1
The three girls seemingly didn't even care about the car as they stopped right in the middle of the street, excitedly laughing at some apparently hilarious joke and Troy's left hand tightened on the wheel while making his R8 Spyder come to a stop. He cocked his head to the side when one of the girls blew him a kiss before they all laughed loudly while finishing crossing the street. His eyes followed one of the girls' prominent backside clad in very tight, short shorts before shaking his head and slowly getting the car to go again through the busy streets, ready to stop hurriedly for the umpteenth time for careless pedestrians, who obviously didn't care about getting hit or not.
"Is it always like this?"
He briefly looked over at the young girl sitting next to him before frowning. It's been almost a year since he came down town but yes, he thought, it's always been like this for as long as he could remember. Bowen island had always been a small city with only two five-star hotels, three locally, privately owned businesses that included a movie theatre, his family's media company and a small but prestigious mall. It was one of these towns where luxury lived right across from poverty but no one seemed to care as it had become the norm and everyday life.
But here, in the big city of Cornwell, life was anything but blend and normal. From the tall buildings, the streets lighted with bright, neon lights that hurt the eyes, to the obscene prices for the most basic things, it was a place of many forbidden pleasures where everyone from all ages came to unwind. TV shows and movies were filmed there for the breathtaking views and tourists often called it a second home. From the exciting attractions to the eventful night life, there was always something different to do and it was always non-stop.
"You never came here before?" He asked quietly, still concentrating on driving slowly.
"We moved to Bowen only a couple months ago," Gabriella replied. "I haven't really had time for tourism."
Troy bobbed his head. "So that's why I haven't met you before!" Gabriella sent him a side look and he continued, "In case you didn't notice, everyone knows everyone in Bowen. Specially the young community. There's not much to do other than clubbing and surfing so, they tend to stick together."
Gabriella stayed pensive for a second. "That explains why there were so many people at the party."
"That and because my sister and brother are..." He paused, thinking about his words. "Popular? Do you kids still use that word nowadays?"
Gabriella replied with a pointed look and Troy laughed. He took advantage of the red lights to look at the girl sitting next to him. She was clutching her bag placed on her knees while eagerly looking all around her, her big brown eyes shining with curiosity. His stare roamed from her lightly brown legs that he could see with the dress pulling up, to finally rest on her chest.
She wasn't big chested but she wasn't flat either. His stare went back down, following the arch of her back this time and he promised himself to get a better look of that part of her body, once they would get off the car. He didn't really pay attention to her when he first saw her in his mother's house, too preoccupied with trying to prevent the cat fight from happening but from the curves he could clearly see through her dress, he could guess, her lower body was way more prominent than her upper part.
She looked nothing like the girls his sister usually hung out with and Troy wasn't surprised that Sharpay didn't like her. But he hadn't expected her to be so feisty, standing up to his sister, giving back just as hard as she was receiving it. She looked so petite and frail. He knew it was none of his business but he just couldn't resist going to her when he saw Ryan go up the stairs to yell at Sharpay, leaving her standing alone on the sidewalk.
He was sure his best friend and mother would be furious at him for ditching the party but he couldn't care less at this exact moment. When he decided to go make sure she was okay, he wasn't planning on leaving with her. He followed the course of their conversation and was amused with all the indecisiveness and deep thoughts he could read go on her face. He wondered if she was aware that all her emotions were so easily readable.
A loud and impatient honk brought him back, forcing him to take his eyes away from Gabriella and he looked at the car behind him through the front mirror, before he started driving again
"Where are you from?" He asked in a conversational tone.
A short moment of silence went by before Gabriella finally whispered. "Whistler."
Troy half turned to look at her with his frowns curving down, wondering if he had imagined the sadness he heard in her voice. "You miss it?" He asked.
She looked at him briefly before shrugging and looking back at the streets again. "I was forced to leave everything behind," she whispered again. "My childhood, my friends..." A heavy sigh came out of her chest as her head lowered forlornly and Troy knew that her sadness was real. But before he could say anything, she had already pulled herself up and forced a smile. "So, where exactly are we going?"
"Kapaow." The young man answered, deciding to let his curiosity about her go. "It's an underground club not far from here."
"Underground? There is a cave after all." He caught her staring at him with her eyes big again before she guffawed. He admired her bright smile and realized it was the first time he'd seen her laugh and decided that it looked good on her.
"I wouldn't call it a cave," he started softly, his eyes going back to the road before smiling himself as Gabriella's joyful giggle was quite infectious. He had no idea what she was laughing about but he definitely liked hearing it. "But definitely under earth. Who knew such thing could exist around here, hey?"
"Preposterous," she replied, faking being shocked. She took long deep breaths to calm down.
"I have a friend who is performing tonight." Troy spoke again. "I had to cancel because of my siblings' party but I thought you'd might like it."
"And why would you think that?"
"I don't know," he shrugged before adding in a playful tone. "A little bird, most likely." He chuckled when she rolled her eyes at him. "But of course, if you don't like it just tell me and we'll leave."
She took a second before speaking again, thoughtful. "Will I need an ID to get in?"
Troy smiled lightly as he caught her biting into her lower lip. "It's a private club, so it's invite only. My friend back at my parents' was supposed to come with me but again, you make for a much more pleasant plus one."
He turned the car to their left and caught just in time the little grin she quickly hid by bringing her head down while her fingers played with the straps of her purse.
"What kind of music does your friend play?"She had spoken so softly, he thought he imagined it.
"Indie... pop... who knows? I'm just going to support her. She just formed her band and as I haven't listened to them play yet." Only silence came back at him and he gazed to her side to see her staring at him with what he could read as wonder. "What?"
"Nothing," she sighed. He felt her hesitating before she spoke again. "So you don't live in Bowen with the twins?" She asked before biting her lower lip again.
He took the time to wonder about how she managed to look both so beautiful and sexually arousing doing that before he answered. "No, I am studying astronomy at the institute of Squamish. So, I live there."
A simple 'Oh!' was all he got for answer and he wished he could see her face to read her thoughts but had to concentrate on the driving as their destination came into view. They both stayed quiet as he drove through the underground parking and he only turned to look at her once he found a free space. Now, the light in the lot was very bright and he smiled when for the first time in the night, he clearly saw her face. And he felt really glad to see how very, truly beautiful she was.
She had long raven hair that curled down her back and framed her face with a little dimple on her chin. Her eyes were even more brown than he anticipated and so much more sharp as she looked straight back at him. He gazed at her cheeks getting a little crimson and he felt his fingers itch, urging him to touch her skin to know if it were as soft and perfect as it looked.
