Chapter 26

The Reality of Things

I own NOTHING (except for the plot)! But I wish I did (:

"Did you cut your hair?" Selena asked as she walked into the kitchen. The first thing she noticed was Gabriella's hair. It stopped short and curly just a few inches below her shoulder blades. Gabriella nodded and ran her hand through her hair. "Yup. I cut it last night."

"Aw, I love it," Selena gushed. She touched her hair and grinned. It had grown longer since they've been in Albuquerque. It used to stop at her shoulders and now it was nearly dropping a bit after her rib cage. And she didn't even have to use extensions. "My mama told me when I was young we are all born superstars," Reva sung loudly as she twirled into the kitchen. "She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on in the glass of her boudoir. 'There's nothing wrong with loving who you are,' she said ''Cause He made you perfect, babe.' So hold your head up and you'll go far. Listen to me when I say!" Reva stopped singing and smiled. "And you guys know the rest."

"Oh, you're finally out of the shower. I mean, it only took you two hours," Selena said sarcastically. Reva grinned. "Well, it certainly doesn't take two seconds to look this hot." Reva was clad in a dark denim vest with a white tank top beneath it and short denim shorts. To finish off the look she had slipped on some cute gladiator sandals and had a black fringe purse slung over her shoulder. "Plus, I need to look my best. I mean, come on people, we're going to Miami! You're not supposed to look crappy." She looked at Rosie. "Hear that Rosie?"

Rosie looked down at her outfit, confused. She was in some gray sweats and a white v-neck. "Huh? But this is what I'm wearing today."

"Oh…well, then it look gorgeous," Reva said. She slipped into a stool and stole some of Gabriella's cereal. "When are we leaving?"

"Six hours," Rosie said. "Gabriella, go get ready." Gabriella hopped off of her chair before trotting out of the kitchen and up stairs. Selena sighed. "Another two hours."

Rosie shook her head. "No. Like I said, we leave in six hours. Maxine and Sammy still need to get ready, you, Leilani, Emil and Troy still need to get ready. That'll take maybe four hours or so. This isn't a private jet. The pilot won't wait for us."

"Why don't we just use a private jet?" Reva groaned.

"Because normal kids don't fly in private jets," Rosie said.

"And that sucks," Leilani said as she came into the kitchen. Everyone gawked at her. "What?"

"Your really, really curly hair is now really, really…straight," Selena whispered as if she couldn't believe it. Leilani nodded. "Yeah. I straightened it before when I was like fourteen. You like it?"

"It's so pretty," Reva said. Rosie and Selena agreed. "You should keep it straight, Lei."

"I can't. Since it's so hot here my hair just gets curly. It never stays straight. I'll give this 'do eight hours before it's alive and has a mind of its own."

"When'd you get ready?" Selena asked.

"While Reva was doing her hair I got in the shower." Leilani looked at Reva. "You didn't peak, did you?"

"No," Reva lied. She bit her lip so she wouldn't break out laughing, but she failed the attempt. "Okay, maybe I did. You have a nice birth mark on your ass."

"You know how creepy that is, Rev? I'm so violated." Reva grinned and hugged her before going back to her cereal. All of a sudden, there was a loud thud before Gabriella's squeal ran around the house. Rosie, Reva, Selena and Leilani looked at each other, all with amused expressions. Emil came down the steps. "Okay, I just saw my brother and his girlfriend naked with each other in the shower. I'm seriously scarred."

Rosie got up and walked to the end of the steps. "You guys better be getting ready up there!"

"Sorry!" Gabriella yelled before laughing with Troy.

...

"Troy, no!" Gabriella squealed. "I have to get ready. Rosie will cut me up into little pieces if we miss this flight."

"We can get ready together," he compromised, pushing them into the bathroom. He grinned and pushed his lips to hers. Gabriella gave into him and ran her hand through his hair. She arched her body into him and smiled. "But seriously, if you're showering with me come on."

Troy detached his lips form hers and turned to the shower. He turned on the tap and the water slowly fled out of the shower head. Gabriella watched as he took off his shirt and boxers, flinging to some part of the bathroom. "Checking me out?" he said. Gabriella smirked. He didn't even turn around. She stripped out of all her clothes before they climbed into the walk-in shower. "We're just showering," Gabriella told him sternly. She turned around to him and smiled. "Checking me out?" she mimicked.

