Okay I am back with a brand new story! I counted up and I have 3 long stories to post and 4 one shots, so I will post the one shots around the long ones. The way I am going you will be fed up of my stories soon lol.

I'm not sure if I confused you, but Part 3 of Pole Position/Like A Sunday is already written, it's a ten chapter shortie and I will post it after this one.

Anyway, I was nervous about posting this because it's a tame one compared to my others, but I wanted to try something different.

Let's see if you like it anyway…

Ang

CHAPTER 1

Gabi headed out into the cold crisp air taking a breath in, watching her breath smoky as she blew it back out and she smiled. She looked at the snow under her knee high boots with delight. Around her everything was a white wonderland and she loved it when it snowed.

She could hear some boisterous boys in the distance probably having a snowball fight and she went to the end of her path and out of the gate to have a look and maybe join in.

She smiled as she recognised the three boys as Chad, Zeke and Jason from school but her mouth dropped into a frown as she saw another boy knelt on the cold pavement, shielding his head against their attack.

"Chad!" she called as she stomped over angrily in her mini-skirt, tights and boots combo, her warm coat falling to just above her skirt edge.

She flung her scarf over her shoulder and pulled the plaits that were either side of her head, through the gap so they rested atop her scarf.

Chad looked at her briefly before the three of them ran off and Gabi recognised the boy on the ground as her new neighbour. She'd watched them moving in nosily and wondered if she may have a new friend to talk to.

He awkwardly stood up in front of her, Gabi noting he was taller than her and he had the most amazing blue eyes she ever saw, framed with dark lashes. Her lungs seemed to falter for a moment, her breath stuck.

"Hi, I'm Gabi" she stuck out her hand

He seemed to consider her hand for a moment, his hair flopping over his face and hiding his eyes. He picked up a woollen hat which was discarded on the pavement and brushed the snow off, pulling it on and Gabi smiled at it, it was a knitted bobble hat with a cute pattern knitted into it.

"I'm Troy" he supplied, shoving his hands in his pockets as he ignored her outstretched hand and he turned to go.

Gabi frowned as her eyes followed his hasty retreat. Either he loved school and he couldn't wait to get there or he was embarrassed about what she had seen.

She followed behind him, keeping a distance of about five steps until he looked round at her a couple of times, stopping the second time and squinting at her.

"Do you want to walk with me?" he asked, flashing a glimpse of a brace on his upper teeth

She cocked her head, pretending to be delighted at his suggestion "Why thank you!" she grinned and his lips curled at the edges as she came next to him, falling into step.

"So you moved in next door?" she tried conversationally as the walked

He shrugged "Yeah"

"And where did you used to live?" she continued, not put off

"Does it matter? I'm a geek wherever I go" he muttered

Gabi felt her foot slip beneath her as she hit some ice and she squealed loudly, making a grab for his arm which she failed to connect with and she slid to the ground in a heap, giggling so much she couldn't breathe.

Troy watched her and wasn't sure if she was crying as he came to rescue her, touching her arm gently "You okay?" he frowned as her laughing eyes met his, her nose scrunching up cutely

He let himself soak in her beautiful features. She had wide, bright brown eyes which tilted up at the corners and her high cheekbones accentuated her exotic look, her small but plump mouth sitting almost pursed on her face.

Of all the girls to move in next door to, it had to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. And she was bound to be the most popular girl in school, leaving him on the outside, as usual.

"I'm fine" she assured him as she took both his hands and he helped her up, staring into her eyes as she came up in front of him. A little zing went through her at the contact and she frowned the tiniest margin, wondering what caused that.

Gabi considered Troy's face. He was hiding his eyes with his hair and he had braces, but he was kind of cute. Secretly she thought the brace just made him cuter. He had a strong nose that led his cheekbones and jaw line, his mouth soft and full and he had little freckles across his cheeks and down his nose which she frowned at interestedly

"Did you live in a sunny place before?" she wondered, her eyes flicking to his brown fringe that was flat against his forehead under the hat.

He let go of her hands, shoving them back in his pockets "We should get to school" he said and she nodded, pressing her lips together.

