I know I've taken a while before, but my time is going to be pretty stretched the first few weeks of school. Sorry guys but I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

Speechless Chapter 4: Chance

"Hope is the most exciting thing in life and if you honestly believe that love is out there, it will come. And even if it doesn't come straight away there is still that chance all through your life that it will."

- Josh Hartnett

"I must learn to love the fool in me the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries"

- Theodore Isaac Rubin

Gabriella was glad in a way that Sharpay was there to guide her, it was her first time going to a real club and not just her high school gym for dances, and she had no idea what to even wear to the club. She followed Sharpay through the isles as she continued to pile clothes into Gabriella's arm. Most of them, not pleasing Gabriella's taste, were pink or bright pink or some other ridiculous shade of pink. She just kept her mouth shut and did as she was told.

When she finally got into the dressing room, the feeling that she was overwhelmed hit her with full force. There were so many outfits and so little time. Sharpay was going to want to see all of them because she was picking more than one for Gabriella to buy. Sighing, she pulled her top over her head and set it down on the little bench, then undid the button on her jeans and slid them down her legs while kicking off her black flats, and set her jeans with her shirt. She grabbed the first of the dresses that Sharpay had picked out and pulled it over her head, and adjusted it so that it fit her correctly. It was an all pink dress that fit like a corset at the top and then puffed out at the bottom, and stopped just past her butt. She frowned a little and took a deep breathe before opening the door and walking out to show Sharpay.

"Gabs, you are so hott!" she said and got up from the chair that she was sitting in. "Spin for me." She ordered and Gabriella did as she was told, turning around and then back to face Sharpay. "I love it."

"Maybe for you Shar, but I kind of hate it. I hate the way it fits and I don't feel good in it." Sharpay's smile dropped but she quickly recovered and smiled brightly again. Gabriella smiled at how excited Sharpay got excited over little things. She turned and walked back into the changing room, ready to try on the other outfits.

All the rest went the same way, some she sort of liked but that majority of them were just as bad as the first. She walked out in the last dress that Sharpay had pulled out and she still had not fallen in love with any of them. "Sharpay, this is pointless! I should just go in my underwear!"

She smirked and stepped up to take a look at the gold dress that was extremely tight but still looked killer on Gabriella. "I bet all the guys would love that…" she trailed off and Gabriella turned her head quickly to the side to glare at Sharpay, but something caught her eye, making her stop her action. She walked towards the light purple dress that was hanging by itself on the rack. Checking the size, she smiled and pulled it off the rack before running back into the dressing room. She ripped the other dress off and slipped on the new one. It was a spaghetti strap light violet dress that had a band of darker purple sequins under the bust. It hit her about halfway down her thigh and danced over her skin. She smiled and felt like she was glowing. Turning to the side, the dress expressed how tiny her waist was and highlighted her subtle curves.

She opened the door with a huge grin plastered to her face and giggled when she saw Sharpay's jaw drop. "I think I found it Sharpay." She smiled and twirled in front of her new friend.

"Hell yes you found it girl!" she said and went over to Gabriella and ran her hand over the fabric of the dress. "Every guy in that place is going to go nuts when they see you." Then her eyes lit up and she started to back up. "Don't move a muscle Gabriella!" she warned and ran off into the store. Gabriella turned around and looked at her reflection in the mirror, maybe tonight would be fun.

Sharpay returned and had a box of shoes in her hand along with a set of earrings. "Here, I saw these pair of Louboutin's and you so need them, and these earrings are amazing with the dress too." Sharpay pulled out a pair of silver pointed toe pumps and held them up for Gabriella. She smiled and placed the shoe on her foot before grabbing the other and doing the same with it. Sharpay smiled approvingly when Gabriella twirled in the dress with the shoes now on her feet.

