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(Two Years Ago)
Eighteen year old Gabriella Montez was jogging around the track at a local gym. She was in her first semester at NYU. She was studying to be an elementary school teacher. All of her life she lived on her family's farm in Tennessee. This was the first time she had lived away from home. NYU had given her a full ride scholarship to attend their school. At first, Gabriella was not going to attend because it was so far away from her parents but her parents convinced her to go stating that this was a once in a lifetime chance for her. Snow was gently falling all around her. Suddenly, her foot landed on a patch of black ice and her footing gave out. Gabriella closed her eyes, all prepared for a hard meeting with the ground beneath her. But instead, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and caught her. Gabriella looked up to see her rescuer.
"Hang on, I got you." the young man said as he helped her stand back up straight.
"Thank you." Gabriella said as got her balance back but her right leg gave out when she put weight on it, her ankle was twisted. "Ouch."
"Whoa, careful."
The young man then swept Gabriella up into his arms and carried her over to a nearby bench. He carefully sat her down and sat down next to her. Gabriella pulled her pant leg to view the damage. Luckily there was a bruise and no swelling. The man also took a look himself.
"No swelling, I think it's only twisted." he said.
"Thank you." Gabriella said. "Gabriella Montez."
"Troy Bolton."
"Nice to meet you."
"That's all?"
"What do you mean?"
"Most girls squeal when they hear my name, I am after all the son of…"
"Jack Bolton, slain president and America's prince." Gabriella finished. "I know who you are, but you are just a regular person like everyone else."
"You have to be the first person to ever say that to me, it is quite refreshing."
"Glad I stand out from all of your drooling groupies."
"Well, you would have stood out anyways." Troy told her, smiling to himself when he saw her cheeks blush. "So, can I call you a cab?"
"No, I live in the dorms at NYU, just across the street." Gabriella answered.
"Well, let me help you walk, don't want you slipping on any more black ice."
"Thank you"
Troy helped Gabriella get to her feet and allowed her to put her weight against him as they began to walk. He looped her arm through his as they walked close to one another. The two easily fell into a conversation. Troy felt at complete ease with his young woman. She saw him for him not the last name, not the celebrity, not the money, for him.
"So, where are you from?" Troy asked. "I'm going to take a guess and say that you are not from New York."
"I'm from Tennessee; my family has a farm there." Gabriella answered. "I'm the youngest of five, only daughter."
"Must have been nice."
"What was nice?" Gabriella asked.
"Growing up as a normal child."
"Beside the fact of paparazzi following your every move and the constant attention from screaming girls, was your pretty normal? Your mother tucked you in every night, you had family dinners, woke up early on Christmas morning?"
"Yes, I all of that."
"Well, that's what normal children did." Gabriella stated as they arrived at her dorm building.
"I know this is sudden, but would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?" Troy asked.
"I'd love to." Gabriella agreed.
"Tomorrow night ok with you, say eight o'clock?"
"Sounds perfect."
The two then exchanged numbers and went their separate ways until the next morning. Their first date went extremely well. The two found out that despite their different backgrounds, they had alot in common with each other. Gabriella was very interested in what he was going to be doing when he joined his family business and Troy was very interested in her life on the farm. The two laughed at their funny moments as children. After dinner, they walked together around the city. When they arrived back at the dorm, the two shared the first of what would later be the first kiss of millions in the years to come.
(Present Time)
Only two weeks after their first date, Gabriella was introduced to his family at their family compound. She was unable to go back to Tennessee for Thanksgiving so Troy had invited her to join his family for the holiday. Thanksgiving, Gabriella learned, was the last time Jack Bolton had ever been home. The family made sure that the holiday was happy since the anniversary of his death was the following week. The Bolton family loved Gabriella. She won them over in her first visit. Even his mother who everyone in the family knew she didn't think anyone was going to be good enough for her son, loved the young woman who had been introduced by her son as his girlfriend, loved her. The patriarch of the family, Troy's beloved great-uncle, loved her as well. Patrick Bolton was the senior Senator from New York.
