Under & Over

12. Nothing Is Easy

"So, are we going over there or not?" Chad asked, raising an eyebrow as Troy contemplated whether to try and talk to Gabriella. He very well knew it would be hard for her to trust him again.

He gulped nervously before nodding.

"Good, let's go." Chad patted his best friends shoulder before leading the way over to the girls.

"Come on Troy…you can do this." Troy whispered encouragement to himself as he followed his best friend across the pool. "Grow some balls…you love this girl…come on, you're Troy fucking Bolton for god's sake…" He paused for a second, realizing how crazy he probably seemed talking to himself. He shook his head harshly before continuing to follow his friend..

"Hello ladies." Chad said coming up in front of Taylor's chair.

"Hey baby." Taylor said standing up and allowing him to peck her on the lips. She lay back down and got comfortable. "So, what have you been doing?" She asked with a content smile, not noticing Troy standing awkwardly behind Chad watching Gabriella relax with her sunglasses on.

"Just chilling…yo Sharpay this place is amazing." He grinned at the blonde next to Taylor.

"Yes, I know." Sharpay giggled.

Chad looked over to Troy and shot him a look to make his move already. Taylor craned her neck so she could see who Chad was looking at. She widened her eyes. "Troy… hi." She smiled softly.

Gabriella froze as she heard his name. She looked in front of her and saw Troy coming up to stand beside Chad. She gulped and pretended not to care as she got comfortable again on her lounger. She felt grateful that she had sunglasses on to mask her eyes.

"Hey Taylor…uh nice day isn't it?" Troy laughed awkwardly, glancing at the brunette beauty just inches away from him. He wished she would take off her sunglasses so he could see her eyes, read her emotions.

"Yeah, the best." Taylor laughed nervously, glancing at her friend as she stayed silent.

Troy sighed, knowing he better get this over with. "Uhm…girls, may I steal Gabriella away for a second?" He asked smiling weakly as Gabriella lowered her sunglasses and eyed him curiously, her eyes slightly wide.

Taylor looked between the two and shrugged. "Sure…" She didnt know if it was safe for her best friend or not.

Sharpay glanced between the two as well. "Mhm, go ahead, take all the time you need." However, the over dramatic blonde wanted nothing more than for Troy to finally come sweep her friend off her feet and become the lovey dovey couple that they used to be, even if it was some time ago.

"Gabriella…can we go talk somewhere?" Troy asked, begging her with his eyes.

Gabriella took her sunglasses off and looked down. She glanced at her friends for guidance. They nodded their heads and silently told her to go.

"Sure." Gabriella got up slowly and followed Troy into the country club, hugging her arms to her body.

Troy placed his hands in his pockets and watched Gabriella walk timidly beside him as they walked down the wide granite hallway, expensive art covering the beige walls. He stopped and faced her as she refused to meet his eyes.

"Ella…" He breathed. "I-"

"Why did you want to talk Troy?" Gabriella asked with little edge to her tone, looking everywhere but at him.

Troy sighed, trying to figure out where to start. "Do you…do you know Amy?" He asked quietly.

She furrowed her eyebrows and looked up for the first time. "Amy? Shy Amy?"

Troy nodded.

"Yeah, I know her."

Troy smiled lightly. "She told me…that you didn't really kiss Matt, well that you thought it was me…and she told me how Heather and Matt planned to break us up."

Gabriella's facial expression did not falter. "So?" She said quietly.

"So…" Troy said taking a step closer to her. He sighed when her stance nor face did not change. "Look, Gabi…I was wrong and stupid…I should've listened to you. I'm sorry."

Gabriella stared at him for a moment before shaking her head viciously. "It's been over a month Troy, you can't just expect me to pretend nothing happened…you broke my heart."

Troy's flawless face contorted into a pained expression. "Gabriella, I can't just let you go now that I know the truth. I wish that I had listened to you, t-to everyone! I really do!"

"Well you didn't and now-"

He stepped closer to her and placed his hand on her cheek. "It was my pride." Troy whispered with vulnerability. "I didn't want to jus-…to just get back together with you and for people to think I was desperate, to still be with someone who cheated on me."

Her dark eyes narrowed. "Troy, you're reputation never meant that much to you…why care what people think now?" She bit her trembling lip, finding it unbearable to be this close to him. "And why not at least try and find out the truth before just erasing me from your life so rudely?"

