Thanks for the reviews! Sorry about the technical problems, it's frustrating me but I"ll forge ahead!
Warm, New Mexico sunlight poured through the blinds of the bedroom where Gabriella was sleeping. Stretching her arms above her head, she peered through one open eyelid to see her surroundings. Picture frames lined the mantle of her fireplace, flags and banners; walls decorated with memories of her childhood enclosed her bedroom. Climbing out of bed, she looked outside to see the sun climbing over the mountains. She opened the door to her balcony, the same one where she had shared so many memories with Troy, stood outside and let the warm morning air engulf her body. After hearing banging of pots and pans coming from her kitchen, she felt like a teenager again as she walked down the steps in her familiar home. After all of her moves as a child, she definitely spent the most time in this one, and it especially held the most memories.
" Good morning, sleepy head." Her mom stood over the sink pouring water into a teapot. She walked over and gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead and walked her over to a stool at the breakfast counter. "Coffee?" she asked.
"Yes please." Everything from the sounds and smells of her home were the same as they were six years ago. In her mind, this was perfect. "What happened last night?" Oddly, Gabriella couldn't remember much of the dinner from the night before.
"You mean two nights ago," Her mother grabbed a mug from the cabinet and filled it to the brim with warm coffee.
"What?" Gabriella asked, lifting the cup to her mouth.
"Honey today is Wednesday." Seeing her daughters eyes widen, she continued, "You passed out at the restaurant, we figured it was stress. You had a fever and you were complaining about a headache, so we brought you home and you fell asleep immediately. You've been asleep for nearly thirty six hours."
"Oh my gosh," Setting the glass down, she rubbed her eyes and stood up to go grab a bowl of cereal. Troy's going to think I fainted because of him.
"Troy was really worried about you," her mother pried.
"I need to call Taylor," In a hurry, Gabriella was taking big bites of cereal. She had lots of things to do as the maid of honor. There was a luncheon to plan, dresses, and so much more that she had already missed a whole day for planning.
"Gabby, take you're time, Taylor's with the guys picking out tuxes. She'll be here around lunch." Smiling, Gabriella walked into the living room hoping to find some morning cartoons.
A couple hours later, Gabriella was finishing getting ready and waiting on Taylor to come pick her up to go work on several wedding details. "Mom can you get the door," she yelled downstairs when the doorbell rang to the house. Upstairs, she was digging through the large bag of clothes she brought trying to find a nice sundress to wear on her day out. "Mom?" She yelled louder, but soon remember her mom saying something about going to the grocery store. All she had on was a pink satin slip that fell around each curve of her body. Knowing it was probably Taylor; she ran downstairs and pulled open the door shouting, " Take me now, my love!"
"Um, hi Gabriella." There in front of her stood the same guy that made her faint two nights before.
"Oh My God!" Slamming the door she ran upstairs and threw the dress on she had been planning to wear. Her face was bright red and she felt dizzy again while he was continuing to ring the doorbell. After tumbling downstairs, she took a deep breath and opened the door very timidly.
"Hey uh, I just came by to check on you," Still embarrassed from what he just saw, he kept his eyes away from her and his face was flushed.
" Um Thanks," She said, backing into a table in the foyer. She knocked over a potted plant and glass crumbled onto the floor. Bending over to clean up, a piece of shards glass jabbed into her knee. Several inappropriate words came spewing out of her mouth, and she had to chew on the side of her cheek to keep from crying.
"Oh Gosh," Troy wrapped her arm around his shoulder and helped her wobble into the kitchen. Once there, he lifted her up onto an island in the middle of the room. "Where's the first aid kit?" He asked. Still trying to keep herself from coming to tears, she pointed him in the right direction while he searched for tweezers, peroxide and some Advil.
"So what have you been up to?" She winced and grabbed his hand as he poured peroxide on her knee. "Sorry, I don't handle pain well I guess." She blushed.
"Nothing really, just hanging out." He leaned over to blow on her knee sending chills up her spine. "What about you," he asked pulling a part the band-aid.
"Um, hanging out with seventh graders talking about mitosis and animal cells." They both laughed, Troy smiled in happily seeing how excited she was about her job. Moments later, the only reminder to the day's incident was the sponge-bob band-aid and a sore knee. Troy was cleaning up the remaining glass and dirt in the hallway and they were laughing about her new accessory to her outfit.
"Those band aids are probably from high school," she laughed. "I doubt my mom needs a reason to buy band aids anymore." When he came back into the kitchen, he grabbed her waist and helped her climb down from the counter top. He stared longingly into her beautiful brown eyes. She turned away causing him to realize that his arms were still wrapped around her tiny frame, he immediately released and began cleaning off the 'make-shift operating table.'
"Um… thanks again, for everything." She hobbled over to the refrigerator and grabbed him a cold coke. "I hope this is enough for your services," she smiled.
"Well I'm always here to take care of you," he laughed, took a sip and headed towards the door. I don't need Troy Bolton to take care of me.
"I'll see you later then, probably tonight at dinner," she led him down the hallway where he stopped and gazed at a picture hanging on the wall. Before their eyes was an arrangement of pictures from the last two years of high school. They both stood there for quite some time, neither one knowing what else to say. A car honked in the driveway signaling that Taylor had finally arrived. Jumping out of their trance, she walked out onto the front steps, hoping that Taylor's arrival would relieve the awkwardness, which was suffocating.
"Well, I need to go finish getting ready, " she added, watching Taylor leave her car and walk towards the pair. "See yah." His engine revved as he pulled out of the driveway and Taylor appeared at her side.
"What was that about?" She asked. Both girls' eyes were fixed on watching his car drive away.
"He was just taking care of me," A bundle of tears streamed down from her eyes, and she wiped them away quickly before Taylor could see. "I can't believe you let me sleep for TWO days," she laughed and both girls chattered away as they walked back into the house.