AN: I'm back! There's really no excuse for my absence other than writer's block, but I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you enjoy it too!

Give In

Troy Bolton can't help but grin as his mind replays the events of the last fifteen minutes of his life. He had planned to spend the holiday weekend playing X-box in his room and sulking over the situation with Kelsi, but his mother had practically dragged him out the door with orders to quit pouting and have fun at the Evans post-Thanksgiving bash.

In the thirty minutes since he'd arrived, face still sporting a scowl, Troy had dominated Chad and Jason in a game of beer pong, beat Ryan in a game of air hockey, and now he was kissing the prettiest girl in the place as they lounged by the pool.

He'd have to remember to thank his mother later.

His trance is broken a moment later when he feels Kelsi attempting to nuzzle further into his body as they stand on the pool edge. The shy, timid girl he'd known since elementary school is gone, replaced by a beautiful, confident woman. Her kisses are soft and slow but Troy is quite sure he's never felt such euphoria during a kiss before.

It's like basketball, theater, and horror movies all wrapped into one. It's heaven.

With a gentle tug, Troy pulls Kelsi closer and begrudgingly disconnects their lips in an effort to catch his breath. He laughs softly at the whine of discontent that leaves her lips at the loss of contact.

"Don't worry, Kels" he teases, "There's plenty more where those came from."

She blushes, but her shining eyes betray the feeling of utter giddiness she gets at the prospect of this becoming a regular occurrence. Kissing Troy Bolton is definitely something she could get used to.

Yet the implications that come with those kisses still terrify her. Could she live up to the hype of being the Basketball King's girlfriend? What would this mean for their friendship? And the insecure part of her still wondered how on earth she was good enough for Troy Bolton.

Sensing she's million miles away in the chaos of her thoughts, Troy laces his arms around her waist and leans down to place a whispery kiss on her forehead. Startled by the sudden gesture, Kelsi finally meets his eyes.

"Hey," he murmurs, running a hand through her curls in comfort. "You zoned out on me for a second…where'd you go?"

She tries to evade his gaze once again but the finger he places under her chin forces their eyes to remain connected.

"Sorry." she mumbles apologetically. "I was just thinking."

He accepts that answer for the moment, knowing full well that she'll start spilling her feelings any second as her brain processes the events of the night. Leading her over to the row of chaise lounges that line the pool deck he sits down, pulling her tiny body down to sit next to him.

"What are you thinking about?" he questions softly. "You can tell me you know."

Troy swears he hears a whimper pass her lips and he slides an arm under her back, his fingers working in soothing motions as his protective instincts kick in.

"C'mon Kels." he murmurs. "It's just me."

It only takes a second for the tirade he'd been predicting to erupt, her voice frantic as she lets her innermost feelings echo into the cool night air.

"That's just it, Troy…it's you." she admonishes. "In case you've forgotten we just kissed for like five minutes and…and I don't want to lose my best friend."

Troy sighs and puts a finger to her lips to silence her. "Kelsi, what brought this on, sweetheart?" he inquires gently. "You seemed to be enjoying yourself a few minutes ago, what changed?"

She bites her lip, wondering what had possessed her to kiss Troy without even discussing the incident on the porch the previous night. Still, she realizes, he needs to know of the inner turmoil that is swirling in her head.

She only hopes he can make it better.

"I'm sorry, Troy." she apologizes. "I talked to my mom last night after you left and she made me realize that I can't stop avoiding my feelings. And that really scares me."

His voice is soft as he runs his free hand over her cheek. "Why?"

Thoughts are running wild in her head as she contemplates how to answer in a way he'll understand.

"Because Troy, sometimes I wonder how the hell I got lucky enough to be your friend, let alone lucky enough to be kissing you." she admits. "I'm way out of your league and every time I look at you I wonder when I'm gonna wake up and all of this will be a dream."

Silence envelopes them as Troy attempts to process the revelation. He knew Kelsi had always struggled to find her place among the Wildcat gang, but he never would have guessed that she felt so unworthy of his friendship. The thought brings tears to his eyes.

He turns in the chair so that they are facing each other, their faces just inches apart as his finger continues to caress her cheek. "Kelsi, stop right now!" he admonishes. "You are not out of my league, you're my best friend…you make me laugh, you keep me sane, and if you want the truth I've been resisting the urge to ask you out since shortly after Gabi and I broke up. You're a beautiful person, Kels."

She's too choked up at his declaration to give a coherent response so she chooses a sarcastic retort. "I thought Chad was your best friend?" she replies quizzically.

His response is steadfast as he closes the gap between them and connects their already swollen lips. "Yeah well, Chad doesn't let me do this so he loses a few points in the best friend department."

Her reply is lost in a laugh as she responds to his soft kisses. "Good." she says seriously. "All the more for me then."

With the long overdue conversation finally behind them, they pick up where they'd left off; with gentle kisses, soft caresses, and whispered words of adoration. Kelsi had lost count of how many times Troy had told her she was beautiful in the last hour, but she was finally allowing herself to believe him.

