A/N: Thank you for those who have reviewed the last chapter! :)
I think that's the chapter most of you have been waiting…and I hope you'll enjoy it. It has been fun to write, and also different, but I think you'll like it if you've been reading the story since the very beginning. Anyway, you know I accept constructive criticism so…well, I'll like to know what you think about how things are turning out.
Remember that story is ending; I think I'll end it with 4 (or 5 at the most) more chapters…but we'll see how my muse behaves ;) anyway, some of you have asked me if I am going to write a sequel and the answer is no. Sorry if you were hoping for another answer, but I think is better this way and…well, I want to begin with my next story and I know I won't be able to keep up 2 stories at the same time, so I prefer to write only one more or less okay than two badly…
By the way, I am updating now the story because if not, I wouldn't be able to do that until next weekend (in one week and a half), and I don't want to make you wait that much.
Anyway, stop with my rambling. Here is chapter 36. Enjoy! :)
Once Homeroom ended, our gang exited from the classroom still smiling. Outside, they told goodbye to their friends, and our boys walked the girls to their next class.
Taking advantage of the fact that the teacher wasn't there, our four couples remained outside waiting for him to appear.
"I think we should do something special this Saturday." Zeke said while wrapping his arms around Sharpay from behind. "Any ideas?"
"Bowling?" Gabriella said while reaching down to grab Troy's hand.
"Movies?" Taylor said leaning into Chad's shoulder.
"Beach?" Kelsi asked grabbing Jason's arm.
Gabriella tensed. "Beach no."
Troy had noticed her fingers tightening with his and squeezed her hand a little. "Gabi…" His tone reprimanding made her wince.
"I don't want to go to the beach." Gabriella said lowly but stubbornly.
Troy sighed and embraced her body. "Come on, it'll be fun…" He said talking with his lips merely inches apart from her forehead, to after that kiss her there.
"No." She muffled from his chest. "Can't we stay indoors?"
Troy looked up to their friends. The girls were looking at him and Gabriella with sympathy. They knew why Gabriella was so reticent to go to the beach, but they also knew she needed to face her fears in order to get over them.
"I say I want to go the beach." Sharpay said smiling earning a growl from Gabriella.
"Me too." Taylor said nonchalantly.
Kelsi giggled watching Gabriella's pout. "Me three."
"No." Gabriella whined. "I won't go."
"Gabi!" Her three friends whined. "You can't ditch us!"
Just as Gabriella was about to answer, Troy spoke. "Don't worry girls, we'll be there…" He winked at them and then raised his eyebrow when Gabriella's head flashed up from his chest. "Yes?" He asked her playfully.
"I won't go to the beach." She hissed menacingly.
Troy held her look. "You and I will go to the beach this Saturday with our friends, and I don't care what you say. We'll go."
Gabriella pouted. "Please baby," she began to caress his face, "I don't want to go to the beach."
Troy always gave in just with her pout, and she hoped this time it would work the same way. Unluckily for her, Troy was just as stubborn as her. Though he took him all his strength to not fall for her pout, he knew a relaxed Saturday in the beach with their friends would make her some good. Plus, she needed to take another little step in her total recovering. "Too bad then," Troy gave her a goofy grin, "because we are going."
Gabriella disentangled from his embrace and huffed. "Ok then, you all can go to the beach and have your fun; I'll be in my house."
The group giggled at her antics while Troy was looking at her amused. "You won't because you'll be with me, and I'll be in the beach so you will be there too."
Crossing her arms stubbornly, she groaned. "Fine then! I am going to the bathroom. I'll see you now."
And she turned her body to go the bathroom leaving the group behind her. Troy snapped quickly of his dumbfounded state and ran after her. "You know you can't go alone."
"Troy!" Gabriella groaned. "Let me go to the bathroom alone okay? You are not my favourite person right now."
She knew she was being unfair with him, and with their friends, but she couldn't stand to be babysit all the time, with people telling her what she could do and what not. She didn't want to go to the beach, period. So nothing her friends could say would change her mind.
"Baby," Troy softened his voice once he saw she was having a hard time. "Please…don't be like that…"
"No Troy." The resolution in her voice made both wide their eyes in surprise. "I am going to the bathroom alone."
"And I've said you are not going alone." Troy locked his eyes with hers holding them defiantly. In no way Gabriella would be walking alone around the school. Not if it depended on him.
