Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places created by the High School Musical franchise or by Disney!

Chapter 1

"Mom, I really don't want to be here," complained Gabriella Montez, a shorter than average seventeen year old girl with wavy dark brown hair and brown eyes, as she and her mother, Annette Montez, walked into the halls of West High. Gabriella eyed the mural of the Knights up on the wall opposite of the office and sighed. "Now I'm a Knight, how very ironic. I used to be a Tiger, Warrior, Mariner, and a Beaver."

"Hey, at least no one can say you don't have school spirit," joked her mother, realizing her attempt failed to cheer up her daughter. "I know you're going to do great here, and I promise, no more moving."

"You said that last time Mom," reminded Gabriella. "And look at us now, here in Albuquerque, New Mexico, far, far away from my friends in South Carolina."

"But remember, you have a car now, as was part of our deal," stated Annette. "You know why we had to move and I'm sorry but it was out of my control."

"I know, and I am excited to have the car, especially with a new license and all but this moving really sucks. Now I'm the new girl all over again," whined Gabriella. "Ugh, and I have to go the Department of Motor Vehicles to change my South Carolina license for a New Mexico one. I guess I'll do that after school since I don't have any friends."

Annette just shook her head at her daughter. "You will in time sweet daughter of mine. Now, enough stalling. We need to get you registered so you can start your first day here at West High on time."

Gabriella let out one last sigh. "All right," agreed Gabriella as the mother and daughter pair walked into the office and filled out the necessary paperwork to get Gabriella registered and into the honors classes that were offered.

After everything was completed, Gabriella was introduced to the principal, Principal Martin, before given a map of West High with little markings as to where all her classes her. 'Right, this will be easy, sure,' she thought to herself with a groan, feeling a pinch on her arm immediately from her mom. "Mom!"

"Come on now Gabriella, no complaining. Where did my optimistic daughter go?" asked Annette.

"She's back in South Carolina, having the time of her life with the friends she made there," answered Gabriella.

Annette gave her daughter a stern look. "Enough Gabriella! How about this? I make you a solid promise that there will be no more moving or interference from me until you graduate, as long as nothing else happens? You'll have a year and a half here to be a West High Knight. Would that make you happy enough to ditch the attitude?"

"A solid promise? You'll sign an agreement that I draft up when I get home that I can hold you to, no backing out whatsoever?" pushed Gabriella.

"Well I think a written agreement is a bit much but if that will make you happy, yes. I'll talk to the appropriate people and make sure it is clear with them as well," answered Annette.

"DEAL!" exclaimed Gabriella, a genuine smile gracing her lips for the first time in days.

"Good, now get going, I don't want you being late for your first day of classes!" replied Annette, a smile gracing her face as her daughter hugged her goodbye before darting into the halls filled with students.

'According to the map, first period should be down this corridor, fifth door on the right,' she thought to herself as she eyed the map while also looking at the many doors on the wall. When she found the room finally, she ducked into the room between two tall guys who were in the doorway just talking, letterman jackets on with the school's emblem patched onto their leather sleeves. Gabriella found the teacher at the desk and handed him the first of six slips of paper she had to inform the teacher she was a new student and addition to the class.

Mr. Eckman took the paper from her and gave her a welcoming smile. "Welcome to West High Miss Montez and to Honors English, Junior year. I'm assuming you know this class is more accelerated than regular Junior English classes and that the expectations I have are of course higher as well."

"Yes sir," replied Gabriella.

"Good, then I openly welcome you. I can already tell you will be a great addition to this bunch. Why don't you have a seat next to Miss Grainger over there? She's the one in the third row with the red sweater," said Mr. Eckman, gesturing over to the girl he described before going to his computer and adding in Gabriella's information.

Gabriella slowly made her way over to the empty seat he indicated and sat down, nerves still aflutter in her stomach. She pulled out a notebook and labeled it with Honors English on the cover and sat there, watching the students interact around her.

