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"Someone pinch me, I still cannot believe we are here!" exclaimed Tessa as she set foot on the warm Hawaiian beach sand for the second time in their little extended weekend getaway.
Annette laughed good naturedly at her daughter's best friend. "Trust me Tessa, this beach is real, the sun is real, and yes, this warmth is real," assured Annette, smiling at the teenage girl who was excitedly scanning the beach for the best spot to situate themselves.
"Thank you again Mrs. Montez for taking us along with you on this trip," said Taylor, walking up to where Annette and Tessa were standing. "This has been such an amazing time already and it's been less than twenty-four hours!"
"Unfortunately, we don't have the opportunity to have a real vacation but I'm glad you two came along on this little three day excursion. I know Gabriella appreciates that you are here with her," replied Annette, glancing over to see Gabriella walking at a slower pace with Troy, their two hands holding each other's tightly. "They do look happy together don't they?"
Tessa and Taylor both looked back and saw the blissfully happy couple. "I have to hand it to the guy, he's surprised me by how well he treats her and how well he knows her to anticipate exactly what she needs," confessed Taylor. "I never would have suspected a lunkhead basketball guy, err, basketball player could be like that."
Annette smiled at Taylor. "It's all right, I know you have your own terminology as they do I'm sure for you girls. I'm just glad that you all can be friends, it's made it easier on Gabriella. I know she was worried about having all these separate people she wanted to hang out with. And about this trip here to Maui? Consider it Stephen's and my thank you to you two and Troy for being there for our daughter. I don't know where she'd be without you all."
Tessa smirked. "She'd probably be best friends with Sharpay and very well versed in everything expensive yet fashionable," joked Tessa, earning giggles from Taylor, who could see that image without a problem. "But she'd still be sweet intelligent Gaby, no matter what her fashion style is."
"Hey, stop teasing me. I still can't believe you got me to buy this swimsuit yesterday at the store either," commented Gabriella as she and Troy finally joined the little group. "Mom, where's Dad?"
"Oh, somewhere around the hotel grounds I'm sure," replied Annette, not very bothered where Stephen was at the moment. "He had some things he wanted to read and what not so I hope you four don't mind but I wanted to get out and enjoy this beautiful Maui weather and scenery, not be stuck in some room."
"Not at all Mrs. Montez. We owe you much more than just allowing you to spend beach time with us," answered Troy. "However, I think I am going to look quite the ladies' man with four beautiful women around me out here on a gorgeous beach."
"Charmer alert, charmer alert!" teased Tessa, grinning as Troy shot her a look. "Come on, let's go find some chairs! I only have twenty four hours left to tan!"
"Yes maam," returned Troy, trudging ahead with Tessa to help her move the beach lounge chairs from the stack they were in to the spot Tessa decided would be theirs for the day.
Annette looked at her daughter and couldn't help but feel happy as she saw the relaxed and joyous look on Gabriella's face as she watched Troy and Tessa set up their spot while clearly teasing each other. 'She needed this little vacation more than anything. I don't know how she'll react after sitting in that court room for opening statements on Monday, having her own identity of at least her name and face revealed to the press, but I think Stephen was very right in suggesting a little getaway for her. Thank God for understanding parents too who let Troy, Taylor, and Tessa be taken out of school on Friday with Gabriella so that we could all leave on a flight first thing Friday morning to really try to maximize this time here.'
Gabriella and Taylor had gone off ahead to help move the chairs in the exact positions Tessa wanted, Gabriella sensing that her patient boyfriend may try to hurt her best friend out of frustration at Tessa's constantly changing demands. They spread out the towels they had checked out at the poolside desk and laid their stuff down.
Troy sat down as he took off his shirt, tossing it at the top of the chair and kicking his sandals off, glad that he had put on sun block before they left the hotel room so he didn't have to worry about it again. He stared out at the ocean, thinking the same thoughts that Tessa had earlier, that he was simply blessed and lucky to be here at all, let alone with Gabriella. 'Brie,' he thought, turning his attention to Gabriella, who had just retied the red bikini string behind Taylor's neck. Troy watched, feeling himself transfixed, as Gabriella stepped out of her sandals and began to unwind the purple sarong from around her body, revealing an almost skin tight brown tankini with a purple and violet design going up one side. He felt himself stop breathing for a few moments before he heard a snicker from Tessa and tore his eyes away from his girlfriend.
"Hey, if you look that way now, imagine how you would have looked if she had bought this sexy little black bikini she tried on yesterday. You would have died Bolton, I guarantee it, but girlfriend here thought it was too much for little innocent her," teased Tessa.
"Tessa, let her have her modesty if she wants," scolded Taylor, who had just laid down on the chair. "We all don't have to be flashy like you."
