For A New Beginning
Chapter 1: The end of the amazing things
I was unaware of the first name of Mrs. Bolton. Therefore I used Lynne, as said in "Amazing" by Jill Renay. I guess you might see other names that I took from there because I'd like to use their first name instead of using Mr. and Mrs. constantly.
Yet another time he was walking down the street, thinking about his lost love. Why had he even done what he did that night? He didn't want to, but still, he did. He regretted deeply the day of graduation. The day supposed to be so happy. He hated himself for ruin the day they both looked so much forward to. And then it was college. He went to the University of Albuquerque, she leaving for Yale. And never again would he see her. Never again would he get the chance to kiss her and embrace her like he loved to. Yet again he's drifting away from his normal life as he goes into his memories from the past. So as he walked by his old High School, East High he though back on the horrible day that he regretted ever since.
--
The ceremony was over and Gabriella came running toward him with a big smile. On her finger was a ring he gave her just a week ago, to show her how much he loved her. As she came nearer his smile that appeared as he saw her got smaller and smaller until it was all gone. He new he had to do this, but the fact that he had to hurt her in the process was so hurtful for him too.
"Hey Wildcat," she said as he threw herself into his arms. He hugged her tight, knowing this was the last time. He had to fight to hold the tears back. He was not going to cry in front of her.
"Gabi, I have to-" he drifted up and Gabriella looked at him. He knew that she knew him well enough to tell that something wasn't how it was supposed to be.
"Baby, what is it?" Her voice was concerned.
He took a deep breath as he led her to a bench. There was no way he could stand while doing this. No, he was just too weak. He needed her and he could barely hold himself together.
"Gabriella, I want you to know that I really don't want to do this, but I have to. I'm sorry I can't explain why, maybe you'll find out later, but I want you to understand that even though I'm doing this, I love you. I always will love you."
"Troy, what's happening?" As he looked at her he could see that she was afraid.
"I," he drifted up again. Now the tears were clear in Gabriella's eyes. As if she knew what was going to happened. He believed she did.
"Troy, you can't do this," she said.
"I have to. You know I love you, but I have to do this." He kissed her cheek, gave her a sad smile, and looked down at her with his now tearful eyes. Then he left her there. She was crying silently. He walked away, not daring to look back as it would only hurt more.
That was it. He knew why he had done it, but no way was he happy about the decision. She on the other hand did not know why he did it. And if he ever met her again, he would tell her. As for now, it was just too hurtful.
--
"Troy? Hello? You there or what? Troooooy!!" Troy suddenly jumps back to reality, now looking straight into his mother's eyes and remembering why he was even out walking in this direction. He knows that the expression on his face is sad and that his mother knows exactly what is on his mind. She has caught him so many times thinking about that day and no matter what she tells him, it's not working. "Troy, you need to let this go. It's been years and even though I know you regret it, there's nothing you can do about it."
"I know." There's a long pause before Troy again realizes the only reason he's here is because his mother asked him to. "What was it that you wanted?"
"Your birthday."
"Riight. What about it. And before you say anything, there will be no birthday party."
"No, no I get that. You've never ever wanted one after you graduated High School." She looks at him with both caring and non-understanding eyes. "What do you want for your birthday honey?"
"Gabriella," he says without thinking and his caring mom looks up at him, worried. "Err.. I mean. I don't know mom. Give me anything."
"Troy, please. Let it go. Not for me. Not for you dad. Not for Gabriella. For you."
"Mom, you let it go. It's my life and my feelings. I can't even believe I let her go in the first place. After all, dad was the one who pushed me and I shouldn't have let myself get pushed."
"Troy, listen to me," Lynne says with a concerned tone. "I'm not gonna say anything more about it, cause I know it upsets you. Come in and get some coffee. There must be something you want for your birthday.
--
An hour later Troy walks out of his parents house, leaving them with a bunch of suggestions for a decent present for his 23rd birthday. Again he walks the short way home, showered in thoughts from the good old days at High School.
--
It was the first time they met. So many years ago. New Years Eve. The lights circled around in the room to find the perfect candidates to sing the next song.
"Ha-ha-haa-ha," the man says as the light lands on him.
"No," Troy says as he shows also with his hands that he doesn't want to. "I can't sing."
He and Gabriella got brought up to the small stage and the man working there says, "You might thank me for this one day... or not," and the song started. He had never sung like that before. Not with so many people around. As he so very often said; "my shower head is very impressed". He had sang his first lines and was about to go down from the very small stage when the girl next to him stared to sing her lines. He was hooked and they sang the whole song.
This could be the start
Of something new
It feels so right to be her with you
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart
The start of something new
It was the most amazing feeling he had ever experienced. And when he looked in her eyes after the exchange of names, he knew she felt the same. The hung together all nigt.
Near midnight they both felt the chemistry that obviously was there.
"But seriously, you have an amazing voice," he said. "You're a singer right?"
"Just church choir, that's all," she answered. "I tried a solo and nearly fainted."
"Really? Why is that?"
"I took a look at all the people staring at me and the next thing I new I was staring at the ceiling. End of solo career."
"Well, with the way you sang tonight that's pretty hard to believe," he said with a big smile.
"That was the first time I've done something like that," she said with a smile just as big. "I mean, it was so coo."
"I know. Completely."
"You sounded like you've done a lot of singing too," she said curiously.
"Yeah sure, my shower head is very impressed," he joked and they both laughed as the countdown for the new year to come began.
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
The fireworks blinked at the sky. She looked at him, he looked at her. Was there maybe a kiss coming?
"I-I guess I better go find my mom and wish her happy new year," she said and broke the magic.
"Yeah me too," he said, kind of awkward. "I mean not you mom, my mom. And dad. Err.. I call you! I call you tomorrow!"
"Yeah!" They both found their phones, wrote down the numbers, took their pictures. The she left as he started to say something.
"Well just so you know, singing with you was the most fun I've had on this entire vacation. So um.. where do you live?" He looked at the picture he just took of her. "Gabriella," he said with a smile and what he believed to be a dreamy look."
--
He never did believe in love of first sight, but that night, he changed his thoughts. And then, after thinking about her for so many hours after it happened, believing he would never see her again, she showed up. At his school. In such a small place as Albuquerque. At East High. It was possible and to think that he gave that up. No, it was too hurtful. Still after so many years.
With his thoughts still around Gabriella and all the moments they had, he walked into his own house, so near East High he could recognize all the kids faces, thinking that maybe buying this house wasn't the best idea he had ever had. What was he really thinking? That it would help him get over what he did? Such a silly though.