I had a thought of being evil and making you guys wait until Monday or Tuesday to post this chapter...but then I realized that I couldn't wait that long. This is the last chapter of the story, this is where Troy and Gabriella's (current) story ends, though there will be an epilogue...With that in mind, I bring you Chapter 10 of Torn.
Thanks to shootingforthestars, bronzedbeautyholic, someonelikeyou10, chelle2911, Midnight113, mummy b, lilmissmonique, Princesssam411, quitarqueen06, ..Seraphina.x., LexiconLust, mishyB, teresa995, daydreamer299 and lol925 for reviewing Chapter 9.
------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 10
The night of East High's Homecoming dance, Troy entered his room and collapsed onto his bed. He had spent the last four hours helping setup a dance that he wouldn't be attending. The best part was that since his parents were chaperoning the dance and Chad was going with Taylor, he would be able to spend a night alone without anyone checking up on him every fifteen minutes.
In the weeks that had passed since his very public breakup with Sharpay and the equally public outing of his summer fling with Gabriella, his parents and Chad had taken it upon themselves to make sure he was ok mentally or, in his psychologist mother's words, have any "suicidal" thoughts.
The breakup had taken place on a Friday and Troy had hoped the weekend would keep rumors from being started, but when he got to school the following Monday and heard whispers in the hall as people stared at him. In the days that followed, he heard everything from that Sharpay had caught him and Gabriella in bed together to Gabriella was pregnant with his baby.
It was the real pregnancy of a freshman cheerleader by the football team's senior quarterback that made everyone forget or at least stop talking about the situation between Troy, Sharpay and Gabriella.
With the East High student body focused on the bigger scandal, Troy was allowed to return to a somewhat normal student. To his delight, Sharpay had transferred out of all his classes except homeroom by the end of the day the truth had come out. According to Chad, Gabriella and Taylor had tried to transfer out of Ms. Darbus' homeroom, but the move was turned down by a vice principal, but they managed to convince Ms. Darbus to move them to another part of the class room, away from Troy and away from Sharpay.
Rolling onto his side, Troy saw the picture of him and Chad holding last year's state championship basketball trophy. He felt like a bad friend for pulling Chad into this mess. It wasn't Chad's fault that any of this had happened and yet he was getting the brunt of the fall out having to go between Troy and Taylor and Gabriella.
He thought back to the conversation he had had with his best friend the day after the event. Chad had stopped by to check on him.
"How ya holding up, Captain?"
"What are you doing here, Chad?"
"I came to see how you were holding up."
"Does your girlfriend know you're here?"
Chad chuckled and sat down on Troy's bed. "Yes, she does. She isn't heartless, Troy."
"I didn't say she was. It's just that I thought with everything that went down yesterday I wouldn't see you for awhile."
"You're my best friend, Troy Bolton. No girl will ever come between us. Taylor gets that. She's never had a best friend, a real one, but Gabriella is really close to becoming her best friend, dude. She gets that while I'm not happy with how you handled things that I need to be there for you. And be your best friend."
And Chad had been. Troy had spent more time with his best friend in the last two weeks than he had in months. They had spent hours playing basketball in his backyard and video games. They had even made much needed repairs to the tree house in Troy's backyard.
While he appreciated Chad's support and companionship, there were times Troy wished his best friend would just leave him alone and let him wallow in self-pity. It had taken him all of five minutes after Gabriella found out the hickie for him to realize that he had just lost the best thing that had ever happened to him and he had no one to blame except himself.
Every time he saw Gabriella in the hall, she would avoid his eyes as they passed or she would turn around and walk the direction she had just come. He was left with the want to talk to her, to hold her, to kiss her. But she would never allow it and he couldn't blame her.
When Homecoming Court nominations were collected, Troy informed his fellow leadership students that he did not want to be nominated and to throw out any piece of paper that had his name on it. When the finalists were picked, Chad's name was among them.
Glancing at the clock on his TV as he setup his Xbox, Troy saw that it was nearly six o'clock. Chad was probably dressed up in a tux and eating dinner with Taylor at a restaurant of her picking. Or so he thought until his door swung open and his curly haired friend walked into the room.
"Get up."
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be eating dinner with Taylor?"
"We're meeting her at the dance." Chad opened Troy's closet and began digging through it in search of the suit he knew Troy had.
"What do you mean we?"
"We're going to Homecoming."
"I'm not going to Homecoming."
