Disclaimer: I don't own anything! The song is Who You'd Be Today by Kenny Chesney.
"But you're playmaker, not a singer."
"Did you ever think maybe I could be both?" I sighed as Troy dropped the ball and walked out of the gym. This wouldn't be the first time he was mad at me, but it sure felt like the first time. I knew Troy wouldn't be my little basketball star forever, but a musical?
I turned and walked out of the gym toward my office. All the boys were gone by now except Troy and Chad. I heard them talking, Chad was trying to talk him out of the musical again. I always knew that boy and I got along real well. I sat in my chair and looked at the pictures. There was a cute one of Troy one New Year in an outfit that his mother had picked out, even at five he had a basketball in his hands. There was one of Troy, Chad, Zeke and Jason with their middle school basketball jerseys on. The one closest to me was of Troy and Chad at what must have been a basketball themed birthday party. Chad had become somewhat of a son to me over the years, he was at our house so often.
On my desk was the newspaper I had been reading earlier. The front page: East to battle West for Championship! The picture was of Troy making a lay up. The writing under the photo said: Is Captain Troy Bolton #14, the first sophomore to ever make starting varsity, the miracle that the Wildcats need to win the big game? Seeing that made me proud of Troy and his accomplishments. I skimmed the rest of the page, my eyes settling on a title that said Car Crash kills Teen. I read on: Earlier this week, a teen was killed in a 2 car pile up. The teen whose name is not being given out was in the front passengers seat of his father's car...
I stopped there because I heard a song start up. The radio was off, Troy and the boys were gone, so where could that be coming from. As the song played I shut my eyes and dozed off.
Sunny days seen to hurt the most
I wear the pain like a heavy coat
I feel you everywhere I go
I see your smile, I see your face
I hear you laughin' in the rain
Still can't believe your gone.
It ain't fair you died too young
Like a story that had just begun
But death tore the pages all away
God knows how I miss you
All the hell that I been through
Just knowin' no one could take your place
Sometimes I wonder
Who you'd be today.
Would you see the world, would you chase your dreams
Settle down with a family
I wonder what would you name your babies
Some days the sky's so blue
I feel like I can talk to you
And I know it might sound crazy.
"Coach," Chad said entering the room. I looked up from my paper to look at the boy. "You wanted to see me?"
"Sure." I had no idea why I wanted him but I motioned for the boy to sit down anyways. Chad took a seat in front of the me and I came up with a reason that would satisfy him. "Could you keep an eye on Troy for me, we got in a fight about the musical thing and he hasn't talked to me in a while."
Chad looked at me as if I was crazy. "Coach did you bump your head or something?"
"No why?" I asked.
Chad looked on the verge of tears, "Troy died in a car accident 4 days ago."
I put on a stern voice. "Chad this isn't a funny joke, I just told him to keep his head in the game 3 minutes ago. You can go tell Troy his attempt to make me feel guilty didn't work-"
"Coach, I'm serious." Chad was crying now, I didn't know he was a good actor. "Troy's gone. He was in a 2 car pile up, everyone in the accident died."
"Chad this isn't working, cut the fake crying and go tell Troy better luck next time." I looked down at my desk, there in the middle was the same newspaper except the main article's headline said: Basketball Team Wears Jerseys to Funeral. I read on: The East High School Wildcats Varsity basketball team wore their jerseys under their suits to the funeral of their captain Troy Bolton who was killed in a car accident earlier this week. Bolton who was a sophomore, was the team's miracle...
I dropped the paper and tears stung my eyes. Troy...gone... and I couldn't even remember he was dead. "Chad, never mind, I guess I'm still in denial."
Chad gave me a sincere nod, "Coach, you didn't have to come back to school so early. We were ready not to see you for weeks."
I didn't know why I was there either, this just didn't make sense. Troy and Chad were just at the school together, alive and well. Wouldn't I remember if Troy died, I didn't remember anything that Chad was telling me. I quickly stood up and nodded to Chad, before walking out to the parking lot. I jumped in my car. 'Troy's not dead,' I told myself over and over again on my way home. 'He can't be dead.'
My car pulled in the driveway and stopped. Everything looked normal. I laughed to myself. I was going to walk in and the whole team would jump out at me and scream surprise and I would see Troy walking down the stairs with his priceless grin on his face saying, "we really fooled you dad." I was falling into one of their jokes, that had to be it.
