College Struggles
Summary: The gang go through tough times at university with family illnesses to secrets as to two members accused of cheating. They are all attending UCLA and all the girls will be sharing an apartment just as the boys will. Someone's dad gets ill and causes them to withdraw from the gang and hurt the ones they love the most. One person's mom is killed just weeks into starting. How will they cope? Two people are helping each other out but with the amount of time they are spending together their other half's start to question them. Will they all still be friends by the time they've finished? Who will suffer heartache and will the pressures of being so different finally get too much?
Sequel to ST & SCA/N: Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter but what happened to the rest of you. I only got 5 in total but yet I had over a 100 hits. I'm not updating till i get more reviews. Please review whether it's criticism or whatever. Ok so this chapter starts of when they are leaving to catch their flight. The story will be back mainly to Troy and Gabriella first and then bits of the others. I tried to do the brother sister bonding with Chad and Gabriella. It's to show the more vulnerable side to Chad. Hope you like it. Anyway here's the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing except the plot and Annabelle at the moment.
Chapter 6
Everyone had to get up early the next morning as the flight was leaving at 9am. Their parents would take them to the airport so that they could all meet up. Troy and Gabriella were going together after Ms Montez had to leave for a business trip that morning so they spent the night before saying goodbye and sharing tears. As soon as the Bolton's had picked Gabriella up they were on there way to start the new adventures that lay ahead.
"How you feeling?" Troy asked as she laid her head on his shoulder as his parents listened to them.
"Scared, nervous excited you?" Troy gently kissed her on the forehead.
"The same but I know I will be fine because I have you right by my side and that's the way it's going to stay." The car then went quiet all of them tired and slightly nervous. Troy and Gabriella had both fallen back asleep, Gabriella's head on Troy's chest with his arm around her. Mrs Bolton smiled at the two.
"You know those two are perfect for each other." Mrs Bolton stated as Jack agreed.
"Yeah. Gabriella's a great catch and I can tell that before we know it she and Troy will be getting engaged then married and then giving is grandkids. Did you know they have already talked about this stuff? It's quite interesting when you here them talk." Jack smiled as Mrs Bolton shook her head.
"No but I think we can be certain hopefully that all that won't be happening until they are out of college." Jack grabbed his wife's hand and kissed the back of it as they continued their journey.
An hour later they arrived at the airport in New Mexico (A/N: not sure if there is one or not but oh well in my story there is.) Troy and Gabriella were slowly shook awake by his parents before they all walked in to see Taylor, Kelsi, Chad, Jason and Zeke there already.
"Hey guys." Troy greeted them tiredly as they all smiled.
"Dude, explain to me why I have to get up so early when the sun wasn't even up?" Troy just ignore Chad. The parents were all in a group talking as all the gang waited for Sharpay, Annabelle and Ryan. They all sat there quietly too tired to talk as Zeke's cell rang.
"Hello…oh hey Sharpay… oh ok I'll tell them … love you too…bye." Zeke hung up as the others looked at him. "That was Sharpay. Apparently they had a clothing emergency but are almost here now." Gabriella, Taylor and Kelsi rolled their eyes because knowing Sharpay she chose an outfit then when she put it on she changed her mind then kept changing until she found the right outfit which would have meant searching through her 6 pink suitcases.
They finally arrived 10 minutes later and they all went to check in before walking back to their parents to say goodbye.
"Ok so that's us checked in." Troy said as he walked over to his parents. Gabriella just hung back by the seats feeling a bit awkward as she watched the members of the gang say bye to their parents. To Gabriella this wasn't at all that new. She had moved around a lot and her mom was never around because she was always away on business trips so Gabriella wasn't surprised that her mother couldn't come.
With Troy and his parents
"So I guess this is it?" Troy said as he walked up to where his mom was crying. He hugged her as she sobbed into his shoulder and his dad rubbing her back. She pulled back and smiled at him.
"You better look after yourself and call otherwise you will be in a lot of trouble young man." His mother warned as he and his dad smiled.
"I will don't worry." He reassured his mom as his dad wondered off. He gave his mom a confused look before they saw him walking over to Gabriella.
"Gabriella?" Jack said as Gabriella looked up and smiled through her teary eyes. She stood up as he hugged her. Troy smiled as he and his mom walked over to them. "I know I'm not your dad but I know if he was like me then he would be very proud of you for the way you've turned out." He told her as they pulled apart.