"Like I can help it," Troy snorted. He grabbed a mesh bath sponge and squirted some body wash onto it. He slowly rubbed it around Gabriella's body, loving how she pressed herself against him and let out a silent moan. Troy wet the sponge before going back to rubbing it down her body. "This is so turning me on right now," Gabriella said, her eyes closing as bliss poured down over her body along with the warm water.

Troy grinned and pressed his lips to hers. He backed her against the wall, placing both his hands on either side of her face, caging her in. "So?" Troy mumbled against her lips. Gabriella threaded her fingers through his hair and tugged a bit. "So do something about it," she murmured before pushing her lips hard to his again.

…

"Cassandra!" Sammy exclaimed, hugging Cassandra. Yup, Cassandra was invited on the trip along with Sharpay. Go figure, right? Taylor was invited, but her parents said no. Since Taylor wasn't going, Chad had passed, Ryan and Kelsi had to still write music for the play and the Twins were still in LA. So the only person left was Sharpay.

Cassandra pulled back from Sammy's grasp and gently touched her hair, making sure it wasn't messed up. When she was sure, she turned to Sammy and smiled. "I can't wait to get to Miami," she said. "I'm so excited."

"I know," Sammy exclaimed. "We're going all the way to Spain."

Maxine laughed and grabbed both their hands as they walked into the plane. "Miami's not in Spain, Sammy. It's in Florida."

"Florida? But that's a country. It can't be in Florida." Cassandra leaned closer to Maxine. She cupped her hand around her mouth making sure Sammy couldn't hear. "He's lucky he's cute." Maxine covered her mouth as she went into a fit of giggles. She already loved Cassandra.

"I'll sit with the little kids," Rosie said. She ushered Cassandra and Sammy into the seat before sitting on the end. Maxine went to sit next to Selena and Sharpay while Leilani parked next to Reva and Emil, much to her calamity. Gabriella and Troy settled in their own seats, the lucky ones. "Is this a time to join the Mile High Club?" Troy whispered to Gabriella. Gabriella giggled and squeezed his thigh. "Hell no! I am so not having sex on a plane. Do you know how un-romantic that is?" She whispered the last two sentences, not wanting anyone to hear. "But feel free to join yourself."

"Okay," Troy said easily. He looked around and grabbed his jacket. Gabriella watched him, an amazed look on her face as he dug his hand under his pants. "Troy," Gabriella hissed. She casted a look around her before yanking his hand out of his pants. "You are seriously a nymphomaniac."

"I am offended," Troy said jokingly. Gabriella rolled her eyes and pecked his lips. "Just hold tight. The flight is only eight hours." Troy nodded and Gabriella smiled. She leaned her head against his shoulder and snuggled into him.

…

"Brie…"

Gabriella stirred and gripped tighter onto Troy. Troy smiled. "Brie…wake up."

"Hmmm," she sighed and lifted her head off his shoulder. She stared in his eyes for a moment, smiled and then closed her eyes and went back to sleep. Troy laughed silently. He turned to the flight attendant who had asked him a second ago if he wanted anything. "Can I have two bags of peanuts?"

She smiled and handed him over the bags. "Enjoy the rest of your flight."

He nodded. "Thank you." She walked down the aisle and Troy looked back down at Gabriella. It was now night time and the plane was supposed to land in Miami in about thirty minutes or so. Since it was one hour later here in Florida, it was now seven instead of six. "Stop looking at me," he heard Gabriela say in a tired mumble. Troy chuckled and Gabriella lifted her head off his shoulder.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

Gabriella pressed her lips to his. "Morning. Wait." She looked out the window. "It's night time?" Gabriella turn back around to Troy and stretched her muscles. "What time is it?"

"It's nearly eight o'clock," Troy answered. "Seven forty-one."

Gabriella looked around herself. Rosie was lost in her book while Sammy and Cassandra were curled together, sleeping. Emil and Reva were both sleeping and Leilani was too. Maxine, Selena and Sharpay were talking silently. And the other people around them were sleeping. Gabriella looked back at Troy and grinned. "The lights are off," she whispered. "Now we will not have sex, but I could settle for something light." Gabriella smiled and reached for a blanket. She made sure it covered their lower halves before she unzipped his zipper and grasped his member. Troy jerked in her hand and Gabriella smiled. She pressed a kiss to his lips so he wouldn't make any noise.

