Typographical errors are inevitable.

April, 22 years old

"It's not that I hate that they're dating," Gabriella explained as best she could. The subject matter was hard to articulate, but she needed someone with whom she could talk. "It's just weird, y'know? I didn't really think it would last this long. Do you think I'm being a bad friend, Tay?"

"Sweetie, you're the opposite of a bad friend. I think everyone would agree on that." Taylor pacified.

"Yeah…I guess," Gabriella sighed. "At first I was really glad that they were spending time together, because I'm almost 3,000 miles away, and we haven't seen each other in two years," saying it aloud made her chest hurt. She thought of the last time she'd seen Troy. It had been snowing, and they were twenty, and she blushed as she thought of what that day had entailed. Neither had expected to be separated for two whole years, but life happened. Internships, summer classes, summer jobs, and a million and one reasons kept them apart. Not for long, Gabriella told herself. They were both graduating in just one month.

Gabriella shook herself from her reverie, "I thought that if he was anywhere near as lonely as me, then it was good that she was close by. I knew it would be comforting to have at least one familiar face, so I said he should invite her to lunch. Now I just feel like I'm losing him all over again. Does that make sense?"

"It makes perfect sense. Gabi," Taylor began diplomatically, "I think what you are feeling is normal. You've been best friends with Troy since you were, what, five years old?"

"Four," Gabriella corrected.

"My point exactly. I've never seen him date anyone seriously, and I've never seen you date at all. You've always just had each other. This is new for the both of you. You're allowed to feel weird and conflicted. Do you think that maybe you're a little bit jealous?"

"I don't think I'm jealous. It doesn't feel like jealousy. I love both Troy and Kelsi. I would never want bad things for them. I just didn't think they would date for two years. Do I sound like a jealous best friend, Taylor?" Gabriella pleaded for an answer.

"You sound more hurt than jealous."

"I am," Gabriella began to cry, "I have no idea why, but it hurts so badly. Why do I feel like he's leaving me? Kelsi means so much to me, and I'm glad she's happy with Troy, but I miss him more than anything."

"Gabi," Taylor cooed softly into the receiver, "it's okay. You haven't seen Troy in two years. Of course you miss him. I know you. I know how big your heart is, how sensitive and caring you are. You're always only thinking of others. It's okay to wish he was with you instead of Kelsi. Your feelings are important. Don't beat yourself up for having emotions. I think you forget that you're human."

"I feel selfish." Gabriella admitted.

"What's wrong with being selfish? It serves a primary evolutionary function." Taylor countered, making Gabriella laugh.

"I'm serious."

"So am I," Taylor smiled ruefully on the other end of the line. "You're too nice sometimes. Call Troy. Tell him you miss him. I guarantee he misses you too. Contrary to what you believe, missing a boy you've known your whole life doesn't constitute relationship sabotage. Kelsi knows that Troy's your best friend. She doesn't expect you to give him up, or for him to give you up. You're giving our friend too little credit, Gabriella."

"You're right," her tears had dissipated, "What would I do without you? You always know just what to say to talk me down."

"It's what I'm here for," Gabriella could hear Taylor smile into the phone, "One more thing, Gabi. Turn that music off! I know you're listening to angst-y '90s songs. That isn't going to make you feel any better. I'm creating a playlist for you right now."

Gabriella laughed, "You're the best."

"And don't you forget it."

Xxx

"Hello?" Taylor picked up her phone not five minutes after getting off the phone with Gabriella.

"Hi, Taylor. It's Kelsi. Do you have time to talk?"

"Sure, girl. What's up?"

"I kind of need some Troy advice."

Taylor chuckled to herself, "Theme of my night."

"What?"

"Nothing. Tell me what I can help you with."

"Well, this is a little embarrassing," she began in her timid, Kelsi way, "and I'm sorry if it's awkward, but I don't really have anyone else to talk to about this. I can't got to Sharpay. That's for sure, and Gabriella is the last person on the list to talk to about what I need help with. Plus you're so good at advice, and I really need some, and -"

"Kelsi, take a breath, and tell me what's up."

