First off, I'm sorry for the long delay. We just finished our prelim exams and I was a bit shaken by them. Man, Anatomy and Health Care are quite the tough subjects. Anyway, enough about that. Thanks to those of you who reviewed. I really appreciate the effort you put through in clicking and typing and clicking again. I hope you'll like this chapter. :D

Wait Forever

Taylor was startled to hear music playing somewhere. She tried to look for the source. Glancing at Gabriela's desk, she became aware of a blinking cell phone. Taylor bit her lip; she did not know what to do.

Standing on the great divide
Feel the sudden need to fly
Underneath the open sky
And the river down below

Answering it while Gabriela was in the bathroom would be plain rude yet the call could be an emergency. Without much debating with her thoughts, Taylor decided to just call out to Gabriela.

"Gabriela, your phone's ringing!"

"In a minute," was Gabriela's distant reply.

I could keep on running down
I could keep on cheating death and yet somehow
It all ends up the same
And I don't want to be the one who's blamed

Taylor wanted to know who the caller was for she was sure it was a specific id ring tone. Usually, a gothic song or a heavily guitar-laden track would sound off. She figured the person must be pretty special for him or her to have a designated ring. Before she could take a peak though, Gabriela came bounding back to her room.

Can you see that I don't really have a choice at all
If only for a taste flight
I'd gladly take the fall

She threw her hairbrush over the bed before crossing the room to where her ringing cell phone was. Before Gabriela got to answer it though, Taylor got to hear the start of the song's chorus.

So I say I love you
I do –

"Yeah?"

Taylor raised her eyebrow at what she just heard. Who would be so special to warrant a song that had the words I love you sung tenderly in it?

"Quit yammering, I'm already dressed and ready to go. Where are you anyway? It's not like you're already in the place."

There was a quick pause as Gabriela listened to the caller's response. With that, she held the phone between her ear and shoulder while checking her make-up in the mirror.

"See? Oh no, don't worry. Taylor and I will drive there. Sure, yeah. Bye!"

Gabriela ended the call and rummaged through her jewelry box.

"Tay, what do you think of this?" She held a silver earring on her ear.

"That's cute," Taylor smiled. She was still curious as to who was on the phone but she had a pretty good hunch as to who it was.

Gabriela put the earrings on as she sauntered towards her closet to retrieve her shoes. After picking up the right one, she put it on and examined herself in front of the mirror.

It was all weird for Taylor to look at Gabriela all focused on these girly stuff. Normally, her friend would go for a simple lip gloss and jet off but now she was taking her time in accessorizing and highlighting her beauty. It impressed Taylor that while Gabriela knew all of the assets it brought her, she did not abuse any thought of it.

"Taylor do I look alright?"

"Alright?!" Taylor exclaimed at Gabriela. "You look gorgeous girl! I bet Troy will have to pick his jaw from the floor when he sees you."

"Taylor! What have I said about that?"

"What?" Taylor stood up from the couch she was sitting on.

"Not to reference Troy in a sentence that would view him as someone romantically linked to me."

"Oh wow. That was a handful," Taylor laughed as Gabriela tried to look at her with a stern look.

"Whatever. Oh yeah, Troy said, he'll meet us at the venue and he's whining about why I'm still at home. Psh!"

"So that was Troy on the phone?" Taylor had her eyebrows raised yet again.

"Yeah," Gabriela replied. "Why?"

"Oh nothing," Taylor nonchalantly replied.

"Tay," Gabriela groaned. "Please don't give me that look."

"What look?"

"The I-know-something-and-I'm-going-to-tease-you-mercilessly-about-it-even-though-you-don't-have-any-idea-about-it look."

"That was…," Taylor blinked, "something."

Gabriela rolled her eyes as she started to fix up the clutter she created in her desk. When she was finished, she quickly stuffed her phone in her purse and pulled on Taylor's arm. Both girls headed downstairs passing by the kitchen to say goodbye to Gabriela's aunt who decided to skip the gathering.

"Bye Aunt Clarissa," Gabriela said kissing her aunt on the cheek.

"Bye dear. Say hello to the Boltons for me."

"Goodbye Ms," Taylor politely smiled.

"Oh Taylor, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Aunt Clarissa? Please dear, Ms makes me seem like I'm in an office or something with you as my secretary. It's freaky," Aunt Clarissa said going over to Taylor's side and putting an arm on her shoulder.

Taylor grinned. "Okay…Aunt Clarissa."

"See? Doesn't that sound and feel better? Anyway, you best be on your way dears. Sweat a dance for me Gabriela."

"Hmm…will do," Gabriela responded giving her aunt another kiss on the cheek.

Taylor said her goodbye too before she was lugged by Gabriela out of the house and to the latter's car which was still in the garage.

"You have the most amazing car Gabs," Taylor remarked as she climbed in her friend's black sports car. "Seriously."

Gabriela giggled as she slid in the driver's seat. "You can thank Carlo for that."

Taylor nodded as she watched Gabriela insert the key in the ignition. Before she could start the car, however, her phone rang again.

Standing on the great divide
Feel the sudden need to fly

Gabriela groaned. "What does he want now?"

Underneath the open sky
And the river down below

She reached for her purse and rummaged through it. Upon finding her phone, she flipped it open and answered roughly.

"What now?"

"What?! You called just to say that? You're an idiot."

In the short pause, Gabriela rested her forehead on the steering wheel.

"Don't push it."

Taylor could only smile at the scene before her. She still could not comprehend much about her Gabriela's friendship with Troy but she was excited with what she did understand. It amazed her how brave Gabriela and Troy really were. It was the only two of them against the masses of socially brainwashed cliques.

Gabriela's sigh brought Taylor away from her thoughts. Taylor grinned at her friend's annoyed expression.

"So what did he want?"

"Ugh! Don't remind me Taylor. Right now, I just want to be at the show as fast as possible so I can wring his neck. Stupid Alex."

"Yeah, yeah," Taylor said as the car revved to a start. She then mumbled, "But you love him anyway."

"What was that Tay?"

"Oh nothing. I'm just excited, that's all. I mean, I'm going to a fashion show. Me!"

Taylor was now getting excited for the show but she still could not rule out her nervousness. Gabriela seemed to sense this.

"Taylor you look beautiful. Just ignore the cheerleaders and jocks later on and enjoy the show. Don't let them ruin our good time. Troy and Chad got our backs."

"Chad?"

"Yeah, Troy's friend."

Taylor tried to place the name with the face but failed at the moment.

"Chad's the guy with the afro, the one who has a knack for wearing wacky shirts," Gabriela helped out.

"Oh yeah! Him…"

"We're in good hands with them Tay. Don't you worry one bit."