Just 24 hours
Summary:
Friday evening 18:54; Gabriella Montez sat down to write the email. Saturday evening 18:54; Troy Bolton receives the email. It's shocking what 24 hours can do to your life. A lot of things can change - turning your world upside down
Disclaimer:
I don't own High School Musical
A/N
So – this idea was pestering me throughout the week. I jotted down random parts whenever I could; however, it's been one hell of a hectic week.
I'm thinking that this will either be a two shot or a three shot. I'm not sure yet how long it will be. I'm guessing probably a two shot. I actually haven't finished writing any other parts – I've only written down random parts from the next chapter - but the chapter is nowhere near finished.
I should be able to update this in a couple of days. The more reviews I get telling me what you thought, the happier I'll be. And if I'm happier I'll be able to make finish off quicker and post sooner! Lol!
The clock read 18:54
Gabriella Montez sat at her desk, a desk lamp the only source of light illuminating the bedroom. Her finger poised over the laptop keys.
Dear Troy
Right now I honestly
Gabriella hit the backspace key once again.
"Shit…" she leant her elbows on the desk and rested her head in her hands. How hard was it to write an e-mail?
Taking a deep breath, Gabriella started again
Dear Troy
I know that this may not exactly be what you want to hear
"I can't start an e-mail like that!" Gabriella groaned to herself. She started typing again, and again, she deleted what she had written.
She couldn't think
Her mind was drawing a blank
But she would sit there until she wrote it – she had to.
--
The shrill sound of a phone ringing attracted the attention of Gabriella. Gabriella looked at the time on the phone and inwardly sighed
20:12
She'd still hadn't been able to come up with anything decent enough to be sent
"Hello?" Gabriella answered
"Gabs?" the voice responded
"Shar? What's up?" Gabriella asked, turning her attention away from the laptop screen where the blank page stared dauntingly at her
"Nothing much. Just bored - and Ryan's refusing to sing with me. Something about 'not wanting to be my poodle any more'"
Gabriella smiled. Ryan Evan's was the unfortunate twin brother of her best friend. Being the twin, Ryan was forced to spend ample of time with the dramatic blonde. And sometimes, he was accused of being her poodle - her follower - by the general East High population.
"Well - you do tend to boss him around a bit Shar. Maybe he's tired of that..." Gabriella hinted, knowing full well from previous conversations with the blonde boy that he was most definitely tired of it.
"Whatever Gabs - I didn't ring to talk about my brother..."
"So why did you ring?" Gabriella asked looking again at the time.
20:15
She wanted to get this e-mail done and hopefully sent tonight
"Troy Bolton"
Gabriella nearly dropped the phone at the sound of his name. She cleared her throat before replying
"What about Troy?" Gabriella was aware that her voice had risen. She could just imagine Sharpay's smirk
"I was wondering when you were gonna get your ass out of your head and tell him that you're crushing on him bad" Gabriella rolled her eyes. She was in no mood for this type of conversation - especially considering that she was in the middle of the hard task of writing an e-mail to Troy telling him just that
"Shar. The saying is getting your head out of your ass - not your ass out of your head..." Gabriella said smiling
"Shit. Oh well - do I look like someone who sticks to the original sayings? You know me Gabs - I change everything" Sharpay tried to justify
"Whatever – now is there an actual point to this conversation or are you going to let me go?"
"Gabriella Montez – do you not want to talk to your best friend? If I remember correctly – it was you who would stop mine and Chad's make out sessions because you were 'confused' about whether or not you should hang around Troy and all your feelings for him. And I gave up Chad's make out sessions to help you. And now – you don't want to talk to me!" Gabriella rolled her eyes at the all to predictable dramatic speech that Sharpay Evan's was giving.
"Of course I want to talk to you Shar…"
"And you really should stop trying to distract me…"
"I'm sorry Shar – but I really do need to get going…"
"Why? Is someone with you? Is Troy coming over? Because if he is I'm coming over right now to make sure you look presentable – knowing you, you'd probably let him see you in those disgusting sweats of yours. You know Gabs you've got to learn to dress sexier – it'll turn him on and he will totally not be able to restrain his feelings from you…"
Gabriella sighed once more. She really did not have time to deal with Sharpay's talks.
"Shar – no one is here and no one is coming over. I just have some stuff to do that's all…" Gabriella said, purposefully not telling her what stuff she had to do.
"Fine then – I'll just call Chad… maybe he'll come over?"
"Sure Shar – I'll text you later…"
Gabriella hung up the phone
20:36
Gabriella resumed her attempts of writing the email which would confess her feelings to Troy. She knew that it would have been better to do it in person; however, Gabriella was scared - scared of being rejected. So she decided to do it the cowards way.
She decided to confess her feelings through an email
Gabriella knew that it was probably the most impersonal way to tell someone that you have feelings for them. However, she really had thought through all the other options - and this was the one that would get the message across in the least embarrassing way.
Gabriella smiled triumphantly as she hit 'send'. After numerous attempts to get her feelings down, she decided to just write what she thought – no editing, no attempting to rewrite.
