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[hoopsandharmonies]

FROM: SUBJECT: SORT BY: Most Recent Chad Danforth to Troy Bolton Since I'm writing emails anyway (8/16) Chad Danforth to Troy Bolton You can't say no to me. (6/10) Chad Danforth to Troy Bolton Man (2/20) Fwd: Troy Bolton to Ryan Evans to Chad Danforth Fwd: Dude? Not. Cool (2/7) Troy Bolton to Gabriella Montez Sooo... (1/24) Chad Danforth to Troy Bolton (no subject) (1/24) Troy Bolton to Chad Danforth Sooooo... (1/16) There are 7 messages.

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[hoopsandharmonies]

Nah but I can dream, right? I've got a lot of high ambitions for tolerance, I guess.

Do we really have to talk about this? I know you're Co-Captain, you've always been my Co-Captain and you've always had my back but this isn't your fight. I'm not bullshitting anybody. It's fine, everything's okay.

[gottaswing]

You're idealistic. It's great.

I wanna know what's going on with you. What did your father say?

[hoopsandharmonies]

...look, he just wouldn't stop going on about how you're wasting your potential chasing after some passing whim. And then he was grilling me for information about your relationship with Ry and if I knew you were gay and if I was gay and if you and I ever did anything and why this was coming up now and about how experimentation's great but not when we've got commitments and expectations and how I needed to work harder to steer you back on track.

Did you know he found out about me and Gabi? I don't know who told him or how he found out but he found out and then he started asking if it was worth throwing away everything we've been planning since I was a kid and how now you were throwing everything away and what a big mistake everything was when it came down to Ryan and how you and me are still idolized as Captains for the Wildcats but we needed to start acting more like it and did I give you the stupid idea to give up the game to chase someone you think you love because just because one son didn't follow the right path doesn't mean the other one had to follow suit.

Okay? Are you happy now?

[gottaswing]

No, I'm not fucking happy, why would I be?

But I don't want you dealing with shit like that by yourself. You'd not want me to deal with stuff by myself, either. And I haven't, really, I mean, once I came clear on the whole thing. And I know that's my bad for not telling you sooner, but that's over now and I don't want you not telling me stuff to protect me or whatever the fuck.

I have no idea how he found out about Gabi, but you're back with Gabi now, that's what's important. You're with Gabi and I'm with Ryan and even if your father's being a fucking asshole you're still my brother, alright?

If you did give me the idea to chase someone I love that's the best thing you ever did.

[hoopsandharmonies]

It's different and you know it's different, Chad! You and I will have each other's backs for dealing with everything else but this is bigger than you and me, okay? You're my brother and I love you and I love that you're finally happy with Ryan and Gabriella and I are working on solving our problems. I know you want to help but you CAN'T, Chad. Okay? You can't.

...you and Ryan are okay, right?

[gottaswing]

It's your father who has to change, not you.

Yeah, we're okay. Feeling mixed up now, but not about Ryan. We're okay.

[hoopsandharmonies]

Right.

I'm really glad you guys finally get to see each other though! That's an awesome Christmas present.

[gottaswing]

It's our lives, not his, and our happiness, too. If he wants me to pretend I'm not gay for the rest of my life just so he can have me play pro, that's the most selfish thing since wanting you to deny who you are and what you wanna do to focus only on basketball. I'm not as brave and shit as you, if I had more of a choice about it, you bet I'd have denied it and just not danced so people wouldn't think I'm uncool. But I didn't get the choice, because being gay isn't a choice, it's like being black and it's something that I can't get away from. And anyone who cares for me wouldn't want me to try and do that.

I was a fucking douche to you at first about your dancing and singing and Gabriella, but that was in junior year and it still didn't take me that long to realize what I was trying to do. I love you the way you are, not the way I wish you were. And that's what brothers do and what parents should be doing, too. It's not our fault if they don't manage that, it's theirs. I know it hurts. But we don't have to feel guilty about this.

[hoopsandharmonies]

You're right. Being gay isn't a choice, but the way that people see you is. I don't like it. I'm going to fix it though okay? Don't worry about it.

...dude that was a while ago. And you apologized and we're still cool. I appreciate it though.

[Troy Bolton, once again, is just avoiding the entire point.]

Don't worry about it okay?

[gottaswing]

You're going to fix how everyone thinks about me being gay, but you won't let me help with your father? That seems fair.

I worry. I don't think you're really listening. Your father isn't perfect, Troy.

[hoopsandharmonies]

I don't. You're not listening to me, dude. I know Coach isn't perfect, I never said he was. I'm also just saying that he's my dad, not yours.

[gottaswing]

I'm aware. But are you aware that he has been acting like an asshole towards you? He's still putting so much pressure on you and making you feel guilty although there is nothing wrong with the choices you made.

[hoopsandharmonies]

I know there's nothing wrong with my choices. It's just Coach's opinion…his opinion about you is wrong though.

[gottaswing]

By that logic you do know that his opinion about you is wrong, too, right?

