Hi again! HUGE shoutout to Pumkin king5 for the review in the last chapter! Also a huge shout out to the four people who are currently following the story! It made my day! I have to warn you this chapter is boring, trust me I know, but it had to be like this to stay true to the original story! That is my intention through it all! I want to stay true to the original story but with twists.
Enjoy chapter 2!
Tuesday, August 21st, 2008
The next morning Troy awoke at six thirty and got out of bed. He took a quick shower, got dressed and walked into the kitchen to make his breakfast and lunch. He also packed some gym clothes for basketball try-outs before heading to school. He walked past Gabriella's house as she opened the front door.
"God morning," he said and she smiled seeing him. "God morning Troy," she said walking up to him.
"So why did you want to come to America for an exchange year?" Gabriella asked as they walked together towards their High school.
"I wanted to do something new, experience something different," he said only telling half the truth.
"I see. What was your old school like?" she asked curious to find out more about his old life.
"A lot of rich snobbish kids," he explained thinking back.
"It doesn't seem to fit you," she stated and he smiled.
"No, I had a couple of friends, and one really good friend that weren't like the rest of the people," he said not getting into much detail.
"What do you think of East high so far?" Gabriella asked sensing that he wanted to change the subject.
"So far so good. I like that people are themselves and no trying to be someone else," he explained.
"They tried to be someone else? At your old school?" Gabriella questioned curiously.
"They tried to be better than the others, and when everyone is the same," he said and shuddered.
"That doesn't sound fun," she said sympathetically and the entered the school. "It wasn't," Troy told her.
During the day the group got to know each other more and during free period Troy had tryouts for the basketball team.
"Ok, I have chosen the basketball team for the 07/08 season. Everyone from last year is still in, and the new one this year is Howell, Keele, Bolton and Wild. Practice schedules will be put on the bulletin board outside of my office," the coach said and left.
"Congratulations Troy. I have to say I don't really believe what you said about only playing with your dad," Chad said putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Thank you Chad, but it's true. My old school didn't have any sort of team or club so it was me and dad playing," he said and Chad smiled shaking his head. After the boys had showered and changed they walked to their lockers. The team passed Taylor and Gabriella and Troy stopped to talk to her.
"Will you walk with me home?" Troy proposed hoping she would say yes.
"Sorry, but I have AP classes this year. Today I have math," she told him apologetically.
"Well then. I'll see you tomorrow," he said smiling. "See you tomorrow Troy," Gabriella said and Taylor looked at her.
"What?" she asked her friend looking at her.
"Are you developing a crush?" Taylor asked and raised her eyebrows.
"Stop it, Taylor, I've only known him for a day," she defended not willing to admit that she already had a crush on him.
As the weeks passed by the group had become better and better friends. Troy and Gabriella had become best friends but there was always this guilt inside Troy because he had to lie to her. Troy had gotten an East High hoodie by the basketball team so he could really be a part of the school spirit. After all, he was on the basketball team and the team had voted him and Chad to be co-captains. Troy had been talking to his family back in Etrea regularly and they were all happy for him and how everything had turned out.
Wednesday, September 19th
A couple of days ago Troy had stumbled upon a door leading to a rooftop garden. He had learned that it belonged to the science club and was free for everyone to use, but not many knew about it. That morning he left a note in Gabriella's locker and explaining the way to the rooftop and asking if they could meet during lunch. During lunch break, Gabriella came up the stairs and saw Troy there.
"Wow, this is amazing," she said looking around amazed.
"It belongs to the science club and everyone can be here, but not many know about it," he explained as she was looking around.
"Is there a reason why you brought be up here during lunch?" she asked turning back to him.
"I wanted to ask you something," he started and Gabriella walked up to Troy. Troy took a deep breath before he started talking.
"I haven't been here more than a couple of weeks but you're my best friend," he started.
"And you're mine too," Gabriella said to him and Troy suddenly had second thoughts about his idea.
"There is something else," he said and Gabriella looked at him. Troy was always amazed by her brown eyes but forced himself to look away from her eyes. But just long enough to continue. "That's the problem… I feel like there is more between us," Troy said looking into her eyes again. "What I'm trying to say is I love you, Gabriella," he finally admitted. Gabriella smiled and looked at Troy.
"I love you too," she said softly looking into his ocean blue eyes.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" Troy asked taking her hand. For a second Gabriella didn't say anything. Then she leaned in and kissed his lips softly and Troy cupped her cheek as they kissed.
