Moving On
Rated: T
Disclaimer: I do NOT own HSM
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Summary: Troy and Gabriella broke up during university. Six years later, Troy gets a new job at a law firm, quickly befriending a man named Jake. When he gets invited to Jake's house for dinner, he meets Jake's pregnant wife, who happens to be his highschool sweetheart.
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Hello all my loyal readers,
I really apologize about the long wait. I know its been over two weeks but the ideas weren't flowing for this chapter, plus I was away all last week. I basically have the next half of the story all planned out so hopefully it will go well. This chapter just sort of stuck me. But I hope you all like it. It is a bit longer than normal which I am sure everyone will all like. I will try to get the next chapter out sometime this week... I will try for about Wednesday, but don't count on it. I will try my hardest though.
Thanks everyone for your kind and lovely reviews. I appreciate each and every single one of them. Enjoy!
Love,
Dancer2319
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Previously on Moving On:
"I'm not a tease, I just merely like to smile and kiss you. Is that such a crime?"
"Not at all." She smiled back as she threw her arms around his torso and hugged him. They held each other for several minutes until they heard a knock at the door. They pulled away as he kissed her lightly on the forehead before leaving to answer the door.
Gabi stood their feeling empty without him there, she straightened out her clothes as she heard Jake open the door.
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"Hey man." Jake said, after he opened the door to reveal Troy.
"Hey."
"Wow, you're really early."
"Yeah, well I thought you might want some help getting ready, preparing if you will."
"Thanks man, we almost have everything ready, c'mon in though. We haven't gotten a chance to hang out in awhile."
"Yeah I know." Troy replied as the two men walked into the kitchen where Gabi was.
"Hey Troy." Gabi smiled as she was setting appetizers on a large plate.
"Hi. Can I do anything to help?"
"No, I'm fine thanks." She smiled, as they heard the doorbell ring again and before they knew it, their party was in full swing. Everyone at the moment was standing around chatting, and socializing.
"Hey Troy." Jake said, "This is my sister Whitney, Whitney, this is Troy."
"Hi Troy." She said, extending her hand to shake his, "Nice to meet you. I've heard lots about you."
"All good things I hope." He joked.
"Mostly." She commented.
"Well I will leave you two alone," Jake smirked as he left.
"Do you get the feeling that we're being set up?"
"More than ever." Troy replied, chuckling.
"Yeah, Jake tends to do that a lot. Listen, you seem like a really nice guy but I am really not looking for a relationship or anything."
"Oh, me neither."
"So lets just talk and then we can tell Jake and Gabi that we just didn't feel a connection." She laughed.
"Sure Whitney, you sound like the expert at this so I will take your word for it."
"Thanks Troy, so how do you know Gabi? Jake told me that you two work together, and then you knew Gabi before."
"Yeah... that's a funny story actually."
"Indulge me."
"Umm... she's my ex from high school." Troy replied.
"Oooh, juicy, high school sweetheart?"
"Yep"
"How long were you two together if you don't mind me asking?"
"Uhh... about three years." Troy replied.
"Wow, when did you break up?"
"First year of university, we were separated and it was just too hard to keep the relationship going when we never got to see each other."
"Yeah, I understand." Whitney said, watching Troy look over at Gabriella talking to her friend, laughing, "Does it kill you to see her so happy?"
"Uh.. No."
"You can be honest with me Troy."
"Well, I am happy that she is happy, it is just that I... I wish that... oh my god this is to terrible to say but..."
"You wish that you were the one to make her happy?" Whitney interrupted.
"Yea, basically."
"Don't worry about it, to be perfectly honest, sometimes I sort of resent my brother because he is so happy all the time. I just wish I could have a relationship like their's. I mean, I swear they have only fought like twice, and it was about stupid things. And now they are having a baby, they have the perfect life, you know?" Whitney said.
"Yeah." Troy said, looking over to see Gabi sitting on Jake's lap as he laid his hand on her stomach, caressing it. They both were widely smiling and content. Troy couldn't help but think what would have happened if he didn't break up with her, if he didn't end their relationship and instead moved to be with her. He continued to think about it until he was interrupted.
"Hey Troy." He heard, turning around to see Gabi talking to him.
"Hey." He smiled, both of them just staring at each other for a few moments until Troy broke the silence, "I was talking to Chad earlier."
"Chad?! Thee Chad Danforth." Troy nodded, "Wow, I haven't talked or seen him in ages. How is he?"
