The next morning Gabriella sat at the kitchen table drinking her coffee as she looked at the ring that sat on the kitchen table. After another heated kiss he finally left her car allowing her to leave. Of course she wanted everything Troy was offering her. What kind of fool turns down that kind of enteral bliss? But that still didn't make her feel any better about what she had done to Doug. He loved her, they spent so many long hours discussing their future together, planning out how many kids to have, what size house to live in, what kind of kitchen she wanted.

Looking down at the paper she tried to focus on the article she'd been reading before all the thoughts of confusion and betrayal came over her. That was when she heard the sound of Alex laughing as she raced into the kitchen with her father close on her tail.

"I win, I win, I win," Alex shouted as she lifted her arms in triumph.

"You did, you did, you did," he father said a little out of breath as he went to the fridge to pull out the milk. "Good lord, my legs are not what they use to be."

"You alright dad?" Gabriella asked watching them work together to get breakfast going.

"Me?" he said waving a hand, "getting old is for the birds."

"Morning mom," Alex said as she pushed a bench over to the side of the table and climbed up to reach the side the plates.

"So what is on the agenda for today?" her father asked as he walked over to the cabinet and took out a box of frosted flakes.

"I'm going to the zoo with my dad," Alex said excitedly as she settled in her chair, "he called this morning."

"Sure did," Gabriella said getting up and placing a kiss on Alex's cheek. He called her early this morning to talk about taking Alex out for the day to give her time to think about what he'd asked her.

"Are you coming too?"

"Afraid not baby, you're father wants to spend all day with you," she said walking over to the fridge.

"What are you going to do today mom?" Alex asked looking at her Grandfather as he poured a bowl of cereal for Alex and himself.

"I'm going over to Sharpay's house," she said placing the a gallon of orange juice on the counter for her father.

"You must have a lot to talk about," her father said with a knowing expression. He been the one to catch her coming in after midnight.

"Yeah," she said sheepishly walking back over to the table and grabbing her coffee. "Why don't we eat breakfast and then get ready our day together?" Gabriella said with a smile.

Alex smiled as she looked at her mom with a wide smile, "I want to look nice for daddy."

Gabriella smiled as he phone began to vibrate and she looked down to see Doug's name flash across the screen. "That's nice, I gotta get this I'll be right back," Gabriella said as she walked out of the kitchen and into the living room to answer her phone.

"Hello."

"Did you get him to sign?"

"No I did not and good morning to you too Doug," she said a little annoyed.

"Baby, I told you I need those paper so I can adopt her and make us a family. My agent said if we could get this done fast enough he can get us an interview on TV," Doug said into the phone. "We would make enough to the down payment on that little house you wanted."

"Well I still have to do an interview out here for Troy and Alex," Gabriella said looking back into the kitchen make sure she wasn't heard.

"What interview?" he said alarmed.

"To clear up how Troy has a daughter who appeared out of thin air," she said turning away from the kitchen and walking further into the living room. "It's better to do it now then have some sleazy tabloid make this a circus."

"No. You can't do that; it will ruin everything for us," He said frustrated. "I've been working so hard so I can give you girls a better life."

"Doug, what are you talking about?" she said rolling her eyes and sitting on the couch.

"Us getting married."

"About that," she said crossing her legs, "We really need to talk about this."

"I agree, Gabriella if you do that interview, it will denounce mine. I'm going to look like a fool. I'll be nothing but a stand in father for a basketball star who nothing but two timing idiot who makes touchdowns for a living," he said.

"Okay, for one their called baskets," Gabriella corrected, "and two, Doug you're not her father, I appreciate you wanting to adopt her but we aren't going to let people think that you're her real father."

"I know that," he said with a pause as he let out a deep sigh, "it's just I love you so much and I just don't want this to ruin the chances I have to support you guys," he said lovingly. "I going to use all the money to get us a home."

"Doug, that's sweet," she said with a smile, "but I'm sorry we're doing the interview with Troy who is not a two-timing idiot but a great man who want to be there for his child."

"Are you kidding me, of course he does. It's all about publicity for him? What would happen if god forbid someone stop buy shaving cream?"

"Doug," Gabriella said a little worried, "What makes his interview any different from yours?"

"Because I'm using mine to buy us a house, he's using his to probably buy himself another stupid little car."

