Chapter 3: Heat
"Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was?" Sharpay said coldly as she sat in the passenger seat of Troy's beamer. Troy stared forward, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. "Troy, are you listening to me?"
"Yes I am,"
"What was I supposed to say to all those people when they asked where my husband was, and I had no fucking clue?" Sharpay transferred her sharp brown eyes towards Troy
"Look, I didn't expect to be out for so long alright? And it didn't seem like you needed me there,"
"I'm your wife Troy, you're my husband. Is it so hard for you to support me in my job? Why does it seem like it's so hard for you to do that for your wife? Zeke had absolutely no problem staying with me the entire night." Troy exhaled sharply from his hose, his knuckles turning white,
"You're married to me, not Zeke." Troy said coldly,
"And it would be great if you could remember that once in a while," Sharpay replied.
The rest of the car ride home was in stark silence.
Troy shook the flashback from his head as he pulled into his parking lot. The morning after had been just as cold, if not colder. Sharpay had already left the house by the time Troy had gotten out of the shower without so much as a good bye. Troy had no idea whether or not he was to be concerned when he realized that he didn't spare another thought about it. It was just like he didn't spare a single thought about his failing marriage.
A failing marriage, because that was what it was.
Troy didn't know when it had started to fail…or if there really was a starting point. Somehow, at some point, it just became that way. It wasn't a failure in the sense that one of them had done something wrong. It wasn't like he had cheated, or she had cheated, in fact, they didn't spend enough time together to talk long enough, or be in each other's presence long enough to know whether or not their other half was being unfaithful. That was just it. They just didn't have time for each other.
The beginning was like any other normal relationship, or so Troy thought. Troy and Sharpay didn't get along from the start. He was just a beginner in the orchestra, and Sharpay an aspiring actress pose to grow big one day. They barely talked with one another; save for the occasional 'Hi' when one passed the other. When they finally started to say more than a word, it took Troy a few weeks to be comfortable to go beyond "Nice show".
On their first date, Troy's heart was pounding like crazy. He thought it was normal; after all, what guy wouldn't be nervous to the point of vomiting on his first date? With his palms sweaty, he had ringed Sharpay's doorbell. Their first date was a qualified disaster. Troy couldn't stop stuttering, their dinner plan was delayed because the restaurant messed up, and he ended up driving Sharpay home early. Troy tried to laugh it off, but he couldn't and neither could she. They both decided then that they would give the first date, a second chance.
It took a few more successful dates for them to begin to warm up to each other, and for Troy to feel the pounding of his heart sending tingles of excitement through his body. When they officially started dating, Troy was content with how things were; he had a fairly successful career as a musician, and he had a beautiful girlfriend that most guys would die to get with. Like the young, hormonal man he was, he had expected to be physically attracted to her, after all, who wouldn't be? Sharpay, being the actress and public figure she was, kept in excellent shape; porcelain white skin, sharp brown eyes, rosy red lips, and curves that dipped and filled in all the right places. Troy hadn't felt the attraction until a few months after they began dating, as he got to know her better.
They had only been dating for half a year, before Troy decided to propose to her. They were young and head over heels in love with each other… at least what they thought was supposed to be love. Troy was attracted to her and her to him, both physically and in personality. He enjoyed being in her presence, and sure they argued, but what couple didn't? Troy had heard before of the feeling of rushed adrenaline, and heated flame that would burn when one was to be together with someone they were truly in love with and attracted to. Troy didn't feel that rush with Sharpay, but he had dismissed that as pure fiction, after all, everyone's experience was different.
Their first year was just like any movie like marriage. It was a miracle to get either of them out of the bedroom for the first few weeks after they got married. After their honeymoon, Sharpay had a few auditions lined up, and Troy was beginning to look into the teaching profession. They returned home every night, and Sharpay would gush about her auditions, and Troy about potential job offers as well as his position in the orchestra. Their life looked perfect, her with her career poised to set off, and him with the start of a brand new journey; the fact that he was still involved in the band only reinforced Troy's idea that they were meant to be together, after all who else could say they had a job that paid them to see their wife perform on stage?
But that was that. When their second year approached, they got more and more busy; Troy beginning his teaching at Julliard's, and assuming the position as the orchestra's conductor, and Sharpay becoming more and more well known. They no longer got home at the same time, one always later than the other, and always more tired. They couldn't talk about what they did, Sharpay was always reading lines, and Troy too busy with his composition. When they did sit together, it was to plan out a red carpet they had to attend, or to let the other know they were busy on which days. What little rush Troy had originally felt at the beginning, was ebbing down to the point where he didn't know where to look it for anymore.
