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Named It Don't Come Easy by Ringo Starr
(Revised 10/30/13)
When I heard the door close and guys laugh a little over a week later I hurried to finish putting my last boot on.
I'm going out on a little lunch date with a new friend today, so I threw on a pair of fitted blue jeans, a very loose white knit top that hung off my shoulder, a black cami underneath, along with a white knit girl beanie, and tan high heeled boots.
Once the boot was on I quickly ran from the room. "Troy!" I called out excitedly, making him turn as I came down the hall. I continued to run and jumped into his arms before giving him a big kiss.
He returned the kiss even though he was completely surprised by my actions. I'm not usually this overzealous when he comes home.
I forgot his firefighters friends were there until a few moments later when they catcalled. "Not that I'm complaining, but why are you so happy to see me?" he questioned with a smile.
"She's probably horny, dude, should we leave?" Tommy joked while plopping down on the couch.
"Shut up, Tommy," ordered. I wish we could have sex—I'm on my period and Troy knows that.
He let me down, shaking his head at Tommy. "Back to you, what's up?" he asked.
"Guess what!" I insisted and hopped up and down happily.
"Uh, you finished unpacking or sprucing or whatever?" he wondered badly.
I did indeed spruce up the place.
I put some pictures up of Troy and me, my family, Troy's family, the firefighters, me and my mom, etc. I bought a big rug for in front of the coffee table, it's so comfy and Troy and I already broke it in, wink, wink. I bought pillows for the couch to make it look homier.
We decided to use my plates and other utensils because I had them from my apartment at Stanford and were in better condition than his. I rearranged the bathroom completely, brought a dresser over from my house that my mom gave me to add more clothes space, and she also gave me my old desk from my room so she could by AJ a new one. A chest at the end of my bed from home that I've had since I was born was something I brought was given to me by my mom. It is now at the end of me and Troy's bed.
"No, well yes, but no," I answered. "East High called me today and I have a second interview on Monday!" I squealed happily.
"What?" Troy replied with a huge smile, and then hugged me. "Baby, that is so great!" he said, then kissed me like I kissed him when he got home.
We were stopped again by the guys making comments. Troy brought Tommy and Brian home with him. His friends are always here; apparently Troy's is the place to be.
Brian has a gay roommate which you would think would go well since he is gay too, but no. I met him; the guy is so completely annoying I'd kill him. So Brian isn't home often. I really like Brian though; he is one of those manly gay guys, unlike Damien.
"They also said that since it was easier to narrow down the prospects than they thought that this will probably be my last interview. After the interview on Monday Mrs. Doss said that I should get a call in a week or so about whether or not I got the job," I explained to him excitedly.
"That is so amazing, babe, I knew you would get a chance this year," he said with another big hug. "Didn't you have plans today?" he questioned me a moment later. "I remember you saying you probably wouldn't be here when I got home."
"Oh, shit, yeah!" I exclaimed, giving him one more kiss before heading for the door. "This girl I met at the interviews, Kara, she got called back too. She called all excited and we decided to have a celebratory lunch."
"Have fun then, drive safe," Troy responded with a smile as he looked through the mail.
Just as I was about to leave I turned around. "Oh, yeah, babe your mom called," I added on.
He looked up at me like a deer caught in headlights. "Did you talk to her?"
I shook my head. "No, I was in the shower, but I left her message on the answering machine for you. She said to call her back because she had something important to tell you," I answered. "Should I have?"
"No, she just usually calls my cell," he replied casually. "Don't worry about it," he insisted as he walked over to me. "I'll call her back while you get out of here and go meet your friend," he told me with another kiss.
"Tell her I said hi?" I asked and kissed him again.
He nodded. "Mmhm, you really should get going," he said against my lips as we continued to kiss.
"Brian, could you get me a barf bag? They're making me sick," Tommy mentioned loudly, making him laugh.
"Shut up, Tommy," Troy and I both said at the same time. "Bye babe, love you," Troy said as he pushed me through the door.
I walked backwards. "It's like you're trying to get rid of me, geez. Love you too," I mumbled, then finally left.
Kara and I met in the cafeteria during our interview. She is going for a position that would require her to teach intro to psych and intro to sociology, separately of course. We hit it off as we spoke, so we exchanged numbers and have been texting on and off since then.
