Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or any of its characters. The bold writing is directly from the movie.
A/N: For those of you who have read my other work this is NOT compatible with it. This is a totally new story with a very different Troy and Gabriella.
Please Enjoy!
Chapter 1
"Gabi, it's New Year's Eve, Enough reading" Maria said frustrated by her daughter's complete lack of interest in meeting new people. Maria would bet good money that in the week they'd been at the resort Gabriella had not spoken to a single person other than herself and the staff.
"But, Mom, I'm almost done" Gabriella protested. She'd much rather stay in the quiet motel room and re-read her favourite book than go to a noisy party where she didn't know anyone and even if she did manage to meet someone worth talking to she wouldn't see again after the end of next week. She had enough meeting strangers starting a new school every semester 'this was supposed to be her holiday too she should be able to choose how she spent it' she though resentfully.
"The teen party? I've laid out your best clothes, Come get ready" Maria said firmly indicating that she would not be taking no for an answer. Gabriella would be going to that party or spending the evening listening to her mother lecture her all night. No to mention she'd feel guilty for keeping her mother from a party she would enjoy.
Gabriella sighed "Can I have my book back?" she asked.
Maria sighed too and handed over the worn hard cover copy of 'Pride and Prejudice' that her daughter seemed to value more than any other possession.
"Thank you" Gabriella said taking the book and getting up to get changed for the party she did not want to go to.
Pride however demanded that she try to look her best so she took the time to do her hair and makeup before putting on her new pale blue pullover. She took her book with her to the party hoping to find a quiet corner with enough light to read.
-o0o-
"Keep working left, Troy. Got a guard in the championship game we're expecting, You'll torch 'em!" Jack encouraged, as he put Troy through his paces on the half court in the resort gym.
"By going left?" Troy asked enjoying the fact that his father was relaxed about their training sessions and wishing it could be like this more often.
"Yeah. He looks middle, you take it downtown" Jack said enthusiastically.
"OK, like this?" Troy said pulling of the move successfully.
"Whoo! That's it, man, Sweet, Let's see that in the game" Jack crowed.
"Boys?" Lucille yelled failing to get their attention.
"Oh you'll see that in the game! Don't worry about me," Troy said pleased with the relatively rare compliment from his father.
"Did we really fly all this way to play more basketball?" Lucille asked incredulously.
"Yeah" Jack and Troy replied in unison. Jack because he loved nothing more than playing and Troy because he was relishing the positive attention from his father and not wanting to do anything to ruin his attitude.
"It's the last night of vacation, The party, remember?" Lucille reminded her husband.
Jack looked at his wife dressed in her favourite party dress and knew he wasn't getting out of it.
"Right, the party, The party, New Year's Eve" he said trying to sound enthusiastic.
"Troy, they have a kid's party downstairs in the Freestyle club" Lucille told him.
"Kid's party?" Troy asked wondering how his mother could know him so little. An organised party run by staff for teenagers with nothing better to do. It sounded like the last place he would want to be. The staff here would be too vigilant for anyone to get away with spiking the punch or stealing some alcohol from one of the bars. He prayed it wouldn't degenerate to organised party games.
"Young adults" Lucille clarified making Troy roll his eyes. "Now go, shower up" she ordered. Troy sighed and figured he may as well at least look in on the party. It would keep his mother happy and he didn't have to stay if it was as awful as he expected.
-o0o-
Troy walked into the freestyle club looking far more confident than he felt. He'd kept to himself over the past week and not tried to make any friends instead enjoying spending time with his parents and challenging himself on the slopes. So he now found himself in a room full of people he hadn't exchanged more than a few odd words to as they'd met while waiting in line for the ski lifts.
It was a new situation for the king of East High. As much as he disliked being known only as the Basketball guy at times he had taken for granted the popularity being the captain of the most successful varsity team at school provided. Normally when he walked into a room there were dozens of teenagers smiling in welcome or trying to attract his attention. This party was very different from the parties he went to at home too. Organised and run by adult staff there was no alcohol or recreational drug use he could see. He hoped there would not be children's party games instead.
