She was being a bitch. Does she know how hard it is for a man to put his heart out the way he did. He told her that he had feelings for her and then nothing. He got a "Good Lord." Thats not the answer that he thought he would be getting. Then of course they had to get caught by their best friends. It never works out the way that he wanted. But now, weeks later, he has still heard nothing back from her. He calls she doesn't answer. He shows up at work and they tell him shes not there, when he knows shes just hiding in the back. He was getting frustrated with her. The last thing he wanted to do was play games. He needed an answer from her and he needed it today.
His car rolled up in front of the diner and he put it in park quickly. Chad wasn't one to make a scene, but if he really needed to he would. He stormed up to the door of the diner. The little bell rang and he looked around. There was no Sharpay but locals, truckers, business people, old friends catching up. Theses were not the people he was searching for. He looked at the counter and found Gabriella at the register. He moved quickly towards her.
"Gab!" Chad exclaimed when he got to her.
"What?" She asked not interested in what Chad wanted. She was tired of him coming in and trying to talk to Sharpay. Well, not tired of him, but of Sharpay. Sharpay knew that he was always coming and stopping by so she kept her eye out. As soon as she saw his car pull up she would go and hide in the bathroom.
"Where is she." It wasn't a question but a demand.
"I don't know Chad!" Gabriella sighed as she closed the register after getting change for a customer.
"No, you do know." Chad said to her. "Look I know you and I know you are tired of me coming in here and demanding to talk to Sharpay. Now wouldn't you be doing yourself as well as me a favor and going and getting her?" Chad asked. Gabriella sighed. Chad put on a big pearly white smile.
"Fine. Go and sit down." She told him and he did what he was told.
Gabriella gave her customer their change and thanked them for coming. She them looked over at Chad who was tapping his fingers against the table. He was a very impatient person. Gabriella walked in the back to where the bathrooms were and knocked.
"Is he gone?" She heard her ask faintly through the door.
"Yes. I sent him away." Gabriella said. The door unlocked and opened with a happy Sharpay.
"The man needs to get a hint. I'm not returning any of his calls or texts but he still comes and harassing me at my place of work. He is un fucking believable." Sharpay explained as she walked back out with her best friend in tow. Sharpay made a left to go back into the diner. She got about 10 steps until she saw Chad sitting at the table. She turned to walk away but he already caught her.
"Sharpay!" He called running behind the counter. He grabbed her arm and she turned around to face him. Chad knew that she was pissed, and it made him very happy. "We need to talk."
"Not now. I'm working." She growled at him pulling herself from his grip.
"You're hiding in a bathroom." Chad told her. "Come on its five minutes." Sharpay didn't feel like fighting with him in front of a diner full of 30 people as an audience.
"Fine." She mumbled and walked out the door with Chad behind her. Sharpay walked a few feet in front of the diner until Chad caught back up with her.
"Why cant you just leave me the hell alone?" Sharpay asked when she turned around. "I mean I don't return calls, I don't come and stalk the hell out of you at work." She explained. "I don't want to talk to you take a hint!"
"I need an answer!" Chad told her. "Its been 2 and a half weeks Sharpay."
"So what?" She asked getting very annoyed with him.
"So what? Shar I poured my heart out to you and I get a "good lord." I need to know if you feel the same way." Chad asked her.
"No." She said. "Goodbye." She walked passed him. Chad grabbed her hand and spun her around and placed a kiss on her lips. They have kissed before but it was nothing like this. This one was filled with passion. Sharpay had never felt a kiss like that in a long time. Chad leaned back and looked at a stunned Sharpay.
"Well?" Chad asked hopefully.
Sharpay looked at him for a minute. And then she decided. "No." Chad sighed and looked down in disappointment. Sharpay lifted his chin and placed another kiss on his lips. Maybe she was wrong about him. She knows when something is there in one kiss. That kiss he just gave her had everything in it that she had been looking for. She just couldn't believe that it was him. Of all the people in the world God had to give her him.
Gabriella laughed to herself as she saw the two of them kissing in the parking lot.
