Delayed Confessions

by Punkpoet69

Best friends Troy and Gabriella harbor unspoken feelings for each other. Gabriella devises a bold plan to move on from her girlhood crush, but Troy, hesitant to risk their friendship, can't let the opportunity slip through his finger. As tensions mount, they must decide whether to embrace their love or cling to the safety of what they've always known.

Gabriella.

In the quiet corners of my heart, an unspoken truth resides—a love unacquainted, yet ever-present.

Falling for your best friend is like navigate the delicate balance between the familiar and the unexplored, where laughter echoes through shared secrets, and stolen glances reveal a world of emotions that tiptoe on the edge of acknowledgment.

If only he could break my heart so unforgivably that not even the shards of hope could mend it. I can't keep doing this. I can't keep listening to his wild Friday night stories or participating in this constant togetherness. I don't want to play this game anymore, especially if I'm predestined to lose.

I feel like I'm trapped inside a dance of emotions orchestrated in the clandestine chambers of one sided affection, where the boundaries between friendship and something more blur like the edges of a cherished memory. I need a clean break. I'm tired of losing little pieces of myself. I need to choose myself over him. No more texting, no more hanging out all weekend, no more contact. Because at this rate if I don't break the pattern I'll never be able to shake these feelings.

This is our senior year, and if I'm ever going to get over him I need to not be around him. I need to not know him. I need to cut him loose. So that's it, the next chance I get I'm telling him I need space. No more hope. No more pining away for something that's never going to happen.

"You look pensive."

The flaps of her notebook ripple violently as Gabriella snaps it shut. Her pulse momentarily bursts from fear of being caught.

The real world crashes in and the high school gymnasium pulsates with energy as the afternoon sun filters through the large windows, casting a warm glow on the polished hardwood floor. The rhythmic thud of basketballs echoes through the air, intermingling with the spirited cheers and synchronized routines of the cheerleading squad on the court below.

"I swear, I'm going to put a bell around your neck one day." She grimaces.

"Are you kidding?" Troy huffed shifting into a more relaxed position on the bleachers beside her. "You zone out completely when you write in that thing. I'm surprised you remember to keep breathing."

At that, she turned to face him, "The same could be said for you when you hold a basketball." Her eyes narrowed at him.

Without warning his flat grin lifted into a smirk and he tilted his head with that usual playful expression. "Can you give me a ride home? The truck wouldn't start this morning. I think I gotta replace the starter."

Gabriella rolled her eyes as she pushed a bright red highlight back behind her ear. "You should junk that death trap." His truck was practically falling apart. His dad had brought it for him during his freshman year of high school and together they worked on it until it was road-ready.

But after almost three years of high school shenanigans, his truck was beginning to run out of steam. Her parents had helped her purchase an old Honda Civic, it wasn't fancy or updated, just used and comfortable enough to get her where she was going.

Troy let out a sigh. "She is not a death trap, she just needs a little extra attention." He pauses for a moment, his eyes resting on her hair. "You redid your highlights in red?"

She shrugged. "I needed a change." She made the change three days ago when she was stressed over her chemistry labs. She needed a distraction and decided to turn her fading blue strands fire engine red.

He nodded, narrowing his eyes a little. "You were procrastinating."

"I don't procrastinate."

"Yes, you do. It's one of the many things about you that keeps you human." He said playfully sitting up and leaning forward so he invaded her personal space. "You're not as perfect as you think you are."

Leaning away from him to provide some needed distance she clicked her tongue. "And you're not as charming as you think you are." She countered.

He softened his features and smiled at her almost knowingly.

The squeak of sneakers and the occasional whistle echoed in the background. For seven years she'd been on the receiving side of that Troy Bolton smile. The one that says I'm irresistible, know it, and will always use it to my advantage.

Damn, the smile might as well be her very own gilded cage. This is why she needed a boyfriend. She needed a lifeline or rope to pull her out of this stupid crush on Troy Bolton.

"Gabriella," he said with a soft grin. "You're my best friend and best friends help each other out when one's in distress."

"You're hardly in distress," she moved to get up and he backed away to avoid the swing from her bag as she tugged it forward. "Can't you get a ride from a cheerleader?"

"I could do that, but then it turns into a thing, we make out, they think it's a relationship, tomorrow it's awkward." Troy winced. "I rather prefer to skip that and just owe you a coffee."

Well, wasn't that just the sweet murmurs of unrequited feelings being rubbed in her face? Honestly, she didn't want to compare herself to a cheerleader, but she had all the same curves and the ability to slay in Overwatch. One would think he'd find that remotely attractive.

Boys.

They were best friends. They spent most of their time together, they could practically read each other's minds 75% of the time. During the other 25%, she was hiding a secret crush and he was sucking face with anything in a skirt.

And she was an idiot for thinking anything would happen between them. Ever.

"So, coffee?" he spoke again. "The kind you like, you know the three sugars, three creams, and caramel swirl that makes you moan in orgasmic pleasure." He added with a teasing smile.

"I hate you so much right now."

"No, you don't. Not even a little bit. Please, with a cherry on top."

"Fine," she mumbled, opening her messenger bag and securing her notebook. "Find me when practice is over."

"Or, you could just tell me where you'll be?" Troy countered as he sat up straighter.

"Then where would the mystery be?" She called back, keeping her eyes forward. No need to look back and find him watching the cheerleaders still on the court down below.

Troy.

He watched her go until she was out of his sight. She was wearing a tattered up Guns and Roses t-shirt that was teasing him with her bare abdomen. He let out a sigh and let his shoulder sag, navigating his senior year of high school felt like traveling through a minefield of emotions.

Troy was well aware of his popular status. There was a constant whirlwind of social engagements and female attention at his fingertips. But there's one person who occupies his thoughts more than others—his best friend.

While he wasn't a stranger to fleeting infatuations, Gabriella was the exception, a constant presence in his life who possessed an unwavering seriousness that both captivated and intimidated him. As their senior year unfolded, he realized a little more each day that his feelings were undeniable. He remembered the exact moment he suddenly couldn't think of anything else but wanting to kiss her.

They were playing video games in her living room. Seated side by side, controllers in hand, engaged in a lighthearted video game duel. They were in animated banter and laughter. And then suddenly, amid the virtual chaos, a surge of emotions coursed through him.

The familiar comfort of their friendship unexpectedly tilted upside down and he became acutely aware of Gabriella's presence beside him. Flooded with the urge to take her by the waist and bring her into his lap. A warmth built within him, and a newfound desire lingered in the air, her laugh made his hands curl around the controller because if he didn't control the impulse he would pull her to him and take that kiss she had been asking for since they were 15 years old.

That thought had been the bucket of ice he needed. She had a crush on him. He would be stupid if he missed it. Girls hit on him all the time, they flirted with him often. So yes, he noticed when she watched him, he would catch her looking at his lips, catching the hitch in her breath when his fingers accidentally grazed her. But she wasn't just a random girl or a flirting cheerleader. It was different with her. It was always different with her. And that was why there was palpable hesitancy holding him back from making a move.

He was not "Gabriella's boyfriend" material. He wasn't even normal boyfriend material. There was a good chance he would completely screw this up. To be honest he was already screwing it up. He needed to make a move. He needed to say something. Anything.

Tonight was it. He was going to say it. He was gonna ease into it as best as he could. They would hang out, order a pizza and then he'd just make a move.

And that was all he could think of. Just making a move. ANY move. Kiss her. Just let the urge take over and just kiss her.

God, it shouldn't be this hard. Troy's popularity and charm served as a double-edged sword. While he was surrounded by a flock of admirers, he felt a unique connection with Gabriella that transcended any fake or surface level interaction based on his popularity. It also meant she wouldn't fall for any of his bullshit or lines.

It was why her serious demeanor always placed a barrier between them, leaving Troy torn between the comfortable friendship they share and the uncharted territory of what a relationship between them might be like.

They would both be off to college soon and that meant he found himself at a crossroads, contemplating whether to risk the equilibrium of their friendship for the possibility of something deeper. And if it went deeper what happened when it was time to load up the truck and head off to college?

Gabriella.

Ryan rested back against the door of her car. His gray shirt pulled taunt against his chest and he was smiling at her.

"So you want to hang out tomorrow night?"

Gabriella shrugged, the idea of going on a date both excited and disappointed her. Did she want to move on from a silly crush on a guy who would rather get her coffee or did she want to go out on a date with a guy who wanted to make out with her?

Decision made.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

"My sister is throwing a party, we could crash it?" he laughed when she made a face. "Or we could go see a movie?" he offered.

"A movie is much more my vibe." Less likely to run into Troy that way as well. If she was going to get over this crush she needed to put distance between them. Which was why driving him home today was more annoying than it should have been.

"Great, it's a date then?"

She nodded with a smile. "Yeah, it's a date."

"A date?" Troy's voice echoed. "You're going on a date Montez?"

At the sound of his voice her spine stiffened, as if she were caught in an act of betrayal which was ridiculous because she wasn't betraying anyone. She was simply trying to move on. Making an effort to shake off this "never going to happen" childish crush she had on her best friend. If she wanted to date someone she didn't need Troy's permission or approval.

An irritation flared up inside her and she cocked her hip to the side, "I am Bolton."

"Hey Troy," Ryan said with a nod, if there was any tension to be felt, Ryan didn't show it. And why would he? Troy had just made out with his sister Sharpay a couple of weeks ago. Their friendship was a very widely understood platonic thing.

"Hey Ryan," Troy nodded, eyes still narrowed in her direction. He was attempting to read her. Trying to have one of their quiet conversations where he asked if she was okay. If she needed an out.

She avoided his gaze.

That was another reason she needed to move on. Troy was an incredibly nice guy beneath all the bullshit and player antics. He never made promises he couldn't keep, never let you down, and always stepped into that protector role.

At least, that was her experience with Troy. He was always there for her, middle of night nightmare, middle of the date disaster, awkward advances made by strangers, Troy always knew what to do. He always knew how to make those uncomfortable moments less…uncomfortable.

Ryan was now approaching Troy, "Nice game yesterday."

"Thanks," Troy nodded, "How are rehearsals going?"

"It's going great, you should come to the next show. Opening night is next week on Thursday." Ryan held out a hand and Troy took it as they embraced in a bro hug.

"Dude totally, I'll encourage the team to come out and show support."

"You're the best." Ryan met his fist bump with his own before turning back to Gabriella. "I'll see you tomorrow, seven okay?"

"Better make it six," she said with a shrug, "and you better pick a good movie."

"Godzilla Minus One Minus Color," Troy murmured to him with a smirk.

She could feel a flutter of disappointment flooding her chest because yes, that was the movie she wanted to see. Only wouldn't it have been delightful if Ryan had come to that conclusion without Troy's assistance?

That was the issue with dating, she should be flattered that guys wanted to ask her out. Excited when they gave her flowers she absolutely loved or took her to restaurants that she actually wanted to eat at.

But every time those things happened it wasn't because they took the time to get to know her or because they made an effort. It was because Troy gave them the information. She felt a little cheated by it. She would never really know what it was like to date Troy but she had the second runner-up experience.

She watched as Ryan nodded in thanks and walked past him in the direction of his car, leaving them alone. Her eyes finally met Troy's to see the concern flashing behind them.

"You're going on a date?" Troy asked with a raised brow.

"I am."

"You don't seem like you want to." he shrugged, "I can get you out of it."

"Could you not interfere, just this once? Can you just stay out of it?" she said, pulling her car keys from her pocket.

"I don't interfere."

"You just did." She unlocked her door and pulled the driver-side door open.

Troy held up his hands defensively, "All I did was recommend a movie. A movie I know you want to see, because you love Godzilla movies."

"I wanted him to pick the movie," she argued before getting inside.

She threw her messenger bag into the back seat and tried not to inhale his scent as he settled into the passenger seat beside her. She loved the way he smelled after practice. The scent of his soap was at its strongest and his hair still damp from his shower curled right at his brow. Honestly, the way his presence took up the space in her car was criminal.

And as usual, he was completely unaffected by her proximity. An observation that was slowly beginning to hurt more as time went on between them. He tossed his bag to the back after hers and adjusted his seat to accommodate his legs. "Taylor was in here last, I can tell."

"You complain every time you get in my car."

"Because the seats are always pushed up so close to the dash," he grumbled. "Seriously, how are you ever gonna makeout in the front seat like this?"

"I don't plan on it."

"Yet," he murmured.

Her annoyance spiked, "I didn't need your help with Ryan you know."

He let out an equally annoyed sigh, "Listen, I just wanted you to have a good time. Ryan would have taken you to see Mean Girls and we both know you hate that movie."

"But he doesn't know that."

"Exactly my point." Troy's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What's the point of dating if you're just going to tell the guy what to do for me? How am I supposed to get to know anyone if they're just following some playbook you lay out for them."

"I offered a suggestion, what am I supposed to do? Give them shitty advice and let you go on a bad date?"

"I would love to go on a bad date," she said with a huff. "At least then I would know it meant something to someone."

"Right." Troy scoffed. "Because good dates are totally overrated. What was I thinking?" Troy reached for the knob on the radio. "Do me a solid and tell the cheerleaders I'm really looking for someone who can belch the alphabet and make noises with their armpits."

"As if you would care," she murmured. "As long as they had breasts, and even then, that's a stretch, Amy Carmichael is barely an A cup."

That made him wince. "Okay, Sorry, I will not make any suggestions to anyone moving forward regarding your dating life," he said, stopping the radio on one of her favorite stations. An old rock station that played the classics.

"Thank you," she said quietly, minding the road as she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street.

"Wanna play some Overwatch tonight."

"No."

He shifted in his seat. "Why not?"

"Gonna work on my outfit for tomorrow." She countered, holding firm to her decision to put some much-needed distance between them.

"Jeans and shirt. Done. If I pick out the fit, can we play at your place and get a pizza? Mom said she was gonna be late tonight and Dad volunteered to do detention this week."

She shook her head, glancing over at him in disbelief. "Gee, thanks."

"It's not like that," he narrowed his eyes. "You come over all the time when your mom's working nights."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm good. I'm already doing you a solid with the ride. Besides, I wanna be alone tonight."

"Alone?" He said with a raised brow. "You're that pissed at me?"

"I just don't think it's a good idea."

"I'm sorry," he said, a little confused. "We hang out all the time. And suddenly now you don't think it's a good idea?"

