Strangers.
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Chapter 4
Tap, Tap, Tap. Gabriella looks up from Harvard textbook towards the sound emitting from her balcony doors. The light above the balcony shines down illuminating the person casting their silhouette on the lavender curtains. Gabriella cautiously gets up and goes over to the double doors and pulls back a curtain. With a sigh of relief she opens the door to Troy.
"It's 11 at night you know that wildcat," grins Gabriella drowsily
"Sorry I just couldn't think of any where else to go," mutters Troy
"Troy what happened?" asks Gabriella
"My dad happened," says Troy looking at Gabriella.
Gabriella can see the faint hand print on Troy's cheek that looks tender and starting to bruise.
"He slapped you why?" asks Gabriella
"He found the pamphlet from Columbia with the application forms torn out and nowhere is room but a letter from them saying that if I get the grades I need to I have a place," says Troy
"Oh wildcat," says Gabriella stroking his cheek gently
"He went berserk started shouting about our plan and slapped me," says Troy
"I'll get you some ice," says a voice from the door
Gabriella turns her head to see her mum.
"Mum," says Gabriella
"It's ok," says her mum leaving the room.
"Sorry if I get you into trouble," says Troy
"Do you want to stay here for the night," says Gabriella spying the bag on his back
Troy nods. "I prepared for tomorrow but I'm skipping gym and basketball training,"
"Troy you don't want to give him anymore reason to lash out at you again," says Gabriella
"If he does Gabriella I will leave I'll go live with my granddad," says Troy
"I'll be right back," says Gabriella "Make yourself at home," she adds over her shoulder.
Gabriella goes downstairs to see her mum preparing an ice pack.
"Thanks," she says
"Troy is good for you. He cares and won't get in the way of Harvard," says her mum
"Did you here why Troy's dad slapped him?" asks Gabriella
"Yeah he wants him to go somewhere else and Troy wants to go to Columbia," says her mum
"And do you think that is right?" asks Gabriella
"His dad forcing him no of course it's not right it's Troy's life he should do what he wants to," says her mum
"Same situation were in," says Gabriella picking up the ice pack "Think about it. Oh and Troy is staying the night," she adds before leaving the room.
Gabriella walks into her room and laughs when she sees Troy stretched across her bed, shoes off.
"What you said to make myself at home so I did," says Troy
Gabriella kneels down at the side of him and presses the ice pack to his face.
"Spoke to my mum," says Gabriella
"You did?" asks Troy
"Yup she's been less stern since I meet you. She knows I need my freedom and is allowing me to be friends with you because you care and won't get in the way of Harvard but I asked her if your father trying to control you future is right and she said no so I said it's the same situation were in think about it," says Gabriella
"What did she say?" asks Troy
"I left the room," says Gabriella
Down in the kitchen Mrs Montez is pondering on what her daughter has said.
When she goes upstairs to speak to Gabriella the scene she comes upon she doesn't want to disrupt Gabriella is curled up against Troy her hand pressing the ice pack gently to his cheek. Troy's arm lies across Gabriella's torso and they are talking quietly.
Mrs Montez walks away and into her room.
Gabriella raises her head and looks towards the door and hears her mother's bedroom door close.
"What?" asks Troy
"I thought mum was at the door," says Gabriella turning to Troy suddenly realizing how close they are.
"We, we should go to sleep," says Gabriella
Troy nods his hair touching Gabriella's forehead.
"Night Troy," says Gabriella getting under the covers and then turning over her back facing him
She feels Troy shift on the bed before getting under the covers and then turning the light off.
"Night Brie," says Troy pressing a kiss into her hair.
Next morning sees the two cuddle together.
Troy is the first to wake when Gabriella's alarm goes off at 6.00am.
He looks down at her and smiles to see how peaceful she looks.
"We're not meant to be friends we're meant to be friends we're meant to be more then friends," thinks Troy before slipping out the bed to grab a shower.
Gabriella wakes moments later turning her head to see Troy not there. She puzzles over it and then solves her confusion when she hears the shower running in her bathroom.
She gets up and examines herself in her mirror and decides against a shower as it will just hold them both up in getting to school on time.
She grabs a red pair of red patterned tights with a long black top with a design on it and black converse and some simple sliver bangles on her wrists and light make up. She then grabs her star messenger bag and makes sure it is packed for the day. She hears the bathroom door open and looks up to see Troy wearining a towel she quickly lowers her gaze back to her bag and listen to Troy grab some clothes out of his bag and then go back in the bathroom only to return minutes later clothed in black stoned washed jeans that hang on his hips with a black belt and a short sleeved grey t-shirt that accentuate his well-muscled arms and toned torso.
