Just Keep Holding On

Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical. Infact, I own nothing. You hear me? NOTHING!

Authors note: Ehm, yeah. Hello everyone… -.- Too corny? Ehm, wazzup? Oo Yeah, well I'm new to the HSM fan fiction… But I think I'll fit right in. Or I hope to anyway. So, this is my first fan fic for High School Musical, so I'm a tad nervous about it being bad… Let's not judge to hard, okay? Remember, newbie.

To explain the fic. It's AU… Not totally 'all-are-different-characters-acting-OOC-and-everything-is-turned-upside-down' kind of AU, but it's a bit different. Sharpay is still egocentric and, let's just say EVIL, Troy is the popular kid, just as in the movie (oh, shocker) and Gabriella is still the shy girl. Well, she might be a bit shyer here actually. I've never been good at writing the Gabriella type so, we'll just have to see what happens. Anyway… I don't really think I need to explain the story, just read and find out. If you've read the first chapter and are still "What the BEEP is going on!?!" then review me and DEMAND to tell you what is in fact going on.

Okay, I normally don't write these long ANs, but hey, I thought this was a special occasion, so… Yeah… I'm just going to be quiet now, let's get the story started.

Oh, by the way. I'm not from an English speaking country, so I'll blame any mistake I've made on that.

Summary: They say love conquers all. But is love really enough? Can love save the relationship when they have to deal with friends, parents and even themselves?

Chapter 1
'This Couldn't Be More Unexpected'

Then school corridor was crowded with chattering people like usual. The cheerleaders were in the middle of the entrance swooning over the group of basketball players that had just entered the building, high-fiving each other and laughing at jokes that wasn't even remotely funny. Gabriella tried to push her way though the whole bunch, with much difficulty. She tried her best not to disturb the highest of the -what she liked to call it- clan. Blushing slightly as her shoulder graced one of them, she bent her head down and increased her pace.

When she got through that obstacle the next one came right after. Sharpay Evans stood by the billboard, fixing her hair in the reflection of the glass. Gabriella tried to duck and walk a bit further from her, but Sharpay had some sort of sense to when she was in the same room. Never taking her eyes of her own reflection she smiled her face smile and called for her.

"Gabriella! Come over here!"

Sharpay being the only friend she had on this school, she had no choice but to obey and walk over to her, even though she would rather just be walking to her locker and then to homeroom.

"I need to copy your math homework." She turned her head from the reflection for a tiny second, just so Gabriella could see her face. "I got busy last night and couldn't do it."

Gabriella looked down and sighed, which Sharpay noticed.

"Do I need to remind you again that I help you your first day here. You were lost and needed to find the way to homeroom. And I, being the nice person that I am, help you. And therefore you should help me, as you friend, by letting me copy your homework. It wasn't like I was doing something unnecessary."

She waited a moment for Gabriella to ask her what she had done, but sensing that she wasn't going to say anything, Sharpay just continued.

"A few guys from the basketball team came over. We had a small party." She smiled proudly while letting out a giggle.

Gabriella sighed again. "Fine, here." She hander her the paper with her homework on and left for her locker.

She heard Sharpay call after her. "Oh and Gabriella! We're having a small get-together again tonight and the asked me to bring some girls. Since you're the only one available you'll just have to do."

Gabriella just kept on walking, not even noticing the group of basket player in front of her. Instead, she bumped right into the heap of them and dropped her books. She bent down quickly to pick them up while the group told her, not so nicely, to watch where she was going.

She stretched out for a book that had landed a bit further away from her, but instead of feeling the hard cover of the book, she felt her hand touch the soft skin of another hand. She looked up and blushed as two clear blue eyes met hers. She removed her hand quickly and looked down at the floor.

"Guys, shut up." Troy Bolton told his group and they all went quiet. He looked at them and all at once, they moved away and left Troy and Gabriella on the floor.

"I'm sorry about them. They think they own the school."

Gabriella didn't reply, she simply looked at him, wondering why he, the wildcat superstar was talking to her, a geek.

"Here" He picked up the book and held it out so she could take it. He stood up and brushed the wrinkles of his pants, then held out his hand to help her up. She took his hand and smiled as he dragged her slowly upwards. Just as she was going to say thank you, the bell rang and Gabriella turned around, walking away. Troy was left standing there, looking after her, wondering if he had done something wrong.

When Gabriella reached her homeroom Sharpay came up in front of her. She smiled that fake smile and pulled her down on a chair next to her.

