Sorry about the random email notification for this before. I posted it and then realized I didn't quite finish with the Author's Note. Anyway, so yes, this oneshot is the surprise! I was listening to a song and I got an idea (and like always, it just kind of happened in the shower)...guess that's what I get for using my shower speakers every night. I hope you all enjoy it because I worked hard on it for a few days and even got opinions from friends and I just feel really proud of this oneshot (:
Forget You
Disclaimer:: I do not own the song by LAX Gurlz that this oneshot is based off of and of course, nor do I own HSM or it's characters, I only own the surrounding plotline.
"Alright is everyone ready?" Troy Bolton called out into the studio. Various producers and such dealing with music were running around the room, sitting at sound tables, and flipping buttons in order to prepare for the current studio session, the young Latina that was parked on the couch waiting at the current moment.
Troy watched for a moment as his team readied themselves and then he dared look back at the girl, silently asking with his eyes if she was ready to get in the booth and start recording. Only, she wouldn't meet his eyes, she hadn't in months. She'd kept her head down and done what she had to do. Press conferences, appearances, studio time – all of it had been done without much comment or protest from her, not that she ever protested before, but she was especially quiet now.
Gabriella Montez was dressed casually in a pair of leggings, an old red and white East High School t-shirt, her red and grey Nike sneakers that she usually wore when running, and her long waxy hair falling out and framing her head from underneath her matching red East High School baseball cap. She sat on the black leather couch behind the sound booth watching and waiting. Like usual, she was quiet, she was keeping to herself. She was avoiding.
Normally, her attire to the studio would entail something a little more than casual. A pair of jeans, heels or boots, a nice shirt, her hair and makeup done, but she was trying not to be seen right now. She was avoiding.
One would wonder with a life like hers, what she could possibly be avoiding. She had it all – a nice house, a nice car, a wonderful career, more clothes and shoes than she could have ever imagined, respect and fans in people across the world, and experiences that she could never forget, nor would she ever want to. But the one thing that she wanted in life, she could have and so she chose to avoid it. She'd wanted love and she'd wanted love with Troy Bolton, so now…she was avoiding Troy Bolton. Seemed like a pretty good plan up until now, when she realized that she couldn't avoid her producer forever.
Troy had been producing ever since he got out of college, a couple years after Gabriella had started singing. When she was 12, her mom had taken her to some audition for some national singing competition show – kind of like American Idol, but not quiet – and she'd won it. That was when life changed and her mother became all about focusing on her daughters' career. Gabriella's life had started to consist of gigs and talent shows all while simultaneously trying to get her education. She'd graduated from East High School in Alburquerque New Mexico in 2008 at the age of 17 and the last 8 years had seen her enjoying her career. She'd completed her college education online while traveling the world, doing tours, and appearances and such and now at the age of 25 she was suffering heartbreak in the name of Troy Bolton.
Unlike Gabriella, Troy had the luxury of completing high school without a hiccup and going on to college, staying in the dorms and getting the full on experience that you normally think of. It wasn't until after some experiementation in college that he'd changed his major, found his passion, and ended up getting offered a dream job 2 weeks after he'd gotten his degree from the University of Alburquerque.
The craziest part was that they had attended the same high school, all four years-with Troy graduating 2 years before her, but due to Gabriella's busy lifestyle, she and Troy had never had to opportunity to meet each other until she was 23 and he was 25, when her previous record company had disbanded and he'd started to produce her music. By then it was already too late because fate had already sealed them to be together…or maybe not.
"Gabriella, I know you think this is a bad thing, but it's really not." Maria Montez attempted to console her daughter as they sat in the studio, having just heard the news.
"It's not, it's terrible! You don't understand mom, without a record company, I have no producer, no producer, no music, no music, no more Gabriella. My career is over. No one is going to want to help me."
"That's where you're wrong," A voice spoke up. Both women turned to spot a sandy haired man walk in the room. He was young, mid-20s, with from what could be seen a very good physique and a matching pretty-boy face to match. His hair was messy, like he had just woken up, but the look working for him as he dressed in a simple pair of dark jeans, converses, and a baseball tee. "I'm Troy Bolton," he said, holding his hand out to Gabriella. "I'm your new producer."
