A/N: I'm so very sorry for the delay in updating this story!!! But my back is been killing me and I've been resting a lot, and still going to work in the mornings so my life is been hectic these last 15 days, so the updates are slower now :(
I feel bad, but I'm doing my best, I swear!!
Anyway, here's the next chapter so I hope it'll be worth the wait. Tell me what you think though :)
Thanks so much for all the reviews, PMs, comments, adding me/the story to your lists…wow, I feel extremely honoured you all feel that way with my stories! :hug: I know I haven't answered back your reviews for the last chapter of "whims…"; I'll do that later, no worries, but I wanted to have this up as soon as possible…
Here's chapter 9; enjoy! :)
With Troy and Gabriella
"This feels great…"
Gabriella smiled into Troy's chest – those last minutes in silence, only talking with their lips and their bodies made her feel amazing. She could notice and sense their connection increasing again; the distance between their hearts was in no way the same she'd been feeling since his confession and the safety and warmness that come every time she was with him were back. "I know…"
Troy couldn't believe he had Gabriella in his arms again; the fear of losing her for good hadn't left his body at all, but he could feel her body relaxed wrapped tightly with his and so that told him that things would be okay between them again.
Since the moment she disappeared through his father's office he'd been feeling his heart breaking; it'd been as if Gabriella was not only stepping out of the office but also from his life, as if she closing the door behind her meant that she was closing the door of her life for Troy too…but he'd been wrong, because she was back in his arms, she'd let him kiss her again, she'd let him hug her…she'd let him in her life again.
And only one word could describe his feelings now, being cuddled together in his bed, with every part of their bodies touching the others' – relief.
Because if after their talk and Gabriella's departure he'd felt his heart breaking, Troy could feel his heart recomposing again not that she was back. He'd never imagined that one person could have this effect on him but boy, he'd been wrong all along; his world had crashed when she hadn't been in it, a thick shadow had covered everything, pain and sorrow had surrounded his heart and his eyes had been covered by a wet sheet that didn't let him see anything but Gabriella's pained face after hearing his story.
It'd been a hectic day; he wasn't able to tell which one was the dominant emotion because he'd felt sad, angry, furious, depressed and everything in between, and he could feel his body reacting to that turmoil of feelings with exhaustion. He would have been more than content only holding Gabriella closer, smelling the delicious perfume of her shampoo, kissing every part of her his lips could reach, caressing softly her skin and feeling her breath in his neck…but he knew he couldn't.
Though a talk was the last thing he wanted and needed at the moment, Troy was aware that they needed this talk; plus, there was something that was bothering him.
"Baby," he began tentatively, intensifying the caresses on her back with his hand.
Gabriella noticed the special edge hidden behind his whispered voice and lifted her head to look at him. "What?"
Troy couldn't help but lean up and connect their lips again in a soft kiss. "I'm sorry…"
"I know," Gabriella whispered, placing her hand in his cheek, rubbing it softly and ending playing with his ear. "It's okay, now…"
"But," Troy interjected – he needed for her to know how really sorry he was and how horrible those hours without her had been.
Gabriella wasn't about to let him sink into the hole even more – her father's words still echoing in her mind. "No buts."
Troy could sense Gabriella's determination, and he was more than glad that she'd forgiven him so easily, but he wanted and needed to know why. "Why have you forgiven me?"
"What?" Gabriella was startled by that. She knew they needed to talk, but in no way she'd thought the topic of the conversation would be the reasons behind the forgiveness. She pulled her head away so she could look deeply into his eyes. "Would you like it more if I was still angry, disappointed and sad with you?"
"God no," Troy quickly reassured her pulling her body down again, kissing her hair. "I don't mean it that way. Heaven knows those hours without you have been excruciating…but…"
She could sense there was something he wasn't saying. "Troy, it's me, you know you can tell me everything…"
Again, he couldn't help but pull her head away from his chest and peck her lips softly. "I know," he whispered against her lips. "But…I want to know what have made you forgive me…I mean…what's changed?"
