The heavy heat stuck to the sweaty bodies of Lava Springs visitors. Adults lounged in the cushioned chairs that sat around the pool, while kids and teenagers splashed in the cool water. Gabriella Montez sat up in her lifeguard chair, dressed in her work attire. The cherry red one piece clung to her body, making her wish she was one of the children down below her lifeguard post. Sighing, she scooted her chair closer to the umbrella, soaking in the shade that cooled her down a bit.
Just another summer at Lava Springs... Gabriella thought in her head. This summer was different. She didn't come her to be with Troy. She came here to be with Finn. After her and Troy broke up last year, he wasn't around as much. He wasn't her friend anymore. They no longer talked. When they brushed past each other in the busy hallways, Troy didn't bother to look at her and she didn't bother to look at him. Things became bitter. Awkwardness filled the spaces between them. But, that didn't bother her. As long as she had Finn, she was good. He made her feel everything that Troy didn't make her feel. It was nice. It was where she needed to be.
"Psttttt." She heard a whisper from down below. "Gabriella."
Peeping over the edge, a smile formed on her face. "Finn!" She squealed, as she stepped off the steps that led down to the cement. Wrapping her arms around his neck, he picked her up and spun her around. As he put her down, she spotted the familiar light blue Lava Springs kitchen attire. "Kitchen duty?"
"Yeah." He smiled proudly, lifting up the uniform to her. "Cool, huh?"
She simply nodded and giggled. Gabriella rose on her tip toes to plant a kiss on Finn's lips. Just before she could, she heard a cough from behind them. "Troy." Of course.
Troy, dressed in his leather Italian shoes, khaki pants, and navy blue Lava Springs collar shirt, looked at the both of them. A plastered smile hung on his face. "Hey guys."
"Hey Troy." Finn greeted, wrapping his arm around Gabriella's tiny waist. He was well aware of what Troy and Gabriella had, and he wouldn't be surprised if Gabriella still had feelings for him. He gets it. They were in love. But, he knew that Troy ended it. It was still possible that Gabriella could get back together with him... that haunted Finn more than anything.
Troy glanced down at his watch, although he was full aware of what the time was. "Isn't your shift about to start, Finn?"
"Right." He nodded. He had to listen to Troy, he was his boss. So, he turned to Gabriella and pecked her cheek lightly. "I'll see you at lunch, ok?"
"Yeah." Pink flourished throughout her cheeks as she watched him scurry off. "I guess I'll get back to work too."
"Mhm." Troy hummed through his pressed lips. His oceanic eyes scanned Gabriella's body, then went to her face. Their eyes met, brown to blue and blue to brown. It was silent. After a brief pause, Troy smiled. "I guess I'll catch you later."
"Yeah." Gabriella nodded, her brown curls bouncing with her. And with that, she hopped back to her position.
Troy waltzed off back to his golf cart. This summer was different than last summer. Gabriella was no longer his, and that saddened him. Even though he was the one that broke up with her. He missed her. He missed her a lot. She was, after all, his first love. Now that he was the head man at Lava Springs, he wasn't going to let Gabriella and Finn near each other. A devilish smirk formed on his face as he drove off, ready to plot his plan.
