Exactly one week away from Gabriella's twenty-fifth birthday, she found herself walking out of the teen center, leaving Troy to linger inside for ten minutes before he left as well to maintain their public distance, when her heart froze seeing Patrick leaning up against his parked car next to hers. Licking her lips, Gabriella continued to walk, seeing him straighten as he spotted her.

"Hello," she greeted, kissing him on the cheek as he did the same to hers.

"Good afternoon," Patrick returned, resisting the urge to hug her. "I know you probably weren't expecting me…"

"True but it's good to see you as always," returned Gabriella politely, absently toying with her charm bracelet.

Patrick just nodded, breathing in her scent that he had missed so much in the last few weeks. "Same as you. How have you been? I know I saw you at the dinner to transition my father out of the council and as head to George but I didn't really get to talk to you. I miss that."

"Things have been good. I am actually on my way to another meeting with my grandparents and the representative panel of the Copanvy Royal Advisory Council," revealed Gabriella, seeing a slight change in Patrick's eyes at the mention of the council. "I'd love to catch up with you Patrick but I should be going so I'm not late. Maybe can we do coffee or something later on this week?"

"That would be nice," agreed Patrick, almost letting Gabriella get away before he remembered why he came her in the first place. "Actually, Ella, can I talk to you about something real quick?"

Before Gabriella could walk away, she turned her attention back on Patrick, wondering what he was going to ask. "Sure, what is it?"

Patrick leaned against his car again, nervously playing with the keys in his hands. When he had mustered his courage, Patrick looked back up at Gabriella and asked, "What can I do to make this whole process easier on you?"

Taken aback by Patrick's question, all Gabriella could return with was her own question. "This whole process? What exactly are you talking about?"

"I'm going to be straightforward here and I know I'm overstepping, that I know for sure. It's one week until your twenty-fifth birthday and I know you well enough to know that you've honestly stopped giving the arranged marriage tradition serious thought. However, you must know what is at stake here, for you, for your family. Ella, I love you too much to see you lose everything just to defy the advisory council, even your own grandparents. Please, will you reconsider my proposal?" threw out Patrick in a whirlwind of words, not letting himself back out from what he had to get out.

Gabriella stared, her mouth wide open as Patrick spoke, in disbelief that the man she had been falling in love with some time ago had behaved in such a manner just now that reminded her exactly of his father. "I can't believe you. Patrick, if you really cared for me, how could you even ask that of me? How could you say that you care only to ask me to marry you again, knowing my reasons?"

"Because I do love you! Gabriella, if you don't get engaged before or at the very latest on your twenty-fifth birthday, you will lose all your rights to be the future queen of Copanvy, let alone princess at present. All that good you've done for our country in the past years will be gone. Don't you see that? I'm only trying to give you a gateway to continue doing that, what you have loved. I know when you first came there was speculation about the American bred young girl who was stepping into the light to be in line for the throne, wondering if you could be the real deal and you have proven all of it wrong up to now. Please don't let all the nay sayers win now, not when you've single-handedly proven that you belong in Copanvy and that she belongs in you," pleaded Patrick, taking Gabriella's limp hand in his, holding it tightly, imploring Gabriella with his eyes to give this some thought.

Surprising herself, Gabriella did give what Patrick said some serious thought and realized then that Patrick must still care for her in earnest to even think of all that. "Patrick, as much as I appreciate your efforts here, accepting you wouldn't be fair to you. I love you but as a friend," replied Gabriella, gently slipping her hand out of his grasp, guilt filling her as she saw the pain she had just caused become evident in his eyes. "I'm in love with Troy and nothing will change that. You deserve to have someone who will be in love with you, cherish you and all that you bring to her."

There was a pause before Patrick said, "I know you are in love with another man Ella, I'm not that stupid to not recognize that but if nothing is happening with him, if the council won't approve of him, if he isn't even fighting for you now, what are you going to do? Become a spinster and lose a royal title so many generations before you have held for the sake of not giving in?"

"Maybe," admitted Gabriella, shaking her head sadly as she thought about what this afternoon's meeting would be all about. "Either way Patrick, you deserve so much better than me. Please, don't make this any harder than it has to be."

"You're right, it's hard enough to see a woman I have fallen in love with love another man who isn't even by her side now when she faces so much more than he can even pretend to know. Princess, if I can't help you save yourself, I don't know if you can do it on your own now but I respect your wishes. I'll just be another member of the elite of this country you only speak with briefly at royal events, our own personal history be damned," stated Patrick bitterly, shaking his own head as he pushed off his car and got in, taking off immediately without a second glance at Gabriella, who now had tears in her eyes.