We're the same age and both fresh out of college. She graduated from Santa Fe University and her cousin who lives here told her that a few high schools around this area were looking for teachers. Kara decided to move in with her cousin to look around. She found East High and fell in love with the curriculum she would be teaching and is dying for this job just like me.
When I reached our lunch spot she was already sitting there.
"I'm so sorry," I quickly apologized as I sat down. "My boyfriend got home when I was about to leave and I told him," I explained. "I was gonna call him earlier, but I wanted to tell him in person."
Kara waved me off. "It's fine," she assured me. "When I got the call my cousin was sleeping and I woke her up my screaming my head off with excitement," she admitted.
"I called my mother and she did the same thing," I told her. "Then she went on about how she had to call all my brothers and sisters and how I better call and tell my father right away," I rambled.
"That's right, you have a big family," she remembered as we looked through the menus. "I just have an annoying seventeen year old brother who thinks he is God's gift among men," she mentioned.
I laughed. "You don't know cocky until you meet my twin brothers," I responded. "They're eleven months older than me, but they act like it is eleven years. It's horrible. When I told them I was moving in with my boyfriend, who they love, they tried to pay me to not do it," I went on.
"Why?" she laughed.
"Well, my boyfriend and I only got together about two weeks ago," I began, making her eyes go wide. "Back together, I mean. We were together from junior year of high school until almost all the way through sophomore year of college. As soon as I moved back home everything kind of clicked back together and he asked me to move in and I did," I filled her in.
"That's..." she stopped to think.
"Quick, I know," I finished her sentence. "Yeah, we were always a quick couple. We got together quick, fell in love quick, had sex quick," I listed off. "But we make each other really happy and the reason we broke up was complete shit and it just made sense," I rambled. "Sorry, I'm talking a lot. What about you, got a boyfriend?" I asked.
She shook her head. "No, I had one throughout college, but we broke up senior year," she answered. "I'm single for the first time in about four years and looking forward to it," she stated happily.
"My friends and I go out a lot, you should join," I invited her. I have a feeling about her...I think we're gonna be close friends.
Kara smiled. "Yeah, that'd be nice."
When Troy and I told everyone we were moving in together the only ones who were all for it were my mother, Chad, Sharpay (now that her and Zeke had talked about her little freak out), Zeke, Vince, AJ, and Serena.
All the firefighters thought it was way too soon. Isabelle, Marcus, Lucas, Alex, Felix, my father, and Taylor thought it was too quick after just getting back together.
Oh, and Jaymi is for it too. She and I hung out earlier this week, I miss her. She still loves Felix, I know it. I'm workin' on it.
Troy and I told them thanks for their opinions, but we're gonna do it anyways.
The firefighters don't get it because they didn't know us before when we were together. My siblings are just being protective of me, even though they know that they can trust Troy. I told them that if anything happens I can get my own place or move back home, even though I knew that wouldn't be happening. Troy and I are gonna make this work or die trying.
We haven't even truly fought yet. We argued over some of my changes, but nothing huge, nothing we couldn't compromise on. We had a little spat about how I reorganized the closet, but he honestly didn't care where his clothes went, he admitted that at the end of it. We're pretty good at meeting each other half way; it comes with age I guess.
After lunch with Kara I realized how close I was to my twin brother's apartment, so I stopped in to see them. Honestly, when Troy went to Duke the twins and I got a lot closer. Sophomore year they got a house off campus to live in, so when I went to visit Troy I would stay there. Troy would stay there with me, of course. It was easier to be alone together in my brother's house than in his dorm. We still hung out in his dorm though; we had to christen his bed and everything, duh.
"Gabriella," Lucas answered the door with surprise. "I thought you were, uh, someone else," he admitted as I walked in.
"Hook up?" I asked casually with a smile.
"Are you here because you and Troy are fighting already?" he countered with his arms crossed. "You know we'd let you stay here for a few days, but only if you let us rub it in your face forever," he told me with a smile plastered across his face.
I slid my sunglasses up to the top of my head, removing the hair from around my face. "Sorry to tell ya, bro, but things are going great," I informed him as Marcus came out of his room with a girl attached to his hand.