When he looked down at her lips, he couldn't help but feel a little appreciative. They were full, lightly shining from the pink lip gloss she had just applied while he was looking for the parking space. He remembered how she constantly liked to bite into the lower one and he cocked his head, wondering how they would taste, if he nibbled on them. A man's blood could boil and go south under such attractive lips.
Troy blinked when she asked him what was wrong and he scratched the back of his neck embarrassingly. What would she say if he admitted he wanted to taste her lips?
"Sorry." He quickly opened his door and jumped out of the car to run over to her side. She had already begun to open the door when he grabbed it. "Please."
He smiled while offering his hand to her. She looked at him suspiciously at first, before hesitantly accepting his hand as a support for her to get out.
"I thought chivalry was dead," she mumbled while using her left hand to remove the wrinkles on her dress and trying to bring it further down her knees.
"I'm bringing it back to life," he mumbled back while closing the door.
He pressed on his key remote to close the top and lock his car but couldn't prevent his eyes from checking the young girl out, his appreciative look going down her back to her bouncy feature as she walked in front of him. And it was with displeasure that he turned his stare away to accept the handshake followed by the man-hug the bouncer, standing in front of the elevators that were going to bring them further down underground, was giving him with a friendly shout.
"Troy, my man!" The ex body builder smiled to him and Troy realized that the big guy still hadn't replaced the front tooth he had lost in a fight a while back. Which in a way made him seem so much more frightening. "What it do, bruh? What it do?"
"Not much, Frank!" Troy replied with the same warmth in his tone. "Same shit, different day."
"I hear you, son. But how come we don't see y'round here no mo'?"
"Gotta go on about my studies, man." The young man kept his laughter in as he saw the rugged face of his friend scrunch up at his reply and he hurriedly placed his hand around Gabriella's waist to bring her from standing behind him. "Cathy said she's playing tonight."
He didn't react when he felt Gabriella's body tighten against him but simply held her waist stronger. He vaguely caught her breathing getting faster and felt satisfied when she played along and brought her right hand to rest on his shoulder after allowing her body to relax against him. He found warmth in the embrace and instinctively brought her even closer to his. As he expected, Frank's face quickly got back to the scary and unfriendly bouncer he was supposed to be as he got the message. He simply nodded before bobbing his chin in Gabriella's direction.
"She yo' plus one?"
Troy lowered his gaze to the nice looking girl still clad against him and caught her eyes that were flying eagerly between him and the bouncer. As he had predicted, she was swallowing each and every word they were saying and the quicker he got her into the elevator, the better it'd be. So he simply acquiesced.
"Well then," Frank replied before stepping to the side and pushing a button on the wall. The doors opened and the large man showed them the way in. "Have a good night, bruh!"
They both stayed silent as they got in and started going down in a slow shaking movement. Gabriella kept her hands to herself, doing her best not to touch the crusty looking metal cage she had just stepped into. There were colourful graffiti entangled with drawings of suggestive body parts and she frowned, her heart hammering when she wondered if she didn't make a mistake following him there. Even the guy guarding the elevator looked scary with his missing tooth and scar that ran along his jaw. She gulped.
"Are you sure there's a club down there?" Troy heard the nervousness in her voice and followed her movement when she patted her bag before looking up at him. "I still got my mace, you know?"
He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the metal wall, sending her a serious look.
"Little piece of advice: never tell a potential assailant that you are armed," she opened her mouth to retort but he continued, unperturbed. "By telling, you're letting him know how he can better attack you and how to defend himself against you."
"Knowing I am armed would make him change his mind about attacking me," she refuted anyway, seemingly sure of herself.
"No, it doesn't," Troy replied calmly. "It just ruins the effect of surprise you'd have on him otherwise. Besides," he continued, relaxed and consciously lowering his voice while taking a step closer to her in the already small space. "You had already made your first mistake."
He watched her swallow but strangely, didn't walk away from him. Just her breath picked up and he watched her chest go up and down before he deepened his stare in her captivating eyes again.
"And what was that?" She asked, almost breathlessly.
"You got in the car with me and allowed me to bring you to an unknown place." He stopped at only one foot of distance between them. None of them shifted their gaze away and if he didn't know better, he could have easily categorized that sudden tension that had formed between them as being sexual. He had more than enough experience with one night stands to recognize when a girl was prime and ready for him. "If I were planning on hurting you, your threat of having mace wouldn't be enough to stop me. You have no idea if there's really a club down there and I could do whatever I want to you right here, and there'd be no one to help you escape."
He wasn't exactly sure what game he was playing with her; he surely didn't want her to think he was about to assault her. But it was too damn tempting to see how she would react to him, his proximity and his words. And at this point, any normal girl would probably have fear written on her face but she, somehow, seemed mesmerized by him. And he found her fascinating. The part of his brain controlling his libido remembered the heat they shared when he held her against him a minute ago and a strong desire to cage her against the wall of the elevator to kiss her senseless took a hold on him.
"Are you planning on doing something bad to me?" She asked him slowly, her brazen eyes almost daring him.
'Nothing that would bring you pain. Just pleasure.' The answer immediately came up his mind from being trained to get girls into his webs and bed. He took yet another step closer and got a whiff of her very subtle perfume and he knew he wanted her in his bed.
A fresh new bolt of desire shot through him and he breathed in deeply, shaken by the intensity of it. Without her heels and big hair, she was just a tiny little girl who looked barely above sixteen years old but her attitude and defiance were just as big as a full moon on a clear night. He found nothing more attractive than a girl with a strong character. Hey, he couldn't blame himself for wanting her, could he? Although she wasn't exactly the kind he usually went for –tall, big chested and more experienced was what usually caught his eyes-but he wasn't blind or tasteless enough not to recognize that she was gorgeous. And there was just enough confidence in her to sway him and just enough innocence in her attitude to hold him off.
He would just kiss her, he decided, to judge her level of experience and see what happens. He took another dive in her deep hazel eyes and expertly recognized that by the way her breath itched, her lips slightly parted, that anything was possible. He wet his lips.
"You're a fearless little girl, aren't you?"
Gabriella snickered as it was all she could manage. She couldn't think or move and she was certain that no coherent word would come out of her if she tried. It was the very first time she found herself in this situation and she could barely control herself from shaking like a leaf.
