When the door swung open Kelsi was greeted by Mrs. Bolton, "Hi Kelsi." Her smile reminded Kelsi of Troy's, wide and full of genuine happiness.
"Hi Mrs. Bolton, I came by to run over a slight change in one of the songs with Troy. Is he around?" Sharpay had demanded a few notes be changed since she was taking over Gabriella's part in the musical and Kelsi couldn't argue. She just hopped that Troy would handle it with a level head, he had been so down in the dumps since Gabi left for her honors program.
Standing aside Mrs. Bolton welcomed Kelsi into the large house, "Yes, he is up in his tree house. Not in the best mood I must admit but I think a familiar face might be something he needs. Head on out there."
Looking forward she saw the large, white French doors that lead to the backyard. She turned to give Troy's mother a smile and nod, "Thank you." Keeping straight Kelsi walked passed the kitchen and living room to the back patio and looked up to the large tree house. Not seeing Troy in sight she frowned and continued on to the latter at the base of the large oak.
Once at the top she leaned her head inside the main structure and found Troy laying on his back staring up into the sky through the open roof. That look of hurt and confusion was written across his face again and it killed Kelsi to see it. She missed his honest smile and cheerful attitude, giving a light knock on the door frame she made her presence known. "Hey there Playmaker."
A slight grin broke his sad façade and he turned to give her a look, "Hey Kels." His body made no movement though, he lay with one arm under his head and the other resting on his stomach and his feet crossed at the ankles. Figuring if she couldn't beat him she might as well join him she took a seat next to him and laid down on her back.
The view was gorgeous and Kelsi easily understood how one could be enraptured by it. They sat in silence for a few moments, it was a rare treat they only shared with one another, there were times they didn't need words to communicate or fill the air. Finally, however, Troy couldn't take it any longer and he had to let it out, "Gabriella's not coming back."
Turning her head away from the blue skies to the profile of his slender face she questioned him, "Like for prom?"
At the sound of her relaxed voice he turned his own head to look her in the eye, "No, like she isn't coming back at all." He could feel the mixture of anger and sadness building in him again, emotions that Chad hadn't quite understood and just brushed off.
But Kelsi was not Chad and she saw the range of emotions running in his eyes and it concerned her. She loved Gabriella and she was one of her best friends but it was times when she pulled stunts like this with Troy that she wanted to shake her. "But what about graduation? She is our valedictorian."
Frustrated with the same questions he had been asking himself Troy snapped, "I don't know Kelsi. She just said she couldn't take any more goodbyes." When the small woman beside him jumped at his tone he regretted his outburst immediately, she was here trying to support him and he yells at her. Reaching out he took her free hand that laid between their bodies, "I'm sorry Kels, I shouldn't yell at you. It's not your fault Gabi isn't here."
Understanding him better than he knew she laughed and gave his hand a squeeze, "It's alright, you need to vent. But I want to make sure you're still going to prom, you aren't going to miss because you're the loser without a date are you?"
Her laugh was always infection and he grinned at her joke, "I don't know, I would hate to be the extra wheel to everyone. I was thinking of driving all the way out to Stanford to surprise Gabi."
"Oh come on Troy, you know you would never be an extra wheel. We are your friends, we want to spend our senior prom with you. You can go with me and Ryan, we're only going as friends." She was not leaving Troy to mope around or drive thousands of miles in that crap of a truck that could not be trusted. "Look I know you don't want to hear this but, Gabi made her choice and it wasn't us, it wasn't you."
Words anyone else would have been to afraid to say to him, and words coming from anyone else he would have ignored. But with Kelsi he knew that she only wanted the best for him and wouldn't say it if she didn't honestly mean it. Looking over at her emerald orbs he saw the complete honestly ringing in them, he knew he was lucky to have a friend like her. Shaking his head and sighing he agreed, "You got me, but make sure it is okay with Ryan before we finalize this."
Giving him a wide grin she nodded, "I'll ask but I know he won't mind." Turning her eyes back to the cloudless sky she was realizing the changes to come in her life and the fear that Troy won't always be available to do this was scary. But for now she needed to take in the moments they had left, "Isn't it odd how when you look at it the sky feels so close but in reality it is so far away."
Watching as her eyes scanned the world above he took in the slants and curves of her face. Knowing that come a few months he might not get to see her smile and hear her brilliant words of advice on a daily routine was frightening, but a challenge he knew he would have to over come. However, for now it was pushed aside because they did have time to spend together before they embraced their future. "Yeah, kinda like graduation and college."
He trained his eyes on a bird flying over head, he envied the bird with all it's freedom and life free of massive burdens. But as another giggle came from the girl at his side he realized he was lucky to be able to interact with people like her and call them his friends and family. Today might have been a shitty day, and there were surely more to come, but in there were going to be gems like Kelsi to get him through.