Beautiful Disaster

by: LunarEclipse360

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Zac but I don't and probably never will

A/N: sorry for taking so long, I only received word from one of my betas and I was waiting for one of the others. I can deal with only having two betas look over my stuff but just one, no way. I need that second opinion. Okay, so tomorrow is my birthday. I'll finally be 18 and as a treat if, I get twenty reviews, I'll update tomorrow. I know it should be eighteen but it's like birthday punches. You get one for good luck and one for a good life.

Chapter 12

Upon receiving the news that her sister was going to homecoming, Gabriella convinced their father to let them go to the mall. Taylor and Amanda came along since Gabriella felt like she was neglecting her friends. So the four girls went to the mall to shop for homecoming dresses.

"Why do we treat homecoming like it's prom?" Gabriella asked.

"Because it's the second biggest event next to prom. Especially when you're a senior," Taylor said as they went through racks and racks of dresses.

"So we need formal or causal?"

"Formal. It's a dance."

"Well there are dances where you don't have to be formal."

"Yeah, well. Welcome to East High," Amanda said as she eyed a silver sleeveless dress. Gabriella walked through the dress store, looking at dress after dress. She couldn't figure out which one to pick. She glided her hand over the dress rack until her hand stopped at a light blue dress. She pulled it out and smiled.

"It reminds me of his eyes," she thought to herself as she admired the dress.

"Oh, that would look so good on you," Amanda said, snapping Gabriella out of her thoughts.

"You think so?" Gabriella asked and Amanda nodded.

"Definitely. It goes with your skin complexion. Oh God. Taylor kill me. I just so sounded like Sharpay for a second."

"You'll live," Taylor said as she pulled out a champagne colored dress.

"Hey, Tay. Don't you think this dress would look hot on Gabriella?" Taylor turned around and smiled.

"It so would. Try it on."

"Okay." Gabriella went into the dressing room and put on the dress. She came out with a huge smile on her face. "It fits perfectly," she said and her two friends squealed.

"And you look so good in it. Whoever this mystery guy is, he'll drop dead the second he sees you," Taylor said and Gabriella blushed.

"If only they knew it was Troy."

"Oh my God. Gabi. You look beautiful in that."

"Thanks, Chelle," she said, smiling at her sister. "Did you find your dress?"

"Yep." She showed her sister a red strapless dress and Gabriella beamed.

"I bet it looks amazing on you Chelle."

"Yeah, well. Not as amazing as this dress does on you."

"Let me take it off so I can pay for it." Gabriella walked back into the dressing room and changed out of the dress.

After another hour in the store, Taylor and Amanda finally found their dresses and all four girls paid for them.

"You girls are lucky. These dresses are brand new. Never been worn."

"Really?" Taylor asked and the lady nodded.

"Take care of them girls."

"We will." They walked out of the store and decided to get something to eat before heading home.

Troy laid on his bed, wondering what Gabriella was up to. She told him that she was going to the mall with her sister and her friends but that didn't mean he couldn't think about her. He was trying to picture the dress in his mind but he couldn't see it.

"Hey dude." He lifted his head and saw Chad standing in the doorway.

"How did you get in here?"

"Your step father let me in."

"Well there's something you didn't expect."

"Got that right. Look about yesterday..."

"It's okay. Really."

"What was with that though? I mean Nate was just talking like we usually do and you just spazzed. I thought you were only hanging around that girl so you could get her to sleep with you." Troy sighed and sat up.

"Truth is...this time I've spent with her has made me and her close, like friends. And that's exactly what we are. We're friends."

"So you befriended the girl you were planning on sleeping with?"

"Yeah. I know it sounds crazy but...there's just this connection I have with her. I mean, we both lost one of our parents. Our other parent doesn't give a shit about us. It's like we were meant to meet."

"You really believe in that fate stuff."

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. I really don't know. All I know is that I can't go through with what I had originally planned. If I mess up what I have with her...I don't know what I'll do."

"It's fine with me. You just have to explain that to the rest of the team."

"I don't have to explain anything to them. They could fuck off for all I care. No one talks about her like that."

"You really feel something for this girl, don't you?"

"Yeah. I don't know what it is, but I like it."

"It's called l-o-v-e, love."

"Maybe it is. Whatever it is, I don't want to get rid of it."

"Wow. I can't believe this. Troy 'the playboy' Bolton is in love. Well this is a day for the history books."

"Shut up," Troy said and threw one of his pillows at him.

"You still taking her to homecoming?"

"Yeah. I asked and she agreed. It's only right that I do."

"Then a word of advice to you my friend. Be careful of Edwards. Word has it, he's on to you."

"Fuck. How did he find out?"

"Rumors, rumors and more rumors."

"Well they can all shove their rumors up their ass."

"There's also a rumor, that you have now proven to me to be true, that you've befriended a girl."

"Okay, now how the hell did he find out about that?"

"No clue. Some unknown source."

"So he knows about Gabriella. This is just great."

"Just keep her out of his sight all through homecoming. If he has a date, there's no way he's going to ditch his date to go looking for her."

"I thought he was still with Priscilla?"

"Nope. After that stunt you pulled about telling Coach Samuels about him and her, he broke it off."

"Fuck. So I have nothing against him."

"Afraid not."

"This is just fucking perfect."

Gabriella and Michelle walked into their house and saw their father in the living room. He turned around when heard the door close and smiled.

"How was your shopping trip?"

"It was great. Me and Gabi found really great dresses," Michelle answered.

"Well I can't wait to see them."

"You'll have to wait until Friday." The two girls headed upstairs and into their respective rooms.

Gabriella hung her dress up in the closet and looked it over. She still couldn't believe she had found it. She closed her eyes and imagined herself in the dress and dancing with Troy. There was no doubt in her mind that she was in love with him. She couldn't say that he felt the same but she sure hoped so. She glided around her room, humming a tune that was stuck in her mind. She was brought out of her day dream by a snicker and she looked up to find Troy outside on her balcony.

"Do you always dance with yourself?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked and he moved to walk into her room. "Wait. You can't see my dress."

"Too bad. That's actually what I came here to see." She quickly ran to her closet and closed the door.

"You can't see it before you see it on me."

"You act as if we're getting married."

"So? I still don't want you to see my dress." He sighed and smiled.

"Fine." He looked around her room and nodded. "So this is your room? It's nice."

"Troy, it's really not a good idea for you to be here."

"Why not?"

"My dad's not a big fan of having teenage boys in his teenage daughter's room."

"It's not like we're doing anything," he said and sat on her bed.

"So you didn't come here to beg me to let you get into my panties?" she asked with a serious face.

"Wh-What?" he asked his voice cracking.

"I'm kidding," she said with a smile.

"Oh," he said with a nervous laugh. "Right."

"But, seriously, Troy you can't be here."

"Fine I'll leave," he said and stood up. He walked over to her and placed a kiss on her cheek before winking at her and leaving. "See you tomorrow."

"Later." She watched him leave and sighed in relief. The last thing she wanted was her father to come upstairs while Troy was in the room.