
Sharpay's nose scrunched up at his name, "Ugh how did Tudgeman win president?"
Gabriella shrugged, "Wasn't here last year Pay. Although Z said something about him eating worms for every vote he got."
"Yeah gross out factor majorly." Sharpay closed the magazine and picked another one up, "You really are a genius Boo. This would be so boring without a little Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart drama!"
Gabriella giggled, "No problem Pay."
"And now if everyone will please give their attention to our varsity basketball captain, Troy Bolton, he has prepared something special for Miss Gabriella Montez." Gabriella and Sharpay's heads shot up at Tudgeman's words.
"Pay what the fuck is going on?"
Sharpay shrugged, "I actually have no idea. This was not part of my plan."
Gabriella's head swiveled to Sharpay, "Your plan? You have a plan? Why am I not surprised." Gabriella groaned and dropped her head to hands, only letting it raise as the gym dimmed and a single spotlight came on. "What the fuck is he going to do."
"Hey everyone, for those of you who don't know me I'm Troy Bolton." Yeah like anyone wouldn't know him. "As you all know I like to play a little game around here." Gabriella rolled her eyes and looked back down at her magazine, "Well I think I'm done with that now." Gabriella's head shot back up, huh? "You see, I met this girl," he began walking around the gym, "and it took me by surprise how much I liked her. To the point where if she won't play the game that's fine. I just want to take her on a date. So," he pointed off to the side, "Ryan and Kelsi helped me put this together to explain to her just how I'm feeling. It's a little country, so just roll with me here. Hit it."
Gabriella shrunk back as the band came out and music started to play,
There's brunettes, blonde girls
Blue jeans, string of pearls
Take you on a trip around the world girls
Love has a 1,000 faces
Love has a 1,000 faces
There's debutantes, drama queens
Glued to bride magazines
Half calf, two pump, no whip in the coffee bean
Love has a 1,000 faces
Love has a 1,000 faces
But I see you
Before I ever knew you
Before I ever knew you
I dreamed of you
I dreamed of you
There's small town, itty-bitty
Tomboy in a big city
Turn your head when the light ain't red
Stop traffic, kind of pretty
Love has a 1,000 faces
Love has a 1,000 faces
But I see you
Before I ever knew you
Before I ever knew you
I dreamed of you
I dreamed of you, yeah
You're a storm at night, thunder crashing
Mystery, full of passion
Quiet as a Sunday morning
Change without any warning
Love has a 1,000 faces
Love has a 1,000 faces
But I see you
I see you
I see you
Baby, I see you
And I see you
Before I ever knew you
Before I ever knew you
Before I ever knew you
Before I ever knew you
I see you
He stood in the center of the gym, breathing a little harder than usual. He wasn't sure what to do next. His eyes roamed the crowd but there were just too many students to single her out, "Gabriella," he began, "I'm so sorry for toying with you the way I did. And I don't deserve it at all, but I'd really like if you would be my date at the after party for the game against North High this Friday."
He wasn't sure what would happen next. He almost expected her to stand up, walk down the bleachers and say yes. But she didn't.
Instead she sat frozen in her seat, the magazine in her hands starting to tear as she gripped it so tightly. Her eyes were wide, and she could feel the people around her staring, trying to figure out if they should tell Troy where she was. They were smart not to.
"Thank you." Troy mumbled into the microphone, handing it over to Tudgeman before exiting the gym.
HSMHSMHSM
He waited in the corner just out of sight, watching everyone exit the gym. He was watching for her, "Gabriella." He called out as he saw her walking, her head down and arm linked through Sharpay's.
She stopped and stared at him before unwillingly moving away from Sharpay to Troy, "What Troy?" She sighed.
He scratched the back of his head, "So will you go with me?"
"Troy you don't actually expect me to believe this isn't somehow a part of the game? I wasn't born yesterday. I know the faculty knows about it. I know all the students accept it. What makes you think that I wouldn't think this was just some play? It's not like you revealed a huge secret."
"But Gabriella," he went to interrupt her.
She held her hands up, "I'm sorry Troy, my answer is no. Good luck on Friday." She turned and walked away, leaving Troy standing against the wall wondering what to do next.
Sharpay watched from across the hallway with Zeke, Mandy, Ryan, Kelsi, Chad, Taylor and Jason, "You know what has to happen now?"
They all stared at her, "I don't want to know." Taylor rubbed her temples.
"We have to fix them up with each other." Sharpay stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"No we don't Shar, we should stay out of it." Chad draped his arm over Taylor.
"No we shouldn't. It's scheming time." She put her hands on her hips.
"You aren't supposed to scheme baby." Zeke wrapped an arm around her waist.
"And who's going to stop me?" She asked.
"Not me, I'm in." Mandy nudged Jason who reluctantly nodded his agreement.
"Us too." Kelsi spoke for herself and Ryan.
Zeke held up his hands, "Where Shar goes so goes my nation so of course I'm in."
"Taylor? Chad? Are you with us or against us?" Sharpay asked, crossing her arms.
"Fine, I'm in." Taylor leaned against Chad.
"If Tay's in I'm in." Chad nodded.
"Perfection." Sharpay rubbed her hands together with a grin.
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XOXO
MAS
