"Morning, Gabs," Taylor greeted, coming up to Gabriella's locker the next day at school.
"Hey, Tay, how are you? Sorry I didn't call you last night. I had tutoring." Gabriella apologized.
"That's okay. Who are you tutoring?" Taylor asked, curiously.
"Troy," Gabriella said in a small voice.
"Troy Bolton?!" Taylor shrieked.
"Tay, keep it down, okay?" Gabriella hushed her.
"Sorry," Taylor said. "Troy Bolton?"
"Yeah, so? He's failing out of history," Gabriella replied, opening her locker.
"How do you fail out of history? That's the like easiest class," Taylor laughed.
"I don't know. That's his problem, so ask him." Gabriella pulled out her books and closed her locker. She pulled her books against her chest as they walked by Troy and his gang. "Oh, hey Troy, see you at my place tonight after drama?"
Troy looked over. Chad flashed him a warning look. "Only in your mind," Troy said coolly. His gang laughed and so did he. Gabriella frowned and turned to Taylor.
"I knew it," Taylor shrugged. Gabriella held back her tears and walked to her next class with Taylor. Guilt stabbed at Troy's side all day.
3:30 P.M.
"BRRIIIIING!" The bell rang for the end of the day. Everyone bolted out the door, but Gabriella and Taylor walked to Drama Club together. Troy was already there.
"Okay, auditions were yesterday and I have the results. Nobody tried out for the main role - Corey the pub owner. So, I talked it over with Principal Matsui and that role will be filled by our one and only Troy Bolton." Miss Darbus announced.
Troy's jaw dropped. "What?!"
"And Gabriella Montez will be playing the role of Ellie Sims, the new pub singer. Taylor McKessie will be playing the old pub singer and former lover of Corey, Jenna." Taylor and Gabriella smiled and high-fived each other.
"Today, we will be practicing reading lines and the rest of you will be painting props and figuring out lighting." Miss Darbus informed everyone and she turned around. "Lead roles up here, please!"
"Miss Darbus!" Troy called, running up to her. "How did I get this role? I don't want to be a main role! I can't sing!"
"Everyone can sing, dear. You just have the choice to sing or not to," Miss Darbus answered simultaneously.
"Ugh!" Troy stomped in frustration and turned around. Gabriella and Taylor walked up, chatting excitedly.
"I get to sing!" Gabriella cheered.
"You'll do great!" Taylor complimented.
Gabriella blushed. "I don't sing that well."
"Yeah, you do, girl," Taylor laughed.
"You sing?" Troy asked, walking up to Gabriella.
"Yeah, is that a problem?" She snapped. Troy opened his mouth to respond. "Save it, Bolton."
"Okay, Gabriella?" Miss Darbus walked up. "You'll be practicing your song with Kelsi in the mornings before school and Troy, you'll be practicing with her during free period. I will talk to your coach to get that sorted out."
Gabriella and Troy nodded. "But, right now, we need to work on lines!" Darbus said, giving them the actual scripts. Troy sighed.
"You okay?" Darbus asked.
"Yeah," Troy nodded. "I guess."
AFTER DRAMA:
"Gabriella!" Troy called as she walked out toward her car.
"Yes?" She asked, turning on her heel.
"I was hoping that you could help me with my homework tonight. I really need help."
"But, we have to keep it a secret, right? We can be secret friends!" She cheered, sarcastically, a sour look upon her face.
"Gabriella, that's not fair," Troy protested.
"It seems pretty dang fair to me," Gabriella shot back. "You denied me in front of your friends!"
"Chad told me to!"
"I Chad told you to jump off a cliff, would you?" Gabriella asked, facing him and looking him directly in the eyes. "I thought I saw something in you. I though that you would change. I just kept telling myself, tomorrow it will be different. He will want to be your friend."
"I do want to be your friend!" Troy yelled. I want to be more than your friend!
"That's pretty hard to believe!" Gabriella screamed in his face. "Just forget it, Troy. Forget that this ever happened. Forget me. Obviously, knowing me was a big mistake." She turned and ran to her car as fast as she could.
"Gabriella!" He called uselessly after her. He turned around. "Ugh!"
"Dude, where have you been?" Chad asked, coming up from behind him.
"Drama Club, remember?" Troy asked, trying to act normal.
"Oh…" Chad sighed. "Well, the team sucks without you every Thursday." Troy laughed. "I'm not kidding. So, how's Drama Club?"
"Very…dramatic." Troy joked. "I got placed with a lead role in the musical." Chad burst out laughing.
"I will definitely be there on opening night."
"Ha ha," Troy smirked.
"Many nerds in there?"
"Lots. You don't even want to know," Troy sighed.
"Yeah, I guess I don't." Chad chuckled.
"So, how's it been going with the whole Gabriella thing? Did she quit tutoring you?"
"Yeah, she did," Troy said. He'd been hoping to avoid this subject.
"Ha, now you don't have to deal with her."
"Well, she's not that bad…"
"You're serious?" Chad asked. Troy nodded reluctantly. "Wow, this drama must be really having an effect on you. Either that, or you're really high." Troy shook his head.
"Dude, no, I quit that stuff a while back." Troy said, honestly.
"I didn't even know you were ever into it," Chad laughed. Troy shrugged.
"It didn't feel right…"
"So, you do have a soft spot?" Chad joked. "A feminine side of Troy Bolton? I can't wait to see this play."
"Oh, you'll love it. No, I haven't even read the entire script yet. It seems really boring so far." Troy said.
"Well, isn't every musical?" They both laughed this time. "So, when's opening night?"
"Two weeks. I gotta work hard to get this down. So many lines and versus."
"Wait, you have to sing?!" Chad shrieked like a little girl.
"Yeah, that's the point of a lead role," Troy replied, knowingly. Chad howled with laughter.