Wow, guys, thank you for all the reviews. You guys have made this story my most successful yet. I owe it all to you, keep reviewing and I promise to keep writing.
Zac and Vanessa looked gorgeous together at the GG's! Did you see the after party pics? Zac had a hickey! I wonder who gave that to him? Cough-Vanessa-Cough. He did great presenting!
Keep reviewing please. I don't know when this will get out, mid terms start Friday. Ugh. They are changing my whole schedule next semester. Bitchez. I'm pissed about that.
I should have known better with a girl like you
That I would love everything that you do
And I do, hey, hey, hey, and I do
-- I Should Have Known Better, by The Beatles
sorry the lyrics don't relate that well :(
"Life sucks," I commented, sitting down at my usual lunch table on Thursday, and let my head fall down to the table in my arms. I heard Sharpay chuckle next to me and groaned. "Don't laugh at me! You can walk around holding your boyfriends hand, you can kiss him, you don't have to watch your boyfriend hang out with other girls like he is single when he isn't!" I exclaimed, picking my head up.
"He doesn't willingly hang out with the girls, they just kind of corner him, and literally has to fight to get away," Sharpay corrected. "If you-" she started but I cut in.
"If I would just stop being a big baby and admit to my brothers that I am with Troy in a committed relationship when I could be with him the way I want, I know!" I finished for her. She nodded, and ate a cracker. "Troy tells me that every time we are together in public and it is pissing me off," I told her. I whined lightly, leaning my cheek into the palm of my hands. "I want Troy."
I felt an arm run across my back and Troy sit down next to me. "I heard my name," he muttered in my ear. I hugged him instantly and layed my head on his shoulder. "Are we allowed to do this in public, babe? You know the deadline expires tomorrow," he questioned quietly in my ear.
"Can you stop guilting me for, like, five minutes and just hug me please?" I asked. "I'm having a bit of a bad day," I explained.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me to the edge of my seat. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked, and I felt his lips brush against my neck.
"No," I answered, pulling away slowly. "I want to be with you like normal couple can, I'm just acting like a scared little girl and won't tell them," I told him, noticing Shane and Ryan walking up to the table. Ryan knows about us, but only because he guessed right, and I know I can trust him with this secret.
Sharpay now had her attention on Chad, who arrived, and Shane and Ryan were talking about something I particularly didn't care to listen about, and Kelsi was no where to be found right now. "I'm getting something to eat, want anything?" Troy asked, standing up.
"Ah, yeah, can you grab me some cheese fries, grapes, and a lemonade?" I replied, pulling out some money, but Troy shook his head at me. "Troy, it's my food," I reminded him.
"Babe, I'll pay for your lunch, I think it is in a boyfriend handbook somewhere," Troy informed me, and squeezed my shoulder.
"Yeah, well, someone should tell Chad that," Sharpay said from next to me. Troy gave me a small smile before turning around and walking away towards the lunch line.
Chad scoffed at Sharpay. "I pay for stuff," he defended himself. "I just don't feel the need to pay for everything because you are the rich one," he explained.
"Just because my parents give me all the money I was in exchange for their unparenting-ness, doesn't mean I have to use it," she responded. Chad and Sharpay's spats have become amusing to watch. I'm done with being annoyed with them, and just laugh at them.
"That doesn't stop you for dragging me to go shopping with you for five hours!" he told her, putting the basketball on the ground. Uh oh, this is getting serious. He never lets that friggin' basketball touch the floor unless he is dribbling it. "Nothing is stopping you from spending money then," he added.
I could practically see the glare forming on Sharpay's face and she wasn't facing me. "You have your hobbies, and I have mine," she said to him.
"Shopping is not a hobby for you, Shar, it's an addiction," he replied. He is entering dangerous territory, you do not insult shopping in front of Sharpay Evans.
"Basketball is an addiction for you Chad, you taking that fucking ball with you everywhere you go. You spend more time with it than me," he told him. True, I have to give her than one. "You even named it Frankie," she added. Ha! He did! He is so getting made fun of later.
