CHAPTER 9 – All Over Again

It was the night before New Year's Eve itself. Michelle and her family had invited the whole gang and their families to join them in their house for a New Year's Eve party. Martha couldn't make it because she had to leave for vacation in Atlanta. It was the kids who decided to have a little sleepover at Mitch's house before the actual celebration the night after. So, everyone got their bags packed and went over to Mitch's house to await and help with the preparations of the New Year's Eve party they were going to have.

They had just finished playing a game of Twister when Michelle decided to have pizza delivered over for their dinner. She told the guys to just pick out some games on the shelf and left them to call for the pizza delivery guy that was on their phone's speed dial. She took the phone and speed dialed for the pizza place and swiftly ordered four boxes of pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and hung up. She entered the kitchen and opened the fridge to get a soda. She also pulled out a left-over macaroni and cheese from inside, closed the door of the fridge and tossed the goody inside the microwave to be reheated. Just then, Ryan walked in and smiled at her.

"Hey, what're you still doing here?" Ryan asked, standing beside her by the dishwasher. "By the way, do you have food? I'm kinda hungry."

"You can take that mac and cheese inside that microwave. I'm not really that hungry anyway," Mitch said, taking a sip off her soda. "What are the guys up to now?"

"PlayingStacko. They're freaking out over the fact that you have so many games out there. So much for having a luxurious life. You have a whole toy store out there."

"My brother loved to play those games. So he bought a lot when he was in his teens. We kept it here in reminiscence of my brother."

"I didn't know your brother was the childish type."

"He's really childish. You wouldn't know from first glance that he's childish; especially since he was the captain of the football team."

"I saw the trophies. You're very different from him."

"My brother was everything. He was just great. I was not like him in any way. I mean, from first glance - with the glasses and all - you can really tell. But we were inseparable. My brother loved me and I loved him. He was always there to protect me. He never left me. Never."

"Hey, don't think unhappy thoughts. Come on, let's get back to the game. I wanna see who loses. Loser gets a consequence."

"Wait, Ryan!"

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Thank you…for everything. You have been the most supportive of all. I mean, once is enough, but twice? I didn't know you'd go as far as to run after me all the time. You're one of the reasons why I love East High. You mean a lot to me. You're a really great guy, Ryan. I'm so lucky to have you for a friend," Michelle said, giving Ryan a tight hug.

Ryan was shocked. He didn't know how to respond. He never expected Michelle to tell him that he means a lot to her. For the first time in his life, he felt himself blush and his stomach do somersaults. But deep inside him, he felt something even more. Yeah, just a friend.

"So, let's go back! I wanna play too!" Michelle said, breaking the hug and running out of the kitchen leaving Ryan alone with the mac and cheese that was inside the microwave.

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The next morning, everyone was busy preparing for the New Year's Eve party for that night. They were all setting up their own to-dos. Everyone was concentrating for they knew that some important friends of the Richards were coming that night. They barely had seen each other since the group was divided into different parts of the ballroom, living room and balcony.

Night came and everyone was already in preparations for their appearance that night. The attire was just casual and comfortable. The girls were all cooped up inside Michelle's room while the boys were inside one of the guest rooms. Sharpay was putting light make-up on Gabriella when Michelle came in and announced something.

"Girls! There's a big change in tonight's party regimen. Mom said it'll be a formal party. We have to wear something formal, long gowns to be exact," she said, making everyone gasped in shock.

"Oh, goody! I brought a gown with me, you know, just in case," Sharpay squealed in delight.

"I don't have a long gown, but I do have a dress-just below the knees," Taylor said. "Just like Sharpay, I brought it just in case."

"I got a dress too. Nothing special, just a knee-length dress. My mom made me bring one. Which reminds me, I gotta call my parents and tell them about the change in attire tonight," Kelsi said, getting up from the bed to get hold of the phone.

"No need. My parents already made those calls. I've already told the guys the same. They're panicking all over. Except for Ryan though, he seemed to be prepared. Anyway, Dad has already showed them my brother's closet of clothes. He hasn't worn all of them so no need to worry if you think they'd be wearing a dead guy's outfits," Mitch said.

"Looks like there's no problem here anymore," Taylor commented, getting back to straightening her hair.

