Christmas Magic

To: Kristen

Love: Secret Santa

At six years old Gabriella Montez was a little too short to reach the top of the Christmas tree. Jump as she might she could barely meet half way but even stumbling into the winter green branches didn't seem to deter her in her efforts.

Maria Montez looked on, trying not to laugh at the sight. Gabriella always had ambition, that was one thing that she was sure of.

After several minutes she finally decided to put the young child out of her misery and so she lifted her up to her own height where the little girl just about managed to extend her arm and place the golden angel at the very summit, crowning the tree in glowing festive glory.

Gabriella, the spitting image of her mother looked on in awe, her dark hair alive with the warm glow of the fairy lights and her bright brown eyes twinkling with what she could only describe as 'Christmas magic'.

From that moment on she was a believer in such things despite protests from the world around her.

When her mom found out that there would be no more transfers from work.

When she finally managed to make a great group of friends, who liked her for her just as she liked them for them.

When he first walked into her life and they shared a song, a glance, a moment.

When they broke down the boundaries the world had put in place and when he promised her that they would make forever their own.

All the while she wondered, could it be magic?

When Maria was told that she would have to be moved again after all Gabriella had decided to accompany her mother out to the east coast, and chose a college there.

When she lost all of her friends in the haze of growing older and when she was never quite good enough to fulfil all of her dreams and meet her own standards she questioned her beliefs.

And when he seemed to disappear into oblivion along with their love she made a promise, a promise that acknowledged defeat to the concept of 'happy ever after'. She was never destined for magic and she would never hold out for it again.

Washington Dulles International Airport 24th December 201726 year old Gabriella Montez had just found a seat among the sea of people caught up in the frantic Christmas rush when her flight number was called for boarding. Sighing heavily and rolling her bitter chocolate eyes to the heavens she stood up and straightened out her skirt before gathering her hand luggage and making her way to the gate.

It was literally freezing outside but the 'weather' indoors was another matter. Clammy people-heat had condensed itself against every glass surface and a horrible nauseous feeling swept over her as her feet carried her right into the back of another passenger. Looking up she came face to face with a large woman, coated in fur with beet red cheeks and sweat gathering on her forehead.

"Oh, sorry, I…" she tailed off as the woman shoved her way towards the front of the queue looking some what dishevel and rather like a large bear on the rampage. She found that intolerable heat often made people that way: Irritable and ready to attack at the opportune moment.

"Sorry…again?" she called, but she doubted that she was heard over the drone of voices, complaints and general airport noise, whatever that was.

So she waited in silence with her ticket in hand, trying to see the bright side. At least she wouldn't have to return to work over the Christmas week and had the time to return to San Diego to spend the winter holidays with her family. Maria had finally settled there after a further 3 years of travelling the country and Gabriella had thought it quite fitting that her mother had, at long last, found a place to call 'home'.

Thinking back further, a slight smile spread across her rose tainted lips for the first time that day, and indeed in some time. It was her 'Albuquerque smile'.
She knew Albuquerque would always be the one place where she truly belonged. However, any sense of belonging was reserved for dreams these days and as she ran her narrow fingers through her raven hair, it was more difficult than ever to pretend that she had never dared to dream at all.

She had long ago concluded that it would have been better never to have loved than to have loved and lost.

So against the current, she took a step forward in the line, suddenly feeling the bitter wind battering through the tunnel and wishing she was back inside, warm and cozy and sweating bucket loads.

Such irony.

Sinking into the seat of the plane Gabriella laid her head back against the cushioned fabric until the small child in the row behind her kicked the back of the chair with a ferocity she had never imagined possible for someone so little.

The plane was just making its accent into the dense air and she tried to ignore the popping sensation at the core of her ears. She had never been a good flyer at the best of times.

Trying to occupy her mind she looked around, noticing the 'greyness' of everything. The entire inside body of the plane was grey, the seats were grey, she was even wearing grey and she wondered where all the color had gone. In her moment of epiphany she almost hadn't realised that the hostess with the trolley was just about to pass by. Almost.

She was always first to accept alcoholic refreshments and she wasn't about to let today be the exception. Sorrow found her too often in this life and it eased the pain.

She had lost herself long ago, at one point she had swore she left it in Albuquerque when her mom was transferred out to New York. In Albuquerque she had friends, she had ambitions and most of all she had Troy. Now, alone in Washington, she had none of that.

Her life was an empty shell; none of her neighbours knew her name, she worked a nine to five job in an office that she couldn't stand and worse still, she couldn't imagine it ever changing.

