Thanks so much for all the reviews. I have to admit I am struggling a little with this one; I have some great ideas for the story once it gets going but it's the getting there, which is causing me the problems. So once again, apologies if it's not too good in places but I'm hoping it will get better. So please stick with me. Love Tink.

Gabriella couldn't believe she had agreed to go along with Sharpay's hair brained scheme, she hadn't even seen this Christian guy and she was supposed to be hung up on him. She found herself wondering what he was like, if Shar and Taylor thought he would suit her maybe she really should try put her feelings for Troy out of her mind. It was slowly driving her crazy being so close to Troy but not as close as she wanted to be. She had loved him for so long that she couldn't remember a time when she hadn't loved him; it had always just been there since they had first met.

As she sat in English she thought about the reason she couldn't confess her true feelings to Troy, she had almost done it once before and nearly made a fool of herself . . .

"Gabi, do you mind if I ask you something?" Troy asked throwing himself down in the grass next to her, as they stared at the blue sky, watching the clouds pass by overhead.

"No go ahead, what's up?"

"How do you know if you like someone?" he asked staring up at the sky, sounding nervous.

Gabriella felt her heart beat a little quicker and she turned her head to look at him

"Well, your heart races when you're around them, you can't stop thinking about them and when they smile it makes you go all gooey inside . . . Why?"

"I think, I think I like someone" he confessed quietly.

"Who?" she asked casually

"I'm not telling you that, but she's smart and pretty and kind and well she kinda makes me all nervous around her"

Gabriella felt her heart speed up again; could he be talking about her? She prayed he was

"Have you told her how you feel?"

Troyshook his head "Nah I'm chicken, what if she doesn't feel the same?"

"Well how does she act around you?"

"She smiles a lot and she's always talking to me, and sometimes she blushes when I smile at her"

Gabriella felt a tell tale blush spread over her face, he had to be talking about her. She rolled over on her side and faced him, looking at him as he watched the clouds chase across the sky. He was perfection, only thirteen and already the most handsome guy in school.

"I think you should tell her Troy, really" she whispered as Troy rolled over to face her. Blue eyes met brown and held for a second, Gabriella's breath caught in her throat and butterflies escaped into her tummy. He was going to tell her.

"She probably feels the same way but is too scared to tell you" she said softly with a little smile, her wish was going to come true.

"You think?" he asked, suddenly looking uncertain. It was a side of him Gabriella had never seen before.

Gabriella nodded "I know so"

He stared at her for a moment longer and then took a deep breath as Gabriella held hers waiting for him to confess his undying love for her

"I will tell her "he paused and smiled into her eyes "Gabriella I want you to know… that you are my best friend and me asking out Christa will not come between us"

Gabriella froze in shock, tears pooling in her eyes. Christa? It was Christa he liked? She couldn't believe it, she felt so foolish, she'd thought he liked her, thought he'd felt the same way about her.

"That's good to know Troy" she said softly and forced a smile out, wanting to cry. She felt so dumb, she'd thought he meant her and she had been ready to tell him how she felt, she couldn't believe that Troy had crush. It hurt so much, she'd known it would happen but didn't think it would be as painful as it was.

Since then she had seen Troy through several crushes and almost as many relationships, what Troy wanted he usually got. Each time he got a new girlfriend, her heart broke a little more and she knew that sooner or later with college fast approaching he would get a serious girlfriend and bit by bit they would drift apart. Maybe she should make an effort to get to know Christian, and see where things could lead.

It seemed as though fate were on her side, as she entered last period journalism she spotted an unfamiliar face across the room. Well Shar and Taylor hadn't been wrong she thought to herself, he was hot. And more importantly he was totally different from Troy. Christian was what can only be described as tall, dark and very, very handsome. He had dark sable hair that curled slightly, warm brown eyes, olive skin and a smile to die for (had to use that cn-hope you don't mindJShe watched him for a moment as he spoke to Mr. Earle, the journalism teacher, and found herself blush as he looked up and caught her staring. Mr. Earle followed Christian's gaze and smiled when he saw Gabriella, beckoning her over. Taking a deep breath, she wound her way between the desks, feeling a little nervous.

"Ah Gabriella I was just talking about you" Mr. Earle began "Christian here is interested in our school newspaper and I was wondering if you'd be able to find him a role"

Gabriella felt her flush increase as Christian turned those incredible brown eyes on her with a friendly smile

"Sure Mr. Earle" she stuck out her hand "hi I'm Gabriella"

Christian's hand felt soft and warm as it enclosed hers "Christian Locke . . .I was kinda hoping you could give me the lowdown on the paper, who's who, who does what, that kinda thing"

Gabriella looked at Mr. Earle, wondering if it would be alright, he nodded his assent.

"Yeah, shall we sit?" she sat down in the nearest chair and took out her note book.

For the next half an hour she filled him in on the various roles in the paper and who on the staff did what. She found out in his previous school he had been in charge of reporting on all the sports fixtures and had acted as photographer. Taylor had been right, he was smart and funny, and quite flirty Gabriella thought, for a person she had just met. She discovered he had transferred because of his dad's job, and that they shared a love of math and science, and that although he enjoyed reporting on sports he very rarely played.

