A/N: Enjoy. There's some Troyella fluff ahead!

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Chapter Three: Stacey's Pool Party

Gabriella woke up feeling groggy and exhausted the next morning. She had only gotten six hours of sleep that night and when she stood up, she felt like she was going fall over and smash to the ground.

"It's 9 you guys..."Sharpay said. She had just gotten out of the shower and her blonde thick hair was drenched. "Gabriella did you say that you wanted the shower?"

Gabriella quickly showered and changed into a denim skirt, t-shirt and a navy blue sweatshirt, feeling slightly more awake. She put on some eye liner and mascara. Even though she dressed more casually than she usually does, she still looked cute. As she was combing her damp hair, she heard a knock on the door.

"Gabriella hurry up I want to French braid your hair!" Sharpay said. "Taylor wants the shower anyway."

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The mall was swarming with people and it was so crowded. Sharpay had already bought three new bathing suits. Chad and Zeke were going up and down the escalators.

Troy and Gabriella were in CSN (some movie store I made up).

"Oh I love this movie!" Gabriella picked up the film Moulin Rouge.

Troy cringed. "I don't know, I thought that movie was kind of...weird."

Gabriella giggled. "Weird? It was so good .I know every song by heart."

Troy eyed her bag that she was holding. "Hey, what'd you get at..." He gasped. "Victoria's secret? Gabriella Montez shops at Victoria's Secret?"
He asked in a joking matter.

"A bathing suit." She suddenly felt herself growing soft and shy. She could feel her cheeks grow warm.

"Can I see it?" Troy asked with a flirtatious smile on his face.

"Umm...I don't know..." Gabriella tightened the grip on her bag, as if Troy was going to snatch it away from her.

"Oh come on." Troy grinned at her. "You can show me."

"You'll see it at the party. I promise." Gabriella assured him, but her words shook when she spoke. She hated being so nervous around him.

Troy smiled respecting her shyness. He knew he was lucky to have her as one of his closer friends. She was so beautiful and she was well admired ever since they had sung "Breaking Free" together. But sometimes he secretly worried about her. Sometimes I wonder if she's hiding something.

"Hey, do you want to go get a drink?" Troy asked. "We've been hear for like two hours."

"Yeah let's go." Gabriella said.

The food court was packed. Troy and Gabriella were sitting at a table near a fountain. He was checking out a magazine that someone had left.

"Check this out. Did you know that a hamburger contains no ham?" Troy informed her.

Gabriella giggled. "Yes I knew that. What magazine is that?"

"Some kid magazine." Troy threw it across the table. "How do you think the musical's going to go this time?"

"I don't know, I still can't believe I have to do a WHOLE song by myself. Watch. I'm going to pass out right on stage." Gabriella said sipping her water.

"No you'll probably pass out at the end of the whole thing." Troy grinned.

"Shut up." Gabriella smacked his arm gently and playfully.

"Kidding. You'll do fine and your voice is incredible. I don't even see why you would be so nervous." Troy said.

"Thanks but it's just...stage fright I guess." Gabriella told him.

"Well I know that you'll overcome your stage fright. Remember what Ms. Darbus always says...always believe in yourself " Troy chuckled at his words and Gabriella thought it was cute .They were silent for a while, but not an uncomfortable, awkward silence, but a just sitting-there-enjoying each-other silence.

Gabriella spotted Taylor and Chad heading over their way.

"Guys, check out my adorable strapless bathing suit. I like...just bought it at Victoria's Secret!" Taylor whipped out a bikini. It was rainbow and it looked awfully showy and sexy for something that Taylor would wear.

"It's adorable Taylor." Gabriella told her.

"Quite the colors." Troy said in a sophisticated tone.

"Thanks, it was on sale." Taylor pulled out a chair.

"Where's Zeke and Sharpay?" Chad asked.

Troy chuckled. "Who knows? Probably making out in a dressing room."

They all laughed at his smart tone.

"Hey Gabriella...I was just wondering...this may seem like a random question. But we go to your house a lot and well...we never see your dad. Doesn't he come home?" Chad asked her curiously.

Gabriella froze. All eyes were on her. Crap. Wrong question to ask. What am I supposed to say? Um...

"My dad works late most of the time. Sometimes he doesn't come home until midnight actually." Gabriella lied. "He's taking Clara and me to the movies next weekend. So I'm really excited."

"Last time I was over, I was looking through your parent's wedding pictures. They looked so happy. Your dad sounds amazing. I bet you have the perfect father. "Taylor said kindly.

"Yeah..." Gabriella's voice trailed off. Her eyes suddenly became very sad and she felt her heart slowly break. I sure miss him.

Taylor and Chad began arguing about something, but she was too caught up in her own world to know. Troy was watching her for a moment, wondering what was wrong, but then he got involved into the argument.

Suddenly, Gabriella heard her cell phone ring. "Um...I'll be right back." She said quickly, not sure if anyone had heard her.

She went into a bathroom and answered. "Hello?"

"Gabi...I'm so glad I caught you."

"What is it mom?"

"What time is that party tonight?"

"It's from three to eight." Gabriella explained. "Why?"

"Well I was wondering if you could leave a little earlier, like 5:30 maybe. Because we're having dinner as a family tonight."

Dad's home! Maybe he and my mother finally worked things out after these long months.
"I'd like you to meet someone I met at work a few weeks ago." Ana explained.

