A/N: I don't own any of the characters except the ones I have created and to not own HSM.
April 1st 2007
The bell signaling the end of the school day had rung over half an hour ago and the halls of East High were silent as Gabriella Montez started walking towards the secret roof top garden where she was going to wait for her boyfriend Troy Bolton. It was a Tuesday and Gabi knew that every Tuesday , Wednesday and Friday Troy would stay behind with the rest of the team for basketball practice. Usually she would walk home alone on these days but for some reason she could not explain she had decided to stay behind and surprise Troy by waiting for him outside the gym. Gabi knew that practice wouldn't be over for at least another hour so decided to spend the time in the rooftop garden reading, something she had not been able to to for a very long time.
As she started to climb the concrete stairs leading to the roof of East High, she began to smile. She and Troy had been going out for over a year now and it had been the best year of her life but lately things had felt different between them, like something wasn't right any more and Gabi knew it was her fault, she hadn't been paying Troy enough attention but today she was going to put an end to it and show Troy just how much she loved him.
She was so lost in her own world that she didn't hear the high pitched giggling of the head cheerleader Sara as she pulled open the red fire door that led to the roof or notice the random pieces of clothing strewn over the garden until she looked up and saw Sara making out with a boy on the bench. But it wasn't just any boy.
It was Troy.
Ten Years Later.
(Troy's POV)
"DETECTIVE BOLTON!" The Chief yelled at me and snapped me out of my day dream. I looked around and saw the rest of the team including the Chief staring at me and began to feel the blood rushing to my face.
"Erm... Yes Sir?" I asked , sitting straighter in my chair and straightening my tie.
" Would you like to give the details of the Stamborn case now or at a time that's more appropriate for you?"
I could feel my face turning even redder as I stood up and telling the rest of the team about the case I was currently working on.
Ten minutes later I was finished and we were dismissed from the briefing to go back to our jobs of fighting crime and catching the bad guys.
As we all filtered out of the Chief's office I heard the Chief call my name and turned around.
"Yes Sir?"
"You were working on the Montez file last night weren't you Bolton?" He asked.
Damn, he got me. I had been working on the Montez file every night for the last 6 months at the office using police resources which was against the rules.
I started to rub the back of my neck "Maybe. Just a little."
I expected him to shout at me and give me some big lecture about how it was up to the cold case squad to reopen the Montez file and not me or the department, but instead he sighed directed me towards a chair in the corner of the office.
"Troy I know this case is important to you..." He began.
"It was the reason I joined." I told him honestly. He nodded his head at me and frowned.
"I know I read your application form. But it's been 10 years Troy. I think it's time that you let go and started moving on with your life"
I knew he was right but I didn't want to admit it. I had spent almost ten years of my life trying track down Gabriella and even when all my friends and the police had given up searching I carried on determined that I would find her. I needed to find her.
I looked up at the Chief with determination in my eyes
"I WILL find her." I said angrily before storming out of the office. I knew I would get stick for it tomorrow but for now I didn't care. It was the end of my shift and I had a lead to go and investigate.