Miss Romanced Lover- ah thanks, Nanny is one of my faves too!

Elizabeth- I'm giddy too! Lol ;)

Adorkable- thank you!

Smartgirl- thank you, I appreciate your words :)

Lovinzacefron- all in good time ;)

Kaybaby- Dex can be short for Dexter! I just gave them some random names for this story!

Fudge- this Dex is kind of based on my dad lol.

Milly- it's here ;)

MissElenaSalvatoreEfron- glad you loved it!

Addy- she had to race, right?

Bluebell- thank you! I'm really surprise how much everyone loves Chad lol.

Adcgordon- I'm glad I can keep TZLF

Juli- thank you :)

Midnight- Ooh ;)

Pumpkinking- welcome! Troy doesn't want to race though, he just misses it!

I am hoping to start work on a Christmas One Shot soon, probably jinxed it by saying it out loud but never mind lol ;)

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

CHAPTER 6

"He's racing tomorrow…" Jody's serious voice stated of Dex.

"I know," Gabi replied, clutching her cell phone close to her ear and whispering as quietly as she could manage.

"Won't you come home?" He begged.

"For what?" Gabi wondered. "To be treated like a child again?"

"To wish him good luck." Jody amended.

"I can do that from here," she mused.

"Where are you, anyway?" Jody asked then.

"I told you, at a friend's," she supplied.

Jody paused. "Are they looking after you?"

Gabi turned her lips down as she felt the heat of Troy's body seep into her back from where he lay behind her, spooning her. After they had fallen asleep it seemed like they had both comforted into laying positions on the sofa; only somehow co-ordinating naturally. When her phone had woken her and she had reached for it; a tight arm across her middle stopped her from moving off the sofa but for a few seconds, she enjoyed the feel of being held. She didn't often fall asleep with a guy or have the pleasure of waking up with him again.

But she didn't want to leave Troy's arms just yet, so she had snuggled back against his chest and chosen to whisper instead.

"Gabi, are they taking care of you?" Jody asked again when she didn't answer.

"Yes, they are," she assured, smiling to herself.

"Come to the race tonight. At least don't miss that…" he asked.

"Okay," she conceded softly with a sigh. "It's gonna be weird being behind the barrier, but I'll be there."

"Great, see you later," Jody's smile was evident in his voice. "And Gabi?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you whispering?"

/

"Tell me I didn't…" Troy's voice gravelled behind her, moments after she hung up to Jody.

"You didn't," Gabi teased over her shoulder, sighing sadly as his arm moved when he went to stretch.

"I fell asleep?" He checked.

"We both did," she shared.

"Ah…are you…I mean…" he swallowed when she didn't move but just remained cute and curled up against his front.

"I have to move, don't I?" She asked knowingly.

"I…guess." He offered, his hand now having nowhere to go and when she didn't move he awkwardly put it on her upper arm. "Are you okay?"

She stirred and rolled over a little way to look at him and he found a frown on her face; and a twist in her little lush lips.

"There's a race tonight."

"I know," he licked his lips.

"You're going?" she checked and he nodded. "Can I come with you?"

"Don't you want to be with your friends?" He wondered.

She shrugged. "If I can't be in the team doing what I love I may as well not even go down to the pit…"

"He'll come round," Troy assured.

"Hmph, not likely," she rolled her eyes. "But I have some flat-hunting to do so I should get up," she said and he watched with sad eyes as she rolled up to sit on the edge of the sofa.

"Hey, love birds," Chad's warm voice greeted them and Gabi looked up sharply, blushing.

"We're not-"

"I saw you two when I got in; all snuggled up and cute together," Chad goaded while Troy widened his eyes and silently begged him to stop. "It warms the heart…"

"Chad…" Troy warned, also sitting up.

"Nothing happened," Gabi told Chad as she came level with him.

"Damn! When you kids gonna give into this thing?" He asked teasingly.

"I have to find a flat today, are you gonna help?" She asked him instead to change the subject.

"Why you finding a flat? You can just stay here." Chad scoffed.

"Sleeping on your sofa is not my long-term ideal," she shared.

