Chapter 11: A chance of a lifetime

New York was amazing for Gabriella. Wilson's records in New York was even better than in Los Angeles. She didn't work as an assistant that much in New York. She was rather like an intern, to be honest.

Today was a casting for some new artists. At 11 p.m. three producers and Gabriella had already seen 500 artists. She was tired, but yet she kept on getting many cups of coffees for her bosses. Gabriella had been spending three weeks in New York and she loved it. Apart from the internship-like job, she had been invited to events, record release parties, charity galas...

She was amazed by New York. New York was truly a mecca for artists of any kind. Troy had been right.

"Okay guys, last one for tonight." Taylor said, clapping into his hands. He was the business leader in New York.

"I am so tired." Jessica said and yawned, "We've been sitting here since 8 in the morning. There's gotta be some good artist out there. I mean, we're in New York City!"

"We've decided to take 20 so far..." Nathan answered, looking through the files. "Okay, the last one is a video message."

"Video?" Jessica asked.

"She's from Australia and had to go back due to family problems. Or so she writes." Taylor answered and pushed the play button. "Her name's Ellie Goulding."

A blonde woman appeared with dark brown eyes and introduced herself before she started to play on her Guitar. Her voice was soft and easy. She didn't seem to not hit a note right.

"I... I don't know." Jessica said, "She doesn't seem extraordinary."

"But her voice is not so bad." Nathan said and brushed through his dark brown locks.

"I'm unsure about her." Taylor agreed with them and took a sip of his coffee. "I don't know."

Gabriella smiled and swing along her music. "She has potential." she said.

All the three of them looked at her.

"Potential?" Jessica asked her shocked.

"Just think about how much you can work with that voice. She isn't going to be a soul or jazz singer for sure, but you could go into the pop scene with her."

"But is she going to get us some number one hits?" Taylor asked himself.

"Well... She has one of the voices, which you hear on soundtracks of your favorite series. That voice is going to stuck in your head no matter what. She could deliver a fun summer hit and maybe a winter hit, which perhaps even go unto the top ten... But she's gonna need to work on that breathing." Gabriella answered his question.

"Alright, poppet, we'll give her a shot." Taylor said nodding, "But only if you work with her on her breath techniques."

"But I am not a vocal coach. You should hire her a vocal coach. And a song writer. And a producer."

"You have to be all that in one. You want to be a producer? Well there's your shot. Take it or leave it, poppet. You only get one chance."

"Are you serious?"

"As serious as ever."

"Alright then, thank you." Gabriella said, unsure whether this just happened or not.

Three weeks later:

Troy Bolton was lying awake in his bed. Alone in his nearly loft alike apartment. In his luxury apartment. And yet he was alone. Alone in his bed. Unable to sleep. With his mind only on her. With his thoughts focused on her. It didn't matter whether she was in Los Angeles or in New York. He still felt attracted to her.

He still felt connected to her. He felt his heart beating faster when he thought about her - which was often. It was frustrating. He couldn't get his mind off of her. He couldn't ignore his feelings towards her. He didn't like it. He didn't like seeing himself getting so dependent on someone else. But he liked being with her. He liked talking to her. He loved making her laugh. He missed seeing her. He missed her voice. Her laugh, her presence...

He missed everything about her.

Her Blackberry vibrated in the middle of the night. Gabriella Montez rolled over in her king sized bed with her sleepy eyes open. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't even think of one minute of sleep. All she could think of was him. All she could think of was his last words to her. He needed time. Time from her. Space from her. How much time did he need? How much space did he require? What was he doing right now? Was he as sleepless as she was?

Gabriella looked at the display of her Blackberry. One unread text message. Why not read and response to it now? She couldn't sleep anyway. The brunette opened the text.

"I hope u like NY." said the text.

It was a simple text. A simple text message from Troy Bolton. She only didn't knew if it was from her boss or her friend.

"I do like NY. Very much actually. U were rite bout wat u said. NY is a mecca for artists." she responded. Simple and yet it didn't say too much. She had to play it safe. She needed to be safe.

"I didnt expect u 2 b awake this time. Then again, ur probably out clubbin." So he was writing her as a friend. As a friend who can't sleep. Just like her.

