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Gabriella Montez had just returned home three days before today from a summer back in Los Angeles, the last place her mother and she had lived before moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico at the beginning of the year. Returning to L.A. when all her friends from East High were set on working at Lava Springs Country Club in New Mexico was a hard choice, but Gabriella knew that getting a high school internship at one of the best entertainment firms in the country was too good to miss. Plus, she got to hang out with her best friend Sandra from L.A. all summer and her other friends she had left behind. Yes, it was a great summer until Gabriella had to come back and found herself on uncertain ground.
Three nights ago, Taylor McKessie, Gabriella's best friend here, dragged Gabriella to a party that Chad Danforth was having just as soon as Gabriella set her suitcases down in her bedroom.
"Taylor, I really don't feel up to this," complained Gabriella as Taylor parked her car down the street from Chad's house. "It's different hanging out with you because we've kept in touch all summer and I feel like we haven't lost any time. The others, well, I haven't seen them in ages."
Taylor pulled her key out of the ignition and looked at Gabriella. "Can you honestly tell me that you are not interested and excited to see the gang again? If you can, I'll turn this car around and take you back home and we can have girls' night or something."
Gabriella thought and shook her head. "I can't say that honestly but I am nervous, especially seeing Troy after all this time. We left just saying we were dating but not exclusive and we talked for the first few weeks, but then he stopped calling and you never talked about him."
It was Taylor's turn to be uncomfortable. "I didn't mention him because I didn't want to hurt you."
"He started dating someone, didn't he?" asked Gabriella, unease filling her body.
Taylor nodded her head. "Someone I for one never thought he would."
"Who?" whispered Gabriella.
"Sharpay," returned Taylor, who looked away quickly but not before she saw the tears gather in Gabriella's eyes.
Gabriella wiped them away and just nodded her head. "Well, are we going to go in or what?"
Taylor turned her head towards her best friend and saw how vulnerable she was. "No, Gabriella. Let's just go back to your house. You clearly are not in a party mood."
"Well after that news, who would be," bit out Gabriella, instantly regretting chewing off Taylor's head. "I'm sorry, Taylor. I know you were just the messenger, and I thank you for telling me. And it isn't like I didn't date someone this summer too, someone from my own past, so he's not guilty of anything. But tell me, is it serious?"
"I honestly don't know. I've been afraid to ask Chad," admitted Taylor. "Are you sure you want to go in there?"
Gabriella nodded her head. "No one else knew I was home so I'll catch everyone in their normal state, no secrets. This is the way it should be."
The best friends got out of Taylor's car, locked it, and headed down the street towards Chad's house. Gabriella looked down at her pink sundress that she felt pretty in before but now felt inadequate in. 'Nothing I could ever wear would compare to Sharpay.'
Taylor opened the door to the already rocking party and smiled as she spotted some familiar faces. "Hey Kelsi, Martha!" exclaimed Taylor.
"Hey Taylor!" greeted Martha and Kelsi, who walked over but stopped as they saw someone emerge from behind their friend. "Gabriella?"
"Hi," greeted Gabriella with a small smile before she returned the hugs of her friends. "How was your summer?"
"Great, we missed you though. You would not believe all the drama at the country club," expressed Martha. "But we'll have time to catch up a little later. Soda?"
Gabriella nodded and the four girls made their way into Chad's kitchen where Chad and Jason were hanging out. Chad had just taken a sip of his Cola and spit it out promptly as he spotted Gabriella walking through the door behind his girlfriend. "Gabriella? I thought you weren't due back for another week or two!"
"Well if I'm unwanted I can certainly leave," said Gabriella, feeling definitely out of place at the moment.
"No, definitely stay! I'm just surprised!" exclaimed Chad, who shot Jason a look.
Jason seemed to agree with that look. "Not as surprised as someone else is going to be," murmured Jason.
"Jason, shut up," scolded Kelsi, knowing exactly what her boyfriend was thinking.
There was moment of tense silence as Gabriella looked around the room at her friends. "All right, what's going on?"
Before any of them could answer, Troy and Sharpay entered the room, arms wrapped around each other, Troy kissing Sharpay's neck as she giggled. "Hey Chad, I think someone totally spilled…" started Troy before his blue eyes landed on a pair of brown eyes he hadn't seen in months. "Gabriella…"
'And I thought the tension in this room couldn't have gotten worse,' thought Taylor as she eyed the couple that was last in the room and her best friend.
After a few moments, Gabriella gathered her courage and said, "Hello Troy, Sharpay. Nice summer?"
"Fabulous," answered Sharpay, making sure she tightened her hold around Troy's waist and place a possessive hand on his arm.
"I see, that's good to know," returned Gabriella with a forced smile. Her cell phone went off, which saved her from having to continue on with the polite awkward conversation. "Hello? Tristan, how are you?"
Gabriella left the room, away from the questioning looks and the staring eyes, and walked to the back porch of Chad's house to continue the conversation. Taylor stayed in the kitchen to see what would happen and was slightly amused that Troy still wore a shocked expression on his face.