"Are you new here?" asked the girl in the red sweater. "I haven't seen you around before."

"Yeah, I just moved from South Carolina," answered Gabriella. "I'm Gabriella by the way."

"Tessa, nice to meet you," replied the brunette girl. "Funny, you don't have a Southern accent, no offense."

"None taken," responded Gabriella with a smile. "I've moved around several times in the past and South Carolina was only one stop for my family unfortunately. I didn't have the time to really pick up the drawl on a normal basis but I can mimic it if I think about it."

Tessa grinned. "Able to copy voices and drawls, that's a talent right there Gabriella. I can tell I'm going to like having you around. What does your schedule look like?"

Gabriella dug in her bag and pulled out the piece of paper and handed it over to the brunette sitting next to her. "What do you think?"

"I think you are completely suicidal with those honors and A.P. classes, just like me. We must be kindred souls," teased Tessa. "I have this period and then the next two classes with you, then lunch, and then the last period of the day. I can show you around if you want."

"That would be great!" exclaimed Gabriella, feeling in her gut that this girl next to her would prove to be a good friend as time went on.

The bell rang and soon the room was filled with students who were sitting in their assigned seats but were still chatting as the first ten minutes were used for announcements. Once announcements were finished, Mr. Eckman gave the students the rest of the ten minutes to chat since it was the first day back from winter break and he was feeling generous. Tessa and Gabriella turned towards each other to continue to talk when Tessa let out a little laugh, startling Gabriella.

"What's so funny?" asked Gabriella, nervous Tessa had found something funny about her.

Tessa looked over Gabriella's shoulder again and then back at her new friend. "Are you into jocks by any chance?"

"Huh?"

"Are you attracted to tall, muscular, and popular guys who play sports for their high school? If so, I'd say today was your lucky day. Our basketball captain Riley Sutton is checking you out as we speak," stated Tessa.

Gabriella glanced over in the direction Tessa mentioned and felt herself blush as she saw that she was right, a guy with spiked black hair and amazing brown eyes was looking her way and smiled, showing off his perfectly straight and white teeth, when he saw her looking back at him. "Confident isn't he?" murmured Gabriella, making Tessa laugh.

"You could say that. Riley has been known to be the ladies' man since he was eight," responded Tessa. "You may be his latest victim if he has any say in the matter it looks like."

"Too bad for him then, I'm not really looking at the moment," replied Gabriella, turning her attention back to Tessa, trying to ignore the feeling of Riley still looking at her.

"Boyfriend back in South Carolina?"

"No, no boyfriend. It's silly actually but I met this guy on New Year's at this ski lodge my mom took me to before we started moving and I haven't been able to stop thinking of him since. Sad thing is, I haven't heard from him since then and I don't know where he lives even."

"Ah, a hopeless romantic," commented Tessa with a smile. "You really are getting more and more interesting by the second Gabriella. Do you have his number?"

"Yes, we exchanged them but I haven't had the courage to call him," answered Gabriella truthfully, realizing suddenly how out of character she was behaving with this girl. 'I really must trust this connection I feel with Tessa to be this open with her.'

Tessa grinned, an idea forming in her head. Before she could share though, Mr. Eckman called for the attention of the class and started his lecture on the winter break's reading of The Great Gatsby. 'Lucky for me, I've already read that,' thought Gabriella as she turned her attention back to the teacher and started copying down his notes.

---

'That wasn't too bad, it could have been a lot worse,' thought Gabriella to herself as she placed the notebooks she didn't need back into her locker while she grabbed those she did and her textbooks. She had just finished zipping her backpack up when she felt a presence leaning right next to her.

"Gabriella, after having some classes together, I wanted to introduce myself to you. I'm Riley Sutton," said the guy who had been staring at Gabriella in first period, as well as in third period.

Gabriella tried her best to place a smile on her face. "Nice to officially meet you Riley. Gabriella Montez, but I think you figured that out already."

