Brief Encounter
Summary: Can anything good come from a mix-up?
Disclaimer: High School Musical and all of its characters belong to Disney. I just have them on secondment along with the song by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes from the film Dirty Dancing, (I've had) The time of my life.
A/N: Thanks to Kristen and Holly for reviewing this chapter for me. Zac it's about time you got your butt back to V.
"Tell me you did not just hurl all over my brand new Manolo's." Sharpay screamed.
Va-Va-Voom
A beam of bright light slipped up Troy's face stroking his features one by one before seeping through his closed eyelids. He stirred from unconsciousness and moaned as he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his head. He turned his head and scrunched his eyes as the bright sunlight hit him fully in his face. He rubbed his temple trying to ease the pressure before slipping his feet from under the covers and standing up. The room revolved around him and he fell back onto the bed with a whimper.
"Shit! How much did I drink last night?" he groaned to himself. "I haven't felt this bad since the championship party at college." He really needed to pee so he gingerly placed his feet back on the floor and eased himself into a standing position and walked slowly into his bathroom. Feeling slightly better after splashing water on his face he came back into his bedroom and heard a whirring sound that grated in his head. After pulling on a pair of sweat bottoms he walked out of his room and into the kitchen to find Chad mixing a concoction in the blender.
"Yo Dude! Glad to see you in the land of the living," Chad said rather loudly or so it seemed to Troy. Chad turned to face him.
"Do you have to shout?" Troy groaned.
"I'm not. You look like shit. How do you feel?"
"Like I've been hit by a ton of concrete; my mouth feels like I've chewed a sweaty sock." Troy moaned rubbing his temple.
Chad smirked as he filled two glasses with the peculiar mixture. "Here, drink that. You'll feel right in no time." Chad promised as he thrust one of the glasses into Troy's hand. If Troy felt iffy before, he felt decidedly worse when he looked at the contents of the glass.
"What is it?" whispered Troy looking ashen. Chad smirked as he sipped his.
"I can't tell you or you won't drink it but I got the recipe from one of those cooking programmes," he said looking slightly embarrassed. Troy smirked despite himself. He put the glass to his lips the smell permeated his nostrils and he heaved.
"Are you sure this will work. It smells disgusting." Troy said looking at the glass suspiciously. Chad laughed.
"It won't poison you man. See I'm drinking it," he said trying to reassure Troy. "Just down it in one if you have to." Chad ordered watching him like his mother would. Troy put it back to his lips and tipped the contents into his mouth. He nearly gagged but managed to swallow it all.
"Holy hell! Chad that is disgusting. What's in it?" Troy queried wrinkling his nose in disgust.
"Sure you want to know?" Chad smirked. Troy looked at him doubtfully.
"Yeah, I need to know what crap I've just put in my body."
"A banana, a carrot, a tomato, a shot of vodka, a splash of Tabasco sauce and some milk," finished Chad after reeling off the contents. Troy turned greener with each ingredient. He could feel it sliding down to his stomach.
"Are you trying to fucking kill…?" Troy snarled before running back through his bedroom to the bathroom. Chad could hear him retching and chuckled. Troy trudged back into the kitchen some minutes later. Chad looked at him.
"You still look like shit but you've got a bit of colour in your cheeks now," he commented.
"Jeez, you sound like my mother." Troy grumbled as he filled the coffee machine.
"I've got to look after the Playmaker, don't I? Plus we've got that team meeting at 2pm and I need you to be compos mentis or at least looking like you are." Chad challenged him. Troy groaned.
"Oh hell! I'd forgotten about that; I want to die." Troy cried theatrically. Chad rolled his eyes.
"Hey dude, don't do a Shar on me." Chad warned him. Troy rolled his eyes and got cups ready for the coffee. He turned and waved one at Chad who nodded in reply.
They carried their coffee cups into the lounge area and flopped down on the sofa.
"So…did anything happen last night?" Troy said hesitantly a pink tinge in his cheeks. Chad smirked at him.
"What do you remember?" Chad queried, playing with him. Troy grimaced.
"Hmm! I vaguely remember getting another bottle of bubbly and then Ryan making a toast to the upcoming launch party and after that, not a lot." Troy mumbled. Chad smirked.
