Take note: edited!

I DO NOT OWN HSM!


:: Real or Not Real ::

"No! I'm not gonna be with Marcus!" Gabriella protested! "I will never be with him. Never in a billion years!"

"But this is for you future. If you'll be with him, you're gonna be a Brooks! You'll be a Brooks! I just care for you," her mom explained.

"I don't care about his money. I don't care what my future will be if I'll ever be with him. I don't love him. I don't care about him. And one thing, you don't care about me. You don't care about us. Me, Jared and Caleb. Since you separated with dad and you don't even tell me the reason. I'm already sixteen. I know what's right from wrong. It has been six years. Six years of not telling me the truth," Gabriella shot back.

"I care. I give you money even though you're just spending them on those nonsense things you buy. I let you study in schools even you're not serious with it. I give you food when you're hungry. I give you shelter, a house to live on. What else?" her mom said.

"You give me money not leisure. Yes, you let me study in schools wishing that I'll never come back. You give me food not happiness. You give us a house but not a home. You don't even give me my freedom to do what I want. To love whom I love," she said.

Take those words back, Juno thought but she said nothing.

Gabriella stomped her way upstairs to her room and locked it.

Early that morning, about 6AM, Gabriella packed her clothes and went to her mother's car. She was so tired of her mother always telling her to forgive Marcus.

Marcus was Gabriella's ex-boyfriend. She doesn't love him. She just needed to be with him. He became her boyfriend just because of Juno and Rachel, Marcus's mom. Gabriella waited for the right time to end their bullshit relationship. That time came when Marcus invited her for a night just to be with him. Of course, Gabriella rejected his request. Every girl might want to be with him, to be his girlfriend, that is, except her. Because of her rejection, he took some other girls into the hotel. Perfect alibi! They broke with Gabriella's perfect reason that he was more interested with other girls other than her.
Gabriella thinks her mom wants her to forgive him just because of his fortune. Juno even made a fixed marriage between Gabriella and Marcus. And that fixed marriage made her even more rebellious. She became rebellious when her parents separated and even more rebellious when she knew about the fixed marriage.

Shaking her head, she entered her mom's car and began driving.

About who-knows-how-long hours of non-stop driving to nowhere, she heard a voice from the backseat. Looking in the mirror, she saw her brother, Caleb. "What are you doing here?!"

"Where are we going?" Caleb asked. "You've been driving for an hour, twenty-six minutes and uhmm..." he looked at his watch and said, "seventeen seconds."

Gabriella frowned with her teeth gritted, "Nowhere," she finally said.

"Where are you going? Why did you pack your things?" he asked again.

What is this boy doing here?! Gabriella thought. Suddenly, she heard another familiar voice beside her.

"Maybe, she's going to meet Marcus?" Jared suggested.

"Marcus? Well, maybe, since they're gonna be married soon," Caleb said.

"But, Gabriella, you're just sixteen, right?" Jared asked. "You're gonna be married at your super duper fantasticaliciously young age?"

"Fantasticalicious?" Gabriella released a heavy sigh and answered their questions. "Oh, well. First, I'm not gonna marry Marcus. I'm gonna be married with the guy I love, not Marcus, at the age higher than twenty-one. And I'm not going home until mom withdraws the marriage."

Caleb began computing some math and stopped listening.

"Second, why are you here?" Gabriella snapped.

"Twenty-one minus sixteen is..." Caleb computed.

"Four," Jared helped his brother.

"Yeah, four. Four years and you will be married," Caleb said.

"With whom? Jared asked.

"Argh... God, why did you give me brothers like them?!" Gabriella scowled.

"Maybe, you'll need us or we have an important role in your life," Caleb suggested.

"What IMPORTANT role is that? Being my annoyers, bad luck?! What?!" Gabriella asked emphasizing the woed 'important'.

"No one knows. It's only Him that knows," Caleb shot back.

"That's called destiny," Jared said.

"Then why's DESTINY so unfair to me? Mom, my own mother, wanted me to be with the guy I don't like. Dad, my own father, left us and I don't know why. And you two, Jared and Caleb, my own brothers, my own annoyers."

Jared and Caleb looked at each other and then to Gabriella and said in unison, "Don't know."

"Ugh..." Gabriella groaned, trying to focus on the road. She turned left going back where they came from.

"We're going home?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah, you're going home and don't tell mom I left, okay?"

"Okay, but you owe us 20 bucks," Jared said.

"For what?"

"For not telling mom you left," he said with a duh-tone. "Remember lately, when you're putting your suitcase at the trunk? Caleb and I already knew that you're going somewhere. Some place unknown until now. We did not tell mom about that. And if you send us back, then there is a possibility that mom might see you."

Smart kid, she thought. "How about 5?"

"Each? Sure!" Jared said just as he heard his stomach growling.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Well, yeah," Jared said.

"You want to eat?"

"Yes, I'm starving," Caleb said.

She turned left again going opposite the way home.

"You still owe us 5 bucks," Jared reminded her.

"Even I'm gonna buy you food?"

