Thank you to everyone who read the last conversation. You're all wonderful. Thank you for sticking with me during my pandemic survival exercise.
Continuity note: Chad, Sharpay, and Ryan have different birthdays than they do in canon in this story. That's because I gave them these birthdays before I knew they were canon birthdays. I may have forgotten to check the wikis before writing these chapters a decade ago. However, I'm not changing it because it's important to the plot.
Chapter 20: Murphy's Law As it Applies to Midterms and relationships. Part two
October 22, 2008, 5:49 PM
"There's no way I'm going to put something like that on the internet. Do you think I want everybody to know that my boyfriend left me for someone else?" Chad waited an entire 24 hours before he called Taylor to see if she posted the clip.
He thought about having Ryan do it, but he needed to face his ex-girlfriend sometime. Also, he was in the middle of the Kelsi breakup, and Chad wasn't going to add one more thing to Ryan. His entire building making jokes about his sister because of his now ex-girlfriend was terrible enough.
"Did I mention I was sorry about that? I never wanted to hurt you." Chad really was sorry.
"Yes, several times. I know it was not intentional, but it still hurt. You made me your beard, " Taylor almost yelled. "You chose me over hot boy Lava Springs because you weren't ready to come out."
"There were other reasons, like not wanting to come out while my parents were in the middle of a divorce. I needed something to be stable, and you were stable."
"Same thing. You could've talked to me about this, but you didn't, and that's why I am mad. You wouldn't let me in even when you needed me."
"You're right, Taylor. I'm sorry about that. By the way, when is your next therapy appointment? How's tutoring going?" Maybe he should just text messaged Taylor. It was hard to have any sort of conversation with his ex-girlfriend after the breakup they had. It was like trying to get to know each other all over again. At least text messaging gave him a bit of a buffer.
"Actually, I just got out of therapy about two hours ago, which is what's helping me get through this conversation. Tutoring is going well. I may still have a GPA high enough to transfer to another school. I finally realized that Yale just isn't right for me. I'm looking at Howard, American University, George Washington University, and Georgetown for next school year."
"Good to know you're looking at other schools."
"If I am in DC, I can do a Federal internship at the same time. I would love to do an internship at the White House or on the Hill."
"My mom lives in the DC metro now. She has some connections with the group she's working for. I can talk to her if you want."
"Another thing I didn't know about the person I was with for two years. This is why we really broke up. Where is your girlfriend right now?"
"Precalculus study group with Marc. I'm just hoping she can make it to the library without someone yelling 'take off your bra' or killing Marc. He's currently running a betting pool on when Sharpay and I will either have sex or get married." Although other than that, Marc has been supportive. Chad is starting to think Marc just makes those jokes as a defense mechanism.
"Where can I sign up for that? Personally, my money is on the Inauguration because I know Sharpay is planning a major trip during the four day weekend no matter who wins. You will be 18 at that point. She even promised to get me a ticket if she can pull it off. She had better hold that promise; I deserve it after what she put me through."
"When did you talk to Sharpay?"
"I didn't. It was in the note from Sharpay's apology gift basket. I enjoyed the wine and my new private room that I'm almost 90% sure she was responsible for."
"That seems like Sharpay."
"How bad is the fallout over the video? I know I saw a few people on campus watching the video. Fortunately, no one knew it was my then-boyfriend who Sharpay was trying to undress."
"Sharpay's dad and his team of lawyers got it pulled due to copyright violation. Thank you, Ludacris. Because apparently certain sites care little about it being stolen property of a sexual nature involving a minor."
"That is not surprising."
"Unfortunately, the internet is forever. A good portion of the campus saw it already, and I know it's still up on some dark sites. This morning someone printed out screenshots and taped them to our door." Chad side.
"Your room or Sharpay's?" Taylor asked.
"We usually sleep in the same room," Chad admitted reluctantly.
"I would ask how you get away with that. However, considering your girlfriend managed to keep me from being expelled, I am not going to ask."
"That would be prudent," Chad said as Sharpay walked into his room and quickly kissed him. Chad was almost sure Taylor heard the kissing sounds.
