Under & Over

Chapter 3

Undeniable Connection

Troy rubbed the sleep from his eyes and entered the kitchen to find his mom, Ms. Montez, and Gabriella cooking breakfast in the kitchen. He looked down and smiled at Waldo who trotted alongside him into the kitchen.

"Hi!" Gabriella squealed as Troy took a seat on a stool, causing it to squeak and get the ladies attention. "Good morning." She grinned sweetly.

"Morning." He replied groggily with a grin. She was always so energetic, it amazed him.

"Troy honey, we made breakfast…help yourself." Lucille gave her son a loving smile.

"Kay mom." He said. "Where's dad?"

"He went to the gym, you know him." She laughed lightly.

Troy nodded and shook his head. His father was the coach of his basketball team. Jack was always looking for something to do, whether it was to play hoops out in the yard or go lift at the gym.

Gabriella sat in the stool next to Troy and ate her pancakes with a smile. He glanced over at her with an amused face, not noticing how he was staring.

Lucille suddenly looked at Gabriella. "Oh, I forgot to tell you honey." Troy shook his head to get out of his daze. He averted his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't know why he always found himself staring at her.

"Huh?" Gabriella asked looking up.

"It's quite sunny in Albuquerque though still kind of chilly because of winter, probably not what you're used to, so why don't you and Maria go shopping today for some lighter clothes? For school and stuff?" Lucille suggested, raising her eyebrows at them both.

"Hm, that sounds like a good idea. Do you want to sweetheart?" Maria asked her daughter.

"Sure, I don't mind." She replied tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"Alright, well I'll get Troy to drop you off and pick you up." Lucille acted as if Troy wasn't even there.

Gabriella noticed this and looked over to an oblivious Troy. She giggled quietly and continued to eat her pancakes. "So?" She asked. "When are we going?"

…

It had been two hours and Gabriella's hands were full of shopping bags, as well as Maria's. She had never been to a mall as large as this one, as you may have perceived, Sitka didn't have very much at all.

"Mommy, I think we can call Troy now." She said setting her bags down on a bench. "I've gotten enough." She took her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans. She didn't believe in purses.

"Alright, me too." Maria replied setting her bags down as well.

Gabriella called Troy who said he'd be there in five minutes.

"So…" Maria started with a devious smirk. "Troy's a nice boy…"

"Yeah, and?" Gabriella said looking at her phone.

"He's cute too." She said sneakily.

"Mom, you're too old, that would be gross." The younger Montez shook her head in disgust.

"No, no, no." Maria laughed. "I meant you and Troy would look nice together."

She looked up abruptly. "Mother, please don't. We're just friends."

"Well you seemed to have hit it off very fast. I mean we've only been staying here for about two days and you guys are already laughing like you've known each other since birth." Maria eyed her daughter with suspicion.

"Troy's really nice, not like lots of other guys, he's…rare." Gabriella said with a slight blush. She noticed her mother eyeing her again and so she sighed to shake it off. "I don't want to ruin our friendship, alright? So don't think like that."

"Okay, okay honey. I was just saying." Maria sighed, giving up for now.

"And anyway…Troy wouldn't look at me like that… I mean…" She sighed. "He's the captain of the basketball team, which from what I can guess, means he's popular. I'm just the new girl that's living in his house."

The elder and wiser woman looked at her daughter with surprise. "Honey, you aren't just the new girl that's living in his house. You're a beautiful, gifted, amazing woman, and he would be lucky to have you." She smiled.

Gabriella smiled in thanks at her mother, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. There was a comfortable silence.

She sighed and sat on the bench next to her mother. "You know…Christmas Eve is tomorrow." She said glumly, alerting Maria.

"Yes, aren't you excited?"

"I thought we'd be in Sitka for Christmas Eve." Gabriella whispered, not intending for her mother to hear, though she did.

"Oh Gabi, I know you miss it, but this is such a nice place. Christmas will be just as great here with the Bolton's." She rubbed her daughter's arms comfortingly.

