Here we are folks, this may not be as good as I intended as I have just lost the entire chapter and am having to do it again from notes and memory! I am not a happy bunny. Thanks for all my reviews, they mean a lot. I hope you enjoy and don't get too angry with me. TinkT.xx

The next few days passed in a wonderful haze of romantic notes and secret kisses. Although their close friends knew about them, the rest of the student body did not. They were too busy discussing this week's hot gossip, that Chad Danforth and Taylor Mckessie were now an item. Some students were vaguely aware that Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez now shared the same circle of friends. More important than Chad and Taylor was the fact that Troy was still single and with the Spring Fling coming up, Harlowe and lots of other girls were flirting manically.

For Gabriella this was the hardest part, watching the guy she liked more with each passing day, flirt with other girls; upset her more than she would admit. When Troy was in public he was the same old flirty, cocky, Troy but when he was with Gabriella, he was her Troy, the real Troy. And she had to admit that seeing Troy in secret was exciting, stealing kisses, grabbing a few moments in the morning or at lunch and passing secret notes in corridors, all gave her a thrill. For Troy, the idea of keeping them a secret and flirting with other girls so nobody became suspicious, made him uncomfortable but because it was what Gabriella wanted, he was willing to go along with it. He just wanted her to be happy and comfortable with him.

They spent their time after school hanging out with friends, where they could just relax and be themselves. Sometimes they watched movies at Chad's, sometimes they played ball at Troy's but they were never alone. As a result they had still only shared a few kisses, which left Gabriella feeling more than a little frustrated. Troy's kisses were like a drug and she was an addict.

On Thursday evening Gabriella and Taylor had to study for their science project, so Troy, Chad and the rest of the wildcats went bowling. The alley was full of East High students all eager for the weekend and shortly after arriving Troy spotted Harlowe with some cheerleaders. She strolled over to him, wiggling her hips as she walked.

"Hey Troy" she simpered and sat on his knee, her favorite place to be.

Troy stiffened feeling awkward and knowing she was trouble.

"Hey Harlowe, how are you?"

She pouted and leaned forward, flashing him her cleavage.

"I'm lonely Troy; do you know I've been at East High for a week and nobody has asked me on a date yet. A girl has needs"

"I'm sure there are plenty of guys who'd love to take you out on a date" he said avoiding looking at her prominently displayed breasts.

"What about you Troy, would you take me?" she asked in blatant invitation, which Troy ignored as he replied

"I don't know, we don't know each other very well"

Harlowe giggled and walked her fingers down his chest to his belt " Well that's what dates are for silly," she dropped her voice suggestively and stroked one perfectly manicured nail along his belt buckle "to get to know each other"

"We'll see babe" he said evasively removing her hand. She took it in hers and leant forward.

"Don't wait too long stud" she said breathily and suddenly kissed him passionately on the lips, holding his hand against her chest.

Troy, aware of the cheerleaders chattering in the background, knew he was in big trouble and he pulled his mouth away.

"Sorry" she grinned and rose from his knee, before walking away.

"Dude! What were you thinking of?" Chad asked as he came and sat down next to him, holding two pairs of shoes.

"That wasn't my fault . . . she kissed me" he pointed out.

"Didn't look to me like you were fighting her off"

Troy groaned "Christ, you think I should tell Gabriella?"

Chad shook his head so vehemently that his afro bounced "No way man! She's a chick and they don't understand. You're better off saying nothing"

"But what if Harlowe does?"

"She won't say anything, if she did, she would have to admit that she kissed you because you wouldn't kiss her"

Troy rubbed a hand over his eyes and sighed

"This is a bad idea Chad"

"What? You and Gabriella?"

"No, keeping this from her"

"Troy, dude, if you tell her, you'll be history, seriously man, don't tell her. What she doesn't know won't hurt her . . . now are you bowling or are we gonna sit here and listen to you bitch all night?"

The next morning Troy felt terrible, he hadn't been able to face calling Gabriella the night before as he usually did. He felt so guilty, even though he had not done anything, and whilst Troy may be a lot of things he wasn't a cheat.

Gabriella could tell something was wrong with Troy when they met that morning before homeroom. He seemed quiet and not as pleased to see her as she would have hoped.

"Are you okay Troy?" she asked looking up into his face.

"Yeah, why?"

Gabriella shrugged "You just seem a little quiet, a little distant maybe"

Troy looked away from her avoiding her eyes and she felt a sense of foreboding.