"Well, I do try to get to know what I can about the most beautiful girl at West. So, what does a guy have to do to get a chance to really figure out what makes you tick?"

"He has to be a friend," responded Gabriella with a smile. "I'm actually not on the market for anything more."

Riley's smile faltered for a moment before recovering. "I can do that. So you have a boyfriend already then?"

"Nope," answered Gabriella simply.

"A girlfriend?" questioned Riley, an excited look in his eyes.

Gabriella was about to answer when she felt an arm encircle her waist and saw Tessa grinning back at her. Riley eyed the two and chuckled. "Find something funny Riley?" challenged Tessa.

"No, not at all Tessa. See you around Gabriella," said Riley before he turned and walked down the hall and around the corner.

As soon as he was gone, Tessa and Gabriella both burst into laughter. "Are you serious? Did we just imply to the basketball captain we were a couple?" asked Gabriella.

"Apparently so, I had to do something to get him to back off of you. He wouldn't have left your side without a date otherwise. Don't worry, he'll realize we were playing him in a few days and he'll be back by your side. Then I'll come up with a new plan," replied Tessa. "Speaking of plan, give me your cell phone."

"Why?"

"I want to program my number in for you," replied Tessa, knowing she planned on doing something else right after as well.

Gabriella handed her phone over to Tessa who punched in her name, number, and her address in the notes. She saved it and then started scrolling through the address book. "So Gabriella, what was the name of the guy you met on New Year's?"

"Troy, why?" answered Gabriella absently as she examined her locker to see how else she could spruce it up a little as the white paint was a bit depressing being all chipped and what not.

"Oh, I just wanted to know who to call," replied Tessa with a grin, immediately getting a shocked and panicked look from Gabriella. Gabriella tried grabbing for the cell but Tessa had already pushed send and was listening to the ring while keeping the cell phone out of Gabriella's grasp. Unfortunately, the call went to voicemail so Tessa hung up, relenting and returning the phone back in Gabriella's possession.

"I can't believe you did that! Did he answer?" asked Gabriella, tucking her cell phone back in her pocket.

"Nope, got voicemail so I hung up. Relax Gabriella, I'm just trying to help you out with a guy that seems to have you infatuated with only knowledge of the fact that he sings well and is cute, at least from what you said at lunch," returned Tessa. "Don't worry, I'll work it out for you, I'm good at stuff like that."

"Oh boy, what did I get myself into with you as a new friend here?" teased Gabriella, still a bit embarrassed by what could have happened if Troy had answered the phone.

"You got yourself an amazing lifelong best friend who will teach you have to have backbone if it's the last thing I do," replied Tessa with a grin.

---

Alicia Covina, a petite girl with black straight hair that came down to her shoulders, heard her boyfriend's cell phone go off on the couch where he left it before he went into the kitchen of her house to get a snack. Curious, Alicia leaned over and saw a picture of a pretty Hispanic girl appear on the phone. 'Now who could that be? Definitely not a relative,' thought Alicia before she got an idea and picked up the phone. She hit the ignore button and smiled satisfied as the ringing stopped, followed by a single beep indicating that there was a missed call. She went into the phone's call history and deleted the entry, not knowing who it was but the fact that there was no message left meant that the girl was probably some loose girl who wanted her man. 'Well, that's not going to happen. Troy Bolton is all mine since before winter break and it will stay that way if I have anything to do with it.'

"Alicia, was that my phone?" called out a brown haired teenage boy with blue eyes that all the girls found hard to not get lost in.

"No Troy, it was mine," answered Alicia, smiling at how easy her lie was.

Troy Bolton entered the room and eyed his girlfriend of a month. "Really? It sounded like my ringtone, not yours."

"Troy, why would I lie about a simple call? It's not like you have any other girlfriends I need to worry about right?" replied Alicia.

