Music Oneshots Chapter 39: The Girl Next Door, a high school musical fanfic

Disclaimer: I own nothing

The Girl Next Door

"Tell me the story again." Margaret Bolton directed. Troy nodded, pulling his guitar out. He and his 8 year-old daughter her favorite bedtime story as she laid tucked into bed. Troy laughed lightly, he always told her this story when he was the one to tuck her into bed, while Gabriella was doing the dishes downstairs in the kitchen. Clearing his throat he began.

She may not be Marilyn Monroe

And she may not be the cutest girl I know

It's how she makes me feel not how she looks

One smile from her heart

That's all it took

Troy Bolton looked out his window and sighed. It was a desolate sigh, full of need and desire. He watched as she paced her room in the house next door to his own. She glanced up, as if she knew he was watching her. He quickly diverted his gaze back to his computer screen as he attempted to work on his English essay. He was supposed to write a short story, a fictional short story. So he figured what the hell, he'd change their names and write their love story, or lack there of. He began typing of the day he met her.

FLASHBACK

Troy was shooting hoops in his backyard with three of his best friends, Chad Danforth, Zeke Baylor, and Jason Cross. They had a nice two-on-two game going on. Troy heard a car screech to a halt. Looking up, and losing control of the ball, Troy watched as a beautiful girl with long dark curls got out of the driver's side of the car. Pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head she turned her attention to a blonde girl, who also got out of the car. Feeling eyes on her, she turned and immediately made eye contact with Troy.

He gave her a smile and turned to his friends, jogging over and stopping the game. All four guys went over to them. "Troy Bolton." He stuck his hand out.

The blonde girl looked at it, "Whatever." She said, turning on her heel and walking inside.

The dark haired girl rolled her eyes, "Excuse my step-sister Sharpay, she doesn't do well on long car drives. Gabriella Montez." She shook Troy's hand. He gave her an easy smile, which she returned. And that was all it took.

END OF FLASHBACK

The girl next door is not the girl next door

She's the girl I'd stay home for

He watched as she walked out onto her balcony and sat down, she looked like she'd been crying. He wanted to run over and engulf her in a huge hug and tell her that everything would be okay. He sighed when Sharpay and her twin brother Ryan joined her on the balcony. Instead of him, they had her in their arms, telling her that it would be okay. He knew what was wrong, he'd heard it, they'd all heard about it. Max Glober had cheated on her and she dumped him, but it still stung like hell most likely. He really wanted to go over there and tell her everything would be all right, that he'd always be there for her.

His friends had told him that he should just tell her how he feels, he'd never had a problem around girls before, so why was this any different?

If I had the courage I'd ring her bell

But if she answered, what story would I tell

My window's become her picture frame

But this painting doesn't even have a name

Turning the monitor off on his computer he picked his guitar up. Screw the English paper, he wasn't in the mood to write about his sad tale now. He began strumming a tune he'd been thinking about since the day he met Gabriella. The day he'd fallen in love. He sighed, thinking, they always say that the girl next door is so ordinary, but always the right girl. Well, she's not ordinary by any means, but I'd bet she's the right girl.

The girl next door is not the girl next door

She's the girl I'd stay home for

"If only she knew that I'd go to the ends of the earth for her." He thought desperately to himself. He glanced over and sighed, it had started raining and she was still sitting sobbing on her balcony. He sprung out of his chair and grabbed his guitar case. Tossing it over his shoulder, he opened his window and shimmied down the tree into the rainy night. Without hesitation, he ran into the yard next door and climbed the tree to Gabriella's balcony. When he came into view she gasp. "Hey there." He greeted her sheepishly, completely soaked through.

She doesn't know that I'm breathing

She doesn't know that I'm alive

She doesn't know what I'm dreaming

When I see that she's turned out her lights

And does she see me like I see her

More than just the boy next door

"Hi." She said wearily, "Troy, right?" she wasn't sure of his name even though she lived next door to him.

Troy nodded, thoroughly disappointed, "Yeah, Troy." He climbed fully onto the balcony.

"So, Troy," she hesitated, "what are you doing on my balcony?"

"Um, I saw you crying and wanted to make sure you were okay." He only told her half the truth, after all, if she didn't know who he was, then why bother serenading her like he'd planned.

Gabriella giggled, "You couldn't have used the front door?" she arched her perfectly waxed eyebrows.

"Oh, I um, I um, wasn't thinking clearly, obviously." He stuttered out. "Impulse I guess." He lied.

"I see." She said, her tears drying up, "So what's in the case?" she asked, referring to his guitar.

"Guitar." He answered, then mentally cursed himself for it.

"Oh, you play?" she asked, impressed

"Yeah, I was just at a friends and we were messing around. I was coming home when I saw you." Okay so that was a lie, 110 percent.

Gabriella nodded, the rain had slacked off, sitting on one of the chairs, she motioned for Troy to do the same. "Play for me." She directed. He nodded and gulped slightly.

The girl next door is not the girl next door

She doesn't know that I'm alive

He played his song through and watched her reaction to it, he didn't even know that the words were up in his head, but they were, with the all too familiar tune. The song was a true story, about Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton.

"That's so sweet daddy." Margaret cooed to her father, her bright blue eyes shining up into Troy's, her ebony curls bouncing with excitement that was her favorite story. Closing her eyes, she yawned and went to sleep, curling up with all her stuffed animals. Troy smiled down to his sleeping daughter, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, he turned the lights off and walked out of the room.

"She still loves that story, huh?" Gabriella came from around the corner, handing her husband of 11 years a glass of red wine.

"It's still her favorite." Troy smiled, clinking glasses with Gabriella, as they made their way to the couch downstairs.

Song: The Girl Next Door by Drake Bell

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