I have no affiliation to anything, anybody, or anyplace in the High School Musical series. This is purely for fictional and entertainment purposes.

Summary: East High School is filled with drama, relationships, and betrayal. There's no way to escape the fear, the intensity, and the love that occurs each day. You just simply have to survive the fever.

Wildcat Fever

The Beginning

He could see it now in his head. The crowd would be cheering just for him. They would be shouting his name and singing the Wildcat theme song. They would all be dressed in red, white, and gold. Some might even wear those ridiculous cat ears. He'd never be caught dead in those, no matter how much he loved being a Wildcat. The ball would always be passed to him at every opportunity. His coach, aka his dad, would be giving him praise for once in his career.

But, that was a long shot from the reality he was now facing.

"Troy, what are you doing?! Go left! Left!"

Troy Bolton, only a beginning junior at East High, was already working a sweat on the court. It wasn't even time for the first basketball game, but it was close. Obviously, he was on the team and he was voted captain. His father must have persuaded the other guys heavily about it. Not that he minded, though. Troy loved being captain. He loved the popularity and the attention that he got. He loved getting so much slack from the principal and his teammates. They worshiped him. They wanted him to do well and win for the school. He was the king and it felt good.

Most of the time.

He took a pause at the red line on the court and bent over, placing his hands on his knees. He felt like coughing up blood. He was sore and hot. His wavy, brown hair was sticking to his neck and forehead. His tan skin was glistening with sweat and he nearly had tears coming out of his blue eyes. His vision was blurring from all the sprints he was doing. It had to be about forty, right?

"Let's go, Troy!"

He sighed heavily and turned around to face his father. His hair was still in its perfect, black coif. There wasn't a sign of sweat on his skin. His khakis and white polo were wrinkle-free and his brown shoes were exceptionally shiny. Even throughout all the anger, screaming, and frustration, his dad managed to stay perfect.

"Come on, Dad. Give me a break," breathed out Troy.

His father, Jack, walked over to him with a pointed and surprised look. "Excuse me? Do you think those college scouts this year are going to allow you to have a break?"

He sighed in annoyance. "No, but…"

"Exactly!" Jack pointed his clipboard at his son. "You have to work your ass off for those scouts. They are going to be looking at you all this season and next season. You have to make an impression."

"I know that, but…"

"Troy, how many times have I been training you this summer?" asked Jack.

Troy sighed again. "Too many times to count."

"And, how many colleges are we looking at?"

Troy paused. "Just one. U of A."

Jack smiled. "Exactly. Picture it, Troy. Your number on a locker, your number and name on a jersey, your name and legacy living on."

Troy pictured it in his mind and suddenly began to smile, loving the picture that was created. He looked back at his dad and nodded. He was right. This was the American dream for him. This is what Troy deserved. He would make history and he would become a legacy for the rest of time. He would be known for something. Basketball.

"That's what I'm talking about." He then blew his whistle. "Again! Sprints!"

She looked up at the two story, white brick house while holding her box of sheets and quilts. Her eyebrows were furrowed with worry as she chewed on her bottom lip nervously. She felt a presence next to her and looked over, seeing her mother smiling up at the house.

"What do you think, dear?" she asked.

"Momma, it's so big."

"I know, Gabriella. It's a fresh start, though." Her mother sighed. "We won't have to be around so much negativity. We can start anew."

"Excuse me? Miss Montez, where do you want this couch?" asked a man. He was holding one end of a leather couch while another man was holding the other end.

Miss Montez gestured toward the house. "Just follow me boys."

Gabriella watched her mom lead the moving men into the house. She sighed and lugged her box into the house and up the stairs. She walked into a white carpeted bedroom with white walls and gold trim at the edge. Her bed was already set up in the very center with its large bed posts and canopy overhead. Her oak dresser was directly facing it on the other side with a vanity mirror overhead. Her plasma was placed on the ground next to her white chest drawer. She set her box down and looked around, noticing that she had a balcony. She opened the doors and welcomed the fresh breeze through the large tree. She leaned against the railing and admired her surroundings.

"Maybe she is right. This can be a fresh start," she told herself.

She noticed another house across the lawn that was a wide and tall brick house. There was a large bay window that looked like it housed another bedroom inside. There was a basketball court directly next to it in the backyard. Obviously, another teenager lived there. She wondered who it might be and if she would be able to make a friend in this town. Albuquerque was going to be so much more different than San Diego. She would miss the beach, for sure. She was mostly worried about starting another school. She always had trouble fitting in. She was either too smart, too plump, or too weird. It was always hard for her to make friends. Nobody was ever interested.

