Gabriella laid back on her bed exhausted from decorating. Looking up at the ceiling she thought about Troy blue eyes, how his black hair seemed to make them seem more thunder like than welcoming.

"What are you doing?" Taylor's voice said.

Gabriella looked over at her and scrunched up her face. "I'm about to take a nap."

"Well hit the shower instead tonight is the big bbq before the weekend and then Monday classes start," She said throwing a purple towel at Gabriella from her towel rack.

Gabriella groan and got up off the bed and looked around the color room of personality and style. She had to take pictures to show her mom later.

"And where something cute," Taylor said watching as Gabriella disappeared into the closet for clothes.

Taylor sat at the edge of her bed filing her nails when Sharpay walked in and put her tooth brush away. "Is she ready yet?"

"Almost she's been in the shower for like twenty minutes," she said with a shrug.

"So what do you think about the whole Bolton thing?" Sharpay said sitting at the end of the bed. "I mean he's cute,"

"He's a man whore."

"He's a bad boy?"

"He smokes."

"He's older."

"He thinks he's a rock star."

Sharpay rolled her eyes, "He might not be that bad,"

"That bad, are you hearing yourself?" Taylor said putting the nail file in her drawer. "She'll ruin her reputation if she gets involved with him."

Sharpay huffed and laid down on her bed. "I'm just saying he might be fun."

"For all of five minutes," Taylor said standing up and looking at her shoes.

Gabriella wore a white summer dress with white sandals her hair was up in a ponytail as she looked around at all the people dancing or mingling. Walking deeper in she seen Sharpay talking to a boy who was standing next to Ryan.

"Gabriella, come here," Sharpay called.

Gabriella walked over and smiled at everyone.

"Gabriella this is Ryan's roommate Zeke," she said motioning to the dark skinned boy standing besides Ryan with a smile.

"Pleasure to meet you," Zeke took her hand in his and gave it a small kiss. His accent had a musk to it that made his words seem exotic and Gabriella blushed and felt Sharpay lean into whisper in her ear. "In his country they treat women like princesses, he's so dreamy."

Gabriella felt a soft laugh rumble in her throat as she turned her attention back to Zeke. "What do you study?"

"Culinary arts and I want to dip my toes into the waters of business." He said with a smile that accent making his entire being seem more and more attractive. She could see why Sharpay liked him.

Taylor walked up behind Gabriella and tapped her shoulder. "Who is that and why is she hanging on Chad's arm?"

Gabriella turned to see her cousin saying something to a red head with the word cutie on her chest. "I don't know."

Taylor crossed her arms over her chest and looked back at Sharpay then Ryan and rested on Zeke. "Who are you?"

"My name is Zeke Baylor," he said.

Taylor reached out her hand to shake his hand but was taken aback when he bent down to place a kiss on the back of her hand.

"Ryan your sister and her friends are very pretty girls," he said gently letting go of Taylor's hand. "You are lucky to be surrounded by such beauty."

Taylor looked over at Sharpay with a smile, "Is he for real?"

Sharpay smiled at him and Ryan rolled his eyes. "Dude just wait until that cycle thing starts happening, then they're going to drive you nuts."

Sharpay nudge Ryan and he grunted.

"Ladies and gents tonight I'm coming to you solo but that's alright and it's cool because I got some mad beats if you want to move your feet and a few slowdowns for more personal matters." Troy smiled into the mic as he began working the dj table.

(Taio Cruz Break Your Heart plays)

Now I might not be the worst of the best but you gotta respect my honesty so let me break your heart but I dont think theres anybody as bomb as me so you can take this chance and everybodys gonna be wonderin how you feel you might say this is Ludacris but Taio Cruz tell her how you feel.

Now listen to me baby

Before I love and leave ya

They call me heart breaker

I don't wanna deceive ya

If you fall for me

I'm not easy to please

Imma tear you apart

Told you from the start,

Baby from the start.

Gabriella watched as Kelsi climbed up onstage and whacked him in back of the head. Troy laughed as the music played and shrugged his shoulders as she said something. Why did she have such an urge to stare at him? Then the unbelievable happened he looked out into the audience and their eyes met. Gabriella quickly turned away.

Troy smiled as he noticed her pony tail swing and grace the back of her neck. Her neck was very touchable, very smooth and he'd bet if slight unexpected touch would make her shiver with pleasure.

"Troy do you have to play this song every time," Kelsi said bring up a new playlist.

"Why not, I consider it a theme song."