Putting Gabriella in heels was the best idea that Sharpay had had so far during the shopping trip. They made her legs flex in a way that caused her calves and thighs to be tight and sexy. They were strong but in the most appealing way, and especially appealing with the dark tan that they possessed. "Gabriella, if I was a guy, I would take you right here and now in the dressing room and I haven't even done your hair or makeup yet." She grinned as Gabriella blushed.

"Thanks I guess." Gabriella responded and laughed a little bit. Although she loved the shoes, there was no way that she could afford the authentic Louboutin's. "But Shar, I cant get the shoes, they are too expensive."

"Fine babes, ill buy them for you. My dad is like super rich and doesn't care what I get." She smiled and so did Gabriella.

"I can't ask you to do that Sharpay. We've only known each other for less than a day." Gabriella responded and took a seat on the bench, causing the dress to scoot further up her thigh.

"I can and I will… and who am I to mess with a perfect outfit." Sharpay said and walked away before Gabriella had the chance to protest. She sighed and walked back into the dressing room to change back into her other clothes.

Placing everything that she didn't want back onto the return rack, she took the dress, heels and earrings with her to find Sharpay. Finally spotting the high blonde ponytail, Gabriella walked towards her with her items in hand. She was shocked to find that Sharpay was in the lingerie isle, and had an assortment of items in her hand. "Oh Gabs, come here a minute. We have to make sure no lines are seen through the dress so would you rather have lace or a thong?"

"What?" she asked a little taken back.

"So there's no panty lines through the material, you need to either have a thong or thin lace underwear." Sharpay informed Gabriella with a completely calm voice like this was a conversation you would be having with your mother.

"I don't really care but I do have lace and thongs in my suitcase." Gabriella informed the distracted Sharpay and she smiled.

"Oh goody!" she clapped her hands and threw the under garments on a random table before taking her hand and dragging her to the registers. This was going to be a really long night for Gabriella.


"Sharpay!" Gabriella called impatiently from the main room of Sharpay's hotel suite. She had been ready to go for about a half hour now and Sharpay had locked herself in the bathroom getting ready. Gabriella's hair, thanks to Sharpay, had been curled to the max and placed in a mock side pony tail with loose strands falling out at strategically placed areas framing her face, and the rest of the hair was cascading over her shoulder. And her eyes were defined with black eyeliner and mascara with dark shades of plum and purple covering her lids. Her lips were a light sheer pink, also accredited to Sharpay.

"Okay, okay Gabriella!" Sharpay responded opening the bathroom door to reveal herself all made up. He long blonde hair was straightened and she had on a pink, who would of thought, silky dress and black pumps.

"You look amazing Shar." Gabriella complimented and grabbed her black dress coat before shrugging into it. It was the middle of winter and they were both going to freeze their asses off before they got to the club but Sharpay said it was all going to be worth it at the end of the night.

"Not as good as you girl!" she laughed and also put on her coat. They grabbed their purses and keys before heading out the door and to the lobby to meet the cab that they had called to pick them up. They two got glanced over from the moment they entered the lobby until the time that they got out of the cab and entered the loud and packed night club. Gabriella immediately felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of people that were packed into a small area. She could feel the heat instantly that was rising off of the dancing bodies in the middle of the floor, but blushed when she saw what was causing them to overheat, their dancing. Bodies were pushed up against each other and hands were exploring unknown territory.

Sharpay grabbed Gabriella's hand and pulled her through the center of the sweaty dance floor until they came out the other side where booths were lined against the back wall. Luckily, they saw one open immediately and Sharpay went and claimed it before someone else could. Gabriella shrugged off her jacket and slid into the booth opposite of Sharpay, placing her purse under her coat and beside her against the wall. She looked at Sharpay who smiled evilly and leaned forward a little bit.

"Gabs…" she said and propped her chin on her hand before smiling even more, looking at Gabriella through her thick lashes.

"What?" Gabriella replied confused.

"Would you be a sweet heart and get me a drink from the bar?" she said and leaned back in the seat against, crossing her arms across her stomach and looking at Gabriella with puppy dog eyes.