"I knew it." She said to herself. Gabriella took a dish towel and wiped the counters down. Her back pocket started to vibrate and she figured it was Troy. A smile came across her face. When she pulled her phone out it wasn't him but a number that she didn't know. She was going to let it go to voice mail but she figured she should just answer it.
"Hello?" She asked. She was looking around to make sure her boss didnt catch her on the phone during work.
"Gabriella Montez?" A unfamiliar voice came over on the other line.
"Yes, this is she."
Troy assisted his dad into the car as they left the hospital. Even though Troy is on duty he still leaves and helps out with his dad's physical therapy. Its been close to three weeks since his dad's surgery and he is doing amazingly well. It was a rough few days after the surgery happened, but once Jack started physical therapy his health is getting back to the way it should be.
Troy closed his side of the door and put the keys in the ignition.
"So Dad, I'm off for lunch, where do you want to go?" Troy asked him.
"Home." His dad said. "Ill make us something." Troy couldn't help but smile. His wish was Troys command.
It took twenty minutes to get back to Troys parents house. There Jack took over. There was chicken in the fridge that Lucille was going to use for dinner later this week, but Jack looked at this chicken as a perfect grilling opportunity. He took it out to the grill and Troy followed him. Jack fired up the grill and threw the chicken on. Jack took a seat on the patio set next to Troy who was looking over at the basketball court. They had some good times on that court. The best time of his life.
"You miss it?" Jack asked his son. Troy turned his head shrugged.
"Yeah. I still play with the guys all the time so its not like i have just given up on it." Troy said to him.
"When you you think I can play again?" Jack asked his son. Troy looked over at his dad and laughed.
"Dad, you just had heart surgery three weeks ago. Not for a little while." Troy told him.
Troy missed these days. The days of having a conversation with his father and not having it end in confrontation. It was nice just to have a conversation with him. The way it should be between a father and son.
"You excited for Brady's wedding next weekend?" Troy asked his father.
"Are you kidding, I couldn't be more excited. My son is getting married!" Jack exclaimed. "Its a long time coming." Jack told him. He was right. Sara and Brady have been together for coming up on 3 years. They have been engaged for two years but they didn't have the money to throw the wedding that they wanted. So they have been saving up. And now it was finally coming. "I hope one day Ill see you get married." Jack said with a smile.
"Not for a long time Dad." Troy said. "Gabriella and I have only been together 6 months."
"Me and your mother dated only 7 months when we got married. Not engaged, married." Jack explained to him standing up to check the chicken.
"You didn't even like Gabriella." Troy told his father. Jack flipped the chicken and glazed some barbecue sauce on them.
"Because I didn't want you to get hurt like in the past." Jack said to his son. "And then when I had the heart attack the way she handled things with you. She showed me that she really loved you. And that was good for me." Jack closed the grill and sat back down next to his son. "The kind of love you two have is something that doesn't come along often. Ive seen you together these past weeks. Its the way your mother and I were. When you have something like that, you never let it go."
Troy was taken back at his fathers words of wisdom. Troy never knew his father to be this way. But maybe after what he has gone through has made him realize that life is short and you shouldn't let the little things get in the way. Troy wasn't sure if that was it or not, but he definitely liked this side of his father.
"Shes the one. I know she is." Troy said sincerely to his father.
"Then what is the next step?" Jack asked him. Troy has been asking himself that same question for awhile. They both wanted to take this relationship slow, but the way things have been going it seems fast. He just wasn't sure what would come next. He knew that when that opportunity presented itself he would know.
She couldnt stop smiling all day long. She had been waiting for this for weeks, months, years! She was finally getting her big break in the field that she knew she wanted to burst into. When she got home she told the news to her parents who could not have been prouder of their daughter. And then Gabriella had to tell her parents to kick it out of there. She wanted her and Troy to have a romantic night just the two of them to celebrate. Troy had been under a lot of pressure at work and with helping his dad with rehab, she knew that he needed to unwind. Also, her parents haven't gone out in a long time. They always liked to just stay inside. They were becoming hermits. Gabriella told them to call Aunt Monica and Uncle Paul and ask them to meet them at the nice restaurant downtown. They could have a nice intimate dinner with a bottle of wine. Gabriella had to haggle them for awhile until they finally gave in. While they got ready she decided to give her guy a call.
