June 17, 2014

Troy laid on his hotel bed after the meeting with his coach and his new manager. He was feeling a little stressed out and over whelmed. All he wanted to do was go home, he wanted to see his son and Gabriella. He had a stack of papers a mile high to look through and sign. The paper on top stood out the most. It was his new schedule.

He was going to be very busy for the next part of the year. Training then traveling and games, then maybe playoffs. Taylor and Chad's wedding. He already wasn't going to make it home for the holidays. His manager insured he would get time off for the wedding, especially since he wasn't going to be home for the holidays.

The only light at the end of the tunnel was the financial security. 500,000 dollars a year plus an added 500,000 as a signing bonus. Grayson was going to have everything he will ever need. His phone vibrated from next to him. "Hello?" He asked tiredly.

"Hey, Bolton. How is my favorite NBA superstar?"

Troy smiled at Gabi's voice. "I'd hardly say superstar. I'll be warming the bench for a while. I'm ready to go home."

"Are you going to tell me where you're going to go or are you going to make me wait?" She asked.

"I was thinking about making you wait with everybody else but I guess I tell you."

"You better tell me. I'm your baby mama. I need to know how much I'm going to get in child support." Gabi joked.

"Ha ha, you're hilarious. I'll be playing ball in Tennessee. Memphis to be exact." Troy said with a small sigh. "I did, however, get a nice signing bonus but its because my schedule is going to be really busy."

"Like how busy?" Gabriella asked wearily.

"Like I'll get maybe one or two weekends at home in California other than the wedding. It won't be the holidays."

"What? You're going to miss Thanksgiving AND Christmas?" Gabi frowned. "I was going to settle for one… not both. Troy, you have to tell them you have a son that you need to see at least once a month."

Troy ran his fingers though his hair. "I know! I've told them over and over again, babe. Trust me, I'm more upset about this than anyone will be. Remember baby, I'm in a five year contract and not all of the years are going to be like this."

Gabriella sighed. "I know, I know. I'm going to miss you. Grayson is going to miss you. It'll be weird not having you in the next room over." She couldn't help but get a little choked up.

"Oh baby, please don't cry. It's my rookie year and it comes with the territory. I'll do anything I can to make our lives better, as a family. Right now, this is our best option. It sucks that I'll be so far away but we will FaceTime and Skype and all the cool technology stuff." Troy said, trying to calm her down. "I also wouldn't be opposed to you and Gray flying in for a game or two or three."

"We'll see what we can do. I don't know if I'll be able too because these internships are going to be sucking up all of my time. I feel bad Gray's going to be a day care baby since I'll be working and you'll be working too." Gabi sighed. "It's a lot to handle right now."

"We can make it through anything, baby. Don't worry so much. I'll be home in two days then we can cuddle and watch TV and maybe even a little naked cuddling before I have to leave in three weeks."

Gabi giggled. "I don't know about all that but I'm sure we'll find something to do. I want you to spend as much time with Grayson as possible."

"I want to spend copious amount of time together as a family. It'll be fun." Troy persuaded.

"I miss you."

"I miss you too baby."

She sighed quietly. "It sounds like Grayson and Chad are reeking havoc across the house. I guess I should intervene."

"Give Gray a hug and a kiss for me."

"I will."

"Don't tell anybody what I told you. Confidential information." Troy said jokingly.

"My lips are sealed, Mr. Bolton."

Troy chuckled and sighed. "I love you."

"I love you too. I'll see you in two days."

"I can't wait."

"Me either." Gabriella said, giddy. "Bye Bolton."

"Bye Montez."

Troy hung up and laid his phone on his chest. Everything he tried to stop feeling for Gabriella in the past year had came rushing back after Lara left. Lara was a nice distraction but nobody would ever compare to Gabi, especially since she had Grayson. Troy wanted everything with her. He wanted to get married to her, pick a house to live in with her, knock her up a couple more times.

Since he has known her and loved her, the time finally felt right for them to be together. He was single, she was single, they have a son. He could tell just by the way she looked at him, she was feeling the same thing that he was. They were finally on the same page with their emotions.

The only problem now, is that he was going to be on the other side of the country. But a silly little country couldn't keep them apart even if it wanted to.

July 4, 2014

"Are you ready to see the Fireworks, Gray?" Gabriella asked her son.

"Yeah! Moo!" He pointed up to the sky to the moon that was looming above them.

"Yeah, the moon looks very cool today, huh baby?" She kissed the top of his head, holding him in her lap. She wrapped the blanket tighter around the both of them.

