Right Bride, Wrong Groom
Today was Gabriella Montez' wedding day. Her friends were helping her get ready. They all saw the faraway look in her the bride's eyes. Gabriella was looking out the window at two lone figures, one a man dressed in a nice suit and a young girl in a flower girl dress. The young girl was Gabriella's daughter Arabella Montez. With her was her Godfather, Troy Bolton. Troy and Gabriella had been best friends since high school, but Troy secretly harbored feelings for Gabriella. One night, during sophomore year of college, Gabriella found herself pregnant after a drunken one night stand. Arabella's father wanted nothing do with either of them. As Gabriella gave birth, Troy was right by her side. It was at that moment that Gabriella realized that she was also in love with Troy but kept her feelings quiet, thinking that he only loved her as a best friend.
"You know, it's not too late to stop the wedding." Sharpay Evans told her best friend.
"Yes it is." Gabriella stated to her maid of honor.
"No it's not." Taylor McKessie exclaimed. "We know you love Troy."
"How do you know?"
"You talk in your sleep Gabby. We heard you last night."
"He's with Martha!" Gabriella snapped. "The only way he'll ever look at me is as his best friend."
"But you don't love Doug!"
"I maybe in love with Troy, but he doesn't return my feelings." Gabriella said. "Doug is a good man. He loves me; he takes good care of me and Arabella."
"But…" Sharpay started to say.
"End of discussion."
Troy smiled as he watched Arabella twirl around in her dress. No matter what DNA said, Arabella was just as much as his daughter as any biological child he might have in the future. Troy smiled as he watched the two year old. Arabella looked so much like her mother. Arabella giggled and ran to Troy who swept her up in his arms. The air was filled with the two year old's happy giggle. Troy smiled and kissed her cheek gently.
"Troy!" Sharpay shouted as she raced to him.
"What's the matter?" Troy asked.
"She loves you, too." Sharpay announced.
"What?" Troy asked.
"She's in love with you, too."
"Then why is she getting married?"
"Because she thinks that you're in love with Martha and only think of her as your best friend."
"Where is she?"
"In the bridal suite."
Troy quickly raced back into the church. Sharpay followed right behind him. Troy reached the suite and threw open the door. Gabriella was sitting on the couch. She jumped in surprise at Troy's sudden entrance.
"Mommy!" Arabella called as she tried to get out of Troy's arms.
"What's wrong?" Gabriella asked as Arabella ran to her.
"I need to talk to you." Troy stated. "Now."
"What is it?"
"Alone."
"Bella, go with Aunt Sharpay for a few minutes." Gabriella said to Arabella.
"Ok, Mommy." Arabella agreed kissing her gently.
"Be a good girl."
"Come on, Sweetie." Sharpay said smiling as she took Arabella's hand.
"What do you want to talk about?" Gabriella asked once she and Troy were alone.
"I'm in love with you." Troy suddenly announced.
"What?" Gabriella asked in shock.
"You heard me and I know you are in love with me as well. Sharpay told me." Troy stated before Gabriella slapped him across the face.
"You're telling me this now?" Gabriella demanded. "I'm getting married in a few minutes!"
"I thought you didn't love me! Had I known, I would have said something the moment I found out."
"No." Gabriella stated not wanting to believe what he was saying. "You just don't want Arabella loving Doug more than you!"
"I'd still be doing this even if there wasn't a Bella. I love everything about you, your personality, your ability to love everything in your life. The way you bite your lower lip when you're embarrassed or nervous, just like you are doing right now."
"You think that you can just waltz in her and…"
Gabriella was cut off when Troy pressed his lips against hers. She whimpered in surprise. She relaxed and began to kiss Troy back. The two continued kissing until someone knocked on the door.
"Five minutes."
"I can't do this to Doug." Gabriella whispered to Troy. "He's a good man."
"But it isn't fair to him or to us. Let's just get into my car and the two of us and Arabella and we'll just go away." Troy said kissing her gently. "We'll get married, I'll adopt Bella and we can be a family."
"But what about Martha?"
"There are no feelings between us; she knew you were the only one who could ever have my whole heart. You are the only person I can fully love."
Out in the hall, Arabella was twirling around in her dress. Both of her godmothers were listening by the door to Troy and Gabriella. Arabella continued spinning until she knocked into someone. Douglas Mitchell; yelled in surprise and anger when the glass of red wine he had been drinking spilled onto his tux's white shirt.
"You clumsy little brat!" he yelled at the innocent two year old. "Do you realize how expensive this was?"
"I just want us to be together, Gabby." Troy whispered. "Just tell me to and I'll go get my car."
Before Gabriella could replay, a loud smack from outside in hallway could be heard. Arabella crying could be heard only a second later. Gabriella and Troy, knowing that their conversation was put on paused the moment they heard Gabriella's daughter crying, raced to the door. Once the door was opened, they could see Arabella sitting on the ground at Doug's feet. Taylor and Sharpay were looking at them to figure out what happened. Arabella was holding her cheek in her hand as she cried.
"Mommy!" Arabella cried.
Gabriella gathered her skirts up and raced to her daughter. She sat on the floor, not even caring if her dress got dirty. She gently removed Arabella's hand from her cheek to reveal a red spot that would defiantly turn into a bruise. Arabella wrapped her arms around Gabriella's neck held onto her tightly.
"Come on, let's go put some cold water on your cheek." Gabriella said picking Arabella up.