Fearless was far from what she felt. Mesmerized, daring but not fearless. Actually, she's never been more scared in her life. Not of everything he just said about the possibility of being assaulted but by all the turmoil she was going through. She wanted for him to kiss her. So badly her insides curled with pain. She would later realize that was really out of character for her but the whole night, she had been out of character beginning with drinking spiked punch to getting in a car with a guy she didn't even know.
Now, being kissed in a shady, unsteady elevator made of raw metal was the least outrageous thing she could think of herself doing. She didn't realize when she took a step toward him to offer him her lips but trembled even more when their bodies touched for the second time in the night. And for the second time, she felt her knees threaten to give out from underneath her.
He was reaching out for her but she let out a startled gasp when a loud noise was made after the elevator shook even more as it came to an abrupt stop and the doors chimed in to give them way inside the club. Loud music surrounded them along with excited chatter. As if given a cue, they parted from each other.
Troy had no idea how long they stood still, simply looking deeply at each other, both aware of what almost happened. He let his hand fall from reaching her to block the doors of the elevator that were closing in again.
"Saved by the bell." He said in a throaty voice, trying to be as nonchalant as he could while struggling to repress his frustrations. He simply linked her fingers in his and stepped forward, gently nuzzling her to follow him. "Let's go have some fun." He murmured.
Gabriella had no idea what the inside of a regular nightclub looked like and even less what an underground, private one was about. As the first wave of uncertainty and fear washed over her when she saw the crude, rudimentary look of the elevators, she really didn't expect much. So, when she stepped into a luxurious and sophisticated room, she paused for a moment, admiring the beauty of the place.
It was evident that a lot of money had been invested to make the club so splendid. From the high ceiling where four Chrystal chandeliers were suspended casting down ethereal light on the caramel coloured tables and comfy chairs underneath. The tables were strategically placed from small to big, calling out for either lover's intimacy or group parties.
She felt a light breeze flow down her skin and gently lift her dress and she realized that although they were probably deep under earth, the ventilation was perfectly working, preventing the air from being stale. A large bar was located on the far left, surrounded by comfy stools of the same colours as the tables and chairs. A bartender was expertly spinning bottles and mixing drinks for patrons, young and old, clad in the latest fashions. The wall behind the bar displayed a limitless amount of drinks and glasses to end up next to a door where women dressed in very little, were coming in and out of with silver platters filled with hors-d'oeuvres.
Big TV screens were installed on each corner of the room but were silent to allow the audience to fully appreciate the band playing on the big stage located on the right hand side. All the details matched each other in the beautiful designs in a fleury of colours and artistry. From the brown accents of the chairs that matched the bar, to the black candle holders on the table that let out gentle camomile scents around them. She supposed the few amount of people present was due to the fact that it was a private club and estimated about twelve man and women, minus the personal.
Gabriella watched with silent amazement the ease with which Troy chatted with almost everyone. Starting with the girl who greeted them right at they stepped out of the elevators and she wondered how many times he had been in this place for he was recognized immediately by many. With an elegance and ease she noted as being natural, he shook hands, laughed at jokes and complimented the waitresses on their beauty and attire. And all of that, without not once letting go of her fingers linked with his.
She had stepped behind him, only smiling and nodding as he was telling her different names. The first time, he introduced her as his friend. It was only then that she realized that she never actually told him her name and that he never asked her directly. She mentioned it a few times while shaking hands here and there. She studied his quiet demeanour while he was patiently listening to a man- probably in his early fifties- talk about some stocks he had purchased in his family's company and she admired his confident stance and strong aura. She simply couldn't deny the powerful pull he had on her.
When they finally reached an empty table at the quietest part of the room, she sighed of relief and giggled. "Wow! Do you really know everyone here?"
Troy took the time to complete their order after he asked her what she wanted to drink and ordered her a glass of Coke and a beer for himself along with some finger food.
"I grew up and went to school with half these people," he finally replied, turning his stare back on her. "The other half knows me because of my family but whether I want it or not, I can't just ignore them."
Gabriella nodded, realizing how powerful and influential his family must be. It never occurred to her that the twins must also enjoy the same influence that came with their names and she understood better why they acted as if the world should beat upon their only rhythm. She felt slightly uncomfortable, realizing that the boy sitting across from her was born in money and luxury and that was why he was so at ease in a place like this. Was he arrogant and high-handed like the twins? Maybe not since he actually apologized for his sister's behaviour and came outside to make sure she was okay.
But one thing remained true: she was nothing like him. He was obviously much older, was probably already financially comfortable and ran in circles that were completely unknown to her. Whereas she, she was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth and if her mother didn't marry Henry, she probably would have never known a place like this or even known the twins and Troy. It was funny how everything about her life now revolved around one choice her mother had taken a while back. Talk about ripple effects!
Troy immediately noticed the change of mood in his companion and he wondered what heavy burden made her look so suddenly dejected. He still wanted to kiss her but he knew the magical moment they had in the elevators had passed and that now, he would have to be patient. He planned on taking her up for a dance later on and if the mood was right, test to see if she really was as innocent as she appeared to be. But right this minute, more than anything, he wanted to hear her giggle again. He wasn't sure why, he simply needed to hear it again. He took her hand back in his.
"This is my friend playing," he said with a friendly smile while pointing to the stage where a group made of four girls were letting out soulful music. "Cathy. She's the bassist."
If there was one thing she knew, it was music and Gabriella's attention immediately focused on the group. They were all dressed in various elegant gipsy outfits along with long necklaces and hair bands. She recognized 'Save the last dance for me' by the Drifters and appreciated the changes they made to adapt the higher pitch of the singer to the cover. She paid particular attention to the bass line and guitar riffs. It wasn't the worse thing she'd heard but she wanted to hear a little more before making a final judgement.
She paid a brief second to the waitress bringing them their drinks before looking back at Troy who was taking a long sip out of his beer. She mentally noted that he must be at least 21 because they didn't even card him for the drink. Unless he was such a regular that nobody cared.
"How did you guys meet?" She asked after taking a sip from her glass.
He rose an eyebrow. "Cathy and I?" She nodded and he leaned back into his chair. "We went to prep school together and dated a while."
A tight pressure clawed at her heart but Gabriella ignored it. Her eyes immediately shifted to the blond girl playing the bass and doing background vocals on the stage. Was that the kind of girls he was interested in?
But her voice was even when she asked, "Prep school? Don't tell me you're a St Denis alumnus."
His eyes glistened with humour when he titled his bottle towards her. "Then I won't." He drank some more. "I'm guessing you go there and that's how you know the twins."
"Your sister is very charming." She did her best not to strangle on the word but he caught her tone.
