A BIG THANK YOU to all the people who reviewed what I've done for far, it really meant a lot that people are enjoying it as it's the very first time I've ever . As I've already said the story is complete but I am planning on editing it as I upload. Hope you enjoy what happens next, I know I did. TinkT.xx

Gabriella climbed into Troy's car and shivered as the cold night air attacked her body, she shook so bad her teeth chattered. She couldn't believe what had just happened; she thought Cody was nice guy. Troy noticed how badly she trembled and reached for the buttons on his shirt.

Gabriella seeing what he was doing felt a flare of panic, had jumped out of the frying pan into the fire?

"Wh- What are you doing?" she asked shakily as he continued to unbutton his shirt.

"You're cold Gabi and you're already a little shocked. You need to warm up. Here take this, put it on" he said and handed her the brown shirt.

"Oh thanks" she murmured and slipped it over her shoulders. It was soft and warm and smelt of Troy. It was also far too big and Troy smiled at her, she looked lost in it. They rode home in companionable silence as Gabi drifted in and out of sleep.

To Troy she had never looked more beautiful even with her makeup smudged and her hair a mess. He told himself he should forget about her, forget about the bet, and go on with his life of Basketball and sleeping with cheerleaders. But he knew he wasn't going to be able to, he wanted her and he meant to have her, whatever it took. He felt like a jerk, she had been through an ordeal and here he was planning the best way to keep her in his life.

"Gabi" he touched her shoulder as they pulled up in front of her house. Gabi jumped awake with a cry

"Don't touch me" she gasped for breath for a second before she realized where she was and who she was with

"Its okay Gabi, its just me Troy" he said softly turning to face her.

"I know, I'm sorry you just scared me there for a second" she chewed her lip nervously and looked at her house in darkness.

"Will your mom be waiting up for you?"

She shook her head "She's probably still out, after all it is Saturday night" she said bitterly

"Are you gonna be okay?" he looked at her, blue eyes meeting brown in the darkness.

She shrugged staring at him, mesmerized by the look on his face and felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"Oh Gabi, babe, don't" he said and traced the path of the tear down her cheek with his thumb. Gabi was too lost in the sensation of being touched to object to being called babe and she leaned into his hand her eyes closing.

"I just keep thinking about it you know . . . My first kiss and that happened, it was my fault, it must have been" she spoke slowly, eyes still closed as Troy stroked his thumb across her cheek and down onto her lips, silencing them.

"It wasn't your fault Gabi and that wasn't a kiss. It was a punishment . . . so it doesn't count" as he spoke he stoked his thumb across her lips making her heart race, head pound and lips tingle. She opened her eyes and looked deep into his beautiful blues

"It doesn't?" she whispered, her tongue touching his thumb as she spoke. Troy felt his gut clench and his blood surge at the touch of her tongue, he was so turned on but it felt so wrong to want her after all that had happened. He shook his head, his hair falling across his eyes. Gabriella lifted a hand to brush it away but froze.

"Its okay" he said softly and she brushed his hair away from his face. Her fingers grazed the skin of his forehead.

Troy desperately wanted to kiss her but didn't want to scare her; he tensed and tried to think of something, anything to distract him. Gabriella looked at his mouth and felt a tide of longing so strong that she didn't want to fight it. She wanted him to kiss her but sensed he was holding back, she'd never have believed she'd be alone with Troy Bolton and she hadn't been kissed.

"Troy? Would you, I mean could you . . ." she paused searching for the right words to ask for what she wanted.

Troy searched her eyes for a long moment understanding what she wanted, then gave her a long slow smile that did nothing to calm her heart rate or her trembling.

"Are you sure Gabi?" he husked his voice deep.

"Yes" she sighed as she watched Troy's face coming closer to her own and she felt his breath against her lips, as her eyes closed and their mouths finally joined. Troy's lips were smooth, soft and different from Cody's, as he gently brushed them over her trembling mouth again and again. Fireworks exploded behind her eyes as she relaxed and her mouth parted on a sigh as she felt Troy's tongue glide over her bottom lip and then back again. Gabriella slanted her head to give him better access to her mouth, she wanted more, needed more, but still he continued the tender stroking of his mouth across hers making no move to deepen the kiss. She squirmed in her seat trying to press herself closer to Troy as she wound her arms around his neck, her fingers in his hair.

