Gabriella was outside with a light blue tank top and black sweat pants while shooting hoops. She had been out there for about five minutes now just shooting around, missing every shot. Gabriella shot the ball again to have it hit the rim of the basketball hoop and bounce the opposite way. Gabriella let out a frustrated sigh as she ran her hand through her curly hair. Gabriella breathed in deeply as she thought about the main thing happening in her life right now. If someone else knew what Gabriella and Troy were up to they would look at it as a mistake to keep it from people, but to Gabriella and Troy, it felt like they were just trying to keep each other safe by not bringing other people into the situation.

"Ella, do you want to go to lunch with Tay and me?" Chad asked as Gabriella sat at their kitchen counter eating an apple.

"No thanks. I would feel like a third wheel or something, plus I don't need to see my brother sucking my best friend's face." Gabriella said mockingly.

Chad rolled his eyes. "Then what are you doing today if you aren't going to be with Shar and Tay?" Chad asked.

"Where's Shar going to be?" Gabriella asked.

"Shopping with Zeke, where else?" Chad asked with a chuckle. "Are you sure you don't want to go, it would beat sitting around here with nothing to do." Chad said.

"No…maybe Troy will do basketball with me or something." Gabriella said standing up.

"If he's home, usually he's with some girl." Chad said.

"That doesn't seem like him." Gabriella said going off of the personality she knows other than the one before she came back.

"Now it doesn't, ever since you came home he doesn't seem to take interest in anyone…maybe he's gay?" Chad asked thinking hard about it.

Gabriella's face dropped. "Um…how does that mean he's gay?" Gabriella asked.

"Well, he doesn't do anything with girls anymore, and he's not one to settle down, he says so himself." Chad said.

"Whatever…I'm going to go over there now." Gabriella said. "Bye brother."

"Wait, didn't you just go over there yesterday? That's why you weren't at dinner mom said." Chad asked.

Gabriella walked backwards nervously as her hand felt for the door handle. "Um…we had a school assignment. No big deal." Gabriella said. "Bye."

Gabriella ran over to Troy's house and opened the door without knocking first. She turned right and ended up in his living room. Gabriella had gotten used to just coming in through the front door without having someone invite her in. She had been doing it for two weeks now. Gabriella smiled as she saw Troy just sitting on the couch flipping through the TV channels.

"Bored?" Gabriella asked amusingly.

Troy turned off the TV and turned towards Gabriella and smirked. "Not anymore."

"I bet." Gabriella said coming into the living room and sitting down on Troy's lap like she had done so many times before when Troy would just hold her after they would talk after a long day at school, whether it was about England, which it barely was, about Troy's parents, their family, or friends.

Troy instinctively put his arms around her waist and pulled her in to kiss her on the lips. When he did Gabriella pulled back after a quick second leaving Troy confused. "What's wrong?" Troy asked.

"Troy, don't take this the wrong way…Chad thinks you're gay." Gabriella said and then she couldn't hold it in any longer, she smiled and let out a small giggle.

Troy's face dropped. "What…wait…why?" Troy tried to find words. "Why would he think that?"

"Because you don't seem to be getting with girls anymore." Gabriella answered. "Which I don't know why you would stop either." Gabriella said.

"Maybe because I have someone right now who is sitting on me at the moment." Troy said and gave her a quick peck on the lips to have her pull away again.

"That's what I like to hear." Gabriella said even though Troy and her weren't official or anything, Gabriella felt like if she looked at another guy, she was disgusted, and it always put a smile on her face when Troy would look the other way when cheerleaders would wink at him or try to flirt with him.

Gabriella smiled as she connected their lips and before she knew it…Troy had her pinned down onto the couch smiling down at her as he pulled back and just stared at her. "Now how about that for being into guys?" Troy joked as Gabriella rolled her eyes playfully and connected their lips as both she and he smiled into the kiss.

Troy walked into his room and over to his computer desk. He had just gotten a phone call from Chad inviting him to go minature golfing with Tay and him, but Troy turned him down not wanting to get questioned by them why he wasn't busy with some girl. Troy looked at his desk and saw the picture he had of him and the wildcat basketball team last year. He was the only sophomore on the starting varsity team last year, as Zeke, Chad, and a couple of others were on JV and second string varsity. Troy smirked as he opened the picture frame and behind the team photo were some of him and Gabriella. One was of him holding Gabriella as they stood by a lake in the park watching the sunset as some starting photographer was walking around and taking pictures for classes. Troy had to haggle with him to buy the picture from him, but it was all worth it. Then another one was just of Gabriella shooting a basketball. The last one was of Troy, Tay, Gabi, and Chad. Troy's face faltered a little as he saw the four of them in the Danforth's backyard laughing at something Chad said with Chad's arm around Tay and Troy and Gabi just standing there without touching each other.