"That's one generous way to describe her. But I guess she's the kind that grows on you, you know?"
They both looked up as the room erupted in applause and Gabriella sat still and simply watched him stand up like everyone else to bring in his applause. She studied his enthusiasm as he whooped and whistled just as loud as everyone else and once again, Gabriella felt a bite a jealousy creep in her heart. She bit her lower lip while cussing at herself. Why was she feeling jealous for? Because she thought he would have kissed her a few minutes earlier? If the doors didn't open, would he really have done it? Would he even be interested in a girl like her?
Her eyes switched back to the beautiful girl he used to date and realized that they were far from being in the same league. That girl was exotic while she felt like she still needed to grow into her own. In comparison to the beauty standing on stage with her golden air, thin body and nicely heart-shaped face, she imagined her inexperience with boys could be an issue for him as he clearly had been dating accomplished women. What could a seventeen year-old virgin bring to his life?
But she decided once again, to ignore the pain and deception brought by the illusion of kissing a mature guy like him and waited until he sat back down to speak again. The light notes of 'under the Boardwalk' begun and she exhaled loudly when she couldn't help but appreciate the nice work of the bass. She may already hate the girl but Gabriella had to admit she knew how to play. From one chord player to another, she had to give props to the blond.
"It's nice that you two stayed friends," she started talking to Troy before adding smartly, "if you guys broke up, of course."
"Since she's been married for a few months now, I'd say we're definitely over."
"Oh!" Gabriella breathed out. Was it normal to feel so happy to hear about another woman being married? She payed attention to Troy speaking again.
"But like I said, when you grow up in a small town like Bowen, it's hard not to end up in the same places all the time. It was just easier to stay friends. Oh, wait. My phone."
He slid his lower body down the chair to grab his phone from his pocket when at the same time, Gabriella felt hers buzz in her bag placed next to her. She was looking for it when she heard Troy cuss under his breath.
"Bad news?"
"Chad, my friend, left the party." His blue eyes looked for Gabriella's and she clearly saw the amused glint in them. "My mother came back and apparently, kicked everyone out." He chuckled while placing his phone back on the table. "She must be fuming."
Gabriella refrained to laugh as she imagined how low the party must have degenerated to and how much trouble his mother mush have had to make everyone leave. And the clean-up they had to do after. She couldn't refrain the shivers at the thought. Maybe she should throw a party of the sort and watch her mother deal with it. She'd probably be grounded for months on end but the only contemplation of it made her so happy.
"Are you in trouble for leaving the party?" She inquired as Troy was replacing the phone back in his pocket.
He scoffed before swallowing another gulp of his drink. "Honey, I haven't been in trouble with my mother for years now. She doesn't even lecture me any more."
"What's your secret?" Gabriella didn't pay attention to his answer as the phone she was holding in her hands but forgot to look at, buzzed again and it was now her turn to curse. She caught Troy's inquisitive stare and apologized.
"That was my friend," she explained. "I left her with her boyfriend back at the party and she's upset that she can't find me." She giggled. "I completely forgot that I didn't tell her tha..." Her fingers were already typing out the reply when she stopped and jumped up on her feet. "Crap! I'm sorry Troy, but I really have to go."
Taken aback by the sudden urgency on her voice, Troy blinked and was about to ask questions but he decided against it. He simply got up his feet. "Okay."
Gabriella had already grabbed her bag when she placed her hand up, trying to stop him. "No, stay here. Support your friend. I'll just grab a cab."
"I'll drive you."
His tone was dry and direct, cutting off her apologies and not allowing Gabriella to protest. He threw a few bills on the table to pay for their drinks and food and, grabbing Gabriella's hand again, he guided her back to the elevators. This time, he managed as best as he could to swerve away from people wanting to talk to him and didn't speak a word even when they both sat in the car and he was driving as fast as he could to get to the address she had given him.
He wanted to ask questions, tell her to stop apologizing for her sudden need to leave and reassure her that no, she didn't spoil his night and was certainly not upset with her. He grumbled that he wouldn't drive back to the club and wanted to punch the wheel when she apologized again. But he controlled himself and bit down his anger.
He wasn't mad at her, not really. He was just frustrated and furious with himself for feeling frustrated. She didn't offer any explanation to why she was such in a hurry but he couldn't help feeling that he deserved one. Or maybe it was because he had already imagined that the night would end up differently with the way she seemed so willing earlier in the elevators and all.
"Turn here," she instructed him when they were near the house.
He did as he was told and even before he completely stopped near the curb, she let out a hurried 'thank you so much' and was already out and sprinting to the house. His jaw ticked. It was the very first time he fancied a girl and didn't end up having what he wanted. He had no idea what to do about his frustrations. Sexual and emotional.
Why was he so upset? The night was still young and he could still manage to get a rump in the sack to calm his nerves down. He actually had a girl he'd been seeing for a couple of weeks now. He could easily booty call her. But as he quietly watched the black haired girl reach the backyard, he painfully realized that he wanted her.
Desire made his groin pulse and he cursed under his breath. He was about to leave when he saw her run back to the car. He stopped and kept his bad mood from exploding. She knocked on the window and poked her head through after he lowered it down.
"My name is Gabriella Montez, by the way. Since you never actually asked."
He swallowed and leaned back against the headrest. "I know, little girl."
She smiled and his heart rejoiced. "Thanks for a great time. Goodnight, Troy."
"Goodnight. Gabriella Montez."
Her name was still spinning in his head when a few minutes later, he was still parked in her street, looking at where she had disappeared to.
2
She was grounded. This wasn't a surprise; her new life on the wild side didn't come with any sacrifice. When she received the text from Taylor asking her to get home as quickly as she could, she knew instantly she was in trouble. But since her mother allowed Taylor to stay the full weekend as previously planned, she knew her mother understood it wasn't Taylor's fault.
Her excuse about getting lost on her way back home didn't suffice to her mother and to close the argument, Gabriella had to admit of her unwillingness to come back early. She had to endure a long and painful lecture about safety, the fact that she was to accept that this was her new home now and that her curfew was now a full hour earlier. From eleven to ten o'clock wasn't so bad, when she thought about it.
But she didn't care. She was fine keeping the truth to herself about where she was and who she was with. It wasn't for a lack of trust in Taylor but she regarded her moment with Troy, and all the new emotions he made her experience, as her little secret. One she wanted to keep preciously, especially if she ever were to see him again. She spent what was left of the weekend remembering and analysing every single minute she spent with him; trying to understand why she felt so intimidated by him. It just didn't make any sense since she liked other boys before and it was nothing like what she experienced with Troy.