"I know Mama, I'm not saying that. I love Albuquerque now. It's such a nice place. I sort of never want to leave…but I wish in some way we could have both Albuquerque and Sitka." Loving Albuquerque made her feel like she was cheating on Sitka.

"I wish that too, but right now we only have here, and in the present we don't have a choice but to stay here in Albuquerque…until I can find another home in Sitka."

Her head shot up. "What? No, I mean I love Sitka, but I've really started liking Albuquerque, I don't want to leave. Can't we just find another home here? Close to the Bolton's maybe?" Gabriella looked down timidly. She loved and missed her old town, including Julie, who she hadn't talked to in what felt like ages, but now that she had a taste of what life could be, with movie theaters, and shopping malls, and Troy, she didn't want to leave. Also as far as she was concerned Julie never really seemed interested in their friendship, more interested in her young career. So no one would miss her, and she wouldn't really miss anyone either.

"I'll think about it." Maria sighed.

Gabriella let her mother hug her and tried not to think about moving all the way back to Sitka, away from everything and everyone.

…

"Mom, please make up your mind. It's late." Troy sighed as he scratched the item from the list once again.

"Okay, okay. Only get milk, eggs, stuffing, and gravy." Mrs. Bolton nodded.

"Are you sure that's all?" He asked with an annoyed look.

Lucille thought for a moment before nodding. "Yes, yes, that's it."

"What's it?" Gabriella asked coming into the kitchen.

"Oh Gabriella, why don't you go with Troy to the grocery store?" Lucille suggested.

"Sure, why not." She smiled. "Let me grab my jacket.

Troy looked between the women and shrugged. "I'll be in the car." He told her.

"Okay!" Gabriella replied from the stairs.

…

Troy and Gabriella drove to the super market and rubbed there hands together to warm them. The air in the night was chilly, though in the day was quite warm.

"Shit, it's cold as balls." He said shivering.

"Not really." Gabriella shrugged with a giggle.

"That's because you lived in Alaska, and you're used to the cold." He pointed out.

She slowly smiled. "True."

They walked through the motion detection doors and savored the heat of the building.

"So, what does your mom want exactly?"

…

"I swear Troy! DON'T." Gabriella clutched the sides of the shopping cart intensely, as Troy stood behind her, grasping the handle, getting ready to push off. "Troy…" She warned.

He started sprinting down the aisle, with Gabriella in the shopping cart. She hugged her knees and buried her face in them. Troy laughed as he jumped onto the cart and let it roll down the aisle dangerously. He put his foot down hardly as the end of the aisle came into view. The cart came to a stop slowly, all that could be heard was Gabriella's loud breathing, and Troy's snickering. He was trying not to laugh at her wide eyes and red knuckles as she clutched the side of the cart and stood unsteadily, trying to get out of the cart, but failing.

He sighed and rolled his eyes at her panicked expression and attempts to step out of the cart, but being too short to reach the ground. He grabbed her waist and lifted her effortlessly out of the cart. Troy carried her bridal style and mocked dropping her, causing a squeal out of the petite brunette. "Troy, put me down before I hurt you." Gabriella whispered, clutching his neck tightly, not wanting to be dropped on her behind.

He chuckled and set her down gently. As soon as her feet touched the ground she smacked him roughly on the chest. "Ow." He whined rubbing his chest.

She stuck her tongue out at him and rolled the cart to the cashier. "Hi." She said politely to the lady standing behind the register.

The cashier raised her eyebrow at the two as Troy stood comfortably close behind the pretty brunette and snickered silently.

Gabriella shook her head. Troy was definitely considered her best friend now.

…

"Troy, Gabriella, what took you guys so long?" Mrs. Bolton asked.

Troy grinned at Gabriella who looked down and smiled.

"Uh, traffic." He muttered lamely.

"Traffic?" Lucille raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Traffic." He stated. "Right, Gabriella?"

She nodded. "Yup."

Other than Chad, Gabriella was now considered Troy's best friend.

Review for next chapter. (: