Chapter 4:

After Troy went to his basketball practice, Chad took Gabriella and Nikki back to Gabriella's house to spend the afternoon. Gabriella sat in the car, having no clue how to entertain the little girl. She thought back to when Troy had asked her the same thing when they were watching the toddler, Melissa.

Flashback

"GABRIELLA!" Troy called up the stairs to Gabriella.

"What?" Gabriella screamed down the stairs, she had been sleeping.

"I don't know how to entertain a toddler! What am I supposed to do? For all I know, she would want to play flippin DOLLS and I would have to!" Troy replied.

"So play. Get over it," Gabriella said and with that fell back asleep.

Troy sighed and went down to Melissa.

"Twoy?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah Mel?" Troy asked, bending down to her level,

"Will you teach me how to pway basketbawl?" She asked.

Troy smiled. He loved Melissa like she was his real daughter. "Of course Mel-bell. Let me just tell Gabriella."

He ran up the stairs and into the room he and Gabriella had to share.

"Hey Ella?"

"Yeah?"
"I'm gonna go to the park with Melissa to teach her how to play basketball, okay?"

"Sounds good, just be back by dinnertime."

End of flashback

Gabriella smiled at the memory, and thought of what she could do with Nikki. Before she knew it, they were at her house, 193 East Carmen Street. Chad, her, and Nikki all walked in in silence before Nikki said all in one breath, "What are we going to do?"

Gabriella and Chad sighed. Neither of them knew what to do.

"Niks?" Gabriella said.

"Yes?"

"How about I put the tv on for you because I have to go talk to Chad and then we will play a game or do something really fun?"

"Okay. I like Disney Channel."
Gabriella put on Disney Channel and pulled Chad into the kitchen.

"What am I supposed to do with her?" Gabriella asked Chad.

"Ummm, play baseball?" Chad asked, his stupid side coming on again.

Gabriella hit his head. "Baseball? Even I can't play baseball."

Chad bit his lip. "Oh, okay."

Just then Taylor walked through the door. (She has a spare key). "Hey Gabs, Chad."

Chad got up and gave Taylor a quick peck. "Hey."

Gabriella looked up and smiled. "Hey Tay."

"So, how was lunch?" Taylor asked, trying to hide a smile.

"Go ask Nikki. She's in my den room watching tv. And I know you are hiding a smile so spill." Gabriella replied.

"Nothing." Taylor said and got looks from both Chad and Gabriella. "Alright fine, Sharpay, Zeke, Kelsi, Jason, Ryan, and his new girlfriend are coming up today from Albuquerque. Oh and they are still all upset at Troy, so try to avoid that he has met with you about the house."

"They are coming!!!?? Where are they all staying?" Gabriella asked.

"Sharpay and Zeke are staying in your place and Jason, Kelsi, Ryan, and Lizzy (Ryan's new girlfriend) are staying at mine and Chad's house." Taylor.

"Great! You guys should go, I have to watch and entertain Nikki and prepare for the guests. I'll see you guys soon," Gabriella said, giving Chad and Taylor each a hug before they walked out the door. She sighed and went to the den where Nikki was watching Hannah Montana.

"Nikki?" Gabriella said to her and Nikki whipped around, her sandy-blond hair and blue eyes staring intensely into Gabriella's mocha brown ones.

"Yeah?"

"Do you still want to watch tv or do you want to do something else? I could go with you to the park, taking you shopping, stuff like that," Gabriella asked her.

"Ohhh! Shopping. Daddy never takes me shopping because he said he hated it so much because he didn't want to hold my bags," Nikki replied, jumping up as Gabriella turned the television off.

Gabriella laughed. She remembered how the girls (Kelsi, Sharpay, and Taylor) used to make all the guys hold their bags. "Alright Nikki, lets go."

Gabriella picked Nikki up and after locking up the house, they entered her Q5 Audi and drove off to the mall.

After getting to the mall, Gabriella had asked Nikki which store she wanted to go to, and she had said Juicy. So the girls went into the Juicy store.

"What do you want?" Gabriella asked Nikki. (A/N: Gabriella is a VERY successful real-estate agent. She owns that real-estate agency.)

"I want a new sweat outfit, boots, and a sweater. Please." Nikki replied, before running off to the kids section with Gabriella.

Gabriella laughed. "Alright, what color do you want?"

Nikki held up a pink one and a silver one. "Which one would look better?"

"Why don't you go try them on in the changing room?" Gabriella asked.

As they walked off, what they didn't see were Sharpay, Zeke, Jason, Kelsi, Ryan, and Lizzy come into the store because Sharpay wanted a sweatshirt.

"Whoa. Was that Gabs?" Sharpay asked everyone.

"It must have been. Who else has that long curly dark hair and excellent posture and is always very polite?" Kelsi answered.

"Who was she with?" Zeke asked.

"By the looks of it, it looks like Troy's daughter Nicole. Same hair and eyes. Taylor sent us pictures," Sharpay said and explained.

"Is she forgiving Troy already?" Ryan and Jason both asked while they walked to the cashier.

"Wait. Who is this Gabriella person?" Lizzy asked.

Sharpay narrowed her eyes at Lizzy. (A/N: Sharpay HATES Lizzy.) "Gabriella is our very close high school friend. She is the one me and Kelsi always say we want to see because we haven't seen her in like months."

"Why does everyone care about her so much. I mean, I'm extremely pretty like she is, except my hair is blond," Lizzy replied, tossing her blond locks over her shoulder.

Ryan looked shocked as Sharpay gave him a look. She had told him how conceited and bratty she was but Ryan had never believed her. He stepped up to Lizzy.

