Chapter 9
Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or any of its characters.
Troy checked his phone as he got out of the shower and remembering his promise quickly pulled on some clothes so he could ring Gabriella.
Gabriella was in the spa trying to relax and not worry about why Troy hadn't rung when her phone rang. Checking the caller ID and seeing Troy's face she hurriedly answered. "Hi Troy can I call you back in five minutes"
"Sure Gabriella, are you okay?"
"Umm yeah I just need to do something before I can sit and talk" she said hanging up before he could reply. She hurriedly got out of the spa and dried herself off pulling on a tracksuit before ringing Troy.
"Hey" he said. "What's up?"
Gabriella blushed. "I was in the spa" she mumbled.
"So you answered the phone naked but I can't call you when I'm naked" Troy said amused.
"I was so relieved you rang I wanted to let you know I could talk to you. If I hadn't answered you'd have made other plans and not been able to talk" Gabriella said.
"Well I'm really glad you answered" Troy said letting it drop he could always tease her about it another day. "I'm sorry I couldn't ring last night Dad had me out training until after 11."
"His hunting trip didn't help?" Gabriella asked sighing.
"It might have done if he and Uncle Steve didn't get into an argument last night" Troy admitted sighing too.
"That's too bad. Did you have a good afternoon with Jakie?" Gabriella asked trying to turn his mind to happier things and remembering how happy he'd sounded the day before.
"Yeah He's a great little boy" Troy said enthusiastically.
Gabriella could see the smile in his voice. "You two are really close" she commented.
"I wish I could spend more time with him. I look after him at least once every week. He loves to spend time with me. There's no pressure we just have fun" Troy rambled.
"He loves you unconditionally" Gabriella said smiling.
Troy thought for a moment "Yeah that's it" he agreed.
Gabriella was glad Troy had someone that loved him like that though didn't say anything for fear of hurting him again. "What have you done today?" she asked instead.
"Run, trained, laundry, cleaned downstairs and cleaned out the garage" Troy said.
"Sounds like you need a house elf" Gabriella teased.
"Yeah, but the garage was punishment though for upsetting Dad again this morning."
"Do I want to know what you did?" Gabriella asked giving him a choice whether to tell her.
"No" Troy said grinning. "I'm just glad he didn't ground me and take my phone away like he originally threatened before I explained."
"Thank goodness he didn't" Gabriella exclaimed.
"What did you do today?" Troy asked.
"Well I had my last lesson then I took my skis back to the hire shop and went for a walk this morning. This afternoon I looked at designs for my new room and then took a bath. I've run out of stuff to read."
"So you've decided against redoing your old room?" Troy asked.
"No it's still an option depending on what the room looks like but I didn't really love it. And it won't work if the floor and windows aren't dark so I've been looking for ideas that work with light coloured floors and white painted windows" Gabriella explained. "What's your favourite colour?"
"Blues and Greens but my team colours are red and white so I wear a lot of that too" Troy said.
"Well your room is blue, I found a teal green room that I liked" Gabriella said thoughtfully. "I have bedding that would go with it too."
"I wish I could come and help you paint" Troy said wistfully
"Careful! Maybe we'll be somewhere close enough for me to hold you to that" Gabriella teased.
Troy laughed "I'd gladly drive 100 mile to come and help you paint" he promised. "It would be so good to see you again."
"It would but in a country that's nearly 4 million square mile there's less than a one in a hundred chance I'll live within 100 miles of you" Gabriella pointed out.
Troy sighed. "That bad huh" he said dejectedly.
"Well not quite, there aren't many cities big enough for Mom to be transferred to in Alaska, besides I think she knows I'd never forgive her."
"Yeah I don't live in Alaska either" Troy said.
"Well that's good. I don't know that I could muster much enthusiasm for moving to Alaska even if you lived around the corner" Gabriella said laughing. "But I kind of figured you wouldn't have come to Breckenridge for a skiing holiday if you lived in Alaska."
Troy laughed. "It looks like an awesome place to visit though" he said.
"I can see how it might appeal to you" Gabriella said diplomatically.
Troy laughed again. "Don't worry if we can get our mom's to take the same week off I won't ask you to ask to go to Alaska."
"I think that idea might be wishful thinking too Troy" Gabriella said pessimistically.
"Have you spent all day thinking negative thoughts?" Troy asked.
"I was feeling good this morning after my walk but Mom and I had a bit of a disagreement at lunch and I've felt out of sorts all afternoon" Gabriella confirmed.
"What can I do to make you feel better?" Troy asked.
"I don't know" Gabriella replied.
"I know how about we finish that game of twenty questions" Troy suggested.
"Okay, same rules?" Gabriella asked.
"Yeah no asking something you're not willing to answer and you can refuse to answer but not lie" Troy agreed. "You start."
"What's your favourite subject at school?" Gabriella asked.
"Until a couple of years ago it was definitely PE but now probably 'health and human development' because I like the teacher" Troy replied. "You?"
"I like maths, physics and chemistry" Gabriella revealed cringing, regretting having brought up the topic.
"Wow you did tell me you were smart" Troy said agreeably. "Or is it because those subject's syllabuses don't change so much between schools?" he asked perceptively.
"You're right they don't. It seems every time I change schools they're in the middle of studying a novel I haven't read and a period in history I haven't studied" she said exasperatedly.
Troy chuckled "I couldn't begin to cope with that" he said sympathetically. "Do you have a favourite school?"
