A/N: I got this idea during the summer. I started writing it during August, but then was on a hiatus at the beginning of September. Still on hiatus due to writer's block and being busy, but I'll upload the chapters that I have. Second note, I beg of all of you to read past the first chapter. I'm aware that this part is boring but all first chapters tend to be boring (that doesn't mean all tho, there are exceptions). There was a few things I was trying to accomplish in this chapter and those were: being realistic to the characters, laying down groundwork to build the story off of, and explain details in the movies and prompt my story. And although it's a pain for me to write something dull such as that (and a much bigger pain for the reader to read it) I do ask that you stay patient and bear with me for a bit. Other than that, Enjoy!

Pairings: there's kind of a mix of a bunch of pairings, but there's only a few I focus on in depth. Troyella (Troy/Gabriella), Chaylor (Chad/Taylor), one-sided Ryelsi (Ryan/Kelsi), friendship hurt/comfort Rypay (Ryan/Sharpay), Tryan (Troy/Ryan), Zekepay (Zeke/Sharpay), Ryan/OC, random Ryella (Ryan/Gabriella)

Rating: T for language, slash, and slight adult themes

Disclaimer/Credits: I do not own High School Musical. It is a product of Disney.

Much of my writing is inspired, so here's the stories/authors, that inspired me:

Fickle by Old Fiat We're Tryan This Christmas by comet80 The Board of Secrets Trilogy by samlover14 Lockdown by Tertiary Genesis

Font style inspired by Light Catastrophe

I suggest you check their stories out!

High School Revisited

Chapter One: Flukes

All things considered, Troy Bolton had adjusted fairly well to the University of California. Just as planned, the school gave him the balance of basketball and theater he had been looking for. His new teammates welcomed him with open arms, only to be even more adrenalized by his proficiency and agility at the sport, while the talented group in the theater program were amazed by his ability to sing and dance.

In between the practices and rehearsals, he somehow found the time to drive up to Stanford on the weekends to visit his much-loved Gabriella Montez. And together, they often spent their time with picnics and walks around campus – anything that provided them the chance to catch up on the latest news in each other's lives. Gabriella was, of course, collecting a remarkable reputation with her astounding skills in the scientific field. Her success already left him breathless and dumbfounded, often making him feel he was utterly stupid compared to the academic protégé. Nevertheless, he always cherished each second with her and resented the trip back to Berkeley when the weekend would finally come to a close.

It wasn't until the spring of his second year at Berkeley, however, did things start to change in his relationship with Gabriella.

It all started at one of his last performances for the spring musical. Well, technically it started even before then: way back to before he even met Gabriella. It was something that came off discreetly, even to him. It wasn't an event, a place, or a person. It was something that had always been a part of him, although discouraged and tucked away. It wasn't something he ever acknowledged, rather finding bliss in ignorance than coming to terms with…himself. And if, ever, he was shown a glimpse of it, he cast the thought aside, calling it a "moment of insanity" or something else with the same absurdity.

Even after he had met Gabriella, that same part of him made itself known. Inconspicuously, of course, but expressed in the ups and downs in their relationship. Each time they had walked away from one another, part of it had been because of this…emotion. If described, Troy could admit it was like a yearning some days. A yearning for something more than what he already had. Like when he had been working for the Evans' that summer before his senior year. The distance he put between his friends and Gabriella had been encouraged by this feeling. Luckily, it hadn't come across as directly that summer as it had in the past.

Troy couldn't admit it, not even to himself. As if doing so would make it true, and not doing so wouldn't. If the block he had put between his friends that summer had lasted any longer, maybe that part of him would've expressed itself more vibrantly than before, not allowing him to deny it any longer. For that's what he needed: time and space to understand himself better. To have it finally be explained to him why sometimes he went through some "fluke hormonal" things. One of these such occasions being when he was in fourth grade, he had had a childhood crush on his student teacher (he hadn't called it a crush though, but now that he thought about it, that was what it was). Fresh out of college, Mr. Carlton served as Troy's aide in helping him understand plant science. Always supportive, never lecturing, and never-ending patience made Troy become infatuated with him, even though he knew nothing would come of it. Looking back, Troy always waved it off, saying he was too young to know better.

And although the attraction had been suppressed throughout his adolescence, there were a few times where it would slip through the cracks. Not always as crushes, but as unnoticeable as needing a break from his friends and, more importantly, of his love interests. He always blamed it on a sport, or a scholarship, or a job, but it wasn't quite as simple as that. So far, though, no one had bothered to read in between the lines.

As to what happened that spring of his second year of college, one of these "flukes" or "moments of insanity" started up once again. Not specifically on just one of the days of his performance, but starting around that time and growing gradually as time progressed.

Of course, Gabriella came to the show. She had brought him a bouquet of flowers and remained as supportive as ever. To his surprise, Chad Danforth had also come to see him. At the end of the show, Chad congratulated him and gave him crap of when U of A kicked Berkeley's butt earlier in the year. Troy pretended to get defensive, saying "we let you off easy" but then gave his friend a brotherly hug, offering him to join he and Gabriella to dinner.

"Man, you know I'd like to," Chad replied. "But I've got finals coming up this next week, so I gotta be back as soon as I can. It was nice seeing you bro." He clapped him on the back and began to leave before turning around. "You are coming back to Albuquerque for the summer though, right?" Troy turned to Gabriella, who merely smiled.

"Yeah, I guess I'll be around," he replied.

"Cool, we'll hang out then," Chad said, before continuing to walk away.

"You'll come with, right?" Troy asked, turning to Gabriella. She laughed, and nodded.

"Sure thing wildcat," she then stopped herself. "I mean, golden bear." Troy winced. The new mascot didn't hold that special ring his high school mascot did.

"I'll always be a wildcat," he assured her. She giggled some more.

"You want me to go get the car?" She wondered.

"Sure," he said. "I have to change out of my costume anyway." He then left towards the costume room while she left to the parking lot.

As a graduation present, Troy's parents had gotten him a 2007 Chevy Impala. His poor pickup really couldn't handle anymore long trips, especially from California to New Mexico. He had nearly totaled it picking up Gabriella from Stanford and trying to get her back in time for the spring musical that last year of attending East High. He hadn't had the nerve, though, to toss it in the junkyard. So it remained parked in his parent's garage, untouched, until summer when he'd work on it moderately, thinking maybe he could still sell it if he fixed the poor old car up a little.

When Troy exited the building, he found the Impala waiting by the curb, Gabriella switching from driver to shotgun. He walked over, still adjusting his clothes to make sure he didn't put them on funny, and got in on the other side.

"So where are we going for dinner," she asked as he got in. He smirked a lopsided smile, replying:

"I'll surprise you."

She shook her head as he drove off, turning up the radio and singing along. After a while of him trying to make parodies of the new pop songs, she joined in as well. It had been a while since they had sung together. Not since high school. And it felt good, the singing reminding her of what it had been like the first time they had sang together at the ski resort. It was hard to believe she had met the love of her life through karaoke.

x x x X x x x

After a pleasant meal at the Berkeley Rotisserie, it was nearly time for Gabriella to be heading back to Stanford. Both weren't pleased with the idea, but she had to be heading back before she became too tired to drive.

"Are you going to come see me next weekend," she asked when they had parked in front of his dormitory building, where her Honda Accord sat not too far away.

"Of course," he replied, smiling. She leaned in to kiss him; only he turned slightly so she kissed his cheek instead. She frowned a little, but didn't question the motion before getting out of his Impala and walking over to the Accord and driving off.

Troy sat in the car a while longer, not understanding his own response. But then he waved it off, thinking it was another fluke or something.