Her heart, she realizes, is finally at peace.

Before long Troy feels Kelsi begin to shiver in his arms as the crisp Fall air intrudes on the cocoon they've built for themselves.

"C'mon Kels" he encourages softly. "It's getting cold, let's go inside."

"No!" she protests, her voice thick and on the edge of sleep. "Too comfy."

He grins, rising from the chaise and bending down to help her into a standing position. "Let's go, pretty girl," he whispers. "bedtime for you."

As they make their way back into Lava Springs, they're met by eight pairs of curious eyes. The gang is practically bursting with questions but they remain silent as Troy gestures with his eyes toward Kelsi's exhausted visage. When they reach the far side of the room where Ryan is standing, Troy stops and exchanges a few words with him. As part of the celebration, and mostly as a safety measure, Mr. and Mrs. Evans always allowed the Wildcats to use the Lava Springs Villas for the night. It was the closest most of them had ever come to four-star accommodations and was always a welcome treat each year.

"It's about time." Ryan teases with a wink, dropping a set of keys into Troy's waiting hand. "And Troy, don't forget…if you hurt her you'll have Sharpay and I to deal with."

He doesn't have to turn around to know that Troy's face is as white as a ghost as he begins to walk in the direction of the villa. Ryan only hopes he'll never have to act on his threat.

By the time they arrive at the villa, Troy is practically the only thing holding Kelsi upright. He quickly ushers her toward the bathroom and retrieves the overnight bag Javier had brought over earlier. It only takes a few minutes for her to change and soon Troy is leading her over to the bed by the window. Pulling back the covers, he allows her to climb onto the warm sheets before bringing the comforter up to rest on her chest.

"I'll be in the other bed," he whispers, running a hand through her curls. "Right here."

He hears her sigh, and just before he moves to go over to his own bed, he catches a request hidden in her sleepy, incoherent murmurs.

"Troy." she mumbles. "Kiss."

He grins, leaning down to place a delicate kiss against her lips. "Goodnight, Kels." he murmurs. "Sweet dreams."

He watches her body finally surrender to sleep before making his way to the bed that would be his for the night. Stripping down to his boxers, he climbs under the covers and finally allows his eyes to close. As much as yearns for sleep, his mind is running at a million miles per hour. In the span of 24 hours, he'd gone from thinking he'd lost his best friend to watching her sleep in the bed across the room.

As the soft hum of the air conditioner begins to lull him into dreamland, he can't help but think of the one secret he hadn't had the nerve to reveal to Kelsi on the pool deck. Just like the fear she'd verbalized, a part of him fears their budding relationship is too good to be true.

He only hopes that if this is all a dream that he'll never have to wake up.


Kelsi is awakened the next morning by the blinding sunlight streaming through the bedroom windows. As her mind catches up to her body, she's aware of a feeling of warmth on her right side. Rolling on to her side, she comes face to face with a sleepy Troy who seems oblivious to the fact that he's being watched. Moving her hand, she begins to gently tickle his arm in an effort to catch his attention.

"What are you doing, Troy?" she questions. "I believe you have your own bed right over there."

His response is simple, like it's the most obvious answer in the world. "I wanted to cuddle." he replies matter of factly. "You were asleep too long."

She laughs heartily at the adorable pout that graces his face. "Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself, Troy?" she teases. "You haven't even asked me out properly yet."

The question is spilling from his mouth before he even knows what's happening. "Kelsi, will you…"

She cuts him off with a finger to his lips. "Yes."

He gasps, hitting her with one of the pillows. "You're mean!" he chastises. "I thought you were actually mad at me for not asking and you go and interrupt me."

Kelsi grins at him innocently, a hint of blush coloring her cheeks as she leans in to silence his protest with a kiss.

They spend the rest of the morning just holding each other and talking, making up for the months of phone calls and instant message conversations that had been the cornerstone of their friendship to this point. Neither of them wanted to think about what lie ahead tomorrow; when they would part ways to head back to their separate coasts and the responsibilities that awaited them there.

By the time they force themselves to leave the seclusion of the extravagant villa it's well past noon, and both Troy and Kelsi are hesitant to return to reality. Even though they'll see each other later at Club Vida for another get together with the Wildcats, they're reluctant to separate even for a few hours. When he parks his truck in front of her house a few minutes later, Troy can't help but think of the changes that had occurred since the last time he'd been here. Now when they make their way to the porch, it's Kelsi who initiates the goodbye kiss and Troy is more than happy to oblige. The tears of the previous night are replaced with the sweet laughs and smiles of a couple just discovering each other. And, as she watches from an upstairs window, Cassandra Nielsen can think only one thing.

Mission accomplished.


Before long it's just after dark and Kelsi finds herself stepping out of her car in front of Club Vida. Taking a moment to smooth her floral sundress, she walks into the club and immediately spots her friends already on the dance floor. It only takes a second for Troy to arrive at her side and take her hand as he looks over her outfit.

