Winter Romance

Chapter 10- The Neighbours

Thanks for the reviews :) So I guess you like the story so far? I thought it still lack abit of something. Oh Well, I hope you like this one. Reviews lots okay? Both postive and negative are welcomed :) I don't mean to um..insult any Blondes or anyone by the name of Sherry. It's purely fictional, yeah? No hard feelings. I will not be uploading the chapter tomrrow because I still have plays to PC! Arghh. Okay, back to the story.

Troy tenderly held the brunette closer to him as they continue waltzing. The affectionate ocean blue eyes were locked with the big, shy and sweet chocolate brown eyes, "How I wish time will stop now." Troy whispered softly, a gentle smile crept onto his face.

Gabriella's face had turned into crimson red as she broke the eye contact in awkwardness. That action had incited loud guffaws from Troy as he laughed at her meek reaction. She could be bold at times, issuing brave challenges and dares yet she could be shy and meek too. Troy hungered to know more of her, like the changes of her mood, her different expressions, her likes and dislikes, he desire to know everything about her. She was so intriguing!

"I believe that the girl ought to say something when a guy says something so... amorous?" Troy raised his eyebrows as he teased.

Gabriella laughed a little, "Like what, Cham?" she giggled. She imitated his countenance and raised her eyebrows in a Troy- like manner.

"Not by calling him names and teasing him through imitating the guy." Troy laughed, "Gabs, that doesn't even give the impression of being like me anymore." as Gabriella tried to imitate the way he speak by mouthing the same words he was saying and imitating his countenance in an exaggerated manner.

Gabriella smirked, "So what should I do, love guru?"

"Well since he is so sweet, agree to date with him when he asks you out." Troy smiled, he felt tickled praising himself as sweet. Being with her made him happy and he had forgotten, at the moment, the argument he had with his best friend that day.

A soft spread on her lips, "Providing that he asks me and that he is sweet." Gabriella challenged, trying her best not to giggle.

"The love guru thinks he is sweet and he is asking you out now." Troy flashed a broad smile at Gabriella as she chuckled.

"So... I am supposed to agree huh? Well... I shall mediate deeply on this tonight." Gabriella faked a deep and sober voice but her eyes were twinkling in amusement.

"Gabs! I am serious here. Give me a chance." Troy looked absolutely serious that he wanted to take her out. His hand around her waist had tightened considerably as if he wasn't going to let her go.

Gabriella smiled and nodded her head, "But not tonight. I have some dinner with the new neighbours. My mother wanted to pick me up after school since I don't have my transport yet and I am unfamiliar with this place."

Troy's hand had loosen its grip immediately as Troy laughed, "It must be some flashy sleek sports car, huh Gabs. What coincidence. A new family has just moved next to my house and my mother is throwing a welcome dinner." He said, smiling happily. Gabriella had promised to go out with him.

"Bad guess, Troy. It's a mini cooper. I like small cars, they look cute."Gabriella smiled. The car that she owned was a white MINI Cooper S convertible, with black hood.

Across the court, a couple was trying to abstain from all eye contact as they stiffly followed instructions and tried to waltz. Since they were not looking at each other or communicating with each other and attempting to synchronise with each other, it naturally became a disaster.

"Stop trampling on my feet! You've been stepping on mine for at least a hundred times since just now!" Taylor screamed as Chad stepped on her feet again. Chad immediately let go of Taylor and shoved his hands angrily into his pocket.

"You ain't following my lead like you should!" He shouted, throwing his hands up into the air. He was frustrated. He was angry with Taylor for defending Gabriella.

"That's because you aren't talking to me!" Taylor screamed, shoving her hands up. He insulted her.

"That's because... that's because... you defended her! You defended her instead of siding me!" Chad spat, "She's the reason, I and Captain are arguing in the first place. If she had never come to East High, Captain would not fall in love and..." Chad trailed off as Taylor folded her arms and glared angrily at him.

