Mapping Out Us

by Punkpoet69

Troy and Gabriella set out on a college tour road trip together. What starts as a practical journey to explore their futures turns into an emotional adventure, where they find themselves falling deeper for each other with every mile. As they visit campuses, carnivals, open houses, and shady motels they navigate their hopes and dreams together.

Hey friends, This one should be familiar to all my long-time readers. I went into the way back machine and fished out an old friend—The Road Trip. I spent the last week reliving it and feeling all those feelings I felt when I wrote it the first time, and I made a lot of changes with fresh eyes. For those of you who don't know me, I lost my mother this summer. She suffered from mental health issues and as a result, she self-isolated. This led to the decline of her health, and eventually to her passing in June. It's been a long summer. And working on this gave me a much-needed distraction. Also some new perspectives on relationships with others. I hope you enjoy it.

Troy.

Troy Bolton lifted his bag over the side of the truck bed letting out a small huff of air before wiping the sweat from his brow.

This heat wave was going to kill him. He had worked tirelessly on the truck for weeks leading up to this trip. His mind jumping down one rabbit hole to the next of problems, plans, and possibilities.

Marriage. NBA. Sharpay. College scholarships. College in general. He was about to head into his senior year and he could feel the vice around his neck getting tighter.

Make a decision Troy.

Commit to a plan Troy.

He pushed away from the truck. He had to focus on the task at hand. He was more than sure he had everything he needed: clothes, emergency credit card, supplies and snacks. A map with his father's pre-planned outlined trip and circled stops of all the colleges along the way.

He was almost positive that this trip was a good idea. His father had talked him into it. He had done one just like it when he was Troy's age. Had told him over and over that the time away from all the noise had done him some good. That it helped him come into his own.

Was that what this was? A coming of age moment? A trip that was supposed to help him short through the tangled mess of his future.

A three week trip filled with college tours and driving aimlessly. Him, the road, his truck and…

"Good Morning." Gabriella Montez, the annoying little brat from next door, greeted as she chucked her bags into the back of the truck. She let out a squeak of excitement and leaned back on the truck crossing her arms.

"Beautiful day for a road trip isn't it?" She said, flipping one of her pigtails behind her shoulder.

"I should make you ride in the bed of the truck."

She let out a laugh. The seriousness in his voice being dismissed. Just like his opinion about her coming on this trip. When Chad backed out, he'd been bummed but determined to keep to his plan.

"Oh my goodness, let me get a picture of the two of you for your dad. You know he wanted to be here, but unfortunately he's stuck at school." Troy's mom smiled as she held up the camera. Troy spun around plastering on his best fake smile. His mother was relentless with a camera and if he didn't hurry up and get this over with, they would never leave the driveway.

"My baby is going out into the world all on her own." Maria, Gabriella's mom held a hand to her heart as she brought over another bag to load up into the trunk.

"Oh, she won't be alone. Troy will be there the whole time." Lucile said with a grin. "I'm so excited for you guys. I remember when your dad went off on this trip, he loved it."

"We should get going," Troy said, trying to hurry this along before someone started crying.

"Your father gave you the map right?" Lucile asked, placing a hand on Troy's shoulder.

"Yes." He said with a smile. "Three maps, the GPS, and his visa card for emergencies." Troy patted his pocket. "I hope he knows that emergencies include pizza and waffles." Troy added on a side note.

"And you have your cell phone, it's charged, you have back up chargers and you're sharing your location?"

"Mom," Troy said, holding out a hand to calm his mother's growing anxiety. "I got it, it's charged, I got two power banks, cords and yes, my location sharing is turned on."

"I've got mine too." Gabriella held hers up and smiled for a picture as her mother aimed the camera.

"Our babies are going on a road trip!" Lucile said with a smile as she took a picture of the car one more time. "Don't pick up any hitchhikers."

"And no drinking," Maria added.

"And no separating." Lucile held up a finger. "You both need to look out for each other."

"We will," Troy opened his driver side door. "It's three weeks guys." He said with a shrug. "We'll be back before you know it."

Lucile walked up to Troy and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You've gotten so big." She said with a shaky smile. "Your father and I are so proud of you for taking an interest in college."

Ugh, he hated it when his mother made the I'm gonna cry face. Troy let his shoulders slump as he reached out and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you mom."

"I love you too," she sighed.

Troy smiled softly, "if you stall us any longer three weeks are going to pass by right here in this driveway."

"A mother can try, can't she?" She chuckled letting him go then reaching to wipe a smear of dirt off his face.

"Mom!" He jerked back with wide eyes.

The sound of laughter from the otherside of the driveway made him narrow his gaze.

Gabriella was already wrapping her arms around her mother, "Mom I'm going to miss you." She said with a sniffle.

"I'm going to miss you too, mi nina." Maria said tenderly, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "It's going to be so lonely without you around."

Gabriella clung to her mother tighter and Troy rolled his eyes as he quickly climbed into the truck. His phone lit up and Sharpay's face lit up the screen.

Sharpay: Did you leave already?

He tapped the screen and opened up the text thread.

Troy: trying to.

Sharpay hadn't wanted to go on the trip either. She had too many things to do before school started to even consider being MIA for three weeks.

And a small part of him was relieved by that.

The warning signs were flashing everywhere he looked and he couldn't help feeling like there was something wrong with him. Why couldn't he just fall in line? His future was mapped out perfectly. All he had to do was say yes.

Problem was … he didn't want to.

He thought the peace and quiet of the trip might help him make up his mind, but he'd been wrong about that too. He hadn't been expecting Gabriella.

Their moms got to talking about the upcoming trip and how disappointed Gabriella had been about not being able to visit the schools on her own. Her mother hadn't been able to afford to send her on campus visits with the school or get the time away from work to go with her.

So their parents banned them together and worked their manipulative magic. If Gabriella couldn't go, neither could Troy. So here he was, about to be stuck in a truck for three weeks with Gabriella Montez.

Sharpay had not been thrilled about the turn of events. He remembered watching her shift from pink to red in the face when he mentioned Gabriella. In fact his left ear still had a bit of a ringing sensation in it from her window shattering projection of how much she hated this idea.

They had been dating for two years and now about to begin their senior year of high school. Sharpay was already picking out the matching sinks that she demanded they have in their bathroom. His stomach tightened at the thought.

The way he saw it, his life was right now at a fork in the road. He could take the easy road and get a scholarship playing ball, join the pros, marry Sharpay and live in a pink Malibu house.

Or he could apply for an out of state college and then with time and distance from his father's pressure and Sharpay's orders he might find out what he actually wanted to do with his life. And if that failed, then what?

The passenger side door opened and Gabriella climbed in.

Gabriella was not in his normal circle of friends. In fact, the only time they talked at all was when he was home. They didn't talk at school or acknowledge each other. She was a bookworm who had her AirPods in her ears at all times. She was the perfect student, the perfect daughter, the perfect model citizen, everything about her was a stark contrast to him.

Ever since they were little, something about her just didn't click with him. He had been forced to take her everywhere he went and he was forced to play a big brother role, but it didn't make them closer. It made him resent her and the way she followed him around like a puppy from time to time. Not really wanting to participate or say anything, but just there. Reminding him that she was his responsibility.

He couldn't really let loose and let go with her there. He always had to be accountable, always had to watch out for her, and had to make things easier for her. When her dad died, they both had been pretty young. He could barely even remember any of it. It had been hard for her and her mom. Still was. And even though they were older now, he still felt the same familiar feeling to look out for her.

Now he was dragging her along on this road trip. Forced by his parents once again, to form some sort of friendship with her. It wasn't his fault she had no friends. Wasn't his fault she didn't have a father figure in her life or a big brother. So Why did he have to be burdened with the responsibility?

"Okay, I think I'm ready." She murmured after a couple deep breaths.

"You sure?" He responded, holding up the car keys. He wouldn't be the least upset if she suddenly wanted to stay behind. "Three weeks," He said with a bored tone. "You might get a little homesick."

"I'm fine, I made a playlist." She said holding up her phone.

"Oh, damn," he said with a smirk. "Truck is auxiliary only." He said, pretending to look disappointed.

"Don't worry I ordered an adapter online." She smiled, pulling it out from her purse.

"Oh joy." He said inserting the key and looking out the window at their mothers hugging each other waving their final good-byes.

Wonderful.

Gabriella.

This was it.

Gabriella played with the end of her braided pigtail as her house began to fade in the distance behind them. She couldn't believe she was actually going on a road trip. A real life, no adult supervision road trip! Just like a movie.

She had spent a fair chunk of money from her summer job to buy some new clothes from the Goodwill in town just for the trip. She'd ravaged the racks for some key pieces of clothing, scoring a new green dress, hats, and some cool band tees to sleep in.

Finally, something exciting was happening to her.

"We're making a quick stop." Troy announced making a left turn.

Gabriella nodded and rolled her eyes as she realized where they were making their first stop. Of course, he was going to drive over to his girlfriend's house. He was after all the perfect boyfriend to Sharpay Evans, East high's sweetheart head cheerleader.

She was the pink in the red and gold of East High and the apple of Troy Bolton's eye. For reasons she couldn't really understand. Crossing her arms she looked out the window and watched as the house got bigger and the front yards longer.

Pulling up to the gate Troy greeted the guard and then drove through, as they pulled up Gabriella saw the bubble gum pink convertible with S.E. on the hood. She remembered the exact day she'd seen it for the first time. They had all taken drivers ed around the same time, and had all been celebrating the right of passage into adulthood.

As she stood by the edge of the parking lot, the sun reflecting off the shiny, bright pink convertible, she couldn't help but watch as Sharpay squealed with excitement, hugging her father after receiving the car for her birthday. The laughter and celebration filled the air, but all she could hear was the quiet ache of absence.

She remembered the way Troy's dad used to talk about teaching him to drive. How everyone had similar experiences with their own dads. And how the pain of what could have been, ached inside her. She wasn't trying to be jealous, but the weight of being left out of that milestone, the one she'd never share with her own dad, pressed heavy on her heart, a constant reminder of everything she'd lost.

"Wait here, will you?" Troy called back as he got out of the truck.

"Right." She mumbled as she rolled her eyes. When he closed the door she stuck out her tongue and turned her attention to setting up the radio. "Where else am I gonna go?"

Girls like Sharpay always got the boys like Troy. Gabriella looked out the window to see her jump into his arms. They were the perfect picture from a magazine cover, the cutest couple with no competition. Well, except for Taylor and Chad who was in second place for the title and in her opinion overshadowed.

Sharpay ruled the school like the queen of hearts, all followers were tolerated and rebels were casted off to the side with scraps of acknowledgements and in many cases executed from the social ladder all together. The only reason Gabriella was barely in good graces was because of Chad and Taylor, maybe a little to do with Troy, whenever he cared enough to step in.

Gabriella popped in the cassette and plugged it into her lighting aux adapter then into her phone.

Troy wasn't exactly what she considered a friend, brother figure, or someone she would willingly spend three weeks with. But given the circumstances this was the only way she was going to see her top three schools in person. She needed to get out of this small town even if it killed her and if that took putting up with Bolton for three weeks she could do this.

She had her phone. She glanced back up again at the sickeningly happy couple only to find that neither one looked all that happy.

She watched them quietly go back and forth for a few minutes in a heated exchange. Watching Troy's shoulders slump as put his hands up in surrender.

As discreetly as she could she rolled down the window in an effort to hear what was being said.

"That's not what I'm saying." Troy grunted. "It's three weeks, it's not the end of the world Shar."

She flipped her perfectly blended blond hair over her shoulder. "I don't understand why you're even going. This is our last summer before our senior year and you're abandoning me."

"I'm not," Troy let out a groan. "This has nothing to do with you. This is something I want to do."

"Are you even going to miss me?" Sharpay spit out.

"It's just three weeks." He said in a low groan. "I'm sure we'll talk every night."

Gabriella winced, that wasn't a good answer. He should have just said yes.

"So what, I'm just supposed to stop my life and wait by the phone?"

"There's a party tonight isn't there?" Troy said with annoyance. "Your social life isn't suffering all that much."

"Fine." she stomped, clasping her arms over her chest. "And I hate that you're going to be in a car for three weeks with another woman."

"Stop it," Troy's tone had a little more edge to it and Gabriella felt her chest slightly pinch.

"Alone for three weeks with another girl." Sharpay said between clenched teeth.

"It's Gabriella for fuck sake. She's not really a master of seduction." Troy scoffed. As if on cue they both turned to look at Gabriella who quickly began head banging as if she had her ear pods in.

"Point taken." Sharpay pouted. "I still don't like it and I expect a call every day at seven."

"Wouldn't miss a call."

"You better not. One second more and I'll be calling you if you don't call me." she said, pointing a finger at him.

"Time will fly by." He said, extending his arms out for a hug.

"Yes it will." She shifted into his arms and let out a sigh. "Then it's all about our future and when you join the pros."

"Maybe."

Sharpay rolled her eyes and let out a laugh, "Sweetie we talked about this, we have a five year plan." She smiled tightly.

"Nothing is set in stone," He said with a chuckle. "We'll be fine." He said, kissing her forehead.

"You have so much going for you." Sharpay said with a sigh. "Eventually you'll wake up and smell the dollar signs." She shifted her weight resting it on her left hip as she took a breath. "Till then you're my loopy, loveable boyfriend."

"Right." Troy said, looking down at the ground.

Deciding she had enough Gabriella leaned forward and pressed on the horn, earning a jump form both of them as they turned in her direction with a glare.

"Is this a goodbye or a wedding?" She yelled out.

Troy rolled his eyes and waved his hand for one more moment. "I got to get on the road. I'll see you in three weeks." He said leaning in.

Sharpay backed up and smiled. "Party make up," she said, motioning to her face. "Air kisses baby."

"Love you." He nodded.

"Yeah me too." She said, turning her attention to her phone. She tapped the screen and brought it up to her ear. "Crissy, oh my god, no! I was just seeing Troy off." she said into the pink phone. "I'm on my way."

Troy shook his head and made his way to his truck where Gabriella was waiting. As he opened the door he narrowed his eyes on her. "Impatient much?"

"Can we go now?" Gabriella said, leaning back in her seat.

"Hold your horses G."

That earned an eye roll, she hated it when he called her G.

Troy got in the car and Gabriella picked up her phone and started the playlist.

"We need to work on your waiting skills." He said putting the truck in drive.

"Great while we're at it we'll work on your good-bye methods." Gabriella said, placing her phone in the cup holder.

"Well at least I have someone to say it too."

Gabriella shook her head and raised the volume on the radio. When an NSYNC song came over his speakers Troy hit the brakes causing her to reach for the dashboard.

"No. You're not playing that in my truck."

"Watch me." she said, turning up the volume.

Troy glared at her and took the phone from the cup holder.

"Hey, give that back!"

"You can DJ on one condition."

"Oh yea, and what's that?"

"No slumber party chick crap." He said holding her phone out the window.

"Fine, just give me back my phone!"

Troy hesitated and Gabriella slapped his arm.

"God, Fine, here's your phone." He said, placing it in her hands. "But one chick song and I'm controlling the music."

"Whatever," she said, getting comfortable in her seat again.

Gabriella pulled out her notebook and opened it to a blank page.

Day one: surprise, surprise he's a grump.

Troy.

They drove silently as Gabriella wrote in the seat beside him. After four hours of driving on the highway he began to relax. She hadn't spoken much, she took a few pictures then settled into her spot with a pen and notebook. Even the music was mellow and easy. Troy took a deep breath and looked over at the scene of dirt roads on either side of them.

Maybe he could salvage this. Maybe, it wouldn't be that bad.

The first college on the list was the University of Arizona. Which if his guess was right they would be there in the morning.

Troy's father had pointed out every rest stop along the way, estimating that much of their time would be spent shuttling between motels and the colleges. Gabriella sighed, crossing something off her list, and Troy hesitated, wondering if he should start a conversation. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy talking to her, she just had a way of driving him crazy now and then.

"So whatcha writing?" he tried, making the attempt despite the voice in the back of his head that told him to treasure the silence.

"A list of questions I want to ask the tour guide." She responded by lifting her pen and looking over at him.

"Here I thought you would have already done that," he chuckled softly. Gabriella, always prepared and ready for any test. She was like a girl scout without the scout training and cute skirt. Troy looked in his rearview mirror only spotting a white truck on the left lane.

"I did, but I didn't like my questions." She said looking down at the page. "While I want to sound interested in their school, I don't wanna come off as desperate."

Troy arched his brow again. "Right, totally understandable." he said, tapping the steering wheel. "These questions can shift the entire balance of our futures," He teased.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt you to be a bit prepared." She said leaning back in her seat and bringing her feet down from the dashboard. "But then I guess the only kind of preparation you understand is shooting a ball into a basket for four hours a day." She said putting her pen down and closing her notebook.

Troy nodded and held up a hand in surrender. "Alright, back off preparation police."

Gabriella chuckled and pulled her legs underneath her. "So what are you hoping to do on this trip anyway?" she said looking out the window.

"I just want to relax and try to let the answers come to me," He said with a smile.

"You're so not ready for this," she huffed.

Troy's mouth fell open in mock disbelief. Someone was in a mood.

"I am so ready for this trip, I packed my underwear and two pairs of gym shoes."

Gabriella let out a laugh as she leaned forward in her seat. Picking up her phone she searched and picked the next song.

"Let's play a game." she suggested.

"We can rule out I spy." He said motioning towards all the nothing they were surrounded with.

She glanced around, sinking a little more into her seat.. "Are you going to drive through the night?" She asked, playing with the door handle a little.

"There's a motel closer to the school." he said with a half nod. "If we get there by nightfall we'll stop for the night." He said removing one of his hands from the steering wheel and propping it on the window sill.

"So that's a no then?" Gabriella said, biting her lip.

"No, it's happening." He said with an assuring tone. "I have to shower and get some sleep before going on a college tour." He huffed. "Not all of us are passengers."

"I could drive while you sleep."

"Like hell you are." Troy mumbled as he snuck a look over at her. "No one touches this steering wheel but me."

"I have a plastic card with my picture on it too Troy." she bit out.

"This is a man's truck." Troy said leaning back and getting more comfortable. "And it will remain a man's truck."

"Control issues much?"

"I have the power." He said with a smirk. "I know where we're going."

"Like I can't pick up a map and figure that out too." She said sticking her tongue out.

"You're not driving my truck. End of conversation."

"Good." She lied. "Wouldn't want to drive it anyway."

Troy laughed and shook his head. "Brat," He murmured.

"Jerk." She shot back.

Ganriella.

Three hours later they began to pass different restaurants and stores. Troy hummed along to the music completely off in his king of the road persona.

"Can we stop to eat?" Gabriella asked looking up from her book.

"Sure, what did you have in mind?" He said looking around at the other drivers on the road so he could pull off.

Just then her tummy rumbled loudly. "Food." She murmured placing a hand over her stomach.

Troy let out a huff and looked at a small dinner on the left. "Alright then." He said, flipping his signal and pulling over.

Gabriella reached down for her shoes and put them on her feet as Troy drove on to the lot. "I should call my dad and tell him where we are." he said, choosing a parking spot.

"Well I'm not calling mom until we get to the motel." Gabriella grabbed her note book and pen waiting until he was fully parked before she opened the door to get out. "I have to pee."

"7 hours of driving." Troy said, taking the key out, "I think everyone needs to pee."

Gabriella sat at the booth alone with her notebook waiting for Troy to emerge from the men's room. Opening the page from before she continued to write.

Despite being neighbors, she didn't spend a lot of one-on-one time with Troy. Which makes this trip all the more awkward. Because Troy isn't the ideal roadside buddy, but when a girl is desperate she'll do anything. Mom has been working the late shifts for the hospital. She says money won't be an issue for college. Too bad I know better. I was reading online about this writing contest. Winner receives a 20 thousand dollar grant for the college of their choice. Problem is the writing topic is open for debate.

I hate that. I have no idea what to write about, nothing interesting ever happens to me and nothing exciting ever happens in Albuquerque. I could write about my dad. But I don't remember much about him. Could I write about my mom? Probably. But that all feels really safe.

I need a topic that makes me stand out. Something that really makes them want to pick me.

As if I'm capable of getting anyone to pick me.

And then there's Troy, the boy next door, basketball star, and East High heartthrob, who i've been secretly crushing on for the last three years.

But is he really the most exciting thing in my life? A guy who still treats me like a little kid?

All things aside I know Troy's a really good guy. He's not the superstar that everyone treats him like but an actual wheel down to earth guy. I guess that's why I like him so much. He's one with the end crowd, but it's more like he's on the outskirts like me.

But sports aren't my thing. So we have nothing in common to talk about. I don't like his girlfriend. I don't work out like it's a job and we barely hang out in the same circles. We are practically strangers stuck on a road trip for three weeks.

"So what's there to eat?" Troy asked, falling into the booth seat in front of her.

Gabriella closed her notebook and pushed it to the side. "Looks like a burger joint." She said, grabbing one of the menus.

"Awesome. I could eat a cow." He said lifting a menu as well.

Gabriella shook her head and looked at the menu selections. Peaking back up and over the menu she watched him as he pondered the items, his blue eyes darting from picture to picture. His hair falling just over his left eye in a ruffled shag he had since before she could remember.

When they were little his father would cut his hair, if she had to guess by the style that might still be the case. When it came to Troy, Gabriella did a lot of watching from her bedroom balcony.

She would sit and write while he shot baskets every afternoon and sometimes she could see into his bedroom if she leaned over the railing a bit. She wasn't purposefully spying on him but sometimes when she was standing there her eyes would wander over to his room where he would be on his computer.

"I think a double bacon cheeseburger with fries and a milkshake." He said slowly looking back up to find her staring at him. "What?"

"Nothing." She said looking back down at her own menu and quickly deciding on a simple cheeseburger with fries.

Troy.

Troy narrowed his eyes, studying the girl sitting across from him. Gabriella wasn't like the other girls at school. She had her quirks, but she was never pushy or overly girly. She'd worn braids in her hair for as long as he could remember—sometimes pigtails or ponytails. The only time she'd really styled it was back when they were 13. He was shooting hoops, and she'd come outside with her hair all wavy and curled. He remembered thinking it looked kind of nice.

"Ready to order?" He asked, Taking a deep breath.

"Yup." Gabriella shut her menu with confidence.

"Well what can I get ya." And older lady stood by the edge of the table with her notepad in hand.

"I'll have a Cheese burger, fries, large coke and a side dish of pickles please." She said with an added smile.

Troy cringed at the sound of the pickles. "I'll have a double bacon cheeseburger with a chocolate milkshake."

"Coming right up." The lady walked off with their order and Troy placed his menu off to the side.

He drummed on the table top for a moment before turning his attention back to her.

"So," he began, "what's up?" he said, pulling the bowl of half and halfs over to him so he could begin stacking them in the form of a pyramid.

"I brought a trucker's hat." She said reaching into her bag and putting it on. "Taylor said it makes me look slutty."

"And yet, you still brought it?" Troy said, raising an eye to look up at her. She looked different with the baseball cap on. A little sporty even.

"It's different." She shrugged. "I also got a cowboy hat."

Troy laughed and pushed over his tower. "You mean cowgirl hat." He corrected her. "Is it pink?"

"No." she said with a smile. "It's black, believe it or not but not everyone adores pink." She said reaching for one of the half and half cups.

"Well yeah but like, you're a girl aren't you?" he shrugged his shoulders. "Girls like pink. Taylor has that pink vest she wore the other day."

"Taylor's favorite color is green."

Troy rubbed his face and let out a sigh. "Okay, what's your favorite color then?"

"Neon Yellow." Gabriella said with a smile.

Troy watched in curiosity as she opened the half and half and brought it up to her lips for a drink. "Oh that's gross." He said making a face.

Gabriella tossed it back, letting it hit the table with a tiny clink. "Is not."

"Is too."

"What are you five?"

Troy put the half and halfs back in their bowl and put them on the seat beside him out of her reach. "I'm cutting you off."

Gabriella sighed and removed her hat, putting it off to the side. Her eyes roaming the dinner. She looked like she was taking a mental picture of the place. Her eyes jumped from one thing to the next.

"Aren't you going to ask me about my favorite color?" he urged, not really sure why.

She didn't bother meeting his eyes. "It's red."

Troy smirked. "Lucky guess."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Oh please," she said with a scoff. "Your lucky shorts are red, all of your gym shoes have red on them and your laptop's red."

"Congrats," he said with mock enthusiasm. "You're observant."

"Sure thing Wildcat." She said looking over at the approaching waitress and giving her a thumbs up.

Troy took another bite into his burger savoring the taste and fully aware he'd need to do some quick push ups and sit ups in the morning to balance it out.

Troy had never really known a summer off. While his friends spent their days lounging by the pool, hitting up parties, or just kicking back with no worries, he was always grinding. There wasn't room for slacking off, not when you were the coach's son, the school's star athlete, and team captain. People were watching him, expecting him to be in top shape, to lead by example. It wasn't just a role he played on the court or the field; it was a constant pressure that weighed on him every single day.

He had a training regimen he stuck to religiously, running drills, lifting weights, keeping his body in peak condition. He couldn't just show up to practices after a lazy summer and hope to perform. He had to maintain his stamina, his strength, his precision year-round. After games, while his teammates might head out to celebrate, Troy would be back at it, cooling down, icing injuries, planning his next workout. Before games, it was the same routine, early mornings, protein shakes, stretches, drills, never letting himself slip, because he couldn't afford to. He was the standard everyone else looked to, and he expected them to follow.

But it wasn't just about him. Troy spent his weekends at the community center, volunteering to coach younger kids in basketball and baseball. It wasn't something anyone asked him to do, but it felt right, like giving back to the sport that had given him so much.

Watching the kids improve, seeing their excitement when they hit a shot or caught a fly ball, reminded him why he worked so hard in the first place. Even then, though, there was no letting his guard down. He couldn't just show up and go through the motions. He had to be the example, the athlete who practiced what he preached, the guy those kids looked up to.

"Where are we anyway?" She asked, pulling him back to the present.

"What?" He looked up at her, her eyes looked out the window as she motioned towards all the cars in the parking lot that had different license plates.

"Where are we?" She said a little bit slower.

"Outskirts of New Mexico I think." Troy tapped his thumb on the table. "So, I guess you're pretty excited about college, huh?"

"I'm looking forward to it." she said, turning back to Troy. "I'm going to try and win a writing contest."

"That shouldn't be too hard for you," he said with a shrug. "You're always writing."