"How's the prettiest girl in the room tonight?" he asks with a grin.

She chuckles. "Cheesy line, Bolton."

He grins sheepishly and pulls her close. "Did it work?"

She laughs heartily this time, leaning up to kiss him. "Yes." she admits. "Hi, I missed you."

He returns the kiss eagerly. "I missed you too."

The tender moment is interrupted by the sound of Sharpay whispering to Chad. "Are we gonna have to see this all time?" she inquires. "I'm glad they're together and all but this is like cruel and unusual punishment."

Chad laughs, echoing Sharpay's disdain. "I'd almost rather have him back to being emo all the time." he supplies. "At least then I didn't feel like tossing my cookies all the time."

The teasing banter is broken by a comment that leaves the gang speechless and Troy howling with laughter. "Karma's a bitch, Danforth." Kelsi retorts teasingly.

The friends spend the rest of the evening dancing and enjoying each other's company before life separates them once again. When "I Gotta Feeling" drifts over the sound system, Troy pulls Kelsi further on to the dance floor and drapes an arm around her waist as they dance wildly.

"So beautiful." he murmurs, leaning up to leave a probing kiss on her lips just as the last notes of the song die on the speaker system.

As she listens to the flood of compliments that Troy is whispering between desperate kisses, Kelsi realizes that she has never felt as comfortable in her own skin as she does when she's with Troy. She's grateful that she finally allowed herself to feel and accept the adoration he was so willing to give.

She'd have to remember to thank her mother later.

By the time Troy walks Kelsi to her car, it's well past two and the moon is shining brightly over the Albuquerque skyline. The short journey is quiet; neither of them can find the words to convey their feelings about the trip to the airport tomorrow. They'd be meeting at 10 a.m. so Troy could see Kelsi off before he began his own trip back to Berkeley later in the afternoon. Of all the topics they had discussed by the pool and in the villa, long distance relationships had not been one of them. Acknowledging the complications that could arise seemed taboo, but they weren't naïve enough to believe it would be easy. The demise of Troy and Gabi's relationship had proven that, and each of them silently vowed not to make the same mistakes. She hoped they could keep that promise.

Kelsi's thoughts are interrupted when she notices that they've reached her car and Troy is holding the door open for her to climb inside. Before she moves to sit down in the seat she pulls him close and nuzzles into his t-shirt.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hoops Man." she says softly.

"Sweet dreams, Playmaker." he replies as he watches her close the door and turn the car in the direction of her house.

They only hope they're strong enough to face the dawn of a new day. A new chapter. A new adventure.


When he wakes to rain drops pelting his window, Troy's almost grateful that the weather matches his mood. The last few days had been amazing, life changing even, and he's not ready to give them up for the stresses of life at Berkeley. By the time he arrives at Albuquerque International Airport, he's quite sure a scowl has become permanently etched on his face. It drops immediately when he sees Kelsi looking just as stoic as she stands by baggage claim with her mother and Ryan. He envelops her in an embrace as soon as he reaches her side but they exist in silence, the only sound is the smack of the soft kisses he's peppering across her cheeks.

"You're gonna be fine, sweetheart." he finally whispers, knowing that her fear of flying is playing a part in her subdued demeanor. "I promise."

She pulls him close just as the first boarding call sounds for her flight. Taking in his scent, a mixture of soap and cheap cologne, she lets the hug speak the words she can't seem to find.

I need you. I'll miss you. A part of me already knows I love you.

Then, just as quickly as it began, the hug ends and Kelsi turns and walks to the gate, stopping again only to hug her mother and take Ryan's hand. The quicker she leaves the faster she can work to contain the tears sliding down her cheeks. She doesn't need to look back to know that they boy she left behind is doing the same thing.

Six hours later Kelsi is opening the door to her dorm room and depositing her suitcases by the bed. The flight had been long but she'd slept well, thanks in no small part to Ryan's willingness to once serve as a human pillow. She barely has her phone out of her pocket and switched on before the familiar ringtone sounds.

She laughs in spite of herself at the disgruntled voice on the other end. "I want a kiss." he says. "Can those survive airmail?"

She can practically seeing him pouting and the image makes her giggle even harder. "You're such an impatient boyfriend, Troy." she admonishes. "You waited four months before you kissed me the first time, the two weeks until Christmas Break won't kill you."

"Some girlfriend you are." Troy replies teasingly. "Having no sympathy for my pain."

The banter falls into the pattern of their normal conversation, but it's not long before Troy is interrupting as she tells a story from her flight.

"Hey Kelsi." he says, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"Yeah, Troy?" she questions.

"I really, really, really miss you." he replies softly.

"I really, really, really miss you too, Troy." she admits. "Really, really."

The sound of his laughter down the line is music to her ears and, she realizes, even though their relationship is just beginning and they've only been apart for six hours, the old saying is true.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder.