Chapter Eleven
The plane ride back on Sunday had been much more relaxed and comfortable for both of them. They had spent most of the time going over the lines for the play. There was only about a week and a half of school left which meant that finals would be taking place all week which just added more stress to those in the Play. The EYP was to show that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and Ms. Darbus wanted everyone to have all their lines memorized by the first practice after the three day break was over. Troy had most of his lines down, but the extra practicing on the plane helped him nail the rest.
The two were so exhausted from all the excitement of that weekend, that they fell asleep a few minutes after they finished their make shift rehearsal. They awoke when the announcement of the approach was made. They blushed at each other when they saw that Sharpay had fallen asleep on his shoulder and he had wound his arm around her waist.
As soon as they got off the plane Troy was immediately seized by his mother who very nearly hugged the life out of him she was so glad he was alright. Sharpay smiled softly at the display of love, knowing that her father and Ryan weren't there…not that they'd do the same even if they were. But she was pleasantly surprised when Mrs. Bolton enveloped her in a motherly hug as well.
Mr. Bolton offered to drive Sharpay home from the airport, an offer she was glad that she had accepted because she was so jet lagged. As they drove down her street Troy had asked her why Ryan wasn't there to greet her. She had replied that they had not spoken in weeks since he had called her a bitch. She had also remarked that he probably had even noticed she wasn't home. He usually left early in the morning while she spelt and got home after her. She let out a bitter laugh when she told him that she had stuffed her bed to make it look like she was sleeping just to see if anyone would notice.
Her suspicions were confirmed when she arrived home to all the lights out again. Mrs. Bolton had asked if she would be alright by herself till her father came home. Sharpay nodded, getting a kiss good bye from Troy before heading into her house.
The next day was to be the most interesting day that either of them had had yet…though they didn't know it when it began.
They day started off normally for both Troy and Sharpay up until just before Homeroom was to start. Troy had glanced up from his locker to look at Sharpay putting her things in hers. He then looked across the hall to where Gabriella and Taylor were laughing at something. He let out a sigh, shutting his locker and making his way over to his girlfriend.
"Hey Troy!" Gabby said, turning to face him with a 100 watt smile…though one that appeared dimmer to Troy than Sharpay's.
"Hey…" he said unenthusiastically…he really hated what he was about to do.
"Is something wrong Troy?" she asked, glancing at Taylor who nodded in agreement.
"Um…not really…I just…" he took a deep breath. Gabriella was dreading that his next words would be 'we have to talk', but they weren't, to her relief, "I have to ask you something." She nodded for him to continue, "Alone." He added, noticing Taylor still standing there.
Taylor looked back and forth between the two very quickly before gathering up her bag, "Consider me gone," she said turning to leave, heading for Chad who stood just at the other end of the hall.
The two stood in silence for a moment or two till Gabriella spoke again, "What is it you needed to ask me?"
Troy sighed, before taking a deep breath, "How do you feel about me?"
She gave him a questioning look before answering, "I think you're a really great guy Troy. You're smart, funny, athletic, and understanding." 'All the things I love about you,' she thought happily to herself…was that what he was trying to get at? Was he trying to finally tell her that he loved her?
Troy smiled gently, "And I think you're a really great girl Gabriella." He replied. Her smiled dimmed just a little; he hadn't called her Gabriella since before they started dating…he always called her Gabby. But she brushed the thought aside; this was a serious conversation, not one for nicknames. "You're smart, empathetic, and kind." Be took a deep breath, "I've been a little distant lately…"
"It's okay Troy," Gabriella said, putting a hand gently on his arm. "Everything is a little crazy with finals starting this week and the play and…"
"It's not that," Troy said quickly, "It's just…it's given me a lot of time to think…about some things…" He looked at her confused expression, hating himself for what he was about to say, "…about us…"
"What about us?" she asked, dropping her hand and bringing it back to the books clutched to her chest.
"I…I just don't…feel that spark…that we had…" he looked away, "I…I know you don't feel it either…I've been so distant and we've grown father apart and…"
Gabriella felt tears fill her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. He was speaking the truth; they had drifted apart in the few weeks. She didn't feel the spark…but it didn't mean that his words didn't hurt her…it's hard to break up with someone you think you might have loved…
"Gabriella?" he asked, noticing her thoughts start to drift.
Gabriella took a breath, "I…I don't…" she whispered.
"Don't what?" Troy asked quietly, she didn't what to break up? Didn't want to listen?
"I don't…feel that spark…" she answered.
