Lessons in Love
Chapter 21
When I woke up this morning, I expected everything to go smoothly. I'd wake up, go to school, and come home to get ready for the dance, easy right? Of course for me, things are never easy.
I woke up late for school, and had no time to eat. I ended up walking, since Troy and Ricky were already gone, and I couldn't reach Taylor for a ride. I narrowly escaped a detention because the security guard took pity on me.
It's lunchtime now. I'm too tired to eat. I'm at the table, half listening to Kelsi, half counting the floor tiles. Troy walks by me and winks. I can't help but smile. Despite how shitty today had been, it can only get better. A few minutes pass before Troy gets up. He walks by and gives me a subtle nod. "You know Kels, I have to pee." I say standing.
"Oh, I'll go with you!" Taylor jumps up.
"No!" Kelsi and I yell in unison.
"It's just that..." Think Gabriella! Say something, anything! "I have the runs!" Oh my god, don't say that!
"Yeah, and you don't want to smell that." Kelsi plays along and we both watch Taylor's face scrunch in disgust.
"Gross." She sits back down. "Hope it clears up by the dance." I smile nervously and make my exit. I'm going to have to tell her. My excuses are getting more and more ridiculous. Lying is not something I'm good at.
"Been waiting' on you to get here." Troy smiles as I reach the top of the stairs.
"I took the scenic route." He shook his head and pulls me into him. Troy's lips being pressed against mine is the best feeling in the world. I forget everything that happened this morning because his kiss makes it seem a million miles away. It's short and sweet, but still special.
"I've missed you." He whispers, though we're alone. His forehead rests on mine and we stare into each other's eyes. We've barely seen each other at all this week. I was doing last minute shopping, and he was out with Chad making preparations. Our friends had taken up the hours we usually get to spend together. Our Thursday lessons are canceled due to my parents splitting up. "How is it possible to miss someone that is so close? I see you every day in class, but I still miss you."
"I missed you too. We haven't seen much of each other, outside of human behavior and your dad's basketball drills."
"I feel like I just got you back and I had to let you go again." My heart aches a little. Part of it because my anger towards him was unjustified, and I never should've given him the cold shoulder. Well, it's all because of that.
"You don't have to let me go." I reach up and take his face in my hands. "In fact, I think I'd like to stay right here." As I place my lips on his, I feel his grip on my waist tighten. He slides his tongue into my mouth and our kiss deepens. I sigh, realizing just how much I've missed being close to Troy in this way. I need more. I walk him back toward the bench and sit him down. I climb on to him, straddling his waist, and kissing him rougher. My hands travel down the front of his shirt and caress the taught skin underneath. Troy moans and his fingers dig into my skin. He releases my lips as he begins to trail kisses down to my collarbone. I grind on his thigh, gasping at the friction it creates.
Troy positions me directly on his throbbing erection. "Do it again." I grind on him, harder this time, and he moans in pleasure.
I smile as he pulls down my t-shirt and nibbles on the flesh of my breast. This feels amazing, but it's not quite close enough. I bring my mouth closer to Troy's ear. With a quick kiss I whisper, "I'm ready." Troy freezes. Not quite the reaction I imagined. He pulls back and stares at me. I try my best to look normal, and not freaked out by him.
"What did you say?" He asks.
"I'm ready." I repeat myself, looking away. I start fiddling with my fingers.
"Gabriella-"
"If you're going to try to tell me I'm not, you can stop now."
"If you can't even look me in the eyes to say it, how can I believe that?" I look up at him, right into his beautiful, crystal blue eyes.
"I'm ready, Troy."
He sighs, "Brie-"
"Troy, I love doing this with you, it's amazing and it feels amazing. But, I want more. I want to be closer to you, to feel more with you. I want you." I kiss him softly. "I'm ready." Troy doesn't look convinced but he kisses me back.
"It's definitely not happening now."
"Of course not." I laugh, but get serious quick. "Maybe tonight? After the dance?"
"How cliché is that?" Troy's trying to make a joke, but I'm serious.
"I'm not really bothered by that, I just want to be with you."
"Brie, just think about this, okay? Sex is a big deal, it changes things. You shouldn't rush it."
"If it's such a big deal, why do you sleep around? You didn't seem to care much about it then." The words left my mouth before I could stop them. Troy tenses, he doesn't look at me, but he slides me off his lap. It was an incredibly stupid thing to say. I know Troy feels differently about me, but the frustration of him not agreeing is getting to me. "I didn't mean that."