Gabriella smiled and looked at her notebook. There was barely a pink tint on her cheeks. Almost like his acknowledgement meant something. Although it would take an idiot not to notice the tattered notebook permanently in her possession everywhere she went.

"It's freeing." She responded.

"What do you write about anyway?"

Before she could answer the waitress arrived. "Here is your food." The waitress set the big tray of food at the edge of the table, effortlessly picking their meals from the bunch. He nodded a quick thank you to the waitress as she set his burger down in front of him.

"Alright," he said, rubbing his hands together and lifting his burger. "Now it's a party."

Gabriella huffed. Once the waitress was gone she picked up a pickle and took a bite.

"Well?" Troy mumbled between bites.

She shrugged, as if not really sure she wanted to talk about this. "Sometimes I journal, or write poetry or write short stories." She said with a shrug.

Interesting, he eyed her notebook for a moment. Suddenly curious to know about what was inside it.

"Stories, huh?" He said putting his burger down and reaching for a fry. "Like Harry Potter stories or Nora Robert stories." He said in-between chews.

Gabriella let out a chuckle as she pulled the tomato out of her cheeseburger. He raised a brow as he watched her remove the onions next. If she wanted a plain cheeseburger, why not just ask for one? Women.

"I write bits and pieces, sometimes it's conversations I wish I handled differently or just things I wish would happen." she said, her voice a little quieter. "I have never attempted to write a whole story before but I have written some cool things." She said with a nod. "At least I think they're cool."

"So why don't you use a laptop?" he asked, pointing at her notebook.

"Pen and paper are the oldest friends of a writer." She said with a forced smile. "There's something gratifying about the work that goes into handwriting."

"Yeah, hand cramps." He muttered picking up the bottle of ketchup.

Gabriella bit into another pickle and shrugged. "Do you know why old fashion writers keep a skull by their desk?"

"No." He sighed. "But I bet you do."

"Because no matter our differences, no matter how great you are or how bad you are in the end everyone looks the same." She said before picking up her burger.

"Wow." Troy nodded. How very creepy. "Never thought of it like that." She was rambling now. Doing that thing where she just started talking in facts. Like some kind of google search bar. One time Jason had begun shouting out things to her and not missing a beat she had a fact for each one.

He always wondered if she made this crap up. Some of it was really weird.

"I remember a lot of weird facts." She smiled weakly. "It's a Habit."

"You're a strange girl, you know that?" Troy motioned to her as he picked up the last of his burger.

"Well, I think you're a normal guy." She said with a frown.

"Jealous?"

"Not even a little. I'd rather be strange than a normal carbon copy." She answered. "Kinda shows that you lack personality or any sense of originality."

Troy frowned. Picking up his milkshake he took a long sip as he watched her eat another pickle. Seemingly pleased with herself.

Okay, that one stung a little.

Hours later at the last stop before the motel Troy walked down the aisles of the gas station mini mart keeping an eye on the bathroom door where Gabriella was. She had been pestering him for the last two hours about a bathroom break but he wanted to get to the motel. He was tired from the day of driving and wanted to lay in bed and sleep more than anything.

Then she threatened to pee in the car and he had no choice but to pull into the gas station rest stop. He picked up a packet of Classic Lays and went to the front, plucking two Slim Jims from the box on the end cap and laying the items on the counter.

"That it?" Groumbled the man taking the tooth pick from his mouth to motion at the items on the counter.

Troy nodded and turned his attention to the opening bathroom door as she came out and made a face.

"This place is gross," She said wiping her hands on her jeans.

"You should've gone at the dinner." Troy handed over a ten for the items and then began to shove them into his pockets.

"Well, I didn't have to then." She said crossing her arms.

Troy shook his head and looked back up at the guy who was looking at Gabriella with a creepy leering smile. Red flag. He stepped into the man's eyeline with a frown making sure they met eye to eye. Taking the hint the man looked back down at his magazine giving it a more aggressive turn of the page than required. This time when he turned back to look at her he tried to see what it was that the man saw. She wasn't all that curvy or seductively dressed. Her t-shirt had a pink cat on it and her jeans had a tear over her left knee. If anything she looked ten, which suddenly made Troy feel like the old creepy dude in the situation. His face scrunched up in disgust and he shook the idea out of his head.

"What?" she said holding up a hand.

"Nothing, Let's get back on the road." he said holding out a hand to guide her past him.

As soon as she was past him he got behind her to shield her from the eyes of the man who was still trying to look but this time less obviously.

Once they were back in the car he held out a Slim Jim for her.

"Sweet, thanks." She said reaching for it with a smile.

"Yeah, don't say I never thought about you." He muttered as he tossed the rest of his purchases on the seat between them.

"I love these." She said ripping it open. "it's like a big cigar made for women."

"It's beef jerky made for men?" He raised a brow in her direction as he inserted the key into the ignition.

"To you." She said placing it between her fingers and bringing it to her lips like a old time movie star form the 50's.

"To everyone." He said with a smile as he unwrapped his own.

When they pulled into the motel, Troy told Gabriella to wait in the car, and she did. But he'd been inside for what felt like forever, though it had only been about twelve minutes. He checked back on the truck and she was still there with the windows rolled down.

He took another breath leaning on the wall as he held the phone to his ear and sighed. "Sharpay I know I'm a few minutes late but just got to the motel." He said looking out the window and checking on Gabriella again. He was being overprotective. He needed to relax, turning around he faced the front desk where the man was checking them in for the night. "No I've been in the car all day, tomorrow we're going to be at the University of Arizona."

"Cards approved." The man said at the front desk holding up the card and Troy's ID. Troy nodded and came up to the desk to retrieve both cards and slide them back into his wallet.

"I got to go, I just wanted to let you know that I'm at the first motel and I'm fine." He said trying to hear his girlfriend over all the noise on her end. "I miss you too." He muttered absently before hanging up.

"You sure about the two beds?" The man teased.

"Positive." He said holding up two fingers and then looking at the brochures off to the side advertising the college. Opening it up he looked at the pictures of all the happy college students who looked thrilled to be there. Then again they probably didn't take pictures of the people who weren't smiling. The ones like him were filled with uncertainty and indecision.

With the impending dooms day also known as Graduation, it seemed like everyone knew what they were going to do with their life. Letting out a sigh he placed the brochure back in the slot. His future was an empty canvas, a terrifyingly large blank space he had no idea what to do with.

"Okay, you have the double bed with a bathroom." The man said reaching for the keys hanging on the wall.

"Thanks." Troy took the key and turned to make his way back to the truck. Coming up to the truck he noticed the space in his passenger seat. A crisp icy fear crawled into his bloodstream as he covered his mouth with his hands and quickly looked in every direction. There wasn't much around, his eyes traveled the dark parking lot, he walked over to the back of his truck and looked in back. She wasn't there.

Of course, she wasn't there. Why would she get in the back? Walking over to the passenger side he opened the door and felt his heart pulse in his throat as the the empty seat winked at him.

"This isn't happening," he said slamming the door. Just then he heard a cheering noise from across the street and his eyes darted to what looked like a biker bar. "She wouldn't," he said to himself. Then again maybe she really wouldn't, what if they took her? After all, he left her in the truck, alone, defenseless, and in a dark parking lot, in the middle of nowhere?

Troy took off at full speed towards the bar eyes weaving in and out of all the cars, bikes, and hiding spots in the area. His parents were gonna kill him.

He pushed the door open hesitantly stepping inside, not sure what to expect. He was greeted by a burst of ACDC from the live band and loud rumbles as people talked among themselves. Looking around he walked in deeper, coming to a stop when the bartender smiled his way and pointed to the dance floor knowingly.

Troy followed his finger to the teenage girl fist pumping and head banging her way through the chorus of Highway to Hell. The air came rushing back into his lungs all at once and his shoulders slumped.

Gabriella.

Gabriella threw her fist in the air as the live band launched into their cover of Highway to Hell. Jumping up and down between two large men, she grinned as they fist-pumped alongside her. The dance floor was alive with energy, people hollering and jumping in time to the music. Gabriella laughed, singing along, and one of the big biker guys next to her gave her an approving nod and flashed the rock-on sign.

"Yeah!" she screamed, her voice lost in the crowd, as she started to headbang.

As the song neared its end, Gabriella was air guitaring with enthusiasm when she suddenly felt a hand grip her arm and yank her off the dance floor.

"Hey!" she protested, trying to pull her arm free but failing.

"Are you completely stupid?" Troy shouted over his shoulder, spinning around to face her.

"Nothing bad happened," she shrugged nonchalantly.

"Great, because we're leaving before it does," Troy snapped, dragging her toward the door.

Before they could make it out, Troy almost ran headfirst into the chest of a massive biker wearing a leather jacket. The guy stopped him cold, and Gabriella saw Troy's shoulders tense as he swallowed nervously, pushing her behind him. "We were just leaving," Troy said, trying to sound calm.

"The lady doesn't look like she wants to leave with you," the biker growled.

Gabriella moved to step forward, but Troy held up his hand to keep her back. "Just a misunderstanding," he said with a strained smile, eyeing the guy. This man wasn't just big—he was Hulk-sized, maybe even Hulk-on-steroids-sized. Troy took a step to the side, reaching back to grab her hand. "Good night."

"Not so fast," the biker rumbled.

"It's okay, Ricky," Gabriella chimed in, placing a hand on Troy's shoulder. "He's just my neighbor. The normal one I told you about."

Ricky's tense expression softened, and he smiled. "Alright, Miss Montez," he said warmly. "Just being careful. You never know what kind of crazies are out there."

"Thanks, Ricky," Gabriella said, stepping around Troy to give the biker a quick hug before walking toward the exit.

Troy groaned under his breath, muttering something Gabriella didn't catch, and followed her out, minus the hug.

"What the hell?" Troy fumed once they were outside. "I tell you to wait in the car, and you run into a bar and make friends with Satan's bodyguard?"

"His name is Ricky," Gabriella said, crossing her arms as she started walking across the street.

Troy quickly caught up to her, blocking her path. "I don't care if his name is Fluffy and he has a goldfish named Twinkles!"

Gabriella let out a laugh unable to hold it in any longer. She laughed so hard that her sides began to hurt. She brought a hand up to her side as she attempted to take a deep breath and settle down. Well, she almost succeeded but one look at Troy's bewildered expression and she was laughing again.

Troy tossed up his hands and turned to the truck grabbing their bags out of the truck bed and walking past her. "Ha, ha, ha Keep laughing." He said getting the key out his pocket. "If you weren't a girl I'd kick you in the balls." He added opening the door to the room and letting her laugh her way past him.

She wiped her eyes and let out a sigh as she watched Troy make a show of locking the door and tucking the key into his pocket. He dropped the bags into a nearby chair and fell back onto the bed closer to the door. His left arm coming up over his eyes.

Gabriella walked over to her bag and grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste. "I'm going to get ready for bed then," she announced as she walked to the bathroom.

"I am ready." He said kicking off his shoes and pushing his head deeper into the pillows.

"Night then." She said quietly from the bathroom doorway.

"Whatever,"

Gabriella shut the bathroom door and looked in the mirror with a small smile of triumph. Her cheeks were still flush from all the laughing, her eyes a little glassy from the excitement. She leaned forward against the vanity top a mini glow of satisfaction that she wasn't as helpless and defenseless as he thought she was. She was capable of looking out for herself, of having adventures of her own, and that's what she wanted from the trip. Adventure.

Squeezing the toothpaste out onto her toothbrush she lifted it and began to brush her teeth. A part of her did feel a little bad. He had been worried. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she thought about his tone of voice when he stood up to Ricky. Troy was only trying to stand up for her.

Well, damn it.

Rolling her eyes she shook her head and made work of going through her nighttime routine. A guilty feeling sank further into her stomach as she thought about the worried look on his face.

Troy.

Troy was almost in a deep sleep when he felt the weight on the bed shift. His eyes immediately flew open and he inhaled sharply as he looked up at a pair of brown eyes looking down at him. Neither one of them spoke for a moment and his eyes zeroed in on the brown ones looking back at him. They were actually a dark walnut brown, and he really shouldn't be looking into them right now. The last bits of sleep fog lifted and he blinked away the the thought of her eyes, breaking their connection. He shifted in the bed, sitting up a little more on his elbows.

"What?"

She had shifted back now sitting on her legs. "I'm sorry," she said with a small frown. "I didn't mean to disappear and scare you like that, I just didn't think you would care." She said folding her hands in her lap.

He let out a huff, "Are kidding? How can I not care?" he said wiping the sleep from his left eye. "I go back without you and your mother will kill me." he said laying back down. "That and you're supposed to pay for the next room." He added rolling over.

His smug smirk was short-lived because he was then whacked with a pillow, earning a laugh at her mini outburst of anger. He shifted now, more awake than he wanted to be, and sat up so they were face to face. "Listen G,"

She whacked him again. "Don't call me that. My name is Gabriella," she grunted whacking him with the pillow again. "Jerk!"

"Okay, that's starting to get annoying," he yanked the pillow from her gasp and she let out a grunt in protest.

"Your such an asshole. You know that? I was trying to apologize because I felt like for a second you actually gave a shit about me and were scared."

Troy's eyes grew wide as he watched her get up and storm over to her bed where she got under the covers, turned off her bedside lamp, and rolled over.

"What the hell was that?" he said putting the pillow back on the bed. When she didn't answer he rolled his eyes and got up. When they were little it had been much easier to tease her. Over the years and with the addition of hormones, not so much.

He let out a sigh as he climbed into her bed.

"Get out." she said jerking the covers over herself.

"I'm sorry." He said leaning over her so his head was facing hers upside down. "I almost shit my pants when I didn't see you in the truck alright." He said with a huff.

"Whatever." She said rolling her eyes.

Troy got up and then laid down on top of her.

"Troy what are you doing?" she said wiggling underneath him. "Get off me your heavy!"

"I have to make sure you don't leave again." He said getting more comfortable.

"Oh my god." She said letting out a laugh. "Get off me!"

"But I'm comfortable." He smiled smugly. "Plus I can be the first line of defense if someone breaks in and tries to hurt you."

Gabriella let out another laugh as she pushed at him and wiggled free. "God. Eat less." She said managing to free herself.

Troy smiled and snuggled into the pillow beside her.

"Get out of my bed." she said sitting up.

He sat up as well. "Promise me you won't leave me like that again."

She huffed. "No."

Troy laid back down extending his arms and stretching out taking up the whole bed and covering her again. Gabriella laughed and shoved at him with all her strength but he wouldn't budge.

"Fine, I promise I'll never leave again." She said giving in and trying to push him off the bed.

"Great." He said getting up from the bed and walking over to his own.

"Just like that?" she muttered. "What if I lied?"

"But you don't lie." Troy smiled as he laid back down, getting comfortable again. "You don't lie, cheat, or steal." He mumbled. "You're not that kind of girl."

"But I could be." she said quietly as she got more comfortable.

"Yeah and I could be a sleep right now if someone hadn't woke me because of her guilty feelings."

The room fell into silence once again and Troy cracked one eye to find her staring up at the ceiling deep in thought.

"It's not a bad thing you know. It just means that you're too nice and sweet." He mumbled his voice low.

"I know," she said quietly. "I just wish I took some more chances. Did the fun irresponsible things for once."

"Well, you certainly crossed off reckless endangerment today," he laughed.

"What about you?"

For the love of god, were they really doing this? Talking about their feelings. "I take chances all the time, took one just by coming on this trip with you didn't I?"

"That's not a risk," her voice sounded a little drowsier now. "A risk is the possibility of an adverse outcome or loss. You don't do anything you don't already know is going to end well."

"Hey," Troy said feeling a little triggered. "Every game is a risk, every time I shoot the ball it's a risk."

"No Troy," Gabriella said rolling over, "you don't take a risk when you practice at it four hours a day, a risk is something you wouldn't normally do."

He bit the inside of his cheek as he thought about that for a moment. When he glanced over at her again she was peaceful resting with her eyes closed. So he decided to try and get some sleep.

The next morning, Troy was half-listening to the tour guide as he took in the scenery around them. Gabriella was more focused, hanging onto every word, her face bright with interest. She'd stepped out of the bathroom earlier in a light summer dress, her hair pulled back into a neat French braid, while he had just thrown on a pair of khaki shorts and a plain blue T-shirt.

"This place is huge," Troy murmured, leaning down to whisper in Gabriella's ear.

"It's not that big," she replied with a smile, her attention quickly returning to the sandy-haired tour guide, who was droning on about the building they were standing in front of.

Troy shoved his hands into his pockets, squinting at the students lounging in the grass or walking by in groups. It seemed like a friendly enough place, but something about it didn't sit right with him.

Gabriella raised her hand, and the tour guide paused, motioning for her to speak. "How many undergraduate programs do you host on campus?" she asked.

"Students can choose from more than 150 undergraduate and 200 graduate degree programs offered through 18 colleges and 12 schools on three campuses," the guide responded with a smile.

Troy furrowed his brow. "What do you mean by 'offered through 18 colleges'? Isn't everything here?"

"Some programs aren't funded here, but due to lack of space and tools, some students have to go off-site," the guide explained, clasping his hands together.

"Let me guess, it cost more too." Troy muttered under his breath.

Gabriella elbowed him sharply in the side, making him exhale in surprise. He raised his hand in confusion, but her widened eyes and the "shut up" look she shot him made it clear he should drop it.

As the tour continued, Gabriella remained engrossed in every detail the guide shared, while Troy found himself more interested in watching the campus and the people on it. Everyone seemed to have their own rhythm, minding their business, and blending into the surroundings. When they reached the dorms, which looked more like apartments, Troy felt a sinking feeling. This place was so vast and impersonal, he could already picture himself fading into the background here. Not that he craved attention, but being here seemed like it would turn him into just another face in the crowd.

As someone who existed based solely off his identity, the idea made him nervous and a little anxious.

He glanced over at Gabriella, watching as she craned her neck to take in the full height of the dorm building. Without thinking, he reached out and placed a hand on the small of her back when she stumbled slightly. The simple touch made her jump, a soft blush coloring her cheeks as she quickly looked down at the ground.

Troy smiled, noticing how much she was enjoying herself while he, on the other hand, was bored out of his mind. Gabriella seemed to sense the awkwardness and fished for something to fill the silence.

"Did you know Silly Putty came from a failed WWII attempt to develop a cheap substitute for rubber?" she asked.

"No, I didn't," Troy replied with a smirk, glancing back at the dorm building before meeting her eyes. "You like this place?"

"It's not in my top five," Gabriella said with a shrug, her eyes scanning the campus. "But it's interesting enough to make the list.

Troy nodded, glancing around as the group moved towards the building's entrance. He gestured for her to follow. "Seems too big," he muttered as they joined the group inside.

Gabriella looked around, noticing the lounge area with its big TV and some students lounging nearby. "This is co-ed," she said, glancing up at him.

"Yeah," Troy replied, his eyes wandering over the space. "Looks that way."

"You don't think the bathrooms are co-ed too, do you?" she asked, her tone a little uncertain.

Troy chuckled, giving her a playful look. "Are you bathroom shy?"

"No," Gabriella said, crossing her arms. "I'm just... not used to sharing a bathroom with a guy. It's always been me and Mom." She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her discomfort subtle but noticeable.

"Oh." Troy lifted a hand to his temple as realization hit. "Wow, I didn't even think of that." He frowned, looking at her. "I didn't make it weird this morning, did I?"

"No," she shook her head quickly, walking alongside him. "I woke up early to get in fast."

"Right," he said, his eyes darting to the bathroom doors ahead. "Well, looks like there's a boys' room and a girls' room, so no worries here." He flashed her a grin.

Gabriella smiled, letting her arms relax as she peeked into the dorm room the tour guide was showing.

"Really small," Troy commented, peering over her shoulder. "Big on the outside, small on the inside."

"That's how we fit everyone in," the tour guide chuckled.

"Right," Troy responded with a nod, but the size of the room made him frown.

As they followed the group back outside, the earlier silence settled in between them again. Gabriella looped her arm through his and broke it with one of her random facts.

"You know the original American Express card was purple for 11 years until they made it green in 1969?" she said with a casual smile.

Troy gave her an amused look. "Where do you learn this stuff?"

"My dad had this big book of random facts," she explained with a shrug. "It was his when he was little, and I read it cover to cover. He made little notes and adjustments, and sometimes, reading it makes me feel like he's there."

Troy couldn't help but smile. She had a way of making even the most trivial things seem meaningful. "Did you know the flashing warning light on top of the Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood spells out 'HOLLYWOOD' in Morse code?" she added, tilting her head.

Troy chuckled. "Did you know that no word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple?" He paused, holding up a finger. "Except maybe 'nurple'... but I don't think that counts."

Gabriella laughed. "So, I'm guessing this isn't your dream college?"

"You're right," he said with a nod.

"But you're thinking about college, right?" she asked, her eyes on their feet as they walked in sync.

"Yes and no," he said with a sigh. "Sharpay has this whole plan where I go to college, become a pro basketball player, then get married and live in a mansion."

"That sounds boring," Gabriella said, shrugging.

"It could be exciting," Troy countered, though he didn't really believe it.

"Nothing that planned out is exciting," she said, looking up at him. "I don't know what I want to do with my life, but I know it's too big for our little hometown."

"I don't even know where I want to be in four years," Troy admitted, glancing down. "My dad just wants me to go to college."

"Well, once you pick a school, you've got four years to figure out who you are," Gabriella said optimistically.

"Isn't that what high school's for?" he asked.

"Not for everyone," she replied.

As the group stopped, Gabriella pulled her arm away from his to lean in closer to the tour guide. Troy frowned at the sudden loss of contact, feeling an odd sense of distance as her attention shifted back to the guide. He exhaled and glanced at the campus bulletin board.

"ACP TONIGHT 8PM-MIDNIGHT"

He stared at the sign, wondering what an all-campus party might be like. Did college students party by the pool, drink all night, like in the movies? Was it that different from high school parties?

Gabriella's voice broke his thoughts. "Please tell me you're thinking about crashing," she said with an excited grin.

Troy shook his head, extending his hand to her. "Nope. The next college is a two-day drive."

"So, we leave right after?" she suggested with a playful smile.

Troy couldn't help but grin back. "We'll see."

Gabriella

An hour later, the tour was over, but Gabriella and Troy were still going back and forth.

"I'm not going to a party just to leave right after for a two-day drive," Troy said, smirking. "That's crazy."

"So let's be crazy," Gabriella urged, tugging on his arm. "Come on, something exciting has to happen on this trip."

"What, bar hopping last night wasn't enough for you?"

"Don't you want to see what college parties are like?" she begged.

"I'm sure they're not that different from high school parties."

"If we start driving now, we could be halfway there by midday tomorrow."

"Two hours tops," she said, holding up her hand as if making a pact.

Troy rolled his eyes, checking his watch. It was only 5:30. They had a few hours before the party, and if it was anything like a regular one, it wouldn't get interesting until later anyway.

"Please, please, please," she said, bouncing up and down, her excitement infectious.

He sighed.

"Okay, look If we don't stay, I'll probably talk about it the whole way to Scottsdale. But if we go, maybe I'll wear myself out dancing and sleep through most of the trip." She reasoned. "You like lame silence on the road."

He eyed her with annoyance before dropping his shoulders. "Two hours," he relented, holding up his hand.

"Yes!" She wrapped her arms around him, bouncing in excitement.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get something to eat first, and I've got to make a call," he said, pulling away from her and smoothing out his clothes.

Hours later they were in a big room with loud music thumping over the speaker. It was almost impossible to hear herself think. Gabriella had changed into jeans and a green tank top, she'd ditched the black rimmed glasses, braided her hair into two pigtails, with a baseball cap perched on her head. When she stepped out of the bathroom, Troy had been caught off guard, momentarily distracted by how the tank top showed off her chest.

After he realized he was staring he faked a coughing fit and turned to disappear into the nearby men's bathroom.

She beamed in triumph. Feel pretty proud of herself for taking Taylor's advice about the wardrobe and wearing something a little more outside her comfort zone. If it could stun Troy Bolton in his tracks she must look pretty good.

Now, standing off to the side with her arms crossed, she chewed on her bottom lip, Gabriella watched the crowd with a mix of curiosity and hesitation. Relieved when she noticed Troy walk over.

"What happened to 'please, please, please let's go to the ACP'?" he teased, mimicking her earlier begging tone.

"I don't know anyone here," she said, looking up at him. "Plus, they're not really dancing."

Troy raised an eyebrow, glancing at the packed dance floor. "Are we looking at the same crowd?"

"They look so..." Gabriella trailed off, watching as a girl gyrated her bottom against her partner's crotch on the dance floor.

Troy laughed. "It's called grinding."

Gabriella wrinkled her nose. "I don't dance like that. Or at least I don't know how to dance like that."

"It's something you pick up through practice." He grinned wickedly.

"Yeah well, I've had none."

"Well, I get it if you want to leave," Troy said, setting down his drink on the table with a smile.

Gabriella caught the amused look in his eyes, a moment of panic setting in. He thought she was being lame, didn't he? She wasn't some little kid who needed to be sheltered. She wasn't boring. She wasn't... predictable. Damn it. She was going to be adventurous.

"Dance with me," she said, uncrossing her arms.

"Nope."

"Come on," she insisted, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Pretend I'm Sharpay. I've seen you dance with her."

"Then you'd know by the pained expression on my face when it's happening that I hate dancing," he quipped, lifting his glass.

"I'll dance with you," a voice interrupted, and a guy with dark hair appeared beside them, smiling. "Hi my name is Anthony."

Gabriella hesitated, glancing at Troy, who nodded in approval. Taking the boy's hand, she allowed him to lead her to the dance floor, feeling a strange mixture of relief and excitement.

Troy.

Troy watched her go, his eyes following her through the crowd as she moved away. He had not been prepared when he spotted her earlier coming out of the bathroom. It was probably the first time he ever saw her in something other than a t-shirt with some kind of cartoon on it.

She had boobs. Who knew? She also had a few curves he found himself admiring openly before realizing she was smirking back at him knowingly.

Damn it. He took a sip of his soda and set the cup down. He reached into his pocket and took out his phone. Quickly opening the last message from Sharpay.

Sharpay: heading out to a party, wearing that pink skirt you like.

Troy raised a brow.

Troy: That's funny, I'm at a party too. Not as fun as where you are probably.

Sharpay: Why are you at a party? I thought this was a college tour road trip?

Troy rolled his eyes.

Troy: It's just an all campus party at the school we toured today. G wanted to check it out.

Sharpay: Are there college girls there?