She was dying to see him again, see if if he still would leave her so shaken. That's when she realized she should have probably given him her phone number. But would it have made her seem too forward or easy? Would he have called her? But none of that mattered; she was just dying to hear the low drawl in his voice again. To the point where in three different occasions, she almost picked up her phone to call Ryan and ask him a thousand questions about his big brother.
But what would that say of her? Ryan was chasing after her; would he really help her if she confessed being so attracted to his brother that she only met once? Wouldn't she look a little desperate and pathetic to Troy? Who would want to get with someone who stalks you after only spending a few hours with them? It was all just silly. All there was left to do was to cherish that wonderful moment she had and get on with her plans to be unpleasant and unruly to the world as if nothing happened.
And she almost fell on her face, her mouth dropping to the floor when Troy popped in front of her during her free time at school the following Monday. At least, a very different, younger looking version of him. And for a minute, a very short one, she really believed that faith had brought them together... until she remembered that she had been looking at that picture for at least a hundred times since she got to St Denis and had always ignored it.
And now, it's been over a week since she really started paying attention to the wall located at the school entrance where the pictures of all the honoree students were plastered. Some for excelling at a spelling bee, others for being the most handsome quarterback; a few for being the winners at some freaky science fair but him… he was in the hall of fame, with a lopsided grin on his face and a huge trophy in his hands, for being the all-time undefeated high school wrestling team captain ever.
The plaque underneath the picture bore his full name –Troy Bolton, not Evans, interesting, she thought- and based on the date next to it, she concluded that he was just now twenty years old. She could recognize the defined lines of his jaw, his indigo eyes that reminded her of the sky right before the sun set. He seemed to have grown at least two more inches since he was at St Denis and she wondered why he was now carrying his hair so short when then, he was sporting some very long bangs like Ryan was. The barbell he sported must have been very recent as well.
He held the record for winning 3 back-to-back championships, she read for the umpteen time. And if she believed Kelsey, no one had been able to beat it. Not even his brother who now, had replaced him at St Denis. But his footprint was forever imprinted and just like his brother was the it boy now, Troy was even more loved and cherished. The voluble girl -for once that Gabriella actually appreciated Kelsey's constant talking- explained why Troy had a different last name from the twins.
"His real father died when he was just one year old," she said. "Although there's a rumour saying that her mother just had an affair and he was born out of wedlock. But true or not, it happened before she married DA Evans so that's why I guess she decided to give him her maiden name."
Gabriella had shrugged. None of that really mattered to her. He could be called santa claus for all she cared. What really got Kelsey all her attention was the next titbit the petite girl blurted out about the man that had preoccupied her thoughts for the last few days. She explained how he was a really cool dude, befriending everyone until he got really weird and started ditching school. How he disappeared for one full year but only to come back mean, disrespectful and bullying everybody. Then he joined the wrestling team and started to be cool again.
"Word is, he was doing drugs," Kelsey had lowered her voice as if afraid if she spoke louder, the story might actually be real. "But there was no proof whatsoever," she continued, her head slightly bent. "So, again, it just stayed a rumour that even the twins never confirmed. But personally, I doubt it's true," the young girl shrugged, before fixing the handle of her bag over her right shoulder. "But If he really did take drugs, then he actually cleaned up pretty well. I saw him at the Thanksgiving parade last year and he looks so grown up now."
Gabriella had frowned. If anything, Troy Bolton became even more mysterious to her. She turned to Kelsey. "What kind of drugs was he taking?"
"Rumoured to take," Kelsey corrected with her finger up.
Gabriella rolled her eyes and shifted impatiently on her feet. After she had apologized to Kelsey for her bad behaviour a couple of days after their fight in the car, Gabriella made it a personal goal to be nice to her. She was very patient in listening to her long stories while they drove together and even agreed to help her with her maths homework. But sometimes, Kelsey really deserved a slap, specially now. She was impatient to know, damn it!
Gabriella breathed in slowly. "Rumoured to take," she quoted with her fingers.
"Does it really matter?" Kelsey replied with another shrug. "Drugs are drugs. They are bad no matter the kind."
Gabriella's brows shot upwards as she turned to look at her friend – yeah, maybe she deserved to be called that now- and almost laughed. She pouted instead.
"Not really. If he was just snooping in his mother's cabinet, it wouldn't be as effed' up as if he were doing meth or cocaine or even shooting heroin, don't you think?" Kelsey shot her a horrified look and Gabriella had even more trouble suppressing her amused smile. "Or maybe he was just puffing on some Mary Jane and people blew this way out of proportions."
"Oh, it was bad," Kelsey pointed vividly, her eyes wide open behind her glasses. "I am not sure at all what kinds he was supposedly doing, but it completely changed him. He was always mad, fist-fighting all the time and started to lose some serious weight. And the whole thing apparently landed him in jail."
Gabriella held her breath as her heart missed a beat, hearing the words. She stayed still, a cold shiver running on her skin as Kelsey continued. "They say that the year he disappeared was because he got arrested and was sent to juvie."
"This is just gossip, right?" She whispered. Somehow, it was hard for her to associate the person Kelsey was describing to the nice, sweet guy she had met. "I mean, his brother and sister must have denied all of this."
"I've never heard them talk about any of it," Kelsey replied. "Like I said, they never confirmed anything. They all look like to be a pretty tight family who support and protect each other." She got closer to Gabriella and whispered. "I heard it was his step father who cleaned out his criminal records. So, now, with no proof, only Troy and his family know the truth about what really happened to him."
"How do you know all this?" Gabriella spat, suddenly feeling upset. She wasn't sure if she was mad at Kelsey for expanding the gossips even more or at herself for feeling even more curious than before. "He graduated two years ago."
The young girl blushed and mumbled while swiping a strand of her short hair behind her ear. "Everybody knows Troy Bolton." She shrugged and continued. "Besides, his parents are two of the most powerful people in this town. They're always in the public eye and so are their children."
Gabriella breathed out and turned to look at the picture again. After all the awful things she had to go through, the incredible amount of pain she still carried in her heart, never, not even once, did she think about taking drugs. Yes, she had a calendar hidden under her bed with crossed dates, marking the remaining days she had to live on this earth but never had she ever thought of destroying herself with drugs. So, the first question that got her obsessed ever since that day Kelsey told her about Troy was: what happened to him that made him go from drugs to jail?
