If you thought last chapter was a surprising one, just wait until you get to the end of this one. I gave this chapter it's name for a reason...

Chapter 23 – Dropping Bricks

The midnight sky was swimming with glittering stars, illuminating the opened balcony doors with a calm atmosphere. A cool, quiet breeze fluttered through the area slowly, filtering out all of the newly created scents that would've easily given away to anyone what had just occurred less than an hour ago. The air was useful in more ways than one as it washed the external heat from the two sweaty masses upon the soft bed. The perpetual heat, however, couldn't be erased. It was forever stained and coated onto the hearts and souls of the two high school seniors resting comfortably in each other's firm hold.

Troy's usually swift fingers were now slower, combing through Gabriella's disorderly locks as he absentmindedly stared up at the ceiling. His face was a pale white from the bright moonlight that entered the glass windows on either side of his balcony doors, having the same effect on the matching mini-oceans above his nose. The wheels in his brain weren't even turning to conduct orderly thoughts to process through his head; they were just floating, only coming down to the ground for a second before jumping back in the air and sailing away until it happened all over again. Troy wouldn't have it any other way right now. Not with this goddess lying beside him.

It was the same for Gabriella. Her once tense muscles were now like gelatin when her bare skin made any sort of contact with her lover, especially after these intimate nights that they got each other alone and away from Brandon's nosy habits. Her index finger lazily drew imaginary, abstract images on her boyfriend's glistening chest while her soft breath tickled his collarbone, an act that he didn't seem to mind in the slightest. If anything, it relaxed him even more than he was. It felt as if this after-glowing bliss would last an entire lifetime.

But, of course, all good things had to come to an end. That didn't mean that its replacement couldn't also be a good thing, though. "Troy?"

"Hmm?" came his reply, not breaking his stare at the powder-blue ceiling.

The sharp exhale from her nose indicated to him that she was softly laughing against his chest. "Remember when we were around seven and would play those cute little games? We would role play and pretend like we were married. Then Brandon would catch us and just walk away confused."

Now it was Troy's turn to chuckle at the memories. He added "Then he would ask us if we were dating behind his back and we'd act all shy around each other until it happened all over again." He shook his head and, closing his eyes, visualized them walking through the house holding hands and holding baby dolls that posed as their children. "I remember Samantha and Troy Jr."

Gabriella hugged his body closer to hers and pushed her head further into his neck, letting him rest his cheek against her temple. "Did you ever think that it would end up here? Us naked and sweaty in your bed because we sure as hell aren't shy anymore."

Troy laughed louder, not loud enough to wake his slumbering parents, and pressed his lips against her forehead. He continued his soothing movements against her hair and whispered. "I always hoped it would, babe. I always hoped it would…"

They were comfortably quiet again, the only sound being the soft beating of their hearts in synchronization. Gabriella bit her lip in anticipation of the sudden thought running through her head. She scooted a little closer to Troy and breathed against his skin again, fluttering her eyelashes against his sensitive exterior and making him shudder. She grinned, but that didn't make the question disappear nor stop her from blurting it out verbally.

"Have you ever wondered what it would be like if that wasn't just a game?"

Troy's eyes parted slightly before he turned his head and gazed down at the top of Gabriella's beautiful head. "If we were really married?" he smiled.

Gabriella bowed her head in embarrassment. "Sorry, I let my imagination run away from me again."

Troy snickered at her flushed cheeks and cradled her hand in his own, kissing her knuckles lovingly. "Don't worry about it. It's not a crime for two people to be thinking the same thing."

Gabriella's large eyes wondered up to his. "Really?"

He grinned and relocated his lips to her nose. "Really. Gabriella, we've known each other our whole lives, so naturally it's law for us to date at some point. Most people would feel too awkward to let it get to the spot that we're at right now, right?"

Gabriella nodded. "They wouldn't want to ruin the friendship."

"Right, and considering the huge obstacle named your brother and the whole 'me thinking you were cheating' thing, I'm not sure how our relationship could get any stronger. We're on cloud nine right now, Gabriella. And I want to stay up here with you forever."

She could feel the tears of happiness bulge from her eyes and become trapped in her long lashes. Not wanting him to see her vulnerability, she snuggled her head further into his body and mumbled against his skin. "So what are you trying to say?"

He hesitated for a second. His hand returned to her dark curls and resumed to travel through them, eventually continuing down her bare back and resting right above her butt. He sighed and whispered "I guess I'm saying that even though it hasn't been as long as some people would think necessary, I'd be on the alter telling you 'I do' before Brandon has the chance to interfere, if you wanted me to."

