Hey, everyone! Sorry that I didn't update this weekend. I graduated, so I was busy with all of that end of the year stuff! haha Review so that I can update this weekend as usual! This chapter is definitly one of my favorites! I recommend reading EVERY word! This chapter is KEY to the rest of the story! I'm excited for you guys to read the next few chapters! :) Enjoy!

Everything to Me

Chapter fourteen

The contents of Gabriella's purse were strewn out all over her bed as she rushed around frantically in her room. She was looking for her first pay check, the one that she had received last night after flipping through the mail. It was in her purse, originally, but now, after some constant searching, she knew it was no longer there. When her bedroom door opened she quickly landed on her bed as if she had been organizing her purse instead of searching for her pay check.

Mrs. Montez walked in with a magazine opened in her hands and she smiled when she saw Gabriella.

"I'm thinking about buying this new dining room set, what do you think?" Mrs. Montez asked. She held the magazine open and Gabriella saw a cherry wood dining room table that could probably sit the entire White House staff. She shrugged when her mom took the magazine away from her view and looked at it for herself.

"It's nice," Gabriella told her. "It looks like it can fit a lot of people."

"I think it'll be perfect for our dinner party," Mrs. Montez nodded. "Has Troy RSVPed?"

Gabriella hesitated for a moment, wondering if her mom was going to start another spat about her choice in men, but Mrs. Montez simply kept flipping through the magazine as she waited for her daughter to answer.

"He said he's coming," Gabriella told her. Mrs. Montez nodded, bending the corner of one of the pages.

"Does he have any food allergies or preferences?" Mrs. Montez asked.

Gabriella shook her head.

"No, he'll eat anything you make," Gabriella told her. She untwisted the cap to her chap stick in her purse and then put the cap back on. She looked up at her mom, waiting for another question or comment.

"Okay," Mrs. Montez said, turning to leave.

"Mom," Gabriella said once Mrs. Montez was at the door, ready to step out into the hallway.

"What?" Mrs. Montez asked. She closed the magazine and stuck it under her arm, leaning against the doorframe. Her coral colored nail polish shimmered as her feet brushed against the carpet.

"Thank you for trying," Gabriella said. Mrs. Montez lifted her chin as her way of nodding and pushed away from the doorframe. She observed Gabriella for a minute and then squinted her eyes slightly.

"Your pay check is on the ground."

Gabriella opened her mouth to say something, but Mrs. Montez was already gone by the time she peered over the side of her bed and saw her paycheck sticking out from underneath her bed. She laughed inwardly, wondering how she had missed that in the first place. She quickly put all of her junk back into her purse, grabbed the check, and headed for her door. She was looking forward to putting her first check in the bank.

...

The bank was crowded when Gabriella stepped into the building. There were lines of people waiting impatiently with envelopes filled with pay checks and extra cash. People were leaving and coming simultaneously, but Gabriella didn't notice too many of them, since she was only thinking about her pay check being put in her bank account, which would soon be full enough to be able to move out of her parents' house and start her own, unbothered life.

An African American woman stood in front of her and she was holding the hand of a young toddler, whose curly black hair was some of the cutest hair Gabriella had ever seen. The toddler actually reminded her of Chad, and she made a mental note to ask Troy about his friends.

The line moved quickly and within a half hour, Gabriella had put all of her pay check into her back account except for five hundred dollars of it. She figured she could get by with using only five hundred dollars until her next pay check. If not, her parents weren't the kind to hesitate sneaking a hundred dollar bill in her wallet when they thought she might need it.

On her way out of the bank, she looked down the long road that weaved back to the beach. There was a couple bike-riding along the sidewalk, each with a rain resistant coat tied around their waists. During the fall, no one could be too sure what the weather was going to be like.

Gabriella got into her car, and pulled away from the curb, letting someone else parallel park in the street for their visit to the bank. When Gabriella turned onto December Street, she knew that she couldn't get away with passing by Troy's house without saying hello. Mr. Silverman was sitting on his front porch.

The windows of Troy's house were opened, Gabriella noticed, as she walked up to the house after parking a few steps away. Dried, colored leaves covered the walk way and they cracked under Gabriella's feet as she walked up to the front door.

"Hello, Gabriella!" Mr. Silverman said. "Hope you're here to break the tension!"

Gabriella furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what exactly Mr. Silverman meant by his comment. She dropped her hand from the doorbell before she could ring it.

