"The early morning, the city breaks
And I've been calling for years and years and years
And you never left me no messages
You never sent me no letters
You got some kind of nerve taking all I want."

THE FRAY, YOU FOUND ME

Troy decided that he needed to see her just one more time. One more time and it would all be right; she would still be his best friend, Gabriella. He would still have the girl who he would use to race with down the hills behind their elementary school and mudslide to the bottom in the pouring rain. They would disregard their mother's warnings that they would catch a cold. Simply, they never had any concerns or fears. Covered completely in what Gabriella would now find disgusting muck, they would return to their parents with their hands dripping with the substance, broad smiles on their dirt-streaked faces. But did he even want that? Did he want things to return to the way they were before he knew how she truly felt about him? Everything would be the same between them, friends with mutual feelings. In all honesty, he was not sure, he just needed to see her one more time…only one more time.

"Where do you think you are going?" The always strict, Jack Bolton, questioned his son who had his hand on the front door knob, ready to turn the metal handle.

Troy fumbled over his words, "Just out for a little-", he said, barely coherent. He could feel his palms getting sweaty, his nerves kicking in. The doorknob began feeling slippery beneath of his grasp, hating the judging look that he was receiving from his father, his eyes burning a hole in his forehead.

"You cannot be out too long, we have to head out soon," Jack said with a brief nod of the head, redirecting his attention to the baseball game that was on their big screen television that was plat formed on their living room wall. This was the way that he usually dismissed Troy, showing that he no longer had interest in the conversation. Troy shook his head tersely, finally able to step outside of the Bolton house, the cool early-summer wind whipping at his hair, chilling his warm face. Ducking his head low, he hid his fists deep in his jean pockets, his blue eyes trained to the side walk that he was treading, letting his feet drag slightly behind him, his father's voice in his head every step of the few feet that he had to walk to get to his neighbor's house.

Do not drag your feel when you walk, Troy. Do not hesitate when you drive to the net, Troy. Do not falter your step when faced with an opposing member, Troy.

He needed this summer away from Albuquerque.

Extending one of his hands, Troy knocked lightly, almost timidly on the Montez' door. Immediately, he heard the family's dog, Sawyer, behind barking loudly and excitedly, always loving when they had visitors over. Marie Montez had smiled brightly when the door opened widely, welcoming him, Sawyer's tail wagging happily, his wet nose nudging Troy's hand that fell limply at his side.

"Is Gab around?" Troy asked, his eyes darting over Marie's shoulder, as if Gabriella would be standing right there. As if she knew he had been planning to catch her early in the morning before he had left for the long drive from Albuquerque to Phoenix, Arizona.

Sadly, Marie shook her head, indicating that the answer was indeed, no. Troy was taken back. Gabriella Montez awake before 11:00 AM? That was just unheard of. The summer days were Gabriella's lazy days, the ones she spent with leisure, sleeping and hanging around with her friends at night. Marie laughed at Troy's surprised expression, knowing exactly what he was thinking. She shrugged, "I was about as stunned as you are."

"Do you have any idea when she will be home?"

"No, I am sorry," She bit on her bottom lip, just like her daughter did whenever she thought. "That…boy beat you here," She said waving her hand, trying to remember the name that Gabriella had mentioned.

"Boy? Chad?"

For the second time today, Troy was surprised but this time it was because of his tone. It actually sounded as if he cared whom Gabriella was out with. He was mentally crossing his fingers, hoping that it was Chad, since he was the only boy that he trusted her around, beside himself of course. Wait…what was he thinking? He shook his head, shaking his hair away from his eyes as if that would clear is cluttered mind.

"Mike? No…Matthew?" Marie had uncertainty written on her face. "That West High boy, plays on the basketball team?" She offered as much information as she could, and though it was little, Troy knew exactly the boy she was trying to put a name to.

"Miles," Troy filled in for her, his heart sinking so that he could feel it in his stomach. He was too late. He was always too late. Never did he know the right words to say or the right actions. A late reactor, his father always called him, he never could make up his mind. Even if it were as simple as going through a drive-thru at McDonald's, Troy would always hold up the family, never knowing what to order. Indecisive. He wondered what would have happened if he had opened his mouth the night before.