Feeling herself begin to shake, Gabriella took in some deep breaths, steadying herself before she turned around to make her way to the driver's side of the car, now feeling the pain of knowing she had hurt Patrick, far more than she had realized those weeks ago. As she turned, her watery eyes met concerned cerulean ones, giving Troy a slight shake of her head as she wiped some tears away when she saw him take a step towards her. Instead, she got in her car and took off for the meeting she was now going to be late for unless she sped, feeling in the pit of her stomach like she was off to a hearing not to decide on who she would marry, if at all, but to her own death sentence.

As it turned out, Gabriella made it into the sitting room in the palace that was the designated meeting spot for the discussion that would dictate how Gabriella would live her life with just a few seconds to spare. Lauren had watched Gabriella rush into the room, her eyes red rimmed, wondering if Gabriella had given their discussion the other night more thought or if something else had happened. 'Whatever it is, maybe Gabriella has come to her senses…'

After going through the formal greetings, everyone sat down with Lauren and Edward sitting together on a smaller couch with a raised back and Gabriella sitting in between Annette and Stephen on the longer couch. The five representatives took their designated seats in the chairs arranged on the other side of the coffee table from the long couch with the shorter couch being at the head almost.

Sensing the thick tension in the air, George thought it was best to take on his role as Head of the Copanvy Royal Advisory Council at the present time and be the one to begin what he already knew would be a difficult discussion. "We would like to thank the royal family for extending their hospitality to us for today's discussion. We realize that Princess Gabriella will be twenty-five in exactly one week and would merely like to meet to discuss her choice and her options one last time before she makes a decision on her own free will."

There was a quiet scoff that caused all eyes to turn to Gabriella, who seemed to have finally lost all control on her thoughts and emotions, as well as a sense of proper etiquette. "I'm sorry Mr. Hernandez but with all due respect, any decision I make that would be approved of by the people involved in this tradition, in this process, would not be of my own free will. My choice is Troy Bolton."

Silence filled the room like thick, suffocating fog, making Gabriella realize what she had just said, what she had just stood up for, herself and Troy. She felt a hand slip over hers and looked over to see Annette give her an encouraging smile, relieved that there was at least someone in the room that would support her.

Luis was the first to speak from the advisory council. "But that is not a choice that is approved to be a future king of this country Princess Gabriella. We have made it very clear time and time again that Mr. Bolton is a fantastic basketball player but nothing more. How do you expect us, let alone the entire country of Copanvy to seriously consider him as a codified leader of Copanvy? What are his qualifications?"

Without hesitation, Gabriella replied, "Troy may not have royal blood running through his veins and he may not be of old money and class here in this country or even in the US but he has so much more going for him. Out of all the men you had me date to try to satisfy this tradition, none of them could even begin to touch Troy in terms of class, courage, conviction, and heart. Troy has on his own free will come to volunteer days and events with me when no one else has. He's not afraid of getting his hands dirty and uses his own star power to good use, lending it to the teen center as well as other charities here in Copanvy, so much so that he's even gotten the Louvis Knights to do more with the community, more than what they were required to do to remain in Louvis per the contract with the city."

"But what of him not being true Copanvy blood?" asked Peter, sitting to the left of Luis at the end. "How can you ask so many people to lay their futures in the hands of someone who has not grown up here? Who does not know the history or the current foreign affairs?"

Gabriella noticed that none of her family was talking, glancing at each of them, seeing their silence meant that they were letting her fight her own battle, regardless of how each of them felt, against the two men she suspected would be a problem, even after Raul's departure as she remembered both Peter's and Luis's allegiance to Patrick's father from some visits ago with the advisory council.

"At least you seem to recognize that piece Mr. Bolton is lacking," commented Luis, mistaking Gabriella's silence as giving in. "I understand that you still have an outstanding proposal that is your only option at this time."

"I'm sorry but you misunderstood things then," bit out Gabriella, narrowing her eyes at the older man, who seemed taken aback by Gabriella's current attitude. "Forgive my attitude gentlemen for I do hold you in high esteem as the representatives of the Copanvy Royal Advisory Council, but I simply cannot allow this to go on any further than I have unfortunately allowed it. I agreed to meet with you today to let it be known that I will not be accepting Patrick Diaz's proposal as some of you seem to think I am being forced to do. I also wanted the opportunity to try to discuss this arranged marriage tradition, to see if we could all work out a more modern way to resolve this as we seem to be at an impasse."

