Disclaimer: I do not own and am not making any profit from the use of these characters.

Something about Gabriella gave people the impression that she was incapable of being anything less than sugary sweet, and it sometimes made her sick. She realized now that although her friends adored her for it, it was dangerous to be gentle and understanding all the time... you got walked all over.

She heaped the last of the wet towels into the laundry bin and sat on the lip of the pool. She checked her watch again. Troy was still late.

This summer was not turning out to be the picture-perfect summer of love she had been hoping for... for herself, anyway. Sharpay Evans' summer of love, on the other hand, seemed to be shaping up pretty well. Gabriella figured it was a bit below the belt for the spoiled diva to use her father's money and influence to seduce her boyfriend away from her...

And Troy was letting himself be seduced! That was the part that burned Gabriella. How could he be so... dense? All of their friends were a little freaked out about getting accepted to college, yeah, but selling your soul to the devil?

Gabriella shivered despite the muggy summer night, looking at the shadows of the deserted driving range and seeing only Troy with his arms around Sharpay, guiding her swing. Sharpay, giggling and flipping her hair, and Troy grinning back, either unknowing or uncaring that he was becoming ensnared in the scheming blonde's trap...

The sound of a footstep from behind her startled her so that she jumped, nearly sending herself flying into the pool. A hand on her shoulder steadied her and she whipped around, ready to give Troy Bolton the tongue-lashing of his life- but it wasn't Troy.

A sheepish-looking Ryan Evans stood before her, his pale eyes glowing in the moonlight. "Hi." he said simply.

Gabriella brought one hand to her chest, her perpetual sweetness restored. "Ryan! You startled me!"

"Sorry." Ryan replied, only now removing his hand from her arm. He kicked off his sandals and sat beside her on the ledge, letting his feet slide into the water where hers already dangled.

She brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be at dinner with the rest of your family?" And Troy, she thought.

Ryan made a face. "I told them I was sick. And I was... Sick of Sharpay."

Gabriella smiled at his joke but soon her face fell.

"Are you okay?" Ryan inquired politely.

Gabriella nodded. "Yes, I just... Well I thought you might be Troy."

"Understandable." Ryan said agreeably.

"He told me he'd meet me here nearly an hour ago." Gabriella admitted. "And I just know he's tied up with that..." For some reason she didn't feel the need to pretend she was happy in front of Ryan, but she couldn't openly insult Sharpay in front of him either.

Ryan's expression of martyrdom showed her he understood. "That pushy, selfish sister of mine?" he finished.

"You forgot superficial." Gabriella said with a rueful smile, finding the blatant honesty refreshing.

"Egotistical." Ryan added.

"Conniving." Gabriella said.

"Mean-spirited."

"Spoiled."

"Vain."

They both grinned, despite themselves. "Yes." Gabriella agreed gratefully.

Ryan became serious. "Are you worried? About Sharpay and Troy?" His eyes met hers.

And suddenly Gabriella was spilling out her feelings to this boy, this mere acquaintance whom Gabriella had always sort of felt sorry for, trailing after Sharpay like a shadow. But Sharpay had ditched him, just like Troy had ditched her, and suddenly the two of them were like peas in a pod. She was telling him that she was hurt and angry and, shockingly, jealous, and he was listening, really listening. When she was finished he put an arm around her and she leaned into him with a sigh. "Does Sharpay really always get what she wants?" Gabriella asked reluctantly. She wants Troy.

"Yes." Ryan said. "Always..." He bent his neck to make sure she was looking at him. "...Except when it comes to you."

Gabriella lifted her head hopefully. "What do you mean?"

Ryan shrugged. "She wanted that part in the musical, but you won it fair and square." He paused for significance. "You can beat her, Gabriella. You can win, especially when it comes to Troy."

"You think?" Gabriella asked doubtfully.

"Troy's a good guy. He knows where his heart's at." Ryan assured her. "It's just, my sister is very good at being disorienting."

"Thanks, Ryan." Gabriella said, and meant it. She pulled Ryan into a hug and, much to his delight, kissed him on the cheek.

They hadn't noticed the approaching footsteps until they stopped. The pair looked up to see one Troy Bolton watching them, suspicion clouding his deep blue eyes. "Gabriella... Ryan...?" his acknowledgment was more of a question as his eyes- those eyes!- flicked from Ryan to Gabriella like searchlights.

Ryan, knowing what this must look like to the other boy, hurriedly attempted to make space between himself and the pretty brunette. Gabriella, also knowing what Troy was seeing, and feeling the slightest bit unkind towards him at the moment, kept her hold on Sharpay's brother. Let Troy think what he wants, she thought, remembering his "golfing lesson" with Sharpay this morning.

And some part of her got satisfaction from the jealousy written all over her boyfriend's face... some part of Gabriella that was not sugary sweet... Not sweet at all.

A/N: I wrote this a while ago, but I just found it on my computer and decided that I liked it. I've never written an HSM fic before- please leave a review and tell me what you thought!