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"Okay Audrina, focus on me and take deep breaths," commanded Gabriella, who was backstage of the East High theater. It was opening night for the fall musicale and Audrina was a nervous wreck. "Come on Audrina, focus on me. You can do this!"
Audrina took in a deep breath only to cough it out. "Gabriella, I can't! I thought I could but I am way too nervous right now! What if I slip on stage or forget a line?"
"Then you'll pick yourself up and improvise. I've seen you sing, I've seen you dance, and I have seen you act. You have nothing to worry about, trust me. If it was Chad up on that stage instead of you, we'd have another situation on our hands completely," said Gabriella, throwing in that last bit for humor.
Audrina seemed to calm down a bit as she cracked a smile at that. "That's true, could you see it though? Chad in a dress and singing?"
Gabriella and Audrina laughed together, helping Audrina get rid of her nerves even more. "There you go, Audrina. See, I told you," stated Gabriella. "And your hair and makeup look perfect."
"Actually, she looks like a little girl trying to play dress up as a big girl but hey, it's her funeral out there," said an all too familiar voice.
Audrina paled at these words but Gabriella wasn't about to let Sharpay get to her friend this way. "Audrina, listen to me, you know how Sharpay is. She's just jealous that you have the starring role and are going to do amazing tonight. She's still bitter you beat her out, don't let her get you down."
Audrina nodded her head and tried to smile but failed as soon as she sensed Sharpay's glare. Not knowing what else to do to get Audrina's frame of mind back, Gabriella left the room and headed for the guys changing room. She knocked quickly and was grateful Ryan opened the door.
"Gabriella, what is it?" he asked, seeing the worried look on his friend's face.
"Sharpay is at it again and she's undermining Audrina's confidence. Can you figure out some way to distract her again for me? I'll deal with your sister," said Gabriella.
Ryan stared at Gabriella for a moment. "Are you sure you don't want me to deal with Sharpay?"
"No, you need to be there for your girlfriend, maybe take her for a walk or something," stated Gabriella.
Ryan nodded as the two quickly returned to the changing room in time to hear Sharpay let out another round of putdowns on Audrina. "Sharpay, I swear I will deal with you later at home," muttered Ryan as he went straight in and gathered up Audrina in his arms and kissed her forehead before he walked her out, leaving Gabriella and Sharpay staring at each other.
"I still can't believe you let that little lower classman steal my brother away from you," commented Sharpay. "Then again, I guess she knew how to play the game and you still don't."
Gabriella shook her head, unable to believe that Sharpay was still at this. "Enough Sharpay, enough! Listen to me for the last time on this. I do not want to play any games with people's lives nor do I want to learn how to play the games. You are a master at it, I give you that. But what's sad is that you have blown up so many lives in your short, what, seventeen or eighteen years of life that you only have a few people who you can call your friends. Yes your parents love you, but that's what parents are for. Outside of your family, there isn't a single person at East High besides your two favorite girls, Joanna and Tara, that would call you their friend. I wouldn't even ask Ryan his thoughts on the matter as you just made his girlfriend cry on what should be her best night of the year so far."
Sharpay rolled her eyes at all this. "Honestly Gabriella, I thought you would be way smarter than this. Don't you find it pathetic that you keep relying on these so called friends of yours when you talk to me? Your choice of friends are way below my standards and I would never admit to hanging out with them anyway. Do you know where they are all going? In five years, I predict not a single one of them will be a success and that they will still be poor."
All Gabriella could do from slapping the girl was to count to ten in her head before she spoke again. "That just shows me that you have no concept of what true friendship is and that you sadly don't know the people here at this high school. Yes, you may be the richest girl at East High and maybe the whole Albuquerque area put together, but money is worth nothing, status is worth nothing, if you can't look yourself in the mirror in the morning and be happy with who you see staring back at you. Sure, you may be satisfied with how you look and what pretty and expensive clothes you can put on your back but it all doesn't matter at the end of the day. That's one thing you seem to never understand, Sharpay. Those material things can all perish and then what?"
"I'll buy new things," replied Sharpay, "simple as that. Look, I'm trying to save up my energy for tonight when I as the understudy have to rush onto stage when Audrina chokes tonight. Why don't you go and get lost? Oh, and before you leave, Troy Bolton is still off limits to you. If you think anything more than a simple hand holding in the park is going to win him back, think again."
