A/N: Hello!! :D
Well, here's the update…I'm not too sure about that, don't know why though I wait for you to speak your mind about that. Oh, and…well, you're going to want to kill me when you read the last word of this update :lol: but hey, the story is mine so…! ;)
Thank you so much for all your reviews, PMs, adding me or the story to your lists…wow, just WOW!!! :)
Here's chapter 10. Enjoy! :)
"We need to talk…"
We need to talk - probably the words more frightening someone could spoke.
They were the words a person said to their significant other before a break up; the words a doctor said to someone's relatives before warning about an immediate death; the words a boss said to their employees before firing them; the words someone would say before speaking some words which were even worse. They were accompanied by a serious face; sometimes, this same face was hardened by the rage, sometimes with the worry, sometimes with the sadness…but all in all, the seriousness and the gravity of what was about to come were always there.
Of course, there were times when you expected for someone to speak those words; in those cases, even unconsciously, your mind was prepared for them and for the result of that "talk"…but there were other times when those words were totally unexpected, making you uncomfortable, afraid and nervous.
Gabriella Montez saw herself in that latest case when her boyfriend's mother spoke after a while only hearing the dialogue some unknown actors were speaking in the movie they were seeing and also the chewing sound both she and Lucille made while eating pop corn.
"I guess," she answered the brunette sitting back on the mattress and directing all her attention to the older woman. "Is something wrong?"
Her poor self confidence did the talk. She couldn't see a reason because of why Lucille would want to talk to her because, that she knew, nothing bad had happened; Chad had appeared at the Bolton's household's door some time ago wanting to chat with Troy, and so Gabriella had made herself invisible with Lucille's help, locking themselves in Lucille's bedroom watching some old movies and eating pop corn while the men were outside playing some basketball.
Thinking further about it, Gabriella was still oblivious to something happening before then that justified for Lucille to want to talk; she'd arrived at the Bolton's household and had met with Troy in the garage for, later, go to his room and do the talking both needed and feared at the same time. But this talking had been good and respectful; their voices had been mere whispers, and so neither Jack nor Lucille could know what they have talked about.
The conversation had been even better than good because soon she'd seen herself curling up into Troy's side, with her arm wrapped tightly around his waist and with his arm curled around her back, crushing her body closer to his, sharing meaningful kisses, adoring words and smiles.
And that had been their position when she'd seen Lucille again.
So no; her mind couldn't come up with anything.
"No, no," Lucille answered quickly, breaking Gabriella's train of thoughts. "Is just…"
Gabriella saw that Lucille was really searching for words, something she'd never seen before due to the easiness with which the older woman usually talked. Lucille was one of those people who can talk about whatever, whenever and with whomever, easily, not really needing any time to prepare her speech – the weather, the high price of the groceries, her work, her last shopping spree…everything was a good topic in a conversation with Lucille because she always could answer you back.
That was something Gabriella envied of Troy's mother.
"Lucille," she said softly, trying to use a respectful tone but also one that warned Lucille that she was waiting for her to say whatever she wanted to say. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong per se," the woman said nervously, fidgeting with her fingers. "But…I want to ask you something…and I'd like it if you answered me…"
Gabriella was confused; she couldn't understand what could have put Lucille this nervous around her because she'd always been confident, sure and so laidback. "What?"
Lucille observed Gabriella; though she didn't know her as good and deeply as Troy did, she knew the young woman was trying to decipher the mystery, the reason behind her words. She could see the fear expanding along Gabriella's face…and that only made the curiosity she already felt for what was Gabriella's persona increase.
"I know you had a rough past back in New York but…" Lucille's words drifted off when she realized Gabriella had closed her eyes tightly. "I don't want to bring back bad memories to you, that's my last intention, sweetie, but…I want to know what happened so I can help you whenever you need someone…"
Gabriella continued with her eyes tightly closed; it was not that she didn't want to share with the woman her past but that she didn't want to share it with anyone. Only Troy knew everything and it took quite a while for her to be able to open up to him wholly; since the day in Jack's office, Gabriella had been throwing hints, sharing some little details about what happened in New York, completing this way the story she introduced and explained to him back then.
So to share the whole story with her boyfriend's mother wasn't her most favourite thing to do, and less in the moment she was in – hiding from her worst enemy, who was downstairs – though she knew she had to explain to her something; that was the only thing that was fair after all the trouble both Jack and Lucille had gone through trying to protect and help her.
