Hey crazy cats, I hope you are ready for the challenge of a lifetime! I have teamed up with for their re-booted franchise, ZAAngels Write-Off to encourage and inspire all you people out there to take part in their monthly writing challenge!

I am setting a theme every month to challenge all you current, new or aspiring writers to take part! The stories are Troyella, the themes will vary but get your thinking caps on because the first theme has just been set! Check out the site for the update :)

Every month you have a chance to participate and visitors to the site will vote on their favourite entry. To kick things off I have written a one-shot for the first theme. Keep an eye out for that and please, please think about joining in!

If you need any help let me know ;)

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for reviews, those of you who have stuck with it are making me smile like this :D with your comments! I'm sorry I have been really busy so haven't been able to appreciate you all ;)

Bluebell, I am in love with you as a reviewer also lol ;)

p.s I have ventured into multi-lingual territory this chapter so please be aware some of the chapter may not be as easy to read as normal where I have translated courtesy of Isabella.

CHAPTER 11

"I think we should go check out a movie later," Troy suggested as he made lunch; dressed only in his boxers from their long morning in bed.

"You mean you want to leave the house?" Gabi enquired dryly; more demurely dressed in her dressing gown over her underwear.

He twisted and smiled at her. "We have spent a lot of time in bed so far."

"Well, you're my young stud, it's kind of the deal," she joked and came over to kiss him lovingly.

"Good deal," he husked back as he nearly got distracted into kissing her again- that is, until the doorbell rang.

"Oh lord," Gabi rolled her eyes. "That could be anyone 'dropping by'," she mused. "Can you let them in while I run and get changed?"

Troy pursed his lips. "Sure…"

Gabi paused him before he reached the door.

"You can't open it like that!" She laughed, jamming her dressing gown onto his arms before she ran up the stairs in her undies with a giggle at his shocked face.

"Thank you," he said eventually. "I think…"

He opened the door with a swoop and faced the visitor in a female dressing gown with pastel polka dots decorating it- and not even one that fit as it stretched against his biceps and back tautly.

"You must be the new guy," the Latin man before him spoke.

Troy frowned, lifting his brows.

"I'm the ex husband."

/

"¿Qué demonios estás haciendo aquí, Cal? (What the hell are you doing here, Cal? )"´Gabi demanded, dressed now in a crossover black dress that accentuated her curves but didn't reveal too much flesh.

"¿Te acuerdas de tu lengua materna, entonces? (You remember your native language, then?)" Cal smirked.

"¡Pues claro que me acuerdo!¡Pero solo la hablo cuando estoy muy brava!

¿Qué estás haciendo aquí? (Of course I do! But I only speak it when I'm very angry! Now why are you here?)" Cal paused.

"Escuche rumores de que tenias un nuevo novio y quiero saber la verdad (I heard a rumour you had a new boyfriend and I wanted to find out the truth)," he replied.

"¿Qué?" She cast, squinting in contempt."Te acuerdas del divorcio, cierto? ¿El que nos hace personas independientes? (You do remember our divorce don't you? The one that rules we are now both free agents?)"

"¿Cómo se que tu no lo has tenido todo este tiempo? (How do I know you haven't had him on the go all along?)" Cal shrugged.

"Porque me case por las razones correctas, Cal, (Because I married for the right reasons, Cal)" she jabbed.

"¿Así que es cierto? Ese niño, ¿es el tu amante? (So it's true? That kid, he's your lover?)" Cal asked.

"Tienes treinta segundo para irte antes de que llame a la policía...(You have thirty seconds to leave before I call the police…)" She warned.

Cal chuckled.

"Veinte segundos(Twenty seconds)," she altered.

"Gabriella…"

"Diez...(Ten…)"

"Bueno," he held his hands aloft, in surrender. "Disfruta tu amiguito...(Enjoy your toy-boy…)"

"¡Eso planeo!(I plan to!)" She cast as he strode out of her living room and toward the front door.

Troy startled from his seat on the stairs as the older man glanced up at him.