If any of it were true, of course! Could it be? He seemed so different now. She could never have guessed he'd have such a troubled past that was just not so long ago. If true, did all these things really belong to the past or was he still using? Was the guy she was thinking of so much was nothing more than an addict? Was all of this he went through the reason why he looked and acted so much more mature than his age? Had she really been in danger with him?
"Oh, my therapist would have a field trip with you, Mr. Bolton!" She snickered while looking intently at the picture. "And my mother would climb up the walls if she knew I was seeing someone like you." She smiled evilly at the thought. "But you look so different now. Who is the real Troy Bolton?"
"Still obsessed with this picture, I see." Gabriella's jaw ticked as she heard Kelsey's voice and frowned, when looking around her, she realized that everyone was now in the hallway, hurrying to the cafeteria. How come she didn't hear the bell ring? "Come on, you have to tell me," Kelsey continued cheerfully. "What's up with you and Troy Bolton?"
Gabriella looked at the small girl and rolled her eyes before adjusting her bag over her shoulder and walking away. She knew Kelsey was behind her and she knew she wasn't hearing the last of it. No matter how many rebuttals she got, Kelsey was always all over her case about the reason why she would get so lost scrutinizing a picture. Before, Gabriella would have probably asked her to go where the sun doesn't shine or at least, to shut it if she had nothing new to tell her about the guy she'd been obsessed with.
Kelsey still didn't seem to mind her silences as she always had something to say anyway and it suited Gabriella just fine. And there was no way in this world or any imaginary one would she ever confide in Kelsey. The girl had a thing for gossips and she had no intention of letting people find out her secret. She didn't really care what people would think about it, she just didn't want to share before she had the answers to her questions.
And it was a small town, after all. Kelsey knowing, would mean the whole school would know. The twins would follow suit and before she could prevent it, Troy would know about it too. He had probably forgotten about her existence by now; how embarrassing would that be if he knew he still occupied her thoughts after two whole weeks since the party?
She avoided being hit by two guys running opposite to her and fixed her bangs all over her face while getting in line to get her food tray. You'd think that with all the money parents were paying for their kids to be educated here, the food would be different from the grey mud they usually served in public High School. Nope, still the same old odourless, tasteless and poisonous substance.
Kelsey was still by her side talking about some algebra homework she needed help with and Gabriella groaned her consent to walk her through it while scanning the room, looking for a place to sit. Every single table was filled with chatty teenagers and she made sure she ignored the one where Sharpay and her satanic pawns were. She begun to walk up to a table where a single person was sitting down when she spotted Ryan from the corner of her eyes waving enthusiastically at her.
"Oh, Ryan Evans is waving at you," Kelsey said excitedly as if Gabriella couldn't see that herself. "I think he wants us to go sit with him."
Gabriella sent her an annoyed look, barely restraining herself from complimenting the young girl for her excellent skills of deduction. But Kelsey was already walking up to Ryan and Gabriella sighed heavily as she followed. She could turn away and go sit somewhere else, but she had to admit that she liked to sit next to him just to see how much it enraged Sharpay. She just made sure that Ryan didn't get any funny ideas or any false hope. She would let him put his arm on the back of her chair without leaning unto him but she still firmly refused to go out with him. Although that didn't discourage him from asking from time to time. Funny, how she was pining over the simple picture of a brother, while the other was pining over her, even though she kept on pushing him away. Oh, the beautiful irony of good ol' life!
"Want to go to the movies tonight?" Ryan whispered next to her ear, one arm around her chair, a smile on his face. Gabriella got a whole quart of her mandarin in her mouth, taking her time to chew. "I hear Irene P'Oh is kicking ass in her new movie."
Gabriella hurriedly replaced the piece of fruit she swallowed by another one, to avoid having to answer. "Try not to choke there but I would answer quick if I were you," Ryan continued, chuckling lightly. He obviously understood her tactics and was playing along with her. "Because I won't be able to take you tomorrow." Gabriella peeked at him from the corner of her eyes, still filling up her mouth. "I'm going out of town to my brother's wrestling match and..."
Gabriella had no idea what he said next as she immediately tried to speak but got juice going down the wrong way in her throat and she had no choice but to spit out her mouthful of mandarin to be able to cough. She heard Ryan's concerned voice and felt his hand on her back, trying to help her cough to calm down and she fought hard to regain her normal breathing back. She could see Kelsey's hand passing her some napkin that she quickly grabbed to hide her reddish face as she felt the whole room staring at her heavily.
"Are you alright?" Ryan's worried voice got to her and she turned to look at him through her tears.
"Yes, thank you." She finally could let out in a strangled voice, still intercepted by her coughing. She ignored his comment about telling her not to choke and tried her most innocent look to be able to utter the question she was in such hurry to ask. "Your brother? You have a brother?"
Gabriella caught Kelsey's frowns arching at her question and quickly hit the girl's foot under the table to shut her up. She wasn't going to let her ruin her plans. She would jump over the table and strangle her if need be. But somehow, Kelsey got the message; after the look of pain vanished from her face, she fixed her glasses on top of her nose and buried it in her potage... or whatever it was she was eating.
Unaware of what was happening, Ryan answered. "Yeah, you must have seen him at the party the other day." She sent him a look of oblivion, so he clarified. "He was in the game room with his friend and he was the one standing between you and Shar."
Gabriella mouth opened to form a silent "Aah!" and Ryan continued. "Anyway," he flicked his hair out of his face, "it's the nationals qualification match for him tomorrow. I promised I'd be there."
"Isn't he in college or something?"
"He attends the Institute of astronomy of the University and competes for their national wrestling team."
Gabriella quietly nodded, her lips lightly pouting. She waited a whole second, to make sure she appeared like she was actually thinking about it. "Can I come?"
If the incessant noise in the cafeteria wasn't echoing in her ears, Gabriella would have thought that the world had stopped turning. Ryan was staring at her, eyes wide open, mouth partly parted. His hand stopped in the air in his movement to carry his apple juice bottle to his mouth.
"Y... you want to come? With me?"
She giggled. "Mm mm! If that's okay with you, of course!"
He blinked rapidly. "Man, of course! I just never thought… in a million years... you'd want to go."
Gabriella lowered her eyes. She was feeling slightly bad for using Ryan but screw it. That boy was the only chance she got to see Troy again and she wouldn't just sit there and not take advantage of it. Ryan didn't need to know the real reason why she was going and will probably never know. She was more than certain that Troy will not remember her. She would just see him one more time, confirm that he really was out of her league and get him out of her system. She turned her bottle of water between her fingers, shrugging.
