Author's note x

Okay guys, Just So You Know won. And here's the chapter!

The next day,

It was lunch time. Gabriella was getting her things to leave for lunch. She was at her locker until someone walked up to her. "Hey."

"Hey Tr-Alex?" Gabriella asked turning to Alex who was leaning on the locker next to hers.

"What's up?"

"Oh nothing really. I'm going to meet Troy for lunch in a few."

"Gabriella, I was wondering if maybe we could have dinner sometime." Alex asked.

Gabriella smiled. "Sure."

"Cool, well I'll see you tonight?"

"Totally."

"Awesome. I'll see you later then." He smiled and walked off. Gabriella felt woozy. Alex's charm was absolutely to die for.

Gabriella quickly got her stuff and ran to the cafeteria. "Troy!"

Troy turned to see Gabriella running to him. He smiled. Ever since the other night when they kissed, Troy started crushing on Gabriella.

"Hey Gabi." He smiled as Gabriella sat next to him. "I have something to tell you."

"Oh me too. But you first."

"Okay." He sighed. "I love you, Gabriella." Troy said, meaning it.

Gabriella laughed playing along. "I love you too, Troy." Troy looked down in disappointment.

"So um, what did you need to say?" Troy said trying to forget about what he just did.

"Oh, Alex asked me out."

Troy looked up angrily. "Wait what?"

"Yeah, just a few minutes ago. Just so we could get this straight, when we kissed that was just apart of us being pretend girlfriend and boyfriend, right?"

Troy looked up at Gabriella's hopefulness. "Yeah sure."

Gabriella hugged him. "Thank you so much Troy. You are the best!" She walked off.

Troy started banging his head on the lunch table. "Whoa, dude stop. You're going to injure your head!" Chad said.

"That's the point. So I can forget any memory of Alex!"

"What did he do this time?"

"He asked Gabriella on a date and now she likes him. And my chances with Gabriella are completely over."

"That little 'I'm Justin Timberlake's best friend' is going to pay."

"No Chad it's okay- wait did you just say that Alex said he was Justin Timberlake's best friend?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, that's weird. But I mean, I told her I loved her and she thought of it as some kind of joke."

"That's completely sucks."

"I know. Then she asked if the kiss was just a way of pretending. I swear I was about to like explode when I said sure."

"Why did you say sure?"

"Because, she seemed to hopeful that I would say sure. Besides I would ruin everything if I said no."

"Dude, you must really love her."

"I really do, man."

"I'll talk to you later." Troy nodded and punched knuckles with Chad.

That night,

Troy walked into Alex's room. "Hey man." Alex said happily.

"Hey. Just to let you know, it's okay for you to date Gabriella. We're over."

"Oh wow. Since when?"

"Um a few days ago."

"I'm so sorry man."

Don't feel sorry for me. "Yeah, it's okay." Troy left Alex's room and walked back into his.

"What do you mean you're not dating Gabriella, anymore?" Addie asked walking in Troy's room.

"As in, me and Gabriella are just friends." Troy replied.

"I thought you liked her."

"I thought she liked me back. But she likes Alex."

"He is so stupid."

Troy gasped. "I thought you liked Alex."

"No, I just like all the gifts he gives me. But I only have space in my heart for one big brother."

"Me too!" Sophie said running into Troy's room.

Troy smiled. "Really?" They nodded. Troy hugged them both. "I love you guys."

"I love you too Troy. Even if sometimes you act like a total airhead." Sophie said.

Troy pretended to gasp. "Airhead? Well Sophie, I guess you earned this!" Troy started tickling Sophie.

Sophie started laughing uncontrollably. Troy smiled. He never really had this much fun with his sisters in the longest time.

Alex interrupted them. "Hey man, I'm going to be going." Troy nodded sadly. Alex closed the door.

Alex drove up to Gabriella's house.

He got out of the car with a rose in hand. He walked up to the door and knocked on it. Ms. Montez answered the door. "Hello."

"Hi Ms. Montez. I'm Alex Bolton."

"Oh hi Alex. So nice to meet you. Why don't you come in?" Alex nodded and walked in. "Gabi, Alex is here."

"Okay I'm coming down." Gabriella walked down. She smiled at Alex. "Hey Alex."

"Gabriella, you look absolutely stunning." He smiled at Gabriella. Gabriella blushed.

"I'm only wearing jeans and a tank top."

"You really pull it off." She smiled. "Oh this is for you." Alex held out a rose for Gabriella. She smiled.

"Thank you." She turned to her mom. "I'll see you later." Ms. Montez nodded and Alex and Gabriella walked out.

Driving up to their date,

"Do you like mini golf?" Alex asked.

"Oh I haven't played in the longest time."

"Well, I can help you." He smiled. Gabriella smiled back. Alex got their putters and golf balls. It was Gabriella's turn and Alex walked towards her. "Here." He walked behind her and put his arms around her. He put his hands on top of Gabriella's and swung her arms to make a hole –in-one.

