Gabriella bent down to sweep the last of the broken glass into the dust pan. Coming back up she tossed it into the trash and looked back at the floor to examine her work. With a nod she snapped the broom and dust pan together and slid it into this slot on the maintenance cart. Pulling the cart behind her she made her way back to the back room only to be stopped when two male hands stopped the cart from going any further. Looking up she met blue eyes staring back at her.

"Hey" Troy said as he stood there watching her eyes widen with panic.

"Troy." Gabriella looked around the nearly empty student center. "Your shift isn't for another two hours, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." He said taking the cart from her.

"Me?" she watched as he pushed the cart towards the back room. Gabriella looked around the student center one more time in a stunned silence as she looked at the empty tables and study group off to the corner.

"You coming Montez?" he called out.

When he got into the back room he put the cart back into it closet and turned around in time to see Gabriella coming into the room. Her hair was down and she was wearing a blue sweater that seemed to hang off her right shoulder. Her jeans were snug her tennis shoes beat up. "Got a hot date or something?" he asked walking up to her and reaching out for a curl to hold between his fingers.

"No," she said looking up at him with an expression. "Why are you here?"

"Wanna get a pizza?" he said ignoring her question and gently bringing his right hand up to tuck a curl behind her ear. He was touching her and she wasn't flinching or fighting it. Troy smiled "What do you eat on your pizza?"

"Troy," she said grabbing his hands. "What are you doing?"

The room went quiet and both of them stood there watching the other. "Spending time with you," Troy said as he rocked back on his heals a bit.

"I'm not a charity case," Gabriella said as she leaned back a little. "I know you were avoiding me."

"Never," Troy said a little taken a back. "I could never avoid you."

"Then why haven't I seen you around?" Gabriella said looking at him with curiosity.

Troy shrugged "I wasn't sure you wanted me around." Troy slipped a hand into his pocket. "You kinda brushed me off the other night at the bonfire."

Gabriella didn't say anything, crossing her arms she watched him as he watched her. His eyes were warm, gentle, and trusting, the kind of eyes that made you feel wonderful to be seen through. "Everything has changed, hasn't it?"

"Some things," Troy said honestly. "Not everything."

"But you want to talk about it." Gabriella said watching his eyes for any hesitation.

Troy didn't hesitate. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There isn't much to talk about." Gabriella said with a shrug, "Rape's kind of self explanatory like that."

The word being said seemed to bring the tension into the room. His eyes narrowed and he caught himself holding his breath. She was defensive, distant and concealing all the warmth that her smile and features had to offer. "Are you testing me?" he said quietly staring at her with confusion.

Gabriella let out a sigh and she tucked her hair back. "Doesn't it scare you?"

Troy hands clenched in his pockets. "No,"

"Why do want to be with me?" Gabriella said uncrossing her arms. "There are other girls more than willing to give you everything you need, want and more."

"And none of those girls are going to be you." Troy said with a raised brow, "They might actually like me back and then where would I be?" His blue eyes seemed to smile along with the rest of his face.

Gabriella smirked a little as she rolled her eyes.

"What's your favorite pizza topping?" He asked.

Shifting her weight to her left food she paused for a moment before she answered. "Sausage."

"Ever tried BBQ chicken?"

Gabriella face scrunched up. "That sounds really gross." She said waving a hand in front of her and then turning to raise the gate from the service window.

"How would you know if you never tried?"

"I just do."

"That's not fair." Troy said with a huff, "Wanna go get some pizza?"

"No," Gabriella said with a smile as she motion around. "I'm at work." She said as took a seat at the front desk.

"No one's here." Troy said turning to lean out the service window and look into empty student center. No one was on the floor, the only people in his sight of vision was a group of girls studying in the corner booth.

"You're impossible, Some of us value our job." Gabriella moving the mouse to wake up the computer revealing her face book page.

Troy smirked as she motioned to the computer screen. "That's funny I don't remember the Face book part of the job?" he said stealing the mouse from her.

"Troy," she said with a laugh as he took over her face book page.

"I could status a million things," He said pushing her gently out of the way as he took over the key board. "How about Troy is the most amazing person in the world?"

Both of them giggled as she fought back for the mouse shoving him out of the way. After a few moments of laughter he looked back at the screen at the dog. "Who's that?" he asked.

"I have a dog back at home. Her name is Bella." Gabriella said clicking the mouse for the computer and bringing up the photo for a better view. "We rescued her from the pound, she's a Beagle mixed with Pointer." She smiled as she looked up at Troy to watch as he leaned into look at the picture. He was close, so close that she could smell the scent of his cologne. It was faint, almost not there, faded throughout the day so that now it was a mixture of Troy and cologne. She resisted the urge to lean in and take a deep breath.

"I have cat named Binky." Troy said, making her jerk a little. "Cats are awesome, way smarter than dogs." He said looking back at her playfully.

"Dogs are better," Gabriella said narrowing her eyes. "They actually give back affection."

"So does a cat." Troy said taken a back.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Troy let out a laugh as she clicked out of the album. Troy eyes caught an album labeled School Play. "Wait what's this one?" he said pointing at it.

"I was in a school play, kind of a drama geek." Gabriella said clicking on the album.

Troy looked at the pictures of Gabriella on stage in leather pants and big blond wig with curls talking to some guy in a leather jacket. "Did you perform in Grease?"

"I was Sandra Dee." Gabriella said with a smirk. "It was fun."

"We have a drama department here, why don't you get involved?" Troy said with a smile, "Their always looking for people who like to get on stage."

"I'm alright; I don't really get into it anymore." Gabriella said with a frown. "It's been a while."

Troy shook his head, "I bet you were really good."

"I was ok." Gabriella said as she looked back at the picture with fondness.

Troy watched as a strand of hair fell against her cheek. Her eyes looked at the screen caught up in a memory he give anything to be part of. Her eyes shifted and she looked up at him with a smile. A smile that literally made him catch his breath. He was goner.

"What?" Gabriella said watching his reaction.

"You should smile more." Troy said with a smile of his own.