DISCLAIMER: I do not own High School Musical or any related characters.

A/N: Um, yeah, hi, I know you all probably want to kill me for uh disappearing for nearly three months, is it? But see I have this really valid reason, which you probably won't accept but anyway. My family and I spent most of our holidays down at our holiday house and I wasn't allowed to take my computer with me and was cut off from the net and my laptop, hence the no updates or one-shots for the past couple of months. Anyway, when we got back, I sort of started school the day after and found that it's pretty brutal to be back at school and so I've been too tired to write. And just so you all know, and before you murder me, I actually managed to work out how to finish C&M and DF while I was away and come up with some new story ideas. So, uh, yeah, I'm really sorry that it happened and I probably should have given you all proper warning but it was sort of hard. So I'm really, really sorry and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!! (Definitely not going to be my best, but whatever).

Dangerous Fascination

CHAPTER 11

EVERYTHING

There was a thin line between feeling so much and feeling too much and Troy knew that he'd crossed it the second Gabriella had murmured how much she'd liked kissing him. It surprised him slightly that it had only taken four simple words for him to cross it. He'd always thought that it would take more than words for him to cross over into feeling too much, especially with Gabriella because he'd been trying so damn hard not to let his feelings for her run out of control and so far, he hadn't been doing a very hot job. It was getting harder and harder to switch off whenever he was around her, harder still to be touching her and not let those feelings run out of control. But what was even harder was to look at her and see her feelings for him in everything she was and be cool and detached towards her, especially when he was aching to touch her and knew that he couldn't in front of everyone who was watching them curiously. He had told her the truth when he said he didn't particularly want the fact that there was something going on between them broadcasted around school, he could handle the rumors that went around about what he'd done mainly because that's what they were. Rumors. And nearly all the rumors that went around school weren't even close to the truth. Most of them were only really told because it was East High's way of warning new students about him, warning them to stay out of his way and never provoke him unless they wanted to suffer the consequences. Those rumors were easily dealt with, he always ignored them or, if one was really good, he encouraged them. Simply because if his name had been mentioned in relation to something big that had happened to a student, the teachers would hear the rumors and know that he wasn't involved, simply because East High's rumors were so absurd and stupid that believing them would be a waste of time.

Those sorts of rumors had been surrounding him most of his teenage life and Troy rarely bothered with them anymore. But there was a big difference between those rumors and the ones about what was happening between Gabriella and himself. The difference was that another person was involved and while Troy was aware that no-one would dare mention rumors to his face, Gabriella was a different story. Troy wouldn't put it past some of the girls to make up something vicious and throw it in her face, simply because Gabriella had his attention and he knew Gabriella well enough to know that those rumors, no matter how petty they were, would hurt her. When it came to something like that, Gabriella was completely vulnerable and what made him furious was that he couldn't control what came out of people's mouths in relation to her. As scared of some of the students were of him, they wouldn't give up a good story and if they knew it hurt one of the people involved they would play into that simple vulnerability. East High had nothing on the tabloids; Troy thought with a wry smile as he heard the door to the gym open and then bang shut.

Looking up from the row of seats in front of him, Troy simply raised his eyebrows when Christy came into view and shot him a look meaning that she wanted to talk to him, before beginning to climb up the bleachers towards him. When she sat down next to him, Troy shifted slightly before speaking.

"Didn't you get enough information about Gabriella and myself in English?" He asked coolly and knew that Christy had rolled her eyes at his words before he even looked at her.

"Yeah and I came to ask you what the hell your thinking screwing around with her." Christy stated harshly and Troy rolled his eyes at her tone.

"Why do you care?" He shot back and Christy snorted slightly at the way he'd evaded answering her.

"Because Gabriella's a sweet girl and she doesn't need you to screw her around Troy! God, do you have any idea how much she cares about you?" Christy snapped at him and Troy sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to let it go

"Watch it Christy." He warned her quietly and Christy looked at him with narrowed eyes and Troy wished that he had the same affect on her as he had on most other people.

"No I will not watch it, you watch it." She said just as dangerously and Troy's eyes flashed, knowing that she was going to push just like she always did when she knew there was something going on beneath the surface. It always infuriated him when she could see something that nobody else could and now was no exception.

