A/N: Still travelling, but my computer is working again, thankfully. I wish you all a great 2009, with great things for all of us! =]
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Enjoy the chapter!
Feel It
Chapter 7:
"Troy, baby" Payton began, her voice extremely sweet as she touched his cheek. Troy opened his eyes slowly, blinking twice, before smiling to his sister. "I'm heading back to school" she informed him, her voice calm part because she was already missing her baby brother and part because he just woke up, she didn't want to agitate him.
"I'm going to miss you" he gave her a half-smile.
"Ah!" Payton exclaimed, but tried to sound content, "I'm coming back in a few months, I would never leave you alone on the–"
"Hmm" Troy encouraged her to keep talking.
"You know, when you'll do the exams…" she replied quietly, afraid it would make him upset.
Troy sighed deeply. "I'll do it, but just because I have nothing to lose anymore, Pay" he patted her hand that was rested on his stomach and caressed it with his thumb, "But I'm not sad anymore I can't see. It's not that bad living like this, you know?"
"You're not?" she asked, a bit shocked.
"I'm not"
"Wow"
Troy smiled, his perfect white teeth showing, "I'm better than you thought, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess" Payton laughed quietly, lacing her fingers with her brother's, "So, you're playing ball, listening to music, going out, partying"
Troy chuckled. "I was not partying. Gabriella explained it was her parent's anniversary"
"It was a party, anyway"
He smirked, "I guess"
"So you're feeling normal again?" she asked casually and Troy lifted a single eyebrow, "Define normal"
"Full of life?" Payton explained more like a question.
"I feel fine" he shrugged.
"What about dates?"
"What about dates?" he repeated.
"I mean, are you going out with someone?"
Troy bit his lip to avoid laughing, "Sure, I'm dating 2 girls at the same time"
Payton laughed, "P.I.M.P"
He smiled, "Of course I'm not dating anyone"
"Molly?"
"Not dating her" Troy rolled his eyes, "You're annoying you know that?"
"Yes" she smirked, "Why don't you go out with Gabriella then?"
"She's my friend"
"And?"
"And…" Troy couldn't think of a good reason. "When you date someone you need to like the person, don't you think?"
"You don't like Gabriella then?"
"I do" he replied simply. "Very much, but she's my friend"
"Bullshit" Payton murmured to herself, "Have you thought about asking her?"
Troy sat straight on the bed, "Hmm"
"Troy"
"Maybe"
"Why haven't you asked her out then?"
"Because" he began, rubbing his neck nervously, "Hmm"
Payton punched him lightly on the chest, "Come on"
He sighed. "Are you afraid of rejection?"
"No…" Troy replied quickly. "She's my friend, that's it"
"Chicken" she teased and stood up, "I gotta go lil bro" she pecked him on the forehead, "I love you very much"
"I know"
She pulled his hair a bit, "Tell me you love me"
Troy laughed and rolled his eyes, "I love you sweetheart"
The girl was almost out of his room when she turned her head back, "Troy?"
"Yes?"
"She is really gorgeous, you know" Payton admitted, "And nice"
"I know that" he hissed. "I can feel it"
Payton smirked, "So if you like her, be fast. A girl like her won't be alone forever"
If it was another time in Troy's life he'd be secure about asking a girl out, but this time, it was something different. He knew he still loved Molly, he used to dream about her almost twice a week. Nightmares. It was all together, the accident, Julian and Molly. Troy would never be able to think about her without linking his accident to it. Obviously he was feeling way better about his situation of not being able to see, but yet, he was hurt, hurt he had to stop school; he couldn't drive fast anymore; seeing the beach...
Those things - even though he could feel most of the things he could do and it made him a bit independent - those things he could never have again. Troy could draw, but he couldn't do any projects for school, he could hear the classes, hear the waves, feel the wind against his face when Gabriella drove, but that was it. And he was tired of seeing her face popping in the darkness that was his life.
Molly would always be his love, he couldn't change it. But Troy could choose who he wanted. He felt good with Gabriella, he could see the real her. Molly was just the outside for him, she was nice, but that was it. He knew he loved her, but yet, he could never really know her. They were friends and she loved Julian, and that would break his heart, but you can't choose who you love. Troy loved Molly, Molly loved Julian, like Gabriella loved Ty, even though she tried to hate him, he'd always be important for her.
But, maybe, just maybe, they could try to go out, as friends at least. Troy could talk about anything with Gabriella, he touched her and he could feel her emotions, she was so transparent. Even though he couldn't see her eyes, he learned touching her expressions, hearing in her voice, what she felt, what she wanted, her necessities, her wishes. He felt like he new her soul.
Before his accident, he would go out with girls for fun, or for looks, but that was the Old Troy. The new Troy wanted to capture the essence, not only the face and the body, he wanted something deep, enough with the superficial.
