Floor 6

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Please note that this story takes place in a college based setting. I have gotten many complaints before about the level of swearing I've used in some of my other stories so I just want to let you know now that if you don't like that type of thing, click the exit button now. As a college student myself, I know how people this age act and I know what goes on in schools. Trust me, I'm only a first semester freshman and I've already seen students sneaking beer into the cafeteria and came across couples on the verge of having sex in the halls. In one instance I even found wrapped condom packages (yes, condoms) on a cafeteria table. Not to even get started on the level of swearing that goes on. So that being said, there will be mature themes. If you don't believe or keep insisting that college students are all innocent human beings, then you must either be a) under the age of 14, or b) living under a rock. Bottom line is, there will be mature themes. Don't like, don't read. Now without further comment, I present you with Floor 6.

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As their hair turns grey and wrinkles sink into their faces, many couples begin to look back upon the blissful years of young love and tell the story of how they met their spouse, whether it be to friends, grandchildren, or even the familiar cashier at the supermarket. Most of them reconcile how they became acquainted at the town church, the community picnic, or the high school dance and go on to narrate their first date, which usually would take place at either a cozy homestyle restaurant or the showing of a romantic film.

The first kiss is another part of the tale. Most kisses are claimed to be had under a blossoming cherry tree or by a clear, rippling lake in the midst of the glow of summer, with a faultless proposal following only a few short months after. A princess-style wedding comes next, leading into the beginning of many happy years shared as husband and wife.

But for one couple, these whimsical scenarios don't hold true. They met because of a simple twenty-four words posted in a simple newspaper by a simple student, and the rest is not to be told at the present. This is the story of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez. It is rather queer to some, significantly pleasing to others, and plain garbage to still a third division. But it's all there is to tell, so thus we will begin.

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Wanted: Roommate between the ages of 18-25 to share rent in Akron apartment. Must not smoke or have pets. If interested, call Troy Bolton at xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Eighteen-year-old Gabriella Montez ran her fingers through her dark curls as she read and reread the ad that lay before her chocolate eyes. An incoming freshman at Malone University, she'd been searching for an place to stay for the past three months, only to be met with failure. She'd originally planned to stay with her aunt during her time at school, but that had fallen through when her aunt's company moved her to a new work location in Massachusetts, leaving Gabriella to have to turn to Plan B.

"Did you find anything, Gabi?" asked a young brunette who nearly mirrored Gabriella's image. Her name was Catherine and she, at the age of twenty-three, was the oldest of the Montez children.

"I actually did, but I doubt if I'll respond to it," Gabriella shrugged.

"Why?" Catherine wondered.

Gabriella chewed on her lip. "It's a guy."

"So? I roomed with a guy my senior year of college," Catherine reminded.

"Yeah, but you knew the dude. He was a friend of yours. There's a difference between staying with a guy you know and staying with a guy you never met in your life," argued Gabriella.

"True. But I'd still say it would be worth a shot. I mean, you could always arrange to meet him beforehand and see how he is before you make any long-term agreements."

"I'll think about it. I mean, I guess I could use it as a last resort if I don't find any better offers in the meantime." Grabbing a pair of scissors, Gabriella carefully cut around the ad so she could put it aside for future reference.

"What's going on? Did Gabriella find a roommate?" questioned sixteen-year-old Alexander Montez, who was better known to the family as just 'Alex.' He shared the same dark hair and brown eyes as his sisters; however, while they were petite in size, he was fairly tall and well-built.

"Kind of," Gabriella replied. "I'll have to think about whether or not I wanna take the offer, though."

"Why? What's holding you back?" Alex sat down across from Gabriella and dug into the plate of waffles that was waiting for him.

"Well..." Gabriella debated whether or not she should tell Alex that her potential roommate was a guy. She loved her brother and all, but sometimes he could be a real jerk about things like that. But in the end, she didn't have time to choose, for Catherine blurted the news out for her.

"It's a guy. Gabi isn't sure if she wants to room with a guy or not."

"If you do, just remember to have him buy condoms. I'm too young to be an uncle." Alex laughed.

