A/N: Hey guys! I am really, really sorry for not updating! I had a project due last Thursday and I made this chapter longer than usual. So yeah. Anyway, thanks for the reviews guys! I so totally love them!
azndoll10: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it too!
Bleeding-Star: I already updated! You should go check out the next chapters!
Zac's my boyfriend: Sorry I didn't reply to your last review! I didn't get the email alert. But thanks for reviewing! I couldn't record RTH but I've watched it on Disney every time it came on.
lol925: Thanks. Well, something will be revealed in this chapter, kinda. yeah, he's cuter in RTH than in HSM. Thanks for reviewing!
Okay, anyway, here's the fourth chapter!
This Is War
Chapter Four: Meet and Greet
That same night, Roxanne and Rachelle are getting ready to be tucked into their beds.
"I don't see why we still have to be tucked in. I mean we're seven. We can tuck ourselves in, right?" Rachelle asked her twin.
"Right. But I kinda like dad tucking us in at night. It makes me feel safe. And besides, nobody is gonna see us getting tucked in by our father."
"Eh, you're right. Might as well get the best of it while it lasts." Rachelle said. Just then, Ryan came through the door.
"Hi girls. Ready to get tucked in?" He asked.
"Yes dad." The girls answered.
"But before I tuck you girls in, I have a question. I know how you girls like to perform. The Broadway theatre director, Mr. Preston, called when we got home and asked if I wanted to be in a play. Of course, you know, I accepted. But then he called back and asked if you girls wanted to be in the play too. And I was afraid to accept without you girls approving. So what do you say? Do you girls want to do a play with your old man?"
After Ryan finished his question, the girls became absolutely silent. They were staring at their dad like crazy, eyebrows raised, and mouths hanging open. Who knows what was going on in their minds?
"So?" Ryan asked again. Roxanne was the first to speak. "Of course we'll do it dad! Do you really think that we'd decline our first role offer?" Roxanne asked.
"That's my girl." Ryan said. "I promise I'll call tonight and let Mr. Preston know. Now I'll tuck you girls in." Ryan said and tucked Rachelle first and then Roxanne. "Goodnight girls. Sleep tight." Ryan said as he was leaving the room.
"Goodnight daddy." The girls said and then Ryan turned the lights off and closed the door.
On Monday in class, Rachelle and Roxanne couldn't take their mind off of the upcoming play. They started humming songs when they woke up, and now, while taking notes, they were singing the song softly. But apparently, not soft enough.
"Rachelle, Roxanne, care to explain to the class why you girls are singing?" Gabriella asked.
"Ms. M, you will never guess what happened last Friday night." Roxanne said excitedly.
"Yeah, we're gonna be in a Broadway play!" Rachelle finished.
"Really?" Gabriella asked.
"Uh huh!" Both girls answered.
"Well, that's interesting. And I can understand why you girls are singing, but can you please turn it down a bit?"
"Yes ma'am. Sorry." The girls answered.
After school, everybody hurried to get home. Everybody except the Evans twins.
"Girls what are you still doing here? School is over." Gabriella asked as the girls approached her desk.
"We know, but our dad is working late today and we were wondering if we could stay for a while until our dad comes." Roxanne said.
"Why can't you guys take the bus home?" Gabriella asked.
"Our dad said that he'd take us to the theatre to introduce us to Mr. Preston, the theatre director." Rachelle said.
"Oh I see. Well, you're welcome to stay any time." Gabriella said and the girls sat at the desks in front of her desk.
"So, Ms. M, will you watch us in the play once it opens?" Roxanne asked.
"Okay! Can I get a free ticket?" Gabriella asked playfully.
"Sure!" The girls said.
"I was playing!" Gabriella shouted.
"Oh, don't worry about it Ms. M!" Rachelle said.
"Yeah, we got it covered. We'll convince our dad somehow." Roxanne said.
"You girls really don't have to."
"But we want to!" The girls said in unison.
Gabriella sighed. "Fine. Just remember that it won't affect your grades whatsoever."
"Oh man!"
