Just Keep Holding On

Authors note: Okay, I suck… Sorry for not updating earlier. I completely forgot about this fic. But here's the next chapter just about 4 months too late.

Summary: They say love conquers all. But is love really enough? Can love save the relationship when they have to deal with friends, parents and even themselves?

Disclaimer: Don't own…

Chapter 2
'We Are the Dream'

When Gabriella woke up the next morning she was absolutely sure that last night had been a crazy dream and school would be just the same pain as every day. Trying to act normal while entering the school building, she was quiet as she went through the jock crowd and the cheerleaders. As soon as she had passed them, she sped up, trying to get to her locker and then rushing of the class. But when arriving to her locker she saw Sharpay standing there looking everything but happy.

"Where the hell did you go yesterday!" She hissed. "I turn around and a second later you're nowhere to be found. And Troy disappeared too. I was hoping to do something with him afterwards."

So, it wasn't a dream. She had followed Sharpay too the ice cream bar, and Troy had followed her home, where they had… kissed.

Gabriella took a deep breath. Should she tell Sharpay what had happened? What was she thinking? She couldn't tell Sharpay that, it would be suicide. Gabriella didn't even want to imagine what she would do if she found out. So it was easy to figure out that the only choice Gabriella had was to lie. And that was a problem itself, considering that she was a terrible liar. She just had to try.

"I, uhm…"

"You didn't leave with Troy did you?" Sharpay asked and Gabriella froze. "Oh, no! What am I thinking? Troy would never go with you. It's just a coincidence." She laughed. "Well, next time, don't disappear. I got stuck with Zeke there in the end. Way too clingy." She walked off, shooing people that were in her way.

Taking her books out of the locker quickly Gabriella started to walk to class, trying to avoid people as much as possible. It wasn't easy, the corridor was over crowded, but someway she managed to get to her home-room. Sighing as she saw her desk in the back, she flung herself on it and hit her head on the desktop.

"You really shouldn't do that." She heard above her. Jumping two centimetres in her chair she turned around and saw Troy's smiling face.

"Oh, hello." Was the only thing she could think of responding.

"Well, hello to you too." He brushed a lock of hair away from her face and she blushed as his hand connected with her skin. "What are you-" Troy started but was cut of by a crowd of basketball players entered the classroom in a loud bang. He pulled away from her and started greeting his friends with different handmoves and slaps on the back. Sharpay passed by and gave him a wink while uttering a squeaky "Hi Troy" and adding a giggle after. Gabriella turned to face the board again and started listening to Ms. Darbus trying to get the class to take their seats.

After third period Gabriella took a trip to the bathroom in need of some space. Sharpay had bugged her all morning about why she should never leave her stranded when she clearly had asked her to stay.

Looking at reflection in the mirror she sighed and tried to smooth her hair down just to do something. It wasn't necessary for her to forcefully try to press down her locks but she couldn't stop her hand from touch her hair.

"So, you're dating the heartthrob Troy Bolton?" She heard from behind, interrupting her pathetic tries to manage her hair, and as she turned around she saw Taylor standing there with crossed arms and an 'I-know-what-you're-up-to' smile. Gabriella froze, she didn't think that anyone would know about them, if there even was a them.

Trying to cover up she stuttered, "I-I'm not d-d-dating Troy."

"Listen Gabriella, just a tip, don't let Sharpay find out. She's going to destroy you."

"But I-" She stopped when she saw Taylor's look. "Yeah, I kinda figured that out already."

"I'll see you around Gabriella." She started to walk out but stopped and turned around. "I'm a good listener, if you ever need to talk." She walked out and left Gabriella standing there, trying to process the conversation that had just occurred on the bathroom. In just two days her life had made a U-turn. Like some wish of hers had just come true. The hottest guy in school had kissed her, and Taylor McKessie, the science club president, had talked to her about Sharpay and offered her friendship without wanting something in return.

She couldn't stop thinking of Troy, and the more she thought of him, the more she wanted him. And the more she wanted him the more she understood that she shouldn't have him, and that hurt so much that she couldn't even describe the pain.

She knew that if she didn't figure things out soon everything was going to crash down and break her entire life. Even though it was like a fairytale, she couldn't be with Troy. She didn't belong there and it hurt. Troy belonged to Sharpay, even if he didn't want to. She had liked him first and just had to accept that just like she had accepted everything else.

