Breaking Free

Chapter 3:

Later on that same day, Isabella was sitting in her last class for the day, chemistry. Isabella was sitting at one of the work stations next to Taylor, both of them taking notes while glancing repeatedly at the chalkboard in the front of the room when all of a sudden Sharpay came over with a smirk and leaned down towards Isabella

"So it seemed like you knew Troy Bolton." Sharpay noted mock innocently.

"Not really." Isabella lied with a soft smile. "He was just showing me around."

"Well, Troy usually doesn't interact with new students." Sharpay snickered as she leaned her head on her hand.

"Uh, why not?" Isabella asked distractedly as she paused in taking her notes as she noticed what the teacher was writing on the board.

"Well it's pretty much basketball 24/7 with him." Sharpay informed Isabella who ignored her for a second as she looked between what she got in her notebook and what the teacher was writing on the board.

"That should be sixteen over pi." Isabella said to herself, causing Taylor to look at her interestedly while their pregnant science teacher turned to look at Isabella.

"Yes, Miss Montez?" the teacher asked curiously.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just..." Isabella spoke up hesitantly, causing the teacher to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "Uh... Shouldn't the second equation read sixteen over pi?"

"Sixteen over pi? That's quite impossible." The teacher repeated while shaking her head before going over to her calculator and double checking her math. The teacher paused before giving Isabella a smile. "I stand corrected." Isabella smiled to herself as the teacher corrected the equation on the board before she turned back to give Isabella another smile. "Oh, and welcome aboard."

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After school was done for the day, Isabella went to the auditorium where Ms. Darbus was holding detention. As part of their detention the students had to paint the props that were going to be used in the musical as well as work on the costumes that would be used. Isabella was painting a moon, while next to her Troy and Chad were painting a tree.

"Gold! More gold!" Isabella heard Ms. Darbus tell one of the students who was sewing before seeing her walk past Chad and Troy, who were painting a tree top with green paint. She then walked over to Isabella. "Paint, paint. Let's go!" Ms. Darbus exclaimed, causing Isabella to quickly go back to painting.

As Ms. Darbus walked away, Taylor excitedly approached Isabella with a bucket and a printing of a news article.

"The answer is yes!" Taylor grinned excitedly at Isabella.

"Huh?" Isabella asked in confusion, not knowing what Taylor was talking about.

"Our scholastic decathlon team has its first competition next week, and there is certainly a spot for you." Taylor informed Isabella with a smile.

"Where did those come from?" Isabella asked in horror as she noticed a news article in Taylor's hand with a picture of Isabella on it.

"Didn't you put them in my locker?" Taylor asked Isabella in confusion.

"Of course not." Isabella quickly shakes her head, trying to think of who could do that because she knows that Gabriella never would have done something like that.

"Oh, well, we'd love to have you on our team." Taylor told Isabella with a hopeful smile. "We meet almost every day after school. Please?"

"I need to catch up on the curriculum here before I think about joining any clubs." Isabella quickly shook her head, causing Taylor to get a sad look on her face.

"Well what a perfect way to get caught up, meeting with the smartest kids in school." Sharpay cut in as she walked over to the two girls, causing them to turn to look at her. "What a generous offer, Taylor."

"So many new faces in detention today. I hope you don't make a habit of it, but the drama club can always use an extra hand." Ms. Darbus cut in as she walked over to the three girls, causing Sharpay to walk back over to her brother, while Isabella and Taylor went back to painting. "And while we are working, let us probe the mounting evils of cell phones." As Ms. Darbus continued to talk, Chad fell asleep inside of the tree prop as Troy sat on top of it, tickling his face with a fake leaf. "Perhaps the most heinous example of cell phone abuse is ringing in the theater. What temerity! The theater is a temple of art, a precious cornucopia of creative energy."

All of a sudden a man stormed in while glaring at Ms. Darbus and raising his arms in frustration. "Where's my team Darbus?" the man snapped, getting more and more angry when he saw Troy and Chad in the fake tree. "What the heck are those two doing in a tree?"

"It's called crime and punishment, Bolton." Ms. Darbus told the man with a smirk, causing Isabella to look at the man in shock, realizing that he must be Troy's dad. "Besides, proximity to the arts is cleansing for the soul."

"Can we have a talk, please?" Coach Bolton gritted out as he pointed between him and Ms. Darbus before he shot a look at Troy and Chad. "And you two, in the gym, now!"

Everyone watched in silence as Troy got down from the top of the tree and pulled Chad from the center tree before they quietly left the auditorium.

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After finishing up the detention, Isabella and Taylor went to their lockers to grab their backpacks before they walked out of the school together as they started to walk towards the parking lot to go to their parents' cars.

"We've never made it past the first round of the scholastic decathlon." Taylor told Isabella as they walked across the grass. "You could be our answered prayer."

"I'm going to focus on my studies this semester, and help my mom and sister get the new house organized." Isabella told Taylor, sticking to her want of not being known as the freaky genius girl again. "Maybe next year."

"But..." Taylor started, wanting to argue her point further.

"What do you know about Troy Bolton?" Isabella cut Taylor off, not wanting to talk about the scholastic decathlon thing anymore.

"Troy? Hmm. I wouldn't consider myself an expert on that particular sub-species. However, unless you speak cheerleader, as in..." Taylor smirked as she and Isabella walked through a group of cheerleaders and Taylor started to speak with a Valley-girl accent) "'Oh, my gosh isn't Troy Bolton just a hottie super-bum'?"

"Oh, he's beautiful." one of the cheerleaders said as the other cheerleaders giggled and talked excitedly amongst themselves as Taylor and Isabella walked with laughter.

"See what I mean?" Taylor asked with a smirk.

"I guess I wouldn't know how to speak cheerleader." Isabella giggled as they came to a stop and Taylor turned to look at Isabella.

"Which is why we exist in an alternate universe to Troy the basketball boy." Taylor said while rolling her eyes a little.

"Have you tried to get to know him?" Isabella asked curiously, knowing that he was actually nicer then he seemed.

"Watch how it works in the cafeteria tomorrow when you have lunch with us." Taylor told Isabella while gesturing over her shoulder to the cheerleaders who were practicing a routine. "Unless you'd rather sit with the cheerleaders and discuss the importance of firm nail beds."

"My nail beds are history." Isabella said sheepishly as she held up her hands to show Taylor her fingernails.

"Sister!" Taylor exclaimed excitedly as she also showed Isabella her fingernails, causing the two of them to laugh before Taylor grabbed hold of Isabella's hand and they walked away.