Title: The whims of fate

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.

A/N: Well, hello there!! :)

Here is my third story; this one will be more focused in Troy and Gabriella's relationship, like the last one. The other characters will appear too but they will be support cast.

If you like what you read, please, let me know pressing this cute purple button, and if you don't like it, press the button anyway, because I want to know what you do think for real, so I can correct whatever you think I am doing wrong. Remember that I am Spanish so if you have doubts about the plot or something because of the way I write, PM me and I'll answer right away trying to solve your questions the best way I can.

I can't tell you now how often I'll update this story; one chapter per week for sure (if I don't say another thing), but I don't know if I will be able to have more chapters written each week, you know? And you know I don't like to promise something if I am not sure if I will be able to do it, so let's say I'll update that story at least one time per week ;)

That's it for now, so…well, ENJOY! :)

Two years ago…

"I don't get why the girls are so over them…" Sharpay muttered at her friends. "I mean…look at them!"

"We know, Shar," Taylor sighed. "But you know, they are the popular crowd, the handsome crowd…you get it."

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "I get that! We've been here 4 years and I already know they are 'The Kings'," the blonde hissed. "But what I don't get is why their looks are so important for those girls; look at that! That's Melissa Sinclair! She's the cleverest girl in their class…how can she act as if they were a brunch of George Clonneys!?"

"Shar," Taylor sighed again a little tired of her friend's tantrums. "Troy Bolton is the boy with the highest marks of their year too; they are not idiots when it comes to school…but they are assholes when it comes to their personality…"

"Whatever," the blonde rolled her eyes annoyed at the truth behind Taylor's words. "I know I'm right. Gabi, what do you think?"

The brunette hadn't heard anything of what their friends were saying because she had been too busy locking her eyes with the most amazing blue eyes she'd seen in her life. The way Troy Bolton and she could lock their eyes wouldn't be understood by anyone, even by neither of them, but the truth was that their eyes seemed to have their own will because they could see each other without even to try it.

They had talked twice in 4 years; both had been "sorry" and "are you okay?" after they'd bumped at the stairs or around a corner. But still their eyes seemed to look each other in a longing way…as if the other had the answer to the most important question in the whole world. Another "curious" thing was that, even when they were alone in the stairs, he seemed to find his way so their bodies touched or bumped somehow. Gabriella, being the shy one, would blush and apologize, and he would apologize as well…but that was all.

The truth was that they couldn't be more different from each other even if they tried it: where he was good looking, Gabriella was "normal"; where he was popular, Gabriella had a few friends but nothing over the top; where he was outstanding, Gabriella was shy; where he only had to snap his fingers to have a bunch of girls thrown at his feet, Gabriella had never had a boyfriend; where he was a dickhead, she was one of the sweetest people of the school…and the list could go on and on.

"Gabi!" Sharpay shook the girl by her arm. "Have you heard something of we've said?"

"Uh?" Gabriella frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Sharpay rolled her eyes being in her drama queen mode. "Doesn't matter…luckily for us, this is their last year of high school and we won't see them anymore…"

"What is she talking about?" Gabriella asked to Taylor in a low voice so Sharpay didn't hear her.

"Troy Bolton and his crew," Taylor whispered.

And Gabriella understood what was with Sharpay's tantrum because she'd been hearing the same for 4 years and, luckily for her, she wouldn't hear it anymore…as Sharpay had pointed out. A part of her felt relieved to know she wouldn't see him anymore, because that meant she wouldn't have to try and understand his behaviour with her, but another part…knew that she would long to see him; another part of her, and she didn't know how strong that part was, would want to see him, to know more about him.

But she knew that would be impossible.

Or so she thought.

Present time…

"Hey Kels!" Gabriella greeted her friend excitedly by the phone. "How are you?"

"Good!" She giggled. "Busy with the moving but good…"

"Oh yeah, that's right," Gabriella nodded for herself. "How's your new home?"

"Oh Gabi," Kelsi squealed. "It's really incredible! My parents have chosen right this time; it's a duplex, and my room has the huge balcony you've ever seen…I swear it's amazing…"

Gabriella giggled at her friend's excitement. "Well, once you're settled, we should have a sleepover or something…"

"Totally," Kelsi agreed. "Oh crap my mom needs the phone; I gotta go!"

"Tell Melissa I say hi", Gabriella giggled into the phone. "And that my mom told me she needed to talk to her about the dinner next week or something like that…"

"I'll pass the message," Kelsi giggled with Gabriella. "Love you hun!"

"Bye babe!" Gabriella giggled and closed her phone, tossing it over her bed, letting her back touch her soft mattress.

Closing her eyes, she thought about the great friends she had; first was Kelsi, the daughter of her parents' best friends, so it had been a matter of time for the two girls to be the best of friends too, and then Sharpay and Taylor, her two best friends from school. Kelsi hadn't gone to high school because her dream was to be a famous pianist, and she was following her dream, studying exclusively in the Conservatory of Alburquerque. Of course she arranged a meeting between the three of them long time ago so they could know each other; everything went smoothly, of course, and they were great friends between them too, but the friendship she had with one or with the other two was different somehow. She didn't know why, but there was something about Kelsi that made her almost like the sister she didn't have.

