Summary: [TxG Short Oneshot! "I don't even remember why I loved you in the first place." She said quietly, hot tears threatening to spill from her eyes. R&R please & ty, it's my first fanfic.
A/N: Quick thing everyone should know before reading this. This could be AU, if you'd like to imagine it that way, that's the way I did. But, it can also be seen as Troy changing because of the whole scholarship thing, except Gabi & Troy's break up was alot worst then Gotta Go My Own Way, oh yes, & therefore the time line would be a little off. ( Btw, it's a little short.)
One more thing, I know I said it's my first fanfic, well it's my first fanfic that I've a) finished and b) had the guts to put up on fanfic. Thanks everyone, hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Despite the fact that I wish I owned Troy Bolton/Zac Efron minus the fake tan.
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Gabriella's foot continued to tap an unknown beat against the hardwood of the living room floor. Keeping her gaze down towards her feet there was no way she was going to lift her eyes because if she did she knew she wouldn't have a chance.
"Stop it." Troy snapped, watching Gabriella from the arm rest of the sofa he was sitting on.
Gabriella ignored him and continued her beatless tapping.
Running a hand through his ruffled hair he groaned. He couldn't take it anymore, the silence. Besides Gabriella's annoying tapping of course. It was Saturday evening, she had come over to start that english project they had been assigned. When they had first been assigned the project his first instinct was to find himself another partner. After a bad break up about three weeks ago things had never gone back to how they used to be, despite the remaining feelings they both still had. On top of their underlying feelings was anger, frustration and Troy and Gabriella had fought more now that they weren't together.
Gabriella's tapping had increased in speed. The noise finally getting to Troy, he stood up quickly taking a seat next to Gabriella then he firmly placed a hand against Gabriella's thigh. "Stop." His voice dark and rough.
Gabriella jumped at his touch, her head snapping up to look at him. Their eyes locking, big mistake Gabriella.
"Sorry." She whispered, her voice becoming soft. His blue eyes causing her to forget why they hadn't been talking in the first place.
Lifting his hand off her thigh, Gabriella instantly wished he'd touch her again. That was until Troy opened his mouth. "Finally.God you were getting more annoying then usual."
Suddenly her reasons for being so mad at him had fled back in a wave of emotions. Closing her eyes breifly she took a deep breath trying to compose herself.
"What the hell is your problem Troy?" She said as calmy as possible, though she heard herself shaking. Hopefully Troy hadn't.
Leaning back against the sofa Troy replied, "My problem? It's not my fault you continue to think you're right all the time."
"I don't think I'm right all the time. But, I know I'm right about this project. You never pay attention in class, why would I trust you to do the essay by yourself?" She snapped, her body changing postions from staring staright ahead to look at the side of Troy's face.
"How would you know if I'm paying attention in class. Are you watching me Brie?" Troy replied, uttering that nickname that used to be so special. Now it made Gabriella recoil in disgust, especially when he used it like that.
"I'm not watching you Troy. It's the fact that you thought we were doing Macbeth when we're doing Othello." She spoke hastily. Of course she wasn't watching him. At least not in english class. "I might as well do the project myself." She said under her breath, hoping Troy hadn't heard her.
"Details." Troy muttered, he got up walking out of the living room.
"Where are you going?" She yelled, before she rose quickly following him into the kitchen.
"I'm getting a snack. What's it to you?" Troy called from behind the refrigerator door.
"Well we have to finish the project in less than an hour, I've got to be home by 8." Gabriella said softly, kicking herself mentally for letting herself get hurt by Troy's tone. She had to remind herself that the Troy she loved, or still loved wasn't there anymore. That's why they had broken up in the first place.
"So take the project home. Like you said you might as well do it yourself." Troy said smirking, he took a last drink out of the bottle of water he had been holding and slammed it against the kitchen counter. Before he had time to realize what was happening a grape had hit his shoulder and bounced down to the floor. Looking up at Gabriella he had never seen her eyes so dark before. The sparkle he loved was lost, the warm brown color had disappeared. She was breathing heavily, her hands curled up in fists on top of the kitchen counter.
"Troy. I am not some nerd you can push around, like you seem to be doing to everyone else around you. We are partners in this fucking project and we are going to do it together." Gabriella hissed loudly.
"Did you just throw a grape at me?" Troy said loudly, his frustration getting to him as he knocked his water bottle to the floor.
"Wow. You just realized?" Gabriella snapped, her voice laced with sarcasm.
He quickly made his way around the kitchen counter to where Gabriella was standing, his steps heavy. "We're gonna do this project the way I say we are. And if we're not finished by the time you have to leave, you can take it home and do it yourself. Got it?" His face inching towards Gabriella's.
Gabriella shoved him roughly, causing him to knock the bunches of grapes on the counter to the ground. "No. I don't got it. What is up with you? You've turned in to some egotistical jerk." Her hands once again balling up into fists. "I don't even remember why I loved you in the first place." She said quietly, hot tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"Let me remind you." Troy said in a surprisingly soft tone, he clasped one of Gabriella's wrists in his hands pulling her against him. His other hand pushing her head towards his, as he put his lips on hers leading her into a soft gentle kiss. Pulling away slowly he watched as Gabriella's eyes remained closed. It had happened so fast she hadn't had time to kiss back. But the fact that he had kissed her wasn't what had reminded her of her love for him. It was how he had kissed, she had expected something rough, rushed and bruising, especially with all the anger between them. Instead she had recieved a soft light kiss that continued to remind her of their first kiss, unrushed, sweet, and soft, when she had been absolutey sure she was in love with him. But then Troy spoke interrupting her thoughts. "I'm sorry." Troy whispered. Gabriella's eyes snapped open at his unexpected apology. "God I'm so sorry Brie." His eyes watering as he realized how much he had hurt Gabriella. And it hit him, it felt like he had just hit a wall. Every rude, sarcstic, egotistical word or action he had made for the past month came rushing back to haunt him. The amount of hurt he caused, the looks his friends gave him, the tears he had caused Gabriella, it was all coming back and he couldn't take it. Slowly he released Gabriella as he slid onto the kitchen floor his back against the cold granite kitchen counter. He kept his face in his hands as slow tears began to fall. "I... I didn't mean it. Any of it, Brie." And then he broke down,
She joined him on the floor, taking his head into her lap she wrapped an arm around his body before placing a soft kiss against his temple. "I know." She whispered as she rocked both their bodies while he sobbed quietly in her lap.