Toward the end of the day, Troy and Gabriella had English class together, where Troy sat at the front, and Gabriella sat at the back with a couple of her friends. The class had recently been studying the play Romeo and Juliet.

"Listen up boys and girls" the teacher, Ms. Fields, said as she strode through the doorway. "Now that we've finished studying the love between Romeo and Juliet, now comes the time for you students to pair up to complete this semesters syllabus. Boys I know you are going to love this project…I am to assign you different types of love" she began, and straight away, moans and groans erupted from the males, even from some of the females. As a matter of fact, Gabriella even rolled her eyes. "Yes I know, I am going to pair you up and assign you what your love is"

Troy was relieved when she said she was going to pair students up, usually no one was interested in being his partner.

"Louisa and Marcus, you are to work on unconditional love. Jerry and Nicola, Maternal love. Rebecca and Chad, self love…" Mr. Fields went on until Gabriella and Troy realised they were the only two students left. "Gabriella and Troy, unconditional love" and straight away, a loud bang was heard at the back of the class.

"Oh my god Gabi!" Sharpay yelled as she held her friends forehead after she dropped it straight down on her desk in frustration. It wasn't so much the project that bothered her, it was the person she was partnered with, and Troy knew it too. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as he subtly looked back at her.

Everyone shuffled their chairs and desks so they were with their partner, discussing how they would present their project to the class. Troy picked up his seat with one hand and placed it opposite Gabriella's desk. "I swear to god, are your parents going to arrange a marriage with me. Now I can never get away from you" she said, slouching her upper body down on her desk. "You may as well do this whole thing by yourself, I'm not going to be here to present it" Gabriella said casually.

"Don't say that, I need your help. I'm a guy and doing a project on love is the last thing I had in mind"

"Well hello? We just studied Romeo and Juliet, obviously the stupid project is going to be about love. Or would it be about Juliet's hair colour?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I guess we should just think of something so we can get the ball rolling. What is unconditional love mean to you?" Troy asked her.

"It's where you love someone unconditionally"

"Well that's true. Let's start with your boyfriend Matt, how does he show you his unconditional love?" Troy asked, ready to take down some notes, but the only response he got was Gabriella swallowing and scratching her cheek.

"He doesn't show me anything" she said dully.

"So why is he your boyfriend?" he asked.

"Convenience"

"What's so convenient about it?"

"I like the attention" Gabriella said.

"But you said he doesn't even show you any love…how is th-"

"Shut UP Troy!" Gabriella yelled, right before storming out of the classroom, everyone watching her. Troy quickly got up and scooted out the door on her heels.

"Gabriella wait!"

She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, almost having Troy crash into her. "So what's the deal Troy Bolton?" she asked, poking him hard and quick in the chest. "You save my stupid life, and now you're trying to make me feel like total shit? What the hell are you exactly trying to do to me?" she asked. Troy stared at her and saw her face soften. She had just noticed his crystal blue eyes and her heart almost melted inside her chest.

"I'm trying to understand you"

"Why do you want to?! Why do you even care Troy Bolton?!"

"I can't watch someone as intelligent…and as beautiful as you just throw away their life" he said. Gabriella's eyes scattered around the corridor and soon fell upon Troy's face. "Beautiful. Has Matt ever called you that?"

"If you could crawl inside my mind Troy, and see what I'm constantly reminded of, you would immediately regret dragging me out of that ocean" she said in a low growl, "because you would want to die too"

"I could never regret saving someone's life" Troy said, taking a step toward her.

"Ha! Who's life could you save Bolton?" another male voice said. Gabriella's boyfriend Matt appeared from around the corner. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and gave her a rough kiss on her temple "hey baby" he said. Troy observed the interaction. There was no warmth, no softness and no smile from Gabriella. There was definitely no unconditional love. "Is there something you want loser?" Matt said, but Troy's eyes remained glued on Gabriella's. "Oi! Quit staring at my girl". Troy raised his eyebrows at Matt and left, he didn't want to cause any problems, that was probably the last thing that Gabriella would've wanted. "What were you talking to that freak for?" Matt asked as him and Gabriella walked down the hallway, not considering going back to their classes.

"No reason, he was just passing by talking random shit" she said lazily.

The end of the day finally came and Troy was piling book into his bag, ready to take on all the homework that night. He pulled the strap over his head and made his way down the corridor but was stopped by the same guy he had a conversation with earlier.

"So Bolton why exactly were you talking to my girlfriend?" Matt said, pushing Troy into the wall.

"We just passed each other in the hall, that's it." Troy said in defence.

"Didn't exactly look like a passing comment to me" Matt added, pushing Troy again.

"What's going on here?" a female voice asked. Troy saw Gabriella's eyes appear from over Matt's shoulder.

"Fixing up this guy's interest in you" Matt said to her.

"I don't want your girlfriend Matt!" Troy said getting frustrated "Gabriella will kick your ass if you start treating her as your property"

"Oh you know her that well do you?"

"Stop it Matt" Gabriella snapped quickly. She looked at Troy and he took her hint to leave the bad scene that Matt caused.

That night, Gabriella sat on her bed in her apartment staring into space as she usually did. She picked up her phone when she felt it vibrate. Thinking it would be from Sharpay or Matt, she was quite shocked when she saw it was from Troy (they exchanged numbers for the project), and for some reason, her heart skipped a beat.

Troy: You don't want him, do you?

Gabriella glared at her phone screen. Angry at Troy for meddling but also angry because she knew he was right.

Gabriella: It's none of your god damn business Bolton

Troy: From what I know of you Gabriella, if I was wrong, you would've told me by now.

Gabriella: Why do you even care?

Troy: Unconditional love: to love someone completely

The conversation stopped, and Troy had a feeling Gabriella wasn't going to text back so he just climbed into bed and put his phone on his bedside table, but suddenly, his phone lit up.

Gabriella: Unconditional love: fantasy

Troy sent one back in a flash

Troy: Someone will prove you wrong some day soon