She had accepted that her dreams were futile and a struggle against a greater power that she couldn't match: Because when your young everyone thinks that they could be the one to do it, to make it through but things change, people grow apart and the sooner we accept the harsh reality the sooner it becomes less harsh and simply reality.

This was her reality, her destiny.

Flicking her long wavy hair from her eyes she sank back into her seat, deciding not to dwell on what might have been, it was fuel for nothing but disappointment.

Turning her attention to the window she swore that even from 30,000 feet above she could still see the new snowflakes christen the ground with their elegant charm and she knew it was Christmas. Within 20 minutes a gentle sprinkling of snow dust had turned into an almighty blizzard and all Gabriella could see was white, for miles around. It had an eerie beauty about it, peaceful serenity almost like the inside of a snow globe.

Her thoughts were cut short when a member of the cabin crew came out to make an announcement. The tall blonde girl removed her hands from her pockets before speaking.

"Ladies and gentlemen, due to unforeseen bad weather we will be forced to make an immediate landing."

She cleared her throat before continuing somewhat apprehensively.

"We will be descending into Albuquerque International Airport in approximately 10 minutes time. I would like to ask everyone to remain calm and I apologise for any inconvenience caused…"

She continued speaking but Gabriella had stopped listening after that. " Fantastic" she thought to her self, this really was all she needed on Christmas eve, and apparently she wasn't alone in those sentiments.

Groans erupted up and down the aisle as everyone contemplated the consequences of putting a hold on Christmas while the hostess attempted to remain polite in her responses.

"What!! I've made plans for Christmas, I need to be in California tomorrow!" one man shouted angrily above the rest, obviously infuriated at the situation. "Is there no alternative transport?!"

"I need to see my kids…it's Christmas!" another huffed, slouching back down into his seat.

She closed her ears to the buzz around her and although she couldn't say she was best pleased with the situation, she wondered when Christmas became so loud and obnoxious?

Albuquerque International Airport 24th December 2017The mob of people were shown swiftly to a large waiting area that already seemed jam packed. Gabriella could only imagine that hers wasn't the only flight grounded because of the snow. It had to have been the worst blizzard that she had ever seen and apparently it was hovering over almost half of the country.

Through the large glass panel windows of the lounge she could see white hills gliding gracefully beneath the sapphire sky. It was a shame that its utopian beauty was frowned upon for the sake of inconvenience.

A member of airport staff was stood up front, he was short in stature but his voice bellowed around the room, filling every corner and commanding silence.

" Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I would like to once again apologise for any inconvenience but I'm afraid that we don't have any more information that the present moment than what you will have already been told.

We can't allow any air travel in these conditions, so until the weather improves significantly then I will have to ask everyone to remain in this waiting area."

He ignored the groans filling the room, the hands been thrown up in the air and the abuse being shouted at him as he continued speaking over the noise.

"Unfortunately, it has not been possible to arrange any bus services due to heavy traffic on the roads and general unsuitable driving conditions. As soon as we have any more information I will come back and let you all know."

The man then continued to drone on about a food coupon but she had once again lost interest. From the sounds of things it seemed like they would be stuck here for a while so she thought it best to seek out a seat. Finally finding one at the back of the room she took her place next to a dark skinned woman on one side and a business man on the other.

The girl beside her was sitting with a baby in her arms and a man who she guessed was her partner beside her.

As she looked up Gabriella was just about to turn away, embarrassed to be caught staring jealously into someone else's life when it dawned on her who the girl was and before she knew it she too had been recognised.

"Gabi?!" Taylor practically shouted, before toning her voice down to meet the acceptable noise standard of the lounge.

"Oh my goodness, its been too long! Wha..how..how are you?" she finally got out through her evident surprise.

Taylor still looked exactly the same, if just a little older. She still had her preppy look and her shoulder length dark hair and her wide bright smile.

"You know…were stuck in an airport…at Christmas, but I'm ok thanks." she offered feigning a slight laugh while trying to avoid the root of the question.

"How are you more to the point" she shot back, attempting to change the subject. She often got uncomfortable when she was the topic of conversation.

"…and you have a baby?" she couldn't help but add. It seemed so strange, like they were in a time warp and she almost forgot that Taylor was 27 years old.

Taylor laughed and smiled again. It was so nice to see her, and to see her happy at that.

"I'm great thanks, and this is Grace. And this, this is my husband Steve." she finished, pulling the smartly dressed man beside her into the picture.

It turned out that Taylor was waiting for a flight out of Albuquerque. She had been visiting her mom on Christmas eve and they were off to see Steve's family for Christmas dinner in Michigan.

