TITLE: Smash Into You

AN: As I identified in my final author's note, I had an outtake up my sleeve. This is essentially two scenes that I had originally conceived falling in Chapter 5 as another flashback, but realised it wasn't working for pacing. They are in original form, so pretty unpolished, but I thought I would share nonetheless.

Also, shameless self plug, I've uploaded the first chapter of the final portion of my Someday series, entitled You and Me. If it was a little too intricate for you in the previous segments, I say give this third installment a try. My writing style has improved and stylistically, it is going to be a whole lot more straight forward than the former segments of the series.


Smash Into You – Outtake – The Loan

Troy was pacing around his dorm room. He was in the middle of study week, with his final exams for senior year of college just days away. And yet he found himself focused on something completely separate, which was overtaking his ability to take in any of the information.

He picked up his cell phone, dialling the number which he'd been so nervous to dial.

"Troy!" his father's voice boomed in greeting. "Wasn't expecting you to call."

Troy cleared his throat, attempting to sound normal. "Yeah well, there was nothing on TV so I figured I'd give my old man a buzz."

Jack laughed. "Good to know that I'm a second thought. Shouldn't you be studying?"

"Just taking a break. Actually I uh... I was calling for a reason."

"Yes?"

"Is mama around?"

"No she's at the store. Do you want us to call back when she's here? Is everything okay?"

"No no, I... that's good. I just wanted to talk to you. I uh... it's a little awkward."

"Just spit it out. Girl problems?"

"No, that's not it. Um... I'm kinda wondering if I might be able to ask you a favour. I'm looking at this small loan that needs a guarantor."

"Small loan? You haven't gotten into anything stupid, have you?"

"No, nothing like that. Why do you assume I'm in trouble?"

"My kid calls me sounding all suspicious, wanting his mother to be out to ask for money – what am I meant to think? How much money are you talking about, anyway?"

"I'm not sure, to be honest, there's a few options... it'll depend how many carats, I suppose," Troy mused out loud.

"Carrots? You buying a horse?"

Troy sighed, exasperated. "No! Not carrots C-A-R-R-O-T-S. I meant C-A-R-A-T-S. I uh... well... I'm planning to propose to Gabriella."

The other end of the phone was silent.

"That's why I need cash. To buy a ring," Troy elaborated, unnecessarily.

There was still no response.

"Dad? You there?"

"You're planning to propose?" Jack's voice was incredulous.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I know with your generation and all the crap that goes on in Hollywood, you might not get this, but you know that marriage is serious? It's actually a life commitment?"

Troy rolled his eyes. He'd expected the inquisition, but hearing it nonetheless frustrated him. He understood that it was hard for his parents to truly get that he was an adult.

"Yes, dad. I know... you might think that we're young but we're graduating college soon, you know?"

Jack sighed. "I know, I know. It's just... there's no rush, Troy. I get that you are committed to each other. You don't have to rush into marriage. You'll be working full time soon, so you'll have more money to enjoy life, maybe travel..."

"Why does getting married automatically preclude us from doing all of those things? Is there some memo I missed that tells you that once you get married, you have to get a house and start planning a family?" Troy asked. "I don't think we would actually get married soon – we've talked about it already. But we're committed to each other, for life... and... we're ready to formalise that. At least, I am... I hope she is."

Jack was silent. He could hear the resolve in Troy's tone. The reality was that he'd seen a maturity in Troy developing over his college years, in particular over the last twelve months as he'd become focused on preparing for the future, shaping his college experience to lead to his chosen career path. And he'd also seen a maturity in Troy and Gabriella's relationship, the few times he'd seen them together. It wasn't that he had protests against Troy's decision – he was just wrapping his head around the fact that his kid was grown up, soon to graduate, and now talking about getting married.

"Do you... you do like Gabriella, right?" Troy asked hesitantly.

"Yes! Troy, can't you let a few weeks of bad behaviour on my part in your junior year go?" Jack asked with a sigh.

"I just wanted to make sure! Because even if you didn't, it honestly wouldn't matter to me. She's it for me, so she's going to be around, forever."

"I think you're a lucky man and if a girl as pretty and smart as Gabriella is stupid enough to agree to marry you, then you should make sure you never screw it up."

"I'll ignore that you're insulting me since I actually agree. So where do we stand on the money thing?"

"Don't get a loan – I'll let you borrow the money from me."

Troy breathed a sigh of relief. "Awesome, thanks."

"Get some prices – go look at your carats and whatever - and call me so we can discuss."

"Will do. Now, I have to make an even harder phone call."

"Even harder?"

"I'm calling Maria to get her blessing."

Jack laughed, somewhat cruelly. "Good luck with that."


Smash Into You – Outtake – The Blessing

Troy could feel his heart beating as he listened to the ringing, waiting for Maria Montez to pick up the phone. This was the hardest phone call he'd ever had to make. In an ideal world he would've preferred to ask in person. However Troy was the kind of person who, once he got an idea in his head, he had to act quickly. With the nausea he was experiencing, he was contemplating hanging up and if she called him back, meekly advising that he'd pocked dialled her. Before he could put this plan into action, Maria answered.

"Hello?" her tone was uncertain. It didn't surprise him. He could count on his hand the number of times that he'd called Maria.

"Hi, Maria. It's Troy. How are you?"

She ignored his polite question. "Is everything okay? Is Gabriella okay?" Her tone was panicked. Troy could see why she'd automatically make the assumption that something was wrong with Gabriella, given how unorthodox his calling was.

"She's fine! She's perfect..." Troy assured her, and then saw a quick segway into the topic he wanted to bring up before he last the nerve. "Actually that's why I'm calling."

"Uh... okay?"

Troy cleared his throat. "So uh... I uh... shit this is hard. Sorry for swearing. Um... Right. So Gabriella and I have been dating for over five years now."

"Yes, I know..."

"I love your daughter more than... you know... everything. The world, the sun, the stars... the sun is a star, I'm sure she'd correct me." Troy paused, realising he was rambling, and redirected. " I love her a lot. And... well... I intend to ask her to marry me." He paused again, listening for any hint of a reaction. There was silence. "So I am calling to ask for your... well, not your permission, but I guess your blessing."

He barely paused for a moment waiting for an answer, and then continued in a rush. "I know you're thinking that we are young, but I know what I want and I'm pretty sure that Gabriella is there as well. We've already talked about our future together, and discussed getting married, and if she says yes when I propose, then we wouldn't be getting married for a good few years. I know that I'm only going to be a teacher, which is hardly worthy of Gabriella's brilliance, but I promise that I will love her and support her and cherish her and..."

"Troy," Maria interrupted him. "Yes."

"Yes?" Troy repeated dumbly, almost as though having forgotten the initial question.

"Yes, you have my blessing."

Troy was blown away – he'd anticipated some push back, some questioning, some sort of resistance. He was so blown away that he didn't even realise straight away that there was sniffling at the other end of the phone.

"Maria? Are you crying?"

"No." She was lying, and Troy could hear it.

"Have I upset you?"

Maria chuckled slightly. "No, Troy, you haven't upset me. I'm happy!"

"You are?"

"You're starting to make me question whether I should've given my blessing so readily."

"Should I hang up the phone while I'm ahead?"

"That might be wise."