Tease and the Teaser
Summary: They're best friends playing his game ever since they were born. She was the tease, and he was the teaser. But that Christmas, she figured out what his game really was about. T&G ONESHOT
Disclaimer: I don't own any high school musical characters, and I don't own Disney either. I don't think I really own anything, I'm just writing this for my own consent!
Author's Note: This is my second attempt at humor. Unlike most of my romance stories, this one, I must say, is very light, and also very long. This is the first one shot that took me over a day to write (Two days!). I want to write many things. Including a holiday one-shot. So here it is. You might as well read it along with the twenty billion others this Christmas. Happy holidays. Always, schoolgirl 101
"Gabs!" Troy shouted as he spotted Gabriella at her locker in the school hallway.
Gabriella Montez turned towards the voice and a smile appeared on her face as she looked at the blue-eyed boy. "What's up Troy?"
"I wanted to ask you something," he said softly, his voice lowering a notch.
Gabriella moved closer to Troy. "Sure. What is it?"
"Well---winter ball is coming up and everything. And because you probably won't get a date and all, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me," Troy smiled.
There went that moment.
Gabriella rolled her eyes at Troy. "What makes you think I wouldn't get a date to winter ball?" she glared at Troy. "In fact, Eric asked me third period."
"Eric?" Troy wrinkled his nose. "You mean my basketball teammate Eric?"
Gabriella nodded. "Yeah. Whom else would I be talking about?"
Troy shrugged. "Did you say yes?"
Gabriella looked at him and paused. "Why does it matter to you if I said yes or not?"
"I don't know. Maybe 'cause I'm asking you now," Troy retorted.
"You're so disrespectful Troy," Gabriella muttered and shook her head. "I said no to Eric if that's what you want. I figured we would go together. Like we always do," she breathed.
"Good." A sigh of relief was present on Troy's face, and Gabriella couldn't help but smile the smallest fraction.
"Why do you even bother asking me Troy? You could have a million other girls go with you. And I could find a date."
Troy looked at Gabriella seriously. "I get worried about you Gabs. I mean look at you. Who would want to ask you?"
*Gasp.
Gabriella glowered at Troy and stomped on his foot. "Jerk," she hissed loudly. Gabriella quickly checked the mirror in her locker and then looked down at her clothing. Everything seemed normal to her. "What's wrong with me?" she asked Troy. "There's nothing wrong with me."
"Chill Gabs. You know I was just kidding. You're perfect," Troy defended and lifted his hands up in the air. "You're beautiful."
Gabriella looked away. Why did Troy always have to be like that for? Tease and then be serious? She was tired of his games.
"Please Gabs. Come to the ball with me. I promise I'll be on my best behavior."
Gabriella closed her eyes and sighed. "Fine."
"Score!" he pumped his fist madly into the air.
Gabriella Montez sat in front of her vanity mirror, and brushed her hair from her face. She glanced at the clock. December 24, 6:43 PM. Troy should be showing up soon.
"Gabriella!" Troy yelled loudly as his long legs shot up the Montez' staircase.
She jumped suddenly at the loud voice sounding from outside her bedroom door. Crash. "Ow," she moaned.
Troy chuckled and opened the white door. "What was that noise? It sounded like an elephant landed in the house," he stated before glancing at the bundled dress on the floor. "Oh. It's just you Gabs."
The brown mess of curls bounced up and Gabriella lifted her head to glare at Troy. "I'm not an elephant you idiot. You're so loud, and I freaked out and tripped."
A smirk appeared on Troy Bolton's face. "Ahh. I see. That does sound like you."
Gabriella frowned at Troy before pushing herself up from her white carpet. "Next time you show up, could it kill you to be a little more quiet? I was wrapping gifts earlier. The scissors are still on the floor. I could have gotten hurt," she admitted.
"A word of advice for you then. Don't trip," Troy grinned as he tugged on the collar of his dress shirt.
