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On Wednesday, as the last bell rang for the day, Gabriella could not believe that Sharpay had actually not made a move all week. It was the last week before Winter Break and Gabriella was on high alert, waiting for something to happen but nothing had. 'Maybe that's her plan, to try to drive me crazy without actually having to do anything,' thought Gabriella as she walked out of the class and to the library for a couple of tutoring sessions before the basketball game later that day.
"Hey Gabriella," greeted Audrina as she joined Gabriella's walk to the library. "How's it going?"
"Good, excited for break," revealed Gabriella. "I can so definitely use it after all this stress and drama lately. At least all my applications for the colleges are done and sent in. That's a nice feeling. How are you?"
"I'm all right, trying to get back into the swing of tutoring again. I can't believe how rusty I am," confessed Audrina. "Like I totally have lost all my structure when tutoring."
Gabriella laughed. "Don't worry, you'll be just fine. Besides, structure to the tutoring sessions isn't always what's best."
"Guess you would know, you've done it longer. I bet you don't have a structure at all with a certain basketball player," teased Audrina. "I noticed on Monday how much closer you two are getting. No making out in the library though, okay?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes and said, "I'll keep that in mind, promise. And keep in mind missy, this teasing thing goes both ways. I can lay into you and the number of times I've caught you and Ryan cooing at each other the last few weeks."
Audrina held her hands up in surrender. "Point taken Ms. Montez, now retract the claws. I'm used to seeing that behavior from Sharpay, not you."
"Ugh, Sharpay," let out Gabriella.
"Sorry, didn't mean to bring the witch up. You know, Gabriella, the whole school is watching this little triangle between you three with a lot of interest," commented Audrina. "I don't think anyone has ever publicly battled Sharpay for a guy before and held on this long."
"No pressure at all, right, Audrina?" she said sarcastically. "Besides, everyone can watch all they want but it's not going to change anything. Sharpay is still going to hound this relationship I share with Troy and that's that. She made it very clear on Friday night at the dance, but I have no plans on giving into her ways so easily."
Audrina just stared at Gabriella for a moment before she pointed out something. "Gabriella, you just said relationship and Troy in the same sentence!"
"So?" asked Gabriella. "We're friends, that is a relationship."
"Nice try to recover, but that's so not what you were thinking when you said that! You two are finally moving on to possibly dating, soon aren't you?" accused Audrina.
"Maybe," admitted Gabriella with a blush. "Look, I don't want to make a big deal of it. I think Troy and I do better when we fly under the radar."
Audrina laughed and nodded her understanding. "Point taken, big sis. Better go help our students anyway. I do want details eventually though!"
Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever you say, lil sis."
After Gabriella's first student left, a sophomore who needed help with Algebra 2, she moved over to Troy's favored table for their sessions and took her usual seat. She smiled as she saw Troy come in right on time. They were starting a little earlier than normal because of his game and she luckily didn't have another session after him.
"Hey," he greeted as he sat down in his usual seat. "I see you have my math book out. Do you really need to predict my needs so well?"
Gabriella laughed. "You know, I think most guys would rather have a girl predict their needs well."
"True, especially if she was his girl," admitted Troy, a serious look on his face. "Guess that's why I'm starting to appreciate you reading me so well lately."
"Troy, are you calling me your girl?" asked Gabriella on the whim of being more flirtatious.
"Maybe," he flirted back with a grin. "Anyway, we better get to work. I need to make sure I'm out of here by 5 at the latest with the game and all."
"Sure," said Gabriella said. "Let's get cracking then."
Just as 5 was rolling around, Gabriella finished explaining the last math problem to Troy as she let out a laugh at his frustrated look. "Honestly Gabriella, I have no idea how you know all this and explain it so well."
"Don't worry, you'll get it. At least your homework is done. We can work on this particular subject more since you seem to be getting a better handle on Physics," said Gabriella.
"Sounds like a plan," returned Troy as he started to pack up his things. "Come on, why don't you grab your stuff and we can hit our lockers together before the game."
"No, it's okay, I'll head over with Audrina," replied Gabriella. "You need to hurry if you are going to make the warm-ups."
"Gabriella, really, I want to walk you to your locker," stated Troy.
