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Tessa drove her car up to the iron gates of the address Gabriella had given her earlier that morning and felt her mouth drop taking in the new Montez household, which was a mansion that sat on top of a hill. Taylor felt her jaw drop as well as she took in the splendor that Gabriella was now living in, as well as the high security. The two best friends shared a look before Tessa pulled up to the guard's station. "Hi, I'm Tessa Grainger and this is Taylor McKessie. We are here to see, umm… Gabriella Montez, I think that's what she goes by still."
The guard nodded his head and checked the computer that sat in front of him, seeing their names registered on the computer's database for approved visitors. "Can I see your IDs please?" asked the guard.
Taylor gave Tessa a questioning look, who shrugged in return as both pulled out their driver's licenses before handing it over to the guard, who scanned it and then handed them back. "Go on in ladies," instructed the guard before he opened the gates.
Once the gates were fully opened, Tessa slowly drove up the driveway and parked, becoming more in awe of Gabriella's new digs as Taylor and Tessa both got out of the car and walked to the large front door of the mansion. Before they could ring the doorbell, they heard an electrical sound and looked up to the top right corner above the door and saw a surveillance camera before the front door opened, a middle aged butler standing there. "Miss McKessie, Miss Grainger, the princess is waiting for you in the brown living room. Follow me please," invited the butler, leading the two girls down the hall.
When he brought the two girls into view from the living room, both Tessa and Taylor grinned as they saw an ecstatic Gabriella running towards them, throwing her arms around both of them at the same time. "Tessa! Taylor! My God it's been too long!" exclaimed Gabriella, squeezing both of them tightly. "I know, I know, as my mom keeps telling me, it's only been three months or so but it seems longer! How have you been?"
Gabriella took a step back and led the other two over to a set of couches and chairs, Gabriella sitting in a love seat while the other two carefully sat on the longer of the other two couches. "We're just the same as the last time we spoke on the phone this morning," assured Tessa, making Gabriella blush.
"That's right, I'm sorry. I'm just so excited to see both of you," returned Gabriella, who noticed that Taylor and Tessa were both occupied by looking around the large room. "I know, it's a big difference from our last home here in Albuquerque but I couldn't convince my parents otherwise. I think it's obnoxious."
"I wouldn't say obnoxious, just extravagant," murmured Taylor, who saw the crystal chandelier above their heads. "What's with the big change? Are you all outted as the royal family now of Copanvy or what?"
"Not so much that but security, at least the way my dad explains it," returned Gabriella. "They did try to figure out a house for us to live in here that would give them ample ability to set up the security they wanted but couldn't as all the homes are close together. They felt this way would be safer and to be honest, I'd rather feel safer with all the security right now."
Tessa looked back at her best friend who had been gone all summer, reminded again of why Gabriella left early in the first place at this admittance. "So you're still bothered by what happened before you left huh? You seem happier though, which is a really big and happy change from the last time we saw you."
Gabriella sadly nodded her head. "I still have nightmares but the flashbacks randomly happening while I'm awake have almost disappeared and I have methods of dealing with them now too. The psychologist my grandmother found for me is actually really good. I resisted for the first couple of weeks but then I realized how much help she was really giving me. She actually traveled with us to be my own on call psychologist. Now if that doesn't say I'm still a major head case, I don't know what does."
"Don't say that Gab, that doesn't mean anything at all. I'm just happy you are in a situation where your family can help in those ways," responded Taylor. "And as for this mansion you now live in, I don't think it makes a bit of difference as to who you are because you are still our best friend and I would actually agree with the reasons your parents had for security."
Tessa nodded her agreement. "Especially with Riley's supporters lurking around still. It got quieter as the summer went on, but I think it was definitely a great call for you to have left when you did. Had you not, I think they may have acted on his behalf because they are that much a bunch of idiots."
Gabriella returned Tessa's gaze with a sad one. "So there was still trouble after I left then? How come you didn't mention it when we talked?"
