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! And the title of this play…and the song parts from Chpt 14!
carito06 Wouldn't you be angry if your boyfriend hid his past for you? Or your ex decided to shout at you in front of your home? I would have killed him if it were me personally.
StarInHeaven1014 That was a fun scene. Very angry those two but I'm glad it all worked out to form a fiery verbal argument!
kimberley7ox Wow! The whole thing? From start to finish in one seating? If you did that, I'll send you a cookie! I hope this new chapter keeps you reading.
Oliverwoodschic Well, thank you for your honesty. It's just hard to hear a good compliment sometimes. I know what you mean about the upset Gabi. I, at first, hadn't planned for her to be so aggressive and dismissive but upon some extra thought (and guidance from my lovely editor, sophthewiseone), I knew it was right.
lovetoread17 Adele does have some blame on her but not as much as some would like to think. Troy never spoke up about her…it was more his job than hers.
phatbeachbum78 This is my favorite as well!
dancerlittle Yup…things only have two ways to go…let's hope it all fairs well.
freakymathgirl It well be fun seeing how they do.
Amanda14 We'll see who he chooses soon!
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Chapter Nineteen
The past weekend was the worst weekend in Troy's life – ever. Gabriella wasn't talking to him. Troy didn't want to talk to Adele. And Chad seemed torn between hanging out with Troy and listening to Taylor gripe about what he did. All in all, this was the first weekend where he stayed in his room and watched movies.
Dealing with all of this was getting to Troy. His temper was flaring up, his patience was thinning, and his mind ceased functioning at times. Adele and her interference were jeopardizing the life he had made for himself after she left.
But what had truly shaken him was the fact that they failed at a relationship because she did not have the faith while he did not have the courage. Could what their parents said about their passionate love been true? Were they too young and confused and immature for it all?
He thought they could make it work. He thought many foolish things.
The next day came and it was a waste of his time. Troy tried to come into school as if the weekend had never happened – as if the party never existed, the fight never happened, no one witnessed a thing, and that Gabriella was still with him. However, life is never so kind when we need ignorance. The better part of the junior class and athletic teams were raving about the highlights of the party. All of East High soon knew about the awkward situation Troy found himself in when it came to a certain song. Kelsi tried her hardest to stay out of any sort of conflict concerning him. Taylor tried to remain diplomatic since he was the best friend of her boyfriend, however, the glares he faced every once in a while made him nervous. Then, there was Gabriella. She was friendly to him. And there in laid the problem. She acted as if they were only friends.
Chad and the rest of his teammates tried to lift his spirits but they only managed to make him blame Adele more for things that weren't all her fault. Yet, he knew better. Some of the blame resided in Sharpay Evans. She could never come to terms with the past and the one time she couldn't get her way.
He never thought he could despise someone as much as he did Sharpay. The smirks and taunting, tinkering laughs and the expressions of satisfaction stirred the monster in his chest. It just wanted to lash out…just this once.
Lunches were typically spent up at his secret spot, trying to keep away from the examples of his life torn apart. Today was no different. All of his friends (and one enemy) were downstairs, enjoying each others company while he spent his time looking over at the mountain – at the cloudy sky above – in solitude.
The next class would be dreadful as it was the trend this week. Spending a whole class period with Gabi was difficult. Sure, the two shared the same homeroom but that was for only fifteen minutes. His next class was fifty minutes of pure torture. Things were getting difficult.
However, there was a touch of light at the end of the tunnel. For one, tomorrow was a half-day – the last day of school. If he decided to, Troy could live out his summer as a hermit and no one could bother him. Secondly, Chad cornered him after lunch, telling him that there would be a game of ball in the park after school
Just thinking about that gave Troy a boost. He would be on the court soon where he had no chance to think about his ruined life since there wasn't time to contemplate anything except your opponent's next move. Focusing on playing gave Troy a chance to escape all during fifth period with Gabriella.
When the bell rang, Troy packed his things up, preparing to leave. A hand tapped his shoulder. It was Gabriella. He froze. He had no idea as to what to do. They hadn't spoken since Saturday. It was as if he were talking to the girl he met at the ski lodge at the beginning of the year. He felt his nerves prickle and his mind went blank.
She had a weak smile on her pretty face. "Hi, Troy."