"So you don't remember dancing?" Troy looked at him wide-eyed.
"But…but, I don't dance," he gasped. Chad chuckled at him.
"Let me set your mind at rest buddy, you still don't." Chad laughed outright. "You did your normal octopus interpretation. To say you're a basketball player who is very agile and quick on the court your co-ordination skills totally desert you on the dance floor." Chad observed with a guffaw.
"Fuck! So I embarrassed myself into the next millennium?" Troy asked hanging his head in shame.
"Yep. If you thought you had a chance with that Gabriella chick, I think you blew it big style." Chad said banging another nail in his coffin. Troy looked up and glared at Chad. Chad sniggered at the look on Troy's face.
"Why? What…what did I do? I didn't throw up on her, did I?" Troy said in a panicked voice.
"Nah. Not on her. You nearly caused a fight though when you banged into the man behind you. His girlfriend was looking mighty pissed off when he stood on her foot trying to avoid you." Troy gulped. Chad waited for that to sink in before continuing with his recount of the night's events.
"She's quite strong for her size seeing as she had to hold you up," he observed. Troy's jaw dropped.
"She did," squeaked Troy. Chad grinned. He was really enjoying his friend's embarrassment.
"Yeah, she even realised when you were going to crash because she interrupted my dance. Let me tell you buddy, you owe me big time. I was on a promise there." Chad glowered at him. Troy gulped again.
"So…I just passed out?" Troy asked dreading the answer.
"Oh shit! I hope I didn't flake out in front of her."
"Nah, me and Zeke carried you outside." Chad continued with his commentary.
"So it's all good?" Troy said with a relieved sigh. Chad laughed again.
"Not really. You owe Sharpay big time." Troy's eyes flew back up to Chad.
"What? Where does she fit into all this?" Troy asked puzzled. "I thought you said you and Zeke brought me home?"
"Yeah, we did but not before you threw up on Sharpay's new shoes outside the club." Chad snorted with laughter. "Man, you should have seen her face. I've not had such a good time in ages." Troy groaned and put his head in his hands. He looked at Chad with worried eyes.
"Fucking hell! What time is the next plane to Alaska?" Chad fell off the sofa holding his sides with laughter.
"Troy, you can run but you can't hide. Shar is on the warpath and gunning straight for you buddy." Chad warned him once he could speak again.
"Maybe I can get a transfer to Toronto Raptors?" Troy said hopefully. Chad shook his head and laughed again.
Taylor was humming '(I've had) The time of my life' as she pottered around in the kitchen, filling up the kettle with water and scooping coffee into the cafetiere, taking out two mugs from the cupboard and getting the milk from the fridge.
"Someone sounds happy, I wonder why?" commented a smirking Gabriella as she entered the kitchen. Taylor turned and smiled at her.
"Good morning. Why shouldn't I be happy? The sun is shining and I'm not in work until tomorrow so we can spend the whole day together." Taylor said brightly.
"So it's nothing to do with a certain basketball player with weird hair?" Gabriella queried with a twinkle in her eye.
"Hey! His hair isn't weird. That's all the trend now." Taylor protested jumping to his defence.
"Really. I must have had my head stuck in a bucket for the past month or so because I can't say I've seen many masterpieces like that around town." Gabriella teased. Taylor glared at her.
"Anyway what do you want to do today?" Taylor asked desperately trying to change the subject. Gabriella giggled and rolled her eyes.
"And you think you can divert me that easily? Oh no, Miss McKessie you are so wrong there. After what you put Troy Bolton and me through you are not getting off that easy." Gabriella warned her.
"Whatever," Taylor sniffed as she turned back to put the boiling water into the cafetiere. Gabriella let it go for a while. Taylor placed the coffee cups and pot onto a tray and carried them through to the balcony. Gabriella followed on behind pondering her tactics. They settled into the two chairs around the small bistro table and gazed over the park waiting for the coffee to brew, letting the morning sun kiss their skin.
"Do you remember in school when you called all the basketball players lunkheads?" Gabriella queried. Taylor blushed and glared at her.
