Chapter Sixteen
The next day was nearly the best day that Troy had had yet…not counting last Saturday when he and Sharpay finally got their feelings out in the open. He and Sharpay had met bright and early, sneaking her out of the house right under Ryan's nose. They went to IHOP to get some breakfast, which Troy insisted on paying for, before heading out to the Children's hospital and hour early. Troy had come up with a great idea for that day, which would entertain the kids as well as get them both pumped up for play that night. Darbus always stressed the lazy two, how you get through a really great performance and then the second time you have to do it…right before the last day…you get sloppy because you've already done it.
Troy managed to find a Halloween costume he had from last year, he, Chad, Zeke, and Jason had gone to the school's costume party as the four musketeers. With a few minor adjustments and some slight tweaking here and there…Troy was now Prince Troy! He and Sharpay were going to act out a fairy tale instead of just reading it out to the kids…they'd get to see it instead of hear it. Sharpay was so excited to try it out…especially with Troy as her prince…and the kids really seemed to enjoy it.
They did read a few more tales to the kids; they had only gone over one story because they hadn't known if the children would like it very much. And pretty soon it was time for them to head out and grab some lunch before Sharpay's soccer and singing practice, both of which went by relatively well.
They went to the park after her singing lesson, having a make shift picnic…well, eating bagged dinners at the picnic bench area. They got some ice cream just after at the ice cream hut near the park's lake and gobbled it up in five minutes, laughing at each other as brain freezes took their toll. Once the brain freezes passed, they realized that eating chocolate ice cream probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. They had to project in a few hours and the chocolate would coat their throats…
But they didn't really care, they just spent the next hour and a half walking around the huge lake, holding hands and talking about nothing in particular…until it was time to head to the school.
They made it there before any of their friends…which was a good thing for them because they both arrived in Sharpay's car. They headed into the chorus room turned dressing room and went their separate ways…Troy going over his lines and Sharpay to talk with Ms. Darbus.
The cast had made sure that no one slacked off the entire time they were on stage, rewarding themselves with a cast party at one Dutch's house, he was a senior. Everyone went…which didn't make it hard at all for Sharpay and Troy to slip off once everyone left to head over. No one would notice them not being there, there were a lot of people going. The cast, the cast's friends, back stage, back stage's friends, and some other random people that no one knew.
Troy held the front door to the Evan's house open for Sharpay as soon as she unlocked it, they were laughing hysterically at an inside joke. Sharpay threw her stuff down on the stairs, before leading Troy to their entertainment room down the hall. It was really dark outside, the forecasts had been calling for a thunderstorm all day and it finally looked like it was going to happen.
Already sounds of thunder could be heard as Troy plopped down on the couch in front of a big screen TV while Sharpay wandered over to the DVD shelf.
"So…what do you want to watch?" Sharpay asked, glancing over at him.
He smiled, "I don't know, anything's good with me."
Sharpay smiled, she'd been hoping he'd say that. She pulled out a black DVD case, opening it up and plopping it into the TV. She sat back down by Troy, who wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to him, as the movie's main menu came up.
"The Mummy?" Troy asked, looking at her…he'd expected her to pick a chick flick like the Notebook or something.
She nodded, leaning into him, "The guys are so hott in that movie."
"Not hotter than me I hope," he said trying to sound offended.
She peeked up at him, "No one is hotter than you," she reaffirmed, giving him a soft kiss on the lips.
But Troy caught her and deepened it, pulling away a minute or two later. "You ready for the movie?" he asked, reaching over to pick up the remote.
"Huh?" she asked still in a daze from the kiss, "Whah?"
Troy laughed inwardly; he loved it when he had that affect on her.
"You know," he said starting the movie, "The Mummy…with those hott guys?"
Sharpay shook her head, "Forget that," she said, pulling him towards her once again.
And that was how the majority of the night was spent, with two young teenagers in love and a movie barely watched…
Troy jolted away at the sound of thunder booming. He looked down; he was lying on his back across the couch, Sharpay sleeping half on him and the couch with her head resting on his chest. He smiled softly, looking out side to see it rain pouring in sheets. He glanced back up at the screen, the movie was just coming to an end and soon the credits would roll.
He looked back down at Sharpay, brushing a piece of hair away from her face so it wouldn't wake her. He let out a sigh, wrapping his arms more tightly around her. He thought back to the past four weeks, remembering all the times he'd had with her, all the jokes and the laughs they'd shared.
