Gabriella and Dean arrived at her house just before her mom's "freak out stage" had started. Gabriella's mom is a real estate agent and she was just about to open the new condominiums she had built with a big launch party at their house. They really were beautiful, and way too fancy for any normal person to afford, which is exactly how Gabriella's mom wanted it. Gabriella and her mom had never really gotten along very well, not like her and her father. Gabriella was really close to her father, up until the day he died, but even now she felt like he was always there somehow.
"Hey mom! Sorry we're cutting it so close" said Gabriella.
"Oh honey don't worry about it, we just need to work double time now to get everything finished because we're running out of time, but no it's fine!" her mother said with a fake smile so you knew she was annoyed.
"Where is the caterer Mrs. Montez?" asked Dean trying to avoid the potential fight between Gabriella and her mom.
"You know I wish I knew! They were supposed to be here about half an hour ago" said Mrs. Montez with a look of disgust on her face. The minute she finished that sentence a huge white van with a clover on it pulled into the driveway. When the van came to a screeching halt, 4 teenage kids jumped out of the back as a woman jumped out of the driver side door.
Gabriella watched them in amusement as they scrambled trying to pull everything out of the van. She loved when her mom got worked up like this. As she was watching them unload the van, someone caught her eye. She couldn't believe what she was seeing! She quickly closed her mouth, but couldn't take her eyes off of the boy carrying in boxes of food. What are the chances! Gabriella thought as she watched Troy coming up the walk.
She walked as fast as she could to the door without looking suspicious. When she opened the door, she couldn't help but smile at the surprised look that was plastered on Troy's face as well.
"Are you stalking me Ella Bella?" said Troy with an adorable smile spreading across his face.
"Excuse me? You're the one who just showed up at my front door" said Gabriella.
"You know what, you're right. Sorry I just can't help myself!" Troy said, with the smile still lingering on his face as he walked past Gabriella and into the kitchen.
Gabriella was stunned at what just happened. She had to admit though, it was a good kind of stunned. She started walking back into the kitchen when she was stopped by a very pissed off Dean.
"What is he doing here?" he said.
"How am I supposed to know? I guess he's part of the catering crew. Why?" said Gabriella.
"I just don't like the guy. There's something weird about him. Not to mention the fact that he was staring at you way too much when we were at the store" said Dean angrily.
"Oh stop you think every guy is staring at me!" said Gabriella as she walked away.
"Because they are!!" yelled Dean as he went after Gabriella.
"They are what?" asked Mrs. Montez.
"Nevermind, just something we were talking about earlier. Not a big deal" said Dean.
"Good, so you can help the caterers set up the tables then?" asked Mrs. Montez.
"Sure. Come on Ella, you want to help?" asked Dean.
"I can't actually. I'm already on food duty!" laughed Gabriella. Dean could see out of the corner of his eye that Troy was smiling. He shot him a look before he walked out of the kitchen and gave Mrs. Montez his winning smile.
"I need to go and change before people start arriving, please make sure that the brochures are out on the tables ok Gabriella? I love you baby!" said Mrs. Montez while she was already on her way out of the kitchen.
"You have such a delightful mother" said Troy with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Oh yeah, she's the best!" Gabriella said matching Troy's sarcasm.
"So what's with your boyfriend? He seems a little uhh high strung?" asked Troy.
"He just gets jealous because he thinks every guy checks me out. Be ready for him to hate you for the rest of his life" said Gabriella jokingly as she gave him her trademark smirk. They continued talking for what seemed like a short time, but was actually a good hour.
Gabriella couldn't help but steal a few glances at Troy while she was taking care of the food. Even though she knew she didn't have feelings for him she couldn't stop staring. It's those damn eyes!! She thought. She knew he was looking at her too, but she didn't care. Normally she would get offended or turn into a bitch when she noticed guys checking her out, it was just what she did. She was Dean's, everyone knew that, and if you didn't you had some hell to pay. She knew she shouldn't be thinking this, but she liked the fact that Troy was different. He didn't seem to care what anyone else thought, it was refreshing. Just then Dean walked in.
"Hey Ella can you help me out here please? The others had to go back to the van quick." Dean said as he made a face that let Gabriella know there was more to it than that.
"Yeah sure babe, I'll be there in a minute!" answered Gabriella.
"Oh yeah that's the way to stop him from being controlling Brie, answer at his beck and call right away" said Troy with a look in his eyes that let Gabriella know that he was saying this for her own good, not to be condescending.
"Stop it. He said please, if that doesn't say love I don't know what does! Anyways I'll see you later ok?" said Gabriella as she walked away, smiling about the fact that he had called her Brie. Her Dad used to call her Brie.
"Have fun with that! Oh and Brie, I'm glad you came into the store today." Troy said before turning back around. He didn't say it to be flirtatious, she could tell that, but there was something in the way he said it that made her stand and stare for awhile. She shook the thoughts from her head and walked into the living room to face a very angry Dean.