She hoped that this city would be different.

Jack and Troy walked into their house after doing at least 20 more sprints in the gym. They talked more about college and the upcoming season, deciding ultimately what plans they should make for the season and next year. They ran into Lucille, Troy's son and Jack's wife. She was flipping through a cookbook when she looked up and grinned at her family.

"Hey, boys. How was practice?" she asked.

"Troy still needs work," said Jack, slapping his son on the shoulder.

Troy winced at the hard contact, but smiled at his mom. "I think we have the season in the bag already."

She smiled and kissed Troy on the cheek. "That's my boy." She turned to Jack. "Jack, there is a leak in the bathroom again."

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Better go grab my toolbox."

Troy watched his dad leave before looking at his mom. "What's for dinner?"

Lucille shrugged. "I don't know yet. I'm flipping through chicken, pasta, and steak."

"Why don't we go out to eat tonight? I've been dying to try those burgers at the new restaurant downtown," suggested Troy.

"Great idea, sweetie!" Lucille spotted Jack exiting the basement with his utility box. "Jack, why don't we go for burgers tonight? Troy suggested it."

"No time, honey. Troy and I need to practice more tonight. Just whip us up something decent, okay?" Jack quickly exited the room and slammed the door to the bathroom.

Lucille sighed and continued flipping through her book. Troy simply looked at her solemnly before heading off towards his room down the hall. He tossed his gym bag on the ground and stripped off his sweaty clothes. After changing into a pair of clean shorts and a Wildcat shirt, he ventured towards his bedroom window. He stared at the basketball goal and shook his head. He loved basketball. No doubt about that. He just got tired of the pressure from his father. It never stopped. Do this better, do that better. It was almost like Troy could never win with his father. It didn't matter how many trophies he got. He couldn't win his father's love.

He looked away from the court to notice a moving truck next door. He furrowed his eyebrows curiously when he noticed a girl about his age carrying three boxes at once. Deciding to be the better person, he exited his room and left his house, earning a glance from his mom. He strode over to the new family and immediately grinned when the girl came into full view.

She was very beautiful with long, black hair with messy curls. She had an amazing curvy body with a perfect tan. It showed how much she loved being in the sun. When she turned to acknowledge his presence in surprise, he memorized her brown eyes that were insanely gorgeous.

"Hi!" He noticed an older woman, obviously her mother, approach him. "I'm Troy."

She accepted his handshake warmly. "Hello, Troy. I'm Maria Montez." She gestured to her daughter. "This is Gabriella, my daughter."

Troy smiled at Gabriella, holding out his hand. "Hey. Nice to meet you."

Gabriella shyly shook his hand around the three boxes she was carrying, smiling. "Hi." She looked at her mom. "These are really heavy."

"Oh! Let me help you, there." Troy grabbed all three boxes with ease, walking toward the house. "Where to?"

Gabriella admired his muscles and smiled, impressed. "My bedroom." She followed him hastily.

Troy entered her bedroom and admired the decoration of the walls and the spacious setting. "Nice."

"Thanks." Gabriella crossed her arms over her chest. There was a boy in her room and it was barely the first day. What was she to do now? "Is that your house next door?" Stupid question.

Troy set the boxes down and nodded. "Yeah." He walked out onto the balcony and chuckled. "You have a balcony. Lucky. My room is that one down there."

Gabriella stood next to him, noticing the room he was pointing at. It was the room she had noticed that was next to the basketball court. So, he could see her at anytime in her own bedroom. She looked warily at him and then at her curtains. He must have noticed her wariness.

He laughed. "Don't worry. I won't be a peeping tom."

She smiled and rubbed her arm self-consciously. "So, how old are you?"

"Sixteen. You?"

"Same," she murmured.

Troy nodded and looked down at his hands, chewing on his bottom lip. It felt nice to have a normal conversation with somebody other than his dad. "What school are you going to this year?"

"East High? I go there tomorrow. I'm a junior," she said.

Troy smiled. "Hey! Me too! If you ever need help with anything, you can just come to me."

"Why? I mean, you don't know me. I don't know you. Why would you want to help me?" asked Gabriella. It was weird to have somebody else, especially a boy, interested in her for any reason at all. It was strange.

Troy shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm a nice guy. I'd be happy to be your first friend." When he noticed her long pause, he tried one more time to convince her. "I promise I don't bite."

Gabriella giggled automatically, shaking her head. It made Troy laugh, too. He was elated with her smile. She looked up at him and nodded. "Sure. Thanks…Troy."

