Chapter 21: Paranoid
Chad sat in his best friend's living room watching him pace around the small area. He was freaking out, as he did a lot lately. It always had to do with his new girlfriend. Chad shoved a cold egg roll into his mouth while his friend talked.
"So then she just springs on me that we should spend Christmas together in Salt Lake City! I mean, how am I supposed to take that? We've only known each other two and a half months and now she wants to spend the biggest holiday of the year together?"
"Miske sha unts tu gee bore inbertant." Chad said with a mouth stuffed full of Chinese goodness.
"I doubt it." Troy said. "I mean, I've been dropping hints left and right, but it only gone as far as kissing."
Chad almost choked on his egg roll, "You meant you haven't slept with her yet?"
"No. And I don't think she is really getting the hints. Like the other day when we were on her bed I told her that she had no idea what she does to me and she just got up and sat outside on her balcony."
Chad stared blankly at his friend, "You're joking right?"
Troy shook his head, "Wish I was." He took a seat on the couch next to his friend.
"So you haven't gotten ass for over two months?" Troy sadly shook his head. "Dump her, problem solved."
"I can't do that. I really, really like her,"
"So what? You've dumped plenty of girls that you 'really, really liked.' What happened to if she don't put out you don't up?"
"Chad, we made that in High School."
"And it's worked great so far! You don't see me moping around because my girlfriend is sending me mixed signals."
Troy sighed, "But I love her…"
Chad's spat out whatever was in his mouth. "You what?"
"I, love her." He said honestly.
"Troy…you have never said that you love a girl and actually meant it."
"I know, but every time I'm with her I just get this feeling in the pit of my stomach-"
"Do not go all chick flick on me." Chad interrupted his friend. "It's Friday night and we are going out." He declared. "What about that coffee shop that you like so much, Click?"
Troy sighed, "I'm not even singing there tonight."
"So then you can just be another face in the crowd for once." Chad pushed his friend off of the couch and out the door. "No ass for two months…" he said again, still in shock.
"Just shut up about it Chad. I already feel bad enough about it."
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"You ready?" Drew asked as they sat in the audience of Click.
"I'm nervous." She stated.
"Nerves are good. You'll be fine." He assured her with a smile. Gabriella smiled back.
A small waitress walked up on stage and grabbed the microphone. "Next up we have an act that is new to Click, but I'm sure they'll impress you guys. Here is Black Diamond."
The crowd clapped politely as Gabriella and the band walked on stage.
"Since this is our first performance here, we're going to do a song that some of you will probably recognize." Drew said into the microphone.
Troy looked at the band that walked on stage. His eyes locked on the petite, beautiful girl who stood nervously in front of a microphone.
"Dude, that looks like the chick you took home that one night from Aces." Chad exclaimed, "Except less hung over and more hot."
"Yeah, imagine that." Troy said stiffly. He took a seat in the middle of the room next to Chad. He kept his eyes firmly locked on Gabriella.
Gabriella stood quietly at the microphone looking at the crowd. Her eyes fell upon Troy. His face showed no emotion, so she tried to make her face to the same.
She leaned over to Drew. "I don't think I can do this." She whispered.
"Gabriella." He whispered hoarsely, "There are only like 50 people here. You've preformed in front of more. You can do this." Before Gabriella had a chance to retaliate he waved for the band behind him to start.
Gabriella closed her eyes and leaned into the microphone…
My yesterdays are all boxed up and neatly put away
But every now and then you come to mind
Cause you were always waiting to be picked to play the game
But when your name was called, you found a place to hide
When you knew that I was always on your side
Gabriella stole a glance at Drew as she finished her verse. He looked softly at her and winked as he started to sing.
Well everything was easy then, so sweet and innocent
But my demons and my angels reappeared
Leavin' only traces of the man you thought I'd be
Too afraid to hear the words I'd always feared
Leavin' you with only questions all these years
Gabriella took her microphone out of the stand as she got ready to sing along with Drew.
Is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally
This isn't how it's really meant to be
No, it isn't how it's really meant to be
Well they say that love is in the air, but never is it clear,
How to pull it close and make it stay
Butterflies are free to fly, and so they fly away
And I'm left to carry on and wonder why
Even through it all, I'm always on your side
Is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally
Is this how its really meant to be?
no, this isn't how its really meant to be
Well they say that love is in the air, never is it clear
How to pull it close and make it stay
Butterflies are free to fly, why do they fly away,
Leavin' me to carry on and wonder why
Was it you that kept me wandering through this life
When you know that I was always on your side?
