Chapter 2 Big Star – Kenny Chesney

"Dude, where are you taking me?" Troy asked Chad, seeing as he and Taylor had blindfolded him and put him in the car, after Taylor rummaging through his closet and making him change shirts of course.

"You'll see." Taylor replied. He could tell by the tone of her voice that she was smiling.

"I'm glad we're all back in Albuquerque, for at least awhile. Finding a job is getting hard though." Chad said as he started the car and drove away from the Bolton's house.

"Yeah, it's nice having everyone back. I'm guessing hardly any of us will be in the same place soon." Replied Taylor, sighing.

"At least you guys have a clue as to what you want to do now. I have major in theater and a minor in business. I don't even like business." Troy replied, folding his arms and leaning back. Might as well get comfortable since he had no idea how long the ride was going to be. Deep down he was hoping that they had found Gabriella and were taking him to her, but he doubted it. No need to get his hopes up, right?

"You could always offer acting classes."

"Chad, Albuquerque isn't exactly known for all the actors it's turned out." Taylor said while Troy imagined her rolling her eyes.

"You have a better idea?" Chad asked irritated. He felt the car turning for the third time. Where in the world were they going?

"Turn right."

"That's what I thought. No reply to my question." Chad said.

A few seconds later Troy smiled after he heard a smack.

"Hey! I'm driving!"

"Yes, driving me out of my mind." Taylor laughed as the car came to a stop. "Ok Troy, keep the blindfold on."

"Ok, just hurry up. I haven't eaten yet and I'm starving."

"Uh, sorry dude. You're still going to wait a bit." Chad said, opening his door and helping him out.

Troy groaned. Why must they torture him like this? First he can't know where they're going and then he can't eat once he gets there? Great, just great.

"Hurry up you guys!" He heard another voice say that seemed a bit irritated.

"Kelsi?" He asked trying to turn his head to where he heard her voice, but then stumbled a bit seeing as he was still blindfolded.

"Chad watch him better!" Taylor replied annoyed, then took Troy's other arm.

"Hey Troy." Said yet another voice he recognized.

"How many of the gang is here?" He said in a reply to Ryan.

"You'll see."

"Ok…. You can take it off now!" Chad said right after it seemed like he had entered a building.

"Uh yay?" Troy said as he looked around. He had no clue where he was. Probably somewhere near the college seeing as there were what looked like a ton of college students here.

"You're on in five minutes." Kelsi said, handing him a piece of paper, then walking towards the little stage that Sharpay was already standing on….in front of a crowd…What?

"Wait…." He replied, turning around to go to the door, but Taylor had an amazingly strong grip on his arm, stopping him.

"At least look at what she handed you." Taylor said gesturing to the paper.

He smiled sadly looking at the words. "Sharpay needs to hurry up there." He said, walking away to find a place to sit.

Troy closed his eyes and took a deep breath before walking up on the small stage to the microphone. Kelsi was sitting off to the side of it at a keyboard. He had laughed earlier when she complained that she didn't have a real piano.

"Next we have Troy Bolton with a song he wrote called The One You Left Behind." Said the owner of the small, but obviously popular coffee shop

He took another deep breath before, motioning to Kelsi to start.

"Tried to reach you with a love song to let you know you're on my mind. I made a record, it made me famous called the one you left behind." He sang out with as much emotion he could, which was pretty easy as he imagined Gabriella in the coffee shop listening.

"Fame and fortune may have found me, oh but fame can be so unkind because of you they come to see me. They love the one you left behind."

He was rather shocked though as he looked out in the crowd that both Sharpay and Taylor were crying. Was it really that good of a song? Wait… they weren't the only girls out there crying. It seemed like the majority of the girls in the building were crying. Was Chad crying too?

"Ten thousand people know the words are true, they cry for me as I cry for you, but when the curtain falls, and the show is through I'm still crying for you."

Oh my goodness. Chad is crying. He hadn't seen Chad cry since they were 5. Sharpay had pushed him out of the swings in kindergarten and he had hit his head hard on the ground.

"When it's over and I'm forgotten they'll still be playing this song of mine and you may wonder whatever happened to the one you left behind." He sang out and finally finishing. He knew it was a short song, but with everyone acting the way they were with it, it made it seem so much longer.

He actually jumped when everyone started clapping. He was pretty sure there wasn't a person in the place not clapping. Was he really that good? He didn't think so, but he had put everything into that song, even if it hadn't even taken him an hour to write.

He groaned as he had noticed too late that Sharpay and Taylor, still both crying, were coming at him, arms open. He stood there, arms pinned to his side by both of them as they sobbed hugging him tightly.

Two hours later and the coffee place was almost empty. Sharpay had gushed the whole time about how good it was, while Troy sat awkwardly at the corner of their table picking at the sandwich they had gotten him. He wasn't as hungry anymore.

"I mean, I wish I could do that! Get the whole place crying! That was amazing!" She said, but stopping when someone cleared their voice from behind her.

"Did you need something?" She huffed, irritated.

"Troy Bolton right?" The man asked, looking at Troy and ignoring Sharpay. Well he learned to ignore Sharpay fast at least, Troy thought before answering.

"Um, yes?"

"I'm sure you haven't heard of me, I'm Mal Jardine- " He started to say before Sharpay interrupted him.

"NO WAY!" She screeched, eyes wide. "Would you like to sit down?" She asked, attempting to push Ryan out of the chair next to her so he could have it.

"Uh…" Mal said, looking rather concerned for her sanity.

"I love your work! I'm a big fan!" Sharpay continued.

"You were saying Mr. Jardine?" Taylor asked, politely as Chad reached to the table behind them and grabbed a chair for him.

"Thanks." Mal said sitting in the chair offered by Chad. "As I was saying, I'm Mal Jardine and I work for Brother Town records."

Troy was shocked. No way he was about to offer what he thought….right?

"I think you might be the next big thing. I was wondering if you would like to set up a meeting with myself to see if you would be interested in a record deal. Normally I don't do this, but I've heard nothing like you before."

"What?" Troy asked, jaw almost dropping all the way to the table, along with Chad's.

"See Troy! I told you that you are amazing, not to mention the song!" Kelsi squeaked excitedly, hugging him from her seat next to him.

"There might even be a record deal in it for you too Ms…?" Mr. Jardine said to Kelsi.

"Kelsi Nielson, soon to be Evans." She replied, holding out her hand to shake his.

"I'm leaving in two days, but if you're interested, I'd like to meet with both of you tomorrow. Here's my card. Here at three work for you?"

"Yes!" Sharpay screeched suddenly. Ryan put his hand over her mouth.

"We'll make it." Kelsi said noticing that Troy seemed to have gone into shock. "Don't worry, he's not normally like this."

"I look forward to seeing both of you." He replied laughing slightly and leaving the table.

"What just happened?" Troy asked after the door closed behind Mal.

"You were just offered a record deal from one of the biggest record companies in the world." Ryan replied smiling widely.

"I'll be back." Sharpay said as she quickly got up and ran out the door. They all laughed as they heard her shouting, "Mr. Jardine? By any chance did you hear me tonight? I was up right before Troy!"

So generally I hate putting lyrics in, but with this story it wouldn't make as much sense if I didn't put them in since I'm guessing pretty much no one that has read this knows the song, let alone who Billy Gilman is. Also, if you want to hear the song, there's a link to it on my profile (although ignore the video, focus on the song). Thanks for the reviews and alerts, I appreciate it!