"One day I'm going to have a boyfriend. And us hanging out every night is not going to go over well. So, yeah. I think we should cool it for a while," she sighed, deciding it may be best to just rip the bandaid off now. "I need to get some space."

"Whoa," he lifted his hands in surrender. "Are you talking about Ryan?"

"Maybe?" she shrugged. "I don't know. Someone will want to be my boyfriend one day."

"And what, you're just gonna let them dictate who you hang out with?" He sat up. "Do you know how many times I have brushed off a date to hang out with you. Actually no, do you even understand how much shit I get because you're my best friend and always top priority?"

"Then I guess I'm doing us both a favor."

"Gabriella," he scolded. "That's not a favor. I don't want to not hang out with you, in fact I actually-"

"I don't care." she interrupted in frustration. "I want space."

All sound in the car muted as she gripped the steering wheel in her hands. The sound of the radio was a dull background to the heated exchange. This sucked, but it was necessary. She needed it. It was the only way she would survive everything that came next. She wasn't ready to say goodbye, she wasn't ready to leave. She'd been in love with Troy since she was 15 years old. She'd spent four years waiting and wishing and now ready or not she was going to leave for college next year.

It was time to move on.

"Look," she said more evenly. "You are slowly becoming my entire life and as much as that rocks for you. It's beginning to really suck for me. We need to take a break from whatever this is or isn't." She glanced over at him, his expression blank for a moment.

"A break?" he repeated.

"I need to have a life outside of you." She countered, already feeling her insides twist. "I just think we shouldn't spend so much time together." She glanced over to find him looking out the window. His hands flat on his knees. He didn't say anything else, didn't make a joke, or try to push the issue.

The quiet between them grew and before she could work up the urge to attempt an apology for how blunt she'd been they were in front of her house. They got out of the car and Troy reached into the back seat grabbing both their bags. She came around to the sidewalk and he held out her messenger back between his fingers.

"Have a good night Montez," he said quietly as she took her bag from him.

"Troy I-"

"Have fun on your date, don't worry about me tomorrow. I'll ride in with my dad." He shoved his hands into his pockets and began making his way up his driveway.

And now she felt like scum. She was the worst best friend in the world.

Her shoulders sagged and she lifted her messenger bag onto her left arm. It felt ten times heavier than it had this afternoon. The guilt she felt added another ten pounds no doubt. For a relationship that didn't expand beyond a friendship it sure as shit felt like they just suffered a breakup.

Troy.

As he watched her laugh, her eyes sparkling in response to one of Ryan's jokes, an unsettling pang twisted in his chest. She was wearing her light blue academic decathlon team shirt with a snug pair of blue jeans that flattered her backside. He remembered the day she won the math competition and how they went out to celebrate by spontaneously tire sliding down hill in the pouring rain.

The way that blue shirt had clung to her skin. To her breast. He loved that memory, how carefree, relaxed and sexy she'd been. That shirt was one of his Gabriella favorite shirts. And now it was Ryan's stupid fingers playing with the hem of it. Picking at that one loose thread at the bottom he used to tug whenever she was sitting in his Truck.

It was a bitter reality that she'd chosen someone else, and he couldn't help but feel a gnawing sense of irritation. After all, she was unaware of her options so it was stupid to be upset about her choice.

He only had himself to blame. He kept her at arm's length when he should have just been a man about it and pulled her into his lap when he had the chance. No, instead he played it safe and when she asked for space, he respected that. But the agony of witnessing her with someone else intensified daily.

That next morning when he brought her coffee she tried to apologize for the night before. As if it was her fault things between them had hit a seemingly unbreakable glass ceiling. He did the best he could to be supportive. This was the normal course of things, this was what he had wanted for her all along.

Someone better than him, someone who did the boyfriend crap and said the cheesy boyfriend things. Someone who wanted to walk her home and kiss her at the front door. Not someone who wanted to press her against it and-

"If you just tell her, chances are she'll pick you." Chad's voice chimed as he approached his locker.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Troy said, pushing himself up and turning towards him with his shoulder against the locker.

"Right," Chad opened his locker door and began rooting around. "And you're not just standing over here watching them flirt like a recently kicked puppy."

Troy let out a huff. "Shit, was it that obvious."

"To everyone but them."

His once effortless struggle to conceal his true feelings was quickly becoming a Herculean task. They didn't hang out after school anymore, they didn't talk over text throughout the day or hang out in each other's living room at midnight illuminated by the glow of video games. He only saw her at school these days and mostly just in passing. And he was beginning to hate those run-ins, it turns out Ryan didn't need his suggestions. He was sweeping her off her feet all on his own and Troy couldn't shake the twinge of jealousy inside.

He maintained the facade, the congenial friend who supported her choices, but the weight of his unexpressed emotions was becoming unbearable. Like a crazy dance between genuine concern for her happiness and the sheer frustration of suppressing his desires. The decision to give her space inadvertently turned into a painful exercise in self-restraint, and the sight of her kissing someone else was slowly pushing him to the edge of sanity.

"Maybe you're right," Troy let his head fall against the cool metal locker door. "Maybe I should just tell her."

"On the other hand," Chad said with a smirk. "To say something now would be kind of a dick move on your part."

Troy narrowed his gaze. "You're an ass, you know that right?"

"Just telling you how it is." Chad shut his locker door, his eyes glancing down the hall and then back at him. "They're coming this way."

"Can we run?"

"Troy!" Ryan called out and Troy could feel his jaw clench at the sound. Quickly pulling the shards of his inner team captain persona to the forefront as he turned and extended an outstretched hand.

"Ryan, great performance yesterday," he said leaning into the side hug and avoiding those hot chocolate eyes watching him from Ryan's side.

"You guys are the best, it meant a lot to the cast to see the East High Wildcats in the audience." Ryan offered a similar greeting to Chad, leaving him and Gabriella standing side by side for a moment.

"Hey," she offered, adjusting her bag strap. "Everything okay?"

"Great."

"Did you ever fix the truck?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "We were able to find the part at the junkyard. She's up and running again."

"Wow," she shook her head, "you'll never give up on that thing will you?"

"Can't lose both my girls in the same week," he said quietly.

Her lips parted and her eyes widened a fraction as she visibly tried to decipher his comment. A small part of him felt a ping of triumph, rocking back on his heels with the knowledge that he could still get a reaction out of her.

"Hey," Ryan announced in the most cheerfully obnoxious tone. "My sister's throwing a party tonight. You guys should come by, she talks about you all the time."

"Again?" Gabriella's voice sounded a little winded. "Didn't she just have a party last weekend?"

"That's right," Ryan made a face as if something had slipped his mind. "You're not a party person," he said, a little disappointed. "So, that's universally applied to all parties?"

All eyes were now on her and he could feel the urge to swoop in and provide some kind of out for her but then he stopped himself. He promised he wouldn't interfere.

As if coming to the same conclusion her eyes met his and she winced. "I mean I don't get invited to these things and normally everyone is too busy trying to suck each other's faces off."

"Well, it works out then, because this time, you'll have me," Ryan said with a shrug. "See, everyone wins."

Their eyes met and he could practically hear her inside cringing with modification.

His girl was an introvert, she hated parties and large crowds. She had a mini social battery and while most of the time she did just fine, she'd most likely be overwhelmed and anxious twenty minutes in. One time as sophomores, they hid in a bathroom for three hours playing Would You Rather while Chad's party spun out of control from a couple of guys on the team to the whole school in a matter of minutes.

The memory made him smile, and suddenly she was smiling too. As if they could both remember it like it was yesterday. Funny, 'cause right about now he'd give anything to be locked in a bathroom with her for three hours. The thought makes his breath involuntarily hitch and he finds his gaze lingering a beat too long on her lips. There's a magnetic pull in the way she smiles or maybe it's the subtle curve of her lips when she's deep in conversation. Oh, the things he would explore about those lips if given the opportunity.

Inadvertently, his eyes jerk back up as he catches himself checking her out. Time seems to slow as their eyes meet, and there's a flicker of realization in her expression. Panic sets in, but he tries to maintain composure, wondering if he successfully hid his momentary lapse.

Gabriella doesn't say anything immediately, and the silence hangs between them, pregnant with unspoken acknowledgment. Her gaze holds his, a mixture of amusement and perhaps a hint of curiosity. It's a wordless exchange that speaks volumes and he can feel the weight of being caught red-handed.

In that brief, suspended moment, he contemplates whether to break the tension with a self-deprecating joke or let the awkwardness linger.

A glance over at Ryan who was discussing something animatedly with Chad proves that at least his slip-up wasn't caught by all. His eyes traveled back to her and she's nodding along to whatever it is Ryan's going on about.

And that's probably for the best. Maybe, it was all in his head. Maybe she didn't notice a thing.

Gabriella.

When his eyes lingered on her, she caught a glimpse of something different in his gaze. Like a momentary flicker that sent a wave of curiosity through her. Troy Bolton was staring at her lips. And not just staring, he was openly fantasizing about them.

Once they said their goodbyes, Ryan had walked her to her next class, and Troy, rather than sitting beside her as he had before, opted to sit in the back. Next to a redhead who had been more than delighted by his choice of seating arrangement. Only something was off. She tried to catch his eyes and he purposely turned away from her.

Which confirmed her suspicions that yes, that lingering gaze she witnessed had definitely happened. Had that been a one-time occurrence, or had she simply not been paying attention before? Her mind raced with possibilities as she tried to decipher the meaning behind it.

This was stupid. She was dating someone, she shouldn't be torn between wanting to dismiss a possible look or a fleeting moment of undeniable curiosity.

Ryan was a great guy. A cheerful guy, a guy who was interested enough to ask her out and actually put in a little work to earn that first kiss. And that was something she had wanted for a long time. Just the idea that someone could be attracted to her, that someone could look into a room full of people and pick her.

And that's what Ryan was, wasn't he? His unwavering positivity brought a little joy into her life and made her feel seen in ways she hadn't in a long time.

And yet, the mystery of Troy's gaze was like a lit match held up to her skin, warm and dangerous. A surge of excitement followed the realization that perhaps there was more to their friendship than she'd thought.

But why hadn't he made a move if that was the case? Was she not pretty enough? Was she not curvy enough? Did he think she was too clingy, too suffocating, too difficult?

When the bell rang and classes were finally dismissed for the day she made a beeline for the parking lot only to be stopped by a blonde cloud of Channel. Sharpay Evans in all her pink and gold dramatic glory. Under normal circumstances, their paths never really crossed, and if they crossed now it either had something to do with Ryan or something to do with Troy.

"My brother tells me you're coming tonight."

"I was thinking about it," she answered honestly, not entirely sure she wanted to put herself in the kind of situation that would make her skin crawl. Parties themselves weren't horrible, she had been to a few that weren't all that bad. But, parties thrown by the popular crowd always served a direct purpose. Parents were often away, booze was normally present and hookups ran rapidly throughout the night. She'd been to a few with Troy and he never stayed around for too long before he was swept up into some drinking game or bedroom upstairs.

Normally, she would rather skip it and enjoy the confines of her bedroom. That way she could spend her free time doing things she enjoyed and not feeling the brunt of peer pressure.

"Is Troy coming?"

And the mystery of their paths crossing was concluding. People knew for a fact if one was attending the other wasn't too far behind. It was the curse of being Troy's best friend. People often placed her in the position of Troy's handler. She always knew his relationship status and location.

"He didn't say."

Sharpay eyed her curiously, "Can you make sure he does?"

"I can ask him." Gabriella deadpanned. "What he decides is kinda up to his own free will."

"What's your deal anyway?" She quirks her hip, clearly not satisfied with her answer. "I thought you were, like, in love with him or something. Why are you dating my brother?"

Heat flared up the side of her neck as she felt a wave of embarrassment seep into her bones. "I'm not into him like that?"

Sharpay let out a laugh, "Don't try to bullshit a bullshitter," She shifted her tiny pink purse up to the crook of her elbow. "You like him, what's not to like?"

This entire exchange for starters.

"We're just friends."

"For now," Sharpay huffed. "Listen, you do you babe, but I'm warning you. Whatever "make-him-jealous-game" you're playing by using my brother isn't going to end well for you. End it before Ryan gets his hopes up."

"I'm not-"

"Yeah, you are." Sharpay countered. "And honestly, I commend you for it. It's a good play. But don't expect this to be easy. Girls around here are vicious, present company included."

Gabriella opened her mouth to speak and before she could Ryan wrapped his arms around her shoulders in greeting.

"Hey, nice to see you two getting along," Ryan said with a smirk. "And here I was afraid things would be awkward."

Gabriella let out a laugh.

"I was just confirming Gabriella's attendance tonight, I wanted to make sure she had something to wear." Sharpay smiled earnestly as Gabriella adjusted the blue academic decathlon team shirt that clung modestly to her frame, paired with comfortable blue jeans.

"I'm sure she has something to wear," Ryan said with a shrug.

Doubt nibbled at the corner of her mind. Sharpay, draped in her flamboyant pink and gold fancy dress, oozed confidence. And it seemed to cast a shadow on Gabriella's more understated ensemble.

Even as she told herself that it didn't matter, she couldn't shake the feeling of Sharpay's scrutinizing gaze. Just this afternoon hadn't she earned an appreciative glance from none other than the same boy they were both competing for?

Whoa.

Since when was she competing?

"The party is casual," Sharpay placed a concerned hand on her arm. "Maybe find something a little less comfortable to wear."

And with that she was on her way, brushing past them and calling out for Kelsi's attention.

"You look fine," Ryan chuckled softly. "Sharpay thinks everything is a runway or performance. Don't worry about her."

He was right. Of course, he was right. But, Gabriella couldn't escape the subtle suggestions from Sharpay about styling for tonight's party. Her comments created a knot of self-consciousness within her, amplifying the contrast between her unassuming outfit and Sharpay's glamorous presence.

Her fingers came up to her temple in frustration. God, not only did people know about her crush but people thought she was dating Ryan to make Troy jealous. Once again the door to her cage of feelings slammed shut. Locking her in place, reminding her of her mission mere moments before when she thought about confronting Troy. And doing what exactly?

What the hell had she been thinking? What was she expecting? Sharpay was right, even if for a second Troy felt an inkling of something for her that didn't mean he would act on it or that they would date. Troy didn't date anyone. And it's not like he didn't have several options if he wanted to.

"You alright?" Ryan asked, intruding on her tailspin of thoughts.

"Yeah, just nervous about making a good impression later," she lied.

