Friday the 13th
Summary: It's that time of the month again. And no. Troy Bolton only wishes that this time, it had a little thing to do with Mother Nature and surfing the crimson wave.
Summary: Twenty-one year old Troy Bolton cannot remember the last time a Friday the 13th went by that didn't involve his best friend in a paranoid slump. Dealing with Gabriella on this Friday the 13th for Troy should be like no other, but today, the inauspicious day will send him over an edge that he thought impossible to foresee.
"Gabriella! Come on. Not this again! Open the damn door!"
"NO!"
I can hear the aggressive sounds of my doorknob rattling but do my best to ignore it as I slump deeper into the comfort of my linen sheets. Troy really needs to get his panties out of a twist. What was his problem anyway? I grimace, trying to ignore the sounds of my best friend of six years shitting bricks at me.
"Gabriella, I think he wants you to open the door."
"No. Really? You think so?" I snort sarcastically.
I watch a stab of pain flash before Taylor's eyes and feel a sudden pang of guilt run through me. I shouldn't be taking this out on her. I shouldn't be taking this out on anyone.
"Look Tay, I'm sorry about dragging you into my problems. I'm just not feeling good today. Can you tell Troy that for me? Then maybe he'll leave me alone. He listens to you."
Taylor shakes her head and frowns, "Gabriella. You know that I'm not going to be your in-between when you can't make conversation with-"
The door bursts open and I jerk in the bed, a sudden rush of epinephrine flowing through my body. The noise must have scared Taylor too, and I watch her shoulders jerk up in response. Heavy footsteps pang against the wooden floors, and the noise gets louder as it nears my bedroom's direction. A tall, toned body appears at the door, and I wince when I see the stone-cold blue eyes that accompany the figure.
"How did you-?" Taylor says stupefied.
"Doormat," Troy responds, holding up a bright silver key. "You guys should really find a better hiding spot. It's like you two are asking for a break-in into your apartment."
"Practically all of the residents in the building go to the university. And half of the people on the floor leave their doors unlocked. Besides, what would they want to take from a bunch of poor college students?" Taylor says, rolling her eyes. "Look, I'm going to go to class now, and I'll let you guys talk it out. Troy, throw some sense into her. She was like this last month too. Thank god that there isn't another one next month."
"Taylor, no, please don't leave me here with-"
She waves a hand at me, brushing me off and exiting the bedroom, and it's not long before I hear the door to our apartment open and close. Great. She left me here with him. What kind of roommate does that to a person?
"Gabriella-"
"Save it Troy. I don't want to hear it," I frown, throwing a pillow over my head. Maybe this could block him out.
"You're acting like a child again," he says as I hear his footsteps near my bed. He sits next to me, and I feel a rush of wind as the rectangular cotton fortress protecting me gets pried away.
"Troy. Please. Just let me have this one-day out of the month. I will be fine tomorrow," I say trying to assure him.
"You said that last month too. And like half a year before that one. You've been getting progressively worse every time, you know that? And I've dealt with your shit for like, what? Five years?"
"No. Six…" I shut my eyes, and flip away from him.
"Six? Seriously? What kind of person lets a flipping date on a calendar dictate how she feels? For six years? Only a crazy person Gabs, I'm telling you. Please. Come on. Just get out of bed. If we're both skipping school today, I at least want it to mean something. We can try to do something fun. Get your mind off of this? It's all in your head, you know? If you didn't keep track of the date, you'd be acting normal, just like all of the other days."
"Paraskevidekatriaphobia is a real thing Troy," I murmur, biting my lip as I look down at my comforter. I want to convince him that what I was feeling in this moment, and in every Friday the 13th moment previously, is real. It is real, even though I may seem stupid believing in it.
"Paraske-what?"
"Paraskevidekatriaphobia. Fear of Friday the 13th."
"Gabi. Be reasonable. You are not afraid of Friday the 13th. You don't even believe in superstitions," he says, cupping his hand onto my cheek as he moved my face to look at him. His anger has faded and he is tense, his eyes laced with concern more than anything. I can feel the heat rise in my face as he looks at me intently, and I curse my body for having such an effect from the simplest of his touches.
