Exotic Love
Disclaimer: Everything I write is highly fictional and I do not own High School Musical. I only own the plot and other additional characters.
A/N – Read the message on the bottom.
Okay, so long time no see! Or, well, yeah... whatever. I know it's been a while and I know this really doesn't make up for it but I hope you still review and are into it.
Chapter Twenty Eight
I'll Stand By You
"Oh, Kurt," Gabriella cooed softly, curled tightly in a ball on the couch. Her slightly blotchy eyes were glued to the TV screen as Kurt stalked out of the gym, Blaine running after him, and from a small distance away; Troy stared at her in disbelief. Gabriella had taken up an interesting obsession over the popular show called Glee. She spent almost a whole day on the couch watching Glee, without eating, and taking only one bathroom break before Troy stepped up and forcefully carried her to the kitchen with ease. Well, you wouldn't call Gabriella's attitude, easy. She was hitting Troy's back as he carried her away, her eyes longingly looking through the kitchen arch, in hopes of a TV showing up.
"What is up with you?" Troy asked, placing a PB&J in front of her. Gabriella smiled. "Thanks. I don't know. I've spent a lot of my time whoring around, completely oblivious to the amazing shows that I've let slip past me."
"Don't you think you're exaggerating?"
"What? No. Glee is like the Monarch of Hollywood!"
"You mean of teen gossip," Troy said, yawning slightly. Gabriella's mouth hung open. "Are you calling me… old?" The last word came out in a raspy whisper and Troy looked at her worriedly. He placed a hand on her arm, a frown deep on his face. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, just great. I feel great after my fiancé called me… me… old! I'm twenty-four for God's sake! I am not old! Oh God…" Tears gathered up in her eyes. "I am old. I've had a baby… I'm getting married… I have a niece and nephew. I'm getting old…"
"You aren't old," Troy said, pulling her tightly in his grasp. Gabriella pressed her face against his shirt, her shoulders trembling as she cried softly. Troy stroked her hair and looked down at her. No. Not old, but most definitely pregnant.
"Dude, no woman is that hormonal unless they're pregnant," Troy explained to Chad a few hours later. Chad rolled his eyes. "It's called a period, dumb-ass."
"We had sex the night before… she is not on her period. And she had it last week."
"Well… maybe Gabs is changing," he said. "People change."
"Yeah, they do, but they don't go sit on the couch like a fucking stain and cry over nothing."
"Okay, well… don't approach her like you approached me," Chad said, thinking how Troy stormed into his apartment a half hour ago, saying that Gabriella had a bun in the oven. "Calmly sit down with her and ask if she's been experiencing swelling feet, throwing up, and that other shit. Do not say you think she's pregnant. She will take that as an 'I think your fat' and you will be signing up for your death."
"Okay… okay…" Troy took a deep breath. "So… what if she is pregnant? I'm too young to be carrying a baby around."
"Dude, you'll be turning twenty-seven soon. Suck it the fuck up."
"I know, man… I know. I just… I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole marriage shit. I love Gabriella. So much, but… what if I'm not ready? What if I'm a bad husband? Or bad dad? What if something bad happens during the pregnancy? What if we lose the baby again?"
"That, my friend, is a lot of 'what if's'. Okay… so you don't think that'll turn out good but… what if you're a great husband or father? What if everything goes right with the pregnancy? Stop being worried, man… everything will be fine."
He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm scared, Chad… I don't want to let Gabriella down. That happened way too many times in her life."
Chad groaned. "I can't believe I'm doing this…"
"Doing what?"
"Telling you a good way to get the message across to your wife."
"Which is…?"
Chad stood and slapped him on the back. "I hope your voice is good because it's time to sing."
"Gabs," Katie said softly as Gabriella lifted her head, her eyes red and dusty. Katie rubbed her back while Gabriella shook her head. "Are you okay?"
"No, Katie! No, I am not okay." She pressed her forehead against the toilet seat, shaking as she sobbed. "I'm pregnant… I just know it. I'm fucking pregnant… I want Troy's baby… but I already lost one… I won't… I can't take it if that happens again." Katie pulled her close and Gabriella cried into her shirt. She was a mess. She should be happy, she wanted to be happy… but the deep emotional scar of Julian's death still hung in her face. "I want an abortion," she whispered. Katie jerked back, shock. "What?"
"I want an abortion. I'm not ready for a baby." Gabriella broke away and stood, exiting the bathroom. Katie groaned and stood, too, walking after Gabriella. "Gabriella, you are ready and you know you are. You just don't want to lose this baby, either. Gabriella, stop." Gabriella did and turned around, tears streaming down her face.