"Hey,"
They stood there. "Let's walk a bit." She led the way out of the classroom. "I heard about what happened between Adele and yourself. Do you really think placing all the blame on her helps you or this situation?"
"I was just angry and I let it all explode in front of her. I blame her for some of the things that happened."
"And what of yourself?"
Sighing, Troy scratched his head. "I am at fault here too. I lied…at lot to the ones I truly cared for – to the one I love. Things got out of hand. I tried to ignore it all and it all just screamed even louder."
Talking with her always made him want to release everything he had. Gabriella made him feel safe enough to be comfortable with what was in his head and heart.
The two reached the fork in the hall, which would lead them to their different classes. Troy wasn't ready to say 'goodbye' to her. Mustering up every ounce of courage he had, Troy spoke. "Would you want to go get something to eat later on?"
"Like a date?" Her voiced was bitter with a touch of confusion.
"No. Like a dinner date."
"Do you really think your charm can save you?"
Troy shrugged his shoulders. "I can try. At least let's go out – as friends if that's all you can do." He was trying so hard to get some time with Gabi. He missed her too much; he missed the perfect life he had not but two months ago.
"I'll think about it."
Troy watched her as she went to her class. The warning bell sounded and he dashed to class.
From then on, things seemed to look up. She was willing to possibly see him as a friend. The chance was slim that something magical would happen between them. The chance was even slimmer that Gabriella would go out with him, one on one…all alone. And just as quickly, Troy found himself as upset about the pathetic circumstance his life was in.
Troy found himself at the town city park…thankfully. At least, there, on the basketball court, he could focus on his lay-ups and defense tactics instead of how poorly he was handling the crisis that was Adele and her past with him.
"I am so psyched for tomorrow to be over! It will such a relief to not have to go to school for three months." Jason said, tightening up his laces.
Troy stood around with Chad and Jason, waiting for the other players to come.
"Don't I know it. Three months of sleeping in, staying up, and pigging out." Chad smirked, staring off into the distance.
"Yeah. Things will be better."
"So, Troy's finally sounding hopeful again."
Troy shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, Jason, I think I am. I don't know why I should be but Gabriella's talking to me. She's considering a date with me."
"Congrats, dude!" Chad clapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't celebrate too soon. I eased the asking out of the date by specifying it as a date…as friends."
"Oh," Chad seemed to deflate. "Well, that's okay. At the very least you have her thinking about being alone together. It'll be like old times…except for the 'together' part."
"Helpful," Troy placed his hands on his hips.
Jason spoke up. "Really, Chad, you know how to get the man's spirits up."
"What? I'm not going to lie about any of this!"
"Fine. What I don't understand, Troy, is how you could have blew up at Adele like that. I transferred late in the ninth grade but I remember how you two acted. From what Kels told me, you seemed to have lost all respect for the friend she was before you dated her."
Chad snorted in agreement.
Troy looked over to his best friend who stared back at him with an inquiring look about his face. "Look, after Gabi accused me of still being in love with Adele and declaring a break time, I was livid. There was so much going through my head. Ever since she came back, things just weren't right anymore. I needed closure."
"So, fighting with Adele would help?" Chad asked.
"It all went down the wrong awy. But I did find some things out from her as to why we broke up so vaguely." Troy kicked the basketball that had rolled to him gently.
Jason stood up. "And now how are you and Adele?"
"There's nothing there."
"You don't want to ever see her again?"
The question Chad poised at him was a dangerous question to answer. He wouldn't miss the drama she stirred without knowing it; he wouldn't miss the second-guessing; he wouldn't miss missing her. Yet, he'd miss her all the same – regardless of how things ever deteriorated or were rebuilt upon.
He remained quieted.
"I'm wondering, though," Jason broke the dense silence, "how did that song play? I'm sure Adele would not have allowed that to be played."
"You're right. She didn't. Sharpay Evans requested it. The song was never blacklisted but she never said no one could not request something." Chad answered.
Jason shook his head. "Damn, that girl is crazy. Can't she ever get over the past?"
"No," Chad and Troy said in stereo.
Laughing, Jason took the ball, intermittently dribbling it.
"Oh, it gets better! I told you how she basically let it all slip…showed her old yearbooks. Remember that one photo with the cheesy tagline? You know, the one that looked like we were about to make out?"
