Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has been mentioned in this story. The characters, places and songs used/mentioned in this story belong to their respective owners. I only own some of the characters mentioned.
Goodnight
Summary: Letting go and holding on is the best thing a broken-hearted person can do. But moving on was not one of them.
*****
If you could only
know me like your prayers at night
Then everything between you
and me will be alright.
-The Day You Said Goodnight by Hale
*****
It wasn't supposed to hurt this way. It wasn't supposed to make a heart break. He knew it was coming all along, but he was too blind to admit it. He thought that she was still in love with him. He thought that there was nothing to break them apart. Boy, he was wrong. So wrong of what he have thought a long time ago.
It was just another night for the two of them – eating dinner at their house while watching TV silently. Nothing can be much different from the nights they had shared doing this over and over again. But, expect what the unexpected, right?
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" The voice next to him spoke.
Turning off the TV and putting his plate down on the center table, he turned to look at the person. "Talk about what? Is there something wrong?"
"If I told you what's wrong will you do what I want after this talk?"
"Of course. What your choice is what I always follow, right?" He asked back, looking at the person's eyes.
The person took a deep breath before speaking up. "I want to break up, Troy."
Troy felt silent for a second before asking, "It's because of him, isn't it?" His eyes fixed on the floor as he spoke those words.
"I'm sorry."
He shook his head, "You don't have to say sorry. I know it was coming all along." He lifted his head to look at the person. "I've tried everything to make you still fall for me. But I guess it really is easier to fall out of love than to fall in love."
"Troy…"
Troy smiled sadly. "Just know that I love you, Gabriella. Just know that I've tried everything to make you happy. I'm going to let you go but I won't promise that I can move on."
Gabriella's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Troy. It wasn't your fault that I fall out of love. It was–" Troy cut before she even finished her sentence.
He chuckled lowly, "Oh, please, not the 'It's not you, it's me' line. I've heard of that many times in the movies."
"Will you ever forgive me, Troy?" She clasped his hands on her. "Will you ever forgive me that I'm breaking your heart now?"
"If I do say I'm forgiving you, will you still let me make you a part of my life even in my dreams?"
She didn't answer back at his question. Instead, she looked down and let a tear fall down as she pulled her hand back.
Replaying the night's event on his head was like a scene on a sappy drama slash romance movie. Instead of the girl getting hurt, the guy is. But then again, in movies the girl and the guy will still make amends and will make their relationship fixed and good again. In reality, that doesn't happen.
Looking at the shiny, silver object between his thumb and index finger, Troy knew it was too late. Who was he kidding? It has been two years and four months since he had seen her. Of course, he was too late, way too late.
"And I thought Zeke was lying." A voice cut off his momentarily self-infliction from pain. "Really now, Bolton? That's what you can do all day?"
"Hello to you, too, Sharpay." Troy greeted in a gloomy tone, still looking at the silver object between his fingers.
Sharpay walked closely to Troy and sat on the center table facing him. "An engagement ring, I see. You've planned on proposing to her?"
He nodded, pursing his lips together. "Been planning it for so long. I was supposed to propose to her after the day she broke up with me."
"You still love her after all of what happened?"
"Honestly, I never stopped on loving her." He admitted, looking straight onto Sharpay's hazel brown eyes.
Sharpay sighed, "There's something you should know." She pulled a paper from her bag and handed it over to Troy. He read it silently and curiously. "That's an invitation for her wedding. She's getting married tomorrow."
Troy looked up, brows furrowed together. "You're showing and telling me this now because?"
"No one in the gang wants you to know about this. They know how much you've been hurt when Gabriella broke up with you." She admitted. "They've been trying to stop me from telling you. But I know it was right to tell you about this rather you finding about it later." Troy read the invitation again.
You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of
Gabriella Erin Montez
and
William Jackson Derby
On Wednesday afternoon
April the 15th
at two o'clock
on St. Anthony's Church.
Reception will be at the ballroom of
W Dallas Hotel.
