AN: In case you're wondering, Bailee is Troy's seven-year old cousin and she looks like Bailee Madison from a couple of years ago.

Oi, Those Sicilians

"And then- and then Missy was all like, 'You don't even have any proof that you've been in one! I bet you've never even been to Venice.' God, I hate her Troy! And I need a picture on a gondola just to prove I've been here," Bailee ranted to Troy as she bit into her bagel and chewed. Her mid-length brown hair sank slightly past her shoulders, framing her round face and chubby cheeks. Troy cracked a small smile and shook his head slightly at the Elementary School drama.

"And then Missy says she goes to Switzerland every year and climbs the Alps! She's such a liar!" Bailee cried, flailing her arms. "We-we saw the mountains from the plane and I d-didn't see Missy there!"

Troy chuckled lightly, "You can't see people from a plane, Bails."

Bailee pouted, resting her elbow against the table as she used her palm to prop up her cheek.

"I bet you she's lying. She always lies and tries to make me seem like a liar. But I'm not one!" Bailee caught a glimpse of Chad who was busily typing away on his keyboard distractedly. Bailee caught his disinterest before deciding to include Chad in the conversation, "You believe me, right Chad?"

Chad snapped out of his fixated stare toward the computer. "Huh? What?"

"I'm not a liar, right?"

"Of course not, Bails. You're the coolest little person I know."

"Hey!" Bailee cried out in protest, shifting her hands to her hips while staring at Chad in mock anger. "I'm not little! I'm almost eight!" She defended herself, a gap between her two front teeth visible from when her two baby teeth fell out. Both Chad and Troy cracked a smile at her cute attempt at looking intimidating.

"Sure you're not," Chad said in a teasing voice before returning his attention back onto the computer screen.

"What're you doing on the computer anyway, Chad?"

"Just checkin' my wallposts from the girls who miss me oh so much," Chad winked. "Looks like the Chad charm's back!"

Bailee giggled before climbing out of her seat to look over Chad's shoulder onto his Facebook page. She snickered as she pointed her finger toward the screen, "You're a liar, Chad! Your last wallpost's from a boy!"

Troy sniggered at the sound of Bailee's words, "Didn't know you rolled that way, Chad."

"Hey," Chad shot Troy a menacing look, "Watch it."

"Wait, Chad. Do you have Sharpay added on Facebook?" Troy asked suddenly, rising from his spot to stand behind his shoulder as well.

"Yeah. I mean, I have her hidden on my newsfeed cuz I hate her, but I have her added."

A sudden idea popped into Troy's head. Maybe he could find Gabriella's Facebook on Sharpay's page.

"Go on her page for a sec-"

"Oh, no. No, Troy. I know what you want to do, but please, don't."

Troy frowned while Bailee tilted her head in confusion at the banter between the two boys.

"Chill, I just want to see if we have any mutual friends."

Chad shook his head, rubbing his temple as he handed the laptop over to Troy. "Your obsession with her needs to end before you go into stalker mode."

Troy ignored his remark and rolled his eyes, "Shut up, Chad."

"What's going on?" Bailee whined, hating to be out of the loop. Squinting her eyes, she noticed Sharpay's default - a photo of Sharpay in a red bikini taking a picture of herself in the mirror.

"Eww, do you like Sharpay?" Bailee stuck her tongue out in the air with distaste. Chad snorted before breaking into full-on laughter.

Troy cringed, "God, no!"

"My mommy said your mommy would be relieved if you did cuz you've never shown interest in a girl before-"

Chad snorted obnoxiously before bursting into wild laughter, "Didn't know you rolled that way either, Bolton."

Troy simply shot Chad the finger conspicuously before returning his attention to Sharpay's page, scrolling down until he finally came across a wallpost of hers. She was all over Sharpay's facebook - tagged in numerous photos and notes. Troy sighed heavily and sullenly - they really were best friends.

Clicking on her name, he was redirected to her page which was set on private. Her default, as expected, was drop dead gorgeous and looked as if it was professionally taken.

"Who's that?" Bailee pointed her stubby finger towards the screen while Chad inwardly resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "She's pretty."

"She is," Troy admired, dazed. Chad could no longer restrain his urge to roll his eyes.

