Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or the songs.

Chapter 5: Future Love

Baby, if they ask me

I would say "I don't even know your name"

And when they ask me "Does it change?"

"No, it don't change a thing."

Cuz' there's just something 'bout the way you'll love me

There's just something 'bout the way you'll know me

That I can't explain enough

There's just something 'bout future love

Zeke spoke up, "Isn't she something?" He said in an awed voice. Everyone turned to him.

"Dude, are you kidding me?! Sharpay?! Have you lost your mind?!" Chad asked in an I-can-believe-you tone.

"What?"

"Dude, when we mention her name, you're supposed to creep out with us, not get that smile on your face." Chad said.

"Well, just think about guys. She's hot, acts, sings like an angel, and she loves my cookies. She's perfect."

"Yeah, but she's also self-absorbed, a drama queen, not to mention, she's been after Troy since sixth grade." Jason said. "And did you just not hear her say that she has to go shopping for eight more pairs of shoes? Eight! I seriously doubt that you could handle that."

"I'm just lucky. I haven't given in to her charm. I'm a lot stronger than someone at this table." Troy said, and everyone turned to Zeke again. "I wouldn't be caught dead dating her."

"Well, who have you dated before, Troy?" Gabriella asked intrigued.

"Are you kidding me, Gabs? He focused on basketball and basketball alone. Let me tell you about my boy here." Chad said.

Begin Flashback

"Troy!" An eight-year-old Chad called out. "Catch!"

Troy caught the basketball that Chad had passed to him. He was in a two-on-two game with Chad, Jason, and Zeke. Zeke was defending the basket, but it was no use against eight-year-old Troy's advanced b-ball moves. Troy drove the ball around him and sunk the ball into the basket.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Chad said. "We won."

"Yeah!" Troy said high fiving his best friend.

"Well…" Jason was about to say something but stopped. "Never mind. You guys are too good."

"Hey, kids it's time to go to the Red Hawks' game!" Mr. Bolton called to them. "Get in the car!"

All four boys ran to the front yard to the car. Today they were going to the opening game of the Red Hawks' season, and they were excited that they could all go together to see their favorite team kick butt.

It wasn't a long drive to the U of A gym. In fact, if the future Wildcat team were forced to find their own way to the gym, they would've had no problem finding it. They knew it like the back of their hand. Chad and Troy had been going to U of A games since they had first been able to pick up a basketball. Zeke had moved to Albuquerque and joined the group when they were seven, and Jason had only come a few months before, but was already as close to them as if they had known each other their whole lives. The eight-year-olds were talking excitedly all the way there. They were talking about their favorite players and if the visiting team would even stand a chance against their team.

Jack Bolton and Charlie Danforth looked back at the boys behind them and enjoyed listening to what they were talking about. Jack and Charlie loved it when they were able to go to U of A games with the boys. Zeke and Jason had been accepted as part of the family. Their parents were close with each other. Jacob Cross and Mark Baylor had no problem with Jack and Charlie taking their boys to basketball games. Jack and Charlie treated Jason and Zeke as sons just like Jacob and Mark treated Troy and Chad as sons. It was a very smooth relationship that they shared between the four families. They did everything together. They went to dinner together; they went to parent teacher meetings; and they went to basketball games together. This is when most of the wives decided that they would stay out however. The dads didn't care. They saw it as a way to bond with their boys.

Once they arrived, Troy, Chad, Jason, and Zeke could barely contain their excitement. Jack being U of A alumni had managed to get courtside seats for the season and the boys were ecstatic. They were wearing their favorite player's Red Hawks' jerseys. Once they had their snacks and sat down in their seats, the game was about to get underway.

"And this is the opening game of the season. Your U of A Red Hawks against the UC Berkeley Bears."

Troy, Chad, Jason, and Zeke booed at the name of the visiting team.

"In the last season, the UC Berkeley was able to kick the U of A Red Hawks out of the playoffs. Today, the Red Hawks are ready to return the favor. Your starting line for your U of A Red Hawks is: Number 17 Junior Sean Carter! Number 23 Senior Shane Harper! Number 32 Senior David Huff! Number 8 Senior Roger Malaga! And your team captain Number 14 Junior Jaymz Tuaileva!"

The boys stood up and cheered for their favorite players along with the rest of the Red Hawks fans in the gym.

"And your line up for UC Berkeley: Number 9 Freshmen Andrew Winston! Number 56 Senior Craig Derosa! Number 7 Sophomore Hefa Tuita! Number 24 Junior Danny Axley! And their team captain Number 45 Senior Nick Lanzisera!"

A group of people located close to the court started to cheer. They were the only fans there. Chad scoffed at them.