Gabriella shook her head, secretly shocked that Sharpay knew about the moment in the park two night ago, and picked up her bag from the floor to leave. "Fine, if you want to waste your energy in hopes that Audrina will fail, be my guest. Before I go though, I need to tell you that you don't rule everyone's lives. If Troy and I are supposed to be together, we will be together, whether you like it or not. It just saddens me that you truly do feed off of other people's misery instead of their happiness. Break a leg, Sharpay."
She pushed through the closed door of the room that served as the girls' dressing room and exited, almost running into Kelsi, who had been waiting outside the door. "Don't let her get to you, Gabriella," stated Kelsi as she saw the anger in Gabriella's face. "She wins just by you being this angry."
Gabriella nodded her head in understanding. "I know, but I am just getting so tired of her messing with everyone's lives. Audrina is going to be phenomenal tonight with Ryan by her side and Sharpay just can't stand it."
"I agree, but I say let's stop feeding into the whims of Ms. Sharpay Evans and just let her go. If she stews long enough on her own, it'll be her own disaster in the end," said Kelsi.
"Always the wise one," commented Gabriella before she gave her friend a hug. "Good luck tonight."
Kelsi smiled as she watched Gabriella make her way back to the seats in the theater. 'My instinct tells me Gabriella that you are going to need luck tonight at the opening party at the Evans mansion if Sharpay is really on the warpath that she is on right now. As much as I wish we could all just ignore her, the girl has some nasty plans up her sleeve, I can feel it already.'
Audrina and Ryan had just finished the last note of their final song together as the curtains closed and both took a much needed deep breath before the curtains opened again for the bows. As soon as that was all done, Ryan swooped Audrina up into his arms and squeezed her tight as he leaned forward and kissed her soundly on the lips. After a few moments, Audrina pulled back and looked Ryan in the eyes as he slowly put her down.
"Too soon?" asked Ryan, panicking from the look on her face.
Audrina shook her head. "Not at all. Kiss me again?"
Ryan chuckled as he leaned down and captured her lips with his, forgetting that they were surrounded by cast mates and crew alike.
Gabriella was the first to reach the stage but she halted as she saw the sight of Ryan and Audrina kissing. 'What's wrong with me? They are dating, they are a couple, and you said you were okay with it,' she thought as she mentally kicked herself. 'Then explain the small pang in your heart, Gabriella.'
Ryan pulled away from Audrina and smiled down at her. "You make me so happy, Ryan," she said with her own grin.
"Just as you do me," replied Ryan. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Gabriella and saw the confused and slightly hurt look on her face, which was hidden quickly as soon as she realized he saw her.
Gabriella plastered a smile on her face and immediately embraced Audrina in a tight hug. "You did such a fantastic job tonight, Audrina! See, I told you, nothing to worry about!"
Audrina laughed. "It just felt so wonderful to be up there. Everything just flowed like you said it would as soon as I got up on stage and slipped into my character."
The rest of the gang finally showed up and said their own congratulations, Gabriella having taken a step back from everyone to keep some distance from Ryan. 'You are being so silly, Gabriella, what is your problem?' she wondered.
As soon as everyone was able to trade hugs, or handshakes in some cases, Ryan indicated that they should all head over to the Evans mansion for the opening night party Mr. and Mrs. Evans were hosting for the cast, crew, and some of their friends.
Gabriella piled into Chad's car with Taylor in the back with her and Troy up front. There was talk all the way to the party but Gabriella wouldn't be able to summarize it as she only heard bits and pieces as she stared out the window. Once Chad parked the car, Troy got out and opened the door for Gabriella, offering his hand to escort her out. She smiled gratefully at him and instantly forgot her troubled thoughts as she felt the sense that this was what was right as soon as his hand took a firmer grasp of hers during the walk to the mansion.
The doors were wide open so the four walked straight through and headed over to where everyone else was gathered near the food table. The gang was hanging out sans Ryan and Audrina, who were moving between groups the whole night, just enjoying the moment as they had all agreed to before. After two hours, just before they were going to leave, Sharpay sauntered up to them with Joanna and Tara in tow.
"You weren't going to leave the party already were you?" questioned an all too sweet sounding Sharpay. "That would be such a pity."
Taylor rolled her eyes at this. "Like we don't know that the only reason why we are here is because we are friends with your brother. If it were up to you, we would have been bounced out of here by your security by now, I'm sure."
