Thanks for everything. I really mean it!
I should have more time to write now because I dropped a class that I didn't like. Yay!
Here it is.
Review your thoughts!
READ TO UNDERSTAND:
this chapter is a time jump to summer. about four months.
I'd rather be with you, baby
You know what you're doing to me
You're the one, the only one
That sets it all on fire
Yeah you, baby
(and I can see you want to be with me)
Yeah you know what I'm saying is true
I'd rather be with you
Rather Be With You, by Vanessa Hudgens. LOVE HER!
"Get in closer, mija," my mom told me again. I can't get any closer into this damn picture. If I do, I will be too close to Marcus for sister comfort. Ewe. But, being the good little girl that I am, I moved half an inch closer. She smiled brightly and pressed the button on her digital camera. The camera flashed several times.
"I am going to kill Isabelle for buying her that damn camera," Lucas mumbled grumpily as we took the pictures. I started laughing. This is their graduation day. They should be happy. No more high school. College out of state at Duke. Away from me. He he. I mean, so sad.
Mami stopped taking pictures. "And just what is so funny Gabriella Carmen?" she asked, getting in a mom pose. Oooh, scary. All mom's have super powers that make you feel like an idiot when you didn't really do anything wrong. Or a total jackass when you did do something wrong.
I shook my head. "Nothing, Mami," I answered, and all laughing ceased from me. I heard Felix chuckle behind me, and I stomped on his foot. He winced. Ha, that's what you get when you piss off your sister who is forced to wear an ugly floral skirt, and high heels. Don't mess with girls, buddy. They can fight back with their.. girly things.
She smiled again. "Good, now get in closer," she told me. Ugh! Good God woman, stop zooming in or something. When you have eight kids, six at home for this little photo op, you should not be picky about pictures! You should be happy the other two aren't home taking up more space on the camera screen. Several more flashes happened, and blurs of colors appeared in my vision.
"Mami, why do we need eighty pictures, when you only need one for the twins' photo album?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. Marcus pushed me from behind.
"You make it sound like she still has a baby book for us, and is just dying to put this picture in it," he told me. Ha! If he only knew she is dying to do that. She still has two photo slots left in all of our photo albums, one for our graduations, one for our weddings.
I just grinned and kept quiet. "Come on, kids, let's get in the car!" our dad yelled to all six of us. I couldn't wait to get out of this hideous floral skirt, and pink baggish shirt. I didn't want to wear this. But my mom picked out what I was supposed to wear, because apparently what I picked out the first time was not appropriate. This skirt weighs like ten pounds. Do you know how hot it gets in New Mexico in June? I usually don't like to wear revealing clothing, even though I am dating Troy and have expanded my clothing horizons, but in this heat it's a short shorts, tank top day. But I didn't want to go home and change. They are there.
My whole family.
The WHOLE family. My mom is one of five, and my dad is one of seven. I have a lot of cousins. We are all ten or older, the ones younger than ten are the the kids of those who reproduced already. I have too many first cousins to count, and a couple second cousins due to said reproduction.
I really don't mind sharing my room with two other girls at the moment, and the bathrooms to about fifteen people. What I do mind is her.
Ana. The evil cousin. I am not joking when I say she is evil. We have hated each other since we were babies. Well at least that is what my mom and Aunt Nina have told us. We were born three days apart from each other, so the whole family thought we would be the best of friends. Let me take a moment to laugh. Okay. We see each other maybe four times a year, and we always end up hating each other more than we did the year before. We didn't think it was possible, but the hatred always grows.
The only reason I don't kill her is my other cousin, Adrianna. I call her Ads most of the time. We're about a month apart in age, me being older, not that I care. Ana does though, she loves to remind us she is older than us. We don't get what the big deal is, its just an age. But, no, she brags about it. It's gets so annoying all the time.