"I guess that doesn't apply anymore?" Gabriella smirked at her friend.
"Look Gabs, he's cute okay? And has a great sense of humour and I probably won't see him again anyway, not after your 'friend' cut the evening short." Taylor grumbled. Gabriella's mind wandered off into the distance wondering how Troy was this morning.
"Yea well I think that was down to you and your dumbass comment. I think you embarrassed the guy and drove him to drink," she admonished her friend.
"Hey I was only telling it like it was," retorted Taylor.
"Really? So that comment wasn't meant to embarrass him and make all his friends question him and think there is something going on when there isn't?" Gabriella fired at her. Taylor had the grace to blush but then smirked unrepentantly.
"Sorry Gabi but I couldn't resist. You know what I'm like," shrugged Taylor giggling when she recalled Troy's face the night before.
"Oh I know to my cost believe me," moaned Gabriella.
"Admit it Gabs, his face was a picture," coaxed Taylor giggling all over again. Gabriella shook her head and chuckled despite herself. She reached and pushed down the plunger before pouring the coffee and passing a cup to Taylor.
"Hey, did you see Kelsi dancing with Ryan? Don't they make a great couple?" Gabriella asked Taylor.
"Yea, they looked cute together. I wonder if they'll hook up again?" Taylor queried. Gabriella shrugged.
"Maybe we can find out today," laughed Gabriella with a twinkle in her eye. Taylor smirked back at her.
"Not nosey much Montez."
"Ha! And you're Miss Confidentiality, I suppose," she quipped giggling at Taylor's outraged expression. Gabriella eyed her friend speculatively before asking the teasing question that had been on the tip of her tongue for ages.
"So…tongues?" Gabriella wasn't letting go just yet.
"What ever are you on about?" Taylor queried looking puzzled. Gabriella raised her eyebrow in disbelief.
"When you were dancing up close and personal with Chad Danforth, very up close may I add? Don't you remember?" Taylor dumbly looked at her.
"I saw you, don't think I didn't Tay. You had your tongue in his ear and he had his hand on your ass," Gabriella pulled a face. Taylor blushed and lowered her head.
"Erm! Did I?" Taylor looked puzzled. Gabriella burst out laughing.
"Oh yeah! I saw and you are so busted girl," she rejoiced giggling at her friend's expression.
"Now what shall we do today? Do you fancy lunch with the girls?" Gabriella said changing the subject. Taylor looked relieved and let out a sigh.
"Sounds good to me. I'll just go and ring them shall I?" Taylor said hurriedly rising from her chair before Gabriella could say anything.
"This isn't the end of it McKessie. You may think it is but it's only the start." Gabriella thought smirking to herself. She finished her coffee leisurely staring over the park at a certain building wondering if a certain blue-eyed guy was up yet. She went into her bedroom and removed her phone from the charger before going back onto the balcony. She switched it on and it beeped immediately.
"Damn! One missed call. Hang on I've got a text,"
Sorry. Hope u forgive me. R we still good?
"What the hell! Does he think I'd break up over him having a good time?" Gabriella thought frowning to herself.
Yea, we're good. R U OK?
She keyed back and pressed send. The phone beeped indicating it had arrived. She glanced over at his place but she couldn't see any movement. She gathered up the cups and carried the tray back into the kitchen, pouring a second cup before going into her bathroom to shower and change ready for the day ahead. Her phone rang as she was getting out of the shower and she quickly went to find it in the pocket of her robe.
"Hey! How are you?" she giggled as she listened.
"Aw! Poor baby, that will teach you to drink so much," she said giving a little sympathy but not much.
"He did? Ha! Remind me never to have a hangover in his presence then. Ugh! That's disgusting. I feel sick just hearing about it." Gabriella screwed her face up as she listened.
"I've just got out of the shower. I'm going for lunch with Taylor, Kelsi and Martha," she replied to the question. She blushed and looked down at herself.
"A towel." She blushed even more. "Behave yourself. I thought you were ill?" She listened before bursting out laughing.
"You didn't. Oh my god! I'd be pissed too. They cost a fortune," she listened some more.
"So you haven't seen her yet? Rather you than me. Lilies or orchids?" Gabriella asked.