Troy: It's an all campus party babe. I can control who comes.

Sharpay: must be nice.

Troy: What about you, aren't there guys at your party where you're probably dancing around in a pink skirt that hugs your ass?

Sharpay: That's not the point Troy.

Troy put his phone face down on the table. Tension building behind his eyes as he looked down at his soda.

He should have said yes to the dance. Instead he walked right into trouble with Sharpay.

Letting out a sigh he found himself staring at a couple as they made out on a nearby couch, once upon a time that had been him and Sharpay. Making out and doing all the things that teenagers did when unsupervised. No big orchestrated plans for social ladder climbing or winning championships.

Then slowly came the changes. His clothes were more named brand, his time was cut between Sharpay activities, school activities, and basketball activities. Troy was even ashamed to say it but he owned a few pink shirts now.

Wasn't being miserable supposed to happen after the marriage. And since when did he intend to marry her? Could he really see himself going that far with Sharpay? That brought him back to the thoughts he had early during the tour. Was he disappearing into a façade of what his father and Sharpay wanted or was he going to stand up for himself and make his own choice. Whatever that choice maybe?

He glanced up when the music shifted, his eyes spotting Gabriella who was already in the center of the dance floor with Anthony, as the opening beats of Taylor Swift's I Can Do It WIth A Broken Heart filled the room. A smile spread across her face as she began to jump around, tossing her braids, singing along to the song. She loved Taylor. Troy knew because her Spotify playlist was practically dominated by her music.

Gabriella's carefree energy lit up the room. She was a little exciting in that way, hard to believe he considered her boring at one point. Troy couldn't help but smile, watching her let loose in a way that Sharpay never did. Sharpay was always composed, always serious, more grown-up. She didn't dance around the room or headbang to music. She understood basketball, time, effort—things that mattered to him. But Gabriella, she was... different.

Troy's gaze lingered a little longer than it should have on her. She wasn't unattractive, just not his usual type. He forced himself to look away. There was no point in making something out of nothing.

As the song ended, the boy leaned down and said something to Gabriella, who laughed. Troy's jaw clenched when he saw Antony scribble something on her hand.

A phone number.

That made his blood boil more than he wanted to admit, and he turned away, taking another drink. Why did it bother him so much? She was a big girl. Kind of.

But watching her with some college guy didn't sit right with him.

He could visibly see Gabriella trying her best not to run but she ended up in a sprint as she raced over to his side.

"Oh my god is he still watching me?" she asked, beaming with happiness.

Troy glanced up at Anthony who was indeed still watching her.

"No." he lied.

Gabriella let out a sigh and made waving motions with her hands. "He wrote his number on my hand! I Gabriella Montez have a guy's number on my hand" she said with a jump on the end. "Can you take my picture, Taylor is never going to believe me."

"No." Troy said as he moved to get up.

"What?" Gabriella frowned. "Why not?"

"Because he is still watching you," Troy let out a huff and rolled his eyes.

Gabriella yipped as she shoved her hands in her pockets. "What do I do?"

"Leave."

"What? Already?" She moaned.

"We should have left four hours ago." he said, tossing his cup into the overflowing trash can to his left.

"Ugh, fine." She picked up her purse from the table and pulled it over her shoulder. "You know, not as fun as you think you are."

"Great, I can mark it off my list then." He deadpanned.

Gabriella.

"Did I tell you about the part when he put his hands on my hips?" She said, holding out her hands and repeating the story again. She probably sounded like a lunatic, but she didn't care.

"Yes," he groaned. "You did."

Gabriella was smug for a moment as she leaned back in the seat looking at her hand. "When did you get your cherry popped?" she asked in a moment of bravery as she shifted her body so it was sideways in the seat facing him.

"That is not what guys call it."

"Well," she shrugged, "when did you first … I don't know.." she didn't really want to come out and say it. It felt weird even bringing it up. But here they were.

"Have sex?" he supplied, his jaw clenching for a moment as he glanced back at her. "Why?"

Gabriella watched his hands on the steering wheel admiring the flex of his arm as he kept it steady. "I'm just wondering about it." she said, looking down at the snacks between them and picking up a bag of chips. "I mean, I'm curious about mine, not yours." She added.

"Hold on," Troy grunted, ''Yours what?"

"My first time," she said casually as she opened the bag.

She looked back in time to see Troy lean further back into his seat as he watched the road in silence, almost as if she hadn't spoken.

"My first time having sex." She clarified.

At that, Troy winced, "Oh I knew what you meant, I was hoping you'd forget about it if I just ignored you long enough."

"Troy, I want to have sex."

She was jolted forward unexpectedly as Troy slammed on the brakes, the truck coming to a halt on the empty highway. Letting out a breath she slammed one hand on the dashboard and looked at him in outrage.

"What the fuck?"

"You can't say something like that to someone and not expect them to react." Troy explained.

"What hell?" She glanced back behind them. "What if there was someone behind us?"

"Well I guess it was a risky decision," he grunted. "Kind of like you asking me for sex while I'm driving."

"I did not ask you for sex," she groaned, reaching forward to shove him.

"Troy, I want to have sex." He repeated, his brow raising slightly as he glared at her. "Explain that."

She shrugged, feeling her cheeks burn in a shade of pink she knew was visible even in the dimly lit cab. "I was trying to tell you that I want to have sex some day. Not right now and not with you." She said, a little taken aback. "I'm not that kind of freak." She added, tossing a chip at him.

Troy let out a long breath and then took his foot off the brake. The car slowly began to move forward again. Both of them were sitting quietly.

"Who did you give yours to?"

"Sharpay."

"Do you love her?"

Troy was silent for a while. His hands curled around the wheel as he seemed to think it over.

"I knew you didn't," she gasped.

"Hey, I didn't say that." he huffed, "You can't put words in my mouth like that."

"Trust me," Gabriella began, crossing her arms over her knees. "The moment of silence said it all."

Troy looked down at his speed and slowed down a bit. "It's not like that."

"I don't care." She shrugged. "It's not my business." She added. There was silence for a moment as they both looked out the windshield ahead of them. Neither really wanting to discuss the topic of his feelings for Sharpay any further.

"What was it like?"

"It was fast." Troy winced. "She said it hurt a little like a pinch or whatever," he said, waving a hand, "She was a little sore for a day or two. Assuming that's what you really want to know."

"What about the bleeding?"

"A little, not a lot."

"Why did you have sex with her if you didn't like her like that?"

His head fell back into the seat as he let out a long breath. "Because I'm a piece of shit guy who was dating an attractive cheerleader."

"Did you love her at one point?"

"I do love her, maybe not as much as before, not as deep as I probably should but we're good together."

"Because she's a cheerleader and you're a basketball player." Gabriella said.

Troy was silent again.

"So do guys even like virgins?" she said, leaving the last comment to die in the silence.

"Okay, honestly. Yes and no."

She shifted in her seat. "What does that mean?"

"Guys are pretty much as predictable as an episode of Scooby-doo." He said with a shrug. "We like sex, we know how to get it, so we go about getting it." Troy placed both hands on the steering wheel. "If I'm being honest with you, every guy wants to have sex with every girl he knows. It's just one of those uncontrollable things." He said slowly.

"That makes no sense. Why would guys like me, but not want to date me just because I don't have sex."

Troy shook his head, "Because we're teenagers. We're not focused on the long game. We're thinking about the right here and now and at this point my mind is constantly calculating just how fast I can get up your shirt or down your pants."

"Do you think of me like that?" she said in a low voice.

"God no." he said quickly.

Gabriella almost had to stop herself from flinching. Was she so unattractive that he was repulsed by the idea of her sexually?

"You're like my kid sister." He tried again, "I mean it's true you're a girl, so yeah, I might notice a few things but you're still just too … familiar for me." he said with a shrug.

"So what? I'm like a kid to you?" she said, trying to hide her disappointment. Honestly, what did she expect? He had a girlfriend. "We're the same age."

"It's not like that." He said, offering her a smile.

"Then what's it like?" She countered.

"Like I've known you since we've been in diapers." He said, giving her the side eye. "Do you remember that night you snuck into my treehouse and put eggs in the toy chest?"

She smiled fondly.

"You little shit." He chuckled.

Gabriella leaned back into her seat more as she snuggled in sideways. "Well since we're talking about it. I wonder about kissing too."

"You've never been kissed before?" He asked. "No way, how did that happen?"

"Just never really came up I guess." Gabriella said, letting her eyes rest. "Turns out I'm not the kind of girl people wanna kiss."

"Well, that's horseshit." He huffed, "Come on lean over, I'll lay a wet one on you right here, right now."

She laughed, letting out a snort. "As if."

He shrugged, "Don't say I never offered to help."

"What was your first kiss like?" She said kicking off her shoes.

He was quiet for a moment. As if lost in thought, "You know what, I don't even remember it." he said, leaning back a little more relaxed. "I think I was drunk to be honest."

"I've never been drunk either." She said in a low voice.

"Well it's not that bad, I mean it's not really who you are." Troy said with a shrug. "Everyone is different, you're just like one of those flowers that's still growing."

"A late bloomer?"

"Yeah." Troy smiled softly as he glanced over at her. The edges of his profile blurring a little as she felt herself drifting off to sleep.

Troy.

Chad: Hey buddy.

Troy: Hey Traitor.

Chad: Oh good! So you're not still pissed off about the road trip thing.

Chad: My mom needs me at the shop man, what was I supposed to do?

Troy: It's fine, What's up?

Chad: Listen, I don't want to be the one telling you this. Like at all.

Troy: Spit it out Danforth.

Chad: Image sent.

Troy stared down at the image on his screen. An image of Sharpy, her hair flipped over her shoulder straddling Zeke's lap, her pink skirt hitched and Zeke's bottom lip caught between her teeth.

They were in someone's basement, surrounded by other party goers. He was sure he knew who's basement but he didn't really care to examine the photo any more than what he could see.

Right. Then.

The pump clicked indicating his tank was full. He removed the nozzle and closed up the gas tank. Stepping up on his back wheel to set up the tarp over the back part of the truck because the smell in the air told him it was going to rain soon.

He made busy work of securing the bags and checking his tires. And when he ran out of distractions he opened the passenger door and removed his sweater draping it over Gabriella and tucking her in.

Once satisfied he closed the door quietly and locked both doors before making his way into the store to use the bathroom.

On his way out he stopped for more Slim Jims and three water bottles. Walking back to the car he noticed a truck driver pulling in as well. Pulling the keys out of his pocket he reached the door and unlocked it. After placing the items inside, he closed the door again and reached for the squeegee to clean the windshield.

"Driving long distance?" The man said as he climbed down from his truck.

"Yes sir." Troy said, continuing to wipe the window down.

"Well, there's a bad storm coming." He said pointing in the direction Troy was heading. "Take it slow and don't hug the corners."

"Thanks." Troy nodded, "You think I'll be able to make it into Scottsdale before it gets bad?"

"I don't know about that." the man said, opening his wallet and looking inside for bills. "Might want to pull into the next motel and wait it out."

Troy frowned.

"I'm just helping you out." The man said with a shrug. The man chuckled and looked into Troy's front seat seeing Gabriella bundled up. "I'll tell you right now, your girlfriend is gonna agree with me about the motel."

Troy was about to correct him but didn't, it wasn't important for this stranger to know the truth about his relationship with Gabriella. "Thanks."

"Young love, I remember me and my wife drove across states once." He said with a sad smile. "We took turns sleeping in the truck as we drove." He said looking back at his truck. "I'll tell you what, This right here is the only thing I need in life. Once the wife passed I switched over to long hauls. No point in being back home. Empty house is too depressing."

Troy nodded and put the squeegee back in the bucket.

"Try resting her feet in your lap."

Troy stopped and turned to him. "What?"

"When she wakes up she's going to be pretty stiff." The man said, pointing to Gabriella. "It helps if you stretch out the feet to keep the blood flowing."

"Oh." Troy said, opening the door. "Thanks."

"No sweat." The man said, making his way to the store.

Troy turned the car on and took a deep breath. He pulled out his one seeing two missed messages from Chad.

Chad: You okay?

Chad: Want me to do something?

Troy: Nope.

He was still for a moment then decided to power off his phone for a bit. He put his keys in the ignition and then reached over to pull Gabriella's feet towards him. Her legs rested on his lap and he smiled as she got more comfortable.

Troy put the truck in drive and pulled out of the station. As soon as he was a few miles away he saw the lighting flash across the sky.

Three hours later, he couldn't see two feet in front of him.

Gabriella.

"Gabriella?" Troy nudged her shoulders and her eyes flew open to see the rain coming down hard over the edges of Troy's face.

He was blurred like some kind of dream, his hair plastered to his face and his t-shirt sticking to his chest.

"What's going on?" she shouted, sitting up right and looking around. The rain was pouring down hard and sounded thundering against the roof of the truck.

"I can't drive through this; we have to stay the night." He said gathering her up in his arms.

Not really sure what was happening still Gabriella looped her arms around his neck, huddling into him as he got them inside the motel room and kicked the door shut behind him.

Once they were inside he put her down on the floor, and she was shivering still clad in her tank top form before. Troy's sweater haphazardly wrapped around her.

"Where are we?" she said, removing the wet sweater.

"Motel 8, about 10 miles outside of Scottsdale." He said removing his own drenched sweater.

Gabriella looked over to the beds where a pile of her things already were. Then she looked over to Troy who was soaked way beyond what she was. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner? I could have helped." She said walking over to the pile of dripping wet clothes Troy was accumulating as stripped down.

"It's alright. I just really wanted to get in and you were asleep." He said stretching out in just his jeans.

Gabriella quickly turned around out of privacy and she heard him chuckle.

"You've seen me without a shirt before." He said walking over to his bag. "I'm going to shower and then hit the bed. It's a quarter past 9 in the morning and I'm beat."

Gabriella nodded as she continued to look down at the carpet. He was right, she'd seen him a million times without a shirt when he was playing basketball in the backyard. But this felt different. More intimate.

Gabriella took a deep breath once she heard the bathroom door close. Looking in the mirror she saw her own face which was car sleep-tastic. Her hair was wet and clinging to her face and her eyes were darker.

"Three cheers for the sexy nerd," She mumbled to herself. Walking over to her bag she pulled out a super big t-shirt and began to undo her braids. She walked over to the window and peeked outside. It was light out, visibility was low and she could see a few people running through the parking lot.

She pulled the curtains shut and changed into comfortable pajamas. Once she was changed, she put her AirPod in her ear and began undoing the other braid.

After another fifteen minutes the bathroom door opened and her eyes automatically flew to the god-like upper half that was Troy Bolton's body.

She'd been effortlessly dancing along to the beat as she wrote in her notebook. Only once her eyes accidentally landed on his chest her breath hitched and she gripped her pencil a little tighter.

Hello muscles!

"You're wearing your glasses," he said, eyeing her as well. Only she was certain her appearance paled in comparison. Not only was her hair frizzy and wavy from being caught in the rain and humidity but her t-shirt had a care bear on it. Which really played into the whole kid thing from before.

"And you're wearing a towel." She countered. Tacking another long appreciative look at his abdomen. The way his muscles were defined from all his hard work and hours of practice.

He let out a laugh as he moved across the room to his duffle bag. "Glad to see someone's gotten over their issues about my lack of clothing."

"I guess it's all about the presentation," she mumbled.

"What was that?" Troy asked with a knowing smile as he pulled out a pair of basketball shorts.

"Sharpay's a lucky girl." Gabriella replied simply as she looked back down at her notebook. Rereading the last few sentences she'd written.

"Yeah about that," Troy grunted, grabbing her attention once again.

Only when she looked up she was distracted again. Watching as he slipped into his shorts underneath the towel and then tossed the towel over the back of a chair. The way he moved was so practiced and precise. Almost like he got dressed in front of a room full of people daily. Which now that she actually considered it. He did.

Wait, he'd said something. What had he said?

"I'm sorry what?"

He laughed. "Sharpay, she was pretty upset about the ACP last night."

Oh crap. Gabriella winced, "How bad is it? I didn't think she'd be upset, I mean she's been going to parties too so I just thought…"

"Relax, you didn't do anything wrong." He shrugged, "And you're right, she's going to parties too."

Gabriella stiffened. "So then what's wrong?"

He shrugged.

"Well, what does that mean?"

He reached for his phone and powered it on. Watching quietly as the screen lit up his face. She was about to ask him again when he turned the phone so she could see.

Her eyes shifted to the image on the screen with a sharp inhale. Holy shit. She wasn't sure what she expected but it wasnt a picture of Sharpay and Zeke Baylor, one of the other players on the basketball team caught in a compromising situation.

"Shit." Gabriella muttered. "I'm such an asshole."

Troy chucked the phone onto the nightstand, "Well, it's not you in his lap."

"Have you talked to her?"

He shook his head. "Not yet, I'm not really sure what to say."

"Troy," Gabriella frowned as she lowered her eyes a little to meet his gaze. "You're going to have to say something."

"Like what?" He said a little distant now, "can't really changed what happened."

"But you can talk to her about it."

Troy let out a sigh, "well right now I rather just crash for a while." He said shifting higher up into the pillows. "Mind if I turn off the lamp over here?" he asked.

Gabriella shook her head, a little in disbelief that he was just going to go to sleep. That he wasn't on the phone right now asking Sharpay about what happened. Was he even disappointed? Did it hurt? It had to, he talked about marriage hadn't he?

Turning back to her notebook she let out a sigh.

So I found out today that Sharpay kissed another guy. I can't even wrap my head around it. How does that even happen? I mean, Sharpay's been with Troy forever, and yet... she kisses someone else? It's so confusing. Like, what was going through her head? What made her think that was okay?

And the weirdest part? Troy. He doesn't want to talk about it. He's just... shutting down. Like, I know they've been fighting a little more than usual, but wouldn't you want to at least try to work it out? If I were dating Troy, I'd NEVER do something like that to him. I mean, I care about him so much—how could you even think about hurting someone you care about like that?

Maybe that's the difference. Maybe Troy and Sharpay aren't... I don't know, on the same page anymore. But still, a kiss? With someone else? It feels like the kind of thing that should completely break a relationship, but it's like Troy's too tired to care.

And then there's me. Thinking about all of this is making me realize how... simple I thought relationships were. You love someone, they love you, and you do everything you can to make it work. But it's so much messier than that. Feelings get tangled up with expectations, trust, pride... all of it.

If I ever got the chance to be with someone like Troy, I'd never let things get so complicated. I'd never betray him like that. But I guess it's easy to think that when you're not the one in the relationship. From the outside, things always look so clear.

I just wish Troy would talk about it. We're friends, right? Shouldn't he be able to lean on me? But he's been distant, more than usual, and I can't figure out why. Maybe he doesn't think I'll understand, or maybe he's just tired of the drama.

I don't know. Relationships are confusing. And the more I think about it, the more I wonder if it's ever as simple as I thought it would be.

"What are you writing about?"

Gabriella jumped at the sudden break in silence and looked over to Troy who was staring up at the ceiling.

"School," She lied.

"What about your stories?"

Gabriella leaned back and looked down at the book in her lap. "I write stories sometimes, not all the time."

"So that's like a diary isn't it?"

"I guess." She shrugged her shoulders. "No one reads it if that's what you mean."

"Am I in there?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." She said with a smirk as she tucked the journal under her pillow and leaned over for the light.

"So I am then." She could hear him shifting in his bed turning to face her.

"Why do you care?" she said, pulling her hair to the side.

"Well when someone writes about you there has to be a reason?" Troy said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You're right." She said, closing her eyes.

Troy was quiet for a moment. She almost thought he'd fallen asleep. Then his voice broke the silence. "What's your reason?"

For a moment she didn't respond. She could just let it go, pretend to be asleep. But it felt rude. Especially now knowing what he was going through. With thinking she rolled over to face him and flinched when she found him already staring at her.

This was different, Troy Bolton asking her something and hanging on her word. Laying in his bed and watching her so intensely. Clearly he was in need of a distraction.

She let out a sigh, "Because guys like you don't talk to girls like me." she said quietly. "And when you do, I think those moments in time should be recorded and thought about."

"What's that mean? We talk all the time."

"Not really, you don't talk to me at school or at school functions." She countered.

"Yeah, but I mean we do talk. We've been talking for the last three days."

"Force proximity will do that to you."

He let out a breath and rolled onto his back to watch the ceiling. "I don't get you sometimes. You're always watching everyone else live their lives, but when it comes to your own, you act like it's everyone else's fault."

"I do not think that." She said, taken aback.

He huffed in disbelief. "Of course you do. You spend all your time watching me and my friends, wishing you were part of the group, but you're too scared to actually try. You keep saying you want an adventure, that nothing exciting ever happens to you? Well, that's because you're not taking any chances. You can't expect us to notice you when you're doing everything you can to blend into the background."

Gabriella didn't respond. Instead she rolled over, turned away from him. Both were quiet for a while until she could hear his breathing even out. The sound of the rain outside, the only other sound in the room.

She wiped away a tear.

Troy.

As the tour guide walked the group down the hall, Troy, wearing an East High shirt and jeans, listened half-heartedly. "Scottsdale Community College offers degrees in three Associate Degree categories, as well as Certificates of Completion," she said, her voice echoing off the walls. Troy glanced around, noticing the artwork and flyers for tutors and events. The place had a tight-knit feel to it—everyone seemed to know each other. He liked that. It was familiar to him.

"If you have your sights set on a specific career, an occupational program may be the right pathway to help you achieve your career goals." Troy caught the tour guide's eye as she spoke. Her honey-blonde hair framed her face, and she was undeniably cute. She kept making eye contact with him, which was a little awkward, but also... nice.

"While the primary function is career preparation, some courses and programs may transfer to four-year colleges." She smiled directly at him.

Gabriella, trailing behind, crossed her arms. Troy could feel her tension. He knew she had noticed the eye contact. She wasn't oblivious. He also knew she probably thought he was clueless. Maybe he was.

Gabriella sighed, breaking her silence as she glanced at a bulletin board showcasing student pictures from a recent fundraiser. "I hate small schools," she muttered under her breath, clearly not impressed by the college's community vibe.

Troy slowed his pace and huffed. "That's because you're at a small school and you take it for granted."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I don't take East High for granted. It took me for granted," she added quietly.

Sliding his hands into his pockets, Troy looked at her, trying to piece together a response. "You're the leader of that... smart club thing and in that other thing with the... uh…"

Troy rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little sheepish. "Sorry," he said after Gabriella tilted her head with that teasing smirk.

"It's alright." She shifted her weight, still smiling. "We've only lived next to each other for seventeen years. Carpooled for, what, seven of them?"

"Right, and we all have the free time to memorize everything about each other," Troy shot back with a grin. "I bet you can't even name three of my extracurriculars."

Gabriella didn't even hesitate. "You're on the student council, you volunteer at the community center, and you're the basketball team captain."

"Okay, come on," he groaned. "That's different."

"How?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Troy opened his mouth, then closed it, realizing she had him. "Alright, fine. I'm a terrible neighbor. Happy?"

She glanced at the group up ahead. "Better catch up before the tour guide notices you're gone."

Troy sighed, his frustration bubbling under the surface. He flashed a smirk at Gabriella before looking toward the guide. "Honestly, I think she already has. Probably planning our wedding invite as we speak."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow. "Sharpay's lucky you're so faithful," she teased, obviously fishing for some insight into his relationship.

He couldn't blame her, that picture on his phone was all he could think about last night. Wondering what it meant, wondering about what happened afterwards. Wondering why it didn't upset him as much as he may have wanted it too. He should be disappointed, sad, maybe even a little solem.

But he felt content. Relieved like some of the steam had been let out of the pressure cooker he'd been inside of for the last three years.

"Yeah Well, I think a relationship means something," Troy replied, his tone more serious now even to own ears.

Gabriella bit her lip. "I thought you didn't love her."

"I thought you didn't care," he countered.

She smiled and flicked her braid over her shoulder, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. Troy watched her for a moment, then let his curiosity get the best of him. "Why do you braid your hair so much?"

Gabriella shrugged, looking down. "No point in doing it up. No one really cares how my hair looks, as long as I do their math homework and tutor them in literature so they stay on the basketball team during playoffs."

That last one was directed at him. Because yeah, last semester he'd fallen behind in his English class and needed tutoring because his grades were slipping.

Troy chuckled, gently tugging at her braid. "Maybe you're right about the whole 'taken for granted' thing."

Gabriella went quiet for a moment before speaking up again. "We should really probably catch up with the group."

Troy placed a hand on her shoulder before she could walk away. "Or we could ditch."

Gabriella blinked, caught off guard. "But the tour…"

Troy shrugged. "You hate this place, and I've seen enough. It's like an older version of East High."

Gabriella laughed. "Really?"

He nodded, grabbing her hand. "Come on."

Before she could protest, he was leading her toward the exit. They both laughed as they stepped into the bright sun. Gabriella's green sundress seemed to shimmer in the light, and Troy couldn't help but notice how relaxed she looked.

"I've got an idea," he said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"Where are we going?" Gabriella asked, her smile widening as they approached his truck.

"You'll see," Troy said. Without any more delays he began driving them toward the edge of town.

A little while later, they pulled up to a carnival. Gabriella's eyes lit up as she saw the Ferris wheel towering over the fairgrounds. "Oh my God, it's been so long since I've been to a carnival!"

Troy grinned, remembering. "Yeah, the last time one came to town, you were sick."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow, obviously impressed. "You actually remember that? For someone who forgot I was in the writing club, that's pretty impressive." She said before getting out of the truck.

Troy laughed as he walked around to meet her. "Don't be. I got sick the week after you did."

Gabriella laughed, extending her hands dramatically. "Ah, it all makes sense now."

They approached the gate and he stepped up to purchase their tickets. Once paid for, he handed her a strip of tickets, and she took them with a mock curtsy.

"Thank you, kind sir."

"You're welcome, my good lady," Troy replied with a smirk.

Gabriella looped her arm through his, falling in step beside him. "Can we go on the spinning cherries?"

"Awesome," Troy said, leading the way.

"Did you know that according to the film's animators, you will see 6,469,952 black spots every time you view 101 Dalmations." She said as they got in line.

"Whoa... who do you think counted?" he said looking down at her with a smile.

"Beats me?"she said as they moved up.

Troy handed his ticket to the man and so did Gabriella. "What other things do you know?" He asked moving to the side to let her lead the way.

Gabriella shrugged as she headed to a nearby cherry. "Well they say that 22 cigarettes are smoked in the movie, Casablanca."

