AN: I bought a book called Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine, one of my favorite author. It's a how-to book on writing. I've been reading a chapter every week or so. At the end of each chapter, she gives a little writing prompt, and I have to write a short story. I am loving it, because it's excellent practice. I am a firm believer that a writer should practice every chance they get. I keep a spiral notebook in my car so I can write whenever I get a spare moment. At work, I write on napkins on my break. Lately its all original characters and stories.
By now you are probably thinking: Why the heck am I telling you all of this? Well, while reading that book, I have begun to feel an extreme sort of guilt about the lack of updates on my stories here. I apologize to anyone who is reading. I'm going to try harder to update more often.
To all my reviewers: it's been so long since the last chapter, I'm sure you forgot what you even said, but thank you for your reviews. I really do appreciate every single one.
Now, onto the story. This chapter was originally going to be about Gabriella's homecoming, but then I remembered musical auditions, and apparently Elizabeth had plans of her own. The rest of the chapter kind of wrote itself. Therefore Gabby comes home next time.
Okay, I'm shutting up now. Please let me know what you think!
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Strength
Chapter Seven
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In sleep he sang to me,
In dreams he came.
That voice that calls to me
And speaks my name.
And do I dream again?
For now I find,
The phantom of the opera is there,
Inside my mind…
Elizabeth cheered as Brooke finished her audition song. Her friend was the last girl to try out for The Phantom of the Opera. Brooke bounced down the stairs from the stage. Obviously her despair about Jonny Feldman was over. As Brooke resumed her seat next to Elizabeth, she watched Kelsi take center stage.
"Thank you, everyone," Ms. Neilson said. "You all did an excellent job. Results will be posted on Monday."
The students began to filter out of the auditorium.
"How did I sound?" Brooke asked.
"You were awesome," Elizabeth reassured her friend. "No one else was as good as you; you're practically guaranteed the part."
"You were good too," Brooke said.
"I wasn't focused. I can't stop thinking about my mom."
"I can't wait to meet her," Brooke said. "She sounds like an amazing woman."
"She's wonderful, Brooke. I'm excited to have her home tonight. It will be like I have a real family." As the girls moved down the hall, a red-headed boy called out to Elizabeth. His name was Jeremy Tyler, and he was the captain of the basketball team.
"Hey Bolton! Practice game after school. Be there?"
"I have plans, but I'll ask," Elizabeth called back. Jeremy gave her a thumbs-up, then looked at someone behind her. Danny and Jeremy fell into step with Brooke and Elizabeth.
"You coming too, Cunningham?" he asked.
"Sure," Danny said.
"Excellent. I'll put you both down as skins," Jeremy said with a wink.
"Somehow I don't think my father would appreciate that," Elizabeth retorted.
"Okay, shirts it is," Jeremy said. "See you later!"
"What a dork," Brooke said when Jeremy was gone. "So, Danny, what did you think of musical auditions?"
"You were there?" Elizabeth asked, looking up at her new friend. She hadn't noticed him at try-outs.
"I was just watching. I knew how much it meant to the two of you, so I came to lend my support, as a way of saying thank you for making my first days of school easier."
"That's what friends do," Elizabeth said. Danny grinned softly.
"This is my stop," Danny said, pointing to his locker. "See you later."
Elizabeth and Brooke continued down the hall and around the corner to their own lockers.
"He's totally crushing on you," Brooke told Elizabeth.
"What are you talking about?" Elizabeth said, turning the dial on her lock. "Danny and I are just friends."
"Puh-leeze! A blind man could see the chemistry between you two. Cunningham-Bolton is East High's next primo couple. You should ask him to the Valentine's Dance."
"Brooke, we only met yesterday!" Elizabeth insisted.
"Love at first sight!" Brooke said, peeking around the locker door. "What do you like better: Danibeth or Elizanny?"
"Stop making pet names for our theoretical relationship!" Elizabeth said. "Besides I always go to the Valentine's Ball with my dad."
"Well what if he's found someone else to go with this year? Like your mom, maybe."
"I didn't think about that," Elizabeth said quietly. Her parents were so cute in the photo albums. The thought of them dancing together at her high school ball made her smile.
"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Brooke asked softly.
"No! Look, if Danny wants to make a date with me, he'll ask me. Until then I just want to be friends with him."
"Fine," Brooke said mournfully. "But when he does ask you out, I have 'I told you so' rights." Elizabeth sighed.
"That's what friends do," she said for the second time that day.
…..
