Troy groaned as he stared out the rain-splattered window. The rain had started up again, this time less brutal and a lot more calming. He sighed and turned to face his front door, ready for yet another day of school and another days of secrets. But Troy had made a decision.
After last night, he wasn't keeping any more secrets.
Troy decided to disobey his father and drove his car to school, almost falling asleep at the wheel. Lately, his sleep had been limited and he had often woken up in the middle of the night screaming. What haunted him during day didn't leave him alone in his sleep either.
Rain splattered around his wheels as he drove lazily through the school parking lot. His headlights pierced the darkness for it was still dark out from the billowing clouds and the time which had been six o' clock in the morning. He found a parking spot quickly for the lot was nearly empty except for those who had clubs in the peak of the morning or the devoted teachers who spent entirely too much time at school.
Troy got out of the car, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He looked towards the door of the school and slowly made his way there, letting the rain slap against his cheeks. Troy indolently swung open the door and walked into the fluorescent-lit hallway and listened to the squeaking of his tennis shoes on the shining tile floors.
He began to hum a tune, not one he had heard before but one that he merely made up. Troy traveled through the school, watching the lockers stroll past him, the floor zipping behind him. He reached two doors that swung open at his light touch and he strolled inside. His feet just carried him right into the theater.
Troy let his fingers travel across the clothed seats in each row, touching the back of each aisle seat as he came closer and closer to the looming dark stage. Slowly, he traveled up the steps on the right side of the stage, his thundering footsteps echoing in the empty auditorium. The dust-covered, velvet curtains were swept off to the side, leaving an open stage in front of him. A lone microphone stand stood on the center of the stage.
Troy went behind the curtain and stared at the big electronic-looking box that controlled all of the sound system in the theater. He pressed a button and waited for the small light to slowly blink green. Carefully, he turned a knob and heard the cackle of the microphone starting up. The pressing and turning were mere strokes of luck, for Troy had absolutely no idea how to work the control panels.
Slowly he walked out to the microphone and tapped his foot to a steady beat that was pulsing in his mind. He grabbed the microphone and its stand in his hands and tilted it slightly as to get it closer to his mouth. In a low, endearing voice, he sang.
Hey, Dad, look at me
Think back and talk to me
Did I grow up according to plan?
And do you think I'm wasting my time
Doing things I wanna do?
But it hurts when you disapprove all along
And now I try hard to make it
I just wanna make you
Proud
I'm never gonna be good enough for you
I can't pretend that I'm all right
And you can't change me
Troy was so wrapped in his song he didn't notice the slight crack of the door and darkened figure slip into the back row of seats, huddling into the shadows. He tapped his foot to a steady beat and heard the strum of an imaginary guitar and the fantasy drum pounded out a secure rhythm. Again he brought the microphone to his mouth and sang.
Cuz' we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry I can't be
Perfect
Now it's just too late
And we can't go back
I'm sorry I can't be
Perfect
A musical interlude followed, all of the unreal instruments being strummed, pluck, on drummed; the cymbals crashed and the music played on, slowing down to start his next verse. Troy could see the music swarming in the air; he could imagine the note swirling around the room.
I try not to think
About the pain I feel inside
Did you know you used to be
My hero?
All the days you spent with me
Now seem so far away
And it feels like you don't care
Anymore
And now I try hard to make it
I just wanna make you
Proud
I'm never gonna be good enough for you
Can't stand another fight
And nothing's all right
Silent tears ran down Troy's cheeks as he re-sung the chorus, wholeheartedly letting his soul and his body combine and letting out the powerful, soulful instrument that was his voice carry through the almost empty theater. He liked the way his deep voice echoed through the room, reverberating in his chest. He took a deep breath and began again.
Cause nothing's gonna change the
Things that you said
And nothing's gonna make this
Right again
Please don't turn your back
I can't believe it hard just to
Talk to you
But you don't understand
Troy freely sang out the chorus again, letting more large tears spill from his crystal blue eyes. The pace in his mind went faster and he made himself louder, made himself be heard. Then suddenly, he felt himself slow down the rhythm came almost to halt.
Cuz' we lost it
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry I can't be
Perfect
Now it's just too late
And we can't go back
I'm sorry I can't be
Troy felt a warm beam of sunlight break through the tiny windows that were placed very close to the tall ceiling. It shone down on him like a spotlight, showcasing the dust that fluttered through the air. A few tears slipped down his face and splattered onto the stage.
Perfect.
----
Sharpay threw a hand to her mouth to cover her gasp, staring up at Troy in the center of the stage. She had showed up at school to help move the costumes from the new shipment into the dressing room early that morning and when she heard the sound system cackle to life, she felt the need to go investigate. Sharpay caught Troy in the middle of his song and decided to hear it sung out and decide if he was any good or not.
He was but that wasn't the point. Quickly, she gathered herself and made it out the theater door before Troy even finished turning off the sound system. She needed to find someone… and fast.
----
The school began to fill up with busy students, all bustling around and trying to find books, homework, friends, and Lord knows what else. Gabriella smiled as she stepped into the school and smelled the fragrance that always put a smile on her face: cleaning bleach, girls shampoo and perfume, guys cologne, paper, chalk, and sweat, the smell of her school, the smell of East High.
Gabriella strategically made her way through the crowded hallways, dodging in and out of the milling students. She strolled slowly through the people and finally made her way towards Taylor's locker. She smiled brighter upon seeing the back of her friend's head sticking out of the locker. As quietly as she could, Gabriella tiptoed up behind Taylor and then shouted in her ear, "Guess who!"
Taylor jumped and hit Gabriella who fell to the floor in a laughing heap. Taylor put a hand over her quickly beating heart and then helped the giggling Gabriella off the floor, scolding, "Don't do that!"
"So!" Gabriella said happily. "How was the tutoring session with Joe?"
"About that, Gabi," Taylor said, turning to her friend. "He exploded the chemicals all over a stack of textbooks; half of the pages in the books dissolved away!"
"What?" Gabriella asked, her euphoric mood worn away. "Did any survive it?"
"A couple," Taylor nodded solemnly. "I was trying to find you earlier…"
Troy strolled up at this point and interrupted the conversation sounding nervous, yet in some way, relieved. He leaned against the locker and spoke to Gabriella.
"Gabi, can I-uh- talk to you for a second?" He asked, playing with the bottom his button down shirt.
"Can it wait a minute?" Gabriella asked, frustration lining her every word. "Taylor and I have to go back to the science lab."
She and Taylor traveled down the hallway, Taylor yammering on about the state of the books, leaving Troy all alone in the middle of the hall. He sighed and stared after Gabriella, yearning to let it all out.
"Sure."
----
That day, during his History class, Troy was falling asleep; his eyelids were drooping and the hand that was propping his head up was beginning to fall. The sun shone warmly on his face, illuminating the large bags that had formed under his eyes from his restless night before.
Just as Troy's eyelids fluttered closed, they snapped back open as he heard the small rustle of a paper falling onto his desk. Curious, he opened the balled piece of looseleaf and smoothed it to the best of his abilities. His eyes never even thought of closing again after he read the words:
I know.
Author's Note: Okay, well, I'm just going to let everyone know that I am very bad at updating so I may take a while but it's summer break now (YES!) so I may get a bit better.
Disclaimer: The song, entitled Perfect, is credited to Simple Plan. And… sure, I own High School Musical. Yeah, Zac and I playing cards in a minute.