"Shar, is it wrong that all this time I'm holding on for nothing?" Troy asked his eyes still on the invitation on his hand.
Sharpay reached out her right hand and touched Troy's face, making him look up at her. "Do you think it's wrong? " Troy nodded his head. "Then it is, if you think it is wrong. If you think of it as a no, then it isn't wrong." Sharpay sighed, pulling her hand back. "Troy, you may have let her go but you still holds on to the thought she'd come back. You're still holding on, but you're not moving on. You have to choose between holding on and moving on, because you said so yourself: you know it's wrong that you're still holding on for nothing. It's you're decision, Troy. Just remember that I'm always here; the gang and you're family to stay by your side when you made the right decision."
Again, Troy looked down, his eyes looking between the shiny, silver engagement ring on his right hand and on the invitation on his left. Thinking of what's the best and right thing for him to do. Let go and hold on or let go and move on?
Sharpay stood up and slings her bag on her shoulder. "I should go. Zeke and I have to attend an appointment in an hour. I'll see you again, Troy." Troy nodded his head and she kissed his cheek before making her way out of the house.
Placing the invitation and the ring on the table, Troy grabbed his phone and dialed a number.
"Can you do me a favor?"
*****
"Are you sure I look fine?" Gabriella asked, frantically.
Sharpay sighed for the umpteenth time of the day. "Of course you are, Gabby. You're the most beautiful bride I have ever seen. William will never take his eyes off you when he sees you." She smiled a convincing smile. Deep inside, she's struggling on ditching the ceremony or staying for the sake of her best friend's happiness.
The car door open and Gabriella's mom interrupted the two. "C'mon now, you two, the march has already started. Sharpay, you should be on your position now."
Sharpay nodded her head at Mrs. Montez and kissed Gabriella's cheek before getting off the car and lined herself on her assigned position.
Gabriella got herself out of the car also. Grabbing a fistful of the gown's length, she stepped aside for her mom to close the car door. Holding the bouquet of flowers in her hands, Gabriella took a deep breath and stand at the end of the line.
"You look so beautiful, mija." Mrs. Montez, or Aurora, said to her daughter as she kissed her cheek.
"Thanks, mom." Gabriella smiled.
Taking a look outside and inside of the church, Gabriella sighed and shook her head. This is not the time for second thoughts, a voice inside her head said. You chose this, now; karma's getting back at you. Gabriella clenched her jaw and smiled her fakest smile.
The tune for 'Here Comes the Bride' echoed throughout the church. All of the guests smiled as Gabriella made her way down the aisle with her mom. Looking at the altar, William beamed at her. His smile reaching his ears and his teeth glistens against the light entering the church's windows.
Reaching the altar, Aurora kissed William's cheek and hugged him as he stood in front of both mother and daughter. Gabriella hugged her mom, who's now crying, and squeezed her mom's hand for the last time before she stepped onto the altar with William. Facing the priest, the wedding ceremony started.
*****
Heart pounding wildly, sweat trickling down, anxious glances at the crowd is what Sharpay feels at the moment. She has been searching around the church for the sign of Troy. He should've got here by now, Sharpay thought. Moving her eyes again around the crowd, her eyes landed on a figure at the end of the aisle.
Dressed in a casual blue plaid t-shirt, cargo shorts and black trainers, Troy Bolton arrived at the wedding. Sharpay relaxed and smiled a little as she saw him standing there. Looking at Sharpay, Troy waved his hand and shoved it again back into his pockets.
Looking at Gabriella, his heart thumped wildly just like the very first time he had seen her. Her beautiful white gown hugging her curves and her brunette locks curled perfectly and half of them clipped together.
Watching the ceremony, Troy felt his eyelids filled with tears. If he had proposed to her way before they broke up, he should have been that guy on the altar marrying her. He should be the one sharing her love with and not that guy. If only he had. Now, he's too late and he's hurting as much as he did before. Maybe Sharpay is right on what she said yesterday. His only choices now are: to still hold on or move on completely.