"Don't sweat it, I have it on good authority that your date's pretty impressed already."

At that, Gabriella bit her lip as guilt rolled through her. Despite the messenger, Sharpay had been a little spot on about Ryan. Although they were currently dating, his sister's observant nature made a good argument for the authenticity of Gabriella's feelings.

While she didn't mind Ryan's company. Her feelings weren't as true as she would like them to be. Especially not if one passing glance from Troy was all it took to lead her into an emotional tailspin.

Troy.

Perched on the arm of a gray couch, Troy's surrounded by the lively chaos of his classmates. He shouldn't be here. The lighting is dimmed out, and the loud murmurs of laughter and rhythmic beats of music make it almost impossible for him to hear his own thoughts.

Coming here tonight was a bad idea.

"Have you seen Taylor?" Chad shouts into his ear, making his pulse spike from the sudden intrusion into his personal space.

"Nope."

"Shit," Chad pulled out his phone murmuring something he couldn't quite hear. To be honest he wasn't interested.

He was attempting to immerse himself in the crowd, his lingering self-doubt from earlier in the day at the forefront of his mind. He was only here to assure himself everything was okay.

And it was, it had to be. He half expected to find her out by his truck this afternoon waiting for him. He'd never been so relieved to not see her standing there in his life.

The slip-up from this afternoon may have betrayed more than he intended and the thought weighed on him. Because Chad was right, it would be a dick move to say something about his feelings now. When she was moving on and trying to get past her own. More than anything he just desperately hoped that Gabriella remained oblivious to the internal turbulence eating him alive at this point.

He just needed to see her. Needed to reassure himself.

"Hey Troy," the scent of Channel hit him before he could process the sound of her voice.

"Hey Sharpay," he responded with muted enthusiasm. He glanced over to see her dressed in a silk pink cami top and tight-fitted jeans. "Nice party."

"Thank you," she purred, slipping in between him and Chad.

"Have you seen Taylor?" Chad asked, leaning in now between both of them to be heard.

"I saw her in the kitchen, she was with Kelsi." Sharpay smiled warmly. Pleased with herself when Chad excused himself and headed in that direction.

It was times like this when he just wanted the anonymity of the crowd to swallow him whole. Even inside the spacious family home, where many were indulging in drinks and carefree conversations, he was still being watched from every angle.

"A little birdie told me you were flying solo tonight," Sharpay cooed in his ear, her hand on his thigh suggestively.

"Flattered, but not interested," he murmured, gently removing her hand.

Not to be discouraged, her other hand came up his chest in a feather-like touch, running along one of the creases in his shirt. "I could capture your interest."

Just as he was about to turn her down for a second time, his eyes caught a glimpse of fire engine red from across the room. He spotted her, a vision of effortless beauty that seemed to calm the building irritation within him. She was radiant even in the dusty lit setting of the party, her presence both alluring and comforting. He drank in her appearance from her hair haphazard pinned up to her red painted lips and bright red finger nails to match.

"Not likely," he murmured, stopping Sharpay's hand from her pursuit.

He really shouldn't have come here tonight. Mostly because now here he was, and there she was wearing a black tank top and plaid green skirt that flares out at her thigh. Jesus, she looked like a naughty school girl sent here to personally destroy him. And then it happens, the worst possible thing he could ever witness happens.

Because Ryan Fucking Evans strides up to her like he's won the power ball and pulls her in for kiss. A very passionate and possible lipstick smearing kiss that will now forever play on a repeated loop in his brain for all eternity. The undeniable pang of jealousy resurfaces and he's once again torn between the friendship they share and the unspoken emotions that lurk beneath the surface.

This was a horrible idea.

He stood up, causing Sharpay to stumble a little bit.

"What the hell?" She barked out her eyes narrowing at him before glancing over at Gabriella and Ryan. "You have got to be kidding me?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to push you," he said genuinely concerned because he would never under any circumstances put his hands on a female in that way. "You were just so close that I-"

"She's dating someone else," Sharpay said motioning over to where Ryan and Gabriella stood. "She's unavailable."

He let out a sigh of contentment settling into the same song dance he was used to. "We're just friends."

At that she snorted. Her hazel eyes met his in suspicion then disbelief, "Oh my god, I can't believe you're gonna fall for her crap."

That caught his attention, "I'm sorry, what now?"

"She's only dating Ryan to make you jealous." She said, crossing her arms. "And it's working."

His mouth flopped open like a fish and he glanced back at Gabriella and Ryan who were mid discussion. His brain began whirling, questioning if she would play such games. "I don't think that's what this is," he said, suddenly a little uncertain.

He needed to distance himself from this quickly unraveling chaos. In fact, he needed to leave the party all together and spare himself the potential complications that his conflicting emotions might unleash.

"You know, two can play at that game," Sharpay murmured, her lips pulling into a slow and playful smile. Before he could remove himself from the situation, her lips were on his and her arms were wrapping around his neck, yanking him down and into her.

In an effort to stop himself from crushing her between himself and the wall he placed his hand out behind her and steadied himself. She tasted like the metallic tang of her lip gloss and he immediately pulled back from her grasp. His hand held her in place as he backed away from her.

"Think about it," She offered with a grin.

"Not a chance," he snapped, annoyed by her antics. "And don't do that again."

She chuckled, shrugging playfully. "Not sure I understand what you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean," he said, reaching up to his lips to wipe off the remnants of her lip gloss.

This was stupid and only enforced his feelings about not having come here. He went towards the back door away from Sharpay and the noise of the party. Once outside he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Gabriella.

Why had she come to this thing? Ryan had been overwhelmingly happy to see her for all of 15 minutes. Greeting her with a sweeping kiss and animated telling her about how much fun she was gonna have tonight.

Then she glanced over and saw Troy hand braced on the wall behind Sharpay. Her arms wrapped around his neck. The ripple of his muscles strained as he gently toppled over her. She quickly ripped her eyes away from them and back at Ryan.

It felt like shit to see that. Especially after having the fleeting hope that maybe, he might want to kiss her after all. She was only half listening to Ryan anymore. He was talking about the DJ set up and how he was in charge of making out the dance area.

She nodded along, and when he pulled her out into the middle of the dance floor, she really tried. She tried to be in the moment, smiling and laughing as much as she could at Ryan's antics. She spotted a mass of blond hair and couldn't help peeking over to see Sharpay and Zeke dancing together.

Where was Troy? Her eyes scanned the room. And when she didn't see him a wave of disappointment settled inside her.

"Are you thirsty?" Ryan murmured into her ear. She jerked back in surprise at his closeness.

"Sure," she said with a forced smile.

"I'll be right back." He said with a nod,

He turned towards the kitchen and disappeared into the mass of people. Leaving her among the chaos of happy dancing teenagers.

She shifted awkwardly, not really sure what to do. It sucked. To be in a place full of people and feel like they don't want you there. To feel like you're at a party you weren't invited to. No one even knows your name. No one wants to. No one cares.

Against her better judgment she pulls out her phone and opens her text messages.

Gabriella: This party's kind of lame. Where'd you go?

She hits send before she can think better of it. Biting on her corner of her lip. Feeling that familiar tight coil inside her at the hope. That stupid hope that kept pushing her over the edge of embarrassment.

She was in a room full of people, and instead of being in the moment her mind elsewhere. She couldn't shake the feeling of missing him. The music blared, and laughter echoed around her, but her heart longed for the presence of someone else.

Her message went unacknowledged.

But what did she expect? Maybe he was upstairs with someone, maybe he moved on from Sharpay and was in one the dark corners of this house making out with a random raven haired temptress.

She tucked her phone into her pocket, her eyesight blurring just a little as she tried to push past her foolishness.

"Hey," a hand reached for hers and she jerked coming to find Taylor smiling back at her. "You look like you need a break from all this madness. Let's grab a drink and find a quiet spot," she suggested, steering Gabriella away from the pulsating energy of the party.

Grateful for the distraction Gabriella followed, hoping the change of scenery would help her forget about the one person she couldn't be with tonight.

They settled into a more secluded area, a red solo cup in their hands.

"So where's the golden boy?" Taylor asked offhandedly as she adjusted her top.

"Probably upstairs tonsil deep in a cheerleader by now." Gabriella scoffed as she lifted her drink.

At that Taylor made a face. "Ryan, really?"

A grasp escaped her lips and a bit of her drink traveled into her lungs causing her to burst into a fit of coughing.

Taylor patted her back gently. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Gabriella cleared her throat with a grunt and nodded. "Sorry I thought you asked me about Troy."

Taylor let out a laugh. "Please. He left like twenty minutes ago. He gave Chad the keys to his truck to get us back home since he was supposed to be our ride."

Gabriella let out a sigh, lifting her cup and taking a much welcomed gulp.

"So how are things between you and Ryan?" Taylor asked suspiciously.

Gabriella nodded, "I think I like him." She shifted so she was leaning in a little closer. "Dating is weird."

"Agreed, I'm so happy I don't have to do it." Taylor said, offering Gabriella a sympathetic smile. "It's super hard to put yourself out there nowadays."

"And his sister is a bitch." Gabriella nodded. "Well, I don't know if that's fair." She admitted. Sharpay hadn't been unnecessarily rude or anything. She had been honest. She had been direct even if it was a bit assertive.

"Sharpay is a bitch," Taylor said with a nod. "It might be in your best interest to avoid her if you can."

Gabriella shook her head. "We're already at odds. She thinks I'm dating her brother to make Troy jealous."

When Taylor didn't say anything Gabriella looked back at her to find her watching her with concern.

"I'm not doing that!" Gabriella said with annoyance. "I don't care how dating Ryan makes him feel."

Taylor laughed and lifted her cup for a sip.

"What?"

Taylor shook her head. "So you know he's jealous."

"I don't." Gabriella argued.

"It's okay to feel a little vindicated." Taylor said softly. "You guys have been friends forever and he treats you like a girlfriend but without any of the benefits. Now you're dating Ryan and he can't handle it. How many cheerleaders have you had to watch him play tonsil hockey with?"

"Too many." She said without missing a beat.

"So even if it's not your intention, if Troy feels some kind of way about it, that's on him." Taylor raised her glass in cheers before taking a sip.

Gabriella let out a sigh. Hating the way her stomach flipped a little at the thought.

In an effort to lift the mood, Taylor encouraged Gabriella to join in the festivities. Soon enough, more drinks were involved, and the atmosphere became more carefree. She found Ryan in the crowded living room again and this time when he asked her to dance she actually enjoyed it.

Troy.

It was two in the morning when he heard the familiar sound of his truck pulling into the driveway next door. He sat up, getting out of bed and heading over to the window.. His eyes narrowed as Chad hopped out of the driver's seat. He watched as the passenger side door flew open and Chad rushed forward to catch a falling Gabriella. She was stumbling, giggling, clearly intoxicated.

Son of bitch.

He growled as he turned and made his way outside. Concern etched across his face, he quickly rushed over to lend a helping hand.

As soon as he stepped outside Chad let out a sigh of relief. "Thank fucking God," he said still managing to hang onto a bent over Gabriella who was dry heaving.

"What the fuck happened?" Troy whispered, his immediate worry was for her well-being. He reached for her gently guiding her to the nearby bushes and gathering her hair up. He couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and protectiveness.

"They're both wasted, they were fine when I checked on them last. Then I went downstairs for one more gaming match with Zeke and when I came back they were like this." Chad murmured in frustration as he motioned to the truck where Taylor was sitting in the middle of the bench seat. She was wearing an oversized jacket of Chad's and currently asleep. "Getting them out of there was like trying to herd cats."

Troy frowned. "Where's Ryan?"

"He went to bed," Chad said with huff. "She was gonna leave with Jason, but I put the brakes on that idea and lured her into the truck."

"Jesus Christ." Troy shook his head. "Where's her car?"

"Still in their driveway." Chad reached into his pocket and pulled out the familiar lime green keychain.

Once again, Troy couldn't shake his irritation at the situation. He wondered why they allowed Gabriella to drink to such excess, and his annoyance grew when he realized her supposed boyfriend was nowhere in sight to take care of her. Thank god her mother was working tonight and wasn't here to see any of this.

"Alright, I got it from here." Troy said with a sigh, "get Taylor home."

"I can double back in the morning, we can go back to get her car." Chad offered.

"Good deal," Troy nodded and slowly began to lead her to the front porch. "Drive safe!"

"Thanks man."

Once inside her house Troy quietly began to lead her upstairs.

"No, no, no I don't think I can do stairs right now." She sulked. "There's too many."

"Okay," he nodded, "come on I'll give you a piggyback ride." Despite the unspoken feelings he held for Gabriella, his primary focus was on ensuring her safety and well-being, all while grappling with the resentment towards Ryan who let her reach such a vulnerable state.

He shouldn't have left.

The whisper was right there in the back of his mind. And he let the guilt sink in. He shouldn't have assumed she'd be okay tonight. He should have stayed and made sure she was alright. Even if that meant watching her make out with her boyfriend all night at least he would know she was okay.

She let out a laugh as she clung to his back. "Remember that summer I twisted my ankle and you had to carry me home from soccer practice."

"I do. It was the final nail in the coffin of your soccer career." He mused. A memory of her in braided pigtails, laughing and joking about her clumsiness. She wasn't an athlete, and she had been relieved when her mother finally agreed.

Once in her bedroom he helped her settle in, removing her shoes, putting her phone on the charger and getting her situated on the bed.

"Hang on, I'm gonna get you a bucket in case you have to puke."

She burped, then pointed to her closet. "I want my shirt."

"You're already wearing one," he said before ducking out of the room. "Be right back, " he shouted over his shoulder before he disappeared into the hallway and then downstairs into the kitchen where he opened a cabinet and pulled out a bucket. He quickly rinsed it out, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed back upstairs.

When he reentered the room she was pulling down an east high gym shirt over her bare body. One of his shirts. The fabric sliding down over a pair of black lace hip hugging panties.

Shit.

He immediately spun around.

"Are you decent?" He asked, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to not think about her in his shirt.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

He hesitated before turning around and finding her in bed pulling the sheets up over her body. He made his way to her side, her green plaid skirt discarded on the floor along with her blacktop and bra.

He focused on the task at hand, making sure the bucket was in reach and the water bottle set on the nightstand.

"Troy?"

He shifted his attention, taken aback when his blue eyes crashed into her brown ones. They were quiet for a moment as they watched each other, their eyes caught in a trance.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly when she didn't say anything.

