Troy Bolton.

Who is that, you may be wondering. Well, Troy Bolton is the boy who just recently turned my life upside down. How, you may be wondering. You see, Troy and I met during winter vacation, and by luck I just happened to transfer to his school. Through a series of confusing times, I found out that Troy wasn't just any old high school basketball player, and we ended up being chosen to star in East High's winter musical. That is putting it simple to the extent of how complex it really was to get where we are today.

So here there me, Gabriella Montez math geek extraordinaire, who wakes up one day and finds herself almost dating the most popular guy in school. Pretty weird huh? But it's not as easy as it sounds. It's not like when we got the parts in the musical, everything was all "happily ever after" or anything. It's hard keeping up with my life I'm spinning around in a blender of a new school and extra curricular activities to occupy my time. All this on top of . . . keeping my secret from Troy, and dealing with the fact that he hasn't exactly asked me out yet.

Frankly, I'm kind of a mess right now. My mom thinks I should quit the musical and focus on school and things that will "get me into a good university". I think she should mind her own business.

"Gab . . . Gabs wake up!"

I snapped back into reality at the sound of Troy's voice. Apparently, musical practice was over for the day, and I had spaced out through a scene I wasn't in. I giggled nervously. I looked up at him, messy brown hair and deep brown eyes, and smiled.

"Are you okay? You haven't seemed like yourself lately," he asked, the seriousness showing in his eyes.

"I'm fine Troy, really, I'm just tired," I tried to explain with a convincing tone, "There is a lot going on right now."

More than you'll ever know.

He smiled, poking my arm, "Wanna quit?"

"Not a chance!" I laughed, hoping he didn't notice the hesitation in my voice.

It was a normal day in New Mexico, not bad weather, not great weather. It kind of matched the way I was feeling right then. It was comforting being next to Troy, my first real friend at East High. Sometimes I wondered what went through his head, but I didn't dare ask for fear of being as blunt as he had been with me.

But I still didn't say much as we waited for the bus, or even when we were on the bus. Finally, he broke the silence.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" he asked, leaning back into the seat we were sharing.

"I don't know why you're pushing it Troy . . . it's nothing!"

"I know you, and I know you are never quiet like this with me."

You don't know me. You don't know my past, you don't know the real me.

"Will you just LAY OFF!" I scooted to the edge of the seat as the bus reached my stop.

Troy stared at the back of the seat in front of him, as if he had heat vision. I just sighed and walked off, almost stumbling down the steps. Standing on the side of the curb, his eyes pierced through me from a bus window.

Great, now I had something else to worry about.

I shuffled to the door of my house, almost in a daze. I wasn't even completely through the door yet when my mother attacked me.

"Gabriella! It's about time you got home!"

"Practice went late mom," I explained, shutting the door behind me.

"I'm getting tired of all this nonsense! I knew this would be too much . . . you already have enough to worry about."

I pretended like I didn't hear her, and poured myself a glass of milk. I stomped upstairs deep in thought.

Try being me mom.

The next day, I was in a lazy mood, and I knew that it would show to all my classmates. Besides the fact that I was wearing sweatpants and a ponytail, they would notice that I wasn't with Troy. I guess you could say . . . I was a little out of it as well.

As I roamed the halls before homeroom, I spotted Troy in the distance, in deep conversation with his best friend Chad. I quickly slipped to the side of the hallway, and stuck my nose in my history text book.

When they had passed, a loud voice startled me, "Why are you hiding from him?"

Sharpay Evans.

"Me hiding? I'm not hiding from anything, what are you talking about?" I asked, "I'm studying for my history test."

"Ah ha! The history test was yesterday, I'm in your class!"

"I'm pre-viewing the chapter."

She paced around me slowly, "There is something different about you Gabriella, and I just can't put my finger on it. . ."

I shivered. She stared at me as if she could see right through me. I started to walk away, and hoped she wouldn't follow.

"I got it! It must be those tacky sweatpants!"

Or not.

"Hey I'm worried about you," she admitted, in an almost normal tone of voice.

It was ironic that the girl who had just so recently wanted me dead was worried about me.

"Don't be worried Sharpay, nothings up, the musical will be fine. Is it your job as stage manager to scrutinize the cast?"

Yes, she had recently been appointed Miss Darbus Junior, also known as Stage Manager for the musical.

"No . . . it's just that . . . come on Gabriella! Everyone knows that Troy is your boy!" she giggled.

My boy? If she only knew my boy hadn't even officially asked me out yet.

"Zeke! There you are, I've been looking all over for you!"

What perfect timing Zeke. What a liar Sharpay is . . . she was busy interrogating me, not looking for Zeke. I watched as she linked arms with him and walked to class. Some people never change . . . but I secretly wished it were me and Troy.

I forgot one of my books, so I went back to my locker to get it. Chad's locker was a few down from mine, and I could feel him staring at me. Surely Troy had told him what happened, but as I looked up, there wasn't a look of anger in his eyes . . . it was a look of worry. I quickly hurried to homeroom, and didn't look back.

I drifted through the first few periods, and I managed to pay attention and keep up. I couldn't avoid my locker forever, so I returned right before my lunch period. Sure enough, Chad was also by his locker.

I got what I needed, and tried to make a quick escape. I could feel Chad walking behind me, and soon there was a hand on my shoulder.

"Gabriella, wait!"

I spun around to face Chad.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I . . . well . . . Gabriella, I know about Carlos."

My heart felt like it skipped fifty beats, and I could have died right in that hallway.

His words kept ringing in my head.

Gabriella, I know about Carlos.