It shouldn't be like this Troy thought. He shouldn't have to hide a relationship from his best friend, if it was even a relationship, he hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend yet, but should he or should they tell people before and then should he make it official? Troy had no idea, he was feeling things he had never felt before with Gabriella and it was making him even more confused. Troy put the pictures back behind the team photo so no one would see and looked out the window to see that Gabriella just missed an easy shot, which she normally never did.

"Up for a game of one on one?" Gabriella asked joining Troy on his basketball court as he took a shot.

"Always." Troy answered as Gabriella got the rebound and shot the ball to watch it go in. Gabriella passed the ball after she got her own rebound. "I saw your light on last night." Troy said as he just held the ball.

Gabriella turned to look at Troy with an annoyed look on her face. "Do you like stalk me or something?"

"No, it's just I notice things." Troy said with a shrug. "You want to talk about it?"

"No…not until you talk about your parents." Gabriella said.

"I've already told you about them." Troy said stepping closer to Gabriella. "I can't do anything about them, but I can do something about you. Talking about Derek might help you to move on." Troy said.

Gabriella stepped closer with a smirk. "And I won't tell you until you take action with your parents and tell them how you feel…you know, it might help your problem." Gabriella said.

"Using my words against me, impressive, and I'm going to do something you weren't expecting…it's a deal. When both of my parents are home I'll talk to them." Troy said as the smirk left Gabriella's face.

"Fine." Gabriella said stiffly.

"You don't sound fine." Troy said getting closer to her.

Gabriella looked up and gave him a hard stare. How could she go outside to play one on one with Troy in a happy mood so quickly change to her just wanted him to kiss her. "No, I'm fine. Everything is perfectly okay." Gabriella said in a mono tone.

"I can make things better." Troy mumbled as he brought his lips down to Gabriella's as Gabriella closed her eyes. They had been doing this for about two weeks now, having a little, small fight and then start a make out session.

Gabriella pulled back and looked around making sure no one was outside watching them. "We can't do this…here." Gabriella finished as she took Troy's sweaty hand in hers and lead him into his house through the back door. It was now obvious to Gabriella that Troy had been playing for a while now that she looked at him closer, his hair was matted down to his forehead, his face was slowly going back to it's natural color instead of a mixture of red, and his hand was warm and sticky wet.

Gabriella pulled him into his room as Troy pushed her lightly onto his bed. He laid over her with his elbows on either side of her so that all of his weight wasn't on her. Troy is trying to kiss her as Gabriella pulls back after realizing that she was the one that actually lead him up to an empty bedroom in an empty house. Even though this wasn't the first time Troy had her pinned down in his room, she still couldn't shake the feeling of guiltiness towards her brother. "Troy, what are we doing?" Gabriella said before their lips connected again and Troy pulls back a little, but only so much so that their noses still graze each other.

"We're trying to kiss Gabi." Troy says as he kissed her again.

"This…is…wrong." Gabriella said in between kisses.

"Just…relax…" Troy answered.

"No…one…can…find…out." Gabriella said and then pulled back. "Not even Chad, especially him." Gabriella said sternly as Troy looked down at her and then Gabriella shut her eyes and leaned up to connect with Troy again.

Troy rested his hands on Gabriella's sides and started to trail his finger tips lightly up and down the sides of her stomach. Gabriella arched her back a little when his hands hit a ticklish spot. Troy let a little chuckle out as Gabriella pulled back. "What?" Gabriella asked.

"Nothing, it's just…nothing." Troy said as he connected their lips again.

Gabriella's hands went around Troy's neck again as his hands started to rub up and down underneath her shirt now, making sure his hands grazed her ticklish spot again. Gabriella squirmed underneath him as she arched her back a second time and Troy let out another chuckle as Gabriella did so.

Gabriella pulled back again and looked at him confused. "What?"

"How are we supposed to make out if you can't stop squirming when my hands graze right…here." Troy said as he started tickling her sides again and Gabriella started laughing and squirming, trying to get away from Troy.

"Troy…stop…please…Troy." Gabriella got out between her laughs and giggle.

"Say that I'm the most hottest, sexiest person alive and you can't live without me." Troy said as he tickled her even more.

"Troy…you're the most…hottest…sexiest person alive…and I can't…live without…you." Gabriella said as Troy finally stopped and leaned his forehead against hers. "Eww…you're all sticky Troy, do you know how disgusting that it?" Gabriella asked pushing his head off of hers.

"You were just making out with me, how is that not disgusting?" Troy asked as he quickly leaned down and nipped at her neck and then sat up again with him straddling her.

"Your forehead wasn't frozen against my head when we were making out." Gabriella said as she wiped off her forehead with the back of her hand.

"I think you still look hot." Troy said as he started kissing her neck.

"Oh, now you want to make out and not tickle me?" Gabriella asked playfully.

Troy said something against her neck that Gabriella couldn't understand, which Gabriella took that he said something good since he continued to suck on her neck and any exposed skin she was showing.

Gabriella went to go get her rebound and as she stood up again and looked up, she saw that Troy was in his room at his computer desk looking at her. Gabriella shielded the sun from her eyes as she looked at Troy through the window.

Gabriella rolled her eyes playfully as Troy motioned to her to come upstairs as he pointed at her and then at his back door below him. Gabriella smiled and then shot the ball to hear it go 'swish' and started to walk to his back door like she had so many times in the past month.

Gabriella walked into Troy's house a week after the classroom incident and naked picture disaster with her backpack hanging loosely on her shoulder. Troy had just called asking if Gabriella could come over and help him on their math homework.

"You know by not knocking and letting me invite you in could be considered trespassing." Troy said standing at the top of his stairs in nothing but a pair of dark blue jeans that were ripped in one of the knees.

Gabriella rolled her eyes as she started walking up the stairs. "So sue me Bolton." Gabriella said as she walked past him and into his room where she had just been the day before straddled down on his bed for the first time. "Now what did you need help with?" Gabriella asked turning around while dumping her bag on the floor to come face to face with a wet headed Troy who obviously just got out of the shower since behind him in the corner of his room was a damp looking towel.

Troy started to lean in. "I don't want to do homework." Troy said as he kissed Gabriella briefly.

Gabriella pulled back and stared up into his eyes. "It's not happening again. I barely know you, and last night was a mistake. It should have never gotten that far." Gabriella said pushing Troy away.

"Gabi, we only made out. And it was pretty obvious that you didn't want to stop either, I didn't hear you complain." Troy said. "And I thought you said that you have me figured out." Troy said.

"Details." Gabriella said. "I would prefer to know you a little bit more than just let you straddle me while sucking my face." Gabriella said sitting down on his bed.

"Okay…what do you want to know?" Troy asked while he sat down by Gabriella on the bed.

Gabriella thought for a moment and then looked at Troy. "What's your favorite color?"

"Black." Troy answered right away in a simple tone.

"Black?" Gabriella raised her eye brows as she looked at him still. "You don't seem like the type of person to like black, you seem more of like a green or red kind of guy." Gabriella said.

"And what color do you prefer?" Troy asked with a laid back smile on his face.

Gabriella shrugged. "Gray." Gabriella said. "…or charcoal." Gabriella said.

"And surprisingly I wasn't expecting some bright happy color." Troy said sarcastically.

"Shut up." Gabriella said playfully and then thought about another question. "…what about your favorite food?" Gabriella asked.

"Easy…I love lobster…or crab…or steak." Troy said while he looked deep in thought.

Gabriella giggled a little. "Wow, alls you need is a nice green salad and you're good to go." Gabriella said.

"Yeah, or…pork…no, no, no…I love ribs…or turkey." Troy said still thinking and then stopped and looked at Gabriella with a smirk. "What about you?"

"Mac and cheese." Gabriella said.

"Mac and cheese?" Troy questioned with shock. "Out of all the great foods…well meats…you choose something as plain as noodles with added cheese,…and that's not even meat. Someday soon I'm going to have to take you out and get you to eat more than just noodles." Troy said with extra emphasis on 'noodles'.

Gabriella chuckled a little as she smiled. "I like simple things that I can understand." Gabriella said. "And right at this moment I understand plain noodles with extra cheese."

Troy rolled his eyes. "You haven't tasted anything yet Gabi, just wait." Troy said.

"I'll wait, trust me." Gabriella said. "…here's another question: what else are you good at besides basketball, or what are your hobbies?" Gabriella asked.

"Sex." Troy said.

Gabriella's mouth dropped open and she looked at him like he was crazy.

"No, I'm serious. I'm really good at it, everyone says so." Troy said proudly.

"Egotistical." Gabriella coughed as she said the word.

"What Montez?" Troy asked. "Did you just say egotistical?"

"Maybe." Gabriella said with an amusing grin on her face.

"Maybe I think we know each other more than enough now." Troy said as he rolled over on her and joined their lips again.