"My daddy," she whispered, noticing how some tears were burning in the corner of her eyes. She closed them, a useless try to suppress the tears, and lowered her head so it was leaning on Troy's chest again. "I've remembered some things he told me some years ago…"
"Hey, don't cry…" Troy whispered tightening his arms around Gabriella's petite frame. "Please baby, I can't stand to see you cry…it breaks my heart…"
"I'm sorry," she said lowly, her voice coming muffled from his clothed chest.
"Don't be," Troy sighed. "I understand," he said softly. "It's just…it hurts me…to see you cry…"
He could feel tears forming in his eyes seeing her crying – again, a reaction he'd never expected to feel.
Silence engulfed the couple again, being the only sounds that could be heard the low sobs Gabriella was letting out and the whispered words and kisses Troy spoke and did trying to sooth her…but knowing that she had to let them go. She'd been so strong and so put-together since she'd stepped in his house that maybe he would have felt worried she was crying so much…but he knew better – Gabriella had been bottling inside the pain, the frustration and the sadness, and now she was letting them go.
"My dad told me that," she spoke startling Troy because she didn't move, "if I wanted to be happy, I had to be able to forgive. Forgive but not forget were his words…"
Respectfully, Troy waited for the rest of the explanation, giving her time to put her thoughts in order.
"He always told me that I needed to learn from my mistakes…and from the others' too," Gabriella continued wiping the tears with her hand but in no way lifting her head from Troy's chest. "That if the person mattered to me…I had to be able to see past those mistakes…that I had to try and understand why the person made those mistakes…and that resentment would be always the thing that would keep me away from happiness."
"Your father was a very wise man," Troy whispered kissing her hair again, the movements of his hand along her back never stopping, feeling a deep feeling of respect towards the man Gabriella looked up to so much. "Like his daughter…"
Gabriella lifted her head from his chest – Troy winced seeing her face constricted in pain but didn't comment anything; his free hand reached up and wiped the tears that were still falling from her eyes, lingering his hand there and moving his thumb softly.
"You know," she began lowly, "I wanted to forgive you just the moment you've explained to me what happened with Heather but…I couldn't…it was…like…" Gabriella swallowed aloud and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to gain the strength back. "Like you were one of those who bullied me…and…and though I knew you had a reason to act this badly…my mind was clouded and…it was as if the reason had disappeared…only leaving the bitter taste of what you did…"
"I'm not a bully, Gabriella," Troy talked in a mere whisper. "I've never been a bully because I wanted to be a bully, baby…I was…so mad…so angry…I know that what I did was bad but…she deserved it…"
Gabriella's eyes darkened for a second, scaring the living lights of Troy, afraid he had said the wrong thing that would pull her away from him again, but they returned to their beautiful deep but still brown colour quickly. "You can't still think like that, Troy…"
"Baby," he didn't know if Gabriella's words were good or bad – his mind was only able to focus in her features, in her face, in her words but not in the meaning behind everything she was doing and saying. "I've never bullied anyone more…I swear…I'm not like that…I'm not…"
"Shhh," she cooed. "I know you aren't," Gabriella whispered keeping her eyes on Troy's, tangling her fingers in his hair. "What I mean is that you can't let the resentment still rule your life, baby. I know it's hard…but you need to be able to let it go. I know it hurt you…I know that still hurts you…but…what you did was wrong, the same way what she did was also wrong. I'm not trying to justify her, she was a bitch to you, but…that was her mistake, baby…and you need to learn from her mistake, not let this mistake of hers govern who you are or how you are. It's not worthy…"
"How can you say that?" Troy asked bewildered. "I…I…I don't understand…"
"Troy," Gabriella continued softly – she needed for him to completely understand her words. "If that Heather girl chose to be a bitch…showing no respect for you when you were sad because of your grandfather's death, then it's her lost because she's missed a great guy because of that. She chose to be cruel? Okay, life will teach her a lesson if she continued being this way…but you…you can't let her mistake govern your own life…she acted wrongly, but you won't be any better than her if you keep up that because you're keeping yourself from happiness because of that. Instead of remembering your grandfather in a good way, remembering all the good things, you associate your grandfather with the sadness, the rage you felt after his death. And that's something you need to change…"
Troy stood silent for a moment, looking Gabriella's face – he could understand her words, he understood everything she was saying…and almost everything made sense, but the anger in him at what Heather did was still more powerful than everything. "I don't know if I can…I mean…I want to remember him for the good things we did together, the things he taught me…but…what she did…"
"I understand I'm asking you something difficult, believe me, I do," Gabriella gave him a small smile. "But you need to work on that. It took me a while to be able to think about my father only in good terms after everything that happened after his death…but…in the end…what was I winning with it? I mean…was I about to let some idiots to taunt my memories with him instead of remembering all the good things he showed me? Was I about to let them taunt what he meant for me? Of course not."
