Chapter 12
I stepped out the bathroom as steam escaped out from the now open door. I shook my head letting water particles fly off around me. Glancing over at the bed I saw Gabriella still snuggled up in bed quietly asleep. I stopped all movement as my eyes lay upon her sleeping form. Finally my thoughts were broken by my phone vibrating on the bedside table. Quickly making my way to it I picked it up.
"Hello?" I whispered.
"Hey Troy." It was Chad. "If you still need to talk me and the guys are at the hotel gym."
I scrunched my face in confusion. "The guys?"
"Yah, Zeke and Jason are here. They're trying to keep there minds off Sharpay and Kelsi. Saying something of dying from anxiousness. I don't know, there almost as crazy as you sometimes."
"Oh, thanks," I said sarcastically as I rolled my eyes and made my way out the door, making sure to be quiet as to not wake Gabriella up.
"So you coming?"
I pressed the button for the elevator and waited for it to arrive. "Yah, I'm heading down right now. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Cool, see yah!"
"Yah, bye," I replied as the bell rang and the elevator doors opened. I dragged myself inside and pressed the button for the floor the guys were on. I sighed as I rested my head against the elevator walls and thought about last night.
Gabriella. She just didn't understand. It made me sick to my stomach. Why was I pinning out for a girl that would probably never like me back ever again? She's moved on to things bigger and better, I would probably just keep her behind anyways. Maybe I should just find someone more on my level. Hey, why did the elevator stop? Is it on my floor? Nope not yet. Oh there's a girl coming in . Idea! Maybe I should just be with this girl. I mean she may have huge glasses, she looks about forty, and is that lipstick on her teeth? Wait…is that a moustache? Is that a man?!?!
The elevator reached my floor and I ran out trying to escape my frightening thoughts. The women stood, looking at me like I was nuts. Or was it a man? Oh god!
I finally made it to the gym that the hotel had and swung the doors open. I walked over to the bleachers where Jason, Zeke and Chad were talking, seemingly on there break from playing.
"Hey you guys," I said as I approached them. The looked up at me as I went to sit by Zeke, with Jason and Chad across from us.
"Whoa Troy, you look exhausted," Zeke said as he stared at me. Did I?
"Well I didn't get much sleep last night," I told them as I glanced down at my shoes and bent over, resting my elbows on my knees.
"About the whole Gabriella kissing thing?" Jason asked.
My head shot up. "How do you know?" I asked glaring at Chad.
"Hey, I thought they deserved to know!" Chad said defensively.
I shook my head as I glanced back down.
"Hey its okay man." Zeke placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"What'd she say?" Chad asked.
"Oh something about it being a 'spur of the moment' sort of thing and 'not meaning anything'." I said bitterly as I ran a hand through my hair.
"Oh, ouch. Sorry man."
"Don't be Jase." I shook my head. "So, when are Kelsi and Sharpay coming?" I tried changing the subject.
"Five and then I guess we're all going to diner," Zeke informed me as I nodded my head, distracted by pestering thoughts of Gabriella.
---
I don't know where the day flew to, all with avoiding Gabriella and these mixed feelings I had, to staying away from the guys who were acting all lovey dovey about the girlfriends coming and Chad being all lovey dovey with Taylor. Right now I was not in the mood to deal with love. But my avoiding had to come to a halt as we all scampered out of the car and into the fancy restaurant. Kelsi and Sharpay were here and holding hands with there boyfriends, smiling brightly. And here I am, practically invisible to everything and everyone around me.
We all sat down around the table, and since god just loves me so much he decided to torture me. Guess who he put me beside? If you guess wrong I may have to bite you. It was Gabriella.
Everyone sat beside their boyfriend or girlfriend. Everyone was happy. Everyone but me.
"Troy, are you okay?" Gabriella whispered as everyone else talked excitedly.
"Fine," I replied dully as I avoided looking her in the eyes. She didn't respond and I sighed in relief.
