The glory days of high school were long behind basketball star Troy Bolton. Gone were the days of carefree games and long days with snobby teachers and in were the days of press conferences and long practices and bills. Lots and lots of bills. Yet, Troy could not complain about much. After all, he was a starting player for the Los Angeles Lakers. His college career had led him to scoring the perfect place as his office. He was enjoying life after college. He was having fun. Plus, he was playing alongside his lifelong best friend Chad Danforth. Sure, college had taken them apart for four years, but two years ago when they started playing for the Lakers together, and now they were right back into the swing of things. Now, at twenty-four, both of them started for the same team and lived on the same block. It was literally all of their childhood dreams come true.

"Troy?" Troy heard the shrill call of the familiar voice echo through the halls of his home in downtown LA.

Troy called back, "In the living room."

Troy listened to the click-clack of high heels against the hardwood floors of his foyer. He looked up as a figure appeared in the doorway, "Troy… really? You have been sitting on the couch all day. It's your week off. Let's do something."

"Shar… I'm just content sitting here." Troy said to his girlfriend. Sharpay and Troy had reconnected when Troy began playing for the Lakers. She was living in Los Angeles, working on a movie. Her career was really beginning to take off then, and now, nearly two years later, her face was everywhere.

"Baby… I made reservations at the Beaumont. Call Chad if you want." Sharpay turned on her heels. Troy sighed.

Chad Danforth was living the life. He was a basketball player with a business degree. He lived in the middle of sunny LA. And he had a new hot wife. Well, it was actually the same hot girl he had been seeing since high school, the only difference was now she was Taylor Danforth, not Taylor McKessie. They lived in a big old house in the middle of a great neighborhood. Taylor was still working on getting her PhD in neuroscience, but they had wed last summer so that she could officially move out to LA while she was working on her thesis. Now, Chad and Taylor were as happy as they could be.

Chad was sitting in the kitchen, watching Taylor bake something when he felt his phone vibrate. Troy was still his best friend. Their bond had remained unbreakable, "Hey babe. Troy wants to know if we want to go out tonight."

Now Chad wished he could say that Taylor had become best friends with Sharpay, but- "Ugh… I hate going out with Sharpay and you know that! I mean, theatre was fun and all in high school but if I have to listen to one more stupid song or synopsis of the latest show she is doing, I am going to pull my hair out."

"Baby… we haven't gone out with them in weeks. Troy's gonna think you hate him." Chad tried to compromise.

Taylor shook his head, "Oh he knows whom I hate! That bloodsucking, evil, cu-"

"Tay. Come on. It's your fav… the Beaumont." Chad sing-songed in an attempt to get his wife to change her mind.

"Dinner and dinner only." Taylor rolled her eyes.

Chad smiled, "It'll be fun baby!"

Gabriella Montez sat at the counter in the kitchen of her apartment on the outskirts of LA. She was exhausted. It had been two days since she had been home. She and Taylor were on the verge of a breakthrough in the lab. This would mean huge things for their thesis papers, and Gabriella had been on duty, watching the organisms, for the past two nights. She was waiting for her tea to brew as she scrolled through her Facebook page. In the years since high school, a lot had changed. In just a year, she would finally have her PhD in neuroscience. Then, she would begin working at a lab that did research on genetics in LA. She was so excited and so anxious at the same time. Her mother was so proud of all she had accomplished. That was what kept Gabriella going.

Gabriella heard the door open and she turned to look behind her. She saw a huge bouquet of flowers before the red headed boy carrying them appeared behind them. "Aaron?"

Aaron was a boy Gabriella had met last year. He was sweet and kind and doing research on cancer. He was three years older than Gabriella, yet somehow they had clicked. They started dating and a month ago, he had moved into her apartment when the lease on his was up. He was so kind to her. He bought her flowers and took her to dinner. He cleaned and cooked and did everything that Gabriella could have ever imagined.

"Hi love! These are for you. Just to show you how much I missed you these past two days."

"Oh my goodness. You are too sweet." Gabriella took them and placed a kiss on his cheek, "I missed you too!"

Troy and Sharpay arrived at the Beaumont at eight. Sharpay was one for later dinners. She said she needed to really let herself get hungry before she ate. Troy usually just rolled his eyes. Chad and Taylor were already seated when they joined them. Taylor and Sharpay were not the two best at playing nice in each other's company. But, Chad and Troy tried to get them to get together at least once a month. Taylor was completely different from Sharpay, and even years after high school, they just could not seem to bond.

"Hi Tay! Hello Chad!" Sharpay practically squealed, Chad swore he saw Taylor wince.