Troy made a funny face. "Never saw it." he said with a shrug bringing down the bar onto their laps.

"Are you kidding me, it's a classic." She said, holding her hands up. "Here's looking at you kid?"

Troy shook his head as the ride started. "No clue what that means."

"Oh you are so missing out." she said putting both her hands on the spinning wheel. With a smile she pulled the wheel to the right just as he also placed his hands on it. Both of them screamed and laughed as the spinning cherry went round and round.

Gabriella.

Four rides in and Gabriella purchased a thing of cotton candy. It was a genuine good time. They took a few goofy pictures and posted them online. Played a few more games and now she was walking over to the basketball hoop arcade game where she watched as Troy made basket after basket. Because who expected anything less from the star player of the basketball team.

His arms were a piece of artwork crafted by his sport and lifting. She knew because she watched him work out in his garage. Not that she would admit that to him.

"Impressed?" he said when the game ended flashing his perfect score.

"No, not really." she said, plucking away at her cotton candy.

"And why not?" he said as he looked back at the game in disbelief. "I made every basket."

"You do that every day and at every game." she said with a shrug. "Do something unexpected and I'll be impressed."

"Tough crowd." He said taking some of her cotton candy. "Even my kids at the community center think that's pretty cool."

"Well there you go, I just gave you something to work towards." She said walking alongside him.

Troy fell into step and tucked his hands in his pocket. "Your hair is pretty long." He said batting at the end of her braid.

"It is," she shrugged. "Maybe I'll cut it off and rock a bob."

"Or you could ditch the braids."

She smirked at him then. "Why the sudden hair advice?" she asked, looking at him with a sideways glance.

"Just a suggestion." He said reaching for more cotton candy. "Might look nice is all."

"Sure." She said, shaking her head.

Troy looked off to the side as the walked, her eyes following his to a couple walking hand in hand. They were making eyes at each other.

"You talk to her?" Gabriella said knowingly.

"Nope." Troy turned away from the couple. "Hey, why don't you have a boyfriend?"

"Trust me it's not a choice." she said with a shrug. "Just haven't found someone worth the effort."

Or interested. She thought to herself.

"You're actually not that bad." Troy said, tilting his head to the side and looking at her again in the sunlight. "In fact you're kind of cool to hang out with."

"Gee, thanks I think." she said, taking a seat at a picnic table nearby. "You're such a sweet talker."

"I am." He said with a deep breath as he sat down beside her. "Sorry if that was a little mean, I don't mean for it to sound mean."

"No,it's cool," Gabriella frowned. "You're the basketball guy, Sharpay's boy toy, East High promo boy. If you think I'm cool then it must be true." She teased,

"How come when you say it like that? I sound like a douchebag?"

She shrugged. Is that how it sounded? She hadn't noticed.

Troy was quiet and he leaned back to look at all the other people walking around. "You know I wanted to go on a road trip to figure it out." he said looking at her. "I am not sure about where my life is going and senior year feels like a pivotal moment. Like I should know something by now."

"Well, it sounds like you don't want to marry Sharpay for starters.

"I don't," he said with a sigh. "I just don't know how to end it."

"Which is why you should talk to her."

Troy let out a sigh. "I know, and I will."

"When?"

"Eventually," he said with a shrug. "I don't know, I'm just trying to wrap my head around what I want for myself. I like basketball, I'm good at it. I spent the last three years channeling that energy to get great at it. But I'm not sure what I want to play basketball for forever."

"Then don't" she said shrugging her shoulder and tilting the cotton candy in his direction. "What makes you happy now?"

"Fixing my truck, listening to music."

Gabriella hit him on the shoulder. "Study engineering, mechanics, or better yet a business degree and open up your own garage."

Troy looked at her with and odd expression. "I never thought of that."

"What else do you like?"

"I like commercials."

"Advertising." Gabriella said with a smile. "Sell me something?"

"You don't strike me as the kind of girl that can be sold?"

"Not easily." She said knocking into his side. "That's why I'm good for practice."

"Right." Suddenly it got darker. Troy looked up at the sky with a frown. "Looks like the rain is coming back."

"What? Do you think your sugar or something?"

"Oh and you want to be caught in the rain."

"Little rain never hurt anyone." She said leaning back.

"Right." Troy looked up just as there was a flash of lighting with a rumble of distant thunder. "Well I'm going back to the truck." He said "And don't think I won't leave you here." He added pushing off the table and began to walk away.

"You wouldn't." she called after him but he kept walking. "Troy?" she squealed as she jumped up to follow him. "You can't leave me behind."

Troy.

"Watch me," he said reaching into his pocket for his keys. He stopped mid step. "Oh no."

"What?" Gabriella said when she caught up with him.

"I think I lost the keys."

"That's not funny," she said with a laugh.

"I wish I was being funny." He said in all seriousness as he began searching other pockets.

Gabriella laughed again. "You know I told you, you couldn't leave me behind…" Gabriella opened her hands and let the keys she swiped earlier dangle between her fingers.

Troy looked at her in disbelief. "How did you … when?"

The thunder boomed and she let out a laugh. "First one to the truck gets to drive it!" she called over her shoulder as she jogged ahead.

"No a chance in hell!" he called after her, taking off. Just then the sky opened up and rain began to fall as they ran out of the park and into the parking lot. The lose strands from her braid which had earlier had framed her face with whimsy now clung to the sides of her face. She was a lot faster than he expected. She was also sneaky as she darted left and right throwing him off a few times. Then he heard the sounds of her laughter as she darted out between two cars and he locked in again, giving chase.

Other park goers were racing to their cars. Everyone laughing and shrieking.

Her green dress was soaked now just like his own clothes and the fabric beginning to stick to their bodies. Right before Gabriella could reach the truck Troy's arms wrapped around her waist and she was lifted from the ground. The surge of triumph rushing through him as he spun her around.

"Cheater!" She let out a shreik and gripped onto him for dear life as she laughed, the both of them caught up in the moment before he set her back down on the ground.

"You stole my keys!" He shouted over the rain as he reached for them.

Only Gabriella pulled her hand away and took a step back. "It's like a three day drive to the next campus." She said with pout. "I can drive too, you know."

Troy narrowed his eyes in the rain and smiled down at her small figure becoming more and more soaked to the bone, her dress sticking to her curves. Her pouty face looked back at him. God help him, he felt butterflies in his stomach for the first time that had nothing to do with basketball.

He shook his head and reached for the keys again and she giggled when she moved them behind her back. "Let me drive just for an hour, I swear I can do it."

Troy took a step forward, coming closer than he trusted himself to be right now. Looking down at her lips he felt a pull, a desire in his core to press his lips against hers. He never felt that way about Sharpay. Never felt like he had to work for it or earn it like he did right now with Gabriella.

Like getting a kiss from her was the equivalent to winning a championship. And he really, really wanted to win right now.

Her eyes met his and for a moment her dark brown ones dipped to his lips. The same curiosity and desire he felt right there on her face. And he knew she would be okay with it if he kissed her.

With one more step he was closer to her and they were chest to chest. Her eyes met his again, uncertainty and confusion there and gone. Then she closed her eyes. And he moved in closer, feeling her breath on his lips and really trying to resist taking something from her he was pretty sure he had no right to take.

His left hand came up to her waist, his open palm settling on her hip as he pulled her close to him. The contact of their bodies touching made them both inhale sharply. His hand reached back behind her and in one quick motion he grabbed the keys. Only she wasn't putting up much of a fight anymore.

Her breathing had gotten quicker, deeper, she was looking up at him with an expectation and he really, really wished he could meet it. But the voice inside his head told him he shouldn't. That he was so mixed up about his feelings at the moment that it wouldn't be fair to her if he kissed her.

So instead he took a much needed step back, and felt regret as soon as she realized he wasn't going to kiss her.

"I'll let you drive when it's not raining." He said in a low voice. "We should get going before we get sick out here."

Gabriella nodded and without another word they made their way back into the Truck.

Gabriella

So this is the part where we pretend nothing happened. Like that moment in time never existed. The rain was falling between us, my heart wasn't pounding its way up my throat. I didn't almost have my first kiss in the parking lot of a carnival.

Because of course we're not gonna talk about it. Troy won't even talk to Sharpay about a relationship ending picture, what did I think was going to happen about this?

So let's reelavulate. What did happened was a nice day, I went to the carnival I rode the spinning cherries and the rollercoaster's. I watched Troy play a flawless game of basket ball and we shared some cotton candy. It was a race to the truck and as a reward Troy said I could drive when it's not raining.

There, that slaps a pretty PG13 bow on the whole thing.

But I know. I know that almost kiss really happened. For a minute, a second, just a small moment the girl who he said 'wasn't a master of seduction' seduced him. And let me tell you he's not getting away that easy.

We're going to be on the road for the next three days. This next college will be the end of week one. Things are going by really fast and I feel like I'm getting somewhere about my college choice. I really do think I want to go to Stanford. It kind of a happy middle for me, not so big not so small.

Her phone vibrated and she reached for it, unlocking the screen and seeing a text from Taylor.

Taylor: So, how are things?

Gabriella: Miserable. We've been driving in silence for the last 8 hours.

Taylor: But he's still alive isn't he?

Gabriella: Alive and well, why?

Taylor: Well Chad told me a few things and now Sharpay is freaking out. Troy isn't returning her calls or text.

Gabriella: That tracks.

Taylor: What does that mean? Wait, what do you know? Has he talked about it?

Gabriella: He showed me the photo and glossed over the highlights. That was pretty much it.

Taylor: She didn't sleep with him.

Gabriella: I didn't ask.

Taylor: You didn't. How are you doing by the way?

Gabriella: I'm stuck in a car with a grump.

Taylor: Have you called that guy?

Gabriella: No, I did not. Didn't really feel right. I'm seventeen. What would we even talk about?

Taylor: That's the problem, you think too much. You should just text him.

Gabriella huffed. Right she should text Anthony out of the blue and say what exactly? 'Hey, remember me? That girl you danced with once at a party. I'm gonna be a senior in high school next year and I was thinking maybe we could talk about college essays.'

She groaned. Why couldn't she be cooler about this stuff.

Troy.

Troy looked over at Gabriella who was writing in her notebook. He knew exactly what she was writing about. She'd been quiet the whole drive and Troy felt horrible about how things had played out between them. He should have never pulled her in closer, shouldn't have looked at her the way he did. The whole thing was one big messy ball of should have and could haves. But the moment was over. And the allotted time where he should have said something.

Had passed.

His eyes drift over again as she lifted her feet up onto the dashboard, her dress slipping as she leaned back and turned the page to keep writing. She let out a sigh and then reached for her phone. She was texting someone. For a moment he wondered about who and about what. Then reminded himself it was none of his business.

Eyes back on the road he thought about the last few messages he'd received from Sharpay.

Sharpay: We need to talk.

Sharpay: I'm sorry.

Sharpay: I admit, I got a little jealous okay.

He let out a sigh of his own. How on earth had he gotten himself into this mess. His eyes darted towards Gabriella again. His eyes lingering to get an eye full of her long legs and the way her dress was practically in her lap. The heat of the day was betting on them after all the rain, making it humid and hot. His air conditioner wasn't working all that great to begin with and right about he imagined it was the reason he couldn't focus.

Right now he could only imagine how warm her skin would feel against his own. Just then he felt the truck shake as it teetered along the end of the road markers making him jerk up right and pull the wheel back.

"What happened?" Gabriella jerked to the side as she looked up at the road. "What the hell was that?" she murmured as he gripped the steering wheel with both hands and kept his eyes straight.

So they were back on talking terms.

"I'm sorry, but you try driving in silence for eight hours." He lied. "I'm just tired."

She reached for the map and followed the route with her finger. "The next motel isn't far." She said looking over at him. "Want to stop?"

"No, we'll just hit up the next one." He said, keeping his eyes ahead of him. "I can manage." He said with a smirk.

Gabriella let out a sigh and put the map down. "Well, then make a stop at the gas station just up the road. I have to pee anyway." she said, closing her notebook and sitting up right.

"You always have to pee." He said with a sigh as he spotted the turn off.

"Shut up." She muttered. "Besides I want to get out of this dress, I've been in this dress long enough; I'm beginning to hate it."

"I can agree with that." He said quickly.

Gabriella looked over at him with a glare. "What's that mean?"

"What's what mean?"

"You hate my dress?" she said looking down at it.

"No, it's a nice dress. I just don't think it fits the whole road trip theme." He said pulling up to a pump. Once the truck came to a stop he let go of the wheel and looked over to see Gabriella still staring at him oddly in confusion.

"Go change." He motioned to the rest stop sign.

She let out a grunt and got out of the truck slamming the door shut behind her.

Troy winced as he stepped out of his truck, still feeling the tension in his muscles. He needed a break, something to clear his head. Heading into the convenience store, he started wandering aimlessly between the aisles. His eyes flicked over random items on the shelves without really seeing them.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Glancing at the screen, he saw it was almost seven. Sharpay's name flashed on the display. With a sigh, he hesitated for a second before answering.

"Hey," he muttered, his voice low as he picked up a can of men's body spray, turning it over absentmindedly.

"Hi," came her soft reply. "Wasn't sure you'd answer me."

Troy frowned, setting the can back on the shelf. "Yeah, well, what do you want?"

"I've missed you," she said, her voice offering a hesitant warmth.

Troy made a harsh buzzing sound with his lips. "Wanna try that again?" he shot back, sarcasm laced in his tone.

"Okay," Sharpay said, this time her voice sharper, annoyed. "I'm sorry about the other night, okay? It was just a stupid kiss, it didn't mean anything."

Troy's jaw clenched. His fingers curled tightly around the phone. "Like hell it didn't mean anything. You were pissed off that I was at that stupid party." He dropped his voice to a whisper, eyes narrowing as he scanned the aisle. "You think you can control me with shit like this?"

"That's not what I was doing."

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Don't bullshit me, Shar. I'm not an idiot. It sucked getting that photo. I never would've let something like that happen to you."

There was a beat of silence on the other end. Then her voice turned cold, defensive. "Well, it's hard to believe that when you're off sharing motel rooms with her, isn't it?"

Troy stopped, his hand gripping the edge of the shelf. His heart rate quickened, anger bubbling under the surface. "Her? Are you serious? You know damn well nothing is happening between me and Gabriella. She's just along for the tours, I'm not into her like that, end of story."

His voice wavered at the end. Knowing damn well it wasn't really the end of the story. If it had been he wouldn't have almosted kissed her in the parking lot earlier.

"End of story?" Sharpay's voice rose. "You don't think I know how close you two already are? Like three weeks alone with her isn't going to change everything."

He let out a bitter laugh. "Wow, that's rich coming from you. I'm at a party, having a normal night, and you—what? Decide you're gonna make out with one of my friends to get even?"

"I wasn't getting even—"

"Then what the hell was it?" Troy snapped, cutting her off. "Some kind of game? You're pissed at me, so you kiss some random guy? Do you even care what that looks like? What it feels like?"

Sharpay let out a frustrated sigh. "I said I was sorry. It wasn't like it meant anything!"

Troy bit his lip, trying to keep his voice level. "You don't get it, do you? It's not just about the kiss, it's about what it shows me. You go behind my back, and instead of talking to me, you pull this crap. And now you expect me to just forget it?"

"You're blowing this way out of proportion," she shot back. "It's not like you haven't been distant, Troy! You've been different, and if you're honest with yourself, you'll admit it."

Troy closed his eyes, frustration boiling over. "I've been different because I've been trying to keep everything from falling apart. If you haven't notice we're about to go into our senior year, most people know what that means for them. I still not sure and I thought we were in this together, Shar, but you… you're just making it worse."

"So now it's my fault?" Sharpay's voice cracked with emotion, the bravado starting to fade. "I'm sorry, okay? I messed up. But don't act like you've been a saint in all this."

Troy let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "I never said I was perfect. But at least I didn't throw us under the bus when things got hard."

There was a long, thick silence on the line. Troy could hear Sharpay breathing, the tension between them growing heavier.

"Maybe we've been fooling ourselves," she finally said, her voice flat. "Maybe we're not as good together as we thought."

Troy's heart twisted painfully, but he couldn't find the words to deny it. They had been fighting more, misreading each other at every turn, trying to hold onto something that felt like it was slipping through their fingers.

He stared down at the phone, his throat tight. "Maybe you're right."

Sharpay let out a shaky breath, and Troy thought he heard a sob she was trying to hold back. But she said nothing. Neither of them did.

Finally, Troy hung up without another word, his chest heavy as the reality of it all started to sink in. He wasn't sure what was worse: the kiss, or the fact that this might really be the end.

"That sounded pretty intense."

He jerked around coming face to face with Gabriella.

"How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough of it," she said with a shrug. "Enough to cut you some slack."

He didn't say anything as she walked past him, after a moment he followed behind her quietly. They came to a stop at display of cookies and snacks. She seemed to be debating between Oreos and Chocolate Chip.

"I'm an Oreo fan," He murmured.

"Bet you're a twister." She said with a raised brow.

"I bet you're a dunker."

Gabriella shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Guilty as charged."

Troy laughed as she decided on the Oreos and put the other bag back. Her hair fell over her shoulder and he noticed it was loose. She'd unbraided it and brushed it out, it was still a little frizzy here and there but it looked nice. Different. Grown up.

"Your hair looks nice like that."

"Yeah, well, I couldn't braid it anymore." She said with a sigh. "Sometimes it has a mind of its own."

Troy watched as she stood up, he couldn't stop himself from staring after her just happy for the relief in tension for once. After she paid for her items he followed her out to the truck.

"So." She said with a big huff.

"So what?"

"Want to talk about it? What made you want to date Sharpay anyway?"

Troy pinned her with a look. "How did I run out of slack from the doors to the truck?"

Gabreilla let out a laugh. "We can't just not talk about it? Don't you want a girl's perspective?"

He let out a sigh and shook his head. "Not really."

"Oh come on," Gabriella pleaded. "Just tell me, what first attracted you to that who should not be named."

His shoulders slumped and he rolled his eyes. "I don't know, because she was a cheerleader."

"Really," she tilted her head. "That's really all it took?"

Troy shrugged as he pulled open her door. "Why do you want to know this stuff?"

She came to stop in front of him. "Because you look like you could use a friend."

"Then count me out." Troy motioned for her to get in. "I have enough of those."

She narrowed her gaze at him. "Would these be the same friends who backed out on the road trip? Made out with your girlfriend? or sent you photos of it ? … I can't keep track."

That earned her a raised brow which she quickly recoiled from before getting into the truck.

"For the last time, I don't want to talk about it."

She leaned forward. "Alright, if you say so. I just figured if it were me and I just broke up with my boyfriend, I'd want to talk to someone about it?"

"Thanks for the offer," he said, genuinely happy she wanted to be there for him. "But," he continued. "If I did want to talk to someone about it, it wouldn't be you." he said, shutting the door to the truck and raking a hand through his hair.

Jesus.

Gabriella

Gabriella shifted in her seat, her legs stiff from the long drive. She leaned her head against the window, eyes half-closed as the soft hum of music from her phone filled the truck. The headlights lit up the empty stretch of road ahead, and she had been trying not to focus on how much farther they had to go.

Troy's voice cut through the music. "We're stopping at a motel."

Her eyes snapped open, and she looked over at him, confused. "I thought you said you were fine?"

"I'm tired," he replied, his gaze fixed on the road, avoiding her.

Gabriella glanced at the motel they were pulling into, a rundown, dingy-looking place with a flickering neon sign. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I don't want to stay here."

"I don't care," Troy said flatly, parking the truck without another word.

She bit her lip, turning off her iPod and tucking it away. Her eyes scanned the motel's worn-out exterior. The cracked walls and broken lights made her skin crawl. If the outside looked this bad, she didn't even want to imagine what the rooms looked like.

"Troy," she said hesitantly.

"What?" He turned to her, his keys in hand, waiting.

"I don't feel comfortable here," Gabriella admitted, glancing out the window again. She spotted a couple smoking by the entrance, their expressions blank as they leaned against the building. The whole scene made her uneasy.

Troy sighed, his face softening for a moment before he shrugged. "It's not a big deal. We're only here for the night. We leave first thing in the morning."

"Promise?" She needed reassurance, even if it didn't completely soothe the knot of anxiety in her stomach.

"Yeah, promise." He gave her a half-hearted smile before stepping out of the truck.

Gabriella hesitated, watching him as he walked around to her side. The night air was heavy, and she shivered, even though it wasn't cold. Finally, she opened the door and got out, linking her arm through his as they walked toward the front desk together.

"Why are you so freaked?" Troy asked, glancing down at her.

"I've seen horror movies that start like this," she whispered, her eyes darting around as they approached the desk.

Troy rolled his eyes, hitting the small bell on the counter. "Excuse me?" he called out.

An older man shuffled to the desk, cigarette dangling from his fingers. He looked at them both through tired eyes, and Gabriella instinctively stepped closer to Troy.

"What can I do ya for?" the man grumbled, tucking the cigarette behind his ear.

"We need a room for the night," Troy said, pulling out his wallet. "A double."

The man shook his head. "Ain't got no doubles. Got two twin rooms or one single."

Gabriella's stomach twisted. The thought of sleeping alone in this place made her uneasy. She barely registered the man's explanation about quitting smoking, her focus entirely on the idea of being in a room by herself.

Troy rubbed the back of his neck. "How much for the single?"

"I don't want to sleep alone," Gabriella blurted, tugging gently on Troy's arm, her voice softer than she intended.

Troy sighed deeply, his eyes closing as if he was trying to summon the patience to deal with everything all at once. "Fine. We'll take the single."

"You want the vibrating bed?" the man asked with a smirk.

"Ew." Gabriella wrinkled her nose, looking between the man and Troy. "Please, no."

Troy shook his head firmly. "No, thanks."

The man chuckled, swiping the card through the computer. "Don't know what you're missing. Me and the wife used to love that bed. My daughter was made in that room." He handed the key to Troy with a wink.

Gabriella stared, horrified, before quickly looking away. "Thank you, sir," Troy said, trying to wrap up the interaction as quickly as possible.

"You two have a good night, ya hear?" The man called after them as they headed back outside.

Gabriella stayed silent as they walked to their room, her mind racing with a mixture of disgust and anxiety. This was the last place she wanted to be right now. The air smelled like stale cigarettes, and she could hear faint voices and footsteps in the distance. Every sound made her more on edge.

When they reached the door, Troy unlocked it and pushed it open. The room was just as bad as she'd imagined—dingy walls, a scratchy-looking bedspread, and a musty smell that clung to everything.

Gabriella stepped inside reluctantly, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "This is kind of awful," she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Troy tossed his keys onto the dresser and collapsed onto the bed with a sigh. "It's just one night. We'll be fine. Look at the bright side, you're not alone."

She didn't bother responding to that one, instead she sat gingerly on the edge of the bed and staring at the stained carpet. "I'm just gonna take a shower and get ready for bed."

"Gabi?"

Gabriella froze and turned around to face him. He'd never called her that before. "What?"

"Look," he said with a sigh. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"Which time?" She countered crossing her arms.

He dragged a hand up and over his face, his fingers ruffling the strands. He looked so defeated and tired. It almost felt wrong to be short with him about today. Obviously it wasn't going well for him either.

"I shouldn't have led you on like that. And I definitely shouldn't have been so short with you about the friend thing." He sighed. "It hasn't really been my finest hour."

"We can agree on that," she nodded. "I also probably should have known better and will try to remember that moving forward."

"So we're cool, right?" he said looking down and beginning to untie his shoes.

Cool. What a loaded word. "Sure." She mumbled going into the bathroom.

Troy

Once the bathroom door closed, Troy placed both his shoes to the side and leaned back on the bed with a puff of air.

There was a faint giggle from the next room and Troy looked over at the green flower patterned wallpaper. This place was a dump. Standing up he walked over to the window and looked out into the dark parking lot. They probably should have skipped this one and kept driving.

Turning back to the bed a foil object caught his attention on the nightstand and he walked over to it. His eyes widened as he recognized the foil packet to be a condom. The bathroom door unlocked and Troy reached for it quickly shoving it into his pocket.

Gabriella came out and put her shoes on the table. Turning around she looked at him as he stood there completely still and arms crossed. "What?"

"Nothing." He said shifting his hands behind his back. "Everything okay with the bathroom?"

"It's appalling." She grumbled before turning back around and heading into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Breathing a sigh of relief he sat down in the nearby chair and took out his phone. He opened up his last text chat with Chad.

Troy: Talked to Sharpay, didn't go well, I think we broke up.

Chad: I heard, she barged into Taylor's bedroom mid make out session. Not gonna like, part of me really hated you two hours ago.

Troy: Sorry man.

Chad: It's all good. How's it going with Gabriella?

Troy: I am fucking up left and right.

Chad: you didn't … you know …

Troy: I did not. We're friends. I think. I kinda wanted to kiss her.

Chad: Whoa! Wait wait wait. You wanted to kiss her? That's … wow man. Wtf?

Troy: temporary insanity. I don't know.

Chad: You should go for it.

"What?" Troy reread that last message before he shook his head in disbelief.

Troy: no.

Swiping the window closed he let out a sigh and tapped on his moms number. After two rings she answered.

"Hey mom,"

"Hey honey," she welcomed. "How's it going? Where are you?"

"We just got out of Scottsdale today," he said, relaxing his shoulders and leaning back in the chair. "I've been driving all day, so I decided to take a break. We're at a really homey motel off the highway." He said cringing a little at the lie.

"How was it? Did you like the campus?"

Troy thought about it for a moment. "I did actually, it was smaller than the last one. More like what I'm used to in the community. Just not completely sold on being out in the middle of nowhere."

"Well you still have some more schools to go that are a little different. Not gonna lie, I wouldn't mind having you closer to home."

"So you've mentioned a time or two," he smiled solemnly. He missed her. A lot more than he was willing to admit right now.

"Have you eaten?"

"Not since a quick bite this afternoon," he said, rubbing his temple. "Might try to order a pizza in a bit."

"And how's Gabriella?"

"Good, she's been a real trooper about the motels and -"

The bathroom door flew open with a loud bang, "Oh my god!" A damp towel clad Gabriella bursted into the room. Pointing at something behind her and squealing in terror.

Troy jumped out of his chair at the sound of the scream. "Mom I got to let you go, tell dad I'll call back."

"Oh my god, Oh my god!"

Shoving his phone back in his pocket he approached her with his hands extended. Not sure what to expect. "What's wrong?"

"Kill it!" she screamed pointing into the bathroom.

