The next day, Chad and Troy were walking down an aisle in the library. Chad seized the opportunity to ask the question on his mind – not to mention the minds of everyone on the team.

A.J. asked, "What spell has this elevated-IQ temptress-girl cast that suddenly makes you want to be in a musical?"

Timmy answered, clear as day, "I just...did it. Who cares?"

A.J. repeated, "Who cares!" He looked hurt but he added, "How about your most loyal best friend?"

The librarian walked towards them and glared at Chad.

Miss Falstaff whispered, "Quiet in here, Mr. Danforth."

A.J. pointed to Troy and defended, "It's him, Miss Falstaff. Not me."

Once the librarian was off playing sight, he turned back to Troy and continued making his point.

A.J. pointed out, "You're a hoops dude, not a musical-singer person. Have you ever seen Michael Crawford on a cereal box?"

Timmy asked, confused, "Who is Michael Crawford?"

A.J. answered, vindicated, "Exactly my point. He was the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. My mom saw that musical twenty-seven times and put Michael Crawford's picture in our refrigerator. Yeah, not on it. IN it. Play basketball, you're going to end up on a cereal box. Sing in musicals, you're going to end up in my mom's refrigerator."

Timmy asked, confused, "Why did she put his picture in her refrigerator?"

A.J. answered, "One of her crazy diet ideas. I don't attempt to understand the female mind, Troy! That's frightening territory."

He looked up and saw the librarian heading in their direction. They walked over to a table and Troy started taking notes in his notebook. Chad, however, continued making his point.

A.J. asked, "How do you expect us to focus on the game if you're off somewhere in leotards singing in Twinkle Town?"

Now, Troy was starting to get a little worried. Leotards!

Timmy defended, "No one said anything about leotards."

A.J. responded, "Not yet, my friend, but just you wait! We need you, Captain. Big time."

Oops. The librarian was looming over them. She warned, "Mr. Danforth!"

A.J. defended, "I tried to tell him, Miss Falstaff. I really tried."

Then he crept away, followed by the librarian's accusing glare. Troy sat very still, thinking hard about what Chad had said.

…

Inside the chemistry lab, Taylor and the other members of the Scholastic Club were hard at work, when Chad, Jason, and Zeke entered. The jocks approached the geeks.

A.J. told Alicia, "We need to talk."

Alicia told him, "Go."

The two groups were deep in conversation when Sharpay and Ryan passed the open door of the chemistry lab. They stopped to look and listen.

Veronica commented, "Something isn't right."

The only thing Ryan did was nod in agreement.

Remy responded, "They must be trying to figure out a way for Troy and Gabriella to beat us out. The jocks rule most of the school, but if they get Troy into the musical, then they've conquered the entire student body."

Veronica added, "And if those science girls get Gabriella hooked up with Troy Bolton, the Science Club goes from drool to cool." Sharpay gasped and her eyes narrowed at the two completely different group. Veronica told Remy, "Ryan, we need to save our show from people who don't know the difference between a Tony Award and Tony Hawk."

Back in the chemistry lab, Chad had finished making his pitch to Taylor and her team.

Alicia asked, "You really think that's going to work?"

The other members of the Scholastic Club looked equally dubious.

A.J. answered, "It's the only way to save Troy and Gabriella from themselves."

Taylor looked at her team for their input. After a brief pause, they all nodded. After all, they needed Gabriella as much as the basketball team needed Troy.

A.J. stated, satisfied, "We start tomorrow."

Alicia nodded and told him, "Okay. The first thing."

A.J. smiled and said, "Thanks."

…

The next morning, as students poured into the school, Chad looked around secretively, as if on a spy mission. He spotted Taylor across the courtyard and gave a quick nod, in the best secret agent style. She rolled his eyes at his theatrics and met him in a corner.

A.J. told her, "My watch says 7:45 mountain standard time. Are we synched?"

Taylor never wore a watch. She had an infallible inner clock.

She responded, "Whatever."

