I'll Always Love You

By: ADJLFanatic

Summary: Troy and Gabriella have always been together. It has been for four months. The day before their fifth 'monthly anniversary', a new girl moves in to East High. Troy thinks that she might be a clone of an angel… but Gabriella doesn't like the way she's acting around him.

Chapter 1: Just Like Yesterday

It was lunchtime at East High that Monday afternoon.

As usual, Troy had brought his own lunch and was just waiting for Gabriella. She, on the other hand, was in the lunch line.

After around five minutes, Gabriella walked over to where Troy was waiting.

"Hey there, Troy." Gabriella said sweetly.

Troy always loved how sweet she sounded and greeted him warmly with her voice.

"Hey Gabriella." He greeted back, trying to sound sweet like her (haha). "Shall we find ourselves a seat?"

"Haha, very funny, Troy." She giggled, noticing Troy's effort to sound compassionate like her. "And sure." She pointed to an empty table that was only three feet away from them. "What about there?"

"I say that looks perfect." Troy said.

Gabriella gave a momentary giggle.

"Then let's go." She said.

They both set themselves together on the empty table without anybody getting in the way.

Troy and Gabriella set their belongings down next to where they sat, which seemed to be close by each other… like the two themselves.

They both started to dig in down their lunch slowly.

When they were halfway done, Gabriella had stopped for a moment and still remained silent.

"Hey Troy," Gabriella said after taking a sip of milk.

"Hmm?" Troy asked. He, in just the ideal time, had swallowed the last of his sandwich. He was obviously ready to pay close attention when he eyed her kindly.

"Remember the first time we got together?" She asked.

"Yeah," Troy replied. "What about it?"

"I do too." Gabriella said. "I remember it as if it were just yesterday."

(A/N: I'm making this so it takes place after the sequel of 'High School Musical'. Even if I don't know much about it… I'll just make it up.)

FLASHBACK

This was taking place at a country club over summer break. Troy, Gabriella, and the gang were hanging around on their first day.

Gabriella and Troy were hanging around each other, as if they were close—and they weren't just yet.

"I swear, those two are perfect for each other." Chad said.

Luckily, he and the rest of the gang were about five to six feet apart from the two. So they couldn't really hear…

"Yeah," Taylor agreed. "Say… I got an idea."

"Spill!" Sharpay said.

"How about we play a little game of match-making?" Taylor's eyes looked devious, but for a good plan she had in her mind.

Everyone started talking with different dialogues simultaneously.

"Wait," Sharpay said. Her voice made everyone stop abruptly. "How are we gonna make this work?"

"Hmmm," Everyone pondered.

"We just got to make a well thought-out plan." Zeke said.

"And I think I know how…"

END FLASHBACK

"Yeah, I remember when they told me that," Troy said, making a laugh after. "I can't even remember how they did that."

Gabriella was laughing too. "Well, I kind of do."

FLASHBACK

Gabriella and Troy sat near the pool outside. They were chairs outside that had a table with an umbrella.

They both eyed each other longingly.

"So," Troy said.

"So," Gabriella repeated. "Looks nice out here, huh?"

"Yeah," He replied with a nod.

They always say that small talk is a good way to start things out, right?

It was pretty silent between the two again…

"You know, I've been thinking," Troy said.

"What?" Gabriella asked, blinking curiously.

"There's always something I've been wanting to tell you." He said.

"Oh?" She said. "What is it?"

"Well…" Troy started.

"Well isn't it a pleasant day out here today?" A voice chimed in. It was Taylor, with Chad by her side.

"Mmhmm," Gabriella said with a cheerful nod.

"Uh, yeah… but I wanted to tell Gabriella something and—"

"Don't you think it's also nice to go inside and… explore?" Chad interrupted Troy. He didn't notice and they grabbed their partner by the hand and started dragging them inside.

END FLASHBACK

"Yeah." Gabriella was laughing again. "They thought they were actually helping us push together, but every time… they pushed us apart from our 'talk' time."

Troy was laughing too. "Totally… but there was that one thing that really pushed us together."

FLASHBACK

After a series of the gang's efforts on pushing Troy and Gabriella together, they knew it wasn't working.

"This isn't working out," Zeke said.

"I know, I know." Taylor said.

"Wait," Chad said. "Remember when Troy was always telling us about when he and Gabriella first met and did that duet together?"

"Yeah," Everybody nodded.

"Well, we can't really relive that moment… but what about with a different song?" Chad asked.

Everyone started going off with their different conversations again then stopped after a minute.

"I know a song!" Ryan said.

Everyone turned to the normally clueless Ryan.

"What is it?" Sharpay said.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Well, what a coincidence," Taylor said as she walked over at the two. Troy and Gabriella looked up. Someone speaking up again once again interrupted them. "It's time for duets and you two are up first!"

They were being dragged to the stage and there were two microphones set in front of them.

"Well, doesn't this seem ironic?" Troy said.

"Yeah," Gabriella said, examining the larger area.

Music had started playing and the spotlights were faced on both of them.

END FLASHBACK

"Yeah, I remember that song," Troy said.

"Me too." Gabriella said. She started singing the first four lines of the song, "We were strangers, starting out on a journey. Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through. Now here we are, I'm suddenly standing… At the beginning with you."

"Oh yeah." Troy said. He, too, started singing another four lines. "No one told me I was going to find you. Unexpected, what you did to my heart. When I lost hope, you were there to remind me. This is the start."

(A/N: If you can guess this song, I'll give you a cookie. It's pretty easy and it's all I had in my head… XD)

"Impressive." A voice chimed in. It was Taylor… along with the rest of the gang.

"Very funny, guys." Troy said.

"Mind if we join you?" Taylor asked sweetly.

"Aww, there goes the sweet act again." He said, chuckling.

Everyone laughed.

"So, is that a yes?" She asked.

"Mmhmm," replied Troy and Gabriella simultaneously.

They all joined in and sat in the same table with the two, bringing up different conversations…

-- END CHAPTER ONE --

A/N: Well, this was kind of a cheesy chapter, lol. This is my first HSM fic; so don't be too mean, please. Constructive criticism is welcomed… but reviews are totally appreciated. No flames, though. Haha… well, what do you think at a first shot? Note, this was written early in the morning. It's like… 3:41 AM now and I started at like an hour or two ago? Lol. Anyway… I'll be up with chapter two soon.

♥ -- ADJLFanatic