"I heard that Troy and the boys met you in the hallway. Do you understand how lucky you are to have me as a friend? If everyone didn't know that we are friends they would never even bother to acknowledge you."

Gabriella didn't know what to say, so she just smiled and turn to face Ms. Darbus. But instead of seeing her teacher, her eyes met Troy's, who was sitting in the seat ahead of her, with his back turned against the board.

"Hi Troy!" Sharpay said sweetly, while smiling.

"Uhm, hi." Troy said and turned back to Gabriella. "You're coming tonight, right?" He asked her.

She didn't have time to answer, because Ms. Darbus entered the classroom and the whole crowd turned silent. She went on and on about the new musical and the auditions that were going to take place in a couple of weeks. She could hear her talking, but the words didn't stick to her. Her mind was filled with thoughts. Why had Troy talked to her? Did he really want her to come tonight? What was she going to do?

---

During lunch Sharpay had come up to her, not only to tell her that she sadly couldn't sit with her, but to let her know that if she was planning in joining tonight, which she had to, she would have to dress hot. Gabriella groaned and told her that she had to go to the bathroom. And since the entire school had probably heard that, she had no other choice but to go to the girls' lavatory.

Locking the booth door behind her and plumping down on the closed toilet seat she let out another groan. She could feel the tears burning in her eyes, and not even bothering to wipe them off, she bend her head back hitting the wall.

"What I'm I going to do?" She asks herself. If she didn't go, Sharpay would be mad, and she wouldn't have anyone at all. And if she did go, she would have to spend the entire evening with Sharpay, Troy and the basketball team. This was a loose/loose situation, and there was nothing she could to about it. She let out a low cry and walked out of the booth.

She turned on the tap and flushed some cold water in her face, trying to get rid of her puffy red eyes.

"You know you could have said no." She heard a voice behind her. She jumped and turned around. Taylor McKessie stood in front of her, smiling softly. "You don't need to follow Sharpay's orders." Gabriella just stared at her. But after a moment she uttered,

"You don't understand." And she walked out, keeping her head down for people not to notice her.

The rest of the day she did everything in her power to avoid Sharpay, but when she was about to go home, she found a note stuck in her locker telling her to meet the 'gang' at the ice cream bar at 4.30. Looking at her watch, and realising that she had to run to make it, she threw her books in her locker and rushing out.

Finally reaching the bar, she took a minute to calm down and put herself together. With a final deep breath she took a step forward and opened to door. She saw them sitting in a booth in one of the corners. Sharpay was clinging to Troy's arm, laughing at something he said. She walked towards them and just as she came up to the table, Sharpay took notice of her presence.

"Oh Gabriella, you're here!" with a fake enthusiasm. She pulled her down next to her, while letting herself scoot closer to Troy. She whispered in her ear, "Is this was you call hot?" She glanced at her shirt and jeans.

"I didn't have time to go home and change." Gabriella tried to explain, but Sharpay had already turned to Troy again. Right then Gabriella took a look at him for the first time since she came in to the bar. He looked uncomfortable, almost a little afraid. But he looked good, she couldn't lie about that. He had the looks and the manners. No wonder all the girls had a crush on him. Except her of course. She was rational. He was obviously a heartbreaker. She didn't want him. But then why did his smile make her knees go weak?

The conversation was flowing perfectly, with Gabriella just watching. She never spoke up, not once. She didn't even get a reason to do so. As usually she was left out, not that she minded really. Basket and chicks didn't interest her. She was fine just sitting there, smutting on her coke. But her peaceful loneliness was horribly disturbed when Troy turned to her and asked her something. Gabriella was too shocked to even register what he was saying and Sharpay was probably even in more shock.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." She said nervously, trying not to stammer.

"Uhm, how was your day?" He asked her and smiled. That smile.

"I-I… Uhm… It was… Eh… Fine." She got out, her cheeks burning. "I uhm, need to go to the bathroom." She stood up quickly and rushed off in the direction of the toilets.

Closing the door behind her she let out a breath. This was not going well. If she should just get up and leave, no one would miss her and she would be free for the evening. Pondering over the idea for a moment, she decided that it was the best plan she had, and stood up to leave. As soon as she opened the door she ran into Troy. He was looking at her with a worried face and she tried to smile while not blushing to much, his gaze on her was making her all warm inside.

"I just, ehm, came to see that you weren't hurt or anything, you were gone for quite some time."

