Chapter 7: His Wedding. Her Choice.
Gabriella paced back and forth in her room. She was very nervous. "Gabriella, it's going to be fine." Tay soothed her friend. "No it's not Tay…" Gabriella trailed off and sat down on a nearby bench. "My life's going to be ruined." "It's definitely not Gabs. Troy loves you with all of his heart. If you left him, he'll die without you." Angela hugged Gabriella, who was already crying. "Don't cry." Sharpay grabbed a tissue and wiped away Brie's tears. "Thanks…" Gabriella smiled. "I'm gonna see how the guys are doing. Just wait 5 more minutes and you'll be walking down the aisle." Angela hugged Gabriella once more, got up, and headed into the room across the hall. She knocked on the door. "Hey…I didn't expect to see you." Troy smiled. Angela smiled back. "Brie's crying again…" Angela told him.
"What's the problem this time?" Chad asked. "Her life's going to be ruined. I told her that it's not going to be." She answered. "Well, the wedding starts in five minutes and I have to go." Angela turned around and started to walk away, but she was grabbed by someone. "Listen, without your help, I wouldn't be here. Well, neither of us would be." Troy said. Angela looked into his ocean blue eyes and she felt happy for once. She started tearing up. "Wow…" she breathed out. Troy hugged her and she hugged him back, holding back the tears. After a while they pulled back, "Now now… I don't want to get your tux all wet. You're getting married and…" she sniffed. "You should be happy. I'm happy for you Troy." She turned around and walked into the room where the girls were waiting.
"Are you coming?" Sharpay asked as Brie and Tay stood up. "No, um…I'll be there in a minute. Just go without me." Angela smiled as she watched the three of them walk out. Angela watched Gabriella and Troy from the entrance of the church. She was crying, not because they were getting married, but the truth that lied deep within her. She couldn't tell them that she loved Troy more than just a friend. She cried because she was lost in his blue eyes, just like they day they first met. "Would anyone like to object that these two should not get married?" The priest asked which was very unusual. Angela didn't interupt, nor did she say a word. It was silent for a moment. "What is he talking about?" Gabriella mouthed to Troy. Troy sighed. "Please continue…" he told the priest. And finally they kissed. Angela waited for them outside the building where the reception was held.
"Hey Ange, you alright…?" Sharpay asked Angela after they were seated. Angela watched Gabriella and Troy dance together for the first time as a married couple. She sighed and took a sip of her champagne. She stood up and walked out of the ballroom to get some fresh air outside. Ryan followed her outside and sat next to her. "You seem down." He said. "Yea… I am." She looked at the ground. "Are you really happy for him?" he asked. The tears started to come and Angela couldn't hold them back any longer. "It's just…I don't love Troy as a friend Ry…I love him more than that, but I never got the courage to tell anyone since Christmas Eve. I'm happy for him and for Gabby, but there'll never be another guy for me. I'm going back home, tomorrow night and I'm never seeing you or Gabby again." Angela sobbed as Ryan wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"I'm gonna miss you guys too much and it hurts me horribly to see that Gabriella has already found someone to love. She loves Troy and Troy loves her." "Did you wish that it'd be you up there with Troy?" Ryan asked her. "I don't know. We're just friends Ry; Troy and I are never that close." "What happened during Christmas Eve 2 years ago?" he asked for the second time. "He kissed me Ry; I swear that I didn't do anything." "Did you like that kiss?" "No, of course not; but that was 2 years ago. I'm 25 now and life has been a rollercoaster for me." "It was like that for me too, but then I met you in high school. I never thought that a girl a sweet as Gabriella, as pretty as Kelsi, a great dancer like Martha, as somewhat rich like Sharpay, and as smart as Taylor would be you.
Katie would never replace you Ange. You were the first girl that I kissed and fell in love with. And yes, Katie will be the girl next door, but you'll always be in my heart. No matter what happens…" Ryan trailed off as Angela smiled. "We're all in this together." She finished. Troy and Gabriella walked outside and sat next to them. Angela wiped her tears away and looked up at the sky. "Hey look…a shooting star." Gabriella pointed out as they all closed their eyes and made a wish. Once they opened their eyes, "You know, this is the perfect night for a walk in the park." Gabriella immediately said. "The park Gabby?" Angela asked. "Yeah; you know, just a romantic spot to talk about your problems." Gabriella answered. Angela rolled her eyes and stood up. "Well, I have to go home." "More like walk home…" Ryan said as Angela glared at him. "How 'bout I'll walk you home?" Troy suggested.
"Gabs, you wouldn't mind, would you?" Angela asked. "No of course not! I'll see you tomorrow Troy." "Bye Gabs." Troy kissed Gabriella and walked down the street with Angela. "The park is a short cut to my house you know." Angela motioned towards the park as she took of her high-heels. "Are you sure about that?" Troy asked her. "It's a warm June night and I'm sure that my house is right there." Angela pointed. "Fine; take the short cut." Troy joked as they walked across the lawn together. "So, what's it like?" she asked when they were mid-way across the park. "What? Being married?" Troy asked. "Yeah; and why did the priest say, 'would anyone like to object that these two should not get married?'" Angela wondered. "I thought you would object…" he said. "Me?" she asked surprisingly. They stopped before they crossed the street to Angela's house. "Why would you think that I would object? I'm happy for you guys." "You were going to tell me something on Christmas Eve about the fact that you loved me as a friend." He changed the subject. "Oh uh…I do love you as a friend Troy, but it's um…complicated and you'd think I'm crazy trying to tell you this."
"I'm not going to think you're crazy Ange. Just tell me." Troy looked into Angela's dark-brown eyes and knew that looking into Gabriella's eyes would be much different. "I…I don't just love you as a friend Troy. I love you more than Gabriella or Ry would even know. I remember before I moved here, I fell in love with a guy who loved me just like a friend. But he fell in love with another girl who was my best friend. That was the last time I would tell a guy that I loved him and the last time I looked into his eyes. You remind me of him in many ways. You're in love with my best friend and this would be the end between us. I'm leaving tomorrow night and I don't know when I'll come back, but I'll miss you Troy. I'll miss everyone."
Angela hugged Troy as tight as she possibly could, pulled back and kissed his cheek. "You and Gabby were meant for each other. Even when I first came to East High and met you. I saw it in Gabby's eyes that she loved you and she wouldn't love anyone else but you. I don't want to be the girl who'll break your heart and I don't want to be the girl who kissed a boy who was in love with someone else. I have to go and…I'm sorry." She looked left and right before crossing the street. Finally she reached her house and turned to look at Troy one last time before entering her house.