I hope 'the date' lives up to everyone's expectations. I couldn't make it too deep, coz...well, in reality, I know I don't start kissing I guy I have just met, so this isn't a kissy-kissy chapter! Trying to involve Chad and Taylor in this one!

That Friday, for some reason, Gabriella found herself feeling nervous. She had given the address and everything Troy needed to get to her house. He had said he wanted to take his sister to a movie, so he would be there about six. She got into black skinny-jeans, a white halter-neck and a black hoodie, with silver writing scrawled across the back, saying Naughty Girl. Her hair was down, and she had a thick, black headband in. Mrs Montez looked amused as Gabriella finally came downstairs ten minutes before six o'clock.

"Your cell-phone went off a few minutes ago," Mrs Montez told her. Gabriella nodded and walked over to where her pink cell-phone sat on the counter. She had one new text-message, and it was from Taylor.

Hey, bebe. U nervouz wit ur date 2nite?

Gabriella rolled her eyes and texted back.

It aint a date. We r barly frends.

Taylor texted back a few minutes later.

Woteva.

Wot's dat meant 2 mean?

Gabriella frowned in confusion. Of course it wasn't a date. Well, her mum was gonna be there the whole time, what kinda date was that? And they couldn't be more than friends, they had only known each other several weeks.

From wot I hear from Chad, u n Troy r da next big ting.

Den Chad iz rong.

I dont tink so.

Oh shut up.

U no Im rite.

Im goin.

U got a date wit Troy da b.ball boy!!!

Im gon.

Gabriella flicked out of the texting screen and into her pictures. There was one she had shot of Chad and Taylor after school on the bus. It was in the middle of a big argument of theirs, but in the photo, they didn't look like they were arguing. Also, Gabriella had decorated the outline of pink hearts. She posted it to Taylor's number. A few minutes, the door-bell went. Gabriella walked to the door and opened it. Troy stood on the doorstep, looking drop-dead gorgeous in jeans and button down baby-blue top. Gabriella licked her lips nervously and smiled.

"Come in," she said, holding the door open. Her phone then started ringing the ring-tone The Way I Are by Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson. Gabriella laughed slightly as she saw the caller was Taylor. "Sup, Tay, did you get my—"

"HOW DARE YOU DO THAT?!?!?!? I'M GONNA KILL YOU, GABRIELLA!!!!!" Came Taylor's voice down the small phone. Gabriella held it away from her ear and Troy raised an eyebrow, because he could hear the ause being shouted from where he was standing, a metre or so away. "JUST COZ I WAS TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT YOU AND TROY DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN GO AND SEND ME FALSE PICTURES!!!!!" Troy looked pretty confused when he heard his name shouted through the small speaker. Gabriella rolled her eyes and kept the phone away from her until the ranting had stopped.

"Tay? I think my ear-drums burst," Gabriella finally told her mate down the phone. Taylor had stopped shouting, and Gabriella could hear her breathing heavily into the phone. "And Troy looks pretty confused as well." There was still no reply. "I'm going to go now, kay?"

"Fine," Taylor grumbled.

"What was that about?" Troy asked, when Gabriella flicked her phone shut. Gabriella just rolled her eyes and slipped her phone into the pocket of her hoodie. "Oookkkaaayyy, girl stuff." Gabriella pointed down the hallway.

"Kitchen's just there, I just gotta go upstairs," she told him. Troy nodded and made his way down the hallway to where the kitchen was. Gabriella watched him for a moment before jogging upstairs to her room. She checked herself in the mirror, and pulled off her halter to look at her back. It was the first time she had worn a halter since her father had pushed her against the oven. The doctors had assured her that it would fade away in time, but at the moment, it was still there. It didn't look ugly or anything, but it was definitely noticeable. Gabriella sighed and pulled her hoodie up properly and looked at herself once more in the mirror before going back downstairs. "Ma…when's dinner?" She asked as she turned into the kitchen. She was quite stunned when she saw her mother and Troy.

Mrs Montez was laughing and holding her side, and Troy was laughing along with her, holding knives and forks in his hands. Gabriella raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms, waiting for them to finish laughing. Once the laughter subsided, the two seemed to realize that Gabriella was standing in the doorway. Mrs Montez brushed the tears away from her eyes and gave Gabriella a grin, before saying,

"You have a good choice in boys, Ell." Gabriella felt a slight blush creeping up her cheeks as she shook her head and walked over to the cupboard for glasses.

"He's just a mate, ma," Gabriella replied as she got three glasses and walked into the living room. Troy followed her and set three places at the table and Gabriella put down the three glasses. Then Mrs Montez came through and picked up her knife and fork and glass. "Uh, ma? What are you doing?" Mrs Montez raised an eyebrow at her and replied,

"You didn't honestly think I was going to stay with you, did you? A lady at work—the one who's girl you baby-sit—has offered to take me to a café down town. She says that her daughter is with her father tonight, so she's free." Gabriella bit on her lip and looked at Troy nervously. He seemed a bit puzzled as well, but gave Mrs Montez his special 'Troy' smile again. "I hope that's okay…she only asked me at work and it was sort of a split minute decision thing, and she seemed quite excited," Mrs Montez was saying. "Also, it would be nice to get to know some other people…since we just moved here." Gabriella nodded finally and shrugged.

"Okay, I s'pose," she trailed off and looked at a spot on the window. Mrs Montez gave Gabriella a quick hug.

