An: What's great about quarantine? Writing time!

"Well, I think this is working out a thousand times better than a band," Sharpay said.

Karaoke was a hit. The stage had been graced by many costumed alumni including Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, and Princess Diana. In high school, not every student was cut out for the drama club, and that had not changed. Thankfully, karaoke had the effect of making everyone feel like they could sing, so the stage was constantly occupied. Applause accompanied every performance regardless of talent.

"You really mean that?" Ryan had been watching the stage along with everything else, but he was still unsure. He couldn't help but compare it to his vision and the plans he spent months preparing and organizing.

"Of course I do! I don't lie or sugar-coat, you know that."

Ryan relaxed a bit and smiled. At least there would be a lot to tell Mark when he arrived. It wouldn't be too much longer. Mark was a nurse at the hospital in town and his shift ended a few minutes ago. He was eager to share this night with him. Ryan asked his sister if she was having a good time, but she didn't seem to hear him. Her brown eyes were focused across the room. He followed her gaze and then bumped her with his shoulder.

"You know it's none of your business," he reminded.

Sharpay didn't look at him. "Look," she said. Ryan did as he was told. Troy and Gabriella were standing next to the refreshment table with Taylor and Chad. If they were all involved in the same conversation, it didn't look like it. There was an uncomfortably large gap between Troy and Gabriella. Taylor and Chad were relaxed, but Gabriella had her arms crossed and Troy was using his plastic cup as a shield across his chest. They kept sneaking glances at each other.

"See?" Sharpay said, "They just need a little push." She brought her hands up in front of Ryan's face and smashed her palms together.

Ryan shook his head. Maybe if he said it in a more definitive tone, it would stick. "Still not your business."

She was not deterred in the slightest. "They're our friends. That makes it our duty to help."

As usual, Sharpay had her ways to pull him into her plans. She gave him directions to 'set the mood' and that was how he found himself on stage, microphone in hand, singing Time After Time. He watched as Sharpay crossed the crowd to join the group at the refreshment table. She purposely bumped Troy with her hip, pushing him away from the table and closer to Gabriella. It was overly dramatic and not at all believable.

--

Troy rolled his eyes. Sharpay quickly began rambling into one of her favorite Troy stories. "Did Troy tell you about how we ran into Hugh Jackman at Target? And that he had no idea who Hugh Jackman even was? Like, how long have you been living under that rock, buddy?" She laughed loudly and elbowed Troy in the ribs. Chad asked for more details and she excitedly supplied them.

Sharpay was better at embarrassing stories than a mother with an old photo album. Troy felt a blush coming to his face. He quickly turned to Gabriella. "Can I have this dance?"

She nodded and he led her to the dance floor. They fell into step easily, but space stretched between them.Troy tried to focus on Gabriella rather than the lyrics Ryan was singing. The words hit a little too close to home. He looked into her dark eyes and it also felt too close, too vulnerable. But, then, he looked at her mouth and memories bubbled up. Troy stiffened his arms even more.

Gabriella smiled with tight lips. She was trying not to laugh at him.

"I'm glad I can still entertain you, Ms. Montez." She was right to want to laugh. He was dancing like they were in sixth grade at a Catholic school, leaving room for the Holy Spirit. Troy let go of one of her hands and brought the other up, leading her into a spin. When she spun back towards him, he held her closer.

"You do know how to keep it interesting," she said, "and so does Sharpay." Gabriella looked over his shoulder. He looked too and saw Rainbow Brite very obviously watching them. Gabriella waved at her and she promptly crossed her arms and turned around.

Troy shook his head and resumed dancing. "I do know who Hugh Jackman is, by the way. He was just trying to hide from the paparazzi, so he looked different."

She didn't contain her laughter this time. "I'm sure a baseball cap does wonders to conceal an identity."

Troy maneuvered them around a couple dancing too slowly for the beat. "Just you wait, living in California, it will happen to you, too. You'll walk right by Charlie Sheen."

