On the eve of my sweet sixteenth (yay!) I have decided (very nervously) to launch my first full length HSM story. I hope you enjoy it!

Maybe they were right. Maybe you never could go home again.
The statement certainly was proving true for Troy Bolton as he found himself ducking out of a room of wide eyed women, red cheeked and muttering hasty apologies for what felt like the hundredth time.
A ladies room. What had once been a route to the exit was now a ladies room. When did that happen?

Troy had been back in Albuquerque for an entire two hours now and he was still yet to make it out of the airport. The last time he'd been there was the day he left Albuquerque and apparently things had changed. A lot.

It had been planned out so well: he was going to dash off his plane, grab his luggage and then use back hallways in the airport to get him to the exit without any major exposure leading to fainting women.

That worked well in theory, right up until he slipped into one of the back corridors he had used the last time he was here and found himself standing directly in the entrance of a ladies room. Cue fainting women.

Troy sighed, shoving his sunglasses onto the top of his head so he could search the seemingly foreign airport. When did Albuquerque renovate its airport? And where was a map that could find him a path out?

Finally, half an hour later and Troy emerged from the airport relatively unscathed. There had been a few giggling fan girls and only one autograph request. It was nothing compared to home.

Home…there was an interesting concept. Where was home anymore? He used to swear Albuquerque would always be his home no matter what but…he hadn't been here in just over seven years. LA on the other hand…he didn't think he could ever call it home. It didn't feel right.

Without her.

That unspoken, unbidden thought that was always there as if he truly knew that nowhere would feel like home without her.

His cell phone burst to life and foraging into his pocket he fished it out and snapped it open.

'Troy, have you landed yet? We thought you'd be home by now!' his mother's concerned voice called over the line as soon as he had answered the call.

'I've just gotten out of the airport. I'll be home in twenty minutes,' Troy sighed, looking around the parking lot.

Home. Yeah…something about that felt right. He was going home!

He didn't think he could have ever prepared himself for this. As his taxi wove through the streets, taking him the longest possible route, Troy stared blankly out the window. Rows and rows of unfamiliar houses, filled with unfamiliar people and their unfamiliar lives. Young children skipped around in the sprinklers in the front yards of houses that used to belong to old couples. Teenagers gambolled around on the sidewalks easily, backpacks slung over their shoulders, headphones set firmly in place. Even the streets seemed different. This place used to be his turf. Between many childhood summers, he and Chad had learnt the streets surrounding their homes like the back of their own hands, forever imprinted in their memories. But this…

This was not Albuquerque as he remembered it.

The taxi rounded a corner smoothly and Troy began to recognize things that still seemed vaguely familiar. The ancient tree at the end of the cul-de-sac, the very same tree that Chad fell out of and broke his arm. The house on the right, where a family lived that had three young toddlers and…there.

His house. The one he'd spent so many years of his life protected safely within. And he was here again!

The cab glided to a halt and without complaint Troy handed over the necessary money, his heart suddenly thudding with anticipation. He was here. He was really here.

He slid out of the cab, inhaling the hot, sticky, thin air that was so purely Albuquerque.

His eyes surveyed the house in front of him. Nothing had changed in all the years since he had been here. There was something oddly comforting in that. Not everything had to change.

'Troy!'

His mother's loud shriek filled the quiet suburban air as she flung the front door open. Breaking out into a sprint she bounded down the garden path where she was met by her son halfway.

'Hi mom!' he greeted genuinely, crushing her in his arms tightly. He couldn't help but savour the moment; it wasn't something he got to do very often.

'My baby boy,' she wept, 'You're home!'

Troy laughed, releasing his mother to an arms length so he could see her properly. He then stooped and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

'Yes, I am,'

His mother pulled him in for another brief hug before allowing him to be free.

'Come inside. You must be exhausted,'

Troy allowed himself to be led into the house by his mother willingly. As they walked he couldn't help his head swivelling as he drunk in everything around him: the old and the new.

'I like the couches mom,' Troy offered, nodding at the unfamiliar leather couches that now filled the lounge room.

'Your father and I bought them last year. They're wonderful aren't they?' she chattered comfortably.

