*****
Chapter Two
Gabriella Montez was a smart and talented girl. She got straight A's, and her art was always considered spectacular among the older community. Of course, she would never admit these things to herself or anyone for that matter.
She had very low self-esteem and was always quiet and shy. The other reason for this was because the majority of her schoolmates looked down on her. There is never an explanation for these things. It just is.
Although she was not an outcast, she certainly was not the social butterfly. She had friends, though very few. All of them were close to her heart, but no one person was closer than Troy.
Their parents were friends long before they were even born. In pre-school, they would paint each other's faces; in kindergarten, they would play those silly hand games like Patty Cake. It was not until junior high did she notice the growing popularity he seemed to gain. Girls began to gain crushes on him. Boys began to look up to him as their leader. She was confused but happy for him; she could share.
Gabriella didn't know when she had fallen in love with him.
She supposed it happened in the summer before 8th grade. He had gone to a basketball camp for most of the summer. It was then she realized how much she needed him. He came home, and she greeted him with open arms. They spent the rest of the summer together either at the pool or at the lake.
It wasn't till' they started high school after that summer did things seem to go difficult. He started sitting with his basketball buddies instead of her. Dating seemed to be a big factor in his agenda. Instead of their routine movie nights, his weekends were filled with drunken parties. He would always call her afterwards drunk and saying he needed a ride home.
She would come immediately; she always did. Gabriella would bring him home and tuck him into bed. In the mornings, she would have Tylenol, water, and a large breakfast laid out for him because he had a hangover. She didn't know why she did this for him.
She supposed it was because she loved him so much.
After making sure he was situated, she would walk down to the lake. He would probably have fallen asleep on the couch before she even left, but after an hour or so he would end up at the lake, too.
Their friendship throughout their first year in high school was strained. It was limited to maybe a few phone calls and emails. Maybe one day a week they would hang out, and the only class they had together was English. He'd rather die than tell anyone, but he loved to write music and play piano.
They were still comfortable with each other, but somewhere along the line it changed. Maybe it was because they were both growing older. Either way, Gabriella was going to take whatever she's given.
It was not until that fateful day during junior year where their friendship would be pushed to the edge.
The bell rang after English, and everybody rushed out of his or her seats to head to lunch. Gabriella went extra slow so that she could delay her time of sitting alone once again in the cafeteria. Today was a little different, though, because Troy came up to her to talk to her.
But of course, they had to hide in the janitor's closet.
He turned on the light bulb hanging from the ceiling and stood face to face with her.
She hated to admit it, but it was a little awkward.
"Hi," he said after a few minutes of awkward silence.
"Hi," she said back.
"How've you been -?"
"Is there something wrong, Troy?" she interrupted him.
"What do you mean?" He looked at her confusingly. She rolled her eyes.
"Why are you talking to me?" He frowned.
"You're my best friend, Gabi."
"Not as of late."
He frowned at that and looked down at his worn Vans. It took him a minute before he looked back up again.
"I miss you," he said. "I really miss talking to you everyday just to hear your voice."
She blushed at this, but did not say anything.
He sighed and looked anxious.
"Just spit it out Troy," she said getting a little impatient.
"I want you to come to the party afteran my game tonight," he said still looking anxious. "I want people to know about you. I want people to know about us. They should know that Gabriella Montez is Troy Bolton's best friend or BFF if that's what you want to call it."
The joke worked. All the tension was gone, and Gabriella laughed while he smiled cheekily. After the laughter died down, her eyes softened, but she was still cautious. She looked down at her worn flats, a habit she had picked up from him. Gabriella would've loved it if she could hang out with him without everyone judging them, but she wasn't so sure what would happen at first.
"Hey, look at me," he said bringing her chin up and smiling softly at her. "I'm going to be there to show them that you're the most awesome person I know!"
She started laughing and tried to shush him to get him to be quieter.
"Okay, just as long as you're there," she said nodding. He smiled and gave her hug.
"I love you, Gabs," he said sending tingles up her spine. "You're like a sister to me."
Her face was buried into his chest so that he wouldn't see her frown and tearing up. She supposed she would remain single and a virgin for the rest of her life.
Maybe she could get a cat or two.
*****
Troy did spectacularly well at the basketball game, and she why he had become basketball captain of the team. He had scored the winning basket and got the crowd going wild. They all crowded around him to congratulate him on getting the victory. Gabriella was proud of him.
She was still standing on the bleachers with her close friend, Sharpay, watching from a distance. Sharpay was a feisty outgoing girl who was extravagant in every way possible. She rolled her eyes at Gabriella and was saying something about how everyone looked like he just saved the world from certain doom. Gabriella turned her head to Sharpay. She knew her friend was just peeved because her boyfriend, Zeke, was on the team, and he wasn't getting any praises. Gabriella smiled and turned her head back to Troy. She feebly waved at him but put her hand back down. He was still busy talking to some of the cheerleaders.
