Troy was sitting up in the balcony as he waited for Eddie to finish up his last class for the day. Quietly he watched as Gabriella and Ryan rehearsed their duet for the third time. Looking down at his sketch pad he lightened his hold on the pencil and began to fill in her eyes. He'd taken his time to get every angle of her face perfect, she seemed to have features that really came to light when he set out to draw her. Now he started to pencil in the grey eyes and wonder for a moment about the conversation he had earlier that day with Eddie.

Why wouldn't she date someone like him? Because someone like him didn't exist until last year. Granted he hadn't been as bad as Aaron but her been pretty close to it. Women we're disposable. Everything was about power and status. The fame. Until it all just didn't matter. Until he just stopped giving a shit.

Troy leaned back in his seat and turned to a fresh page in his notebook, he began to mindlessly sketch out what seemed to be a castle. Gabriella was like girls in his old high school dating the wrong guy, thinking the world revolved around her and climbing the social ladder based on her status and body.

Troy looked back down at the stage where some smaller girl directed Gabriella to tone her voice a key lower. He stopped drawing, problem was his impression was wrong. The more time he watched this girl he noticed he was underestimating her. She seemed down to earth, busy on the surface but she really did care about people other than herself. Troy bit down on the top of his pen. What did this mean? Did East high have its self a little Cinderella?

"Sup?"

Troy jerked as he looked to his left and seen Eddie plop down in the seat beside him. "Ready shoot some hoops?"

"Born for it," Troy said he shut his notebook and shoved it into his backpack. Getting up he followed Eddie out of the balcony and smiled as he took a last look down below as the music started up again for the fourth time. She really was underestimated.

The sound of his gym shoes against the floor was music to his ears as he shot the ball into the basket. Troy was already a bit sweaty and they'd been playing for thirty minutes. Suddenly when he went to retrieve the ball, he heard voices behind him and turned to see Two African American boys walking toward Eddie and giving him high fives.

"Eddie, dude, what's up?" One of them said with a smile. "Who's your friend?"

"Troy, this is Chad and Zeke," Eddie said introducing them. "Chad is captain of the basketball team."

"Hey," Troy held out his hand and shook hands with both boys.

Eddie shrugged "Chad's with Taylor and Zeke's with Sharpay, which also explains why I know them." Eddie nodded and then looked back at the guys.

"Well, we're on our way out but we saw some of you skills man," Chad said looking at Troy, "I must say I hope your trying out for the team. You seem kind of familiar."

Troy felt a spike in his adrenaline "No, no, just Eddie I'm a bleachers kind of guy," Troy said motioning to Eddie and then himself.

Chad frowned for a moment and then nodded in approval and offered Eddie a high five, "Well we should get together this weekend and shoot some hoops."

"Really?" Eddie said in shock.

Chad laughed, "It's cool with me if it's cool with Gabs."

"It is, let's meet up at Eddie's place this Saturday." Troy answered for Eddie.

"Sounds like a plan." Zeke said reaching out a hand to shake Troy's.

"Nice meeting you guys."

"Same here, Yo Eddie work on that free throw yeah," Chad said pointing over at Eddie.

When both boys left Troy nodded with a smile and he to begin instructing Eddie on how to set up to make the perfect free throw every time. "Eddie because I like you so much I'm going to teach you everything I know."

Eddie stopped and looked back at Troy, "Wow, this is like moving really fast man, I mean I know what you said and all but wow."

Troy chuckled, "Let's work on your aim and throw, once you've mastered making a basket we can work on the rest."

Gabriella was tired after rehearsal; she sat on the bleachers now watching Troy and Eddie as they passed the ball around and made baskets. Her eyes were heavy and she was resting on her right arm. Taylor was on a double date with Sharpay, which made her the dull girl until she heard a familiar voice turning the corner.

"Yo babe, come on we're going out for pizza," Aaron and his boys filled the gym and Troy and Eddie's game came to a halt.

"Aaron, I'm tired," Gabriella said in a low voice. "Can I take a rain check, I've got to be up early tomorrow."

Aaron wasn't happy, then again he never liked being turned down in front of his friends either. "How long am I supposed to go on a damn rain check here Gabs, I'm almost a rain check away from having no girl," he said extended his arms. "Reality check, to be someone girl you have to be with that someone."

Gabriella frowned she hadn't been on a date with him in a bit and she had been busy with her own stuff. "I have to take the boys home," she said motioning to Troy and Eddie.

"Fuck 'em," Aaron turned around to face them both, "Hey, you know how to drive?"

Troy remained silent. His hands on the basketball fingering the seams.

Gabriella winced as she stood up. "Aaron,"

"Shut up," he said pointing up at Gabriella then turning to Troy "I'm talking to you duckweed?" Aaron held up his hands to Troy.

"I do," it was all Troy said his blue eyes still down on the ball his frame very still.

Gabriella bit her lip as she walked down the bleachers and onto the gym floor, "You need to relax," she said pointing at Aaron, "I hate it when you act like this in front of them." she whispered in a low voice. Turning away from Aaron she walked over to Troy and handed him her car keys. "Are you sure?"

"Do either of us have a choice?" Troy said taking the key from her gently.

Gabriella was frozen in place by blue eyes that seem to soften when he looked into her brown eyes. "I'm sorry about this, he's a great guy, but he's right I've been a little distant." Gabriella nodded and turned towards Eddie, "Tell mom I won't be home too late and you have my cell if anything goes wrong." Gabriella placed a kiss on Eddie's cheek.

"Come on Baby,"

"I'm coming wait a god damn second!" Gabriella voice echoed through the gym as she yelled back and the men behind Aaron ducked in fear. All but Aaron who stood firmly in place, he didn't jerk, he didn't frown, nor did he smile.

When they were gone Eddie was the first to speak, "I hate that guy," he muttered.

"Come on, it's getting late let's get ready to go,"

Both boys gathered their things and Troy lead them through the parking lot to Gabriella's jeep. "You must think my sister is really stupid huh?" Eddie said climbing into the front seat.

"Why would I think that?" Troy said shutting the door behind him.

"Oh come on, sometimes even I think that," Eddie said leaning back in his seat.

Troy started the car. "I don't," Troy pulled the car out and then began to drive out of the parking lot.

"How come you're not afraid of Aaron?" Eddie said with a shrug, "The guy gives me the creeps sometimes."

"You let him scare you," Troy said pulling out onto the road. "Aaron's a bully, he only gets off on what your response is."

"Sounds like something my mom would have said two years ago," Eddie looked out the window.

Troy chuckled to himself and they drove the rest of the way talking about video games and food.