And as in Montez family tradition we get together at my house every beginning of June, on our last day of school. The other cousins finish school a couple days before we do, I don't know why, it's just the way it has always been. We have a party for whoever is graduating, and someone is always graduating. This year it's Marcus, Lucas, and JJ's party. JJ is Ana's brother, but don't worry he isn't evil. JJ stands for Jose Junior. They live in Utah.
This year I am sharing my room with Adrianna and Brandi, her little sister. Brandi is Vince's age. JJ is staying with Marc and Luke in their room, and that is about all I know. Most cousins, grandparents, uncles, and aunts are spread out in various rooms. Some stay in hotel's but the others stay in the Montez Motel, as my father calls it. Embarrassing, I know.
"Now, listen, Gabriella," my mother started as we entered the neighborhood. Uh oh. I don't like that tone of voice. "I want no fighting with Ana this year," she told me. Ha, easy for you to say, she isn't evil to you. She didn't steal your barbie doll, pull her head off and hang it from a tree. No, she helps you in the kitchen and plays good little niece. God, I hate her. "And to make sure it happens, I will strike a deal with you," she added as my brothers got out of the car. I leaned forward to her and gave her a sign I was listening. "Troy can come over in one hour, if there is no fighting."
Hallelujah! I nodded eagerly. "Yes, Mami, I promise no fighting if Troy can come over," I confirmed. If Troy comes, I can easily escape her conniving clutches if I am doing other things with him. Hmm, other things. Get your mind out of the gutter, Gab, you can't do that with family literally everywhere. Damn.
She nodded and smiled. She reached her hand back and layed it on my cheek. "You have been much happier since you started dating him, mija," she told me. I smiled and nodded against her hand.
"I really like him, Mami," I said. Me and Troy decided not to tell our parents we love each other yet. We knew that they would say we don't love each other and we are just kids. We'll tell them, eventually. Troy's mom is moving in the house behind Chad's early July. I haven't met her yet, but I've talked to her on the phone. She's nice.
My mom smiled. "Good, because I can tell he really likes you, too." She got out of the car, and I followed. "Come on, let's get out of these clothes into something Montez party worthy, and try to have fun tonight," my mom proposed and looped her arm through mine. I nodded.
I walked into the house to be swarmed by the family I hadn't seen yet. Ten minutes of 'look how big you've gotten' and 'do you have a boyfriend yet?' oh and my favorite from my grandmother 'Gabi! You've got boobs'. I haven't see Grandma Garcia in a year. She couldn't make it to a couple family get togethers.
I rushed to my room the minute I could, and I have avoided Ana successfully. Point for Gabriella.
It's freaking hot outside, which lead me to change into short shorts and a white strapless shirt. The shirt flowed to the bottom of my short shorts, only showing an inch or so. I put my hair up into a pony tail. For the first time in forever, and it took extensive pleading to Troy to make him stop giving me hickeys. It's like his favorite hobbie now. I was slipping on my white flip flops when my bedroom door flew open and slammed shut.
Adrianna stormed over to me. "If you leave me down there alone for one more minute.." she veered off. Ha, this isn't scary, trying getting yelled at by Sharpay.
I laughed. "Sorry, I had to change," I apologized. I quickly pulled my phone out and sent a text to Troy.
come ova in 1 hour plz i need u
"Ana is in full bitch mode, and if she tries to help my mom out one more time.." she trailed off again. She does that a lot, not end her sentences. Ana's 'thing' is to suck up to the parents so no one believe she is a bitch, but the rest of the cousins know she is. Even JJ knows, and he is her brother.
I smiled before my cell phone broke out into No Air, by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. My song for Troy. His song for me on his phone is With You, by Chris Brown.
k but in wat way do u need me?
He sent back. I totally got the innuendo behind that. I sighed and text-ed back on my new Venus. I splurged a little getting a new phone. Plus my other phone broke when I threw it at the wall when me and Troy got into a fight two months ago. The fight only lasted three days, and I was pissed that I broke it.
not that way u perv. 2 save me from my evil cousin
"Will you stop texting the mystery person, and get back to Ana and her bitchiness please?" Adrianna asked, making me look up from texting.
