Hello. First off, I'm sorry about the corny corny corny summary, I just couldn't think of anything else, haha. So I've had this idea in my head for a while, and once I finished it I just really wanted to post it…so here it is. Finished. Posted. You know.
Anyway, I hope you like it, it's kind of different then my other story, so I'm kind of nervous about it.
Disclaimer: Yeah, obviously, HSM totally doesn't belong to me. …I hate doing these.
They had met their freshman year of college in the doorway of an intro to anthropology class. The professor ended up kicking them out for being late, (Troy yelled something along the lines of "This is bullshit!" and that three minutes late was hardly grounds for getting kicked out, but the professor didn't care). Instead of going back to their respective dorm rooms they decided to get lunch. One lunch became one dinner, and after spending the entire day together, they decided it was only natural to have at least one meal together daily.
Two years passed, during which Troy got an apartment, and Gabriella joined a sorority. Apparently, according to Gabriella, joining the ranks of Zeta Phi Alpha was, "The absolute worst decision made this century." Clearly, she didn't like it, so most of her time was spent at Troy's place avoiding her "sisters".
Saturdays typically involved lying on the lumpy couch in Troy's tiny living room playing x-box and drinking cheap wine. Today was no different. Gabriella had long given up playing Left 4 Dead, Troy had said she was just a burden anyway, and was lounging against the armrest with her feet thrown over his lap carelessly. His elbows were resting against her shins and his fingers were slamming madly across the controller trying to save his character from an onslaught of the undead.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Troy muttered under his breath as the screen flashed red with each bite of the zombies.
Gabriella merely giggled and poured the last of the wine into her sailboat painted ceramic mug. She took a gulp and set it back on the coffee table next to Troy's casually placed Maxim and an old Elle she had left there earlier in the month. She threw her head back over the side of the couch, letting her long hair dangle towards the ground. She wiggled and swung her hair back and forth, the room moving slightly with her from the alcohol. She giggled again.
"Dude, Gabi, stop moving, you're bumping the controller."
Gabriella stilled her legs but kept swinging her hair back and forth. The sound of buttons clicking and tapping stopped and there was a smack of the controller hitting the shag-carpeted floors.
"I died."
She lifted her head from the arm of the couch and gave Troy a blank stare as the blood rushed from her head.
Gabriella wiggled her toes against his forearm, "I'm sorry, Troy." She spoke, pursing her lips together trying to keep a straight face before giggling again with a snort.
Gabriella was a tad bit tipsy.
Troy gave her big toe a pull and grabbed her ankle, "You're drunk, Gabi."
She paused and tilted her head to the side to inspect Troy's face. With a disappointed tone Gabriella admonished, "Just a little bit, Troy."
The sun was long gone and the only light in the room was emitted from the flashing television screen. Troy glanced at the digital clock that read 3:22 AM.
Gabriella rested her elbow on the side of the couch, her hand buried in the curls of her hair. Troy's hand was still gripping her foot as her ankle rocked side to side on his thigh.
Troy released Gabriella's foot from his hand and sat up a little straighter. "You can't walk back to your house now Gabi, it's way too late. It's not safe."
Gabriella seemed to have sobered up a little, "Troy, I appreciate the concern, but I really think I'll be alright. Besides, I don't feel like crashing on your lumpy couch again."
Troy shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "You wouldn't have to sleep on the couch, Gabi."
She just stared back at him, unsure of where he was going.
"You could sleep with me."
Gabriella's mouth opened a little as she comprehended the idea. Until today Troy and Gabriella had maintained a strictly platonic friendship. Sure, they were both attractive people, but they had just never gone that route before. Not to say that one night in the same bed would magically make them a couple, but Gabriella did have to wonder about the implications.
Troy interrupted her train of thought with a hastily added, "I mean, just in the bed with me…not sleep with me, with me. Hah. Hahaha."
She nodded her head.
"Yeah, I guess we could," Gabriella was looking anywhere but at Troy.
He lifted her legs off of his lap as he stood to turn the TV and x-box off. He then faced Gabriella who was now standing and handed him the two controllers before walking towards his kitchen with the empty wine bottle and mug in hand. Troy set the two controllers down next to the consol and followed Gabriella into the kitchen. She was leaning against the counter, waiting for him, having already put away the mug and bottle. Her hair was mussed and resting over her shoulders and her eyes looked tired but sweet. Her dark blue skinny jeans were resting dangerously low on her hips so a few inches of her abdomen were exposed. Troy swallowed and tried to hide the fact that his eyes were locked on that small expanse of skin between her hips and bellybutton.
