“Kismet” copyright © CJxoxDancerella. September 28th 2008.

This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon High School Musical, copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and High School Musical 2, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The authors are not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks.

TITLE: Kismet

AUTHOR: Kylie (CJxoxDancerella)

RATING: M

FEEDBACK: Makes me pathetically hyper.

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Disney. And Kenny. I just borrow them and make them live out the plot bunnies that breed in my imagination.

PAIRING/CHARACTERS: Troyella. The usual suspects. Other randoms.

SUMMARY: Fate is a funny thing – you either believe in it, or you don’t. Despite the odds that are stacked against them, are Troy and Gabriella about to find out that there are things in life you can't control - things that are already mapped out...by destiny? T&G

Howdy Hey Hi! Yes it’s me, with a brand spankin’ new story! I’ve been itching to write for ages, but have had a plot-block somewhere in the old cranium that was not allowing me to think of any good topics to write about. However whilst walking my dog yesterday, this idea came to me and before I knew it I’d churned out two chapters, with ideas for many more to follow!

This story is set a few years into the future, when Troy and Gabriella are starting out their careers. The HSM trilogy happened, but our fav couple ended up at colleges on opposite sides of the country. That’s all I’m gonna say for now, you’ll have to read on to find out more!

I won’t keep you here with my ramble much longer, apart from to say a huge thanks to my writing muse and partner in crime JESSA! Now without further ado...I hope you enjoy Kismet!

Kylie xox

Chapter One: Fates First Hand

kis-met

-noun

1. fate; destiny.

2. a predetermined course of events.

...

Fate is a funny thing. It is something you either believe in, or you don’t. It can be seen as a reason for the occurrence of happiness and good fortune, while on the other hand tragedies and bad fortune are often blamed on ‘destiny dealing a bad hand’.

Gabriella Montez was a logical thinker. The 24 year old final year medical student was all about the facts – solid, rational, evidence-based data. It was how she had always been, and how she planned to remain. There had been one period of time back in high school where she thought that maybe fate wasn’t such a bogus idea after all – maybe there really was some bigger plan, some reason for everything that happened in life. With one turn of events, however, her ideals fell firmly back into the field of non-believing: she was certain that every event was the fault of someone, and that the future happened because of the choices people made and the way they lived their day to day lives.

Troy Bolton was a man who walked the fine line between believing and non-believing. Ask the 25 year old basketball coach in front of his mates and he would scoff and tell you that any of that ‘romanticised crap’ was a load of bullshit – whatever happened happened, end of. But sometimes – mostly when he was alone and allowed his mind to wander back into the past – he wondered. Maybe there was a reason for people being in certain places at certain times. Maybe everything did happen for a reason. Maybe someone somewhere knew how his life was going to turn out – even before he did.

No matter what they believed, however, the fact of the matter was that neither Gabriella nor Troy could ever have predicted the imminent crossing of their paths, and the turn of events that would result...

“Alright little princess Madilyn – you can go back to the playroom now! I’m so happy to see you looking so much better!” Gabriella said with a warm smile as she helped the five year old replace her purple zip up jacket and unplugged her IV pole so that Madilyn’s mother could help her wheel it across the hall. She closed the young patient’s file and turned to her nurse. “Chloe, could you please push another bag of fluids in an hour’s time and then take half hourly obs for two hours afterwards. I would like her urine output monitored and noted for the next 24 hours and if it has reached an acceptable level, I will organise discharge papers.”

Chloe nodded. “Of course. Anything else?”

Gabriella shook her head. “No, I think that about covers it. I’ll see you later Chloe.”

The nurse returned her smile. “Bye.”

Gabriella dropped off her patient notes from the afternoon at the nurse’s station and headed towards the doctor’s office with a satisfied grin on her face. She was only two months off graduating from Harvard Medical School, and with each day of her final rotation at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston, she was becoming more and more confident in her skills as a doctor. She had recently been offered residencies in General Paediatrics at both MassGeneral and Children’s Hospital Boston, as well as the Division of Emergency Medicine at Children’s Hospital Boston. The decision she knew she had to make about which residency to accept had been weighing heavily on her mind, particularly of late – the acceptance forms were due early the following week.

“Good afternoon Doctor-Montez-to-be,” Gabriella’s supervisor, Dr Josephine Scarvo welcomed her as she knocked on the office door.

