second to last chapter for today
I had somehow managed to survive the week. It had become a ritual for us three girls to walk in together and then meet the boys at one of our lockers. Neither Troy nor I felt the need to rub our relationship in anyone's face, so we kept it on the 'down low' as Chad had said. I was fitting into the school more and more each day. I had even started to stay awake during most of Ms. Darbus' classes. It was a big improvement for one week.
And I even made some new friends. One thing that helped, was the basketball team 'accidentally' telling most of the student body how cool I was and that I even stood up to Natalie. For some reason she hadn't been at school all week, but the word on the street was that she was back. And she was pissed.
It was finally lunchtime on Friday. I had just endured a very painful lesson of biology with Sharpay. I was pretty much learning everything the teacher told us, and then re-teaching it to Sharpay in, well, 'Sharpay language'. It wasn't really her strongest subject. We had some good laughs though… and then got in trouble for them…
'The gang', which I was now officially part of, was sitting at their usual table when we heard;
"Oh Trooooy! Im baaaack!"
I could almost hear the entire cafeteria groan
"Did she really have to come back to school? Senior year was goin so great until now" troy grumbled
"Don't worry. Gabi's here now. She'll scare her away" laughed zeke
"Troy sweetie, have you missed me?" Natalie asked as she placed a hand on Troy's shoulder
"I wouldn't do that if I were you" I warned, Continuing eating my lunch, not even looking at her
"Oh its you"
"Yeah it's me. And im still troy's girlfriend" this time I turned to look at her. I could feel every pair of eyes in the cafeteria staring at the two of us
"Look Natalie. Im never gonna go out with you. So just leave" Troy said as he pulled her hand off his shoulder and then wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I think he was actually trying to hold me down so I wouldn't do anything stupid. He had been on the other end of my bad temper once or twice. He knew what Natalie was in for.
Completely ignoring Troy, she turned to look at me, "you know that day at the mall, I was just giving you a chance to come to your senses. Troy is mine"
--
"Hello? Im right here. I can hear you. And I'm not yours"
"What are you on about Troysie?" she said as she turned to me with a smile, "you said you were mine that time we went on a date"
"One date! Two years ago! You were a guaranteed lay! That's all. And to be honest, you sucked"
The whole cafeteria gasped. Everyone knew (pre-Gabriella) that I only dated girls for one thing. Even though I never said it out loud, it was a known fact. Telling Natalie to her face that she was only ever one thing to me was the ultimate burn for her. She had thought she was special to me. And that wasn't my fault. I had told her so many times that she didn't mean anything to me. I hoped this time she would finally get it
"Baby you don't mean that" she said pouting as she tried to move closer
Obviously not
"Yeah I do. You were just sex. Very bad sex"
"I think you should leave now, with the little dignity you still have" Gabriella said as she stood up to stand between me and Natalie. I took this as my chance to turn and look at the others. They were just sitting there with their mouths hanging open.
"You are really starting to get on my nerves" Natalie said as she took a step closer to Gabriella
I could sense a cat-fight starting. And I knew Gabriella was almost past the point of controlling her temper. If Natalie didn't leave soon, she would have to be carried away.
"You really have to get over the fact that Troy doesn't want you. This isn't Punk'd. This is real life"
"If you're not careful im gonna…"
"You're gonna what? Beat me up? Id like to see you try" Gabriella laughed
I stood up, staying slightly behind Gabriella, and rested my hands on her shoulders trying to calm her down. I heard the sound of chairs scraping the floor, and pretty soon the rest of the basketball team, and some other students were standing behind Gabriella and me.
"Oh isn't this just sweet! Little Gabriella thinks she rules the school" I could tell that Gabriella was concentrating so hard on controlling her temper that she hadn't noticed the extra support she had gained
"Ill say this one more time. I suggest you leave"
"Come on! You can't seriously think im gonna leave just cos you told me to"
Suddenly, a big bowl of spaghetti landed on Natalie's head. I don't know who threw it, but thank god they did. She stood there, gobsmacked and then let out a screech before running out of the room. Suddenly the room erupted in laughter and cheers. People were hugging Gabriella and telling her she was wonderful. I had a feeling her senior year at East High was gonna be great.
Once the crowd had separated and everyone had gone back to their own seats, Gabriella sat down
"Well that was interesting" Zeke offered
"Heaps better than at the mall" Taylor laughed
"Girl you are awesome" Sharpay added
"So I guess that makes you my knight in shinning armour?" I whispered in her ear
--
"I guess it does"
Troy kissed my cheek and then sat back up to continue eating his food
"So you used her for sex then?"
"Yeah I guess"
"Then this is for her" I whispered as I tipped my bowl of chocolate pudding on his head. His shoulders drew up as he the pudding began to drip down his neck.
"It is so on" he said before he flicked his spaghetti at me. Ducking I managed to miss it, but it did end up on Chad
"What was that for?!"
Troy couldn't respond cos he was laughing too hard. Chad took the spaghetti off his face and threw it back at troy, this time getting some on me. Laughing I threw it at Sharpay who screamed at the slimy pasta hitting her face. Then the pudding I tipped on Troy, hit Taylor who threw it at Zeke.
"FOOD FIGHT!" some one yelled and suddenly the whole room was filled with flying food
--
The principal decided that the seniors (we were the only ones with lunch at that time) should go home. After all, the food had begun to smell really badly. No one told any of the teachers who had thrown the food first, so no one could be punished. I was quite proud. One week and I already started a food fight.
Troy dropped me home once again leaving me to have an extra long shower and begin my homework.
"You're home early" Kat said as I walked through the door. Once she turned around I heard her gasp. "What happened?!"
"Uh… long story?"
"Yeah, and you have time to tell it. Your dads gonna be home late" she laughed as she began picking the pasta out of my hair.
"Well I did what you said…"
"When did I tell you to get in a food fight?" she laughed once again
"I stood up to Natalie…"
"Oh? And how did the food fight start?"
Once I retold the story, she could only laugh
"Well that's an original approach"
"Yeah I thought so" I said as I laughed along with her
"Well you better go and have your shower now. You're starting to smell" she said as she went back to her cooking