Gabriella shuffled her feet around on the sea foam green laminate floors while she folded her arms across her chest and spoke, "So,"
Troy's eyes shot to her face, "Oh, yeah, you probably need something to sleep in, huh? Come on."
Troy walked out of the kitchen with Gabriella following closely behind. It was a short walk from the kitchen, through the living room, and into the bedroom. To be honest, Gabriella had never really been in Troy's bedroom before, and upon entering it she found herself to be pleasantly surprised.
The bed was large, and unmade, exposing the plaid, blue and black flannel sheets. Three of the walls were painted navy, while the one the bed was pushed against was faux wood paneling obviously left over from the 1970's construction of the apartment. The room in its entirety was relatively clean, besides the unmade bed.
"Hey Gabs, the only clean shirt that would be remotely your size is this," Troy said from the closet door before facing Gabriella holding up a beat up grey Nike t-shirt to his chest.
Gabriella gave Troy a small smile and a tilt of her head, "That's fine Troy, thanks."
Troy tossed it to her. "I'm not sure about shorts though, I have a feeling every pair I own would fall right off you. Let me go look for some in the bathroom." Troy saw Gabriella's eyebrows furrow in slight disgust, "They're clean, I swear."
With Troy's shirt still clutched in her fingers she silently nodded her head as Troy walked out of the room shutting the door behind him. Gabriella quickly pealed off her t-shirt and bra before putting on the shirt. It was a little large, the hem of Troy's t-shirt hit Gabriella's thigh like a short dress would. Deciding that the shirt would be enough to sleep in Gabriella unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied out of them. In the midst of removing her jeans Troy opened the door to the bedroom again. His eyes didn't move from Gabriella as she shifted her hips back and forth to wiggle out of her jeans.
Troy's eyes shot from her legs to Gabriella's face, "Sorry, I completely forgot, I should have knocked...I'm sorry."
Finally her jeans were off and there she stood, pantless, clad only in Troy's old shirt. Troy's eyes glanced down to the floor where Gabriella's pants, shirt and bra were laying. Troy tried not to let his eyes linger on the red lace bra that, evidently, was no longer pressed against Gabriella's skin. He failed.
Gabriella shuffled her feet and cleared her throat. Troy's eyes followed the noise, sliding from her feet up her smooth, bare legs, past the hem of his shirt, over the slightly visible tips of her nipples, to her face, where a light pink blush graced her cheeks. For the second time that night she folded her arms across her chest. Troy swallowed. He could honestly say that Gabriella, standing there in front of the closet with only one of his ratty grey t-shirts draped over her body, was the sexiest thing he had ever seen.
"I'm sorry, Gabs, I should have knocked," Troy quietly spoke again, forcing his eyes to stay on her face. "Also, I found shorts," he said and awkwardly lifted his fist where a pair of white basketball shorts were balled in his hand.
"Thanks," Gabriella mumbled, "but I think this is good enough," and gestured to the length of his shirt on her.
Troy turned to the side to chuck the shorts into the hamper, "Yeah, I doubt those would have fit you anyway."
He turned back around to find Gabriella bent over the floor to collect her discarded items of clothing. He watched as she folded her pants, then shirt and placed her bra on top of the pile. Gabriela turned towards him to find him staring at her, his eyes moving up and down her body quickly.
"Where do you want me to put these?" she questioned.
Troy shrugged, "I don't know, on top of my dresser?"
Gabriella nodded her head and walked across the room to set them there before asking a question again, "Do you think I could get ready? For bed I mean."
"Oh! Oh yeah, sure. I don't have any extra tooth brushes, but yeah."
Gabriella murmured a thanks quietly exited the room as Troy walked towards the closet to grab his pajamas.
