Under & Over

21. Hangovers Are a Bitch

Troy gulped painfully as he slowly opened his eyes to darkness, thanking god for it, but then cursing as he realized a pillow was the only thing blocking his eyes from the sun light. He groaned as the bright light snuck in through the corner of his shield and he pressed it tighter to his eyes immediately. Troy jumped as the pillow was pulled rapidly away from him, moaning painfully and reaching over to grab another pillow, only to find that there weren't any left on the bed, except for the one that lay under his head.

"YOU JERK." She yelled, causing Troy to first widen his eyes and then clench them shut tightly, grabbing his head painfully.

"Wha…Gabriella? Are you insane!" He said, his voice raspy.

Gabriella was standing over him, all of the pillows on the bed in a pile at her feet. "Am I insane? DON'T YOU GO THERE TROY."

He writhed and turned onto his stomach, placing his head into the only pillow he had. "Please stop yelling." He mumbled.

Gabriella scoffed. "You don't get anything from me, so don't even try it. I will yell if I want to yell!" Troy cringed. "I deserve to yell, Troy! Do you have any fucking idea what you put me through last night?"

Troy's eyes widened into the pillow, recalling the previous night's events. Shit. He thought. He remembered everything up to the part where he yelled at Gabriella to go away, and then everything else was a blur. He had screwed up again, after promising not to. Troy dropped back onto the pillow, this time groaning not about his headache but at how bad he messed up again. I mean, how the hell was he going to make it up to her? Show her that he was dependable? Troy was screwed.

He lifted his head only to regret it after, placing a hand on his forehead and sitting up in bed. "Gabs, can you please get me some Advil?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

Troy sighed at her stubborn stance and looked at her pathetically. "Please Gabriella." He said desperately.

Her stance loosened at his pained expression and she reluctantly went to the bathroom and came back out with 2 Advil pills and some water.

"Thank you." He mumbled, dropping them into his mouth and chugging down his water. He glanced back at the windows and groaned. "Shit…Gabs, why are the blinds open all the way?"

Gabriella smirked. "Because I opened them."

Troy frowned. He couldn't blame her, he deserved it. "Look Gabriella…I don't know how I can even begin to-"

Gabriella put a hand up to stop him. "You know what Troy, just save it."

He looked down and shook his head. "I'm sorry."

She scoffed. "You're sorry? Yeah, whatever."

He looked up to talk but was stopped again.

"Look Troy, you have screwed up before, but this time, god…it was like I didn't even know you. You…you left me when you promised not to, you got fucking wasted for god's sake, and I had to take care of you even after what you did to me." She looked off into the distance. "Jesus Troy, I just don't get it…" She looked down at him with a hurt expression. "Do you want to push me away?"

Troy's eyes widened and he jumped to his feet, ignoring the pulse pounding headache that got even worse as he did so. "Gabriella…please, baby, of course not." He placed both his hands on her face and made it impossible for her to look anywhere else. "I do stupid stuff cause I'm a stupid guy sometimes. I wish that I could take last night back, I do. I love you so much and I never want to do that to you again, I won't I promise. I'll do whatever you want me to do, just don't…just don't do what I deserve. Please. Please."

Gabriella sighed and removed his hands. She sat on the bed and stared in front of her. "I'm not going to break up with you Troy…"

At her words he nearly jumped up and punched his fists in the air. Troy bit his lip to suppress his thrill and sat down beside her, kissing her hair, neck, and cheek. "Thank god." He breathed. He grinned cheekily at how his behavior last night did no harm and he looked down, before doing a double take. He smirked after realizing he was only in his boxers. "Did you change my clothes?"

Gabriella glanced over with a neutral expression, still in deep thought. "Oh, yeah."

He smiled. "Thanks for everything, for getting me out of there. Gosh, this place makes me do crazy stuff. Oh and what about our parents, coming in did we make any noise, and yeah where did you go when we got into that fight-"

"Troy." Gabriella said, stopping his babbling.

Troy looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

She hated how he looked happy, how he thought he was free to go. "Troy, you aren't off the hook alright?"

He frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"

She gave him a pointed expression, in disbelief that he thought he could get off so easily. "Troy, you left me, you told me to leave, you participated in a chugging contest, almost accepted drugs, had a half naked girl pressed up against you, oh and not to mention you made me practically carry you home, get you undressed while you were unconscious-which is extremely difficult I do say so myself-and lastly, I had to go find a market to go buy some Advil, knowing you'd need it in the morning. You are definitely not off the hook."