"Let's get this game started! And there's the tip-off! Albuquerque with the ball! Huff passes the ball to Tuaileva, and Tuaileva goes up with the shot and two points for Red Hawks!"

The game was going back-and-forth between the teams; U of A would make a shot only to have Berkeley make one. But near the end of the fourth quarter, Berkeley got a foul and made one of the free throws. They were up by one.

"This game is intense! The Bears have just scored and are one point ahead of the Red Hawks! Bears are in possession of the ball. The Red Hawks have called a timeout and have time to make one more play. Let's see what Tuaileva has up his sleeve."

"Come on, Tuaileva. You can do it." Troy said to himself.

"And the Bears bring the ball down the court. Axley looks for an open man…Oh and it's stolen by Number 14! He's headed back the other way! Red Hawks have the ball! Time is running down the clock! Looking for an open man. Fake. Gets to the outside; ball to perimeter. Looks for a man on the inside. Nice Screen The shot is up…and it's good! The last point as the clock expires for the win! Red Hawks win the opening game against Berkeley!"

End Flashback

"So, Gabs, Troy has been focused on basketball since we were kids." Chad said.

"What does that have to do with girls and dating?" Taylor asked.

"Well, it's what happened after the game." Chad said.

Flashback

"Yeah!" Troy yelled. "He did it! Tuaileva did it!"

"Yeah. Did you see that screen that my boy Malaga set for him?" Chad asked.

"That's only because my man Harper was able to help out." Jason insisted.

"Well, Tuaileva only made that shot because Huff passed it to him on the inside." Zeke said.

"Troy?" A voice said behind him. They turned around.

"Hey, Sarah." Troy said.

"I didn't know that you were here." Sarah said.

"Um…yes you did. Remember. You asked us what we were doing on the weekend." Chad reminded her.

"Whatever. I still didn't expect to find you here at the game. I didn't even know that you were sitting here."

"Who took you, Sarah?" Jason asked.

"My parents. They're up there." Sarah pointed to her parents. They did take her to the game, but since it was so last minute, their seats were in the very furthest corner of the stadium.

"Didn't know where we were sitting, huh?" Chad said.

"No, I didn't. But can I help it if you guys appear on the screen?" She asked innocently. "So, Troy, did you enjoy the game?" She asked flirtatiously for an eight-year-old.

"Yeah. It was great. Did you notice how Tuaileva pulled that last shot off?"

"Who?" Sarah asked.

"You know, Tuaileva. The guy who shot the last point." Troy said.

"Oh. Him. Yeah. I guess."

"He knew how to steal the ball at the exact right time." Troy said absolutely fascinated.

"But I still say that Malaga's screen just made it happen." Chad insisted once again, and their whole argument started over again.

End Flashback

"Okay, Chad, how is it that you remember every single detail of one day for one Red Hawks game and the numbers and names of the players of each team, but you can't remember what Ms. Darbus taught us on Friday." Taylor asked.

"My brain contains a specific area reserved for basketball memories."

"Hey, aren't four of the starting players your numbers?" Kelsi asked.

"Yeah." Zeke said. "Harper was Number 23, and he was Jason's favorite; Huff was Number 32, and he was mine; Malaga was Number 8 and Chad's person; and Tuaileva was Number 14 and Troy's favorite."

"Why was he your favorite?" Gabriella asked.

"Well, he was the first ever sophomore to make starting line up, and he was only a junior when he was voted team captain."

"Hey, I just realized something." Taylor said. "The way they won, is exactly how you guys one the championships."

"Hey, you're right." Jason said nodding his head. "Wait, what?"

"Ugh. Jason." Everyone sighed.

"What?"

"All right. I will say this slowly. The way that the Red Hawks won that game, was the exact same way you Wildcats won the championship this year."

"Oh. Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?" Jason said.

"I guess we paid more attention to them than I thought." Troy said.

"Anyways, you guys didn't see Sarah the rest of the game?" Martha asked.

"Nope. By the time we had settled the argument, we were already on our way home. But I still think that Malaga helped." Chad said again.

"No way it was totally Harper-" Jason was cut off.

"We are not going to have this argument all over again." Troy said, and they stopped.

"So what's the deal with Sharpay?" Gabriella asked.

"Oh. I can totally answer that." Chad said. And he took them to another memory. "It was sixth grade and Troy, Jason, Zeke, and I were going to the circus. Sharpay had just started liking Troy."

Flashback

Jacob Cross and Mark Baylor were taking the eleven-year-old boys to the circus that was in town for one day. They started walking around and looking at all the stuff that interested them. They looked a man who could blow spout fire out of his mouth, and they saw a person who they couldn't decide if it was a man or a woman, and they saw a man with two hooks for hands. After a few hours of wandering, it was time for the main event to start. Before they were even able to get seated, a familiar voice crashed the party.

