The next day, the juniors were walking with the twins to the park, agreeing to take them there for the afternoon before dinner. Troy and Gabriella had made the most of their remaining time at Homecoming the night before and enjoyed their time with their friends and each other. When the twins found out that Troy had won homecoming king the next morning, they cheered before begging to take turns trying on his crown, making both the juniors laughed as they watched the six-year-olds enjoy themselves.
They walked to the playground that Gabriella had taken Lilliana to the morning after Sharpay's party and sat back while they watched the twins play together before they were dragged onto the equipment as well. As Gabriella looked across at Troy from her place pushing her sister on the swing, she noticed that the boy was really enjoying himself with Jakie on the round-about. She shook her head to herself, quietly laughing, her boyfriend really was a giant kid at heart.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Lilliana's voice. "Bria, can we do something else?"
"Sure Baby." The girl stopped the swing so her sister could jump off. "Actually, I need to talk to you, do you wanna go up to the cubby?" Lilliana nodded and they climbed up to the cubby that they'd talked in the last time they were there.
It was the middle of the week before the Championships and Homecoming and the bell had just rung for lunch. Troy and Gabriella had put their belongings in their lockers and were making their way to the cafeteria when an announcement was made over the loudspeaker. "Could Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez please report to the gym office?" Their surrounding peers 'ooh'ed, making the couple roll their eyes at the immaturity before making their way to Jack's office.
Troy didn't bother knocking, simply walking in with Gabriella following. "Dad, you wanted to see us?"
"Yes." He said, distracted by the pile of papers sitting on his desk. "I got a call from Lilliana's teacher and they wanted me or your mom to go down there this lunchtime but your mom's working and I have a meeting with a director that I can't reschedule so I was hoping that you two would be able to go down the road and see what's up with Lilly."
"Sure but is that allowed? Won't we get in trouble for being off-campus?"
"I'll handle all that, don't worry. But is it possible for you to do that for me?"
Both teenagers nodded, Troy responding. "Sure Dad, we'll head across now."
"Thanks Guys, I appreciate it."
The juniors left the room and started walking to East Primary. As they went, Gabriella looked down at their intertwined hands before looking up at his face. "It's nice being able to do this."
The boy smiled sadly. "Yeah it is, isn't it?"
After a few seconds silence, she spoke again. "I wonder what the teacher wants to see your mom and dad for. Surely it can't be that serious or they would've scheduled an actual meeting."
"Yeah I doubt it is and 'cause it'd probably involve Jakie too. I guess we'll just have to find out."
They made their way through the school and to the twins' classroom. Knocking on the door, the teacher looked at them quizzically. "Yes, can I help you?"
"I'm Troy Bolton, my dad said that something was going on with Lilly?"
"Well yes but I was really hoping to talk to your parents about it."
"Mom and Dad aren't really available at the moment but he sent me and Gabriella down to see what's going on."
Recognition sparkled in the teacher's eyes. "Ah you must be the famous Troy and Gabriella that Jacob and Lilliana are always raving about." She laughed as the teenagers looked on nervously. "I'm Ms Stevens, the twins' teacher."
"It's nice to meet you. Is everything ok with Lilly?"
"Lilliana's fine, nothing's wrong per se. Please, come with me." The juniors followed the primary teacher to the playground where all of the children were playing but they made sure to stay out of sight. "I'm concerned about Lilliana's social skills."
Gabriella scrunched her eyebrows. "Her social skills? Please don't take this to mean any disrespect but she doesn't lack any social skills, she was really good with her peers at her old school and she had two best friends, they were inseparable."
The teacher looked perplexed at her statement. "That's odd, she hasn't really been exhibiting those traits here." The teacher gestured over to the playground and they could see groups of children playing together and they saw Jacob playing with four other boys playing in the sandpit but as they looked around for Lilliana, they found her sitting on the side with a book in her lap. "I'm happy to see her reading, her ability is quite impressive, however, I would like to see her socialise."
Gabriella nodded. "She's been obsessed with Roald Dahl at the moment, especially the BFG and Matilda." She said, the former being the book in the little girl's lap. "I don't understand though, she said that she had friends here. I thought she was doing well."
"Those books are a few years above her expected reading level. Lilliana is doing extraordinary here, on an academic front. Her reading level and writing ability are a few years above those of her peers and even her mathematical understanding is exceptional. We would almost consider bumping her up a grade or two if it wasn't for her maturity. She contributes to class discussion well enough but she seems to much prefer individual work. She'll talk to her classmates but the only one she has a real bond with is Jacob and as you can see, when he is playing with his friends, she seems to make herself scarce."
Troy responded understandingly to the teacher whilst Gabriella wiped a hand over her face, having to interrupt. "I'm sorry, can I rectify something real quick?" The woman nodded. "She's the furthest thing from immature."
Troy placed his hand on the small of her back. "Brie chill."
She shook her head. "No, she's not immature and I won't let her shyness be misconstrued for that." She turned her attention back to the teacher. "She's always been quiet and soft-spoken, she's very independent and she's always loved learning. Her reading is above her age because we'd read together every day and I don't mean her books, she'd listen along while I read Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, Great Gatsby."
"Don't you think she's too young to be reading those?"
