A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT! Thanks to my Beta Elena Rain.


Next day at school Gabriella was in math class. Her day was going about as normal and she was glad no one can came to warn her about Troy yet…during class the door opened and a girl walked in.

"Sorry, I'm late Mr. Thomas, my plane was late."

"Welcome back, Ms. Mckessie, please take your seat." Mr. Thomas said.

The girl nodded and took a seat next to Gabriella.

"Ms. Montez can catch you up on what you missed, she just arrived yesterday." Mr. Thomas said.

The girls nodded and looked to Gabriella. "I'm Taylor." She said nicely.

"Gabriella, it's nice to meet you."

"So, have you made any friends yet?"

"Troy Bolton, he's been really great."

"Troy? Hmm…"

Gabriella groaned. "Not you too."

"I see you've been warned about him."

"More than I can count. Look, I don't believe that rumor and I never will so thanks but I can handle myself."

"But Gabriella…."

"Look, let's just get back to work. We did pages 44 and 45 in our workbook, if you need any help you can always ask Mr. Thomas, but that's all."

"Fine, when Troy beats you senseless and he will don't come crying to me."

Gabriella just rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the teacher.


After class she was the first one to leave and get to her locker. She put her books in it and slammed it shut.

"Whoa, what did your locker do to deserve such violent behavior?" a voice asked behind her.

She turned and saw Troy. She chuckled and blushed. "Nothing, just a stressful class, I took it out on my locker."

"I'm sorry, can I help?"

"No, I'm ok. But thank you. How was practice?"

Troy sighed. "Every started to ask me how much I paid you to be my friend. They asked if you knew about my "horrible behaviors" and my past."

Gabriella sighed. "I'm sorry, Troy."

"You don't believe it. That's all I care about."

"You're too nice of a guy, Troy. I can't see you hitting anyone."

"Tell that to the school, is that why you had a bad class? Were people telling you to stay away from me again?"

Gabriella sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry; I didn't want to hurt you by telling you."

Troy smiled softly. "You're my friend, that's all I need from you."

She smiled back. "Well, then you have it."

"So, my mom is having the kitchen painted today and doesn't want us inhaling the fumes. Could we maybe go to your house?"

"My house? Um….."

Gabriella bit her bottom lip. The second Troy walked through her door he'd be exposed to all the yelling, screaming, and fighting that she dealt with on a daily basis.

"We…we can't….I'm….I'm not allowed to have boys over."

"Even if your parents are home? Plus I'm just a friend and we have a project to work on, nothing more is going to happen."

"Yeah, my mom is just weird like that. Sorry."

Gabriella walked away. Troy sighed. "Gabriella what are you hiding from me?" he followed behind her.


As they both walked into the cafeteria everyone turned to glare at Troy. He sighed. "I think I'm going to skip lunch."

"You have to eat something, Troy. Let's get our food and eat somewhere else. I'll come with you."

He nodded quietly and she rubbed his back. "Come on, it's ok."

They both got in line and waited for their food. From behind them they heard two girls "whispering"

"You go."

"No, I don't want to stand behind, Bad Boy Bolton you go."

"No way, I don't have a death wish. I'd like to live to see my next birthday."

"Well one of us has to go and it's not going to be me."

"Well it's not going to be me either. I heard what he did to his father."

Troy turned toward them an gave them a harsh glare and walked away. Gabriella glared at them too. "You heartless, monsters! How dare you say something like that!"

"You haven't heard? He killed his father." One of the girls said.

"His father died in a car crash, not that it's any of your business."

"Yeah, and who do you think was driving the car? Troy was drunk."

Gabriella shook her head. "You really need to get your facts right before you go around telling people. "

She grabbed her tray and got her food. She smiled nicely to the lady behind the counter. "Would it be too much trouble if I could have a second tray for my friend Troy?"

"No, not at all." The lady put the food on a second tray and handed it to her. "Can you carry both?"

"Of course, thank you so much."

