I don't own anything.

A/N: Thank you guys so much for the reviews last week, and I will be continuing this story. At this time I want to thank my reviewers from last week; Aipom4, corbins wifey, baby2ludaris, Yellow-queen18, chaylorlover101, COCO, AyaneC, kuropie, blueprincess972, jinidu93, look at the stars, toddntan, Angel, Sciencefreak2007, RubyRedMorena, Dragonneva, and Ani Thompson. I hope everyone enjoys this new update and please remember to Review. Please excuse any errors.

Baby S

Chapter Two

"Nice to meet you." He said flashing a brief smile, before returning to his former stony facial expression while simply staring at her.

"Likewise." She whispered back, as she looked at him nervously. Mrs. Jackson looked between them and smiled brightly.

"Well, Troy could you please show Taylor around and introduce her to the rest of the staff…I have some paper work I need to go over okay." Troy looked over at Mrs. Jackson finally tearing his glaze away from her. Giving Mrs. Jackson a smile he nodded his head in agreement.

"Of course I'll show Taylor around it would be my pleasure." Mrs. Jackson smiled and then headed off towards her office. Leaving both Troy and Taylor alone in the hallway, once she was gone he looked at Taylor and smirked arrogantly as he looked at her.

"So Mrs. Jackson was finally able to get an East Higher here…wow, hell must be freezing over." He replied harshly, Taylor was slightly taken back by his words and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"Excuse me."

"What…it's true, she's tried to get East Highers to come here before but guess what…everyone she talked to was just to stuck up to come here and work and I guess you're going to be the same way."

"You know you shouldn't assume things about people cause it makes an ass out of you." She countered; Troy lifted an eye and shook his head

"Whatever come on…I have to show you around but I would like to get through with it quickly I have work to do." He replied as he turned on his heel and headed into the cafeteria where all the other kids were. Inside she saw six more teenagers like herself and Troy walking around and policing the area making sure the children didn't get out of hand. "When the kids get out of school this is the first place they come…they eat their snacks and then go to the tutoring classes and do their homework…the kids that finish their homework come either to the gym, drama room or music room."

"Sounds great do they enjoy it?"

"The enroll keeps growing…monthly…soon we might have to move to a bigger place." He said as they passed a table. Taylor smiled at her brother who jumped up from the table and wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey Taylor."

"Hey Trevor." She said with a smile as she bent and kissed his head, smiling he went back to the table and started talking with his friends. She looked up and noticed Troy watching her again. "What is it?" she asked

"Do you know him…cause it isn't good for you to be running around kissing little kids on the forehead."

"He's my brother." She bit out quickly, shutting him up before he could say anything else. Troy nodded his head, not offering her an apology and headed towards the group of students who were now gathered at the table over by the door.

"Hey guys…this is Taylor McKessie she may be working here as the tutor we've been looking for." He said slowly as motioned to Taylor who was standing slightly behind him. Taylor looked them all over and then stepped forward extending her hand to the African American girl perch on a Hispanic male's lap.

"Hey."

"Hey…I'm Kerry and this is Jandro how are you?" she asked shaking Taylor's hand while giving her a friendly smile. Returning the smile, Taylor nodded her head at Jandro.

"Hello."

"Wow, is it just me or does Mrs. Jackson hire the finest females in New Mexico." He said with a laugh as Kerry playfully swatted him on the shoulder. "Sorry baby…but you know you're the only woman in my life."

"Good…I like the sound of that." She said as she leaned down and kissed him on the lips. The black guy next to them chuckled and shook his head.

"Sorry for the display…those two are just two touchy feely for most people." He said receiving a look from Kerry and Jandro. "I'm Malcolm by the way…I help out in the gym with Jandro and Troy…and Kerry well she's the musician."

"And I'm Whitney." Said the black girl who was sitting on the other side of Malcolm, "And I'm the drama teacher."

"Hi." She said softly as she waved at Whitney, Troy looked at them and then glanced over at Taylor once again.

"Now that the introductions are finished I've got to show Taylor the rest of this place," he said as he starting walking away. "So Jandro…set up the gym for dodge ball okay." He said with a nod. Not waiting to see him Jandro said yes or no he walked out of the room with Taylor following close behind him. He showed her each room, and then they went back to his office. He entered ahead of her and walked over to desk and picked up some papers. Taylor moved over to a chair and looked at him.

"Wow, I'm impress." He looked up at her and frowned for a moment before shaking his head.

"I'm not trying to impress you." He replied coldly, "I have no need cause I don't care what you think."