"Why can't you get it?" Gabriella asked again and crossed her legs under the table, causing her dress to move up, revealing more of her thigh to all that took a glance at the table.

"Because if I leave you here by yourself, someone might come and try and take our table. And personally, I don't think you would be mean enough to fight them off." Sharpay said and smiled. She had a point, Gabriella didn't want to be left at a table by herself, she would be defenseless.

Sighing, Gabriella agreed and asked, "What do you want?" Gabriella asked and stuck out her hand for Sharpay's money.

"Mai Tai please." Sharpay smiled and watched as Gabriella walked of into the dance floor in order to get to the bar on the other side of the club. When she reached the bar, there was a crowd around five people deep, and Gabriella sighed, swearing under her breath.

She was going to kill Sharpay because she was going to be here for hours, if only she was taller and stronger, she could just push her way through the crowd to get to the front. She pushed a stray piece of hair back over her right shoulder and looked for a weak spot in the rows of people.

Gabriella was looking down at the floor when she felt a pair of eyes on her, ones that felt as if they were burning a hole through her skin and she looked up, coming to meet a pair of dark, almost black eyes. She blushed a little, the guy was attractive, but seemed a little scary. He waved her over to him and cautiously Gabriella made her way towards the taller man.

"I can get you to the front if you want." He said and Gabriella nodded. His hand, which felt cold to her skin even through her dress, ended up on her hip as he pushed her through the many layers of people. When they got to the front, he stood with his arm around her back, and his body on the other, caging her in between himself and the wooden structure. He raised his hand and motioned for a bartender to come over, which they did. "What do you want?" he asked in her ear, closer than she would have liked.

"A Mai Tai." She responded over the noise of the busy club. He relayed the information to the bar tender and turned to face Gabriella while they waited. After a couple awkward minutes with Ben, the guy who had helped her, the drink was ready and she paid before backing out of the crowd. Just when she thought that she was home free, her back collided with someone else, the drink spilling a little bit. "Dammit!" She said more to herself than to the person behind her.

She was about to turn around and apologize to the person, but felt a hand settle on the front of her right hip, it was a touch that she recognized, burning hot and strong but gentle on her small waist. Next came the warm breathe next to her ear and a slight chuckle that was all too familiar. "You know, we should really stop meeting like this Gabriella." The husky voice said and she knew instantly who it was, her body freezing in its current position.

She turned her head to look at him, and he smiled down at her while she blushed. "Hey." she said and he laughed a little more.

"Hi." He replied and removed his hand from her waist, allowing her to turn around and face him. "Aren't you a little young to be drinking?" he asked and smirked down at her.

"Oh, yeah… this is for my friend Sharpay. She's saving a table for us in the back of the club." Gabriella smiled and glanced over his attire. He was wearing the same dark jeans as earlier in the day, but changed to a white tee shirt and a white lightweight hoodie that he had pushed halfway up his forearm.

"Do you mind if we join you?" Troy asked and her eye brows furrowed together in confusion. Troy saw this and stepped to the side so that she could see for the first time that Troy wasn't there alone, but with someone else that had an obnoxiously large afro on his head. "This is my friend Chad." Troy said and Gabriella smiled.

"I don't care, if you want to you can." She said and he smiled.

"Wait here until I get a drink." She nodded and watched as Troy effortlessly pushed his way to the front of the crowd and retrieved two beers. He paid and made his way out, handing one over to Chad before taking Gabriella's hand in his as she turned away to walk towards the table. She looked back and down at the connection that their two hands were making. His fingers were laced loosely with hers and her hand fit perfectly. She glanced up and met his deep cerulean eyes and he shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't want to get lost." He responded over the music and she turned as a blush spread across her features. She began the tight journey through the dance floor towards the table with troy right behind her and she assumed Chad behind him. Gabriella looked down as they exited the mob of people to avoid the shocked expression that she would receive from Sharpay.