Biting his bottom lip and placing the back of his hand over his mouth, Troy shook his head as he let the tears fall. He cannot watch this. He cannot see the girl he loved so much get married to another guy. He just can't do it.
Turning back, Troy walked out of the church with his head down as the tears still fall down from his eyes. Sharpay frowned as she watched Troy left. Not thinking of any other thought, Sharpay followed Troy out of the church.
"Excuse me." Sharpay said, cutting the priest on the middle of his lines.
All of the guests looked after Sharpay as she ran off the church. While some guests murmured with each other at the scene that just happened. Gabriella furrowed her eyebrows as she watched her friend ran off the church. She looked at her other friends who shrugged their shoulders. She looked at her soon-to-be husband and mouthed a 'sorry' as she followed her friend.
*****
"Troy! Wait up!" Sharpay yelled as she ran after Troy.
Troy stopped at the side of his car and wiped the tears away from his face.
"Are you all right?" She asked, concern lacing her voice.
Troy nodded his head and sniffled a bit. "I will be." He laughed a little. "I shouldn't be crying right now. I should be happy 'cause she found where she belongs… even though it was not me who she belongs with." The tears flowed again as Troy sobbed and kept his head hanged low.
Sharpay rubbed his arm in a soothing manner. "Let it out, Troy. I know it hurts right now, but you'll get over it someday."
"Maybe I can get over it someday but I can definitely not erase the hurt inside."
Sharpay wrapped her arms around Troy as he kept on crying on her shoulders. From afar, Gabriella watched the interaction between Sharpay and Troy. Her heart hammering against her ribcage as she saw how much affection her friend, Sharpay, is showing to Troy.
Don't tell me you're jealous and hurting at the same time. A crazy voice inside her head spoke. You deserve it, though. Now, you know what it feels to be jealous and hurt at the same time.
Troy's tears subsided down as he let go from Sharpay's hug. "Thank you for lending me your shoulder, Shar. You're a great friend." He smiled a true smile.
"No problem. You're a great friend, too, Troy. I wouldn't have of got many friends if not because of you. I'm very glad I met you when we were kids." Sharpay nodded her head as she expressed her gratitude towards Troy through her words.
He laughed a little. "Listen, Shar. About what you said yesterday, it made me think and I made a decision I never thought I would." He paused. "I'm going to move on. I can't keep on holding on her forever. She's happy now and I should be, too. I'm leaving today and go wherever the wind flies me to."
"You really thought of this?" She asked and he nodded his head in reply. "Okay. I wish you a happy future, Troy. Don't forget to keep in touch with me and the gang, alright?"
"Don't worry, I won't." Kissing her cheek, Troy opened his car door and waved goodbye to Sharpay.
With Gabriella, the tears on her eyes fell down her delicate cheeks. Seeing the car of Troy sped off, she ran towards Sharpay.
Turning back, Sharpay's eyes grew wide and she whispered, "Gabriella…"
"You invited and talked to Troy?" Gabriella asked almost inaudibly.
Sharpay nodded her head. "I did. I went to his house yesterday and showed him the invitation. Gabriella, I just can't let Troy not know any news about you. For Pete's sake, I cannot let myself be at one corner and do nothing. Troy's been my friend since we were young and for him, I'll do anything if it meant hurting people around him. Gabriella, I—" Gabriella cut off Sharpay's words.
"Take me to his house."
"What?" Sharpay asked, her eyebrows meeting in confusion.
"Take me to his house, Sharpay." Gabriella's eyes plead.
Sharpay shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea, Gabby. You have a wedding to finish."
"I don't care if what I'm doing is right or wrong, Shar. Just take me to his house. Please?" Gabriella pleaded, desperation lacing her voice.
Sharpay just nodded her head as they both ran to her car.
*****
Rushing through the house as Sharpay opened the door with her copy of the key; Gabriella looked at her left and right as she saw the house almost empty. Signs of the previous occupant of the house already gone.
"Troy?" Gabriella called out.