"Wow, do they teach all you West Highers how to be rude." Troy lifted his head up and looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"I could ask you the same question…after all I am an idiot aren't I…that is what you called me on Monday." She looked surprised that he had remembered her words; with a sigh she shook her head.

"I didn't know you would take this so seriously." She said with a smirk, Troy tossed the papers he was holding in his hands onto his desk and said.

"I don't like people who barely know me calling me names."

"Well, I don't like people who I've never met before staring at me as if they were undressing me with their eyes." She stated firmly, Troy chuckled and shook his head for a moment.

"Don't flatter yourself…I was simply wondering what a girl like yourself was doing with Chad Danforth…you don't look dumb but then again looks can and have always been deceiving." He said harshly.

"I can't believe Mrs. Jackson has you in charge."

"I do my job…and I do it well." He said with a chuckle as he looked at her again and then reached out towards her and handed her a packet of papers. "This is a list of the students you will be helping…you are to fill out progress reports every quarter…nothing much just telling the parents how they are behaving during the tutoring sessions." He said noticing the look she gave him when he handed her the packet of papers. "What are you not up to the challenge?" he asked as he leaned on his desk propping both arms up so he looked as if he was in a relaxed position.

"I can handle the challenge." She replied, as she turned on her heel and walked out of the room. Troy watched her leave and then sat back down behind his desk, and started going over the rosters for the children that had been signed up for the boys and girls basketball league.

The rest of the day went back slowly for Taylor, who had developed over the course of two hours a respect for what it was that teachers did. Once the last child left her room to go to their activity for the day, she headed out in search of her brother. The first place she went to was the gym. Opening the door, she smiled when she saw brother dribbling the ball down the court with the kids on the sideline cheering him on. Closing the door she walked over to the bleachers hoping that she wouldn't be seen and sat down and watched the game progress. She smiled as she saw her brother shoot and score and then saw him receiving high fives from Jandro and Malcolm who were on the side of the court. For a split second she silently wondered where Troy was. "Hey!" a deep voice said from her left. Jumping in shock she placed a hand over her chest and looked at Troy Bolton who was currently sitting a bleacher up from her.

"Oh Troy…hello." He smiled at her, and she could tell that he found it funny that he had scared her. Frowning slightly she looked at him for a moment and shook her head. He chuckled and looked back out towards the basketball court.

"Your brother's pretty good…your father must play with him a lot." Taylor looked down at his words and slowly shook her head.

"Our father died two years go…," Troy winced and looked down at her for a moment before reaching out and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry to hear that…but you brother truly is good at basketball, is he going to join the league."

"It's okay you didn't know…and I don't know about him joining the league, I don't think he discussed it with mom so I think it might be out." Troy nodded his head and looked back out towards the court.

"Oh and before I forget…I guess I'm sorry for the way I was with you early." He said so softly that Taylor had to strain to hear him.

"It's okay…and I'm sorry too." She whispered back, he nodded his head and looked at the game in progress. "Do you know where Mrs. Jackson is…I need to talk to the person who will be taking me and Trevor home." Troy looked down at her in surprise and then chuckled.

"I guess Mrs. Jackson didn't tell you…I'm taking you and your brother home." He said smiling at the look of utter horror that spread across Taylor's face. "She didn't did she?"

"No, she didn't tell me that you were taking me home."

"What's wrong scared to be seen with someone that's a proud West High Knight." She raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head before softly giggling and looking at him as if he was the shortest person in the room.

"No one is scared of West High…if anything we all feel sorry for you guys cause your school is filled with nothing but losers." She said angrily. Troy leaned back and looked at her for a moment.

"Since I joined the Varsity basketball team at West High…we've only lost one state championship to you guys…so if anyone is going to be called losers it's East High." He said back with a smirk. "Besides you're boyfriend is probably the biggest loser of them all and you seem like a smart girl so I'll ask again why are you going out with him."

"You know what, why don't you mind your business." She said standing up, Troy just watched her. "I'm going to go and find Mrs. Jackson."

"Why you gonna tell her that as an East Higher you couldn't possible do this job cause it didn't doesn't fit in with your shopping schedule?" she glared at him while placing her hands on her hips.

"You know what Mr. Bolton…I'm never one to back down from a challenge."

"Oh was I challenging you…I was wasn't I." he said smugly as he looked at her for a moment before shaking his head. "So what are you going to do since you never back down from a challenge?"

"I'm going to take this job and prove to you that an East Higher can do this job better than you any day." She said as she marched off, Troy chuckled as she slammed the gym door behind her. Shaking his head he got back up and walked over to Jandro and Malcolm who looked at him for a moment before smiling as well.

