A/N: Enjoy
Chapter Five
I avoided Troy as well as you can avoid anybody in high school. I didn't visit the rooftop, I didn't look at him in class, and I didn't walk past his usual parking spot. And I was relieved, albeit a little insulted, that Troy seemed to be avoiding me, too.
I didn't tell anybody about our fight. My brothers and sisters would tell me Troy was right, my parents would tell me that I shouldn't have spoken to Troy that way (which I knew), and Taylor would tell me he wasn't really a bad guy. But for the most part, nobody seemed to notice that anything was wrong. Noah gave me a few strange looks during lunch on Friday but he didn't ask anything, thank god.
On Saturday, I went to work, serving food that cost more than I earned in a twelve hour shift. I usually dreaded the demeaning uniform and stuck up customers but I was grateful for the distraction.
When I got home, Nate was cooking with Dad and Mom was sleeping on the couch. I got a blanket from the hall closet and draped it over her, feeling tears gather in my eyes. All of my life, she'd been the first to wake up and the last one to fall asleep, making sure that everybody had everything they needed to have a good day. But recently, she wasn't strong enough to even have a real shower, having to give herself sponge baths when she had enough energy. I brushed my tears away and made an effort to smile for my siblings' sakes.
I took Eddie and Sammy to the yard where we did our usual routine with Eddie's usual enthusiasm. I couldn't be certain but I thought I saw Sammy smile for a moment.
I changed into my Sun High sweats and joined Nate and Dad in the kitchen. "Should I wake Mom for dinner?"
Dad didn't look at me but Nate caught my eye. "I think it's better that she rests, don't you? Besides, there'll be plenty of leftovers so if she's hungry when she wakes up, I'll reheat something."
"Dad," I started.
"What?" he snapped. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Gabi."
God. How did it feel to live without apologies? I mean, Mom and Dad taught us to apologise when we did something wrong, even if they needed to remind us sometimes. But recently, it seemed that all I said and all I heard was 'I'm sorry'. In fact, the only person who hadn't apologised was Troy. And maybe I wanted him to apologise for what he said about Justin, but it was refreshing that he didn't say it everyday.
I looked at Nate who looked at me and then he looked at Dad. Dad was looking down at the chopped tomatoes.
"We're all scared," I mumbled.
We took the food to the dining room and crammed ourselves around the table. It was cramped and cozy but it was surprising how empty it felt without one person. When Maddie moved away to college, the gap between Teddy and Nate where she used to sit felt like the Grand Canyon. Now, I struggled to look away from Mom's empty chair. Recently, it was empty more and more.
We fell into our usual routines of serving, passing dishes, pouring drinks, but we were quieter, conscious of Mom still asleep in the next room. Jo asked if we'd go to a soccer game next Saturday but I had work and Dad had to take Mom to the hospital. Noah promised to take everybody else, though. The upside to having a big family was that cheerleaders were guaranteed at any event.
"When is Troy coming over again?" Benji asked as I poured some more juice for him.
"We probably won't be seeing Troy again."
"Didn't he like us?"
I looked down at him and something inside of me crumbled. How many things in my life had crumbled recently? My mom, my relationship, my friendship with Troy. How much was left standing?
"Of course he did. He loved you all," I whispered, glancing around at my brothers and sisters. Noah was looking at me, just as he had been at lunch on Friday.
"Then why won't he be back?" Teddy asked.
I rubbed my forehead and glanced at Sammy and Riley and the other younger kids. "We had a fight. That's all."
Eddie started talking about a game of monopoly he and Riley played that morning. Luckily for me, everybody else seemed to forget about Troy, too. Except Noah, who kept looking at me.
After the younger ones went to bed, Mom woke up and Dad gave her some leftovers. A Spanish soap opera was playing on TV but nobody was really watching it apart from Mom.
I looked up from my book to see Noah watching me. Again. "Oh my god, stop it," I snapped.
Noah shrugged. "I'd just like to know what you and Troy fought about."
I looked at my parents and brothers. Alex barely looked up from his laptop, Nate and Tommy glanced away from their cell phones, but Mom and Dad were watching me like a hawk. They were concerned. In fact, their worry was palpable. But I knew they would tell me Troy was right.
"You had a fight with Troy?" Mom asked, turning the volume down on the TV.
"It's not that bad." I took a deep breath. "He told me Justin is a douchebag."
Alex laughed, Tommy and Nate high fived, and Noah rolled his eyes. Mom and Dad glanced at each other.
"How does he know Justin?" Dad asked. Although my parents didn't despise Justin to the same extent my siblings did, I knew they wouldn't be sad if we broke up.
"Well someone," I made a point of looking at Noah, "told Troy about my Skype date."
Noah quirked an eyebrow. "Please don't tell me you're mad. I only told him because I was worried about you." He spoke calmly, as if he was telling me the weather for the week ahead.
"Of course I'm mad," I whispered. "I know Justin's not perfect but thanks to you, Troy only knows about his mistakes and he won't listen to anything else I say about him."
Not that I'd tried to tell Troy anything else about Justin.
Noah shrugged. "I didn't think the Lawbreaker had anything going for him except his mistakes."
"Look," Dad said eventually, easing the tension, "do you want to be friends with Troy?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"You're just like your mother," he mumbled.
Mom leaned across the couch and playfully hit his arm. "I hope there's a compliment in there somewhere."
For the first time in a long time, my father's face softened when he looked at my mother. He'd looked tense and worried for so long that I barely recognised him. The worry was still there but it was softer somehow.
" Of course it's a compliment." He turned to face me. "For what my opinion is worth, I think you should talk to him."