They had met at Harvard, and had been together ever since. It seemed like the most perfect romance and Gabriella conceded that there were few more deserving of the fairytale life than Taylor McKessie, or Dr. Anderson as she now was.

Looking up from their conversation, she seen another load of people flock in, as some of them made their way up to the back were there appeared to be more room. Instantly both girls recognised another familiar face among the crowd, or more to the point, familiar hair and he had seen them too. Walking towards them, both girls found themselves smiling at the approaching figure, calling coincidence and thanking luck for the chance encounter.

His hair was pulled back, and a lot tamer than they had remembered but it was still unmistakeably Chad.

Hugging Gabriella he then went on to smile at Taylor, and then gracefully at Steve with all the courtesy and charm in the world. It warmed her heart to know that even though both Taylor and Chad had moved on there was no awkwardness about the past and that their friendship still ultimately prevailed.
It turned out that Chad was doing pretty well for himself. He wrote a regular sports column in a respectable Albuquerque news paper, and had appeared as a guest journalist on TV several times, covering a variety of sporting events. He was actually flying out to New York to spend the holidays with his family who had moved there several years ago.

"And you will never believe who was sitting in front of me on the plane" Chad continued.

Gabriella could definitely sense a tone of excitement in his voice and a smirk in his eyes that he only got when he had big news to share.

"Who?" The girls asked in unison, wondering about the exact source of Chad's enthusiasm.

"I think they just went to check something with…"

But he was cut short and was left with no need to continue as a cat like scream filled their ears and they instantly recognised the clicking of heels against the floor, rushing towards them at a speed that could rival that of light.

Chad too turned around to see that Sharpay and Ryan had both found him again after being separated in the rush.

Typically so, Sharpay was dressed from head to toe in pink, and not just any pink, designer pink. Meanwhile, Ryan's signature hat still adorned his head just as snugly as she had always remembered. She wouldn't have expected anything less.

"AGHHHH! I can't believe were all here…now…here…now…"

"Breath Shar." Ryan interrupted. "Breath." and everyone laughed, recalling exactly how dramatic their friend tended to get. Truthfully, they wouldn't have her any other way but admitting that didn't seem like the way to go.

She was the queen of fashion in New York, business savvy and charismatic in her endeavours, looking to take her boutique lines out on the catwalk this coming spring. She even had a spread in last months Elle Magazine.

He was the award nominated choreographer, not even scratching the surface of his full potential and yet still set to take Broadway by storm.

She always knew they would have it all even if it came one bit at a time: New York today, tomorrow the world.

And standing with all of her friends she realised something that she already knew, but had never quite wanted to admit.

She was just Gabriella. No titles. No awards. No magazine spreads. All of which left her feeling like a significant underachiever in their presence.

As they continued to catch up Gabriella was reluctantly coerced into informing them of how, after college she had moved out to Washington, looking for the high flying career her mother had always wanted for her and ending up too tangled in those aspirations to reach the top.

Taylor corrected her.

"Yet."

It was nice speak to someone who had faith in her, it was refreshing after so long without it. Looking around the group the others all nodded in agreement and she smiled again. She smiled her 'Albuquerque smile' and let it linger on her lips for a moment too long.

And it felt good.

They found a comfortable pocket of silence among all of the noise around them and she just sat and absorbed the moment until it was broken by a sixth voice, coming from behind her.

"Gabi?" he questioned, his voice deep and laced with velvet and she instantly spun around. There was no way that she could ever forget his voice. No way that she could ever forget him.

She was met with the same cobalt blue gaze that had been ingrained in her memory ever since she first met him. Like the ocean, full of beauty and mystery, enthralling her in its waves.

He looked exactly the same as he always had. Sure, he seemed taller, and his hair was shorter and definitely more tidy but he still smiled at her with that same crooked grin and with a look that he only reserved for her.

"Troy…" she breathed, not quite believing what she was seeing, questioning the coincidental nature of everything that was happening, but at the same time not wishing it was any different.

Smiling round at the other members of the group now gathered on the floor he was pounced on by Sharpay who engulfed him in a hug before allowing him to greet the others accordingly and then return to Gabriella, settling his smile on her. It had seemed like forever ago that their eyes last met and neither wanted to be the first to look away now, breaking their connection.

Everyone seemed to know that Troy had made it big playing in the NBA. A few autograph seekers gathered around and Troy wilfully obliged. Fame hadn't changed him and that thought comforted her and she smiled again. It wasn't often that she smiled three times in the one day but today was definitely an exception.

