Chapter 3

With Troy

"Come on Niks, lets get to the limo!" Troy Bolton called up the stairs to his daughter, who was getting dressed.

"Okay Daddy. I'm just putting on my sneakers," Nicole (Nikki) Bolton yelled back at him.

Five minutes later, they were ready to go. Nikki had on her little Juicy Couture Green sweatoutfit with converse and Troy had on his white t-shirt and jeans.

They walked, actually Troy carried Nikki, to the limo, where Troy told the driver, Luke, to take them to the café.

With Gabriella and Chad

"So Gabster, you gonna get back with Troy?" Chad asked. Chad had been like Gabriella's older brother since East High and he still acted like it.

"I don't know," Gabriella sighed and the rest of the ride, she and Chad sat in silence.

Not with anybody

When Gabriella and Chad got to the café, they saw a mob of paparazzi crowding what looked like Troy and his daughter.

"Oh god," Chad muttered. "Come on Gabs, there's a side entrance we can use to avoid all the attention."

Gabriella sighed in relief. "Thank god."

Chad and Gabriella thought they had a plan until Troy called out to Gabriella.

"Gabriella!" Troy called out.

"Oh god, attention. Just what we need," Chad quickly muttered under his breath.

"Gabriella Montez! I'll meet you inside!" Troy called out again.

Instantly, about half of the paparazzi turned to Gabriella and Chad.

"What's it like knowing THE Troy Bolton?"
"Who's this you are with?"

"What are you doing here with Troy?"
"How do you know each other?"

"Wait, is that the 3 season Laker, Chad Danforth?"
"What are you doing with Chad?"

Gabriella and Chad quickly tried to get away from the paparazzi, but were unsuccessful. By the time they were able to get into the café, it had been about half an hour since Chad and Gabriella got there and who knows how long since Troy and Nikki got there.

"Hey man," Troy said giving Chad a man hug.

"Hey Troy, Nikki," Chad said, giving Troy a man hug and Nikki a quick hug.

"Hey Gabriella," Troy said, giving her a quick hug.

"Bolton," Gabriella replied, not returning the hug.

"Look Gabs…" Troy started but Gabriella cut him off.

"I get it Troy, it's the price of fame. I know, I've experienced it," Gabriella said.

"Wait what?" Troy asked. "You've experienced fame?"

Gabriella smiled guiltily. "Only Chad knew about my fame. And Taylor did a little."

"Who, what were you?" Troy asked.

"Hello Daddy?" Nikki said to Troy.

"Nikki, go to talk Uncle Chad for right now. Daddy's talking to Gabriella right now."

Nikki nodded her head. "Okay Daddy," she replied and went off to go talk to Chad.

"You were famous?" Troy asked again.

"Uh-huh. I lead a double life. Remember all those parties and stuff I couldn't come to and then at Prom when Elle Monter (A/N: So made up. I needed a name. LOL) came and sang and I disappeared?" Gabriella said.

"Yeah."

"I was Elle Monter. I lead a double life. I put on "glasses" for school and became a little bit of a nerd so no one would recognize me." Gabriella said.

"Wow Gabs, I didn't realize you knew the pressures of fame," Troy said.

"Now you know my old secret I would never tell you," Gabriella replied.

Flashback

15-year-old Gabriella Montez, her boyfriend Troy Bolton, and the gang were sitting together playing Truth or Dare.

"Gabi, truth or dare?" her best friend Sharpay asked.

"Dare."

"I dare you to tell us your biggest secret."

Gabriella's face quickly fell. "Look, I would if I could. Only two people besides my mom, dad, brother, and sister know my secret. I really can't tell."

"Wait Brie, I don't even know your biggest secret," Troy turned to face his girlfriend.

Gabriella looked around the circle. She looked at Chad and Taylor and they just shook their heads, no.

"Look Troy, I would tell you anything. But this secret is the entire secret to my life. Why I move, why I am not always around for this sleepover stuff, why I have, as Sharpay says, so many," Gabriella used air quotes "Red carpet worthy dresses. I am sorry you guys, I can't tell you. I trust the two people who found out."