"Just because I'm OK with you two being together doesn't mean I want to listen to you make out," Taylor yelled loud enough for both of them to hear without the phone being in speaker mode. Sharpay quickly grabbed the phone out of his hand and put it on speaker.
"Sorry about that. Did I mention how sorry I am about everything? I've been on the other side."
"Can you two please stop apologizing? It's over with, and now we can move forward."
"I'm guessing Chad asked you about the video that was posted. " Sharpay seemed very tense talking to Taylor. Chad knew Sharpay still had a lot of guilt.
"There's no way I would do something like that. This whole situation is just as embarrassing for me. By the way, has your dad threatened to kill Chad yet?" Taylor asked.
"No, but only because Kim showed him the full version a few weeks ago. Chad had a topless drunk girl trying to sleep with him and did nothing but put her to sleep in a separate bed after she passed out. This made him boyfriend of the year material to my father. I know my dad is more interested in the person who put this thing on the internet. If it was an U of A student, they're going to be expelled."
"Tell me who posted that on the Internet; I will come down and put that baseball bat to good use again." He clearly heard both girls laughing and breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'll let you talk to Chad again. I have to go put my books up in my actual room."
"Your girlfriend is letting you talk to your ex-girlfriend?"
"We have a healthy relationship. Besides, you hate me remember." He would have said it was because he loved Sharpay with all his heart. However, he knew better than to tell that to Taylor right now. The wounds were still too new.
"Chad, if I hated you, I wouldn't have picked up the phone. I do have caller ID. I'm doing an excellent job of avoiding Gabriella at the moment." Taylor explained.
"Trouble in best friend land?" Chad asked, genuinely concerned.
"Gabby ignores me for almost two months, including during the breakup weekend. Now she is trying to be my best friend again? Nope. I don't have time for that. I need to worry about passing midterms and getting to school in DC."
"She's doing the same with Troy. She has been very clingy for the last week."
"He told me. That's my fault because I sort of told Gabriella about Kim." Taylor confessed.
"You told her about Troy having a kid? Are you crazy?" Chad whispered in the phone in case Sharpay was nearby. Kim and Troy wanted to tell Sharpay together in person. Chad thinks this will go as wrong as him trying to break up with Taylor in person, but they're not listening to him. Obviously, this was karma for him botching the Taylor breakup.
"I am seeing a therapist three times a week, but I'm not stupid." Taylor quipped. "If you thought I was bad, Gabriella is going to be 1000 times worse when she finds out about Alex. I just told her that Troy's fabulous ex-girlfriend was a much better friend than she was. Which is completely true, even though they were the chief architects of the Chadpay conspiracy group."
"I feel like it was more a helping me get my head out of my ass and work through my personal bullshit conspiracy group. I still had Jamie baggage that I had to process along with the season pass to Narnia." Chad joked.
"I know, but it still hurts that not only were you able to give your heart to someone else, but you never explain to me why it was so hard in the first place."
"I'm sorry."
"No, you're not, but thanks for saying it," she said, paraphrasing that famous line. "Falling in love with Sharpay was probably the best thing that ever happened to you." He couldn't agree with her more.
"I'm sorry for not letting you see the real me," Chad confessed.
"Now, that's something we can work on. I'm expecting lots of pictures of my brother's debut performance and video."
"Of course, I'll even make sure you get a copy of the program. Hey, one more thing, have you talked to Ryan lately?"
"Not since the whole video mess started, but I probably should. I've just been trapped in the midterm rabbit hole. Are they being horrible to Ryan on campus?"
"We're all trapped in midterm madness, with the almost pornographic chaser. You should know that Ryan broke up with Kelsi because she and Natasha decided to show the whole video to the entire floor. I know that several of his dorm mates have asked for Sharpay's number, and he's staying at a friend's house off-campus, but that's all I've gotten from him. He really doesn't want to talk with me about the tape, and I respect his feelings." Maybe someday he'll tell Taylor that Ryan was hot boy lava springs, but that was going to have to be a Ryan decision.
"I'll text him now."
"Thank you."