"I'd love to," she said once they broke the kiss. The new couple sat on the roof talking and eating their lunch together enjoying each others company.
"Hi mom," Gabriella said once she walked into the house.
"How was your day hija?" Maria asked her daughter.
"Great," she smiled putting down her backpack. "You know Troy?" she asked.
"The boy you were asked to show around?" she asked and Gabriella nodded. "He asked me to be his girlfriend today and I said yes," she smiled.
"That's great," Maria said and gave her a hug. "I don't believe I have met him?" Maria asked her daughter.
"No, but he is the guy that I have walked with to and from school. You'd love him, and so would daddy," Gabriella told her mother.
"If you say he would then I don't have much to worry about. But I would love to meet this guy," Maria told her daughter. "Why don't you invite him over for dinner on Friday?" her mother asked.
"Sure, is it ok if he comes after school? We have a Spanish project that we need to work on," Gabriella explained.
"Of course, do you want to be downstairs or up in your room?" Maria asked stirring the pot on the stove.
"In my room, I think," "If that's ok?" she hurried to say.
"Of course just keep the door open," Maria smiled.
"Thanks mom," Gabriella said and hugged her mom. The two women sat down eating dinner together talking about what else was going on in their lives. After dinner, Gabriella walked up to her room grabbing her camera turning it on.
"Dear diary. Today something amazing happened," she started with a big smile. "Troy left a note in my locker asking if we could meet up on the rooftop garden he had discovered. So when I came up there during lunch he asked me to become his girlfriend! Of course, I said yes but I'm nervous. I have never dated anyone before and what happens when the school year is over and he moves back to Etrea? Will we both manage a long distance relationship? I am determined to try," I said smiling, before stopping to record.
On Thursday during free period Troy found his way to the auditorium. He just managed to escape Chad. The boys were all hanging in the gym playing for fun, and Chad had almost managed to drag him there. Troy, on the other hand, was interested in checking out the audition for the musical. If there was one thing Troy had learned during his time, then it was not to mix the clicks at East High. The "nerds" couldn't be seen with the jocks and people stayed in their groups. The furthest the groups mixed was Taylor and Gabriella being seen with the basketball team because Taylor dated Chad. And as Troy had learned there was a big commotion at school when they had found out.
Troy snuck in at the back of the auditorium and hid behind a cart the janitor could be seen using.
Darbus started clapping to silence the people who had come to audition. "This is where the true expression of the artist is realised," Darbus started telling the students. "Where inner truth is revealed through the actor's journey…" Darbus said but was interrupted by a ring. "Was that a cell phone?!" she barked out.
"Is it mine?" the students murmured in the audience.
"No, ma'am. That was the warning bell," Kelsi said quietly but loud enough for Darbus to hear.
"Ah!" Darbus realised fixing her glasses before she continued. "Those wishing to audition must understand that time is of the essence. We have many roles to cast and final callbacks will be next week. First, you will sing a few bars and I will give you a sense of whether or not the theatre is your calling. Better to hear it from me now than from your friends later," she said pushing her glasses a little down eying the students. "Our composer, Kelsi Nielson, will accompany you and be available for rehearsals prior to callbacks. Shall we?" she questioned making a grand gesture to somewhere between up and towards the piano on her right.
Different people auditioned and most of them sang off tune, stuttered and forgot lyrics while singing off tune, one girl even looked to be flirting with Darbus while singing. While watching Troy started to question how the musical was
"Hey," a familiar voice said. His head turned and Gabriella stood there. "So you decided to sign up for something?" she continued.
"Uh… No. You?" he stuttered a little.
"No," she answered him. "Um… why are you hiding behind a mop?" she questioned with a little smile. Troy pushed the cart further away and Gabriella scoffed a little. "Your friends don't know you're here, right?" she stated.
"Right," he said. The two of them stopped looking at each other and turned their heads towards the stage where the next person was ready to audition.
"Miss Darbus is a little… harsh," he said as a girl ran off stage most likely crying.
"The Wildcat superstar's afraid?" Gabriella questioned surprised using the nickname Troy had gained playing basketball.
"No! I'm not afraid, I… I'm just… scared," he admitted looking at her.
"Me too… usually," she revealed to him looking at him before turning her head back to the stage as they heard Darbus speak.
"And for the lead roles of Minnie and Arnold we only have one couple signed up," Darbus said and Troy hurried to take the cart, he previously had pushed away, to hide them both.
