A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! I cannot believe we already over one hundred! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I enjoyed writing it. :D
I feel like I underdid it in this first half of the chapter. I'm kind of worried about it...do you think it was okay?
Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or High School Musical, and I am in no way affiliated with it. I don't own Converse shoes.
Troy gently lay her down on the unmade bed, carefully jimmying off her bright blue sneakers and tossing them haphazardly to a corner. The Converse shoes crashed loudly against the cream-painted wall, and Troy wanted to slap himself as Gabriella rapidly stirred awake.
"Troy?" she mumbled groggily as she rubbed the sleep away from her weighted eyes, her hands in tightly bunched fists. Her eyes flickered open in the darkness of the room, skipping around frenziedly before calmly settling on Troy's hunched form beside and above her. She couldn't help but notice, even in her drowsy state, how his muscles were so sexily prominent underneath his snug T-shirt. How his hair was swept so gorgeously to the side. Even in her half-conscious condition, she was hopelessly enticed.
"God, that was stupid of me," Troy muttered gruffly aloud, mildly disgusted with himself. "Sorry, baby," he whispered tenderly as his fingers absorbedly wisped around her chin, his flesh so soft and familiar. Her heart swelled, her eyelids weak with fatigue. He pecked a faithful kiss to her steamed forehead and sheltered her under the warm covers, whisking himself away and leaving Gabriella surrounded by icy air.
"Where are you going?" Gabriella whimpered hazily in a muffle, her eyes just half open. They drooped, threatening to close completely.
Troy waded restlessly by his thrown-open closet. "Going to find something for you to wear to bed."
"That's okay," Gabriella garbled wearily, her terse words just coherent as she rolled over tiredly on the bed. She struggled to prop her upper body up, her sticklike arms stretching out behind her to support herself. She leaned against the wooden headboard of the bed, deftly unraveling her now loose braids, threading her fingers nimbly through her hair to untangle any stubborn, knotted curls. Sleep was beginning to fade away, but the heaviness of the gloomy dark and night still loomed gravely above her head. "I don't need something to wear to bed. I'll just take this off."
"That's okay," Troy responded softly, selecting a gray Wildcat T-shirt and tossing it over carefully to her. Gabriella caught it one-handedly, ripping off her shirt with worn-out arms and effortlessly slipping on the oversized shirt. She flung her shirt to the floor, not caring, unbuttoning her favorite jeans and wriggling out of them on the bed, exhaustedly kicking them to join her snarled shirt in the small heap. Gabriella picked off her earrings, cautiously unwounded her necklace from around her neck, and warily spread it out on the nightstand beside her, depositing the earrings into a small case. Troy's despairing sigh loudly reverberated throughout the still, thoughtfully quiet room as he changed out of his attire and into another older, plain T-shirt, his previous clothes carelessly flying to the carpeted ground with Gabriella's. They'd pick them up the next day. Possibly.
"Hey, Troy," Gabriella began gently as she wormed back under to the toasty warmth of the blankets. "Did you tell me you loved me?" She just threw it out there casually. She knew if she did it any other way, it would be worse and far more awkward. She bit her lip nervously, her chocolate eyes glued to Troy.
"No," Troy gibbered clumsily, his tone suspiciously gravelly. He kept his head sloped downwards. Had she really heard? "I didn't say I loved you." He was gawkily fidgeting by the perimeter of the queen-sized bed, abruptly shoveling up the clothes they'd sloppily chucked to the floor. He packaged them under his hefty arms, twitching awkwardly all the way to the closet, where with more composure, he folded and refolded the wrinkled clothing. Gabriella attentively observed with uneasiness and slight discomfort as he finally set the neat pile on a lone chair, deciding he was finished.
"Babe," Gabriella called endearingly to him, prodding his heart. Troy felt it engorge with love again, and he magnetically gravitated over to her, unable to stop himself. All he saw was that sylphlike figure. He smiled softly as he noticed the bed looked like it would swallow her whole, but his smile turned upside down when he saw the saintly face frowning. She had a drearilyremorsefulsemblance, her normally scintillating eyes temporarily desolate and rapidly dulling.
"What?" Troy blubbered numbly, crouching over the opposite side of the bed she was on and cupping her glasslike face in his large hands. Gabriella was still frowning sadly, and it wrenched at Troy's heart, his stomach queasily turning over. "Oh, baby," Troy whispered in that extraordinarily soft voice again, his voice steadier now but remaining low. He tenderly smoothed back the brunette tendrils that had carelessly twisted around the pale oval of her face, smoothing them back and smoothing them back soothingly some more. Gabriella watched with complete fascination as he captivatedly intertwined his fingers in her hair for the millionth time, his azure eyes concentrated with deep thought. Gabriella watched with bated breath how his magical orbs switched colors, gradually blending from one breathtaking shade of blue to another almost cunningly. His fingers caressed her chin again now, dancing around it and feeling her skin against the pads of his fingers.
