Better that we break

"So Troy, the championships in a month!" Jack Bolton said excitedly as he threw the ball to his son, Gabriella had left more than two hours ago and still Troy's face was plastered with his goofy grin.

"Oh, yeah." Troy said in a daze, dribbling the ball. "I completely forgot!"

"Yeah," Jack muttered, "that's kind of my point." When Troy looked at him with a confused expression Jack continued, "I mean I think it's great that you stepped in for Ryan because Sharpay was hurt, but she should be better soon so maybe you could quit the musical? Time to focus on what's really important…"

"I guess." Troy wondered aloud, truthfully he would miss the rehearsals, or was it the rehearsals or Gabriella he'd miss. Jack seemed to read his mind.

"Don't worry; you can still see Gabriella, after the championships." He said in a reassuring tone.

Troy stopped dribbling the ball and let it roll away. "What do you mean after the championships?"

Jack held his hands up in defence, "don't get me wrong Troy, your mother and I really like Gabriella, she seems like a great girl-

"She is." Troy said firmly, not liking where the conversation was going.

"But I don't think you can afford to get distracted now, you have a lot on your plate at the moment. I called Miss Darbus and told her about the situation with the championships and she said Ryan can start rehearsing next week!" Jack smiled as if he had lifted a huge load off Troy's shoulders.

"But Dad…" Troy faltered, "I like doing the musical."

"But you don't want to let your team down now, do you? Chad, Jason, Zeke, Nick..." Troy flinched at the last name, "and everyone else, they're all counting on you. And there are scouts coming to the game, it's the chance of a lifetime for you…"

Troy nodded knowing this was the truth, he knew he'd have to cherish this next week of rehearsals. He was pretty sure Gabriella wouldn't talk to him after he dropped out.

It was becoming increasingly difficult for Troy and Gabriella to be around each other. Especially as Troy had the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that this was his last rehearsal. It had been over a week since the party and Gabriella sleeping at his house and neither of them had made a move. The reason? They were never alone together. They were with Chad and Taylor at school and Miss Darbus and Kelsi at rehearsals. Gabriella was trying to force herself out of love with Troy, knowing the harder you fall someone the more it'll hurt if they're not there to catch you. However, she thought, she could always admire from afar and that's what she spent most of their rehearsals doing. She would watch the way his mouth moved when he sang or the way he moved so freely when he danced. He had lied when he had made himself out to be a terrible dancer, he was brilliant.

"Okay, let's work out this dance." Miss Darbus clapped her hands, bringing Troy and Gabriella to attention and out of their fantasies about each other. "This is a slow number, and it's where Arnold and Minnie start to fall in love. Come forwards you two and face opposite each other." Troy and Gabriella did as instructed, standing extremely close to each other. "Okay, now Troy, put your hand on Gabriella's waist, Gabriella put your left hand on his shoulder." Troy moved to hold her waist, his large hand wrapping perfectly around it. He felt a spark as soon as he had touched her and knew Gabriella had felt it too, she put both hands on his shoulders, instead of just one and Troy put his other hand on her waist. They barely heard Miss Darbus instructing Kelsi to play the instrumental from the second act and completely didn't acknowledge as she started to play it.

"Miss Darbus," Kelsi whispered as she played, "they're not in the right waltz position."

"I know." Miss Darbus replied, "but let's just let it come naturally shall we?" Kelsi nodded with a smile on her face and watched Gabriella and Troy who had begun to slow dance, oblivious to the two people watching them. "Ahem, Troy! Let's go from your line." Miss Darbus called.

Troy cleared his throat and looked into Gabriella's eyes, "Minnie, I need to tell you something…"

Gabriella tightened her grip around his neck as they continued to dance, her hands were just touching the ends of his hair he could feel it tickling and it was driving him crazy, "Yes, Arnold?"