"Sharpay and Ryan, I think it might be useful for you to give a sense of why we gather in this hallowed hall," Darbus said.
From their spot behind the janitor cart they saw Sharpay put a hand on his brother's chest so she could walk on stage first. It was then the two of them decided to sit in the back row. A brief conversation was made between Ryan and Kelsi before Sharpay snapped her fingers and the red curtains closed. The playback started along with their over the top show. Once their show was over Sharpay gave Kelsi a glare and she started clapping and the other soon followed.
"Well. Are there any last-minute sign-ups?" Darbus asked and Troy and Gabriella snuck out of their seats. "Buy tickets!" they heard Ryan tell someone. "Any last minute sign-ups?" Darbus called out looking around.
"We should go," Troy whispered getting out of his seat.
"No? Good Done," Darbus said, turning of the table lamp, taking her bag walking away from the table.
"I'd like to audition, Miss Darbus" Gabriella called to her homeroom teacher not seeing Troy's frustrated and shocked reaction.
"Timelines means something in the world of theatre, young lady. The individual auditions are long over and there are simply no other pairs," she told her.
"I'll sing with her," Troy said with a raised hand revealing himself.
"Troy Bolton. Where is your sports posse or whatever it's called?" she questioned sceptically surprised to see him there.
"Team," he corrected his teacher looking at her. "Ah," she said nodding. "But I'm here alone. Actually, I'm here to sing with her," he said.
"Yes, well, we take these shows very seriously here at East High," she told them walking closer. "I called for the pairs audition, and you didn't respond. Free period is now over," she said walking past them.
"She has an amazing voice," Troy said trying to help out his girlfriend.
"Perhaps the next musicale," Darbus told them walking away
Up on the stage Kelsi gathered her notes and was going to get off the bench when she tripped and all her notes was scattered on the floor. Both of them hurried down and helped her.
"So, you're a composer?" Troy asked. Kelsi just looked at him. "You wrote the song Ryan and Sharpay just sang?" he continued not caring that she didn't say anything previously. "And the entire show?" he asked giving her the notes he had collected. To this Kelsi gave a tiny nod not looking away. "Well, that's really cool," he told her. "I can't wait to hear the rest of the show," he said offering his hand as she was about to stand up. "So why are you so afraid of Ryan and Sharpay?" he asked the clearly intimidated girl. "I mean, it is your show," he stated easily.
"It is?" she questioned un certainly.
"Isn't the composer of a show kind of like the playmaker in basketball?" he asked her.
"Playmaker?" she asked confused frowning a little.
"You know the one who makes everyone else look good," he tried to explain. "Without you there is no show. You're the playmaker here, Kelsi," he said to her.
"I am?" she asked smiling a little and Troy nodded. "You want to hear how the duet's supposed to sound?" she asked getting excited taking a seat behind the piano. She started on the first line and looked at the couple as Troy started singing. After a couple of lines, Kelsi lead Gabriella into the music.
"Wow. That's nice," Troy said a couple of seconds after Kelsi had hit the last chord.
"Bolton, Montez you have a callback. Kelsi give them the duet from the second act," Darbus yelled from the other side of the auditorium. "Work on it with them," she said putting on her glasses.
"All right!" Kelsi said excited. "If you guys wanna rehearse, I'm usually here during free period and after school and even sometimes during biology class. You can come and rehearse anytime. Or come to my house for breakfast. I have a piano, we can rehearse there. After school, before school – whatever works. After basketball class…." She said to them overly excited.
"What just happened?" Troy questioned as they walked out of the auditorium.
"Darbus was listening to us," Gabriella stated looking at her boyfriend.
"Do you want to do the callback?" Troy questioned her.
"Yeah. What about you?" she questioned.
"I don't really sing…" he said trailing off.
"I have a hard time believing that after what I saw today," Gabriella smiled.
"Yeah sure. My shower head is really impressed," he laughed making Gabriella laugh too.
"Why did you suddenly decide on audition?" he continued as they walked towards their lockers.
"I don't know. I have been singing in a choir before but when I was singing solo I remember looking at the audience and the next thing I was looking at the ceiling. That was the end of my solo career," she said smiling a little embarrassed about the memory.
"After what I heard five minutes ago I have a hard time believing that," he told her.
"Oh well," she shrugged opening her locker taking out her lunch.
That was it! Hope you all liked it! I would really appreciate if you could leave a review to tell me what you though! Also, do you think it's long to wait two weeks for a chapter? I'm curious...
FreeFlyingWriter