Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or any songs I mention!

Special Dedication: .x for cussing and making me laugh! And to tjscott im sorry it isn't longer

Author: Alleycat

Story: My Pseudo Girlfriend

TG Troy Bolton is an NBA player who wants to appease his mom about his lifestyle choices by hiring a girlfriend for his visit to trick her. Enter Gabriella, who's both fun and enticing, and changes everything.

Sorry for the wait, I rewrote this many times, added things, cut things, and Im not really happy with it but I have a feeling I never will be and I cant make you readers wait any longer…

Inspiration:

"Where are you going?
With your long face
Pulling down
Don't hide away
Like an ocean
That you can't see but you can smell
And the sound of the waves crash down

I am no Superman
I have no reasons for you
I am no hero
Oh, that's for sure
But I do know one thing
Is where you are is where I belong
I do know where you go
Is where I want to be

Where are you going?
Where do you go?"

~Dave Matthews Band, Where are you going?

The Epilogue (dun dun dunn!)

Troy woke up with a smile on his face and empty arms. It did not bother him because he was used to Gabriella never staying in. He stretched before getting his clothes and clambering into the shower. He kept his eyes peeled for Gabriella but he didn't encounter her.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to wash the scent of last night off, as amazing as it was. He figured she wouldn't be apt to give a repeat performance if he stunk so he did anyway. As he washed his hair and soaped his body, the smile never wavered. He couldn't remember the last time he was this happy.

"Someone looks happy," Lucille commented, sipping her coffee.

He shrugged modestly and grabbed a bowl for cereal. "How was last night?"

She smiled brightly. "It was so much fun! Your father does this move with his hips that-"

"Mom," He groaned, interrupting her.

Lucille chuckled into her cup. "Gabriella must be sick if she's sleeping in this late."

He shot his mother a weird look between bites. "You haven't seen her?"

"No," She shrugged, putting her cup into the sink. "She's probably with Pam."

"Who's with me?" Pam asked, shuffling in. She was wearing pajamas and her hair was tousled as if she had just gotten out of bed.

"Gabriella," Troy said, his heart starting to race.

"No," Pam said slowly while plopping in the seat next to Troy. "I just woke up."

Troy ran to their room, fearing the worst. He ripped open the drawers to find them empty. He opened the closet and only his clothes were hanging up. His breathing quickened and he ran back to the kitchen. "She's gone!" He half-screamed.

"What do you mean?" Lucille asked, staring at him like he was crazy.

"She's gone!" He bellowed. "As in she left me!"

"How do you know that?" Pam asked placatingly.

"Her clothes are gone!" He shouted, wondering why he was the only freaking out.

"Pam," Josh walked in suddenly, holding a letter. "I think this is for you."

She grabbed the letter and opened it.

Troy was paying her no attention and was repeatedly trying to call Gabriella on her phone. "It's the damn voicemail again!"

"She's gone," Pam agreed, folding the letter up a few moments later.

Troy whirled around. "How do you know?"

"It says it in the letter," She kept her eyes on Troy, almost scared of what he was going to do.

He grabbed for it but she held it out of his reach.

"It's personal," She explained, when everyone in the kitchen had given her a weird look.

"Why would she write you a letter?" He asked harshly.

"Hey," Josh slipped in between the two in order to shield Pam. "Watch the tone younger brother and check your room for a letter."

Troy ran into his room, searching in a panic. Overturning the mattress and his clothes, he could not find anything. He sat in the mess that was his room and tried not to give into the hysteria. It was then he spotted a white piece of paper, half under the dresser. He scrambled to grab it, and read it on his stomach:

I'm sorry, it read in her elegant script. It became too real.

He flipped it over and all that was written on the back was: I love you.

His heart stopped at those words. He sat there for an hour just staring at it. He ignored the knocks and questioning glances.

"What are you waiting for?" Pam asked after she ripped the scrap out of his hand and read it. "Go turn this into a real relationship!"

His mouth dropped open.

"She explained everything," Pam stated.

He nodded before running out. He grabbed his keys before racing toward the door.

Jack grabbed his son's arm before he got outside. "What exactly is your plan?"

"I'm going to the airport and hopping on the next flight," He said while trying to wrench his arm out of his father's grasp.

