Taylor, Kelsi, and Martha were just finishing doing each other's hair when Gabriella emerged from the bathroom wearing a strapless teal dress with black lace acting as the top layer with a black bow around the empire waist. Gabriella's dark brown hair flowed down to her shoulders in soft waves, two black sparkly clips holding some of her hair back. She grinned at her friends who were caught staring at her. "Do I look that bad?"

"No, but every inch of what a princess should look like, yes," returned Taylor with a smile. "Troy is so going to be speechless when he sees you!"

Tessa rolled her eyes from across the room where Sharpay was curling her hair. "That's an understatement Tay. I think he'll more likely die of desire and out of frustration that he can't do anything about it."

"TESSA!" protested Gabriella while she blushed and the other girls laughed.

"What? You have to know he's going to be thinking that Gaby," responded Tessa with a grin. "It's only natural and if I was a guy, Troy would have something to worry about again with the way you look tonight."

Sharpay let out a laugh. "Are you saying you swing for both teams Tessa? I'm sure Zeke would find that to be a huge turn on in his girlfriend."

"Hey, watch the scalp!" exclaimed Tessa as she felt the heat of the curling iron a bit too close for her liking. "As for me playing both teams, maybe I have kissed a girl once but that was like in the seventh grade. I am so strictly guys only these days. Ask Tay or Gaby, they'd tell you I'm probably more guy obsessed than they are."

"That's true," agreed Taylor as she stood up and brushed some lint off her gold halter dress. "I have to say, we did a good job of representing different styles and colors tonight ladies."

Each of the girls looked around and saw that Taylor was right. They each had on a dress that was knee length or shorter in Tessa's and Sharpay's case, but the fabrics, patterns, and colors were different. Martha had on a black satin dress with long sleeves, Kelsi was wearing a navy blue spaghetti strap dress with a white bow around the waist, Tessa had chosen a green satin dress that was strapless but had a matching shrug, and Sharpay was wearing a pink, of course, strapless dress with a v-front and a flared skirt with petticoats underneath.

"We did do well," murmured Martha. "Of course, it does help that we shopped together."

"Good point," added Kelsi, clipping the last stray hairs down to Martha's head.

"Girls, are you ready?" asked Annette, who knocked lightly on the door and came in. "Wow, you all look beautiful."

The six girls smiled back at Gabriella's mother. "Thanks Mrs. Montez," chorused five of them while Gabriella just grinned at her mother whose gaze was currently on her.

Annette walked over to her daughter and hugged her, just enough to show her love of her daughter while being careful not to wrinkle Gabriella's dress. "You especially look lovely dearest daughter," whispered Annette. "Are you excited for tonight?"

Gabriella nodded her head. "I am. Thank you for letting me have my friends over tonight."

"It was the least your father and I could do. I promise I'll try to keep him occupied so he won't interrupt, okay?" returned Annette.

"Thanks Mom," replied Gabriella, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek. "I'm guessing the guys are here now?"

"Most of them. Oh and Sharpay, your boyfriend seems very mature and well versed," said Annette, turning around to look at the blonde. "I can see what you see in him."

Sharpay beamed back. "Isn't he absolutely fabulous? And as predicted, he was totally happier coming here tonight instead of the dance."

"Well I guess we shouldn't keep said fabulous guy waiting. Shall we go girls?" asked Tessa, twirling around and striking a pose, drawing out laughter from all the girls as they followed her into the hallway, Annette walking with her arm linked with Gabriella's.

They followed the male voices and laughter and found that all the guys were hanging out in the dining room where all the food everyone brought was laid out on the side table. Zeke had actually come over early and prepared a large prime rib that had the guys drooling while everyone else brought side dishes like corn, mashed potatoes, spinach with bacon, and other dishes so there was a variety. Gabriella, Taylor, and Tessa had worked on baking brownies, cookies, and a sponge cake earlier in the morning together for dessert in addition to the chocolate fountain Annette had rented for the night, which was now on a table in the corner, letting milk chocolate flow down its tiers.

All the laughter and talk in the room stopped abruptly as Tessa and Sharpay entered the room first, followed by Kelsi and Martha, then Taylor and Gabriella, Annette having stopped at the edge of the room to watch as the girls mingled with their guy friends and boyfriends. Her attention was especially focused on Gabriella as she went straight to Troy who, true to the girls' predictions, seemed to be staring hard at Gabriella with a huge grin on his face. Annette watched as Troy murmured something to Gabriella that made an adorable blush appear on her cheeks and a soft smile to appear on her lips before their lips met in a short but tender kiss. 'Just looking at them sends electricity down my own spine,' thought Annette with a smile before turning around and leaving the group to do their own thing.

