Author's note: I was originally going to have this be a one shot but with some more thought and help from the reviewers, I've decided to make it a little longer. How long? I'm not sure.
Chapter 2
The next day, Troy had basketball practice at the teams local facility. The season was reaching it's halfway point and he had just received the news from his agent that he had been selected to the All Star game. He had just finished with practice and decided to head home. As he walked in the door, and started relaxing, he thought back to the day before. He had actually talked to Gabriella for the first time in five years. He didn't know what had come over him but he was glad that whatever it was, did. There was no excuse for not talking to her for five years. He couldn't beleive that she had watched him play with the Denver Nuggets. Actually, according to Gabriella, she had never missed a game. It was funny, he didn't even know where she lived these days. Their conversation was very short but it was a start. She had promised to call him today and he had been waiting for that call all day. He decided to turn on the TV to pass the time. He had nothing planned for the rest of the day so he figured why not? An hour of watching TV had done nothing for Troy. There was nothing on TV that interested him. As he got up to go to the kitchen his phone rang.
"Hello?" Troy answered.
"Troy? Hey it's Gabby." Came the reply.
A small smile had creeped up on Troy's face as he heard the name of the caller.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Not much, I just got off work and decided to call you because I promised I would."
"How was your day?"
"Busy. But that's life. Life doesn't stop for anyone and you can either go with it or let it pass."
"Yeah, I know that all too well."
"Will you stop beating yourself up over this Troy? Yes, we haven't talked in five years but you changed that last night when you called. And I'm talking to you right now. At least it's something."
"I know but I still feel guilty for not talking to you. You were my best friend in high school other than Chad. It's not like I planned to meet you that night at the lodge on New Years but I'm glad that I did and then when you showed up at school, it changed everything I knew. You made me want to be more than just the basketball guy. You opened me up to who I really was and then we graduated and I threw it all away. I can't help but feel like it was my fault."
"The phone goes both ways Troy. I could have picked up the phone as well but I didn't. Like you said, I didn't plan to meet you that night either, let alone find out you were at the same school when I transferred. You made me want to be more than the freaky math girl. It went both ways Troy."
"I know but still."
"What's it going to take?"
"What do you mean?"
"What's it going to take for you to realize that it wasn't your fault, and that I don't blame you for it?"
"I'm not sure anything can Gabby. I can't go back in time so I can't change it."
"You're changing it now Troy. You, for whatever reason, called me last night for the first time in five years. I'm talking to you right now, at this very
moment. That right there changed everything Troy. Yeah, it's not the same as it was five years ago, but life's not the same as it was then. We're not
kids anymore. We have our own lives and we can't talk all the time anymore but we are now. We did yesterday. I plan on talking to you again in the future.
I'm still here Troy, I never left. I've always been here for you. And I always will be here for you as a friend."
"A friend? I haven't been much of a friend these past few years."
"Then I have to say the same thing. Maybe we're both at fault for going as long as we did without talking, but unless you stop beating yourself up over it,
we're never going to get anywhere with what we have now."
"And what's that?"
"A new friendship. It's not the same friendship we had when we were kids, but it's still a friendship. Just under new circumstances. Same people, different times."
"I never thought of it that way."
"Troy, how many times have I had to force you to look at things from a different perspective and after you do, you're in a better mood."
"I think everytime."
"Exactly."
"It's what you do to me Gabby. You bring light into my life."
"And these past five years?"
"A lot of darkness because I haven't had you."
"So, anyway I heard about you being selected to the All-Star team. Congratulations."
"Thanks, Gabby. You really don't miss anything do you?"
"Nope, not when it comes to you."
"I didn't get a chance to ask you yesterday, where are you living nowadays?"
"I'm still in New Mexico. I go and see your parents every now and then, you should see your old room. Your dad has it all decked out with posters of you and what not. It's like a mini shrine." Gabriella laughed.
Troy's heart jumped a little when he heard her laugh.
"Yeah, I talked to them a few days ago. They seem to be doing pretty good."
"Yeah, so how long do you have before the All-Star game?"
"Week and a half."
"Where's it at again?"
"New Mexico. The NBA is trying to get the All-Star games played at a non NBA venue. They are talking about doing it each year. They're going to see how it goes this year."
"So you're going to be around here in a week and a half?"
"Yeah, I was going to stay with my parents."
"Are they going to go to the game?"
"Yeah they are. You know, why don't you come too?"
"What?"
"Yeah, since I'm in the game, I get to give out three tickets, my parents have two and I have one more that I can give away. It would be great to see you Gabby."
"I'd love to go Troy."
"Great."
"It'll be great to see you again Troy."
"I was thinking the same thing."
"Well, Troy it's getting late. I better get going."
"Okay Gabriella. Hey I'll call you within the next day or two and we can get everything figured out."
"Sounds good Troy."
"I'll talk to you in a few days."
"Bye Troy."
"Bye Gabby."
After he heard the click on the other line, he softly added "I love you." He slowly put the phone back on the receiver and smiled. In just a week and half's time he would be seeing Gabriella Montez for the first time in five years. He now had something to look forward to.
TBC.
