Troy's beer was warm in his hands; he'd been nursing it for the last hour in an attempt to look social yet remain sober. Sharpay insisted that they come to this party; she said it was the spot to be and be seen. Although seen by who was yet to be acknowledged? Troy smiled as Sharpay flipped her hair back for the eighth time and she looked at her nails. This date was a bad idea.
"I heard you play base ball," she said looking up at him.
"Yeah when I think when I was seven," he said with a small shrug, Troy looked around at the people here. This was his alternative to picking out car seats and play pens with Taylor and Chad. He should have gone to work, he should have just owned up to his mistake and gone into work.
"There's pizza here," Sharpay said with a smile.
"I know." Troy answered back giving her an odd look. Was he really going to try and forget about everything? Aren't you required by Guy Code to honor your "true friends" above and beyond anything having to do with monetary value and even Sex. Wasn't a "true friend" someone who you can never betray or put your own interests first? Troy searched the crowd, looking for no one and yet disappointed when every burette wasn't her. Lifting the beer to his lips he looked back at Sharpay. He was here with her and she was probably just as miserable as he was. "Do you want to dance or something?"
Sharpay looked up at him with a smile, "Yeah," she said grabbing his hand and leading him into the crowd. Troy placed his beer down before being pulled away, yet something caught the corner of his eye, he thought he saw her but that was impossible, she wasn't here. Was she?
The music was going and Troy was struggling to keep in step with Sharpay as he looked up in a desperate search and then back down at his feet to avoid stepping on her. "So where did you learn how to dance?" Troy asked watching Sharpay roll her hips and then looking back up to where he saw Ryan standing with someone just out of his eye shot.
"Took classes when I was young, I'm a dance and theater major you know." Sharpay came in closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, something that made looking back in Ryan direction damn near impossible.
"Is that so," Troy really didn't care.
"Hey, hey, hey." Jason's voice came over the mic, Sharpay stopped moving and for that Troy was thankful to break from her hold. "I know you're all jamming to the sounds of my awesome band." He said pausing as the applause rolled in from the people enjoying themselves. Troy looked around as he too applauded but wished that he was someone else. "Well, I got a treat for you tonight, how about if we scream a little louder we can get her up here on the stage." Jason said with a smile. Troy followed his eyes and landed to where Ryan was standing. "I know you just walked in babe, but come on up here and help me rock this place out." Jason pointed his finger, "Welcome to the stage a vixen with purpose, Miss Gabriella Montez."
That's when he saw her, she was wearing a pair of jeans and big t-shirt, modest and yet alluring. She had no idea the effect she could have on a man.
"Go Gabi!" Sharpay cheered beside him, Troy took a step to the side as to stay out of view as if she could hear Sharpay out of the crowd of cheering people. The music started and she dropped her bag off to the side.
"One song, buddy." Gabriella said poking him with her index finger.
"All I need." Jason said with a smile.
(Stars Tonight By Lady Antebellum)
Girls in their heels and a skinny pair of blue jeans Jason lead
Boys in black pearl buttons looking just like Springsteen Gabriella followed
Mama says why you wanna play in a silly rock 'n' roll band
Well, if you stood here mama, I know you'd understand, yeah
It's the lights, it's the high
It's the roar of a crowd on a Friday night
And everybody's screaming out, yeah, yeah, yeah
And everybody sing it out, yeah, yeah, yeah
Troy looked up at his best friend fist pumping and singing along as people clapped. She always did make and entrance. Gabriella was a ballsy woman, someone who would make herself the center of attention on the drop of dime and not by trying at all. Something about was naturally pretty, naturally likeable and if you were some one she smiled at you were worth something in this life.
Get on your feet if it feels good, it feels right
'Cause we're all stars tonight
So sing it out, yeah, yeah, yeah, hey, hey
Let's get a little rowdy, gonna party all night long
And boys sway with your girls when we play a little slow song
Put your hands in the air, shine a lighter or a cell phone
You better buy another round, we ain't going home
Sharpay grabbed him by the waist and began to jump up and down as she danced along, in a way she must have thought was seductive. Troy honestly feared for his life.