Troy sat down next to me and I looked over at him. "Sh! This is getting good," I whispered, gesturing towards Sharpay and Chad, and ate a cheese fry.
"You bring your credit cards with you everywhere!" he responded. Again, true. She does. But, they come in handy. Probably more than a basketball.
"I don't sleep with my credit cards at night and hug it like a living person," she spat back at him. He is sooo getting made fun of later.
"Well, if Frankie bothers you that much, why don't you make me choose between you two?" he asked. I tried to hide a laugh and failed. So did Troy.
"Because you love that ball," she told him. They were at the point of yelling, but her voice lowered with this sentence. "And I love you, so I let you bring around like a dog," she added. Oh, shit. She never told him that. Which would explain the jumping up and running away.
Oh, God. This is not good. I stood. "I have to.. yeah," I said, and started to leave, but Chad caught my hand.
"No, I need to talk to her," he muttered and ran after her.
I sat back down, but stayed turned towards them. "I swear to God, if he breaks her heart I will break him in half," I said under my breath, and started to wring my hands together.
"He won't," Troy informed me, and I turned to him. "He's been in love with her since freshman year," he told me. "Guys do talk about their feelings you know," he added, answering my strange look.
I smiled and turned in my seat so I was facing him. "Yeah?" I questioned, and ate some more of my food. "And what do you tell Chad about me when you share your feelings?" I asked, and he looked down, smiling slightly.
He grabbed my hand under the table and laced our fingers together. "I tell him that your hott," he answered, and I chuckled. "And you make me laugh, and smile. That you are easy to talk to, and don't judge me by my past. I tell him that it's nice to know that you can take care of yourself because you learned from your brothers, but I feel this need to protect you anyways. That will probably annoy you, because you hate when you brothers do it, but I can't help it," he went on, and I smiled. Shane and Ryan picked up their trays and went for the trashcans. "What I haven't told him, is that your hair has this twinge of gold around it like a halo when it hits the sunlight. That you have these cute dimples when you smile. Your eyes are brown, but I don't like to call them that. They're more of a dark chocolate, but they change when you look into the sun, they shimmer in this weird honey shade," he said, trying to phrase it right.
"It is really hard not to kiss you right now, you know," I murmured in a low voice.
He smiled and looked down at our hands. "Tonight is the pep rally, down at the old baseball field you know, the bonfire," he started, and I nodded. "If you tell them today after school, I can take you as my date, and show the whole school that Gabriella Montez is mine," he said.
"Troy.." I trailed off.
"You said you would tell them Friday before the game, Brie, tomorrow is Friday. You're running out of time," he told me. "I will not hesitate to kiss you when we win the game tomorrow, trust me," he added.
I bit my lip. "I'll tell them tomorrow before the game like I told you I would," I replied. "I've been waiting for the right time all week, but it has never come up, and I'm afraid to. If I have to yell it tomorrow as my brothers are leaving the house before the game because I chicken out before then, I will. I know when I tell them, it will lead to a lot of yelling, a lot of explaining, and defending you the whole time. I can do that easily, I am just don't want to go through the whole yelling part," I told him.
"Your brothers might surprise you," he responded, and I gave him a look as the bell rang over us. "Is it that bad I want our relationship to be a normal one?" he asked in a low voice. "I want to do this right, Brie, and that requires telling your brothers, it is the right thing to do," he told me.
Everyone in the cafeteria started leaving, but we stayed. "I know it is," I whispered. "I want us to be normal too. I know you say that even if they won't let us be together, you'll find a way, but I don't want it to come to that," I confessed, looking him in the eye.
"I don't want it to either, but it might," he responded, and I nodded, knowing this to be true. "Your brother's opinions mean a lot to you, right?" he asked, and began to play with my fingers. I nodded again. "I've been pushing you to tell them, and I am sorry I have been pushing you so hard, but part of me is I wouldn't say scared but.." he trailed off looking for the right word. "Uncertain, yeah, uncertain of what will happen when you do tell them. If they don't approve us, I don't know how will you react because it is the way they feel about us, and you just agreed that what your brothers think means a lot to you. If they don't want us together-" he went on but I cut him off.
