Troy pouted on the way down the stairs after his mom called them down for dinner. Gabriella was still giggling softly behind him. "Don't be mad, TB." She cooed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You made me squeal." He murmured, with a pouty lip.

"It was cute though." She said, starting to giggle again. She kissed the back of his neck as they came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs. He turned around to face her and she kissed his pouty lip. "I'm sorry I made you squeal."

"It's okay." He murmured, kissing her nose. "Just don't do it again."

"No promises." She said, watching his face fall. She giggled again. "You're so grumpy TB." She kissed his lips slowly. "Maybe I need to loosen you up a little." She whispered against his lips.

Troy gulped. "No, none of that."

It was Gabriella's turn to pout. "I'll change your mind."

"Let's go cupcake, I already see the ideas brewing in that dangerous mind of yours."

She bit her bottom lip, winking at him. "Let's eat." Troy shook his head, leading her into the kitchen.

They filled their plates before they took their seats, Gabriella sitting in between Troy and Coach B. His mother sitting across from Gabriella with a full plate of food she served herself. Troy's mother was the first to speak up. "Gabriella, what are you planning to do for college?"

She chewed and swallowed before speaking. "I want to go to Julliard but my parents want me to go to Stanford. I'm applying to both as well as many other schools. I just want to focus on music, have some classical training before I try to jump into the music industry."

"If you need any recommendations, I'll be happy to write you one. You're a very bright student and East High is very lucky to have you." Jack said with a smile. "There are much nicer schools in Albuquerque that are more advanced."

"East High's curriculum is advanced, it's the best public high school in Albuquerque. I actually fought my parents on it. I went to public school all my life then they just wanted to stick me in a charter school, I was not happy."

Troy glanced at her from the end of the table. He cleared his throat before he spoke. "I'm applying to seven schools…. In seven different states."

His mother raised his eyebrow. "I thought you were planning on U of A."

Troy shrugged. "I'm applying there and it's a fall back option if I don't get into anything else. I applied for the University of California in Berkeley, Florida, Hawaii, NYU, UNLV, and UNC." He shared. "I'm open to more but nothing else has caught my eye."

His mother frowned. "None of those are close."

"Las Vegas is." He said with a shrug. "And U of A, but I don't want to go there."

"Well, son, we want to be there when you open the envelopes… or if they email, let me know so we can start touring schools." Coach Bolton said with a soft, but proud smile.

"I will." Troy said kind of surprised.

"So are you dating?" His mother asked shamelessly, with a smirk.

Troy and Gabriella looked at each other before Troy shook his head. "No, mom. When we figure it out, I'll let you know."

Gabriella smiled over at him. "I have been helping him with his work and he is doing amazing in all of his classes."

"Yep." Troy said proudly. "Four A's and two B's as of today."

"Great job baby!" His mother smiled. "I'm glad you're dedicating your time to school since you aren't doing basketball."

"I make sure of it." Gabriella said. "Homework first, even for me."

Troy nodded, chewing. "It's true, she rides my ass if I try not to get my work done."

"Be grateful you have a wonderful friend like her, Troy." Coach Bolton said. "She cares about you."

Troy smirked, looking over at Gabriella. "What?" She asked him. "I don't want to be around you when you're in a shitty mood."

"You care about me." Troy teased.

"That's it I'm leaving." Gabi joked, getting out of her seat.

"No!" Troy said, standing up quickly. He pushed her shoulders down gently, making her sit.

"See what I have to put up with Coach B?" Gabriella asked, pointing to Troy.

Coach Bolton laughed. "Better you than me." He teased. "Just kidding son… And When we're not at school, you can call me Jack."

"Alright…. Jack." She said testing it out. "It's weird." She decided before taking another bite.

"So mom, how's work?" Troy asked, changing the subject.

His mother smiled at him. "Work is work, honey. How is school?"

"School is great." Troy said, sipping his water. "I actually like going to school now."

Jack snorted. "Since when?"

"Since I only have to worry about school… and I get to bother Gabi." He said with a wide grin at the girl sitting next to him.

Gabriella nodded. "It's true. He hasn't left me alone since Monday."

