Chapter 29:
I brush through my dark brown locks as I step out of the elevator and into his penthouse. I get greeted by soft soul music and damed lights.
"Troy?" I ask into the empty hallway.
"Stay there! Don't move." I hear his voice from the living area.
"Or what?" I ask him back grinning, but yet I don't move an inch.
"Or you'll get in serious trouble, Miss Montez." he says as he walks towards me.
I smile as I eyeball him. Gosh, he looks so hot!
He returns my smile and stops in front of me. "I hope you will like it."
"Like what?" I ask him confused.
"I've told that there were mechanics here while you were in the hospital, didn't I?"
I nodd, "What exactly did they do?"
He grins at me before he places his hands on my eyes, "That's the surprise, Miss Montez." he whispers as he leads me through the hallway.
"I swear if you'll lead me against a wall, you will suffer from a very long sex dry spell." I say and he chuckles.
"I don't want to risk that..." he says and stops. "Are you ready?"
I nodd, "I just really hope you didn't turn your apartment into a crypt."
"Sure that won't ever happen. One, two, three!" he says before he takes his hands away from my eyes.
My eyes flutter a little, to adjust to the lightning first. What I see makes my breath stuck. It's amazing what they did out of the former stylish penthouse. They turned it into a cozy home, yet it hasn't lost any of it's style. The white walls are now painted in a light beige tone, a champaign color really.
"Wow." I breath out, scanning the area in disbelief.
"Ready for a little tour?" he asks me before taking my hand and leading me to the right. He seems excited. Excited for someone who still has seven other girlfriends.
We stop in front of the open fireplace. Above it hangs a painting. A beautifull landscape. But as soon as I look closer at the painting, I recognize that these are pictures. A thousand little painted pictures.
"Is that...?" I ask him shocked.
"It's from the same artist as the painting in my office. Clayton. I remember you liked it when you first visited me in my office. For the interview."
I can't help but smile, "Something so unimportant shouldn't be remembered."
"It's not unimportant when it's coming from you." he says and returns my smile.
I turn around and get greeted by a new - dark red - couch. "A new couch."
"Not the only new thing here." he says as he leads me over to dinning area, where the piano used to be.
"Where's the piano?" I ask him confused. Did he throw it away? A piano?!
"You'll see. Just wait and see." he says before he leads me into a brand new kitchen.
The modern chrome kitchen has been replaced by white cupboards. While it still looks modern, the white cupboards give it something homely. On the island stand several bottles, wine bottles to be exact. Empty wine bottles without their bottle neck.
"Why are there wine bottles on the island?" I ask him confused. It looks werid.
"These are the wines we've already drunk." he says picking up a bottle, "The Pouilly Fumé, was the wine we drank when you first visited me. A good white wine. You drank three glasses in total on the evening I showed you the contact." he says before he places the bottle back on the island.
I smile, remembering the day like it was yesterday. "It really was a good wine."
He picks up another bottle, "A 1865 Chateau Lafite, the wine we drank when I cooked for the first time for you. I made lasagne. The evening you decided to sign. The evening you chose me."
"It was a good lasagne." I say smiling as he picks up another bottle.
"A 1997 Romanée-Conti, the wine we drank when I got back from Moscow. We sat in front of the open fireplace and just talked. It was the night I told you, I killed my mother. It was the night I opened up to you - something I don't usually do. The night you earned my trust."
"It was an eventfull night..." I say, remembering the day like it was yesterday.
"And this," he says holding up the last bottle without the bottle neck, "this is the Château d'Yquem. The white wine we drank on the night of the Gala. The night I chose to go public with you. With only you. The night which changed my life forever. The night you left me. The night I realized you mean a lot to me."
"But why are their bottle necks missing?"
He rolls his eyes, "Vases, Ella. They're vases."
"You should have put flowers in! I might have recognized the vases then..." I say to defend myself. "So, where's the piano?"
"Follow me." he says, taking my hand again, leading me out of the living area.
"Where are we going?" I ask him as we walk down the hallway.
"You're nearly as noesy as Adam is." he says and stops in front of white swing doors. The white swing doors to my bedroom. Why are we in front of my bedroom? The room, I realize, in which I've never slept in. Not a single night.
"You should get used to it." I say and show him my tongue before he opens the doors.
