One Day
Author's note: This one-shot is supposed to be fluffy and has no real drama, so if that bores you, don't read it.
Summary : "One day, I'll ask you to marry me and you'll say yes." He had always been confident about her answer. So why, when he's ready to take it to the next step, is he feeling insecure? TxG
Troy absentmindedly fingered the small blue velvet box he had bought exactly two hours before that moment. Today was the day. He was going to make the big leap and ask his girlfriend of four years, Gabriella Montez, to marry him. He took a big breath, trying to calm his nerves.
"What if this is a big mistake? I mean, what if she doesn't love me anymore? I wouldn't blame her if she did, it's been two years since we've last seen each other," he thought, closing his eyes. "Gosh, please let her not have found another man."
He looked at the box he was holding, popped it open revealing the plain gold ring with a small diamond in its middle. A ring not too extravagant but still beautiful, just like he knew she liked.
"The wait is killing me!" Troy groaned shifting slightly on the black La-Z-Boy in Gabriella's living room.
He looked at the picture frame sitting on top of the coffee table beside him and started to inspect it, noticing that she had put up a new photograph. He smiled; it was the one Taylor had taken of them back when they were still in college. He was behind her, his arms wrapped around her neck and their faces were against one another both harbouring matching grins. Troy felt his heart bubbling in excitement just knowing that he would see her in a couple of minutes. His impatience grew stronger.
"That's insane. I spend two years waiting to be with her again and now that I'm only minutes away from seeing her, I feel like the time is going by so slow."
His eyes closed once again and his mind wandered back to 22 ago; when he was 4.
Flashback
"Happy 4 year anniversary, honey."
Troy's eyes were wide as he watched his dad bring his mom close to give her a big kiss on the lips that particular morning. When finally they pulled away, they both stared at their son and smiled softly seeing his bewildered expression.
"Buddy, today is a very special day," Jack Bolton started. "Today is the day mommy and daddy got married," he continued proudly.
"What's that?" the little boy asked.
"Marriage is a really important event meant to link two people that love each other so much that they are willing to spend the rest of their lives together," Lucille Bolton answered, patiently. "And every year following the marriage, those two people celebrate it on the day and the month they got married."
The youngster frowned, deep in concentration trying to understand.
"Everybody can get ma… marri-ad?" he asked mispronouncing the word.
"Sure, everybody can, as long as they both want to."
"Even me?"
"Even you, Troy," his dad replied, softly.
"But, mama? Does it have to be forever?"
"Well no, but you got to have a really really good reason to want to end it. Usually when you ask someone to marry you, you gotta want it to be forever."
"And that person will say yes?"
"Depends if that person will want to or not."
"…Can it be Chad?" he asked curiously.
Both parent looked at each other, amused, realising their son didn't really understand that they weren't talking about friendship, but love with a big 'L'.
"If you want. But Troy, you do realise that if you marry Chad, everything will belong to him."
"Even my Spiderman?!" Troy screeched, horrified.
"The day you're going to propose to someone will be the day you'll realise you won't mind sharing everything with that person."
"…then I want to marr-ay Gabi. Gabi don't like my toys," he declared and feeling happy about the idea he just got, ran outside.
Troy raced to the Montez's door and started to ring the doorbell repeatedly.
"Oh hello Troy," Mrs. Montez greeted, opening the door.
"Where's Gabi?" he asked, going straight to the point.
"Come in, I'll go get her," she answered, not at all fazed by his rashness.
He waited impatiently in the hall and five seconds later Gabriella came rushing down the stairs, her curls bouncing up and down.
"Hey T!" she greeted, flashing him a big grin.
"Gabi, one day I'm gonna ask you to marry me and you gonna say yes," he declared confidently.
"Why would you think I'd say yes?" she asked, smartly.
"Because you're nice!"
End of flashback
Troy looked at the white cast on his right leg and sighed, feeling utterly disappointed that he wouldn't be able to kneel down when proposing.
"Meh, at least because I broke it, I got to come back," he thought.
Two years ago, he had enrolled in the army and had been sent in Iraq. He would've stayed longer, but due to an injury he was able to come back home.
Feeling like a nervous-wreck, he fished through his pocket to take out his wallet. Troy opened it and sorted through the pictures he had accumulated over the years. One in particular caught his attention. It was of them, when they were 7, at his birthday.