"I'm not dating him to make you jealous." She said quietly

"Okay." He said a little relieved.

"But I am dating him so I can get over you." She continued her words a little hesitant.

"Really." Troy raised a brow, trying not to read too much into what she was saying. She was drunk. They shouldn't be talking at all. He made to get up when she spoke again.

"Come here," she mumbled, letting herself fall back onto her pillows. Her smile beckoned him closer.

He bent down again resting his weight on the edge of her bed. "What's up?"

"He's not the one I wanna date." She murmured.

He smiled a little at that. "Is that right?" Even though he knew he shouldn't ask, and he knew he was crossing a line. But he couldn't help it. "And who do you wanna date?"

She smiled sleepily, a laugh escaping her as she fell back onto the mattress and snuggled further into the sheets. "Henry Cavill."

That caught him off balance and he let out a laugh. "Noted."

Within minutes she was asleep and he made his way downstairs and out the front door locking it behind him.

Gabriella.

She woke up with a throbbing headache and a fuzzy recollection of the previous night. Gabriella squinted at the sunlight streaming through her curtains. It was almost ten in the morning. A panic set in as she tried to piece together how she ended up in her own bed. Anxiety coursed through her as fragmented memories danced in her mind like an elusive puzzle. Struggling to recall the details, she finally felt a wave of relief when a memory surfaced – getting a ride home in Troy's truck.

However, confusion crept in as Gabriella realized she couldn't recall Troy being at the party. He'd left it. Hadn't he? No. Chad had brought her home last night she was certain.

But her uncertainty deepened, and then sank as a memory of Troy tucking her into bed surfaced. Had that been a mere fragment of a dream? She replayed the vague recollection of a piggybacking up the stairs in her mind, questioning the authenticity. Had Troy really been there, or was it a figment of her hungover imagination? Desperate for clarity, she hesitantly reached for her phone, fingers scrolling through social media in search of any embarrassing photos or videos that might fill the gaps in her memory.

As she browsed through the digital aftermath of the night, a mix of relief and curiosity washed over her. No embarrassing posts or tagged photos, but the mystery of her interaction with Troy lingered. Anxiety turned into a determined quest for answers. Gabriella racked her brain, attempting to recall the conversations they might have had, hoping to uncover the missing pieces that would unravel the mystery of Troy's unexpected presence in her hazy night.

She opened her text messages.

Gabriella: This party's kind of lame. Where'd you go?

A whoosh of air escapes her lungs as she runs a hand through her hair. An uneasiness fills her belly and she lets her phone drop to the sheets, her eyes looking down at her oversized east high gym shirt. She'd stolen this one from Troy's gym bag last year after getting caught in the cross hairs of a food fight in the cafeteria.

There was a knock on her door and she shifted, pulling her blanket up.

"Morning," her mother smiled cheekily. "I heard from a little bird that someone got in late last night and was a little tipsy."

Gabriella lifted the blanket over her head. Her mother had encouraged her many times to go out to parties and have fun. Ranting and raving about how these were supposed to be the best years of her life and how she needed to embrace her social life. Mostly she urged Gabriella to leave the livingroom and away from her playstation at every opportunity.

"First, let me say that I'm proud of you for actually going out on a Friday night." Her mom made a fluttering hand gesture. "And second let me just remind you that when you do go out and drink you need to do so responsibly."

"I know," she said, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. She was normally much more careful than she had been last night. She never really drank excessively or ever attended the wild parties. "I didn't drive," she offered.

"I know, Troy dropped off your keys and brought your car back." She said with a sigh as she came to sit on the foot of her bed. "He's such a nice boy. Always so sweet and kind to you."

"Mom," Gabriella warned.

"I'm just saying, Troy's the one who brought your car home. Not Ryan." Her mother scoffed. "I just don't understand why you two can't make it work."

"Mom," Gabriella repeated.

"Okay," she said, holding her hands up in surrender. "I'll bud out of it. I'm sure it's more complicated than I could possibly imagine. Although-"

"Mommy." Gabriella huffed.

Which earned a laugh from her mom as she leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead. "I put your keys on the hook downstairs. I made you some oatmeal."

"Thanks," Gabriella smiled softly, "I'll be down after a shower."

Her mother nodded approvingly. "Yeah I wasn't gonna say it out loud, but you do smell."

"Gee thanks," Gabriella said playfully, flipping the covers off of herself and getting out of bed.

"Well," her mother said with a stretch. "I'm going to bed, behave yourself."

"Yes mom," Gabriella nodded.

Once showered and medicated she headed downstairs to the kitchen, her oatmeal waiting out on the counter for her. She settled at the table, spoon in her mouth when the sliding glass doors that lead out to the backyard slid open abruptly.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Troy murmured angrily.

Her eyes widened and she swallowed her oatmeal. "What?"

"You know what." He said, coming into the kitchen and shutting the glass door behind him. His navy blue shirt clung to his shoulder and arms as he moved over to her. His gray basketball shorts hung low and his Nike's squeaked on the floor. He'd been out for a run. "Do you know how vulnerable you left yourself?"

"Okay, you need to relax." She said quietly, feeling the guilt crush into her again. "Nothing happened."

"Why didn't Ryan bring you home?"

"I don't know."

"Gabriella," he said sternly.

"I got home, didn't I?" She bit out, irritated to be on the receiving end of this lecture.

"Not good enough." He came over to the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down beside her. "Don't do that again."

"Contrary to what you think, you're not actually my older brother." She said with annoyance.

"And thank god for that," he countered quickly.

A flash of hurt rippled inside her as they both leaned back in their seats. It was almost as if he had physically pushed her. Gabriella stirred her oatmeal for a moment unsure what to say. Then she lifted her spoon for a bite, stalling for a moment before trying to navigate through whatever this conversation was. Her eyes focused on the morning sunlight filtering through the window and onto the table.

"Sorry," he said quietly.

"It's fine." She said shifting in her seat and pushing her food around. "You're right, I was pretty stupid last night and I know that."

"At least Chad and Taylor were with you." He said softly. "All things considered, you were with people you could trust."

She nodded in agreement and finally pushed the oatmeal away. She knew her mother meant well but she just couldn't bring herself to eat it. She also felt anxious about being this close to Troy. A feeling she knew all too well, the urge to touch him, to lean closer. All things she wanted to avoid doing.

She shifted to get up from her seat moving towards the counter, feeling his eyes following her. She knew he was concerned about her. Knew he was just trying to be that protective friend he always had been.

But this felt different.

"Thank you for helping me to bed last night." She said over her shoulder.

"Anytime." He said softly. "Have you talked to Ryan?"

She shook her head. They were both quiet while she surveyed the items in the fridge. When she settled on a yogurt cup she moved to the drawers for a spoon. She turned to lean against the counter, keeping plenty of space between them.

"You two seem close." He said.

"It's different." She shrugged, opening her yogurt. "Ryan is kind of a social butterfly, which is nice but a little-"

"Exhausting." He finishes for her.

She smirked. "I mean, I can be a social butterfly too."

"Of course," he nodded. "But you could also not be one. There's nothing wrong with that."

"But there is," Gabriella says around a spoonful of yogurt. "Girls are supposed to be beautiful, bubbly, and fun."

"You are beautiful and fun." He counters. "And you're real and smart, you have a fire inside you. Some of us prefer that from the bubbly."

"Yeah well, it doesn't really matter to you guys. It's all about who lets you feel her up in the backseat and lets you slide into home on the second date." Gabriella shrugs. "And don't tell me I'm wrong about that, you have a three date strike out rule." She says pointedly.

How many times had she been on the listening end of his griping about making it past three dates without so much as a boob grab.

Her stomach turned a bit and she let out a sigh, pushing the memory of it to the back of her mind. When she glances back up at him, he's watching her, a slight frown on his lips.

"Yeah, because I have no intentions of being serious about anybody else." Troy mumbled.

Her eyes shifted to her yogurt cup. A nagging question at the back over throat she clamped onto to keep from escaping. Anybody else?

"So, have you?" He asks..

She swallows her yogurt, her eyes shifting back up to his blue ones. "Have I what?"

"Have you let him feel you up in the backseat of his car?"

"Jesus." She is a little taken aback by the question. "I'm not telling you the details of my sex life."

"Well, we talk about mine all the time." He says with a shrug. "I'd be happy to listen to you if you needed someone to talk to about it. Or had any questions?" he said the last part with a sigh.

She slides another spoonful of yogurt into her mouth slowly removing the spoon as she thinks about his offer. How many times had she sat through a whole recap of his date, or break-up disagreement.

They did talk about a lot of things in , it did seem fair enough.

"We've made out," she says quietly. "Nothing too scandalous. It's only really been a week."

"But do you want to?" He asks, leaning back in his chair. "Does he make you want to?"

"What do you mean?" Her brow quirks. Ryan wasn't like that, at least not to her knowledge. He might insist on certain things but she felt comfortable to say no. Unless that wasn't what he meant. "Like, am I attracted to him?"

"Yeah, that's one way to put it."

She huffs, "What's the other way?"

Troy huffs this time looking down at his hands. "If I gotta explain it, the answer is definitely no." On the last word his eyes lift back up to hers and there's a playfully teasing glint in his eyes.

"That's not fair," Gabriella laughs. "You can't tell me we can talk about it and then say something like that."

Troy rolls his eyes and gets up from the table coming over to where she's standing. Her body straightened a little to prepare for his closeness. Her pulse involuntarily picked up speed and she tried to display a nonchalant shrug. So he was coming over? Closing the distance between them and making her look up at him in that way that made her fantasize about slipping her fingers into his hair.

She could deal. It wasn't the first lie she told herself today.

"When he's kissing you, are you into it?"

She hesitates, "I mean, yes… I like kissing."

"But do you like kissing him?" Troy counters. "I like eating but that doesn't mean I'm going eat a steak and cheese sandwich with the same enthusiasm."

"What?" She laughed.

"I can't believe you're gonna make me talk to you like this?" He said with a slight blush on his cheeks. He was blushing. Who knew? Troy Bolton could blush.

"Talk to me like what?"

He nodded as if preparing himself for what he's about to say. "Gabriella do you or do you not get wet at the thought of him touching you, while he's kissing you?"

She inhales slowly, the smell of his soap filling her senses.

When she doesn't answer, he continues. "When he's close, do you clench your thighs together because the thought of climbing into his lap makes you want to lose your mind a little."

She clenches her thighs involuntarily, her eyes falling from his blue ones to his chest. Not with Ryan, but the idea of climbing into Troy's lap made her feel needy and a little out of breath.

"Does your pulse pick up speed when he's leaning into you, holding you close against his body and spreading his hands along every bare inch of skin he can find."

Were they this close a moment ago? Was he leaning into her as much as she was leaning into him? Her pulse was racing. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Could he hear it?

When he didn't say anything else she made a physical effort to lean back and away from him. Taking another spoonful of yogurt and letting what just happened really sink in.

"No," she said quietly. "I don't think I feel like that." At least, not with Ryan. Her eyes looked back up to him, hoping he couldn't read her thoughts.

But the look in his blue eyes said otherwise. She watches as Troy's eyes shift down to her lips and then slowly back up to her eyes. "I don't think it's like that for everyone. You need to have some level of chemistry for it to work."

"We have chemistry." She says.

When he quirks a brow at her she jerks at the realization of what she said. "I meant Ryan and I have chemistry."

He smirks. "Yeah."

"It's just new," she says with a shrug. "We're working up to it."

Troy tilts his head a little and offers her a smile. "You should do what feels right for you."

She nods, leaning forward to toss her now empty yogurt cup into the trash. Then made work of rising and wiping the spoon before adding it to the drying rack.

When she turns around Troy's closer to her than he was just moments before. His nearness caught her off guard, making her jerk in surprise. Her hands rush up to rest on his chest.

Before she can question him, his body presses against hers and he captures her lips with his, eliciting a gasp in surprise. She can feel him smile against her lips and before she can pull away he lifts a hand inserting it into her damp curls. As he moves his lips over hers, coaxing her tenderly. His tongue enters her mouth and she feels a tingling sensation all over.

Her fingers curl into his shirt as he boxes her in. The feel of him against her, his presence overwhelming her. Her hands lift up around his neck, and his left hand slides down to her waist, his bare hand on the sliver of skin between her top and sweatpants. His thumb teasing the skin there.

She clenches her thighs again. A moan escapes her as she feels her walls throb with a needy sense of urgency. The kind that wants to be satisfied by only him. Only his touch, only his kiss. A hunger just for him.

Without a word his hands grip her waist and lift her on top of the counter, shifting himself between her legs, their kisses becoming more feverish. His hands shifted over her and roaming over her curves causing her back to arch.

She could easily give into this. She could kiss him for hours and get off on just his touch. The way his hands feel warm and welcoming on her body. Like it's right, like her body is melting into him because at long last she's finally home.

In the distance there's a knocking noise. And she wonders if in their sudden stupor they've knocked something over. But then she hears it again and she pulls away from Troy the fog of lust lifting as she realizes someone's at the front door.

"Shit," she mumbled as Troy helped her to feet. His hands quickly tugged her top back into place. When the hell had it ridden up so high? She glances up to meet his eyes and he returns her stare with a knowing smirk.

If it had happened with anyone else, she would be embarrassed, maybe even a little put off by it. But this was Troy, and she trusted him. Even if she'd been a little out of her mind with lust somehow she knew he wouldn't hold it against her.

"That was-"

The doorbell rings again interrupting her and she cringes at the thought of her mother coming down and finding them like this.

"You gonna get that?" Troy asks a little out of breath.

She nodded as she combs her fingers through her hair really quickly rushing out into the hall and over to pull the door open. Upon sight her heart begins hammering inside her chest for a whole different reason when she sees Ryan on the other side.

"R-ryan?" she lets out a nervous laugh. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey," he said, holding up a McDonalds bag. "Brought you some fries!"

Troy.

He rolled his eyes in annoyance.

In the sunlight filtered kitchen, Troy found himself pressed against a wall, listening in as Gabriella stumbled through her welcome to Ryan in the entryway.

Troy's head fell back for a moment against the wall and he let out a sigh. Just moments ago, he had been the one kissing her, his one hand tangled in her hair, his other sneaking up her sweatshirt. He had been caught up in the desperate act fueled by the overwhelming realization that he might be losing her.

And fuck if that fear hadn't spurred him into action.

As stupid as that action was.

