A/N- Sorry I haven't updated I had a major case of writer's block for this story and then I got grounded and I just got back on today and as soon as I opened up this file I got this huge feeling of relief and I knew I was back so hear you go. This is the longest chapter so far I think so I hope you like it.
Disclaimer- I own nothing.
Chapter 25
"So," Gabriella said to Troy. He looked at her suspiciously knowing she was up to something.
"So what?" he said.
"I was thinking there is only four days of vacation left you of course know that," she said and he nodded switching the channel on her TV with the remote aimlessly looking for something to watch.
"What's your point?" he said.
"Well tomorrow you're spending the day with the guys while I work on my project so maybe on Saturday we could spend the day together," she said and he frowned.
"Of course I don't mind that," he said.
"Oh really well you know I actually had an idea of what we could do," she said and he looked over at her where she was smiling next to him.
"Oh really?" he asked and she nodded.
"What's that?" he asked.
"Well you know that annual 24 hour dance contest they throw this Saturday-," she started.
"No no no no," he said shaking his head getting up from the bed almost immediately. She got up and stood in front of him.
"At least let me finish. The dance sounds like it could be a lot of fun and I mean 24 hours together," she said taking his hand in hers. He knew exactly what she was doing though.
"No, I don't think so you're trying to trick me into this thing but it's not going to work because I have will power. Yep I have self control," he said trying to back away from her. She moved closer then so her lips where centimeters away from his and she smiled.
"Come on Troy it could be fun," she whispered smiling.
"Gabi please you're not playing fair," he groaned and she laughed.
"Troy all I am asking for is for you to give it a chance," she said and he groaned. She kissed him softly and he sighed.
"Fine fine," he said and she grinned at him.
"You are the best boyfriend ever," she said and he smiled at her.
"Yeah well you better remember that," he said and he put his arms around her waist pulling her close. She giggled and he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. There was a knock on the door then and they heard Jess laughing.
"You two are like those Dawson's River kids sleeping in each other's beds and what not," Jess said and Gabriella looked at him annoyed.
"I should probably get going," Troy said grinning. He kissed her quickly and said goodbye. He walked down the stairs and popped in saying goodbye to Luke who watched him leave shaking his head. Luke went up the stairs to Gabriella's room where she was scolding Jess on his behavior.
"You know you can be a real ass sometimes and it's Dawson's Creek not River," she said and Jess laughed.
"I knew that. But still I mean you guys just got together don't you think you should save the bed sharing until later," Jess said.
"Wait who is sharing a bed with who," Luke said and Gabriella took a pillow and yelled into it while Luke and Jess watched amused. She stopped and looked at them placing the pillow on her bed.
"First of all we are not sleeping together. Second, Jess you need to learn to knock," she said.
"Well excuse me for trying to watch out for my little cousin," Jess said.
"Yeah by scaring my boyfriend away great job Jess," she said lying on her bed giving him two thumbs up.
"You know being sarcastic is not going to get you anything in this world," Jess said and Gabriella laughed shortly.
"You should talk," Gabriella said annoyed.
"Cattyyy," Jess said.
"Go away vein of my existence," Gabriella said and Luke laughed.
Next Day
"So where's Gabriella today," Chad said to Troy as he passed him the ball. Chad, Troy, Zeke, and Jason were playing a game of basketball in Troy's driveway.
"Doing some project for English," Troy said as he shot the ball.
"Oh I had that project, too. Yeah me and Amber went and did ours like the first day of vacation to get it over with," Zeke said.
"It's a partner project. Ms. M assigned the partners too which sucked. And of course she assigned us with the opposite sex so we could have two different points of view for the project," Zeke said.
"What's the project?" Troy asked.
"We have to get together a collection of get this love poems and write a summary of each and what they mean or something like that," Zeke said.
"Who's Gabi's partner," Troy said.
"Umm Todd I think," Zeke said. Todd was a junior like them. He was a straight A student and a member of the varsity football team. Troy also happened to know that Todd had asked Gabriella out at the beginning of the year but she had said no. That of course didn't stop Troy from worrying now.
"Todd huh?" Troy said worriedly and Zeke glanced at him.
"Troy you aren't worried are you because Gabriella totally digs you man she would never go behind your back and doing something like that," Zeke said and Troy shrugged.