As they began walking again, Gabi tucked her hand in his elbow and he stared at her for a moment making her wonder if she should have done that.

He'd kind of looked harmless when she'd met him outside this morning but he was beginning to freak her out.

When he tucked his hand deeper into his pocket she breathed out with relief, using him to lean on when the ground got slippy.

At the gates, Gabi beamed as she saw Taylor waiting for her and she took her hand from Troy's arm, running over to hug her friend. Troy watched her, thinking how he liked having her clinging onto him like that. She sure was friendly. He couldn't think any of the girls at his last school would have wanted to be seen with him, let alone touch him.

He snuck past Gabi and her friend as he headed up to the main entrance to sign in, hunching over to try and hide as much as he could.

---

"Good morning class" the homeroom teacher greeted warmly as Troy stood nervously at the front, fidgeting with his satchel.

"Morning Miss. Jenkins" the class chorused, all eyes on Troy as he sunk into his jacket a bit more

"This is Troy Bolton. He's new here from LA" Miss Jenkins continued and there were whispers around the class.

Gabi waved at him cutely and he lifted an eyebrow meekly as every boy in the class caught it and then proceeded to glare at him.

"Would you like to tell the class something about you?" Miss Jenkins asked and Troy froze. Jesus, he couldn't speak in public, didn't they know that? Didn't they know his tongue got all tied and his words stuck in his mouth and he just embarrassed himself doing it?

The class sat, arms folded apart from a few people and stared at him uninterestedly.

He cleared his throat "I'm T-T-Troy" he stuttered, closing his eyes as a blush spread across his cheeks at the sniggers from the room. "I lived in Los A-Angeles a-a-and I m-moved here a-at the w-w-weekend" he struggled out

His eyes implored with the teacher not to make him continue and she nodded.

"Gabriella, as Class Mentor, I would like to leave Troy in your capable hands" the teacher said and Troy rolled his eyes as whoops went around.

"Dork" Chad chanted at him as Troy passed his desk and dropped into the seat next to Gabi, stripping off his jacket to reveal some interesting corduroy trousers and a navy shirt.

"Ignore that brainless idiot" she said loud enough for Chad to hear and Chad squinted at him, making it known he would be blamed forever more for any defence Gabi made for him.

He put his arms on the table and sunk his head into them, wishing he could just disappear into thin air. It sure would be a lot easier than having to take this torture every two months when his dad decided they had to leave another town, start another life.

"So!" Gabi said brightly as they were released from register, "Let me see your rota" she said, taking his folded up piece of paper and matching up their classes.

She looked up at him, obviously not used to having a mute to show round. "You know, your stutter is really quite cute" she said, a blush tingeing her cheeks as she said it, making him frown at her a little more but she mistook it for a scowl.

She thought his stutter was cute? Cute, sexy or cute, dorky he wondered?

Gabi waited for Taylor to come out of class and Taylor looked at Troy weirdly.

"Tay, meet Troy. Troy, Tay" Gabi said and the pair eyed each other

"Hi" Troy offered

"Hi" Taylor replied, giving Gabi a sympathetic look "I'll see you at lunch, honey" she said and Gabi seemed to oblivious to everyone's stares because she set off down the hall as Troy watched her, then she turned and smiled, cocking her head

"You have to WALK, silly" she chided, grabbing his hand and pulling him until he was walking in sync with her.

He still hadn't smiled she noted and she chewed her lower lip nervously as they reached his science class "Okay, you're in here, I'm in there" she pointed to a room further down "See you later?" she checked

He shrugged "Okay"

She looked up at him with those eyes, those beautiful brown eyes

"You know there are other mentors, if you don't want me to be" she hedged nervously

Troy's thick eyebrows lifted into his fringe "No, it's not that" he said softly "I...I just d-don't talk much" he shrugged "Less stuttering" he added and she noticed he barely stuttered when they had been alone, and not at all before they'd got to school. He was obviously nervous of big groups.

She smiled and he found his mouth forming a smile back, quickly wiping it from his face before she noticed and he dived onto class.