The room got transformed into something new, something better. The former bedroom is no longer a bedroom. The cozy king size bed is gone, just like the nightstands. Instead there's a piano in the center, with a music stool in front of it. Then there's a desk with a stool. To my left is a violin. A violin?! How crazy is that? Those violines cost a fortune! I pick it up and notice that it is a Giuseppe Guarneri, so it must've been created somewhere between 1698 and 1744. That violin is worth more than four million US$! A Russian lawyer bought one for his son once and paid about four million. I've read about it in an article. I didn't think those kind of violins were still available. But then again, you can buy everything when you're Troy Bolton, so I shouldn't be surprised. Although I am pretty shocked.
"It was created in 1744 just before Guarneri's death." he explains to me.
I look up at him, "This is not something you just buy, Troy. This is a piece of history. Music history."
He smiles at me, "I knew you would like it."
I raise an eyebrow at him, "Like it? This is something I love! But it's not a violin you play. It's something you just stare at, because you don't want to break it."
He nodds, "I know that. That's why you have that one." he says pointing to another violin. A Stradivari. Wow. A violin worth about two million $. A violin I should play?!
"You're kidding right? You bought me a Guarneri and a Stradivari?!" I ask him shocked.
He shruggs, "They're good violins."
I smile like a five year old, "Yeah..."
"You could compose your songs here. Without any distractions. The walls are soundproof, so-"
"I won't distract you?" I ask him.
"No... I was going to say, I won't distract you."
"Mhm, right." I say and roll my eyes, "But seriously, this is amazing. You changed a lot for me. You changed your whole penthouse for me, Troy. Something I would have never asked for."
He nodds as he places his hands on my hips, "I know. That's why I did it. I want you to feel comfortable here. I want you to feel homely here." he says into my eyes before he kisses me softly.
I have no idea what that means. Would he do that for all of his girlfriends? Does each girlfriend, each in a different city, have an individualistic apartment, just created for her? Or is it just me who... Who gets treated differently?
I don't know. Do I want to know?
Another kiss from him rips me out of my questions. He smiles at me. A smile with only his eyes. A smile even beautifuller than with his lips. "You really should stop thinking so much.
He's right. I should. But I can't. Why can't I stop questioning his behaviour? Why can't I just accept it and live on? Because I want to be treated specially? Because I want to know I am more to him than just one out of eight? Gosh, this is so frustrating!
"But you have to inaugurate this music room. Play something on the piano for me." I say grinning after I took a deep breath to clear my head.
"But only for you." he says and kisses my knuckles before he gets seated on the music stool.
I smile as he starts to play Adagio from Concerto No 3 in D Minor, BWV 974 by James Rhodes. I recognize the song right away.
I sit down on the floor, my back against the music stool and I close my eyes as I listen to him playing. The soft piano music calms me down. My heartbeat is regular just like my pulse. The millions of questions in my head have disappeared. I feel calm. I feel like I've arrived at my destination. This is exactly where I should be. Where I could be forever.
For the first time my heart and mind are on the same page. I am home. Home with him.
With him. And only him.
I roll over in the bed and look to my right. While Troy is sleeping, I can't seem to find any sleep at all. I sigh as I lift myself and get out of the bed. I put on a silk dressing gown before I leave the bedroom. I walk into the music room, which is right next to the bedroom.
I open the door and feel the atmosphere right away. The atmosphere of inspiration. The atmosphere where I can compose and write songs. An atmosphere of happiness.
I sit down on the music stool. He said the room is soundproof. Let's try it out then.
I let my fingers slide on the keynotes, letting my feelings transform into notes. Into a melody.
I know i'm far from perfect, nothin' like your entourage
I can't grant you any wishes, I won't promise you the stars.
But don't ever question if my heart beats only for you,
it beats only for you.
Cause when you've given up.
When no matter what you do it's never good enough.
When you never thought that it could ever get this tough,
Thats when you feel my kind of love.
And when you're crying out.
When you fall and then can't pick, you're heavy on the ground
When the friends you thought you had haven't stuck around.
That's when you feel my kind of love.
It's like my mouth finds the right words without even looking for it. My heart tells me what to sing, what to say... What to write down. I smile as I continue playing.
You won't see me at the parties, I guess I'm just no fun.
I won't be turning up the radio singing "Baby You're The One".
But don't ever question if my heart beats only for you,
it beats only for you.
My head turns around and I see Troy standing in the doorframe. Yeah it's only soundproof when I've closed the door. Shit, I woke him up. But man this man can sing! He has a beautifull voice! A voice so pure, so beautifull, I could listen to it all day long.