"Gabi," Marcus smiled at me. He let go of the girl's hand to come and give me a hug. "You're not fighting with Troy, are you?" he wondered.
I shook my head. "Do you guys have any faith in my relationship?" I questioned accusingly.
"Of course I do," Marcus replied while holding his hand out to Luke. "Pay up, I told you next time she came by it wouldn't be because they were fighting," he stated, wagging his fingers as he did.
Lucas groaned and produced a twenty from his wallet. "For the record, in my head you and Troy made up," he mumbled.
"What is with this family and betting?" I wondered as I went to sit on the couch. "Troy and I do it all the time."
Marcus sat down next to the scantily dressed blond. "Babe, this is my younger sister Gabriella. Gabi this is Hannah, my girl...friend," he muttered the last part out like it pained him.
"Hi," I greeted her with a smile.
Hannah smiled back at me. "You should get highlights," she told me. "It would give you hair like Snooki from the Jersey Shore," she went on. "Don't you love that show?" I opened my mouth to respond, but Lucas pinched me from behind. "Are you Italian?" she wondered after a moment.
"Hannah, I told you, we're Mexican," Marcus told her like he was talking to for a child.
"Right! I forgot, sorry baby," she apologized with kiss that my brother readily returned.
"As for the betting thing," Lucas interrupted us. "It makes life fun, especially in relationships," he answered. "If you do it right."
I looked over to Marc again to see him still kissing Hannah, totally ignoring the fact that I'm here. "How did that happen?" I whispered. I already didn't like this girl. Snooki? Jersey Shore? Italian? This is a big no-no.
Lucas made a pained face. "Uh, tequila, a one night stand, and crying," he answered carefully. "Horrible story," he sighed. "Apparently it's really good sex though."
"Oh, ewe," I mumbled. Thank God she won't last. "Do I look Italian?" I questioned him.
"Do I?" he responded. "She's stupid, ignore it," he suggested. "Marc sure does," he reminded me while nodding over at them. They were heavily making out. When I saw tongue I couldn't look anymore."Yo, Marc, we have a guest," he called over.
"Right, Gabi," Marcus breathed while wiping his lips.
Hannah didn't look pleased. "What do you do?" she asked sweetly.
"I just graduated from Stanford and I'm trying to get a teaching job at East High," I answered. "I actually just got the call about the second interview today."
"Right, Mami called. Congrats, Gabs," Marcus said with a smile and Lucas wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed.
"You wanna be a teacher?" Hannah questioned. "Having to go back to high school every day? I'd wanna kill something, namely myself," she commented.
"Too bad you're not a teacher then," I replied, making Lucas pinch me again. "That one hurt," I grumbled.
"Good," he growled. There was a knock at the door which made Lucas jump up and dodge for it. "Finally, you're here!"
I turned around. "Allie!" I said happily. "Thank God you are here," I sighed as I went over to her. "This girl told me to look like Snooki."
She snorted. "If she tells me anything I'll slap her."
"Wait, why are you here?" I wondered suspiciously. Lucas coughed. "Oh. That means I guessed right!" I reminded him then stuck my tongue out.
"Yeah, yeah, get out," he insisted with a push.
"Lucas!" Allie scolded with a smack to his shoulder. "She is your sister and one of my really good friends, shut up," she ordered.
I laughed. "No, I should get out of here before we gang up on that girl," I mentioned. "Besides, Troy is home," I added, then sent her a wink. Sure I'm on my period, but it's leaving soon, I can tell. I'm on Mirena, my periods are short.
"You have to leave now," Lucas insisted, pushing me again. "Love you, goodbye," he said as the door closed.
I shook my head. "That sex better be damn good," I mumbled, talking about both my brothers while walking away.
When I returned home Troy was sitting at the dining room table with the guys gone and no mess left behind. That is unusual; anywhere Tommy is for an extended amount of time there is a mess to clean up.
"So when I walked in that guy at the desk stopped me and said that we got a noise complaint," I began with a laugh, holding up the yellow slip of paper before straddling his lap. "I guess that is my fault, huh?" I asked before kissing him. For maybe the first time Troy pushed me away. "Uh, what's wrong?" I asked, getting worried.