Gabriella stopped for a moment, letting her words sink in Troy's brain.
"You see what I mean, Troy? I understand you can't forget what that girl did to you, but that memory is not letting you to remember your grandfather in they way you'd like to remember him. Are you really about to let her win this way? Are you planning on to still let what a stupid girl did some years ago rule the way you are now, the person you are now?" Gabriella pressed knowing that Troy was really thinking about everything she was telling him.
Because he really was.
He realized that all the memories he had of his grandfather had a deep and dark shadow covering them; only if he put a lot of effort, the happy memories he had of the old man surfaced because if not, if he only thought about the old man, Heather's mock assaulted him again. That was the first thing that came to his mind whenever someone mentioned Joseph Bolton…and that, though unconsciously, had been destroying him.
Gabriella's words were being a cold shower, something that was awaking a little more his old-self – the same old self he buried in coldness – and he realized just there and then, with the goddess Gabriella was in his arms, that he was feeling love for his grandfather again. It wasn't as if he had hated him or something like that but that he'd been keeping himself from feeling something good towards the old man…and now all the good things and feelings he'd been restraining were filling him with its full force, letting him see how wrong he'd been, how much Heather affected him, how much he'd let an unhappy fact rule his persona.
And that made Troy realize that Gabriella was being not only the one showing him how to love someone in a romantic-way but also how to feel love, respect and admiration towards another someone in a whole different level. The darkness in his heart was melting away…being replaced by a strong and bright light – Gabriella and everything she was teaching and showing him…and also everything she represented, which was a lot.
"Don't you hate those sons of a bitch that bullied you after your father's death?" Troy asked softly, lowly, afraid to set her off but needing to know where she was and how she was feeling at the same time – she'd taught him what love was, but he still didn't see himself able to feel the love by himself. He needed her (the whole her) by his side in order to be able to fully feel everything positive life could offer.
"No," she asked right away, not hesitating at all. "They were jerks and they hurt me deeply, but I've learned something thanks to them: I've learned that I can't act with someone the same way they acted with me, ever, simply because I know how it'd feel. Life will show them the lesson they didn't learn back in school; I'm completely out of their life and they are out of my life…I'm not planning on to let hate and resentment towards them make me miserable…"
Troy was mesmerized by how incredibly she was handling everything; in fact, he was feeling like a little kid, a kid who didn't deserve such an amazing person with him. Because even though he'd been a jerk, Gabriella was still there with him, putting up with everything he was (his past, his present and, Troy hoped, his future), letting him love her, loving him so strongly, sharing with him the most private secrets and memories she had with the most important people in her life, letting him know her true self, teaching him so many important lessons…and everything knowing that what they had had to private.
He hated himself more than ever when he realized that, despite everything, she was the one always there for him…while he hided what they had, the love they shared, the deep feelings that had their hearts and souls connected in an unbreakable way. He wasn't ashamed of her, at all; he was more than proud of her, of everything they'd reached together, of all the feelings they'd discovered together, of how incredible she was…and he wanted to shout his real feelings for her because he wanted for everyone to know how amazing Gabriella was.