Troy spun Gabriella out and then pulled her back into him, their bodies collided and their foreheads were touching, their breathing shallow. "I'm in love with you, Minnie. You have no idea how long I've wanted to tell you that. How much I've thought it and had the words right on the tip of my tongue but then lost my courage when I look at you, but I need to tell you now before I burst…I've loved you ever since I met you." Troy said the speech as he had practised, normally when he was rehearsing it in his room, it was half-hearted and rushed. But today as Troy looked at Gabriella and said the speech, he knew they were the most sincere words he had ever spoken in his life.

"I love you too…Arnold." Gabriella whispered, careful not to say Troy. She looked at his lips, revelling in the beautiful words that had just escaped them, it may be wrong to fall for him but the feeling was too right to be ignored. His hand moved from her waist to her cheek and cupped her face, grazing her cheek with his thumb, aching to close the painfully small gap between themselves and connect their lips...

"Bravo! Bravo! Brilliant scene you two, although Troy the kiss isn't for another two scenes, someone's eager!" Miss Darbus beamed.

"Oh, sorry." Troy replied meekly, dropping his hands from Gabriella, "was just too into the scene…" He trailed off looking at Gabriella, she was breathing heavily obviously still affected by their intense moment. Miss Darbus looked between the two of them, the heat between them practically fogging up the windows.

"Um…let's stop here for today, great work you two." Kelsi nodded in agreement at Miss Darbus' suggestion and the two left the room, leaving Troy and Gabriella alone. There was a deathly silence between the pair as all their concentration was going into stopping themselves from walking straight up to the other and kissing them.

"Listen, Gabriella." Troy muttered, avoiding her gaze and busying himself, "I think it's best if…I mean maybe we shouldn't…" He trailed off wondering whether he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life.

"Maybe we shouldn't what?" Gabriella pressed.

"What I'm trying to say is, I can't do both the musical and the championships…and this championship is the most important game of my life, there's going to be scouts there and as much as I don't want to let you down. I just need to do this." Troy said more determined than he felt. He looked at Gabriella who was silent.

"I understand." Gabriella said simply as she packed her bag.

"Y-you do?" Troy stuttered, he hadn't expected this to be easy.

"Yeah, this game is more important to you than anything; of course you can't miss it." Gabriella smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes which were filled with disappointment, which Troy missed.

"Sharpay still isn't well enough to perform but Miss Darbus went and asked Ryan if he would step in, and he said yes he would, he wasn't going to let Sharpay control him anymore!" Troy smiled, proud of Ryan's actions.

"Good for him." Gabriella said distantly, putting on her coat. She looked at her watch, "well I better get going, good luck with the game, Troy." She smiled at him and left the hall. As Troy watched her go, he felt unease coming over him. She had taken it well, too well. Was she simply hiding her anger at him for letting her down? Or did he mean nothing to her and she didn't care who she performed with? He shook off the thoughts knowing he would only end up upsetting himself.

2.00am - Taylor's house

"Thanks Tay." Gabriella muffled, her mouth full of ice cream. "I really…" she swallowed, "needed this." Gabriella wordlessly handed the tub of Haagen Daz and spoon over to Taylor. They were sat on the sofa in Taylor's living room, in their pajamas, their large slippers propped up on a stool as they watched The Notebook.

"Tell me about it." Taylor nodded as she stuffed her face with ice cream, "Chad is being so…Chad!!" Taylor said spooning the ice cream into her mouth at an alarming speed, obviously it wasn't just her anger she was swallowing, she suddenly stopped and hit her hand to her head. "Ow, brain freeze…"

Gabriella giggled and took the opportunity, "look, Ryan Gosling shirtless!" Gabriella pointed to the TV and Taylor's eyes immediately shot to the television screen, Gabriella took her chance and snatched the ice cream from her friend, and smiled as Taylor realised Ryan Gosling was in fact fully clothed.

Gabriella laughed and licked the spoon innocently, "you know, for a smart person, that was a really dumb trick to fall for!" Taylor responded by throwing a pillow at Gabriella who squealed and ran into the kitchen.

"There. It's finished." Taylor groaned as she licked the last bit of ice cream from the spoon."

