The Bookstore
A/N: Hey I'm back with a new one shot. I got this idea while watching Notting Hill the other day. It's not quite the same but based on the same kind of idea. Sorry I haven't been updating a lot recently but if you've read the newest chapter in 'To Help A Friend' like I said there I have a lot going on in my personal life and haven't been writing as much. I hope you like this. Please R&R! Thanks!
Special thanks to Jayne07 for her help on this with reading it as it progressed and giving me her opinion on it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
25 year old Gabriella Montez sighed as she flipped the sign on the door to open. At 25, she now owned a popular little bookstore in Albuquerque where she had returned after university. After splitting with her boyfriend of 3 years at 19 due to the distance, Gabriella never really knew what she wanted to do with her life anymore. She was never happy with her science work and finally decided to set up her own business, in something that was close to her heart, and that was reading. The reason she decided to set it up back in Albuquerque was because Albuquerque was the one place where she had ten years before found somewhere she could call home. It was a place that was full of happy memories for Gabriella that she had experienced with all her close friends at the time and her boyfriend, Troy Bolton. Gabriella sighed at the memory of Troy. She and Troy had decided to call it splits on their relationship when they were both 19 because the distance between them got too much since she was on the East coast in New York and Troy was on the West in California. It wasn't a messy split thankfully but since then Gabriella began to grow further away from all her old friends at East High since they were all on the West coast too and eventually there was no contact at all with anyone of them. Gabriella knew they were all doing well for themselves now in their lives because she had seen them all several times in various magazines and on TV. Troy, Chad, Zeke and Jason all were professional basketball players, Ryan and Sharpay were huge actors, Kelsi was a script writer and also helped Sharpay and Ryan with their career choices and Taylor was a well known doctor now. In some way it pained Gabriella to see how happy they all were and wished she could be around them all again. Gabriella was pulled from her thoughts when she heard the doorbell ring and a customer walked in. She smiled politely as she noticed it was a guy who had entered and allowed him to look around quietly in case he knew exactly what he was looking for. Seeing the confused look on his face as he looked at the books in the travel area, Gabriella spoke.
"Hi and welcome to Wildcat bookshop, can I help you at all?" Gabriella politely greeted the customer who was wearing sunglasses and a baseball hat keeping their face quite covered up and making Gabriella feel very uncomfortable.
"Yeah I'm looking for Romeo and Juliet. I once was told by a girlfriend at the time I should read it because it was her favourite book but never did and decided to give it a shot now." Gabriella nodded as she led him towards where the Shakespeare collection she had, were. She knew exactly where the book was because it was her favourite book and she still had her copy from when she was younger in her bag so she could get lost in the world of the book when she had nothing else to be doing.
"Here you go. I can tell you from personal experience of reading the book you will like it if you have a soft side in you. I remember telling my boyfriend about this book but I know he never got around to reading it while we were together." The man nodded as he took the book from her hands and walked to the till with Gabriella following as he took his hat and glasses off. After ringing up the total on the till, Gabriella finally looked up again and felt herself suddenly go weak seeing Troy Bolton in front of her. Gabriella quickly composed herself as she took the money and handed him his change.
"Thanks." Gabriella felt hurt seeing the look in his eyes knowing he obviously didn't remember her and she couldn't blame him anymore, knowing that there were millions of other women out there who practically worshiped him. Troy nodded his head in her direction and walked towards the door. Gabriella sighed sadly to herself knowing the guy she was still in love with didn't even remember her. Gabriella felt a small sense of hope as he stopped and looked back. "Thanks again for the help." Gabriella bit her lip looking at him. Slipping his glasses back on, he walked out of the shop not even looking back again.
"Love stinks." Gabriella mumbled as she switched the TV on quietly to distract her.
It was three days after Gabriella had seen Troy and him not recognising her and Gabriella hadn't been able to stop thinking about Troy and how handsome he still looked. Gabriella groaned as she dropped her shop keys as she locked up in the dark.
