Gabriella hopped over to her bed on one foot as she adjusted her shoe to fit for a better fit. "Of all the days to wake up late," she murmured quietly. Quickly with all the fences of a 3 year old she pounced on the bed to reach over for her back pack.

She could feel a slight tickle of her skirt against her upper thigh as the material of the fluttered about with each rushed movement. With a last minute effort she faced the mirror and adjusted her white button up blouse that hung open to revealing her red spaghetti strap shirt. Spinning around again her high pony tail bounced about as she gather her science project data and shoved it into her backpack. "Taylor would kill me if I forgot these."

"Gabriella we're going to be late," her little brother yelled from downstairs.

"I'm coming," she yelled back as she began jogging down the stairs.

"School spirit much?" Eddie said as he pushed himself off the railing where he'd been waiting for the last 15 minutes.

"Would it kill you to show some?" Gabriella said flicking his plan brown t-shirt.

"Yup and I'm too young to die. What's your excuse?" he said picking up his back pack.

"It's spirit week, I'm captain of the squad, it my obligation to be in the school colors." Gabriella reached for her car keys. "Where's mom?"

"She had a date last night."

Gabriella let out a sigh and opened the front door. "Ew, let's avoid the walk of shame."

"Agreed."

Gabriella ushered them out and locked the door behind them. Quickly they made their way to her white jeep and got in.

"Hey, where's loser?" Eddie said referring to Gabriella boyfriend of a year. Aaron Thomson, East High's Quarter back, and dream boat.

"Aaron, is meeting me at school," Gabriella said with a smile as she shifted her fingers in her front bangs to spread them out a bit. "God I need to tweeze," she frowned and stuck her keys in the ignition.

"Girls are gross," Eddie leaned back in his seat and looked out the window.

"Freshmen," Gabriella smiled as she backed her jeep out of the drive. "Cheer up wildcat it homecoming week."

Eddie let out a breath, "So what's that mean? When I get my swirly some guy will scream out go team instead of take that loser?"

"You know you only get what you put out, Eddie, basic physics." Gabriella said as began making their towards the school.

Troy looked out into the ominous building surrounded by student's deck out in red and white. "I thought you said there wasn't a uniform?" he said not making an effort to leave the car.

"There isn't," his mom said leaning forward so she could see everyone as well. "I mean at least that's what the lady at the front desk said when I dropped off your transcript."

Troy let out a breath, "did we have to leave home?" his eyes looked through the crowd for anyone that might seem familiar to him, although that was impossible because all the people who were familiar to him were back at home in California.

"Troy you know I can't afford the house without your dad," She paused and Troy closed his eyes for a moment. "And besides this is good for us I can feel it," she said with that same preppy tone she used to drag him out of bed. His mother was a morning person and he unfortunately was a teenager.

"So, not only am I the new kid from California but I'm the freak in the black t-shirt?" Troy looked at his mother and she gave a sympathetic smile. "This has all the makings of a disaster."

"I know you're going to be fine, but first you need to get out of the car sweetie," she said unlocking the door.

"Who are you and what have you done with my caring kind mother?" Troy squinted his eyes at his mother and he frowned playfully before caving into a smile as she let out a laugh.

"Stop stalling."

Troy gave his mom a kiss on the cheek and got out of the car, "Thanks for the ride, have a good first day at work."

"Have a good first day at school baby."

Troy watched as she drove off. "Not possible," he murmured to himself. Turning back around to the school he let his shoulders fall and he proceeded to act as though he was normal. Surveying his surroundings he watched teenagers walk side by side, some holding hands, others on their phones, he noticed a few were staring back at him, he continued to walk until he got to the stairs.

That was when the clapping started, people were looking behind at something and suddenly he felt as though he had a kick me sign on his back until he heard the cheering. Turning around himself, he saw a group of girls in the grass in a formation clapping in sequence.

"Wildcats are ready" (Clap, clap)

"Wildcats are smooth" (Clap, clap, clap)

"Wildcats will take control" (the girls took a step so they were all facing the school.)

"And stomp all over you! "(Ending with their fingers pointing to the street.)

Troy looked around as people went wild, and that was when he saw her, her smile as she kicked up her foot and held it above her head. Seeing her in that position sent his imagination rapid with dreams and expectations of all things that made his blood rush south.

"Go wildcats!" her voice was booming as she let her foot go and her ponytail bounced as she jumped up and down in place. The girls around her faded into the background and all he could see was her. A small smile appeared on his own lips.

Then from behind her some big hulking jacket wearing man came up and lifted her off the floor, placing a small kiss on her neck.