"Troy, you said you didn't love me…" Gabriella croaked dimly in a weak voice, almost struggling. Her heart bounded at the way he was touching her, so watchfully and delicately, like she were some valuable artifact.
"No, you mean I didn't say I loved you…" Troy drawled languidly, his gaze still captured in Gabriella.
"Troy," Gabriella sighed once more, spinning her head away in a bold move and letting Troy's hand drop to the mattress. He was seated fully on the bed now, his outer right thigh smushed against her left one. His face fell almost immediately, but he tried to quickly reconstruct his composure, trying to anchor that mouth and haul the corners back up into a smile. He was grimacing instead. "Stop trying to stall it, Troy," Gabriella whispered sternly now. Her solemn stare darted to the blanket seeking safety, but after hastily realizing it was a sign of weakness, she reconnected her eyes with his. They exhibited proof of renewed confidence. "Tell me what you were going to say. You said you loved me, didn't you?"
"No," Troy choked out hoarsely. "No, I didn't." His palms were clamming.
Gabriella heatedly wondered with narrowed eyes, What the hell was he afraid of? Why was he afraid of her? What had she ever done to be intimidating? She spoke those earnest words, carefully, and Troy's face roiledin response, showing evidence of an internal battle. She was almost begging.
"Nothing…Gabi," Troy stifled another guttural choking sound. His hand reached out to secure a brown lock of hair behind her ear, but once he saw Gabriella harshly stiffen, his hand arrested in the air.
"No, I'm sorry," Gabriella replied quietly, referring to how she had become so offensively rigid at his devoted gesture. Troy hesitantly tucked the coil of hair behind her ear, and just when Gabriella thought he would pull away, he only jerked her face forward into a kiss. Gabriella immediately felt those shoots of electricity rocket through her, and for the first time, this angered her. She had responsibly decided to wrestle his tough grip when his arms came around her, seizing her in one place strictly but still gentle. And when they wrapped around her like that so caringly, and she was pressed so comfortably against his chest, she didn't move or fight. She stayed put, her drained eyes fluttering closed fragilely like they always did, Troy watching her inhale the scene. "You said you loved me," Gabriella insisted honestly again, her silky voice calm now. "You said you loved me."
"I didn't say that," Troy claimed halfheartedly, his eyes flurrying guiltily. His fingers were unconsciously rippling down her little back, rubbing it in reassuring circles.
"Then what did you say?" Gabriella demanded animatedly yet still calm, peaceful in his cozy engulfment. "What did you say right then?" She was intrigued to hear his response.
"I said…I said…" Troy gulped feebly. His big hands were still hovering around her back, vibrating a little bit now as he grew more nervous, and they distractedly flowed up her spine and knotted in her hair. "I said I love you."
Gabriella's stomach dropped. Everything seemed to be happening all at once. Her stomach was spazzing, flipping and springing, her heart doing a series of the same jumping and dancing. Her mind was whirled in a confused frenzy; reeling, rolling, ripping at an alarming velocity. What had he just said? What words had she really heard him mumble? She felt lightheaded.
"What?" Gabriella inquired dizzily, blinking furiously as she pulled away to look him directly in the eye.
"I love you," Troy repeated seriously with more confidence, a sly smile hooking the corner of his mouth up again. His eyes glittered radiantly like stars.
"I just asked you a gazillion times if you had said you loved me," Gabriella burbled perplexedly. Her face reddened to the color of a tomato, boiling. "Explain, Troy boy." Her heart was racing in her chest.
"I didn't say I loved you…I said I love you," Troy clarified stupidly.
Gabriella glared at him incredulously, her eyes slits on either side of her nose. Troy knew she was fuming…he knew she was going to erupt, searing lava seeping from her…. But she didn't. She remained remotely tranquil.
"So do you?" Gabriella whispered timorously. She was serious, her eyes glazed over. Troy stared deep into their polished depths, swallowing hard, comprehending the seriousness of the moment.
"Yes," he whispered fearlessly. "I love you." His eyes were daringly spiraling into hers, drilling into them.
It was hardly sinking in for Gabriella.
The beauty shimmied over to Troy's tense form, numb, looping her slender legs around his waist and squeezing tightly. Troy's hands absentmindedly ghosted over her dark tresses, dropping sloppy open-mouthed kisses all over her ashen face. Gabriella smiled softly in response, utterly dazed, and allowed Troy to gallantly angle her head up with the careful tips of his fingers, kissing every centimeter of porcelain skin he saw.
