Gabriella sighed, walking to the back of the Montez Diner. she sat the order on the table and then headed back up to the cash register which waited her best friend. "Gabriella!" Gabriella rolled her eyes, "What is it Shar?"

Sharpay scoffed, "Laker game tonight. you promised your mom you would go.. it's the anniversary-" "I know..I know.. just let me go get ready." Sharpay nodded. Gabriella turned around going to the back to get her things.

This was the worst time of her life every single year. this was the 11th Anniversary of her father's death.

Her dad was murdered when she was 9 years old, he was found in his hotel room. his killer is still out there. never been found.

|This Time|

The game was loud, people were cheering and yelling for the lakers to win. Gabriella and Sharpay found their seats up front. "These are great seats." Gabriella sighed taking a seat. Sharpay looked at her, "I know you don't want to be here."

Gabriella just looked at her, Sharpay smiled sadly, "But atleast tried to have fun for your mom.." Gabriella sighed, but nodded, "Okay." Gabriella's eyes landed on someone on the court. "Who's that?"

Sharpay looked over and smiled, "Oh that's the new member and captain, Troy Bolton." Gabriella's eyes went wide, "He's the captain?" Sharpay nodded, "He's really really good."

Troy looked over his right side, seeing her stare at him and then immediately look down; only to stare at him again through her lashes.

"Bolton!" the defense yelled at him, bringing Troy back to the present and the fact that the orange basketball was coming fast at his face- and now he's on his ass.

Sharpay watched what had happen, and smiled, "He was totally checking you out." Gabriella rolled her eyes, "No he wasen't."

Sharpay rolled her eyes, "You just can't accept the fact that someone might like you." Gabriella bit her lip, and looked down at her phone.

Chad was jogging and Troy caught up with him, Chad looked at him, "Trying to be faster than me man?" Troy laughed, "No not really." Troy looked over to the stands, and asked chad, "Who's that girl? I've never seen her here before."

Chad shrugged, "I don't know. I haven't either." Troy looked at her, "She's beautiful.." Chad chuckled, "Then why won't you just go up to her and ask her who she is."

Troy chuckled, "We have a game to win Danforth..." Chad laughed, "Maybe after. There's the after party-" Bolton! Danforth! The game!" the two laughed, walking back to the middle of the court.

Troy sending a wink at Gabriella, but frowning when he discovered she was looking at her phone. Sharpay gasped, "Oh my-TROY BOLTON winked at you!" Gabriella looked up, "What?-Whoa! Shar-" "He frickin' winked at you!"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, and looked out to the court to find that Troy was turned around, Gabriella groaned, "Shar, your just imagining things."

Sharpay shook her head, "No. I swear.. he did.. he didn't wink at me, he winked at you.. but he looked sad cause you weren't paying attention to him..talk to him after the game." Gabriella rolled her eyes, "No-" "Yes."

After the game, Sharpay stood up, "ready to go?" Gabriella smiled standing up, "Home? yes, let's go." Gabriella tried to walk away but Sharpay grabbed her wrist, "Oh No, your not getting away that easy...come on."

Gabriella sighed, "Shar please-" "BOLTON!" Sharpay yelled, and then when Troy's head snapped towards them, Sharpay pushed Gabriella further but Gabriella tried to fight to run, but Sharpay pushed her further. pushed her so far that she collided into Troy's chest.

Gabriella looked up, he smiled, "Umm Hey." she gulped, "umm Hi.." Sharpay smiled, "I'll be right over there." Sharpay smirked. Gabriella glared at her, and Troy smiled, "I'm Troy Bolton.. I haven't seen you around the games all season, are you new in town?" Gabriella sighed, "Not really.. I just usually come to one game once a year on this day and that's all."

Troy was about to speak until, "Gabriella!" Gabriella froze when the coach came over and hugged her tightly, "I can't believe it's you! you're all grown up." he smiled, Gabriella smiled, "Hi Coach Patrick-" "Now what have I always told you to call me." she laughed, "Uncle Patrick."