"Hey, was that Gabriella I just saw walk by me?" asked Zeke as he entered the room before he stopped suddenly. "Okay, what did I miss?"
"Gabriella just found out Sharpay and Troy were dating," stated Jason.
"But you aren't seriously dating, are you?" asked Zeke. 'I can accept the Sharpay and Troy dating but not a relationship, that'll hurt too much. I only put up a brave front now because I know Troy is in love with Gabriella, at least he was…'
"Zeke, don't be silly, Troy and I have been in a relationship for most of this summer," replied Sharpay. "You guys didn't know?"
Taylor just shook her head. "Troy, is that when you stopped calling Gabriella?"
Troy guiltily looked into Taylor's eyes before he shook his head. "No, it's when we started dating though, and that's all we've been doing, Sharpay. We haven't had any talk about being exclusive, not even close."
Sharpay gave him a confused look. "But I thought I meant something to you," pouted the blond.
Troy looked around the room and saw everyone staring at him, waiting for an answer. "I don't know what I want, Sharpay, and I don't know what anything means anymore. Taylor, how stupid could you have been to not have warned me that Gabriella was coming tonight?"
"Hey, back off of her, Troy," defended Chad. "Taylor doesn't owe it to you to tell you anything about Gab, and I won't have you talking to my girlfriend that way. Besides, I suspect Taylor didn't tell anyone in this room, including me."
Nods were exchanged around the room but Troy didn't feel any better for it. "I need to talk to her."
"But Troy!" protested Sharpay.
"You don't own me, Sharpay, and we aren't exclusive. You'd know that if you are honest with yourself. I just need to talk to her," stated Troy before he left the kitchen to find the girl in his heart from last school year.
Troy searched the living room but found through the mass of people that she wasn't there. Suddenly, he remembered her call, so Troy ducked out the sliding glass door and found Gabriella leaning against the railing of the porch. "Yes, I miss you too. I can't wait to see you in a few days. I'll talk to you soon," he overheard Gabriella say before she hung up the phone.
Gabriella turned around and stopped her movements as she saw Troy and only Troy out on the porch in front of her. She looked at him warily, unsure of what to do. 'I want to hug him and be back in his arms, but at the same time I want to run away.'
"Hey," greeted Troy.
"Hi," returned Gabriella, staying where she was against the railing.
"How come you didn't call me and tell me you were coming home earlier?" asked Troy.
"How come you didn't call me after three weeks into summer?" challenged Gabriella.
Troy looked shocked at Gabriella's challenge. "This isn't like you."
Gabriella just gave him a look. "How would you know? You stopped communicating with me at the start of the summer. Maybe this is who I am now and not who you want me to be," stated Gabriella. "You can't have it both ways Troy. You can't be in a relationship with Sharpay and date me at the same time. It doesn't work that way."
"I'm not in a relationship with Sharpay, I'm not. Yes, we have been dating for most of the summer, but I never committed to her," explained Troy.
"Why didn't you tell me then? Instead of not calling, which is when I am gathering that you started dating her, you could have just told me," said Gabriella, "instead of me finding out by showing up at a party to see you with her. It's not like I didn't date guys in Los Angeles."
"Then what the heck is this all about, giving me grief for dating Sharpay?" demanded Troy.
"I'm not giving you grief for dating but for not being man enough to tell me you were dating, and not just any girl, but SHARPAY EVANS!" stressed Gabriella. "But you know what? It's fine, you can date her, you can date anyone you want. I've thought we were over for most of this summer anyway since you never called me back!"
As Gabriella started walking away, Troy grabbed her arm and made her face him. "So this is it, you are just going to walk away without a fight? I thought you wanted us to be together."
"That was last school year, before summer, and until I knew your tastes included Sharpay. Even if we got to that relationship point, I'd never feel safe with that girl around and knowing that you like her type. It's fine, I'm glad I know this now before I got hurt worse later. Thanks for showing me it's all over Troy," said Gabriella as she started to walk away again before she realized Troy still held her arm in a firm grip. "Troy, let go."
Troy got an unfamiliar look in his eyes before he brought her to him and kissed her, hard. Gabriella started to kiss him back but had enough good sense to step away and pull out of his grip.
"Tell me you didn't feel anything and I'll let you walk into that house and never bother you again," promised Troy. "Tell me honestly."
Gabriella stared at him and weighed her options. "Nothing," lied Gabriella.
She got an uneasy feeling when Troy stared at her just then, like he was seeing her very soul. "I never would have pegged you to be a liar Gabriella."
"Why? Because you felt something and I didn't?" asked Gabriella.
"Oh, I admit that I did. That kiss sent fireworks off in my head and tingles through my body. I don't believe for one second though that you didn't have the same reaction," stated Troy. "So then I guess you'll be seeing a lot more of me Gabriella, whether you like it or not."
"Whatever Bolton," said Gabriella before she lost herself in the crowd in the living room and found Taylor in the family room on a couch with Chad.