"That's actually very true. Now I know who the real brainiac is of this group. It certainly isn't Gabriella from the looks of things," replied Sharpay as she eyed Gabriella standing a bit too close to Troy for her liking. "Well the rest of you guys can go but Troy you need to stay."
"Why?" he asked.
"Daddy wants to talk to you about the scholarship. Some of the booster members are here and they wanted to meet you, the ones you missed out on meeting this summer," explained Sharpay. "I'm sure your friends won't mind."
'What do I do?' wondered Troy as he looked at Sharpay and then at his friends. 'That scholarship is important but I don't want to give these guys the wrong idea.'
"Just go, Troy," spoke Jason. "We'll hang around for you."
Troy just nodded as he allowed Sharpay to wrap her hand around his left arm as she led him away and down some halls the library, Tara and Joanna following behind.
"Does that octopus ever stop?" asked Taylor.
"I think you just insulted all the octopuses in this world, Tay," replied Chad with a smile. "Troy knows better, he's not going to get himself into something stupid again."
"At least we hope," added Zeke.
For the second time in one night, Gabriella couldn't shake the pang in her heart she felt again as she watched her friend that was her ex walk away with the one girl who could take it all again. The difference was that this time, the pain was much deeper than earlier. 'But if she succeeds this time, maybe it's time to just walk away from this whole thing,' she thought to herself.
"Gabriella?" She turned her head to see that Ryan now stood right next to her. He looked at her and then where she was staring at and then back at her. "In need of a best friend?"
"Among other things," replied Gabriella.
Ryan slipped an arm around her waist, a familiar gesture Gabriella was used to. "Come on, let's go take a walk out in the backyard."
Gabriella nodded and allowed herself to be guided outside, oblivious to the looks that were given to the two as they left by the gang. Once outside, Gabriella started to feel better immediately. 'Funny what fresh air can do for the mind and soul,' she thought as Ryan led her to a pair of lounge chairs.
They sat down and Ryan waited for Gabriella to speak. He didn't have to wait for long. "Ryan, I know you saw probably my confused face earlier, and I wanted to say that I really and truly am happy for you and Audrina, honestly."
"Then why the sad face?" pushed Ryan.
"Because, maybe seeing you actually kissing her cemented the fact that we were over. Alternate universe us is happy, I know, but I think I can say that I know I'll always have a place in my heart just for you, Ryan Evans," expressed Gabriella. "In no ways do I want you back from Audrina if that is what you are thinking. I think just seeing that kiss put the lock in place for me."
Ryan nodded his head in understanding. "I can see that. As long as I know you are truly happy, Gabriella."
"I am, promise," she stated. "Besides that, you and Audrina look happier than I've ever seen either of you when you are together. You shouldn't let anyone take that away from you."
"I'll try not to. I know Sharpay would like nothing better than to make me as miserable as her now," admitted Ryan. "It's sad when your own sister wants you to be as sad and manipulative as she is."
"Misery loves company," recited Gabriella. "Thanks for helping with Audrina before the show, by the way."
Ryan gestured with his hand that it wasn't a big deal to him. "She's my girlfriend, that's what boyfriends do, right? And I am going to talk to Sharpay tonight after the party to try to get her to step off of Audrina. She doesn't have the fight that you do to stand up to her."
Gabriella laughed at this. "Let's not forget the fact that I only have the fight in me because I seem to fall victim to your evil twin's ways quite a bit. As long as Troy is in my life, I fear that I will never get rid of Sharpay's meddling ways."
"At least you know the cause," pointed out Ryan. "You'll get her in the end, Gabriella. Good always triumphs over evil, right?"
"Maybe in your comic books it does," returned Gabriella with a smile. "Not always true in the real world, at least the world of high school. You know, I knew it was all too good to be true."
"What was?" asked Ryan.
"My life being put back together. I'm finally on top of my college applications with only a few things left to do before mailing them in next week, grades are all where I want them to be, my friends in my life are so amazing, and I thought I was destined to be with the guy who holds my heart from last school year," revealed Gabriella. "As awkward as this may be for two exes who are best friends to be talking about, Ryan you know you will always have a piece of my heart but Troy, well, he seems to have stolen away quite a large portion without me even knowing."
Ryan nodded his head in agreement. "You'd be a liar if you didn't acknowledge that, Gabriella. As for talking about relationships with your ex, I think we're past the really weird stage. I do want to be here in every sense of the term best friends. Who knows, if you go to Harvard in the end, and me in NYU, we'll still be close together, relatively at least."
