Troy grinned as Gabriella opened the door to her house herself as he picked her up for their double date with Chad and Taylor. He took in her black, knee length skirt with white button up shirt and swept up hair. "How do you look gorgeous every time I see you?" questioned Troy before he leaned down and kissed Gabriella.

She pulled away as she closed the door behind her and locked it before she said, "Hello to you too. Chad and Taylor in the car?"

"Uh huh," stated Troy before he pulled Gabriella back into his arms and kissed her senseless. "Sorry, had to do that one more time before we got in the vicinity of Chad."

Gabriella laughed and took Troy's hand in hers as they walked out to where Chad's car was idling. "Hey Taylor, hey Chad," greeted Gabriella as she got into the car with Troy's assistance before he got in on the other side.

"Hey Gab," replied Chad. "So Troy and I were thinking of going to that nice Italian Bistro that opened up two weeks ago. You two girls game?"

"Sure," agreed Taylor. "Worth a try!"

Chad nodded his head and started the drive to the restaurant while Gabriella and Troy held hands in the backseat and Taylor talked about yesterday, which meant it was about her Christmas with her feuding cousins. Once at the restaurant, both guys ran to open the doors for Taylor and Gabriella and held their hands in theirs as they entered. "Reservation under Bolton," said Troy to the hostess, who smiled back at him.

"Right this way, Mr. Bolton," spoke the hostess after she grabbed four menus.

The two couples followed her and found she led them to a table set for four with candles lit on the table and situated near, but not too close, the fire in the oversized fireplace. Troy helped Gabriella into her seat before he took his own. Taylor knowingly smiled over at Gabriella, who returned the smile. 'It's good to see that look back in her eyes,' thought Taylor before she turned her attention back to the menu.

"Good evening, my name is Sally and I'll be your waitress for the evening," greeted their waitress. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"A beer?" asked Chad before he was elbowed none to gently by Taylor. "I was kidding. Do you have root bear by chance?"

The waitress laughed and nodded her head. "Yes, we do sir. So we have one root beer. Anyone else?"

Taylor ordered herself a Coke, Troy doubled it, and Gabriella ordered an Iced Tea. The waitress took that all down plus their appetizer order and left.

"What looks good to you?" asked Troy as he leaned over towards Gabriella.

"I'm eyeing the Chicken Alfredo. You?" responded Gabriella.

"The all meat calzone," answered Troy.

The waitress came back with their drinks and then took their order before she left. Gabriella was a bit perturbed by the waitress, who seemed to constantly stare at Troy with this flirtatious look on her face, but brushed it aside to being paranoid. 'Besides, we're just dating, not a relationship Gabriella,' she thought.

Chad and Taylor watched as Gabriella and Troy exchanged sweet glances every now and then and appeared to be holding hands under the table. "Back to their sickly sweet selves," commented Chad. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

Taylor laughed and patted his arm. "I would have to agree with that. Let's just hope this is for the long run with smooth sailing."

"So, what are your plans for New Year's, guys?" asked Gabriella. "Any big parties going on?"

"Actually, Chad and I were going to see if you and Troy wanted to join us. One of Chad's cousin's friends is throwing a big bash at his place. It's going to be college students but we thought it would be fun. I don't think any of the gang really are going to be throwing a party," replied Taylor. "Interested perhaps?"

"Sounds good to me," said Gabriella. "What about you, Troy?"

Troy thought for a moment before he agreed. "Bringing in the new year with my best friends? Sounds totally doable to me."

Chad grinned at Troy. "Welcome back officially into the world of double dating. I've missed you, man!"

Troy laughed with Chad while the girls rolled their eyes. "Always has to be a joke with that one," commented Taylor. "I guess he's happy to have his partner in crime back, Troy."

"Well that on top of the fact that Troy has always been a good double date partner. Even before we got lucky and found you two lovely ladies here, we went on doubles before and there were definitely some that I would have chewed my arm off to get out of the date but didn't because I had Troy there to keep me company," explained Chad. "There was this one time especially in freshman year…"

"Thank God you are here, Troy!" exclaimed Chad as his best friend approached him outside the restaurant. "I thought your dad was never going to drop you off."

Troy chuckled at his panic stricken friend. "What's wrong, Chad? Can't handle two JV cheerleaders on your own?"

"No! It's more like two giggly and not much up there girls I can't handle," replied Chad. "Man, I had to get out of there because I thought I was going to lose it with all their chattering."

"I'm sure it can't be that bad," returned Troy. "Come on, man. Let's go see what has you so worked up."

The two friends walked back into the restaurant and took their seats across from each other. "Sorry about that girls, had to wait for this guy to get here," said Chad as he looked over at his supposed date.

"We thought you flushed yourself down the toilet actually," said the brunette named Anna.

"Then I thought you would have gotten stuck because the toilet only flushes so long," added the blonde, Amber.

"Nope, I was just standing outside," replied Chad as he threw a look at Troy.

Troy held in a chuckle at Chad's frustrated look. "So, Amber and Anna, how is the cheerleading squad doing this year?"

