A/N: This one's for Abby, my wonderful beta reader. Without her, I'd have more thens than I'd know what to do with...then I'd know what to do with...*bites lip*

BTW...Gabriella's not weird, I do this too. :D


"I get a kick out of how my girlfriend meticulously indexes all of her songs in iTunes, including artists, full song titles, album cover art, song lyrics, songwriters, genre, year released and on and on."


"My friends are gonna get angry if we never come out."

Troy grinned at Gabriella, tightening his grip on her waist, and brushing his nose with her own, "They get you for, like, eleven months out of the year," Troy told her, lifting up his hand to brush some hair out of her eyes, "I can have you, uninterrupted, for a few days."

Gabriella giggled, the noise filling Troy and sending shockwaves throughout his entire system. The pair were snuggled up on her bed, their limbs intertwined to the point where it was indiscernible where Gabriella's ended and Troy's began, just the way they liked it. Troy's arm was slung around her waist, caressing the skin of her lower back, just beneath the thin material of her camisole, while her hands were resting on his chest, above the cotton fabric of his t-shirt. He didn't know how long they had been there, most likely a couple of hours, but he was content to stay put for…ever, really.

They had spent almost the entire day within the confines of her bedroom, save for a quick pizza and grocery run earlier, doing nothing more than spending time together. Occasionally they watched some TV, occasionally they kissed, occasionally they did more than kissing, but mainly they just talked. Despite all their long conversations, both over the phone and via webcam, it just wasn't the same as when they were lying next to each other. Troy told her about his career, what they were planning on doing next with the band, how well recording was going, and that despite the difficulty associated with traveling, he loved the tour thus far. Gabriella talked about school, how the teachers were starting to be difficult merely for the sake of being difficult, the sudden influx of homework that left her with small amounts of free time, and how ready she was for graduation. It was wonderful and awful both at the same time. It was wonderful because she was getting to spend time with the man she loved. It was awful because he'd be leaving again on Wednesday.

"It's not me they want." Gabriella told him with a smile, "It's my hunky rockstar boyfriend." Troy rolled his eyes, "Don't roll your eyes, they've been dying to meet you since I finally revealed you as the 'Troy' I talked about all the time."

Troy grimaced, "Look, I'm only here for a few days, can't you just bring them to my concert or something?"

"You're concert is on a Wednesday in Vegas, none of us can come and you know we can't." Gabriella stuck out her bottom lip, Troy immediately groaning once her pout formed, "You'd like them, you really would."

"I have no doubt," Troy told her instantly, "I just, and I don't mean this in a bad way, but I came here to spend time with you." He explained, "Not you and your three roommates."

"We can have dinner tonight." Gabriella suggested.

"But I was gonna take you out for dinner tonight." Troy protested.

Gabriella sent him a look, "No you weren't."

"Yes, I was."

"No, you weren't." Gabriella repeated, "You were gonna wait until I went to the bathroom to whip out…"

Troy snorted, "Whoa there!"

"…your cell phone," she finished with a pointed look, "to order more pizza, and then we'd talk, eat, and have more sex."

A sly smirk spread across Troy's features, "Well, if you insist."

Their faces weren't more than a few inches apart, and Troy had every intent of closing that distance between them, but Gabriella placed her finger on his puckered lips, pushing his face back, "Dinner," Gabriella repeated, her tone indicating that there wasn't any room for argument, "tonight."

Troy sighed, "Fine."

Gabriella lifted her eyebrows, "I'll cook if it makes you feel any better."

Troy shook his head, "No, I'm cooking."

"No, Troy," Gabriella started, "you're my guest, I'm not having you cook."

"But Zeke gave me a new recipe I've been dying to try." Troy told her, "Plus, I'm putting you out."

"You're not putting me out," Gabriella sent him a small smile, wrapping her arms around his neck, "you're my favorite pillow."

Troy's smile mirrored her own as he pecked her lightly on the lips, "So glad that I can be of service." Gabriella went to lean in again, but this time it was Troy who deflected the kiss, "However, I am still making dinner."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Depends, what new recipe?"

"That, my dear, is for me to know and you to find out." Gabriella frowned, "Hey! Speaking of new things…" Gabriella slackened her grip on Troy as he untangled his limbs from hers, pushing up into a sitting position as he dug through his duffle bag sitting on the floor. "We just finished a few new songs."

"Ooo," Gabriella said excitedly, sitting up, "gimme gimme!"

Troy laughed at her eagerness, finally fishing out his flash drive and depositing it into her hand, "You've gotta be kind, though." He told her as she made her way over to where she had left her backpack with her laptop inside, "They were, like, just recorded. I haven't edited anything."

Troy plopped down in front of her desk, watching Gabriella set the sleek silver computer in front of him, "I am always kind," she told him as she sat down on his lap, waiting for the laptop to boot up, "you always say I'm too kind."

"You are," Troy agreed, "but I'm talking about being kind in reference to sound quality. I still want you to be brutally honest about lyrics."

Gabriella laughed as she logged into her computer, sticking the flash drive into the side, "You can't ask me to be brutally honest about songs when the lyrics are about me."

Troy smiled, "Fine, then I'll stop writing about you."

His tone sounded upset, but Gabriella knew he was just teasing her, "Fine," Gabriella replied childishly, "I never wanted you to write about me in the first place."

"Good."

"Great!"

Troy laughed, burying his face into her back and pressing a kiss to her skin, "I missed you."

"I missed you more."

Troy shook his head, "Not possible."

"It is possible." Gabriella disputed, "Under 'New Album'?"

Troy nodded, "Yep. And, no, I definitely missed you more, you had school to distract you for three months, I had Chad and Zeke."

Gabriella clicked her mouse, "And millions of screaming women throwing themselves at you."

"That's implied with Chad and Zeke."

Gabriella's brow furrowed, a small laugh escaping her lips, "How is that implied in Chad and Zeke?"

Troy was peeking over her shoulder, "Are you there yet?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Yes, I've just gotta open them in iTunes," she informed him, "what's the name of 'Track 1'?"

Troy shrugged, "Track 1."

Gabriella shook her head, "No, Troy, you know I have to have a name." she told him, "I'll forgo the album name for now, but the tracks can't not have names."

"But, we haven't named them yet."

"Well, name them now."

Troy shook his head, "I can't name them without Chad and Zeke."

"Sure you can."

"No," Troy started, "baby, I can't."

"Sure you can," Gabriella repeated, "just don't tell them you named them until they ask for suggestions and then just strongly suggest these names."

Troy paused for a moment, shaking his head slightly, "Gabi…"

"Do you want me to listen to your songs or not?" Gabriella asked firmly.

"Well, of course. But…"

"Then, 'Track 1'…" Gabriella said, her fingers poised on the keyboard, ready to type.

Troy rolled his eyes, "Track one is called 'Feelin' Way Too Damn Good'."

Gabriella smiled victoriously, "Ooo, intriguing, 'Track 2'…"