Gabriella was aware of that…though that didn't mean that she was comfortable with it.
Because she wasn't.
But what could she do? She would have liked that, when the time she had to explain her story to Troy's parents arrived, he would be beside her, holding her hand and rubbing her back tenderly, the way he only knew, kissing her forehead sweetly and whispering comforting words into her ear whenever the story was worse; Gabriella knew that, only with his presence beside her, she would have the strength she needed, the courage she needed, to face her old demons.
But that wasn't the case…and Lucille was waiting for an answer.
"I understand your curiosity but…" Gabriella lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. "That's not an easy topic for me…quite the opposite, actually…"
"I understand," Lucille reached her hand and placed it in Gabriella's back, beginning to move it softly up and down. "But I'd really like if you trusted me with that…"
"I trust you," Gabriella's eyes snapped up to Lucille's face. "Believe me, I do…is just that…my past is something that hurts me and…and…I don't think I'm ready to talk about it…"
Lucille sighed in defeat; she understood Gabriella, but she would have liked for the girl to trust her so she could help her whenever she need someone and not her mother nor Troy could be beside her offering their support.
"Not even my mother knows the whole story," the young woman admitted in a whisper. "She knows I was bullied…badly, and I'm sure you know that too but…she doesn't know all the details…yet. Only Troy knows…"
That caught Lucille's attention – there were two things that surprised her from Gabriella's admission. First of all, that her mother didn't know everything and then that, instead, Troy did. From what she had been able to observe, both Montez women were close and their relationship was friendly, so she couldn't understand how Marie didn't know what really happened with her daughter.
"What do you mean your mother doesn't know?" Lucille couldn't help but ask.
Gabriella cleared her throat nervously. "She has all her life in New York…both she and my father were born there, and there we have all my father's memories. She knew about the bullying because the principal of my school called her one time it was…worse than others, and so she decided to leave everything there for me." Lowering her eyes, Gabriella continued in a whisper. "I don't want for her to have even worse memories of New York than the ones she already has with my father's death and everything…and I'm sure that, if she knew everything that happened there with me…being in the same school she and my father went and being this one the place where both met…well, she would have them, and I don't want for her to taint her own good memories with mine."
Lucille was speechless; she already knew Gabriella was a kind and sweet girl but her latest admission was over the top. Her selflessly nature amazed her no end; how could a girl, because though she was almost 18 was still a girl in Lucille's eyes, carry so many drama on her shoulders…doing this alone? It was anti-natural! What was normal was for the parents protecting their children…not the other way around, but with Gabriella…
"You see how I can't explain to you what happened there, now?"
Gabriella's voice broke Lucille's train of thought. The older woman nodded and reached her hand to pull Gabriella's body closer to hers in a tight hug. "You're one of the sweetest people I know," she said lowly. "And I'm more than glad that Troy has found you; you don't know how proud and happy I am knowing that you're beside him…and that what you two have is this special."
The young woman giggled and Lucille pulled away, looking at her with questioning eyes. "I'm the lucky one too," Gabriella admitted sheepishly. "He's helped me a lot…and he's taught me what was to trust someone…to love someone other than my family…to…be able to open up with new people…"
Lucille smiled, inwardly proud of her son – that was the son she knew she had…but also the one who'd been buried in a coldness and in a "god-status" she couldn't comprehend. Gabriella had been the one discovering this old Troy and brought him up to the surface…almost returning to her the son she thought had lost some time ago.
"Is this the reason because of you explained Troy everything?"
Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. "More or less…I mean…I didn't want to explain to him everything but…the first day we got together and we were in Jack's office I explained to him the basics of which had been my life until that moment; I never explained to him more than that…and I didn't plan on to do so but…in all those months we've been together…I don't know, I've seen myself needing to share with him more details. I mean, I've never explained to him the whole story in a row…it's been more…discovering little things about each other with the time that has gone by since that day until the present. The same way he's discovered me…I've discovered him."
Lucille didn't know what to answer at Gabriella's explanation; not even once she'd thought the relationship that joined both Gabriella and Troy's hearts was this deep. She knew they were serious about each other, that the feelings that their hearts felt for each other were strong…but in no way she would have imagined, ever, that things were the way they actually were between the two young adults.
