A/N High School Musical Settings and Characters all belong to Kenny Ortega and Disney. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

A/N Camp Rock Settings and Characters all belong to Matthew Diamond and the Disney. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Nervous, Gabriella Torres was nervous. Her parents had just called a family meeting, and Gabriella had learned the hard way how horrible family meetings were. When she lived with Maria and Axel family meetings usually meant Maria did something wrong and tried to hide it, but then Axel found out and tried to find out who did it. Maria would blame it on her, and then her father would beat her until she was black and blue all over while her mother would stand there mouthing 'I'm sorry' over and over again. Now that Gabriella was older she knew Maria was never actually sorry.

Nobody knew that story. It was a secret she had kept to herself for years.

So now she sat on the couch with her sister Mitchie waiting anxiously for the news.

Connie and Steve came in and sat down on the love seat. "Thanks for coming girls. Now Gabriella since this is your first family meeting we will go over a few rules."

"I didn't do it," Gabriella said automatically. "Whatever it is I swear I didn't do it. Please don't hurt me."

"Gabriella, Honey, nobody is in trouble. Nobody is going to hurt you." Steve told her. "This isn't a meeting about punishing anyone. It just about serious subjects."

Connie and Steve were used to Gabriella's outbursts. They have become less frequent since they first adopted her, but every now and then something new would happen, and Gabriella would panic right away.

"I'm sorry," Gabriella whispered looking down at her hands. "Continue."

"Well as you girls know your senior year is almost over. That means we need to discuss college. Have you girls gives any thought to it?"

"Julliard, of course. I've already filled out my application and sent it in. I'm just waiting to hear back."

"That's great, Honey. Now do you have a backup plan just in case you can't get into that one?" Connie asked.

"Yeah. I also sent one to U of A, so I can be close to home."

"Perfect. Gabriella, how about you? Have you given any thought to college?"

Gabriella shrugged and didn't speak. Connie and Steve knew by now it was a sign of her shutting down. They also knew because of her past the topic of college was going to be a tricky one.

"Honey, if you haven't that's ok. You can be honest. We just want to know." Connie said.

Steve knelt down in front of Gabriella. "If you don't want to go then we aren't going to force you. If you do want to go then we need to know which one you want to go to so we make sure we have enough money to send you."

Gabriella glared. "Why? Why would you spend your money to send me to an expensive college? Wouldn't you rather use that money on yourself? Daddy, you can buy a new guitar. I know your old one isn't working as well. Mommy, you could buy anything you wanted. You could have the latest and greatest cooking stuff and upgrade your bus to the latest, and greatest bus with all the high tech stuff. Why would you spend it on me!"

"Because we love you, Sweetie. We want you to have the best education possible." Connie said.

"You can spend it on yourself, and you'll be a lot happier."

"Gabriella," Steve said sternly. "Look at me, please."

Gabriella looked to Steve.

"We aren't Maria and Axel. You don't live with them anymore. When you're happy, it makes us happy. That's why we want to spend our money to make sure you get into the college of your dreams."

Tears filled Gabriella's eyes, and she shook her head. "The second I tell you a school and the second you see the price you won't want me anymore. You'll send me right back to Maria and Axel!"

She stood up and ran out the door.

Connie and Steve sighed.

"Shouldn't we go after her?" Mitchie asked.

"No. Let her go. She's going to Troy. He'll make her feel better." Steve said.

Steve was right. Gabriella arrived at Troy's house to see him in the backyard playing basketball with his dad. She smiled at the sight and instantly felt better. She slowly walked over.

Troy was just about the make a shot when he saw Gabriella in the distance. He looked to his dad. "Time out, Gabriella is here."

He ran over and picked her up, swinging her around. She squealed in giggles.

He set her down and kissed her forehead. "Hey, how's my favorite girl?"

She shrugged softly and looked back to the floor. Troy turned to look at his dad. "Can we have some time alone?"

"Sure. I'll be inside." Jack said and went inside.

Troy gently lifted Gabriella's chin to look at him. "What's going on, Angel?"

"I got into a fight with Connie and Steve."

"I'm sorry, Baby. May I ask what it was about?"

"College."

Troy inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. He knew the topic was going to be a hard one for Gabriella since her mother abandon Gabriella because she didn't want to have to pay for Gabriella to go to college. "Baby, being honest with them is always the best way to handle these conversations."

"How do I do that?"

"Tell them the truth. Tell them the conversation about college is hard for you because of what happen with Maria. You can tell them that at this point in time you're not ready for college, and you'd like to wait. They will respect it."

"It's not just about Maria, Troy," Gabriella said softly.

"Then what else?"

"What Maria did to me is a big part of it, but…but the other reason is also that I don't want to go away." Her voice cracked, and tears filled her eyes. "I just got this family, it was only a few months ago that I was legally adopted and legally became a Torress. I don't want to leave home just yet."

"You have to tell Connie and Steve that, Brie. How else are they supposed to know? They aren't mind readers."