She just wrote down her feelings – true and honest.
It was 22:08 – a long time had passed since she had first sat down to write to Troy; however, she felt it was time well spent
"Gabriella!"
Gabriella jumped at the sound of her mother's voice
Running down the stairs to where her mum was, she was confronted with her mum standing in the kitchen, pots and pans on the stove, chopping boards on the table, ingredients on every flat surface available
"Gabi, we've run out of flour!"
Gabriella looked around at the busy kitchen in awe.
"What do we need flour for mum – at this time of night?"
"Gabi – weren't you listening to a thing? We've got your dad's bosses coming over tomorrow evening for dinner – and the cooking starts now!"
"At ten at night?" Gabriella asked, observing her younger brother rolling out some pastry, a bored expression on his face.
"Yes – now go to the 24 hour store and buy some flour…"
Gabriella rolled her eyes; however, grabbed her car keys and headed out of the door.
She was in too much of a happy mood to argue with her mother.
Walking out of the front door, Gabriella groaned as the cold drops of rain hit her.
"Shit…" Gabriella ran to her car, pulling open the door and jumping in. Switching the car on, she turned up the heating as it was cold outside.
Just then her phone rang
Rolling her eyes at the caller id she answered it
"Shar – what is it?"
"Chad and I nearly had sex…"
Gabriella nearly dropped the phone. Turning the car off she sat back in the seat and prepared to listen to what Sharpay had to say
"And how the hell did this happen? I thought you said you wanted it to be all romantic – you wanted to lose your virginity on prom didn't you?"
"Which is why I stopped. I told him that I had dreamed of losing my virginity to a boyfriend I'd been going out for a reasonable amount of time. And that I would love to lose it on prom. I mean Gabs, you have to admit, my whole dream was kind of far fetched don't you think? It's not like I would have actually been in a relationship that long with a guy – I'm too demanding. But Chad's different. He argues back with me, he doesn't accept my shit and yet he still manages to treat me well. And I want him to be the one – I just want to fulfil some part of my dream…"
Gabriella sighed. When Sharpay had first told her what she wanted, she knew that it would be very unlikely. Whilst Sharpay attracted guys on first glance, her demanding diva personaility drove them all away. There were only a few people who could stand up to the blonde. Gabriella and Chad.
Gabriella met the Evan's twins at a park at the tender age of four. Gabriella was playing on the swings, Sharpay wanted the swings. The fight was the start of their friendship.
Sharpay and her had gotten along well together. She would manage to tame Sharpay, whilst Sharpay gave Gabriella the confidence to stand up for herself.
And then Chad came along. From the age of fourteen, Gabriella was forced to listen to the petty arguments the two would have for three years. She was forced to listen to the whinging of Sharpay as she constantly moaned about that 'big haired, basketball obsessed, bastard'.
To be honest, Gabriella had secretly admired Chad for standing up to her best friend. So when the two decided that instead of wasting their time arguing, they would start dating, Gabriella was a lot happier.
Of course – she didn't anticipate on being thrown together with Troy Bolton.
Troy Bolton – Chad Danforth's best friend.
Troy Bolton, the son of Jack Bolton.
Jack Bolton – her father's worst enemy.
The fathers had been rivals in their high school days. Each despised the other
And their families were brought into that rivalry
To Gabriella, there was only one fault with the relationship between Chad and Sharpay.
It meant she had to spend time with Troy Bolton.
The sound of knocking on the window of the car, caused Gabriella to stop listening to Sharpay and look confusedly at the hazy figure outside her window. She could just about make it out to be her brother. Rolling down her window she asked confused
"What?"
"Gabs! Hurry up with the flour – mums going mental!"
Gabriella nodded, winding up the window and turning the key in the ignition
"Shar! Listen I'm driving now – mum wants me to pick up something. I'll talk to you later okay?" Gabriella said as she pulled out of the driveway, turning on the wipers so that she could see clearly
"You know Gabs, it feels like you're avoiding me. I mean Chad and I nearly had sex! I nearly lost my virginity – and all you can say is that you'll talk to me later…"
Gabriella sighed again. Sharpay was pissed off.
"Alright Shar – keep talking, I'll put you on speakerphone. Just don't mind the noise – it's raining outside…"
Gabriella drove along the street, listening to Sharpay's rambles. She made it to the store and looked at the time
22:29
Grabbing the phone, Gabriella turned off the car. Opening the door she exclaimed when the force of the rain hit her.
"Shit!" Gabriella swore as the droplets hit her
"Gabs? You alright?" Sharpay's voice stopped talking about her and Chad, and for once was laced with concern
"Fine Shar – just got out of the car. Carry on talking…"
The rain was pounding onto Gabriella with full force, the sound almost making it impossible to hear her best friend. The water was running down her face, making it harder for her to see.
Gabriella started to cross the road when she was aware of a honking sound. Looking up, she dropped the phone in shock as she saw blinding lights heading straight for her.
The bloodcurling scream barely had time to leave her mouth.