"Hey, Dad," Elizabeth said, falling into a chair in his office. She was dressed in a white East High tank top and loose red sport pants.
"I'm almost ready to go," Troy said, turning off the monitor of his computer. "Just need to file a few things away."
"Hey Dad, is it alright if I go to the practice game?" she said, pulling her leg up so that she could reach to tie her gym shoes. "I'm not used to missing this much practice. The big game is coming up. I need to get my focus back." Troy looked up from his filing cabinet.
"What about Mom?" he asked.
"Well you can go get her," Elizabeth said. "I'll catch a ride home with Uncle Chad or Aunt Kelsi and help them set up for the party."
"I don't know," Troy said. "I thought we could have a little family time before we get home and everyone wants to see your Mom."
"Dad, do you honestly want Uncle Chad in our house alone?"
"You make a good point," Troy conceded. Just then, Danny knocked on the open door. At Troy's beckon he stepped inside.
"Hi, Elizabeth," Danny said to her. "Are you ready for the game?"
Beth smiled and nodded.
"Danny this is my Dad, Troy Bolton. He coaches the girl's basketball team. Dad, this is Daniel Cunningham. He just moved here from Wisconsin." Danny smiled. Troy offered his hand and the young man shook it. "Brooke and I have been showing Danny around," Elizabeth continued. "He used to play basketball at his old school, so Jeremy invited him to the practice game. So, is it all right if I go?"
"Yes, just make sure you only ride with Uncle Chad or Aunt Kelsi, and absolutely remember your seatbelt. And call me when you get home. Understood?"
"Yes, Dad," Elizabeth said, shouldering her gym bag. She kissed Troy's cheek. "Thanks. Love you."
"It was nice to meet you, Sir," Danny said as he followed Elizabeth from the room. Troy watched them retreat. He had a feeling that he was going to be seeing a lot of that young man.
…..
"Next time, I call Cunningham," Jeremy said, drinking down half a bottle of water. It was halfway through the practice game, and Jeremy's team was down by five points. "Who knew he could dunk?"
"It's not that big of a deal," Danny said.
"Danny, it's a really big deal. Victory would be inevitable if we could put you in the game," Elizabeth said. "You could be our secret weapon."
"There's no way that Coach Danforth is going to put me in the game. He's got plenty of people who are actually on the team. You'll have to save your 'secret weapon' for next year."
"That's too bad," another girl said, batting her eyelashes at Danny. Her name was Megan Halbruk. She played small forward on the girl's team. She joined the team after she washed out at cheerleading. She may not have had the moves to make it on the cheerleading squad, but she aced the personality type.
Elizabeth ignored Megan's flirting, stretching her hands far above her head as Chad entered the gym.
"All right, people, look alive. I got to go, and I can't 'til you all leave so I can lock up the gym. Therefore, each team will pick your two best players, for a quick two-on-two game. First team to make a point wins. You have thirty seconds to pick your partners." He looked around at the teenagers that clustered around him. "Go," he said, waving them away.
Thirty seconds later, Elizabeth found herself standing on the court with Danny at her side. Across from them were Jeremy and a tall, dark-haired boy named Brandon.
"Oh, this will be no problem," Brandon said teasingly. He looked back at the leftover boys on Elizabeth's team. "Never send a woman to battle!"
Elizabeth crossed her arms and glared at Brandon. Chad blew the whistle to signal the beginning of the match. Jeremy dribbled towards the net. Danny started to block Brandon, but Elizabeth still didn't move. After a few more feet Jeremy made a successful pass to Brandon.
Elizabeth made her move. She quickly stole the ball from Brandon, then turned. Danny had seen her start towards the ball, and he made his way to the net. Before Brandon knew what was happening, Danny slammed the ball into the net.
Elizabeth looked at her hand, pretending to inspect a manicure she didn't have. Danny grinned at Brandon.
"And that is how woman wins the war!" he said, turning to his partner. "Hi five!"
Elizabeth met his hand. Brandon looked at her sheepishly.
"Good moves," he tried.
"Apology accepted," Elizabeth said. The lights went out.
"Get your junk, I'm needed elsewhere!" Chad called.
"See you guys on Sunday?" Elizabeth asked her friends.
"Oh, your party- gotcha!" Jeremy said.
"Am I still invited?" Brandon asked as they collected their backpacks from the bleachers.
"Yes, even though you're a womanizing pig," Elizabeth told him. She turned to Danny. "You can come too. It's Sunday at Lava Springs Country Club around one. "
"I have no idea where that is," Danny said. He fished a magic marker out of his backpack and began sprawling digits on her hand. "This is my number. Call me with the deets."