"We rock!" replied Amber, "But not as much as the boy's basketball team. You guys are so strong!"

He felt Amber's right hand touch his left arm and then squeeze his bicep. Troy coughed as his eyes widened, which made Chad chuckle. "Is it as solid as it looks, Amber?" asked Anna.

"Even better," replied Amber with a grin. She still hadn't removed her hand from Troy's arm so he gently extracted his arm from her grip in a move to make it look like he had an itch there.

Chad and Troy exchanged glances as Chad secretly pulled out his cell and hit redial. Troy's cell went off so he looked apologetically at their dates and answered. He saw it was Chad and forced his grin back. "Dad? Uh huh, sure, I'll be home as soon as possible."

Chad watched as Troy hung up the phone. "What's up, man?"

"I have to go, something about my dog, I couldn't really get the whole story. Chad, did you want to come with me? I know you love him, too," replied Troy.

"Definitely. I'm sorry Amber and Anna, it looks like we have to cut this date short. I have to be there for my best friend, I hope you understand," said Chad as he looked at the two girls.

Amber and Anna just nodded their heads as Amber's eyes became watery. "I hope your dog is okay, Troy."

"Thanks," mumbled Troy as he got up and put some money down on the table. "The least I can do is pay for your dinner tonight. Thanks for understanding, Amber."

"You too, Anna," said Chad as he followed Troy outside. Once a good distance away, both guys stopped and let out a hug collective sigh. "I so told you!"

Troy just shook his head. "Now what do we do when we see them next week and thereafter?"

"Tell them your dog is fine, fully recovered, and just avoid asking them out again!" exclaimed Chad.

"So you never went out with Anna and Amber again, huh?" questioned Gabriella. "Not even as an apology for ditching them?"

"Nope," answered Chad. "We stayed clear of them after that."

Taylor just shook her head as she popped a mozzarella stick into her mouth. "I can't believe you and Troy did that to two poor girls."

"Poor girls? Taylor, you already call me lunkhead. Having stayed at that dinner or going out on more dates with them would have left me crazy!" exclaimed Chad.

"He's right, Taylor. I only spent, what, five minutes there, and was already hurting from the conversation," added Troy. "But we didn't do anything malicious. Just had to do something to get ourselves out of a bad date."

"And you still think that's okay to do?" asked Gabriella. "To bail on a date like that on a girl?"

"Hey now, don't pretend girls don't do the emergency text or call now to get out of bad dates as well. We've seen it happen to Jason before only to find the girl with her girlfriend at the ice-cream parlor next door," replied Chad. "Now that is bad planning. At least we left the whole shopping center."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Still, I can't see two great guys doing that to two girls. No wonder they don't talk to you now."

"Oh they do, but we keep our distance," answered Troy.

Suddenly, Taylor's cell phone went off, just on vibrate as they had all turned the cells onto vibrate mode before they left the car. She picked it up and answered, "Hello? Oh my gosh! Yes, I'll be right there!"

Chad studied the worried look on his girlfriend's face and felt real concern. "What's wrong, baby?" he asked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Chad, Gabriella and I have to go," answered Taylor, as she gave Gabriella a look.

"Sure, I'll drive you but what's going on?" pushed Chad.

Troy watched Taylor and Chad and knew something was up by the way that Gabriella wasn't pushing Taylor for any details and was also refusing to look him in the eyes.

Taylor looked at Gabriella and then Troy and then back to Chad. She was about to say something when Gabriella jumped in. "Chad, Troy, we have to go. Taylor's dog, well she's sick and may die within the next minute if we don't leave this awful date!" teased Gabriella as Taylor started giggling.

Chad stared at Taylor and Gabriella together before he shook his head. "That was AWFUL!" he exclaimed. "How could you do that to me? I thought something was really wrong." Troy started to chuckle as well, which puzzled Chad even more. "And why are you laughing with them?"

"Because, you could totally tell it was a set up!" explained Troy. "Didn't you notice Gabriella didn't even blink when Taylor was getting hysterical and then she just had a concerned look on her face. These two are so close, had it been real, Gabriella would have been dragged out of here by now by Taylor. Come on, Chad. You gotta get more observant, man!"

"I think I picked the really observant one," commented Gabriella as she patted Troy on the shoulder. "Very nice work, Sherlock."

"Why thank you," he replied with a smile before he gave her a quick kiss. "And is this really such an awful date that you would need to pull that trick?"

"No, but that was a pretty awful thing you did to those two cheerleaders. You and Chad are the reasons why Taylor and I typically stayed away from jocks," stated Gabriella.

Taylor nodded her agreement and smiled as she looked at a still hurt Chad. "Oh Chad, I'm sorry," she said. "I just wanted to give you a taste of what that must have been like for those two girls. Yes, I am glad you didn't go and date them but still, I have to feel bad for them. They went and got dressed up for a date with two basketball gods they obviously crushed on and you just ditched them like that. I would never actually do that to you, I promise. Well, unless I caught you flirting with another girl on the date then well all bets are off in that scenario. Come on, won't you smile for me?"

