A/N: Okay everybody, this is the last chapter. –tear tear-. I just want to give a HUGE thanks to all my lovely reviewers, because you are purely the only reason I write this stories. Of course I write them for practice, but I get all the encouragement and some ideas from all of you guys. So, thank you! I love you all!
Troy sighed as he leaned up against the lockers, while other players were getting changed for the big game. He had just gotten out of his coach's office for the second time today, and with the worst news he could possibly want at the moment.
Flashback
"Troy! How are you doing?" he asked jovially, with a huge smile on his face as Troy walked in the office.
"Um, just fine, thanks," Troy answered confused. Five hours ago his coach was angry with him, now he's happy?
"Have a seat. I need to speak with you about important matters," he said nodding towards the chair.
Troy nodded and sat down slowly, wondering what the conversation that was about to take place be about.
"Now, I understand that you and my daughter have been dating for a year and a half?" he asked, suddenly serious.
"Yes," Troy answered, trying to sound happy about it.
"Okay, well, I picked this up a couple of weeks ago at a jewelry store," he said, pulling out a ring box.
'Oh no' Troy thought as he stared at it.
"Tonight, after the game, win or lose, I am going to get up to the podium, say a few words, and then I'm going to pass the speech over to you. When you go up there, I want you to propose to Abigail in front of everybody," he finished grinning ear to ear.
Troy felt his whole body go numb. "Um, sir? Do you really think that's a good idea? I mean we've only been dating a year and a-" Troy tried but the coach made his decision.
"Troy, she loves you, you love her. That's all there is to it. Take it and go get ready for the game," he said sternly.
Although it killed Troy inside, he took the box with his hand shaking and looked at it. It was a gorgeous ring, gold with a diamond in the center, but he wasn't giving it to the person he wanted to.
"Don't worry son, she'll say yes," the coach said, thinking his shaking hands had to do with nerves.
Troy managed a nod and walked out of the room, thoughts running wildly in his mind.
End of Flashback
Troy banged his head back on the locker, grunting. He felt the ring sinking in his pocket; it felt like it was burning a hole through his pants.
"Man, are you alright?" Chad asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm just…stressed," Troy replied, getting changed.
"Don't worry. You'll work everything out with Gabi after the game," Chad said reassuringly.
Troy sighed. "Yeah, okay," he answered.
"Ok, let's go team! Onto the court! Time to play!" Coach screamed. Chad and Troy locked eye contact, nodded and then went out onto the court.
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"Guys, I'm not wearing that!" Gabi screeched as Sharpay held up a mini skirt for her to wear. They were back at Gabi and Tay's apartment, getting ready for the game.
"Well then you pick something! And it better not be sweats!" Sharpay yelled back.
"I'm not wearing sweats. I was thinking more of…jeans and a shirt," Gabi said.
"Jeans and a shirt?" Sharpay asked incredulously, "I'm hearing you with jeans but just a shirt? No. You're going to borrow one of my blouses, and I don't care what you say." She finished.
"Fine, but don't give me one that's really low cut. I don't feel like having random guys staring down my shirt, thanks," she answered.
Sharpay walked over to her suitcase, and pulled out a green tank top, with a green lace cover up to go over it. "This is what you're wearing. Take out black jeans and put this on. And can we shut the window? It's supposed to rain later, and I don't think you want these hard wood floors soaked and ruined," she said as she gave Gabi the blouse and walked over to shut the window.
"Sharpay, all I can say is thank you. For everything, for taking care of Abigail, making me feel better and letting me borrow this," Gabi said holding up the blouse.
Sharpay smiled, and walked over and gave Gabi a hug. "No problem. What are friends for?" she asked, but then continued, "Now go get ready. We have to be there soon."
Gabi nodded and went into her room. She sighed, and changed into what Sharpay told her to. The outfit didn't look half bad, actually it looked quite good. She let down her hair, made it look presentable and walked out. When she stepped out, Sharpay and Taylor were waiting and let out a whistle when they saw her. Gabi giggled, and sat on the piano bench.
"Tay, what are you wearing?" Gabi asked her friend.
"This," she said plainly.
"What? You made me change, but you're not?" she asked.
