Author's Note: If you read A Non Blonde Cheerleader In Love, you'd notice I took a scene out from it when the guys do banners at one girl's house, and I thought it'd be funny to place Chad (well, all the guys) in that particular situation. Enjoy!

Chapter Five: What Happened At Taylor's

"Kelsi, can you pass me the glitter glue?" Chad asked, then as soon as he said it, he frowned.

"I didn't just say that...did I?" he asked, as Taylor and Haylie laughed.

That afternoon, Taylor invited everyone to make banners for the upcoming Wildcats game against the West High School Knights, which was a tradition, just like every couple, minus Zeke, in the small group was starting a tradition of their own. Taylor was sitting between Haylie and Chad, while Haylie was sitting beside Ryan at the table. Zeke, Kelsi, and Jason were sitting on the opposite side of the table, Kelsi in the middle of Zeke and Jason, and the super-couple, Troy and Gabriella, were on the floor, making a huge banner.

"Here, Chad." Kelsi said, passing the glitter glue, and Chad smiled, making the black lines of a cut-out basketball sparkle.

Taylor noticed a few things when everyone arrived: Ryan wasn't wearing any of his signature clothes, but a plain white t-shirt with a regular pair of jeans, but he was wearing a white fedora hat. She guessed Haylie talked him into wearing some decent clothes, since they were getting into a mess. Man, that girl could talk that boy into anything without Ryan having to agrue!

Second, she noticed that Gabriella had a knack for the arts, and not just the drama department, neither. Glitter, markers, paper--Gabriella had it all down there, and Troy was helping so little, watching his brunette girlfriend with a smile.

"Hey, it's okay, Chad. I like a guy who can be artsy." Taylor prompted, while Kelsi, Haylie, and Gabriella nodded, even though she was on the floor.

Chad gave Taylor a grateful smile, and returned to his project.

"Here! I'm done!" Gabriella annouced a few minutes later.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, and looked at Gabriella's masterpiece. The was banner said Go Wildcats! in bold, red and white letters, with the East High's mascot, the Wildcat, in red.

"Nice job, Gabby!" Kelsi explained.

Gabriella blushed as she stood up to gaze at her banner. "Thanks, Kels."

"And I had nothing to do with it...I didn't even know she had artsic talent!" Troy stated, as everyone laughed, and Gabriella gave him a grin.

Taylor gazed out the window, and saw a silver Toyta truck drive up the driveway. She grew curious, and then her heart stopped when the driver got out of the truck.

Demtiri.

"Guys, we have a problem." Taylor told her small group of friends.

"What?" Haylie asked.

"Demtiri." Taylor replied coldly, and everyone looked at her, with their mouths hanging open.

"Why is he here? He doesn't even know where you live!" Ryan explained.

Taylor looked pointedly at him, and Ryan lowered his head.

"Taylor, it's not Ryan's fault that Sharpay told Demtiri where you live." Haylie said, defending her boyfriend.

"It's not anyone's fault, okay? Let's just tell him to leave." Chad replied, going to the door as the sound of a doorbell rang.

Taylor sighed as she followed him, and glanced around the corner to the front door.

"Demtiri, hey." Chad told him.

"Danforth.." Demtiri replied.

Then, Chad's tone changed from friendly, to dead on serious.

"Listen, this is a get together for Taylor and her friends. Your not invited." Chad said.

"Of course I'm invited! Didn't you check the guest list?" Demtiri asked, pushing the door open a little ways, but Chad held it back, because he was abit stronger.

"No, she didn't say you could come. You better leave, or--"

"The Wildcats will come at me with basketballs?" Demtiri asked tauntingly, and Taylor knew that hit a nerve in Chad, considering he didn't like to be taunted.

But, the frizzy-haired jock kept his cool.

"We'll hunt you down, and let you know you can never step foot on Taylor's property again." Chad explained.

"Oh, yeah, I'm shaking in my high-tops! Just let me in, jock-boy!" Demtiri said, pushing the door untill it was almost to Chad's face.

As he came into the livingroom, Taylor eyed something in his hands: buffalo wings.

A guy's ulimate snack, and a girl's worse nightmare.

Chad came back from shutting the door, and frowned.

"Sorry, Taylor."

"That's okay--"

"Troy, catch!"

Then, a scream was heard, and Chad and Taylor rushed back to the livingroom.

Their eyes grew wide as Gabriella cried over her banner, which was now covered in buffalo sauce.

And the worst part?

Demtiri was actually laughing, but none of the other guys were, to Taylor's relief.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked.

Troy said, "I didn't catch the buffalo wings, and--"

"-and it landed on my banner! Now it's ruined!" Gabriella replied, getting up, and pushing past Troy, who looked pained as a wounded puppy.

Taylor twirled around to face Demtiri, who was grinning.

"Oh, come on! She can make another one, can't she?" Demtiri asked, his grin melting into a frown.

"Um, no, she can't. She worked really hard on that, Dimmy." Chad replied, and Demtiri's eyes flashed with anger.

"What did you call me?" he asked.

"Dimmy. Isn't that what people call you when you disrespect people's property and, more importantly, thier feelings?" Chad asked.

Demtiri was just about lung at Chad when Taylor got in between the two boys.

"Enough!" she stated, and Demtiri retreated.

She turned to Demtiri, who tried to win her over with a charming smile.

"Taylor--"

"No! I just had about enough of you! First, you stood me up. Then you beat up Chad, and now you ruined Gabby's banner, and made her all upset. I don't even know if your a nice person at all!" she explained.

"Taylor, it was an accident...well, actually Troy--"

"I don't care if it was an accident or not." Taylor replied coldly.

Demtiri folded his arms, and gazed at her, while Chad had his mouth hanging open.

"You and I could have been something if you didn't like jock-boy." Demtiri told her, and walked away, slamming the door behind him.

Taylor finally turned to her friends, who were all shocked at the drama that just unfolded.

"Well.." Taylor stated.

Troy came from down upstairs, and shook his head.

"Gabriella is still upset...I don't know how to get through to her that it was just an accident."

Taylor looked at Troy, and he really did look upset that Gabriella was mad at him.

"I'll talk to her, Troy. You guys can clean up and go home...the party's over."

As she headed for upstairs, she knocked on her door, and asked, "Gabby? It's me, Taylor. Is everything alright?"

"Yes." came Gabriella's muffled reply.

Taylor yanked the door open, and found Gabriella sitting on her bed, sniffling.

She smiled at her best friend, and hugged her.

"Gabby, Troy said it was an accident, and it wasn't his fault...he's really hurt that you think that the buffalo wings were his fault."

Gabriella gave her a smile.

"Really?"

"Of course! Gabriella, Troy loves you alot, and I don't think he helped you with the banner for nothing. He really cares about you." Taylor told her.

"He probably hates me now, doesn't he?"

"Now, why on earth would I hate you?"

Taylor and Gabriella turned to see Troy standing in the doorway, his arms folded, and he was smiling.

"Gabby, what Taylor saying was true. I love you alot, and I never wanted to hurt you...come on, I'll give you a ride home."

Gabriella eagerly got up, and with a smile and wave to Taylor, the couple walked away, leaving Taylor smiling, even if Demtiri did ruin some of the afternoon.