Senior Year College Graduation – 21

Gabriella's POV

"Chris, I wish I was with my friends."I told my friend as I rested my chin in my hands. "Gabby, don't worry, you will see your friends someday."

My best friend Christina hugged me. I wonder how the others are doing. I thought as Aly and Trevor walked up to us.

We were at lunch and I didn't feel like eating. "Gabby, aren't you hungry?" Aly asked. Aly and Trevor were my new friends.

Now I didn't feel so lonely after meeting Trevor's friends (Kyle, Nick, Dylan, and Mark) as well.

They walked over and sat with us. Christina's new boyfriend was Mark and three more girls (Alice, Samantha, and Nicole) walked over.

I was the only one without a boyfriend, but my only boyfriend…I mean ex-boyfriend was Troy.

Troy's POV

"Dude, think about it. You'll see Gabriella when we get to LA. I'm pretty sure she'll go there every once in a while."

Chad tried encouraging me. Alyssa walked over. She recently became friends with Gabriella because her sister Aly was friends with Gabriella.

"Babe, don't you want to hang out with us after school?" she asked after kissing my cheek.

I wasn't in the mood to hang out with them after school. I wanted some alone time. "Nah, I'm busy."

I replied getting up from my seat and finally walking out to my Biology class.

After school, I watched as everyone got onto the bus, well almost everyone. I didn't drive my car to school because I got a ride with Chad.

Suddenly a bright silver convertible pulls up into the parking lot and a girl steps out. She was pretty, no…beautiful.

Gabriella's POV

After I got out of my brand new car, a guy was looking at me. Was he staring at me or was he checking me out?

He was DEFINITELY checking me out. I rolled my eyes and sighed as I locked my car. "I heard you need a ride."

I walked up to him. He was tall and handsome, looked a lot like Trevor, but he certainly doesn't dress like Trevor.

"Where did you hear that?" he asked, smiling. He smiles EXCATLY like Trevor! I gasped. "Oh my-god…"

I breathed out. He looked at me confusingly. "What?" he asked. "Troy Bolton?" I smiled.

"Gabriella Montez?" he asked as I nodded and we embraced each other in a hug. "I missed you."

I told him as we pulled back. "Yeah; me too. What have you been doing?" he scratched the back of his head.

He was totally bluffing! I blushed for a bit and looked around, "Nothing much; you know I was just um…driving."

"Driving? You mean driving from California?" he asked as I nodded.

Troy's POV

I can't believe that it's actually Gabriella. "Wow, that's far. How long have you been driving?" I asked her.

"During the time lunch started. I didn't know your school ended at 5pm." She smiled.

I missed everything about her. The way she talked, walked, smiled, and laughed. She was definitely the one.

"It ended at 4:30pm, but I decided to wait till the bus was gone." I explained to her. "So, do you want a ride?"

She pointed to her car. "What kind of car is it?" She and I walked over to her car.

She got into the driver's seat and I got into the passenger seat. "Mustang; I bet you still have your dad's old truck.

I'm probably guessing that it still needs fixing." She teased. "Probably you're right, it still does." I joked along with her.

Gabriella was so easy to get along with. I mean, she knows what to say and what to do. I wonder if she still loves me.

"Where are we headed Bolton?" she drove onto the freeway. "The mall; but not the mall that we used to go to; there's a mall right across from the old one."

I explained to her. "Why aren't we going to the old one?" she asked as she took the next exit, turning right.

"I told Alyssa I wanted some alone time that's why." She nodded as she made a left at the traffic light.

Gabriella's POV

I parked my car and we entered the mall. "Wow, so how was your graduation?" I asked as we finally sat down.

I had to get some answers from Troy about why he needed time to think and about our friends.

"Everyone else enjoyed it, everyone but me." He explained. I nodded. "I see. Yeah, my graduation wasn't fun either.

I have friends there, but I still miss living here. It felt like I was too far away from home, you know?"

I asked him. "But tell me why we can't go to the other mall." I wanted to continue the topic about why we can't go there.

"Our friends are there and I don't want them to…" he trailed off and I knew where he was going.

"I understand, but that doesn't keep us from being friends. Troy, if you have any problems, you can always call me.

You know I'll be there, just as friends." I reached out and touched his hand, encouragingly to show that I was there for him.

He sighed and looked towards the ground. "What about we go to the mall and during the weekends, your car will be fixed without Chad's help."

I suggested. "How are you going to fix a car when you have no idea how to fix it?" he asked jokingly, smiling of course.

"I used to hang out with Trevor and his dad a lot. His dad owns this place where he can fix cars.

Trevor and I visit him only on weekends, now Trevor owns that place. But Trevor taught me how to fix a car.

He thought that I was a fast learner and I was. So, if I can fix a car, then I can probably fix yours."

Troy's POV

I was very impressed. Gabriella's beautiful, smart, knows how to fix cars, but I don't know if she loves me or not.

I want to ask her, but I don't think now's the right time. Finally we stood up and walked back to her car.

