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Troy slowly walks into East High's halls, trying to get his mind straight on the day ahead of him. He got a lecture from his dad yesterday for being a space case over everything that is happening, which was hurting his schoolwork and practice. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Troy knows his dad had a point. His current situation was his own doing. He was the one that did the breaking up and let Gabriella be free to see Hunter so he just had to deal with his hurt emotions and support her in her decision.
As he approaches his locker, Troy notices something taped up to its door and pulls it off to review it. There, on a plain white piece of paper is an image he wishes he could forget. In the top center is a picture of Hunter Smith kissing Gabriella on the cheek. The caption below reads "Hunter Smith getting cozy with a new girl in his new hometown after a date. Could this be young puppy love?"
Suddenly, he starts hearing whispers in the hall, whispers that he hadn't heard coming in since was deep in thought but were there nonetheless. To make matters worse, he hears the last voice he wanted to ever hear murmuring in his ear, "I'm sorry Troy. I tried to warn you she was a slut. I can make your pain all better though."
Troy jerks away from Jasmine's lips that were next to his ear and glares at her. "Gabriella is anything but what you just called her Jasmine. Maybe you are just looking in the mirror when you say that because she's quite the opposite of you who may actually deserve that title," he angrily responds, turning his attention to getting into his locker to pull out his math book.
Before he could react, he feels himself spun around and pushed up against the lockers next to him as a pair of sickly sweet lips press down on his. Troy can hear giggling coming from Jasmine's friends as she kisses him a little longer before pulling away. "You may think that now Troy but I know, after that taste, you'll be coming back for me. Come on girls," she says, walking away and not looking back except one last time to wink at Troy.
"Please tell me that I'm having a nightmare and I'll wake up in my bed," Chad says, startling Troy. He looks over to see Chad standing right next to him, staring at him. "You may also want to wipe your lips. You've got Jasmine's lip gloss all over you."
Troy uses the back of his hand and drags it across his mouth, feeling the sticky substance come off mostly and reside on his hand. "Eww," Jason says, looking at the makeup on Troy's hand. "Jasmine's lip gloss and probably slobber."
"Guys, I need to find a way to end that girl's focus on me. Can one of you maybe step up and be her crush?" Troy asks, knowing that wouldn't happen as no guy would voluntarily ask for her attention.
He spots a familiar girl out of the corner of his eye, across the hall from him, watching with a sad expression on her face and a single tear falling down her face. "Gabriella, no," he murmurs, taking a step to approach her as she shakes her head and grabs Taylor's hand to drag her down the hall to their Calculus class.
Chad puts a comforting hand on Troy's shoulder. "Let her go Troy," he says, as soothingly as possible. "She'll be all right. She's got Taylor, who will make sure she's fine in their next class. Speaking of, we better get going or we are going to be late ourselves."
Troy nods his head but suddenly gets so frustrated with his morning so far that he slams the door to his locker closed, startling Chad, who is waiting for him a few feet away. "ARGH!" Troy screams, putting his hand on his locker and his forehead on his hand. "First the picture, then Jasmine, then Gabriella seeing the stupid kiss. What else is going to wrong?"
"What picture Troy?" Chad asks, coming back to his friend and taking the crumpled up piece of paper out of Troy's left hand. He unfolds it and sees the same picture and caption that got Troy all worked up. "How'd you get this?"
"Taped to my locker," he murmurs, finally straightening up. "Anonymously of course. Probably the same person who slipped in Gabriella's story."
Chad doesn't know what to say. Something was at work here that he didn't know how to protect his friend from but he was sure going to try. "Come on Troy, we have to go to class."
The two friends walk down the hall to their math class, having to pass by the Calculus classroom. Chad waves at Taylor, who smiles back but Troy ends up staring at Gabriella talking seriously to Hunter who pats her hand that is resting on her desk. Seeing Troy staring, Chad grabs Troy's arm and drags him to class just as the bell rings.
"So, you and Hunter huh?" Sharpay asks as she and Gabriella were taking a break from the scene they were working in Drama. "That's quite a quick rebound. Are you sure you are ready?"
"No!" Gabriella responds, a little too loudly. Troy and Ryan look over concerned at the two girls but Sharpay just smiles at them and gives them a dismissive hand. "Sorry. It's just that, I don't know, I guess I'm all in turmoil at the moment and up is down and vice versa."
Sharpay smiles sadly at her friend. "You'll get through it Gabriella, like you somehow always do."
"The question is, will I get through it with my heart in one piece," Gabriella responds, more to herself than Sharpay as she gazes across the room at Troy, who is laughing at something Ryan just said. Troy, sensing Gabriella's gaze, turns his attention her way and smiles a little at her, testing her response. To his relief, Gabriella gives him a small smile in return before turning her attention back to Sharpay, who just asked her a question. "I'm sorry Shar, what was that?"