Tessa looked down at her bright blue string bikini and then back to Taylor's red bikini that did admittedly have more material. "So? I'm comfortable with my body."
"And so are we," argued Taylor. "Just not into flaunting it like Miss Thing that you are."
"But you wouldn't be Tessa if you weren't," threw in Gabriella, smiling at her best friends. "Besides, this is more revealing than I would have picked out on my own so be satisfied with that, will ya?"
She felt Troy's muscular arms wrap around her waist as he nuzzled her neck. "I still think you're damn sexy in that swimsuit. You've got my imagination running."
Gabriella rolled her eyes as she playfully slapped an arm. "Troy! My mother is right there less than five feet behind you!"
"And I may not have heard what you said but from Gabriella's reactions, I can tell they weren't all that gentlemanlike," commented Annette, laughter dancing in her eyes as she saw the teenage boy in front of her flush. "Keep it PG-13 Troy, that's all I ask."
"Got it," agreed Troy, dropping his arms from around Gabriella, trying his best to ignore Tessa's laughter as he sat down and laid back on the beach chair between Annette and Gabriella.
After two hours of tanning, Annette decided it was time to go in to find Stephen as she was worried about the plans he was working on in the hotel suite. She got up and grabbed her stuff, kissing Gabriella on her cheek and saying good-bye to the teenagers as a group before officially leaving the beach area.
Tessa opened her left eye and groaned as she saw Troy and Gabriella sort of turn towards each other. "Just because your mother isn't here doesn't mean you can get all mushy on us here," called Tessa, laughing as she heard both of their groans.
"Come on Brie, let's go play in the water, far, far away from the evil vixen over there," said Troy, getting up and giving Gabriella a hand up. They walked into the water and slowly made their way in, Troy putting his hands around Gabriella's waist as he helped her over a few waves that would have otherwise submerged her in the ocean.
"You know, you could lay off them a bit," commented Taylor while she watched the couple from the shore next to Tessa.
"I know but it's too damn fun, especially riling up Troy," admitted Tessa. "If he didn't get all flustered about it, it wouldn't be any fun."
Taylor rolled her eyes. "You do realize you embarrass our best friend at the same time though right? Making her want to duck and hide?"
"She's tough, she can handle it," replied Tessa, grinning as she saw Troy plant a firm, solid kiss on Gabriella's lips while she wound her arms around his neck to bring him closer. "Much like how she handles Troy no doubt."
Taylor shook her head at hearing this and scanned the beach, noticing for the first time some people who were dressed in jeans and shirts with tennis shoes on, snapping pictures and taking footage of something in the water. She looked at where they were angled and scanned the water for their point of interest, wondering if there was a shark maybe, and lost her breath as she realized they were capturing Troy and Gabriella as they played in the water together. "SHIT!" exclaimed Taylor, not even realizing she swore.
"WHAT?" asked Tessa, sitting up again, looking at her best friend panicked. "What is it?"
"I don't know if Gab is tough enough for all that," replied Taylor, directing Tessa towards the little paparazzi group to their left and also some others to their right and in front of them.
"SHIT! She's going to have a fit," expressed Tessa, wondering what to do. "How do they know who she is and where she is for that matter? How long have they been here?"
Taylor shook her head, getting up and gathering all of their stuff together, including Gabriella's and Troy's things as she realized they would have to leave immediately. "I have no idea. They could have been here for a long time with us just sunbathing like we were. Do you want to go and get them or should I?" asked Taylor.
"What do you mean?" asked Tessa, watching Taylor pack everything up. "We are so not going to let these stupid paparazzi people ruin our little vacation in HAWAII Tay!"
"No, we aren't," agreed Taylor. "However I'm sure there is a place somewhere on this island where we can escape the shutterbugs. Now, you or me in the water to rescue our friends?"
"I'll do it," replied Tessa, getting up and running between photographers and into the ocean, wading out to Gabriella and Troy, who were currently in a passionate lip lock. "Umm guys, I hate to break this up…"
Troy pulled away from Gabriella and groaned. "Then don't Tess."
"Well okay but Tay wanted me to come out here and tell you that there are a bunch of paparazzi people stalking you two right now," revealed Tessa. "She thought you may want to leave the beach and public view in hopes of finding a more private sanctuary but if you don't mind being on the front page like this…"
"SHIT!" yelled Gabriella as she turned around to see people with cameras pointed right at them.
"Why do we all react with that word?" wondered Tessa out loud before she followed Troy and Gabriella out of the ocean, Troy's arm wrapped securely around his girlfriend in a protective gesture.
