Author's Note: My name is Jessica. This is my first story so please be kind!

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Darkness swallowed the thumping school in the quiet, cool night in Albuquerque. Golden light spilled from the windows; occasionally flashing a vibrant shade of crimson to contrast. East High had just won the championship game, but more importantly to the student body, Troy and Gabriella had blown the school away with their on-stage performance, only an hour before. Music thumped from the speakers as the teenagers danced the night away in the gym. Troy, however, had other plans for this happy night. In a sea of bright whites and pallid creams, he searched out a single, red dress crowned with beautiful, dark curls.

He finally spotted her, off in a small, secluded corner far in the back, talking to Taylor. He smiled as he watched her, leaning against the white brick wall, her arms crossed. She threw her head back, laughing at something Taylor had told her. And he smiled. He began weaving through groups of people, occasionally receiving a pat on the back or a few encouraging words, which he responded to thankfully. When he finally made his way out of the crowd, he walked more freely, putting his hands in his basketball warm-up suit pockets.

He stood on the edge of the crowd, about 15 feet from her. His hands were jammed into his pockets nervously, and he searched for something, anything, to fumble with and calm his nerves. Gabriella noticed him standing there, and waved at him. She flashed a soft, shy smile. Troy could feel his eyes turn a shade darker, as he began his walk towards the two giddy girls. "Ladies." he greeted them. Taylor looked at him and then at Gabriella, before stumbling away silently. Gabriella wrung her hands now that she had no backdrop. She was free falling into Troy's beautiful, blue eyes.

"Hey ..." she said timidly. Although she didn't smile when she said it, Troy could see her happy grin in her naturally soft voice and twinkling auburn eyes. "I, um, I sort of ...hate Chad." she giggled. Troy laughed along with her.

"Join the club."

Gabriella smiled, rocking back and forth on her heels, nodding her head a few times for no apparent reason. "So...uh...you having fun?" she asked, folding her hands behind her back, where she picked at her fingernail; a nervous habit she had always had. She silently cursed herself for not being able to come up with something more interesting, and laughed nervously, looking up into his captivating ocean blue eyes. Troy scoffed, raising his eyebrows.

"'Fun' isn't exactly the word," he said, biting his lip as the song playing in the background changed into a slower, softer one. He quieted his voice a bit and shrugged, looking at the couples dancing around them. "I'm kind of tired of being around these people all night," he said. Especially Chad, he added in the back of his mind.

"Well it's not so bad." she encouraged him. "You're a people person. Everyone loves you." she smiled warmly, tilting her head a little. Well, not everyone ... Troy sighed in his head. He noticed a beautiful, sparkling diamond necklace gracing her bare neckline. He just assumed he noticed everything about Gabriella. Her bright, lovely eyes and the way they always look up at him. Her sincere, genuine smile that always occupied her lips (oh yes, her lips were his favorite part), even her flawless dewy skin. Gabriella looked at Troy.

"Troy what are you looking at?" she questioned him, noticing him staring at her neckline. She looked down, let out a tiny gasp and folded her arms across her chest. Troy laughed a little.

"Just your necklace Gabriella. And by the way, I'm not complaining completely about the people themselves. Just around all these couples."

Gabriella shifted her feet. "Well ...I'm sure it's nice for the couples, I suppose." she sighed, her voice laced with some disappointment ...but also some hopefulness.

Troy nodded, agreeing with her, crossing one foot over the other. He looked down at his feet, his white shoes showing off a purplish tint from a near-by black light. "And then there's us. The singles. Standing here, alone, awkwardly, with no one to dance with..." he let out a long, overly-dramatic sigh, looking back up at her, focusing his eyes on her forehead to keep himself from completely losing it, and telling her everything. "Pretty sad, huh?"

Gabriella giggled softly and looked down too, also realizing the effect from the black light. " Troy, is this your pathetic attempt at asking me to dance?" she asked as she looked back up at him, a small, shy smile plastered on her face.

"Well, it couldn't be that pathetic could it?" he smirked, teasing her with his eyes. She laughed and swatted the air. Troy grinned at her, bowed mockingly and held out his hand like a gentleman would. "I hope this is better for you ...Gabriella, would you like to dance?" he looked up at her hopingly.

