Chapter 15: Epilogue

July 2012.

Gabriella leaned back, propping her feet up on the empty chair across from her. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she sipped her glass and took a quick look around. There was a slight breeze that fell around her bare shoulders, but the sun cast a warm glow over the entire tent that took up half the grounds. Across the table, she caught sight of several kids tossing bits of bread into the vast lake.

"Hey, stranger," a breath tickled her ear and she felt a familiar pair of lips kiss her cheek, before Troy emerged, picking up legs and settling them down into his lap comfortably. His finger drew a circular pattern on her calf, as she watched him take a swig from his beer bottle.

"Hi," she murmured breathlessly.

It was like a dream. Gabriella could remember only moments, bits and pieces, but it all seemed to flow together, intertwining and jumbling up into a happy little mess. She still remembered the night that changed it all. Showing up on Troy's doorstep, drenched in rainwater, Gabriella didn't have to plead or beg or listen to a long-winded apology. After being apart, after playing a game of cat-and-mouse for so long, she and Troy somehow found their way back onto the same page. And she remembered looking into his bright, electric-blue eyes, and just knowing that he was it. That Brian didn't matter, that the proposal was in the past, that work could wait…all because of Troy Bolton. So she had done what any sane girl would do – she leaped into his arms, pressed her lips to his, and never looked back.

There had been things to talk about, heavy conversations to be had, and issues to work through. But Gabriella was done crying for what could've been - she needed to smile and anticipate what could be.

"Isn't this wedding amazing?" she asked him excitedly, bouncing her leg up and down on his lap.

"I can't believe Tay did this all on her own. And Chad even looks halfway decent!" Troy chuckled, both of their eyes falling on the groom, who was attempting to break-dance.

"I hope my wedding looks like this someday," Gabriella mumbled, a blush immediately rising in her cheeks when she realized what she had implied. Her and Troy didn't stray away from that topic – after laying everything out on the table, the two had had some interesting conversations about their future together.

"We'll make it look however you want," he said softly, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She shivered at his touch, something that clearly hadn't changed since high school. Before she could say anything back, Gabriella caught sight of Taylor and Chad, clumsily making their way to the stage. She briefly wondered if they were tipsy or just excited, but couldn't hold back her giggle when she saw Chad tap at the mic confusedly.

"Hello?" his voice seemed too loud for the tent and he pulled back, a sheepish look on his face. "Whoa, sorry! Okay, um. Me and my new wife have a few words we'd like to say," Chad grinned, dropping a sweet kiss on Taylor's cheek, before letting her have the floor. Gabriella watched breathlessly as her best friend readjusted her intricate wedding gown and started to speak.

"First of all, we just want to say thank you to every single person who came today. We appreciate you taking the time and the effort to come to our wedding and this day wouldn't have been as special if it hadn't been for all of you, so thank you so much!" Taylor smiled, waiting until the applause died down, before preparing herself to continue.

"Chad and I, as you all know, dated in high school. But we were never the 'It Couple.' We were too different, we fought too much, we weren't from the same cliques – in hindsight, we weren't supposed to make it this far. Nobody really believed in us and sometimes, we didn't believe in us either. I mean, it was high school and relationships come and go, right?" Taylor paused, letting her words sink in. "Well, that would've been the case for us, if it hadn't been for two extraordinary people. They believed in us when everybody else was doubtful. They believed in us when we couldn't or didn't want to. They believed in us when the whole world said it was wrong,"

Taylor paused to wipe the tears from her eyes, her hand clutching her champagne flute tightly. Taking a deep breath, she pointed at Troy and Gabriella, causing everybody's gaze in the room to refocus. "Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are two of the strongest people we know. They've been through it all – breakups, make-ups, life-changing experiences, long-distance…they've seen what the harsh world can do to a perfect love. But somehow, amidst all of that adversity, they've managed to come out better. They've risen above the hardships, the confusion, and the uncertainty of it all. You see, they were the 'It Couple' of East High," she giggled, a laugh circling the tent.

"So, we just wanted to say a special thank you to Troy and Gabriella, for showing us it's possible to find the one when you're sixteen. For showing us it's possible to beat all the odds and prove everybody wrong. But most importantly, for believing in us," Taylor finished tearfully.

Gabriella choked back a sob, hugging Taylor and Chad tightly as they walked past their table. The band started playing again and she saw her friends hit the dance floor, but she couldn't. Her best friend's speech was still fresh in her memory and she pored over each word, loving the way it sounded.

"You want to dance?" Troy's deep, husky voice tickled her ear, as he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.

"No, let's…let's just stay here for a while," she untangled her legs and moved to sit on his lap, her fingers twisting into the ends of his hair.

"You sure you don't want to get up on this?" he joked, gesturing to himself and Gabriella couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face – inexplicably happy, with a hint of that familiar, playful smirk.

"Let's just stay here for a bit," she repeated, resting her forehead against his. Her eyes met his and Gabriella felt the electricity between them, sending shivers up and down her spine. "Besides, we have the rest of our lives together."

There would be hard times, she knew that. There would be tough conversations about the future, there would be talk about marriage, proposals, and living together. But for once, Gabriella wasn't afraid to let her heart get back into it. She wasn't afraid to let her heart feel and yearn for something that had been taken away from her. No, this time, there was no denying it.

There was a time when Gabriella had shown up completely drunk in front of Troy's house, demanding answers. They had had an argument about Brian and his empty promises to Gabriella versus Troy and his promises. After all that, Gabriella remembered Troy saying that maybe they only had that one shot to be happy together, that it was now over and could never be again. The next day, when Gabriella was nursing a brutal hangover, she had asked him if he meant what he said.

He never gave her an answer and Gabriella never asked it again, but after everything that had happened, she knew what he would've said, what he'd still say.

That he didn't mean it. That it wasn't their only shot at being happy.

Gabriella knew this now, looking into ocean-blue eyes - that it had never been over for them.

And that everybody, even Troy and Gabriella, deserved a second chance at happiness.

A/N: I just want to say, thank you so much to everybody who's ever come across this fic. I've really loved writing this & I've gotten such great feedback and enthusiasm from every single one of you, so thank you so much.

I know I never gave any indication that this fic was ending, but honestly, it just felt like it was time. I kind of like how I wrapped this all up and I just feel like it's great to see the characters come full circle. Regardless, I'd love to see what you guys think of it - do you like it, love it, or absolutely hate how I've ended it? :S Tee hee.

Again, thanks so much. I don't know if I'll be writing any more Troy/Gabriella or HSM fics, seeing as how I'm not that interested in Zac Efron anymore. Lol. Still, there are so many great fics out there, so I'll definitely keep reading. :) Xoxo.