"It's not like that, he worried about Alex and me and what's going to happen to us when this hits the fan."

"No, mark my words this tool is using you Gabriella? How do you not see that? You're a smart girl how he'd pulled the wool over your eyes."

"Because he's a good man who wants to take care of us?"

"And I don't?"

Gabriella came to a stop as she quickly realized she was doing nothing but going in circles. First with Troy, now with Doug. Suddenly she was more confused than she was this morning. "Doug we have to talk but I can't do this right now, maybe later. Look we are doing the interview with Troy. That's it."

"But-"

"I'm done."

"Alright," he said tenderly, "I love you brie."

Gabriella froze as the nickname came over the line and everything from the night before, came crashing into her chest all at once. Troy, was all she could think about.

"brie?" she asked wondering where he got that name from.

"I thought it would be cute if I gave you a nickname something only I could call you. I mean everyone thinks of Gabi but Brie is special and I like it."

"Well I don't like it," she said thinking back to when she heard it last. Troy had been burying himself inside her, touching her, whispering her name into her ear. That nickname. The one he called her, the one he'd only said once before many years ago on that one night where they both lost their virginity.

"Is something wrong? I'm sorry I'll think of something else" he said a little worried.

Gabriella closed her eyes and nodded her head while saying her good-byes.

"Later," he said right before she hung up.

Gabriella paused and closed the phone, thinking about the nickname that haunted her along with visions and memories of Troy's hand on her body. What had she done? She was so confused and so not sure what to do.

Alex came running into the room and Gabriella looked up with a smile, "Hey baby, did you finish eating?"

"Yes, I want to wear my Scooby baseball cap,"

"No problem, lets go get you cleaned up for daddy," she said with a smile on her face.

Later after the two got ready Alex made her way downstairs leaving her mom to finish getting ready. Dressed in a jean skirt and baby pink top Alex, waited by the window writing in her journal as she waited for her father. Her hair was brushed back into a ponytail and under her baseball cap.

Today my dad is taking me to the zoo. It's going to be the first time we ever spend a whole day together! My mom says that I have to be good because Troy's still new at being a dad, she said I should take it easy on him and try not to wonder so much or ask to many questions. I can't wait to spend my first ever full day with my dad.

I wish mom was going, I wish she could see how great Troy is and I bet she would be really happy if she just gave him the chance. When he called us this morning she smiled before handing me the phone. He said it was important to him that we spend time together today because mom needed some time to think. Think about what is the question?

Why can't she come with us and think? I bet if he invited her she would have been happy to come with us. Mom loves the zoo, she told me that grandpa took her there all the time when she was little. Troy would be prefect for my mom, I just know it. he's not like Doug at all! It seems like I'm going to have to do this by myself and get them together the only way I know how.

One thing is for sure I'm not climbing a tree again. My arms still hurt from hanging onto the branch. Things like that always work in the movies; I guess that's just another dumb grownup rule that what works in the movie never works in real life. Then again maybe I just wasn't in enough danger? Luckily dad was there and my dad is strong. When he caught me I felt all his muscles and he's like a superhero right out of comic book. And he isn't allergic to dogs at all so I could have one and name him Scooby just like in the cartoon.

Grownups are so complicated.

"Alex, your dad is here." Maria said looking at her granddaughter as she closed her note book and smiled up at her grandma.

Gabriella came down the stairs in a pair of skin tight jeans and a black tang top. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a few lose strand around her face.

"God bless your little figure," Maria said taking a sip of her coffee. "I remember when I looked like that," she said with a laugh, "Before gravity."

"Mom, you're still gorgeous." Smiling Gabriella reached out for her purse and then for Alex so she could pull her into a hug. "Remember to be good for Troy," she said before placing a kiss on Alex's cheek.

"Troy just pulled up," Luis said coming from the kitchen with a strawberry in hand.

"Don't keep him waiting," Maria said motioning them to the door.

"I'll call you later to let you know when we'll be coming home," Gabriella said standing in the open doorway.

"Alright have a nice time," she said before shutting the door on them. As soon as the door was closed Luis came up behind her wrapping his arms around her waist.

"They're gone," he smiled suggestively in her ear.

"I know," she said lifting a hand to touch his face.

Luis let out a low laugh, "Let's enjoy it," he said holding the strawberry to her lips.