"What are you suggesting Princess Gabriella?" asked Benjamin Whitmore, a gentleman sitting at the other end of the chairs who was new to the representative panel. "I for one am interested in your thoughts as I have come to know you as a woman who seems to have a level head on her shoulders in all situations and who thinks of what is best for the country above herself."

Gabriella gave him a brief grateful look before dragging in much needed air and letting it go as she collected her thoughts. "What if I'm not engaged by my birthday next week but agree to be married before my next? What if my choice in suitor and future husband can prove his knowledge of Copanvy as well as his good intentions for this country, along with his good intentions towards me?"

"First, Princess, we have already extended this tradition's normal age to be married by for you as a sign of the times. Second, we all know you are still talking about Troy Bolton, you may as well as just say his name. Third, there is no real way of proving one way or the other what you are claiming he feels and knows. To put it simply, to fulfill this ancient tradition to keep your family on the throne, you must marry who we have selected and that is Patrick Diaz," stated Peter, getting tired of the nonsense that was leading to no action. "If you do not marry him, you will be stripped of all rights to the throne. That is what is written in all the documents surrounding this."

Gabriella boldly met Peter's gaze, seeing the seriousness there in his eyes as she was sure he saw the same in her own in that moment. "And what of the fact that my family still holds fifty percent of the power of this country? What of the fact that there are more of you on the council than just the five here present who make up the other half? Mr. Sanchez, I understand your role as the representative panel of the council but I would like to put this to the entire Copanvy Royal Advisory Council. I have complete respect for Copanvy and her rich history, including traditions, but I take exception to this one in particular. My Uncle Mario followed this tradition, was arranged as was his duty and yet did not provide heir for the next in line and was never forced to marry again after his wife died six years after being married and never conceiving. He passed on after a car accident without a direct heir of his own leaving it to my father. Clearly you can see that this tradition, which was conceived as a way to secure the continuation of the Copanvy royal line with strength and nobility, is faulty."

More silence filled the room as the representatives each mulled over the points Gabriella had just made. "Princess Gabriella makes a very good point," remarked Benjamin, impressed with the courage the young royal was showing as well as the intelligence. "You mentioned earlier that you could prove that Mr. Bolton possesses qualities we are looking for in the future king of this country that you do not see in the other suitors. It will be easy for us to determine his knowledge of Copanvy and his intentions for the country and her people but I'd like to hear about what you believe are qualities or events that prove his worthiness of you."

Gabriella ignored the groan that escaped Luis as she seized this as a chance to really make her point. "Thank you Mr. Whitmore for asking that. Troy and I have had quite a long and interesting past together that goes back to when I was living in New Mexico. He was my support system during my darkest time so far in my short lifetime. I'm not sure if all of you gentlemen are aware but I was raped in high school by a classmate of mine after a series of events before then and after. I was also physically attacked by another classmate after I was raped, which prompted our actual move here on a permanent basis. Through this, Troy Bolton was there for me, each step of the way, as much as I'd allow him to be. He carries scars to this day that came from defending me, a scar from a stab wound on his left side from the night of the rape when he came to my rescue before our own security team did and a scar that cuts through his right eyebrow which is faint now but still present from defending me and our love before then. Troy really has sacrificed body and soul for me, for what we have found with each other, demonstrated even by his move from everything he knows and loves from growing up to be here in Copanvy with the chance of making us work."

"So you're saying that Mr. Bolton is violent with such tendencies. More reason why he is not suitable to be king of this country princess," commented Luis, relieved when her points proved to be his advantage. "We cannot have a man with unpredictable tendencies ruling this country. What if a disagreement came up with another country? He'd jump to going to war before trying to negotiate."

Everyone in the room was surprised when Edward scoffed at this. "Please, Luis, you are being a tad bit dramatic there. Fighting has always been an upper class sport in Copanvy, whether it was fencing or boxing. Are you saying that all men who participate in this sport, including myself in my younger years, are too violent to rule this country? Is that why we've gone to war not once while my wife and I have been on this throne despite the rocky times we have seen with other countries since we became King and Queen?"

