"Gabriella why do you look so sad?" Josh asked his best friend. They were sitting at Sonic eating hot fudge sundaes.

"Last night Troy told me he loved me." Gabriella told him.

"What? How is that a sad thing?"

"He was sleep and high on Benadryl, but he said it." Gabriella said.

"Well that's nice, but it doesn't mean much since he told that blonde witch of down under he loved her. Kind of brings the value of the word down."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Shup the fuck up. I don't know if he meant it. We say a lot of stuff when we aren't in a right state of mind. When Troy got high once at a party, he played with a Q-Tip for thirty minutes becuase it felt good. And we couldn't stand each other and we get drunk and sleep with each other. Remember that?"

Josh smiled, "I told Erica I was in love with her at Denny's."

Gabriella shrugged, "Better than probably not meaning it at all." Tears threatened to fall out of her eyes. "It's just a stupid, meaningless phrase."

"He probably meant it." Josh convinced. "I love you."

"You aren't in love with me." Gabriella corrected. "There's a difference."

"I know. But, you are a pretty loveable person. Now I have a question for you."

"Ok. What is it?"

"Do you love him back?" Josh asked.

"I've told him I loved him before and he brushed it off." Gabriella answered. "But he was in a relationship with Leah at the time."

"That was the end of February, early March. We are in summer." Josh pointed out. "Do you still love him?" He always looked at things with a simple perspective. Gabriella, however, chose to over-analyze things.

Gabriella shrugged, "I think I do."

"Aw. That's cute." Josh smiled.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes, "Are being sarcastic?"

Josh shook his head, "No. I meant it."

"Ok then. Well thank you."

"Its what I do."

~With Troy~

"I told Gabriella I loved her." Troy told Marcus.

Marcus looked up, "Oh my God. You are not my brother anymore. I'm disowning you."

Troy sighed, "I'm serious. I remember telling her last night, but I can't remember anything else."

"Well did she say it back?" Marcus asked. "Are you guys in love?" He teased.

Troy shrugged, "I don't remember. But she did tense up."

"What if she doesn't say it back?" Marcus questioned. He let out a chuckle, "You're going to look like an idiot if she doesn't love you back."

"She's told me before." Troy said.

Marcus shrugged, "So? People fall in and out of love all the time. If I have sex with a girl more than two times-which is rare-I think I love her. As far as I know, you and Gabriella have had sex at least two times, so you probably love each other."

Troy laughed, "I'm serious about this. And it scares me. I told Leah I loved her but with Gabriella, things are different."

Marcus slapped his brother on the back. "Good job, little bro. You picked the right girl."

"Yeah. I just hope she loves me back."

Marcus scoffed, "Oh please. You make Gabriella want to rip your teeth out of your mouth and make you swallow them dry, but she loves you. You can see it. And I'm about to go out of my element and tell you something: honesty is the best policy."

Troy laughed, "That's so unlike you. You lie all the time."

"I know. I think your love life is making me soft."

~The Next Day~

Gabriella was cleaning the last few things out of her locker when Troy walked up to her. "Hey Troy."

"Hi Brie." Troy greeted. "How are you?"

"Good." Gabriella said. She didn't want to talk about the 'I love you' situation.

"We have to talk." Troy said.

"About what?" Gabriella asking, playing dumb. She knew where this conversation was going.

"I love you." Troy told her. "I told you the other night but you obviously didn't hear me."

Gabriella just stood there. Actually hearing the words come out of Troy's mouth made her freeze. "I...I heard you."

"Then why didn't you say it back?" Troy questioned. "Or say anything."

"Because you fell asleep." Gabriella replied. "And I was scared to say anything. At first I thought I heard things and I didnt want to say anything because I didn't want to look like a crazy person."

Troy nodded, "Ok. Well say something now." He ordered. "Do you love me back?"

Gabriella smiled, "I love you too."

Troy leaned in closer, "What, Montez? I don't think I heard."

"I love you too."

"Louder, please."

"I'm in love with Troy Bolton!" Gabriella yelled.

Troy laughed and pulled her into a kiss. When he pulled away he said, "Good. Becuase I would have looked like a dumbass confessing my love for you and you not saying it back."

Gabriella shoved him, "I tell you I love you and all you can think about is looking stupid?"

"Yeah."

"You're making me rethink the I love you thing already, Bolton." Gabriella joked.

~To Be Continued~