Gabriella spun into his arms and looked up as she was supposed to, however Troy was a moment late on his cue.

"What's going on with you today, last week I was fighting to keep up now I'm not so sure your even here?" Gabriella said on one of their 5 minute breaks. Was he that turned off by her? Was he beginning to regret joining up for the musical?

"I just have a lot on my mind," Troy muttered looking away from her. The very thought of Aaron snapping pictures of her in a vulnerable state was still rubbing him raw inside. Anger was still coursing through his veins. He didn't think he'd be able to get through the rehearsal, he needed to calm down, and he needed to get a grip. What was he going to do?

"Is this about Saturday?"

Troy looked up at her and her brown eyes seemed nervous. "No, it's fine it just wasn't the right time."

"Did you see the magazine?"

"Yeah, which is why I feel a lot better about us not doing anything," Troy said looking away from her again. He'd got her into this mess, now he had to get her out of it. "Gabriella maybe we shouldn't be around each other so much, you know with the reporters and hiding camera guys in the bushes." Troy frowned as he watched the brown in her eyes shift to a shade darker. "I mean maybe right now with everything going on you and me isn't a good idea?"

Gabriella bit her lip, "Troy there's never going to be a right time for whatever this is."

"Look," Troy looked back at her with sincere regret. "I'm sorry I just think it's better for you if we didn't do this."

"What about you? Is this really what you want? Or are you just using this as an out?"

Troy looked away from her he couldn't keep eye contact, he couldn't handle this. He wanted to kiss her, none of this was what he wanted, and he never wanted anything more than what his heart was telling him right now. Was this the only way he could keep her safe? Was he going to lose for her? Could he chance winning and destroy her?

Troy fist tighten as he looked down at her one more time, risking the chance of seeing the hurt in her eyes. He thought about the pictures, the basketball game coming up, the reporters outside, her father, and her brother. He couldn't hurt her, he had to lose her to keep her. "Let's just not do this right now, alright."

"Right now?" Gabriella felt her blood bubble. "What am I, some kind of toy?" Gabriella wiped her cheek. "Well guess what Mr. Hot Shot Troy Bolton that was the only time and you missed it, as of right now I don't want anything to do with you." Gabriella walked around him and over to Ryan.

Troy took a long breath as he walked off stage and to his gym bag. Looking back he saw Gabriella looking at him, with an anger he probably deserved.

Ryan leaned on the piano, "So now what, he was really good Gabs?"

"We can figure something out."

"Is this because of the magazine, I mean is everything alright between you two because you guys have magic."

"Magic doesn't exist Ryan," Gabriella said coldly. "You know all the lines and all the dance moves, the show can go on and everything will be fine."

Ryan let out a sigh and nodded. "Fine, I guess holding this rehearsal is pointless. I'll see you next week for dress rehearsal."

"Thank you," Gabriella grabbed her bag and made her way towards the art room, Sharpay and Taylor agreed to help make flyers for the upcoming Basketball game and while she no longer desired to be involved with Troy, her little brother was still on that team.

Troy got onto the court and noticed that the gym was a lot fuller today than it was yesterday. There were more people present than just the team and coach. Students were sitting in the bleachers, the team stopped and looked his away as everyone went quiet.

"Bolton," the coach called him over and Troy shifted his attention.

"Yes coach," he said shifting his bag on his shoulder.

"Get dressed, and get on the court I want you to run drills with the others and help Chad out. We need to get these boys in shape."

Troy nodded and did as he was told, which seemed to be coming to crossroad soon. Eventually he was going to have to make a choice. The hard part was that he much rather be sketching right now than putting on his gym shoes. Drawing was peaceful, it was relaxing it was about creating something out of nothing. Basketball had rules and game plays and order, Troy use to love that about the game. It gave him direction, it gave him a reason but as it did that it also took from his freedom.

"Basketball practice is every other day, only because I am required to give you boys a break by the board of education. If it were up to me you'd practice every day," Coach said looking around at the boys.

Eddie nudge Troy in the arm. "He seems tough."

"We'll need it." Troy said with slight frown, "It helps."

"I just want you boys to know one thing," Coach looked over at Troy and then at the rest of them. "If you are ever in doubt about what to do with that ball give it to Bolton am I clear."

The team mumbled and nodded.

"I said you give the ball to Bolton is that clear!"

"Yes sir."

Troy felt the weight on his shoulder press down a little harder as he looked over at Eddie who was looking back at him. "What are you going to do?" Eddie asked.

"Play basketball," Troy said solemnly as he looked around at everyone staring at him. "Or at least work on what are weaknesses are on this team and make it better."

Gabriella looked down at the poster she was making, "I can't believe their first game is next weekend."

"Well Chad said the coach is going to lean on Troy so much more than the other players. Maybe they'll be alright I mean Troy is really good."

"Troy is an asshole," Gabriella said painting in the lines Sharpay drew for her.

"Whoa?" Sharpay looked up at Gabriella. "That's not what you said this morning? What happened?"

"What happened this morning?" Taylor said looking over at Sharpay.

"This morning they were in love and Gabriella wanted to give him her V-card," Sharpay got on her knees. "What the hell happened?"

Taylor eyes got wide as she looked over at Gabriella, "Is that why he was climbing out your window?"