"Okay, well, I'll go now then. All the food is cooked and just needs to be served. I will be back by midnight, and I'm hoping that you will be home by then Troy…if not, I'll give you a ride home," Mrs Montez said and then she was gone. Troy and Gabriella stood still where they were standing for several seconds in utter silence as they heard the front door slam and then a car start a little bit later. Then Troy glanced across at Gabriella.

"Do not think I put her up to it!" Gabriella quickly snapped. Troy held up his hands, palms upwards, in a sort of surrender sign.

"Don't worry, that's not what I was thinking!" He told her. Gabriella licked her lips nervously, spun on her heel and walked back into the kitchen. Troy followed after a few moments and they silently dished up dinner. Mrs Montez had made lasagna, one of her specialties, and also deep-fried chips and then mixed veges. "Do you wanna eat at the table? Or since your mum's not here, do you wanna watch a movie or something in the lounge?" Gabriella paused on her way out of the kitchen and thought for a moment.

"Okay, movie. But I get the couch," Gabriella replied as she picked her glass, a coke can and her utensils along with her dinner and going into the lounge.

"But the couch can fit at least three people! Why do you get it all to yourself?!" Troy protested as he followed her.

"Because you'll try and put your arm around me," Gabriella replied matter-a-factly. How'd she know?! Troy thought in annoyance. Then he realized it was the oldest trick in the book, and since she was absolutely gorgeous, so many guys must have tried it on her. Troy grumbled under his breath as Gabriella got out a stack of DVD's and put them on the table. "What one do you want to watch?" She asked, turning to face him. Troy crouched beside her on the low table and looked them over. They were mostly all chick-flicks, but there were a couple of horror movies in there.

"You watch Saw III?" He asked her, surprised. Gabriella let out a visible shiver and shook her head. "Does your mum?" Gabriella shook her head again. "Then why do you have it?"

"My dad…" she sounded vague. "He used to watch horror and thriller and stuff…I'll throw it out tomorrow…" Gabriella drifted off and leaned back on the back of the couch. Troy could hear and see that didn't look too comfortable about talking about her father, so he decided to shift the conversation back to movies.

"Are you kidding me?! Please tell me you do not like How To Loose A Guy In 10 Days?!" Troy asked in a tortured voice. Gabriella smiled slightly at him, blowing upwards to try and get a curl of hair away from her face as she shifted her position against the back of the couch. She's so cute…

"The first time I really liked it, but after the three hundredth, I guess I kinda got sick of it," she replied. "My mum loves it. She's got the huge crush on Matthew McConaughey. She's also got Sahara and Wedding Planner with him in it, as well. I swear, I'm totally sick of him, and I cannot watch any movie with him in it without smacking my head on a wall…" Gabriella rolled her eyes and folded her hands together across her stomach. Troy smiled at her and picked up three DVD's and leaned against the couch next to her, only a hair breadth away from her, and he could hear her breathing as he presented her with the DVD's. "Uh…can you read out the titles?" She asked, closing her eyes and leaning back.

"Huh? Why?" Troy asked her, his eyes reflecting his confusion.

"Coz I can't be bothered to read them," she replied. Troy bit back his grin. "And I know you're grinning at the moment, but I don't care. Read out the titles so we can start watching or else our food will get cold." Troy suddenly remembered that their dinner was sitting just a little way away from them, and that it would be getting cold.

"Okay, Step Up, Serendipity or…Aristocats," he mumbled. Gabriella let out a snort. "Hey, you guys don't have the best 'guy' choice in DVD's, and since you don't wanna watch horror or anything, I had to settle for the next best thing." Gabriella opened her eyes and regarded him.

"Aristocats? I never would've taken you for a Disney-cartoon type of guy," she laughed again. Troy rolled his eyes.

"Which one?" He asked her, sounding like he was in a huff.

"Aristocats, honey, what else?" Gabriella replied in a mocking tone. Troy rolled his eyes and walked over the DVD player. He put in the DVD and turned on the TV, while Gabriella put their plates on the other side of the couch, facing the TV. Then she got the utensils, glasses and cans of fizzy. Gabriella purposefully put her legs up over the sofa, so there was no where for Troy to sit. He groaned, as there was only one other seat, and it was a hard-backed one.

"Where can I sit?" He moaned. Gabriella laughed.

"Chair. Floor," she suggested. Troy gave her a sarcastic look, and Gabriella smiled back sweetly. Troy sat down on the carpeted floor, beside where she was sitting. The movie started, and the two ate their dinner. When they were finished, they put the plates on the table behind the couch and resumed their positions from before. It was about halfway through the movie, where the cats had met up with the two goose sisters. Gabriella was absently fiddling with Troy's hair, stroking her fingers through it. Troy could feel shivers going through his body when Gabriella touched him.

When the movie finally finished, and Troy turned off the movie, Troy turned around and faced Gabriella. She was now laying on the sofa, and she smiled softly at him. Troy reached out and gently brushed away a strand of hair. Since the night in the park when she had kissed him on the cheek, all he could think of was to kiss her again. Now seemed like the perfect chance, but something in Gabriella's eyes stopped him. She looked sad and happy at the same time. Troy shifted closer to the couch and putting his arm underneath her head and Gabriella shifted, closing her eyes, looking seemingly content. When she opened her eyes, however, her eyes were pain-filled and she looked as though she was crying.

"What's wrong?" He asked her softly.

"I watched this movie the last time I saw my dad," she murmured back.

So, good? Bad? Please review!