The next day at school Taylor was rather quiet and kept to herself. But she was far over her sadness yesterday. She didn't bother to dress up that day. Just some regular blue jeans a plain purple shirt a black Aeropastle jacket and black nikes. And small black studs with her hair in a ponytail.
Although Taylor took her time walking into the school East High. She was eager to see what was in store for her. She walked into the school hallway and felt like there was no turning back. Besides she needed a pass to leave school. It was like it was prison of 8 hours a day.
Taylor walked to her locker and opened it and examined the decorations she put last Friday. Flowers, cutout hearts and stars. And pink glitter that was from Sharpay. Of course.
Taylor then layed eyes on a picture of her one and only crush Troy she cut out of the yearbook she had inside her locker where it was un noticeable. She smiled at it weakly grabbed her books and shut the locker door. She then heard to girls passing behind chatting on about how cute Troy was. Great. Just when Taylor was trying to get him off her mind.
Taylor rolled her eyes and started her way to first period. She turned the corner and saw Sharpay by her locker talking to a girl Taylor never saw before. Taylor had to admit she was quite pretty. Well stunning. Long black hair. Light brown eyes. A beautiful smile. Taylor was struck with envy. She felt it wasn't good to have a new pretty girl because it would weaken her chances with Troy.
"O hey Tay whats up girl?" Sharpay said instantly closing her conversation with the girl.
"Hey…" Taylor said oddly.
"Well Tay this is Gabriella Montez. She's new here. She's going to hang with us." Sharpay said happily.
"O fun! Another musketeer!" Taylor said with fake enthusiasm.
Then a wave of guilt washed over Taylor as she saw Gabriella smile in excitement that she made friends already.
"Oh this is great! So where do we meet for lunch?" Gabriella asked tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Ummm we'll come get you" Taylor said trying to remove the guilt from her conscience.
"Ok cool. See you guys later!" Gabriella said running off to class down the hall and around the corner.
"So Taylor….how ya feeling?" Sharpay asked.
"Better." Taylor said to Sharpay changing her tone to sad to happy.
"Goodie for you dear" Sharpay said giving her best friend a hug.
The two chatted on the way to class and saw how rowdy the class was. Some people throwing paper, others beating on the desk and rapping to the beats they made. The cheerleader gossiping in a circle. The nerds reading while the jocks threw paper at them.
"Wow…we must have a sub today" Taylor said laughing.
"That's fine with me girl" Sharpay said walking to her seat.
Taylor watched Sharpay walk past all the Jocks. Well walk through them since they were all sitting in the area by her desk. But of course some of the guys whistled and grabbed sharpays hand. Sharpay of course accepted and moved on. She was used to it.
Taylor felt her hands get sweaty when she saw Sharpay motioned for Taylor to come sit next to her. Taylor grew nervous. She couldn't pass the Jocks up. Most were..well…white.. Taylor couldn't take the risk of being made fun of. Taylor tightened her clench on her binder and started walking towards the group of guys. She heard them get quiet as she passed them. They turned around and watch her walk to her seat and looked back and continued talking.
Taylor felt embarrassed. After they whistled at Sharpay. Taylor just had to ruin the moment. Taylor called herself a "moment killer" in her head.
"Tay you ok?" Shar asked putting her hand on Taylor's.
"Fine" Taylor said with a smile.
Sharpay slowly removed her hand and stared at Taylor curiously. Then looked at the group of guys in front of them. Sharpay then felt what was wrong with Taylor. She knew Taylor had been thinking about what Dylan said.
Taylor scribbled in her notebook drawing broken hearts and mean words giving herself her own pity party. Sharpay just sat there and watched her love depressed friend.
"Your worrying too much!" Sharpay said abruptly making Taylor jump causing Taylor to rip her paper with her pen.
"Dang Shar!" Taylor said.
" Sorry" Sharpay said with her diva attitude coming out.
Taylor simply started a new drawing.
