Author's Note--So I would like to remind everyone that this story is classified as friendship also, and even though in this chapter, most of it isn't Troyella, there's still interactions in here that link them together. And since this story is classified for friendship, then that means that I'll have to go into Jason's life a little bit more, or that I'll have to once in a while bring in Mr. Cross. So I hope you like this chapter, and I promise that there will be more Troyella in the next chapter.


Andrew Cross walked down the stairs of his house, his wife trailing behind him.

In his opinion of their relationship, he would say that it was healthy, it was normal, it was a little bit different compared to others on a deeper level. His family of three looked normal on the outside, but then if you go into his past of getting Lucille pregnant, and then Cassie pregnant five weeks later, things seemed to mess up there.

But when his wife is dragging on a conversation that was almost too simple, he just wanted to blow her off.

"Stop worrying. It's his 18th birthday and Lucille can't do anything to stop me from sending him a card." Andrew said breezily. He had been sending Troy cards for his birthday since he was a baby. Whether or not he got them in the mail was beyond him as he did know for sure that Lucille was against him doing it. So that might lead her to hiding the cards on their son, but Andrew couldn't blame her as if the situation was in reverse, he probably would do the same thing. But whenever December came around, he couldn't block out the fatherly feeling that was always settled in the pit of his stomach.

Cassie was hot on her husbands trail down to the kitchen where he collected the newspaper and sat down at the table.

"She doesn't want you sending cards! I don't want you sending cards! And I know Troy doesn't want them!" Cassie yelled. "Why do you have to if you know Lucille's just going to come screeching at you?"

"Because," there was a hard edge to his voice, "he's my son too. And it's in that statement that I have the right to send him a damn card on his birthday."

"And who's fault is that?!" Cassie looked at her husband as if she couldn't recognize him. She never fully understood why he got like this when it came to talking about Troy and how he was never able to get full custody of him. "If you would have--"

"If I would have never slept with you and had Jason then I would be able to have a part in Troy's life. The judge would have given me part custody of him if I didn't look like a screw up." Andrew stated coldly as Cassie's eyes watered up. Andrew sighed as he readjusted himself in the chair and looked at his wife. "Honey, we go through this every year. Let me send him one last card for his 18th birthday, and it'll be done with. He'll be officially an adult."

Cassie sighed, "I don't like it when we fight. Especially when it's about Troy." Cassie walked over to Andrew and he allowed her to sit comfortably on his lap. "I wonder if he even knows that you wanted part custody of him."

"I don't know. All I know is that it would have changed a lot if I did."


"Shit!" Jason exclaimed as he watched the miniature glass bottle fall to the floor and shatter. He had been at the grocery store that morning to pick up a few items for his mom before his friends came over.

He bent down to pick up the shards of glass, but a voice stopped him.

"I thought you promised not to break anymore glass."

He turned around and smiled at Kelsi who had her own basket in hand filled with various different food items. He stood up as he quickly forgot about the glass.

They had seen each other at school during lunch time, but barely made small talk as they were often always talking to other people.

He held up his used to be injured hand where a nice red cut was situated. It was closed off, and was fading quickly. "Look. It at least doesn't need to be cleaned since it's closed off."

Kelsi smiled brightly. "That's good."


"This is crazy," Gabriella said as she came back to the kitchen table with a glass of orange juice. "Where are you going to fit a moon bounce in the back of Chad's backyard?"

All three boys looked at each other and shrugged. They had been discussing things for about an hour and so far they had only decided to hold Troy's birthday at Chad's house on December 19, which made sense since that was Troy's real birthday, and Chad's mom had agreed to be 'conveniently' out of the house to give the teenagers privacy.

"Do you even think Troy wants a giant air castle for his birthday? Don't they have like age limits or weight limits?" Gabriella asked again.

"Of course he would want one. EVERYONE does," Chad stated as if it was an obvious fact.

"Well I'm not responsible for it then. Someone has to order one, someone has to confirm it a couple of days before, and then someone has to be there when they come to blow it up." Gabriella explained hoping that the boys would back out at hearing all the work they would have to do.