Troy turned his head at the sound of his bedroom door opening. Troy smiled as Gabriella walked in and plopped down on his bed. "What's up?" Gabriella asked casually.

"Oh nothing, just wanting to see the girl I happen to like a lot." Troy said getting up and sitting down by her on the bed.

"Oh really." Gabriella asked as she gave Troy a quick peck. "Now, what's really up?" Gabriella asked.

"I have something to show you." Troy said.

"Okay?" Gabriella more like questioned than commented as Troy leaned over Gabriella and grabbed the remote that was on his bed side shelf.

"Zeke." Troy called up to Zeke who was walking a head of him in the empty hallway listening to his ipod. Zeke didn't respond so Troy jogged up to Zeke and said louder. "Zeke!"

Zeke turned his head and flinched and then pulled out his head phones. "Yeah?" Zeke asked. "What's up Troy?" Zeke asked doing their guy handshake.

"I have a question for you and you won't want to answer, but I'm going to need you too, okay?" Troy asked.

Zeke looked Troy over and then nodded his head reluctantly. "…it depends…" Zeke said unsurely, usually Troy never asked him favors because he usually always knew what to do, but when he did end up asking favors, they were usually big favors like let him copy on a test or to cover for him for the whole day of school only to be questioned by the principal in the end and getting a weeks detention.

"Hey, you owe me Zeke." Troy pointed out. "Remember the cooking accident?" Troy reminded him.

"Okay." Zeke said quickly. "What's up?" Zeke asked.

"Now you have to hear me out before you say no or tell anyone which could get some people very mad at me, or at least one person would end up hating me." Troy said fastly.

"You didn't like get some girl pregnant, because I am not going to pretend to be the father." Zeke said. "That's just too big of a favor." Zeke added.

"No." Troy shook his head. "I did not get anyone pregnant…um…you're the only one that's going to know, you can't even tell Shar this, no matter what. Got it?" Troy asked.

"…okay…it can't be that bad, can it?" Zeke asked as they turned another corner to an empty hallway yet again.

"Um…let's say that a girl came home about a month ago at the end of August, and I've been spending a lot of time with her." Troy said.

"You don't have an STD do you? Because I seriously don't know how I'll cover for you if you do." Zeke said quickly.

"No!" Troy exclaimed. "I don't have an STD." Zeke sighed out of relief. "You actually thought I did?!" Troy asked as if it was crazy.

"Don't make me answer that." Zeke said as Troy rolled his eyes and they continued walking.

"Anyways…we've been spending a lot of time together without anyone knowing, and we're pretty close I like to think. But, we're not really allowed to be together because if this one person would find out, he would get so mad and it would ruin our friendship." Troy said.

"Have you done anything with this girl?" Zeke asked completely oblivious that it was Gabriella he was talking about.

Troy scratched the back of his neck, "Um…we had our first kiss when we were in detention a month ago and ever since then…yeah." Troy said nervously.

Zeke was about to give him advice when his mouth opened, but he just stopped abruptly and pointed at Troy. "Chad is going to kill you!" Zeke hissed in a whisper as if someone could hear them even though everyone was in class and Zeke had free period, and Troy was skipping first half of math to just talk to Zeke.

Troy was about to say something, but Zeke beat him to it. "Don't even lie to me about it anymore, but I can tell you one thing, Chad is going to KILL you." Zeke warned.

"I know, but I need your advice." Troy said.

"About what, just stop this thing you have with Gabs and everything will be fine for all of us." Zeke said.

"But that's the thing, I can't. We have both tried and… we just can't. I don't know why, and I sure as hell don't know what I'm feeling, but I feel something different for her, and…I just need your help and you promised you wouldn't say anything." Troy said.

Zeke sighed. "What do you need help with?" Zeke asked giving in.

Troy smiled weakly. "How do you tell Gabi something…without actually telling her?" Troy asked and he was expecting Zeke to call him dumb and say that it wasn't possible, but Zeke just stood there thinking.

"I can't believe I'm telling you, but…wait, how much do you like her?" Zeke asked.

Troy shrugged. "I don't know yet." Troy admitted.

"What do you guys do when you two are alone?" Zeke asked and then went wide eyed. "And I don't want to know about any sexual stuff."

Troy chuckled. "Well, we just…talk." Troy said.

"About?"

"…stuff…" Troy answered simply.

"You talking?" Zeke asked with an amused smile.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Troy asked.

"Nothing, it's just, you never just talk with a girl." Zeke said.

"Changing the subject, what should I do?" Troy asked.

"Gabs is really into music, so I think I have a song for you." Zeke said. "But I'm warning you, if and when Chad finds out, you do not get me involved because I would like to live for graduation next year." Zeke said as they started to walk. Zeke and Troy both chuckled.