"Hey guys." Chad smiled.

Taylor rolled her eyes, "Hi."

Troy sat down and smiled, "Taylor. You look lovely."

She smiled a genuine smile. Taylor really did like Troy. She just had bad feelings towards him after everything that had happened their senior year in college. She hugged him, "Thank you Troy."

"So what's up everyone?" Chad tried to engage conversation.

Sharpay sighed, "Ugh! I have been soooooo busy working on my newest movie. It is seriously awful. Long hours on set and stuff. Terrible, I am exhausted!"

"I've been working really hard trying to find an answer as to why our bodies inherit undesirable characteristics from our parents." Taylor said smugly.

Sharpay laughed, "Well, brains and beauty are two entirely different things Taylor."

"Shar." Troy said.

"Oh no Troy, don't you worry! Thanks, Sharpay. I do have brains and beauty. You're right. What did you get? Stupidity and plastic?"

"Baby!" Sharpay squealed.

Chad shook his head, "Hey! Hey, let's just have a nice dinner."

Taylor laughed, "You can't have anything nice when she's around. Chad, I tried. I would like to go home."

Taylor stood up and walked out the front of the restaurant. Chad shook his head in disbelief. "You know man… I just wish she wouldn't insult my wife. Have a good night."

Sharpay began to bawl as Chad took off, "How could they? I am not stupid and plastic! Troy baby! I just cannot stand your friends."

Troy held his crying girlfriend, "Shh… baby. It's okay. I have something that will make this all better." Troy reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a little velvet box.

Sharpay sat up and wiped her eyes, "Baby…"

"Sharpay. These last two years together have been different than anything I have ever experienced. Sharpay Tallulah Evans… will you marry me?"

"OH MY GOD! YES YES YES! A MILLION TIMES YES! TROY BABY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!" Sharpay launched at Troy. She kissed him and hugged him.

"I love you too baby." He kissed her forehead. "Let's get out of here. I wanna spend the night with you."

Sharpay giggled and stood up as they hurried out of the restaurant.

It was a Sunday morning in Los Angeles, which meant Whole Foods was packed. Gabriella was so annoyed with herself for forgetting to go last night. But, she and Aaron had ordered Chinese food and stayed in watching Pitch Perfect. Surprisingly, the brainy Gabriella loved that movie, and Aaron had probably watched it a hundred times with her. They cuddled and fell asleep on the couch, seeing as it had been three nights since they had seen one another. It had actually been a really perfect night for them. She was so comfortable with him… it had been a long time since she felt that way. But she really loved it. Except she was not loving this long line.

Gabriella sighed and turned to look at the magazine racks on the sides of her. A particular headline caught her eye. Actress Sharpay Evans engaged to LA Laker Troy Bolton. She felt her heart flutter.

"What?" She said out loud.

"Gabriella?" She heard suddenly.

Gabriella turned around and saw Kelsi Nielsen standing behind her, "Kels?!"

"OH MY GOD!" Kelsi smiled, "I thought it was you. But then I knew from the voice." Gabriella hugged her old friend.

"What're you doing in LA?"

"Jason and I moved out here about three months ago. I had been commuting back and forth for about a year but he finally got a job with a real estate firm. I'm working for Universal Studios, composing still! I love it. How about you? You look fantastic!"

"Doing great! Almost done my PhD. I've been working alongside Taylor. And I LOVE it. I didn't know you were here! We need to get together. Chad and Taylor live right down the road from me. The last time I saw you was the wedding!"

"I know! Actually, we'll be having another wedding soon!" Kelsi held her hand out.
"What!?" Gabriella hugged Kelsi again, "Congratulations! Soon to be Mrs. Cross! So exciting!"

"Thank you! How about you? How are things with Aaron?"

Gabriella smiled, "Wonderful. I really love him. It's great to finally be in love again since Troy."

Kelsi gave Gabriella a half smile, "I know. I am so happy for you. We need to get together Gabs! You, Taylor, and I!"

"Definitely." Gabriella realized she was still holding the magazine, "Hey. Two more from high school are getting married too."

"I know! I saw. That's crazy. I mean, I love Ryan, and Sharpay means well… but imagine being married to her." Kelsi and Gabriella laughed, "You taking it okay?"

Gabriella nodded, "Oh god yeah. I have barely seen him in three years. I am totally good."

Kelsi smiled, "Well text me so that we can get together. I know Jason would be so excited that you guys wanna get together. Aaron seems lovely."

Gabriella smiled, "I definitely will Kels. See you soon!" Gabriella watched Kelsi walk away and turned around, she was still only fifth in line.