"Yeah you're right," Troy said but he still felt a little worried. They stopped playing for a little while and went down to the diner and hung out there for a while. At 5 they all split up and went home which for Troy meant going across the street. He went to his house but halfway up his stairs turned around and went through his driveway and onto Gabriella's lawn. He went across it silently and was surprised when he saw Gabriella with Todd. They were sitting on the porch papers spread in between them. Troy went to the side of the house so he could see him and hear them but they couldn't see him.
"Wait this has to be the best of them all. Listen to this-
Come quickly-as soon as
These blossoms open,
they fall.
The world exists
As a sheen of dew on flowers.
Explain that to me," Todd said to Gabriella who laughed.
"I think it is supposed to mean love is fleeting, quick so feel it while you can," she said and he frowned.
"Well why couldn't they just say that," Todd asked and she laughed again.
"My favorite is this one-
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
By only me is your doing, my darling)
I fear
no fate(for you are my fate, my sweet)I want
no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
by E.E. Cummings," Gabriella said smiling.
"It's a good poem and its sound even better when you say it," Todd said and Gabriella blushed. Troy felt his insides boil as this guy obviously flirted with his girlfriend.
"We should probably get back to work," Gabriella said her eyebrows raised and Todd raised his hands in defeat.
"Fine fine let us continue to slave away," Todd said and he grinned at Gabriella before looking down at the papers in his life. Troy contemplated between killing Todd now or saving it for later. He finally decided on leaving them to their work and instead went back to his house still staying out of the range of their sight. He went back to his house and stayed there for a while. He sat down at his kitchen table and frowned for about an hour before his mom came home and found him this way.
"Troy sweetie how was your day?" Cathy said kissing him on the head.
"Wonderful," Troy said frowning.
"You know you can get frown lines that way," Cathy said looking at her son amused.
"Who cares really I'm going to get wrinkly and old anyway," he remarked.
"What's wrong with you? The last few days you've been on cloud nine now it's like your barely floating," Cathy said and Troy looked at his mother.
"I think I have been summoned back to Earth mom and the truth is my girlfriend is a dude magnet," Troy said and Cathy laughed.
"A dude magnet?" Cathy asked.
"Yes. Right now as we speak Gabriella, my girlfriend, is with Todd working on love poetry. That my friend or mom is a recipe for disaster," Troy said and his mom looked at him as if he was crazy.
"Troy right now Gabriella is at the diner," Cathy said.
"Really?" he said getting up from his chair.
"Well I am going to see how she is doing then," Troy said and Cathy laughed.
"You go do that my friend," she said and he left the house and jogged across the street to the diner where Gabriella was indeed sitting at the counter talking to Jess. He went up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her softly on the neck.
"Hey," he whispered in her ear.
"Hey," she said. She turned in her chair so she was facing him.
"Hey," Jess said and Gabriella rolled her eyes.
"So how was your day with the guys?" Gabriella said as Troy slid into the stool next to her.
"It was good. Did you finish your project?" Troy asked.
"Yep I think we might have even got an A," she said proudly.
"That's good," he said. He decided then that he wasn't going to bring up the Todd thing. He trusted Gabriella.
"So you ready for the dance tomorrow," she said and he laughed.
"Yeah so much fun dancing for 24 hours yayy," Troy said with fake enthusiasm.
"Oh come on don't think of it as that. Think of it as 24 hours with me," she said smiling at him.
"Well I guess that won't be so bad," he said and he leaned over and kissed her.
"Hey don't forget me I plan to be there to watch every minute of it," Jess said and Gabriella groaned.
"Great barrels of fun," Gabriella said.
Saturday at 5 in the morning
Gabriella and Troy where in line to get their numbers. He was tired and she was way too awake. They where standing in the line holding hands. She poked him in the ribs and he opened his eyes.
"What," he said sleepily.
"Troy wake up," she said looking at him a frown on her pretty face. He smiled and kissed her.
"Now I'm awake," he said and she grinned.
"Good," she said and leaned against him. He pulled her back so she was leaning into his chest and he put his chin on the top of her head. He wrapped his arms around her middle. They stayed liked that waiting in the long line moving up as it did. Finally they were at the beginning of the line where Miss Patty was giving people there numbers.
"Well aren't you two so cute," Miss Patty said and Troy blushed while Gabriella smiled happily getting their numbers. She turned and stuck his on him and stuck hers on. She then took his hand and pulled him into the gym were the dance was taking place. A lot of people were in costume but luckily Gabriella had been happy with him wearing black slacks and a black button up shirt. She was wearing a loose black skirt that went down to her knees and a black tang top under a black form fitting shirt that buttoned up the front. She had purposely made sure they matched each other and he had willingly gone along with it. They walked through the crowd of people getting ready.