The front door of her home banged and so she knew one of her parents was there. "I'm in my room!" She shouted to whoever it was.

Loud steps sounded closer each time and soon a soft knock on her door sounded before a man opened the door. "Hi sweetie," Joseph went to the bed where his daughter was and kissed her forehead. "Where's your mom?"

"She needed to go to the store," Gabriella said sitting back again. "But she should be here at any moment now…" The door banged again and Gabriella grinned. "See?"

Joseph chuckled and reached for Gabriella's hand. "Let's go help her with the bags before she…"

"I need help here!" Maria shouted from the kitchen, interrupting the man, who grinned at his daughter with a knowing look.

Gabriella and Joseph shared a smile and went to the kitchen. "Hi mom…"

"Hi baby," Maria kissed her daughter's cheek and her husband's lips. "How's your day been, honey?" She asked the man. "You look tired…"

"A bunch of stupid meetings," Joseph groaned already emptying bags. "People think that because I'm a lawyer I have all the answers they need…and they don't understand that, sometimes, I don't have them; it's really frustrating…" He muttered.

Maria looked at him sympathetically. "Well, you're one hell of a lawyer," she went to him and kissed his cheek softly. "I understand they want your opinions…"

Gabriella zoned out from her parents' words…but looked at them intently, still emptying the bags and putting each item in its place; it amazed her that, even after being married for 25 years, they were still as in love as they had been when they got married. Their affectionate looks, their loving words, their sweet gestures towards each other let her hope that, some day, she'd find the perfect man for her; the man who would respect her and who she was, the man who would love her unconditionally, the man with who she'd feel loved, complete.

She wasn't looking for love; she wasn't like the girls that thought that you needed to lose your virginity before you were 20 or the ones that thought that if you hadn't had at least two boyfriends you were a loser. She was 19, almost 20, and she had never kissed a guy or had a boyfriend; that didn't bother her, she knew her true love was waiting for her somewhere, and she knew fate would make them meet one way or another when the time was right.

In the meantime, she was happy with her best friends and her friends because, though she had been a nerd while being in high school, she had friends, female and male friends, and she was proud of that. She was shy, but she never had a problem with talking with new people, with meeting new people; at first it was hard for her, but once she swallowed her shyness, you couldn't help but fell under her sweet charm.

She even had a best male friend too; his name was Zeke, and he'd been like a big brother with her during all their childhood. Her mother was the baker of the bakery placed in the building where she lived, and so they met when they were little, their friendship growing at the same time they grew up too. He was one year older than her, but they didn't care about that; Gabriella was enough mature to deal with older people, and his friends were super open and funny too, and they made her feel as if she was one more of their group.

Plus, she was about to start the university when the summer ended and she was so excited; Gabriella loved to learn, and she felt like she could go with a new start. She loved her life and the people that surrounded her, don't misunderstand her, but still she felt like new people in her life would be refreshing; she'd always been with the same people and of course, she loved them to death, but the butterflies in her stomach she felt whenever she met someone new made her feel good. Even though she knew she was sweet and the best friend you could have, she never felt as if she had to take for granted that people would like her; she worked hard on all her friendships and she would be the shoulder you needed to cry on, the ear you needed to speak to or the brain you needed help from.

----------

The phone rang at the Montez's home and Gabriella rushed to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hey sis!" A deep male voice said.

"Bobby!" Gabriella squealed. "How are you?"

"Good, good," Bobby chuckled. "Very busy but proud of the work I do…"

Bobby was Gabriella's big brother; though he was 6 years older than Gabriella, the both siblings had a close relationship and he would always make her laugh with his silliness, while Gabriella would give him advice about girls. He always joked with her about it; in Bobby's opinion, Gabriella had a sixth sense with relationships. He knew she hadn't had any relationship in her life, thing he couldn't understand, but even in that situation, Gabriella's advice always was right. Whenever he followed her advice things would turn out okay but if not, if he ignored her opinion, things would be hell.

He had followed their mother's steps and he was a doctor at the Community Hospital of Los Angeles; he missed his family to death, but he had gone there with a scholarship and he wasn't able to refuse it. He was a cardiologist and he really loved his work there; the adrenaline rushing down his veins, the feeling of to be in the line which separated life or death…the feeling of to be useful, to help the others, was what kept him alive. Gabriella understood him; she'd seen her mother saving lives and she had a huge respect for all the doctors, but she was more a law-girl, following her father's steps and beginning with Law studies when the summer ended.

"When are you coming home?" Gabriella pouted. "I'm missing you…"

"Are you pouting?" Bobby chuckled at Gabriella's grunt at how much he knew her. "Aren't you a little bit too old for still using the pout?"