"He's doing pretty good I guess. I didn't get to talk to him long or anything. When was the last time you saw him?"
"Umm.. It would have had to be second year of university when he and Taylor broke up and was moving out." Gabriella said.
"How's Taylor doing?"
"She's good, really good. She's living in England with her fiancé, Eric."
"She's engaged?"
"Yeah, she got engaged about two months ago. And to be perfectly honest, I hate the guy. He's such an idiot, but Taylor seems to like him." She smiled.
"Yeah..."
"Want to come outside with me?" Gabi asked.
"Sure." He said, following her outside the house, sitting down on the porch swing, "You look beautiful." He said, looking at her in a white, casual sundress, with her slightly bulging stomach projecting out.
"Thanks." She smiled, "Listen Troy, I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Anything."
"Do you feel like when we talk, it is all really forced? And that we try so hard for it not to be awkward that it just ends up sort of fake?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Okay, good, it's not just me. I think we need to talk."
"We're talking right now aren't we?" Troy said.
"No, I mean really talk. Not just small-talk, but I think we need to confront what is on both of our minds."
"What's on your mind?" He asked.
"Us." She boldly spoke. Both of them stared for a minute in silence, not sure where to go from here.
"What about us?" Troy asked.
"I mean, I feel like I barely know you anymore! I mean you are always around and I feel like I have no idea who you are! How did you become a lawyer because last time I saw you, you were headed towards the NBA or becoming a sport's therapist! You aren't the same, you don't laugh like you used to, you don't smile like you used to, you don't..."
"I grew up Gabs, I grew up." Troy interrupted. The two sat their in silence for a few minutes until Troy looked over and she looked up.
"Why did you break up with me?" She whispered.
"What?"
"Why did you break up with me?! I mean, just because we were thousands of miles apart, didn't mean that we couldn't have made our relationship work."She spoke quietly.
"Why does is even matter anymore Gabi?" Troy spoke loudly, "I mean, you are married and happy, and have the perfect marriage. Why does it matter?" He yelled.
"I guess it doesn't." She quietly said, standing up, heading towards the door.
"Don't walk away from me." He shouted, as she turned towards him.
"When did you become so angry Troy? I have never heard you like this."
"Probably because you haven't known me for the past six years!" Troy said.
"And that's my fault!?" Gabi snapped back.
"YES!"
"How in hell is it my fault? You are the one who broke up with me, remember?! You are the one who cut me out of your life." She screamed.
"Why did you bring all this back up again, Gabi? Are you trying to hurt me more?"
"Hurt you more? When did I even hurt you in the past? I'm not the one who broke us up, you broke my heart, so you don't get to tell me that I hurt you!" She yelled, turning around towards the door.
"Do you really think that it is easy for me to see you with him?" He quietly spoke as she turned around, "Do you really think it is easy for me to see you so happy?"
"I'm sorry that it is hard for you, but I moved on. It was your decision to cut me out of your life, and you broke my heart, so I put the pieces back together and met Jake. I fell in love again, which I never thought would have happened after you. I mean, I am really, really happy Troy, you know that. So don't resent me for repairing the damage you did to me on my own. You should be thanking Jake for taking care of me, and being their for me, when you weren't." Gabriella and Troy stood their staring at each other for a few moments, with tears in Gabi's eyes, and disappointment and regret in Troy's.
"I'm sorry." Troy said, as the door was opening. Gabi turned around to see Jake standing in the doorway.
"Is everything alright out here?" Jake asked.
"Yeah, it's fine." She said, looking back at Troy, and walking back inside the house.
"What happened man?" Jake asked.
"Nothing... we're fine."
"What happened? I know something happened. I heard you guys yelling, but I couldn't hear what about. Gabi had tears in her eyes, don't tell me it's nothing Troy." He said.
"Me and Gabi, we were just talking some stuff out, don't worry about it man." Troy said as he walked back into the house.
As Gabi walked back into the house, all the guests started asking when her and Jake were going to make their big announcement, obviously not noticing the few tears in her eyes. She replied when Jake got back, but what she didn't expect was to see him some back so early. "Tell us your big news!" Jake's mom asked.
"Alright..." Jake said, smiling, as Gabi put on a large fake one after her conversation with Troy, "We're having a little girl, Ava." The whole room burst out in applause, cheers, and congratulations. Gabi smiled and thanked everyone as something caught her eye at the back of the room, Troy staring at her and Jake as he exited the house.
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Please R & R