"Yes, you are." Finding the suit, Chad pulled it out and tossed it on Troy's bed. "Get dressed. Now."
"What part of I'm NOT going do you not understand?"
"The not part."
"What is so important that I have to be there for?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that me, your most loyal best friend could be named Homecoming King. Or, I don't know, the fact that Taylor convinced Gabriella to go to the dance."
"Gabriella's going?"
Chad nodded.
"But she hates dances…" He sighed. "…almost as much as she hates me."
"Yeah, well Taylor hates dances, too, but Gabriella was nagging on her to be more supportive of my extracurricular activities. So Taylor told her if she was going to the dance then so was Gabriella."
"And this translates into me going how?? Don't you think your night will be ruined if Taylor finds out you made me come tonight?"
"Probably, if this all wasn't her idea."
"Say what?"
"Taylor and I talked decided you and Gabriella need a second chance and here it is."
"She'll bolt the second she sees me."
Chad put his hand on Troy's forehead.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking to see if you have a fever, because you seem to have caught a case of the I'm-a-big-freakin'-pansy bug!"
"I. am. not. a.. pansy."
"Prove it, get dressed and go to the dance."
"Why, Chad? Tell me one good reason why I should go to that dance."
"Because you love Gabriella."
Troy looked at his friend's serious face then at the suit lying on his bed.
"Give me ten minutes."
Chad threw a fist pump into the air and shot a text message off to Taylor.
Fifteen minutes later, Chad and Troy entered the gym lobby. They were a little early since Chad and the rest of the Homecoming Court had to meet before the dance.
"Tell her how you feel." Chad patted Troy on the back before he headed into the gym.
Troy sighed and sat down on the steps to the gym. Chad made the idea of telling Gabriella that he loved her so easy, but Troy knew it wouldn't be.
"Troy?"
He looked up and bit his tongue from groaning out loud when he saw Sharpay standing in front of him. A Homecoming Queen nominee, she was dressed in a bright pink, knee length, halter dress and her hair was pulled back in such a fashion that Troy could only imagine had taken hours.
"Hi Sharpay."
"I didn't think you were going to come tonight."
"Chad made me."
"Look, Troy, I've been meaning to call and talk to you."
"About what?"
She brought her silver purse to her chest and took a deep breath. "I miss you, Troy. We were really good together and I want you to know that I forgive you for cheating on me."
As the lobby's door opened, Troy felt his face being pulled in that direction by an imaginary string. His breath caught in his throat and he forgot all about Sharpay standing next to him when he saw Gabriella enter dressed in a floor length red dress, her dark locks curled.
As if she felt his eyes on her, she looked up and met his briefly before she closed her eyes and turned to talk to Taylor. It wasn't until Taylor shot a glare in his direction that he remembered Sharpay was next to him. Shit.
"Gabriella! Wait!"
-----
Gabriella sighed as she entered a dressing room in the mall for what had to be the tenth time. She still couldn't believe Taylor had convinced, no, guilt tripped, her to attend to the stupid Homecoming dance. A school dance was the last place she wanted to be, especially after everything that happened with Troy.
"How does that one fit?"
Taylor's voice echoing over the door reminded Gabriella of their current mission: finding her a dress. Taylor had been lucky and found a dress in the first shop they had gone to a week ago and Gabriella was still looking.
"I don't think purple is my color, Taylor."
"Just try it on, Gabs, then we'll dissect it and figure out what type of dress is best for you."
Gabriella sighed and pulled put the dress on. She looked at herself in the mirror and had to admit the V-neck cut dress looked good on her. Best news of all was that it wouldn't need to be altered in anyway, which was great news since the dance was tonight.
"Come on, Gabs, lemme see."
With a sigh, Gabriella opened the door and stepped out.
"Oh my god, Gabs, that dress is gorgeous on you!"
"I know, but I don't like the color…maybe if it came in red."
"It does." The sales woman stationed in the changing room area smiled. "Would you like me to get one for you?"
"Yes please." Taylor smiled. "Now turn around, Gabs, lemme check out the dress."
Gabriella sighed and turned slowly for Taylor to get a full look.
"It's beautiful, Gabs."
"You're in luck, Miss, this is the last one." The sales lady handed Gabriella the red dress.
"Try it on, Gabs."
Gabriella stepped back into the changing room and changed into the red dress. Her breath got caught in her throat when she looked in the mirror. This was it. This was really her dress.
"Come on, Gabs! I wanna see."