"I am afraid," I say, trying to defend myself. "And I do believe in superstition. I don't like stepping on cracks, uh, spilling salt, and yeah, walking under ladders," I confirm. "Or cats. You know, the black ones."
"I call bullshit that you are afraid," he declares his hand running down from my face to my waist as he grips my skin to sit me up. My heart continues its rapid beating, and a part of me wishes that he would stop with the comforting grazes. A touch can only go so far before I am desperately wanting more from him. And wanting something more from him has never gone well for me. He didn't want me the way that I wanted him. I should have learned that by now.
I do my best to pull away from him, yanking the bedspread covers away from me and sliding out from my bed. One of Troy's old shirts from high school hangs from my lifeless body. I feel more exposed than I normally do, my tan legs on full display in front of him.
I am convinced for a brief moment that he was staring at me, a hint of desire peaking out from his tempered features. I try to ignore the thought; being optimistic on a Friday the 13th has never proven to be a good thing for me. "I am afraid okay?" I stammer. "I just need some time on my own. That is all I'm asking Troy."
"No Gabs. What you need is not to be alone today. I don't know what it is that gets you upset every Friday the 13th, but you should know that I am NOT leaving you on your own," he stands up and takes a stride toward me, wrapping a solid arm around my body and pulling me toward him. I pull back.
"I don't need a babysitter Troy," I say deadpan. "You should go. It'll save you the trouble of worrying about me."
"Exactly Gabs! I am worried about you. If you just tell me what's going on, maybe I can do something to help you-"
"I'm fine. Really."
"No. You're not."
"Troy, seriously, just go."
"Stop trying to push me away. Just tell me what is going on damn it," he says angrily. "I didn't come all the way here for you to tell me off and ignore me. Taylor is seriously worried about you. We are all seriously worried about you. We have no idea what is making you so upset on this specific date."
"Troy, please," I beg. "I don't want to have this conversation, just like I don't want to have this conversation every Friday the 13th that you have tried to have this conversation. Can you please just accept the fact that this topic is not up for discussion?"
"But why?" his voice rises. I can see the strong pulse of his vein from the side of his neck, and I can feel the anger diffuse through the air. My feelings begin to mimic his own, and I can sense my knuckles clutched together stiffly. I too was getting frustrated. Why did he always have to rub this date in my face? Couldn't he just accept that there were certain things between us that I wasn't comfortable talking about? I know I was being unreasonable. But I needed to be irrational if I was going to keep my mouth shut. He tugs at my hand, and a shot of electricity flows through me. My hand recoils but I stand my ground in front of him. "I only want to help you, and you are not letting me. What is with this day that has got you so upset? Thirteen is just a number. And Friday is just a day. I just don't get it. What is so important about Friday the 13th?"
"Nothing." I snap, going from imploring to irate. "Which is why there is nothing to talk about."
"Bullshit!" Troy retaliates. "I am so sick of your attitude. If I hadn't been your best friend for this long and had just met you and saw you like this, I would-"
"You would what?" I exclaim, my nostrils flaring. "Think I was a lunatic or something?" I daringly take a step toward him, pressing both hands against his chest, feeling the rapid breaths he was taking as he glared down at me.
"Well, honestly, fuck yeah I would," he divulges. "I just don't get it. We have been friends for so long. Why is it so hard for you to give me an explanation? I just want to know what's in your head. Why can't you give me just that?"
"You don't think I've tried?" I say, furrowing my eyebrows. "Trust me. I have tried." I say, exasperated.
"Bullshit!" He grabs my hands that were pressed against him, and I can feel the heat escaping from the tight grip. His right eye twitches, and I can imagine a burning fire glowing in his eyes. The air is primal, and I can't recall a time where we have fought like this. No, this is different.
"Stop it with the bullshit!" I say, almost wanting to slap him. "I tried talking to you. I did, and you just, you didn't listen, okay? You never heard me. You never saw me."