"Is this...a date?"

"He's just someone I met and we've been working together since he's knew on the job and..."

Gabriella cut her off. "You already have a date??

"Gabi calm down...he's just a friend that I met from work."

It was silence on the phone. There was so much going through her head. She felt angry, upset, her mother was secretly dating someone this whole TIME?!! How could she have "met" him when she had that same job since they worked here? Nothing made sense anymore.

"So I would really like you to be home by 5:30 or so." Ana said a careful tone.

"Fine. I'll be home by then." Gabriella hung up without saying goodbye. She felt like she was going to cry. In fact she WANTED to cry, but she couldn't, here she was in the mall with her friends, hours before a party. I'm just going to have to suck it up.

She made her way back to the table. This time, Zeke and Sharpay were there too.

"Where'd you go?" Taylor asked. "We look over and you're gone."

"Um sorry I was in the bathroom." Gabriella replied.

"You don't look so good." Zeke went up to her and literally felt her forehead.

Gabriella laughed softly. "Thanks Zeke but I'm fine."

"Okay I have a party to get to. My limo's waiting so I'll see you guys there. Plus we have to go get Ryan." Sharpay gave a heartless wave and sauntered off.

"Gabriella are you SURE you're okay?" Taylor asked.

Gabriella gave a small nod.

Troy stood up and stretched. "Okay guys lets move out."

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Stacey's house wasn't like Sharpay's but it didn't have an amazing courtyard and a HUGE pool with a hot tub. The pool was built in and the deep end was 12 feet deep. Stacey had that pool for years and it still looked like it was brand new. The courtyard was just like one big party zone. There were food tables everywhere and towels were all across the fence.

"Sharpay I have to say thanks again for letting me ride home with you." Gabriella said as she and Sharpay were in Stacey's room changing into their bathing suits. The music was blurring downstairs and they could hear people shouting and pool splashes.

"Oh it's no problem. I'm going shopping at six again anyway." Sharpay told her.

Wow.

"You look so adorable in that bathing suit." Sharpay said. "Purple with white polka dots really suits you."

"Thanks. You look pretty in yours, as always."

"Yeah, I had a hard time picking out which one of my new ones to wear."

Gabriella and Sharpay raced downstairs. Gabriella could feel herself in Troy's arms and he picked her up and hurled her into the pool. She could hear laughter as she swam to the surface gasping for air.

"Troy you're a loser!" Gabriella couldn't help but laugh herself. The water was actually a lot warmer than she thought. She took a look around. There were a lot of people from school there. She felt some more water splashed in her face. Chad and Troy were ganging up on her. She laughed as she did the best she could to spray water back at them.

"Stop you guys! What if I drown!?" Gabriella shouted but in a joking matter of course.

"Oh please you're not going to drown." Chad told her. Gabriella laughed at his drenched curls. He looked like a wet dog.

"Where's Taylor?" Gabriella wondered out loud. Troy and Chad just shrugged until they saw Taylor bombing into the pool, causing a big wave.

"Found her." Troy said.

After a while, Gabriella and Taylor were laying next to Stacey in the sun. "Thanks for having us Stacey. This was a really good idea." Taylor said as she adjusted her sunglasses.

"I know wasn't it? I just figured, why not have a random pool party?" Stacey told them. She shook her blonde hair and turned to Gabriella. "Why do you have to leave so early?"

"Stuff at home." Gabriella said softly. "I would LOVE to stay, but my mom told me to come home early."

"Don't worry, I understand, sometimes parents just like to spoil the fun." Stacey said with a hearty laugh.

You got that right.

"HA HA! Look at Troy." Taylor said.

The music was blasting and a bunch of girls were grinding into Troy. Gabriella guessed they were the cheerleaders. She laughed out loud even though deep down, she was feeling sickly jealous. "Sexy Back" started playing and everyone there just started dancing.

"Shall we dance?"

"Lets." Gabriella grinned.

The song seemed to last forever, until someone changed it. They started to play "Hot in Here" a classic. Troy couldn't help but notice how…hot she looked in that bathing suit. She almost had a six pack, but not quite. But her skin was just glistening from the pool. Even though there were a ton of girls buzzing around him, he was mostly attracted to her.

Gabriella had to go inside to check the time. She had an hour left.

"Hey Gabs." Chad said, reaching into the fridge to get some milk. "What are you doing inside?" He and Troy were also getting more chips to take outside.

"I was checking the time; I have to go in an hour."

"Why?" Troy asked her curiously.

"Because there's something I have to do at home. Not a big deal really." She quickly answered and brushed passed them.

Chad and Troy both exchanged curious glances and shrugged.

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The hour had past quickly and came sooner than Gabriella had hoped.

"Gabriella, my dad's here."

"I'll see you guys Monday." Gabriella quickly hugged Taylor, Chad, Zeke and Troy goodbye. "Thank you Stacey!" Gabriella called and followed Sharpay out of the house.

Great. I left an awesome party just to meet my mother's date. I wonder what he looks like…

Sorry, I didn't do so well on this chapter. It was kind of iffy. Don't worry there will be better Troyella moments later, because this also is mainly about them and how much they connect and collide. But you'll just have to wait and see.

Chapter four is on its way. Oh and I'm SO sorry about the typos. I'm sure I have many words spelled wrong.