Gabriella laughed. “Hi Dr. Scarvo. I just came to hand in all my paper work from today and sign off,” she explained, handing over her folder and rummaging in her bag for a pen. She signed off while her supervisor flipped through her notes from the day.

“I have to say, Gabriella – I’m very impressed with your work. You are going to make a wonderful doctor. Have you made your decision about which residency you will take after you graduate yet?”

Gabriella’s cheeks glowed pink at the praise and she nodded. “I think so. I started filling out the acceptance papers for General Peads here at MassGen this morning.”

“So you’re not taking Emergency at Boston Children’s?”

Gabriella shook her head. “I did consider it, but I don’t think I’m ready – I mean I feel comfortable working the rounds of the wards now, but emergency medicine... it’s a whole new ball game.”

Dr. Scarvo nodded. “It is. I won’t deny that it is like being thrown in the deep end, especially so soon after graduation. You would need to think on your feet and make decisions quicker than you have time to contemplate the outcome. But it is a challenge that I am completely positive you are ready for.”

Gabriella smiled. “Thankyou Dr. Scarvo. But I’m not so sure I have the confidence just yet. I don’t want to let anyone down, or worse – end up being responsible for someone’s death.”

“Well, as long as you are certain. You will do great things in any area, and we would feel privileged to have you on board here at MassGen, but I have a feeling you could really shine in Emergency.”

Gabriella was adamant. “This is the right decision for me, I’m sure of it.”

“Well you will do brilliantly. Anyway, I’d best be back to work, and I’m sure you have things you’d much rather be doing than hanging around a hospital, so enjoy your evening Miss Montez.”

“You too,” Gabriella picked up her jacket and satchel, poking her hands through the jacket’s sleeves before slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading towards the door. She placed her hand on the doorknob before pausing and turning back towards Josephine Scarvo.

“I’ve made the right choice,” she said, but suddenly she wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince – her mentor, or herself...

The piercing trill of a whistle rang through the Fenway High School Gym. “All right gang, that’s it for this afternoon,” Troy called out to the under 9’s team from the Boston Fireballs Basketball Club as they pounded across the floor and gathered in front of him. “You did great today, guys. I’m really happy with the way you are working together – awesome job. Ok, make sure all the balls are packed away before you leave and I will see you again next week.”

The group of youngsters chorused their goodbyes, before grabbing throwing on their warm up gear, grabbing their gym bags and scuttling out of the gym, their shoes squeaking across the polished court.

“Oooh man, what a day,” Troy sighed as he flopped down and sprawled flat on his back on the floor of the gym, staring into the rafters.

“Them under 12’s were really giving you the attitude, little bastard’s,” Jefferson Amos – assistant coach for the Boston Fireballs – joked. “Horrible age.”

Troy laughed half-heartedly, throwing his left arm over his tired eyes to block out the lights.

“Aaah, come on man – I’m sure you were a shithead of a pre-pubescent boy once upon a time.”

“Who me? Never,” Jefferson sniggered.

“Whatever dude,” Troy rolled his eyes and clapped the AC on the back as he pulled himself up off the ground. “Thanks for your help today – you’ve been a god send, especially with those ratty under 12’s and their rotten attitudes lately.”

“Aaah, all in a day’s work Bolton. Plus, I’ve had my fair share of practice – Mischa and Brandon were stinkers at that age too. And they still haven’t grown out of it.”

Mischa and Brandon were Jefferson’s 15 year old twins. Brandon played for the Fireballs in the under 16’s team, as well as his high school team. He had a lot of talent and a great deal of focus on his game – reminding Troy somewhat of himself at that age.

“Greeeeeat, looks like I’ve got to suck it up and strap myself in for the rollercoaster ride they like to call teenage hormones,” he laughed.

“You know it,” Jefferson retorted with a wink, locking the storage cupboard and grabbing his duffel bag. “Anyway, speaking of hormones, I’m outta here – Misch has a ‘not-a-date, dad’ tonight – some little fucker from school wants to take her to the movies and for ice cream. I want to be there when he comes over so I can try and figure out if I want to let him near my daughter, or if I should break all his bodily appendages one by one.”

“Hey, play nicely Jeff,” Troy teased. “You don’t want Mischa to be known at school as the chick with the psycho killer old man now, do you? Go easy. And then if he breaks her heart, you can mess up his acne ridden little face.”