"Gabriella, we should go. It looks like Troy already moved out his stuffs." Sharpay said as she watched her best friend ran around to look for Troy.
"I'm not leaving this house until I see him." Gabriella replied with determination that she will see Troy inside the house.
Running upstairs, Gabriella busted open the door of Troy's – should I say, their – room. Entering the room further, Gabriella looked around and saw it empty also. Leaving the room feeling failure, her eyes caught something beside the bed.
Sitting on the bed, Gabriella picked up the object atop the bedside drawer and checking it with curiosity. Picking the paper underneath the object she picked up, she read it.
Dear Gabriella,
I'm writing this letter to you now for a closure on my part. Gabriella, you know that I love you so much, right? Well, I never stopped on loving you even you broke up with me. I did felt the hurt but my heart recovered easily from the hurt because the love surrounds it fought the hurt away. I know that I became empty handed on giving you everything and anything but I totally gave all of my heart to you. I guess my love wasn't enough for you to keep on loving me. I wanted to ask you things that relates to our break-up but I can't think of questions that has no answers yet. I'll just wish you a happy marriage and a better future.
Troy.
P.S. – the ring on the top of this letter was the engagement ring I was going to give to you after, you know what happened. So, yeah. I love you, Gabriella. That will never change.
Holding the ring between her left index finger and thumb, Gabriella studied the ring's appearance. It's a silver ring with a round cut diamond in the middle and small diamonds surrounding the band of the ring.
Sharpay busts in the door and stopped dead on her tracks as she saw Gabriella holding the same ring she saw Troy holding yesterday.
"You found it, huh." Sharpay said, walking the rest of the steps towards Gabriella.
Gabriella looked up and lifted her left hand to show Sharpay the ring. "He was going to propose?"
Sharpay nodded. "Yes, he was. Until you broke up with him for a guy you are supposed to get married with today."
"I'm an idiot. Sharpay, tell me that I'm an idiot. Tell me that I've wasted the very good chance I had with Troy. Tell it to me, Shar." The tears that have been staying on her eyelids flow down her cheeks freely.
Gathering her friend on her arms, Sharpay rubbed Gabriella's back soothingly. "Shh… Gabriella, you're not an idiot. You might have wasted the very good chance you had with Troy but there's still a chance that you two will be together someday." She said positively.
Gabriella cried harder. "No, I won't have any more chance with Troy. I've wasted it all for a mistake I shouldn't have done."
Sharpay continued to sooth her crying friend as she doesn't know what else she could do or say. Looking at the clock on the bedside table, it read 3:50. Remembering that she left in the middle of the ceremony to talk to Troy, she also remembered that Gabriella had followed her out, making Gabriella ran out of her own wedding.
Pulling herself off her crying friend, Sharpay wiped Gabriella's tear stained face before speaking up. "Fix yourself, sweetheart. We need to go back to the church. You and I both ran out without even saying anything to the guests and your groom."
Nodding her head, Gabriella sniffled a little bit and stood up, smoothing her beautiful gown. "Okay. And also, I need to end this craziness I've done."
Smiling, Sharpay linked her arm on Gabriella's arm as they both made their way out of the house and Sharpay drove back to the church.
*****
The guests grew bored as the bride still hasn't been back yet. No one has any ideas where the bride and the maid of honor went to. Gabriella and Sharpay's friends are talking to each others with Gabriella's mom with them, arguing where in the world the two have gone.
"Why are you asking me this?" Zeke, Sharpay's husband, asked quietly, furious laces his voice. "I don't have any idea why Sharpay ran out with Gabriella following her."
Everyone in the small group groaned.
"You should know, Zeke. She's your wife for crying out loud!" Ryan, Sharpay's twin brother, exclaimed.
"Wait," Kelsi, their composer friend, started. "I saw Sharpay's face glow earlier. I looked at where she was looking and I saw—" Kelsi was cut off by heels clicking on the tiled floor of the church.
Everyone looked at the bride and her maid of honor as they both pant and catch their breaths from running. Gabriella stood up straight and walked up to where her husband-to-be, William, standing.