Here he was pretty much ignored as much as any attractive teenage boy is ever ignored by a group that includes teenage girls. He looked around wondering what to do. In truth Troy did not enjoy parties other than for the opportunity they gave him to get drunk or hook up with someone new. He found himself feeling strangely shy (something nobody at East High would have believed) trying to choose someone to approach to start a conversation. It struck him then that this was an opportunity to speak to the type of girl who he normally wouldn't approach in Albuquerque for their sake. To see if he could hold a normal conversation with a girl and maybe form an acquaintance with a girl who could talk about something other than make-up fashion and boys. As he was deciding his next step he was suddenly blinded by a search light and dragged up onto a makeshift stage.
Gabriella's POV
Gabriella sighed as she walked into the freestyle club. Her mother had insisted that she attend the teen party currently taking place in the misguided assumption that it was better for Gabriella not to spend so much time alone. Gabriella looked around the crowd of strangers having fun. She was used to this and decided that party or not she would rather read her book than make the effort of meeting strangers she wouldn't see again after the week ended. She sat on the couch next to a reading lamp and tuned out the noise of the room as she became lost in the world of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. She was interrupted just as Mr Bingley was about to propose to Jane by a bright light shining into her eyes and hands grabbing her. She was frightened at first until she saw the smiling faces and noticed she was being pulled towards a stage in the middle of the room where a cute teenage boy had just been pushed up next to an older man with a microphone and a karaoke machine.
She thought about making a run for it when they shoved a microphone into her hand and the cute boy with a nervous expression started singing.
He had a nice voice but what impressed her most was his courage. She stepped up and sang her part as he started to turn away. For a moment she feared that he would abandon her up there by herself but he turned and stared at her with an admiring expression before resuming singing. She was still nervous but was amused by the way the boy let go of his anxiety and really started to get into singing with her. She backed away from him accidentally almost falling of the stage before the crowd pushed her back up towards him.
She forgot about the audience until they cheered loudly as they finished the song. Blushing madly she began to plan her escape when the cute boy stuck his hand out to her and said "Troy" loudly over the noise.
Troy's POV
Troy sung the first line of the song and turned away wondering if he would be able to get out of the room unmolested if he walked off the stage without completing the song. He was about to take his chances when the poor girl dragged up with him started to sing. She had the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard. He'd never been attracted to a girl because of her voice before and it made him turn and look at her. She was very pretty and nicely dressed in a modest way. She looked like the sort of girl who was not interested in chasing Troy the basketball captain or luring him into her bed. He realised it was his turn to sing again and quickly returned his attention to the song.
Troy found singing surprisingly enjoyable once he got over the start. He was used to performing in front of a crowd and was quickly able to ignore the audience as he did during a game. He put his all into singing enjoying himself and wanting to make a good impression on the girl in front of him. The girl kept glancing at him and Troy glanced flirtatiously back. He could see that the girl was more nervous than he was but his enthusiasm seemed to be contagious and she started getting into it.
As soon as the song was over he could see the girl getting ready to flee so he stuck out his hand and introduced himself quickly. It was too noisy to be easily heard but she did take his hand and reply "Gabriella."
Gabriella's POV
Gabriella had very little experience with boys. Every time she started a new school she hoped that things would change. In the first day or so she would meet some nice boys who seemed interested in getting to know her only to be frightened off when they realised how smart she was. Those few not intimidated by her intelligence, chose to avoid being seen with the 'freaky genius girl'.
This boy standing in front of her was different. They didn't go to the same school so he would never find out she was a brainiac geek. This was her opportunity to be herself; to try to have a relationship however short lived. She had toyed with the idea of flirting with the first cute guy she saw when she started at the new school next semester but that was a huge risk to take she didn't want to make an idiot of herself before anyone got to know her or she might not be able to make any friends at all. There was also the risk that she could target a boy who already had a popular girlfriend and make enemies and be bullied more than normal until her mother moved again.
Troy however she could throw herself at and if it didn't work out she would never have to see him again after the end of the week. She wasn't sure she wanted to lose her virginity to someone so quickly but she definitely wanted to experience a first kiss, so that if the opportunity ever came for a real relationship in the future she didn't ruin it by being the only sixteen year old in America who'd never been kissed.
She shook his hand and introduced herself and suggested that they get a drink.