End of Flashback

"I see why you couldn't say it, but why didn't you tell me?" Troy asked.

"I wanted you to like me for who I was. I was a straight A student. I was everything you thought I was, who you saw me as. But I couldn't tell you and Chad and Taylor understood that," Gabriella said. "Come on, let's go get some coffee and lunch."

Troy, Gabriella, Chad, and Nikki waited online to get some lunch. When they got up to the cashier, Gabriella and Chad jumped in front of Troy and Nikki.

"Hey Kayleigh!" Chad said to the cashier.

"Chads! Gabs! Glad you guys could finally come," Kayleigh said.

"Wait you know her?" Troy asked Gabriella.

"Troy?" Kayleigh asked.

"Kayleight?"

"Yeah its me. I work here and own the café."

"Wow, its nice to see you again," Troy said. (A/N: Kayleigh is Chad's older sister)

"You guys too. What can I get you?" Kayleigh asked.

The group ordered and Kayleigh said it would be out in five minutes. They went to sit at a table all the way in the back.

"So Chad, you ever hear of Elle Monter?" Troy asked.

"Troy, I'm not stupid. I know Gabster's secret," Chad said shaking his head.

"How could you know and me not know?" Troy asked.

"Tay and I walked in on her getting ready for a concert or event or something. Anyway, we confronted her," Chad said, shrugging like it wasn't a big deal.

"Daddy, I'm hungry and I have to go to the potty," Nikki said.

"Niks," Troy started but was yet again interrupted by Gabriella.

"Come on Nikki, I will take you. Let's let Daddy and Uncle Chad have some time to themselves."

"Thanks Brie," Troy said as Gabriella picked Nikki up and turned to leave.

With Gabriella and Nikki

"My Daddy likes you," Nikki commented as they walked across the café to use the bathroom.

"Does he?" Gabriella asked.

"Yup. He pretends to talk you in the mirror. It's funny."

Gabriella didn't know what to respond to this statement. "Well, um,"

"Daddy really, really likes you. When he brought home someone else, he didn't introduce me to her. He says he only introduces me when he thinks I will like them."

Gabriella looked speechless. She didn't realize Troy loved her that much. "Come one Nikki, go to the bathroom. I'm right here."

While Nikki was in the bathroom, Gabriella thought of a memory from East High.

Flashback

"Today we are starting a project where I will pair you up and you will be responsible for taking care of a toddler from the orphanage for a month. You will all get your own little house and there will be babysitters to watch the children when you go to school," Mrs. Darbus announced to the class. "Alright, Ms. Montez and Mr. Bolton, Sharpay and Zeke, Taylor and Chad, Ryan and Martha, Jason and Kelsi…" The list went on.

Fastfoward

After getting their toddler, Melissa, Troy and Gabriella went to their new "house". It was a small house, 3-bedrooms, 3-bathrooms, a kitchen, study, and living room. Troy and Gabriella had so many memories in that little house, taking care of Melissa.

End of Flashback

Gabriella smiled at the memory, without realizing that Nikki was done and ready to go.

"Come on Nikki, let's go," Gabriella said, smiling down at the little girl.

"Can you carry me?" Nikki asked?

"Sure."

Nikki and Gabriella walked back to the table where the food was. The group ate and chatted and when it was time to go, all were disappointed.

Troy looked at Gabriella and said, "Do you mind taking Nikki to your house? I have a 3-hour basketball practice."

"Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"Fine," Troy said and went over to Nikki.

"Niks, do you want to spend the afternoon with Gabriella?"

"Okay Daddy," Nikki replied and ran and jumped into Gabriella's arms.

"She's all yours," Troy said.

"Thanks Troy. And have fun at practice," Chad and Gabriella both said.

"Bye Daddy!" Nikki called to him as he jogged through the paparazzi to get to his limo.

"Chad, can you take us home?" Gabriella asked.

"Of course Gabster," Chad said and the three of them went to his car and drove off.

Nikki and Gabriella were excited but they didn't know the events that lay ahead of them in their fun, girly afternoon.