Disclaimer: If I owned them, we'd be moving over to HBO for some real fun.

A/N: This turned out completely different from was in my mind originally. More of a Gabi/Tay friendship drabble with Troyella fluff on the side, oh well. No one tells my muse what to do, not even me.


Once the bell had rung excusing them to second period, Gabriella slid her arm through Taylor's to walk to chem together as the boys went in the opposite direction.

"Okay, spill. Why is everyone staring at me again?"

The call backs had been two weeks ago, light years had past in the drama of East High. Being the center of attention was truly starting to get on Gabriella's nerves. It seemed no matter what she did, someone was always looking at her like she was the weird new girl.

Rolling her eyes, Taylor picked an invisible piece of lint off of Gabriella's coat and tugged at the sleeve, then answered, "It's an abomination".

"It so is not."

"It is an insult to women every where; like you're not you, but an accessory."

"An accessory?" Gabriella laughed lightly, "Don't you think you may be over reacting just a little?"

Frustration was seeping through Taylor's calm exterior; Gabriella was supposed to be an independent thinker, like her. "Girl, do you not understand the significance of being your own person? Standing on your own merit. . ."

"He asked me to be his girlfriend; I thought it was a cute gesture, chivalrous. You're acting like I had 'property of Troy Bolton' tattooed across my forehead." Gabriella beamed at her friend, fingers tapping her conspiratorially on the arm as they walked up the stairs together. "Is this about Chad? 'cause I bet he has one too, I could talk to him if you want. You know, with out being too obvious about it."

With wide eyes, Taylor pointed a warning finger, "don't you dare Montez, I know where you live. Besides, that's not what this is about. You're supposed to be like me, independent, self confident, and someone who doesn't need to establish her identity by being the captain of the basketball team's girlfriend."

"But that captain is really hot." Gabriella reasoned. "And you should have seen him, it was really sweet, with those big blue eyes, I just couldn't say no, even if I had wanted too. Besides, I like it, it's like he's got arms around me all the time, it even smells like him, here smell. . " she lifted a wrist toward Taylor's nose.

Taylor made a disgusted face, but laughed as she pushed Gabriella's arm out of her face. "See, now that is just sad. Here I am trying to commandeer your future role as my running mate for the 2032 presidential elections and you're walking around sniffing your clothes. What has that boy done to your brilliant mind?"

"Like I said, he's hot, my mind has very little to do with it actually. And further more, you're the one that talked me into that red dress in the first place, so you're at least partially to blame for the current situation."

"Oh no, you are not getting me mixed up in this. Look Gabi, I'm happy you and Troy are all in love or whatever. But when you show up with the boy's last name plastered across your back, I worry you're turning to the dark side. If you turn up at cheerleading tryouts or start spending your days trying to find rhymes for wildcats, I'm calling for an intervention is all I'm saying."

"Well, you don't have to worry; I'd still rather derive algebraic equations than words that rhyme with cat. And now, if I've alleviated your concerns for my academic well being, can you please tell me why everyone else keeps staring at me."

"They think you and Troy are sleeping together" She said it so nonchalantly, like she was saying 'your shoe's untied'.

Gabi stopped mid stride "Wh. . What . . Why would they think that? If Troy's dad hears that, I don't even want to know what'll happen."

Taylor pulled her along to class and shrugged casually, "When Troy made varsity last year, half the fresh-soph cheer squad clamored all over themselves to get in his pants. There were a lot of girls following him around for a very long time. But I'll tell you what Gabi, you're the first girl ever to wear Troy Bolton's Varsity Jacket."

They passed through the door and took their seats for class and Gabriella laughed, sure her friend was exaggerating. "You make it sound like some priceless piece of art."

"No, darlin' " Taylor said with a joking drawl, "that's what Troy's say'n 'bout you."

As Mrs. Santiago began taking attendance, Gabriella looked down at Troy's name embroidered across her heart and decided she didn't mind people staring, or what they were thinking.

She just remembered Troy slipping his jacket over her shoulders while they were walking across the parking lot after rehearsals yesterday. And how when she went to give it back, he told her to keep it, teasing that "It never hurts to put your name on your valuables, Montez."


Fin.