Chapter 4

Gabriella was looking through her books on her shelves when she squealed when she felt two arms around her waist. She looked to her right and smiled. 'You nearly gave me a heart attack!'

'As long as it was nearly.' Troy said.

Gabriella turned in his arms and held onto his upper arms. 'What did you tell Chad?'

'That I had to visit a friend of the family.'

Gabriella laughed. 'And your family consists of you now?'

'No. But, do you want to come round for dinner tomorrow after school?' Troy asked hopefully.

'But, don't they know Chad?' Gabriella asked.

Troy shrugged, leading her to her bed and lying down. 'Well, yes. But, my parents are cool. They'd do anything to make sure their baby boy was happy.'

'Baby boy?' Gabriella giggled as she rolled over to face Troy.

'I'm an only child. It's their job to spoil me.' Troy defended, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer.

'Whatever.' She mumbled, burying her face into his side. After a long, comfortable silence, Gabriella stood up and looked out of her balcony doors.

'Brie?' Troy asked softly, gently touching her arm. 'What's wrong?'

Gabriella never took her eyes off the slowly setting sun. 'Do you think Chad would be angry?'

Troy hugged Gabriella from behind, feeling her relax into his embrace. 'Maybe not with you but I'm the one having a secret relationship with his sister.'

Gabriella smiled slightly. 'When do you think we should tell him?'

Troy squeezed her waist. 'I don't know. But, I know that the longer we wait, the more awkward it will be.'

Gabriella nodded, turning to face him. 'Who'd have thought the Wildcat superstar would fall for me?'

'Who'd have thought you would fall for me? Mostly people either see me as some popular god or a jerk.' Troy said with a slight laugh.

'You're definitely not a jerk.' Gabriella whispered, resting her head on Troy's shoulder.

Troy started to caress her hair for a while. 'Do you play golf?'

'No.' Gabriella replied. 'Why?'

'We can play golf with my parents. There's this golf club I know that no one from school goes to so we're safe.' Troy reasoned. 'And I can teach you.' He whispered.

Gabriella took a deep breath, smelling his scent. 'You smell like London Impulse perfume. Why?'

Troy sniffed his collar and coughed, making Gabriella pull away. 'This stinks!'

'It's my favourite perfume.' Gabriella said in a little girl voice.

'I guess I'll be smelling it a lot then.' Troy muttered, pulling Gabriella back towards him.

Gabriella giggled and rested her head against his chest.

Troy lifted her chin after a while and kissed her slowly and passionately.

'TROY?!'

Gabriella pulled back and spun around, a little too quickly, and landed on her butt. 'Mum?'

Troy pulled me back up. 'Are you okay?'

Gabriella nodded quickly and dragged Maria into the room, locking the door behind her. 'Please don't say anything, Mum. I've got enough to think about.'

'All I'm saying is why didn't I know my baby has a boyfriend?' Maria asked.

Troy smirked and Gabriella threw a pillow at him. 'I'm not someone's baby boy! Mum, please don't tell David and especially Chad.'

Maria looked between Troy and Gabriella for a long while. 'I won't say anything but you guys have to. And when you do tell Chad, don't bring me into this!'

'I won't. Thanks Mum.'

'And take good care of my baby and I don't want to be a grandmother yet and I-' Maria started.

'Mum, you're leaving.' Gabriella said as she pushed Maria out into the hallway. She leaned against the closed door. 'So one person knows.'

Troy looked sheepishly at his feet. 'Taylor knows as well.'

'WHAT?!' Gabriella yelled.

Troy rolled under the bed just as Chad burst through the door. 'What's with all the noise?' He demanded.

'Oh, I was talking to one of my friends from New York and she just told me she's been dating the football captain for six months.' Gabriella started confidently.

'Then tell her to do it quietly.' Chad said stubbornly, slamming the door behind him.

Gabriella groaned and ran her hands over her face before lying on the floor by her bed, coming face to face with Troy. 'Maybe I should start going to your house.'

'Starting now. We can't keep lying to Chad considering you stink at it.' Troy said, smirking.

'I'm not used to lying. And what do you mean 'starting now'?' Gabriella questioned.