But no.
Though he knew that the haters would increase its number if their relationship was known by everybody…would it be so bad? Did he care for those strangers so much?
Her previous words echoed in his mind again – he was letting the others' mistake rule his life. If they were as dense as they were not seeing past the stupid social rules they school had, it was their mistake. Troy hadn't let those social rules govern his heart when it'd come to Gabriella…but still they'd done it indirectly. Because he was restraining his true feelings while they were with people…though not because he was afraid of what those people could do or think about him but because of Gabriella's safety.
He didn't know if she was ready to let more people in – he knew the little steps she and Taylor were making in their friendship but he also knew that no one knew Gabriella the same way he did – and he didn't know if she was ready to face the bullies that would attack her once their relationship was in the open; a part of him knew that she was more than ready…but he also knew that he couldn't make the decision for her. She had to be the one deciding that the time was right…and he would be beside her because he really cared for her – the others could go to hell for all his care.
However, Troy knew that he would have to be encouraging her…helping her realize that not everything was as dark and ugly as she seemed to think – he would be the one helping her realize that she could win over them in a beat, that she was better than them, that she wasn't alone and that she didn't have to be afraid of them.
He felt small and unworthy beside her; realizing that she was giving to him a lot of more things than what she was receiving were painful and embarrassing sensations. Lowering his head in shame, Troy took a deep breath. "Maybe you're right…"
"Hey," Gabriella smiled sweetly. "I know I'm right."
Troy chuckled with her, feeling his heart soar in pride and happiness at the smile adorning her features. "Thank you…for everything…"
"You're welcome," Gabriella whispered, leaning down softly to connect her lips with his again, moaning when his tongue rubbed her lower lip asking for entrance, and opening her mouth welcoming the wet intruder without hesitation.
Troy rolled them until Gabriella's back was touching the mattress, his body hovering hers. "I love you," he whispered, smiling and rubbing her nose with his. "So fucking much, Gabriella…"
She smiled again. "I love you too, Troy…"
Troy leaned down and kissed her luscious lips, trying to convey into the kiss all the love he felt for her, all the gratitude he felt towards her, all the incredible things she made him feel…sensing how she responded into the kiss with her reciprocated feelings.
Tongues danced sensually together, their bodies doing the talk neither of them dared to do…yet, because after that storm that had hovered them and their relationship for a while, what they had was stronger, deeper, more powerful…more meaningful.
And both were aware that what they had, the love and connection they shared, were things difficult to find if not with the other.
A little cloud was still in Troy's mind – his realization that maybe Gabriella deserved someone better than him – but with her in his arms, with the way her lips moved sensually with his, with the way her heartbeat was sounding completely in sync with his…he pushed those thoughts aside. He didn't want more shadows over them now…he wanted to enjoy the reunion, the magical bond between them tightening, the closure of their souls. Maybe that was selfish, Troy knew that, but he was no one to put more misery over her – he wanted and needed Gabriella to be happy, and he would fight against everything so happiness was all she felt.
When the need of air became too much to handle Troy pulled away, his lips still lingering over hers, and pulled her body with his so she could lean her head on his chest.
A lot of things were running through his mind, a lot of things he wanted to tell her…but he couldn't because he didn't know the appropriate words, the right way of to explain to Gabriella all he was feeling…everything she made him feel.
With Jack, Lucille and Chad
After 23 years of marriage there was nothing about her husband that could surprise her; she'd seem him in the best and in the worst moments of his life – happy, sad, proud, relaxed, nervous, stressed, disgusted, ecstatic and angry – but this time his face was all but any of the known by heart emotions her mind had been registering all this time.
The way his jaw was clenched as if he was supporting some kind of weight with his teeth, the way his usually light blue eyes were almost grey, the way his hands were clenched in fists, the way his breathing was erratic, the way a cold sheet of sweat was covering his forehead and the way his pose was menacing, emanating fury and rage that he could barely restrain…were things new in him. Maybe she'd seen those same things some time during all the time she'd met him, but never all at once.
Lucille knew, only with a one second look at her husband's face, that he was practicing all the control he'd won over the years; she knew he was mad, she knew he wanted to kick Chad out of their home, she knew he wanted to warn Troy and Gabriella, she knew he wanted to put some sense into the dense mind the adolescent they had in front of them had…and mostly, she knew he wanted to be able to hug her and feel relief overcoming him.
Because she felt the same way.
Lucille could hear her own erratic heartbeat and she couldn't help but wonder how come no one had said anything about it. She wouldn't have been surprised if Chad noticed that something was off with the cold and weird way Jack and herself had greeted him…or with the way neither of them was moving so the guy could come in but, much to her relief, he seemed oblivious about what was happening in the Bolton's household and about the tense atmosphere that reigned in the house.
Even though the last thing she wanted was to talk to Chad, to invite him in and to act around him the same way she'd always done, she knew she had to in order to keep Gabriella safe.
And Lucille knew that Jack's frozen state wouldn't help at all.
"Hey Chad," Lucille put a fake smile on her face and stood up to stay beside her husband at the door. "What are you doing here?"
Chad shrugged. "I kinda need to talk to Troy," he answered already going to the staircase. "Is he in his room?"
Jack woke up from his frozen state – he knew he had to do something that would distract Chad for a while…at least two minutes so Lucille could go up to Troy's room and warn them about the visit. "Wait Chad," Jack walked to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I want to talk to you…"
"Oh, it's okay," Chad shrugged his shoulders and let Jack pull him towards the sofa, where both men sat quietly. "What?"
Lucille cleared her throat. "Would you like something to drink, Chad?"
"Oh no, it's okay," Chad smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Luce…"
Lucille nodded, locking her eyes with her husband's for only one instant – both knew she had to go upstairs and warn Troy subtly so Chad didn't suspect anything.
"You're welcome," she smiled at him. "Well," her voice drifted off – she didn't know what to say or do, and she knew Jack had nothing to talk about with Chad, that he'd only said that in order to gain some time.
But a sudden loud and pitching sound coming from upstairs saved the moment.
"Is that your phone, Luce?" Jack asked in a tight voice knowing his wife would understand him – it was the first time he was hearing that tone and he knew the last thing they needed was for Gabriella to come downstairs with her phone in her hand if Maria was the one calling her.
Lucille nodded and smiled freely for the very first time since Chad had entered in the house. "I changed the tone the other day. You like it?" Jack smiled back and nodded. "Well, I'm going to pick it up and I'll Troy you're here, Chad…"
"Thank you, Luce!"
She didn't hear anything more – she rushed to the stairs and went upstairs, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the door to Troy's room closed; she used the moment to take a deep breath and knocked softly twice, opening the door afterwards.
The sight she found there melted her insides – Troy and Gabriella cuddling together on his bed, Troy with his arms tightly wrapped around Gabriella's form and she with her head on his chest, wrapping her own arm around Troy's waist while looking at each other's eyes intently, as if having a silent conversation – which probably was what they were doing – and showing the other the most sincere and lovely smile – the one they reserved for each other.
She hated to break the bubble they were in, but she knew they barely had time; before neither of them could speak Lucille spoke softly and lowly. "Chad's here."
Troy's head snapped up to look at his mother. "What?"
"He's here, Troy," Lucille said lowly, looking at the pale face of Gabriella from the corner of her eye. "He wants to talk to you…"
Troy didn't realize about which was Gabriella state; his mind was trying to find which his best option was in order for Gabriella to be safe and everything but making up plans slipped from his mind.
Lucille, however, did realize about Gabriella's frozen body, about Gabriella's pale face, about Gabriella's laboured breathing…and she also realized that she would be going to pieces if they didn't do anything soon. "Gabriella," she said lowly going to the side of the bed Gabriella was.