Flashback
"Happy birthday Troooyyy!" yelled Sharpay Evans, a blond girl that Troy was scared of.
The only reason why she was at his birthday party was because both her parents and his were friends.
"Thanksssh," he replied nervously, slurring slightly because his two front teeth were missing.
She smiled at him, which he took at his cue to run away. When he saw his father talking with Gabriella's parents, he tugged at the older man's sleeve.
"Daddy," Troy called.
"One minute, Troy," his dad replied, continuing to talk to the guests.
"Daddy!" he said again, louder after a moment.
"Hey buddy, Gabi's over there by the present table, go talk to her," he dismissed.
The young boy gave up and did what was requested. When he reached his best friend, he poked her on the back.
"Happy birthday Troy!" Gabriella yelled, enthusiastically engulfing him into a big hug.
"Ewww Troy has cooties!" Chad Danforth exclaimed loudly.
Swiftly Troy pulled away from the brunette's embrace, humiliated.
"Gab-yyy!" he hissed, lowly not wanting anybody to hear. "I told you not to touch me!"
"But T, I don't have cooties!" she protested, insulted.
"I know that, but Chad doesshn't," Troy explained. "Chad thinksh all girls have cooties. And they all do, except shyou."
Gabriella rolled her eyes and left him. He looked at her retreating back, confused to what he had done.
"What 'bout me T? Do I have cooties?" Sharpay asked coming up to him.
"Don't call me T Shharspay. And yesh, all girlss except Gabi 'cuz she ish my friend," he stated proudly.
"One day you won't think so, Troy. Mommy and daddy told me, we were going to get married when I will be old," the blonde said, snottily.
"Nooo. One day I'm gonna ashk Gabi to marry me and she's gonna shay yess," he interrupted.
"Why would she say yes?"
"Because she'sh my best friend."
End of flashback
Troy remembered that Gabriella had bought him his first basketball. This caused Chad to been very upset because Troy had gotten one before him.
However his trip down memory lane was cut short when he heard a key slipping into the door's lock. His heart started beating quickly once again and his palms became sweaty. Shaking, he swiped them on his pants, shoved the blue velvet box in his jacket's right pocket, placed his hands on one of the armrest and clumsily, got up. He heard the door open and his legs felt like they would give out. He straightened his posture and rested his hands firmly on the leather armrest so that when Gabriella would see him, worry wouldn't be the first thing she would feel.
His heart stopped dead when he finally caught sight of her, after two years. She did not see him at first since she was in the midst of taking her coat off. He used this opportunity to really look at her. Her hair was exactly how he'd remember, dark brown in sultry wavy curls. However it was longer than the last time he'd seen her. Her face was the same, although he realised that she looked more mature; less like a teenager and more like a woman.
And then, her brown eyes met his.
Gabriella's mouth dropped in shock and Troy couldn't tell if this was good or not. After five seconds she finally snapped out of it and was instantly in his chest, hugging him tightly. He smiled, feeling a weight being taken off his shoulders. He brought the arm he wasn't using to hold himself, around her petite frame and buried his face into her hair, feeling at home once again.
"Gosh I missed you, Gab," he whispered, eyes closed.
"Me too Troy, you have no idea," she replied lifting her head up to stare at him with tears in her eyes.
It made him melt when he realised they were tears of joy. Without saying another word he cupped her face, caressed her right cheek with his thumb and brought his lips down on hers. The instant their lips met, it was like they have never been separated, as if the two years they've spend apart never happened. Sparks flew through their bodies and it was now that he realised how much he actually missed being in her presence.
When they pulled apart for lack of oxygen he let his forehead rest on hers.
"I don't know how I've managed not holding you for two years," he stated, softly.
"Yeah, 'bout that, what are you doing here so early? Weren't you supposed to stay there for another 3 years?" she inquired. "Not that I'm complaining of course!"
It was at this moment that he remembered his broken leg and, once he did, he started to feel spasms and had to sit down. Breaking in the process the hold they were sharing.
Flashback
13 years old Troy Bolton laughed obnoxiously with his friends as they watched Taylor fall.
"Nice one Chad!" congratulated Troy.