"Are you angry?" Gabriella asked somehow afraid – she didn't know if she had told too much to her boyfriend's mother, and the last thing she wanted was to create a drama in the family she felt like was her own.
"Of course not," Lucille exclaimed surprised. "Surprised and shocked you feel that way, yeah, but I'm not angry at all."
"Surprised?" Gabriella asked furrowing her eyebrows.
Lucille nodded. "I knew you two were serious but…I don't know, I guess it's still a shock to discover that the old Troy, the Troy I knew was somewhere, has surfaced so strongly because of you. Don't misunderstand me, I love you two are together but…it surprises me, because Troy has been always so closed up, so…reserved about who he really was that…well, it's a shock to discover that only in some months you've reached his deepest persona, that you've reached the person behind the façade and the pretending…"
Her voice drifted off and Gabriella turned her face away for a moment, speaking after a minute in silence. "He's discovered my real persona too," she began lowly. "I guess we both have taught the other something…and…this new knowledge has brought us together…closer. I mean, I never thought I would be able to trust in someone, but…then he came and…well, you know the story and…"
Lucille interrupted Gabriella then. "You've taught him how to love."
It wasn't a question or a doubt; Lucille had spoken surely, stating a fact she knew was the reality. Maybe Troy's pretending had been what had ruled him also with his parents – not the same way it did with the other people, but still – but they'd known, always, that he was refraining what he really felt, that he had hidden his realest self, trying to protect himself of God-knew-what.
Both she and Jack had been sad when they realized that Troy had put over himself a shield as strong as the one he'd put over himself, but it was late and the harm was already done; they hadn't been able to break it…and so they had, almost, lost all the hope.
Until Gabriella had arrived.
Because then, and only then, the old Troy had surfaced, shining in all his splendour; he was more at home, he was more caring, he was more open around them about what he felt and thought, he was more "human" than what he'd been until then…and all because of Gabriella, because she'd taught him how to love seeing more in him than what people saw when they looked at it.
Where people had seen in Troy the popularity and the admiration, Gabriella had seen a normal guy; where people had seen the hot looks Troy had, Gabriella had seen that he was not only a hot body but also a person with a soul and a heart, a person who wanted to love and wanted to be loved; where people had seen the basketball star, Gabriella had seen a guy working his ass off during weekends, practicing, enjoying the sport, leaving in the court everything – from the best feeling to the worst.
Where people had seen a guy, Gabriella had seen a human.
"I know I'm repeating myself but," Lucille took a deep breath and smiled kindly at Gabriella. "I'm glad he's found you. Really, really glad…and I think you won't know, ever, how much it means for me and Jack that you've made him change the way you've done it."
Feeling touched by Lucille's words, a few rebel tears escaped from Gabriella's eyes, running down her cheeks. The girl couldn't help but throw her arms around Lucille's neck, in a tight hug. "Thank you."
Returning the hug, Lucille wiped her own tears. "Oh look at us!" She giggled. "We're a mess! What would the guys think if they saw us now?"
"I guess they would call us hormonal and crazy woman," Gabriella giggled as well.
"Jack knows to not mess with this kind of stuff," Lucille explained exasperated. "At the beginning of our relationship, he would tease me with that every month…until I got so angry he stopped afraid of what I was capable of doing to him."
Gabriella laughed. "Troy has never said anything…but I think he knows better than begin with that crap."
Both women locked their eyes…and exploded in fits of laughter.
"Oh dear," Lucille gasped between giggles. "You don't know how good it feels to be able to talk and joke with another woman in that house. I swear I think that, sometimes, Jack and Troy forget I'm a woman and they treat me like one of their friends."
Gabriella giggled. "I'm happy I can talk to you too…my mom is usually on trips, and I've never felt abandoned, don't get me wrong, but…the loneliness since my father died…well, it's been something that has been with me all the time. At the school I didn't have friends…and…well, I learned to live with it. Now I have Taylor…and she's great and everything, but she doesn't know I'm with Troy, she's never been inside of my house…I don't know, I guess I'm not feeling comfortable with her knowing everything about me. I'm not ready for that yet…"
"Well, you know where I am whenever you need someone to talk to," Lucille placed her arm around Gabriella's shoulders and pulled her body closer to hers. "Don't doubt that, ever, you hear me?" She finished kissing the younger woman forehead.
