Chapter 17: I'm Okay, Really

Sadly to say, this is the last chapter of the story.

But, alas, there shall be a sequel! I'll get Jordan to post a summary up after this. She thinks she's going to be some kind of co-writer, but she's not. She's just helping me keep all my thoughts together. (GASPETH! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?!?! I'm a co-author's-note-writer! HAH! –Jordan)

But anyways, enjoy the last chapter!

"OH MY GOD! JASON!" Emily shrieked. Jason fell to the floor.

At the exact same time the cops had shot at Michael, Michael had shot at Emily. He missed and hit Jason instead.

Emily fell on her knees next to him. Zeke, Chad and Troy all crowded around him.

"Get a paramedic!" Troy yelled.

Emily propped Jason's head in her lap. "Please don't die, Jase," she whispered. Blood drenched his shirt as it gushed from the wound in his lower chest.

Paramedics arrived and rushed Jason and Emily to the ER. Emily's knee had swollen up from her fall in the hallway. They insisted that she get it checked out.

"How's the knee?" Troy asked as he came into her hospital room.

"It's just a sprain. I'm fine. How about Jason?" she adjusted the crutches under her arms.

"He's just got out of surgery," he said looking down.

"And?"

"It's bad, Em."

"No…" she whispered. Tears came flooding down her cheeks. Emily just kept shaking her head.

Troy held his sister tight. "He'll work this out, Em. Jason's a fighter," he whispered in her ear. He fought to hold back his own tears.

"That bullet was meant for me. He didn't do anything," she whispered through her sobs. She trembled as she let out the sobs that she had held back for the past hour.

Troy took her crutches out from under Emily's arms and set them aside. He picked her up and carried her to her hospital bed. Gingerly, he placed her on the bed. Emily cried herself to sleep with Troy holding her hand. For the first time in a few days, Emily slept soundly. The nightmares no longer plauged her dreams.

(do not BOLD/ITALICIZE/UNDERLINE this. Put a LINE here)(Boo, you suck. –Jordan)

"How is he?" Troy joined his friends after Emily was asleep.

"The doctors say he's doing better. But, it's still going to be a rough road," Zeke said.

"Jason's going to have to give up basketball for a while," Chad added.

"But he's okay?"

"Pretty much," Zeke replied.

"How's Emster?" Chad asked.

"Her knee is sprained. She's going to use crutches for a while," Troy informed him.

"I meant, how is she?" Chad asked again.

"Oh, she's pretty shaken up. She's feeling really guilty about Jason."

"She shouldn't," Zeke said, "He wouldn't want that."

"She's not going to listen."

The three stood in silence. Each of them thinking their own personal thoughts.

"Mr. Bolton?" a nurse called.

"Yes?" Troy answered.

"This young lady in room 212 is asking for you."

"Oh, thank you," he turned to the guys, "Em's calling me. You guys wanna come see her?"

"Sure," they both repsonded in unison.

Emily was too tired and shaken up to care when Chad entered the room with Troy and Zeke. The group looked empty without Jason.

"Troy, can I talk to Chad alone?" Emily asked him.

"Um, sure?" He said confused. He ushered Zeke out and stood in the hallway.

"Going to yell at me some more?" Chad said.

"I deserve that."

"No, you don't," he sighed, "I just wish I knew what I did."

"I don't want to talk about it," Emily looked down.

"Then why did you want to talk alone?"

"I want to start over. As friends."

Chad's hopes were a little crushed. He wanted to be with Emily more than anything. But, he would take what he could get.

He smiled, "Friends."

"Ha. You look so stupid with those things," Natalie scoffed as Emily walked hobbled up to school on her crutches.

"Thanks for being so supportive, Nat."

"Anytime," she smiled. Emily laughed gently.

"Why, is that a laugh?" Chad teased Emily.

"Yes, I tend to do that whenever I look at your face, Danforth," Emily teased back.

"Touché," he then went to his locker.

"Whoa, you and Chad are cool now?" Sadie walked up.

"Yeah, having a gun put to your head definitely puts things into perspective."

Natalie and Sadie exchanged looks.

"Guys, lighten up. I'm okay now, remember?"

The two girls still didn't look convinced.

Suddenly, someone came up behind Emily and lifted her up.

"Troy, I can walk to class! Now, put me down!" Emily exclaimed.

"But you get to class so much quicker this way. Besides, you hate those crutches," he laughed as she carried her to class.

"I hate you."

"Now, is that how you thank your brother who saved your life and is now carrying you to class so you don't hurt your poor arms?" Troy said in mock hurt.

"Yeah yeah yeah," she rolled her eyes.

"Knock. Knock."

"Hey," Jason smiled, "Come on in."

Emily hobbled into Jason's hospital room. She sat in a chair that was pulled up next to his bed.

"How are you?" she asked.