There were things that were different; he'd admit that, like the colour of the bathroom walls, and the paintings hanging in the hall but…so much was the same.

Stepping into the kitchen behind his mother he bit back a gasp. Exactly the same. From the burnt orange walls, and the terracotta tiles right down to the embarrassingly dorky painting of a duck pond hanging at the end of the kitchen table.

'Sit down, sit down,' his mother insisted, gesturing to the kitchen stools, 'You're father's at the store. He should be home any minute now,'

Troy complied, swinging himself up onto one of the high black stools, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the bench. His mother busied herself with the fetching him a glass of water while she babbled.

'Oh it's so wonderful that you're home. I was just talking to your father a couple of months back, saying that we should drag you back for Christmas but…oh, this is so wonderful!'

Troy chuckled affably as he accepted the mug of coffee his mother had placed in front of him. Toying with it idly, he continued to talk.

'Well, you know, it's off season and training was slow…it's nice to get away from the Lakers and that whole…LA thing,'

His mother nodded, sipping from her own coffee thoughtfully and he continued.

'Albuquerque seems to be the perfect place to…get away from it all,' he decided, 'There's no paparazzi, screaming girls, body guards…it's all quiet. So far,'

His mother smiled, 'So far,'

The sound of the front door being opened filled the silence between he and his mother.

'Luce? I'm home!' his father's voice rumbled from somewhere beyond the kitchen, 'Is Troy here yet?'

Troy laughed, 'Yes, he is!' he called back jovially.

Moments later his father burst into the room, laden with grocery bags. He deposited them on the kitchen bench, urgency blatant in his every move, before he finally turned to his son.

'Son,' he said gruffly, extending a hand, 'It's uh…good to see you again,'

Troy nodded, shaking his father's hand, shoving the other one in his pocket awkwardly, 'You too Dad,'

They stared at one another, their hands still connected tightly. Uncomfortable seconds passed as they waited for one another to make the next move. Finally Jack caved and pulled his son in for a hug.

Troy embraced his father tightly. He used to take that simple action for granted, but a seven year absence had really made him appreciate it.

'Ok boys, sit down,' his mother fussed, interrupting them, 'The brownies are almost ready,'

At the sound of food both men flew away from one another and to the kitchen bench where the brownies were being cooled.

'Typical men,' Lucille mused, laying the brownies out on a platter, 'All of you. Forget father-son relationships, it's all dog eat dog when you bring in food,'

Jack chuckled appreciatively, snatching a brownie from the plate, 'You wouldn't know any other way,'

Troy's mother smiled, conceding slyly, 'Perhaps. But just imagine if Troy had been a girl…no basketball, pink bows…Troyette, '

Before Troy could choke on his brownie, Jack cut in, 'Speaking of girls, Luce, when does everyone's planes arrive?'

Troy frowned, licking the chocolate frosting from his fingers, 'Whose planes?'

Lucille leant forward, waggling her eyebrows mischievously at her son as if she was harbouring a great secret, 'Oh… certain someones. Certain…someones,'

'Mom…' Troy whined.

'Oh come on Troy,' she laughed, 'Can't I have my fun? Fine. A large portion of your Wildcats will be in town for a while this summer,'

Troy's heart froze in his chest for a split second. Wildcats. He hadn't seen any of the Wildcats, and definitely not in large proportions for years. The last Wildcat he saw was Chad at their game against one another the year before only for a brief post-match handshake before they hopped onto their next plane.

'Which Wildcats mom?' Troy asked urgently, 'Please, which ones?'

'Oh well…' his mother said slowly, clearly enjoying torturing her son, 'From what I know there's Chad and his fiancé,'

'Taylor?' Troy prompted.

'Something like that…and then there's Ryan and his little wife…Kelsi. They're both visiting from London, to see Ryan's sister who still lives here. Oh and Zeke…he's been hired to help set up the new restaurant chain here in town, and then he'll be back to San Francisco,'

Troy racked through the names he'd been told, one obvious absence glaring in his brain.

'Anyone else mom? Is…there…anyone else coming?'

His heart twisted painfully, as his mother playfully pondered on the answer. The name that he knew was still absent…he didn't know whether he wanted it to fall from his mother's lips. It had been five years. Five whole years and they hadn't exchanged a single word since he picked up his suitcase in the middle of the night and left. Seeing her would be like…

Torture. Sweet torture that he could never stop no matter how he tried.