Gabriella gave one last look to the girls behind her and walked away. She knew where Troy was.


She went back to the gym. He was trying to shoot the ball into the hoop but he was missing every time. Finally he got so angry that he threw the ball at the wall. She was going to crack a joke when she saw him fall to his knee and cry into his hands. Gabriella set the trays down and went over to him. She hugged him close and rubbed his back. He looked up at her. "I didn't kill him." He choked out.

"I know, Troy, I'm so sorry they said that to you. Using your father's death to spread rumors is just heartless and I'm so sorry. I know you didn't kill him." She said gently.

"That doesn't make it hurt less. It's been 2 months and it still hurts."

"And it's going to hurt, Troy, when you lose somebody you love that pain is going to be with you for the rest of your life. But you learn to cope with it after awhile and the pain will lessen."

"You sound like your speaking from experience."

"I am, I know it's the not the same but, when I was 13….three years ago, my grandfather died, we were super close, he was like a second father to me and till this day his death is with me, and till this day it hurts me. Troy, you loved your father, his death is always going to be there, this isn't something you just get through, and you learn to cope with it. I promise you as time goes on it will get easier."

"Thank you." He said.

"You're welcome. I didn't know if you were hungry but I got you some lunch."

Troy smiled softly. "I'm starving."

"Come on, let's eat."

They both stood and went over to the bleachers they sat down and started to eat.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did your grandfather die?"

"Old age, he had my mom very late so I was still pretty young when he died..."

"I'm sorry." Troy said.

She nodded softly. "Thank you. I actually think it was a blessing because he was suffering so much."

"I'm sorry, that must have been heard."

She nodded. "My dad was real great; he really helped me cope with it."

"And your mom?"

"She was struggling too much to help me."

"Her father?"

She nodded. "Ever since then she'd been different." She whispered.

"What do you mean different?" Troy asked.

"Different? I didn't say different I said…..deaf ant, yeah that's it. Anyway, let's talk about something else, how are you feeling?" He sighed but nodded.

"Better, thank you."

"What are best friends for?"

They both shared a smiled. Gabriella felt the butterflies tickle her stomach again. She quickly looked down to her food. Troy cell phone rang and he grabbed it. "Hello…oh hey mom….it's been a rough morning but Gabriella's helping make it better….no, we can't do her house so we were thinking of the library….really, are you sure….ok great, I'll see you later then….love you too bye." He hung up and smiled at Gabriella "She said kitchen is dry an there are no paint fumes so we can meet at my house if you're interested."

"Of course, that would be great. I'd love to." Under her breath she muttered "Anything that will keep me from having to go home."

"Great."

They smiled and continued with their lunch. They spent the rest of the day together; both Troy and Gabriella had a much better afternoon.


After school they arrived at Troy's house. They were looking up old telephones on the internet.

"Oh my gosh look at that phone, it's got a wire on it how ugly." Gabriella joked.

"I know, who would actually buy something like that, it's awful." Troy joked back.

"How could you moved around with it. I mean you'd just have to stand in the same place while you're talked on the phone. That is so boring."

"Yeah, what happens if I have stuff to do? I'll need to move around while I talk what else can I do just put the phone down and then come back? That's so much work."

Gabriella wanted to respond but she was laughing way too hard. Troy was laughing just as hard next to her. They both finally got their breathing under control and smiled. "We sound so spoiled." He said.

She nodded. "Yeah, we do. My mom would kill me if she heard me talking like that."

"Mine too; which is why my door is closed."

She giggled and nodded. "Hey, maybe we should put on a skit, one of us can be an elder person and still have an older telephone and the other can be a teenager with the latest greatest cell phone and one can talk about the way the phones used to be while the other talks about the way phones are now?"

"That's a lot of lines." She said worriedly.

"Hey, don't worry; I'll be up there with you. Some people do better in groups."

She shrugged. "I just don't like crowds, every time I've been in front of them I pass out."