On the floor, in the stands
Tonight we're all in the band
And we're screaming out, yeah, yeah, yeah
And everybody sing it out, yeah, yeah, yeah
Get on your feet if it feels good, it feels right
'Cause we're all stars tonight
So sing it out, yeah, yeah, yeah
Troy jumped along trying his best to fit in the entire time his eyes wonder back to the stage watching her hair flap around and her lips against the microphone. He watched her hand as it rested against her stomach, Gabriella had the kind of voice that gave anyone goose bumps.
Everybody's screaming out, yeah, yeah, yeah
Everybody sing it out, yeah, yeah, yeah
And everybody scream it out, yeah, yeah, yeah
And everybody sing it now, yeah, yeah, yeah
Get on your feet if it feels good, it feels right
'Cause we're all stars tonight
So sing it out, yeah, yeah, yeah, hey, hey
Yeah, yeah, yeah, hey, hey
Whoa, yeah
She was off stage when the song was over and she already had a beer in her hand when he walked over to her.
"Brie?"
"Oh my god that was amazing!" Sharpay voice made him wince and he looked the other way as soon as her eyes landed on him.
"Troy? Sharpay?" she sounded surprised.
"I love your voice you are so talented," Sharpay praised.
Troy watched her lift the beer bottle high as she chugged about a half of it down. Once she was done she nodded, "Thanks," she said with a shoulder shrug.
"One day I plan to be a dancer, I just hope I have that amount of courage."
"Something tells me you will," Gabriella humored her, the sarcasm was dripping from her voice and Troy could read the dislike in it. Too bad Sharpay didn't get the message.
"You're here with Ryan right?"
Troy looked up at her in time to see the brown in her eyes looking straight at him. "Yes, he's my date." Gabriella smiled and she shrugged her shoulders. "Speaking of which, you played hooky tonight to be here didn't you." Gabriella gave a small chuckle. "Nice,"
Sharpay giggled. "It was his idea, he wanted to catch a movie and then hit up the party."
Troy looked off to the side of the hall; he wanted to spend the evening alone until she showed up on his doorstep. Sharpay was a determined woman and Troy was a man who hated making a woman frown.
"No worries, I handled everything fine." Gabriella looked over at him again. "I'm going to go find my date and maybe get another beer."
"Alright," Sharpay said hugging Troy's arm. Troy watched walked away grabbing another beer and drowning it instantly, so much for handling things the right way.
After an hour or so Troy leaned back on the wall as he waited in line for the bathroom, he only been able to escape from Sharpay's grasp for a little while and he was keeping an eye out for Gabriella. It was a small house party, how on earth she managed to stay so hidden was almost annoying seeing as how he could almost make it a hobby finding her in a crowd. It was as she was purposely staying out of his sight or reach and he couldn't blame her, but it did make him any less annoyed.
"I don't think so," the voice was playfully high in sing song and he turned instantly as he spotted Gabriella at top of the stairs with some guy he didn't know.
"Come on where all that sexy talk now?" he asked pushing her against the wall. Troy looked away she drunk, she could barely hold herself up.
"I never said I'd sleep with you," she said with a hushed voice. "I said I wasn't drunk enough to sleep with you." There was that blunt honesty he loved so much.
"Is that so," there was silence for a moment and Troy stole another glance. The guy had his hand at her waist and his tongue down her throat. Hike spikes of raged ran though his blood and he tore his eyes away and stepped up as the line for the bathroom moved.
"Knock it off," she muttered as pushed him away. "God, I'm not some kind of slut."
"That's not what I heard," the guy came back at her and Troy heard someone from behind him mummer a slur.
"Hey man she said no, go find someone else." a voice from behind him attempted.
Troy fists were tight as he felt his nails digging into his palms. This wasn't his business, he wasn't her keeper and she was no longer his problem. Troy took a deep breath, he wasn't going to keep doing this forever, just letting her use him. Knowing that he'd always be there to save her or take her home. He had the right to move on.
"You stay out of this," the guy shot back.
