Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical.

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Chapter Two: Sharpay and Ryan's Plan

Every time Gabriella and Troy were together, Troy would try to tell her about his feelings. But he had never mustered enough courage to do so.

"Gabriella…" he said, during a rehearsal.

"Yes, Troy?" she asked, turning around after finishing her conversation with Sharpay. "Can…"

"Troy and Gabriella!" Mrs Darbus called. Troy sighed. He failed the attempt again.

"So what were you going to talk to me about?" asked Gabriella, after singing.

"Would… Would… Would you like…" Troy stuttered.

"Go on." Gabriella looked at him.

"Would you like…"

"Gabriella!" It was Taylor, running into the Theatre. Oh great, Troy failed again. He was disappointed. "I heard there's a shop holding a huge discount sale! Do you want to go to the mall with me later on?"

Gabriella was excited. She agreed to Taylor. She asked Troy again and he said, "Erm, never mind. It's okay."

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Troy couldn't sleep that night. I can't continue this anymore. I must a make a move. But what should I say?

Troy was deep in thought. He thought for two hours and still had no ideas. Not knowing of the time, he looked at his clock. "Oh no, it's 1a.m. already!"

The next day, he could not concentrate. During homeroom, all the classes he attended, his basketball practice during free period and even during the rehearsal. He missed shots, sang the wrong verse and even out of tune.

Gabriella asked him with a worry look on her face, "Troy, are you feeling alright?"

"Yea, just feeling tired," said Troy. His eyes were red.

I can't take my eyes off of you… Gabriella. I can't take my mind off of you…

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During free period the following day, Troy missed more shots. He wasn't tired, just that his mind was full of Gabriella. Coach Bolton approached him. "Troy, you've been missing shots. Are you okay?"

"Of course I am, Dad. Just a little too much stress, that's all," replied Troy. He re-assured, "I'm okay, Dad. Don't worry."

Mrs Darbus wasn't happy about Troy's recent performance in the rehearsals. She told him, "Bolton, if you don't concentrate, I'll get Ryan and Sharpay to replace the both of you."

Ryan and Sharpay had heard what she said, and grinned evilly…

"Sorry, Mrs Darbus. I'll try my best."

"Get'cha head in the game," whispered Gabriella, after waving goodbye to Troy after the rehearsal. She flashed a smile to him.

Troy stared at her and smiled back. Get'cha head in the game...

"So, Troy, you like Gabriella, right?" asked Sharpay, appearing suddenly behind him.

"What? Oh, no. We're just friends," he replied.

"Well, don't you know that Gabriella has a boyfriend already?" Troy didn't believe what he heard.

"Come again?"

"Gabriella has a boyfriend. Ryan is his boyfriend."

Troy laughed, relieved upon hearing that sentence. "Don't be silly Sharpay. I don't even see Ryan spending time with Gabriella together at all. That joke was really funny."

"How'd you know, Troy? They're always meeting up secretly. I'm giving you a word of warning. Don't ruin my brother's relationship. They don't act as if they were together because my brother wants to protect Gabriella. If everyone finds out that the both of them are together, the girl is going to be in serious trouble because everybody thinks you two are an item. I repeat, do not ruin my brother's relationship," said Sharpay with seriousness.

Troy's smile faded. She sounded serious. He was heartbroken. His crush actually already had a boyfriend? Troy was on the verge of tears. He didn't sleep for nights. He refused to eat. Even though he ate, he only had a few mouthfuls. In the middle of the rehearsal, Troy accidentally tripped himself. Mrs Darbus was furious.

"Okay, Bolton! That's it! What is happening? Are you trying to sabotage our musical? It is less than two weeks away and you're not even serious! You either trip yourself, sing out of tune, sing the wrong verse or you don't even know that it is your verse to sing!" she yelled. Gabriella was worried. "Sharpay and Ryan! You will swap roles with Bolton and Montez. Every one of you will stay for 2 hours more after every rehearsal!"

Gabriella cried and ran out of the Theatre. Sharpay and Ryan were jumping for joy. "Yes!" said Sharpay softly, as she gave a high-five to Ryan.

Troy was still lying on the floor. He had no energy to get up. "Bolton, what are you doing on the floor? C'mon, get up. We haven't got all day!"

Taylor stomped into the Theatre furiously. She must have met Gabriella. "Troy Bolton!" She ran to the stage and kicked Troy, which caused him to roll over."

"Ms McKessie, calm down! Don't disrupt our rehearsal!" Mrs Darbus spoke.

Taylor didn't care. She continued to kick Troy with all her strength. Troy couldn't stand the pain. But what could he do? He didn't have the energy to get up, don't even mention trying to stop Taylor.