Snapping out of it, Troy clicked onto mutual friends, scrolling down through the list. His mouth hung agape as he saw two names that stood out in particular - Zeke Baylor and Jason Cross.

"Holy crap," Troy nearly fell out of his chair.

Bailee narrowed her eyes, poking her cousin in the gut. "Bad word!"

"Chad, grab my phone for me - now."

Chad scowled before doing as he was ordered. "Troy, before you do something please think about what you're doing."

"Just give me my phone!" Troy snapped, grabbing an international phone card that was needed to make his call.

Chad handed Troy his phone with a frustrated look on his face. Chad narrowed his eyes as he watched Troy dial a number, waiting for Zeke to pick up his phone. After a couple of rings, Troy finally heard the familiar sound of his friend's voice.

"Troy? Hey man, how's Italy?"

"Hey Zeke. It's great... really sunny and not as rainy or humid. Listen, I have a question for you. How do you know Gabriella Montez?"

Chad resisted the urge to smack his head. Bailee giggled once more at the funny look of irritation on Chad's face.

There was a pause on the line followed by a dry chuckle, "That's a really random question."

"I know. I was just wondering."

"I love that girl, she's so sweet. I met her at some party, I think. She's the only one who actually appreciates my apple scones!"

Chad placed two fingers down his mouth, pretending to gag. Troy, on the other hand, smiled. It was relieving to know that his impression of her as a genuinely nice person was accurate despite the fact that her best friend was dubbed by many as the biggest bitch in NYC.

"And she's Sharpay's best friend! I can't tell you how many times she's been the wingman for me and Sharpay," said Zeke brightly and Troy could imagine him beaming from the mention of Sharpay's name.

"Err… all right."

"Why are you asking, by the way?"

"He met her at the beach. Turns out she's our next-door neighbor and now he's obsessed with her," Chad quipped into the receiver of Troy's phone before Troy elbowed him to back off. Bailee laughed gleefully at the death look Troy shot Chad.

"I'm not I just," Troy took a deep breath, "...like her a lot more than I should."

Loretta sauntered into the room, smiling delicately at her two grandchildren and her grandson's crazy friend sprawled onto the couch, watching Soccer.

"Alessandra mi ha chiesto se si desidera accompagnare Sharpay e Gabriella a Venezia questo pomeriggio (Alessandra asked me if you would like to accompany Sharpay and Gabriella to Venice this afternoon)."

While both Chad and Bailee looked slightly confused (Chad more so than Bailee), Troy understood perfectly well and bit his lip nervously. Seeing her again meant another opportunity to clear up any misconceptions and misunderstandings from last night. Then again, seeing her again meant dealing with Sharpay much to the displeasure of everyone. He and Chad vowed to avoid Sharpay, but if he agreed to this, it would become increasingly difficult to do so.

Then again, Bailee did mention her want to visit Venice again. If he was to go with her, it would seem simply rude not to invite the neighbors to come along with them. With that in mind, he made his decision.

"Sì, Bailee voleva andare a Venezia comunque (Yes, Bailee wanted to go to Venice anyway)," Troy responded firmly with a nod. Loretta simply grinned, pinching her grandson's cheek in a loving manner before kissing his cheek and proclaiming her appreciation for his kindness and help.

Bailee perked up at the sound of 'Venezia'. Her eyes brightened instantly, twinkling. "Are we going to Venice?"

"Si," Loretta and Troy answered simultaneously, exchanging a shared smile.

Bailee squealed excitedly before bounding up towards the stairs.

Sharpay Evans stared at her appearance in the mirror in utter dissatisfaction with her hair. Since when did she have so many split ends? Why did her hair decide to pick today of all days to be a wavy mess? It was neither straight nor was it wavy - it was sort of in between and Sharpay did not like the way it looked.

"UGH!" Sharpay screeched, ruffling her blonde hair in a tantrum, "I HATE MY HAIR!"

A gentle knock upon her wooden door echoed through the walls of Sharpay's room, distracting her from her hair-duty.

"Come in!" Sharpay called and looked up to notice her grandmother enter, holding a glass of refreshing iced lemon tea.

"Is everything all right? I could hear you screaming from the kitchen," Alessandra said in a concerned voice before delivering Sharpay's drink to her, hoping it would appease the blonde.

