"Can you believe all that blood in that movie? I think that was more than the last two action flicks Troy and I saw together!" exclaimed Chad as he walked with his arm around Taylor's shoulders alongside Troy and Gabriella, who had their hands tightly intertwined together.

The two couples had just watched a horror movie that turned into quite the bloodbath, leaving both Taylor and Gabriella feeling a bit queasy and jumpy at the same time. "Only you Chad would think all that blood, even if it was fake, was exciting," said Taylor, showing her displeasure with her boyfriend with the expression on her face.

That displeasure though disappeared after Chad placed a sweet kiss on Taylor's cheek, making a smile replace that former look. "See, as much as you think you dislike me, you still care for me."

"Aww, look at the cute little couple," teased Troy, chuckling as Chad immediately dropped the sweet act and glared at his best friend. "What, just saying man!"

"Whatever! It's not like you and your girlfriend over there aren't all cutesy together too. After last night and you asking Gab to be your girl, I don't think I've seen the two of you separated, even being so sickening as sharing the same ice-cream cone last night after bowling," returned Chad. "Don't talk to me about being the cute couple here Bolton."

"Touché," Troy replied simply, knowing his best friend had a valid point. "Shall we get coffee instead of ice-cream tonight since you seem so sickened with the way we shared an ice-cream cone last night Chad?"

Chad shrugged. "If that's what the girls want, I'm cool with that."

Taylor and Gabriella both nodded their agreement, changing the direction the four teenagers were walking to head towards the nearest coffee café they knew about. Gabriella and Taylor took a seat on two comfortable small couches close to each other once inside the café while they waited for Chad and Troy to get their drinks. Knowing the line was a bit long, Taylor took this opportunity to talk to her best friend.

"So, you and Troy finally are exclusive. How does it feel Gabriella?" asked Taylor, a smile playing on her lips.

"Good?" offered Gabriella, laughing a bit at herself. "I mean, it does feel good Taylor and I'm happy, I think he is too. Some part of me though feels guilty to have started this so soon after Tristan and I stopped dating."

Taylor studied the brunette, who was now looking out the windows of the café they were sitting next to, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Gab, you have nothing to feel guilty over. You may not be completely over Tristan and that history you two share but you have given yourself time to move on and you know yourself. Just because you are happy now with Troy doesn't mean you are doing any disservice to Tristan, not at all. Plus, you weren't in a relationship, you were dating both. Just so happens you realized that your future is more plausible with Troy than anyone Tristan now."

"And how is it that you are so wise Tay?" questioned Gabriella, amusement in her eyes and voice.

"My older sister, duh!" replied Taylor, laughing a little with Gabriella. "She has all these rules and everything but it totally makes sense when I see things in actual motion. So yeah, don't beat yourself up over the past, just be happy now, like I think you are."

Gabriella got up from her couch and sat down next to Taylor, giving the darker skinned girl a big hug. "Thank you for being there for me, now, then, and in the future. You really have helped me get through so much. Besides Sandra, you are one of the only real true girlfriends and thus best friends I've had that really get me and are always there."

Taylor blushed at these words before squeezing Gabriella back. "It's only what you would do for us if the roles were reversed. I'll always have your back Gabriella, that much you can count on."

Five minutes later, both Troy and Chad joined both girls, who were now seated separately on the two couches again, handing them each their desired drink. Troy chuckled as he watched Gabriella take a sip of her spiced caramel apple cider and close he eyes in delight. "You know, one would think that was all that it took to keep you satisfied with that look," teased Troy.

Gabriella opened her eyes to meet his gaze and smile back at him. "Oh, it pleases me all right but there is so much more involved, honestly."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" asked Troy, using his free hand that wasn't holding his espresso to brush some of her straightened hair back behind her ear.

"Like the fact that you treated and gave it to me so nicely. Like the fact that I also saw you bring over a yummy looking red velvet cupcake that I hope you know you're sharing," replied Gabriella, earning a chuckle from her boyfriend.

Troy put down his mug and picked up the plate with the cupcake in question. "Do you mean this? Mmm, tastes so good," he said, exaggerating his response to the tasty cupcake as he had his first bite, laughing on the inside at the immediate pout Gabriella had placed on her face.