The other two booed. "You should have just told Gabs everything." Jason said before Chad knocked the ball from his hands, traveling down the court with it.
Troy watched his friends. This is how life should be. And it would have been if it weren't for the help of…
"Sharpay is just a bitter little whore. She can't stand that there are other people out there who are better than she is in some things or most things…or all things. I mean, you would think she'd have figured that out seeing as how most people are better than that low-life. How could someone find such pleasure in making me feel miserable all the while fucking with other people's emotions – lives – without disregard. She's a worthless bitch who doesn't deserve a thing she's got. Let's just hope that bitch gets what she deserves soon." Troy ranted.
It felt good to let that out. His content feeling was disrupted as tiny stars popped in front of his eyes. He heard Jason and Chad yelling – coming over to him but what happened? He opened his eyes in time to see Zeke rearing back his fist.
"What is your problem?"
"You will no disrespect Sharpay…a girl like that!" Zeke's face was twisted fiercely. He appeared ugly. Troy knew his friend was mild-mannered…that is until you harmed those he cared for.
Troy stepped back, hands up in defense. He couldn't hit his friend; that is to say, he could hit his friend unless he hit him again. Dully, the side of his face hummed with pain.
Zeke's fist sang through the air as Troy ducked that blow, retaliating with a fist to the gut. The air was immediately knocked out of Zeke who was now doubled over.
"I'm not going to hit you again unless you try to hit me again. Now, stop it. Calm down. Why do you even care what I say about her? You know just as well as I do how she can be – how she is!" The Wildcats Captain cradled the side of his face. Talking seemed to aggravate the injury. He just knew that would bruise.
"You still don't talk about her like that!" Zeke charged him, knocking him over.
Beneath him he could feel the earth give as he slammed into the grass. The back of his head exploded with a throbbing pain as the air burst from his lungs. He was dizzy. He was hurt. He was pissed off. Struggling, Troy briefly saw Jason and Chad tugging on Zeke's shirt.
Then, he felt a horrible pain jolt through him, making him gag. His shoulder burned as Zeke's hand pummeled into that sweet spot. Earlier in the season, Troy had popped his shoulder out, only causing more damage as he made a free throw during the game. Finally, Chad pulled hard. Using the other boy's sudden surprise by the yanking, Troy flipped him over, swinging wildly. His fist connected with the other's lower jaw.
"Enough!" Someone else shouted. The majority of the team had arrived, assisting Jason and Chad. Once successfully pulled apart, Troy admired his handy work. A nasty bruise was blossoming on Zeke's face. Taking in labored breaths, Troy rubbed his back with the hand he punched with. Pain on pain seemed to numb the two.
"You two need to GO!" One of the players demanded of the two.
Troy didn't need to be told again as he stalked away from the scene. He hopped into his car and drove home. Not thinking about the pain, not thinking about the rage, Troy just went into his house, took a hot shower to relax his muscles, and changed his clothes.
His back was fine – just sore. His face, however, wasn't so lucky. A red bruise screamed hot on his face; it was already swelling.
"Perfect." He smiled to his reflect ruefully. He was going to go out with Gabi tonight and he had that on his face.
Once in his room, Troy laid down, contemplating if he should cancel. Yet, a small voice shouted opposition. If he backed out now, she may believe that he wasn't ready to be with her again. And he was. Trying his best, the young teen went downstairs for some ice. Hopefully, it would calm to swelling.
Back relaxing in his, Troy tried to empty his mind. He had no problem with Zeke but he sure couldn't stand Sharpay anymore. He had tolerated her. He was even beginning to like her as a person, contemplating that she changed. How wrong was he?
Dazed and staring up at the ceiling, Troy positioned the bag of ice so that he wouldn't have to hold it. Soon, he was asleep.
A buzzing, vibrating sensation tingled against his leg, jolting him from his sleep. He checked his caller ID; his spirits soared and his pains dissolved away. "Hey, Gabi, what time is it?"
"You sound groggy." Her voice was strained but he knew that she was trying.
"I took a nap. What time is it?"
"It's seven-fifteen."
"That late? Wow!" Troy eased himself up. "So…?"
The question lingered over the airwaves. Neither spoke up for sixty seconds.
"Yeah," She started. "I'm coming over there. I convinced my mom to let me use her car."