"Yes Troy, I would love to dance with you." Gabriella smiled timidly and took his outstretched hand. Troy felt a warm rush of sparks run over his skin as her soft skin grazed his. He led her over to the center of the gym, and, shakily and carefully, he placed his hand on her waist, almost in an asking sort of way. Gabriella looked up at him. He took it as a yes, and lowered his hand onto her hip. They fit like a puzzle, and she smiled.

Slowly, she reached her arms up, letting them fall around his neck loosely, her hands joining behind his head. The side of Troy's mouth curled up slightly as he smiled. His stomach flipped. He became dizzy. His breaths became faster. He could feel his face growing hot, and only imagined how red it must be by now. But by now, he was used to this feeling...he got it every time Gabriella was nearby. Every time he talked to her. Every time he thought of her.

Suddenly, nothing around them matter. Actually, it was almost like nothing was even there. It was them, an empty gym, and soft music, encircling their heads, almost whispering secrets only they could know.

They swayed to the music as Troy tightened his grip, pulling her closer. Gabriella let her eyes flutter closed as she rested her head against his chest, feeling his fast heartbeat against the side of her head.

Gabriella inhaled the musky scent of Troy's cologne, and exhaled a grin inside of her. It seemed like everything was meant to fit this way. Her head resting on his shoulder, his arms securing around her waist her hands playing with the soft hair on the nape of his neck. This was bliss. What the two didn't know was a circle had formed around them, with the rest of school watching them intently and silently.

Troy smelt Gabriella's fruity shampoo wafting from her hair, mixed with some flirty perfume (he smelt something similar to it on Sharpay once) spritzed on her upper body. Her arms were smooth and soft, and they caressed his neck with maternal tenderness; he wondering if it was even possible to have such soft skin. He heard nothing but her breathing and the slow, melodic music entrancing the two teens in a romantic dance. Nothing, not even the breathy "aww"s from the nosy onlookers distracted him even the slightest bit. He was just going to finally live in the moment.

As the song came to an end, they continued holding each other, not even realizing that the perfect moment was almost over. But when the loud sounds of a hip-hop song spread through the gym, they were suddenly pulled from their thoughts. Troy let out a sad sigh as he pulled away. He felt so lost without Gabriella in his arms, but smiled as he felt her hand in his, their fingers laced.

Gabriella pushed herself up from the floor on her heels. "Let's go somewhere." she whispered to Troy, to prevent the crowd from overhearing her and following them. She led him outside into the brisk night air, like a sudden slap across the cheek. Troy was warm under his track suit. Gabriella was warm next to Troy. She closed her eyes and felt her breath escape, captured by the wind and flown away.

"Look," Troy said gently, as he tilted her chin up towards the sky. She gasped, and smiled.

"It's ...snowing ..." she whispered breathily, inching a bit closer to Troy in the dim shafts of clouded moonlight. " Troy, it's beautiful." She watched the snow flurry to the ground in little white flecks of frozen rain. She felt a sense of security somehow, and her heart glowed.

"Some say snow falls for the angels, Gabriella." Troy wrapped his arms around her. "The snow is falling for you tonight."

Gabriella smiled and blushed as she felt Troy's arms around her small waist. She put her hands over his as she looked up, still watching the snowflakes drift to the ground.

This wasn't like her. She was never the kind of girl who felt like this about a guy...she was never the kind of girl who sat there, alone in her room, imagining what he was doing as that very second. Or stared at him whenever he was around, wondering what he thought of her. This was the first time she had this feeling...this nervous feeling she got as he touched her. Or held her hand. But when she arrived in New Mexico, she changed. She wasn't the shy, quiet book worm anymore. She was a normal teenage girl.

"Something wrong?" Troy asked her, his voice traced with concern. Gabriella shifted her position in his arms, and her heart overflowed with warmth again, despite the bitter conditions around her.

"No." she smiled, looking up at him. The light reflected off his cobalt eyes, making them glow. It almost looked like they were smiling at her. "Nothing's wrong, I was just drifting off." her voice was gentle. It matched the atmosphere.

"Promise?" He laughed, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Promise." Gabriella giggled. Like she'd ever lie to him.

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Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think!

Xoxo Jessica