Troy gulped at her hard expression. He looked at her with puzzlement as her expression turned solemn and she stood up.

"Troy…I keep giving you second chances because I love you…" She sighed. "But lately you just seem to take it for granted, like you expect me to wait around and take you back while you screw me over."

He looked down shamefully and placed his head in his hands. "I know..." He said quietly, staring down at the floor. "I'm so sorry Gabriella."

Gabriella looked away, blinking back the tears that formed in her eyes. She gritted her teeth, feeling angry that she was getting weak when this was not the time to be exactly that. "Troy…I don't want this anymore, I want the old us, not the relationship that falls apart in the end."

Troy's head snapped up and he quickly stood, staring at the back of her head.

"I'm not breaking up with you…but I think right now, we just need some time apart. You need to get your priorities straight."

Troy opened his mouth but no words came out.

"Just…just call me when the old Troy comes back…because he's the one that I fell in love with, but he doesn't seem to be around much lately." Without turning around, refusing to show him her face that had now turned red, she walked out of the hotel room, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it, reciting the same line in her head. He's a jerk…I don't need him…he's a jerk…I don't need him…

Why…" She thought. "…Can't I convince myself?"

…

After Gabriella had left, Troy had quickly taken a shower, that only slightly made him feel better, and changed into khaki shorts and a navy blue t-shirt. Even though the blinds were still closed his eyes still burned from what light couldn't be avoided so he quickly retrieved his aviators to shield his eyes, placing his damp hair in a dark gray beanie and heading out the door. He stood in front of the parents room door for what seemed like forever, knowing Gabriella was in there but not knowing if he should knock for he had no idea what he would say to her if he did. He knew he couldn't convince her that he wanted to change himself for her, so the only way to get her to believe in him again was if he took action, not used words.

So after standing in front of the door, knowing his and her parents had gone out for breakfast, he decided to just give Gabriella some time and head out to talk to Eric and the gang. He had some explaining to do.

…

Troy walked with his hands in his pockets down the plaza sidewalk, his headache much better now that the Advil had started to kick in. He glanced through the window of Pete's and took a deep breath as he entered the small diner.

"Troy!" Riley greeted as soon as she spotted him making his way over.

Eric turned around and a huge grin was present on his face as he walked over to slap him on the back in greeting. "My man, what happened to you last night? I don't remember anything!" Eric said as if it were a good thing.

Troy scratched the back of his head as he was led over to the rest of the gang who were seated around a booth, Riley standing by to take their orders and talk. "Er…I don't even know dude. It was a long night." He replied quietly.

Eric took his seat at the end of the booth, gesturing towards the seat across from him. "Come on brah, take a seat and join us."

Troy shook his head. "Uh, no thanks. I think I'll just stand. I can't stay long anyway."

Riley noticed Troy's distraught demeanor and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Hey, are you okay? I mean hangovers can be a bitch."

Troy nodded and glanced between his friends. "I'm fine…it's just uh…"

Riley furrowed her eyebrows and leant in close to whisper. "Is this about Gabriella?"

Troy spun his head towards her and raised an eyebrow. "Gabriella?"

She nodded. "Gabriella came in pretty late last night and seemed pretty troubled…troubled about you." Riley gave Troy a disappointed glare. "You shouldn't have done that to her."

Troy looked down and clenched his eyes shut behind his sunglasses. "I know." He took them off and cringed at the light but ignored it as he placed his aviators on his collar and sighed, knowing what he needed to do.

"Eric, Paul, guys…"

Eric looked at Troy with a puzzled expression. "What is it man?"

Paul tilted his head with curiosity. "Having troubles?"

Troy glanced at Riley, having a feeling that she knew what he was about to do. She nodded in encouragement for him to go on.

Troy gulped before taking a calming breath. "I can't keep doing this shit guys. I just can't."

Eric looked at him with confusion. "What are you talking ab-"

"Look dude, just let me finish okay?" Troy sighed as Eric nodded slowly. "In Albuquerque I play basketball, I get okay grades…I'm a good kid, people respected me because I was a good guy, and Gabriella…well she looked at me differently than she does now, and I need that to change."

