Title: A Chaotic Mess of Pastels
Author: Me!
Rating: I'm not too sure about the new rating system but I would say this is about…PG-13.
Feedback: I'd love me some it!
Summary: Troy Bolton finally has life all figured out as his junior year wanes. However, his perfect world is in jeopardy as he discovers his past.
Disclaimer: I own not High School Musical or the songs or Zac…but if I did…heheheh. Wow! I don't own much. Wait! I do own Adele Carson!
Chapter One
Nothing could ever compare to the rush of winning the state championship. East High Wildcats was solidified as the best basketball team in New Mexico. Nothing could compare to that…except…
The opening night of the winter musical: 'Twinkle Town'. The rush of stepping onto the stage for the first time, singing, reciting memorized lines and the standing ovation made Troy Bolton understand things a little better. Nothing could compare to that…except…
Gabriella Montez. Now, she was worth it all. Her smile; her laugh; her voice; her kiss. They were all phenomenal reasons for him to pluck up the courage to ask her out on a date right after the Big Win. It was a bit awkward at first for them both. This budding relationship was different for the two of them. There was something between them that neither hadn't ever experienced – or at least for a long time. But now, with the play closing its curtains for the last time, he and Gabi had time to continue the relationship.
Two months and going strong.
Another thing that was going strong was the closing night of the much-hyped Winter Musical. And there was little reason as to why those three nights weren't packed full. The captain of the basketball team and new resident 'Einstein-ette' were the leads – not the typical Evans twin duo. For East High that was quite unorthodox; not anymore. The leading man and woman had started a ripple effect of change and departure from the easy and cliched. Though, they could have cared less about the alterations. Troy and Gabriella were doing what they wanted to do, being who they always wanted to be.
As Troy's husky voice faded away into the last chords of "No Matter (Where We Go)", the feeling of accomplishment washed over him. It was all over now.
The lights dimmed so that background, supporting cast, extras, and dancers receded into obscurity and the spotlight was exclusively on Minnie and Arnold. And so the curtain closed in on the on-(and off) stage couple.
Everyone dashed to the right and left wings. The curtains re-opened, house lights up, as well the audience. Yet another standing ovation. What a wonderful way to end this inspiring journey.
Each person – or groups of people such as the dancers – was called out to take a bow.
"And Troy Bolton as Arnold and Gabriella Montez as Minnie!" Allen, the student assistant director, said into the microphone.
Troy and Gabriella jogged from either wings to the middle of the last call line. Hands held, they took their bows before clasping hands with the other members of the musical. Soon, they were all heading backstage. Congratulations were being called out as other hugged and high-fived.
"Oh, Troy! You were amazing." Gabriella hugged her leading man.
He smiled as he squeezed her to his chest. "Thanks. But I wouldn't have done any of this if it weren't for you. You were…wow."
She flushed a bit. Ryan Evans, who played supporting male, walked pass the two. "Don't forget, cast party at Jennifer's."
Troy sighed. "I want out of this make-up and into something less sweaty. Do you want to go to the after party?"
"We have to. We are the leads. We have to at least show our faces." They headed down the side hall that branched off to the dressing rooms.
"I guess. But I'd much rather hang-out with you."
His smile was so mischievous. How could she ever deny Troy? "We can still do that. Just jet over to the house, talk to some of the cast, and head on out. The evening will still be young."
"Fine," He entered the male dressing room, took a towel, and went over to the basin to scrub off some of the stage make-up. After a quick change into his jeans and grey T-shirt, Troy headed back to the stage area where he found his mom and dad talking with Gabriella and her mother out in the front row.
Dana Bolton went to her son, giving him her warmest embrace. "I've seen this performance three times and I swear you keep surprising me with your talent. Both of you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Bolton. But, Troy and I must go to the after-party. It's a theatre tradition I guess." Gabriella said to her mother.
Mrs. Montez grabbed her daughter's elbow in affection. "Okay. Be home by ten. You two still have school in the morning."
"We will. Can we go now?" She sweetly asked her mom.
With a nod of assent, the parents allow their teenage children to go off, hoping that they wouldn't make the sort of mistakes that people of their age typically made.
Gabi led the way to the parking lot. Her skirt swayed and her crisp white shirt was immaculate. "Where did you park?"
"Over there," Troy slung his arm around her shoulders as he led the way to his Jeep. "Do you know where this girl lives anyway?" He questioned his girlfriend, shutting her door, then sliding into his own driver's seat.
"Um…" She gazed out of the windshield. "Just follow Sharpay and Ryan."
The Ice Queen and her brother, who wasn't so bad once you could get him away from his sister, had climbed into their Lexus.
"I swear I wish I knew where they got all their money from," Troy sighed as he turned on the key allowing him to find the cast party.
Several minutes and two stop lights later, Gabriella and Troy had found Jennifer's house.
"I still wonder why this wasn't held at the Evans'. You would think those two would cater to any drama function." Gabriella's innocence was enduring to him.
"I'm sure it had nothing to do with being beat out of the lead roles for the first time in their lives."
She giggled. "True."