"Okay, I can promise you that." Troy said and Zeke looked at Troy with a sly smile.

"So…Gabi huh?" Zeke asked amusingly at the nickname Troy gave Gabriella.

Troy hit Zeke on the shoulder jokingly. "Shut up man."

"You kiss her yet?" Zeke taunted even though he already knew the answer.

"Shut up dude." Troy warned with his own proud smile.

Then Zeke turned serious and looked at Troy. "Just be careful man, okay?"

Troy looked at Zeke and nodded his head slowly. "I will…now what's the plan?"

Music started to play and Gabriella just looked at Troy curiously and was about to say something, but Troy put two fingers lightly over her mouth to tell her to just listen.

Sorrow is a lonely feeling
Unsettled is a painful place
I've lived with both for far too long now
Since we've parted ways
I've been wrestling with my conscience
And I found myself to blame
If there's to be any resolution
I've got to peel my pride away

[ Chorus 1:
Just between you and me
I've got something' to say
I wanna get it straight
Before the sun goes down
Just between you and me

Confession needs to be made
Recompense is my way to freedom now
Just between you and me
I've got something to say
If confession is the road to healing
Forgiveness is the promised land
I'm reaching out in my conviction
I'm longing to make amends
So, I'm sorry for the words I've spoken
For I've betrayed a friend
We've got a love that's worth preserving
And a bond I will defend

[ Chorus 1


In my pursuit of God, I thirst for holiness
As I approach the Son, I must consider this
Offenses unresolved, they'll
keep me from the throne
Before I go to Him my wrong must be atoned
If there's to be any resolution
I've got to peel this pride away

[ Chorus 2:
Just between you and me
I've got something' to say
I wanna get it straight
Before the sun goes down
Just between you and me
Confession needs to be made
Recompense is my way to freedom
It's my way to freedom
It's my way to freedom [ 2x
I've got something to say, so
let me say it today
It's my way to freedom [ 2x
I've got something to say,
confession needs to be made
It's my way to freedom [ 2x
I've got something to say,
confession needs to be made
It's my way to freedom [ 2x
I've got something to say...

Troy shut off the music and turned to look at Gabriella's face deep in thought. She was silent for a moment and then looked at Troy. "You didn't like get someone pregnant did you?" Gabriella asked. "Because if you did, you can confess all you want, but I need to go then." Gabriella said getting up to leave, but Troy grabbed her hand.

"I didn't do that, why does everyone ask me that?" Troy asked himself quietly. "Just please tell me what you think." Troy asked.

Gabriella sat down and sighed. "I think I want to know what you have to say." Gabriella said looking at Troy.

Troy sighed. "I'm not too good with words like this." Troy motioned with his hands.

"Words like what?" Gabriella asked.

"Like between us. I can talk and give lectures and lead a team of twelve people easily, but when it comes to relationship stuff and girl stuff, it just doesn't work." Troy said slowly. "But…I feel something." Troy said as Gabriella shifted on his bed to look at him completely.

"something?" Gabriella asked.

Troy sighed. "I really like you a lot. I can't even tell you how much and that's just knowing you for only a month and three days to be exact." Troy said. "And…this is what I've got to say…I can't say I love you because that is just too big of a word and we're not even together fully, so you are like free to walk out anytime." Troy said.

"I'm not going anywhere." Gabriella said quietly.

Troy gave a small smile as he tried to think of what to say next. "…so instead this is what I've got to say…I love that I like you so much." Troy said.

Gabriella smiled sweetly at Troy. "I love that I like you so much too."

Troy leaned in a captured her lips in a soft sweet kiss. Gabriella pulled back with a smile on her face. "Is there anything else?"

Troy looked at her and interlaced their fingers. "We need to confess to Chad before we can actually make it official." Troy said. "We just need to find the right time to tell him because if we become boyfriend and girlfriend first, he will get even madder that we did it without him knowing it." Troy said.

"Oh yeah." Gabriella said. "…I don't want you two to fight Troy, it doesn't seem right that I've only come back already for just a month now and your friendship is slowly being ruined." Gabriella said.

"Hey, you aren't ruining it. Once we find someway to tell Chad, I promise that everything will be okay." Troy said.

"Okay." Gabriella said as they kissed again.

"And Zeke knows." Troy added quickly before Gabriella pulled back to see that Troy was serious.

"How did he take it?"

"He was happy after he heard me out." Troy said.

"One down and three more to go." Gabriella said as she leaned forward and kissed Troy slowly with a smile on her face.