"Gabriella, you should get up," he suggested, pushing on my hips as he did.
"What's wrong?" I wondered and didn't move.
Then I heard footsteps down the hallway. "Troy, I like how you changed the bathroom," a female voice said as she rounded the corner.
"Lucy," I stated, surprised and quickly stood up. "I-I didn't know you were coming," I said awkwardly.
Normally I would be happy to see Troy's mom, but she didn't look happy to see me at all.
"Yeah, I didn't either," Troy mumbled as he stood up next to me.
Lucy looked like I just ruined her son's life somehow. "Well, it wasn't like I was fully informed of what is going on either," she mentioned in a protective mother voice.
"Mom," Troy warned her.
I am so confused. "Troy, what's going on?" I wondered, looking up at him.
"Good, it looks like I'm not the only one he has lied to," Lucy commented.
I ignored her. "What is she talking about, Troy?" I demanded.
Troy looked like he was caught in between and in all reality he was. "Look, when we broke up my mom didn't exactly like seeing how I dealt with it," my boyfriend began. "Honestly, her feelings toward you, um, changed," he went on. "Completely. And because of that I haven't, you know, told her about us yet," he finally confessed.
"You didn't tell your mother we got back together," I summarized.
Troy opened his mouth then just nodded. "Something like that."
"How could you not tell your mother about us?" I exclaimed angrily. "You talk to her every other day, did it not come up?"
"It wasn't like that, I was trying to find the right time," he defended himself. "Do you think it was easy for me keeping this from my mom?"
"You could have told me!" I insisted. "Tell me that your mom doesn't like me anymore, tell me you're looking for the right time to tell her, I would have understood," I assured him. "It's not like my dad is your biggest fan either," I reminded him.
Once Troy and I broke up and my dad saw how I lost myself he wasn't happy. He saw was his brokenhearted baby girl with no hair, a bit heavier, looking completely like crap, and he chose the easiest person to blame. Troy. I was surprised he even came to see me. But after I called to ask if his insurance covered therapy I should have guessed he would take a trip.
"Your father is angry at my son for the break up you initiated?" Troy's mom spoke up, breaking up our small fight.
"Mom," Troy warned again.
"Lucy, I understand you're mad right now, but I'm a little pissed off too," I assured her, hoping she got some pleasure in knowing we were both angry with Troy.
She got a mother face on, much like the one my mom gets when her kids need protecting. This can't be good.
"Mad does not even begin to describe the feeling I had towards you, Gabriella," she informed me. "Do you have any idea what you did to my son?" she asked. Before I could respond she went on. "He stopped going to class, he gave up his scholarship to Duke, he became a drunk for months and months. Would you like to watch your son do that?" she questioned rhetorically. "Would you like to come home and find that your son got into your alcohol, is completely drunk, and is crying his eyes out to his ex-girlfriend's picture?"
"Mom, stop," Troy pleaded.
"No, Troy, she should know what she did," Lucy responded. "I felt like I lost my son, Gabriella. I nearly kicked him out of my house because I couldn't watch it anymore, because I couldn't deal with it anymore, do you know what that feels like to a mother?" she continued to ask. "Then right when he has finally pulled his life back together you show up and he just takes you back like nothing happened." Tears had started to form in my eyes. "Honestly, I'm not sure if my son is better off without you or not," she admitted.
"Mom," Troy said in a serious, deep voice.
I shook my head at him, stopping him from interfering. "You know what Lucy, one of my biggest regrets in this world is breaking up with your son," I informed her. "I know how much I hurt him because believe or not, I am not some heartless bitch. I was hurting too. I cried myself to sleep for months. But, he probably was hurt more because I didn't give him a reason for doing it. I can't imagine the reasons his mind made up, the curiosity would kill me," I admitted. "And if you don't think I feel guilty everyday knowing he went through that then you are crazy. Even though we are back together the guilt eats away at me sometimes because I am one of the few people who could truly hurt him, and that is exactly what I did. I know I broke him, I know I fucked up his life, I know I don't deserve him back after what I did," I whispered with tears coming down my face. "But you know what, Lucy; I could never blame you for being protective of Troy because he is the greatest man I have ever met. You raised him right and he has the biggest hear-" I choked on my words. "He has the biggest heart and unfortunately for you, I'm still in it," I went on. "And I am so grateful for that, that he could take me back after all the pain I put him through, because I knew Troy was it for me. I didn't break up with him because of some other guy or distance; I still loved him with all my heart every second we were apart."