"You are worried if the fact that my brothers won't want us together, I won't be with you because their opinions matter to me," I finished for him.
"Well, yeah," he said in a low voice.
I scooted further to the end of my seat so I was closer to him. "You're right," I started and he took in a deep breath. "On most things, my brother's opinions matter to me. But this isn't one of those most things. You mean so much to me already, Troy, I'm not going to let them take you away from me even if they want to. I don't want them to try and do that, but if they are absolutely dead set on keeping us apart, I'll see you anyways. I'm going to do anything I can to make them see that me and you are real," I confessed.
"How did this conversation go from me comforting you, to you doing it to me?" Troy questioned, smiling at me.
I shrugged. "I guess it is just want couples do," I answered. I stood up and reluctantly let his hand go as I did and swung my bag over my shoulder. "Wanna go see if Sharpay and Chad are making out or making up?" I asked, and he stood too, grabbing the lunch tray to throw away. Me personally, I want Chad and Sharpay to be making up, and not making out. I don't want to be scarred for life.. again.
-
"Does anyone ever listen to Mr. Matsui when he talks?" Sharpay asked, watching the principal once again tell us that the pep rally is about to start and if we don't behave like good little children we won't have any more of these 'school spirited activities' or something like that. Whatever. They used the old baseball field, and built a bonfire pit in the middle, that is ready to be lit. There is a makeshift stage the wood fab kids made for a grade, that the team will stand in as we give them pep or something. The cheerleaders will dance around the fire, and I hope one will fall in. Just kidding, I am too nice, maybe one can just light their hair on fire?
Anyways, since it is in the old baseball field, kids got the opportunity to drive their cars down. Kinda like when Danny and Sandy reunited at their school pep rally, and everyone had their cars around it. Like that. It is about five thirty, and it is still pretty light out although it should be getting dark soon. But since it is light, me and Sharpay as sitting on her car hood, painting my nails a very dark shade of purple, that looked black in certain light. It matches my purple halter top that has black lines that don't have a pattern to them, and white dots splatters onto it. Finishing it off with black tight pants, and black heels. We already did my toes.
I shrugged at her question. "I think the really good kids do. I tend to zone out," I answered, trying to hold my hand steady.
"I sure as hell won't be paying attention to anything else besides Chad when they come out," she mentioned with a devilish smile on her face. Me and Troy couldn't even find them earlier, the disappeared for the whole free period. The only thing I got out of either of them was that they didn't have sex. I'm sure they came close though. Long story short, Chad loves her too, they are in love. Yay!
I nodded and looked over at Mr. Matsui who was now telling Coach Bolton to come out. "Am I sleeping over your house tomorrow?" I asked Sharpay who was finishing up my hand.
"If you want," she told me. "I mean, the party is going to be there, and if you want to sleep over, my parents aren't home like usual, so Troy can sleep over," she explained, smiling at me. Sharpay is holding the weekly after the game party at her house. It is a pool party though. Sharpay has a indoor pool that is very close to Olympic size, along with a hot tub and sauna, plus a bar that is right there along with it all. She is keeping the nearest kitchen, and three bathrooms open, plus a couple rooms upstairs, but the rest of the house will be blocked off. The school population is elated, and girls are pulling out their bikini's.
I rolled my eyes. "I am very happy you and Chad are in love, and there is a big chance tomorrow could be your first time together but, it doesn't mean it has to be mine," I replied. "Besides, my brothers don't even know yet, and I am running out of time," I added. Around us, the student body screamed, and we looked up just in time to see the team run on stage, all wearing their jerseys and a pair of blue jeans.