Troy suddenly felt a vibration in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, inwardly groaning at the caller ID. It was his needy and snobby girlfriend, Sharpay. After a year, he still didn't know why he put up with her. Though, she was the head cheerleader. And, she was hot. He put away his cell phone and smiled at Gabriella. "I have to go. See you tomorrow?"

Gabriella nodded, having not noticed the caller ID of his phone. "Yeah. Definitely. Thanks for helping me."

"No problem." He gave her a subtle nod before smiling and leaving her house.

The mall in Albuquerque wasn't a big one, but it was big enough to be the top hangout for students, little kids with their parents, and couples of all ages. It had the name brand shops that teenagers loved and stores that fit a person's personality. There were many restaurants in the food court and next door to the mall, as well. It was initially the only place to go during the summer.

Taylor McKessie was a girl that didn't have many friends. She didn't have a best friend and she didn't have a boyfriend. She was considered a loner, ever since she was a freshman. She had been betrayed and she never wanted to feel that betrayal again. So, she cut certain people out of her life.

One of these people was in her eyesight at that moment, flirting and practically throwing herself over the college boys that were ogling her like schoolboys.

"Oh, hey Taylor!"

Taylor had hoped she wouldn't see her, but that failed badly. She faked a smile and looked at the blonde. "Hi, Sharpay. Shouldn't you be at the pound?" she asked, referencing how her name sounded like a dog breed.

Sharpay scoffed. "Really? Shouldn't you be in some guy's bed?"

Taylor quickly walked off, leaving Sharpay to laugh with the guys over something that really didn't matter to the boys. Obviously, the only thing they cared about were her looks.

"Chad! You have plenty of time to shoot that basketball in the hoop. Come inside and spend time with your family!" exclaimed Mrs. Danforth.

Chad stopped jumping in front of the basketball hoop and looked over at his mom, his afro curls nearly sticking to his head in a frizz. "Mom, come on. I need to get better for this season."

"You will be better. You've been on the team since you started high school," she said, walking over to him.

"You don't get it, mom. It's my junior year. I need to be better than what I was before," said Chad, running back and forth while dribbling the basketball in his hands.

His mother watched him. "Your father is going to be home soon. Dinner will be ready by then."

"I know," said Chad, still running and dribbling.

His mother paused. "Well, don't you want to go inside and shower before dinner?"

"No time. I need to impress the coach. He is bringing scouts this year," explained Chad.

"Oh! Jack? How is his family? Isn't Troy on your team?" asked his mother, smiling. She had known the family for years.

Chad stopped and glared. "Never mention his name. He is just some mediocre player that is in my way for the scholarship to U of A. I'll be damned if he gets it."

"Chad, language." His mother sighed. "Just be in by five."

She got no answer as he continued running and dribbling. She shook her head and walked back inside the house to prepare for dinner.

Jack Bolton wiped his hands on a rag after fixing the leak in the bathroom. He sighed and tossed it back on the counter. "Where's Troy?"

Lucille looked up from cleaning the counter. "He went over next door."

"What for?" asked Jack. He walked to the window and furrowed his eyebrows, seeing Troy talking to an older woman animatedly. "Who is that?"

"Maria Montez, I believe. A few of the board members from town were talking about new neighbors coming in." Lucille smiled knowingly. "You know, she has a daughter Troy's age."

"Is that so?" asked Jack. He watched as Troy walked in at that moment with a smile on his face. "Troy, what do you think you are doing?"

Troy's smile dropped when he heard his father's tone. "What?"

"Your mother tells me there is a girl next door?" he asked.

"So? She's nice. I wanted to introduce myself," shrugged Troy. "We just talked. I don't know her that much."

"And, you won't get to know her. You need to focus on basketball. Nothing else," said Jack.

Troy sighed as he watched his father walk away into the den, shutting the door behind him. He looked at his mom, who simply shook her head.

"Don't listen to your father," she said.

"You know it's hard to bypass his orders, mom."

Gabriella brought in the last box and sighed, setting it down on the kitchen island. It was obviously dishes as she glanced inside at the china. She rolled her eyes and stretched her arms. She had been carrying in boxes all day and it was truly exhausting.

Her mind was brought back to Troy. She didn't expect to have a neighbor, especially a cute one. Though, she barely knew him. He was obviously a jock, too. She wasn't his type.

"Gabriella, what did you and that boy talk about?" asked Maria.

"Troy?" Gabriella turned to face her mom. "Nothing really. We just got to know each other. He's in my grade at East High."

"Oh, that's good. Just remember you can have other friends, too." Maria smiled at her daughter.

Gabriella nodded. "I know."

