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Chapter 1
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Fate
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There was a knock at my office door as I sifted through miles high of paper work. "GO AWAY." I shouted at the door, still searching for the one sheet of paper I had SWORN I had left on top.
"Aw, is that any way to treat your favorite Higher Being?" came the sickly sweet voice of Angst, who had haunted my every step after what was now being called "The Big Screw Up" around the office. Imagine my joy when I found out from my secretary.
"Go away Angst - I really don't have time for this. I need to find the by-form for soul mates and then fill it out and make sure Filing has actually filed it correctly this time as apposed to shoving it back into "Deceased Souls and Reincarnations" like they did last tim-" I was cut off from my ramble by a sheet being shoved into my face. I looked up and it took me only a second to realize what it was.
"My by-form! Where did you-"
"Floor." he replied, smirking at me through mysterious eyes. I scowled back at him.
"Thank you." I replied stiffly. "Now you can go."
"Oh, I don't think so - after all, I'm here to let you know - you've got another opening - Troy's leaving the lodge and Gabriella's angsting over last night in the lobby - maybe they can…cross paths and-" But I didn't hear the rest, I was already out the door and sprinting down the padded hallways, over turning mail carts hauled along by cherubs and leaping over my coworkers.
I skidded to a halt outside the Watching Room and found my way to the main viewing globe, shouting Troy and Gabriella's names as I went - they flashed onto the screen and I rubbed my hands together - now to make some patented Fate magic. Hopefully.
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Gabriella
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I'd snuck downstairs, dodging the bell boys who were still chuckling over my flee from the scene of the crime last night - weren't the employees supposed to be gracious to their guests? All I was getting was crap from them. Obviously, it didn't make me eager to accept their invitation to lunch, even if one of them called me a pretty girl - it was clear he had no mastery over the English language.
So now, hunched in the lobby over my book - finally! - I curled up in the corner of one of the large sofas facing the fireplace, ignoring the patrons of the lodge as they filed back and forth, hauling baggage and little children. I was well into my book when…
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Fate
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"Sorry Gabi honey, but that's enough reading for you." I said with a smirk, casting my hands out to the globe, fiddling with something when there was a click of a door behind me. I continued futzing with something while casting a glance over my shoulder. There was Angst - unsurprisingly - and I watched him make his way to his own viewing globe. I didn't watch him bring up a picture, but the sounds that came from it echoed my own - he was watching Gabi and Troy too. I scowled, but kept my comments to myself.
There was a soft chuckle from his direction, but I studiously ignored him. I was working on getting Gabi to notice the now center-stage Troy who…wait.. What! Troy was now…surrounded by girls! When the hell did… I growled and looked up at Angst who was smiling at me cheerfully, his bright white smile doing nothing to help my mood. "Why are you purposely doing this to me!" I said through gritted teeth.
"Just a little extra challenge luv, just a little extra challenge."
"You know where you can shove that challenge Ang? Right up your-"
"Now, now luv. That's not nice." he said smugly, folding his arms and casually striking a pose which was elegant while looking completely effortless - the man just pissed me off.
"And stop calling me luv! I'm close to just fating you something horrible, painful and probably illegal in four hundred and eleven countries. Now leave me alone."
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Troy
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I was just walking down the stairs, hauling my luggage along, thanks to that useless bellboy who was busy flirting with some girl who didn't even look like she was on the same planet as him, never mind interested. Randomly, a crop of girls were shuffling down the hallways in that formation that the cliquey girls seem to enjoy so much. As one, they converged on me, like hungry raptors amassing over prey. All at once I was absorbed into a conversation concerning how 'totally awesome' last night's part was and who kissed whom and how 'adorably cute' I was and if I had a girlfriend and when I was leaving.
Teenage girls in the morning. My favorite. Notice the heavy sarcasm.
