A/N: Here's chapter three. There's a bit of a reference to underage drinking. I'm not attempting to promote that or anything, but if you don't like it...you don't have to read it. Uh, I'm not trying to say that the HSM character people would drink a lot, but it worked for my story, so...Uh, the italics are flashbacks. Uh, that's about it. Read and review! Thanks! -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical or other related related characters and storylines.

Chapter Three

Remembering What Once Was

"Hey guys, look who I found lingering by the door." Chad's voice floated over them.

Gabriella looked up to see Chad standing over their table, with Troy not a foot behind him. The rest of the guys walked up a moment later. Each of the girls shot a nervous glance in Gabriella's direction before greeting Troy. They all stood to hug Troy, before sitting back down. Troy smiled at each of them in turn, and voiced a short greeting. Then his eyes fell on Gabriella and didn't leave her.

"Hey Troy." Gabriella replied quietly.

"Gabby." Troy reciprocated, smiling softly at her.

Gabriella took a much needed breath, smiled and got up to walk aorund the table to Troy. He awkwardly pulled her into a hug and Gabriella slipped her arms around his back. He was still so much taller than her, she could tell because even with heels on she only reached his chest. He even smelled the same. She was certain he was wearing the same cologne he wore in high school, though she couldn't imagine how she remembered. What she couldn't understand was while everything about him seemed familiar, hugging him--something she had done hundreds of times during high school--felt so foreign.

Troy hugged her tightly and said, softly near her ear, "It's good to see you Gabby."

"Yeah, you too." Gabriella agreed, stepping away.

Gabriella returned to her seat, and the guys assembled around the table, pulling over chairs and huddling in. Chad beckoned over a waiter to get a fresh round of drinks. Everything fell into place, mostly. It was like old times again, mostly. Conversations turned to old times and memories, after Taylor posed a single question.

"What was your favorite memory from high school?" Taylor asked, looking around the table.

Gabriella listened to Chad recount a fascinating tale about...basketball. It wasn't much of a surprise. Chad, besides having a talent at interrupting, was basketball oriented. That was why he had chosen to come back to New Mexico after college to coach the East High team--once Troy's father had retired.

As he finished up, Taylor commented, "That sounds funny."

"It was hilarious!" Chad exclaimed, not picking up on the sarcasm in Taylor's voice.

Gabriella chuckled, looking down at her lap. Jason pick up and told a story about Kelsi and him from a party they had all attended. Gabriella listened, but kept her eyes cast downward. She was afraid if she looked up she would have to talk to Troy. If she caught his eye, it would become awkward. It was bad enough that Troy had taken a seat right in her line of vision. Gabriella preoccupied herself by wringing her hands in her lap. She probably appeared nervous to anyone who looked at her, but she was so there was nothing she could do. Gabriella tensed when she heard her name.

"Gabriella, what about you?" Kelsi questioned.

Gabriell had to think about the question. She had so many good memories, it was hard to choose which one was her favorite. She was sure they probably thought she would say something about Troy and their first musical. But that wasn't her favorite memory--just her first. Gabriella tried to determine which memory to share, but as hard as she tried the only memorie she could think of was the last one she wanted to share.

It was right before graduation, only a couple of weeks before. One of the players on the basketball team--Gabriella couldn't remember which one--was throwing a party. It was meant for seniors only, to celebrate their upcoming graduation.

They had all gone. It was going to be one of the last parties of their high school careers. Sharpay and Ryan had a huge party planned for after grad, but that wasn't for two weeks.

As usual, someone was able to get some cases of beers. Gabriella would never drink at theser things and neither would Troy. This time was no different. Someone had to get their friends home. While the rest of them drank, it wasn't a lot but it was enough for them to need at least two designated drivers. Troy and Gabriella happened to be just that.