"Not funny Troy!" exclaimed Gabriella, setting down her own mug before reaching across Troy, trying to get the fork and plate from him unsuccessfully.

Taylor was sipping her mango green tea that Chad had bought her, observing a group of college students who were a short distance away studying, when she heard her boyfriend's gagging noise. Worried he may be sick, Taylor swung her gaze around to look at him, relieved and annoyed at the same time that he was just fake gagging. "What is your issue?"

"Them," stated Chad rather simply, pointing at the occupants of the other couch with his hand.

Instead of gagging like her immature boyfriend, Taylor grinned from ear to ear as she watched Gabriella trying to unsuccessfully get the cupcake from her own boyfriend, only to have Troy adoringly offer Gabriella a forkful of said cupcake and feeding it to her without any messy complications. Chad overheard his girlfriend's dreamy sigh and rolled his eyes. "Honestly Tay, you're only encouraging them."

"As they should be encouraged. They deserve this happiness," she returned, her heart being warmed by the sight of Troy and Gabriella sharing a sweet kiss before he fed her some more. "Why the hell can't you be this romantic and sweet with me?"

Sensing Taylor's annoyance but ignoring it, Chad wrapped his arm around Taylor's shoulders, bringing her body close to his. "I am romantic and sweet, just in my own way. I do make you happy, don't I?"

As always with Chad, Taylor felt her frustration with him slip away seeing that wide grin on his face. "Yeah, I guess you do," she admitted, feeling all giggly inside as he grinned back at her before their lips met in their own sweet kiss.

Troy helped Gabriella out of Chad's car, lacing his fingers with hers once she was out before closing the door. "Thanks again for the ride man. See you for our usual workout in the morning?"

"You bet captain," called out Chad. "Night you two and behave!"

Taylor rolled her eyes at those words from where she was seated inside the car on the passenger side, in the front. "Just ignore him, you know how he gets. You two have a good night. We need to do these double dates more often, tonight was a blast!"

"Well, now that I have Brie's undivided attention, I don't think that should be a problem to do this more often," replied Troy with a grin on his face before he kissed Gabriella lightly on her forehead. "Night you two!"

"Good night!" added Gabriella before she and Troy walked towards her front porch, watching Chad and Taylor drive off just before.

The two stood there in front of her front door, both happily staring into each other's eyes before Troy pushed aside any reservations of being caught kissing his girlfriend, he still buzzed whenever he thought of Gabriella with that title, by her mom Mary. They both moved towards the closed front door, Gabriella stopping only when she felt the door handle on her lower back. She looked back up into Troy's eyes and let out a contented sigh, biting her lip a little as she returned his grin with her own sweet smile.

"What are you thinking Wildcat?" she asked, reaching up with her right hand and brushing some of his brown locks away from his face that had a bit of a thoughtful expression.

"Just that I'm incredibly happy right now," confessed Troy, being brave enough to look Gabriella right in her eyes. "And it is in large part because of you Brie. You just have this way with me, it's incredible, and I really don't want to go home and end our night now."

"What time is your curfew?" asked Gabriella, not being inclined to let Troy go home right away either.

Troy glanced at the time on his cell phone he pulled out and then slipped back into his pocket. "About an hour."

Feeling shy suddenly, Gabriella swallowed as she thought of the invitation she was about to make. "Do you, umm, do you want to come inside then? We could watch a television show or something."

Grinning, Troy nodded his head. Before Gabriella could turn around to unlock the door though, Troy boldly placed both of his hands on the door right over each of her shoulders, watching as the startled look on Gabriella's face turned into one of curiosity as she stared back at him. Using this moment of surprise, Troy leaned his head down and captured Gabriella's lips with his, instantly deepening it the moment she gasped, savoring the sweet taste of her, allowing himself to lean more against the door to get closer to her as Gabriella's arms wrapped around his neck. Somewhere in the distance, Troy heard metal hitting each other and realized that one of Gabriella's arms was missing from around him, figuring out shortly that Gabriella was trying to unlock the door without ending their kiss. He used his left hand and kept his eyes open just long enough to help her guide her key into the lock, satisfied when he felt the lock turn under both of their hands and the door open as Gabriella pushed the latch down.

