Disclaimer – I only own the plot and any original characters.
Chapter 5 – What?
Six Months Later…
Troy and Gabriella were walking back from the park. Summer vacation had started and Troy was working during the day while Gabi was working at a holiday resort as a life guard. Troy and Gabriella were an official couple, but they hadn't declared anything to each other. Both basketball teams had won the state championships and Gabi continued to captain the girls' team. Carlos kept watching Troy played and Gabi thought things were looking hopeful for Troy and his career.
'I can't believe it is already summer!' Gabi sighed as Troy put his arm around her shoulders.
'Yeah, but it looks like it is going to rain…so it does seem like summer!' Troy laughed as he looked up at the grey clouds lingering in the sky.
They walked back to Gabriella's house in silence and Troy kissed Gabi goodbye before heading back to his house. Gabi smiled and watched Troy walk away until she could no longer see him before she walked into the house. She was met by her mother packing things up. Gabi stared in disbelief and ran around the house to find Carlos. 'Dad? What is going on?' Gabi said when she found him in his room packing away some unnecessary items in the room.
'We are leaving to return to LA.' Carlos stated.
'But what about your job?' Gabi asked, still shocked.
'Troy is too young.'
'Yeah but he will be 18 in a couple of months!' Gabi yelled.
'So I can contact him then! We don't need to stick around for that!' Carlos yelled back.
'Fine, then what about me!' Gabi argued.
'Don't be so selfish young lady!' her father warned.
'Come on, Dad! All those times that I have had to move for your job! This is the first time I am saying that I want to stay!' Gabi complained.
'I don't care! We are leaving in two weeks and that is final! I have things to do now, so please start packing things up. The movers are coming in a few days' time.'
Gabi walked out of the room into hers and walked around it trying to calm herself down. She couldn't. She felt like she was having a panic attack. She had a shortness of breath and she felt on the verge of tears. She looked at a picture on her dresser of her and Troy and she immediately started crying.
She went out onto her balcony and the clouds gave into the water and the sky opened, sheeting the ground with rain. Gabriella didn't care and climbed down her tree and walked out onto the sidewalk. She looked back at her house and turned around and started running towards Troy's house. She ran all the way and knocked on the door once she arrived.
Thankfully Troy answered the door and saw his girlfriend soaked, crying and panting. He walked out and shut the door behind him and hugged her. She continued to cry and Troy stayed silent, stroking her wet hair. She pulled back and kissed him passionately on the lips. Troy's eyes stayed open in surprise, but closed them when Gabi wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. They pulled apart and Troy leaned his forehead against hers. 'What's wrong, Brie?' Troy asked softly.
Gabi pulled away from him and looked at him, tears still streaming down her face. 'I'm leaving.' She whispered.
'Excuse me?' Troy said.
'I'm going back to LA in two weeks.'
'But what about…' Troy said then trailed off.
'I'm sorry, Troy. But I can't help it. I have to go.' Gabi cried.
Troy didn't say a word and hugged her. Gabi sobbed into Troy's chest. She calmed down and lifted her head to look at Troy. 'I love you,' she murmured.
'What…what…I-I…I can't love you, Gabi,' Troy admitted mournfully.
'Why not?' Gabi asked looking at him.
'Because you can't love me either! You are leaving! It's like you don't care about me at all!' Troy shouted at her, anger taking over his body.
'Can you stop thinking that I don't care, Troy! I am busting a gut trying to help you!' Gabriella yelled.
'Sure you are! You don't care about anyone else but yourself!' Troy yelled back.
'Then I guess you will never receive a letter from Lakers…see if I care!' Gabriella fumed.
'What?' Troy asked.
Gabi didn't say anything and she clenched her fists Troy grabbed her wrists to stop her from swinging at him. He wouldn't be surprised if she was going to. Gabi looked down and whispered, 'Why can't you love me. I'll change for you.'
'I'm sorry.' Troy whispered back.
Gabriella shot her head up and looked at him in disbelief. 'Save it. See you around, Troy.' She walked out into the rain again.
'No!' Troy ran out to catch up with her. 'Don't just leave me.'
'Like you said, I can't possibly care about you. Just like you can't care about me. Goodbye, Troy Bolton. And good luck, I guess.' Gabi nodded at him and walked away.
Troy watched her leave. He no longer cared about getting wet. 'I love you, Gabriella,' he whispered.
Just over two months later, Troy was celebrating his 18th birthday. He had been viewed by many college scouts and had been offered scholarships from U of A and Duke.
He never saw Gabriella since that time in the rain and he missed her. He stayed shut in his bedroom for a week when he was listening to the radio and heard his Gabi singing on the radio, only later to find out that she, in fact, was number one throughout America.
A week after his birthday Troy was sitting on his bed studying when his dad came in with an envelope. 'This arrived in the post for you, son. It might be another college letter!' Jack smiled. He was upset when he found out Gabriella had left, but even more upset that Troy didn't receive anything from Lakers.
Troy took the envelope and opened it. He read the letter and all he could say was, 'What?'
Jack took the letter and read:
Dear Troy,
When I arrived in Albuquerque almost 9 months ago, I was looking for something, or should I say, someone. I work for Lakers, and I go around the country to find prospective new players. When my daughter introduced me to you and I saw you play, I knew you could easily make it into the team. However I had to wait until you were 18. If you can, I would like you to come up to LA, and meet the team, and we can sort something out. Attached I have plane tickets to LAX airport. I will meet you at the airport and I am going to take you to see somebody. It is urgent.
