Gabriella walked through the huge mass of people, the loud music echoed inside her head as she felt all the sweaty bodies move around her, people danced like their lives depended on it, they also drank like there was no future. Gabriella didn't belong there; she didn't know what she was doing inside that house packed with drunken teens, no inhibitions, and no common sense. If there was something she had was common sense, but then again, she was also lying to herself.
She knew exactly why she was there.
Gabriella walked into the kitchen and looked for something to drink that didn't have any alcohol in it, even when she thought she would need it later she didn't want the alcohol to take away from the experience. She wanted her head to be clear when she saw him. She didn't have a plan; she didn't even know what to say to him when she saw him.
Was she even going to say anything?
When Gabriella heard Troy Bolton was back in town she really didn't know how to react, he had been gone for two whole years in a military school and now when she finally thought she could move on, go to a decent college and make life better for her and her family his ghost had to come back and make her have second thoughts on what she thought she felt. She didn't want to think this was a second chance for them because when she needed him the most he ran away like a coward to a different state, to live a new life.
Now he was back, and he was making her life miserable. She hadn't even seen him yet.
Gabriella grabbed a coke and walked towards the door that she knew led to a beautiful backyard. A little break from all this mess was all she needed. All she wanted to do now was to go home and read a good book, be there with the one she loved the most in her entire life. She opened the door and stood there in complete shock.
There he was.
His once long brown hair was now incredibly short, he was wearing some jeans and a simple t-shirt but still he managed to look so powerful and dangerous. The two things she loved the most about him in the past. There was something else though; he looked so serious and sad, nothing to do with the sexy smiles and the smirks that covered his face all the time in the past. He had definitely changed, she could tell. Troy should've noticed he wasn't alone because he turned around like he knew she was standing there staring at him, their eyes landed on each other, locked on a stare, making every nerve in her body tremble, a shiver ran quickly down her spine.
All the planets seemed to finally align, everything felt into place, it felt right, like they were meant to be.
Without knowing it Gabriella found herself turning around and running away. That was it, she couldn't do it, she couldn't face the guy she had been in love for such a long time because what she felt when he looked into her eyes was so powerful she just knew it wasn't going to take long for him to break her heart into a million pieces again. She couldn't go through that again; there was someone out there that needed her.
She had almost made it to the front door when a couple of strong arms pulled her back. She didn't want to make a scene, but she would do it if she had to. Troy made her turn around and his blue eyes impacted with hers. He couldn't believe it was really her, he held her against the door and one of his hands caressed her cheek, it was like his body was acting on its own, he couldn't help it. He had been thinking about her so much for those long two years he had been away, every second away from her made a small piece of his heart break.
He had been thinking of a perfect way to talk to her, to let her see that he had changed, and he was now the guy she needed to have in her life. That he could finally take care of her. She was all he could think about back in Military school, he was so worried about leaving her back then, but he also knew it was the right thing for both, now he was ready to really be there for her. To be the person she needed.
"Gabriella" Her name tasted so amazingly, it had been so long since he said it aloud, he felt her tremble inside his arms. She hadn't change a bit.
Her eyes filled up with tears.
"Let me go Troy" Troy? Since when was she so formal when it came to him, she used to call him Tee; it used to be their thing, her personal nickname for him. Everybody called him Troy but not her.
"I won't let you go...Ever" He said. It was about time he fixed what he messed up.
"Please I can't do this" The tears ran down her cheeks and he was quick to wipe them away with his thumbs. He didn't want her to cry. He couldn't stand it.
"I'm going to make this right" Was his response "I promise"
"How can you make this right?" She shook her head in denial "There's no going back"
"I know that" He took a step back finally letting her some space to breathe. "But we have to talk about a lot of things"
"There's nothing to say"
"I don't agree"
"You left Troy!" She nearly yelled "You left me, and I loved you...Do you really expect me to just forgive you after all this time"
"No, I don't expect that" He said, and he had to take a deep breath before continuing "But I really want you to at least give me a chance to explain, if you still don't want to have anything to do with me afterwards then I'll understand but I need you to at least listen to me first"
She scanned him, he looked even better than before he left, so more mature and sexy.
"Ok" She said despite her common sense, she knew she would regret making that choice, but she was also curious about what he had to say.
There was a silence between them. The loud music was still echoing around them, but it was like they were in their own little bubble. There was something else walking inside his head, when he spoke every alarm inside of Gabriella's body went off.
"I want to see her" were his exact words. She should've said no but then again, she thought he had as much right as her.
"You can come over tomorrow and..."
"No" He interrupted her "I want to see her now. Did you drive here?"
"No... Alison brought me" Her voice was barely above a whisper, she didn't know how he could hear her.
