This one turned out a bit weird, but I hope you like it all the same.

Disclaimer: If I owned anything, I doubt you’d know anyway . . . who’d believe me?

Chadella: If Only

Summary: Gabriella’s dating Troy. She likes him. Taylor’s dating Chad. She likes him. But Gabriella would much rather have her best friend’s boyfriend. If only things were different . . .

She needed to know.

She wasn’t sure whether she liked Troy or not anymore, but maybe they just needed to have a heart to heart. That’s why Gabriella was going to the Gym.

He was in there, all right. The whole team was in there. And they were having a conversation.

“How is the Taylor thing going?” Troy said casually, as the jocks lounged around in the gym, sitting in the stands where the audience usually sat, feet propped up, spread-eagled over two chairs. They sure looked lazy. It was a real ‘Boys/Men Time’.

Gabriella stood by the doors, unseen and unsure whether to act.

“It’s not.” Chad admitted. “Our personalities are so different. We get along okay, but I’m not sure we’ll last long together.”

“That’s okay,” smirked Troy, trying to be funny in front of his friends, “You can share my girlfriend.”

All the other guys laughed, except for Chad. He got the joke . . . he just didn’t think it was funny. Why would a dude talk about his girl that way? Especially a girl as sweet and as caring as . . .

“At least being shared would mean I would have to stay with an idiot like you!” said a voice coldly, and everyone’s heads whipped to face Gabriella herself.

“Gabriella!” called Chad, as she stormed away. He was surprised, but more than that, he was sorry for her. She’d heard what Troy had said, and they weren’t exactly on good terms at the moment.

Troy covered his mouth. “Oh shi-”

“Troy,” said Chad firmly, “We’d better go after her!”

And they did; they found her right outside the Gym, tears running down her cheeks. She wasn’t making a sound, and her eyes were closed.

“Gabriella!” Troy exclaimed, “Don’t cry!” No answer. He tried to put his arms around her, but she sharply moved away.

“Gabi, what’s wrong?” Chad said softly, praying she would answer.

She responded, ignoring Troy completely, “I officially hate my boyfriend. I figured this was coming, I just . . . didn’t know it would hurt so much.” She looked Troy in the eye. “I’m done.”

With that, she sprinted down the corridor and out of sight.

…HSM…

Taylor sighed to Martha, as she looked at the test papers on the cafeteria table, “I didn’t get the last question. Gabi got full marks, lucky thing, and I got 49 out of 50. I don’t know what happened!”

“Aww, Taylor, you were so close!” said Martha sympathetically. “That is was unlucky, you usually get full marks, and – Chad?”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Chad panted, looking around the cafeteria. “I’m looking for Gabriella. Troy . . . made her upset.”

“That little . . .” Taylor shook her head. “I’ll help find her. Martha, can you look after my stuff till I get back?”

“Sure.” nodded Martha. “And I’ll keep an eye out in case she comes here.” Taylor smiled appreciatively, and she went back down the hallway with Chad.

“Where’s Troy?” asked Taylor darkly.

“I don’t know. Maybe he went back to the Gym, or he could be looking for Gabi.”

Taylor sighed in frustration. Chad glanced at her uneasily. Chad and Taylor were a couple, but they didn’t act like one at all. Almost as if the whole relationship was fake.

Like Troy and Gabriella.

That how you knew relationships in East High were what people created for other people, not two people who actually truly liked each other.

“You check the Auditorium.” said Taylor firmly. “I’ll try the girls’ bathrooms.”

Chad nodded, but when Taylor was around the corner, he changed tack. Gabriella wouldn’t go to the other side of the school to hide, or somewhere obvious. She’d go somewhere people wouldn’t think to look for her.

So Chad wasn’t going to the Auditorium.

…HSM…

He closed the changing rooms’ door quietly, hoping his hunch was right. “Gabi?” he hissed into the silence. He listened harder; he heard her sniffles and felt a pang of sympathy.

“C’mon, you can trust me!” Chad murmured, and waited.

A few moments later, she came into sight, holding a wad of tissues and wiping her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” she smiled weakly, “I must seem so . . . weak and sensitive but . . . he makes me so angry!” She kicked the nearest cabinet, which echoed loudly. “And when I get angry . . .” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “. . . I also get upset.”