Troy had stood up in a rush, pulling Gabriella's body off of him softly but absently and was pacing back and forth distractedly, but his mother's voice snapped him out of his reverie. His eyes focused on his lover's trembling body and he rushed to her side. "Baby," he coached lifting her head. "Baby, look at me…"
"Troy," Gabriella chocked, her whole body and voice trembling. "He's going to see me…he can't see me here…he'll hurt me…"
"Hey no," Troy said crushing her body into his chest. "He won't do anything because he's not going to see you, okay? I get rid of him. You'll be safe and he won't touch you at all…"
Lucille's heart broke at the sight, and the fury against Chad increased big numbers. "I'm going to kill him…" She muttered.
"Mom, stop," Troy hissed, knowing that wouldn't help Gabriella. "Keep her company while I get rid of him…"
The firmness in his voice alerted Lucille that he wouldn't hear anything against his orders and so Lucille nodded her head, taking a step towards the bed and sitting at Gabriella's feet.
Troy tried to disentangle himself from Gabriella but her hold on him was too tight. "Baby, you have to let me go before he suspects anything and wants to come up here…"
"No," she whispered.
"Please baby," Troy whispered. "My mom will be with you all the time and he won't do anything…"
That seemed to please Gabriella a little for her hold loosened a little. Troy took the chance and pulled away, cursing lowly when he saw the tears falling silently and freely from her eyes…but knowing that he had to restrain his fury so Gabriella didn't panic.
Using his thumbs to wipe the tears, Troy kissed her forehead. "Everything is going to be okay…"
"You sure?" She asked in a frightened and low voice.
"Completely," Troy nodded. "Do you want to go to my parents' bedroom instead of staying here?" Seeing her nod, Troy turned to look at Lucille. "Do you mind?"
Lucille shook her head. "Come on sweetie, let's go…"
Gabriella dropped her arms from around Troy's neck – it was unintentional and completely irrational after everything they'd shared that day, but somehow Gabriella was afraid that with Chad there Troy would be mean again…not with her but with someone.
And she knew that she wouldn't be able to get over it if that happened.
Troy sensed something wasn't right and pulled her towards him again, seeing the doubt in her eyes. "I promise you that everything is going to be okay. Neither he nor I are going to hurt you," Troy whispered intently, not missing how Lucille lifted her eyebrow at his choice of words. "Trust me on this, please…"
"I do," Gabriella answered back. "But…"
"Trust me, please," Troy pleaded forcefully. "I love you so fucking much…you have no idea…you're the most important thing in my life now, baby…"
His words seemed to calm her and she nodded her head. "I love you too…"
"I'll be back as soon as he's out of the house," Troy promised, sealing his promise with a kiss on Gabriella's lips.
She game him a smile – she knew that was being as difficult for him as it was being for her. "Hurry back to me…"
Troy smiled back and left the room, leaving the two women alone. "You okay, sweetie?"
Gabriella shrugged her shoulders and Lucille wrapped her arms around her. "Everything is going to be okay, Gabriella," she said rubbing her back comfortingly. "Jack and Troy won't let him do anything stupid. You'll be completely safe…"
"Thank you, Luce," Gabriella wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's mother's body and smiled. "Thank you so much…"
"You're more than welcome," Lucille pulled away, kissed Gabriella's temple and smiled. "What about a romantic comedy until the idiot disappears?"
Gabriella giggled and Lucille winked at her. "I'd love it…"
"Then it's settled," Lucille stood up and took Gabriella's hand in hers. "Just in case they come up here, we need to take everything yours out from here…" She said gathering Gabriella's bag and jacket. "Do you see anything more?"
"My phone," Gabriella dropped Lucille's hands and went to the nightstand to grab her phone, looking intently everything in the room so no sign of her presence there was left. "I think I have everything now…"
"Let's go then," Lucille whispered opening the door, some inches at first and then wholly when she saw they were safe. "Come on," she said pulling Gabriella towards her own bedroom quickly.