I somehow managed to escape - ('You go Troy!' thought Fate happily, grinning at her viewing globe, not noticing Angst hard at work at his own.) - but only in time to slam into another girl who seemed like she was emerging from the same clutches I had just burst from. In fact, it was that same one that bellboy had been speaking too. "Ooh - sorry, you oka-" but my question was swallowed up in the group of girls as I was hauled back in along with the other dark-haired girl. I turned to get a good look at her and apologize, but she was beating a hasty retreat up the stairs having sprinted from the milling flock of girls. I only caught the slightest glimpse of her face when she looked back at someone behind me. Ducking around the last remaining girls I found myself looking at one of the guys I'd snowboarded with last afternoon - then he seemed kind of smug, but generally okay. Now he was looking after the girl with a scowl. Not so happy relationship there, I thought and made my way to the desk where my parents were waiting for me. At least I was getting home where things were always normal.
Well…mostly.
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Fate
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"ANGST!" I screeched, ripping my hands from my globe and stalking towards him. To his credit, he didn't even waver. "You just HAD to haul along the guy who Gabi sang with last night! You KNEW she would run at the sight of him!" Angst just chuckled.
I wanted to rip out his larynx.
Maybe then he wouldn't be so quick to laugh smugly. I smiled evilly at this thought and it seemed to put him out a little. The smile disconcerted him. "Oh my lovely Fate - it's my job luv, to provide angst to the masses."
"On my time!"
"But of course gorgeous, where else would I get my morning entertainment?"
"SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE YOU PSYCHO."
"But you should know by now that I'm not like everyone else Fate baby."
"You've got that right, you perverted psychopath with a god complex." I muttered before glaring at him. "And for the eighty-nine billionth, seven hundred thousandth, six hundred and fifty seventh time - stop with the nicknames!"
"You know you love them." he replied easily, falling into a comfortable pose - they'd had this argument several times before and he knew the pattern. In fact in about three seconds, Fate would storm out of th-
SLAM.
The door slammed shut as Fate stalked out of the room. Angst smiled. In precisely six seconds Fate would storm back in with a quick remark and then-
"I hope a vulture feeds on your remains. While you're alive - Angsty baby." SLAM.
There was a long pause before a hoarse voice came from the corner of the room. Angst nearly jumped until he realized who it was. "Haven't you ever heard the saying, you get more flies with honey than vinegar?"
"But of course." Angst replied with a smirk, turning to face Death, one of the oldest beings Up Here.
"Maybe if you were actually nice to the girl, she'd stop calling you a self righteous bastard with a stick planted firmly up your-"
"She's never called me that one." he replied firmly.
"Not to your face." Death said mildly, passing his scythe from hand to hand as he puttered around the room. Angst glared at him. "What? It's true."
"I like my way better. She'll come around." he said confidently, though his façade wavered when he turned to look at the hunched old being. "Right?"
"Eventually." Death conceded, before making his way from the room.
"There are some things that even Fate can't prevent." Angst said to himself, a true smile alighting on his face. Maybe he would go a little easier on the girl - but he did so enjoy pestering her. She was gorgeous when she was angry.
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Troy
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Ah. Back at school. Thank god. I scanned the hallways, smiling and nodding at the enthusiastic Wildcats, ready for a new year. I reveled in the screeching and screaming and shouting.
Well…not really actually. It usually aggravated me to no end. In fact…it still did.
I sighed. Who was I kidding? I adored my school, basketball was my thing - I loved being here. The popular part was grating on my nerves a little, but hey - I could deal. I was Troy, the basketball boy. Nothing could bring me down.
THUD.
Except maybe running into a garbage can. Because I was definitely down after that. Down on the floor that is. Really, what was up with me today. I was crashing into everything. I sighed, picked myself up, brushed off the random empty bags of chips and papers along with the girls who were "helping", and made my way to Darbus' homeroom class. My favorite. There was still seven minutes till the bell - thank god - and I continued a previous conversation with Jason, perching on my desk.
"So, do you remember anything about the next night?" he asked.
"No, all I remember is pink jelly -" my eye caught a new girl, who'd finally found her way into the class, a couple seconds before the bell. She was certainly pretty. Jason's next question roused me and I replied with a shrug and then a wince as Darbus' voice pierced through the air.
"SEAT BOLTON." I slithered down into my seat and slumped as far down as possible. I hated being first in a row. "CELL PHONES EVANSES." There was a little pouting sigh from Sharpay's direction as she and Ryan tucked away their cell phones. "Alright," she began in a warm and kind voice - but we all knew better, Darbus was pure evil. "I have a few homeroom announcements to make before I GIVE YOU A WEEKS WORTH OF DETENTION DANFORTH FOR TALKING DURING MY CLASS." Everyone jumped and Chad huddled in his seat, looking guilty. He'd been pursuing an argument with Taylor McKessie. Again. I had no idea what his problem with her was, but they fought like cat and dog.