"Thanks Jack. For everything." He smiled before turning to Troy.
"You better look after her or there will be serious trouble son." Troy smiled at his dad's threat as his mom walked to Gabriella and gave her a hug.
"Don't worry dad I won't let anything happen to her." Troy gave his dad a hug before wrapping his arms around Gabriella. "And don't worry we'll be home for thanksgiving and then for Christmas." Troy saw the others approaching. For the first time in his life, Troy saw Chad crying. He never ever cried so he knew he must be struggling with this. Taylor was holding his hand giving him support.
"Guys we need to go." Kelsi said as they all hugged the parents one last time before walking through.
On the aeroplane
Gabriella and Troy were sitting next to each other and Chad next to Troy on the end. Taylor was sitting behind with Kelsi and Sharpay as Jason and Zeke sat together and Ryan and Annabelle sat together. Troy couldn't believe he was going to have to put up with Chad for a few hours complaining. When Troy and Chad went on holiday together when they were little, Chad spent the whole time whinging about bored he was and that there was nothing to do. But to Troy's surprise half an hour into the flight and Chad hadn't said anything. Troy gave Gabriella a worried look as she spoke.
"Chad you ok?" Gabriella asked softly. Chad turned to her and smiled.
"Yeah. I just guess for the first time in my life I have to grow up because I have to take care of my self. My mom and my dad have always been there for me but now there not. I guess at home people knew me and I could just be me but what if me isn't enough here." Troy looked at Chad feeling sorry for his best friend. He had never seen him so worried. "Gabi how did you do it before you came to Albuquerque? I mean the moving around having to become familiar with new people all the time?" I looked at Gabriella who smiled at Chad.
"I always tried to be what others wanted me to be and the people who normally wanted me were the more intelligent people and until I came to East High, I was never myself but I'm so glad I was here. If people don't like you Chad Danforth for you then they aren't your real friends. The people who love and care about you don't want you to change one bit. Here's a warning Mr Danforth you change and stop making jokes out of bad situations or at inappropriate times I will make Taylor help me lecture you everyday about science and maths equations." The horror look on Chad's face told both of them Chad would be fine. Chad knew he didn't have to change.
"Thanks Gabi. And by the way you look hot." Chad joked as Troy punched his arm.
"Don't hit on my girlfriend dude. Yours is back there. By the way glad your back." Gabriella smiled at the two as she rested her head back on Troy's shoulder.
"I have a warning for you too Troy seeing as your girlfriend just gave me one, if you ever hurt my little sister or break her heart you will have to deal with me." Troy shook his head. Today everyone had been threatening him if he didn't look after Gabriella. Don't they have any faith in me? Troy thought. Chad soon fell asleep and so did Troy and Gabriella.
Arriving in California
The gang got off the plane before collecting their bags and walking out to find the cars they had bought waiting for them to drive them to there apartments which were 10 minutes away from the college. (A/N: No idea if this is true but just pretend). They split of into the couples before driving to there new apartments.
After they had put all their stuff in their apartments the boys went over to the girl's apartment.
"Ok ladies what do you say we go get some food?" Chad said as the girls agreed. They walked to a restaurant just around the corner to eat.
"You this is so weird." Jason said.
"How do you mean?" Taylor asked as they all looked at Jason.
"Back home we would normally go out and one of us always saw one of our parents or someone we knew and its just weird knowing that its not gonna happen." Jason explained as they all smiled at the memory.
"I guess we've just go to except that change is happening. Lets make a toast Wildcats together forever." Sharpay said as she held her glass up. Everyone did the same taking a sip and carried on eating.
"You want to know I'm glad about?" Chad asked as everyone knew this would be something stupid knowing Chad.
"What?" Kelsi said as Chad smiled.
"No parents telling us that we can't have sex in the house." Taylor slapped Chad hard round the house as everyone else laughed at Chad. Only Chad could say some thing like that.
"Right why don't we get the bill and get out of here before Taylor murders Chad." Zeke suggested. They paid the bill before walking back to the girl's apartment. They picked up a few things to eat from a local shop on their way home.
After opening the door, Annabelle turned the lights on as they all came in.
"Who's up for a movie before we go to bed?" Gabriella asked.
"Sure." Everyone replied. That sat around watching a movie before the boys left and promised to talk to them in the morning.
A/N: How did you like that chapter? It was longer than the last few to keep some of you happy because you wanted longer chapters. Don't forget to review. Thanks!