Xxxxx
Taylor: So Chad told me that it was my turn to be the supportive friend and help you through your breakup. Do you want to talk about it?
Ryan: Not yet. Although I am furious that she doesn't get why I'm mad at her. You don't show almost pornographic videos of your boyfriend's sister to the entire floor. You definitely don't make nasty jokes about her in front of people that don't even know her. I know everybody was horrible to her in high school, but high school is over.
Taylor: Especially when they're stolen and doctored.
Taylor: Also, I feel like I owe Sharpay an apology for half the stuff I said about her in high school.
Ryan: And she will feel like she owes you an apology for taking Chad, and therefore you are both even. Or Shar still owes you another champagne gift basket.
Ryan: Why do you know that it's doctored?
Taylor: Because I heard what actually happened.
Taylor: You deserve so much better than Kelsi. It will be OK.
Ryan: As soon as people stop asking me for my sister's phone number. That's why I'm staying with Maria. She offered. She's kind of become my surrogate mom figure since Gabriella's still ignoring her.
Taylor: I'm not even surprised. At least you have somewhere to hide.
Ryan: Which is needed right now. I'm going to put the fear of the Evans family into whoever did this.
Taylor: You may never know who did it. Computers are broken into all the time.
Ryan: I know. I just feel like a big brother who can't protect his sister.
Taylor: First of all, isn't Sharpay a day older than you? Second of all, I'm pretty sure your sister can take care of herself. I heard she knocked out a basketball player.
Taylor: Who incidentally may have been out for revenge since he's going on trial for attempted rape.
Ryan: That's a possibility. I'll send Chad a text.
Ryan: Sharpay is only eight minutes older than me, but she was born on December 31, and I'm born on January 1. She's now mad about this because I share a birthday with Chad, but she doesn't.
Taylor: You and Chad are the same age?
Ryan: Actually, I'm a year older.
Taylor: Chad skipped a year, didn't he?
Ryan: He skipped preschool because Troy couldn't start kindergarten alone.
Taylor: That makes absolute sense. I'll add it to my list of Chad Danforth tidbits that I only learned after the breakup.
XXXX
October 21, 2008, 8:08 pm
Taylor: Before you even ask, I did not upload that video to YouTube. At a minimum, Ryan would never forgive me for hurting his sister like that.
Taylor: Also, I don't hate Chad and Sharpay. I'm still angry at Chad for never telling me anything. Although my therapist says that something Chad needs to work on.
Kim: I'm there with you entirely.
Taylor: I'm sending you an email that I received "anonymously" by Cleveland_girl_2005 a few hours before the fantasy video went live on YouTube. Not the video file because I'm not spreading that any more than I have to. But the text of the email.
Kim: By using quotation marks around anonymously, I'm guessing you know who sent it to you?
Taylor: Maybe. Gabby did live in Cleveland in 2005. Did you send the video file to Troy?
Kim: Yes. By accident, actually. Thankfully it didn't include the prologue where Sharpay told Chad about Richard raping her.
Taylor: Then it has to be her.
Kim: It could be someone else. Let me talk to Troy to confirm before we do anything else.
Taylor: OK, I won't say anything to Ryan. For that matter, Chad and Sharpay, even though I'm much more likely to talk to Ryan.
Kim: Although Chad will call you to make sure you're not the one responsible. Do you want me to tell him not to since you texted me first?
Taylor: Let him call. We need to talk to each other eventually, and this would be an excellent icebreaker. My therapist would be so proud.
Kim: Even if it's a ridiculously awkward one. This is another reason for me to hate the FMG.
Taylor: I can't believe she would do this to me. Having the whole world see my ex-boyfriend with his new girlfriend is not the most pleasant experience. This doesn't make me feel better.
Kim: I really regret accidentally taping that.
Taylor: The ridiculous thing is she sent me the unedited version. All that showed me was that Chad definitely did not have sex with someone else when he could have. What is wrong with her? When I saw it the first time, it didn't make me mad at Sharpay. It made me feel better about the breakup.
Kim: I don't know. I will go call Troy.
Taylor: Do you want to conference me in?