Troy reached for my arm, but I pulled away. "Brie-"
"I-I'm gonna go," I stuttered out, wiping away my tears. "Let you talk to your mom without me in the way," I whispered, then grabbed my bag and left the apartment.
"Gabriella!" Troy called after me, running down the hall behind me. I got in the elevator, so thankful it was already on the top floor. "Gabriella, stop," he pleaded, putting his hand on the elevator door.
"Troy, if you know what's good for you you'll let me leave right now," I ground out of my teeth.
"At least tell me where you are going," he said with worry in his voice.
I rubbed my nose. "Just get out of the elevator before I say many things I will regret."
My boyfriend sighed in defeat and backed up. He watched me as the door closed with sad eyes, but I didn't care. I needed to get away from the situation. I knew how Troy reacted to the break up, Chad told me, Vince told me, Troy himself told me, but I couldn't hear it from Lucy.
I honestly didn't know where to go. Half the people at my mom's house thought that Troy and I moving in together was a bad idea. I can't just go home crying because we got into a fight, I'm far too stubborn for that even if the one person I want to talk to is my mom.
When anger arose in me I knew exactly where I was going.
I pounded on the door until someone answered. "Godammit, what?" my brother opened the door with his shirt half on.
"This is all your fault!" I accused, and then started slapping Lucas on the shoulder repeatedly with a bit of force.
"Ouch, what, stop!" my older brother pleaded, and then began to restrain me.
"No, it's all your fault, you jinxed it!" I told him with tears in my eyes.
Lucas instantly let me go. "Gabi, what happened, why are you crying?" he questioned with concern all over his face.
"Troy's mom showed up," I stated angrily. "She hates me and Troy didn't tell her anything and she doesn't even want me in Troy's life," I listed off with tears streaming down my face. "This is all your fault!"
"What is going on out here?" Marcus came out of his room with only pants on. "Gabi, what happened?"
"What the fuck? Do you guys always have sex in the middle of the day?" I wondered while wiping my cheeks.
They both led me over to their couch. "On our day off, certainly," Lucas answered. "Now, what happened? Troy's mom said what?"
"She told me what Troy went through when I broke up with him an-and," I started to stutter like I do when I get upset. "And she is right. I don't deserve him, I am the reason he dropped out of college, I'm the reason he drank so much, I'm the reason he cried, I'm the reason he had so much trouble with her," I sniffled.
My brothers just held me for a moment.
"Gabi, you're our little sister and I know we're hard on you sometimes," Marcus started, not letting go of me. "But Troy's actions after you two broke up are his to own up to, not yours," he went on. "You didn't drop out of school, you didn't drink a lot, but you did cut yourself off from everyone, cut all your hair off, and cried all the time. I remember trying to get out of your room half of the summer but you never did. You stayed in your room and cried and took summer courses online like the little nerd you are," he said. "I'm not going to say I have any inclination of why you guys broke up, but I know in the end it was good for Troy. He never liked Duke; it was a matter of time before he said fuck it and dropped out or transferred. He loves what he does now. He has great friends and his own place and now he has you again. Everything worked out," he finished.
"In other words, fuck what Troy's mom said," Lucas said, making me laugh a little. "You're supposed to hate mother in laws anyways," he insisted. "I know we rag on your for it, but you and Troy belong together. His mom will see that and put up with it or get over it," he assured me.
"I'm sorry I ruined your afternoon," I whispered, feeling tired like I always do after crying.
They both shrugged. "Look at us, we can get sex anytime," Marcus commented.
"We can also see our sister anytime," Lucas mumbled. Marcus slapped him on the back of the head. "Ow, fuck. I mean, don't worry about it, Gab."
"Marc?" Hannah's annoying voice rang through the apartment. She came out of his room wearing his shirt. Ugh. "What is she doing back here?" she asked, annoyed.