Mentally slapping her sister for spilling the beans, Gabriella suppressed a groan. "It won't be like that, Alex. If it even happens. I mean, I'm sure there will be other, better offers before I have to make up my mind."

"School starts in three weeks," Alex prompted.

"Holy shit. I didn't realize it was that close already." Gabriella let her face fall into her palm. If school was in three weeks, that made it two weeks before she'd have to make the drive from Dayton to Akron and begin to settle in, which left only a week for a more appealing offer to come. Fuck my life, she cursed to herself.

"Like I said, make sure you use condoms," tormented Alex.

"Shut up, you ass."

...

A week turned it's familiar cycle and no more roommate ads showed up, save one from a fifty-year-old man searching for a romantic partner to share a home with. To Gabriella's dismay, she was left with little to do but call the guy who had posted the request she'd saved to use in the worst case scenario, which she apparently had now come to.

Fuck everything, Gabriella said silently as she took her iPhone from her purse and dialed the number that had been given in the ad.

"Hello?" came the voice of a young man. He sounded groggy, as if he had just woken up.

"Hello, is this Troy Bolton?" Gabriella asked. Her heart was beginning to pound as nerves embraced her body.

"Yes, this is Troy. May I ask who's calling?"

"Gabriella Montez. I saw your ad for a roommate in the paper last week and was wondering if I could get more details on that. If you don't mind possibly sharing a place with a girl, that is."

"No, I'm pretty much at the bottom line now. At this point I'd even take a camel," laughed Troy.

"Same here," Gabriella giggled. "So anyway, how big is the apartment and how much is the rent?"

"It's a studio apartment, so there's a combination bedroom and living room, then a kitchen and a bathroom. And as for the rent, the monthly fee is five-hundred, so that would make it two-hundred-fifty for each of us."

"And it's a studio? As in...no privacy?" Gabriella sighed. She'd be somewhat comfortable if she could have her own room, but now that that idea was thrown aside, she was beginning to wonder if she should just switch to online classes and continue living with her family. That is, until she remembered that first of all, she had registered for a biology lab, and secondly, she'd lose some of the money she had down on her classes now if she decided to rearrange everything.

"Not outside of the bathroom there won't be. But I swear, I won't be looking to see you naked. I'm not that type of guy. All I want is someone to share my apartment with me so I can cut my rent in half."

"Are you a student?" asked Gabriella.

"Yes. I'm going into my junior year at the University of Akron. You?"

"I'm gonna be a freshman at Malone University. I was going to stay with my aunt, but her company transferred her to Massachusetts, so now I'm kind of stuck on where to go."

"Well do you wanna room with me? I mean, it's entirely up to you. But the offer is definitely there."

Gabriella chewed on her lip as she weighed the pros and cons. If she accepted the deal, she'd have her housing problem resolved. And besides, Troy seemed like a decent enough guy; he was even a student like she was, which formed some common ground. On the other hand, she'd have to become more comfortable around him than she had ever had to get with any guy before-even Alex. He'd be seeing her frizzy hair and dark eyes when she woke up in the morning, her bra and panty sets while she folded laundry, her tampon boxes, and, most embarrassingly, there was sure to be a time or two he'd accidentally catch a glimpse of her in either lingerie or in a towel after a morning shower. On top of that, she'd most definitely be seeing him shirtless-perhaps even in boxers. "Are you sure?" she suddenly asked.

"Sure about what?" Troy pressed.

"That it won't be too uh...too awkward?"

"It'll only be awkward if we make it that way. Besides, with our schedules and friends and everything, we won't even be home all that much."

"True." Gabriella again considered, this time arriving at a stable conclusion. "Let's go for it."

"You wanna room with me, then?"

"Yes."

"Okay. How about we be at the apartment next Tuesday so we can meet each other and start getting settled in?"

"Sure. What's the address?"

Troy recited the apartment's address to Gabriella before double checking the plans and saying good-bye.

Hanging up her phone, Gabriella plopped onto her bed and groaned. Now that the deal was set in stone, the reality of having to share an apartment with a guy was sinking into her head, and she couldn't exactly say she was looking forward to it.

It was going to be a long year.