Kim: Nope, I'm a big girl. I can tell my ex-boyfriend that his current girlfriend screwed over his best friend.
Taylor: Good luck.
Kim: If something happens to the two of us, make sure Vanessa gets custody of Alex.
Taylor: Of course.
XXXXX
October 22, 2008, 9:35 PM
"We are never going to figure out who posted the files," Sharpay said as she leaned into her boyfriend on their bed. After spending the last 24 hours interrogating everyone who could possibly have access to the files, they still had no idea who did it. Sharpay definitely had fun scaring the computer technician earlier today.
"The file was on too many computers. There are at least three possible places where somebody could have got that file." Amanda said as she sat next to Kim on the other bed.
"All of which multiple people have had access to. Not to mention the fact that somebody could have used some malicious means to get the file." Chad pointed out to Sharpay. "Also, the file was sent via the internet as well. You know what they say the internet is forever. Someone could have got the video off the email server for all we know."
"Did I mention how sorry I was about accidentally filming that?" Kim said again.
"That's the first time today," Sharpay said quietly.
"This whole thing was personal, though. It couldn't be some random hacker," Amanda said to the group. "They purposely edit the clip to make it look a lot worse than what it was. We have been focusing on who had access to the footage. Maybe you should ask who had access to the footage that despises you enough to do something like this. Didn't you get a basketball player arrested on rape charges a couple weeks ago?"
"I'll pass that possibility to daddy's lawyers." That was definitely one she will let the legal team follow-up on.
"Ward obviously had a motive. However, I don't know if he would also email a copy of the original to Taylor before uploading. They included a nasty message about not being able to keep her boyfriend happy." Kim told the entire group.
"What nasty email? Did she tell you about that when you talk to her earlier today?" Sharpay asked in worry.
"You let your boyfriend talk to his ex-girlfriend?" Amanda asked, shocked.
"Yes. I actually trust my boyfriend. Besides, he knows if he ever cheats on me, that baseball bat in the plasma will be the least of his problems." Sharpay replied with a vicious smile.
"Unlike Taylor, Sharpay knows people. When she gets done with me, the police will never find my body."
"He's so well trained," Sharpay said, kissing him quickly.
"Taylor did mention getting the clip via email before it was uploaded to the web. She also mentioned getting in a nasty fight with Gabriella for pretty much ignoring her for the last two months. She neglected to mention the nasty email." Chad told her.
"I knew she was evil."
"You don't know it was her Sharpay." Chad pointed out quickly.
"Who else had access to the files that hated us all that much?" Sharpay responded back to Chad.
"She doesn't hate me," Chad remarked.
"You just broke her best friend's heart. Of course, she hates you." Sharpay explained. "You are also the one who keeps telling Troy that he deserves someone better than her. That's plenty of motivation right there."
"She's currently fighting with Taylor. Considering she's too busy getting the 'college experience' to care about what I did to her friend, I doubt she hates me." Chad pointed out to his girlfriend.
"She has always hated me. That is probably enough to make her OK with two people she actually likes becoming collateral damage."
"Who are you two talking about?" Amanda asked after becoming lost in their insider conversation.
"The FMG," Kim said with a high amount of loathing. If he did not know about Kim's previous relationship with Troy, he would be a little shocked at Kim's animosity for someone she never met.
"Who?" Amanda asked again.
"Troy's current girlfriend Gabriella, who is a little unbalanced," Chad explained.
"Troy never mentioned her." OK, Chad found that interesting because he knows that Troy is at least text message friends with Amanda due to being part of the conspiracy group.
"Unbalanced is an understatement. Gabriella has spent the last two months ignoring Troy. Now she is in his dorm room every day. During midterms. If he flunks out, I blame her." Kim said in irritation.
"She freaked out a couple of summers ago when I bought him Italian shoes and arrange for him to meet the boosters for the school," Sharpay explained.
"You were trying to take him away from us," Chad said it half-joking.
"You seriously need to learn to share," Sharpay said, kissing him softly.
"Like I want to share you. I am very possessive." Chad said before kissing her harder. He loved the sound she made when his right hand started stroking that little patch of skin just below her top.