"Uhm, I don't think so. Girls, I don't got anything to wear!" Gabriella panicked. "I gotta run back home to get one."

"But, Gaby, the party starts in half an hour! You won't make it!" Shar said.

"Don't panic. I'll be right back," Michelle said, walking away from them.

Sharpay glanced around her friend's faces before sighing and continuing to do Gaby's make-up. Gabriella gave her a look and just sighed as she continued to do whatever magic she was doing on her face. After a few minutes, a knock on the open-door was suddenly heard. All four girls turned around to see who knocked.

"Hey, girls, I was just wondering if I could borrow Gaby for a minute," Troy asked, smiling brightly at them.

"Hey, basketball guy, what do you want?" Gaby asked as she neared Troy.

"Can you fix this tie for me? I'm kinda lousy at these kinds of things."

"Sure," Gaby said, smiling as she fixed his tie.

"Thanks, Gabs," Troy said when she finished.

"Not that I'm complaining but don't you already know how to do this kind of thing? I mean, you have done it before, right? You know, during your dinner with the Evans and that UofA guy," Gaby asked, giving him a look.

"Well…okay. You caught me. I just wanted to see you here."

"Troy…"

"I'm sorry, Gabs. I just really wanted to see you."

"Troy, you know I hate it when you lie, even if it's just a white lie. Besides, you didn't have to lie just to be able to see me. You know that you can just ask for me anytime. The girls wouldn't mind."

"Yeah, I know, Gabs. I'm sorry. I'll never do it again," Troy said, kissing Gabriella on the lips.

"You do that, Mister Lunkhead Basketball Man. I'll see you tonight, okay?" Gaby said, hugging him tightly.

"Yeah, I'll see you," Troy said, walking away from her. "By the way, Gabriella, you look beautiful, even without the dress, that I'm sure will be lovely at you."

Gabriella simply smiled and waved back at Troy who almost hit by the butler who was carrying a tray with a pitcher of water and some glasses. The butler eyed him as he apologized and ran off. Gabriella but her lip in embarrassment as the butler went inside Mitch's room and set the pitcher and glasses on the spare table by the far end of the room and left. Gaby giggled before returning back to Sharpay. Michelle, at that moment, suddenly came out of her hiding place.

"Hey, Sharpay, are you done with Gabriella yet?" she asked.

"Yeah, you can have her now. I'll go touch up myself," Sharpay answered, signaling Gabriella that she was done with her.

"I can't believe you have a whole room for a closet!" Gabriella exclaimed when she entered the room.

"It's not exactly a room. It's just a large closet. A really large closet. A walk-in closet as they call it. You should see my mother's. That's what you can call a room," Michelle answered.

"She's a model! There's no wondering about that. So, what have you got to show me?"

"This!" Michelle exclaimed, showing Gaby a light turquoise long gown.

"Mitch, that's beautiful," Gabriella breathed.

"And it would look more beautiful if you wore it."

"No, I can't. Mitch, no."

"Yes, Gabriella, you can. Now, go and get dressed. It's fifteen to eight. You got no more excuses to make, Montez. Now, get going."

Gabriella looked at her with serious eyes before giving her a big hug, making Michelle jump a little. Gabriella was all smiles. She broke the hug and glanced at the outfit before looking back at Michelle's face.

"I owe you, Mitch. Thank you so much," Gabriella said, smiling at her even more.

"You don't owe me anything, Gabriella. You've already done so much for me. First the auditions, then the callbacks, and then the musicale itself," Michelle explained. "It's the least I could do."

"But, I never helped you in any of those, most especially the musicale."

"No explanations, Gabriella. Now get dressed. Tell the others to get changed too. I'll be back later. If I'm not back when you're about to leave, just go on ahead without me. I'll see you later, Gabs," Michelle said, walking out of the walk-in closet.

Gabriella was out of words as Michelle left her inside. She walked out of the closet just in time to see her wave a goodbye to Kelsi, Taylor and Sharpay. All girls looked at each other before shrugging and going back to their preparations. The New Year was about to come again and, for once, everything was falling into place.

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"Hey, guys!" Michelle greeted as she knocked on the wide opened door of the room the boys had all occupied to change for the party. "Woah! Sorry to have seen that!"

