Fickle

Old Fiat

Okay, since I haven't really plotted out this story (well, sort of. I know the basic ending and certain things I want to happen, but nothing is set in stone.), all suggestions will be taken into careful consideration and may even be put in the story. If you have something you'd like to see happen, just tell me in your comment!

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Chapter One: Fireworks

"Come on, Troy!" called Chad. It was the end of our work shift at Lava Springs, the country club where we both worked as waiters. Continuing to help Jason, one of my friends and fellow workers, finish up the dishes, I looked up.

"Where are we going?" I asked my best-friend-of-all-time. Chad laughed.

"Sharpay invited us around to the pool, remember?" he said, pulling off the pale blue uniform. "Or was someone distracting you?" He rolled his eyes.

I smiled and turned back to the soapy water. "Maybe," I said in a vague attempt to dodge his question. Everyone in the room knew who he was talking about, Gabriella, my girlfriend. His coffee-colored face broke into a huge grin.

"I knew it," he said. "Well, she told us all to come over there. July fourth celebration-like-thing."

"All of us?" I questioned, scrubbing a filthy pot. "Like all the Wildcats?"

"Yeah," he sat down on the bright metal counter as I examined my reflection in the mirror. All the Wildcats meant Gabriella would be there.

"Do I look okay?" I asked, looking at Chad again, who had changed out of his waiter's uniform and into a pair of cut-off jeans and an orange polo.

I guess I was particularly amusing that day because Chad laughed again.

"You look fine," he said, shaking his head and making his mass of curly brown hair bounce. "Just ditch the stupid outfit."

As if I wouldn't. I hated the stupid waiter gear. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable or anything, I just loathed the stiffness of the fabric. I mean, even after about fifty washes this thing was still as inflexible as a block of wood.

Still it would be fun to hang around the pool on the Fourth of July. Normally, my dad and me lit off fireworks in the backyard and tried not to hit the tree. This year, he and my mom were going out for dinner together and I was going call over the guys. I guess now I didn't have to.

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Jason and I marched down through the dark lawns of the country club to the patch of light that was the pool. Most of the gang were down there already—Chad inclusive. I had opted to assist Jason with the dishes and the rest of the kitchen.

I had followed Chad's (and my own) advice and 'ditched' the waiter's uniform for my blue-and-white striped button-up t-shirt that I knew Gabriella loved and some boardies. Jason had changed into a Wildcats t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Gabriella ran over as the pool lights illuminated us. As usual, she looked stunning. I don't even remember what she was wearing, but I know it was pink.

Her arms wrapped around my neck, she planted a kiss on my cheek. I felt myself blush. How stupid. I blushed every time she telephoned, every time she kissed me, etc. Even sometimes when she just looked my cheeks went red. I don't know why I blush so much. It has something to do with blood cells rushing to your cheeks when you're embarrassed or something. Damn Caucasian coloring.

"Hi Troy," she whispered in my ear. I don't really know why she whispered, but it made me turn a deeper shade of crimson.

"Hey Gabs," I said, trying to pretend like my face wasn't the color of a ripe tomato. I prayed that no one else saw.

I put my arm around her shoulder and we joined up with the rest of group. Sharpay, the daughter of the club's owners and a pretty close friend of mine, smiled at my arrival.

"Who wants fireworks?" she called. There was a roar of approval from all the students. She swung her long blonde hair over her shoulder and whipped out a walkie-talkie from her purse, which was placed neatly beside her chez-lounge.

"Fulton," she said into the hunk of black plastic. Mr. Fulton was the manager of Lava Springs and one of the many people who bowed down before Sharpay. "I'd like fireworks to be lit at—" she glanced at her pink wristwatch. "Ten… Thank you."

I pulled off my shirt and turned to Gabriella. "Care for a swim?"

She giggled. "Troy, I'm not wearing a swim suit right now. You go on."

I shrugged and dived into the cool, chlorine-filled depths. I've always loved swimming, the way your body feels almost weight-less in the water. I popped up right in front of the rocky, waterfall motif.

