Thank you so much to everybody who has reviewed and such!
This chapter is dedicated to
Clembo29 and Jazzyjazz07
These two people review almost every chapter!
There's more people who have reviewed a couple of times but these two review many. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!
Dannie && Lauren xx

A few things I was certain of. I am the school nerd, that is what some people know me as. I have some of the most amazing friends anyone could ever dream of having, who have luckily stuck with me through high school and most importantly I knew that Troy Bolton will always be my best friend.

But one thing that I never knew would ever happen was that at some point in my life, I fell in love my best friend. I fell in love with Troy Bolton.

Flash back

Thick blades of grass tickled my feet and legs; it was a bright summer's day in Albuquerque. The middle of July, the sun was beaming down on the city. I was wearing a lilac purple dress with my white sandals and a white summer's hat. My brown hair was blowing in the breeze and Troy was a few seconds behind me. I was running though a meadow, the one place only Troy and I knew. It was our meadow, out hang out. It belonged to us and only us. No-one else could have it. It was just ours; always will be.
"C'mon you slow coach!" I shouted behind me. "You know for a boy who has longer legs than me and plays basketball twenty four seven, you are pretty damn slow!"
"Shut it Montez!" the chestnut brown haired boy replied. I kept running and running until I felt a pair of arms circle my waist and drag me back. "When running you start off slow, gradually gaining speed and then, you overtake and win the race. Bet you didn't know that!"
We were twelve and eleven years old; I would be turning twelve in a few short weeks. "No I didn't know that; see you're a smarty pants underneath that jock image you've got going," I giggled.
"Whatever," Troy said.
"Whatever," I mimicked.

He shook his head and took off running. I guess he was right with the running thing; damn he was fast. I started jogging at first and finally gaining speed; why was it so hard to run in a dress? This was Troy's idea. Because it was nearing the start of summer basketball camp he wanted us to spend time together. There was nothing better than the wind in your hair, the glass tickling your legs and the summer sun crashing down to your face and spending the day with your best friend in your meadow.
"C'mon let's eat!" he yelled.
"Coming!" I replied. I sped up and jumped down onto grass beside the picnic basket, probably ruining my dress as I did so.
"Tell me again, why did you wear a dress?" he asked.
"'Cause you said to look casual yet presentable, so I decided on a dress, why does it not look nice?" I said cautiously.
"No, it looks perfect! I just didn't understand why that's all," he said while laughing. "Want the sandwiches now?"
"Yeah," I said.
"Our favourite, peanut butter and Jelly," he grinned as he pulled out 2 packets of sandwiches.
"Should have known," I said as I grinned, grabbed one of the packets and dug straight into the food. "Yum!"
"You're a nerd," he said while shaking his head.
"I know," I said after I swallowed a bite of the sandwich.
"But you're my nerd," Troy said while smiling at me.

End of Flash back

Every time I recalled this memory in my head (which was often) I smiled at the thought of it. He hadn't said it in a while 'my nerd'. I was his nerd, I loved him saying it. I loved Troy Bolton, I think anyway. We hadn't been to our meadow in ages, I missed it…our meadow. I picked up my phone off the table and created a new text message.

Picnic in our meadow? XI put it simple and plain, that's how I was. I put my phone down back on the table and changed out of my PJ's and into my clothes for the day. Some denim shorts and a pale blue vest top. I heard a vibration and smiled, picking up my phone.

PB&J Sandwiches on me. B round for 11? XxI smiled and text him back, telling him I'd bring the basket and some other crap I could find. I put my phone in my pocket and slipped on some white sandals. It was an amazing day out. Sun was shining; birds were singing, perfect day for a picnic. I brushed through my hair and placed a flower clip in the side. I applied a light amount of makeup, and then walked downstairs.
"I'm going out for a picnic with Troy" I smiled happily at my mum, she was sat in the kitchen eating pancakes.
"Ohh, just like the old times?" She asked and I nodded. "Want me to get a few things ready for you?" My mum smiled, putting her magazine down and standing up.
"Yeah, thanks, Troy's making the sarnies though" I laughed; my mum nodded and went to get the basket ready. I sat down at the table and picked up some toast, eating it silently, smiling to myself. I had an hour, until I could be with him again.
It was kind of weird, me and him together again, I had missed him so much. He was my world, even though he had Dannie.
"What time are you going?" My mum asked, bringing me out of my trance.
"I'm going round to his at 11, I don't know when I'll be back, won't be late tough" I smiled, finishing my toast.