"I'll call," Jason offered.

"I'll confirm," The darker skinned boy said.

"And I'll be there to watch the workers." Chad smiled triumphantly. "Trust us Gabs."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes, "It's not going to fit in your backyard. You have a much bigger front yard than most, and I hardly think putting it in the front yard is the smartest thing to do guys."

"She's right," Jason sighed, "But…what about Zeke's house?"

"Can't. My parents are actually going to be home. We could maybe have it at Sharpay's house."

"No!" Gabriella and Jason exclaimed at the same time.

"It's just…she'll want to control everything," Jason explained as it seemed Zeke took no offense to that.

"Probably," he agreed.

"So…what about your house Gabs?" Chad asked.

"I live right next to him. He'll see," she pointed out dryly, "plus, I'm taking no part in this moon bounce. I think it's stupid."

Zeke and Chad both turned their heads to the head of the table. Jason shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he knew what they were thinking. "Well?" Chad asked impatiently. "You haven't given us a reason Cross."

Jason sighed as he scratched the back of his neck. He was warming up to the idea of Troy as a companion. That didn't include hosting a party for him. He only agreed to help plan the party because he had the resources, and Zeke was one of his good friends who came up with the idea.

He looked at Gabriella who was smiling softly at him. He sighed heavily before speaking slowly, "I'll have to ask my parents."

"Awesome!" Zeke exclaimed while slapping hands with Chad in celebration.

"Hey! That doesn't mean yes," Jason warned before a small smile crossed his face.


"YES! I so beat you!" Gabriella exclaimed triumphantly as her car raced across the finish line before Jason's.

Jason groaned as he tossed his remote control aside. Gabriella laughed as she saw the distaste on Jason's face. She got more comfortable as she laid on the ground with her head resting on his outstretched legs.

"When was the last time that we just played playstation and ate junk food?" Gabriella asked.

"I don't know. It seems like forever ago. Besides, the cabin didn't really count since we were with everyone."

"Yeah…including Kelsi," Gabriella added not too innocently.

"I really don't like your tone there Gabs."

"It's not like your Mr. Innocent."

"Exactly," Jason said as he knew that he was far from innocent, but in the last couple of weeks since Anna's death, it seemed as if he made a silent pact with himself that he would try to do better. He knew he needed to do better as college scouts were coming more and more to the basketball games--which made the future seem closer now than ever--, Gabriella was relying upon him to keep up the appearance that everything was okay--he knew that she was putting on a brave face still as he couldn't name anyone else who was as brave as her--, and he had to work through his feelings about Troy, and how he's almost done a complete 180 circle with his feelings about his half brother.

"But I'm working on changing the image," Jason declared.

Before Gabriella could retort or Jason could tease her about what her and Troy were up to the other day, the front door opened and Andrew Cross walked through the door.

"Hey kids," He greeted in an unusually happy manner.

Gabriella sat up awkwardly as to her and Jason their positions were strictly platonic, but to other people who didn't see them interact around each other it would look a little bit more than friendly.

"Hey Mr. Cross," Gabriella said quietly.

"Hey dad. Where were you?"

"Store. I had to pick up something."

"Something?…as in an invisible something?" Jason prompted before Andrew just merely laughed good heartedly and walked away.


"Do you…remember our…first kiss?" Gabriella gasped out in between sharing kisses with Troy.

What started out as a little 'hello' kiss, turned into something a whole lot more as Gabriella was busy reading on her bed, and Troy walked into her room as he had called five minutes beforehand, and Gabriella told him to just come in. He had entered and she had started to get up from her bed, but never got passed the kneeling on top of her bedspread before Troy met her half way.

Now they're both kneeling on the bed, with Troy's hands running freely under her breasts while Gabriella's hands had already plunged themselves under his t-shirt.

