Besar

By Jeune Ecrivain

Rating: K+

Summary: Former one-shot extended due to good reviews. On the cusp of a relationship, Troy and Gabriela find something unexpected that they have in common and use it to further their fledgling singing careers.

"You nervous?"

Troy turned to face Gabriela as they sat in the large auditorium of East High awaiting their turn on stage. He gave her a small smile. "A little. Are you?"
"Yeah," admitted Gabriela. "I mean, I know we've performed in front of the entire basketball team, the entire decathlon team, and a bunch of cheerleaders, but this is different. This is the actual Drama Club. Or the officers of the Drama Club, anyway." She indicated the five people sitting at the front of the auditorium, including Mrs. Darbus and Sharpay. "But hey," she smiled. "I have it all worked out. Whenever I feel myself losing my nerve, I'll just focus on you. It worked before."

Troy chuckled. "I'll do the same with you if I start losing it, too."

Gabriela grinned and leaned in to kiss him, and their lips were a millimeter apart when a familiar voice yanked them out of their reverie. "Hey, cap'n," greeted Chad.

Gabriela groaned. Taylor, who had arrived just behind Chad in time to see what her two friends had been doing, smacked the back of his head. "You did it again!"

Troy stood up with a sarcastically gentle smile on his face and put his hands on Chad's shoulder. "Chad…" he said, looking his best friend in the eye and gently pushing him back a few feet, "…stand right there. Stay." He then left a confused Chad standing there while he turned back to Gabriela and reclaimed his seat. "Now where were we?"

Gabriela grinned. "Right here," she said leaning in and pausing with her lips just a hair's width away from his before kissing him warmly. Chad put his hands on his hips and rolled his eyes.

Troy winked at her before facing Chad again. "Now sit," he said, gesturing at the seat to his left. Chad smirked and did as he was told. "Good boy," Troy said as if training a dog, ruffling Chad's afro teasingly. Taylor, who had taken a seat to Gabriela's right, laughed at the way Troy had decided to make his point and high-fived him over Gabriela's head.

"What are you two doing here, anyway?" asked Troy, chuckling to himself.

"Didn't want to miss my best friend's big audition," answered Chad. "Not since I found out he was such an awesome singer."

"Ditto," Taylor piped in. "We thought you could use a little moral support, especially with Sharpay here."

"Thanks, guys," replied Gabriela.

"Anytime," Chad nodded. Troy glared at him, and he responded with a sheepish grin. "Okay, fine. Bad timing. I get it."

"Honestly, do you have some kind of radar that goes off whenever they're going to lock lips?" quipped Taylor.

"It's a total violation of the male code," added Troy. "Thou shalt not interrupt thy friend when he is about to get some action."

Chad was about to retort when Mrs. Darbus' voice resounded throughout the auditorium. "Next, Troy Bolton and Gabriela Montez!"

Gabriela bit her lip, and Troy took her hand as the two stood up. "Good luck," Chad and Taylor said almost simultaneously.

Gabriela mouthed a quick thanks before following Troy down to the front of the auditorium. The two prospective Drama Club members climbed onto the stage via a small wooden staircase. Kelsi greeted them as she sat at the piano with a genuine smile of appreciation before the two turned to face the club's officers. Sharpay shot them a confident smile, but neither Troy nor Gabriela was fazed. Troy cleared his throat. "Before we start, we should tell you that when Gabriela and I heard about the new rule about diction classes," he said, "we decided to be a little creative and kill two birds with one stone."

Gabriela then spoke. "We came up with a little something we like to call…a Multilingual Medley."

The Drama Club officers exchanged a few glances before nodding at them to proceed. Troy gave Kelsi his familiar "hit it" gesture with his finger, and soft chords promptly filled the auditorium. Troy removed the microphone in front of him from its holder as Gabriela did the same, and he began to sing.

It's hard to believe

That I couldn't see

You were always there beside me.

Gabriela swallowed and sang her half of the familiar verse.

Thought I was alone,

With no one to hold,

But you were always right beside me.

Then, just as they had a few nights ago, their voices blended together in a pleasant harmony.

This feeling's like no other.

I want you to know

That I've never had someone

That knows me like you do,

The way you do.

And I've never had someone

As good for me as you,

No one like you.

So lonely before,

I finally found

What I've been looking for.

Gabriela smiled contentedly at Troy as Kelsi played a brief instrumental interlude. She then brought the microphone to her lips and resumed singing.

No puedo creer

Que no logré ver

Que estabas a mi lado.

Troy then raised the microphone and finished the translated verse.

Pues mi soledad,

No era verdad.

Siempre estabas a mi lado.

Their voices combined again for the translated chorus.

¡Qué raro sentimiento!

Tú debes saber

Que como nadie más

Ya me conoces tú,

Y sólo tú,

Que como nadie más

Me reconfortas tú,

Y eres tú.

Por fin sucedió.

Sé que hoy hallé

Lo que buscaba yo.

After another instrumental interlude, Troy and Gabriela sung the chorus again, this time alternating between each other. As Troy carried the last note of each English line, Gabriela began singing the corresponding Spanish line, and Troy paused until she finished before beginning the next English line. (A/N: Regular Italics Troy, Underlined Italics Gabriela)

This feeling's like no other!

¡Qué raro sentimiento!

I want you to know

Tú debes saber

That I've never had someone

Que como nadie más

That knows me like you do,

Ya me conoces tú,

The way you do,

Y sólo tú,

That I've never had someone

Que como nadie más

As good for me as you,

Me reconfortas tú,

No one like you.

Y eres tú.

So lonely before,

Por fin sucedió,

I finally found

Sé que hoy hallé

What I've been looking for.

Lo que buscaba yo.

Gabriela let her voice fade out along with the accompanying music, and she and Troy found themselves looking at each other like they had after having sung "Breaking Free" at the callbacks. A ceremonious moment of silence followed.