Gabriella was driving Troy's car that night. Taylor was half asleep in the back seat. Chad was sitting in the front singing along--loudly--with the radio. The thing about Chad was he had never been able to hold his alcohol well. One or two drinks and he was completely intoxicated.

Gabriella pulled up at a stoplight and sat back to wait for it fo change. The last notes of the song faded out and Gabriella twirled the volume dial so silence filled the car.

Chad sat back and took in a deep, dramatic breath. "Oh, Gabby, Gabby, Gabby."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. She usually ignored Chad's drunken ramblings. She usually didn't drive Chad after he had been drinking. That was usually Troy's job. But not that night.

Troy had driven Gabriella, Chad and Taylor to the party. Zeke had driven himself, Ryan and Sharpay. After the party Troy was transporting Sharpay, Ryan and Zeke in Zeke's car. Gabriella had never learned how to drive a stick shift, so Troy had to get the other three home--they wouldn't all fit in one car. And Gabriella got stuck with dropping Taylor and Chad off, before going to pick up Troy at Zeke's.

"Gabby, Gabby, Gabby. Gab-bee. Gah-bee. Gab-bay. Gabby, Gabby, Gabby." Chad repeated, trying out the word. It must have sounded foreign to him as he began to slur a little, because he made a face.

"That's me." Gabriella replied, pulling forward as the light flicked to green.

"Do you even know what you do to him?"Chad questioned, rolling his head so he was looking at Gabriella.

"I don't know what you're talking about Chad." Gabriella answered, keeping her eyes on the road and making a right turn.

"You torture him, you know. How can you do that to him?" Chad scowled.

"Who?" Gabriella asked, glancing at Chad for a second before turning her attention back to the road.

"Troy." Came his reply.

"How do I torture Troy?" Gabriella chuckled.

"The guy's in love with you and you barely even give him the time of day." Chad said.

Gabriella went completely silent. There was no way to respond to that. She wasn't sure she had even heard correctly. She whipped around to reply to Chad, but his eyes had fallen shut--he was asleep. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the front. She made a final turn and had to just drive to the end of the street to drop Chad off.

Gabriella wasn't quite sure what to do with that little tidbit of information Chad had provided. For one, he was drunk--it could be just some sloppy, mixed-up, random statement that his beer hazed brain had produced. It might not have meant anything at all. It could have been something his clouded brain had let slip out. But if it was somewhat true...she still didn't know what to do. If Chad had a reason for saying it, she still didn't know what to do. There was two ways it could go. If Chad was wrong--or had no reason for saying it--and Gabriella said something to Troy, everything could fall apart. She could lose one of her best friends. If Chad was right...it only made things complicated, with graduation coming up.

Gabriella parked in front of Chad's house. She sighed and dropped her head to rest against the steering wheel. She didn't know what to dod. She had never dealt with confusion well. Gabriella sat back up, ran her fingers through her hair, and tried to compose herself.

She turned to Chad and gently nudged him awake. She wanted the night to be over, as quickly as possible.

Gabriella made a decision in those few moments, while sitting in the car in front of Chad's house. She decided to ignore it, make as if it never happened. Things would just be easier that way.

The ride home with Troywas awkward for Gabriella. She had been able to get a groggy, stumbling Chad into his house, and get Taylor home in time to get Troy. The entire drive, it kept playing over and over in her head. With Troy in the car with her it was hard to keep it together. It was sitting right there behind her lips, waiting to just tumble out. She couldn't say anything. She wouldn't say anything.

It had helped that Chad didn't remember anything about that night. It made it easier that they all were separating for college. She could go away and forget it ever happened. Everything seemed so simple when she thought about it. Then she fell out of touch with all of them and she didn't think about it at all. Until now.

"Gabriella? Are you there?" Taylor replied, waving her hand in front of Gabriella's face and breaking into her thoughts.

"Uh, what?" Gabriella responded, shaking herself back into reality.

"Kelsi asked you a question, about your favorite memory?" Taylor said, "You kind of zoned out."