"What do you mean?" Gabriella asked, taking a step away from the door so that she was just a step closer to Mr. Silverman's porch.

"They've just been arguing a lot today. I don't think they realized the windows were open."

Gabriella nodded, glancing inside the house.

"You just missed Troy. He stormed out a few minutes ago," Mr. Silverman mentioned.

"Oh," Gabriella said, disappointed.

"Gabriella?"

Gabriella turned to see Mrs. Bolton standing in the doorway, the front door held open with her hand. She forgot she was standing in clear viewing distance from the inside of the house.

"Hi, Mrs. Bolton," Gabriella said with a smile. "I was just stopping by."

"Come on in," Mrs. Bolton said. She held the door open further for Gabriella and she glanced over at Mr. Silverman after seeing Gabriella send him a look.

Inside, Gabriella noticed how the entire house seemed to be turned upside down. The couch cushions were knocked off of the couch, revealing the stray popcorn kernels that had most likely fallen through the crakes between the cushions. The kitchen had dirty dishes covering the counter, and the dishwasher could be seen open and empty, a red tool box sitting next to it.

On the dining room table, a pile of change was sitting in a small heap, and Gabriella didn't say anything as Mrs. Bolton shut the windows in the family room.

"Is everything okay?" Gabriella asked.

Mrs. Bolton nodded, shoving the couch cushions back on with a hint of embarrassment in her body language. She tidied the magazines sitting on the coffee table.

"Everything's okay," Mrs. Bolton answered. "Just a stressful day."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gabriella asked, gripping her purse awkwardly.

Mrs. Bolton sunk onto the couch, her shoulders heaving with a loud sigh, and Gabriella went quickly over to the couch, sitting down next to the middle aged woman. She set her purse on her lap, leaning her shoulder against the couch.

"The dishwasher broke," Mrs. Bolton told her. "It broke and there are about five different bills due this month, so I'll be washing dishes for the rest of eternity. I've spent the day tearing the house apart in hopes of finding spare change."
"How was the search?" Gabriella asked.

"Three dollars and fifteen cents," Mrs. Bolton answered.

"Just enough to buy dish soap," Gabriella answered. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Mrs. Bolton said with a forced smile, trying to regain her once there positive attitude. "I broke a dish the other day and a piece of glass got caught somewhere and ruined the thing. It's my fault entirely."

"I'm sure Troy could fix it," Gabriella assured her.

Mrs. Bolton shook her head.

"He was trying, but he gave up after a while. His arm is completely bruised now from trying to get the glass out. He just left," Mrs. Bolton told her.

"That's what Mr. Silverman told me," Gabriella answered. "You left the windows open."

"As if he didn't know enough of our business already."

"He's just a worried neighbor," Gabriella replied with a smile.

Mrs. Bolton nodded, resting her head against the back of the couch, looking up at the blank ceiling. Her hands rested on the couch cushions, her wedding ring catching Gabriella's attention again.

"If you want, Mrs. Bolton…" Gabriella hesitated, wondering if what she was about to say was out of place or rude. "I could help you with a bill or two. I really wouldn't mind."

Mrs. Bolton shook her head, keeping her eyes on the ceiling. She blinked rapidly, emotions clearly whirling around in her head. Gabriella was surprised when tears slid down the woman's cheek.

"No, no," Mrs. Bolton said. "I couldn't take your money."

Gabriella grabbed Mrs. Bolton's nearest hand and held it in her own. She didn't like seeing Troy's mom upset. Mrs. Bolton lifted her head, patting Gabriella's hand.

"You're a wonderful young woman," Mrs. Bolton told her.

"I'm serious when I say I'll help you," Gabriella told her again.

Mrs. Bolton's shoulders sunk, giving off the impression that the weight of the world was finally getting to her. Gabriella looked seriously at Mrs. Bolton, waiting, just waiting for her to finally give in.

"Troy would never go for it," Mrs. Bolton told her.

Gabriella's heart skipped a beat and her hands grew warmer.

"Troy doesn't have to know," Gabriella said. It was the first time she ever even considered lying to Troy, the guy who she loved more than any other before.

Mrs. Bolton looked into Gabriella's eyes, weighing her options. The gurgling of the broken dishwasher was the only sound as they both sat quietly. Gabriella's stomach churned as Mrs. Bolton nodded before looking down in embarrassment.