"I'll be fine, Em. They thought I wasn't going to make it for a while, but I wasn't going to let it get me that easy."

"I heard there's some side effects or something?"

"Uh, yeah," he sighed, "No basketball until I get cleared by a doctor. Possibly in a few months. Which means—"

"No championship game," Emily looked down. Guilt surged through her body. Jason had trained so hard for this game, and because of her, he couldn't play.

"Em. I'm okay with that."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is. That bullet was meant for me…"

"Em. Please. I'm fine with it. Your okay. That's all that matters," he reassured her.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," he wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her tight.

She smiled gently. Jason didn't hate her after all.

"COME ON! YOU CAN MAKE IT!" Emily screamed as the last few seconds of the game went on. Troy had the ball, and he was making his way down the court towards the goal. They needed the shot to beat the West High Knights.

"GO GO GO GO GO!" Sadie shrieked. She was sitting beside Emily. Natalie, who was on the other side of Emily, was frantically schreeching in French.

Emily's heart was pounding with anticipation. The buzzer sounded. The gym was silent.

"AND EAST HIGH WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP!" The announcement echoed through the gym.

Natalie and Sadie jumped up at cheered with the rest of the crowd. Emily threw up her crutches and screamed louder than any of them.

"Must I get passed around from person to person?" Emily asked.

"Yes," Troy handed her over to Zeke, "I have some business to attend to." He wiggled his eyebrows and led Gabriella outside.

"They're going to smooch," Emily concluded.

Zeke laughed, "Yeah, probably. Here, Troy says I'm supposed to carry you. But you don't want to be so here."

Zeke sat Emily on the couch and handed her her crutches. "Thanks, Zeke."

She hobbled around the after-party. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Chad had asked Taylor out, and oddly, she was okay with that. Jason was sitting down, taking it easy. He was supposed to do that, but he didn't like it. Jason always liked being in the middle of the action.

Sadie found some cute guy from the scholastic decathalon team to dance with. Natalie, to Emily's amusement, had found a guy from the French Club and was conversing with him in fluent French.

Sharpay was hanging off of Zeke, smiling widely. Emily laughed and passed Taylor and Chad. They were laughing and talking.

"Hey, Emster," Chad said smiling.

"Hey there, Chadinater," Emily smiled back.

"Be careful on those crutches okay? I don't want you to fall and break your arm."

"Aye aye, Captain," Emily did a small salute.

"Smart ass."

"You know it," Emily retorted. She hobbled over to Jason and sat down next to him.

"Hello there," Jason greeted her. She sighed heavily.

"I hate these stupid crutches," she threw them down carelessly.

"Well, you have to use them."

"Gr," she said.

"You know you love me," He laughed.

"Bravo! Brava!" Mrs. Darbus applauded as the last act ended.

Troy and Gabriella smiled at each other on stage, still holding their microphones. Moments later the full cast came out holding hands. The couples of the show took turns stepping forward. Gabriella and Troy came forward. Troy leaned down and kissed Gabriella softly on the lips.

Natalie, Sadie and Emily gave a dreamy sigh all at the same time.

"Isn't it romantic?" Emily said in a dreamy voice.

"Oh, yes. So romantic," Sadie cupped her face in her hand.

"L'amour est dans le ciel," Natalie gushed.

The two turned and looked at her confused.

"Oh, sorry. Did I do it again?"

"Yeah, kinda," they said in unison.

"Hey there, Wildcat," Emily leaned in the doorway of Troy's dressing room.

"Why look! It's my sister!" Troy laughed and gave her a big bear hug.

"You did great out there, Bro."

"I know, I know. I do try," he smiled.

"You're so full of yourself," she teased.

"Why, Emily!" he said in mock horror, "However could you say that?"

"Like this: You're so full of yourself."

"Chad's right, you are a smart ass."

"Oh well," she shrugged.

Troy and Emily were too tired to go to the cast dinner. The two siblings sat at the kitchen table sipping hot chocolate and thinking back over the past few weeks.

"Been quite a month hasn't it?" Troy asked.

Emily remained silent. She was lost in thought about the events. Everything flashed before her eyes like a movie montage.

"Hey, Sis, you okay?" Troy asked over his mug.

"I'm okay, really."

And for the first time in a long while, Emily Bolton actually meant it.

I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I did. Writing this has been so much fun for me. (Me too. –Jordan)

I am going ahead with the sequel and a short summary should be up soon. Again, I want to thank my reviewers who have been my support for writing the story. (WHAT ABOUT ME?!?! –Jordan)

I don't know if I'll start the sequel right away. I might write a few cute, fluffly one shots. (As long as I'm still the star, I'm fine with it!! –Jordan)

Until then, thanks again!

Review! (Please review! Allyn loves them! She's contracted bronchitis! Yeah, you feel guilty that you didn't review sooner, don't you? Haha, just messing with you guys. But please, review! –Jordan)