"Hey there's my dad and Jess," she said pointing over to them and they went over. Luke had a booth that he was giving coffee and drinks from. Jess was sitting in a chair next to where Luke was standing a look of boredom on his face.
"Hello dear father of mine," Gabriella said and Luke shook his head at her.
"Nope," he said.
"Oh come one I promise I'll use that fake sugar," she said and Troy looked at confused.
"He won't let me have any coffee," she said and Troy laughed.
"You don't need it," Troy said.
"Yes I do," she said urgently.
"She's like a drug addict but her drug of choice is coffee," Jess added.
"I just want one cup that's all just one cup of coffee," she begged and Luke muttered to himself as he reached under the booth and came back up with a canteen.
"Here I already but your sugar packets in it," Luke said and Gabriella smiled at him brightly.
"Thanks Dad. Come on Troy let's go find Taylor and Chad," she said pulling Troy away as he waved to Luke and Jess. Taylor and Chad had decided to enter the dance together much to Gabriella's delight and Troy's amusement. They finally found Taylor and Chad. Chad looked half asleep but Taylor was as awake as Gabriella was.
"Hey," Taylor said to them as they approached.
"Hey," Gabi exclaimed
"Hey," Troy mumbled
"Hello," Chad said and they all looked at him.
"What," he said.
"So you ready?" Gabriella said excitedly.
"Yes 24 hours of hell it should be so much fun," Troy interjected before Taylor could talk.
"Excuse him he's tired and grumpy," Gabriella said and Taylor laughed.
"I'm ready although I'm not so sure about him," Taylor answered looking at the half asleep Chad.
"Dancers please report to the floor we will be starting momentarily," Taylor's voice boomed around them. The two couples ambled over to the gym floor and listened as Taylor explained the rules. He was standing at the front of the gym on a stage with Miss Patty next to him. He explained that they would have meal breaks and they would also have a five minute break every other hour. He told them about the yellow cards that they had received that would allow one of them to leave for five minutes and how they only had two. And of course the most important rule that they must be dancing at all times or at least moving in a way that seemed like they were dancing. And of course they must be touching at all times.
"Hey I think I like that rule," Troy said and he put his arms around Gabriella's waist and brought her close.
"Well remember that my father is not far away," she said and he smiled as he kissed her softly.
"I'll try to remember," he murmured against her lips. Just as the kiss was starting to deepen a bell went off and the contest started and Troy sighed as she pulled away from him. This was going to be a long day.
Hour-2
Troy and Gabriella were slow dancing, Gabriella finally down from her morning rush. Her head was on his chest and he was pretty sure if he didn't keep them moving she might fall asleep. He had of course worried that with her diabetes this dance might not work out but she had already reassured him that's she would check her levels whenever they had a break and if she felt at all sick she would yellow card and go sit down. He looked over at Chad and Taylor who were talking happily. He managed to catch Chad's eye and the two danced over to him.
"She asleep," Taylor asked.
"I think so," Troy said and he couldn't help but smile down at her. Taylor looked at them and couldn't help but smile and pull Chad back over to their spot.
"Their cute, aren't they," Taylor said looking over at them.
"Yes of course in their own please gag me way," Chad said and Taylor rolled her eyes at him. Troy was looking around and he saw Jess talking to a girl. They were obviously flirting and Troy couldn't help but grin at this. Gabriella started to move in his arms and she opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Hello sleeping beauty," he whispered and she smiled.
"Sorry I didn't mean to fall asleep," she said and he shrugged. She leaned up and kissed him. She broke away after and yawned.
"Oh thanks," he said laughing.
"I'm sorry I'm just tired," she said and he looked at her worried.
"Do you want to sit down or go eat something," he said and she smiled at him.
"Don't worry okay I'm fine its normal tired," she said and he frowned.
"Don't worry Troy okay. Dance with me instead," she said and he grinned.
Hour-6-Lunch Break
Gabriella and Troy were rushing off the dance floor. Troy was tired while Gabriella had somehow gotten her second wind. How and when Troy had no idea.
"Come on," she urged him pulling his hand.
"Gabriella please walk a little slower my feet are killing me," he groaned but she didn't slow down.