"Sorry." Gabriella attempted a smile. "I couldn't really think of one."

"Come on, there has to be something." Kelsi prodded, "We all had so much fun together."

"We had a lot of good times, didn't we Gabby?" Troy added, his eyes trained directly on her.

"Of course we did." Gabriella looked up into his eyes. "That's the problem. There's so many..."

"Isn't there?" Sharpay smiled.

"What's your favorite memory, Troy?" Gabriella asked.


Ever since he had sat down at the table, Troy had been watching Gabriella. He found himself unable to keep his eyes off of her. She looked uncomfortable, nervous and skittish. She wouldn't meet his eyes. She kept her face turned into her lap.

Troy listened to everyone talk about old times, but all he thought about was what Gabriella could be thinking. She seemed so concentrated. It was kind of disappointing that much of that concentration was aimed toward ignoring him. When Kelsi asked Gabriella about her favorite memory and she zoned out, Troy could tell she was thinking about something important to her. She only got that look in her eyes when she was thinking of something important or something that meant a lot to her. Her eyes held a torment of emotions--as if she couldn't decide what to feel and she decided to feel everything instead of choosing. She used to get that look when she thought of him.

Then Taylor pulled her back into reality and suddenly the spotlight was turned onto him. Troy's most precious memories from high school--to nobody's surprise would all include Gabriella. She was the biggest part of his life back then. And then she disappeared from it.

He never had the common sense to go after her.

He was sure now that the love he had for her hadn't faded in the slightest. It was still as intense as it was ten years before. Anyone who asked about his high schook experience would get an ear full of good things. Basketball, musicals, friends, parties. Everything had been good in high school, except one thing. He had one regret. Just one single regret. He had never told her how he felt.

Troy had tried many times. Many, many times. Something had always gotten in the way. Chad interrupted, Troy missed his chance, he froze up, someone else turned up, the mood got ruined...there were so many reasons why he never got around to telling her. One, he could never really tell if she felt the same. Two, he wanted to wait for the perfect moment, but it never really came. And three, he was scared to death. Yes, Troy the fearless was scared.

The situation was so much different than any other situation he had ever been through. If he made a mistake in basketball, he could practice and fix it for the next game. If he messed up a song, he could rehearse and memorize the words better for the next time. If he made a mistake with Gabriella, he could lose her. Not taking it back. No fixing it. That was why he never said anything to her back then.

After graduation as Gabriella slowly slipped away, he had thought that maybe it was for the best that he hadn't told her. Now, he couldn't help but wonder which would have hurt worse: losing her without ever having told her or telling her and losing her. He had already struggled through one he certainly didn't want to experience the other that night, after seeing her for the first time in ten years.

His favorite memory, though, was not something he wanted to share--at least not anytime soon. It wasn't something he wanted to share with everyone at the table. It was between him and Gabriella. A special moment. He would probably be laughed at but, it was an intimate moment. Something he wanted to keep between them. Just them. He wasn't even sure if she would remember.

After the opening night of Twinkle Town, one of their fellow cast members threw a huge party in celebration of it going smoothly. Troy and Gabriella had joined in on the fun for a while, but when Chad and some of the basketball players arrived a little later inot the party Gabriella snuck off on her own.

It was awhile before Troy realized she was gone. He had gotten caught up with his friends and cast mates and when he turned around she wasn't there. He had gone in circles around the house--twice--before he noticed her.

It was a clear night, and bright stars dotted the open sky. Troy had been halfway out of the room when he saw Gabriella through the sliding glass door. She sat on the backyard lawn, her face turned up to the sky. Troy watched her for a moment through the glass. She looked so peaceful and calm. He felt guilty for disrupting her.

Troy slid the door open as quietly as he could, but it still attracted her attention. Gabriella turned around and caught sight of Troy. She smiled and turned back. Troy walked over and plopped down next to her.