Maybe it wasn't a failure…because to fail, there would have had to been a chance at success…and where was Troy to look for that?
When Gabriella walked onto campus the same morning, she was proud to say that she didn't look as lost as she did the first day. Her biology and chemistry classes were the same as the day before, and in order to keep her parents happy (and herself in school), she obediently listened attentively at lecture, taking down detailed notes. Aside from the readings she was required to do, Gabriella left the lecture with little to worry about. She had a few hours before her music class, and she would be able to use those hours to finish her readings.
After having been directed to the music building, Gabriella had decided that moment she walked in, it was going to be her new home…or at least the one place she will be in during her period at Julliard's. Her legs automatically took her to the building where she felt most at home, and she ordered herself a sandwich and salad. Gabriella looked around, trying to find a seat to sit in, only to find the small café filled with other students chattering away. Humming to herself, she attempted to find an empty spot, only to find herself in the studio where he class was supposed to take place.
"Better here than nothing…" she thought to herself. She quickly settled herself in a corner of the room where she immediately pulled out her books, and plugged in her walkman. Since the night before, the CD she had bought—or rather Troy had bought for her at the CD store had not left her CD player, and thus her CD player had also not left her side since. The moment she heard the introduction to the song she could not get enough of it, and now it had become the first thing she listened to whenever she got the chance.
And of course it had nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the fact that she could picture a certain blue eyed, professor conducting the band in passionate waves.
Gabriella took to her readings like she took to everything else; focused, concentrated and not willing to let anyone (or thing) get in her way. Time unknowingly slipped by as she soaked in her readings, so concentrated that she failed to realize she was no longer the only person in the room.
Troy walked into the music studio will full intent to get some of his notes and scores organized. He had not, however, expected an extra body in the room until his class started in an hour. His eyes caught a small figure by the corner, absorbed in her reading and ear phones plugged in. She seemed to be oblivious to the fact that she was not alone anymore. Troy let out a small smile, walking quietly towards her, his eyes catching the title of her book,
"Chemistry? That's an interesting choice for someone being in an arts school." Troy thought to himself. He was used to seeing his students enrolled in double majors or minors involving art, dance, or performing arts, but rarely did he see one enrolled in the sciences…after all you wouldn't go to Julliard's if you wanted to be a doctor.
"You know, at this rate I'm going to have to give you a better grade." Troy smirked as he announced his presence and stepping right in front of her. He chuckled when the brunette below him started suddenly, yanking her ear phones out of her ear. Gabriella stumbled up, her book falling from her lap,
"Sorry! I didn't expect anyone to be here!" Gabriella stuttered, heat rising from the bottom of her neck to her cheeks,
"Neither was I." Troy said back, "Chemistry?"
"It's…one of my classes," Gabriella answered,
"I figured as much…I just never figured a music student would be taking sciences…in an arts school."
"Yeah the things parents makes us do right…" Gabriella giggled sheepishly. She bent down quickly to gather the things that had slipped from her when she shot up. Troy knelt down to help, gathering her meticulously written notes,
"A walkman?" he raised his eyebrow. He didn't think he'd see one with a student,
"It's an old one," Gabriella said quickly, "For CDs…of course…" Gabriella could have smacked herself, of course it was for CDs!
"CDs? Don't tell me…" Troy started to chuckle, and Gabriella blushed again, this time sending a shaky glare at him,
"It is, I couldn't stop listening to it…"
"Now you're just making me feel guilty to give you free marks aren't you?" Troy teased as they both stood up, "Buying the CD, being in class early, and non stop listening to it, you're not helping with a professor's ego."
"You're not egotistical!" Gabriella gasped, but then she took a look at his teasing smile, and she glared at him again, this time full on. She crossed her arms, "Your jokes could use some work though,"
Now it was Troy's turn to fake a gasp, "There goes the free marks idea." Gabriella packed up her belongings as Troy made his way to his office that was linked into the studio, not sure where to go, Gabriella began making her way to the door,
"Where are you going?" Troy asked, Gabriella paused looking confused,
"Well class doesn't start until another good 45 minutes…I was going to go and I didn't want to bother you…"
"Who said you were a bother?" Troy asked. The event that took place the last ten minutes had managed to wipe whatever thoughts he had about his private life, and he had a good 45 minutes left before he could drown his personal life with his music class, "I told you there would be a way to repay me for buying your CD right?"
"Right…"
"Well then, come on," and Troy opened the door to his office, gesturing her to follow. Confused and not quite sure what was going on, Gabriella followed silently.
