Okay, about why Chad was so focused. He taped Troy's arm so he could put it in the movie. It was really just a heads up that something was coming. I think I put too much into it. Anyway, it says that the footage of Troy's arm during the movie portion: As the words changed so did the video. The next was a portion of the video that Chad had made when Troy had gotten shot. But even winners can get wounded in the fight
Sorry if that was unclear!
Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
Chapter 23
Mack walked down the hall, a look of pure aggravation on her face. She couldn't do anything with any of her friends. Caleb had taken over her life. It had been a month since Caleb asked her out and he was very over protective- even more so than her brother at some points. It was as if he was protecting something by keeping Mack as his girlfriend. And if being over protective wasn't enough, he thought that she would ditch her friends to hang around with the sophomore cheerleaders.
But the worst part was his group called her 'Kenzie.'
Now, she couldn't deal with that. Once in kindergarten, her teacher had called her Kenzie and she flipped. 'My name is Mack,' she had said, very seriously for a five-year-old. Even Calum couldn't call her Kenzie.
Thinking about Calum made her feel like she was on a roller coaster. No matter how hard Bailey and Keisha tried to convince her other wise, she knew deep down she still had feelings for him. It seemed to her that her two friends felt more betrayed by Calum than she did herself. But her and Calum were on mutual terms to just be friends, strictly friends. Partly because they wanted to be close to the other and partly because they didn't want their group to be divided.
"Kenzie!"
She hid the disgusted face with a fake smile that could envy Troy's at his best. "Hi girls."
"We were like, wondering if you like, wanted to go to the mall."
"Sorry, but I'm um...helping Troy after school-"
"We could like, help you help Troy."
"No," Mack said a little too harsh. "He can't be helped by anyone except me."
"Okay, like bye Kenzie!"
Mack turned around. Not all the cheerleaders were like that. Most of them were normal, it just seemed like Caleb's group stuck to status quo.
She continued walking to her locker, it was the end of the day and the weekend. But it wasn't just a weekend, it was the beginning of winter break. She grabbed her backpack and walked to Calum's locker. There was a note. "Meet me in the gym."
She shrugged and walked to the gym, which now held bad Calum/Alyx memories. She had barely heard from Alyx again and from what Adam said in Science, neither had Calum. Mack opened the door to the gym and looked around. Calum was at the top of the bleacher, staring up at the ceiling at the number fourteen jersey.
"Hey," she said sitting next to him. He didn't answer, just kept looking at the white basketball uniform. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he said after a pause. "What are you doing over break?"
"I don't know. I don't think we're going anywhere, what with all the hospital bills my parents have paid in the past year. Probably just sitting on my butt...that is," she added half heartedly. "Until Caleb calls, beckoning me to go somewhere." She laid his head on his shoulder. "It's like he owns me."
Calum put his arm around her shoulders. He wanted desperately to place it around her waist, but that was too boyfriend/girlfriendish and that was Caleb territory. "Mack Harding," she said, then she grimaced. "Ugh, I hope he finds someone better before he proposes."
But Calum really wasn't listening to her. He was thinking about how much better Mack Boucher sounded than Mack Harding.
"You seem distant," she said looking up at him.
"Just thinking."
"About what?"
"Basketball," Calum said. She shook her head, "boys."
"Oh, they're so cute together," a voice said. Mack and Calum couldn't hear it.
"Oh, would you shut up?"
"Caleb, you know Mack doesn't like you. Give it a rest. What do you think is going to come out of dating a girl that's heart has already been won?"
"Her heart has not been won by Boucher!"
"Your relationship with her is one sided. Face it."
"So, Troy doesn't seem to mind me," Caleb said.
"Troy doesn't seem to mind anyone! They guy's like a Care bear or Barney."
"If you weren't my sister, I would have hit you. Troy Bolton is a legend."
"And you think I don't know that? I live with you. You mine as well make a shire for him in our living room!" There was a sigh. "If you weren't my brother, they would still be together."
"I would have found some other girl to do the dirty work."
"Like anyone would want to, every one hates Calum and it is entirely your fault."
"Alyx, just shut up for once!"
Alyx rolled her eyes. "Fine, but when they get back together, don't say I didn't warn you."
hsmhsmhsmhsmhsm
"Have you ever felt this way about a guy?"
"Mack..."
"No I'm serious, I can't stop thinking about him!"
"And you called me obsessed!"
"Keish," Bailey said. "You were. Chad was taken and he never liked you. Plus, you were infatuated with him, not in love with him."
"Mack, you're dating Caleb, he's cute, a good basketball player and an older man," Keisha said, taking a bite of her apple. They were sitting at the Bolton's kitchen table.
"But he's also worse than my brother, especially when it comes to hanging out with Calum."
"After you and Calum, every guy you date is going to be like that around Calum," Bailey said taking a bite herself. "I don't understand why you still want to be with him."
"I don't know either and I don't think he wants to date me. I think he just wants to be friends and I'm perfectly okay with that."
"Girl please," Keisha said. "You would do anything be back snuggling with Calum."
"But, I'm fine with just being friends." Bailey and Keisha shook their heads. Suddenly there was a crash.
"What was that," Keisha asked.
"I don't know," Mack said. The three girls ran up the stairs to find Troy laying on the floor with a box. Mack ran over to her brother. "Troy are you okay?"
"Yeah," he said. "But never try to get stuff out of the attic without a ladder." He stood and stretched.
"This is just junk," Keisha said reading the label.
"No," Troy said walking over to the box. He opened the lid and showed the girls his trophies and awards.
"Wow," Bailey said. "You have a lot of awards." She picked up one that said "MVP 2005."
"Best sportsmanship, 2003," Keisha read aloud.
"Coaches Award 1999," Mack said.
"Why was it labeled 'Junk' if its filled with these cool trophies," Keisha asked.
Troy sighed picking up a uniform from middle school. "I couldn't handle not playing, so I hid everything that reminded me basketball. I just now remembered that I put it in the attic."
"What made you bring it back down," Mack asked.
"Something Chad said at the retirement of my jersey. 'Troy never backs down from a challenge.' I figure this is the biggest challenge yet."
Mack hugged Troy. "This is the old Troy," she whispered in his ear.
Aww...
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