Gabriella entered the bathroom and shut the door. As she spread toothpaste onto her index finger (it would have to do) she contemplated the way Troy was staring at her when he walked into the bedroom. Never, in their two years of friendship, had he ever looked at her in that way. That way. She chuckled to herself, Troy wouldn't ever look at her that way. Surely, sometime during the previous two years he would have made a move if he had wanted her like that. In that way. Right? Right. Gabriella spit into the sink and rinsed off her finger. She stood there, with her palms pressed against the edge of the counter staring into her reflection. Her lip-gloss was long gone, most of it was now stuck on the sailboat mug she was using earlier in the night. Her mascara was smudged, her hair frizzy. Gabriella then decided that if there was going to be a perfect time for a situation like this to happen it would be any time but now.
There was a knock, a pause, and the slow creak of the door opening.
"I remembered this time," Troy said with a grin, now dressed in a plain black shirt and the basketball shorts he had offered to Gabriella.
Gabriella gave him a smile and a light chuckle before pushing against the counter to stand up straight.
"Yeah," she stated.
They stood facing each other in the tiny bathroom of Troy's apartment staring for what seemed like hours before Gabriella spoke again.
"I'm gonna go."
Troy's eyebrows rose in confusion.
"I mean, you know," she giggled nervously, "to bed. Now." Gabriella shifted her body to face the mirror and slid in between Troy and the counter out of the bathroom.
As soon as Gabriella was without a doubt in Troy's room he let out a breath and replayed her leaving in his head. The way her body brushed against his. The way her hair felt as it skimmed his neck. The way her head seemed to fit so perfectly under his chin, even if it was only for a moment. Had he really never noticed these things before? A part of him had always known, he decided seconds later. But was a random sleepover really the only catalyst needed for Troy's romantic feelings about Gabriella to be thrust into the forefront of his mind? That part he wasn't so sure about.
Troy entered his bedroom to find Gabriella sitting on the edge of his bed, her hands in her lap, her eyes staring down at the floor, so deep in thought she didn't notice his presence. Gabriella continued to stare and bounced one leg. With each bounce his shirt rose up her thighs to expose the beginnings of the side of her underwear.
He cleared his throat to grab her attention. "Hey," he started, still standing in the doorway.
"Hey," she said, having finally looked up.
"You didn't have to wait for me."
She gave a dry laugh and looked back to the floor, "Actually, I did. I don't know what side."
Troy smiled at her thoughtfulness and sat down next to her. He watched her eyes shift to his feet as she felt his weight on the mattress.
"Normally I sleep on the side not against the wall."
She lifted her eyes to gaze into his, for a moment she just stared. With a quick dart of her tongue across her lips she broke the silence, "Right, sorry, I got confused. Double negatives mix me up."
Troy chuckled and glanced at the clock, it read 3:57 AM, "It's late Gabi, no worries."
Gabriella nodded and crawled towards the side of the bed resting against the wall. It was clear that she had forgotten how short the shirt was on her. As soon as she turned around Troy was granted with the quick flash of red lace underwear that matched her bra. Of course, the gentlemanly action would be to quickly avert his eyes, but it was much too late, and Troy was much too tired, so he made no move to turn his head. In fact, when Gabriella was finally situated on her side, Troy's eyes were wide, and still pointing in the direction of the area where her panties had first been exposed.
"Troy?"
Troy shook his head and turned to face Gabriella, "Sorry Gabs, I guess I'm just tired too."
Gabriella said nothing but timidly slid down into the bed and pulled the comforter fully on top of her. Troy followed suit and let his head hit the pillow. Silence fell around them. Troy turned his head to face Gabriella.
"Are you sure you're not going to be too cold?" Troy asked.
Gabriella tucked the comforter under her chin before responding, "Yes, Troy, I'll be fine."
"Okay," Troy agreed before shifting again and stretching to put his hands behind his head. After a few seconds he put them back by his side.
Both Gabriella and Troy were lying on their backs when quiet descended upon them. Their shoulders were grazing lightly against each other, their chests rising and falling out of sync so both sides of the comforter rose at different times. The awkwardness between the two of them was something foreign and completely unexpected. From the very first day they met Troy and Gabriella had interacted as if they had known each other their entire lives. Just earlier that night they had been in closer, yet more comfortable physical contact then here in the bed. Maybe it was the fact that Gabriella had enjoyed the feeling of Troy's bare shoulder shifting against hers mixed with the semi-rough feel of the flannel sheets more than any touch from him she had ever experienced before. Or maybe it was because through her anxious fidgeting Gabriella's shirt had risen up above her underwear and both she and Troy were acutely aware of it. Or maybe it was the fact that Troy couldn't help but notice (and find incredibly sexy) that tonight Gabriella smelt like a mix between his own laundry detergent and a distinctly Gabriella smell, one that he had never been able to pen point. Maybe it wasn't any of those things.