Troy's office could pretty much be labeled a qualified mess…if 'mess' was a good word to describe what was going on in his office. His desk (or Gabriella assumed it was his desk) was covered by score sheets, some written on, some half written on, and blank ones that were crumpled beyond use. A Mac sat in the middle of all the chaos. His surrounding desks were also covered by stacks of score books that threatened to fall, and his wall littered with sticky notes.
"You do know that December 14, 2010 was last year right?" Gabriella scrutinized some of the dates on the sticky. She wasn't sure if she should be surprised to see some of the sticky notes dated two years ago. Troy, in the meantime, shuffled around his office, and dropped his bag off at the only chair that wasn't holding tipped over music books,
"Yes I do thank you very much," Troy replied sarcastically. Gabriella giggled, drawing his attention,
"I thought professors were supposed to be organized?" she asked,
"That's a stereotype,"
"Oh is it?" she teased, and it was Troy's turn to glare at her. Gabriella let out another tinkling laugh as she looked around the otherwise cluttered office.
"Wait, Gabriella Montez are you…are you flirting?" her mind screamed at her. Gabriella swallowed hardly, "No way, I'm just comfortable around him that's all…" Maybe a bit too comfortable—but she wasn't about to go there.
"Well this is where you come in," Troy smirked, Gabriella started from her dazing out,
"Excuse me?"
"You said you'd repay me for buying you the CD right?"
"Right…as your maid?" Gabriella asked incredulously. Troy laughed. Not a teasing laugh, a full out, true laugh that rumbled from deep in his chest, and out his mouth and bounced around the walls. Gabriella couldn't help but be addicted,
"No!" Troy laughed, his chest falling up and down. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so hard, "As a secretary I mean…I have a lot to do already with running the class, and working with the orchestra, so as you can see things sort of…slip out. I just need help with organizing, clearly, and just helping to keep at least this band in order."
"But to organize this…this…well I'm not sure what exactly this is," Gabriella gestured to the room, "doesn't that mean I have to clean it first?"
"Your words not mine," Troy smirked. Gabriella opened her mouth but closed it, unsure of what to say.
"Don't get me wrong!" Troy said quickly, "I'm not trying to blackmail you into doing this, if you don't want to you are completely free to say no and I won't hold a single thing against you. If you want to just pay me back for the CD that's completely fine, I don't want to make it like I'm pressuring you to do this."
"This…is going to take a lot of work," Gabriella mumbled to herself as her eyes surveyed the room. Troy blinked, did she not hear a single thing he said?
"Listen, Miss Montez, if you don't want to it's perfectly fine; I mean this would mean you're adding a lot more on your plate. It would probably require you to come early to class, or sometimes stay later than usual especially when the band has a performance coming up… and of course I'll be more than happy to write a letter of recommendation for anything you might be planning on applying this school year-"
"Gabriella,"
"Huh?" Troy said smartly, Gabriella looked up and smiled,
"My name's Gabriella professor,"
"Right…and my name's Troy," he repeated, "Did we not have this conversation yesterday?" Gabriella blushed,
"Right…I'd be happy to help out." Gabriella smiled, "I could use the extracurricular activity…" "And more time away from home,"
"Right well…" Troy trailed off. Beyond asking her if she was willing to help he didn't really expect to get started right away,
"Can I just…" Gabriella asked shyly, gesturing to the sheets that littered the room. Troy nodded quickly, pulling the chair that held his bag towards him. The duo fell into a comfortable silence, with Gabriella starting to organize the slew of papers from the desks lined up from the side of the room, while Troy remained at his main desk with his Mac. Gabriella would occasionally ask about a certain sticky note on the wall, whether or not Troy still needed it or not, and he would reply with a quick yes or a no. Slowly, they grew comfortable with each other's presence, and Troy got use to hearing her shuffling behind him, mumbling to herself.
Half an hour later, Gabriella had gotten to a point where she had given up asking him where certain folders were, or if she could use certain sections in the cabinet. She found herself growing at ease quickly, to the point where she would just look for folders and sheets herself, and Troy would automatically make way for her if she needed something on his table. Five minutes before class was scheduled to start, Gabriella had successfully cleared an entire desk so that Troy could now see the desk surface, and each score books were piled neatly according to date.
"Has anyone told you that you work miracles?" Troy looked at her work at awe. Gabriella blushed, but beamed at the compliment at the same time,
"These files," she gestured to the folders she had in her arms, "I'm going to have to sort through after rehearsals are over…"
"By all means go ahead, I'm going to end up staying late tonight," Troy said. There was no need to mention that he also wanted to make sure he and Sharpay didn't bump into each other should one be home before the other was asleep. As the two made their way back out to the studio, they could hear the rest of the band warming up. Hugging the files to her, Gabriella gave a quick smile before hurrying off, sliding her way through the second row to her seat in the middle where, from Troy's perspective, she was quickly engaged with a red head from the first row.
