Hey! Thanks for reviewing! Sorry about the whole trimester thing, our school has trimesters so I just completely overlooked it. Sorry if it confused you.

Chapter 2

Mack, Bailey and Calum were the first to arrive to first period English that morning. This was a class that Mack wasn't exactly looking forward to. She had heard stories about the horrible lessons that she taught and the equally horrible projects she assigned.

"Good morning Mackenzie," Ms. Darbus said as they walked into the room. The other reason why Mack wasn't excited was that Ms. Darbus has known her for her entire life and neither had ever really gotten along to well.

"Good morning Ms. Darbus," she said smiling, although it was fake. She was sure that Ms. Darbus knew it was fake too, seeing as she was the top drama teacher in the region.

It wasn't that she hated English. Actually, it was one of the classes that she actually liked and did well in. She remembered in seventh grade she had written a story about the time Troy fell off the playground. She had changed it around so that Troy died because their goal was to make the best tear-jerker, and she had won a candy bar and made her teacher Mr. Davey cry. Then last year, her teacher Mrs. Keeves told her to write a story about her favorite person for a contest. She had picked Troy and it was named third in the state.

She took her place in the back of the room and leaned back in her chair. She watched people file in the door and placed them into groups. 'I bet he will drop out by junior year,' she thought as a kid walked threw the door. 'She's definitely a wannabe cheerleader,' she thought as a girl walked in with her nose in the air.

"Is it just me," Bailey said, leaning over in her chair pointing at the girl that just entered. "Or does she remind you of Ebony?"

"I'm thinking she reminds me of Macy, but I can see how you could think Ebony," Mack said.

"They went to West High right," Bailey asked. But she didn't get an answer. "Mack?"

Mack's eyes were wide and staring at the door. Standing in the doorway was a girl with dark, dirty blond pigtails that reached her shoulders. She had on a pink shirt and a jean skirt with pink sandals. Bailey looked from the girl to Mack. Mack's hair was in a messy ponytail and she wore a light blue shirt with jeans. "This is creepy," Bailey said. "Who is she?"

But again, Mack didn't answer her. She walked to the girl, who had just sat down in one of the desks in the front row, and said, "I didn't know you were coming to East High."

The girl looked up and smiled. "I didn't know you went here. How are you doing?"

"Fine, how are you?"

"Good. My hair is back," she said.

"I saw! My friend back there," Mack said pointing to Bailey. "Thinks this is creepy."

"I do too!"

"Ms. Bolton, I would appreciate it if you found your seat," Ms. Darbus said. Mack turned, giving Ms. Darbus a full view of both girls. "Or, are you sitting? Which one is which?"

"I'm Mack," Mack said.

"I should have known."

"I'm Mikaela."

Ms. Darbus pointed to Mack. "Your father never said anything about there being two of you."

"There isn't, I'm Mikaela Faulbauer."

"Oh," Ms. Darbus said embarrassed. "Do you like shooting pucks at a basket?"

"She means basketballs, not pucks," Mackwhispered toMikaela so that Ms. Darbus couldn't hear.

Mikaela nodded, "as a hobby."

Ms. Darbus turned and walked back to her desk. "They couldn't of just had a dog and named it Troy and a cat named Mack. No, they had to have children. Ugh." Her voice turned happier, "at least this is the last year I'll see any Danforths."

hsmhsmhsmhsmhsm

"Ah, there you are. Late on the first day boys," Jack said when Troy, Chad, Cam, Jason, Ryan and Zeke walked threw the door.

"Yeah, these two boneheads had to chase each other," Jason said.

"Chad chased me, I was just running away," Troy said raising his hands in defense. Jack pointed to the tables that didn't have anyone sitting at them. Chad quietly sat at the one in the front and Troy sat next to him. He had a big grin on his face, but Chad could see right threw it. He knew that Troy faked being happy to cover his hurting. Troy had been doing that since they were little kids and Chad always had to be the one that convinced him to tell someone. If Chad wasn't there, Troy would keep his feeling bundled up inside until he burst.

Troy noticed all through class that his dad kept looking at Chad. Chad however was focused on a tree outside the window. His dad sent him a questioning look and he just shrugged. He didn't know why Chad was making such a big deal out of his little episode outside, but what did Chad know? Chad had never had to live up to Jack Bolton's expectations, he had never been admitted to the hospital, he had never been Troy Bolton.

Troy had learned to never tell anything unless he was sure there was something wrong. Had he told his parents every little thing that happened to him, he'd probably been home schooled by second grade. His dad wanted him to be a big star like he had been, but he didn't want his son getting hurt, physically or mentally.

So, Troy learned about fake smiles in first grade when his dad made a fuss about him skinning his knee on the tar and mastered his when he was in second grade when he sprained his ankle racing Chad down the stairs. He had used one when Jack asked him if everything was okay, and it really wasn't because had a huge crush on Olivia Chores in sixth grade and she was Sharpay's best friend and his friends were making fun of him.

But, Troy had always been very independent. Maybe that was because his parents had always seen him as fragile little Troy, or because his dad expected so much of him; being the star basketball player and not getting hurt as if he were superman or batman. He really didn't know why he was independent, he just was.

"So, everyone knows where their next class is, right," Jack asked. The class nodded their heads and started to get their stuff together. Chad was still looking out the window. Troy nudged him. "Dude," Troy said. "Anything interesting?"

Chad just shook his head. Jason and Cam who were sitting behind them gave Troy a look. "What's wrong with him," Cam whispered. Troy shrugged, knowing that they would believe he didn't know anything.

When the bell rang, most of the students rushed out so they wouldn't be late for their next class. "Chad, can you stay behind for a minute," Jack asked, obviously concerned for the boy. The others clapped Chad on the back or said "see ya." Chad looked at Troy. 'Remember, I'm fine,' Troy mouthed as he walked out the door.

Chad turned to Jack. "So what did you want Coach?"

"You were unusually quiet today, especially seems as it was my class. You're always talkative,Chad. Is everything okay?"

'No,' the voice in Chad's head said. 'There's something wrong with your son, my best friend and he doesn't think he needs to tell me! This is senior year and next year everyone's going to go to different corners of the U.S.!'

"No," Chad said.

"Did you get enough sleep last night?"

Chad's face lit up at the opportunity to lie and get himself out of the mess he was in for now. "No, I was anxious for school and I couldn't get to sleep."

"Well, make sure you get a good night sleep tonight," Jack said. Chad walked toward the door. "Chad?" He looked back. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, reminding himself of Troy. He shut the door behind him before running down the hall to his next class.

Jack shook his head. "Chad anxious for school is the day I hate basketball." He picked up the phone, dialed the numbers to get an outside call and thendialed seven more. "Hi Kathy, it's Jack...Yeah, has Chad been acting differently, because he was didn't say a word in my class."

So...hope you liked it. Review!