"Of course," Gabriella said returning the hug. "Thank you."
"Movie?" Lucille asked after a while, breaking the comfortable silence the women had shared.
"Movie," Gabriella grinned pulling away and leaning back into the pillows again, being imitate by Lucille afterwards.
With Jack, Troy and Chad
"I need some water," Troy said bouncing the ball, looking at the window he knew had behind the only one person he wanted to be with from the corner of his eye. "Be right back."
"I'll come with you," Chad said. "I'm thirsty too…"
Troy widened his eyes – what he wanted was to have an excuse so he could go to check on Gabriella, and he knew he wouldn't be able to do that with Chad there with him. Since the moment he'd left his love in his bedroom, his mind had been full of her and with everything that had happened between them that day. After the worry and sadness he'd been feeling all the day without her, the only thing he wanted was to lose himself in her sweetness, in her perfection; he wanted to enjoy his time with her, enjoying the feeling of to have her back into his arms, enjoying the feeling of her lips over his, enjoying her silky hair touching his arm, enjoying her soft skin touching his…
But no.
He was trapped in a boring afternoon, playing basketball non stop so Chad didn't go to the second floor of the Bolton's household.
At least he had Jack with him.
"I'll be right back with your water then," Troy hissed between his teeth. "I need to go to the bathroom."
Troy could sense Chad was suspicious about his behaviour; he was about to snap at him, he was about to explode and kick him out of his house, he was about to confess what his reality was…and though he knew he couldn't do that to Gabriella, he knew he was closer to this point – the point that would condemn them both in a wave of mockery, bullying and bitterness while being at school.
Jack knew that too.
"Chad," he said sternly. "You need to practice some more your throws with your left arm," he said in a matter-of-fact voice. "You need to be able to use it too when you're playing a game."
"Coach!" Chad whined. "I'm tired, and thirsty, and hungry…couldn't we stop this so Troy and I can go and play some videogames?"
No-way.
Jack and Troy's mind thought the same at the same time. Video games would, probably, mean not only Chad in the house but also Chad staying for dinner, and neither of them wanted that…plus both knew that would be unfair for Gabriella because she would be trapped upstairs, in Jack and Lucille's bedroom until Chad decided it was time for him to go home – which was what had been happening all those past years, and so it would be even more suspicious if, accidentally, they showed a weird eagerness for him to disappear from there.
"Because the next game is in less than one week," Jack said, his voice laced with authority. "Troy, go to the kitchen and grab three bottles of water while Chad and I wait for you in here."
Troy nodded his head and disappeared through the back door, leaving an angry Chad behind, sulking like a baby, which amused, inwardly of course, Coach Bolton with no end. "Come on Chad," Jack said smiling victoriously. "Show me what you got there!"
Groaning, Chad grabbed the ball Jack threw at him and went to stand where the older man was. "That's unfair…Troy should do that too…"
"He'll do that once he's back here," Jack hissed – he didn't want to be with Chad more than the kid wanted to be with him. "No more excuses. Come on!"
With Troy
Once he saw himself "free" from the chain Chad was at the moment, he rushed upstairs to his parents' room; a sudden need to know how Gabriella was overcame him, and so he only wanted to check she was okay, to check that she wasn't feeling neglected, to check that she wasn't sad or angry…simply to check that the Gabriella he loved was still there.
He didn't knock at the door; opening it wildly, it even banged with the wall, he found his mother and his girlfriend lying on their stomachs on the bed, a bowl of popcorn in the middle of them, giggling at whatever they were watching and hearing from the television. His sudden entrance startled both women, who gasped and widened their eyes in shock – though one of the faces became a grinning face in less than a minute.
"Troy," Lucille scolded pressing the "pause" button of the remote control. "Watch your manners!"
Troy didn't hear her or register her voice – his mind was absorbed by the sweet giggle that echoed in the room during his mother's speech and by the grinning face of his girlfriend.
He didn't hesitate or think twice about it; he rushed to Gabriella's side of the bed, kneeling beside her and placing his arm on her back, rubbing it softly. "You okay?" He whispered concernedly.
Knowing she was disturbing there, Lucille exited from the bedroom silently, closing the door behind her after one last look – and one last smile – directed to the young couple.
Gabriella nodded her head wordlessly and reached her hand out, trying to grab his. "You?"
