Again, a fairly short chapter. It's starting out slow like I said it was. We need to officially reintroduce all of the characters. We need to get a sense at where they are and everything. I don't know if I'll update this any more tonight but if I don't then I will tomorrow. But I'm happy for the few reviews I got so far. Should I say thanks now? Yeah, why not while there's not a lot of names to remember. xD So thanks for the reviews, digigirl02, Always-Here-Imani, and ChaylorTwilightQueen10.
Once again I do not own HSM or its characters. But like I said, it would be so cool if that were to happen. Then it'd be Hello-more-depth-into-other-characters-and-relationships-besides-Troy-and-Gabriella, separate series for kids and teens, and a whole bunch of other stuff I can't think of off the top of my head.


Gabriella Montez paced around her living room. She was talking to her friend on the other line and she sounded stressed. It wasn't that Gabriella never supported her friends, she always did. But this was her best friend we're talking about. She wanted to see her again. And even though that now it was practically summer and no reason for her to stay at the college she was teaching at, she still sounded reluctant to come back.

"Tay come on." Gabriella sighed. "You have to come to the high school reunion. Everyone's going to be there and you know it."

"No Gabriella, I don't." Taylor McKessie shook her head on the other end. She was still in her home not too far from Oxford University and she personally preferred it there over Albuquerque despite the distance. Ok, she missed Gabriella and her other friends and all, but Taylor was never ready to go back. She decided to take the stubborn path and stay where she was.

"Well why not?" Gabriella asked. "I miss you. And I bet I'm not the only one. And you were salutatorian of our class so you can't not come to the occasion. I'm not going if you're not going."

"Then don't go." Taylor sighed. She hit her hand against her forehead and ran her fingers through her shoulder length black hair. She moaned and let herself fall onto the nearby couch.

Gabriella raised an eyebrow. "Are you stressed about something I should know about?" she wondered.

"You mean besides teaching when half of the students in my classes are only in there to earn a couple of credits instead of actually wanting to further an occupation in something science-related?" Taylor replied.

"Ok that I can understand." Gabriella nodded. "But there's one thing you have to remember..."

"I have a degree, Gabriella. I know what goes on in students' heads. I've been trained for at least three years." Taylor replied.

"And teaching for about two." Gabriella said to herself.

"I heard that." Taylor countered.

She sighed. "Tay, come on. Really, if you're not this stressed about the students then what are you stressed about?"

"All I'm stressed about is the students." Taylor lied. "I know how high Oxford's standards are and it's a very prestigious school but that still doesn't excuse the behavior of certain students. They actually fall asleep in class when it doesn't start at eight or nine in the morning and they let me know how bored out of their minds they are."

"Ok I get it. Teaching college students can be a very...how do I put this nicely..." Gabriella stated.

"Witchy job?" she raised an eyebrow, knowing Gabriella didn't like people cursing around her.

"You could call it that. But I know what word you did want to use." Gabriella replied.

"Trust me, there's more than the job that's 'witchy'." she said, using air quotes.

"You really can't let it go can you?" Gabriella asked politely.

"He never even needed to act the way he did, ok?" Taylor defended. "He implied the break-up and as soon as I bring up the subject he denies ever thinking anything and then what happens? He pins the blame onto me."

"I know the story Taylor." Gabriella replied. "You don't need to keep bringing it up. And I know how much it bothers you."

"Ok genius girl," Taylor said, "then what do you suggest to make it stop bothering me?"

"Maybe put your mind on something else. Well, besides teaching I mean." she shrugged.

"Unfortunately it's easier said than done." Taylor stated. "And it's especially difficult to stop your mind from wandering so much when you're in the middle of grading about two hundred or so papers."

"So then I know exactly what you need." Gabriella smiled.

"Care to share?" she inquired.

"Two words: new guy." Gabriella answered.

"You're joking right?" Taylor asked. "Now I've seriously got better things to do than think about dating. I've got my job to think about."

"And now you're on summer vacation. You'll have three months to put your mind on something else. I really think that's all you'll need." Gabriella said.

"Just three months? Sounds doubtful." she replied.

"But you'll never know if you don't try now will you?" Gabriella asked. "Besides, I'm sure plenty of your students are wondering why they call you Ms instead of Professor."

It was true. Some of Taylor's students did refer to her as Professor, but others would call her by Ms McKessie. Taylor did recall getting a few comments at the beginning of each semester asking if she was engaged or anything. That was when she quickly changed the subject to the sylabus for the class. Taylor didn't even know why students would ask her that. It wasn't like it was any of their business or anything.