Troy shoulders slumped in relief as he made his way over to the bathroom door. He peered into the bathroom only he didn't see what it was that she was referring to.

"Kill what?"

"Spider, right there by the mirror." She said leaning against him and pointing.

"You have got to be kidding me?" Troy let out a laugh as he looked over at the mirror. "Really?" he said turning to face her. "You'll walk into a biker bar in a strange town in the middle of the night but you're afraid of a spider."

"That's Godzilla." She said sternly between clenched teeth. "Get rid of it."

"You know technically he was here first," Troy teased as he motioned into the bathroom.

"Troy," she shoved him aggressively as she looked back into the bathroom terrified. "Kill it."

Letting out another laugh he moved over to the bed where his shoe was and picked it up. Then he made his way back to the bathroom where he spotted the spider and then of couse he took a photo for his mom who was probably going ot have a lot of questions.

"Come on little man, girls only." he mumbled as he raised the shoe and with his finger guided the little creature onto it.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking him outside." He said tilting the shoe as the spider climbed on. "Just because your afraid of him doesn't warrant a murder." He said walking past her.

He felt the glaring stare of her wrath as he opened the room door and bent down to release the spider outside. As soon as he watched the spider crawl off he turned around and locked the door behind him. Once everything was quiet again Troy tossed the shoe over by the bed and wiped his brow.

"Better?" It was the first time he actually looked at her. The first time he actually noticed she was standing in the middle of the room half naked. Her hair was still wet and hung around her face in ringlets and her right hand clutched the towel on the side holding it in place while her other hand rested over her heart.

"Much." She said slowly coming to the same realization he was. Gabriella looked down at her own body and pulled up her free hand in an attempt to cover her chest a bit more. "I'm going to get dressed now."

"Wait" Troy froze holding a hand up, although he wasn't sure why. "Are you hungry?" he said, closing his fist. What was he doing? He should let her go get dressed.

Gabriella paused and looked back at him. "No, not really, just tired."

"Yeah me too."

She was about to leave, but to his surprise he spoke again.

"So what side of the bed do you want?"

"Not the side by the door." Gabriella chided as she leaned back against the door frame. "Anything else?"

Troy shook his head and held up his phone as he looked at her with a nervous smile. "I'm just going to call my mom back. I kind of hung up with the whole spider crisis."

"Right." She said in a low voice.

"I'll just be out here, making the call." he said, shrugging as he placed his hands down in front of his semi erection. "I'll try to be done before you get out."

"You do that." she narrowed her eyes at him in annoyance and then disappeared into the bathroom.

"Smooth." He told himself. "Real smooth."

Gabriella

When she emerged from the bathroom she was wearing a pair of really short shorts and an oversized East High t-shirt. She was still running the brush through her hair as she walked over to the vanity mirror in the room.

Behind her she watched Troy who was now watching her. He relaxed a little, he was now laying in bed with the tv on in a pair of blue joggers and t-shirt.

"School spirit much?"

"Thought you liked cheerleaders." She murmured in annoyance. "Wearing an east high shirt is as prep rally as I get."

"Noted," He responded, looking back at the TV.

Once satisfied with her hair she turned and made her way over to the bed. Pausing at the edge of it. "This feels very troupe-ish."

Troy raised a brow. "What's that?"

"You know," she shrugged, "two people forced to share a room with one bed."

He shrugged absentmindedly. "We are two people forced to share a bed, you wouldn't let me book separate rooms."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Yeah well if I'm getting murdered in the middle of the night so are you." She pointed at him. "Move over."

He moved an inch and she climbed into the bed slowly, feeling very self conscious about the situation. She was trying to act as if she did this kind of thing all the time, which she did not because hello, half of the population of their high school would kill to be in this position with him.

Too bad the same couldn't be said in reverse.

Gabriella settled in beside him, her right side brushing up against his left briefly earning glance from him.

"What are we watching?" She asked, leaning back into the pillows.

"A movie." He said with a shrug, his gaze now back on the television.

"Nice," she flicked her hair over her shoulder and reached over for her phone. Deciding to open the text chain between her and her mom.

Mom:I don't know when I'll get a chance to look at my phone again but I'm super happy to hear about the carnival. I'm happy you and Troy are being safe and sticking together. Send me some pictures of the next campus! Love you!

Gabriella thumb rubbed the side of her phone fondly as she reread the message.

"Your mom?"

She nodded.

Troy let out a sigh. "You miss her?"

"Yeah, don't you miss yours?"

He nodded. "It's weird, not seeing her every day. I guess that's something I'll have to get used to with college."

"I hardly get to see my mom as is." Gabriella shrugged. "She works a lot at the hospital. Most nights I'm usually alone."

"I didn't know that," he said a little quieter,

"I'm used to it." She said with a playful nudge. "My social life isn't exactly booming."

He let out a sigh.

The next thing they heard was a giggle coming from the next room, and she could feel Troy stiffen beside her.

They both looked forward at the television, neither one quite ready to acknowledge what they were about to overhear.

There was a moan of pleasure and she could feel Troy shift in his discomfort.

"I'm sorry, were you planning to sleep?" Gabriella chucked as the low murmurs of moans and noises started up.

"Not likely," he laughed.

Gabriella listened as the sound of bumping noises began against the wall behind them. Unable to stop the full flush she felt on her cheeks from turning her into a tomato.

"They… they really like each other."

"Yup," Troy said, reaching for a pillow and placing it over his lap. "They do."

Gabriella motioned to the pillow in his lap, "What are you doing?"

He let out a nervous chuckle as he held the pillow in place. As if she might yank it away.

"It's a reaction," he sighed, motioning to the noise behind them. "I can't control it, if I could I would. Trust me."

"Oh god," she shifted up right. "Are you hard right now?"

"Shhhh," Troy fumbled for the remote and raised the volume on the tv. "Do you have to be so loud?"

"Should I leave you three alone?" She made to get up from the bed and he reached out his hand to pull her back down.

"Knock it off."

She let out a laugh and he glared at her. "Could you not be you right now."

"Shhh." She whispered and reached for the remote and turned down the tv despite his protest. "I've never overheard people actually doing it before?"

He stopped reaching for the remote. "You've seen porn right?"

"Of course." She huffed giving him a look. "I just didn't know girls actually moaned like that."

"Girls do a lot of things." He said bringing a hand up to rub the back of his neck.

"Yeah, like what?" Gabriella asked earnestly.

"I don't know," Troy winced. "Don't you and Taylor talk about this stuff?" he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well she tells me some of what she and Chad do, but it's kind of awkward so I don't ask many questions."

"But asking me isn't awkward?" Troy shot back.

"No because you're a guy; don't guys talk and think about it all the time?"

"No." Troy said, laying back down. "I play basketball and live my life just like you do."

"But I think about it a lot." She said bringing her knees to her chest.

"That's because you're a virgin."

"On average, adult men think about sex every seven seconds"

Troy let out a sigh. "Gabi I'm barely 18."

"Each day, there are over 120 million sexual intercourse taking place all over the world." She noticed how he called her Gabi again.

"Gabi,"

"You've never called me that before." She said, placing her chin on her knee. "Why now?"

"I didn't know you didn't like it when I called you G."

"So why not Gabriella? Why not bookworm, or loser, or geek, St. Theresa, move, virgin or kid with the braids?" she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Why Gabi?"

"People actually call you move." He said, turning to look at her.

"Well, Not all of us live the glamorous life of Troy Bolton and Sharpay Evans." She said, looking at him with narrow eyes. "So?"

Troy sat up a little more, "jeez do you ever stop talking?"

"Ever answer a question?"

"Do you have something you prefer I call you?"

"Nope."

Troy opened his mouth then paused, seeming to think better about what he intended to say. "I like Gabi, because it suits you, you're fun, kinda playful."

"Awww," she said with a smile. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"I'm happy you're happy. Now please, can we just go to sleep."

"Alright, alright." She said lifting up the covers. "Just keep that thing away from my butt."

"Sweet baby Jesus." He grumbled.

So, every morning Troy gets out of bed and does push ups. Normally, I only get to watch work out from my balcony that overlooks his garage. But now after sharing the same living space for a while I really admire his dedication. Seriously, he turns just about any idol time into a workout.

I used to think everything about Troy the basketball boy was effortless. I actually thought that things were just easier for him because he was God's favorite. But the thing is … Troy works just as hard as I do to keep up.

He also takes up half the bed at night, I wonder if all boys do that.

Today the sun's out, and I'm waiting for Troy to finish in the bathroom. We still have to check out of this place, but there's no way I'm staying cooped up inside on such a gorgeous day. I need fresh air, sunlight, something to shake off the weirdness of last night.

Speaking of last night, Troy and I had this funny conversation. He called me "Gabi," which was... new. I asked him why, and he said it's because I'm fun and kinda playful. It is now probably my most favorite nickname. Honestly, he really did think about it. Which is actually kind of adorable.

And another thing—Troy gets really uncomfortable whenever the topic of sex comes up. Like, squirm-in-his-seat, avoid-eye-contact uncomfortable. Does he regret having sex? Or is it just the idea of *me* having sex that makes him so awkward? I've never actually thought about it like that before.

Trying to figure out Troy Bolton is like solving a damn Rubik's cube. Every time I think I'm getting close to understanding him, something shifts, and I'm left twisting and turning, trying to make sense of it all.

Troy

The rain finally stopped, and the heavy clouds that had hung over the sky all night were breaking apart, letting the first rays of sunlight push through. It was like a weight lifting off Troy's chest. He felt lighter today, more at ease than he had in what seemed like forever. The night had been long, full of Gabriella's questions and his own doubts gnawing at the back of his mind, but they'd made it through. Somehow, waking up today felt like a reset.

Gabriella had asked him, point blank this morning, if he was happy. That question had lingered, bouncing around in his mind as the rain kept pouring outside their window. He wasn't sure what the answer was. Was it the potential break-up with Sharpay that made him feel lighter? Was it talking with his parents, unloading some of the pressure? Or maybe it was something about being with Gabriella—her overwhelming presence, her ability to bring him back to the moment, to stop overthinking for just a little while. Maybe it was all of that, combined. He wasn't sure, but what he did know was that today felt different, and he was going to run with it.

He was tired of being stressed out, tired of feeling like the walls were closing in on him. Every day lately had been about managing one crisis or another, about answering questions he didn't have answers to. But right now, as they packed up to head to the next town, he didn't want to think about the future. He didn't want to focus on Sharpay, or what was coming next, or even the fallout from whatever decisions he made. He just wanted to focus on today, on enjoying the little moments, on being present.

Today, he decided, was going to be a good day. No stress, no negativity—just today. He could feel it in his bones; this was the start of something different, something better. He just had to let it happen.

He stepped outside into the warm weather, ready to go. He swiped a quick update to his dad and then turned towards his truck and stopped.

Because there she was, not waiting for him inside the truck. No, that would have been what he was expecting. No, today she was sitting on the hood of his truck with that damn notebook open in her lap. She was wearing a green dress and on top of her head was a tan cowboy hat. Her hair was wild and tousled over her shoulders making her look a little bit older than she was.

"Morning Woody," she teased with a smirk.

Caught off guard, he actually laughed.

"Morning," He said with a shake of his head. "It's not even nine am and you're gonna drive me crazy today aren't you?"

"Bet on it."

He couldn't stop the smile from pulling at his lips. "I'm going to go check us out, and be right back."

He walked away looking back once or twice to see her leaning back on the hood and basking in the sun. Without knowing why he did it, he pulled out his phone and took the picture.

Inside the motel office he returned the key and answered a few brief questions before he was out again and heading back to the car.

Only this time she wasn't alone. There was an older man standing by the truck. He was in his early fifties at least and was wearing a buttoned shirt with a white shirt underneath. A gold chain hung around his neck and he nodded his head to her. Laughing at something she was explaining with much enthusiasm.

The closer he got he could overhear the conversation.

"Oh man I remember those good old days?" the man smiled. "High School was the meal ticket for me. I was captain of the football team."

Gabriella let out a gasp like she couldn't believe it. Despite her insecurities about her social life, she was actually very social when it came to strangers.

"What did you do after High school?"

"Went to a community college for engineering." He said, looking away from her and back at his car. "Married my wife and worked for the railroad till 2007." He said, holding up his hands.

"Wow," Gabriella smiled. "You must know so much about trains and railroad tracks."

"Well, I know enough." He said obviously being modest. "The wife says I know how to bore the youngsters well enough."

"Quick what's a railroad fact!" She challenged him.

He thought for a minute, "Well, did you know the first tracks were cast iron tracks?" He said excitedly. "It proved too brittle in railway construction and had to be replaced by wrought iron, then in 1863, we replaced it with steel."

"You plan on making a friend in every town we stop in?" Troy asked, coming up to the truck.

"Hey there, you must be her road trip friend."

Troy shot her a look about oversharing, "Yup, that's me. The road trip friend." Troy nodded in greetings.

"Well I've talked long enough I'll let you two get back to it." The man smiled at Troy then at Gabriella.

"Sooo" Troy said, drawing out the word. "Who was that?" Troy crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"That," she said with a smile. "Was a high school version of you in forty years."

"Oh gee," Troy said, holding out his hands for her to take. "Can't wait."

She shuffled forward on the hood leaning forward a little and bracing her hands on his shoulders, he adjusted his stance and reached for her hips. Lifting her slightly and letting her fall into him a little as he lowered her to the ground.

"That was fun," she said, wiggling her brows. "Good to know the muscles aren't just for looks."

"My truck isn't a park bench you know."

"Well, you're right about that." She teased taking a step back and reaching up to grab her notebook from the hood. "I've never had that much fun getting off one of those."

She was halfway to the passenger side door when he accepted the fact that yes, he was blushing. God help him, Gabriella Montez could actually make him blush.

An hour into the drive, Gabriella's hat had found its place on Troy's dashboard, and every so often, a strand of her hair brushed against his arm. It was one of those small, unexpected reminders that she was right there beside him, tucked close across the bench seat of his truck. He couldn't help but smile to himself—it felt natural.

They stopped for lunch at a café near a college campus, the place buzzing with students. It reminded Troy of Scottsdale, though this campus was a bit bigger. As they settled into their seats with fries and drinks in front of them, Troy took a bite and glanced around. "A school like this is almost right," he said between bites, watching the students milling around.

Gabriella sighed, leaning back in her chair, "I think I've already set my mind on Stanford." She reached for her drink, a thoughtful look crossing her face.

"Why Stanford?" Troy asked, raising an eyebrow. "There are a lot of other options, you know? Schools like this, Scottsdale, Berkley… there's no shortage."

"I know, but I've always wanted to go there. Plus, I already know what I want to study."

Troy leaned in, curious. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

Gabriella sat up and picked up her hat, placing it on her head with a small smile. "I want to teach."

Troy chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "You want to be a teacher?" He couldn't help but smile at the thought—it seemed so different from what anyone else around them was aiming for. "No one I know wants to be a teacher."

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, eyebrow raised as she grabbed another fry.

"No, it's great!" Troy said quickly. "I think it's amazing. You'd be a great teacher." His smile widened as he saw the slight blush rise in Gabriella's cheeks.

She smiled back at him, shyly. "Thanks. All I have to do is get that writing scholarship."

Troy waved his hand as if it was nothing. "That should be easy, you're always writing. You've got this in the bag."

Gabriella laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't know… I write about silly things. Love stories and poems."

"Well, read me one then," Troy said, grinning as he took another bite of his pizza.

Her eyes widened as she jerked back in her seat. "What? No way."

"Why not? I'm all ears!" Troy leaned in, a playful look on his face. "Besides, I'm a captive audience here."

"I've never read my poetry to anyone but my mom," Gabriella admitted, fidgeting with her bag.

"That's exactly why you should read it to me," Troy said, leaning back and wiping his hands with a napkin. "Moms have to lie—they're practically obligated to say it's great. But I'll give you the real deal."

She tossed a fry at him with a laugh. "Gee, thanks."

"Come on, just one," he pleaded, his smile widening. "I promise I'll be nice."

Gabriella sighed, giving him a mock glare before reaching into her bag. "Fine, but remember—you asked for this.

Troy's grin grew as she pulled out her journal, flipping through the pages. "Finally! The mysterious Gabriella Montez is about to reveal her secrets."

"Okay, okay," she said, finding a page and pausing. "I can share this one."

Troy's eyes lit up as he pointed to the page. "Nope! It can't be one you're okay with. Let me pick."

"What? No way!"

"I'll pick, you read," he said with a playful glint in his eye. "Come on, it'll be fun."

Gabriella rolled her eyes but gave in. "Fine. But I'm only reading a poem."

"Deal," he said, flipping through the journal before landing on a page. "This one. Page fourteen—my lucky number."

Gabriella looked at the page and let out a sigh. "You sure?"

"Positive."

She took a deep breath, then leaned back in her chair and began reading. The words flowed from her, filled with confidence and vulnerability all at once.

By the time she finished, Troy was silent for a moment, letting the words sink in. Finally, he nodded, leaning back in his seat. "You're a good writer, Gabi."

Gabriella tucked her hair behind her ear, a small, pleased smile playing on her lips. "I enjoy it."

"You should keep doing it," Troy said with a grin. "You're good at it."

And in that moment, Troy realized he was getting to know Gabriella a little better—not just the girl sitting next to him in his truck, or his socially awkward neighbor but the layers of who she was, hidden in her words, her poetry, and the way she looked at the world. It made him feel closer to her, and for the first time in a while, he felt genuinely happy to just be in the moment.

Gabriella tucked her book away in her bag and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm okay." She said with a smile. "and I'm good with that."

"We've got to hit the road." Troy said, looking at his watch. "Come on."

She nodded quickly gathering her things as they made their way out.

Gabriella.

She stretched her legs as she got out of the truck. The heat made her sweat soak through her clothes. She was already wearing as less as possible in a summer dress and sandals.

"Troy," she mumbled. "The air conditioning? Why is it not working?"

He chuckled nervously, "you noticed that too."

"Yeah," she said, pulling her hair up and over her head. "It kind of stands out."

"I'll look into it."

Using his side mirror she put her hair up into a top bun the best she could as strands of hair slipped from the band and fell around her face. "I'm going in for water, want anything?"

"Water."

She nodded and reached back for her purse from the truck, getting out and heading inside. As soon as she pushed her way in, she welcomed the burst of the air conditioned store.

"This is what paradise feels like." She murmured lingering in the air for a moment before she went about her task, grabbing five water bottles. She was at the register paying when her phone chimed and she reached into her bag, pulling it out and swiping at the screen.

Taylor: Babe you look gorge in this photo. But can you tell me why it's on Sharpay's instagram with the caption man stealing hussy.

"What?" Gabriella jerked as she quickly grabbed the phone with both hands. Her thumbs moved like lighting across the page. And there it was. There she was. On the top of Troy's truck, leaned back on her palms, chest out and basking in the sun shine.

"Holy shit."

Her eyes fell to the caption on the photo. Just friends my ass. #ManSteallingWhore

"Oh my god," She said mindlessly reaching for the bag from the countertop. Was this real? Could she report the photo? How did get it taken down? Slowly, still entranced by her phone she made her way to the front of the store.

The heat consumed her entirely as she walked outside towards Troy who was currently bent over the truck with the hood up.

"Hey I think I know wha-" the words died on his lips once he looked up at her face. "What's wrong?"

"Troy, why is there a picture of me I didn't pose for on your girlfriend's instagram feed with a hashtag man stealing whore." She was shouting through clench teeth for the last part.

His eyes widened in surprise at her before his attention caught on her phone. And his confusion vanished at the sight he was looking at.

"Fuck," he yanked his phone out of his pocket and spun around taking a few steps away from her. A slur of curse words spilling from his mouth as he held his own phone with two hands.

Gabriella stared at her phone in disbelief, her heart sinking as she scrolled through Sharpay's Instagram feed. There it still was—a picture of her, sitting on top of Troy's truck, completely unaware, her face tilted toward the sky, soaking in the sun. Her eyes looked down below at the likes and comments.

Oh god, there were comments.

IckyPicky: Basking like she owns the world… doesn't she know it doesn't revolve around her?

Lover68: is that why she's always hanging around!

TonGueMasTer: whoa, nice rack!

Her stomach twisted in knots as her mind raced with questions. Who had taken the photo? It wasn't like there were a bunch of people around this morning. Obviously it had to have been Troy—he was the only one there. But why? Why would he take a picture of her like that without saying anything? And how did Sharpay get her hands on it? The more she thought about it, the more confused and hurt she became.

Gabriella bit her lip, staring harder at the screen. Had Troy given Sharpay the picture? Was he trying to make fun of her, too? No, that didn't make sense. But then how else would Sharpay have gotten it? The image felt like a betrayal—something private, stolen and twisted into a joke for everyone to see. Her chest tightened as the familiar sting of insecurity washed over her.

And the comments were already rolling in, the subtle digs, the way people might be laughing at her without her even knowing.

Her thoughts spiraled, questions overlapping until she couldn't think straight. Why would Troy let this happen? Why didn't he tell her? Was this some kind of joke she wasn't in on? Gabriella's mind raced through scenarios, trying to make sense of it all, but the more she thought about it, the more everything felt wrong.

Her thumb swiped up to close the app, hovering over it for a moment, but she couldn't bring herself to look away. Instead, she went back to the photo, her face staring up at her from the screen—carefree, happy, and completely oblivious to the fact that someone had turned a peaceful moment into something cruel.

"Take it the fuck down!" Troy's voice rang out in the parking lot. The harshness of his tone jarring her and making her quickly closed the application. Despite the heat she suddenly wished she had a sweater or something to cover herself with.

She opened the passenger side door and put things down inside. Closing the door and leaning back on it as she watched Troy continue to argue with who she assumed was Sharpay.

"Sharpay, take it down or I'll post the one I have with Zeke's hands all over your ass!" He said angrily into the phone before pressing the end button and shoving the phone in his pocket.

She flinched at that, her arms coming up to wrap around her chest.

When Troy turned around to face Gabriella, his chest was still heaving, breath coming in sharp bursts. The anger that had fueled his voice during the phone call was still etched in his eyes, hard and unyielding. But then he saw her, really saw her, standing there with her arms crossed, her eyes searching his, and in an instant, the tension in his body seemed to drain away. His expression softened, and his steps slowed as he walked toward her.

Gabriella instinctively stepped back, her voice steady but edged with hurt. "Why did you take that picture, and how did she get it?"

Troy stopped in his tracks, his tone immediately calm and apologetic. "Gabriella, I am so sorry," he said, his voice so much softer now than it had been moments before. "I've been sharing my Google photo album with Sharpay. I forgot to disable the feature."

"You forgot you were sharing an album with her?" Gabriella hugged herself a little tighter, her guard still up. "What other photos did you take?"

"Just the one," he promised. "And she's taking it down. I've already disabled the feature." He pulled out his phone and handed it to her. "Look for yourself if you want. That's the only one, I swear."

Gabriella took his phone, her fingers tapping through the photo album, flipping through the recent shots. After a moment, satisfied that there was only the one picture, she handed it back to him.

"Why did you take the photo in the first place?" she asked, her voice quieter now, but still confused.

Troy looked down, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "I don't know. I didn't even think about it, I just... did it. It was like a candid shot. I wanted the memory."

Gabriella shifted, unsure how to respond. "The memory of me? Why?"

His gaze met hers, and he spoke even more quietly, almost as if the words were meant for him as much as for her. "Same reason we almost kissed in the parking lot that day. I felt a little overwhelmed by you and just thought you looked beautiful, and this time I wanted a keepsake of the moment. That's all. I swear, it was just for me. As embarrassing as that is to admit."

Gabriella felt her resolve soften, her heart thawing just a little. She hadn't expected that—of all the explanations running through her mind, this wasn't one of them. Without thinking, she stepped closer to him, her hands gripping the front of his shirt. She pulled him toward her and pressed a quick, soft kiss to the corner of his lips, the brief contact sending a flutter of warmth through her.

She pulled back, a little breathless, and caught the surprised look on his face. "Next time, just kiss me, okay?" she said, nodding, trying to stay calm despite the rush of nerves.

Troy's eyes lingered on her lips for a second before meeting her gaze again. "Noted," he said quietly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'll, uh, close the hood."

He walked away, and Gabriella watched him go, her heart still racing.

"You didn't fix the air conditioning did you?

"No," he shook his head. "No, I did not."

Gabriella let out a groan as she turned away from him and opened the passenger side door.

Troy

Three hours later they were in a repair shop. And Troy had his eyes on his truck.

"I think you can relax," Gabriella said with a sigh. "The guy knows what he's doing. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your truck has seen better days."

"Gabriella," he grunted, his eyes glued to the mechanic who was tinkering under the hood. "Don't insult my truck."

She let out a laugh as she walked back over to the chairs in the waiting room behind him. His eyes followed her until she was out of his peripheral vision. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. Opening up instagram and refreshing the page.

Sharpay had taken down the photo, she'd also sent him a long winded text message about her feelings. Quite frankly, he really didn't give a shit.

He felt awful about the whole thing. It never would have happened if he hadn't snapped the photo. Then again, it's not like the photo had been all that damning to begin with. Not that it made the whole situation any less embarrassing.

God, he was losing his mind. He needed to get a grip on his life.

He let out a sigh and rubbed at his temples. He took a moment to appreciate the air conditioning inside the office of the repair shop. He needed a shower, a meal and maybe even some mindless television. Maybe he could even watch the game later.

When the man in blue overalls appeared in front of him Troy let out a breath. "How much?"

The man chuckled, "Relax. Your issue isn't that bad. It's the AC compressor clutch."

Troy let out a breath, "As long as it's not the compressor?" Finally something was going in his favor for once because he knew the compressors repair would have been more costly.

The man shook his head, "we just need to replace the clutch. Probably three hundred and fifty bucks tops."

"Can we get it done today?"

"Most likely I can have it done by tomorrow morning. I got a couple of priority customers in line before you. But definitely before tomorrow afternoon."

"That sounds fantastic," Gabriella celebrated with a clap of her hands from behind them.

Troy smirked, "Alright let's do it." He answered a few quick questions and the man printed off a work order. Troy signed it and got copy made for himself.

Gabriella approached the counter, "hey, is there anyway we can get a ride to the motel 6."

Before Troy could protest.

The man nodded. "Hey Ben!" He shouted. .

A younger guy a little older than Troy poked his head out of office. "Yeah pops?"

"Take this lovely couple over to motel 6 down the road will ya."

"Will do" Ben said with a nod grabbing a set of keys off the hook and walking over. "If you'll just follow me this way."