His memories shifted as he thought of how much she meant to him. When he had gone out with Gabriella, when she had refused to talk to him…he'd been distracted, not really feeling up to basketball, and slightly annoyed that she kept avoiding him. But with Sharpay…when she didn't speak to him, just for those few hours of school and before play…all he could think about was how to make it up to her. He couldn't concentrate in any of his classes, all day he couldn't focus…not even after the teachers hounded him to pay attention; he just kept thinking of the look in Sharpay's eyes when she'd come into homeroom…
He hadn't eaten lunch, taking one bite out of his sandwich before throwing it out…he hadn't even eaten dinner, but it didn't matter to him. He hadn't put his heart into the b-ball game with Sharpay, hoping that he could let her win and make her feel better but she didn't put her all into it either. He barely spoke to anyone...anyone…not even the teachers when they asked him a question…He just couldn't stop thinking about what had happened and how angry he was with himself for being the cause of Sharpay's hurt. He was even willing to make a fool out of himself to get her to smile for him again, he did make a fool out of himself…in front of nearly the entire school…but it was all worth it because she did smile, even if it was a small one…
He hugged her closer to him, those few hours when she wouldn't speak were the worst hours of his life. The whole day he'd felt this weird sort of pressure inside him…a hole almost, like something was missing…her smile, her laugh was all it took to fill up the hole and lessen the pressure… but…whenever he wasn't near her, the pressure was there, in the back of his mind…sometimes…sometimes he even felt like he couldn't breathe unless she was there with him…near him…it was like she was his air…with out her he'd…
He didn't know.
He tightened his arm around her waist; closing his eyes, feeling sleep creep up on him as he breathed in her scent…he truly did love her…
The storm raged on outside, forcing six figures to race towards the house in hopes of making it with out getting too soaked. One of the boys ran to the front door holding an umbrella up, keeping him and a girl from getting wetter then they already were. He handed the umbrella to the girl, digging in his pockets and fiddling with the keys he pulled out till he found the right one. He opened the door, rushing inside before ushering everyone else in.
Gabriella handed the umbrella back to Ryan as she stepped as side to avoid getting wet as Taylor and Kelsi shut their umbrellas and Chad, Jason, and Zeke shook off their coats.
She looked around, the house was huge! There was a stair case leading to a second floor, though from the outside it looked like there could have been another one on top of that. Her eyebrows furrowed when a noise reached her ears…it sounded like a buzzing noise…coming from down the hall. Naturally curious in her scientific nature, she took a few steps down the hall knowing she was heading in the right direction when the noise got louder.
She saw that the door to a room at the end of the hall was partially open, just a crack, and that they noise was coming from the other side. She gently pushed the door open, seeing that the buzzing was static from the TV that had been left on. She took a step into the room, looking for the remote to shut the TV off when she spotted it on a coffee table just in front of a couch.
She took a step forward but stopped, her mouth dropping open unconsciously as she took in the sight before her.
Troy was lying on the couch, on his back, with his arms wrapped around none other than Sharpay Evans! She was practically lying on top of him!
But for some reason the most shocking thing for Gabriella was not seeing her boyfriend…ex-boyfriend lying on a couch with the Ice Queen laying on top of him…it was what Sharpay was wearing that got to her. She was wearing a pair of torn jeans that the Sharpay Evans she knew would not be caught dead in, and a plain green tank top…not a pink sparkly one.
They shifted in their sleep and Gabriella watched as Troy tightened his hold on Sharpay, a soft smile on their faces. She shut her mouth then; smiling softly at them…they must care about each other deeply…
"Hey!" She heard a voice exclaim from the door, she turned to see Ryan make his way in,
"Why's the TV on?" he asked, stepping in and picking up the remote. He shut the TV off, turning to face Gabriella, cocking his head to the side when he noticed she wasn't even looking at him. He followed her gaze only to see…his sister and the guy she despised asleep on the couch!?!
His eye widened in shock and he was pretty sure that if he'd been drinking or eating something right now he'd have either choked on it or spit it out. His mouth dropped open…he couldn't move…he didn't understand...what was going on?
"What's wrong?" he heard someone ask from the door way. He barely looked up as Chad, Zeke, Jason, and Kelsi entered the room and over to where he was standing…just before seeing what he was seeing…and going through the same reactions…
"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Taylor shrieked coming in a few seconds after them to see Troy and…Sharpay (!)…asleep on the couch…well…they were asleep…
Troy and Sharpay jerked awake as soon as Taylor had shouted. They looked around at everyone staring at them before scrambling up knowing that their secret was out.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!?" Taylor shouted at them, hands on her hips, anger flashing though her eyes.
"We were watching a movie," Sharpay said. Gabriella's eyes narrowed slightly…since when did Sharpay speak and not snap?
"And we fell asleep," Troy finished. He slipped his hand into Sharpay's, knowing that she was terrified at that moment of what was about to happen.
Unfortunately, this action didn't go unnoticed by Taylor…
"So she's the two bit hussy you fucked in New York?" Taylor bit out incredulously.
"Taylor!" Gabriella shouted, completely scandalized that her friend would say such a thing.
Sharpay turned at that and quickly fled the room, followed quickly by Troy who threw a glare over his shoulder at everyone.
