Last Time
"So what are you doing today?" he asked hopefully.
"I was going to go grocery shopping there's not a lot in." she replied.
"Well I'll come with you. I have nothing else to do today."
"Ok Troy, we'll go soon then."
No one's POVTroy and Gabriella arrived at their local grocery store. He got out of the car and noticed that Gabriella hadn't gotten out of the car yet. He walked around to her side and opened the door to find her struggling to undo the seatbelt.
"Here let me help." Troy leant over and startled to fiddle with the button to try and make it release. He finally got it out. They both suddenly realized that Troy's elbow had been grazing Gabriella's chest. They caught each other's eyes and were slightly embarrassed. Gabriella got out of the car and picked up her bag. Troy locked his car door and started to walk into the shop.
"I should probably thinking about getting a new car. I've had that for five years now." He chuckled as Gabriella smiled at him.
Troy got the trolley and walked next to Gabriella. He wasn't used to all of this but he knew he had to start someday. He followed his wife around the supermarket and he felt proud when other guys noticed the rings that they both wore and realized they were married. There was no denying that Gabriella was hot and the two looked good together. But Troy didn't realize that Gabriella felt the same way when other women looked at her husband. It took every ounce of self-control that she possessed to not scream out "HE'S ALL MINE!" She didn't want to admit it…but right now she thought that maybe this marriage could work.
The couple quietly made their way around the shop and only spoke to each other to find out things like if they wanted carrots and jam.
"Why don't you go and wait in the car and I'll get the last few bits, pay and then you can put it all in." Gabriella suggested.
"No it's ok I'll come. I t gets lonely out there."
"Troy really…I just need one or two more things and then I'm done."
"Gabriella it's fine…in fact I'll get them for you. What else do we need?" Gabriella looked at him. They were still not very confident with each other but Gabriella was not usually a shy girl on certain subjects.
"Ok then…WE need shampoo, hairspray and tampons." She smiled at him politely. His face turned bright red as he began to stammer.
"I…wha…which…erm…that's not fair!" he pouted like a child. Gabriella couldn't help but laugh at him.
"What's not fair HUSBAND?" she emphasized playfully.
"Well for one thing that's like a woman's thing. And second there's like a million and one different things!" he was adamant that he was not doing this. Gabriella laughed again and began pulling him towards his most hated aisle. As he walked down it he felt like a fish out of water. Gabriella found everything that she needed and threw it all into the trolley as they made their way to the checkout. Troy glared at the box as if it was poison that his wife was planning to slip into his drink at some point. Gabriella just laughed at his stupidity. Troy packed all the shopping and took it out to the car while Gabriella paid with the new debit card from her father. It was a joint account, which was now where all the money they earned went to and was spent as a couple.
Gabriella watched Troy load the small car with bags. Maybe he could be a good husband. Who knew? He was sweet, funny, kind and definitely cute. She hated to admit it but she was actually falling for him.
Later that dayTroy had went out that afternoon and rented some movies. It was Friday and they had decided to spend the night in. he had come back with a range of different films. There were horrors, romance, comedy, romcom, and musicals. All sorts. He hadn't actually asked Gabriella what films she liked so he got a selection and decided he would let her choose. She picked the horror ones to Troy's delight. They were his favourites and apparently hers as well. They sat down after dinner and put the film in with some popcorn. Gabriella had seen this particular film many times before but it still managed to make her jump out of her skin. A seriously scary part came on and Gabriella instantly pushed her face into Troy's chest to hide. At first he was shocked but wrapped his arms around her moments later grinning from ear to ear.
The newlyweds went to bed at about 12.30. Gabriella changed in the bathroom into her pyjama bottoms and vest top. Troy normally slept in his underwear but thought that tonight it would be a better idea to wear his basketball shorts as well. They both climbed in to bed and found themselves facing each other.
"You know what Gabriella?" Troy spoke through the darkness. "I'm starting to get used to this."
"Me too. Maybe we can learn to love each other." She replied.
