"So, babe, how was the movie?" Troy asked Gabriella later that night over the phone.

"Pretty good…" Gabriella replied.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing," Gabriella lied.

"You can tell me anything, 'Brie," Troy cooed. "Please, tell me."

"Well, at the movies, I felt like someone was watching me…" Gabriella confessed. "And Taylor said it was this dude but I know that it wasn't." She rolled onto her stomach on her bed.

"Who do you think it was, then?" Troy asked.

Gabriella frowned, before saying the two words she wanted so desperately not to ever say again. "My dad."

"Are you sure?"

"Almost positive. I always used to feel weird at home, because he would always give me these looks that always creeped me out and…Well, I don't know. I was just scared, but I was sure that it was him at the moment."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I was with the girls. They told me I couldn't talk to you until the girls night out was officially over." Gabriella replied, twirling a curl around her finger. "I miss you."

Troy grinned on the other line. She could tell by the way his voice when at little higher. "I miss you too, baby girl. I can't wait 'til our date tomorrow."

"Me either," Gabriella smiled.

"No, I mean, I really can't wait."

"Huh?" Gabriella was confused.

"Look on your balcony."

Gabriella looked over at the balcony window and let out a small scream. There was a dark figure standing by her window. It knocked softly. "Relax, sweetheart, it's just me."

Gabriella sighed. "Troy, don't do that." She stood up and opened her balcony door. "You're going to wake everyone up."

"Hey, it's not my fault that you screamed."

"No, but it's your fault tat you scared me."

"I gave you a warning and you still screamed anyway," Troy laughed.

"Whatever," Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"I didn't even get a hello kiss?" Troy pouted.

"That only works when the dog does that," Gabriella teased.

"You give my kisses to a dog?" Troy asked.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," Gabriella giggled.

"Fine, be that way," Troy huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. She reached up on her tip toes and gave him a small peck on the lips.

"There." She said.

"That's all I get?" He asked.

"What more do you want?" Gabriella asked.

"Something more like this," Troy suggested, locking lips with her for about two minutes. Finally, he pulled away. "How about that?"

"Okay," Gabriella said, mimicking his actions, only this time, the kiss got much deeper.

"That's better," Troy smiled, pulling away. "Hey, baby, I gotta go. My mom will kill me if I'm not home in a few."

"Okay, bye, Troy boy," Gabriella said, giving him a soft kiss on the lips.

"Bye, 'Brie." He waved and walked out of the room. Gabriella locked the door behind him.

"Have fun?" A voice said.

Gabriella jumped and whipped around. Taylor laughed. "Taylor, gosh, don't do that. That's about the second heart attack I've almost had tonight."

Taylor laughed again. "What are you doing, letting him in your room at twelve in the morning?"

Gabriella shrugged. "He came to see me, not the other way around."

"Well, duh, why else would you e standing here after he just left?" Taylor said, sarcastically.

"I don't know," Gabriella shrugged.

"Gabriella, I need to ask you something."

"Shoot," Gabriella said.

"Are you in love with Troy?" Taylor asked.

Gabriella blushed. "I don't know. I really have never been in love before and I definitely don't know what would feel like, because I have nothing to compare it to, except for my dad…"

"Love is like…if you would die for a certain person. Would you die for Troy?"

"In a heartbeat," Gabriella answered automatically, as if she'd gotten used to answering that question. Then, she blushed.

"Girl, I think you just found your Prince Charming." Taylor teased.

"Oh, shut up, Tay," Gabriella giggled. "Do you really think I'm in love?"

"If not, you're totally close to it," Talyor answered honestly.

"Wow," Gabriella said. "I haven't even known him that long…"

"No, but I guess you guys just had an instant chemistry." Taylor smiled. "I saw it the first day you guys met."

"What?" Gabriella asked.

"I pretty much could tell that you guys would end up together in the long run," Taylor explained better.

"Really?" Gabriella asked, grinning from ear to ear. "Do you think he loves me too?"

"I know he does." Taylor replied. "He's told Chad how he feels about you."

"Nuh uh," Gabriella said.

"Why would I lie to you about that?" Talyor asked.

Gabriella shrugged. "Maybe he is a player and you guys have all been lying to me from the start."

"That is totally it. How'd you figure it out?" Taylor joked.

"Wild guess," Gabriella shrugged. "You know what?"

"What?" Taylor asked.

"I just had a sugar rush."

"Me too, let's go get some chocolate."

"Chocolate really is a girls best friend…Not diamonds. Well, except to Sharpay."

"No," Taylor corrected. "Not when it comes to Zeke's chocolate, which, might I add, is the best thing I have ever tasted.

"Yeah, I agree," Gabriella nodded. "Zeke does whip up a mean batch of brownies, but not as good as the one's my mom used to make." She told Taylor, on the way down to the kitchen.

"What was your mom like?" Taylor asked.

"The best mom ever. She was beautiful, smart, wise, an amazing cook, good sewer, not one of those phony mom's who hires a nanny and maid for everything."

"Like you," A voice said. Gabriella and Taylor turned to see Jessi sitting at the island in the kitchen. "What are you girls doing up so late?"

"Getting chocolate?" Taylor said.

"Me too," Jessi said, holding up a chocolate candy bar that was in her hand. She bit off another piece. "You remind me so much of your mother, Gabriella. Your beautiful, smart, and you have her voice."