Where She Belongs

A/N: Hello! This is my first full-length story and I really hope you guys enjoy it. I'm not sure how frequent updates will be - you know, with life and all -
but just bare with me. Please read and review and please check out my other story, my one-shot collection titled The Best Day.

Disclaimer: I wish! ;D

Moving, again.

Just during the last five years Gabriella Montez had occupied seven different houses and had attended eight different schools. Of course her father was not too bothered by this; he and his job were the two main reasons for the constant moves. Gabriella never even recalled staying in one same place for just a year. She always had in mind that her father never really cared about how she felt, as long as he was either being promoted or receiving a better salary. He was so departed from his own daughter that Gabriella even dared to think that she did not have a place in his life; she felt like she did not exist.

But Gabriella gathered herself together. No, her father did love her – just maybe he didn't express it often, but he surely did – and what she was thinking was wrong. She pushed those thoughts back out of her mind and replaced them with ones of expectations for the prestigious new prepatory school her father had paid much money to enroll her in. Of course, she knew from experience that she'd once again be the new girl whom everyone treated shamefully. Gabriella had never had a real friend – mostly because she'd move just when someone would ask her to sit with them at lunch for the first time, or because Gabriella's so-called 'friends' had been more interested in her money than in Gabriella herself. At her new school it'd be no different.

Gabriella zipped open her duffel bag that was sitting on her lap and slipped out the pamphlet of the school. In sophisticated, loopy font Northbrook Prepatory School was written across the top, while pictures, school information and activities, and contact information were on the inside the pamphlet.

With an annoyed sigh, Gabriella stuffed the pamphlet hastily into her bag and was about to close it shut when a picture of Gabriella's mother came into sight. In the picture was Gabriella also, just as a one-year-old baby. Gabriella smiled solemnly before zipping the bag closed. Tears began to roll down her cheeks and she wiped them away quickly with her hand.

Maria Montez had died when Gabriella was just the mere age of three in a plane crash when she was returning from seeing her own mother during Thanksgiving. Gabriella had lived with her father since then, but still with her mother's memories in her heart.

Many things had changed when Maria had passed away. There were no more goodnight kisses, or Spanish lullabies, or magical, fairy tale bedtime stories. Her father was a businessman. He simply did not have time for Gabriella's make believe nonsense. He barely saw his daughter and instead Gabriella had grown accustomed to her babysitter. Now, at seventeen, Gabriella could take care of herself and no longer had a babysitter, so when her father was running late home from work or was on a business trip, she was alone. Someone else would have gone mad at the quiet in the house and the loneliness, with no one to talk to. But since Gabriella had lived in such a way for most of her life, it did not really bother her at all.

But, as she had tried to tell her father before many times, the constant switching of schools and houses and neighborhoods did. But he would never listen to her; he had always seemed more into earning good pay than his daughter. He'd do whatever he needed to become more successful in his business. Gabriella's father was oblivious to the fact that expensive material things couldn't cover up Gabriella's longing for her father to appreciate her.

Gabriella's head shot up as the car came to an abrupt stop. "We're here, sweetheart. Why don't you take in your things and look around the house while I help with the bigger boxes?" her father asked.

Gabriella just nodded and opened the car door. The sight that met her eyes was unlike any other she'd ever seen.

The house – or more like mansion – towered above her and stretched over a fairly sized portion of land. It had a Spanish feel to it; it had a beautiful roof made of clay shingles and large windows, many of which had small balconies. The outside of it was just as impressive. Different types of colorful flowers made up the perimeter of the house and filled the window boxes and flowerpots. Gabriella hadn't expected anything like it.

Her dad seemed pleased, as always when he spent his money for leisure. "You like it? Cost me a good sum, but any other house just wouldn't do."

Gabriella inwardly sighed disappointingly. Why spend so much useful money on a house that, from experience, Gabriella knew they weren't going to live in for over a year?

Don't mind him, Gabriella. It's his possession and he can use it in the way he wants to, whether you think it's a good way or not. She continued to carry her things inside and then helped her father with the boxes. Unpacking was going to take a while.

--

"So, Gabriella, some of my other co-workers have children who are going or have gone to Northbrook, and I've gotten nothing but positive reviews of the school," Gabriella's father, Marcus, said as he finished off his dinner, taking a sip of his wine. "They have an excellent curriculum and great extracurricular activities. I'm sure you'll find something you'll enjoy. And many kids from this very neighborhood attend Northbrook. I'm positive you'll have plenty friends by tomorrow."

Yeah, only because I happen to have money, Gabriella thought as she rested her head in her palm and held it up with her elbow. Why would anyone want to be my friend for anything else but that?

She walked over to the kitchen sink and set her plate in it before making her way to her dad and giving him a hug. He rarely ever gave her a kiss and to Gabriella's surprise, she was okay with that. Even when she just hugged him it felt awkward.

Gabriella then retreated to her room, which, when she saw it a few hours earlier, she fell in love with it. A four-post bed stood high in the middle of the room, then to the left side of it was the adjoined bathroom. The bedroom also had a grand bookshelf – Gabriella's must-have accessory – a dresser apart from the walk-in closet, and a desk where Gabriella set up her laptop before anything else. Across from the bed was a sort of living area, where Gabriella had large pillows scattered around the floor facing her French doors leading to the balcony. For Gabriella, her bedroom was pure bliss.

Before climbing into bed, Gabriella took the picture of her mother and her and placed it on the nightstand beside her. "I love you, Mami," she whispered quietly, before turning off her lamp and resting her head on her pillow.

Who knows? Maybe Northbrook won't be so bad after all.

Gabriella listened to the silence for a few moments before giggling to herself.

Yeah, right.

--

"A uniform? You've got to be kidding me," Gabriella groaned to herself as she reread the note her father had placed on top of a gray pleated skirt, a hunter green polo shirt and a black sweater, bearing the emblem of Northbrook Prepatory School. Her father hadn't mentioned anything about a uniform.

Why did she have to go to freaking Northbrook Prep anyway? She'd always been in public school and she'd been doing perfectly well; why did her dad spend money for her to go to this snobby, stuck-up rich kid school when he could use the tuition money to buy something else, like, a new car, or something he would use for his entertainment?

Gabriella tilted her head back and moaned when she saw the time. She had exactly forty-five minutes to get to Northbrook or she'd be late on her first day.

She showered and got dressed, applied light makeup, and left her hair down in its natural curls. Picking up an energy bar and her bag from the kitchen table, she walked out the door and was about to leave on foot when she saw a piece of paper flapping from between the windshield wipers of her dad's…Audi.

Gabriella slowly folded open the note and almost screamed when she read it. Her dad was letting her take the Audi?

Gabriella knew that he trusted her. She'd gotten her license and was a careful driver. But the Audi? It couldn't be. There was no way…

Gabriella checked her watch, then, with a look of remorse, but happiness also, she climbed into the Audi and pulled out of the long driveway, following the pamphlet's instructions to the school.

Gabriella was pleased when she arrived at the school a good fifteen minutes early. It had only been about a five-minute drive. No wonder many kids from her neighborhood went there.

As she stepped out of the car, some boys passing by her whistled jokingly. Great. She had only been at Northbrook for, like, less than two minutes and she had already drawn attention to herself. Gabriella wasn't one to do well in large crowds, especially when she was the center of it.

Taking a deep breath, she asked a girl passing by her who seemed nice directions to the main office – but as Gabriella walked away she swore she heard snickers behind her.

She got settled in after visiting the office doing such things like memorizing her class schedule and searching for things to help her remember the different classrooms. The campus size didn't help much; Northbrook felt like a college.

Before entering her homeroom, Gabriella silently prayed that everything would work out for the best, and she whispered, "I love you," to her mom, who she was sure was taking care of her and watching over her.

Gabriella kept her eyes secured on the floor as she walked into the classroom, but she could feel pairs of eyes burning into her back as she took a seat in the far right corner of the classroom.

Gabriella really didn't notice when the teacher walked in and started the class. She couldn't look up. For all she knew her new classmates weren't listening to their teacher either but staring curiously at the new girl.

The bell rang after what felt like hours of torture and Gabriella was the first one out of the classroom. She had managed to glance at some of the girls in her class, and all she noticed were Gucci handbags and other designer brand accessories.

Finding her locker and taking out the necessary book for her next class, Gabriella rushed through crowds of students so she could arrive early and before most of the other students. But she wasn't paying too much attention and stumbled, her book and papers falling to the floor. Surprisingly, though, she didn't.

Great, my plan for not bringing attention toward me is definitely not working, she thought, keeping her eyes shut. She felt something suspending her – whatever it was, it must have kept her from crashing to the floor, too.

"You okay?" a husky voice asked from behind her.

Oh, my God, Gabriella thought. That voice. It was a guy.

She opened her eyes slowly, and to her relief, not a lot of people had noticed the small trip Gabriella had taken. She felt her savior's arm slip from her waist and pick up her book while she nervously gathered her papers and slipped them into her folder.

"Here, this is yours."

Gabriella's breath hitched in her throat as her gaze met his. The boy's cerulean eyes – Gabriella had to admit – were the most breath-taking ones she'd ever seen. His honey-golden hair fell just above his eyes, contrasting with the blue. He was definitely athletic; his perfectly toned abs kind of stuck out beneath his polo shirt.

In Gabriella's opinion, he was freaking gorgeous. And maybe the Northbrook uniform wasn't that bad.

She gingerly took the book and wrapped her arms around it, not daring to even look into his eyes again, fearing she'd make a fool of herself in front of him.

He chuckled and winked, which made Gabriella's knees go weak. Could he be any more perfect? "I haven't seen you around before. You must be new here. I'm Troy. Troy Bolton." He extended his hand out for Gabriella to take.

She hesitated at first, but then slowly reached to shake his hand. As they made the slightest contact, Gabriella felt a rush of electricity shoot through her like she'd never experienced before – and it felt good.

"Yo, hoops?"

Gabriella saw Troy nod and then he removed his hand from hers. "I have to go. See you around?"

Gabriella stared amazed at him, wide-eyed. She couldn't speak, so she just nodded. She saw him smile – another thing that sent her knees tumbling – and he walked away.

She watched him for a few seconds before remembering her goal to get to class before most of her classmates. Gabriella briskly walked away and turned at a corner, unaware that blue-eyed Troy Bolton had turned back to find her, since he hadn't even gotten her name.

--

"How was your day?" Marcus asked when he arrived home at almost eight-thirty and found Gabriella sitting in the kitchen, engrossed in a romance novel.

She looked up from her book. "Fine," she answered, and then resumed to read.

Marcus set his briefcase on the granite counter top. "Homework done?"

Gabriella wanted to respond, "Why would you care?", but bit her tongue and just said, "Yep."

"Good," her father said, picking up his dinner plate and sitting down at the table.

Gabriella closed her book, careful to save her spot. "Um…I think I'm going to take a shower and head off to bed."

"Alright. Good night."

Gabriella didn't bother to hug him this time. "Good night, Dad."

A/N: Hope you liked it! Review, please! ;D -Isabela.