Author's Note: Once again, thanks for the reviews, I appreciate it. I hope this chapter is satisfying, I'm glad people like the dynamics I'm trying to build!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them.

Chapter 7: Captain to Captain

"So what's that Chad kid's deal?" Charlie asked Troy as they drove back to Troy's after they dropped Julie and Gabriella off. He had noticed Chad's attention to Julie, and was going into protective Captain Duck mode for both Julie and Adam. "Is he cool?"

"Chad's the best," Troy nodded, sensing what Charlie was worried about, "And he's totally into his girlfriend. Really." Charlie nodded. "Are you OK man?"

"Can't believe its over," He sighed.

"Your girlfriend?" Troy asked. Charlie nodded. "What happened?"

"I left," He shrugged. "She really didn't want to do long distance. I love her so much though, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Troy said. He thought of the summer, when he had pulled away from the group, and Gabriella had let him know it by breaking up. Obviously it hadn't stuck but it had been horrible. "Listen, can I ask you something, captain to captain?"

"Sure," Charlie said, confused.

"How'd you leave your team?" Troy looked at him. Charlie sighed.

"I knew I was leaving them with someone who could handle it," He smiled, "Banks has it under control. Also, I didn't leave them all, you know?"

"Yeah," Troy said, "I'm not looking forward to the split next year."

"Oh it sucks," Charlie laughed. "But you handle it, you know?" He looked over. "I'm sorry that I've been kinda useless. New situations freak me out."

"It's OK," Troy said. "It must be tough."

"You have no idea." Charlie said.

"Nothing's happening with me and Chad," Julie said, randomly as she and Gabriella got ready for bed.

"Did I say there was something happening?" Gabriella laughed. "I'm just looking out for Taylor, really."

"But nothing's going on," Julie said, "It was my idea to stay in the garage, and then we were just talking. Really."

"OK," Gabriella said, "Are you feeling guilty about this or something?"

"Maybe a little," Julie shrugged. "I mean, he's really cute, and fun, and,"

"You have a serious boyfriend," Gabriella nodded.

"Exactly," Julie shrugged. "I won't do anything, but, well, that I even have to remind myself, gets me nervous."

"It natural, I think," Gabriella sat down on Julie's bed. "I mean, he's a thousand miles away."

"One thousand, two hundred thirty point nine two," Julie laughed, Gabriella looked at her, "We checked it out before we left."

"So, of course sometimes you'll want to live your own life," Gabriella shrugged.

"But its never been like this before," Julie explained, "Like I go home to Maine for summers, and its never been an issue."

The next day Sharpay walked into rehearsal with a smile on her face which quickly changed when she looked up on the stage and she saw Portman guiding the hands of a small cute girl with red hair over one of the sets, she was laughing and he was obviously flirting. A scowl came to her face, and she marched over to the piano where Kelsi was sitting making notes on sheet music.

"Hi Sharpay," Kelsi said, "Do you need something?"

"No," She said. "I hate it here."

"So go home," Kelsi shrugged. Sharpay looked at her. "Or not, whatever." Kelsi sighed, "What's going on?"

"He played me," she grumbled. "How did I let myself get played? I'm Sharpay Evans for sobbing out loud!"

"Who?" Kelsi said, Sharpay nodded to the stage, "Dean Portman?" She nodded.

"I made out with him last night," she said. Kelsi's eyes got big, "Oh don't look so surprised Kelsi, I am capable of making out with someone! And now he's just all over some other girl!"

"I think he's just teaching her to use sand paper," Kelsi squinted at them. Although it was fairly obvious that Portman was trying to do more than that. Sharpay grunted.

"Whatever," she said, "I'm going to stretch." She walked over to the aisle and stretched down into a split and leaned over, touching her toe. Portman glanced over and noticed her, his eyes popped out of his head.

"You got this?" He said to red head who looked at him confused.

"Dean!" She said angrily, as he walked away. She sulked and kept sanding, she knew full well how to use sandpaper. Girls only joined stage crew to get close to Dean Portman.

"Hey," he squatted down next to Sharpay. She looked up at him.

"Hi," she said, arching her back to get an ab stretch. He smiled at her. "Do you need something?"

"Some kind of repeat of last night would be nice," He smirked. She shrugged, pulling her legs into a butterfly position and leaning down to them. "Did I do something wrong?" Watching her stretch was incredible. She was so flexible.

"Last night was fun," she shrugged snaking her back up, "Let's just leave it at that."

"Can we leave it at that again tonight?" He asked. She shook her head. "And why not?"

"You probably have some other girl to get drunk and take advantage of," she shrugged, "Like her," she nodded to the redhead.

