A/N: Hello readers!

Welcome to my attempt at the HSM Romance Challenge!

All these stories are, as stated, One-Shots...they wont be connected, unless for some reason I say they are

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical, Or any of it's characters. I also don't own any Garth Brooks songs

Theme: Reunion

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Troy Bolton stepped out of his cabin door into the frozen night air. He took a moment to really inhale his surroundings. He looked up toward the snow-topped mountains; his breath loomed around him in big white clouds. He hadn't been up to the mountains during winter in at least six years. Allison never enjoyed the snow, being cold wasn't her favorite feeling and he always respected that.

This was the second holiday since she had been gone. Christmas was just too hard on Troy, all his family and hers, trying to go on with things like they were the same. He'd even tried to decorate the house the way she liked it, but it wasn't the same. He just couldn't face another holiday at home alone. He had to get away for New Year's, somewhere that didn't remind him of her.

He turned around to lock the cabin door behind him, he glanced at his left hand and the gold band that hadn't left his finger since the day he buried his one true love.

He straightened his jacket one more time as he entered the ballroom of the lodge. The room was decorated with silver balloons and candles, a large banner hung over the dance floor that read "Welcome 2014!" under the banner couples danced smiling. Waiters circled the room with large trays of champagne.

A young waiter with dark hair approached him, "Champagne sir?" he asked in a squeaky pre-pubescent voice.

Troy didn't know the punishment for accepting alcohol from a minor, if there was one at all, but it didn't seem legal, "I'll just head to the bar thanks" he smiled

The waiter moved on and Troy looked around the room, hoping that there actually was a bar, or maybe he'd have to find that waiter again. He finally spotted the bar in the far corner of the party. He set his eyes on the prize and began weaving through the crowd. Just as he was about to reach the friendly barkeep in the silver bowtie a few familiar chords rang through the ballroom.

"When the rain's blowin' in your face" the low voice rang out

"No not now, I haven't had a drink yet" he begged the universe silently. He wasn't going to lose it in the middle of this party, tonight was about having fun. He couldn't just break at the sound of her favorite song.

But despite his determination, he felt his stomach jump, the tears would be following soon. He turned on his heels and headed back for the door, but his eyes met with a familiar set of brown ones.

This was too much for Troy, he tried to speak but he knew only squeaks would escape.

Gabriella looked up from the table where she sat looking quite bored and gasped, "Troy?" She didn't really need to ask, she knew it was him. He was completely unmistakable, even after all these years.

She rose from the table onto shaky stiletto heels. Her black dress flowed from the chair, trailing behind her as she approached him. She was just as beautiful as the last time he'd seen her, which was when they broke up after high school. Things were just going to be too hard, he was off to Duke to play basketball, and she to Stanford. They wouldn't put themselves through the hurt, so it ended.

She gently put her arms around his neck and he hugged her back, he placed his head on her shoulder briefly, her hair still smelled the same. A million memories from high school flooded back to him, awkward first dates, dumb arguments, late nights in her bedroom after climbing up her balcony, and of course the night they had met in that very lodge eight years ago.

"You look great, I can't believe you're here too, it's nice to see a familiar face! How are you doing?" she inquired

Troy realized that he hadn't spoken yet. "Oh I'm surviving," he tried to laugh, "It's a lot colder up here than I remember"

They both looked at each other a moment with enormous grins on their faces, a million questions to ask and stories to tell, but neither of them could speak.

He lifted his hand to his hair uncomfortably; it was then that she saw the shiny gold band on his left ring finger. Of course he was married, if you run into your first love in the place where that love first blooms he always ends up married. She'd seen enough TV to know that for a fact. She felt incredibly foolish for even beginning to make plans in her head after three seconds of seeing him again.

"So where are you living these days?" she asked with her dazzling smile

Troy found her smile comforting; she always had that way about her, making everything better with just one look. He stared into her bright eyes and he just couldn't get over how beautiful she was, she'd always been a pretty girl, but now she was a woman and she looked incredible. He couldn't help but wonder if she was attached, but that question couldn't come out unless a little alcohol went in. He needed a little bravery in a bottle more than ever

Just as he was going to tell her all about Raleigh and his job a tall man with dark slick hair came up behind Gabriella and handed her a pink Martini with two cherries bobbing near the bottom.

"Thank you," she turned toward the man then back to Troy, "Troy this is Max"

Troy reached out and shook his hand; "nice to meet you" Max was dressed in an expensive looking suit, his hair was perfectly styled and trendy glasses adorned his eyes. Troy suddenly felt ashamed of his simple sport coat.

"Our table is ready" he said in a deep voice and motioned toward the dining room on the other side of the wall

"Oh ok, just one second" she smiled and he went back toward the dining room after shooting Troy one more curious look

"Well, I guess you better go" he said

"Yeah" she sighed disappointed, "well, it was great seeing you" she said picking her clutch off the table and walking backward

"You too" he managed out

Troy couldn't help but feel let down. He was still mourning Ally, but she made him promise that he would move on and get married again, and he and Gabi had shared such a strong connection so long ago, and he felt that spark again when she hugged him. But all that thinking was useless, she had Max, he obviously had the money and could take care of her better than his pitiful salary ever could. He tried his best to be happy, for her.

Suddenly he wasn't in a party mood; he checked his pocket for keys and headed out into the snow to settle into his cabin for the night.

In the dining room Gabriella sat down in a huff next to her step-brother of a year at the fancy table. "Mom and John here yet?" she asked looking around. Max just shook his head and sipped his wine.

She tried her best to get back into party mood, but no matter how many sips of her Cosmo she had, it still hurt. Years and years of bad, short-lived relationships had led her to this night. She saw Troy again and she remembered what love was supposed to feel like. But even though they were in the same place, they were a million miles away.

"What's wrong darling?" Max pouted, leaning in to touch shoulders with her, "does this have something to do with the yummy boy in the other room?" he asked nudging her

"We dated a long time ago," she sighed, "but it's hopeless, he's married." It hurt even more to say it out loud. She'd never admit it, but she had been waiting all these years for Troy Bolton to come back and sweep her off her feet. But he'd already swept someone, and she was all alone.

"We're boyless and pitiful" he slumped further in his chair

Gabi placed her hand under her chin and raised her glass, "happy new year to us"

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Ah the tragic misunderstanding, I love nothing more

I hope you all liked it too, review and let me know!

And to my Degrassi and 7th Heaven readers...yeah, I know Im crazy to be working on so many stories at once