A/N: OK, guys... so that's my second story for HSM and more importantly my first story in English! I'm from Germany, therefore I'm really not that good with the English language, spelling, grammar or punctuation and so on.

Nevertheless, I hope you can actually understand me and have fun reading this story!!!

Disclaimer: A German owning HSM and the song 'Umbrella'?? Sounds hilarious doesn't it lol

Sadly, I own nothing but the plot.

Never Ever

The warm July sun shone brightly down on Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Children playing hide and seek or chasing each other swarmed the park. Laughter filled the air, while you could see happy couples enjoying their free time together almost everywhere. All in all it just seemed like your picture perfect summer day. A fairytale, to be precise.

Nevertheless, one girl by the name of Gabriella Montez sat on a bench in said park and couldn't find happiness or whatsoever in all this. Neither in spending time with her boyfriend, since she had none and not even in fooling around with her best friends, seeing as Taylor, her first and best girlfriend she made at East High, spent her summer overseas in Italy with her boyfriend of six months, Chad Danforth.

When Gabriella thought of Chad, a happy smile crossed her face. During this half year at East High, the two of them have grown really close, almost like siblings. Gabriella always dreamed of having a big brother to look out for her and take care of her. And she found that in Chad, Zeke and Ryan.

Out of the blue, Gabriella's stomach began to growl.

'Gosh, just the thought of Zeke and his delicious cookies leaves me hungry!'

And it was true: Once you tried Zeke Baylor's incredible food, it leaves you speechless and most probably spoiled. 'Just like Sharpay', Gabriella thought chuckling to herself.

Sharpay, Gabriella's second best girlfriend has been dating Zeke for almost five months. Reluctant at first, Sharpay gave into his charms in the end, and now: She was happy as can be!

Sharpay' s twin brother though is still single. "I'm not into that whole dating thing. I want to wait for the right girl. One that leaves me breathless, y'know?", Ryan always said.

And Gabriella admired him for that. 'Ryan, I hope you find your only one. And I pray to god, that she loves you back. I don't want you to suffer like me...'.

That one bitter thought brought Gabriella back into the hard reality. And this cruel reality had one name: Troy Bolton. Exactly: Golden boy of East High, captain of the East High Wildcats and last but not least: Her counterpart in the winter musical "Twinkle Town". But all that didn't matter, when Gabriella and Troy were together. When they spent time together, they weren't the freaky math girl nor a lunkhead basketball man. They neither were Minnie and Arnold. They were just Gabriella and Troy. Best friends and inseparable since they laid eyes on each other. And although Gabriella cherished what the two of them shared, to her it just wasn't enough. She loved Troy. Ever since New Year's Eve, ever since they first met, she was enchanted by him...

By the way his cobalt eyes danced with delight, every time he looked at her, by the way they perfectly fitted into each other anytime he embraced her, by the way he could make her oblivious to everything happening around her with just one of his dazzling, precious trademark smiles.

Keyword: Oblivious. Troy really seemed oblivious to all of Gabriella's feelings, she held for him. He didn't seem to understand, that every time he hugged her,all she wishes for, was to stop time, to stay in his arms forever.

Troy either was just really dense and oblivious to his surroundings or he actually didn't want to acknowledge her feelings for him.

Yes, it's true: At first, Gabriella thought, that maybe, just maybe, Troy felt the same way she did.
Heck, he even tried to kiss her on Callbacks Day.

But surprisingly, that was Troy Bolton's first and last move he made on Gabriella.

After that he treated her in a more brotherly way, which totally freaked Gabriella out.

And his behaviour went on like that for almost half a year, up till now.

By now, Gabriella hasn't given up on her love for Troy, but she has given up on hoping for him to eventually love her back. She wished she could just move on, maybe find a new love, but with him spending so much time with her, she only found herself falling deeper in love with him, if that was even possible.

Suddenly something warm but wet touched Gabriella's flawless and tanned skin and interrupted her reverie. At first she thought, that she had actually started crying without taking any further notice, but when she looked up and into the sky, she found dark clouds somehow shielding Albuquerque and its people from the sun and letting warm droplets fall down.

'Perfectly reflecting my mood, eh?', Gabriella thought, while letting a beautiful smile cross her face, closing her eyes in the process and stretching her muscles, which had become sore from sitting on a park bench in the same position for almost an hour.

While all the kids and couples hurriedly made their way out of the park, Gabriella didn't move at all and just enjoyed the warm summer rain, that dampened her skin and her perfect brown curls. She was so fascinated by the amazing feeling of the warm water caressing her face, that she didn't hear a familiar voice calling for her: Troy. He too loved the summer rain and unbeknown to Gabriella, he too loved her.

He had planned on spending this beautiful day with Gabriella, but got disappointed, when she told him, that she has already made plans to spend the day with her mother.

So he didn't have anything else to do but practice basketball in his backyard, until his mom asked him to pick some things up for her at the grocery, where he coincidentally met Mrs. Montez.

Of course right then and there, Troy's curiosity awoke and he asked Gabriella's mom, where he could find her daughter.

And after bringing his buying back home and grabbing an umbrella just in case it started raining, as clouds already showed in the sky, Mrs. Montez's piece of advice led him here: Albuquerque's biggest park. Step by step he made his way up to his longtime best friend.

And as he approached her, he took her appearance in: Her closed eyes, the way her damp brown hair stuck to her skin, her wet baby blue tank top and her matching dark jeans mini and finally her beautiful smile, that grazed her face.

To some people she might seem ugly or whatsoever because of her wet clothes or her damp hair. But to Troy, she has never looked any more beautiful.

