Closed Book

Disclaimer: I don't own HSM

AN: Chapter numbero trios…

Gabriella Montez

ARRRGGHH! When did life get so complicated? Yesterday in drama class I had the absolute weirdest conversation with Troy friggen' Bolton. And the worst part? The conversation was all about me! I will admit that once he started talking I did become intrigued and therefore had a harder time thinking up excuses but now I totally regret it all.

It all started when Troy asked me who I go to for help since I'm the person everyone else goes to. This caught me completely off guard; I mean no one ever asks me this because they all just assume I solve my own problems. Why didn't Troy make the same assumption? I managed to stop the conversation – not well but I did none the less.

Then I got mad, took a tone with him and ended up in a conversation all about my eyes, that's right, my eyes!! Fear not however, today I will not give him any information about me. I will be sure to make my fake emotions reach my eyes – what ever that means.

"Hello Gabriella" Oh, great. He looks waaaayyy too excited for drama class.

"Troy" Why bother with the fake enthusiasm if he sees right through it, its not like I like the kid anyways.

"Don't be hasty now" He's totally enjoying this.

"I'm not being hasty."

"Okay, I will allow that for arguments sake. So what is with this new attitude towards me?" Who talks like that?

"I don't know what you are talking about" Maybe if I look away he will stop talking.

"Gabriella, don't tell me we are going back to this" It was a high hope…

"Troy, today I'm going to actually get some work done, please don't distract me I've got a lot on my plate." This is very true. I have got like 5 people jumping down my throat for advice, I have got 3 projects to get done and am still expected to have life.

"Wanna talk about it?" He looks generally interested. Well tough luck, I. Don't. Care.

"No, Troy. I do not want to talk about it"

"Well if you ever need someone, I'm a great listener." Weird, someone offering to help me instead of asking me to help them.

I didn't bother to answer and we both worked the rest of the period in silence. Now, this might down like a good thing especially considering all my complaining earlier but I couldn't help but be disappointed. I know more than anyone that this makes no sense but I just don't seem to have the answers right now.

"So Gabriella, about that thing I was talking to you about earlier…" She's waiting for me to acknowledge that I know what she is talking about. I could be mean and make her say it out loud but I'm not like that, so I nod in understanding.

"What about it?"

"I just wanted to say thanks. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"Don't worry about it Taylor, I'm here to help." I'm not really in the mood to keep up my usually perfect charade or caring.

Apparently this didn't go un-noticed by Taylor "What's up with you today?" Picking through mental list of excuses….

"Oh, you know. I'm just tired. I was up late last night." So I'm also not in the mood to be creative either. Sue me.

"Well be sure to get some more sleep tonight. I gotta run Chad's waiting for me" Yeah, maybe I would be able to get more sleep if I actually had time to sleep!

New plan: tonight I'm going to worry only about myself. I will have a nice bubble bath, and then I will read one of my favourite books and go to bed early. Yeah, I deserve a night to myself. I might even incorporate a nice tub of Ben & Jerry's…

So plan failed. Shocker right? Nope. This wouldn't be the first time a 'Relaxing Gabi Night' has been cancelled.

I had Ben & Jerry in my hand, my ipod was blasting some soothing music, and the water in the tub was running. I was all set when Taylor bursts through my front door crying. Most people would be alarmed by this but I could piece two and two together. My guess was she got in a fight with Chad.

"Gabriella! Where are you?" Yup, that is definitely her heart-break cry.

"I'm coming Taylor." And just like that my 'Relaxing Gabi Night' has been turned into 'Comfort Taylor Night'.

"What happened?" I came downstairs to see the all too familiar sight of Taylor sitting on my couch with her head in her hands as her shoulders moved up and down and sobs broke through her mouth.

I joined her on the couch and put my arms around her. "Come on Taylor, tell me what happened" I owe her enough to put on my soothing voice.

"It's Chad." Well I already knew that.

"What did he do?"

"It's not what he did. It's what he didn't do." It was always this. Chad was an idiot. Everyone knew that. If you wanted him to do something you had to spell it out for him. Taylor hoped that he would be different with her because they 'love' each other. Pffft; love.

"Taylor, you know this is Chad we are talking about right? He's not the brightest and he really does try."

"I know! But we have been dating for so long you'd think he would remember our anniversary!" I wouldn't think so. Wait? Their anniversary isn't for another month. Yes I realize how pathetic it is to know my friends anniversary.

"Tay, you anniversary isn't until next month."

"I'm not talking about that anniversary!" She sure is snippy today.

"What anniversary then?"

"Our first kiss. If was one month before he officially asked me out…" She's telling the whole story now. I've already heard it, I just didn't know she kept an anniversary date for it.