Patrick smiled, and looked at Troy then at her, "I guess you met our star player, his going to bring us to the championships." Gabriella smiled, "Just like someone else I know." Troy looked at both of them, "You guys...know each other?"

Patrick laughed, "Yeah, kind of.. I've watched her grow up on this court.. her dad was the star." Troy's eyes went wide, "You mean-" Patrick nodded, "That's right." he smiled at Gabriella, "This is James Montez's daughter."

Gabriella bit her lip, looking down at her feet which shuffled nervously on the floor. Troy looked from her to the coach and then back again, "Are-are you serious?" Coach Patrick nodded, his smile beaming and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "It's good to see you girl."

She laughed, "You too, Uncle Patrick." "Hey...we got to get together...you know, Missy and Me have that barbeque coming up..you know that one where your dad used to take you too every year? You should come."

No. No. No. No. That is the last place she wanted to be, anywhere else where her dad had spent anytime was just...to painful, she barely stomached, being here watching the game. Keyword: Barely.

Gabriella bit her lip, "Umm yeah..m-maybe.." He smiled, hugging her and kissing her forehead, "I hope to see you at next week's game." Gabriella smiled, "Yeah." and then Patrick walked over to the team.

Troy looked at her, "You're James Montez's daughter?" Gabriella bit her lip, "Y-Yeah.. the one and only." he smiled, "I was and still am a big fan of him." Gabriella smiled, "really?" he nodded, "Yeah, I watched his interviews and everything, I loved how true and down to earth he was.."

Gabriella smiled, "Yeah, he was.. I miss him.." Troy looked at her, "Are you coming next week?" he asked hopefully. she sighed, "I..I don't know.. I don't think so.." "Why?" she sighed, "I..I..umm.. er.. have to.. uh.. work? yeah work.. busy schedule, you know.."

Troy looked at her, "where do you work-" "My Parent's diner...down town." Troy scratched the back of his neck, "Well...uh, what's your job? LIke...what do you do?" Gabriella bit her lip, "I'm a waitress." Troy nodded, "That's cool. Uh...-" "Yeah, look..Troy, you seem really nice...but I just...ever since my dad...I don't...not basketball players. I'm sorry."

Troy looked at her, "What?" Gabriella sighed, "I..I uh have to go." "Gabriella-" "Please." she said walking away from him and going to find Sharpay.

Troy sighed, ruffling up the back of his hair. Chad came over placing a hand on his shoulder, "I guess Romeo fell from the balcony, and landed on his ass, huh?" Troy narrowed his eyes, "Shut up Chad."

|This Time|

A Few Weeks Later.

At The Diner, Gabriella went from table to table wiping them down so new customers could come in. "Gabriella, Dear." Her mother came over to her. "Yeah mom?" "Umm theirs a guy over there who needs your assistance."

Gabriella nodded, "Of course." Gabriella walked over to the counter, and saw Troy look up. "Troy?" he looked at her, "Gabriella." she sighed, "Coffee?" Troy nodded, "umm yeah, that would be nice."

Gabriella nodded about to walk away, until he spoke, "When do you get off work?" Gabriella sighed, "12." Troy looked at the clock to see that it was 10. "Can I show you something? after work?"

"Troy-" "come on, please.. I think you will like it.." Gabriella sighed, biting her lip, "Okay.. I'll go.. but you sure you want to wait around for 2 more hours?"

Troy nodded, "Yeah, I'll wait.." Gabriella bit her lip, going to the counter, grabbing a coffee mug and the coffee basin and taking them to Troy's table.

She set the mug down, filling it with coffee, "Uhm..." Troy said, "hey thanks." Gabriella nodded, "Yeah...so, just let me know when you're ready to order-" "Bacon and eggs."

"What?" "I'm a simple guy...I just er, I just want bacon and eggs." Anything to keep her at his table really; hell, he'd strip down to NOTHING if it'd get her attention.

Gabriella nodded, "Bacon and eggs it is..I'll go let them your order." Troy nodded watching her walking behind the back door. Troy ran a hand down his face, taking another sip of coffee. Gabriella returned back, "They should be done in about 15 minutes."