"Should we be worried?" Jandro asked with a chuckle, "She seemed pretty mad." Malcolm nodded his head in agreement while Troy just shook his head and smiled.

"No…you shouldn't be worried."

"Seriously though, it look like you guys were having a serious and I mean serious conversation up there want to share the details."

"Not really…it was nothing except the usual East High vs. West High stuff." Jandro nodded his head and nudged Malcolm who smiled and looked up towards the ceiling of the roof and said.

"Ah, the long lasting rival of East vs. West…good vs. evil…the battles lines had been drawn decades ago and they shall echo an eternity until…"

"You two are really stupid did you know that." Troy replied with a shake of his head. "Besides the rival thing wouldn't be that bad if people didn't stop…well if people didn't stop um, fighting."

"Isn't that what you and the basketball team did Monday…I heard it was like a tradition, you get the rivalry jump started for yet another year, of stupid fights and harsh bickering." Jandro said as motioned for a young boy to go into the basketball game. Troy sighed and shook his head for a moment.

"Now, you both know I'm not really for all that…but Miguel picks me up for school so I really don't have a choice I'm just a victim of circumstance." He said as serious as he could, Jandro and Malcolm gave him a look and then laughed. "What I'm serious."

"Sure you are…seriously tripping. We both know you have a healthy dislike for Chad Danforth please don't try to play us with that victim of circumstance crap you ain't innocent man." Jandro said chuckling and wiping his eyes. Troy just smiled and shook his head for a moment before blowing his whistling which stopped the game. Before walking out onto the floor to give instructions he looked at Jandro and Malcolm and murmured.

"You guys ain't right."

Mrs. Jackson and Taylor were walking out towards the parking lot where most of the parents were picking up their children however Taylor noticed Troy over in the far corner of the parking lot loading a group of kids onto one of the van she saw earlier that had dropped the kids off. "I'm so happy that you decided to work here…I promise you won't regret it. You're first paycheck will be next week, and then you'll get them every two weeks like everyone else." She said with a smile as she looked at Taylor who just nodded her head. "Troy will be taking you home…however I hope you don't mind that it's last…he has a lot of children to drop off and then you'll be dropped off."

"Okay that sounds fine." She said, Mrs. Jackson nodded her head and then started to hide back inside. Taylor watched as she disappeared and then went over to Troy who was currently helping the kids into the van. She walked over to his side, and simply stood there not really knowing what to do or if her help was even needed. Troy barely spared her a glare as he lifted a little five year old up in the van.

"You can go ahead and get in the passenger seat." He replied, Taylor didn't say anything she just went over there and got in. Once everyone was loaded up, he moved to the driver seat and got in. Most of the children talked quietly amongst themselves while Troy headed off in his normal route to drop the children off. After the first stop, he looked over at Taylor and spoke.

"You should really talk to your mother about getting Trevor into the basketball league…he'd be great." He said trying his best to make small talk, she nodded her head and looked behind her at Trevor who had his head up against the window sleeping.

"I guess…I'll see what she says."

"Make sure to tell her that basketball practice and games are on Saturday…that usually sells it to the parents." He said with a small smile, she nodded her head as he came to a stop again. Troy eyed a car parked across the street with several guys leaning against it and cursed under his breath. "Andre…I'm going to walk you to your door okay." He said, Andre who had seen the men as well nodded his head and waited till Troy got out of the van before getting out as well. Taylor watched nervously as the men saw Troy and called out to him, but Troy just ignored them and headed towards the house. Once Andre was inside, Troy walked back to the van and pulled away not sparing the group of guys a second glance. Taylor waited till they were a good bit away before asking Troy the question that was on her mind.

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing really…just some stupid guys." He replied vaguely as he pulled up to another house. He watched as they kid got out of the van and closed the door, and ran up his driveway to his house. Taylor however was not going to be ignored.

"Was that a gang?"

"Gang…naw…just some stupid guys like I told you." He replied looking up at her and giving her a look that said drop it, and Taylor did just that as Troy continued driving up and down the streets dropping the kids off, and getting out when it was a child below the age of ten so he could walk them to the door. Soon, Troy was headed towards Taylor house looking into the back Troy could see that Trevor was asleep. "They were a gang or part of one." He said softly, Taylor looked at him in surprise. "I didn't want to discuss it with the kids on the van."

"I understand, so why were they harassing you?"

"It's a long story…and one I'm not to share I want to share." He stated bluntly as he continued to drive.

