The guys were busy playing basketball out in Chad's backyard. The telephone wasn't ringing to somehow magically distract her best friend from throwing questions at her. The frozen pizza wasn't nearly done as it still had 15 minutes left so all Gabriella could do was try her best to hide her confusion and nerves while Taylor kept prying for information about what was wrong.

In reality though, nothing was technically wrong. She had a loving boyfriend for quiet some time now, her music was a hit and she has an offer to go on tour, the only problem is she only had two days to decide as it was already Friday and she would then leave on Monday. The only real problem was is that she hadn't told Troy yet or made up her mind.

The tour is something Gabriella had dreamt about since she was a little kid and did her first talent show. It was something her dad often boasted to everyone that would listen that his little girl would get somewhere in the big world, that she already had her life planned out, and Gabriella was sure that no matter and no matter when she would somehow go on some tour. Whether it was because she was a stage crew assistant, or the lead singer, she was going to go sometime in her life.

"Gabi…Gabi…are you okay?" Taylor's worried voice shook her out of her thoughts as Gabriella turned away from staring out of the window sill that lead back to Taylor's backyard where the guys were at and faced her friend who was sitting at her light wooden kitchen table with a cup of coffee even though it was in the afternoon.

Gabriella opened her mouth to speak, but found her throat dry from just thinking about the tour and Troy. Sure Troy should be happy for her which would probably be true on some level, but that doesn't mean he'll show that side of himself. Three months is a little too long for not seeing each other, however plenty of other people do it. It's just the matter of whether or not Troy would want to have a long distance relationship for three months.

Instead, Gabriella closed her mouth so she wouldn't accidentally let it slip what was on her mind. If she was going to tell anyone then that person would be Troy before anyone else.

Taylor eyed her up suspiciously as she took a sip of her coffee and her eyes narrowed in on her friend, skimming over the rim of her cup. "Gabi, don't lie to me. I have known you for far too long to not know what is wrong. So spill." Taylor urged as if it was the most simplest things.

Gabriella sighed as she ran her hand through her hair as she knew that if she looked away from Taylor's eye sight she would use that against her for even more reasons why something was wrong.

"Why do you always presume that something is wrong just because I'm not talking?" Gabriella was trying to slowly distract Taylor by turning the tables around by being in control with the questions.

Taylor let out a huff of air as she tapped her newly manicured nails on the table. "You're just not talking, you're always tired nowadays, and you say you have headaches often." Gabriella opened her mouth to talk, but her best friend kept ranting her ideas. "And did Loverboy remember to tell you that I called at seven last night and he told me you were sleeping already."

Gabriella nodded her head slowly as she could faintly hear the radio station the guys had playing in the background. It was true though, she went to bed around 6:30 the previous night due to a headache.

"I've just been buy Tay. You know what it's like." Gabriella played it cool with the shrug of the shoulders.

Taylor clicked her tongue as she took another sip of her coffee. Gabriella sighed as she turned around to look out the window again. She knew Troy was starting to worry about her again as he seemed to back off a little with asking if she was okay at the photo shoot, but now he was picking up with his concern again while she was struggling to keep her mouth shut about the tour until she had an answer ready.

"Come on Tay, don't be like this." Gabriella pleaded as her eyes stayed on Troy's body. His glistening chest basking in the sunlight and his sweat. She saw him dribbling the basketball effortlessly while getting into stance to take a three point shot.

Taylor clicked her tongue one last time as Gabriella could just imagine an annoyed look on Taylor's face because she wasn't giving Taylor her full attention.

"I'm just curious Gabi, nothing wrong with that; especially since I know something is up." Taylor declared innocently as Gabriella rolled her eyes as she knew Taylor would soon pull the best friend card.

"Curiosity killed the cat Tay." Gabriella stated as her eyes shifted with every move Troy did. Following his chest as it went up and down quicker than normal.

The chair made a screeching noise as she could hear Taylor come up besides her and offer her a small smile while putting a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"Gabi, anyone with eyes can see that something is wrong. Have you seen the tabloids lately, they're spreading rumors that Troy and you broke up!" Taylor exclaimed as she was taking these tabloids more personal than Gabriella.

"Tay." Gabriella urged. "I'm fine. I'm happy. This is me happy." Gabriella put on a fake huge smile and pointed to it as Taylor rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes you act more like a kid than Chad." Taylor disapproved as the fake smile fell off of Gabriella's face and she heard the radio station in the background change songs. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" Her voice dropped a couple of notches as it became deathly serious and Gabriella fidgeted under Taylor's eye sight."

"…Yeah Tay. I know; you're my best friend." Gabriella nodded her head to confirm what she just said.

"Well then, how about you tell me what's going on." She kept persisting.

Gabriella bit her lip as she heard Chad and Troy chuckling at something as Chad took a shot.

Taylor must have caught on that Gabriella's mind was on Troy as she sighed. "At least they aren't freaking out over the championships yet." Taylor commented.

