A/N: I apologize for not updating since last year. Things have just been crazy as I'm sure you all know. I'm also going through this whole taking sides thing and yea. Enjoy. (:

"May I help you?" A middle aged woman with short brown hair said looking at a nervous Gabriella from her side of the counter.

"Uh, yea," Gabriella cleared her throat figuring it was now or never. "I'm Gabriella Montez I called about information on my mother –"

"Oh yes! Miss Guillermo I remember her fondly. Come on around." The woman smiled warmly at Gabriella as she moved around the counter hesitantly. The lady motioned to a chair and Gabriella sat down while she moved around looking for something.

"I'm Pat by the way. I knew your mother when she first came here.."

"Really?" Gabriella asked more interested in the information that Pat could hold.

"Yes, beautiful thing she was, a real knock out." Pat took a moment to look at Gabriella over her glasses that rested towards the end of her nose. "You look a lot like her you know. Just as beautiful if not more,"

"Thank you," Gabriella said as her face flushed in embarrassment. Pat nodded before looking through more files that were on her desk.

"Oh yes here it is. Well the only address I have is her parents. I can't guarantee that they still live here." Pat said as she copied the address on a piece of paper.

"That's fine anything will be good."

"I really hope that you can find her." Gabriella smiled thankfully taking the piece of paper from Pat.

"What was she like?" Gabriella asked in a soft whisper making Pat wonder if she'd actually heard the question.

"Well let me think," She said taking her glasses off her face looking off. Her mind wandered back to the time when Amelia Guillermo walked into the building a new assistant for one of the men upstairs. "She was full of life. She always wanted a challenge and to master it. There were never days when she came in the office with a bad attitude. She was very athletic, a great cook she made the best brownies. What else?" Pat paused for a moment before looking at Gabriella with a soft smile. "I know that she loved you, she sent me a card when she found out she was pregnant. She was so happy, she truly loved you."

"Thank you," Gabriella said with a smile standing up quickly to leave.

"No problem sweetie." Pat said watching as Gabriella rushed out of the building.

-x-

"Where were you today?" Taylor asked as she sat down on Gabriella's bed later that day.

"I had somewhere I had to go this morning. I just had to pick something up." Gabriella said avoiding eye contact with Taylor.

"Oh, okay well where'd you go?" She pressed on.

"Just this office to get something…for my dad. Boring stuff." Gabriella walked into her bathroom hoping that Taylor would drop the subject but of course she didn't.

"Well Shar will get it out of you then, she's coming over with the Prom pictures later." Taylor said flipping onto her back so she was staring at Gabriella's ceiling.

"I don't want to see the pictures, I'm sure I look horrible."

"I'm sure you look gorgeous."

"Thanks," Gabriella said as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. "Seriously though I don't want to see them."

"You know you do, cause there's this one picture of you and Troy that is just soooo cute! It's going in the yearbook for sure."

"Please don't do that," Gabriella groaned coming out of the bathroom. Though somewhere deep inside she was excited to see the picture.

"We have to. We're saving it for next years yearbook and making sure it goes in."

"Whatever I don't care."

"Yes you do you just don't want to admit it." Taylor said moving to face Gabriella as she sat at her desk chair.

"Where's Chad?" Gabriella asked changing the subject. Taylor rolled her eyes,

"I don't know, somewhere playing basketball most likely" Taylor said before adding "Where's Troy?"

"I don't know,"

"Exactly we don't know where our boyfriends are and personally I'm okay with that."

"Same as long as they aren't doing something illegal."

"Yea right,"

"Here!" Sharpay said as she entered Gabriella's room with two boxes in her hands. One box was large and pink the other was smaller and brown.

"What's that?" Taylor asked nodding towards the boxes as Sharpay took a seat on the bed.

"Well my curious friends these are the prom pictures. This box," Sharpay held up the brown box "has pictures of everyone who was at the prom. They are dancing and posing and everything else. This box," She continued holding the pink box "Has pictures of me looking fabulous!" she said with a grin

"Of course Sharpay would have a large box filled with pictures of herself." Taylor said with a laugh.

"Did you really take that many pictures?" Gabriella asked looking at the box.

"Yes I did, I had my own personal photographer following me around. Didn't you notice?" Taylor and Gabriella looked at each other before looking at Shar and shaking their heads.

"Well there are good pictures of you two in here also. Mainly ones of us dancing in our dresses, Though Gabriella sometimes your red dress clashed with my pink one, but that's alright."

