Dreams or Desire
A/N: So first off, I am changing Gabriella's age from 18 to 21. I thought it was the right thing to do considering there will be multiple scenes in clubs. Second, thank you so much for all the great reviews!
Loud. Hot. Wild. Crazy. The only way to describe Hollywood's hottest club, Apple. Filled with everyone from 'LA Wannabes', also known as girls that came to Los Angeles from small middle of nowhere towns and who thought dressing like a slut and sleeping with a club owner would get them in the door, to LA rich kids who were underage but allowed to enter because of the title on Daddy's business card, to celebrities who were hiding out in the private VIP sections, and finally, a few relatively normal people who just wanted to go out and have fun. The three girls standing at the bar, who were currently taking shots, were definitely considered the latter.
"Ok! For Gabriella Montez, who is one step closer to becoming a Laker Girl. To dreams coming true!" Gabriella smiled and blushed at her best friend's toast.
"Thank you Tay." The three girls clinked their shot glasses together tossed back the vodka that filled them.
"Holy shit." Gabriella and Taylor laughed as Kelsi shook off the shot.
"That was pretty impressive." Taylor turned around and Kelsi and Gabriella looked to see a cute African-American boy with crazy hair.
"Thanks," Taylor smiled and Gabriella and Kelsi and gave each other a look.
"I'm Chad." He stuck out his hand and Taylor gladly took it.
"Taylor."
"Nice to meet you Taylor."
"You too. And these are my best friends Gabriella and Kelsi." Chad stretched his neck so he could look at Gabriella and Kelsi.
"Nice to meet you girls."
"You too," they replied in unison.
"So me and my friends have a table, would you like to join us?" Taylor turned back to Kelsi and Gabriella, as to ask 'should we?' Gabriella shrugged, as if saying 'might as well' and Taylor turned back to Chad.
"Sure."
"Great. Follow me." The girls smiled at each other as Chad turned around and Gabriella gave Taylor a suggestive look, which she laughed off. They followed their new 'friend' to the perimeter of the club, until they reached a booth, where four guys sat. Each guy had a drink in hand, all which obviously contained vodka, considering the massive bottle of Grey Goose on the table. Three boys turned as Chad approached the table, while the fourth who had his head down and had his cell phone up to his ear, with his other hand plugging his ear, obviously trying to block out the loud music, didn't move.
"Guys this is Taylor, Gabriella, and Kelsi," Chad introduced, pointing to each girl as he said their name. "And girls this is Zeke, Jason, and Brett." After exchanging pleasantries, the boy whom Chad had introduced as Zeke offered the girls a drink, and they immediately accepted. As they were pouring the girls their drinks, the guy on the phone ended the call and stood up.
"Sorry about that." The three girls as well as Chad turned to him. Gabriella immediately froze and her eyes widened.
"It's all good. Troy this is Taylor, Kelsi, and Gabriella, girls this is Troy." He automatically flashed them his signature smile.
"Hey." His smiled widened as he looked at Gabriella, who was probably the most gorgeous girl he had ever seen. Dressed in a tube top dress that was form fitting and ended a few inches above her knees, she looked sexy but not slutty. "Nice to meet you girls." Gabriella didn't even hear his greeting or hear her best friends reply, for she was still frozen in her spot. All she could think of were Kelly's words. You are under no circumstances to have any sort of relationship with any of the players, even if it is platonic. You should not even be talking to them. If we find out that this rule has been broken, there is a high chance you will be kicked off the team. Yet, right in front of her was Troy Bolton. The star of the Los Angeles Lakers. The guy that she told them she would never date. And now, just one day into training camp, she was technically breaking the cardinal rule. The rule that if broken could completely destroy her dream.
"Gabriella!" The brunette snapped out of her trance and turned to her best friend, who was looking at her very confused.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?" Gabriella plastered a fake smile on her face.
"Yeah, of course." Without even daring to look at Troy again, she turned back around to face the table, just as Zeke handed her the drink. "Thanks." A flash of confusion appeared in Troy's, wondering as to why the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, who he had simply smiled at him, had just completely ignored him, not even bothering to say hi.
--
"What's up man?" Troy turned to his friend, who was looking at him with worried eyes.
"What did I do?" Zeke followed his gaze, to see he was looking at Gabriella who was laughing at something with Chad and Taylor. "I try to make friendly conversation with her, and she completely ignored me! I wasn't even hitting on her!" Zeke just shrugged.
"Who knows man? Girls are weird."
"No shit." Just then he heard Gabriella say the word 'bathroom' and get up. Seeing this as his perfect opportunity, considering Gabriella wouldn't have anyone to turn to after he approached her, he got out of his seat. "I'll be back man." Zeke just shook his head at his friend and laughed, knowing that when Troy wanted something he would do anything to get it. Troy quickly left the booth and made his way to the bathroom. As soon as he saw Gabriella through the crowd he quickened his step so he was right behind her. As soon as he was, he grabbed her elbow and she whipped around. As soon as she saw him, she froze.
"Did I do something?" he immediately asked confused.
"What?"
"All I try to do is make friendly conversation, and you avoid me like the plague. Did I do something?" Gabriella sighed, defeated, and figured she might as well tell him why she wasn't talking to him. After all, it would most likely make him back off.
"What was your dream growing up Troy?" Troy looked at her weirdly, but decided to answer anyway.
"To play in the NBA."
"Yeah, well mine was to be a Laker Girl." Troy raised his eyebrows in shock, definitely not expecting it. "And today I was finally accepted to the training camp. So if I don't screw up, in eight weeks my dream will be a reality."
"A Los Angeles Laker and a Laker Girl, wow it's like a perfect…" She rolled her eyes before he could continue.
"Please Troy, you know very well that it means…"
"You're not allowed to date me." Troy couldn't help but be a little disappointed at this, but he was still confused as to why she wouldn't even talk to him when he wasn't hitting on her. "And I don't know if you've noticed, but all I tried to do was make conversation, I never tried to hit on you."
"No Troy. I'm not allowed to have any kind of interaction let alone any type of relationship with you." Troy looked at her like she was crazy.
"You're kidding me right?"
"No I'm not kidding. If I don't become a Laker Girl cause I'm not a good enough dancer, or because I don't have the stage presence it is one thing. But not getting to wear that uniform that I've always dreamed of wearing because I broke a rule, that's not about to happen."
"Wait a second. You could get kicked off the team just for talking to me?"
"Yes."
"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Gabriella rolled her eyes at the basketball player's statement.
"Yeah, well there is nothing I can do about it. So from now on the only time we see each other is on the court." With that she turned to walk away. However, Troy being Troy, wasn't about to let her go that easily. At that moment he decided that if he wasn't even supposed to talk to her, what was the difference between friendly conversation and hitting on her, so he might as well. He grabbed her hand, and she turned to him, with an annoyed expression, trying to ignore the chills that were running through her body. "What?" He pulled her towards him so her chest was up against his and her breath hitched in shock. He bent down so his mouth was at her ear and she shivered at the feeling of his breath on her skin.
"I'm a professional athlete Gabriella. I love a challenge." Her eyes narrowed and she stepped back to see him smirking.
"In my interview they asked me what I would say if you asked me on a date. With all the seriousness in the world I said no. That's never gonna change." The smirk didn't falter as she rolled her eyes before walking off. He laughed and shook his head. If there was one thing he knew it was that Gabriella Montez had no idea what she was in for.
Please Review!! And make sure to check out my other story 'I Know What It's Like'!