"Hey, Gabby!" Chad Danforth called to his best friend's girl. "Are you coming to movie night?"
"My grandparents are coming in and we're having them over for dinner." Gabriella Montez explained. "This is the first time I've seen them in six months."
"Six months?" Sharpay Evans asked. "They must be royalty if they've gone that long without seeing their only grandchild."
Everyone laughed at Sharpay's joke. But on the inside, Gabriella was relieved. Her grandparents were royalty. Her grandfather was Gerard Alonzo Rupert Montez, King of Genovia. Her grandmother was Queen Clarisse Felicity Annabelle Montez. Since 1997, after her father's death, Gabriella was the heir to the throne of the small country. Nobody, not even her boyfriend knew yet. Gabriella and her mother were waiting to them and their families until the time was right.
"I will see you, tomorrow." Gabriella told Troy Bolton as she kissed him goodbye quickly.
"Hey, get back here!" Troy called pulling her closer so he could really kiss her goodbye.
"Troy, I really have to get ready." Gabriella said giggling. "I'll call you later. I love you."
"Love you, too."
"Gabby?" Maria Montez asked as Gabriella ran into the house.
"I'm getting ready!"
"The blue pant suit is on your bed."
"Alright."
That evening, Troy was watching a movie along with the others in the group. None of them were interested in the movie. Movie nights weren't any fun if the whole group wasn't there. Chad looked up as the others.
"I'm bored." he announced. "Let's go do something."
"We can go surprise Gabby." Troy said. "I think her grandparents would like to meet her friends."
Everyone agreed and then got up to walk down the street from Kelsi's house to Gabriella's. In front of the Montez house were several security details and a limo. Everyone looked over at Troy who had the same confused expression as the rest of them. They walked up to the front porch. Two secret service looking men were standing there blocking from getting them near the front door.
"What's your business?"
"We're here to see my girlfriend." Troy stated.
"You are not authorized."
"We've been here thousands of times." Chad said. "What's the big deal?"
"Matt, would you escort Songbird out here for a moment?"
The doors opened a few minutes later and Gabriella stepped outside. Her eyes widened when she saw the others standing out on her front porch. She signaled to the guards that she was alright.
"What are you guys doing here?" Gabriella asked.
"We came to meet your grandparents." Taylor McKessie answered. "What's with all the security?"
"You're Highness?" an Army officer asked.
"I'll be right there." Gabriella replied.
"Highness?" Ryan Evans asked.
"I didn't want you to find out like this." Gabriella replied emotionally.
"Find out what?" Zeke Baylor asked.
"I'm a Princess." Gabriella replied. "And I don't mean just because I am an only child. I mean a tiara wearing, coronation, heir to the throne kind of princess."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Kelsi Neilson asked.
"Because of my safety and also because I'm selfish. In this country, I'm just Gabriella, not a princess."
"You are still just Gabby." Troy told his girlfriend. "Nothing will ever change the way you look in my eyes."
"Come on." Gabriella told everyone, grabbing Troy's hand.
"Where are we going?" Jason Cross asked.
"You're going to meet my grandparents."
Everyone walked inside the house. Ms. Montez was talking to a couple happily. The couple smiled as their granddaughter entered the living room.
"Grandma, Grandpa, these are my friends Ryan and Sharpay Evans, Zeke Baylor, Kelsi Neilson, Taylor McKessie, Chad Danforth and Jason Cross." Gabriella introduced pulling Troy forward. "And this is my boyfriend, Troy Bolton. Guys, this is my grandparents, Gerard and Clarisse, the King and Queen of Genovia."
The group of teenagers didn't know how to greet the royal couple. The king and queen stood up and greed Gabriella's friends. Gerard stood in front of Troy and held his hand out to the young man.
"So, you're the basketball player my granddaughter's so fond of." he stated.
"I love her very much." Troy stated.
"And how long have you known that she is a princess?"
"About thirty seconds."
"And how long have you been dating?"
"Almost a year."
"He's ok." the king agreed shaking Troy's hand firmly.