"I love you so much," Troy whispered truthfully, his face gleaming again and his own ocean eyes enameled. Gabriella was unknowably effervescent with elation, radiating an exuberance that only compelled Troy to repeat his love for her again. She was bubbling with the passion; fizzing and gurgling with it, to the point where it simply spilled over and she had caved. "I love you."
"Tell me again," Gabriella demanded quickly, almost greedy and impatient. Hearing it made her heart swarm with warmth. A special warmth she had never experienced before Troy. She felt this safety in hearing it.
"I love you," Troy vowed softly again, his hands aimlessly roaming around her thighs. Gabriella squirmed some at his sparking touch. He continued to pepper quick, loving kisses all over her face, unable to stop himself. Gabriella blithely reveled in his surrounding embrace, in the indestructible pool of love he had created for them. "I love you…I love you…" Gabriella closed her eyes again and breathed deeply, listening to the florid melody that played in her mind as Troy delicately whispered those three divine words. His hands were everywhere, just like she liked them to be. There was not one place he could not touch. There was not one place he had not touched before. Gabriella was nearly being lulled to sleep by his sexy voice and the tender "I love you"s, the relaxing motions of his hands on her body and the stable thump of his heart against hers.
"You know no one has told me that before," Gabriella whimpered faintly, trying to obscure her watered eyes from Troy. She squeezed them, and one single tear accidentally leaked and trailed down her gorgeous face.
"I know," Troy responded gently, kneading the base of her neck with his hand. "You told me." Troy pressed his lips to her cheek, humming blissfully to himself as he rocked her back and forth like a baby. "I love you."
He wasn't going to force her to say it. In good time, he knew she would. He knew it was just a shock to her. No one had ever told her they had loved her. Not any family; no one. He sensibly decided that once she had gotten over the shock, he would tell her about Ambrosia. Ironically, at the same time, Gabriella remembered Ambrosia. Her chest was suddenly speared at the nauseating thought, but she tried not to think about it. It would ruin the precious moment.
They slept that valued night (or rather, early morning) with their chests and groins pressed up against one another's, their legs hopelessly entangled. His strong arms were protectively around her, securing the treasure, her peaceful face comfortably tucked into the humid crevice of his neck. Her hands were flat against his chest, his lips in her hair. She loved him so much. She really did. But she was still recovering from the shock of his heartfelt profession. She would tell him soon. She would.
She roused awake sometime in the murky midmorning, the shadowy dark still a heavy canopy above them, but she did not move. She discovered that was Troy was awake as well, fixedly watching her. His exhausted eyes were indolently analyzing her, his fingers lazily toying with her curls. When he saw her eyes fluttered open, he smiled gleefully in the night and gently rubbed her bare arm with his knuckles, goosebumps revived in their path.
"I love you," he rasped groggily again, his husky voice saturated with pure love. Gabriella smiled back, blushing like crazy, gazing into his infinite eyes and chastely kissing him. Gabriella arched back into his body, melting against his harder figure. His lips fell at her soft ear, pecking it tenderly. Her heart lifted and bulged with love.
She couldn't believe he had said it. She couldn't believe that someone even loved her. No one had ever loved her before. No one had ever shown their love for her in any way. Troy was her first. Troy was her first in everything, it seemed. He was the first to love her. He was the first to find the key to her heart. He was the first person to understand her. And him saying "I love you" was like him saying he agreed and understood all of that and its importance. He was hers. She was his.
Gabriella could've sworn she'd heard him whisper it again before she'd floated to sleep once more: "I love you."
The main parking lot was thronged with students and teachers, towing their packed suitcases with them, waiting for their ride to come. Half of the students had retrieved their cars, simply driving to their destination, while others awaited their polished stretch limousines, tapping their toes impatiently and wondering why oh why the horribly irresponsible driver was late.
"Bye, Tay," Gabriella smiled warmly as she patted Taylor a friendly hug. "Don't flirt with too many guys, now," Gabriella teased cheekily.
Taylor rolled her eyes, remarking back viciously, "Bitch. You know I'm with Chad."
"Both of you are pretty unfaithful," Gabriella joked lightheartedly, helping her heave her heavy luggage into the trunk of the limousine. The driver clasped another gigantic bag, getting a good workout as he quickly yanked it up and crammed it into the back.