Gabriella laughed at that. "Maybe," she grinned into the phone. "But if it still works…"

"You're the devil!" Bobby gasped. "So you know no one can't help but fall for it and you still use it on purpose? I'm ashamed Gabriella Montez, I'm ashamed…"

Gabriella laughed again. "You know you love me, though…"

"You have a point there," Bobby chuckled amused by his sister's antics. "Listen, I was calling because I'll be there some time next week."

"No way!" Gabriella shouted into the phone. "Which day?"

"You know you've just made me deaf, right?" Bobby shook his head. "I bet mom and dad are going to your room now…"

"That's not true," Gabriella began but had to shut up when both her parents stepped inside her room.

"Who are you talking to?" Marie asked going to sit at Gabriella's bed.

Gabriella heard Bobby's laugh, he evidently had heard their mother speaking, and she blushed a little. "It's Bobby mom; he's coming next week?"

Marie squealed as loud as Gabriella and soon the girl joined to her mother, so Joseph shook his head chuckling and grabbed the phone. "Son?"

"Hey dad," Bobby laughed. "I seriously feel bad for you; how can you live with those two?"

Both men laughed and Joseph shrugged, even though his son couldn't see him. "Because I love them?"

"Nothing to say against it," Bobby said. "Ugh, dad I gotta go…"

"Wait!" Joseph said. "You know your mother will kill me if I don't know how to answer her questions," Bobby laughed at that knowing that was true. "When are you coming then?"

"Maybe on Wednesday or so, I'll call you when I have the plane tickets bought, okay?" Bobby said.

"Perfect," Joseph nodded. "Call us with the details so we know when we have to be at the airport to pick you up, ok?"

"Cool," Bobby answered. "Now I have to go for real; kiss those two crazies ladies you live with for me, ok? Bye!"

"Bye!" Joseph said into the phone and turned to look at the two women that had been listening intently his conversation with the boy. "He's coming on Wednesday or so, but he'll call us when he knows the details so we can go to the airport…"

"I'm so happy he's coming," Gabriella clapped her hands excitedly.

Marie and Joseph smiled at that; they loved the relationship their children had. "We're going to bed now; sweet dreams sweetie," Marie said kissing Gabriella's forehead.

"Good night Gabi," Joseph leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Night, guys," Gabriella smiled and turned off the lamp when her parents closed the door behind them.

----------

"Okay Kels," Gabriella said her friend to the phone. "I'll be there in fifteen or so…"

"Yay!" Kelsi squealed. "I can't wait for you to see my new huge room with its huge balcony…"

Gabriella giggled because since the first conversation they had when Kelsi was still unpacking her things in her new home, each time they talked Kelsi would talk about her new huge room and her new huge balcony. "I get I'll be jealous of you for your new room, Kels…"

"Oh shush you," Kelsi blushed even though Gabriella couldn't see her. "I'm not always talking about it…"

"You? Talking non-stop about your new huuuuuuge room and your new huuuuuuuuge balcony?" Gabriella said sarcastically. "Of course not!"

"Okay, okay," Kelsi rolled her eyes trying to aver the attention from her. "As you wish. Now go to your car and drive here, come on!"

"Yes ma'am," Gabriella answered in a mock formal way. "See you in a few, girl!"

"Bye!"

Grabbing her things, Gabriella closed the door of her room softly and went to look for her father or her mother to tell them she was going out.

"Hey dad," she said entering in the living room where her father was reading and working with some papers. "I'm going to Kelsi's, okay?"

"Sure," Joseph smiled. "Be careful with the car and tell Clarisse and Michael that this week's dinner will be at 8."

"Will do," Gabriella nodded. "Bye!"

Parking in front of the building where the Nielson's new home was, Gabriella took her time to really look at the surroundings.

The first thing she saw, and the first one she fell in love with, was the huge park that was right in front of the building. It was immense, and she imagined herself lost there, reading one of her favourite books under a big tree, enjoying those months of summer that were waiting for her.

Smiling, she turned to the building and crossed the street, greeting the porter of the building. "I'm going to the 4th floor, the Nielson's."

"Go ahead young lady," the old man did a bow with his hat and Gabriella smiled sweetly at him.

"Thank you," she said entering in the building. When she was inside, she observed the hall; it was so bright, it was incredible the amount of light from outside that entered there, and she instantly fell in love with her best friend's house, even though she hadn't seen the actual home of hers yet.

She was so distracted she almost didn't hear the ding of the elevator's doors opening. "Oh crap," she muttered. "Wait, please!" She screamed to whoever it was, already running to her right so she could use that same elevator.

Suddenly, Gabriella bumped into someone, and two arms wrapped around her waist, preventing her fall. "Oh sorry," she apologized softly.

"Are you okay?" A male voice said concernedly.

It was like a déjà vu; the situation reminded Gabriella of something from her past, but she couldn't put her finger in what it was. Lifting her head, she found herself looking into the bluest eyes she'd seen in all her life…and a gasp escaped from her mouth, when realization fell upon her. The boy also gasped when he recognized those two brown pools that were locked with his eyes.

"Did you study at East High?" Both asked at the same time.

A/N2: So well...what do you think? Give it a chance, please? :)