"Because I didn't want to worry you, neither Tay or I did. Nothing happened out of it but it was clear then and probably now there are people who feel Riley was unjustly arrested and held. They don't know the truth though of what happened Gaby, just as they don't know who you are. So how did you live in the palace in Copanvy if your grandparents didn't have any type of public recognition of you and your mother?" asked Tessa, voicing a question she has had in her mind for all those months.
"People just assumed we were guests. No one dares to question the royal family and we are a small country, not likely to get the world's attention anyway," replied Gabriella. "That much I am grateful for. Grandmother said though that there will probably be some sort of official ceremony of such when we return, whenever that may be in the future. With the state I was in for most of the summer though, she and Grandfather didn't want to risk scandal."
Taylor just shook her head at this. "That's a sad comment on living in the public's eye if your grandparents, royals or not, felt they had to hide you because you were dealing with something very real and terrible like you have been," stated Taylor. "Before you even ask, I am not at all ashamed to be known as your best friend."
"And neither am I, that is as long as the princess isn't ashamed of us," teased Tessa, earning a grin from Gabriella while she rolled her eyes. "Just had to check!"
"As if that would really change you two," returned Gabriella. "So Taylor, are you going to take on Tessa's role of being my champion at East High this year?"
Taylor nodded her head. "We will, at least I will try to fill her shoes but I can't promise as Tessa does have a way of doing everything in an elaborate manner."
"Hey!" protested Tessa while she playfully swatted at Taylor's arm before she sobered a bit. "So you really are going to try going to a normal school like East huh? I figured if you did that you wouldn't be going back to West. In fact, sometimes I wish I could get out of West myself but then who would there be to spy for you?"
"Have you been given trouble for being associated with me?" asked Gabriella, evident concern in her voice.
Tessa shook her head. "No, maybe snide comments here and there but since you've been gone, most people have kind of let it slide. The gossip mill still moves during the summer but not with the same amount of speed."
"Speaking of gossip mill, I met the most extraordinary brother and sister twins yesterday as they and their parents came over to introduce themselves to us. They share the property line to the east of us. Evans I think was their family name," stated Gabriella, thinking back to the meeting with the two blondes and their family.
"Oh God, Sharpay and Ryan Evans?" asked Taylor, shocked that those two were Gabriella's neighbors yet not really. "They are the drama king and queen of East. Were they all snotty with you?"
Gabriella immediately denied this. "Not at all. Ryan was actually pretty sweet and his sister, Sharpay, she seemed a bit dramatic and gossipy but not horrible."
Tessa rolled her eyes. "Of course she wouldn't as she sees you as in her league, even not knowing you are true royalty. I may not go to East but I am well aware of Sharpay's tendencies."
"Is she really that bad?" asked Gabriella, not sure if she liked having someone like that in her life right now.
"Well, here's another tidbit for you. She's had her eye on Troy Bolton since we were all in junior high," replied Taylor, careful not to say too much.
For some reason, this news stopped Gabriella's mind cold while her heart clenched a little. Gabriella closed her eyes and breathed in and out a few times before she reopened them to see Tessa and Taylor both looking at her out of concern. "I'm fine, really."
"Have you talked to him?" Taylor asked in a quiet voice. "I mean, like really talked to him this summer?"
Gabriella thought back to the first few weeks where there had been constant communication, which eventually faded to an email or two a week by the end of Gabriella's stay there. "I have but to be honest, we've lost touch. I didn't even tell him I was coming back this past week," informed Gabriella. "Maybe this break was really what we needed, it saved me further hurt in the future."
Tessa shot Taylor a look before she said, "Well, remember how we promised we would keep an eye on Troy this summer? We did and we actually have been seeing him around with a girl this summer at like hang out spots, like the mall and stuff."
The news made Gabriella pale a bit more, having surprised her a little bit but not by much. 'I gave him his space, I didn't expect him to stay true to his claim of not seeing anyone while I was away, did I?'
"Gab, are you all right?" questioned Taylor, worried as to how Gabriella was really taking this.
Gabriella swallowed and took in a deep breath before nodding her head. "Yes, I'm fine. Things happen for a reason, right?"
Tessa shook her head. "I'm just glad to see our strong girl is back. Besides, there is still a large pool of fish to fish from. Zeke is at East," offered Tessa.