Gabriella stared at him for a moment and grinned. "You're trying to find out where it is, aren't you? Instead of just asking me where my locker is, you are trying to coyly find out."
A guilty look crossed Troy's face. "Maybe," admitted Troy. "Okay, yes, that's why."
"All right then, let's go," said Gabriella as she went over and grabbed her bag. "Audrina, I'll see you at the game and will save you a seat!"
Audrina nodded as she got back to the junior she was helping with English.
Once they left the library, Troy grabbed Gabriella's hand as she led the way to her current locker. She looked over at him and smiled. "That's just so natural now, isn't it?"
"I'd say so," Troy returned. "And I'm glad for it."
After a few more moments, Gabriella stopped and showcased a locker. "Happy?" teased Gabriella. "Here is my lovely locker."
"I don't believe you. Open it," stated Troy with a smile.
"Fine," agreed Gabriella as she did her combo and gasped as a small bouquet of miniature pink roses waited for her. She picked them up and smelled them with a smile on her face. Gabriella looked over at Troy to gauge his reaction and saw a grin on his face. "These are from you, aren't they?"
"Guilty," confessed Troy. "I actually had my dad's help in this. He found out where your locker was at the start of this week and asked a favor of one of the janitors he knows. You aren't mad, are you?"
Gabriella shook her head. "No, I'm actually very touched you went to such lengths to find out where my locker was and to give me these. You really know how to make a girl's day, Troy Bolton."
"Only if the girl is one Gabriella Montez," replied Troy. He took the opportunity and leaned down to kiss her but ended up groaning as he heard Chad call out his name from down the hall. "Seriously, this needs to stop happening."
Gabriella laughed and placed her hand on his left side of his face. "Don't worry, Romeo. We'll find our right time," she said as she leaned up and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Now go with Chad to the gym and warm up. I look forward to seeing you play your heart out tonight, Wildcat."
Troy grinned and kissed her forehead before he ran down the hall to join a waiting Chad. Right after they rounded the corner, Gabriella heard a yell of faked pain, which made her giggle. 'Those two never change,' she thought as she grabbed the things she needed and closed her locker with her bag back on her shoulder and the bouquet in her right hand.
The game was tied in the last five minutes of the game, which caused the girls to sit on the edge of their seats as they watched Ryan, Zeke, Jason, Chad, and Troy try to recover the lost ball. Unfortunately, they were not quick enough to prevent a two pointer, but were able to get their own two point shot in thanks to Ryan's successful layup.
"Honestly, their running back and forth is starting to make me a tad nauseous," admitted Kelsi, who had been turning her head back and forth like the other four girls to follow the game.
"Can't say I blame you or your poor stomach," agreed Martha. "Oh, looks like Jason got pulled to sub in Charles. Speed purposes?"
"Could be, Charles is known to be better at stealing control back from the opposing team," replied Gabriella. "Then again, Jason is way better at blocking."
"Sad how we know all this," added Taylor with a laugh as she was joined by the others before their attention went back to the players on the court.
At the last possible second, Charles stole the ball from the other team and passed to Chad, who was immediately blocked. After he surveyed the court, he realized the only one with a half decent shot was Ryan so he passed it over to him. Once Ryan caught the ball, Ryan dribbled it down further but was soon stopped by another player who was about his height. He tried to fake right and left but nothing worked. Troy freed himself and called out to get Ryan's attention. Ryan nodded and shot the ball over to Troy, who caught it and shot it from where he was just as the buzzer echoed throughout the gym. Swish!
"YES!" yelled Troy with a large grin on his face as the Wildcats won the game. Soon, the other guys were crowding him as they celebrated another win before they shook the hands of the opposing team members.
The guys headed to the locker room to shower and change before they appeared again after most of the crowd had left. Taylor, Kelsi, and Audrina rushed to congratulate their boyfriends as Gabriella walked towards Troy with a smile on her face. "I see the Wildcat Superstar still doesn't disappoint."
"Well, so far that has proven to be true out there on the court, maybe. Off the court, it seems that I have been disappointing lately but at no fault of my own I admit," answered Troy as he accepted her hug and returned it.
"Talking about before?" asked Gabriella.
"The missed opportunity, yes," replied Troy. "But, at least it seems clearer now than before that we are in that strange stage called dating, right?"