Gabriella stared at him, dumbfounded by both his statement and his good looks. She didn't say anything back, her hand touched his in a shake and she could have sworn the electrical current that went through her arm was enough to shock her even more into silence.
Maria, noting her daughter's silence, eyed him. "And just how did this idea come into play?"
"James called me," he said simply. "Said you needed some help, explained everything and how he was upset that he was going to be letting you down. I've heard your stuff, it's really good and I'd be more than honored to produce you, if you'd be willing to let me."
His eyes had never left Gabriella, nor did his hand and it was in that moment that Gabriella knew she was in trouble.
"Gabriella!" She heard his voice called out to her present day and she shook herself from her daydream to meet his gaze for the first time in a few weeks, maybe a few months. "Are you ready to get in the booth?"
She nodded, no verbal response and walked in the booth, putting on the headset just as she noted Chad Danforth, Troy's good friend and also a wonderful publicist to Gabriella, walk in the studio. He smiled brightly at her, giving her 2 thumbs up before walking over to sit next to Troy, them instantly engaging in discussion at the table. He nodded for a few moments before leaning forward and pressing a button, eyes connected with Gabriella's as his voice came in through the headset. "Okay, you ready to start?"
"This is gonna be great," Chad commented excitedly, also not having heard the song before now. Again Gabriella nodded and there was a slight pause and silence before a beat appeared to match lyrics she had written.
Imma tell you a story
Here it goes
Listen up,
Let me say this face to face
Before you walk away from me
Listen up baby
We know things ain't gonna change
I love you but she's in the way
Where does that leave me?
Gabriella smiled at Troy as they sat in the studio, just having finished working together to put music to lyrics. She took pride in making sure that she wrote her own lyrics and that her songs were mostly her own. "That's actually really great," she spoke as she finished re-writing some lyrics he had helped her with. "And you're sure that this will sound good together?"
"Yes," he nodded.
"And people are going to like it?"
"Yes," he nodded again, laughing.
"And my fans won't hate me for changing my sound?"
"Gabriella, stop worrying!" He consoled with that dazzling smile of his. "I've got you. I wouldn't let you down, not on this."
"So I'm just supposed to trust you?"
"As your new producer, I'm a little hurt that you wouldn't," he said, feigning shock. "Look, I understand that you're worried. You just lost a good part of what makes your music happen, but I'm here to help and I'm not going to let the world forget you, I promise."
Gabriella let out a breath of air, as she had been fidgeting, playing with her fingers. And when she looked back up into Troy's eyes, she did just what he had asked of her: she trusted him. But it wasn't until he'd tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and she'd leaned in to be closer to him that she realized she was in trouble.
Her hand came up and connected with the hairs on the back of his neck as his hand came down to rest on her jean covered thigh. Their lips connected in a passionate first kiss that left them both feelings sparks and even fireworks, and also with a mess to figure out
What a mess
So wrapped up in you
And there's nobody else for me
In my heart, I am so confused
But I keep telling myself
Troy was sitting in the studio, leaning back in his chair, music blaring all around him. He was so caught up in this girls' sound. They worked all day together to find a match between music and lyrics that she liked. It was odd because he'd never felt this way about a girl before…a woman was more of the world he'd used to describe her. The way her long wavy midnight black hair fell down her back, her bangs swept over to the left side of her face. From what he'd seen of her so far, she was a very bubbly person, almost childlike, but at the same time everything about her screamed a sexy young woman in her prime.
The way she used minimal to no makeup, but yet her brown eyes still drew him in, her plump lips only simply coated in chapstick, however when she bit them, so innocently, especially when she was thinking hard…it did things to him. The way her breasts sat perky underneath her shirt, bouncing gently when she moved, just enough for him to tell they weren't fake and estimate them to be around a C cup. When he trailed further, he found her flat stomach, the same flat stomach that housed a piercing in her belly button ring that he'd seen just a peak of when she stretched and her shirt had lifted up slightly. The curve of her hips was even more dangerous to him. She was pretty small, he'd admit that, he'd been scared when having his fantasies that he might break her, but the way her hips were spread, filling out from her small stomach into the beautiful bump of her ass. He was sure he would enjoy leaving his hands there for a couple of hours. Her legs, although she was pretty tiny, both small and short, seemed to go on and on, even when he found them covered by jeans or leggings or even sweatpants. She looked good no matter what she wore.