When it got to 10:50, I picked up the picnic basket, kissed my mum goodbye and walked out of my house. To Troy's. When I arrived he was already stood near his car, waiting for me.
"Just on time" He smiled, looking at his watch. He look amazing, he was wearing some knee length shorts and a tight white top, showing all his muscles off. He looked like a god, a sex god, or something. He took the picnic basket off me and put in his sandwiches, and then we walked through his back garden, and through the hole in the fence. Into a forest. We had made this trip hundreds of times. We walked through the forest one day and came across a meadow. Best day of my life. Troy had the picnic basket in his hand, and took my hand in his other, smiling. Knowing nobody was around. This was going to be the perfect day.

"You look nice today," he said as he looked over at me.
"Thanks, but should you be checking me out when you already have a girlfriend?" I asked.
"So..." he dragged on as his quickly pecked my lips.
"Dannie?" I said
"I don't care about Dannie right now. All I care about right now is us and Dannie isn't going to change that," he said.
"But-" I started to say.
"No buts Gabi. This is our day; I don't want to talk about my girlfriend when I'm with you."

We walked into the middle of the meadow in silence. It was pretty awkward since I had pushed him to the edge and caused him to snap. I was sure he didn't mean it but it still wasn't a nice feeling, knowing that I had caused him to snap. We arrived and Troy brought out a blanket from the basket and laid it down on the grass. I sat down beside him quietly and crossed my legs over one another. Troy settled down on the blanket and started unloading the food from the basket.
"You mum packed some good food," he said.
"Has she?" I asked.
"Yeah," he replied.

He was right; we had chocolate chip muffins, cookies, cakes, strawberries and cream, fruit salads and so much more. You name it and we got it.
"Wow. It's like she's feeding an army," I said and laughed.
"Don't be mean," Troy grinned. "She's your mum, she wants you to eat good."
"I know but-"
"What is with you and buts today?" he asked.
"I don't know," I said honestly.
"C'mon, let's eat."

For the next half an hour we ate most of the food. Well Troy ate most of it. We shared out the cookies, the pieces of cake and we saved the strawberries for later. It was a really hot day that we decided to go for a little walk. We packed the blanket up and moved the basket behind two trees so that it wouldn't be seen. Then we set off on our casual yet romantic walk. The meadow was situated on a hillside so when you looked right in front of you, you could see the city. To the left and to the right you could see hills and grass and the country side of the city and behind you would be the forest. It was just perfect.
"I'm thinking of breaking up with Dannie," Troy said suddenly.
"What? Why?" I said, while a smile forming onto the face. From the inside.
"Just the way she is. She's become a bitch," he said. "And honestly, I feel like I might lose you if I stayed with her."
"You'll never lose me," I said, while grabbing his hand. "You should know that."
"No, I mean, you might find another guy and then you will become friends, then best friends and then boyfriend and girlfriend, and I'll be forgotten about and left in the shadows," Troy said honestly.
"Troy, to be honest, no other guy can ever replace you. And I'm definitely not wanting a guy right now, because there is one boy who I really like actually," I said, hoping he would catch my drift. I felt him tense up and let go of my hand and put them in the pockets of his jeans. Was that jealousy?
"Oh. What's he look like?" he asked.
"He has like a light brown hair, and the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. He is just so gorgeous Troy, I just can't describe him. He is really kind and when he smiles he just lights up my world and whenever I'm having a bad day, he makes everything seem alright again, like nothing can hurt me, you know," I finished. Hopefully, he'll get the message.
"Oh how lovely. He sounds perfectly perfect," he mumbled and started walking away. What was his problem?
"Troy! What's wrong?" I asked, speeding up with his pace.
"Nothing, why would anything be wrong, if you like this guy so much why don't you just ask him out of something?" he said.
"It's not that easy," I admitted.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he said obviously confused.
"He, uh, he has a girlfriend," I mumbled.
"Oh my god Gabriella really? I thought you were better than that?" I laughed.
"What?! Oh yeah Troy like your god's gift from heaven. You don't think what you're doing is bad?!" I shouted. "You kiss me – make out with me even – and then you run back to your girlfriend, who by the way is such a complete bitch, it literally kills me to stand near her!"
"Don't bring me into this!" he shouted back.
"Why not! Huh? Why not Troy? It's not like you make-out with your best friend and then go kiss your girlfriend in the school hallways, where I can see... oh wait. You already do that! And you know what, when I see you with her, kissing her, touching her, just been around her, makes my heart break because I know she has you and I don't!" I sobbed. Tears were running down my face, I was stood there like a baby, with probably my make-up run down my face. 'Great' I thought sarcastically.
"Why are you saying all this when you're practically in love with that other guy you mentioned?!" he shouted again.

