Gabriella Montez shoved her cell phone back into her pocket and pushed her long, chocolate locks off her shoulders. She scanned the nightclub for any of her friends, but amongst the endless sea of people, she found no one recognizable. Club 23 was always bustling with excitement and that Friday night was no exception. Most of the kids from Albuquerque University flooded the large and spacious warehouse, desperate to blow off some steam after a long, hard two weeks of finals. Gabriella was the same, she had studied and studied for her finals, certain she had passed with flying colors and ready for the start of summer, hoping to fill it with parties, alcohol, and dancing. She looked around once more and decided there was no way Sharpay Evans, her best friend, could possibly spot her in the crowd. Finding an open seat at the bar, Gabriella ordered a vodka lime and sat, biding her time, until an arm draped itself over her shoulder. Gabriella jumped at the close contact and looked up.
"Gabs," he acknowledged her with a nod of his head, before sitting down on the seat in front of him. Gabriella groaned silently. Chase Morgan, while incredibly good-looking, was a complete and utter sleazebag. He treated girls like conquests and the only one he hadn't gotten around to was Gabriella.
"Chase," she smiled and turned her head back to the dance floor.
"So, you're here alone?" he asked.
"No, actually. I'm meeting up with Sharpay and a bunch of other people,"
"Well, if she doesn't show up, you know where to find me," Chase shot her one of his famous lopsided smiles and started to run his hands along Gabriella's exposed leg. She was dressed in a skimpy outfit, a short, sparkly mini-dress and Chase's hand was creeping a little bit too far up. Gabriella sighed and pushed him away.
"Chase, come on. Stop it," she said exasperatedly. Immediately, he got up from his seat, positioned himself behind Gabriella, and wrapped an arm around her waist, his mouth close to her neck.
"I've got a car out back. You and me, come on. It's the end of the school year, don't you want to let off a little steam?" he suggested, pressing his lips to her cheek. "Let out a little frustration?" he whispered in her ear, dropping feather light kisses down her neck. Gabriella hated Chase, but she was still a young woman, after all. There was no doubt his touches were making her anxious.
"Chase, leave it. You and I are never going to happen," she shrugged him away, making him stagger a few steps back.
"Whatever, your loss, babe," he whispered in her ear once again, before joining the rest of the clubbers on the dance floor. Gabriella sighed, scanning the nightclub again for her friends. It was near impossible to find anybody she recognized, unless they came up to her. She took a sip of her vodka lime, waiting a minute, as she felt the alcohol run through her body. Surged with courage and brazenness, Gabriella made her way onto the dance floor. Her friends were still nowhere to be found, but that was alright, she could have fun on her own. She let herself go to the music, the beat and the rhythms taking over her body, as she swayed in time to the slow, sensual, R&B sound. She ran her hands through her dark brown curls, throwing her head back and her arms in the air, surrendering to the music. Suddenly, a pair of arms snaked their way around her waist. Gabriella's half-lidded eyes flew open and she instinctively clenched at the touch.
"Shh," a man's voice whispered in her ear. "Let's just dance," he said huskily. Gabriella stood, frozen for a moment. She knew she had two options: to run or to stay. Running would be the safer option. But Gabriella's intentions that night were simple: she wanted to go out, let loose, have fun, and not care. She had freedom and the liberty to do what she pleased. Two options and she debated them carefully as the man swayed sensually behind her, pushing away her locks to press his lips to her neck. Gabriella was used to men creeping up on her, especially in clubs, they didn't mean much. Two options and she was still deciding.
A/N: Alright, I changed the setting from East High to Albequerque University (AU). It's mostly because I want to deal with the characters in a more mature environment and I don't really want to get the parents all involved, although I'm sure there'll be some mention of them somewhere. Besides, things are always more interesting when there's a lack of parental supervision! Enjoy, read, and review, please!