"Can I hit her?" I whispered to Lucas. "It might make me feel better," I insisted. Lucas looked over to Marc and shrugged, but Marcus shook his head.
"No, are you an idiot?" he asked his twin, making me laugh a little. "She's having a bit of a crisis, can we do this later?" he asked her in a pleasing voice.
I shook my head. "No, you guys can go back to doing whatever," I told them. "Can I nap on your couch?" I questioned. "I'll put the TV on so I won't hear anything."
"Sure, thanks Gab," Lucas replied and was already on his way to his room. At least Allie was polite and didn't come out half naked to see what was causing her to not have sex right away.
Marcus looked over at me. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I can ask her to go," he said with a hard face on, like he wanted me to ask her to leave.
"No, go have...fun, I really just wanna sleep if you don't mind," I told him.
He looked back at Hannah who was leaning against his door. "If you need anything come and get me," he ordered as he stood. "Knock first," he added while walking into his room with Hannah.
I wanted time to think, time to nap. Crying always makes me so tired. Troy worked over night last night, I didn't get much sleep, and I prefer sleeping with him next to me.
My phone was blowing up with calls from Troy, not to mention texts, but I put it on silent. I didn't want to talk to him. He could have told me about his mom, I would have understood, I really would have. I didn't need to come home and be completely blindsided by her being there with so much hate inside her.
I always loved that Lucy loved me, we had a really good relationship, much like the one Troy has with my mom. I didn't want to be like almost every other woman on the planet and hate my mother in law and for her to hate me. I wanted to have a good relationship, a loving one, and one that when I have kids I would want her to come stay with us for a few days. I didn't want a relationship where we end up bickering all the time and we fight over how to raise the kids.
I love cliché, but that is just too cliché for me.
When I woke there was loud talking over by the door. "Marc, Luke?" I called out as I got up. My brothers both turned and looked surprised with my boyfriend halfway through the door.
"She saw me, can I come in now?" he asked in an annoyed tone.
"No, you made our little sister cry, you have no rights," Lucas replied.
I crossed my arms and for once didn't defend him. "You shouldn't be here, Troy," I stated.
"Brie, come on-" he stopped and cleverly slid between my brothers before they could stop him. Responding like the girl I am I ran and locked myself into the bathroom. "Seriously? Do you have to act like an upset girl on prom night?"
"Who is this?" a female spoke up from the other side.
Ugh, Hannah is still here. "Our sister's soon to be ex-boyfriend," Lucas answered.
"Shut up, Lucas!" I ordered as I heard a smack. Marc must have hit him again.
Troy messed with the door knob. "Gabriella, please talk to me about this. I should have told you about my mom, I know that," he started.
"Then why didn't you?" I demanded to know.
"Because I didn't think it was a big deal. My mom wasn't supposed to visit, I thought if I slowly started talking about you and how we reconnected again it wouldn't turn out like this," he told me. "I tell her about you two days ago and here she is telling me what I should do about my life. Do you honestly think I would listen to her? What she said about you, it's a load of shit. Forget about it," he encouraged.
I shook my head. "No, because she's right. I did do all of those things to you, I broke you, Troy. She has every right to hate me," I insisted.
His head hit the door. "Can we please talk about this, you know, in private? Without your brothers and some girl listening to us? Hi, by the way," he greeted awkwardly. "And do you know how long it took me to find you? You weren't at your mom's, your sister's, Felix's, or Sharpay's, and then finally when I talked to Allie she told me you were here," he informed me.
"What, were we your last hope? Like she doesn't love us too? We're closer to her than Felix," Lucas complained.
"Shut up, Lucas! And I don't care, Troy," I replied.
"You missed one hell of a fight once you left you know," Troy mentioned. "I think that was the worst fight we've ever had, we're probably going to get another noise complaint. And yes, that first complaint is all your fault, in a good way, of course," he went on.
"Don't bring that up in front of my brothers!" I ordered.
