Ok, Chapter 12 is here! This chapter is going to make Jordan love me again! (Mhmm! -Jordan)
Part of this chapter is dedicated to Kelsey and part of it is dedicated to – of course – Jordan. I'll tell you at the end what parts are dedicated.
In the meantime, let us read!
Enjoy!
Chad dropped the basketball he had been dribbling. Troy's jaw dropped and his eyes widened.
Chad's first impulse was to punch Ryan, but he restrained himself.
Troy noticed Chad tense up and stepped between him and Ryan.
"Ryan, what are you thinking?!" Troy waved his hands wildly.
"She's my girlfriend!" Chad said over Troy's shoulder.
"I can't help who I like!"
"She's my girlfriend!"
"Look, I'm not trying to break you two up, I swear!"
"She's my girlfriend!"
"Chad! New phrase, please," Troy closed his eyes.
Chad just stood there fuming.
"Chad, I'm not trying to date Emily, I promise."
"Ryan, It might be best if you go," Troy told him.
Ryan slowly backed out of the gym. His face held the genuine look of apology.
"Chad, just breathe," Troy put his hands on Chad's shoulders.
Chad slapped his hands away. He stormed into the cafeteria and found Ryan, Natalie, and Emily laughing.
He tensed up even more in the doorway.
Ryan saw Chad and pointed him out to Emily. She turned around laughing, but stopped once she saw Chad. She stood up and walked slowly to him.
"We need to talk," she whispered. Emily took Chad's hand and led him up to the roof.
"They'll be okay," Gabriella told Troy as they watched Emily and Chad walk to the roof.
"I hope so," Troy said.
"Don't worry," Gabriella gave him a hug.
Troy instantly felt better and returned the hug.
"I love you, Gabriella."
"I love you, too," she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I screwed up," Ryan announced.
"You didn't screw up," his sister told him.
"What if Em and Chad break up?!"
"Then, we can't do anything about it," Sharpay took another bite of her salad.
"But they won't break up," Natalie gave Sharpay a look.
"How do you know?" Ryan asked.
"They love each other, Ryan. Plus, you've seen all the stuff they've survived: Alleged cheating, rumors, beatings, set-ups…"
"Ok, I get it, Nat."
"Sorry," she looked down.
"…But thanks. You made me feel better," he smiled at her.
Natalie felt the blood rushing to her cheeks and she smiled shyly.
"Natalie?" Ryan asked after a moment of silence.
"Yes, Ryan?"
"There's a new French restaurant just outside of town. Would you care to accompany me?"
"I'd like that," she replied with a smile – in French, of course. ((A/N: SEE! I fixed it!))
"So, are you breaking up with me or what?" Chad said once they got to the roof.
"What?" Emily said somewhat shocked.
"Gonna dump me for Ryan?" Chad looked down angrily.
"Chad, I would never do that. I love you," she gently touched his cheek.
"Then why are we up here to 'talk'?"
"Ryan told me about you getting angry. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
((A/N: Breaking Free JUST came on my iPod! Irony!))
Chad's only response was a sigh.
"Chadinater, talk to me," she looked into his eyes.
"Well Troy told that you guys were best friends and then Ryan said he liked you, and I don't know, I just panicked."
"Why would you panic?" she looked confused.
"I don't wanna lose you, Em. I can't," he looked down.
Emily hugged him tight. Chad held her close, never wanting to let go.
"You won't lose me," she whispered in his ear, "I promise."
"Hey, bro!" Emily ran into Troy's room.
"What are you doing? Can't you read the sign on the door?"
"Oh you mean the one that says 'Basketball Boy Troy' ?"
"No…"
"Or the one that says 'Basketball X-ing' ?"
"Nope…"
"OH, the one that says 'I confide in my showerhead' ?"
"No…wait, I don't have on of those!"
"You do now," Emily smirked.
"Emily Katherine Bolton!"
"Yes, Troy Alexander Bolton?"
Troy glared at her and she glared back. The two kept straight faces for a whole three minutes. Then, the two burst into fits of laughter.
"What are you doing in here, seriously?" Troy said once their laughter subsided.
"Just…visiting," she replied.
"You're bored," Troy turned back to a sheet of notebook paper in front of him.
"TROY! Can't a sister just come and visit her brother for no apparent reason?" she said in mock astonishment.
"Yes, but you are not that said sister."
"What's that?" Emily leaned over his shoulder to read what was written on the notebook paper.
"Nothing," he quickly put his trig book on top of it.
"Aw, come on, let me see!"
"Go back to your own room!"
"NEVER!" Emily said dramatically.
"I'll convince Dad to give you your cell phone back," Troy cooed.
"Bye!" Emily ran back into her room.
"Girls," Troy rolled his eyes and shook his head.
Emily sighed and plopped onto her bed. Her homework was finished and she had read every book on the bookshelf.
Then, she looked under her bed and pulled out a small trunk. Inside it, were pictures of her family, especially her mom, – since she didn't see her, like, ever – assorted pieces of jewelry from past relatives, and other keepsakes. There was a book of fairy tales – right next to the copy of The Little Mermaid Chad had given her – that her grandmother had given her before she passed away. It was very old fashioned looking, and that's what Emily loved about it.