"So, sleep in his bed," Chad nodded to Troy.

"I don't think we're quite ready for that;" she pointed out.

"Sleep in my bed then," he suggested next and Gabi laughed.

"You're so cute. I really must shower up…" she sighed as she passed him and Troy glared at his friend.

"Thanks, Chad."

"For what! Hey, you two are made for each other…"

"I don't see how," Troy rolled up and stretched again as his body ached.

"She's beautiful. What more do you need?"

"Something in common?" Troy suggested wildly.

"You have that. The racing." Chad decided.

"Look, I didn't come here to spend my time chasing girls…" Troy sighed.

"I know," Chad lifted his dark eyes and pressed his lips together. "You came to look after me and I love you for it, man. But you know, you can't ignore what's right there…"

"If I'm going to build this team like we agreed then I won't have time for anything else…"

"Dude, you have time," Chad smiled at him. "Stop making excuses and ask her out already."

"We're going to the race tonight," he shared.

"Great. Kiss her, ask her out." Chad instructed.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to come with us, actually…"

"Nope, I'm all good," he assured with sparkling eyes.

"Chad…"

"I mean it, you kids go have fun."

"I will if her brother doesn't knock me out first…"

/

"Hey," Troy ventured, shyly coming into the Montez garage with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, man!" Dex grinned widely and came over to hug him, taking him by surprise somewhat.

"How's things?" Troy asked.

"Good, man," Dex nodded. "Well my sister is missing but…"

"She's not missing," Troy supplied softly. "She's here."

Dex darted him a look. "She came with you?"

Troy swallowed. "She stayed at my place."

Dex paused, then nodded, then frowned. "She ok?"

Troy shrugged. "I think so."

Dex nodded again. "I'd like to see her, after the race."

"I'll tell her," Troy assured, then smiled as Jody wandered over.

"Gabi's here?" Jody checked and Troy nodded, watching the tall man's face split into a grin.

"I'm gonna say hi," Jody told Dex before he dashed out and Troy smiled bemusedly at him.

"He likes your sister, huh?"

"Who doesn't?" Dex lifted a brow. "She's trouble all over."

"Ah…you should probably know…"

"Dex!" One of the track team bustling around the garage called him; breaking his focus.

"What is it, Joe?"

"Threads are crossing again; we need something new to screw these tyres on with," Joe sighed.

Dex winced and looked to Troy. "Any ideas?"

Troy shrugged. "Try quarter millimetre smaller screws."

"Thanks, man."

"You're welcome."

"I'll be right there, Joe," Dex told his team-mate, and then looked to Troy. "What were you gonna say?"

Troy swallowed; deciding now would not be the best time to let Dex know that he had invited his sister to try out for the driving role in his new team.

"Ah, it can wait," Troy smiled tightly. "Have a good race."

/

Watching Gabi get hugged by another guy was kinda weird.

Troy knew that her friendship with Jody was exactly that, but still as he hung back and watched them embrace; he felt a strange ache inside him that told him he wanted to be the guy bear-hugging her and getting her little hug back in return.

He wanted to run his hands into that crazy-wild hair of hers and look into her beautiful face and have her smile at him like he was the only guy she would smile at that way.

And it irked him that he felt like that, because Chad was right, he didn't come here to find girls or to date or anything like that. He'd come home to help his buddy get well again.

And so when Gabi had fainted in front of him right there in that parking lot; he'd been surprised by the curiosity she inspired in him; so much so that he'd tracked her down and attempted to befriend her. Only her beauty and vulnerability touched him a little deeper than that and he didn't know what he could hope for with her, but already he found he wanted to find out.

"Oh my god!" A pair of arms latched around his neck and he frowned, automatically tightening his to support the weight against his chest.

"Sharpay?" Troy frowned, receiving his own hug somewhat spontaneously he mused.

"Hi, Race Team Boss," she smiled, pulling away.

"What are you doing here?" He asked breathlessly.

"Flying visit, I'm getting on my plane in an hour; I just wanted a stop by and say hi," she assured, her blonde hair flipped over her shoulder as she chattered.