"Good luck with her, she's frigid and worthless besides," Cal called up to him and Troy frowned angrily and stood, coming down the steps to confront him, but he had already left and Gabi quickly interceded his intent to follow Cal into the drive.

"He's not worth it," she promised.

"I beg to differ," Troy mused.

"He's gone now. Let's just get ready for the movies," she suggested.

Troy dropped his gaze down onto her and cupped her cheek. "You're not worthless."

"He's just bitter," she reasoned. "And he's right; we didn't have a great sex-life. But I'm not with him now so it doesn't matter."

Troy kissed her mouth tenderly. "You're right, it doesn't."

But as she watched Troy move off to get ready, she couldn't help wonder why Cal had chosen to visit her now, even if it was to address a rumor. He hadn't cared about her while they were married, so why now? There was nothing for him to gain, she considered. Apart from riling up Troy. Which had nearly worked.

Was Cal so dark minded as to try and split her and Troy up and ruin her future happiness? Did he even care about her that much? The decree nisi was final but apparently her ex wasn't as over her as she would like to think. Did that mean he was here to cause more trouble?

Gabi frowned. She hoped not. She hoped that was the last they would see of him.

/

Gabi crossed her legs and shifted towards Troy, hugging his arm as she laid her head against his shoulder. The movie was a romance and she felt close to him in the pinnacle moment of the movie as the heroine realized she really did love the hero, after all.

How fitting.

Troy's hand cupped her thigh assuringly in response; linking them somewhat. He tipped his head against hers and smiled; enjoying this moment the most out of his time here. Just him and Gabi; being normal together, doing normal things that couples did with no guilt and no denial.

She quickly wiped away her romantic tears at the end of the film and Troy smiled at her affectionately as she looked at him.

"What! It was touching!" She defended with a smile.

"It was a film," Troy replied pragmatically. "I don't see you crying at all my romantic gestures…"

"I'll let you know when I've seen one," she shot back, receiving a tongue-poke from her beau.

"How about right now?" He suggested mischievously. "I will quite happily express my undying love to the whole cinema …"

"Troy, don't be silly," she chided. "I'd rather you stay right here…"

"Right here?" His brow arched.

She nodded, kissing him sweetly.

"Okay, I'm sold…"

She giggled at his goofiness and pursed her lips. "Dinner?"

He shrugged. "I can cook…"

"Really?" She grinned, looking forward to this.

"Yep."

"Okay, chef. Let's go…"

/

As they pulled into the drive, Gabi knew something was wrong. Two cars sat there already and a small gathering of people crowded on her porch, alerting her to something unusual going on.

"What the hell…?" She murmured; trying to recognize the figures as she pulled up. Her mother was one of them and Cal was there, too.

She looked to Troy. "This doesn't look good."

"What is his glitch?" He wondered bitterly.

She frowned. "You can see why I wanted a divorce…"

"Hey…" He reached across and put his hand over hers. "It'll be okay…"

"This is where it gets hard, Troy." She warned. "I hope you're ready for it."

He smiled wanly. "More than ready."

"Good," she sighed and opened her door to slide out, Troy coming around to meet her and he took her hand in his as they climbed the porch.

"What's going on?" Gabi asked.

"Well, turns out your parents hadn't heard about your little set up here," Cal spoke first.

"Darling, is it true? Is this young man your partner?" Maria Montez asked curiously.

Troy swallowed and squeezed Gabi's hand to signal he was going to speak before her.

"Yeah, it's true," he answered her mother. "I'm Troy," he moved forward to shake her hand. "Troy Bolton, it's nice to meet you Mrs. Montez…"

He turned toward her father. "Mr. Montez," he added politely.

"Cal, why did you get us out here?" James Montez asked flatly.

"To show you this!" Cal defended, becoming nervous at the apparent lack of scandal when he expected there to be one. "Look at him! He's barely legal!"

"Cal, it's none of you business any more," Gabi spoke up. "I don't know what you're even doing here…"

"Maria, James…you can't honestly think this is right?" Cal appealed. "You need to talk some sense into your daughter! What they are doing is perverted! Look at her! She's a mother for god's sake! Cavorting with a man half her age!"