The high pitched beeping cooled their growing passion though as it surprised them both before Gabriella ran over to the alarm console and punched in the code to disarm it. Gabriella looked at it puzzled as she realized that it was set to away, meaning that her mother wasn't home. "That's odd, she didn't tell me she was going to be out tonight," murmured Gabriella, jumping a little as Troy wrapped his solid arms around her waist.

"Aww, are you still jumpy from that movie Gabriella?" asked Troy, nuzzling her neck a little with his nose and lips.

Gabriella sighed as she enjoyed the feeling but gently pushed him away from her as Troy's lips continued to go further south. "Yes, the movie still has me spooked, especially knowing my mother isn't home. Can we maybe cool it with the passion right now? I like it but I just don't want to move too fast if that's okay."

Troy moved around Gabriella so he was now standing in front of her, his hands on her waist. "Is that what you really want? To take the physical part of us slower?"

Without a moment of hesitation, Gabriella nodded her head. "Call me stupid but I want everything with you to mean something and I'm just not that comfortable with that physical side. I know it's stupid but…"

Quickly, Troy placed his index finger of his right hand against her lips to silence her. "It's not stupid and if it's what you want, I'm fully on board for that. You can have the driver's seat in that regard, honest."

He realized that what he said must have been the right thing as the glow that had left her brown eyes returned within moments. "Thank you Troy, for understanding. Not all guys would."

"Their problem, not mine," he murmured, kissing her lightly on the forehead. "So, since we are home all alone, should we start knitting?"

"Hey! Totally uncalled for Mr. Understanding A Minute Ago!" exclaimed Gabriella as she playfully hit him on the shoulder.

"That was a minute ago," teased Troy, chuckling as Gabriella hit him again. "Okay, okay, I am kidding. I'm sure there's plenty to do around here, like that television show you were talking about or even a board game or something."

Gabriella took the opportunity and grabbed his hand with hers, leading Troy towards the living room closet where the games were stored. "Go pick one you like. I'm going to check the messages. I saw the light blinking."

Troy showed his understanding and watched her walk away before turning to the task at hand. 'Hmm, what to play…'

Gabriella pressed the play button and smiled as she heard her grandmother's voice, just saying hello and seeing how Mary and Gabriella were doing. The next message Gabriella skipped over since it was addressed to her mother, leaving the last message.

"Hi Gabriella, it's Mom. Look, I'm sorry but I got called into the office to handle an emergency issue and now myself and Anne are going Phoenix to put out some more client fires there. I should be back tomorrow and know that I can trust you there at home. By the time you get this message I may be on the ground so if you want, call me, but I'll see you tomorrow in the early afternoon. I'm sorry to do this to you last minute sweetie. Love you!" said Mary's voice on the machine, causing Gabriella to sigh as she erased the message.

"Everything okay?" asked Troy, smirking a little as Gabriella jumped at his voice again before whirling around at him. "Man, you are jumpy."

Gabriella sheepishly looked at him. "That's what happens when my boyfriend and his best friend decide to torture his girlfriend and me by watching a stupid horror movie that was actually rather realistic. It freaks me out more that the killer was a human psychopath more than if it was a hideous monster."

"Aww baby, I'm sorry," said Troy, wrapping Gabriella into his embrace, letting her tuck her head into his neck. "You do have to admit though that you and Taylor were pretty excited to see it because of that actor you both deem to be super sexy that's in it. We thought it was great you wanted to go but didn't realize until you both dug your nails into our arms that you didn't realize it was a horror flick. Anyway, who was on the machine?"

"My grandmother, a friend of Mom's, and then Mom herself. Guess something happened with one of her projects or something. She had to leave on an emergency business trip," stated Gabriella, now looking out the window into the dark backyard, a shiver going through her body as she thought of the night she would be spending alone in the empty house. "Before you leave, do you think you can help me close all the blinds and make sure the locks are all in place?"

Troy started to chuckle thinking Gabriella was joking but sobered quickly as he saw the worry and slight fear in her eyes. "Are you that spooked Gabriella, really?"

She bit the corner of her lip and slowly nodded her head. "I know I'm a wimp and all but those type of movies always get to me, the people murdering other people horror movies. Then again, I'm scared of Chucky too and he wasn't human. Guess I am a big scaredy cat."