"I think what Luis and Peter are both saying King Edward is that there is hesitation about Mr. Bolton throughout the entire Copanvy Royal Advisory Council and not just us as a panel to represent everyone else. Hearing what Princess Gabriella and Mr. Bolton have shared, I can understand why she would desire him to be her husband but still see cause to wonder if he would be a great ruler," replied Miles Perez, the member of the representative panel that spoke the least often. "How do you and Queen Lauren view Mr. Bolton? Princess Gabriella does have a point that you do hold fifty percent of the control of this country."

This simple question caught both Lauren and Edward by surprise, neither knowing quite what to say in return to a question that had never been posed to them before. Stephen shook his head as he saw the window for his parents to stand by their granddaughter was slipping away the longer they both stayed silent, sharing a look with each other. He glanced at Gabriella and Annette both and saw the clear disappointment on both of their faces, knowing then that he had to be the one to defend Gabriella's choice instead of his own parents, her own grandparents.

"I can speak from my own experiences with Troy and can vouch that he would be an excellent candidate for not only my daughter's hand in marriage but also to rule this country with Gabriella after both my parents and my wife and I are gone or stepped down. This I see will be years, long enough to ensure that Troy has enough exposure to how things are done in Copanvy and how things have been handled when living the life of a royal. However, I want it to be known to the five of you that Gabriella is very fair in her assessment of him. Troy, from what I have seen, has a very sensible head on his shoulders and is actually very controlled in his emotions. To say that he is quick to fight is not fair at all to him as Troy had many opportunities to get hot headed and go at it many times since he has been here, on the court with the opposing team's players as well as in everyday life with the paparazzi who sometimes don't stick to the law in place to keep them at bay with him and even the men Gabriella has dated, like Patrick. These fights that Gabriella mentioned occurred when they both were young and with a boy who meant harm for my daughter. I've seen both of them grow up, together and apart, and I am, as Troy's harshest critic as I am Gabriella's father, telling you that Troy would be successful as an eventual king of Copanvy as well as a loving, doting husband to Gabriella," stated Stephen, making sure to make eye contact with each of the representatives, still annoyed at Lauren and Edward both.

"Thank you Prince Stephen, that provided us all with some extra insight that I think we needed," returned George, looking both to his right and left, still seeing the set expressions on some of their faces. "As head, I would like to recommend that we make a compromise and give Princess Gabriella one month from her birthday to make a decision while we ourselves use that time to evaluate this situation including whether or not Mr. Bolton can be considered after all. After hearing Prince Stephen's words on his behalf, I feel that it is more of a possibility than before. I will put this to a vote, starting with Peter."

Without hesitation, Peter shook his head and said, "Nay."

"Okay. Benjamin?" asked George.

"Yay," stated Benjamin, smiling as he saw the relieved look on the young princess' face.

George wrote one tally down for the Pro side of his notebook he had quickly taken out to record the vote. "Luis?"

"Nay," said Luis, looking at Peter and his look of approval.

After another mark on the paper, George decided that he would go next. "I myself vote Yay. I guess that leaves you Miles."

Miles took his time, weighing both the pros and cons of the situation in whether or not a month extension should be granted. It was clear that Peter and Luis were in league with Raul while Raul himself could not be there but there were other candidates for Gabriella to choose from if she was so inclined. Hearing Stephen speak with such conviction though about Troy was enough to make Miles wonder if Troy could be a real candidate, if he was someone that could lead this country alongside Gabriella. "Yay."

"Miles!" exclaimed Peter, the outburst coming from his mouth before he could stop it.

"I'm sorry Peter, Luis, but Prince Stephen has put doubts in my mind about our conviction and observation of Mr. Bolton. I'd like to meet him, talk to him, and see how the next few weeks go before I myself make a decision. It's also the holidays soon. Let's not make them horrible for any of us over a forced decision that is not so well informed now," replied Miles, looking both Peter and Luis square in the eye.

"I concur. This is not an agreement for Mr. Bolton to be added to the approved suitors lists to be considered. This is simply an agreement to give this matter the time and consideration that it deserves as this not only affects the lives of those of us on the council, the lives of the Copanvy royal family, but also the entire country. Let's not be rash about anything," stated George, relieved after a few moments of silence that neither man spoke again against this matter. He looked at the royal family and saw a range of expressions, most well controlled and neutral but saw the grateful and almost happy look that had returned to Gabriella's face, his gut taking that as a sign that this was the right decision. "Thank you all for your hospitality. I believe we have an agreement and will request another visit with you all after the new year."