"Get a room," Amanda yelled as she threw a pillow at the amorous pair.
"Already have one," Sharpay said, kissing Chad again.
XXXX
"Are you sure they're not sleeping together?" Kim asked as she left the room.
"I think the fact that Chad has gotten excellent at strategically placing books in the morning is a pretty good sign that nothing has happened yet." Amanda quipped.
"Should we go throw ice water on them?" Kim was only half-joking.
"As long as it's not happening in my bedroom, I don't care. I'm going to go to study in my own bedroom for a while." With that, Kim decided it was time to retrieve her child from grandpa Jack. He was able to babysit again because Lucy was still out on business. At this point, Kim was wondering if that was an excuse.
However, when she got to her car, she called Troy.
"You better be happy that Sharpay loses all cognitive function when Chad kisses her. She was about 5 seconds from figuring out what happened. Chad kissing skills just saved your girlfriend's life."
XXXX
October 21, 2008, 8:21 pm
"Did you send the video of Chad and Sharpay to anyone else?" Troy could easily pick up the frustration in Kim's voice. She seems more exhausted than she was in high school. That wicked voice in the back of his mind reminded him it was because he made her a single mother.
"I only sent the water fountain scene to my dad. He sent that to Carolyn because they're best friends and enjoy gossiping about their children a little too much. That was it. There's no way I was going to post it on the internet. Chad's my best friend. Although we had some hard times, I consider Sharpay a friend as well. Besides, at least one of us should make it out of this fiasco in tack. Our child deserves one parent." Troy joked.
"The only reason I'm probably still among the living is they broke my computer while making out two days ago. So now, instead of writing my paper due Friday, my punishment is I get to figure out who most likely posted the video to the internet. Did anybody else have access to your computer?" Kim asked.
"Why are you asking so many questions?"
"Between our child and our amorous friends, my computer is essentially glass and plastic pieces. There's no way the technician was able to get the file in time to post. I'm going to have to send it to a specialist just to get Alex's baby videos back because, like an idiot, I didn't put any of them on the other computer."
"I'm sure you regret that," Troy remarked.
"So much. The only other person I sent the clip to was Sharpay's dad, who's secure the file for evidence against Penelope for the rum punch incident. There's a possibility that it was intercepted. Everyone knows that Ward's family is out for blood right now. However, this attack was too personal to be a random hacker or even Ward. The poster sent the file to Taylor before posting it. I did not send this to anyone else. That only leaves one possible source."
"Someone got it off my computer?" Troy asked.
"Exactly. So who had access to your laptop in the last few days?" Kim asked.
"Gabriella. But I changed my password after the Taylor fiasco. I didn't want her to find out about you or Alex by looking through my photo collection." He definitely did not want that to happen.
"Did you remember to actually lock your computer when you left her alone with it?" Kim asked.
"Shit."
"I'm going to take that as a no. I know you think I'm being paranoid, but you know that Gabriella had a motive and access. From what I heard, she and Sharpay are the best of enemies."
"There's no way she would do anything like that. She will not sneak around my room, looking through my computer to get revenge on Sharpay. She is not the type of person to do something that malicious." Kim was being ridiculous.
"Troy, no one is what they seem. Besides, what if it wasn't about Sharpay. You know Taylor told her about us. What if she wanted proof that you were in love with someone else before her?"
"Fuck," that was the only word that seemed to fit. He didn't want to tell Gabriella about having a child until he and Kim worked out all the custody details. (There is also part of Troy that was sure his relationship with Gabriella wasn't going to last long enough for there to be a need for him to tell her.) He also wanted to keep things quiet until he decided to stay at Berkeley or move back to New Mexico. He did not want Gabriella to find out like this.
"Do you think she knows about Alex now? I have pictures of him all over my computer."
"I don't know." He thought about the pictures of Kim and Alex he kept on his computer and on his cell phone. She could put it together from that alone. He was so screwed.
"Does the username Cleveland_girl_2005 mean anything to you?" Kim asked. Actually, did seems familiar. That's when he went to AOL on his computer.