"Yeah…it was…outside…after we got back…from the park." Troy mumbled as his hands ghosted underneath Gabriella's breasts, before running slowly to the bottom of her shirt. He pulled his mouth away from hers and their foreheads meshed together comfortably. One look into her eyes was enough to let him know it was okay to rid the cotton fabric.

"We've come a long way, haven't we?" Gabriella continued to pant out once her shirt was casually dropped to the ground.

His teeth dangerously scraped against her cold shoulder; to the point of dragging her right strap to her red and white striped bra down her arm to let it hang loosely.

"Yeah," came his raspy response right before Gabriella's short nails pressed into Troy's arm muscles. His hair tickled her skin when his mouth latched onto the perfect spot of her neck and began sucking.

Gabriella was on a mission. Talking with Chad, Zeke, and Jason lead her in this direction. They all agreed that it was her duty as a girlfriend to throw him off balance as if it came to anyone else, Troy would catch on.

"So…don't make…a big deal, or anything," Gabriella panted again as she was seriously rethinking her plan as it was very hard to concentrate on her part. She had been yearning for Troy's touch ever since Jason had walked in on them, and now, her plan was starting to backfire on her if she didn't speak her mind soon. "But…what do you want for your birthday?"

Troy's hands that were currently scorching marks into her back and waist stopped their movements and his head picked up from the curve of her neck. "You're asking me this NOW?"

"Uh-huh."

"Can I at least first ask how you found out when my birthday was?" Troy couldn't recall a time where he talked to Gabriella about it. He couldn't even remember a conversation focusing around receiving gifts in which that topic might bring up the topic of birthdays.

"I'm your girlfriend," Gabriella couldn't help her mouth as it nipped at Troy's broad shoulder. "I'm supposed to know these things. So I know that it's almost childish to ask, but what do you want?"

"Nothing," he said casually. He really couldn't think of one thing that he actually needed. Of course he wanted things, like CDs, but he could always download the songs that he wanted. Or if he really wanted a movie, then he could always rent one.

Gabriella sighed; untouched by his aloof answer. She smiled sweetly as her hands trailed down the front of his chest. "Everyone wants something," she whispered as she was doing her best at trying to persuade him by using her 'sexual charm'--or at least that is what Zeke and Chad called it. "And everyone includes you."

Troy sucked in a breath as his member was already semi hard from the intense make-out session they were in moments before, but he was trying to be at least a good boyfriend and let Gabriella receive the pleasure this time.

He fought against his primal response of attaching his mouth to hers and penetrating her there on the bed. "Brie…I really don't want anything."

Her soft lips traveled around his chest. Her tongue occasionally flicking at the nipples located on his chiseled chest.

"I don't believe that," she summed up as her body slowly rocked against his so that she was fully kneeling in front of him again, instead of crouching slightly to be in a more comfortable position to permit her ministrations on his chest.

She grinned mischievously at him. "But I'll let it slide for now as I'm coming onto my next question. Are you busy during your birthday night? I know that your birthday isn't until two weeks, but since it's the second day of Winter Break, I'm just not sure what you and your mom usually do."

Even throughout her planning with Troy's best friend and Zeke and Jason, Gabriella still wasn't sure if she should believe Chad when he said that Troy didn't do anything special for his birthday since he just didn't want to. She believed that there was something more to the story, but if there was then Chad didn't say.

"I'm not doing anything besides spending time with my other girlfriend who I'm currently in the process of removing her clothes," he said sarcastically as Gabriella slapped his arm.

"Troy! Not nice," she scolded with a little pout on her lips. "If you do that again, then you can just forget about what I'm about to propose, and you can find your shirt and leave."

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," he reassured her as his hands automatically reached out and gripped tightly onto her small waist. His lips pressed themselves against her soft cheek before moving backwards towards her earlobe before whispering, "Don't be mad Brie. What were you going to suggest?"

Troy wasn't a big birthday fan. It was a common fact known to all of his friends. And to his closest friend--Chad--he still didn't understand why Troy wasn't partying like he should be. The one time that he actually did do something for his birthday was when he turned 17 and he was dating Lilly. He remembered that night so clearly as they were going on four months as a couple and that was the night he let his instincts kick in and he slept with her.