"Hey, I'm not the one who is going to get back together with their high school sweetheart tonight," she answered her hands up in the air.
Gabi tilted her head. "Don't say that. You and Chad have been civil to each other the past couple of days, right?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we're joined at the hip again," She said.
Sharpay looked at the clock. "Okay, we gotta go. The game is going to start in about fifteen minutes," she said as she grabbed her keys.
"Alright, let's go," Tay replied as she and Gabi followed suit.
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When they got to the game, they found that it was packed. They were looking for seats, when they saw three available all the way on the top riser. Gabi groaned; she hated heights. All three of them got up there and sat just as the Duke team came out on the court. When Gabi immediately spotted Troy, she sighed and looked down. She knew that any chance of them ever being together again was shot, gone forever, but she couldn't help but hope that some way there could be.
Throughout the first half of the game, Gabi received many nudges and pushes from Taylor, saying that Troy was looking at her. Gabi nodded, and then tried to concentrate on how Chad was doing, rather than Troy. But because Chad passed the ball so many times to Troy, that technique didn't work out so well. Troy wasn't doing his best, but he wasn't terrible as he was at practice. Every now and then Troy and Gabi would lock eye contact, but she would always break it. She couldn't stand to look at him; it just broke her heart even more.
Finally during half time, Sharpay turned to Gabi. "Gabi, are you okay?" she asked with a concerned face on.
Gabi managed a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired," she lied. She wasn't fine; in fact it felt like a part of her was being killed off.
"Gabs, that lie isn't going to fool anyone. Well, maybe Chad, but not us," Taylor added putting her arm around Gabi's shoulders.
"I just don't want to face him," she said quietly.
Sharpay and Taylor gave her sympathetic looks. "This is worse than I thought," Sharpay muttered.
"Look guys, I'll stay till the end of the game, but please don't make me see him after? It'll just be harder…you don't understand," Gabi said softly, looking at her sneakers.
"Okay, Gabi. We won't make you do anything you don want to do. Right Taylor?" Sharpay asked.
Taylor nodded. "Yeah, Gabs. You don't have to do anything," she said reassuringly.
"Thanks guys, I…just don't know what to do anymore," Gabi answered.
Sharpay was about to say something, but then the second half began. Duke was in the losing, behind with twenty points. Gabi sighed, and leaned back against the wall. Troy had the ball, brought it down the court and shot it into the net. Everyone cheered and stood up, everyone but Gabi. The rest of the game continued on, Troy getting some in, and other times he would miss miserably. When there was ten seconds left, Troy again had the ball, and shot it in the basket taking the win for Duke.
Gabi was getting uncomfortable, knowing that pretty soon everyone would have to leave, and that Troy would probably come and look for her. Just as she was going to ask Taylor something, the Duke Coach came up to the podium to make a speech. Gabi's eyes narrowed and she knew that she shouldn't care, but he was part of the heart break that was occurring to her.
"Well, all I can say is good job team! We've practiced long and hard for this, and all in all, I think we deserved it. I'm not the one to really make speeches, so I think I'll hand it off to our captain of the team, Troy Bolton!" he finished. The crowd erupted in cheers, and Gabi turned to Sharpay and Taylor.
"Guys, I really can't do this. I'll meet you out by the car," she said starting to get up.
"Gabi! It's pouring outside!" Sharpay exclaimed as a roar of thunder erupted from outside.
"I don't care. I'll see you outside," she said sternly. Gabi turned and started to walk down the bleachers.
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Troy saw Gabi walking down the stands as he got up to do his speech. His heart was racing; he knew what he had to do. He didn't want to propose to Abigail, he didn't love her. At this point he didn't care if he was kicked off the team, or if he could never play professionally. All he wanted to do was to be with Gabriella, even if that meant he couldn't play basketball. Troy took a deep breath, and went up to the podium.
"I have to say, today was a very challenging day for me. I am beyond happy that we won today, but I am not as happy as I could be. Years ago, I made a mistake. A one that I never wish I made. I lost touch with the one girl I could be myself with. The one who makes your heart speed up, your face turn red, and leave you wanting more. Today, I realized that this mistake changed my life, and I understand that it cause a great deal of pain, (here he paused and looked up at Taylor and Sharpay) and I am so sorry. Which is why I must do this," Troy said as he turned to his coach, "I'm sorry. I can't marry your daughter," he whispered handing him the ring box.