"So, it seems that somebody is logged into AOL on my computer from that account. Apparently, they were stupid and checked the keep me login feature." Troy was already looking through the emails.
"Isn't that convenient? Found anything interesting?"
"The email to Taylor is in the sent items. There are also emails from Maria in there from 2005. This is definitely Gabriella's account." Why did Gabriella do this?
"You know it was her. I just like to say, I really don't want this person to be Alex's future stepmom. I don't think I can trust her with our child after she pulled off something like this." Kim told him honestly.
"I don't know if I can either," Troy whispered to himself. It looks like his plan to wait until after midterms to sort out his Gabriella feelings wasn't working out so well.
XXXX
October 22, 2008 7:56 PM PDT
20 minutes ago, Gabriella showed up to his room completely unannounced. He was going over his scene with Yolanda for their midterm performance tomorrow. Troy was trying to avoid seeing her again until Friday because he knew he would have to deal with what she did to Chad and Sharpay. Troy should've realized that wasn't going to happen. He will just get through rehearsals and then deal with Gabriella afterward.
Unfortunately, Gabriella demanded that Troy focused his attention on her. She was freaking out because he would be kissing somebody else on stage. If this had been a week earlier, he would be surprised by her suspicious behavior. She had no trouble with him kissing Sharpay last summer on stage or so, he thought. Now, he knew better.
As he watched Gabriella for the first time in months, he realized she wasn't the same girl he met almost two years ago. She had changed, or maybe he was the one who wasn't the same anymore. It was at that moment that Troy realize he couldn't keep putting off the inevitable, especially after what Gabriella did to Chad and Sharpay. Things haven't been working for a while. He can't go through the motions any longer. If Troy had any lingering doubts, they were gone when he heard some snide comment Gabby made to Yolanda about Chad and Sharpay "not a sex tape."
"Gabriella, we need to talk. Yolanda, can you give us a few minutes."
"Sure, I'll just go get something from the vending machines. I'll bring you back a chocolate bar. I think you're going to need it, " Yolanda remarked before practically running out of the room. Even she realized what was going to happen. That was not a good sign.
"Nothing good can start with that sentence," Gabriella said as she sat down on Troy's bed.
"This isn't working anymore."
"What?"
"I don't have time for a serious relationship right now. I have a lot of other things that I need to focus on, including school and basketball." In his head, he added Kim and Alex to the list. Of course, at this moment, Gabriella started accusing him of sleeping with Yolanda of all people. When Gabriella actually threw a lamp at him, Troy realized that Chad got off easy with Taylor.
Xx
October 22, 2008, 8:45 PM PDT
"She's not my girlfriend anymore. I broke up with her an hour ago." Troy told Kim as he kept working on getting his room back together again. Gabriella did a lot of damage. His roommate was going to kill him.
"Am I to offer congratulations or sympathies?" Kim asked.
"I'm not sure. Gabriella broke a lamp and my roommate's desk chair. She also accused me of fucking Yolanda. I told you she's my main partner for my drama project."
"I'm his best partner. Because nobody else would've dealt with the girlfriend. I had to explain to her that I'm not interested in her now ex-boyfriend because I'm asexual. She didn't believe that because she's an idiot. Seriously, what did you see in her?" Troy responded by shaking his head because, honestly, he wasn't sure at the moment. He didn't want to say rebound, but that seems likely what actually happened.
"I assume you heard Yolanda's response?"
"I am… Yeah… I am not sure how to respond to that." Kim actually stuttered.
"I feel the same way."
"She tried to hit me," Yolanda told him before Troy could say anything else. "She also broke the lamp by throwing it at Troy. That's when I ran back to the room to see what the fuck was happening."
"Please tell me you hit her back?" Kim asked. "Also, do you want me to ask Vanessa about what you need to do to get a restraining order in California? Or I can ask our lawyer?"
"Actually, our RA that happens to be a brown belt escorted her out at that point," Troy interjected. "I'll email Carolyn."
"I texted our RA as soon as the lamp was broken," Yolanda replied.
"Apparently, Berkeley kids have more common sense than here. They let Taylor go on for almost an hour before anybody contacted the RA. Honestly, I think that may have been Ryan."