"Because, Troy, because you're that guy! Okay, you're the guy who I love! Not in just a best friend way, I mean in the real way. When I'm with you, I feel like my life is complete, that all I would ever need is you. Your smile just makes me smile, even on the dullest of days. I love you! And I know you don't love me in the way so I don't even know why I'm telling you this but you need to know! Troy, I meant it when I said there is no-one else for me because no other guy can compare themselves to you. No other guy is like you! God! I love you Troy, I always have and I always will!" I cried. He looked too shocked to speak. I guess that is what you get when you confess your feelings right?

"Gabi, I lo-" he started.
"No! I've humiliated myself enough for one day, just leave me alone," I said as I turned around and started walking back to where the basket was. "Don't come after me Troy, I just want time."
Then I reached the basket and grabbed hold of it and started walking back to my house. I turned slightly to see that Troy was still in the same spot, obviously too shocked to move.

Troy's POV

I didn't know what to say, she loved me, it sounded like she loved me as much as I loved her. I had to go after her! But I think she wants space, and I think I do. I kicked a pile of leaves on the ground and screamed at myself. How could I have been so stupid, I flipped out and ruined it, I ruined everything. I always do! I ran towards the woods, so I didn't change my mind half way through and go after her straight away. I had to think, and the only way I could do this was to walk, walk through the woods. It was a really beautiful day, and I would have loved to have shared the whole day with Gabriella. But I had ruined it, and I needed to sort it out.

I loved Gabriella, so much, I kept replaying the memory over in my head.
" No other guy is like you! God! I love you Troy, I always have and I always will!"
I felt the exact same; only, she didn't know that. I had to tell her, I needed to tell her. I loved Gabriella she was the best thing that had happened to me, without her I felt like nothing. I felt useless, worthless and hopeless.

Why can't she just see how much I love her, she's the best thing that ever happened to me? Ok so I'm repeating myself, whatever, I'm mad at myself right now.
"FOR FUCK SAKE GABRIELLA WHY CANT YOU SEE HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU!" I shouted, all my anger rushing out of me. I heard my voice echo throughout the forest. I heard some of the birds flutter out of the leaves. Wow.
"You…You love me?" I span around and saw Gabriella. Her petite body was stood only centimetres away, her brown eyes, full of love, and her perfectly formed lips were breaking out into a smile. I didn't say anything, not at first. I ran up to her and took her in my arms.
"I've always loved you, and I love you so much more than Dannie, which is why I'm going to finish her," I looked into her eyes, and she looked back into mine, it seemed like the perfect moment. "In fact I think something in the back of my mind has always told me that Dannie wasn't right for me and that I just should've waited for you."
"It's okay, I have you now," she said.