When both women were inside the room, both let out a breath they didn't know were holding. "I feel like a ninja now…" Lucille gasped, smiling when Gabriella's giggles floated through the room. "We need some popcorn for our movie session!" She said excitedly. "I'm going to make some. Feel free to get comfortable here, sweetie, I'm going to the kitchen and so I also will take a look at how things are going downstairs…"
"Okay," Gabriella said lowly, sitting in the bed and feeling completely safe…and also happy. "I'll wait here…"
With a last look and a last smile, Lucille exited from the bedroom and went downstairs, only to find Troy sitting on the sofa beside Chad, with Jack also there. Placing a fake smile on her face, Lucille went to stand beside her husband. "I'm going to watch a movie in our room. I'm feeling tired…"
Jack took the hint. "Do you need anything?"
"No," Lucille smiled seeing the knowledge behind Jack's eyes. "I'm craving some popcorn so I'm going to make some…"
Jack nodded. "I'll come with you," Jack volunteered. "Be right back, guys…"
Troy and Chad nodded, seeing both backs disappear through the door.
Only when no one was at sight, Troy sighed. "What do you want, Chad?"
"You're acting all weird," Chad accused. "I want to know what the fuck is wrong with you."
"There's nothing wrong with me," Troy glared at his friend, feeling the blood in his system boil in rage. "Why the fuck do you think that?"
"You're barely with us out of school," Chad pointed out. "You never hang with us anymore…"
Troy rolled his eyes inwardly. "That's not true."
"Sure it is," Chad stood up. "We've been friends since kindergarten, Troy; do you really think you can lie to me so blatantly?"
Troy groaned; why the fuck did Chad to be so observant when he needed for him to be more oblivious? "I haven't been playing basketball because of my knee, you know that?"
"But you're fine now," Chad accused again. "And still you don't want to go to parties or to the court or wherever with us."
Troy knew that was a lost battle; he wanted to send Chad to hell, but he knew that only would mean more problems for Gabriella.
Chad used his silence to speak again. "Look, I'm only worried. You're my best friend…and it's like I don't know you at all lately…I want my best friend back. How about some videogames?"
Troy nodded, knowing that he couldn't push his luck any further with the way Chad was observing him.
"Oh and Sharpay is throwing a party this Friday. You're in, right?" Chad asked excitedly.
Troy widened his eyes. There was no way he was in for a stupid party with the bitches' queen; hell would freeze before he was in for some plans that didn't involve Gabriella.
But he didn't know how to escape from the mess.
And luck was on his side again when his parents appeared through the doorway. "In for what?" Jack asked nonchalantly but seeing clearly Troy's discomfort.
"A party this Friday," Chad answered, still with excitement lacing his voice.
"Oh no," Lucille said quickly. "Troy can't go; my sister is coming to town for the weekend and we've promised them we all would be here; Troy, I'm sorry but you can't go. Your cousins will also be here and I don't want them hanging out here by themselves."
Troy smiled inwardly – even he knew that what his mother had said was a lie, it'd sounded so real and true that he'd almost believed everything.
Jack, on the other part, squeezed Lucille's shoulders. "Well, I need to discuss something with the boys about the next game," he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You've been amazing here," he whispered. "I'll go check on you when we're done…"
"All right," Lucille winked at her husband surreptitiously. "Bye Chad…"
"Goodbye Lucille," Chad greeted her politely.
"We should go outside," Jack offered. "I need to discuss some things with you too. I've been thinking about the North's game, and I have some ideas I need to run over first. Let's go…"
Chad was about to protest but Troy shook his head – at least he wouldn't have to be alone with Chad, in his room, some steps away from Gabriella this way. He didn't want to practice or play basketball, he only wanted to run to Gabriella, gather her in his arms and feel safe in their bubble again, but he knew that the chances of Chad seeing Gabriella if they were in the outside court were less this way. "Okay dad…"
Though being in separate places, with different people around them and doing completely different things, both Troy and Gabriella thought the same – the afternoon would be long.
Way too long.
