A New Journey (High School Musical 3: Senior Year)

Chapter 1: The Party

After the big game, the Bolton's held a congratulations party at their house and invited almost everyone. Grace decided to ride with Troy and Chad in Troy's truck. Along the way, Troy's truck had broken down and the two boys ended up pushing it halfway to the house while Grace sat behind the wheel. Grace smirked at her boyfriend and raised her eyebrow at him. Troy groaned and said to his girlfriend, "I know what you're going to say, Gracie. So, don't say it." Grace continued to smirk and replied, "I am going to ignore you and say it anyways. I told you so." Chad laughed and said to Grace, "I knew there was a reason why I liked you, Gracie." Grace laughed and replied, "What reason? Because I can make Troy feel bad and not get in trouble for it?" Troy glared playfully and said, "When you get out of this truck, you're in for it, Grace." Grace waved her arms around, with sarcasm, and replied, smirking, "Ooh, I'm so scared." The truck pulled up to the Bolton household and Troy kept his promise. As soon as Grace got out of the truck, she ran into the house, with Troy behind her. Grace ran into the kitchen and said to the Bolton couple, "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Bolton." Jack chuckled and replied to the British girl, "Grace, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Jack. Oh, by the way, good job on that high note when you were playing. Heard you in the locker room." Troy had gotten sidetracked by his friends greeting him when he came into the house. Katherine and Daniel came into the kitchen, giving their daughter a kiss on her forehead. Katherine wrapped her arms around her daughter and said, "She practiced it every day and night to get it right. It's hard to believe that my only little girl will be graduating." Grace blushed and replied to her mother, "Mama, you're embarrassing me." Lucille, Troy's mother, smiled at the girl and said to her, "That's our job, honey. It's our job as parents to embarrass our children." Grace perked at the sound of her boyfriend calling her name and said, chuckling, "I would love to sit and chat but I've got to run. Ciao." The teenage girl pulled out of her mother's embrace and ran into the background where she could blend in with the other kids.

However, her friends came up to her and she ended joining in their conversations, ignoring the fact that her boyfriend was sneaking up from behind her. Grace let out a loud squeal when she felt someone poke her sides and turned to see Troy laughing with Chad, Zeke, Andrew, and Jason behind Troy. Andrew had his phone in his hands and recorded the whole thing. Grace scowled at her twin brother and said to him, "Drew, if I find out that you have sent that to the family, I swear you have just started the prank wars." Andrew's smirk soon fell and fear took over his face. Troy laughed and said to Grace, pulling her with him, "Come with me." Soon enough, Grace found herself at Troy's childhood playground. Grace chuckled and said, crossing her arms, "So, you bring me....across the yard...to come this 'secret hiding place'? I was thinking about along the lines of a hidden room." Troy laughed and replied, climbing up the ladder, "Well, not the best idea but it will do." He stood on the platform and said to his girlfriend, smiling, "Come on up." Grace laughed and shaked her head, climbing at the ladder. Troy helped Grace onto the platform and said, "You know, you're the second girl to come up here." Grace raised her eyebrow as she sat on the edge, her legs dangling over the ledge. Troy chuckled and explaining, "The first one was my mom because she was calling me to get down." Grace chuckled and the chuckle ended dryly. She sighed and said, looking up at the stars, "It's hard to believe that this will be my last summer here in Albuquerque. After graduating, I'll be off to England and into an university just like my older brothers." Troy looked at his girlfriend with sympathy and replied, "Hey, I'm sure it's not all that bad. Your mom and dad seem to be taking it in stride, the same with Luke and Sam." Grace raised her eyebrow with a small smile and said to her boyfriend, "Troy, when you're a royal, your life is basically taken over and you represent your entire kingdom, no matter what your rank is in the family. One wrong move and it all comes tumbling down like Humpty Dumpty. I won't be able to come visit you and our friends without the press following my every move." Troy smiled and replied, "And when has that ever bothered us, Grace? Besides, I try my hardest to come and visit you during breaks." Grace sighed and said, "I appreciate your optimism, Troy, but England is......" The couple said, in unison, "5,225 miles away." Troy sighed and said, looking up at the stars, "Don't you wish everything would just pause?" Grace nodded with a sad smile and replied, "Yeah." The couple then began to sing.