Gabriella rolled her eyes. "As if I would move in on your guy. I know you've been flirting with him all summer without me there."
Tessa threw Taylor a death look. "You told her?"
"Hey, I didn't say anything," defended Taylor. "She does have eyes and ears though."
Gabriella nodded her head. "Exactly. Hooking up at the frat party was just the beginning for you two. I wouldn't be surprised if Zeke made it official soon and I sort of pity him when that happens."
"Would you two just grow up?" demanded Tessa, flush in the face.
Taylor and Gabriella both giggled. "Not so easy when the shoe is on the foot now is it Tess?" teased Taylor.
"Hey, you're the one that's secretly crushing on a certain basketball player with wild hair," accused Tessa.
"WHAT? Me and Chad Danforth? No way!" exclaimed Taylor. "He's a lunkhead basketball man, totally not my type."
"But opposites attract, you know that Ms. Scholastic Decathlon," countered Tessa.
"All right, all right! Both of you, back in your corners," stated Gabriella, a wide smile on her face. "It's clear both of you have actually been snared by East boys. We'll just have to work on that, all right?"
"Work on that? Oh no way!" exclaimed Taylor.
"Yeah, just because you have recently been bitten by love's arrow does not mean we all do too. Besides, I don't like interference in my love life," said Tessa.
"Right, so you mean to tell me what you did to me by calling Troy all those times and texting him posing as me in the winter and spring are all actions you would never hope would happen to you?" questioned Gabriella, looking Tessa in the eye with a raised eyebrow.
Tessa gulped, remembering all those times she did definitely get involved in getting the two together. "All right, all right, I surrender, but we aren't doing anything drastic. I never embarrassed you!"
Taylor laughed at this. "I actually can say that you did embarrass Gab, at least a little at some points. I mean, the time we would sometimes hang out with Troy, Chad, Jason, and Zeke and your not so subtle ways of pushing Gabriella in Troy's direction so he would catch her. Not so non-direct there."
"Thank you Taylor," replied Gabriella. "All I'm saying is that if the time is right, I'm so hooking it up!"
Tessa stayed silent for a few moments, absorbing what had just happened. "Fine, if that is the price I have to pay for having our best friend back, then so be it. And, umm, since when did you use Tessa terminology?"
Taylor and Gabriella looked at each other and then at Tessa before all three started laughing, giggling so much that Annette and Stephen had to pop their heads in the room to see what was going on.
"Now that's a sight that I'd pay to see every day," murmured Stephen, a grin on his face as he watched his daughter enjoy herself with true abandonment.
Annette nodded her head in agreement. "Those three girls are so close in so little time, it really is like they were meant to be together, kindred spirits as Gabriella terms them. You do know that whenever we make the permanent move Copanvy permanent that you are going to have to make active efforts to invite those girls to spend time with Gabriella right? You can see in just a short amount of time what an improvement they have on our daughter's life."
"I have no problem inviting Gabriella's friends out and hosting them. I'm just so happy to see her like she is right now, a picture of the happy little girl I used to know all those years ago before everything started to change again, an image of what I imagine she was like before that bastard of a boy took away her innocence. My hope is that we can get this trial over and done with quickly with as little attention as possible," revealed Stephen. "If not, Gabriella is going to have a whole different set of issues and problems to deal with that I'd rather not add to her tiny shoulders right now."
Annette placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, making him look back into his wife's eyes. "Gabriella is much stronger than you give her credit for Stephen. She will fight through and be a true survivor. It's in her blood."
"That I would have to agree with. After all, she has you for a mother," replied Stephen before he leaned in and kissed Annette.
Gabriella saw her parents kissing in the entryway and rolled her eyes without losing the smile on her face. Tessa and Taylor saw this and turned their attention to the entryway to see what had Gabriella's attention as both giggled again, alerting Stephen and Annette that they had an audience.
"All right, show is over girls," announced Stephen with a grin.
"What are you girls doing today?" asked Annette.
Taylor and Tessa looked at each other before they looked to Gabriella. "Have you settled into your bedroom, unpacked everything?" questioned Tessa.