As they walked back into the living room, Troy took a seat next to Gabriella and allowed her to turn on the television before leaning her head on his right shoulder. "Don't want to play a game after all?"

Gabriella shook her head. "No, kinda feel like just cuddling and watching TV. That okay?"

"Sure," replied Troy, wrapping his arm around her as she flipped the channels before settling on a chick flick that was already in progress.

As the minutes passed, Gabriella seemed to settle down until she jerked her head around, staring out the glass sliding door and into the darkness of her backyard. "Troy, do you feel like there's someone watching us right now?"

Suppressing his instinct to laugh at what he thought was Gabriella's paranoia, Troy turned his head to humor her as he looked through the same glass pane as her, seeing nothing. 'Then again, it's so dark back there with no lights that I could easily miss something or someone. Nah, it's just her being scared that has her so jumpy,' thought Troy, returning his gaze to his girlfriend, who was chewing her lip as she still scanned the dark backyard. "Do you want me to go out and look?"

"No, that's like the worst you can do when there's a killer nearby Troy!" stated Gabriella, finally looking back at him. "Troy, honestly, you love these movies. Haven't you learned the rules?"

Troy couldn't help it this time and rolled his eyes. "The rules? Baby, you sound like that movie fanatic in the Scream movies from years ago. Besides, you spend so much time hiding from the movie screen during horror flicks I haven't the faintest on what you could learn from that."

Gabriella let out a fake insulted sound at this. "Hello, Wildcat, don't you know that even if my eyes are hidden, I can still hear the sounds, the chainsaws, the screams, the horrific music that is ten times worse than the imagery itself? I know when a person gets slaughtered on that screen by sound alone. To get back to my point though, whenever you are alone, you don't go and investigate the creepy sound and you for sure make sure that everything is closed and locked before letting yourself go to sleep."

"And what if said maniac is already in your house hiding in a closet and keeps moving from room to room after you check it until you are locked inside with him?" threw back Troy, curious as to how his girlfriend would answer him. He of course wanted to slap himself as he watched the fear creep back into Gabriella's chocolate brown eyes. "Brie, forget what I said. Stupid immature guy here. Nothing is going to happen to you, all right? You live in one of the quietest neighborhoods in Albuquerque."

"Which is where all those killings usually happen, in the quiet places. The only thing I have going for me is that I don't live out in the middle of nowhere," replied Gabriella, struggling to push away both the feeling of being watched and the fear of being alone later on that night.

"God, I'm such a jerk. I'm sorry babe, truly," mumbled Troy as he gathered Gabriella into his arms, kissing the top of her dark head, regretting his words as her fear started to somewhat wrap around him, worrying Troy as to whether or not he could leave her behind in her house alone for the night.

Within a few moments, Troy had his cell phone in his right hand while he kept his left arm snuggly wrapped around Gabriella as they were now lying down on the couch, her head resting against his chest. The first call Troy made was to Chad to make sure he'd agree to Troy's call in for a favor that was one of many Chad owed him. Once he had secured Chad's participation with no information on what was really going on, Troy called home, noting it was twenty minutes before curfew. Luckily, his dad had answered and Troy gave him the story he had prepared with Chad, asking his father if he could stay at Chad's house because he was tired and the two of them wanted to wake up early for a run for conditioning. Without hesitation, Troy earned his dad's permission to not come home, leaving Troy feeling a bit guilty but that was nothing in comparison to the feelings of leaving Gabriella alone, as freaked as she currently was.

"Troy, what was that all about?" asked Gabriella, having focused only on the last part of Troy's conversation with his dad. She had spaced out minutes ago as her mind became overrun with clips of movies she had seen in the past of horrible things happening to females left on their own, even for a few minutes. 'Why are you being so stupid Gabriella? You know you'll be fine and those are just movies. Maybe so but what about those other stories, the true crimes? Those aren't fictional things that may or may not happen. They do.' Troy felt a shiver pass through Gabriella's body and looked down at her, feeling her hand clench a little from where it resting next to her face on his chest. He felt the tenseness in her body and knew instantly he had made the right call to stay with her tonight. "Umm, well," he started, stopping when Troy realized he didn't know what he wanted to say first between his apology and his explanation. "Gabriella, I'm so sorry I freaked you out with my stupid words. I realize now that you really are spooked and as a way to make it up to you, if it's okay with you, I'll stay here for the night if that makes you feel any better."

