Juliet is who?

Chapter Ten: The Flirting Disease

A/N: Whoa...after a year, I'm updating! I'll try to make this chapter as good as the others, OK? Wish me luck!

Gabriella's POV

As I walked out of Darbus' room, I happened to witness a crying Sharpay running away from a guilty-looking Ryan into the nearest girls bathroom. Naturally, I wanted to see what was going on.

"Ryan...do you know what's up with Sharpay?" I asked. Hey, maybe she was pregnant! So she couldn't act in the play...then I would get to kiss Troy...this would work out quite well.

"..so I told her that I wanted a back-up option, and she just exploded! I mean, what's so wrong with that?" Ryan was finishing off as I returned to the real world from my wishful thinking.

Oh. Ryan is looking at me. I should probably respond now.

"There is nothing wrong with wanting a back-up option. But Sharpay was probably just hurt that you didn't tell her sooner." I said, as comfortingly as I could.

"Yeah, I guess you're right...maybe I should have told her I was sabotaging myself..." Ryan trailed of, looking deep in thought.

Hey! I totally called it! Ryan DID sabotage himself! I knew that he had done it on purpose!

"Well, I'm sure she'll forgive you by dinnertime. Don't worry too much, OK?"

"Yeah, fine." Ryan answered, and started to walk away. "Oh, and Gabriella?" He turned around. "Don't be too jealous of Sharpay and Troy. I'm sure he'll ask you out...eventually."

I'm sure my mouth was hanging open like an idiots. How does everyone KNOW, except for (apparently) Troy? Why does no one tell him? I mean, everyone tells me that Troy likes me (not that it's true), but maybe he could stop leading me on, or whatever he's doing. He should either just ask me out, or stop flirting with me!

I thought about this. Maybe he can't help it...maybe it's, like, a genetic mutation, or something. You know, like FASD, where people can't tell the difference from right and wrong, but he can't stop flirting. Maybe he flirts with guys, too, but everyone is so used to it that I'm the only one who is affected by it! That's totally it!

Glad to have finally figured it out, I skipped off to the library. I could support Troy and his genetic defect, which would put me at a good spot to get him to actually like me. I just needed to do a bit more research on it...like is it intensified on brunettes? Or how do I become immune, to stop getting my hopes up? The library hasn't failed me yet!

BOOKS-BOOKS-BOOKS

Well, it's official...the library has failed me. Apparently, there is no such thing as a genetic defect/disease which causes excessive flirting! Well, back to square one...unless...Unless his disease hasn't been discovered yet! I should get a research scientist to come over...

"Give it up, Gabby," I chided myself. "There is no such thing as a flirting disease."

"There is no such thing as a what, now?" I heard an oh-so-familiar voice say.

"Troy! What are you doing here?" I asked, panicking.

"In the library? Doing some Math homework. And what are you doing? Researching a 'flirting disease'? If you don't you mind my asking, how do you catch it?" Troy's eyes twinkled as he tried to keep in his laughter.

I had never been so humiliated in my life. "Actually...I thought it might be a genetic defect." I prayed he wouldn't ask how I had come to this idea.

"So, ah, how did you 'discover' this defect? Does anyone I know have it?" Troy couldn't stand it any longer. He burst into laughter, and a tear actually ran down his face. He was crying with laughter! Myself, I felt like crying, too, but for a different reason.

"It turns out it doesn't exist." I said, so softly it was almost a whisper. Why, oh why must I always talk to myself?

Troy tried to compose himself. "Really? It doesn't exist? No way!" It seemed as if he would laugh again, but he managed to control himself. "But you still didn't answer my question...how did you come to this conclusion?" Troy He looked at me inquiringly.

My cheeks burned. "Um...erm...ah..." I couldn't answer that question! I was practically asking for his rejection if I told the truth. But I was a horrible liar. So I did the only thing that I could.

"Hey, look over there!" I exclaimed, pointing out the window. And then I ran.

RUNNING-RUNNING-RUNNING

I didn't slow down until I reached the roof, where, forced by extreme exhaustion, I sat down. This was good. I could hide here until free period was over. Actually, I could hide here until lunch was over. Free period went until lunch. And then, after lunch, I had...I strained to think. Math? No...Chemistry! That was it! But I had that class with Troy...he was even my lab partner. How could I get out of it without skipping class?

While I mulled this over, I heard footsteps on the stairs. Oh, no! Someone was coming up! I breathlessly hid under the bench, and watched whoever it was come up. Those shoes looked awfully familiar, and then I gasped.

The shoes stopped. I held my breath, hoping he hadn't heard me. It would suck for Troy to find me hiding under a bench. I mean, what he must already think of me. But I don't think that he's seen me.

The shoes turned around, out of sight, and I heard them fade off into the distance.

"Phew," I said, closing my eyes with relief, "That was a close one."

I opened my eyes, only to stare into the lovely blue ones of Troy Bolton.

"You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?" he asked. "I saw your shirt from a mile away."

I looked down. Today had definitely not been the day to wear bright pink.

"So..." Troy looked at me expectantly. I looked back, confused. "Are you going to tell me why you started talking about flirting diseases and why you ran away from me, or do I have to force it out of you?"

I blushed, and broke eye contact. "Well, you know, I was just confused about the way that...someone...has been acting towards me."

Now Troy was the one to look confused. "Acting? Like how?"

I turned even redder. "Well, this person, I think, has been...flirting with me, but I don't think that they actually like me, or they would have just asked me out already."

A look of understanding crossed Troy's face. "And you thought I would go all big-brother on you, and be overprotective, right?"

"Um, sure! Let's go with that!" Wow! He made up an excuse for me! Bon job, Troy!

"Well, just so you know, I wouldn't do that. So, are you going to tell me who the lucky guy is?" said Troy. And it sounded a little forced, if you ask me. Ah, well. He was probably just bitter that I hadn't told him sooner.

"Um, sorry, no can do. It's a secret." I replied.

"Aw, come on, that's not fair, Gabi!" he pleaded. "I can keep a secret!"

"Maybe some other time." This was getting a little awkward. It's not like I can tell him, due to the fact that it's him that I like!

Troy sighed. "Alright. But as soon as you're ready, I want to know who this crush is! Now, come on, let's go to lunch." Troy clomped down the stairs, looking depressed. Aw, he's probably still mad with me. Poor kid.

Now that I think about it, Troy's just been awfully excited and supportive of me liking some unknown guy. Does this mean that he doesn't like me? Or is he trying to cover up his feelings with a falsely happy exterior?

Guys think girls are hard to understand? Actually, I'm pretty sure guys are, because I'm a super-keener, and I don't get Troy at all.

A/N: Well, that was it. Feedback would be nice. It's not that hard to review; just push the button, say, "Well done!" or something of the like, and press 'Submit'. Please?

Tootles!

TheFabMax