Troy rubbed the back of his neck a little, a sign that he was uncomfortable, before he nodded. "Yeah, no other girlfriends," said Troy before he thought, 'But there is a girl that took my breath away over break that I have not intentions of telling you about, you'd get too jealous.'

"Well good. Now come here Troy, I'm lonely here on the couch."

He saw that seductive smile appear on her face again and felt no pull to her, not like it was before break, before he met that one girl who captured his thoughts almost 24/7 these days. 'Gabriella,' he thought, a dreamy smile surfacing on his lips at just the thought of her.

"I know I'm hot but instead of having that smile on your face, why don't you come here and use them?" invited Alicia.

Troy shook his head and inwardly groaned, realizing that he must have slipped up and shown some of the emotions on his face a second ago. "Alicia, I better get going. You know my dad is going to kill me if I'm late for tonight's game, especially if he finds out I was at your house."

Alicia got up from the couch and sauntered over to him before wrapping her hands around his neck, bringing him down to meet her lips. After pulling away, she smiled seductively up at him. "I know your game is important, but is it as important as me? After all, I could bring you so much more pleasure than a simple basketball can."

Troy suppressed his instinct to flee, as well as the sigh he felt coming. "Alicia, you know how important basketball is to me and to my dad. I have to go. I'll see you later okay?"

He reached up and pulled her hands apart from behind his neck, forcing her to let go of him. Troy then walked over and picked up his backpack before walking to the front door, knowing if he stalled any longer he would be late.

"Bye Troy!" called out Alicia to which he responded with a wave before he finally left her house, letting out the long awaited sigh.

'What am I going to do with her? Alicia was such a sweet girl when we first started going out but now I've got this vixen on my hands that just doesn't do anything for me. Is there something wrong with me? I know all the guys on the basketball team would give anything to have a girl want him like that but for me, there's just something missing,' he thought to himself as Troy started walking back to East High. 'In all fairness, maybe it's because you keep thinking of the girl from New Year's, the girl with a voice of an angel, Gabriella, and how she made you feel in the span of just a few hours or less. If that's true though, why can't you be man enough to actually call her?'

Troy shook his head to clear his thoughts as he heard a honk from right next to him. He turned his head and grinned as he saw his buddies Chad Danforth, Zeke Baylor, and Jason Cross in Jason's car. "Want a lift or are you trying to warm up with this walk?" called out Chad with a grin.

"Sure man, thanks," said Troy before he walked over to the car and got in.

"Off visiting the girlfriend before the game huh?" asked Zeke.

"Yeah but to be honest, I don't know if she'll be my girlfriend for much longer," confessed Troy.

"Not giving you any?" questioned Jason as he started driving again.

Troy shook his head. "That's just it, she's more into that than I am. I just don't feel that attraction with her anymore and she's changed. I'm starting to think she's more like those other girls we stay away from, the ones that just want to date you for popularity."

"Alicia? No way! She has always seemed like the down to earth girl," replied Chad.

"Yeah, I thought so too until after winter break. She's changed man, definitely not the same girl she was before break," answered Troy.

Zeke nodded his head before he placed his right hand on Troy's shoulder. "Well, if you need a wingman for the breakup, we'll be there. Girls can be a bit dramatic when that stuff goes down."

"Thanks Zeke but we'll see. I'm not talking breakup city right now but it is a possibility," replied Troy.

Chad looked back at his best friend from the front seat and saw the confusion on his face. "Hey, it'll work itself out but right now, Captain, we need your head in the game if we're going to finish this season strong before Championships next week. Is your head in the game or do I have to beat these thoughts of Alicia out of you?"

Troy chuckled. "I'd like to see you try but no, you don't need to. The game is what matters now and that's where my head is at, promise."

Chad nodded his approval. "Good! Now Jason, step on it! Coach is going to be pissed if we're late!"

Jason stepped on the gas a little harder and got the four boys into the gym just in time for Coach Bolton to start his speech, giving the four boys a stern looks before they sat down and started listening to what he said along with the rest of the team.