'Oh…' his mother said innocently, looking away from him, 'Just a…a certain young lady,'

'Certain…ex-fiancée,' Jack elaborated, 'Perhaps,'

'Gabriella,' Troy breathed, 'Gabriella's…coming,'

'Anna might have mentioned something about her coming over for a week or two,'

Troy grimaced, sliding his eyes shut. Gabriella. Gabriella Montez was here in this city with him. This week just got a whole lot more interesting.

'We're here!' Taylor squealed quietly, squeezing Gabriella's hand tightly, 'We're finally here!'

Gabriella laughed, 'We are Tay,'

'And we have been for ten minutes,' Chad added from Gabriella's other side.

Taylor rolled her eyes sheepishly, 'Shut up. This is just so exciting! We're all here in the same city for once! It's…exciting!'

'Where are all your big words?' Gabriella jibed, stopping to look at Taylor, 'Aren't you like some super-genius?'

'Nah. That's you,' Taylor shot back.

Gabriella stuck her tongue out at her playfully and they fell back into step with Chad.

The taller man was standing in amongst a crowd of people who were curiously staring and whispering at the Knicks star. Chad, oblivious, continued to look around, his head swivelling from side to side.

'Where are they?' Chad groaned, looking down at the two girls beside him, 'They said they'd be here!'

'Chad! Oi! Fro boy!'

All three gathered turned their heads at the friendly shout to see Zeke standing at the other side of the crowd, waving his hand madly above his head.

Taylor squealed again and without warning launched both herself and Gabriella into a run.

The pair, giggling madly, dodged the crowds skittishly, weaving in and out of the numerous people. They ducked beneath suitcases and danced nimbly around stodgy tourists, fixated entirely on the people on the other.

They emerged from the throng breathless and silly and were thrown instantly into the arms of the gathered people.

'Oh my god!'

Sharpay, naturally, was the first to wrap her bony arms around Gabriella. Her overwhelming shampoo-y scent surrounding Gabriella, providing an odd sense of familiarity and comfort. The blonde squeezed her tightly before releasing her to arms length. Her eyes swept Gabriella up and down critically before she finally nodded, 'You look fabulous,' she said decidedly.

'Fashion talk later,' Zeke laughed, pulling Gabriella from her, 'My turn,'

He folded Gabriella against his lanky frame fondly, 'I'm so glad you're home. I made these amazing cookies. You'll love them,'

She laughed, but before she could respond she was whisked out of his arms as well.

'Gabriella!'

Kelsi's warm, smiling face was the next to appear before Gabriella. The small girl beamed broadly at her, and threw her arms around her neck.

'I have so much to tell you about! There's London and Ryan and oh my god, Ryan and…' she garbled hurriedly.

'I can't wait Kels,' Gabriella replied genuinely, 'We'll have heaps of time to talk!'

'Let her breathe Kels,' a soft voice broke in.

Both Kelsi and Gabriella turned around to see Ryan, last in line, waiting patiently for Gabriella. As Kelsi turned to look at her husband her face softened and she docilely nodded.

'Gabs,' Ryan said gently, extending his arms to her.

'Ry,' she replied, stepping forward into his embrace.

Ryan hugged her softly and she rested her chin on his shoulder.

'It's great to see you. It's been a while,' he murmured.

'It has,' she replied sadly, 'I've been so busy.'

Ryan let go of her and smiled, 'Well you're here now! We have plenty to catch up on!'

Gabriella stepped aside as Chad made to slap his fist against Ryan's. When they were done, the rest of the group gathered around them.

'So, you guys good to go home?' Ryan asked.

Gabriella nodded affirmatively, 'More than good,'

Ryan plucked Gabriella's carry-on from her shoulder and Zeke stepped in to handle her suitcase.

'Guys,' Gabriella sighed, 'I can carry it myself,'

'We know,' Zeke shrugged, 'But you shouldn't have to,'

'Aaaww,' Sharpay sighed, 'You are too cute,'

Zeke grinned at Sharpay, and cupped her chin, 'Don't you know it babe,'

As Zeke and Ryan moved ahead of the group, Gabriella fell in step with Sharpay and Taylor. She turned to the blonde with her eyebrows raised.