"Troy!"

They turned around and found a pink, sparkle clad Sharpay with Ryan in tow. Their servant Mandy had brought them since their parents were away on business.

"Hey…Sharpay." Troy greeted politely.

"Hey! Would you mind if I sat next to you?" Sharpay asked.

Troy looked at his friends. Their heads were shaking vigorously.

"Sure." He said. The boys all groaned. The last thing that they needed was the sixth grade drama queen to put a damper on their day.

Chad leaned close to Jason and Zeke and whispered, "She couldn't wait to torture us on Monday?" Both boys laughed at the joke, unfortunately he didn't say it quietly enough.

"What was that, Hair Boy?" Sharpay said.

"Nothing, Drama Queen." Chad said with a smirk on his face.

"Really." Sharpay said.

"Yup." Chad turned and gave Jason and Zeke high fives.

"So, Troy, what have you been doing throughout the day?" Sharpay asked.

"Well, we've been walking around and seeing all the circus acts." Troy said.

"Really. That's really cool. Oh the show is starting." Sharpay and Troy stopped talking.

"Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen! I am Ringmaster El Magnifico! Our circus family is very happy that so many of you have turned up to see our show. Oh look. Here comes one of the family now. Please welcome, Bongo the clown and his band!" The audience cheered.

Troy looked over and saw a pale faced Sharpay. It was apparent that she was frightened of the makeup wearing jesters. She tried to find comfort in him, by hiding behind his shoulder, but being an eleven year old, he didn't want to help her in that kind of way.

Throughout the act, she grew more and more pale. Before he knew what was happening, he saw a flash of pink run into the ring and grab a rubber chicken from one of the clowns and started beating every single clown in the ring. Troy, Chad, Jason, and Zeke entertained at first saw how she hit every clown with more and more accuracy and grew more and more afraid for the clowns' lives. Along with her piercing screams and war cries, the sight was frightening to see. Ryan and Mandy had to run into the ring to stop Sharpay. She was kicking and screaming on the way out. She still had the rubber chicken in her hand while they were dragging her out.

End flashback

"Wow." Gabriella said. "So that's what happened with the rubber chicken."

"Yup." Troy said. "It was the scariest thing my eleven-year-old mind had ever witnessed."

"Now that I think about it, she was really cute while she was beating up those clowns." Said Zeke.

"Shut up, Zeke." Chad said. "Just shut up. Need I remind you of the incident in middle school?"

Flashback

It was nearing the end of basketball season. This would be the last game that Troy, Chad, Jason, and Zeke would ever play in middle school. It was their last game as the Eastside Hawks It was against their rivals, the Westside Shocks. The game was underway. Everyone came to support the Eastside Hawks against their rivals. Troy, Chad, Jason, and Zeke's parents were in the stands cheering them on with signs and confetti.

"All right, guys. We've been waiting for this moment. This is our moment to shine." A thirteen-year-old team captain Troy encouraged. "We can beat these guys."

"You're right, Troy. Who are we?" Chad screamed.

"Hawks!" The team replied. Even then, they were the essence of team spirit.

Unfortunately, Sharpay had turned up for the last part of the game. The Shocks were behind by two points. This week she had been trying especially hard to earn Troy's affections. The Sadie Hawkins' dance was coming up, and she was determined to have Troy as her date. She brought her brother along. She watched Troy as she was deciding when the best time to ask him would be. She ran down to where he was. But the moment she had chosen to ask him was when Eastside had the ball, and Troy was open for a three to win the game. He was just about to put it up at the very last millisecond before he was knocked over by none other than a person dressed from head to toe in pink. They lost.

"Troy, would you be my date to the Sadie Hawkins' dance?" Sharpay asked.

End Flashback

"We lost the game, and she still had the nerve to ask Troy, but he said 'no', of course." Chad said shaking his head. "I still can't believe that the refs didn't call anything on that. It was a total interference."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. Besides we've repaid Alan Salazar. Didn't you see his face when I made that last shot at the championship?" Troy asked.

"Yeah. That was pretty sweet." Zeke agreed.

"Anyways, back to my first point. See, Gabs, Troy hasn't dated. He was too into basketball. And then when his dad started coaching us, it's just been really tough. He always expects Troy to pull of these amazing stunts."

"I didn't realize that you had a soft spot, Chad." Troy said.

"I may be like this, Troy, but you're my best friend. There's always a soft spot for ya." Chad said. "I always know when you want me to back off of something." Troy looked at him. "Most of the time." He gave him another look. "All right. It takes me a few times for me to figure it out. But in the end, I do back off, and you do get your way. Okay?"

"Okay. Remember when you first heard that I turned down a girl?" Troy asked.