"What the hell are you talking about?" he says, looking confused. "I have always listened. When have I never listened to you? Or saw you. Of course I see you."
"Friday, February 13, 2009-" Oh god. It was coming. I could feel the words ready to spill out from my mouth as I began to recall the event that started it all.
"What? Like over six years ago? How does that have anything to do with today?-"
"Friday, February 13, 2009…"
Today is the day. I am taking matters into my own hands. I don't think I have ever done something like this before. But then again, I don't think I have ever met someone like him before. Is this what having a first love feels like? I can feel my cheeks heat up as I think about the junior basketball captain that stole my heart. It didn't take me long to fall for him. And with the winter musical over, and Valentine's Day, well, literally around the corner, maybe it was my time to tell him how I felt. Maybe this was our time.
My heart races as I think about the thoughtfully written letter I plan to give to him. It was always easier for me to express myself in words than to say it out loud, but when I give this to him, I will try my best to say something as well. Maybe he'll say yes to a date tomorrow. I hope he will. I want so badly to tell him how he makes me feel and how being around him is just-I blush.
I turn the hallway corner so I can grab the letter sitting in my locker. I smile when I notice him standing at my locker, his back facing me. I didn't think he would be there. He is fidgeting a little. He has not yet seen me. Maybe I can surprise him.
Wait. He has two roses hanging in his hands. My heart races, and I can't help but hide the wide grin on my face. Are those for me? Does he feel the same way too?
I didn't have to wait for an answer for the question, and I watch as he tapes the roses firmly to the locker.
A locker that is not mine.
Tears well up in my eyes, and I quickly turn around, making a beeline in the opposite direction. No. Today is not the day.
The angry mood that had been just between us had faded and quickly turned into something much more serious.
"I saw you with the roses right before Valentine's day. Our junior year. I was going to talk to you about-" I say embarrassed as I choke on words. No. I can't tell him. "But then I saw you-you put roses on her locker. Do you remember her name?"
It didn't take long for him to recall, and I watched him grimace. "Oh-you mean Jessica? Shit…Gabriella that was ages ago. I didn't know you were upset about that. But Gabs, the roses I put on her locker-"
I cut him off. I didn't want to relive the first Friday the 13th that started the series of unfortunate events. I question whether or not I wanted to relive all of these Friday the 13th events. I couldn't help it though; the floods of memories came rushing in and I could remember the details in poignant quality.
"Friday, March 13, 2009. It was completely unlucky that there were two of these days in back-to-back months-"
"Good morning East High Wildcats. As we said yesterday, this is the second day that you can buy tickets for our Junior Prom "A Night to Remember." As your awesome student body government, the first 100 tickets we sell come with discounted photo packages, and you're in luck because we still have a few of these tickets with discounts left. I would pick up one for you and your special someone right away! Have a great day wildcats!" the PA system blares.
I can feel my heart speed up. I have been waiting for prom to come around the corner, with the hopes that Troy would ask me. His Valentine fling with Jessica Johnson seemed to end as quickly as it started, so I couldn't help but be a little hopeful. Maybe he realized there was no spark between him and her, and realized that there was something more than friendship between us? I could only hope. He didn't say much on the fallout between he had with Jessica, and I didn't want to pry-well, I did, but I didn't want to seem like I was prying.
I tapped my fingers rhythmically on my desk as I tuned out Ms. Darbus and the rest of the chatter going in homeroom to focus on the figure in front of me. Troy was always a sight to behold, and today was no exception. He was wearing a casual black tee that highlighted his expanding muscles and I could help but admire the way the shirt accented his biceps. Sometimes, I just couldn't handle his looks. I blushed.
The ending bell interrupted me from my thoughts, and I got up, slightly flustered. I probably shouldn't be doing this much daydreaming. I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder, hoping I could catch up to Troy before he headed off in the direction of his first class.
"Hey Gabriella," a voice intervenes.