'Hmm...time to make her acknowledge you, Bolton' , he chuckled quietly, while he positioned himself behind the bench and opened the umbrella as quietly as possible.

Then he bent down, pushed some strays of her brown curly hair behind her ear and in return of course, he felt her stiffen up.

Her shock quickly faded away, when she recognized the soft masculine voice that sung quietly to her:

When there's sunshine we'll shine together

Told you I'll be here forever

Said I'll always be a friend

Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end

Now that it's raining more than ever

Know that we still have each other

You can stand under my umbrella

You can stand under my umbrella

Gabriella's pulse quickened, when he came around the bench, smiled at her and took her right hand to pull her up and to him.

She softly sighed, when she leaned her head on his shoulders and snuggled her face into the damp skin of his neck to savor his fragrance.

Troy smiled at that, put one arm around her waist and held her close, while his other hand held the umbrella to give them shelter from the rain.

With a caring and loving look on his face, he smiled down at her. 'Time to get even, princess...'.

With mock anger he spoke convincingly: "So Montez... so much for the 'I already have made plans with my mom for today' part..."

Gabriella went rigid against his broad form, and blushed a nice shade of red.

"I'm s-sorry Troy... really!!! It's just...", but her rather stuttered excuse was however interrupted by Troy, who has put his index finger on her trembling lips. 'What wouldn't I give to touch those lips with mine'

Softly he smiled at her and shook his head knowingly. "Don't worry, Brie. You don't need to apologize. I completely understand, if you don't want to spend most of your time with me. Really: It's OK!" At this, Gabriella went wide-eyed. "Oh my gosh, Troy! You got it all wrong! I want to spend time with you!!! ... I-It's just... It's just that..."

Nervously Gabriella bit down on her bottom lip. 'Nice move, Gabriella...now you need to tell him'.

Sighing, she looked up into his curious eyes, braced herself for what would follow and whispered quietly: "I need to protect myself..."

Troy raised an eyebrow at her and looked deeply into her chocolate brown eyes, obviously searching for answers to his mute questions.

"Protect yourself? From what? From who?! Brie, I swear, I will protect you! Is someone threatening you? I promise, I will beat them to a bloody pulp! I..." "Troy, I need to protect myself from you!", Gabriella quickly blurted out, before Troy could ramble on.

And when she timidly looked up and into his blue eyes she saw deep hurt, anguish and incredible guilt for the very first time.

She could've sworn that she even saw his normally happy eyes water slightly. 'Oh no... What have I done??'

"F-From... From me?", he stuttered obviously upset. "What have I done, Brie? Why do you need to protect yourself from me?! I-I thought we were...the best of friends?" He continued feeling his eyes burn with the upwelling tears.

At this, Gabriella turned herself away from him and stepped about two feet away from him, so that she had to leave the shelter of the umbrella.

She did this partly because she couldn't bear to see him so sad and desperate, but mostly because he had spoken the dreadful words: Best of friends.

"Exactly, Troy... We're the best of friends... That's what hurts me the most..."

By now, Troy was not only hurt, but confused as well. "Why is that bad, Brie?", he asked the inevitable question. 'OK, Gabriella... You brought this on yourself... Be bold for once... Heck there isn't even much left to lose after that silly performance of yours!'.

Gabriella took one last deep breath and tried to swallow the tears that were slowly forming in the corners of her eyes, before she turned towards him once again.

She gave him a shaky smile, while huskily whispering: "Because you don't usually fall in love with your best friend."

Afraid of rejection, Gabriella tightly shut her eyes and bent her head down, expecting him to laugh at her, tell her off or even leave her alone in the rain.

But none of that happened, as she felt the shelter of the umbrella once again above her.

Instead two fingers softly lifted her chin, obviously trying to make her look at him.

Bravely she opened her eyes and her tears started rolling down her cheeks mingling with the rain drops on her face, as she saw him smiling the happiest smile ever at her. He took another step towards her, so that there was no space left between the two of them, and wiped the tears of her delicate face.

Impatiently she husked: "Please, Troy... Say something..."

She wanted – no she needed to know. Troy chuckled slightly and leaned in towards her face till their noses brushed and his forehead leaned against hers. Softly and carefully he cradled her face in his hands like it was made out of porcelain.

He looked into her questioning eyes while admitting: " I feel like a wimp." This only made Gabriella even more confused.

"Huh?" Troy chuckled once more and smiled one last genuine smile before softly but determinedly capturing her lips with his for the very first time. To say Gabriella was shocked would be an understatement, but right now she was just happy. Smiling against his probing lips, she kissed him back in a way, that told him, just how much she loved him.

He wrapped both his arms tightly around her slim waist, while her hands loosely snaked around his neck, playing with his hair.

Meanwhile, the umbrella lay long forgotten on the floor, as the warm, rain poured down onto the oblivious couple.

Breathless the two teenagers separated in desperate need of air.

"I feel like a wimp for not telling you that I love you first.", Troy sheepishly admitted, while Gabriella giggled.

She once again snuggled into his neck and pressed an affectionate kiss onto the damp skin.

She smiled when she felt him shiver and breathed against his neck: "It's alright,as long as I don't need to ask you to marry me, too!"

All she got, was a playful nudge with his shoulder and his husky response: "Never ever."

A/N: So that's it... I wanna thank you for bearing with me and reading my story.

Reviews would be much appreciated! I hope my English wasn't that bad, seeing as I never wrote stories in English before sighs

Lotsa love from Germany, Mona