"But, I won't have Sharpay there to witness it." Gabriella followed Troy's lead effortlessly.

Troy agreed with her point. As they were talking, their bodies matched each other with more ease. Muscle memory, maybe. Being with Gabreilla was easier with music, with steps. Troy yearned for that ease they used to have. There was always a simplicity between them. Like kindergarten. Of course, they had a few missteps. Uprooting the status quo had seemed like such a big obstacle then. Looking back it was hard not to think it was silly. A jock dating a brain? It was his biggest hurdle at the time, but now it was just the plot of a movie for teenagers. He could hardly call it a challenge.

After graduation, when the world stopped catering to him, he didn't handle life's new challenges well. He felt outmatched and unprepared. Troy knew he should have handled his injury better, handled their relationship better, handled becoming a man better. He thought he was a good man now, and hoped it was enough to try again.

Ryan sang the chorus for the second time, the words moving through the air directly to Troy. If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me. "Gabriella?" Time after time.

She made eye contact. Her dark brown eyes weren't behind glasses tonight. Troy got distracted with her pink scrunchie, remembering how she always had to put her hair in a bun right on the top of her head before going to sleep. He wondered if she still did that. She had a sweet tooth, too, and a habit of having ice cream after brushing her teeth for bed. Her bed always had multiple blankets, so many piled high on top of the comforter. In the morning, she would have three separate alarms. For such an overachiever, she hated mornings. He hoped those little things about her were still the same.

"I've missed you." It was a simple truth. Troy had been thinking it long before the reunion invitation. He watched her respond, saw her eyes watching his face and then the movement of their feet. His chest felt right as he held his breath.

--

Gabriella found herself in a familiar, yet completely foreign, situation. She was looking into Troy's eyes, tinted that same blue hue that comforted her, and feeling a smattering of butterflies in her abdomen. It brought back memories of their first kiss. She has been told that a first love was unforgettable, but this felt different. The last two days had turned all of her black and white memories back into full color.

East High was where she found herself, grew into a woman who was confident with all of the parts of herself. Gabriella recognized how much of that was because of Troy. Their relationship had been the push she needed to explore the possibilities around her. He was her catalyst. Troy didn't change who she was, he just caused the reaction that brought her to where she was now. He had always helped her to balance reaching for her dreams with living in the present. Without him in her life, she had tipped the scales too heavily in one direction.

"When I got the job at SpaceX, I wanted to call you," Gabriella said.

His eyes were focused on hers. "I'm proud of you."

Gabriella knew that should have sounded weird, but to her, it didn't. She was his biggest cheerleader and he reciprocated. "We spent so much of our time together working towards our dreams."

"We did. I'm glad you accomplished yours," Troy responded with a sad smile.

Gabriella quickly backtracked, sputtering apologies. "I didn't mean," she said quickly, "I mean--, I'm so sorry."

"Gabriella." He put his hand on her cheek. "I know what you meant. I am really happy for you, truly. I think," he took a deep breath, "I think basketball was never really my dream."

His hand was still on her cheek, warm and soft. There was a kind relaxation to his face. She knew he wasn't lying. He had come a long way, come to terms with his injury, his desires, and he had moved forward. Now, maybe, they could move forward, too.

She stepped closer to him as they danced and he slowed their movements. Gabriella brought her hand to the back of his neck and stood on her toes, reaching up for him as he brought his head down. Their lips met magnetically, finding each other with a once-practiced ease. His hand drifted from her cheek into her hair, pulling her as close as possible. He tasted like rum punch and home. Gabriella wasn't sure if they were still dancing, but she felt like she was spinning.

When their kisses were through, she could think again. They had still been dancing, moving along with the music. Gabriella put her head on his chest and his arms settled around her waist. He squeezed. "I've missed you, too." She felt him smile against the top of her head before planting a kiss there.

AN: I hoped I lived up to the hype I created for myself for the first Troyella reunion kiss.