"Okay," Mrs. Bolton said in a whisper. "You can help."

Gabriella nodded, resting her back on the couch as she kept her arm linked with Mrs. Bolton's. They sat there, starring out at the blank TV for a while, taking in the silence of the house. Mrs. Bolton sniffled, wiping at her eyes occasionally, and before Gabriella left her be for the rest of her evening, she set the five hundred dollars that she had in her wallet on the coffee table.

...

Gabriella parked her car in the parking lot next to the beach, and sat in the car for a few minutes before getting out. The entry way to the beach was roped off, but she ducked under the rope, stepping onto the white sand. The police knew by now that she wasn't a trespasser, so she wasn't worried when she saw a cop car rolling on by.

She first saw Troy's feet when she got closer to the lifeguard tower. He was sitting on the step leading up to the tower and the pair of binoculars that were usually glued to Rocket's hands was sitting in his lap, one hand holding it carelessly.

"Hey," Gabriella said with a smile. "I thought I might find you here."

"And here I am," Troy said, smiling. Gabriella knew that the smile he was sending her was his fake one, and she stepped onto the first step, looking up at him, not moving any closer.

"Are you looking for hot babes?" Gabriella asked. She gestured toward the binoculars when he sent her a wondering look.

"Oh, no," Troy said with a shake of his head. "There was a huge boat pulling into the harbor, so I was watching it."

"I believe you," Gabriella laughed, faking that she didn't. He smiled shortly and set the binoculars behind him.

"What brings you here?" Troy asked. He rested his elbows behind him and leaned back, stretching his feet out to the next lowest step.

Gabriella moved up a few steps so that she could sit down next to him, and she did, keeping a few inches in between them. The sun was orange in the sky and the water rippled as the wind took it in one direction. Houses across the lake were occupied with families eating dinner on their balconies and others watching the sun.

"I just felt like seeing you," Gabriella answered. She leaned back on her elbows also, matching Troy's position. He looked over at her, seeming to doubt it, but nodded anyway.

The sound of a dog barking in the distance and a squawking seagull was the only noise as they sat saying nothing to each other, both thinking about their own things. Gabriella reached out and took Troy's hand, squeezing it so that he'd know she was still sitting there, basking in the quiet.

"Come here," Troy said, getting up quickly. Gabriella squeaked in surprise as he pulled her up from the stairs and began rushing down them. As Gabriella picked up her pace, running next to him, her hand still clenched with his, she wondered what he was up to. When their feet touched the wooden dock, her stomach tightened.

"Troy, what are we doing?" Gabriella asked, hesitating. He pulled at her hand, not answering.

Her whole body was screaming at her not to jump in the cold water as they got closer to the edge of the dock, but as Troy's arm went around her, nearly lifting her with him, she simply closed her eyes, hoped to land safely, and let out a scream that erased the stresses of life and made her feel free.

Bubbles rushed around her as she sunk into the lake. She was no longer being held by Troy, but the movement of the water let her know that he was somewhere close. The water was murky when she opened her eyes, seeing almost nothing since the sun was nearly gone. When her chest tightened, telling her to rush to the surface, she waved her arms next to her, pulling herself up to the surface.

She gasped for air as she brushed her wet hair away from her face and when she opened her eyes, she saw Troy doing the same right in front of her.

"It's cold," Gabriella said, her teeth chattering together.

Troy nodded, coming closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her, treading water at the same time. The tip of his toe brushed the bottom of the lake.

"Okay, so you have to tell me why you did this," Gabriella said. She snaked her arms around his neck, letting Troy move them closer to the dock so that he could firmly touch the bottom of the lake.

"I wanted to wash this day off of me," Troy explained.

"Ah, so you had a bad day?" Gabriella asked.

"I guess you could say that," Troy said. He kissed her quickly on the nose, smiling when she did.

"You know," Gabriella started in a whisper. "It's kind of nice being out here all by ourselves."

Troy nodded, looking out at the rippling water, which was colored by the setting sun.

"I agree," he said. "Although, being by ourselves in general is kind of nice. We always seem to get interrupted by someone."

"Do you remember when you invited me out here to watch the sunset with you after only knowing me for a little while? You were going to kiss me before the police officers interrupted the moment."

"You were going to kiss me, not the other way around," Troy said with a shake of his head.