She doesn't know yet. None of my family knows I have been dating Troy for about five months. Only my siblings. Plus, I wanted to see Ana's face when she found out. I already told Troy I would be flaunting him around this weekend in front of her. He didn't care much. He said as long as my brothers don't find out we are having sex he doesn't mind, because he kind of doesn't want to get beat up. "It's not a mystery person, it's my boyfriend," I said nonchalantly.
She shot up from my bed where she was laying down. "You have a boyfriend!?" she asked talking quickly.
I nodded smiling. "Yep," I answered.
She jumped up and hugged me. "I'm so happy for you." My cell phone starting singing again before I could respond to her.
haha k fine i wil be there in 1 hour love u
I sent back that I loved him too. "Let's get downstairs, my mom promised that if I don't fight with Ana, then Troy can come over in an hour," I said and pulled her out the door while putting my phone on vibrate. "That's his name by the way, Troy."
"Have fun with that one," Adrianna mumbled as we walked down the steps.
"Gabriella!" Grandma Montez called from the dining room, I smiled and pulled Adrianna in there.
I hugged her quickly. "Hey, Grams," I greeted, sitting down next to her.
She smiled and patted my knee. "You get more beautiful every time I see you," she complimented me. All grandparents say that.
I ducked my head low. "Grams," I said blushing slightly. I don't take compliments well. Even from Troy.
She shook her head. "No, you're both beautiful, and don't let your generation get you down," she told me and Adrianna. She partied in the sixties. Flower power! With all her kids. She has never been one of those people to sit back and let the kids have all the fun. Married and with kids, she still found time to protest and give flowers to cops.
We finally got away forty-five minutes later. "Finally," Adrianna sighed with relief, she had already been trapped by Grandma Montez tonight. She tells amazing stories though. And a few gross ones that you don't want to hear about her and Gramps.
I slapped her arm as we sat down at an empty picnic table. "Shut up, she's cute. And without her and Grandpa, we wouldn't be alive because she had our dads," I reminded her. Not a mental image I want, though. Insert ewe here.
"I'm getting a soda, want one?" she asked, moving to get up. I nodded and took my phone out. I couldn't text him around Grams. She hates new technology. She wants to know why we can't just call each other. He text-ed a few times, but I had to ignore them.
sry talkin to grams wats up?
I sent to him. "Well, well, if it isn't little Gabriella!" a voice that made me cringe said, in front of me. Little? It's three days, girl! Get over it.
Be nice, Troy is coming over, be nice. I fake smiled. "Ana! It's so good to see you," I greeted. That hurt to just do. This is not going to be easy. Hurry Ads! My phone vibrated.
nothin 10 mins to go! Shar wants 2 no if she can come over 2
He text-ed back. Aw. I love him. Sharpay come over here? No. I do not want a repeat of last year when her and Ana got into a fight over me. About how Ana treats me like shit.
no not after last yr just u :)
I looked up to see Ana trying to lean over and see what I was doing. I slipped my phone into my back pocket. "So, how was your year?" I asked, the fake smile plastered on my face. Ugh, I hate this. I want to tell her off. Tell her that she is a bitch who will have fifteen husbands and become a cougar. She'll have one child who is spoiled and will send her to a nursing home when she is fifty, never to be seen from again. But I won't, I'm not that mean, and I want Troy to come over.
Ana had confusion on her face. "Fine," she gave me a tight lipped answer. "Who are you texting?" she asked in an obnoxious voice. Like I don't have friends, bitch please.
"I'm back!" Adrianna sing-songed, saving me from diving across the table to slap her silly. I smiled for real this time that Adrianna just saved me. Ads is always doing that. Saving me from Ana. She has more self-restraint than me I took my drink and downed half of it so I didn't have to answer her question.
"Little Cousin!" another voice said, coming to sit next to me. JJ. Always saving me from the evil spawn too. Gotta love that cousin bond that Ana lacks.