"Even you're gonna buy the whole resto," Jared said firmly.

These are Gabriella's brothers, Jared, 8, and Caleb, 5. They're cute, kind-hearted and smart. Jared has a dark brownish hair and dark chocolate eyes while Caleb has slightly lighter dark brown hair than Jared and dark chocolate eyes (A/N: Just imagine Mason and Jake Cibrian as Jared and Caleb Montez respectfully; pictures in my profile if you don't know them). Jared is the ultimate black-mailer while Caleb the prince.

In a pizza resto, Jared and Caleb are happily eating their pizza while Gabriella eating a frozen yogurt.

"Gabriella, can you buy me some fries?" Caleb said.

"Will you," she said.

"Will I what?" Caleb asked.

"The correct term for your question is 'will you', Caleb," she corrected her brother.

"Ah. Okay. Will you buy me some fries?" he asked.

"You're still hungry even after that?" she asked, pointing at the pizza box.

"Uhmm... yeah, and add some extra ketchup," Caleb ordered.

"Add 'please', Caleb. Gabriella's older than us. And even those younger than you. Add please if you want something from them," Jared corrected his brother.

"Okay. And, please, add some extra ketchup," Caleb said.

Gabriella groaned. She stood up and bought some fries and put extra ketchup as Prince Caleb ordered. But as she walk back their table, thinking where they will go next, a girl ran across her which made her out of balance. Then a guy, running after the girl, calling her Karyll, bumped onto Gabriella. The fries, with extra ketchup, flew up the air and landed onto Gabriella's shirt.

She looked at shirt with great terror. The guy stopped. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Uh-oh. This is gonna be a big, big trouble," Jared and Caleb said in unison.

"I didn't mean to-"

"Oh, dang! Look what you've done to my shirt!" Gabriella yelled.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

"You're saying you didn't mean it?!"

"It was an accident."

"An accident?!"

"Well, yeah, an accident. I was running after-"

"Karyll, your girl, and you-"

"Kylie's not my girl. She's my sister."

"Whatever. But you didn't look on your way!"

"Sorry..."

"Sorry yourself!" Gabriella yelled. She put ketchup from her shirt to the guy's face.

"Hey!"

Gabriella didn't mind even there were lots of people watching them. She took a ketchup bottle and sprayed its content onto his shirt.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"Messing up your shirt like what you did on mine," Gabriella explained.

"Hey, Troy!" Karyll called as she entered. When she saw her brother, "What the?!"

"Hey, Kylie. She'll drench you with her ketchup!" Troy warned.

"So, the bumper's name is Troy, huh? Well, Troy, if you feel all sticky because of the ketchup, it's. All. Your. Fault!" Gabriella yelled as she stomped her way to her mom's car to get some clothes.

"We're sorry about what our sis done," Jared apologized.

"That's your sister?" Troy asked.

"Well, yeah. She's Gabriella. Well, forgive her of what she's done. She just gets so upset when things like that happens especially when it comes with her outfit. Girl stuffs," Caleb answered.

"I understand, but drenching me with ketchup, well, that's another thing."

"That's why we're apologizing, right? Well, I'm Jared."

"And I'm Caleb."

"I'm Troy as you've heard. She's my sister," smiled then pointed at Karyll with his thumb.

"Hi, I'm Karyll but you can call me Kylie if you want," Karyll greeted, the smile on her face resembling Troy's.

"Hi, Kylie," the brothers said in unison.

Gabriella entered again holding a shirt. "Wait for me. You two, stay away from that bumper."

"Okay, Gabriella," they answered as they took three steps backwards.

"You're afraid of your sister?" Karyll asked.

"No, not afraid, just...scared...of her possible deadly stunts and all that," Caleb answered.

"Ugh... I feel all sticky," Troy said reluctantly. "With all these ketchup on my face and shirt? It think we should go home for a shower, sis."

"Nope. Not until you apologize," Karyll said.

"But she won't even listen to me."

"She's listening. It may be hard to believe but she is," Jared said.

She is?! Yeah, maybe, to find the greatest timing to make me swallow a time bomb or drink a dam of acid or drench me with her laser ketchup, Troy thought. "Yeah?"

"Patience, Troy," Karyll reminded.

"Yeah, patience. Like dad said," he said.

Gabriella went out the rest room holding her dirty shirt. "Wash that," she ordered as she dumped it on him.

"Then, wash mine," he replied as he removed his shirt making him topless.

God, he looks good.

"Are you crazy?! You were the first to dump ketchup!"

"It was an accident and I said I was sorry!"

"Troy," Karyll said sternly.

He groaned."Okay, you win. Sorry. Can we go now?" he said like he was force to say those.

"Leave if you want to leave. No one stops you," said Gabriella.

Troy and Karyll began to walk away, Gabriella's phone rang.

"Bring back my car!" Juno yelled that Gabriella actually lowered her phone. She yelled that loud that even Troy heard it.

What is she up to? Gabriella mouthed to her brothers.

"Obviously, her car," Caleb whispered.