Gabriella was still in a shock when the bell rang and she had to hurry to the next class. Not getting more than a few feet outside the bathroom door Troy came running by her side.

"Gabriella, wait up!" He said and she stopped. "What are you doing after school?" He smiled sweetly at her.

"I-I don't know. Nothing I guess." She continued to walk and Troy followed after.

"Good, then you can come home with me." She stopped and turned to face him.

"Troy? Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not like you Troy. I'm not popular or good around people. The only reason I'm even invited to the parties is because Sharpay uses me to get good grades. I'm the freaky math girl. Believe me Troy, you don't want me."

"Gabriella, what are you saying? Of course I want you."

"No Troy, you don't." She ran away from him with tears rolling down her cheeks. But she didn't turn left to get to class, instead she kept running forward to the exit and as she went through it she could hear Troy screaming 'Gabriella'.

Gabriella sat on the couch in her living room with book in her lap later that night when the doorbell rang. When she opened the door she saw Troy standing there with a silly smile plastered on his face.

"Troy! W-What are you doing here?" She asked stunned.

"I came to see you."

"Don't do this Troy." She wanted him to understand so badly. Understand that she just couldn't, even though she wanted it so badly it hurt. "Just leave, please."

"No, I won't leave. Not until you tell me what's wrong." He looked sad but still very determined so she knew that he wouldn't leave until she gave him an explanation.

"Would you like to come in?" She asked and he nodded and followed her in to her house.

The Montez residence was tidy and nicely decorated. There were a lot of pictures on the walls and on the small tables, most of them with Gabriella at different ages, but also some older people, probably her grandparents. He saw the book on the couch and turned to her with a mocky smile.

"The Wizard of Oz?" She looked at the book.

"What? It's an amazing book, all of them are." He laughed at her and she started to blush.

"I know, I've read them too, twice." She laughed with him and the tension that once had been were now gone, at least for a moment.

"So, will you tell me what happened today?" He asked and it got serious at once.

"Troy, you've got to understand that I didn't want this to happen." He looked hurt. "Oh no, I didn't mean it like that. I want this so much, you know, us. But I don't want to do what I have to."

"Gabriella, please tell me. What's stopping you?"

"Sharpay is m-" But she got cut of by Troy.

"Sharpay? What has she got to about all of this?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

She took a deep breath and tried to get the words together in her mind before she spoke them. It was hard to even make her understand why she did it. It was just the way it was.

"She liked you first."

"So?"

"See, I knew you wouldn't understand."

"Damn right I don't understand. She has nothing to do with this!"

"That's where you're wrong Troy. She has everything to do with this."

She pushed some hair out of her face and took a deep breath before continuing to try and explain.

"Sharpay liked you first, that's what it all comes down to. She liked you first and that's why she has the dibs on you. That's just the way it is. It some sort of unspoken rule, you don't go out with a guy your friend likes if she liked him first."

"But Sharpay isn't your friend Gabriella. You told me yourself, she's only friends with you because you do her homework."

"It doesn't matter if she isn't my friend. Because she will see it as I am her friend, and therefore make my life a living hell. I can't take that one more time."

With that she walked over the couch and sat down. He followed and sat down next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He still looked quite confused but he spoke out.

"I will never let Sharpay get to you. I can promise you that."

She looked at him and felt the warmth washing over her. She became hot all over and a little blush made it to her cheeks. His hand softly stroked her upper arm while he whispered into her ear.

"She doesn't need to find out you know."

Gabriella turned her head to face him and gave him a confused smile. He looked serious and she smiled back at him and turned her face to look at the turned of TV.

"You wanna watch a movie?" She asked hoping he understood that this was her way of saying yes and by the smile on his face, he knew.

"Sure, what do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking maybe something in line with 'The Wizard of Oz"." She smiled at him with a smile that only could appear on her face, which made him smile in return.

"Sound great."

A few minutes into the movie Gabriella had leaned against Troy and put her head on his shoulder while he stroked her arm. She smiled at his touch and leaned further into him. They stayed this way until an hour into the movie when Troy laid back on the couch and took Gabriella with him. He put his arm around her to keep her close as she laid in front of him.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Mhm…" Was the only thing she could respond.