I looked up, my eyes meeting with a pair of baby blues. "Oh, hey Jeff. What's up?" I ask casually, my eyes making a quick glance toward Troy. I could see him out of the corner of my eye near the exit. Maybe he was waiting for me.
"Um, well, nothing much. Just another day at school. We have pre-calc together next, you want to walk with me?"
I steal another look at Troy. Our eyes meet and Troy gives me a smile, and I can't help but smile back.
"So, is that a yes?"
Damn. I was being a little rude. "I'm sorry, what did you say again Jeff?"
"We have class together next. I was wondering if you want to walk with me," he pauses, checking to see if I was listening to him.
"Oh! Well, actually-" I stutter a little. Well, actually, I wanted to talk to Troy. Could I be a little selfish for once?
"Well, um, actually Gabriella, there's something else. I mean, up with me," Jeff laughs. "I-well, I bought tickets to prom," he pauses for a moment, slipping his hand into his pocket and pulling out two silver tickets, holding them up in the air clearly. "I was wondering if you wanted to be my date."
My mouth opened wide in shock. Me? Out of all the girls wanting to date the star-lacrosse player in our year, Jeff wanted to go with me? I bite my lip and laugh nervously-and awkwardly. "I-" I am unsure of what to say. I am not one to reject someone, but the sport-playing stud isn't exactly the one I pictured for me.
My eyes dart back to Troy, hoping he could save me from the awkward situation. My shoulders fall when he is nowhere to be seen.
"Umm-" I stammer. "You're a great guy Jeff, but I-"
"It's Troy isn't it?" He responds quickly. His eyes are sad but he puts on a half-smile.
I stood shocked. Are guys really that observant? Could my feelings for Troy be as clear as day to him but not even noticed by Troy? "I-" I am red. "Yeah. I'm so sorry Jeff. You're great. Really."
"I kind of figured," he comments. "One could only hope though," he says.
Yeah. I know that feeling all too well.
"It's cool Gabriella. Really," he says. "But, you know, if things don't work out with Troy, you know, the offer still stands."
I look up into his soft blue eyes, and a part of me wishes that I had even an inkling of feeling for him that I did for my feelings for Troy. It would have been so much simpler.
"You should go find him," he says. "Before you lose out on your chance," he affirms.
My heart pangs; I didn't want to hurt his feelings. He was too good. I look at Jeff with a genuine smile. I reach toward him and wrap him in a quick hug. "You're a catch," I state. "You're going to make someone really happy."
He laughs. "Go. Go now Gabriella!"
I laugh with him, and nod, making a dart for the door. I was about to start running toward the direction of Troy's first class when I see him standing at his open locker. Good! He's still there.
"Troy!" I yell in anticipation, a big smile on my face. I wave earnestly.
His head turns in my direction and I see a flash of small metallic get shoved into his locker before he slams it shut.
I catch up to him, grinning from ear-to-ear. "I want to tell you something."
He looks unhappy, but he's smiling with me. "I heard."
"Huh?" I look at him confused. What was he talking about?
"Prom. With Jeff."
My eyes widen slightly. No. No. Didn't he hear when I said-
"He's a catch Gabs. I'm happy for you" Troy is smiling again. "Look, I'm going to be late for class, so we'll talk later, okay?" He doesn't look me in the eye but reaches over and tucks a strand of loose hair behind my ear. His eyebrow furrows as he drops his hand instantaneously. "I'll see you at lunch Gabs."
And then he walks away. My mouth is frozen. When did I become such an idiot? Why couldn't I just tell him the truth?
Troy, I am in love with you. Why can't you see?
"What was so unlucky about that day? I mean, you got asked to prom by one of the actually decent guys in our year," Troy states. "And if my memory serves me correctly, you seemed to have a fun with him at prom," he says in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I-" I falter with my words. Was he really that dense? Did he really not see it? "Troy, are you serious?"
He raises an eyebrow at me. "Completely. He's a pretty cool guy. It's a shame that you guys aren't in contact anymore."
