Hey, here's a new chapter. For some reason I can't get my best writing out in this story yet. I have the entire thing planned and it will be fun to write, there was just some stuff I had to get out of the way. So I'm hoping the next few chapters will be a lot better, and from the way I'm planning it, filled with tons of drama and romance. I really hope to get some reviews, so please review!!

"I bet this is going to be the best summer you've ever had." Mrs. Montez said, as she hurriedly drove (over the speed limit) to Sharpay and Ryan's house trying to make their flight. Gabriella just nodded in agreement, she truly was excited, just about the Sharpay and Ryan part though. She had never known a summer at home and wanted to experience that. But a beach house with her best friends was the next best thing.

"Of course I expect you to abide by all the rules." Gabriella's mother added. "I even took the liberty of writing them up for you. You can give them to Sharpay and Ryan when we arrive." Gabriella examined the list, most of the rules seemed simple enough to follow. At least for Gabriella, she can't imagine Sharpay cooking her own food or cleaning the house herself. She silently chuckled at the thought of Sharpay trying to do her own laundry, it was a good thing she brought a video camera. Then there were some rules that Gabriella knew would be broken, like no parties or staying out past curfew. But she had the suspicion her mother would be working so often that there would be no worry of getting caught.

"Easy enough." Gabriella responded to her mother about the list of rules. "But do I really have to give them to my friends? I can just tell them right?"

"Fine," her mother huffed. "As long as you cover all of them."

"I'll be sure not to leave a thing out." Gabriella reassured her. There has been a growing concern in the back of Gabriella's mind that she wanted to ask her mother. Was she even going to be around?

"Mom, what's up with all these rules?" Gabriella asked. "I mean, cooking every night is something you would do. And a lot of these things don't even need to be written, they are just known. You can act all mother on us if we don't follow them, why did you take the time to write them up? Are you even going to be around?"

"Well..." her mother said, treading through her words very carefully. "This case is going to be very time consuming. And I just wanted to be sure that you can handle yourselves. I did promise Mr. and Mrs. Evans that this summer would run smoothly, I think the rules are needed if I'm not always around."

"Okay," Gabriella said a little let down. She didn't intend on spending boatloads of time with her mother, considering her friends were going to be with her, but she wanted her mom to be there. It was a little bit saddening.

"Oh, and Gaby?" Mrs. Montez asked.

"Yeah, Mom?" Gabriella said wearily, her mother only used that tone if she was about to ask a very uncomfortable question.

"Do I need to worry about Ryan staying over?" she asked. Even though Ryan was gay, I guess the fact that he was male still concerned mothers.

"Mom...Ryan is like a brother and as gay as they come. You do not need to worry." Gabriella said, with a smile.

"Okay," her mother said with a breath of relief but still that tone in her voice. "He isn't going to bring any...males...over is he?"

"Um..." Gabriella, said, trying to suppress the laughter in the way her mother said "males". "I will recite the same rule that you gave to Sharpay and I 'No boys allowed over without your presence in the household'"''

"Okay. Good." her mother said, relieved. Her mother liked Ryan, just was never the most comfortable with the gay idea, that was something she usually pushed to the side and ignored unless it had to come up. With his attire it was obvious to everyone, but Mrs. Montez did not want to know of anything more of the subject than his attire. The rest was too new-age for her.

"This summer, will be fun." Gabriella said, reenforcing her mother's original point as they finally arrived at the Evans house. Sharpay was already waiting out there, waving her hand back and forth like a madwoman, Gabriella could tell she definitely had some coffee this morning. She was in her pink "air travel" sweat suit as she liked to call it. With so many bags it looked like she was staying for an entire year instead of a couple of weeks. Had she ever heard of laundry?

Ryan was standing next to her, with fewer bags, but still a large amount, reading a book called "The History of Hats". There was no doubt in Gabriella's mind that one of his many bags were filled with hats.