"Brie," Troy whispered, detaching their lips.

"Shh," Gabriella said. She gently squeezed him and then pumped at his hardened member. She could feel it beating beneath her grasp as the blood filled him up. "Fucking hell," Troy whispered, sweat now building up on his forehead. Gabriella kissed him again before moving her hand faster. Troy threw his head back, his body shaking with unspeakable pleasure as the rumble through his body finally stopped at his stomach, ready for release. Gabriella grabbed his face with her other hand and kissed him hard, swallowing his moan as he came.

She could feel the sticky, warm substance trail down her hand and she bit her lip, grinning up at him. "That was hot," she said and wiped her fingers along the blanket. Troy nodded. He was out of breath and flustered. "Wanna do more?" he whispered.

Gabriella looked around herself again. Everyone still seemed to be in the same spot as before. She looked back at Troy and nodded. "Yeah…but quick."

Troy zipped up his pants while Gabriella unzipped her shorts. She sunk low in the seat and covered herself more, not wanting anyone to see what they were up to. Troy gave her a sultry smile before easing his hand into her underwear and instantly pushing his finger into her. Gabriella's back arched and her mouth opened in a silent moan. Troy pressed his lips to hers, making sure sh didn't her any loud noises that could get them caught.

"Troy," Gabriella whimpered softly. Troy picked up his pace as he thrusted his finger in and out of her. He added another digit and Gabriella pressed her knees together, afraid that she would thrash her legs around. "God," she whispered breathlessly, sinking even more in the seat. She squeezed around his fingers and Troy swallowed deeply. Her hips rocked in rhythm with his fingers and then she finally came. Her eyes closed tightly shut and she grasped the sides of the seat to the point where her finger started to burn.

"Mmm," she moaned softly, giving his fingers a few more thrust before limply lying still in the seat. Troy removed his fingers from her and licked his fingers, smiling when Gabriella watched him. "Love you," she whispered.

Troy grinned and pressed his lips to hers. "Love you more," he whispered. They snuggled together as the plane slowly made its way to Miami.

…

"Are you kidding me?" Maxine squeaked. "You guys seriously did that right in front of me? My god, what if someone caught you guys?"

"What's with the 'what if's'?" Gabriella said. They had finally settled in at The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Key Biscayne, Miami. Everyone was spilt up. Rosie had gone with the little kids, the Trip had stuck together, Troy and Emil were together and Sharpay, Maxine and Leilani shared. Rosie had told Gabriella and Reva that there would be sharing between them or sneaking into rooms late at night, much to their dismay.

So now they were unpacking and lying around since it was night time.

"Because you could've gotten caught," Reva said. "Rosie would be so pissed if she found out."

"But did she?" Gabriella asked, smiling. She unzipped her suitcase and started pulling out her clothes. "Nope, she didn't. Besides…everyone knew that you and Emil were hand searching."

"Not like you two," Reva said. "I mean, we kissed and he, you know, touched me some places but I didn't…we didn't…you're such a nymphomaniac, Gabs."

"I am not!" Gabriella declined. "Troy suggested it."

"And you agreed to it," Maxine pointed out.

"Whatever," Gabriella said, waving her hand in the air as if she were trying to rid a fly from flying in her face. "I'm going to sleep. Rosie's waking everyone up early. Five AM."

"Shit, as if I would get up," Leilani said. "I am so not a morning person."

"She's not," Maxine agreed. "Seriously, she almost ripped my hair off when I tried to wake her at a sleepover a year ago."

"That was not my fault," Leilani said. "To be fair I thought you were Emil's little friends trying to look in my shirt."

"With long hair?"

"That boy Logan has hair that was like to his waist," Leilani said. Maxine rolled her eyes and plopped down on the master bed. "Who's getting the master?"

"The oldest," Gabriella said. She looked at her sisters, daring them to deny. "I'm seventeen, too," Selena said.

"But are you older than me?" Gabriella smiled and cocked her head to the side. "Didn't think so."

"Whatever. Look, I'm crashing, too. If Rosie rings her cowbell in my ear again, I swear to God I will shove it down her a—"

"Girls." Rosie leaned into the room, a small smile tugging at her lips. "time for bed. And Selena, don't be dissing on my cowbell, you hear?" Rosie smiled at her before leaving. Selena looked at the girls, her eyes wide. "How old is she again?" They all laughed before Leilani, Maxine, and Sharpay filed out of the Trio's room and to their own.