Troy ran a stressed hand down his face. "Every time I would come down here for the summer when I was a kid, I really would love hanging out with you guys, partying-well dreaming of when we'd get to party- and just doing whatever we wanted. But now that we're old enough to actually do that stuff…well it's just not me anymore. I stopped coming here for lots of legit reasons, but in the back of my mind I always knew one of them was that I just…I just like who I am when I'm at home. I can be myself."

All the guys looked at Troy with hard, still confused expressions. "Look guys…the first time I came here for vacation as a kid I had no idea that I'd make such good friends, but I did, and still love hanging out with you guys…but I won't do it if that involves Vince's parties, getting dead wasted, and hooking up with random chicks. You guys go ahead, I'm not going to stop you, but I'm stopping myself…because well, I love basketball, I love having goals, wanting to get somewhere, having people respect my decisions, and I love Gabriella. But you see, Gabriella doesn't love what I was yesterday…the shitless drunk, deadbeat boyfriend. So I gotta stop. And I'm hoping you guys will respect that."

Troy looked at everyone expectantly, waiting for someone to say something. He sighed when the guys just looked anywhere but him with blank expressions. He turned to Riley as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Troy…I never would've had the guts to do what you just did. I think what you just did was pretty much the bravest thing a guy could ever do, and I think what you're saying is just amazing, Gabriella is a lucky girl."

Troy looked down. "Yeah, well she doesn't think so right now."

"She'll come around…everything will be okay." Riley said reassuringly.

He sighed. "Ri…I was the lucky one, I had everything. Little by little I keep fucking everything up and I'm just done. Gabriella deserves the best and I'm going to give that to her."

Riley grinned. "I wish I had a guy like you." Eric slowly glanced at Riley, frowning at her statement, not going unnoticed by Troy.

"Well you will Ri, some lucky guy is going to realize one day that he's got to be better for you, because you deserve it too." He nonchalantly glanced at Eric who had his face down towards the table counter.

"Well I have to get back. I'll stop by later." Troy turned for the door.

Riley nodded. "Okay…oh, and Troy?"

He turned his head around. "Hm?"

"I really do respect what you just did." She whispered, smiling softly at him.

Troy smiled. "Thanks." And with that he left, a small ding being heard as he opened the door and left.

Riley turned back to the guys all seated around the booth with neutral expressions on their faces. "Well?"

Paul looked up with an angry expression. "Well what?" He spat.

Eric growled quietly. "Don't snap at her like that."

Paul scoffed. "She's the one defending the enemy."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Wow, now Troy's the enemy?"

"Hell yeah he is." Paul said, hitting his fist against the table. "Did you hear what he just said to us? He pretty much called us low life scum."

Eric sighed. "Yeah, well he helped us, you just don't see it."

Henry spoke up quietly, almost inaudibly. "How did he help us?"

Eric looked up at Riley. "Well, I don't know about you guys but…he gave me one hell of a reality check."

…

Troy ran a hand down his face and sighed, slipping the key card through the slot and pushing the door open. He furrowed his eyebrows as he found Gabriella sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Hi." He said with a smile, happy that she was back.

Gabriella glanced over at him with a neutral expression and continued to place her attention on the movie playing in front of her. "Hi."

"I didn't think you'd be back…" He said, taking slow steps towards her.

She sighed and did not look up. "Well, this is kinda my room too."

Troy gulped. "Right, I just didn't-"

"Troy. Our parents got back and I didn't want to tell them about our…fight, so I just made up a story as to why I was in there room and came back here."

"Oh." Troy said nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

Then as if someone had answered his prayers, his phone started ringing, saving him from this awkward conversation. "Hello?"

"Honey, it's me."

"Oh, hey mom, what's up?"

"I just wanted to tell you to meet us downstairs in the hotel lobby because we're going out for dinner tonight. And of course, bring Gabriella. Wear something presentable, this restaurant is supposed to be nice."

Troy glanced over at Gabriella and sighed. "Okay, what time?"

"Well we just got back and we're getting dressed so in about twenty minutes?"

"Yeah okay, we'll be there."

"Alright, see you later sweetheart, bye."

"Bye mom." Troy placed his phone on the table and coughed to get Gabriella's attention. "Uhm, that was my mom, she said for us to meet them down in the hotel lobby in twenty minutes, and to wear something nice cause we're going out for dinner."

Gabriella nodded and turned off the TV, walking past him as if he weren't there and disappearing into the bathroom.

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair, sitting on the bed and placing his head in his hands.

…

The whole elevator ride down to the lobby was excruciatingly painful for the both of them…

"Uh…" Troy muttered, scratching the back of his head. "You look…nice, really uh-beautiful, nice."