I opened the door. The room was absolutely silent, I had to admit the boys could be quiet when they wanted to be. Then the sight hit me, the room was a disaster. Pictures were all over the floor in the living room, just thrown around. Baskets of flowers were on various tables and sympathy cards were scattered like the pictures. This was an unusual sight in the house because my wife hates messes. I looked down at my feet and chuckled. There was my scrapbook of Troy's basketball, in it was pictures, newspaper clippings and the such.
"Where have you been?"
I looked up at my wife, she had bags under her bloodshot eyes. She was in her bathrobe with Troy's most recent school picture under her arm. "Where have you been, Jack?"
"At the school," I answered. If there was one thing that I knew about my wife it was that you answered her when she asked you a question.
"Why? Didn't Mr. Matsui tell you that you could stay home as long as you wanted." Concern hit her face, "did one of the boys get hurt? Was it Zeke? Or Jason? Please don't say it was Chad."
"No, none of the boys are harmed." I had no idea about the first part, so I just went with it. "Yes, Dave did tell me that I could have time off, but I though being there would help."
"Did it?"
"Did it what?"
"Jack! Your impossible! Did it help you get over it?" She was getting angry, but I needed to hear it from her to know that the boys weren't playing a trick on me.
"Get over what?"
"Jack Bolton! Our son just died and you can't even remember! Do you remember his name?"
I shut my eyes as tears came, so it was true. "I just needed to hear it from you. Denials taken over my body, just this morning I told Chad to keep an eye on Troy. I didn't believe Troy was gone."
She still looked at me with anger. "Jack, Troy was killed. You have to believe that. If you can't believe it with words, then go to the cemetery and see for yourself."
I grabbed the scrapbook off the floor and looked at her, "Do you want to come?"
She shook her head, "No, I went this morning. But remember to be back by 5:00, they're retiring his jersey at 6:00."
I nodded and walked out to the car. I had no idea where I was going, but I ended up at the cemetery anyway. I drove down and the car stopped in front of a new plot. The dirt was still visible. I walked out of my car and nealt in the dirt. In front of the headstone was a picture of Troy smiling back at me, a basketball signed by the team, and the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen. I touched the headstone and traced the letters with my fingers.
Troy Alexander Bolton January 12, 1990 – January 3, 2006.
I walked back to the car and grabbed the scrapbook. As I turned around I heard a familiar beat.
It ain't fair you died too young
Like a story that had just begun
But death tore the pages all away
God knows how I miss you
All the hell that I have been through
Just knowin' no one could take your place
Sometimes I wonder
Who you'd be today.
Today, today, today
Today, today, today.
Sunny days seen to hurt the most
I wear the pain like a heavy coat
The only thing that gives me hope
Is I know I'll see you again someday
Someday, someday...
"Coach Bolton?"
I opened my eyes and lifted my head off the table. I was back in my office. I blinked a few times. It was all a dream. I looked at the janitor. "Sorry, I'll leave." I picked up my stuff and walked out of the room. Outside was dark and when I got in my car I checked the time. 11:43pm. Oh, my wife was going to kill me.
I walked into the house as quietly as I could. I shut the door with a small click and turned. All would have been fine had I not turned into my wife. I chucked a nervous chuckle.
"Where have you been?"
"At the school." That reminded me of my dream. She had her mouth open to say something but I beat her to it. "Where's Troy?"
She cocked her head. Then her brow furrowed, "He's sleeping like he should be up in his room. Don't go up and wake him. I can't believe you said that to him!"
But, I didn't let her finish her rant. I quickly ran up the stairs and opened his door. I had to see for myself. I walked very quietly over to his bedside. I placed a hand on his forehead and pushed back the hair. Then I did something that I hadn't done since he was a little boy. I nealt down and kissed his forehead and whispered "I love you Troy." I watched his chest rise up and down as he breathed a reminder that he was alive. I hummed the song that had been playing when I had the horrible dream. That was when I figured out there was more important things then basketball. If Troy wanted to be in a musical, I still shuttered at the thought, then I would be proud of him. I needed to let him have the time of his life, because people are here today and gone the next.
I don't know Troy's middle name so I just picked one. As for the birthday, My sister told me that they could possibly be sophomores because if you look closely to the Sharpay's 'Gabriella Search' it tells about a sophomore Gabriella and wouldn't it come up with the most recent articles written. I couldn't decide so I went with her opinion. Tell me what you think. I hope they make a High School Musical 2! I love this movie!