Me and Sharpay stopped talking and faced forward. The cheerleaders ran out after them, and ran a circle around the unlit bonfire. The mascot, AKA Ryan, brought a lit torch over to the wood, and let it catch on fire. "Doesn't he look sexy?" she asked, her voice low, looking at Chad, who was smiling at her.
"I'm not sure, I don't think of him that way," I answered, looking at Troy, who gave me a quick wink, making me smile. Coach Bolton then went into a speech about how hard 'his boys' have worked this season, and we are going to kill the South High Frogs, really that is their team name tomorrow night.
"When are we going to loose?" the cheeleaders suddenly yelled, and the crowd screamed 'never!' They went on into a cheer, and I ignored them, and looked at Johnny, waving at him, along with Shane. They nodded back, and looked each other then said something. As far as I know, Johnny is still completely clueless about me and Troy. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, and pulled it out.
From: Troy Boy
hang bak wen every1 leaves
Troy texted. I looked up at him, and while Jack was talking in front of him, half his body was behind Chad's his phone in his hands, I guessed. My phone vibrated in my hand again.
From: Troy Boy
u look rly hott layin on that car
He added, and I laughed at it. Sharpay looked over my shoulder at the phone. "Why isn't Chad texting me?" she whined, pulling her phone out and texted violently in it.
I shook my head at her, and pressed the reply button,
Ha ha thanx. I'll hang back & tel Chad that he is in trouble 4 not txtin S
I typed, and sent it. I saw his face smile slightly before slipping his phone back into his pocket just in time as Jack was turning around, and waved for Johnny to come up and talk. He is the team captain. Everyone, especially girls, screamed as he approached the podium. I scream, you scream, we all scream for Johnny! Nah, I love my brother, he's good at talking in public, unlike me where I would practically faint.
"Hi everyone, Gabi, Sharpay," Johnny greeted into the microphone, and I laughed, shaking my head. I noticed a couple cheerleaders glare at us. We stuck our tongues out at them. "How is everyone doin' tonight?" he asked, and everyone screamed again. Why doesn't everyone try and keep their voices down, okay? Thanks.
The pep rally went on for a little over an hour more, screaming and yelling the whole time, which annoyed me and Sharpay. We gave up on watching our boyfriends, and layed back against her car, and talked about anything. School, that we are going to go shopping on Saturday, her party, and she informed she bought me a bathing suit and I have to wear it. Great, just great. Before we knew it, we heard cars revving around us and people leaving. We slid off the hood. I found Troy who was walking off stage, he had a questioning look in his eye, and I nodded. He smiled, and Chad pushed him down the rest of the stairs.
"Hey, I have to stay behind, you mind driving around the front of the school and waiting for me?" I questioned, looking towards Sharpay, who was texting someone, I assumed Chad.
She shook her head. "No, I'll be in my regular parking spot, Chad is riding home with me. So while you are down here being naughty, I can be alone with Chad, being a wee bit naughty myself," she answered, smiling and got in the car. Every other car was driving away by now, and I waved Sharpay off before walking to the stage and waited for Troy.
It was getting really dark now, and I layed back on the wooden stage to look up at the stars. I live in New Mexico so I do not like coldness, and only wearing a halter top, I was a bit chilly. I suddenly felt hands on my legs, and a person walk in between them. I knew it was Troy, but I jumped anyways and held back a surprised scream.
I popped up and smacked him on the chest with real force, and noticed he was laughing. "Don't laugh, this isn't funny!" I exclaimed, glaring at him.
He changed out of his jersey, and replaced it with a black t-shirt and black hoodie. He ran his hands up and down my thighs slowly. "I'd tell you that I am sorry, but I'm kinda not," he said, pulling me to the edge of the stage making it so we were almost smashed up against each other. He leaned forward and kissed my bare shoulder. "You have goose bumps," he accused softly, and shrugged his hoodie off then proceeded to swing it around my shoulders.
I slipped my arms inside it and smiled at the warmth it provided. "Those goose bumps aren't there only because of the cold, you know," I informed him, wrapping my arms around his waist loosely.