I grinned hugely. "Hey, JJ," I greeted. How did someone so nice and someone so cruel come from the same person? I mean, Uncle Jose is great, and so is Aunt Nina. So what happened with her? Well, to tell the truth, Aunt Nina can be a little bitchy sometimes. Well, all girls are bitchy sometimes. Ana just lives there, in bitchy land.
He wrapped his arm around my neck. "What is this I hear of my baby cousin dating the best guy on the basketball team?" he asked, jerking me towards him.
I laughed. "Something like that," I answered, still smiling.
"What? I don't get a picture of this guy? I need to judge him, I'm your favorite cousin, I have judging rights," he told me, holding his hand out for a picture.
"Do you see room for a photo in this outfit?" I asked, leaning up to look at him in this weird angle. My cell phone vibrated again. I pulled away and reached into my back pocket.
k i wil be over soon luv ya
I smiled looking down. JJ leaned over to look at it, I slipped it shut and smacked him on the chest. "Who says you're my favorite cousin?" I asked him.
"Yeah, it could be me," Adrianna said sticking her head in. Ana kept weirdly quiet. Is there a hint of jealousy?
JJ childishly stuck his tongue out. Yeah, that's mature. Who is the one graduating here? Not me or Adrianna. "What's this? A Montez cousin reunion?" Marc said pushing Adrianna over to sit next to me. Felix, Luke, and Vince along with Brandi sat near Ana.
"Why were we not invited? This is our party," Luke asked, bumping into Brandi's shoulder.
I rolled my eyes. "There is not nearly enough room here for a Montez cousin reunion," I told them both.
"I want the picture, damn it," JJ said holding his hand out. I shook my head no.
"You talkin' about Hoops?" Luke asked, stealing my drink. I reached over for it but JJ held me down. I want my damn drink back!
JJ nodded. "If that's what the kid's name is," he answered.
"His name is Troy, they just call him Hoops because Marc and Luke decided to nickname the team, give me my damn drink back!" I exclaimed reaching for it.
"When did you start dating him?" Ana asked, the same fake smile I had on my face earlier on hers. Luke handed me my now empty drink. Great. Pig.
"Couple months ago," I answered vaguely. Why does she have to know? Oh, because she wants everything I have therefore her wanting Troy to be hers. Nope, not ganna happen. Nada. Don't even try. We've been there, ask Allison. Brandi went into a conversation with Vince, I heard the name Roxy once or twice. They are still dating, but they fight a lot. "Speaking of significant others, Felix, where is Jaymi?" I asked.
"She has a final right now, I already finished mine," he said. Damn, I want her here. She tends to run Ana interference. Well, she has every time Ana and me have been in the same room together.
JJ shook his arm around my neck to get my attention, I pealed his arm off. "What?" I asked. They are getting annoying. Aren't the younger ones suppose to be annoying, not the other way around? I tolerate Vince more than I do Marcus, Lucas, and JJ at times. Yes, JJ and me are close for cousins, but when he hangs with the twins they rub off on him. "Fine, here is a damn picture," I answered his unasked question. I pulled out my phone and went to my pictures and gave it to him.
"Damn," he commented looking through the pictures. Does he have a guy crush? Troy isn't that hott is he? Ha, who am I kidding. Yeah, he is.
Ana took this moment to strike. "Have you gone all the way?" she asked quite loudly. All my brothers, even Vince, spit out their drinks. It would have been a funny scene if it wasn't about me. They all turned to me.
Uh, Gab, this would be the time to lie. I shook my head vigorously. "No, no, no, no, no," I denied. Did that sound believable? Well, none of them got up and started running to Chad's so maybe? "No," I confirmed.
Ana just sat there smirking. Slut. She knows what she is doing. And if she even tries to do the whole hitting on Troy thing because he is mine, it won't work. Trust me, his sex life is healthy enough, thankyouverymuch!
"You better be a virgin, Gabriella Carmen Montez," Felix said pointing his finger at me. What is with me and the full name thing? Do I go around calling him Felix Daniel Montez? Have him and Sharpay been hanging out? Is she cheating on Zeke with him? EWE!
I nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I am," I told him. They seemed to buy it and started talking to each other. Ana was still smirking at me. I mouthed 'bitch' at her. She just smirked wider. Gah! She loves me getting pissed at her. I wanted to slap her, I wanted to cut all of her hair off, I wanted to break her nose, and then break the new one when she gets it redone. But fate intervened.
Arms wrapped around my waist and gasped. I heard a chuckle behind me, and knew it was Troy, plus the tingles were there.
I turned around. "Don't ever do that again Troy Alexander Bolton!" I scolded and punched him on the chest, with real force. I heard my brothers laughing behind me. He smiled and leaned his hands on the table behind me and kissed me gently on the lips.
"Sorry," he murmured. I nodded slightly and pulled him down next to me, pushing over JJ. When he sat down I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. "You know that punch hurt, Brie," Troy said laughing as he pulled away.
"Where do you think she learned it from?" Marcus asked from across the table.
Luke nodded in agreement. "Don't ever have sex with our little sister," he added. "Or you will feel it in full force."
Troy started coughing and turned red. Aw, he hardly blushes. I rubbed his back gently. "You okay there, babe?" I asked, smiling myself. He nodded after a while. "Troy these are JJ, Brandi, Arianna, and Ana. Guys this is Troy, my boyfriend," I introduced quickly. He nodded a hello, but kept looking down at the table. That is a dead giveaway that he has had sex with me. We have to work on the whole lying thing.
"Oh, Troy, you're here," my mom said walking over, and putting a hand on Marcus' shoulder.
He smiled. "Hi, Mrs. Montez," he greeted. My mom loves him. Lucky for me. But she quickly moved her eyes back to me and gave me a look. A mom look. You know the one, where they are talking to you with their eyes, and somehow you know exactly what they are saying.
"Remember what we talked about, mija," she told me, to make sure I knew what she was saying. I nodded quickly. She smiled. "Have fun, kids," she said and went back on her motherly way.
I reached under the table and laced my hand with one of Troy's, then I proceeded to get up. "Come on, boyfriend." I pulled on his hand, making him get up.
"Where are you guys going?" Luke asked, eyeing us questioningly. I smirked thinking of an idea.
"Up to my room to have sex," I answered and pulled Troy in.
I heard protests of "Gabriella!" I laughed and pulled Troy through my house.
"Brie, did you have to do that?" Troy whined as we made our way deep into the house. I just laughed and held onto his arm. It was just a joke, I mean they will know we aren't going to have sex. Maybe. Hopefully. I'll protect him if my brothers try to attack.
I nodded and directed him towards the living room that was filled with the little munchkins. "Gabwella!" they all screamed together. They usually leave all the kids in one room, and someone checks on them every few minutes. I bent down and picked up one of the littlest ones.
"Hey cuties," I greeted, smiling at all of them. "Okay, Squirts, I have a proposition for all of you," I started. They all just stared. "You know cousin Ana?" I asked, they nodded.
"She isn't very nice," Luis said with a funny face. Ha! See, it isn't just me. She is even mean to the little ones.
I nodded. "I know. But to make up for it, she wants to play with you all," I told them all excitedly. They all nodded vigorously. "Okay, now all of you get in one line," I ordered. They scrambled into one. "Good, now all of you, hold each others hand, go out to the back deck, and find cousin Ana!" I exclaimed.
They all squealed and started running. I heard Troy chuckling behind me. I turned and saw him leaning against the entry way to the living room. "That was mean," he commented, taking a few steps toward me.
"Yeah, well you weren't there when she asked if we had gone all the way in front of all my brothers," I told him. "Now, what movie are we going to watch?" I asked and plopped down on the couch. I felt Troy sit down next to me and wrap his arm around my shoulders.
"Do we have to watch a movie?" he asked, as he moved forward and started to nibble on my ear. I giggled and pushed him away gently.
