Troy sat down after they left and could help the smile that just came naturally to him when he thought about her. He couldn't help but notice how her features had changed over the years, her breast were fuller, her curves had more roundness to them. She had the same brown eyes that looked wiser, the same lips that seemed to part at the sight of him. Seeing her again was like drinking from a tall glass of water after three days in the desert. He just felt happier, he felt hopeful in fact since he'd noticed her ring finger was plain he felt downright thrilled about her being back in town.

He'd tried to keep in touch with her, he tried to keep tabs on her. Unfortunately all of his attempts were met with silence and unreturned calls. He rarely heard anything about her from their mutual friends. Chad he rarely mentioned Gabby anymore and the three of them practically grew up as siblings. He remembered finding out about Gabriella having a daughter, she kept in touch with Taylor who was Chad's wife. Before when he'd ask about it Taylor would just tell him a few things here or there, nothing really insightful or telling of how to get in contact with her. Eventually to avoids things becoming awkward he just stopped asking.

Watching the hall in the direction that they has disappeared in he let out a low sigh of excitement. He just couldn't believe it but she was beautiful, simply beautiful. Her jeans hugged her tightly and he could just tell that underneath that north face was the same warm body he been dreaming about for nine years. Gabriella wasn't just his first love she was his first in every aspect of being someone's first.

"I saw my dad and mom do it once," Troy said looking at the TV curiously.

"But that look so gross," she said watching the couple on TV kiss. Both Troy and Gabriella were seven years old as they sat on the couch watching beauty and the beast while their moms were in the kitchen laughing and talking.

"Well," Troy said bouncing his foot back and forth, "it looks like something girls would like." He tugged on his T-shirt, looking down at the power ranger characters on it.

"Why?" Gabriella asked looking at him curiously.

"Because,"

"Because why?"

Troy let out a sigh as he pointed at the screen, "she kissed him," he said pointing at the screen where the two characters were now dancing.

"Well that's because he was holding her." Gabriella leaned back in her spot on the couch playing with the ruffles on the pillow. "What if he's the one enjoying it?" she asked.

"Then they're both freaks," he proclaimed as he looked at the screen then back at Gabriella curiously. "Why do you want to know this stuff anyway?" he asked looking back at the at the screen.

"Because they always kiss in the end," she said looking over at him, "That's how you know the movies going to end soon."

Troy was quiet as he accepted her line of thinking and was content to lay back on the couch and continue to watch as the cartoon character sang and danced.

"And Beauty is not a freak," she huffed as she crossed her arms.

Troy looked watched as the credits roll up his palms were sudden sweaty as he thought about movie. "Maybe we should try it?"

"Ew," she cringed.

Troy didn't understand but his feelings were bit hurt by her reaction and he looked back at the screen. "I'm only trying to see what the big deal is?" he said with a small shrug, "it's not like I like you or anything."

Gabriella let out a sigh as she leaned over on the couch to be closer to him, "okay," she said leaning forward and puckering her lips.

Troy froze as he jerked and turned to see her making a funny face with her eyes closed. "What are you doing?"

"Aren't you going to kiss me?" she said opening her eyes and looking at him with confusion.

"Oh," he said using both his arms to push himself closer to her so they were sitting side by side. "Okay, here it goes," he whispered slowly leaning in as well.

Both children leaned into each other and closed their eyes tight as if an explosion was going to happen. Gently in a soft press Troy's lips touched hers and they held for a three whole Mississippi's before they broke apart feeling a small tingling feeling on their lips.

Troy fingers pressed against his bottom lip feeling the warmth that lingered there from hers."So what did you think?" Troy finally asked looking over at her and watching as she touched her own lips with her fingers.

"I don't know, is it supposed to feel like that?"

"I don't know, I never kissed a girl before," he said with a shrug.

"Well it didn't feel like the way it looks on TV," she said leaning back on the couch.

"Oh," he said looking at the blank screen and then back at her. "I didn't think so either."

The flash of the camera brought him back to the present as he stood next to two brothers who were excited to be standing next to him. Without a thought Troy signed two copies of the photograph and handed it them to both boys who smiling up at him. "You guys keep up the good work," he said giving one of them a high five, "You're going to be replacing me one day."

"You're in a better mood," Chad said handing him a water bottle and smiling knowingly at him as the two boys walked away.

"What are you talking about?" he said with frown while taking the water bottle from him.

Chad let out a chuckle as he nudges him, "Your sweet on her," he teased, "don't even try to lie about it. You were bummed until she showed up, now you're like a puppy wagging his tail." Chad took a seat in the chair next to him.

"Her kid is cute," Troy said with a small huff as he shook his head at Chad accusation, "and she's out spoken." He never told Chad about him and Gabriella. He didn't know why exactly it just never came up in casual conversation, but then again when do you just tell someone you lost your virginity to your best friend on prom night in a tree house, when you should have been with your girlfriend at the after party.

"Yeah, I'll say. I thought that little girl was going to eat you alive," Chad said with sigh as he moved another chair closer so he could rest his leg on it. "So what about you and Christine?"

"Done," he said looking at the table then at the line of waiting children. "She should be moved out before I get home today."

"Wow, and out goes Bachelorette number 25," Chad sang as she made a waving motion with his hands.

"Dude, will you stop counting. It's creepy," Troy said placing the bottle on the table.

Chad held up his hands and looked at the line as well "I'm just saying you seem to be looking for something, just getting a little curious as to what?"

"I'll let you know as soon as I do," Troy said with a small frown.

"Ready to get back to work?" Chad asked looking back at Troy.

"Yeah," he said with a smile, "Let's get this horse and pony show over with."

Alex sat at in her mom's old bedroom looking at her note book as she wrote about her morning originally she had been downstairs listening to her mom and grandma talk about a party they were going to. From the sounds of it they would be going back out later to go shopping for something to wear. Little Guy was in the living room with grandpa watching a movie about a peal harbor. It wasn't long before she was asked to leave the room, which brought her to her mom's old bed room.

My mom seemed pretty upset today when we got home from the mall. She asked me how I knew Troy, she looked worried. Grandma said I didn't do anything wrong but part of me felt like I did something I shouldn't have. After telling her about yesterday in the front yard she relaxed and hugged me tightly. I almost could breath, just another reason I'll never understand grownups.

Little Guy and I went to get ice cream with grandma. She said that things are going to be changing soon and she wants me to be brave. It's like all the grownups know something that I don't, which isn't shocking because they always know things that I don't, but this feels different. Grandma says that I shouldn't hate my mom no matter what happens between us. I don't know why she thought I would ever hate my mom it's not like she locks me in a closet.

I noticed at the store that grandpa and mom were talking about something important, they looked mad and sometimes they looked back at me. I still don't know what they were talking about. I do know that mom cried a little and grandpa hugged her. I don't know what's going on but now I know something is up and if no one's going to tell me what it is then I'm going to get to the bottom of It myself.

I think whatever is going on has something to do with my mom and this guy Troy. I just don't see how he's involved yet but I just can't wait till I get my chance to interview him. The reporter I met gave me some tips on how to be a great reporter. He told me to always check my source and never report anything but the truth. He also said that in order to be one of the best I have to always be on the lookout for information. The greatest story could be under my very own nose and I'd never know it.

Mom said she wants me to happy and that she's thrilled I got to meet an actual reporter. Grandpa already put the batteries in my recorder and I taught me how to use it. I'm officially ready to break my first story as a full blown reporter.

"Alex, dinner is ready," her mother called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming," she responded closing her note book and putting it in her bag before racing out of the room.