The first 'we':

The first time you write "we" in an e-mail to your friends — and they don't write back, "We? Who the heck is we?"

It all started with an invitation…

"I don't think I like you enough for this."

Troy rolled his eyes as he attempted to suppress the smile tugging at his lips, "Gabi…"

"No." Gabriella interrupted, shaking her head, "No, I definitely do not like you enough for this."

Scooting forward on the leather seat of the limo they were riding in, Troy ran a soothing hand up the bare skin of her back exposed by the sweetheart neckline of her beaded bodice attached to her long black silk gown she had chosen for that evening. "Baby, it's just a party."

Gabriella turned sharply towards Troy, "This is not just a party, this is a Christmas party, and not just any Christmas party, this is the Christmas party. Everyone who is anyone in Boston will be here tonight including, but not limited to, senators, governors, representatives, the mayor, my bosses, and, to top everything off, it is being thrown by your parents."

"They throw it every year," Troy told her, "it is not a big deal."

"It is a big deal." Gabriella contradicted, "It's a huge deal. Not only am I meeting people that are essential in my career advancing, but I'm meeting your parents."

Troy shrugged nonchalantly, "It's just my parents. You've already met my dad, and my mom is infinitely easier to get along with than him."

Shaking her head, Gabriella turned her head back to gaze out of the window, returning her hands to fidget with the hem of the slit that ran up her left side, "It is a big deal," she repeated, "you may do this often, but I don't. And trust me, when you meet my mom, it will be a big deal."

Troy sighed, "Look, I'm not saying that. You're right, it is a big deal, but I don't want you freaking out about this." Bringing his hands to her shoulders, Troy gently began kneading her shoulders, his thumbs working out the knots that had formed, "They'll like you, and even if they don't, I don't care because I do." Gabriella let her eyes fall shut as she felt Troy press a kiss into the crook of her neck, "I don't remember if I told you, but you look gorgeous tonight."

Gabriella smiled, feeling her nerves slip away, "You have, but thank you anyways. It's all the dress, though. That's what happens when you wear a $5,000 dress." Troy's kissed had progressed up her neck, and she was fairly certain that he was no longer listening to her, "But it's a loaner, so be careful. You break it, you buy it."

"Break it?" Troy mumbled out, "Why would you think I'd break it?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Sometimes you think with the wrong brain."

Troy chuckled, resting his chin against her shoulder, "Thank you for coming with me. I know you're worried my parents won't like you but I appreciate you accompanying me to this extremely boring party."

Gabriella smiled softly, turning her head towards him, "Well, it's not entirely unselfish reasons," she admitted, "if I didn't come as your plus one, one of your floozy ex-girlfriends that will be in attendance tonight would snatch you up."

Troy rolled his eyes, "I'm sorry about that. I tried to tell my mom, but…"

"No, I get it." Gabriella added quickly, "Their parents are associates, she couldn't not invite them."

"There's really just one I'm worried about," Troy informed her, "and last I heard she was living in California…so hopefully it won't be a problem."

Gabriella sent Troy a look, "Just one? You've only dated one of the daughters of your parents' associates?"

Troy glanced to the side, "Well, only one crazy one. The rest are all fairly normal."

Gabriella lifted her eyebrows, "Fairly normal?"

Troy nodded, "They've all moved onto different boyfriends and husbands. I'm no longer a blip on their radars. In fact, a lot of them you'd probably get along with really well."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes, "Nah, I think I'll pass." Turning her body towards him, Gabriella slid one of her arms around his neck, "You're a blip on my radar."

A smile grew on Troy's features, "Yeah? Well you're a submarine on my radar."

Gabriella's face split into a smile, and her sweet giggle filled the limo. Licking his lips, Troy leaned in, planning on savoring the last few moments of alone time the pair would have all evening, "Don't." Troy paused in his actions, his lips dangerously close to her own, "Don't you dare kiss me and screw up my lipstick, Troy Bolton."

Troy continued to hover his lips above hers, "And what would you do if I did?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes, "Not kiss you."

"You wouldn't."

"I so would."