Gabriella ignored his comment, brushed her blue evening dress down, and carefully walked towards Troy, her two-inch stiletto heels digging into the soft carpet. "Glad that you showed up on time," she said and looked back at the clock. "I thought we were going to be late."
"It's always good to be fashionably late Gabby," Troy teased. He brushed the brown hair out of his bright blue eyes to smile at his best friend.
Best friends. Those were the perfect words to describe the relationship between Troy and Gabriella. They had never taken their relationship to a different level, and Gabriella knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Both were comfortable enough with each other that even a game ensued between the two.
She was the tease, and he was the teaser. Gabriella was almost always poked fun at, and Troy was the one who loved picking on Gabriella. Both Gabriella and Troy knew it was immature, but the game had become so incorporated in their lives, neither would stop playing it. Besides, Gabriella had no idea how to end the game. The deck was in Troy's hands. Only he could end the game.
Or so she thought.
"Hey Gabs," Troy asked as he turned towards the empty wall in her room. "What happened to that large mirror?"
"Huh?" Gabriella asked as she turned towards Troy.
"What happened to that large mirror you had hanging on that wall?" Troy questioned as he pointed to the empty place on Gabriella's wall.
"Oh," Gabriella nodded and looked the empty space. "The mirror fell from its screws and broke. Mom and dad are going to buy me a replacement later. It didn't really matter. I have a vanity mirror too," Gabriella added as she pointed to the other mirror.
Troy shook his head. "I doubt a mirror could just fall off the wall like that. Are you sure it didn't break because you looked into it?" he laughed.
Gabriella gaped at Troy and shoved his shoulder. "You better shut that mouth of yours Bolton. That's not funny."
"On the contrary Gabs, it's very funny." Troy smirked and took a seat on Gabriella's bed. "You ready for winter ball?" he questioned.
Gabriella nodded and grabbed her purse sitting on her desk. "Yeah," she stated before turning around to face him. "How do I look?"
Troy's eyes turned on Gabriella and he stared at her for what seemed like a mere second. "At least the dress fits this time," he joked.
Gabriella gasped and hit him with her purse. "That was so rude TROY!"
"Troy," Gabriella asked as she turned to Troy. "Can you zip me up?" she asked and walked over to her friend.
"Your small and chubby arms can't reach the zipper?" Troy teased and clasped onto the zipper.
Gabriella kicked Troy in his shins and he groaned. "Gabs, that was sore."
"Just zip me up Troy," she said exasperated.
"Fine," Troy muttered and dragged the zipper up. For some reason, the zipper wouldn't budge.
"Are you sure this thing fits you?" Troy asked as he tugged once more on the zipper. Still nothing.
"What?!" Gabriella asked in shock. "I bought this at the mall just last month."
Troy's hands began to yank and jerk at the zipper. "Darn thing," Troy muttered and tugged harder. "I swear Gabs. It's not me. The thing just won't zip."
"Are you sure?" she frowned.
"Positive," he declared before smiling. "Have you been eating a little too much donuts?" he joked.
She jabbed her elbow into his stomach and he fell back. "I'll show you who's been eating too many donuts."
Gabriella looked at Troy's smiling face and she bit her lip to contain the sudden rush of anger that contained her. She rubbed her hand together and bit her lip. She looked into her vanity mirror and checked her make up. It was good. Her make up may be the only good thing today. She turned back towards Troy and glanced at his appearance.
Black dress pants, black dress shoes, blue dress shirt. "Troy, where's your tie?" Gabriella asked.
"Oh," Troy said as he pulled out a wrinkled satin tie from his pocket.
"And you didn't put it on because---"
"Err----I don't know how to tie one of these things?" Troy said quietly.
What a surprise.
Gabriella raised her eyebrows. "Okay," she paused. "Give me the tie Troy."
He handed her the tie and Gabriella stared at it intently. Hmm...she didn't know how to put on a tie either. "You didn't ask your dad to put it on for you before you left?"
