It's War

Friends

Rating: T

"Ok so, if you look at them both at the same time which one do you like better?" Chad whispered to Troy during history class. Of course, he was referring to Dani and Gabriella who were also in the class.

"Dani, my girlfriend," he responded in a duh tone, clearly annoyed.

"Bullshit," Chad coughed, loving to piss Troy off like this.

"What the hell!" Troy whispered loudly.

"Mr. Bolton is there something you would like to share with the class?" the teacher asked.

"No," he mumbled.

"Thank you, now would you please pick a partner for your final project," she held out the jar and he picked a piece of paper out and read it. "Now who will your partner be?"

"Chad," he replied.

"Sweet," Chad said as they high-fived.

Dani was next and she read the paper and froze.

"Gabriella," she said calmly. Gabriella went pale, Troy's jaw dropped and Chad burst into laughter, receiving a glare from the other three.

"This is bad on so many levels," Troy mumbled.

LATER THAT DAY

Gabriella saw Dani alone by her locker so she decided to approach her. She took a deep breath and walked over.

"Hi Dani," she said sweetly.

"Oh hi, Gabriella," she said turning around.

"So about this history project," Gabriella said.

"Yeah," Dani replied awkwardly.

"Well I was thinking we should get it done as soon as possible so we don't have to worry about it when finals come along," Gabriella said.

"Yeah, that is a great idea," she replied. "Umm so do you wanna meet after school tomorrow?"

"Sure, my mom is having people over so can we do it at yours?" Gabriella asked.

"Of course, so 4:00 tomorrow?" Dani asked.

"Sure," Gabriella said. "Well bye," she said smiling.

"Bye."

Dani took a deep breath and opened the door. "Hi come on in," she said to Gabriella.

"Thanks," she replied shyly. "Umm well I picked some books up from the library, I don't know if they are any good, but they all have something about the French Revolution in them."

"Cool, I picked some up to. Why don't we start looking through them in my room," Dani said. They walked up to her room and started reading. It was extremely awkward and they would only speak when they found something important, which was rare.

"Ugh, there is nothing here," Gabriella groaned.

"I know," Dani sighed. "Wanna take a break?"

"Yes, please," she groaned and Dani lightly laughed. They went downstairs to get some food. "Gabriella?" Dani asked looking through some cupboards.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so mean to Troy?" she asked.

"Cause he is mean to me," she replied simply.

"Ok well then why are you so mean to each other, like I know he is a nice guy, and after spending time with you, you seem pretty nice as well," she said.

"Have you ever gotten into a fight with a best friend?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah," she said confused.

"And you kind of just bitch at each other because you are so pissed off and neither one of you wants to apologize," she said and Dani nodded. "Well it is like that."

"So it isn't because you are jealous," she said.

"What?"

"That is what Troy said."

"What a cocky bastard," she said laughing shaking her head.

"So you are okay with me and Troy."

"Dani I have a boyfriend as well. I am not pissed cause I am jealous I am pissed cause my best friend called me a bitch and a slut. Wouldn't you be?" she asked.

"Yeah," Dani scoffed.

"Dating Troy was a mistake, it was too hard to date my best friend. So don't worry, he really likes you, I see the way he looks at you," she said and Dani smiled and nodded, but couldn't help but think: It's not the way he looked at you.

They just sat there in silence.

"Did you ever think Troy was too much of a gentleman?" Dani asked.

"Yes!" Gabriella exclaimed and they both laughed. "Like come on now, chivalry is dead."

"I know!" Dani said and they laughed again.

"What did he tell you his favorite movie is?" Gabriella asked.

"Old School," Dani replied and Gabriella laughed.

"That is such BS," she said laughing. "You've Got Mail."

"What!" Dani exclaimed extremely amused.

"Knows every word," she said laughing.

"Troy Bolton knows every word to a Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks chick flick!"

Gabriella nodded and they both burst out laughing. They continued laughing and making fun of Troy for the rest of the night.

"Wow it is getting late, I should get home," Gabriella said.

"Oh my god, you are right."

"Well even though we got like no work done this was really fun," Gabriella said.

"Yeah, I am glad I got to know you."

"Yeah same," Gabriella smiled.

THE NEXT DAY

Everybody was chatting in Ms. Darbus' room when Gabriella walked in.

"Hey Dani," she said walking by. "Troy," she said deadpan.

Dani just laughed, "So do you want to go to the library after school?"