Gabriella shrugged. "Maybe but she enjoyed hearing them, even if she didn't understand what it meant half the time. She's always enjoyed english and math so naturally she's progressed in those subjects. But she is the furthest thing from immature, she is wise beyond her years and I don't want her introversion and caution to socialising to be misconstrued as a lack of maturity." She sighed quietly, "she's been through so much more than probably any of these kids have, just because she's more withdrawn, doesn't mean that she's immature. She's just cautious now because of everything that's happened."
The teacher nodded awkwardly. "Ok, I'm sorry, I understand. But regardless, we are becoming worried about Lilliana's lack of socialising and we thought that her parents should be made aware of the situation so that they could speak to her."
The teenagers nodded, Troy responding. "Of course, we'll make sure to let them know."
"Thank you." The teacher smiled, "I'll let you both get back to East High."
As the teenagers walked out, back to East High, Gabriella was shaking her head. "Immaturity, just 'cause she's quiet, they think she's immature."
"Brie, it's not that big of a deal, they know it's not the case now."
"It's beside the point Troy, I don't like that they just placed that assumption on her, they don't even know Livie. They never saw how she was back in Denver. They just automatically labelled her just because she's soft-spoken."
He nodded sympathetically. "Well hopefully that'll change now plus when we tell Mom and Dad, they can talk to her and hopefully she'll make some friends." Gabriella shook her head slowly. "I don't like the look of that, what's up?"
"I know Livie and I know how she goes with these sorts of conversations, I don't think we should tell them." She saw Troy about to interrupt so she continued. "Hear me out, please. Your parents always mean well Troy, don't get me wrong and if this was almost any other conversation, I'd have no problem... but this has always been a sore subject for Liv. She's always been a bit slower on the socialising side in the sense that she knew Clara and Tatum for almost three years before they became friends, she just needs a bit more time to trust people." She took Troy's hand in her own. "This is nothing against your parents or how they'd handle the conversation but Liv doesn't budge when it comes to this. It took me a while to be able to broach the subject gently and I just don't wanna risk pushing her further into her shell."
Troy sighed. "Ok, I get it but what do we tell them?"
"I guess we could just say that they wanted to give them an update on how she's travelling at the school since she was new." Troy nodded in response and Gabriella squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry to put you in this position, I can only imagine how hard this would be for you but thank you."
He shook his head. "I get it." He grinned cheekily, "and you know I must love you if I'm willing to lie to my parents for you."
She laughed in response before placing a chaste kiss on his lips. "Well thank you for that." She softened her expression. "And I love you too."
The parents went along with the excuse which brought them to today to discuss the situation with Lilliana. "I wanted to talk to you about your party next weekend. Jakie's already got a huge list of who he wants to invite but I noticed that you didn't add anyone." She watched as the little girl looked down and she tilted her chin up. "I know you hate these conversations but unfortunately this is one that we're gonna have to have... Come here" Gabriella pulled the little girl onto her lap and kissed her temple. "Ms Steven called your parents and wanted them to come into your school but Jack sent Troy and I instead last week and she said that you were having some trouble making friends. Do you wanna tell me what's going on?" Lilliana shrugged. "Come on Sweet Girl."
Lilliana sighed. "The kids in my class are nice but I don't know if I want them to be my friends."
"Why's that?"
"I don't really know what to talk about. We don't like the same books or TV shows and I know I can't talk about a lot of stuff that happened in Denver. They're just immature."
Gabriella laughed sadly. "They're not immature Baby, you're just may more mature, beyond your years. I know that academically, you're more advanced than the kids in your class and that's mostly my fault so I know that would make things difficult. I also know that even in Denver, it took you a while to become friends with Tatum and Clara. That being said, I don't want you to think that you can't make friends here, if anything it'd be a good thing. Your friends will most likely follow you through high school."
Lilliana looked up at her sister. "But how do I be friends with them, we don't like any of the same things?"
"Well... How about toys? I'm sure there's some girls there who love care bears and polly pockets, maybe you can play together with that. Or you and Jakie like the Power Rangers movies, I'm sure some of the boys and girls in your class like Power Rangers."
"I guess."
Gabriella tilted the girl's chin to look at her. "All I'm saying is that you don't have to be scared to try, I want you to have friends Baby and I want you to be happy here." Lilliana nodded. "Can you promise me that you'll at least give it a go?"
"I promise Bria."
"Good Girl." Gabriella smiled, hugging the little girl. "I know you don't like the friendship conversation and I'm so proud of you for how well you're doing at school. Your teacher said that you were smart enough that you could be put up a grade or two."
"Really?" Gabriella nodded. "Do you think I should?"
"That's up to you Sweet Girl, it's not official yet but Ms Stevens said that if she sees you socialising more, that they would definitely consider it."
"Can I think about it?"
"Sure, of course you can. Just make sure you don't say anything to Jack, Lucille or Jakie, they don't know about it and I probably wouldn't say anything to Troy 'cause I wasn't meant to tell you but I don't keep secrets from you, so make sure this stays between us, ok?" Lilliana nodded. "Good, I love you so much Livie and I'm so proud of you, I hope you know that."
"I know, I love you too Bria and I'm proud of you."
"Ok Sweet Girl, what do you say we get back to those boys and play for a bit more 'til we have to go back home for dinner?" Lilliana nodded and that's what they did for the remaining half-an-hour before returning back to their house.