Crazy Possessive, by Kaci Battaglia blared at full volume through the speakers as she sang along while absent mindedly tapping on the steering wheel. Her black BMW had a sound system that made most men jealous. She worked hard to afford this car, she saved up for a long time just for the down payment. Her father had been impressed for all of five minutes and her mother just rolled her eyes and called it a death trap.

It wasn't that she was seeking their approval or looking for some self accomplishment in material possessions, this was about her making a choice to live her life the way she wanted. She didn't need a boyfriend to give her things she could give herself. Her job gave her the money she needed to live comfortably and she was smart about her money to make every cent count. Her parents, while she loved them dearly tended to hover more than they should more than they did over her sister which in her opinion was in need of some hovering.

Her mother and father spent most of their time trying to control her, according to them she was the fuck up. Her with all the medals, plaques, awards and newspaper clippings was the daughter with a problem. Meanwhile her young sister got away with almost everything, from dating young, to dating a ton, to dating over her age and even the same sex. It was almost crazy to believe that her little sister was getting married before her. That her sexually deviant little sister was settling down for good, or so she claimed.

Her phone rang again and this time it was Sharpay instead, she turned the music and picked up the call via blue tooth. "Speak to me."

"I was thinking about this party later, I could really use your back up," Sharpay said pleadingly.

"I thought Taylor agreed to go."

"She back out last minute, the bitch went and got a date."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "I'm honored to be your second choice."

Sharpay laughed on the other end, "You know it's not like that."

"Oh really?" Gabriella said as she leaned back in her seat, "Look going out with you normally ends in two ways: either you find this week's love of your life right off the bat and I catch an early cab home for a night of extra butter popcorn and bad cable reality shows; or I spend the entire night fending off the smitten males whose pheromones go on high alert the moment your big toe enters the room."

"What can I say, you know me so well."

Gabriella let out a laugh, "You know I hate going out on Saturdays, why can't you find someone else."

"Gabi, finding someone else and teaching them all about my dos and don'ts of wing-woman hood, before ten tonight is going to be impossible."

"This party starts at ten?"

"Well it starts at nine, but you know the important people show up late." She could almost see the 'duh?' expression on Sharpay's face.

"Right what was I thinking," Gabriella said with 'duh?' expression of her own. "Look I'll think about it call me back after my lunch with Sam."

"How is she doing with all that marital bliss?"

"She's Sam, I don't really think she thinks about it."

"Still no date to the wedding?"

"Not a candidate insight."

"All the more reason you should come out tonight with me. We have to find you a date to the wedding."

"When and if I find a date to this thing, it's going to be someone with a penis you're not going to meet," Gabriella said looking down at the time. She still needed to call her mother and get ready for her lunch.

"Aw come on, I have a right to interview who you're sacking it up with," Sharpay voice was playful with a serious undertone.

"Look in this plain Jane sad story about me finding love when my best friend is a curvy, blond man-magnet with a voice made for sex, I think I'll find out if they have any sticking power before they reach your level of needed clearance."

"Oh stop it," Sharpay said, "You're a hot sexy bitch, and any man would die to see you naked."

"That or die because they did," Gabriella said as she rolled her eyes, "Look I got to go, my mother's been after me about this damn dress and if I ignore her any longer she might just file a missing persons report."

"Alright have a good day and let me know if you get lucky later."

"Later Sharpay," Letting she hit the button on her steering wheel to end the call and turned her music back all the way up. Mentally she went over the items on her to do list one more time, she'd been to the dry cleaners, the grocery store, and the bank. Pulling into her neighborhood she continued to sing along to the music as she looked for her parking spot. "Fuck yeah," she whispered when she saw that the blue van had gone missing. Gabriella parked her car and shut it off. Now she had to put things away and take care of her mother who was still calling her every twenty-five minutes to remind her about the dress and the shoes.

Hearing the music suddenly die Troy curiously came around from the back to see the mystery woman from this morning getting out a black shiny BMW. His eyes widen as he watched her walk around to the trunk and retrieve grocery bags. What did her husband do to afford a car like that? Looking back at the green house he let out a sigh, he hadn't seen anyone else around the house all morning. Looking back at the woman she came up the path to her house with bags in her arms and she made her way up her stairs.

Deciding it might be a good time to introduce himself he looked down at his dirt covered pants and dust covered hands. Maybe now wasn't a good time after all. Not that he cared about what she would think of him, he just didn't want her first impression to be that he was some kind of guy who didn't bathe. Plus he wouldn't want to scare her by just walking up behind her while she was coming home from the grocery store. Although, that did remind him that he had to venture out at some point today to get food and maybe a case of beer before he starved to death. Going back to tossing out the empty boxes he continued his work eager to be unpacked before this afternoon.

Gabriella stocked her fridge and cradled the phone to her ear. "Hey mom," she said as she closed the fridge door.

"Are you aware it's before noon on a Saturday?" her mother voice came over the phone in shock.

"Yeah, I woke up a little early. I think I might have new neighbors," Gabriella said leaping up to sit on the counter and opening a fresh bottle of water.

"Have you met them yet?"