"Well, although I will need to check with Kim, she's the editor, I think we can probably use your help on sports. Nick, that's our current reporter needs all the help he can get, there is so much going on at East High" Gabriella told him, as she realized the hour was drawing to a close, surprised by how fast it had gone.

"I'll help wherever I can" he assured her with an easy smile, as they cleared their things away.

"It's always nice to have an extra pair of hands . . . So do you live close by?"

Christian nodded, "A couple of blocks, how about you?"

"The same, do you need a ride home?"

"No, its okay, I drove in" he said with a smile as they made their way out of class and down into the halls, already crowded with students.

"Do you like East High so far?"

"Its okay, I'm an army brat so this is my third high school in as many years. Once you've been in one high school, you've been in them all, pretty much as shit as the next"

Gabriella chuckled "Yeah I imagine they are"

Troy watched as Gabriella walked along the hall way with some guy he didn't recognize, but judging by the way her face shone and her eyes lit up when she spoke to him, this must be the famous Christian. She laughed up at him and Troy felt an odd stirring in his chest, almost like jealousy. He pushed it away, watching as she laughed out loud at something he said and oddly felt like interrupting them. He narrowed his eyes and stared as they said good bye, Gabriella then turning her head to look for someone, probably him.

She spotted Troy across the hall by their lockers and for a second was convinced she saw a frown cross his face as he looked back at her. But then it was gone and his usual welcoming smile replaced it. She waved and headed over to him.

"Ready to go?" he asked

Gabriella nodded.

"So was that him?" he asked casually as they walked out towards the parking lot.

"Who?"

"That guy, was that him, you know the one you like"

"Oh, yeah" she nodded. "You saw him huh?"

"Yep"

"Oh"

There was a slight awkward silence "So what do you think?"

"Not my type" Troy quipped as they approached his car.

Gabriella giggled the awkward moment broken "No you dummy, what you think, for me?"

He shrugged and then opened the door "Does it matter what I think?"

"Duh! You're my best friend, of course it matters" Gabriella said as she climbed in.

"He looks ok"

"That's it?"

"Well what do you want me to say? I've never spoken to the dude, Christ 'Brie you only met him today" said Troy tersely.

"What's up with you?" she asked annoyed that he had snapped at her.

"I'm sorry Gabriella" he sighed "It's been a long day. . . He seems ok and if you like him that's all the matters"

"Exactly" she said softly "So Troy boy how was your day? I feel like I've hardly seen you today?"

"Same day, same shit. Mindy cornered me again fifth period"

"Oops, what did you tell her?"

"Same as this morning. Do you wanna hang out Saturday?"

"Sure but don't you have a date?"

Troy shook his head "Nah, I'm all yours, just so long as you don't really make me study"

Gabriella laughed "Well . . . Okay no studying, you could come over and watch a movie, my moms out"

"Are you sure she'll trust me Troy Bolton, alone with her daughter on a Saturday night"

"I'm sure she knows you by now Troy, and she knows I'm not your type"

Troy looked at Gabriella sideways "What d'ya mean by that"

"I mean she knows I'm safe from your amorous advances"

"Oh baby no chick is safe from me" he deliberately lowered his voice making it deep and husky.

Gabriella cracked up laughing again "I think we can say that I am"

"Huh?"

She looked at him wondering how much she should say and how honest she should be.

Deciding on not very she said "Well we are best friends"

"That's not what you meant" he countered.

"Yeah it is" she lied

"Gabriella Maria Montez, I know you better than that, you're lying"

"Am not"

"Are too" he said childishly and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Am not"

"Gabi, you're lying to me, why?" he was suddenly serious.

Gabriella should have realized that there were times that Troy could read her like a book. He may not have a clue where certain aspects of their relationship were concerned, i.e. her true feelings for him but in other respects he knew her too well.

She gave a long sigh "Let's just say I'm not the type to inspire amorous advances in anyone"

"Why do you say that?"

"Well I'm plain Troy; surely it hasn't escaped your notice"

He looked at her almost angrily "You shouldn't say that about yourself Gabriella"

"Why not? it's true" she sounded bitter even to her own ears.

"Gabriella, you are very pretty"

She blushed, bright red and Troy laughed at her "Thanks for saying it but I know what I am and it isn't pretty"

"You are very pretty and I'm Troy Bolton remember, I know all about pretty girls" he said as they pulled up on his drive.

Gabriella opened the door and climbed out just as Troy did. She looked at him over the roof of the car.

"Troy, you don't need to say those things really, I'm ok with the way I look, and I have been for years"

"Gabi in some ways you are so smart and in others . . ." he let his voice trail away.

"Anyway, I gotta go, Taylor and Sharpay are stopping by after dinner"

"' Kay, see in the morning" he smiled and made his way to the house, watching for a second to make sure she got home safely before disappearing inside.