"Oh, I'm- I just had to… Uhm…" She stuttered nervously. "I need to go." She said suddenly, just trying to get away. She brushed past him and headed for the entrance. She could hear him calling for her. She turned around to see him jogging to catch her.

"Gabriella, please, let me take you home. It's the least I can do." He said to her. She tried to see if he was making fun of her in anyway, but he seemed sincere.

"Why?"

"Because I was the one who wanted you to come." He smiled that charming smile and she had to grip one of the chairs not to fall to the floor.

"W-What, no! Sharpay told me to come because no one of her other friends were going to." She tried to tell him. He couldn't be telling her the truth, it was all just a joke.

"I asked her to bring you, and I'm glad she did." He kept on smiling while taking a step closer to her.

"I- Why?" She asked again.

"Well, you're the only girl at school that has some sense of reality. And I think that you are fascinating." He took another step closer to her. "And I like you."

She took step back. "W-Why would you like m-me? I'm a geek." She, who usually understood everything, couldn't put his words together.

"You're not a geek, and you are the most beautiful person I've ever seen, and the kindest too." He took another step closer to her.

"But what about Sharpay?" She questioned, while taking another step away from him.

"What about her?" He asked, and kept on following her.

"Well, aren't you two, sort of, uhm, together?" As the words came out of her mouth, she felt a small pang of jealousy in her. But she brushed it away.

He stopped and looked a little shocked. "What? Why would you think that?"

"Uhm, well, she told me, a few times actually." She told him, and by the look on his face she understood right away that Sharpay had been lying, big time. It made her smile.

"Well, she was lying. Let me tell you a secret." He got so close to her that he could lean forward and whisper in her ear. "I'm quite afraid of her." She started to laugh and she didn't know what got into her, but she leaned in for his ear and whispered back, "Me too."

He laughed and took her hand. "What do you say I'll take you home?" She beamed at him. "We can stop somewhere to eat on the way back, if you'd like."

"No, home's fine, but thank you." He started to pull her to the doors. "Aren't you going to say goodbye?" She nodded towards the table with is friends. She was sure that they where going to miss him if he didn't return.

"Nah, they'll be fine. Anyway, I have better things to do." He dragged her out the doors.

---

To walk home with Troy Bolton was the most unbelievable experience she'd ever had. He was nothing like she'd imagined. He was kind and sweet, not at all obnoxious and lump-headed like she had believed for so long. He actually cared about her and what she thought and did. All the way home, the only thing they had talked about was her. Not in a Sharpay way, but in a way were he asked about her, she responded, and he was interested. It was a nice feeling she got from it.

About halfway home, he had reached out for her hand, and she took it without even being nervous. This was so unlike her, but still, so like her. Just a side of her she had not shown for years. She turned her head to see him, and at the same time, his head faced hers. They smiled and he squeezed her hand.

When reaching her house they stopped outside the door. Not knowing what to do, both looked down to the floor. Gabriella was the first to speak.

"Uhm, thanks for walking me home."

"It was my pleasure." He smiled sweetly at her.

She looked up and med his eyes, his wonderful eyes that were sparkling at her. She felt her cheeks turn red, and that made her blush even more, so she looked down. He lifted her head up to look her in the eyes again, and slowly moving in to kiss her. She met him in the middle, pushing her lips to his. She put her arms around him, trying to mend him into her body. After a moment, he pulled away, letting out a small 'wow'.

She put her hand to her lips, still feeling his lips on them. She looked at him with glassy eyes, trying to get her mind to work like normal.

"I- Uhm… Thank you." She said before realizing what had come out of her mouth, she blushed yet again, but before she had time to do anything, he leaned forward and caught her lips with his again for a short kiss.

"You're welcome." He smiled and took her hand. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure." She responded, still a little thrown off from the kiss. She opened the door, and before stepping inside, she gave him a smile.

TBC

Authors note: Oh, yeah… There's one down here too, like the one in the beginning wasn't enough…

So, whatcha' all think? I actually liked this one. Now, why would I put up something that I don't like, you might ask. And I have the perfect answer, I'm stupid. Okay, as you notice, I have a tendency to get off topic.

This is the longest chapter I've written to any story, so that's pretty cool.

Feel free to review and tell me what you thought. I love criticism, as long as it's constructive, otherwise it's unnecessary.

Oh, just a little thing. I must warn you, I'm a HORRIBLE updater, although I'm trying to work on it. But I won't promise when the next chapter will be up, because I won't be able to keep it. But hang on with me and we will all make it work. And just so you know, reviews makes me write faster.