"How about you and me do something." It wasn't a question as it was more a statement. "Like dinner."

Troy hesitated before smiling at Gabriella. "Okay. It sounds good."

Before their mouths could meet again, a car door closing filled the room and filtered in through Gabriella's window that was open slightly. Gabriella's eyes went wide as she scrambled away from Troy and grabbed her shirt from the ground. She quickly threw Troy's gray t-shirt up and onto the bed also.

"That's my dad. He said that he would be home early tonight." Gabriella warned Troy.

"Fuck," Troy swore under his breath before slipping his shirt on. "Am I allowed to be here?"

Gabriella bit her lip. She had never had a problem with having people over before. Her dad was okay with it, but that was because she always asked a head of time. It would have been a lot different if it was one of the girls coming over, and even Jason since her dad practically watched Jason growing up as a boy. But having Troy over was different as they were getting into their relationship and it was fairly obvious to everyone in the halls of East High that Troy and Gabriella were already getting serious as they were always holding hands and sneaking kisses in between classes. Rumors were bound to travel the halls, and most of them reaching her dad as he heard all the gossip. So Gabriella wasn't to sure that her dad would appreciate a boy in her bedroom without him knowing about it beforehand.

"Um…I'm not sure."

Troy sighed as he glanced around. "Okay," he finally announced as he stood up and pressed a sweet kiss to Gabriella's forehead. "I'm gonna head out and I'll call you later."

"Where are you--" Gabriella cut herself off as Troy smiled charmingly at her before heading over to her balcony doors and going out to the railing. "Don't hurt yourself, please Troy. I would like to have a full boyfriend put together during Winter Break."

Troy winked at her. "Don't worry Brie. I'm all safe and sound." He promised before swinging over the railing and climbing down her tree with ease.


He was still heeling. To him there was no exceptional time to get over Anna's death. He visited her gravesite regularly, he brought her favorite pink flowers, and he still talked to her as if she had never left. The only time that he showed he wasn't in the grieving process was when he was around his team, when he was teaching a gym class, or when he knew Gabriella was around.

Father and daughter hadn't talked that much lately. It seemed that they were almost avoiding each other as they weren't dong it deliberately, but yet, it wasn't normal to be living in the same house, go to the same school everyday, and not see each other. Both were busy, Gabriella was off with her friends or her boyfriend while studying for mid terms, while her father was off getting ready to set up his gym mid term, and getting his team into top shape for the up and coming games.

It was as if Anna had never left as if she was still around, Carlos would still be busy, and Gabriella would still be hanging out with her friends. It just helped that if they kept busy then it was easier to distract themselves and not let their mind wander.

For Gabriella, even though she said goodbye, it still stung in her heart. But she manages to push through it, and puts on a brave face around others. There was no time where she would be completely healed, but there is going to be a time when she'll be able to visit her mother's gravesite without having a mental breakdown. It would just take time.

So in the meantime of the father/daughter healing time, they busied themselves.

"We have a game in two days! It's a big one as it's against West High. And from what I hear, they're out for blood. We took the Championship from them last year, and they want it back. Are we going to let them?!" Coach Montez yelled.

"No!" Twelve boys yelled with determination in their eyes.

"Good!" Coach Montez cheered. "That's what I like to hear. Practice tomorrow, 4 to 6, and then anyone who wants to hit the weight room is free to use it until 7. Now, usually it's not open that late since Mr. Reynolds, the teacher who is supposed to be in there supervising decided that he was going to leave earlier, but I'm planning on staying later in my office, so the weight room is up for grabs."

Coach Montez looked at each of the boys. "Hands in guys. Great practice today."