Gabriella smiled a weak smile. "They're gonna do great…"

"That's it!" Taylor exclaimed excitedly as she rushed over to the table and picked up the pencil and hurriedly started to erase and then pencil in other people's names on the seating chart. "I'll move Chad's Uncle Charlie to table eight in the back near the bar, and move Aunt Kelly up to table two so she can hear."

Gabriella smiled wider as she knew Taylor and Chad were having a big wedding and were having trouble with the seating chart for the reception.

"Okay, so are you ready with everything?" Gabriella heard Taylor ask as she wasn't quite sure exactly what Taylor meant.

She wasn't ready to talk about what was on her mind, why couldn't Taylor accept that? "Tay, I promise when I'm ready I will tell you."

Taylor looked up with her eyes squinted, brows furrowed, and forehead creased. "Okay…" She said slowly. "Just make sure you're speech is easy to read so the minister can hear it." Taylor rolled her eyes irritably. "Seriously, Chad is assigned to do one thing; find a minister to marry us in any church of his choice and he picks someone who can barely hear because they're practically as old as time itself." Taylor snarled as Gabriella bit back a laugh.

If she could keep Taylor talking about the wedding then she was sure to forget that she was trying to pry into Gabriella's problems.

"And then the caterer called yesterday and I wasn't home so he asked Chad whether we wanted the halibut and salmon and of course Chad didn't think, so he switched salmon to hot dogs!"

Gabriella couldn't help it, she let out a giggle as Taylor glared at her. "Who has halibut and hot dogs as the two main meals for a wedding?!"

"Tay, it's not so bad. At least he didn't change everything on the menu."

"Humph." Just then the radio song changed and both Taylor and Gabriella recognized the tune. Taylor pushed herself away from the table again as both her and Gabriella walked over to the window again to see both Troy and Chad stop playing basketball as it looked like Troy was making Chad listen to the song.

Taylor crossed her arms as Gabriella's soft voice filled the outside. "Come on, and don't think I forgot about you and your mood. Something is wrong and I will find out what." Taylor led Gabriella outside as she sighed and ran her hand through her hair again.

"Well look who it is, the star herself!" Chad announced as Gabriella was sure her cheeks were pink now.

Suddenly the blue eyed man turned around with a goofy smile on his face as she felt her heart beat faster than before.

"I've never heard this song before Brie." He commented as Chad and Troy both started making their way up the slight hill and over by the girls.

Gabriella felt it was just her and Troy as she was oblivious to Chad who was trying to hug Taylor when he was all sweaty.

Gabriella shrugged, "It was one of my hit singles a couple of years ago."

"Well…" Troy drew out as he wrapped his warm and sticky hands around her and pressed a sloppy kiss to the side of her mouth. His forehead leant against hers as he smiled at her. "It's amazing; just like you." He kissed her nose and Gabriella barely heard Chad cough, "Cheesy."

She felt a swell of guilt in her stomach as she all of a sudden felt ashamed that she actually wanted to go on tour. She shouldn't be feeling like this, she shouldn't feel like she had to keep something from Troy, so she would tell him. This tour was supposed to make her feel good, not guilty, and although she was feeling guilty around Troy, it wasn't his fault. It was hers from not telling him right away.

"I love you." He murmured as Gabriella knew he was dying to ask her what was wrong, but he held back.

"I love you too." She said softly so only he heard.

He turned on his back and held in a sigh. It was two in the morning and he couldn't sleep, and it wasn't helping that his girlfriend wasn't' in bed.

He had his arms wrapped around her in a spooning position, and about five minutes ago as Gabriella thought he was sleeping slipped out of his arms and headed downstairs.

Troy know something was up before with Gabriella, but he tried to push it to the back of his mind during the photo shoot, but then it seemed as if she has just gone back to a quiet, clammy, and almost sad personality, and it worried him greatly.

Just then the door opened and Gabriella walked in quietly, oblivious to Troy being up, wearing black boy cut shorts and a tight black tank top that fit her perfectly.

Troy saw out of the corner of his eye that she silently put down a glass of water on the bedside table and slowly slipped into bed as to not disturb him.

"What's going on with you Brie?" Troy murmured as Gabriella nearly jumped out of her skin and Troy turned on his side to get a better view of her.

"Did I wake you?" Gabriella whispered even though there was no one else to wake up in the house.

She turned on her side to look at Troy as their bodies were only inches apart. "no. I couldn't sleep either." Troy whispered back as his eyes adjusted to the dark again.

There was a silence as Troy stroked Gabriella's cheek tenderly. "Brie, talk to me." He softly demanded.

Gabriella's eyes went wide as she blinked a couple of times as Troy could just imagine her trying to come up with some excuse to tell him.

"Troy I…"

"Please Brie." He pleaded as his hand stroking her cheek stopped, but laid gently cupping it. "I know something is different or wrong and I need to know what."

She sighed almost sympathetically as he found this strange.