Gabriella was at a loss for words. Did this mean that he was proposing? Or was it just a placeholder for now until they were more age appropriate? The tender, yet serious look in his eyes was enough to answer the question for her, but did she really want it answered right now? They were eighteen, just hitting the adult age, but still having a year left of being a teenager. And even the age of twenty was far too young.

"Are you saying that you want to-"

Troy cut her off before she had a chance to finish her thought. "No, I'm saying that whenever you're ready, I'm ready. And if you, God forbid, never get to that point, then that's okay with me, too. I just want you to be happy, Gabby. It's what I live for."

Gabriella blushed again and continued to try and get herself closer to Troy without becoming a part of his skin. But would that be so terrible? "Promise?"

He sealed his answer in a simple, earth-shattering kiss. "Promise."

"Then you'll understand if I said that I don't want to get engaged until we're out of college?" She distracted herself from what could possibly be flashing through his eyes by studying his amazing, muscular abdominals and tracing her finger the shape of each lump. Gabriella noticed that his breathing hadn't changed, telling her that he wasn't stunned into shock like she had expected him to become. As a matter of fact, she felt his lips change shape. An upside-down rainbow is what it felt like. A smile? She looked up and grinned when she found the same smirk that had been indented on his face, only intensified. Troy kissed her again before replying. "If that's what you want, I'm all for it."

Gabriella flashed her shiny teeth in a loving smile before cuddling back under his chin. "Then it's settled. If things are going as great as they are now, we'll consider engagement after graduating out of college. I can't wait."

His lips found her hair again. "Me neither."

A few minutes later, her breathing became slower and eventually, the smooth sound of Troy's heartbeat had lulled her to sleep. Before succumbing to drowsiness himself, Troy kissed Gabriella's dormant lips one last time. "College," he whispered to himself. "I'm holding you to that…"

--

"Great class, guys! Don't forget to work on that move and I'll see you Saturday."

Brandon's senior dance class smiled and headed for the doorway, some lingering to ask him quick questions about the new move that he had unleashed on them at the beginning of class. He gladly answered them as best he could and waved them goodbye as they headed to the locker rooms. He turned his back for a quick second to retrieve his dance compilation CD from the stereo before feeling a dainty tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he held in a groan as a short, fake brunette posed a hand on her curvy hip and chirped "Nice move, Brandon," her high-pitched voice crooned. "Have you always been that…flexible?"

Brandon nodded slowly, shifting his eyes to the white walls of the dance studio. "Uhh, thanks, Ashley. And I guess I have, since I was seven."

"Well it shows. So," Ashley's small feet unhurriedly stepped over to her instructor and leaned her head further into where it came to a halt: Brandon's ripped chest. "do you think that the best dancer in Albuquerque could spare a few hours this weekend and say, oh I don't know," She elevated herself onto her toes and, just barely reaching his ear, whispered "give me some private lessons at my place?"

Brandon gulped. Ashley Smith had been trying to seduce him ever since his first day working there and to be honest, he was getting a little sick of it. He still hadn't removed his promise ring once since it was placed on his finger and paid good mind to make sure that others knew it was there, especially the girls. Ashley always sported short shorts that could easily replace underwear and tiny tank tops that looked like they could fit her five year-old sister. The make-up had increased every week to the point that Brandon had no idea if this bronze shade was her real skin tone. Whenever he would demonstrate a seductive, sexy move, Ashley made sure to get as close to him as possible and exaggerate it, asking him if she was doing it right. Brandon would just barely nod and turn his attention to someone else who was having trouble. She was shoving herself down his throat so hard he sometimes didn't want to come to work, but decided to ignore his selfishness and try his best to act like she was just another student. He had to. If he let her get to him, it would eventually become too big a secret to hide from Isabelle and God knows what she would do the next time she came down. Would she bring Brooke with her for help? The thought almost made Brandon laugh out loud.

Brandon cleared his throat and exhaled casually like nothing was wrong. "Sorry, I'm booked this weekend. My school's Spring Fling got switched to Saturday and my girlfriend's coming down from California until Sunday evening."

"Oh," Ashley's face visibly hardened, once again making Brandon internally chuckle. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend." The word was like acid between her teeth.

"Yeah," Brandon held his hand to show off the gleaming ring on his finger. Ashley's jaw clenched beneath her cheeks. "We've been going strong for almost a year now."

Ashley swallowed. "How sweet. So, California? It's long distance?" The sparkle of her signature deviousness and slight hope returned to her pale green eyes.

