Disclaimer- See chapter ONE.

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"Who said you could slow down?" Mr. Bolton booms from the sideline, swinging his whistle around his finger. "And just for that… one more! Line it up." Coach wasn't happy. He blew his annoying whistle and all thirteen guys take off in another suicide. The fifth one in a row.

First foul line, baseline, half court, baseline, second foul line, baseline, baseline to baseline. "Use one foot and pivot, Troy, you know this!" he "advises" his son. "Again!" he shouts.

The Wildcats line up on the thick baseline and wait for the whistle. All of this just for "mingling with the competition"? This was crap! Luckily, I can't feel Troy's legs feeling like lead. I don't feel like I'm soaked with sweat. Luckily.

"Pivot, Troy!" Coach chucks his whistle in his son's general direction, just skimming the top of Chad's fro.(A/N: My old coach threw stuff at us when he got mad. But it always worked.)

The whole team knows that Coach Bolton is hammering his son because he was their leader. But he the same coach who I always remember saying, "Win as a team, lose as a team"? I don't have any doubts.

"Line it up." Coach sounded a little calmer as he wheeled a basket of basketballs over to the boys. "Intensity Lay-ups." That was all he had to say for Troy to sag a little. "Every lay-up you miss in the next ten minutes, that's how many suicides you owe me." He blows his whistle that he had picked up from the floor and the guys scramble to their positions for full-court lay-ups.

And let the hell begin. Troy thinks to himself. He's never this negative, only tired. Tired of the pressure put on him. What's not to love? He even sacrifices his father's approval, just for his friends.

"Hey, Troy!" Candace and her Barbies casually walk into the gym clad in their royal blue and gold sweaters and skirts. They take seats on the sidelines of the gym.

Troy wants to shrink into a little piece of nothing. They were West High girls, which makes them all the more evil, according to Troy's father. Coach glares at his son. "What did I tell you?"

"Dad, I…" Troy tries defending himself.

"That's Coach Bolton to you." He jabs a finger in Troy's chest. "Ten laps. All of you. Now!"

"That was true hell." Chad dabs himself with a white towel in the boy's locker room. Another thing I learn is that Troy's eyes are my beautiful ocean blue eyes. And that means if he doesn't close them, neither can I. I saw some pretty… different things in that locker room. Things I generally don't want to remember.

"But don't worry, man, it's not your fault." Jason claps his hand on Troy's shoulder. "It's West High's."

"And trust me, we are gonna make them pay for it. I mean, did we even touch the basketballs today?" Chad asks.

But Troy isn't up for it. The disapproving look in his Dad's eyes make it seem like everything in the world was his fault. Even though it isn't. Don't let it get to you, Troy tells himself, Dad's only angry at West High, that's all. He assures himself.

Candace is waiting for him at the entrance of the gym. "That's your dad? He seems a little harsh to love you." She rolls her eyes. But Troy doesn't mind. He was looking down at a shorter version of Tara Reid. Who couldn't mind that?

"You want to do something later?" she asks, smiling.

She did not. I mean, it's not only because I'm jealous it's just that:

Troy's own flesh and blood already said he shouldn't "mingle with the competition. I know I said it was crap before, but now… it was important.

This Mini-Tara has a boyfriend! And Troy knows this! A boyfriend who could pummel him into a pulp! He should be backing out!

I'm absolutely green with jealousy.

I tried acting as his conscience. Too bad I couldn't get access.

"Sure." He smiles.

I know you're all thinking that I should be all, "No! Wait! Change your mind, quick, Troy!" but he's a big boy. And he makes his own decisions. Even if they will get him killed. Or worse… humiliated.

"How about tomorrow? After our game?" she asks. "Greg will probably be stoned about an hour after, so… I'll see you then?"

Greg. Troy thinks. He panics. Yeah, Troy, you forgot about Greg. Another example of how girls are smarter than boys. But when Candace doesn't get a response, she thinks it's a go.

"I'll see you later." She grins and leaves.

But it's not a go. It's the exact opposite.

I actually LIKED this chapter. Don't forget to vote! I'll tell you the score so far. Sharpay:6; Gabriella:6; (I'm dead serious. When I saw it I was like, "WOAH!") Kelsi:2; Original Character:1 READ AND REVIEW AND VOTE!