"Then what are you going to do with your car?" Jack reasoned. "I'll drive you."

"We're wasting time," Troy complained but handed his father the keys.

"Can you go any faster?" He whined, twitching uncomfortably in the seat.

They had not been in the car for more than a minute before he started in. Jack was trying not to yell at his son because he knew what a vulnerable and volatile place he was in.

"I'm already going fifteen miles over the speed limit," Jack told him.

As if on cue, blue and red light appeared with the sound of siren behind them.

"Fuck," Troy cursed, punching the dashboard.

"Calm down," Jack said sternly before unrolling his window.

"License and registration." His voice was gruff and prompted movement from Troy.

"Jack Bolton," He said a few moments later staring at his driver's license. "As in the basketball captain?"

The officer took off his aviators and revealed bright green eyes. "It's me, Kyle! I was in your grade! We were science partners for two years!"

"Of course," Jack replied, trying to remove any doubt. "How have you been?" He asked pleasantly.

"Really good, my daughter just had her first child. I have pictures if you want to see," He offered, reaching into his back pockets.

"I would love to," Jack lied, smiling awkwardly. He knew they were on a time restraint but he also didn't want a ticket.

Troy exhaled loudly and tried to keep his hands from shaking.

"Is that you Troy?" Kyle paused and looked around Jack.

"Yes, sir," Troy replied stiffly.

Kyle laughed boomingly. "Son, you have a great season last year! When you scored the winning points against-"

"I don't want to be rude sir, but we have somewhere to be."

"I could tell by the speed," Kyle said dryly.

Troy grabbed his hair in frustration. "It's just the love of my life left me and I need to get back to her and-"

"Well why didn't you say so? I'll be your police escort and I would love some tickets next season," Kyle grinned with a wink before racing back to his car. He pulled off with his lights and stopped for them to follow.

"It'll be front row seats," Troy called to Kyle as he was running into the airport.

Kyle honked before pulling away.

He almost snapped at the attendant who smiled sickeningly while asking him to turn off his cell phone. He tried to use the time on the flight to create a game plan to get back with Gabriella. He thought of the things he would say and the reasons he would give. She's a smart girl, so a logical list would appeal to her.

It wasn't as easy as he had hoped when he got to the campus and realized he had no idea where she lived. The only time he had been there was when he picked her up and she was outside.

So like the desperate man he was, Troy began to ask the mulling college students walking around.

Many people ignored him but luckily some recognized and at least told him no. Finally, two guys wearing shirts with Greek letters on their shirts and backwards caps stopped.

"You Troy Bolton from the Lakers?" One asked, adjusting his backpack strap.

Troy was losing his patience and really didn't feel like conversing with two people "Unless you know where Gabriella Montez lives I can't talk."

"The Montez chick? She says in the apartments over there," The other guy pointed to a brick building in the distance.

Before they blinked, Troy had darted off towards the destination with only a quick thanks as their response. He lucked out and the small P.O. boxes had names.

3B Montez/McKessie

He found the door and knocked before he could even question who the McKessie was that was attached to her apartment.

"Troy Bolton?" An African American girl answered the door with her jaw open. She was wearing a short hot pink dress.

He opened his mouth to apologize and ask her if she could possibly point him in the right direction for Gabriella. She held up a finger for him to wait before disappearing back into the apartment. Before Troy could even move, the girl he'd been searching for appeared.

Her hair was curly and up in a ponytail. She had some lose tendrils curling around her face. She had a short black dress on with one strap over her right shoulder. She had gold studded heels and was wearing bangles. She looked like she was going out.

"Blue eyes?" She gaped, staring at him like he was crazy. "What are you doing here?"

He stared at her for a few seconds before yelling, "You left!"

She opened to her mouth to respond but he ignored her.

"You left me with a note! How messed up is that? I have been stalking you all day just so I could talk to you, make things better." His voice broke off, the grief interrupting him and ruining the speech he had memorized. "And here you are, looking amazing as if I couldn't matter less!"

"That's not it," She protested. "Now can you please come in so we can talk about this quietly?"

"No," He told her, shaking off her arms. "You're going to tell me why you left me so callously!"

"It was never real!" Gabriella hissed, losing her patience. "I am only fulfilling my end of the bargain."