It would be a funny side story If Gabriella didn't feel anything for him. Troy obviously had a crush on Gabriella, an innocent crush, sure, but yet, he felt something. He liked being with her, maybe his sister was right after all. She always knew what made Troy happy and she never liked Molly.
So maybe it was a good idea.
It probably was, she was the type of girl any guy would like to have. Gabriella seemed to be an angel. She was his angel, helping him when nobody knew how to help. Teaching him to see again, through his heart.
Being patient, trusting him. Listening, feeling, touching… everything.
If she liked him, maybe he should like her too. Maybe Troy could trust the chemistry they had to be with her. Payton always told him he needed to care about someone that cared about him too. And Gabriella cared about him, just like Troy cared about her.
Suddenly, Troy wanted to make his pain go away, he wanted to make her pain go away.
He needed to make her forget Ty, be happy again. He wanted to be the one that would put a smile on her face one more time. Troy knew he was the best one for this work. A pleasurable work.
Again, Troy felt himself blushing and his heart beating faster. He knew Gabriella thought he was cute and nice, but he felt insecure to ask her out. Chad had said she was gorgeous, Payton too. What If he wasn't good enough? What If she only wanted to be a friend with him because he was… blind.
Troy shook his head. That was not Gabriella, he needed to be confident if he was going to ask her out tonight. He remembered Payton's words the first time he decided to tell Molly how he felt, "Girls don't like guys that are insecure" she had told him, but even though girls kept telling him he was beautiful and sweet, he couldn't help but feel nervous everytime he was going to ask someone out. Troy tried to change it, but he couldn't. Maybe it was part of his charm, being shy.
And If Gabriella really liked him, the real him, she wouldn't mind if he choked up the words a bit.
That was their time to be happy, together.
Decision made, he stood up from his bed, tracing the cold walls with his hand, stepping out of his room, walking to the stairs, slowly going down. The time he made to the living room he could already hear her humming contently in the kitchen, probably making him dinner.
He took a deep breath and stepped inside the huge room, already smelling the food Gabriella was preparing.
"Hey sleepyhead" he heard her voice, softly as always, greeting him.
Troy followed the sound of water, she was probably in front of the sink right now. 'Confidence, confidence' that's all he tried to think. It was so ironic that before he made his decision to ask her out, he could touch, talk, treat her normally and now, Troy felt like a teenager again. Was that a good sign?
"Hey, come here" she lifted her hand to grab his arm gently, feeling his whole body tense, "You're okay? Something's up?"
He shook his head quickly. Confidence.
"Gabi"
"Yes" she rubbed his arm up and down, calming him. "What's up?"
Troy took a deep breath, feeling her small and warm hand on his skin, immediately getting calmer. He didn't need to feel nervous, it was Gabriella. He knew her, she wouldn't be cruel. They had a connection, he knew that.
He pushed her gently to rest her back against the skin. Troy heard the sound of her body moving and nodded just once, before placing both of his hands on each side of her body against the sink. He looked into her eyes, the contour of her face clearer now more than ever.
"Look," he sighed and talked really fast, "I'm really nervous right now, so I'll just go straight to the point"
"Okay" Gabriella sounded confused.
"Gabi" he repeated her name again, "I think I have a crush on you"
Her eyes widened slightly but she tried to keep cool, "That sounds so adolescent, Todd"
He couldn't help but smirk. "Well, I feel like a teenager, now" he ran his hand down her arm, capturing her hand and bringing to his chest, "Sweaty hands, heart accelerating. It's all here" his smirk turned into a half-smile, "And I'll probably steal your lunch if you don't say yes to my next question"
Gabriella held her breath, lacing her hand that was on his chest with his own, "Should I be worried?"
"No"
"You won't kill me?"
Troy lifted his eyebrows, feeling more relaxed now. "Do I look like a killer?"
She shook her head, "Nah, too cute" she admitted.
"Serial killers are ugly then?"
"Troy… straight to the point" she reminded him.
He grinned lazily, "Would you like to go out with me?"
"Like a date?"
"Like a date" he teased.
"Yes" she replied casually, maybe too quickly, but she didn't mind.
"First" Troy cupped her face gently, like he always did when he wanted to caress her cheeks with his fingers, "Don't you mind I'm…" he rolled his eyes, "I can't see?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes too before pushing him away delicately, "You're so stupid… of course not"
"Sure?" he stepped closer again.
"Yeah" she replied annoyed.
Troy caressed her cheek slowly, "Then it's a date"
She bit her lip, "It's a date" she agreed.
"Tomorrow, 6PM" he gave Gabriella her favorite playful smile, "I'll pick you up in your room"