He smiled and rested his forehead against mine. "I know," he replied. He pressed his lips to mine and I immediately responded. It wasn't fast, or rough as sometimes our kisses can be, but it was slow and gentle and completely heart melting. My hands unwrapped from around from his waist and gripped his shirt, pulling him closer if it was possible. One of his hands came up and layed on the back of my neck, while the other stayed around my waist. We pulled away for a second, to catch our breaths, but were back at it not a moment later, kissing and moaning, and once in a while, our hands exploring.
I ripped my mouth away from his and almost whimpered myself, wanting to connect our lips again. "Tonight," I panted in a low voice that was almost inaudible. "I'm going to tell my brothers tonight, I'm sick and tired of keeping our relationship a secret," I told him.
He smiled so wide that it made me smile too. He picked me up by the legs and swung me around before hopping up onto the stage, and let my legs go so I was straddling him. We didn't even get to kiss again when his pocket vibrated. I groaned as he dug for it. He pressed a button and put the phone up to his ear. "Hello?" he asked in a frustrated voice.
I leaned my head forward and started nibbling on his ear. His arm wrapped around my waist, keeping me as close to him as possible.
He cleared his throat. "What? I didn't hear you," he said into the phone. "I was distracted," he explained, and I giggled lightly, moving my mouth down to his neck and started to suck on his pulse point. His breathing picked up, and he said 'mhm' a couple times into the phone. "Yeah, five minutes, bye," he said and snapped it shut before putting it down on the stage. I pulled away from his neck slightly, and blew on the wet spot I created. He tried to suppress a moan, and failed.
"So, who was on the phone?" I asked, slipping my hands under his shirt. I wasn't worried about the time, I knew when Sharpay wanted me up there, she would text me.
He grinned. "My uncle," he answered, and I tried to hide a smile by biting my lip. "I don't know what he said at all, but he wants me at his car in five minutes," he told me. I stuck my lip out in a frown. He leaned forward and bit at it before pecking me on the lips. "I don't want to, trust me, but you're telling your brothers about us tonight, and tomorrow we can do this whenever we want. In public," he added.
"I'm not sure I want to do this exactly in front of my brothers," I replied, referring to our position.
He kissed me again. "I really wouldn't give a shit," he told me. I shook my head at him, and he helped me off his lap so I wouldn't fall. I wrapped my arm around his middle, and he did the same to my shoulders. I rested my head on his shoulder, and let my legs move while Troy guided us up to the school. We were at the front of the school in five minutes. I pecked Troy on the cheek in goodbye. "Call me tonight after you tell them. Or before you go to bed, or as you tell them, I don't care, just call, okay?" he told me.
I nodded and walked off towards Sharpay's car before pausing. "Troy!" I called, and he turned back towards me. "I have your hoodie," I reminded him, about to take it off when I saw him shake his head in the distance.
"Keep it," he called back, and finished his way to his uncle's car. I smiled and finished my way towards Sharpay's, which as a bit foggy.
I knocked on the window for about two minutes until Sharpay rolled down the window. "I get that you are horny, but I have to get home," I told her, grinning at her because she looked shocked at my blunt words. "Seriously," I added when she just stared at me. "Hi, Chad!" I greeted, looking past Sharpay.
"H-hey, what's up Gabs?" he asked, fidgeting.
I smiled. "You tell me Chad," I replied as he blushed, looking down.
"Yeah, I'll just climb in the back," he said and did. I walked over to the passenger side and got in. "Troy's a bad influence on you," he mumbled grumpily.
"I kinda like it," Sharpay spoke up, turning on the car as I put on my seat belt. "She isn't as shy anymore, but still blushes," she went on, pulling out of the school parking lot. We turned on the radio from there, and just listened to the music. We pulled up in front of my house, and most of the lights were on.
"Thanks for the ride, S, have fun on the way home," I said in goodbye, remembering to grab my purse that I left in Sharpay's car during the pep rally, and slammed it behind me. I got a whiff of Troy's scent on the way up to the front door, and pulled the hoodie fabric up to my nose and breathed deeply. I was smiling when I got in my house, and had butterflies in my stomach because of what I was about to tell my brothers. They wouldn't approve, but I was happy with Troy, and they had to see that.