Edward and Lauren merely nodded their heads, getting up from where they sat, leading Gabriella, Stephen, and Annette out of the room as well. As soon as the doors were closed behind them, the royal family split up, Gabriella hurrying down the hallway to her room to get ready for the game she was going to with Chris in just a few hours. Stephen and Annette however took more time before they parted from Lauren and Edward, Stephen being sure to make his dissatisfaction with his parents known by his facial expression before placing his hand on Annette's back to guide her towards the gardens so they could talk in private. Lauren and Edward continued to their suites, each in their own minds wondering their real answer to Miles's question and if they themselves even had enough to answer that question fairly, knowing at the very least they knew more than the council but far less than their son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter when it came to Troy Bolton.

<

Gabriella watched as Troy ran right by her and Chris where they were sitting in Chris's courtside seats only to wince moments later when two of the other team's players joined forces to block Troy's shot, one of them fouling Troy in the process. Tomas was quick to be by Troy's side and helped him up, patting him on the shoulder as Troy lined himself up to successfully make his two free throws moments later, putting the Knights up over the Cougars, a French team, with only a minute and a half of the game left.

Chris looked over and saw Gabriella's pained expression, patting her on the knee and shaking his head. "How many times have you seen Troy knocked to the ground and how many times do you still wince?"

"You just never know when one foul really could be the last, you know?" returned Gabriella, tearing her eyes away from a sweating Troy as the Knights gathered with their coach to talk strategy while the Cougars did the same.

"Good point," agreed Chris, suddenly understanding Gabriella's concern. "So, do you want to hang out after the game or do you have covert plans with loverboy?"

Gabriella discreetly elbowed Chris in the side sharply, making him chuckle. "Shut up, there are too many ears around here Christopher!"

"Relax, the crowd is too loud at the moment to hear any of this. Besides, no one knows who I'm talking about. Speaking of, are you ever going to tell me how today went with the council?" asked Chris, tilting his head to the side as he gazed at Gabriella.

Instead of answering Chris though, Gabriella asked her one of her own just as her eyes met Troy's, both sharing a quick grin before Troy refocused on the game at hand and Gabriella turned her attention back on her best friend. "What do you say to using that travel voucher I gave you on your birthday?"

The mere question caused images of Tessa to quickly float through Chris's mind, all other thoughts forgotten. "Hell yeah! When and where?"

"I was thinking we'd leave in a couple of days, spend the holidays there and come back. I'm sure I won't be missed around here," murmured Gabriella, cheering as Troy passed the ball behind his back to a free teammate, who made a nice three pointer.

"Avoiding being here on your birthday and the holidays huh? Can't say that I blame you," answered Chris, groaning as a Cougar player managed to block another Knight shot only to steal the ball and dribble it back down the court. "You being here won't help resolve that deadline though."

Gabriella watched as the Cougar player made his shot, praying that the ball wouldn't make it in. "Oh, that's already taken care… CRAP!"

Troy groaned as the ball circled around the rim several times before going through the net, knowing that the game was far from over with under a minute left. He glanced over at Gabriella and Chris and would have chuckled at the frustration on both of their faces that most likely mirrored his own at the moment but knew he had to focus. Troy looked over at Tomas and began running back down the court, trying to avoid being fully blocked by the two Cougar players that tag teamed him again. 'This is seriously getting annoying…'

Both teams fought hard in the last thirty-five seconds, the Cougars wanting to be the ones to end the Knights' winning streak while the Knights wanted nothing else but to extend it. It wasn't until the buzzer went off throughout the arena that Troy allowed himself again to look over at Chris and Gabriella, seeing the pride clear on her face as the Knights managed to maintain their undefeated status by only two points. She discreetly gave him a thumbs up sign before she and Chris got up, heading out of the arena with Paul and some other security team members who had materialized by their sides out of nowhere while Troy and the rest of the Knights filed out themselves to head to the locker room.

After a much needed shower, Troy dug into his locker and grinned as he found a text message waiting for him, slipping on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt before reading it.

Another amazing game Wildcat! I'm so proud of you! Love you.

Tomas turned to talk to his buddy and realized that Troy was grinning like an idiot as he read something on his cell. He peered over Troy's shoulder and scanned the message Troy was looking at, slapping the back of Troy's head with his hand as he saw Troy taking his sweet time to respond. "Hello, you best answer the woman! What are you doing tonight?"

