Summary: Gabriella and Troy used to be high school sweethearts until she left him, claiming she had to move. Now, 4 years later, she has returned to Albuquerque. And, with a child.
Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes.
Baby Steps
Chapter Ten
Gabriella sighed as she cuddled into Troy's naked body, enjoying the way he stroked her bare arm as he hummed their song quietly. She smiled as she listened to him, feeling like she was a teenager again. She couldn't believe that they had just had sex. At their old high school. In the auditorium.
"I can't believe we just had sex in the auditorium," she said, voicing her thoughts.
Troy shrugged, keeping his eyes closed. "I can believe it."
"Oh, really?" asked Gabriella, looking up at him and poking his chest.
Troy opened his eyes and looked at her with a smirk. "Yes, really. Don't you remember? When we were younger, we were pretty crazy."
"We were not," she denied, hiding her smile.
"Oh, please." Troy scoffed lightly. "Let's see. We snuck out of class to make out in the library, we had eye sex during class, and we had real sex on the roof multiple times."
"Okay, okay!" Gabriella began blushing and covered her face.
Troy chuckled and held her close to his body, kissing the top of her head. "You were sexy back then and you're even sexier now."
"Now, you are being ridiculous." Gabriella giggled. "I still have some of my baby weight. And, stretch marks!"
Troy shook his head. "Oh, please. I think your body is amazing." He smiled and hovered over her body. He stroked her cheek. "You're so beautiful."
"And, you're so sweet." Gabriella smiled and let him kiss her lips. She stopped and stared at her ring quizzically. "So, what kind of wedding should we have?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, nuzzling her neck.
"Should we have a big wedding or a small wedding?" she asked.
"I don't care. As long as I marry you," said Troy, leaving butterfly kisses on her skin.
"Outside or inside?"
He hummed quietly. "It depends on when the date is. If it's cold, we'd need to have it inside. If it's warm, it needs to be outside."
"How many guests?" asked Gabriella, still staring at her ring.
Troy chuckled lightly. "I don't know. Why are you asking about all this now?"
"Troy, we just got engaged. I mean, you proposed to me after one date!" she exclaimed, sitting up. "Don't you think it's a little crazy that we are rushing things like this?"
"Rushing things?" Troy furrowed his brows and watched as she began putting her clothes back on.
"I just got back to Albuquerque and in nearly a week, I am engaged to my high school sweetheart who I haven't seen for four years," she explained hastily, zipping up her dress. She slapped her palms against her thighs. "We don't know each other anymore."
"I beg to differ, Gabriella. You are still the same girl that I have been in love with. If you weren't, then I wouldn't be so sure about this. I've been in love with you since I met you, okay? That hasn't gone away," explained Troy, slipping his clothes back on as well.
"Oh yeah? What about your one night stands?" she asked, pursing her lips.
She didn't know why she was blabbering these excuses. She loved Troy and she wanted him so badly. But, she couldn't have all this luck right?
"Those one night stands meant nothing. I just was angry at myself for letting you go that easily without putting up a fight," he said, holding her hands after he finished with his shirt. "The way we left things? It should have never been left. I should have fought for you over and over that day until you finally gave in and told me the truth about Marlena."
"You wouldn't have had basketball," said Gabriella.
"I never had basketball, anyway." He responded to her confused expression. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "My second season? I tore my ACL and I couldn't play anymore. That's when I discovered how much I love to write. Without basketball, I managed to find a new hobby that I love."
"Wow," she murmured, looking down. "That's pretty inspiring."
"You never told me what your career path is," he said with curiosity.
Gabriella shrugged. "Well, I gave up on the whole lawyer thing. What I like to do is photography."
"Really? I never knew that."
"When my mom died, I took it up as a hobby myself. I would photograph nature and people. I'm pretty obsessed with it." She shook her head frantically, scoffing. "That's not the point. The point is…" She couldn't find a point, though.
Her mind was blank.
Troy smiled and finished for her. "The point is we love each other, Gabriella. I've been wanting to propose to you since that day in high school. Why would my feelings change now?"
"Because we have a daughter?"
"That only makes me want to marry you more. I want Marlena to have a true family filled with vows. We can live together in the house, read her bedtime stories, and watch her grow up. I'll even buy a shotgun to use on future boyfriends she may have."
Gabriella giggled.
"We can build a life together, Gabriella. I want us to have that life," he said. He quirked a crooked grin. "What do you say? Will you be Mrs. Bolton?"
She stared into his blue eyes. Those were the same eyes that she had fallen for and they never faded. They were the same. This was her Troy. He was still her Troy and he always would be. She didn't need to question that. She had been waiting for four years and here he was, wanting to be in her life again.
How could she push him away?
"Okay," she agreed.
Troy kissed her slowly on the lips and smiled, pecking her nose. "Perfect." He checked his watch and sighed. "We better get back."
He paused and smirked. "Mrs. Bolton."
"Not yet," she teased.