"No," Gabriella said leaning back to open her kitchen blinds which looked into the neighbor's backyard. All she could see was an arm throwing boxes into a trash can. "They took my parking, they woke me up and because of them I spilt coffee on my shirt," she said looking down at the stain.

"Seems like a rough morning."

"My neck is killing me," Gabriella said bringing the bottle to her lips.

"Well, all this bad news aside, did you get the dress yet?"

"I'm headed here next," Gabriella said capping the bottle. "I got to meet with Sam at one for lunch I still don't know what to get her for a wedding present."

"She's your little sister surly you can think of something thoughtful."

Gabriella sighed and looked over at her calendar. Her little sister Samantha was getting married in three weeks. In that time span she needed a date, a makeover, maybe even a new perspective on life. Her little sister was going to tie the knot before her. That alone was a personal drama she been dealing with ever since she heard the news.

"How are the girls?" Her mother's voice brought her back to the present. "I listened to the radio for a little while last night. It was interesting as usual; I think I fell asleep somewhere around nine."

"It's alright mom. Sharpay is good, Taylor and Chad are fine," she said with smile.

"Have you given you're father's friend any consideration for that job."

"Mom, I already have a job."

"I know dear,"

Did she? Gabriella frowned as she lifted the bottle for another sip.

"Your father wants to speak to you."

"Oh great here we go," Gabriella jumped down from the counter to stand up right on her own two feet sensing that she was going to need the inner support.

"I'd like for you to meet with the head of the Dillard Institute next week. They have an opening for a researcher."

"Dad I'm not interested?" Stress did a grinding little twist in her gut as Gabriella realized that her father wasn't going to be so easy to detour.

"You'll need to change jobs. Did you see today's paper? There's a write up about you and those girls in the paper. It's completely unacceptable."

Unacceptable. How often had she heard that over the years? Closing her eyes, Gabriella tried to breath past the knot in her chest. Why did she ever expect things to change?

"Are you paying attention young lady?"

"I'm not changing my job just because you think it's unacceptable."

"You work late hours and you're in that house all by yourself. You're mother worries herself sick about you."

"Well, tell her to stop worrying."

"Or why don't you grow up and stop acting so foolish, a young woman should not be airing her dirty laundry on the radio for everyone to hear."

"This conversation is pointless tell mom I'll call her later." Gabriella hung up the phone without a second thought. Her eyes shutting as she reached her hand up to rub her sore neck. Seriously what was it going to take for her parents to take her seriously? What was it going to take to find a date? Taylor was a young woman on the show, working all those odd hours on all things technical and even she found a love life. What the heck was it going to take for Gabriella? An apocalypse?

Gabriella looked at the clock she didn't have enough time to shower before her lunch with Sam, she was just going to have to deal with it. Gabriella capped her water bottle and threw it in the third blue bin on her left before she walked over to the table to grab her keys as soon as was on her way outside she heard some things from the house next door crash. "There goes the peace and quiet," she mumbled making her way to the car.

Troy looked down at the small piece of glass now shattered on the floor. "Well now it's a set of three cups not four," he said placing the other three glasses in the cabinet and then reaching for a broom to clean the mess. "Note to self shoes must be wore in the kitchen," he said placing the broken bits into the trash can. Looking around he noticed that piles of boxes were disappearing and he was feeling that almost done relief.

There was a knock on the door that startled him and Troy curiously made his way to the living room to answer it. Peeking out the side window he noted the man standing on his porch waiting to be let inside. "Who on earth is that?" When he opened the door he could see that the man was an African American with lots of hair he had tied back onto a ponytail. He was carrying a red and white shirt in his hands.

"Hey, Troy right?"

"Yeah," he said a little unsure as the man walked in without a further explanation. "And you are?"

"Chad Danforth," the man said looking around the living room at some of the left over boxes piled up by the staircase, "I'll tell you," he said with a half laugh, "when they gave me your address I was thrilled to see you're up here by Montez." Chad made his way into the kitchen, "I've always wondered what this place looked like on the inside."

"I'm sorry up by what?" Troy followed the man into his kitchen. "Is there some reason why you here?" Troy said looking at Chad.

"Well I'm your assistant coach and I thought it might be good if I check in and seen how you were settling in?" Chad looked inside one of the boxes on the table and Troy creased his brow as he looked at Chad with curiosity.

"They really just gave you my address?" he asked crossing his arms.

"No," he said with huff, "I just looked through your file."

"Oh well, that makes it so much more comforting," he said holding out a hand the trying his best to make that sound logical.

Chad smiled and looked at him with amusement. "Here," He tossed him the shirt in his hands. "It's an East High shirt hopefully it fits and no I'm not crazy," he added.

Troy caught the shirt, "Well, it was nice of you to bring this."

"I figured you might need some help settling in?" Chad looked around, "and I think I came just in time."

"It was worst this morning trust me?" Troy said with a smile.

"No problem, I know what it's like I just moved in with my girl last year and there were boxes everywhere I mean combining all our shit almost took us three weeks," Chad said with pain filled expression.

"Wow," Troy leaned his shoulder on the door way. "So I guess that makes you a master at unpacking."

"You bet."