Chapter Seventeen

A/N - Just to warn you, this chapter is really short, barely even 1000 words. But that just makes me more determined to make the next chapter three times as long :)

Chad sat outside East High that Monday, hands together under his chin, waiting for Taylor to show up. They had spent the whole weekend trying to come up with something to do about Sharpay and Troy. They knew that they had to do something before Gabriella found out. They had managed to keep Troy and Sharpay away from each other nearly all weekend. Taylor had gotten Gabriella and Sharpay to go shopping with her nearly all day on Sunday…everyone was too exhausted from the Saturday rehearsal to do anything other than sleep. Chad had gotten the team together for a little unscheduled practice at the park, making sure that Troy was exhausted as well.

They had both met afterwards to talk about what to do…and they only had one option left…break them up…

They knew that they had failed to do that when Troy was going out with Gabriella, but now they were even more determined t succeed. A friend was more important than social cliques. They had absolutely no idea how they were going to do it…Troy and Sharpay hadn't been public with their affections so they couldn't ask for help from the basketball team or the decathlon squad. Heck, they couldn't even ask them for help anyway! Sharpay wasn't part of the decathlon team so they could care less, and the basketball team had learned from their last mistake with Gabriella. The only people they would have been able to go to be the Drama Club, but they didn't know about the couple…and they were too afraid of Sharpay to do anything anyway.

"Hey," he heard a voice say as a hand rested on his shoulder.

He turned, standing up once he saw that it was Taylor, "Hey," he leaned forward, giving her a small kiss before pulling back to look at her. It was then that he noticed the look on her face, "You ok?"

Taylor nodded nervously; looking around to make sure that no one was watching or listening to them. "Do you think we're doing the right thing?" she asked.

Chad sighed, before nodding, "We just don't want Gabriella to get hurt."

Taylor nodded again, a little more confidently. The warning bell went off just then, both turned to look at the school. People were now scurrying to make it into the building and to their lockers before the late bell was to go off. They looked back at each other for a moment longer, holding their gaze, recognition from the last time they had met to destroy a relationship flashing through their eyes. A moment later they turned away from each other and walked in their separate directions.

Through out the day, neither Taylor nor Chad had been able to get to Troy or Sharpay. They were as elusive as the sun on a cloudy day. And when one of them saw their intended targets other people surrounded them. Chad had been lucky when he managed to catch up to Troy on his way to basketball practice.

"Hey Troy!" he shouted, smacking Troy on the back…

…felt a hand smash into his back. He spun quickly as he had been instructed and conditioned to do, chain mail not even hindering his movements as he grabbed the hand that resided there before twisting it behind the back of his attacker…

…Troy spun, grabbing Chad's arm and twisted it behind him. He had been about to kick Chad away from him when Chad let out a yelp of pain snapping Troy back to the world of reality.

"Sorry…" Troy said, letting go of Chad immediately.

"What the hell was that?" Chad asked, rubbing his arm and shoulder.

Troy shook his head…he didn't know. He had just been walking down the hall, trying to shake his head clear. He had fallen asleep during his last class of the day and had had an odd dream. He had been dressed in a simple tunic and leggings, surrounded by boys his same age. There had been an older man walking by them, eyeing their posture and movements as they practiced.

They were partnered up, practicing their defenses, tossing each other over their shoulders and pinning arms behind their back. A boy that Troy recognized as being similar to himself had just tossed a boy over his shoulder. They man walked over to them, watching Troy's technique before walking off with a nod of approval.

Troy had jumped awake just when the bell rang…and now he was reacting to things that happened in his dream…Maybe he wasn't fully awake yet? That could explain why he almost broke his best friend's arm just now.

Chad sighed, rolling his eyes, Troy really was acting weird. "Never mind, let's just go to practice so we can get to the musical rehearsal."

Troy nodded following Chad towards the gym. Chad walked in, but Troy paused a moment in the doorway. He looked up down the hall; something drew his eye in that direction. There, just by her locker, was Sharpay. She was looking at him with a curious expression that he couldn't quite read. He eyed her worriedly, she looked tired, he knew she hadn't been sleeping well, she had told him. He smiled softly at her, nodding before he walked into the gym.

Sharpay watched as he left, smiling tiredly to herself as well…maybe he was remembering…

A/N – Very short chapter…I know, possibly, the shortest I've written yet. Probably because it was more about Taylor and Chad than Sharpay and Troy, but the next chapter should be a lot longer. Including a blur between reality and a memory for Sharpay…which leads to a worried Troy…which leads to someone finding out their secret…