Best Wishes,
Carlos Montez
'When do you leave?' Jack asked.
Troy took the tickets out of the envelope. 'The flight is in a week.'
Troy walked out of the arrivals gate in LA and quickly caught sight of Carlos. He walked over to him uneasily, considering he is the father is his ex-girlfriend. 'Hi, Troy.' Carlos smiled.
'Hello, Mr Montez,' Troy replied, only to get a glare from Carlos.
'What did I say about calling me that?'
Troy did a double take. 'That was when Brie and I were on speaking terms! Surely it is different now?' Troy said.
'No, not at all. Anyway, we must go. We are in a slight rush.' Carlos said.
'Just a second. Is this trip going to result in a signing?' Troy said.
'Possibly, yes.' Carlos said.
Troy smiled for the first time in months, 'Good.'
'Okay, Gabriella, one more take. It is almost perfect.' Mark, Gabi's producer said through the microphone. Gabi nodded, not being able to see him. She was in the recording studio, and the window which was connected between the recording area and the producing area was one way, meaning Gabi only saw her reflection when she looked into it. She took a deep breath and waiting for the music to start again.
Troy was confused when he arrived at BMI records, but didn't say anything. He followed Carlos until they walked through into a recording studio. He was going to say something but was shushed by Carlos and pointed towards the window and Troy saw the one person he was not expecting to see: Gabriella.
The music finally started and Gabi started singing a song which she had written with Mark, but it meant a lot to her as it was very true.
She's independent and beautiful
Wish I could be like her
She's got the girls and the boys
So wrapped around her finger
Rumor is she's some kind of dream
Nobody knows she cries herself to sleep
Gabi sung the last line with a lot of force which made Troy realize that she was singing about herself.
We are not that different from each other
We just want somebody to discover
Who we really are when we drop our guard
That love has gotta start with you and me
We
He's on the top of the social scene
He's stylish cool and clever
He's got a cool attitude that says
He's got it all together
You'd think he's addicted to himself
But he wishes he could be someone else
Gabi looked into the mirror and smiled at her reflection. Little did she know that she was looking right into the eyes of the boy she wrote that verse about. Troy looked at Carlos and asked, 'Can she see me?' Carlos shook his head, still listening to the song.
We are not that different from each other
We just want somebody to discover
Who we really are when we drop our guard
That love has gotta start with you and me
We've gotta come together
Oh You know you don't ever have to be alone
You've got a hand to hold
Yeah Lalala Oh Oh Oh
We are not that different from each other
We just want somebody to discover
Who we really are when we drop our guard
That love has gotta start with you and me
We Oh Oh And We And We You and me We
We've gotta come together
Carlos took Troy away before Gabi left the recording area to join Mark. 'Why did you take me there?' Troy asked as they walked towards the car.
'Because I wanted you to know that she also hasn't gotten over you.' Carlos said simply.
'She looked happy, though…and yeah she may have been singing about her…but what about the boy? It could be someone else…'
Carlos scoffed. 'Troy, if there was someone else, it would be all over the tabloids.'
Troy considered this then asked, 'Where are we going?'
'To meet the team. You are going to play some scrimmage with them, and if the coach likes you, then we can sign you there and then.' Carlos smiled at Troy. I could be the new Lakers player in a few hours, Troy thought, and gulped.
'Very nice, Gabi.' Mark smiled as Gabi entered the producing area.
'Thanks, Mark,' Gabi replied politely.
'So, for this Lakers signing ball next week…you have three songs? What do you wanna sing?' Mark said.
'I wanna launch operation coming clean, if possible…' Gabi said.
'Are you sure? I mean, it hasn't been recorded, it will be acoustics and just your voice…you have to be confident.' Mark said.
'Yeah, I know. But I have known that song for months and wrote it on my own. I am confident.' Gabi replied.
'OK…well, that's one out of three songs…what else?' Mark swallowed.
'Nobody's Perfect and the debut single of course!' Gabi winked.
'Right. Good choice. I'll sort out backing tracks. Who do you want to play guitar for…you know?' Mark asked.
'You can, you helped me with the guitar in the first place.' Gabriella answered.
Mark smiled. 'That's the first time I have been asked to perform with one of the artists at a public event…'
Troy meanwhile was playing with the team. He was surprised how welcoming they were. It helped him calm down and he was playing well. The coach blew the whistle and dismissed the team. He smiled at Troy, 'So, you like the team?'
'Are you kidding? They are fantastic!' Troy enthused, slightly out of breath.
'Well, Carlos, you like this boy?' Coach asked and Carlos nodded. 'Well, I think we should get those documents sorted out then, don't you?'
'But sir, I can't play for you if I am still at High School…' Troy said.
'Yeah, we make the contract effective from July. How does that sound?' Coach responded.
Troy stared at him, 'Thank you,' he whispered. Coach smiled thinking Troy was thanking him, and left the gym to get the papers.
Carlos looked at Troy understanding what he meant. 'I'll thank her for you,' Carlos said.
'No I will myself. When is that signing ball? Will I be invited? Isn't Brie performing?'
'Woah calm down!' Carlos laughed. 'It is next Wednesday, yes you are invited with a maximum of 4 guests, and yes she is performing. And I'm afraid your sister can't come. She is too young.'
Troy nodded and they made their way out of the gym to finalise the deal.