"Gabriella, we don't have time." Doug told her. "Just have someone else deal with her."
"I told you when we first began dating that when my daughter needs me, she comes first. She always comes first." Gabriella stated.
"Bella, how did you get that mark on your cheek?" Troy asked.
"Him!" Arabella said pointing to Doug.
"You hit my daughter?" Gabriella demanded.
"Just let me explain." Doug pleaded.
"You raised a hand to my daughter?"
"I'm just so nervous that I didn't realize what I was doing." Doug explained.
Gabriella stood there with a stoned expression on her face. Doug took the chance to try and soothe her anger away. He walked over to her and took Gabriella in his arms. He whispered sweet nothing in her ear about how once they got back from their honeymoon, they and Arabella would go on their first family vacation. Gabriella smiled sweetly and then kneed Doug in the groin making Doug moan and double over in pain.
"Sorry, I was just so nervous that I didn't realize what I was doing." Gabriella said. "By the way, the wedding is off. I don't ever want to see you again."
Gabriella threw her veil off and tossed it to the floor before turning around to walk back into the suite. Arabella stuck her tongue out and blew raspberries at her mother's ex-fiancé. Gabriella slammed the door closed behind her signaling that she and Arabella were not to be disturbed. She then looked at Arabella's cheek and saw a bruise already starting to form.
"Oh, Baby. Let's get a cold wash cloth for your cheek." Gabriella said carrying Arabella over to the sink. "I'm so sorry, Baby-Doll."
"Marry?" Arabella asked as her mother placed a cold compress on her cheek.
"No, Doug and I aren't getting married."
"Daddy?"
"No he won't be your daddy."
"Want daddy."
"I know you do." Gabriella said kissing her on the forehead. "But nobody who hurts you isn't worthy to be around you or me."
"I love you, Mommy."
"I love you, too." Gabriella returned smiling. "You know, I think I know who would be the perfect Daddy for you."
"Who?"
"What do you think about Mommy and Uncle Troy being together and Uncle Troy being your Daddy?"
Arabella smiled and ran towards the door. Gabriella stood up and watched her daughter. Arabella opened the door and saw Troy standing there.
"Papa!" she exclaimed as Troy picked her up.
"What's going on?" Taylor asked.
"Girls, go tell everyone that the wedding is off and explain why." Gabriella explained. "Troy, go get your car and meet me and Arabella out front."
"I'll do that." Troy agreed handing Arabella over to her mother.
Gabriella grabbed his tie and pulled him back to her. She planted a firm kiss on his lips. Sharpay and Taylor squealed with excitement at seeing them together. Gabriella pulled away and smiled at Troy before closing the door. Troy had a huge grin on his face as he turned to run out to get his car from the parking lot.
"Come on, Bella." Gabriella said excitedly. "Let's change. We're leaving with Uncle Troy."
"Can I keep dress?" Arabella asked.
"Of course."
"Where we go?"
"I don't know, just away from here."
"Uncle Troy my Daddy?"
"I think he will."
Arabella smiled happily. Gabriella began to get her out of the little flower girl dress. She then changed her into a simple Minnie Mouse sundress. Arabella smiled happily at being in her favorite dress. Gabriella knelt down in front of her.
"Can you unzip Mommy?" she asked.
Arabella smiled and pulled the zipper down. Gabriella smiled and stood back up and headed over to her bag of clothes. She quickly pulled the dress off and changed into a sky blue pant suit.
"Can you help Mommy pick up?"
"Yes, Mommy."
Arabella got up and picked her dress up and carried it over to Gabriella. Gabriella smiled and placed it into a small suitcase. She then placed all of her make-up and her hair products in with it.
""Ready?" Gabriella asked.
"Ready." Arabella agreed.
Gabriella smiled and picked Arabella up. She then held her daughter in one arm and pulled the suitcase with the other hand. She opened the door and was greeted by her ex-fiancé.
"What do you think you're doing?" Doug demanded.
"We're leaving." Gabriella stated. "Now, go back to the place you slithered out from. Come near us ever again, and I will have you arrested."
Gabriella pushed him aside and her daughter blew him another raspberry. Gabriella laughed and kissed her forehead.
"I did good?" Arabella asked.
"You did very good." Gabriella agreed.
Troy smiled to himself as he out to the parking lot. Finally, after all those years, he was finally getting the woman of his dreams. As soon as he reached his car, he heard someone call his name and turned around.
"Dude! The wedding is off!" Chad Danforth called. "What happened?"
"She loves me!" Troy answered happily.
"You finally told her?" Zeke Baylor asked.
"Your girlfriend told me that she felt the same way I did and I ran and told her how I felt." Troy explained. "And things just fell into place."
"Talk about down to the wire." Chad said. "Where are you going?"
"I don't know, we're just going."
Troy got into his car and front to the front of the church. Gabriella was coming out with Arabella. Troy jumped out of the car and ran to them. By this time, Arabella's bruise was completely noticeable. Troy felt his blood boil at the thought of someone hitting his little girl. Gabriella sat her daughter down and Arabella went to go meet up with Troy.
"Ready?" Troy asked picking her up.
"Ready." Gabriella and Arabella agreed.
"Where to?"
"I don't know. But wherever it is, at least we'll be together." Gabriella said before kissing him once again.
Just as soon as their lips met, their friends cheered from behind them and started throwing rice that had been intended for the wedding. The couple laughed and kissed again knowing now that they were both free to love one another.