They entered the modest house and were instantly greeted by blaring music, arriving cast mates still in costume, and dancing. Troy led the way through the growing crowd, cutting the path to a less populated area. Little did he know about what it took to put on a performance. Or the amount of people it took to get this thing running.
"Oh, hey guys!"
"Kelsi!" The two girls hugged as Troy smiled a 'hello'.
Kelsi pushed up her glasses. "I just want to thank you guys so much for doing this. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to sing my songs."
"No problem. It wasn't the whole spandex nightmare I had in mind. We enjoyed it." Replied Troy.
"Good. So what do you plan to do know?"
Well basketball season was over. Super smart decathlon was dwindling…Spring Break was on the horizon. "Chillax."
"Okay," The confused look on the young composer's face was priceless. Gabi and Troy held in the laughter.
"Chill and relax." Sharpay explained as she strutted by in her typical haughty fashion. Though the Ice Queen was still here to reign, Sharpay Evans had her moments. Without her, Gabriella would have been so lost when it came to stage presence, stage standing, stage falling, stage kissing…stage anything; she was quite helpful, however, Sharpay would never admit to that.
"Oh," Kelsi seemed to wilt in the Stage Princess's existence.
Ryan soon strolled over to the group, hat-free…thankfully. "Mrs. Darbus just pulled up."
"Why?" questioned Troy. Was she going to now chaperone? If so, Gabi and himself were leaving now.
"For last congratulations and Drama Club extras. She won't be staying." Ryan reassured.
And so the Drama teacher – homeroom teacher to Troy, Gabi, and the Evans twins to name a few – glided in with her natural command of attention. The room went silent. Troy swore that Sharpay was related to Darbus in some way.
"To my wonderful cast: Brava!" Her bangles clattered and clacked as she clapped.
The room where everyone congregated to meet with their director exploded into applause.
She flourished about her drape scarf. "Yes. Well, I had the great fortune to announce that we got clearance to take those who participated in the Drama Club or the arts to New York City during Spring Break."
Everyone at this point went into a frenzy…that is to say everyone excluding Troy and Gabriella.
"Tomorrow morning I will have information sheets and permission slips to send home. For all those here, you are welcome to come along on our five-day journey through musical theatre."
But most people hadn't listen to the rest; their dreams had come true.
"Settle down!" She harped. Fixing her large spectacles, she regained her composure. "I can tell you that we already have a hotel booked, flight schedule, and an up-and-coming new bunch of thespians have already agreed to give us some of their time in a workshop. Five days, six nights! Well, I must prepare for the next day to come. Enjoy yourselves. You were all splendid."
And so she slipped out.
The party was buzzing with the great hope of going to New York City.
"I think we should go!" Gabriella grasped Troy's hand.
Troy shifted his weight to his other foot. "I don't know. She did say only Drama Club kids allowed."
"And those who participate in the arts! 'Twinkle Town' was a musical, which is apart of the performing arts genre. We can go!" Her gorgeous face split into an illuminating grin.
Kelsi spoke. "It would be fun to go."
"Of course it will. Broadway!" Sharpay said, gleefully. Not an everyday occurrence.
Ryan and Troy exchanged glances. Maybe his new friend could bail him out. However, the small fact of Ryan's past theatrical past hadn't come to Troy's mind.
"I know we'll be going. You really should think about it, Troy."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
An hour later, Troy decided that if the two wanted alone time before curfew, they would need to leave now. It was already half-pass eight. Their night drive brought them to Gabriella's street. The ride down the lane was peaceful. He looked out pass the street and down the way. His perfect blues settled on the white stone house, number 1027. He saw a man taking out the trash; he averted his eyes. He hadn't been over to that house in about a year. What would he ever do if he saw that family?
"The night's over too soon. Come in for something to drink or eat…"
He shook himself out of his reverie. "Or both?" Troy joked as he shut off the car.
"Why not?"
The evening continued one with the ease of…well, he wasn't sure. Not a breeze. They hadn't reached that level yet. The new couple sat in the kitchen and talked. So easygoing was the conversation that when he looked up, Troy saw that it was ten 'till ten.
"Shit, I've got to leave." He pressed a quick kiss to Gabriella's lips. "See you in school tomorrow."
Back he went, a few streets over – a block or two back – to his house. He rushed into the front door.
"Made it with two minutes to spare." His father smiled. "Go check in on your mom in the kitchen. I'm going to bed. Night, son."
"Night, Dad." Troy headed straight, following the hardwood floor beams to the tiling of the kitchen. His mom was leaning against the counter, chatting away on the phone.
"It's getting late. I'll let you go. Oh, Troy! Hey sweetheart." She waved to him.
After peeking in, he turned around to leave but not without overhearing a bit.
"Yeah, he's back safe. Your husband just saw him pass by…I know. They grow up so fast…driving."
Why did his mom insist on continuing that friendship? He hustled up to his bedroom. He stripped down to his underwear. Flopping face down onto the pillows, Troy twisted the comforter around him. The navy blue comforter. Why was this still around? He vowed to trash it or give it away yet here it was. He could call her…
He glimpsed at his computer station where her photos once were. It had fallen down months ago but he left it tucked behind the computer, on the ground to collect dust. It was easiest.
Yet he would soon learn that the easiest of things could be the hardest decision to make.
