Learning To Fall
by: LunarEclipse360
Disclaimer: If I don't own Troy Bolton by now, I probably won't own him anytime soon
A/N: OMG!!! I saw Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen and it was AMAZING. It was 2 hours and 30 minutes long, but it was worth it. There were a few plot loopholes, but I think that's done dilberately so they can do a third. But I loved every minute of it. I went to the twelve thirty showing this morning and didn't get home until after four-thirty. I suggest everyone go see it.
Chapter 20
Gabriella stood in the window of the living room, waiting for Troy to arrive. She bit her lip in anticipation, nervousness and excitement going through her. When she saw his car pull up in the driveway, she moved away from the window and went into the front closet to grab her shoes. The doorbell rung seconds later and she hastily pulled it open.
Troy grinned. "Someone's anxious."
"No," she said with a shake of her head. "Just nervous."
He chuckled and pulled her into his arms. "Everything will be okay." He lifted her chin with his fingers and kissed her lips softly.
She smiled. "I feel better already."
"Ready to go?"
She nodded. "Bye mom!" she called before closing the door behind her.
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Gabriella's nerves had grown by the time they reached his house. She didn't know why she was nervous. His mother seemed nice enough and she'd known his father for the past four years. Nerves should have been the last thing she was feeling, but it wasn't. Sensing her desperation, he took her hand and laced her fingers with his.
"There's nothing to be nervous about."
"I know. I just can't help it." He kissed her knuckles and she smiled gratefully.
"Mom! Dad!" Troy called as they walked through the front door.
"Your mother's in the kitchen," Jack said from the living room. He turned and looked at his son and his son's girlfriend, still not believing the couple was real. "I still don't know how you two happened since I remember you two making each other's lives a living hell."
"We, uh, worked things out," Gabriella said, shrugging.
He grinned. "I'm glad. I was getting tired of you two bickering all the time."
Lucille Bolton appeared from the kitchen and smiled at the two teenagers. "I'm so glad you could come," she said, holding out her hand to Gabriella.
"It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Bolton." Gabriella shook hands with the older woman and smiled.
"Please call me Lucille. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," she said before going back into the kitchen.
"Your mom's been cooking like a mad woman," Jack commented as he flipped through the channels on the television.
"I heard that!" Lucille called.
"You know it's true, dear."
"Keep making fun of me and you won't get anything to eat tonight."
Jack turned around, his eyes wide. "You wouldn't do that. You couldn't possibly starve your own husband."
Lucille walked back into the living room, hands on her hips. "I can. You know how to order a pizza don't you?"
"Yeah, but I like your cooking so much better."
"Then stop making fun of me."
"Okay. I'll stop."
She smiled and turned to Gabriella. "See. You gotta know how to make men submit. It's the only way to get them to listen."
Gabriella giggled lightly. "I'll keep that advice in mind."
"Should I be worried that my girlfriend is taking advice from my mom?" Troy asked.
"Yes, you should, son," Jack answered. "Yes, you should."
"Uh-oh. Um…we're gonna be in my room," he said before pulling Gabriella in the direction of his bedroom.
"Keep the door open," his mother said before going back in the kitchen.
"Kay." He pulled his girlfriend into his room and closed the door slightly.
"I thought she said to leave the door open," she said as she took a seat on his bed.
"It is open, just not all the way," he responded, walking towards her.
She grinned. "You always know how to find a way around everything, don't you?"
"Most of the time." He placed his hands on either side of her and leaned in close to her face. "Though I haven't gotten a chance to find my way around you."
She rolled her eyes, but still grinned. "You're such a pervert."
"I can't help it if it's the truth. Besides," he rubbed his nose against hers, "I would love to find my way around you."
"Really?" she asked, biting her lip in the process.
"Yeah."
"Well, you're gonna have to wait awhile."
"Oh? And why's that?"
"Because I don't plan on having that happen until after I'm married."
He backed away, standing up straight. "What?"
She giggled and stood up, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm kidding."
He looked into her eyes. "Are you really?"
"Yeah. I've thought about saving myself for marriage, but then I just decided to wait until I'm with the right person."
"And how would you know you're with the right person?" he asked, placing his hands on her waist.
She shrugged. "I'd just know."
"Hm." He kissed her softly. "Am I the right person?"
"It's too early to tell, but I think so."
He nodded and kissed her again. As the innocent kiss turned passionate, he wrapped his arms around her waist, placing one hand on her back. It wasn't long before that hand moved into her hair, grasping her dark locks between his fingers. He loved the feeling of her hair against his skin.
"Dinner's ready!"
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"So, Gabriella, what are your plans for college?" Lucille asked as she raised her fork to her mouth, a piece of chicken on the end.
"Um…well, I wanna go to a college on the East Coast, you know to get away from the desert sun, so I applied for Cambridge, Yale, NYU and a few others."
"Wow," Jack said before turning to Troy. "Looks like you've snagged you a smart one. She's a keeper. Better than those airheads you used to bring around."
"Jack," Lucille said sternly.
"What? It's true."