Troy took a moment to think about it. "I don't know…I guess I was hurt, my mind was telling me one thing…and my heart was telling me another. I was confused, but I should've trusted you, let you explain." He stroked her cheek with his thumb.

Gabriella gulped before reluctantly leaning into his touch, her eyes closing peacefully. "Troy…" She sighed. Suddenly her eyes shot open. She stared at him for a long moment before stepping back with tears in her eyes. "What about Heather?" She spat.

"I don't like Heather. She's a bitch who just wanted to date me to up her rep." Troy took another step towards Gabriella, who flinched at the action. "Gabi…please, I'm so, so sorry."

She looked away and let a tear roll down her cheek. "I-I don't know what to do." She whispered with fear.

Troy quickly strode towards her and wiped her tears away with the pad of his cool thumb. "Just say you forgive me, and that you'll be with me again, because honestly Ella, I can't live without you." He placed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Please." He whispered.

Gabriella placed her hands on his chest and stared into his eyes. "I forgive you." She whispered.

Troy grinned brightly, but it soon faded as Gabriella pushed herself off of him and started to back away.

"I forgive you Troy…" She repeated but in a different tone, tears running down her face rapidly. "That's all I can give you right now." She backed herself into a corner and clenched her eyes shut.

"Gabriella…" Troy winced, trying to come closer but stopping as she put her hands out in front of her.

"Please, don't…" She whispered, choking on her tears. "You didn't trust me." She said. "Why should I trust you?"

Troy froze. He knew she was right. He opened his mouth, trying to find words but coming up short. He finally just sighed, his shoulders dropping. "Gabriella…I know this is all my fault, and I know it's been over a month, and I also know that what I did was wrong…but you have to understand, every time I told myself to believe in you, the image of you and Matt, your arms around him…your smile as you kissed…" He winced at the image. "It was stronger than my belief that you would never do that to me. It overpowered my better judgment, can't you understand that?"

Gabriella sighed, knowing it wasn't only hard on her. "Yes, but Troy…if you loved me enough you would've listened to me! You would've fought for us!" She sighed with pain etched in her brown doe eyes. "You didn't."

"This whole time, when we were apart, that's all I ever did! I fought with myself about us! I thought about it constantly, about you constantly. I didn't know how to make it all go away, so I just took the easy way out."

Gabriella scrunched her forehead together. "So, if I was hanging off a cliff about to die, and you had only five minutes before-" She paused to think. "…before a bomb went off, would you take the easy way out then? Would you leave me and save yourself? Because that's exactly how I see it!" Her face turned red with frustration.

Troy scoffed with irritation. "Of course not! I mean…" He scratched the back of his head. "Technically, five minutes is plenty of time to save us both."

Gabriella opened her mouth with disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me…" She pushed past him towards the exit, shaking her head and wondering why the hell she had agreed to talk with him.

Troy's eyes widened before they clenched shut, realizing his stupidity. He quickly caught up to her and blocked her path.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking…I-I was just being stupid again." He breathed. "Honestly, if you were hanging off a cliff and I had to choose you or myself…I would choose you." He said genuinely, but still not convincingly enough to make her stone expression soften. He sighed, looking down. "You want to know why?"

Gabriella raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Sure, why not?" She said sarcastically, not meaning to sound rude but cringed as she realized she had been. If Troy noticed the edge he didn't acknowledge it.

He gulped. "I can't live in a world where there's no Gabriella…you see if I saved myself and let you die, I would be alone and without you…in my opinion, that's far worse than being dead." Troy shrugged cutely as if it were obvious. She couldn't help but smile a little at his immaturity and touching words. However, she was stubborn, and would need more than that to take her guard down. "Gabriella…I don't know what else to say." Troy said stressfully, running a hand through his hair, seeing as to how she still looked defensive. "Please just realize I'm an idiot and that I don't deserve you, but you'll be with me anyway."

Gabriella shook her head and attempted to walk away once again.

He racked his brain for things to say, to convince her that she was everything to him. "I love you Gabriella…and there's nothing anyone can do about it." She hesitated in the middle of the hallway. "I'll probably love you for the rest of my life. You're the only person I can imagine a future with, the only one I can see standing beside me in front of our big white house, with your swollen stomach and little Troy junior in my arms." He cracked a small, painful smile. "Please Ella, you have to believe me…or I don't know what I'll do."

