Chapter Twelve

The next day Chad had noticed that Troy was missing…well at least most of the time…He hadn't been to lunch with the group nor was he anywhere to be found during fourth period…but now that he thought about it Troy had been missing during those periods for nearly a month now.

Something was definitely going on…and he was damn well going to find out what it was.

That after noon, just before play started he'd managed to get to Taylor, Gabriella, Ryan, Kelsi, Jason, and Zeke and get them to agree to meet him after play was over to talk. Play was a disaster waiting to happen…Zeke wasn't able to become a donkey fast enough, Taylor nearly fell out of her swinging bed, Chad's toga nearly fell off to reveal his superman boxers, Gabriella got the hiccups in the middle of her fight with Sharpay, Ryan's sword got stuck in its sheath, Jason and Kelsi were the most awkward couple on stage and they were supposed to be getting married! The only two people it seemed, who didn't screw up, were Sharpay (no surprise there) and Dutch…but that was only because he kept making fun of everything…which Ms. Darbus had said was great improvisation. Troy also screwed up…well, he almost did. He disappeared for a few minutes just before he was supposed to go on stage and fight with Helena…who was also missing in search of Demetrius. Troy wandered in a minute after he was supposed to start his scene and Sharpay showed up a few minutes after that, going on stage to do her scene, but not before starting an argument with Troy about how he should have been more punctual.

Ms. Darbus called the rehearsal early; she was near tears at how horrible everything was going and decided to head home to pray to the acting gods for a miracle.

Once everyone had put their outfits back in the prop room, they all gathered around Chad in the halls. They waited until everyone, especially Troy, had left before they too headed out to talk.

"Ok, you guys, "Chad said as they walked down the hall way, "Now what I'm about to tell you cannot…I repeat…cannot leave this group. Understood?"

They started to nod when Taylor shook her head, "We all agree Chad now cut it with the 007 act." She honestly didn't know why she stayed with the Neanderthal basketball boy…but he was soo cute…and his hair reminded her of her pet poodle Monique. (A/N – I love poodle head!)

Chad straightened up and sighed, "Must you always kill my groove?"

"Your groove?" Taylor asked, laughing, "Chad you have a groove the equivalent of a mongoos…"

"Guys!" Ryan shouted, breaking up their bickering.

"What?!" They shouted in unison, turning to face him.

"Can we get on with this please?" he asked, "Zeke and I are supposed to shoot some hoops at the park."

"What?" Chad asked, before he looked around at the group before him and realized he was the one who called their little meeting. "Oh yeah…anyway I just wanted to tell you guys…well, mostly you Gabby cause it would affect you the most…but I…I saw Troy leave the Janitor's closet."

The group gave him a confused look, "The janitor's closet?" Taylor asked incredulously, "You called a meeting because Troy got something out of a janitor's closet?"

"Not a Janitor's closet," Chad said, annoyance seeping into his voice, "The Janitor's closet."

"The janitor's closet?" Jason asked.

"Oh!" Zeke said, his eyes widening, "The Janitor's closet! The make out room!"

"Yes!" Chad shouted, relieved that someone finally got it.

Kelsi looked over at Gabby as they continued to walk, noticing her downcast look, "Well…that doesn't necessarily mean that he was…you know…with someone in it…"

"No he was with someone," Chad said, completely unaware of Gabby's uncomfortableness, "He stepped out, out of breath, wiped off his lips, red faced…"

"Alright Chad," Taylor said, putting a comforting arm around her friend, "We don't need an analysis of Troy's post labia excursion."

"Post labia what's it?" Chad asked, getting lost at the scientific jargon.

"After his lip lock!" she shouted, before hugging Gabriella closer, "Sorry…"

"It's okay," she replied quietly, not looking anyone in the eye, "We're not together any more…he has every right…"

"No he doesn't!" Taylor shouted outraged, "You only broke up that morning; he had no right to find someone that quickly!"

"Find someone?" Ryan asked, "Who'd he find?" They all looked at him; he was definitely having one of his blond moments. "Oh!" he exclaimed, "You mean found someone better…"

"RYAN!" Taylor shouted. A loud SMACK followed after she whooped him one upside the head.

Chad nodded solemnly, "I was thinking that too…" Chad started, but then saw the glare his girlfriend was throwing him as she raised her fist, "No! No, I meant I was thinking that he couldn't have found someone that fast…I know Troy…he wouldn't just make out with some random person…"

Taylor looked her boyfriend in the eyes, shock flashing through them, "You mean…"

Chad nodded, confirming her thoughts.

"What?" Gabriella asked, looking up to see the silent exchange.

"I think that…maybe…Troy might have been seeing someone…before he broke up with you…" Chad said softly, not wanting to hurt Gabriella any more than she had been.

Gabriella's eyes filled with tears. It was bad enough that Troy and she had drifted apart, worse that they had broken up…but now? He had been cheating on her?

"It makes sense," Taylor said, hugging Gabby as she started to cry, "That's the only reason I can see for him breaking up with you like that…"

Gabriella shook her head; they had broken up because they had drifted apart…had they drifted apart? Had someone forced their way between them? Is that why Troy drifted?