Troy hardened the instant their mouths met but he fought to remain in control of himself, not wanting to scare Gabriella. As experienced as he was Troy knew exactly which buttons to push to get a response, but he had never felt like this before, not wanting to rush to take his time. Anticipation was a thing he'd never considered but suddenly he saw its appeal. He could feel the effect he had on Gabriella as she attempted to get closer to him and made soft sighs in the back of her throat. Slowly he released her mouth and bit by bit pulled away from her ever so slightly, to see her face. Her eyes were still closed and her cheeks flushed, she looked thoroughly kissed and Troy couldn't help but allow himself a grin.

"Hey "he began his voice cracking "You okay in there?"

Gabriella smiled and slowly opened her eyes, she was embarrassed and she nodded.

"I better go in" she whispered with a nervous grin

"Yeah I suppose so" he said rubbing the back of his neck

"Thank you Troy, I mean for rescuing me and for the er-"

"No problem Gabriella . . . Hey you wanna hang out with me tomorrow? We could drive to the beach, take a walk, grab some lunch?" he asked suddenly on the spur of the moment.

Gabriella beamed "Yeah, I'd like that a lot"

Troy nodded "Ok then, I'll pick you up around ten"

"Okay" she stared at him again willing him to kiss her, but he didn't.

"Night Bolton"

"G'night Montez" he said softly as she climbed out of the car. He watched her until he was sure she was safe before heading off home with a smile.

Gabriella found it difficult to sleep that night, with so much stuff running through her head. Firstly what happened with Cody terrified her; there was so much she didn't know about guys and then there was Troy, being nice and kissing her. He was so different to the jerk he was at school, he was sweet and kind and tender and as sexy she thought with a smile. She still had butterflies in her stomach from when he'd kissed her, she'd wanted more, wanted to feel passion but he held back. Was he just teasing her? Playing with her emotions as some sort of joke? Or was he just a generally good guy who'd asked her to go to the beach with him tomorrow? Gabriella didn't know but she guessed she'd find out soon enough.

The next morning Gabi was up earlier than usual for a weekend and took her time getting ready. After jumping in the shower she put on her new white bikini and studied herself in the mirror. She frowned as she touched the top of her breast and saw the ugly blue black bruise that had formed where Cody had pinched her. Maybe the bikini was too revealing and she would be asking for trouble again, did she really want Troy to see the marks on her body that spelt out her shame? Gabriella threw on a black cami top and a pair of cropped jeans before tying half her hair back in the way Ryan had taught her. Grabbing a matching purse she went downstairs to wait for Troy, her stomach churning, her heart racing. At only a few minutes past ten she heard the doorbell go and headed out the door to find Troy waiting for her by his car.

"Hi" she said somewhat breathlessly as she stood before him.

"Hi yourself Montez" he smiled back and held open the car door for her. Feeling a little disheartened he's called her Montez and not Gabi she forced herself to smile back and got in the car.

"How did you sleep?" he asked as they drove along

"Better than I expected but I woke up with a major headache"

"That'll be the vodka, nasty stuff given me some killers hangovers before now" Troy explained

Gabriella studied him as he drove; he wore a pale blue t-shirt, long black and yellow plaid shorts and trainers. She could see the tanned skin of his forearms covered with a sprinkling of hair and watched the muscles underneath his skin as he changed gear.

"Hey are you okay Montez?"

Troy noticed she'd been staring at his arm fascinated, maybe she was feeling unwell.

Gabriella blushed "I'm fine really. " she took a deep breath "Troy I really wanted to say thanks again for last night, you know saving me, bring me home and er well bringing me home"

He smiled at her, noting she was unwilling to bring up their kiss. He had a feeling this would happen and that's why he'd called her Montez to put things back on an even keel, so she wouldn't feel as though he was going to jump on her.

"It's okay Montez, I'm just pleased I was there to help" he said sincerely and as Gabriella searched his face she realized he was telling the truth.

"You're so different" she said softly.

Troy turned to look at her "Huh?"

"From school, you're like an entirely different person"

Troy shrugged his arm out of the car window "People see what they want to see . . . I have a rep remember "he chuckled

"Oh I remember Bolton" she paused "So where are you taking me?"