[hoopsandharmonies]

He's my dad, Chad.

[gottaswing]

Alright, what if everything was the same, except Gabriella would be Gabriel and you'd be the gay one. What then?

[hoopsandharmonies]

Not a lot would change. He'd tell me how someone was messing with the game no matter who they were and how I had to focus and how I was messing things up for me and for my team. It'd be exactly what he said when he first met Gabriella, and it'll probably be something he says if I marry her.

It's fine. You learn to just...whatever. That's not unusual but it's okay. What isn't okay is the sudden problem he's got just because you're dating Ryan. You're still my best friend, you're still the same kid he's coached for years, literally nothing changed.

[gottaswing]

Yeah, I'm the kid he's coached for years and I might have gone pro and I kinda ended all of that due to gayness. So there's that. He's worked for it, y'know. Our dream.

But also, some people are gonna hate me, just because of that. Just like some people have always hated me because I'm black and just like plenty of people also judge you for being white. That's how the world is. Adding 'gay' to the list of what I am was bound to make some people hate me and not everyone's gonna be able to get over themselves. I can't let that get me down. I can't let that stop me. You can't let it stop you, either.

Even if it's your father.


Ever since we first saw the light,
A man and woman like to shake it on a Saturday night
So I'm gonna shake and shimmy it with all of my might today!
Cause you cant stop the motion of the ocean, or the rain from above
They can try to stop the paradise we're dreamin of
But you cannot stop the rhythm of two hearts in love to stay
You can't stop the beat!

[hoopsandharmonies]

No way, you would never have gone pro. You're too short. …anyway I know. We've worked on the dream since we were kids but what happens when the dream changes? Did you ever think we'd change our minds? Because I didn't.

I know, and I'm glad you're going through life with that attitude now and that Ryan's by your side and whatever, but that's still not okay with me. None of that is okay with me, I don't care how the world is. Why can't we change the world a little? We changed East. That was a good start. I'm not letting anything stop me, what the hell?

…oh my god what has Ryan done to you?

[gottaswing]

Hey, I'm 5'10, there are totally shorter pros than me. Not a lot, but some. Anyway, it doesn't even matter, you know what I mean. And you were the one that opened my eyes to the possibility of changing my mind.

We are gonna change the world a little. That's what we're doing right now, y'know, bit by bit. But it won't be overnight and you can't just fight and scream all the time. Sometimes you just gotta celebrate the good stuff.

...well, he's starring in the damn musical, it's kinda been on my mind a lot. Don't judge me, you still have to love me.

[hoopsandharmonies]

I know what you mean, yeah. And it wasn't just me, I wish everybody would stop saying that. Gabriella started everything. She changed me for better and for worse and I love her for it even though this whole thing is still bigger than I thought. All I care about is if you're happy though. You're happy with the change?

I celebrate the good stuff! I celebrate plenty of good stuff.

…look, I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you before, okay? But Coach and I have been fighting a lot since the semester started and I'm just sort of figuring out what I can do until I graduate. I've got it covered.

I love you and I tolerate him. Kidding, you know I like Ryan a lot. And I know you're going to be Hairspray'd for a few months even after he's home.

[gottaswing]

I know that it wouldn't have happened without Gabriella, but I'd not have seen any connection to myself if it hadn't been you. You're my brother. Does Gabriella know you and Coach are fighting like that?

I'm happy with how it turned out. I've more of an idea of my future now, I actually kinda love New York and I like what I'm doing. I wasn't happy when it first became obvious.

What do you mean, what you can do until you graduate?

Between Ryan and Kelsi there's not really any way to escape musicals, so I'm just kind of embracing it. Sometimes.

[hoopsandharmonies]

You're different. You don't really count because you're my brother. And no…I just got her back, I'm trying not to upset her with anything.

I'm really proud of you dude. You've grown up a lot. Ry's told me some stories, he's really happy with you too obviously, haha. New York's not home, but you're making it work. That's the best thing for you.

Just what it sounds like. I just gotta make it till graduation and it'll be okay. By then I'll actually be on my own, y'know? If Gabi and I are still together then we'll figure out where to go with the future.

Sometimes. Just play lots of b-ball in between before it consumes you!

[gottaswing]

Look, I'm no relationship expert, but I really don't think less communication is the key to keeping your relationship alive. She'd want to know dude.

Yeah? ...what, you just talk about me behind my back now? What did he say?

Just don't take it on yourself to solve all what's wrong in the world, alright?

I play every day, no worries. Although a lot of my kids do breakdancing, so there's that.

[hoopsandharmonies]

…I'll talk to her. Just not now, okay? It's Christmas. I'm going to surprise her tomorrow before we drive back to Albuquerque.

Like you guys don't talk about me. And he just said he's really proud of you and happy you're doing so well in New York and how much he wants to make out with you. I think that last part's just to gross me out.

It'll be fine, dude. We're like superheroes, remember? I've still got the cape and everything.

Are they teaching you how to dance :P?