Authors note: I own Daniella and the idea of Gabriella having a fraternal twin sister so it can't be used by anybody else… Enjoy!
"Wow look at this place," Sharpay said when they walked into the elaborately decorated gym.
"It looks really nice," Daniella said.
"Hey guys over here!" Jason called. He and Kelsi were sitting in a table with Chad and Taylor. They made their way over and sat down.
"Oh look theirs Troy and Gabriella," Zeke said, waving them over. They sat down in the last two spots, Troy sitting next to Daniella. He looked over and smiled at her but she didn't return one. An MC appeared on the stage.
"What's up East High? Well we are going to be serving dinner in a bit and then the music is going to start and you are all going to have a blast. I'm your MC Tony D. and I will be here all night." People cheered as they brought the food out. Half an hour later the music started but the dance floor was empty. Daniella got up.
"Come on Ryan, lets get this party started," she said. Ryan took her hand and they walked to the center of the dance floor and started dancing.
'Why is Troy staring at them like that?' Gabriella asked herself when he noticed that Troy wouldn't take his eyes off of Ryan and Daniella.
"Alright, come on Zeke," Sharpay said. They joined Ryan and Daniella and people slowly started getting up and dancing, including Troy and Gabriella.
Daniella and Ryan were dancing when Gabriella and Troy appeared next to them.
"Hey guys," Gabriella said.
"Hey, Gabriella, we never finished that conversation about Jane Eyre," Ryan said.
"Well let's finish it now, switch partners." Ryan let Daniella go and he and Gabriella moved away in conversation. Troy looked at Daniella and offered her his hand.
"You know what, I need to go to the bathroom," she said, starting to walk away. Troy followed her.
"Daniella come on," he said, but she walked out of the gym and into the hallway. He stayed next to her until she walked into the bathroom. He leaned against the wall and waited.
Daniella sat on top of the sink and let out a sigh. She stayed there for a few minutes then decided to go back out when she thought it was safe. She swung open the bathroom door and walked out. Troy was leaning against the wall. She started back to the gym.
"Daniella why are you being like this? Did I do something wrong?" he asked.
"Troy I think your date might be looking for you."
"She is still talking to Ryan." Daniella shook her head and kept on walking. A slow song could be heard from the gym, 'Cry for you' by Jodeci. "Dance with me." She turned to him. "Just one dance." She hesitated and then walked over to him. He put his arms around her waist and she put one arm around his shoulder and kept her other on his chest.
"I'm sorry," she said blankly. He stroked her hair.
"Its ok, but you don't have to ignore me."
"Its just that the things my sister said…those are part of my past. I didn't want anybody here to know about them."
"Why?"
"Because I thought it would make you guys think that I was a bad person. I didn't want you guys to get scared of me or think I'm a bad influence, I didn't want you to think differently of me."
"We wouldn't Danni." He reached up and grabbed her hand. "I know I wouldn't." he leaned forward and just as their lips were about to touch the gym doors opened and they quickly pulled away from each other.
"Hey guys come in, the dance is just getting started," Ryan said with Gabriella. They walked over and grabbed their date's hand. Troy looked over Gabriella to Daniella who just shrugged at him and looked at Ryan with a smile. They walked into the gym and walked over to their friends who were all dancing.
"Hey its feels like we haven't seen you two in a while," Sharpay said to Troy and Daniella.
"Well we're here now," Troy said, starting to dance. Ryan pulled Daniella over to the side.
"I'm sorry we missed the slow song," Ryan said.
"The dance is just getting started, I'm sure they will have more." He smiled at her and they continued dancing and sure enough a few songs later a slow one started.
"So why were you and Daniella out there for so long?" Gabriella asked Troy as they danced.
"Oh, don't worry about it."
"Did something happen?"
"No, nothing happened, nothing at all," he said looking over at Daniella.
"Why do you keep looking at her?"
"What I'm not looking at her, I'm looking at the DJ."
"Yea right, Troy do you like my sister?"
"What? No way." Daniella was close enough to hear what they were saying.
"Are you lying?"
"Gabriella I don't like her, she isn't even my type, she's a little too extreme."
"Yea she is."
"So no, I don't like her at all, nothing about her."
'That's a little harsh,' Daniella thought.
"Now it just sounds like your trying to talk yourself out of it."
"If I like her would I do this?" he leaned forward and kissed Gabriella. Daniella looked away.
"Are you ok?" Ryan asked.
"Yea, I'm fine, it's just getting a little stuffy in here."
"Well do you want to go for a walk?" she nodded.
"Anyplace but here would be great right now," she said, looking directly at Troy. They walked outside.
"So are you having fun at your first East High event?" Ryan asked.
"Yea, I'm having a great time."
"Is something up?" he asked.
"No, nothings up, I'm really having a good time with you, you've been great." Ryan suddenly leaned forward and kissed her. "Um…that was…"
"Yea I am so sorry," he said embarrassed.
"Ryan you are such a sweet guy but I think the farthest our relationship will go is being friends, is that alright?" he smiled and put his arm around her.
"Yea, I think that's fine."
"Great."
"So how about we go inside and dance the night away?" he grabbed her hand but she stayed where she was.
"I don't really want to go back in there, at least not right now."
"Do you want me to stay with you?"
"I don't want to deprive you of your fun Ryan, don't worry, I'll be fine and back in there soon, I don't want you to be stuck out here with me because you are my date."
"Are you sure."
"Yes, go, have fun."
"Alright but just come get me if you need me."
"Ok." He went back inside and Daniella sat down on a bench in the center of the courtyard.
Troy saw Ryan walk into the gym alone. He knew that he had upset Daniella and had just asked Gabriella to be his girlfriend, without even thinking about it.
"Where's Daniella?" Sharpay asked Ryan. They were all taking a break from dancing.
"Outside," Ryan responded.
"I'll be right back," Sharpay said. She got up and grabbed her coat and Daniella's and walked outside.
Daniella stared at the moist grass beneath her feet.
"Daniella?" she looked over to see Sharpay.
"Hey."
"Mind if I sit with you?"
"No." she sat down and handed her coat. "Thanks."
"So what are you doing out here?" she shrugged. "Did something happen between you and Troy when you guys weren't in the gym."
"Maybe."
"What happened?"
"Gabriella and Ryan started dancing so Troy asked me to dance and I told him I wanted to go to the bathroom so he followed me…"
"Into the bathroom?"
"No, he waited for me to come outside and then the slow song came on and we started to dance and I said I was sorry for ignoring him and he told me he would never judge me because of the things Gabriella told you guys and we were having a moment and I felt really connected to him and our lips were inches apart when Ryan and Gabriella walked out of the gym to come get us and we like pushed away from each other and we came back into the gym and I overheard him tell Gabriella that he didn't like anything about me and then he kissed her and then I came out here and Ryan kissed me and we decided to be friends and now I'm out here wallowing in self pity which I think is pretty pathetic but you know what the worst part of it all is?"
"What?"
"I like him, I like him a lot and now I don't know what to do."
"I know this isn't the best time to say this but he asked Gabriella to be his girlfriend right after you walked out."
"Yea, that makes me feel so much better."
"I'm sorry Danni."
"I'll deal."
"Do you want to come inside now?"
"Um I don't think I want to."
"Daniella you're strong, and you said you could deal, this would be the perfect way to show that you can." She put her hand out and Daniella grabbed it and they walked back to the gym.
"Hey there you are," Ryan said when Daniella walked back in. She sat down next to Troy and avoided eye contact and pretty much any form of acknowledgement that he was there. She spent the rest of the time dancing and actually having fun.