"Well, hi," he grinned, pleasantly surprised to see his friend. "Stay for the race," he invited.

"I really can't," she sighed. "But I will be back, I promise. Soon."

He nodded, hugging her again. "It's good to see you, Shar."

"I miss you, Wildcat." She smiled happily back, pulling away again, just at the same time Gabi approached.

"Oh, there's someone I want you to meet," Troy smiled, waiting for Gabi to reach them.

"Gabi," he greeted. "This is my friend- and sponsor- Sharpay Evans," he introduced. "Shar, meet Gabi…a…uh…a new friend of mine," he decided.

Gabi looked to him, then to Sharpay and smiled politely. "Hello, Sharpay," she shook his friends hand.

"Gabi huh?" Shar smiled knowingly. "Now I can put a face to the name…"

"You know about me?" Gabi frowned and Troy coughed uncomfortably between the girls.

"Anyone want a soda?" He asked to break the awkward moment.

"I'd love one," Sharpay lifted her brows and Troy smiled wanly at her.

"Gabi?"

"Can I have a coke, please?" The small dark haired girl added.

"Coming right up…"

Troy darted a look over his shoulder as he left, wondering what the pair of them might talk about while he was gone.

He hoped to god Sharpay didn't mention any more about how he'd talked about Gabi during their last call. He really didn't need that particular area of his life to go off at some confusing angle while he was still trying to work out what he wanted to do with himself- other than start a racing team, he mused.

God knows what Sharpay might tell her if he wasn't there to chaper-

"Hey, man," a voice brought him out of his reverie and he looked up, smiling as he recognised Jody.

"Jody, right?" Troy checked.

"Right. Look, I know Gabi is staying with you, she told me."

Troy rolled his tongue around his mouth, then swallowed. "That's right."

"Look, if anything happens to her, you have me to answer to, okay?" Jody warned, but his voice was soft; and nervous if Troy was reading him right.

He nodded to appease the man's worry. "Okay."

"Dex, too," Jody added for good measure.

"I know," Troy agreed softly.

"She needs to come home," Jody added with a squint. "Be with her real friends."

"I agree."

"Then tell her," Jody argued. "You're the only one she's listening to right now."

Troy looked into the taller man's concerned face and sighed. "Look, I tried to, alright? I sent her home and she passed out again; what was I meant to do? Drag her there kicking and screaming?"

"Drag me where kicking and screaming?" Gabi asked around Jody's arm, humouring them both. "Hi guys."

"See you later, Gabi," Jody leaned down and kissed her cheek pointedly before walking away.

"Whoa, he so fancies you," Sharpay's voice cut in before Gabi or Troy could speak.

"Do you think he thinks…?" She frowned at Troy.

"That we're sleeping together?" Troy suggested flatly. "Probably."

"You mean you're not?" Sharpay scoffed and they both looked at her, Troy speaking first.

"Uh, don't you have a flight?" He suggested gently and Sharpay smiled knowingly.

"Oh, I'm crashing your date, so sorry. Nice to meet you, Gabi, I hope we can talk again soon." Sharpay added.

"Me, too," Gabi nodded, not giving anything away to a squinting Troy.

"Bye, Shar," he hugged her one more time.

"Bye beautiful people!" She called, dashing through the crowd to her waiting car.

Troy turned to Gabi and passed her the drink he'd got her. "So what did she say?"

Gabi looked up at him and smiled warmly. "Not much."

"Oh god, this is bad…" he dramatised of her secret smile.

"Honestly, we hardly had time to get to know each other let alone talk about you…"

"She told you about the tree house didn't she?" He closed his eyes and knocked his head back in pain at the story Sharpay loved to embarrass him with about his childhood tree house that he practically lived in as a child.

Gabi's giggle confirmed his fear.

"Great…just great…"

"Hey," her warm voice accompanied her hand wrapping around his bicep and he opened his eyes, tipping his head down slowly as he swallowed.

Her brown eyes sparkled with amusement and something else- maybe affection he guessed.

"I think it's cute that you used to wear a red cape."