'Something you wanna tell me missy? Something between you and…'

Sharpay stared back at Gabriella, mortified, 'Gabriella! How dare you suggest such a thing! Of course not! We went to prom together like…eight years ago. That was it. He went to Cornell and I stayed in Albuquerque. It was…nothing!'

'Well, girl, that didn't look like nothing to me,' Taylor remarked sassily.

Sharpay harrumphed at them and turned her nose up, 'You don't know what you're talking about,'

Taylor and Gabriella exchanged glances and smiled knowingly. Sharpay was deluding herself, but if they had anything to do with it, that would change soon.

'Come inside, please!' Gabriella begged as Ryan's car slid up to the kerb.

'Gabi, we shouldn't,' Taylor said, 'Your mom is probably excited to see you. She'll want to spend as much time with you as she can,'

'Yeah, that novelty will last for ten minutes,' Gabriella said, 'Then she'll get called to work. Mother daughter moment over.'

'That's not true…' Ryan began, only to be silenced by Gabriella's look.

'Come on! Please!' Gabriella pleaded, 'It's been so long since I've seen you guys! We have so much to talk about!'

'But your mom…'

'My mom won't mind! I'll be here for a while, we'll catch up eventually!' she insisted.

'But we'll be here for a while,' Ryan remarked pointedly.

Gabriella sighed, staring at him sadly, 'How many times have we been together since we graduated high school? I really want to catch up with you guys…please?'

Ryan looked around the car for someone to back him up, only to see the same expression on everyone else's face. Resignation. Gabriella's sweet, melancholic stare had them like putty in her hands. They were all prepared to go in.

'Fine,' Ryan relented, 'Let's go!'

Gabriella perked up instantly, clapping her hands together, 'Excellent!'

The Wildcats slowly traipsed out of the car and gathered onto the sidewalk.

'If your mom minds, Gabriella,' Ryan said, 'I'm gonna blame you!'

She smiled sweetly at him, 'She won't mind. She'll be gone in ten minutes,'

With that Gabriella set off up her garden path, a light skip in her step. She made her way up to the door, and primly rapped on the wood. When there was no reply, she sighed and delved into her purse to retrieve the key.

'Mami!' she called, letting herself in, 'Mami? Are you home?'

'Gabriella!'

Gabriella smiled as her mother's frantic voice floated through the house, 'Gabriella! You're home!'

Anna Montez suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs, a wide grin on her face. She bolted down the stairs crying out in Spanish, before opening her arms to her daughter. Gabriella squealed, and darted toward her mother and straight into her embrace.

'Mija,' her mother cried, wrapping her in a tight hug, 'You're home! You're home!'

Gabriella buried her face in her mother's shoulder, savouring the hug. She made a point to come home as often as she could while she was away, but when she was busier and the time they spent apart grew longer they appreciated each other even more.

Finally her mother let her go, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, 'It is so good to see you,'

'You too Mami,' Gabriella said earnestly, pressing a kiss to her mother's cheek.

Suddenly her mother stopped, finally spying the other people in the room. They were all red-faced and shifting from foot to foot, embarrassed at the intimate display they had witnessed.

'Oh!' Anna cried out, unwrapping herself from her daughter, 'You are all here!'

Ryan looked worried as she approached them all. Anna's grin grew wider and wider as she neared them.

'You have all grown so much!' she cried, 'Look at you all!'

They all laughed, visibly relaxing as the older woman kissed them all on the cheeks, babbling away to them all.

'Sit! Sit!' she insisted, herding her daughter and her friends into the lounge room, 'Mija, you must be starving!'

'I am,' Gabriella said earnestly, 'You know how Taylor and I feel about plane food!'

Gabriella swung herself up onto her mother's couch, crossing her legs underneath her. Soon the rest of the group followed suit, perching in various places around the room. Anna Montez bustled back in, carrying a tray of coffee and food, which she placed in front of them. Chad dove toward the tray without a second thought and began devouring the cookies.

'Chad!' Taylor scolded, clearly mortified, 'We're…we're at someone's house. Please…'

Gabriella laughed, 'Has that ever worked?'