He finally answered on the fifth ring. "Hello?" He sounded exhausted.
"You and me. Candle light dinner. Say around 7ish?" She asked him.
"I say absolutely." Troy voice perked up. He had missed Gabriella. He hadn't seen her in a few days. Sure they talk on the phone but just being about to kiss and hold her was what he missed the most.
Gabriella set up night outback. She set candles on the table on the patio and brought out the cushions for the chairs. She played a Van Morrison CD in the outdoor CD player that they have. The fish was in the oven and the vegetables were sitting out and ready to be popped in the microwave whenever Gabriella was ready to put them in.
Her parents came in to say goodbye. They told her that after dinner they would be over at her aunt and uncles and not to wait up for them. Gabriella could not be happier to have them out of the house.
When they took off Gabriella searched for the tea light candles. She knew that they were around here somewhere. They use to have a huge box of them. She opened all the cabinets and closets. Finally she tried the upstairs bedroom. Bingo! They were on the top shelf. Gabriella ran outside and opened the gate that led to their pool. The only person who uses the pool his her father. He goes in everyday for a swim. They have had the in ground pool since Gabriella could remember. They had it installed when they moved in twenty something years ago. Gabriella lit about 25 candles and placed them it the pool. It looked very romantic.
She ran back into the house to check on the fish. It smelled amazing. She took the vegetables that were in the microwave safe bag and placed them in the microwave they were going to take about 5 minutes. When she put them in the microwave the bell ran. He was here. She ran to the door all giddy and couldn't pull the door open fast enough. There standing in her doorway was Troy Bolton. Wearing his scrubs and all.
"Sorry." he said looking down. "I didn't bring anything to change into." He said. Gabriella stepped out in front of him and put her arms around his neck.
"Thats perfectly fine. I can just pull those off of you later." She said with smirk.
"Hmmm, please do." Troy said placing a kiss on her sweet lips. When they broke Troy pulled the flowers that were behind his back and put them in front of her. "Something for you my dear." Gabriella smiled wide when she saw the flowers. They were the way to her heart.
"You didn't have to do that!" She gushed as she smelled them. She walked inside and he walked in after her.
"Anything for my girl." Gabriella closed the door and turned back to her boyfriend. He was holding a paper bag.
"Whats in there?" She asked curiously. Troy smirk.
"Oh this?" He asked holding the bag up. Gabriella nodded. "Oh this is just something that I thought of driving over here." He said. He reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of wine. Gabriella smiled when she saw the bottle.
"God, my baby thinks for everything." She gushed to him. "Are you trying to get lucky Bolton?" She asked.
"Only if you think so Montez." She laughed and placed a quick kiss on his lips. The oven beeped and then a few seconds later the microwave.
"Dinner is ready!" She announced.
Gabriella put the food on the plates and Troy got the wine and the glasses and brought them outside with him. Gabriella placed the plate at his spot and then at hers. She already set out the silverware before hand. Troy smiled as he saw his girlfriend sit down.
"Look at you all domesticated." He joked.
"Hey mister, dont get used to this." She fired back. "I'm still a take out girl." Troy sat down and poured her a glass of wine and then himself.
"So before we toast, can I ask why we are having this beautiful dinner?" Troy asked her. Gabriella could barely keep it in.
"Well I got that call I have been waiting for today." She started.
"You got an internship?" Troy asked her. Gabriella nodded.
"Richard Hastings called me today at work and said that he was very impressed with my work. He told me that he is building a team for a case and he wanted to know if I was interested!" Gabriella gushed.
"Baby thats amazing!" Troy congratulated her. He place his hand on top of hers.
"I know. And he said that after the case he will be choosing two of us to be at the firm full time!" Gabriella continued to gush. Troy leaned in and kissed her hard.