She watched her mother leave into the living room and sighed, secretly smiling at the thought of Troy.

Gabriella walked around the park later that afternoon after unpacking a few of her boxes. Yet, she had to take a break. She wanted to explore the town more. She had normally been at beaches or small towns. Albuquerque was different. It was more of a metropolitan area than anything. It had tall buildings, fancy houses, a ton of restaurants, and a mall. She had found the park, though, after simply walking on her own sidewalk. It wasn't that far, either.

Suddenly, a thump hit her foot. She looked down to see a basketball hit her shoe. She picked it up and bounced it up and down in her hands. She was surprised, when she looked up, to see Troy. Yet, she immediately smiled.

"Hey! Are you secretly following me?" she asked playfully.

Troy chuckled. "No. I just got here, actually." He eyed the basketball. "I hope you're not planning to steal that. Unless, you want to play?"

Gabriella shook her head quickly. "No way. I'm totally uncoordinated." She handed him the ball. She watched as he spun it on his finger. "Obviously, you aren't."

He shook his head and pretended to pop his collar. "Absolutely not. I'm a boss."

"Really? It's like that?" giggled Gabriella, shaking her head. "Someone's cocky."

Troy laughed and shook his head. "No, no. I'm totally laid back, if you believe it."

"I might," said Gabriella, smiling.

"Oh yeah?" Troy got closer to her, still smiling. She was so pretty.

Gabriella blushed at his closeness, but grinned. He was really cute.

"Troy!" They looked to see an older version of Troy approach them. He smiled at Gabriella. "Hi! Who is this?"

Troy looked at his dad strangely. "Gabriella. She's our new neighbor."

"Hello, Gabriella. I'm Jack, Troy's father." He shook her hand, still smiling.

Gabriella could tell there was something off about his nice demeanor. He wasn't truly nice, like Troy. She could see the difference. "Hi, Jack. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too. I'm sorry, but my son and I need to get back to basketball. But, I suppose we will see you tomorrow at school?" he asked.

Gabriella simply nodded.

Troy smiled at Gabriella, wishing his dad wasn't around. "Bye."

"Bye," said Gabriella, waving before leaving.

Jack turned Troy around as they walked back to the court. He sighed and frowned. "Away from the court for a full five minutes. That's why you don't need to lose your focus."

Later that night, Troy got ready for bed after his third workout for the day. His muscles were sore and he was plain exhausted. Yet, he didn't exactly want to go to sleep. He wanted to stay up to see if she was still awake.

Confirming his suspicions, he looked out his window and saw Gabriella reading on her balcony. All the other lights in her house were off, so he figured that her mother was asleep. Thinking on the edge, he slipped on a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt with a pair of flip flops. He climbed out of his window and strutted over to her backyard, standing directly below her balcony.

He cleared his throat and held out his arms. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, your knight in shining armor is here. So, put down that book and let me up without any fear."

Gabriella looked over the railing and laughed quietly. "How cheesy."

Troy chuckled and looked at the tree by her balcony. "Stand back."

Gabriella watched as he skillfully climbed the tree and landed on her balcony. "Wow. You're Tarzan, too?"

"No loincloth, sorry." Troy snickered at her blush. "What are you reading?"

"Wuthering Heights," she said.

"You do know school isn't until tomorrow, right?" he asked, picking up the book. He kept her place and rifled through the pages.

"I do know that. I just like to read for fun," she explained.

Troy nodded. "I get it. I like smart girls. They can help me with my homework."

"So, you have other smart girls?" teased Gabriella.

He shook his head and smiled at her. "You can be the first."

Gabriella secretly liked that. She cleared her throat and walked over to the balcony railing. "So, how far away is the school from here?"

"It's about thirteen minutes," he said, standing next to her. "Do you have a car?"

"Sadly, no. I am broke," she giggled lightly.

"Oh. Well, I could drive you tomorrow. If you like," he said.

Gabriella looked at him and shrugged. "I don't know. My mom probably won't like it."

"What makes you say that?" he asked curiously.

"She wouldn't let me in some stranger's car," said Gabriella, smiling apologetically.

Troy chuckled. "I'm barely a stranger. I practically had an entire conversation with her when I left the house."

"You had a conversation with my mom?" giggled Gabriella. Who was this guy?

"Yeah! We talked about the school, the town, and other stuff. She's really nice." He paused playfully. "In fact, she already said yes to me driving you to school."

Gabriella scoffed. "Troy! You didn't need to do that."

Troy looked at her and smiled. She had the most beautiful eyes. "I wanted to."

Gabriella smiled at him. This boy was something else.