Gabriella smiled proudly as she watched her father direct his team with such authority. It would be a huge loss to everyone if East High lost to West High the first time they play them in the season. Neither team had a bad mark on their record yet. Gabriella knew though from overhearing some of the players talking about the up and coming game that Derek Welsch, the West High Captain, was on a warpath. He was determined to win as he was still holding a grudge over both Troy and Jason from back in October when the little fight broke out in the store. Derek was out for blood, and he wasn't going to give up so easily. Anyone who knew him, also knew that he had a temper worse than Jason and Troy put together.

"Hey Pretty Girl," Troy greeted as he wandered over to Gabriella who was standing near the doors and bleachers of the gym. The cheerleaders were still practicing as Sharpay was busy teaching the new girl some of their routines.

Troy didn't allow his hands to touch Gabriella, or any other part of his body except his lips for a brief second as he was sweaty from practicing.

"You looked good out there."

"Thanks. I'm just getting anxious. Everyone's making this game out to be this HUGE game, and here I'm thinking that if we make it to the Championship, then that would be our big game."

Gabriella smiled softly as her hand reached up and gently moved his bangs out of his eye. "It's West High, and surely you've heard of Derek Welsch and his 'promising threats' that he is going to beat us?"

Troy sighed before nodding his head. "Yeah, I'm starting to regret that fight with him and Rob. At least then they wouldn't be concentrating on me and Jason during the game so that we could actually get a shot off of them."

Gabriella could sense the worry tone that Troy tried to hide. His dark blue eyes looked down at her as a soft smile came across his face. "But I guess that's what I get for helping out."

"Do you actually believe that the only reason why you're going to be guarded especially hard is because you fought them?" Gabriella looked at Troy before realizing that he wasn't going to answer her. She sighed before continuing, "You are one of the best fucking players that we have at East High. EVERY team has their best players guarding you and Jason. It's not just because you gave Rob a black eye. It's because you're good at basketball, and they're scared."

Gabriella talked with such determination that it was easily put together that she got her speaking skills from her father. "I know you're just--"

"I am NOT just saying that." Gabriella hissed as to not draw attention to themselves. "Have you looked at the stats this year, or even the scoreboards? You and Jason and Zeke and Chad play fucking fantastic together. And do you realize that you have been the top scorer for at least half of these games, not to mention you've almost practically set the record for most 3-pointers in a season, and you're barely halfway through the season."

Gabriella's finger gripped his chin to make sure that he was looking at her. There was no way that she was going to let him play thinking that he wasn't good enough. Especially since she overheard her father talking to someone on the phone when she shouldn't have. She had heard a conversation that pertained to two people she knew, and one of them were her boyfriend.

Her hand that was gripping his chin softly stroked upwards to cup his cheek. "Just play your hardest, and show them what you're really made of Troy Bolton."

Troy sighed, "You're right. You're absolutely right."

"Of course I am." Gabriella smiled, "So am I still coming over to study with you for math?"

"Studying math? I think I'm failing that class," Sharpay's voice broke through Gabriella's and Troy's conversation as her, Zeke, Chad, Jason, and Taylor came over to them.

Taylor rolled her eyes. "After Mr. Olsen changed seats, Shar now has no one smart to sit next to."

"You guys are all lucky that you're in the same math class. Tay won't help me anymore." Sharpay complained as she started taking off her tennis shoes and putting on flip flops.

"If I don't pass this test on Friday, then my mom's not going to let me play in the game on Friday." Zeke complained as no matter how much his parents were gone, they wanted him to keep up his grades.

Troy and Gabriella shared a small look as both of them wanted to try to silently creep out of the conversation that they evidently started and retreat back to Troy's house so that he could shower there and Gabriella and him could study. After all that they had been through, Gabriella was still his tutor.

"I think we all need to study together. There's strength in numbers," Chad commented.

Taylor snorted, "You? Study?"

Chad shrugged, "I happen to study from time to time. That is if I have motivation."

"You two in?" Zeke asked Troy and Gabriella.

"Uh…we kind of…" Gabriella started as she tried to sift through her mind for excuses other than saying that her and Troy were planning to study anyways.

"…have something…to do," Troy finished lamely.