She was a dream. A wonderful young woman, 23, a great singer, a girl with a good heart, someone he found himself just being Troy and only Troy with, not having to be Troy the producer and pose for the cameras to make the fans happy. She had a beautiful smile that always seemed to reach her eyes, a joyus and musical laugh that made him want to laugh along with her every time he heard it, even if he didn't know what he was laughing at.
She was perfect. And everytime he was with her, it was like a whole new feeling for him, something he could never get rid of and he could never feel with anyone else. He was sure he was in love with her.
Just then, his phone rang, interrupting his thoughts and the music playing. He looked down at the iphone perched on the desk to see the smile of the woman he should be thinking about and he was filled with the understanding of why it would never work out and why he couldn't be in love with Gabriella as he stared down at the name on his phone screen.
Amanda.
Forget you
That's all I want to do
I gotta face the truth
'Cause this just ain't no good for me
Forget you
I really wish I could
Get you off my mind
As hard as I may try I can't
Forget you
Do dah do do do do do
I just gotta forget you
Do dah do do do do do
Baby, here's where I went wrong
Thinking I could have you
Even though I knew the truth
You were with somebody else
Don't mean no disrespect but she
Ain't got nothing on me
"Amanda?" Gabriella asked anxiously. "He has a girlfriend?"
Sharpay bit her lip as she looked anyone but at the face of her heart-broken friend. "Fiance…" she mumbled lowly.
"I…why didn't he say anything?"
"Say anything? Why would he just blurt out that he has a girlf…fiancé?"
"Because he…" Gabriella stopped herself, face turning red, hoping Sharpay didn't notice her slip up.
"Woah, okay. Pause. What's going on? What happened between you two?"
Gabriella blushed and turned her head. "Gabriella!"
"He…we may have kissed a little." Sharpay's mouth opened wide, but before she could say anything, Gabriella further admitted. "And…we might have…had sex a few times."
"OMG! You've been sneaking around having a secret relationship with Troy Bolton? And you didn't tell me! For how long."
"Shar, please! I didn't realize he was engaged to be married, but if I did, none of it would have happened. I don't want to be a homewrecker, Shar."
"You're not a homewrecker!" Sharpay promised. "Well, at least not yet." When Gabriella glared at her, she shrugged. "I mean they're not married yet, so it's true."
"That's not helping."
"You're the one who kissed him!"
"Shh!" Gabriella hushed, glancing around, making sure her mom wasn't somewhere around listening. Her mom had happily taken on the title 'mom-ager' and she took her job seriously. So seriously that if she found out anything had happened between her and Troy, Troy would be fired as her producer faster than he could even say his own name. Maria had already pulled Gabriella aside after that first meeting to lecture her. She knew what the look on her daughters' face meant and even at 23, way past legal adult able to make her own conscious decisions, she was not going to let anyone get in the way of the career they'd fought so hard to make. "If mom finds out, I'm dead."
"Well maybe you need to talk to him."
"Really? How am I going to face him after that. He probably thinks I'm some fame seeking hussy! I mean how could I be so clueless? The whole world probably has to know that he has a fiancé and I'm just sitting here kissing him behind her back!"
"It takes two to tango, Montez. You didn't kiss nor fuck yourself and he knew he had a fiancé when it happened, so don't blame this all on yourself. Plus, you're not a fame seeking hussy, you have your own name and own career without him."
"One that I could royally screw up by getting involved with a married man."
"Not married yet…"
"And also, not helping!"