"Yeah actually. I went to Granby High School in Norfolk. It's right near a naval base so it had a lot of kids of naval officers that get moved around every year or so without warning. I was able to make friends because they understood what it was like to live in a family where only one parent is around a lot of the time and to move constantly. My friends there helped me learn to deal with moving better and starting a new school. I still write to a couple of them occasionally. Samantha's in Japan this year and Chelsea has just moved back to Norfolk after two years in Germany.
"Isn't Norfolk too small a town for your Mom to be transferred to?" Troy asked surprised.
"Normally yes, but it's a Navy town so there's a lot of businesses involved with various support services for the Navy" Gabriella explained.
"Okay it's your turn to ask a question?" Troy said.
"How do you think your life would be different if you were born a girl?" Gabriella asked.
Troy laughed "That's one hell of a question" he said as he thought it over. "My Dad's a real chauvinist when it comes to sports. I don't know whether he'd have pushed me into basketball the same as he did or cheerleading or not cared what extracurricular activities I chose. Mom never expressed regret that I wasn't a girl so I doubt things would change there. I can't imagine how school would be different without my team. Do you think things would be different if you were born a boy?"
Gabriella laughed "I have no idea. My Mom's a real feminist when it comes to equal opportunities but I don't think it would have made much difference. Being a freaky genius boy would probably be harder than a freaky genius girl. I've never physically been bullied. And stop stealing my questions, think of your own" she scolded laughing again.
"Okay" Troy laughed pleased that Gabriella was obviously feeling better. "Do you believe in ghosts?"
"I'm not sure. I believe most ghost stories are fake but there are things that no one can explain. I've lived in a lot of places and none of them have been haunted. What do you look for in a girlfriend?"
"Not allowed to have one" Troy said dismissively. "I think I'd want someone that can actually talk about things. Definitely not a cheerleader."
"No specific physical characteristics?" Gabriella asked.
Troy immediately pictured Gabriella in his mind. "Are you asking am I a breast man or an arse man?" he asked amused.
"Troy!" Gabriella exclaimed scandalised.
Troy thought about it properly "I wouldn't like her to be as tall as me. Maybe five foot six or less. Not a size zero I want to hug a girl not a skeleton. Actually I'd have to say a nice pair of legs turns me on more than a huge rack."
"Troy!"
"Well you did ask. The rules say I have to be honest."
"Why not someone tall?"
"It reminds me that I'm not really tall enough to play professional ball. No matter how hard Dad pushes my training he can't make me grow another foot" Troy explained. "Tall girls look really hot but I don't like the way they make me feel when I'm standing beside them."
"Okay you're turn" Gabriella reminded him.
"How many kids do you want?" Troy asked.
"Definitely not one, maybe two or three fairly close in age" Gabriella replied. "If you had to move, where would you like to move to?"
"Somewhere near the beach where I could surf, or failing that somewhere I could go skiing regularly. Or somewhere near you" Troy replied. "Tell me about your family. Do you have Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles and cousins?"
"My Mom's parent's moved back to Spain to look after my great grandparents three years ago, my Dad's mother is dead and we haven't heard from his father since Dad's funeral. My mom and Dad were both only children so it's just me and Mom" Gabriella replied. "This isn't fair, since I banned you from repeating my questions you've asked several that I'd like you to answer too"
Troy laughed. "Dad's parents are both alive, they retired to Florida five years ago, he has one brother my Uncle Steve who lives about ten minutes drive from here. Mom is an only child and her parents are also both alive her father lives in Santa Fe and her mother here in Albuquerque. The problem is they're too much like my Mom both workaholics. Her father travelled constantly for work when I was younger and still does quite a bit. Her Mom still works about 60 hours a week. She and Mom don't get along very well. I don't see much of them. I definitely want more than one child and like you I'd like them to be close in age. Three or four sounds fine to me but it's obviously something I'll have to negotiate with my wife seeing she has to carry them. I've never met a ghost" he said.
Gabriella laughed and returned the favour. "I would want a boyfriend I could talk to, he needs to be intelligent enough to carry on a decent conversation about something other than sports but he doesn't need to be a straight A student. I want a gentleman who'd respect the fact I don't want to have sex on the first couple of dates or maybe even the first couple of months and is prepared to wait until I feel ready. Looks aren't that important but personal hygiene is, and like you I wouldn't want anyone too thin or too flabby, they don't need to look like a weightlifter but I want to feel some firmness in their muscles when they hold me. Someone taller than me of course even when I'm wearing heels but not so tall I couldn't reach up and kiss. Someone whose arms make me feel safe." She hoped Troy didn't realise she was basically describing him.
Troy heard a noise in the background and Gabriella groaned "I've got to go Mom's banging on the door for me to come to dinner."
"Okay Gabriella have a good last night at Breckenridge. I won't be able to call you tonight, Chad's threatened to come and drag me out if I don't come willingly" Troy replied.
"Don't you want to go?" Gabriella asked.
"Not particularly, it's just another party held by the cheerleaders, I'll go, get drunk and probably hook up with someone I wouldn't even want to talk to when I'm sober. It'll be kinda fun but I'd rather spend the evening talking to you" Troy said bluntly.
"Have a good time. I'll talk to you tomorrow" Gabriella replied hanging up to quickly change for dinner.
Troy wondered if he should have been a little less honest about the party. He hoped Gabriella hadn't been offended.
A/N: Thank you to Pumpkinking5, ceciliaa93, stordec23, Siobhan, LaueeeCarter, persiangal, KpodAvery, Lyra999, MzKaylaE and TheOnceAnonymous14 for your support.