"I'm going to blame that on guilt. However, before things got physical, Gabriella accused me of being in a poly relationship with Chad and Sharpay and having graphic videos of them on my computer for personal time."
"Wait, what?"
"Apparently, this relationship started after Troy, and this Sharpay person started in a play together last summer. Which was why she was so threatened by me running lines with her sweetie pie." Yolanda kept explaining to Kim. "She also called Sharpay a slut twice in my presence even though I've never met this person. Although I can't stand stone throwers, who live in glass dorm rooms. Seriously, why were you with her? Was she a rebound relationship?"
"I don't even know anymore," Troy said. "Although a rebound relationship seems like a strong possibility."
"Now you're just making me feel guilty." Kim quipped. "But at least we can now celebrate the fact that she won't be my child's stepmom."
"Stepmom?" Yolanda asked.
"Sorry, I should've done introductions earlier. Kim, you have been speaking with the wonderfully Yolanda, who's the best acting partner I could possibly have. She is also the one who tried to get me to see hip-hop Romeo and Juliet."
"I'm sorry I got the dates mixed up, but they're going to do another show in November," Yolanda remarked.
"Unfortunately, I think I have an away game. Yolanda, you have been speaking with Kim. My high school girlfriend and the mother of my son, Alex."
"Who is apparently responsible for him rebounding on Gabriella. I mean, you couldn't have dated Sharpay? Or Chad, for that matter. Ryan is also a possibility." Troy probably would've laughed if Yolanda didn't smack his shoulder.
"You never mentioned you had a kid."
"In Troy's defense, I only told him about his almost 2-year-old son Alex on the 11th. His mom hated me and forced me to move to New York. Actually, it was a lot like Romeo and Juliet except no one swallowed poison in the end."
"Maybe it's good we missed that one. I will try for something less dramatic." Yolanda commented.
"Good call," Troy remarked.
"Also, at least you will get to meet your son three years before I got to meet my father. And at least you're alive to be there for that reunion."
"There's a story there," Kim replied.
"I'm too sober right now. Maybe some other time." Yolanda replied.
Xxxx
October 23, 2008 4:24 PM PDT
Taylor: So I heard that you finally dumped Gabby.
Taylor: Congratulations on obtaining your freedom.
Troy: How did you even hear about that?
Taylor: From multiple people, actually. Including a group text from Sharpay. I think I'm getting another champagne gift basket to celebrate.
Troy: I already got mine.
Troy: Although that may have been in celebration of Ryan breaking up with Kelsi.
Taylor: It probably was. I got one for that too.
Taylor: Even if Sharpay did not send her celebratory group message out, I would have figured it out from the 25 text messages that Gabriella left me. I also received like 10 voicemails, but I just deleted those without even listening. I'm sure they all would have been about you dumping her for that 'ugly and spiteful' Yolanda.
Troy: Even though Yolanda told Gabriella point-blank, that would never be an option.
Taylor: Gabby doesn't actually see asexuality as an orientation.
Troy: Yolanda is just a friend. A good one at that. She actually suggested a couple of parenting classes I could take. Her dad ended up taking a few when He suddenly had custody of her when she was just five years old, without knowing of her existence beforehand.
Taylor: I'm glad you're making actual friends, ones that will actually have your back when you need them.
Troy: So am I.
Taylor: How are you doing? It's been a very eventful couple of weeks for you.
Troy: That's an understatement. I don't even know. What happened to high school Gabriela?
Taylor: I don't know. People change.
Troy: Not necessarily for the better.
Taylor: Did you tell Maria?
Troy: I will when she calls me. I'm sure she will once she finds out. Probably from Ryan.
Taylor: Probably.
Troy: I just wish Maria would tell me what's going on. There has to be something else going on.
Taylor: There always is. But you have Alex right now. You have to put him first. Let Maria worry about Gabriela. If she needs you, she needs to tell you what's really happening.
Troy: OK. Therapy has been fantastic for you.
Taylor: It's been going well so far. I am lucky I found a good therapist. Bonus points for her also being African-American. She gets a lot of things others would not. So are you done with midterms yet?