Jason quickly scrambled for the door of the bathroom. All of them laughed as they watched him almost tumble every time he stepped on his pants that were already sweeping the carpeted floor. He quickly closed the door of the bathroom and shouted an apology at Michelle for having to witness such a scene.

"Definitely not going to tell Kelsi what I saw," Michelle stated. "So guys, I'm here to see a certain Mister Troy Bolton."

"He's all yours," all of them said, even Jason who was inside the bathroom shouted his response.

"Okay, why are your friends giving you up this fast all of a sudden?"

"He's been bugging us all night about Gaby and stuff you don't want to know," Chad explained. "We can do with a break, you know."

"I'll be glad to take him away from you all. Troy, a minute?"

"Is there a problem, Mitch?" Troy asked as they got out of the room.

"No, there's nothing. I just wanted to give you something," Mitch said, handing him a paper bag that he did not notice she was holding.

"What's this?"

"Something I should've let go a long time ago."

Troy opened the bag and extracted a piece of clothing from it. He dropped the paper bag on the floor and stretched out in the open air the piece of clothing he had extracted. Troy stared before looking it over up and down and letting it go on one hand. He gazed at Michelle who was glancing at what he was holding.

"Mitch, what is this?" Troy asked, making her look his way. "Why are you giving me this?"

"My brother was a fan. When he was fourteen, Dad took him to see them. When I turned thirteen, he gave me that a symbol of his brotherly love to me. He said, 'I've always loved and cherished this, Mitch. But now, I've got something else more important to me. And that is my baby sister here. So you keep this and think of it as a part of me.' But now, I realized, after all these years, that I don't really need it; because I got my brother's protection, love and memory right here inside my heart. So now, I'm giving that to you."

"Mitch, I know you're rich and could get another one of this anytime, but, this is your brother's."

"Troy, you are really compatible with Gabriella. You two decline favors so well. Just take it, Troy. I don't need it."

"Mitch, this is a Lakers jersey with signatures of the players and the coach! This is priceless!"

"I'm not a fan, Bolton. Now, no excuses. Keep it, or would you just want me to throw it in the garbage?"

"Are you sure about this, Michelle?"

"I know I won't regret it. I know you're a fan. I really don't like basketball. I don't even know why my brother's a fan. He's a football player after all. But, let's not get to that. Just take it, Troy. I owe you a lot since my first day at East High. I'm sure my brother would want the same fate with that jersey."

"Mitch, I got no more words to say. Thank you."

"No gratitude needed, Troy. I have to go now. I'll see you tonight," Michelle said, stepping away from Troy, avoiding his arms.

"What?" he asked, eying her.

"Fancy putting a shirt on first?"

"Oh, right. My bad. I was wearing one just a while ago. I took it off because I was not comfortable with it. Now that I think about it, Gaby will surely kill me once she finds out that I ruined the knot she did on my tie."

Michelle smiled and finally gave him a hug out of delight. Troy laughed as he wrapped his arms around her and patted her back as they broke apart. He smiled at her and thanked her for the gift again. He waved goodbye as she walked away from him.

"Oh, nice pants by the way," he heard her shout as she slowly disappeared form his view.

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Gaby walked slowly towards the table of appetizers and took a piece of food from the plate. Sharpay and Taylor were no way in sight and Kelsi was busy playing the piano as requested by Mrs. Richards. Gabriella sighed and looked around the room packed with old, famous people and a couple of teens whom she doesn't want to get acquainted with. She felt a little bit uneasy wearing the dress that Mitch gave her. She felt so regal and rich in it.

"Hey there, beautiful! What're you doing there?" Gabriella suddenly heard the familiar voice of her boyfriend beside her.

"Hey," Gabriella said, smiling at him and giving him a big hug. "Where have you been?"

"Around. I've been busy looking for you. By the way, love you in that dress. I knew you'd look beautiful, as always."

"Thanks, you. Actually, this one's not mine. It's Mitch's. She gave it to me on short notice. Isn't it just amazing?"

"Oh, it's even more amazing that you're wearing it."

"Thanks, Troy. Oh, there're just so many celebrities here. I never expected celebrities actually go to parties as simple as this. I thought they go to parties like the ones Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton go to."

