Author's Note: FINALS are over, so I'm posting a chapter. I'm dead from finals, so I think this chapter might have suffered a little---I'm sorry. Always, schoolgirl 101

Chapter 20: Cheat

His heart was beating faster than he had ever imagined it would. He was feeling something with her that he never would have imagined. Being with Lexi made the insides of his heart rise and if he wasn't human, he would have thought he was flying. He loved the way she felt against him---her body perfectly in sync with his own. He loved the way her lips were moist, soft, and---minty. If their relationship hadn't just started---he would have sworn he was in love with her.

He smiled against her lips and kissed her softly.

"Troy," she breathed.

He heard the angelic voice and his eyes shot open in bewilderment. Warm cobalt mixed with deep chocolate-brown.

She wasn't Lexi.

She was Gabriella.

Troy carefully closed his basketball locker and turned to look at Chad as he put on his practice jersey. The day had almost come to a close, and Troy was very glad. He had only seven glimpses of Gabriella that day. A new record for him. His ability to ignore Gabriella was better than he thought. On a plus side for Troy, Gabriella even mysteriously disappeared when lunch rolled around. Gabriella's disappearance left Troy some time alone with Lexi. His girlfriend. His girlfriend that he would never dare to cheat on.

Troy was indecisive at the moment. He wasn't sure if he was going to bring his personal life once again in Chad's business. He had to let his feelings out somehow. And right now, Chad was the only one he could turn to.

"Hey Chad," Troy said casually as he looked at his friend.

"Yeah man?" Chad replied as he tied the laces on his white basketball shoes.

Troy's eyes scanned the locker room, and he quietly listened for any voices. No one. Good.

"Um---how do I say this?" Troy put a hand on the back of his head and looked up at the white ceiling.

"Dude---what's up?" Chad laughed. "You get it? You're looking up at the ceiling? And I'm saying what's up?"

Troy looked at Chad and frowned. "Sure..."

Chad stifled his laughter before looking carefully at Troy. "Seriously though, what's wrong?"

Troy twiddled his thumbs and chose his words carefully. "Have you ever---cheated before?" he half-whispered.

Chad raised his eyebrows at Troy, confusion written on his face. "Is that even a question? Of course I have. Like last week. Damn. I needed to. Taylor wasn't helping me with my needs. I needed to cheat. As simple as that."

Troy's eyes widened. "You cheated on Taylor?!?!" he hissed.

Chad's mouth dropped open and his eyes became big. "Hell no! I thought you were talking about math! Taylor was trying to tutor me, but I still didn't get it! I needed to cheat in order to pass the class. Damn Bolton! I wouldn't cheat on Taylor."

Troy sighed. "You got me fooled for a moment there. Pick your words carefully Danforth."

"I should say the same to you Bolton," Chad replied. "When you ask me if I cheated, I didn't mean you were talking about girls. Maybe you're the horny one after all."

Troy glared. "Not funny man. Not funny."

Chad frowned. "If you're talking about cheating, why are you asking?"

"I don't know Chad. I'm confused. Was---kissing Gabriella---cheating on---you know, Lexi?"

Chad looked at Troy before shaking his head. "Nah. It was just a dare. Any guy could have been in that position. I wouldn't dare call it cheating."

Troy pounded his head against the locker door. "What if---what if it wasn't a dare?"

Silence.

"Fuck! You kissed Gabriella more than once?!" Chad yelled incredulously.

"I didn't mean to---I wanted to shut her up and then I put my lips---" Troy rambled.

"No!!!" Chad groaned. "I told you not to tell me!" Chad screamed as he covered his ears and closed his eyes. He tried to run out of the locker room but crashed into the metal door. "Damn," he muttered.

Troy groaned. "And then at her house---I don't know what happened but---before you know it---we were kissing and rolling around in the bed---"

"La la la la la la la!!!" Chad screamed. "Damn you Bolton! Don't you see that I'm still scarred by watching you guys make-out in front of my eyes! It's like a new form of incest! Or maybe I'm still scarred by the fact that Gabriella loves you!"

Troy froze.

Chad removed his hands from his ears. "Troy---I'm sorry."

"No," Troy stuttered. "Don't be sorry. I fucked up my own life," Troy he replied quietly. " But, Chad---did I---did I cheat?"

Chad once more looked at Troy. Chad had hoped to ignore the question and move on, but that apparently was not an option. Chad sighed and looked away.

Troy looked at Chad and clutched his fists tightly. "Answer me Danforth!!!" he roared.

"Yes," Chad replied in a soft whisper. "You cheated on Lexi."