[TROY, Grace]
Mmm, yeah, hey, yeah
Can you imagine what would happen
If we could have any dream?
I'd wish this moment was ours to own it
And that it would never leave
Then I would thank that star
That made our wish come true (Come true), oh, yeah (Hmm-hmm)
'Cause he knows that where you are
Is where I should be too

[TROY, Grace, BOTH]
Right here, right now (Yeah)
I'm lookin' at you and my heart loves the view
'Cause you mean everything (Ooh)
Right here, I promise you, somehow
That tomorrow can wait (Oh-oh)
For some other day to be (To be)
But right now, there's you and me

[Grace, TROY]
Hmm
If this was forever, what could be better?
We've already proved it works
But in two thousand one hundred twenty-three hours (Oh)

[TROY AND Grace]
A bend in the universe

[Grace, TROY, BOTH]
Is gonna make everything (Everything)
In our whole world change (It's all changin')
And you know that where we are (Where we are)
Will never be the same

[TROY]
Oh, no

[Grace]
Oh, no

[TROY AND Grace]
Right here, right now

[TROY]
Right now

[Grace, TROY]
I'm lookin' at you and my heart loves the view
'Cause you mean everything (Everything)

[Grace, TROY, BOTH]
Right here (Right here)
I promise you, somehow (Somehow we're gonna)
Tomorrow can wait
For some other day to be (To be)

[TROY AND Grace]
But right now, there's you and me

[Grace, TROY]
Oh, we know it's comin' (Comin')
And it's comin' fast (It's always you and me)
Oh, yeah

[TROY]
So let's make this second last

[TROY AND Grace]
Make it last

[TROY]
Right here

[Grace]
Oh, right now

[TROY]
Yeah, I'm lookin' at you

[Grace]
And my heart loves the view

[TROY, with Grace]
'Cause you mean everything

[TROY AND Grace]
Right here, I promise you, somehow

[TROY]
That tomorrow can wait

[Grace, TROY]
For some other day to be (To be)

[TROY]
But right now there's you and me

[Grace, TROY]
You and me (You and me)
Oh, you and me

[TROY, with Grace]
But right now there's you and me

The couple were holding hands, with their fingers intertwined with each other, and Grace leaned against Troy's shoulder. They were about to lean in for a kiss but the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted them. The teenagers looked down at the ground and found Grace's father standing their with his arms crossed. Daniel raised his eyebrow at the couple and said to them, "Am I interrupting something?" Troy shaked his head with fear on his face and replied, "No, sir." Daniel chuckled and said to his daughter, "Grace, your mother has your grandmother on video call so I would hurry down and into the Bolton's kitchen if I were you." Grace looked at her boyfriend and he nodded at her with a smile. Grace quickly raced down the playground and into the household. Troy then made his way down, seeing that Daniel wanted to talk to him. Daniel clapped the boy on his shoulder and said to him, "I suppose that Grace told you what was going on this summer." Troy nodded and replied, "Yes, sir. She told me last summer and was devastated about leaving our friends. Um, Mr. Anderson? How did you handle being in a relationship with someone who was royalty?" Daniel chuckled and said, "Well, it was hard at first, really hard. But, after awhile, you go along with it and you realize the most important thing." Troy replied, curious, "What's that?" Daniel said, remembering what his father-in-law told him, "That she's the job, Troy. If you and Grace continue this relationship, you have to realize the responsibilities and come to terms with the titles, dukedom, and the job that comes with it. Grace will become the job. She will be the essence of your duty. Loving her........protecting her........Doing that for her....for the rest of us......there is no greater duty......than love." Troy took in what his girlfriend's father had said, standing there in shock.