"Troy it's only been 6 hours," she said and they were finally in front of the food table. She grabbed sandwiches and juice boxes and brought him over to the bleachers. He sat down next to her and she handed him two sandwiches and a juice box. They ate in silence. He was drinking his juice box and looked at her.
"You know I can't remember the last time I actually drank from a juice box," he said and she smiled at him shaking her head. Jess came over to them then and handed her the black bag she had all her insulin stuff in. She checked her levels and injected the amount necessary into herself.
"You guys going to quit soon," Jess said and Gabriella shook her head.
"Nope," she said as she handed him the bag. He rolled his eyes and walked away going back to the booth. She leaned back then and he put his arm around her so she didn't fall back.
"Hey," she said softly.
"Hello," he answered as he went in to kiss her. He was interrupted by the booming sound of Taylor telling everyone to get back to the dance floor.
"I'm going to take that mike and shut it up his-," Troy started before Gabriella kissed him.
"Let's save that thought for later. Come on," she said getting up and pulling him up and dragging him back to the gym floor.
Hour-12-Dinner Break
Troy had lost Gabriella well not really but he wasn't sure where she was. They had both eaten and she had gone to get her insulin shot and when he went to the booth to find her she hadn't been there. The break was coming to a close and he was looking around for her when he saw her. He felt his stomach twist. She was standing near the bleachers with Todd. He was saying something and she was laughing. Taylor's voice boomed and told them to get back to the dance floor. He watched as Gabriella smiled at Todd and hugged him. Todd hugged her back and she smiled at him and waved at her as she walked away. Troy was tired and now he was upset and maybe angry nope he was definitely angry. Gabriella came over to him then smiling.
"Hey," she said smiling.
"Are you ready to go," he said curtly. She nodded her head and he walked away from her to the dance floor. She followed him and wondered what was wrong with him. The dance started again and she put her arms around him. He put his arms on her waist and she tried to look at him but he was avoiding her eyes.
"Troy what's wrong?" she asked and he looked at her.
"I saw you with Todd," he said and she frowned.
"Right now? I was just talking to him," she said and he rolled his eyes.
"I also saw you with him the other day," he said.
"What when we were doing our poetry project," she asked confused.
"Yeah sure if that's what you want to call it," he said and she stared at him.
"Troy what are you talking about?" she asked.
"The guy was flirting with you. I saw I was there. And he obviously couldn't keep his hands off of you today," Troy stated angrily.
"Okay you are making way too big a deal of nothing. He is my friend and we were not flirting," she said getting upset.
"Gabriella get real I saw the way he was looking at you," Troy said.
"Did you happen to see the way I was looking at him," she asked.
"I was looking at him like he was a friend," she said and he rolled his eyes.
"Troy I just don't get you. I mean I tell you I like you, we are together yet I hug one guy and all of a sudden it's like I'm some kind of slut," she said.
"I never said you were a slut," he said.
"Well you might as well have," she said angrily, tears in her eyes. She took her arms off of him and pushed him away. He looked at her surprised. Neither of them realized that almost every one was staring at them.
"Gabriella I would never say something like that about you," he said.
"Well you obviously don't trust me," she said tears starting to go down her face.
"Gabi I-," he started.
"Save it I'm not interested," she said and she walked away from him tears going down her face.
"Gabi wait," he called after her. He started to run after her but it was too late when he got outside he couldn't see where she was. Jess had seen the fight and as soon as he saw Gabriella leave he followed her.
"Gabriella hey wait up," he yelled after her as she ran across the street. He was a few yards away form her when she turned around and looked at him. He stopped at the look on her face. The tears were still going down her face but now there was a look of panic and fear.
"Jess I-," she started before she collapsed right there in front of him. He watched as she crumbled to the ground and ran towards her. He leaned down next to her and moved her slightly so he could look at her face. Her eyes were closed and there was a cut on her head that was letting blood out fast.
"Gabriella, oh my god, Gabriella please wake up," he said but her eyes remained close. He looked around then for anyone but no one was in sight. He took his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed 911. As he did he brushed her hair out of her face.
"It's going to be okay Gabriella don't worry," he whispered softly.
(A/N Well I finally updated with what I think is a really good chapter. Bet you didn't see this coming and actually neither did I. At the last minute I thought to myself hey what the hell go with it. Hope you like although you probably won't but please review I really want to see what you think of this chapter.)
By the way HAPPPYYYY NEWWWW YEARRRRRRR