AN: I hate being ill! I have loads of coursework to do but I chose to take some time out!
Disclaimer – I don't own HSM
Chapter 22 – My Name is Gabriella
5 years later, Troy and Gabriella were celebrating sixth year anniversary. Gabriella was a worldwide icon, releasing 7 number ones and more top tens. She has won her first Grammy and she is also the face of many designers such as D&G and a fragrance for Chanel.
Troy was, as he dreamed, discovered by Lakers while playing at UCLA and was signed almost immediately after he finished his senior year. He has done some modeling of his own for Nike, but the most famous shoot he had was with a certain Miss Montez, who no one knew was his girlfriend. They got signed together by chance and at the photo shoot, the camera showed that they were a lot more than 'just friends'.
The press fell in love with the couple, and often followed them around LA, but they slowly got used to the attention. Troy and Gabi decided to do one interview about their relationship, to get them off their backs, and went to a top magazine and told them the story of their relationship, leaving out a few details that the couple would prefer to leave out, for example Gabi's issues with Derek and what had followed.
Chad and Taylor were already married. Chad played for the Knicks, and Taylor was a university lecturer. Taylor however was taken into the celebrity scene along with Chad and soon she had to give up her university job because the students took too much interested in Taylor's personal life. It had upset her a lot, but Chad supported her and Taylor decided on a new profession: Gabi's Publicity Advisor. She did a good job, and looked after her well, not surprisingly.
Zeke and Sharpay were engaged and were to be married in a couple of months. Zeke was a famous chef, and Gabi predicted, and Sharpay was a model who had done work for Armani and Dior. However she stayed away from the girls who starved themselves, to Zeke's delight, and she was claimed to be the best role model for girls who wanted to go into modeling. Shar has recently begun to design some clothes for some designers and loves the change.
Troy refused to tell Gabriella where they were going to go for their anniversary. He took her to the airport, having packed her suitcase for her, and checked themselves in and took her through to the waiting room for their plane. 'Troy, please tell me where we are going!' Gabi pleaded tugging on his arm and pouting at him.
Troy laughed and worked hard to resist. 'I'll give you a clue. It has something to do with an item you are wearing today.' He looked at Gabi and she looked down at her clothes and accessories.
Gabi gasped when she realized what he meant. She held up her right hand and Troy nodded, grinning. She squealed and hugged Troy, 'Hawaii!!!'
'Well done, genius.' Troy rolled his eyes and returned her hug.
'Excuse me?' A little girl said as she timidly walked up to the couple.
'Hello sweetie!' Gabi beamed at the girl, 'How may we help you?'
'I was wondering…if I can have you autograph…please?' The girl gave Gabi a look with big eyes and Gabi laughed and got onto her knees next to the girl and took the piece of paper and pen from the girls hand and signed her name.
'What's your name, sweet pea?' Gabi smiled.
'My name is Gabriella,' the girl answered and Troy laughed quietly at the face Gabi made out of shock.
'Well, that is a very nice name! I would know!' Gabi winked and wrote a message for the girl. She handed the paper to Little Gabriella and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. The people around the room smiled at the two girls and the little girl blushed and said 'Thank you Miss Montez,' and fled back to her mother.
Gabi laughed and settled down next to Troy again. Troy smiled at her, 'You know, you are really good with little children.'
'How could you not be nice to her though? She was so cute!' Gabi giggled and reached up to kiss Troy's cheek.
The couple arrived in Hawaii in the late afternoon and Troy called over a taxi and gave the driver an address without Gabriella hearing him. 'So where are we going? A hotel? Or to the house?' Gabriella asked. She still had the house and adored it. Whenever they had the chance to go on holiday, they often went to the beach house with friends, or sometimes on their own.
'You'll see,' Troy winked which earned a groan from Gabi.
Half an hour later, the taxi pulled up near a harbor and Troy helped Gabriella out. He took hold of both the bags and lead Gabriella towards a massive motor boat. Gabi gasped at the sight of it. 'So you hired a boat…' Gabi said.
'No…I bought a boat.' Troy grinned.
'What?' Gabi gaped and Troy and looked at the boat again.
Troy remained silent and led Gabi onto the boat and dropped the bags. Gabi looked around the boat while Troy sorted everything out to set sail. Gabriella joined Troy as he started driving the boat out of the harbor into the gorgeous open sea. 'I didn't know you can drive a motor boat…' Gabi said.
'Yeah I have taken a course recently to get qualified. I have had a hand with some dinner…it is all in the basket in the kitchen area.' Troy trailed off to concentrate on sailing.
Gabi smiled and walked down to the kitchen. 'I can take a guess on who helped you!' She called and Troy laughed, knowing that she was probably right. The basket was full of fantastic food. There was some salad and small bites to eat and a gorgeous cake at the top. The style of food had Zeke written all over it and Gabi instantly knew that it was going to taste fantastic.
Troy anchored the boat when the boat had gone out to sea for about 10 miles. He took Gabi and the basket of food to the top deck and they started eating. They had a great time and fed each other. Troy turned on some music and they danced together and Gabi sang along to her own songs in a humorous way which had Troy cracking up.
It was getting late and they both knew that the night was beginning to come to an end.
Troy took in a breath and took hold of Gabriella's arm to make her look at him. 'Do you remember the first time we came to Hawaii?' Troy asked and Gabi nodded.
'I remember the time we went on that boat and we discussed out perfect wedding!' Gabi giggled. She also remembered the anniversary they celebrated here. 'That trip was when most of my dreams came true.' Gabi sighed.
'Well…it's time.' Troy whispered. He then started to quote in a low whisper from the speech he made all those years ago. 'One day, we will go to the church and we will leave as Mr and Mrs Troy Bolton.' Gabi looked at Troy with wide eyes and he got down on one knee and took out a velvet box and opened it. There was a gold engagement ring inside with a massive canary diamond in the middle. 'Gabriella Montez, will you give me the biggest gift I could ever ask for and be my wife?'
Gabi smiled and she nodded as she could not speak. He grinned and slipped the ring onto her left ring finger and Gabi leaped onto Troy who was still on the floor and they hugged each other lying on the decking. Troy looked down on Gabriella with soft eyes, which Gabi knew it meant that he was ecstatic. She reached up and kissed him on the lips and he kissed her back, neither of them wanting to break the kiss.
They returned to Gabi's beach house and they were greeted by Chad, Zeke, Tay and Shar, and of course Jack, Lucille and Anna. Everyone knew about the engagement and Anna told Gabi that Troy had asked her for permission a few weeks before. Jack and Lucille hugged their son and future daughter-in-law and congratulated them, telling them how happy they were of their engagement. Taylor told Gabi how to handle the press with made Gabi laugh at how committed Taylor is to her job.
Zeke promised to cater for the wedding which made Gabi jump onto him and kiss his cheek repeatedly. Chad and Troy caught up with each other's lives as well as Shar and Gabi.
Troy took Gabi to the beach and they kissed once again. 'That never gets old,' Troy whispered.
'I love you so much,' Gabi said into the crook of Troy's neck.
'Almost as much as I love you!' Troy laughed and kissed Gabi's forehead. 'You have made the happiest man on earth today, Brie.'
'Well, I try,' Gabriella giggled and they walked back up to the house to rejoin the party.
AN: One more! I would just like to say thank you so much to everybody who has reviewed for this story.
