High School Musical Incentive

Yet another of my "I can't sleep so I'm going to write a fanfic spur of the moment" oneshots. I really like the way this one turned out, though, so I'm not going to complain. Amazingly enough, it's actually coherent and makes sense. Although it is overly fluffy and probably just a bit unrealistic. Ah well, you can't have everything..

_Dedication: __**Kiowa**__, I had you in mind the whole time I was writing this… Hopefully this'll cheer you up a bit! But it also goes out to anyone else out there who is not looking forward to the first day of school, or has had to endure one recently._

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of it outside of my dreams… Sigh. Too bad, the things I could do if I did…_

- ( • ) -

Troy Bolton did not like waking up.

Well, that statement was only partially true. Some days, waking up wasn't so bad. Like the day he'd had his first official date with Gabriella. Despite the fact that they weren't doing anything until that night, he had woken up early that morning and not been able to fall back asleep. He was just too excited. It was like that with most big days- if he was really looking forward to something, waking up was no problem.

Besides that, if you left him alone, Troy would inevitably wake up on his own, perfect sociable and pleasant… somewhere between 10 and 11. Maybe noon on days when he was REALLY tired, but that was pushing things, even for him. But, try and wake him up before then, and he might as well have been comatose.

Unfortunately, the first day of school was not a day Troy particularly looked forward to, and he had to wake up long before 10.

Even though it was the start of his senior year.

Even though school starting meant he could officially put the early summer's fiasco at the county club behind him for good (and boy was he ready to do that).

Even though it meant he could see his friends daily without being limited by the rigors of a summer job.

Because being a senior meant he was more of a role model now than ever, which just meant more pressure.

Because school starting just meant there would inevitably be more drama (of both kinds, to boot).

Because school was a job of it's own, what with homework and sports to handle, and somehow he knew he'd get roped into doing one of the school plays again.

Needless to say, when Troy's alarm went off at 5:45, he really just wanted to keep sleeping. So he did, after silencing his alarm with a clumsy fumble for the off button.

Half an hour later, his face still buried in his pillows, Troy heard his bedroom door open, though his half awake brain didn't really process that fact. A moment later, there was a light pressure on the edge of his bed, as though someone had sat down. Then he felt a hand grip his shoulder, gently shaking it in an effort to wake him up. His response was to swing one hand sleepily behind him, attempting to ward off his unwanted disturbance.

"Go'way, Mom," he grumbled into his pillows, certain that his mother was looking at him with an exasperated look by that point- and finding that he didn't care at all. "Just gimme a little longer to sleep.." He couldn't have been much more off in his guess if he'd tried.

"Mom?" That voice, while familiar, was most certainly not his mother's. And it sounded more amused than annoyed. "Now is that any way to greet your girlfriend?" His eyes flew open at that, and he wrestled with his sheets for a moment as he attempted to turn over and confirm what he'd just heard.

"Gabs?" he asked, his voice tired and more than a bit shocker… not to mention confused. "What're you doing here?" He punctuated the end of his question with a large yawn, still not fully awake.

Gabriella just crossed her arms and grinned down at him. "Again, what kind of a way is that to greet your girlfriend?" A slow grin spread across Troy's face as he comprehended.

"Ah, you're right, how terrible of me." He smirked a little, and pushed himself into a sitting position with some effort. "Let me fix that mistake right now." The two leaned forward and shared a brief kiss before switching to a close embrace. They remained that way for a few silent moments, before Gabriella lifted her head off Troy's shoulder slightly.

"Hi," she whispered, her warm breath tickling his ear.

"Hi," he whispered back, before pulling away slightly and studying her face. "So seriously," he said, his voice soft but curious, "why're you here so early? I thought I was picking you up at your house." He paused for a brief moment and grinned. "Not that I'm complaining…" Gabriella giggled slightly, and he leaned in to kiss her again when a noise from his doorway stopped him.

Much to Troy's dismay, his dad was standing there, leaning against the door frame, watching them. 'Busted…' Troy though, fully expecting his dad to be unhappy with the scene before him. He was more than a little surprised, then, when Gabriella turned around, grinned, and waved- and his father grinned as well.

"Gabriella," he said, with a nod of his head, before his attention turned to his son. "Troy, nice to see you're awake." Troy's mouth fell open just a little as his father addressed his girlfriend once more. "Come on down to the kitchen when you're ready- Elaine said the first back of pancakes is done."

"Thanks, Coach," Gabriella responded as he turned around and walked back out. She then turned her attention back to her now flabbergasted boyfriend, whose mouth had slipped even further open during the exchange. She giggled, and gently closed it with one finger. It took Troy a minute to recover.

"But- you- him- how-" Gabriella giggled once more and cut him off.

"Your parents seemed to think you were going to have problems getting up for the first day of school," she supplied, "so your dad asked if I wouldn't mind providing a little incentive for you to get up." She grinned at his shocked expression. "I was already planning on getting up early so I could check all my stuff over before leaving, so I agreed to have him pick me up and bring me over here ahead of time."

Troy finally managed to figure out something to say. "Well aren't you two just sneaky."

"Yes we are," Gabriella informed him with a chuckle, before poking him lightly in the chest. "Now, you need to get dressed for school, while I go and get some breakfast." Her stomach helpfully grumbled at that moment and she giggled as she stood up. "See what I mean?" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, before walking out of the room, closing the door lightly behind her. Troy was left sitting on his bed with something of a goofy grin plastered on his face.

Suddenly, something his dad had said resonated with his brain, and he hurriedly swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "Pancakes?" he cried, staring at his bedroom door for a second. "You better leave me some," he hollered after his girlfriend as he rushed to get dressed.

Maybe the first day of school wasn't so bad after all.

( • ) –

So, there you have it. Kind of silly and unrealistic, but I like it anyways. I normally see Troy as being much more of a morning person, actually, but where's the fun in that? 


End file.

High School Musical, Humor, Romance