Feeling the limo begin to slow, Troy conceded, pulling back while sending her a look, "You win this one, but I make no promises later." Pulling her jacket off of the seat next to him, he held it out for her to pull on, "You look far too gorgeous for me to keep my hands off of you now, let alone after I get a few glasses of champagne in me."

Buttoning her jacket in the front, Gabriella could already feel the butterflies re-gathering in her stomach as she heard the driver slam his door shut, "You're sure your parents know you're bringing me?"

Troy nodded, "Yes."

"And you're sure they want me here?"

"Of course." Troy assured her as the door was pulled open. He was up first, easily stepping out of the limo, holding his hand out to assist Gabriella as her heels touched onto the icy sidewalk. "You have nothing to worry about, my parents will love you."

Looping her arm through his, the pair began making their way towards the elegant ballroom the party was being held in, "If you say so."

"I do say so." Troy said confidently, stepping out of the bitter Boston cold and into the warmth of the hotel lobby. Instantly, Troy was behind her, easing her coat off of her shoulders, "I'll go check your coat." he informed her, holding her black jacket over his arm as he retrieved a white envelope from his coat pocket, "Here's the invitation, head on into the ballroom, I'll meet you in there."

Gabriella took the envelope, and as soon as he detached himself from her side, she found herself face to face with a short redhead who looked far to frazzled to be in this elegant lobby, "Name." she demanded.

Gabriella blinked, "Excuse me?"

"Name," the woman repeated, "I'm assuming you're here for the Bolton party, so I will need your name."

Gabriella glanced over her shoulder, not spotting Troy within sight, "Um…my boyfriend…"

"I don't need your boyfriend's name," the woman cut in, "I need your name. Only those on the list get admitted."

Gabriella held up the invitation, "I'm my boyfriend's plus one."

The redhead snatched the envelope from Gabriella's hands, "There are no plus ones," pulling out the cardstock paper, the woman swiftly read the invite, "you are Gabriella Montez." Gabriella felt the invite thrust back into her hands, "Was that so hard?"

"And Troy Bolton." Troy said sidling up next to her, "You can tell my mother I'm here."

The redhead smiled, "You can tell your mother yourself, she's right inside the doors greeting the guests."

The woman turned, disappearing just as quickly as she had appeared, and Troy stepped forward, placing himself in front of Gabriella to find her staring at the invitation, "Something wrong?"

Gabriella looked up at him, "This invitation's to both of us."

Troy nodded, "I know…that's why we're here."

Gabriella shook her head, "No, the invitation is actually to both of us. I just assumed it was to you and I was just your date, but…" she lowered her eyes back to the invite, "…'To Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez'."

Troy gave her a sly smile, "My mom called twice to make sure she had the spelling right on your name," he explained, "she didn't want to offend you and risk you not coming." Gabriella lifted her gaze back up to him, "I told you you have nothing to worry about. She's been dying to meet you. Apparently you had quite the affect on my father." Gabriella looked down, and Troy narrowed his eyes at the unreadable expression on her face, "It is alright that it was to us, right?"

Glancing up momentarily, Gabriella nodded, "Um…yeah, it is. It's just…"

"It's just…"

"We were invited to a party," Gabriella started, "we were invited to a party. Your parents think of us as a 'we'. That's pretty big, you know?"

Troy nodded, "I do know."

Gabriella paused for a moment, studying the expression on Troy's features. He was confident. He knew what this was, he knew what it meant, and he was confident about it. Gabriella pursed her lips, attempting to restrain the smile that wanted to form, "As long as you know."

"I do know," Troy repeated, "so if you're trying to scare me off this way, it's not going to work."

Gabriella sent him a look, "I'm not trying to scare you off any way, I just…" she released a breath that sounded like a mixture between a sigh and a laugh, "Never mind."

Troy lifted his eyebrows, "Never mind?"

Gabriella nodded, "Never mind." Looping her arm through his, Gabriella took her place at his side, "Let's get this show on the road."

Troy began leading her to the set of double doors other couples had been filing through, "I've actually never brought an official date to this party before…" he released a breath as they paused behind a couple waiting to make their way in, "…its weird."

Gabriella's turned her head towards him, "A good weird or a bad weird?"

The couple in front of them moved into the ballroom as Troy moved his gaze down onto the beautiful brunette on his arm, "Definitely a good weird."