"Well, that won't happen this time."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, I'm going to be up there with you and I'll be sure you don't pass out."

"Thank you."

"What are best friends for?"

They both laughed and continued with their homework.


At 8:30 Gabriella's father came to pick her up. Troy could easily see a difference in him, from her mother.

"You must be, Troy. It's nice to finally meet you." Carlos said as he shook Troy's hands.

"You as well, Sir. Gabriella has told me wonderful things about you."

"She has said the same about you."

Gabriella blushed.

"Thank you for allowing my daughter to your home." Carlos said to Lucille.

"Oh, she is welcome here anytime. She is very well mannered and polite." Carlos smiled.

"Yes, she's a wonderful girl. Well, we should get going it was nice to meet you both." Carlos and Gabriella walked outside.

Troy watched them from the door. Gabriella was laughing at a joke her father had made. He smiled. It was so very clear she had a better relationship with her father than her mother and Troy couldn't help but wonder why.


Gabriella and Carlos arrived home both is a great mood….that is until Maria came into the room.

"Finally you're home. I was beginning to think you'd never return." Maria said.

"I'd never do that. We just hit a bit of traffic." Carlos said.

Maria shook her head. "Whatever, Gabriella I want you to read those books I gave you but I also want you to write a ten page paper on each law and how it benefits our lives. Due tomorrow morning.

"Maria, what on earth! She has enough homework already. She doesn't need to do that on top of it." Carlos said.

"She is my daughter she will do as I say."

"Maria, she doesn't want to be a lawyer, she doesn't need to do all this homework."

"Yes, she does, and she will."

Gabriella sighed. "I'm going to my room."

Her mother grabbed her tightly as she walked passed. "You are not to leave until I say you are allowed to leave."

"Ow! Let me go!" Gabriella cried out.

"Where are you going, to write more music, to sing your heart out, to sleep with yet another boy?"

"OW!" Gabriella screamed as her mother tightened her grip. "Let me go, and you know that was all rumors mother!"

"I know nothing of the sort, now you have ashamed this family enough. The only way to make you better is for you to be the best lawyer now go up to your room and write that paper."

"Mara get off her!" Carlos growled.

Maria let Gabriella go. Gabriella ran off to her bedroom. Carlos went over to her, "If I ever see you grab her like that again I will divorce you so fast your head will spin. I will not let you treat her like this." Carlos rushed off to Gabriella's bedroom.


She was sitting on her bed crying into her hands. Her father went over to her and hugged her close. "Please don't cry, Brie."

"She believes them, even after all this time she still believes them." Gabriella cried.

"Oh, sweetie." Carlos hugged Gabriella tightly and kissed her head. Maria was working his last nerve and he was getting closer and closer to divorce, the only reason he hadn't yet is because he didn't know how Gabriella would handle it. He held Gabriella as she cried and comforted her through the night. Once again she had cried herself to sleep. Carlos sighed. Ever since she left her old school she had lost the sparkle in her eye, she didn't smile or laugh anymore. She just seemed so sad all the time. He knew he was the only one to notice it but he just wished there was something he could do to make her feel better.


At school the next day Gabriella felt just as awful as she did when she went to bed that night. Nobody seemed too care except for Troy. During free period he decided to ask her about it. But of course she just changed the subject, only this time he didn't let it go.

"Look, Gabriella, I've been really open and honest with you, and we've only been friends three days. I don't want to push you but I can tell something is bothering you. Can you please tell me what's going on? I know it has something to do with your mother, is she abusive or something."

Gabriella sighed. Troy was right. He had trusted her some of his deepest secrets and it was time she told him hers. "Ok, my mom…."

The school bell rang and kids started to pile out of their classrooms and Gabriella looked around. She shook her head. "I can't risk them hearing." She said softly. "I'm sorry."

Troy took her hand. They both ignored the sparks they felt. "Come with me."

Gabriella followed Troy up a flight of stairs to the roof top garden.

"Wow, it's beautiful up here." She smiled.

"No one knows about this place except for me. So it's very private and quiet." He said.

Gabriella nodded. She went over to the bench and sat down. Troy went and sat next to her.

"No," Gabriella started softly. "My mom isn't abusive, she's grabbed me roughly a few times but it was nothing. My dad always stopped her."

"So, then why do you always get so tense when I mention her?" he asked.

"We don't have the best relationship. Troy. It's hard to explain."

"Try, please."

Gabriella let out a shaky breath. "Do you remember me telling you about in my old school the rumors?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Well, my mother she….she heard about what everyone was saying about me in school and she….she believed them."

"What? Your own mother believes a stupid rumors over you?"

Gabriella nodded. She sniffed trying to be strong. "She's hated me ever since. She says I'm an embarrassment to the Montez name and she is ashamed of me. The only way I can make it up to her is if I become a lawyer like her. But I don't want to be a lawyer, I want to be an artist, my mother thinks all my songs I write are stupid and useless. "

Troy sighed. "I'm so sorry, is there something I can do for you?"

She smiled through her tears. "Just being my friend."

"I can be your shoulder if you want too. It's ok to cry. I've done it enough."

"Lawyers don't cry, we have no emotion, we feel nothing and only care about facts."

"You're not a lawyer; you're a girl who has been hurt. You have every right to cry."

"My parents are always fighting over me too. I hate it. I really truly honestly hate it, Troy."

Gabriella started to cry and Troy just held her, rocking her, soothing her. They didn't care if they were missing their next class or not. Gabriella had finally opened up to him and told him the truth, that's all he cared about.


After that time flew by. Gabriella and Troy became fast best friends. They were inseparable, but also their feelings for each other grew stronger than friendship but both were too scared to say anything about it. Gabriella knew this was something she needed to talk with her dad about. She was so scared of ruining her friendship if Troy didn't return the feelings.

One night, while Maria was working late, Gabriella went into the living room to see her father watching tv.

"Dad can I talk to you?"

"Sure Princess."

Gabriella went and saw down on his lap. Carlos turned the TV off and wrapped his arms around his daughter.

"What's on your mind princess?"

"Troy…."

"Ah, I think I know where this is going."

Gabriella nodded. "I really like him, Daddy. But if he doesn't like me back, it will ruin our friendship and that's more important to me than anything."

"Brie Bear, I know Troy likes you. I can see it every time he is around you. I think you two just need to talk."

"What if he turns me down? Our friendship means so much."

"He won't I know he won't, look I can't force you to tell him, but I think you should."

Gabriella sighed. She nodded. Her father wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know, it was actually talking to Troy that scared her.

"Now, get some sleep. You have your project due tomorrow."

Gabriella groaned. "I was trying to forget about it.

Carlos chuckled. "You're going to do great. I promise. Just picture the kids in their underwear it works every time."

Gabriella giggled. "Thank you, dad. I love you."

"I love you too, Brie Bear, good night."

Carlos kissed her head and Gabriella went off to her room. Carlos just smiled. He knew she was going to do just fine.


The next day Gabriella sat shaking in her seat. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it would pop right out of her chest. Then a piece of paper landed on her desk she opened it and it read "Just relax. I'll be up there with you the whole time. I won't let the other kids laugh. I think we are next just take a deep breath and keep your eyes on me". Gabriella smiled but then frowned at the teacher called her name. She got up and made her way to the front. Troy followed her and turned to face the others.

"We decided to do our assignment as a little skit. My character, a young teenage boy is trying to teach is grandmother, Gabriella's character about cell phones." Troy explained

"This sounds very entertaining." The teacher said. "Please continue."

Troy nodded and looked to Gabriella. She looked like she had gone catatonic. She was just staring at the students, not moving.

"Gabriella?" he said softly.

She looked at him, it was then he noticed how pale white she was. She even looked a little green. "Brie, do you need to leave?" he asked.

She nodded her head. "I can't do this, Troy. Not will all these people staring at me."

"Hey, hey, hey, look at me, right at me, right at me; you're only talking to me. No one else."

He could tell she was close to passing out. She looked very faint. But to his surprised she nodded. She took a deep breath locked eyes with Troy.

"Hey, Trever, could you help me, my boy?" Gabriella asked.

Troy smiled, her voice was soft and shy but she was trying.

"Of course, Grandma, what with?" he asked.

"One of your cousins sent me this little tiny telephone for Christmas and I have no idea what to do with it or how to use it. He calls it a cell phone."

"Yeah, a lot of people have cell phones, Grandma."

"But, how can it be a telephone, it has no wires and it's not connected to anything."

"It's all wireless, that way you can take it with you on the go."

"Who would I need to call if I'm out of my home?"

"Well…if you're ever in danger you can call 911."

"Yeah," a kid called. "Like if Troy suddenly beats you to a pulp and leaves you bleeding in the street you can call for help."

They both ignored the voice, but that voice reminded Gabriella that it wasn't just her and Troy. There were other people watching her, listening to her, judging her…Gabriella bit her lip and suddenly her mind went blank. She couldn't remember anything; all of her lines had vanished. Her heart started to race, she felt light headed and dizzy. Almost as if Troy read he mind he said.

"I know what you're going to say, 'when will I ever be in danger and need to call for help'…"

Gabriella smiled thankfully at Troy; he took her hand and gave it a squeeze drawing her focus back on them.

"But, you never know what might, happen, Grandma. I know telephones used to include cords, wires, and you even had to dial the numbers by spinning a wheel."

"Yes, when I was your age I sat in the kitchen on a stool and I talked to my friends and I was just fine. I don't need any stinking cell phones."

"But, Grandma, cell phones are so much easier to use look, all you do is press the buttons to dial the number and hit the send button, it's that easy, and it's always connected so you don't need to mess with cords to plug into the wall. "

"Well now you sound like a commercial. All right, I get it. Cell phones are useful but I don't like it! Take it away and use it! I like my telephone plugged into my wall just fine."

"Ok, Grandma whatever you say."

"The end."

Everyone clapped and Troy and Gabriella bowed.

"That was very creative, and entertaining, well done to both of you. I'm giving you both an A+."

Gabriella squealed. Troy smiled. They both returned to their seats.


After class the second they walked out, Troy picked Gabriella up and spun her around. She burst into giggles. "Troy put me down!" she squealed.

He chuckled and set her on her feet. Their faces were inches apart they both leaned in and their lips touched. Troy pulled away. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I just did that." He said quickly.

Gabriella giggled. "Why are you sorry? I'm not. I liked it."

"Really?" Troy asked.

She nodded. "Troy, I really like you. I have for a long time I just…I've been too scared of telling you."

"I really like you too; I've just been too scared you didn't like me back."

They shared another kiss on the lips a little deeper than the last. They pulled away. "So, I guess this makes you my girlfriend now?" he asked.

"I guess it does." Gabriella smiled.

Troy sighed. "You know everyone is going to lecture you even more now, especially Sharpay?"

"Troy, I didn't care when we were friends, I don't care now that we're more than that. I care about you and I know you, you're a good person, an even better man. Your father would be so proud."

Troy smiled. "Thank you, you're really perfect."

She blushed. "I'm anything but perfect, Troy. I've got my far share of secrets too."

"You've told me all your secrets….haven't you?"

Gabriella nodded. "You know everything about me and my crazy mother."

Troy chuckled. "Yeah, and you're still perfect."

Gabriella smiled. "You're such a sweet talker."

He laughed. "It's the truth."

She shook her head. "Whatever you say. Come on, we're going to be late for our next class."

They locked hands and walked to their next class. Only this time they did it as boyfriend and girlfriend. They were finally together and everything could only better from here….right…wrong, things were about to get worse and it would all be caused by one woman….Maria…


A/N what is Maria going to do? Any ideas? Leave me your thoughts in a review.