Band vs. Love
Previously
"No! You know what, I can't do this anymore. I'm done. I'm not…I won't be at practice…"
"WHAT?!" All three guys let their mouths drop at her confession.
"I can't do this right now, so I'm taking a break. Don't call me, don't talk to me at school. I need time from all of you and I can't focus on making music; on being part of this band while we've got all this unnecessary drama going on."
xx
Gabriella nodded, a million thoughts running through her head. "Can I…will you judge me if I throw an idea out there?"
Taylor's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "Of course not, you know that. What are you thinking?"
"It's like you said. I can't make a decision until I know how I feel 100% and I won't know that until I can really understand both of them individually. So what if I…if I were to go on a date. A date with each of them."
Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
-Ludwig van Beethoven
Chapter 10
Gabriella sighed as she fidgeted with the hem on the bottom of the dress she'd put on. Leaning against the kitchen counter, her nerves were starting to get the best of her. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Was it too late to back out?
"What are you doing?"
Gabi jumped, startled and turned to see her father, beer in hand staring at her. She quickly shook her head. "Nothing."
"Nothing?"
She nodded.
"Is that why you're standing in the kitchen in a dress, looking like you're afraid of something? Is there something you need to tell me?"
"No, Dad, everything's fine."
He started at her a minute longer, not believing that. "Are you pregnant?" he asked suddenly, making Gabriella's mouth drop.
She scrunched up her face in disbelief as her Dad looked on, waiting for an answer. "Are you…no Dad, I'm not pregnant. Who would I even be pregnant by?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, teenagers these days…"
"Dad, I'm not sleeping around trust me. I'm not even sleeping at all. You know with other people, that's…the furthest thing from my mind right now."
"Are you sure? You've never…"
He trailed off and Gabriella closed her eyes knowing where his question had been heading. "Let's put it this way, Dad, my virginity is very much still intact okay?"
Staring for a moment more, he nodded before taking a swig of his beer and then turning to return to the living room.
Rolling her eyes as he walked away, Gabriella was glad for the awkward distraction from her current worries. But that didn't last long because a moment later, the doorbell rang and Gabriella had to take a deep breath before grabbing her bag and jean jacket before heading toward the front door.
"I'm heading out Dad, I'll be home before curfew," she called out as she passed the entrance to the living room.
"Can you…make sure that uh..what's intact stays intact please?" He asked without looking at her.
Biting her lip, Gabi nodded. "Shouldn't be a problem, love you."
As she opened the door to reveal Chris, she heard a faint 'I love you' back before she took in the appearance of the older Bolton on her doorstep. "Hi."
He nodded with a smile. "Hey, you look hot."
Hot? She thought. I would prefer you tell me I look beautiful. She quickly shook off his comment and replied with a quiet thank you as she closed the door behind her and he led her to his car.
They rode in silence for a while, before Chris turned on the radio, a loud rock song blasting from the speakers. Shocked by the suddenly noise, Gabriella leaned away from the radio and more towards the window. Not once did Chris notice her uncomfort, but just nodded along with the song as he drove.
Sneaking a glance at him, a million thoughts ran through Gabriella's mind, but when she turned back to the window, the last thought was of it being a long night ahead.
It didn't surprise Gabriella when Chris pulled the car up to the fanciest restaurant in town, La Fontana. It was no surprise that the Bolton's weren't exactly struggling in life, so mostly Chris and Troy got what they wanted as long as if wasn't to the extreme. She watched as Chris cut off the ignition, threw her a smile and then got out, handing the keys over to the valet guy waiting there. She watched as he walked over to the reception stand with the umbrella and spoke to the woman.
Is he serious? He didn't even open my door. It was then she noticed the valet guy looking at her expectantly and she realized she needed to get out of the car. Sighing, she opened her door and stepped out, closing it and walking around and up to the stand to a waiting Chris.
"You okay? What took you so long to get out?"
She faked a smile. "Just making sure my makeup was okay."
He raised his eyebrows. "Looks fine to me. You're hot Gabs, don't worry about it."
There he goes with that hot again. I guess I should be flattered, but I'm not.
It didn't take them long to be seated and almost immediately, Chris launched himself into a story. Multiple stories to be exact. Throughout the course of the appetizer and the entrée, he had taken it upon himself to talk freely about the band and where he wanted to take them next as far as a career goes. While nodded and smiling along like she actually cared, Gabriella learned that he had been talking to a producer and was in the works with getting the band into a studio and booking some gigs for them at local spots.
Dessert hadn't been much different and Gabriella had found herself much more interested in the crème brule topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce in front of her than any of the words spewing from Chris' mouth.
About an hour or so later, Gabriella watched as Chris pulled the car up along the curb in front of her house and placed the car in park. He hadn't turned it off, but instead turned to her and reached for her cheek as he leaned in.
"Chris…"
"Hmm?" He questioned, his eyes closed and his face inches from hers.
"Can you…can you not kiss me, please."
Sitting back, Chris looked at her confused. "C'mon, don't tell me you don't kiss on the first date?"
Gabriella's eyes widened, clearly upset and offended by his choice of words. Chris noticing the look, put his hands up in defense. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."
"Are you sure about that one?"
"Look, Gabi…"
"Actually, I think it's time for me to go inside," she cut him off, looking at him expectantly.
He looked back at her as her face fell when he didn't move. "What?"
She scoffed, and grabbed the door handle fiercely, opening it and stepping out without another word. She had started to walk up the walkway to the porch, when he rolled down his window and called out to her.