Gabriella stopped and glared at him. "Leave-me-alone." She spoke slowly, punctuating each word so he could take the hint that she was mad at the moment.
"Argh!" Troy groaned. "Ok fine, go alone! See if I care!" And he turned to return to the group was.
Gabriella nodded satisfied and continued her trip to the bathroom.
With Troy and the others
"Are you insane!?" Sharpay shrieked. "Have you utterly lost your mind?"
"Yeah Troy," Zeke said tightening his arms around Sharpay trying to stop her launching herself at Troy. "Gabi can't be alone dude, you know that…"
"Do you really think I am this dumb?" Troy hissed. "I am going to follow her once she turns the corner but I don't want for her to know that, you moron!"
"Oh," Sharpay stopped her wriggling. "Then it's alright."
"Thanks." Troy said with sarcasm while turning his body to see his girlfriend turning the corner just at that moment. "Crap!" And he rushed to follow Gabriella.
The group looked him ran in Gabi's direction dumbstruck. Taylor's head snapped quickly. "What are we waiting for? Come on!" And grabbing Chad's hand, she sprinted following Troy's lead with all the group behind her.
With Gabriella
She was mad.
How dare they to order her around? She was an adult and she could make her own decisions, thank you very much. She was so focused in her inward charade with herself, than she didn't realize Jimmy, Tamera and both crews were in front of the bathroom's doors.
Jimmy stepped forward and stopped her. "Well nerd, it seems we see each other again." His smirk widened when he saw Gabriella's own eyes wide.
However, Gabriella recomposed quickly. She was too mad to be able to think straight and faced Jimmy without thinking twice. "Back off you jerk!"
Tony, the captain of the Tennis Team and one of the biggest jerks in the school was observing the scene. He was not the bully type, but a nerd was talking back to one of his friends. Something should be done. "Hey you stupid!" He said positioning himself beside Jimmy. "You can't talk us this way if you know what's good for you."
"Oh bo-ho-hooo!" Gabriella said, her fears clearly overshadowed by the madness she was feeling inside her at her boyfriend and friends. "What are you going to do? Hit me? Go ahead! Insult me? Oh wait, you are already doing that!" Her words were floating through her mouth as she was spited them.
Jimmy and Tony interchanged a mischievous and amused look. "Do you really know who you are talking to, right?"
That pushed Gabriella. "The biggest jerks in the world!" She poked her finger into both of their chests emphasizing her words. "You know what? I am fed up with you. You always are picking on me and my friends and we are not boxing sacks, you know? We are people; we think; we have feelings. But of course you don't know what that is because you only are people who like to make the others' lives miserable. You don't have any friend, and you won't have any friend acting that way. Maybe I am a nerd; and what? I have a family who loves me to death, I have friends who have my back unconditionally and I have a boyfriend who loves me. Before you pick on me again, maybe you should think about yourselves!"
Our gang had listened Gabriella's speech, and they didn't know what to say. They were looking at Gabriella in awe, like the people who were in the corridor looking the scene. The girls realized Gabriella was talking back to their bullies also in behalf of them, and they also knew the boys would know right away who were the people who had hit them, but they didn't care.
What was important was that Gabriella had been able to stand for herself and her friends. So they decided to go to put themselves beside her. Glaring at their bullies, they imitated the cold faces their boyfriends used while being in the school. "She is right." Sharpay said linking her arm with Gabriella's.
"And she is not alone." Kelsi situated beside Sharpay with a menacing pose.
Taylor knew they had the attention of everyone: some teachers, the boys, Mrs. Darbus…even of Jack Bolton himself. "And here ends your bullying."
Everybody had heard the commotion, and all had gone to investigate what was that about. However, no one said anything; they were looking those four petite girls, who were facing more than ten boys alone; they were telling them to back off, they were defending themselves strongly and fearlessly.
Jack was about to step in when Jimmy took a step forwards the girls but Troy grabbed his arm and shook his head. Mrs. Darbus saw that and went to put herself beside Jack. "It's their time Jack. Let them be for now."
A dumbstruck Jack couldn't speak so he nodded turning his head towards the scene which was taking place in front of him. He had heard some rumours about bullying in the school, but he never had paid attention. Now, the truth fell over him like a cold shower. The daughters of his best friends had been bullied almost in front of him and he hadn't been able to see it. "You knew?" He asked in a strangled voice to Troy and to Mrs. Darbus.
"Yes." Both said softly.