After a few minutes Troy's hand began to move over her stomach in a soft motion and she pressed herself more against him too show him she liked it. He kept on rubbing while they saw Dorothy dance around on the screen. Then something crossed her mind.

"Troy?"

"Yeah?" He asked. She turned around in his arms to look at him.

"You know I'm not going to change right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not going to change. I will always be the freaky math girl. I won't become a cheerleader or spend hours in front of a mirror. I won't go to parties and get drunk. That's not me. I like to stay home with a book. I find doing my homework soothing."

"Gabriella, calm down."

She stopped talking.

"I don't want you to change. I like you the way you are. Just Gabriella."

"Are you sure? You won't get bored or anything?"

"Of course not, I promise."

He kissed her on the forehead. She smiled up at him and touched his lips with hers. It was a slow, sweet, innocent kiss. Or at least it was meant to be, but it didn't take long before Troy opened his mouth slightly and let her tongue in, meeting his tongue halfway. Gabriella had never been kissed like this before and it felt amazing. His hands moved from her back to her waist and pulled her closer. She let out a small noise, almost recognizable as a moan.

"Troy" She said softly. He moved his mouth to her neck and let his hand roam her upper body. "Troy" She tried again.

"What?" He asked as he continued his path around her neckline, up to her chin.

"I… Ugh… I've never…" Troy's tongue was moving over her collarbone and she found it very distracting. "I've never been with a boy before." He pulled away slowly to look at her. She met his gaze and let a small blush cover her cheeks.

"We'll go slowly. I won't push you into anything you don't want."

She kissed him on the lips and pulled away. "It's not that. I just don't know what I'm doing." She let her hand brush his cheek and move its way to his hair. Running her fingers softly through the tiny locks, she kissed him again with a little more strength. Her tongue touched his lips and he opened his mouth to let her in. His hands moved over her back and down to her bottom. She let out a silent moan and he groaned at the sound.

"It seems like you know exactly what to do." He said as her mouth moved to his neck.

"It's all an illusion."

They where interrupted by her mother calling 'hello' from the hallway. Gabriella pushed back quickly, getting shy at once. Straightening out her shirt and flattening her hair, she moved of Troy and walked towards the front door.

"Hey mom!" She said with a smile, hoping it would seem as her mother didn't almost caught her making out with a boy on their living room couch.

"Sorry I'm late, how was your evening?" She took of her coat and put her purse on the bureau before waling towards the kitchen expecting Gabriella to follow. Troy came up beside Gabriella as she stared to chase her mother.

"Oh, it was just fine." She said as she and Troy entered the bright kitchen. Her mother looked up and saw the boy next to her daughter for the first time.

"And who may this be?" She asked with a smirk.

"This is Troy, my…" Gabriella started, but stopped at once, realising she had no idea what they actually were.

"Hello Mrs. Montez. I'm Troy Bolton, Gabriella's boyfriend." He reached out his hand, offering it to her mother to shake.

Gabriella's mother raised her eyebrows towards Gabriella before accepting his hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you Troy!"

The kitchen turned silent before Troy announced that it was getting late and he should probably be heading home. He said goodbye to Gabriella's mother and took his girlfriends hand before walking towards the front door.

They stopped outside the door and looked at each other, both trying to find something to say. Instead Troy kissed her slowly, letting some passion slip through, making her body warm all over. She slipped her hands under his shirt and pulled him closer. Their tongues met and a quiet moan passed Gabriella's lips. Troy decided that it was time to pull away and gave her a last small kiss.

"I have to go." She gave him a pout at his words. "I'm sorry, but we'll see each other at school tomorrow."

"Promise?" She kissed him again.

"Oh, yeah. I wouldn't miss it! I'll meet you at your locker first thing." He kissed her one last time before walking down the stairs out on the sidewalk. He waved goodbye and smiled before disappearing in the darkness.

Gabriella turned towards the door and sighed as she pulled the door open; dreading the conversation her mom would want to have as she stepped inside.

TBC

Authors note: So, that was chapter two. I hope it was worth the wait. You should all know I love reviews.

I'm seriously going to try updating faster this time. I have the idea fresh in my head, so I'll try to get it down ASAP.