A/N: Here's my newest HSM, Troyella one shot. I swear I'm going to become more active on this site again soon. I have so much stuff written, I just haven't gotten around to typing it. Anyway, enjoy! R&R! Thanks! –Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own HSM.

Drunk Mouths Speak Sober Minds

Gabriella was washing her dishes when the knock resounded through her front door. She frowned as she looked at the time lit up on her stove. She was not one to have visitors at this time of night. There weren't many people even awake at this time of night. She grabbed the dish towel off its rack and began to head for her front door. She left the towel on the counter as she exited the kitchen. She crossed the hall as the knock sounded again to a familiar. Dun da da Dun Dun, Dun Da.

Gabriella clicked on her porch light, flooding the space outside her door with light. One peek through her peep hole told her who her visitor was. She grumbled to herself as she unlocked her locks and slid the chain out of place. She pulled open her door to reveal a disheveled Troy Bolton, leaning forward and supporting himself with both arms on each side of her door frame.

"Gabby!" He exclaimed jovially, "You're awake!"

"Quiet down or my whole neighborhood will be as well," Gabriella responded in a whisper. "What are you doing here Troy?"

Troy grinned, "I wanted to see you."

Troy had leaned in closer and Gabriella caught a strong whiff of alcohol on his breath. She crinkled her nose, "You're drunk Troy. How did you get here?"

Troy glanced back at his truck now parked in front of her house and the bushy haired man running up her walk, "Chad drove me."

"I'm sorry!" Chad called out as he arrived breathless beside Troy. "I'm sorry."

"At least you're sober," Gabriella commented, folding her arms over her chest, "Can you explain please?"

"Well, we were out for Jason's pre-bachelor party and Troy had a few too many. I was trying to drive him home, but your house is on the way and he demanded we stop. When I tried to change his mind, he nearly killed us both by grabbing the wheel to make me turn on your street. Not to mention, I think I burnt rubber when he opened his door and tried to jump out before I could stop his truck in front of your house," Chad explained in practically one breath.

"Pre-bachelor party?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Out of all that—the drinking, us nearly dying, suicidal behavior, burnt rubber—that's what you picked up on?" Chad responded. He shook his slightly, "Kelsi has all these plans for a joint bachelor-bachelorette party, and we just wanted to show him a real good time for his last hoorah."

"So you were at a strip club?" Gabriella replied.

"No!" Troy suddenly exclaimed, looking animatedly offended.

"Just a bar," Chad answered.

Gabriella sighed, "Troy, you need to go home."

"But I want to talk to my bestest friend Gabby!" Troy pouted.

"Can you humor him for a minute, please Gabriella?" Chad asked hopefully, smiling slightly.

"Fine," Gabriella breathed reluctantly.

"Thanks," Chad clapped his hands. "Troy, buddy, I'll be in the car. When you're done, I'll take you home."

With that Chad disappeared back down her walk. The interior of Troy's truck lit up for a moment as Chad got in, but it darkened once he closed the door. Gabriella turned back to Troy who was grinning at her without pause. She put her hands on her hips as she watched him.

"Why are you here Troy?" Gabriella questioned.

Troy raised one finger to point at her, "I have a secret a secret to tell you. Come here, so I can tell you."

Gabriella took a single step closer, out onto her porch, "Okay, tell me."

Troy chuckled, "No closer silly."

"I'm close enough, Troy."

"I don't want anyone else to hear, though," Troy pouted.

Gabriella gestured around her, "There's no one else here Troy."

"Just come closer, please," Troy pleaded.

Gabriella sighed and took another step closer, leaving less than a foot between them, "How's that?"

"Perfect," Troy smiled.

"What's the secret, Troy?" Gabriella prompted.

"Gabriella," Troy responded, "The secret is…" He leaned forward and whispered next to her ear, "I love you."

Gabriella nearly laughed, "I love you too Troy, now it's time for you—"

"No," Troy cut her off, his voice suddenly serious. He leaned back and met her eyes directly. "I love you. I think since that first New Year's…remember how we sang together? You were so shy and beautiful, and you had such an amazing voice. I couldn't get you out of my head…I still can't. I'm in love with you and every time I try to tell you, I stop myself by thinking about all the reasons you couldn't feel the same way about me or why you wouldn't believe me…"

"Troy…" Gabriella murmured with her eyes wide.

He whipped around to face her. After the second 'I love you' he had began to pace. He seemed to be searching her eyes for something, "You do believe me, don't you?"

"I…" Gabriella paused for a second. She swallowed hard, "If you can come back here and say the same thing sober, then maybe I can believe you."

"But, Gabby…"

"It's time for you to go home. Chad's waiting," Gabriella replied, no longer meeting his eyes.

"Okay," Troy nodded slightly. "Goodnight Gabby."

"Goodnight, Troy," Gabriella reciprocated.

