Can't Help But Wait

Chapter 1

Troy was standing in the airport, leaning against the wall, waiting for his dream girl. It was the girl he cared about so much, the girl he loved, the girl he wanted but couldn't have. He was kicking the wall, thinking about this girl when he suddenly heard her sweet voice call out his name.

"Troy! Troy!"

He turned to see the beautiful brunette drop her bags and run at him full speed. He opened his arms and she jumped into them wrapping her lags around his waist in the process.

"OMG, Troy, I missed you."

Troy smiled as he smelled her hair, which smelled exactly like her-Strawberry Kiwi. "I missed you too, Brie, so much." After a few minutes, he set her down and picked up her discarded bags for her. "So how was the 'Great City of Paris'?"

"Amazing! It was beautiful, especially the Eiffel Tower, but I missed home. I'm so glad to be back. You know, you never realize how much you miss home and the people there until you leave for a whole 3 months."

Troy smiled at her as they got into his car and she explained her entire trip. He couldn't help but stare at her for a few minutes, before starting the car and pulling off. She was just so beautiful. He especially loved it when she spoke. He loved listening to her talk, no matter what it was about.

"Ok, enough about me," Gabriella said drawing Troy's attention from thinking about her back to their conversation. "How were things while I was gone?"



"Oh, you know," Troy said, turning down their block. "I hung out with the gang. Tay's still a super genius, Zeke still bakes, Shar's still crazy obsessed with pink, Jason's still asking dumb questions, Kelsi still loves the piano, Ryan's still wearing those silly hats, and Chad's still an idiot."

Gabriella laughed at his last as he pulled up into his driveway. She looked next door to see that both of her parent's cars were in the driveway, meaning they were both home.

They both got out the car and Gabriella rolled her suitcases half way up her walkway, then turned back to Troy. "There's a party tonight, Bryan called and told me about it a few days ago. You're going, right?"

Troy tensed at the mention of her boyfriend's name. "Oh, yea, I heard, but um I wasn't planning on going."

"Oh, c'mon," Gabriella replied to his answer. "You're Troy Bolton, basketball superstar. Everybody loves you and it's the last party before school starts next week. You have to go."

Troy started up the steps to his house. "I'll think about it."

"Troy," Gabriella whined. "Pretty please."

Troy looked back at her and smiled, seeing her pout. "Call me when you get up to your room, ok?" Gabriella nodded and walked off to her front door.

"Oh, c'mon you wuss," Gabriella said into the phone 10 minutes later after she had finally gotten past her parents, who bombarded her with questions from her trip.



Troy was sitting in his computer chair, tapping a pen against the desk, listening to Gabriella whine over the phone while she was unpacking. "Why should I go?" he said opening the textbook that was sitting next to him, and then closing it again.

"Because I said so and I really just want my best friend there." Gabriella plopped down on her bed.

"Why would you want ME there when you've got your precious boyfriend, Bryan?"

Gabriella sighed as she heard this and stood up, pacing the room. "Troy," she said irritated and annoyed.

"What," Troy said, playing innocent.

"What is the deal with you and Bryan, Troy?"

"Nothing, it's nothing," Troy said quickly.

"Don't give me that, Troy. It's pretty obvious to everyone that you don't like him, but what I don't understand is what he did to make you not like him."

Troy sighed, figuring she wasn't gonna give up anytime soon. "Honestly, Brie, it's nothing for you to be worried about ok."

"Fine," Gabriella replied, twirling a piece of her curly hair around her finger. "But I would really like my best friend and my boyfriend to get along, so can you please just try…..for me?"

Troy couldn't say no to her, he loved her. "Ok, ok, I'll try."



"Thanks and the party……"

Troy cut her before she could finish. "Yes, Brie, I will be there."

Gabriella squealed in excitement. "Great, Troy you're the best."

"I know," Troy said, being modest. "Don't you just love me?"

Gabriella giggled. "Yes, very much Mr. Bolton." Suddenly there was a beep on Gabriella's line. "Uh, Troy. Can I call you back? Bryan's on the other line."

Troy didn't want to hang up with her, especially for Bryan to talk to her instead of him. He knew he had to though because he told Gabi he would try. "Yea, sure. I'll see you later. Umm tell Bryan I said hi."

Gabriella smiled as these words came out of his mouth. "Yea, I will. Bye Troy."

"Bye," Troy said hanging up and looking out the window. He could see Gabriella across the way from his room. She was out on her balcony, giggling on the phone. Troy could tell that this was going to be hard already.

"Why don't you just tell her how you feel man?" Chad said, passing the basket ball to Troy.

"I can't, she's with Bryan remember." Troy shot the ball, only to have it miss.



Chad signed and caught the rebound. "Well you better say something to her soon because this is throwing your game off. Dude you gotta get it together."

"I know, it's just," Troy stopped midway with the ball in the air. "Even if I did, it's probably not gonna change anything. I doubt she's gonna break up with him for me."

"You never know. It could happen," Chad said staring at his friend, who looked deep in thought.

"But what about what about what happened this summer?" Troy shot and missed again. "I mean from our point of view, it looked like he was cheating on her. He was kissing a bunch of other girls while she was away in Paris, thinking he was faithful. I can't tell her that. She thinks so highly of him and she probably won't believe me anyway."

"It could work like that. Who said she won't believe you? Plus you're her best friend."

"Dude," Troy said, throwing the ball to him in a chest pass. "What are you thinking? Of course she's not gonna believe it, she's crazy for him."

Chad chest passed the ball right back. "I don't think man, you know that."

"Well maybe you should take Brie's advice and think before you talk."

Just as he said that Mrs. Bolton came out into the backyard with a tray. "Boys, I brought you Gatorade and cheetos, just like you like."

"Thanks, Mrs. B," Chad said, digging in.



"So you guys are still pigs, huh?" Troy heard a voice call from the patio doors. Both boys turned to find Gabriella standing there in a tank top and basketball shorts that originally belonged to Troy.

"Hey, Gabs," Chad said, dropping his food and running excitedly over to her.

"Hey, Chad," Gabriella said, hugging him back, careful to avoid his cheese covered fingers.

"Hey Montez," Troy calls, walking over to them. "I see you're stealing my shorts now."

"I guess," Gabriella said, picking up the ball from its spot on the grass. "Since Danforth is over there, stuffing his face, how about a little one on one, Bolton?"

Troy just shakes his head. "You'll never beat me."

"We'll see." Troy watched as she turned around and sunk a three pointer. "Ha."

Troy looked at her dumbfounded. "Now how is it that you're almost as good as me in basketball, yet you won't even touch a football?"

Gabriella tossed the ball over to him. "Because I'm afraid of getting tackled."

Troy tosses the ball back to her after making a free throw. "Well I can see that Bryan won't be tackling you anytime soon."

Gabriella gaps at him. "Troy!" she says, throwing the ball at him, aiming for his head, but missing.

"What," Troy says, jogging over to retrieve the ball.

Gabriella sighs. "Nothing, let's just play."

An: ok my third story. I'm trying to get most of my stories and chapters out this summer and if you read my bio you'd know y and read the whole thing. REVIEW!