Taylor sighed resignedly, 'No. But I hope in vain,'

'Keep hoping honey,' Anna remarked, sitting down beside her daughter, 'But you can never take the teenager out of the man,'

Anna then turned to her daughter, smiling widely, 'I'm so happy you're home for two whole weeks mi hija! We have a lot to catch up on!'

'We do Mami,' Gabriella agreed, 'I can't wait to tell it all to you. And catch up with these guys of course,'

Gabriella gestured to the Wildcats who were all staring at her. They were half the reason she was in Albuquerque.

'Oh, talking about catching up!' Anna said suddenly, 'I saw the Jack at the store last week and I told him you were coming back for while. He said that he and Lucy would love to catch up with you,'

'Jack? As in…' Taylor pried curiously.

'Bolton,' Anna clarified.

'Coach!' Chad cried, 'Awesome! I haven't seen him in years! Is he still at the school?'

Sharpay laughed dryly, 'I could tell you that one. I assure you, that man will never quit. You should have seen when he got sent home last year because he had the flu! I've never seen a man more distraught!'

'Oh man…' Chad mused quietly, his eyes faraway, 'I really gotta meet up with him! Zeke, you'll join me right?'

'Sure dude, you call him and I'll be there!'

'Wow…Coach…I just…I can't believe!'

Suddenly the sound of the phone ringing ripped through Chad's nostalgia.

'Excuse me,' Anna said softly, 'I have to get this!'

The older woman darted from the room, and the entire group could hear, 'Yes. Of course. I can come in now. It'll be no hassle,'

Gabriella sighed, wrinkling her nose, 'I told you guys,'

'Gabi…' Taylor said, 'It might not be what you think…'

'Gabi. Mija. I'm so sorry,' Anna reappeared in the doorway, clutching a tote bag, 'Work called, I have to go,'

'That's ok Mom,' Gabriella shrugged, 'Like you said, I'm here for two weeks, we'll have plenty of time,'

'Are you sure?' Anna said seriously.

'Sure mom. Go, really. I'll be fine here,'

Anna hummed unhappily, 'I wanted to spend so much time with you…anyway, you kids feel free to stay here, talk for a while. I won't be back til morning so…have fun,'

'Bye Mami,' Gabriella said, offering a kiss for her mother, 'I'll see you soon,'

With that Anna turned on her heel, still muttering in Spanish and disappeared from the house. The entire group sat in silence as they listened to the sound of her car revving up and fading as it moved down the street.

'Well,' Gabriella said, clapping her hands together, 'Can we talk now!'

'Yeah, we can talk!' Taylor said sharply, 'You're friends with Jack and Lucille Bolton? Since when!'

'Since…' Gabriella trailed off, shrugging, her insinuation clarified with an imploring stare.

'Girl, I live a block away from you and I see you every weekend. How did I not know this?'

Gabriella frowned, 'I didn't realize it was important. After…you know… we kept in contact. It's no big deal…'

'No big deal?' Sharpay questioned, 'No big deal that you're still friendly with T-…his parents?'

Sharpay diplomatically skirted around the "T word" that had been forbidden in Gabriella's vocabulary for a long time to which Gabriella nodded thankfully at her.

Ryan elaborated on his twin's speech, adding in, 'What Shar's trying to say is…isn't it…weird? You know, keeping in contact with two people who will always have loyalties to…him?'

'Look,' she sighed earnestly, 'Five years ago they were almost my in-laws. Almost my family. And…just because we are over, doesn't make that family go away.'

They lapsed into silence and Gabriella groaned, 'Now, please. I've only been home an hour and we're already talking ancient history? Have we run out of things to talk about already!'

They all laughed and Sharpay gasped, 'Oh my god Gabriella. I saw this top down at the mall on Saturday and it is totally skin tone compatible for you! While you're in town you must buy it! I insist!'

Gabriella giggled, relieved that talk had moved away from her ex-fiancé. And before they knew it, conversation rolled smoothly and their lives were intertwining once more.

Just how it should be.

I love this city tonight
I love this city always
It bears it's teeth like a light
And spits me out after days

Reviews are my favourite kind of birthday present!!