Troy nodded, shrugging. "I can't help it."

The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and chatter. Troy didn't remember the last time him and his father had a discussion that wasn't about basketball. He had a great time and he was happy that Gabriella was there sitting by him. Since he really got to know her, everything felt like it was falling into place. He liked her, he really did. Of course, she knew that but they agreed on friendship and that was okay with him for now.

He walked Gabriella out to her car as when they realized it was getting late. She stopped before she stepped off the curb in front of her car. "Thanks for the good time, TB." Gabriella said with a smile.

"You're welcome anytime, cupcake. I think my parents like you more than they like the guys." Troy said with a chuckle.

"Man, your mom can cook. My house keeper is good, but your mom blows her out of the water. Never tell her I said that though." She said seriously. She ran her fingers through his hair. "We still on for tomorrow?"

Troy nodded. "Yep, I'll call you when I wake up and see where you are?" He suggested.

"Sounds good to me." She said, shrugging. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "See you." Troy murmured. He didn't step back to walk back to his house.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her. She stood on her tip toes, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Maybe Sunday, you can see if your dad is doing anything? You can hang out with him?"

"We'll see." He mumbled in her ear.

She pulled away from him, pressing her lips to him. She put her hands on the back of his neck, keeping him close. Troy grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist. He connected their lips again, letting out a soft sigh. She pulled away slowly, running her finger along his bottom lip. "I'll see you tomorrow." She whispered to him with a soft smile. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, beautiful." He pressed a kiss to her lips again before he released her from his arms.

He slid his hands in his pockets as he watched her get in the car. He took a step back on the curb. She waved to him as she pulled away. He watched her drive down the street. Once she was out of his sight, he turned back and walked to his house. He walked inside, closing the door behind him.

"What do you think?" He asked his mom who was sitting on the couch next to his father.

"We hate her." His mother said with a serious expression. She took a drink of her water. "Can't stand her."

Troy looked at her wide eyed. "What?"

She burst into laughter. "Just kidding, honey. She's great."

Jack chuckled from next to her. "She's a good girl, Troy."

Troy grinned. "Yeah, I like her too."

"Hope she comes around more often." His mom said, leaning over to give her husband a kiss. "Goodnight honey." She said as she got up and kissed Troy's cheek.

"Goodnight, mama." He said, kissing her cheek as well.

"I think I'm gonna head up too." His father said, getting up.

"Wait, coach, I was wondering what you were doing Sunday?" Troy said, stopping his dad.

"Nothing, son, why?" Jack asked.

"Maybe we can go do something? I think the car show is this weekend."

Jack grinned. "Sure, son. That sounds good."

"Great. Goodnight coach." Troy said.

"Troy." His father stopped him. "I'm not your coach. I'm your dad."

Troy smiled apologetically. "Goodnight, dad."

"Goodnight, son." Jack smiled, patting his shoulder as he walked passed.

Troy turned off the lights down stairs and walked up to his room. He laid on his bed and sighed. It smelled like her. She smelled like sunshine and flowers. The thoughts of her in his bed and straddling him just made his life harder. Literally. He wanted to just keep her next to him all of the time. He groaned, getting up. He changed his clothes and crawled into bed.

Gabriella got home and slipped in the door without anybody noticing. She headed straight for her room and into her bathroom. She pulled her hair back and wiped the makeup off her face. She put chapstick on her lips, rubbing them together.

"Gabi?"

She jumped. "Dear god, Mari. You scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry." She said, softly. "Daddy's not home yet… It's Friday."

Gabriella frowned, turning toward her sister. "We can call him tomorrow and maybe even go visit him?"

"He'll probably be busy."

"He'll make time for you Mari, promise. We can do whatever you want after, okay? My friend is going to come hang out with us in the afternoon. His name is Troy."

"Another boyfriend?" She asked, sitting on the closed toilet.

She shook her head. "Nope, he's just a friend. He's really nice."

"Good. Every time you bring one of your boyfriends you forget all about me 'cause all you do is kiss." Mariella said, swinging her feet.

"I promise it won't be like that tomorrow." She said, smoothing some moisturizer on her face. "Want some lotion? Makes your face soft."