Intertwining their fingers together, Troy sighed. "Been better…"
His admission was lowly, as if he was confessing something embarrassing. "Hey," Gabriella cooed squeezing his fingers with hers. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong per se," Troy sighed again. "But I'd like to be with you instead of downstairs with Chad…"
Giving him a sad smile, Gabriella pecked his lips. "I'm okay, really. I and Lucille are having so much fun so you don't have to worry about me; we've talked and now we're watching movies while eating popcorn…so…with a plan as amazing as this one…how can you think something's wrong?"
"But I want to be with you…" Troy said tiredly, giving her a sad smile knowing she was trying to light up his mood, touching her shoulder with his forehead. "I mean, after the day we've had…I need to be with you, baby, and I can't stand that I can't be with you…"
"What has happened is already forgiven. I've told you we're okay, baby." Gabriella said softly. "Look, I guess we're having dinner here," she explained in a cheery voice, turning her head to kiss his hair. "Then we'll call my mom and then, hopefully, you'll be allowed to spend the nights my mom is on the trip in my house."
"You want that?" Troy asked, his voice a mere whisper, snapping his head up to look into her eyes. "You really, really, want that?"
Gabriella smiled at him, moving her hand and placing it on his cheek, using her thumb to caress it. "I'd love that."
"God," Troy sighed leaning down to connect his lips with hers, moving them sinuously and softly but also passionately. "I love you so much, baby, it almost hurts…"
Breathlessly, Gabriella sat back and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling Troy's body closer to his. "I love you too," she squeezed her torso tightly for a moment and then pulled away. "But now you have to go back downstairs before Chad wants to come up here."
"No," Troy protested burying his head in her curls. "Don't make me go…"
Gabriella sighed but returned the hug nonetheless – she didn't want for him to go more than he wanted, but she knew it was needed. "Baby, come on, I'll be here and I'm not mad, and we're okay, and the sooner you get down, the sooner he'll go."
Troy appreciated her efforts, but in a way he felt that, leaving his parents' room would be like abandoning her, would be like leaving her, and that was a thought he couldn't stand or even only imagine. "Promise me we're okay…"
"We're more than okay," Gabriella said standing up from the bed and pulling him up from his place on the ground. "I'll walk you to the door, come on…"
Troy smiled sincerely and stopped her, tugging at her hand and crushing her body into his. "I love you so much, you know that?" He whispered against her lips.
Gabriella smiled and kissed him, her arms lifting up and encircling his neck while his wrapped around her waist. The kiss intensified when he rubbed her lower lip with his tongue because then she opened her mouth, welcoming the wet intruder and moaning at the first contact between their tongues; when the vibration of her moan was registered by Troy he tightened his hold on her automatically, devouring her mouth with his, making the kiss not only probably the most passionate one of those they'd shared but also a kiss that seemed to have a promise, a secret, behind it.
"Wow," she breathed when they pulled away due to the lack of air.
"Wow indeed," Troy grinned pecking her nose. "And now, after that kiss, you'll tell me I need to go, right?"
Gabriella giggled and nodded. "Sorry baby, but…"
"I know, I know," Troy muttered. "I'll go now…"
"Okay go, then," she giggled not letting go of his neck.
"You have to let me go, babe," Troy said rubbing her arms softly.
"And if I don't want to?" Gabriella pouted cutely.
Troy groaned. "Don't torture me; this is painful enough as it is…"
Taking pity of him, Gabriella let him go. "I'll wait for you here…"
He couldn't help but lean down and kiss her lips softly once more. "Love you…"
"I love you too, baby," she smiled opening the door and closing it softly once he crossed the doorframe, leaning her back in the wooden surface and sighing.
Though she actually was having fun with Lucille, the truth was that after everything that had happened between them she only wanted to be with Troy too…the same way he wanted to be with her. It was more than a "will", it was a necessity – the turmoil of feelings, the mixture of pain-forgiveness-love-hurt had worn her out emotionally, and the cure was Troy, that she knew, and so this physical distance between, though it wasn't an emotional one, wasn't something she was looking forward to.
Not at all.
But with Chad there, there was nothing they could do about it; things were like they were, and so they had to accept them without further discussion.