"Okay, question," I started and arranged it so my legs were spread across his. "We are having sex, and don't want my brothers to find out, or my whole family to find out, correct?" I asked, leaning forward.
He looked around to make sure no one was in the room. "Ah, yes?" he stated, but it came out more as a question.
"So if we started making out, your hands would run freely, correct?" I asked yet another question.
He considered it. "Most likely," he answered. He doesn't get it does he? At least he's cute. He has that going for him. And the whole bulging muscles thing. And that when he gets done in the weight room he's all sweaty and looks extremely sexy.. okay back to the point.
"And if my brothers were to walk in and see me with my shirt off, and you with some article of clothing off they will think we have sex. Therefore you will get a new arranged face, and I really like your face the way it is," I finished and ran my hand along his face.
His eyes lit up and he nodded. "Oh, I can't believe I didn't notice that. Now, this movie?"
Five minutes later found us fighting. Isn't our relationship great?
"No!" I exclaimed. "No. I won't," I confirmed.
We were over at the DVD case that was just that, a big case that held all of our DVDs. From Star Wars to Ice Age, we have them all. "Brie! It's a classic," he told me. If he tells me that one more time he won't have sex one more time until graduation.
"8 Mile is not a classic. It's Eminem!" I yelled. We tend to get loud over stupid things like this.
"Exactly, it's Eminem," he responded. He really is lucky he's cute, sweet, and really good to me, or I would let my brothers get him. I will not watch that movie again. Watching Eminem do those battle things is only entertaining for so long. Plus with him reminding me that Eminem's battle things aren't scripted and he makes them up on the spot gets annoying after the third or fourth time.
"We have watched it two times in the last week, let me pick the movie," I insisted pulling the movie out of his hand and tried to hide it behind my back.
He smiled. "You think putting it behind your back is going to stop me?" he asked, walking forward. Uh oh. I don't like this game.
I faked a frown. "You can have it back," I said and held it out to him. He shook his head.
"That isn't what I want right now, actually," he commented. Insert real frown here. I hate this game. It's not fun being chased. He took another step towards me. I took off running, bumping into random family members as I ran, but I did yell a faint 'sorry' does that count?
I knew it wouldn't help. He runs on a daily bases, when I only run when I have to or in gym. And when I have to is usually in gym. I jogged past the picnic table that some of my cousins and brothers still inhabited. "What's wrong, Gabs?" Adrianna yelled as I passed. I looked past her and saw Ana with the kids. Okay, that was a bit mean. Before I could answer, I was pummeled to the ground.
Troy had a knee on either side of me, and pinned my arms to the ground as he laughed. I groaned. "Troy, get off me," I told him and tried to wiggle free.
He leaned down closer so our noses were almost touching. "Tell me you love me and I am a sex God," he bargained.
"No!" I exclaimed with a smile.
He didn't faulter, he just leaned closer and kissed me gently. To say it made me weak in the knees wouldn't help, because I was sprawled out on the ground.
He pulled away and looked into my eyes. "I love you, and you are a sex God," I mumbled and he grinned. He got up in one swift motion and pulled me up too.
"You know," he mentioned locking his arms around my waist. "You're pretty good at sex, too," he said with smile against my lips.
I laughed and pulled away slightly. "Really?" I asked with a fake serious look on my face.
"Mhmm," he confirmed.
"Well, maybe you can show me some of your skills tomorrow at the real party?" I asked, pulling away and lacing my hands with his.
His eyebrows crinkled. "Real party?" he asked.
"Yep, you don't think we celebrate the graduations with the parents the whole time right?" I asked, he didn't answer. "Nope, us kids get together and have a real party. Alcohol, and actual fun. It's tomorrow at eight. You're coming right?"
He nodded and kissed my forehead. "Definitely."
Here it is. More of a filler. The next one will pick up on the drama. I just thought you deserved a little fluff.
Review even though nothing happened. If you want to see something happen, review it or PM it please.
FILLER!
REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!!
--Kayleigh