Chucks, she hated chunks. She made a note to never eat a snail again as long as she lived. At least the dress fit? It was from a design she couldn't remember and it was a clingy black cloth that loved her body in a way she'd only dream of. All of those mornings of looking into a pristine bowl weren't for nothing, before you go off on a poor kid with an eating disorder, sympathy trip let's put two things on the table.

She was not a kid; in fact, in her world, age was nothing but a number on her resume.

If someone was paying you 2 million dollars to fit into a dinner dress and eat meal with a bunch of strangers you'd act a little differently too.

Truth is, before you have the balls to judge anyone about the choice they make think about it, if you could live the American dream what you would become for the right price.

Gabriella turned on the faucet and wiped away a bit of vomit from the sides of her mouth. Then she reached into her purse and revealed a box of tic tacs. "God I hope this is over soon." Gabriella looked back at her face, it was flawless, her makeup still intact. There was a knock on the door and Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Just a moment," she called to the person on the other side. Lifting the small handful to her lips she chewed and then closed her small purse.

People were everywhere the hotel was on loan to her record company in a celebration of her 3rd album going platinum. "Ella!" The high pitched sound of someone to rich for doing absolutely nothing priced the room. Her mother had a voice like that, before the crack and heroine. Quickly Gabriella took a champagne flute from a passing waiter and cradled it's weight between her fingers as she watched Mrs. and Mr. Elwood's come towards her.

"Darling, it's been ages."

It really hadn't been ages, unless three days is the new decade. Gabriella leaned in for a fake air kiss. "Oh my god I know," she said in the best happy to see you voice she could muster. People like them had to be treated a certain way, almost like you were on their time. Gabriella didn't get to where she was now by letting people know what she actually thought or by being shy either. "I love you hair it's so fantastic." She hated it; but she was being paid to say she liked it.

"How is our favorite rock star?" Mr. Elwood said placing a hand on her shoulder. "Good I hope."

"I'm better than good," Gabriella lied as she brushed some hair back "I mean come on triple platinum." Gabriella gave the older man a small hug and he took the opportunity to feel her up placing a hand on her ass. She hated that he'd seen her naked. She also hate that his wife is too dumb to notice. Women in Hollywood are different from others, like a rare breed. It was never about love, never about actual loyalty or good deeds. Being a Hollywood woman meant accessories and power. "So how are the kids?" Gabriella smiled as she looked out into the crowd and also kept an ear on the Elwood's.

"Jessica is crazy about the new CD made me promise to get it signed," the woman said as she pulled out a CD and pen from her purse.

"Wonderful." Gabriella signed the CD and she smiled politely while slipping away from them. Ever since her first hit single her name seemed to stop belonging to her. It took this form of something that was way beyond her control. Her name was money; it was the golden ticket to any velvet rope, the password to free items as long as she wore them for the hound dogs that paraded around her to get a picture. Her name was bigger than her, and it was still growing. Gabriella looked up at the big wall with her face on it her name in pink glitter besides it. Her own image was something different altogether. Gabriella tasted the champagne and then she looked over to her left to find none other than her manger. "Justin," she whispered as he slipped his hand around another Barbie doll he picked up this morning at the hotel pool. "Justin," he was nothing but an employee on daddy's pay roll. Her babysitter and go to person if anything made her unhappy.

"What?" he said looking over at her. "What do you want Ella?"

Gabriella crossed her arms. "Can I please go up to my room now; I think I'm done mingling."

Justin rolled his eyes and looked over at the girl with blond hair and pink highlights. Another Hollywood wife in training, that or a call girl, in Hollywood there was no such things as surprises. Gabriella watched as the girl whispered something in his ear and he turned to her and smiled. "It's alright, just hold on a moment I have to deal with the pop star," he told his date.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Justin I want to be up in my room."

"Ella, baby you're the life of the party." Justin gave a fake laugh as he looked down at his watch. "It's only ten minutes to 9."

"As if anyone would notice I was gone. There's enough liquor and people here to make it without me."

Justin rolled his eyes and motioned over a big African American body guard from the side. "Take Miss Montez to her room, see that she has all that see needs for the night."

"Yes boss." Gabriella let out a sigh of relief as she watched the man in a suit lead her up the stairs. Her phone was sending vibrations on her arm through her purse and she reached in to answer it.

"Gabriella," Sharpay's voice rang on the other end.

"Shar, what's up?" she said waiting behind her body guard as he pushed the button for the elevator. They only taken one flight of stairs to make an exit from the camera's and people in the main lobby, now they stood in a empty hall on the second floor.

"There's a hot club that's paying for me to be seen there I figured maybe we should celebrate the right way instead of that lame brain party your father planed."

Gabriella walked into the elevator and smiled into the phone. "I can't believe he didn't invite you."

"I can. Your father's an asshole who wants you to be miserable, sneak out with me, and show him he can't get between true love."

Gabriella laughed she could almost see the pout on Sharpays lips. Gabriella glance at the man standing beside her in the elevator. He was looming another piece of hired help from daddy dearest. Gabriella rolled her eyes and looked at her feet. It be a shame to let this outfit go to waste on a old style party filled with nothing but her father's friends and important people who could only up her reputation. "I'm sorry Shar I hear a long hot bubble bath in my future."

"You're so bad, get your sexy ass down here I'm already outside your hotel in back."