Her light voice made him forget the indistinct ache in his back, the stiffening of his shoulder, or the throb. "You're going to pick me up?"
"Don't get too excited. This is no date."
"Don't worry about that. I'll see you soon. Are you sure I can't -"
"I'm sure." Gabriella hung up the phone.
"This'll be fun," He sarcastically sighed to himself aloud as he went about passing the time. Checking the hallway window that was right outside his room, he saw Mrs. Montez's car. So she decided to come and not stand him up (which was what he would do if it were he in her shoes). Just as she was about to pull into the driveway, Troy realized something. She was coming to get him, which meant she would come in. Which meant that his parents would see his face. He had no want to explain to them (especially his coach father) as to how he got in a fight with Zeke, resulting in his injuries.
He checked in the hall mirror to see how his bruise was. Still violently red but not so swollen. Taking a deep breath, Troy hurtled down the stairs, shouting behind him: "Bye, mom. Bye, dad. I'm going out with Gabriella!"
Before they could react, the door was slammed shut, and Troy was in the car.
"Trying out for track?" Gabriella laughed.
"Something like that. I just don't want my parents to see."
Gabriella's brown eyes conveyed suspicion. "See what?"
Troy turned a little towards her, pointed out the abrasion on his face.
"What happened? You're face!" Reaching out towards his bruise, she hesitated, then dropped her hand down.
"Got in a fight with Zeke."
"Zeke! He's too nice to do that. Why would he fight you?"
"I was talking about Sharpay. I didn't see him but he obviously over heard me and then he punched me. I tried to just defend myself but soon I had to fight back."
She clicked her tongue. "We don't have to go out."
"We don't…but I want to. Don't bother with it. I'll be fine. Tomorrow's Half-Day Friday. I'm happy."
She pulled out of the driveway. The ride to the local popular restaurant, Kaboodles, began strained since Gabriella had so many questions while Troy had no answers. The couple moved passed the incident and moved on to the week they had up until that point. Gabriella found a parking spot easy.
Inside, the retro music played through the speakers as the muted crack of billiard balls smacking into each other in the side room sounded randomly. They found their seats easily enough.
"Look, Troy. It's Taylor and Chad. Do you think we should sit with them?" Gabriella peered over the partition. A row of booths over, there sat their two friends with some other person.
Troy wanted to spend alone time with his girlfriend. However, perhaps, she thought that being alone with him was too tense right now. "Why not? It doesn't look like they've ordered yet." Carefully, he lifted himself up.
As they approached the two, the back of their friend's head seemed oddly familiar. The situation didn't appear to be right. If only he listened to his gut feeling.
"Gabi!" Taylor grinned.
Waving to his best friend, he noted something about the look in Chad's eyes.
The third occupant of the booth swiveled around. His blue eyes connect with brown. It took all the discipline he had to not swear loudly.
Adele hastily stood up yet the steely glare told Troy she would stay as long as she wanted. She slipped into the seat next to Chad, leaving an empty side seating for Gabriella and himself. Her head was perched atop her hand; her eyes staring off to the left.
A beat of silence passed before Chad cleared his throat. "So, Troy, how are you? Nothing hurt too much? I told Tay, here, about what happened. She told me it was kinda messed up for Zeke to flip out like that."
Taylor weakly smiled in his direction. A new song softly began to play. An acoustic guitar simply played as a voice mingled with the melody.
Why did this always happen to him? Why were songs from the past haunting him? "A Song For You" by Earth, Wind, and Fire was the second song that, though not so well known, was held dear to his heart. Snapping back to the conversation, Troy tried to look interested.
Chad toyed with the plastic menu. "I'm just so excited about tomorrow afternoon. We'll be considered seniors."
"Technically." Taylor smiled.
"Whatever. Same difference, if you ask me." laughed Chad.
"I was wondering if you two would like to come to the park with us tomorrow – after school? I was thinking of having the whole gang together and just have a picnic since we'll be getting out around what would usually be lunchtime." suggested Taylor.
"That would be wonderful. Troy? Would you want to go?" Gabi asked.
"Sure. I think that would be cool." Troy's attention wasn't on those three but on Adele. He felt a touch of remorse over how he went about trying to exorcise her from his life. That fight should never have happened. He regretted showing up to her house so abruptly and making a scene with other people around.
A handful of minutes (and a drink with appetizer order) later, Adele stood up.