"I'll give it back when we're somewhere you don't know," Gabriella shot back.

"Where are you?" she lowered her voice. "You're going out with Marcus today."

"I can't tell and I will not. And you can't tell me what I should do with my life. You're not my organizer, my assistant nor my secretary."

"Give the phone to Jared or Caleb."

Gabriella gave it to Jared.

"Hi, mom!" Jared greeted.

"Where are you?"

He looked up to her sister, shaking her head, and replied to her mom, "Gabriella doesn't want me to tell."

"Give the phone back to her."

"Bye, mom," Jared said as he gave back the phone.

"Where are you?!"

Gabriella ran towards Troy and said, "I'm with my real boyfriend, Troy. Here he is," she said as she gave him her phone.

Troy frowned. He exactly doesn't know what's happening.

Seconds before, they were like cats and dogs but now she's claiming him as her real boyfriend.

Pretend to be my boyfriend, Gabriella mouthed him.

Troy raised one eyebrow and said, "Hello? This is Troy, Gabriella's boyfriend."

"Troy, bring back my daughter."

"Troy, you look hot while you're topless," Gabriella said making sure her mom heard it.

Eew, Caleb mouthed.

It is, Gabriella mouthed back.

"Really? It's nice of you to say that!" even in his own ears, he sounded like stupid doing something really gross with her with her brothers around them.

That was gross, Jared mouthed.

Think of something you wouldn't even imagine I would do with him, Gabriella mouthed them.

"Mom, Gabriella's kissing Troy!" Caleb cried. "They're making out!"

Yuck was all Gabriella, Troy, Jared and Karyll can comment about that. The grossest thing Gabriella ever heard.

Troy gave Gabriella's phone back. "Wait a minute, Troy. So, what, mom?"

"Go home with my car, now!" Juno ordered.

"I'm not going home but I will send you your car."

She walk few steps away from them at least they couldn't hear what they're talking about.

"You stole your mom's car?" Karyll asked Jared.

"We did not! We just borrowed it but we will give it back."

"When?"

"When we're somewhere she doesn't know."

"Why are you hiding from your mom?"

"I guess it's Gabriella who is more capable of answering that question..."

Troy was not that interested on when they will bring back their mother's car. He's more interested on why she'd pretended that he's her boyfriend. Real boyfriend actually. On why they'd lied to their mom that way. Maybe, they're avoiding something or whatever it is. The clear thing is they don't want what is happening.

In a whisper, Juno reminded Gabriella, "Gabriella, you know you will soon marry Marcus. He's your fiancé. Don't let him down."

"I'm not letting anyone down. You make me down."

"Go home with my car, now," Juno ordered calmly.

"You know, I think Caleb got his prince attitude from you. I'll send you your car tomorrow. Toodles!" Gabriella hung up.

"Was that you mom?" Troy asked.

"Obviously, yeah. She's the spookiest mother I know. Wish yours is not like her."

"Luckily, she's not."

Gabriella signaled her brothers into the car. "Thanks for the acting. You can apply as a Hollywood actor. By the way, you look uhmm...cute. But don't you ever think you're forgiven just because you helped me with my mom and I think you're cute cause you're not. You still have to wash that shirt and give it to me."

Before she entered the car, she looked back at Troy and Karyll and said, "Toodles!" Then she entered and left.

Troy smiled.

Karyll snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Troy, you still have ketchup on your face."

"She's not that bad."

"Troy. Troy.. Troy... Troy!"

"What?!"

"You weren't listening! Oh, Candace," Karyll said as she pointed to a girl walking towards them.

"Hi, Troy! Hi, Karyll," Candace greeted.

"What are you doing here?" Troy asked.

"'What are you doing here?' already? No 'hi's' nor 'hellos?'," the blonde asked. "By the way, tell Hamilton I said 'hi'. And with Evan and Erien, I have some treats for them," she told Karyll.

"Oh, I will and you don't have to with the kids. They have lots," Karyll smiled, hiding her annoyance.

"There's nothing between us now. I already ended our relationship last week, remember?" Troy reminded her.

"Can't we forget that and start again?"

"No and never in my life again. You quitted and I was just waiting for that for a long time."

"When you speak, it seems like you have found someone..." Candace said.

"Yeah, I found her and she's a lot better than you," he said taking a short glance past Candace to have a glimpse of the car the brunette he had an argue with just a moment before.

"Who is she?"

"Well, that's a mystery you may solve," he said as he and Karyll walk away towards their car.

"By the way, Troy showed her to me a while ago. She's some kind of a girl I would like my brother to end up with and may I just add, she's...simply amazing," Karyll mocked before entering their convertible and drove away leaving a fuming Candace alone at the parking lot.

"Better than me, huh? We'll see..."


Author's Note:

So, this is my first so don't criticize me! Ok, well, you can review and tell me what you think of it :)

HSM is not really in this, just some of the characters... Whole different plot, that is, and whole different drama!

P.S. don't worry of Gabriella being so...wild in here. She's sweet and innocent just like in HSM, it's just because of her situation that made her a bit bitter :)