"Do you guys know who the female lead is?" Gabriella asked.
"I don't think they picked anybody yet." Rachelle said.
"You should be the lead, Ms. M!" Roxanne shouted.
"Oh no. No, no, no. I'd rather not. And besides, I'll only be the female lead if the male lead is my old high school boyfriend."
"Why are you so obsessed with your high school BF?" Rachelle asked.
"I am not obsessed!" Gabriella shouted. The girls raised their eyebrows. "Okay, maybe a little. I just can't keep my mind off of him. He's really the only guy who cared about me the most and I love him for that. That would explain why I haven't dated anyone in the past ten years."
"TEN YEARS?" The girls said.
"Girl, you need to get back in the game." Roxanne said. Gabriella looked at her, eyebrows raised. "I mean, ma'am." Roxanne corrected.
Gabriella sighed. "I'd love to, but I just can't bring myself to."
Then an idea struck Rachelle. She looked at her twin and it looked like they both had the same idea.
"You know Ms. M, I'm sure that if you met our dad, you'll forget all about your high school BF." Rachelle said.
"Yeah, our dad is a great guy, you know." Roxanne said.
"I sure he's a great guy, but no guy could ever replace my old boyfriend."
"Oh yeah! You never told us his name!" Roxanne shouted.
"Oh, right. His name is-" Suddenly, someone came through the classroom door.
"Dad!" The twins shouted.
"Girls!" Ryan shouted and then came to hug his daughters. Gabriella approached the happy family. Ryan finally noticed Gabriella.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. Hi, I'm… I'm… " Ryan couldn't remember his name. He was too distracted by the beauty of the girl standing in front of him. She's so beautiful. Just like… Gabby. He thought.
"He's Mr. Evans." Rachelle finished for him.
"Nice to meet you Mr. Evans, I'm Ms. M, the twins'… um… teacher." Gabriella kept stuttering. She was too busy looking at a pair of blue eyes that happen to look just like her old boyfriend's pair.
"Daddy, can Ms. M get a free ticket to the play?"
"Wow, you already told her? I should've known. Well of course she can have a free ticket." Ryan said. Then he took out a ticket and held it out for Gabriella to take.
"They already made the tickets?" The twins asked. Surprised that they make tickets early.
"No, I couldn't possibly accept this. It's too much. I mean, it's really nice of you but I just can't-"
"Don't even worry about it um… Ms. M. It's on us." Ryan insisted.
"Well, if you really insist." Gabriella said, inching her hand to the ticket.
"It would be my pleasure." Ryan said, getting Gabriella's hand. He then puts the ticket in her hand and closes her fingers on the ticket. He didn't let go. That split second, both of them felt a sudden rush through their bodies, like a spark coming from each other's hand. They suddenly felt light-headed and happy. But then, they jerked their hands away and started blushing furiously. Roxanne looked at Rachelle and smiled. Their dad was infatuated.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Evans. I guess I have no choice but to go."
"You can come if you want to but you don't have to."
"Yeah, but I'm gonna go anyway. I love plays. But I love musicals even more."
"I love musicals too. Which reminds me, girls," Ryan said, turning to his daughters, "Mr. Preston said that instead of being a play, it's going to be a musical. They hired someone to write songs, and now it's officially a musical."
"Sweet." The girls said.
"Really?" Gabriella asked.
"Yes. Really. Well now, I assume you'll be more willing to come?" Ryan asked.
"Yes, of course I'll be coming!" Gabriella said excitedly. "So, it's on… December, 8, at… 7 o'clock PM. I'll be there." She said while reading the ticket.
"Great to know." Ryan said then he took Gabriella's hand and kissed it. Gabriella blushed more than before. The girls nudged each other.
"Come on girls, we're gonna be late." Ryan said as they headed out the door. "It is very nice to meet you Ms. M."
"Very nice to meet you too Mr. Evans."
"I'm really looking forward to seeing you at the theatre." Ryan said before the girls pushed him out. "Come on dad, we're gonna be late!" Roxanne shouted. "Yeah, you can flirt with Ms. M tomorrow!" Rachelle said.