"Is that such a bad thing?" she asked. "That I'm scared to lose another baby?"
"No, of course not. But you can't dwell on the past, you know that." Gabriella shook her head and turned, gathering her coat in her arms. "Think about Troy, Gabs. Think about how this'll affect your relationship. You think he won't leave you after you try to abort his baby?"
Gabriella zipped her coat and grabbed the door handle. "I'm going out for a drink."
Katie grabbed her arm. "Come on… rethink this. If you drink, you hurt your baby. Troy's baby." Gabriella walked down the hall and Katie hurried after her. "Would you just stop being selfish bitch for a second and listen?" she shouted. Gabriella stopped and turned sharply around. "The world doesn't just revolve around you, okay? I know, shocker, but it's the truth! You can't go harm the baby that is you and Troy's. Do you think that's fair? No, it's not! It's real bitchy, and selfish and―" Katie's sentence died in the air as Gabriella struck her hand across her face.
Gabriella dropped her hand as a moment of panic seeped into her head. Her eyes widened at the red tint glittered across her friend's face. "Oh, god, Katie… I'm sorry."
"No, no, I am," she said softly. "I'm sorry… I just don't want you to have another thing in your life to regret. We're like sisters, Gabs… I have to protect you. I don't want to see you hurt."
Gabriella sniffled softly and walked forward, hugging Katie. "I'm just so confused. What do I do?"
Katie pulled back and held Gabriella's shoulders. "Troy texted me earlier. He told me to pick you up and bring you to Red Lobster for a dinner. He has a surprise." She bit her lip. "And so have you."
Red Lobster was almost packed. Troy noticed this as he stepped into the sweet-smelling restaurant. Heat soared across his skin. There wasn't supposed to be a lot of people. His friend, Zeke, worked here, and he had asked his boss if only a few people could be allowed in. he couldn't… serenade Gabriella in front of all these people.
"Hey, man," Chad said. "Katie and Gabs have arrived."
"God, dude, what have you gotten me into?" he groaned. Chad patted his shoulder before turning and whisking away, off to Taylor. Troy looked over there and smiled when he saw Gabriella, dressed beautiful in a blue satin dress, stopping a bit above he knees. His nerves calmed a bit.
"I can't do this," Gabriella whispered. "What if he's upset?"
"Well, he'll know sooner or later, so stop being scared." They sat down, greeting their friends wholeheartedly. Gabriella looked around. "Uh… where's Troy?"
"Restroom," Chad said, the same time, Austin blurted, "Outside." Gabriella rose and eyebrow and Chad chuckled nervously. "Well… he's in the outside bathroom. The porta potty. Troy… just doesn't feel comfortable going to the bathroom with other men in there."
"He's never had a problem before," Gabriella said.
"It's new," Austin replied. Gabriella just rolled her eyes and sighed. Chad leaned over, close to Austin. "He's about to perform?"
"If he didn't chicken out," he replied.
Troy walked slowly up the small steps leading onto the stage the manager and some employees installed for him. It cost him a hand-full of money, but he figured it was worth it. "Troy?" Taylor said. Gabriella turned and raised her eyebrows. Troy grabbed the microphone and cleared his throat. A guitar hung loosely around his shoulders. "Uh… um… hello, everyone and good evening. I, uh, am going to sing a song. It's for someone special. Someone who I love very much no matter what happens." Gabriella bit her lip and waited patiently as Troy settled the guitar the correct way in his hands.
The band behind him fell into the tune as Troy started to sing. "You're having my baby… what a lovely way of saying how much you love me. You're having my baby… what a lovely way of saying what you're thinking of me. I can see it, your face is glowing." Gabriella froze, and nearly choked on her saliva. He knew that she was pregnant?
"I can see it in your eyes. I'm happy knowin'… that you're having my baby. You're the woman I love and I love what it's doin' to you." Kind of, he thought in his head. "You're having my baby… you're a woman in love and I love what's goin' through you. The need inside you, I see it showin'. Oh, the seed inside you, baby, do you feel it growin'? Are you happy in knowin' that you're having my baby?"
Gabriella leaned back against the chair, tears of uncertainty shining in her eyes. Troy looked at her as he sung the words, and her heart trembled with both love and anger. Katie looked at her and her smile slipped off her face upon seeing how distressed her friend looked. She placed a hand on her shoulder and Gabriella looked at her. They stood a moment later and hurried off towards the bathroom. On the stage, Troy was confused. He thought she'd be happy…
Troy stopped singing and walked off of the stage, running after her. The customer's looked around in confusion.