"So Gabriella, tomorrow we're all on the tour bus, right?" Sharpay asked as she glanced up from the menu.
"Yah, the tour bus should be at the hotel at around 12 tomorrow."
"I still can't believe all this happened for you Gabriella. Your all grown up now." Chad smiled happily at her as she blushed and looked down.
"Yah well I certainly didn't expect to have this life."
Jason furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "You never did tell us why you left so suddenly."
Gabriella's eyes flashed to me quickly before we both look down, Gabriella embarrassed and me ashamed.
After a moment Gabriella recollected herself and looked up, smiling reassuringly at everyone. "It's nothing you guys, don't worry about it."
"It kind of to late. We had no clue what happened to you and your our friend so we want to know," Sharpay told her. I remained silent as did Chad for once since he already knew what happened.
"You guys it was nothing. I just needed a fresh start and I don't think I could have been able to stand it any longer," Gabriella lied as she glanced down at her hands rested in her lap.
"But-" Taylor began but stopped when Chad put his hand over hers and shook his head lightly.
There was an awkward silence then fell upon us and remained there until the waiter came.
"Would you like anything to drink?"
---
The remainder of the dinner was spent talking happily but my mood was to down to even try to strike up a conversation.
Just as we all were in the middle of our dinner Gabriella seemed to notice my absence in the conversation and looked at me.
"Troy, are you sure you're okay?" Gabriella asked quietly so no one else could hear her.
"I'm fine Gabriella." My voice was monotone as I moved my food around with a fork. I wasn't in the mood to eat.
"Troy, are you sure? You seem to be out of it today." I could hear the concern in her voice but at the moment I didn't really care if she was worried about me.
"Can you just leave it alone Gabriella?" I asked angrily as I turned to glare at her.
"Troy…" She trailed off as she stared into my cold eyes. The hurt radiated off of her.
One by one all eyes of the table began to wander over to us but we were to focused on staring at the other to notice.
"What did I do?" Gabriella whispered, hurt and confused.
I stared at her before shaking my head and pushing my chair back, standing up. I turned around, feeling the gangs eyes pierce into my back as I stormed out of the restaurant.
I needed to get out of here.
As the cool air hit me I felt my anger slowly calming down. I don't even know why I got so mad. Maybe it was the constant thought that I had been rejected. Or the thought that I was so hopeless but I tried so hard to get her to like me and failed. I don't know. Maybe it was everything building up with in me. I just couldn't stand it. Right now not thinking sounded pretty good to me.
I heard the doors open up behind me as I stared up at the night sky. Soft footsteps were heard before stopping right behind me.
"Troy," I heard Gabriella whisper cautiously. I finally turned around.
"What Gabriella?" All traces of anger were gone but my voice now had a new emotion. It was filled with a helpless quality.
"What's going on? Why are you acting this way? This isn't you and I know you well enough to know when something's wrong." Hurt still shone in her eyes but confusion was even more evident.
"Can't you just forget it? Its not important Gabriella! Just forget it!" My voice rose against my will.
"I can't! Not when it's the reason why you're being so cold towards me!" Her voice matched mine.
"You want to know?! Do you really want to know?! Fine!" I took a step closer and Gabriella seemed shocked by my tone. "Can you really be so blind? Can you really? Gabriella I'm fucking in love with you!" I yelled before I could stop myself.
Gabriella stared at me with wide eyes. "What?"
I laughed bitterly. "You heard me. I'm in love with you! I've been in love with you since high school. And I'm still in love with you."
Gabriella stared at me. Here I am telling her I'm in love with her and all she can do is stare at me. "What about you and Amber?"
"Amber?" Oh how could I forget Amber. I had started going out with her right after the musical I was in with Gabriella. That sure was the worst mistake of my life. "Amber was an excuse. I spent the whole time I was with her to try and get over you. I knew I could never be with you. I mean the whole basketball team kept saying how I was the 'best friend'. And that that was all I would ever be. Gabriella, I only wanted to be with you. And then you don't know how happy I was reading what you wrote. And how crushed I was knowing it was to late." My voice quivered at the end and I cursed myself for being this weak. I hated it.