Gabriella smiled a little at the thought of having at least one friend somewhat nearby in the future if those were their actual destinations for college. "Good point. Well then, with our being uncensored best friends now, I can bounce this off of you."
"What?" he asked.
"I'm afraid, Ryan," admitted Gabriella in a much quieter voice. "I am afraid that I'm going to lose it all, Troy and what we have already rebuilt, to your sister, and that I'm going to be completely devastated this time, unable to pick up the pieces in the aftermath."
"Oh Gabriella," said Ryan as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. "Don't think that way. I can understand the fear, especially after everything you have gone through with him and with him and Sharpay together, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Troy seems to have realized the lapse in judgment he had this summer and has worked I'd say pretty hard to win back everyone's trust and faith in him. I don't think he'd jeopardize all that, especially you, at this point in time."
"Well that's what I thought but then when I saw Sharpay with Troy in her grasp, a part of me started doubting that what you said was true, the same thing I have thought for a while now. That vision, well it made realize how easily this all could crumble again. I never would have thought in junior year that I would have watched Sharpay lead Troy away from me, but it was a reality this summer and I'm not stupid enough to believe that it couldn't happen again," stated Gabriella. "As I told Sharpay earlier tonight, she is a master when it comes to these games but no matter what, I just don't want to play with her."
"And that is what separates you from her. You have a heart and you are pure of mind. Troy sees that, I know he knows what he has in you now. Just give him a chance to prove it to you," advised Ryan. "And if I am wrong, I'll be first in line to beat the stupidity out of him."
Gabriella smiled at that. "Ah, now here's the overprotective side coming out to play. Ryan, have I ever told you what an amazing guy you are?"
"A few times but I still enjoy hearing it from you," replied Ryan. "Uh oh, Troy alert. I better scoot off so you two can talk. He doesn't look too happy to see us alone together."
"He's just going to have to get used to it if we're going to be best friends, Ry," said Gabriella.
"Good point but still, I think you two need some time to talk. Make sure you find me before you leave!" called out Ryan as he got up and vacated the area as Troy approached Gabriella, who was still seated on the lounge chair.
"Didn't mean to scare him off," said Troy as he took a seat at the foot of the chair Gabriella was occupying.
"He said something about you not looking too pleased to see us alone together just by looking at your face and body language," revealed Gabriella. "Is that true?"
Troy paused for a moment before he said, "Yes and no. I still get images of you dating when I see the two of you alone together but I know it's over, and hey, it's not like you and I are dating so I don't have a real claim on who you hang out with."
Gabriella nodded her head in agreement. "That's a very good point. How'd the talk with Mr. Evans go?"
"Good. I was able to meet the booster members I didn't meet this summer as well as some of the ones I know already. They really are a great group who have an enormous amount of school pride for U of A. Must be terrific school for that to happen, right? Anyway, they just wanted to check up on me, see how the season was going, stuff like that."
"Oh," she returned. "Well that's nice."
Troy saw the stiffness in Gabriella's body language and knew something was bothering her. "And what is on your mind, Gabriella?"
Gabriella honestly replied, "Just wondering if the new Troy just made a comeback because if he has, I need to know right away so I can gear up for it."
"You think that little of me still?" questioned Troy.
"No, not really, but when I watch, along with the gang, how Sharpay just manipulated you into joining her to see her dad by just dropping the right terms in front of you, it scares me into thinking that I could lose the identity of who I think you are all over again. And to be truthful Troy, I don't know if I'd ever recover from a second time of you leaving me."
Troy watched as Gabriella tried to nonchalantly wipe away a stray tear as she blinked back the others. He actually saw the pain that he thought he was able to help her bury resurface after all these weeks. Unable to find the right words to say, Troy scooted up the chair so that he was sitting right next to Gabriella, half sitting on the chair and the arm rest. Gently, he took Gabriella into his arms, being mindful of any signs of struggle from her but was grateful they never came. In fact, Gabriella readjusted herself so that he was able to sit fully on the lounge chair with Gabriella somewhat curled up next to him. He slowly started to run his fingers through her long brown hair, trying to send the comfort he could to her when his words failed him. Gabriella in turn started to ease her body a bit more to mold better with his, including tucking her head in the crook of his neck like she used to do when they were together last school year. Cuddled together, exactly like that with no more words spoken between the two, was how they stayed until Taylor and Chad came out looking for them, letting their silence and actions speak for them both.