Thank you! I'm hoping for those eleven reviewers again. :) It's not that small or big of a number, but I love it! It helps me update quicker. & I started school already! So it's like, whoooaaaa. ;)

Oh for sure, though. I own it.

Chapter X.

- - - -

"Yeah, but wait." Taylor shouted in excitement, "Guess what!"

Gabriella dropped the bag and jumped, "Geez Taylor you scared me! What?"

"Chad's going to Sharpay's!"

Gabriella raised her eye brows, "That was the big 'guess what'… I guess that's cool."

Taylor picked the bag up, "Oh I forgot to say that he's bringing Zeke and Troy."

Gabriella gasped with eyes and mouth wide open, "Oh my gosh! I need to go change and get other clothes!"

She was wearing short-shorts and a tank top for her pajamas. Taylor was wearing the same but with pajama pants while Sharpay was going to wear a big shirt and shorts.

"No Gabi, this is good. You look hot."

"I guess I do." She giggled. "Good thing I brought my 'hot' outfit for tomorrow."

- - - -

"Welcome to the Evans'."

Taylor and Gabriella giggled. "Thanks Ryan. Where are they?"

Ryan pointed to the family room and they quickly walked inside.

- - - -

"Hey girls! Just put your things down there." Sharpay whispered so that only Gabriella and Taylor could hear, "I take it you knew Troy was here."

Gabriella laughed, "No I thought it was just us. Then Tay told me after."

The three girls sat with the guys on the ground. The guys were talking and eating food. Zeke had brought some cookies for the gang.

An hour later Chad asked, "Why don't we play some truth or dare?" They all agreed and formed a circle.

"Who wants to go first?" Sharpay asked and Taylor raised her hand and shrugged. "I'll go."

- - - -

Taylor, Zeke, and Chad had just gone. "Gabster. Truth or dare?" Chad asked.

She hesitated when answering. "Truth."

Chad, Taylor, Sharpay, and Zeke gave each other knowing looks. "Who do you love?"

She pressed her lips together. "D-do I have to answer?" She glanced at her bag with the bracelets showing. They all nodded.

She mumbled. "Troy." And Chad asked, "What? I can't hear you."

Gabriella looked at Taylor then Sharpay. They nodded in approval. She inhaled, "Troy."

Troy had a goofy smile on and Gabriella blushed. "Uh…" She then asked quickly, "Sharpay truth or dare?"

After, Sharpay had gone she asked Troy.

"Dare." Sharpay smiled and clapped. "Good! I have a great dare. But you know you have to do any dare I say." Troy nodded, "Yup."

Gabriella gave her a questioning look. Taylor whispered to her, "Don't worry." And then Gabriella nodded.

"Okay then. I dare you to break up with Alex."

Gabriella and Troy simultaneously exclaimed, "What!"

"Shar, you know that's unfair to Troy and Alexandra... It's not right to break up love…" Gabriella said with sorrow in her eyes.

Sharpay opened her mouth but Troy spoke before her. "It's not love and technically we're not together."

Sharpay opened her mouth again to speak but this time Gabriella spoke. "It's still not right. She and you obviously like each other. Breaking up because of a dare is a really bad reason."

Once again, Sharpay opened her mouth and sighed. "But we aren't together. And I have a better reason."

"Well, oh great one, what is it?" She asked with annoyance. She didn't feel like arguing with him about Alexandra. So why was she helping them stay together?

He ignored her sarcasm and said, "Because I realized I truly do love someone else."

Meanwhile, Sharpay, Zeke, Chad, and Taylor were watching them with popcorn.

"Oh really?" She asked still annoyed. "Then who is it? She must be really important to you. Seeing that you will break up with Alex right now."

Troy stayed calm, not trying to annoy her. Though he was failing. "Gabriella I love you."

The others had their mouths dropped and the room fell quiet. The sounds of popcorn being chewed had gone and Gabriella sighed.

The chewing resumed and she began to talk. "I don't get you, Troy. Stop doing this…"

"Stop doing what? I can't help it if I love you." Troy said looking into her eyes.

"Stop doing that, Troy." She softened her voice. "You knew I loved you, wait. No. You know I love you."

Troy kept his eyes on hers, "Now I do. Being with Alex made me realize how much I really do love you." He attempted to smile.

She asked. "You mean to say you had to get with another girl to realize that you loved me?" He was about to open his mouth but closed it and looked down. She shook her head.

"I knew from the start. I gave up my dream vacation for you! I didn't need another guy to tell me I loved you."