The group of friends sat down around the table together after filling plates, the guys behaving themselves enough to allow the girls to get their food first, something that shocked Taylor and Tessa the most. Of course, when Gabriella filled her plate last, Chad, Zeke, and Jason fought for who would be next in line, allowing Ryan to slip right by their tousling and grab a plate to pick his food first from the guys.

"Hey, no fair Evans!" exclaimed Jason, being the first to notice that the blonde was now filling his plate with food.

"Yeah! I cooked the hardest thing here! I should have dibs!" protested Zeke.

Ryan smiled and just shrugged his shoulders as he put a piece of prime rib on his plate. "What can I say guys? I'm not the fighting type and when I see an opportunity, I take it. Not my fault you guys let yourselves get distracted."

Troy chuckled. "He's got a point. Now, if you three want to continue to duke it out, I think Mike and I can jump you guys too."

The three guys exchanged a look before Chad dashed for a plate, followed by Zeke and then Jason.

"Boys and their food, I swear," commented Martha with a shake of her head.

"I bet you Chad ends up with the biggest plate of them all," threw in Taylor, confident that her assessment of her boyfriend's behavior would be correct.

Gabriella laughed. "Well I bet Jason is going to take the seat next to Kelsi. He's been eyeing her since we came in."

"He was not!" protested Kelsi.

"Oh, Jason totally was checking you out Kels," agreed Tessa. "Although, how Gabriella noticed with all that entranced gazing she did with Troy I'm not sure, but I guess the girl is good like that."

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "She's good all right but I'm better. I predict we see a new couple emerge in the next month between Kelsi and Jason. I think she has interest in him too. I saw the way she was shyly looking at Jason when she thought Jason wasn't looking. How cute is that? I think we can totally fix them up, whether they want it or not."

"Hello! I'm right here," interjected Kelsi. "Can you not talk about me as if I wasn't?"

The blonde looked back at the usually quiet composer. "Sorry Kelsi, I was just saying. And since when did you get so vocal?"

"I choose my moments, that's all Sharpay. I find it to be a lot more effective that way. Maybe you should try it some time," returned Kelsi, smiling as she saw the shocked look on Sharpay's face.

"Oh man, that was a classic shut down if I have ever seen one!" exclaimed Chad as he sat down next to Taylor with a plate overflowing with food.

"Aw baby, did she hurt your feelings?" asked Michael, taking a seat next to Sharpay and wrapping an arm around his girlfriend. "I'm sure she just didn't want you gossiping about her or whatever was going on."

"But babe, she's never like that," returned Sharpay, still reeling a bit that Kelsi reacted in such a bold manner.

Martha shook her head. "Kelsi actually does have a strong personality Sharpay, don't let her quietness fool you. Now that she's getting comfortable with you as a friend, I'd imagine you'll see this side of her a bit more."

Kelsi agreed. "Sorry Sharpay but sometimes you just need to be told to back off a little," stated Kelsi, noticing the knowing looks her friends shared as Jason took the seat next to her. She, Jason, Ryan, and Martha had decided not to bring dates and just go to tonight as friends to be with everyone else. After forgoing the empty seat next to Martha across the way, it was obvious to the girlfriends that Jason made an intentional choice in his seating to be close to Kelsi.

"What are you girls arguing about?" he asked.

"Nothing," replied Sharpay and Kelsi together, looking at each other after but both having a secret smile on their faces.

"Okay," returned Jason, knowing not to push forward on this particular string.

Once Zeke and Troy were seated, everyone started digging into their food, Jason, Chad, and Troy going for seconds before any of the girls could say they were half way through the food on their plates. The conversation was easy going around the table, everyone just getting to know each other a bit better while also discussing current events ranging from sports to political happenings.

'Calling this group diverse somehow doesn't seem to do it justice,' thought Gabriella with a smile as she looked on at the different conversations going on. 'I highly doubt any other group of friends could have such comprehensive discussions about sports, politics, and the weather all at the same time with so many people.'

Troy saw the reflective look on his girlfriend's face again and grinned. "Always thinking aren't you Brie?"