He smiled thinly; thanking his lucky stars that this embarrassing revelation at least meant Gabi was now clinging to his arm. "Thanks."

She licked her lips and pursed them. "Do you still have it?"

He stared at her for a moment before his smile broke out at her innuendo. "Not exactly."

"You have another one?" She enquired.

"Nope, just me," he confirmed.

"Sharpay told me you talked about me to her…" Gabi broached carefully and Troy smirked and rolled his eyes.

"I just told her that we met, I didn't say anything-"

Gabi put her finger against his lips and leaned up, close to his ear. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Tell you what?" He frowned confusedly.

She smiled patiently, rolling her eyes. "That you wanted to see me in my overalls."

/

"I cannot believe she actually told you that," Troy lifted his brows and blushed at her words.

"You don't have to be embarrassed," she assured, still holding onto his arm.

"I think I do…" He argued, rubbing his thumbs into his closed eyes to ease his sudden headache.

"Troy," she smiled bemusedly.

"I never meant for you to hear that," he ignored her call and continued to panic.

"Troy…" she stood in front of him and lifted her brows.

"We're friends, right? You're staying with me and we're just friends…"

"Troy," she grasped his arms and forced him to look at her.

"What?" He sighed, meeting her gaze.

"You're the first guy to ever not see me in my overalls…well I guess you did when I fainted, but still, not properly…and the first guy who actually wanted to," she awed.

"I want to see this tomboy you keep going on about," he explained, looking down on her now in her simple jeans and baggy jumper; doc martens on her feet and her hair all loose. She was rough around the edges but he'd have a hard time resisting her. He wanted to see what she saw when she assumed she wasn't attractive to the opposite sex.

"I'll show you," she promised and just as quickly as she had spoken, she had left again and he stood in bemusement at her words.

He would kill Sharpay he mused. But later. Revenge was sweet and best served at 3am when he could wake her from her pampered beauty sleep. Right now he had a petite Filipino to find.

/

He had a nice backside. She tilted her head and appreciated it as she watched him lean over on the railing, his gaze intent on the race. His stocky body was wrapped in those soft jeans of his, boots and another thick jumper.

She imagined running her hands over his backside and maybe down those thighs, too, she licked her lips. And definitely, definitely up that sculpted back…

"Ta da!" Gabi tapped Troy on the shoulder and showcased her navy over-alls.

She was right, they were the two-sizes-too-big baggy things she had on when she fainted only now she was conscious, she somehow looked even cuter.

Her hair was tied into a bun; her small curvy body cloaked by the cotton protection but he knew what lie underneath. He had woken up to her beautiful self this very morning and felt every feminine curve of her body against his and he was still recovering from that experience.

"Ah, you look great," he swallowed.

She shrugged. "Well, not exactly but you wanted to see it."+

He pursed his lips and reached out, brushing his thumb down her cheek. "You look beautiful."

"I…" she frowned, lost for words. Her wit, her humour, it all dried up with one look into those eyes of his.

"You're missing the race," he added huskily.

She smiled just a little. "There's a race on?"

He smiled back, stepping closer at the same time his arm worked around her waist. "I believe so…"

"Who's winning?" She looked up, her breath catching in her throat.

"Who cares?" He asked back before his lips finally found hers and applied gentle pressure; the swirling crowd and noise from the cars blending into nothing as Gabi flattened her palms to Troy's chest and kissed him back for dear life.

"Who are you?" She pulled away, panting, her brain short circuiting from the power of his kiss as she looked at him in bewilderment.

He smiled, slowly, his eyes crinkling at the edges as he did so. "A very lucky guy."

/

"Gabriella Anne Montez!" A voice ripped through the crowd, preceded by her being yanked away from Troy's lovely hard body.

"What the..?" She gasped, looking up in shock to find her brother there.

"What are you doing?" Dex demanded.

Gabi made a face. "Watching the race," she answered.

"I saw you kissing him," Dex squinted at Troy and Troy smiled wanly.

"Hey, man, I kissed her, okay? It's not her fault…"

"No, don't excuse him," Gabi told Troy firmly, then looked at her brother who was clutching her arm still. "You're hurting me."