She smiled. "Okay."

Gabriella knelt down. "Always moisturize. It makes you look young and pretty."

"Rose is mad at you for getting in late." Mari said, rubbing the lotion across her face.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow."

"Hey, Gabi?" Her little sister asked, looking up at her.

"Yeah?" She asked, rubbing in the lotion on her baby sister's face.

"Can you pick me up again? We can get French Fries like last year?"

Gabriella grinned. "We can do that next week and the week after but after that I start rehearsals for the play."

"Okay." Mari said, nodding. "Can I sleep with you?"

Gabi laughed. "Is that why you came in here?"

"Possibly."

Gabi laughed, nodding. "Go get in bed."

Mariella giggled and ran off. Gabriella brushed her teeth and put her retainer in before walking to bed. She turned her light off and crawled in bed next to her little sister. She cuddled against her sister, closing her eyes. "Love you Gabi."

"Love you too, Mari. Goodnight." She murmured, kissing the back of her sister's head.

Gabriella woke up next to her little sister curled up next to her. She turned to look at her clock, it was a little after seven in the morning. She shook her sister. "Mari, wake up. Let's get ready and wake up Cami." She said in a soft voice.

Mari popped up, her eyes still closed. "Okay, I'm coming."

Gabi rolled out of bed and closed herself into her bathroom. She did her normal routine, minus the make up and walked out. She shook her sister again who went back to sleep. "Mariella, up." Gabi said firmly. "You better be in that bathroom by the time I wake up Cami."

Mariella groaned, mumbling. "Okay."

Gabriella walked out of her room and over to her sisters across the hall. She knocked on the door. "Cami." She waited for a second before she knocked again, opening the door. "Camilla, wake up." She sat down on the bed next to her sister.

"What, Gabi?" Camilla mumbled.

"Wake up, get your stuff ready." Gabi instructed.

She moaned, turning over. "Go away."

"You have ten minutes or I'm going to sit on you." Gabi threatened, walking out of the room. She walked into her little sister's room, going through drawers, picking out clothes for her baby sister. She carried them into her room. "Mari, let's get dressed."

"Mmm, okay." She hummed, sitting up again, opening an eye.

Gabriella helped her stand up and get undressed. She dressed her sister in the clothes she brought. She sat behind her sister and ran a brush though her hair. She had the same thick, curly, dark hair both other sisters had. Gabriella braided her sisters hair before sending her off to the bathroom.

She walked into Cami's room again and she sat up immediately. "I'm up."

Gabi smiled, sitting on the bed. "Good. Did you want to go get breakfast?"

"Depends." She said, stretching her back. "What are we getting?"

"Whatever you want, Cam." Gabi said, smiling. "I'm going to call dad and see what he's doing. Mari wants to see him."

"He won't answer." Cami said, rolling her eyes. "Go ahead and try."

"I'll give him a good talking to. What's he going to do? Kick me out of the house he lives in only five times a year?"

Cami snorted. "Less than that."

"Go get in the shower." Gabi said, shaking her head. "I have to too."

"Kay." Cami hummed, getting out of bed.

Gabi walked around back into her room. Mari was sitting on her bed with sleepy eyes. "Mari, go play for twenty minutes while I get in the shower, okay?"

"I'll go find Rose." She said with a small smile.

"Okay." Gabi smiled, watching her leave.

She closed her bedroom door behind her. She pulled out her phone, dialing her father's cell phone. She waited three rings before he answered. "Richard Montez, speaking."

"Hey." Gabi answered.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Your daughter!" Gabriella said with a scoff. "It's Gabi, dad."

"What do you need, Gabi? I have a meeting in five minutes."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I wanted to know if you wanted to go to breakfast with your daughters… since you haven't seen us in a good six months."

"It hasn't been six months." Richard said. "What time?"

"When is your meeting over?" She asked, walking around her room, picking out clothes to wear later.

"Nine thirty, maybe nine forty-five." Her father said, sighing. "is that okay?"

"I have to get in the shower and so does Cami. She's going to pick so we'll probably get to wherever we're going at like 9:30." She said. "Cami's picking."