What a mess
Wish that I could get over you
But my heart's telling me to
Forget you
That's all I want to do
I gotta face the truth
'Cause this just ain't no good for me
Forget you
I really wish I could
Get you off my mind
As hard as I may try I can't
Forget you
Gabriella sat in the agreed waiting spot, playing with her hands, twirling the sapphire ring around her finger anxiously. It had been the last thing her father had given her before he passed away when she was 15. He'd made a promise to her that he would always be with her and had given her the ring with his birthstone in it to signify that. Just as long as she promised him that she would always try her hardest and work for what she wanted and he would continue to be with her in spirit.
She played with that ring whenever she needed help, advice, or inspiration, in the hopes that the action would bring to her solutions that her dad would use. But this one, she was afraid, her dad wouldn't be able to help her get a hold of; she'd have to figure this one out on her own.
There was a noise, a door opening, a small flash of light momentarily lighting the dimly light room. It was lit just enough for Gabriella to see the person she had been waiting for had finally arrived, smile on his face. "Hey," he seemed to breath out, making a beeline straight for her. His hands immediately attached to her hips as if there was a magnet drawing him there and his lips gravated towards hers, but she was quick to pull away, unable to meet his concerned gaze.
"Gabriella? Brie, what's wrong?" he asked, ducking his head to try and look her in the eye.
"Please don't call me that."
Troy's eyebrows twisted up in confusion. "I don't get it, what's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me?" She asked, finally looking up and showing Troy that her brown eyes were wet with tears that had not yet escaped from her eyeballs yet. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Troy sighed and hung his head, immediately understanding what she was referring to. "Brie, listen, I.."
"No! Stop calling me Brie! That's reserved for people who care about me."
"Why would you think I don't care about you?" He questioned.
"Because you lied to me! I at least expected you to pretend, Troy. Maybe ask me 'what are you talking about?', but you knew exactly what I meant. Why didn't you tell me you had a fiancé? That this whole time that we've been…doing whatever we're doing, that you're about to get married. Did you think I wouldn't find out?"
"Of course not. You're not stupid, I knew you would find out, I just…I wasn't ready to face the reality of it."
"Reality of what? That you used me? That I was basically 'the side chick' this whole time? Someone to get frisky with when Amanda wasn't around? Or maybe when she wouldn't give you any?"
"Cut it out, Gabriella!"
"Why should I? Everything this whole time has been a complete lie, everything out of your mouth!"
"Not everything."
"How am I supposed to know that?"
"I didn't lie to you…"
"Lieing by omission is still lieing, no matter what way you want to spin this. Now I understand why we've been sneaking around all this time. It wasn't because of my mother, it was because you needed to keep up with your lie. I trusted you! You leave me alone from now on."
"No, no, no, no. Listen, I'm sorry."
"Sorry you got caught."
"No, Gabriella, I…what I feel for you is more than just you being a 'side chick', okay? I just…got a little caught up, alright? I didn't mean to cheat on Amanda with you, I didn't mean to not tell you about her, I just…"
"Thought you could have your cake and eat it too?"
Troy sighed, running his hands over his face in distress. "I'm so sorry."
Gabriella shook her head. "It doesn't even matter anymore. I lied to my best friend for months about where I was and who I was with. And I just lied to her again regarding the extent of our relationship. Our non-existent relationship now. Fact of the matter is you and I can and will never be and that's going to be the worst part about this."
With that, Gabriella pushed past him and threw open the door, briefing acknowledging it closing behind her. She paused to take a deep breath, but the only thing that came out was tears.
Wish things were different
But they're not
You and I will never be
That's what is killing me
Best thing for me to do
Is go and find somebody new
But that won't happen 'till
I forget you
Do dah do do do do do
I just gotta forget you
"Troy?" Amanda Kelley spoke out as she walked into the dark room that was the couple's living room. She found her fiancé sitting on the sofa, the glow of the TV being the only light in the room, but it didn't look like he was actively watching it. "Baby? What's wrong?"
He didn't respond. No talking, no movement, it was like he wasn't even there and that concerned Amanda. He'd been acting like this for the past couple of days and she wasn't sure what was going on with him, or how to even approach it.
"Will you talk to me?" she pleaded. "You've just been very distant and you seem upset and I'm wondering if I did anything wrong? Something to make you mad…"
"It's not you," he said simply. If she hadn't been sitting right in front of him and seen his mouth moving as she heard the words, she wouldn't have even known that he spoke to her. He made no indication of it.