"Princess Gabriella! How are you doing?" shouted one man while another screamed, "Is this your boyfriend? What's your name son?"
"Leave us alone," growled Troy, taking the towel Taylor offered him and wrapping Gabriella in it securely, slipping her sunglasses on over her face and putting the hat Tessa had thrown at him on her head before he wrapped his towel around his body.
"How much longer were you really hoping to keep your royal blood out of the eye of the world?"
"Do your grandparents, the King and Queen of Copanvy, approve of this relationship?"
"How long are you in Maui for?"
"Will you testify during the trial?"
"Princess Gabriella, please, look over here!"
Gabriella's mind was whirling by the time the four teenagers made it back to the hotel building itself, having run from the clicking cameras and thousands of questions from the beach, not stopping until they were in the elevator going up to the suite. She had felt suffocated when the press and paparazzi had closed in around her and was very grateful Troy, Paul, and some of the other security team were there to help her escape before they ran away to the hotel. Currently, Troy was rubbing Gabriella's right arm up and down as he held her close to his side, vowing he would do his best to keep those photographers away from Gabriella as much as possible. Tessa and Taylor looked on sympathetically, knowing for sure that Gabriella's life would never go back to the way it was.
Taylor led the group into their own suite and were not surprised after a few minutes that the door opened again to reveal Paul, Curtis, Annette, and Stephen. "Are you all right?" asked Annette, rushing over to her daughter and holding Gabriella's hands. "Paul said they swarmed you."
Gabriella shrugged. "They were pretty aggressive but we ran pretty fast to put them behind me. How did they know I was a princess?"
Stephen shook his head. "A tabloid reporter bought the story from a not so trustworthy associate of mine for lots of money. I just got a call to tip me off the story broke a little while ago and then Paul's transmission about you being hounded already just made it all real. Are you sure you are okay?"
She nodded her head. "I'm fine, just wondering what this means now though."
"To put it simply Gabriella, it means you have to take full responsibility of your role in Copanvy's ruling. We can't hide it any longer sweetie, I'm sorry," replied Stephen, looking like he really did mean every word. "If the commotion downstairs is any indication, your time in the public's eye as who you are, no secrets, is now and it will only increase on Monday with the trial starting."
"Stephen!" scolded Annette. "Can't you see you're scaring her?"
Stephen looked at Gabriella and saw how pale she had gotten. "I'm sorry Gabriella, I truly am, but you need to know what's going to happen. I can't protect you from this, not the way I want to shield you at least. We'll increase the security team when we get back home and you are not to go anywhere for the rest of the trip without Paul and his team, all right?"
Gabriella gave Paul a half smile. "Have your own team now huh?"
Paul smiled back. "Hey, we have an official princess on our hands now who has friends who would do anything for her, including helping her escape our watch. Just me won't be suitable from now on."
"Nah, we'd never do that, would we Tay?" joked Tessa, sobering up when she saw Taylor and no one else was laughing. "Okay, so what does that mean for Gabriella and the rest of us for the trip? Are we going to have to go back to New Mexico now?"
Stephen shook his head. "I'll talk to the manager and see if he knows anywhere that's a bit more private. I know all the beaches in Hawaii are technically public but there are some areas that are harder to get to and less known. Let me make a call and then we'll decide, okay?"
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement before Stephen went to make that phone call. Annette watched as the teenagers sat on the couch, Gabriella taking off Tessa's hat and her own sunglasses and putting them on the coffee table. She stared at it for a little while, knowing those two items would become a fashion accessory must, at least until everything died down. 'I may be a princess but I don't feel like that pretty princess image at all. What is this going to mean really? How am I going to be able to return to school now?'
An alert sound beeped from Gabriella's cell phone, just once for a few moments and then came again and again as she continued to get text messages. Gabriella eyed the phone warily, not sure if she wanted to see what was said, but forced herself after seeing Taylor and Tessa give her encouraging looks and smiles. She shakily picked up the cell phone that was lying on the coffee table next to the discarded hat and sunglasses and began reading her inbox.
From Sharpay: Gabriella Montez! I cannot believe you didn't tell me yourself you were an actual PRINCESS! Call me back immediately!
From Sarah: I knew there was something going on with you! I know you're in Hawaii but call me when you get back!
From Beth: Talk about secrets between friends! I totally understand in this case though. How's Hawaii?
From Kelsi: Hey, how are you holding up? That's a lot to handle. I'm here if you need to talk.
From Martha: Talk about the queen of all secret identities! My passion for dancing is nothing compared to yours. Hope you're okay!
Troy's cell phone also started chiming with alerts as he got a few from his own friends.