"I'll take you home" Troy pulled her closer to him so he could open the door and drag her outside. Gabriella was surprised to find he had replaced his motorcycle for a white truck. Where was that reckless guy she met and fell in love with? Where were the leather jackets and the obsession for big tattoos and the cigars and the rock music he loved so much? Where was the Troy she knew?
They didn't say a whole word on their way to her house, Gabriella didn't know what was going on inside his head, but she could almost see his brain working full speed, she really didn't like where this was going. She knew she had to stay home, where she was comfortable and secure, she knew it was a mistake the minute she set a foot outside her house. Troy parked his truck on her driveway, and looked at the house standing next to them; it also hadn't change a bit since he left. He could feel his hands starting to sweat, his heart was beating out of his chest and he was starting to feel dizzy.
Gabriella got out of the car and he followed her. He could feel the air slowly leaving his lungs as he came closer to the house. Something that could entirely change his life was inside, that something changed his life already, and he just hadn't realized that yet. Troy followed her inside the house and up the stairs, his legs started to shake, and he couldn't remember the last time something affected him so much.
He had seen a lot of things in the past two years; he had been through stuff that could make any grown man cry, all those things made him stronger. He thought nothing else in this world could bring him down after what he had to go through. Gabriella stood in front of the door and turned to look at him, she really looked at him and he could see the fear in her eyes, he could also feel it, but he promised himself he would not hurt this woman again, he wouldn't let her go.
"She's asleep so you have to be quiet" She said, all he could do was nod in excitement, he really wanted to see the person behind the door, but he also felt the need to turn around and walk away. He forced himself to walk inside when she opened the door; the room was dark only illuminated by the dim light coming from the window and the now opened door. He walked towards the small crib and what he saw completely brought him down to his knees.
She was so beautiful.
He played with her short black curls identical to her mother's as she pleasantly sleeps. He couldn't believe this tiny human being was actually part of him. It was true, it was all true. When his brother called him to tell him he had a daughter and that she was a perfect mix of him and Gabriella he couldn't believe it. Jason sent him pictures and he still couldn't believe it, he was missing on so many things by being away, it took everything in him not to come back and put his arms around that precious little thing he had in front of him right now. She moved in her sleep and the air got stuck in his throat.
His vision turned blurry and he felt the salty tears run down his cheek, he wiped the tears away surprised, he didn't know when did he start crying but now he couldn't stop. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"What's her name?" He asked in a very low voice. He didn't want to wake her up.
"Hazel" Was Gabriella's response.
Hazel
That brought a single memory. Gabriella was his back then, they had been fooling around for some time and when he finally asked her to be his he couldn't believe his luck when she said yes. He was a lucky bastard. He also remember thinking about their future, back then his plan was to go to college with her, get a job, marry her and then have four kids together.
"Our first daughter's name" He said back then "Will be Hazel Marie"
He couldn't believe she actually used that name. He leaned in and kissed Hazel's forehead carefully and turned to look at Gabriella.
"I'll be back tomorrow morning" He said as he walked over to her and wiped the tears he saw in her face. "We need to talk tomorrow"
"Ok" She said.
He had to fix this, he would definitely fix this.
...
The next day Gabriella woke up very early and got ready for what she had to face that day, she decided she would hear whatever he had to say and then she would politely tell him to stay away from her and her daughter. They both made it without him for a while now and they didn't need him to move on. Gabriella would go to community college, work on a part-time job and come home to be with her daughter, the only thing that kept her together for the past two years. She went to Hazel's room and found her all awake and ready for anything. She smiled as she picked up the gorgeous baby and kissed her tummy before going downstairs.
"We need to have a strong breakfast if we want to see daddy today" Gabriella told her and the baby stared back at her with her intense blue eyes wide open like she could actually understand how heavy this situation was. They had some breakfast together and Gabriella got them both showered and dressed for whatever Troy had in mind. It didn't take long until there was a knock on the door, she put Hazel on the ground and the baby quickly walked towards the TV and played with the buttons. She giggled before she went to answer the door. He was standing there, resolution shining bright inside his blue eyes, the same blue eyes his daughter now shared.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
"We are" She replied, and he smiled like he had the entire world figured out. In that very moment he looked a little like the old Troy.
"Where is she?" He asked, and she made way so he could step inside the house. He saw her standing by the TV very interested in what she had going on there. Just like the night before he fell to his knees as he stared at her. He murmured her name and the baby turned around. She could hear him breathe in and out hardly.
Then the most amazing thing happened.
Hazel ran as much as her small legs allowed her, she ran towards him and he opened his arms to receive her, it was like two souls that had been looking for each other finally found themselves. He picked her up and hugged her tightly, he buried his nose in her hair and took in her scent, she smelled like a baby should smell, like clouds and innocence.