Gabriella looked over at him and gave him a small smile as their eyes connected. "What can I say? It's hard to turn this brain of mine off, especially when there is so much going on in my life right now."

"That's true, I agree but you should only be thinking about tonight and being here with your friends and your oh so loving and handsome boyfriend," returned Troy, reaching up and caressing her cheek. "I do have your attention right?"

"You do but truthfully I was thinking about our friends and how I'm glad everyone really does get along, even college boy Michael over there but there are other things somewhere in my mind," confessed Gabriella.

"Like the trial?" questioned Troy, knowing he was right by the flicker in her brown eyes. "What has you so worried Brie?"

Gabriella let out a little sigh, trying to organize her thoughts. "I think it's just not knowing what's going to happen, knowing I'll have to testify soon, knowing I will have to face Riley again. The press outside hounding me now. My life has just changed so much and yet the future is so uncertain."

"And you're right," agreed Troy, "but you shouldn't be worrying about all that right now. The whole point of having a gathering like this is to be with your friends, to have fun with them, and to make those great memories for you to think back on fondly when you are old and gray, not to get gray hairs now by worrying so much."

She stared at Troy for a few moments, soaking in the wisdom that just poured out of his mouth. "Wow, you are so right."

Troy grinned back at her. "Well, I am known for being right every once in a while."

"But with Gabriella by your side, you mostly look stupid," joked Chad from down the table, overhearing the last part of the conversation.

"Hey, he so does not," protested Gabriella, throwing Chad an angry look. "You're just jealous!"

"Of that lunkhead? I think not!" threw back Chad, a puzzled look on his face as the girls around the table burst into laughter and giggles at this. "What?"

"Umm, Chad, you totally just pulled a Taylor," explained Tessa, trying to control her laughter.

Taylor looked over and saw that the puzzled look had deepened. "You called Troy a lunkhead, a word I usually use for you basketball guys," stated Taylor. "Did you even realize it?"

Chad shook his head. "I totally didn't."

"Well I think that's cute," commented Martha with a smile. "Shows how close you two are getting."

"Yeah, I guess we are," said Chad, smiling at Taylor before quickly kissing her on the lips, still not big on the public displays of affection.

Taylor blushed at this but enjoyed the rare token of affection. "I've heard Zeke too say some Tessa words too. Guess it was bound to happen, right?"

"Which brings us back to the topic of how Troy sounds smarter lately," teased Zeke. "Guess that's Gabriella's doing?"

Before Gabriella could defend Troy, he spoke up himself. "Hey, I'm not denying it! Having an intelligent and beautiful young woman doesn't hurt on many different levels, trust me, and if it makes me sound more intelligent for it, so be it! At least I don't sound so dumb now."

"Babe, you never sounded dumb," returned Gabriella.

"She's right. Gabriella isn't the type to be swept off her feet by caveman talk," joked Tessa with a grin.

"Well thanks Tessa, I think," replied Troy. "Man Zeke, you've got a feisty one on your hands."

Zeke looked over at his girlfriend and chuckled. "May be so but I wouldn't trade her for the world."

A chorus of "Aww"s went off from Martha, Kelsi, Gabriella, Taylor, and Sharpay at this, turning into squeals of delight as Zeke kissed Tessa's cheek, causing the normally composed girl to blush.

As mostly everyone was done fifteen minutes later and were full from the dinner, the group decided against attacking dessert right away and moved to the gold living room that had been cleared out to serve as their dancing room. A hardwood floor had been installed in the middle, the DJ was already pumping the room and surrounding area with loud music, and the lights he had set up were already spinning colorful images around the room. The girls quickly got onto the dance floor and started moving to the music, Ryan and Michael being the only ones of the six guys to venture out there immediately with them while Troy, Chad, Zeke, and Jason lounged against the wall, watching from that vantage point.

After about twenty minutes of watching Gabriella move to the music, Troy glanced at his watch and saw that it was his time to leave. He pushed off the wall and left the room, leaving three confused friends looking after him.

"Dude, where is he going?" asked Jason.

"He can't be going home, can he?" questioned Zeke.

Chad shook his head. "I highly doubt that. He wouldn't leave Gabriella willingly this early. Maybe it's just bathroom calling or something."

"Could be," relented Zeke.

Taylor looked up and groaned as she saw Ryan with a video camera now in his hands. "Ryan, do you really have to video tape my ungraceful moves out here?"

