Again, thank you so much to everyone who is reviewing! Really. I thank everyone for their support because it really means like a thousand worlds that you are. I really hope you guys liked this story because so far it is so fun to write! And I know I'm posting way too much, but hopefully next week I'll slow down a little back to my normal posting schedule. Thank you again! :)
"Sorry, you just seem like, you know, kind of an indoor girl. Anyway, I uh I fell through some thin ice, and I'm tellin' ya water that cold, like right down there, it hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your body. You can't breathe, you can't think...at least not about anything but the pain. Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in there after you. Like I said, I don't have a choice. I guess I'm kinda hoping you'll come back over the rail, and get me off the hook."
-Jack Dawson, Titanic
"Does it ever get sunny here?" Gabriella pouted as her luscious hair hit the bed of the grass beneath her.
"Not really." Eric responded sadly, his large hands came around to cup the back of his head. That seemed to hit a pang of disappointment in Gabriella's stomach as she stared blankly up at the setting sky, even if it looked more like a bruise with shades of purple and black than the beautiful portrait she was used to seeing every night in Albuquerque. Her tiny body sighed before glancing at her friend who was staring at her in a way that she didn't recognize. A crooked smile crossed across his tan features, causing her to reflexively force out a small smile as well.
"What… do I still have spaghetti on my face or something?" She questioned while bringing her tiny fingers to her smooth cheeks and attempting to wipe away the food that was not there.
"Nah… you just look cute right now." Eric complemented brightly, referring to the dark washed jeans with a grey tank top and ruby long-sleeved shirt that curved to her body. She wanted to look nice for Joe, since she hadn't seen him in ages. Even though that was the last thing she had to do, since both he and Eric came in normal blue jeans, but Eric wore an ivory long sleeved shirt that amplified his tan skin.
Dinner went smoothly, Jose seemed to be getting more relaxed with each day that passed as Gabriella was there. And she was beginning to talk to him more, besides awkward conversations. Eric's dad was just as outgoing as his son was, Gabriella remembering that Eric's older sister was in college, so she didn't live with them anymore. And his mother died when he was ten years old. That just wasn't brought up at all though. The meal seemed to be extremely upbeat, the guys talking about the football game the Wildcats won the previous night, though Gabriella hadn't attended it much to Sharpay and Taylor's protests. Instead, she completely finished unpacking and organizing her large room. It finally began to feel like she was settling in her new home.
"Ummm…thanks?" Gabriella blushed the color of her shirt embarrassed at his praise. It seemed that both were getting so comfortable around each other that it was easy to shoot compliments like that. Though it was strange, because Gabriella wasn't used to having a lot of guy friends. But being around Eric was just so… natural that it wasn't like she had to try at all. Her shell had been cracked around him, and after the first few days it had almost been like they had been friends all along.
Overall, the first week in Crescent City was better than she expected.
Well, minus the fact that the guy she couldn't stop thinking about wouldn't talk to her.
"You're welcome. I'm still pissed off at you for not going last night though." He smirked teasingly at her as the shadows of the emerald trees danced across his face. They were enclosed by the deep shades of vegetation that surrounded the Victorian home, just resting and being around each other. Just as natural as breathing. Thought Gabriella's mind spun with desire for a certain knowledge that she could not quench.
"You'll get over it." Gabriella responded confidently, noting the haze of stars that were beginning to come out. The glow of the flashing TV was illuminating through the bay window. Jose and Joe were watching the football game that was on that evening, both parents' favorite thing to do, besides hunt.
"Maybe. Or I'll just stop talking to you and you'll have to deal with pink bitch on your own." He referred to Sharpay.
"Hey… I like her. I don't get why you don't." Gabriella giggled at how annoyed he was at her. The only thing more amusing listening to that was listening to Sharpay rant about him. That got deadly.
"She just easy to annoy. If she's gonna let me push her buttons, then I'll push them." He grinned happily at Gabriella, though she didn't notice the desirable twinkle in his dark brown eyes as he gazed upon her.
"So if I was easily angered, would you make fun of me all the time?" Gabriella questioned as her slender body squirmed in the cotton grass.
Eric shook his attractive head. "Nope. I like you too damn much."