Gabriella felt her eyes growing tired and muffled a yawn.
"Goodnight, Troy," she whispered looking up towards the ceiling before rolling onto her side, facing the wood panel covered wall.
Troy turned to observe Gabriella move under his covers, as soon as she was facing the wall he spoke, "Night, Gabs,"
A couple minutes after rolling on her side Gabriella felt the weight of a light sleep lift. She heard the comforter shift slightly and Troy reposition himself on the bed. Gabriella shivered involuntarily as she felt the tips of his fingers slip up and down her arm before a warm hand rested on top the skin of her hip. She willed herself to keep her breathing even as Troy shifted until she felt his torso rest against her back and his legs tangle with hers. Was he awake? She didn't know. She wasn't even sure how long she had been sleeping. All she could comprehend was how unimaginably warm Troy's skin was pressed against hers. Even his bare legs were scalding.
Troy's hand gradually migrated from her hip to grip around her entire waist and pulled her fully into his solid chest. His breath was hot against her back, even through her shirt. She could have sworn she felt his lips brush against her shoulder blade before his cheek came to rest in the crook of her neck.
A soft whisper escaped his lips, "Gabi."
Gabriella immediately stiffened. Should she speak or should she just pretend she's sleeping. Who knows, right? He might even be sleeping. No. Gabriella knew Troy's I-just-woke-up-from-sleep voice, it was gravelly and deeper than his normal voice. This was different, this was, this was husky, but gentle. She spoke.
"Troy?"
Gabriella felt him become rigid behind her. He abruptly released her and rolled onto his back. She turned on her side to face him, his eyes were open, he was awake.
"Troy," Gabriella whispered.
His eyes hesitated, but eventually landed onto Gabriella's. She was laying on her side with her hand propping up her head, Troy shifted to do the same. Together on the bed they laid, without speaking. Troy's eyes searched Gabriella's for what, she didn't know. His eyes darted down to her lips and back to her eyes. Gabriella's brow furrowed as she watched Troy in the semi-darkness. There was rustling under the covers until Troy's hand appeared. The same heat Gabriella felt when his hand touched her hip was there when he caressed her cheek. She closed her eyes as his thumb stroked her cheekbone.
As quick as her eyes fluttered close Gabriella felt lips pressed against hers. They were soft but firm as his lips met Gabriella's. He captured her bottom lip within his own, tugging gently, while his hand moved to run through her hair, and with one last press he pulled away.
Gabriella froze. Her elbow and hand were still holding up her head, her lips were still parted from the way Troy had left them. Her free hand reached up to touch her own lips and lingered there. Gabriella's eyes were as wide as saucers as she opened her mouth to speak.
"No, Gabriella, don't," Troy beat her to it. "I'm sorry Gabi, I was completely out of line. I just couldn't help myself. You're beautiful, and lovely, and my best friend, and oh my god I've completely ruined this, huh? If you want me to go sleep on my couch I totally can, I,"
Gabriella's free hand had left her lips and moved on to Troy's. Her index finger was held against his lips as she stared into Troy's eyes. Even in the darkness she could see the electric blue of his irises search hers. He looked worried, so she gave him a small smile. With her finger still pressed against his lips she scooted closer to him until her chest grazed his. He could feel the tips of her breasts against his torso as she finally removed her finger from his lips. Gently, she wiggled closer to him until they were tightly pressed against each other.
Then, with infinite grace that seemed to be innate for Gabriella she pressed her own lips to his. His lips met hers in a wetter, hungrier kiss than their first. Gabriella replied by opening her mouth slightly to invite Troy's tongue to meet hers. Troy responded with equal vigor and rolled Gabriella on her back to deepen the kiss. He found himself between her legs, his tongue gently teasing her own. One of his hands held him up above her while the other slid slowly from her shoulder, down her arm, to her waist where he traced his way back up her now bare side. His t-shirt had been shoved up her body and was now resting just below Gabriella's breasts. Troy's fingers skimmed her flat abdomen as his lips moved from hers down her cheek, nipping at her chin and eventually finding his way to her neck. Gabriella let out a small whimper as Troy suckled the spot between her jaw and collarbone. Troy kissed his way to the lobe of her ear and gave it a tug. Gabriella answered his bite with an instinctual thrust of her hips into his. Troy groaned in her ear and Gabriella smirked, before doing it again, this time with a little swivel of her hips.