Grabbing on to one of the sharp hunks of perfectly placed stone, I held myself above the bright blue water and watched Gabriella as she sat down next to Sharpay. Gabriella was perfect—well, to me anyways. I'm sure Chad could've found several flaws at a glance if I asked him, but I didn't want to. She was so flawless and when I was next to her, I felt perfect too. I don't know how she worked her magic, and I don't really care to know. I just wanted more of the wonderful feeling she gave me.

I was pulled out of my Gabriella-induced trance when someone threw a large beach ball at my head.

"Oy!" I called, letting go of the rock and turning in the water to face the person responsible for destroying my daydream. It was Chad. He was laughing, again.

"Dude!" he said, his huge grin in place. "Sorry! Total accident."

Oh yeah right with that smile.

I pushed my hands forward through the water to splash him and succeeded in creating a nice little wave.

Quickly whipping his eyes, he splashed me back. We continued our mini-water war until Taylor came over, one eyebrow raised in a 'Well-aren't-you-two-geniuses' expression.

Taylor is Chad's girlfriend and Gabriella's best friend. I didn't really know her that well until Gabriella moved here and we sort of 'destroy the status quo'. (Or, at least, that's what Chad told me a while ago. I wasn't quite conscious of it at the time.) She's, like, a total genius and actually quite pretty. She was awfully sarcastic though.

I quickly stopped splashing Chad once I saw Taylor face.

"Wow," she shook her head, her dark, wet hair swinging. "Maybe I was wrong to rethink my lunkhead-basketball boy theory…"

I laughed. "Come on, Tay! We're just having fun." I splashed her.

She dunked under water and swam off, resurfacing by the edge of the pool near Gabriella and Sharpay.

The party went on this way for a while. People went in and out of the pool, chatting and splashing each other, couples disappeared for long spaces of time, guys tried to show off for the girls with cannon balls and back flips and the girls giggled and pretended not to notice.

Finally, Sharpay called out to the enormous group again.

"Hey everyone!" she shouted. It's no wonder Sharpay is the queen of the drama club, that girl can project! "The fireworks are going to go off soon!"

I climbed out of the water and grabbed a towel off one of the pool chairs. Slipping back on my shirt, I joined Gabriella, Sharpay and Taylor.

"Hey," I said, sitting down next to her. She turned to me and smiled.

"Hey," she said back, giving me one of her shy, secretive smiles.

"Ten seconds," Sharpay said loudly, and then, more to herself than anyone, muttered, "If Fulton has followed my orders…"

I guess he did because exactly ten seconds later a streak of white sparks shot up the sky, paused, and then exploded into a huge burst of silver lights. Echoing boom of the fireworks melted in with the loud cheers of the surrounding students.

I looked down at Gabriella, her beautiful brown eyes reflecting the bursts of red sparks, and then around the crowd of people. I could name almost every single one of them by name. There was Jason, Fred, Chris, Taylor, Sara, Martha, Zeke, Kelsi, Chad, Ryan…

I hadn't noticed that Ryan was there. I didn't really notice him most of the time actually, which is weird since he's such a noticeable person. Every single day dawned with a new brightly colored outfit, but after a while he just sort of melted into the background of Sharpay. (He used to be, like, her slave.) He had just sort of become invisible until this summer when he came out of her shadow, and then I still didn't really notice him.

I don't know what happened but the moment my eyes fell on the pale blonde twin, my stomach turned over. I couldn't understand how I managed to ignore him for so long. Suddenly, only he was standing with me in the cool night air. His milky white skin turned red and blue from the lights of the fireworks. I couldn't breathe. I could feel my skin turning red.

"Hey Troy," Gabriella whispered in my ear, slamming me back down to earth. I looked down at her. She didn't seem as breathtaking as she did earlier that evening, as she did mere seconds before, compared to Ryan. "Best Fourth of July ever, right?"

My breath caught in my throat. "Yeah," I choked out, trying to focus on the explosions of red, blue, green and white. My gaze still fell back down to Ryan, standing with Chad across the water. The flipping feeling in my stomach returned.

What had just happened?

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Oooooh! I want to hear suggestions/predictions! I always love them.

-OFsI