"I am never going to eat…again." Gabriella groaned, rubbing her stomach. She sat up at the kitchen table as Taylor passed her a cup of coffee, stupid thing to drink at 2am, but oh well. Gabriella thanked Taylor for the drink and then something her friend had mentioned earlier finally registered. "What's going on with you and Chad?"

"Honestly?" Taylor said looking over her steaming mug of hot chocolate.

"Honestly." Gabriella nodded.

"I have no idea." Taylor shrugged. "It's so difficult, biology: easy, maths: simplest thing ever. But boys? I am afraid even I can't figure that one out."

"If you ever do, let me know." Gabriella smiled, placing a comforting hand on Taylor's arm.

Taylor smiled at Gabriella's comment, drained the remainder of her mug and stood up, "Who needs them anyway??" Taylor stuck out her hand which Gabriella took, questioning look on her face. "Let's go up to my room and just talk, about everything and anything, I'll take the dvd upstairs and we can finish it there. One condition, we don't talk about the enigma that is…boys." Taylor was encouraged by Gabriella's enthusiastic nod. "Tonight will be boy free."

Five minutes later…

"And then he doesn't even call the next day!" Taylor finished, hugging her pillow, the 'no boys' rule had lasted all but two minutes.

"Maybe he wanted to give you space. After all you were ill, and he did look after you the whole night…" Gabriella reasoned, always the diplomat.

"Chad lives off space! I swear sometimes he acts like the other side of the world wouldn't be enough space from me." Taylor vented. Gabriella could see Taylor was really upset, but Gabriella didn't know why, she felt she had missed a whole chunk of her friend's life because she'd been so caught up with her own problems.

"Tay, do you mind filling me in, I really have no idea what Chad's done to make you so mad…."

Troy was tossing and turning in his bed, analysing his conversation with Gabriella that afternoon. He knew they hadn't been friends for long but he was able to sense when she was upset. Then suddenly her words flashed across his mind.

"Yeah, this game is more important to you than anything; of course you can't miss it."

Troy slapped his hand to his head in realisation; she thought he was choosing basketball over her. She thought that basketball was more important to him than her. A while ago he would have agreed with her, but now he was sure she was the most important thing in his life. He needed to make her understand.

2.35am

"Then he said he likes me, but it wouldn't go with his reputation. He said his social status would drop." Taylor muttered, as Gabriella sat on Taylor's bed embracing her friend in a hug. Gabriella looked longingly over at her sleeping bag, knowing she wouldn't be joining it anytime soon.

"Wait a second. He said going out with you would ruin his reputation??" Gabriella was getting annoyed. No one hurts her best friend. When Taylor nodded, Gabriella got an idea. "Well, if Chad comes up to you and asks you out, you'll just have to tell him that it would be bad for your reputation and leave him. I know it's harsh Tay, but he needs to learn social status isn't everything. If he really likes you, he'll come back."

Taylor nodded, trusting Gabriella's opinion. "What about you Gabi, why are you so down?"

"Troy." Gabriella shrugged simply, as if there would be any other reason. "He quit the musical today."

"Why?" Taylor asked, wondering if she and Troy had had a fight.

"Basketball, it's the championships soon and I can see it's really important to him so I'm not mad or anything, it's just…I'll miss spending time with him." She paused. "Does I sound really selfish?"

Taylor shook her head, "No, you sound like someone in love." Taylor smiled at her friend's jaw dropping. Gabriella opened her mouth to disagree but then stopped to think, she felt something for Troy that was for sure, but what did he feel? "It was so much easier when we used to hate them." Taylor muttered as she got into bed, Gabriella smiled at her friend's comment and not unusually, Troy was her last thought as her head finally hit the pillow.

There we are, I know I promised drama, and it'll come but when I say drama I don't mean it for the sake of it, I'm not going to throw in abusive parents or rapings or anything like that, and all those things could make it seem too unrealistic and I don't want that, besides there are so many stories out there that write those kind of plotlines so well, not saying they're unrealistic just saying those plotlines fit better than they do in this story. But what I do want is reviews, so if you have anything you'd like to say, any plot lines or characters you'd like to see. I'd be glad to hear them. Hope you liked the chapter!