Sharpay lifted herself on top of his desk tiling herself more to the light as she read aloud. "Friends and family reported that the couple had never looked happier and the party lasted till early morning. Which is more then you could say for the bride and groom who mysteriously disappear to their honeymoon suite around ten. Peoples magazine is calling it the classic Cinderella story." Sharpay looked up at Troy and arched a brow. "Jesus, where did you find this girl?"

"She was my receptionist; remember you asked me who the dweeb with glasses was?" Troy said with a smirk as he signed off document and looked up at her. His half sister continued to examine the newspaper clipping. Troy rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. "There are three other seats and a couch you know?"

"Well she's adorable, especially without glasses!" Sharpay laid the article flat on the desk in front of him. "Amazing that a girl like that would marry a politician?" Sharpay said with a shrug, "especially one like you."

Troy picked up the article and looked at their picture, "Why would you say that?" They looked like an everyday normal couple, a happy smile on their faces and a convincing look of adoration in their eyes. For a moment he let his mind wonder to the 'what if?' then the idea of trouble seeped back in under cracks and he came rushing back to the present.

"She's more like the girl next store? You're more of a cold fish?" Sharpay said with a shrug, "She doesn't look like the normal non-fat pencil skirt you're always leading around." Sharpay took a seat in one of the chairs in front of him. "I'd love to be her stylist, keep her looking down to earth." Sharpay wiggled a brow, "It'd be a good investment."

"She has clothes," he was silent for a moment, the day she appeared on his doorstep she had all of two suitcases and a purse. Maybe shopping with Sharpay wasn't a bad idea, "but a new wardrobe wouldn't hurt I guess, just not a lot of pink."

Sharpay looked down at her pink heals, "Your such a guy,"

"Whatever that means," Troy said looking at her and then at the picture on his desk. "Also see if there is anything else she needs, you know make sure she is taken care of."

"Yes sir, on my way assuming I can have that black little unlimited card?" Sharpay pushed herself up, and smiled sweetly as she leaned on the desk.

"I already regret this," Troy said reaching for his wallet.

"I won't let you down." Sharpay grinned and bounced around like an eager child on Christmas morning.

Troy paused wondering if he should tell her about the situation, so far the only ones who know about the arrangement were Gabriella and Chad, both sworn to secrecy. Not that he'd given anyone much of a choice in the matter. It was business, plain simple business. Troy handed her the card and watch as she squealed and took off for the office door.

As she walked out of his office Chad came in, "Why are you here?" he asked after the door was shut behind him.

"This is my office," Troy said leaning back in his seat, "I should be asking you that question?"

"I'm not the one who got married last weekend?" Chad crossed his arms, "You actually have to at least pretend you're both married not just roommates," Chad shook his head, "Troy I told the board you actually liked this girl, we all had a deal. If the press gets wind of any of this you can forget ever working for anyone again."

Troy sat up, was this a threat? "What do you suppose I do Chad?"

"Funny you should ask," Chad reached into his back pocket and handed him a letter, "Times wants an interview on you and your lovely wife in your home next Tuesday, and I think it'll be a good idea if you have a night out on the town so you both can get better acquainted."

"Fine, I'll make reservations and I'll let Sharpay know."

"Sharpay?" Chad raised a brow. "What did you tell her about this?" Chad said going on high alert.

"Don't be stupid she's just helping; I sent her shopping with Gabriella." Troy finally moved the news article and letter to the side out of his way. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, you're taking a week's vacation. Starts today, go home." Chad rolled his eyes and turned around to leave the office.

"And here I thought you worked for me?" Troy said folding his hands on the desk top. "This is ridiculous," Troy began shuffling paper around his desk.

Gabriella stood in on the stump looking at all the mirrors in front her, why a woman wanted to see herself from all these angles she had no idea. There was her morning bagel; maybe last night's sneaked wedding cake. She tilted her head as she looked for more lumps of fat. "Why can't I wear my own clothes?"

"We looked at your own clothes, remember?" Sharpay said sitting on a chair behind her. "Your clothes suck." Her facial expression hadn't changed since they left the house. Gabriella had been reading a book when Sharpay rang the doorbell. She had no idea what to do with herself now that her occupation was a Senator's wife. The idea of shopping with money that wasn't hers made her nervous, she rather be back at his house tucked away into the nook of the couch she found in his living room.

"Well as long as we don't spend too much?" she said looking back at the mirrors and adjusting her glasses.

"Right," Sharpay rolled her eyes, "What is it with those glasses?" Sharpay placed both hands on her hip. "I mean were you intentionally going for ugly Betty?"

Gabriella let out a sigh as her shoulders slumped. Was it so hard to believe that woman didn't all look like woman on TV? Or at least didn't care if they looked like a run way model first thing in the morning. She never cared about what she looked like, never had too. What was the point when you woke up alone?

"First things first let get her dress measurements and then we can play dress up!" Sharpay walked out of the room and Gabriella was greeted by another woman with a measuring tape. She'd never got her measurement taken before. Her idea of measurements was a comfy large in the woman department at Wal-Mart.

Holding her arms out like she was told she seen Sharpay walk back into the room moments later. "Talk to Troy, you're going to dinner tonight so we'll need to get you something elegant." She said sitting back down.

"Take off your shirt." The measuring woman instructed.