From Chad: A freaking princess? You are so in trouble for not telling me. I cannot believe you held that, what about no more secrets between brothers? And don't play like you haven't known, I won't buy that. You have explaining to do!
From Zeke: How's Hawaii? What a time for something like another side of Gab coming out now. Did you know?
From Jason: A princess? Of where?
Taylor's and Tessa's phones went off as well, the four teenagers reading the incoming messages but no one deeming to send one back. 'If I'm getting this much attention from my friends about this, how's it going to be when we go back home? Are the press and paparazzi going to be there too? Why are they so interested in me? Copanvy isn't even a big country!' thought Gabriella, chewing on her lip, realizing she was doing that only when she felt Troy's hand slip into her hand, giving it a squeeze.
Stephen walked into the room again and saw that the mood had changed a bit more, the four teenagers looking at their phones, Gabriella looking more freaked out and worried than when she came back running from the beach. "What happened?" asked Stephen, obvious concern in his voice.
"Looks like friends back home know," replied Annette, who had been watching the reactions on all the faces present. "So did you find somewhere?"
He nodded his head. "There's a gated off rock beach and a cove that should provide privacy that the manager says his son goes to a lot, that only a few locals really know about. It's about an hour drive from here. He said that would be the best place for us to go."
"Still feel like going outside and enjoying this Hawaiian getaway Gabriella?" asked Annette, not really knowing if her daughter really wanted to leave the hotel right now. "It's okay if you don't."
Gabriella shook her head. "No, I want to go. We are after all in Hawaii and as long as everyone is with me, I won't feel so alone when those people with microphones and cameras come at me. Why are there so many though?"
"The mystery of why Riley's case is federal just broke and there's foreign royalty living in the United States who has been here for quite some time without anyone really knowing. That's a total news headline," stated Taylor, thinking about the same thing earlier herself.
"But that's just it, I'm just me, a normal girl who happens to have some history to her bloodline that involves a throne and a crown. I shouldn't be getting this type of attention," protested Gabriella.
Annette nodded her head in understanding. "And yet you are because recognized royalty is becoming less and less frequent as the times move on and society as a whole has an obsession with what life is like for those who aren't them. Look at Harry and William, they have grown up in the limelight, having to get through everything including losing their mother with the world watching. At least in your case your dad and I were able to keep your life simple and regular, outside of that light."
"As much as I hate to say this, the time is up though," added Stephen. "We unfortunately cannot lie to the press about you and when they see me with you especially, they'll know who you are. Now I hope you also understand why I had to stay away for so long and so often while you grew up. I was afraid that constant visits with you would draw their attention to your existence and especially while you weren't being acknowledged by my parents, I didn't want to cause you the unnecessary torment of having everything you do watched. I grew up with that to some degree and it isn't easy."
'So that's why he was never really around until late Spring,' thought Troy, understanding more and more the real devotion Stephen had to his family. 'It was all to protect his daughter.'
"Will it always be like this?" asked Gabriella, already not enjoying a single second of all this new attention.
Stephen shook his head. "Not when we leave the US. Press and paparazzi are not so in your face in Copanvy."
'When they leave, he didn't say "if" Troy, he said when,' said Troy to himself. He felt himself pale and knew that his fear of losing Gabriella soon was going to happen earlier than he would like but knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. 'She is who she is and what she is. All I can do is make the best of what we have now, right?'
'She's going to leave, I can feel it,' reflected Taylor. 'I don't know how I would deal with all this if I was Gabriella. There's too much pressure, so much attention.'
'Am I the only one having issues seeing Gabriella as a full, real, royal princess? All I see when I look at her is Gabriella Montez, my best friend,' wondered Tessa as she Gabriella soaked in her father's words.
"The cars are ready, your highness," informed Curtis, giving the prince a bow as he entered the room again. "They are waiting for you at the employee entrance. There have been no signs of the paparazzi or press there, yet. We must hurry if you are to leave undetected."
Stephen looked to Annette and Gabriella to tell him what they wanted to do. "Ladies?"
Annette remained silent, letting this be Gabriella's choice. Gabriella saw this and looked at her best friends, including her boyfriend, and nodded her head. "Let's make the most of what we have left of this weekend in paradise," decided Gabriella, earning squeals and hugs from her best friends who were very happy to go out and enjoy more of their tropical surroundings. Troy just grinned as he saw the smile return to her face, making it look like she no longer had all the worries she really did.
Everyone grabbed two towels each from the pile that was just delivered to the suite and quickly repacked their bags for another adventure on the island. At the end of Saturday, they did prove that they were capable of escaping the crowds and prying eyes for the rest of the afternoon and evening, a huge relief for them all, especially Gabriella, who was still worried what all the new attention would mean for her and her life.