"You're not having second thoughts about us are you? Cos if you are you can tell me" she said softly, her heart heavy, praying he would not say yes.

"No of course not babe" he said.

Gabriella felt her heart sink a little, he'd called her babe, like she was one of those other girls he used to screw then leave.

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure "he snapped and Gabriella could see the lie in his eyes and in the tension of his body.

"Ok, you don't have to snap at me"

He sighed deeply, sounding as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders "I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind right now"

He leant forward and kissed her just as the bell went to signal the start of homeroom, it was brief, perfunctory even.

Troy felt so bad, so guilty, Gabriella knew something was wrong and he couldn't go on lying to her, hurting her. While he felt like this he couldn't even enjoy kissing her which was something he had always enjoyed before, almost too much.

"Gabriella, I need to talk to you. Can you meet me at lunch on the rooftop garden?".

Gabriella felt as though her heart was going to break, this was it, he was finishing it.

"Sure Troy" she paused "You'd better go, you get any more tardys and Darbus will kill you . . . I'll wait here for a while, then follow along"

Troy nodded, the expression of sadness on her face killing him; he placed a kiss on her cheek and then was gone.

A lone tear escaped and slid down Gabriella's cheek, where only seconds before his lips had been.

As she entered homeroom, Gabriella spotted Harlowe and Troy flirting madly and wanted to cry. So that was reason he wanted to break up with her, to be with Harlowe, he was reverting to type and Harlowe was his type. Troy couldn't bear to see the look of sadness in Gabriella's eyes but he couldn't tell her that the only reason he flirted with Harlowe was so she wouldn't say anything about kissing him. He wanted to stay on her good side and anyway after lunch it wouldn't matter, as he was going to explain everything to Gabriella himself.

"Hey are you okay Gabi" Taylor asked as they changed for gym class.

Gabi shook her head "I think it's over with him" she whispered, not wanting to be overheard.

"What? No, don't be silly, what's happened?"

"Harlowe has happened. I knew it was too good to be true. He's been so distant today, won't look at me, won't even touch me" she muttered and Taylor frowned "maybe he's sick"

Gabriella shook her head "yeah of me".

"Want me to speak to Chad, see what's goin on?"

"No, he says he needs to talk to me and will I meet him at lunch. I know he's gonna break up with me" she said tears threatening again.

"Oh Gabriella, I'm sure that's not it" she said putting an arm around her friend.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do" she cried, as the tears fell and she sobbed in Taylor's arms.

In the gym Chad and Troy were having a similar conversation as they put the equipment out ready for class.

"So how's everything with you and Gab?"

"I can't do it Chad, I feel too bad. I can't even bring myself to look at her, I feel that guilty. I'm gonna have to do it, I'm gonna have to tell her" Troy said as the walked to the equipment store.

"Tell her? Troy are you crazy? She'll ditch you for sure" he said, as they walked inside.

Harlowe stopped by the door of the store room as she recognized Troy's voice and listened carefully. She'd been sent to grab some vests but this was more interesting

"I don't care Chad, I have to tell Gabriella everything" Troy was saying angrily.

"Everything? Including the bet?" Harlowe thought she recognized Chad's voice.

"Everything Chad" he confirmed.

Harlowe listened eagerly,

"So how are you going to put it, 'Oh hi Gabriella, Harlowe kissed me and oh by the way Chad and I had a bet to see if I could screw you before the spring fling and oh yeah that was the only reason I asked you out in the first place" Chad finished dramatically, as Harlowe's eyes bugged.

Troy and Gabriella Montez were an item, they were seeing each other? That couldn't be right, thought Harlowe, Gabriella was a geek and Troy was Mr. Popular. From what the cheerleaders had told her about Troy, vestal virgins were not his style, he liked sex, lots of sex and nerds didn't usually put out.

"I'm just going to explain and apologize, then hope she'll forgive me and forget about this stupid secrecy thing. That Harlowe is annoying the hell outta me, I wish he'd leave me the fuck alone" Troy was saying to Chad.

Harlowe felt a surge of anger towards Troy, how dare he speak about her like that? How dare he prefer Gabriella Montez over her? She was an ugly little geek. Furious, she opened her mouth to speak and alert them to her presence, when suddenly she had a better idea. What was it some famous person had once said? Revenge was a dish best served cold?

Harlowe smiled wickedly to herself as she set off towards the girl's locker room. She would teach Troy Bolton to mess her around.