Gabriella shut her locker and shifted slightly as she adjusting her bag strap over her shoulder.
"I hope we get a red head," Sharpay sighed as she leaned back on the locker next to hers.
Gabriella raised a brow, "and why would we need a red head?"
"So we can call her Big Red," Sharpay said matter of fact. "You know like in that movie Bring It On?"
"Wasn't Big Red the villain?" Taylor said holding her clip board against her chest. "And didn't I tell you not to watch that movie last night?"
"I caved," Sharpay made a pouty face as she continued to chew on her twizzler. "Besides I love the Elisha,"
Gabriella let out a laugh and shook her head. "Tryouts are going to be fine, I don't know about red heads but I'm sure we'll find some great girls," she said reassuringly as she moved to take a step forward bumping into a familiar solid surface.
"Careful there tender foot," Troy hands braced her on either side, keeping her balanced.
"Troy," a small smile came to her lips as she looked up into his cool blue eyes that seem to stop time.
"Hey I was wondering if we could talk ab-"
Sharpay quickly came to an unnecessary rescue, taking Gabriella's arm by surprise and pulling her closer as they began to walk away. "Thanks new guy."
"Hey," Gabriella mumbled as she turned forward to see where she was being taken.
Bringing her lips to Gabriella ear she whispered, "I thought we talked about this."
Troy arched a brow and looked back at Taylor who was took a deep breath. "Good luck with tryouts," she nodded before stepping away from him to catch up with her friends.
"Right," he said crossing his arms and taking a moment to decipher what just happened.
Gabriella was standing in the gym as she took a seat at the main table. "So, I'll see you after try outs to go over the project, and decathlon details from the chemistry section."
"Right," Taylor smiled as she looked around the room.
Gabriella let out a knowing sigh, "You can stop looking basketball tryouts are after school, Chad will be here then."
"Busted," Sharpay smiled as she took her seat next to Gabriella.
Girls started to walk in, in groups. Gabriella shifted through some of her things frantically, "Crap, I think I lost my notes for science?"
"I'll go back and check your locker," Taylor said with a smile. "I have to go get some text books out of mine anyway."
"Thanks Tay,"
"You know Gabriella; if you're ever too busy I can take care of the cheerleading squad." Stacy offered with a smile as she put her books down on the bleachers behind them.
"Not necessary, It's fine Stacy," Gabriella looked down at her schedule, "I can handle it."
"Yeah, just like you handled Aaron," the room went quiet but the whispers still rumbled loud enough to make Gabriella insides go still.
Gabriella looked over at Stacy and Sharpay stood up just as Gabriella reached a hand out instantly blocking Sharpay from taking a step closer.
"That's right, you didn't handle Aaron, and he came to me instead," Stacy smiled as she held a red painted nail to her lips as girls around her let out a giggle.
"If you have something you want to say, why don't you just say it?" Gabriella made her way around the table until they were face to face aware that Sharpay and Taylor were following close behind.
"I believe I Already did," Stacy smirked.
"Well you know what they say one woman's trash is another woman's treasure," Sharpay mumbled from behind Gabriella.
"And lord knows your trashy enough to dig threw a couple of dumpsters," Taylor added staring at Stacey.
"You guys I can handle this, stay out of it," Gabriella said annoyed with the constant interruption of her friends, even if they meant well she had to make her own choices. Stand up for herself. Chose her own dates and fight her own battles.
"Right, I forget like mother like daughter. Wow, do you guys think this little town sells enough booze?" Stacy asked the group over her shoulder. The girls behind her gasped and flutter with giggles or cat calls.
Gabriella felt the heat stinging her face as she watched Stacy's smile pull from ear to ear. She felt the embarrassment cold in her veins as it began to tingle with rage.
"Let's not forget about your brother either, he's only getting on the basketball team because your friends have to let join. You know, since he's so pathetic and you little brother."
"Leave Eddie alone," Gabriella said puncturing her own skin with her nails as her fist tightened.
"Aww, what's the matter poor little rich girl can't handle the truth, let's face it virgins are always all talk and no action, what did Aaron see in you anyway?"
At the sound of more giggles Gabriella began to see white as lurched forward blindly attacking Stacy with all her might. Taylor and Sharpay latched on to her and began pulling her back but all the rage inside Gabriella came out in full force and even when Stacy got a hold of her hair, Gabriella kept punching scratching and kicking.
Meanwhile Troy quietly worked in the art room on his project filling in the blank portion of the canvas with a figure standing in a red dress holding a white rose, he was concentrated that he didn't even hear the door open.
"Troy?"
He froze at the sound of Chad's voice. "What do want Chad? I already told you I'd be on the stupid team," he said turning around and reaching for a small sponge to soften his edges.
"So the tryouts are today, needless to say you're in but I think we should let you try out for show?" He said with a small smile. "It's for the best."
The room was quiet as Chad looked around. Troy let out a sigh and put his charcoal pieces down. "You know I'm still going to paint maybe even sing in that musical."
Chad nodded nervously. "That's cool, Zeke bakes you know, Jason also works on the stage stuff. You know around here if you haven't notice people do more than one thing."
"Yeah well my old school started out like that, until we kept winning games and then nothing else seemed to matter."
"It's your life, honestly, you can do what you want," Chad shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah, like I wanted nothing to do with basketball," Troy said with a small laugh, "You don't get it, this was my shot to be a different kind of guy, the kind my father wanted me to be."
"From where I'm standing you are different, you seem like a cool guy."
"Not that cool I suppose," Troy said with annoyance. "Got brushed off today by Gabriella and her friends."
"It's a cheerleading thing bro don't sweat it," Chad took a seat on one of the stools beside him. "I'm standing behind you all the way; I know lots of others who are,"
"The principal said if we lose I won't be getting into college."
"Whoa, can he do that?" Chad sat up right.
"Winning makes people crazy, at my old school I pulled the fire alarm on a dare and even though I was caught I got let off the hook with nothing but congratulations on the team championship." Troy shrugged, "it's all just a big reason of why I'm tired of the bullshit. I just want to be like everyone else you know."
"Yeah but you're not," Chad placed a hand on his shoulder, "You're not like anyone I've ever met, and Gabriella likes you."
"Yeah but apparently I have to play basketball to get her approval," Was that what had her running over to him in the middle of the night through the rain, the fact that he'd soon be in the in crowd.
"No, you're just not afraid to be who you are and that's how you got her attention," Chad chuckled. "You were right the other night at the beach, I was being a douche. I've known Gabriella for years and while she does have a bit of polished life style she is down to earth."
"You're actually a good guy," Troy said owning up to his misjudgment about Chad.
"A good guy who really wants to see the look on Aaron's face when we beat the knights," Chad said waving a fist. "I can't stand that guy."
"You know I can help out with game plays if you like?"
"That's the other reason I came to talk to you, I want you on as co caption, I figure that will put you in charge and still leave you some time for your other activities." Chad said looking at the canvas. "Cool drawing."
"Thanks," Troy felt the relief of tension in the air.
"I got to go meet up with Taylor in study hall, but I'll see you later ball in hand and head in the game."
"You got it," Troy said on a small chuckle as Chad's hair bounced as he ran out the room.