"Where have you been? Why did you run out like that earlier?" William asked angrily but lowly for Gabriella to hear only.
Gabriella looked up at his eyes. Angers filled the steel gray eyes of William. "Let me explain." She took a deep breath. "I can't do this, William. You're a great guy but I have found the best and better guy for me."
"What?" William's eyebrows meeting together in confusion.
"I'm sorry but I'm in love with someone before you. I thought you're the one for me but I'm wrong. So wrong that I've let go of the person who really loved me for me." Gabriella explained. She wanted to cry on what's happening now but her tears seem to have their own choice who is worthy of her tears.
William clenched his jaw. He looked angrily at Gabriella. He took a step forward, making Gabriella took a step back and placed a hand under her jaw.
"Listen, Gabriella. I don't care if you had found that someone for you but we're here at this damn church and you're supposed to marry me."
Sharpay saw what William is doing at her friend. Without hesitation, she stomped her way to the two and forcefully grabbed his hand away from Gabriella's face. Gabriella stood behind Sharpay as she started to talk to William.
"No one hurts my friend. I don't care if you're the president of this country or the billionaire of the entire world – you can't hurt my friend. And if you do hurt her or any of my friends, I'm the one you will be talking to." Sharpay said venomously.
Sharpay let go William's hand forcefully and she turned to the guest, exclaiming that the wedding ceremony will never go on anymore. She then pulled Gabriella out of the church again. This time, their friends and Aurora, followed them without looking back.
*****
Years have gone past and Gabriella felt free but empty on the inside. She's been searching for Troy for almost three years now. She even contacted his parents, even them don't know where Troy is. Sure she had her family and friends but she needed Troy more than anything.
On her 27th birthday a few days ago, she received a package from an unknown person. The package was a beautiful, white Maltese. There was a letter also saying that the dog's name is Robbie and greeting her a 'happy birthday'. She knew who gave her the package but she didn't want her to get her hopes up that he isthe one who sent the package.
At a Thursday night, Gabriella found herself on a resto-bar called "The Meltdown" in Tampa, Florida where she decided to have a two-week vacation since she hadn't spend a vacation alone for the time she was looking for Troy.
Sitting at the bar of the restaurant, Gabriella took in the beautiful set-up of the resto-bar. Tripod tables scattered in the middle of the restaurant and dining tables on either side. Elegant looking table cloths dress the top of the tables. A small stage set-up on the front for different performances of the city's local bands or solo acts on their assigned night of show.
Gabriella ordered her drink as the light on the stage lit up and an emcee greeted the customers who were waiting for the assigned performer of the night.
"Give a round of applause for our own house band the 'Rocksteady'." Applause and cheers filled the resto-bar. The band set-up their equipments and some of the customers had changed their seats and sat on the tripod table on the center. "For tonight's performance is definitely not different to some of you. This performer has been a regular of 'The Meltdown' every Thursday night. From his soulful songs and powerful voice, let us welcome, Troy Bolton."
Applauses filled the resto-bar again, this time louder than before. Gabriella's eyes widen at what she has heard.
Troy Bolton? As in the one and only Troy Bolton I know? Gabriella asked herself as she looked at the stage.
There he was sitting on the stool in the middle of the stage, Troy Bolton looking as handsome as he can be. Gabriella noticed that he had cut his hair from its usual long and messy look to clean cut. His hair styled into a fauxhawk.
"Are all of you having a good evening tonight?" Troy asked. A few loud 'yes' was replied to him which he chuckled at. Gabriella missed that sound. "Before I start my performance, I would like to say that this will be my last performance." A few 'aww' from the customer was heard. "Don't worry; I'll be gone for a few weeks only to visit my family in my hometown. I haven't seen them for a year or so now. So, yeah, no worries at all. Hey, when I come back here, there might be a music producer that will offer me a record contract." He joked and a few laughs erupted. Gabriella smiled at his lame joke. He had said that to her also when they were both young.