Gabriella smiled softly at the image of her and Troy, having a family, living in a nice suburban neighborhood with kids. She let another tear roll down her face. "I'm sorry." She said painfully. "I-I can't." She looked down and closed her eyes, wanting to disappear.

Troy gulped and gazed longingly at her back, not able to look away. He quickly made himself turn away to look in the other direction and shook his head. He knew it would be hard for her to take him back, but the result of not succeeding never dawned on him, and he was hurt more than ever at her unforgiving words. "No…I understand." He whispered with pain, his usual smooth voice an octave higher than normal. "I shouldn't of-I didn't…I-..." He looked up again at Gabriella as she continued to look down at the floor. "When you love someone…you should let them be happy, even if you're not." He winced silently and turned around, walking away slowly in the other direction.

Gabriella looked up quickly and watched as he walked further and further away. Could she really let him go? She didn't know what to do, how to make everything okay. Gabriella tried imagining her future without Troy, and like him she couldn't do it. She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a step forward. When you give someone your heart, it's hard to take it back. Troy belonged to Gabriella, and Gabriella belonged to him. When obstacles get in your way, you either push them aside and get through it…or you back up and go another way. Her sensible side was telling her to just let him go, to just walk away before her heart could be put in danger again, but the beating in her chest was telling her to sprint, to run and wrap her arms around his intoxicating body.

Gabriella hesitated before grinning softly. "Troy junior?" She whispered weakly, Troy freezing in the process. "Our sons name is not going to be Troy junior." She giggled weakly as she felt hot tears leak down her face.

Was he dreaming? He gulped nervously before turning around halfway. "Our?" He said hopefully.

Gabriella giggled, causing Troy to flinch in joy. "Our." She repeated, choking on her tears.

Troy shook his head, taking it all in, and faced her fully, trying to think of the fastest way to get across the hallway to her. Suddenly he started jogging quickly towards Gabriella, who giggled and started to walk quickly to meet him halfway.

When they met halfway, Gabriella, without hesitation, placed her hands on Troy's chest and allowed him to wrap his arms around her and engulf her body within his. Gosh did she miss that.

He held her tightly and placed his head on hers. She inhaled deeply, missing the scent of him. "I missed you…so much." Troy whispered. "I'm so sorry I hurt you."

"God, I missed you too." Gabriella breathed. She finally got to be happy again.

He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you Gabriella, I'll never stop." He promised, closing his eyes and tightening his arms around her waist.

Gabriella closed her eyes as well, not being able to sustain the tears that spilled down her cheeks. "I love you too Troy." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and running her hands through his hair.

He smiled softly and without further hesitation he leant down and kissed her passionately, his cheeks dampening from her tears.

Gabriella inhaled sharply from her nose and tightened her grip around Troy's neck. They would be fine, and everything was going to be okay.

"What the hell is taking them so long?" Sharpay screeched, pacing in front of the three loungers. Taylor watched her friend bite her manicured nails and glance every five seconds at the back door of the country club, where Troy and Gabriella had disappeared through a while ago.

"Sharpay, calm down. Just give them time." Taylor sighed, placing her sunglasses back on and laying down to face the sun.

"They have been in there for a while." Chad said, also anxious to know what happened.

"See, I told you Taylor. Even Chad is acting more normal than you right now. How can you be so calm at a time like this?" Sharpay shook her head as Taylor sighed and didn't move from her position.

"It's none of our business, and Troy and Gabriella should get to work it out by themselves, for as long as they want." Taylor said. She was never one to poke her nose in other people's business unless told. She was like Gabriella that way.

Sharpay huffed and sat beside Chad on her lounger, both sitting and facing Taylor. She placed her elbow on her knee and her head in her hand.

"Drama." She groaned. "Story of my life."

...

"You know…" Gabriella said quietly as she walked down the hallway towards the pool alongside Troy. She tightened her grip around his hand. "I still need time, to you know...recover. I'm sorry." She looked at him cautiously, not knowing what his reaction to her confession would be.

He smiled weakly down at her, immediately knowing what she meant. She needed time to trust him again. "I know, don't be sorry." He whispered.

"It'll be easy though." Gabriella said honestly, smiling softly

"Don't worry baby, I won't let you down again." He promised with a sad smile.

"I know you won't Troy. I know."

He hesitated before grinning. "Oh and I've decided, our sons name won't be Troy junior." He smirked and averted his gaze from Gabriella's.

