((I'm back…yes I know…poor Gabi…and there are a few others who don't believe he actually proposed…well you'll see what happens…the summary doesn't say Troyella…so we'll see what happens…I'll try to keep you on the edge of your seats …okay here comes the next chapter…yes I know two in a day…read and review…XOXO, CHRISTINE))

Tonight - got the plans first class for the evening

Ready Set Go

All the girls steppin out for a public affair
(All night, thats right cos the party dont stop)
All the cameras come out for a public affair
(Who cares, lets rock, cos the party don't stop)

Ohh Ohh

Do what you wanna do,
tonight the world does not exist
no no no
Do what you wanna do,
All my girls work it out - like this

Do do do do do - Shake shake shake shake

Tonight was the night, Lakers versus Clippers, and Gabriella would be the wondrous halftime show for one of the biggest games of the year. But, of course, Gabriella was too experienced for nerves, except for the fact that Troy would be watching. Every time she thought of that little detail, she shuddered. He's engaged, she constantly reminded herself. He probably won't even notice that you're there. It's not like he'll be able to see you. Well, that's not entirely true. She would be sitting right behind the Laker's bench with Sharpay and Zeke whom were going to support her. The three of them would be a little hard to miss. Gabriella, stop thinking about Troy. You should be focusing on finding someone else. He's off limits…accept that. But Gabriella couldn't. He hadn't treated her completely right in high school, yet she still couldn't seem to let him go. What's wrong with her?

Gabriella, Zeke, and Sharpay traveled to the game by limo, using a private entrance to avoid publicity. Security escorted them to their seats, and were to sit and patrol around them throughout the game to ensure safety.

Carrie Underwood sang the national anthem before the game, and then they were playing. Gabriella noticed how fluently Troy moved, as if he was flying. He was weaving in and out of people, sinking baskets deemed to be impossible.

"Wow," said Gabriella, "he's even better than he was in high school, and he was really good then."

"Of course he is," Sharpay replied in a 'duh' voice. "What did you expect…him to regress?"

"Of course not," Gabriella mumbled. Her watching him playing basketball brought back so many memories, both happy and painful, and it was almost too much for her. She sat there silently.

"What is the matter with you?" Sharpay asked Gabriella suspiciously. "You're acting…weird."

"Nothing's wrong…nervous I guess."

"Since when have you had problems with nerves?" Sharpay shot at her.

"Um…" Gabriella hurriedly attempted to think of a convincing response.

"It's because Troy's here isn't it?" Sharpay questioned expectantly. "Gabi, he won't even see you. He'll be in the locker room."

"Of course it's not because of Troy," Gabriella snapped. "He's engaged. Why would I be jealous of an engaged man?"

Sharpay just shook her head. Gabriella had a feeling she understood everything, which to Gabriella, was completely embarrassing.

"Miss Montez," a buff man called from the end of the aisle, "it is time for you to make your way to the locker room area where you will make your entrance from."

"Can they come back with me?" Gabriella asked, motioning to Sharpay and Zeke.

"Very well," he replied, "now come on."

Gabriella was attacked by the makeup crew and sounds people explaining everything to her. She was fully prepped for her performance. When the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers came running down the hall. Gabriella glimpsed Troy, made eye contact for a fraction of a second, and embarrassedly looked away turning beet red.

"Careful, Gabi, don't be so obvious," Sharpay hissed in her ear.

"Obvious about what?" Gabriella pretended to be ignorant. Sharpay rolled her eyes.

Gabriella was pushed forward by the behind the scenes workers. "Good luck," Sharpay called to her. She heard her name being announced over the speakers, along with a deafening roar from the audience. She made her way out to the center of the court, smiling and waving.