"You know, for two people who are broken up, that was a really sweet exchange," Sharpay couldn't resist but say. "Anyway, I was asking if you talked to Darbus about missing that meeting or not so you can stay in the fall musicale."
"Oh, yeah, I did right before class. I sort of explained what happened, told her I was an emotional wreck but that I harvested the emotions for the next play we did. She accepted it and said that she still counted me in but informed me that Troy had dropped out. I guess he wants nothing to do with me, more than he has to," Gabriella says. "Besides, maybe it is for the best. I saw him kissing Jasmine this morning and it made me sick to my stomach. I think maybe the less we have to see each other and the personal lives, the better."
Sharpay stares at Gabriella, not realizing her mouth was wide open. "Wait, rewind! Troy was lip locked with Jasmine? What was he thinking? It hasn't even been that long since your accident caused by her. Your injury isn't even fully healed!" she exclaims, pointing at the stitches still in Gabriella's hand.
"Okay, you are so rubbing acid into the open wound right now Sharpay," Gabriella says, hoping to change the subject. "Let's get back to the scene, we have to have it ready to perform by the end of next week and this drama piece she gave us is a challenge. Want to read this all the way through this time?"
Reluctantly, Sharpay allows Gabriella to direct the attention back to the piece but not before shooting Troy one of her death glares. Troy, having seen the two girls talking and then getting that look, figures Gabriella just told Sharpay about the Jasmine kiss and he lets out a sigh. "I swear, high school is just a bunch of drama," he murmurs, causing Ryan to pat his shoulder.
"That is the unfortunate truth. And in your case, I hate to say it, but I think it's not going to get quiet any time soon," Ryan states. "First, you've got the drama of your split from Gabriella, second, you have the fact that Jasmine still obviously wants you, and third, you are captain of the reigning champion Wildcat basketball team. You are like celebrity status for East High, equal to Hunter within these walls. Everyone wants to know you and everyone wants to be your friend or your significant other."
"I don't know if that was comforting or more disturbing Ryan," Troy replies, looking back over at Gabriella, who is doing a read through now of their scene.
"Eh, it is what it is. Want to get back to the scene? This comedy should help brighten your mood," Ryan says, handing over the scene book.
Troy accepts it and opens it to the particular scene they were doing, starting to read and already laughing at the first few lines.
Darbus looks around the theater and smiles at the collection of students in front of her who are her cast for the fall musicale. She had just passed out a list of the students' names and the name of the character they are playing. There are four large roles, which were split between Sharpay, Ryan, Gabriella, and Hunter with a few support roles. To be honest, Darbus was pretty impressed by the talent she saw from the four leads and Mr. Bolton this time around. 'If only their emotional problems hadn't gotten in the way, he would have been a great addition for this musicale,' she thinks to herself. When Troy had approached her on Friday about why he missed the meeting, she could not help but feel for the young man who truly looked like he lost his heart in the process. Darbus reassured him that if he wanted to, he would be welcome to audition for the winter musicale, which he told her he would consider but couldn't promise.
"Ms. Darbus, am I going to still get my own dressing room?" Sharpay asks, earning an eye roll from her brother.
"Well Ms. Evans, I think that can be arranged. Ms. Montez, would you like your own room as well?" Ms. Darbus asks, knowing full well the answer she would get.
Gabriella shakes her head. "No thanks, Ms. Darbus. That won't be necessary."
Hunter smiles at Gabriella and gives her a thumbs up showing his approval. "I don't think Ryan or I need one either Ms. Darbus," he volunteers, getting a confirmation nod from Ryan, who is sitting next to him.
"Well then, it is settled. Sharpay shall have her normal pink star room and everyone else will be in the rooms together. Now, on to the more important details. Ms. Montez and Mr. Smith, please take the stage. I would like to start working on the chemistry song between your characters," Darbus instructs. "The rest of you, please partner up and start reading through your lines. We'll have specific days assigned soon that each of you will be responsible to go to soon. In fact, Mr. Evans and Ms. Evans, since you are the leaders of drama club, would you please work on that?"
The Evans siblings nod and get to work with the playbook in their hands and a calendar from Darbus' desk.
Kelsi pulls out the appropriate music sheets and nods that she is ready. Gabriella takes a deep breath once she gets onto the stage and turns her back to the audience, still preferring not to sing in front of a live audience. 'You would think I would get over this stage shyness by now,' she thinks to herself, smiling at Hunter who gets the idea and also turns around.
The music starts filling the air and Gabriella starts singing, closing her eyes and picturing the emotions. When Hunter's turn comes, there's silence. "Mr. Smith, that is when you start singing with her my dear. Did you lose your place?" Ms. Darbus asks.