"You can bet on that." She giggled. She always thought the junior thing was too cliché.

"I have another name in mind. I like Troy Skippy Bad Ass Junior. It's catchy isn't it?"

Gabriella widened her eyes. She instantly prayed that when they were older, she would be blessed with all girls.

Sharpay's shrill was deafening.

"Shar, please calm down." Gabriella giggled, smiling up at Troy who stood beside her.

"FINALLY!" Sharpay got up and hugged her reunited friends, who flinched under her tight hold. "It took you long enough, Bolton. You ass." Sharpay flicked Troy on the head.

"Ow." He rubbed his injury with a pout and turned towards his girlfriend for comfort.

"Hey, she's right." Gabriella said shrugging. Troy's mouth gaped open in protest.

"You're mean." He said turning away from Gabriella and crossing his arms.

She giggled and scurried up to the other side of him so she could face him. "Big baby." She kissed his forehead where Sharpay had flicked him.

"Thank you." Troy said smirking and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwh." Taylor, Sharpay, and Chad cooed.

Gabriella and Troy blushed under their friend's eyes.

"Taylor, seriously."

"No, Chad."

"Please!"

"No."

"Tay! Please."

"No."

"Pleeeeeease."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"NO!"

"Ye-"

Taylor sat up on her lounger and lowered her sunglasses. "If I get in the damned pool with you, will you leave me alone?"

"Yes…but only if you stay in for longer than five seconds." Chad raised his eyebrow and smirked. He knew how she operated.

Taylor huffed and placed her sunglasses on her lounger. She took off her skirt and tank top. "Come on." She said walking towards the crystal clear water.

Chad eyed her bikini clad body. "I'd follow you anywhere woman."

"The water reminds me of your eyes." Gabriella said staring into the deep blue of the newly cleaned pool, that hardly anyone was in. Everyone was either at the bar or just lounging around, mainly up and talking to other people. Gabriella swished her feet through the water, loving the cool feeling.

"Is that a compliment?" Troy asked, sitting beside her on the edge of the pool.

Gabriella giggled. "Yes. Your eyes have always been my favorite thing about you."

"Well thank you then." He grinned cheekily. "Do you want to go in?" He gestured to the deep clear abyss in front of them.

She tightened her grip around his bicep. "No, no, no…I-I'm fine." Her voice shook.

He eyed his girl curiously. "Alright…is there a reason you don't want to go in?"

Gabriella shook her head fiercely.

Troy raised an eyebrow before he placed a knowing smirk on his face. "Gab…are you scared?"

She scoffed, as if that were the most ridiculous thing in the world. "What? Pftt, me? Scared…? Of the pool? Uh, no." She laughed.

His smirk grew knowingly. "El, do you not know how to swim?" He chuckled.

Gabriella scoffed again, this time confirming Troy's accusations. "I-I…uh yeah…of course." She giggled weakly, looking away from his accusing gaze.

"Gabriella…"

She groaned. "Okay, okay! I don't know how to swim…we didn't have swimming pools in Sitka, I've never even been in a pool." She frowned and gazed into the water.

"You've never been swimming?" Troy asked with disbelief.

She shook her head.

He chuckled before quickly standing up, pulling the collar of his grew basketball shirt over his head, revealing his defined abs and strong chest. His chiseled body caused Gabriella to waver for a little while. She shook her head before she could get caught staring and looked back down at the water. "Troy, I'm not going in." She said glancing up at him.

She squealed as he suddenly lifted her to her feet. "We…are going swimming." Troy grinned with excitement.

Gabriella backed away from the pool. "Uhm…I don't think that's a good idea."

He smirked, causing her to shiver with want, his sexy frame so close to hers it made her dizzy. "Why not?"

"I'll drown." She said bluntly.

He smiled with amusement. "Gabriella, I won't let you drown."

The brunette shook her head, still not liking the idea. "No, Troy."

"Woo hoo!" Both Troy and Gabriella looked to see Chad doing a cannon ball into the deep end of the water, Taylor following with an elegant dive.

"See, look how easy they make it look." He said gesturing towards the other couple.

"So, I've never even been in a swimming pool Troy, let alone flapped my arms and swam. I. Will. Die." She said sternly.

Troy only chuckled. "Please Ella, I promise you that I won't let you go."

