Chapter 9

As the limo drove home, Gabriella fell asleep on Troy's shoulder. When Troy felt something heavy on his shoulder he looked down at his girlfriend, who was sleeping peacefully. She looks like an angel, he thought.

As he arrived at Gabriella's house, reluctantly, she shook her gently trying to wake her up.

'Gabi,...Brie...Wake up sweetie,' he told her gently. Gabriella's eyes fluttered open. 'You're home,' he told her softly. Gabriella nodded. Giving Troy a kiss on the cheek, she braced herself out of the limo, grabbing her purse as she did so. She still had Troy's jacket around her shoulders.

'Bye,' she said quietly.

'Night,' Troy replied. Gabriella closed the limo door; but the limo did not leave immediately. Troy made sure that Gabriella was inside the house before letting his driver, lead the way to his house.

As soon as Gabriella entered the house, she found her parents in the living room. They looked up at her and frowned, the frown became bigger when they saw a jacket around her shoulder and it was not hers.

'Where were you? We were worried sick. You did not even give us a call! Who's jacket is that?' her parents started at her. Gabriella looked a bit taken back at their sudden outburst.

'Umm, I was at that basketball conference and model show thingy. My car broke down, Troy was at the same place as me, since he is the captain of the team. He was going to give me a ride. His car broke down. He called for a limo for us both, and he gave me his jacket to keep me warm.' Gabriella told her parents. Then she counted in her head of whether she had answered all of their questions, then she remembered 'I would have given you a call, but I fell asleep in the limo.' She finished.

But her parents we're really angry at her anymore, they could not balme her. All those that happened were not her fault. They smiled a little when they heard Troy's name.

'That's OK honey, go get some rest now,' her mother told her. Gabriella's nodded and went upstairs. She changed form her awfully tight dress into some really short shorts and a low-cut tank top. She tried to put herself to sleep, but she found it hard. She was thinking about a blue eyed, blond/brown haired handsome man, that she could not seem to get out of her head these days.

With Troy

Troy reached home half an hour later. He thanked his driver, and entered his house. He thought that everyone was asleep. So he creeped up the stairs and into his bedroom. He flopped down on the bed, and started to think of the brunette, who had once been sleeping on him not more than half an hour ago. He sighed, she was all that he could think of these days.

Just then his father walked into the room,

'Troy,' Jack said quietly, ' I have something for you,' he handed Troy a small square box. (Yes you guessed right!) ' I think you know what's in there, you have two days son. Weddings planned for next month.' Troy gaped at his dad.

'Why so soon dad?' Troy asked his dad.

'I'm sorry son, this is what all of us agreed on. You will find out the reason soon. Real soon. Like I said you have two days.' Jack said as he left the room. Troy flopped back onto the bed. He let out a loud thoughtful sigh.Why so soon? Were the only words that kept playing in his mind. What is Gabriella said no? We both agreed on taking things slow.

Carefully Troy opened the box, inside was a 18 carat platinum (Made it up by looking at the picture:P. Picture in profile...) ring embedded with diamonds. It looked like it cost several thousands of dollars. Troy sighed, he had two days to propose to a girl that he had grown to love. He was going to ask her hand to marriage even though they haven't even been to first base with each other. He was going to ask a girl to marry him and he does not know whether she loved him or not. He was going to marry a girl and he himself did not know whether he loved her, or his feelings for her was a normal feeling that a guy would have for his girlfriend. After all it had been a while since Troy had dated. Gabriella was the first girl he had dated in years. But then again, it was not like he met Gabriella normally. He was forced to meet her. He was being forced to propose to her within only two days time. The two days ringed in his head.

He decided that if he only had two days to propose to her, he might as well get it done and over with. Gathering himself up and placing the box into his pocket, Troy left the house quietly and walked towards Gabriella's house, even though she lived half an hour away from him. He really did not have much of a choice, his car was broken down. It was way past midnight, and he did not have the heart to call Fulton at this time and ask for a ride. Even though Tory was a celebrity, he unlike others thought about others before himself. Personally, he would have been pissed, if someone called his up at two in the morning asking for the ride; well anyone except for Gabriella anyway. Troy mind was focussing on how to propose to Gabriella, that he did not realise that he had arrived at her house. Taking in a deep breath, he walked up to the guard who was guarding the gates stopping paparazzi getting nearer to the house. Troy walked up to them.

'Hey dudes, can I go in and see Gabriella, this is urgent.' Troy told them. The guards looked at him, when they realised who he was, the nodded and let them in. 'Oh and don't be alarmed if I climb up into her balcony', Troy warned them before hand. He did not really want to ring the doorbell, and wake up the whole Montez household. They nodded in response.

