A/N: All right, I'm in an especially good mood right now. Tomorrow my mom is letting me skip school to go to Disneyland and I just ate a pint of Häagen-Dasz raspberry sorbet that was especially delectable. So, if this particularly steamy chapter—which, by the way, is helpfully assisted by the great lyrics of Eagle-Eyed Cherry's 'Save Tonight'—gets a lot of reviews, I'll update again tomorrow morning or maybe even tonight! You guys are the best, hope those who read Wristcutters enjoyed it. -love- Desireé

P.S. I'm too lazy to individually distribute the assorted baked goods, so take your pick: fudge brownies or citrusy lemon squares. And the next treat… Those Pillsbury holiday cookies with the pictures on them! I tried to find them with my friend last night at the store but they didn't have any (I know, sad, right?) so we got Tollhouse. :) Rambling is ending… now.

Dream- A 'cup of joe' would be slang for cup of coffee. :) My sister always calls things she doesn't like 'not her cup of tea' so I changed it around a little bit for Troy's sake.

Chapter Ten, Save Tonight

The carnival ended well, with most of the funds raised and the children satisfied. Toward the end, Natasha was trying to juggle leftover hard-boiled eggs from the egg toss, while Rory was reading the nutrition facts on the back of Gabriella's empty vitamin water bottle. Troy was teaching Sam how to tie his shoelaces as the program's clean-up staff began to dismantle the booths around them.

"Well," Gabriella said, standing up to brush herself off, "That was actually fun. Troy, you can give us a ride? Nat, Rory, your mom wants you home in twenty minutes, so we should get going." The children nodded and both started for the parking lot, Sam running to catch up with them as Troy lagged behind, his eyes twinkling.

"You know, I really liked that kiss, Brie," he said ardently, his arm drooping around her shoulder. She, for once, didn't dismiss his touch, but instead smiled up at him.

"Glad I could be of service," she replied as woodenly as possible. Troy made a face and Gabriella squinted back, their bodies beginning to relax in one another's company. In the Range Rover, she almost regretted breaking up away from the comfort of his toned torso. A grin teased the corners of her lips and she hid the happiness by looking out the window.

One by one, the children thanked Troy for the ride and scurried up to their respective homes, which were conveniently within a few blocks radius from each other. Gabriella was relieved by the time Sam waved from his front door and disappeared inside once his mother yelled out her appreciation. "Well," the brunette said, turning nervously to the boy next to her, "I'm hungry. Are you hungry? It's almost three. Wow. We've been out… for a… while." Her voice trailed off as she saw a smile beginning to form beneath his glowing eyes. "What?"

"You want to come over to my house?" he asked, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "We could just hang out. My mom's probably left lunch in the fridge for us, she's out with my dad to some banquet for the country club right now."

"S-sure," Gabriella stammered. They would be at his house… Alone. That gave her a horrible feeling in her stomach, but her heart fluttered at the chance to be in his presence and his presence only. "Yeah, that sounds great." He smiled and expertly turned the car around, while she stared out the open window again, feeling the fresh sunshine begin to wilt upon her face.

The awkwardness is soon forgotten as Gabriella spends relentless hours with Troy that evening.

She laughed and fell onto her back, relishing in the way the cool grass pressed against her skin. Beside her, he smiled and popped another forest green Tic-Tac into his mouth. "Oh, you know I'm right," Troy chuckled, referring to the mention of the similarities between Ms. Darbus and his grandmother, "You haven't even met one of them and you can already tell they were separated at birth."

The nighttime sky that drifted lazily above them cast an eerie glow on their faces. She looked especially pale, and he seemed to emit a flickering incandescence that flared against the illuminated backdrop of his house. They were both quiet for a moment before Gabriella brushed his bangs to the side. His hair was darker, and his body proportions had evened out considerably. She remembered liking him before, during their auditions and all that, but she didn't remember him being so… hot.

"You want to go up to my room?"

It wasn't a question, not even an offer. He knew, just as well as she knew he knew, the answer. Gabriella pursed her lips and nodded, and Troy reached out to help her up. She gracefully took his hand and stretched her legs, falling back into him for a moment with a giggle. "I don't know what's wrong with me tonight," she sighed blissfully.

"Nothing's wrong with you," he whispered into her ear. She hummed as a response and walked two steps at a time as she made her way upstairs, his icy breath and tender touch hot on her heels.

Go and close the curtains, 'cause all we need is candlelight

The kiss felt good. He sat on the edge of the bed, and she put her hands on his shoulders and leaned down to let her lips lock with his. After a moment, she straddled his lap and let him lay kisses along her jaw line, up to her ear and down to her neck, and then to her collar bone. A gentleman, he looked to her for her blessing, the signal that he had wanted most out of anything. She bit down on the side of her tongue gently, thinking, wondering, asking what this would do and where it would go. But she needed to be held, to be loved, to be wanted, so nodding slightly, Gabriella let Troy open up her world.

You and me and a bottle of wine, going to hold you tonight

She leaned back as he unbuttoned the top of her blouse, easing it off, over her head as her arms floated up and around his neck. He kissed her again, and she smiled. It was no longer a problem that a part of her despised him. It was no longer her responsibility to make sure he was sorry. It was no longer in her interest to hurt Troy Bolton. It was, however, her wish to find out what love was and what it meant to risk it.

"I am sorry," he whispered midkiss, as if he had read her thoughts.

"About what?" she asked, running her fingers through his hair. She didn't want to think about their past.

Well we know I'm going away, and how I wish I wish it weren't so

"Everything," he replied as he pulled on one of the belt loops of her jeans. "I wish we could have done this a long time ago."

"I know," she moaned into his ear as he spun his fingers across the dip in her back. "I do, too. I really, honestly do. And part of the reason we haven't is my fault."