"I know. I didn't expect to see so many celebrities here. Now I just wonder where our friends are."

"I thought the boys were with you."

"They left ahead of me."

"Most probably in the kitchen."

"I think so too."

"Hey, what are you guys doing here slumping?" Troy and Gaby heard a voice asked.

"Mitch!" Gaby exclaimed. "You look amazing!"

Suddenly, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and stared at Gabriella. Gabriella gulped and felt herself starting to sweat. She smiled sheepishly at all of them and whispered her apology as they continued on to what they were doing before.

"I think you'd better keep it down since this is a formal party. But hey, thanks for the compliment," Mitch said, smiling at the two of them. "Oh, you look so beautiful, Gaby!"

"Thanks, Mitch. The party's great! There're so many celebrities!" Gaby said.

"Yeah, and I think I just saw Justin Timberlake over there," Troy said, pointing at the far-end corner of the room, trying to make it a joke. "How can that be possible, huh?"

"Uhm, Troy, that is Justin Timberlake," Mitch said. "Don't do that again."

"Okay," Troy said.

"Sorry, but I gotta leave you guys here. Dinner will be served in about ten minutes and I have to get everybody settled in the ballroom. God, this is hard."

"Hey, don't stress too much. We'll help you. Oh, by the way, I love your contacts. You should throw away those glasses and keep those. Your eyes are really beautiful," Troy said. "A nice touch of green."

"Yeah, thanks. Oh, I really have to go. Be in the ballroom in under ten minutes, okay? Dad gets a little impatient. Bye, guys. I'll see you later," Michelle said, walking away from the two.

"So, shall we play usher and usherette?" Troy asked his girlfriend.

"You are so British," Gaby joked. "Let's just go." (AN: No offense to the British. It's just an expression that me and my friends use a lot.)

Troy chuckled at his girlfriend's remark and joined her in ushering people inside the ballroom. Soon enough, almost every guest was inside. Troy and Gabriella have finally found their friends and motioned each one of them to sit on the table nearest the stage since that was reserved for them. Gabriella looked around inside the ballroom and saw a couple of familiar faces from East High School. She smiled when she saw Troy smiling sheepishly at Ms. Darbus who was trying to make him acknowledge her presence. Chad chuckled at his best friend that earned him a nudge on his stomach by Taylor, of course. Everyone was busy with themselves when the dinner arrived. It was almost time for the countdown.

"Tonight, we have a very special performance prepared by none other than our hosts' daughter, Miss Michelle Richards," the emcee announced, making everyone give into a round of applause.

"Thank you," Michelle said as she walked in front of the stage. "Tonight, you will all witness the most amazing performance you will ever see. You will all see different gifts and talents all joined together in a performance that you will never forget. I am proud to present to you tonight's guest performers, the East High Wildcats!"

Troy, Chad, Ryan, Jason, and Zeke almost choked out the pancetta they were chewing when they heard the announcement made by Michelle. Gabriella, Taylor, Sharpay, and Kelsi were wide-eyed at that precise moment. Troy stood up abruptly, not realizing what he had done until the spotlight was placed on him. He gulped and looked around the room. He smiled an awkward smile before looking back to the faces of his friends who were now all given their own spotlights. Troy felt himself stoned on the ground.

"Please welcome on stage, Mister Troy Bolton, Miss Gabriella Montez, Mister Ryan Evans, Miss Sharpay Evans, Mister Chad Danforth, Miss Taylor McKessie, Mister Zeke Baylor, Miss Kelsi Nielsen, and Mister Jason Cross," Michelle announced, making everyone clap in excitement.

"Mitch! What is this about?" Troy whispered to her when they all got on stage. "You didn't inform us about this!"

"I'm sorry. It was supposed to be a surprise," Michelle whispered back, still smiling at the crowd as they bellowed out their song requests.

"Oh, I'm surprised," Troy said in a sarcastic tone. "What now?"

"We gotta sing, Troy. I think Barbara Streisand's here too," Gabriella joined in.

"Where?" Chad suddenly asked.

"I think she's that one over there in the middle with someone who looks like that guy on the James Bond movie," Taylor said, motioning for the others to look on the direction she was mentioning.