"I'll bring up a lot more if you don't open this door, Gabriella," my boyfriend threatened. "I can go on about where my favorite spot to kiss you is, and the spot that drives you wild when I do kiss it, and what it means when you bite my lip, or what happens when you pull my hair," he listed off. "And I'm getting some pretty nasty looks from your brothers right now, but I will go on," he stated. "How about how it takes two whole drawers to hold all your lingerie? I bet they don't want to know about all our bets, or that one condition you had about moving in with me? You know, the one about you being on-"
I swung the door open with pink cheeks. My brothers did look mad. "Don't tell them those things!" I exclaimed as he pushed me further into the bathroom.
"It got you to open the door, didn't it?" he questioned. Damn him. "Gabriella, I am so sorry, what else do you want me to do? I thought I was doing the right thing and you probably would have helped me do it a better way if I had told you, I know that. I messed up, I do make mistakes, you know," he told me.
"I know you do," I whispered, then sat down on the closed toilet. "Lord knows I've caused enough problems by keeping things from you," I went on.
Troy knelt down in front of me. "I am so sorry, baby," he apologized again. "For keeping this from you, for letting my mom say those things to you, and for saying some of those things in front of your brothers," he listed off sweetly.
"Your mom was right though," I commented.
"Fuck what my mom said, no she wasn't," he responded. "Yes, I was in a bad place for a long time and my mom got the brunt of it," he began. "She's my mother, she's biased, we both know that," he continued. "Listen, when I was running all around town looking for you, I realized something."
"What's that," I sighed, deciding to take chance on this idea of his.
"You breaking up with me sucked and you're right, it did break me. But it broke you too, and you're wrong you were hurting more because you had to go through losing me and losing a part of you," he went on. "But, when we broke up we both kind of regained our independence again," he mentioned. "We know how to be together, that is easy for us, what we didn't know was how to be apart. We learned that in these two years and it was a shitty way to do it, but in the long run it was probably a good thing. Now we can be together and now how to be independent which is great for our relationship, don't you think?"
"Can I be cliché?" I asked with a small smile. He nodded, smiling right back at me. "I think you're too good to be true," I murmured.
"Nope, I'm just good to you. Only you get me like this twenty four/seven," he admitted.
I ran a hand through his hair. "That's a shame," I sighed.
"And also by you breaking up with me," he continued. "I learned what I want to do with my life, be a firefighter, I wouldn't have learned that if I had stayed at Duke."
I nodded. "That's what my brother said," I mumbled. "This is so stupid, but I want your mom to like me like she used to," I admitted.
"She will, baby," Troy assured me. "And if not, you know I always pick you," he reminded me. "Always."
I shook my head. "I don't want you to have to choose, I would never make you do that," I replied.
"And that is one of the reasons I'm in love with you," he confessed. "Because you're not one of those girls and despite it all you love my mom, especially since you know how close I am to her," he went on. I nodded back at him. "Come here," he whispered and hugged me tight.
"Where is your mom now?" I wondered quietly in his ear.
Troy pulled away. "Her hotel," he answered. "Don't worry, it's not about you. She stayed at my place once and I didn't tell any of my friends my mom came to visit yet and let's just say Tommy walked in doing some very Tommy things and she was not impressed," he explained. "She always stays in a hotel when she comes to visit now."
"So what are the plans for tonight?" I asked. "Are you going to see your mom or-?" I left it open.
"My mom decided to go see an old friend for the night to get away from the situation. I thought you and I would go home and figure out some way to make it up to you," he slyly suggested.
I giggled. "Last time I checked my period was almost gone," I mumbled with a smile.
"Let's go," he stated, throwing me over his shoulder then going for the bathroom door. "Don't worry, we're all made up, you can kick my ass later, we will be going now," he informed my brothers.
I was laughing. "Bye, love you guys."
Troy and I got home more than an hour later since we stopped to eat dinner. "What to do, what to do?" Troy sighed as we entered our apartment.
I leaned against the wall to take my boots off and once they were, Troy tackled me onto the couch. "Ugh, is this what you call foreplay?" I asked, getting up on my elbows.
"No, this is rough-housing, not to be confused with foreplay. Foreplay can be a bit like rough-housing if you want it to be that way, but usually you're naked," he answered, making me laugh. "Who is the English teacher now?" he teased.
"I am. You just happen to be good with words, Mister," I replied.
Troy smiled. "Can we play a game where you're the naughty English professor and I'm the sexy grad student who desperately needs an A?" he questioned.