"Like what?" Sharpay asked as her eyes narrowed in on Gabriella and Troy before it clicked in her mind and she replayed her earlier conversation with Gabriella during lunch. "You two are studying, aren't you?"

Gabriella figured there was no use in trying to deny it as she knew that she told Sharpay before. She just didn't think that the blonde would remember. "Yeah. We're heading on over to Troy's."

"Awesome! No parental supervision!" Chad exclaimed. "Cross, you in?"

Jason hesitated as he had seen Troy's house many times. He had just never gone in. "Um…I guess. I can't stay too late though."


The teenagers had all made themselves comfy at Troy's house. Zeke and Chad had taken it upon themselves to cook grilled cheese for everyone, the girls were at the kitchen counter talking about how the new cheerleader is doing, and Troy and Jason were sitting at the kitchen table.

Troy fully intended to study for math. He had his book open, along with his notebook, but he got easily distracted by the mail that he brought in and threw lazily among the table. He shuffled through it before one letter that was average size caught his attention. It was directed to him as he dropped all other mail.

He would recognize her handwriting anywhere.

His eyes shot up to make sure that Gabriella wasn't watching him, and luckily she wasn't as he felt a light sweat break out on his forehead. It wasn't the fact that he was excited, it was far beyond that as holding the letter made him want to puke up his lunch from before. He despised this feeling, and he despised the girl who sent him this letter. He was just thankful that Gabriella or anyone else didn't notice that his hands were shaking lightly as he slowly, but surely, slipped the letter into his back pocket.

Jason narrowed his eyes from across the table. He noticed that Troy tensed up, and could only guess some bad news came in the mail. But when Jason looked at the letter, he saw that his half brother hadn't even opened the letter yet, so that just made him all the more suspicious. Jason didn't want to say anything to draw attention, but he was curious. So he managed to crane his neck when Troy was too busy looking at Gabriella to make sure that she wasn't looking at him, and saw the name of the sender.

Jason's fist clenched as deep down he had expected something like this to happen. Everyone in the senior class knew Lilly. She was the blonde haired beauty that wasn't in any clubs at school, so she couldn't be classified as anything except a…cheater. There was no other thing to say about her as she had cheated on Troy, and everyone in their class knew about it when Troy and Lilly came to school after the weekend it happened and she was hanging off of Doug Wenzel's arm.

Jason hadn't said anything. Even he wasn't that mean in junior year to make a comment about how Troy's girlfriend ditched him for the Football senior quarterback. But now, he couldn't resist as Troy was dating his best friend, and if Troy's dating someone, then he shouldn't still be in contact with Lilly. Unless Gabriella knew about it, and if she did, then she didn't tell Jason.

Jason couldn't hold back as he spoke to Troy in a normal tone so he didn't draw attention. "Anything interesting?"

Troy looked at him and shook his head. "Nothing but stuff for my mom."

The two boys stared at one another. Troy wasn't stupid as he matched Jason's slight glare. He knew that Jason knew he was lying. It was one of those weird times that showed their little connection they had as brothers and sharing the same blood. It was one of those times in which one of them figured out something about the other. It was one of those times where Troy really wished he wasn't related to Jason so that he wouldn't be able to read through his lie.

"Hey you," Gabriella greeted, coming out of nowhere as she placed a kiss to Troy's cheek before sitting down on the chair next to him. "Ready to study now?"

Troy broke his stare with Jason and looked at the beauty next to him. It was going to come out sooner rather than later now as Jason knew that he was still in contact with his ex-girlfriend. Troy just really wished that Jason would give him a chance to tell Gabriella before the Captain makes the situation potentially worse.

"Do I have a choice?" Troy asked with a smile.

"You always have a choice," Jason cut in as both boys knew it had another meaning. A meaning in which Jason was clearly stating, You always have a choice of who you talk to.

Troy smiled a tight smile as Gabriella looked between the two boys, confusion situated in her eyes. "Are you two okay?"

"Great," Troy said first as if to silence Jason.

Jason smiled with a glint in his eye, "Never been better."