They had come to a stop a few moments ago, when Gabriella had started crying. They were leaning against the fence in front of the library, waiting till she calmed down.

"Don't worry Gabby," Kelsi said, taking Jason's hand in her own, "We'll get to the bottom of it."

"Yes we will," Taylor affirmed. There was no way that she was going to sit by while some two bit hussy stole her best friend's man.

"Yeah," Chad agreed.

With that, the group dispersed, Kelsi and Jason going to work on their lines and Zeke and Ryan to shoot some hoops. Chad, Taylor, and Gabriella stood there a moment longer.

"Want to come to my house?" Taylor asked, not wanting Gabriella to have to go home alone. "We can study for the Chem. test on Thursday."

Gabriella nodded, "Just let me call my mom and tell her."

She stepped off to the side as Taylor turned to Chad. "How are we going to do this?" she asked.

Chad shook his head; the only answer he could come up with was to ask Troy's parents what was going on. He barely saw Troy anymore and he doubted even if he could get the guy alone he wouldn't spill anything. The only other person who Chad would be able to find out info from was whoever Troy was seeing and he didn't even know if he was seeing someone else.

"I'm gonna go talk to Troy's parents tomorrow," he said. He couldn't today; his mother wanted help alphabetizing her Broadway CDs. Chad shuddered at the thought before kissing Taylor a quick good bye and walking off.

Taylor turned to Gabriella, waiting till she finished speaking with her mom before talking. "You ok?" she asked, hugging her friend.

Gabriella nodded sadly before walking off with Taylor…

Just behind the spot where the whole group had stood, a blonde sat looking out the library windows watching them. She frowned to herself when she saw Gabriella start to cry. She was taking the break up really hard, which made Sharpay feel all the more guilty at being the cause of it.

But she had to keep reminding herself, she hadn't made Troy break up with her, she hadn't asked him to. He did that on his own…it was his choice to be with her now. And everyone just had to accept it…no matter how hard it was…

"…still don't understand it," she heard Troy mutter from his seat next to her.

She looked over at him, as he stared intently at his notes, his Grapes of Wrath book lying open before him. She looked around briefly, no one ever used the library during finals week…it was weird…the one place you'd expect student to flock to study was barely even occupied.

"What don't you get?" she asked, trying to look of his shoulder and decipher his chicken scratch.

"What the hell does a turtle have to do with the Great Depression?" he asked, looking up at her, utter confusion shining through his eyes.

She smiled, "Mrs. Chase went over that when we first started reading." She flipped open her notebook, showing him what Mrs. Chase, their teacher, had said on the subject. "The turtle crossing the road is supposed to represent the hardships that the Oakies had to go through on their journey. To show how they had to be strong and keep going, to keep trying even though no one would help them."

Troy looked up at her, mouth open. She reached out and gently shut it, earning a smile from him, "Well, aren't you just little miss smarty pants?"

"Watch it Bolton," Sharpay replied jokingly, mocking offense, "I may act like a bitch, but that doesn't mean I can't be one from time to time…"

"It doesn't matter to me," he said, scribbling what she had said about the turtle down, "I'd love you anyway." She smiled softly, "And besides," he continued, "I don't think you'd dare be that mean to me…need I remind you?" he asked pulling out his camera phone, "The attack of the killer birds?"

He flashed her the picture of her tennis match with the pigeons attacking her, and she let out a loud laugh which she tried to hide…resulting in a combination of a sneeze and a snort.

"Shhhh!" one of the elderly librarians hissed.

"Sorry," Sharpay whispered back.

Troy laughed to himself before shutting his notebook and getting up. He offered his hand to Sharpay as she followed suit. Together they walked out to the back of the library so they could split up and go their separate ways.

Troy gave her a sweet kiss good bye, stepping away from her when he felt a tug. He looked back at Sharpay as she smiled.

"Sorry…" she started, "About yelling at you before…"

Troy smiled as well knowing she was referring to their previous…explosive…argument about punctuality. "You're not the only actor who can fake anger," he said jokingly. He stepped closer to her, "So…do you think I have a shot at acing our English final tomorrow?"

Sharpay laughed, "I don't know about acing," she said, "but you'll do pretty good."

He raised an eyebrow, smiling, "Well…I do know one subject I can ace…" he stepped closer to her.

"Oh?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck, "And what's that?"

"This," he said before planting one on her. The sugar sweet kiss soon turned passionate as tongues dueled for dominance. He pulled away; smirking at Sharpay's dazed expression.

"Well…" she started, clearing her throat, "You definitely have an A in my book…"

He let out a laugh before leaning down to kiss her good bye. This time he did step away from her, walking off around the building to head to the school for his car.

Sharpay leaned against the wall of the library, looking up at the sky catching her breath, "Wow…" was all she could say before she to headed around the edge of the building.

A/N – Yay! Another chappy done! I wanted to kinda put in something where the whole group is trying to figure out Troy and they leave without noticing he was right there behind them with Sharpay, lol. They sure are oblivious since Sharpay and Troy could be seen through the window. Next chapter will probably be Chad talking to Troy's parents about where he's been.