Troy picked up his duffel bag and backpack and before he could reach for Gabriella's she'd picked them up herself.

"Would it kill you to loosen up the reins a bit," Gabriella teased. "I'm not that helpless."

"It's about being polite," Troy chided.

"It's about me being a girl and you know it." She shot back with a laugh.

Once they were settled and smooshed together inside Ben's tow truck. They headed off down the road.

"You two passing through?"

"We're on a road trip," Gabriella said, shifting to face him a little. "We're touring colleges."

"That sounds pretty cool." Ben nodded. "I've been taking some online classes while I help my dad in the shop."

Gabriella sat up a little straighter and he could feel her energy begin to pick up speed. "How flexible are online classes in terms of scheduling and deadlines?" Gabriella asked.

"Here we go," Troy smirked. "You're gonna wish you hadn't told her that." That earned him a quick jab in the ribs.

Ben laughed, "Honestly it's not that bad. The class times are scheduled and lectures can be recorded in advance which really helps out cause I can listen to them while I work. I'm the tinkering type, I tend to take in more information when I'm tinkering around."

She nodded along. "What technology or software do you use for participating in online classes? Also What level of interaction and support from the instructors in online classes?"

"Easy," Troy reminded her, placing a hand on her knee soothingly. "This isn't a tour."

Her shoulders relaxed a fraction.

"Well that's easy, you just need an online connection and secured VPN. The school gives you all the links you need. As far as the interaction goes, it's pretty much the same. I mean you don't see the professor in person. But they have office hours and q sessions pretty regularly."

Thankfully they pulled up to the motel, and the interview part of their day was over for now.

"Thanks Ben," Troy said as he opened the door. The heat smacked him in the face and he reached back inside for his bags.

"No problem," he shouted, "Don't worry about your truck, she's in good hands."

Gabriella jumped down from the truck and reached back for her bags.

"Here let me help you with that," Ben said, adjusting the bags closer to her so she could reach.

"Thanks," she smiled up and at him and for the briefest of moments Troy felt an odd tick of unwarranted jealousy.

Once they had everything they waved as Ben took off back down the road.

"We could have walked." Troy said, reaching for her duffel bag.

"Then we wouldn't have met Ben." She said adjust her backpack.

"Yeah," Troy said with a raised brow. "Tragic."

Once they were settle in, Troy put his bags by his bed and let out a sigh. "I gotta call my dad."

"I should call my mom." She said reaching for her bag.

Both of them looked down at their phones and Troy let out a sigh. "I'm going to go outside." He said, "that way you and your mom can have some privacy."

"Thanks but you don't have to." She smiled as she lifted the phone to her ear.

Troy lifted the phone to his ear and stepped out into the heat. After a few rings, his father's voice came through. "Is it really as hot as they say it is?"

"Worse," Troy groaned, leaning against the wall in the shade.

"Where are you right now?"

"At some Motel 6, still in Arizona but closer to Nevada," Troy said, kicking at the dust absentmindedly.

"How's Gabriella handling the heat?"

"She's good. I think she's enjoying the air conditioner right now more than anything," Troy said with a small chuckle, slipping his hand into his pocket. "Took the truck to a repair shop and the air compressor clutch needed to be fixed. I would have waited till I could do it myself but, rolling down the windows wasnt gonna cut it."

"Yeah, probably for the best, did you get the estimate?"

"$350." Troy sighed.

"Well, put it on the card and we'll figure it out later."

"I will."

"So how's the college touring going?"

"Not bad," Troy said, watching as a couple passed by. "Gabriella and I have been throwing around some ideas. She thinks I could do more than just basketball—like engineering or advertising. I'm starting to think it's not so much about where I go, but what I do."

"Well, you're still gonna have to play ball. Your scholarship is for basketball, after all."

"Yeah, but Gabriella mentioned Berkeley. They've got a solid basketball program too."

"Berkeley, huh?" His dad laughed. "Sharpay's not gonna be thrilled about that."

Troy's face fell. "I'm not so sure about Sharpay anymore. She's… she's going down a different path."

His dad's voice softened. "So, this wouldn't have anything to do with Gabriella, would it? I noticed an instagram post earlier today that's magically gone now."

"Yeah," Troy said, "I'm pretty sure we broke up yesterday."

"I'm not trying to pry, I just noticed you've barely mentioned Sharpay, but you've brought up Gabriella five times in the last minute."

Troy kicked at the ground again, staring at his shoes. "I hadn't noticed that," he muttered, tension knotting in his shoulders. "The break up really had nothing to do with her. It was just a me and Sharpay thing."

"Well, you know I'm here if you ever need to talk. But remember, Gabriella is the girl next door."

"I know." Troy shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't really think I liked her all that much. If I'm being honest I'm trying not to."

"Just make sure you think things through before you act. You're responsible for her. So act accordingly."

"I will," Troy assured him.

"Alright, son. I'll let you go. Your mom's dragging me out for dinner.

"Alright, night, Dad."

"Night."

Troy slid his phone back into his pocket and headed into the room. Gabriella was sitting on her bed, scribbling in her notebook. She glanced up at him with a sigh.

"Did you talk to your mom?" Troy asked.

"Nope. She's working," Gabriella said, her tone heavy with resignation. "Nothing new."

"Does she work a lot?" Troy asked as he sat on his bed, kicking off his shoes.

"She's saving up to get me into college," Gabriella murmured, staring at her notebook. "Sometimes it makes me feel awful."

"Why?"

"She's sacrificing everything for me—working herself to the bone so I can go to school and study teaching. It doesn't seem fair."

Troy turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling. "Nothing in life ever is."

They were quiet for a moment, then he looked back at her. She was doodling something in her notebook. "Do you mind if I watch the game?"

"Knock yourself out."

He reached for the remote and turned on the tv, making himself more comfortable. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her looking around for something, but he paid no mind, already getting sucked into the rhythm of the game.

Then she came over to his bed, settling on the end of it and getting comfortable. Only now she was laying there on her stomach with her feet kicked up and her head in her hands. His eyes shifted from the television to the small glimpse he now had of her legs. His eyes traveled against his better judgment upward to the back of her thighs.

"Do you ever get sick of basketball?" She asked, making him jerk his eyes back up to screen.

"If I'm being honest?" He said with a shrug. "Not really."

"So is it really your dream job to play?"

If only she knew how many times he'd asked himself that question. "I don't think it is. I love the game but the pressure of it can get to you sometimes."

She nodded as if his answer made all the sense in the world. "Yeah, it's one thing to do what you love, it's another when what you love becomes work."

She didn't say anything else after that, and Troy kept his eyes on the game as best he could. Until the third commercial when he dropped his gaze and found her feet lowered next to him and noticed she'd fallen asleep.

Troy sat back against the headboard, eyes tracing the curve of Gabriella's body as she lay beside him, facing the television. Her feet were pressed near his hip, the rest of her form obscured from his view, but there was something comforting about that—the way she fit into the space they shared. The soft glow of the TV flickered over her, and for a moment, everything else seemed distant. He felt an unexpected sense of contentment settle over him, like this was a place he hadn't known he needed to be.

His mind drifted back over the past few days, to the road trip and all the miles they'd covered. He thought about how things had been with Sharpay before he left, complicated, exhausting, and full of tension. That last argument, their break up, hadn't cut as deeply as he'd thought it would. Not like it should have.

But seeing that photo of Gabriella, posted online for everyone to see, stirred something inside him that had caught him off guard. The anger had burned hotter, sharper than anything he'd felt with Sharpay. The violation of Gabriella's privacy had felt personal, like it had happened to him too. That realization shook him.

He glanced at Gabriella again, her back still turned to him, her breathing soft and steady. They'd known each other for so long, practically their whole lives, but only now, on this road trip, did he feel like he was really beginning to understand her. Every conversation, every moment they spent together peeled back another layer of the girl he thought he knew. And then there was that kiss. It was just a brief touch of her lips to his. It hadn't been much, barely more than a brush, but it had sent a rush through him that was different. It meant more than any other kiss he'd ever shared with anyone. He wondered if he was reading too much into it, or if there was something there he hadn't seen before.

The feelings stirring in him didn't make sense, at least not the way they had with Sharpay. But maybe that's why they felt more real. He wasn't sure where this was going, or even if it should go anywhere, but as he sat there watching Gabriella sleep, he couldn't shake the thought that this, being here with her, meant something. Something more than he'd been prepared for.

Gabriella

Her eyes fluttered open at the distant sound of her phone ringing and she hesitated at first trying to get her bearings on where she was. She glanced around the room to find it empty.

Where was Troy?

She wiped at her face mortified to find drool on her cheek.

Wonderful.

She pushed herself up and reached for her phone checking the caller ID first. It was her mom.

"Hey mom," she greeted, a little flustered from sleep.

"Oh my god, I've missed you so much, what has it been like, I see you're still in Arizona?"

"Yeah," Gabriella sat back down on the bed looking over at the mirror over the dresser. She looked awful. "We ran into some car trouble."

"Oh no, what happened? Are you both alright?" The sudden panic in her mother's voice drew her full attention back to the conversation.

"Just an issue with air conditioning. It should be fixed by tomorrow."

"Oh, thank god." She sighed in relief.

"Yeah, we're at a motel 6, just up the road from the shop."

"How is Troy doing?"

"I think he's doing alright." Gabriella shrugged. Then she glanced back down at the bed to find a note scribbled in his hand writing.

Went to do laundry, will bring back food.

"He's out doing some laundry actually. That's funny, I didn't know he knew what a washing machine was."

"Be nice," her mother laughed. "How are you doing? Do you need me to send some more money to your account?"

"No, I'm still okay," she said, reaching up to pull the scrunchie out of her hair. Letting it tumble the rest of the way down. "Hey mom?" She asked.

"Yeah,"

"Do you think I'm self centered?" She asked quietly. The comments section from the instagram photo debacle was still nagging at her.

"Why would you think your self-centered?" Her mothers tone shifted. "Did Troy tell you that."

"No," Gabriella said, quickly coming to his defense. "Troy wouldn't say that. At least not to my face anyway but someone from school did. And it just kinda makes me… wonder."

"My sweet baby girl, you are far from self-centered. You have grown up to be incredibly smart, incredibly kind, and problematically independent." She said the last part with a laugh. "You've gotten so good at being responsible in parenting yourself that sometimes I feel like I'm doing more of a disservice than a service to you."

"I don't consider anything you do a disservice mom." She said, her voice a little thick with emotion.

"Don't you dare listen to those people. They're jealous and they want to tear you down to make themselves feel tall." She said with a mother's authority. "They don't know you like your real friends know you."

Gabriella smiled weakly. If only her mother knew the truth. Because Gabriella didn't tell her mother everything. In fact when it came to the matters of her social life, she exaggerated just how social her life was. Her mother thought that she had an abundance of friends. That people like Sharpay and Troy were part of her inner circle.

That they all got along just fine and dandy. And she wasn't about to tell her about her recent instagram incident. Chances were her mother barely even had the time to keep up with a teenager's feed.

Thank goodness for small favors.

"I have to get back to work, let me know how things turn out and send me plenty of pictures?"

Gabriella felt a flush crawl up her neck, "oh you bet," she said with a forced smile.

She murmured her goodbyes and then walked over to her duffel bag, picking up her traveling toiletries and some spare clothes. When Troy came back she was going to have to ask him where the laundry room was.

She showered, quickly shaved her legs, moisturized and even blow dried her hair with the provided hair dryer. She put on her last clean t-shirt and blue jean shorts, pulled her black rimmed glasses out of their case, and put away her contacts. Feeling a little more at home in her own skin. She was just putting her flip flops on when the door to the room opened and Troy came in with his duffel bag and a few brown paper bags full of what smelled like food.

"Yes!" She exclaimed excitedly. Her stomach rumbling at the site. "What did you get?"

"Plain cheese burgers, fries and a piece of cheesecake." He said placing the bags on the small table. "There's also a can of Dr. Pepper in there for you."

She frowned, "What about you?"

"Ate at the restaurant while my clothes dried." He replied casually as he droped the bag on the floor beside his bed.

"Look at you!" She laughed. "So efficient."

He fell back onto the bed letting out a sigh. "I was gonna take your stuff but, I wasn't sure you wanted me touching your things. Figured I'd let you handle that."

"Very wise," she said, unpacking her food. She paused for a minute as she examined her food. She had lifted the bun on her burger ready to pick out the tomatoes when she stopped.

There weren't any.

She glanced back at him. "You ordered it plain?"

He sat up with a concerned expression on his face. "You pick everything out of it. I just thought you'd prefer it without all the stuff inside."

She smiled for a minute, biting down on her bottom lip. "You noticed that?"

"I've been watching you eat for a week." He deadpanned. "I noticed."

She smiled, as placed the bun back on the burger. "That's very big-brotherly of you," she teased. She always just ordered the burger as is because she didn't want to be that cumbersome person who ordered everything with substitutions.

"Nice," he grunted, falling backwards again. "It was a nice thing to do. Don't make it weird."

She took a bite, smiling to herself. "You know it was also very big-brotherly of you to get that photo taken down." She added popping the tab on her soda. "Thanks for getting her to do that by the way. The whole thing sounded very intense from where I was standing."

She heard the bed creak as he sat up again.

"Are you doing that on purpose?"

Gabriella frowned. "What? Thanking you for blackmailing your ex-girlfriend, with an even more incriminating photo in exchange for taking the one of me down." She said with a raised brow. "It's the whole point of saying thank you."

He stood up, coming to stand beside the table. Confused, she leaned backward meeting his gaze. "What did I do now?"

"Stop saying brotherly." He reached for her chin, aligning her face to his and kissing her. Hard.

She squeaked in surprise, the sound muffled by his lips and his hand circled her around the back of her neck. Holding her to him like an anchor. Not firm like a brick wall but supportive and patient.

Her lips parted and their tongues brushed, tentatively at first and then with bolder and exploratory swipes and swirls. Her heart hammered against her rib cage as her hand reached up to touch him.

Was this really happening? Was this real? Was she still sleeping?

Please don't let me be asleep right now.

He pulls away just as her finger tips tighten in his shirt and she inhales sharply feeling the rush of air fill the space between them.

"That okay?" He asks quietly.

"Yeah," she says, blinking rapidly as she watches him back away.

Whoa.

"I'm gonna go shower," he says with a nod. "Eat that." He motions to the table of forgotten food.

"Yeah," she murmurs, still a little dazed.

Troy.

Troy stood in the bathroom, staring at his reflection in the mirror, running a hand through his hair for what felt like the tenth time. His lips still tingled from the kiss.

That kiss.

He hadn't planned for it to go like that, even though Gabriella had told him before that he could just kiss her next time. But something about the way she'd looked at him earlier, the quiet between them, had pulled him in. Made him curious.

Then she kept referring to him as brotherly.

He had to do something.

He couldn't resist the pull of curiosity, the want that had been building up since they'd started this trip together. And now that he'd actually done it, kissed her with all the pent-up feelings that had been swirling inside him, he wasn't sure how to handle the aftermath.

It wasn't that the kiss had been bad, far from it. In fact, it was hands down one of the best kisses he'd ever experienced. But even in the rush of it all, there was a small part of him that wondered if he'd taken advantage of the moment.

He couldn't stop thinking about her, about the way she'd melted into him, about how natural it had felt to be that close to her. But what did it mean? What did she expect? Hell, what did he expect? He wasn't sure, and the uncertainty made him stall before going back out into the room where Gabriella waited.

When he finally pushed open the bathroom door and stepped back into the room, Gabriella was sitting quietly on her bed, watching the TV. She didn't say anything, just looked up for a second before her eyes returned to the screen. The tension in the air was thick but not suffocating. It was awkward, but somehow not unbearable. Troy wasn't sure where to start or what to say. Did they need to talk about it? He wasn't even sure what he was feeling, let alone how to address whatever was between them now. So, he just stood there for a moment, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, trying to figure out if there was a right way to navigate the strange new territory they'd just entered.

"Did you know that the science of kissing is called philematology," She started.

"No," he relaxed, a little grateful for the break in silence. "I didn't know that." He said, walking over to the edge of the bed besides hers and sitting down.

"The term "French kiss" came into the English language around 1923. In France, it's called a tongue kiss or soul kiss because if done right, it feels as if two souls are merging." Gabriella nodded, her eyes still glued to the television.

Right.

He glanced back at the tv, watching an infomercial playout. After a moment he turned his attention back to her.

"You know a lot about kissing for someone who's never been kissed."

"I read a lot."

They were both quiet for a moment.

"Okay. This is a little weird." He said placing both his hands on his thighs.

Gabriella let out a breath of relief. "Can I ask you something?"

"Please do."

"How was it?" She asked quietly. "Wait, no." She held up her hands to stop him from answering. "That's not my question."

He raised a brow. "It's not?" He murmured amused by the tinge of red on her cheeks.

"No, this one is. Why did you stop?" She asked, leaning forward a little. "Did I have burger breath? Or was it just weird."

"What?" He couldn't help the amusement in his voice. Of all the things he was worried about. He hadn't expected that.

"I brushed my teeth earlier but then I took a bite of food and I wasn't sure if maybe that-"

"It was a good kiss," he interrupted quickly, trying to reassure her before she spiraled any further. "I like it."

She relaxed, "I liked it too."

He motioned towards her bed and she nodded hesitantly moving over a little. He got up and settled in beside her.

"What do you want to know?"

Her cheeks brightened again and she shrugged. "How do you know what to do with your hands?"

He tilted his head, "You do what feels right in the moment, it helps if you don't think about it."

They circled around the topic for another twenty minutes as he did his best to address all of her questions. Until he found himself leaning back against one of the folding tables in the motel laundry room, arms crossed, while Gabriella pulled their damp clothes from the washer. The soft hum of machines surrounded them as they debated/argued over sitcom finales.

"I'm telling you, Friends had the best series finale," Gabriella said, tossing a pair of jeans into the dryer. "Everyone got their closure. Ross and Rachel finally got together, Chandler and Monica had their family. It was perfect."

Troy shook his head, smirking. "Friends was overrated. It was too predictable. Now, The Office, that's how you end a show. Michael Scott coming back for Dwight's wedding? That was emotional. It wasn't just about tying everything up with a bow, it was about the characters evolving."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Come on, Friends was the iconic sitcom of our generation. Everyone's invested in Ross and Rachel's will-they-won't-they for years. The Office was funny, but the last few seasons dragged on without Michael."

Troy laughed. "Fine, I'll let you have that. But The Office finale was more than just a 'happy ending,' it was a celebration of the journey the characters went through, how they grew as people."

"Oh please," Gabriella said, throwing in the last of the laundry. "You just like Dwight."

"Who doesn't like Dwight?" Troy shrugged. "Oh! How I Met Your Mother had the worst finale by far. That, we can agree on, right?"

"I can agree 75%," she said with a grin.

They both laughed, and Gabriella closed the dryer door, turning the dial to start it. As the warm air filled the room, they stood side by side, leaning against the machines. The conversation lulled as the laundry tumbled around, but the comfortable silence felt natural. It wasn't often they got moments like this, just the two of them, no road trip stress, no drama, just debating something as simple as sitcoms.

Troy glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, catching her soft smile as she stared at the dryer. Something about the ease between them, even when they were disagreeing, made him feel lighter.

"Hey," he nudged, "you wanna know the best part about laundry?"

"When it's done?" She scoffed, adjusting her glasses.

He smirked, gabbing the loop on her shorts and spinning her around to face him.

She inhaled sharply, obviously caught off guard by his touch. Then his lips were on hers, her petite frame pressing back against the dryer bringing him closer to her.

It was hard to hear anything over the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Her hands splaying out against his chest and gripping at the fabric of his shirt. Making goosebumps flutter up and down his arms.

Everything she did affected him. This is how it feels to kiss someone when the only thing clouding your head is a deep and desperate desire to know what she tastes like.

He tenderly swiped at her bottom lip, followed by a soft bite. And the little noise she makes in the back of her throat makes him press into her. Needing her to know just how much he liked what she was doing.

Dipping lower he places a few kisses on her jawline, feeling her shiver against his touch and reaching up to trust her hand into his hair. He's making his way to her neckline when she gives his hair a soft, almost experimental tug, making him groan unexpectedly and come right back up to her lips where he's rewarded with the feeling of her squirming underneath him trying to drive him insane.

Then he feels her bare hand on his stomach, her hand shifting underneath the fabric of his shirt.

"Fuck," he says pulling away from her on a playful laugh. "Can you take me to dinner first before you just manhandle me like that?"

Her cheeks blush as she lets out a laugh, "I'm sorry, too much too soon?"

"Just a bit," he teases with a smile. "Are you sure you're new at this?"

Gabriella let out another laugh, this one so loud it echoed off all the surroundings surfaces.

Gabriella

The next morning after picking up the car they were on the road again. They drove for a while in a comfortable silence while Gabriella wrote. She didn't really look up again until the car suddenly slowed down.

"What's wrong," she said, sitting up straighter.

"Do you want to drive?" he with a wiggle of his brow.

Gabriella looked at him, at the road, and then back at him. "Are we in trouble?"

"No." he said with a laugh as his hands slid off the steering wheel. "Not at all."

"Then why are you asking if I want to drive?"

"Wasn't that our deal?" he said with a shrug. "You could drive when the rain cleared."

Gabriella took a breath and then nodded. "Okay, I can drive."

Troy undid his seat belt and got out of the truck allowing her to just move over while he walked around to the passenger side. When he got back in the car he picked up her phone and plugged it in. "How about I DJ for a while and you can drive for a while." He said leaning back in the seat.

Gabriella took a deep breath and adjusted her mirrors. "Where am I going?"

"Straight down the highway, do you want me to put the GPS on." he asked looking up from the map real quick.

"Just let me know where we're going." She said putting the truck in drive she moved back onto the highway and slowly eased into traffic.

"Good job," he said, easing back in his seat a little. "Now let's see what the music options are." He opened her Spotify app and scrolled through her playlist.

"Writing Sesh, eargasms, screaming uncontrollably, laying on the floor rn, watching the neighbor." he rattled off the titles, his voice trailing off on the last one.

"You don't have to play that-"

The familiar intro to You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift played on the radio and she immediately bit down on her bottom lip.

Mortification washed through her as she glanced over at him. He was smirking down at his phone reading through song titles.

"So what?" He asked, glancing over at her. "You make a habit of watching Mr. Soto while you listen to One Direction?"

"Yes." She said confidently. "That's exactly what it is. I'm secretly pinning for our old third grade teacher."

He laughed, "that's actually pretty funny. What turns you on more, his pimpin walker or that receding hairline?"

"It's actually more about his love of the arts." She said feeling her cheeks flush.

"I love that for you." He teased, scrolling though a few more songs. "Really puts your manhandling habits into perspective.

"Can you stop going through my playlist," she said a little nervously. "I'm just now realizing how private they are."

"But the titles are my favorite part."

When they arrived at the next campus, Gabriella twisted the cap off her water bottle as she shut the truck door, walking side by side with Troy. The sun beat down softly, and she absentmindedly braided her hair into two neat pigtails, her fingers working quickly as she adjusted her jeans and purple cami. The campus sprawled before them, but it felt oddly quiet.

Troy scanned the area, frowning slightly. "Place looks deserted," he muttered, glancing down at the paper for the tour meet-up location.

Gabriella took a sip of her water and nodded. "It's really quiet," she agreed, her eyes drifting over the empty pathways.

Troy looked up at her as she drank. "I don't think we've been to a noisy campus yet," he mused. "Unless you count the ACP."

Gabriella smirked, lowering the bottle. "How could I forget that? Did I ever tell you how I got his number?'" She smirked, holding up her now bare palm.

Troy shot her a look, clearly not in the mood for reminiscing. "How about we just find the admissions building?" he suggested, his voice tinged with impatience.

She sighed, glancing around until she spotted a cluster of welcome signs and balloons in the distance. "Pretty sure it's over there," she said, pointing.

Troy followed her gaze and folded up the paper. "Oh," he muttered.

"Gabriella 3, Troy 0," she laughed, throwing him a teasing grin.

Troy raised an eyebrow. "Three? How do you figure?"

"The bar, the ACP, and finding the admissions building," she said, counting off each victory on her fingers.

When they arrived, Gabriella paused and listened. "Do you hear that?" she asked, turning toward the faint sound of music floating in the distance.

Troy checked his watch. "The tour is scheduled for 1 p.m. It's only 12:40."

Gabriella darted up the steps to read the sign posted on the door. "Welcome to Charles Bryon College. Due to our annual fair, all tours have been canceled," she read aloud.

Troy groaned. "Alright, let's hit the road then."

But Gabriella was already halfway down the steps, her flip-flops slapping against her feet as she made a beeline toward the sound of music. "Let's check out the fair!"

"Let's not," Troy grumbled, watching her disappear around the corner. "Did it ever occur to you this could be for students only?"

"We're potential students!" she called back. "Come on, it's over here!"

When he finally caught up, a woman at the table handed them ten tickets each with a warm smile. After weaving through crowds, past water gun games and stuffed animal prizes, they finally came to a stop by the student center, where people were dancing freely to the rhythm of a live band.

As the music slowed and the couples paired off on the dance floor, Troy held out his hand to her.

"Dance?" he asked.

"I thought it pained you to dance?" She teased, recalling his reason from before.

"Clearly, I didn't have the right partner," he said as her hand slipped into his and he led her out into the middle of the makeshift dance floor.

She smiled as he twirled her around and brought her back in one arm so she was against his chest. The feel of him wrapped around her was better than anything she'd ever felt before. She felt safe, tucked away in this little bubble they somehow created.

"Troy?" She asked nervously, not ready to see their perfect bubble burst just yet. "What are we doing?"

She felt him let out a sigh as he pulled away from her and brought her back to face him. His left arm curled snuggly against her lower back. Pinning her close to him. Not that she minded. She kind of liked the way he held onto her. Like he was teething her to the ground so she wouldn't float away.

"Things aren't gonna be the same after this." He said softly. "It's not like we can put the genie back in the bottle now."

"I could probably muster it," she mumbled, "If you wanted me too."

"I'm not really wired that way." His eyes dropped to hers softening as they swayed together. "I can't believe I ever thought of you as a sister."

"I believe you said kid sister actually."

He huffed, "Brat."

"Jerk."

A little while later he followed her and they sat down at a water gun horse race. "This is what you want to play?"

"Step on down two tickets and you get to race a horse and win a prize." The man said, pointing at the plastic horse figures.

