Then and Now

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or anything associated with the franchise. It's all fiction.

AN: New Story time. This story will actually be formatted a little different that my others. Half of the story will take place in the past and the other in the present. So, when you see that the first 10 chapters or whatever it is, is in italics, it was meant to be that way. I didn't lose my mind and forget to click off that diagonal I on top of the word document. It was intentional.

I'm quite excited to write this story. It has been floating around in my head for a while now and it will have some enjoyable/intense elements that seemed to be enjoyed from my previous stories. Thanks for taking the time to give this story a chance and taking the time to read and review. I look forward to your feedback on this one.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Gabriella drummed her fingers against the armrest of the SUV she was currently and unwillingly riding in. Her brain mentally cursed the existing situation that she had been leered and forced into by her pain in the ass parents. Her dark spheres were mildly concealed by her narrowed lids and long jet black lashes. Her expression was contorted into a deep resentful scowl and her body sat rigid and angry. She had been maintaining a livid and harsh exterior for approximately 48 hours and if she had it her way it would reside in such an arrangement for the entire obligatory stay.

She rolled her irate coffee eyes and let out another grunt, a grunt that her mother had pointed out to her a couple of hours ago wouldn't do any good because even if turning around had been something she decided she wanted, it was impossible now, they were too close to their destination. Gabriella took that to mean that her mother was beginning to become annoyed with her frustrated noise, so naturally, she proceeded to continue with the useless racket for the sole purpose of the negative effect it was having on her. If she was going to be forced to suffer through this shit they deemed mandatory and wonderful, then her mother deserved to take a little heat, even if it didn't compare to what Gabriella thought she was about to encounter.

Her pissed gaze stared out the window and if she hadn't been trying to exemplify her anger she would have actually enjoyed the crystal blue skies and the crashing of the waves that were just beyond the horizon. It was a place she had been many times when she was a kid and actually cherished as some of the best times from her childhood, but she wasn't a child anymore. She had gone willingly then and now she wanted to be anywhere but here. She wanted to be with her friends enjoying the last bit of freedom before they started a new stage of their lives that would determine their future. But no. She was stuck in the car with her sickenly happy parents who insisted that family times were short and limited now. Their lame excuse was that they were getting older and she was getting busier and with her leaving in a few months for New York, quality time would be few and far between, and they insisted that this may be the last trip they got to do together. They had gone into some glorified speech about how she was their only child and she was growing up and was going to be starting a new phase of her life and that new phase would involve a new career and then possibly a husband and children. They had stated and contended that it could be their last chance to have a solo summer trip with their daughter, their only daughter. It was instances like this where she really resented being an only child. They used the excuse for too often, and had she developed into a needy child it might have worked, but she was far from it. It was all rather dramatic and stupid in her opinion. Her mother had cried and she was pretty certain her father forced out a few just for good measure, to make it look genuine, but not really having any sentiment behind it. It was ridiculous. They should have known that the stubborn child that fought doing just about anything wouldn't have been swayed by such extensive measures, not to mention asking her to look past tomorrow or next week was just plain meaningless. Hell, she was 18 years old and they already had thought of her married with children. Naturally she blew up and told them she had already made plans for the summer with her friends, but they quickly refused to pay for her little backpacking trip across Europe. She tried being extra nice and kind to them, hoping it would change their minds and that yielded nothing, so then she tried to be reasonable by coming up with logical and detailed reasons as to why this would be a great experience for her intellectually. She had really thought that would have worked, considering her valedictorian status, but nope, nothing. It seemed that she was going to be going on this damn three month vacation and if she was going to be miserable, she was going to try her damndest to make them miserable and right now grunting, clicking her tongue and groaning was doing the trick, so bring it on.

Another long loud sigh escaped her lips as the large beach house approached closer and closer and the sound of the loose gravel and then hard concrete against the tires filled the air. They were there. The place she would be forced to reside for the upcoming months. The place she once upon time begged to come. Funny how being forced to do something can totally ruin a perfect memory and something you once cherished.

She rolled her eyes for what was probably the 500th time, becoming more pissed as she truly took in everything playing out in front of her. She hated that her parents were compelling her to hate the gorgeous surroundings that she once cried about when she was told it was time to go, insisting she wanted to feel the ocean air and witness the perfect sunshine forever. They were making her detest the beautiful Victorian style house where she had tea parties in the sunroom with her dolls while wearing a wet bathing suit and not caring that sand was in just about every uncomfortable place imaginable, but most of all they were making her not excited to see the absolutely spunky and wonderful older woman running as fast as she could down the stairs to greet them. Damn her parents.