"My past has nothing to do with you. Sex is a big deal; some people wait their entire lives because it is that important. I'm not the best example, but this won't be just sex. You'll never forget the first time." Troy looks at me, and it clicks. The anger I expected to see is replaced by fear. He's scared, nervous. He's unsure if he's the one. I know he is. I open my mouth to tell him, but the bell cuts me off. Troy kisses me, "I'll see you tonight." I watch him rush down the stairs to class. If Troy can't figure out for himself that he's the one I want, I'll just have to show him.
"Gabi, stop fidgeting!" My mom laughs as she applies the last bit of mascara. "I don't want to mess this up. The boys will be here any minute." She smiles, and it's infectious. I haven't seen my mother this happy in a long time. "You look gorgeous, baby." She finishes, and holds a mirror in front of me.
My make-up is light; mom went with earthy tones to match my golden dress. I've never seen my lashes this long before. My lips are glossed, and my jewelry is perfectly in place. The doorbell sounds and my mother gasps. "They're here!" She squeals and runs down to the front door. I grab my purse and check my face again. I straighten out my dress, making sure that the lacey strapless bra and matching panties are perfectly covered. I know Troy didn't agree on sex tonight, but that doesn't mean something else won't happen. "Oh Gabriella," My mother calls up to me. "Your date is here."
I make my way down the stairs, praying I don't fall. I keep my eyes on my feet, wrapped up in the tricky gold heels, and take each step slowly. It's only Travis, but I'd rather not make a fool of myself. I reach the bottom and let out a sigh of relief. I look up, and my date isn't there, but I'm definitely not complaining about the replacement. "Troy." I breathe his name and look into his eyes.
"You look beautiful, Gabriella." He compliments me as he raises my hand to his mouth. He kisses it gently and I'm shocked.
"You're my date?"
"Unfortunately, no. Travis had to run back to the car." The smirk on his face tells me that it wasn't an accident. "He did, however, leave me with your corsage." I look down at it and see a beautiful orchid corsage the exact same color as my dress and a boutonnière to match. "May I?" I don't need to say yes, Troy already knows the answer. He reaches down and fastens the corsage tightly on my wrist. I smile at him. He keeps his eyes on me as I pin the boutonnière to his tux, praying I don't stick him in the process.
"Perfect." I say, leaning in for my kiss. A camera flashes, halting me from moving any further.
"I'm sorry!" Mom laughs, completely unapologetic. "I couldn't resist. You two just look absolutely amazing together."
"It's all Gabriella." Troy says. He squeezes my hand and lets it go. I'll have to get my kiss later.
"Hey Troy, I found your corsage. It was in the trunk…" Travis trails off when he notices the flower on my wrist. He clears his throat and hands the box to Troy. "You look beautiful, Gabriella." His words are sweet and I know they're sincere, but it doesn't sound the same. I smile at him anyway. Mom gestures for us to pose. I take a few pictures with Travis, Ricky, and mom insists that I pose with Troy. She puts us in classic couple poses, and I'm grinning like a fool the entire time. She takes one last picture with all four of us before we all pile into the limo. I notice Travis drop something in the trash, but I don't think anything of it.
We pick up Taylor and Chad right after leaving my house. Her house is only a few blocks away. She and I gush about how beautiful we both look while Chad starts going over a few extra details with Ricky. Kelsi and Jason got their own limo, so we skip her house and go get Ricky's date Shelley. Now, I used to think Shelley Masterson was a mini Sharpay Evans in the making. I was wrong. She was skinny and blonde, but incredibly quiet. She smiled and greeted me and Taylor, but she spoke only to Ricky.
We pull up in front of a big, almost mansion sized, house. Troy rolls his eyes and gets out with the box from earlier. Right, Sharpay. How could I forget that she'd be coming with us? She is Troy's date. No, that's not right. Troy is her escort, and that's all. "Brace yourselves," Chad says, "Ice Queen is going to flip a shit."
"Why?" Shelley looks afraid when she asks.
"Sharpay has been going on and on about how she wants Troy to behave like a proper date, and I'm willing to bet that ain't happening." Chad's eyes meet mine, and if I didn't know any better, I'd swear he knew everything. "She tends to be a bit over dramatic." We all sit quietly, waiting for whatever drama is about to climb in the limo with us. A few minutes later, we hear her voice, non stop talking, muffled by the closed door.