I dropped my purse down on the table next to the door, and slipped my high heels off. "Guys!" I yelled into the house, and turned towards the living room, only to see them all sitting there. "Good, you're all here, I need to tell you guys something," I told them, smiling.
"Why don't you start with you and Troy Bolton?" Cole suggested. Uh oh.
"I saw you, Gabriella," Johnny told me. "I left my sweatshirt behind the stage, and went back to find it, and guess who I found making out with Troy," he said. This is not good. "You," he finished.
I opened my mouth to speak. "I convinced them to let you come home and not go looking for you," Shane spoke up, cutting me off.
"What the hell is going on, Gabriella?" Noel asked, standing up.
Notice none of them used a nickname, only Gabriella. Not a good sign. "Troy is my boyfriend," I blurted out, and they all blinked at my besides Shane who was happy I finally told them. "We've been.. skirting around each other for over a month, and last Sunday he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes," I explained.
"Last Sunday?" Drew questioned, standing up too. I nodded. "When you were supposed to be at Sharpays," he went on. I see where this is going.
"I was with-" I started, but Drew cut he me off.
"Answer the question, Gabriella Anne," Drew said. The middle name is not good. I nodded. "So you lied," he added.
"At least let her talk," Shane told Drew.
Drew looked over at Shane. "Shane, go to your room. Obviously you knew about this and didn't tell any of us," he ordered.
"You have to-" Shane started, but Drew cut him off again.
"Shane, go!" he bellowed. Shane dropped his head and started walking.
He squeezed my hand on the way out. "I tried, Twin," he muttered as he past, and I gave him a faint smile.
"You actually believe that Troy Bolton is your boyfriend?" Johnny asked in a scoff.
"Yes!" I exclaimed. "I do. We're serious about each other, Johnny," I assured him.
He laughed. "Troy Bolton does not do serious," he replied.
"Will you stop saying his full name like it is a swear word?" I questioned, crossing my arms. "And yes, he can do serious, John, he's with me," I added.
"He is not with you! He's using you!" he said, his voice raising.
"For what?" I asked, stepping forward, my voice raising too. "Sex?" I asked, and all my brothers stood straighter. "I'll have you know I am still a virgin, and I plan on staying that way," I informed him. "And Troy knows that, he knows I am not ready for sex, and is completely fine with it," I explained.
Cole scoffed this time. "No guy is completely fine with it," he told me.
"Troy is!" I insisted.
"If he is so serious about you two then why did you guys keep it a secret all week?" Drew asked, and the rest of my brothers agreed with a faint 'yeah.' Why do they all have to team up on me at the same time? It's not fair four against one.
I rolled my lips together. "I was scared this would happen, but Troy really wanted you all to know. He even gave me a deadline to tell you all. Tomorrow, before the game," I answered.
"I'm sure he did," Noel remarked with a look of unbelief in his eyes.
"This is pointless!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms up in surrender. "No matter what I tell you you will all believe Troy is a player. You are still going to think he is just using me. You still all think I am some weak defenseless girl when I am not," I explained.
"You don't know what is best for you right now, Gabriella, we do," Drew told me.
I opened my mouth in shock. "I don't know what is best for me?!" I asked, my voice in a yell. "I think I know what I am feeling, and what I feel for Troy is real, and I don't care if you think so or not," I told them, but part of it is a lie. I do care if they think so. I want them to know how deeply I feel for Troy. "Actually, I just lied. I want you all to know how much I feel for him. I want you to know I have never felt this way before. I want you to know that Troy makes me feel things that I never have before. What ever you guys say tonight, it won't change that I am with Troy. I am going to be with him whether you like it or not," I confessed.