They were in the city again for this fourth of July. Grayson was with them this time. That meant they would be going home early and sober… well at least that was Gabi's plans for the night. She was the designated driver. She and Grayson set up a couple of chairs near the place they were last year. This year seemed less crowded and colder. Probably because she wasn't going to drink tonight.

Troy and the rest of the gang were having a couple drinks then heading back to where Gabi and Gray were. Gabriella didn't mind if they were drinking as long as they behaved themselves. "Hey baby." Troy said front behind her.

"Dada!" Grayson sealed happily.

"Hey." Gabi said with a smile. She leaned up and kissed him.

"I brought you some hot chocolate because I know if I brought you coffee you'd be up half the night." Troy said, sitting down in the chair next to hers. "I didn't know it'd be this cold this year. We should have stayed home."

"That's what I was thinking but I wanted Grayson to see the fireworks."

"We don't know if he'd like them very much. They'll probably be too loud for him." Troy said, looking at his son.

"Dada, moo!"

"Moo?"

Gabi laughed. "The moon."

"Oh."

"He's like infatuated with it." Gabi said, tickling him under his chin. "Silly boy."

"He's looking more like me every day.'

"Tell me about it." Gabi said rolling her eyes. "He acts like you all the time. It's hysterical. I'm glad it's summer time. I can take him to the beach and hopefully he'll get a little color even though he'll have a billion layers of sunscreen on."

"You'll have to take a million pictures and send them to me, okay?" Troy said, reaching over for her hand.

"You know I will."

"I have six more days until I leave."

"Shut up. Don't talk about it." Gabi insisted, looking up at the sky again.

"Hey, at least you'll get your room back. Gray is still moving into mine, right?"

"Shut up Troy! I don't want to talk about it." She snapped.

"Whoa, are we interrupting the first family fight?"

"Shut up Chad." Troy and Gabi said simultaneously.

Taylor laughed at her soon to be husband. "I've learned to ignore half of the things he says. I just respond 'Yes, Chad.' to everything he says. How do you think he got me to marry him?"

Gabi laughed. "Speaking of! You guys have been engaged for a year now!"

"We couldn't be happier." Chad said, wrapping his arm around Taylor's neck, pulling her close to him.

"Ugh, get off me." Taylor said, laughing, pushing him away.

"Where are the Baylors?" Troy asked.

"Probably went home to fuck." Chad joked.

"Hey, watch your language around my son." Gabriella said, covering Grayson's ears protectively.

Chad laughed. "Sorry Grayson."

"Moo!" Grayson said excitedly, pointing up at the sky.

Gabriella wrapped her arms around Grayson, pulling him tightly to her chest. She leaned down, kissing her baby's cheek. Grayson's small hands dug around in Gabi's jacket pocket for his pacifier. He stuck it in his mouth and laid on her shoulder.

"He has so much hair." Taylor said, taking a seat on Chad's lap.

"I know. I don't want to cut it." Gabi pouted, running her fingers through his hair.

"I'm hoping it gets darker as he grows up… more like your color hair." Troy watched her cuddle their son, wrapping the blanket tighter around them.

"What did we miss?" Sharpay asked breathlessly as she and Zeke walked up. They definitely looked like they were up to something.

Troy, Gabriella, Chad and Taylor all burst out laughing. "What?" Zeke asked.

"You missed a button dude." Chad said, amused.

"Sharpay, your hair looks horrifying."

"I was wearing a beenie!" Everybody laughed again. She frowned, brushing down her hair.

"Sure you were." Gabi said teasingly.

"Oh shut up." Sharpay said, sighing. Zeke say in the last empty chair and Sharpay sat in his lap.

"When are the fireworks supposed to start?" Chad asked, looking over at Taylor.

"Soon, like ten minutes is my guess. I should have had that second shot of tequila. It's freezing out here." Taylor said, rubbing her arms.

Gabriella looked down at her son. She sighed. "Good thing he's fast asleep. He's a heater."

"Won't he wake up when the fireworks start?" Sharpay asked.

"Nope. It takes me 20 minutes to wake him up from nap." Gabi said, laughing. "He sleeps like a rock."

"Troy, are you ready to bounce out of here and start your basketball career in Memphis?" Chad asked. "I can't wait to visit you out there man. I wish I was going with you."

"I wish I was staying here." Troy said with a shrug. "Do you think they'd take you in my place?"

"I don't think they would believe you turned into a 6'1 black man with an afro." Taylor said, making everybody laugh.

"We could say I had a skin implant surgery." Troy said, chuckling.