"That's so not true," Gabriella laughed. "I never make the first move."

"Please, like you could have resisted this hot bod for much longer," Troy replied, grinning.

"I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, then, because I know that you were going to kiss me that night," Gabriella said.

"Fine, but you know you wanted to kiss me."

Gabriella laughed, her head falling backward with her genuine laugh. She shook her head at him, knowing that he could go all night just talking about how appealing he was to her.

"I'm glad we got interrupted," Gabriella admitted.

"Why?" Troy asked. "Was I too much to handle?"

Gabriella shook her head, smiling.

"No, I just liked that our first kiss was at the end of my driveway while it was raining," Gabriella told him. "It was straight out of a movie. I never had a moment like that before."

"Well," Troy started, grinning. "I'm glad I could give you your movie moment."

"Ah," Gabriella laughed. "We're being such teenagers right now."

"I know," Troy agreed, pulling her closer to him.

Gabriella leaned her head against his shoulder as her body got used to the temperature of the water. The sun was now hidden behind the trees and the water was dark with no more light source. Light from a pair of headlights quickly flashed across them, but disappeared when the car went on its way. Gabriella pressed her lips against Troy's cheek and then looked him in the eye.

Troy smiled at Gabriella, playing with the ends of her hair that floated on the top of the water.

"What would you consider me?" Gabriella asked Troy. The look on Troy's face when he heard the question told her that he wasn't sure how to respond. Gabriella simply kept her eyes on him, running her fingers along the back of his neck.

"I'd consider you my girlfriend," Troy answered. Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek giving off the impression that she was wondering what kind of answer she wanted to hear from him.

"Do you think you're in love with me?" Gabriella asked.

Troy looked surprised. Gabriella shrugged when he didn't answer.

"It's okay if you don't," she said simply. "I was just asking."

Troy squinted at her, like he was trying to see if maybe she was testing him, seeing what he'd say or do in a situation where he was put on the spot. She didn't say anything, which surprised him even more. Any other girl would have pouted and stormed off if they got no answer, but Gabriella stayed simply pressed up against him, her stringy hair falling over her shoulders as her fingers running through his hair sent chills down his spine.

Gabriella kissed him on the corner of his eye, looking directly at him when she pulled away from him.

"It's really cold," she said. Troy nodded. Gabriella nodded.

Gabriella was headed toward the shore before Troy could say anything else. She walked until her feet touched the sand. When she was standing on land, she turned toward the water, looking out at Troy, who stayed standing waist deep in the water.

"Are you coming?" she asked.

Troy walked slowly out of the water, pinching the barely-there flab on his arm, wondering if maybe he was lying somewhere unconscious and this was his coma induced dream.

He took Gabriella's hand in his once he reached shore, and she leaned against his side as they walked up the beach, their feet and ankles becoming coated with sand. It was dark brown with the exposure to water. The lamppost lighting up the parking lot by the beach cast a glow over Gabriella's car and as Troy and Gabriella stood on the black top, they could see their reflections clearly in the black paint.

"Did your bad day get washed off of you?" Gabriella asked once she turned to him, face to face with him now. Her hair was dripping wet and Troy could feet the pitter patters of the water droplets rolling down his bare feet.

"It did," Troy answered with a nod. "Thanks for jumping in with me."

"I'd do it again. Maybe just on a warmer day," Gabriella replied, laughing softly.

Troy laughed with her, looking down at their sandy feet, smiling at her ruby red toenails. Gabriella's hand fell from his own, and when he looked up at her she was tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Goodnight, Troy," Gabriella said quietly. Troy watched her as she opened her car door and fished through her purse that she had left on the passenger's seat to get the keys. He made a mental note to tell her not to leave her keys in the car, definitely in an expensive one like hers.

"To answer your previous question," Troy said after Gabriella shut the door and rolled down the window. Gabriella looked up at him, her hands resting on the steering wheel. "I'm definitely in love with you."

Gabriella nodded, smiling softly, her face suddenly giving off the impression that she was tired.

"I know," Gabriella said quietly. "And I love you too. Remember that."

Troy sent her a slightly confused look, but she only smiled at him, pulling out of the parking lot. She stuck her hand out of the window as she pulled up to the street, turning on her turn signal, and waved at him, leaving him with a peaceful image of her pulling away in the darkness.

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Much love,

unknownbyhim22