Sleepovers

"So, Gabs. Seems like Chad and I were interrupting something today when we came to your rehearsal?" Taylor asked slyly as she set up the sleeping bag for Gabriella, who was sleeping over since her Mother was out of town.

"Oh, please. We were just singing!" Gabriella giggled as she threw a pillow at her friend.

"Yeah, okay." Taylor nodded doubtfully, catching the pillow with ease and setting it down on the bed. "Seriously, Gabriella. What's going on with you two? You looked kinda cosy up there on the stage. I thought we hated jocks…"

"Yeah, so did I!" Gabriella replied, "so what were you doing turning up with Chad?" Taylor's smug look suddenly fell, and Gabriella instantaneously noticed a blush creeping over her cheeks.

"Oh my God!" Gabriella shrieked, "You like him! Talk about hypocritical, falling for a jock…" She shook her head in mock disdain, laughing at Taylor's jaw dropping.

"No, I was just…he asked me where he could find Troy and I brought him with me." After seeing Gabriella's disbelieving expression, she shrugged. "It's true. Shall we get the film on?" Gabriella nodded, sensing she wasn't going to get anymore out of her friend, she was glad at least the conversation had steered away from her and Troy because she had no idea of the answers to the questions she knew Taylor was dying to ask.

"Dude, it's getting late, let's head in." Chad panted, he and Troy had been practising hoops. Troy grabbed the ball and nodded, too out of breath to speak. Chad checked his watch 10.30pm. He wordlessly showed Troy his watch and they headed in.

"Chad, sweetie I'm off to bed. Night Troy." Mrs Danforth smiled at the teenage boys as she headed up stairs. Troy and Chad were sat in the kitchen having a glass of water when Chad turned to face Troy a mischievous grin on his face. "So, how was it?"

"How was what?" Troy asked absent mindedly, flipping through a sports magazine.

"Montez." Chad replied as if his question had been obvious.

"What about Gabriella?" Troy asked, still clueless as too what Chad was implying, had he looked up, the suggestive expression on Chad's face would have explained everything.

Chad, growing impatient, snatched the magazine from his friend.

"Ooh, Gabriella. Since when were you two on first name terms?" When he got no answer he continued. "Troy, you and Gabriella hooked up and I need details."

Troy rolled his eyes and snatched the magazine back, "Firstly, details? What are you, a teenage girl? And secondly, Gabriella and I did not hook up, I don't even like her, remember?" Troy added in not an entirely convincing tone.

"Okay," Chad sighed, not wanting to take no for an answer, "maybe you didn't hook up with her, but that doesn't mean you don't want to…" He folded his arms triumphantly and looked at his friend. Surely he wasn't that blind? He may not get on with Gabriella and Taylor but that doesn't mean he couldn't see what was happening to Troy. Chad's thoughts were interrupted when Troy attempted a hasty change of subject.

"So, your birthday party in two days, you excited?" Troy smiled, hoping Chad couldn't see through his obvious change in subject. He didn't want to talk about his feelings for Gabriella because, frankly, he didn't understand them himself.

"Yeah, man." Chad grinned, rubbing his hands together, "it'll be great. The parents will be gone and it'll just be us all. Who knows," Chad added slyly, "I might even invite Gabriella and Taylor…." He observed Troy waiting for a reaction.

Troy shrugged and pretended to be nonchalant, "Fine, invite them if you want, it's your party."

"Well, maybe I will…" Chad said smugly.

"Fine by me." Troy raised his hands defensively.

"Alright, then. I just might…" Chad teased.

"Dude, just invite them already!" Troy lost his patience.

"Alright, alright! If you wanted them to come so badly all you had to do was say so." Chad beamed at his friend and ducked as Troy lunged at him. Chad picked up the phone and began to dial.

"Not even if he was the last guy on earth?" Taylor pressed.

"Well…then, yeah. I mean we're the last people on earth! Troy and I would have to re-populate the plant, it would be strictly business." Gabriella giggled, this immediately set off Taylor, the 'Gabriella giggle' was famous, it could melt the coldest of hearts and lighten up any dark situation. "What about if Chad was the last-

Gabriella's question was interrupted by the sound of Taylor's house phone ringing. "Taylor, it could be your parents," Gabriella wondered aloud as she passed the phone to her friend, "maybe they're getting home later than they thought." Taylor took the phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Taylor? Hi, it's Chad."

Gabriella mouthed, "Who is it?" to Taylor, who just shushed her friend as she listened to Chad, Gabriella couldn't work out what the person on the other side of the phone was saying, all she could see was Taylor smiling and occasionally saying, "Sure" or "Yeah, definitely." Finally she ended the call with, "see you tomorrow, bye."

"What was that about?" Gabriella asked, wondering what the caller could have said to put such a smile on Taylor's face.

"We are going to a party on Friday." Taylor smiled, flicking through a textbook and attempting to do her homework.

Gabriella scoffed, "A party?? Come on Tay, it's us, girls like US don't get invited to parties. Who's is it?"

"Chad's birthday party." Taylor said under her breath hoping her friend wouldn't hear, she wasn't lucky…

"Chad?? As in Chad Danforth??" Gabriella practically yelled, she couldn't believe it. The one person she thought she could count on to destroy her growing feelings for Troy was doing the exact same thing, falling for a jock. For the enemy. Gabriella opened her mouth to protest when Taylor put up a hand.

"Gabriella, we're going, we never do anything like this, with the musical and all the scholastic decathlon practices, you need time to chill out and have some fun. Before your brain explodes." Taylor nodded and gave Gabriella the 'Taylor look' Gabriella rolled her eyes, she couldn't say no to Taylor's stern yet caring face.

"Okay, then." Gabriella sighed. "I'll go, but I'm not having any fun…"

That's it! Sorry, it wasn't the best, it was mostly a filler chapter and it's purpose was to set up for the next couple of chapters which are of course the party! I can promise a kiss or two, a fight and a closet. The more reviews the more emails I'll get informing me of the reviews which will remind me to update. So please R and R, thanks to everyone who has so far. You all rock!