Coach Williams looked as if he might burst a vain in his head. "What!" he exclaimed.
"I can't marry her," Troy repeated without hesitation or fear.
"Why can't you marry me?" Abigail whined from behind him.
Troy smiled. "Because I'm in love with someone else."
Troy turned and started to walk off the stage. "You know what this means? You're off the team! And don't even think about coming to me for a reference, because you're not getting one!" Coach yelled.
"I'm okay with that," Troy said calmly. Chad started to clap, and soon everyone else followed suit and started to clap with him. Troy was looking around for Gabi, but he found no sight of her.
Suddenly, Sharpay came up. "She went to my car!" she yelled over the loud clapping.
"What?" Troy asked. He couldn't hear her.
"She went to her car! Go get her!" Taylor shouted coming up also.
Troy nodded and ran out into the pouring rain, and saw Gabi walking slowly in front of him about twenty feet away.
"Gabi!" he yelled.
Gabi paused, upon hearing her name. She turned around and saw Troy running towards her. She sighed, turned around and continued to walk.
"Gabi, wait!" he shouted.
Frustrated, Gabi turned around. "Wait? Wait? I waited three years, Troy! And seeing you after these years with another girl isn't the easiest thing for me!" she screeched back, drops of water soaking her.
Troy stopped a couple feet in front of her. "It's not that easy for me either!" he yelled.
Gabi snorted. "Not easy for you? What you can't pass the basketball because someone's blocking you? There's more to life than basketball, Troy!" she shrieked.
"No! it's you! You know because of you that I didn't play my best tonight?" Troy asked, his white and blue uniform getting drenched.
"What are you talking about?" Gabi said angrily.
"Because of you, I can't concentrate. You're every thought that fills my mind. It feels like everywhere I turn something reminds me of you!" he yelled back, getting frustrated.
Gabi stood there, not knowing what to say. She was getting doused in the rain. Her shirt felt like it was glued to her body, her jeans were now extremely uncomfortable, water was squishing around in her shoes, and her hair was sticking to her face. Finally, Troy spoke again. But this time, he had a caring, and soft voice.
"I want to be there, Gabi. I want to be able to touch you, hold you whenever I want, and kiss you whenever I want to or just because. I want to raise a family with you, fight over stupid things, I want you. You're the first girl I ever loved, Gabi. I want you to be the only one I love," he said, coming closer.
Gabi's heartbeat sped up, and tears began to form in her eyes. "What about basketball? Shouldn't you be in there celebrating or something?" she choked out.
Troy smiled. "I got kicked off the team. The coach seemed to have a problem with me falling in love with someone that wasn't his daughter."
"Troy, I-" Gabi began but Troy came closer and put a finger to her lips. "Let me finish. I have been so stupid these past couple of days. I am so sorry, for everything I put you through. I didn't mean any of it; I was being dense, I didn't know what I was doing. I can't believe it took me so long to realize what I did. Gabi, you are worth so much more than basketball, I can't believe I almost let you go. I love you, Gabi. I never stopped," he finished, wiping away Gabi's tears with his thumb.
Gabi bit her lip. "You mean it?" she asked quietly.
Troy smiled. "Gabriella, I have never been more serious in my life," he said. By now the rain had started to come down even harder, if it was even possible. Gabi's tears were still coming down freely, and then she spoke.
"Troy Bolton, no matter how many stupid, unintelligent, dense, retarded things you do, no matter how many times you infuriate me, or drive me crazy; you will always be in my heart. I will always love you," she said with a faint smile on her lips.
Troy was now grinning from ear to ear, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Gabi's smile grew as Troy leaned in and kissed her. Her hand found their way up to his neck and his hair as she kissed back, wanting it never to end. So there they were, kissing in the middle of the parking lot, in the pouring rain; but neither of them seemed to care. All that mattered to them at that moment was that they both found each other, and could finally be together blissfully.
A/N: Soo there is the end to my story. I really hope you guys enjoyed reading it, and again thank you to all the great reviewers! I hope it wasn't to bad, and I'm sorry if I disappointed anyone. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think! Thanks!