Gabriella didn't catch how true that really was. Instead, her thin fingers played with a black blade of grass that stuck up at an awkward angle. Her neck was beginning to get sore from turning to look at him as they lay in the grass lazily. Too much was on her mind. She wanted to ask him the question that had been circling around her head like a tornado ever since the information was revealed yesterday. If anyone would tell her, it would be Eric… right? Taylor was too close to Chad and Sharpay would just gossip if she got the wrong idea. I'd be so simple to ask him… "What happened to Troy Bolton's parents?"
Eric's dark eyebrows scrunched in his shadows. "What do you mean?"
She took a deep breath that rattled her pencil thin ribcage. "You said yesterday he was adopted. What happened to his parents?"
The football star's face tilted at her perplexed. She assumed it was strange for Gabriella to ask a random question such as that, but she was extremely curious. Troy Bolton wouldn't leave the cracks of her mind, so she wanted to know everything she could, even if she didn't talk to him. Maybe that was why she was so interested, was because the mystery of him was so overwhelming it was beginning to surface in her dreams. He had been surfacing in her dreams ever since Monday night. The whisper of his name was so intoxicating that it was hard to resist thinking about. Fantasizing what it would be like to have him speak her name in the velvet voice that belonged to him. "Why do you ask?"
Gabriella's narrow shoulders shrugged, feeling the tickle of the blades of grass on her neck. "Just wondering."
That seemed to satisfy Eric for an answer. "I don't know the story that well. I know he lived in Tucson until he was eight. His parents were in a car accident when he was really young. Dr. Carson and the Mrs. took him in when they did. No one really wants to bring it up to him though. The Carsons are super young though. His mom is hot."
That made Gabriella's eyes roll obnoxiously. He was such a guy. "How young?"
"I dunno… like thirty-three or something." Eric shrugged off before returning to his curious gaze at her. "Why do you wanna know so badly about Bolton anyways?"
Because he's the most beautiful thing in the world. "No reason."
Eric's comforting eyes stared distantly off into the sky above him as though he was in deep thought. "We're like friends… but I dunno. We don't talk that much."
A door creaked open in the distance, causing Gabriella to finally realize that night had completely fallen. Her pupils dilated when a stretch of yellow light crossed her smooth face and her thin body sat up. The football captain followed her lead as a man with a tight black ponytail limped out of the house with Jose at his side. "Those damn Chargers don't know how to play defense." A booming voice complained as the two older men walked towards the teenagers that were now standing up.
"You two having fun?" Jose questioned with a bright grin on his face.
"Ehhh… my Saturday wasn't THAT ruined." Eric joked before Gabriella's eyes grew to the size of the hidden moon.
"Hey!" She whined before feeling a scorching burn on her arms as his long limb wrapped around hers. His skin was always so hot, which she could expect because he was so good looking. If his touch was this hot… she couldn't imagine how Troy Bolton's skin would feel against her. She wanted to know though. Craved to feel the sensation of an angel's touch on her.
"Kidding." He responded after giving her a tight squeeze she took as friendly and then dropped his hand.
"So… you'll be over when the fuel pump comes in, right?" Jose asked for a conformation, Gabriella remembering the dinner conversation of Eric offering to put a new fuel pump in when it came in the mail. She didn't mind, she loved spending time with her new friend.
"Sure thing." Eric beamed his glorious smile. "Even if I do have to be around Gabs."
Gabriella had no idea how much he actually wanted to be around her.
"Are you sure you don't want me to give you a ride home or something?"
Gabriella stared distantly at the taunting truck that caused a grey haze through the pouring rain from the steps of East High. The large sign stating the school's name protected the three students from getting drenched, but Gabriella wasn't all so confident. Her dumb truck decided to cut out about ten feet away from the parking lot this morning, and with the help of Taylor's handy boyfriend who was standing beside Gabriella, they were able to push it into the parking lot. Now, she was all too fearful that it would cut again… in the monsoon that was coming down in buckets.
"Umm… I think I'll be okay. It's only like two miles…Thanks Chad." Her weary smile attempted to convince him, though it was very unsuccessful.
