I'm not really sure how long all of the chapters are going to be. Some are really short and some are really long. Sorry about that.

Gabriella and Troy were still talking and laughing in her room when Mr. Montez came home. Greg Montez walked through his front door, finding his wife reading in the living room.

"Hello, dear. How are you?"

Gina Montez set her book down and smiled at her husband.

"I'm fine, dear, thank you."

"How is Gabriella, today?"

The smile on Gina's face grew.

"She's great. A friend brought over her homework."

Greg could tell by the look on his wife's face that she wasn't telling the whole story.

"She's hiding something else. I know she is."

"Is that all? By the look on your face, something else happened."

"Oh it's nothing, dear, but Gabriella's friend is still up there. They are talking and laughing. I've never seen Gabriella so happy."

Greg gave a sigh of relief.

"That's good. I was hoping she wouldn't have problems finding new friends."

Mr. Montez left his wife in the living room and went up the stairs to his daughter's bedroom. He smiled as he heard her giggle, but his smile turned into a frown when he heard the laughter that followed. The laugh sounded low and deep.

"Her friend is a boy! That's what Gina was hiding!"

Greg knocked on his daughter's door, loud enough to gain her attention.

♪

Gabriella and Troy were laughing because Troy had failed to help Gabriella with her homework.

"You were supposed to help me, Troy! How can you do that when you have no idea what you're doing?"

"Hey! I'm not the oh so smart one! Besides, I don't pay attention in class."

Gabriella giggled at the determined look on Troy's face. Troy couldn't help but join her, so he too was laughing.

Gabriella looked at the door when they heard someone knocking. Troy whipped his head around, causing his hair to go flying. Once again, Gabriella fell into another giggle fit.

"Come in!"

Gabriella and Troy were still laughing as Mr. Montez came in. Gabriella saw her father and smiled at him, calming down slightly.

"Hi, Daddy. How was work?"

Mr. Montez smiled at his daughter, but glared at Troy.

"It was fine, honey. Who is this?"

Troy felt Mr. Montez's gaze on him and he became uncomfortable. Gabriella didn't notice.

"Oh! Daddy, this is Troy Bolton. He is my partner for the music project I was telling you about. He came to bring me homework."

Troy got off of Gabriella's bed, where he was sitting and walked over to Mr. Montez, who was standing by the door. He stuck out his hand to the older man.

"Hi, Mr. Montez. It's nice to meet you."

"You as well, Mr. Bolton. May I please have a moment alone with my daughter? Actually, she needs her rest, so if you wouldn't mind..."

Troy knew what Mr. Montez was implying.

"Yes, sir. Have a good night. Bye, Gabi. See you later."

Troy left quickly as Gabriella gave her father a look of pure shock.

"Why'd you do that, Dad? I feel fine. I slept almost all day."

Mr. Montez eyed Troy as he left and turned to face his daughter.

"I don't want that boy around here, understand?"

Gabriella looked stunned.

"But Dad! He's just a friend. Why can't I have a friend over? Plus, he brought my homework for me. You know how bored I was without it."

"Gabriella Anne Montez! That boy is not allowed over again. Do you understand? He is bad news. I know his type. They want girls for one thing and one thing only."

Gabriella looked like she was about to cry. Mr. Montez calmed down.

"Gabriella, honey, you have to understand. I was a teenage boy once, too. I know what goes on in their minds. Do you know how many girls come into my office because a boy used them and left them? I don't want that for you."

"Troy would never do that to me. He doesn't even like me like that."

"Yes, Dad, I understand."

"Good. You're mom was going to start dinner soon. I'll come get you when it is ready."

"Okay. Thank you, Dad."

"I love you, Gabriella. That's why I only want what's good for you."

"Yes, Dad. I know you do. I'm going to shower. I'll be down for dinner."

"Okay, honey. Don't be too long."

As Mr. Montez left the room, Gabriella sat in her bed, holding onto the folder Troy had brought for her.

"It was nice of him to bring this for me. He's not such a jerk after all. Why was Dad upset? Troy is just a friend, if even that, and he just brought me homework. It wouldn't have been a problem if Taylor had brought it. I'm glad Troy came over. I wish he would come again, but I doubt it. He probably wouldn't want to. Plus, Dad won't let him over."

Gabriella climbed out of bed and walked to her dresser, pulling out a pair of sweat pants and a sweater. She walked over to her bathroom and closed the door behind her. After turning on the water, she stripped off her t-shirt and track pants and climbed into the shower. She relaxed as the hot water rinsed away all the dirt and sweat that clung to her body.

♪

Troy left the Montez home shortly after Mr. Montez basically kicked him out. As Troy drove home, his cell rang, the screen flashing "Chad". Troy sighed as he answered, knowing his buddy would be mad that he missed practice.

"Hello, Chad."

"Troy! Where are ya, man? You missed practice. Coach was not happy. And where did you go last period? You missed a scrimmage!"

Troy sighed, switching the phone to his other ear as he drove.

"Chad! I had some stuff to do. My uncle signed me out before gym."

"Why, Troy? You sick? Cause you don't sound sick."

"I'm not sick. I just went to meet someone."

Troy could practically see Chad smirk on the other end of the phone.

"Who'd ya go meet, Troy? Gabriella?"

Troy froze, nearly taking out a stop sign.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Chad scoffed.

"You know what I'm talking about. You and Gabriella have been gettin' pretty close lately."

Troy blushed and he was glad that Chad couldn't see him.

"Whatever, man. You have no idea what you're talking about."

Chad rolled his eyes.

"C'mon, Troy. I know exactly what I'm talking about."

"For once," Troy mumbled, interrupting his buddy.

Chad cleared his throat.

"Anyways... I saw you and her in music class. You were all worried about her and stuff when she fainted. I have never seen you like that before."

"She's my music partner. I wasn't worried about her. I was worried about failing my music project."

Troy felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that he was lying to his best friend, and himself.

"Whatever, Troy. You've changed since she came. You're... nice. It's kinda weird."

Troy sighed as he pulled into his driveway.

"You think what you wanna think, Chad. But I gotta go. I'll see ya tomorrow."

"See ya, Troy."

"Bye."

Troy walked around back and let himself in.

"I don't care about Gabriella. She's just my partner for a stupid music assignment. An assignment I don't wanna fail. That's the only reason I'm being nice to her. But I had so much fun with her today. She made me show a side of me I didn't even know I had. I was laughing with her. And it felt so... right."

Troy walked past his aunt and uncle, giving them a wave, before heading upstairs to his room.

"Hey, Troy. How's you're friend?" Troy stopped at the bottom of the stairs, facing away from his uncle so he couldn't see his reddened cheeks.

"She's fine, Uncle. She just has the flu," Troy said, turning around to face his uncle.

Zac nodded.

"Okay. No more skipping class."

Troy smirked.

"Okay, Uncle."

Troy jogged up the stairs as his Uncle Zac and Aunt Vanessa looked at each other, knowing smiles on their faces.

♪

Gabriella woke up to the sun shining through the balcony doors.

"I feel a whole lot better today. Wow!"

Gabriella decided that she would go back to school today.

"I've already missed three days. Good thing Troy brought me some homework yesterday. I'd be really behind if he didn't"

Gabriella smiled as she remembered the sweet gesture Troy had done the day before.

"It was so sweet of him to do that. He really does have a soft side. I just hope it's here to stay this time."

Gabriella ran a brush through her hair, smoothing out her curls. She decided to dress casually, with her hair in a side pony tail. She went to her closet and pulled out a pink, long sleeved shirt, and a pair of khaki pants.

"I think I'm gonna wear this."

Gabriella finished dressing and went to her bathroom, grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste. As she finished brushing, she heard a knock on her door. She wiped her hands on a towel and went to open her bedroom door. On the other side, Mrs. Montez stood in her robe.

"I thought I heard you moving around. Are you sure you want to go to school? A couple more days of sleep can't hurt."

Gabriella gave her mom a hug and smiled.

"I feel fine, Mama. And I was getting really bored."

Mrs. Montez laughed at her daughter's enthusiasm to go to school.

"Alright. But if you feel dizzy or sick, you call me, okay?"

"Yes, mom."

"Good. Now finish getting ready. I'll make you breakfast. Toast and jam?"

Gabriella giggled and hugged her mother.

"Thank you, Mama."

♪

Troy arrived at school earlier than usual. Only a few students and teachers roamed the red and white halls of East High. With his guitar in one hand and his bag slung over his shoulder, he walked to his locker, quickly transferring the contents of his backpack to the shelf in his disorganized locker.

"Ugh. I have to clean this out sometime."

Troy looked around. A few students were sitting, leaning against their lockers. Some were doing homework while others were reading.

"Might as well do it now."

Troy laid his guitar on the floor by his locker and started pulling out books and random pieces of paper, putting garbage in a separate pile. As he worked, he started to hum the song he and Gabriella were doing for their project. Without knowing it, Troy started to sing quietly to himself.

♪

Gabriella had arrived at school and had just finished putting her books away. She walked down the hall, heading to the library. She stopped when she saw an open locker with paper and books scattered around the floor. She saw the person stick their head in the locker, reaching in the back for something. She giggled quietly when she saw the boy pull his head out of his locker.

Gabriella tiptoed over to Troy and was about to announce her presence when she heard him singing. He was singing her song!

"Well, I guess it's our song, now."

Troy was so consumed in his work that he didn't notice Gabriella behind him.

"You have an amazing voice."

Troy jumped and turned sharply to face a giggling Gabriella. The look on Troy's face was ridiculous and Gabriella found herself not being able to control her laughter.

"Don't do that! You scared the crap out of me!"

Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Was the Wildcat Champion actually scared? Wow. That's got to be a first."

Troy glared at Gabriella.

"You would have been scared, too, if someone came up behind you and just started talking." Gabriella pretended to pout.

"Aww, I'm sorry, Troy. Forgive me?"

Troy couldn't help but smile at her extremely cute face.

"Whoever taught you how to pout will be the end of me."

"Oh, thank you, Troy!"

Gabriella launched herself at Troy, catching him by surprise and giving him a big hug. Troy sat there, stunned, but brought his arms up and gave her a little squeeze back.

Gabriella realized what she did and pulled back quickly, flushing with embarrassment.

"Sorry."

When Gabriella pulled away, Troy instantly missed the feeling of her in his arms.

"That's weird. I feel really empty now."

Troy and Gabriella sat on the ground in front of Troy's half cleaned locker for a few more moments.

"Well, I guess I better finish this."

Troy turned to put another book onto the clean shelf. Gabriella just nodded and picked up a pile of scrap paper, standing to go throw it out.

"Oh, Gabi, you don't have to do that. It's okay. I got it."

Gabriella smiled.

"It's okay. I have nothing to do anyways."

Troy grinned back.

"Thanks, Gabi."

"He called me Gabi... Twice! I really like it when he calls me that."

"You're welcome, Troy."

Gabriella walked down to the end of the hall, throwing the garbage in the trash bin. She walked back and grabbed the rest of the pile, not noticing that Troy had finished and was also going for the garbage. Gabriella picked up a piece of paper, but quickly let go when she came in contact with Troy's warm hand.

"Sorry."

Troy looked at Gabriella's flushed face.

"Gabi, stop saying sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for."

Gabriella looked up at Troy and smiled, receiving a smile back. Troy and Gabriella both stood and took the rest of the garbage to the bin. Then they headed back to Troy's locker.

"Thanks for helping me, Gabi."

"It was no problem, Troy. Glad I could help."

Troy grinned.

"Well, I'll help you clean out your locker. Then we'd be even."

Gabriella laughed.

"We're not even yet. I still have to bring you your homework when you get sick."

Troy chuckled.

"Oh, yeah. How are you feeling anyways?"

"Good. Better than a couple days ago."

"That's good. Now let's go clean your locker."

"Um, Troy?"

Troy turned to look at Gabriella.

"Yeah?"

Gabriella gave Troy a sheepish grin.

"My locker is clean. It's never not clean."

Troy laughed.

"Figures. The way your room looked... Who organizes their books in alphabetical order? And your desk! It was so neat. I think we have ourselves a little neat freak here."

Gabriella gasped and punched Troy in the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

Gabriella stuck out her tongue at Troy.

"That was for the 'neat freak' comment. It's not my fault I like to be able to find things. Unlike you."

"Hey! I can find things just fine! It just takes me a little longer..."

Gabriella giggled.

"That is exactly my point. Being neat allows you to find things faster. I know where all my things are and I don't have to dig through all my stuff."

Troy sighed.

"You're right. I'm wrong. Let's move on now."

Gabriella giggled again and Troy couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Her laugh is so contagious. I can't help it."

♪

The two sat in front of Troy's, now clean, locker and didn't notice a seething blonde around the corner. She flipped her hair and stomped away, looking for her twin brother, Ryan. Sharpay found her brother reading the drama club bulletin board.

"Ryan! She's trying to steal him from me!"

Ryan Evans turned towards his fuming sister.

"He isn't yours anymore, Shar. He broke up with you."

Sharpay glared at her twin.

"He is mine. And that Montez girl is stealing him from me. We need to do something!"

Ryan sighed, knowing he couldn't get out of this one. If there was one thing he knew about Sharpay, it was to listen to her, or she would make your life a living hell.

"Fine, Sharpay. What are we going to do?"

♪

During free period, Troy went to practice, knowing that if he didn't, his team would be all over him. He was shooting free throws after practice and it wasn't going very well. He had been brutal during practice, so Coach made him stay back and practice during lunch, while the rest of the guys hit the weight room. Troy didn't mind because he hated the weight room anyways.

The gym door opened and Troy looked over to see who it was, expecting Chad to come in. He was surprised, however, when a curly haired brunette stepped into the stuffy gym. She smiled as she walked over to Troy.

"Hi, Troy. Thought you could use some company. I saw Chad and the guys in the weight room and heard you were over here by yourself."

"Hey. And yeah, they all ditched me."

"Aww! Poor Troy!"

Gabriella giggled and Troy chuckled along with her.

Troy looked at Gabriella and turned to the net, taking a shot. He heard a satisfying swish as the ball fell through the hoop. Troy grinned and Gabriella clapped.

"Very impressive, Bolton. I didn't know you were that good."

Troy laughed at that.

"Bolton? Last names now eh, Montez?"

Gabriella giggled again and went over to pick up the ball. She dribbled it awkwardly back to the foul line. She took a shot and was also rewarded with a swish.

Gabriella turned to Troy and smirked. Troy stood there, shocked.

"Wow. Don't tell me you're good at hoops, too."

"You know, I once scored forty one points on a league championship game."

Troy was shocked, once again.

"No way."

Gabriella nodded.

"Yup. And the same day, I invented the space shuttle and microwave popcorn."

Troy rolled his eyes.

"Ah, microwave popcorn. Haha. Funny."

Troy took the ball and made a shot. It went in.

Gabriella grabbed the ball and Troy went after it. She ran back and forth, not dribbling the ball.

"Hey, that's traveling. That's really bad traveling."

Gabriella kept dodging Troy's attempts at grabbing the ball, taunting him.

"What? What?"

Troy finally got fed up and grabbed Gabriella around the waste from behind, swinging her around.

Gabriella squealed and laughed as her feet left the floor, the feeling of Troy's arms around her causing her to blush. She felt oddly at peace with Troy. She liked the feeling of Troy's strong arms around her.

"I could get used to this, this feeling of protection."

Troy looked down at the giggling girl in his arms, feeling a happiness he had never felt before.

Their moment was broken when the coach came in the gym.

"Bolton! Put the young lady down! Now!"

Troy gently placed Gabriella on her feet, holding her shoulder's until she was over her dizziness.

"Excuse me, miss, but you can't be in here right now. Mr. Bolton needs to practice his free throws. They were brutal today."

Gabriella nodded and handed Troy the ball.

"I'll see you later, Troy. Bye, Coach."

"Have a good day, miss."

Troy watched as Gabriella left the gym, a smile on his face.

"Bolton! Give me ten in a row. Then you can leave."

Troy nodded and positioned himself on the foul line. He closed his eyes and remembered Gabriella in his arms. He opened his eyes, grinned, and shot the ball. Swish! Nine more of these later and Troy was hitting the showers.

"Good job, Bolton. Keep it up."

"Thanks, Coach."

♪

Just some fluffiness!

Jay