Wow, It's been a long time since I've typed (this story)-and I'm sorry for that. I could go on and on with excuses that you're just going to ignore so I'm not. I am going to give you one(ish) reason why this chapter has been delayed I'm working on another story or maybe two. There the cat's out of the bag... There's one for High School Musical, and I have another one that I think I may use with one of the Disney princess movies such as Aladdin, or Tangled, or Princess and the Frog, or Beauty and the Beast but I haven't decided which one yet. Anyway I may put up a sneak peak on my LiveJournal. I think that that's enough rambling for now... Enjoy the chapter:)

~Blast from the past~

This moment felt right, as if all the previous almost kisses had been foreplay to this very moment because Troy was lowering his head towards mine. I raised myself up a little bit onto my toes to get closer to his lips. Both of our eyes closed as we closed the gap in between our lips. The first moment I felt his lips brush against mine I felt a tingling sensation on them that I hadn't felt since the summer after senior year…

My mind reacted as it had those many years ago. My arms snaked their way around his neck as his hands found my hips. We gave into little kisses to begin but they quickly turned into a passionate kiss. My lips opened to him and our tongues danced their sacred ritual that only we knew for it was us who created it and now carried out. It was like being able to see again after being blind for so long. Okay, maybe not to that extent but it was powerful and ardent. His soft lips being on my was blissful, but his tongue massaging mine in such intricate patterns that I thought for sure that I was dreaming of this, again. His lips being on mine and doing what they were doing lead my mind into overload, and I involuntarily moaned into the kiss.

My lips stopped moving, and then his stopped. A soft breeze danced over my lips where Troy's just where, I backed up a step and my eyes wandered to my shoes. Thoughts were whizzing around in my head. What is he going to think about you after you kissed him! No, he kissed me, you buffoon! My mind was raging a warring battle about Troy and his feelings towards me, but before the war could go any farther a hand snuck its way under my chin and pulled my head up. I was looking directly into Troy's eyes. The azure irises of his eyes were keeping me hostage, I couldn't look away from them. His lips tugged upward into a soft smile, which made my lips do the same thing in return.

"Hey," he stated, his eyes still gazing into mine. "I have a random fact for you, the scientific study of kissing is called philematology."

"Hi, thanks for that fact," I shyly replied. I nodded my head in the direction of the path that we had just taken. "I think that we should be heading back, Austin might be missing the one source of testosterone that I've allowed him," I smiled.

"Ah, so it was you that is trying to change poor ol' Austin into a girl by denying him a manly friend," he teased he bumped his hip against mine in an attempt to knock me off balance, but he failed.

"Maybe, but then why would I hire you if I'm trying to make him female?" I questioned, and as always he had a reply to it.

"I thought it was my charm and my dashing good looks," he laced our fingers together. The warmth of his palm against mine was very soothing and comforting. The thing that I had been wanting for a while was occurring, I had someone who was there for me. I mean there for me that is of the opposite sex, because Taylor and Sharpay would be there for me in a heart beat if I needed it.

"Have you been reading my diary? I should know better than to store it in the top drawer of my nightstand," I teased. We slowly came up to where I had parked the car. He opened the car door and gave a little bow as if I was royalty. I dashed into the car, grabbed the car keys from inside my coat, and threw them into the ignition. Troy got in while I was turning on the car.

We headed off down the road back to Hoes and Bowes. I glanced over at Troy, "So where exactly does this leave us?"

"Where do you want it to be?" he replied cryptically, his eyes gazing into my own.

"How about if anyone asks, we're dating but we're going to take it slow. It's been a while since I've been in a relationship," My eyes went to the road and my mind went into action thinking of the last person I had a relationship with, a stable relationship. "It's been since you," I mumbled.

"Hm, What did you say?" Troy asked, I shook my head no in the since that I hadn't said anything at all. The rest of the car ride was very quiet. Troy was in his mind and I was trying to memorize the feel of his hand, trying to remember all the creases, all the bumps, even the places that let off the most heat.

Soon enough we arrived at the front of Hoes and Bowes. We both exited the car and the door slammed behind us at the same time. I was reaching out to the door of the employee entrance when Troy bolted in front of me to grab hold of the door. "Really?" I said.

"I'm just trying to be chivalrous for m'lady," Troy stated with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Ah, just trying to kiss ass to the boss, are you?" I teased back, walking through the door with my hips swaying side to side trying to see if Troy would notice considering that this vital knowledge could come in handy at some point. I looked back around at Troy and no without a question was there he was staring at my butt. "Looking at something?" I asked with my hand on my hip for added emphasis.

"Uh, no," he replied looking like he was the little boy thats mother had caught him with his hand in the cookie jar. He closed the door and walked over to me, "I wasn't looking at anything that I couldn't," and with that he lowered his head so that our lips met again with a spark.

