From Chapter 1:
"Come on Nikki, we have a surprise to plan," Troy Bolton, famous LA Lakers basketball captain, told his daughter.
The next day at 10:00am on Saturday, Troy awoke to his phone ringing.
"Hello," he answered.
"Hey Troy," said a soft voice on the other line said.
"Gabriella?" Troy asked.
"Yeah. My company was wondering-," Gabriella started but Troy interrupted her.
"Listen Gabs, do you wanna come over for lunch today? Nikki and I would love to have you," Troy asked.
"Um, I have to check with my assistant and I will have her call you back," Gabriella replied.
"Oh. Okay," Troy said, but he was a little sad that she wouldn't be able to call him back.
"So, maybe I will see you. Bye," Gabriella said and hung up.
Troy sighed and climbed out of bed. He could hear Nikki already up and in the nursery talking to her nanny. He leaned on her door and listened.
"There was this nice person at the house yesterday Ray," Nikki was saying to her nanny.
"Really? What was this persons name?" Ray asked while folding clothing.
"Her name was Gabriella Montez," Nikki replied while playing with her toys. "I liked her."
Troy sighed again as he walked downstairs for breakfast. Andy the chef was making eggs.
"Hey Andy," Troy said as he sat down.
"Hi Mr. Bolton. Are you okay? You seem, well, sad," Andy said as he served the eggs to Troy and put some aside for Nikki.
"Nicole Amanda! Get down for breakfast," Troy yelled.
"Coming Daddy!" Nikki replied and came down.
Troy turned to Andy. "I'll talk to you later about my problems," he said.
"Alright," Andy replied.
With Gabriella and her company
"Hey Tay," Gabriella yelled and poked her head out of her office.
"Yeah Gabs," Taylor said.
"Do I have lunch plans today?" Gabriella asked.
"No Gabs. You never do," Taylor replied. "Is there something going on I should know about?"
"Nothing Tay. Just TROY BOLTON asked me to lunch," Gabriella said.
"Wait, Troy Bolton, LA Lakers superstar, high school sweetheart, the one who looked at the house yesterday, the one that broke up with you, Chad's best friend and still his best friend Troy Bolton?" Taylor asked.
"Nope Taylor its not. Of course it is. And you know what he said to me?" Gabriella asked.
"Spill, spill, spill!"
"He told me he divorced with his wife cause she wasn't ME. He still loves me," Gabriella said and then buried her head in her hands.
"Is this good or bad Gabs?"
"I don't know Taylor. Part of me loves him and part of me says to move on because he hurt me badly," Gabriella replied.
"Listen. I know you will do the right thing," Taylor said comfortingly.
"Thanks and Tay?" Gabriella asked.
"Yeah?"
"I need you to call Troy and tell him I will meet him at the Grate Café for lunch."
"Alright Gabs," Taylor said and walked out of the office.
Back with Troy and Nikki
Troy and Nikki had been watching Nikki's favorite TV show, Hannah Montana on-demand. Nikki was sitting on his lap and was talking about yesterday's house with her dad.
"I like the house yesterday Daddy," Nikki said.
"You did?" Troy asked surprisingly, Nikki never liked any house but their own.
"Yeah. It was big and nice and I liked the playset," Nikki told her dad.
"Oh," was all Troy said.
"Gabriella was really nice. I liked her."
"Really? You liked her?"
"Yes Daddy I did."
"Do you wanna know a secret about her?" Troy asked his daughter.
"Yes!" Nikki replied.
"She was my old friend when I went to East High. You know Uncle Chad and Aunt Taylor?" Troy said.
"Uh-huh."
"Gabriella is Aunt Taylor's best friend."
"Really?"
"Yes really," Troy responded.
Nikki started watching Hannah Montana again just as Troy's cell phone went off.
"Hello?" Troy said.
"Hey Troy, its Taylor," Taylor said.
"I know. Do you need anything?"
"Actually, I'm Gabriella's assistant."
"What?"
"I work at her real-estate agency as her personal assistant."
"So you lied to me?" Troy asked.
"About?"
"Knowing where she was," Troy replied.
"Yes. She wanted me not to tell you cause she didn't want you to go after her. She is and was afraid you would hurt her again."
"What?"
"Troy, you really hurt the poor girl. Chad and I went all through college trying to calm her down. She even threatened Chad to make sure that he would never tell you where she was or is," Taylor said.
"Gabriella Elizabeth Montez threatened someone? Where have I been for a while?" Troy asked.
"Out and about and she doesn't need you and will never need you. But yes, she will come out to lunch with you. She said to meet her at the Grate Café," Taylor said.
"Alright tell her noon. Bye Taylor," Troy said and he hung up.
"Did I really hurt her that badly? Is she trying to move on? Where have I been the past like six years?" Troy thought to himself.
"Daddy," Nikki said, interrupting Troy's thoughts.
"Yes Nik," Troy answered.
"I want pizza for lunch."
"We are going out to lunch to meet Gabriella at Grate Café at noon sweets," Troy answered her.
"Okay. I'm going upstairs," Nikki said. "Oh yeah Daddy?"
"What Niks?"
"I want to move into the house we saw yesterday and invite Gabriella to live in that guest room," Nikki replied.
"I'll think about it," Troy responded as Nikki went up the stairs.
With Gabriella and Taylor
"Tay?" Gabriella asked as she walked into Taylor's office.
"Yea Gabs," Taylor looked up at Gabriella.
"Tay, what's wrong?"
"Me and Chad have been speaking to Troy since the start of college and now he is mad at me for not telling him where you were and lying that I didn't know where you were."
"Tay, that's not your fault. It's mine. I told you guys not to tell Troy anything about me," Gabriella said, trying to comfort her friend.
"It's okay. I'll get over it. And Gabs, he was so surprised to find out that you threatened Chad about telling him about you. And again Gabs, meet Troy at noon at the Café," Taylor said.
"Okay. Thanks Tay," Gabriella said. "Wait, I need something to wear. Help!"
Taylor laughed. "Alright coming!"
Taylor and Gabriella went back to Gabriella's house and started looking through outfits. Meanwhile, with Troy….
With Troy
"Daddy! I need your help," Nikki screamed into her dad's room.
"Coming Niks."
Troy entered Nikki's room. "You needed my help with…." Troy asked his daughter.
"Picking out an outfit," Nikki finished his sentence.
"Niks, you know I'm not good at it. I always say you look good in everything," Troy said.
"Please Daddy," Nikki looked up to him with puppy eyes.
"Just like Gabs," Troy mumbled under his breath. "Alright, Nikki, pick two and model them for me."
Nikki modeled two outfits and they decided on her normal outfit, a green Juicy Couture© sweat-suit. Troy had on jeans and a white t-shirt.
"Let's go Nikki!" Troy called and they went into the car.
With Gabriella
"Gabs, wear this!" Taylor said excitedly as she held up Gabriella's favorite dress, her white, scoop neck t-shirt dress. "And wear that sparkly sequin silver little jacket thing on top of it!"
"Alright, Tay, I will," Gabriella said and she quickly changed.
"Alright Gabs, I'm going back to work. Have fun," Taylor said as she hugged Gabriella. "And Chad said he would drive you over to the Café."
As if planned, as soon as Taylor said those words, Chad rang the doorbell.
"Coming Chad!" Taylor and Gabriella both said.
And the three walked out together, Chad and Gabriella in one car and Taylor in another.