"I can't, Troy. They will be so disappointed in me." Gabriella sighed.

"No, they won't. They just want you to be honest."

"You should have heard them before, Troy. They want to pay for me, they want for me to go to college. They don't care about the cost, as long as I'm happy they will spend all the money in the world."

"So how is that a problem?" Troy asked.

"Because I don't want to go to college, Troy!" Gabriella cried out. "I'm not ready! I'm not even sure I still want to go to Stanford! I don't even know what I'm going to study!" She exhaled a deep breath and looked to the floor. "I used to be so sure. I knew exactly what I was going to study and exactly where I was going to study at."

"What happen?" Troy asked gently lifting her chin to look at him again.

"I was abandon for those choices," Gabriella whispered. "Now, because of that…I don't know what I want to do anymore."

Troy kissed her head. "Everything you just told me. Is what we need to tell Connie and Steve."

"I know but…" Gabriella's eyes went wide. "Wait, did you just say 'we'?"

"Of course. Remember when you finally told the reason why you were scared of Steve? You thought they would react badly, and they didn't. This will be the same thing. However, I know it will be easier for you if I'm there so let's go."

Gabriella smiled softly. "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her forehead. "Let me run in and tell my Dad I'm leaving."

Gabriella nodded, and Troy ran inside.

It didn't take long for them to arrive back home together. They both got out of Troy's truck and went inside.

"Mom? Dad?" Gabriella called out.

Connie and Steve came running out. "Gabriella, Honey, you're home!" they both hugged her tightly.

"We are so sorry! Whatever we said to upset you, we didn't mean it. We are so sorry!" Connie said.

They pulled back, and Gabriella exhaled a deep breath. "I'm sorry too. I should have just been honest with you. But…I got scared."

"Would you like to go in the living room and talk about it?" Steve asked. "Troy is always welcome to come join us."

"Ok." Gabriella nodded.

They went into the living room and sat down Gabriella inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. Troy squeezed her hand.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you both earlier. I just…I got scared and to hide it I tried getting mad and then I snapped."

"It's ok. We understand the subject of college is hard for you. We don't blame you." Steve said. "Just be honest with us, Princess. We will support whatever you decide to do."

Gabriella smiled when Steve called her "Princess." She was the biggest Daddy's Girl ever! Then she frowned. "I don't want to go to college. Maybe in a year or two I'll feel differently but right now…I'm not ready."

"Is this how you really feel or is this because you're scared to ask us for the money because of what Maria did?" Connie asked.

"What Maria did to me is a big part of it. But it's not the only reason." Gabriella answered.

"What's the other?"

Tears filled Gabriella's eyes, and she choked out. "I don't want to leave."

"Oh, Honey." Connie and Steve both knelt down in front of her and took her hands in theirs. "Baby, you have to understand that even IF you decided to go away, you would always be welcome back at any time. This is your home."

Gabriella sniffed and shook her head. "I don't mean like that. I mean…It was 6 months ago today that you guys signed the adoption papers and since I became a Torres. I just became a part of this family. I want to spend more time with you guys and get to know you all better. I…I don't want to be apart yet." Gabriella started to cry. "I don't want to leave you!"

Connie and Steve hugged Gabriella tightly. "No matter where you go, we will always be your parents, and we will always love you. You will always be welcomed back here with opened arms."

Gabriella sniffed. "I know you guys would pay any amount of money for me to go to college and be happy. I appreciate that more than I could put into words. But I would be a lot happier if I could just take a year off, decide what I want to do and spend time with my new family."

"Then that's what we shall do," Connie said. "We will not ask you about college again until you bring it up to us, deal?"

Gabriella nodded. "Deal, thank you."

They shared one more hug and pulled away.

"Thank you for being honest with us, Princess," Steve said.

"Thank Troy, I wasn't going to say anything," Gabriella said. "He's the one who convinced me to tell you guys the truth."

"Thank you, Troy. You always seem to be able to give Gabriella the confidence she needs to talk to us." Connie said.

Troy shrugged. "I just give her a push in the right direction. She did the rest."

"Speaking of which…" Gabriella inhaled a deep breath. Then she let it out. "There is something I should tell you guys."

"What's that?" Steve asked.

"Family meetings…they scare me."

"Why?"

"Family meetings at my old house would mean Marie did something, tried and failed at hiding it, and now Axel had to find out who did it. Maria always blamed it on me. Then Axel would beat me senseless. Maria would stand there whispering how sorry she was. I know now she wasn't actually sorry. But…" Gabriella shrugged. "Now Family Meetings are just another way to prepare me for getting beaten."

"That's why you panicked before we even started the conversation," Connie said.

Gabriella nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We understand now. I promise Family Meetings are just code for all four of us sitting down in the living room together discussing a serious topic. No one will ever be beaten or harmed in any way." Connie said.

Gabriella hugged them both tightly. "I love you guys."

"We love you too, Princess, so much!" Steve said.

Troy smiled. Maybe this summer wasn't going to be so bad after all.

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