He shifted again. His eyes peered over to where they stood. He stopped listening. In fact he probably shouldn't even be here.

"You got me fries." She said, a hint of confusion in her voice.

Idiot. She hated McDonald's fries. She preferred their chicken nuggets.

"Yeah," Ryan said with a shrug, "figured they would help with your hangover."

"That's sweet, but I'm not really a fries kind of girl."

"Don't be silly," Ryan insisted. "Even Sharpay eats junk food once in a while."

Gabriella was nothing like Sharpay. The comparison made him huff before he quickly remembered he shouldn't be there.

He winced. Seriously, why the fuck was he still here?

Pushing off the wall he made a beeline for the sliding doors he came in from. As quietly as he could manage he shut the door behind him and made his way across the yard over the fence and into his own kitchen through the sliding glass doors.

He rested against the glass for a moment. His inner voice was still screaming at him for his actions. Troy was never one to cheat, and the guilt gnawed at him, knowing that what he did was a betrayal of his own values.

How could he have been such an idiot?

The way her chest rose and fell as she watched him. How she watched him. What the hell had he been so afraid of. Why the hell hadn't he just done that before.

Why couldn't he resist that impulsive kiss, an act of desperation that was now going to haunt him.

He made his way up to his room with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Why was everything such a whirlwind of emotions? Had he been thinking properly he would have thought of the consequences that were going to follow that spontaneous kiss.

They had worked hard to build a strong and platonic friendship, he couldn't shake the worry that this impulsive act might change the dynamic between them. The looming end of the school year only added to the complexity, raising questions about what the future held for their connection. Could they handle going to separate colleges in the fall? Was he going to be able to handle it?

And then there was Ryan. Gabriella's boyfriend. Shit. He pondered if his feelings and their unforgettable kiss held any significance or if it was just a momentary lapse.

God, she felt good.

Despite the internal turmoil, Troy couldn't deny the pleasure he felt about that kiss. The way he felt invincible with her lips on his, the way she clung to him, needed him, tasted him. No doubt about it they were pent up. Hell, if a knock at the door hadn't been the interruption they needed before they both lost their mind.

He ran a hand down his face. Shit. He could still feel the lingering impact she left on him, leaving him unable to forget the sensation of her kiss. He tried but couldn't stop smiling as he replayed the moment in his mind.

He was such a shit friend.

But he could be a boyfriend. He wanted to be a boyfriend. He wanted to be her boyfriend.

Well. Shit.

That evening, on the floor of his room he threw himself into his video game, engrossed in virtual battles, when a notification popped up indicating Gabriella was now active online.

The sight of her name sparked a mix of emotions. They hadn't talked since that impulsive kiss earlier in the day, and he was uncertain about broaching the subject. A wave of hesitation washed over him as he debated whether he was ready to confront the awkwardness that hung in the air between them.

To his surprise, before he could make a decision Gabriella sent a game invite, and after a brief internal debate, Troy accepted.

"Knock, knock" her voice came over the speaker. And for a moment he thought about not saying anything.

"Who's there?"

"Interrupting cow."

"Interrupting-"

"Moooooo" she said loudly into the speaker interrupting his response.

He laughed. He couldn't help it. She was fucking adorable and he missed her so much last week. How was he going to survive not knowing her? How could bare the concept of not being her friend?

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly. Deciding it was probably for the best to just get straight into it. His thumbs work at the buttons on his control, his attention split between completing the task and waiting for her to respond.

"Ryan thinks I'm actually a party person, I've just been hiding it." She says.

He cringes, "Is he aware that you were black out drunk last night?"

"God no," she says with a huff. "He thinks that was just party spirit."

This time Troy huffs. "He can't possibly be that dense."

"Geez," she sighs. "I wasn't that bad."

He huffs again.

"Screw you," she laughs. "I've seen you drunk."

And hadn't that been a time. Troy had vomited into his gym bag, and Gabriella had helped a tipsy Chad lure him into his room where they ceremoniously left him hanging half off his mattress.

"And now, I've seen you." Troy says with a laugh. "Kinda makes us even, don't you think?"

"Not even close." She says pointedly.

They complete the mission and he leans back a little reaching over his water bottle.

"What's it gonna take to make us even Montez?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

Troy winced, his head falling back against the foot of his bed because honestly he should have been prepared for that.

He stared at the screen, his character rotating in the foreground of his inventory. This was it. No more chickening out.

"You. Are. A. Very. Kissable woman." He said letting out a breath.

When she didn't respond he let out a breath. Had she logged off. Was she fake gagging into an imaginary bucket? "Gabriella?"

"We probably shouldn't do that again." She said quietly.

His hand came up to his face, rubbing over his features and up into his hair. "I'm sorry if it wasn't-"

"I liked it." She said hurriedly. "It's not that."

He blew out a whooshing breath of relief. "Great," he murmured.

They're both quiet for a moment until she breaks the silence. "I have a boyfriend."

He stares at the screen, almost looking past it now. As if somehow he could see her sitting on the floor of her room controller in hand. God, he wondered what she was wearing, if she were lounging around in his t-shirt or still wearing that hoodie from earlier. The one he almost got his hands underneath. He shut his eyes for a moment at the memory of her in his hands.

"You don't like your boyfriend?" Troy says quietly. "And if we're being honest he doesn't know you like I do."

"No one knows me like you do," she says, her tone a little annoyed. "That's the whole point. God, it's like you want to keep me in your back pocket or something. Every time I slip away from you, you lure me back."

He held up a hand, thrown off momentarily by her comment. "I do not treat you like that."

"Then why did you kiss me?"

"Because I happen to like you, and kissing someone you like is a very pleasurable experience."

"Now you like me?"

"No," he said, a little annoyed himself. "Not just now. For longer than now, a lot longer."

"How long?"

"Gabriella I-"

"How long?" She repeated.

He let his shoulders slump. "Can we do this in person at least?"

"No."

"No?" He shook his head moving to get up. "Fuck that, I'm coming over."

"Don't you dare." She said hurriedly. "Troy, I mean it, I'm not even decent."

"That's not really the deterrent you think it is, Gabs." He snapped as he got to his feet. The memory of his shirt falling over her body played on repeat again. And he whispered "If you're wearing my shirt again I might just lose my mind."

"It's just a shirt."

His eyes closed at the thought of her on her in nothing but a pair of panties and his shirt.

"It's my shirt, there's nothing hotter than seeing you in it."

They both went quiet. A shock rippled through them both at his words. Not that they hadn't been true, he just never really been that forward with her before.

He slid a hand into his hair. This was not at all how he imagined this would happen. Not that he had some kind of elaborate "tell her how you really feel" plan, but he at least expected that he would be able to see her. "Can we please talk?"

"We are talking."

"Not like this. I don't want to do this, like this." He said looking out his window to hers.

"And I don't want to do this with you face to face." She responded softly.

"Why not?"

"Because I can't say no to you," she said with a sigh. "And you know that."

"You're doing one hell of a job at it right now."

"I'm really not." She said with a bitter laugh. "But maybe I should. I'm logging off Troy."

"Gabriella."

Her screen name dimmed out on his screen and he kicked at the leg of his bed. Muttering a slur of disappointment.

Gabriella.

Anxiety rippled through her as she sat in her car Monday morning. The idea of seeing Troy had her twisted up in knots and not the bad kind.

The lingering touch of Troy from that Saturday morning kiss played on a loop in her mind, evoking a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. The vivid memory made her heart race, creating a giddy sensation she hadn't anticipated. Still, the joy was tinged with worry, knowing that encountering Troy now could bring in a flood of emotions she wasn't quite prepared to face.

Her internal conflict intensified as Gabriella grappled with the realization that these lingering sensations weren't merely a fleeting moment.

"You. Are. A. Very. Kissable woman."

A new flush rose up the back of her neck and her concern deepened as she recognized the weight of his words. He wanted to kiss her because he liked her.

Troy liked her. Her feelings about him weren't as one sided as she once believed and that knowledge had been blowing her mind for the last forty eight hours.

He liked her. And this was bad. Particularly because she had a boyfriend. The dilemma left her torn between the exhilarating memories of Troy's touch and the commitment she held to Ryan. She couldn't just break things off now, not without proving Sharpay right.

And she wasn't right.

Was she?

Did Troy only feel this way now because of Ryan?

She let out a sigh, not ready to face either of them. The car became a refuge, shielding her momentarily from the external world, as she wrestled with the complexities of her emotions and the potential consequences from Saturday.

There was a knock on her window and she peer out at Ryan who was standing outside her door. A little bud of disappointment settled inside her.

She wanted it to be Troy.

She mentally kicked herself and forced a smile as she opened the door and stepped out. Ryan greeted her with a casual peck on the cheek and hug.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Good morning," she said, pulling away a little to see him fully. He was wearing a crimson red sweater, he smelled like a channel. Like a male version of Sharpay, probably coated in her scent due to proximity. His hands rested on her waist and she wanted to say that his touch felt intimate. But it didn't. It lacked the welcome familiarity One would expect from a boyfriend's touch.

She glanced up at his blond hair that was styled away from his face. His features were well-defined, his smile exuding a confident ease. She should find him attractive.

Shouldn't she?

His average handsomeness didn't scream for attention, but rather seamlessly blended into the high-class aesthetic expected from his family. An accomplished appearance that was maintained.

"I was thinking, maybe we should skip first and go get some coffee." He murmured.

"I actually don't really do that kind of thing," she said with a shrug. "We could meet up early and get coffee tomorrow if you want to?"

"Well," he said with a sly grin, "I was hoping we would head back to my place to drink it."

Her eyes widened a little. "Oh."

"No one's home today, we'd have the place to ourselves."

Her stomach fluttered uneasily. Of course he wanted to take her back to his place after. Was now the time to tell him she was a virgin? Should she tell him she didn't want to rush into things?

Truth be told she didn't want to have sex with him.

Crap.

Her eyes fell to his chest and then came back up to his eyes. He was looking down at her with a raised brow and she couldn't stop the ick that was slowly climbing up her back.

"I'm on my period." She lied.

"Oh," he cringed. "Well, maybe next week then."

"Maybe," she said looking down at the ground. Or maybe she could find the courage to break up with him before then.

Instead of braving the cafeteria today and risking an interaction with Troy she opted to hide in the library. So there she was huddled among the bookshelves in the back roll in solace, desperately trying to escape the emotional turmoil brewing within her.

She had an air pod in one ear and her notebook in her lap. Her eyes skimmed over the page, reading the words that explained her lingering feelings from the kiss on Saturday morning. Avoiding Troy felt like a temporary reprieve, she couldn't do it forever.

And as if the thought had some kind of magical charge the person in question settled beside her on the floor.

"Hi," he said, relaxing back against the books.

She turned her notebook over, looking at him with caution. "What?"

He let out a huff and shrugged his shoulders. "There used to be a time where I'd have to come in here to drag you out." He said quietly as he reached for her notebook and pen. "It's adorable that you think I won't come find you. A little annoying you really thought we weren't going to talk about this."

She watched as he drew a tic-tac toe grid and marked the upper left corner with an x. He offered her the pen and she took it. Unlike with Ryan, Troy's scent engulfed her. It was familiar and comforting to her senses. Soothing her nerves momentarily with his presence. She looked down at the grid and marked the center with a circle.

She held the pen up for him to take her eyes, sweeping over his side profile and noticing that today he wore a light gray shirt. The kind that clung to his shoulders a little. Similar to how she wanted to cling to them. Her eyes averted to the books on the opposite shelf. Her eyes combed through the encyclopedias.

Stop checking him out.

He took the pen back and marked the bottom left. "So, if we're not going to be friends-"

She jerked up a little. "I never said that," she frowned, taking the offered pen. "We just need some space from each other."

"I think we're past that party trick," he said leaning in closer so she could mark a circle in the middle left. "And I'm sick of the word space," he deadpanned.

"You know why we can't." She whispered as he blocked her with an x in the middle right column.

"I don't," he said with a shrug. "Not really," he offered her the pen and this time when she reached for it he pulled it out of reach.

"Troy."

"You said you were trying to get over me."

She winced. She was never drinking again.

"That means I still got a shot." He whispered. "And I'm going to take it."

Gabriella shook her head. "It means I'm moving on."

"Bullshit," Troy said pointedly. "You don't kiss someone like that if you're moving on."

She bit her bottom lip and they sat there for a while in silence, the whirl of a printer in the distance followed by the occasional beep from the librarian scanning in books from the other side of the room.

"Knock, knock." He whispered.

She let her shoulders fall. "Who's there?"

His lips curled a little in triumph. "Kiss."

Her heart sped up and she could feel him moving a little closer to her. Against her better judgment she responded. "Kiss who?"

"Kiss me Gabs."

Her heart began to sprint into a full gallop and her eyes fell from his softening eyes down to his lips. His very kissable lips that she now had first hand knowledge of.

"What about Ryan?" She whispered, feeling her internal conflict intensify as she questioned whether she was prepared to end her current relationship. And the immediate yes that filtered through her mind sent a mix of guilt and relief through her.

His jaw tightened. "I don't see him here, do you?" He glanced around the area where they were hidden from view. "Make the first move and I'll handle the rest." He shifted so he was facing her a little more. "Or you can tell me to get up and walk away. And I will. No pressure. "

She felt herself moving closer to him, like a magnetic pull. "What's the rest?"

"After we're done kissing." He raised an eyebrow at her. "We can talk if you want to, we could make out if you prefer. You can kick me out of here. It's your call. But I won't make the first move twice, Gabs."

His blue eyes were watching her intently, focused on her as if she hung the moon. And she loved that he looked at her that way. He was so gentle and yet intense, so uncertain yet confident.

She leaned in, felt her lips lightly press against his and just as she pulled back his hand sank into her hair as he pulled her back to him. His kiss lit a fire and melted every part of her resolve. She moved against him, getting closer, needing to be closer.

His arms scooped her up and next thing she knew she was straddling his lap. A hand on her back spread out and over her skin. Her bare skin, because his hand was inside her shirt. His warm touch made her shiver.

God, he felt good. He moves his lips slowly against hers, learning and teasing, seeing what he can get away with, testing how they fit together.

His hand that was entwined with her hair is now cupping the back of her neck and the pressure is delicious. It's not too much but it's also somehow not enough and that need for more makes her wiggle against him. Made her arch her back and she curled her fingers into his shirt.

