Part Two: Commanded

“Can I talk to you?” Troy asked me, a serious look on his face. I glanced at my watch.

“I can’t right now. Sharpay gave me five minutes, and it’s just about to run out. I have to go.”

“What about free period?” he asked, urgency lining his voice.

I shook my head, “She’s doing the same thing as you lot are.”

“Then after school?”

I nodded, accepting that he appeared desperate to have this conversation with me, “Fine. I’ll meet you in the gym after the final bell.”

*****

“You walking home with me?” Chad asked, curling his arms around my waist as I shoved my books into my locker at the end of the day.

“I would, but Troy wants to talk to me.”

I felt him frown as he rested his chin on my shoulder, “Why?”

“Beats me. It all seemed very urgent.” I shut my locker, turned to face him, leaning my back against the metal, “He probably just wants to do the started best friend ‘don’t-hurt-him’ speech. For some reason, they feel more inclined to give the talk to guys than girls.”

He still looked unsure, “Want me to stick around?”

I looped my arms around his neck casually, “Nah, I’ll be fine. You go, and I’ll see you later.”

He kissed me softly, “Okay. See you later.” He touched his lips to mine again briefly, before walking off. I headed towards the gym.

Troy was already there, dribbling a basketball towards the hoop and shooting experimentally. It bounced off the rim, skittering to the left. I cocked my head to the side as I started towards him, watching as he retrieved it and tried again, with the same result. “I’ve never seen you miss before.”

He turned to look at me, “And you could do better?”

I offered him a charming smile, “I’m not captain of the basketball team.” But I caught the ball he bounced my way easily. “What’s this about, Troy?”

He watched as I dribbled the ball effortlessly towards him. Just because I didn’t play basketball didn’t mean I didn’t know how to handle one. “You and Chad. I want you to break it off.”

I caught the ball in my hands so the final bounce reverberated around the now silent hall, “What?”

“I know what you Evans’ are like. I want you to end it before you hurt him.”

I began to bounce the ball again slowly as I surveyed him, “Give me five reasons why I would hurt him. Sharpay and everything she’s done to you aside- why would I do that?”

“You’ve helped her in the past. You’re not innocent.”

I considered, “Fair enough. That’s one strike. Four to go.” When he looked perplexed, I smirked, “Thought as much. So here’s how it’s going to work, Bolton: I’m going to keep going out with Chad, and you won’t try to get between us without a proper reason.”

He scowled, “And why would I obey you?”

I moved towards him again, and the look on my face had him taking an uneasy step back. I caught the ball again as I stopped right in front of him, “Because, I’m a good-natured person, generally, but if you cross me on this with no reason other than you hate my sister, you are going to see that the family resemblance goes a lot further than a love of theatre.” Turning sharply, I launched the ball in my hands, so it fell into the basket neatly, then I smiled at Troy, “Are we clear?”

He swallowed, “Yes.”

“Good.” I stepped back, adjusting the shoulder strap on my bag, “I’m not a horrible person, you know. I care about Chad, and I want to get along with you, since you’re his best friend and all. But you try telling anyone to break up with their boyfriend because you want them to, and see how they react.” Shaking my head at him pitifully, I backed off a few more steps, before turning and walking away.

*****

“Ryan!” Chad called to me, waving from the outdoor basketball court as I headed to my car after drama. With a smile, I altered my course. It had been two months since I’d had the confrontation with Troy in the gym, and Chad and I were going from strength to strength.

He jogged out to meet me as I moved towards him, and grinned as he flicked the leg of my sunglasses so they bounced on my nose, “You look so hot in shades.”

I laughed, “Restrain yourself. You should get back to practise. Don’t want to fall behind, do you?”

Coach Bolton looked impressed, “See? Ryan knows what he’s talking about. Now back on the court.”

As Chad grinned, kissing me on the nose jokily before getting back into place, I rolled my eyes at his back. But the fond smile was wiped from my face as I felt a cold gaze hit me. Angling my head with a frown, I stared Troy down. Although being perfectly civil to me when Chad was around, he still didn’t like me. And I didn’t care anymore.