AN: Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. Here is the next chapter I promised, it is a little longer so it took me some time to finish.

Chapter 8

The next two weeks were enjoyed by the school as they got to know this less of a jerk Troy. He still had his moments were he couldn't stop it from coming out, but they were less and far between. Yes, he had made some progress in his life. The only part that wasn't progressing was the Gabriella front. He still hadn't talked to her. The history project was long gone and they had finished the basketball unit in gym. He didn't have anywhere or reason to talk to her. But he still wanted to, he hadn't give up yet.

In gym they had moved on to kickball games. They were playing every variation and version there was it seemed like. Today was one base kickball where, you guessed it, there was one base. The base was actually a gymnastic mat spread out in the opposite corner of the gym from home plate. You could have up to five players on the base at a time. Coach Bolton was pitching and Coach Fris was keeping score. Troy's team was winning by three.

Troy was playing in the 'outfield' and Gabriella was on the team kicking. It was the start of a new inning. Chad, who had to be on the opposite team of Troy because he was Troy's only competition, was up to kick first. Coach Bolton pitched and Chad kicked it towards a group of girls. The girls squealed and let the ball roll on by. A guy Troy knew played on the JV baseball team was not far behind them grabbed the ball and threw it at Chad. It was too late, he was safe. The ball made its way back to Coach Bolton. One rule was you had to kick boy-girl, boy-girl. A girl who played basketball stepped up next. She kicked the ball up in the air. It was caught by someone Troy knew from his math class, Aaron, Troy thought his name was. A skater was up next and he kicked the ball and it bounced off the wall. Chad dashed home while the boy made his way to the base. Some guy threw the ball at Chad. It was low and Chad jumped over it. Chad got home safely and the ball was tossed back to Coach Bolton as Coach Fris put up a tally mark up next to the correct team. Chad talked to the next person up to kick.

Gabriella was the one who stepped up next. Chad told her to kick on the ground where he had. Gabriella listened to him and kicked it towards the group of girls still in a little huddle. The ball caught a little bit of air, but it didn't matter, as the girls couldn't catch. Gabriella darted across the gym to the base safely. The next guy to kick kicked it high in the air and some baseball player Troy didn't know caught it for the second out. The next girl up copied Gabriella and tried to kick it at that group of girls. The girls squealed but one of them picked it up. Gabriella was running by on her way to home and the girl pathetically threw it at her. It got caught up in Gabriella's legs and she went tumbling to the ground. Coach Fris and Bolton went over to her to see if she was all right after she didn't pick herself up.

"Troy," Coach Bolton said, "Go to the nurse for some ice for Miss Montez."

"Dad, I mean coach," Troy started.

"The faster you leave, the faster you will be back," His dad said.

"Ok," Troy hesitated but left the gym and went down to the nurse's office. He returned a few minutes later with a bag of ice. Gabriella had been moved to the edge of the gym and was lying down with her foot propped up in the air by a chair. Troy walked over to her and handed her the bag of ice. She sat up and got onto the chair she was supposed to be sitting in with her foot still propped up by another chair. She took the bag of ice and gingerly placed on her ankle.

"Thanks," she said quietly in the loud gym. The class had gone back to playing with Troy's team now up to kick.

"Welcome," Troy nodded and he went over to his team, but did take another glance at her once leaning against the wall waiting his turn to kick.

So this would seem like an improvement for Troy and Gabriella, they had finally talked, it wasn't really a conversation, but they had exchanged words. Which would be a good thing, right? Well they did start talking again. But they had regressed back so far they were yelling at each other in arguments only; you couldn't really call them conversations. But to their friends it was better than when they were ignoring each other. Their shouting matches came with stunning regularity. They'd scream at each other, then be in a cold war of shooting death glares at each other. Next they would ignore each other for a day, sometimes more, sometimes less, but on average a day. They would then be at each other's neck with a snipe or two before it turned into a full-blown shooting match again. And then the cycle would repeat, over and over again.

Troy's friends and teammates would just roll their eyes whenever they heard him start to raise his voice at her. Usually after they would hear him grumbling and complaining about her and they put up with a moody Troy until the ignorance stage came around. And Gabriella's friends did the same too. They'd listen to her complain about the 'idiot jock' until they started to ignore each other again.

Both sets of friends could see the passion that the two teens fought with. They could see a special fire in their eyes when fighting with one other rather than someone else. There was only a small spark if they ever argued with someone else and this spark didn't lead to fire. Maybe they liked fighting and arguing. No one knew besides them. But it was starting to annoy their friends. The tension was starting to get out of control.

Today they were setting up for an explosion as they made small snipes at each other. A few glares passed between them too. "Of course he didn't," came from Gabriella after Troy said he didn't do his homework in history. And there was "She always had the answer, it's like a robot," Troy sniped after Gabriella had her third consecutive right answer.

"Shut it Bolton, just because you are an idiot and don't know the answer doesn't mean we are all retarded," Gabriella snapped at him afterwards.