"Pierce Brosnan, no, that can't be him. That guys looks way better looking," Sharpay said. "Ain't that right, Ryan?"

"Hey, isn't that Orlando Bloom?" Ryan said, making everyone's head shot on the direction he was indicating.

"Oh, my God! That's Orlando Bloom!" Kelsi exclaimed in a whispered tone. "And he's with Keira Knightley!"

"I didn't know you watch Pirates," Jason commented. "Now I got someone to watch it with!"

"That can't be Orlando or Keira or Barbara or Pierce. That's impossible. Maybe we're just seeing things. You know, just because we're nervous and all," Zeke said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But what do we do now?" Kelsi asked, making everyone think.

"Look, I got you guys into this so don't worry. Kelsi, you go over to the piano. Jason and Zeke, stand over there by those two microphones. You two'll be the back-up singers. Chad and Tay, far-end mike's over on each side. Shar and Ry, you got yourselves these two microphones beside the both of you. Gaby and Troy, you got center field. Is everyone clear?" Michelle spoke fast.

"Wait, this is going all too fast. We can't do this. We don't even know what the song is," Troy argued.

"You'll know the song, trust me. Kelsi!" Michelle called out as the audience began to applaud. "Oh, and by the way, that's really not Barbara Streisand. That's Celine Dion. And that guy who looks like James Bond really is Pierce Brosnan. Oh, another thing. Yeah, that's also Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Well, good luck, you guys! I just love you all!" she continued and quickly walked out of the stage, making the group watch in amazement.

Troy breathed in heavily as he heard Kelsi play the first few keys of the song. He glanced around him and gazed in front as the music began to come together. Just as he was about grip the mike tighter, he stopped and felt his mouth hang. He looked at Gabriella immediately and saw her have the same reaction as he did. New Year's Day 2006.

"Troy! Sing!" Kelsi whispered a little louder when she realized that Troy had not sang the first words of the song.

Troy shot back a lot at Kelsi and realized what kind of predicament he was now in. He glanced back at Gabriella and saw her smile sweetly at him. Troy sighed and smiled back at her. He gave the signal to Kelsi and breathed in and out. He looked out at crowd and smiled as he heard the familiar sound of the song he had always loved.

Troy began to sing:

"Living in my own world
Didn't understand
That anything can happen
When you take a chance"

Gabriella followed, remembering the night she first sang those words.

"I never believed in
What I couldn't see
I never opened my heart
To all the possibilities"

Troy and Gabriella smiled as they sang together.

"I know that something has changed
Never felt this way
And right here tonight"

All of them joined in at the song.

"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"

Sharpay and Ryan sang together. They smiled when they got hold of the lyrics that one of the waiter passed on to them.

"Now who'd of ever thought that
We'd both be here tonight"

Chad and Taylor sang the next parts, surprised that they had managed to remember the lyrics that their two best friends used to sing before.

"And the world looks so much brighter
With you by my side"

Troy and Gabriella sang together again while Zeke and Jason sang back-up.

"I know that something has changed
Never felt this way
I know it for real"

Everyone sang again, happy at the expressions on everyone's faces.

"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"

Troy took the mike from the stand and walked over to Gabriella while singing his lines.

"I never knew that it could happen
Till it happened to me"

Gabriella did the same and smiled as Troy took her hand to his as they met in the middle.

"I didn't know it before
But now it's easy to see"

Everyone got together in the middle and continued to sing as the audience all stood up and clapped their hands to the beat and rhythm of the music.

"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"

Taylor, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad, Zeke, and Jason all backed out and let Troy and Gabriella sing the remaining lines of the song as it came its closing.

"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 start of something new"

Troy and Gabriella smiled as they sang the last line of the song they have always loved since the moment they sang it on the lodge on New Year's Eve. Everyone applauded the wonderful performance and the group bowed in delight as Kelsi ran up to them. Troy hugged Gabriella tightly and kissed her head. He smiled brightly at Mitch who gave them a thumbs-up. He felt so happy and light. He looked at Gabriella and whispered an 'I love you' to her amidst the cheering. Gabriella smiled and whispered the same thing at him. It was like New Year's Day 2006 all over again, but this time, it got even better.