There was an even older book on top of it. It was this book Emily picked up. The cover was worn, its edges fraying and pages yellowing. One could barely make out the lettering on the front.
"Romeo and Juliet," Emily read aloud.
Suddenly, she heard something hit her window. She turned and shook it off, thinking it was nothing. She looked back at the book and heard the sound again.
Emily stood and walked to the window. Her face lit up and she smiled as she opened the window.
"Chad Edgar Danforth, what on earth are you doing down there?"
"I heard you were bored," Chad smirked.
"I'll be down in a second," Emily smiled and closed the window.
She made a mad dash for the stairs, but first went to her brother's room and gave him a hug.
"Thanks for calling him," she whispered.
"No prob, sis."
Emily ran down the stairs and quietly shut the front door.
She looked around, but couldn't see him. Suddenly, her eyes were covered. Emily slapped the hands away as images of Michael and Alex flooded her mind.
"Emster, it's me," Chad's voice said quietly.
Emily's only response was her breath quickening.
"You okay?" Chad walked in front of her with a look of concern crossing his face.
"Yeah, just bad memories," she closed her eyes to erase the flashbacks from her mind.
"Shh, it's okay now," he held her close.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," she nodded her head and gave him a weak smile.
"Come on," he smiled and took her hand.
He led her to the creaky tree house in his backyard.
"This thing's going to fall apart one day," Emily joked.
"Oh shut up and get up there," Chad laughed.
Emily climbed up and moved over so Chad could get up.
His head appeared in the opening and Emily noticed a wince on his face.
"What's wrong, babe?" she asked as he situated himself beside her.
"Just my knee. It's been hurting," Chad massaged his right knee.
"You should see a doctor."
"Emster, it's fine. I probably just pulled something."
"And it could get worse with you playing basketball," Emily gave him a stern look.
"Emster, I'm fine," he pulled her close, "Besides, tonight's about you, not me."
Emily smiled and leaned against him.
Emily awoke in the middle of the night, leaning against Chad.
"Oh my God. Chad! Chad, wake up!" she shook him.
"What? What's wrong?" he said groggily.
"I'm dead. That's what's wrong!"
"Huh?" he blinked his eyes open, "Oh my God. What time is it?"
Emily picked up Chad's phone.
"It's 11! Oh God, I'm so dead!"
"Looks like Troy called…six times."
Chad helped Emily down the tree house and the couple made a bee line for the Bolton house.
Troy was sitting on the porch swing outside with his arms crossed and his cell phone by his side.
"So glad you decided to come home, Emily," he sneered as the couple ran to the house hand-in-hand.
"I fell asleep. I'm so sorry. Does Dad know?"
"No, I covered for you."
"Oh, thank you so much!" she gave her brother a big hug.
"Care to explain what you were doing?"
"I told you: I fell asleep," Emily repeated.
"A likely story," Troy pushed Emily behind him; separating Chad and Emily.
"Dude, what are you doing? We didn't do anything," Chad said.
"Chad, you're a teenage boy. Don't give me that crap."
"TROY!" Emily interjected.
"I think you need to go now, Chad," Troy said stiffly.
"I thought you were my friend," Chad's voice began to fill with anger.
"Funny, I could say the same thing about you."
"I didn't do anything to you!"
"I thought I could trust you with my sister!"
"You can, because we didn't do anything!"
"Hello, yeah, I'm right here," Emily said.
"Goodnight, Chad."
"I'm not going anywhere," Chad snarled through his gritted teeth.
"Chad," Emily's soft voice called, "Go home. It's late."
"Fine," Chad said angrily, "Night, Emster."
"Emily," Troy started once they were inside.
"Don't talk to me," Emily headed for the stairs.
"You can't just do something like that and not talk about it!"
"We didn't do anything! We were talking and I fell asleep! Sorry if I didn't meet your expectations!"
"What?!"
"I'm not always like you! Everyone treats me as though I'm a 'mini-Troy'. Well I'm not! I'm sick of leading your life! I want my own for a change!"
"Emily, what…?"
"Don't act like you don't know!"
"You're just saying this because I caught you!"
Emily laughed in disbelief.
"Just because you slept with Gabriella does not mean I slept with Chad!" Emily shrieked and stormed up the stairs.
"Emily!" Troy followed her, "That's a lie and you know it!"
"Go away! I hate you!" Emily slammed the door in his face.
Ok, first off: Troy didn't sleep with Gabriella. Emily's just mad. Just to make that clear.
Ok, now for my shout-outs/dedications.
For the Ryan/Natalie (aka: Rylie) I must say that is dedicated to Jordan!
For the scene where Chad is outside Emily's window I must say that is dedicated to Kelsey!
For reading this chapter and showing me my mistakes in the first place I must say I have to give a shout-out to Haleigh! (Ooh, me too. HI HALEIGH! -Jordan)
And then for the part where Troy thinks Chad and Emily (aka: Chadly) did something I must say that is dedicated to Kelsey! And Jordan!
(HEY! I NAMED RYLIE AND CHADLY! -Jordan)
Also, shout-outs to my oh so wonderful reviewers! Love you guys!
Ok, I'm done now!
Review!
JORDAN SHUT UP!