"I'll try to make it, but no promises. Just text me where you're going."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, Gabi, see you later."

Gabriella hung up without another word. She grabbed her clothes and went into the bathroom. After her shower, she got dressed in jean shorts and a green quarter sleeve shirt. She brushed her hair back and blow dried her curls so they weren't completely damp. She brushed her hair again before smoothing some anti-fizz product in it and leaving it be.

She put her Vans on and found Cami putting on make-up. "Did you pick yet?" Gabi asked, fixing her socks.

"Um, IHOP?" Cami suggested with a shrug.

"Whatever you want. You know me and Mari will eat anything."

"Are you calling me picky?"

"You are picky." Gabi said laughing.

Cami laughed. "You're right."

"So, IHOP?"

"Yep." Cami said, returning to her make-up.

"Alright, just come downstairs when you're ready." She said before walking out of Cami's room. Gabriella walked into her own deciding to put light make up on before walking down stairs.

"Gabriella!" Her mother called from upstairs. "Come here, honey."

Gabriella sighed and reluctantly turned around. She walked into her parents… well her mother's bedroom. "Yeah, mom?"

"I need you to take the girls out for a while. I'm having an adult function here." Her mother said. She was sitting in front of her vanity, cleaning her rings.

"Camilla is going to her friends for the night. We're going out to breakfast and I'll have Mariella all day." Gabriella said slowly.

"Great!" Her mother smiled. "Don't forget to call your father!"

"Why would I need to call my father?" Gabriella asked.

"Today's his birthday, honey."

Gabi shook her head. "His birthday is next Saturday…Mom." Gabriella glanced over at the calendar and smirked. "Today is your 20th wedding anniversary, though. Congratulations." Gabriella turned and walked out of the room.

She grabbed her purse and her phone from her room before walking down stairs. "Are we leaving?" Mari asked from the couch.

"Not yet." Gabi said, setting her things next to her sister. "We have to wait for Cami."

"That's going to take forever." Mari said, sighing.

Gabi laughed. "Hey, Rose." She greeted as her housekeeper walked into the room.

"Come with me." Rose instructed, grabbing Gabi's arm and pulling her into the kitchen.

"What's up?" Gabi asked, lifting herself onto the counter.

"Why'd you get home so late?" Rose asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Gabriella shrugged. "We were talking. Troy, his parents and I got along better than I thought it would. They're great people."

"You like him?" Rose said with a small smile.

"He's alright, I guess." Gabi said with a shrug.

"But what about the other guy?"

"Owen?" Gabi asked. "I broke up with him a couple days ago. Troy is his cousin, well distant cousin."

"Are you being safe?"

Gabi made a face. "We haven't had sex. He's a virgin."

Rose laughed. "You believe him."

"Yeah, You'll know when you meet him." Gabi said, swinging her legs. "I'm taking the girls out for breakfast. You wanna come?"

"I have to prepare for your mothers party." Rose said, rolling her eyes.

Gabi winced. "Sorry about that. I called Dad this morning. He might be meeting us for breakfast… we'll see."

Rose shrugged. "He might surprise you."

Gabi snorted. "Yeah, right. I just feel bad for Mari. She's still young enough to actually like the guy."

"That's your father." Rose reminded her.

"Only when it's convenient for him." Gabi said, rolling her eyes. She hopped off the counter. "Anyway, after we drop Cami off. Mari and I are going to hang out for a while. We're gonna meet up with Troy."

"Again?" Rose asked.

"Yeah. He's cool. I told him to hang out with his dad tomorrow though. I have lessons all day. Vocal at 10, I have to come back and pick up Mari to go to piano at 1, then guitar at three. Pick up Cami from her friends then maybe go eat. Are you making anything?"

Rose shrugged. "No idea, you know how your mother is. I'll let you know tomorrow. I'll text you."

"Alright. I'm going to go drag Cami down here by her hair."

Rose laughed. "Good luck with that."

Sorry that this wasn't up on monday. I started working and i've been exhausted all week. I have today off because of the fourth tomorrow! I hope everybody celebrating in America has a happy, fun, and safe holiday! Don't forget to review!