Troy shook his head. "He and mom went out for dinner."
Gabriella nodded and took a step closer towards Troy. "Okay, let me try."
Several minutes later...
"Gabs, I don't think that's how you tie this thing," Troy laughed as Gabriella struggled with the tie.
"I think I have it," Gabriella said. Her arms were crossed, and she was currently behind Troy. That didn't look right.
Troy bustled with laughter. "Gabs, really. I don't think you're doing this right," he used his hands and grabbed her waist lightly.
Gabriella stumbled and tripped on her heel, and crashed towards the floor, holding the tie tightly in her hand.
"AHH!" Troy screamed. "Choking neck! Choking neck!"
Troy's figure fell on Gabriella and Gabriella squinted by the pressure. Troy was settled in very close proximity to Gabriella and she could feel his breath on hers. Gabriella blushed and gently looked down at her hands on his tie.
"As great as this looks Gabs," Troy said as he looked at Gabriella clutched onto his tie. "I don't think I would want to wear you and the tie. Just the tie," his voice was hoarse.
Gabriella's hands dropped from the un-knotted tie. "I think I'll get my dad to help you."
"Good idea."
"Jingle bell, Jingle bell, Jingle bell rock," the voice sang from the inside of the school's gymnasium.
Gabriella and a tie-wearing Troy were currently settled on the dance floor with many of the famous East High couples. Chad Danforth and Taylor Mckessie, Ryan Evans and Kelsi Neilson, and Zeke Baylor and Sharpay Evans.
"You would think I'd be smart by now and learn not to take you dancing," Troy groaned as Gabriella stepped on his foot for the eighth time that night.
"I told you I didn't want to dance Troy," Gabriella muttered and purposely crushed his foot with her heel.
"I think by now, you're hurting me on purpose," Troy moaned.
"Oh! See! You are a little smart," Gabriella replied happily and stomped on Troy's foot once more.
"Ahh! Gabs," Troy breathed and lifted Gabriella in the air to avoid any more harsh toe-squishing.
"Troy!" Gabriella scoffed. "Put me down!"
"Stop stepping on my foot then!" he retorted. "When I compared you to an elephant, I guess I was right. You're so freaking heavy."
Gabriella glared and kicked him.
"You're causing a scene Gabby," he remarked.
"Don't care," she jeered.
Troy reluctantly placed Gabriella back onto the floor before kneeling down in front of her. Why was he kneeling down? Why was he kneeling down?
"Gabs--" he said softly.
Gabriella looked down at Troy. "What are you doing?" Her voice squeaked.
"We've been friends for so long," Troy said and tried to reach into his pocket. "And I wanted to ask you something."
Gabriella's eyes widened. Troy looked up to see Gabriella's shocked face and pulled his hand out of his pocket. He was empty-handed. Gabriella placed a hand over her heart. "Stop it Troy. For a second you looked like you were going to propose."
"Proposing to you?" Troy laughed. "Funny."
Gabriella frowned at Troy.
"I just wanted to strip off these murdering weapons." Troy shuddered at Gabriella's shoes.
Gabriella shifted in her position and sighed. She allowed Troy to take off her heels. He unfastened the clip and allowed the material to slip from her feet. "Good?" she asked.
"Very," he replied and stood up, handing Gabriella her sandals. "Thanks. I no longer have to deal with my feet becoming red an swollen tomorrow."
"No. Thank you Troy."
"What do you mean?" Troy asked cautiously.
"Now that I don't have these on my feet," Gabriella smiled as she held her shoes up in all of their glory. "I can use them to smack you."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
"Gabs!" Troy groaned as a blue shoe came in contact with his bicep. "I thought you knew how to be lady like. This is not lady like."
She shrugged and hit him once more. Oh yes. She was definitely getting back at him this time.
Gabriella inhaled a short breath and gazed at the beautiful Christmas decorations surrounding the gym. "Troy, can we stop dancing for a bit? I'm worn out," Gabriella panted and took a step back to fan herself.