"Figures," he murmured and turned around to enter the building. Girls like that were trouble, taken and not worth the drama. He didn't need much to figure that out.

Gabriella laughed out loud as she placed her hands on Aaron's hands around her waist. "Aaron!" she shrieked.

"Morning sexy," he mumbled into her ear, "Ready for this weekend's game?"

"Are you?" she asked as he put her back on the ground. Gabriella turned around to face him. "My star quarterback," she smiled giving him a playful punch on the arm.

"Ready like I was born for it," he said taking her hand. "I've got a team practice after school."

"So no study date?" she smirked.

"Nope, I'm good," he said with a smile.

"You better keep your grades up," she said as picked up her backpack from the ground.

His eyes skimmed over her, "You are so sexy," he said biting his lip. "The things I want to do you," he let out a grunt and lifted her off the floor again.

Offset by the action she pressed herself against him to brace herself. "Aaron, we're going to be late for class." She said with a laugh as he began to walk towards the school.

"You're such a nerd," He said putting her down and copping a feel.

"You're such a guy," she said rolling her eyes.

"A guy with a hard on," his hand came down and patted her bottom.

"Aaron," Gabriella held her hand up and turned to face him instead of walk beside him. "Can we take the sexual pda down a notch?" she said looking at him a bit annoyed.

"Aww, come on baby, I'm just excited is all," He reached for her and she moved out of the way.

"I mean it, my little brother is somewhere around here, we have to be more discreet this year."

"Discreet about what, it's not like we're doing it," he said with a grunt. "Speaking of which, what about this weekend?"

Gabriella stopped and looked at him with a frown "No, I'm not ready Aaron." Gabriella said in low voice. "Will you just knock it off?" Gabriella started walking away, she wasn't going to be late because of him.

"You're giving me blue balls." He said behind her and that's when Gabriella crossed her arms over her chest. Men were so sexually consumed it was amazing that they knew their own name sometimes.

"See you later," she mumbled and started to climb the steps up to the school.

Aaron watched as she disappeared into the building, "Fucking tease," he whispered as he proceeded to enter the building.

"Hey Aaron," Stacy said placing a hand on his shoulder. "I had fun last night,"

His eyes looked around for any signs of Gabriella friends. "Oh yeah?" he said with a small smile looking back at her.

She let out a small laugh, "Yup, we still on for today after school?" she said walking past him.

"You bet." he confirmed rubbing his hands together. He followed her into the building watching her ass the entire time. Once he was inside he met up with his buddies who were at their lockers. "Dating Gabriella is like a job without pay." He said leaning on one of the lockers.

Chad rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah poor you, you have it so tough," his voice filled with his irritation as he shut his locker.

"Come on Danforth, don't tell me your still upset about our school board cutting your little basketball team huh?"

"We're not cut yet,"

"Alright correction, when you guys get cut, I'll make sure the money goes to good use," he said catching a football from one of the other guys.

"The basketball team is here to stay," Chad said crossing his arms.

"Yeah and the football team wins games and puts asses in the seat," Aaron smiled as he tossed the ball back.

Chad shook his head. "Whatever, I got to make class."

"Pussy," Aaron called out after him.

As soon as he looked up in the other direction of the hall his blood pressure went up as he saw Eddie walking with a book in his hand. He ran to catch up "Yo Eddie!"

"Aaron?" Eddie paused and quickly looked around, "What's up?" Eddie felt the heat spread through his body in a cold sweat, people were clearing the hall. He should have gotten to class faster.

"There's this great picture in playboy, I was wondering if you saw it?"

"I don't read playboy," Eddie said nervously as Aaron wrapped his arm around his shoulder. Aaron was Eddie's nightmare, a nightmare that constantly picked on and teased him. One time Eddie got brave and threaten to tell Gabriella, all it got him was a swirly at noon for the following two weeks.

"Awesome because under it was this great article about men bashing on their girlfriends annoying little brothers." They stopped walking and Aaron opened a locker. "But you and me, hey we get along great."

"We do?" Eddie said looking down the hall.

"Yup, because if I don't see you, I don't think about you."

"Oh," Eddie nodded and started to walk off.

"Not so fast I want to show you something." Aaron pulled him back.

"I have to get to class, Aaron."

"Right, right." Aaron lifted him from the ground and shoved him in the locker slamming it shut behind him. "See isn't this great out of sight, out of mind. It's like you're not here." Eddie pushed at the locked locker door.

"Aaron let me out!" Eddie yelled as he pushed harder.

"Maybe around lunch time geek." The sound of Aaron laugh fading from Eddie's ear.

When Eddie didn't hear anything else he knew Aaron had left, and now here he was in an empty locker for god knows how long.