So take this wine and drink with me, let's delay our misery

There was a small appreciation in his eyes, and she smirked. "What? You keep looking at me today."

"I can't help it."

"Oh, you're so flattering."

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn

They kissed again, and Gabriella felt her body rush with adrenaline as he let his hands splash across her stomach. "I'm sorry, too," she whispered.

"I know," he replied. "Remember, we're all sorry."

Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone

The feeling of his hand on the small of her back, the explosion that demanded attention inside her, the faint call of regret tugging at the back of her mind. Everything seemed to overwhelm her, but in the best way possible. She let her tongue explore Troy's mouth, her hands clasped around the back of his neck as her jeans seemed to slide away.

"What are we doing?" he panted as she leaned her head against the wall. He wrapped her bra strap around his finger.

"Does it matter?" she asked.

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn. Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone

"No," he replied, "I guess it doesn't."

Another light year passed and Gabriella felt her emotions screaming from within her. Troy could barely breathe as she sighed one last time into his ear before making a spot comfortably in his arms. "I—I can't believe we just did that," she mused.

Sharpay and I never did that, he thought silently. "Are you okay?"

"I'm—I'm fine. Just a little… Flustered, I suppose," she assured him, kissed his arm with a soft, weakened smile.

There's a log on the fire, and it burns like me for you

She glanced at his alarm clock. "It's nearly eleven. I'm hungry again," she laughed. "Can we go get something to eat?"

He nodded, sitting up. "I don't know where my shirt is," he observed, glancing at the dark floor.

She peered over the edge of the bed. "I haven't the slightest idea where my jeans or my blouse are," she said. "I'll just where one of your nice dress shirts." Before he could object, which he wouldn't have anyway had he the chance, Gabriella was searching through his closet, where she settled on a faded blue dress shirt with an irrevocable Coke stain on the sleeve.

Tomorrow comes with one desire: to take me away, it's true

He watched her parade around the room, skipping and pirouetting and dancing and laughing, with a slight penitence. This would all come crashing down. And he hated that. He hated that he couldn't give her this happiness forever. It wouldn't last. Troy regretted that most.

"Do you remember the lyrics to 'Breaking Free,' Troy?" Gabriella asked, bringing him from his inner guilt. "I was singing that the other day. Soaring, flying."

A smile was forced upon his mouth, and he reached for one of his jerseys and boxer shorts on the floor among the pile of dirty laundry. "There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach," he finished with slight amusement, but the words didn't come with a melody. They were only spoken.

"Oh, don't be bashful," she chastised playfully, "You can sing. If we're trying, yeah we're breaking free."

It ain't easy to say goodbye, darling please don't cry

She reached out to take his hands and manipulate his body into dancing. He decrepitly swayed his shoulders, and Gabriella rolled her eyes. "You're dying on me, Bolton," she said.

"No, I'm just tired," he lied.

"Uh huh," she replied, "If you're not going to dance, let's go get something to eat in the kitchen. I'm starved." She flounced downstairs and he followed, watching her with a hesitance that suggested he thought she would just splinter at any time.

'Cause girl you know I've got to go, oh Lord I wish it wasn't so

The refrigerator held her prize: a leftover box from the local Italian place. "Fettuccini alfredo!" she exclaimed, and seized a fork from the drawer. "You hungry?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine."

She wrapped some noodles around the silverware and let the cold pasta drip onto her tongue. "Mm, this is delicious. Are you sure you don't want any?" she teased, waving the stained utensil in his face.

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn. Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone

Troy harrumphed and picked at a noodle from the box, dropping into his mouth. Gabriella let out a small shriek, reminiscent of Sharpay, and he hid a wince by ducking as she reaching out to smear some alfredo sauce on his cheek. "Cheater!" she cried with a laugh, and set the box down before scooping up some more creamy white dressing. "I'll teach you."

He ducked again and the counter behind him splattered with sauce. Troy grinned and leaned against her, her body pinned to the refrigerator as he kissed her. She reached behind him and dragged her hand along his back, and he groaned lightheartedly. "Oh, you know you like it," she accused.

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn. Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone

He forgot about the doting voice in the back of his head that warned he was in hot water, the voice that warned he would regret his actions in the near future. As a teenager in love, he was never more distracted.

They slid down to the floor and Gabriella fed him a forkful of fettuccini. "Delicious," he said, and she nodded satisfactorily.

Tomorrow comes to take me away, I wish that I, that I could stay. Girl you know I've got to go, oh Lord I wish it wasn't so

"What would you say if I told you I was whipped?" he asked, and she stopped her giggling to look at him with doubtful eyes.

"I'd say you're crazy," she replied.

"Why?"

"You're Troy Bolton. I'm, if I remember correctly, Gabriella Montez. We're the odd couple that did a school musical together in junior year, before I moved on and so did you. For different reasons, of course, but nevertheless."

He bit his lip. "You know, I never liked being Sharpay's pet," he said. "I really sympathized Ryan after she and I started going out."

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn. Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone

Gabriella half-smirked. "Why did you go out with her?" she asked suddenly, her voice quiet.

"I-I don't know," he admitted. "I guess if I worried if I didn't go out with her, there'd be this big pandemonium. We were good friends when we were younger, and our parents still talk. A part of me still loved her, in a way. When we first started dating, I was my fourteen-year-old self again. It was my past that I wanted, but it was nothing like it."

She was about to reply when the doorbell rang. Troy stood up, and Gabriella did, too. "Probably my mom and dad, locked out again," he inferred, and she nodded, following him to the door. To her horror, though, it was not Mr. and Mrs. Bolton on the porch.

Oh Lord I wish it wasn't so

It was Sharpay.