Troy smiled softly, "I'm so sorry Gabriella…" she nodded, giving him a shaky smile of her own, "I never meant to hurt you." She looked away, he had hurt her… "Friends?" he asked, knowing that he probably sounded like some guy from a stupid breakup movie.
She nodded, feeling a tear about to fall, "Friends…" she agreed.
"Good…" Troy said nodding his head, "Good…" He gave her one sadder smile before walking quickly down the hall to homeroom.
"Gabriella?" A quiet voice said from beside her. She turned to see Taylor standing there with a worried expression on her face. She looked down the hall to see Chad, Kelsi, and Jason watching her with worried expressions as well. She looked back down, a tear falling from her eye. "What's wrong honey?"
"Troy…" she said her voice breaking, "He…broke up with me…"
Taylor was speechless. She wanted to march right up to Troy and…and…spit in his face! Punch him! Kick him! Do something to put him in a world of pain for hurting her best friend. But she couldn't do that now, Gabriella needed her more. She wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her into a comforting, sisterly hug, as she let the tears flow freely…
Troy felt bad all day for breaking up with Gabriella. She hadn't come to homeroom, neither did Taylor. Chad did though…but when he had all he did was glare at him the entire time. He went to English feeling like a piece of shit, but playing some b-ball with Sharpay helped to take his mind off his sorrows and actually made him feel better. By lunch time he was feeling pretty good again…still feeling guilt when he passed the table that Gabriella was sitting with…Chad, Taylor, Zeke, Jason, and even Kelsi glared at him as he passed. Gabriella kept her head down and Troy knew that she had been crying.
He ate lunch with Sharpay in his hideout, talking to her about how bad he felt for hurting Gabriella as much as he had. She comforted him, offering him an ear to listen, telling him she had a surprise for him later that might make him feel better…or at least she hoped it would. She refused to tell Troy what it was that she was planning so he had to wander the rest of the day wondering what it was.
He was walking though the halls during 7th period, his father had called him down to the gym to go over something about summer basketball practices. He'd just finished with the meeting and was heading back to his Sociology class when the door to the janitor's closet next to him opened and a hand pulled him inside.
He was about to ask what was going on when he felt himself being pushed gently back against a wall and a pair of lips press against his. He immediately knew from the apple lip gloss that it was Sharpay. He smirked into the kiss…he'd have to tell her later that her surprise worked flawlessly. All thoughts of Gabriella, all thoughts of the break up, all those of…pretty much anything flew out the window as soon as her lips hit his.
They continued their make out session for another five minutes, breaking only to come up for air. When they parted their final time, Sharpay leaned forward, "Surprise," she whispered in his ear before leaving the room…leaving him completely shell shocked.
It took him a few minutes to get his bearings straight from the mind blowing kiss. Once he finally remembered that he had a class to get back to he opened the door to the closet, peeking out to make sure no one was there, before stepping out…
Chad Dansforth had been roaming the halls, trying to take up as much time as possible from his bathroom break to escape the drone of his Algebra class, when he saw a very interesting sight. He had just turned the corner when the door to the infamous janitor's closet…nicknamed the make out room…opened slowly. He jumped back behind the corner, holding back his fluffy hair to make sure no one would see him as he peered around the corner.
His eyes widened in shock as he saw his best friend Troy Bolton emerge from the room, shoulders heaving slightly from lack of air. His face was a pinkish color that alerted Chad to the fact that it had been flushed only moments ago. He watched as Troy took a step away, before quickly wiping his mouth off with the back of his hand, most likely erasing evidence that he had been in the make out room with…another girl…
As soon as Troy was out of the hall, Chad ran from around the corner, right up to the door hoping to catch the girl still in there. He threw open the door…but there was no one in there…the girl must have left first…
Chad shook his head, shutting the door and leaning against it. It wasn't that he and Gabriella were the best of friends and he was watching out for her…it was just…Gabriella was Taylor's best friend, and Taylor was his girl friend, which made Gabriella his friend…indirectly. But still, he thought Troy would have had enough sense not to cheat on any girl and then just break her heart like he had done to Gabriella.
He shook his head again, pushing himself off the door and heading back to class, making a note to talk to Taylor about this as soon as possible…
Unfortunately for Chad…though more fortunately for Troy and Sharpay, he wasn't even able to get a word into Taylor that day at play. They were doing a run through of the entire play to work out the kinks. Tomorrow it was a final run through before the first dress rehearsal with costumes but no make up on Wednesday, Thursday was a dress rehearsal with costumes and make up and finally the first day of the Production on Friday.