Brandon shrugged. "Yeah, but we don't really mind. It's the weekends when she's visiting that matter. We're just counting down the days until we can change these promise rings into the real, official thing, you know? I love her more than anything."

"Even dancing?" Ashley seemed desperate to make Brandon admit to loving something, anything more than Isabelle.

However, the teacher wasn't even closed to becoming phased. "Even dancing. I'd chop off my legs myself if it meant keeping her forever."

Ashley smiled innocently at him until he whipped out his phone to read a sudden text from Gabriella. Her smile fell and a hateful glare was unleashed from her jealous eyes before Brandon looked back up and it was back to her façade. Brandon told her "I've got to get home. I'm sorry about this weekend, but maybe we can do it some other time. How about the beginning of Tuesday's class? You could come in about twenty minutes early."

Ashley crossed her arms and sent a light glare Brandon's way. "Sorry, I'll be busy that day. And for the record," Her eyes narrowed, making Brandon's brow raise in humor. "If you're willing to give up your dancing for some girl, maybe you shouldn't be in the business at all."

Brandon rolled his eyes. "Isn't that what you would want me to do if we were hooking up? Especially since the only reason you joined this class was probably to try and meet air-headed weight lifters with great hips and huge dicks."

Ashley's glossed mouth dropped in surprise, much like Sharpay's did back when she was titled The Ice Queen Bitch of East Middle. She quickly recovered and attempted to say something else, but all that came were small gasps of air. She just ended up stomping her foot and stalking out of the door. Brandon once again rolled his eyes when he noticed her shaking her hips purposefully. No matter how big of an ass he made of himself, she would never stop trying to get his attention. If anything, she'd start playing hard to get.

Tossing it off of his shoulder, Brandon continued on his interrupted journey to the locker room and, after changing, turned around to walk out of the room. What he expected to see was a clear doorway to walk through.

What he got was the exact opposite and beyond.

Brandon had began to inhale when he looked up in front of him, but was too stunned to realize that it was now cut from his oxygen flow and abandoned in his suddenly dry throat. His feet, on impulse, shot back a few feet causing his back to slam against the stone wall. He didn't feel a thing. The tremendous crash on his conscience flung any chance of feeling his normal senses out the window. His eyes were the size of three moons and his limbs were trembling uncontrollably, resembling the lake's thick oak trees blowing in a strong hurricane. Not even his toned muscles could give him the confidence to defend his abrupt fear. The fear that was caused by the two pairs of piercing brown eyes that he hadn't seen in over half of a year.

In front of him, leaning against the doorframe and smirking cockily with crossed arms that made Brandon's look like twigs, was none other than the one, the only, Brick Wolf.

Brandon knew he'd never come up with the reason for being able to form the coherent word that eventually left his quaking lips. "Y-you…"

Brick cocked an eyebrow. The action seemed much more menacing than when Brandon had done it to Ashley just a few minutes ago. "Nice to see you, too, Sherlock. Don't smother me with kindness, now."

Brandon still hadn't been able to chisel any movement from this iceberg that Brick's presence had seemed to freeze him into. "W-what the hell are you doing here?" His voice was shaking just as much as his unmoving body.

"What, I can't drop by and visit my very best friend in the world at work?" Brick held up a hand the size of a dinner plate to his broad chest. "I'm hurt." His voice mocked sorrow but his eyes were screaming with the evil laughter that Brandon had once dreamt about.

The shock still hadn't worn off completely, but the wheels of his memory had been turning at full speed. The horrible recollections of Brick's past games with the gang came pouring back in front of his eyes. Brandon silenced his nearly-clattering teeth by locking his jaw and gathering any shred of anger he had left over in his body from Ashley into a glare. "Not as hurt as Gabriella was when you beat her!"

Brick closed his eyes and Brandon was almost in too much shock to realize that he was rolling them behind his eyelids. After opening them again, he grinned. "Oh, my mistake. I forgot to apologize for that, didn't I?"

Brandon's eyes narrowed, his confidence rising with each passing second that Gabriella's beaten body flashed in his mind. "I don't want your damn apology…"

Brandon noticed something click in Brick's simple, yet terrifying eyes. His front was immediately let down for a second, allowing Brandon the pleasure of viewing him looking a hell of a lot like his deceased uncle. "Good, because you weren't going to get a sincere one. You know me too well for that, don't you?"

Brandon shuddered unwillingly. Perfect. Just as his self-assurance was beginning to find him again, Brick crushes it in a second with nothing more than a casual change in facial expression. "Unfortunately…"

"Love you, too."

