Disclaimer: It's probably obvious, but I don't own any of the HSM characters or the cast or their related stuff.

Author's Note: So I'm back at FF after a bit of a hiatus. I had to finish my Zanessa story Start of Something New at another site because FF deleted it, but you can find the link to that story under my profile. Anyway, I can't stand the thought of writing another full length right now so I think it's one shots all the way for the next little while. And super happy romance ones, because I really tortured my characters in SOSN and I feel like I have to cleanse the palate before I get back to doing something like that again :)

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HSM Romance Challenge

Theme: Perfect

Straining up on her tiptoes, Gabriella peered into the upper window of the Boltons' front door. The house looked dark and still. Troy had said to meet him here at 8pm sharp, but she had tapped on the door three times and no one had answered.

"Troy?" she called softly. "Are you there?"

A light flickered on at the house next door and she cringed. Great. Coach Bolton is really going to love me if I get arrested on his front steps. She let out a sardonic laugh and angled her body over the side railing on the steps, trying to see in the living room window. Some birthday present, Troy.

But she couldn't help but smile at the thought of his name. Earlier today, he had walked easily up to her at her locker and kissed her, right in front of everyone.

"Happy birthday," he whispered, grinning at her as she came up for air. His arms still held her close, and she hit him lightly on the shoulder, smiling. He knew she hated public displays of affection… and she knew he loved pushing her buttons. But looking into those blue eyes, it was hard to be angry at him. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks," she said, grinning back and breaking their embrace to get her algebra homework out of her locker's top shelf. "And that's not bad as far as gifts go, Bolton."

He laughed. "Oh, you haven't even seen the start of it yet."

He leaned his arm against the locker next to hers and looked at her. "OK, birthday girl. Meet me at my house, eight o'clock. And don't be late. I have big plans." He pretended to explode something in his hands. "Huge."

"OK," she said, smiling.

He gave her an excited grin, then turned to walk away. And then suddenly, she saw him circling back. "Ohh…" she heard him say exasperatedly as he came back, wrapping his arms around her again. "You just make this so hard."

He leaned down, his lips meeting hers in another soft kiss. Her hands lifted softly into the hair at the nape of his neck and she could feel him sigh against her mouth. They broke apart and he kept her close, looking her in the eye. "OK. But that's it." He smiled. "Now eight o'clock. See you then."

And with that, he had walked away from her, turning to wave at her at the end of the hall and disappearing into his first class of the day. Eight o'clock, she had thought then, a grin on her face. I can't wait.

Except… now she was waiting. On the cold front steps of the Bolton house. And looking down at her watch, it was already 8:11.

She dug in her purse and lifted out her cell phone. Turning to face the street, she leaned against the door as she called Troy's phone.

And then suddenly, the door fell open and she hurtled backward into the Boltons' front alcove.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!" she yelled, landing with a thump on the tiled floor. On her side, she heard another voice shout, "Aaaaahhhhhh!" In the darkened room, she could see the shadow of something hurtling toward her… and then something soft and warm landed with a splat on her face. She lifted her hand to touch it and it crumbled. It felt like… cake.

And then Troy was standing over her, a stunned expression on his face and an empty cake plate in his hand.

"Oh my God." He flicked on the lights and put the plate on the floor, grabbing her hands and lifting her to her feet. "Oh my God, Gabi, I am so sorry…"

He hurried her into the upstairs bathroom, turning on the sink taps and rushing away to get something. In the mirror above the sink, Gabriella could see she was wearing a French vanilla cake with a light cream frosting. Suddenly, Troy was back with a soft towel in his hands. But he slowed down, wary, when he realized she was looking at him.

Tentatively, he spoke. "What?"

She grinned. "It's a good look for me, don't you think?" She flipped a frosting stained lock of hair over her shoulder. "I thought I saw something in Vogue about gold and white being in this summer."

There was a silence, and then he broke into a laugh, handing her the towel and sitting on the top of the closed toilet while she cleaned up.

His voice sounded sheepish. "I feel like an idiot," he said, putting a hand on the back of his head and looking down at the floor. "I knew you were out on the steps, but Zeke was late with the cake. He came in the back door, and I was taking it to the front room to surprise you. But then you came in like that, and I tried to stop you from falling… but I forgot I was still holding the cake."

"Actually, you were just holding the cake plate," she said, wiping her face with the towel and turning to him. "I think I got most of the cake right here." She wagged the towel at him and leaned her hip on the sink.

He looked up at her. "Did it at least taste good?"

"Surprisingly, I didn't think about trying it," she laughed. "But Zeke's an expert, so I assume it was up to the usual standards.

But she could see he was looking down again, disappointment slumping his shoulders. Oh, Troy. "Ahhh, Gabi," he said dejectedly. "I kind of had this all planned out. I even got my parents out of the house and everything. It's your birthday, right. I wanted this whole night to be perfect."

"Hey." She dropped the towel on the sink, kneeling down and looking him in the eye. He seemed uncertain, but she smiled. "Troy… you planning all this, thinking about me this way. It was perfect."

He grinned at her, seeming happier this time. Then she lifted up on her knees, put her arms around his neck and kissed him. She felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her close. When they broke free, she gave him a teasing look.

"Like I said before, that's not bad as far as gifts go, Bolton." She laughed softly.

His eyes twinkled. "And I told you---you haven't even seen the start of it yet." And smiling, he leaned forward to her lips again.

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Author's Note: ZING! OK, that was so much fun. Gotta think about the rest of them now, like how I'm going to make that death theme a super happy fun romance story!