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Chapter 7

My heart felt like it would never slow down. All day it's been beating like there's no tomorrow, I was so nervous about tonight. The only other time I remember feeling like this was the first time I was asking Gabi out on a date and my nervousness now really beats out that night. Talk about horrifying!

"Troy you have to do it," Chad pushed my shoulder.

I was in a cold sweat and my hands were clammy in my pockets. "But, what if she says no?" I asked my best friend. We were walking around my neighborhood with my dog Slam.

"Then she says no. What else do you have to lose?" He replied. We walked in silence as I thought over how I was going to ask Gabi out. "Look it's getting late. I'll see you later." Chad said before walking off towards his house.

"Slam, what do you think I should do?" I asked out loud to my dog. Slam barked in reply. "Thanks." His head leaned into my hand as I pet him. Both of us made it back to my house in time for dinner.

"How was your walk?" My mom asked.

"Good. Mom, was do you think of Gabi Montez?" I asked her. Gabi had been over a few times this summer for my pool parties.

"I think she's a very sweet girl," She replied, turning from the sink to look at me sitting at the counter. "Why, do you like her?" She asked after studying my face. I slowly nodded my head and she smiled proudly and laughed quietly. "Troy, that's wonderful! You should invite her over for dinner sometime!" She exclaimed.

"Invite who?" My dad asked walking in with the paper folded under one arm.

"Gabriella Montez. Troy has a crush on her."

My dad patted my shoulder, "If you go out remember to be a gentleman and open doors and pay for dinner. Do we need to talk man to man?" He asked.

I knew exactly what he meant and my cheeks flushed, "Dad! I already know about that and I know how to be a gentleman.

He looked relieved, "Good, don't let her get in the way of basketball to much Troy." I sighed. Basketball was one of the most important things to my dad.

"Dinner time!" my mom interrupted. I helped her set the table and we ate talking about random things. After dinner I helped my mom clean up and then excused myself.

"I'm going to go for a run Mom. I'll be back soon."

"Okay dear, don't stay out to late." She called from the living room.

I changed quickly into my shorts and a tank top before heading out for my evening run. Somehow I ended up on Gabi's street, two blocks from mine. I was hoping she was home because I was feeling very confident as I walked up her walkway. The closer I got to her front door my heart wasn't racing from running. I was beginning to get extremely nervous. I rang the doorbell and then realized I was all sweaty and in my running clothes. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Gabi answered the door in pajama pants and a nice fitting blue tank top.

"Hi Troy! What are you doing here?" She asked in total surprise.

"I…I was just out running." I told her. She smiled and nodded because of the obviousness. She stood there with her hall light shining behind her. Her hair was wet and hung in loose curls. She was beautiful. "WouldyouliketogooutwithmethisSaturday?" The words came out in a rushed mumble.

She giggled, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

This time I slowed down. "Uhm, would you like to go out with me this Saturday?" My heart was in my throat. I had said it, I had asked her out. Her cheeks were flushed and I'm sure mine were too.

"I'm sorry Troy…" She said.

"Oh okay. Well I'm sorry to have bugged you…"I began, but she interrupted me.

"No, Troy I'm going to my grandparent's house for the weekend. I would love to go out next weekend though!" She told me.

"Great! Okay. I would hug you right now but I'm all sweaty." We both laughed.

"Yea you are. I'll call you when I get back then."

"Okay, I'll be waiting." I replied, I sounded so stupid.

"Okay. Bye Troy!"

"Bye!" I turned and ran down her walk running all the way home. We were going to go out, just the two of us next weekend.

I miss Slam, I thought. In front of the mirror I tucked my classic black dress shirt into my black dress pants and stood there just staring. I hated dressing up. Gabi sat on the bed with her bathrobe on and watched me. "Why does Chad and Taylor have to have such formal parties," I complained.

"I like them," Gabi replied.

In the mirror I could see her stand up and take off her bathrobe before slipping into her black strapless dress with an A-line skirt that fell just about her knee. I smiled at her in her strapless bra and panties. "Beautiful," I said out loud.

She smiled, "Stop being so vain!"

"I was talking about you."

She smiled and fully slipped on her dress. "Troy, zipper please."

I turned around and zipped up the back zipper. When I was done I wrapped my hands around her and pulled her close to me kissing the nape of her neck. "I love you," I told her in her ear.

"I love you, too." I let her go so she could finish getting ready. I slipped on my dress shoes and laced them up then worked on my green tie. Gabi came out of the bathroom with her silver bangles on her right arm and her silver layered necklace with green beads on. By the bed she slipped on her green sandals and then grabbed her silver clutch off the dresser. She had cut her hair a couple of weeks ago so now it fell just below her shoulders and was styled with loose curls. She turned to look at me sitting on the edge of the bed and leaned against the dresser. "I'm starting to show." Her face was sad, but she wasn't showing at all.

"You still look beautiful."

"But I look fat now."

"No you don't," I assured her getting up and walking the few steps to her.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Positive. You'll always be beautiful to me." She smiled and her eyes sparkled so I knew she believed me. I bent down and placed a hand on her tummy. I kissed her tummy kissing our baby. She laughed quietly.