"Well, last week Troy and I celebrated our two year anniversary. It was really nice. We had dinner, and we went to a show with one of my favorite underground composers. All-in-all, it was really great." Kelsi became quiet.

"But…"

"But in the middle of dinner Gabriella called, and Troy took the call. He couldn't even wait to talk to her?"

"Kels," Taylor's voice took on the motherly tone she had perfected over the years of being advice giver to all her friends, "tell me how you're feeling. You sound pretty frustrated right now."

"I feel frustrated, and disappointed, and I don't know. He couldn't even wait. Why couldn't he wait? It was supposed to be this magical night, and one phone call kind of dashed that."

"It sounds like you want Troy to pay a little more attention to you, put in a bit more effort to put you first."

"How did you know? It's not that I want him to put me first always. I know how much Gabriella means to him. She's his best friend, but I'm his girlfriend, and sometimes I don't really feel like I am." She sighed before continuing to talk to Taylor, "I feel like he's holding back. Can I admit something to you, Taylor?"

"Of course."

"I wore lingerie on our anniversary in hopes that something would happen. I had already kind of planned to stay the night with him, and I just thought that since we've been dating for two years, something might happen."

"Did you want something to happen?"

"Yeah. I really did. Troy's never overtly affectionate with me, but when we are, it's always nice. I enjoy the physical side of our relationship. I just think I'm ready for a bit more than making out."

"Maybe Troy isn't," Taylor suggested.

"And then I think about Gabriella again," Kelsi sighed, "and I wonder if he's not ready because of her, because he's in love with her."

"Has Troy given you a reason to think that he's in love with Gabriella?"

"He's Troy. His whole life would revolve around her if it could, but I don't know if that's his version of being in love with her, or if that's just their relationship in general. Sometimes I just feel like a consolation prize."

"Oh, Kelsi. Honey, I am so sorry. You should never feel like that in a relationship. I'm sure Troy adores you, but my advice is, if you feel this way, maybe it's not a relationship you want to be in."

"But I really like him. Like I said, our anniversary was so nice."

"I think you should talk to him. Relationships work best when there is open communication."

"You're right. I'll try talking to him."

Taylor frowned on the other end of the line, but didn't tell Kelsi that the most lasting relationships were the ones in which the couples described themselves as best friends.

Xxx

"Hey!" Troy answered the phone enthusiastically. "I'm glad you called. I've been making arrangements for when you come out here for my graduation."

Gabriella beamed at hearing his voice, "One more month."

"One more month before I get to hold my favorite person in my arms again. I miss you so much. I cannot wait to see you."

"What kind of arrangements are you making for me?"

"Well, I know you've been looking for a place to stay before you decide on taking the internship in the city or the one in Albuquerque, so I've been researching too, and I found a studio apartment that's available for lease at about the same time my lease is up. It's in Greenwich, so it's price-y, but if we lived together…" Troy let the sentence trail off.

When Gabriella didn't respond, Troy became nervous and began to speak, "I mean, you don't have to do any of that. I was just thinking that you could stay in my apartment now for a few weeks until the studio is available. I don't want you to feel like you have to do any of that, Brie. You just sounded really excited about the internship, so I thought that you were leaning towards New York. If you aren't, that's fine."

"Troy," she couldn't conceal the love in her voice, "you are the most amazing person I know. I would love nothing more than to live with you. Even if it is in a tiny studio apartment that takes two-thirds of my paycheck every month."

"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, Gabriella."

Xxx

May, 22 years old

"Are you excited about graduation? Just two more week." Kelsi beamed from across the table. She was sipping a smoothie, and Troy hated that his life had come to this moment.

"I am," he didn't mention that graduation could never compare to the excitement he felt in regard to finally seeing Gabriella. She was graduating tomorrow, and they were both disappointed that he still had finals to take. Otherwise, there was no doubt that he'd be in California right now. Their parents had promised to record the whole thing, and he was going to video chat with them once he finished his exams. Hopefully, he'd get to be at least a little bit a part of her ceremony.