"I'm too much for you?" Troy asked while his smile curled into a light smirk. "You want something to drink instead?"
Gabriella nodded. "Yeah. I'll go get something. I'll be right back. You want anything?"
"Yeah. Stay away from those donuts Gabs. You don't know what could happen."
She took a moment to scowl at him before walking over to grab a bottle of water. If this game between them had been happening so long, why wasn't she used to it? Why did it seem like today, out of all days, Troy was making fun of her more than usual? She took a sip and stared at Troy curiously.
'What is he doing dancing with someone else?' she thought angrily. Gabriella grimaced at the sight. Why did that always have to happen to her? Gabriella would go off for what? Two seconds? And then Troy would be off with yet another girl. And he would be enjoying it. Gabriella had always wondered why Troy always asked her to these dances, and then go off dancing with someone else. Was she not enough for him?
And why did she always have to say yes to him? Scratch that question. The answer was too obvious. She liked Troy, and she had an even harder time admitting that statement to herself. Troy only teased Gabriella, and somehow, in the midst of anger and irritation, Gabriella enjoyed it. Gabriella was special in that one way. Troy would treat any other girl with an abundance of respect and politeness, but with Gabriella, Troy ridiculed Gabriella to an extreme.
The only reason why she played his game was so he would notice her. But as the mocking continued, Gabriella didn't know if she could hold up. It would only take a few more pushes for Troy to send Gabriella over the edge.
"Gabriella," a sing-song voice erupted her from her thoughts. Gabriella turned around and came face to face with Troy.
"You sure take a long time drinking water," he commented as he swiped the bottle from her grip and took a sip before handing the water back to her. "You wanted to dance some more?"
Gabriella frowned. "No. I'll pass. How about we take a picture instead? The line is shorter than when we came in."
Troy took a look at Gabriella before responding. "If you want. But you know the saying. The camera adds on ten pounds? You better watch out Gabs, who knows how much that dress can take?" he laughed loudly as he gripped onto her waist.
Gabriella nodded slowly and walked towards the camera. I'm beginning to wonder how much I can take--
The dance was just about to end, and Gabriella and Troy were walking over to his car to avoid the cluster of students trying to exit the parking lot.
"That was a lot of fun, wasn't it?" a smile played on Troy's lips as he glanced to look at Gabriella.
Gabriella pretended to grin at him and rubbed her arms together. "I didn't realize how cold it was," she shivered. "It feels like the weather just dropped twenty degrees. I wouldn't be surprised if it started snowing."
Troy turned his head to look at Gabriella. "Strange how you would be cold," Troy stated as he opened his car door to let Gabriella in. Gabriella stepped inside and Troy closed the door. When he stepped inside the driver's seat, Gabriella looked at him and stated, "Why is it strange that I'm cold for?" she questioned. "I didn't bring a jacket like the idiot I am."
Troy chuckled and turned on the engine to start the car heater. "I don't know. I just thought that if a person had a lot of fat, it is more easier for a person to stay warm."
Gabriella didn't even dare to look at Troy again that car ride. She was deathly afraid that she would burst into tears. And then---she would ruin the only good thing for her today. Her make up.
His car stood parked in her driveway and he opened the door to let her out. Gabriella nodded quickly towards him and took his hand as they walked up her driveway.
"So when is your curfew?" Troy asked.
"Midnight," Gabriella replied as she gritted her teeth together. The drive home had been spectacular. The constant bantering and taunting really worked well with Gabriella.
"So Christmas day you can get in?" Troy smiled. "Lovely. It's 11:56," Troy smiled as he looked down at his silver watch.
"Yeah," Gabriella nodded and took a step on her front door. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Christmas. Um--yeah," she paused as she grabbed her key and inserted the piece of metal into the slot.
The door clicked open and Gabriella looked at Troy. "So, I had a great time tonight Troy. Not like I don't always have a great time with you."