"You did it!" He said elated. "I told you someone was going to come along and see your work. Was your man right or was he right?" Troy joked making her giggle.
"My man was right." She kissed him once more. She had no idea what was coming over her, she could barely keep her hands off of him tonight.
"So when do you start?" Troy asked her.
"Next Monday. I mean I still have to stay at the diner until he decides who is staying at the firm full time, but Im just excited that I was picked for this opportunity. He said that it would take almost a month." Gabriella explained.
"You are going to be a very busy girl." Troy said to her. She nodded and smiled.
"I know." She said putting her hand on her cheek. "I just cant believe that someone called me still. Ah!" She turned and kissed him. Troy broke it and looked down at his food.
"We better eat this before it gets cold." He said. "We can continue that later." He winked at her making her blush. "So a toast." Gabriella and Troy raised their glasses. "To the next step!"
"Here Here!" Gabriella cheered and they clinked their glasses.
Over dinner they talked about Jack and how he was doing. Troy was glad to report that he was better then ever. He told her that he spent his lunch break over their and they had real son and father bonding time. Gabriella was so glad. She knew that Troy had missed that. Gabriella reported about what happened with Sharpay and Chad today. And even Troy had to add in that he knew that they were going to get together. After what they found that night, it was bound to happen. Gabriella asked Troy about work and all he did was sigh. It had been a busy and long day. Gabriella had the same to say about work. After they both finished Gabriella lead them over to the pool. She closed the gate and took a seat next to Troy by the edge of the pool.
"Candles were a nice touch." Troy told her. Gabriella smiled proudly.
"I thought so." She said. "So, you want to get in?" She asked him as she walked around to the steps of the pool. Troy walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Do I ever." He said leaning down to kiss her. Gabriella fingers ran along the bottom of his scrub shirt and pulled it over his head. She ran her hands up his body without breaking the kiss. Troys hands ran down her back and lifted her shirt over her head exposing her bra. She then stopped and pushed her pants off of her body and Troy did the same. Gabriella jumped up into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist as her hands ran through his hair. Troy found the steps into the pool and slowly guided them in without putting her down. Once in the pool Gabriella laughed as Troy kissed her neck. When he came back to kiss her he caught her just in a daze.
"What?" He asked her. Gabriella didn't move she just continued to look at him.
"I love you." She said sincerely. She said it to him before but when she said it now it just sent Troy to a whole new level. He pulled her in and kissed her harder. Troy kissed hard around her neck and then moved his way down her chest and then her breast. Gabriella's mouth hung open as she let out a few moans as he. Gabriella held onto him tightly. She wanted him. She wanted him more then she has ever had. Troy guided them over to the edge of the pool so Gabriella's back was against it. Gabriella thrust herself onto him. Troy quickly undid her bra and she pushed it off of herself and Troy threw it outside the pool. He then reached down and pulled off her underwear and quickly threw them out as well. Gabriella reached down and pulled down Troys boxers. He kicked them off and Gabriella grabbed them.
"You wont be needing these." She whispered as she threw them next to her bra and underwear. Their bodies were starting to become hot. They were both aching for each other. It has been weeks. They were more then overdue. Gabriella wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled herself close to him. Troy slowly trust his way into her. His hands here holding her thighs as he did. Gabriella's body moved up and down against Troy's.
"Troy." She moaned. Troy started to pick up the pace of his thrusts. Sweat was starting to pour off of their heads. It felt so good for Gabriella to have Troy again. She missed being close to him. Troy held his girlfriend tight as he thrust deeper and deeper into her. "Harder." She moaned. He did just that. Gabriella let out loud moans as he entered her deeper and deeper. He felt her inside muscles contract hard. Gabriella felt him harden more inside of her. Her hands cupped his face as they shared a passion kiss. Troys strong hands held up her backside as he eased into her more. Gabriella couldn't contain her moans anymore. They were escaping her mouth faster then she could think about. She felt herself reaching her climax. Troy slowed down his pace as he felt himself finish as well. He rested his head on her shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. She did the same. Troy looked up and kissed her head.