Gabriella returned his smile with her own. "I guess we are."
"Oh good, that means I can do this," he said as he leaned down to meet her half way before Gabriella turned her head to Chad calling her name so that Troy ended up kissing her cheek. Troy let out a frustrated sound before he took after his best friend. Gabriella and Taylor both giggled as the two boys ran around the gym three times before Chad left the gym under the impression that Troy would follow him out. Instead, Troy pulled up short of the door and stopped. He wiped his brow with his arm and came back over to join his friends.
"Why did you stop, man?" asked Zeke, who was admittedly getting a kick out of seeing Chad chased down like the hunted.
"Because, he'll run for the hills under the impression I'm right behind him or trying to cut him off without me having to exert any more energy," explained Troy with a grin.
"I knew you were brilliant!" exclaimed Gabriella as she gave him a sound kiss on his cheek.
"Guess I should do smart things more often then," replied Troy as he snaked an arm around her waist.
Taylor laughed at the two but had to smile at the sweetness. 'I'm so glad they are back on track,' she thought.
"Bets on when Chad comes back?" offered up Charles.
"I say an hour," said Martha.
"Five minutes," threw in Zeke.
The rest of the group joined in and threw in their estimates and decided to take a seat on the bleachers as Gabriella and Martha both started to keep time. They rested and hung out there until Chad popped his bushy haired head back into the gym via the opposite door he ran through with a confused look on his face as he saw his friends gathered together on the bleachers.
"Exactly twenty one minutes and six seconds," called out Gabriella. Martha nodded her head to confirm. "Who had the closest to that but not over?"
Taylor checked out the sheet and groaned as she announced, "Troy had twenty one minutes, to be exact."
"YEAH! Pay up!" exclaimed Troy as he got up and did a little happy dance that made everyone laugh.
"What? You guys made bets on when I came back? Troy, when did you stop chasing me?" demanded Chad.
"About twenty one minutes and, umm, forty five seconds ago?" offered Troy.
"And you won money off me running from you when you weren't even chasing me?" asked Chad.
"Yup," answered Troy with a smile. "Worked out for me in two ways, I guess. Punished you for all your interruptions and also earned me enough money to have a nice dinner one day soon."
"With your new girlfriend?" teased Zeke.
Troy looked at Gabriella, who blushed and looked away. "Maybe, but that's beside the point. Gabriella and I don't have titles for each other."
"YET!" exclaimed Zeke, Chad, and Jason together before they burst out laughing.
Troy rolled his eyes. "All right boys, enough. You are all just mad because you either lost money to me just now or you exhausted yourself for no reason."
"I'd have to agree with him there, guys," agreed Ryan from where he was sitting next to Audrina.
"Ryan, don't you get on his side!" warned Jason. "There will be no mercy and we haven't even started to begin with you."
Kelsi shook her head at this silliness. "Well, I don't know about the second graders here but girls, you want to head out for some ice-cream maybe before we all part ways for our studies?"
The rest of the girls nodded their heads in agreement as they got up and started to leave the gym without the guys. "HEY!" called out Chad as he ran to catch up to Taylor.
"YEAH, NO FAIR!" yelled Jason as he started chasing after Kelsi.
Gabriella and Audrina just stopped and waited for Troy and Ryan to catch up with Charles and Zeke not far behind. "Come on, you guys can treat," stated Audrina as she put her arm through Ryan's offered arm.
"Ohh, promise?" mocked Ryan before he kissed Audrina's forehead.
Gabriella laughed at the two and smiled at Troy as slipped his hand into hers and squeezed. He leaned down and whispered, "Don't worry, you won't have to beg me. I'm loaded now after that bet and would be glad to treat a lovely lady like yourself to a huge sundae should you want it."
"Thanks," she whispered back before she kissed his cheek. "You are always such a charmer, Troy."
Troy chuckled at her joke and brought her hand up to his lips before he kissed the back. Once at the truck, he opened the door and helped her in, resisting the urge to lean over and kiss her properly. 'Slow down, Troy. There will be plenty of time for that. You have waited this long, a little more time won't kill you,' he thought as he got behind the wheel and smiled over at her. 'And she's worth it, more than worth it.'