"Looks like my order is up. I ordered something, ran into these two, and I need to go get it. So," She stumbled over her words as she unexpectedly stood up. "Chad and Taylor, I will try to make it – if it's not too awkward. I'll try…no guarantees." She rushed over to the counter where a register gave way to the open-faced kitchens.
"Okay, bye." Taylor trailed off as she watched her leave.
Finally, the air at this booth could be rid of the tense anxiety that Adele's presence brought with her. The foursome remained silent, receiving their drinks gratefully; it gave them a chance to escape the awkwardness.
"About the picnic. Do we have to bring anything?" Gabi asked.
Idly, Troy heard the items that were already going to be brought but he wasn't listening; his attention was on the lonely young woman still waiting at the counter.
Troy wasn't sure how long or how obvious he was with his distraction.
Abruptly, Gabriella slammed her drink down. "Go ahead. Just get it out of your system."
Chad and Taylor looked at her sympathetically though their eyes darted around, trying to give her the respect of not staring at the scene. Troy knew that things couldn't continue like this. Peering into her brown eyes for any sign of regret over saying those words, Troy stood. Adele had exited the restaurant.
Following as quickly as he could without running, Troy caught up with his ex-girlfriend.
"Troy, we have to stop meeting like this." Adele had no need to see who it was. She rested her to-go bag on the hood of her car as she leaned against the front bumper.
"You're right."
"Am I right to assume that you and Gabriella are still together?"
"Yes…and no."
Adele reached out to him, the back of her fingers caressed his bruise. "I bet you deserved that."
Shivers ran down his spine as he absorbed the sensation of her touch. It still felt good to have her fingers caress his skin. Pushing that thought from his mind, he focused in on what Adele said. Fighting the urge to laugh, Troy locked eyes on the pavement beneath his feet. When her touch left him, a grin broke on his face. Hands shoved in his pockets and shoulders shrugged, Troy grunted out, "I do not believe I did."
"So, you think talking crap about Zeke's sort of girlfriend wasn't a just reason to get punched out?"
"No. Why should I be penalized when speaking of truths?"
Adele chuckled.
"You know…I'm not going to apologize."
"Neither am I. But you knew that already. We hardly ever apologize to each other."
He nodded his head. "That's very true. Why did you leave so suddenly? You could have stayed."
"Are you that stupid? I mean, really – me stay at the same table as you and your new girlfriend when you so clearly want me out of your life? It's ludicrous!" Adele crossed her arms.
"No. No, I'm not stupid. I noticed the song too. I would have assumed that you would hate that song now."
"'A Song For You'…I'll never forget it." She stared wistfully at the twilight sky. "How dare you assume that hearing that song would make me leave? I'm not weak."
He was at a loss of words. Why had he come out here – rushing to get away from the people that made him happy? Those three people were special…that one girl was everything yet he was out here…with Adele. Alone and still not wanting to be that way again. This was starting to engrain itself into Troy's being. It was either them or her. Why did he have to keep such things separated? She was a great friend since second grade. New friends and those of old should mesh but his brain couldn't comprehend that.
Adele disrupted his contemplation. "What I don't understand is why those songs still mean anything to you? Or me? Why do those words and those instruments and those beats and those melodies mean a thing to us when they represent the past? Are we in the past? No, so why care? They mean nothing."
"No. I mean-"
"They mean everything."
Troy froze. That couldn't be the reason why…but…
"I know. Me too."
"Why are you talking to me? After the way I treated you, I assumed that you would hate me."
"Oh, don't think I don't. I do hate you so much for the way you treated me that day. I hated the way you embarrassed me – and yourself – in front of other people. But I'm just tired of fighting. I'm getting ready to go back to New York and tour the country, acting in the world's best musical. Why should I care about what some boy in Albuquerque thinks of me?" She went to the driver's side.
"When do you leave?"
"In sixteen days."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
He watched her get into her car. He watched her as she drove away. He watched her until he could no longer decipher her taillights from the other motorists'. He felt the heat in his cheek, not from the bruise but from the delicate touch of her soft fingers.
She was tired of fighting, as so was he. He was tired of this whole mess. To see the defeat in her eyes and body – to hear how she exhausted she was because of his actions tore at Troy's psyche. Things had to end…and end soon.