"You know I love Strawberries," she said with a gleam in her eyes.

"And you know how much I love you," he said reaching a hand around to pull one of the stings of her robe.

Outside Gabriella came down the steps with Alex hold her hand. Troy breath hitched at the sight, in his opinion they were two of the most beautiful women he ever seen walk toward him. He could see the small glow radiating off Gabriella's skin as she smiled up at him.

"Dad!" Alex screamed as she ran towards him in one swoop he bent down and caught her mid leap into his arms. With a low grunt he let out a laugh and spun around holding her tight. She laughed and giggled so loud he couldn't help but smile ear to ear. She had her mother laugh and it was a beautiful sound.

Gabriella crossed her arms as she watched him slowly let her down to ground opening up the door for her to climb in.

"She like cotton candy," Gabriella said waving to Alex who was buckling herself in.

"Just like her mother," Troy said with a small grin.

Gabriella bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling, "She doesn't like anything green unless it's a dill, spear cut pickle, and she loves peanut butter."

Troy nodded as he made a note of these things in his mind, "What's a guy got to do to get a goodbye kiss?" Troy said with a raised brow.

Gabriella rolled her eyes as she fiddled with car keys, "You know why we can't," she said looking at him pointedly.

"I'm actually having a really hard time remembering why I shouldn't kiss you," he teased as he leaned back against the car.

Gabriella bit her lip again and looked back at her car, "I'm going over to Sharpay's," she offered.

"Well then," he said nodding his head, "I'll let you go to your man bashing session." Making a show of checking her out he winked and gave her his award winning smile, "Just know that I think you're crazy hot and even if you don't pick me it won't mean I'm going to stop loving you."

Gabriella smiled as she shook her head, "You're relentless."

"Hopeless romantic," he corrected.

Gabriella let out a laugh as she turned to make her way to her car. Troy watched her get into her car before turning to make sure Alex was strapped in properly.

When Gabriella got to Sharpay's house the girls were already in the back by the pool drinking hermosa's and relaxing on the stretched out lawn chairs.

"Well what do we have here?" Gabriella said walking into the yard and placing her purse on one of the chairs. "Looks like a bunch of bimbo's," she teased.

"Takes one, to know one," Taylor said pushing up her sunglasses to see her better.

"So you told him?" Sharpay asked leaning back in her chair as she nestled back to enjoy the sun's rays.

"Yes. I did," Gabriella said pouring herself a drink before looking back at them again.

"Yup, and he came to my house. Screaming and ready to tear it down. He thought Chad kept it from him. I had to tell him everything." Taylor said looking like a cross between annoyed and guilty. "A warning would have been nice."

"I'm sorry," Gabriella winced as she brought the champagne glass up to her lips.
"It wasn't fair to get you guys involved in the first place," she said after a small sip.

"He was so angry," Taylor said as she brought her sunglasses back down. "I never felt so horrible about anything before, he was genuinely hurt."

"The important thing is that you did nothing wrong," Gabriella assured her. "It's my fault I should have never put you in that position to begin with," she said before lifting her drink and quickly downing it.

"So what happened?" Sharpay said sitting up in her chair.

"Well first we fought, then it was kind of okay, then he kissed me, then we fought, it got better, fought again, and had sex, fought again, he proposed and now I have a day to think about it," Gabriella said causally, trying not to give any of her feelings away as she poured herself a second drink.

"You had sex," Both girls said in unison as they looked at her in shock.

"Right on the hood of that Red Mercedes," she said matter of fact before taking another sip of her drink. She couldn't believe it either, in fact if she hadn't been there she still wouldn't believe it.

Sharpay swung her feet over the edge of her chair "Oh-"

"-My-"

"-God" Sharpay ended looking at Taylor who filled in the middle.

Gabriella finally took a seat on the chair facing both girls and brought her feet up to rest underneath her as she held her glass out. "That man should have been named whiskey."

"Spill," Sharpay said reaching down for her glass to cradle it in her hands.

"How was it?" Taylor asked with a curious grin.

"Honestly," Gabriella said with a small smile perched on her lips. "It was the best sex I ever had," she answered. There were squeals from both Sharpay and Taylor as they held up their hands in victory.