Gabriella groaned and glanced at the now scary depths of the recreational pool. "I don't know about this…"

He waited for a moment, watching as Gabriella stared at the water. He slowly made his way over to the pool and lowered himself into the cool water. "Come here." He demanded huskily.

Gabriella bit her lip and slowly made her way over to the edge. "Troy…" Yeah, she was scared of drowning, but also at the fact that her bare skin would so intimately be pressed up against her delicious angel who seemed to glow in the clean water…oh the possibilities. The possibilities that scared her shitless.

"Gabriella…come on, I promise you that you'll be safe and that you won't die." Troy chuckled, holding his arms out for her.

She hesitated before sighing deeply, rolling her eyes, and groaning. "I hate you." She mumbled childishly. She slowly and self consciously slipped off her shorts and tank top, leaving them on the ground.

Troy gulped in awe. He stopped himself from drooling just as she turned to look at him. He shook his head and put on an encouraging smile. God did she have a nice body. He stared at her long tan legs and nice, soft looking skin as it glowed in the sunlight. He couldn't help but stare the longest at her chest, he was a male filled with testosterone for god's sake. She looked absolutely stunning, and she was all Troy's.

"You're sure about this?" Gabriella questioned, wrapping her arms around her body and inching closer and closer towards Troy, who stood by the edge waiting for her.

"Yes baby. Look, I can stand. It's not even that deep." He nodded for her to come closer.

She bit her lip harder and reached Troy, crouching down to examine the depth of the water. "It looks really deep." She observed.

"Are you getting in or are we going to be here all day?" He teased with a cocky smirk.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and dipped her legs in first. She groaned slightly at the sudden chill.

"I got you." Troy said, standing in front of her and placing his hands on her bare waist. "I won't let you go." He said. Troy looked down at the water for a moment, finding his words of simple encouragement, meaning so much more. From now on, he knew he really would never let her go.

"I trust you." Gabriella whispered, slipping off the edge.

A bright smile erupted onto his face at her words, feeling overjoyed by her choice of phrasing. Finally, she dropped her body in the water and squealed. She felt the water reach up to her shoulders before only feeling it reach her torso. She opened her eyes and grinned. Troy had caught her waist as she dropped into the water and lifted her so her head would not go beneath the surface of the pool, reflexively she had wrapped her legs around his waist.

"See was that so bad?" He teased, his arms tight around her waist as she straddled him. God he was fighting the pulse below his waist as her smooth bare legs danced around his waist.

Gabriella giggled. "Nope, but I think I'll stay up here." She locked her feet together at his back. She felt hot electricity run through her veins at the close proximity that they shared. The burn of her bare skin against his made her bite her lip to suppress a moan.

He chuckled. "If you want to learn how to swim you're going to have to let go eventually."

She shrugged. "Eh, I'm good." She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder.

Troy grinned and walked towards the deeper end of the pool.

Gabriella looked up and she furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you doing?" She asked with fear.

"Nothing." He mumbled, continuing to walk slowly towards the deep end.

"Troy…please don't. You can't stand there, and I won't be able to hold on to you." Gabriella held onto him tighter, urging him to stop.

He smirked with amusement at her protests.

"Troy! Stop!" She warned as he got closer and closer to the slope that divided the light water from the darker side. She closed her eyes and dug her face into the crook of his neck. She waited several moments, wondering if he had listened to her, or awaiting the plunge to her death if he had not.

"Ella…you can open your eyes."

She slowly opened her eyes and sighed with relief. "Thank god." She said as they were in the same position they had before, neither of them below the water. "Thank you for listening to me."

Troy chuckled. "Gabriella…we're in the deep end. Look around." He laughed lightly as Gabriella's eyes widened. She looked down to find Troy's legs moving swiftly, keeping them afloat.

"How are you doing that?" She asked with awe.

"It's called swimming…" He snickered teasingly.

"B-but how are you holding us both up?" Gabriella didn't know a lot about swimming but she did know it would be extremely difficult keeping two bodies afloat.

"Babe, it's called having strength." Troy said cockily. "Plus, you're light as a feather."

Gabriella giggled and kissed his cheek adoringly. "Oh, my strong man."

He chuckled and hugged her closer to him. The two young adults weren't as close as they used to be, but they were getting there, and them being able to be comfortable with each other in such little time showed how much they loved one another.

"So, you want to swim by yourself now?" Troy questioned.

She bit her lip and sighed. "Fine." Gabriella loosened her legs around his waist before letting them fall into the water beside his. She only tightened her grip around his neck in substitution for her secure hold around his torso.