It seemed that she wasn't the only one who had lost contact. In talking to everyone it immerged that they all lived completely separate lives, away from each other, each ruing the loss of their friends, wondering why and how and questioning what had brought them all together again.

It was sad. That was the only way that Gabriella could describe it as she played with a strand of her long dark hair. It was sad. Sad because these friendships were supposed to live on, past high school and into the future.

"Looks like we have ourselves a wildcats reunion!" Chad beamed and the others laughed, a touch of nostalgia in his words that touched them all.

After talking for what seemed like hours Chad went off with everyone's complementary food coupon in search of the promised free snacks claiming that he was 'starving'. Some things never change.

Taylor and Sharpay went to find the nearest bathroom and Ryan, along with Steve and baby Grace went for a walk to stretch their legs.

Only Gabriella and Troy remained and as they moved from the floor into the now vacated seats silence again ensued, covering them like the snow blanketed the ground outside. They hadn't been alone together in years, literally, and it seemed that neither wanted to speak first.

Gabriella sat, now picking at her nail beds while Troy glanced around, apparently 'people watching'.

"I've missed you." he finally spoke, turning to face her, sighing slightly, wondering why he had ever let her go.

"I've missed you too…" she replied after some time, looking up to meet him as he placed a hand on her arm that was resting between both chairs.

She had been the one to end their relationship, not because she didn't love him, but because she loved him too much. She had guessed it would be to hard to be apart form him and too much to ask of him to settle for those terms either.

"I never wanted to leave you know…I just…I didn't have a choice, I…" she tried to explain, but she didn't have to, he understood. He always did.

"None of this is what I wanted, this life isn't what I wanted…"

"And what do you want?" he asked, gently enquiring even though he knew her well enough to know the answer.

By this point they had stood up and were walking towards the large glass window and as Gabriella leant against it, the cold from outside froze her skin, stinging her.

"Every one else has made something of their lives Troy…I just…I'm just Gabriella." She looked up at him, her eyes glossy and wide and painfully begging him to see exactly what she seen her self as. Nothing of any importance.

Her hair still shone that glossy shade of midnight but her chocolate eyes that he loved so much looked far less alive, life used to dance in them and now there was just emptiness.

If the eyes truly are the window to the soul then hers was hurting. In truth his was too because he longed to be with her always and in every moment of his life.

Looking into his azure orbs she seen the reflection of love that had been missing all these years and his words, though slightly choked and questioning caught her breath with their heartfelt power.

"And what the hell is wrong with being just Gabriella? I don't even think you realise how special that would make you."

He spoke the last part in hushed tones, almost whispering as he moved closer to her, longing to be within reach of love again. He possessed a sincerity that always captured her attention and drew her in, leaning towards him and taking in everything that she had yearned for.

The smell of him was intoxicating, suffocating her in ecstasy and as he ran his hand through her smooth hair they inched ever closer, approaching the moment they had both dreamed of since they parted.

"I want everything we ever dreamed of, to reach the stars, to love again." she sighed, her words hitching in her throat as his forehead touched hers.

"I want to be with you."

Their lips met in a moment of pure bliss, soft yet full of passion, making up for lost time and contemplating the time they still had ahead of them. His nose grazed hers, causing her to melt even further into him than she already was and she felt familiar sparks as his arm encircled her tiny waist, pulling her closer and closer.

She wasn't about to let go again, she simply couldn't.

She closed her eyes, returning to that time where she was little girl again, the one who had placed the angel on top of the tree and revelled in the wonder of it. The one who dared to dream and always dreamed big at that. The one who swore she would shape her own future in a way that left her holding the world in the palm of her hand.

Resting her head against his strong chest, she breathed out, feeling re-embodied and whole at last. It was like she had found her self again, and it was then that she realised that they were all a part of her, more so than she had ever imagined.

Taylor was the one who shared her intellect, shared her passions and her mind.

Chad always knew how to make her laugh.

Sharpay was the drama queen who would give her the confidence she needed to reach the stars.

Ryan would pick up the pieces when things didn't always go to plan.

And Troy was all of that and more. Her heart and her soul and the reason for her very existence.

It seemed so simple now: She wasn't complete without them.

Lifting her head from its resting place she and Troy walked hand in hand to where the others were again sitting, knowing that this day would have to go down in history as the best 'worst Christmas' ever.

And so it was that as the dawn broke, six old friends gathered together in the town where the all found their true beginnings and two old flames burned bright again, a light for the world this Christmas. And with empty promises of yesterday long forgotten, she knew she needn't even ask:

Could it be magic?