"You never offered to take me out of town before." She replied with a soft voice.
He blinked again, looked absolutely flabbergasted before clapping both his hands together.
"Baby, if I knew, I would have asked you a long time ago but that's good enough for me. The meet will begin at one and as it's going to be near a two-hour drive, I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at eleven and… it's a date." He sounded so happy that Gabriella felt the pang of guilt again, that she quickly brushed away.
"It's not a date, " she quickly corrected him. "Just two friends going to watch a wrestling match together."
Ryan seemed way too happy to care as he shrugged. "Whatever you call it, I'll take it, baby. But I must warn you though." She tilted her head up to look at him. His smile was going miles on his face. "Wrestling is a man's sport. There's going to be a lot of violence."
She guffawed. "How bad can it be?"
3
Troy, along with his best friend Chad Danforth, was walking through the crowd, smiling and trying to ignore all the cheering and clapping that were piercing his ears. People were congratulating them with a handshake here, a tap on the shoulder there. Some he knew, others he didn't. They were both used to all that by now. They even perfected a winner's smile that they plastered on their faces, often reminding him of a double dose of Joker in Batman; one Caucasian, the other dark skin, but both with a big-ass bright red fake smile that never ended. At the end of the day, all the muscles on his face would hurt just as much as every other bone in his body.
But nobody, other than his team mates, seemed to notice. He had been thrown left and right, his neck and legs held in the most awkward positions for the last hour and a half and he knew that Chad was praying for the event to be over just as much as he did. Of course, through the years, it became easier and his experience had taught him how to lessen the impact of a fall but still. Couldn't he just go to his apartment and let the adrenaline run off quietly? But he knew he still needed it pumping in his veins to survive the after party.
Drunk by all the voices and going from one person to the next, Troy was sent aback when a set of hot lips pressed on his cheek while two arms intertwined around his neck, bringing his head down. He lowered his eyes to see the girl of the moment, pressing her body against his.
"Congratulations baby," she cooed, visibly happy to see him.
He gently pushed her away, just giving her an annoyed smirk and kept on walking. Chad was long gone with his own girl, probably sucking her face out in front of the rest of the team. His shoulders contracted on their own when a hand came out of nowhere to hit them and he gritted his teeth, doing his best to reply to the compliment he was receiving.
He exhaled. more people, more faces, more hands to shake. His head was starting to spin. He still couldn't figure out how he got to answer the same stupid questions over and over again and keep tab of what they were saying. Somehow, Chad appeared by his side again and he scoffed as he knew the only reason why Chad would ditch his girlfriend to be standing next to him again was because of the dean. Troy forced out the air clogging his chest loudly from his mouth while his shoulders flattened even more.
"Congratulations, boys," Troy's grin got even more painful as he glanced down at the big gutted-guy standing in front of him. "This year again, the nationals won't know what'll hit them."
Troy knew this speech by heart. He could recite it in his sleep if he were asked to. The adrenaline was more or less gone now which meant that every single part of his body was hurting more and more. He cracked his neck, looked at Chad who was doing just the same while taking a deep breath. Chad's stare caught his and both their mouths opened at the same time to let out a monotone 'yes, sir' and Troy could swear he saw the same exasperation he felt on his best friend's face. His nostrils flared from impatience and he decided to distract himself by letting his eyes wander over the people assembled in the gym. And that's when he saw her.
Surprised at first that her name popped up in his mind as soon as he recognized her, Troy then felt a slow smile crawl on his face. She was wearing a white shirt with black flower laces that accentuated her bronze skin complexion with her straightened hair loose on her back. She was clad in some very sexy black jeans tightly hugging her legs and hips and he tilted his head to look at her behind. Just as he remembered; not too saggy or flabby. Just the perfect amount of tightness to make it stand out. She looked very, very nice.
His jaw ticked when he felt excited and his blood getting hot just like he felt for her the first time he clearly saw her, back at the club's parking lot. That same mixture of sexiness and defiant innocence was oozing out her and once again, she appeared to him as a fragile yet very strong woman, who needed to be both protected and passionately made love to. Her petite frame and figure appeared even smaller than he remembered but it still didn't bother him. She was quietly standing in a corner, talking to his brother and somehow, since his eyes got on her, she had eclipsed everyone else in the room.
He wasn't one to lust after a girl. He had enough of a long list of females to be content with – although, out of respect for his partners, he did make it a priority never to have two different girls in his bed at once, unless it was for a different kind of fun- but he was surprised to find himself very willing to cross out that list for a taste of that particular brunette with the doe eyes and dimples. He glanced over at his brother who was so obviously entranced by her by the way he was looking intensively at her. Ryan was one very lucky guy, Troy thought glumly, to have scored such a hottie. His frowns shot up at the thought that he was probably sniffing on his brother's turf. All was fair in love and war but he wasn't one to cheat on family.
His gaze caught an annoyed look that travelled over Gabriella's face while Ryan was laughing his heart out and Troy felt amused at how easy it was for him to read the girl's feelings on her face. Although she had obviously come with him, Gabriella didn't particularly appear to be entertained by his brother. Even her body language seemed off. He remembered her telling him that Ryan wasn't her boyfriend and wondered if it was still the case. Because if they weren't dating, that would definitely make her fair game.
He looked back at her again. She was not smiling. She had such a plump, enticing set of lips and if he recalled well, they stretched to give way to a very beautiful smile. How much would he like to see her smile again? Just once. She probably wouldn't even remember who he was. But he wanted to stare into her eyes and see that she knew who he was.
'Look at me, beautiful,' he thought, raising his eyebrows as if they were some antennas that sent out telepathic messages. 'Come on, little girl, look at me and tell me you remember me.'
Whatever he did must have worked because, at the same moment, she turned her head in his direction and their eyes met. It could have been just a quick second, he honestly had no idea. But her stare burned right deep inside of him just before she hurriedly shifted her gaze. But for that quick second, he could swear, he saw her smile.
~.~
Gabriella never dared to look up again. Her skin was burning as if an intense fire had suddenly ignited inside of her. Her heart became a drum, beating a thousand miles per hour and rendering her deaf to every other noise around her as she was now very clearly aware of her increasingly erratic breathing. Could this guy look any hotter? He was simply wearing a grey T -with his Uni logo on the front that was fitting his muscled chest and biceps like a glove- over blue jeans and not one person in the room looked more virile and attractive. It struck her once again on how ruggedly chiselled he looked without being overtly, classically handsome.
