Chapter Text
New Year’s Eve 2006
Ski Lodge
Gabriella Montez sat in a small corner of a couch, avoiding all other lodge guests, when her mother came up to her.
“Gabi, it’s New Year’s Eve. Enough reading!” Gabriella’s mother, Lisa Montez, exclaimed. She snatched the book away and waved at Gabriella to follow her.
“But, Mom, I'm almost done,” Gabriella complained, gesturing towards the book in her mother’s hand.
“The teen party? I've laid out your best clothes. Come get ready.” Lisa waved at her again to come and follow her.
“Can I have my book back?” Gabriella asked, getting up and starting to follow her mother. Lisa smiled at her and handed the book back. “Thank you.”
“Come on!” Lisa Montez said, leading the way towards the elevators to their room.
On the other side of the ski lodge, Troy Bolton was in a heated one-on-one match with his dad, Jack Bolton, who was also his high school basketball coach.
Lucille Bolton entered the gym to see her husband and son intensely locked into a game.
“Keep working left, Troy. Got a guard in the championship game we're expectin', You'll torch 'em!” Jack exclaimed while directing Troy.
“By going left?” Troy asked his dad, smirk on his face.
“Yeah, he looks middle, you take it downtown.” Jack encouraged Troy.
“Okay, like this?” Troy asked before faking left and making the basket.
“Wooh! That’s it man. Sweet, I wanna see that in the game.” Jack and Troy high fived, Troy not noticing his mother enter the gym.
“Boys?” Lucille asked, trying to get their attention. She knew that Jack had known she was there.
“Oh you’ll see that in the game, don’t worry about me.” Troy gushed, still not acknowledging his mother.
“Boys! Did we really fly all this way to play more basketball?” Lucille asked, looking directly at Jack as she spoke. Jack looked at her sheepishly before looking back at Troy.
“Yeah,” Troy and Jack said simultaneously, shrugging their shoulders.
“It’s the last night of vacation. The party, remember?” Lucille said, looking pointedly at Jack. She spun around in a circle, showing off her outfit.
“Right. The party, the party, New Year’s Eve.” Jack smiled at her, trying to keep the peace.
“Troy, they have a kids' party downstairs in the Freestyle club.” Lucille instructed, her tone suggesting that there was no room for negotiation.
“Kids' party?” Troy asked, shuddering at the thought.
“Young adults. Now go shower up.” Lucille placed her hands on her hips.
“Come on, one more.” Troy pleaded, shooting a smile at his mom, to which she sighs. “Last one.” He added.
“Real quick.” Jack placates her, smiling softly in her direction. She rolls her eyes then nods. Troy spun and made another shot.
“There we go, that’s the way to end it!” Troy shouted. He headed out to the gym to get ready for the party.
When he got to the party, it was in full swing. He spotted people singing karaoke. Something that he had no interest in participating in. He made his way across the room when he got a whiff of something… no. Someone. That smelled absolutely delicious . His eyes led him directly to a girl.
This girl on the surface looked plain, like an average girl. She was cute and innocent looking. Her long, wavy brown hair fell around her face as she looked down at the book in her lap. Troy thought that she was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. Or smelled.
Gabriella was reading when she suddenly felt a presence standing over her. She looked up from her book to see the most attractive boy she had ever seen. His blue eyes sparkled like the ocean. She was shocked, frozen.
“Hi,” Troy said to the girl as she locked eyes with him. Her deep brown eyes shined up at him. As she moved, he got another whiff of her. For some reason, it instantly made him feel hungry, but he couldn’t place why.
“Hi,” Gabriella replied. The boy in front of her looked tense, almost like he was afraid. She looked at him questioningly.
“Ummmm… are you enjoying the party?” Troy asked lamely, mentally kicking himself.
“Uh, yeah. I guess. A bit too exciting for me.” Gabriella laughed awkwardly, giving the boy a small smile.
At that moment, the crowd of teens started cheering, drowning out whatever the boy was trying to say to her.
“What?!” Gabriella shouted. He leaned down to talk to her more clearly.
“I said, do you want to go somewhere quieter?!” He asked, face close to hers.
Being this close to her, Troy felt the overwhelming urge to sink his teeth into her. He had no idea where any of this even came from. He’d never felt like this before.
“Umm yeah, sure!” She reached her hand out for Troy to take. He held out his hand in return.
When Gabriella touched his hand, it was ice cold. Like touching a block of ice. She immediately retracted her hand from his.
The girl flinched from him, like she’d been burned. Troy couldn’t figure out why. Was his hand too dry? Or too sweaty?
Gabriella stood up the rest of the way on her own and gestured for Troy to lead the way. She made a point to not touch him again.
Troy led her out to a balcony. There were still a bunch of teens out there, but it was quieter than inside.
“I’m Troy, by the way.” Troy introduced himself, giving her a wide grin.
“Gabriella.” She smiled sweetly in return. This boy, Troy, seemed strange, but she couldn’t place why. But she was intrigued to find out.
“So I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that parties aren’t really your thing,” Troy smiled at Gabriella. He couldn’t explain it, but he was drawn to her.
“What astute observation skills you have! Was it the book reading or anti-socialization that gave me away?” Gabriella joked back at him.
“Touché,” Troy chuckled. A breeze rolled by, giving Troy a stronger smell coming from Gabriella. It took everything in him to stop himself from jumping her.
“You don’t really seem like the party type either,” Gabriella stated, looking at Troy critically.
“I mean, sometimes. I guess. Just not… this.” Troy gestured to the rowdy teens singing on stage.
“Not much of a singer?” Gabriella asked, curious to know everything she could about this boy.
“Uh no. My shower head is very impressed with me,” Troy joked, grinning at Gabriella. “What about you?”
“Yeah, no way. I had a solo in my church choir once. I took one look at all the people staring at me and next thing I knew I was staring at the ceiling. End of solo career,” Gabriella explained.
The two of them continued to talk and laugh together throughout the rest of the evening. It was strange. Gabriella can’t remember the last time she felt so comfortable talking to a stranger. Let alone a boy.
Around them, people announced that the countdown to midnight was starting.
“I guess I better go find my mom and wish her a happy New Year.” Gabriella said, pointing back towards the lodge.
“Yeah, me too. I mean, not your mom. My mom… and dad.” Troy stumbled over his words. “Uh, I’ll call you! I’ll call you tomorrow!”
“Yeah!” Gabriella was ecstatic.
“Here, put your number in. Here!” Troy snapped a picture of her then handed her his phone.
“You too!” Gabriella exclaimed.
“Oh, okay.” Troy said, sounding surprised. He took a selfie with Gabriella’s phone and put in his number as Gabriella types on his phone. “Here you go.”
They exchange phones back. Gabriella takes that as her cue to leave. She leaves without another word, missing that Troy had been speaking to her.
“Just so you know, uh, talking with you was the most fun I’ve had this entire vacation. So um... Where do you live?” Troy asked, turning back to where Gabriella had been previously standing, but only saw an empty spot.
He scanned the crowd behind him then looked at his phone with a picture of Gabriella. He smiled and stared off in the distance.
“Gabriella.” Troy whispered to himself. He knew that whatever happened next, he’d see this girl again. He just knew it.