yeah another story from me and this time i have everything planned out. This takes place around the end of their junior year and into summer vacation. yeah i want this story to run on the line of HSM2 like the country club they work at but its kinda different, with my spin to it. hmmm...i might change the rating for this story if i feel that its necessary. how you like the story and please please please review!

Chapter 1:

She sighed as she tossed another hand of pebbles into the stream at the edge of the garden, The summer sun was warm in the sky and it beat a warm heat onto her exposed back of her gold coloured dress, stitched two sizes too tight around the bodice – causing her breath to hitch every time she inhaled.

Deep in concentration she didn't hear her friend approaching her as she sat on the warm grass looking into the murky depths of the flowing water,

"Gabriella…yo ho, Gabriella?"

Taylor called as she stood beside her seated friend and looked on with an amused smile, watching the playful way the pebbles hit the surface and sunk.

"We're wanted up at the house, the wedding is about to start!"

Gabriella nodded in response to what she said and when she finally dispersed of all the small intricate stones, did she reluctantly look up.

"Taylor, what is to going to happen of us all now?"

Seeing the look on Gabriella's face full of questions, her new friend gingerly sat herself down beside her, spreading the folds of her own gold dress out as she spoke,

"You mean now that we're about to graduate?"

Gabriella nodded looking out across the stream to the far bank where she saw two butterflies in mating flight, dance around each other in the age-old ritual of summer and procreation.

"Everything is so mixed up now. We were all close before…but now…"

She closed her eyes trying not to remember all the wonderful times she spent while in East High. True they still had months to graduation. But to Gabriella, it seemed much more closer than ever. The musical, the championship, the decathlon all happened as her time in East High expanded. But most importantly was Troy.

She shuddered as she remembered the worried look in his eyes as he approached them. No longer a child, he stood before them an adult with so much now weighing heavily on his shoulders. He stood unprotected and more alone than he had ever been in his life. Loosing everything that had kept him safe for so long, and ready to do battle with the devil within himself.

Taylor brought her out of her depressive thoughts with her singsong voice,

"Gabi, don't sweat it. Graduation will come and everythings going to be fine. We'll end up in going to college together. Besides I'm sure Troy will ask you out by then…"

Gabriella rolled her eyes as she stood up, brushing the grass of her skirt feeling slightly annoyed at her friends still insited that her and Troy were meant to be. Sharpay on the other hand, insistent hero worshipping of Troy, even after he had called it a day with their relationship.

"Honestly Taylor, Troy is not a god he is as human as you and I are. What makes you think I can just run up to him and pronouce my unending love just like that?"

She snapped her fingers as she walked more forceful up the hill towards the house, leaving Taylor to follow behind her.

"What makes you think he can't Gabi? You are so stubborn sometimes I swear. You love him, he loves you it fits perfectly. You're always denying him as an option. You're always belittling his strength and his power. Why can't you see he is more in love with you than you think…"?

Gabriella spun around almost knocking Taylor on her back as she pointed a finger at her best friends chest,

"Because Taylor he is a j-just Troy…just Troy. He is hot and strong and quick and clever…but he is still a man. A-And he's my best friend!"

Swallowing hard, Gabriella turned around and continued walking, as Taylor watched her with hooded eyes.

"God this shirt is cutting into me, and the tie…the tie is, is, is…"

"STOP grumbling Chad you have it sitting crooked again...here let me help!"

Troy pushed Chad's flapping hands away from the shirt and bow tie he was trying to strangle, and within seconds had it sitting the way his was – neat under the chin and not in fear of choking him.

Chad looked at his reflection in the mirror of the bedroom and had to admit he looked pretty good.

"At least Mom let you pick my tux. God only knows what she would have put me in this time?"

"Dude don't sweat it. I'm sure you'll look good in a dress no matter what."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence man, could you not have told me that then, instead of making me go to the fuckin thing dressed like a girl?"

Troy laughed folding his hands across his chest,

"Nah man it was good to watch!"

As Chad was about to bite back with a comment, Mary Danforth called from the foot of the stairs announcing the girls had come in and the wedding was about to start.

The Garden of the Danforth house was decorated in the subtle colors

Troy and Chad came into the garden and the bright sunlight as guests from both long lined families moved around under the canopy of flowers that had taken Taylor and Gabriella hours to design.

Troy and Chad laughed at the mischief, thankfully keeping out of it as their mother rolled up her sleeves of her Victorian gown and ran inside the house to retrieve some necessities. Looking across the guests Troy glanced briefly at Sharpay and nodded. He no longer felt the pang of guilt which, had settled in his stomach after he ended their brief relationship.

He was glad she didn't hold it against him either and had moved on with her now leading man of attention, Zeke Baylor who flitted around her like an annoying bee – hanging onto her every word, well she did want someone who would give her all the attention she needed as well as bow to her every wish.

That's when he saw Gabriella…

He hadn't spoken to her since his arrival, because as soon as he had stood foot inside the house he had been drawn into the perplexed understanding of a bow tie and it's many uses by Chad and she had already escaped to go for a walk,

He felt a strange stirring in his chest as he looked at her engaged in a humorous conversation with both Mike and Jason. Her hair was pilled high on top of her head showing off her swan neck thin and graceful as she nodded and smiled at them. The girls who where bridesmaid's to the bride, including Chad's sister Michelle had identical dresses in gold but somehow Gabriella's looked like a second skin. He blinked a couple of times and she laughed throwing her head back as the loose tendrils of her hair flowed down her back. Troy was lost in seeing his friend looking breathtaking.

"What are those two up too?"

Troy shook himself physically as he swallowed hard, looking at Chad frantically as if hoping he didn't look as love sick as he felt,

"W-who?"

"Jason and fuckin Mike, you'd think they never saw Erika in a dress before?"

Chad had a dark scowl across his face and the mood of thunder…and still the unresolved issue of 'tension' hung in the air.

"Chad why don't you just go over and say something to her, tell her how you feel?"

Chad shook his head, burying his hands into his trouser pockets,

"I can't Troy…I just can't!"

Troy turned to look at his friend incredulously,

"What do you mean you can't?"

Shuffling his feet on the ground Chad looked everywhere but Troy's inquisitive eyes,

"Well I mean it has been what a long time and I really don't think she likes me that way anymore…"

Troy was about to speak when Chad finished.

"Besides…there is Taylor…"

"What do you…Taylor? You mean you and…Taylor Mckisse…"

"SSSHHH, don't talk so loud. I mean nothing's happened between us. It's just…I don't know Troy she really likes me and she pays attention to me when I go on about basketball and just, she makes things for me…"

Troy could feel himself bottling with laughter and only barely held it together as he heard his friend going on about the very smart but deeply spiritual Taylor who had become part of the gang since the musical.

"Well, I hope you two are happy Chad, but that still doesn't resolve the issue with Erika?"

Chad nodded looking across the lawn at her now frantic waving at them as she approached,

"I do like her Troy, but I don't think we will ever be together…not the way I want it to be. Someday she will make someone happy…"

He smiled as she faced them,

"Hello Gabriella?"

Her eyes twinkled with merriment at his formal greeting,

"Hello Chad!"

She lifted her face as she smiled at him before turning her attention to Troy her smiled seemed to grow wider along with a different look,

"Hi Troy?"

For the second time that day Troy visibly swallowed,

"Hi Gabriella…"

yay chapter one done. i have chapter 2 and itll get posted shortly