Gabriella made her way to the table and when they got there, she dropped Troy's hand and scooted into the booth, followed closely by Troy who sat close enough to her so that his thigh was touching hers under the table. Sharpay finally held Gabriella's gaze and looked at her like she was going to murder her. "Umm… Sharpay, this is Troy and…" she trailed off and looked at the guy that had slid in the opposite side next to Sharpay.

"Chad Danforth." The dark skinned guy said and smiled before taking a swig of his beer.

"And guys this is my friend Sharpay." Gabriella explained while sliding Sharpay's drink across the table. Sharpay and Chad easily fell into conversation and Gabriella sighed in relief when the look of death coming from her friends had subsided and been replaced with joy. She crossed her legs under the table and caught Troy's stare lingering on her newly exposed flesh before taking a drink from his bottle and leaning back, casually lifting his arm and putting it on the back of the seat behind her head. His other hand rested on the table with the beer in it.

"So why aren't you drinking tonight?" he asked and met her confused gaze with his. "I mean, your old enough here and it's not like anyone would ever know about it." He said and held her gaze with his own powerful one.

"I would know, and would feel guilty in the long run that I did something that isn't right." She smiled and crossed her arms across her stomach under her breasts. Troy just laughed a little bit at her and took another drink from his brown bottle.

"Well, I'll stop after this bottle and stay sober with you. I don't want you to feel alone seeing as you'll be the only one not drunk at this small gathering." He said and placed his bottle on the table. Gabriella broke out in a fit of small giggles causing a look of pure joy to cross Troy's features.

"Oh you're such a good Samaritan Troy." She giggled a little more and leaned back in the seat, her hair flowing over Troy arm behind her neck.

"But there is one condition Gabriella." He said and seriousness crossed the perfectly golden features of his face. She lifted her gaze and met his piercing gaze full on. It was if nothing else in the room was happening except the interactions between her and the snowboarder.

"And what's that Troy?"

He smiled a little bit more and pushed a stray curl out of her face, "You have to dance with me tonight." A slight blush appeared on her soft features as Troy glanced over her face, checking to see her reaction to his proposition.

"Deal." She simply answered and continued to stare into the deep pools of blue in front of her. Even in the smoky and dark atmosphere inside the night club, she just noticed how pure and beautifully blue his eyes were. If she could only see one pair of eyes ever again in her life, they would be the azure ones in front of her.

"What's wrong Gabriella?" he said and took a sip from his halfway emptied bottle of beer.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it. You would think that I was some sort of stalker and psycho if I told you." She said and looked down at the table in front of her. His hand turned her face back to his and then he let it fall to rest on the exposed skin of her thigh. She internally sighed in relief that she had shaved her legs before leaving for the club.

"Please tell me." He said and squeezed the now covered flesh a little in his hand.

"It's nothing, I swear." She said and blushed deeply.

"Then tell me." He smirked a little and connected their gaze once again. Something he did to her was unknown and powerful. One glance of his eyes made her want to sit down and spill all of her secrets to the man in front of her.

"I was just… uhh… thinking how beautiful your eyes were." She blushed even deeper and he smiled wider, letting a throaty chuckle escape through his slightly parted lips. Much to Gabriella's disappointment, Troy removed his hand from her thigh, leaving behind a spot where it felt like the skin was tingling.

"Well…" he began and moved closer to Gabriella's ear, the music switching to something louder so that it was hard to hear between the two of them. "To tell you the truth, I've been thinking how beautiful you are all night from the first moment I saw you when I walked in the door." He smiled and took his bottle in his hand before lifting it to his lips to finish the rest of the amber liquid.

Gabriella once again blushed as she felt her heart jump up and pound in her chest. Troy Bolton thought that she looked beautiful! She glanced across the table to meet Sharpay's stare, in order to ask with her eyes if she had heard that. But, she was shocked to find that both Sharpay and Chad were gone. "What happened to those two?" she asked and turned quickly to meet Troy's gaze.