"I think I should head in now," Troy coughed after we had broken apart. I could only nod as I watched him enter the showroom of the store. I went into my office where I sat down on my desk chair. There were pictures of friends and family on my desk. There was even one of Troy and I standing ready for senior prom. We were so unaware of the fact that within a few months our blissfulness would be gone and we wouldn't be seeing each other for five years.

I shook out all of the memories that were swimming around in my head and turned on my computer to start working. I started on the finances of Hoes and Bows. I was reading up on the up and coming fashions that were going to be hits for Sharpay when I felt two strong firm hands on my shoulders and a tickle of hot breath on my neck.

"What are you looking at?" Troy breathed. I swiveled around in my chair so that I was facing him and leaned up a little and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Just an article on up and coming fashions. What are you doing back here?" I asked back at him.

"The work day's over, and we have a party tonight remember?" He told me while grabbing my hand and pulling me up so that I was standing facing him. He kept hold of my hand, placed my other hand on his shoulder and put his hand on my waist.

"What are you doing?" I giggled.

"Dancing," Troy simply replied. He started the dance, we were moving back and forth very slowly until Troy started to lead us out of the door of my office and into the main showroom. We started to slow dance out among the clothing, I couldn't stop giggling as Austin stood there and watched us with a huge grin on his face. Troy noticed what I was giggling at and whispered in my ear, "He's just jealous that I have the best looking girl in New York dancing with me in a clothing store."

"So true," I blushed. I leaned my head on his chest for a few seconds until we had stopped moving, I looked up. Troy was looking back at me smiling, until his lips fell on mine. I closed my eyes and gave into the kiss.

"Awwww," And like that the moment was gone. I opened my eyes the moment that I broke the kiss to see who the aw had come from. It shouldn't have been a shocker that it was Austin who gave the aw. I smiled at him and looked back a Troy. Troy looked a little infuriated at Austin, I put my hand on his chin and he looked back at me.

"I think that we should be heading out," Troy just nodded, and broke away from the embrace that we had created while dancing, but one of hands were connected.

I dropped Troy off at his hotel and drove off to my apartment. I parked my car and went up to my room. I unlocked the door and went inside. Standing in the foyer of my apartment was none other than Jackson. "Jackson!"

"Why hello Gabriella. How are you?" He asked in an almost timid voice.

"Uh, good I guess. Might I ask what are you doing here, in my apartment?" I questioned him. I walked past him to the table that was my "dining" area that I hardly ever used and put down my purse which was more of a baggish tote.

"I came here to apologize for uh what happened in the park," Jackson started to scratch his head in embarrassment and his cheeks went red.

"Oh, that event, I think that I'm willing to put it behind us and move on, but as friends and only friends," I eyed him seeing what his reaction was going to be to my suggestion of just being friends. His smile teetered a little at thought of just being friends and nothing more, but he continued on like nothing had occurred.

"That's what I was hoping that you would say," he was lying through his front teeth. "Restart?" He put out his hand for me to take and shake it.

"Really, the cliché restart move?" Jackson nodded and smiled a big goofy grin. "Fine," I took his hand and shook it. "Happy now?"

"Why yes I am good stranger, oh wait never mind I know you," he said.

"Once upon a dream. I know you the gleam in your eye is so familiar a gleam, yet I know it's true that visions are seldom as they seem. But if I know you I know what you'll do, you'll love me at once the way you did once upon a dream," I sang to follow his 'I know you'. Jackson gave me a 'you have got to be kidding me' look and I doubled over laughing.

"Did you seriously just start singing Once Upon a Dream from the movie Sleeping Beauty?" I could only nod because I was laughing so hard that I couldn't find my breath to say something

I stopped laughing soon after and looked at the clock that was on the wall. It read 5:30. "Shit!" I exclaimed.

"What?" Jackson asked with concern.

"I need to start getting around for a party tonight; we're celebrating Troy's first day of work. Uh, do you want to come?" I asked, hoping that he would say yes, he and Troy would become friends and everything would fall into place. I also hoped that the gang wouldn't mind if I invited him.

"Yeah, sure. I don't have anything else to do tonight so why not?"

"Okay, we're meeting around 7 because we're going to head to dinner before hitting the club. I'll write down the address," I grabbed a Post-It note and wrote down the information for Troy. "Here you go. See you later."

Jackson left, and I went to my closet to start my perilous adventure to find the perfect outfit to wear…

Okay, it's done:) I'm going to type some more tomorrow (maybe) I have a little bit other work to do as well… grr stupid grades. Oh well what can you do about bearded teachers who enjoy giving test? I hoped you enjoyed this chapter because I had a love/hate relationship with it… Please read and review and I will get it up sooner!

Writing Away,

~Kai~