Gabriella slowly descended from the vehicle. Once both her feet hit the ground her arms instantly fell into their favorite crossed positioned under her breast. Her large black leather purse dangled from her forearm, hitting lightly against her cocked hip as she gave a not so sincere smile, "Hey Granny"

Sophia Montez shook her head at the sound of her beautiful granddaughter's voice and the sight of the horridly fake grin touching her lips. She cocked her head, glaring at her son and then at his wife, "This is your fault I assume." Her scrutinizing dark eyes blamed, "Let me guess Thomas, you played dictator and you," she said now turning on her daughter in-law, "used the guilt card along with shedding umpteen useless tears" She clicked her tongue, "you two are so stupid." She stated frankly.

"Mother" Thomas quickly reprimanded.

"Shut up Thomas, you know I'm right. Seriously, do you know your daughter at all? Well, obviously you don't, because if you did, you would know that shit doesn't work. You should have bribed her. Hell, she's 18 now, what harm would it have done…Come on Gabi, let's see if Granny can come up with something to make you not look like you want to kill us all…well, at least not kill me. I'm a harmless old woman" Sophia said with a smirk earning a short laugh from Gabriella and a scowl from her son.

Gabriella hadn't wanted to laugh. She hadn't wanted to smile, but as she feared her Granny wasn't going to have it. Luckily she appeared to be on her side at the moment, so she allowed herself to show some positive emotion and revel in the fact that her Grandmother had a blissful way of fucking with her parents.

Sophia opted to leave her son and his wife to unload the car alone as a form of punishment for being the cause of the ugly gleam covering Gabriella's face. She looped her arm in Gabriella's and led her up the stairs of the porch and inside the house. She silently drug her through the exquisite home that Gabriella always use to love and adore. She knew exactly what would make her semi-legal granddaughter feel better.

Before Gabriella knew it she was being pulled into a small room off the kitchen that she only vaguely remembered. Sophia released Gabriella's arm in order to search for something located in one of the drawers below the dark wooden chest. Seconds later she revealed a small key and inserted into the lock that was positioned on one of doors of the large antique. She fished around until she found what she was looking for, letting out a sneaky laugh when she did. Gabriella's eyes widen as a crystal decanter with clear liquid swooshing around inside was brought into sight, "I'm assuming you are no stranger to alcohol?" Sophia asked with a knowing look.

Gabriella coughed out a gasp at the question and tried her best to mask it with a clearing of her throat, shaking her head in agreement.

Sophia grinned and let out a laugh, "didn't think so"

She uncapped the beautiful crystal and poured a small amount of the potent liquid into an equally beautiful glass and thrusted it towards Gabriella, forcing her to take it, "Gin…it'll ease the parental annoyance" she said as she poured herself one, bringing it to her lips and downing it rather quickly, "Come on. Don't make me drink alone, Gabriella" she urged.

Gabriella shook her head, smiling wildly as she did so, "Granny" she somewhat reprimanded and questioned all at once.

Sophia rolled her eyes, "you better do it before Mom and Dad catch us"

Gabriella laughed. It was at that moment she realized that her Grandmother was going to be the sole reason she might enjoy parts of this vacation or so she thought.

It was morning. One day down and a fuck load more to go. After getting mildly hammered with her Grandmother, something she honestly had never seen coming, but in reality really should have. Sophia had always been a strange bird. A woman who marched to her own drum, did as she pleased and quite often had been reprimanded by her father for being too lenient in discipline and excessive in the gift department with her as a child. Of course, her grandmother had enough spunk and blazing retort in her left pinkie to handle her father that such conversations usually ended in him stomping away having lost the battle. From what she gathered from stories her mother had told her as well as her Granny, her father never really appreciated her blaze' attitude growing up nor as an adult. Sure, he loved his mother with all his heart, but her reasoning's were something he didn't understand and probably never would. A fact that had been realized quite some time ago and life went on despite it. Gabriella was a lot like her Grandmother, which really spoke to why she and her father hardly saw eye to eye. He didn't understand his mother, so why would he understand her?

Gabriella lifted herself into a sitting position, running her hands over her face in an attempt to help aid her body in fully awakening. Her still sleep filled eyes turned to the large white French doors that led to her balcony. The rapidly moving ceiling fan blew the thin eyelet lace curtain away from the smudge free window panes letting in the gorgeous bright yellow sun. A small smile curled Gabriella's lips as the heat hit her face and the beautiful blue of the sky touched her irises. The perfect summer weather that she associated with this once known sanctuary of happiness was washing over her awareness and frame. She forgot for a moment that she had been drug here by her annoying parents and that all her friends were across the pond enjoying the unequivocal freedom from theirs. The happiness she had always felt here resonated inside her for a moment and all she wanted to do was to bask in the light breeze and mildly sticky heat before the recollection of how and why she was here came crashing back into her conscious memory.