"No plans," murmured Troy, texting Gabriella back with his gratitude and love. "Too much attention after a game."

"Which is why you two and that dance partner of hers are coming to my place for late night Chinese food," announced Tomas, grinning as Troy's eyes flashed up from his cell phone to meet his.

"Seriously?" returned Troy, all of a sudden more excited about the future of the night than he was about their team winning another game tonight.

Tomas chuckled, shaking his head as he drew up his jeans and zipped them up. "Seriously man. Least I can do, harbor you two and keep Chris amused to give you some time together. Have them go to my place and park in the back. Instead of taking you home, we'll take the back roads and head out of Louvis before doubling back, picking up Chinese, and meeting them there. I am guessing that she won't mind waiting."

"No, not at all, thanks dude!" exclaimed Troy, quickly texting the plan to Gabriella, who moments later agreed, telling him that she and Chris both would be waiting for them after losing the security team.

An hour and a half later, Troy and Tomas pulled up in Tomas's car to the front of Tomas's townhouse, Troy carrying the plastic bag filled with still hot Chinese food as he followed Tomas to the door. Relieved when no paparazzi were found around, Tomas and Troy entered through the front door, Tomas quick to let Chris and Gabriella in via the sliding door at the back of the house.

Gabriella gave Tomas a hug and a kiss on the cheek to show her gratitude for hosting the small gathering that made it possible for her to see Troy again unexpectedly. After that, she quickly scurried further into Tomas's place and into Troy's waiting arms, leaving Tomas and Chris to shake hands as Tomas closed the sliding door and drew the drapes closed. They both watched as Troy and Gabriella shared a tender kiss, both seeming to mold to the other's body.

"Makes you wonder who would ever root against them right?" stated Tomas, looking from the couple back to the other man.

"Agreed. I wish we didn't have to shepherd them around like they were convicted spies or something who couldn't be seen together. It kind of makes me feel like I'm aiding in a crime rather than just helping my best friend be happy," commented Chris, sighing a little as he thought of the struggle he had himself seen Gabriella go through.

"Guess they're lucky they have both of us to help them, even if this may be seen as a bit of a crime, going against a law and all," returned Tomas, shaking his head as he saw Troy and Gabriella now setting out the Chinese food takeout cartons on the dining room table, Troy keeping his left hand permanently on Gabriella's hip as they did this. "Makes it worth it though to see them happy. God, my mother would be proud. These two have managed to make me a bit of a romantic sap."

Chris chuckled at this, knowing that Tessa too would be proud of him for his helping Gabriella out, knowing that he himself wouldn't have it any other way as he hadn't seen Gabriella smile so much in the many years he had known her. "Me too, trust me. My girlfriend would be rather pleased to know I was helping out her best friend so much when she couldn't. I hear that the two of them had to go through similar measures before in high school."

Tomas simply absorbed this new information on his friend and his friend's girlfriend, making note to ask Troy more about it later out of pure curiosity.

Gabriella looked over to where Chris and Tomas stood a few yards away and smiled at them both. "Come on you two! You better start eating or Troy here is going to eat all this yummy food without you."

"Hey, I'm not that bad. Who do you think I am, Chad?" protested Troy, causing both of them to laugh while Chris and Tomas each took a seat.

Before Gabriella could sit down, Troy sat down on a chair nearby and pulled Gabriella down onto his lap, grinning as she giggled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He found himself chuckling as he saw Tomas roll his eyes as Tomas scooped out some fried rice onto his plate while Chris gagged.

"Honestly, you two are too sickly sweet to eat around now. Come on, we'll let you do your thing later but Tomas and I would like to eat without indigestion," complained Chris, winking at Gabriella. "Ella, please?"

Gabriella knew Chris was teasing but realized that it was a bit rude to be sitting on her boyfriend's lap. She reluctantly wiggled out of Troy's grasp and instead sat down in the chair next to him, ignoring the smirk Chris had on his face as Troy quickly slipped her hand in his, resting their joined hands on her left leg. "There, satisfied?" questioned Troy, giving Chris a look.

Chris happily returned that look, nodding his head. "Much, thanks."

"I swear, Tessa has been teaching him her ways of how to torture us," murmured Troy, making Gabriella giggle, knowing that it was most likely true as Chris's teasing had become a bit more Tessa-like as of late.