Gabriella's head instantly snapped up at these words. Her brown eyes searched out for his blue ones until they were both gazing at each other intently. "Are you serious? Your parents let you stay here for the night?"

He gave her a sheepish look. "They think I'm at Chad's actually."

"Troy!" scolded Gabriella, sitting up half way now. "You didn't need to lie to your parents for me! Your dad is going to be so upset if he ever finds out!"

Troy quickly sat up, adjusting his position so he could sit facing Gabriella as he gently placed his hands on each side of her face, cupping her cheeks. "They won't find out, trust me, Chad is good at keeping secrets when it comes to our brotherhood. He may blab everything else he knows to the public but when it comes to important things that I call in favors for, he knows better. And even if I did Brie, I'd take the punishment because I wouldn't be able to stand leaving you behind tonight alone, not when you feel this way. Is it okay if I stay?"

Gabriella let a few moments pass as she sorted through her thoughts, parts of her being annoyed that he lied to his parents for her, pieces of her relieved she wouldn't be alone in a dark house tonight, while other parts were worried Troy would expect something intimate to happen. "Troy…"

As Gabriella was thinking, Troy saw the changing expressions cross her face and decided to extend himself further to try to make her more comfortable. "I am not expecting anything Gabriella but to hopefully make you feel better simply by being here. I meant what I said earlier tonight. Nothing physical has to occur just because we're here unsupervised, not if you aren't ready."

She let out a huge sigh of relief, breath she hadn't realized she was holding, at his words. "Thank you for being an amazing mind reader Wildcat."

"Not a mind reader, I just know you that well Brie. Our bond, well, it goes much deeper than I've ever felt with any other girl Gabriella. If you hurt, I hurt. If you are happy, I'm happy. You just cause so many emotions in me that I haven't ever felt before with anyone, not with Sharpay or any one I've dated in the past. It's so incredible," confessed Troy, leaning forward and kissing her forehead, smiling back at her as he pulled away.

"I feel the same way too Troy, I really do," replied Gabriella, returning his smile. "And yes, it's okay with me if you stay. In fact, I'd really like that. You really do sometimes always know what I need and tonight, knowing you are here with me, is all I need."

Troy felt his smile grow into a grin before he gave Gabriella a quick peck on the lips, not wanting to give her any reason to think that he really did have other physical ulterior motives. To his surprise and happiness, Gabriella allowed him to pull away only to lean into him, kissing him soundly before pulling away again. "Since you are staying, can we watch a movie?"

"Sure, anything you want," replied Troy, letting Gabriella go from his side so she could pick out her choice DVD while Troy settled back down on the couch.

After a little while, Gabriella returned to his side with the DVD remote in her hand, giving him a small smile as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into him again. She laid her head on his shoulder and giggled as she heard his low groan as the DVD menu came on the screen. "You did say anything Wildcat."

Troy rolled his eyes. "That I did Brie and just for you, I will deal with watching Enchanted, which by the way is a total chick flick."

The two laughed together and snuggled deeper into each other as they started the movie, only to both fall asleep before it ended.

Tristan shook himself awake from the awkward sleeping position he was in, his back propped against the thick trunk of a tree in Gabriella's backyard with his legs sprawled out in front of him. He had been tempted to just ring the front door when Tristan first saw Gabriella and Troy get dropped off by their friends from his rented car but thought better of it as he watched their actions before they entered the house. Instead, Tristan decided to wait it out until Troy left to go home, not wanting to get into a fight that night, not after the way he was feeling already.

He was both saddened yet happy to be back in Albuquerque tonight. Happy because Gabriella was obviously safe and unharmed but saddened because it was clear that Gabriella was even happier with Troy than she had been with Tristan, at least in the last few visits they shared. 'If it wasn't for Sharpay, I wouldn't even be here to have to see this,' thought Tristan as he shook himself out, stretching his stiff muscles. It was only when he extended his legs out farther that Tristan realized that it was now raining, slowly getting harder and faster as the moments went by.