"HELLO LOS ANGELES!" she yelled into the microphone. "I AM SO PSYCHED TO BE HERE TONIGHT! IT'S A GREAT GAME ISNT IT?!" The crowd shouted itself hoarse in agreement. "WHAT I'M WONDERING IS…WHO HERE IS A CLIPPER'S FAN? CLIPPERS FANS LET ME HERE YOU!" The arena was filled with screams of delight and support. "NOT BAD! NOW FOR ALL YOU LAKER'S FANS!" An even louder cheer sounded. "IT'S GREAT BOTH TEAMS HAVE SO MUCH SUPPORT HERE TONIGHT! NOW FOR MY FIRST SONG, I'M GOING TO SING AN OLD CLASSIC, SAY OK!"

She sang that song to the enthusiastic audience along with Baby Come Back To Me, Too Emotional, When There Was Me and You from Twinkle Towne, Extraordinary (Liz Phair), and Walk Me Home.

Her final song, at least that's what she thought was Only Hope. She was in the middle of singing her heart out on the high note, when she saw two big blue eyes watching her from inside the tunnel of the locker rooms. She rang the note the best she ever had with the confidence of those eyes. Forget the nerves, she liked him there.

She was about to exit the center court when Sharpay walked on, beckoning for her to stay there. "YES IT'S ME!" The crowd squealed as if Christmas had come early. They weren't expecting Sharpay Evans. Zeke even walked out with her. "GABI HAS AN AMAZING VOICE DOESN'T SHE?!" The whole crowd screamed yes and amazing in a mixed chorus. "NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT SO DOES TROY BOLTON, AND THE TWO OF THEM KNEW EACH OTHER IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY EVEN SANG TOGETHER. SO I THINK IF YOU REALLY BEG THEM, THEY'LL DO A DUET FOR YOU ALL RIGHT NOW! SO COME ON, DO YOU ALL WANT THEM TO SING?!"

Gabriella didn't realize the crowd could get any louder than they were earlier. "I guess that's a yes," she said to Sharpay.

"You bet it is." Sharpay had a mischievous little grin on her face. "LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, PLEASE WELCOME TROY BOLTON!" Troy came onto the floor in his Lakers warm ups. Sharpay handed him the microphone. Music began to play:

Living in my own world
Didn't understand
That anything can happen
When you take a chance
I never believed in
What I couldn't see
I never opened my heart
To all the possibilities
I know that something has changed
Never felt this way
And right here tonight

This could be the start
Of something new
It feels so right
To be here with you
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart
The start of something new

Now who'd of ever thought that
We'd both be here tonight
And the world looks so much brighter
With you by my side
I know that something has changed
Never felt this way
I know it for real

This could be the start
Of something new
It feels so right
To be here with you
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart
The start of something new

I never knew that it could happen
Till it happened to me
I didn't know it before
But now it's easy to see

It's a start
Of something new
It feels so right
To be here with you
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart

That it's the start
Of something new
It feels so right
To be here with you
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart
The start of something new
Start of something new

The entire crowd screamed for an encore. They loved it. The music began once again, this time playing a different tune:

Troy:
We're soarin', flyin'
There's not a star in heaven
That we can't reach

Gabriella:
If we're trying
So we're breaking free

Troy:
You know the world can see us
In a way that's different than who we are

Gabriella:
Creating space between us
'Til we're separate hearts

Both:
But your faith it gives me strength
Strength to believe

Chorus #1
Troy:
We're breakin' free
Gabriella:
We're soarin'
Troy:
Flyin'
Both:
There's not a star in heaven
That we can't reach
Troy:
If we're trying
Both:
Yeah, we're breaking free
Troy:
Oh, we're breakin' free
Gabriella:
Ohhhh
Troy:
Can you feel it building
Like a wave the ocean just can't control
Gabriella:
Connected by a feeling
Ohhh, in our very souls
Both:
Rising 'til it lifts us up
So every one can see

Chorus #2
Troy: We're breakin' free
Gabriella: We're soarin'
Troy: Flyin'
Both:
There's not a star in heaven
That we can't reach
Troy:
If we're trying
Yeah we're breaking free
Gabriella:
Ohhhh runnin'
Troy:
Climbin'
To get to that place
Both:
To be all that we can be
Troy:
Now's the time
Both:
So we're breaking free
Troy:
We're breaking free
Gabriella:
Ohhh , yeah