"Yeah, you wanna go to the mall after, I need some cash therapy," Gabi said.

"Oh definitely," Dani replied.

"Wait," Troy said confused. "You guys are friends!"

"Is that a problem?" Dani asked.

Yes! "Umm no I just don't know why you would want to be friends with such a bitch," Troy replied.

"Well if she can deal with an asshole like yourself everyday, I am sure she can deal with a bitch like me for a few hours," Gabriella replied and Dani, Chad, and Taylor laughed.

"Those two are always finding a new way to flirt," Chad whispered to Taylor.

"Yup," she replied.

"Weren't you guys like best friends, would it kill you two to be civil to one another?" Dani asked.

"Wow she is stupid," Chad whispered to Taylor.

"Yup," Taylor replied.

"Yes," they replied in unison.

"Whatever," Dani said and they all sat down.

"Now today is your chance to audition for the Winter Musicale," Darbus said. Chad and Taylor smiled and each other and Troy and Gabriella froze. They both wanted to do it but were too stubborn to talk to each other.

Gabriella snuck backstage to a dark corner that her and Troy had discovered a year ago. They would make out there and no one could see them, but they could still hear Darbus if she needed them. She was watching the auditions when someone bumped into her.

"Ow!" she exclaimed.

"What are you doing here?" Troy whispered loudly.

"Same thing as you," she replied with attitude.

"I really have no idea why Dani likes you," he said.

"The same reason you used to," she shot back.

"Key word used to," he said.

"Whatever, maybe you should be mature like me and get to know Brett," she said.

"First of all you were forced to get to know Dani, so don't praise yourself. Second there is no way I could ever like him!"

"Shhh! This is a theater!" they heard Darbus yell, so Gabriella pulled Troy by the wrist into the empty hallway.

"Why not!" she exclaimed.

"Because!"

"Why because he stole me away from you!"

"What? So now you admit it! You liked him when we were dating!"

"No of course not!"

"Don't even try to cover up what you just said."

"Would you stop being so stubborn and let me tell you what I meant!"

"Fine!"

"I meant he was the obvious factor in our break up and that is why you don't like him. You think he stole me away from you but that is not true!"

"He is a bad guy!"

"You don't even know him!"

"I know his reputation."

"What reputation," she asked in a shaky tone.

"He is your boyfriend, find out for yourself. Then come back to me and tell me if he is a good guy or not," he said.

"So that is what you want? To say I told you so?"

"I won't have to."

"Ugh," she groaned and stormed off to find Brett. When she did she took him to the secret spot.

"What is it?" he asked,

"What were you like before I came to East High?"

"Umm, the same as I am now," he said confused.

"Really? Cause what I have heard is that you have reputation that isn't to hot," she said.

"Uhh, who told you that?" he asked nervously.

"It doesn't matter."

"What did this person tell you?"

"Nothing, I wanted to find out from you."

"Uhh…"

"Would you rather me find out from someone else?"

"No."

"So?"

"I just dated this girl and cheated on her, and I regret it," he said.

"You have a terrible rep for cheating on a girl one time?"

"Well it might have happened more than once," he said and she glared at him.

"Anything else I should know?"

"No not really, other than some drug incidents," he said not thinking it was a big deal.

"What! What kind of incidents?"

"Umm the being high kind. What is the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you have been doing all this shit behind my back and don't even try to tell me you don't do drugs anymore, cause it would be bs."

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"Wow, you are really not the guy I thought you were, bye Brett we are done," she said and walked away.

Free period was last on Fridays so she wasn't surprised to see the hallways empty. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

"Hey Dani," she said into the phone.

"Oh hey Gabriella," she replied.

"I am sorry something came up, is there any chance we can go to the library and mall tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks."

Troy was sitting watching TV when he heard a knock on his door. He opened the door to see Gabriella standing there.

"Ok, let me have it," she said.

"Gabriella…"

"Come on Troy I know you want to say it."

"You broke up with him," he said and she nodded.

He opened his arms and pulled her into a hug. "I am sorry," he said.

"It's okay, I am glad I found out," she said and pulled away.

"I miss my best friend, Troy."

"I miss you too," he said still holding her.

"You think we can go back to the way things were?"

"We can try. Wanna come in?"

"I would like that," she smiled. "Ready to get your ass kicked at Mario Kart?" she said walking in.

"Oh yeah, things are definitely back to normal," he laughed as did she.

Please R&R!