"I think I can actually manage kicking your butt." She said handing the man the two tickets.

Troy did the same and put his hands on the water gun. "Don't get ahead of yourself, girly."

"On your mark, get set. Go!"

Troy and Gabriella started off at the same time both of them focused on their target. "Eat my dust." She said as her horse came rushing forward.

Troy steadied his hand on the target. "Not going to happen."

"Is too," she shouted over the noise.

"No, no, awww come on!" Troy jumped up from his seat as they watched her horse sprint past him.

"Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner."

Gabriella threw her hands up and yelled out for joy.

The man took down a stuffed bear and handed her the winning prize. She shifted in her seat to face Troy. "I'll let you hold my prize." She teased playfully.

Troy laughed as he got up from his seat. "bet I can beat you at the dart toss." He said pointing to the people around the booth across from them.

They were handed three darts each and Gabriella looked up at the wall of balloons filled with paint. Once she witnesses Troy throw the first one and miss, she laughed.

"Oh yeah, well let's see you do better." He baited.

Gabriella threw the dart with all her might, immediately covering her eyes when it fell short, not even reaching the board. She peeked out from behind her hands as Troy laughed, effortlessly tossing his dart and popping a yellow paint-filled balloon.

"How did you do that?" she asked, frustrated, before throwing another dart, only to watch it bounce off the wall.

Troy picked up another dart and showed her his grip. "See this? Hold it like this and flick your wrist, not your arm." He demonstrated, and the dart hit the board perfectly again.

Gabriella mimicked him, and when her dart finally stuck to the board, she jumped up and down in excitement. Troy's laughter filled the air as he watched her celebrate.

After four more games, they returned to the truck, both carrying an armful of stuffed animals. "I can't believe I actually won," Gabriella said, still in disbelief.

"Me either," Troy teased, holding two of the larger prizes.

Gabriella climbed up into the bed of the truck carefully stuffing her animals into her duffel bag, while Troy casually tossed his in. She frowned, playfully putting her hand on her hip. "I wouldn't toss your winnings around like that if I were you!"

Troy smirked, holding up his small prize—a keychain. "It's just a keychain. You want it? It's yours."

"Nope," Gabriella replied with a smile. "I'll let you keep that one."

She dusted her hands off on her pants as she got up and walked over to the edge of the tailgate preparing to jump when his hands reached out to grab her. Causing her to lean into him for balance.

His left hand shifted the fabric of her purple cami, and she could feel the warmth of his touch on her skin. She let out a breath as he set her down on the ground. And like the last time he helped down from the truck her hands slid over his shoulders feeling the muscles there under his shirt.

"Still has fun as you remembered?" he murmured, watching her with a soft smile.

"I don't think you did that for my benefit," she said leaning away from him only to feel his hands tighten their hold on her waist. Her hands traveled back up his arms watching his eyes looking down at her lips. "Are you gonna kiss me again?"

He smirked, "Was thinking about it."

Then he was. His kiss was slow and lazy, his hands softly resting on her hips. It was weird how he did that. How he could be so large and massive, a solid wall of chisled athletic who did push ups and sit ups in the morning. A guy who ran up and down the court comanding and leading his team with confidence. And yet he was so unexpectedly gentle. His hold on her always supportive and soft.

It made her feel like he was taking his time, really enjoying himself and present in the moment. Lazy and relaxed. Not distracted and stress out like he had been last week. Was that because of his break up? Was it because of her? Was it the forced proximity? Would any of this had happened if not for the being alone on this road trip together?

And what would happen once they got back home?

"You need to stop thinking," he grunted against her lips.

She let out breath at his request. How did he know? Was she making a face? Was she too stiff? Should she touch him more?

"Seriously," Troy muttered, pulling away. "Am I boring you?"

She shrugged, unable to stop smiling at his pouty expression. "And if you were?" she challenged.

He responded by reaching down and lifting her up. His hands shifting his hold on her and wrapping around the back of her thighs.

"Oh my god," she said quickly tightening her hold on him. "Please don't drop me."

Troy let out a laugh, "You know I can squat lift you, right?"

"I do now." she said glancing down at the ground. "Seriously, do not drop me."

"Then pay attention."

And she did. Enthusiastically.

Troy.

"What's an orgasm feel like?" Gabriella casually asked him as they drove down the highway headed for the next tour. She dug into her purse pulling out a bottle of nail polish.

Funny, to think there was a point in time he probably would have veered off the road if she asked him that.

Now he let out low breath as he counted to three inside his head. "You can't just ask me something like that." Troy said, gripping the steering wheel with both hands. His eyes glanced up in the rearview mirror as he merged safely into the left lane.

A familiar scent flaring in his nostrils. A smell he knew all too well from Sharpay. "What are you doing? Do you have to do that in my truck?" He grumbled looking over at her as she applied a coat on her small toe.

"Eyes on the road," Gabriella motioned ahead of them with her elbow as she worked.

Troy let out a deep breath. "The truck is going to smell like acrylic."

"Then crack a window." She said applying the brush to her big toe. "The smell will last all of like five minutes."

Troy looked in his side mirror and then turned the wheel sharply to the left. Gabriella's hand fumbled and she stopped what she was doing to look over at him with a smirk. "It's clear," she said, holding up the bottle.

"Right." His voice was low as he looked back at the road in annoyance and then rolled down his window.

"So what's it feel like?" Gabriella repeated.

"First of all, what do you mean, what does it feel like? Don't you masturbate?" he said, arching a brow and looking over at her.

Did she?

For a moment he let himself mentally think about what that might sound like.

"I'm not telling you that." she said with a huff.

"Why not?"

"Because it's private."

"So was the stuff about my first time." he said looking over at her as she worked on the next toe. "Remember that conversation?"

"Well that's different. You offered up that information on your own free will." She said looking back over at him. "Watch the road."

Troy smiled as he turned back to the road. "So I'm gonna guess that's a no."

Gabriella began to fan her toes and then leaned back in the seat to admire her right foot. "I tried it once." She said with a shrug.

"And?" He said keeping his eyes on the road. "What happened?"

She brought up her left foot, holding her toes as she brushed along the nails quickly.

"It was weird." She said, biting her lip.

Troy raised a brow, partially curious and partially suspicious. "Were you doing it right?"

"How do you know if you're doing it wrong?"

Troy thought about that for a moment, his experience limited in that department on account of well… never really thinking about it from a girls perspective.

"I don't know."

She finished her left foot and sealed the polish, tossing it into the cup holder.

They were both quiet for a minute, the two obviously occupied with the topic.

"So how weird was it." he said, dropping his left hand and holding the wheel with his right.

"It was boring." she said with a shrug. "I couldn't really take it seriously and something about it just seems gross. You know." She said looking over at him. "I mean how are you supposed to get in the mood when you're by yourself?" Gabriella paused as she thought for a moment. "Do people talk? They talk in porn, but a lot of that is performative. It's not real. It's not like I'm gonna lay in my own bed and say "oh I'm going to give it to me and give it to me good." She said wrinkling her nose.

Troy immediately erupted with laughter. "What the hell Gabi?" he said, holding his side as tried to keep the truck straight.

"It just seems like a lot of work."

Troy let his laughter subside before glancing over inner direction. "Gabriella," he said a little more seriously. "You should at least know how to please yourself if you expect someone else to do it."

"Shouldn't that be the guy's problem?"

Troy looked back at the road. "That's not the way it works." He sighed, "having sex is about both people working together."

"I thought it was about love." She mumbled.

"It is," he said quickly, "that's important but I think sex is a little more than that." He offered. "It's the ability to feel close to someone, to be connected and open with someone."

Gabriella let out a breath. "Love makes everything that much harder doesn't it." She said looking over at him.

"Welcome to life." He said with a shrug.

Gabriella didn't say anything after that and he let a moment pass before he offered some advice. "I think you should try it again and this time just let it just happen."

Gabriella.

Gabriella sat on the back of the truck, holding the drinks while Troy carried their hotdogs. They had stopped at a stand off the road before heading to their next college tour. She glanced up at the sky, the stars twinkling back at her, but her thoughts were on Troy. Ever since their dance at the fair the topic of this thing, whatever it was between them had cooled, he hadn't mentioned it, and the silence around it left a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Did he have regrets? Had he changed his mind?

"No relish, just like you wanted." Troy handed her a hotdog.

Gabriella smiled. "Thanks," she said, taking a bite. The taste of the hotdog was incredible after a long day. "God, junk food is amazing," she said, looking over at him.

Troy sighed. "So I need to ask you something," he started.

"I'm listening," she said, a little hopeful that he might address the elephant in the room.

"How is it that you know you want to teach?"

"Because I just do." She said with a shrug. "I love English and writing," Gabriella answered. "And when I tutor, I feel like I'm really making a difference."

"But what if you mess up?" he asked, taking a bite of his own hotdog.

Gabriella shook her head. "Like how?"

"Like what if you pick something and then find out you shouldn't have." He said, wiping some relish off his upper lip.

She shrugged. "Then I start over. Life's too short to worry about getting it right the first time. Even if it takes a few tries, it's worth it."

Troy chuckled. "College is a lot of money for a gamble."

"Is the Wildcats' superstar... scared?" she teased.

"Not scared, just... unsure," he admitted.

Gabriella grinned, finishing her hotdog. "Give me your shoes."

Troy looked confused but complied, handing over his shoes and socks. She tossed her flip-flops aside and jumped off the truck, leading him to the grassy patch nearby.

"Life isn't as rigid as you think," she said, stepping barefoot onto the grass. "It's like the dirt under your feet, it shifts and adapts."

Troy followed, feeling the earth beneath his toes. "In theory, sure, but in reality..."

"In reality, the ground changes with you. Life bends and moves as you move. You fill the time and space, not the other way around," she said, squeezing his hand.

Troy smiled, wiggling his toes in the dirt. "You're going to be a great teacher."

"And you're going to be just fine," she reassured him.

He smiled at that.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Will I ever drive your truck again?"

Troy's eyes narrowed as he glanced down at her with a small grin. "I let you drive once."

"But, what about twice?" She said holding up two fingers and scrunching up her face.

Troy looked back at his truck then back at her. "It's my truck." He said with a pleading expression.

"It's a truck."

Troy frowned, "and she can hear you when you insult her like that."

"Oh for the love of god." She said, pushing him back against the tailgate and shoving her hand into his left side pocket for the keys.

"I had a dream like this once," he teased.

She wrapped her fingers around something, her brows arching in curiosity as she felt the foil beneath her finger tips.

"What is this?" She murmured, pulling the item out of his pocket.

"Okay that, I can explain," He said, holding up his hands. "I really wasn't kidding about the dream, and to be fair-"

His words came to a stop when she lifted the item up between them revealing a condom.

Troy's eyes flooded with relief and seemed to drown in embarrassment at the same time. "That." he said pointing to the condom. "Is not … mine." The last word was more of a mumble.

"It was in your pocket." she said, holding it up. "Do you usually not own what's in your pockets?"

"I found it." he said with a nervous shrug. "Like five motels ago."

Gabriella turned the condom over to see the cover. "I've seen a Lifestyle condom before, never a Trojan." Squinting in the dim light she looked at the packet with curiosity. "Taylor uses the spearmint flavor kind?"

"That was information I didn't really ask for." He said making a face. "Maybe too much," he said, waving a hand out in front of him.

Gabriella eyed him. "So if it's not yours," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Why did you keep it?"

"I found it on the nightstand." He shrugged taking it from her. "I didn't really think it through, to be honest I actually forgot about it." He said, examining it closer. "Probably washed it with my clothes."

"You didn't think we would…" she said, letting the question trail off.

"Not even close," he quipped seemingly without a thought.

The response made her brow lift slightly in surprise. On the one hand, yeah she didn't really think she was ready to have sex. On the other she didn't really think the idea of it with her was that unappealing. They had spent some time making out.

Not that, that meant she had expectations.

Did she?

The sound of his phone vibrating snapped her out of her trance and she moved away from him as he pulled out the phone to see the caller ID.

"Oh crap, It's my dad," he said quietly, lifting his phone to his ear. "I'll be just a minute."

She nodded, taking the moment to get her feelings under control. Although she couldn't shake the hollow ache in her chest as she replayed the moments between her and Troy. She tried to brush it off, telling herself that maybe he was just unsure, but deep down, it felt like rejection. She wondered if she had misread everything, if the connection she thought they had was only one-sided.

Troy.

Troy lay back on the creaky motel bed, staring up at the ceiling, the quiet of the room weighing heavy. Gabriella was on the other bed, her back turned to him as she scrolled through her phone. Things between them felt different, off, and he couldn't figure out what he'd done wrong. They'd been close, shared moments that felt like they were getting somewhere, but now she was distant, closed off.

He tried to break the silence, offering a casual, "You wanna watch something?" He grabbed the remote, flipping through channels, but Gabriella barely glanced up.

"I'm good," she replied, her voice flat, the words like a cold wall between them.

Troy shifted uncomfortably, biting back the urge to press her, ask her what was going on. Instead, he tried again. "We could hit that diner tomorrow morning, get some breakfast before we head out."

Gabriella didn't even look up this time. "Maybe," she mumbled, and that was it. The conversation was dead in the water.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out, glancing at the screen.

Sharpay. Can we talk?

Troy sighed, glancing over at Gabriella again, but she didn't seem to care. Without much choice, he slid off the bed, muttering, "I'll be outside for a bit."

He stepped out into the cool night air, the motel parking lot dimly lit by a flickering neon sign. He hit call, and after a few rings, Sharpay's voice came through, soft and uncertain. "Troy... I'm sorry. I know I've said it a hundred times, but I really mean it. Can we just talk? Like, really talk?"

Troy ran a hand through his hair, leaning against the cold brick wall. "Sharpay, I've heard you out already. I get that you're sorry, but this isn't about apologies anymore."

She sighed on the other end, and he could almost picture her sitting there, trying to play it cool, but he knew her well enough to sense the frustration. "I just want us to be like we were, Troy. Remember all the things we planned? Senior year was supposed to be ours, homecoming, the musical, graduation. We had it all lined up."

He closed his eyes, the memories of what they'd once talked about flickering in his mind. But that felt like another life now. "It's over, Sharpay. I'm not changing my mind. I can't go back to that."

There was a long pause before she spoke again, her voice quieter this time, almost pleading. "Please just think about it, Troy. We were good together."

Troy shook his head, feeling the weight settle heavier in his chest. "We were, but things change."

"What changed?" Sharpay's voice wavered. "School hasn't even started yet."

Troy sighed, trying to find the right words. "Shar, can you honestly say this grand plan for our future is what's going to make you happy?"

"We talked about this. We decided—"

"You decided," he cut in. "You decided we needed this five-year plan."

"What's wrong with a five-year plan?"

"We're eighteen," Troy said, his frustration rising. "We don't even know who we are yet. How can we plan our entire lives when we don't know what we want?"

"I know what I want," she said, her voice steady.

"And it's not what I want," Troy replied, running a hand through his hair. "That's the problem. You're not listening to me."

Silence filled the line, the weight of it more telling than any argument.

"This was a bad idea," Troy finally said, his voice softer. "I'm sorry things ended like this, I really am. But it's done, and that's how it's gonna be now."

After another quiet moment, he said goodbye and hung up, the conversation still heavy in the air.

When he reentered the room he tossed his phone into his duffel bag. Letting out the sigh as he took a seat on the floor. His back against the bed behind him, the weight of the conversation settling over him like a heavy blanket. His chest ached, not from anger, but from the quiet, dull sadness of knowing he'd hurt someone he once cared about.

Sharpay's voice still echoed in his mind, the disappointment and confusion. He had wanted to make her happy once, but now all he'd done was break whatever dream she'd built for them. The worst part was how little it had changed for him. He wasn't relieved; he just felt... empty.

Troy rubbed his hands over his face, feeling the exhaustion seep into his bones. He was tired, not just physically, but emotionally drained from trying to make things right, from pretending to be happy when nothing ever seemed to work out the way it should.

He was always trying, trying to keep the peace, trying to be the good guy, trying to hold everything together and still, somehow, it never felt like enough. He was coming up short for everyone, including himself.

He inhaled sharply when her hand came over him from above snaking around him. The ends of her hair brushing against the side of his face.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey," she whispered. "You okay?"

He shrugged, "Does it matter?"

She tightened her hold on him a little. "Why wouldn't it?"

"Because I'm the bad guy," he said quietly. "The bad boyfriend, the shitty friend."

"Troy," she said, shifting slightly so she was sitting up a little more. "You couldn't be a shitty friend if you tried."

He leaned back his turning slightly so they were angled towards each other. "I was to you."

She clicked her tongue in frustration. "I think we both misread each other," she said, brushing her hair back from her face. "We made a lot of assumptions, and now that we actually know each other, we realize how foolish we were."

He nodded, reflecting on all the assumptions he had made about her in the past. How he had written her off as weird and withdrawn. He hadn't known back then that she rambled when she was nervous, or that she wore thrifted clothes and saved every penny because she knew her mother was working tirelessly to put away money for her future.

She braided her hair because it was easier to do that then style it. In all the time they spent together he hadn't seen a scrunchie, clip or rubber band that kept the weight of it tamed.

"I don't think people like us are meant to be friends in high school."

"You think so?"

"Oh, absolutely." She quipped. "It's how the social ecosystem of high school keeps everything together."

"Well I think that's crap."

"You say that," she murmurs. "Then we're back home, separated by classes, activities and social circles and suddenly you're making out in the bleachers with another cheerleader."

"Not gonna happen," he says, a little mortified at the thought.

"It will," she says, pushing herself up. "There's a very good chance that this thing between us is just a result of forced proximity. You're lonely, just broken up with your long time girlfriend and I'm …" her voice faltered for a moment. "I'm convenient."

He shifted climbing up onto the bed. "Nothing about you is convenient," he grumbles softly, bringing a hand up to her face. Her cheeks get a little pink and he feels that knot in his chest loosen. "Unfortunately for you, I've got a little bit of a crush and now you're just gonna have to put up with me."

"You have a crush?" She looked up at him and blinked a few times, as if surprised, before recovering.

Her mouth was inches away from his now. His body leaned forward, pushing her backwards into the bed. His body hovering over hers.

Her eyes shifted to his lips and he smiled about the obvious way she was watching him. Her pulse fluttered at the base of her neck and he watched as she wet her lips.

"Gabriella."

"Yes." She whispered.

He holds onto his self control. "If you want me to stop, just say the word."

She nods, and he leans down, kissing her neck gently. His lips searching for that little pulse point he'd discovered a couple days ago when he had her in his arms and pinned against his truck. The memory of her soft little moan making his pants tight.

He was in so much trouble with her.

His left hand reaches for her breast through the fabric of her shirt and she arches up into his touch. He dips his head, the little bud of her nipple poking through her shirt. He kisses her there, his mouth taking her nipple through the shirt and flicking it with his tongue.

"You wanna tell me what made you so upset with me today?" He asks, shifting into her a little more, her legs opening slightly to accommodate him.

"It's stupid," she mumbles, her hands reaching up to his shoulders.

"I don't believe that," He murmurs, shifting his attention to her other breast. His mouth latching on to her nipple and flicking it just as he had the other.

She squirms. Lifting her pelvis. Her hand shifting up into his hair, and using her fingers to gently stack at the back of his head.

He shivers, the goosebumps running down his arm and he shifts his hand lower, gently exploring over her stomach, and then her hip. Curling his fingers into the fabric of her terry cloth shorts, shifting the waistband a little.

"Tell me," he murmurs his lips softly exploring her neck and enjoying the way her breathing picks up a little with each kiss. "Tell me so I can apologize appropriately."

"It's really not that important," she says a little winded now, her fingernails raking down his arm and slightly digging into his bicep. "Practically insignificant."

He moves to her mouth, his kiss searing and demanding, his tongue slipping against hers. She's become an expert in kissing, just a few swirls of his tongue and she's greedy. Her hand clenching his shirt and holding him closer. The nudge of her tongue against his is so soft and gentle, but hungry at the same time.

His fingers shift again and he pulls the waistband of her shorts down a little. Testing the waters, seeing if she'll stop him. She doesn't. In fact she shifts closer to him and he slips a pinky inside the band. Brushing lightly against the hem of her panties.

It's the first time they've ever done this in a bed before. The first time she's been completely alone with him. The first chance he's gotten to really take his time.

When she rocks into him he shifts his fingers beneath the waistband and feels his balls tighten when he sinks his hand over her sex and feeling how warm she is.

"Fuck," he murmurs in her ear before placing a kiss just be low it. Pleased when she lets out a small moan. "I'm not going past these panties," he says above her lips. "But I do wanna answer that question you had the other night."

She shifts her legs, their shaking a little.

"But first," he says with a wicked grin running a finger up and down her sex with a slight pressure. Teasing her with an almost-there touch. "Tell me why you were upset and I'll make you come tonight."

She moans her hand coming to his and holding it down a little as she rocks into him. "Jesus Christ, are you always this stubborn."

"Keep telling me to forget it and find out." He says inching his hand away.

She let out a huff. "Fine," she says, reaching her hands up to tuck her hair behind her ears. "I thought you didn't want to have sex with me."

His hand stops in its tracks and he raises a brow. "Why would you think that?"

She whippers at the loss of his touch and rolls her hips a little. "Because when I asked you about it, you said 'not even close'."

"That's not what I meant," he says, pulling his hand away. "This is new, and while we could do it, I also don't think we need to rush it."

Gabriella let out a sigh.

Troy pushed himself up right, "Exactly what part of this feels like I don't wanna have sex with you?"

"Honestly," she quipped, shifting up on the back of her arms. "The part where you stopped."

Troy pins her with a look and before she could say another word, his hands grab at her shorts pulling them off completely and making her gasp in surprise.

"Do you know how hard it is not to crawl into your bed at night." He says.

"What?" She croaks.

"We're alone all the time, unsupervised." He says meeting her eyes and admiring the way she's taking him in. Like there's a million ways she wants to touch him and she isn't sure where to start.

He pulls her up, twisting so his back is now on the mattress and she's straddling him. The position lets him arch into her. His rock hard dick pushing against her sex through his basketball shorts.

Her eyes widened at the movement. Her hand now on his chest.

"Every night I lay awake thinking It," he says as his hands grab at her waist. "I wonder what you taste like. I wonder if you moan when you come. Or if you're wearing shorts under these oversized T-shirts you like to wear to bed."

"Oh," she whispers.

He pushes her hips back and forth on top of her. "You feel how hard I am?" He says arching up into her again and rubbing slightly. The feel of her weight on him fucking fantastic.

"I didn't know you thought about those things." She murmured, her hips shifting on their own.

He groans softly, knowing if they keep this up he was going to embarrass himself by coming all over his pants.

God, he was in so much trouble with her.

Everything about her was different. Everything he thought he knew about women, barely scratched the surface with her.

She rocked her hips again. "Am I doing this right?"

He inhaled sharply, his hands gripping her waist and holding her still for a moment.

"Did I hurt you?" She asked, her voice husky.

"Not even a little," he murmured. "You just really sparked a few fantasies right now." He said biting on his lower lip and looking up at the ceiling for a minute. "You're gonna make me explode."

"So why did we stop?"

"Because I am the experienced one here, I don't want to blow my load like it's my first time."

"It's mine," she shrugs, "I really wouldn't notice."

He grunts, arching into her again and enjoy it when she lets out a little murmur of pleasure.

"Fuck it," he says rocking her back and forth a against him. "Keep going just like that."

She does. The feel of her sex sliding along his dick even with the barriers of clothes between him making him jaw clench.

"Just like," he mumbles softly. "So fucking hot," his hands shifting lower and grabbing at her bottom. "You still think I don't want fuck you?"

She whimpers and the sound of it makes his fingertips dig into her bottom.

"You have no fucking idea what it's like to control myself." He murmurs desperately trying to keep a grip on the pressure that needed an outlet. Needed her.

"I have some idea," she murmurs, leaning down to press her lips against his. Her tongue sliding against his bottom lip.

He was close.

His tongue reached up to swirl against hers, her breathing more intense. Her hips rocking a little faster. Chasing her pleasure, using him to do it. She was so fucking sexy right now. Her hands fisting his shirt.

"Troy," she gasps her rhythm picking up pace as his own orgasm starts to build.

"Keep going," he says, breathing hard. "Let it happen baby," he groans, his lips launching a sensual attack against her neck, right on that little spot. Like fucking button.

Her moan filled the room and she came down hard on him. Her hands releasing and gripping at his shirt. Her mouth falling open as she arched into him.

"Oh my god," she whispered harshly as she squeezed her legs around him bucking into him.

The sound of her losing it sending him right over the edge. His body seizing up and his hip pushing upwards, lifting her little away from the mattress as his hands held her against him.

"Fuuuuck" he murmured, breathing deeply a white jolt of pleasure rippled through his body so fucking hard he couldn't control the pressure of grip on her hips. The possibility of his fingers leaving little bruises on her making him shiver uncontrollably.

Mine.

He was marking her as his. Making sure she knew exactly where his hands had been.

My Gabriella.

The thought echoed inside him as he came back down from the high. He was breathing hard. And she lay on top of him, her body melted into him. Resting as she tried to catch her own breath.

All mine.

His arms came to wrap around her. Hugging her gently. "You okay? Did I hurt you?"

"No," she says softly, a low hum sounding from the back of her throat. Like a pur.

He smiled. "What do you think about orgasms?"

"They're amazing," she said lazily.

Gabriella.

Gabriella lay still, the early morning light creeping in through the window blinds, casting soft, golden stripes across the bed. She blinked slowly, sleep still hanging at the edge of her awareness. Troy shifted beside her, the faint rustle of sheets as he lazily pushed himself up. His movements were slow and unhurried, like he was savoring the last moments of sleep before facing the day.

She watched him, her eyes tracing the familiar lines of his back as he stretched, his muscles flexing slightly under his skin. After his shower he came to bed without a shirt, which had encouraged another long make out session. She smiled at the memory of it flexing her legs and feeling a delightful sensation of sore muscles.

He yawned, ruffling his hair with one hand, and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Gabriella could hear the slight creak of the floor as his feet touched the ground.

Troy paused, turning his head slightly as if he felt her gaze. He glanced over his shoulder and met her eyes. "You're up early," he said, his voice still husky from sleep.

Gabriella smiled faintly, her head sinking deeper into the pillow. "So are you."

Troy gave a half-hearted shrug and stood up, grabbing a towel from the chair in the corner of the room. "Gotta stick to the routine." He tossed the towel over his shoulder and stretched again, rolling his neck and shoulders like he was mentally preparing for the workout ahead.