"Taylor!" Sharpay yelled.
"What?!" Taylor yelled in reply.
"Whats the hell your problem?! I'm your firend tell whats wrong?" Sharpay said
"Why would you care you have all the guys in the world."
"What?" Sharpay asked.
"Taylor….please I don't want to argue" Sharpay said quickly.
"Fine" Taylor said calming down.
"Taylor I've been really worried about you lately. You've been acting weird and insecure. Are you sure everything is ok?" Sharpay asked.
"Positive!" Taylor said with a quick fake smile.
Before they knew it the bell had rang…
Lunchtime ……..
Sharpay, Taylor, Gabby, Kelsi and Martha sat at a table together chatting on about plans next week. Taylor sat quiet twirling her fork in her pasta. She was tuning out her peppy friends and daydreaming about how things would be if Troy knew she exsisted.
Taylor wished he knew her. She imagined him teaching her tricks on his skateboard after school, passing notes with him in class, having study dates at her house with him. Etc. She made her self believe Troy would never like a girl like her. At least not in her skin tone. Someone more like Sharpay. Or even Gabriella.
Taylor felt her stomach drop when she saw Troy walk in the cafeteria with his friends. She watched as he gave hi-5's to people as he walked through the cafeteria. She was impressed at how handsome he looked today. His plaid American eagle shorts, red polo, and some red vans. His hair was styled in a stylish Mohawk that fit him well. He even had his diamond piercing in his left ear.
" Look who's here" Sharpay said leaning over to Taylor.
"Shhhh!" Taylor said causing Gabby to look at her.
Taylor watched him walk to his regular table with the jocks and sit down starting a chat with his fellow was taking out of her "Troy alert watch" when she heard Gabby sigh and put a hand under her chin.
"What's wrong Gabby?" Taylor and Sharpay asked concerned.
"Oh its nothing" Gabby said.
"No tell us were all friends here" Sharpay said.
"Well…..I kind of like this guy..but im scared he wont like me" Gabriella said blushing.
"Awww I know how you feel" Taylor said with Sharpay nodding in agreement.
"Have you talked to him?" Kelsi asked joining in.
"Not really just once…. though!" Gabby said laughing.
"Well-" Taylor said starting but was interrupted by a figure sitting next to her.
"Hey ladies" A deep voice said.
"Hey Chad" The girls said except Taylor she was in a state of annoyance.
"I came to have a word with Tay" Chad said with a wink.
"What do you want? I don't want to talk to you….not at all" Taylor said coldly.
"That's nice dear…but this is urgent…." Chad said with a smirk.
Taylor remembered that smirk. That smirk that made her knees grew weak when her and Chad were lovers to be. She often wondered what happened to that Chad. The chad that was so innocent, respectful and sweet.
Kelsi, Martha and Sharpay made a bunch of "ohhssss" as Gabriella blushed.
"Fine….nothing else" Taylor said getting up and following him out of the cafeteria.
Taylor tensed up as she notice she had to walk past Troy's table. She felt her table stop as she saw Troy stand up in front of her. She motioned her lips to say something and lifted her hand to wave, but stopped when she heard him say "Hey Chad whats up?"
Taylor felt herself being embarrassed by Troy's laughing friends.
"Chillin' why whats up?
"Same" Troy said with a small nod.
"Here...make sure you give her this note" Troy said handing him a blue colored folded up paper.
"Will do...I almost forgot" Chad said taking the note and putting the note in his pocket.
Taylor smiled to herself. This was all to perfect. She had it all planned out. Chad was taking her outside to give her the note form Troy asking her to be his girlfriend. Yes! How could her day get any better?...
"So where you headed to?" Troy asked
"Nothing going to talk to my girl right quick" Chad said with a prideful smile.
"I'm not your girl Danforth get out of the past" Taylor said quite abrupt causing Chad and Troy to turn and face her. Taylor felt Troy's eyes beaming a hole through her. Taylor could see Troy looking her up and down and really just plain checking her out. She blushed as she saw him bite his bottom lip. She was high in Troy's scent of Axe body spray (don't own).