Oh my effing. Did I need to spell it out for him? I close my eyes. "Friday, November 13, 2009-"
"Thanksgiving break is coming! I am so excited!" Taylor squeals as she places her lunch tray down at the table and sits next to Chad, her boyfriend, giving him a quick peck on the lips."
"Hey babe," Chad grins, wrapping and arm around her shoulder and giving her a light squeeze. "Hey Gabs," he looks at me and nods.
"Chad," I respond as I place my food next to Taylor and across from Troy. "Tay and I were just discussing plans for break. We were thinking about volunteering for Albuquerque's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning. You guys want to join?"
The word parade seemed to pique Chad's interest. "That sounds pretty legit. I'm in."
"You do realize that the parades are notorious for morning shifts right Chad?" Troy grins as he reached toward my lunch plate to grab a celery stick. I pretend to scowl at him but couldn't help but laugh when he gives me a wink. His leg brushes up against mine from across the table. I flush pink and grin. There had been a lot more physical contact between us these past few months. Nothing serious. We had some flirty glances, lingering touches, and a little footsie action here and there. I was optimistic. His twinkling eyes catch mine and he chews eagerly.
"Oh-well, when you say mornings…how early are we talking here? Eleven in the morning? Ten?"
"You lunkhead," Taylor laughs as she swats him playfully. "It's okay though, you guys don't have to tag along. It'd be fun with just you and me, huh Gabs?" she grins. "We haven't had a date night with just two of us in like…forever."
"Agreed," I nodded, trying to focus on something other than the warm feeling running across my right leg. I truly did enjoy spending time with Taylor. We always had great gossip to share and serious talk sessions to talk heart-to-heart about.
"Speaking of date nights…" Chad wiggles his eyebrows. "Troy says he's got a hot one for this break."
The foot that had been grazing mine just moments ago immediately retracts back. My cheerful mood plunges. Was I being stupid and interpreting what I thought was something between us all wrong again? I purse my lips together. Why hadn't he told me he was going on a date? Taylor shoots me a nervous glance, trying to read my thoughts. They were far from good.
"Chad-" Troy grits his teeth.
"Who's the lucky girl?" my voice cracks. I couldn't help it. I needed to know. I needed to know why whenever I thought there was something-a spark of oxygen to the fire, my hopes would dissipate as quickly as it started. It was Friday the 13th. It was the third Friday the 13th this year. How much more unlucky could I possibly get?
"What? You want me to lie to them and tell them how you haven't been like planning this for like two weeks?" Chad grins. "A real ladies' man this one is. I'm telling you guys."
I feel and empty pit forming in my stomach. Did I really want to know the girl that had stolen Troy's heart? As if there wasn't enough competition for his affection to begin with. I feel a sudden urge to throw up. I stand abruptly. "Um-I-I'll be right back," I say, frowning as I place a hand over my mouth and make a quick pace toward the trashcan.
"Is she all right? She looks green."
Yeah. Green with envy.
"Gabs," I can hear Troy call out. "Hey, wait up-"
It is too late. The contents from this morning's breakfast regurgitate from my mouth and land in an unappealing heap in the clear plastic lining. I can feel Troy's warm hands catch my hair as he pulls it back. I throw up a little more. I can't handle this. This is too much.
"Gabs-"
"Don't…." I choke back the words, tears, and even a little food I can feel in my esophagus. "Please, don't say anything."
"So? So you threw up in front of our school during lunch. It happens to the best of us," Troy states. "Okay, well maybe it doesn't really happen to the best of us-anyone really. But that is beside the point. How were you to know that the eggs you had in the morning weren't good? You couldn't help it."
Eating bad eggs barely grazed the surface of the problem.
"You have no idea, do you," I murmur placing my hands on my eyes and taking in a deep breath. I stop my pacing around my bedroom to take a moment for everything to sink in. I needed to tell him. I think I was finally ready to tell him.
"I have no idea what?"
"This is the 13th Friday the 13th."
He doesn't understand what I am talking about from the blank look he is giving me. I purse my lips together. I am going to need to try harder than this.