"Jesus, you've had all of two conversations with her Chris, where the hell do you get off telling me to watch it?" Troy spat at her and Christy set her mouth in a straight line, letting Troy know that she was angry.

"Because Troy, it's easy to tell from those two conversations that Gabriella Montez had fallen for you and knowing you the way I do, you'll probably end up hurting her because you don't want anyone close to you." Christy shot back and Troy rolled his eyes at her words, ignoring the way her hand kept twitching as if she wanted to slap him.

"Your close to me aren't you Christy? And when have I hurt you?" Troy asked trying to sound amused and failing as Christy glared daggers at him.

"You haven't. I've known you too long and know you too well for you to actually hurt me, but Gabriella's not me Troy. You'll hurt her." Her words were so matter-of-fact that Troy's jaw clenched tightly and his temper reared.

"Don't tell me what I will or will not to Christine." Troy said coldly, standing up from his seat and beginning to walk towards the court.

"I'm not Troy. I'm stating a fact. How many girls have I watched you hurt? How many girls have I seen fall for you and cry every time you switch off? How many Troy?" Troy stopped on the bottom step and turned to glare up at Christy, who was standing, her arms folded and staring down at him intently.

"You forgot to mention how many girls got hurt by rumors that you started, not to mention the girls on your cheer squad who took it upon themselves to hurt whoever it was I'd shown a slightly interest in." He snapped at her and Christy shook her head, moving down to look him in the eye. Troy stared back, forcing his temper away as Christy studied him intently.

"You actually care about her." Troy stiffened at Christy's disbelieving words and instead took a step away from her, furious that she'd seen it so easily. But then again, Christy had always been able to read him perfectly well.

"And how did you deduce that?" He asked coolly and Christy rolled her eyes at his words.

"Stop being a prick, I've known you my entire life Troy, of course I can read you," She snapped. "I'm not going to tell you how I know you care about Gabriella, because that'll just result in an argument which I'm not willing to have." She said, pulling the hem of her shirt down further as Troy narrowed his eyes at her.

"Christy, we never argue, we dispute." Troy's voice was soft and Christy knew just from that, that she'd seriously pissed him off and, unlike the other students, couldn't care less.

"Whatever you say. Just don't screw around with her okay? She has some serious feelings for you and, unlike the other girls, is more vulnerable to you than anyone of them ever was." She said with a sweet smile and Troy felt a spark of confusion at her words.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked and Christy sighed, shoving her hands in the pockets of her skinny jeans.

"She'll give Troy. She'll give and give and give. Once she knows its okay, she'll give you everything," Christy said and Troy felt something in his stomach clench at her words. "The problem is, she'll give too much and when you hurt her, she'll be left with nothing. That's how she's vulnerable Troy." Christy sighed softly when she saw something in Troy's eyes that told her he hadn't realized that. No matter how good he was at reading people, he hadn't read Gabriella well enough to realize how much she would give.

"And if I give back?" He asked quietly, knowing that if it had been anyone other than Christy he wouldn't have even listened to them.

"You won't." She replied simply and Troy's jaw clenched at the words, hearing a ring of truth as well as challenge in her voice.

"You going to add to the rumor mill?" He asked after a moments silence and Christy flashed him a grin.

"I haven't decided yet," she replied and headed for the gym doors. Troy watched her leave and then she stopped and turned to him. "If you do decide to give back Troy, you have to tell her." Troy's eyebrows rose at her words, he knew what she was talking about but still feigned ignorance.

"Tell her what?" He asked and Christy sighed at his words, knowing what he was doing and wishing he hadn't.

"You have to tell her everything." She replied and Troy didn't respond as she headed out of the gym.

He knew she was right. If there was one thing he knew about Christy Chamberlain in the eighteen years he'd known her, it was that she was never wrong, especially when it came to him and his varying relationships. She'd always made a point of talking to the girls that he'd shown an interest in and afterwards telling him exactly what she thought of them and this was the first time she'd ever warned him to be careful with a girl. This was the first time she'd ever told him that the girl had some serious feelings for him; this was the very first time that she'd told him what he should expect from the girl and that didn't worry him. What worried him was what she'd said and how she'd said it. Christy was never wrong. But somewhere, in the back corners of his mind Troy wished that she was wrong about Gabriella. He didn't want Gabriella to give and give to him and expect for him to give back. Because he didn't know if he could give back to her. Not to the extent that Christy had mentioned. He'd never been able to give back to anyone; he'd never been an open person either and Gabriella was both. He knew she was always open about everything and, now that Christy had pointed it out, he could see her give and give and he could see himself hurting her because he wasn't able to give back. What she wanted or needed.