I know sometimes I get angry, and I say what i don't mean.
I know I keep my heart protected, far away from my sleeve.
But don't ever question if my heart beats only for you,
it beats only for you.
I stare shocked at the blue eyed man as he walks over to me. He can sing! He can sing! Of course he can sing. Troy Bolton can do anything.
I stop playing and eyeball him. He doesn't seem tired. "I'm sorry for waking you up." I apologize as he gets seated next to me. "I should have closed the door."
He smiles softly, "You really think I can sleep when you're laying next to me, acting all "Sleepless in Seattle" like?"
I smile innocently at him and shrugg. "Maybe."
"It's a nice song."
"Speaking of the song, you should have told me that you could sing, Mr. Bolton." I say to him, feeling his hand on my cheek.
"I don't sing. Never."
"You just did."
"I helped you out."
I raise an eyebrow at him.
He sighs, "Fine. I only sing for you."
"Just like you only play for me."
He nodds, "Yes, Miss Montez, correct." he says into my eyes as he puts a strand of hair behind my ear.
I smile at him, feeling the very same effect he has on me every time he touches me. All my synapses are awake, my sense are all focused on him.
He kisses me softly and I return his kiss immediately, feeling his hands on my back. But then he lets go of my swollen lips, as if he was afraid to hurt me.
He fondles my cheeks, staring into my brown orbs. "You're beautifull."
I blush and look down. He lifts my head up with his long fingers, "But I can't change who I am."
I nodd, "I know."
"I'm a polyamorist, Ella. I'll always be a polyamorist." he says into my eyes, as if he wants to frighten me.
Truth is, he doesn't frighten me. No matter how dark and twisty he turns on me, I am not afraid. Not afraid of this man because my attraction to him overweighs everything - even my broken heart.
I nodd again, "I know."
"I'm not having normal relationships. A relationship like Adam has with Sharpay, will never be something for me. I don't do regular vanilla relationships."
I smile. Regular vanilla relationships. So that's what a normal relationship is called in the Bolton vocabulary.
"But I'm pretty sure you want this."
"A regular vanilla relationship?"
"It's normal. Average." he says with a shrugg.
I nodd.
"Answer me."
I look up into his crystal blue eyes, "I've had regular vanilla relationships, they all turned out to be bad." I say with a shrugg.
"There's something about you Gabriella, that calls to me on some deep level I don't understand. I've never had that before. It's a siren's call. I can't resist you, and I don't want to lose you. But I'm letting you go, if you want to. I can't hold you back. But I won't change who I am just because you're giving me these fucking feelings."
"Well then," I say and get up. "I guess, I should go."
I walk out of the music room, trying to keep the tears from rolling down my cheek. How stupid could I have been to beleive that he would change? Change for me?
I walk into the walk-in closet and start to throw clothes into my bag before I get dressed in something I just pull randomly off the hangers, I don't care how I look like.
I pick up the bag and my purse before I walk out of the closet. Troy is standing in the open swing doors, leaning casually against the door frame. He's watching me. Observing me.
"Ella," he starts as he makes his way over to me.
"How could I have been so stupid to start something with you again?! You and me don't belong together! I can't be part of your fucking lifestyle." I yell at him as I pass him.
He turns around and follows me, "Drop your bags." he says in a strict voice.
I turn around, looking into his nearly black eyes.
"You have no idea what you're getting with me. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Gabriella."
"You're kidding me, right?!" I yell back at him, letting the bags fall on the ground. "I don't know you?! " I yell so strongly, that I can even hear an echo. Is this penthouse even bigger than I thought? "I know that you drink your coffee without sugar. You hate sugar. That's why you rarely eat something sweet, no cakes, no muffins, no sweet popcorn, for Christ's sake! You always eat omlettes on working days as a breakfast - omlettes with cheese, tomatos, salt and pepper. You love your work, that's why you're always reachable. I hear your phone ringing in the middle of the night, when I'm pretending that I'm sleeping. I hear you picking up the phone and talking in freaking Chinese to the caller! Chinese in the middle of the night! Ever since Kelsi told you about her disease, you seem to be worried 24/7. I can see it in your eyes, that your thoughts are on her. That's how much you love your sister. Although Adam can be noesy, you enjoy being with him and love him no matter what. That's how much your family means to you. Plus, I'm pretty sure he asked you first what you'd think of him and Sharpay getting engaged. That's how he is. That's why you love him. And they love you." I say in a loud voice into his eyes, "I know that you prefer red wine instead of white. I also know that you prefer an expensive Romanée-Conti, instead of an average bottle from the store. I know that a bottle which costs 39,000$ each, brings you more pleasure than any of your cars. And yes I got informed about those fucking wines! You prefer to own sportscars, because you love speed. You love the rush of adrenaline. But you hate when someone's lying to you. You get furious when someone doesn't tell you the truth. Anger brings out the most aggressive side of you. I also know that your eyes change color when your mood changes. They adjust." I say in a softer voice now. "The first time I've kissed you, your body was tensed, I thought I just kissed a stone. But now... You let me kiss you. You adjusted to me. You trust me - although you haven't let me touch you yet. But that's okay. I can wait. But not forever." I say and brush through my dark brown locks, "So don't you ever say that I don't know you. I know exactly what I'm getting myself into here. I know who you are and I accept it. All your fucked up shades."