Troy's POV
Gabriella had suggested a drink but it was really too loud to talk easily inside and the next karaoke couple were seriously out of tune so Troy suggested Hot chocolate and taking it outside.
Gabriella agreed so Troy bought them both drinks and they went out on the balcony. The seats were all damp so they couldn't sit down but the view was beautiful.
Troy had never felt so awkward talking to a girl before. His friends would laugh if they could see him now. He realised that this was the first time in ages he'd wanted to actually get to know a girl rather than talk them into sex. Even his teachers knew better than to pair him up with a girl for joint projects. The problem was he didn't know how to talk to a nice girl.
He decided that he couldn't go wrong with genuine compliments. "Seriously, you have an amazing voice, You're a singer, right?"
"Just church choir is all, I tried to solo and nearly fainted" Gabriella admitted not sure why she was telling this to a stranger.
"Really? Why is that?" Troy asked surprised. She'd done so well on stage tonight he couldn't believe she was so shy normally but she obviously was nervous even talking to him.
"I looked at the people staring at me, Next thing I knew, I was staring at the ceiling, End of solo career" Gabriella said self depreciatingly.
"The way you sang tonight, that's hard to believe" Troy said trying to give her the confidence to continue talking to him.
"Well that was the first time I did that, It was so cool" Gabriella said enthusiastically.
"I know! Completely! " Troy agreed grinning.
"You sound like you've sung a lot, too" Gabriella said blushing.
"Yeah, sure, My showerhead is very impressed with me" Troy said his self consciousness making him sarcastic.
Gabriella's POV
Gabriella could tell that Troy felt awkward talking to her and that made her feel self conscious too. She thought about making her excuses to leave.
"I guess I better go and find my Mom and wish her a happy New Year" she said as she heard the countdown and the fireworks started as the clock struck twelve and they could hear the celebrations.
"Yeah! Me too, I mean not your Mom, my Mom, and Dad" he said.
She realised that he was nervous too and gathered up her courage to kiss him on the cheek. "Happy New Year Troy" she whispered.
Troy wrapped his arms around her and kissed her chastely on the mouth. "Happy New Year" he replied. "Just so you know. I have to say that singing with you is the most fun I've had on this entire vacation."
"Me too" she admitted smiling.
Troy bent his head down to kiss her again more passionately. He ran his tongue over her lower lip asking for more and she opened her mouth and welcomed him in.
As a first real kiss it was almost perfect. Gabriella still felt nervous and self conscious wondering if she was doing it right.
She pulled away gasping for air and Troy chuckled.
Troy's POV
Troy was enjoying the kiss. It was obvious to him that Gabriella hadn't had much experience with kissing but her enthusiasm more than made up for any lack of skill and Troy found that kissing her seemed to mean more than kissing or bedding the cheerleader's and other girls that constantly threw themselves at him.
His heart fell for a second when Gabriella pulled roughly away before he realised that she was panting and had pulled away to breathe. He chuckled in relief stopping when he saw Gabriella's hurt look.
"You're doing great" he encouraged gently. "Breathe through your nose" he suggested before kissing her again.
Gabriella's POV
Gabriella was hurt that he laughed at her and went to move away when he tightened his arms. She flushed at his word of encouragement embarrassed that he could tell that it was her first time kissing. He didn't seem to mind though and kissed her again. Gabriella relaxed more and stopped worrying about whether she was doing it right and just enjoyed the sensations he was evoking. They stood there kissing both lost in each other until the staff came to shoo them inside as the party was breaking up. Gabriella frowned and checked her phone for the time. "Oh no it's 1.15 Mom will be worried about me" she exclaimed.
"Come I'll walk you to your door" Troy offered.
Gabriella smiled and accepted, wondering if he was just being a gentleman or if like her he didn't want their evening to end.
Troy's POV
Troy was surprised to find they'd been kissing for over an hour it hardly seemed any time at all. He couldn't remember when he'd enjoyed just kissing someone. He could feel his erection straining his jeans but Gabriella didn't seem to have noticed. He was thankful that thick coats were good for hiding those sorts of things, he didn't want to scare her off.
As they entered the heated building though he quickly became too warm to wear his coat. He shucked it off and held it in front of him. Gabriella had also taken her coat off revealing a very attractive figure. Troy could see the peaks of her nipples through her sweater and was pleased to realise she was also turned on by their kisses.