"It's late; can't we talk in the morning?" Gabriella asked and if it was about anything else he would've agreed, but since something had been wrong with Gabriella for a while now, there was no way they weren't going to talk.

"I have practice in a couple of hours." His voice was controlled, soft, and patient when on the inside his stomach was clenching, knowing this must be something big, he was nervous just knowing that obviously this 'big' news must be bad that Gabriella kept it to herself.

"In the afternoon?" Her voice held little hope as Troy knew that she knew that no matter what she said they would end up talking no matter what.

Troy shook his head no as he strained his neck forward and pressed a reassuring kiss to her lips. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

Gabriella shifted her eye sight to the side as his stomach dropped even more. He wanted to be there for her, with whatever she was going through. He needed to fix her problem so she could be the Brie he knew. So she could be the Brie who he was going to ask to marry after the Championship game.

"What is it you're always telling me?" Gabriella asked softly as her dark eyes looked back at him.

Troy racked his brain as he had no idea what that had to do with her problem.

"You're gonna go far?" It came out as more of a question as Gabriella nodded. "But I don't get--"

"You were right." Gabriella said almost too quietly as Troy's whole body froze up.

"What?" Troy asked, not even bothering to keep the shock out of his voice. What exactly did she mean by that?

She bit her lip as she tentatively moved his bangs off to the side.

"At my last meeting they told me a tour was set up for me." She wore a small smile as she was getting a little more confidence back when he was slowly losing his.

This wasn't supposed to happen now. Maybe in the future when he wasn't supposed to propose to her. And how long had she known about this? It must've been at least a week that she knew about it?"

"Say something Troy." Gabriella pleaded as her hand reached out and felt the need to touch him, comfort him.

"How long?" His voice sunk lower and lower.

"How long what?" Gabriella asked dumbly, probably hoping to play this off.

"How long is the tour Brie?" He asked quietly, afraid of the answer. This could throw off his proposing plans by a lot. He knew that he probably didn't want a long engagement, and to know what Gabriella wanted he would have to ask her straight forward.

"Three moths." She mumbled as he looked down, not wanting to look into her glossy eyes as he knew his matched hers.

Three moths wasn't long compared to other long distant relationships, but to him it was. He was used to seeing her everyday, and even now both of them were squeezing in to make time for each other.

"When do you have to make the decision?" He felt her hand stroke his cheek that wasn't pressed into the pillow.

"The plane leaves Monday." Troy's heart best faster in a bad way. Monday?! That was in two days. She'd miss his championships and…the wedding.

"Of course you're not gonna go." Troy informed her with a chuckle that sounded too harsh. There was no way that she could miss the wedding; Taylor and Chad would both be crushed. Hell, she was supposed to sing their wedding song.

Troy couldn't read Gabriella's expression to what he just said, but he continued anyways. "What about the wedding? You can't miss that." He knew he sounded more like a parent scolding a child. But this just almost ruined everything. There was no way that he could propose now.

"I'm not." Her tone was short. Troy didn't know if it was on accident that she sounded like that or not. "Matt said I'd do about six or seven shows and be home for the wedding, and then I'd head out East again."

Troy sat up as Gabriella followed suit. "So you're just going then? You spring this on me two DAYS and expect me to just let you go?"

"No!" Gabriella exclaimed raising her voice a little. "No, it's just…." She trailed off. "I don't know what I'm going to chose."

Troy yanked the covers off himself as he stood up in just his athletic black shorts. "Do you want to go?" His voice was only giving off a hard tone as he couldn't believe how close he came to actually proposing to her. He could always wait three months, but he was too upset to think rationally.

Gabriella didn't answer as she looked down at the ground. He got his answer, but what did he expect? She would be crazy not to go, but he was just not in the rational mood.

"I think you should go." He didn't choke on the words. They came out nice and clear as Gabriella's head whipped up.

"What?" She gasped as Troy barely nodded to confirm what he just heard. This is what would be best for her. This was her big break, and even though his voice and tone didn't sound like he was thinking about her, but deep down he was. He already had his big break and now look at him, he was the Lakers Captain. He wanted Gabriella to get her big break, but did it have to be now?

"You have to go." Troy persisted and his eyes glazed over more and he blinked back tears. "You want to right?"

"I don't want you to be mad." Gabriella's voice shook as he ran a hand through his hair.

Although he seemed mad, he was more disappointed that she didn't tell him sooner, that he waited to decide to propose to her, that he knew this was coming in the long run and he wasn't prepared.

"I'm not mad, I'm just…I'm going for a walk." He said as he started for the door.

"Wait!" Gabriella cried out as he froze in his spot, but didn't turn around as it would be too hard to stay strong. "Don't go, please. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Gabriella pleaded.

He shook his head, "Don't be. It's like your one song, you make a choice and no regrets." He sighed as he heard her choke back a sob. "You should get some sleep Gabriella, and then call Matt and tell him you'll see him at the airport."

Troy continued on walking, and if he stopped for a second at the door he would've heard a sniffle and cry from Gabriella.

"…Okay."