The day was going ok for Gabriella, though she didn't speak to anyone. At lunch, she looked around the cafeteria not sure where to sit. She found her brother but was hesitant to sit with him as he was surrounded by jocks.

(Meanwhile with Chad as Gabriella walked into the cafeteria)

"Isn't that the chick from homeroom?" One of his teammates - Jason - asked.

Chad was about to respond but Troy beat him to it. "Yeah Jase, she's in our homeroom, her name's Gabriella."

"How do you know that Hoops?" Another teammate - Zeke - asked.

"Sophie was messing with her this morning so I stepped in, I spoke to her for a second. She seems ok, very shy."

"She's hot but I don't do shy girls, I like them wild." Another teammate - Hayden - said.

Chad hated to hear them talking about his sister like this and he looked over at her, seeing her look lost. He got up and walked over to her.

(Back with Gabriella)

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Chad's voice. "Everything ok G?"

She smiled, "yeah, just not sure where to go, I haven't made friends as quickly as you have Chad."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her to the table. "You're shy Gabs and there's nothing wrong with that, come sit with me."

"Are you sure? I don't want to embarrass you in front of your new friends."

He kissed her cheek. "My little sister could never embarrass me, don't worry G, you can stick with me for as long as you want."

They approached the table and Chad noticed that the two seats were between Troy and Hayden, so Chad took the seat closest to Hayden, not wanting him near his sister and Gabriella sat between him and Troy.

Jason spoke up. "You didn't tell us she was your girlfriend."

Both Chad and Gabriella scrunched their eyebrows, the former responding. "That's because she's not my girlfriend. Guys this is Gabriella, my sister." The guys all had a look of realisation on his face and Chad turned to Gabriella. "Gabs, this is Hayden, Brock, Jason, Zeke and Troy."

She nodded slightly and looked around the group. Sensing her nervousness, Troy smiled gently when their eyes connected, which she returned. She suddenly felt arms wrap around her and a head rested on her shoulder. She jumped slightly and looked up to find Lachlan grinning. "Hey Gabi."

She shook her head and kissed his cheek. "Locky, how's your day been?"

"Pretty good, I just wanted to say hi to you guys since we came in."

She nodded and leaned back against him. "Have you made some friends?"

"Yeah sis, I met some guys in homeroom and I'm guessing based on where you guys are sitting that Chad made friends with the team and you're being shy?" She pouted and he laughed. "Don't worry G, you know we love you."

"Hey I'm the older one here, I should be reassuring you not the other way around."

"And you do sis, it's just that you and Imi are the shyer ones out of us, so this is the exception. Anyway I should probably get going, see you guys this afternoon. Later Chad, Gabi."

After Lachlan left, the bell rang and Chad turned to Gabriella. "What subject do you have next?"

"AP chemistry."

"Damn I have geography." He didn't feel comfortable with her walking alone after hearing the conversation with the team.

Troy turned to Gabriella. "I have AP chemistry too, I can walk with you if you'd like?"

Gabriella smiled shyly. "Yeah thanks, I'm still having a bit of trouble finding my way around the school." She turned back to her brother. "I'll see you after school and we'll go get Locky and the girls?"

He hugged his sister. "Sounds good G, see you this afternoon."

Troy accompanied Gabriella to her locker. "So you have a lot of siblings?"

She nodded, "yeah there's me and Chad then Locky who you saw before then the twins."

"Wow, so are you and Chad twins too?"

"No Chad's 17 and I'll be 16 soon."

"You're 15 and a junior? Damn you must be smart."

She shrugged, "I guess you could say that."

They arrived at her locker and she started sorting through, finding her books for her last two periods. Troy watched the girl with fascination, he had to admit she was beautiful and her innocence made her very cute. His thoughts were interrupted as she closed her locker and turned to him. "I'm sorry for bothering you guys during lunch."

"No worries Gabriella, you weren't bothering us and you can sit with us anytime you want, you're Chad's sister after all."

She nodded sadly, "yeah I doubt I'm really going to fit in here and I don't think Chad would let me sit alone."

He noticed her change of mood and gave her a quick side hug. "Yeah Chad doesn't seem like the type to want you sitting alone and I don't want you to either, you are always welcome at our table. There are quite a few people that you have to be careful of around here."

"I don't think I really have to worry about that, I'll be pretty invisible to the school."

Troy shook his head. "You're kidding right? I don't think you're as invisible as you think you are. A lot of people, especially guys have noticed you today."

She looked at him shocked. "Seriously? You're kidding right?"

"Nope, I don't know if you want to know what they're saying about you but I think it's better for you to know what is going around. I've overhead a lot of guys comment on you, specifically that you're hot and that they wouldn't mind getting with you."

"I don't like that and by getting with me, you mean?"

"Sleeping with you." She paled a bit and he rubbed her back. "It's ok, just stick with Chad and no one will touch you, if Chad can't be with you, I will."

"You'd stay with me just to make sure none of the guys hurt me?"

He shrugged, "well yeah, you seem cool and we've been talking well. I don't know what it is but there's something about you that's different than these other girls. That's a compliment by the way." He grinned charmingly and she smiled shyly, which he found adorable.

Gabriella looked around the hallway just before they entered chemistry and noticed that the students were looking at them and whispering. She turned to Troy asking. "Why is everyone staring at us and whispering?"

Troy pulled her into the classroom and sat her in the empty desk next to his normal seat. He sat in his own seat before turning to her. "I'm pretty closed off at school and people only see me talking to the basketball team unless I'm dealing with someone, like this morning with Sophie. So now that I was talking with you and we were going to class together, people are going to start talking."

"Oh, um you don't have to show me to class if people are going to gossip about it, I understand."

"Gabriella it's fine, there's always some form of gossip going around East High and besides we're friends now so it doesn't matter."

"We're friends?"

"Of course," He smiled lazily. "What did you think you were?"

"Your teammate's little sister."

He shook his head. "You are far from just being Chad's little sister." He inwardly scolded himself for where the conversation was going, they were borderline flirting at this point. He couldn't be flirting with this girl when she'd only been there for a day but he couldn't lie and say that he didn't feel something for the girl.