"But it's their battle dad, they didn't want for us to know anything. We've known about Jimmy and his crew for a while but we didn't have proofs and the girls never said anything about them." Troy said in a low and cold voice.
Mrs. Darbus cleared her throat softly. "Now there is no need for them to say anything. We've seen the bullies in action; they've been bullying them in front of our faces. After everything those four young ladies have suffered because of them, we ought them to be able to empty everything they have inside."
Jack turned his face and nodded.
"You've already hit us; you have taken care for us to know everyday how shit we are…but do you know what? Thanks to you, we've discovered amazing people; thanks to you, we are closer than ever; thanks to you, we know what is to have someone who cares about you for you." Sharpay said in a firm voice. "So thanks, your intentions maybe were to make us more miserable, but you have failed."
"Oh yeah?" Jimmy said menacingly, didn't paying attention to whatever which was surrounding them. "And what are you going to do about that?"
"Nothing." That time was Kelsi who spoke. "We are only letting you to know that you are pathetic. Like Gabi said, maybe you should think about you a little more before you attack us again saying how useless we are because we know better now. If you think in real world your stupid norms exist, then you are dumber than I thought. In real life, people don't differenciate between a jock, a drama person or a nerd. In real world what differenciates one person of another is simply how that people is inwardly. You are all a bunch of shit, and if you continue thinking the way you do now, then I bet you will still be a bunch of shit in ten years. Grow up you idiots!"
"And you can pass the message to Tamera. Those stupid social rules you have imposed here are ridiculous! No one but you truly believe in them, and it's time for people to be free of the chains you have been putting in everyone. Those cliques as you call them are groups of people with a common hobbie, but that doesn't mean they can't like another things too. You don't know what is to be respected; you have been FEARED, and that's not the same. You have lost all the school's respect, and I think no one is going to fall in your traps again." Taylor hissed. "We-are-done-with-you."
Jimmy stiffened and just he was about to punch Gabriella in her face, someone grabbed his arm.
"I'd think twice about that if I was you." John, a member of the Drama Club said. "The first time I saw you hit them I didn't say anything, but now God help me if I see you put a finger on them."
"The Drama boy wants to play hero now?" Tony said in a mocking voice.
Our boys were having a hard time remained quiet and silence, but they knew that was what they had to do. They knew the girls were able to stand for themselves, and seeing people's reaction, they also knew the school was ready for a change.
"He is not the only one." Martha, a petite girl said placing herself beside the girls. "The school was a happy place before you made up all these stupid rules about cliques. It's about time someone has dared to answer you back."
The rest of the people appeared all of a sudden beside our girls. The girls had showed them a huge lesson and they needed to show them their grattitude. Most of them saw each one of the bully episodes; most of them saw how Jimmy and his friends hit them, and the girls never said anything about them. They knew they could have gone to the teachers crying and complaining, but they never did that. They remained silent, always avoiding fights, and mostly, freeing them of problems with the kings of the school or the teachers. Now it was their turn to return the favour. The girls weren't alone anymore, and that time it was not as if only two people had dared to position themselves against the bullies but ALL the school. They had broken the last wall to people know no one had to be bullied; they had broken the status quo since the very beginning, and they were making possible for everyone to be true to her or himself without worries.
Shawn, Mandy, Carmen and the swimming team appeared then. "What's happening?" They asked our boys.
"It's the girls' turn now." Chad hissed never moving his eyes from the girls.
In the meantime, Jimmy and Tony began to run their eyes through all the people. At first, they tried to maintain a glare, but the only thing they were finding were more glares towards them, so their faces passed from menacing to afraid in a bit. No one was looking at them with fear; no one seemed to have second thoughts about that; no one seemed to be in tension because of horror.
Tamera chose that moment to arrive there. "What's happening here? You girls are really getting on my nerves. Just so you know, we have a plan for the school to be OUR school again, and if I were you, I'd run."
"Tamera shut up!" Jimmy hissed turning towards her. "Look outside your bubble for a moment!"
Tamera did as she was told and gasped. All the school was looking towards them with rage. "What's happening?" She asked in a trembling voice.
"This is the end of your reign." Taylor smirked.
"They are right!" The crowd erupted in cheers.
The bullies couldn't help but back away, and that pushed our boys to the verge. "Where do you think you are going?" Troy shouted from his position beside his father.
