Back at East High, students were settling nicely back into the swing of things. The Scholastic Decathlon team were already studying for their upcoming contest, and the Wildcats basketball team were back in the gym, determined to win everything in their senior year. And to show any college scouts watching just how good they really were. And their coach felt just the same way. He felt closer to this team than any other, probably because they had worked harder than any other. All the past Wildcats had played basketball for fun, and a way to keep fit. These guys though, basket ball was their passion. Their life. Their dream. And they were going to the top. So today, despite it being their first practise back, they were working harder than ever. The large gym was filled with the squeaks of sneakers against the laminate wood floor, and the hammering of balls as the boys went through their drills. Every player was giving it their all, sweat dripping down their faces, muscles aching. Every player except one. Troy. And this really pissed the coach off.
"What the hell troy? YOU'RE the captain. YOU'RE the playmaker. Get off your ass and act like it. Pretend it's one of those musicals you're so caught up in." With that he stormed off. Troy didn't really care though. He knew his dad was just ragging on him because he wanted Troy to win one of the scholarships. College cost a lot. A lot more than a high school basketball coach could afford. Truth was, Troy was thinking about Gabriella. His girlfriend, singing partner, and co-captain of the scholastic decathlon team. And the whineiest girl he had ever met. Nothing was good enough for her. He didn't spend enough time with her, he wouldn't leave her alone. Her coffee was too hot, her coffee was too cold. His shirt clashes with her dress. His shirt matches her dress. Everything was just wrong wrong wrong in Gabriella's mind. He was only still with her because he had no idea how to end it. Before they got together, when they were just friends, it was cool. And all his friends loved her. Their whole clique loved her. But then again they didn't have to deal with calls at 3 frigging AM to see if he would go over to her house tomorrow. They didn't see how jealous she got when he talked to a cheerleader. They didn't see how obsessive she was about planning his future. He was going to join the red hawks, majoring in history. Then he would join the lakers, whilst she was a singer blah blah blah. It did his head in. He wanted to plan his life by himself. He didn't want anyone to do it for him. And he certainly didn't want to spend the rest of his life with Gabriella Montez. The thought literally sent shivers down his spine.
He was also thinking of another girl. Sharpay. The look on her face when she was walking away positively haunted him. Sharpay Evans did not cry, and it must have taken some real blow to make her do so. Sharpay had witty comebacks, a dazzling smile, and enough glitziness to dazzle Stevie Wonder. It scared him that someone so strong, someone who looked like she was made out of, well, ice, could melt so easily. It meant that it could happen to anyone.
When the bell rang, he was the first to enter the changing rooms. He was dimly aware of conversation around him, but his mind was just focused on her. He was really worried about her. When he entered the cafeteria, he was instantly being harassed by Gabriella. He ignored her. She got in a huff and stalked away. He liked it. He ignored everything that afternoon, his teachers, his friends, even Chad repeatedly hitting him with a basketball. He didn't do it on purpose, his mind was just preoccupied.
At the end of the day he jumped into his Chevy and drove straight home. Normally they'd all head to rays pizza, 2 blocks away from East High, but today was different. Everything was different today. Not bad different, but not good different either. When he got back to his house, he got his phone out, and ran Sharpay.
"HEEEEYYYY! This is the one and only Sharpay Evans, and either I'm FAAARRR too busy being FABULOUS , or you just aren't worth my time! So leave your message and maybe I'll get back to you, depending on how much of a reject you are! Love ya!" Troy couldn't help but laugh at this answer phone greeting. Where had that girl gone? Because it wasn't the girl he whose ear he was whispering into earlier.
Sharpay looked at her phone. It was the 3rd missed call from Troy, but still she didn't answer. She didn't want to speak to him. To speak to anyone really. It felt wrong talking to people about it, telling them what was wrong. It was like treachery to Ryan. This was personal, between their family. Although they didn't appear to really have much of a family anymore. But she was determined to preserve what little she had. She had too; no one else was holding it all together. It was like she was the glue, but what use is having the glue if there aren't enough pieces to fix it? That was what she felt like. Like a vase, cracked in two and the second half managed to get away, into the land of lost things, and the lost ones. She hated this feeling of being so incomplete. When she sang 'bop to the top' there was no second part. There was no harmony. She was just there, singing solo. And it sent shivers down her spine that this was how it was going to be from now on. She would be on her own, standing on stage, shaking. That is if she ever got back up on stage.
Her phone rang again. Her ringtone used to be the version of 'You are the Music in me' that she and Troy had sung, having recorded that rehearsal. Now it was just the normal 'ring ring' of a normal telephone, of a normal girl.
She still didn't answer. She knew how horribly driving whilst on the phone could end up.
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