Reva sighed and sunk into her bed. "How do you bury a castle?"

"Huh?" Selena pulled the covers over her body and turned on her side. She rested her head on her hand. "What?"

"You grab your shovel and dig a deep hole," Gabriella said, grinning. "Brick By Boring Brick. Now go to sleep."

Selena turned onto her back, her eyebrows creasing in confusion. "I don't get it." Gabriella turned off the light in their room before going back into hers. "Go to sleep," she repeated.

…

"Pebble."

"Ocean."

"Troy."

"Hot."

Gabriella smirked. "Conceited."

"Hot."

Gabriella sat up in her bed, giggling quietly. "You can't say a word twice! That's cheating."

"Fine, sexy."

"No, no, it's too late. I win. Let's play again."

"But Brie," Troy whined into the phone. "you beat me like five times."

"Troy," Gabriella said, a look of amusement crossing her face. "We've only played twice." She heard Troy chuckled softly. There was a loud thud on the other end after and Troy's laugh coming in third. "What?" Gabriella said, concerned. "Are you hurt? What's wrong? What happened?"

"Ow…" she heard Emil groaned.

"Emil fell off his bed," Troy laughed. Gabriella let out her own little laugh, cautions of her sisters sleeping next door. "How?"

"Troy David Alexander Bolton, you better not tell her!" Emil yelled.

"Apparently, he was having a wet dream about your sister and—" There was a sound of glass breaking before Troy laughed again. "That is definitely not a way to gain back your pride, my brother," Troy said. Then he explained for Gabriella. "He tripped over his shirt and hit a table. A lamp fell."

"Ah," Gabriella said, giggling. "Is he alright?"

"Sure, sure, just a bit offended that my brother's girlfriend cares more about me that he does!" Emil yelled. "Stop sitting there and help me up!"

"I'm good," Troy said. Gabriella laughed. "Troy, get your lazy butt up and help your brother. I'll see you in the morning. Seriously, it's one in the morning and Rosie is waking us up at five."

"No," Troy whined.

"Yes," Gabriella said, mimicking his whine. She giggled merrily. "I'll talk to you later, Wildcat. Please?"

"Okay, fine," Troy said, sighing. "But you owe me."

"Sure I do."

"Okay. Love you."

"Mmm," Gabriella hummed softly. She fingered the hem of Troy's cotton shirt she had stolen from his bag when they arrived. "Love you, too. Bye."

"Bye."

Gabriella ended the call and laid back down on her bed. She let out a low squeal of excitement and grinned up at the ceiling. She still couldn't believe this even after months. She had finally found her Prince Charming. It was so surreal. Like a movie. God forbid this was just a movie or dream. Because if it were, it was a very, very long movie or dream.

Gabriella let her grin go to just a smile. She turned over and stared out the window at the full moon light as it illuminated the room. All if a sudden a wave of sadness fell over her and her smile turned sad. Her and her dad would go outside at midnight and stare up at the full moon and the constellations. She could almost see her dad grinning at her and telling her crazy myths that were about the moon.

Gabriella smiled and turned back on her back, looking up at the ceiling. Sometime between thinking about just normal stuff and just crazy stuff she fell asleep.

…

"Rosie!" Selena groaned, covering her ears. Rosie smiled and rung her cowbell again, marveling the way Reva and Selena squirmed. "Turn it off!" Reva yelled.

"Get up," Rosie said. Selena rolled out of bed and fell to the floor with a loud thud. She crawled under her bed and sighed. Well, she was up. "What I say?" Gabriella said, smiling as she walked into their room. "Now Rosie, why don't you go wake Leilani up?"

"Yeah," Selena agreed, shimming out from under the bed. "Let's see what she does to that bell."

"She'll probably rip it up into shreds," Reva said, sitting up and sliding out of bed. "And then throw it at the wall."

"We'll see about that," Rosie said. "Get ready. You have two bathrooms." Then she left.

"Reva is last," Gabriella decided.

"Why?"

Gabriella smiled and shrugged. "You're the youngest. Hey, maybe you can record Rosie's death sentence."

Reva grinned and picked up her phone from the bedside table. She walked out of the room and into the hallway. Rosie was pushing the little card into the door and Reva slipped in after her. "She snores like a bear," Sharpay complained when she spotted them. "Seriously, is she a boy?"