"To think it's only going to get worse after Chris spends a little more than three weeks with her too," replied Gabriella, taking a bit of the sweet and sour chicken Troy had just put on her plate.

Chris grinned as he heard her words, letting a chow fun noodle slip out of his mouth in the process. "Oh yeah!"

"Gross much Chris," replied Gabriella, rolling her eyes as Chris gave her a sheepish look before picking up the fallen noodle from the table and popping it into his mouth.

"Wait, is Chris using that aged voucher to go to New Mexico or is Tessa coming here?" asked Troy, the wheels in his mind turning.

"Dude, Ella and I are so going to New Mexico! It'll be a great break from everything here!" stated Chris, shoveling some fried rice now into his mouth.

Troy looked over at Gabriella, who merely nodded her agreement. "Stalking me home huh?"

Gabriella merely stuck out her tongue at him. "First, I didn't know you were going home for the holidays although I should have thought it. Second, it can't be stalking unless you are skipping out on your last game before holiday break. We're leaving Wednesday and you have a game on Thursday."

"She does have a point Troy," chimed in Tomas, amused by the little banter.

"Oh no, not you too. Everyone cannot be on her side!" complained Troy, good-naturedly narrowing his eyes on Tomas. "You are my teammate and good friend!"

With his hands up in the air in surrender, Tomas said, "All right, all right. Sounds like it'll be rather empty and quiet in Louvis over the holidays. I myself am going home to Spain to see my siblings and mother anyway."

"Good thing my family is here in Louvis so I can see them before we leave," commented Chris, realizing that he'd be missing out on family celebrations.

"Chris, I would never take you away from your family on the holidays. We'll just fly you back here for the holiday week early or you can always come back here and go back to New Mexico for New Year's if you want," offered Gabriella.

Chris thought about it and nodded his head, knowing he'd never hear the end of it from his mother if he skipped Christmas all together. "I'll probably take you up on that offer to go out with you up until maybe the 22nd so I can come back and then return, if that's cool with you, just a few days before New Year's. I'd love to spend time with Tessa on New Year's Eve."

Troy grinned over at Gabriella at the mention of New Year's Eve, both of them thinking back several years ago to the night that they fatefully met at the teen club's New Year's party at the ski lodge. "New Year's Eve and Day certainly are special and romantic, right Brie?"

"Couldn't agree more," returned Gabriella, smiling back at him before their lips met in a soft kiss.

Chris eyed the couple and made a mental note to ask Tessa about that later before going back to his food, not wanting it to get cold, as Tomas did the same from where he was seated. The rest of the late night dinner went well, Chris and Tomas getting to know each other better while Gabriella and Troy joined in the conversation too between sharing their own small intimate moments, whether it be a squeeze of the hand or a shared look.

At 1:14 AM, Gabriella let out a small yawn from where she was curled up against Troy on the couch with Tomas next to Troy and Chris sitting on a chair next to the couch. Troy noticed and gently ran his hand up and down her upper arm. "We should all get going. You need your rest, especially after everything you went through tonight."

Gabriella gave him a sleepy smile as she picked her head up off his shoulder to look at him, feeling herself smile more as she saw the genuine concern in his eyes. "Guess you're right. I'll call you tomorrow when I am alone to tell you all about the advisory council meeting all right?"

Troy nodded his head. "Sounds like a plan. I have practice in the morning but will see you at the homeless shelter like usual but I know we can't talk there. Afterwards?"

"I think that can be arranged," agreed Gabriella, tilting her head up to kiss Troy before getting a hand up from the couch by Chris, who had heard their short discussion. She looked over at Tomas, who had been nodding in and out of sleep in the last fifteen minutes but was awake now, giving him a smile. "Thank you Tomas for having us over. It means a lot."

"Hey, I had royalty in my home, even if it was secret. You two are welcome anytime you want, to use this as a meeting place if you need. Chris, it was good getting to know you man," said Tomas, getting up along with Troy.

"You too Tomas," returned Chris, pulling his keys out of his pocket.

All four moved to the sliding door, Tomas and Chris exiting first to check the area for any possible paparazzi, signaling to Gabriella and Troy that the coast was clear. Gabriella and Troy shared one last embrace before Gabriella followed Chris back to his car, blowing Troy a kiss before the two drove off into the night, leaving Troy and Tomas to go back into Tomas's townhouse, Troy deciding to just crash on the couch since Tomas was so tired, falling immediately to sleep when the exhaustion from his own day, especially the game, finally hit him.

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