A few minutes later, in the car, Roxanne and Rachelle keep looking at their dad with smiles on their faces. Rachelle was the first to speak.
"So dad, what do you think of our teacher?"
Ryan thought for a while before answering. "Well, she seems like a very good teacher. You could actually learn something in school this year."
"That's not what I meant." Rachelle said.
"Then what did you mean?" Ryan asked.
"I mean, what do you think of her? Like… you know… like…"
"Oh, you're asking if I like her. I mean, like her, like her."
"Exactly." The girls said.
"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it that much."
"We saw you dad. You were blushing like crazy." Roxanne said.
"I know. I've never felt that way since high school when I had the best girlfriend."
"You mean our mom's not the best girlfriend you ever had?" Rachelle asked.
Ryan sighed. "I guess maybe it's time I tell you girls about your mom." Ryan said. And during the rest of the ride to the theatre, Ryan told the girls about everything that happened between him and their mom.
Meanwhile, back at the school, Gabriella packed up and went to her car to go to the science labs.
Once she got there, she couldn't stop thinking about Mr. Evans. He seemed so much like… like… Ryan.
"Oh, I see my girl Gabby's happy today." Lataysha, Gabriella's African American friend, noticed that Gabriella was all smiles when she walked in.
"So, tell me what happened." Lataysha said.
"What do you mean?" Gabriella said, trying not to be obvious that she's happy.
"Don't even try to give me that. I've known you for four years and don't you think I would know when you're happy? It's a guy ain't it?"
"Am I that predictable?" Gabriella asked shyly.
"Apparently so." Lataysha said. "So tell me, what's his name?"
"I only know his last name. Evans. He reminds me so much of-"
"Ryan?" Lataysha finished for her. Gabriella nodded. Lataysha sighed. "Girl you gotta forget about Ryan. He was in the past; you're in the present. You have this great guy, and you know what? You're just blowin' it. I just don't get how you can't date a guy just because you can't let go of Ryan."
"I'm sorry, I just can't do that!" Gabriella said. "I love him too much." She said in almost a whisper.
"Well if you honestly love him that much, then why haven't you been lookin' for him?" Lataysha asked. Gabriella pondered on this for a while. Why haven't I been looking for him? Maybe it really just wasn't meant to be. No, don't think that Gabby! Gabriella thought to herself. Then she walked to her station and started working, but this time, singing a different song. A song about how she feels about this new guy.
(A/N: This song is from Disney's Hercules, it's called "(I Won't Say) I'm In Love". So this scene is kinda like a musical, you know, with Gabriella singing and the other scientists singing the exact same song and dancing the same dance, kinda like in "Stick to the Status Quo")
If there's a prize for rotten judgment
I guess I've already won that
No man is worth the aggravation
That's ancient history
Been there – done that
The other scientists around her heard her singing and decided to sing with her. They try to convince her that she's in love.
Who'd you think you kiddin'?
He's the earth and heaven to ya
Try to keep it hidden
Honey we can see right through ya
Girl, you can't conceal it
We know how ya feel and who you're thinking of
Gabriella listens to them but she just rolls her eyes. I'm not actually falling for this guy, am I? I hope not! I just met him. But it feels like I knew him my whole life. Gabriella answers back by singing what she feels.
Ooohhh, no chance! No way! I won't say it, no, no
When the other scientists heard her, they decide to answer back.
You swoon, you sigh
Why deny it? Uh oh
Gabriella, on the other hand, is still not convinced.
It's too cliché, I won't say I'm in love
I thought my heart had learned its lesson
It feels so good when you start out
My head is screaming, "Get a grip girl!
Unless you're dyin' to cry your heart out!" Oh!
But Gabriella's friends, and fellow scientists, who have been waiting for Gabriella to get a boyfriend ever since they met her, still would not give up.
You keep on denyin'Who you are and how you're feelin'
Baby we're not buyin'
Hun, we saw ya hit the ceiling
Face it like a grown-up
When ya gonna own up
That you, got, got, got it bad?