"Okay," Elizabeth said softly. She looked up. Danny's eyes were so very green, like two gleaming emeralds. No wonder the Wizard of Oz built the city with those green stones.
"Ready, Lizzie?" Chad asked, startling her.
"Um, yeah," she looked at Danny again. "See you Sunday."
"Bye," he said, making his way towards his car.
Elizabeth climbed into Chad's convertible, and buckled her all-important seatbelt. Elizabeth grinned at her surrogate uncle. "That's the first time in my life no one sang the 'buckle-up' song," she said, referring to a jingle her dad had made up when she was little.
"I'm surprised your dad let you ride with me," Chad said in agreement. "He's made it clear that he thinks my driving skills put the general public at danger."
"He reminded me like 6 times to wear my seatbelt," Elizabeth said. Her phone chimed with the arrival of a new text message. "Seven," Beth amended.
"So," Chad said, pulling out of the school parking lot, "That Danny seems nice."
"Oh not you too!" Elizabeth said exasperatedly. "He's my friend."
"Sorry! I just thought that you liked him. I mean, the boy wrote his phone number on your hand." Elizabeth looked down at her hand and smiled softly. "Well, as a friend, would you see if you can get him to be an alternate for the big game next week?"
"Uncle Chad! I couldn't. It's like … Spiderman using his powers for evil. It just doesn't feel right."
"You could at least suggest it," Chad said.
"Fine," Elizabeth conceded. "But I'll make it clear that I was coerced into it."
"Sounds fair. BTW," Chad said, ignoring the odd look Elizabeth gave him for using text-slang in speech. "I would wash that hand before your father sees it."
Elizabeth didn't say anything. A couple of minutes later, they pulled into her driveway. Taylor's vehicle was already there, as was Kelsi's.
"'I'm here! Let's get this party started!" Chad said, throwing his arms in the air as he stepped through the door. Taylor looked him up and down.
"You don't look like our guest of honor," she said, pressing a box of white Christmas lights into his arms. "Here, make yourself useful. These are going on the patio; chairs, umbrellas, trees. I don't care where you hang them, just create something pretty. And keep an eye on the boys, too!" Chad whistled as he walked down the hall towards the back door.
"And don't let Jason climb on the roof!" Kelsi called after him.
"I'm going to change real quick, then I'll help you," Elizabeth said. She went to her room and discarded her basketball clothes for a pair of jeans and a black button-up shirt over a bright red and blue tanktop. She headed back to the kitchen barefooted.
Elizabeth had to make a detour when the doorbell rang. She was engulfed in the arms of Sharpay Evans-Baylor.
"Lizzie! You look fabulous! I swear you're taller every time I see you!" Elizabeth felt the woman's baby kick. She took a step back to get a better view of this family friend.
"Come, my dear. Troy will kill you if you suffocate her," Zeke said.
Elizabeth lead the new arrivals into the kitchen. Sharpay was seated at the table and given a bowl of carrots to peel. after he set down donated baked goods, Zeke joined the other men in the backyard.
"I'm so excited," Kelsi said. Elizabeth leaned against the counter and began to sample salsa and other dips. "I wrote a song for Gabby today, and I've got three more floating around in my head now."
"Does she look the same?" Sharpay asked.
"She's very thin and frail. It will be good for her to be home," Taylor said, slapping Elizabeth's hand as she reached for another chip. "I know your father doesn't like it when you snack between meals. Everything is just about ready. Why don't you and Kelsi take some of this out to the backyard."
"Okay, Aunt Taylor," Beth said, picking up a platter. When she stepped outside she was pleasantly surprised. Lights twinkled merrily. The buffet table was set with white linens and strewn with pink flowers. A banner reading "Welcome Back, Gabby!" hung above the table. There were enough chairs placed on the deck for everyone.
"What do you think, Lizzie?" Jason asked. Chad and Zeke stood proudly nearby.
"It looks fantastic!" Elizabeth assured them.
"It was all me," Zeke whispered as Beth passed him. Chad snagged a chip off of her platter as she set it down. She slapped his hand.
"I know Aunt Taylor doesn't like it when you snack between meals," she teased.
"Of course- no carbs. How else am I to maintain my girlish figure?" Kelsi brought more plates out, and Elizabeth made another trip. As they were lighting pillar candles that adorned the table, Elizabeth heard a car door bang shut.
"They're here!" she said with a grin.