Gabriella paused looking back at Sharpay and the other woman in the room, "Is that necessary?"

"You clothes are too big and I can't get an accurate bust line." The woman said letting out a frustrated sigh.

Gabriella let out a sigh and looked around again; she'd never been shirt-less in front of anyone but her mother.

"Shy much?" Sharpay said getting out of the chair. "No wonder he likes you," She came around the front where the lady was. Taking the measuring tape from the woman she held it out. "We're family now," reaching under her shirt she wrapped around Gabriella chest and then pulled back out. "38," she said looking at the lady. "Guessing a b cup."

"Thank you," the woman walked off and Gabriella still in a bit of shock over the violation of her personal space, watched the women leave the room and glanced back at Sharpay.

"So tell me how did you first meat, was it love, was it hate?" Sharpay squealed and Gabriella jerked a bit in surprise. "I've always dream about that moment, you know like in the movies where two people are just looking into each other's eyes and they just know." Sharpay let out a sigh. "Was it like that?"

Gabriella shrugged, "It was interesting." Gabriella said not having much at all to go on. Fact of the matter was she hadn't seen Troy since they came back from the hotel. Once they were in his apartment she went her way and he locked himself in his office. "He's kind of a workaholic?"

"God all Bolton men are," Sharpay said with a sigh, "It's what went wrong with Troy's mom and my dad." Sharpay let out a sigh, "It drives me crazy that I'm a secretary mishap."

"What?" Gabriella said looking at Sharpay.

"I am the wonderful result of my father's affair; Troy's mom took me in, and made amends you know for the sake of his reputation and the family line." Sharpay said waving it off. "My mother was only to thrill to just bolt so I just got lucky I guess."

"You don't know your mom?" Gabriella asked feeling a bit sorry.

"I know of her, I know her name is Betty Ibarra, not much after that." Sharpay smiled and looked back up at Gabriella. "It's nice to actually have a sister to talk too?"

Gabriella was confused for a moment until it dawned on her she was talking about her. "I'm an only child." Gabriella bit her lip not knowing what else to say. Sharpay nodded as if waiting for more information, and Gabriella panicked. "I had a big family though, I mean cousins, aunts and uncles." She added.

"Our family isn't so big; Mom, Dad, Grampy, I mean most of the people at the wedding were just people in the business." Sharpay smiled. "You probably know all this already," Sharpay giggled and smiled as the women came back into the room with racks of clothing. "I'm going to make sure you look amazing."

Almost glad share time was over Gabriella looked back at the rack of clothes and let out a sigh, she hated shopping, and nothing was ever her size, her color, or just her. Sharpay on the other hand looked like shopping was the way of life.

Sharpay shifted through the rack and pulled out a dress, "Try this on?"

Troy waited in the living room, time drifting by as he stood there in a tux. The house still looked the same, with the additional things out of place. Troy rolled his eyes, he never wanted to live with anyone, and he liked knowing where things were, like being able to come home to silence. "Are you ready yet?" he called down the hall. Waiting on a woman something he told himself he'd never do. The sound of heals hitting the tiled floor made him turn around.

"Sorry, I couldn't figure out to put this on?" she said motioning to the back of the dress.

Troy's eyes scooped down then back up the red dress clung to her body taking a step to the side so he could see all of her including the backside which was completely stringed."Right," Troy said appreciating the view as he took a step back. "Ready to go,"

Gabriella nodded, a little unsure of what to think or what to say. It wasn't like she wanted to go to dinner with him. It wasn't like she wanted to be dressing up for him either. He reached out a hand to her and she looked at it for a moment. Gabriella looked at him those blue eyes looking back at her void of anything. Gabriella turned and walked passed him, behind doors she didn't have to like him or pretend that the idea of touching him was pleasant.

Troy let out a breath as he watched her walk out the front door, shuffling his hands in his pockets and followed.

When they got to the restaurant Gabriella sat in the booth across from him. His eyes looked over the menu and he looked back up at her. "Do you know what you want, dear?"

"No,"

Troy watched her as she looked around the menu but not at it."Do you even want to eat?" Troy said letting his menu fall down.

"Not with you," Gabriella said honestly as she sat there looking away from him.

Troy rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair when the waiter approached he shook his head and waved him off.

Gabriella looked around the restaurant and then back at Troy, her mind was racing, her stomach grumbling. He was staring at her, those blue eyes looking at as if shrinking her down to size.

"I understand that this was not what you wanted but we're here and we're married and this is a very expensive restaurant with lots of people watching." He said in a low voice, Troy leaned forward. "What can I do, right now that would make you eat and relax at least pretend we're capable of a nice dinner?" he added.

"Jump off a building for starters." Gabriella whispered.

"Alright, we're leaving." Troy got up from the table causing a few people to look their way. "Come on,"

Gabriella let out a sigh and got up as well as they left the restaurant he placed his hand on the small of her back leading her along. She felt like cattle, she felt like a mail order bride, she felt ridiculous. Once they were back in the car Troy placed both hands on the steering wheel and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," no she wasn't, she was proud of herself for at least doing something. Not just sitting there and forcing herself to smile and eat.

"No you're not." Troy said giving her a sideways glance. "Let's just go home."

Gabriella's stomach grumbled and she placed her hand over it gently in an attempt to hide the noise. Looking out the window she let out a sigh and leaned back in her chair.