"No Ms. Darbus, I just got a bit unfocused," he replies, grinning at Gabriella. "The voice of an angel is quite a distraction."
Gabriella giggles and Kelsi smiles at the two as she sees the chemistry that is really there. 'How odd, I never would have expected this chemistry to be between the two already. It's different though from the overpowering feelings that are generated when Gabriella and Troy are together, but this chemistry is still special in its own right,' she thinks, knowing she would have no problem with these two performing the love songs together.
"Enough already with the flattery! Please start from the top!" Darbus calls out, sitting down in the front row seat.
Gabriella and Hunter look at each other as the music starts again and Gabriella closes her eyes momentarily to find the emotions of the moment from her own history. A tear slides down her face as she remembers the good times she and Troy had, the sweet moments when they had just started to go out. Gabriella is jarred out of her memories as Hunter's voice reaches her ears, causing her to open her eyes and see him smiling down at her. She quickly wipes away the tear and stays focused on the moment with Hunter, finishing the song with the sound of hands clapping. They turn around and let out a laugh each as they see Darbus, Ryan, and even Sharpay clapping for the two. "Bravo! The emotions, the voice ranges, the professionalism, I love it!" Ms. Darbus exclaims. "All right, I think that's a good start for you two. Why don't you go and practice your lines together somewhere. Evans, both of you, your turn up!"
Hunter grabs Gabriella's hand and the two make their way off the stage, grabbing their books, and heading to a bench just outside the theater. "Remembering Troy during the song huh?" he asks, catching her by surprise.
"Can you stop reading my mind, seriously?" Gabriella asks, embarrassed he pegged the moment on the nose. "Sorry, I can't help it. I always think of him when I sing. Habit I guess."
"No worries," he replies. "I wouldn't expect less from a girl who was truly in love with her ex and just broke up with him. And just as a little secret, letting a tear go when you're singing a song about love is kind of a tip off you are deep in memories of your ex."
"All right, all right," Gabriella says, opening up the playbook. "Let's get working on these lines."
After another hour, one of their cast mates calls out to them that Darbus had dismissed everyone until tomorrow afternoon. The two close their books and go back into the theater to grab their school bags and head out. Gabriella pauses to pull out her cell phone and Hunter stops beside her. "Oh, you don't have to wait for me," Gabriella says, scrolling through her phone. "I'm going to wait here for my mom."
"Are you sure?" Hunter asks, looking at her with concern.
Gabriella waves his concern away. "I'm sure. She was planning on it and I think we were going to go out to dinner to have some girl time. Thank you for the offer though Hunter, I appreciate it."
Hunter nods. "Okay, if you say so. How about I just take you home from now on though? Your house is on my way home and I'd hate for your mom to have to keep coming down here daily."
"Deal," Gabriella says with a smile. "Now scoot, before those photographers notice you."
"Paparazzi? Where?" he asks, looking around in a panic.
"Gotcha!" she exclaims, laughing as he visibly relaxes.
Hunter smiles, slinging his backpack onto his shoulders. "That, Gabriella, was pure evil. And on that note, I am getting out of here before that really happens. See you tomorrow."
Gabriella watches as Hunter takes off and calls her mom to pick her up. She heads over to a bench near the gym to sit and wait since her mother was running a little late at work. Sounds from the guys practicing inside reach her ears and curiosity wins out so she sticks her head in, smiling as she sees a familiar scene.
Troy and Chad are playing a two on two game against Zeke and Jason, who look like they are getting run over by the other two as Chad shoots a 3 pointer. Troy gives him a high five as Zeke grabs the ball and passes it to Jason, which immediately gets stolen by Troy who dunks it in. Gabriella lets out a laugh as she sees Jason and Zeke pull faces at each other as Jason goes out to pass to Zeke this time.
Gabriella ducks back out of the gym and sits down on the bench, opening up her notebook to write a few lyrics down. She pauses as a few thoughts cross her mind. 'Troy looks so happy and so in his element out there. Maybe he is meant to be single, or at least dating someone else, so he can better focus on his game and that scholarship he is after from the colleges this year. I only wish he really wasn't lip locking with Jasmine of all girls at East High. Oh well, not my place anymore, right?'
She watches with a sad smile as she sees the boys exit the gym together from their self-imposed practice and go to their cars in the parking lot. Gabriella's heart skips a beat as she sees Troy grin foolishly at Chad before getting into the car together. 'Silly Gabriella, still head over heels in love with Troy Bolton when he broke up with you last week. Maybe this feeling will never go away,' she thinks, grateful that her mom chose that instant to show up. Gabriella grabs her bag and jumps into the car, never being happier to have a girls' night out with her mom so they could talk.