"Why are you here, Brick?" Brandon demanded, his patience running as thin as his will to not scream in panic.

Brick shrugged his ridiculously massive shoulders, his arms still crossed. "I already told you. I just wanted to check on my favorite victims and see if you were healing from my little pranks," He nodded towards the studio that Brandon had just exited. "I see your feet weren't harmed at all, Mr. Jackson, Jr. Did you get Michael's in his Will or something? Or am I not worthy enough to talk about him?"

Brandon's teeth clenched lightly when Brick had made fun of one of his idol's sudden death. "I don't think so."

"Not getting sincerity on that one, either."

"Didn't expect to."

The 21 year-old chuckled. "You're a quick learner."

Brandon shrugged now, shuffling his feet unwillingly. "I'm forced to be. I always had to check up on your stupid war pattern."

Brick nodded once and gave Brandon a questioning look, mixed with a little curiosity. "And did you get it?"

Brandon sighed impatiently and looked to the ceiling, pretending to be annoyed with his constant questioning but was really releasing himself from the harsh pressure. "Distract us with a big attack and then kidnap us one by one. Very original, you're like a magician."

The cocky grin was back. "You're right, because I never reveal my secrets. You know I have more…" He trailed off for classical dramatic effect.

This usually wouldn't have Brandon worked up at all. He might've even laughed, in fact, at the stupidity of the old reference to an obvious point. But this was Brick Wolf, Brandon told himself. And any degree of drama was never led to anywhere close to joking. "If you touch another hair on my sister's head, I swear to God, I'll-"

"You'll what?" Brick challenged, stepping forward and causing Brandon to slide backward loudly against the tile floor. "Turn me into the authorities? I don't see the point, considering that's about to be done."

"What are you talking about?" Brandon quarried, confused.

Brick explained. "Again, I already told you. I'm done with all of this. I've been playing Cat & Mouse with the police since I was eight and my record's probably as high as this ceiling. Like you said, it's a pattern: I have my fun until I'm just a step below life in prison before turning myself in. Considering these charges, I might have to sweet-talk the judge a little in order to stay in the clear."

Brandon's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Why do you care? You'll just break out if that ever happens."

A deep chuckle pierced through Brick's thin lips again. Brandon had to chomp down on his tongue to keep from whimpering in heightened fear. "Again, quick learner. Like you learned from your drunk of a dad that it's okay to whore your way into hospitals." A huge grin made its way to his face when he watched Brandon gasp in furious surprise.

Screw it, Brandon thought as he bravely stepped forward, his foot thundering against the locker room walls' echo. "Don't ever mention my father again for as long as you're a criminal, do you understand me?" Somewhere in the back of his mind, Brandon found the smugness that he thought he'd lost when he heard his voice lower dangerously instead of rise like it had before.

"Wow," Brick replied in some sort of satisfied voice, "I've only seen you this defensive when someone's trashing Isabelle."

The glorious name that normally made Brandon's heart beat ten times faster now made it come to a strong halt. If it was possible to feel your face pale sickly, Brandon did. The deepness of his voice was long gone by now. Instead, it came out in a hushed whisper. "How do you know about her?"

"Seriously?"

Brandon felt his breath start to quicken in his lungs. The thought of Brick ever getting anywhere near Isabelle sent a wave of uncontrollable horror down his spine and flooding through his bloodstream. Isabelle wouldn't be touched. He'd rather die than to know that Brick even knew what she looked like. "What does she have to do with anything?" he questioned defensively.

Brick shook his head. Brandon noticed the same smug, satisfied look in his eyes. "Nothing. I was just making an observation."

"How'd you get the evidence to come up with it?"

Brick sighed, adding in the drama he had used earlier. "Okay, you caught me," He held up his hands in his own defense. The size of his arms made Brandon wince. "I lied in the note."

"Big surprise…" Brandon muttered.

Brick suddenly glowered at him, freezing every expanded muscle in his body and sliding himself into statue mode. A sudden flashback of the successful dance championships came to Brandon's memory. Robbie's huge, gloved hands were clenched into tight fists and his evil eyes had been glued to Brandon's. Brandon wondered what he was hiding under those gloves. Battle scars? Tattoos? Angry cuts? He internally rolled his eyes foolishly. Robbie seemed to be one of the last people on Earth who would ever resort to self-harm, even if his dad was a complete dick.