"I get that you think you more than like this guy, but you are not just going to walk in here and tell me that you are going to do whatever the hell you want to. I am in charge of you, Gabriella, so watch what you say," Drew replied, anger laced in his voice.
My other brothers stayed silent, they really didn't have a voice in the final say, that was all up to Drew. "This isn't fair, Drew!" I shouted. "Johnny and Shane can be with who ever they want, and I have to get it checked with you all if I want to?" I asked, scoffing.
"Don't bring me into this," Johnny spoke up.
"Oh, so you wanted to be in this when you told on me like a five year old, when I was going to tell you all today anyways? You wanted to be in this five minutes ago when this was all on me, and now I'm pointing out what hypocrites you all are being?" I asked. "What about you Drew?" I questioned turning back to him. "A month ago you told me that if I found someone I wanted to be with you would help me be with him," I reminded him.
"I told you if I approved I would help. I don't approve of this guy," he replied.
"Who will you approve of?" I asked, still yelling. "I can answer for you. No one! No one is ever going to be good enough for you guys. But I love the fact that you all love Troy when he is all into basketball and keeping your winning season alive, but hate him when you realize I am with him. Do you guys get that me and here are exclusive?" I asked. "Do you know I had to convince him that us being together would be good because he was so afraid of hurting me?"
They all stayed silent.
"Exactly," I said, only now lowering my voice. "You guys don't know anything about him. What you all know is that everyone at school thinks he is some big player that sleeps with a lot of girls. And you all think that because of Johnny, who has the same things being said about him at school. You guys have no idea who Troy Bolton really is. You have no idea what he has been through, do you guys know why he lives with his uncle?" I asked, knowing the answer. "No, you don't. I do, I know what he has been through and I know he is a good guy. I haven't been this happy since Mom and Dad died. But you all don't care, all you care about is keeping me protected from everything, and I can't live that way anymore," I told them, and turned around. I slipped on a pair of my black flats and ran out the door.
I didn't think to grab car keys and drive, and I didn't want to go back and get one. I just kept running, my feet knew where I was going, and I didn't have to think about it. I stopped to walk every once in a while, but went on running after moment or two. I got to Troy's, and jogged down his driveway. I saw his motorcycle and banged on the sliding glass door. The lights were off and no one answered. His uncle Jack's car was gone, he must be gone too. I whined and slid down the door, pulling my legs up to my chest. I would call him but I forgot my phone, it's in my purse. I leaned my head against the door and just waited. That was all I could do. I probably could run to Chad's, but I didn't want Chad, I want Troy.
I only waited for ten or fifteen minutes when I heard Jack's truck coming down the driveway. I sat up but stayed at the backdoor. I heard Troy's loud chuckle and the car door's slam. I was silent, but Troy noticed me as soon as they started walking towards the house. "Brie!" he exclaimed, and jogged to me, I instantly hugged him and buried my face into his shoulder. "What happened?" he asked, tightening his hold on me.
"I'll go around front, Troy," Jack said awkwardly. "Hi Gabi," he greeted, and I waved with my hand slightly as Jack left. Troy dug his hand into one of his pockets, and I heard keys jingle. He reached behind me and unlocked the door.
"Come in, babe," he told me, and opened the door wide. I walked through and kicked off my shoes and played with the wrists of the hoodie. "What happened?" he questioned, closing the door behind him.
I took in a deep breath. "A lot of yelling. They think you are using me, they think you just want to have sex with me, they think you are this big player. They don't care if what we have is real. All they care about is protecting me and I can't let them do it anymore. Not with this," I explained, pacing back and forwards in front of him. "I should have known better, that they would never accept us, well, I already knew that but inside I hoped and I-"
Troy grabbed one of my hands and stopped me in front of him. He tugged on my hand so I was hugging him.
"Johnny saw us," I added into his ear. "On the stage after the pep rally and went home and told Drew," I whispered. "Shane tried to stick up for me but Drew sent him to his room, and then they all ganged up on me. More Drew and Johnny with a little of Cole. Noel was kinda silent the whole time, just watching and agreeing with them."