James squinted at his ex son-in-law.

"After everything you put my daughter through, you think this was going to exonerate you?" He challenged. "You have some nerve…"

"I was just showing friendly concern," Cal defended icily, feeling himself unwelcome and awkward at his attempt to cause trouble. "Do you really think he can take care of your daughter? Do you really think he cares? He's just after sex!"

Troy turned to glare at Cal. "You have no business being here, I suggest you leave…"

James Montez moved across the porch. "Mr. Bolton is right, Cal," he addressed. "It's time you left."

Cal swallowed. "I thought you of all people would care more about your grandson if not your daughter," he cast. "How do you think Jared will feel seeing his mother's boyfriend is practically the same age as him?"

James held him a moment with a grasp of his coat lapel. Cal looked at him with wild, scared eyes.

"Don't you dare stand there and tell me how much I care about my family," James assured lowly. "I would hope my grandson would be happy for his mother, Mr. Grainger. Now don't ever threaten my daughter again…"

Cal stared at James for a long moment, deciding to cut his losses. He stepped back from James' hold on his jacket and turned to walk away from the scene, leaving a quiet mood of reflection on the porch.

James and Maria turned to Troy.

"This isn't exactly the circumstance I hoped to meet you in…" Troy offered shyly.

"That man had the gall to tell us those things after everything he did," James mused.

"It's nice to meet you, Troy," Maria added softly. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, visibly shaken but assured at their so far welcoming response.

"I would have preferred a telephone call to tell me you were seeing someone new," Maria told her daughter as Gabi drifted closer to them all.

"Mom, it's new," Gabi defended gently.

Maria pressed her lips together. "Then I'm just sorry Cal had to get involved…" she commented.

"So, Troy. What do you do?" James asked.

Troy looked at Gabi and swallowed nervously.

"I'm in University, sir. Fourth year of six. I'm studying to be a teacher…"

James nodded thoughtfully.

"You seem like a very nice young man," Maria inserted supportively.

"Thank you," Troy smiled shyly. "It was nice to meet you both. I'm gonna go inside so you can…catch up," he offered to Gabi and her parents.

Gabi nodded and followed her parents into the drive to see them off as Troy let himself inside the house.

"So, is this serious, you and him?" James squinted at Gabi.

"I really hope so," she admitted with the uncertainty she felt.

James nodded. "Well, then I also hope I was right about Jared…"

Gabi merely nodded, not wanting to share with her parents that Jared already knew and had championed her and Troy, too.

"You look happier than you have in a long time," Maria noted observantly.

"I am…but what did Cal think he was going to achieve by bringing you here?" Gabi worried.

"You let me deal with Cal," James assured. "You enjoy the rest of your night…"

"Are you sure you're okay with all this?" Gabi checked with Troy out of sight.

"He was willing to protect you, that's good enough for me," James assured.

"The way he looks at you," Maria smiled dreamily. "My dear, there's no question how you both feel…"

"That doesn't mean you have to accept it, though," she insisted. "Tell me honestly, does the age gap bother you?"

Her parents looked at each other and Maria let James answer for them both.

"There's an age gap?"

Gabi hugged her parents spontaneously and bid them farewell, waving them down the drive the same way she did with Jared; promising to visit them soon- with Troy, at their insistence.

She felt exhausted when she finally came inside and closed the door.

Troy swooped on her and wrapped her into his arms.

"Are you okay?"

She leaned into his body and kind of went to jelly.

"Not really," she admitted. "I'm exhausted."

"Then I'll take you up," he quickly brought her into his arms to lift her and carried her up the stairs to her room where he laid her on the bed.

"Troy," she reached out and caught his wrist as he moved away.

"Do you want some time alone?" He asked.

"No, lay with me," she beseeched.

"Okay," he smiled; doing just that.

/

They made slow, sweet love the next morning; Gabi straddling Troy's lap to control their pace; enjoying his body with her free hands and reaping the benefits of him being able to do the same.