"You guys are crazy." Gabi said, shaking her head.

July 10, 2014

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the airport with me?" Troy asked Gabriella for the billionth time this past week.

"Yes, Troy. I already explained that it would be harder and Gray would have a bigger fit watching you walk away." Gabi said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Troy sighed. "I know but it is an extra hour and a half together."

She sighed. "I really don't want you to go already. I'm already missing a day of class for this too. I can hopefully make it and put Gray in daycare for a couple hours."

"Baby, just stay home and relax with Grayson. It's a hard day for all of us. I know you're going to be working twice as hard since I'm going to be in Memphis. I don't want you to burn out okay?" Troy said, smoothing her hair back.

"I just miss you so much." Gabi said tearing up. She let out a small sob as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, baby. I miss you too." He pulled away from her to wipe her tears. He kissed the top of her head lovingly. He pressed his lips against hers gently just before the alarm went off and they sprang apart.

She pouted as he turned off the alarm since they were already awake. "Why do you have to get a flight so early in the morning?"

"Because I wanted to spend one last night with you before I left." He murmured, leaning down to kiss her lips slowly. "I also knew that you were going to keep me up half the night so I could always sleep on the plane if I wanted to."

"Aren't you nervous?"

Troy sighed. "I'm terrified. I have to live in the little apartment alone in a city I've never even been to. It's like I uprooted my life just to play basketball. I don't know if it's even worth it anymore."

She kissed him lightly. "Of course it is. You're doing something that you love. You're being a great role model for your son. Sometimes we have to do stuff that we don't want to do. It's a part of life. It is going to be better for you and for Grayson in the long run."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Can you come with me?"

"I wish I didn't commit to a last semester."

"You could always do it online."

"I already have internships baby." She said with a slight pout. "Hopefully your team sucks and doesn't make it to the play offs. Then you can fly back here and be with me and your son until the next summer when they call you back again."

"Maybe next year, you'll be moving with me and we'll be in a house." Troy proposed. Gabriella smiled at his words. "Maybe you'll have a ring on your finger and a baby in your belly too."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Let's stick to the house idea hot shot. I'm not even your girlfriend yet."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because you haven't asked me."

"That's because every time I do, you say no."

Gabi laughed. "That is because you were asking for all the wrong reasons last time."

Troy smiled, running his fingers across her lips. "And this time it feels right?"

She nodded her head, kissing his fingers softly. "Absolutely."

"Well then, Gabriella, will you be my girlfriend?"

Gabriella made a face. "Mmm… I don't know." She said with her nose scrunched up in thought.

Troy narrowed his eyes at her, playfully. "Don't make me tickle it out of you."

Her eyes widened. She grabbed his hands immediately. "Yes, I will. But we can't tell anybody."

"Why not?"

"Because, they'll ruin it for us. Our friends are horrible, meddling people. Your mom will buy you the engagement ring and my mom already has our wedding planned out. Besides, you're going to be in the spotlight, since you're an NBA rookie. I just want it to be between us for a little while."

"I guess I can understand that."

"Good. But you DO have a girlfriend. You're just not telling anybody who it is." She leaned up, kissing his lips softly. "Oh and if you even think about cheating on me. I will castrate you and break both of your knees and your shooting arm."

"You're terrifying."

"I'm so serious, Troy."

"Baby, I will never do anything to hurt you." Troy assured. "I plan on making you my wife one day. I am going to make a lot more babies with you and I can't do that if you cut my reproductive organs off."

"You better remember that when a pretty girl starts flirting with you." She leaned up, kissing his lips slowly.

"Mama." Grayson called, interrupting their kisses.

"Yes, Grayson?"

"Dada?"

"Yes, Grayson?" Troy repeated, sitting up to look at his son. Grayson waved, laying back down, sucking on his pacifier. Troy got up and plucked Grayson from his crib and laid him in between them.

"I think he senses something is going to be different." Gabriella said, watching her son cuddle up to his father.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he cuddles with me when he's feeling cuddly."

"Maybe he does know." Troy said, stroking his sons hair.

"Can he stay like this forever?" Gabi asked with a pout. "He's like the perfect age. He's still a baby but he's trying to be more independent. He isn't making too much trouble either."

"Terrible twos are coming up."

"He's barely one and you're already thinking about terrible twos?" Gabi sighed. "You're just bringing it up because you won't see most of it."

"Low blow Gabsy."

"It's okay. When he's being terrible, I'll fly him over to you. How about that?"

"As long as you come too." Troy said with a small smile, kissing her lips.