Gabriella glared at him while she was helping her friend off the floor.
"You're such a jerk," she hissed.
"You know it!" the blue eyed boy replied, cockily.
Since they reached middle school, Troy and Gabriella had grown apart. With hitting puberty, joining different clubs, getting new friends, they had little by little neglected their friendship. And through time, they didn't understand each other anymore.
"I can't believe I was ever friends with you." Gabriella stated, icily.
Troy became an arrogant asshole by hanging out with Chad too much. Being on the basketball team of East Middle and dining with Sharpay Evans made him one of the elite of the school. In his world, nothing could bring him down and he felt as if nothing from his past was worthy for him to remember. Gabriella, on the other hand, was the sarcastic, smart-ass genius she always was.
"Montez, one day I'll ask you to marry me and you'll say yes." Troy declared, for old time's sake, although this times it was meant to make his friends laugh.
"Why the hell would I say yes to your sorry ass?" Gabriella spat.
"Because I'm hot," he retorted, smirking slightly.
Zeke, Chad and Jason all started snickering.
"First of all, you're not that hot. Secondly, if you're so high and mighty, why would you even bother asking me?"
His friends shut up, realising that what she said was true.
"Because, you're hot too," Troy answered plainly.
End of flashback
"Oh my gosh your leg! What happened? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Crap, I shouldn't have made you stand," Gabriella rambled, seeing his white cast, feeling awful.
"I'm fine Gabriella, don't worry about it," Troy dismissed trying to bring her closer.
However, she pulled away from his reach.
"Your leg is broken," she hissed. "And you call this 'fine'?"
He sighed, knowing she wouldn't let it rest until he told her everything.
"Six months ago, six others and I were sent to patrol in an area we weren't familiar with. Not far from us there was a bomb that exploded. Two of my guys died, and the rest were severely injured, including me. For two weeks I was unconscious and when I woke up, my whole body was in a cast. I stayed in the hospital for four months and by then I was pretty much healed, with the exception of my leg. I'm supposed to be out of this cast within one or two months by the way," he explained.
Looking dutiful, she nonetheless let him bring her on his laps. He wrapped his arms around her waist and her around his shoulders.
"Don't worry about me Gab," he whispered.
"Don't worry about you? Troy, I don't know if you've realised but for the past two years, all I've done was worry about you," she admitted softly, passing a hand through his hair.
Flashback
"I hate your hair," Gabriella declared bluntly.
Two weeks earlier, Troy had been called up for army duty. Right after high school he had enrolled into the army, wanting to be a hero for their country but especially to her.
"Gee thanks. So when you told me that every thing would look good on me you were lying?" he said sarcastically, folding a t-shirt before placing it into his suitcase.
"Yeah, everything except this," she said touching his short hair once again.
For the mission, he was force to shave off his hair into a short buzz cut, which made him feel naked.
"I was forced to do it Gab and you know it. If it would've been just me, I wouldn't have shaven my hair off. But tell you what, when I'll come back, my hair will be so long that you're going to miss the buzz," he joked.
Hearing nothing, he looked at her and saw that her head was down, with tears falling down her cheeks. Without saying anything else, he stepped toward her and brought her into his arms, letting her cry in his chest.
"I'll come back baby, I promise," he mumbled.
"How can you promise that? Who knows if you're not going to get shot or get caught in an explosion?" she sobbed.
"Either way, I'm not going to get killed," he stated confidently. "After all, I have to come back and keep the promise I made all those years ago," he smiled at her softly.
She smiled back, half-heartedly, remembering.
"That one day you're going to ask me to marry you," she said, saying the sentence she had heard so much in the past.
"And you're going to say yes, don't forget that," Troy added.
"I didn't Bolton, don't worry."
End of flashback
"I'm okay now and I won't leave you again, I promise."
"What?" she asked confusedly.
He took her right hand from around his neck and brought it down to her legs enlacing it. He gently caressed it with his thumb.
"I quit, Gabriella. One month after I was released from the hospital, I thought about it thoroughly and realised I didn't want to spend another moment without you," he whispered.
"Really?" she inquired hopeful.
"Yes really," he confirmed. "But enough about me, so what have you been up to?"
"Well," she started, cheerfully. "right now, you're holding the new University of Albuquerque English literature teacher."