Taylor hadn't lied when she said that Gabriella would love him. From the three times that she had experienced being around Chad Danforth, she had concluded he was one of the most energetic and excited guys she had ever met. He seemed to always be pumped up about something, which seemed to bring everyone else into a good mood around him. She liked him, a lot. And he seemed to take to her extremely well, so well that it surprised her. The population at East High most definitely seemed to take to her better than at her last school. It was difficult to get used to. "What are you going to do when the piece of shit cuts out?"
Gabriella's meager shoulders shrugged as though she wasn't concerned. "I'll call Jose. He can pick me up when he gets off."
Chad's black ringlets sprung when he shook his head vigorously. "No way in hell. I'm taking you home."
She already felt guilty enough that she was keeping Chad from the date that Taylor had described earlier today. They hadn't spent any time together all weekend, and from the anxious look on Taylor's face right now, it was that she wanted to help her friend, but she also wanted to be with her boyfriend. Gabriella wasn't one to intrude. "Chad… it's totally fine. So what if I have to push the car like ten feet in the rain? It's not a big deal, I swear."
Chad looked at her skeptically before letting out a defeated sigh; his black beady eyes obviously lost the battle he was fighting with her. "Whatever you say I guess."
Taylor gave Gabriella a thankful, yet concerned smile. "If something happens just give us a call."
The mocha eyes rolled. "There's nothing that's gonna go wrong. You seriously sound like I'm crossing the Black Sea on a paddle boat."
"It's probably just as wet." Chad mumbled sarcastically.
"I'll see you guys later." Gabriella's weak smile painted onto her face as she gave a nervous wave.
Gripping her brown jacket tightly to her body, Gabriella used her slender legs to propel her towards what seemed like the death sentence. Her feet sloshed in the puddles as rain pelted down onto her back. She made it to her broken truck in less than ten seconds, stumbling into the driver's seat and slamming the door with force. She situated herself before glancing in her dirty review mirror, to let her heart jump out of her chest.
Standing just where she was a few seconds ago was the only one who was able to remain welded in her mind for the entire past week. Though the sheets of rain that hammered onto her car were almost blinding her, she could see his gaze in the direction of her car as Chad's hands were working wildly around. What was he doing? Gabriella's heart began to keep beat with the thundering rain outside. It was just the reaction that always came from her when Troy Bolton was around.
Curiosity was written across her face as his muscular silhouette sprinted towards where Gabriella viewed his Audi was earlier. She frowned; dissatisfied that he had disappeared from her view. But with shaking hands, she put the keys into the ignition, holding her breath and prayed.
The engine roared to life.
"Thank you." Gabriella heaved out as she threw the car into reverse and backed out of the parking space she was in. She was almost fearful when the rain crashed down onto the head of her truck as though it was hail. Timidly, she pulled up to the stop sign that led to the road, just before her eyes quickly shot to the rearview mirror against to have her own personal heart attack.
The black Audi was stationed behind her with sparkling blue eyes sending lasers into her car. And his blinker was in the same direction as hers.
Oh shit.
Gabriella pulled out of the school and chugged along the sloppy road. Why couldn't her car be any faster? Here was the gorgeous God, following her in his car that belonged in a museum it was so perfect, and yet he would not pass her. Gabriella was just waiting for the flash of midnight to zoom by, because obviously she was not going up to speeds that she had seen him take before. He was a speeder, and now he was going two below the speed limit. It was beginning to irritate Gabriella to no end.
"Just fucking pass me!" Gabriella practically screamed her road rage into her dashboard. Her fingers twitched uncontrollably as Troy Bolton's faint worthy eyes kept protruding through her mirror. She couldn't get it. First he wouldn't talk to her during school, now he wouldn't pass her on the road? Why couldn't he just break her out of her embarrassment right now and pass her?
That was an easy question. Because fate had different plans for her.
The engine began to cough uncontrollably. "No… please no…" Gabriella begged as the car began to reduce speed. Her brown eyes grew wide. Why was this happening now? She had just gotten a mile and quarter out. Why was this dying now with only so little distance left? The truck continued to decrease until Gabriella finally caved. She put her blinker on and pulled to the side of the road, the expensive Audi zooming past her with ease. Great, as if this couldn't get any worse. She was stuck three quarters of a mile away from home, with a broken truck and the boy who wouldn't leave her thoughts just saw her in a mortifying experience. It couldn't get worse.