Troy walked in through the now open gates, and then he heard it close behind him. Taking all the time he had, he walked up near Gabriella's balcony. He thought of how he could get up there. Then he spotted the tree, that had a branch just near the banister of the balcony. Troy used his strength, to pull himself up the tree. He came near the branch and jumped onto the balcony; landing swiftly on his feet. It was moments like these, when Troy thanked basketball, so his speed and smoothness. The guards who were watching him, had their jaws open. They could not believe that Troy managed to pull off a stunt like that.

Brushing himself off, he gently knocked on the French doors of the balcony. Gabriella who stil had not fallen asleep and was thinking of Troy. Sat up straight on her bed. She swore she heard a knock on her balcony. Then she heard the knock again. Carefully, she made her way to the balcony, picking up an umbrella, if it was an intruder. She opened the door. Ready to swing at the person with the umbrella, but she gasped when she saw Troy at her door. Troy looked shocked when he saw the umbrella that was ready to hit him. He put his hands up in defence, Gabriella blushed profusely. She put the umbrella down.

'Sorry if I scared you.' Troy apologised.

'No, it's alright, I just overreacted thinking that it was soome random paparazzi, who managed to sneak in. Troy laughed along with her, but then stopped when he realised what she was wearing. He stared at her. Her clothes clung onto her every curve, which were right proportion in to right places. Gabriella caught Troy staring at her body. She blushed. If it were any other guy staring at her, she would have felt uncomfortable, but when it was Troy, she felt like something was right between them, it felt natural. Sometimes she felt like giving herself away to him, like she felt now. She cleared her throat trying to get his attention. When Troy heard her throat clear. He looked at her, blushing like mad that she had caught him staring at her.

'So umm, why are you here?' she asked Troy, Troy raised his eyebrows, 'not that I don't want you or anything!' Gabriella finished quickly. Troy smiled gently. Taking in a deep breath, he went down ontoone knee. Gabriella looked confused, she really was not expecting what Troy was going to ask her. Slowly he retrieved the box from his pocket. Opening it in front of her, Gabriella gasped as she caught onto what he was doing.

'Gabriella Anne Montez, even though I have only kn own you for a month and a half, I have become very close to you. I like everything I've seen of you so far Brie,' he winked at her. She blushed.'You are so talented in dancing that you have beat me. No one has ever beat me in that game before. You also have the looks of what a man pictures his dream wife to look like,' yet again she blushed ' and most of all Gabriella you have a heart of gold, you are so sweet and kind. I love you laugh, I love your smile and I love this warm feeling I get when you are next to me. Most of all Brie, I think that I may love you. So will you Gabriella Montez, do the honour of marrying me?' Troy asked her. Gabriella was crying from his speech. Troy did not know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He braced himself for her answer.

'Yes Troy, I will marry you, and just for the record I think that I love you too' Gabriella replied. She knew that she would have to marry him eventually, that was the whole point of 'arranged marriage' so she said yes. Troy sighed in relief and placed the ring on her ring finger on her left hand, and wiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. Gently he bent down to Gabriella's level and kissed her passionately. Gabriella sighed into the kiss. The guards who were still there and were watching from the gates, were shocked. They only thought that Troy came to talk or see Gabriella not to propose to her. Especially at this time of night.

'Troy can I ask you a question?' Gabriella asked him quietly. Troy nodded in response. His head was still swimming a little after that kiss. 'I thought you wanted to take things slow.' she told him.

Troy nodded. ' I did Gabriella, but our parents did not give us that opportunity. Babe, our wedding is next month. I did not even know about this until I got home tonight, my dad gave me two days to propose to you. I would have done it better than this, but tomorrow I have the longest meeting in the world, but while I am there, I will be dreaming of you.' He said as he hugged her, burying his face into her hair. Gabriella blushed.God how many times can this guy make me blush in less than an hour? She thought to herself. 'And the day after, I will be out of town for a game.' Gabriella nodded at his answer. It wa a fair answer.

'The wedding's next month?' she asked him in disbelief. ' But we haven't sorted out dresses, tuxes, bridesmaids, maid of honour, best man, guests, cake and everything!' she exclaimed.

'Don't sak me babe, don't ask me. Ask your parents tomorrow morning.' Troy told her. Gabriella liked the way babe came out form his mouth, it made her feel special like she was the only girl in his life.

'Troy?' Gabriella asked him.

'Yeah?'

'Do, you want to stay the night?' she asked him. He nodded. He really was not prepared to walk back to his house at this time of the night. They both entered Gabriella's room and closed the balcony behind them. They crashed on the bed and fell asleep instantly in each other's arms.

How did you like it? They are finally engaged! Please R&R. Next chappie will be the announcement to the family and friends.