"I figured the main stretches of coast will be hella busy today so I thought we could go a little further out . . . My mom and dad used to take me to this great little cove should be pretty deserted" he looked her in the eye "If that's okay with you?"

"That's okay with me" she said softly and watched as he fiddled with the Cd changer in the car. Music filled the space and for a while they were silent, lost in their own thoughts.

Gabriella couldn't believe she was here with Troy the basketball boy, and they were getting on. He was a cool guy, smart and very funny she found as he did impressions of teachers. When they arrived at the cove Gabriella couldn't believe her eyes. There in front of her was white sandy beach surrounded by craggy cliffs, at one of the beach there appeared to be a little cave or grotto. As she looked out to sea she could make out people in the distance on boats but were too far out to notice them, as Troy had said it was pretty much deserted. Gabriella felt a little twinge of apprehension but remembered that she trusted Troy and climbed from the car.

"Need any help?" she asked as he rummaged around in the trunk

"No I'm good" he said picking up the large knapsack that contained all the essentials for a day at the beach.

After locking the car Troy lead Gabriella to a steep path down which lead down to the cove. Gabriella looked down nervously, she wasn't too good with heights and the path was steep and winding.

"Don't worry Montez I won't let you fall" he said and set of down the path. Gabriella followed gingerly bracing her weight against the slope of the bank and bit by it she reached the bottom. Unfortunately she didn't see the hole until it was too late, one moment she was walking steadily down, the next she was flat on her back looking up at the sky.

"Oops"

Troy loomed over her casting a shadow over her eyes "You ok?"

"Oh yes, just dandy" she snapped feeling like a fool for falling over in his company again.

He held out his hand with a smirk "C'mon Klutz"

Gabriella reached out and he pulled her to her feet. Their eyes met and she smiled at him feeling the familiar tingle where there hands had been joined.

Gabriella waited with bated breath, surely he would kiss her now, there was no one around and he was Troy Bolton. His hand reached up and touched her cheek, she closed her eyes and pursed her lips ready,

"You've got dirt on your cheek" he said and rubbed it away.

Gabriella's eyes popped open and she flushed with embarrassment "Thanks"

Troy grinned and carried on walking, after a few seconds Gabriella started after him. She didn't understand him, he'd kissed her last night, asked her to come with him today, but now he didn't seem the least bit interested in her. This was not the Troy Bolton she'd heard about from all the girls he'd been with.

Troy was aware of exactly what he was doing and just how she was feeling. He didn't want her to see him as Troy Bolton, East Highs resident sex maniac; he wanted her to see just Troy. He wanted her to come to him, so he didn't have to chase. That if anything happened between them it would be her choice, she couldn't say he'd tricked her or seduced her. As he'd discovered the night before, there was something to be said for anticipation. And to be honest Troy was enjoying the experience of going slowly and just being friends with Gabriella. He liked her, more than he was willing to admit to himself or others. She was smart and pretty but also feisty and wasn't afraid to tell him off, she had a beautiful smile and loved to laugh. Troy just couldn't believe she'd hidden those things about herself for so long.

The talked as they walked along the beach trying to find the perfect place to set down, Troy found out that Gabriella loved to dance and Gabriella learned that Troy enjoyed singing. They found a spot with a little shade just near the grotto and Troy spread out two large blankets before dropping the knapsack onto the sand. Gabriella sat down and watched dry mouthed as Troy stripped off his T-shirt and shoes leaving him in just his shorts. He was gorgeous, perfect, with a tautly muscled chest and a six pack that Gabriella ached to run her hands over. His skin looked tanned and smooth with no hair except for under and along his arms. She gulped realizing she was staring

"Montez are you coming in the water?" he asked trying no to get turned on at the way she stared at him.

She nodded dumbly, feeling her face flame and stood up to remove her jeans and top. Feeling suddenly shy she turned her back on Troy, not wanting him to see the bruises on her chest.

Troy watched from under his lids as Gabriella took off her clothes, leaving her stood uncertainly in a tiny white bikini, her back to him. His heart pounded as he looked at her, she was beautiful so beautiful. He allowed his eyes to travel up the length of her long slim legs, over her perfect hart shaped ass, her tiny waist and her narrow back. Troy could see she was self conscious from the way she stood; her shoulders hunched, her toes biting into the sand.