"Tonight, I will be performing a song – one that I've been practicing to for a few days now and the second is one that I wrote a few years back. Hope you enjoy this night." The resto-bar's own band started to play as Troy signaled them.
Troy grasped the microphone on the stand as he sang the words of the song. Only one thing – or person – runs on his mind. Ever since he met Gabriella, he was drowned in on her beauty. She was the only thing running through his head.
Gabriella watched as Troy sing on the stage. The lyrics of the song hitting her heart pieces by pieces. Was it meant for her?
Ever since Troy tried to move on, he can't erase her on his mind. It did hurt when she left him and when he left Dallas after he went to her wedding. Until today, it still haunts him of that two day.
Feeling every words of the song, wishing she's there watching him and listening to the song he's singing to let her know what he feels. Gabriella closed her eyes too as she let in every words of the song. It feels like Troy is in front of her saying the words one by one to her.
As the song started to slow down on the beat, Troy opened his eyes slowly. He scanned the room, looking at everyone's faces that is watching and listening to him. One thing caught his eyes. Sitting on the bar of the restaurant sat the girl he always wished to be there every night of his performance. He noticed that her eyes were closed as she listened to him sing.
Gabriella opened her eyes and it locked with Troy's. She doesn't know how long he was staring at her but she liked it. Sending a smile on his way, Gabriella waved at him. Troy continued to look at her as if she was a figment of his imagination.
As the song ended, Troy tore his look away from Gabriella. Sitting up straight, he cleared his throat. Some had cheered and some had wolf-whistled on his performance. Every Thursday night, that was what he always gets from the customers indicating his good performance.
Standing up, Troy bent down a little to speak up on the microphone. "I'll be back in two minutes for my second performance."
Troy left the stage and quickly walked where Gabriella sat. Gabriella saw him and quickly stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"I missed you, Troy." Not knowing what to do, Troy returned the hug hesitantly. He pushed Gabriella away from him a little, holding her arms in the process.
"What are you doing here?" Troy asked the first five words that came onto his mind when he saw her.
"I'm here for a two-week vacation. That was a great performance up there." Gabriella complimented with a smile.
Troy pulled his hand away from her arms. "Thank you. How did you come up here at this place? It's barely known for tourists to go here."
"It doesn't matter how I got at this place. I'm glad to see you again. I've been looking for you for almost three years now."
"But you're married, Gabriella. What if someone who knows you and your husband is here and saw you with me, what will people think of you? Of me?" Troy asked quietly, enough for Gabriella to hear.
"Troy, I'm no—" Before Gabriella could finish her sentence, Troy cut her off.
"I'll talk to you later. I still have my last performance."
Troy quickly left for the stage. He sat down again on the stool on the center with a guitar on his lap now.
"Sorry about that. I'm afraid I can't do requests tonight. Someone I know came here tonight." Gabriella frowned as Troy mentioned her as 'someone'. "Anyway, this is my last performance. This song is called 'The Day You Said Goodnight'. Hope you all like the song."
Take me as you are,
Push me off the road
The sadness, I need this time to be with you
I'm freezing in the sun;
I'm burning in the rain
The silence I'm screaming,
Calling out your name.
And I do reside in your light
Put out the fire with me and find
Yeah, you'll lose the side of your circles
That's what I'll do if we say goodbye.
Troy strummed on the guitar languidly. His eyes locking on Gabriella's again. As he sang the chorus of the song, he wanted her to see that he is what he is. That she should accept what he is on the outside and in the inside. Because he can't be perfect but he can be complete.
To be is all I gotta be
And all that I see
And all that I need is time
To me the life you gave me
The day you said goodnight.
The calmness in your face
That I see through the night
The warmth of your light is pressing unto us
You didn't ask me why
I never would have known oblivion is falling down.
And I do reside in your light
Put out the fire with me and find
Yeah, you lose the side of your circles
That's what I'll do if we say goodbye.
To be is all I gotta be
And all that I see
And all that I need is time
To me the life you gave me
The day you said goodnight.