This is the 13th Friday the 13th that I have had you in my life Troy. There were three in 2009, one in 2010, one in 2011, three in 2012, two in 2013, one in 2014, one last month, and one, one today," I breathe. "And-and every time on this day…something goes wrong."
He still seems as if he is not comprehending the situation, so I pull the leftover ounces of courage I have in me and continue on.
"In the beginning, I was hopeful. There was always friendship between us," I say, my eyes meeting his gaze. He looks intently at me, and I feel myself grow warm. I grow embarrassed and turn away. "But there were times when-" I pause. "There were times when I thought there was something more. And that made me hopeful."
My insides are churning and I am too scared to glance at him. I hope that I wasn't scaring him off. I didn't want to lose him over this. I did not want to lose the six best years of my life for having selfish feelings. He is quiet. I can't look at him. I continue. "But every day on this date, something-something goes wrong."
"I w-would want to ask you on a date for Valentine's Day-" I cringe. "But then there you are, giving another girl roses."
"Gabs…" his voice is barely audible. But I hear him clearly and hold up my finger to signal him to stop. "Please. Let me finish."
"I said no to prom to the nicest guy ever…just because a little part of me hoped that I'd get the chance to go with you." I can feel my eyes water. "I think we're finally going in this direction, a direction toward us but then I find out you're going on a date that you've been planning for weeks and I flip the freak out and throw up into a trashcan."
"I decide, I decide I am going to tell you that I love you, and I have loved you for as long as I could remember-" my voice shakes. "But then you tell me how I am your best friend and you can't lose me," my eyes are squeezed shut. I still can't look at him.
"And I am scared Troy. I am scared to tell you that I love you because I can't lose you. And this date, I hate this date. I know. I know that it's not the superstitions. But it is the bad luck. It is the awful reminder of a love that I can't have and won't ever have."
"And I'm sorry for making this worse. And for not keeping my mouth shut. But I can't help myself anymore. It's too much."
"Gabs….'
His soft voice sends me over and edge and I slump down from where I was standing and land on a heap on the floor. My shoulders shake as I feel the tears stream down my face. There. I said everything that I needed to say. But I feel no relief, only anxiety. Damn it, Friday the 13th.
I feel warm arms envelope around me and my shoulders heave up and down more as the tears continue its steady flow. He didn't need to be this nice to me. I wasn't deserving of that.
"Gabriella. Gabriella, I need you to look at me." His voice is firm.
My nose is running and I sniffle loudly. My face was red-hot, and I could feel the heat reaching down toward my neck. This was not attractive at the slightest. I couldn't look at him; I didn't want to see his mortified reaction.
"Gabriella. Please. Don't make me ask twice."
I know I am going to have to look at him sometime. I feel tachycardic as I slowly open both of my eyes. I can feel myself drowning in his sea of cobalt-blues. I am trying to read his expression but it seems like so many thoughts are running through his head. I can feel myself grow faint. What is he thinking?
"I was too nervous," he says.
"Wait, what?" It was my turned to be confused. What was he talking about? Did our entire conversation get him on-edge?
"The roses. I was too nervous. I bought you roses," he looks me straight in the eye. "And I was so nervous I put them on the wrong locker."
Wait…did he mean what I thought he meant… "Are you saying…"
"Yes. On Valentine's Day. I put them on Jessica's locker, and by the time I realized it, it was too late. She had already seen them and knew they were from me. I just felt like it was the right thing to do…to take her on a date. So I did. But, that was it Gabriella."
My head was spinning. If those flowers really were for me, then…
"And for our junior prom. I saw him ask you. I just assumed…" he frowns. "I had tickets for us. I was going to ask you that day, but then I saw him ask you…and it just…I was stupid."
"Troy…" my voice trembles.
"Please. Let me finish," he wipes a tear away with the pad of his thumb.