Troy slung his arm around her shoulders as they waited for the elevator. "I had a really great time tonight" he said smiling at her.
Gabriella smiled back. She had such a pretty smile. "Me too" she said.
"Do you want to meet up tomorrow some time?" he asked hopefully.
"I have a lesson at nine but I could meet you at ten" she replied.
Troy grinned "Yeah where do you want to meet?"
At the top of run 8, that's where my lesson is" Gabriella suggested hesitantly.
Troy was disappointed for a moment. Run 8 was a beginner's slope but he really wanted to spend more time with Gabriella. "Sure" he agreed "I'll see you at ten o'clock at the top of Run 8."
Gabriella's POV
Gabriella saw the flash of disappointment cross Troy's face when she suggested a meeting place "we could meet somewhere else if you like?" she offered.
"No Run 8 is fine" Troy replied smiling at her thoughtfulness.
"You're not a beginner, are you?" she asked.
"No but I'm happy to snowboard with you on the beginner slopes" he reassured her.
"You don't have to, we could meet for lunch or something" she said letting her insecurities get the better of her.
Troy's POV
Troy was touched by her thoughtfulness but he wanted to spend the whole day with her. He was tempted to suggest they meet at the ski lodge so that he would have the opportunity to convince her to abandon skiing and spend the day in his hotel room but thought better of it. Starting a sexual relationship might be a lot of fun and very rewarding but if he did that when they might be on opposite ends of the country next week they'd never become friends. Gabriella intrigued him and he wanted to get to know her. Maybe if they were friends she'd want to keep talking to him when they returned home.
They stepped into the elevator and were the only two on board. Troy took the opportunity to kiss her again, dropping his coat to put both arms around her. Without the two bulky snow coats between them things quickly became more heated.
Gabriella's POV
Gabriella found that kissing without the extra layers of clothing was even better. She could feel Troy's warmth through their clothes as her breasts were crushed up against his hard chest and the muscles in his back underneath her hands.
It was several minutes before she became aware of the bulge in his jeans against her stomach. When they separated she couldn't help but glance down at it blushing hotly. A small part of her couldn't help but wonder what it felt like to touch. Fortunately before she could do anything about it the lift came to a stop reminding her they were in a public place even if they were currently alone.
Troy's POV
Troy was amused at her innocence and pleased that she looked more intrigued than horrified at the sight of his erection. Part of him wanted nothing more than to take her back to his room and have as much sex as she would allow. It'd been a long time since anyone had been able to turn him on as much as Gabriella had without touching him. Hell he'd even managed to have sex a few times without feeling quite this aroused. He walked her along the hallway to her door pointing out his own on the way.
Standing outside her door he kissed her again, firmly keeping his hands in appropriate places for public. He wished he could invite her to his room but understood that she must return to her own room before her mother realised she was still out.
"Uh... I'll call you, I'll call you tomorrow" he said.
"Yeah!" Gabriella said desperately hoping that he wasn't just saying it to be polite.
"Here, put your number in" Troy said handing her his phone. Gabriella entered her number carefully checking she'd got it right before handing back the phone.
"You too" she handed him her phone hoping he'd put his number in too. He took a photo of himself for the identification and entered his number.
"There you go" he said smiling "I'll see you tomorrow at the top of run 8 at ten o'clock" he said kissing her cheek as she opened the door to the room she was sharing with her mother.
Gabriella's POV
Gabriella enjoyed their final kiss goodnight as much as all the others. She'd taken note of his room number and wondered if she'd be visiting him there at some stage during the week. And what he might expect of her if she did. She didn't know if she was more scared or excited by the thought of visiting a boy in his hotel room.
She got ready for bed and lay there thinking about the evening she'd spent with Troy. His kisses were intoxicating and she couldn't wait to get to know him better. She hoped that he didn't have second thoughts before meeting her and that he wouldn't be too bored skiing with her on the beginner slopes.
A/N: Thank you to Pumpkinking5 for your review for 'If Ryan Gets the Part" and to ashtizzyfan1993, GabbybabyV and Spenni who have followed or favourited my work since I last posted.