"Why? For your funeral," she said laughing. "Yea, see you later, bye." She finished the call and flipped her phone shut, giggling as she did so.
Kelsi and Martha were already seated in The Lemon Tree by the time Taylor and Gabriella rolled up.
"Sorry we're late. This one took ages getting ready for some reason." Taylor said by way of greeting. Gabriella rolled her eyes.
"Just you wait lady," she promised silently.
"Hey girls. How are we today?" Gabriella greeted her friends, kissing them on the cheek. Martha smiled.
"I'm good."
"Me too," said Kelsi with sparkling eyes. Gabriella and Taylor looked at each other knowingly. They settled down and glanced down the menu before ordering.
"Did you all have a good time last night?" Gabriella asked them smiling. Martha smiled.
"Yeah, it was good. That club rocks. It's a great choice for your launch party Gabi." Martha said bouncing in her seat with excitement.
"I agree. The acoustics are really good there," said Kelsi adding her approval. Kelsi was a budding composer although in her day job she was a music teacher at a prestigious school in Los Angeles and Gabriella valued her opinion. Kelsi had even written a song for Gabriella and it was one of the tracks on her new album so she had a vested interest in its success.
"It's a cool place Gabs." Taylor added to the mix.
"I'm happy with it. It was an inspired choice by Ryan and I think it will work just fine." Gabriella said confidently but watching Kelsi closely when she mentioned Ryan. Gabriella smirked when Kelsi blushed. Bingo! Taylor, always quick to pick up on vibes, saw it too.
"So…Kelsi, you seemed to click with Ryan? I saw you dancing with him." Taylor commented with a grin. Kelsi blushed and looked down at the table.
"Well…he…we hit it off." Kelsi stammered out a reply. Martha and Gabriella whooped and slapped her on the back.
"I knew it. I knew you'd like each other." Gabriella exclaimed in excitement. The waiter appeared with their food so they waited until he had served and left before continuing. Kelsi took a big sip of her Spritzer to bolster her ready for the onslaught.
"So…are you seeing him again?" Taylor enquired nosily. Kelsi blushed.
"Erm! He's taking me out to dinner on Tuesday," she said hesitantly blushing all the time. The rest squealed in excitement.
"So…did you see Taylor getting cosy with Chad Danforth. He had his arm around her and she wasn't complaining?" Gabriella started off shooting an amused look in Taylor's direction. Both of them looked astonished as they shook their heads.
"Oh that's right, you'd all gone to the bar when that was going on so you missed the cork incident too," Gabriella continued laughing when she thought back.
"Well…did you see Taylor shaking her booty on the dance floor later?" Gabriella asked with a grin. Kelsi and Martha smirked at Taylor.
"Oh yeah we saw that Gabi," they confirmed in unison. Taylor hung her head to hide the telltale sign of a blush.
"But did you see her later?" Gabriella queried raising her eyebrow. Kelsi and Martha shook their head.
"Damn! Did I miss something? Jason offered to get me a drink when they started on the slow stuff," Martha commented with a scowl knowing she must have missed something juicy. Kelsi shook her head and blushed.
"I missed it too," Kelsi said regrettably. Taylor was shooting daggers at Gabriella by this time. Gabriella giggled.
"She was smooching with Chad and he had his hands on her arse and she had her hands around his neck but worst of all she was licking his ear with her tongue. How gross is that?" Gabriella finished with a grimace. Taylor by this time was blushing big style. Kelsi and Martha pulled a yucky face then burst out laughing.
"But I thought you hated basketball players? You always put them down when we were at school." Kelsi observed with a frown. Martha nodded in agreement.
"My thoughts exactly," agreed Gabriella with a laugh. Taylor punched her arm and glared at her promising retribution in the not too distant future. They all looked at Taylor with a questioning look.
"He said he spotted me right across the club and he knew we had to meet." Taylor preened. The others collapsed about laughing.
"What! That is so cheesy Tay." Gabriella choked.
"I know but he's va-va-voom." Taylor stammered blushing madly.
I hope you like this as much as I enjoyed writing it. The Sharpay confrontation is coming next.