"If you think you can compare yourself to Gabriella, guess what? YOU CAN'T. We are over," Ryan said and turned around and walked out of the store with the rest of the gang.

Lizzy walked out by herself. "Oh well, I was only with him for his wealth," she said out loud before exiting the mall.

With Gabriella and Nikki

Nikki had modeled both outfits and they had decided she was going to get both, and just not get the sweater.

"What type of boots do you want?" Gabriella asked her.

"The white ones with the pom-poms," Nikki answered, pointing to the ones that were on display.

After getting the boots and paying for everything, Nikki and Gabriella went to get ice cream.

"Can I have a chocolate with chocolate chips please?" Nikki asked the woman behind the counter. Gabriella laughed.

"What's so funny?" Nikki asked.

"Nothing. It's just that you and your daddy have the same taste. Whenever we got ice cream, he would always get chocolate and always his chocolate chips," Gabriella replied. "And can I have vanilla please?"

After they got their ice cream, they went back to Gabriella's car. "Where to next?"

Nikki thought for a minute. "Gabriella, can we go to the park?"

"Sure. And you can call me one of my many nicknames, Brie, Ella, El, Gabs, Gab, Gabster. Take your pick," Gabriella said.

Nikki giggled. "Gabster is funny! But I think I will go with Ella. Its easy," she replied, laughing again.

Gabriella started laughing too, and before they knew it, they were at the park. As the pair got out of the car, they could see Troy and Chad talking in the distance on the basketball court.

"Nikki. We are going to surprise them alright? So be as quiet as you can," Gabriella said as the girls tiptoed to the basketball court. While Troy had his back to Gabriella and Nikki, Chad saw them and Gabriella sent him a wink. She sent Nikki to jump on Troy's back.

Nikki ran and jumped on Troy's back.

"Get off of me. Sometimes you kid fans try every way to get my autograph. Honestly, just leave me alone for once," Troy said, without realizing who it was.

Nikki jumped off and ran to Gabriella crying. Troy turned around and when he saw it was Nikki he ran to her and bent down.

"Niks, Daddy's sorry," Troy tried to apologize, but Nikki just buried her head into Gabriella's side.

"Way to go Troy. We just had a great afternoon and we come to play in the park, and look what happens," Gabriella said to Troy, saying the first part sarcastically.

"Its just…" Troy said but Gabriella interrupted.

"Price of fame. But with fame comes responsibilities and thinking that the world doesn't revolve around you," Gabriella said as Chad joined her at her side.

"But…" Troy tried again, but Chad interrupted this time.

"There's no excuse Troy," Chad said. Troy sighed.

"What are you trying to tell me, both of you?"

Gabriella turned away to the crying little girl. "Nikki, why don't you go play on the play-set and I will be right there after I finish talking to your daddy. Okay?"

Nikki nodded and ran happily off to the playground. Gabriella then turned around to Troy.

"We are trying to tell you that you are not the same person as you were before. We are trying to tell you you are taking this fame too lightly. You think everything revolves around you and newsflash: it doesn't," Gabriella said.

"I take it very seriously," Troy replied.

"In your dreams you do bro. Actually, I don't even know who you are anymore. You aren't the guy who I thought we would be brothers forever. You changed, and the only time we ever see the old you is when you are around Nikki," Chad said. Troy sighed again.

"I wish I could but I can't."

"WHY CAN'T YOU? IS YOUR BASKETBALL CAREER TOO IMPORTANT FOR YOU? IS THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU SURIVE? HOW ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS? FAMILY? WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR CAREER DRIES UP? OR IF YOU NEED TO RETIRE? Who are you going to turn to?" Gabriella raised her voice at him, but said the last part quietly. She then felt someone hang onto her leg and Chad looked down and smiled. Troy was too busy trying to figure out what to say instead of looking down at Nikki.

"Basketball is my entire life. Without it, I'd have no one and no money. This is my life. Me and basketball and my soon new house. That's it," Troy said and when he heard sobbing, quickly shut it.

"Way to go again Troy," Chad said sarcastically. Gabriella picked up the little girl and said, "Nikki is sleeping in my house tonight or until you find your priorities. Good-bye." And she and Nikki left.

Chad turned to Troy who was frozen. "Why are you so shocked? It's not like BASKETBALL was taken away from you."

"The most important thing in my entire life was taken away from me Chad," Troy replied and looked down.

"Really? Because I can quote you 'Basketball is my entire life…..This is my life. Me and basketball and my soon new house. That's it.' Sound like anyone?" Chad challenged.

"Look, if you are going to make me feel bad, then I am going home," Troy said and started to walk away.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad. I'm trying to make you REALIZE some stuff here. I'm going home. I have guests to entertain," Chad said and when he reached his car, he was about to go in when Troy asked him a questions.

"Who's going to the Danforth residence tonight?"

"Old friends from East High. Where we all were best friends, or a gang. And no, don't bother coming unless you really want Nikki. Which I wouldn't recommend because Gabster looks like she is going to blow if you take her," Chad said.

"Why don't they want to see me?" Troy asked.

"Because of what you did to Gabster. They all knew about it and they all found out the exact details. Sharpay, Kelsi, Jason, Zeke, and Ryan all drove up to Stanford (A/N: Let's say Chad was smarter than most people expected and they had all ended up going to Stanford. Gabriella on a scholarship, Taylor for law, and Chad for basketball and baseball.) to comfort her," Chad said.

"Oh," was all Troy could say.

"Now good-bye." Chad said and drove away.

"Was I really that bad?" Troy thought as he drove away as well, but not back to his house, back to Gabriella's house to see if she would let him in.

I'm sorry I haven't been updating. I've been so busy. But I need some reviews! Hit the button. I don't care if its positive or negative! I promise to update very soon from now on.