Troy: I just did my performance piece. I think we did well even though we didn't get to do another run through because of the Gabby drama. You?
Taylor: I think the last week of intense tutoring has worked, and I might end up with a B average.
Troy: That's a horrible thought for you, is in it?
Taylor: I don't hate it like I used to. There are more important things than grades.
Troy: Like my 2-year-old.
Taylor: Yes. Final question, does Sharpay know about Gabriella's involvement in turning her into the next Kim Kardashian?
Troy: No, because I don't actually want Gabriella dead. More importantly, I don't want Sharpay in jail.
Troy: Also, Ryan is friends with Maria.
Taylor: I am aware. Apparently, Ryan is hiding at Maria's apartment right now until things calm down. Unlike me, everyone in his building knows about his connection to Sharpay, thanks to the ex-girlfriend. It's the least she can do.
Troy: I'm not going to tell Ryan because he needs at least one friend in New York right now.
Taylor: Apparently, Maria is a better friend than her daughter. Nice to know you have your priorities straight.
Troy: I have to go Maria is calling.
Taylor: Good luck.
XXXX
33 minutes later
Troy: You were right. Ryan told her about the breakup, including throwing a lamp at me. Gabby hasn't bothered to call Maria. They are not really speaking to one another at the moment.
Taylor: I am not surprised.
Troy: Apparently, they're fighting about Gabriella not taking her medication. However, Maria won't tell me what that medication is for. All I know is something that you can't mix alcohol with.
Taylor: Obviously, it's a medication that keeps her from being an asshole.
Troy: She told me it's Gabriella's secret to tell. Whatever that means.
Taylor: I get it. I won't let Ryan tell me who Hot Boy Lava Springs is. I'm waiting for Chad to tell me.
Troy: The situations are slightly different, but I get your point. Maria did make me tell her the real reason why I broke up with Gabriella.
Taylor: Did you tell her the real reason?
Troy: I told her about Alex and Kim, not the video. She thinks I made the right choice and is apparently sending me a parenting book.
Taylor: I think it's in my best interest to stop texting now. I'm just going to keep my thoughts to myself.
Troy: Thank you.
XXXXXX
October 24, 2008, 4:19 pm
After the week Sharpay had, she definitely needed quality therapy time. The whole campus was talking about the almost-sex tape. There were even tee shirts. She was currently walking around campus with dark sunglasses and a scarf.
"So other than feeling violated because the entire school saw something very personal, how do you feel?" Sharpay's therapist Olivia asked her.
"5 minutes from a nervous breakdown. I am not going to withdraw like last time, though. This time I have Amanda and Kim for support when people call me nasty names. Plus, Ryan broke up with his girlfriend because of what she did involving the tape. It feels good to have real friends. Even Marc has been defending me, which seems weird."
"What about Chad?" Olivia asked.
"He should probably be as mortified as I am, but he's not. Except for the fact, I found out what I did that night."
"He never told you what you did?"
"He probably thought it was safer or maybe less embarrassing," Sharpay said with a smile. "Chad has been there for me through this entire thing. That made me realize something vital."
"What is that, Sharpay?
"
"I love him. I'm just scared to fall in love for real, not just the Troy puppy love. You know about all my other relationships. Troy was the healthy one because we're friends now."
"Remember, friendship is not a consolation prize."
"I know, and even my friendship Troy feelings our deeper than my crush, least by comparison. My feelings for Chad are of the messy and complicated until death do us part variety.
"How does this make you feel?" Dr. Olivia asked.
"Absolutely terrified, but in a good way. "Sharpay smiled at her therapist.
xxxxx
15 minutes later
Chad was quietly waiting for Sharpay outside of her doctor's office. Until this whole thing died down, he didn't want her to be anywhere by herself. Obviously, the session went well because Sharpay was smiling. He loved her smile. He grabbed her hand as they made their way to the car.
"So, did you have a breakthrough today?" Chad asked.
"Actually, I did."
"What was that?" He asked before kissing her lightly.
"I love you."
To be continued...