Later that night,

Gabriella and Alex went to a folk bar. It was open-mic night so Alex offered to sing. He walked on stage. "I'd like to dedicate this song to Gabriella." Gabriella blushed as everyone looked at her.

I shouldn't love you, but I want to
I just can't turn away
I shouldn't see you, but I can't move
I can't look away

And I don't know how to be fine when I'm not
'Cause I don't know how to make the feelings stop

Just so you know
This feeling's takin' control
Of me and I can't help it
I won't sit around
I can't let him win now
Thought you should know
I've tried my best to let go
Of you but I don't want to
I just gotta say it all before I go
Just so you know

It's gettin' hard to
Be around you
Theres so much I can't say
Do you want me to hide the feelings
And look the other way

And I don't know how to be fine when I'm not
'Cause I don't know how to makethe feelings stop

Just so you know
This feeling's takin' control
Of me and I can't help it
I wont sit around
I can't let 'him win now
Thought you should know
I've tried my best to let go
Of you but I don't want to
I just gotta say it all before I go
Just so you know

This emptiness is killin' me
I wonder why I've waited so long
Lookin' back I realize it was always there, just never spoken
I'm waitin' here
Been waitin' here

mmoooh

Just so you know
This feeling's takin' control
Of me and I can't help it
I wont sit around
I can't let him win now
Thought you should know
I've tried my best to let go
Of you but I don't want to
I just gotta say it all before I go
Just so you know
Whoa
Just so you know
Whoa
Thought you should know
I've tried my best to let go
Of you but I don't want to
I just gotta say it all before I go
Just so you know
Just so you know

"Alex, that was the sweetest song ever."

"Why don't I bring you back home?"

"Sure." Gabriella got up and went to the car.

On the front step of the Montez's house,

"Thanks so much Alex. You are such a sweetheart."

"You know your dad must've been a thief for stealing the sparkles in the stars and putting them in your eyes." He said cheesily.

"Hmm, that's a new one." She smiled. Alex leaned in to kiss her and Gabriella leaned in too until…

"Gabi!"

Gabriella and Alex turned their heads to see a girl who seemed to look very much like Gabriella. "Nica! What are you doing here?" Gabriella asked blushing.

Nica walked up to her and hugged her tightly. "I thought I could visit." She pulled away and turned to Alex. "Oh , I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Gabriella's cousin, Nica." Nica shook hands with Alex.

Gabriella interrupted. "I'm sorry Alex. I have to get Nica situated. I'll see you at school Alex." She took Nica's hand and they walked inside her house.

"See ya." Alex said kind of sadly.

Meanwhile,

"You sure I should do this?" Troy said putting his hoodie on.

"You should do it if you really want to tell Gabriella how you truly feel." Addie answered.

"Fine." Troy walked out and got into his car.

Back at Gabriella's house,

"So who was that boy you were about to kiss?" Nica asked.

"That's Troy's cousin."

"Wait Troy? You used to have a mad crush on Troy."

"I did. But I don't know what to think about him now."

"Why?"

Gabriella sighed and sat down on her bed. "When Alex was coming to visit Troy, Troy just was I guess jealous of Alex. He started talking about a girlfriend but he never had one. He saw me and then 'bingo' I was Troy Bolton's girlfriend-."

Nica interrupted. "Aw, Troy and Gabi sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g! First, comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes Troy Jr. in a baby carriage!"

"No Nica. It's not like that. I mean it's like he's just being a pretend boyfriend to me. It's not real to me."

"How real do you want it to be?"

"What do you mean?"

"Turn around." Gabriella turned to see Troy standing on her balcony. Gabriella slowly walked to the door.

"Troy, what are you doing here?"

"I think I'll be going." Nica said.

"See you later, Nica." Troy said.

"Bye Troy."

Troy looked back at Gabriella. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What?"

"Gabriella, I feel like the greatest of fire works when I'm with you now. I mean I feel these feelings I don't usually have. I think…" Troy stuttered. "I think I love you."

"You love me?"

"Yes. I hope you love me too."

Gabriella took her hands out of Troy's grip. "Troy, I have felt that at the ski lodge. I've felt that when we sang in Twinkle Towne together. I have waited for this moment for the longest of times! But you made me wait too long. I'm not going to wait forever Troy. I'm sorry but I've moved on."

"Gabriella, but I really love you!" Troy shouted.

"Troy, stop kidding yourself." Gabriella shook her head and left. She closed her balcony door on Troy. Tears came down from Gabriella's chocolate eyes. She wasn't sure if she had down the right thing for her. She wasn't sure of anything.

Troy felt the lowest. He sadly climbed down from her balcony and back to his car.

"Gabi, what's the matter?" Nica asked walking into Gabriella's room running to her assist.

"Troy loves me. But I've moved on." Gabriella said wiping away her tears.

"It's okay Gab." Nica said slowly hugging Gabriella tightly.

Meanwhile,

Troy walked back into his house. He walked into Alex's room. "Hey man. I hope you're happy." He said quietly to Alex and left.

"What?" Alex asked himself.

Author's note x

Aw, that's so sad. Well please review!

Hugs and kisses,

ANGiE xx