Gabriella was staring at them completely surprised, Hazel didn't like strangers at all, she only felt comfortable with her or her parents, and also with Troy' brother who looked nothing like Troy. She grabbed the baby's bag and sighed.
"What are we going to do?" she asked him. He kissed the baby's cheek before he turned his attention to Gabriella.
"I thought about going out for a picnic" He said with a huge smile adorning his face, he gave his full attention back to the baby and she smiled back. It was like Hazel knew who he was, like she could feel it.
"Sounds good" She asked every star for help because she would sure need it. Troy spent the whole ride to the park looking at his review mirror at the gorgeous little girl that laughed at everything she saw, he could not believe that was his daughter, actually he could believe it but the fact that something so gorgeous was also made out of him was beyond his understanding. Of course, it wasn't just him, it was also the beautiful woman sitting next to him, he looked at her and he just knew this was his only chance and he had to make things better, that precious girl in the back deserved a family and he was sure going to give her one.
He picked a spot for them to sit and he put a blanket over the grass, he took the baby in his arms as Gabriella sat down with the basket in her hands, he stayed up until late making lunch for them. He wasn't much of a cook but he put a lot of effort on it. Hazel grabbed his face with her tiny hands; he laughed and kissed her palms softly.
He hadn't known this baby for more than an hour and he was already fully in love with her.
"You know when Jason sent me the pictures I thought I was dreaming" He started "I couldn't believe you were pregnant and the fact that this living organism was also part of me broke something inside of me"
"But you never came back" She said. It was obvious she was still hurt.
"I... I wasn't the person I was supposed to be for you" He shook his head "I really wanted to come back but when I found out you had just gave birth to our child I thought that I needed to stay and get myself on track so by the time I came back I could be not only what you needed but also the father she needs"
"What are you talking about?" She said, "Why do you talk like you found out after you left?"
"Because I did"
"That's not possible...I told your father. He was supposed to find you and tell you I was pregnant" Gabriella frowned because what he was telling her didn't connect at all with what she remembered "He told me you knew and that you left for Military school"
"He never told me" Troy eyes went down a few degrees "He just sent me to military school without having my thoughts into consideration...you see I was a mess back then, I was all about partying and smoking and drinking and I was going down a really rough path"
She knew that already.
"I guess my father wanted me to become a better person before coming back to you" He chuckled "He adored you, you were like the perfect daughter he always wanted and never had, he wouldn't let anyone not even me hurt you"
"So, he sent you away" Gabriella couldn't believe it.
"He did" He nodded and looked down at Hazel who was very busy playing with his cell phone "Knowing you were both here was the only thing that kept me in one piece...military school is...hard" He couldn't even begin to tell her what he had experienced there "I knew I was supposed to get better to see you so I did my best"
"Do you think that even changes anything?" Gabriella was now a waterfall "Do you imagine the time I spent inside my room, depressed, crying because I thought you just left me, that you just abandoned me after all those promises you made to me"
He wasn't sure before but hearing it now made him feel worst.
"I know you also had a rough time Gabriella" His blue eyes landed on her "And I know I shouldn't be here asking you for a second chance, but when I decided to come back I was completely sure I would try my best to earn your trust again, and to be a family"
"I wish I could believe you but..."
"Gabriella there's nothing I want most than fix this whole thing" His eyes were connected to hers, telling everything he was feeling deep inside "I still love you...I never stopped loving you" He said "I want to be the man you want. I want you to know you're not alone anymore"
Gabriella sobbed, and she covered her face with her hands. Part of her wanted to believe him but there was another part of her that didn't want to see her heart being broken again. It was hard for her, she was alone, pregnant and with no one around to really understand what she was going through.
"I don't want to believe you" She said "I don't want to fall back for you if your words aren't real Troy"
"It will be ok, we can't deny how we feel, I see you and it's like watching chemicals react" He said "I love you Gabriella...I love you and this gorgeous little thing that looks so much like you and me it scares" He kissed Hazel's head and she looked up at him with a smile "I love you both so much it hurts"
"It hurts me too" She whispered. Silence fell between them as she thought about it, could she really let him in again? Could she give him a second chance? Gabriella took a deep breath before speaking again "I swear Tee if you disappear again I will be so mad"
There.
She said it.
There was no turning back now.
When he heard her call him by his old nickname he knew she was fully in with him and he couldn't be happier. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her closer, he wanted to kiss her so bad but he knew he had to go slowly with her, Gabriella wasn't the type of girl to just dive in, and he had to really take it seriously. Instead he kissed the top of her head.
"You know it's funny, I've never seen her be so comfortable with a stranger before" Gabriella said as she rubbed Hazel's back and tickled her a little bit.
"I'm not a stranger" He said "I'm her family and she know it"
They stared into each other's eyes for a while.
"I'm also your family" He said.
For the first time she knew it was true.