A/N: This is my new story 'Beautiful Disaster. Please tell me what you think and not just 'update soon' please? lol. Don't own HSM

Prologue

Gabriella grunted as she felt her little brother jump onto her back. "Don!" She giggled.

Devon wrapped his legs around her waist and smiled at his sister's nickname for him. "What?"

"I'm supposed to be making lunch." She explained. "Mom's at work and Dad's driving home from L.A. with Troy Bolton." She turned her attention back to slicing tomatoes up.

"Who?" Devon asked in his cute little voice which Gabriella never grew tired of hearing.

"He was my best friend when I was a little girl. Do you want me to show you?" Gabriella asked.

Devon nodded his head excitedly. "Yes please, Gavvy." He used his own nickname for her. When he was learning to talk, he couldn't pronounce his 'Bs' and the name just stuck.

Gabriella shook her head slightly in amusement and walked them both into the living room. She pointed at a small picture hung on the wall just above the plasma screen TV. "That's Troy. He's going to look a little older now, though. It's been a long time since I saw him last."

"Why is he coming here?" Devon asked innocently.

Gabriella grew silent as she walked back to the kitchen, Devon still hanging off her back. "Um… His parents died, Don."

"Died?" He asked innocently.

She nodded as she went back to making a salad. "Yeah. I don't know how."

"Well, are you two going to be best friends like you were?" He asked.

Gabriella shrugged. "Could be. Maybe. I hope so. But, it's so long, Don. I've grown up, he's probably changed a lot…"

Devon kissed her cheek and she smiled. "In what way?"

She shrugged. "Well, I don't know. Boys grow in different ways to girls… Why am I talking to you about this?"

Devon shrugged and laughed slightly. "I don't know."

"Well, you and Dad can talk about it in five years." Gabriella exclaimed, giggling slightly. "Ow!" She yelled, feeling something hit her head. She twisted her head slightly to face her brother to see him waving a French loaf of bread around. "What? What are you doing?"

"Cheering you up." He grinned proudly, dropping to the ground.

Gabriella reached for the other one which was on the island and prodded him in the chest. "How did you know I was upset?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I'm your little Donny." He grinned innocently.

She giggled and prodded him again. "And you'll be mine forever." She laughed evilly. She lunged at Devon who squealed and ran into the lounge. She laughed and followed, starting a sword fight with her little brother.

"Not if I have my way, Gavvy!" He swung his bread randomly and hit her in the ribs.

"Ow!" She laughed, rubbing her side. She held her breadstick up high and smirked at Devon. "Game on!"

* * *

The front door opened and Aidan Montez walked inside with a large black suitcase. "Gabby, Honey? Devon?"

"Take that, Little Brother!" A loud voice challenged.

Aidan turned to the young man behind him and smiled. "My daughter…and son by the sounds of things. Come on through, Troy." Aidan set the suitcase down and led Troy through the hallways and large kitchen.

Troy stared around in awe. His parents hadn't been particularly wealthy, having just enough money to get by. But, the Montez's, on the other hand, seemed to be really rich. He hoped that his daughter wasn't a snobby bitch like rich girls were at his old school. Troy's father and Aidan had been best friends since high school but, Troy's mother's job had forced them to move to L.A. when Troy was six. Since both of his parents had not had any siblings, and all of his grandparents had passed away, his parents had left him in the care of Aidan and Maria Montez. He remembered Aidan's daughter fairly well, her name was Gabriella, and they had been best friends when he had lived in Albuquerque. But, he hadn't seen her in eleven years.

"Troy, this is Gabby." Aidan's voice broke Troy out of his depressing thoughts.

Troy focussed his eyes to the lounge and saw a girl his age fighting a small boy, each with a long French loaf of bread. Her black hair was just grazing her shoulders and shone in the light. She had naturally tanned skin – darker than the average American's – and she had fairly high cheekbones. She had a cute button nose and milky, chocolate eyes. All of her features radiated that she wasn't of American descent and Troy had heard a Spanish accent in Aidan's voice. Gabriella was wearing a pale blue jacket over a plain white t-shirt with a v-neck. Her black, skinny jeans complimented her long legs and she looked…hot.

She held her hand out smiling. "Hi. Nice to meet you again, Troy." She let her eyes wander over him, knowing his career at East High would not start off good. He had fairly long, wavy hair which was dark blonde. However, it was hidden by a baseball cap which was perched on his head sideways. His shirt was black and had white graffiti on it. A silver cross was dangling from his neck on a long chain and his baggy jeans were hanging way too low for her liking.

Troy shook her hand and smiled. "'Sup?"

"'Sup?" She asked unsurely.

He nodded. "It means 'what's up?'."

She noticed they were still shaking hands and she withdrew hers, stuffing it in her pocket. "I know what it means. Just because this isn't some big, Hollywood city, doesn't mean we don't know things." She defended her hometown, becoming extremely annoyed.

"Anyway," Aidan interrupted, giving his daughter a pointed look, "Troy, this is Devon. Devon, this is Troy."

Troy bent down to Devon's level. "What's up, Big D?"

"Big D?" Devon asked in amazement. "Is that, like, a nickname for me?"

Troy nodded. "Sure it is." He straightened up and noticed Gabriella was texting someone furiously.

"Gabby, put the phone away and show Troy to your room." Aidan said in a bored tone.

Gabriella looked up in shock. "My room? Where am I going to sleep?"

"Your room." Aidan replied.

"That doesn't make sense." Gabriella exclaimed.

"You'll be sharing a room." Aidan said calmly.

"What? I can't share a room. Why can't Troy go in Don's room?" Gabriella asked.

"Have you seen Devon's room?" Aidan raised a single eyebrow.

"I try not to." She muttered. "But, you're trusting a girl and a boy to share a room?" She asked slowly.

"Where else is he going to go? Our guest room is getting decorated." Aidan exclaimed.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Right. The decorating. Can I sort this out later? I need to go." She started hopping up and down slightly, wanting to run to her best friend's house.

"Where are you going?" Aidan asked.

Troy watched on in amusement at the interaction between father and daughter. Clearly, Aidan was the head of the household and expected everyone to do what he wanted. But, that was where Gabriella was pressing on him too much. She was obviously used to showing confidence and asserting her independence. However, he wondered if her wanting to leave had something to do with him. But, he didn't care. He wasn't really in the mood for talking or getting all worked up over a girl who he used to be best friends with.

"Sharpay's." She said carefully. "I know you don't like her but she's my best friend. She needs me."

Aidan rolled his eyes. "Show Troy to your room and then you can go to Sharpay's. With Troy."

"It's going to be girl talk! She doesn't want a strange guy there, listening in." Gabriella exclaimed. "No offence." She muttered to Troy.

Troy shrugged. "None taken."

"Introduce him to your friends or you're grounded." He said sternly.

"That's not fair. I'm going out with Chris tonight. Dad, he can't come along!" Gabriella protested.

"Three." Aidan started.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and walked past Troy into the hallway. "Follow me!" She yelled into the living room.

Troy Bolton couldn't ruin her life, no matter if they used to be best friends. Her Dad owned a few garages alongside being a lawyer, meaning they had a fair bit of money. Her mother was a doctor and worked most days. That kind of made her sad sometimes, but she had Devon. She had great friends too and a great boyfriend. Troy Bolton couldn't ruin anything even if his parents had died. It didn't mean he had to ruin her life too.