"Gab…I can't breathe…loosen your grip." He said trying to lighten her arms from around his neck.

She gasped and released her arms from around his neck. "I'm so sorry, baby are you-" She squealed as she sunk deeper into the water. She grasped for Troy, but her fingers missed his arms and she went below the surface, squirming ferociously, kicking in all directions.

Troy's shocked face took it all in. "Shit." He hissed, lunging in after her. He quickly grasped her waist and pulled her up with him. She quickly placed her legs back around his waist.

Gabriella choked shakily and coughed repeatedly before taking in deep breaths and regaining her calm state. "You okay?" Troy asked worriedly.

She nodded and rubbed her eyes.

When he told her to loosen her grip, he didn't mean let go. "I'm sorry." Troy ran his hands through her hair and rested his arms on her waist casually.

"It's okay." Gabriella mumbled, coughing again. "I'm warning you now though, if you ever want me to let go again, you're going to have to pry me off of you."

He smirked. "I'm okay with you attached to me…it's totally cool." He said seductively.

Gabriella giggled and bit her lip. "Loser."

He grinned widely and shook his head obnoxiously, water spluttering onto Gabriella's face. She grasped his head with both her hands and placed her forehead on his.

"Stop it." She whispered with a grin. Troy smirked and pulled on her waist, bringing her closer to him so he could kiss her properly.

"Well, well, well." He said standing at the edge of the pool and looking down at the happy couple. "What do we have here." He mocked, crouching down so he could aggravate them better.

Troy narrowed his eyes and turned so that Gabriella was further away from the edge of the pool, further away from him. He moved her so that she rested on the side of his hip instead of his front. "What the fuck do you want?" Troy growled.

Gabriella rubbed Troy's wet arm and placed her head on his shoulder, staring at Matt with hatred. "Go away Matt." She hissed.

"Baby, that hurt." Matt said snickering. Troy huffed and made a move to pounce on him, before Gabriella grabbed Troy's face so he could only see her.

"Baby, please don't. He's not worth it." She soothed. Troy sighed and nodded.

"Baby? Come on Gabriella…I thought we had something special…I mean our first kiss just made me want to…Oh yeah." Matt bit his lip and lost himself in his fantasies.

"Go jack yourself off Matt." Troy said venomously.

"Glad to, only if Gabriella wants to come help me." Matt smirked, staring at Gabriella's chest.

"You smug son of a bitch, just wait, I'm going to-" Troy stopped, seeing Gabriella look at him with innocent eyes. He sighed and looked at Matt calmly. "Just go away Matt, you're not wanted."

Gabriella kissed Troy's jaw and placed her face in his shoulder blade.

"Gabriella, why don't we go do a retake of last month's kiss…you know you liked it." Matt winked at her and licked his lips at the sight of her bikini clad breasts.

Gabriella winced uncomfortably and turned so her chest was against Troy's body, away from Matt's view. Troy, sensing she was uncomfortable under Matt's demeaning gaze, kissed her shoulder as her chin was placed on his right shoulder, looking away towards Chad and Taylor as they splashed around with each other across the pool. Gabriella had never worn a bikini, let alone let this much skin show before and Matt was making it extremely hard for her to adjust to the new feeling. "It's okay." Troy whispered soothingly.

"So, what do you say Gabriella?" Matt raised his eyes suggestively, causing a disgusted shiver to run down her spine.

Gabriella scoffed and continued to have her head hidden away, safely next to Troy's ear. She kissed his earlobe gratefully and snuggled her head deeper into the crook between his shoulder and neck.

"Matt, we all now that you tricked Gabriella into thinking you were me…which is totally desperate and pathetic if you ask me." Troy smirked and watched as Matt's face reddened with humiliation. He didn't think Troy would ever figure it out, because truthfully he knew it was a desperate move too.

Matt quickly pulled himself together and scoffed. "It's about time you figured it out Bolton…you're a slow retard."

"Good to know, now why don't you leave us alone and continue to live your life alone, and worthless." He smiled with triumph as Matt scoffed again and stood up, giving Troy a dirty glare before stalking off towards the bar.

"He's gone." Troy said softly to the petite girl in his arms, who lifted her head and looked around happily.

"Thank god, the way he was looking at me…it made me feel so dirty." She shuddered.