It opens, and they enter quietly. Troy's veins are visible and his jaw is clenched tightly. She's been grating his nerves and it's only been ten minutes. "Beautiful dress, Sharpay." Shelley compliments her, probably because they're both on the cheerleading squad.
"Why thank you, Shelley." Her voice so thick with enthusiasm, I almost think it's fake. "Of course, it would've been better had I gotten the correct corsage to go with it." She looks pointedly at Troy, but he just keeps looking out the window. "I mean, is it that hard to get an orchid corsage?" She looks over to me. "God, even Montez has one." I can't even describe the disgust in her voice when she says that. It's like she doesn't believe I'm worthy of it.
"Looks better on her." Troy says, and lays his head back against the seat and closes his eyes.
"Her date was smart enough to get that instead of a cheap rose and he's not even getting laid tonight." I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I know Troy isn't going home with her, but it still stings to hear her say that.
"That's enough Sharpay." She closes her mouth when she hears Troy. Shapay's eyes meet mine, but I look away. The ride from her house to the school isn't very long.
We arrive a few minutes later. The dance is held in the gym, but of course East High does everything over the top. With all the lights and tables, I hardly recognize the place. It is beautiful though, I have to admit it. We all decide to sit together, and we're joined by Sharpay's brother Ryan and Kelsi. I watch Troy do everything he's supposed to, pulling out her Sharpay's chair, getting her a drink, making small talk. It was everything Travis was doing for me, but I'm still jealous. No one is looking at them like they don't belong together. It makes me wonder what tonight would be like if I'd agreed to go with Troy.
Taylor and Kelsi drag me out to the dance floor when the Cha-cha-slide comes on. We laugh and follow the directions that are being shouted in the song. Sharpay hasn't moved all night, but Troy and the rest of the guys are all gathered around the edge of the gym. I see Shelley sitting alone, not really doing anything. "One second," I tell the girls and head in her direction. Shelley looks up at me as I approach. "I know Ricky's your date, but he's not going to move until something manlier comes on." She laughs and I hold my hand out to her.
"Thanks." Shelley answers. Her voice is quiet and sweet. We walk back to the girls and they cheer when they see us. We're not the best dancers and we're not sexy by any definition, but she fits in with us perfectly.
A few songs later, the guys finally come join us. Travis dances closely, but keeps his distance, and I suspect that has something to do with Troy. Cobra Starship's "Good Girls Go Bad" comes on, and he excuses himself to get a drink. I see Troy making his way over to me, and I bite my lip, hoping he'll steal a dance. "Very sexy hips, Miss Montez. I can't wait to see what else they can do tonight." He whispers as he comes up behind me. His breath on my neck sends chills up my spine. Does he mean we're actually going through with it?
"I'm glad you're enjoying it." I smile. Troy kisses my shoulder blade softly.
"You be sure to save me a slow dance." I nod and he walks away. No one noticed our little interaction, and I'm grateful. I go back to dancing. We rest briefly, and snack on some of the refreshment laid out for us. The first slow song of the night comes on, and the guys seek us out. Travis takes my hand sweetly and leads me back to the dance floor. I subtly try to look for Troy. I spot him talking to Sharpay.
"Are you having a good time?" Travis' eyes are gazing down into mine.
"I am. Everything is perfect, right down to the corsage." I smile up at him, and his expression falters.
"I'm glad you like it." I look over his shoulder and catch Troy dancing with Sharpay. They're a safe distance apart, which irks her and pleases me. Our eyes meet and a stupid grin covers my face. "Gabriella?"
"Hm?" I answer, snapping my attention back to the boy in front of me.
"Did you hear anything I said?"
"I'm sorry." I say, and duck my face into his shoulder. I'm embarrassed. Here is Travis, being the world's best date, and I'm being incredibly rude and not paying attention to him. "I'm sorry. I'm just…"
"Distracted?" He supplies me with the words. "I get it. You want to be with him but you can't. At the same time, you want to make sure Sharpay isn't having too much fun with him."
"Exactly." I smile up at him. "Thank you for understanding."
"Well, don't worry, he was the one to pick out your corsage. Trust me, he's thinking of you, not her." My mouth falls open and I look at Travis in shock. He just laughs and nods his head. That explains the box he threw away. Troy picked it out for me. The song ends and I see Troy making his way toward me. My heart speeds up. Troy takes a few steps, and I see Ricky rush up to him and lead him toward the punch. A faster song plays, but the two of them are still talking. Travis and I keep dancing. I laugh with him, but it doesn't do much to distract me from Troy. He and my brother are watching me and Travis. Troy looks at my brother seriously as another song fades out. Oh my God. Did he just tell him we were together?
