1Disclaimer: I don't own HSM!!!!

Chapter 3

As Troy walked out of class with his list, so he could throw it out, Chad snatched it away. Ms. Darbus snatched it from Chad and preceded to read it aloud right before anyone had started to leave, including Gaby, Ryan and Sharpay. "Lovely Mr. Bolton. Nice to see you have some sort of definition for romance." Troy had never turned redder in his life. He saw Gaby leave the room in an unusual rush. Troy forgot his embarrassment and chased after her.

"Hey everything okay?" Troy asked worried. He had the feeling something was; she was being more emotional lately.

"Yea Troy. Fine. G-g-great. N-n-never been b-better!" she stuttered. A huge wet tear drop rolled down golden, rosy cheek.

"Hey, how bout you and me go to a movie tonight?" he suggested, trying to get her mind off whatever was bothering her.

"That would be great, but I already have plans with Ryan to work on our Drama project. Maybe another time, k?"

"Yea . . . sure thing," Troy mumbled in shock. She gave him a quick kiss and ran off into the girl's bathroom. Troy didn't understand what was happening. It was as if he didn't know Gabriella anymore. This wasn't the Gaby he had started singing with and fell in love with. Gabriella had changed, but he couldn't figure out how. He slowly trekked to his next class, so confused and depressed that he didn't care how late he was. All Troy wanted was his girlfriend back, his Gabriella.

He decided to head down to the auditorium to practice a new song he was writing:

You look at me

I look at you

I think of all we could do

If you just gave me a chance

I look around

Pretend to read the notes on the board

Just so I can think

About you

I don't know where

This roads gonna lead us

Are we gonna find a way

Or will you walk away?

Are we gonna be more

Than just kids with a dream

'Auggg!' he could never figure out the end to that song. Gaby first inspired him but now he doesn't even know what she thinks anymore. Just then he heard the scrapping of heals across the hallway floor, that could only be one person: Sharpay. "Bop Bop Bop. Bop to the top - oh, Hi Troy! Whatcha doing here?"

"Uhhh . . . Just wasting my free period I guess. Writing a song . . ."

"Oh, can I here it?" she asked.

"Sure," and he sang. It felt good singing to her and only her. He felt that she was turning out to be one of his closet friends and he could tell her things he couldn't tell anyone else, not even Gabriella. "So what do you think?" he asked nervously.

"So far Troy, I think its beautiful. You have a talent you know" Troy looked up into her big brown eyes and he knew she really meant that. Before he knew what he was doing he leaned in to kiss her ---- 'Bring!'. The bell awakened him from his trance.

"Well I guess I should go he whispered, his lips just inches away from hers. And then he left thoughts racing through his mind.

What was he thinking? He was going out with Gabriella, not Sharpay. Until this past summer, Sharpay had been a self-centered, stuck-up brat who tried to use him. But she had changed so much with his help. And she turned into the one he relied on when Gabriella was away. But now Gabriella was . . . different. And so was Sharpay. But Sharpay was a better different. And . . . now he was just going in circles. He didn't even notice when he walked out of the school building and automatically called Sharpay, just like he had everyday for almost a month. When he realized what he was doing, he instantly hung up and ran home to practice basketball. That night, he had strange dreams about Sharpay and Gabriella popping heart-shaped balloons on lined paper while Ryan watched.

Troy woke up the following day, feeling unusually refreshed. "Today is a new day. Everything will be the same as it was in junior year," he thought to himself. Gaby had decided to take the bus today, so he drove to her school alone. Alone, it felt like so long ago that he was without Gaby, without the newfound happiness. He drove up to East High to find Sharpay and Gabriella talking like old friends from pre-school. Troy got out of the car, more nervous than he had ever been. Even more than the winter show. He felt himself sweating, hands shaking and his mind spinning. Gaby-Sharpay-Gaby-Sharpay, he couldn't decide. Troy's heart felt like it had been torn in two for each girl. His vision started going blurry, and he couldn't tell if it was from tears or insanity. "Hey Troy. Man, are you alright?"Chad asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yea man, great." Troy could feel himself starting to wobble, losing his balance. Through his blurry eyes, he could see Gaby, Sharpay, Zeke and just about the whole student body either running towards him or staring. The last voice he heard, although he couldn't tell if it was Gabriella or Sharpay, was a loud, concerned scream.

"Troy! Troy! Trooooyyy!" Before he knew it, Troy was out cold on the pavement in front of East High.