He nodded, and she was about to walk away again, "How are you?" Gabriella looked at him, "I"m fine." He nodded, "That's good to hear..." Gabriella nodded slowly, "umm yeah, I'm going to go take other orders.."

Troy nodded, "yeah...uhm...okay." Gabriella turned on her heel, but Troy called out to her again. "What?" She asked, whipping around, he held up his mug.

"Uh...more coffee?" Gabriella huffed out a breath, shaking her head. "You..you're not even done with what you have!" "I'm the customer..." "you..you..oh!"

Gabriella groaned, grabbing his coffee and pouring a little bit in there. "There." Troy smirked, "Why thankyou." she rolled her eyes, and walked away to order other people's food. "You know you won't have a chance."

Troy's head snapped to see Sharpay. "What do you mean?" "Trust me.. Gabriella has had only one guy in her life..besides her dad.. and she doesn't date..at all.." Troy looked at her, "So if your planning on getting with her, good luck, cause she won't listen to me.. "

Troy watched the blond, "She...doesn't date?" Sharpay shook her head, "Nope. In high school? Everyone thought she was lesbian- well, except me cause I'm like...her best friend EVER- cause she kept denying every attempt at dating a guy threw at her. Even to dances. She doesn't date."

Troy took a sip of his coffee, "who was the other guy besides her dad?" Sharpay shrugged, "her imaginary friend 'Horace'..." she said sarcastically.

Troy looked at her, then looked back at Gabriella, Troy sighed, "Well, I like a challenge, I'm going to help her." Sharpay rolled her eyes, "Yeah good luck." and she went to take orders. Troy took another sip of his coffee.

Gabriella walked back over, and Troy looked at her, and cleared his throat, "Can I ask you something?" Gabriella looked at him, "What.." He smiled, "Will you go on a date with me.. tomorrow night? dinner.. that's it."

Gabriella sighed, "hmm.. let me think about that.." she pretended to think, "How about no? I don't date..." she looked down, "Not anymore.."

She turned around and walked to a table, Troy looked at Sharpay who only shook her head and made a slicing motion across her throat with her finger. Troy sighed, standing up and catching up with her. "Okay...how about as friends? A friendly dinner-" "And again," Gabriella said, turning to face him. "No. Now go eat your breakfast."

She turned back to the table, Troy watched her, then he pulled her back by the wrist and stared her in the eyes. "Aquaitenances-" "No." "I'm running out of things to call us then-" "How about nothing?" She yanked her arm out of his hold, causing him to stumble back.

"No dinner. No friendships. No...male companionship! Now. Leave. Me. Alone!" She pushed him so hard that he hit the counter, knocking over a mug of cold coffee, already chewed food...it spilled down his front. Gabriella smirked, "Get the picture now? Now...just...go away."

Gabriella walked away going to another table. Troy sighed, grabbing napkins and wiping his front. Sharpay giggled, "I warned you." Troy looked at her, "I'm trying, okay?" Sharpay rolled her eyes walking away.

Gabriella walked back his way, and he grabbed her wrist again, "What!" she snapped at him. he sighed, "I'm sorry, alright? you seem like an amazing girl, and I just want to get to know you.. that's all..I'm just looking to be your friend.. so what do you say? just one dinner, it's all I'm asking."

Gabriella looked at him, "Fine..one date-" "date?" he smirked. she rolled her eyes, "Yeah. but it's got to be at your place, and you got to make something for us.."

Troy nodded, "Yeah. Of course..I can do that." Gabriella nodded, "Fine. Tonight?" Troy nodded, "Tonight. say around 7?"

Gabriella nodded, flipping the notepad over on a blank page and writing her phone number and address and ripping it out and giving it to him. "There, you can call before picking me up.."

"Yeah...that-that's fine.." Gabriella sighed, rolling her eyes and walking away. Troy waited until she was at least in the kitchens before he smiled and did a little jitter bug. He cleared his throat, and nodded politely when he caught people staring at him.

One of which was a press reporter. Snap a picture, and then...oh great. That is the last thing he needed. Or Wanted.