"Yup, everything is settled in," replied Gabriella.
"Then there's nothing to do then but go and have some fun out on the town!" exclaimed Tessa, a grin forming across her face. "I say we start at miniature golf and then dinner at the pizza place that you like so much Gabriella."
"But that's populated quite a bit by a lot of the high school kids from both schools," protested Gabriella. "I don't know if I'm ready for it to be known that I'm back and besides, what happened to the whole caution of being seen in public with mixed friends?"
Taylor shrugged. "Rivalry has calmed down during the summer without Riley around causing all his usual trouble. Besides, it's summer so not all the kids are around as much and even if they do see all three of us, I think Tessa and I have taken a page from your book and have decided to fly in the face of danger a bit. We're not going to let anyone dictate who we are friends with, not anymore at least."
Tessa nodded her agreement. "Exactly! If they have a problem, let them spit hatred about it. What they think will never alter how we feel about each other, right Gaby?"
Gabriella bit her lip a little, a habit she still had after all the time away, before she expressed her agreement. "All right, I guess I have no choice but to agree after you put it that way."
"Paul and Curtis are coming with you Gabriella, remember our agreement," added Stephen, seeing the three girls stand up.
"Paul is cool. Who is Curtis though?" asked Tessa.
"My other bodyguard who is going to be undercover student with Paul at East," explained Gabriella. "New additional security. If you ask me, it makes me stand out more but it does make my parents happier."
"Exactly, now please humor me on this," stated Stephen, feeling a squeeze of his hand from his wife, who was silently telling him to go easy.
"Can't they tail us or something?" pleaded Gabriella. "It's my first time back out in Albuquerque and I really don't want to cause a gossip storm and stick out. Please?"
Before Stephen could say anything Annette piped up. "Sure, we'll have a team follow you instead. I agree, it's more discreet that way. I don't think Paul is available anyway tonight, might be his night off."
Gabriella grinned at her mother. "Thank you!"
After informing the security team of four men who were dressed in normal clothing and who were older looking than Paul, the three girls piled into Tessa's car and started their day of bonding, Tessa having to adjust herself to having a constant car following her every move. 'This is definitely going to take some getting used to,' thought Tessa as she got on the freeway and drove the group to the best mini golf course in Albuquerque.
The three girls were laughing as they entered the pizza place and grabbed a booth in the corner, making sure there was an empty table close by for the security team. Gabriella settled into the inside of one side of the booth while Tessa sat next to her, Taylor on the other side of the booth. As she closed her eyes, Gabriella breathed in the deep scent that was uniquely freshly baked pizza. "Mmm, smells delicious," murmured Gabriella, earning giggles from Tessa and Taylor. Gabriella opened her eyes and stuck her tongue out a bit. "Hey, you guys would appreciate just the smell too if you didn't have decent pizza all summer!"
"True," agreed both girls at the same time before the three started talking about what type of pizza to order before the waiter came over.
"Hi, I'm Scott and I'll be your waiter tonight. What can I get you lovely ladies?" asked the tall red head.
"I'll have a Diet Coke," said Tessa.
"Water for me," ordered Taylor.
"And for you beautiful?" asked Scott.
Gabriella blushed as she realized he was talking to her. "Umm, Cherry Coke please."
Scott wrote down the order and smiled back at her. "Do you know what you want?"
Tessa and Taylor smiled as they saw Scott's attention was fully on their friend. "I think we decided on the extra large deep crust pizza with double pepperoni and, against two of our better judgments, anchovies on a third of that please. Also, light on the sauce please."
Scott nodded and looked at the other two. "All right, who is the fish lover?"
Tessa scrunched up her nose and immediately pointed at Taylor, who looked back at her. "What? So I like the saltiness to the pizza? Geez!"
Scott chuckled before he left the table to get their drinks.
"Gaby, he was so checking you out!" squealed Tessa. "Not to mention openly flirting! Dang it, how do you get all the luck?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes but found herself putting on a smile as Scott came back and distributed their drinks, giving Gabriella a sly wink before leaving the table.
"And he keeps going," added Taylor. "He's totally a college guy too!"