Specially in his red and blue singlet. Since the minute he had walked onto the mat to face his opponent in the close-bodied sport, oblivious of her presence but looking so perfect, Gabriella had just been restless. She couldn't fathom all the emotions she went through within an hour and half. But the two that primed were fear and admiration. She was scared for him every time she watched him get thrown on the mat or held in a headlock he apparently couldn't get free from but admired all of him –his powerful muscle play, the hardness of his face and the extreme focus she could read in his eyes- each time he would fight to come out victorious.
She now clearly understood why he was still so respected at St Denis but couldn't help her stupid mind from wondering if he got so much experience from the time Kelsey said he used to fight a lot at school or all around town. With that thought, came back everything else she had heard about him and she had bitten her thumb, wondering if she made a good choice by coming. Had she really changed so much as to wanting to play with fire? Albeit a very tempting one.
Then, she would comfort herself by knowing that he could see right through her and not recognize her. But what if he did recognize her? Would it be obvious that she came here to see him? Would he take her away again to some amazing underground place where they would listen to music all night and talk about all and nothing in between the band's breaks. Was he as dangerous as Kelsey painted him to be?
With that war going on between the reasonable and hopeful part of her that brought her indecisiveness to a whole new level, Gabriella had completely lost touch with the present and was just idiotically nodding to everything Ryan was saying. Here and there, she would place a carefully worded answer but she just couldn't help her eyes to float away to the man walking through the crowd with such ease and assurance, he seemed like he was floating. She remembered the same ease he exercised back at the club and going from one person to the next, he didn't even notice her.
Ryan asked her a question about refilling her cup and she looked pensively at the clear recipient containing a liquid she hadn't even tasted yet. She replied that she was fine and she instinctively looked back at Troy –she just couldn't help it- and her heart immediately stopped beating while her insides were so powerfully curling as if they wanted to fall out of her, when he finally looked her way. Looked straight at her.
She quickly turned her stare away to hide her reddened cheeks. She breathed in and out slowly, now nodding to some question Ryan asked her -if she was hungry or something definitely ending with the sound g-r-y -and panicked as she clearly heard Ryan yell out his brother's name. She brought the cup she was holding to her mouth, barely containing it from spilling as her hand was lightly shaking but she quickly pulled it back down as a disgusting sour taste invaded her mouth.
"I don't like it either." Her neck snapped up when she heard his voice. And the time stopped, drowning every single noise around her. Only the two stormy seas that were his eyes existed, only his enveloping presence mattered and only that smile of his counted. She watched him lick his lips before pointing a finger at the cup she was still holding. "The punch," he spoke directly to her again. "I don't like the sour taste either."
She should reply... she had to reply. That would be so rude of her to just stand there, looking at him like an idiot and not say anything. But her mouth opened and nothing came out.
And she felt relieved when she heard Ryan's excited voice, preventing her from having to speak.
"Dude, you were a beast tonight. If you keep that shape you're in, you're gonna kill it at nationals, bruh."
Gabriella nervously fixed a strand of hair behind her right ear while looking at the two brothers man-hug each other. But their stares stayed locked into each other's and Troy only looked away at his brother when Ryan let go of him.
"Glad you could make it, man."
"Dude, I wouldn't miss this match for the world," Ryan replied to him before turning to Gabriella and putting his left arm around her shoulders. "Specially since it allowed me to take this beautiful girl with me." Gabriella lowered her eyes as Troy's gaze shifted to her again but had to look up as Ryan was introducing them to each other. "Troy, this is Gabriella Montez. She's a senior at St Denis."
"Miss Montez, happy you could make it," he murmured in a soft voice, while shaking her hand in his.
Gabriella caught the malicious glint in his eyes and found her voice again, feeling amused herself. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Mr. Bolton," she whispered back, accentuating his last name and Troy chuckled.
"I can't shake the feeling that I've met you before."
"Of course you have," Ryan hurriedly answered before she could. "She was at my birthday party."
"Oh, that's right," Troy said in a tone Gabriella would have found serious if it weren't for the small smile he quickly removed from his lips. She held her breath, her heart hitting hard against her chest again as he kept her hand in his and gently threaded their fingers together, before slowly letting it go. "You're the one who threw guacamole at my sister's face."
Gabriella pinched her lips in. "Although extremely funny that moment was, I think I'd rather cherish some other great memories that I have of that night."
"I…"
"The ones where we were together?"
Gabriella almost placed her low-cut boots heel on Ryan's foot for talking fast and interrupting Troy who obviously had begun to say something but closed his mouth as his little brother spoke. But before she could tell him to shut his mole or even go anywhere else where Troy and she weren't, Gabriella was taken aback by a group of four screaming girls, in cheerleaders outfits, who all simultaneously jumped on Troy's back, almost making him fall.
Before either of them could react, they were pulling him by the arm, trying to take him away and Troy just had time to let out a hurried 'I'm sorry' before he let himself being dragged away, the girls surrounding him.
"My brother, the ladies man," Ryan laughed. "He'll never change."
Gabriella gave him a humourless half smile and calmly watched Troy walk away from them. And they never spoke again. She watched him walk in the room like royalty and he never glanced, not even once, over to where she was. Every guy wanted to shake hands with him and every girl wanted to kiss or hug him, holding him in place for long conversations that seemed to never end.
She felt extremely annoyed. Nothing happened like she had wished and she felt like coming was just a big waste of time. The evening was rapidly passing by and with the two-hour drive back, if she wanted to get to her mother's house before dinner, she had to leave right away. So much for expecting to spend some time with him. He hadn't made a single effort to come to her again and he obviously was very popular and comfortable with the ladies. She felt very silly for feeling the way she did.
She sighed, feeling a painful pang in her heart and asked Ryan to drive her back. But she couldn't refuse him when he noted that he had to say goodbye to Troy and she buried both hands in her jeans' pocket, keeping her head down as the brothers hugged each other again.
"Miss Montez?" She snapped her head up at the mention of her name and met with the softness in Troy's eyes. "Hopefully, we'll get to see each other again soon." He let out. Gabriella took the handshake he was offering to her before quickly burying her hands back in her front pockets. "Drive safely, Ry," he said to Ryan and looked at her one more time. "Good night."
Gabriella held her breath as he gave her a little wink and she felt her right hand buried in her pocket tremble while making a fist. It was only a couple hours later, after Ryan dropped her and sitting alone in her room, that Gabriella pulled out the piece of paper Troy had handed her in his handshake and read it. There was a phone number written on it.