Even though Gabriella heard this, she still would not budge. I can't be into him! I just met the man for God sakes! She thought.
Ooohhh, no chance! No way! I won't say it, no, no
Gabriella then got the ticket out of her pocket. She smiles and hugs it.
Give up, but give in, check that grin, you're in love.
Gabriella suddenly stuffed the ticket in her pocket and her smile turned into a scowl.
This scene won't play; I won't say I'm in love!
Gabriella's friends still won't give up on her. They just roll their eyes and sing back.
You're doin' flips, read our lips, you're in love.
Okay, now, Gabriella really can't take it anymore. She doesn't want to love him, but it seems like she's forced to. It seems like she wanted to.
You're way off base, I won't say it!
Get off my case, I won't say it!
Then suddenly, Lataysha gets the ticket from Gabriella's pocket and puts it in her hands. Then she puts Ryan's picture on Gabriella's desk face down.
Girl, don't be proud. It's okay you're in love.
Gabriella sighed and smiled. Maybe they're right. Maybe I am in love. Just not with Ryan. Gabriella thought.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh… at least out loud
I won't say I'm in… love.
Gabriella then kissed the ticket and puts it in a special folder. The title of the folder is, "Very Important Files".
Meanwhile in the theatre, Leslie is talking to Mr. Preston.
"Leslie, I have great news. We turned your play into a musical, and our male lead is coming right now so you can meet him along with his daughters who will play the twin girls." Mr. Preston said.
"That really is great news!" Said Leslie. "Who did you hire to write the music?"
"Oh, I hired Ms. Nielson. She graduated from Harvard and lives in New Jersey, but she comes here to work. I looked over her previous works and they are quite impressive. So I hired her."
Kelsi Nielson, where have I heard that name before? Leslie asked. "That's great. I wonder how it's going to turn out when it's a musical."
Just then, Ryan, Roxanne, and Rachelle came through the doors.
"Sorry we were late Mr. Preston!" Ryan apologized. "I had to pick the girls up from school and they asked me if I could give a free ticket to their teacher, which I did."
"That's quite alright, come, sit with us." Mr. Preston said. Ryan and his girls sit with Mr. Preston and Leslie.
"I'm sorry, but have I met you before?" Leslie asked while she's scanning Ryan's face.
"Have I met you before?" Ryan asked.
"Ryan, I'd like you to meet our playwright, Ms. Leslie Davis. And Leslie, I'd like you to meet our male lead, Mr. Ryan Evans." Mr. Preston said.
"Ryan?"
"Leslie?" They both said at the same time. Ryan was the first to speak after a long silence. "Girls, meet Mr. Preston, the theatre director and my manager, agent, and handler." Ryan said. The girls shook hands with Mr. Preston.
"And… meet Ms. Davis, your mom."
So how'd you guys like that? I made it longer for you guys. For, you know, not updating regularly. Please review! Tell me what you thought about it!
Oh, and if you want to listen to that Hercules song that I put up, go to my profile. I fixed it up so it won't be as confusing.
By the way, if you guys are big Lucas fans, like I am, you should have seen the episode of Smallville with Lucas in it last Thursday. He was great. In HSM he's funny, in RTH he's sweet, romantic, and flirtatious, and now in Smallville, he's oh so violent and dangerous.
Also, if you guys haven't heard of this yet, and you guys are big HSM fans, and you want to see them singing live, there is a High School Musical: The Concert going around. They'll start the tour on November 30, in San Diego, CA and it'll end on January 28, in Las Vegas, NV. I don't think they're selling tickets yet, but if you guys want to go, or you think you want to go, and you want to know the closest place they're gonna be, you can ask me and I'll give you the date and where they're gonna be at. Just tell me the city and state that you live in and I'll get back to you. I'm not sure if I'm gonna be going because the nearest place for me is East Rutherford, NJ on Jan. 8, which is a Monday, so I don't know if my parents will let me skip school for that day.
Anyway, R&R! Please!