"To dance I think, they said something but it was loud and I couldn't hear them." He said and looked out onto the dance floor where guys were placing their hands on women that obviously didn't want them touching their bodies. Gabriella's mouth parted a little at Troy's statement, she had been too involved with him that she didn't even notice that the only two other people that she was sitting with had left.

She looked up at his face, and was surprised to find that there was a slight hint of anger and disgust on his features. She shakily brought her small hand up and cupped his cheek with it, letting the slight stubble along his jaw tickle her fingers. He turned to face her and she looked into his eyes again, asking what was wrong without words.

"It just makes me angry that every guy out there is basically groping those women and none of them look too pleased about it." He smiled a little, "A woman's body is a beautiful thing, almost like a forbidden object and shouldn't be touched unless the said person has permission to do so. Just the way that women carry themselves is amazing to me. Their lips are so full…" he glanced down at her lips before continuing, "and look so delicious but shouldn't be tasted unless the woman is comfortable with it. A man's job, I think, is to make the woman feel comfortable at all times and make sure that she has everything that she wants. Clearly, the guys out their don't feel the same respect that I do towards a woman." He chuckled a little bit and Gabriella was awestruck.

If not before, Gabriella decided that she had just fallen in love with Troy Bolton as those words crossed the threshold of his lips. She could feel her heart rate beginning to pick up and her body felt like it just heated up ten degrees. Everything that all of the papers and magazines said about him were absolutely false. Listening to her heart rather than her head, she whispered out almost inaudibly, "Dance with me…"

He smiled brightly and stood up out of the booth and held his hand out for her to take. She did softly as he pulled her up out of the booth. "My pleasure." He replied and laced his hand with hers and walked with her behind him until they were in the middle of the crowded and sweaty dance floor.

Gabriella could feel her heart rate pick up again as she realized what she was about to do. The only dances that she has been to were chaperoned and dancing the way she and Troy were going to was strongly prohibited. She was beyond nervous. Everyone around her was basically having sex on the floor, but Troy's eyes never left her face. She glanced around and was about to panic and back out of the situation when she felt his strong hands slide over the soft fabric of her dress to rest on her lower back. He kept room between their bodies and Gabriella was shocked when he just started to rock back and forth.

"However you're comfortable Brie…" he mumbled and kept with the slow rhythm even if the song was blasting and going fifty times faster than the two of them. Gabriella gently moved her hands up his chest and held onto her wrist with her other hand behind his neck. She could have sworn she heard a groan as she slowly made her way up his chest, but she let it go.

Soon enough, the song changed to DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love by Usher and Gabriella smiled, she loved this song. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her groin against Troy's center and he stiffened a little bit. Gabriella blushed and stepped back, but before she could get too far, Troy grabbed her waist smiling and pulled her back against his chest so that her back was against him. His hands rested on her hips and he started moving his hips to the beat, Gabriella following, rubbing her ass against his groin in time with the beat. Her hand went up and slid to the back of his neck as they immersed into deep grind.

Gabriella felt like she was floating on cloud nine as her body began to heat up slowly as she continued moving to the time of the music. Troy's grip on her hips tightened a little bit as he brought her body even more back into his own well defined one. She felt the fire spread through her whole body and especially onto her neck where his lips were shadowing a light kiss along her neck.

Gabriella closed her eyes and waited for the kiss to come against her neck, she could feel his struggling breath against her neck and she breathed in a shaky breath. He grabbed a little tighter on her hips as Gabriella's hands found their place on top of his larger ones. She swore the kiss was coming at any moment now. She breathed in a little more one last time and waited, but before his lips could find her skin, Gabriella felt a hand grab her upper arm and pull her away from the warmth of his touch. Gabriella looked back over her shoulder and saw that Chad was talking to Troy, but his deeper blue stare remained glued to the figure currently with the blonde.