"Maybe after I know or not I have an actual job," I replied. "I don't wanna jinx anything, even if it does mean I can't force you to do my sexual bidding as a sexy grad student," I went on with wagging eyebrows.
He laughed. "Whatever you say," he responded.
"I really need this job, Troy," I sighed. "Or a job in general. You shouldn't have to pay for everything if I am living here," I insisted.
Troy groaned before laying his head on my breasts. "Do we have to go through this again?" he muttered.
"No," I assured him while running my fingers through his hair. I hate living here knowing he is paying for everything, I want to help.
"Good, because I don't mind paying for anything for a little while," he insisted like he has every time we talk about this. "Besides, you're gonna get this job," he murmured quietly before kissing the skin my shirt didn't cover. "Do we have agenda for tonight?" be questioned, purposely changing the subject, but I let him.
"I was thinking this," I replied casually. "Maybe with fewer clothes," I added on. "It may not involve sex, but fewer clothes is still more fun."
Troy chuckled. "Hey, you're the one in charge since I screwed up tonight," he reminded me. "If you say less clothes that means more clothes," he stated while moving to take my knit sweater off.
Later in the night Troy and I were cuddling in bed. Personally, I think it is one of the best parts of living with Troy. Every night when we're falling asleep together we get to cuddle. I am a big cuddler, good thing Troy is too. Again, it is the small things a girl appreciates the most.
"Troy," I whispered during a commercial. Dog the Bounty Hunter is on, a show we both like.
"Hm?" he responded with fingers moving up and down my arm to lull me to sleep. I've noticed that Troy likes to try and stay awake later than me, but we've never talked about it.
I looked up at him. "I was thinking about something Marcus's new girlfriend said," I started.
"The Snooki thing? Babe, get over it," he told me in a husky voice. His voice gets deeper when he is sleepy, I love it. Oh yeah, I told Troy about Hannah and how I definitely do not like her.
I laughed. "No, she said something about how if she was a teacher she would want to kill someone by having to go back to high school every day."
"That is her prospective, not yours," Troy cut in before I went on.
"I know, I know," I exasperated. "Let me go on, man," I jokingly whined, making him chuckle. "I was just thinking that before I start work, whether it is at East High or North or subbing where ever," I mumbled sadly. "Promise that we'll do something adventurous before school starts so I never feel that way," I ordered.
Troy shifted underneath me. "Like what?"
"I don't know, take a random road trip somewhere, anywhere, and pretend we are newlyweds or having some passionate affair," I laughed. "Or we can go bungee jumping. That would be fun, but you'd have to drag me to do it," I suggested. "Maybe we can work our way up to skydiving, although you would have to do it with me. I mean, I would be with an experienced skydiver and bungee jumper."
After we broke up and once he got his life in order Troy took some risks. He went bungee jumping and skydiving and cliff jumping and did all of his firefighter training, which some of which was a bit risky. I didn't do anything besides my road trip across the country and backpacking through Europe, I was too afraid to.
"I think I'd have a heart attack if you skydived, with or without me," he admitted honestly. "But I'll take you bungee jumping and cliff jumping if you want," he agreed.
"The random road trip sounds fun too," he added. "So, I promise we'll do something before school starts every year," he agreed.
"Thanks," I whispered, then kissed his chest.
"I probably should have told you earlier," he mentioned a moment later. "But if you want to do something risky...well, my mom wants to have lunch tomorrow," he confessed. "With us, not just me."
"What?" I asked while sitting up a little.
He pulled me back down. "It was the call I got when you were in the bathroom, I've been meaning to tell you. She wants to talk things out. We're going to a public place so no big outburst can come of it, and I made her promise to hear us out and be nice," he assured me.
I frowned. "Of course I will go, but I'm nervous," I muttered.
"Don't worry about anything, your mom is coming too," he informed me.
I gasped. "Did you feel like telling me anything tonight?" I questioned.
He smiled sweetly. "Eventually," he said. "I'm sorry, I just didn't want to ruin your night since we had such a bad day," he apologized.
I kissed him. "Fine, but you owe me," I warned.
"Oh, I will have fun owing you, don't worry."
Just tell me what you think!
Read and review please! Thanks.
- Kayleigh