All those secrets were a pain, but she trusted that, at some point, things would get better for them; she didn't know how or when, but she was sure that, one day, they would be able to enjoy their relationship in the open, that…they would be allowed to love each other outside from their homes. Of course Gabriella hoped that to make their relationship public wouldn't mean for Troy to lose his friends because she didn't want to take things out of him, but she knew that, in the end, it was Troy's choice – he was the only one who could decide if to be with Gabriella was worth to lose his friends if they couldn't accept her, but she hoped that things wouldn't arrive at that point.
She wanted a peaceful solution, a peaceful ending.
And she would fight for it.
With this new resolution in mind, with this new conviction in mind, Gabriella went to sit on the bed again just when the door opened again and Lucille entered in the room. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes," Gabriella smiled. "Are they playing basketball again?"
"I think so," Lucille said while lying on the bed. "I was in the kitchen when Troy had come downstairs and he's picked up three bottles of water, so I guess the practice will go for a while more…"
"Is Jack okay?" Gabriella asked concernedly.
"Well," Lucille shrugged. "He would prefer to be playing basketball because that's what they wanted instead of playing basketball because they had to, but it's okay, really…"
"Maybe I should go so they can come indoors…"
"No way!" Lucille exclaimed shocked. "Why are you thinking that?"
"Well, the obvious reason because of they are playing basketball against their wishes is because I'm here," Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. "So…"
"So nothing," Lucille dismissed Gabriella's thoughts waving her hand. "You're staying here. Won't be long before Chad realized he had to go home…with the intensity with which Jack is making him play…I think he will find an excuse soon enough…"
The malicious grin that adorned Lucille's features made Gabriella giggled. "You sure?"
"Completely," Lucille nodded. "Shall we continue with our movie?"
"We definitely shall," Gabriella nodded and winked at the older woman…both erupting in an explosion of giggles after that.
With Jack, Troy and Chad
"What has taken you so long?" Chad complained reaching for the bottle of water Troy was handing him.
"My mom was in the kitchen," Troy shrugged carelessly.
Chad took a sip of his bottle of water and wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "Fuck, it feels good!"
"Yeah," Jack answered him.
The three men stood there in silence, drinking water absently and lost in their thoughts; Troy thought about Gabriella, Chad about how his suspicions until that moment seemed to have lost their force with the way he'd seen Troy that afternoon…and Jack about how he needed to do something so both guys could not think about what he didn't want for them to think.
"Come on," Jack clapped his hands. "Let's continue!"
Troy and Chad left their bottles on the ground at the same time and proceed to follow Jack's instructions with the game forgetting everything but the sport, the net, the other…
----------
Some hours later, Chad looked at his watch. "Crap, I need to go now!"
Troy stopped the ball he was bouncing and went to stand beside Chad. "Okay, I'll walk you to the door…"
"Bye Chad!" Jack greeted him entering in the house while the two guys walked to the front side of the house, where Chad's car was parked, using the door of the backyard.
----------
"What did you want to talk about?" Troy asked knowing Chad needed to go – so the conversation wouldn't be long – and also so Chad didn't think he wanted to avoid the talk.
"Oh nothing," Chad shrugged. "I was worried because you've been weird while being at school…but…I guess everyone can have a bad day…"
"Yeah man," Troy gave him a sad smile. "I was stressed out…"
"I understand," Chad patted Troy's back and entered in his car. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night!"
Bye!" Troy waited until Chad turned on the engine and retrieved the car from the driveway before he entered in the house, running upstairs to his parents' room, where he found Jack sitting on the bed beside Lucille, with Gabriella nowhere at sight.
"Where's Gabriella?" Troy asked worriedly.
"In the bathroom," Lucille answered smiling at him. "We've decided we're going to call Marie now so, if she agrees, you and Gabriella can go back to her house now…"
A grin erupted in Troy's face. "Does Gabriella know that?"
"She's been the one suggesting this," Jack winked at him and Troy went to the bed, letting her back fall on the mattress with a huge smile plastered on his face, where he waited for Gabriella to come back.
----------
"Hey mom," Gabriella smiled at Troy, who'd squeezed her fingers, while she greeted her mother by the phone. "How's Los Angeles?"
"Very good, actually," Marie talked enthusiastically. "The job we're doing here is amazing. I'll show you photographs once I'm at home…"
"That sounds nice," Gabriella talked quietly.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Marie asked concernedly at the defeated voice of her daughter. "Is everything okay?"
