Thanks so much for the comments Keep 'em coming! This chapter is a bit boring- my apologies in advance!
CHAPTER12
Taylor and Gabi walked into school, arms linked, on Monday morning, neither of them sure what to expect. Just because Troy had announced to half of the school that he was sorry at the party and stayed the night at Gabi's, didn't convince her he was a changed man.
She had kind of hoped he might ask for her number before he left on Saturday morning but it was hard with her mom right there.
"Hey" Troy said softly, his arms going around Gabi's waist from behind.
Gabi giggled girlishly, turning to him and he smiled as he took in that she was wearing his hoodie.
"Hey, Wildcat. Haven't you got a game tonight?" she asked shyly as Taylor gave them a wistful look and paired off with Chad
"Oh yes I do. And thanks to your mom calling to my parents, I now have parental supervision to make sure I go straight home after…" he smiled wryly
"Oh gosh, she didn't?" Gabi almost burst into tears at the thought of her mom embarrassing her like that "It's so embarrassing! We didn't even do anything…" she trailed off at the unfairness of it all
"More's the pity…" he grinned lasciviously
Gabi grinned back "You are such a… typical boy!" she accused affectionately, placing her hands against his chest as his strong arms enveloped her waist. She couldn't quite over come her shyness to kiss him in the hallway.
"So…uh, thanks for Friday night" he said sincerely as he fingered a piece of her hair and moved it out of her face.
"That's okay, you were kinda funny actually" she smiled, remembering.
"I was?" he questioned worriedly
"Yeah. You were singing really loudly all the way home" she giggled "You have a beautiful voice" she teased
"Aw man" he blushed, putting the heel of his hand to his forehead to cover his embarrassment.
"Oh and you thought you were a starfish too. It was pretty cute " she added
"How much did I drink?" he wondered
"I don't know…but most of it landed on me" she lifted her eyebrows
Troy framed Gabi's face "Did I ever tell you that you're amazing?" he asked quietly
Gabi smiled softly "Maybe once" she said as she remembered him shouting up her path before he'd left on Saturday.
"Well you are. So thank you. And did you say you think I'm cute?" He touched his forehead to hers.
She blushed "Did I say cute? I meant drunk" she amended "The bell's gonna go…See you at lunch?" she asked nervously
"Bet on it" he smiled and headed to class as Gabi did the same.
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People seemed to be looking at Gabi differently. She wore the same clothes but she'd brought her hair out of hair face and it seemed everyone was gossiping about Chad's party.
Troy watched her subtly from the doorway of the canteen as she laughed with Taylor and Chad. It seemed unbelievable to him that he and Gabi were kind of together now.
"Hey guys" Troy plonked himself down at the table.
"Hey, my man!" Chad greeted.
He looked to Gabi next to him "Hi" he smiled just for her
"Hi" she smiled back.
"So…seeing as we are banned from seeing each other until your mom forgives me, I was wondering if I could get your number?" he asked a little nervously.
He was used to having girl's numbers thrown at him, not having to ask for them.
Chad and Taylor exchanged a look "Why are you banned from seeing each other?" Tay asked curiously
Gabi flushed bright red. She hadn't told her friend yet what had happened after the party. Only that she had left early. She didn't want her friend to think she was crazy for letting Troy sleep over.
Troy looked to Gabi, realizing he had put his foot in it "Oh…I was joking…" he lied quickly, cringing a little
"Tay, do have a minute?" Gabi asked, taking her best friend by the hand as they walked to the toilets.
"Ok, look, don't be angry but there's something I didn't tell you about Friday night" she began nervously
"Oh?" Taylor questioned
"Troy stayed at my house. He got drunk and I took him home but my mom caught us as we tried to sneak him out the next morning" Gabi recounted, a soft smile on her face despite her mother's strictness.
"Gabi…did you…?" Taylor asked
"No!" she blushed "No, we just kissed. But my mom has banned us from seeing each other outside of school and has grounded me" she sighed
"Oh Gab, that's…I'm so shocked!" Taylor said then "I never thought Gabi Montez would keep Troy Bolton stowaway!" she grinned
"I was worried you'd think I was crazy…"
"No way, hun. He makes you happy, that's all that matters"
The two girls headed back into the lunch hall where Chad and Troy had kicked back, stretching out as they chatted about basketball.
Troy looked at Gabi and licked his lips nervously as they sat down again.
"So will I get to see you before the game?" Gabi asked conversationally as though they had never left.
Troy looked to Chad, and then Tay, before realizing everything was cool.
"I don't know…you have English last period, I have Math…"he calculated in his head whether they would cross paths
"You know my schedule?" Gabi asked suddenly.
Troy blushed, looking like he was caught in headlights. "Err…no, I just remember from when we did detention, you know" he explained, unconvincingly.
"Uh huh" Tay said
"Oh dude!" Chad laughed
"What?!" Troy asked innocently. "Okay, so anyway, I can walk up to your classroom before I head to the gym" he offered, recovering.
Gabi smiled "I'd like that. I want to wish you luck!" she added.
---
Gabi stepped out of her classroom last period and looked round for Troy.
He was leaned up against the lockers looking gorgeous in his Wildcats jacket and sweat pants, his hair all messy and begging to be touched.
"Good luck, Wildcat" she said quietly, shyly taking the front of his jacket lapels in her hands as she leaned up to kiss him.
"Gabriella Montez…" her mother's warning voice came down the hallway
What in the hell was she doing here? Gabi wondered as she looked round to see her mom stood, arms crossed.
Gabi looked at Troy and he hid a grin with a twist of his mouth. "I'll see you tomorrow" he said softly.
Gabi nodded and walked away with her mom, glaring at her as she went.
---
"What would you say if your boy toy just became the biggest loser in school?" Troy's text came later that night
Gabi was taken aback. Did he consider himself to be her boy toy?
"I would say, join the club, I'm a lifelong member" she texted back
"We lost again tonight" he texted back
Oh gosh. Gabi felt awful. She wasn't there to console him. She knew how badly he'd taken it before.
"I'm sorry Troy. I wish I was there with you" Troy read Gabi's message as he leaned back on his bed, one arm under his neck for support
"Me too. I wish I could hold you" he texted
"I wish you could too"
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow…" he put
Gabi wanted to see him so badly "I'll be waiting…"
"Goodnight Gabi, sweet dreams"
"Goodnight Troy boy"