"Only if you don't make me buy those…things again." Troy said in disgust.
Gabriella giggled. "Goodnight Troy."
"Goodnight Gabi." She hadn't planned on letting him use nicknames but when he said it…it felt right. She could just about make out his face. His eyes were closed. She kissed his cheek gently thinking he was asleep.
"I think I love you Troy…maybe we are meant to be." She slowly drifted into a heavy slumber, unaware that her husband had heard every word that she had said.
Gabriella woke up at 8am on Saturday morning. She vaguely remembered watching movies and talking last night but she was too tired to remember what they had been talking about. She walked into the living room to find Troy watching cartoons and laughing hysterically at the childish games that were appearing on the TV screen.
"Looks like someone hasn't finished growing up." Gabriella said through her laughter. Troy jumped out of his skin and turned bright red as he turned to face her.
"I teach six year olds…gotta stay with it," he said as he watched her crease up once more. Gabriella went into the kitchen to get some juice. She was getting used to Troy a lot quicker than she had thought. For some reason they just seemed to click and there was nothing that they could do to make it all stop. Gabriella still didn't know that Troy knew what she said last night and he planned to keep it that way until they became more like a couple.
Gabriella got ready that day in her skinny jeans, thick brown jumper and brown-heeled boots. She decided she needed some retail therapy. She had called Taylor to see if she wanted to tag along but kept on getting her voicemail. And she wasn't going to call home to be questioned by her parents. Yet for some reason, she didn't want to go alone. She walked back upstairs towards her bedroom and walked straight in. However, she accidentally walked in on him getting changed. All she saw was his toned abs and thighs and his black underwear. She quickly shut the door again before he had chance to turn. It suddenly occurred to her that she had never even seen Troy without his shirt on before and she wasn't disappointed by what she saw. She waited downstairs for him to come down. She didn't know why that little incident had embarrassed her…she was married to him. It just didn't make sense anymore.
"I take it you were looking for me?" She turned to see Troy now dressed in jeans and a long sleeved top.
"Yeah I'm going to the mall and wondered if you wanted to come?" she hoped he would say yes. He noticed this when he looked into her eyes. He was falling for her even though he was trying his best to stop.
"Yeah I'll get the car keys." The pair were silent during the drive as usual. Even though they were more comfortable they still couldn't find the right words to say to each other.
While they were out Troy treated Gabriella to lunch and they walked around standing close enough so that their arms brushed gently against each other. They came home with only some vegetables that Gabriella said she wanted. She had promised to make him dinner one night and decided that tonight would be as good as any. She had learned to cook a long time ago and it was something that she enjoyed when she was in the right mood. She sent Troy out to get some wine while she put a chicken in the unused oven and began to wash all the vegetables. Troy arrived back as she had started to cut them all up. He poured them both a glass and before they knew it they were onto their third and the vegetables were nowhere near ready to be cooked.
"Here I'll help you…then we might get to eat tonight" Troy joked as he watched Gabriella try to focus on the carrot. He began to peel some potatoes and they stood side by side. Troy's left hand reached for a knife, and so did Gabriella's right hand. They rested upon each other and neither moved theirs out of the way. Because the spark that they had just felt shoot through their body was intense and it was a feeling that they had never had with anyone before.
They looked deep into each other's eyes and for the first time they saw the passion that they held for each other. Seconds later Gabriella was wrapped in her husband's arms and was kissing him passionately. The meal lay forgotten around the kitchen as they stumbled up the stairs in their semi drunken state. The bedroom was the only place that they were thinking about. Troy pushed his wife in and closed the door. He gently started to take off her clothes, and she did the same with him. Gabriella glanced around the room when she stopped for air. She noticed her shirt hanging on a chair with Troy's jeans. He t-shirt was on the bed; her jeans were on the floor near the door. All their underwear was laid in a messy heap at the foot of their four-poster bed. Gabriella scrambled into the bed with Troy jumping in after her as if his life depended on it. Troy was above Gabriella; he looked into her eyes again and then quickly jumped up and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Gabriella … I…well…I've never…" Gabriella came and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
"Me neither Troy. But it just makes it more special." He smiled at her as he took her in his arms and turned out the light.