"God I missed you." He said breathlessly. Gabriella still couldn't look up at him. That was some of the best sex she has ever had. "But I'm not done with you yet." He said moving her so he held her bridal style.
"I'm not sure you can follow up after that." Gabriella told him. Troy leaned down and kissed her softly.
"Watch me."
"Oh Mr. Bolton." Gabriella whispered to him.
Troy carried her out of the water and put her down. They quickly grabbed their clothes and ran upstairs to Gabriella's bedroom. She quickly closed and locked the door and she threw herself onto him again. They were both still drenching wet after just coming out of the pool but neither of them care. Troy placed his hands on Gabriella's hips and pulled her up and into his arms. He gently laid her down on the bed and straddled her opening herself to him. Troy gently climbed on top of his wet girlfriend and kissed her deeply. Gabriella lifted her hips up. Her body ached for him more now. Troy kissed his way down her stomach and then entered her making her gasp. Gabriella felt him harden like rock inside of her. Troy pulled her up to him and kissed her. He thrust his way into her once more making her shout out this time.
"Oh Troy." She shouted as he quicken his pace. Gabriella's hips moved with him as he thrust. Troys hands rested on her hips as she moved them back and fourth and then up and down. Troy rested his head between her breast as her hips moved doing the work for both of them.
Troy collapsed onto of Gabriella when it was finally all over. Both of them were still unable to catch their breath.
"I think we just made up for lost time." Gabriella joked. Troy laughed as he lifted his head to look at her. "What?" She asked. He leaned down and kissed her. His hands rested on her cheeks. His nose touched hers and he looked down at her.
"You are the most beautiful person I have ever met." He smiled. Gabriella felt the tears burning in her eyes. She leaned up and gave him and quick peck and then rested three fingers on his lips.
"Thank you." She whispered.
Troy rested his head on her pillows and pulled her closed to him. Gabriella reached over and pulled the blankets over them both as they cuddled. Troy stroked her arm softly as he sat their and thought how lucky he was to find a girl like Gabriella. She was completing his life. She was what he had been searching for.
"Where do we go from here?" Troy asked her as they both laid in bed. Gabriella turned her head to face him.
"What do you mean?" She asked a little confused.
"I mean whats our next step?" He asked her. Gabriella still wasn't sure what he was getting at.
"I don't know. We are fine where we are." She answered him.
"No, I'm serious." Troy rolled over on his side to face her. His hand propped his head up to look at this beautiful woman laying next to him. "I'm crazy in love with you." He said. Gabriella took his hand and intertwined their fingers.
"I'm crazy in love with you too." She answered.
"And I want to be able to come home every night and have this with you." He said. "I want to have you there to come home to."
As Troy was explaining what he wanted, Gabriella couldn't help but think that's not what she wanted right now. Sure the thought crossed her mind a few times but she didn't think that this would happen right now. Troy looked at her and saw the expression that covered her face. "What?" he asked.
"Nothing." She said. "I just, wasn't expecting this." She explained. Troy sat up and looked down at her.
"I know that we wanted to take things slow but I just feel like we have been together forever. I feel like we have been together for years." He explained. "I want to be able to come home and see your beautiful face. I want to wake up next you every morning and I want to be able to fall asleep with you every night. I want to be able to hold you in my arms and the next morning I want you to be there and not sneaking out the front door because you have to get home to get ready for work." Troy explained to her. "I want to be able to come home from a long and stressful day at work and have you there to make me feel better. Because when Im around you, you bring out something different in me. Just like tonight. Today was such a shitty day at work. And then I come here and I see your smile and it makes me feel ten times better."
Gabriella sat up and leaned her back up against the head board and looked at her boyfriend. "You are willing to give up your bachelor lifestyle with Chad to live with me?" Gabriella asked him. Troy leaned in and got close to her.
"Im not a bachelor. I have you." Troy said placing a soft kiss on her lips. Gabriella smiled as he backed away.
"Where would we live?" Gabriella asked him.