Marie Montez had said something else but it had gone unheard by Troy. He remembered mumbling a 'Thanks anyway' before turning abruptly to leave, wanting to get away from the house as soon as he possibly could. All that he was left to do was wonder what could have been between him and the girl next door.

"Montez, you awake?" Troy tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, letting his free hand venture to her knee, squeezing lightly, hoping to jar her from her slumber. With no such luck, heat rose on his neck, making him feel like he should loosen his collar….if only his shirt had a collar. He was filled with sudden curiosity as he let the back of his palm rub against her knee, trailing up her thigh slowly and deliberately, feeling the smoothness of her skin beneath his hand. His breathing came to a stop when he reached the skin high on her upper thigh, her shorts having been pushed out of place due to her turning in her sleep.

He was amazed that the girl to the right of him was the same girl that he had lent a hand to after she scratched her knee, taking a nasty fall off of her new bike that she had received for her sixth birthday. She was the same little girl that he had seen move next door, braids in her hair and a pout on her face.

"Troy," Gabriella sighed, half asleep as she began rubbing her eyes tiredly.

She had not even noticed how quickly he had pulled his hand from her, now firmly clutching the steering wheel, his face hard like a rock and serious.

"Where are we?" She was now a little more alert.

He had to relax and will himself to breathe. "I was getting a little hungry and I just saw a sign for a diner coming up a few miles back, just off the exit," He said slowly. "We are right on schedule, just a few hours away. I figured we could stop…since I beat the traffic, cutting this ride shorter…" It had come out sounding like a question, him rambling and trying to explain himself.

Gabriella nodded, barely even comprehending Troy's rushed words but a diner sounded perfect to her at the moment and she would kill for a good ice cream sundae. The thought made her mouth form into a small smile, Troy had always made fun of her when they were kids since she could handle ice cream at anytime of the day, especially in the morning. The sun had barely even start to come up, they'd been driving for nearly six hours. She turned; ready to wake Chad and Sharpay but Troy's hand stopped her quickly.

"Sharpay will murder you if you wake her up at this time," Troy warned her casually, letting out a yawn. Any excuse he could come up with, he knew that Gabriella would believe it, mostly because she was too tired to fully understand what was even being said. If she had gotten a little more sleep she might have caught on that Troy was only finding a way to get to talk to her alone.

Nodding once more, Gabriella let her head lull to the side of her, resting against the van's seat, waiting for Troy to pull into the small diner's parking lot. She had not even noticed the small place when he first parked, only realizing that they where there once he had stopped the car, shutting the driver side door behind him so that it closed softly, not wanting to wake Sharpay and Chad. He was at her door in a flash, containing a laugh at how dazed and confused Gabriella looked.

"Do I have to unbuckle your seatbelt for you?" Troy joked and watched as she shook her head in slow motion, searching for the clasp as her head fell back with a yawn. She never had been a big morning person.

"You don't have to wait up, I will meet you inside."

"I want to make sure you don't wake up the sleeping beauties," Troy let his eyes wander to the back of the van, holding in his laughter when he saw Chad pressed up against the car window, Sharpay hogging all of the space in the compact backseat of the car. "Besides, I don't have enough cash to treat them, too," He lied again. He just wanted to talk to her.

"You don't have to pay for me, I can find something in my bag.."

"No, you will make too much noise," Troy sighed heavily, pressing his palm to the top of the van as he leaned inside, his other hand unbuckling her seatbelt, coaxing her to follow his lead. "I don't mind, I just want some food," Troy made up an excuse for his hastiness.

They had finally made it inside, seated in the tiny in-the-middle-of-nowhere-diner. The inside was bright, unusually causing Gabriella to wake up completely, the aroma making both of their mouths water. Troy sat across from her in the close-together booth, their knees brushing underneath the table. Troy had gotten an order of pancakes and scrambled eggs, and insisted that Gabriella eat real food.

"I asked for ice cream, I want ice cream," She laughed with a slight shrug of her shoulders, not caring how childish she sounded.