He looks at me, his eyes filled with shock.
"But although I accept who you are and why you are the way you are, I can't be with you. I can't be with you because you will never be able to return my feelings, will you, Troy?" I ask him as I pick up the bags.
He doesn't say anything.
"I asked you something and I expect an answer."
He still remains silent. "No." he says, almost unhearable.
I nodd, "Thought so." I whisper before I walk to the elevator. I can't do this. I can't be with him. With someone who will never love me. Who will never just love me.
"Gabriella," he says as I push the button and wait for the elevator.
I sigh, "I'm tired, Troy. I'm tired of your little games. Tired of playing hot and cold and then hot again before you turn all cold on me." I say and brush through my hair, "So I'm ending this game. Once and for all. I'm putting my cards down, I'm leaving the table, not caring whether I won or lost." I say as I get into the elevator. "It was a good game, Mr. Bolton, but it's time to face reality now."
I unlock the front door of my apartment, before I open the door.
Sharpay is sitting in the living room, watching T.V.. I smile at her softly before I kick the door close.
"What are you watching?" I ask her as I throw myself on the couch next to her.
"What to expect when you're expecting."
"Is it good?"
"Ice cream?" she asks me, holding up Ben and Jerry's ice cream.
"Why are you eating ice cream, Shar? You usually don't eat ice cream."
The blonde woman shurggs, "I'm getting married in two days. I think I 'm allowed to eat ice cream now. It's not like I will get hyper belly fat from a little ice cream. I worked my butt off to have this figure. I earned this ice cream tonight." she says to me before she puts a spoon with ice cream into her mouth. "Why are you here? It's in the middle of the night. You should be sleeping."
"I could say the same to you."
"I'm way too nervous to get any sleep."
"You think you'll be able to sleep tomorrow night?"
"If not I'm going to take some kind of sleeping pills." she jokes and I laugh a little. "Shouldn't you be at Troy's?"
"Ah, well... It doesn't really work out with us."
"Why?"
I shrugg.
"There's gotta be a reason, Gabs. You don't just break up."
I sigh. The reason is his poylamoristic side. The reasons are his seven relationships. Former eight. But I can't tell her that. I can't inform her about his... His dark and twisted side. I bite my lip.
"Gabriella Maria Montez, you can tell me anything. I was the first student who got informed about your former leukemia. I can take a lot, you know." she says to me with worried eyes.
I shake my head, "I can't tell you."
"Why?"
Because I signed a confidentiality agreement. I look up at her. Should I tell her?
"I won't tell anyone. Not even Adam. We still have our secrets, you know."
I smile, "He doesn't know that you snore?"
"Oh no, he quickly figured that one out. But he still doesn't know that I am a shoe maniac, with more than 500 pairs of shoes. Only the high heels."
I grin at her, "I'm sure he'll love every single shoe."
She shruggs, "He better. I won't throw them away."
I hug her, "I'm glad you're my best friend."
"Me, too. But what's wrong? What has really happened between you and Troy?"
I sigh, "If I tell you, you're not allowed to tell it anyone. No one."
She nodds, "No one will know but you and me... And Troy."
"Yeah, I really hope he won't find out that I'm telling you what I'm about to tell you."
"Gosh, this is getting exciting!" she says and clapps in her hands.
I sigh and open my mouth but the ringing bell interupts me.
"Stupid bell..." the blonde mumbles, before she gets up. "I'll get it. Don't forget what you were about to tell me, Gabi!" she says before she opens the door. I see a postman on the other side of the door.