"Let's get going before we're late." She said placing a hand on my shoulder. I stood up and we walked hand in hand down to our car in the parking lot. We traveled the twenty minutes in silence before reaching Chad and Taylor's place. When we pulled into the driveway I popped the trunk open before getting out. I told Gabi to go on in while I get the Secret Santa presents. Each year we do a Secret Santa for Christmas Eve and every single person got a friend to buy for. But we always got a little something for everybody anyways on Christmas day. Gabi listened and went to announce our arrival. I pulled from the trunk the ring box and held it tightly before putting it securely into my pocket. Then I pulled out the two presents and headed inside to join the party. Once inside I put the presents with the other ones under the tree in the living room. I then made my rounds, saying hello to all my friends and the Chad's parents as well as Taylor's; also, to my parents and to Gabi's mom. The Christmas Eve party was always big for Chad and Taylor, they invited everybody they knew. My parents and Ms. Montez were very excited and asked when I was planning on asking. I told them later. Gabi was busy talking to Sharpay, Zeke and Taylor. Meanwhile, I went about looking for Chad who never seems to stand still. He was in the kitchen, the first place I had looked, with Ryan.

"The first place I always look for you Chad is where you end up when I come back."

He laughed, "Sorry."

I pulled the box from my pocket and showed it to him. "Can I hide this somewhere until later?"

"Of course, I'll go put it in my room."

"Thanks." Chad left me and Ryan in the kitchen and both of us left to go join our friends.

There was a table with food and another for drinks so people were picking here and there for dinner. Meanwhile a group of us, including Moo, Chad, Alan, Zeke, Ryan and myself were in the living room singing along to Christmas music. I had to admit that my friends couldn't sing for anything except for Ryan. But, we all had a good time. Our girlfriends watched from afar pretending to not know us, they soon left to help Taylor set up dessert and clean up the dinner foods. As for us guys, we had a lot of fun and other party quests joined us in our caroling. However, I snuck out of the room to retrieve the box from Chad's bedroom. He told me it was behind his T.V. and to that I shook my head. I retrieved the velvet box and opened it; sitting in the center was the ring. I sighed, it was now or never. I stuffed it once again into my pocket and walked back to the living room. This time I stood back and watched. It's not like she'll say no because we have talked about marriage, I thought, then why am I so nervous.

"Everything okay?" Gabi's voice asked. I jumped off the wall in shock because I had been so deep in my thoughts.

"Yea, I'm fine, just watching our friends make fools of themselves." We both laughed.

"You were out there too."

"I know." Now or never, I thought. I grabbed Gabi's hand and pulled her into the center of the crowd. She tried to pull back from me.

"Troy, I don't feel like making a fool of myself tonight." She whispered; a smile across her face.

"You won't, that's my job." I told her. I waved my hand in the air to get everybody's attention so they would quiet down. "Hello everyone," I said loudly. "Since desserts out I figured it would be present time soon. But, I would like to give a present before dessert starts." I could see my parents and Ms. Montez smiling proudly from the front of the group. I turned to Gabi and took both her hands. She looked at me questionably. "I have a song for you Gabi." I told her. I cleared my throat and began to sing the song I had once heard. "…I want to be with you for all eternity. I swear my love for you will always be. Here on bended knee…" I let go of her hands and went down on one knee. She gasped and covered her mouth with both hands. "…Baby, I'm asking please…" I pulled out the box and opened it and spoke the last part. "Will you marry me?" I asked.

Her face was showing happiness and shock, tears were falling from her eyes. "Yes." She whispered. "Yes!" Everybody cheered for us. I stood up and took her left hand from her mouth and slowly placed the ring on her fourth finger. She practically jumped into my arms hugging me and she began to jump up and down. While doing so her head banged into my nose. Her hand went up to her head to rub the spot and my hands went up to my nose, which quickly began to bleed from the blow. Gabi grabbed a napkin quickly from someone nearby and put it to my nose. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She repeated.

I nodded and then laughed, "Its okay. I'm fine, just some blood." We headed to the bathroom so I could clean up. Everybody was laughing to themselves and soon enough the party started up again. Ms. Montez and my parents met us at the bathroom. Ms. Montez and Gabi hugged sharing a special moment. Luckily Zeke had captured the moment, as well as my proposal and the head banging, on his digital camera. "Zeke, go take pictures of other people!" I told him.

"But you're more interesting with a bloody nose than everybody else!" He laughed before leaving. My parents congratulated us while my nose finally stopped bleeding and I was all cleaned up. Gabi and I made our way back into the crowd when we were attacked by Taylor, Heather, Steph, Kelsie, Sharpay and Sarah. I excused myself as they fussed over Gabi's ring and how gorgeous it was. On my way to my friend Moo people congratulated me right and left.

"That was great man!" Moo exclaimed, patting my back. "You can really sing too."

"Thanks, you know, I never knew I could sing well until I was in 10th grade. That was the first year I met Gabi too." I told him.

"Really, you'll have to tell me all about it sometime."

"Yea, I will." Everybody enjoyed themselves for the rest of the evening until it was time to leave. Gabi and I stayed to help clean up, although Gabi mostly watched because neither Chad, Taylor nor any of our other friends who stayed would let her clean to much. When we were done Gabi and I finally left. The last words I heard that night before falling asleep were Gabi's.

"Thank you." She said.

A/N: Aww! The cuteness! I love it! Please review! I appreciate it so much and to everyone who comments on my story, Thank You!!!!