"Shar do you really need that many pictures of yourself?"

"Yea I do, I mean everyone wants to see me. From every angle too"

"You're so full of it," Taylor said shaking her head at Sharpay. "Gabriella wants to see the picture of her and Troy," Sharpay's face lit up as she opened the brown box and quickly looked through the pictures. When she came to the picture of Troy and Gabriella she smiled at Gabriella and handed the picture over to Gabriella.

Gabriella rolled her eyes taking the picture from Sharpay. Looking at the picture she instantly felt her face get hot. The picture was taken while they were dancing Troy's let hand was on the small of her back and his right hand was sneaking through the split in her dress resting on her thigh. Troy had taken his jacket off and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up and his tie was off. Gabriella had her arms wrapped around his neck her fingers playing with the hair on the back of his neck. Their foreheads were touching, their eyes were closed and they both wore smiles on their lips. The picture said everything that they felt about each other without saying anything at all.

-x-

"Where are you going?" Gabriella stopped her walk to the front door and turned around to see her father sitting in one of the chairs in their family room.

"Out,"

"Where is what I asked Gabriella." He said with a stern voice. Ever since their fight weeks ago he's been watching her more and more each day. He stays home more than he did before and certainly asks more questions than he ever did before. Gabriella didn't know if she should be happy he notices she has a life or annoyed.

"Taylor's" She said with a shrug.

"She was here yesterday."

"We're best friends we like to see each other as much as possible."

"Be back by 10."

"It's Saturday dad."

"Fine 10:30."

"Whatever," Gabriella mumbled before walking out of the house.

-x-

When Gabriella reached her real destination she parked across the street and just stared at the house. This is the house that could be hers grandparents home. The house was ranch style and had a beautiful garden in the front yard. The porch was large and had a swinging seat at the end along with two single seats and a small table. The house was something out of a story book and looked very welcoming even in the evening.

The answers to everything she wondered about her mother and her leaving could be answered just by walking up to the house and ringing the doorbell. Though she was too scared to even think about going and doing the deed. Sure she drove an hour just to get to the house but she could bring herself to open the door.

What if they don't live there anymore? Or what if they don't want to talk to her? She wondered to herself. These thoughts had been coming to her since she went to see Pat and got the address from her. Normally nothing scares Gabriella but this for sure did.

Not able to find the courage inside herself Gabriella started the car again and gave the house one last look before pulling off back towards home.

-x-

"I went to their house," Gabriella said as soon as Taylor opened the door to her room.

"Really? How'd it go?" She asked closing the door behind her as Gabriella sat down on her bed.

"I couldn't do it! I mean what if they weren't there."

"What if they were?"

"I'm scared,"

"Of what? The truth?" Taylor asked walking over to her shaken best friend and taking her hand as she sat down next to her.

"Yea, I guess I am." Gabriella mumbled feeling tears well up in her eyes.

"Oh sweetie, I could have gone with you. You could have told Troy he would have-"

"No this is something I have to do by myself and with no one else." Taylor nodded rubbing Gabriella's hand soothingly.

"I know, next time you'll do it." Taylor said as Gabriella wiped her eyes.

"Monday, during school I'm going to go. I need you to cover for me."

"Uh okay, why during school though?"

"My father won't be on my dick about it." Gabriella said grumpily.

"Oh yea how is that going?" Taylor asked

"I don't know things are so…"

"So what?" Taylor asked as Gabriella stood to pace the floor.

"There's so much tension! It's fucking annoying."

"Talk to him."

"I've tried that, he just doesn't get it."

"Make him get it Gabriella."

"I guess," Gabriella said walking over to the window and looking up at the sky.

"I'll cover for you though,"

"Thanks I don't need Troy trying to tag along."

-x-

Gabriella walked towards the back doors of the school that led straight to the parking lot. Today was the day she was going to ring the doorbell to the house that may or may not belong to her grandparents and she was scared out her mind. As she turned the corner towards the door she heard a voice behind her.

"Going somewhere?" Gabriella slowed her pace and she turned to Crystal Haven leaning against a set of lockers with a smirk on her face.

"No I was just going to get something from my car." Gabriella said

"Interesting. You look like you're leaving." She motioned towards Gabriella's backpack.

"Oh I was just –"

"I'm coming too." Crystal brushed past Gabriella and exited the school leaving Gabriella standing there in shock. Once she got her facts straight Gabriella followed Crystal out.