Ryan chuckled. "Yes, I do have to record your stellar dance moves on tape. I want to make sure we have every moment of tonight captured. I just skipped out on while we ate because, well, that just would seem like some reality television show to have it film us as we chewed food. Although, that could have been a candidate tape to send to one of those funny video shows when Chad tried stuffing his mouth to full capacity and then started drooling."

Taylor laughed. "Guess you're right there."

Ryan moved on to tape Martha, who was breaking out her dance moves, wanting to get it on tape as he thought she was easily the best dancer he had seen from East High.

Paul peeked into the room and grinned as he saw everyone dancing before moving over to stand where Chad was standing against the wall. "Is this where the 'cool guys' hang?"

"This is where the guys hang who can't dance," returned Zeke with a laugh. "We aren't necessarily all that cool because of that."

"Hey, I'm cool," protested Jason.

Zeke and Chad just stared at him before bursting into laughter. "Sure dude, whatever you say," returned Chad.

Paul got into a conversation with the three boys about basketball before Paul's alarm went off on his watch. He looked down and grinned as he saw it was time. He walked over to the dance floor and gently took Gabriella's arm in his hand. "I need to talk to you. Can I tear you away for a few?"

Gabriella gave him a worried look before she nodded her head. "Sure. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. Meet me in the main hallway, I'll be right there," instructed Paul before he turned around and talked to Taylor softly, whatever he said to her making her smile wide.

'I wonder what's going on,' thought Gabriella as she witnessed this before going into the hall. She didn't have to wait long as Paul came out soon after and led her down a few halls to the main French doors that led to the patio in the backyard. "Why do we have to go outside to talk Paul?"

Paul smirked at Gabriella as he opened one of the doors. "I'm not going outside, you are. Enjoy Gabriella."

"What? Paul," protested Gabriella before she was lightly shoved out the door and heard it close behind her. The heater lamps were on to fight off the slight chill in the air but Gabriella only saw Troy who was standing next to the patio table with a small boom box on it. "All right, what's with the set up Bolton?"

"You'll see," returned Troy with a rather sexy grin. "Come here."

Gabriella walked towards him and placed her right hand in his offered left, letting Troy pull her closer to his body. "Are you just trying to get fresh with me mister?"

Troy chuckled. "Maybe but I do have something else in mind first."

Gabriella opened her mouth to say something back but stopped as Troy placed a finger over her lips to silence her. He then reached down and pressed play on the boom box before he slowly started swaying their bodies together to the instrumental music that began to fill the air. Troy pulled Gabriella's body close to his but just enough so that he could still look down into her face as he began to sing.

Ooohhh

When the visions around you
Bring tears to your eyes
And all that surround you
Are secrets and lies
I'll be your strength
I'll give you hope
Keeping your faith when it's gone
The one you should call
Was standing here all along

Tears filled Gabriella's eyes as she recognized the song as N'Sync's "This I Promise You" and was instantly touched that he had chosen this song to sing to her. She took one last look at Troy's face and his love filled blue eyes before closing her eyes and letting his sweet and gentle voice fill her ears and her soul.

And I will take you in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
Til' the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you

Gabriella breathed in deep as she felt Troy pull her body in closer to his, allowing her to snuggle against his chest as she wound her own arms tighter around his waist, careful to avoid his bruised side that still pained him from last night.

I've loved you forever
In lifetimes before
And I promise you never
Will you hurt anymore
I give you my word
I give you my heart
This is a battle we've won
And with this vow
Forever has now begun

Troy smiled as he took in Gabriella's dreamy expression, knowing then that this special event he had planned for her in the last twenty-four hours was well worth it. 'Just to see that serene and in love face is more than I could ever want.'

Just close your eyes
each loving day
And know this feeling won't go away
Til' the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you

Over and over I fall
When I hear you call
Without you in my life, baby
I just wouldn't be living at all

Troy dropped a kiss on the top of Gabriella's head, feeling his heart speed up with the anticipation of what he was about to do, still slowly moving their bodies together as one to the music.

And I will take you in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
Til' the day my life is through
This I promise you, babe

Just close your eyes each loving day
And know this feeling won't go away
Every word I say is true
This I promise you

Every word I say is true
This I promise you
Ooh, I promise you

As the music ended, Gabriella slowly pulled away from Troy's body to look him in the eyes again. Before she could speak, Troy pulled something out of his pocket and slipped it onto Gabriella's right hand's ring finger, glad that it fit almost perfectly.