From the moment she sang in sync with Drew, she hadn't stopped looking at him. All the worries that had flooded into her mind when she saw Troy in the audience had evaporated.
The second the song ended, the café erupted with applause and whistles. Gabriella's smile spread wide across her face. Drew grabbed her hand and held it high in the air before pulling her down for a bow. His smile was just as big as her's was.
"Oh my gosh!" Gabriella leaped into Drew's arms when they walked off stage. His hug lifted her feet off the ground. "That was so exhilarating. It's like the feeling I get when I'm dancing a duo or a solo. Like that feeling that I'm going to throw up, but in a good way."
Drew laughed, "That's a funny way to put it, but I agree. That was so more amazing than anything you ever sang in practice."
"I think it was the audience." She said, twirling a long piece of hair around her finger. "It's like when I get in front of one I change into a different person."
"I'm going to have to say that is very true. And if you ever want to sing with us again…?"
"I know where to find you." She finished for him.
"Great. I'll call you later." He lightly hit the side of her shoulder and ran off towards a pretty girl with long, shinny red hair. He immediately picked her up in a hug and spun her around before kissing her.
Gabriella smiled to herself, very proud of herself for singing onstage. She slowly wandered out to the audience as another band started to play.
"Hey." A deep voice sounded behind her.
She spun around to face him. To face Troy. His hands were shoved into the pockets of him jeans. "Hey." She said with a small voice. "Did you like the song?" she asked, not knowing what else to say.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked in a rather calm voice.
"I didn't know what you would think. I mean, since we've gotten together we've only fought once and it was kind of started by Drew." Gabriella said looking everywhere but his eyes.
Troy sighed, "I just don't know how I feel about you hanging around with a guy like that."
Her eyes snapped to Troy's in confusion. "A guy like what?"
"A guy that likes you."
Gabriella tried to hold back a giggle. "Uh, Troy, you see that girl Drew is making out with."
His head spun around and his eyes landed on the boy that was onstage with Gabriella.
"That's his girlfriend." She told him.
"Girlfriend?"
"Six months. She was at almost every practice."
Troy shoved him hands deeper into his pockets. "Well I feel incredibly stupid."
Gabriella smiled and took a few steps towards him. "Don't feel stupid. I should have told you about his girlfriend earlier. I just got a lot of stuff running around in my head."
Troy put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him as they walked out of the café. "Which causes all of those crazy emotions."
Gabriella lightly placed her hand on his chest, "And I'm sorry about those. I know that my emotions go up and down and you never know what I'm thinking or what I'm going to do next…it's kind of confusing for me too."
"Well, I think you deserve one completely emotion free night."
Gabriella's eyebrows raised in interest. "Really? And where do you expect to find this 'emotion free' night?"
"At the gym. Because on Tuesday night you will be at the basketball game watching me coach the Wildcats to victory."
Her face fell, "Oh Troy, I don't know…" he hand slowly fell off of his chest.
"Come on Montez!" he pulled her closer to him. "It will be great! You can be in he stands, not caring about the game or anything while I'll be on the floor coaching and giving all of the emotion I have into the game. It's win-win."
Gabriella knew she had lost the battle before it even started. She had no choice. "Okay, I'll go."
Troy's face beamed with excitement. "Great! I'll make sure the game is plenty interesting for you." The smile on his face only grew wider.
Gabriella forced a smile onto her face. "Oh I'm positive that it's going to be extremely interesting."
"And, hey." Troy stopped them and gazed down at her. "You were amazing tonight." Gabriella's fake smile was slowly turning into a real one. "Who knew you could sing?"
"There's a lot you don't know about me." Gabriella said.
"And I'm willing to wait and find out everything." Troy placed his arm back around her waist and led her down the street.
There really is a lot you don't know about me… Gabriella thought to herself.
AN: Okay, so I hope everyone liked that chapter. I'm really interested to hear what you gusy thought of it.
And I have one week of final projects being due, and then one week of finals to take and then I'm off for the summer (and I will be updating more often)! I might be able to update once more before then, but it all depends on reviews I get for this chapter.