A/N: I am really sorry for not updating sooner, but I hope this will make up for the wait. BTW, I recently posted a new one-shot, A Trip Down Memory Lane, check it out and review.

It had been 1 hour, 15 minutes and 34 seconds since he had told Gabriella how he felt and now he was regretting it more than ever.

Slung carelessly on the couch with the television blaring meaninglessly, Troy stared down at the carpet, pretending to be interested in the zebra pattern design.

How could he have been so stupid? It was pretty obvious that she was not in any way interested in him. No wonder she had backed away after she had kissed him. She kissed him. Not the other way around; she had been the one to make the move, not him. Meaning that there was a possibility that just maybe she felt something for him! This thought caused him to sit up a little straighter and tear his gaze from the carpet. Or maybe she kissed you out of pity? More like to poke fun at me. His lean body fell back into its pervious stance.

"Fuck!" he snarled rubbing the side of his face with his callused hand. "She only kissed me for a fucking laugh?" he grabbed one of his mothers expensive pillows and hurled it at the blaring screen, "fuck her!" his throat tightened as the words passed through his dry lips. Who the hell did she think she was? Had she forgotten that he was and still is the Troy Bolton?

The inexplicable anger inside him raged to his core. He felt the need to break something, throw something, anything to get rid of the hurt and rejection he felt. He grabbed another pillow and threw it, not caring where it landed. This was soon followed by several others.

Then a knock sounded at the door.

Tremulous with anger, Troy shakily placed the ornate vase on the coffee table and slowly approached the door. What he saw when he opened it caused his heart to freeze in his chest and his lungs to collapse.

Gabriella stood before him, her shoulders hunched and her small arms wrapped protectively around her petite body, which was shaking violently from the cold. Her dark drenched hair clung to her forehead and bare shoulders. She looked up at him, tears leaking out of her frightened mocha orbs.

"T-Tr-oy."

"Oh shit Ella!" He immediately wrapped his arms around her, not caring if she was soaked to the bone, and led her into his house.

His fingers felt like fire against her frozen skin, though, oddly enough she craved for more of the delicious heat. He gently wrapped her up in a large towel and she felt herself instantaneously relax in his comforting hold. Her body still racked with dangerous shivers and her teeth chattered uncontrollably but none of that bothered her at that moment for she was with him; in his arms.

"We need to get you out of these." She distantly heard him say as he steered her away from the living room, not caring about where he was taking her. She just let her eyelids drop and lean her trembling body against his hard one, reveling in the warmth radiating off his skin. Within seconds, the sound of running water filled Gabriella's ears and the heat that had been wrapped so snugly around her disappeared. Dazed and confused, her eyes flew open and she stared blankly around the tiled bathroom. She was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, with the scorching water gushing out of the taps.

"T-Tro-y-y?" she stuttered, wrapping her arms firmly around the soft towel encasing her small frame. "I'm here, Ella." she could not point out the direction of the sound but just hearing his gentle and worried voice was enough the ease away the tight knots forming in her gut. Troy reappeared, kneeling before her and replaced the cold bitter air with his warm heat once more. He carefully unwrapped the towel from around her and flung it behind him. He softly caressed her cold shoulder, trying hard to produce enough heat to reduce the shivers. "Let's get you out of these before you catch pneumonia."

Just hearing worry in his voice and feeling the heat of his skin on hers made her remember just why she had run through the pounding rain at the un-godly hour. "I-I'm…s-s…so-sorr-y," she breathed painfully, trying to utter sense. Troy's darkening azure pools lifted to meet hers, their intensity burned a hole through and she had to look away. His large hands framed her pale face, scalding her frigid cheeks, and forced her to place her tearful eyes back on his tormented ones. His callused thumb stoked the skin beneath her shimmering eyes, "hey, don't apologize," as the words flowed out of his mouth he leaned up and pressed his moist lips against her cold forehead, but not before pushing her wet tendrils away from her face, "you don't owe anyone an apology, okay?" he murmured against her skin. Still not convinced, Gabriella shut her eyes and let several tears leak out of the corners of her eyes before nodding reluctantly.

With a slightly relieved sigh, Troy pulled back and returned to task of undressing her. As he lifted her tank top to reveal her flat tabbed stomach, Gabriella's shaky hands rose to meet his. He flicked his gaze back to her and nodded apologetically, "sorry, I…I didn't think…I just…"

He trailed off as a soft smile grazed Gabriella's features, "d-don't…wo-worry ab…a…about-t…it." With strength she did not even know that she possessed at that point of time, given her weak state, she pulled herself up into a standing position, turned away from Troy and rid herself of the drenched article of clothing.

"I…err, I'll um be outside if you…um, you know…um need me." He muttered awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, a clear sign that he was nervous; but about what?

Wrapping her small arms around her front, Gabriella turned around and called him just as his fist wrapped around the cold metal of the door knob. "No," she panted covering her front more securely as she noticed him struggling to keep his eyes on her, "s-s-stay, pl-p-please." Troy nervously moistened his lips and nodded, "okay…um only, only if you're sure about this?"

Gabriella nodded feverously, "yeah, b-b-but tu-turn around."

Troy did as he was told and turned away and shoved his hands deep inside his pockets. The sound of wet material hitting the floor filled the silent bathroom.

"Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm d-done."

With his guidance and strength, and the towel to provide cover for her womanly parts, Gabriella slid into the warms foamy water filling the tub. A hiss escaped her clenched teeth as the scalding water seeped through her skin and worked hastily at melting her frozen blood.

"Is it to hot?" Troy questioned his voice immediately drippy with concern.

"It's, it's p-p-erf-fect." She shut her eyes and slid deeper into the warm water, "P-please don't go." She mumbled hurriedly as she heard vigorous ruffling. The ruffling stopped and she felt his presence next to her on the tub.

"Okay."

A/N: I guess this is turning into a three-shot. Review!