"For two weeks, I was planning a trip for us to go camping at the national park, the one about 20 miles north from East High. You said you've never been and always wanted to go. It took a hell of a lot of convincing, but I even got your mom on board. I told Chad but didn't say it was for you, just in case you didn't want to go with me. Chad couldn't keep his mouth shut though and by the time he said it, it just came out all wrong. And you kind of avoided me after the lunch incident, so I just, I didn't think to ask. Plans just sort of fell out."
"But, Friday, August 13, 2010-"
The memory was as clear as day.
"Are you sure you can carry this up three flights of stairs?"
His voice is teasing and I shoot him a playful glare. "I'm stronger than you think," I retort as I continue to follow Troy up the stairs, a large plastic garbage bag filled with his bedding in tow. "And besides, you only let me carry the wimpy weak stuff," I laugh.
"Not true," he responds lightly as he strides up the concrete steps. "You Miss Montez are designated with the task of carrying some of my most important things. How would I survive with no bedding to sunggle with?" he grins.
"Ha ha. Very funny. I think you'd be able to sleep at night," I say like in a double entendre, a huge grin on my face. It was nice to see him so happy and ready to start the next chapter in his life. I could see the excitement on his face, and that only made me appreciate the moment we had together even more. We reached his floor and turned the corner in the hallway, walking toward his new dorm room that he'd share with his new roommate.
I place the garbage bag onto his bare mattress and take a look around at the room filled with boxes of his things. I wonder how long it will take him to unpack and get everything settled in. "For a guy, you own an awful lot of stuff," I tease.
"Well, if I'm going to be here for the next four years, I'm sure going to need a lot of stuff," he grins. "I probably should start organizing things. I wouldn't want Daniel thinking he's living with a slob."
"Well, he's going to find that out eventually," I taunt. "Might as well just leave it like it is and be yourself now."
He makes a grab at my waist, bringing me close to him as I inhale him. The light sweat pooling near his temples mixed in with the essence of him wasn't really a turn off to me; it was quite the opposite actually. I didn't have much more time to think about our close proximity before I was assaulted with a series of ticklish pokes and prods. I squeal in delight and can't help but laugh out loud, feeling my abs begin to grow sore as he continued the torment.
"That'll teach you to stop making fun of me," he smiles.
"I'm s-s-sorrry," I say, gasping for a breath and smiling from ear-to-ear. "Just stop torturing me!"
I breathe in a sigh of relief as his fingers stop the agony and instead wrap lightly against the small of my back. Our bodies are facing each other, and I can hear his slow breaths faintly over my quick ones. He leans down toward me, pressing his soft lips onto my forehead.
My eyes close. This was the Troy that I came to love.
His lips pull back and I can feel the warmth from my forehead slowly begin to dissipate. I exhale, wanting his touch back on my skin. "Thank you for coming with me to move me in," he says quietly.
"Thank you for inviting me along for the ride," I say honestly.
His feet walk backward toward his bed, his hands still on my waist as he draws me with him. Our eyes are fixed on each other, and I can feel a difference in the mood between us. There is something innate about the way his hands feel wrapped around me, and I feel a more intimate sense of closeness with him. I wonder if he could feel it too.
There is something about starting a new chapter in our lives, one where he will be at Cal, and where I will be at Stanford, and we won't be together, and the very thought of us being separate from each other has me petrified. Will he still want to be my all? Will we still have time to make for each other? I want to live in the moment now, with him, before it is too late. College is all about finding who you are and the person that you want to be. And I desperately wanted to start being this person with him.
I always felt that we were teetering between a line of intimacy and friendship, and it was a time like now, the way we were so close, that I could hear him, smell him, and feel him, that made me yearn something more. Would he want what I so sanguinely needed? I want to tell him I love him.
"Gabi-" He closes the space between us and I can feel his breathes near my face. I breathe in as much as I can of him.
"Yes?" My mind is jumbling. I can feel a speech impediment coming along.
"Promise me that we'll stay in touch. Promise me that I won't lose you. I can't lose you."
"Of course," I nod fervently. He is my everything.
"Good. Because I l-" his eyes widen for a brief moment and he pauses, looking conflicted.