"Turn-Turn around Gabriella" he said his voice hoarse

Slowly, so slowly that Troy could count every heartbeat she turned to face him. Oh wow, her body was even more amazing from the front. Her stomach flat and toned and her breasts, he stopped

"Gabi?"

She couldn't bring herself to look at him, her eyes stayed firmly on the ground as she realized he'd seen the bruises

"Gabi . . . Look at me." He waited until she complied. Intense blue eyes met scared brown.

"Is that what he did?" he asked softly and she nodded tears coming to her eyes.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get there earlier" he apologized wanting to take away the pain from her eyes. She shrugged "It's not your fault Troy you saved me"

"Are you ok with this Gabi, I mean really ok with this?" he emphasized.

She smiled up at him, wanting to be with him "Yeah, I'm really ok with this".

He offered her his hand and smiled "Then let's go swimming".

Gabriella clutched it in her own and allowed herself to be dragged along into the ocean.

They spent the rest of the morning playing in the surf, swimming and diving, pulling each other under and at lunch ate a picnic that Troy had prepared himself. Gabriella hadn't felt this good in ages she thought as she flopped down on the blanket letting the suns rays dry her skin. She felt totally relaxed and at ease with Troy. She smiled as he sat down beside her taking his weight on his arms as he lent back.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Gabi nodded squinting because of the sun as she looked at him

"Troy can I ask you something?"

He shrugged "Sure"

Gabriella took a deep breath and asked "Why'd you kiss me last night?"

"I thought you needed it." he said simply. Gabriella felt a prickle of anger

"What d; ya mean you thought I needed it?"

"After what had happened I wanted to give you a good memory to replace the bad" he said softly, quietly.

Gabriella was angry "Thanks a lot Troy" she said sarcastically sitting up with a huff.

"Montez what's wrong?" he sighed "I thought you enjoyed it"

"You didn't need to do me any favors Bolton" she snapped pushing her hair from her eyes

"Montez you wanted it as much as me" he pointed out.

"You make me sound like s charity case Bolton, is that what I am? Do a geek a favor week?" she asked bitterly

Troy tried to focus on her face but it was difficult with her chest heaving in anger.

"What's the problem?" he snapped

"The problem is I thought you wanted to kiss me, not just do it to earn some do good charity ,Boy Scout badge" she cried getting to her feet.

"That's not the only reason I did it. I did it because I wanted to" he yelled rising to stand beside her.

Gabriella looked at him "So why haven't you done it again?"

Troy ran a hand through his hair and then rubbed the back of his neck

"I'm trying to give you space Gabi, after what happened I thought the last thing you would want is me kissing you"

Gabi looked at his face and saw the truth. Reaching up she touched her lips to his and pressed close to him. She stepped back as quickly as she'd kissed him.

"Gabi you don't have to" he began but she silenced him with a finger over his lips.

"Please listen to me Troy. . . These last 24 hours have been wonderful, spending time with you, kissing you. . . I know all about your rep and the fact you're with a different girl each week but right now I don't care about that. Right now you're with me. I want to have some fun while it lasts, if next week we go back to school and you never speak to me again at least I'll have some time"

Gabriella looked into his eyes with a sad smile "Show me what I've been missing out on all this time Troy"

Troy felt his heart stop "Are you saying you want to sc-"

"NO! Not that but we could kiss some more, you know if you wanted to" she said suddenly becoming shy again.

Troy looked down at Gabriella and realized it must have taken a lot of courage to offer herself the way she had, even knowing his reputation, she still wanted to make out with him. He felt slightly humbled that she would put so much trust in him and still expect him just to walk away. It took all of his will power not to throw her down in the sand and give her what she was asking for but it wouldn't be right.

"Gabriella lets just see what happens hmm?" he said stroking the side of her face and she flinched feeling rejected

"No its okay, I'm sorry to have asked" she mumbled, suddenly mortified.

"Fuck it Gabi, I'm trying to do the right thing here"

"Its ok Troy you don't have to lie, if you don't want me then its fine" she turned angrily, as though to walk away. Troy caught her arm and yanked her to him.

"I didn't say I didn't want you" he gritted out and pulled her close to his body.