"Taylor, I know a first kiss seems like a HUGE deal to us girls, but try and look at this from Chad's point of view."

"It's impossible to dumb myself down enough"

"Okay, then I will attempt to explain his point of view to you okay?"

"Okay…" She's giving me that wary look. Oh well. Here's goes nothing.

"So, I'm Chad. I just kissed the girl of my dreams. I'm walking on air because she is just sooo beautiful and she actually kissed me! When I'm at home that night I'm replaying the kiss over and over again and still can't figure out what an idiot like me did to deserve a girl like her. She's got me thinking more than I ever had to before. She's giving me all the new thoughts and I'm so confused and crazy in love that I can't take the time to look a damn calendar to remember the date. To me the date doesn't matter. All that matters is the lingering feeling of her lips on mine. All that matters is she chose me." Okay, we all know Chad would never think these things, but this is what Taylor needs to hear.

"You really think he thought that?" No.

"Taylor, I know he thought that. Now why don't you go back to Chad and remind him of that first kiss. Give him something to think about!" A smile creeps across her face.

"You're right Gabriella! I'm going to go right back over there and kiss him 'til he's blue in the face." Please don't.

"Okay Taylor. Too much information." She chuckled along with me before wiping away the rest of her tears and standing up to leave.

"Oh, and Taylor?" I have one more thought to share.

"Yeah?"

"Please try to remember its Chad you're dating. When he does these things just tell him and I'm positive he will do what he can to make you happy again."

"Okay Gabs. Thanks… Really."

"Anytime."

It's still early enough to enjoy some of my 'Relaxing Gabi Night' activities. I will just skip the bath and go straight for the good book in bed.

It only I could be so lucky. Crisis numbero deux of the night… Sharpay.

She comes running in screaming my name. Do I not lock my door?

"Sharpay? I'm right here" It's true, I was right near the door the whole time.

"Oh, there you are. You are never going to believe what happened." I betcha it will be something I've heard before.

"Why don't you enlighten me then?"

"Okay, so I was at the mall shopping when someone came up behind me. You will never guess who it was." It was Troy, I am willing to bet my Ben & Jerry's on it.

"Zeke?" She hates it when I guess right.

"No silly. It was Troy! Can you believe it?" umm… yes.

"No, but why did you come all this way to tell me you saw Troy at the mall?"

"Because! I'm all confused and I don't know what to do." She's not confused; she just needs me to put her thoughts in order.

"What are you confused about?" She's confused about whether she should stay with Zeke or pursue Troy.

"I don't know if Zeke's the right guy for me and now Troy's here and I don't know if he likes me… I mean if I break up with Zeke and then Troy doesn't like me then I will look like an idiot but if I don't break up with Zeke and Troy does like me then I could be missing a really great opportunity! Oh Gabi! What am I going to do?" She has the same problem every month just with a different guy. She always stays with Zeke.

"Sharpay. Let's calm down, breathe, and look at this logically. Zeke has been here for you through everything. He absolutely adores you Sharpay! He goes shopping with you, he bakes for you, he never forgets an anniversary, and he does everything you could possibly want. Why do you want to consider a guy you don't even really know?"

"The thrill of a new guy."

"When you and Zeke go on dates what's it like?"

"What does this have to do with my crisis?"

"Just answer the question Shar."

"Okay. When Zeke takes me on dates he makes me feel like I'm the most important, gorgeous girl on the planet. He looks at me like he can't believe I'm real. The little gestures he pulls like holding hands or kissing my cheek mean more to me than any of our make out sessions. He's not like other guys who look at me like I'm crazy or like I'm going to attack them! When I say something stupid or shallow Zeke doesn't make me feel stupid or shallow like everyone else does. He always knows how to calm me down which let's face it I need often. But still Gabi, I don't see how this has to do with my problem."

"Did you listen to anything you just said? Sharpay not many guys are like that and you are lucky to have found him. Do you see where I'm going with this?" 5, 4, 3, 2, 1….

"OMG!" Right on time. "You are so totally right! Why am I even doubting my relationship with Zeke! No one else will be able to make me feel the way he does!" There's no other guy who would stick around Sharpay for long.

"All confusion cleared?"

"Totally! Gabs you are like my girl Zeke. Well except I don't want to sleep with you or kiss you or… you get the point." Not really… I think I was just rejected?

"Totally." I chuckled. Sharpay will be Sharpay.

"I gotta go see Zeke. Bye Gabs! Love you!" Alrighty… alone at last.

12:30 am. So much for early bed time. Screw it. Ben & Jerry here I come.

Hold up! I am locking my door!!!

AN: So this chapter basically is about what Gabriella's life as universal problem solver is like. It shows how Gabriella doesn't get any time for herself because she is always helping someone else. And I am shutting up before I give away too much. Muhahaha.