"I don't know. We can find a apartment. Or maybe a town house." Troy suggested. "But in the end I don't care where we live. We could live in a box together for all I care!" He said making her laugh a little. "As long as I'm with you, I will be happy."
Gabriella felt herself smile. He made it very hard to say no. She thought about what Troy was telling her and all of those things sounded amazing to her. They were the things she had been searching for her entire life. She wanted to find a guy who loves her for her. She wanted to find a guy to spend the rest of her life with and potentially start a family of their own. But all of those things were just a dream she had. And now, she was finding that they might become a reality with Troy.
He reached over and took her hand in his. Gabriella looked over at him and sighed. "It wouldn't be so bad living with a guy who is as sexy as you are." She said placing her hand on his cheek and then sliding it down and stopped at his chest. Troy could tell she was not 100% about this as he seemed to be.
Troy took her hands in his and looked back at her. "Whats scaring you? Because I know something is floating around in your mind." He said. "Is it money, work, your parents?" He asked her. Gabriella just shrugged.
"A little bit of everything I guess." She whispered. "I don't know." She knew that there was going to be a time in her life where she would have to leave the house again. But she didnt know that the opportunity would present it self tonight.
"It was just an idea. And I don't want to do something if we are both not 100% about it. Okay?" Troy asked her and she just nodded her head. She felt so bad. She knew that Troy was dead serious about it. Why couldn't she just get over her fears and go for it? "Come here." Troy whispered and Gabriella wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on his neck.
"HE ASKED YOU TO WHAT?" Sharpay exclaimed the next afternoon as Gabriella as trying to find something to wear to Brady and Sara's wedding that was coming up in a few days.
"He asked me to move in with him." Gabriella said once again.
"He asked you to move in with him?" Sharpay repeated again and Gabriella nodded. "What did you say?" Sharpay asked starting to get excited.
"I don't know." Gabriella answered as she continued her way through racks of dresses.
"Yes you do. Come on, tell me." Sharpay urged her on more. Gabriella stopped and turned around.
"Thats what I said Shar. I said 'I don't know.'" Gabriella explained as she picked up a blue strapless dress.
"What? Why?" She asked as she took the dress out of Gabriella's hands and put it back on the rack. She wouldn't let her friend buy a dress that looked like that.
"Because Im an idiot!" Gabriella exclaimed.
"Your not an idiot." Sharpay assured her.
"I mean I wanted to say yes more than anything, but I feel like its going to fast." Gabriella explained as she picked up a yellow dress with tulips on it.
Sharpay looked at her hair in the mirror. "You guys have been together for ever." Sharpay answered as she puckered her lips in the mirror.
"Its only been 6 months!" Gabriella said as she put the dress back on the rack. Sharpay ducked her head out from behind the mirror.
"Only 6 months?" Sharpay asked her. "It feels so much longer then that." She answered as she continued to walk through the racks of clothes.
"Thats what Troy said." Gabriella mumbled under her breath. "Last night was absolutely amazing. I mean," Gabriella stopped as she thought about the events of last night. She couldn't even find the words to describe it. "And then he asked me this question and I cant even say yes. I should be able to say yes." Gabriella beat herself up inside.
"Look Gab, you are always known for over thinking things. Not that thats a bad thing, but its definitely not one of your strong qualities." Sharpay explained. "We both know why you couldn't answer him last night. Their names are Maria and George." Sharpay explained and Gabriella looked away at her and sighed. "Now you have put your life on hold for the both of them for the past few years. Now they are both healthy as horses but you still continue to live at home and not move on with your life." Sharpay explained more to her. "And now your chance is here." Sharpay walked over to Gabriella and put her hands on her shoulders.
"Gab, you have an amazing guy who adores you. He wants you to live with him. Now you shouldn't consider anyone else in this decision except for yourself. Sometimes Gab you have to be selfish." Sharpay said. "I should know, Im an expert in being selfish." Sharpay said making both girls laugh. "So, what are you going to do?" She asked her best friend.
That seemed to be the question of the year. What was Gabriella going to do? Everyone knew what the answer should be, except for Gabriella.
Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing! I love hearing from you all.
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