"No... No clubs 4 me."

"Y's that? That doesnt seem like u."

"I dont feel so well. Im gettin tired a lot faster lately. I cant seem 2 find any sleep."

"Y not? Do u miss ur home?"

"No thats not it. My home is everywhere and nowhere. I jus cant seem 2 fall asleep. Its weird I know. Cant really explain it."

"Cant sleep either."

"Figured. Since we're writing at 4 am. How's L.A.?"

"Busy. As always."

"How r u?"

"Sleepless in Los Angeles."

"Well wat do they call when everythin intersects then?"

"The Bermuda triangle."

"Youve seen it! Youve seen that movie. I thought u were jokin."

"Thats wat sleepless nights and cable TV does to you."

"That symptom is my fucking wife. Which movie?"

"When Harry Met Sally."

"You're desperate. That's what you are. Desperate and lonely."

"In Los Angeles."

"In L.A..."

"Wbu?"

"Me? Im not desperate and lonely. Never been. Especially not in NY."

"Yet you are writin me 4 n the mornin."

"Im bored. Thats wat I am in New York. Bored and sleepless.'

I could be fun, if you want. I could be pensive, uhh... smart, superstitious, brave? And I, uhh, I can be light on my feet. I could be whatever you want. You just tell me what you want, and I'm gonna b that for you.

' Which movie?"

"Mhm... That Oscar film. Notebook or something. You know all these quotes? You have them in your head."

"No. I hav a notebook lying n front of me w/ all those incredible quotes. From movies I hav never seen. Believ it or not, but I am not lying here."

"I dont believe u. You're a woman. Women love those kind of movies."

"Now whats that supposed to mean? Wbu? You've clearly seen those movies as well. So does that make you a woman right now?"

"It does not make a woman out of me. I am a man. A full man. U kno it and I kno it."

"Still. u should think bout your words, Mr."

"Or wat?"

"Or I will stop writin! That's wat's gonna happen."

"You're bluffing."

"No, I am not. You know that I am stubborn."

"True. So with how many guys have u had sex w/ yet?"

"u mean in NY?"

"Where else?"

"I thought... Never mind."

"ur answer?"

"Wbu?"

"Me? I am not n NY."

"But u're in LA."

"So LA is better than NY?"

"Dont know. U tell me."

"LA's definitely better. Otherwise I'd be living in New York right now."

"NY has less paparazzi."

"I don't mind them."

"You need them for ur ego."

"U got me busted."

The brunette giggled and decided to get out of the bed. She switched on the lights and stared at the New Yorker skyline in the night. New York City was beautiful. At night or during the day. But Los Angeles had one thing New York didn't have. And that was Troy Bolton. That's why she liked LA more than NY. Her phone vibrated in her hands. "Im sorry 4 yellin u."

"Did u jus apologize 2 me?"

"Srry, I should have written apology before the actual apology."

"u yelled me b/c it was rite. Im not mad."

"u're not?"

"No. Im not mad b/c u yelled. Its not ur voice that hurt me. It was ur words."

"Then Im srry 4 my words."

"u dont hav 2 b srry for sayin wat u think or feel. That's nonsense."

"You confuse me."

"Likewise." the brunette wrote back and stroke through her locks. She wasn't mad at him. No, she really wasn't. All she felt was...nostalgia. She was homesick. But not for Los Angeles. She was homesick for him. "u shuld go 2 bed. Try 2 sleep. Stop writing me."

"ure probably rite." he texted her back.

The brunette sighed before she made her way back to her own, lonely, king sized bed. Just as she laid her Blackberry on the night stand, it vibrated again.

"Gabriella?"

"Wat part bout 'u shuld go 2 bed' dont u get?"

"Do u miss me?"

She didn't answer. Her eyes stared at the tiny display of her cellphone. What did that mean? Did that mean that she missed the sex? Him as her lover? Him as her boss? Or did that mean that she missed him as... Him?

"No." she wrote back and switched off her cellphone. She needed sleep and so did he.

A new chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review because I love reading your reviews!

Xoxo Nic