"Here let me get those for you." Gabriella jumped feeling a presence behind her and saw a shadow picking up her keys for her and handing them back to her. Gabriella let out an inward sigh of relief seeing the familiar blue eyes but knew she couldn't let him know who she was since he didn't seem to recognize her still.
"Thanks, uh... Mr Bolton." Gabriella watched as Troy rubbed the back of his neck nervously, a habit that he obviously hadn't grown out of.
"You recognized me?" Gabriella nodded. "I suppose it isn't hard for people like you to recognize someone who always seems to be everywhere." Gabriella once again nodded not sure if he had realized it was her yet or if he was still oblivious. Troy was really confusing her again and she hated this.
"Yeah so what is a big star such as yourself doing hanging around the quiet back streets of Albuquerque?" Gabriella asked locking the shop door.
"I kind of didn't know where else to go. You probably haven't seen yet but the paparazzi have somehow found out where I am and I remembered this shop the other day and have been waiting for you to close before approaching you to ask for help." Gabriella raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Help?" Troy smiled sheepishly. Gabriella felt like she just wanted to scream being so agitated as to whether or not he recognised her.
"I know I have no idea who you are and you don't really know me but I need somewhere to go for a bit to lay low for tonight and I remembered you didn't treat me differently that day in the shop when you recognised me. You don't have to and you are free to say no but I have nowhere else to turn because they are waiting for me outside my hotel and at my parents house down here and I can't really turn up on any of my friend's parents since they won't want the hassle because people already will be keeping an eye on their homes since they are all on the main streets looking for me." Gabriella couldn't believe what she was hearing. Why on Earth would someone like Troy be asking someone who was practically a stranger to him (although not really strangers if he had of remembered her) for help knowing that they could lead him anywhere.
"I live in an apartment a few blocks away but I always take the back streets. I guess if you need you can stay the night." Gabriella offered not quite sure why she did. There is no way she would normally let just anyone stay over, but Troy wasn't just anyone but then again was he now?
"Thank you uh..." Gabriella felt crushed even more knowing he really did have no idea who she was.
"Gabriella." Troy smiled.
"Thank you Gabriella. I really appreciate this." Gabriella nodded as Troy offered her his arm for her to loop hers threw. To Gabriella she knew that this may only be some wild idea and in a few hours Troy would be gone again from her life but she was going to make the most of the time they had together right now.
As they walked along the back streets talking about random things in their lives (Gabriella dropping hints like being with the wildcat basketball captain trying to make him remember to no avail), Gabriella couldn't help but feel comfortable being back around Troy again even if he didn't remember her, he had still been a big part of her life that she would never be able to forget. After all he was the one who helped her break free and actually enjoy her last few years of high school with friends. He was the one who she first fell in love with. He was the one who she shared her first kiss with and was the first person and only person she had ever let make love to her. To Gabriella, there was no one who would ever be able to have such an impact on her life the way Troy had and no one she would ever want to hold her like Troy did. Gabriella knew Troy would be the only one she would ever love but right now it hurt to know that she obviously wasn't that big a part of Troy's past since he had already forgotten her.
Gabriella opened the door to her small house and Troy followed her in. She couldn't believe she was going this. What in her right mind was she doing allowing him back into her life even if it was just like this?
"Do you want a drink or anything to eat?" Gabriella offered as she walked into the kitchen.
"No thanks. I think I might just get an early night if that's ok with you since I will have to be out of here early to avoid the paparazzi." Gabriella nodded.
"If you follow me then I'll just show you where the spare room is." Gabriella led Troy threw the apartment to a room right next to hers. "Feel free to help yourself to anything." Troy smiled as he looked at her with his piercing blue eyes.
"Thanks, Gabriella." He leaned down and kissed her on her cheek before disappearing into the room. Gabriella closed her eyes feeling the tingling sensation still on her cheek where Troy's lips had been just seconds ago. She placed her hand over her cheek and smiled before retreating back to the living room to just relax and watch TV before going to bed.