Dex sighed and loosened his grip. "Why are you kissing him?"

"Why not?" She replied. "Do I need a reason?"

"You never normally kiss guys…" Dex argued.

"Oh, god forbid I might actually want to!" Gabi exasperated.

"Well, what's wrong with Jody? Kiss him if you want someone to kiss…"

"Can you hear yourself?" Gabi planted her hands on her hips. "You told me to date him!" she added pointedly.

"I didn't think you actually would!" Dex complained.

"Well, neither did I, Dex," she admitted. "God knows I don't do what you tell me to…"

"So you're sleeping with my sister?" He turned to Troy. "That's what you had to tell me?"

"I'm not-"

"Troy," Gabi put her hand up. "Don't give him the satisfaction."

Troy swallowed and met Dex's dark eyes as he gripped Troy's jumper and came up close.

"You even think about hurting my sister and I will kill you," Dex whispered. "I don't care if you're Troy Bolton or not."

Troy nodded and arched his brow. "Good to know dude, thanks."

Dex pushed him away so that he staggered and then turned back to Gabi.

"You. In the car," he directed and Gabi opened her mouth and laughed out loud.

"Ha! You have got to be kidding me!"

"No, I had enough fun for one night, now let's go," Dex stood before her belligerently.

She lifted her chin stubbornly. "I'm not coming home with you, Dex."

"Well you're not going home with him, either so choose carefully." He warned.

"You're not my father, Dex," she stood firm.

"No, if I was, I would never have let you out of my sight…"

"Dex!" She cried. "You sound ridiculous! I'm not your child. I'm not a child at all anymore. I'm old enough to decide who I stay with, who I kiss and who I fuck," she added with glittered eyes. "You can't decide that for me."

Dex made a few faces, half amusement, half anger and half something else she couldn't quite decipher.

"I just hope for his sake that you're not fucking him otherwise I will tear him apart…" He snarled eventually.

Gabi looked at him in horror. "What is wrong with you?"

"Dex…" Jody's voice came through the crowd which now milled around them, quietly and less strong than before.

"Are you?" Dex demanded of Gabi.

"Dex, come on, man," Jody tried to prize his friend away.

"She needs to answer my question," Dex hard-lined.

"It's none of your business," she argued quietly, tears beginning at her eyes as she took a breath in and released a sob.

"Dex, buddy…" Jody gripped his arm and tugged at him.

"Not until she answers the question," Dex repeated and Gabi began to shake.

"Hey, come on," Troy strode into the argument and stood beside Gabi.

"You stay out of this; this is between me and my sister…"

Gabi licked her lips and met the angry eyes of her brother. "No, Dex. I didn't sleep with him. But the only reason I am telling you that is because he doesn't deserve to be hurt if we had. You're way out of line," she added with a contemptuous squint.

"You're saved, Bolton." Dex confirmed. "Now she's coming home with us."

Gabi slipped her palm against Troy's for comfort and looked up gratefully when he quickly tightened his fingers around hers in support.

"I'm staying with Troy." She amended.

Dex chewed his upper lip, and then sighed. "Fine. Another day," he added before stalking off, leaving Jody looking at the pair questioningly.

"I hope this is worth it," he told them gravely and Gabi waited until he had walked away before she let her sobs escape; and then she dropped Troy's hand and ran. She didn't know where to; or what for, but she ran until she couldn't breathe and then she collapsed and let her tears cascade into her hands while she rocked back and forth to ease the pain of them; her heart breaking at her brother's words.

Another day.

That meant he was coming back and she didn't want to face him again; she didn't want to face any of it. Right now she just wanted to curl up with her favourite duvet and pretend the world wasn't cruel and mean and disappointing.

She wanted everything to go back to how it was, before. She wanted her father to be here to tell her what to do; to tell Dex to back down.

But that wasn't going to happen and so she had nothing. Nothing but her will and her strength; borne out of living a life amongst men. And now she had to draw on it in ways she didn't know she would. She would rise again, she just had to.