Troy doesn't know if Gabriella had taken her time to really get to know him as he has taken his time to get to know her. They had been together for so long that he didn't felt that Gabriella knows him that much. If she did know him, then she would know how it felt to feel emptiness every time they will be apart.
If you could only know me like your prayers at night
Then everything between you and me will be alright.
To be is all I gotta be
And all that I see
And all that I need is time
To me the life you gave me
The day you said goodnight.
As Troy sang the last verse of the song, he looked again at Gabriella. Telling her through the song how much of him has been with her for the past year they had known each other. Strumming the guitar on its final notes, Troy poured out the emotions he feels on the last words of the song.
She's already taken,
She's already taken
She's already taken me
She's already taken,
She's already taken me.
The day you said goodnight
The customers gave him a standing ovation for his last performance. Troy thanked the crowd before standing up and giving the guitar back to one of the member of the resto-bar's band. He bowed and exited the stage. He then again walked to where Gabriella is sat.
"You're great up there, Troy." Gabriella complimented Troy again for his great performance.
"Thank you." Troy said. He took a seat next to her. "You didn't answer my question earlier."
Gabriella took a sip of her drink before speaking. "I'm not married, Troy."
"What?"
"I stopped the wedding. Called it off." Gabriella said simply.
"But why? What's the reason? You finally got what you wanted – someone to love you forever. What else could go wrong?"
She breathed deeply. "Everything gone wrong – I didn't have what I wanted and I lost what's important to me." She looked at his eyes. "Can't you tell, Troy? I made a mistake when I broke up with you. I've been asking myself what are the chances I made a stupid mistake when clearly; all that I've got was in front of me."
Troy shook his head. "No, Gabriella. This can't happen, okay. I've tried so hard to move on from the feelings I have for you. Now that I am finally moving on, you came back to my life and hopes that everything will be alright? I've asked you before we broke up that can I at least have you as a part of my dream and you didn't respond."
"Tell me you didn't move on. Troy, I'm not hoping everything between us will be alright. I'm wishing that everything between us will be alright. You said on the letter that you will love me forever. Now that I'm here ready to give back your love, you don't want me anymore?"
Troy sighed, "I do want to be with you. But I don't want to be with someone who will break-up with me 'cause they fallen out of love. It's hard to move on, you know."
"Really? 'Cause you wouldn't leave this" – she pulled a chain around her neck – "before you left. Meaning, you are still waiting for me to love you back."
"But… how–"
Gabriella unclasped the chain around her neck and pulled out the ring to put on her finger. "I got it on the day of my wedding – the day you left without a trace, remember that? I ran away from my own wedding just to see and talk to you again." She looked down at her finger, checking the ring before lifting her eyes again to Troy. "That day, I wanted to tell what you mean to me. I needed you that day. Troy, I need you because I love you."
Before Troy could reply back, a voice interrupted them.
"Troy!"
A girl stood beside Troy and kissed his lips quickly before wrapping her arms around his waist. Gabriella watched with a frown on her face and clasped her right hand over her left to hide the ring. A burning sensation on her throat starts to build up.
Troy stood awkwardly. Glancing back and forth at the two girls with him, he tried to speak up. "Uh… Gabriella, this is… uh…"
"I'm Michelle. Michelle Curtis, Troy's girlfriend." Michelle extended her right hand for a handshake.
Gabriella gladly took Michelle's hand and shook it with her own. "Nice meeting you. Glad that Troy found someone like you. He's lucky to have a girl like you."
Michelle smiled, "I should be the one feeling lucky. He's a perfect boyfriend a girl could ask for. Sucks that her first girlfriend dumped him." – Gabriella looked down – "She lost someone who can love her flawlessly." She hugged Troy tighter.
Gabriella tried to fight the pain she's feeling inside. She could not let them see her cry. Most especially, she cannot let his girlfriend see her cry and know that she is the girl who dumped Troy. She could not and would not let her tears flow down.