Gabriella turned to him with furrowed eyebrows and couldn't help but snicker, biting her lip to suppress her laughter at his odd behavior. "Thanks."

Troy gritted his teeth and mentally punched himself. Get it together Bolton…

Gabriella was wearing a nicely fitting little black dress and her hair was in a formal, yet loose braid down her side. Troy just wore dark jeans and a white v-neck, a light blue unbuttoned dress shirt over it.

"You look nice too, Troy." Gabriella said quietly, looking around the elevator. "Oh thank god…" She muttered under her breathe as the doors opened and their parents were shown through the doors waiting for them.

Troy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Shit." He hissed, walking out after Gabriella.

"Gabby! Well don't you look lovely!" Lucille greeted, hugging her daughter-like figure.

Gabriella smiled. "Thanks Lucille, you look beautiful as well. I love your dress." As the two women walked towards the hotels revolving doors to their awaiting car that Jack was waiting in Maria raised an eyebrow and walked beside Troy.

"Everything alright honey?" She asked, concerned for the boy that she had grew to love like her own.

Troy shook himself out of his own little world and looked at Maria nervously. "Uh, yeah, yeah. Why wouldn't it be? Everything's fine, just dandy, fine, awesome, uh…yeah."

Maria smirked and tilted her head to the side. "Mhm…what did you do?" She asked knowingly.

Troy sighed, defeated. "I messed up Maria. Again."

"From one to ten, how bad did you mess up?" She asked, nervous to hear the answer.

Troy sighed. "If there were an eleven than I'd hit the spot."

Maria's eyes widened. "Troy Alexander Bolton, I love you, I do, but if you hurt my daughter using another woman I swear I will-"

Troy's eyes widened and he stopped in his tracks, raising his hands in defense. "No! Oh god no. It's not anything like that. I didn't cheat on her."

Maria looked at him questionably before loosening her stance and sighing with relief. "Thank god, I was afraid there for a second."

Troy shook his head and continued to walk with Maria towards the car. "It's just…I seem to take her for granted, and I don't always treat her like I should. I mean…Gabriella, she's special, and I've never loved anyone like I love her, but…I'm just stupid, I don't treat her like I feel about her-I-gosh this doesn't make any sense does it?"

Maria smiled wisely and looked up at Troy with knowing eyes. "Oh sweetheart, I understand. You mean that you treat her like you don't care when really, you care more than she knows."

Troy smiled sadly and nodded. "Exactly."

Maria shook her head and paused in front of the car, offering one more piece of advice before they accompanied everyone else. "Troy, if there's one thing I've learned as a mother and a wife, it's that sometimes we don't show people how we really feel, and sometimes it's not always our fault. You may not understand but my marriage, one that Gabriella cannot even recall for she was too young, it was a relationship and a bond that I will never forget. Greg, my late husband, he was the kindest most caring human being I have ever known, and I see him in Gabriella every day. So what I can tell you right now is, don't be afraid to open yourself, to share yourself with someone, and don't be afraid of what others are doing and thinking because in the end all that matters is what you have, and what you lost. So don't make the mistake of not showing someone that you love them, for at any time they may just leave you and they'll never know. Show her, care for her, and I know she'll get your message."

Troy smiled kindly and hugged Maria tightly, needing her advice more than she knew.

"And Troy," Maria sighed. "Gabriella, she's fragile. She was never one to open herself to others, and the way she is with you…I just know in my heart that you both are soul mates. You look at each other the way that your mother and father look at each other. It astounds me, and honestly, it sometimes even scares me, but I know that you two just click and you make my baby happy, so if you're trying to work it out, just try harder, and don't think fighting means you have a bad relationship, because it wouldn't be a relationship without bumps in the road."

Troy nodded, taking it all in. "Thank you, Maria."

The widowed mother nodded with a gentle smile before disappearing into the car. Troy stared off into the distance, replaying her words in his head. He smiled at them and glanced at the car, knowing his Gabriella was somewhere inside of it. Yes, they were having a rough patch right now, and it was a pretty big bump in the road…

He just had to try harder.

Please review for next chapter. I have an exciting event planned for it. Mwahhahahah! (:

Oh. P.S. Sorry that this chapter is late, I needed it to be perfect, and I'm still not 100 % confident but I couldn't keep it away from you guys for much longer, I hope you enjoyed!