Author's Note: Hi my name is Jessica. This is my second story. My friend Katherine – you may know her as Kat (Allume a Pense) – beta-d this story. I hope you like it! Please review!
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The air smelt fresh and clean, like after it rained. The atmosphere was tranquil and calm. Wind rustled the crisp leaves dotting the large tree in the Montez's side yard. A distant dog bark pierced the silence of the serene evening as a few stars began to speckle. The night sky commenced to take over the dying twilight. The temperature was dropping considerably as the sun hid behind the horizon.
Gabriella was on her balcony in a white plastic chair, her knees pulled up closely to her chest with a turquoise diary resting on her lap. She was dressed in a light blue tank top and navy blue Soffe shorts with her natural curls resting on her shoulders. Gabriella looked very concentrated as she furiously scribbled away in her diary.
Troy was about to ring the doorbell to the Montez's house when he decided against it and snuck around to the side of the house. He started climbing the large oak tree that lead to Gabriella's balcony. His apparel consisted of a logo tee-shirt from American Eagle and red basketball shorts. He got bored with Chad's constant complaining and decided to come give Gabriella a visit. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice he reached the branch that lead right onto Gabriella's balcony. When he was about to jump, Troy realized that Gabriella was on her balcony writing in some notebook. He watched her with interest her for a few minutes until he became conscious of the fact that he was on the edge of the branch. Troy made a jump for it but didn't get high enough and landed face down on the balcony.
Gabriella looked up when she saw something, or rather, someone fall onto her balcony out of the tree. She shook her head while a playful smile danced on her lips when she realized it was Troy. He looked at her with a stupid grin and sheepishly shrugged his shoulders while brushing himself off. He stood up and waited for her to speak.
"You know this thing has a weight limit?"
He frowned disapprovingly, jamming his hands into his pockets. Gabriella giggled and continued to scrawl in her dainty script across the paper. She clasped the miniature lock on and set the diary aside. "What are you doing here, Romeo?" she joked, a playful smile taking its rightful place. He shrugged coolly.
"Oh you know, just dropping in."
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Hilarious. You're a riot, Troy Bolton." She let her legs off the chair, for they were getting awfully cramped. She yawned and stretched out her arms, afterwards retracting them and tousling her already perfect waves. Her eyes were tired and mischievous in a picturesque sort of manner. Troy watched this whole feline-like process.
The boy eyed the small diary on the floor and quickly snatched it up. Gabriella didn't bother protesting because she knew it was locked. Instead, she warily watched him try to crack open the tightly locked memoir. He scowled, failing in his attempt to crack it open.
"Can I read it?" Troy asked, dead serious. Gabriella smirked as she replied.
"Uh, no. What's the point of the lock if I'm going to let people like you read it?"
"People like me? I'm hurt, Gabriella." Troy placed a hand to his chest, feigning hurt. Gabriella rolled her eyes and smiled.
"Shut up, Troy. No, you can't read it and don't even bother asking again."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?!" Troy pouted.
Gabriella turned her cheek and crossed her arms. "No!"
"Why not? How about you choose a page and I won't look anywhere else." Gabriella considered his idea for a moment, but refused to look at him, knowing that his puppy face was irresistible. She sighed with her hands on her hips, turned back to face him and then reluctantly agreed. What was the worst that could happen? She unlocked the little diary, flipped open to one of the first pages noticing it was still from when she lived in San Diego, so he wasn't in it.
After reading it, Troy looked at her blankly. She cocked her head – waiting for a reply. Suddenly, he threw his head back and snored loudly. Gabriella scowled. "Borr-ing!" he scolded her. "This was just about a stupid field trip – where's the fun? The gossip?"
"Diaries are not for gossip and fun. They are for documenting past events and future dreams as a potential reference, in case later needed." She nodded, satisfied, at her intelligent answer. Troy looked strangely at her and took a step back.
"You can suck the fun out of anything, can't you." He replied, in more of a statement than a question. Gabriella shrugged – she admitted that she could be a little too professional. Troy rolled his eyes and took a step towards the double French doors that went unnoticed by Gabriella. Quickly, he dashed inside and promptly shut and locked the door. Gabriella sprang to her feet and began to bang on the glass panes.
"Troy! Let me in! You can't read it because you promised you wouldn't. Open the door! Now!" Gabriella continued pounding the door louder and harder.
Troy opened to the most recent entry and scanned the page, ignoring Gabriella's fit outside the doors. The entry read:
July 15, 2007
Dear Diary,
I love summer. It's always so quiet so I can come onto my balcony and just write freely. Actually, my balcony is my favorite place to be. As soon as we moved here, I immediately claimed this bedroom especially for it. But it most recently became my favorite after Troy climbed it. It reminds me of him somehow, I guess. That why I like sitting out here.
I know it's a little wrong to like Troy (as more than a friend, of course.) because he's so popular and I'm no where near his social status. It's sad that high school works that way. He's my guilty pleasure. I don't know how or why – it all happened so fast – but I love him. Yes, diary, I love Troy Bolton. I wish it was as easy telling him than it is you. No offense, but you're just a piece of paper. Anyways, I don't think he likes me in that way.
Oops, I have to go. Prince Charming just fell to my feet. :) I'll write later!
Love Always,
Gabriella
Troy stared at the pages in front of him. Gabriella was still pleading in front of him, but he couldn't remove his focus from the diary. In these pages, in a mere two paragraphs, the girl of his dreams has managed to describe everything perfectly and clearly to him. No matter how many times he rearranged her words, it all added up to one thing: "I love you." And that's what counts.
Troy's throat went dry and his stomach flipped over. Should he …? He continued to watch the pages as if he was expecting them to jump to life and become unexplainably animated, but they did no such thing. They stayed still, the taupe colored paper with pink, sparkly gel pen all over it. Suddenly, all his questions didn't matter. He didn't need clarification. He knew what he needed to know and it was time to show his appreciation.
With the turquoise book still in hand, he pushed open the French doors. Gabriella took a hesitant step back. Before she could protest, reprimand or snatch the diary back, Troy wrapped his strong arms around her tiny waist and pulled her towards him. He pressed his lips firmly onto hers. At first, Gabriella was too stunned to react. Quickly, however, she apprehended what was actually, truthfully happening. She slowly closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. She sighed slightly. So this is what Troy Bolton, basketball "super bomb" tasted like.
They both pulled away from each other and looked straight forward. Neither smiled nor frowned. Suddenly, Gabriella's bright smile lit up the balcony. It was the happiest and clearest Troy had ever seen. He was overly happy too – it felt like little electric bolts were shooting right under his skin, in his veins. Gabriella blinked twice and sighed dreamily.
"Dear Diary …"
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Author's Note: Review!