"I could say the same for you and Troy," Taylor began smugly, sauntering over to the side of the burnished black vehicle, "but actually, you guys are pretty faithful. Fucking shame, too. I can name fifty guys right now in our grade who drool and slobber all over you, their eyes slinking out of their heads," Taylor muttered in a low manner, envy ebbed in her voice. "You could make a fuck load of money out of that, you know. But then again, you don't need to, since you're mom is fucking Ambrosia H—"
"—Shh!" Gabriella interjected quickly before anyone else would hear the famous name of her celebrity mother.
The driver courteously unhinged open the sleek door of the limousine, its unblemished surface glittering in the autumn sun, and Taylor patted her hair down consciously before sliding inside.
"See you, Tay," Gabriella waved to her graciously. "Love you."
"Love you too, bitch. Have some dirty fun with the sex god, will you?" Taylor requested dryly. She played with the gold pendant of her necklace absorbedly.
"Okay, Tay. Bye," Gabriella giggled softly.
The driver, in his uniformed starched suit, stiffly shut the limousine door with Taylor secure inside.
"Thank you," Gabriella generously thanked the friendly-looking man, handing him a folded wad of green papers.
The stocky driver's pleasant black eyes widened as he simply ogled at the money she'd insistently pressed into his hand, disbelieving. His gape reverted to Gabriella after he snapped back to reality, pleading for confirmation of his eyes wordlessly. Gabriella nodded genially in response and smiled benignly. The driver only squeaked, swiftly shoving the bundle of dollar bills into his pant pocket and silently thanking Gabriella once more with his eyes. He subsequently scooted into the leather driver's seat, and the two were smoothly off in sheer seconds.
Now Leighland.
Leighland wallowed silently in her own private bubble alongside the curb, a dozen feet or so away from where Gabriella was standing. Other nosy students cluttered around her in a semicircle, their mouths moving rapidly in what was gossipy chatter. Gabriella quietly advanced to Leighland, smiling softly once more at the girl and squinting her brown eyes in the unnaturally brilliant sun. Leighland found that Gabriella's presence strangely comforted her.
"Hey, Leigh," Gabriella greeted sincerely.
Leigh was standing awkwardly, uncomfortably rigid and a firm metal pole in place of her spine, her tan arms outstretched behind her, gripping the handles of her suitcases. Leighland's circular eyes were liquid butterscotch on Gabriella's, her undulating hair glimmering the same coordinating shade as always.
"Hey, Brie," Leighland hailed back timidly.
Over the past two weeks or so, or even more, Leighland had undergone some wild transformation. The fear and intimidation she felt and was evident on her surface. What happened to the bubbly, spontaneous vixen Gabriella knew? What happened to the girl who was always there to listen, instead of needing other people to listen to her? Gabriella tried to think that it was just a phase. Always just a phase. She was sure Carter had probed the negative metamorphosis.
"Tell me how Costa Rica is, okay?" Gabriella immediately flung her arms around Leighland's neck, squeezing her hard. She was worried for her poor friend. "I've never been. You've got to tell me everything. Every little shitty detail. Okay?"
Gabriella was satisfied when Leighland laughed gently, and Gabriella could've sworn she saw one caramel eye twinkle. "Sure, Brie."
"Don't be afraid to have some fun. Every single guy in that country wants you. Take advantage and enjoy the exoticness of foreign guys," Gabriella maternally stroked her friend's flawless hair, reassuring. "Capice?"
"How do you know every single guy there wants me?" Leighland raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"Because even I want you, okay?" Gabriella giggled cheerily. "And if I want you, then that means something—"
"—because you're straighter than a line," Leighland chuckled to herself as she recalled something Carter had said about Gabriella a while back.
Gabriella laughed quietly with Leighland at the funny memory. "But seriously! There's no guy that doesn't want you. Find yourself a hot cabana boy or something." Gabriella had to bite her lip as to not burst out in laughter.
Gabriella found herself jealously thinking about how beautiful Leighland was, her skin dark with a natural permanent tan. She was pure Italian. You could see it on her face. Gabriella remembered the story of how her father absolutely loathed being Italian; how he had changed his last name to something more "American": Jones.
"Maybe," Leighland sighed with some smile on her pretty mouth, shrugging. "Listen, my ride is here."
She was right. Her limousine, blindingly white, easily rolled up to their spot and slickly halted. The driver, a lofty man with cropped hair, immediately exited the vehicle and began to load her heavy luggage.
Gabriella's farewell with Leighland was much more heartfelt and longer than the one she had shared with Taylor. Leighland seemed reluctant to leave the comfort of Gabriella, and was yet more distant than she had ever. But Gabriella trusted that the Costa Rican beaches and sun would do her good. She watched as the limousine shrunk to a speck on the line of road, watching the snow-colored car inch into the thick trees.