Gabriella's breath caught in her throat as his mouth closed over hers and she felt the soft pressure of his lips. His tongue touched her lips, teasing them with little licks and tastes and she sighed in the back of her throat as she held herself still desperate not to lose contact with his mouth.

"Gabi" he said against her lips "Babe you can kiss me back"

Gabi nodded and titled her head, sighing his name. Troy's tongue touched hers in her mouth and she felt a jolt all the way through her body as they kissed, slowly, deeply. Gabriella placed her hands against the heat of his chest and felt his heart beat beneath her palms and she drew in little panting breaths as their tongues touched once more. Troy wrapped his arms around her tiny wais and pulled her closer to his body, so close she could feel the effect she had on him. She flushed red hot all over, it was the first time she had come into contact with a boner and it gave her a sense of power, as she pressed herself even closer making Troy groan into her mouth.

He pulled away with a curse and turned away from her, Gabriella touched her lips in surprise struggling to catch her breath not sure what had just happened.

"I'm sorry Montez" she was back to being Montez

"Are you ok? Did I do something wrong?"

Troy shook his head, bent over, willing his body to behave "I just need a moment here"

Gabriella was puzzled "Are you in pain?"

Troy chuckled "You could say that yeah".

Troy was hard, harder than he'd ever been and for the first time in a long time it looked as though there would be no release for him, at least not with Gabriella.

"I'm sorry" she mumbled

"Hey no need to apologize, its biology right?" he smiled at the flustered expression on Gabriella's face as she realized what his problem was.

"C'mon Montez lets get you home".

Gabriella was sad, her time with Troy was over she mused as they packed up their things and headed back to their car. She was quiet on the journey home, remembering the way she felt when they kissed, how her heart raced and her body tingled. She wasn't ready to give that up, it was addictive.

"Well Troy thanks I guess I'll see you around" Gabriella whispered as they arrived at her house.

Troy shook his head and Gabriella felt her heart begin t break "No . . . I'll see you tomorrow night. Wanna catch a movie?"

Gabriella felt a grin split her face "Sure".

"C'mere" he said in the sexiest whisper she had ever heard and she leaned towards him.

Troy kissed her softly and instinctively she opened her mouth to him, their tongues touching. But after only a second he pulled away

"G'night Gabi"

"G'night Troy" and she climbed from the car, waving as she walked up the path.

Troy couldn't believe how well his plan was going; she was putty in his hands he mused as he drove home. Cos it was all part of a plan to have her and win the bet right? He asked himself and was a little shocked when he realized that maybe it wasn't. She was a geek and for the last four years he'd teased her, called her names and generally been a dick towards her. But now he felt ashamed, she was so vibrant, so full of life and energy and he felt sick to his stomach when he thought about hurting her. She had offered herself to him for the week, for fun, for whatever he wanted and as much as he knew it was wrong he wanted her. He wanted what she was offering and he was going to take it.

The first thing Gabriella did when she reached her room was call Taylor to catch up on her news. Gabriella was thrilled to find that she wasn't in, according to her mom she was out on a date with Chad. She knew how much she liked Chad and he wasn't a bad guy really, just a little immature, a bit like Troy. Gabriella was a little disappointed that she didn't get to speak to her best friend; she had so much to tell her about Troy and the way she felt. She wanted to tell her about her decision to have a Spring Fling with Troy, she anted to ask her advice, ask her how far she should take things with Troy and more importantly find out what first base was. For a second she thought about calling and asking Sharpay but she would want too many details and could not keep a secret to save her life. It was one thing to agree to have a fling with Troy but it was quite anther to announce it to the whole school, after all they were from different worlds. She was a geek and he was a jock with a rep. Making a vow to call Taylor first thing in the morning she took a long bath before climbing into bed and dreaming of Troy.

The telephone jolted Gabriella from some very sweet dreams and she reached for it blindly

"Hello" she croaked into the receiver, still half asleep

"Gabriella why aren't you up, it's the first day of vacation" Taylor squealed down the line.

Gabriella grabbed her glasses from her nightstand and squinted at the clock

"Oh Taylor, I was so tired"

"Never mind all that. How are you feeling?"

Gabriella knew she was referring to the incident with Cody.

"Wonderful" she sighed thinking of Troy.