When he looked at the Montez home, Tristan was relieved to see it was dark. He checked his cell phone and grimaced as he saw the screen read 2:07 AM. 'Maybe I should just come back tomorrow to talk to Ella. No Tristan, you need to tonight. You need to warn her about Sharpay, see her one last time, see if maybe there is anything left to hope for.'

With his resolve, Tristan got up and hurried across the backyard, managing to not get too wet. He peeked into the living room where he saw Gabriella and Troy silhouetted before and saw that they weren't there. Figuring that Troy had left and Gabriella was in her room, Tristan looked around and saw his way to get up to her balcony. Tristan faced the now heavy falling rain as he climbed up the trellis, making sure he had firm grips on his way up, only almost falling once before he swung his body over the railing to land on the balcony. Tristan slowed his pace down as he got nearer the door, despite the speeding of his heart at the moment, and peered through her white drapes, grateful that she left her bedside lamp on. He took a few moments and allowed his eyes to study her sleeping form from where he was, standing right outside her balcony doors. 'God, she is so beautiful and so sweet. She almost looks like an angel sleeping so peacefully.'

Tristan put his hand on the doorknob of the balcony door on his right, about to press down on it to try to enter Gabriella's room, when a loud clap of thunder cracked through the sky, startling both him and what looked to be Gabriella as he saw her sit straight up in bed. He was about to try the door again when he shockingly watched Troy get up from the ground next to Gabriella's bed on the opposite side and instantly pull Gabriella into his arms, running his fingers through Gabriella's long hair while she clung onto Troy. Tristan found his quickly beating heart speed up even more, hearing the blood as it pulsed through his body, and realized that his heart was truly breaking now, proving what anguish he had felt before when he last left New Mexico and then was tortured with Sharpay's pictures was not true heart break. This, the ripping feeling he was feeling inside his chest, the inability to breathe properly, this was what true heartache felt like.

Unable to pull himself away from the scene in front of him, Tristan watched as Troy continued to soothe Gabriella, eventually putting her back into bed, tucking her in, and sitting back down on the ground. To Tristan's surprise, Gabriella flung her arm over the side and seemed to pull at Troy, getting Troy to stand back up. They exchanged some words Tristan couldn't really hear but the end result was Troy, dressed only in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, crawling into bed with Gabriella, under the covers, before he pulled Gabriella into his arms to sleep.

Another crack from the dark skies above snapped Tristan out of his trance, forcing him to realize how bad this would be if either of the occupants of the bed inside saw him just standing there. Grateful for the darkness that shielded him from them, at least he hoped, Tristan decided to give him one last chance to lay his eyes on Gabriella before he turned to leave. Just as he was turning, he heard the thunder again before lightening this time lit up the sky from behind him. Tristan's gaze caught Gabriella's and he heard her scream, unsure if it was because she saw him or just a shadow. Caring but being afraid of what would happen if he was found, Tristan quickly scooted across the balcony and down the trellis that he came up on, ducking under the balcony overhang just as he heard heavy footsteps above.

Tristan pressed his body against the house, listening intently as he heard the footsteps go back and forth across the balcony a few times before he heard a voice, one that he knew belonged to Troy.

"It's okay Brie, there's no one out here. Don't worry baby, I'll never let anything or anyone hurt you, now or ever. I care about you too much Gabriella. From the bottom of my heart Brie," declared Troy, his voice becoming muffled towards the end.

"I don't know what I'd do without you Troy," replied Gabriella's shaken voice. "You mean so much to me too, the world almost. I don't think I've ever felt this way before."

Each syllable Tristan heard come out of Gabriella's mouth ripped his broken heart into finer shreds, knowing then that Gabriella hadn't recognized the dark shadow which she now chalked up to her imagination thanks to Troy's assurance nothing or anyone was out in her backyard. Tristan closed his eyes against the pain of knowing that Gabriella had not only moved on from him but had also grown feelings for the guy most likely holding her now that she had never felt with Tristan. Knowing he had been defeated, that Tristan had actually lost her, Gabriella, the one girl he knew was genuine and also his first love, most likely his last, Tristan pushed himself away from the house as he heard the balcony door slam shut. He made his way around the side of the house and back into his rented car, soaked to the bone and shivering, but unaware of both conditions as Tristan had finally become numb to everything else in this realm except the brutal pain that was tearing him apart inside, unrivaled even by the storm that continued to brew outside.

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