Today is my birthday so because of that I will put up this one before bed so enjoy guys and happy New Year!!!

Gabriella walked across the stage and towards the back. Looking around at the furniture on stage she took a deep breath and sighed. "Christmas is two weeks away and all I have is a lay out and program that changes five minutes." Lifting her hands she sent a prayer to the lord. "Please don't let this Christmas go down in flames,"

When there was no answer or any signs that she'd been heard Gabriella shrugged her shoulders and looked at the program one more time. Everyone was doing their own version of a Christmas song and at the end everyone was coming back out to take part in happy holidays.

It was Wednesday and there was no word from Troy or Teddy. Something about the situations she knew was going to go away so quickly. After her and Troy talk in the bathroom she excused herself from the group and left for the night. The next day she went with James to a movie. She couldn't say that James didn't remind her of Troy because in more ways than one he felt like he was a twin to Troy. She almost made the mistake of calling him Troy but luckily she didn't. That kiss had her head reeling and she wasn't down from the cloud yet.

"What am I doing?" she said placing her fingers on her temples. She didn't want Troy in her life. she didn't want to be attracted to him, she didn't want to think about ten times a day or constantly compare him to James. "Stupid kiss." She mumbled as she kicked the couch.

The stage was empty and Gabriella looked walked over to the piano where Kelsi was going to playing all the music for the performance. Her own musical performance with James, Gabriella let a small smile tug at her lips. There was something about him that her feel so warm and nice. Like they were good for each other, Walking back over to the couch she hummed a little song.

Martha and Ryan came on to the stage just as Gabriella plopped herself on one of the couches.

"Whoa, this place looks so Christmas dinner at grandma's." Ryan said pausing to look around at the room in red green and white. The fake wood work on the fake fireplace, the Christmas tree, the automatic candles everywhere.

"Is that good?" she said lifting her clip board.

Martha wheeled the fashion cart forward. "It pretty Brie, it really is."

"We finished all the outfits." Ryan said with a smile as he pulled out some of the dresses. "Some of our best work here." He said holding out some outfits.

"They look so pretty." She said lifting herself from her spot. "I think this might actually work out."

"Yeah," a voice from the bottom of the stage said. "Because, it wasn't going to work with you at the helm."

Gabriella turned to see James standing there with a smile. "Honestly, brie, this is all over done if anything." He said looking around the stage.

"Thanks you guys." She said with a smile as she looked around.

"Hey ready to go over the song today?" James said walking over to the piano. "Got to practice our vocals."

"Don't you have your own practice?" Gabriella said with a smile. "you know orange ball in the netted hoop thing."

James let out a laugh and shrugged his shoulders. "I rather be here practicing with you."

"And I rather you be out there doing that captain thing." She said placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Co captain." He corrected. "Chad is still the actual Captain for now." James wrapped his hands around her waist.

Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. "I don't want the coach on your case." She said with a small pout. "I can't wait to cheer you on and to do that you have to stay on the team." She smiled.

"Alright, alright, you win." He said chuckling in surrender. James placed a kiss on her forehead before making is way out of the auditorium.

Gabriella turned her attention back to the costumes and she slowly let the smile creep onto her face as she let her fingers glaze the fabric.

"O- you got it bad." Ryan said with a smile as he let out his own swoon. "To bad it's not him you got it for though." He said pushing the cart off the stage.

Gabriella creased her brows. "What are you talking about?"

Martha nodded and took the cart as Ryan gave Gabriella a look. As soon as the two were alone he looked at her and crossed his arms. "I know, you know, that he reminds you of a certain someone." He said looking at Gabriella pointedly. "Down to the way he holds you."

"Your wrong, James isn't like Troy." Gabriella said with a frown. "James is everything Troy wasn't and he is more of a man then Troy's ever going to be." she said crossing her arms. "he won't run away from his problems, make the people around him feel two feet tall because he thinks he so god like." Gabriella looked at Ryan with a raised brow. "Troy was a coward and he was immature, he let me go." She said with a shrug. "His lost."

Ryan let out a sigh. "Right, stick to that story; soon you're going to believe." He said making his way off the stage.

Gabriella rolled her eyes as Ryan disappeared from sight.

Troy leaned back in his chair as he waited for the coach who was still on the court. He was sitting in the office, in the same chair where he quit. And now he was about ask for his spot back. or at least weigh his options. Seeing James walking around with a basket ball made him cringe and he was sure if it was a territory thing or a Gabriella thing but he didn't want James to come on top. The only Troy knew how to stop it was to beat him at his own game.

Troy had to be captain, his father's death or not. He wasn't just going to give up his old life to someone like James. He couldn't give it up. It was everything Troy worked so hard for. James didn't practice all weekend long for a whole year on his basket ball skill to make the team, James didn't get to be promoted to captain after two months of being on the team.

James didn't even know the real Gabriella. Like the fact that she rather be doing anything else then pretending to be the winding performance doll her parents expected her to be. James didn't know that Gabriella had a distinctive tone whenever she wasn't right. How was he going to know when something was wrong with her?

And now with the racing, was she crazy, did she want to be killed. Throwing her life out there on the street so that she could take part in some joy ride… Troy closed his eyes and let his head drop into his hands. He was doing the same thing; he was risking his life for the thrill of feeling something. Ever since his father death he felt nothing inside, and being on that bike scared him, it made him feel and it made him feel power because when drove he made it personal. He made it more than just a bike ride, how could he make her stop doing it just because he thought she might get hurt.

Hell if anything she was going to someone else. Her driving was controlled but had no sincerity in it. It was all about her and winning. She needed to remember that the other bikes were people and dispensable bodies on little tykes.

He knew exactly what he had to do.

"Hey Bolton I'm sorry to keep you waiting." He said with a smile. "So I hear your looking for your spot back?"

"Yes sir."

"Think you're ready for it?"

Troy looked at the coach and took a deep breath. "Coach, I'm never going to know until I get out there and try."

"Well, your right about that." leaning on his desk he put the clip board down. "Your mother told me it took you 6 months to even pick up a basket ball."

"Well I picked it up," Troy said looking up at the coach. "Nothing happened."

"What did you think would?"

Troy looked off to the side and then back at the coach. "Am I on the team or not coach?"

"Slow down Bolton, I'll give it to you." Coach said holding out a hand. "One condition,"

"What?"

"Help Turner on his free throws and hang ups."

Troy shut his eyes and felt a scowl on his face form, but before he did he opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll be happy to help him out."

"Welcome back Bolton."

"Thanks coach,"