"You got the job? Congratulation!" he exclaimed.
"… and I also met someone," she continued, shyly.
His eyes bulged out and hadn't it been for his casted leg, he would've gotten up.
"His name's Michael and he's the Chemistry professor."
"I'm… glad," he replied, swallowing harshly feeling all of his hope coming to a crashing end.
"He and I became really close since we understood each other. Since, we both lost the person we loved. Me, with you and him, with his husband."
"That's… wait you said husband?" Troy asked, confusedly.
"Oh did I mention that he was my gay best friend?" Gabriella added, innocently.
"Gabriella!" he exclaimed. "Gosh I thought you were serious!"
She laughed at his expression and ruffled his hair.
"You're the only one for me T, you know that," she admitted kissing him on the lips. "By the way, you didn't keep your promise; your hair isn't that long,"
"I did, but before I came here, when I saw myself in the mirror, I realised it was way too long and didn't look good, so entered the first hairdresser I saw and got a haircut."
His hair, although wasn't as shaggy and floppy as before, was longer than the buzz.
"Speaking about promises, do you remember the one I made when we were 4?" he asked, remembering that he was here for a reason.
"Of course I do. Why?"
"Gabriella, 22 years ago I promised you that one day I'll ask you to marry me. That day is today. Ever since we were young I knew I wanted you as my better half, as my wife. It didn't change throughout the years. Even if we grew apart in middle school, even when I didn't see you for 2 years, I knew that I wanted you, and only you, in my life. I'm in love with you Gabriella Montez and want to share everything with you. Today I'm asking you to marry me. The question is, will you say yes?" he inquired nervously.
Her eyes swelled up.
Flashback
Walking slowly, hand in hand, they stopped to stand in front of the plane that would separate them for at least five years.
"It's time Gab," Troy whispered, turning her around to stare into her eyes.
Her eyes, red from crying, started to fill with tears once again.
"I don't want you to go," she whimpered, miserably.
"Neither do I, but Gab, the sooner I leave, the sooner I'll come back to you," he said, caressing her face gently.
"I don't want to lose you," she declared, tears falling down her cheeks.
"Hey. Baby girl, don't cry. I'll come back, I swear, I'll come back to you. Trust me, those five years are gonna fly by faster than you think," he comforted bringing her into his embrace.
"I'm gonna miss you," she sobbed.
"Me too, every day," he mumbled, trying to push back his own tears, wanting to appear strong for her.
"One day you're gonna ask me to marry you and I'll say yes," she promised, lifting up her face from his chest to look at him.
"Why would you?" he replied, trying to bring humour through his tears.
"Because I love you," she said simply.
"I love you too Gabriella."
They shared one last tender kiss before he had to embark into the army's plane.
End of flashback
"Since when were you insecure? Whenever you would say you would ask me to marry you, you would always be confident about my answer. What changed now?" Gabriella inquired, grinning hugely.
"Are you trying to kill me tonight or something? I mean first, you scare me by hinting that you found someone else, and now, after I put myself out there, you won't even give me a proper answer," he joked, half-seriously. "And before, sure I was serious, but now, this is the real thing."
She burst out laughing.
"Well, I think that you jinxed your luck by always being so sure of my answer," she started.
His heart started to beat faster, was what she said a good sign or bad? However he stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.
"Because you were right, the day you were going to ask me to marry you is the day I'm gonna say yes," she grinned.
"Seriously?" he asked, his heart beating wildly in his chest.
"Yes."
Troy smiled wildly and their lips met once again.
"You have no idea how happy I am right now," he mumbled against her lips.
"I think I have an idea," she responded.
He reached down to his jacket's pocket and took out the blue velvet box he almost forgot.
"I hope that's what you wanted. If it's not I can always get you another one," Troy suggested, nervously popping the box open.
"No, shut up, it's perfect. Absolutely perfect," she admitted admiring it.
He took the ring out and clumsily slipped it on her fourth left finger.
- - -
So there you have it; my first attempt at one-shots. I wrote it all on Halloween (my first where I did not go trick or treating) and it helped me not being depressed about letting go of my childhood. Hope it wasn't too rushed or didn't make sense.
Review please.
Oh and check out my other story: His Dream Girl.