"I'm sorry," Troy murmured in my ear, holding me tighter. "I'm sorry that I caused all of this," he explained.
I pulled away from him slightly so I could see his face. "This is not your fault, Troy," I corrected. "It's theirs. I'm not the same little twelve year old girl I was when my parents died. I'm different, I'm older, I'm stronger, and I'm my own person. They should be able to see that and let me be who I am. I'm not going to let them take away what makes me happy," I told him. "You."
"And I'm not going to let you choose me over your brothers," he replied. I opened my mouth to speak but he shook his head. "Because that is what you are doing. So you have to go back," he said.
I pulled out of his hold and backed away from him. "I already have them telling me what I can and cannot do, I am not going to let you do it too," I informed him.
"I'm not telling, I'm insisting," he told me. "You have to go back and talk to Drew, you have to make him see that me and you are serious," he went on. "Because right now all we have is a secret relationship that we both hate, four of your brothers who want to kill me, and all they see is you dating this bad guy, and running away to me, choosing me," he explained.
"Well, I'm sorry that I went to the one person I thought could make me feel better, and understand where I coming from about all of this," I said, crossing my arms. "And you're not a bad guy, Troy," I added under my breath.
He stepped forward and ran his hands up and down my arms. "You know that, now all you need to do is convince them that," he told me. "I told you before they knew that if they refused to accept us, I'll be with you anyways, and I will. But we have this chance, Brie, this one chance to make them see that we're real. You have to take it," he said.
I leaned forward against him, and sighed in defeat. "You're right," I whispered. "But can I just stay here for a while?" I asked against his black t-shirt.
"Of course you can," Troy answered. "Look, me and Uncle Jack went out to eat at the Chinese Palace, and we brought some home. How about we warm some up, watch a movie, and just hang out until your curfew?" he proposed, kissing my head. I nodded and kissed his chest through his shirt. "Alright, I'll go heat you some up, you pick a movie, and get comfortable," he suggested, and made his way up the stairs.
After I picked a movie, I grabbed a blanket and plopped down on the futon, my feet up on the coffee table. Troy came down about five minutes later, a plate and two drinks in his hand. He set them down before sitting next to me. I threw the blanket over him too and snuggled against him.
"What did you pick?" he questioned as I picked up the remote and pressed the play button.
"Transformers," I answered, reaching forward for my plate of Chinese food. "Oooh, you got me an egg roll, the best part," I commented, smiling.
Troy shook his head. "No one actually likes the egg roll, you're weird," he replied.
I fake scoffed. "Egg rolls are the shit, you're weird for not liking them," I corrected. "Name one person who doesn't like egg rolls," I told him. he grinned and opened his mouth when I started speaking. "Do not say you and you are the only one that matters, name someone else," I added. He faked a frown and started to think about it. "Ha! If egg rolls are so bad then why did you bring some home?" I asked, and he stayed silent. "Your uncle likes egg rolls doesn't he?" I said with a smile.
"Yeah, well, you both are weird then."
-
"I don't wanna," I whined into Troy's chest later that night with my arms wrapped around him. We're out front of my house, at my curfew.
Troy kissed underneath my ear quickly. "You have too, baby," he insisted, removing his body from mine and stepped back, making me whine again. "Talk to Drew, see what you can do, and call me when you're done," he told me. He kissed me softly before getting on his bike.
I formed a soft smile and waved as he drove away. I turned around and walked slowly up to my house. I opened the door slowly and stepped in. A lot of lights were off, but the living room light was on and Drew was sitting on the couch silently. "Can we talk?" I whispered, fiddling with the sleeve of Troy's hoodie.
Drew stood in one motion and faced me. "You want me to accept him," Drew stated and I nodded. "Convince me why I should."
This is shorter than normal. Sorry.
Next chap: Drew and Gabi talk, the game, and the party with Johnny thrown in too.
I don't like this chapter, but I will try to get a new chapter up this weekend.
REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!!
-- Kayleigh
