"Why are you so nervous?" Marcus asked.

"Why shouldn't I be nervous?" Troy counter-asked. "I should be very nervous right now."

"It's just Gabriella." Marcus said.

"She's not just some random person, Marcus. She's been my girlfriend for 9 years in case you forgot and it's her birthday." Troy corrected, gripping his steering wheel.

"You already got her a gift, right?" Marcus questioned.

Troy nodded, "Yeah. I gave it to her this morning. But I got her something else."

"What?"

Troy dug in his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. "This?"

"Is this what I think it is?" Marcus opened the box and saw a diamond ring sitting inside. "You're going to propose to her?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why? I want to marry her." Troy answered.

"Marriage is so overrated. People make a super huge deal about nothing but a piece of paper."

Troy frowned, "You are so fucking negative."

"What if Gabriella says no?" Marcus pondered.

"What if she doesn't?"

Marcus shrugged, "I'm just being realistic. Just because you ask her to marry you doesn't mean she's going to say yes."

"I'm revoking you of your best man status."

Marcus turned to his brother, "Wait, I was going to be best man?"

"Yeah, you and Chad both, but since marriage is so stupid to you, it's just Chad." Troy replied.

Chad smiled, "Aw thanks buddy."

"I take that back. I want to be your best man."

"Why?"

"So I can throw you an amazing bachelor party."

Troy rolled his eyes, "That's the only reason you want to be best man?"

Marcus nodded, "Yeah. Chad can be the emotionally supportive out of the two of us."

"Gross. I don't want to be the emotionally supportive one."

"Well first I have to propose to Gabriella and she has to say yes."

"If she loves me, then she'll say yes. She has to give me the opportunity to throw you a bachelor party."

"Marcus you can throw a party, regardless." Chad pointed out.

"I want it to be like The Hangover."

"No. I don't need you guys leaving me on the roof of a Las Vegas hotel. But I need to you guys to hold the ring."

Chad grabbed the box from Troy's hand, "Don't worry. We'll guard this with our lives."

"Speak for yourself."


"Ok why are you guys dragging me all around Beverly Hills to find a stupid dress?" Gabriella asked her friends.

"Don't you want to look nice for your birthday?" Cristina asked, holding a dress up to her daughter.

Gabriella shrugged, "We're only going to...mom are you crying?"

Cristina shook her head, "No I'm not."

"God softie, it's only my 25th birthday." Gabriella said. "You're not having a mid-life crisis, are you?"

"I'm just happy."

"Ok."

Lola turned to her mother, "Don't ruin it." She whispered.

Sharpay pulled a black kimono dress off a rack and handed it to Gabriella. "Here, go try this on."

"I don't need a new dress, guys."

"It's only appropriate to wear a kimono to Bennihana. It's a Japanese restaurant."

"I know it's a Japanese restaurant, Shar."

"Gabriella is 5'8. A kimono would be like a shirt on her."

Sharpay sighed, "Just go try it on."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow, "What are you guys keeping from me?"

"Why would you think we're keeping something from you?" Lola asked.

"Because you didnt answer my question with a direct answer." Gabriella replied. "Are you guys planning a surprise party or something?"

Taylor scoffed, "I can promise you that no surprise party is happening. Scout's honor."

Gabriella sighed, "Ok."

Sharpay smiled, "Great. Now go try on the dress."

~Later~

"When is our table going to be ready?" Marcus asked, looking around the resturaunt. "We have been sitting here for a very long time."

"You have the patience of a 4 year old, Marcus."

"I'm hungry." Marcus whined.

"The birthday girl is not even here yet." Chad added. "We can't sit until everyone is here."

"Gabriella needs to get her ass here. What's taking her so long anyway?"

Jason shrugged, "The girls are probably slapping ten pounds of make up on her."

"I wish she would just get here already."

"Troy, just relax." Zeke said. "Everything is going to be fine."

"I need a shot."

Chad laughed, "Alcohol is the last thing you need right now. You can't propose, intoxicated. She's going to say no."

"This is so exciting!" Lucille exclaimed. "You're going to be engaged."

"Maybe."

Lucille frowned, "Be positive. Positive things happen to positive people."

"Wow mom, did you get that off of a calendar?" Marcus teased.

"Oh everyone is already here." They heard Gabriella say. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's alright." Troy said, kissing Gabriella's forehead. "You're here now. We can go sit down."

"Great."

Troy walked over to the hostess, "Hi we have a reservation."

"Name please."

"It's under Bolton. Party of 14."

"Sorry sir, we gave your table away."

"What do you mean you gave my table away?" Troy asked. "It was a reserved table."

"Well your entire party wasn't here."

"You can't be serious. You don't just give someone's table away. Who does that?"

"Well maybe next time, you make sure all 14 people are on time."

Gabriella grabbed Troy's hand, "Calm down. Let me handle things."

"Oh my God! You're Gabriella Montez. You're a supermodel."

Gabriella nodded, "Yes. I'm sorry about my boyfriend's behavior. He seems a little stressed out today."

"It's alright."

"Now is there any other table we can sit at?" Gabriella asked.

"Well our private dining area is open right now." The hostess said, looking at her chart.

Gabriella smiled, "Great. Can we sit there please?"

The hostess nodded, "Yes."

"Thank you." Gabriella turned around, "Problem solved."

"There shouldn't have been a problem to begin with." Troy muttered.

A few minutes later, everyone was sitting around a long rectangular table looking over their menus.

"Did you have fun with the girls today?" Troy asked, Gabriella."

"It was alright. They just dragged me into a bunch of stores. I'm exhausted."

Sharpay rolled get eyes, "We bought you some very cute clothes."

"I have enough clothes. Troy, I'm going to have to start using your closet."

"You guys are going to be doing a lot of closet sharing in the future." Marcus replied, slyly.

"Shut up." Troy hissed.

Marcus shrugged, "It's the truth."

"Are you ok?" Gabriella asked, grabbing Troy's hand. "You seem nervous."

Troy nodded, "I'm fine, babe. I'm just thinking of my surprise for you."

"But you already bought me a gift. A necklace, in case you forgot."

A waitress came over holding a big cake. "Ok, so who is the birthday girl?"

Gabriella raised her hand, "That would be me."

"Congratulations." The waitress said. She set the cake down and walked off.

"Aw you guys got me a cake."

"Well its a cake made of 20 red velvet cupcakes." Troy corrected.

"Thank you."

"Read what it says."

Gabriella looked down at her cake and read what it said. She gasped.

"Mija, what does it say?" Cristina asked, smiling.

"Gabriella, I love you. Will you marry me?" Gabriella read aloud. She turned to Troy, who was on one knee now, "Are you serious?"

Troy laughed, "Of course I am. So Gabriella Montez, will you..."

"Of course, I'll marry you." Gabriella answered, cutting Troy off.

Troy turned to Chad and Marcus, "Ring please."

Chad reached into his pocket, "Umm...I don't have it."

"What the fuck do you mean?" Troy asked.

"Its not in my pocket." Chad explained.

"I don't have it." Marcus said.

"I left you too in charge of the ring." Troy said.

"Don't worry. We'll find it."

Troy glared at the two, "You better."

~To Be Continued~