"You're A-mazing."

After hanging up her phone they walked off the elevator. Gabriella tucked her phone away and followed him to her room. "Tony would you mind getting me some bath salts and lotions. I have aches and pains," She said with a small smirk. "Maybe you could work them out for me?"

The body guard let her into the room his eyes smirking as his lips remain straight. "Right away Miss Ella." As soon as he shut and locked the door Gabriella rolled her eyes. Did he have to call her by that phony name? quickly placing her glass down she walked into her room and sprayed a fresh dose of perfume, she pulled her hair back with a clip, grabbed a sliver belt added more beads around her neck and downed another hand full of tic tacs. She was out the window and down the fire escape on her way to an actual party.

Gabriella got in the limo and smiled as Sharpay hung up her phone and looked over at Gabriella. "Chad is a doll he's sneaking us in no hound dogs, Taylor doesn't know and it's all good."

Gabriella smirked. Taylor was her agent, possibly just another person to suck up to her father. She wasn't sure but she bet her father just paid because he couldn't be an agent himself. Chad was Sharpay's Agent and sometimes it seemed like Gabriella had the short end of the stick seeing as how Chad knew all the fun stuff and all the great things that Sharpay needed in her career. Gabriella smiled as she listened to Sharpay talk about Ryan latest movie, he was her twin brother and a out of the closet raging activist. When they were little, Ryan and Sharpay made their big break on a movie as twins trying to get their father together with their nanny.

The club was beating with the rhythmic motion of sins and deceit. Sharpay threw her hands up and hollered "The party is here bitches!"

Gabriella laughed as she trailed in behind her and the night took flight as they danced and laughed. Gabriella forgot about Mrs. Elwood and she let the layers of Mr. Elwood fade away into air around her.

She danced with tall men, dark men, handsome men, and grabby horn dogs. The attention drove her wild and made her feel wanted and gave her a passion for dancing. Nothing was sexier than a man who couldn't keep his hands off you.

It wasn't until about midnight that Gabriella and Sharpay stumbled out of the club in each other's arms the hound dogs ran at the chance to see her, to click away at their flashes. They were nothing but dogs waiting for their next paycheck willing to ruin some one's life if it meant the cover of people magazine. Sharpay and Gabriella called them hound dogs, because they were always on the hunt and ruthless once they got the scent of something alive.

"That's right, we're lesbian lovers." Sharpay said as she tossed arms around Gabriella. "And tonight we're going to make a video to prove our love and celebrate the third album."

"Be on the lookout for the sex tape!" Gabriella added as Chad ushered them into the limo.

"Really ladies?" Chad said as he too got into the limo.

It wasn't until the next morning when she woke up on Sharpay's bed in her pajamas, the maid knocking on the door that the alcohol lifted and her head throbbed. "Oh my god what time is it?" she said jumping off the bed.

"Mrs. Montez, Your manger is here he wants to see you."

Sharpay mumbled and looked over at the clock. "Who demanded the wakeup call at 7am?"

"My father," Gabriella said pulling on her dress. "He's going to flip."

"Call me when he's done."

"Will do," Gabriella said as she headed for the door.

"How could you!" Gabriella sat in her father's office. "I and hundreds of others moved heaven on earth to plan last night's party in your honor and this is how you reacted."

Gabriella placed a hand on her forehead. "Yeah dad, I know."

"Do you know that millions are watching your every move? You're a role model; parents want their child to be safe when they pick up your CDs, when they watch movies you make an appearance in. I know you weren't born yesterday, you understand the business just as much as I do." Her father placed both hands on the desk his suit open his tie hanging from his neck. Luis Montez was a no play man, after her mother died Gabriella was left staring at her father, alone in the world and stuck with a man who saw dollar signs and fame in his daughter appearance. "If you keep this up Miley Cyrus will be making millions and you'll be nothing but a has been, is that what you want?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" he father's voice rose twelve volumes. "Ella I've done just about everything I can to make you a success, you living comfortably I manage your career so you don't really have to work. All you have to do is sing and dance how hard can that be?"

"I'm tired of being just a robot for you I don't even get to sing songs I want or dance my way."

"You should be grateful for all I've done to boost your career, you'd ruin it with three bars of that punk crap that Evan kids performs. Parents do not like their kid listening to someone who dress half naked and goes around not giving a rat's ass."

"Sharpay is doing just as well as I am and she cares a lot."

"About nothing!"

"At least she doesn't have to have an army to keep her lock away everyday!

"If you didn't always find a way to define me you wouldn't need them but you're just as careless as she is!"

"Yeah, whatever it takes to make you sleep at night," Gabriella pushed herself up and made her way out of the room.

"Justin get in here." Her father voice echoed as Gabriella left it behind her. She needed a drink and her Gucci sunglasses.

"I'm tired of this happening I want action I want it now, where were you when she snuck out?" Luis sat down and looked at Justin with annoyance.

"Sir I was attending to guest," he said placing his hands in his pockets.

"I want Tony gone and I'll take care of hiring his replacement." Shifting papers on his desk he picked up the tabloid of Gabriella and Sharpay arm and arm with the headline. Ella and Sharpay sex tape?

"Sir if I may, I told Tony to see her upstairs and I even-"

"Get out of my sight Justin." Luis said in a flat tone. He didn't have time for Justin's excuses.

"Yes sir."