"Good job Chad…she's cute" Troy said with a smirk keeping his eyes on Taylor.
Taylor smiled tucking her hair behind her ear.
Taylor then again felt she was right. The way Troy was staring her down. She knew the note was meant for her…right?
"Well yeah man I got to go...check ya later" Chad said taking Taylor's arm and leading her out the cafeteria immediately feeling the flirtatious vibe between his ex girl and Troy Bolton.
"Chad what the hell?" Taylor asked as soon as they were in the hallway.
"Look Tay, cut the bullshit. I miss spending some time with my favorite girl." Chad said walking closer to Taylor backing her up into a locker. Chad's lips almost touched hers until she pushed him back.
"Chad! …..I knew you had absolutely nothing to talk about
"Come one Tay…." Chad said pulling her back to him gently.
"No...let me go" Taylor said.
Chad sighed.
"Taylor I honestly took you out here because I was thinking of you the whole day. And I really miss us being together…and I know you do to." Chad said softly Taylor gasped as she felt a cold small chain around her neck. It was the necklace Chad gave her a while back when they were young.
"Chad…." Taylor started…
"No..no more telling me to be quiet or passing me up in the hallways during passing period. Taylor I miss you..I miss us…..what happened to the little girl who I knew was my number one girl for the rest of my life." Chad asked.
"It's not my fault Chad you messed it up…You went behind my back with Melissa over the summer and that tore me apart and never put fort the effort to even apologize. So I don't want to hear you're your sad sob story or how you miss me. Because we all know if you meant anything we said we wouldn't even be having this conversation!" Taylor said.
"Ok and I know that! That's why I'm here apologizing to you! See that's your problem You are never satisfied! That's exactly why I cheated……..on you. Chad said realizing what he as he slowed down his speech.
"You want Chad…Screw you! Your such a jerk! Take your dam necklace and I hope you have a miserable but even more miserable than the one I had when you broke my heart!" Taylor said ripping he necklace off and throwing it to Chad with all her might.
Taylor stormed back into the cafeteria. Chad called out for her but she didn't bother to answer him he rolled his eyes and angrily punched a locker behind leaving a nice size dent in it. Chad walked off to the only place to clear his gym
Troy noticed Taylor walking back into the cafeteria furiously and noticed Chad wasn't with her. So he gout up and left after excusing his self form his friends to go find Chad.
"Chad man you out here?....Yo chad?!!" Troy called out but no answer.
Troy discovered a gold chain glistening in the reflection of the lights in the hallway. He walked towards it and picked it up opening the heart shaped locket. He was shocked as he saw a picture of Taylor and Chad together….
"Dude…." Troy said completely speechless.
Troy quickly jammed the necklace in his back pocket as he heard someone coming. It was Chad.
"Hey Troy have you seen a gold heart necklace with a gold heart locket?" Chad asked concerned it looked like he had been crying.
"Uhhh…." Troy said scratching his head deciding whether to tell Chad or not.
"Uh… what?" Chad asked walking closer to Troy.
"Uhh no man…..but I'll let you know if I see it" Troy said putting his hands in his pockets.
"Ok thanks man. See in practice" Chad said passing him walking into the cafeteria.
Troy waited until he heard the door closed. He sighed and leaned against the lockers behind him sliding down then. This was it. This was his only chance to talk to the girl he had been thinking about since he met eyes with her. The girl he tried to read like a book but felt she had to many pages to read or to much meaning to understand. And that girl was Taylor Mckessie. He fell in love with her features when he first heard her voice in the cafeteria. He felt concerned seeing her look hurt as she stormed back into the cafeteria. And Troy felt it was fate he found the necklace. IT must have been a God given reason to speak to her. All because. Of that one Necklace.
And that necklace was what started it all.