"Then what is it?"
"Nothing."
She shifted, pulling her feet up underneath her body as she made herself comfortable next to him, trying to get closer to him. "It has to be something. Nothing wouldn't have you acting like this. I mean, Troy…I'm supposed to become your wife in a few months. If you can't talk to me then what is that supposed to mean?"
Troy swallowed, closing his eyes and then turning to look at her, his blue eyes falling on her concerned green ones. It was now or never. "About that…"
Instantly, Amanda sat back, shocked. "About what, Troy? Please don't say what I think you're about to say…"
"The wedding…"
"Our marriage?" She asked, shaking as she looked him in the eyes. They'd been together long enough for her to be able to read him like a book. "You're not doing this. Not now."
"I'm so sorry, Mandy."
She stood up, hot tears in her eyes, her blond hair flying around her head and she whipped around to face him head on, standing directly in front of him. "SORRY? You're saying sorry? Troy…I just…can't right now! I…are you really telling me that you want to call this off? You don't want to get married to me anymore? I…what changed your mind? You were all in it a couple of days ago…I…" She paused and Troy closed his eyes, fearing for his safety with the wrath of his now to-be ex-fiance. "It's someone else, isn't it."
"I never meant for it to happen."
"You never meant…GOD TROY! I really can't believe you're doing this to me. I thought…I thought we were in love. I thought we had everything within each other." She stopped, trying to collect herself. "Who is she?"
"It doesn't matter…"
"DON'T FUCKING TELL ME IT DOESN'T MATTER. IT DOES MATTER! WHO IS SHE?!"
Troy sat silently, unable to look at her directly and so Amanda took that as a sign. "Fuck you, Troy Bolton."
With that, she walked off, or more like stormed off and all Troy could hear from his spot in the living room was the sounds of her throwing her stuff around as he guessed she was packing up, mumbling about how she would be out in 24 hours and how she never wanted to see him again.
But he hadn't known that breaking it off with Amanda would never make a difference with Gabriella.
Forget you
That's all I want to do
I gotta face the truth
'Cause this just ain't no good for me
Forget you
I really wish I could
Get you off my mind
As hard as I may try I can't
Forget you
That's all I want to do
I gotta face the truth
'Cause this just ain't no good for me
Forget you
I really wish I could
Get you off my mind
As hard as I may try I can't
Forget you
Do dah do do do do do
Do dah do do do do do
Do dah do do do do do
Oh I gotta forget you
Do dah do do do do do
Yeah
Gotta forget you
Gotta forget you
Gotta forget you
Gotta forget you
You
I Gotta forget you
Gotta forget you
Gotta forget you
Gotta forget you
And that's the story
That's all I gotta say
Gabriella opened her eyes following the last lines of her song to stare into those blue eyes she'd come to love so much. He stared back at her, dumfounded as Chad sat next to Troy, equally as dumfounded as his producer friend.
"Nevermind," Chad commented lightly, leaning back in his chair and looking away from the two who had been staring at each other.
Troy leaned forward and pressed the button. "I…I think you're good," he said to her, unable to open up about anything else due to the people that were in the room, including Maria Montez herself, sitting in the back, clutching her purse under her arm as she responded to an email on her phone.
Gabriella exited the booth and grabbed her belongings from the table, squeezing past Chad and brushing lightly over Troy's arm.
When she wrote this song, she'd been at odds with herself. She was convinced she would never be able to get over Troy Bolton. In the few months that they had snuck around, she'd fallen in love with him, not knowing that she would never be able to have him. Then a few weeks after she'd confronted him, she'd heard word that he'd broken off his engagement and then showed up at her front door, trying to talk to her.
She never thought she could get over him, but she didn't want him then and she didn't want him now. She was not going to be a second choice and she most definitely was not going to ruin her career by getting publicly involved with him. He'd made her feel like a fool and no amount of apologies would make her take him back after the heart break she'd suffered.
So as she reached around him and brushed up against his arm, she'd made sure to whisper two words loudly enough so that he could hear and so he would know 100% how she felt.
"Forget you."