"I'm going back downstairs; I got to find Ryan." Gabriella voice was bubbly as she giggled. "I need to lie down."
"Let find a room," the guy said pulling her from the wall.
"No," Gabriella voice was low. "You're an asshole."
There was another pause of silence and Troy didn't turn around, he didn't want to see. Then suddenly he saw them walk by the guy holding Gabriella up by the waist. Troy looked up at the ceiling and his control snapped. In two swift strides he hand was on the door before the guy could shut it.
"I don't think she want to party tonight." Troy said using all his force to push the door open.
The guy stumbled back and Gabriella who was sitting on the floor brought her knees up to her chest. "Hey look she's just a little out of it," the guy said with a shrug. "You know how females are."
"I also know an ass hole when I see one." Troy lifted his fist and punched the guy in the face. This time the guy stumbled back into the wall. "Don't move." Troy voice was sharp as he stared at the guy who was looking at the blood on his fingers from his nose. "Get up." he said turning to Gabriella.
"Troy you didn't need too," her voice was low it trailed off.
"Get up." he didn't look at her this time he looked back at the guy who was staying put. He heard her shuffle and then the air brushed past him as she wobbled out of the room and into the hall. Troy took a step closer to the guy, "If you try that again, I'll put you in a grave myself." The guy nodded and Troy looked around the room and then back at him. Without another word he walked into the hall no sign of Gabriella anywhere he made his way downstairs.
"Hey?" Ryan called to him as he came to the landing.
"Hey," Troy stopped and looked at him pushing his anger aside. "You see Gabriella?"
"I'm not sure," Ryan said shoving his hands in his pocket. "I was kind of hoping you had, she promised to be my wing man but I can't find her."
Troy paused and held up a hand. "Wing man?" he looked around again for any sign of her. "You mean the two of you aren't on a date."
Ryan let out a sigh. "Dude I'm not as dumb as I look, I know there something going on between you and her."
Troy looked back at him with a confuse frown had Chad said something?
"I'm right aren't I," he said with a small smile. "It's alright, she not really my type away."
"Sharpay know?" Troy said in low voice.
Ryan let out a laugh, "Sharpay only thinks of Sharpay," Ryan said looking out on the dance floor. "Beside I think that ship as has sailed."
Troy glanced over and saw Sharpay and Zeke dancing against each other very slow, his hands were below her waist and she hands around his neck they're eyes connected. "Well at least she won't notice I'm gone."
"If she does, I'll tell you bowed out gracefully."
Troy looked around again searching for Gabriella.
"She might have left I saw her grab her backpack and walk this way, hence our bumping into each other." Ryan said shifting his weight.
"Thanks."
Troy walked outside to see and pulled his car keys out of his pocket and paused when he seen a figure in the grass, suddenly he heard sobs and he felt everything inside him break. Every year around the same time she was always upset. Valentine's day was next week and he could image it was the reason why she was on edge. It was the only time he ever saw her cry.
"Brie," he said standing beside her and looking down as she covered herself from his view. "Brie, it's alright, it's going to be alright.
"Don't feed me that bullshit!" she said in frustration as she looked up at him. "Nothing is alright, nothing has ever been alright."
"Gabriella," he came down to the grass with her.
"I'm tired," she said her eyes heavy. "I just want to sleep."
"It's just the beer." Troy said grabbing her hands to help her up. "We're going to get you to bed." Troy paused as he felt a wet slipper surface beneath his palms and looked down in the dark. Her hands were covered in it, her shirt also was wet.
"No," Gabriella pulled back and Troy pulled her to him harder.
"What did you do? What is this?" Troy lifted her sleeves to reveal the cuts on her arms. "Gabriella did you do this?" there was so much blood everywhere; he felt the panic running down his spine. He looked up and her eyes were almost shut and he shook her slightly. "Brie, baby stay with me," he gathered her in his arms and rushed to his car his shirt becoming stained with blood. "I got you brie, don't worry," he put her in the passenger seat and ran around to the driver's seat. "Brie, baby, come on, don't do this to me now." Troy turned the key and engine roared to life without a pause he took off speeding the entire way to the hospital.