"Then why did we make love last night?" He countered.

Gabirella rolled her eyes, "I'm pretty sure that wasn't your first time and I would appreciate it if you kept voice down so my neighbors don't hear about my activites."

"I am not just a meaningless conquest!" He snarled, his blue eyes dark. "Or do you write I love you to everybody?"

She looked like she had been slapped. "Don't you dare mock how I feel!"

He exhaled loudly, "Then how could you leave if you really loved me?"

She was quiet for a few moments, avoiding his eyes. "I would rather leave than have us fall apart and have my disappointed hopes as the only thing to keep me company," She told him quietly.

"We could make it," Troy wanted to shake her. "But you're giving up before we're even started!"

"Really Troy, you live 300 miles away," She laughed humorlessly. "Please tell me how this is going to possibly work!"

"I'll break my contract and move here permanently!" He cried desperately.

"Do not be ridiculous," Gabriella scoffed.

"Then you can move in with me or we can visit each every possible moment until my contract is up or you're done with school. I have the money, just please give us a chance," He begged, ready to get on his knees if necessary.

She watched him for a few moments before asking, "Why should I?"

He gripped her shoulders tightly, "Because I am in love with you and anything I have to do to be with you is justified!"

"Like stalking me?" She teased, smiling for the first time since he appeared unceremoniously on her door step.

"Yes, and I won't take no for an answer!" He announced, only half joking. "You are not the only one who gets a say in this and I say that we're a couple!"

"I really am sorry for leaving but I panicked," She explained, opening the door wider and gesturing for him to come in.

This time he agreed and walked in. He sat down on the gray couch and glanced around at the living room. There were matching blue lamps and cerulean paintings on the wall. It was nice and had a relaxed vibe.

"Would you like something to drink?" The McKessie girl (he assumed) appeared from the hallway with a smile.

"No thank you," He said politely but stiffly. He wondered if she had heard everything he said.

"Such a gentlemen," Taylor teased, grabbing her purse. "I am going to meet Kelsi at the restaurant. You guys have fun and I'll see you both there!" She winked before closing the door.

"It's our friend's birthday," Gabriella clarified, sitting next to him on the couch. "I wasn't supposed to be back so I was not going to go but since I left early…" She let the sentence hang.

He nodded, suddenly very nervous. "So does that mean we're actually together?"

"Are you sure about this?" Gabriella questioned, watching his face closely.

He sent her a breathtaking smile, "Of course."

She slipped her hand into his and grinned timidly, "Then I guess we are."

He kissed her and hoped to quell any remaining fears. He didn't know long they sat there making out but he really didn't care either.

"So what are we going to do?" She wondered.

Troy leaned back on the couch and wrapped an arm around her thin shoulders. "Well we've still got another month together and two tickets to Europe!"

"Two tickets?" She repeated, confused.

"I was never going to let you go, even from the beginning. If we hadn't ended up together I was just going to run into you there and make you fall for me with Europe as the back drop!" He squeezed her before laying his head on hers.

She tried to squint at him, "Were you always then cocky?"

"I knew from the moment I met you that we belonged together," He told her honestly. "I'm afraid that you'll have to promise me one thing."

"Anything," She said without hesitation.

"Promise me that you'll stay in bed when we sleep together or at least wake me up when you get up. I really have a complex," He admitted.

She giggled before pulling him down the hallway for a tour of her bedroom.

EL FIN!

I regret to inform everyone that this will probably be the last HSM fic from me….at least for a while (but I make no promises). Im out of ideas so I need a break from the fandom, honestly.

I would never have made it so far w/o these people! So thank you!:

QueenBee10, 1HSMWiLdCat, marly monica, Love is 30, trustxbelieve, navybrat4, ilovesmiles, zanessaloverss123, coolio1206, xoxoStephey, aussie33, xzanessaforeverxG, MissIndependentlyPerfect, zan lil, Anonymous14, xZanessaFreakx, Rach x, kaybaby1127, tee55, BeccaO'Neill, bubzchoc, Vfanforlife, pumpkinking5, child who is cool, palmbeach, lalachica94, bridgie797, ROCKSTAR14, mbaby45, .x, Luckadoo, Midnight113, maccanut53, TROYELLA, and tjscott.