"I mean," Gabriella said once the squeals subsided, "There was so much passion, familiarly, difference and just plain want between us that we just," Gabriella lifted her glass and took a small sip. "His hands just traveled everywhere and it was so, so, dirty," she said holding out a hand.

"Even dirtier then the time you and Doug had sex on his desk in the classroom after hours?" Sharpay asked.

At the mention of Doug Taylor sat up straighter and looked at Gabriella eager for the answer and obviously filled with a new set of questions.

"Better than that," Gabriella said looking off to the side and smiling shyly.

Sharpay made a loud wolf howl as she held her drink up in celebration. "That's what I'm talking about," she said with a smile, "I told you Doug was a wet blanket!"

"What are you going to tell Doug?" Taylor asked bring Sharpay's smile into a frown.

"You can't marry him," Sharpay whined, "How can you willingly go back to mediocre sex after that?"

Gabriella went into the details of the last few weeks, telling them about Troy finding out about Alex all the way to Troy's proposal and declaration to not stop loving her. She told them about Doug and the phone call from this morning, the phone call the day before. She even told them about the both interviews and Alex's tree incident in back yard. By the time she was done spilling her guts about everything she couldn't even begin to understand both women were sitting in silence.

"Wow," Taylor said leaning back as if she been pushed.

"I still cast my vote for Troy," Sharpay said raising her hand.

"Troy's right you deserve to happy," Taylor said as she crossed her arms, "Doug seems to be the safe choice but Troy is a gamble."

"He is not, Troy is a perfect bet." Sharpay argued, "He's the father of your child and he's a wealthy man who can support you."

"But is he interested in her or interested in Alex," Taylor said pointedly, "No doubt in my mind that Troy loves you but you guys really haven't connected for 9 years. Suddenly out of the blue he wants to marry you?"

"Out of the blue?" Sharpay jerked as she turned to face Taylor, "Hello, did you know them in high school? When you told me you got knocked up I didn't even have to think twice about it," she added looking back at Gabriella.

Gabriella placed her head in her hands, great the same inner battle she'd been having with herself was now being played between her best friends. "You guys," Gabriella said with a sigh.

"We're talking about the rest of your life Gabriella, this is much more complicated than who's the best kisser." Taylor frowned, "You have a daughter to care for and a job and life back home."

"Yeah but it's not like she can't teach anywhere else," Sharpay said bitterly, "I think she should come home."

"I think she fought really hard to get out of this small town, why is she just supposed to snap her fingers and start all over?"

"Alex doesn't even like Doug?"

"Alex is 8 years old she spills out her animal crackers before eating them to makes sure none of the seals are broken."

Sharpay fell silent as she let out a deep breath.

Gabriella leaned back in her chair to contemplate her decision. "What if I end up hating myself for marrying a man I don't love?"

"You said so yourself, Doug isn't really into you, he's more into his work and studies," Sharpay said quiet, "Troy seems to be into you, he cares about you, and he been carrying a torch for you since the second grade."

"I just don't know," Gabriella said, "I love Troy, and I would be with him in a heartbeat, but Taylor is right, what if his feelings are just there because of Alex."

"Well," Taylor said with a small smile. "If it helps Chad says he always knew you guys would end up together because Troy has it bad for you. I heard him once say that Troy considers you to be the one that got away."

"And knowing that you're still against him," Sharpay said waving her off. "Gabriella," she said turning towards her, "This is Troy Bolton, we're talking about. This is the guy who was your first kiss when you were 7 years old, your first best friend from when you were both running around in diapers and the first man you ever slept with. 9 lost years is nothing compared to what you guys have."

"I never said I was against Troy, if she picked him I'd be thrilled but she needs a reality check. Doug and Troy are two completely different people she'd be going from one life style to a whole different world."

Gabriella felt a smile tug at her lips as she thought about Troy. He was nothing like Doug, he was everything she wanted in man. He was brave enough to take her to places she never been before, say things she thought no man would ever say out loud and the way he looked at her made her feel like she was the only woman alive.

Then there was Doug. He had been there for her when she was down and depressed. He was there her first couple of weeks teaching at the high school protecting her and helping her out with rowdy students. She couldn't just leave him as if the last three years meant nothing to her, because they did mean something. Granted she wasn't over the moon loopy for the guy but he did have a tender place in her heart.