I am sorry for the long wait but it's done. I wanted to get it up before I leave to go on a trip that takes me to a cabin where I'm not sure if I'll have internet or cell phone service, which will just about kill me.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
I walked back into the pool ignoring Sandra's complaining. "What was that all about," Alex asked.
"Well why don't you ask Tay? She's the one that set this whole thing up," I said looking at my supposed best friend.
"She caught me yesterday when I was on the way to grab some food she was there and she cornered me."
"she did the same thing to me!" I said. "Tay, really? He has a girlfriend, a ditz but a girlfriend."
"Look Gabi, you aren't as happy as you used to be. I don't know why, but he hurt you. And you have to forgive him sometime," She said.
"I'm really confused," Nicole said watching us.
"So am I," Josh said. "But Gabi, it sounds like Taylor did this for your own good." I sat down, letting my legs dangle over the edge. "They're all watching you." I nodded feeling everyone's stares.
"I do love him," I said. "I do think that he's with the wrong person. And I can admit that, I just can't let him back into my life," I said. "I'll see you guys in a bit, I just have to think about this." I stood up and grabbed a towel walking through the doors and towards the elevators.
All of this, just to get us back together. Why would they go through so much trouble. Sure we were good in high school and I thought he was going to be the one but it didn't happen. Maybe it still could. Just maybe. I walked into my room and grabbed the old Nike shoebox and sat it down in front of me.
Should I open it? Bring back all of the memories? The ones I can't stand to think about?
I quicly took off the lid and looked inside. There were picture's letters, little things that had huge meanings.
Taking things out and spreading them out on the bed brought tears to my eyes. A picture of Troy and I at prom made those tears fall. That whole night was perfect, we all had a great time and there was no drama. Unless you count Sharpay getting into a fight from school and ripping her dress, the other girls, not her own.
Then there was the email, I had printed it out and stuck it in the box right before I had to go. Then the email was deleted permanently but it was always a reminder that nothing is ever perfect.
As I was going through it I realized that most of the things in it were things that were reminders of Troy. I go through this about every two months and yet I never took out Troy's school picture. His mom had given it to me when I came over to his house.
"Gabi?" The door opened and Taylor walked in holding her own shoebox.
Hey you
I think you're going in the wrong direction
Hey you
I could be everything you want
And it's true
You must have been something special to me
'Cuz after all this time
I kept your picture in my shoebox
"Just looking through this," I said knowing she would want to know. "And it's killing me." She sat down next to mee and scanned over the bed.
"Do you see a pattern?" She asked.
"Yeah," I said. "It's all Troy. But I've never been hurt that much before. Where is everyone?"
"They're all downstairs. The guys were laughing at Sharpay's name and Nicole pushed Sandra in the pool. She said it was an accident but everyone knows it wasn't." I laughed, only Nicole or Sharpay would do something like that.
"I can just picture her face," I mmbled. "I think it's time that I got rid of this." Taylor looked at me surprised. "I need to let go of all these memories."
"Maybe your right. Maybe it'll, I don't know, help you get over him," She said. I looked over at her and smiled.
"Wait," I said. "What makes you think that I'm not over him?" She didn't say anything. "Tay, please tell me."
"It's just that, you don't laugh like you did before. You're different and I miss the old you. I want you to come back," she said. "Does that make any sense?"
"It makes plenty of sense. And I think you are right, again! But I'll get rid of it later. I want to go swimming!" She laughed and stood up offering her hand to me. I took it nd pulled myself up. Grabbing my towel we headed downstairs and back to the pool.
Everyone was still in the pool area but we walked over to our friends. Sandra was drying herself off still by the pool and I just slightly swayed my hip a little more than usual bumping into her just the slightest making her fall again.
"I'm so sorry," I said. "I guess I underestimated the distance." She looked at me and screamed at the top of her lungs something unrecognizable.
"Is that fish talk," Alex asked walking over to us. Taylor and I being ourselves couldn't help but laugh. I looked over to everyone else and they were laughing too. Troy was just staring at his girlfriend. I could just hear him, thinking about how dumb she was and that it's just water.
"I'll go get you another towel," I said through my laughs.
"Yeah you better." She said to me. I stopped and turned around.
"Excuse me?" I asked. "Look if your going to be a bitch then go ahead. But don't expect anything from me. Get your own towel."
"Troy!! Get me a towel!" Troy sat in his chair paralyzed. "Baby!! Get your ass up and get me a towel because that whore pushed me in!"
"I told you it was an accident," I said. Behind my back I crossed my fingers letting all my friends see.
"It was not an accident!! You pushed me in!"
"How would you know! You're so dumb I bet you don't even know what color water is!"
"Of course I know!! It's blue," She said. "Or white! Or green! It all depends on what you're looking at."
"Of course it depends, because it's clearish!"
"Clearish?"
"Yes clearish like your face. All your make up is running and we can see those zits that you tried so hard to cover." I pointed at fake zits and wiped off a bit of her mascara that actually was running.
"Troy!!" We all looked over to him waiting for him to do something.