Oh yeah, it was raining. Stupid, stupid rain!
A depressed sigh escaped Gabriella thin lips as she pressed her heated forehead to the steering wheel. There was nothing left to do but drown in her misery, literally. She lifted her heavy head and turned mechanically towards the door after putting the car into neutral, not even noticing the headlights illuminating in the distance. The last thing she wanted was for Chad and Taylor to say 'I told you so', so she refused to take her cell phone out.
Not even being out in the icy rain for ten seconds and Gabriella was already soaked to her bones. Her midnight hair matted against her face as she came around the bed of the truck, her brown eyes blinding her from the rain that pelted onto her clean jacket. Gabriella's bones were already rattling as she pressed her tiny fingers against the slimy surface of the back of the truck, feeling the resistance as she pushed her slender shoulder against the bed. The truck groaned in rebellion before inching forward slowly. It was going to be a long walk home.
Her brown eyes welded shut as she pushed, pretending she was back in Albuquerque outside with her mother in the blistering New Mexican sun. Instead of focusing on the icy trail of water that streamed down her cheek, she imaged just absorbing the rays and looking out over the beautiful horizon that wasn't infested with too green plants. Her lids flickered as the pressure of the frozen rain slid down her face, her mind completely filled with remembering thoughts of her past life until she heard the sound of an angel.
"Do you want help?"
Immediately, her mocha eyes ripped open and almost fell out of their sockets from the shock. Standing above her, rain dripping through his appeared black hair, was a god with his beautiful hands shoved inside his pockets. His wet skin glistened beneath the smoky clouds, once again reminding Gabriella that he was sparkling like a diamond. This was a dream. This had to be a dream. There was no way he had just said something to her. The ocean waves of his eyes gazed hypnotically at her, actually causing her meager leg to loose balance and crash down to her butt harshly. "Shit!" The rough gravel pierced through her stiff jeans, but she wouldn't take her wanting eyes off the delicious body.
Troy reacted immediately, bending towards her fallen figure with concern written on his flawless face. This was most definitely a dream. He would never come talk to her, she must have fallen asleep at the wheel or something. Or maybe her truck crashed into one of the obnoxiously lush trees. That had to be the only explanation. But then the stunning creature spoke again, letting his velvet voice rap around her slender body while his ceruleans gazed intently into her coffee. The stare almost knocked her backwards once again. "Are you okay?"
Gabriella couldn't feel her tongue. It seemed that just his smooth voice was enough to chop it off. It also took up until this moment to realize that she hadn't taken in oxygen at least for the past thirty seconds. Doing her best to focus on reality and not get lost in his scrutiny, Gabriella scrambled to grip the edge of the truck for support. "My truck's fuel pump is broken, I'm stranded a mile away from home, and I'm soaked... Does it look like I'm okay?"
The crooked smile that Gabriella loved so much flashed onto his face through the wall of rain. It was the first thing she had ever said to him, and he seemed to be most amused by it. She struggled and slipped until her shoes caught hold on the ground, still unable to take her eyes off the angel that was brought upon her. "Sorry… I should have known."
God, why was his voice this sexy? She never in her wildest dreams could have ever expected him talking to her to feel this good. The inborn shyness began to bleed through her clothes again, causing the familiar blush that was always shown whenever he was around to resurface. Though her irritation would not be subsided. He had waited a week and a half to actually say something to her. Maybe he was just being nice for right now and then go back to ignoring her.
"So… you said it's a mile?" Troy asked, well… had to yell really over the slamming rain. That hit a pain in her flat stomach. The momentary loss in his spellbinding orbs made her forget all about having to push the dirty truck all by herself.
"Uh huh." He seemed to be doing a really good job of tearing her voice box out.
The flash of the uneven smirk again almost caused her to slip and fall for the second time in the past three minutes. "We'd better get started then."
Wait… what? Gabriella's already shivering body froze from the shock. "We?" She questioned in a tiny voice that was worthy of a mouse.
Troy put his now chapped hands from the rain onto the back of the truck and raised a dark eyebrow. "You didn't think I was gonna let you do this by yourself did you?"
"I can do it." Gabriella shot back as though it was an insult to her strength. Well, it wasn't saying much because she wasn't strong at all. But it still bothering her how he just suddenly decided to talk to her out of the blue. Not that Gabriella minded but why should he control when they conversed and when they didn't? Who gave him the power stick?