"Just stating a face Montez," Troy chided.

"Stop it both of you," The teacher saved a fight in their classroom. All the teachers except Coach Bolton had noticed, and luckily, neither had the principal. And it had become Montez and Bolton between the two teams, not using the others first name. The two students glared at each other the rest of the class, but said nothing aloud.

They sniped and griped about each other the rest of the day making the school happy for a day with out screaming. But it didn't last long as they were back at it the next day. Taylor had made a comment to Gabriella about the silence of the day before and Gabriella not yelling at Troy. "Bolton doesn't exist!" Gabriella had said slamming her locker.

"So it is just a figment of your imagination saying this Montez?" Troy said walking by.

"Oh please, that would be like heaven," Gabriella snapped.

"Well then I am going to make sure I stick around then, eh. Got to make sure your life is like a living hell."

"If I'm in hell I am going to be in cahoots with the devil and figure out which way of killing you looks the best."

"Oh, we have a violent one among us, you better watch out before she murders you," he taunted.

"Have a little sarcastic with your breakfast this morning Bolton."

"Maybe, but I know you had bitchy with yours."

"Yes, because I just love to add it with sugar in my coffee, you know get a nice big spoonful and stir all around, get a good mixture."

"Way to go, admitting is the first step to recovery, I won't visit you at the clinic."

"You get that from a TV show because I know you don't pay attention in class. It is no wonder you are failing."

"Nice try Darling, but I have a 'B' average."

"Cause you got your dad to pull some strings, no wonder you have never had to sit out a game."

This would go on until a bell rang or a teacher stopped them. Or sometimes one would get too frustrated and just stomp off. For this particular one, a few traded insults and frustrated yells later, Gabriella grabbed Taylor and stalked off. Troy was satisfied with his victory.

And the cycle continued as the friends put up with a moody Gabriella or Troy. The death glares were exchanged before falling into ignoring each other for a day. Snide comments were added and they were soon back at each other's throats yelling. A record was set, as the two teens seemed to linger in the ignorance stage this time on Friday. Which was a surprise since they usually ended the week with a big explosion since nothing would happen over the weekend. Taylor and company didn't know if it was Troy or something else that set Gabriella in an off mood Monday morning. It was the something else, but she didn't tell them that, so they hunkered down for a big blast.

Gabriella wasn't sure what drew her up there after she vowed not to go back, but she found herself up on the rooftop she had been in once before when she was crying. She remembered that Troy had dragged her there. And this second time she found herself there, she was ready to cry again as she curled up on the bench in a tight ball. And she let the silent tears run down her face she failed to hear someone coming. Which could only be one person, "You are in my spot," he said.

Gabriella looked up at Troy and quickly wiped off her face. She sniffled a few times before saying, "Just leave me alone Bolton. I am not in the mood to argue." She got up to leave him.

"Don't go down there and cry in public," He grabbed her arm as she passed.

"You tell me not to stay but won't let me go, what am I supposed to do? Jump off the ledge?" She yanked her arm out of his grasp and wiped off her face again, "There no tears now, and I will keep it dry until I find somewhere else ok?"

Troy watched her in her estranged state, "Montez, just stay, I will go somewhere else."

"Oh, no, don't go out of your way for me I am all ready to," Gabriella said. "You are as fickle as a damned cheerleader, stay, go, stay, go, make up your mind!"

"Stay Montez, just stay," Troy made up his mind.

Gabriella crumpled on the ground, sitting on the steps, "Get out of here Bolton, no need to see me like this, you'll just use it against me later."

"What's wrong Montez?" Troy asked sitting down next to her.

"Why do you care?" She glared at him pathetically through her tears.

"Just want to make sure you are in pristine condition for our next fight."

"Whatever happened to hating crying?"

"I don't hate it," he lied, "I just think there are better ways of expressing yourself."

Gabriella glared at him, "Yeah, right."

"It is one of the reason's I play ball. I can express myself and the all the emotions running through me."

"Ok then, how the hell am I suppose to express myself on the tenth anniversary of my father's death?"

Troy didn't say anything for a while. So now he knew the reason behind this. "Tell me about him," he finally said after thinking a while.

Gabriella looked at him and laughed, "Yeah, like I want to dredge old memories only to have you laugh at me because of how pathetic I am."

"I won't laugh, I swear. What was he like?" Troy said sincerely.

"Um," Gabriella looked at him trying to decide if he was telling the truth or not, she decide he was after a long look in his eyes, "He was really sweet and funny. I can't believe I am telling you this. But going on, he knew how to make me laugh. That is probably what I remember the most, is laughing with him. And he always kept flowers on our dining room table, no matter the season, we had flowers," tears started to weld up in her eyes again.

"Keep going," Troy bumped knees with her. She dried her eyes and then continued some more.

"And we had to drag him to church every Sunday and he'd complain the whole time we were there. But when it came to singing, he always tried to sing the loudest, and always off-key," She started to laugh, "There was this one time, he forgot the words to a hymn even though they were right in front of him, so he started making up his own. Everyone got really made at him, but my mom and I couldn't stop laughing to quiet him down or point out the words to him.

"And every Saturday he'd make breakfast, and I am talking the whole shebang: Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, muffins, orange juice, toast, cold pizza sometimes was there too. But we had everything made and ate every bite of it during the course of the day so it was breakfast for breakfast and lunch and dinner. And no matter which day of the week it was, for my birthday, he'd do the same thing is small portions and then serve it to me in bed." She started to cry a bit more again. Troy didn't know what compelled him to do so, but he found himself wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in close to him. She cried for a few moments on his shoulder before starting again. "In the summer we would try and catch fireflies it seems like every night. He was just like a big child. He said if you looked close and you had the eye, you could pick out Tinker bell. He knew that I love Peter Pan and I always wished I could fly."

"Sounds cliché and stupid, but I tell Ellie, that you can fly if you believe and follow your own path and heart and not anyone else's. So it is me basically trying to tell her to be herself and not listen to anyone else. But I can't say it that way because it would cause a lot of problems and get me in trouble if I told her not to listen to anyone," Troy said in the silence.

"I like it, it is a little cliché, but it's not stupid," Gabriella said.

"Just don't tell the guys or shout it at me sometime in the hallway," Troy said.

"But it is hard, I lost my best friend when I lost my dad, and now the world seems to hate me," Gabriella said, "I lost a lot when he left."

"So work with what you do have. You just have to be a little bit more conservative with the parts you have left and work a bit harder than the rest of them."

"Them?" She asked.

"I get what your are saying. I get the whole losing of the best friend thing. Mine happened to be my cousin and next-door neighbor, Belle. She was four years older than be and I never knew why the heck she doted on me, but she did. And was one of my best opponents for one-on-one. Why she wanted to hang out with her annoying little cousin is a wonder rather than go hangout with her boyfriend or high school friends."

"What happened?" Gabriella asked.

"At sixteen she was raped by her boyfriend and ended up pregnant. Her parents couldn't kick her out; it wasn't her fault other than her bad judgment in guys. But in my family there was no way she was going to abort it and her parents didn't want another child in the house, they didn't really have a way to support it. So the only choice was adoption. But Belle was against it. She didn't want strangers raising her child. That is about when my parents got the crazy idea of adopting it and then nine months later we have Ellie. And then the night after all the adoption papers were signed. Belle went and did something crazy. The next morning my aunt comes screaming over to our door that Belle went and committed suicide. I am about twelve here, Ellie is five now so it was five years ago, and when I though of the term suicide, I was thinking basketball. And running so I have no idea what my aunt is talking about. My mom goes hysterical and my dad drags me out to the car and takes me to my grandparent's so that the adults could figure everything out. I stay there for the next few days and then I find myself looking like Johnny Cash in all black at a funeral and still didn't understand suicide in the way that they meant it. SO I thought I was an idiot until I find out that it is Belle's funeral at and I learn why in basketball they call it a suicide and where it got it's name from. And so I am quite sad about this losing my friend, and my parents freak out because I don't cry, I am not able to. So they take me to a therapist to explain the whole thing in therapist talk so I don't understand any of it. But I pretended that I understood so I didn't have to go back there and listen to the boring lady talk. And since then I have never figured out why the heck she did it," Troy still had a straight face. It was stone cold and detached, it was doubtful he had any feeling at all.

Gabriella didn't know what to say to that, "Looks like we actually have something in common Bolton, who would have thought?"

"Who would have thought we could hold a normal conversation?" Troy countered.

"We both knew we could, just not everyone else."

"Those normal conversations were a long time ago."

"I liked them," Gabriella said.

"Cause they goy you through gym class," Troy laughed.

"True, but I still liked them," she smiled.

"Well, I think I have officially cheered you up."

"Just don't tell anyone, I think we are past due for an argument."

"Wanna pick a topic?" Troy joked.

"We have lists of things to argue about, I just have to pick one seeing as I think it is my turn to start one. I just need to find a list."

"On top of figuring out how to work with the pieces you have left of your heart."

"You have to figure out how to let down the wall around yours that you so solidly built."

"Look at us being all cliché, we could write a soap opera."

"And let the Evans twins star in it, since they are so good with drama and over acting."

"I am going to leave now, you leave in a few minutes and we'll go meet up in homeroom."

"Maybe you could be late," Gabriella said.

"And get detention, no thank you, I am confident in you ability to find something to yell at me for," Troy said getting up and leaving. Gabriella got up and left a few minutes later, feeling better descending the stairs than when she had ascended them.

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AN: And there you go, there is the next chapter. It is Tuesday like I said. I hope to finish the next chapter by Friday for my next update. Please leave me a review telling me what you think or your reaction to it or any ideas, what you liked or didn't like, or anything, whatever is fine.