I guess Troy Bolton isn't so perfect after all. We all knew he didn't play by the rules.

Troy's body slid carefully onto the bench, and he allowed his thoughts to sit. He had never thought he would sink that low as to cheat on his girlfriend. Sure---he could have sex as much as he pleased---as long as there were no strings attached, right? But this was different. There was definitely a string attached.

He sat in a silence for a few more moments. The thoughts ran across his mind in a wild frenzy, but Troy was listening to the only thing that was being processed. As bad as it sounded, Troy didn't care. Troy didn't care if he was dating Lexi, and as bad as cheating was, Troy didn't give a damn.

A small part inside of him knew that if he were given another opportunity, he would cheat again. For her.

And he had no idea why.

"Chad," Troy said as he looked up and back at his afro-friend.

"Yeah man?" Chad asked.

"Would it be cheating if I dreamed about Gabriella too?" he asked quietly his face turning a soft shade of pink.

Chad's eyes widened and he screamed in horror.

Lexi Madison tapped her foot on the wooden gym floor and she shifted her body weight, squeaking her black peep-toe heels against the ground. She glanced at the gym clock for a moment and sighed. Where was Troy?

At a first glance, many saw her as the head cheerleader with the greatest attitude that could possibly fit into one body. Lexi could care less about what other people thought of her. What was important was how she thought about herself. And how Troy thought about her.

Troy Bolton. The name itself sounded perfect. And Troy was all hers. Lexi never would have imagined that having Troy would ever happen to her. She had always guessed there was a little something more to the relationship Troy had with Gabriella, but she must have been wrong. Of course she was wrong. Gabriella and Troy? No. Troy and Gabriella? Never.

Lexi was hopelessly in love with Troy Bolton. And he must have been hopelessly in love with her also. The past days had been pure heaven for her. But where was he now?

She didn't realize when two strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. She felt the warmth of the skin and she giggled softly. "Where have you been?" she tried in a serious tone.

Lexi was about to turn around to look Troy in the eyes when he turned her quickly and placed his lips forcefully onto her own. She shut her eyes, moaned, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Troy just kept on getting better and better.

He kissed her harder and his hand roamed up and down the sides of her body before resting on her lower back. She would definitely forget about him being late. She opened her shining green eyes hoping to peer into his warm blue ones and she pulled back.

"Luke?!" she yelped.

Luke Bensen smirked. "Well hello Lexi."

"You're not Troy!" she yelled.

"I know. I much better than him, right?" Luke grinned before grabbing onto her waist and pulling her towards him.

She struggled in his grip. "Get off! I'm not cheating on Troy!"

"And why not?" his eyes glazed playfully.

"Because Troy and I love each other!" she justified.

"Then why were you kissing me?"

"I thought you were Troy!"

"But I was better---wasn't I?" he questioned.

"No! Of course you weren't! And even if you were---" she paused. "It doesn't matter. I'm with Troy."

"I don't see Troy around here," he smiled as he placed his hand warmly against her own.

She trembled against him. "He's late---so back off."

"You know Troy," he raised his eyebrows. "Is so---I don't know---perfect? He would never be late."

"Shut up Luke. Just go away," Lexi frowned.

"No," he whispered before jerking her towards him and placing his lips once again on hers. Her shocked emerald eyes melted into his own and together they fought.

She jolted away from him. "I told you I'm dating Troy! I'm not going to cheat on him!"

"Why?" he asked clearly frustrated. "He cheated on you."

"What----" she stared at Luke.

"That's right. He cheated on you."

Lexi bit her lip and she glared at Luke. "Troy would never do that."

"Troy would never be late either now would he?" Luke smiled to himself.

Lexi refused to listen to Luke. "I'm not listening to these damn lies," she muttered. "Troy wouldn't even have anyone to cheat with."

"Oh---I can clearly think of one person."

"Who?" she snapped.

"Gabriella."

Her cheeks turned red and she stomped her foot on the ground. "Liar!" Lexi shouted at him.

"Me?" he laughed. "You think I'm the liar? Why don't you explain to me why Troy isn't here then?"

"It's only one time!" she defended. "He could have forgotten, or something important must have came up!"

"I wouldn't cheat on you," he replied sincerely.

She growled at him. "I still think you're a liar."

"And I still think Troy Bolton is a cheater. But you can't change reality, right?"

And then...his lips smashed onto hers.

And she didn't pull away. Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

They do say cheaters never prosper. But by now---everyone is a cheater, and no one will prosper. A word of advice: I wouldn't suggest wearing a jacket. Eternal damnation can get pretty hot.