Brandon's separate distraction was ended soon. "Let…me…finish." Brick seethed in between his white teeth. Brandon scooted back further into the wall of small lockers behind him while he watched Brick smile again, victoriously.

"It was an experimental version of the truth," he continued, "I was taking a break, but I was also testing to see how gullible you all were. You didn't really believe that I was moving on from the group of guys who killed my cousin, did you?"

This time, Brandon did roll his eyes externally. Stupidly. "We aren't murderers, so I know you're not talking about Troy and I."

The look on Brick's face reminded Brandon of the story that Gabriella had told them when she returned from his hostage round. He saw a huge mix of many different emotions: anger, rage, desperation, smugness, and sorrow. Why should he be sorrowful?

Nevertheless, he continued angrily. "There aren't any cops around, Montez, you can fess up any fucking day now."

Bingo, he had hit a nerve. Brandon had to hold back the raging grin begging to be released onto his beautiful face. "I'm getting sick and tired of you accusing us of something that we didn't do, Wolf. What excuse would I have to kill an innocent girl, even if she is completely insane? Your niece was a stalker and a idiot. She was a creepy bitch. Just accept it."

The second those words left Brandon's mouth, he immediately wished he could snatch them from the air and swallow them back before they reached Brick's ears. He had briefly forgotten about Gabriella also telling them that if there was anything that Brick couldn't stand, it was someone talking about his family negatively. A light suddenly dawned in his head. The night that Troy and Gabriella had almost been caught having sex on the couch, only to have it cut short by Brandon and his mother was the night that Troy had been struck in the head with a baseball through the window. Maybe it was karma…Troy's words made sense now. The heavy blow that came to his head after he had insulted Samantha Wolf that felt like it had come from the strongest man on the planet wasn't just a coincidence. Brick had been there. He had always been there. He never left after all. He had been lying.

So what stopped him from lying now?

The frozen look on his face was quickly-lived, but lasted long enough for Brandon to see something else click in his eyes. A change in thought was more like it. He came here to tell Brandon that he was practically placing himself in jail, but could that change? Especially now, since he guessed that the man was now extremely pissed-off?

Brick recollected himself from the mental blow. He crossed his buff arms again, this time flexing them to twice their size. Brandon could've sworn that he lost consciousness for half a second. "Fine. If that's the way you feel about it, I won't leave you any reminders. Because only God knows what'll happen when little Brandon fucking Montez doesn't like someone. They should just jump off the face off the earth and never come back."

"Brick, I didn't-"

"Shut up," Brick commanded, "just spread the word to your precious gang that the ten of you are safe. You'll see me on the news tomorrow."

"You're seriously doing it?" Brandon asked bashfully. He had his hands together in front of him and even though he was standing, his knee was bouncing hysterically. Damn these nervous habits of his…

"I told you I was, didn't I?" Brick snapped, turning on his heel and placing a gigantic hand on the door frame. He stopped. Turning around slowly, he gave Brandon a mysterious look and grinned slowly, like a cobra. "Savor this moment, Montez, because you'll never feel this much relief again. You're safe. All ten of you."

Brandon didn't know what to say, for he was absolutely gob-smacked. He didn't even notice the last sentence's number being spat for some sort of emphasis. Since he couldn't come up with anything to muster out of his mouth, Brandon just lowered his head and eyes to the floor and whispered pettily. "Thank you, Brick." By the time he had the strength to look back up, Brick had disappeared.

Brandon couldn't believe it. Brick had finally surrendered. It was over. He took a much needed deep breath and, smiling as widely as he could, stepped out of the locker room with confidence, rallying off his friends' names in his head: Brandon, Troy, Gabriella, Chad, Taylor, Sharpay, Ryan, Kelsi, Jason, Zeke, and Isabelle. They were safe now.

Brandon was in AP Calculus 2 for a reason; a reason that seemed to be forgotten here. Because if he had been paying attention and recounted as he walked out the school doors, he would've caught his mistake and tallied off eleven names from his brain…

Haha, Dropping Bricks, do you get it now? I thought it was pretty clever: Brick is dropping himself from the equation and Troy and Gabriella's engagement plan is a little like dropping a heavy plot twist, right? Maybe I'm just high off of Oreos...

Did you get anything out of Brick's side of the conversation? Remember, he beat Gabby shitless after she said one mean thing about his family, and he just let Brandon off the hook for a novel of insults? Does that really sound like a Wolf? And keep in mind that he told them that he was leaving t hem alone before, but didn't keep his word. Does that tell you something? o.O Mwahaha...

REVIEW!!! Thnx :)

~Rachel :)