My heart wants to burst out of my chest. Was he going to say the four letter word? Was it finally our time? Was today the day?
He purses his lips together before opening his mouth. "Good. Really good. You're my best friend Gabriella, and I don't want to lose you."
And the moment passes, leaving me with the stricken feeling that we could never be anything more. After all, I was his best friend. And today was Friday the 13th.
"I chose Berkeley because I wanted to be close to the person that inspired my heart. And I chose the school because I couldn't bear to be without you. I asked you to help me move in because I was going to tell you that I was ready too-ready for you, if you would have me," he paused. "But the more I thought about what we had, our friendship, I got scared too Gabs. And I never got to say what was on my mind. Until now."
His eyes are on me and he is kneeling on the floor next to me, and I feel so close to him, it physically hurts. My heart is beating too close for comfort, and my mind is hanging onto his every word.
"I am in love with you Gabriella. I may be the world's greatest idiot for not having the courage to say it and for believing that we were better off as best friends, but I know it now. I love you, and I have always loved you. I want to be with you. I just hope I am not too late in telling you that."
If there were any words to describe the feelings that I had in this very moment, I would probably have written a novel even before I could scratch the surface. I could not sum up into words the way I felt, the reassurance I had, the desire that was burning in me.
So I let my heart do the thinking. My body leans toward him, and as I feel the pull of his body next to mine, I let my lips catch his own. My entire body is shaking as our lips collide with each other, and he responds wholeheartedly, his legs sprawled out on the floor as he tugs on me to sit me onto his lap. I respond obediently.
Our lips entangle passionately as we move in sync with each other, both of us trying to get the fix that had been six years in the making. I let out short gasps, and his tongue enters my mouth swiftly and eagerly, and I respond with as much intensity. My hands tangle up in his hair, trying to bring him even closer to me, and from my actions, I can feel his mouth curve up into a smile in front of me.
There are happy wet tears that are staining my cheeks, electric tremors running through my body, and my heartbeat feels as fast as a hummingbird as I wrap myself in his arms, our lips still connected. This feels too good to be real.
I don't know how much time has passed before he pulls his lips away from mine, while still maintaining the distance between us, his forehead resting against mine.
"I love you," he professes. "I love you so much."
The words are not for the faint-hearted and if my heart could explode, it would. "I love you too. More than you can imagine."
He pulls away from me to look at my face. His hair is messy, and his cheeks are wet from my tears, and he is the most magnificent being I have seen. And I am so lucky.
"This has been a long time in the making hasn't it?" he grins, cupping my cheeks with his hands and pulling me into a tender kiss.
I nod passionately. "Yes. Too long. Believe me. Way too long."
"And to think," he smiles. "It only took us thirteen Friday the 13ths."
My face scrunches up in dissatisfaction as I reflect on how long it took us to get to this point. But I am far from feeling unhappy. I am in fact, elated. The moments that led up to this for me, have made this feeling with him now, all the more worthwhile. I grin as I press my lips once again on his.
"Happy Friday the 13th Troy," I murmur, our bodies attached to one another.
"Happy Friday the 13th beautiful. May there be many more to come."
Author's Note: Happy Friday the 13th….hehehehe. I have disappeared from the fandom for so long. If I had known Blindfolded would be the last thing I would write (which was more than four years ago!), I would have probably have left you guys with a note of good-bye. But writing has always been a passion of mine, and even though it's been a long time coming, I still love doing this, and I still love T&G.
This story has been a long time in the making. For years (and I mean years..probably since my beginning days of writing HSM), I have wanted to write a one-shot about Friday the 13th. It was originally going to be about superstitions, but I'm always looking for something more. And I hope this one-shot satisfies. It definitely satisfies me. I had a HSM marathon this past weekend and it inspired me to pull through for this Friday the 13th. Let me know what y'all think. And if I have any readers that remember me and have me on author alert, I'd love to hear from you guys. I missed you all just as much as I have missed this. Always, schoolgirl101