Taylor watched as her best friend approached them with an apprehensive look on her face. "Run in with lunkhead basketball god?"
"Something like that. Oh, Tristan called, he's coming out later this week for a few days," stated Gabriella.
"Oh, that guy you dated this summer?" questioned Taylor.
Chad's ears perked at this. "You mean you actually dated someone other than Troy this summer?"
"Umm, yeah, especially when your best friend stopped calling me. Anyway, yes, that guy. He said he missed me and wanted to spend some more time together before school starts for us both. Isn't that great?" exclaimed Gabriella with a smile.
"Totally! Finally I get to meet this guy after all you have told me about him!" replied Taylor. "He needs my approval after all to date you, remember?"
"Wait, so I had to get Gabriella's?" asked Chad.
"Yup," answered Gabriella. "Obviously, you passed dear."
Chad chuckled. "It's good having you back Gab. Summer wasn't the same without you around."
Gabriella had finally finished all her laundry and was putting away everything when the doorbell rang. Her mom wasn't home so she ran down the stairs and opened the door without thinking to see who it was. 'Stupid Gabriella, you should have looked,' she thought as she saw Troy standing on her doorstep.
"What do you want Bolton?" asked Gabriella with a none too pleased look on her face.
"I told you that you would see me again Montez," replied Troy with a grin. "Look, enough with the attitude exchanges, I just wanted to come over and spend some quality time with you. I haven't seen you all summer."
"So today's my day? Does Sharpay know you are here?" questioned Gabriella.
"Nope, and I could care less if she found out. I'm not exclusive with her, and I am much more interested in you, always have been," stated Troy.
Gabriella stared at the boy who had captured her attention and a part of her heart this past New Year's Eve and wanted to believe him but she wasn't gullible. "As much as I want to believe you Troy, I just feel like flavor of the day," returned Gabriella. "How about I forfeit my turn with you so that Sharpay gets an extra day? Maybe then she'll stay out of my hair at school."
Troy studied Gabriella for a moment before he asked, "Are you just not interested in me anymore? Is that it?"
She sighed and opened the door wider for him to come in. The two took a seat on the couch, Gabriella making sure there was more than enough room between the two of them. "Listen Troy, maybe you are right, maybe it is time to drop all the attitudes. This summer was amazing for me, I got to be with my friends from L.A. while I interned at one of the best companies in the entertainment industry. And I am telling you now that I reconnected with an old boyfriend who lives there. He's actually coming out for a few days tomorrow."
"If you are telling me this to get me jealous, it's working," stated Troy.
"No, I'm not telling you for that reason. I want you to know this because I want to be level with you. You asked me a question out there, if I was still interested. As much as I tried the last few days to not be interested in you, I failed. Yes, before you even ask, the kiss has stayed in my mind for the past few days too. We shared something special New Year's, and then again when ironically I was transferred to your school after, once again, you never called me after that party. What I'm trying to say is that yes, you do mean something to me but I'm not going to go down this road with you if I think you are still interested in Sharpay."
"Down this road, what exactly do you mean by that?" pushed Troy. "Are you talking relationship?"
Gabriella thought for a moment before she shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. It's always so complicated when it comes to me and you. First the distance, then the hidden identities and talents, then different jobs, and now different tastes. I know we are, well we were at least back before summer, dating, but I don't know what we are now. I thought honestly you just moved on period when you stopped calling."
Troy nodded his head, understanding how she thought that. "To be truthful, I stopped calling you because it felt too weird to call you when you were so far away and I was dating Sharpay, despite not being in a relationship. Felt like I was disrespecting you or something."
"Maybe that says something Troy," said Gabriella softly. "Look, I didn't bring you into my house to try to tell you what to do. Heaven knows I don't even know what to do, but I didn't want you walking away from here thinking that I didn't care for you because I do. At the same time, I am still interested in my ex who is coming out. You now know everything that is going on, no secrets on my end."
"I appreciate that, and I do mean it when I say that you are way more interesting to me than Sharpay. She's great but I like my girl to be a lot more down to earth, like you. So what do we do now?" questioned Troy.
"Play out the cards we were dealt," answered Gabriella. "Now that I know what is going on with you and the disappearance of your communication, I will take a better look at my relationship with Tristan and see what I want to do. You on the other hand, you need to do what you need to do."
Troy sighed and knew Gabriella was right. "I guess then I wait for you while I work out what happened this summer with Sharpay. We'll talk about it next week?"
"Sure," agreed Gabriella. "No promises on either of our part though of the outcome, all right? I want to make sure whatever we do is what's right for each of us, not us."
"That's fair," returned Troy as he got up from the couch and walked to the door. "One last favor, can I give you a hug?"
Gabriella smiled at his sweetness and nodded her head. "I'd like that."
Troy gathered Gabriella in his arms and grinned as he smelled her familiar scent of vanilla and lavender. "God, I've missed you Gabriella."
"I missed you too," returned Gabriella. "See you around Troy."
"Sooner than later," replied Troy with a smile before he exited the Montez house and drove off in his truck.