Clearing her throat, Gabriella glanced around, trying to make an excuse to get out of the resto-bar. "I –uh – I should go. I have an early flight tomorrow. I still haven't packed my things."
Troy furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait. I thought you're on a two-week vacation?" He asked, confused.
Gabriella puts on her bag on her shoulder. "I am. My last day here is tomorrow. I guess I never told you about that earlier. I better get going. Nice seeing you again, Troy."
With that, Gabriella walked fast out of the resto-bar, cursing silently as she walked through the sidewalk. Avoiding anything or anyone that blocks her path.
Back at the resto-bar, Troy pulled away from Michelle. Saying a quick 'I'll be back' to her, he quickly ran out of the resto-bar and followed Gabriella.
*****
"Stupid self. I shouldn't have said everything to Troy. Now, I'm regretting it." Gabriella mumbled to herself, as she waited for a cab to pass her way.
"Why are you regretting everything you have said?" A voice made Gabriella's soul jumped out of her body. Turning around, she saw Troy standing a good one foot away from her.
"Geez, Troy, don't do that! You know I don't like people sneaking at me!" Gabriella exclaimed, holding her hands on her chest.
"I'm sorry." Troy took a step forward. "Gabriella, about earlier… I'm sorry I haven't told you about Michelle. I guess it–"
Gabriella cut him off. "It's fine, Troy, I didn't think you would have a girlfriend by now. By the way, I'm happy for you." Gabriella took off the ring on her finger and handed it to Troy. "Here's the ring – give it to her. She'll like it more than I liked it."
"Gabriella…"
She shook her head. "I know, Troy. I'm sorry, too, for giving up on you like that. Michelle's right – I lost someone who can love me flawlessly."
The tears Gabriella kept on holding back flowed down freely. Troy had tears on his eyes, too.
"I'm really sorry, Gabriella. I didn't know that it will come this way." Troy finally took the last step towards her and held her hands on both of his.
"Troy," She looked up to meet his gaze. "Do you love her?"
"I don't want to see you get hurt of what I am going to say."
Gabriella half-smiled through her tears, "It doesn't matter – I'm already hurting. You can close your eyes, though, so you can't see more of my pain."
She placed her hands over his eyes and slowly ran them down. Making sure his eyes are closed, Gabriella asked the same question again. "Do you love her?" Troy nodded his head. The tears on his eyes flowed down. Gabriella kept silent as the tears on her eyes kept on flowing.
Clearing her throat silently, Gabriella tried to speak without getting hoarse. "Do you want to be with her?" Getting another nod from him, Gabriella placed a hand over her mouth. She looked around, trying to get any words on her mind to say but failed.
Taking a step back, Gabriella hailed a cab. Opening the cab's door, she looked one last time at Troy with tears on her eyes. She got inside and the cab sped up fast.
Troy opened his eyes slowly. Seeing that Gabriella's not in front of him anymore, he let out more tears. Opening his hand, the ring on his hand glistened. How could he give it to Michelle if Gabriella's name is the one engraved inside of it?
Walking to his car, Troy got in the driver's seat not caring if he left Michelle back at the resto-bar. All he wanted that moment was to die. He didn't mean to nod his head on Gabriella's last question. He didn't even know why he did that. Is it because he really wanted to be with Michelle or is it because he just wanted to know what would Gabriella feel if he nodded his head?
For now, there's no right answer on why did Troy did that. For now, it's a matter of time and fate telling him the right answer. And for now, they are better off without each other. Because in every good story, pain is there and happy ending will come soon.
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A/N: Okay. I know I haven't been updating my stories for so many months now. I've been busy with college and the time I got to write another chapter for my stories is very little. I'm only at home during the weekends. Meaning, I need to get back to my aunt's and uncle's place during weekdays for college. The other reason also is I lost my good ideas on my stories. I will try to revive a couple of my stories back. But for now, I'll be doing one-shots to get my muse back.
**Song used is mentioned above before the story started. Read the lyrics of the song and you'll get it. Hopefully.**