Gabriella's eyes followed him as he headed to the living room, but her mind drifted. "Stanford or Berkeley?" she asked, her voice soft, almost like she wasn't sure she wanted him to hear it.

Troy paused mid-step, turning back to her. "What?"

She pushed herself up on her elbow. "Which one? I mean… we've talked about both, but where do you actually want to go?"

Troy got down on the ground into the sit up position, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know. Stanford's closer to home, I guess. Berkeley... well, it's Berkeley and ever since we talked about engineering. I've been interested in the possibilities."

Gabriella nodded, happy that he was thinking about something other than basketball. Berkeley seemed to be a good fit. "I think Berkeley would be good for you. New place, new faces."

He tilted his head, considering her words. "Yeah, but I wouldn't mind staying close to... things here."

Gabriella's chest tightened a little at the unspoken meaning, but she just nodded. "You know you'll be great no matter where you go, Troy."

He smiled faintly, leaning back and bringing himself backup. The sight of his abdomen flexing and making her insides tingle.

"What about you?" He huffed. "Any closer to deciding?"

"Stanford, for sure. I want a fresh start, I want a spot in the Stegner Fellowship. It's a two-year creative writing fellowship program. And Stanford's Teacher Education Program is a leading program for preparing teachers to work in diverse K-12 classrooms." She smiled at him, eyes flicking over the way he kept rhythm. "But it's not just about school, you know? The campus is gorgeous."

Troy nodded. "Sounds like your number one spot."

"It is." Gabriella sank back into the pillows, eyes watching him. Then she shifted onto her back staring at the ceiling, thoughts swirling, and wondered just how much farther apart they'd be when they got back home.

"Did you know the first novel ever written on a typewriter was Tom Sawyer?" she said.

"No."

"I am. Is the shortest complete sentence in the English language." Gabriella smiled softly.

He grunted, "You must have the biggest brain in the world."

"Your brain is about 1300-1400 cubic centimeters in volume, about the size of a cantaloupe and wrinkled like a walnut." She said shifting so she was sitting up now.

"A walnut?" Troy paused, mid sit-up. His eyes narrowed, "Okay, I give. what's up?"

"What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?" she smiled.

"I don't know, but I guess you're going to tell me?" He said, his breathing hard.

"All invented by women."

Troy got up from the floor panting as he crawled back into bed, towards her.

"If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A""

"One thousand." He said with a triumphant smile.

"He's smarter than he looks." She teased.

"You told Chad that one." He said with a smirk. "I'm not that smart."

"So you cheated." She laughed.

"What are you not telling me?"

"It's our last week," she said, biting down on her lip a little. "I know what you said last night but I just," she shrugged. "I guess I just know better than to think any of this is going to matter once we're back at school."

"I need you to do something for me," He said, his gaze dropping to her lips.

"What's that?"

He leaned forward taking her bottom lip between his with a soft tug. Then he pressed his lips against hers in a quick chaste kiss.

"I need you to trust me a little. Can you do that?"

She felt the blush on her cheeks. "Okay."

"Now let me finish this so we can go get pancakes." He said, giving her thigh a quick squeeze.

Later that day, Gabriella could hardly contain her excitement as she stepped out of the car, eyes wide and sparkling as she took in the full glory of Stanford University. "Oh my God," she whispered, her heart beating a little faster with each glance around. This was it—the place she'd dreamed about for years. The students walking by, the iconic yellow stone buildings, and the towering clock she'd only ever seen in brochures—everything was just as she imagined.

Troy was leaning against the car, watching her with a playful smile. "Pretty amazing, right?"

Gabriella spun around, her arms stretched out as if she could embrace the entire campus. "More like born ready!" she laughed, her whole body buzzing with excitement. She felt weightless, like she was walking through her future.

Troy chuckled and straightened up. "Well, then. Let's go see what all the fuss is about."

As they followed the tour guide through the campus, Gabriella was utterly absorbed in every detail—the history, the architecture, the students chatting under the trees. Troy, meanwhile, was half listening to the guide but mostly watching her, amused by how she seemed to know more about the place than the guide did.

"You could probably give the tour yourself," he whispered.

Gabriella flashed him a playful grin. "Maybe," she whispered back, "but I'd make it sound more exciting."

Troy tugged gently on her arm, pulling her away from the group and down a quiet hallway, away from the crowd. She raised an eyebrow, half-expecting him to launch into some goofy stunt.

"Is this where you murder me?" she teased, eyes narrowing playfully.

Troy circled her slowly, grinning. "No, but it is where I make you tell me something real about you. Something not related to school or how many facts you know about this place."

She crossed her arms, amused by his antics. "Like what? My middle name's Marie—what else do you want?"

He shook his head, stepping closer. "Not that. A secret. Something you've never told anyone." His smirk widened. "Ever stolen something? Lied? What about secret talents? Can you sing? Got a crush on someone from school? Ever played a prank on someone"

Gabriella shot him a look before her lips curved into a mischievous smile. "No, yes, no, no, yes, absolutely not."

Troy stopped mid-step, raising an eyebrow as he counted the answers. "Wait—when, and who?" His curiosity was obvious.

Her face softened as she met his eyes. "You know who."

For a moment, he didn't respond, standing there in stunned silence. His thumb pointing at himself. "I'm your crush?"

She shrugged, "Well, yeah." Hadn't that been obvious?

His arms fell to his sides as a grin spread across his face. "Well, I guess I didn't see that one coming. Why didn't you say anything."

"Because you didn't seem to know me."

"I know you," he said with grunt. "We use to camp out in the back yard together."

"Oh is that how you remember it?" she smirked. "I remember you hanging a sign on the tent that said no girls allowed."

He laughed, "That didn't stop you."

She brushed her hair back behind her ear. "My mom was working a double shift and she asked your parents if i could stay over. Where was i suppose to go?"

He visibly cringed. "And you like me?"

She huffed, "I didn't back then." She shifted her weight. "It wasn't until our freshman year," Gabriella nodded, her smile growing. "You saved my science project?"

He furrowed his brow, trying to recall. "Saved your project? That doesn't sound like me."

Gabriella laughed, her hand covering her mouth. "It was you. I was walking through the hall, carrying my science project, all proud of myself. And then out of nowhere, Jason comes flying down the hallway, eyes locked on the basketball, and I was in the direct line of fire."

Troy rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling. "Oh man, I think I remember that now. I didn't even know you had a project. I just saw Jason barreling toward you like a freight train."

Gabriella nodded, still smiling. "I was so focused on making sure I didn't drop it. I didn't even notice him until he was about five seconds away from taking me out. Then suddenly, you were there—literally threw yourself in front of him and shoved me against the lockers to take the hit."

Troy laughed. "Yeah, I remember getting tackled into the lockers now. Hurt like bitch."

"I'm sure it did," Gabriella said, rolling her eyes. "But at the time, you just got up like nothing happened, turned to me, and made sure I was okay.'"

Troy grinned. "That sounds like something I'd do."

Gabriella shook her head fondly. "I was mortified at the time, but after that, I couldn't stop thinking about it. You didn't have to do that, you know?"

He shrugged, his smile softer now. "I couldn't let you or your project get wrecked. Besides, Jason would've felt terrible."

"Well, after that," she said, her voice quieting, "I started noticing you more. You did things like that all the time. Helped people, were nice, and always kept things under control. And I guess... that's when I started liking you."

Troy leaned back, surprised by her confession but grinning. "I never knew that. All this time, I thought you liked me because I was good at basketball."

Gabriella laughed again, playfully nudging his arm. "Don't flatter yourself, Bolton. It was because you were a good guy, basketball was just a bonus."

Today was everything. I finally got to see Stanford in person, and honestly, I'm still buzzing from it. The campus was so much more than I imagined—like, stepping into one of those glossy brochures, but better. The buildings, the trees, the energy, the history of it all... it felt like a place where things happen, where I could really see myself belonging. Walking through the campus, seeing all the students, I couldn't help but think, This is it. This is where I want to be. I could feel it in my bones—like I'm meant to be there, you know?

Now, I just have to figure out how to get there. The application is one thing, but the essay... ugh, I'm still stuck. I want to say something real, something that shows them who I am, but every time I sit down to write, nothing feels right. I guess I'm just afraid of not doing myself justice, like my words won't be enough to show how badly I want this. But I WILL figure it out. I have to.

And then there's Troy. He's different lately. It's like something clicked for him over the past two weeks, like he's finally realizing that his future doesn't have to be this narrow, predetermined thing. It's really interesting to see him like this thinking beyond basketball and what everyone else expects of him. I just wish he could see himself the way I do. He's always been such a great guy nice, sweet, attentiveI don't know how he ever thought he was a bad guy. It blows my mind.

He's going through this massive change, and I think he's finally starting to see that his life can be whatever he makes of it. I just hope he figures out what makes him happy. Because he deserves that.

We both do.

Troy.

Troy leans back against the headboard, his phone pressed to his ear. "Yeah, Stanford was pretty cool, Dad. It's everything Gabriella's been dreaming of, but I dunno... I think Berkeley might be more my vibe. I'm actually thinking about applying there."

His dad's voice crackled through the line. "Berkeley, huh? Sounds like you're giving this some serious thought. Have you got any safety schools in mind?"

"Yeah," Troy said, listing off a few options, though none of them felt as exciting as Berkeley. "But honestly, I'm more focused on getting into a place that feels right, you know?"

As Troy talked, he noticed a lot of background noise coming through on his dad's end. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Where are you, by the way? It sounds like a party over there."

His dad chuckled. "Oh, it's a work function for your mom. The house has been pretty different since you've been gone, though. It's kinda like a preview for what's gonna happen next year when you head off to college. Just me and your mom rattling around in the empty nest."

Troy paused, thinking about that. The road trip had been his own little preview of life without his parents hovering around every day, but the thought of actually leaving home for good made his chest feel tight. "Yeah, I guess this trip is kinda like that for me, too. Getting a taste of what it's like being out on my own."

As they wrapped up the call, Gabriella was in the bathroom, brushing her teeth, and Troy's eyes wandered to the notebook she'd left out on the bed. A nagging curiosity tugged at him. He knew he shouldn't, her diary was private, but something made him reach for it.

Flipping open to a random page.

I hate basketball.

Today I finished tutoring 20 minutes early, so I waited outside the student center. Not like I had anywhere else to go.

This morning, Mom told me she had the opportunity to work a double shift. She was excited, said it meant she could give me some spending money for the away game next weekend. I didn't have the heart to tell her I wasn't going. I mean, she went on and on about the whole "high school experience," how back in her day, these were the events to live for.

My mom was a cheerleader. I am not.

I don't have the motivation to squeeze myself into a car full of people who barely notice I'm there, just to sit on bleachers and watch a game I couldn't care less about. So here I am, stranded outside the student center for the next hour because Taylor's busy, and Mom's working that double shift. Lucky me.

But hey, not to worry—Troy showed up.

Troy. I can still picture it. He pulled up in his truck, parked a few feet away, and got out, like something straight out of Sixteen Candles or some cheesy teen movie. He was just standing there, totally zoned out on his phone, looking cool without even trying.

And then, Sharpay came running out. She was in full dramatic mode, going on and on about some cheerleading crisis into her phone that didn't make any sense.

I watched as Troy opened the door for her. He glanced my way, but it was like he didn't even see me. Like I was invisible. And honestly, as far as Troy Bolton is concerned, I probably am.

I could've asked him for a ride. He would've given me one, grumbled about it, but still done it. But I didn't ask.

So, here I am. Stuck, stranded, and all because of basketball.

I hate basketball.

Guilt knotted in his stomach. He didn't even remember that. Gently closing the notebook, he set it back down where he found it.

The bathroom door creaked open, and Gabriella stepped out, toiletries bag in hand, her hair unbraided And loose around her shoulders. Troy glanced up from where he sat on the edge of the bed, watching as she moved with casual grace.

"Mom says hi," she said with a small smile, tossing her bag onto the bed opposite his.

Troy raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. "You talk to her about me?"

She shot him a smirk, that familiar teasing glint in her eyes. "You came up."

Troy chuckled, shaking his head. "Interesting?"

Gabriella sat on the other bed, crossing her legs under her. "What about your dad?"

Troy leaned back, folding his arms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. "I think they were having a party or something. He mentioned practicing for when he's an empty nester."

Gabriella laughed, the sound light and warm, filling the space between them. "Empty nester, huh? Guess he's preparing for the big change next year."

"Yeah, something like that." Troy couldn't help but smile at the thought, though it felt strange. The idea of leaving home, leaving everything he'd ever known behind, was still something he was trying to wrap his head around. He glanced over at Gabriella, who was now sitting cross-legged on the other bed, a little distance between them, but comfortable all the same.

He had gotten the double room on purpose. The last thing he wanted was to make any assumptions or make her feel pressured. Just because they'd fallen asleep next to each other the night before didn't mean it had to be a thing. He liked that about Gabriella, things didn't have to be complicated with her, though sometimes they felt that way anyway.

He caught her eye, and for a moment, something unspoken hung between them. There was an ease to their silence, but also a weight, like they both knew things were changing but weren't quite sure how to talk about it yet. This trip had been about college visits, about the future, but it had also made them confront a lot about themselves and about them.

"You okay?" Gabriella asked, noticing his quiet.

"Yeah," Troy replied, sitting up slightly. "Just thinking about how weird everything's going to be once we're back home. College apps, senior year... It's like we're on this countdown."

Gabriella nodded, her gaze thoughtful. "What are you looking forward to the most about senior year?"

"Making out with the neighbor," he murmured, glancing over at her again. "I've got a lot of ideas?"

Gabriella laughed, her eyes meeting his. "Mighty confident."

Troy nodded, though part of him wondered if it would be that simple. He stretched out, lying flat on the bed. "You ever think about what it's gonna be like, not having each other around all the time?"

She smiled softly, shifting slightly as she leaned back on her hands. "All the time? Like how?"

"Well, we've been cohabiting for the last two and half weeks." He grinned, glancing over at her. "It's gonna be weird sleeping in a room by myself again."

Gabriella was quiet for a moment, then shrugged, her tone light but sincere. "I'm always alone."

"Have you ever told your mom how you feel about that?" He said, the reminder of her journal entry on his mind.

Gabriella nodded, "I told her once," she said softly. Looking down at her hands and fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "My mom can't help that she works so much. It's a lot, being a single mother. And she means well."

"But?" Troy asked, watching her fingers twist and turn the fabric.

"Sometimes I just feel like a leftover burden From a life she used to have." She whispers. "Dad was the love of her life. He was her adventure. I'm just a roommate." The last word was barely audible.

Troy took a deep breath, trying to choose his words carefully. "I don't think that's how she sees it," he said softly, feeling a tightness form in his stomach. "I think your mom just wants to give you the best of everything, you know? Sometimes parents get it in their heads that we need certain things or a particular path to succeed." He paused, thoughts drifting to his own dad and the pressure he felt both on and off the court. "I guess sometimes they just need a reminder that we're still figuring things out too. We're still kids, even if we don't always feel like it."

Gabriella nodded slowly. "You know," she started a little uncertain. "You could always come over, after my mom leaves. If you want to hang out again like this."

Her words settled over him, both reassuring and uncertain. "I could do that."

Gabriella nodded, her expression warm. "So, what's next on this road trip of ours?"

Troy exhaled, welcoming the shift in conversation. He grabbed the map from the nightstand and spread it out in front of them. "Berkeley. It's the last stop before we head home to Albuquerque."

"Berkeley," she echoed, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "What's your expectations?"

"It's one of the top public universities," Troy said, leaning back on his hands. "It's in California for starters," he said with a laugh, "It's got basketball. Their engineering programs are a top choice and it's 40 miles away from where you wanna be," he said that last one with a smirk.

"Do not pick a college based on me." She grunted.

"It has its perks."

"The possibility of a booty call is a lot to base your college career on. Besides, there will be a lot of cheerleaders around for you to enjoy."

"You know, you would look pretty great in a cheerleading outfit."

"Not gonna happen."

Troy let out a laugh as he shifted onto his side so he could face her. "You're right, you're more fitted for one of those schoolgirl outfits."

She shook her head in disbelief. Her eyes glaring at him in confusion and amusement.

"It's the braids," he said with a smile.

"You're such a guy."

"I am," he agreed with a shrug. "And I'm not even a little bit sorry." He added watching her laugh.

She stood up then, coming over to his bed and standing beside it for a moment before lifting a knee onto the mattress. "And what do you think about what I'm wearing right now?"

His mouth watered. "I love what you're wearing. It's my favorite."

She reached for the hem of her shirt, pulling it up over her head. Letting the fabric fall down to the floor. "And now?"

In no way was he going to be able to formulate words at the moment. In fact he was sure if he could say anything at all right now it would be to profess his feelings. To ask her to cut bullshit and just belong to him already.

Cause that's what he wanted. He wanted her. He wanted to take her out for dinner, sit with her at the movies, look back at the bleachers and see her sitting there in his number. All the things he wanted to do with her, experience with her and talk with her about. He wanted all of it.

But right now looking at the bare round globes of her breast, her dusty pink nipples, so accessible. He swallowed.

"Get over here," he growled, pulling her down on top of him and into the most searing kiss he could manage.

Gabriella.

She's on her back, his mouth leaving kisses down her jaw, her neck, her collarbone and then she feels his mouth on her breast. His tongue swirling around her nipple. And it feels like heaven.

Was this really happening right now?

Was she really lying underneath Troy Bolton half naked? A small moan escaped her lips as he took one of her nipples into his mouth. His touch was so warm and gentle. Her body felt hot all over as he touched her. And his touch was merciless.

"Hold up your hand," he said softly, coming away from her chest.

She narrowed her eyes as she did what she was told and holding up her hand, curious when he pressed his own against it.

"When you tried masturbating," he said in a low voice. "How many fingers did you use?"

"What?"

"How many fingers did you use to play with yourself?" He said their eyes met.

She swallowed. "Two."

He glanced at their hand, his eyes studying their fingers for a moment before a slow smile pulled at his lips. "Two it is."

He sank down lower and she inhaled deeply. Not sure what she was expecting. Then she felt his lips on her abdomen. His tongue dipping and swirling around her belly button.

His hand was on her thigh. Squeezing softly, shifting lower. She felt him slip under the waistband of her pants. Then her panties and she inhaled slowly. An excitement building inside her.

"The next time you're alone and want to try it again, I want you to remember this. Think about me using my fingers against your bare pussy."

She shifted her hips, jerking when she felt his fingers slide down between her folds.

"You're so wet."

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Nothing to be sorry about, that's a good thing. A very good thing," he said, flexing his fingers against her and marking in shifts in anticipation, she could feel those same tingles from before. Her core pulsing already.

Her heart was hammering in her chest, her breathing quick. He's barely started and she felt like it was all too much too soon.

"Thought you said you had trouble before?" He teased, his eyes on her as he shifted his hand up and down his fingers sliding and swirling against her. "Look at you know, greedy and hungry for it."

She felt her sex clench slightly. "Don't…stop." She warned her hands shifting and scrambling for the sheets to hold on.

"Wouldn't dream of it baby," he said, dipping low again to take one of her nipples onto his mouth.

"Fuck," she gasped, letting out a moan as she rocked her hips into his touch. He was driving her crazy, her sex pulsing in need. Her hips were impossible to keep still.

"What do you like more?" He coaxed her. "When I got up and down or circle my fingers."

"Up and down," she answered almost out of breath.

"Good girl," he murmured. "You know what you want, you know how to get it. Tell me what you want me to do."

She arched, her climax building. "I want you to kiss me on my neck, that thing you do, under my ear."

He shifted forward, his mouth on her neck and his tongue making a slow trail across that spot. His spot. The spot on her body he'd claimed over the last week over and over driving her insane.

Her toes curled and her muscles tightened, she let out a harsh breath as she reached up clinging to him. Needing him, his touch, and the weight of him on top of her. The incredible sensations coming wave after wave. He keeps stroking her through it. Until she's whimpering from the overstimulation.

Only then, does he withdraw hand, the visible sheen of her orgasm on his fingers as he lifts them to his lips. Her eyes locked on him as he took his fingers into his mouth, sucking them clean.

If she didn't already know, she was in love with him. The smirk on his face would have pushed her over the edge. Because she felt herself falling deeper with nothing to hold onto. Nothing to anchor herself. Or keep her from slipping further down the embankment.

No, instead, she landed so hard at the bottom of that pit, she didn't even bother to try standing back up again. She was a goner.

Troy.

The next day Troy and Gabriella strolled down the main walkway of Berkeley's campus, the California sun warming their backs as they playfully nudged each other. The towering trees lining the path provided dappled shade, and every so often, Troy would toss a teasing comment Gabriella's way, making her laugh.

"Are you sure you can handle this much brain power in one place?" Gabriella grinned, pointing at the tall academic buildings.

Troy raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. "I'm pretty sure I'll fit right in. Besides, I heard they need at least one basketball player to balance all the geniuses." He winked.

"Right, because nothing says Ivy League like shooting hoops between philosophy lectures." Gabriella bumped his shoulder.

The good mood from the trip carried all the way home. Troy couldn't help but feel a lightness in the air as he and Gabriella cruised down the highway, heading back to Albuquerque. He caught her humming along to a song on the radio, the familiar stretch of road winding beneath them, and he smiled to himself. They'd spent the whole drive talking, about the campuses they'd visited, the people they'd met, and the little moments that made the trip feel like an adventure. There was an ease between them that hadn't been there before, like the road had somehow smoothed out whatever tension had existed.

But as they pulled into his driveway, that easygoing feeling was replaced by something heavier. The trip was over, and reality was waiting for them on the other side of this moment. He shut off the engine, glancing over at Gabriella. She was staring out the window at his house, but he could tell she felt it too, that shift, that weight of what it meant to be back.

He let out a breath and said, "Well, we're back." It sounded more like a statement to fill the silence than anything else.

"Yeah." Gabriella nodded, her voice quieter than it had been during the drive.

Troy climbed out of the car, grabbing his bag from the back, and for the first time, he didn't know what to say to her. The whole trip had been full of easy conversation, jokes, and shared excitement, but now it felt like they'd reached some unspoken crossroads. The driveway, the street, the familiar lights from his house, all of it reminded him that they were home, and that whatever had happened on the road was staying there.

They stood there for a moment, the quiet settling between them. Troy wanted to say something more, something that would capture the weird, bittersweet feeling in his chest, but all that came out was, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Gabriella gave him a small, soft smile. "Of course."

He nodded, shifting his bag on his shoulder, and looked down at the ground, unsure of what else to say. It felt like they were supposed to be saying more, like this wasn't just an ordinary goodbye. "Thanks for the trip. It was… really something," Gabriella said, her voice almost hesitant.

"Yeah," Troy echoed, meeting her eyes. "It really was."

For a second, he thought about all the things he hadn't said to her during the trip, how being with her had felt different this time, closer, like something between them had changed. But he didn't know how to put it into words, and now, standing in his driveway, it didn't seem like the time.

She hugged him, quick but warm, and for a moment, he let himself hold on just a little longer before pulling away. He watched her cross the yard, heading toward her house, and he felt the strange weight settle deeper in his chest.

The trip had been better than he'd imagined but now that they were back, everything felt different. They weren't just Troy and Gabriella on a road trip anymore. They were back to being Troy and Gabriella in Albuquerque, and whatever had happened between them out there… well, he wasn't sure what it meant now.

"Hey!" Troy called out, his voice cutting through the quiet.

Gabriella stopped in her tracks, her bag slung over her shoulder. She turned, eyebrows raised.

He gave a small shrug, trying to play it cool. "You wanna go out on a date?"

A laugh escaped her, her brow furrowing as she took a step back from the door. "Are you seriously asking me out right now?"

"Yeah, well... felt cooler than just asking you to be my girlfriend," he said, a half-smile tugging at his lips.

"Troy, you haven't been single for more than a week."

He shrugged again, trying to mask the nervousness bubbling up. "Life's crazy like that sometimes."

She shook her head, a smile breaking through as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"So, what do you say?" he asked, feeling his heart pick up a bit. "Date?"

Gabriella looked at him, her eyes sparkling with that familiar mischief. "Maybe."

"Maybe yes?" He rocked back on his heels, feeling hopeful.

"Maybe if you work for it a little."

He scoffed, pretending to be offended. "What exactly about the last three weeks wasn't work?"

She laughed again, the sound making him relax. "Pick me up tomorrow at seven."

The urge to celebrate hit him, but he held back, reminding himself to stay cool. "Deal," he said, grinning. "Night."

"Night," she called back, turning to head inside. "Boyfriend."

Troy clutched his chest dramatically, unable to resist a grin. "Oh, thank God," he muttered, laughing as she disappeared inside.

Epilogue.

Troy couldn't believe how quickly senior year had flown by. College applications were submitted, and now it was just a waiting game. The second half of the school year loomed ahead, but somehow, everything felt lighter. Things had been going smoothly. Weirdly enough, he knew exactly why.

Gabriella.

Since getting to know her, everything felt...different. He was more relaxed, more in control. The pressure from basketball, his dad's expectations, and the unknown future, none of it seemed as daunting as it once had. Gabriella gave him this new perspective, a sense of hope he hadn't realized he needed. He smiled thinking about how much she had changed too.

She finally picked a topic for her essay and crushed it. Writing a piece about the power of unexpected friendships and how they can change your perspective on life.

She was more involved now, really diving into senior year. He'd even caught her cheering along at three of his basketball games, and she'd braved a pep rally. Troy still found it hard to believe that Gabriella, who once claimed to hate basketball, had become a regular at his games.

And it wasn't just that. She had seamlessly blended into his circle of friends. At lunch, it felt natural seeing her beside him, laughing with Chad and Taylor. There were no awkward introductions or forced conversations. Everyone had accepted her, welcoming her with open arms.

Well, almost everyone.

Things were still awkward with Sharpay, as expected. Every day felt like a subtle power struggle between them. Sharpay's sharp glances and passive-aggressive remarks weren't easy to miss, but she had a new king by her side now, Zeke.

Together, they practically ruled the school with an iron fist. Troy couldn't help but feel relieved that his involvement with her was in the past. At least he wasn't haunted by nightmares of pink bathrooms with matching sinks anymore.

As he looked at Gabriella, the girl who'd turned his life around in the most unexpected ways, he knew everything would be okay. The future didn't feel like a terrifying unknown anymore, it felt like something he was ready for. Something they were both ready for.

The End