At last we reached the 'old mall' that we hung out most often after school, now we rarely do it.

"Don't you have a job Bolton?" Gabriella smiled as we walked through the doors. "I just got out of college.

And you expect me to have a job?" "No, I was just asking coz I found a job and it's right here in Albuquerque."

She explained to me. "It is?" We stopped walking and she nodded in reply. "Troy, do you…love me?"

I was going to ask her the same thing. I smiled. "Brie, I've always loved you. I couldn't get my mind off you for one day.

Even if Alyssa is my ex-girlfriend, you're still the one person I truly care about the most."

Suddenly, Gabriella turned and saw our friends walking up to us. She looked at me and I looked at her.

"Hi Troy, who is your new friend?" Alyssa asked. "Gabriella Montez." I replied without hesitating.

"Nice to meet you." Ryan held out his hand. Gabriella shook it.

Gabriella's POV

Wow, this is awkward. I thought to myself. "Um Troy, can we talk for a bit?" I asked him after shaking Ry's hand.

He nodded and we walked away from the group. "What is it?" he asked. "They don't…remember me."

I told him quietly. "Yes they do, they just hate acting all happy and giggly in front of you-know-who."

He motioned toward Alyssa. "Alyssa?" I whispered. He nodded. "Why?" "She doesn't like that happy, giggly stuff that you, Shar, and Taylor do."

He answered. I nodded. "She and I stopped being friends after sometime. I guess it'll take her sometime to get used to."

Suddenly Chad and Ryan walked up to Troy and I. "Troy, stop talking to the new girl.

Alyssa is getting impatient and wants you to buy her something." Chad explained. Troy sighed and walked away.

"Who are you?" Chad asked. "Gabriella." I sat down for a while and sighed. "Montez?" he asked again.

I looked up at him, nodding in reply. A huge smile was spread across his face and sat down next to me, hugging me.

"Oh my-god Chad, stop hugging me." I said sarcastically as he let go. I rolled my eyes. "I feel welcomed when I'm around you."

I hugged him again. "You always do Gabs, you always do…" He and I started laughing. It was an inside joke anyway.

Ry sat down next to me (on my left side), "So, when did you arrive?" "After your school ended, I left during lunch in Cali."

I explained. "We were going to see you in LA coz we knew you would go there, but I guess you're here.

Where are you gonna stay?" Chad asked. "Probably with Troy; who else could I stay with?"

Sharpay and Taylor walked up to us. "Hey Gabby!" Sharpay grabbed a chair and sat down across from Ryan.

Taylor did the same, but sat across from Chad. "How are you?" Taylor asked. "Okay; I couldn't stand living in Cali.

But the thing is, I learned how to fix a car." I teased. "Who taught you how to fix a car?" Ry asked. "Trevor."

"Troy's evil twin? Is he still taken by that girl named Aly?" Sharpay asked. "Uh no…not anymore, I think."

Suddenly my phone rang and it was a text message from Christina.

Gabby… Trevor broke up with Aly. Aly is crying her eyes out. What do I do? Trevor is going to New Mexico to talk to Troy. Christina

"Trevor's coming to Albuquerque?" I asked confusingly. "Oooh! When?" Sharpay asked happily. "Sharpay…"

Ryan reminded his sister. "But Zeke and I broke up. So it's okay for me to—" "You and Zeke broke up?"

I interrupted. She nodded and I felt bad for her.

Troy's POV

Alyssa and I walked back to the group. Suddenly my phone rings. "Hello?" I answered casually.

"Are you Mr. Bolton?" a man asked me. "Yes…" I replied, trailing off for a bit. Finally I ended the conversation with the man and walked up to the group, smiling.

"Why are you smiling? Did someone make your day?" Gabriella asked. Probably she noticed from afar how happy I looked when I received a job for the NBA, which was mine and Chad's dream.

"Yes, someone made my day and I'm smiling because I received a job for the NBA." I answered and she hugged me.

"Congratulations Troy!" We pulled back, but out of the corner of my eye, Chad wasn't as happy.

Gabriella walked up to him, followed by me and the rest of the gang. "What's wrong Chad?" she sat next to him.

He looked at her and then to the rest of us. "Nothing…" he stood up and walked away.

"I'm going to see what's wrong with him." Taylor suggested as she followed Chad. "He sounded sad."

Sharpay said to us. We all nodded in agreement because Chad never felt this way before.

Gabriella's POV

That night, Troy wanted to surprise me with something and I looked at him all confused.

It was a really long drive and of course, he was driving. "Where are you taking me?" I asked him as we took another exit.

"I told you, it's a surprise." He said as he made a left. I sighed and looked out my window, to see the stars shining in the sky.

Finally we reached the 'surprise' that Troy was explaining to me. He told me to close my eyes and he took my hand as he led me up the first 2 to 3 steps.

I heard him opening something, but I was sure if it was a door. And then he told me to open my eyes.

I gasped breathlessly.