He managed to catch up to her just as she opened the front door…where she was about to go…Troy didn't know…
He turned her to face him as she glared at him, "Sharpay…" he started, reaching out for her, she stepped back, "She didn't mean it."
"Who the hell do you think you're kidding Troy?" she asked, and Troy knew she was only glaring, using her anger to try to postpone her tears.
"She's just pissed because I broke up with her best friend and didn't tell her boy friend anything about why," he said, he reached out, this time managing to seize her hands.
"No!" Sharpay answered, "She's just saying what she thinks of me for once."
"Hey!" Troy said, letting go of one of her hands to cup her cheek. She turned away, but Troy gently made her look at him, "Hey…look…" she looked at him, "Taylor…her opinion of you doesn't matter at all. Okay? The only people who have any right to make an opinion of you are Ryan and…"
"He called me a bitch," she said, a tear slowly falling from her eye.
"He's not the sharpest pencil in the case," Troy said, trying to get a laugh out of her as he brushed the tear away with his thumb, "You know that…" She let out a low chuckle, "The only people are Ryan and me…and I could never think of you like that…"
Sharpay looked down, but Troy brought her gaze back to him. "Do you remember what I told you in New York? Just after I kissed you after we sang?"
She smiled guiltily and looked at his ear instead of his eyes, "Not really…" she started, "I was just trying to keep from jumping on you till we go back to the room…"
He laughed at that, getting a small laugh from her as well, "Well, let me tell you…" And with that he went on to list everything he loved about her and then some. When he finished a good few minutes later, Sharpay was smiling, and crying freely. He reached out and pulled her to him, enveloping her into the gentlest, most loving embrace he could muster. He held her to him for a few moments more, just to reemphasize how much he cared about her.
"Taylor doesn't know you," he whispered as he pulled back slowly, "I do…" he leaned in and kissed her softly. "I love you."
She smiled more, "I love you too," she looked around the house and down at the ground, there were a few backpacks and duffle bags by the closet…Ryan must have invited everyone to stay the night. "Can we…can we go somewhere?" she asked, she most definitely didn't want to be in the same house as everyone.
He looked down and noticed the bags as well, he nodded, "Yeah, you can stay at my house tonight." He'd asked her if she needed to get anything, but she had replied no, she always kept a spare change of clothes in her duffle bag along with a few toiletries. She'd said that she never knew how dirty she'd get during a practice or if she'd have to 'freshen' up before seeing people from school.
She took a step to the stairs, noticing that Troy had yet to let go of her hand, before grabbing her duffle bag and turning to him. He opened the door, knowing not to offer her an umbrella…she loved the rain…and with that…they ran out to his car, shutting the door behind them…
Gabriella sighed as she took a step towards the door to the hallway. She leaned against the door frame watching Troy talk to Sharpay by the front door. She looked back at her friends, they were either arguing against Taylor's attitude and choice of words or for her defense of a friend. It was a pretty heated one. Chad, Taylor and Jason were arguing against Ryan, Zeke, and Kelsi. It was getting really annoying, she'd gotten over the break up…at least mostly…and she was happy that Troy had found someone new…someone he really cared deeply about…now if only her friends would see that…
"…not that bad…"
She looked over at Troy and Sharpay, she kept trying to look away but Troy kept forcing her to look at him.
"…it's Sharpay!"
Gabriella tilted her head, wishing she could hear what Troy was saying. Whatever it was, it was calming her down.
"…way out of line…"
She frowned as she saw Troy pull her into a hug…it wasn't a frown at the hug…it was a frown at Sharpay's tears…
"…frigid bitch…"
…she had never seen the girl cry like that before…she had never seen much emotion from her before…
"…don't know her…"
…why hadn't she ever seen Sharpay like that? Was she hiding something? Was there really more to Sharpay Evans than meets the eye?
"…Ice Queen…"
She watched as they pulled away from each other, Troy kissed her softly before Sharpay looked around the room. She said something to Troy and he nodded. She turned and picked up something from the stairs…
"…and Troy…"
She smiled softly as Sharpay and Troy ran out side, the door shutting behind them…
"…Gabriella…"
"Guys!" Gabriella shouted, turning to face them, "Enough!"
They all stared at her as if she had gone off the deep end. She looked at each of them, tears filling her eyes, she really couldn't stand much more of their arguing, "Just stop…"
Taylor glared at Ryan as if it were his fault his sister was Troy's new beau, before heading over to Gabriella and enveloping her in a sisterly hug.
"Yeah…" Kelsi murmured softly, "Why don't we just forget this for now and watch the movie like we planned?"
Everyone agreed, though reluctantly, and settled down on the couch and floor to watch The Notebook…
A/N – The gang knows…how long will it take before the rest of the cast knows? Before the school knows