End Flashback

Chad came running through the hall to Troy's locker. There were some people talking to him, but Chad ignored them as he made his way over to his best friend. "Dude, is it true?" He asked Troy pushing his way through the circle of people surrounding him.

"Okay, guys, I'll see you later." The ring of people melted into the crowded hall. "What's true, Chad?" Troy asked opening up his locker.

"Is it true that Mollee Gray asked you out?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Yeah. That's my boy." Chad said. Chad had been waiting a long time to here that. Troy's dad made him focus on basketball for the past two years, so he didn't really have time to date. Now that he had secured the team captain title, he was open to date.

"Woah, woah, Chad, slow down. Yeah she asked me out, but I said, 'no'."

"What?! Why in your right mind would you say no?! She's hot; she's the head cheerleader; and she never dates anyone that's not on the football team. Why did you say no?"

"You wouldn't get it, Man." Troy said.

"Oh, yeah? Try me."

"There's another girl." Troy said reluctantly.

"What? What other girl? How come you haven't told me about her before? What's her name?" Chad asked hurriedly.

Troy rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know."

"Her name is 'I Don't Know'?" Chad asked.

"No, Chad, I don't know her name."

"What? Then how do you know that there's another girl?" Chad asked.

"I just do."

"And it doesn't change the fact that you don't know who it is."

"I don't know who she is; I don't know what she looks like, but there's just another girl. It's just this gut feeling that I have. I'll know her when I see her. Don't ask me how. I just will. When I know, I'll ask her out. Just call it future love. Trust me."

"All right. I'll trust you."

End Flashback

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that memory. See, Gabs. Even more proof from your man here. He'd only ask the girl out if he really, really liked her."

"Well, I feel very privileged." Gabriella said, taking his hand into hers.

"Guys, sorry to break up this moment, I don't know about you, but I think I'm in the mood to eat." Jason said.

They had gotten so caught up in the flashbacks and Sharpay that they hadn't gotten any food.

They were all in the mood for pizza. They decided that they would head over to the pizza parlor near East High. It wasn't far from the mall.

"Okay, Tay, what do you want?" Chad asked when they arrived.

"Black olives and mushrooms." She replied immediately.

"I should've known. I cannot believe that you like that stuff. Pepperoni and sausage for me any day."

Troy laughed at the odd pair. He couldn't understand how they could stand each other. They were like oil and water, like night and day. They disagreed about most everything. "What'll it be, Gabi?" Troy asked. He grew fond of the nickname that he had given her. He knew that technically is wasn't even his nickname for her. Her mom and Taylor already called her that. Chad already had his nickname for her. He made a mental note to give her one.

"I think I'll have my regular." Gabriella said.

"Pepperoni-pineapple-combo." Troy and Gabriella said in unison.

"You guys should not do that." Chad said.

"What?" They asked simultaneously.

"That."

"Why?" They asked once again in unison.

"Because it is so creepy." Chad said.

"Well, we can't…" Troy began.

"Help it." Gabriella finished his sentence.

"You guys are officially creeping me out. How do you that?" Chad asked. "First the talking at the same time part and then the finishing of the sentences."

"I don't know. It just…"Gabriella started.

"Happens." Troy finished for her.

"Wow." Taylor said. "Are you sure that you've only been together for a few days? It's more like you've been dating for a few years. You two haven't been dating for more than a week, and you're already talking in unison and finishing each other's sentences."

"And that what creeps me out." Chad said.

"Chad, just stop." Taylor said. "A lot of things creep you out."

"Oh, yeah like what?" Chad asked challenging her.

"Sharpay." Taylor simply said.

"Okay, you got me on that one. But you can't name anything else."

"Ms. Darbus and Amy Locke." Taylor named them off in less than five seconds.

"Amy Locke?" Gabriella asked curiously.

"It's no one." Chad insisted. "She's no one."

"Amy Locke is a cheerleader who Chad took out a year ago. The date didn't end well. She dumped her soda on him and screamed at him." Troy explained.

"And why does she creep you out?" Gabriella asked.

"Her scream is the most piercing, scary… It beats Sharpay. I'll leave it at that."

"Ah. That about sums it up." Gabriella said.

"Yeah." Chad agreed.

"Oh. Don't forget poetry." Troy added.

"Poetry?" Taylor and Gabriella asked next.

"That is a different story." Chad said.

Author's Note: I hope that you guys enjoyed that little bit of the boy's childhood. I particularly liked writing this chapter. I hope that it was okay. Little fun fact. The names of the basketball players and the 3rd girl mentioned in the flashbacks were all names of principle dancers from High School Musical. Just thought you'd like to know. Thanks again. Please review. They're really helpful and encourage me to write more.