He spoke softly. "New York?... But wait." Then Troy spoke with raised eye brows, "Is that so?" He laughed. "Brandon, he wasn't a guy?"

Sharpay bit her lip while Taylor put her hands over her mouth. Zeke and Chad's mouths were wide open. Chad's had popcorn in it.

"Bee? He was just someone I had a crush on, we didn't get together or anything. And besides," She glared. "It's not like he confessed his love to me."

They all had 'ooh-she-got-you-there' looks.

"Gabriella, I'm tired of this. I don't want to argue with you. I'm 'breaking up' with Alex right now, whether you like it or not. But I'm hoping you do." With that, Troy dialed her number and broke it off with Alex.

"I just want to be with you Gabs." His voice and eyes showed he was being truthful.

Gabriella closed her eyes and inhaled. Her eyes now open; she began speaking with a voice slightly shaken. "I-I do too Troy. But I'm" She swallowed. "I'm not ready for this yet. All these mixed signals… I'm sorry."

Troy sighed, "Me too."

There was a silence until Chad clapped with Sharpay. "And that is why you guys are in the next play." Zeke gave her a look.

"Yeah man! Now I know why chicks watch TV." Chad added. Taylor elbowed him.

Troy gave a half-smile. Gabriella blushed, "I didn't know you guys were here."

- - - -

The next morning they were all eating breakfast that Zeke had made.

The gang gushed about how delicious it was while Sharpay hugged him and gave him a peck on the lips.

"I'm sorry for bringing up the dare last night." Sharpay apologized to Troy and Gabriella.

Chad apologized too. "I'm sorry for suggesting the game."

Gabriella looked at Troy then looked back at them and smiled. "It's okay guys. Everything happens for a reason and I think this has a good reason."

The others gave questioning looks and shrugs.

- - - -

They got dressed and hung out at the house. When it reached to around lunchtime, they decided to go to the movies.

They were paired up and that made Troy and Gabriella feel uncomfortable. The girls were told to get seats while the guys bought food.

- - - -

Inside the theatre:

An ad for chocolate came on. "Did you tell them to get chocolate? You know I love it." Gabriella asked as the girls shrugged.

"I don't think they got it. But you can't call them, they turned their phones off." Taylor told her.

Sharpay suggested, "Why don't you just go out and tell them?" And Gabriella nodded and walked out.

At the same time the guys were walking in the other door.

Troy told the guys before walking out, "I'll be back. I'm gonna get chocolate for Gabi."

- - - -

Gabriella was looking around for a bushy head. But it was empty. A group of guys she didn't know saw her and walked up to her.

"Babe, looking for me?" One guy asked. "I'm sorry, I was praying."

The other guy added, "Yeah, and I think God just answered your prayer." They laughed and pounded their fists together.

She ignored them and kept searching. "Looking for someone to butter you biscuit?" (A/N: HAHA. I'm sorry for these stupid lines! I needed to rub off the impression that they are annoying and such.)

Gabriella turned around and looked at them. "Excuse me?" She asked them with shock.

When her back was turned, Troy was found purchasing the chocolate. When he was done, he put it in his pocket. He walked back and saw Gabriella and the guys. He frowned thinking she was flirting with them and that she didn't love him. He turned around, attempting to take a step until he heard her scream. He saw the guys trying to kiss and touch her. He ran to her.

"I'll give you your chocolate right here!" The guy said to her with his hands on her.

She struggled to get out. You'd think someone would see them.

"Hey! Let go of her." Troy said as the guys ran off.

Gabriella ran to him. "I was just going to tell you guys I wanted chocolate a-and then these guys came up to me!"

He hugged her, "It's okay. I have something that might make you feel better."

"Troy!" She squealed. "You remembered! Chocolate and saving me… Wow!"

He smiled at her and she reached in her pockets. "I might have something that will make you feel better, too."

She had her bracelets in her hands and put them on her wrist. "I always wear them. I just never showed it because you didn't wear yours."

Troy replied by pulling up his sleeve. "I always did. The team made fun of me because of it."

They smiled at each other and walked back to the theatre.

- - - -

It was now getting dark. The gang had spent the day together at the movies and shopping center near by. Everyone was leaving to go home. Troy and Gabriella were the only ones left. She looked at her bracelets and at his.

"Wanna hang out at my house? Um, so we can talk?" She asked him.

"Sure. What about though?"

She looked as if she was thinking. "I'll tell you when we get on the balcony."

Now they were on the balcony looking at the stars.

- - - -

A/N: I think this might not be one of those great chapters, but. I tried. :) Oh! & I'm probably going to end this in the next chapter or so. Review please!