Troy rolled from under the bed and picked himself, smiling down at Gabriella. 'Come on. You use the front door. I'll meet you down there.' He picked her up and quickly kissed her before jumping down the balcony.

Gabriella shook her head, smiling before jumping down the stairs, grabbing her denim jacket and keys on the way. 'Mum, I'm going out to Troy's for a while.' She whispered, hugging her Mum.

'Okay. But, not too late. It's a school night.' Maria called.

Gabriella slipped her jacket on and shut the door. She looked around and smiled seeing Troy leaning on the fence that surrounded the front garden. She walked up next to him. 'Hey.' She said softly, kissing his cheek.

Troy smiled gently and smiled down at her. 'Your Mum's okay with it?'

'As long as I don't lose my virginity, emigrate to Africa and have a twelve kid family with you.' She joked.

Troy laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her down the street. 'I can honestly say none of that will happen tonight.'

'I'm glad. I'm not exactly...well, you know...ready.' She whispered the last part.

Troy kissed her temple. 'Then I'll wait.'

Gabriella raised her eyebrows. 'We've been dating what-' She checked her watch. '-six hours and you're already thinking about that? And besides, I want to wait until I'm married.'

'Really?'

Gabriella nodded, leaning her head on Troy's chest. 'Ever since my Dad died, I read the bible and when I felt I could, I went to church. And I'm a Christian.'

'Well, I respect that.' Troy said sincerely, opening the door to his house and gently pushing Gabriella inside. 'Mom? Dad?' He shouted as he slipped Gabriella's jacket off and hung it on the hook and he did the same with his jacket.

'In the lounge.' A voice called.

'Come on, Brie.' Troy said, placing a hand on the small of her back and leading her into a large room. On the sofa sat a woman and a man, who she'd seen around school, with his arm around her. 'Hey Mom, Dad. This is Gabriella. Gabriella, this is my Mum, Lucille, and my Dad, Jack.'

'Hi.' Gabriella said shyly.

'Yeah, but, here's the thing, guys. You can't mention her to Chad. At all. Ever. Until we say so.' Troy instructed, sitting on a chair and pulling Gabriella onto his lap.

Lucille and Jack glanced at each other. 'Why?' Jack asked carefully.

'Well, I'm Chad's sister.' Gabriella started. 'And he hates me.'

'Really? Because Troy never stops talking about you.' Lucille chuckled as Troy coughed.

Gabriella blushed, burying her face into Troy's shoulder. He squeezed her slightly. 'It would mean a lot to us if you didn't tell anyone.' He said, looking hopeful.

Jack smiled. 'Okay, fine. But, You-'

'Have to tell him sometime.' Troy and Gabriella finished.

'How did you know?' Lucille asked.

'We had the same speech from my Mum. And she added the whole 'I don't want to be a grandparent' thing in as well.' Gabriella explained.

'And I had it from Taylor as well. Maybe not about the Grandparent thing, though.' Troy smiled. 'Ow!' Troy yelped when Gabriella's hand came in contact with his head. 'What was that for?'

Gabriella stood up. 'You still haven't told me why Taylor knows!'

Troy stood up and held her hands. 'Sweetie, I needed advice. I wasn't going to ask one of the guys. And I'm not asking Sharpay because she would blab. And I knew Kelsi and Martha tell Ryan and Jason absolutely everything.'

Gabriella glanced over and Jack and Lucille and frowned. Troy had everything she wanted. A Mom, friends, a lovely house, popularity, no stubborn step-brother and...a Dad. She glanced at Troy with watery eyes. 'I'm sorry.' She ran out of the room.

Lucille jumped with concern. 'What did you do, Troy?'

'What? Why does everyone think I've done something? I'll be back in a bit.' Troy ran out of the room to the back yard where there was a basketball court and a bench-swing. He saw Gabriella sat there, hugging her knees, so he sat next to her. 'Are you okay?'

Gabriella wiped her eyes and nodded silently.

Troy wrapped an arm around her. 'Are you going to tell me what's up?'

'I miss him.' Gabriella said as she snuggled into Troy.

'I know.' Troy said, squeezing her slightly.