Troy looked steadily into Gabriella's eyes as he said, "This is my promise to you Brie, that you will never hurt or be alone ever again, for the rest of our lives. Gabriella, I know we haven't known each other even a year yet but you have stolen my heart and my soul in ways I never thought possible. We're young, I know that, but I am old enough to realize that I want you in my life, just as much as I hope you want me in yours. This ring represents my promise to you and it also represents our unending love. Please accept this as my vow to always love you and care for you. I haven't done such a good job in the past of keeping you safe but I will always be here for you, to hold you, to listen to you, to be there for you in whatever capacity you need most. Gabriella, you are my life now and I can't imagine any future I have without you in it. I love you Brie."

Gabriella, so touched by those heartfelt words from her boyfriend, didn't know what to say just then so she leaned up and kissed him deeply, tightening her grip around his neck as Troy allowed her to deepen the kiss more. When she pulled away, Gabriella smiled back up at him, wiping away a few happy tears. "I love you too Troy, with all my heart and soul. Thank you, this was probably one of the most romantic things you could have done for me."

He grinned back at her. "Can you feel how fast my heart is beating?"

Gabriella allowed him to move her right hand down from his neck to rest over his rapid beating heart. "Are you feeling okay?" asked a concerned Gabriella.

Troy chuckled. "More than okay, especially now that I've made my promise to you. I have been so nervous since I thought of this. I probably shouldn't tell you that but that's how I feel."

"Hey, it makes sense. I remember how fast my heart was going the first time we exchanged those three special words," returned Gabriella. "And how I felt up on that stage next to a cute teenage boy during our little karaoke stint at the lodge, even if you made me feel like it was kindergarten all over again."

"That's what inspired me to actually sing. I'm glad you can still hear me," joked Troy.

"Babe, you know you have one of the sweetest voices around," answered Gabriella. "I could listen to you sing for days and nights both. Remember those times you would just hum or sing those sweet songs to me before I left for Copanvy? To comfort me? I held onto those moments when I needed you the most while we were apart."

"Really?" asked Troy, shocked at this revelation.

Gabriella nodded her head. "Everything about you Troy means just that much to me. The way you have about you that makes me laugh when I need it the most and your way of just knowing when I need you there for me and how you somehow know what to do to make me feel safe, to feel better. You were and are my only comfort during some of my darkest times Troy and that means a lot to me."

"Well it means a lot to me that you let me be there for you. So, do you want to look at the ring?" asked Troy, making Gabriella realize she didn't even look at it.

Troy moved her right hand with his left into the light from the patio's sconces and was relieved when he saw the appreciative look cross Gabriella's face as she gazed on the platinum band with two hearts etched into the top with a wavy, whimsical line continuing from both hearts that connected to the other on the other side of the ring. "I know it isn't much but," started Troy.

This time Gabriella put her finger over Troy's lips to silence him. "Troy, it's beautiful, trust me," stated Gabriella, smiling as she looked again at the ring before placing her right on his cheek. "The ring is a sweet gesture to symbolize our love Troy but you are even sweeter for thinking of this and meaning every word you said. I love you Wildcat."

"I love you too Brie," responded Troy, bringing her closer to him again so they could kiss, sharing in several before breaking away and leaning their foreheads against each other.

After a few moments of just staring into each other's eyes, Troy kissed Gabriella one last time on the lips before turning off the boom box and grabbing it with his right hand as his left still held Gabriella's right hand. "Better get you inside before it gets too cold."

"Is it cold? I didn't even notice," retuned Gabriella, smiling back up at him. "Guess you have that effect on me Troy."

"You sure know how to make me feel special Gabriella," said Troy, kissing her right hand before he gently led her to the French doors to go back inside.

A few moments go by before Taylor steps out of the shadows of the patio with Ryan's video camera in her hands. After Paul had told her that Troy had a romantic plan for Gabriella, knowing Taylor or Tessa would want to know, Taylor had begged Ryan for the camera and a tape, not telling him exactly what her plans were. She then made it to the patio by running a little bit around the mansion through another side door that Paul showed her to catch Troy on the second verse. 'Thank you Paul for letting me know about this! One day, I will let Gabriella and Troy know this special moment was caught on tape and they will thank me for it, I know they will,' thought Taylor as she slipped the spare tape Ryan had given her and put the original back in, having no intentions of sharing with anyone the actual tape. 'Telling Tessa about this latest romantic move of Troy's though is definitely going to happen! She'll die!'

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