Chad eyed Troy, who had signaled for him to cut the act. Against his own desire to make Taylor suffer in return, he turned his attention back to his girlfriend and smiled. "It's not fine but I understand," replied Chad. "I guess as we look back on it, I can see what you are saying, but honestly, if I put you and Gabriella on a date with two guys who didn't know what an atom was, I don't think you would last much longer with them."

"I don't know Taylor, sounds like he wants to set you and I up," commented Gabriella, which earned a smirk from Taylor.

"No!" exclaimed both Chad and Troy together. Chad shrugged at his poor situational choice when he got the glare again from Troy.

Gabriella shook her head and looked around the table. "All right, I think we need to let everyone off the hook now on this subject. Chad and Troy, you know what we did was just a joke and that we would never really pull a fake emergency on you with the exception of flirting and cheating being involved, which by the way, those two scenarios should never happen."

"And Gabriella and Taylor, you know that we would never do that to you either nor would we set you up with other guys. We want you all to ourselves, right Chad?" stated Troy.

"Right Troy," agreed Chad. "Everything square?"

"Square," answered Taylor before she and Chad shared a sweet kiss. "Besides, I'd be thinking of my lunkhead all night even if I was to go on another date."

Chad grinned at her until he felt a sugar packet smack him on the forehead. "Hey!"

Troy smirked back. "That's for getting too sweet over there! Had to give you a taste of your own medicine by interrupting the moment like you are so fond of doing when the table is turned."

Both Taylor and Gabriella burst into laughter over this and couldn't stop until after the food came.

After they finished their meals and shared one dessert among the four of them, Troy and Chad paid the bill and then escorted their dates back to Chad's car. On the way to Gabriella's house, they decided to extend the date for a little while longer and all went inside to watch a movie together in Gabriella's living room.

Ms. Montez made the teenagers some popcorn while Gabriella got drinks and then left the four on their own as she went upstairs to do some things for work.

"Have I mentioned lately how much your mom rocks?" asked Chad as he stuffed a fist full of popcorn into his mouth.

"No, but I'll make sure I tell her for you," replied Gabriella as she snuggled deeper into Troy's embrace. "So what movie are we watching?"

Taylor was scrolling through the TV channel guide and stopped on Dirty Dancing. "No way!" exclaimed Chad. "I have seen that one too many times with you."

Chad took the remote over and continued to scroll as he landed on The Grudge. "Okay, I speak for Gabriella on this, that's a vetoed choice, my man," said Troy. "I don't know about Taylor but Gabriella is going to have nightmares tonight and for a week after if we watch that."

Taylor grinned as she watched Gabriella smile gratefully up at Troy. "That's so sweet! Chad, why can't you protect me and know me like Troy does Gabriella?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "Thanks Troy, yet another way to put me down, man."

Troy laughed as he got up and took a look at the Montez DVD collection. "What about one of these?" he asked as Gabriella joined him. They looked at the titles together until they found one at the same time, Pirates of the Carribean, Dead Man's Chest. Gabriella picked it off the shelf and waved it in front of Chad and Taylor. "A compromise, action plus romance?"

Taylor and Chad nodded their heads. "Great pick!" stated Taylor as Troy took the DVD from Gabriella and popped it into the player. Taylor and Chad sat together on one couch while Gabriella and Troy cuddled up next to each other on the other couch.

Halfway through the movie, two out of the four were sound asleep. Taylor looked down on her shoulder and saw that Chad had closed his eyes for good as he softly snored in her left ear. She resisted the urge to giggle and turned her head from him and the TV to look over at the couple on the other couch. 'They really are adorable,' thought Taylor as she watched as Troy lovingly stroked Gabriella's hair while she slept on a pillow on his lap and he watched the movie.

Sensing Taylor's gaze, Troy looked over at his friend and grinned as he saw Chad just as sound asleep as Gabriella. "Guess they were both tired," commented Troy as he shook a blanket that was on the back of the couch out to spread over Gabriella as she shivered a little.

"Guess so. I'm just glad we can do this again together. I know Chad really loves having you here with him to hang out on dates and stuff when we don't want to be alone," replied Taylor.

Troy nodded his head. "I'm just happy it could be like this again." Gabriella stirred a little and shifted a little, which caused Troy to stop talking. He felt a smile on his lips as he watched Gabriella get settled again and then lapse into peaceful sleep. Troy couldn't resist the urge any longer and leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. When he looked back up, he caught Taylor grinning at them, unashamed that she was.

"Should we let them continue to sleep?" asked Taylor in a whisper.

"I think for the rest of the movie and then we can wake them up. I kind of like it having Gabriella this close to me again," confessed Troy.

"All right," agreed Taylor. "But if Chad snores any louder, I am so waking his butt up."

Troy chuckled quietly and turned his attention back to the television just in time to see the fight on the wheel. 'That was a bit of a lie,' thought Troy as he looked back down at a blissful looking Gabriella. 'I love having her back in my arms, not just like, and I wouldn't trade this moment for all the money in the world.'

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