She ran out of the car and after a quick greeting to her friends, began the painstaking process of loading all the luggage into the car. It took a long time, but finally everything fit. Just hopefully the tires can handle all the extra weight.

The two twins bid Mrs. Montez a hello and then the teens instantly started talking in the car. Mostly about what they were going to do or what they packed. Mrs. Montez, of course, made Gabriella recite the rules to her friends. She could see Sharpay wince at the sound of each one. Miss Evans will either have to be a good girl this summer or become very sneaky.

"Do those rules sound okay, kids?" Mrs. Monte asked.

"Yes, of course." the twins said in unison, even though from the look Sharpay shot Gabriella, she knew they would be following very few of them.

Once on the plane taking them to North Carolina, the teens were separated from Mrs. Montez who had a seat far away from them, they were grateful to say the least.

"I hope there are some really hot guys in this town," Sharpay said with the dreamy look in her eyes that she always gets when she is on the topic of guys.

"Yeah, me too." Ryan added. Sharpay and Gabriella just laughed, as Sharpay gave him a light punch in the arm. "Bro, I'm accepting and all but I so did not need to here that."

"But it is our job to find a guy for Gabriella." Ryan said, pushing Sharpay's comment to the side.

"Me?" Gabriella asked, confused.

"Yeah, her?" Sharpay said, with in the same confused way. "What about me?

"Aren't you dating Brad?" Ryan asked.

"Sharpay has decided that Brad is too controlling and bad dressing for her, so she's ended things." Gabriella said, answering for her friend.

"Yeah, the guy had no sense of style." Ryan commented. "How did he take it."

"She said I decided, I haven't actually told the guy yet." Sharpay said. Gabriella just rolled her eyes.

"I am a non confrontational person." she said, defending herself.

"No you're not." Ryan and Gabriella said together. Sharpay was the most confrontational person the world has ever known.

"Yeah, but when it comes to breaking up with hot guys, I don't. It leaves my options open if there's no one else out there." Sharpay explained.

"Okay, but we're on the lookout for Elle." Ryan said, with emphasis on Gabriella's nickname Elle. Only Ryan called her that, and Gabriella would let only Ryan call her that. Everyone else could stick to Gaby.

"Why me?" Gabriella asked. "I don't even want a boyfriend. At all. It's not something I need right now. I just wanna spend a summer with my friends."

"You don't think you need it, but you're seventeen." Ryan explained. "I think every seventeen year old is required to fall in love just once."

"Love?" Gabriella repeated. Whenever someone said that word she got a sinking feeling in her stomach. She hated that word, it was always a mistake to say and usually a lie. Gabriella never says that word to anyone but her mother and her friends. No one else deserves it than the people who she truly trusted. "I don't believe in love."

"Oh, would you please get over you're daddy drama?" Sharpay asked, referring to the incident of her father leaving her mother. "It's been years."

"It's not my daddy drama, it's just, I'm always moving around. A guy and I can never be together if I'm constantly on the move." Gabriella defended. Sure her father's departure might play a role, a big one, at least for why she doesn't believe in love all the time. But it doesn't mean that his actions are affecting her, at least that's what she hoped. It affected her mother too much, and she honestly didn't want to turn into that.

"Way to hit a rough spot." Ryan whispered to Sharpay, nudging her. Gabriella was just staring off into space.

"Hey, Elle, back to planet earth here." Ryan said, waving his hand in front of Gabriella's face. "You okay?"

"What? Yeah, of course." Gabriella said covering. "I just don't want a relationship."

"Well, what about a summer fling?" Sharpay asked, devilishly.

"Now there's an idea." Ryan pointed out. Gabriella rolled her eyes, her friends and there ideas. But a part of her liked that idea, just hooking up with a guy for three months. No words like "love" or "commitment" or "relationship" just a guy to make you feel happy. She'd never had that. Maybe, just maybe, that was what she needed.

"I'll take that as a yes." Ryan said to Sharpay.

"Well, there hasn't been any protesting." Sharpay added.

"Wait a minute..." Gabriella was about to tell her friends not to get ahead of themselves.

"Too late! It's done!" Ryan said, cutting off Gabriella. "You are officially a part of our plan."

The plane landed, and Gabriella's mother, as promised had to rush off to a meeting. Sharpay was elated, not because she didn't like Mrs. Montez, she just didn't like the company of parents in general. The three friends got into the car that Gabriella was assigned, pointing out places in the small beach town and around it, that they had to visit. Who would've guessed there was a club, tons of places to eat, and a million places to shop. Not to mention the beach. Gabriella wasn't as far away from civilization as she thought she would be.

As they pulled onto their road, the twins in the backseat of the car could not contain themselves, the houses were all different colors, making the street like a rainbow, and they were pointing out the one's they wanted. Hoping that each house they passed would be theirs' as the colors got more and more vivid. Gabriella was more fixated on finding the correct house, and finally she did. It was blue, a bright, ocean colored blue. It was small, but nice, enough room for everyone. And in Sharpay's words, "A killer party house."

"I can't believe we're here!" Sharpay yelped. Then she turned around in awe and saw the beach that was lying just across the street. Waiting to be swam in, and the sand waiting to be laid on, offering perfect housing to sunbathers everywhere. "This is perfect."

As Sharpay was picking out her perfect sunbathing spot, and Ryan volunteered to bring in some bags, since his sister's bags were the one's the filled the car, but Gabriella was eyeing something else than the ocean. Jogging on the beach was a gorgeous, beyond gorgeous guy. Sandy blonde hair, perfect abs. From far away she was already stricken by his attractiveness. But to her dismay he caught her staring and offered a wave. She quickly turned around and pretended not to have been looking or have saw him, but Sharpay knew better.

"Who was that guy?" she asked with a smile. Gabriella stiffened up, she knew Sharpay would rope him into the plan if Gabriella answered, 'oh just some guy I was randomly staring at and practically drooling over.' So instead she opted for the answer. "Him? I don't know, he was just some weirdo who waved. I just got here, how would I know someone?"

"Right," Sharpay said, absolutely not believing her.

"Let's get inside and check out the house," Gabriella said, changing the subject and turning to the blue house, Sharpay bypassed her and quickly ran in. So Gabriella used her absence to look back and see if the guy was still there, but he was gone. Gabriella shrugged it off and went inside.

While there, Ryan had already established his room. It was, aside from the master bedroom the biggest room in the house.

"Are you kidding me?" Sharpay said, walking in and admiring the room she wanted, with her brother's stuff in it. "Why do you get this room."

"Well, A- I brought your stuff in and B- the other room has two beds for you and Elle, whereas this only has one. So it's mine. Deal." Ryan said, then he plopped down on the bed and flicked through the pages of his book about hats.

So, Sharpay begrudgingly made herself at home in the other room. The girls divided up the one closet they had. Gabriella, having far less clothes than Gabriella, let Sharpay had a little more room, but Sharpay still had to pile some clothes neatly on the closet floor and leave some others in her suitcase's, which lined the wall by the closet. Then the girls unpacked their beauty supplies, taking up all the space on the dresser in the room and making it a vanity. And in-between the beds the girls placed there stereo and boatloads of mixed CD's.

"Perfect!" Sharpay said after all the hard labor was done. Gabriella admired the room, it did look good. "I'm gonna go get Ryan then we can head to the beach before dinner, okay?" Sharpay asked.

"I don't know, can't we stay in tonight? I'm tired." Gabriella said. Sharpay rolled her eyes

"No, just a few minutes though, promise. I have to see what we're working with in this town. And maybe that guy will be there again." Sharpay said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh my God, it was a wave!" Gabriella said, tossing her pillow at Sharpay.

"And a longing stare on your part." Sharpay said, tossing the pillow back to Gabriella. "I think we have our first target." she joked. "Let's go see if he is worthy of the Great Gaby."

"Fine, I'll go." Gabriella said, finally caving. As Sharpay got changed, Gabriella began reaching into a drawer and pulling out a simple black one piece bathing suit and an oversized shirt to throw over it.

"No way," Sharpay said about that ensemble. Then she raided that drawer, and the drawer next to it, which was her own. She pulled out a yellow bikini. Thankfully there were no annoying patterns on it, and it covered a little more than Sharpay's pink dotted one did. And also a white wrap to keep her semi-covered, and yellow wedged flip flops.

"Perfect," Sharpay said, looking at the outfit laid out on the bed. "Now put that on and take you're hair out of that messy bun, let it's beauty shine." Sharpay said cheerfully as she ran out.

Gabriella obligingly took her hair out of the bun and slipped into Sharpay's outfit. She wandered over to the mirror, expecting the worst. But as she studying herself she had to admit one thing...she actually looked kinda good. Sure, she wasn't the curviest of beings, but she was skinny and looked nice in the bikini. And her wavy and slightly messy hair made her look like a beach goddess. She quickly dabbed on some bronzer and was ready to meet her friend.

When she met them downstairs, Ryan was in a bright pink and very shiny paisley bathing suit, with a matching hat, while Sharpay awaited in her pink bikini and...high heels. Typical Sharpay.

"Ready?" Gabriella casually asked, going over to leave her mom a quick note explaining where they were if she were to come home early. It was a rule.

"Looks like someone got a makeover from Sharpay." Ryan said, referring to Gabriella's so unElle like garb.

"Yeah, she's looks beyond gorgeous." Sharpay said, running over to examine her work. "Yes, it's perfect." Gabriella felt very uncomfortable being fawned over like this for her looks, even if it was just by her friends. "Can we go now?" she asked.

"Sure, I'm ready to get a tan." Ryan said, leading the way.

As Ryan and Sharpay set up sunbathing camp at the beach, Gabriella decided to take a quick walk. The water was gorgeous. It was perfectly blue and looked so calm, she was tempted to dive in that instant, but went against it since it was around sundown and the water was bound to be freezing.

"Beautiful isn't it?" an unfamiliar voice said, coming from behind her. He sounded kind of out of breath. Gabriella turned around to see the guy jogging down the beach who waved to her. God, he was even more gorgeous up close. His eyes, they were the color of the ocean she had just been admiring. Gabriella had to remind herself not to stare.

"Yeah, amazing." she replied. The guy came to stand closer to her, Gabriella couldn't help but notice his eyes quickly traveling up and down her body.

"You vacationing here this summer? I saw you in front of one of the rental homes." he said.

"Um, yeah," Gabriella replied, uncomfortably pushing a stray hair behind her ears. "You?"

"I'm a townie. Born and raised." he said with a form of pride. "I live a few houses down on you're street actually."

"Really?" Gabriella said, suddenly gaining more interest.

"Yeah, the only bright green house on that street, can't miss it." he said. "I'm Troy by the way." he said, extending a somewhat sweaty hand. Gabriella gladly accepted it.

"Gabriella," she replied with a smile, she couldn't help but notice he had a smile on his face too.

"Well, maybe I could show you around town sometime. Some of the hot spots and stuff." he said. "You're friends can come along too." he said, motioning to Ryan and Sharpay who were basking in the sun, though Gabriella could've sworn she saw Sharpay watching them.

"Yeah that would be great." Gabriella replied.

"Tomorrow, around noon?" Troy said, initiating the meeting. "I'll pick you guys up at your place."

"Yeah, sure." Gabriella instantly said. Way to not sound eager, she said in her head.

"Cool, I'll see you then." he said, before waving goodbye and taking off jogging. This time Gabriella waved back, and to herself repeated his name.

"Troy"