Gabriella paused and she was not sure what to say next to Troy. She couldn't tell him that out of all the days, he had chosen today to be the worst jerk ever. Gabriella had been standing at her doorstep for so long, she didn't realize that two minutes had passed, and there were only two minutes left till her curfew.
"Are you desperate much?" Troy inquired and cocked his head to the side to stare at Gabriella.
"What are you talking about?" Gabriella shivered and rubbed her arms together. Darn. It had gotten cold again.
"Mistletoe," Troy said and pointed his finger above where Troy and Gabriella were standing.
Gabriella looked up and stared in shock before taking a step back and almost tripping on the stairs. "I didn't realize---"
"Sure," Troy smirked and grabbed Gabriella's waist before she could fall. "I mean---it's your house, and you wouldn't know if there is a mistletoe outside on the doorstep, right below where we are standing right now."
Underneath the small amount of light that her parents had left on for Gabriella when she came home, Gabriella was a deep shade of red. "Shut up Troy," she muttered. "Mom must have put it up for the Christmas party tomorrow."
"Am I invited?" he asked pleasantly.
"You're asking this time?" Gabriella snapped. "You're not going with your rude antics and just entering and invading?"
Troy's face looked shock. "I don't know what you're talking about."
One minute till midnight.
"Yeah right," she shivered. "You've been teasing me all day."
"I always tease you."
"Not like this. You nearly insulted me a million times tonight!" she hissed.
"A million?" A smirk was visible on his face.
"There you go again!" Gabriella said abruptly. "And frankly, I'm tired of it! Good night Troy!"
Thirty seconds till midnight.
"Gabs, please!" Troy said and grabbed her hand before she could pull herself into her house. "You know I don't mean it," he replied.
"I don't know what you mean anymore Troy. I don't know why I've been waiting for so long to tell you this. I hate this game that you set up. I'm the tease. You're the teaser. It's stupid, but it was the only way that you would notice me." The words spilled from her mouth in a mass of confusion and mayhem. Gabriella shook her head in shock.
"Good night Troy," she muttered.
Ten seconds until midnight.
"Don't be like that Gabs," Troy pulled on Gabriella tightly and she collided into his chest. She gasped at the impact.
"What now Troy?!" she glared. "Just let me go inside!"
"No," he said firmly. "We're not done here."
"And why not?!" she asked furious.
"Mistletoe," he declared.
And then his lips came crashing onto hers.
Midnight.
To say she was shocked was an understatement. To say she didn't enjoy his kiss was an overstatement. Gabriella didn't know whether she was going to pull back and slap him, or whether she was going to pull him closer and kiss him harder.
His lips played on hers and Gabriella melted in his arms. In those few seconds his lips were placed on hers, he wasn't talking. No teasing. No banter. No wild jokes.
A gust of wind blew, and light sprinkles fell on Gabriella and she drew in her breath sharply. "It's snowing," she pulled her lips away from Troy to admire the snowflakes falling from the sky.
"Merry Christmas Gabriella," he murmured and stared deeply into her eyes.
Her lips trembled. What was she doing? She was angry at him. She would stay angry at him. She pushed back the memories the two had just created moments ago, and stared angrily at him. "As nice as that was Troy, it's over," her voice shook. "If you think I'm just going to forget about the horrible night I just had, you're wrong."
He looked shocked. "Gabs, I'm sorry. I didn't mean---"
"I don't care if you didn't mean it Troy," she quivered at the cold air blowing around her. "You hurt me anyway. I'm going inside."
"Gabriella---"
"I'm going inside Troy!" she snapped and opened the door. The only great part about leaving him was that she slammed the door in his face.
Christmas is a time. Christmas is a time.
Christmas is a time to love.
Christmas is a time. Christmas is a time.
Christmas is a time to love.
She bounded up the stairs, tripping twice over her shoes. She was deathly afraid she would wake her parents up but at the moment, she didn't care.