"They don't want to hurt you do they?" she asked, unable to keep the concern out of her voice. Troy noticed it but chose to ignore it; smiling he shook his head for a moment and chuckled.

"No, that isn't what they want…far from it." He said with a shake of his head.

"And what do they want?" Troy looked at her for a moment and the turned his head to the front and continued driving.

"They want me to join the gang." He said knowing that he had told her what only his closest friends knew already. She looked at him in shock and then slowly shook her head. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. "You okay?"

"You aren't going to join them are you?"

"Wow didn't know you cared." He said with a mocking smile, she looked at him for a moment and just sighed.

"You know what I'm a nice person once you get to know me, maybe you should try it." She countered with a quick shake of her head. Troy chuckled for a moment and just sighed.

"So am I…I just have some rough edges."

"More like jagged edges." She mumbled. Troy laughed at her words and just shook his head for a moment. Soon they pulled up to their in front of Taylor's house. "Thanks for the ride home."

"You're welcome…how about I help you take Trevor inside." He said with as he unbuckled his seat belt. "He's asleep and I know you wouldn't want to wake him."

"You're right I wouldn't…could you carry him inside while I get the his book bag." Troy nodded his head and got out of the car as well.

"Just like a woman leaving me to do all the heavy lifting." He said with a chuckle as Taylor sent him a look as she picked up her brother's book bag. "Kidding." He said with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah let me tell you just how funny that was." She replied back with a shake of her head. He just smiled and lifted Trevor out of the van. Together they walked to the front door of her house. Taylor opened the door and led Troy upstairs to Trevor's room. Where he laid the little boy down on the bed.

"Where's your mom?"

"Working…tonight's the night she goes in early." She said looking at Trevor's clock. "Thanks for bringing us home."

"You're welcome." He said as they headed back downstairs. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he said as he walked outside back to the van. Taylor nodded her head and closed the door after him. With a sigh she walked over to the sofa and sat down, if Trevor woke up she fix him something, but right now she was hungry at all. As soon as she laid her head down, her cell phone rang. Picking it up she looked at the caller I.D. and sighed.

"Hey."

"Girl, what's up with you not telling us about this thing you have to do after school. Gabby and I were looking for you and everything."

"I'm sorry."

"Doesn't matter now, how about you come over this Saturday we can go shopping and stuff." She said, "Besides I hear our favorite stores were having a sale."

"I guess that would be okay, Sharpay."

"So what type of job do you have?"

"Um, I'm working at a youth center…it's pretty cool, Sharpay…after I help the kids with their homework well they can go and play in the gym or go to the drama or music room classes."

"Sounds like my kind of place why haven't I heard of it."

"I don't know…it's kind of new." She lied.

"Of well…I guess I am a little to busy to work at a youth center." Taylor laughed and shook her head for a moment.

"I thought I was too…but my mom signed me."

"Oh…I hate it when parents do that…are there any cute guys there." Sharpay asked. Taylor frowned as Troy Bolton flashed in her mind. Shaking her head for a moment she sighed and answered Sharpay's question.

"I didn't notice."

"Didn't notice…you didn't go blind after you left school today right." She said trying her best to sound concern.

"I'm in a relationship."

"So…I'm with Zeke and you can bet I notice cute guys all the time…it comes with the territory you know…you know the territory of being able to see."

"Whatever Shar…I guess I don't have that wondering eye syndrome."

"Girl you aren't going to cheat just because you just so happen to notice someone who's cute." She said with a laugh. "If that was the case then I've cheated on Zeke about a million times especially whenever I look at an Orlando Bloom movie. That man is just too fine." Taylor laughed and shook her head.

"Okay let's get off the Orlando Bloom topic before you combust on this phone line…but to answer your question no there isn't anyone at the job that's cute."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not."

"Whatever you know you can't lie to me I've known you since we were five." Sharpay replied. "So who was it?"

"Okay fine…it's this guy, I thought he was cute you know but then I got to know him a little bit better and well his attitude totally turned me off."

"Sorry to hear that."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing…look I gotta go my Zekey is calling me on the other line." She said hanging up; Taylor looked at her phone for a moment before shaking her head and turning it off. Leaning back on the sofa she turned on the television, as usual it was on the news. Her mother must have been watching it before she left. The current story was about a victim that had been shot on the West side of town. Taylor immediately thought about Troy, and she quickly sent a silent pray up to God that he made it home alright. Even though he was really good at getting on her nerves she stilled hoped he was alright.

A/N: Please review and tell me what you think.

Baby S