"Gabriella?" Travis calls, waving a hand in my face. I hadn't noticed that I stopped dancing.
"Fine." I say, forcing a smile.
"Can I cut in?" Troy says, but by the tone of his voice, I know he's not really asking. Another slow song comes on. Travis nods and leaves us together. Troy takes my hand in his and places the other on my waist.
"Hi," I smile at him. I want to be closer, but he's probably keeping the distance for a good reason. I'm guessing things didn't go well with Ricky. "You have no idea how much I've wanted you to come and interrupt."
"Did you now?" Troy quirks an eyebrow. I look up at him and smile.
"Yeah," I laugh, "Travis is great, but you're the one I want to be with." Troy scoffs and shakes his head.
"Why? So you can compare us?"
"What are you talking about?" There is no comparison.
"You've already been with him, so you want to try me out?" I stare at him, utterly confused. What is he talking about? "Tell me Gabriella, was I a good teacher? Did you come for him like you did for me?" I drop his hands and take a step back. I felt like I'd been slapped. He wasn't telling Ricky about us. Ricky was telling him about me and Travis.
"Troy-"
"So it's true." He shakes his head and stalks toward the exit. I run after him, outside of the dance, kicking my heels off in the process.
"No, Troy it's not what you think!"
"Yeah?" He keeps walking, "Well, what is it?"
"Will you wait?" I pant, "Just listen?"
"It doesn't matter, Gabriella!" His voice booms as he turns to face me. I stop short in front of him. My heart pounding in my chest, Troy has never yelled at me before. Just hearing his voice this loud brings tears to my eyes. "It doesn't fucking matter. Do you know why?" I let a sob out as he yells louder and gets closer. "Do you know why, Gabriella?" His voice, octaves lower, but still menacing. "You broke the biggest rule. We were exclusive. It doesn't matter when it was or why, because we promised not to be with anyone but each other."
"But Troy-"
"Just shut up!" He yells, running his hands through his hair, griping it like he's going to pull it out. I cry harder at the sight. "God, I let you make such a fool of me. You ignored me and I still went after you, you let me do all of this shit for you, your fucking birthday, that goddamn corsage. This whole time, you had me thinking this was something real again."
"It is real! I swear to you, it meant nothing!"
"That's the thing, Gabriella. It always means something. Maybe not to you or to him, but it sure as fuck means something to me."
"Gabs?" Travis calls, coming closer. Not now, now is definitely not the time.
"I'm fine Travis, just-"
"You're crying" He comes closer and wipes a tear from my cheek.
"How sweet." Troy comments, and the tears start to fall again. It only takes Travis a second.
"She told you." He says. Troy stops, his eyes flicker from me to Travis.
"No, but she apparently told you." He shakes his head. "You knew she was with me and you still went for it? I can't say I blame you. For a virgin, she sure can juggle two guys well, can't she?" Another verbal slap. Troy's sarcastic laugh sounds.
"It's not like that. You fucked up and-" Travis steps around me, closer to Troy.
"Oh, I fucked up? Oh, right, because I apparently fucked Sharpay." Troy steps closer. The two of them are only a few inches apart, and I can't feel my legs. I hear Chad call for Troy, but I don't look away.
"I believe you did." Travis shrugs like its nothing. Troy nods. A split second later, his fist connects with Travis' nose. I hear the sickening crunch of bone, and watch the blood fly.
"Travis!" I yell, and go to help him. Troy exhales, and shakes his head at us.
"You know what? I think I might just go fuck Sharpay tonight." He sneers and walks back to where people have gathered. I watch him grab her hand and drag her off back to the limo. It pulls away and leaves me and Travis in the parking lot.
"I'm so sorry." I say.
"It's not your fault." He holds his nose. But I know it is. I should've told him, and avoided all of this.
Of course I shouldn't have expected this day to end any better than it started.
An- Surprise! I've been getting many new favorites and alerts for this story. I know you guys have been waiting a while for this so I made it a bit longer than usual. I'm dying to know what you think about this chapter and what's to come! Also, what do you guys think about a sequel? Or maybe another new story? Let me know! Please, please, please check out my other writer profile and story, the link is in my profile. I desperately need you guys over there! As usual, Questions, Comments, Suggestions? You know what to do!
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