Everyone sat down in the living room so the king and queen could get to know everyone. Gabriella apologized for not telling them the truth about her family. Everyone understood the situation she was in.
"So, are you Ms. Montez' parents?" Sharpay asked.
"She's our daughter in law." Gerard explained.
"Gabriella's father was our only child." Clarisse stated.
"Is he back in Genovia?" Chad asked.
"No, he died when Gabriella was only six." The queen answered sadly.
"Excuse me." Gabriella said standing up and walking into the kitchen.
"She's still taking her father's death pretty hard." Ms. Montez admitted sadly.
"Since the age of six, Gabriella's been the heir to the throne." The king stated. "That's a lot of pressure."
"Can we please talk about something else?" Gabriella asked coming back in.
"What's Genovia like?" Kelsi asked.
"Gorgeous." Ms. Montez gushed. "There is no other way to describe it."
"It's very peaceful. Hardly any crime." Gabriella added.
"Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year. The land actually looks like a winter wonderland." Clarisse sighed.
"You all and your families are always welcomed as our guests." Gerard invited.
"What sort of events do you do, Gabby?" Ryan asked.
"I'm the president of my father's charity. I'm currently over seeing a new pediatrics wing at the hospital and I also help Grandma host events." Gabriella answered.
After an eventful evening, Troy and Gabriella were out on the back porch. Gabriella was sitting between her boyfriend's legs enjoying the once of a kind scent he provided. Troy rested his chin on top of her head.
"Grandpa likes you." Gabriella told him. "He didn't chase you out."
"Well, that's good to know." Troy chuckled.
"And if it helps, Grandma loves you."
"You Montez women, I seem to have you falling over me with my good looks and charms."
Gabriella began to laugh at Troy's comments. Troy joined her and began to tickle her causing Gabriella to squeal. Troy wrapped his arms around her and kissed the side of her head.
"They want to go to your game tomorrow night." Gabriella stated. "I've told them that my wildcat is the best high school basketball player I know. And that's why the want to come and see you."
"No pressure there, thanks Baby." Troy said as Gabriella kissed underneath his chin giggling.
The next evening, Gerard and Clarisse were both wearing East High shirts to support their granddaughter's boyfriend. Troy was warming up on the court when the family entered the gym. Gabriella smiled and waved to him as they sat down in the stands.
"Where are Troy's parents?" Clarisse asked.
"Troy's dad is the team's coach." Gabriella said pointing Coach Bolton out to her grandparents. "Mrs. Bolton hasn't gotten here yet."
Gerard and Clarisse enjoyed watching the game. This was the first basketball game either one had ever attended. After the game they invited all of Gabriella's friends and their families out to dinner to celebrate the Wildcat's win. As they walked into the hallway, they saw Gabriella congratulating Troy on the victory. And Troy was thanking her right back with her slightly pushed up against the wall. The queen smiled at seeing her so happy. The king knew that he would never be able to force them apart later on with an arranged marriage for Gabriella or even an alliance with another country.
An hour later, everyone was at Ruby Tuesday for dinner. Gabriella and Troy were the last to arrive and were led into the private room the large group was seated in. The two sat with her grandparents. They had just announced who they were really were.
"We want to invite you all to come to Genovia." Gerard said. "There Gabriella will celebrate her sixteenth birthday and then two days later, her proclamation."
"What?" Gabriella and Ms. Montez asked in shock.
"That's not supposed to happen until my eighteenth birthday." Gabriella said.
"Parliament changed it, now it's going to be your sixteenth birthday." Clarisse explained.
"But I'm not ready."
"What's a proclamation?" Chad asked.
"The official ceremony on announcing Gabriella as heir to the throne." Ms. Montez answered.
"Is there any way it can go back to being my eighteenth year?"
"Afraid not." Gerard stated.
"What does that mean?" Taylor asked.
"It means, we're all are going to Genovia in a few weeks." Gabriella said nervously.
AN: This is the first part of a three part series. I have already finished part 2 and am currently working on part 3. I could not think of any other country than Genovia. I do not own the country or the characters from HSM. Please read and review. This is dedicated to HSMandChelseaFCfan who is helping me out enormously.