Disclaimer: I do not own any of the High School Musical characters that are referenced to in this story, all Disney owned!

Ch. 1

Troy Bolton turned his dirty blonde head to his right and smiled as he saw his girlfriend, Gabriella Montez, blissfully savoring the remaining summer sunshine on the blanket they shared in the local park. Feeling a pair of eyes staring at her, Gabriella opened her brown eyes to return the gaze, right into the most beautiful blue eyes she could imagine. Seeing that he had her attention, Troy rolled over to his right side, placing his left hand on the blanket next to her head, and leaned in to give Gabriella one of the sweetest kisses they have shared yet.

When Troy pulled away from the kiss, he could not help but smile as he saw the same look on Gabriella's face as was probably on his at the moment – a look of total relaxation, happiness, and quite possibly a look of love, not crush.

"Hard to believe school is starting in a week from today huh?" Gabriella states, interrupting Troy's train of thought. "It seems like we were counting down the minutes and seconds to summer only a few days ago in Darbus' class."

Troy thinks back to the summer and all the things that happened and smiles. "Summer may be over but look at all the memories we have now, ones that I know we will share and cherish for the rest of our lives. Plus, it is a new year, full of new surprises and hopefully better class schedules."

Gabriella reaches up and puts the back of her right hand on his forehead. "Are you feeling okay Troy? I could have sworn that you actually sounded excited about going back to school."

"No, you know I detest that institution they call high school as much as every other high school student. I am just thinking positively, something I learned from you missy. I mean, yea, school is going to suck again as usual but this time, I get to do it with my best buds and my girlfriend. I think that the company is well worth the torture."

After laughing she shakes her head. "I don't know how you got to be this smooth but you always managed to get yourself out of a jam. Although, I have to be honest, if you ever put me through the torture you did this summer with Sharpay at the club, I will personally make your high school experience even worse, got it?"

Troy studies the look on his girlfriend's face and sees she is teasing on the surface, but deep down she was still talking from the hurt of the past few months. "Gabriella, you know that I learned quite a lesson this summer, one that I do not take lightly. Trust me, if nothing else, this summer only served to bring us closer together and to help me realize how truly special you are to me. I think if anything, I need to watch my back this year!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, now that you have settled into the East High ways, shaken up our little pre-existing status quo, and have stared in the musicale with me while winning the scholastic decathlon, I expect that I will have to battle several guys in the halls to keep your affection!"

Gabriella rolls her eyes. "Whatever Troy, you know there is no one else for me but you. If I really wanted to, I could have taken advantage of your distraction with Sharpay and her 'better life' instead of fighting for you. You my dear boyfriend are stuck with me, forever."

"Promise?" he asks, leaning in for another soft kiss.

"Promise."

Troy rolls onto his back, bringing her with him so her head rested on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. They remained cuddled together like that until familiar voices reached them from the distance.

"Chad Danforth, how many times do I have to tell you that Gabriella and Troy want to be alone today?" Taylor McKessie yells from behind her boyfriend. "Come on, basketball season has not even started yet!"

Gabriella and Troy could hear running footsteps on the grass get closer before Chad showed up in their view. "Hi guys! Troy, we need to start working on that new playbook for this year! I just found out that West High's team started practice a week ago so now we are behind!" he announces, breathing and talking normally, like he did not run across the field in a mad dash.

"Sorry…guys…I tried to catch him and hold him back…but he's set on beating West High again this year, to the point of…obsession," Taylor manages to get out, trying desperately to catch her breath.

"Chad, are you serious? They started already? But they don't have a full team!" Troy responds to Chad's news, sitting up, causing Gabriella to roll off him and onto the blanket. He notices as she sits up and glares at him. "Sorry Gabriella, momentary excitement…"

She just nods her head and looks at Taylor who has the same annoyed look on her face. "Boys, what are we going to do with them Gabriella?" Taylors asks.

"I don't know but I think we should leave them alone to plot together. We just know us girls just get in the way."

Troy grabs Gabriella's hand as she gets up to leave with Taylor. "Don't be like that Gabriella. You know how important that team is to us."

Gabriella nods. "Sometimes, too important. Come on Taylor, let's go hit the playground."

The two girls run off to the playground on the opposite side of the park, leaving the boys staring after them for a moment before diving right into strategizing. Chad picks up his cell phone and calls Zeke and Jason over to join the impromptu strategy session.

While the boys were busy discussing new playbook entries and schedules for practice, Taylor and Gabriella were having their own discussion as they lazily played on the swings on the playground, watching the little kids run around in front of them on the jungle gym.

"So, how's your fan fiction story going? Still stuck on chapter 9?" Taylor asks.

"Nope, onto chapter 15, where the romance starts blooming between my protagonist and Hunter Smith," Gabriella responds. "My first fan fiction story after all those fiction stories. It feels weird to be writing about a real person and imagining them doing whatever I want to happen."

Taylor laughs. "Right but that is the whole point of the fanfiction genre, don't you know? Besides, I am sure this story will be as great as all the others you have written. Speaking of, I think you got a few more reviews on our website."

Gabriella's eyes light up at the mention of the reviews on their shared story website. The two girls had secretly been posting under nicknames to "publish" their stories and poems to get them some circulation since the spring. "I can't wait to check them out. Chad still unaware of your own stories?"

"Yup, just as Troy doesn't know about yours. I think though in your situation it is a pity as you are such a talented writer. Troy should know what a talented writer you are."

This earned a shake of the head from Gabriella. "No, you know I am very protective of my writing. I only agree to publish on the site because we use nicknames, pennames in their own way, therefore no one knows it is me. I would never let anyone openly read my work, especially my fan fiction!"

"All right, all right. I was just saying. Anyway, onto a better subject. What are your plans with Troy for the last few days before school start?"

Gabriella shrugs her shoulders. "No real plans that I know of. Then again, if the boys have it their way, we may not see them all week because they will be in self-imposed basketball boot camp. I bet you Coach Bolton won't even be there, just the crazed guys of the varsity team."

Taylor laughs. "Probably. You have to admit though, having them have an outlet for all their pent up frustrations from the school day gives us more sweeter guys afterwards. In other words, when they can play ball for hours and take it out on each other when they are frustrated, or rather that basketball, they come home or over to our houses in a much better mood than they would have been without the practices or the games."

"I have to agree with you there. Definitely very true. So what about you and Chad?"

"Well, the carnival is in town and I thought of suggesting to Chad and of course the two of you that we all go on Wednesday afternoon/evening. Should be some good summer fun. If you work on Troy, I'll work on Chad. What do you say?"

"Totally!" Gabriella exclaims. "Consider it a date!"