Disclaimer: Don't own it.
A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I didn't get them as much as I usually do, which made me appriciate the ones that I got so much more. Thank you Molly for editing!
Enjoy!
Gabriella couldn't stop her leg from shaking. She was so fucking nervous.
Not just because of her mom, but because of what she had to think about while Troy was getting them coffee. She couldn't help but be afraid that this was going to hurt him, though she finally admitted to herself that she loved him, she never wanted to hurt the people she loved.
But she loved John too – perhaps even more than she loved Troy. She had known John longer; she had loved John longer, so it was only natural that she loved John more than his brother, who she had only known for three weeks, plus the night they spent together. So of course she loved John more, right? Right.
Gabriella shook her head trying to get rid of the thoughts in her head. She checked the time to see that her mother would be in surgery for at least an hour, and John's plane landed in three hours. She hoped that Troy would come from the bathroom already; he was a good at distracting her from her thoughts. Gabriella knew it was bad that she was using Troy as a distraction 'till her mother got out from the surgery, but in her defense, it seemed that Troy didn't mind spending time with her in the hospital. He really was perfect…No,stop it Gabriella! You shouldn't be thinking about Troy, you have John remember? She sure remembered John. John who'd left New York without an explanation just because she asked him to. You know that Troy would do the same thing.
"Whose side are you?" She muttered darkly to herself.
"The first sign of insanity is talking to yourself, you know."
Gabriella looked up at grinning Troy who was carrying to cups of coffee, "I wasn't talking to myself."
"Who were you talking to then?"
Gabriella looked around her trying to find someone she could've talked to, but the only thing in sight was the big plant next to her. "I was talking to that plant", she said lamely.
Troy chuckled and took a seat next to her, "Good save, much saner."
She grabbed the hot drink from his hand, "I thought so too." They fell in to a comfortable silence while drinking their coffees. Gabriella was thankful that Troy was one of those people who were happy just being silent, not having to need to fill every moment with chatter. John is one of those people too. "Shut up", she said to her head.
"The plant giving you a hard time?"
She rolled her eyes, "No, just trying not to think about certain things."
Troy immediately thought that her thoughts circled around her mother and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "She's going to be fine."
It was better for Troy to think that she was worried about her mother – and she was – then know that she was having doubts about John, "Still can't help but worry, she's the only family I got left, and I don't know what I'd do without her."
The arm around her tightened, "You can't think like that, okay?" Gabriella nodded slightly and Troy knew that he had to take her mind of it, quickly glancing around him he spotted a Cosmopolitan on the seat across from them, "Wanna read Cosmo with me and answer the questions I'mgonna have about it?"
She giggled, "I thought you said you've never heard of Cosmopolitan."
Troy ignored her and fetched the magazine, "Don't think I'm going to make a habit out of this."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
He grinned her that toothy smile of his and opened the magazine, "Let's start shall we – How To Attract Hot Guys – oh goody! I really need tips on that."
Gabriella just squeezed his knee, "Troy, thank you."
"No problem."
---
"And the result is; I do turn guys on! Well that's a relief", Troy dramatically wiped his forehead from imaginary sweat, and Gabriella giggled for about the hundred time that day.
"Now all you need is bigger boobs", they'd spent forty-five minutes reading Cosmopolitan and joking, and Gabriella hadn't thought about her dilemma with John and Troy once during that time. She hadn't even been worrying about her mother.
"I'll get mine done if you get yours."
Gabriella gasped and crossed her arms, "Are you saying that I have small boobs?!"
He couldn't help but blush, "No! No, that's not what I meant. I mean your boobs are very nice…"
"Nice? They're only nice?"
"No! They're more than nice, they're—" Gabriella started giggling seeing Troy's flushed face.
"Relax, Troy, I'm only joking."
Troy sighed in relief, "That is so not cool, angel, putting me on the spot like that", he wiggled his fingers against her slim waist, making Gabriella squirm.
"I'm sorry, but you caused it all by your own", the fingers on her waist tickled her more and she let out a small giggle.
"How did I cause that?"
"By saying that I need bigger boobs."
"You know I didn't mean it, if you don't remember I worshiped your boobs very much on that night, angel", now it was Gabriella's turn to blush.
She nudged his side with her elbow, "Shut up."
"As you wish." He turned the page, "Okay this quiz I have to take; 'Is He Only After Your Bod?' this has been bugging me forever!" She couldn't help but laugh at Troy, who looked insulted though she saw amusement in his eyes, "It's very important you know, to have a relationship outside of the bedroom too."
Gabriella tried to look serious, "I know."
"Okay then, first question; 'which does he do more often, squeezes your tush or gives you hugs?'" He pretend to ponder that for a moment, "Well I do have anass that won't quit…"
"Ms. Montez?" Gabriella's attention turned to the surgeon in front of them, "The surgery was successful, and your mother's in her room, though she's still in sleep. You can go see her if you want."