"What?" He looked, "Her? No, she's," he sighed, "I was just showing her how to sand the wood." He smiled, "I like someone else." Sharpay looked at him.

"Really?" She smiled.

"Really," he said, "Also she's just a freshman, and that would be gross." He smirked at her, "So, this stretching, is it for anything in particular?"

"Linda said we're learning the ballet," she shrugged, "I want to be warmed up."

"You're warming up for ballet," he nodded, "Not something else?" He winked at her and stood up.

"Pervert," she mumbled with a laugh as he walked away. She saw the redhead glare at her. She smiled what did she care? Dean Portman liked her.

"Hey," Chad tossed Luis the basketball and he caught it, "You good?"

"Yeah," Luis smiled. "Look, man, not to dwell, but when you and Julie disappeared last night,"

"Nothing happened," Chad said, "Nothing's going to happen. Even if I wanted it to, which I don't I doubt she would,"

"She and Banks," Luis said, "Are like perfect, they've been together forever. We all know they belong together."

"Like Gabby and Troy," Chad nodded.

"Exactly," Luis said, "So, are there any single girls around here?"

"Could introduce you to the cheerleaders," Chad shrugged.

"Cheerleaders are my specialty," Luis smirked. "Have been since we were freshmen."

"Well then," Chad laughed, "We'll take care of that tomorrow. We're supposed to make you feel at home."

"Sure thing man," Luis laughed, shot a basket and smiled.

"You're pretty good," Chad said, "Ever think about switching sports?"

"Nah," Luis said, "Too short, and I like skating," He smiled, "I'm all about speed, so I do track too, can't go fast enough on a court."

"On a diamond though," Chad smiled.

"You're baseball too?" Luis shook his head, "Man, they put me in the right house."

"You got game?" Chad asked.

"I got game," Luis nodded.

"Try hitting off of Ryan," He laughed. "It's damn near impossible, kid's great."

"Ryan?" Luis raised an eyebrow. Chad nodded. "I think I caught him checking me out last night."

"Its possible," Chad laughed, "Though unlikely. He's pretty subtle about all of it."

"So he is gay?" Luis asked.

"Yup," Chad shrugged, "You're cool with it right?"

"Whatever floats your boat," Luis said, "So to speak."

"Brunch too?" Goldberg said coming downstairs, Zeke shrugged. "Do you ever stop?"

"Not unless I have to," Zeke said sitting down. "God you should have seen the kitchen at the country club we worked at this summer. It was great, state of the art everything, full staff, any ingediants you could ask for."

"Where'd you learn?" Goldberg asked.

"My mom," Zeke shrugged, "I used to like to help her. You?"

"Parents own a deli," He smiled. "Kosher, so you have to cook everything special, and keep the flavor in."

"I'd love to learn to cook Kosher!" Zeke said, Goldberg eyed him. A black kid from Albuquerque wanted to learn Kosher cooking? "Seriously, I do!"

"I could teach you a few basic things," Goldberg shrugged, "Matzo ball soup for instance, my mom's recipe, the best ever."

"Focus your energy," Ryan said closing his eyes and breathing deeply, teaching Averman some basic yoga by the pool. "And stretch."

"This feels really good," Averman nodded, "And if you tell anyone else,"

"I can keep a secret," Ryan laughed, "I'm gay remember?"

"Right," Averman nodded.

Taylor smiled that morning when she woke up. Everything felt brighter, having a friend in Minnesota just felt better, she looked over to Kelsi bed, already cleanly made, obviously there was a rehearsal today. She got dressed and picked up her purse, she was hungry and wanted some breakfast. Once she got out the door she noticed a post it stuck to it. She laughed and plucked it.

On second thought, I think I need your help today. Trig notes over eggs?

Adam

She smiled went back in the room and grabbed her book bag. Once she got down to the dining hall, she saw Adam and waved. He waved back and she walked over.

"So," she sat down, "When do we get to the point where we don't have say we're doing our homework to hang out?"

"Ah, but see I actually am in dire need of your help Miss McKessie!" Adam laughed, "I went to look at my homework, and I realized I had no idea what any of it meant."

"Got it," she laughed. "So where is it?" He looked at her, "Your homework Banks."

"I didn't bring it," he said quietly, "OK, so it was a trap, sue me!" She smiled. "I made good on the eggs though." He shoved a plate in front of her.

"That you did," she laughed and picked up a fork and started eating. "So why the trap?"

"Felt like it," He smiled. "I really think you're great Taylor."

"I think you're great too," She smiled. For a moment they locked eyes and forgot they shouldn't be together.

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