"What?"

"I'm coming. I have nothing better to do so I may as well come with you." Gabriella blinked once then again before speaking.

"But…but you hate me." Gabriella said walking towards her car. Crystal rolled her eyes following her.

"I don't hate you," Gabriella sent her a look which made Crystal laugh "Okay so I do hate you, but I hate everyone so don't feel so special butterscotch."

"Why should I let you come?"

"Because my therapist says that I should try and bond with people who I've been a bitch to in the past. This is my opportunity to make it up to you. Take it or leave it."

"Fine," Gabriella said unlocking her car and getting in. Crystal got in on the passenger side and put on her seatbelt.

"So where are we going?" She asked reaching towards the radio.

"Just this place." Gabriella said starting the car and pulling from the lot.

"Oh a mystery, I'm excited." Crystal said with a smile.

Gabriella wasn't sure what possessed her to let Crystal come along but she couldn't turn back now. They stopped to get some food shortly after they left the school. Yet it was still hard for Gabriella to believe that the same Crystal Haven who had ruined her dress at homecoming was now in her car eating a McGriddle from McDonalds. Maybe she was dreaming though she was sure that she wasn't.

Once they arrived at the destination Gabriella parked across the street as she had before and stared at the house. Crystal looked from Gabriella to the house then back at Gabriella.

"Who lives there?" She asked

"My grandparents I hope."

"You hope? Shouldn't you know?" Crystal asked confused.

"I've never met them before." Gabriella said pushing a stray curl behind her ear.

"Wait you've never met them before? And you're going to meet them today?"

"That's the plan, though you weren't exactly part of it…" Gabriella said sneaking a look at Crystal who rolled her eyes.

"Right, well why do you want to meet them?"

"Cause they may help me find my mother." Gabriella looked at Crystal to see her looking at Gabriella in shock. "She left when I was younger. Not that you care."

"Whatever, though you are not meeting your grandparents looking like that." Gabriella frowned looking down at her outfit.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Gabriella asked looking down at her jeans and hoodie.

"Well I know if I was going to meet my grandparents for the first time I'd want to look presentable. Not like I'm going to the gym." Crystal said simply.

"Well I don't have anything else," Gabriella said looking back at the house.

"What size are you?"

"I don't know a 4," Gabriella turned back to Crystal "Why?"

"Strip." Crystal said taking off her cardigan and starting to unzip her dress.

"What? Why?"

"Well you can't go in there looking like something off the street. So you have to wearing my clothes." She said reminding Gabriella a lot of Sharpay which probably shows why Shar and Crystal used to be best friends.

"I don't know if I –"

"Strip Montez." Crystal said tossing her dress at Gabriella who sighed and pulled her hoodie over her head.

-x-

"There, you look pretty." Crystal said fixing Gabriella's hair as they walked towards the front door of the house.

"I don't know about this." Gabriella said ready to turn back around and get in the car.

"No you are going in there, you need to do this."

"Why do you care?" Gabriella asked looking at Crystal curiously "You have been nothing but a bitch to me just because of Troy. I'm sorry I'm not going to break up with him but you can't just come and get in my car and spend a few hours with me and expect everything to be peachy."

"I-I know that." Crystal said avoiding eye contact.

"Then why? Other than your therapist."

"I don't know…I just, I –"Crystal opened her mouth to say more but nothing came out.

"Whatever." Gabriella said turning and walking towards the front door of what was hopefully her grandparent's house. As she started walking on the walk to the front door she stopped and turned back to Crystal. "Thanks for coming though," Crystal only nodded as Gabriella turned towards the front door.

Stepping on the porch she took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. She would have a lot of processing to do later with Taylor. First there's the fact that Crystal Haven her well known enemy came with her on this trip. Second that she was going to meet –

"Hang on be there in a minute!" A woman called from somewhere in the back of the home. Just at that moment Gabriella's phone vibrated in the pocket of Crystal's dress.

"Hello?" She whispered

"Hey babe, where'd you go?"

"Out, I have to go talk later?"

"Uh okay…"

"Love you."

"Love you too –"Gabriella hung up the phone as the door opened an older woman opened the door and smiled at her.

Oh man things are moving in this story. Why do you think Crystal is really with Gabriella?
Will Gabriella's grandparents really be there?

Tell me what you think I'm seriously rusty here.
Review?

xoxo Zoe