A.J. added, "Then we are on go mode for lunch period. Exactly 12:05."

She nodded and handed him a small laptop with a video hens attached.

Alicia told him, "Yes, Chad. We're a go. But we're not Charlie's Angels, okay?"

A.J. smiled and responded, "I can dream, can't I?"

And they were off.

…

At exactly 12:05, the lunch bell rang. Dozens of students headed to the cafeteria for lunch, but Troy headed for the locker room. He arrived to find his whole team waiting for him. As he stepped into the room, Jason closed the door behind him and stood in front of it, blocking it with his body. Chad stood in the center of the room next to a table covered with trophies and photos. He picked up one of the photos and held it up for Troy to see.

A.J. told Timmy, " "Spider" Bill Natrine, class of '99. MVP, league championship game."

He pointed to a trophy from that game. Zeke held up the next photo.

Chester added, "Sam Netletter, class of '02. Also known as "Sammy Slamma-Jamma" . Captain, MVP, league championship game."

He pointed to that trophy as Jason picked up the next photo.

Tad also added, " "Thunderclap" Hap Haddon, '95. Led the Wildcats to back-to-back city championships. A legend."

A.J. responded, "Yes, legends, one and all. And do you think any of these legends BECAME legends by getting involved in musical auditions, just days before the league championship PLAYOFFS?"

The team yelled, "Get cha head in the game!"

A.J. added, "No. These Wildcat legends became legends because they never took their eye off the prize."

The team yelled, "Get cha head in the game!"

A.J. questioned, "Now, who was the first sophomore EVER to make the varsity team?"

The team responded, "TROY!"

A.J. questioned them again, "So who voted him for our team captain this year?"

The team responded, loudly, "US!"

A.J. questioned again, "And who's going to get their sorry butts kicked in Friday's championship game if Troy is worried about an audition?"

The team answered, depressed, "We are."

Timmy defended, "Guys, come on. There are 12 of us on this team. Not just me."

A.J. asked, "Just 12? I think you've forgotten one very important 13th member of our squad."

He pulled out another photo. It was a black-and-white picture of a kid in a basketball uniform. From the style of the photo – and the style of the hair – it was clear this photo was old school. He took a good look. His jaw dropped as he recognized who it was.

Timmy stated, "My dad."

A.J. told him, "Yes, Troy. Wildcat basketball champion, class of 1981. Champion, father and now coach. It's a winning tradition like no other."

…

Meanwhile, Gabriella and the rest of the Scholastic Club had gathered in the chemistry lab. Taylor was pointing to a series of photos and sketches on the computer. They showed the process of evolution, Taylor.

Alicia started to lecture, "From lowly Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon, to early warriors, medieval knights...all leading to..." She inscrolls a full-length photo of an NBA player's body with Troy's head superimposed on it. She adds, "Lunkhead basketball man. Yes, our culture worshipped the aggressor throughout the ages, and we end up with spoiled, overpaid, bonehead athletes who contribute little to civilization other than slam dunks and touchdowns. That is the inevitable world of Troy Bolton."

Gabriella smiled, not knowing what was coming next.

Alicia added, "But the path of the mind, the path we're on...ours is the path that has brought us these people: Eleanor Roosevelt...Freda Kahlo...Sandra Day O'Connor...Madame Curie...Jane Goodall...Oprah Winfrey, and so many others who the world reveres."

Gabriella nodded. There was no doubt those were admirable people.

Trixie started to say, "But...what has this...I've got Kelsi waiting for me to rehearse..."

Alicia interrupted, "Gabriella, Troy Bolton represents one side of evolution...lunkhead basketball man. And our side, the side of education and accomplishment, is the future of civilization. This is the side where you belong."

…

In the locker room, Troy was doing his best to defend himself for his team.

Timmy told his team, "Guys, if you don't know that I'll put 110% of my guts into that game then you don't know me."

A.J. started to say, "Well, we just thought…."

Timmy interrupted, clearly upset, "I'll tell you what I thought. I thought you were my friends! Win together, lose together, teammates."

