Chapter 1

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gabriella sat third row back in the first class section of the Continental Boeing 737. Sharpay had insisted they ride first class, as she put it, she couldn't be seated with the common folk. Sharpay is an aspiring actress. She had landed a few commercials as well as a few small rolls in up and coming television shows since they had come to LA three years ago. Gabriella thought back to the Playtex tampon commercial Sharpay had done and couldn't help but giggle. Sharpay had come home ecstatic and set in front of her mirror for hours trying to perfect the perfect tampon face, whatever that was. From the faces Sharpay was making in the mirror she guessed it was a cross between shock, pain and happiness. It was interesting to say the least. Sharpay was lucky that her dad fronted the bill for all her outlandish ideas and tactics, and Gabriella being her roommate would reap the benefits as well, hence flying first class.

The captain came on the speaker and stated that it was okay to move about the cabin, Gabriella took that as a sign to put on her head phones and turn on her ipod. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes and enjoyed the music as the plane raised further and further through the clouds. The conversation she had, had with her mother began to enter her head and she let out a sigh.

Flashback

Gabriella's mother Maria entered her only daughter's room with tears in her eyes.

Gabriella turned her head at the sound of her mother's sniffles. It was the same thing every year, so why would it be different this year she thought in annoyance. The day she would leave to return back to school her mother would come into her room crying. She would relive the day her precious only daughter entered the world.

Gabriella mouthed as the words came out of her mother's mouth "I can't believe how much you have grown and you have become such beautiful young women, blah blah blah" she rolled her eyes as her mother continued her melodramatic speech. Occasionally her mother would let out a sigh and a sniffle between words.

Gabriella turned to her mother as the sniffles turned to wails. She half smirked and got up to wrapped her arms around her convulsing mother" Mom, don't cry. We go through this every year. You know how much I love you and I will always be your little girl."

Maria hugged her daughter tighter"I know baby, but I just can't believe my little girl is so grown up and that much closer to becoming a successful doctor."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and sunk into her mother's hug. Ever since she was a little girl her mother had bought her all this doctor crap in hopes that she would follow that career path. Little did she know that making her dress up for Halloween every year as a different kind of doctor, making her volunteer as a candy striper and the constant mentioning of medicine had lead her screaming for the hills and wanting nothing to do with it.

When Gabriella had decided to major in biological science her mother had jumped for joy

Gabriella thought back to all the times her mother had said,"After all that's the first step to getting into medical school, "Gabriella winced at this thought. She loved science; which is the reason she chose that to be her course of study. Gabriella wanted to teach it, so that she could share her passion. She didn't have the heart or strength to burst her mother's bubble, so every time it would come up she would quickly change the subject.

Moments later Gabriella's stepdad ,John entered the room. Gabriella gave him a pleading look. He went up to Maria trying to pry her arms off of his annoyed step daughter and said" Maria if you squeeze her any tighter I think her heads going to explode."

Gabriella thought, ha he doesn't know how true that is

Gabriella loved John. He was the only one who really knew her dream of being a teacher. He was always there for her and ran interference when her mother was acting like a loon and trying to plan every minute of her life.

John told Maria," Come on Hun, Gabriella needs to finish packing, lets leave her alone, I don't think she wants tomiss her flight." Gabriella looked at John and mouthed thank you and he winked in understanding.

Once they arrived at the airport Gabriella hugged John and thanked him for rescuing her from her mother earlier.

She walked over to her mother who was still crying. You would have thought someone had died. She hugged her and told her that she would call her as soon as she landed.

Maria sucked up the last of her tears, for now, and hugged Gabriella and said softly, "Good bye my little doctor, I love you."

End of Flashback

Gabriella opened her eyes still annoyed at how clueless her mother was when she found herself drawn to the movie being played. There was a guy on screen who appeared to be just waking up. He slowly set up raising his arms above his head. Thanks to that movement the sheet that was wrapped around him began to slowly move down his finely toned arms and even more defined torso. He gradually lifted himself off the bed exposing the fact that he was only in boxers. He walked to the bathroom as if in a trance rubbing his hands over his face. The boxers moved with him clinging to all the right parts displaying that what was under there was just as, if not more pristine than what wasn't covered. He looked into the mirror and complete shock covered his face, which caused his jaw droopingly beautiful blue eyes to double in size. Gabriella couldn't help but gasp at what she was seeing. He was gorgeous, but who is he?

Gabriella took off her head phones and turned to Sharpay who was obviously in another world. She was making odd hand gestures, flailing her arms about and moving her mouth in an unnatural way. If Gabriella hadn't known better she would have thought Sharpay was having a seizure or high on some kind of hallucinogenic.

Gabriella nudged Sharpay out of her trance.

Sharpay looked at her in confusion and ahh.

Gabriella ignored it and asked," What movie are we watching?" Knowing good and well Sharpay hadn't been playing the slightest bit of attention, but being the aspiring actress she is, if it was produced she knew of it and all about it.

Sharpay looked at Gabriella like she had grown another head and said in a duh tone, " This is 17, you know, I auditioned for friend # 2, but stupid Heidi Pratt got it, ugh she is such a wench."

Gabreiella nodded as if she knew what she was talking about even though she didn't have the faintest idea. It was hard to keep track of all Sharpay's auditions. There were soooo many.

Sharpay continued, "and that right there," pointing to the television in front of them," is the "It boy" himself, Troy Bolton."

Gabriella mouthed Troy Bolton and slowly turned her head back to the movie and Sharpay continued her rant on how Heidi was such a whore and how much better she was than her.

The movie had come to an end and the blooper reel was now playing. It really gave insight into how funny and down to earth Mr. "It Boy" was. She couldn't believe she had never heard of him or even seen the movie. Then again, she couldn't even remember the last time she had seen a movie. Damn college, damn studying she thought to herself. She knew it was just some movie but it really made her think, what else she was missing. She never really went to parties or made any friends outside of study groups she had joined. Sharpay was always trying to get her go and do things but she had always declined. She was really upset about this. That is when she vowed to herself that this was her final year of college and she was going to enjoy it and do things because she wanted to. She was tired of trying to please everyone else. As much as she loved school and making good grades she wanted to remember more than that, she wanted to remember having the time of her life. After all that's what college was all about, well that's what Sharpay would always tell her.

Once Gabriella had finished her inner rant she looked up at the television and noticed that the bloopers were ending. She thought, God he is so Hot! She giggled to herself; she had just called an actor hot. She hadn't done that since she was like fourteen. Hmmm she thought maybe I'll look him up online. She shook her head at this thought and smiled. She was giddy, she really was acting like a fourteen year old, and not the 21 year old she is. But hey, there is nothing wrong with acting like a kid every now and then. She smiled bigger than she had in a long time at this thought. She buckled her seat belt preparing for the decent of the plane and closed her eyes and the face of Troy Bolton entered her mind. She giggled and shook her head once again.