She retreated into her house and closed the door before Troy was halfway down her walk. Once she got all the locks back in place, she turned and leaned her back against the door. She brought her hands together over her mouth, and then as she took in a ragged deep breath she rubbed them over her face, pushing her hair back and out of her face. Finally, she had heard those words she had been wishing and waiting for, for years, and they had to come when he was drunk. Some people believed that when drunk, people would say things they couldn't say when they were sober—yet they were no less truthful. But Gabriella couldn't base something this important off drunken ramblings. She needed him to say it with a clear and coherent mind for her to be able to believe it.

Troy woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and a sneaking suspicion that he had done something he really shouldn't have the night before—more than just the numerous drinks of increasing alcoholic content. With one hand pressed against his temple, he rolled out of bed and stumbled down the stairs. He made a mental note to move the aspirin to his private bathroom from his kitchen cabinet. He was about to pass into his kitchen when a voice from his couch stopped him in his tracks.

"You look like crap, Bolton," Chad's voice carried over to him.

Slowly, Troy turned around to see Chad's amused face watching him over the back of his couch. Troy groaned slightly as the pounding against his skull continued. "I feel like it too."

Chad chuckled, "You remember last night?"

"Barely," Troy answered. "We were at a bar. There was alcohol…" Troy scrunched up his face. "Was Gabby there?"

"No," Chad shook his head, snorting as he tried to hold back his laughter.

"That's weird," Troy frowned, "I remember seeing her. Guess I was even more drunk than I though."

Troy continued into the kitchen and Chad jumped up to follow. Troy found the bottle of aspirin in one his cabinets and reached into another for a glass. He filled the glass with water. Chad hopped up to sit on the edge of the island in the center of the kitchen. Troy popped open the aspirin and poured a few into the palm of his hand. He closed the bottle and slid it across the counter. He dropped the pills into his mouth and swallowed them down with a gulp of water. He took a second sip of water as Chad spoke again.

"Gabriella wasn't at the bar, but we did make a pit stop at her house afterwards," Chad said.

Troy spit out the water in his mouth, spraying the wall in front of him. He sputtered "What?"

"I was driving you home and you insisted we stop. You had every intention of crashing the car if it was the only way to get me to pull over," Chad explained. "Clearly, I was in no position to argue."

"Oh my God," Troy replied. "What did I say to her?"

"I have no idea," Chad shrugged. "I waited in the car."

"Shit," Troy muttered. "I have to go."

Troy was halfway out his door, pulling on a jacket when Chad called after him, "Hey, can you take me home first?"

Troy stood on Gabriella's porch once again, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He had rung the doorbell and was waiting for her to answer the door. He repeatedly put his hands deep into his pockets and pulled them out again. Finally, the door was pulled open to reveal Gabriella. The expression on her face as she looked at him made him gulp. He swallowed hard, before forcing a weak smile onto his face.

"Hey Gabby," Troy said.

"Troy," She reciprocated. She had one hand on her half opened door as if ready to close it again at any moment.

"Can I come in?" Troy asked.

"I think it's in your best interest that I don't let you in," Gabriella answered.

"Alright," Troy nodded. "I just wanted to say, I, uh, don't remember much about last night. I know I showed up on your doorstep at a less than decent hour. I have no idea what I said to you and if I offended you at all…I'm sorry."

"You didn't say anything to offend me. Quite the opposite, actually," Gabriella responded. "But it's hard to believe anything you said because of how drunk you were."

"Could you maybe point me in the direction our conversation went?" Troy questioned, with his brow scrunched up in concentration. His time on Gabriella's porch was fuzzy and despite how hard he focused, he came up with nothing.

"You honestly don't remember what you said?" Gabriella exclaimed.

"I had a lot to drink," Troy shrugged even as he winced at her raised voice, "And I'm still a little hung over, so if you could keep you voice down, I would appreciate it."

"I should scream in your ear for saying what you did to me and then forgetting," Gabriella muttered. "The most important three words you can say to a person and you don't remember saying it. God, I knew I couldn't believe you."

Troy's eyes widened, "I didn't…"

"You did," Gabriella pursed her lips.

"Gabby…I…" Troy trailed off, staring at his feet.

Gabriella sighed, "You didn't mean it. I figured. You don't need to worry. I won't be hurt or anything."

"No, Gabby, you misunderstand," Troy shook his head. He raised his gaze to meet hers. "I meant it…I mean it. I can't remember saying it, but I can assure you that whatever I said, I meant it."

"Troy," Gabriella started.

"I've never been able to tell you, but that's how I feel. How I've felt for a long time," Troy cut her off. "I guess people are right to call it liquid courage."

Gabriella took a deep breath, "So, if that's how you feel…do you think you can say it again now? Now, standing here in front of me, completely sober?"

Troy took a step forward and took her hands in his, "Gabriella Montez, I love you."

Gabriella smiled widely, "I love you too, Troy Bolton."

"You do?" Troy responded.

"I do," Gabriella nodded, "And look at that, I didn't even have to be drunk to say it."

"You're hilarious, Gabby," Troy rolled his eyes.

Gabriella laughed as Troy pulled her swiftly into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She was still smiling when he brought his lips to hers for the first time.

She guessed they had been right when they said drunk mouths speak sober minds.