"Whoa what's that?" Kelsi gasped as Gabriella sat down with her files,
"Just some files from Troy," Gabriella said nonchalantly as she quickly assembled her flute,
"Wait, Troy? As in our professor Troy?" Kelsi said. Gabriella nodded, "I've been in under his conducting for two years and I still call him Mr Bolton, is there something you're not telling me?" Kelsi teased, her eyebrows moving up and down teasingly. Gabriella's blush flared on her cheeks,
"What? NO! Nothing like that! I'm just like his secretary, organizing files and helping him out, he's going to give me a letter of recommendation! It's just that!" Gabriella stuttered immediately, her mind firing out hundreds of excuses, Kelsi laughed,
"Relax Gabriella, I was just kidding, it wasn't like I was serious," Kelsi giggled, "He's married, of course I know it's nothing to what you're thinking I'm referring to."
"He's married? I mean, of course he is…" Gabriella was slightly startled. Why hadn't she entertained the fact that he was married? Just because his profile on the orchestra's website didn't say anything didn't mean he was single! Of course he'd be married, why wouldn't he be? He was kind, funny, connects well with others, and not to mention easy on the eyes—"Whoa there, going too far Gabriella," she mentally chided herself.
As Troy approached his podium, and waved for their attention, Gabriella and Kelsi stopped talking and began their class. Gabriella watched, listened and played her best, drowning herself in her private world that was the combining sound of flutes, tubas and drums. But as Gabriella played her way through class, her eyes couldn't help but wander to his conducting and waving hands, where she couldn't catch a glimpse of a wedding band.
"That doesn't mean he's not married," her mind chided her. Gabriella took a deep breath, pausing while another section of the band took over. There was no reason why he wouldn't be married and absolutely no reason why Gabriella should care whether or not he was…
So why did she suddenly feel like a pit just grew in her stomach?
For the rest of the class, she couldn't look at Troy, and only resolved to look up every once in a while, choosing to focus intently on the sheets before her. If Troy noticed, he didn't show anything except constantly glancing at her direction.
"Hey do you want to grab something to drink?" Kelsi asked as their two hours of rehearsals finally ended. The class had erupted into plans for the weekends, or the onslaught of homework that were already piling up despite being the second day.
"Ah I can't, I have some things to do," Gabriella said apologetically, gesturing to the files that had remained under her chair for the duration of the class. Kelsi laughed,
"Right, Miss Secretary, oh this is just like those dramas, where the secretary and the boss are left alone after hours…" Kelsi trailed off with a suggestive wink. Gabriella glared at her friend,
"Kels! G-Get your mind out of the gutter!" Gabriella chided. Kelsi laughed,
"Relax, you're so tense today! And besides, you said it, not me." Kelsi giggled, "Well give me a call when you're free, I'm on campus all the time," Gabriella nodded, waving good bye to her as she left along with the rest of the class. No sooner had class ended, was the studio empty and quiet once again. Grabbing her bags and the files, Gabriella made her way silently to Troy's office, where he had gone after dismissal.
"Wake up Gabriella! So he's married, he's a professor! Why are you making such a big deal out of it?" she thought to herself. She sighed, she was over thinking…again. Whether or not he was married was none of her business, especially not as a student, and someone whom he's met only a day ago.
Troy had disappeared back into his office after dismissal to get a head start on his work. For the entire class he couldn't help but notice Gabriella playing. Not that he heard her playing specifically, but he definitely noticed how she would look up and quickly look back down again, a stark difference from yesterday's practice, when she would look up almost constantly. Today, however, she remained focused on her music, and barely looked up to keep time. There were several times where if it hadn't been for the fact that her entire row had stopped playing, she would have continued on.
Of course, his observations were from a purely professional, professor's perspective…of course.
"Excuse me…Professor Bolton…" a timid voice came from his door. Troy turned around, in the middle of loosening his tie to see Gabriella poke her head through,
"Oh, Gabriella, come in," he said and she walked in, his files in her arms once more,
"Sorry I didn't want to just…barge in," Gabriella said carefully, timidly walking in, her body language completely opposite from when she had been in here two hours ago.
"It's fine, there's nothing really to hide…unless my organizing skills are that terrifying," he chuckled. Gabriella let out a small smile as she placed the files on the neatly cleared desk she had worked on just a couple hours ago. She quickly slipped into silence, opening each files to reorganize them to her liking. Her actions were more subdued, Troy noticed right away, limiting herself to the small area she had around her as if she had a bubble she was afraid to pop.