She pulled herself from the bed stretching slightly before she went to the dresser and pulled out a pair of running shorts, a sports bra and socks. She enjoyed running. It wasn't anything she did competitively; it was more a way of collecting her thoughts and enjoying solitude from her surroundings. The bright sun and seemingly lovely day gave her the urge and she would be alone and therefore would be able to appear somewhat happy, and take a break from her angry rebellious front. She slipped off her cami and boy shorts and replaced them with the slick black high slit running shorts and stark white running bra. Her feet soon found themselves in her white ankle socks and her favorite pair of running shoes. She pulled her curly trestles into a messy bun atop her head, securing them with a hair tie. Picking up her iPod she slipped out the room and down the stairs, plopping the ear buds into her ears before she hit the wooden floor of the first level in hopes to avoid having to speak with anyone who might see her. She quickly turned up the volume and escaped through the back door that led to the beautiful white sand. A grin instantly pulled at her lips as the heat covered her olive skin and the view of the blue water crashing against the sand entered her vision. She ran down the steps until the soft ground resided beneath her feet. She let out a deep breath before giving her muscles a few necessary stretches and set off down the beach, finally remembering why she had once loved this place. She allowed herself to enter her own world, completely oblivious to the people around her.

"You grew up here?" Troy incredulously asked his traveling companion as they stood amongst the white grain, hot sun and crystal blue sky.

"Yep…nice huh?" he responded with a light chuckle.

Troy scoffed, talk about an understatement, "I'd say. I'd never leave"

"It kind of loses its luster after a while, hence the reason I went away for undergrad and continued to stay away for med school, but hey, I'll probably end up here after it's all said and done" he commented, watching the waves crash into each other and enjoyed the light wind rustling his black locks.

Troy nodded in understanding, "I might insist on joining you dude. This beats the bustling big city that consisted of my childhood" he said giving his buddy a look and a short laugh.

"Let's see if you are singing the same tune after the next few months. Either way, it's going to fucking rock this summer. The chicks are fucking hot as shit out here and the parties are numerous and never ending. A great send off before another hellish year of studying our assess off."

Troy let out a deep contented sigh as his eyes scanned the beach; "yeah, I'm looking…" he began, but was halted midsentence when his azure stare caught view of something in the distance. A long slender, yet shapely body was now approaching. The tan elongated muscular limbs that were barely covered by a flimsy black fabric were what initially captivated his attention, but the closer the increasingly gorgeous figure came, the more he noticed and the more he liked. Her hair was a dark spiral of waves that had failed to remain tamed by the elastic capture atop her head. Something he instantly felt might be a good indication of the type of woman she might be. He hoped anyway. He guessed that her eyes were probably as dark as coffee, but he couldn't be quite sure due to the aviators concealing them. As his eyes traveled down to her breast and taut abdomen he heard a snapping sound attempting to gain his attention and halting his day dream.

"Dude, you still in there?" John asked with a few quick clicks of his fingers before he looked to where Troy's stare had been fixed.

Troy shifted his head quickly and looked towards him, not really sure how long he had zoned out, "Huh? What?"

He didn't respond, "Gabriella…..is that you?" he yelled, his brow bent in surprise and a light smile beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth.

Troy's expression was growing more and more confused. Who was he talking to? They were the only ones on the beach minus the gorgeous creature several feet away. Surely he wasn't talking to her. He ripped his puzzled stare from his friend and back towards the stunning woman, who was now quickly jogging towards them with a wide grin. Shit, he was talking to her. He cleared his throat and heighted his stance, trying his best to look aloof and not thrown off.

"John…Oh my God. What are you doing here? Mom didn't tell me you would be here. I might have not acted like such a bitch had I known" she joked as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

John laughed, "Yeah, you would have" he joked, pulling out of the embrace.

Gabriella giggled and then shrugged, "yeah, you're probably right" she said truthfully, "Are you here all summer?"

John nodded, "Yeah, I'm working with Dad a bit. You know, it looks good on the resume and for residency applications." He said with a smirk.

Gabriella laughed, "uh huh, so basically you will be dicking around, occasionally showing up at around noon to do a few charts and then head back out to one of the many beach shindigs"

John shrugged, "you know me to well"

Gabriella nodded as she took her glasses from her face and hooked them inside her sports bra, "yep…sure do"

Normally Troy would have made his presence known by now, but the exchange taking place between his good friend and this girl, he now knew to be Gabriella was hitting him as too odd and engaging. Sure John was friendly with the ladies, but this was a different friendly. He hadn't pulled out the "I'm in medical school" card yet and normally it took all of two seconds for it to be muttered when a pretty girl was in his presence and this girl was fucking gorgeous. Their interaction had a peculiar and almost playful feel to it, but not in the "let's go for a romp in the sheets" sense that he normally presented. He had known John since freshman year of college and they became quick friends, both quite intelligent, but had a knack for getting into shit, shit they probably shouldn't if they wanted the career they said they did. Troy himself had heard the phrase; "to smart for his own good" far more times than he could count and he was certain John hadn't been a stranger to such a token phrase either. Something was up. He had never seen him intermingle this way.

Enough time had passed.

Troy smacked John on the back reminding of his company, "I'm Troy" he said sticking out his hand to introduce himself.

John laughed, "Oh shit, sorry dude, I forgot you were right there"

Troy scoffed, "yeah, I can see that"

Gabriella looked towards Troy. She had certainly noticed him, but opted to let him take the initiative to make the first move to greet. She figured John would be the scattered ass he always was and wouldn't make the effort. It was a test if you will. That's how she liked it.

She had no earthly idea who he was, only an assumption that he was involved with John in some manner. He was rather easy on the eyes, his body was fucking rocking and his blue eyes were ridiculous. Someone she certainly wouldn't mind chatting with, but was he worth it? If he took the time to interrupt John…maybe.

Her dark eyes quickly skimmed his body, making sure it was long enough that he would catch on that she was sizing him up. A slow smirk curved her lips as her eyes met his, "Gabriella" she said sticking out her hand to accept his.

Troy mirrored her smirk. He had caught her lingering gawk and he noted that she had intended for it to be that way. He had no fucking clue who she was and they had muttered all but their names to one another, but he was intrigued. He caught her hand and his smile widened when the softness of her palm sent blissful desires to his gut. The smile in her coffee spheres told him she had sensed the same thing.

Gabriella dropped his hand. Damn, was the first thought to enter head, and a foreign flutter had ensued in her stomach. In an attempt to ease the lapsing time thanks to her inability to come up with something to say, she reached for the elastic in her hair and pulled it out, allowing her soft locks to travel down her neck, over her shoulders and end just below her breast. She ran her fingers through the silky strands seeking to loosen the knots. She had meant to take it down for a second anyway, now just seemed fitting, plus she knew it would be mildly distracting.

John looked from Gabriella to the heap of stone that resembled Troy. His eyes were securely stationed on Gabriella's chest and his mouth was parted as if he were begging for air. He swatted Troy in the stomach forcing a sharp groan, "Dude" he said under his breath.

Troy cleared his throat and then shrugged nonchalantly, "what?"

John shook his head, lifting his hands as to ask what gives.

Gabriella laughed. Troy obviously had no idea who she was and John had obviously caught his wandering eyes and decided he didn't need to see that.

"I'm going to go finish my run." She alerted and then shook her head, "I still can't believe you didn't tell me last week when I talked to you that you were going to be down here for the summer"

John sighed, "I wasn't completely sure then. I was waiting to see if Troy was in. I mean, I sure as hell wasn't going to spend all summer with Dad reliving the past all alone if I didn't have to."

"Hmmm, so this is all Troy's fault" Gabriella smirked as she looked towards Troy for a second who gave her a quick wink, a wink that drew attention to his striking blue orbs, a wink that forced an instant bubble of excitement inside her. She let out a short approving chuckle and then looked back to John, "okay, well, I'm just glad you're here. It will make this summer less of a shit fest. Call me later if you do anything"

John nodded, getting her drift, "I'll come by later and help you escape"

Gabriella rolled her eyes and let out a grateful sigh, "oh yes, that would be awesome…thank you"

Gabriella pulled her hair back on top her head, "I'll see you later" she said as she waved and started to jog off. She turned around, just before they would be out of ear shot, jogging backward for a second, "It was very nice to meet you, Troy" she grinned and then turned back around and headed further and further down the beach.

When she was far enough in the distance, Troy shoved John, "who the fuck was that?"

John laughed, "That, was Gabriella"

Troy rolled his eyes, "No shit. I got that. How do you know her?"

"Her Dad and my Dad are brothers" He said as if it were obvious.

Troy was silent for a moment. Same dark hair, same dark eyes and now that he thought about they did kind of have a commonalty about them. It explained the interaction earlier too, "she's your cousin?"

John laughed and sarcastically patted his back, "you're going to do great in genealogy" John joked.

Troy rolled his eyes again, "shut the fuck up" he shook his head in disbelief, "damn dude" he said as a wanting smile touched his lips.

John shook his head, "oh no…oh no, dude. I know that look. I've seen that look before. I've seen that look directed towards Gabriella before. It's not good."

Troy's brow curved inward, "what is that supposed to mean?"

John chuckled an eloquent laugh, "Gabriella's….well, let's just say. She'll certainly give you a run for your money"

Troy shrugged, not getting it, "and that's meant to mean what?"

"You'll see. I mean, I love her to death, but she operates on level that not many can handle"

Troy continued to look at him, trying to grasp what that might mean, but strangely wasn't deterred in the slightest and he knew he probably should be.

so here it is, my new story! hope you liked it!