Gabriella looked around at the three faces that were looking at her expectantly – Troy pulled himself closer to her, Jack nodded his head encouraging her and Lucille reached down her hand so Gabriella gave her the phone. "I'm at Troy's now…and…Lucille wants to talk to you…is that okay?"
"Lucille?" Marie asked bewildered. "What's happened?"
Gabriella passed the phone to Lucille not even answering her mother's question, placing herself on Troy's lap, who welcomed her wrapping his arms around her waist and rubbing her back comfortingly, and burying her head in his neck – she knew she wouldn't be able to ask the question she wanted to ask before she broke; she couldn't explain to her mother everything…and Gabriella knew it wouldn't take a lot for the woman to understand that something was being hidden.
"Hey Marie!" Lucille said cheerily. "How's Los Angeles, dear?"
"Good," Marie asked shortly. "What's wrong with Gabriella, Luce?"
"Oh nothing's wrong," Lucille said in what hoped was a convincing tone – if Gabriella hadn't explained anything, she wouldn't be the one doing so. "We only wanted to ask you your permission so Troy can go and sleep in your house those days you're away so Gabriella is not alone in the big house so many hours…"
"In my house?" Marie asked confusedly. "What about yours? Are you sure they should be alone right after school until the morning? What if something happens?"
"Troy's friends come here whenever they want, Marie," Lucille spoke slowly. "And if Gabriella is here…and they find her…"
Lucille's voice drifted off and soon Marie gasped, understanding the meaning of what Lucille was implying. "Of course he can sleep with Gabriella at home, just…keep an eye on them, please…I think something's wrong with Gabriella and…"
"Everything is okay," Lucille answered seriously. "I and Jack will be only at a call of distance from them. If anything happens, which I doubt, we'll be there in minutes."
"Okay, if you and Jack are sure about that I feel better then," Marie smiled.
A beep echoed by the phone line and Lucille could hear Marie cursing aloud. Some weird noises afterwards, Marie spoke into the phone again. "I need to go now, Luce," the woman sighed. "Tell Gabriella I'll call her back later, okay?"
"Will do," Lucille nodded. "Bye Marie!"
Once she left the phone on the mattress Lucille realized Gabriella had her head directed to her, bull still leaning it into Troy's shoulder. "She's okay with Troy sleeping at your home all this week, Gabi," Lucille said lowly, giggling when Gabriella's head snapped up and her eyes widened in shock. "So Troy, go get ready and pack some clothes…"
Kissing Gabriella's forehead and leaving her on the mattress again, Troy rushed out of his parent's bedroom and soon they could hear the shower of his bathroom being turned on…leaving three confused people behind him.
"Talk about eager to go out from here," Jack muttered. "He could have dissimulated a little…"
Gabriella giggled. "Is she really okay with Troy sleeping there with me, Luce?"
"Of course," Lucille said tenderly. "She knows that's the best solution."
----------
Thirty minutes later, a showered and dressed Troy was getting the last instructions from his parents. "Mom, I know how to behave," he protested.
"You may know," Lucille rolled her eyes. "But I want you to take care of Gabriella, you hear me?"
"Isn't this the whole point of that?" Troy asked stubbornly.
Jack chuckled. "Come now Troy, the same way we're allowing that…we can, perfectly, take it back…"
Troy widened his eyes. "You wouldn't!"
Lucille giggled. "You're right, but not because of your sake but because of Gabriella's. Well, I think is safe for you to go over there, now…Gabriella should already be in her house…"
As if on cue, Troy's phone beeped in his hand. "My signal. I'll come here tomorrow morning before school, okay?"
Lucille kissed his cheek and nodded. "Whatever you need, call us, you hear me?"
"Of course mom," Troy answered seriously while receiving a manly hug from his father.
Entering in his car, Troy turned on the engine and retrieved it from the garage, waving to his parents and then driving to Gabriella's house not even once looking back.
The moment he would be alone with her, alone-alone, was closer each second went by…and he couldn't wait to feel her in his arms, to feel her lips on his, to feel her soft skin under his fingers…so simply feel the warmness in his heart he felt whenever she was with him.
And then, he realized about something that maybe had been hided in his brain for a while but, at the moment, after everything happened between them, fell upon him like a cold shower – he needed to feel the whole Gabriella...and that meant, he understood, he needed to actually love her…
The question was - what would Gabriella think about it?