"I don't get why you're upset with me!"
Turning, she walked back to the car and bent down so she was staring at him directly through the open window. "If you don't get it now, then you won't. Thanks for the realization, Chris."
He watched her in confusion and she angrily stomped up the front walk and disappeared into the house without as much as another glance in his direction. Rolling his eyes, he put the car in drive, preparing to pull off. With one last confusing look at the house, he sighed and muttered under his breath.
"Must be PMSing."
"Was it really that bad?" Taylor whispered to her the next day as the two sat in the almost empty library during free period.
"Taylor when I say that I've never met anyone more self-centered before I was NOT joking."
"But you know that's Chris. That how he acts most days and you knew that when you wanted to go on a date."
Shrugging, Gabriella bit her lip. "I guess I figured his personality would be different when he was dealing with girls, especially potential girlfriends."
Taylor smirked. "So I guess that means Troy's got an instant in. He's like your best friend, and I can pretty much guarantee you'll have a better date with him."
"That's if he talks to me."
"Why wouldn't he talk to you?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes. "My track record with him so far isn't that great."
"You never know. Give it a shot."
"I don't even know how I feel about him anyway."
"And that's what the date is for Montez. C'mon get with the program, this was your idea!"
"I know! I just can't help but feeling like it's going to backfire on me."
Taylor nodded and went to respond, but was cut off by the loud banging of the library doors opening. The few people in there, the librarian, and the girls all turned their attention to the door, where a sweaty and basketball uniform clad Chad and Troy walked in.
"Troy," they heard Chad's voice as he tried to talk to his visibly angry friend. "I don't think this is the right place or time to do this." But it was clear Troy wasn't listening as he made a beeline for Taylor and Gabriella.
"Is this your idea of solving the problem?" Troy asked, his focus on Gabriella as he reached the table they occupied.
"Aren't you guys supposed to be a free period practice?" Taylor questioned.
Troy ignored her question. "I take it this is how you tell me you made your decision?"
Gabriella looked up at him, shocked and confused momentarily, before she realized her mistake. Chris.
"Don't get cocky, it's just a date. And whatever you do….make sure you tell your brother."
"Troy it wasn't like that."
"Really? So you didn't go out with my brother last night."
"Troy…"
"You know I can't believe I ever thought about getting involved with you. Clearly you don't care about others feelings."
"I care, Troy. But at this point, I'm trying to understand feelings first."
"I didn't know that it meant hurting others in the process. If that's so, then forget everything."
"Troy it's really complicated. I needed a chance to figure out what I wanted."
"So what were you gonna do, date both of us?"
Gabriella glanced at Taylor who looked to Chad, who was staring back at Gabriella and Troy. At her silence, Troy looked to their friends and realization dawned on him. "That's what you wanted to do, wasn't it?"
"Troy…"
"And how exactly was that going to work out? Were you going to compare? See which brother is better?"
"It wasn't going to be anything like that."
"Really? 'Cause I think it was. What makes you think that I'd want my brothers' leftovers?"
"Stop thinking of it that way," Gabriella protested.
"That's the only way I can see it! You know I thought I had faith in you and I was actually going to apologize, but now you're acting like a slut!"
"Troy!" Taylor exclaimed in surprise. At the look on Gabriella's face, Troy knew he had hit a nerve and as terrible as it was, he smirked, feeling happy that he had hurt her in the way she'd hurt him. He wanted her to feel the pain he felt when he found out she'd gone out with his brother.
"C'mon man, we need to go," Chad said, trying to push Troy away from the girls, but he stood his ground, staring down a now dejected looking Gabriella.
"Is that what you really think of me?" She questioned in a small voice.
"I have no other way to think. You did this." She looked up to meet his gaze sullenly. "You ruined our friendship. I don't want anything to do with you, so by all means if you want to go fuck my brother now, go ahead. I'm happy for you, you can finally get what you want."
With that he turned on his heel, leaving the three standing behind him. Chad turned to Gabi, an apologetic look on his face, ready to console her in the wake of his best friends' word, but she just shook her head, silently telling him to go after his friend. Chad hesitated, seeing the tears building up in her eyes, but when Taylor placed a hand on his arm and nodded in the direction Troy just left, he knew that by the look on her face she would handle it the best to her ability and he quickly jogged out of the library.
"Gabriella," Taylor spoke quietly once the boys were gone, aware of the eyes focused on the two.
"It's fine," the young brunette dismissed her friend quickly with a hand before wiping briskly at her fallen tears. She gathered her books quietly and turned to the concerned girl with a forced smile. "I'm gonna go to my locker before the next class starts."
And before she had a chance to respond, Taylor was forced to watch the retreating back of her best friend as she escaped out of the library and the watchful eyes. Taylor looked around at the people still staring and quickly her anger grew. "What are you all staring at?"
Quickly, the eyes looked away and focused back on tasks of their own as Taylor slumped down in the chair and sighed as she stared at the open page in her Chemistry textbook. This was way beyond her help and way beyond fixable at this point.
Another chapter! A little bit late but I do apologize. I been having some personal issues I've been trying to deal with. I finally got a break mid-week but this weekend I'll be going home and handling some more personal stuff so I'll try to update Friday but no promises. Next update will be The Story of Me for those who read, and if not updated this weekend, I'll try to do so Monday. So REVIEW! And I shall grace you guys with a new update soon.