"Like what you see Montez?" asks Troy
"Ha-ha in your dreams Bolton," says Gabriella
"Oh you are," thinks Troy
"So what do you want for breakfast I'm in the mood for waffles," says Gabriella
"Waffles sound good," says Troy
They grab there bags and make there way downstairs.
Gabriella pops four waffles in the toaster and gets the syrup out.
"We have
"We have 45 minutes to get to school," says Troy
"We'll be fine we have our car's," says Gabriella
"I don't have my car," says Troy
"You didn't come in your car last night. You walked?" asks Gabriella
"Came on my bike," says Troy
"You have a motorbike," says Gabriella "Can we go on it?" she asks
Troy nods. "I have a spare helmet," he says
"Yay," says Gabriella
Troy chuckles.
"Hey," says Gabriella whacking him with the syrup bottle before going to get the waffles from the toaster.
"Ow," whines Troy
"Delayed reaction much?" asks Gabriella laughing
Troy pouts.
"Stop pouting your not five," says Gabriella placing a plate of waffles in front of him.
"Thank you," says Troy digging in
"Troy you can stay here as long as you need your always welcome but next time please use the front door," says Mrs Montez coming into the room
"Yeah tell me about it, you scared me half to death," says Gabriella
"Sorry Brie," mutters Troy apologetically
Gabriella gently turns to his face to one side.
"Poor Troy is it still sore?" asks Gabriella
Troy nods. "A little," he says
Gabriella grabs the bruises cream from the first aid kit squeezes some on her finger and then gently rubs it into the cheek.
Troy hisses.
"Sorry," apologizes Gabriella kissing his forehead
"It's ok," says Troy "Um Brie we need to go," says Troy
Gabriella grabs an apple and shoves it in her bag.
"You have got to be kidding me," says Troy
"What?" asks Gabriella slipping her shoes on and her bag over her shoulder
"Is that your breakfast?" asks Troy
Gabriella nods.
"She can't have waffles she'll put on weight," says Mrs Montez
"With all due respect Mrs Montez Gabriella is quite skinny and probably burns off calories as soon as she eats them," says Troy
"Well it's still an apple for breakfast, salad for lunch and tea and 8 litres of water," says Mrs Montez
"Mrs Montez if Gabriella doesn't eat something a little for substantial she'll faint and end up in hospital and then she'll be taken off you because you have been neglecting her," says Troy "So I'm buying her a bacon butty when we get to school," he adds following Gabriella out of the door.
Troy passes Gabriella a helmet. "Are you partial to bacon butties?" asks Troy
Gabriella shakes her head "Never had one," she replies
"Well you having one at school my treat," says Troy
Gabriella shakes her head.
"Brie I don't want you fainting I'm just looking out for you like you were for me last night," says Troy pulling the his helmet on his head and helping Gabriella fix hers on properly
"You ready?" asks Troy
Gabriella nods.
"I won't let you get hurt Brie," says Troy sliding the visor over his face.
"Thought I'd find you up here," says Troy
"I couldn't take it," says Gabriella
"What?" asks Troy sitting next to her and casually placing his arm around her shoulders.
She leans against him sighing.
"The stares and the whispering because I came to school with you on your stupid motorbike and how that obviously means you scored with the school geek last night," snaps Gabriella
"Forget about them because they don't know nothing," says Troy brushing a stray piece of hair
"Stop it," cries Gabriella
"What?" asks Troy seriously confused
"Doing that and touching me and flirting and leading me on and playing whatever game you are playing just stop it because I don't want to get hurt," shrieks Gabriella
"Brie I'm not playing any games or leading you on yes I am occasionally flirting it's in my nature," says Troy
"Well stop it cuz it makes me feel weird and it makes me scared because I haven't felt this way before and I'm confused and and," stresses Gabriella bursting into tears.
Troy pulls her into his arms trying to comfort her but she thrashes about in his arms struggling to be let go.
"Brie stop it I'm trying to comfort you," says Troy
"Well stop because when you touch me I feel sparks and I don't like it," shouts Gabriella
Troy raises his hand to her face to wipe the tears away but she jerks her head and ends up getting her in the eye.
"Ow," cries Gabriella
"I was trying to wipe your tears away," says Troy
Gabriella pushes him away from her. "Why?" asks Gabriella harshly
"Because I love you ok. Because you have tamed the heart of the biggest wildcat and you have my heart," confesses Troy before walking down the stairs
"Troy," calls Gabriella running after him wiping her eyes, she falls down the stairs and her body slams into his.
"Sorry," she mutters
Troy opens the door and keeps walking down the hall glaring at every person that looks his way.
Gabriella sits up and thinks.
"Do I love him and want him so much that I am willingly to run after him or should I drop it and wait til we've both calmed down I can think straight," she thinks
Review Please
Especially if you want the next chapter to see what Gabriella decides.
Gabriella Somerfield