Gabriella was even controlling her breathing! As she went about organizing the music sheets by instrumental parts, she felt stiff, and out of place, completely different from earlier, when she had whirlwind through the office as if it was her own. There was nothing different! Nothing's different…except the fact that she now knows that he is married, and that she was in the room alone, with a married man.
But, there was no reason for her to feel this awkward! She had been in the same room with him for the better part of an hour; this was still Troy Bolton, still her professor, and still the same man who she had shared a room with prior without discomfort!
Even Troy was being careful, her stiff posture had somehow infected him, and he could hardly work without being sensitively aware of her presence behind him. He found himself looking towards her more often than not, seeing her meticulously organizing his sheets, or how she would try to shake her head to get rid of some stray strands of hair, or getting so fed up, her delicate fingers would grab a few strands and twirl it behind her ears.
For a good twenty minutes, they both worked in thick silence, one sending looks to the other without them realizing. Soon it became half an hour, and as Gabriella finished her pile, she scrunched up her nose, realizing something was amiss. At the same time Troy had snuck another look at her, and found her odd expression amusing and cute.
"Something wrong?" Troy chuckled. Gabriella jolted slightly, his voice breaking their silence,
"Um we're missing a section," she gestured to the piece she had been rearranging, "We're missing the third part for the brass section…"
"Are we?" Troy said curiously, standing up from his seat, he looked around with a lost expression, "We shouldn't be…I might be a slob, but I know to at least keep pieces in the same…area."
"Area?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow, Troy shushed her with a mock glare and Gabriella laughed, "I guess that's an accomplishment…" she set off looking around the room herself, deciding to take a look at the shelves hanging above her that also held a few loose sheets. Tippy toeing, her fingers grazed a few of the sheets poking out, frowning when she could see above a few binders,
"Having trouble?" Troy chuckled from behind her. He automatically placed a hand on the small of her back just in case she lost her balance as he used his height to his advantage to look through his binders. Gabriella's breath hitched, feeling his hand there. She prayed he didn't feel her tense up.
"I…I think I see it…there…" Gabriella stuttered slightly, stretching even further to grab a stack of sheets that bore the same name of the piece she was working on. At the same time, Troy reached for the same place, both their hands getting there at the same time. Gabriella squeaked, feeling his hands grope around hers, and she suddenly lost her balance. Reflex kicked in, and her hands grabbed at the binders from the shelf at an attempt to stable herself, only that didn't work out as well as she hoped for, because suddenly, they fell from the shelves.
Troy reacted automatically, and the hand he had on her back quickly curled itself around her petite waist, and pulled her away from the avalanche of binders and papers, and towards him. He turned them around so that his back was towards the binders, and she shielded beneath him. It took a few seconds for the last of the binders to fall, and the sheets to finally settle down.
"There goes all your work," Troy chuckled, looking down. Gabriella looked up, and they both froze, suddenly aware of how close they were.
Gabriella stopped breathing all together. She could feel his arms around her waist, and the warmth that emitted from his body being pressed against hers. His breath left wisps of air on the top of her head, that made her light headed and tingly at the same time. His cologne attacked her senses, and all she could do was look up where his blue eyes were boring down on hers. Her heart picked up, and she suddenly felt a rush of heat that washed over her body and set the sensitivity of her nerves on high, and her whole body aching.
Troy looked down, suddenly enraptured in her dark brown eyes. He had done what his instincts had told him to, and quickly pulled her to him. But the moment he spoke, his senses had awoken, and he suddenly became painfully aware of the second body being pressed against him. It was as if all the nerves in his body were alight in a fire, not missing a single detail of the young body pressing against his. Without having moved his hold on her, he could feel the shape of her body on his, and it sent his heart racing, and his body on fire with a rush of heat that coursed through his veins…he had never felt this rush before…or rather he had never felt this rush this strongly. He looked down, his body suddenly aching with heat and a desire that he hadn't felt in a long time.
Gabriella and Troy looked at each other, and for a second, all they felt was heat.
A/N: How's that for sexual tension? ;) I'm half way through exams, so I apologize for the late update. I just completed two exams, and am in preparation for my last two. Thanks for reading, and please review!
Again, I will remind everyone that both Troy and Gabriella are adults, and that I am writing this story with a very fast paced. Don't expect chapters upon chapters on Gabriella being giddy on her feelings, and Troy being stubborn in denial. They are both adults, and are definitely well aware of what they are feeling and the levels of attraction. If you feel they are moving too fast, sorry, but instant chemistry = dynamic romance = more fun!