The three girls fell into another round of teasing that went on for a few minutes before they just started talking about their summers, well mostly Tessa and Taylor as Gabriella still felt uncomfortable talking in public about where she had been. It wasn't until their pizza came that Tessa noticed the presence of part of East High's basketball team, mainly Troy, Chad, Zeke, Jason, a few other boys, and the same girl they had seen Troy with all summer, the brunette.
Taylor saw the change of expression on Tessa's face when she looked up to see why Tessa wasn't attacking the pizza first, which the other girl usually did. Curious, Taylor looked in the general direction Tessa seemed to be staring at to see that the same group Tessa had spotted at a long table in the opposite corner. Taylor shot a worried look towards Gabriella, who was obliviously eating her pizza, enjoying the taste of the cheesy, greasy, pepperoni goodness that she had missed for three months.
After realizing that they hadn't been spotted, Taylor shrugged her shoulders and began eating, Tessa soon joining after assessing the situation a little longer. The conversation between the girls picked back up between bites, Taylor and Tessa soon forgetting that there was a reason to be concerned that a certain group of East High friends were in the same room as them, just ordering their pizza.
At the long table, after rolling his eyes at Jason's obnoxiously loud burp, Chad started scanning the room to people watch, still a hobby of his. He looked over Troy's head, which was turned a little to talk to Amy, who was telling him joke or something to see who else was there. It was still the summer so it wasn't totally packed like it usually was on a Friday night but there were still some people he recognized as going to East or West or some other high school in the area. His gaze landed on a booth across the way as he saw the profile of a girl he knew well at West as well as the Scholastic Decathlon captain at East. He nudged Zeke who was sitting next to him. "Hey, your girl is over there in the corner with Taylor," murmured Chad, chuckling as a light blush appeared on Zeke's cheeks.
"Man, why do you always have to rib me about her?" asked Zeke, finding himself unable to take his eyes off Tessa's profile as she laughed at something Taylor said.
"Because, I love seeing the color in your cheeks. Besides, you never did bake me those chocolate brownies you promised," replied Chad.
Zeke's baking abilities had become evident to the group of friends when Zeke got a summer job at a bakery, claiming it was the only one he could get before they all figured out that he had turned down the summer camp job that the rest of them worked at. To get even, Chad, Troy, and Jason had surprised Zeke at the bakery to see him skillfully putting the finishing touches to some fancy pastry, dropping it on the floor when he spotted his three friends standing there on the other side of the counter. They had teased him about it until they each tried something Zeke made by himself, all three of them shutting up as they knew that this was true talent and they now had a source for free sugary goodness.
"Maybe if you behave tonight, for once, I will," returned Zeke. His eyes narrowed a little as he saw a red haired guy approach the booth and give the girls a smile, handing a piece of paper over to someone else who must have been sitting with the two girls as his arm went right past Tessa before he wrote something down on his order pad. A round of giggles reached their table, making Zeke smile a little as he was able to identify Tessa's out of the mixture.
"Whoa, I wonder what it was he gave them that was worthy of that," said Chad, starting to get up.
Zeke quickly planted a hand on his friend's arm and sat him down. "No, you are so not going over there right now dude."
"Why not?" asked Chad.
Zeke gave him a "duh" look. "They are clearly having a good time. Why ruin it with our stupid fumblings of words that we so often get lately around both Tessa and Taylor?"
"So you admit it! You like Tessa!" accused Chad.
"Just as much as you like Taylor!" countered Zeke.
"Boys! What are you two arguing about now?" interrupted Troy, looking between his two best friends.
Chad and Zeke exchanged a look before they both replied, "Nothing!"
Amy giggled. "And why do I not believe that?"
"Because you have real brains," replied Troy with a smile. He got a bit bored with the conversations going around him after some time so Troy looked around the room behind him, his gaze landing on Gabriella's two best friends, who he had seen a few times throughout the summer. Troy had kept his distance from them after some time when he felt this curious feeling they no longer harbored good feelings towards him for some reason. He had spent some weeks wondering if Gabriella had given up on him, judging on their behavior, and eventually chalked it up to probably being the truth. Troy watched as their waiter came back over with the pizza place's famous large cookie for dessert with three bowls of vanilla ice cream. 'I wonder who they are eating with,' he thought to himself before their waitress brought their pizzas over.
Back at the corner booth, the girls had just finished their big dessert, somewhat being disgusted with themselves that they managed to eat all the food they had ordered while being happily full. Scott had brought their bill and Gabriella slipped him her credit card before either Tessa or Taylor could protest.
"Hey, just because you are you doesn't mean you get to treat us to everything," argued Tessa.
Gabriella shrugged. "So I wanted to treat for dinner? Before you guys never had a problem with it," pointed out Gabriella.
"That was very rarely and you treated us to mini golf too," returned Taylor.
"And I paid for my little team's mini golf too just to keep them occupied so we could feel a little less awkward having two of them golf in front and behind us," replied Gabriella. "I just wanted to treat today, a celebration of being back and as a thank you for putting up with me and all my nonsense that is my life."
"If you are talking about these new things, like being tailed and watched, it's not so bad," replied Tessa. "Actually, one of them is pretty sexy but I swear if you tell him I said that I will murder you, princess or not."
Gabriella and Taylor burst out laughing. "Figures you would say that but no, I also meant with the mess I was before I left Albuquerque and the mess I still am at times now. I know today I'm all smiles and I feel really happy with you guys, don't get me wrong, but I am still struggling with my own issues, which is probably why I will not be using this number Scott so kindly gave me," said Gabriella, waving the small piece of paper he had given her earlier.
"Keep it though. You will feel comfortable talking to guys you don't know again eventually and when you do, he's a good candidate to start with," encouraged Tessa just before Scott came back with Gabriella's credit card and copies of the bill to sign.
"Thank you Miss Montez," said Scott. "I hope to see you, all of you, in here again soon if nothing else."
Gabriella did her best to smile back before Scott left, leaving Taylor and Tessa in giggles again as Gabriella left a generous tip for him having to deal with their long time in the booth before putting everything away. The lead of the security team looked over at her and she nodded, signaling they were leaving. Tessa scooted out first to allow Gabriella to get out while Taylor got up too.
Tessa and Taylor started walking out only to realize that Gabriella wasn't beside them. They looked back and saw that Gabriella was staring at the long table where the boys were sitting at, where Troy was currently talking to the brunette again, a grin on his face. Both girls rushed back to where Gabriella was standing and hooked their hands through both of Gabriella's elbows, forcing her to walk with them out, two of the security team walking casually behind them.
Zeke had by chance looked up just as Tessa had left the pizza joint with her two other friends with her. He did a double take as he saw the dark haired girl between Taylor and Tessa. 'Could that be? Is Gabriella back in town?' wondered Zeke, turning his head to watch the girls walk down the sidewalk through the window and around the corner. Zeke blinked a few times before looking back at Chad, who was giving him a curious look.
"What is it?" asked Chad.
"Oh, just Tessa and Taylor leaving with their friend. I could have sworn that it looked like Gabriella," stated Zeke.
Chad paused mid-bite before swallowing it. "Gabriella? No way, that's impossible. Troy would have known if she came back to Albuquerque from her family's vacation, right?"
Zeke and Chad both looked at Troy, who was intently listening to something Jason and Amy were talking about. "I don't know, would he?" questioned Zeke, wondering about the real state of affairs between Troy and Gabriella.
Chad pondered this too for a few moments before shrugging. "Dude, he totally would have. Maybe it was a look alike or something. It couldn't have been Gab, Troy would have been talking about it for ages."
"What would I have been talking about?" asked Troy, hearing the tail end of Chad's sentence.
Zeke shot Chad a look before Chad cleared his throat. "Oh, just that you would have known if we had pre-season practice yet. Coach say anything?"
Troy rolled his eyes. "No, not yet. You know I would have told you by now, give me some credit here. Not a rookie captain anymore!"
"True," agreed Zeke, glad Chad's save worked.
The two continued conversing with Troy over basketball, Jason and the other guys jumping in until all the food was eaten and the bill paid, leaving the group of friends to all go their separate ways into the night.