"Dance with me Gabs." Sharpay ordered and laughed a little as she grabbed onto Gabriella's hips and started to rock back and forth to the beat. But before the two could even exchange a word, they were interrupted by the two males.

"Do either of you want a drink? We're going to the bar." Chad announced and Sharpay shook her head no and Gabriella just giggled. She felt Troy's presence next to her and she looked over her shoulder at the man behind her.

Troy leaned down to her ear and said loudly over the noise of the music, "Are you gonna stay here? Our dance was interrupted and I want another one." He said smirking and Gabriella laughed again, this time nodding and smiling. He returned the smile and walked through the crowd with Chad hot on his heels.

"He so wants you Gabriella." Sharpay said and smiled at the brunette who promptly blushed at the remark. "He can't keep his hands off of you! But his friend is super fine and he is an amazing dancer. Let's hope he's as good in bed as he is on the dance floor." Another blush crossed Gabriella's features at the mention of sex on the first date. But who was she to control Sharpay? She was a grown woman and could obviously handle herself if the occasion arises.

"We talked for awhile, and I've never met anyone like him Shar." Gabriella spoke and Sharpay smiled widely at her new friend.

"So he's nothing like the arrogant ass that all of the papers and magazines make him out to be?" She questioned and one eyebrow rose in question.

"Not at all, he is so… I don't even know how to explain it…" a smile formed on Gabriella's lips that was one hundred percent genuine, something that hadn't happened in a really long time.


Gathering her purse and jacket, Gabriella looked around the still crowded dance club, Sharpay nowhere to be found. Troy came up beside her with his coat now on. "What's wrong Gabs?" he asked and leaned back against the table while Gabriella continued to search the dance floor with her eyes for any sign of Sharpay's bright blonde hair.

Ignoring Troy's question for the time being, she pulled out her phone and found that she had a new text message from Sharpay. She opened it, finding a message explaining that read: Went back to the hotel with Chad, you and Troy looked like you were having too much fun and we didn't want to interrupt. You'll have to catch a cab by yourself babes, sorry. Love, Shar.

Under her breath, Gabriella breathed, "Dammit." She let her head fall back to look up and she took a deep breath.

Troy once again asked his question, "What's wrong?" while he placed his arm behind her back.

"Do you want to share a cab going back to the hotel? Sharpay left with Chad and I'm a little scarred to ride in a cab by myself honestly." She giggled a little bit and shifted from foot to foot nervously.

He chuckled a little bit and shook his head no. "Not really, but I can offer you one better than that." He smirked and Gabriella furrowed her eyes brows together in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I can just drive you back to the hotel." He trailed off and pulled his keys out of his pocket. "That is unless you're afraid to be in a car with me by yourself like a taxi driver." He chuckled a little under his breath.

She blushed and pushed him on the shoulder so that he stumbled away from her a little, but her stepped right back to her. "Shut up!"

"Okay whatever, do you want the ride or not?" he asked and started to walk towards the door. Gabriella smiled and took off after him, catching him before he had to cross the dance floor. She tugged on his arm and when he turned around, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close to her, whispering thank you into his ear. His arms wrapped around her waist and she was forced to stand on her tip toes. His warm hands were burning her through her dress and she smiled into his strong shoulder, his embrace was so natural, comfortable, and safe.

Little did she know, Troy was thinking how perfectly her small frame fit to his stronger and larger body as he inhaled the sensual fragrance of Raspberries that lingering in her hair. What were the chances of him meeting her in the club that night? A million to one… Well, he thanked a higher power that they were untied once again.

I'm so sorry that it was late, but this is the busiest time of the year for me so updates probably won't be that frequent… but bear with me until things start to slow down… I love you all and your amazing reviews, especially Withoutspaces… They are always so long and I look forward to reading it every time that I post something new! :)