"You're going to push a two thousand pound truck a mile by yourself?" This seemed to entertain him, which made Gabriella slightly angrier. But the way he said that made her believe that the task would be impossible. She would most likely run off into the ditch or something. Idiotic know it all basketball captain.
"It's in neutral." Gabriella shot back as though that would make everything better.
Troy rolled his perfect eyes before shaking his head. "I'm not standing in the rain just for you to tell me you can push it alone."
"What about your car?" Her head whisked around in search of the black Audi that could not be seen.
"It's in the trees… it'll be fine… don't' worry about it." Troy attempted to convince her, which wasn't very hard with the kneel caving smirk that crossed his completion that no money could value it's worth. She let out a rattled sigh, knowing she had lost.
The decision was final. "Fine." Gabriella grumbled before the two of them began to push against the resisting truck.
After a few hundred feet, they had finally worked it out that each would push part of the truck that separated the backseat from the bed, so they could gain more control. She couldn't help but admit that it was so much easier with a helping hand, not to mention a strong male, pushing with her. "Troy, by the way." His silky voice yelled over the pounding of the rain that was beginning to pool in the empty space of the dirty truck.
Gabriella's black brow narrowed perplexed. "What?" She called back before the shine of Troy's sparkling white teeth almost blinded her.
"I'm Troy Bolton." It took her a moment until she realized that this was the first actual introduction they had. She couldn't help but remember her daydreams of first saying words to him. They all seemed to be where she was dry and not muddy, but heck… just gazing upon him dripping in the rain was well worth it. She had seen the incredible Mexican beaches; she had seen portrait setting suns. But none could compare to the beauty of the basketball captain whose features seemed to be amplified whilst he was wet.
Another flood of red blush built in her rosy cheeks as she noted the tiny water droplets that were collecting in his long eyelashes. Even though she was still irritated with him, she couldn't deny how her stomach erupted in butterflies. "Gabriella Montez."
Troy chuckled an earth shattering laugh before twitching his soaking eyebrows. "I knew that."
There it was again. He was making her insides squirm with delight as they continued to push through the sheets of rain that pelted onto their bodies harshly. But it seemed that she couldn't feel the cold anymore, for just his presences seemed to keep her at ease. After what felt like four miles, they crept up towards the white Victorian, listening to the truck groan and shake as they finally pushed it under the gigantic tree that shielded them from the storm. Gabriella then silently led him to the front door, under the protection of the porch.
"Err… thanks." Gabriella awkwardly mumbled, yet being with him was anything but awkward. It was just in her nature not to know what to say. Especially in the situation of pushing one's broken truck to their house for a mile.
Troy's stringing hair whipped off his gorgeous forehead, Gabriella's heart melting at the sight. "Don't worry about it."
Their smiles matched as they made eye contact, Gabriella drowning in the oceans he was providing. "Do you… want a towel or something?"
Troy shook his head, but his grin was thankful. "Nah… I just have to go back out in it anyways."
Even if she was angry for not talking to her, she was still concerned for this model's health. "You can just wait until my dad gets home… I'm sure he'd give you a ride."
Once again, Troy flashed a smile of gratitude. Why was he so perfect? Why was she so inferior? Being around him just felt like breathing, yet it intimidated her… in the good way. He was like a drug that she couldn't get enough of, and she secretly prayed that he would agree to stay here with her. All of her fantasies, all of her dreams were nothing compared to the unbelievable reality of Troy Bolton standing on her front porch. It was unreal.
"I'll be okay," his voice was like walking through a tunnel of satin. "But do me a favor…"
Gabriella's black eyebrows narrowed curiously as he took two steps backwards, she already felt the heat on her body retreat with him. "Okay?"
"Try to stay on your own two feet for one night. You're like a magnet for accidents." He joked before Gabriella released the daggers from their cages through her eyes in a glare.
With that he turned around and began his skilled jog out into the drenching monsoon. Gabriella's soaked locks pressed up against the front door as she continued to watch him, her daydreams of him already flooding her head again. Her cinnamon eyes were stationed on him until the silhouette of his presence disappeared.