"Fool, in what way is Gabriella in the wrong? She is my friend, of course I defend her when she is treated unfairly. Your captain has fallen in love with her... it's not as if she asked for it..." she continued, then she paused, "What?! Troy likes Ella?" she gasped. Ever since Taylor had heard about Troy, she had never known that Troy Bolton had been anything but a player. Gabriella hates players.

Chad looked at her as Taylor was stunned by the information.

"Are you certain that Troy Bolton likes her?" Taylor whispered quietly. Chad nodded. His anger had dissipated when he realised that he would do the same for Troy. If Troy was unfairly treated, he would stand up for him. He should not have insulted Taylor.

"Gabriella doesn't like players." Taylor admitted.

So Gabriella did not seduce him and trapped him with potions and spells huh? He thought silently. Chad shifted uncomfortably on his feet, "Taylor, I am sorry. I did not mean any of it. You're... you're a ... nice girl." Chad stuttered as he scratched his hair nervously.

Taylor gave a small smile, "it's alright, Chad. Let's dance. I don't want to fail physical education."

Chad flashed a smile full of warmth.

Zeke was staring uncomfortably at Sharpay. She was not talking much even though he tried to encourage her to speak. The ice princess really does live up to her name, he thought, but he enjoyed dancing in synchronisation with her, at least they were one now even though she was not talking to him.

"Are you enjoying it?" Zeke asked sweetly. Everyone was busy trying to dance. It was alright if he could relax and be who he is.

"Yes, Baylor" Sharpay answered succinctly. Zeke smiled encouragingly, well at least she knows his surname and that she is responding in words.

"You dance well, Sharpay."He continued, flashing a tender smile.

"But of course, the Evans were taught to dance so that we can dance at functions. Moreover, we do dance when we have musical, so it is no surprise that I can, Zeke." Sharpay smiled with some warmth.

She called him Zeke, not Baylor but his name Zeke. She was also smiling at him! The smile on his lips grew.He could run back home now and scream with happiness. Sharpay watching him smiled so blissfully, beamed happily in return. She did somewhat enjoy being with him. Yes, somewhat.

After a few rounds, the lesson had come to an end.

"I am very happy that you are cooperating with each other. Good job. Miss Montez and Mr Bolton, I wish to see you for a while later." Miss Anna announced as she released the students.

Troy and Gabriella stared at each other with confusion and moved out of the crowd's way towards Miss Anna and Mr Angus. Taylor was smiling as she signalled Gabriella that she would wait for her. The basketball guys stood at a side, waiting for Troy.

"Mr Bolton and Miss Montez, we can't help but see that both of you had danced really well together. Especially you, Miss Montez. You are a natural on your feet. Both of you have the chemistry to dance. 

So both I and Mr Angus would like to invite you to join the cast as lead dancers in dance-drama held by the dance club. We are in need a couple who can dance well and we feel that both of you have what it takes to dance an Argentine Tango which is sexy and hot and needs chemistry." Miss Anna explained as she watch the two students excitedly.

"I am sorry, Miss Anna. I'm not good at social dances." Gabriella said sheepishly.

"I can't. Miss Anna. I am in basketball and we are going to take up a lot of time just practising."Troy answered, looking at Gabriella.

"Well, the both of you do consider it. I think it's a great opportunity to learn. Miss Montez, you are a dancer right?" Miss Anna asked as she looked at the petite brunette.

She nodded her head, "I joined a company when I was in San Diego, but I quitted it when I came here."

"I can see that you are very confident on your feet. Even if Mr Bolton here isn't keen on the idea, perhaps you can join. We have slots in the cast available for you. You are free to go." Mr Angus smiled, as he dismissed them.

Dancing as a couple? They thought quietly as they meet their friends.

"Why did Miss Anna look for you?" Taylor asked inquisitively as Gabriella approached her.

"Well, to join the dance club. She said I was good on my feet. She wanted Troy to join too because we have great chemistry." Gabriella smiled as she turned around to look at Troy who was at the other end of the empty court. Troy had returned to his friends.

"Let's change before heading home, Ella." Taylor smiled as she led her into the female changing room.