"Sure acts like it," Reva said. She and Rosie advanced on into Maxine's and Leilani's room. Maxine was draped over her bed, her sheets jumbled and entwined with her legs and lower body. And Leilani was for sure snoring. Rosie smiled and lifted her cowbell. He dangled it and Maxine sat up with a start, her eyes bulging wide. "What the fuck?"

"Maxine, that's the first time you've said the f word!" Reva exclaimed. "Good for you!" Maxine threw her a look before falling back on her bed and into a short coma. Leilani groaned and her eyes opened meekly. "Shut the fucking thing off before I fucking shove it down someone's fucking throat," she grumbled.

"Good morning to you, too," Rosie mumbled, but continued to shake the cowbell. Maxine finally sat up. She looked at Leilani amused. Leilani sat up. She turned gray eyes on Rosie. "What the fuck did I say?"

"And what did I say?" Rosie countered. "Get up."

"It is five in the morning!" Sam exclaimed as he marched into the room. "I didn't even know that time existed!"

Rosie threw a warning look at Leilani. She groaned loudly and trudged off the bed. "Someday I won't be able to control myself and will throw someone out the window," she growled lividly. No seriously, she actually growled.

Sam backed up behind Rosie. "She's talking about you, isn't she?"

"Get up," Rosie demanded before walking out of the room.

…

"So what was that thing about how do you bury a castle?" Selena asked Gabriella and Reva. They had just had breakfast at the hotel and were on their way to South Miami Beach in the rented van. "Paramore's song Brick By Boring Brick," Gabriella answered. "It's like, only the best song ever."

"Mmm, I smell funnel cake," Sammy moaned.

"We're hardly near the beach or park yet," Maxine pointed out. "We just got on the road."

"I have really good senses," Sammy said. "Just like Yo—where's Yoda?" Sammy patted his lap. "Where is he?"

"Oh, jeez," Reva groaned. She ran her fingers through her hair and pulled her legs up to her chest tightly. Rosie looked in the rearview mirror at Sammy. "Find him, Sam. If I see him, I'll most likely jump and get us into a car crash."

"You can't!" Sharpay and Cassandra screeched at the same time. Sharpay touched her clothes while Cassandra touched her hair. "My hair will totally get ruined," Cassandra whined.

"And my thousand dollar clothes will be ruined, too," Sharpay added.

"That was oddly weird, yet oddly hot," Sammy said, grinning.

"Seriously, Sam. Find him," Rosie demanded. "If I get into a crash in a state that I don't live in, that could cause some major problems."

Sammy sighed and crouched down under the seat. "Yoda!" Sammy screamed as the car jerked to the left, jolting everyone around in the car. Rosie stomped on the brake as everyone's panicked screams filled the car. Yoda was on the steering wheel, creeping to Rosie's hands.

The car jerked to a stop, nearly crashing into another one. Rosie sighed. "Is everyone fine?" Sammy reached for Yoda and cupped him in his hands. He looked at Rosie with sorry eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"I was startled," Rosie said. She backed the car up and started riving slowly down the road. "That is so funny," Gabriella mumbled. "I almost got into a crash because of a bug. But Reva was the one who was startled."

"You almost got into a crash?" Rosie questioned. "When exactly were you planning to tell me?"

Gabriella shrugged. "When I forgot?" Rosie shook her head and sighed. Maxine clicked on the radio and smiled when Kelly Rowland and Lil. Wayne's Motivation blared loudly around the car. "I just wanna feel your hands all over me, baby," Reva sung with a smug look. "But you can't stop there. The music's still playing in the background."

Rosie turned to another station and shook her head. "Two little kids in the car."

"Who?" Cassandra said. She looked at Emil. "The boney one?"

"No, you," Emil said. "Jeez, this girl has been throwing criticism my way all morning."

"You do look like a kid…" Leilani said, trailing off.

"Anyway," Rosie said. "That song is so inappropriate."

Reva shrugged. "So what? It's about sex. Every song lately is about sex."

"No, that song is sex," Selena corrected her.

"Stop talking about sex," Rosie demanded. "Jeez. We're almost there. Just sit still for a bit."

"Rosie, when has your demanding side come out?"

"Since I've finally come into reality about having six kids plus three around me all the time."

Enjoy it? (: I have chapter 2r done and ready. I'll put it out and make sure you review, please!

Thanks!-Brittany