Hey everyone, thanks for the comments!

Sorry this is a short one, Hope you like it :)

Ang

Chapter 2

"Gabriella Montez?" Troy asked softly, appearing from her back door with a searching look, his hands taken up with his skateboard, which he placed on the veranda; and a bunch of flowers that he carried nervously.

She was lying on her hammock in her sweats and her Bears t-shirt but she looked amazing, her dark hair tied up, her small body laid out.

She smiled, about to get up and hug him, so glad that he had responded to her text request to see him. She was regretting how he had left; how she had sent him away.

"Don't move…" He said, coming over, kneeling in front of her with the flowers.

"Troy…" She began, her budded lips pressing together as she sat forward in the hammock.

"Shh," he said, watching her soft smile as she took the bouquet from his hands.

"They're beautiful," she whispered.

"I want to court you- properly. Do everything like we should have. No sex, I promise." He vowed.

She shook her head. "You don't need to do that."

"What then? Whatever it is you want, I'll do it." He promised.

She leaned forward, hugging him around the neck.

"I just want you to hold me." She said against his shoulder as he curled his arms around her back, so relieved that she was touching him that he felt his chest cave with the breath he let out.

"I can do that." He whispered. "I can do that."

She pulled away, gesturing for him to sit in the hammock and he sank next to her where her small body curled into his.

"I think my dad made me see things differently." She said against his chest.

"You need to talk to me; you need to tell me this stuff." He said gently, cupping her shoulder, his other arm crossing over his front and bracing her forearm that lay against his torso.

She nodded against him.

"Do you think…do you think you can still like me?" She looked up, her eyes lined with dark flicks.

"Like you?" He smiled bemusedly, his mouth curling at the edges. "Gabi I fell in love with you ages ago. I don't think I can go back to liking you." He said honestly.

"Wanna go for a skate?" She asked. "I'll let you touch my butt." She offered and he chuckled.

"I'm not gonna touch your butt." He solemnly swore.

"Never?" She pouted.

"Not until you know I love you." He amended, standing up and holding out his hand.

Gabi cocked her head, thinking he was just kidding when he said he wanted to court her. He actually seemed kind of serious.

"I know that." She assured him as he took her hand and helped her up, placing it in the crook of his arm as they walked toward the house.

"Just let me do this." He begged, flicking his blue eyes across to hers.

She nodded, not entirely what she was agreeing to as they went inside to search for her roller boots.

--

'Dear Tom

I have only been back home for two days and I miss you already. And I kinda miss car washing, too.

Me and Troy had a bit of a fight but now he's decided he's going to court me which is kinda cute but kinda weird too…

How's Tammi? Have you been on lots more dates?

How's my dad? I hope you're taking care of him…and I need you to help me.

We have to get him and Henrietta together. She owns the boutique in Riverford and I bought out most of her stock…anyway, she's perfect for him and I can't matchmake them from Albuquerque so you have to help me.

Tell me you will?

I'm going to call you at the end of the week to talk about it. I've got a party to go to before then so I'm still choosing my outfit.

Hope you're having fun!

Gabi xx

p.s Troy didn't like the pancakes either…I really need to get dad to show me those again '

Gabi posted the letter and skated to the park, surprised to see Brenda and Ben there from the pool party, along with some other 'Arrows' it would seem.

"Hey Gabi!" Brenda called.

"Hey, Brenda." Gabi glided over, stopping in front of the group perched on the bench.

"What you up to?" She asked.

"Oh not much, Troy is coming down with Max and some boys to shoot hoops. I'm just hanging out with them." She shrugged.

"Cool, maybe the boys can have a five on five…" Brenda suggested to the boys behind her.

"Yeah and we can discuss important things like outfits for the party!" Gabi suggested.

"Exactly!" She agreed.

Troy ambled over with his friends, seeing Gabi sat up on a bench at the side of the court, hanging out with Brenda and Ben.

"Hey, beautiful." He greeted, not caring who heard him and at least two of the boys made a 'whoa!' kind of noise.

He grinned knowingly, a blush tingeing his cheeks but he fronted it out.

Gabi stood up, wrapping her arms around his neck and in the process, bringing her body close to his where he gently placed his hands at her waist. A curvier waist he noted. He smiled, dodging her kiss gently.

"Ah-ah." He said softly. "We've not even been on a date yet." He said seriously.

"What?" She asked forlornly, her smiled dropping as she pulled back.

"Gabriella Montez, would you do me the honour of escorting me to Max's pool party?" He asked cutely and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh dude, you are whipped!" Ben stated, slapping Troy on the shoulder before he joined the boys warming up by shooting hoops.

"He's right." Troy agreed to Gabi and the girls who had congregated at the bench audibly cooed.

"I'd love to go to the party with you." She smiled, letting him go.

"Awesome, pick you up at seven." He grinned, turning to jog off.

Gabi tilted her head, admiring the back view of her boyfriend. He turned instinctively, bemusedly twisting his mouth.

"Are you checking me out?" He asked.

"Mm-mm" she nodded with an unapologetic smile, folding her arms and giggling as he closed his eyes and pressed his lips together, whispering to himself.

"You are surely going to be the death of me, Gabriella Montez." He muttered as he joined the group, a few friendly shunts coming from his team mates as they teased him about his show of affection for his girlfriend.

--

"Goodnight, beautiful." Troy said, depositing Gabi at her door with his insisted escort method of her holding his elbow.

"Can I at least kiss you goodnight?" She pined.

"Nope." He shook his head smiling.

She leaned toward him. "But you want to, I know you want to…" She teased.

"I don't care how much I want to. We're doing this the proper way, Gabi." He insisted and she pulled back, not used to not getting her own way but also kind of respecting his will power.

"Fine, ok. Love you, boyfriend." She said and turned to go into her house.

"Love you more." He said behind her and she paused at his cheeky remark, turning to smile felinely over her shoulder as she walked into her house, her hip sway returning as she thought of how she was going to enjoy knocking Troy off his mission to resist her.

--