Chapter 11: Life's ups and downs.

NO ONE'S POV

Sharpay had invited everyone to the Evans' mansion and they had all accepted. Troy watched from afar as both girls, his best friend and his wife were having fun. "Ange, you should talk to him." Josh told his ex-girlfriend. "He's married though." She looked at Troy who was standing at the bar. "Hey Shar, when did you get a bar?" Angela asked. "Ryan got it." Sharpay answered as Angela nodded. "So what if he's married, that's not really important." "You're supposed to know that smart one. You're on his basketball team. Doesn't he tell you almost everything?" This was the reason why Angela hated Josh. He kept telling her every dumb idea that he's got in his head. But he broke up with her instead, before she could even say one word. "Not everything. I heard he chose the ring though…" "He didn't choose the stupid ring Josh! I did." Angela walked away from Josh and headed towards the bar. Ryan walked up to her, along with Katie.

"You seem down…" Katie said. "Thanks for noticing." Angela said sarcastically. "What's wrong?" Ryan wondered when he knew that Katie didn't help at all. "I always have a record of 'bad relationships' and I don't know what's wrong with me. Josh has brown hair and brown eyes, and yet I don't see any future with him. But when I'm with you, I can see myself with you or with someone else that doesn't have brown eyes." She explained to him. "Well, it's life telling you that you haven't found the right guy yet or the fact that you're not trying hard enough." Katie told Ryan she'd go and talk with Gabriella. Once she left, "I always try Ry…" Angela looked towards Gabriella's direction and then back at Troy who was glancing between the two girls every now and then. "Sure you do. Listen, all you have to do is believe in yourself." Ryan hugged her. "You really don't like Katie as much as you like me, don't you?" "No, not one bit. She drives me insane and gets into my personal space. You're much too different to be here. You're more like Gabriella in a couple of ways.

"But it doesn't count when you yell. You and Gabriella are different when it comes to…singing." Ryan pulled back and Angela looked at him confusing. "Singing? What are you talking about?" "Let's do a singing contest. You and Gabriella competing against each other; and we'll see if Troy still loves Gabriella." "I can't sing against her. She's my best friend, but we're in this love triangle mess and I don't know if this'll work out." Angela followed Ryan into the living room. "It will, trust me." Ryan kissed Angela's cheek and walked up to Sharpay, who was busy talking to Gabriella. Troy didn't move or talk to anyone; he just stood there watching the two girls. "Ryan, I can't do this." Gabriella tried refusing, but it was too late. "You know this'll never work out Ry." Angela said to him. "I told you to trust me. It will…" Ryan smiled and gave both girls each a microphone. The girls looked at each other. "You should go first." Gabriella told Angela. "Are you sure?" Angela asked as Gabriella nodded.

After both girls sang a song from their favorite singers, it was time to choose who the winner was. Troy had two choose between the two girls and Angela hoped he would pick Gabriella. After some hard thinking, he finally chose Gabriella and Angela was happy for her. Troy had invited Angela to stay at their house; she accepted. Once they reached their house, which was once Angela's, Angela got comfortable in the upstairs guest room. She looked at the clock and it read, 9pm. She changed her clothes and got in bed, turned off the lights, and fell asleep. She woke up suddenly after having a strange dream and looked at the clock again. 12am; damn… She thought to herself. She got out of bed and headed downstairs after yawning. She was about to walk towards the kitchen, when she had realized the lights were on. It was a good thing she was in the dark, or else the person would've already seen her. She entered the kitchen quietly and saw that it was Troy. He looked up and jumped back. Angela smiled and walked up to him. "You can't sleep?" she asked him.

"No…" he breathed out. "I had a nightmare, but um…I don't want to explain what it was about." She looked down at the food that he had made, which was a sandwich cut in half. "So, why are you here?" she asked him. "I got hungry, you want some?" he held out the plate to her and Angela took the other half from the plate. She took a bite out of it. "This is a good sandwich." She complimented as she sat on the counter. Troy sat down on the counter next to her, after placing the plate in the sink. He smiled. "Gabby never compliments what food I make or what clothes I wear. Why are you so different?" Angela shrugged. "Maybe I just like to compliment people." "You like to compliment a lot of people. Especially me." Troy teased. "I never noticed that." Angela finished her sandwich as Troy finished his. "I should really get some sleep. It was nice talking with you." She smiled as she kissed his cheek and headed upstairs.