"Troy…." Gabriella whispered.
"Gabriella, I was in love with you then and I'm in love with you now," I whispered as I took a few steps closer until I was a few inches away.
As I got closer I finally began to notice the tears filling her eyes. "Please don't lie to me Troy."
I scrunched my brow in confusion. "What?"
"Don't lie to me," she repeated, as little louder.
"What are you talking about? I'm not lying to you." I was beyond confused.
"Oh yah," she scuffed in disbelief. "You never liked me in high school so why now? Because this fame? Are you really that shallow Troy?" She glared at me.
It was hard to speak at the moment. It was as if she had right out slapped me in the face, and for a moment I wish she had. It would be better than this non-trusting attitude she was giving me.
"Didn't you read your yearbook?" I whispered, hurt.
Her face went from sadness and anger to down right confused. "What?"
"I-" I cut myself off and shook my head as a sign of defeat. It was over. "I give up Gabriella."
"What are you talking about? Troy your not making any sense."
"Here I am, telling you all my feelings that I've kept hidden since high school and you accuse me of lying to you. Do you not know me at all."
Gabriella pressed her lips against each other and there was a emotion I couldn't quite pinpoint on her face, though it did appear at any moment she would cry. Why? I did not know.
I continued. "I love you Gabriella. And if you can't believe that from your best friend from high school then I don't know why we were friends in the first place."
"Troy-" I cut her off by shaking my head and raising my hand to let me finish.
"That kiss that happened before, I lied when I told you it didn't mean anything. It did. It meant everything and I was devastated when you just pushed it under the rug. I've been trying my best to get you to love me again Gabriella, but if my best isn't good enough for you then I don't know what to do anymore."
Gabriella looked as she was about to burst into tears and I felt a swell of emotion bubbling up inside of me. I had to do it. I just had to.
I took a few steps until I was standing mere inches away causing her to look up at me due to the height difference.
I reached my hand out and lightly grazed her cheek as my hand travelled down to her chin. I looked her in the eyes and I saw it. Everything I was feeling radiating off of her. It was mesmerizing.
And then I kissed her.
It was soft and gentle and quite loving. I was giving her my own message behind the kiss. And it was heartbreaking.
After a few second I pulled back to see her eyes still closed. I gathered all my strength and said the heartbreaking words.
"Goodbye Gabriella," I whispered hoarsely.
Her eyes shot open and I made a few steps backwards, still looking at her.
"What?" She sounded almost scared.
"It's over."
"What?!"
"I'm done with this. I can't do it anymore. I have to leave and get out of here." Out of the corner of my eyes I saw some flashes go off and I cursed under my breath. For the past few days we had managed to stay away but here they were. They had impeccable timing.
"Gabriella!" The paparazzi yelled as they made there way closer, crowding around Gabriella. I wanted to save her, but a bigger part of me wanted to get out as so as fast as I could.
"Troy!" She called for me as I was about to turn around. I looked at her. She tried getting away from them but they hounded her like animals. "Where are you going?" she made out over there questions. I was surprised, yet thankful, that they weren't hounding me, only asking questions about who I was..
"I got to leave. This is your life Gabriella. And I don't belong in it," I told her.
"Where are you leaving to?"
I looked at her and my heart broke at her struggle. Could I really leave her like this? But then again I had no choice. I could already she the gang coming. They would help her. They had to help her.
I look at the ground and shoved my hands in my pocket before answering. "Home."
And I turned around and walked away hearing Gabriella yelling for me just as the gang came to her rescue. It was over. It was all finished and done and I just had to deal with that truth.
A/N: He may be done but I'm not. I am soooooooooooooooooooo sorry for the long wait. Really I am. But I've been so busy. I've already begun the next chapter of Arranged Love and I hopefully am over my authors block. This will have about two or so more chapters. Again, sorry for the wait.