Taylor closed the door to Marlena's room and quietly walked out into the living room to tidy things up. She picked up a few toys and stared at the clock, seeing it had been a good four hours since Troy and Gabriella left.
"Do you think they are okay?" asked Taylor, looking at Chad who was in the kitchen making a late snack.
"Who?" he asked.
She placed a hand on her hip. "Troy and Gabriella. What if they can't get along like they used to?"
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," chuckled Chad.
"Why?"
Chad smiled at his wife. "They are Troy and Gabriella. I wouldn't be surprised if they hopped a plane just to join the mile high club."
"Who is joining the mile high club?" The door opened to reveal a smirking Troy with his arm around Gabriella's shoulders.
Chad chuckled and shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "This TV couple we saw earlier."
"Sure." Troy pointed a finger at him after closing the door. "And for the record, joining the mile high club with Gabriella is on my bucket list."
Gabriella simply rolled her eyes and smiled at Taylor. "How was Marlena?"
"She was an angel, of course. She is in bed right now," smiled Taylor.
Chad, completely ignoring that the conversation had taken another turn, looked at Troy curiously. "A bucket list with Gabriella? So, does this mean you two are boyfriend and girlfriend again?"
"Not exactly," smiled Gabriella.
"Friends with benefits?" Chad wiggled his eyebrows.
"Nope!" quipped Troy.
Chad cocked a brow, confused. "Wackos?"
Gabriella couldn't hide it any longer. She thrust out her left hand to reveal the engagement ring. "We are getting married!"
Taylor gasped and held her hand, staring at the ring. She paused. "Wait. This is your old promise ring, right?"
"Yeah, but Troy got it engraved. Apparently, he wanted to propose to me the day we broke up. He has been saving it," she explained.
Chad's eyebrow got higher as he walked over to Troy. "You were never this romantic with me, man. Where is my ring?"
"Knock it off. Can't you just be happy for me?" laughed Troy.
Chad patted his shoulder with a grin. "Congrats, buddy. It's about time the other ball dropped."
Gabriella and Taylor looked at their men with sick expressions. "Do you guys still have to act like you are fourteen?"
"Yes," they said in unison.
Taylor smiled widely. "So, when are we having the wedding?"
Gabriella giggled at her excitement. "Calm down. We just got engaged. We haven't started planning yet."
"Well, I have to be your maid of honor." She gasped. "We have to arrange a lunch with Sharpay. She has to know!"
"It sounds like I'm going to have a world war three with both you and Taylor when it comes to maid of honor," explained Gabriella.
"What's a maid of honor?" They all turned to see Marlena holding a bear with a Wildcat's jersey. She was also wearing an old t-shirt that looked to be Troy's from when he was a teenager.
Troy walked over to Gabriella, after seeing the sight of his daughter wearing his shirt and holding a Wildcat bear, and whispered in her ear. "You kept the bear I gave you and my t-shirt?"
Gabriella nodded and smiled at him. She walked over to Marlena and picked her up, trying to keep her ring out of sight. "It's French for 'somebody should be in bed'."
"I heard noises and laughing. It sounded fun," grinned Marlena. She smiled at Troy. "Hi, daddy!"
Troy smiled and kissed her forehead. "Hey, princess. Did you know that you are wearing my old shirt?"
Marlena nodded and grinned. "Yes! Mommy would tell me how someone she loved a lot wore this shirt. She also said that same person gave her this teddy!"
Troy smirked at Gabriella. "Nice to know."
"So, what are we talking about?" asked Marlena eagerly.
Troy was about to speak when Gabriella stopped him. "We were actually going to go shopping for things for the house tomorrow. Do you want to come with mommy and daddy?"
"Yeah!" exclaimed Marlena. "Can we go for ice cream, too?"
"Sure!" smiled Troy. He pointed a finger, pretending to be tough. "But, good girls get ice cream if they go to sleep on time. And…" He pretended to look at his watch. "…it is past your bedtime."
Marlena gasped and got out of her mother's grasp, running to her room and shouting, "I'm going, I'm going!"
Taylor laughed and looked at the two. "Chad and I are going to bed. Congratulations, you two."
They all hugged each other before Troy and Gabriella were finally alone. Troy looked at his fiancé curiously. "Why didn't you tell Marlena?"
"I want to wait until it's just you, me, and her. We can tell her tomorrow," said Gabriella.
"Okay, if you're sure." Troy smiled and placed his hands on her waist. He sighed. "I better get back to my place."
She grabbed his hand before he could leave and slowly walked backward toward her room. "Or…you could stay with me. We haven't had a sleepover in a long time."
"Not since senior year on New Year's Eve," reminded Troy, smirking at her attitude and sexy tone.
Gabriella began unbuttoning his shirt and bit her lip, running her hands over his muscular body. "You still got it?"
"I think I proved that over an hour ago…twice," he smirked before kissing her neck and shutting the door behind them.
Author's Note: I give you guys permission to yell at me! Things have been so busy lately and stressful. The expo is coming up really soon and I have been finalizing that, but it is still no excuse for getting this chapter out so late. Forgive me? :(