Troy chuckled nervously and Gabriella smiled softly, grabbing his knee and squeezing it, telling him it was okay. He smiled back and took her hand in his. One thing was for sure, his dad was right, she was a keeper.
"So have you heard from any of them?"
"Yeah. I've heard from Yale and Princeton."
"And?"
"I got into both of them."
Lucille squealed and Gabriella giggled, feeling like she was a part of the family. "If you got into all of them, which one would you chose?"
"Um…probably Yale."
"Why Yale?" Jack asked.
"Well, because I've always loved New York City, that's why I applied for NYU, but the campus is directly in the city and I don't want to be in the middle of everything. New Haven, where Yale is, is only an hour and a half outside of the city by train, so it would only make sense to choose it."
The three Bolton's nodded in agreement. Soon dinner was over and Lucille was cleaning off the table.
"Would you like some help, Mrs. Bolton?"
"Oh, no dear, you're the guest and please, call me Lucille." Gabriella nodded and smiled.
"Here, mom, I'll help you," Troy said before getting up and helping his mother clear off the table.
"Thank you, Troy."
When the two disappeared into the kitchen, Jack turned to Gabriella. "I don't know if you know this, but you've changed him."
Gabriella quirked an eyebrow. "I have?"
He nodded. "Very much so. He's gotten better in school, he's stepped up his game in basketball. He's like a whole new person. And I just have to thank you for that."
She smiled softly. "You're welcome, Coach Bolton."
He chuckled before standing up. "In my house, you can just call me Jack."
"Alright, Jack." He sent her smile that screamed 'Troy' before disappearing into the living room. Now she knew where Troy got his looks from. Just looking at Jack Bolton, Gabriella could see the similarities between the father and son.
"Where did my husband get to?" Lucille asked as she and Troy walked back into the room.
"Living room," she said plainly as Troy retook his place beside her and grasped her hand.
Lucille sighed. "Jack Bolton if you do not pull yourself away from that television I will do it for you."
"Aw, honey, come on. The game's on."
"You do realize that it's an old game?"
"Of course."
Gabriella laughed quietly. She never had a chance to experience this kind of interaction between her parents. Her father had walked out on her and her mother when Gabriella was a baby and she never knew who he was. Pictures were the only way she knew what he looked like.
"Anyway. Who's up for desert?"
"I am!" Jack called.
"You're not getting any."
"Why not?"
"Because you won't stop watching the damn television."
"Aw. Come on. Please."
"No." She turned her attention to the two teens.
Troy looked at Gabriella and she shook her head slightly. "Uh, no thanks, ma."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Gabriella said. "It's getting late anyway. I better get home." She stood up, Troy following suit.
"Alright. It was nice having you here," Lucille said, wrapping her arms around the petite brunette.
"It was nice being here, Lucille."
Pulling back, the mother of Gabriella's boyfriend smile warmly. "I'm glad Troy finally found a girl like you."
Gabriella blushed slightly. "Um. Thank you, I think."
Lucille laughed and gave Gabriella another hug before letting them leave.
"Bye, Jack," Gabriella said as they passed by the living room.
"See you at school, Gabriella."
Troy took Gabriella's hand and led her out the door.
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"So, you call my dad 'Jack' now?" Troy asked as they walked towards her house. It was a nice evening, not too hot, not too cold, so Troy decided to walk her home.
"He said I could, so yeah."
He smiled. "I'm sorry about my mom. Ever since that day she walked in on us making out, she's been talking about you non-stop."
"She has?"
"Yeah. She thinks I've finally come to my senses and chosen a girl that is good for me."
"Well, haven't you?" she asked with a smile.
He nodded and looked at her. "I have." He stopped and pulled her to him, placing his hand on the base of her head where her neck begins. "And I'm glad I did."
She smiled softly and placed her hand on his. He leaned in and kissed her. He could never tire of kissing her because every time he did, he could feel this jolt of electricity shoot through him. He loved the feeling she brought him, the warmth that spread over him whenever they touched.
He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers and rubbing the tip of their noses together. "I love you."
She grinned. "I love you, too."
He kissed her once more before they continued their walk to her house.
When they reached her front door, Troy grabbed her hips and pulled them to his. He captured her lips in a soft kiss, caressing her mouth with his. Seconds, that felt like minutes, later, he pulled back and looked into her mocha eyes.
"Does my princess wish for her chariot to drive her to school in the morning?" he asked and watched her mouth curve into a small smile.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "She does, but only if her prince promises her another kiss." He smiled and pecked her lips. "That is not the kiss I was asking for."
He chuckled before leaning in once more, placing a more passionate embrace on her lips. "Does that please my princess?"
"It does, very much."
"Well, then…goodnight, my love."
She ran her hand through his hair. "Goodnight," she said softly.
He removed himself from her arms and she watched as he walked back the path, her eyes staying on him until she could no longer see him. With a small smile, she walked into her house, thinking of him and only him.
A/N: I used Yale for a reason and that's because Yale is the university that Sam attends in Transformers. I call it my own personal tribute. lol. Next chapter will be the dinner date with Gabriella's mom.