"Gabriella," Troy gasped and held himself up with both arms, "I seriously advise you to stop what you're doing if you want to sleep at all tonight."
Gabriella pulled his face back down to hers and kissed him softly, "Alright," she whispered against his lips. Troy was still close enough for his nose to ghost along her cheek, he touched his lips to her own one more time before rolling back over to his side of the bed.
Gabriella stayed on her back and adjusted Troy's shirt so it rested on her thighs again.
Gabriella gave a nervous giggle, "Wow."
Troy wet his lips and avoided eye contact, "Yeah."
"So, what, what was that?" Gabriella began, "How long have you, or do you even…"
Troy turned his body on its side to directly face Gabriella, "What do you mean do I?" Troy questioned incredulously, "Of course I do. I wouldn't just randomly kiss you if I didn't feel something," he spoke with a smile. "Gabriella, of course I do."
Gabriella nodded her head in understanding. There was a minute of silence before Gabriella spoke up again, "What do you?"
"Have feelings," Troy smiled at Gabriella, and tucked her hair behind her ear. She really was such an adorable woman.
"I have feelings, Gabi. For you." Troy leaned to Gabriella and gave her lips a soft, closed mouth kiss. "Right now, I can't tell you for how long I've known, or how deep they run, but I can tell you that you're my best friend and since meeting you two years ago I've had some of the greatest times of my life."
Under the covers Troy's hand slid up and down Gabriella's bare arm after he was done speaking.
"Okay," was all Gabriella responded with. Troy looked at her and opened his mouth to question her response.
She said it again, "Okay."
"Okay?" Troy questioned, "Just okay?"
"Yeah," Gabriella answered, before scooting closer to Troy's body and placing her head on his pillow so their noses were brushing.
"It's late. Really late, and I don't particularly feel like, or have the strength, to discuss this right now." Gabriella reached for the hand that had been previously running up and down her arm and wove his fingers with her own.
"Troy," Gabriella continued, "Whatever this is, whatever it has the potential to be, it's good, I know, I can tell." She stopped speaking to brush his hair off to the side, "I know it's good, Troy, so, I think, for now, until morning, we can leave it at that." Her own hand ran under his shirt against his abs, and she let out a quiet giggle. Troy's eyes were on the verge of closing, but at the sound of her giggle they was jolted open.
"What is it?" Troy asked, this time his voice really was his I-just-woke-up-from-sleep-voice.
She laughed a little again before saying, "I've just always wanted to do that," and ran her hands up under his shirt once again. She rested her chin on his chest, looking up towards his face. His eyes were closed, a gentle smile toyed across his lips. Gabriella looked at the clock resting on Troy's bedside table, it read 4:40 AM. She closed her eyes, nuzzled her face into Troy's chest and kissed it gently.
"Night, Troy," she whispered, fully assuming he was already fast asleep.
Gabriella's eyes had shut and she was preparing to fall asleep when she felt Troy's lips against the top of her head. The deep rumble of his voice through his chest and out his lips into her hair jerked her awake.
"Night, baby."
Baby. He called her baby. Baby. Gabriella smiled to herself and kissed his chest again. She had no idea where this was going, how it would change their relationship, for good or for bad, there was no way to know.
At 4:46 in the morning, Gabriella knew three things. One, she and Troy fit together physically and mentally, like lock and key. Two, this, them, whatever they might become, has the potential to be good, really, really, really good. And three, Gabriella was sure that the word baby (spoken accidentally or intentionally) had never made her feel as fuzzy and warm and content as it did when Troy spoke it.
So there you have it. I hoped you liked it, I'm pretty happy with it :). Actually, I'm not really sure if I want to end it here or make it multi-chaptered, what do you think? If you liked it, or didn't!, I implore you, imploooore you, to review. They really help me, not to mention make me really really happy :)