"It's for you, Gabs!" she yells and I get up.
"Package for Miss Montez." he says, holding up a brand new iPad.
Confused I take it, before I sign on a piece of paper.
"Good evening, ladies." he says before he walks away.
"Did you order the iPad?" Sharpay asks me as she closes the front door.
I shake my head before I open the package. As I get out the iPad a note falls out.
"There's a note." Sharpay says, before picking up the piece of paper.
She hands me the note, "It's from Troy."
Confused, I read the message on the note. I can't tell you what you want to hear. But I can make you hear how I feel. There's a playlist on the iPad which might help you understand me.
I put the note on the table. Just like the iPad.
"You don't want to listen to the playlist?" the blonde asks me.
I shake my head, "No. No, I can't do that."
"Why?"
"Because if I listen to this playlist, I know that I'm going to be with him sooner than you can walk around the block. And I can't... I can't be with him again. I can't do that to myself. I can't... I just..."
"Can't?" she asks me.
I nodd, "Yes."
"Why?" she asks me as she gets seated.
I shake my head.
"Gabi, you can tell me." the blonde with the brunette eyes says to me.
I nodd, "Okay..."
"Okay..." she says smiling.
It takes me several minutes to open my mouth. "I can't be with him because he's... I mean, the reason for..."
"He's what?"
"Because he's a polyamorist, Shar." I say in one breath. There, I said it.
Fuck, I told her! I shouldn't have said that! I signed a freaking confidentiality agreement! Am I going to get sued now?!
"What?" the blonde asks me confused.
"That's someone who has more than one relationship at the same time." I explain to her slowly.
"Like polygamists." she says to me shocked.
"Yes. Only without marriages."
She raises an eyebrow at me, "Like it changes anything."
She's right. It doesn't change anything. It's the same... Well almost.
"I mean, it's not like all these women live under one roof..." I say with a shrugg.
"You're defending him?! Someone like him shouldn't be-"
"Look, I'm not defending him... I'm trying to explain to you who..." I close my mouth.
"And you... You agreed to be with him? I mean, do these women even know what he's doing to them?!" she asks me shocked.
I nodd, "Of course they know about each other. Everything's explained in the contract."
"A contract?!" she almost yells shocked, "This is crazy! Insane! Gabriella, this man is-"
I shrugg, "It's his lifestyle. A lifestyle he has been living for the past years."
"But- fuck this is insane!" she says to me, I can still see the shock in her eyes. "Did you... You know, sign the contract?"
I nodd.
She hits me right away, "How could you do that! You're just as insane as he is!"
I chuckle. Maybe she's right.
"And what does... What does this contract say?"
I sigh, "Basically for how long the relationship will last. Then there are rules which both parties have to stick to. And then... Then there are attachments. Bloodtests which have to be made and all that jazz."
"You say it like it would be the most normal thing ever."
I shrugg. For me it was. At least for a month.
"How long do the relationship last?"
"Three months. If nothing goes wrong, it will be expanded."
"Did it ever got expanded?"
I nodd, "Once. Her name is Natalie. She was at the Gala."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"You were three months in a coma, Gabi. Plus you guys knew each other a couple of weeks before the accident. That kind of makes the relationship which you guys had the longest. It would be six months in total."
I shake my head, "I must've been some kind of... Exception." I smile as I remember his words: "You're the expection. The big exception."
She looks at me like I am some kind of alien. "How could you have gotten into all of this crap?"
I shrugg, "I don't know."
"Why did you sign? I mean, didn't you use your head? You always listen to your head."
"Guess I've listened to my heart once."
"So you fell in love with a polyamorist."
I nodd.
"How fucked up!"
I laugh, "Tell me about it."
"He loves you as well."
"No, he doesn't. He doesn't love me. He has never loved any of his girlfriends, so why would it change now?
"You're the exception. The big exception." I hear his voice ringing in my ears again. I shake my head.
"Maybe he didn't tell you yet but... It's the way he acts around you. The way you change him and the way he changes you. I mean, I may have not known how your relationship is really like but... Gosh, he seemed so in love with you every time I saw you guys." she says into my eyes, "I am not the only one who has noticed that. Adam has noticed the change as well. He says that Troy is a whole different person when he's with you. It's like you... You fix him."
A new chapter. I know, it's been so long! I hope you enjoyed it anyways.
Please review!
Xoxo Nic