The stress of the past evening was forgotten in those moments they came together; just as intensely, just as meaningfully as before; only now, they were facing the future together.

As they lay together after, they considered their options for the day ahead.

"Ice-skating?" Troy suggested.

"Not on your life," Gabi mused.

He smiled and rubbed her arm. "Paintballing?"

"Troy, lest you forget I'm not getting any younger, here…"

He leaned over to gaze into her face. "I wouldn't even know it."

"Can you count my wrinkles for me while you're there?" She asked, stretching the skin by the outer edge of her eye. "It was twelve last time I looked…"

Troy moved her hand away and gently ran his thumb down the skin.

"None," he proclaimed.

She pursed her lips and gave him a look. "Well, the anti-ageing cream is finally working then."

He tilted his head and leaned down to kiss her lips; which she allowed, albeit a little sulkily.

"Why the age thing again?" He asked softly. "Did your parents say something?"

"No, not really," she shook her head, remembering their supportive words.

"Are you…having second thoughts?" Troy questioned with a squint, his biggest fear spoken aloud and making him breathless at her possible response.

Gabi frowned and took Troy's face into her hands. "No…no, of course not…"

He blinked, swallowing hard. "I may be young Gabi, but that doesn't mean I love you any less…"

She reached up and kissed his mouth. "I know. I'm sorry; I'm just being down on myself today."

"Understandable with an ex husband like Cal to cheer you up," Troy joked now that he was assured.

"He was so unbelievable, involving my parents like that!" She sighed.

"What did they say when I went in?" He wondered. "What did they really think of me?"

"They said they were happy for me. Dad even said he was impressed the way you stood up for me," she shared.

"Cal wouldn't have?" Troy wondered.

Gabi smiled softly. "Let's not talk about him anymore."

"Okay," he agreed. "So I have an idea for today…"

"Okay, what is it?" She brightened.

"How about a trip to the zoo?"

/

"It's our last day," Gabi saddened as she took Troy's hand and leaned into his arm. "When are you thinking of going back?"

"Tomorrow morning," he shared. "Gives us the whole day and tonight, still."

She grinned up at him. "Tonight, huh?"

He smiled down. "Just to spend together. I don't expect us to be making love twenty four-seven," he mused.

"Although it would be nice," she murmured, giggling as he gave her a look of surprise.

"This is nice," he commented of their relaxed state, wandering through the zoo gardens, looking out for butterflies and dragonflies. Gabi was actually holding his hand out of choice and not one iota uncomfortable, despite them being surrounded by other people.

They may not be people she knew, but it comforted him that she felt at ease today.

"Oh look!" She enthused, dashing over to a small pond and dragging him towards it. "Toads!"

"Hm, delightful," he derided as he came up behind her.

She leaned on the fencing to peer over the edge and Troy shadowed her body, placing his hands either side of hers on the fence so he could look over her shoulder at the scene.

She leaned back into his chest with a child-like smile.

"We had so many frogs back at my parent's place," she explained. "The house backs onto a creek…oh the summers we had chasing and catching them…"

"What were you like then?" He wondered. "Cute pigtails?"

She turned in his arms, thinking he might step back but he kept her trapped against the fence.

"Do you like long hair on a woman?" She wondered, not answering his question.

He fingered her wispy bob. "Nah."

She smiled. "I did have long hair, then. It was so curly, too. I cut my hair when I got divorced and then I got a new wardrobe," she proudly stated.

"Which you are beautifully showcasing today," he smiled warmly of her outfit of jeans, boots and a warm cream jumper.

"You are way too charming, do you know that?" She asked back, blushing.

He shrugged and pulled up one side of his mouth. "Only with you…"

She smiled at his compliment and put her hands to his chest as he leaned forward for a kiss.

"We should see the tigers," she said, pushing him away gently to escape the prison his arms had created.

Troy stood and watched her retreat.

"Okay," he agreed, puzzled at her withdrawal but he didn't focus on it as he followed.