"He's a pig, I'm sorry he treats you like that." Troy said rubbing her back.

Gabriella smiled. "Hey, it's finally getting dark." She observed.

Troy chuckled. "Yup."

He dipped her into the pool slightly and spun her around. Gabriella squealed with joy.

"Please, please." Troy begged, getting down on his knees. "Sharpay and Taylor won't care." He hugged her slim legs, placing his head on her stomach. "Please, please, please, please, please-"

"Alright!" Gabriella sighed, stroking his hair as he mumbled against her stomach. He looked up instantly and grinned, jumping to his feet and kissing her square on the mouth. Gabriella giggled and placed her hand on his cheek. She pulled back and shook her head, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "Just let me go talk to the girls." She whispered. Troy nodded happily and kissed her cheek numerous times.

Gabriella shooed him off of her and smiled at him as she walked over to Taylor and Sharpay who said they would already be in the car.

Gabriella furrowed her eyebrows as she found Taylor in the driver's seat, and Chad in the passenger's seat. She walked over to Taylor's window and raised an eyebrow.

"Where's Sharpay?" She asked.

"I'm back here." Gabriella glanced into the back and smirked as she found Sharpay with her arms crossed with a pout. "These people are making me sit in the back." She huffed.

She giggled. "You'll live Shar."

In return the blonde turned her head stubbornly and looked out the window. Gabriella shook her head and smiled at Chad. "Hey, didn't you come in your car?"

"Nah, I got a ride with Zeke. I told him I'm going back with you guys." Chad smiled at Taylor who smiled back at him. They were so cute.

Gabriella nodded and turned back to Taylor. "Hey, do you mind if I ride back with Troy?"

She laughed, knowing that she would ask that exact question. "Of course, I'll see you later."

Gabriella smiled and waved at the three as they backed up and drove out of the country club parking lot.

She skipped over to Troy's car and found him already in the driver's seat. "Let's go!" She chirped, hopping into the seat beside him. He sent her a god worth grin before reversing out of his parking space. He was about to accelerate towards the parking lot exit before someone tapped his window. Both Troy and Gabriella's eyes widened as Heather stood with her hand on her hip, waiting for Troy to lower his window.

"Heather...what the fuck do you want?" He asked.

"You drove me here, duh!" She said, coming closer to the window. "You have to drive me back. Please Troysie." Heather placed her hand on Troy's cheek and pouted. He shook her hand off.

"Please, please don't touch me." He shivered. Gabriella giggled and then regretted it as the bleach blonde glared at her.

"What is she doing in my seat?" Heather demanded.

"Gabriella and I are back together, so sucks for you. You're plan didn't work." He scoffed and attempted to drive off but Heather placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Troy, please just give me a second chance…I won't bug you at all." She pleaded.

"No Heather, just leave me alone and get a ride from Kate or someone."

"I don't want a ride from her, I want to ride with you."

"Too bad." Troy said sighing. "No way am I letting you in my car." He laughed sarcastically and locked his doors.

Heather squealed and huffed angrily. "You are soooo mean!" She screamed.

This only caused Troy to laugh more with amusement. "Heather, I don't care for you. Now, I'm telling you once, and once only…I suggest you not try and meddle with me and Gabriella again, because then I won't be so nice. As you know I have power at East High, usually I would never use it against someone, but in your case I will. So just please, I'm asking you nicely, let me be."

Heather gulped in fear and slowly backed away from Troy's window. "I'll just go and ask Kate for a ride." She laughed fakely and waved with a plastic grin on her face. She well knew the influence Troy had on East High, which was the main reason she was so set on claiming him.

Gabriella smirked as Troy drove away and out of the parking lot. "She's horrible."

He chuckled. "You can say that again."

"Would you…would you really use your power at East High against her?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Troy shook his head immediately. "Never, that's evil." He said. "But what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

They both laughed at the situation, and how Heather's face had become pale at Troy's mediocre threat.

"I am so ready to go home." She giggled.

"Me too." Troy took a hold of Gabriella's hand and laced their fingers together. He kissed the back of her hand and rested it on his leg. She smiled softly at him and sighed contently, looking forward to the ride back to the Bolton residence.

REVIEW FOR NEXT CHAPTER (: Was it okay? The reunion and all? Please, please tell me how it was! & i made this extra long! The longest i've ever made a chapter...i think! lol (; Since its long i expect lots of insightful feedback! Thanks!