AN: Thanks so much for all of the great comments! I'm glad people like this story.

Disclaimer (Thought I should do one): I do not own High School Musical. If I did Gabriella would have ended up with Chad (or Ryan) and Kesi with Troy (or Ryan) and Sharpay with Zeke (wait, that did happen, lol).

Chapter 4: Collide

Troy and the rest of the crew pulled up to an extravagant house. His mouth dropped in awe, "This is where we are working?" he gaped.

"Yep." Keith said as he got out of his rusty pick up. "What did you expect?"

"Not this. I mean, this house makes my parent's house look like the crap shack."

"Yeah…these people who have money just love to show if off."

"Well, we better get going."

"The spirit kid." Keith said making his way to the front door.

Troy and the other men trudged up to the house. For once in his life, Tory felt inferior. He looked down at his paint splattered, bleach spotted jeans and his raggedy old t-shirt. He was sure the people who lived wouldn't even let him (or anyone else in the crew) into the house.

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Gabriella stood in front of the refrigerator looking for something to eat. For such a big house they sure have little to eat. She had a dance class that morning and she could be late. She glanced at the clock, 8:00. She had to be in the studio and the contractors were supposed to come about now. Right then, the doorbell rang.

"Well at least they're on time." Gabriella muttered.

"Gabriella, could you please let the building people in?" Her mom yelled from somewhere else in the house.

"You hired them, you let them in!" she yelled back. Gabriella turned on the coffee pot, grabbed a donut and ran up to her room. Not even bothering to listen to her mom who was probably telling her that she should be polite and open the door. "Like I'm going to let strange men that I didn't even want into my house." She scoffed as she got ready for dance.

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As Troy stood by the door waiting for someone to answer, he head yelling. He hoped that he wasn't working for one of those dysfunctional rich families that you always read about. He had enough to worry about with his own family, let alone his employers. Soon enough a woman with long surly dark hair opened the door.

"Welcome!' she greeted them cheerily. "Well come on in!" she ushered them in. Troy shuffled into the extravagant house with his crew. They looked around, some in more awe than others. Troy was one in awe. He had never seen a house with so many expensive things just in the living room. "Well I'm Karen and if you see a girl walking around with a halo and a dance bag or a book, that's my daughter. You can help yourself to anything in the kitchen, but if you use up all of something add it to the grocery list on the fridge and if you drink all the coffee make more. The backyard is straight through and you guys know what to do." The lady (Karen…?) said and then she left the house. They all looked at each other in slight confusion. None of them had ever had a boss as laid back as her. The men just shrugged it off and went out into the back yard and started setting up.

"Troy, you ever been a project this big before?" Keith asked him.

"Uh, no." he replied, "First time."

"Then I have the perfect job for you." Keith grabbed a box and shoved it in Troy's direction, "Go fill the water bottles."

He resentfully took the box of water bottle while the other crew member chuckled. Everyone knew that filling water bottles was a scum job for rookies and even though Troy wasn't a rookie, he was no where near as experienced as the other men on the crew. Troy made his way back to the kitchen and started filling the bottles. His mind started to drift away as he started to think about what he has learned in him Chemistry class the other day. Something about solvents, or was it that he learned about convents in his History class?

Troy felt a splash of water on the leg of his jeans, "Aw crap." He moaned. He must have forgotten that he was filling water bottles. Troy looked all around him for a towel and he hit something small that made a high pitched grunted noise. "I'm so sorry." He apologized. Troy's eyes fell upon a petite, but very beautiful girl with long curly brown hair. He noticed she had a dance bag clung over her arm, which meant she must have been Karen's daughter.

"No, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." Gabriella staid, trying to catch her balance. The person she had run into had almost knocked her over. She looked up and was immediately drawn to a pair of sparkling blue eyes. Gabriella tried to this of something intelligent to say, but the only thing that happened was her mouth dropping slightly. He couldn't be a construction worker. He was too good looking.

"I'm Troy." He stuck his hand out for her to shake.

Gabriella slowly grabbed his hand. His hand was considerably larger than hers. He held her hand strongly and they shook. Gabriella couldn't speak. Her mind wandered about him. How old was he? Was he single? Probably not. Why did he look so familiar? She knew she had seen him before, but where? Troy nodded his head toward her. Gabriella's mind snapped back to reality. "I'm Gabi, Montez. Well, Gabriella Charlotte Montez. But some of friends just call me Gabi." She decided to stop herself before she made a bigger fool of herself. Here she was babbling, and he was just staring at her and smiling.

"Well very nice to meet you Gabriella 'Gabi' Charlotte Montez." Troy chuckled. He turned back to filling his water bottles, smiling to himself.

"Uh, Troy?" Gabriella asked. "You met my mom right?" He nodded his head yes, "Do you know where she is?"

"Uh, she left when we got here." He told her and he started to fill water bottles again.

Gabriella's mouth dropped in anger. She heatedly grabbed the closest phone a dialed her mom's number. Gabriella made her way to the closest living so Troy wouldn't hear her freak out. "Mom, where are you?"

"I'm driving sweetie." Her mom answered in her usual bubbly voice.

"Are you coming home?"

"No, I'm on my way to my first house. I'm showing four today."

"Mom. Someone has to stay here with the workers." Gabriella bluntly stated.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're home."

"I have to go the studio. I have class today Mom!"

"Since when do you have class on Saturday?"

Gabriella was stunned. She knew her mom didn't pay a lot of attention to her schedule, but this was ridiculous, "Every week since I was 10!"

"Oh well, just skip it. You are at that studio everyday. Missing one won't kill you."

"Dance could be my career!"

"And realty is mine, so I think that overshadows your little class."

"But-"

Her mom cut her off, "You're staying home with the building people. Goodbye Gabriella." Her mom hung up the phone.

She sat down on the couch and started to sulk, "Their called carpenters." She said bitterly.

AN: Hope you liked that chapter (I had a dun time writing it) and how Gabriella and Troy met. I think it's a cute meet to run into someone. Please review!