She could feel the tears streaming from her face and she hit her head against her wall once she entered her bedroom. Stupid make up. Great. Now nothing was good. Her Christmas had just been ruined because of him.
She collapsed on her bed and cried softly. She knew that when she woke up the next morning, the mascara and eyeliner would be plastered all over her face. She sniffled and tried to wipe her eyes. The wind gusted on her face and she pulled the blankets over her. Why was it so cold?
She opened her eyes. Why was it cold? The heater was turned on inside of the house. Her eyes quickly scanned towards her balcony door and saw the figure she was hoping not to see. Why was he there? "I thought I told you goodnight!" she screamed.
Troy ran up to her and put his hand over Gabriella's mouth. "I didn't get to say it back," he hushed Gabriella softly.
She ripped his hand from her mouth and lowered her voice. "Well, if you were smart, you would know I didn't want you to say it back."
"But I did want to say it back," Troy paused. "I'm really sorry Gabriella."
"What else is new?" she muttered and pulled away from him.
"I didn't stop playing the game because you were the only one who could end it," he whispered softly.
"What are you talking about?" Gabriella interrogated and rubbed her arms together to look at him. "You could have just stopped teasing me."
"And what would that have proved?" he questioned. "I couldn't end the game that way."
"What do you mean 'what would that have proved'?" Gabriella questioned as she began to freak out. "That would have proved you actually had some manners," she snapped.
"Do you understand the game?"
"This stupid and pointless game?" Gabriella hissed. "I understand it perfectly. "Tease Gabriella until mayhem ensues," she screeched to take a breath. "And then pretend it's her fault that she didn't end the game!"
"Close, but no," Troy chuckled. "Gabs," he whispered. "Why did you continue the game?" he questioned.
"So you would notice me," she muttered.
"And did I notice you?"
"Yeah," she whispered
"Then why didn't you end the game? Why did you wait so long?"
A gear in her brain clicked.
"So it's suddenly my fault that the game didn't end?" she said stubbornly. "You're going to blame this one on me?" she asked shocked.
"Gabs," Troy said as he brushed a curl from her face. "I played because you played. It wasn't my game, it was yours. I have always noticed you. I just wanted you to notice me. Hence the game."
"Stupid game," Gabriella muttered.
"Stupid players," he grinned before becoming serious. "I teased you one, so you would notice me, and two, because it was the only way I could show you that you were different from anyone else. You're special to me Gabs. I wasn't ever serious before, but with you, I wanted to be. I just didn't know how to show you."
"So in order to show me that you were serious, you weren't serious?" she muffled in his shirt.
Troy nodded and ran his hand gently through her hair. Gabriella seemed to calm down and allowed him to wipe her tears gently with the pad of his thumb.
"Teasing isn't the best way to go then Bolton," she explained and smiled lightly. "Ever tried asking me out on a date?"
"That's not special," he proclaimed.
"We could make it special," she smiled.
"Friday night sound good then?"
"Perfect."
Ahh---the year's worth of teasing could have all been solved in a moment if Gabriella had just told him to stop. What a great year this one has been.
She smiled and pulled Troy into a tight hug. "Thank you."
"Merry Christmas Gabriella."
"Merry Christmas Troy."
The two looked at each other and shared an awkward moment.
"I could bring the mistletoe inside if you want," Gabriella giggled.
He smiled, and cautiously reached down to her and placed his lips on hers. Gabriella grinned and moved her lips against his and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed for a few moments before Troy pulled back to say something. Gabriella breathed out a sigh. "You know when the snow began to fall and you said it was snowing?"
Gabriella nodded slowly, disappointed that they had stopped their kiss. "I recall. Why?"
A grin appeared on Troy's face. "I was dying to tell you it couldn't be snowing. I wanted to say it was the dandruff flakes coming out of your hair."
She gasped at him and hit him lightly on the shoulder. "R U D E," she muttered before connecting her lips to his.
"Tease," he whispered.
"Teaser." she muttered.