Kelsi rolled her eyes and looked over at him. She was wearing pigtails underneath her hat and a blue thin shirt with jeans. Troy shook his head and picked up his keyboard.

"I thought you we're going to come tonight," Troy said reaching for the plug for his keyboard.

"I changed my mind."

Troy looked out and over at Chad. "Oh, hell."

"What?" Kelsi turned to him.

"Cindy alert."

"You're kidding," Kelsi looked over at Chad who sat down at a table to talk to her, her hand on his.

"I'm going to go for a walk, think you got it?" Troy said over his shoulder not even looking in Chad's direction.

"Yeah, I got it." Kelsi put on her headsets and the music slowly drifted into something else.

Troy jumped down from the stage and started to make his way through the crowd. Almost out the box of cigarettes in his hand.

"Troy!"

Wincing he turned around and looked at Sharpay who leaned over and pulled him by the arm. Troy tucked the cigarette behind his ear and put the box in his pocket. "What's up?"

"Met Zeke and my brother Ryan," Sharpay made the introductions and Troy nodded and did his best to be friendly. There was a reason he had only few friends, he wasn't great with people. Looking to his right he caught a glimpse of Gabriella as she lifted her drink to her lips. Her perfume hit him with the subtle movement and he was entranced by her scent. Suddenly the tense feeling in his shoulders left and he smirked. Now he knew he had to get away from her.

"Right, well I got to go."

"Troy?" the voice made his shoulder cringed up again and he turned to see Chad and Cindy.

"Hey Troy," Chad said with a small smile and then looked over at Gabriella and nodded. "You guy friends or something now?"

"Yes," She said.

"No," he followed immediately after she spoke.

Gabriella and Troy looked at each other and Gabriella let her hands cradle her glass as she looked into the cup. "No, I guess not."

"I'm going to go grab a smoke," Troy said turning around and pushing his way between Ryan and Zeke.

The group was silent and Taylor placed a hand on Gabriella's shoulder.

"What was that about?" Sharpay said looking at Chad.

"He smokes when he's all bugged out, I don't know why, it's not like he has issues." Chad said looking back at the stage where Kelsi stared at him and then in the direction Troy left in.

"Chad, who is this?" Ryan said breaking the tension.

"This is Cindy," Chad said with a warm smile.

Cindy smiled and reached a hand out to shake Ryan's and then Zeke. "It's so nice to meet some more of Chad's friends."

"This is my cousin," Chad said introducing Gabriella.

"You got a lot of fucking nerve." Kelsi pushed Cindy's hand away from Gabriella's.

"Here we go," Chad rolled his eyes and slipped a hand in his pocket.

"How dare you even consider taking her back, hello earth to stupid she slept with your best friend!" Kelsi said glaring at Chad.

Taylor arched her eyebrow and shook her head. "Figures," she mumbled under her breath.

"Who the fuck, do you think you are?" Cindy said directing the question at Taylor.

"Bitch, if you don't know me, then you better be a lot nicer to this stranger because I am not afraid to whoop your white ass up and down this lot." Taylor held up her hand and took a step forward and Gabriella reached a hand out and Sharpay held on to her shoulder.

Gabriella took a deep breath and she looked up at Chad. "Maybe you should go."

"You going to let them talk to us like that?" Cindy said turning to face Chad who looked back at Gabriella.

"Let's just go."

"Oh hell no," Cindy lifted her hand and nudge Chad's head. "This is why I had to get dick else were cause your nothing but punk ass bitch."

Chad looked at her his lips thinning as he closed his hands and shook his head. "I'm done with this." backing up he turned around and made his way through the crowd.

Kelsi glared as Cindy stuck up the middle finger in her face and utter slurs as she walked away.

"I think I'm good for the night." Sharpay said adjusting her shirt.

Ryan nodded in agreement and then made his way to Kelsi's side, "You alright."

"I'm fine," Kelsi said looking at Taylor. "Where did all that rage come from?"

"She shouldn't be all him, like that." She said crossing her arms. "Bitch better learn some manners."

Gabriella took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders, "I'm going to go check on him."

Sharpay placed both hands on Taylor shoulder. "And we're going to go drink."

Ryan smiled and looked at Kelsi, "You wouldn't mind if I came up on stage to check out the equipment would you."

"Not at all," she said watching as Gabriella followed Chad, backing up slowly she turned around and led him to the stage.

Once everyone was gone Zeke looked around and felt his shoulders fall. Everyone was gone and he brought up a hand to rub the back of his neck.