Sharpay sighed in relief and quickly thanked her grandmother for the refreshing beverage. Chugging the contents in the glass, Sharpay finished the drink in its entirety within a couple of gulps.

"Grazie nonna," Sharpay said, feeling herself relax. "I'm sorry for screaming. I'm having a bad hair day."

Alessandra laughed in amusement, quirking an eyebrow. "Is that all?"

Sharpay simply blinked, "Uh, yeah."

Alessandra shook her head and contained her chuckles before reaching out to smoothen the loose strays of her granddaughter's hairs, fixing them in the right position.

"Gabriella was waiting for you for awhile before she left."

Sharpay raised her eyebrow, "Left? To where?"

Where could she have possibly gone on her own? It wasn't like she knew the town well enough yet to know how to get back to the Lombardi Estate, so why would she venture out on her own?

Alessandra shrugged her shoulders. "I just saw her on the back of Antonio's motorcycle and then she was gone."

Sharpay bore the most baffled expression upon her face, one mixed with disbelief and anger.

"What the hell?"

Alessandra simply shrugged cluelessly once more. "Don't ask me. I know nothing. I assumed you introduced them..."

"No," Sharpay spit furiously. "I can't stand that arrogant stronzo (asshole)."

Alessandra chuckled. "Well, then. I suggest you find her or wait for her return."

"What the hell is she doing on his motorcycle? I specifically remember warning her to avoid him!" Sharpay thought aloud, scowling. "First, Troy... now Antonio? What a hoe!"

"Sharpay," Alessandra scolded her granddaughter, wagging her finger. "You don't say those things about your friends!"

"I'm sorry nonna," Sharpay apologized even though both she and Alessandra clearly knew she was not. "But what the hell is she doing? Seriously, she's practically walking into his trap. You know Antonio almost as well as I do."

"Well, how about you distract her with something else then? I was just talking to Loretta and she says her grandson would willingly show her around in Venezia. You two should go; I am sure she would love it! And he is a good boy, unlike Antonio."

"Oi, those Sicilians," Both Alessandra and Sharpay stated at the same time before Sharpay finally broke her scowl and cracked a genuine smile followed by a giggle.

Gabriella felt her hair blow in the wind, unable to stop the mirthful laughter that escaped from her throat. She felt so free, so alive. Nothing could compare to this feeling, nothing could be better.

Antonio sped way past the speed limit through the streets, showing her the best hotels in the town, the beach house he stayed at, the Pista Azzurra Go-Kart circuit where the most famous international Go Kart competitions took place (and apparently the place where anyone could rent a kart during the off season).

He rambled on and on about random facts about Lido di Jesolo and the celebrities that were spotted vacationing in northeast Italy. He swiftly sped past through the ruins of Old Jesolo, which seemed to display artifacts of the early settlement of the area that was forgotten as the area transformed into a tourist resort. He even mentioned the existence of a water park in close proximity (Aqualandia) and encouraged her to visit it before her departure.

As the tour came to a conclusion, Antonio sped back to the Lombardi Estates to drop Gabriella off.

"Thank you so much, Antonio. That was a lovely tour of the village, I can't thank you enough."

"You're more than welcome," Antonio flashed her a toothy grin before he was cut off by the shrill shriek of an infuriated blonde.

"GABRIELLA, WHAT THE FUCK DID I TELL YOU?"

Gabriella's eyes widened in alarm as Sharpay stomped across the lawn towards her and Antonio. Sharpay, who finally opted for a headband to solve her hair dilemma, made a thumping noise with her Apepazza ankle boots as Gabriella climbed off the Vespa. The exasperated blonde stamped her foot twice and suddenly Gabriella saw the reflection of the spoiled five-year old who ripped the heads of all her Barbies off whenever she did not get her way.

"Huh?"

"Don't you dare 'huh' me-"

"Ciao Sharpay," Antonio greeted her with his infamous suggestive wink.

"Ugh," Sharpay merely ignored his seductive wink, knowing his slimy intentions. "Arrivederci (Goodbye), Antonio."

"You," Sharpay pointed at Gabriella, her eyes fiery. "Have a damn load of explaining to do."

AN: Next stop is Venice. Fun times and flirtation lies ahead! ;) Thank you for the reviews and encouragement, it really helps motivate me to update faster.