"That'll probably be hard for Chad, since he won't know how many days in a week there are." Taylor murmured to her surrounding posse of brainiacs. "MCKESSIE. DO I HAVE TO WARN YOU AGAIN?" Taylor squeaked and shook her head.
Like I told you - pure evil.
Darbus continued without any further interruptions. "Free period tomorrow there will be drama auditions," I tuned the rest out. Who cared about the drama club. I'm sure they were perfectly nice people and all, but they followed Sharpay and Ryan mindlessly - now that was just scary. I mean, it was all dancing and costumes and…singing.
I really didn't have anything against singing. In fact…I really like to sing. But if I ever told anyone that - Chad, my dad, the team, etc - I think I'd kill them from lack of oxygen - they'd all be laughing too hard to breathe. For some reason, a malicious urge rose in me to sign up for the audition, just to see what they'd all say. But it was quelled immediately by the sensible side of my brain. Don't be an idiot Bolton, just - "PAY ATTENTION WHEN I'M SPEAKING TO YOU." I leapt out of my chair, having completely zoned out.
"That's it, everyone I yelled at this period - half an hour after school - all of you!" I risked a glance at the class, wondering if I'd missed any more chewing outs. Sharpay was pouting viciously, Ryan…well…he looked like he could really care less, Chad was glowering, Taylor was astonished, Jason - who had been screeched at for chewing gum - was sleeping as usual and a girl in the back looked completely flustered. She was the pretty one I'd noticed earlier in the period - something about her phone falling out of her bag.
Darbus was crazy about cell phones.
The bell rang and everyone stampeded out of the classroom at the speed of light. Anything to get away from Drama Darbus.
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Fate
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Fate was enjoying herself far more than she should. She flicked a finger to one side, her eyes trained on the watching globe. A heavy thud echoed from its speakers. She flicked it the other way, and there was a crash.
She really shouldn't enjoy it, but she really loved making Troy run into things.
It released a little anger and also made way for the perfect - THUD - plan.
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Troy
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"Dammit, I'm so sorry." I said for about the fiftieth time today. For some reason, I had no control whatsoever over my balance today. I'd run into lockers and people and trashcans and even a mailbox this morning on my way to school that was definitely not even in tripping range. I hauled myself off the floor and quickly offered to help the girl I'd knocked over up. Most of them either took the arm and gave me a glare, or took the arm and clasped on to it, fawning.
This girl did neither, she dusted herself off before glancing at me. She was the girl from Darbus' homeroom - the pretty one. I had to immediately recall my observation of pretty. She was gorgeous. "Something tells me it wasn't all your fault."
I sighed. "I hope so, I've done this at least thirteen and a half times today."
She raised an eyebrow. "A half? How does one trip over something 'a half' time?" I flushed slightly, rubbing my hand at the back of my neck.
"Well, there was this cat you see, and this really large bush, and I just - you know what, never mind!" I cut myself off mock cheerfully. I was surprised by the tinkling laughter of the girl, who was juggling a lot for just the first day of school. "Need some help there?" I was surprised I hadn't knocked it all over in my moment (moments which had become much more frequent) of clumsiness.
"Only if your next class happens to be AP Honors Accelerated Algebra," she replied hopefully. I raised an eyebrow - advanced placement honors accelerated classes? I didn't even realize they HAD all three of those for one class.
"Sorry, they must've…left that one off my schedule." I replied with a smirk. She laughed. "Though I'm pretty sure I know where it is - you've got Mrs. Goldman?" A quick fumble and a glance a schedule later, the girl was nodding at me. "Then yup, I've got you covered. I'm Troy."
"Gabriella." she replied with a small smile. I led her to Mrs. Goldman, ignored the glare from Taylor who through some twisted logic of hers blamed me for anything Chad did, forced a smile at Sharpay and waved goodbye to Gabriella.