Before his thoughts could go any farther, Troy heard the door to the gym open and shut again and turned to face whoever it was that had just walked in. Immediately pushing every thought that Christy had provoked into the back of his mind as his eyes fell upon the object of his thoughts.

"Gabriella." He nodded his head in greeting and felt his stomach churn as he watched her eyes light up when she heard his voice.

"Troy! I – why are you in here?" She asked, spreading through her eyes as she walked over to him, clutching the strap of her bag so tightly her knuckles where white. His eyes narrowed slightly at the observation and then he let it go.

"Isn't it obvious what I'm doing in here?" He asked trying to sound amused and knowing that he hadn't quite pulled it off. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Troy looked up and found that Gabriella had moved closer to him.

"Uh, no, not really." She replied and Troy could see she wanted to reach out to touch him but wasn't sure whether or not he would let her. Troy knew that if she touched him, he wouldn't be able to control himself and he knew that if he lost control, she wouldn't benefit from it.

"Gabriella, I'm in the gym, its after school, I'm work out clothes. Do the math." He snapped at her and then berated himself when he saw something close to hurt flash through her eyes.

"You have practice, right?" She asked and Troy shrugged as her body moved closer to his. Desperately, he searched for the switch that turned off his emotions. The switch that Christy always unknowingly hit whenever she was talking to him and that he could never flick whenever Gabriella was around him.

"You're a quick one aren't you?" He asked, sarcasm lacing his voice as she moved another inch closer to him. Damn it, he couldn't find the damn switch!

"If you say so," she agreed and hesitantly reached up to brush away some hair that was dangerously close to falling into his eyes. The moment her fingertips touched his skin, Troy stopped trying to flick the switch. Instead, he pulled her even closer and lowered his mouth to hers. He felt her stiffen in surprise as he kissed her and then she was kissing back, the hand that had been brushing away his hair, tangled in it as her other hand wrapped around his torso. He felt her body melt into his and Troy kissed her even harder, dragging his mouth away only to take air and then kiss her again. His hand slipped his hand beneath her shirt and ran it up her back, feeling her shiver as he ran it back down. This time, it was her who broke the kiss.

"Troy," she started and then let out a soft moan as he began to kiss down her neck, both were totally unaware of their surroundings as his hand slipped to the back of her thigh and gripped.

"Gabriella, I need…" Troy trailed off as she buried her face in the curve of his neck and he felt her nod.

"I know." She whispered and Troy let the silence fall as he tried to control his breathing.

"When?" His voice was low and slowly returning to the amusement that most people would expect from him. Gabriella seemed to sense that whatever had just happened, their 'moment' was over and reluctantly pulled away from him.

"I don't know." She replied softly, untangling her hand from his hair and letting it trail down the back of his neck as she looked up at him, her ebony eyes shining with something Troy refused to identify.

"Okay." He nodded, not wanting to say anything more as they both heard the team just outside the doors, shouting and laughing loudly. Before he could fully pull away, Gabriella stood on her toes and placed her lips on his briefly.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She whispered as he stood immobilized and then kissed him again before dropping back to her feet and letting go of him. Troy watched as she slipped past him, turning to watch as she walked out of the opposite doors of the gym. The door she went through shutting as his team burst into the gym. Troy barely moved as they all shouted greetings to him. Instead, he stared at the door Gabriella had gone through and wished fiercely that he'd read deeper into what was going on between them than he had before.

A/N: Well, probably not the best comeback chapter, but oh well. Anyway, I suppose I should sort of explain Christy, you honestly don't think I'd put a character like her in and not have her somehow connected to it all do you? Christy's sort of the equivalent of a childhood friendship that never faded and she's really the only one, apart from Chad and Zeke, that really has any idea as to how his mind works and what's going on with him and Gabriella. So that's what Christy is, anyway, I hope you enjoyed this!!