It took Troy a few moments to realize that Kelsi was still talking to him. He looked into her green eyes. She was smiling and so content. How was he going to break up with her?

"Troy?" She laughed. "Are you listening?"

"What? Oh yeah. Sorry about that. I think I just zoned out."

"Where'd you go just then?" She asked, her face taking on a new expression.

The way she asked the question, the look on her face, told Troy that she already knew where he went.

"Kelsi," he reached across the table for her hand.

"Let me keep a little bit of dignity, Troy." She didn't sound angry.

"I can't be in a relationship when she gets here," he tried to justify, "the last time I broke her heart. It's been two years. I need to focus on her."

Kelsi nodded, but couldn't make eye contact with Troy.

Troy sat silently, not sure there was much more to say. In the back of his mind, he'd known their relationship would come to this. He'd promised Gabriella that she'd always be his first choice, and she was.

"Can we still be friends?" He asked lamely.

"Sure, Troy, but not right now. Maybe not for a couple of months."

"That's okay. She'll want to see you, you know?"

Kelsi agreed, "She will. Make sure she doesn't, though." She got up to leave.

Xxx

Gabriella wasn't sure why she was so nervous. She shouldn't be nervous. She should be ecstatic. She was about to see the person she loved most in the world, but she wasn't sure if her legs would be able to carry her. She wasn't sure if she'd even make it to Troy.

The first three steps down the airport terminal weren't so bad. One foot in front of the other, she'd been able to make it until she saw him standing in the distance with a bouquet of flowers and a sign that read, "I've been waiting for you." As seeing him, her legs had stopped. She desperately wanted to go to him, but for some reason she couldn't. Too many emotions were overwhelming her. She was overjoyed, and nervous, and excited, and utterly heartbroken. She couldn't greet him – not the way she wanted to at least. She couldn't touch him the way she'd missed touching him, she couldn't breathe him in and be swept up in rushed, sloppy, irresistible kisses the way she wanted to. He couldn't have him.

One of the things she'd missed most of all about being with Troy was the way his mouth fit against her own. The way he worshipped her with his lips, and eyes, and hands. Without a doubt, their physical relationship was not the most important aspect of what they had, but Gabriella hadn't realized how much she'd missed it until it was just out of reach. It was easier to ignore when they were miles apart, because she couldn't do anything about it. Now it was possible to have a physical relationship again, but she couldn't. She wouldn't do that to herself or her friend.

Troy had spotted Gabriella five minutes ago, and despite everything in his body that told him to run to her, he didn't. Something was going on in that brain of hers. Even standing so far away, he could tell. People rushed by her, and it was almost like a movie. Occasionally, a gush of wind created by a particularly rushed passerby would whip her curls into her face and ruffle her blue baby doll dress, but she didn't move.

When ten minutes had passed and she was still standing there, but nearly everyone else was gone, Troy approached her.

"Hey, beautiful," he laid down the sign and flowers so he could cup her face in his hands. His breath fanned out against her flushed cheeks. "I've never seen anything as lovely as you in my whole life, Gabriella. You can't be real."

"Two years," she hiccupped, and Troy could tell she was about to cry.

"Two years that I haven't been able to touch you, or hold you, or kiss you," his last three words were spoken in a whisper against her lips.

Gabriella forgot about Kelsi. She forgot about everything in that moment except for how much she adored the man she was with. She let his scent overpower her senses. She let his hands fall to her hips and pull her closer. She let her own fingers tangle in the dirty blonde hair that she'd missed.

Troy broke their kiss so that they could stumble out of the way, juggling luggage as well as trying to hold onto one another. When they had made their way to an alcove that wasn't in the way of traffic, Troy wasted no time dropping Gabriella's luggage and backing her against the wall. His mouth found hers easily, and the onslaught of affection was more than reciprocated.

"I've missed you so much," Troy told her as he sucked at the base of her neck.

"We need…" Gabriella panted, tugging gently at his hair so that he would look at her, "to go to your apartment. Now."