That Christmas, Gabriella was going to be going home to Tennessee for her break. She and her parents extended the invitation to Troy as well if he was able to come. Troy asked his family if it was alright if he went with her and added that he really wanted to. His mother and uncle stated that it was alright, since Gabriella spent Thanksgiving with them. When they arrived to the Montez farm, Troy was instantly welcomed into the family. He insisted that he help out with some of the chores on the farm. He woke up at the crack of dawn like everyone else did. He helped Gabriella as she milked the cows and fed some of the animals.
As the steady girlfriend of America's Prince, Gabriella became a public figure. Once word got out that Troy was in love, paparazzi staked out her dorm building and her classes. After a year, she was soon asked by the school to no longer live in the dorm due to other student's safety with the swarming paparazzi around the dorm. Troy soon had her agreeing to move in with him, with the blessing of both families. Whatever she wore was soon the most sought after by young woman and wannabe fashionistas. After a year of dating, people were beginning to speculate when the wedding was going to be. Everyday there was something in the papers about a location or a date. One newspaper was so certain that the wedding was getting ready to take place in the near future, that the reporter called the Montez farm to get a statement about their daughter's engagement.
"Do you know what I really want to do for this Christmas?" Gabriella asked early in the morning.
The two had just finished another round of intense love making. Gabriella was lying on her back, her head next to the foot of the bed. Troy had given her two of the pillows to help prop her up. Troy was propped up on two more pillows his back resting against the headboard. He was gently massaging one of Gabriella's feet.
"What do you really want to do?" Troy asked.
"I would really like it if your mother and sister come with us to Tennessee for Christmas next month." Gabriella answered as Troy began to laugh. "What's so funny about that?"
"Just picturing my mother on a farm."
"I think she'd like it, I mean we won't ask her to shovel horse manure or anything."
"Now that I would pay money to see."
"You are so mean to your mom. She gets along extremely well with my family. She took my mom to one of the most exclusive spas in the country and they were both laughing when they returned, no doubt sharing embarrassing stories about us."
"I'll ask Mom, but don't be disappointed if she says no."
"Thank you, Baby."
Two days later, Gabriella was in their living room studying for a class. There were only four weeks until the semester was over. Next week was Thanksgiving and she and Troy were going to the Hamptons to the family compound. Troy had gone out to pick up dinner for them since they were both craving pizza to eat. Gabriella smiled and saved her document when she heard Troy unlock the door. She jumped up when he walked into the apartment.
"Well, your wish came true." Troy announced as he walked into the living room. "My mother and sister are coming with us to Tennessee for Christmas."
"Really?" Gabriella asked excitedly.
"Yep, they are both really looking forward to seeing the farm." Troy added. "It will be a completely different environment for both of them."
Lucille and Christina Bolton were very upscale women and loved the finer things in life. While they were both very wealthy with the Bolton money, both had jobs. Christina was restorer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art while Lucille was an editor at a popular magazine. Both lived in New York City near Troy and Gabriella's apartment.
"Thank you for inviting them."
"You're welcome. Ready for dinner?"
"Yes, I'm starving."
"Good, I got your favorite pizza, nothing but cheese on your half and pepperoni on mine."
"You're the best."
"Tell me something I don't know." Troy replied as they quickly kissed gently.
"I always love the fact that you have a small ego." Gabriella joked.
"Not when it comes to you."
"Funny." Gabriella replied as they walked into their kitchen. "So when do you want to leave for the Hamptons?"
"What time is your last class on Friday?"
"Two-thirty."
"My last meeting is at two, so I was thinking you and I can go up early, stay at our house before we are bombarded by family."
"Sounds tempting."
"What if I promise moonlight walks on the beach every night while we are there?"
"Throw in a little bon fire for s'mores and you've got a deal."
"Deal." Troy agreed and they settled with another kiss. "Now, let's get to that pizza."