With all that, she left the Theatre. Chad was looking for Taylor and found her exiting the Theatre. "Hey, Taylor," he called. But she ignored him. He saw Taylor's angry look. He guessed that something happened in the Theatre.

He went in and discovered Troy lying on stage. "Hey Troy, what happened?" he called, running down the aisle and up on stage.

"Danforth, you better get this sore loser out of stage. He's disrupting the schedule of our rehearsal," said Mrs Darbus.

Chad was astonished as he saw Troy's face. It was pale white. He looked like ghost. Chad carried Troy out of the Theatre. Sharpay and Ryan watched with confusion.

When Chad passed by them, the both of them quickly made a close observation. They looked at each other and opened their mouths widely. "Did we kind of over-do it?" asked Ryan, looking down.

Sharpay did a mental double take and spoke, "Well, what done is done. It can't be undone. Anyway, we have finally got the roles we rightfully deserve."

Ryan nodded in agreement.

Chad brought Troy to the sick bay. He phoned Taylor and told her about Troy.

"Well, that's Troy's just desserts," said Taylor, hanging up her cell phone immediately.

"Who was that?" asked Gabriella, who was still sobbing. They were at Troy's hideout.

"It was Chad. He said something happened to Troy. He was lying on the stage, motionless. Of course, he was still breathing. His face was pale white. He looks like ghost."

Gabriella then stood up. "I think we better visit him at the sick bay…"

"No, no, Gabriella. Look what he did for you. He made you waste your efforts."

Gabriella paced up and down. She was worried about Troy. "But I still think we should visit him."

Taylor sighed. "Oh well, if you insist."

Taylor and Gabriella arrived at the sick bay. Chad was feeding Troy. The girls were shocked after looking at Troy. Gabriella was crying uncontrollably. Chad let her feed Troy.

She's just helping me as close friends. She cares for me as a friend…

Coach Bolton heard about Troy and fetched him home to rest. He was excused from school for a week. The gang and his basketball team visited him everyday after school. Sharpay and Ryan went along too.

Each of them had put on a worried look on their face. Troy could see Gabriella was the most worried.

Why is she so concerned about me? Troy asked in his mind. Maybe Sharpay lied to me. I'll get her when I recover.

But he took those words back as Ryan stood next to Gabriella, putting his arm on her, comforting her.

Nobody except Troy thought that it was something wrong. Gabriella did look very sad.

After a week, Troy recovered energy and continued to go to school. Whenever Gabriella looked or called for him he would walk away in another direction, pretending that he never heard or saw her.

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Troy was pondering about Gabriella in his hideout during free period. A few minutes later Gabriella came up. Troy immediately hid in a corner, where she couldn't see him.

Upon finding no one there, Gabriella climbed down with disappointment.

After school he realized that there was rehearsal for the winter musical. He was anxious. He had to face Gabriella. He had to go for rehearsal. He walked up and down along the corridor.

"Okay, I'll rehearse and rehearse with her. After that, the end, I'm going home," he muttered.

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He arrived at the Theatre. Everyone else was there already. "Ah, there you are Bolton. Since everyone reported early, we shall start the rehearsal. Ryan and Sharpay went up on stage sang with their hearts.

Gabriella sat beside Troy. He didn't notice. He was watching the siblings rehearse.

"Troy," she whispered. Troy turned his head around. He backed away when he saw her. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"I… I…" Troy was stumped for words. But before he continued to answer her question, it was time for them to rehearse.

"Gabriella! Troy!" called Mrs Darbus.

The both of them were singing for a very sad scene. They were sad. And as they sang, Gabriella let a tear flow down her cheek. After they had finished singing, Mrs Darbus loved it so much as they had brought out the expression so much. "Encore!" she shouted.

Troy left the theatre. "Bolton, rehearsal is not even over. Where are you going?" asked Mrs Darbus. Troy didn't answer. He just exited the Theatre. "Bolton! Such attitude is not to be tolerated in the Theatre! Bolton! Bolton!"

Gabriella told her, "Don't worry. I'll call him." She ran out of the Theatre and caught up with Troy. "Troy!"

He turned around, facing Gabriella. "What's the matter, Troy? You're not being normal recently. Tell me," she asked.

He replied, "Gabriella…." He paused for a moment and pondered. He sighed. "Leave me alone…"

Gabriella returned to the Theatre. "Ah, finally…" Mrs Darbus didn't see Troy with her. "Gabriella, where's Troy?" She didn't answer. "Gabriella, where's Troy?" She didn't respond again. "Oh, youngsters that just can't be bothered!"

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The end of Chapter 2. Reviews please! Thank you:D