Gabriella smiled at her friend's whining and opened the door.
"Oh. My. God. Gabs, you look beautiful!"
"Thanks, Tay."
"Go get changed, we have a lot to do before the dance tonight."
After purchasing the dress, they headed to Taylor's house where her sister was waiting to do their hair and makeup. Being an only child, Gabriella smiled and listened in amusement as Taylor and her sister bantered back and forth.
"You two should put your dresses on before I do your makeup."
"Alright, come on Gabs."
They went upstairs and Gabriella put on her dress while Taylor put on her floor length, sateen, sapphire blue dress.
"You're going to knock Chad off his feet."
"Thanks." Taylor giggled and she led Gabriella back downstairs where her sister did their makeup.
An hour later, they were sitting in Taylor's car on the way to the dance when she got Chad's text message.
"Gabs, I need to tell you something."
"Tell me what?"
"Troy might be there tonight."
"Excuse me? You said he wasn't coming."
"I lied…"
"TAYLOR!"
"I know, it was very dishonest of me, but Chad and I know you two need a second chance, and well, this is it."
"Turn the car around."
"No, Gabs, come on. You got a new dress and you got all dolled up. If you don't want to see Troy, I'll tell Chad and he'll tell Troy to stay away."
"Why, Taylor? Why did you do this?"
"Because I know you love him and you'd always wonder what if."
Gabriella was silent for several minutes. "I'll talk if he talks first, but I'm not going to try if he isn't willing."
"That's all I ask."
Taylor smiled at her friend and they soon parked in the school's parking lot.
"Why are we here so early?"
"I have to make sure Chad is dressed appropriately." Taylor smiled then climbed out of the car. She slipped her arm through Gabriella's and they made their way to the gym. She saw Troy standing in the lobby talking to Sharpay and wanted to curse out loud, instead, she distracted Gabriella, hoping Sharpay would disappear before Gabriella saw her.
But her plan failed and she saw the pain cross Gabriella's face, so much for a second chance.
"Take me home."
"Gabs, come-"
"Take. Me. Home. Now."
Taylor nodded and shot a glare in Troy's direction before she placed her hand Gabriella's back.
"Gabriella! Wait!"
Taylor looked at her friend then glanced over her shoulder at Troy. She stopped walking and grabbed Gabriella's arm.
"Let's go, Taylor."
"No, Gabs. You said if he talked first, you'd talk back."
"Taylor, please."
Taylor hated seeing her friend cry, but shook her head as Troy reached them. Spotting Chad come out of the gym, she moved to greet him and give Troy and Gabriella a chance to be alone.
"I didn't come with Sharpay, Gabriella. You have to believe me."
"Why should I believe that Troy?" Gabriella's eyes were full of tears. "Everything you've said to me has been a lie."
"Not everything. I told you things that Chad doesn't even know."
"I fail to see how you taking ballet lessons in elementary school makes up for the fact that you lied to me about having a girlfriend, Troy."
"I messed up, ok? But in the process I realized what matters to me the most." He reached out to cup her chin but she turned away. He sighed and walked over to Sharpay.
"Troy, don't do this." Chad started to move towards his best friend but Taylor grabbed his shoulder.
"Sharpay, I have been trying since last Spring to break up with you. I haven't been happy for a really long time and I don't want to spend another six months pretending I'm happy."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that no, I won't get back together with you. You deserve a guy that can love you and I'm not that guy."
"Are you in love with her?" Sharpay looked from his face to Gabriella's.
"Yes. Yes, I am." Troy turned and headed back over to Gabriella. "Gabriella Montez, my Waterbug, I love you and I have since the moment I laid eyes on you."
"Oh puke!" Sharpay stomped up the stairs, pushing Chad and Taylor out of her way, and into the gym.
"Please say you'll give me another chance, Gabriella. Let me show you who Troy Bolton really is."
"Come on, Gabs, say something!" Chad grabbed Taylor's hand and pulled her into the gym.
"Please, Gabriella."
She nodded slowly. "On one, no two, conditions."
"Anything."
"No more secret girlfriends and no more burning my letters."
"Deal."
"I love you, Troy Bolton."
Troy smiled and cupped her chin as he lowered his lips to hers. This was how it was supposed to be. It was like he had carved into a tree at camp. Wildcat + Waterbug = Love.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's note: My plan is to post the epilogue after Christmas but before New Years Eve. It'll really depend on how quickly I get it written and if my editor is around to take a look over it for me.