I hear you talk but your mouth is closed
You say the words and let me know
I can't speak I'm petrified
Wanna tell you what I feel inside
"Um," He said. "Gabi I need to talk to you." He stood up and grabbed my arm dragging me towards the door.
"What about my towel?" Sandra asked still floating in the pool.
"Here," He said throwing a towel on her head. "We'll be right back."
"What do you want," I asked standing out in the hall. I bet it's never seen this much drama before.
"I'm sorry I broke up with you especially on that day. But I honestly thought that it was going to be too hard to see you that night and then have to break up with you the next day," He said.
"So you were planning on breaking up with me?" He shook his head. "then what?"
"Well I thought I was going to break up with you but after I sent that email I realized what a mistake it was. I tried so hard to get that email back but I couldn't. I crashed my computer trying to press too many buttons at the same time."
"What does that have to do with anything. You still sent it in the first place."
"Yes, I did. And right after I regretted it and I wanted to find you again but you were already gone. And you wouldn't answer your phone and your mom already knew so she slammed the door in my face when I came over."
"She never told me about that," I said.
"Well I came over. For the rest of the night I was thinking about why your mom wouldn't let me make it up to you and what an idiot I was." He took my hand and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles.
"My mom hates emails ever since my dad's secretary emailed her and told her about his affair. She went down there and found them together. Ever since she hasn't touched a email addy. If she has to get in touch with someone and they don't have a phone, which doesn't happen a lot, she'll track them down in person."
"you never told me that," He said.
"Never told anyone," I replied. "I'm sorry that I didn't stay, but it hurt and I was scared to even look you in the face.
"I love you Gabi," He whispered. I froze, my eyes on him and my mouth slightly open. It was like I couldn't move but I still had my thoughts.
I kept your picture in my shoebox
I kept your picture in my shoebox
Hey you
I think you're going in the wrong direction
Hey you
I could be everything you want
And it's true
You must have been something special to me
'Cuz after all this time
I kept your picture in my shoebox
"Gabriella?"
"You have a girlfriend," I said.
"I'm going to break up with her," He said.
"I'm going up to my room to think but ask taylor for the key if you actually break up with her," I said. He nodded and walked back in towards the pool. Before I walked towards the elevator I looked through the glass doors. Troy was talking to Sandra. Her face was enough to make me crack a smile. Still a little shocked I walked towards the elevator.
After I was in the room for three minutes I walked over to the door and looked through the peep hole. Troy was standing there, I think he was staring at the room number.
Watching him for five more minutes, he hadn't done anything but looked and pace a little. "Are you going to knock?" I asked through the door.
"Gabi?"
"Yes, I've been watching you for five minutes, are you going to knock or just stand there?"
"You actually want me to knock still?" He asked.
"Yes I do actually. Unless you just want to stand there some more." He raised his hand and tapped on the door lightly. I smiled at him as he walked in. "Now that wasn't so hard."
"No it wasn't," He said. He sat on Taylor's bed looking at all the junk on mine. Well it's not junk actually.
"What's that?"
"the contents of my shoebox," I said. "It's mostly about us and I just noticed that when I was in here before."
"So did you think about what I said?" I nodded.
"I do love you, I've never stopped. I'm just still a little bruised from the last time. Can I really trust you again? It's just so hard. I've missed everyone so much. When I saw Sharpay in the café I was scared but so happy at the same time.
"I think I got the worse half of the story. The guys told me that you acted fine but spent the whole night alone in a room depressed and drinking it off."
"It's true," he said. "And I really want you to trust me but if you can't right now that's fine with me. I just want to be with you for now. And later, comes marriage."
"I'd really like that," I said smiling at him from my bed.
"Really," He asked. I nodded.
"It may take some time but I think we'll be just like we used to be. Just we won't be going to school every weekday." We both laughed together as we thought about our high school days. I stood up and walked over towards him and sat on his lap. "I've really missed you."
"Me too," He said looking at me. Leaning in I rested my head on his and closed my eyes. "Can I kiss you? Or are we still in the middle of our first date?" Laughing a little I shook my head.
"I wouldn't care either way," I whispered pressing my lips onto his.
"Gabi are you still up here! Is Troy here?" we broke apart and looked at each other.
"He's here," I said. I heard her walk insidethe room and stop.
"Oh hi," She said. "So I'm assuming you two are back together." Troy nodded. "Well that's great. Everyone is waiting downstairs at the restaurant because they were hungry, oh and Sandra left."
"Okay we'll be down in a sec," I said. "I'm just going to clear off my bed." She nodded but looked like she wanted to ask something. "what's your question? I know you have one so just ask it."
"Is it going back in the shoebox?"
"No, my shoebox is probably going to be pretty empty from now on," I said smiling at her.
"do I want to know?" Troy asked looking between us.
"Probably not," I said.
"Then I won't ask," He mumbled before kissing me again. Yeah my shoebox is going to be pretty empty from now on and it always will be.
I think you're going in the wrong direction
I could be everything you want
And it's true
You must have been something special to me
'Cuz after all this time
I kept your picture in my shoebox2x
I kept your picture in my shoebox
I hope that you liked it. Please review!
Amanda!