A.J. questioned, "But suddenly the girl and the singing..."

He was standing next to Taylor's laptop with the video link camera. Troy sighed, tired of discussing this and tired of defending himself.

Timmy told them, "I'm for the team; I've always been for the team. She's just someone I met..."

Troy didn't know it, but the laptop camera was transmitting the live feed of everything he was saying to the chemistry lab...where Gabriella, Taylor and the rest of the Scholastic Club watched what Troy was saying.

Timmy told his team, "The singing thing is nothing, probably just a way to keep my nerves down; it doesn't mean anything to me. You're my guys and this is our team. Gabriella is not important. I'll forget about her, I'll forget about the audition and we'll go get that championship. Everyone happy now?"

Taylor froze the image on the screen.

Alicia told Trixie, "Behold, Lunkhead Basketball Man. So, Gabriella...we'd love to have you on our team."

Gabriella stared at the screen, crushed by what Troy had said. They had shared so much – surely it had meant SOMETHING to him? The other members awkwardly shuffled towards the door. No one looked at Gabriella.

Alicia asked, "Do you want to grab some lunch?" Gabriella shook her head. She just wanted to be alone. Alicia told her, "Well, we'll be there, if you want to come."

With that, Taylor left. Just then, Gabriella heard noise from the quad below. She went to the window and looked out in time to see an impromptu pep rally. The basketball team was swarming around Troy, trying to pump him up for the big game. Gabriella felt so sad, so alone. And, just as she had been doing since New Year's Eve, she started to express herself in song.

Trixie: It's funny when you find yourself
Looking from the outside.
I'm standing here
But all I want is to be over there.
Why did I let myself believe
Miracles could happen?
'Cause now I have to pretend,
that I don't really care.

She left the chemistry lab and started walking around the school.

Trixie: I thought you were my fairy tale,
a dream when I'm not sleeping.
A wish upon a star
That's coming true.
But everybody else could tell
that I confused my feelings with the truth,
when there was me and you.

I swore I knew the melody,
that I heard you singing.
And when you smiled, you made me feel,
like I could sing along.
But then you went and changed the words.
Now my heart is empty.
I'm only left with used-to-be's
And once upon a song.

Now I know you're not a fairy tale
And dreams are meant for sleeping.
And wishes on a star
Just don't come true.
'Cause now, even I can tell,
That I confused my feelings with the truth,
'Cause I liked the view
When there was me and you.

I can't believe that I could be so blind!
It's like you were floating while I was falling,
and I didn't mind!

'Cause I liked the view.
I thought you felt it too,
when there was me and you.

She finally got to her locker. As she began putting her books into it, Troy came to her. He was beaming, filled with energy and high spirits from the pep rally.

Timmy asked, "Hey. How you doing?"

She didn't look at him or respond.

Timmy told her, "Listen, there's something I need to talk to you about."

Trixie interrupted, clearly hurt, "And here it is. I know what it's like to carry the load with friends. I get it. You've got your boys, Troy. It's okay. So we're good."

Timmy asked, puzzled, "Good about what? I was going to talk about the callbacks."

She tried to smile. It was better if she ended this now, rather than let him do it. She could act like it was all her own idea.

Trixie told him, "I don't want to do the callbacks either. I mean, who were we trying to kid? You've got your team and now I've got mine. I'll do the Scholastic Decathlon, you win your championship. It's where we belong." At that, she hands him the sheet music for the callbacks. She adds, rather quietly, "Go Wildcats."

Now Troy was the one who was bewildered and hurt. He didn't understand what was happening? Was she actually abandoning everything they went through?

Timmy started to say, "But I don't…."

She finished, "Me either."

With that, she grabbed the books she needed, shut her locker and walked away.

He called her, confused, "Gabriella."

She didn't respond. A group of kids with horns, streamers and pom-poms walked past Troy cheering. But Troy didn't notice them. He was too busy staring after her, stunned and hurt. Was it over?

…

Wishmaker1028: Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!