The next morning, "I can't believe Troy's still asleep. I wonder why…" Gabriella wondered as she and Angela drank their cups of coffee. "I'm guessing he couldn't sleep last night." Angela agreed, trying to avoid the fact that she couldn't sleep last night either. "Hm…that could be true, due to the stress he's had since you arrived. No offense or anything." "None taken." Angela smiled. "Are you going to leave anytime soon or are you going to stay for a while?" Gabriella wondered. "Probably stay for a while I guess. How are you and Troy by the way?" Angela asked. It took a while for Gabriella to answer that one, but at least Angela had an answer. "We're doing alright. Except we never talk to each other as much since you left. He seemed distant and far away from the rest of us. Do you know what I mean?" Angela nodded. "Yeah; I know what you mean." Neither of them heard the door open while they were talking and that they didn't see Troy enter. Angela looked up, "Oh my god! Troy, are you alright?" Gabriella looked as well. "You don't look well. You should go back to bed." Gabriella agreed. Angela stood up and gave him a glass of water. "Here, drink water. It might help." Troy refused.

"Troy, I don't want to see you like this. Drink it." Angela gave the glass to him. Troy finished the glass and gave it to Angela. 'Are you happy now?' He asked but no voice came out of his mouth. Angela was really surprised. "Yes I'm happy, but you can't talk." She headed into the living room and dialed Josh & Chad's phone number. But Chad's was obviously first. Both guys arrived and met up with Troy and the girls in the living room. "Are you sure he can't talk?" Chad asked. Angela and Gabriella nodded at the same time. "Dude, say something…" Josh said to Troy. 'Like what?' Troy mouthed. "We have to bring you to the hospital." Troy shook his head in response to Chad's statement. Angela kneeled down beside Troy. "Please do it for us Troy. Do it for Gabriella." He looked at her. "We're worried about you. Please?" he shook his head again. Angela sighed and whispered in his ear. He looked at her again like she was crazy. "You have to tell them sooner or later and I won't do the job for you." He sighed. Angela stood up and grabbed his arm as she led him upstairs. "So you don't want to go the hospital?" Troy shook his head. She sat on her bed. "Tell me why." She gave him a piece of paper and a pencil.

It read, 'Why should I go to the hospital? There's only one way to solve this problem. Stay in bed. That's what they all tell me. I've had this problem since I was 5 years old and my mom had the same problem. My dad was always by her side no matter what and that he had brought her to the hospital; they had told her to stay in bed.' "So you're going to do the same exact thing that your mom had done?" Angela asked him as he nodded. "Did she get better?" 'She did get better because my dad was there for her whenever she needed something.' "Oh… don't you want Gabby to be there for you?" Troy nodded, but put down on the paper. 'I want you both to be there. You wouldn't mind, would you?' Angela smiled as she shook her head. The two headed downstairs and walked into the living room. "Troy doesn't want to go to the hospital. He wants to stay home in bed, but he wants Gabriella to take—"Troy lightly nudged her as she looked at him. "Gabriella and me to take care of him…" Troy smiled as Angela smiled back. "Why can't he just go to the hospital?" Chad asked. "Ask Troy." Angela said as she grabbed her car keys. "You still have your car here?" Josh asked. "Yeah; I have to get something. I'll be back soon." Angela headed out the door.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital Troy?" Gabriella was worried about her husband. Troy nodded. He was helpless now, well not exactly, he just couldn't talk. 10 minutes later Angela came back and sat down beside Josh. "Did you get anything?" Josh asked her. "Yeah; but it's in my car." Angela pointed out the door. Chad stood up and walked outside to get the 'thing' Angela said she would get. He came back and threw it to Angela. 'My cape?' Troy asked her. Angela smiled and nodded. "Why do you have Troy's cape?" Gabriella wondered what Angela was going to do. In so many ways, she knew Angela could bribe someone to get what she wanted. But she hoped that Angela wasn't doing this for herself and that she was doing it for everyone. "You have to go to the hospital Troy. Gabby and I are really worried. I bet the others will be worried to if they found out." Troy sighed and stood up. 'Fine…' He walked over to Angela and tried getting the cape from her, but she kept pulling it away from his grasp.

"I'll give it to you when we get there." She said mischievously.