Troy ate slowly, making sure to have some left over, knowing that she would want to sample his food. The food came out rather quickly, since they were the only pair in the deserted diner, Gabriella's eyes lighting up like a diamond reflecting sunlight when the ice cream dish was set in front of her.

Troy waited awhile, not wanting to spring on a sudden conversation but once she had mostly finished off her ice cream and the rest of his pancakes, he cleared his throat, making her brown eyes meet his blue. "I wanted to talk to you about this whole trip," He said smoothly, calmly his voice like velvet.

She knew there had to be a catch. He'd been nice to her all morning, even offered treating her to breakfast. "What is it?" Her tone came off to be more angry than she had intended, but she did not care. She was done playing Troy's mind games. If he had something to say to her, he did not have to butter her up for it, preparing to break the bad news to her.

"I just wanted to talk to you about this trip."

"What about it, Troy?" She said, sounding impatient.

He was not sure of how to bring up their awkward past. "I know we have had a rough patch," Troy began, immediately dreading saying it after hearing how stupid he had sounded. "I just want to be able to have a good time, you know?" He tried to cover it up. "I mean, Chad and Sharpay are kind of just going to be doing their own thing," Troy smirked, his eyes venturing to the parking lot where the van still remained. "So that just leaves you and I, and we can make the best of it. I just don't want you giving me that death glare the whole time during the next two weeks," Troy smiled, trying to win her over.

Gabriella sighed. She did not think that she could allow herself to be too close to him for an entire two weeks. She could not trust herself…he meant too much to her and she knew she couldn't have a repeat of what had happened two years ago when they were fifteen. The last thing she wanted to do was to scare him and push him away like she had before. Things were different now and she knew that, understood that. They had been friends, just friends for the past two years. Sure, they were not as close as they had been before, but it was better than him meaning nothing to her. Gabriella finally willed herself to make eye contact with him, noticing the look in his eyes.

Apprehension.

He was worried she'd reject him. Gabriella wasn't sure what surprised her more, the fact that she would have to contain herself for the next two weeks, or the fact that Troy actually feared she'd turn him away. No matter what he did, no matter how she felt, Gabriella knew that nothing could ever cause her to cut Troy out. He still was considered a best friend to her, even if they weren't as close as they were before.

Nodding slowly, she allowed herself to half smile. "I wouldn't purposely try to make your trip miserable, if that is what you are thinking."

"No, if anything you being here is making it better for me."

She had a sharp intake of breath. That did not mean anything, she told herself, he just needs someone else, and so he does not feel like the third wheel.

"Then I won't screw this up." At least not this time, she thought.

He looked from left to right, his eyes slowing when they reached her face, a smirk settling upon his own causing Gabriella to raise her eyebrows in question. She knew that look, too. He was not up to anything good. "What is it?" Gabriella said slowly, almost as if she was not sure if she actually wanted to hear what his answer was.

"Want to be bold for once in your life?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" She dared to ask, chewing on her bottom lip

The clatter of pots and pans being cleaned in the kitchen could be heard, the busboy resting his head in his arms, looking as though he were ready to doze.

"Dine and dash," His voice dropped to a husky whisper.

"Are you insane?"

"Live a little."

He knew his taunting words would have an effect on her, they always did.

"I do live, I take risks," She said stubbornly, folding her arms in a pout.

Before she could comprehend what he was even doing, Troy reached across the table, his hand holding hers, tugging lightly. "Then take a risk with me."

And she knew that she would.

By the time they finally turned down that narrow road, surrounded by trees, Gabriella and Troy were still laughing giddily, Sharpay and Chad not really understanding what was so funny, just another inside joke between them. They would randomly glance at each other, causing them to laugh hysterically. Troy could not help but laugh whenever he pictured the image of Gabriella sprinting with everything she had in her, desperately trying to reach the van, actually believing Troy when he had chanted behind her 'they are coming, they are coming'.

Gabriella smiled, looking around the familiar atmosphere. She had grown up going to campgrounds like this. The narrow road led to a main hall where several activities took place. From the hall, there were several roads branching out to sites where tents stood, then trailers and even park models that looked like small houses. There had been a time when her parents actually enjoyed doing things together like going to the beach, campgrounds or even on vacations. Now, her parents resented each other and Gabriella was often thrown in the middle of their arguments.