We both leaned in let our noses touch softly at first before letting our mouths join together; pure bliss. Fireworks exploded from my body once again at the sudden touch of Gabriella's soft lips. We softly kissed for a few minutes before I wrapped my arms around her and letting my hand rest on her hips, and I moved my hands so that they were rubbing her sides up and down. I felt Gabi shift her hands to the back of my neck and play with my hair. I let my tongue moved across her bottom lip, asking for permission to enter her mouth, she obliged and I let my tongue explore every single part of her mouth, the root, the sides, the back and the bottom. I shifted in step and broke the kiss off to make sure I knew where to go and then I quickly connected our lips once again and I moved through the woods so that Gabi softly crashed into the back of a tree with our mouth's still connected as one. I kept one hand on her side and put my left hand to rest above her head and onto the tree.
"Hmm," she moaned into my mouth. We carried on kissing until the shortage of breath became a huge issue and we had to pull away.
"God, that kiss was better than the first one!" I said breathlessly.
"I think it was too," she replied just as breathless as I was. It was true; that kiss made nothing else matter. It was just us in entire world. Everything and everyone else just disappeared in a blink of an eye, but once we pulled away from each other everything came into perspective. I knew I had to do something. I knew I had to break up with Dannie or I knew I could lose her for good. It didn't matter how much we loved each other, I knew that if I didn't make her mine soon, some other guy could come in and whisk her away and take her away from me. Maybe not completely because she would still be my best friend, but that one guy could become her boyfriend and then I would miss my chance with her. I had to make her my girlfriend. It was like a life or death situation. It was the same as a win-lose situation. If that one guy became Gabi's boyfriend then he would win and I would lose. Perfectly simple. I had to break up with Dannie. I had to.
"I'm going to break up with her," I said, as I nestled my head into her hair. "I have to, or I could lose you."
"You won't lose me," she said as she wrapped her arms around my neck again.
"Be realistic Gabi, some other boy could become your boyfriend. Don't even say they wouldn't, because when someone as beautiful as you catches someone's eye, they will go for it and then you won't be single and I would've missed my chance," I said.
"I wouldn't want anyone else. I only want you," she said.
I ignored her response and led her back to the picnic basket. I got the blanket out and set it down on the grass again. And then I got the strawberries and cream from basket. "What's a picnic without strawberries and cream?"
"I don't know... I guess it wouldn't be complete," she replied with a smile.

I put the strawberries in the bowl which Gabi's mum put into the basket. A while later there was only one strawberry left so I let Gabi have it.
"No it's okay, you can have it," she said politely.
"Gabi, Gabi, Gabi, this could very well be the best strawberry in the entire but you would never know that because you're not going to have it," I said.
"Oh go on then. How about we share?" Gabi said.
"Now that we can do," I replied. I reached over so she could bite half of the strawberry, once she did so, I ate the other half. "So, what did you think?"
"You were right. That is the best strawberry I've ever tasted," she grinned. I could only stare at her out of love and adoration. She had a little bit of cream on the side of her mouth so I quickly reached over to wipe it off with my thumb. "Troy, what are you -" and she soon stopped talking once my warm hand connected with her cheek and my thumb wiped off the cream. "Oh thank you."
"You're welcome."

We stayed in our spot, quiet content with the way things were going, for a little while longer. We sat against a tree, cuddling with my arms wrapped around Gabi, with her back rested against my chest, watching the sun go down slowly yet beautifully. The glows of the purples, oranges, reds mixed with the blues from the afternoon sky earlier on. It was soon dark and was getting chilly. "C'mon, we should be heading back. Our mums will be wondering where we are," I said, as I got up from the very comfortable spot I was just in.
"Okay, help me up," she said. I helped her up and packed the stuff away, grabbed her right hand and connected it with mine and we headed back through the woods and into my garden. I walked her through the house and walked her home. Once we reached her front door, I placed the picnic basket onto the step and then stood up and came face to face with Gabi.
"So, I'll see you tomorrow then?" she said.
"Yeah but I'll have to see you at school; I kind of thought I'd pick Dannie up tomorrow so I can talk to her privately," I said.
"Oh okay," she smiled. "So I'll see you in homeroom."
"Yeah..." I said and quickly leaned in and kissed her lips softly.
"Night Troy."
"Night Gabi."

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