"Yeah," Gabriella said looking at Talyor, "Only nothing happened."

"Let's skip to what did?" Sharpay said leaning in.

"He said he didn't want to be together because of the reporters and because it would be better for both of us not to get into any more trouble like Saturday night."

"He just doesn't want bad publicity," Sharpay said leaning back. "I mean maybe he just doesn't want any of this to be a circus?"

"I just feel so stupid, I thought he was different," Gabriella said looking down at the green paint.

"Oh honey," Taylor reached out and patted her shoulder, "It's never easy to throw ourselves out there, and I mean the worst anyone can ever do is say no."

Gabriella looked up and huffed bitterly, "Well he said no and it feels like the worst thing that could ever happen."

"For now," Sharpay said also reaching out to touch her shoulder. "You'll meet someone else."

"I don't want to, I don't ever want to deal with men again," Gabriella said shaking her head. "You give them every part of you and it's never enough to get them to stay."

"Gabs, not everyone leaves," Sharpay said knowing exactly what her friend meant. "Your father is an asshole, Aaron is a jerk, Troy's neither, he just doesn't want to hurt you."

"Well he did," Gabriella shrugged as a small tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm beginning to feel like an ice queen or something?"

"You're too hot to be an ice queen," Sharpay said.

"Yeah and besides Queens are old your more of a princess, you're just waiting for your true love," Taylor said with a smile.

"I hate fairy tales," Gabriella laughed as she leaned forward into a group hug.

"It could always be worst," Sharpay said with a smile.

"Yeah tell me about it, we all know how Romeo and Juliet ended." Taylor added.

The girls laughed as they all separated and went back to work.

It was about six o'clock when Troy walked through the door letting his bag fall to the ground he followed the sound of the television into the living room.

"How was school?"

Troy slid his hands into his pockets and watched his mother watch television. "Like a prison cell," he said quietly. "How was work?"

"It's was alright until I attempted to have lunch at a nearby Starbucks and was swamped with reporters and a magazine cover we need to talk about," she said lifting up the magazine from the coffee table and holding it up.

"Mom, nothing happened. It's been a bad day, and I really don't want to talk about it" he said walking into the room fully and making his way to the couch.

"Oh really?"

"Really, I should have just stayed home," Troy said falling to the couch. "What's your first question?"

"Why are you climbing out of Gabriella's window in the middle of the night?" she said leaning back and bring one leg under her.

"Long version or short?" he said looking over at his mom.

"As long as it's the truth," she said with a nod.

"Well remember that party Saturday night, reporters showed up. Gabriella was drinking a little so Martha and Taylor drove her home and I offered to bring her jeep home."

"Why the window?" his mother said raising a brow.

"Front lawn was covered in reporters and I was going to knock on the back door but Eddie and his mom seemed to be in the middle of something I was going to just drop them off this morning but then she was standing on her balcony and she called down, said she needed someone to talk to so I came up."

She was quiet for a while. "Did you just talk?"

"Yes, we kissed a little but I left before anything could happen," Troy said. "And I didn't drink at the party I stuck to root beer and finger food," he added.

His mother let out a sigh as she leaned back. "Thank god. I was so worried," she said brushing some hair back from her face. "Troy you know how girls can be, especially when they get an idea of what your future looks like."

"Do you think I'll ever be able to know for sure?" he said looking at his mother.

"Well," she offered leaning in to give her best motherly advice. "if what you say is true then this Gabriella girl seems to be the real deal, despite all the drama she seems to have as baggage. If you're looking for answer I can't tell you to run away from your feelings and I can't tell you to just go with it because I don't know the whole story." His mom placed a hand on his forearm and leaned forward to place a kiss on his forehead.

"She is real."

His mother nodded, "Then what I can tell you is that you have a good heart, and you remind me of your father more and more each day. Now your father was a wonderful man, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that, but Troy when it comes to matters of the heart all I can tell you is to listen to it."

"Thanks mom," Troy looked at the television as a black and white image of Lucy stomping on grapes played on the screen. "Mom if I didn't want to play basketball, you'd be alright with that, right?"

Lucile tilted her head a bit and looked at her son with concern. "I thought you loved basketball."

"I do, I'm just not so sure that it's all there is."

"Well I could have told you that," she said with smile. "I just thought basketball was the easy way, the plan, the big dream you and your father use to just shoot hoops all day long and talk about one day being a basketball star."

Troy was quiet for a bit as he watched the screen. "I do love basketball and I feel like it's something that makes me feel closer to dad but all the cameras … the attention." Troy shrugged his shoulders. "Something about it just doesn't feel like it's my destiny anymore."

"What about college?"

Troy shook his head, "I don't know if I don't play, I don't see me getting into one, and if I just do whoever gives me a full ride all they will want from me is my basketball talent not the other parts of me." Troy looked at his mom. "Does this sound stupid?"

She shook her head. "I get it, I do. I mean you want to be you, and not what the press is calling you. I turned on the news today and they're calling you East High's Hero. I almost expected them to put a cape on you. I know that's not who you are."

"So you wouldn't hate me if I suddenly just didn't want to do this?"

"I don't think I'd ever hate you, it's just not possible." She said leaning forward and giving him a hug. "My baby is growing up so fast."

Troy smiled and hugged her back.