They unloaded the van, duffle bags laying on the dirt that soon would be their campsite, two boxes next to them that contained the tents that were going to be used. Sharpay and Gabriella stood shoulder-to-shoulder, arms crossed, staring hopelessly at the boxes as they leaned against the van.

"Well, not that this isn't fun," Sharpay let out a long exaggerated sigh, dramatically turning her head to give her boyfriend her perfected 'puppy pout'. "I think it is time you guys get these big boys up."

"No, no," Chad shook his head. "We agreed that since Troy and I were going to be doing the driving, you both had to help set up once we got here. Right Troy?"

Troy was looking elsewhere though, almost as though he was confused when a truck had drove pass them. He watched as it rounded the corner of the part of the camp ground they were staying at, until it went out of site. "Right," Troy said, diverting his attention back to his friends.

Gabriella did not mind labor as much as Sharpay did, so she immediately went to emptying the box that held the tent she and Troy would be sharing. Troy followed her lead and began reading the instructions from the paper that had fallen from the box. Time passed and frustration grew.

"Is there a bathroom anywhere?" Sharpay asked, her eyes wide in realization that tents in fact did not have bathrooms. Chad glared from his spot on the dirt ground, doing the job that Sharpay had promised she would help with.

"Yes, up near the main hall," Gabriella answered for Chad, having picked up on the route when they arrived at the campground. "I could go with you if you want-"

"No," Troy cut her off. "Chad can."

"I can?"

Troy wiped the sweat forming above his eye. It was much too hot for this. "Yeah, you can. "If you just get that thing and it's whining away so we can finish this, I willl help you with setting up yours."

"Now, now, can you not call me an it," Sharpay said calmly, still in the same spot against Chad's van, not making any effort to help.

Chad sighed, defeated. "Ok, let's go."

"Aren't you going to defend me?" Sharpay asked, her pout in effect once more.

He shook his head, bidding himself to look away from the dangerous pout that Sharpay believed he did not think she did purposely. Of course he knew. "Didn't you have to go to the bathroom?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed. Pushing herself away from the car, she hooked her arm through his, dragging an exasperated Chad away from the heap of what would soon be a tent.

"It doesn't go that way," Gabriella snapped, snatching the pieces that made up the base of the tent away from Troy's destructive hands. "You are going to fuck it up."

"What, like how I fuck everything up?" He growled back, anger coming from the heat.

She bypassed him, standing in front of him and ignoring his attitude. Casually, she bent down to pick up the piece that connected one of the corners of the tent, not realizing how close in proximity she was to Troy. Color rose to her cheeks as she felt her backside grinding against his front, hearing him breathe in sharply through his teeth. "Sorry," She choked out when she felt him…all of him…against her back.

With his cheeks aflame, he coughed, trying to pretend that somehow, she would forget that ever happened. He knew she would not.

"It's the heat," He excused himself with a laugh and a shrug.

"Sure it is," Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I am aware that all boys are pigs."

Troy shook his head lightly; there was just no reasoning with her.

A swift change of subject was in order.

"Remember that one time," Troy spoke slowly, trying to recall. "I think it was last year, when I tackled you after that long week of rain. Sharpay screamed at the sight…I never thought I would ever get to see you that angry before," Troy chuckled, reminiscing Gabriella covered in dripping mud, her face like a Spanish bull about to charge. "I never thought I would live to see another day after that."

"That was not funny."

"Yeah it was."

"If anything, it was because you ran away," She smirked.

"I had to run away, when I left you were a mess."

"Habit of yours?" She whispered, regretting it almost instantly.

"Gab I-"

"Well look at you wilderness wonders!" Sharpay called as she and Chad arrived back at the site. She clapped her hands together, her face showing that she felt the uncomfortable tension between Gabriella and Troy. "Doesn't look like you put up anything."

But Gabriella knew she was wrong because inside, she was constructing the biggest and most powerful wall and no one would ever be able to pummel it to the ground, catching her off guard. Not again.