Ms. Darbus was on the war path during that whole time. She was literally the thespian Nazi! If a person's foot was not in the place she had previously blocked it to be in, she flipped and made them do the scene over.
The group was standing back stage, right by the curtains, peeking through as they watched the beginning of Act three unfold. They were all watching, before then they had not seen how Zeke managed to turn into a donkey while still in the audience's view and they were all excited to see it happen.
Sharpay stood on her tip toes, peering through the crack in the curtain to the other side of the stage where she could see the others peering through the opposite curtain. Here eyebrow's furrowed slightly; she couldn't see Troy from there. She glanced back at everyone on her side of the stage, they were too engrossed in watching the scene to notice her slink back to the back wall. She hurriedly ran behind the scenery along the wall to the other side, peering around the corner of it to see Troy no where in sight.
'Where is he?' she thought to herself, alarmed. He was supposed to go on mid Act! She ran back across the back of the scenery, slowly creeping behind everyone and into the adjoining chorus room. No one was there to see her run out of the room, shutting the door lightly so no one would here it before taking off down the hallway in search of her Demetrius.
She thanked whatever powers that were watching over her for her costume selection. She was wearing soft black ballet shoes which meant that they made almost no sound at all as she rushed down the halls. She stopped in the middle of a hallway, turning to look down the other end of it. "Troy where are you?" she muttered to herself.
She was about to leave and check the other halls when two pairs of arms encircled her waist, pulling her into a darkened room. "What…" she started, when a pair of soft lips connected with hers. She relaxed instantly as she recognized Troy's figure in the darkness.
A few minutes later Sharpay remembered why she had been looking for Troy in the first place, "Troy…" she whispered, pulling back slightly. Troy kissed her, quickly cutting off her words…making her forget what she was about to say for another minute or two.
"Troy we have to…" Her thoughts wandered as Troy started to leave a trail of kisses down her next. Sharpay's breaths came shorter, she wanted to just let him continue his passionate kisses but she couldn't, "Your scene…"
"What about it?" he asked, pulling his mouth from her neck and placing it back on her lips.
"You're supposed to go…" her eyes glazed over as his found her sweet spot, just below her ear. "Oh screw it!" she exclaimed, pushing Troy away and launching herself at him.
When air became an issue…right at the very, very end, for they had gone on kissing as long as humanly possible…they broke apart, barely able to get enough breath to fill their lungs. After they had both taken very many deep breaths, Troy rested his head against hers, "What…about…my scene?" he asked, gasping.
"It's coming…up soon…" Sharpay answered breathlessly.
"When?" he asked.
Sharpay looked at him, realizing that she had lost all sense of time from the minute Troy pulled her into the make out room.
"I don't…remember…" She looked up to see Troy smirking slightly at her, proud that he had been able to offer her a distraction.
He leaned in to try to kiss her again, but Sharpay forced herself to pull away…no matter how good a kisser he was…or…or how close he was to her…or…or how god damn hot he looked in his costume in the dim light…or…why didn't she want to kiss him again?
A piece of her dress caught on something as she moved away from him…That's why!
The play! His scene was coming up!
"You have to go!" she shouted, mind clearing slightly.
"Why?" he asked, pressing closer to her.
Sharpay swallowed hard, he was so close she could feel his breath on her cheek…feel his heart beating through his…
"Your scene!" she shouted again, snapping herself out of her stupor…damn Troy Bolton and his ability to make her forget… "It's coming up soon!" she pushed.
He took a step back, trying to clear his head as well…only Sharpay seemed to have that affect on him…making him not care about anything but being near her… He looked down at himself; he was still in his costume…The play! Of course!
"Thanks for getting me," he said quickly, leaning down to give her a quick peck.
"Any time," she replied dreamily, fingers brushing over her lips.
Troy gave her a boyish smile before quickly leaving the closet. Sharpay waited a moment longer, calming herself, breathing deep. She opened the door, making sure no one was there before stepping out. She ran stopped by her locker on her way back to the auditorium, just to make sure her face wasn't still as red as if felt. She was happy to see that it was a barely noticeable shade of pink.
By the time she got back to the chorus room, her blush was completely gone. She'd even managed to sneak back to her spot back stage without anyone noticing her. They were still watching as Puck finished telling Oberon about Titania and Bottom.
Sharpay smiled softly to herself as Troy came on stage following Gabriella, no one had even noticed they were gone…
A/N – Or had they? Nah, I'm just kidding. Or am I? No, they got lucky that time…Next, chappy Chad tells Taylor what he saw and they try to figure out what's going on with Troy.