Those blonde girls with thick make up were fixing their make up after they had changed into their clothes. Gabriella tried not to stare at what they wore. It was too revealing and tight! They had better not wear any! It was a wonder how they could even move around in those ultra tight clothes without tearing them or even breathing freely at all! She was reminded of those cheerleaders back in her own school that used to flock around Sean or even that blonde who clung onto him when she had met him at the theme park. She hurried into the cubicle to change into a fresh set of clothes when she heard them talking loudly.

"Why, I just think that he isso smitten with you. I mean he will definitely ask you out, Sherry."One of the girls spoke with an awfully high pitch voice as the rest agreed loudly. Gabriella was disgusted and irritated by their high pitchy tone that sounds so false.

"Why, definitely. I mean... I was so waiting for him to ask me out after we slept with each other that night at the party." Sherry answered, "It's only a matter of time, and I mean the captain of the cheerleaders should so continue the trend of dating the captain of the basketball team." She punctuated with a laugh.

The basketball captain was such a typical player, she thought, sharing his genes like it was free. Should you not sleep with a person as an ultimate expression of love? She did not want to sound all that chaste but she firmly believe that making love should be the highest expression of love and it would diminish that joy that the couple share if they were already sleeping with others for the fun of it.

To make love, the couple has to be completely comfortable with being fully open with each other as there are no clothes to physically shield or mask their flaws. If that was not the ultimate form of love, tearing down each masks and even clothes to share who one really is, then what is?

She dislikes people who did it for fun because they would never fully feel the true happiness of the joining of two souls, not mere bodies and the captain and Sherry seemed to fall into this category.

She certainly did not want to meet him.

The group of girls had left, so Gabriella came out from her cubicle. Taylor had not finished changing her clothes, so Gabriella waited patiently for her.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang. It was her mother. She immediately picked the call up. Her mother was already at the entrance waiting for her. She said her good bye to Taylor and left to meet her mother.

She shared with her mother about everything that took place in her first day at East High, except about the Captain, she did not really liked and the incident at the court and Troy. She did not know how to talk about Troy without being too overly enthusiastic of seeing him again but she smiled as she recalled his smiles and his unique sapphire blue eyes that she so liked.

Her mother was happy that she had such a fun time at East High. It was the first time that she had seen her daughter being so thrilled to be in school. It appears that it was a good decision to move back. She was happier here too since the neighbourhood was so dear to her. Nothing had changed much. She had spent the time Gabriella was at school to make sure that the house was liveable. A group of people she had employed had settled it well under her watchful eye.

"We are going to have dinner with our neighbours at seven and your Mini Cooper is in the garage, though I think you shouldn't drive it until you are more familiar with the roads." Maria smiled as she parked the car in the garage. Gabriella beamed. She liked her car. What would the new neighbours be liked? She had grow up in that big mansion which was aloof, thus she did not have much contact with her neighbours. What kind of people would they be?

"Don't worry Ella, you will like them." Her mother smiled.

It was going to be seven and Troy was still lazing on the bed in his room. His room was messy with his clothes thrown everywhere. Pictures of his favourite basketball players were pasted all over the 

free walls. A large table took up a side of the room while the closet took another. His bed was opposite the door and was along the wall with a window. This was his haven.

"Troy, you better packed your room and change because the neighbours are coming any time." Lucille yelled from the stairs.

Troy groaned. He wanted to hide in the room and not meet some new neighbours. He liked the way the room was kept and had no intention of cleaning up his room. However, he threw himself unwillingly out of the bed, grabbed a towel and head towards the bathroom for a shower.

He would clean himself up and dress properly.

Troy picked a white shirt and had matched it with jeans. He dried his hair before heading down. As he reached to the bottom of the stairs, he could hear the door bell ring. It was seven. They were very punctual.

"Mum, let me get it..." Troy said as he opened the door, his jaws nearly dropped. Standing outside the door was none other than Aunt Maria and Gabriella. They were neighbours!

Gabriella was stunned too. Maria was smiling as she hugged Troy. "It's nice to see you again, Troy. We'll be seeing you more often."

He and Gabriella were next door neighbours. He thought happily. He had a rich and pretty neighbour.