“Oh the possibilities,” Jefferson replied. “Right Bolton – have a good night.”

“You too man, you too. Take it easy, I don’t want to hear you’ve ended up in A&E having a cardiac arrest.”

“Oh you are just too funny, look my ribs are aching I’m laughing so hard,” Jefferson rolled his eyes. “Later dude.”

“See ya,” and with a click of the fire doors, Troy was alone. Sighing, he dug around in his bag for his cell phone, and flipped it open.

1 missed call. 1 new voice message.

Troy dialled the numbers required to retrieve the message and held the phone to his ear.

“Hey hun, it’s only me. Listen, I’ve been held up at the school so I won’t be home until about 9pm. There’s leftover frittata in the fridge, but you might want to stop by the store on the way home and pick up something to go with it. Oh, and some milk, we’re all out. I’ll see you when I get home. Love you.”

Troy sighed again as he closed his phone and tossed it into his bag, locking up the gym and walking across the car park to his car. He and Alexis had been together for the past eight months. Although they didn’t officially live together, Alexis spent most nights at Troy’s – partly to spend time with him, and partly to escape her painfully annoying flatmate Kaylee. Alexis was petite and beautiful, her chestnut coloured hair tumbling past her shoulders in soft waves, her wide eyes a startling green. She and Troy had met when Troy first made the move from California to Boston almost ten months ago. She was an English teacher at the school whose gym Troy utilised after hours to train his teams. About a week after Troy settled into his new apartment, he had attended a meeting with the principal of Fenway High School and had literally bumped right into Alexis on his way back to the car. Coffee had led to dinner and dinner had led to here, 8 months on.

He had been looking forward to chilling out with his girlfriend and a couple of movies tonight, but now she was stuck at the school until late. Troy remembered her complaining about the school board pushing for some new standardised literacy assessments, and he was fairly sure she had mentioned a meeting tonight that she anticipated dragging out.

Inserting his key into the ignition of his Prius, he indicated out of the high school carpark and headed towards the grocery store.

Gabriella sighed contentedly as the warm water soothed her tired body. Rinsing the shampoo and conditioner from her hair, she turned off the shower and stepped out onto the bathmat, wrapping herself in a soft, fluffy towel.

Moving through to her bedroom and slipping into a pale teal baby-doll dress over a pair of black capri length tights, Gabriella brushed out her damp hair and wandered into the kitchen, trying to decide what she felt like eating for dinner.

Opening the fridge, however, she discovered she really didn’t have too much of a choice – all that she had in there was some cheese, a tub of passionfruit yoghurt, and half a carrot. The cupboard wasn’t much more help – some Mr Noodles and a packet of stale peanut butter crackers.

Groaning, she grabbed her purse, phone and keys and locked her apartment door behind her, en route to the grocery store.

Troy locked up his car and headed towards the shops, the automatic doors swishing open to allow him to enter. He walked through the food court and into the grocery store, moving quickly through the aisles he needed, filling the plastic basket with a carton of milk, a tub of pasta salad, a pre-made Caesar salad, and some of Alexis’ favourite strawberry sorbet.

He paid at the checkout before making his way back through the food court, grocery bags in hand. As he walked past the Baskin and Robins store, the lady behind the counter smiled.

“Excuse me, sir – would you like to try a spoonful of our new flavour? It’s Choc-Caramel Surprise, and I can promise you, it is like nothing you will have ever tasted!”

“Eeh, why not?” Troy replied, accepting the stick she offered and licking the ice cream off the end. “Ooh, that is good. What did you say was in it again?”

“Well, it is caramel and chocolate ice cream swirled together with choc chips, peanuts and marshmallow.”

“Hang on, wait...did you say peanuts?” Troy asked, his voice higher than normal, his throat raspy.

“Yes, sir. Caramel and chocolate ice cream, choc-chips, peanuts and...”

“Holy fuck.”

That was the last thing Troy remembered, before everything went black.

Yeah, so the cliffy queen in me has already reared her ugly head! There you have my first chapter – I hope you liked it, even though it was kinda just filling you in with the deets on what Troy and the Gabster are up to right now.

UP NEXT: Will fate step in to save Troy’s life?

Please let me know what you thought!

Until next time,

Kylie xox