"Gabriella," Troy said. He opened the door to the girl's bathroom and sighed when he saw Gabriella leaned over the sink, tears ruining her make-up. "I thought you were fine," Katie whispered. Gabriella shook her head. "He wants this baby, Kate…"
"Yeah," Troy said and they looked up. "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"
"Troy, this is the ladies room," Gabriella said, sniffling softly.
"I'll be out there," Katie murmured, and then left. Troy shoved his hands into his pockets. "Why wouldn't I?" he asked again.
"I don't know. You just… in the past you would always say you're not ready."
"Past, Gabriella. It's the past. Out plans we set on vacation are still a go. I may be a little frightened at the concept of taking care of another human being, but then I thought about how I helped make that human being. How I helped bring another person into this world and I did it with someone who I love. I want to have this baby with you, Brie."
"I want to have it to," she whispered. "But… what if something happens again?"
"Then we'll try again. No matter what happens, we'll always try again. Come here." Gabriella walked over to him and hugged him tight. "So, I got that song off of Glee. It's not that bad of a show." Gabriella giggled softly. "I also noticed another song that I'd like to sing to you."
Gabriella pulled away. "I love you."
"I love you, too." He cupped her cheek and leaned down, brushing his lips softly against hers. "Let's go knock that crowd dead." Gabriella grabbed his hand and they walked out of the bathroom.
Gabriella sta down next to Katie and smiled brightly when she asked if things were fine. Troy jogged back up onto the stage and walked over to the band, making a small compromise before taking center stage again. "So, uh… sorry for the delay. I've decided to sing a different song. It's called I'll Stand By You. Thank you." Everyone clapped softly and the band started a soft harmony.
"Oh, why you look so sad? Tears are in your eyes. Come on and come to me now.
Don't be ashamed to cry. Let me see you through, 'cause I've seen the dark side too. When the night falls on you, you don't know what to do. Nothing you confess could make me love you less. I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you. Won't let nobody hurt you, I'll stand by you…" Gabriella wiped away a tear and smiled.
When Troy finished, everyone applauded loudly. He bowed and said, "Thank you." And then walked off stage, towards the table. Gabriella stood and wounded her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Troy rested his hands on her hips. "How was that?" he asked, pressing his nose against hers. Gabriella giggled. "It was absolutely perfect. I love you so much." Instead of responding verbally, troy responded physically, pressing his lips to hers in a zealous kiss. Their friends erupted into cheers around them. Chad raised a glass of champagne. "Red Lobster is fun and all, but it is time to get wasted!"
"You guys can go do that," Troy said. "Brie and me are going home."
"Troy, you should go out and have fun," Gabriella insisted. Troy shook his head. "Where's the fun without you?" He smiled. "See you later, guys."
"Don't try to make twins!" Sharpay called out after them. Troy flipped her off and pulled Gabriella faster out of the place. "I didn't know you liked Glee," she said teasingly. Troy grinned. "Well, duh. Glee is the Monarch of Hollywood," he said, replaying her words. "Just a small town girl," he sang out loudly. "Living in a lonely world!"
Gabriella laughed and slapped his arm. 'Shut up! People are looking."
"Good. They can see how lucky I am to have someone as hot as you," he said.
"Always the charmer," she said. Troy opened the car door and Gabriella slipped in. When Troy got in, Gabriella placed a hand on his thigh. "I don't want to go home. At least not yet."
"Where to then?"
She grinned. "The lake."
Gabriella squealed as her skin hit the icy water. Troy laughed and jumped in after her. "This is one of the most spontaneous things I've ever done," she said, crossing her arms over her bare chest. Troy pulled her close and nuzzled his nose against her neck. "You know this is really hot, right?"
"Definitely." She pushed his head away and kissed him fiercely, her fingers digging into his soft, frozen flesh.
By the end of that night, two things happened to Gabriella that she'd remember for the rest of her life. She had mind-blowing sex in the lake and saw a raccoon looking at them with beady eyes as they did, a large chunk of bread in his small hands.
It was a good night.
Okay. So, this is what happened and why I'm such a horrible person for not updating in probably over two months. Like I mentioned before, I'm losing my muse for High School Musical. I don't know, the inspiration is hardly there anymore. Also, I've taken an interest in Glee and might do a story in that field. Other than that, well… like I said, I hardly have any muse that is not any of your faults. I know this chapter is not the best, but it's the best that I could do and I hope you still review and are not going anywhere.
So, all of you who wanted a baby... there you are!
The wedding will probably be next chapter, I'm sure of it. I'll try to have it out soon.
Thanks!-Brittany