On Monday, I swallowed my pride and went to the rooftop at free period. My dad was wrong about a lot of things, especially girl things, but I knew he was right about this. I didn't like what Troy said about Justin but that didn't justify how I'd talked to him.
While I waited for Troy, I texted Justin. We hadn't called or Skyped since our disastrous date. I got the feeling that he was waiting for my apology and I was definitely waiting for his. In fact, we'd started having the same conversations I had with my fifth grade boyfriend:
J: Hi
G: Hi
J: How are you?
G: Fine. You?
J: Fine
Ten minutes passed.
Troy wasn't coming. Maybe he hadn't come to the rooftop since our fight. Maybe he was right to stay away from me. Troy was avoiding me and Justin wasn't making much of an effort to talk to me. Maybe I was the problem.
I spent the rest of free period lying on the bench with my feet propped up on the railing, staring at the roof of the gazebo. I ignored the rest of Justin's texts.
Why did this fight with Troy bother me? I knew that I was wrong in how I reacted but this was more than guilt. Was I honestly upset because a guy I'd known for a few weeks didn't like my boyfriend? The chances of Troy and Justin ever meeting were slim to none. Why did it matter that Troy didn't like him? My brothers and sisters didn't like Justin and I coped with that just fine. Why did I care so much about Troy's opinion?
I mean, I liked Troy and I liked spending time with him. Okay, so we didn't hang out at the mall or go to the movies or even really talk to each other outside of free period. But he seemed to get me somehow without knowing much about me. He didn't ask questions or push or expect anything from me. He just came to the rooftop every free period, sat next to me on the bench, and scribbled in his music book. But he made me feel accepted.
When the bell rang, I made my way to English class which was filled with the usual metaphors and symbolism I didn't understand. Troy sat several desks away and didn't seem to make any notes for the entire lesson.
At lunch, I sat with Taylor and her friends, barely registering their voices. I broke the crusts off my sandwiches but didn't touch the rest, feeling nauseated.
"Are you okay? You've been quiet all day," Taylor said.
I glanced at the boys who were discussing an upcoming basketball game. "I'm fine."
"Did you guys hear what Melanie North and Tyler Parsons were caught doing in the janitor's closet near the gym?" Sharpay asked, referring to a cheerleader and a football player.
"Actually," I interrupted, "I'm not okay. I need some advice."
I could've asked Mom but she didn't need that kind of worry. I could've asked Maddie but she had her own life now. Jo wasn't old enough to understand and I didn't want Noah to tell me Troy was right. These girls were my last hope.
Sharpay looked like she was about to protest but eventually asked, "What's wrong?"
I glanced once again at the boys but they didn't seem to be listening. "You know that I've been spending free periods with Troy? Well, we had a fight and I'm not sure what to do about it."
Kelsi pushed her empty lunch tray to the centre of the table. "What was it about?"
"He called my boyfriend a douchebag," I said, tearing my crusts into smaller pieces. "And it really upset me."
Sharpay shrugged. "That's understandable. I mean, I'd be upset if someone called Zeke a douchebag."
"You'd send a hitman to kill that someone," Taylor mumbled.
Sharpay winked at Zeke.
"Girls! That shouldn't bother me. My family don't really like him so why do I care so much about what Troy thinks?"
The girls glanced at each other and went quiet for a moment.
"Well," Kelsi started quietly, "what did he say?"
"He basically said that he would be a better boyfriend than Justin," I said.
Sharpay rolled her eyes. "So, do you agree with him?"
Troy caused less drama than Justin. Troy didn't want or ask for anything from me and he seemed to actually like my family and they liked him. He was quiet and complicated and maybe he sometimes dealt with that the wrong way.
And who was I kidding? He was sexy as hell. I remembered how his body felt when I was pressed against him on his motorcycle: all muscles and strength and heat. He had a quiet smile that lit up his eyes. I didn't see it often but when I did, I couldn't help but smile back.
But none of that mattered.
Justin was my boyfriend. Justin, who I'd known since third grade. He knew more about me in his pinkie than Troy knew in his entire body. We had our rough patches but Justin had always been there for me and he always, well usually, knew what to say to make me feel better. Justin knew exactly who he was, even if my family didn't like that person. Troy, on the other hand, didn't seem to have a clue.
"I don't know," I exclaimed, rubbing my forehead.
"Babe," Chad said, turning to Taylor, "we're going to shoot a few hoops before the bell rings. I'll see you in drama."
He kissed her cheek and the boys gathered their trash to head for the gym.
Taylor turned back to me. "Well, if Troy asked you out, would you say yes?"
"No," I said instantly, although I wouldn't look up from my food. "That's stupid. I have Justin and Troy knows that."
"What if you didn't have Justin?" Sharpay asked. "What would you say then?"
I pushed my half eaten lunch away, feeling the sickness get worse. I could barely imagine my life without Justin. We'd only been dating for six months or so but we'd known each other a really long time.
"I don't know," I admitted.
"Maybe you're upset because you know Troy's right. Maybe he would be a better boyfriend than this Justin," Kelsi suggested. "Maybe you just don't want to admit it."
So many maybes.
Maybe I was better off without Troy.
A/N: I'm still looking for a cowriter :)
These are some ideas I'm thinking of:
A Cinderella Story - Where Troy is a celebrity
A Cinderfella Story - Where Troy is the 'servant'
The Prince And Me
Something about a racial divide where East High is a 'white school' and Gabriella is the new girl
Gabriella is the guardian for her niece and nephew and hires Troy as a nanny (like the sitcom Melissa and Joey)
Troy OR Gabriella has cancer (I haven't decided which way I should go)
Troy and Gabriella dated in high school but broke up. They have a one night stand and Gabriella gets pregnant (like Rachel and Ross from Friends)
If anything sounds good, let me know :)