"Whatcha looking at?" Troy said, but the minute it left his mouth he realized it was a stupid question.

"The stars." Gabriella answered, her gaze trained intently upward. "I don't think I've seen the sky look this beautiful."

"It's really nice." Troy agreed. "What are you thinking?"

"It's nothing important." Gabriella shook her head and looked down toward her lap.

Troy leaned over so he could see her face. "What are you thinking?"

"It's nothing Troy, really." Gabriella said.

"Come on, you can tell me." Troy prodded further.

"I was thinking about the night was first met, what the sky looked like then...everything about that night." Gabriella finally admitted after a moment. "And I was trying to imagine what my life would have been like it you weren't in it, if we had never met."

"It's not too good is it?" Troy joked.

"No, Troy. I would be so lost without you." Gabriella corrected, shaking her head vigorously. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"I don't believe that for a second." Troy replied. "You can do anything, with or without me."

"No, I can't." Gabriella stated, her voice matter of fact. Gabriella laid back so she was lying in the grass, staring up at the stars.

Troy mimiced her motion so he was lying next to her. "Why do you say that?"

"I'm not a brave person Troy. Not at all. Not even a little. But when I'm with you I feel strong, I feel brave, I feel like I can conquer the world. Without you, I couldn't do what I do. I certainly couldn't get up on stage in front of all those people like I did tonight." Gabriella explained, "You saw how I got at the callbacks. I would be like that all the time if I didn't have you."

"Nah, I don't think so." Troy disagreed. He always saw Gabriella as a confident person, but maybe that was just him.

"Yes." Gabriella corrected firmly.

"Really?" Troy propped himself up on his elbow so he was looking down at her, directly in her eyes.

Gabriella nodded, "Really."

Troy sighed, "I'd rather not think about what my life would be like without you in it."

"You'd be fine Mr. Big Shot. You would still be the captain of the basketball team, championship winner, and the most popular boy at East High. You don't need me to be those things." Gabriella said. "Your life was fine before me. I was just the weird girl who reads during a party before I got dragged on stage with you."

"I would rather be nothing and have you in my life than be all of those things without you." Troy admitted.

"No, you wouldn't." Gabriella replied. "It's too much to give up for little old me."

"Not true." Troy whispered softly. "You're really special, you just can't see it."

Gabriella smiled lightly at Troy's words. Her eyes were locked on his as they fell silent. Troy found himself leaning closer to her. He was just inches from kissing her. Then the sliding glass door slammed open and Troy jerked away. He looked up to see Chad walking out.

"Troy, Gabby...there's somebody looking for you...from the musical or something." Chad shrugged.

"Right." Troy nodded, standing up and givig Gabriella a hand up.

They headed back inside, behind Chad. The moment had completely evaporated. They would never talk about it--along with the other dozen times or more they had almost gotten together. The next day it would be as if it had never happened.

It wasn't the first--or the last--time Chad interrupted a moment like that one.

Troy shook those thoughts from his mind. He looked up at Gabriella's questioning and expecting eyes. He would have to think of something to say. She was expecting an answer. Troy mumbled off something about something that happened during one of their rehearsals for the musical.


Gabriella smiled as she recalled the same memory. She turned back toward the ground as Taylor began to elaborate on her favorite memory. Gabriella really missed this. Being able to sit around and talk about anything was something she hadn't been able to do since graduation. The friendships she had made just weren't as close as the ones she had with these people in high school. She missed it. She missed them.

Gabriella could feel Troy's eyes on her--as they had been since he sat down. She looked up and right into his eyes. She used to be able to read Troy like a book, but she didn't recognize the look he had in his eyes now. Troy smiled slightly at her and Gabriella felt her heart flutter. Memories of when he used to have that effect on her flooded her. She wasn't ready to be back in this place yet. But she had dived back in head first when she decided to come her. She would have to deal with it and quick. She didn't want to repeat the same mistakes she made in her past.