She got up quickly and hugged the man, "Thank you so much." But before he had time to reply Gabriella was heading to Maria's room, Troy walking next to her. When they finally reached the room they saw her peacefully sleeping on her bed, slightly pale but very much alive.
"See what did I tell you?"
Gabriella smiled widely, "You were right."
Troy flexed his bicep, "That's because I'm awesome and always right."
He waited for a sarcastic reply, but instead Gabriella turned to face him and hugged him tightly, "You are awesome, Troy, thank you so much for being here today. I couldn't have done it without you", she said quietly and Troy couldn't help but to let the wide smile spreading on his face.
He pressed a kiss on top of her head, "Anytime, angel, anytime."
Maria woke up an hour after that. Gabriella was surprised how quickly her mother had accepted Troy, when she wasn't sure that Maria even had accepted John. But she could see how much her mother adored Troy and knew that Maria was secretly hoping that Gabriella would marry him instead of John.
She didn't want to disappoint her mother, but she was going to marry John.
"—Then when the teacher wouldn't let her go to the bathroom, she said in a very loud voice 'But holding it in will make it very difficult to get an erection when you're older.'" Troy burst in an uncontrollable laughter when Maria finished her story.
"I was six, and I really had to pee, okay?" Gabriella huffed and crossed her arms.
Troy started to laugh even harder upon hearing this, but suddenly he stopped, "Is it true by the way?"
Gabriella raised her eyebrows, "Is what true?"
He looked uncomfortable, "That holding it makes it hard to get an erection?"
"Yes, it's true."
Troy was silent for a moment before standing up, "If you'll excuse me I need to go to the bathroom."
Gabriella and Maria laughed loudly at him as he exited the room, "Such a nice boy that Troy is", Maria said after couple of minutes laughing.
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Mom", she said in a warning tone.
"What? I'm just saying that he's funny, handsome too", she said suggestively.
"Mom, I'm engaged, remember?"
Maria shrugged, "All I'm saying is that I don't see John here making you feel better."
"Knock, knock", they both looked at the door where stood John with a bunch of flowers in his hand, "Umm…these are for you", he extended the roses towards stunned Maria.
"T-thank you, John, that's very sweet of you."
Gabriella went quickly to John's side, happy to see him, "Hey honey, thank you so much for coming", she hugged him tightly and breathed in his pleasant smell.
John hugged her just as tightly, "I couldn't just leave you here without support. You sounded so devastated in the phone, without anyone here to comfort you."
"I did try to comfort her, Johnny, but apparently I wasn't good at it", Troy's quiet voice came from the door; no one had noticed his entrance.
"Troy…" Gabriella started silently.
He raised his hand, "No, I get it Gabi – nothing comforts better than the man you love", he smiled sadly, "At least that's what I've read", he said referring to Cosmopolitan, which made Gabriella smile. "Johnny, it's good to have you home."
John smiled at his brother, unaware of the broken hearts in the room, "Thanks for looking after her, I owe you."
"Naah, it was nothing", he took a deep breath, "Feel better Mrs. Montez, it was nice to meet you."
Maria smiled sympathetically, "It was great to meet you too, Troy, I hope we'll see soon."
Troy turned to Gabriella and opened his mouth to say something but she beat him to it, "I'll walk you out, okay?"
Troy nodded his head and she reached to press a kiss on John's cheek before the two of them left the room, leaving John and Maria alone.
"So…what's up?"
Maria looked at him sarcastically, "Oh, nothing much – had a little heart surgery."
---
"You know you really didn't have to do this", he said to Gabriella as they were walking towards the elevators. Then she suddenly stopped, "Gabriella?"
She looked at him seriously, "Troy, I need you to know that you've been awesome to me and I don't want you to think that you haven't helped me, 'cause you really have."
Then why'd you ask John here?, "Gabi, you don't need to do this."
It didn't seem like she heard him, "It's just that John's my fiancé and we're going to get married soon, and I just…" she looked at him desperately, not sure what to say.
"Gabi, I get it. He's your guy." I just wish that I was your guy.
She hugged him and said quietly against his chest, "We should hang out soon, okay? Go to get cup of coffee and read Cosmos."
He chuckled although he knew that the next time he saw her it would be at the rehearsal dinner, and she knew it too. "Deal, I never found out if he's only after my bod", Troy smiled when he heard her giggle.
They separated from the hug and Gabriella grinned at him, "See you later, Troy."
"Bye, Gabi." She ignored the sad feeling when he didn't call her angel. She just smiled once more and headed to the room where John and Maria were.
When Troy was sure that she couldn't hear him he quietly whispered, "I love you angel."
Yeah, Gabriella's stupid – I know. But things are starting to look up in the next chapter. So I'm trying this new thing which is, if you review you get a preview from the next chapter. And believe me, you want this preview.