The summer spent at Lava Springs was over and the gang returns for eleventh grade at East High.

"Alright! A new school year, and us Wildcats are gonna be even better than last year!" said Chad Danforth, as the Wildcat basketball team entered the school. He raised a hand to high five his best friend Troy Bolton but Troy was too busy looking around, searching for someone. He smiled when he spotted her by her locker.

"Hey!" Troy leaned against the locker beside Gabriella's.

"Hey," she grinned at him. Troy swooped down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Come on guys, no PDA!" Chad pretended to shield his eyes with his chemistry textbook.

"Is that a chemistry book I see in Chad Danforth's hands? Has knowledge finally entered your mind and replaced basketball?" said Tayler McKessie as she strolled over to meet Gabriella. Gabriella giggled at her comment.

Chad and Taylor had gone on one date to the after party of the basketball game the previous year. It went well, but they never officially started dating. They were of course more civil toward each other, but there was still the occasional banter between the two of them, along with multiple flirtations.

"Chad thought that if you saw him with a Chemistry book, you'd fall in love with him." Said Zeke. Chad used the Chemistry book to hit Zeke on the head. "Ow!"

"This is called coming prepared for a new year." Chad retorted. Taylor rolled her eyes and turned to Gabriella. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah. See you later Troy!" she kissed him on the cheek and left with Taylor.

"So uh….when are you planning to ask Taylor to be your girlfriend?" asked Troy.

"Uh, never? Dude, I do dates, not girlfriends!" Chad replied.

"I thought you like her?" said Jason.

"Yeah sure, like all other girls I date." Chad replied.

RIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGG

The boys groaned as the bell rang for first period – homeroom.

"Let's hope we don't get Darbus again or I'll-"

"Or you'll what Mr Danforth?" asked Miss Darbus as they stepped into the classroom.

"Uh…nothing Miss Darbus, just talking about how much I was looking forward to seeing you again!" said Chad, hurriedly taking his seat. The class erupted in laughter, which soon died down when Miss Darbus gave everyone a quelling stare.

During lunchtime, the students were broken up into their respective cliques at the different lunch tables. Though this year, there was a significant change as the table with the Scholastics Decathalon team had a change of seating arrangement and was now situated right beside the East High basketball team.

"So, has Chad asked you out yet?" asked Gabriella, taking a bite out of her sandwich.

"Oh puh-lease! He's probably too preoccupied with cheerleaders and basketball to even think about me." Taylor rolled her eyes.

"Come on, you know Chad likes you." Gabriella continued to tease her.

"We all know that he sees me only as a science geek who happened to just be one of the few girls he ask on dates." Said Taylor. Somehow when she said this, she felt slightly saddened. Why though? Why was she saddened? She didn't really know either.

"Hey beautiful," said Troy, as he came over and sat down beside Gabriella. Gabriella smiled and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Well you two enjoy yourselves, I'll just be in the chemistry lab." Taylor grinned, gathering her things and walking out of the cafeteria. Seeing Taylor leave, Chad got up and ran after her.

"Hey Taylor! Wait up!" Taylor stopped as Chad jogged to catch up with her.

"What's up?" she asked, resuming making her way to the chemistry lab with Chad falling in step beside her.

"I was just wondering if you'd like to go out for dinner this Friday." He asked.

"What, did the cheerleaders reject you or something?" Taylor asked, raising her eyebrows and grinning.

"No. For you information, they are dying to go out with me, but I happened to be feeling gracious enough to accompany you on Friday, seeing as Troy and Gabriella would probably be spending it together, and you would be alone." Said Chad.

"I happen to have other friends to keep me company other than Gabriella."

"Really? Hadn't noticed…."

Taylor shot him a look.

"Just kidding! So do we have a date?" Chad asked.

"Pick me up at 7…" Taylor sighed.

"Great! See you!"

A slight smile touched her lips as she watched him bound away happily.

A/N: hey guys! All reviews welcomed, good or bad! Thanks for reading!