“Troy acts in a different way with his friends than how he acts with you. He doesn’t always mean the things he says.” Chad said reasonably, putting his arm round her shoulder to make her sit down on the bench. “And you’re not weak.” he added.

“Yes I am.” she said immediately. “Either I’m weak or I’m stupid for staying in a relationship that I’m not even serious about!”

“Wha -?” said Chad slowly. “What do you mean? Are you messing about with someone else?”

“No, no, I just . . . I don’t think I like Troy anymore, not as much as I used to. Not as much as . . .”

“- someone else.” Chad finished. Gabriella nodded, and they sat motionless for a few seconds. “Well, what makes this other dude better than Troy?”

“He’s around more, for starters. He actually considers my feelings. He’s popular and funny . . .” Gabriella eyes brightened as she spoke. “I feel safer with him. I feel I can really trust him, you know?”

“No, I don’t know, but continue anyway.” Chad grinned, and Gabriella managed a weak smile and a giggle. “Me and Taylor aren’t really working out.”

“I know that.” Gabriella nodded, clasping a fresh tissue. “She knows it. Everyone knows it. Why don’t you just break up with her?”

“I don’t have the heart.” Chad admitted. “She’s a sweet girl, but if she feels the same way as me, then the right thing to do is break it off.”

Chad stood up and pulled Gabriella to her feet.

“Gabi, I never thought I’d say something like this to someone like you, but what you need to do is tell both Troy and this other guy your true feelings before it all spirals out of control.”

Gabriella nodded slowly, and smiled at Chad. “’kay.” She leaned forward and kissed Chad full on the lips before pulling back, covering her mouth.

“Oops,” she said, surprised and dismayed at herself, “I guess I shouldn’t have moved so fast!”

And she was gone again before Chad had time to think.

…HSM…

“If you’re standing around here, I guess you don’t know where Gabriella is. She’s upset.” Taylor said sternly.

“Well duh!” Troy said sarcastically, “I was the one who made her upset.”

“Have you been looking for her?”

“Well duh! Actually, no - um, yeeeeeeeees . . .”

“Troy Bolton, you are awful!” Taylor shouted at him, her voice ringing down the corridor. “She’s your girlfriend!”

“I know that!” Troy yelled back, “But can I help it if she hates me? No!”

“What? She . . . she doesn’t hate you, Troy!” Taylor said in surprise.

“Well, she doesn’t like me either, not in the same way I like her. So do me a favour – sort out your love life with Chad before you stick your nose in mine, okay?!”

Troy stormed away, only to bump into Chad himself two corridors away. “Did you find her?” said Troy eagerly, and Chad hesitated.

“Um . . . no. I don’t know where she went to.”

Troy’s face fell. “Well I ran into Taylor just now . . .”

“You did?” Chad said quickly. “What did you tell her?”

“It’s not for me to tell her anything. You told me earlier that you two aren’t really getting on well, so it’s between you two. Right?”

“Right,” Chad agreed, relieved.

He felt really guilty; he couldn’t help remembering what had just happened every two seconds. It wasn’t like Chad had kissed her back, it was just the fact that it had happened that made him feel uneasy.

So he was The Guy. The Guy Gabriella talked about – so what? It didn’t automatically make them soul mates, but what did he do now?

“I’ll see you around,” Chad mumbled, turning away quickly, but Troy grabbed his shoulder.

“You okay? You’re acting weird.” Troy said, concerned.

“I -” Chad stopped abruptly. There she was. Walking towards them. “Look . . .” Chad said quietly, and Troy whipped around and froze. “I’ll see you.” Chad repeated, walking away in her direction.

As he passed her, he muttered, “Don’t tell Troy it’s me. It’ll kill him.”

Gabriella paused for a spilt second, and continued walking towards Troy with a sigh. If only she’d just followed her heart from the beginning . . .

Like I said, it’s a bit weird, but if you liked it anyway, good! I’m happy. And if you’re feeling generous, I’d LOVE a review, hint hint.

LOL! Next chappie is Chelsi, called ‘Ha ha.’ Strange, I know. Enjoy!

Star* * *