"No." Grayson said, pushing Gabi's face away.

Gabriella scoffed. "No! My dada."

"NO!" Grayson wrapped his little arms around Troy protectively.

Troy chuckled, hugging his son tightly. "Gray, can we share with Mommy?"

"No." Gray pouted.

"Well he has spoken."

"Rude!" Gabi pouted. She tickled Grays sides making him squeal and laugh. Gray threw his arms around her. She squeezed him tightly back. "I love you baby boy."

"I guess I should get up and get in the shower." Troy said, sitting up.

"Did you leave a set of clothes to wear today from the last suitcase?" Gabi asked, rubbing Grayson's back.

Troy nodded, running his fingers through his hair. "Yes. Everything is packed and ready to go."

"Are you sure you want to leave your bed here?" Gabi asked with a sigh.

"It's too much of a hassle to get out. What if Zeke and Sharpay come over? You'll sleep in here with Grayson and they sleep in your room like they always do." Troy reasoned with a shrug. "I will miss it though."

"You think your new furniture that I picked out won't be comfortable enough for you?" She asked with a small teasing smile.

"Especially not without you there." Troy said with a half smile. "I'm going to shower."

Gabriella rolled over, cuddling up to her little boy again. Grayson was dozing off in the bed next to her. "Gray, do you want some breakfast?" She asked the sleepy boy.

"No." He grumbled, laying in Troy's spot.

She sighed, leaning down to kiss his forehead gently. He felt a little warm but that was probably because he was squished in between her and Troy. She sat up and yawned. "Do you want some fruit?" Gabriella offered.

He nodded his head silently. Gabi scooped him up and took him into the living room. She set him in his chair while she cut up a banana and some strawberries for him. She placed it in front of him just as Troy walked into the kitchen, fully dressed with his last suitcase rolling behind him.

"Dada, 'nana." Gray said, holding out a piece of fruit to him.

Troy chuckled, walking over to him. He let Grayson feed him a piece of banana before he leaned down and kissed his head. He looked over at Gabi and gave her a small smile. "The car is coming in fifteen minutes."

"Your driver?" She asked with an amused smirk.

Troy rolled his eyes. "My manager wants me to ride in style."

Gabriella laughed out loud. "You're so full of yourself."

"You love it." He said with a coy grin. He stepped over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Do you have to go?" She asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" She asked, biting her lip.

He pressed his nose against her cheek before he kissed the curve of her neck. "I love you, I'll be back soon."

She nodded in response. "My Brother is leaving me today!" Chad said loudly causing Troy to let go of Gabi immediately. They stood together, watching Chad walk into the kitchen with a frown on his face. "This sucks man."

"You're telling me brother. Where's Tay?"

"She's coming. She woke me up just so I could say bye." Chad walked over to the coffee pot.

"I leave in five minutes." Troy said, looking at his phone.

Taylor rushed in. "Oh good, you didn't leave yet." She hugged Troy tightly. "We're really going to miss you, Troy."

"I'll miss you too, Tay. Make sure Gabi doesn't get too crazy with her law crap. Make sure Chad bathes." Troy said with a chuckle.

"oh, I will. He won't come near me unless he's properly bathed." Taylor said. "Call when you land."

"I will."

"I'll be making trips out there to come see you." Chad said, giving Troy a hug.

"You better." Troy squeezed his brother. "Keep an eye out for Gabi okay?" He said quietly.

Chad nodded. "Of course. I love you brother."

"Love you too, Brother." He gave Chad a fist bump before turning to Grayson. "You take care of mommy, little man. I love you. I'll be back soon." He kissed his sons head while Grayson continued to eat happily.

"I'll miss you Bolton." Gabi said, wrapping her arms tightly around Troy's middle.

"Take care of my boy." Troy said, kissing her forehead.

"Always. Call soon."

"Of course." Troy pulled away, feeling bittersweet. He walked out the front door to see a black town car waiting for him. He took a deep breath, closing the door behind him. He was half way to the car when he heard the door close again.

"You forgot something." He turned around, watching Gabi walk over with his suitcase. She smiled sadly up at him. "Well you forgot two things." She leaned up, kissing his lips firmly. "I love you Troy."

"I love you too." He said with a sad smile. He pulled away slowly, walking to the car waiting for him.

I think this is the perfect time for this story and all my stories to go on a break. I have not been writing alot and these are my last two weeks of school. I think i'll start up again after i graduate and before i move. So, goodbye for now. I'll be around and reading so don't worry about me too much. I love you guys. Don't forget to review!