Troy:
More than hope
More than faith
Gabriella:
This is true
This is fate
And together

Both:
We see it comin'
Troy:
More than you
More than me

Gabriella:
Not a want, but a need
Both:
Both of us breakin' free

Chorus #3
Gabriella: Soarin'
Troy: Flyin'
Both:
There's not a star in heaven
That we can't reach
If we're trying
Troy: Yeah we're breaking free
Gabriella:
Breaking free
Were runnin'
Troy:
Ohhhh, climbin'
Both:
To get to the place
To be all that we can be
Now's the time
Troy: Now's the time
Gabriella: So we're breaking free
Troy: Ohhh, we're breaking free
Gabriella: Ohhhh

Both:
You know the world can see us
In a way that's different than who we are

And once more, the crowd wanted more. Gabriella didn't know how much more she could handle as the music began again for the final time:

Na na na na
Na na na na yeah
You are the music in me
You know the words
"Once Upon A Time"
Make you listen?
There's a reason.
When you dream there's a chance you'll find
A little laughter
or happy ever after
yeah harmony to the melody
It's echoing inside my head
A single voice (Single voice)
Above the noise
And like a common thread
Hmm, you're pulling me
When I hear my favorite song
I know that we belong
Oh, you are the music in me
Yeah it's living in all of us
And it's brought us here because
Because you are the music in me
Na na na na (Ohh)
Na na na na na
Yeah yeah yeah
(Na na na na)
You are the music in me
It's like I knew you before we met (Before we met)
Can't explain it (Ohh ohh)
There's no name for it (No name for it)
I'm saying words I never said
And it was easy (So easy)
Because you see the real me (I see)
As I am You understand
And that's more than I've ever known
To hear your voice (Hear your voice)
Above the noise (Ohh ohh)
And no, I'm not alone
Oh you're singing to me (Ohh yeah)
When I hear my favorite song
I know that we belong (Yeah ohh)
You are the music in me
It's living in all of us
And it's brought us here because
You are the music in me
Together we're gonna sing (Yeah)
We got the power to sing what we feel (What we feel)
Connected and real
Can't keep it all inside (Ohh)
Na na na na (Ohh yeah)
Na na na na na (Ohh yeah)
Yeah yeah yeah (Na na na na)
You are the music in me (In me)
Na na na na (Ohh yeah)
Na na na na na (Ohh yeah)
Na na na na
You are the music in me
When I hear my favorite song (Favorite song)
I know that we belong (We belong)
You are the music in me
Yeah it's living in all of us
It's brought us here because (Here because)
You are the music in me
Na na na na (Ohh yeah)
Na na na na (Ohh yeah)
Na na na na
You are the music in me (Yeah)

Troy leaned over and kissed Gabriella on the cheek like he did during Breaking Free. Butterflies screamed through her stomach, and she felt as if she were about to feint.

"That was really fun," Troy said as they walked back into the tunnel.

"Yeah," Gabriella agreed.

"I miss singing with you," Troy admitted.

"I miss singing with you, too," she replied. The two walked in silence for a second. "I have an idea. If we both miss it. Then we should still do it. We should put some duets of the two of us on my next CD. We could go in and record them and everything. That is…if you have time."

"I'll find the time," he assured her. "That would be completely amazing. It would be just like high school."

"Not completely," Gabriella mumbled to herself so Troy couldn't hear her.

"HONEY!" Kelly screamed when he got home. "I DIDN'T KNOW YOU KNEW GABRIELLA, LET ALONE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH HER! WELL I WASN'T COMPLETELY RIGHT AS YOU DIDN'T DATE HER BUT WOW?!"

((that's it for now…obviously it's not over…the story's just getting good now …reviews please…XOXO, CHRISTINE))