"You know life can't be about something school-related forever." Gabriella continued. "You need someone special in your life Tay. And if it's not someone from high school then clearly your guy has to be out there somewhere."

"So what do you suggest?" she asked.

"Get out there and work it!" Gabriella encouraged. "You'll have guys eating out of the palm of your hand before you know it."

"Speaking of which," Taylor smirked, "when was the last time Troy was eating out of the palm of your hand?"

Gabriella felt the heat rush to her cheeks. She hated it when Taylor did this. Gabriella would advise Taylor with a date or something and then Taylor would turn it around and pin Gabriella down.

"Just the usual..." she said as calmly as she could.

"Don't you 'just the usual' me." Taylor replied, waving a finger as she sat up. "I know something more is up. Need i remind you of when you confessed your love for Troy?"

It wasn't too far from the end of senior year. Gabriella had early acceptance to the University of Standford, the college she had been dreaming of since she was little. At first Gabriella had never even intended to go but her friends pushed her to do it, including Troy. And at the time Troy and Gabriella were only dating, trying to figure out what they'd do without each other when it was time for college. That made Troy realize how lonely he'd be without Gabriella. In a way he'd be Gabriella-less.

Troy was hanging with Chad one night and Troy was thinking about Gabriella yet again. He looked down at his phone and heard it ringing. As soon as he saw it was Gabriella calling, he picked up right away. Gabriella was telling him how Stanford was and everything and they were saying how they missed each other.

"So you're still coming back for prom and graduation, right?" Troy asked her.

"Saying good-bye once was hard enough Troy." Gabriella replied softly. "I'm out of good-bye's."

"What?" Troy asked quietly, surprised. "But I thought-"

"We can't keep this up Troy. I've finally gotten used to it here. I don't think I can leave." Gabriella replied.

"Gabriella..." Troy whispered.

Gabriella had tears in her eyes at that point and they were right at the edge, ready to fall. "I love you Wildcat." And then she hung up.

And all Troy did for that moment was stare at the phone in disbelief.

"I know, I know." Gabriella sighed. "And then he drove up to Stanford so he and I could have our own prom together."

"Exactly." Taylor nodded. "So between the start of college and the end of college was just a rough patch for you two. If memory serves from the first time you discussed Troy after that, things were looking way better for you two."

"Yeah well don't get your hopes up for a dramatic change any time soon." Gabriella replied simply. "Troy and I are just dating right now. Sure, we love each other and everything, but we're not taking it further than dating."

"Kissing?" Taylor looked at her nails.

"Usually."

"Making out?"

"Not excessively..."

"Making love?"

"Taylor!"

"I'm just saying, they all have something to do with dating." she replied defensively.

"Something. Not everything." Gabriella corrected. "But maybe before you continue questioning me about my love life you should think about yours."

"Or lack thereof." she muttered.

"I heard that." Gabriella giggled.

Taylor sighed. "Alright, if it'll make you happy I'll at least talk to a guy." she caved. "Maybe one of the more sophisticated teachers from Oxford. The one who keeps eying me is eying me in places that he should not be staring at during the school day."

Gabriella couldn't help but laugh. "Good luck with that then."

"Thanks. Say hi to Troy for me." she teased.

"So you'll come up next week for the reunion?" Gabriella asked hopefully.

And she was stuck in the trap again. "We'll talk about that another time."

"Tomorrow."

"Saturday."

"That's the day of the reunion."

"Fine, the day before Saturday."

"Taylor!"

Taylor sighed again. "I'll email you then, alright? I'll email you and then we'll talk about the reunion."

"At least promise to come home and visit?" Gabriella asked.

She could do that. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to see Gabriella or any other friends she missed out on. "Ok. I promise." she agreed. "I'll see if I can get any good deals on flights and I'll let you know when I'll fly back to Albuquerque."

That would be one interesting trip.


Ok, so we have now seen Troy, Chad, Gabriella, and Taylor again. You have a faint idea what's going on in their lives. Troy's pretty content, he and Gabriella are supposedly dating, Chad's got a secret, and Taylor's still a stubborn head. Well not everyone can change can they? xD Oh come on, I have to kid around with characters or people at some point. So who will be next? Hm, I wonder. So here will be the big mysterious questions asked in a deep voice with a blank background and dramatic music: What is the secret? Is Troy planning something? What else will we learn about the characters? Where could this be going from here? Will ever flashback be a short two-minute lame-ish clip from HSM3? And what other questions can be asked to the readers? See, even used Bold for dramatic effect. =P Ok, I know you guys had enough now. I'll shut up till the next chapter is uploaded.