"You want to out of here so we can get ready for the party?" she asked Sharpay. Sharpay nodded, and they climbed down the bleachers to head outside of the noisy gym.
*****
Gabriella Montez hated high-heeled shoes. She also despised the man, Louis Vuitton. Why, oh why, did he have to create a shoe that also doubled as a torture device? She had to admit, though.
They were very nice heels.
Sharpay had forced her against her will to wear the deathtraps and don a silver flowing mini dress. If something were to spill on it, the dress would certainly become see-through.
"You'll be fine," Sharpay comforted when Gabriella told her. "After tonight, you and Troy will be riding off into the sunset together for your happily ever after."
Gabriella just blushed and rolled her eyes.
They got to the party a half and hour late because Sharpay had to fix Gabriella's make-up as well. Troy's house was very large compared to many people in this town. His parents were a well-to-do doctor and interior designer. The party was being held in the ballroom where Gabriella could already hear the music pumping very loudly from the hallway. When they entered the ballroom, many people were dancing to the beat of the percussions or chatting near the walls and tables. Gabriella and Sharpay automatically went straight for the punch bowl table.
"I have to pee," Sharpay said. She hadn't gone to the bathroom since the beginning of the game, and she drank a very large soda since then.
"Okay, go ahead," Gabriella said nodding to the directions of the bathrooms. She had been to this house so often that she knew the place inside and out. Sharpay nodded but looked quickly at Gabriella.
"Are you going to be okay while I'm gone?" Gabriella nodded, and Sharpay made a beeline straight toward the bathrooms.
Gabriella felt very awkward just standing there. She pretended to get some punch so that she wouldn't look so stupid, although she knew better than to drink it.
A few of Troy's basketball friends had sidled over to the table to get some of the spiked punch when they noticed her. They haven't really seen her around these parties, and she didn't look like she went to their school. Gabriella wasn't wearing her usual black-framed glasses, although they still wouldn't recognize her. Instead, she was wearing her contacts.
"Hi," the large-muscled blonde slurred to her. "I'm Josh, and this here is my buddy, Logan." He pointed to the lanky jet-black haired boy. "What's you're name? I don't think I've seen you around before."
Gabriella internally rolled her eyes, but she didn't want to be rude.
"I'm Gabriella," she said using her formal name.
"Whoa," a high-pitched and loud feminine voice interrupted. "Do you mean Gabriella, the emo kid that always wears those hideous glasses?"
A tall curvy redhead had sidled up to their now growing group. She wore three inch red heels and a very low cut dress, if someone could call it a dress. Jodie was the head cheerleader of the varsity squad of the school. Although she was a very good cheerleader and gymnast, she certainly fit the stereotype genre of cheerleader's personality.
"Essentially yes, that's me," Gabriella rolled her eyes, nodding. The two boys who were talking to her saw this and backed away slightly. Jodie made a disgusted face at her.
"Who invited you?"
"Troy invited me," Bella said. "He's my friend."
Jodie gave her a weird look and turned as though looking for something. She saw who she was looking for and waved him over. Troy walked over looking confused.
"What's going on?" Troy asked. It was then that he noticed Gabriella. A look of panic crossed his features, and Gabriella didn't know what to make of it.
"This girl says that you invited her," Jodie drawled. "Is that true?" By this time, the music had stopped, and everyone was curious as to what was going on.
Troy took a second to look over at Gabriella. Then he dropped his eyes to his Vans.
Oh no, Gabriella panicked.
He picked up his head with a blank and cold expression on his face.
"No," he said coldly. "Does it look like I would be friends, or even know someone like her?"
Jodie stared triumphantly at Gabriella, while she just stared incredulously at Troy. How could he do this to her? She felt the sudden stinging in her eyes, and the urge to run and never look back. Gabriella backed shakily, but she tripped over her heels accidentally in the process. Everyone laughed when she was knocked into the punch bowl, and now everyone saw her underwear and bra. The tears were running freely now as she looked around helplessly for Sharpay.
Troy didn't even bother helping her up.
Sharpay had to push through the crowd to her looking concerned, angry, and upset all at once. She helped Gabriella up and put her pea coat over her to cover the ruined dress. They walked quickly out of the ballroom still hearing everyone's jeering and taunting. Gabriella looked back one last time and saw Troy looking blankly at her.
They had come to a silent agreement.
She would never be able to speak to Troy again.
Gabriella Montez hated high-heeled shoes.