Later that nightTroy woke from his slumber in the middle of the night. He looked around the room, taking in his surroundings as he tried to adjust his eyes due to the lack of lighting. He noticed the small and curvy mound that was on the other side of the bed. He smiled as he watched the peaceful rhythm of his wife's breathing. He got out of bed and walked to the bedroom door to go downstairs and get a glass of water. He opened the bedroom door and was suddenly caught in what felt like thick fog.
He made his way to the stairs. As he got half way down he suddenly realised why his home was filling up with smoke. He raced back to the bedroom.
"Gabriella wake up! The house is one fire!" Gabriella stirred in her sleep. Troy finally managed to get her up. "Here put these on!" He threw some of his clothes at her and her flip-flops. He threw on some shorts and a t-shit. He grabbed two of his jumpers and began climbing out of the bedroom window. Gabriella followed him in a dream like state, as she had not fully woken up yet. When she reached the garden Troy grabbed her hand and pulled her round to the front of the house. He ran over the road and a few doors down to where Chad had told him that morning was where he was now living. He was banging on the door while keeping a firm grip on Gabriella's now shaking hand. She turned to look back at the house and now saw smoke coming through the open window downstairs.
"Chad wake up!" Troy shouted. Neighbours were now emerging from their homes in dressing gowns and the pounding of feet could be heard inside of Chad's house.
"Dude what's wrong?" He shouted as he was unlocking and opening the door.
"My house is on fire! Call 911!" He went to walk back to the sidewalk but Gabriella tightened her grip on his hand and stopped him.
"Taylor?" Gabriella spotted her friend who had been trying to hide at the bottom of the stairs. She was wearing one of Chad's old shirts and her underwear. She gave Gabriella a smile, which informed her that she would give her all the details later. Gabriella giggled and followed Troy as they watched their house slowly turning black.
The fire brigade had turned up minutes later and were now packing everything up. Everyone in the street was crowded round the couple who were looking up at their home is disbelief. Everyone around them was gossiping. They all fell silent when a fireman walked up to the couple.
"Mr and Mrs Bolton?" It still sounded strange but they turned to him ready to hear what he had to say. "Someone left the oven turned it. It got too hot and then caused the surroundings to become hot as well. It caused a fire throughout most of the ground floor except some parts of the kitchen. Unfortunately you can't go back in until a safety check has been completed. The was this pile of clean clothes in the utility room. That's all we can give you for now. Do you two have somewhere to stay?" He asked as he looked at the two.
"Yes…Thank you." Was all Troy managed to say. The fireman handed the clothes to Gabriella as a horrified look passed her face. On top of the pile was the red lingerie that she had worn on her wedding night. Troy noticed this and quickly grabbed it and threw it into his large pocket. Him and Gabriella walked back to Chad's, sided by side, but with considerable distance and silence floating between them.
On Monday Troy was back at work. The couple had spent Sunday in the mall again, trying to replace their clothes. All of them had been damaged, not by the fire, but by the smoke. They had become even closer since that night, but only to the pint where they would occasionally hold hands in public. They had done that once or twice but this time it was because they wanted to and not because they felt like they had to. Gabriella had got several jumpers and t-shirts, jeans, and some desperately needed underwear. Troy got the same. For now they needed the basics and later on they could get in summer clothes and sports wear but they had other things to do for the time being. Troy had also got some clothes that he needed for work. They had been staying in Chad's spare room.
Later on Sunday afternoon Gabriella had found out that Taylor had fallen. Yes. She had fallen head over heels in love with Chad Danforth since her wedding. She gave Gabriella all the details of the relationship and in return Gabriella did the same. She told her about their special night and she confided in her. Gabriella had automatically let Troy cuddle up to her in bed on a night. She liked the warmth and security that he gave her an endless supply of.