She could deny this. She could tell herself this wasn't happening. Could maybe blame it on Troy, maybe blame it on the confusion of her feelings. But the truth was she was already in love with him. A silly little girl crush on her best friend that snowballed into a massive mess of feelings she couldn't find her way out of.

And she didn't want to.

The fact that he was kissing her back with such certainty and possessiveness made her feel warmth down to her toes. This is what she wanted to feel, this was what she thought kissing a boy should be like. And he wasn't just a boy, this was Troy.

Her body pulsed with joy, as the words finally echoed through her. Filling her with peace and setting her on fire all at once.

She wiggled in his lap again and this time he made a gruff noise in the back of his throat. And shifted his hand from the back of her neck. He pulled away from her lips, taking a deep breath as he watched her catch her own.

"You're so fucking incredible," he mumbled his hands sliding down to her waist as he visably relaxed. "But sweet Jesus, you're fucking stubborn." His fingers tighten a fraction on her hips.

She liked that he was a little rough with her. He never treated her like a fragile piece of glass. And he knew she wasn't experienced, but he didn't handle her like she was.

He made her feel sexy and powerful.

"Excuse you," she said, leaning back a little. "You're just as stubborn as I am." She mutters, releasing his shirt from her grasp. "We could have been doing this a long time ago."

"I love you," he said softly, "even when you make me wanna spank your perfectly round ass." He added between clenched teeth.

"You think about spanking me Bolton?" She can't help the way her shirt suddenly feels heavy against her breast. Like the thought of his hand print on her bottom made her core suddenly throb.

"I think about you." He says, his eyes roaming a little. "In a lot of dirty ways and positions."

She feels her center throb again. A warmth brewing in her lower abdomen. "Is that all this is? Sex."

"No," he says with certainty. "Don't get me wrong. I wanna fuck your god damn brains out." He says pushing his hips upwards and making his erection known. "But I also wanna listen to you rant about your writing, I wanna play video games with you all night and trash talk each other while we do it. I wanna watch your face do that goofy grin it does at the end of those chick flicks you make me watch."

"I want that too," she says with a grin. And as easily as her smile grows, it falls when she thinks about Ryan.

"What's wrong?" Troy asks.

"Ryan kind of asked me to skip first with him and head back to his place."

"Well, well, well," Troy murmurs with a smirk reaching up to sweep her hair back over her shoulder. "And here you are, straddling my lap instead."

"Ugh." She says rolling her eyes and pushing off of him. "Sometimes I question my sanity when it comes to you."

"What are you going to do about Prince Charming?"

She makes work of gathering her things. The challenge extended beyond her personal feelings, people were speculating that she was dating her boyfriend merely to incite jealousy in Troy. This assumption added another layer of complexity, making her contemplate how she could gracefully navigate a potential exit without appearing hypocritical.

She stopped mid pull on her bag's zipper. "Do you only want me because of Ryan?" She asks quickly. Not actually sure she could handle his response if it were true.

"I was going to ask you out that night," he said, glancing down at his hands. "Had me one of those big ole plans about how I was going to tell you."

She rocked back on her heels. "What happened, why didn't you?"

"You told me you needed space." His eyes met hers and she felt her heart squeeze.

Troy.

So that was it. Things were settled then.

A warmth spread from his chest outward. The idea that finally, after many nights of what ifs and could bes he was gonna find out first hand.

He was going to be the best boyfriend ever even if it killed him. Because she was worth it. Keeping her happy was worth it. Keeping her was worth it.

"So tell me again, about this proposition?" He asked as they both got to their feet. Her leggings clung to her skin like a sleeve and his fingers twitched at the idea of touching her round bottom.

Stop.

After mentally shaking himself he focused on her again. "Did he get pushy with you?"

"No," she huffed. "It wasn't like that." She crosses her arms. "I don't know what it is, I just don't like him that way."

"Be real with me." He says holding a hand out to her waist to halt her actions. His fingers curl with a mind of their own. Because suddenly he can't breathe without touching her in some form or way. As if she's enchanted him with the inability to leave her alone. Which is why he says his next words."Do you want this thing with Ryan to work? I can pull back, if that's what you want."

She shakes her head, and smiles a little less enthusiastically than he'd like. "That's not the problem."

"Then what is the problem?" He asked, resting a hand on a nearby shelf.

"I had a plan to get over you." She says quietly. "I got so tired of waiting and I'm still not entirely sure this is real."

"Then tell me what I have to do to convince you." He shrugs. "Name it. It's yours."

Gabriella made a face, her brows knitted together. "I don't know how to answer that."

They were quiet for a moment and he let out a breath. "Okay, well. How did you get out of this "coffee date"?" He says, wrapping the last two words in air quotes.

She let out a snort laugh. "I told him, I was on my period."

"And, that worked?" Troy asked, a little taken aback.

Gabriella visibly winced. "God, you're disgusting."

He laughs quietly, nudging her back against the books behind her and caging her in between his arms. "Sex and menstruation are two totally healthy and normal things." He says leaning in close. "Riding my dick until you orgasm could be a very naturally administered painkiller." He says the last part in a low whisper only audible to her as he presses his body against hers.

He loves the way their bodies align, the way she fits against him like a glove. Her frame perfectly matched his own. God he could imagine it. Her body on top of him, wrapped around his cock and loving every minute of driving him wild.

Her eyes widen and she takes a steading breath. "Whoa." She whispers. "It's like I'm experiencing an entirely different side of you." She shakes her head as if memorized by him and her bottom lip disappears between her teeth.

"Allow me," he says, leaning down and placing a kiss on her lips, catching her by surprise and then taking her bottom lip between his own teeth and gently nipping it.

She gasps and pulls away from him. Her fingers reach up to touch her lips. "You bit me," she mumbles in disbelief.

He winks at her and pushes away, leaning over to pick her bag up from the floor and swing it over his shoulder. "You gotta dump the boyfriend Gabs. Cheating on him isn't going to end well and it won't make you feel good."

"I know that. It's just complicated and I don't want to hurt his feelings."

He nods, as they fall into step beside each other. "Losing you is going to hurt baby."

Her head snaps up at the endearment, but if it feels uncomfortable she doesn't say anything, her cheeks blush a little and he takes it as a sign that it felt as natural to her to hear it as it felt for him to say it.

"Do you want to practice it on me? I could offer some feedback."

She shakes her head. "Wouldn't that be weird."

"Wouldn't be the weirdest thing we did today." He shrugs.

She trucks a wavy strand of hair behind her ear. "We should probably be more careful about that."

"Yeah," he grunts. "We all know how popular the library is. It was like being at a prep rally there."

"Stop," she pushes at his side and they come out into the hall. The smile on her face falters and she lets out a sigh, "I'll talk to him today."

"Should I wait up for you?" He shifts and hands her her bag.

She shakes her head. "I'll let you know when I'm home. I'll see you later."

"Counting on it." He says with a grin.

She pauses, and for a moment he thinks she might take it back. That she might tell him it's a bad idea. She considers it. She almost says it. Then she nods and turns to go. "Later Bolton."

"Later Montez."

Gabriella.

She had to do this. She had no other choice. Things with Troy escalated so quickly that to keep leading Ryan on would be cruel.

So when he met her after their last class and offered to walk her to her car she knew what she had to do.

They sat in her car. In the school parking lot. The air in the enclosed space felt thick with tension as Gabriella and Ryan faced each other, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily. Ryan's eyes bore into Gabriella's, a mix of frustration and hurt etched across his features. "You've been using me, haven't you?" Ryan's accusation cut through the silence, his voice a blend of anger and sadness. "Sharpay was right."

Gabriella's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and pain. "No, Ryan, that's not fair. It's not about Troy," she protested, her voice carrying the weight of sincerity. "That's not what this was at all. In fact, I was trying to move on, to put him behind me. It's just... it's not that easy."

Ryan's frustration deepened, "Every time Troy is around, you act differently. I feel like I'm just a pawn in some game you're playing with him." His words hung in the air, charged with accusation.

Tears welled up in Gabriella's eyes as she responded, "It's not like that, Ryan. I wanted to be with you, I did. It's just... my heart isn't fully in it. You deserve someone who can give you all of themselves, and right now, I can't. I wish I could, but it's not fair to you."

"Well I wouldn't want you to do me any favors." He said shifting in his seat. "Damn it, Gabriella. So you know how stupid this makes me look."

"You're not stupid."

"Oh, I'm stupid alright." He bit out. "Practically everyone said you and Bolton were inevitable and I, like dumb ass, actually believed you when you said you guys were just friends."

"Ryan."

"The guy gets everything he wants, I don't get it. You must love being treated like shit because I don't understand why you'd put up with it."

"That's not-"

"He was making out with my sister on friday at the party," he says sharply. "You get that don't you? What that means? He's a dog." he clarified.

"This isn't about Troy," she said sharply. "This is about us. And I'm trying to be honest with you."

"Then start by being honest with yourself. Troy practically said jump, and you asked how high?"

When she didn't respond he let out huff.

"If we're being honest, tell me the truth." Ryan sneered. "He made a move on you already didn't he?"

"Ryan," she tried softly, not wanting to discuss things further.

"Bet you put out for him," Ryan snapped, "Then again he played the long game and I've only been in it for two weeks."

"That's enough," she snapped. "Get out of my car."

"Gladly," he bit out. "I'm so fucking done." He pulled at her door handle and quickly got out of the car. "This was a fucking joke."

"Get out!" she screamed.

"You two deserve each other." He shot back before slamming her car door shut.

A wave of feelings crashed into her and she let out a low breath. She felt awful. Like scum. She wiped a tear away from her cheek and shifted, turning on the car and pulling out of the lot.

As the car engine hummed beneath her, Gabriella navigated the familiar streets, her eyes glazed with tears as she rehashed that conversation with Ryan. His words, coated with the bitter truth about Troy's past, echoed in her mind. And the harsh reality stung, leaving her grappling with the realization that she was still blind to Troy's shortcomings. The emotional toll of accepting that truth weighed heavily on her heart.

He's a dog.

Images of Troy's recent actions flooded Gabriella's mind, particularly the vivid memory of him in a passionate lip lock with Sharpay Evans over the weekend. The swift transition between their shared history to his involvement with someone else felt like a betrayal. When she kissed Ryan she felt nothing. Not even a slight interest. Nothing like how she felt when she kissed Troy.

So then what did that say about Troy's "feelings" for her. She couldn't shake the question of why he hadn't shown the same intensity of feelings towards her if he had them all this time. The thought of Troy moving on so quickly from girl to girl, would he do that to her? Would she survive it if he did? Especially when it seemed like they shared a genuine connection.

She came to a red light. Her grip on the steering wheel tighter as she found herself on the verge of losing composure.

How could she be so stupid? How could she forget about that kiss she witnessed with her own two eyes?

As Gabriella drove through the night, the streets blurred with her tears. The images of Troy and Sharpay lingered like haunting shadows against the walls of her mind, the weight of reality sinking in. The raw emotions of heartbreak and the dawning reality that she had been played hit her in waves, prompting a cascade of tears that fell freely in the solitude of her car. The drive home became a journey through a sea of emotions, and Gabriella couldn't escape the tumultuous waves of pain that accompanied the shattered fragments of what she thought she had with Troy.

Troy.

As Troy paced back and forth in his room, the weight of uncertainty pressed heavily on him. Gabriella's promise to see him later echoed in his mind, yet her car had been parked in the driveway for over an hour. Anxiety knotted in his stomach as he considered various scenarios – the fear that she regretted their actions, that she had decided to stay with Ryan, or worse, that he had been too pushy. A cloud of doubt hovered, questioning whether he had misread the situation, if he had overstepped the boundaries of their friendship.

Of course he had overstepped, his hands were up her shirt.

The nerves intensified as Troy replayed their shared kiss, questioning the authenticity of Gabriella's interest and excitement. The thought that perhaps it was all imaginary gnawed at him, especially considering their long history of mutual attraction. He tried to dismiss these intrusive doubts, reminding himself that Gabriella had harbored a crush on him for years, and he, in turn, had similar feelings.

He should check on her. No. That was needy. What if she needed time to process? It would be selfish to go over there on a mission to settle his own nerves.

As he glanced out of his window, Troy noticed the light in Gabriella's bedroom was still on. Her mother wasn't home, and the lack of communication from Gabriella was only heighting his nervous anticipation. Why hadn't she texted him? Why hadn't she called? He stared hard at her window, the blush pink curtains tinting the light.

His eyes narrowed at the window, watching for a sign. Anything. He was holding his breath without even realizing it.

This was stupid.

He was going over there.

Troy turned to leave, his heart pounding as he raced down the stairs. "Heading over to game with Gabs, I'll be back!"

"Don't stay up too late," His mother called from the living room where she was cuddled up with his dad watching TV.

"Noted," he called back.

Once outside he made his way to the tree outside her window, he climbed it easily enough. He'd been doing it for years, much to her mothers constant reminders of injury and ER horror stories.

Once at the top he made his way over the banister of her balcony and to the french doors. He knocked once, twice, when the curtain pulled open and he came face to face with her tear stained face, her eyes filled with sadness. It made his fingers curl into fist.

"I'm going to kill him." He mumbled. Mind made up he backed away from the glass and headed back for the tree.

The door flew open and Gabriella stepped out. "Troy, wait. He didn't do anything wrong."

"Like hell he didn't," he said over his shoulder. He made her cry. That was enough of a reason.

"Friday night at the party. Why did you kiss Sharpay?" She sniffled.

He halted in his tracks one leg already over the banister. A slight confusion caught him off guard. "I didn't-"

"I saw you making out with her." Gabriella bit out. "You're a real hypocrite, you know that?"

"I didn't kiss her," He said pointedly. "She kissed me, after I said no. What you probably saw was me pushing her away."

"Yeah," she grunted. "It looked like a real struggle for you. Good thing the wall was there for you to brace the landing."

"For fuck sake," he turned back towards her his eyes narrowed. "Is that what's wrong? You're upset about seeing me possibly kiss Sharpay last weekend when you greeted your boyfriend like he had just come back from a tour of duty?"

"He was my boyfriend."

"And I wasn't, I was single, remember that?" He bit out.

She flinched.

He cursed.

"I turned her down." Troy made a face. "She saw how I reacted when you kissed Ryan and she made it a point to kiss me anyway." He said in a softer tone. "That's the reason I left."

"What about the other girls?" She said, crossing her arms. "It's been so easy for you?" Her voice shook a little but she held her ground, her glare pining him in place.

He let out a sigh, leaning back against the banister and crossing his arms. "Gabriella, I've had these feelings for you for just over a year. And yeah my past record isn't the best but in the last year it's been pretty nonexistent if you haven't noticed."

Her eyes widened a fraction as she held his gaze. "You've liked me for the past year?"

"And you would know that if you just talked to me about it like I asked." Troy said with a shrug. "I've never had a girlfriend, and it's not because I don't want one. I do, I just wasn't sure I could be a boyfriend that good enough for you."

"But you are good enough," she murmurs. "You're kind and considerate, always there when your friends need you. You take care of everyone, no questions asked, you listen to people, and you make them feel like they matter."

"I'm not that nice," he said quietly. "I just stole another guy's girl for Christ sake."

"I have never been anyone else's girl but yours."

He smiled softly at that. "Why were you so scared to tell me how you felt?"

"You knew I liked you?" She whispered.

"Yeah, I did." He said quietly. "And I was terrified, I've never been in a relationship with anyone other than you, just the slightest opportunity of losing you scares the shit out of me."

"I was scared too. Scared you didn't like me and I'd make it weird."

"It's us Gabs." He shrugged. "We're always weird."

At that she laughed.

He let out a breath, "I don't know what's gonna happen next year when we go to college."

"Berkeley and Stanford aren't that far apart." She shrugged. "And I like long car rides anyway."

He thought about it for a moment and then let out a sigh. "I guess I could get a new truck?" He winced.

They both chuckled.

"I love you." He said horsley "I don't want to screw up what we have, whatever this is, and I've fallen pretty damn hard for you. I just hope that whatever happens, we don't ruin what we had before any of this happened."

"I love you too."

"Are we done with this argument?" He whispered. "I would really like to make out with my girlfriend right now."

She inhaled sharply. "That's gonna take getting use to."

"All the more reason we need to practice," he wiggled an eyebrow and was rewarded when she laughed.

God, he loved that laugh.

"I don't like it when you cry." He said a little more somberly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm better," she shrugged. "I feel a little foolish. I'm a little nervous about what people are gonna say tomorrow."

"Fuck em," he shrugged. "They aren't having amazing makeout sessions."

Gabriella blew out a breath, shifting her weight onto her left leg. "We've only made out twice."

"And both times it was mind blowing," he teased.

"We're not having sex," she said quietly. "I want to eventually but not right away."

"You're the boss," he nodded.

Finally she lifted her finger and wiggled it in his direction calling him to her and he came eagerly. His arms scooped her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. And fuck if that didn't fill him with a flutter of excitement.

She bent down to meet his lips and he groaned into her touch. She felt amazing against him, like kissing finally made sense. Like everything he'd done before pressing his lips to hers was a joke.

He walked into her room and towards the bed. Their lips locked in a frenzy of lust and pent up feelings. Turning so he could sit down with her on his lap. She rocked her hips and his hands came to her waist. "Are you teasing me?" He rasped.

"Maybe a little." She mumbled before covering his lips with her own. "You kind of deserve it." She said against his lips.

He growled and let his fingers tighten on her waist. He shifted her hips back and forth over his hardening bulge. His lips tasting hers once, twice and on the third kiss she pulled away with a deep breath.

"Is this okay?" he said, shifting her hips again. He didn't want to push her, but he also didn't want to assume.

"It's good," she nods.

"We don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with. I mean it. You're safe with me, I'm not gonna push for anything more if this is all you're comfortable with."

"Well I'm not a prude," she said with an arched brow.

"I know," he said quickly.

"I have things I want to try."

"Lay it on me," he said leaning forward and moving the hair off her shoulder to place a kiss on her neck.

She shifted her hips again, letting out a little sigh as she pulled at his shirt. "Take this off."

He didn't need to be told twice; he shifted and removed his shirt. Happy when he was rewarded with a kiss on his shoulder. Then a bite. The surprise of it made him jerk. "Whoa," he laughed.

"Is that okay?" She asked with a raised brow. "We don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with. I mean it. You're safe with me, I'm not gonna push for anything more if this is all you're comfortable with."

"Cute," he replied with a smirk. "I always knew you had a kink to you."

She let out a laugh, "Think you can handle it?"

"I'm pretty sure I can." He teased playfully. He liked this little surprise. Although when he thought about her trashy mouth when they played video games it really shouldn't have been a surprise.

And as if to prove that point she shoved him onto his back and he inhaled sharply as she sat up right and took off her shirt. Her hair falling down over her shoulders, the ends curling up and wild as they brushed across the top of her breasts. His eyes roamed over all of her landing on her breasts which were covered in pink lace.

"No touching," she whispered, as she took her shirt and twisted it into a makeshift rope. She leaned forward, taking his hands and putting them over his head. She made quick work of trying him up and once she was finished she sat upright.

Oh fuck.

"This is hot." He murmured looking up at the knot she made around his wrist. "Unexpected but still hot."

She laughed softly, her hands reaching behind her back. And he stiffened. She wouldn't. Would she?

But she was.

His best friend of seven years had tied him up and was now straddling his lap and unclasping her bra.

This had to be a dream. There was no way this was real. Her hips rocked again and he inhaled sharply at the warmth against his bulge.

"I think we need to define what sex is." His eyes were glued to her chest and he watched in amazement as she removed one bra strap at a time holding the cups of her bra against her breast. His mouth went dry with anticipation.

"I've always wondered what it would be like to strip for you." She said with a smile. "I have this little fantasy, where I tie you up to my bed and after stripping off all my clothes, I climb up and ride your face until I'm coming all over your tongue."

"Holy shit." He murmurs his dick straining against the seam of his jeans. His brows shot up. "Wait, is this what you're constantly writing about?"

When she lets her bra drop he gets a good look at her breast. All thoughts and questions go mute. Her perfectly shaped, handfuls of breast are right there begging for his mouth to take those perky little nipples between his teeth.

"It's official," he says quietly. "When I die this moment will be one of the last things to flash before my eyes."

"You haven't even seen me fully naked yet." She gets up hovering over him as she tugs on the waistband of her pants. "Is this still okay?" She asks.

"It's more than okay," he said, meeting her brown eyes. "You can take advantage of me whenever you want to."

She steps down from the bed and begins removing her pants, the same ones he itched to touch her through this afternoon. He was going to come before she even finished getting undressed and he wasn't the least bit embarrassed about it.

"You're so god damn beautiful." He murmured. "and it's not just because your a fucking goddess either." He said watching her now standing by the bed in her pink cotton boy shorts. "The way you think, the sparkle in your eyes when you talk about something that important to you, you're fucking gorgeous."

He watches as her bottom lip disappears between her teeth and he groans. "Get up here."

She smiles and turns around hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her underwear and slowly pulling them down. She glances back to watch him over her shoulder and he about comes in his pants at the sight of her round firm behind.

As soon as he was able to, he was going to take a bite out of that ass.

Gabriella.

She felt powerful and beautiful. Baring herself to Troy was high she would probably ride for next few weeks. The sight of him rock hard and tied down with her shirt. The way his eyes roamed her body like a touch.

She felt him everywhere and she was already slick from her excitement. She could feel it coaxing her inner thighs.

She was happy she'd tied him up for this, he definitely would have grabbed for her by now if he could. And while she could enjoy all the ways Troy overpowered her and manhandled her body she wanted this to be on her terms.

"You're driving me crazy." He said shifting a little.

She bites her lip again as she makes her way over to him. Her eyes combing over his bare chest and abs. His muscles were cut and defined. For a moment she contemplated licking him from his stomach to chest.

God, he was so fucking pretty.

She approached him slowly, her eyes taking him in. Unable to resist she lowered her lips to his navel and placed a kiss there.

"Oh fuck," he slured.

That made her smile and she decided to do exactly what she wanted to. And she dragged her tongue lazily up his torso enjoying how his breathing got more rapid and shallow.

"Are you ready for me?" She whispered once she was in his ear. She smiled knowingly as she began leaving little kisses on his jaw line.

"You know I'm gonna eat it now and fuck it later aren't I gorgeous?" He rasped. "I plan to get very familiar with your pretty pussy."

"God you're so cocky." She smiled as she got into position over his face.

"Do me a favor," he said, his eyes watching her intently. "Be very vocal."

With that she lowered herself on top of him and let out a moan when he slid his tongue up and down between her folds. He started with long licks as if he was savoring her and then he began to lap at her sex and she let out a sigh of pleasure as she rocked against him a little.

She arched her back and mumbled his name as she reached up to fondle her breast. "Your tongue feels so good."

Never in a million years had she thought she'd be riding Troy like this. And he did not disappoint. The way his tongue flicked over her, never letting up on her swollen clit.

"Oh god." She murmured "that's it, right there." She pleaded. Wiggling her hips just a little as he made little zigzagging swipes with his tongue. Gabriella all but sobbed from the sudden storm of need ripping through her. Honestly she was going to come soon. And she was more than positive she was going to see stars when she did.

He circled her sex with his tongue before flicking it and sending a zing of pleasure that began rippling through her building rapidly until he was stroking her sex with such fever that she began to shake a little.

"Troy," she panted.

He kept up with the pace and with another flick every inch of her body was set ablaze in white flame of heat and pleasure.

"Troy," she rasp out again, her thighs clenching a little as her body melted into a gelatin-like state, her bones no longer sturdy.

On a gasp she shifted her weight falling to the mattress beside him. "I didn't hurt you did I?" She said with concern.

"No," he shook his head. "Even if you did, I don't care. It was worth it."

She laughed softly as she sat up and untied the shirt from his wrist. Freeing him from her makeshift constraints. She'd never tied anyone up before, she'd read about it, and she practiced with an old belt of hers once. But she never actually had the opportunity.

"Thank you for letting me tie you up."

"Any time," He said, as he rotated his wrist, rubbing at them a bit. "Just hope you're ready for when it's my turn."

She felt the flush come up her neck. The idea of letting Troy tie her up made her want to begin squirming all over again. She got out of bed and headed to her dresser where she pulled out a big t-shirt with bigfoot on it.

"I'm gonna go wash up a little bit, I'll be right back." Troy said, before disappearing out into the hall.

Gabriella reached for a new pair of underwear and put the old ones into the laundry basket. Tucking her hair behind her ears she let out a sigh.

It was weird, to not feel weird. She should feel weird. Shouldn't she?

She was surprised they went as far as they did tonight. Surprised by his gentleness and honesty. The way he told her she was gorgeous. His eyes were so lit with fire, hunger and desire. No one had ever looked at her like that before.

A giggle escaped her and she quickly clamped a hand down over her mouth.

She needed to be cool.

Troy had just given her oral sex, an act that felt intensely intimate. Even her orgasm felt intense, she felt everything at once. Her emotions for him, his emotions for her, the pleasure of his touch, how powerful it made her feel.

Her body sagged a little as she laid back into her bed. The emotional whiplash of the last 48 hours finally sinking into her bones.

"Hi," Troy said, coming back into the room. His shirtless torso pulled her out of her thoughts and demanded her attention.

"You should always be shirtless." She said with a small smile.

"Noted," he sank beside her and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her into him. It felt so good to be surrounded by him, his smell and warmth felt like a bubble of comfort and familiarity.

She arched her brow. "I could return the favor if you like?"

"No need," he said with huff. "I barely made it past the strip tease, then you came all over my tongue groaning out my name like that." Troy let out a sigh. "I'm an easy man."

She smiled proudly. "So, I made you come without even touching your dick." She smirked. "That's gotta be a record."

"It is," he chuckled softly, his breath warming her neck as he pulled her midsection to him so her backside was pressed against his front. "You do things to me Gabriella, things someone might even consider witchcraft."

"God, you're so full of shit." She mumbled as she snuggled into his grasp.

"It's true." He murmurs against her skin. His whispered kisses making her insides swoop and swirl like an army of butterflies. "There's my heart, and then there's you," he said as his thumb brushed lightly against her abdomen, "I'm not even sure there's a difference."

Warmth flutters through her, filling her with an urge to giggle and she bites down on her bottom lip.

She would not be that girl.

He bushes some of her hair back and places a small kiss on her shoulder. "Would you like me to leave the room so you can giggle in private." He murmurs and she can feel his lips smiling.

"Shut up," she sighs, thrusting her backside into him and letting out a small giggle.

He chuckles as he repositions himself. "I think I like this part the most," he said, pressing another kiss on her shoulder. "Holding you."

Her lips pull into a goofy grin. "I like it too."

"You should get some sleep," he murmured. "I'll head back afterwards."

She felt herself sinking into him, breathing deeper as she began drifting off to sleep.

Troy.

Troy's heart raced with exhilaration as he walked through the school hallway hand in hand with Gabriella. The realization that she was now officially his girlfriend sent waves of happiness through him, and he couldn't help but smile as he glanced over at her. The simple act of holding hands in public felt like a small victory.

Unable to contain his excitement, he stops midstrid and pulls her back to him making those behind them go around. She comes to him with a raised brow, suspicious of his actions, "What are you doing?"

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

She smiles curiously, "I'm absolutely sure," she says which might as well be music to Troy's ears. Her certainty fuels his joy, erasing any lingering doubts.

"After today, there won't be any undoing this," he warns.

"Good. Wouldn't want to give you an easy out."

He chuckles softly, pulling her to him until she's up against his chest. Then, right there in the bustling high school hallway with confidence and a surge of affection, Troy leans in, planting a sweet kiss on Gabriella's lips.

The action causes the hallway buzz to get louder around them as some people cheer and others tease. The murmurs of finallys and about time make his ears red and he smiles knowingly as Gabriella's neck flushes a light shade of pink.

"Knock, knock" he says, taking her hand in his again and continuing on their way down the hall.

"Who's there?"

"Aherd."

She arches a brow, "aherd who?"

"Aherd, you like guys who tell knock, knock jokes."

She burst out into laughter and he couldn't help but smile with pride as they made their way to her locker. This was perfect, how it always should be.

He leaned against the locker beside hers, his eyes taking in her outfit with appreciation. She was wearing a black tank with ripped jeans and bright pink flannel that was falling off her right shoulders. Her hair was pulled back in a messy mass of curls.

"You wanna make out in my Truck later?"

She smirked. "I don't do makeout sessions in the school parking lot."

"So we'll drive around the block."

She let out a laugh and shook her head. "Are you always this horny?"

He pushes himself off the lockers. Coming to wrap an arm around her waist and kiss the slope of her neck. "I'm horny because of you. The thought of making you come makes me insatiable."

"Hey love birds," Taylor sings as she comes to stand by Gabriella's locker. "People are watching."

Troy groans and lifts his head from her neck. He takes a couple steps back, his body disappointed by the distance.

"Hi," Gabriella says with a grin. "How bad is it?"

"All the girls are jealous babe," she says with a shrug. "I wouldn't worry about it."

"Hey," Chad comes by extending a hand in his direction. They embrace in a side hug, and he stops listening in on Taylor and Gabriella's conversation.

"You two finally got your shit together?" Chad asked with a hopeful expression.

Troy nodded his eyes shifting back to her, unable to resist that sliver of bare skin on her shoulder. "We did."

"Great because you were a real fucking pain in the ass for minute there." Chad placed a light hand on Gabriella's back. "Seriously, he's fucking pathetic without you."

"Okay," Troy interjected playfully. "That's enough."

The group broke out into laughter. And he almost felt embarrassed for a moment until those molten chocolate eyes shifted towards him. And he saw the way she loved him, appreciated him, and enjoyed his nearness. She looked so happy, so light, so relaxed. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.

They'd always been able to communicate and soothe the others feelings but this. The way she looked at him now? Oh, he knew right then and there he would look like an idiot ten times a day if it made her look at him like that.

"I was jealous," he admitted with a shrug. "And maybe a little heartbroken."

Her features softened as she leaned into him. A loving touch as she shifted her hand against his chest. "Meet me in the parking lot during lunch." She said quietly.

That made his brow arch. "Really?"

"Really." She kissed his cheek and pulled away, smiling as she began making her way to class. "See you later Bolton."

"Counting on it." He responded, chuckling as Chad began pulling on his shirt.

"Come on Romeo, we can't be late for English. Your dad will kill us."

Epilogue

Eight Years Later.

As the morning sun gently painted the room in warm hues, Troy stirred from sleep, greeted by the familiar sound of birdsong and the snoring of their Labrador, Bowser, sleeping beside the bed. The day felt alive with possibilities, and Troy's eyes shifted slowly over the room taking in his surroundings. He felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the life he had built, a life intertwined with the woman he loved.

Turning his gaze to the other side of the bed, Troy's eyes lingered on his wife, Gabriella. A gentle smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he marveled at the radiance that enveloped her, the gentle curve of her belly silently announcing the life they were creating together. Five months pregnant, and every passing day only deepened his appreciation for the incredible journey they were beginning together.

Troy's fingers lightly traced the contours of Gabriella's face, his heart swelling with affection. He marveled at the strength she exhibited, both physically and emotionally, as she embraced the changes that pregnancy brought. In his eyes, she was the embodiment of grace, resilience, and the promise of new beginnings. Every detail about her spoke volumes — the way her hair fell in cascading waves, the soft glow of her skin, and the subtle rise and fall of her breath as she slept.

He thought back on those two miserable weeks he thought he'd missed his chance. The possibility of this story, their story, not happening because he'd been afraid to confess his feelings and mess things up between them. That he might have missed out on this journey of friendship to love that they had woven together with shared moments, laughter, and unspoken understandings.

Troy gently placed a kiss on Gabriella's forehead, he whispered words of gratitude for the woman beside him and the journey they were navigating together, hand in hand.

"Oh good, you're up," Gabriella smiled sleepily as she placed a hand over the swell of her stomach. "We want pancakes."

"I can make pancakes," he said, sitting up and reaching for her hand. He held it inside of his own for a moment before bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. His lips curving into a smile as she let out a little sigh. One little tug and she came to him willingly. "What's in it for me?" He asked with a grin.

She sat up a little bit, her brown hair was a mess of wayward curls that were partially coming loose from her long hanging ponytail. "Depends on the effort put into the pancakes," she murmured.

"What if I make the protein kind with bananas?"

She shifted, sitting up further and then coming closer to him. "I guess we could make out a little."

He smiled knowingly, his hand coming up and sliding a pinky beneath the pink strap of her tank top. It slid down exposing the top of her breast a little more to him.

She shifted and climbed up into his lap. Her thighs straddled him as he scooped up handfuls of her ass in both his hands giving her a firm squeeze. Enjoying the thin fabric of her pink cotton boy shorts.

"Fuck baby," he murmured his mouth watering at the swell of her breast. "I love your body."

She chuckled softly, "even though I have bed head and probably awful morning breath."

"As long as it's my bed you're rolling out of, it's hot," he said, shifting his hands inside her panties and sinking his fingertips into her ass again. He shifted his hips pressing his erection up and into her, enjoying her heat.

"That's not fair, you know I'm horny."

"I don't know anything," he smiled innocently as he lifted his hands up to her waist and decided to wrap his mouth around her nipple. Nipping at it softly through the flimsy spaghetti strap top.

She moaned and rocked her hips back and forth over him. "New plan," she mumbled. "I want orgasms for breakfast."

"You were gonna get those regardless." He mutters, before taking her other nipple in his mouth and gently flicking it with his tongue.

Her hands come up around his neck wrapping them around him snuggly as she rocks back and forth again.

He groans and reaches back, pulling her panties to the side and using a finger to probe her pussy. "You're soaking wet baby."

She moans arching up and tugging at his boxers making quick work of pulling him out. Her hands wrapping around his hard shaft and stroking slowly.

The feel of her touch sends a moan up and out from between his clenched jaw. He had practice in two hours but he'd make time for this, for her. To make her feel good, to show her just how much he adored her.

"Put it in baby,"

She does as she told, sinking down on him slowly until he balls deep inside her. Her velvet soft walls clenched around him like a vice grip.

"You feel so fucking good," she murmurs rocking slightly. She looked him right in the eye and whimpered as she pulled up and sank down again taking in every inch of him. God, he was the luckiest man on the planet.

"Grab the headboard." He growled bringing his hands to her waist as thrusted up into her enjoying her sharp gasp and she lurched forward her hands out and wrapped around the bars of the wooden headboard.

Then he proceeded to fuck her goddamn brains out. Giving into her sweet tight and silky pussy while she let out horny little sobs of his name.

"Fuck baby I'm giving it to you good aren't I?" He said enjoying the way she was pushing back onto him, meeting him thrust for thrust. "You're dripping wet."

"Troy," she whimpered. "Fuck me just like that. Keep going."

"You're damn right I'm gonna keep going." He said, pounding into her. "I wouldn't dare stop until you're gushing all over my cock."

Her mouth fell open in a quiet scream and he kept the rhythm going. He couldn't have slowed down to save the world. Not when she felt this good, not when she was begging him not to.

Her tits had bounced out of her top, her ponytail sagged lower now she was winded and anxious. He leaned forward scooping her up and shifting till she was on her back. Then he reached for her pussy with his middle and ring finger. Sliding over that button that made her thighs ripple.

"Your so fucking hot," he murmured, "I love playing with this pussy Gabriella."

She moaned again, she was close.

"I love tasting it, fucking, stroking it." He punched into it with each word. "And love making it come baby." He swiped quickly at her slippery cunt and she was panting hard again. "That's right Gabs, let it happen. Cum all over my cock."

He thrusted two more times before he felt her clench around his cock. Her back arching off the bed as she fisted the sheets. His name on her lips as she moaned and whimpered. The sight of it was so erotic.

A white zinging flash of pleasure ripped through his body, knocking him forward as he spilled into her. His breathing ragged as he hovered over her. Not wanting to crush her or the baby.

After a moment of blissful happiness, he pulled out of her adjusting the waistband of his boxers. "I'll go make the pancakes."

She sighed in content and stretched out in the bed, a satisfied grin on her lips. "I'll be down soon, I'm going to shower."

"Take your time," he said, climbing off the bed and coming around to the foot of it where he could place a kiss on her forehead. "God, your so fucking beautiful."

"I'm a mess right now," she laughed, reaching up to push some of her hair back.

"And it's fucking beautiful," he grinned proudly.

Gabriella

She gazed down at her newborn baby, feeling an overwhelming sense of love and joy wash over her. The sound of Troy's footsteps approaching the nursery made her heart flutter with anticipation. He'd been tied up with the new training schedule, but the season was coming to an end and they would have a break soon.

As he entered the room, Troy looked at her with a warm smile. His eyes shone with love and adoration as he took in the sight of their precious baby. "Chad called, apparently Taylor is not as delightful during this second pregnancy." He murmured as he crossed the room and stood beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist as they both looked down at their little one.

"Yeah," Gabriella frowned for a moment. "She called earlier, upset about her ankles. They're swelling already."

They were both quiet for a moment as they watched their daughter sleep soundly.

"She's perfect," Troy whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "I can't believe we created something so beautiful together."

Gabriella felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes as she leaned into her husband's embrace. Being married to your best friend was truly a blessing that not everyone gets to experience, but for those who do, it's like hitting the jackpot in life.

There's something so special about sharing your life with someone who knows you inside and out, who accepts you for who you are, flaws and all, and who genuinely wants the best for you.

When you marry your best friend, you get to wake up every morning next to the person who makes you laugh, who understands your quirks, and who supports you through thick and thin. You have someone to lean on when times get tough, and someone to celebrate with when things are going well. You have a partner in crime who is always by your side, ready to take on the world together.

One of the greatest things about being married to your best friend is the deep level of trust and understanding that comes with the relationship. You can be completely yourself, without fear of judgment or rejection. You can speak your mind, share your dreams, and express your fears, knowing that your partner will always be there to listen and offer support.

"I love you," Troy said softly, pressing a kiss to Gabriella's forehead. "And I love her more than words can express."

As they stood there, united in their love for their daughter, Gabriella felt a sense of peace settle over her. She knew that no matter what challenges they faced in the future, they would always have each other and their little family.

In that moment, surrounded by the warmth and love of her husband and newborn baby, Gabriella felt truly happy and grateful for the life they had built together. She couldn't wait to see what the future held for their little family.

"I'm gonna put her down," she said quietly moving towards the crib and gently bending over.

She held her breath just a little as she placed a hand on her daughter's back and waited for her to resettle before pulling her hand away.

Once free, Troy's arms came to wrap around her middle section pulling her closer to him. "Let's go take a warm bath." He mumbled.

"I have bottles to wash," she mumbled.

"Let's take a warm bath, get you to bed. And I'll wash the bottles." He said softly. "Let me take care of you for a little while."

"Okay," she smiled softly. "I like the sound of that."

"Me too," he whispered as he ushered her out of the room. "Anytime I can see you naked sounds great to me."

"No sex for 6 weeks," she scolded. "We still have two weeks to go."

"If I recall correctly, the last time you told me we weren't having sex. You ended up naked and riding my face."

She felt the flush crept up her neck. "I have zero regrets."

"Good."

She let him lead her to the bathroom and before she could remove her robe he boosted her body up onto the bathroom vanity top, between the double sinks. His lips on hers in a demanding kiss, as his hands gently massaged her swollen breast.

His touch felt so good she leaned into him. Wanting more. Needing more. "Troy."

"I know," he said, grabbing her by the waist and yanking her to the edge of the vanity. "I'm gonna lick this pussy Gabs."

That earned a moan of anticipation, as she let her head fall back, letting him lick the arch of her neck and gently nip at the skin there.

"I'm gonna lick this pussy till you come," he said in a whisper, reaching down for her underwear and yanking it down her thighs in urgency. "Then I'm going to give you a warm bath with those bubbles you like and while I'm soaping your gorgeous body up I'm use my fingers to make you come again."

"Yes please." She whimpered. Muted when his mouth took hers again. Her body craved his touch as he growled into her kiss.

This was most likely payback for last night when she woke him up with a naked blowjob. Unable to resist the temptation upon coming back to bed, she'd deep throated his dick and made him beg for release.

And she'd take her punishment with anticipated joy. She watched as he lowered himself down onto his knees and hitched up her oversized t-shirt. Revealing her bare pussy to him.

"Just wait till I get the all clear to wreck this pussy know what waiting for it does to me." He mumbles.

"Yes," she murmured, wiggling a little in his grasp. Feeling that needy pulsing desire inside her. Missing his thrust and the way she could tease and ride his cock. "Troy."

Without another word he pushed her legs open and greeted her sex with a long lick. The swooping pleasure made her jerk from the vanity surface for a moment.

Then his hands clamped around her thighs and he shifted so her left leg was over his shoulder. He had her anchored down and feeling of his body over powering hers turned her on even more.

He continued at his task, stroking her clit with the tip of his tounge. Teasing her and making her fight his hold, she wanted more of him. She wanted more pressure and he knew it.

"Troy please," she begged. "Please fuck my little clit with your tongue."

And then he did just that. Pressing the full pad of his tongue against her and shifting up and down. Causing her hands to grip the vanity for security because she was free falling into pleasure. Letting Troy hold her down and give her just what she needed to dance on the brink of her orgasm. Her abdomen quaking as she tried to wiggle against his hold, trying to make herself come before he was ready to let her.

Then she was coming, wave after wave of pleasure coursing through her. Her mouth falling open in quiet screams as she gave into it. Her body is pumping with endorphins and making her bones feel soft and warm.

She feels his hold on her loosen and she whimpers from the loss of his touch. Missing her anchor.

"Easy baby." He murmurs, moving away for a moment as he makes work of setting up the bath.

Her eyes watch him move around their master bathroom. Watching his muscles flex and shift as he puts together what they need. He's still as attentive to her needs as he was all those years ago. Always putting her needs before his, making sure she is taken care of.

Even with their daughter Lucy. She can see it in his eyes. Their daughter who wasn't even two months old had this man wrapped completely around her tiny fingers and it made her heart swell.

Once the bathtub was ready he turned back to her with a smirk pulling at his lips. His brow arching in curiosity.

"What are you smiling at?" He mumbled.

She shrugs, "I'm just happy."

His smile softens and his blue eyes meet hers, "so am I," he says quietly. His hands resting on either side of her as he relaxes from his day, content in the moment. Happy to be here with her. "Now, let's get you naked."

Her laughter bounced off the walls and she lifted her arms as he undressed her with a playfulness he always had just for her, his lips humming along to a rhythm as he flung her t-shirt over head. Their lips meeting each other in a laughter fueled kiss.

He helped her down, pulling her close against him and rocking them into a quiet slow dance. His gentle kisses on her shoulder made her heart swell with happiness and she knew with certainty that life would always be this.

Blissful happiness.

The end.