Disclaimer: Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson does not and will not ever belong to me. Neither will HSM and related characters. Except Kirsti, her I own.
"Look who's back folks!" The host held out his arm signaling to Gabriella, who walked onto the stage holding a microphone, "The last contestant to make it through last week's elimination round. Gabriella Montez!"
Quickly he hurried off the stage while the brunette stood in the center. It had been a week since her first performance and things had been going well. She had actually managed to have a whole conversation with Kirsti and had remembered to study for an English test. People she had never spoken to at school were congratulating her and saying that they were going to vote for her this week.
This week being her first real performance, where the judges could only give their opinions and her chance of staying in the competition was up to her many new "fans". Of course Sharpay had made it in too and though she was not as well liked she had been at the school longer and so had many of her own supporters. Which was just as well, Gabriella was planning to quit if Sharpay was voted out.
"Here's the thing
We started out friends
It was cool, but it was all pretend
Yeah, yeah, since you been gone
You dedicated, you took the time
Wasn't long, til I called you mine
Yeah, yeah, since you been gone
And all you'd ever hear me say
Is how I pictured me with you
That's all you'd ever hear me say"
They had started out friends, granted they hadn't stayed 'just friends' for very long. In fact she and Troy hadn't even known each other for very long when he had asked her out. And Taylor had complained that Gabriella had talked about Troy all the time for the first few months they had been going out. Maybe there was more truth to this song than she had originally thought.
"But since you been gone
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so moving on, yeah yeah
Thanks to you now I get what I want
Since you been gone"
And then again…The chorus was about how she was better off with out Troy, which up until recently she had been striving to prove wrong. However Gabriela was attempting to move on with her life and accept her loss of Troy. Was she really as confusing as this song in real life? Gabriella wondered.
"How can I put it, you put me on
I even fell for that stupid love song
Yeah, yeah, since you been gone
How come I'd never hear you say
I just wanna be with you
Guess you never felt that way"
What if Troy really had never loved her? He hadn't seemed to fazed by their break-up, granted that it had been on friendly terms and a mutual agreement between the two. Now that she thought of it though Troy had sung to her…those few lines on the balcony had made her heart flutter. She'd definitely fallen for him then- and she'd fallen hard.
"But since you been gone
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so moving on, yeah yeah
Thanks to you now I get what I want
Since you been gone"
There was that chorus again. She was seriously considering skipping the next one. Alright technically she couldn't do that, the judges wouldn't be pleased that Gabriella had done a bit of last minute editing to her song. Maybe if she danced like a lunatic while she sang it? Though she couldn't actually see what good that would do…
"You had your chance, you blew it
Out of sight, out of mind
Shut your mouth, I just can't take it
Again and again and again and again"
Perfect lines she thought. Clear and to the point, if Troy knew as much as Sharpay claimed he did then he would have gotten the message by now. The only problem with the message? It wasn't accurate, Troy couldn't be 'out of mind' if he was sitting in plain sight just four rows away from her could he? Gabriella thought not but that line about shutting his mouth…Well it would be nice if he would stop talking to Kirsti and listen to me sing, she thought.
"Since you been gone (since you been gone)
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so moving on, yeah yeah
Thanks to you (thanks to you)
Now I get, I get what I want
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so moving on, yeah yeah
Thanks to you (thanks to you)
Now I get (I get)
You should know, that I get
I get what I want
Since you been gone
Since you been gone
Since you been gone"
So the crazy dancing hadn't happened. It wasn't as if anyone felt at a loss because of it, in fact Gabriella had received a semi-standing ovation. She really hadn't thought it was that good and nervously she urged the audience to sit back down. It was time now for the judges comments, the part of the competition Gabriella had missed last time due to her miniscule mental break down.
"Loved it."
"Amazing."
"Work on you pitch a little bit."
That had been it. No elaboration no explanation, just each judges laconic comment and Gabriella found herself being guided off the stage by the host. The audience was still clapping for her and/or booing at the last judges comment when Gabriella had met up with Sharpay, who was scheduled to sing next.