"Wonderful? Gabriella does this have anything to do with a certain Lunkhead Basketball man?"

Gabriella giggled down the phone "Uhhuh"

"Details! I need details! I'll be there in fifteen"

Gabriella grinned as the line went dead. She had just enough time to jump in the shower and throw on some clothes before Taylor came charging up the stairs to her room.

"Well?" Taylor demanded settling herself on the bed next to Gabriella.

Gabriella laughed again in the impatience in her tone.

"Well . . . Oh alright he kissed me, twice and we went to the beach yesterday" she rushed out

Taylor hit her friends arm "How could you not tell me this, Gabi!"

She smiled "You can talk, a date with Chad?"

Taylor squealed bouncing on the bed "I Know, he's hot right"

Gabriella rolled her eyes "So . . ." she trailed off

"So he's taking me to the movies tonight" Taylor beamed

"Tay that's great Troy's asked me to go too. We could-"

"Double Date" the girls said together and then laughed loudly.

As the giggles subsided Taylor looked at friend seriously "Gabi have you thought this through? I mean really thought this through? I mean Troy Bolton is the biggest player at East High remember"

"It's ok Tay, I know what I'm doing . . . Being a nerd for so long has taught me one thing, that I want to live for now. . . I know all about Troy and his reputation but he's different with me Tay. . . And anyway I'm not going to do anything silly like fall for him; I just want the experience, to a live a little and have fun. I don't want to graduate still a nerd; I want to graduate as Gabriella"

Taylor didn't look convinced "Well if that's what you want, a lost week with Troy Bolton, then I'm here for you . . . just be careful okay and promise me you won't sleep with him"

"Taylor!" Gabriella squeaked hitting her "of course I wouldn't, I still have a brain you know"

"Even if you do look more like a cheerleader than a nerd" Taylor laughed.

Across town the guys were having a similar conversation at Chad's house as they threw hoops.

"So you and the gorgeous geek are going out tonight?"

Troy nodded and dribbled the ball down the court "Sure, you and that Mckessie chick gonna join us?"

"Dude won't that cramp your style if you planning on doing her?"

"Hey I know what I'm doing, she's not like the other girls I do, she's smart she's not gonna fall the usual stuff like heavy make out sessions"

Troy felt guilty just talking about Gabriella that way but if that's what Chad wanted to hear, you gotta give them what they want.

"What is the plan dude? Remember you only have till the spring fling, and it's only four weeks away"

Troy smiled "A full on Troy Bolton charm offensive"

Chad laughed and caught the ball as Troy bounced it his way "You wanna see that new horror flick? You know how scared chicks get of horror movies?"

Troy shook his head "I got a better idea . . . That new high school spoof with all the sex scenes in? Get her in the mood"

"Dude you are good"

Troy snickered "That's what they tell me"

Troy didn't want to admit to Chad the real reason he wanted to see the movie, he wanted to see Gabriella laugh again and she had admitted to him she loved spoofs. The fact that it was all about sex in high school and would get Gabriella thinking about it was a bonus.

"You picking Mckessie up?"

Chad nodded "Planning on going for a drive after the movie if you know what I mean"

Troy grinned and looked at him for a second "You like this one huh?"

Chad almost blushed and shrugged "She's not bad . . . Can't decide if she wants to kiss me or kill me"

"You taking her to the spring fling?"

"Suppose so, you're taking the gorgeous geek?"

"You know me" he said evasively, that was exactly the point, nobody knew the real Troy. Gabriella had begun to see him but she was the only one.

"Unless she comes up with the goods before then, her ass will be history" Chad laughed.

Troy wondered why it didn't bother Chad that he was planning on screwing then dumping his girlfriend's best friend. If he was so into Taylor it would cause problems when he had to let Gabriella go, it could be awkward, maybe he shouldn't encourage Chad as much, he thought after Chad left to get ready for his date with Taylor. Troy honestly didn't know what he was doing with Gabriella, all he knew was the enjoyed being with her and could relax and just be himself. The whole sex thing really wasn't an issue for him anymore but he couldn't deny there was something appealing about having a virgin and Gabriella was most defiantly a virgin. The two sides of Troy were involved in a battle and Gabriella was the prize, but who would win "Rep Troy" or "Real Troy"?