Troy woke up for some reason not being able to sleep around 1am. He decided to go get a drink to see if it would help him fall back asleep. Slowly and quietly walking out of the door, he looked around confused hearing talking. He shook his head when he then saw a light reflecting against a wall and guessed Gabriella must be watching TV. Walking down the corridor in only his boxers, Troy stopped and leaned against the wall, a small smile playing on his lips as his tired eyes focused on the sleeping young woman on the sofa. Troy carefully made his way to the coffee table and grabbed the remote to turn the TV off. He quietly crept around to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.
Troy returned a few minutes later and decided since Gabriella looked so uncomfortable to move her and put her in her bed. Lifting her up bridal style, he smiled feeling her head lean against his bare chest as he carried her carefully to her room and placed her on her bed. Just as he was about to walk back out having covered her up and slipping her shoes off, she started to stir.
"Shh just go back to sleep." Troy whispered kissing her forehead as she looked at him as he sat on the edge of her bed.
"How did I get in here?" Gabriella asked letting out a yawn.
"I carried you in since you looked so uncomfortable." Troy told her brushing the strands of hair off her face but rather than removing his hand after, he let it softly rub her cheek as Gabriella leaned into his hand. The blue and brown eyes staring at each other intently and before either on knew it their lips were on the others as they fell back against the bed. Gabriella couldn't believe this was happening and wasn't even trying to push Troy off because she knew whatever was between them before was still there in maybe another way now.
Troy kissed down her neck as he felt her move her hands over his bare chest as he slipped his underneath her shirt before pulling back out and undoing her buttons. Gabriella let out a soft moan feeling his hands running over her body, caressing her body softly, not rough or forceful at all. That was the one thing she remembered about Troy and how he always made her feel loved and that he respected her and her body. Gabriella pulled Troy back up so that their lips met again in a passionate kiss. Gabriella's fingers ran through his messed up shaggy sandy coloured hair as arched her back feeling Troy's hand moving round her back to undo her bra. Troy easily slipped it off her as Gabriella moaned in pleasure feeling his smooth hands start massaging her breasts. The feeling of his hands on her was sending her crazy already.
Soon Gabriella's black trousers were discarded along with the rest of her underwear and Troy's boxers. Gabriella knew this wasn't her, jumping into bed with someone after just a few hours of seeing them again but Gabriella couldn't care less right now what she would do it she was thinking more rationally because right now all she could think of was her and Troy and how she had missed this; his touch; his everything.
Troy positioned himself over her looking at her for permission as Gabriella nodded smiling at how considerate he still was. Troy thrust into her as Gabriella gasped at the feeling as she gripped his shoulders as he pushed in and out of her, eliciting a moan from Gabriella as they moved together, their hips moving at a quickening pace. Hips rocked back and forth as their moans became louder and louder as they grew closer to their climax. Troy felt Gabriella's walls tighten around him as he spilled his seed into her as she too came. Troy collapsed on top of her as he kissed her forehead lovingly before rolling off her and holding her in his strong grip, Gabriella's arm across his bare stomach, as the two fell asleep completely exhausted.
Gabriella woke up the next morning expecting Troy to be there but shot up when she realized he wasn't there. She quickly grabbed her red silk robe as she walked out of her room and instantly knew Troy must have snuck out and everything that had happened just a few hours ago was just a one off and any hope of ever seeing Troy again was gone. Gabriella dejectedly walked back into her room before showering before heading off to work.
It had been a week since Troy had reappeared in Gabriella's life and left once again and Gabriella couldn't stop thinking about him. Placing the last of the new books she had just got in on the rightful shelves, Gabriella jumped feeling a warm breath on her neck and an arm placed against the bookshelves.
"You really think I don't remember Montez? I'm back and you can't get rid of me that easily." Gabriella smiled as she turned around and looked into the familiar blue eyes.
"What are you doing back here?" Gabriella whispered as Troy smiled.
"I lost you once and I'm not losing you again. I could never forget you and I remember everything." Gabriella giggled as she kissed him knowing that she was happy back in the arms of the only man she could ever love.
A/N:Let me know what you thought of this because I have been working hard to get this right the past few days while a lot else has been going on and has been helping to take my mind of things. Please review! Thanks!