"Good luck!" She called out as she passed the blonde, who heard nothing but the sounds of her own vocal warm-ups.
Continuing on her journey back stage Gabriella was surprised to run into Troy and Kirsti. The blonde hung onto his arm laughing annoyingly at a joke he had made. Does he ever go anywhere with out her? Gabriella thought enviously.
"Hey Gabriella! We were just looking for you!" Kirsti smiled, looking very much like she actually wanted to see her. Though Gabriella noticed that she clung tighter onto Troy, as if claiming him.
"Yeah, actually we're looking for Sharpay. I need to ask her something about later tonight." Troy looked past Gabriella, he seemed to be very distracted she noticed.
"Well she went onstage already. And I really have to go home, homework to do, T.V. to watch, people to call…" She trailed off shrugging helplessly, Troy had one girlfriend already did he really need to go after Sharpay as well?
"No! No see you can't go home yet!" Troy shouted while Gabriella and Kirsti looked at him strangely. So at least they had one thing in common now, they both thought he was crazy. Not much of a connection, Gabriella thought, but it's a start.
"I mean, your mom left already. She asked me if I would drive you home but I'm also giving Sharpay a lift. So we can't leave until she's done." This made sense at least. Troy and Taylor were the only one's in Gabriella's group that had cars. Technically Sharpay did too but because she didn't turn seventeen for another month she couldn't drive hers yet. Taylor had gone to visit her grandparents for the weekend so she wasn't here supporting her friend as she usually would have been.
"Alright well there's Sharpay now so let's go." Gabriella hadn't realized that they had been talking or standing there for at least ten minutes until Kirsti had pointed to the blonde who was walking toward them. Ten minutes was plenty of time for Sharpay to sing her song and listen to the judges comments.
"Hello Troy, Kirsti. I wasn't expecting to see you here. Now Gabriella yes, her I was expecting." Saying so the blonde handed a bouquet of roses she had received to Gabriella. The tag read To a most amazing and spectacular singer. Love Zeke.
"Aww, that's so sweet. I wish some had given me roses."
"Well maybe someone still will. Come on we're sneaking out the back to escape all of your adoring fans." Playfully Gabriella hit Troy's arm and he picked her up and swung her around. She was laughing and thing had seemed like they were back to normal when some one cleared her throat.
Kirsti stood with her hands on her hips and Sharpay quickly hid a smile be hind the bouquet Gabriella had dropped on the floor. Guiltily the two friends stepped away from each other one going to his girlfriend and the other to hide behind the blonde who was still smiling. As Troy led them out she barely turned her head to glance at Gabriella.
"And that's why you two are perfect for each other."
"Maybe…." Gabriella did not sound at all convinced. Sharpay guessed that she'd just have to work harder. There was no way that plan was going to waste.
The drive to Gabriella's house was a sober one. Troy shot Kirsti pleading looks for the whole drive while she ignored him. Sharpay seemed to be deep in thought, so that left Gabriella to stare out the window of the little red sports car.
When they arrived at her house, Gabriella was surprised to see that the three other occupants unbuckled their seatbelts. Troy was even reaching for the car door.
"Guys I can walk up my driveway by myself." she laughed, missing the uneasy glances the others shot each other. Kirsti was the first to recover.
"But I wanted to meet your mom. Troy was telling me what a good cook she is and we were wondering if we could beg a meal off of her."
"And I have no where to go but inside while they eat." Sharpay added, " So I'll just be hanging around until they're done."
Shrugging Gabriella made her way up the pathway, friends in tow. Her mom was a great cook and it really was just about dinner time. Smiling at them again, just for good measure, she opened the door.
"SURPRISE!"
Ooooohhh cliffhanger! But hey, it's not a bad one (I hate when it's like right after someone gets hurt or something) so at least I do have some appreciation for your feelings, lol. Please review, and if anyone has song suggestions I'd be glad to hear them! I have maybe two idea before I have to go on a song hunt so if you have an idea I'd love to hear it! But please keep in mind that it is Gabriella who's singing.