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Fate
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"SUCCESS." I gleefully danced around my viewing globe. Well, they'd met, hopefully nothing would screw it up from now on. My mood darkened when I remembered Angst, whose eagerness to help had turned into eagerness to screw me up. I sighed and flicked off my viewing globe and turned to find a handsome man at the door, posing casually. "Passion, what are you doing here?" I asked the man, who just smiled.
"I have a few subjects to check up on, you know the drill." Passion said with a wink, which made my cheeks warm. Now here was someone who I didn't mind being around as apposed to that dratted Angst- BLAH, how was he constantly in my thoughts? I shoved him out of my mind and smiled back at Passion.
"You bet I do, the work never ends." he laughed, a kind warm laugh that was nothing like Angst's dark- ARGH. Seriously, this was getting annoying.
"So, how's the Montez Bolton job going?" he asked sympathetically. I opened to mouth to answer, but I was cut off.
"Just fine I imagine, now that I'm not butting in." came a smug voice and I turned to find Angst at the doorway that Passion had just vacated. I couldn't help but think that Angst looked much more casual posing there than Passion.
"You can say that again." I said angrily, placing my hands on my hips, getting ready for a nice bantering session.
"Just go Angst, she doesn't want you here." came Passion's voice. Half of me wanted to smirk smugly and agree, but the other half of me was indignant that he would think to talk for me and slightly aggravated that I wouldn't be getting my daily arguing in with Angst. It was always amusing matching my superior wit against his obviously inferior humor. Of course, I wasn't biased in the slightest. Heh.
"Is this true?" Angst cast a lazy gaze over to me. For some reason, I felt like a lot was riding on my answer - but that was ridiculous. Angst could care less about what I thought. I didn't even realize it, but I hesitated on answering, on telling him to leave me the hell alone - when I realized what I'd done, Angst was already smiling lazily at me and the anger rose in me again. Who was HE to think that I actually wanted him around at ANY time!
"Very true. See you…never Angst-y baby." I said with a sarcastically cruel smile. Angst smiled back at me, blew me a sarcastic kiss then disappeared down the hallway. "Smug bastard." I said, though without any real malice, watching the doorway.
"Um, Fate?" I turned at the sound of a familiar voice, inwardly flushing - I'd completely forgotten about Passion.
"Yep?" I replied brightly.
"I was wondering, about this afternoon if you had anything-" uh-oh. He's asking me out. Passion was handsome, suave, witty - perfect. Then…why wasn't I leaping at the chance to go out with him? I had no idea. But I did know that I had to get out of there otherwise I'd embarrass both him and me.
"Eek, Passion - I'll catch up with you later, my secretary just mind-called me, something about an emergency. Later, okay?" I said with a bright smile, before dodging out of the Viewing Room.
Only to nearly run into Angst, who was perched on the wall outside.
As I stared at him astonished, he smiled at me - for once, not smug or sarcastic - and disappeared. The smile set my mind spinning - I'd never seen a real smile from him before. Boy was he gorgeous when he smiled. But…he'd been waiting outside the door. What the hell did that mean?
Had he been…listening? Did he actually care? I scoffed at that idea. Yeah right, Angst? Care? That's a good one.
But I wasn't so sure.
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Author's Note: Finally! YAY! You have no idea how much fun I actually had writing this. Angst…the smug bastard he is… is BEYOND FUN to write. I love when I get characters like that, one's that truly make me smile when I write their dialogue and thoughts. Anyway, again, this is just a fic I work on when I have no inspiration for True Drama - which is why this is such a long chapter - it took me forEVER to get that chapter of TD up. Bleh.
For some reason, Fate and Angst run away with the story when it's their turn to talk, so I'm sorry if you don't get as much of a feeling of Troy/Gabi in here as I was wishing for. I'm hoping next chapter I can kinda balance them both out, but I do really love this chapter.
But they finally met! But…they have no idea about each other and their musical talents…howEVER will they be displayed? -evil smile from the author- Oh and it'll be good and provide LOTS OF ANGST. Teehee! My favorite! (Angst: Did you call me? Me: Ugh, no. Go away. Angst: Righty-o! -goes off to make lots of sarcastic babies with Fate- Me: BLAH.)
I have no control over my characters. :X
Same bat time, same bat channel ya'll. :D
-B