Each boy went to stand beside his girlfriend. "If you really think you can put up another plan to hurt them you are clearly wrong." Chad said glaring at the bullies.
"We already knew you hit them. Why do you think they haven't been alone since two months ago?" Jason said smirking.
"Yeah," Zeke chimed in. "We knew you all were planning on attack them again, but you are cowards who don't dare to face people of your size. You attack only the weaker people in the school, but you dare to act with us as if nothing. Come on, why aren't you saying anything now?"
Gabriella spoke again. "Thu bullying in East High has ended. No one is going to tolerate it more; no one is going to back away from you; no one is afraid of you now. The school doesn't need, and want, your rules; is that clear?"
The bullies were gathered together and were looking for an escape.
"It won't work." Another voice from the crowd said.
"Do you really think we are going to let you go free?" Another mocking voice said from the crowd.
Tamera couldn't help but let out a shriek. "You all are stupid! Don't you see we can win over you in the blink of an eye?"
"Doing what?" The crowd answered back threatening her.
Tamera realized then they were clearly fucked up, so she shut up and went to hide herself behind Jimmy cowardly.
Jack and Mrs. Darbus decided to intervene then. "Ok, I think that's enough."
The bullies widened their eyes while our gang smirked at them.
Tamera saw that and tried a last act. "They are bullying us Mr. Bolton! You have to do something about that! Those four girls are making my life impossible since the first day; they insult me every day!" She ran and threw her arms around Mr. Bolton waist, letting fall some fake tears in the process.
"Get off me." Mr. Bolton growled pushing her arms away and walking into our girls' direction. "Are you all okay?" He embraced the girls who were crying in a mixture of happiness and relief, letting out the tension their bodies were feeling at the moment.
"Yeah Jack, we are okay."
And the crowd erupted in cheers again.
Mrs. Darbus was looking the scene letting out her own tears. She was super proud of her girls; they had been able to stand up for themselves; they had been able to tell their bullies to back off; they had been able to fight against the bullies using the most powerful weapon: the truth and the faith in themselves. Slowly, she began to walk into the girls' direction.
Once the girls saw that, everything but Mrs. Darbus became a blur and our four girls let go of Jack and ran into their teacher's direction, who embraced them repeating over and over again how proud of them she was.
In the meantime, Jack and others teachers dismissed the crowd but the bullies. "You all are coming with me to the Principal's Office. Now." His voice was dark, cold, menacing, and the bullies flinched. Jack had been oblivious to the bully his almost-daughters had been suffering, but now that he knew everything, he knew he had to do something. He also knew he had to reunite all the parents to talk about that, and though he wasn't sure about how the girls would react at that, he hoped everything would turn okay for them.
Jimmy, Tamera, Tony and all the bullies knew they had nothing more to do there. Following their teachers with their heads low trying to avoid the glares they were receiving from the other students, they couldn't help but fear what was waiting for them. They knew they had lost. And they also knew they had to face the consequences of that lost.
Our boys plus their friends were looking the girls with smiles drawn in their faces but didn't say or do anything; they knew the major comfort at the moment only could come from Mrs. Darbus. In the end, without her they wouldn't have been able to help the girls; without her, the girls hadn't had the strength to begin with their changes, and so that made them respect a private moment between those five women who had fight against the bully, winning the war only having faith in themselves.
However, our boys were having a hard time remained still. Their girlfriends had shown them a value lesson, and they wanted to congratulate them. Mrs. Darbus noticed them looking intently at the girls and nodded her head. "Your boys are waiting for you girls…" She whispered making the girls to smile watery smiles and turn around.
More tears ran down their cheeks once they saw their boyfriends' faces shining in pry. Sprinting towards them, they collapsed in their bodies, pushing themselves into the warmness which was their strong torsos, tightening their arms around their necks.
The teachers were still dismissing the crowd who was surrounding our gang with happy faces and Mrs. Darbus thought about how the girls needed a break from everything. "Guys, take the girls home. They'll need some rest now. I'll talk with Principal Matsui, okay?"
The boys nodded their heads and without more words, their pulled the girls closer to them, walking to the parking lot. Once there, the boys interchanged a look and nodding their heads, each boy went to his car with his girl in his arms never saying a word.
They were leaving behind the old East High; they just knew it was a better place now.
People were free to be friend with whoever they wanted.
People were free to continue with their lives without worries and fears because they weren't what the social rules of the school wanted for them to be.
People were free to simply be true to themselves...