I don't ever want to wake up, look into someone else's eyes

Another voice calling me baby on the other end of the phone

A new girl putting on her makeup, before dinner on a Friday night

I look to my right and see Troy standing there, bobbing his head along to the music, being such a trooper for me. Being the best boyfriend I could ever ask for. I mean, what guy really wants to go to a Tim McGraw concert on a Friday night? Not many.

Actually, no one wanted to come with me. And that's why Troy is here with me. Because he's nicer than everyone else in my life.

Okay, everyone's equal, I guess. But today, he was the nicest because he came with me even though I know he could care less about Tim McGraw.

I got these tickets in early October and have been waiting for MONTHS for him to come. And no one else in my life is particularly fond of him, except my cousin so I got these tickets with her in mind, but it turned out she couldn't come home for the weekend from school. So I asked everyone else- Soph, Sash, my sister, other cousins, other friends, but nope. None of them wanted to go to a PAID concert with me.

So annoying. I mean, okay, country music isn't everyone's thing, but if it was free, why not? I would definitely go just to go, ya know?

Troy, though, I told him how I could find anyone to go with and he asked why I didn't just ask him and I was blown away... okay, not completely blown away but I was happy and impressed by it. He would actually sit through two hours of music he's never heard? I mean... what a great boyfriend. GAAHHHH.

"It's almost over," I tell him as loud as I possibly can over the music, "don't worry."

He looks at me and gives me a smile, "I'm having a good time."

It genuinely looks like he doesn't mind. And he hasn't complained about it ONCE. I was so happy. It was one of the best nights. Tim McGraw is one of my absolute favorite artists and I couldn't believe I was acting seeing him. Like 20 rows back. SO COOL. And with my ridiculously hot boyfriend.

"Thanks," I tell him, grabbing his hand, but he quickly let it go and wrapped his arms around my neck instead, pulling me closer.

I looked up at him and the minute I did, he leaned down and kissed me and I still couldn't get over how much of a couple we were. We're a full on couple and it's the best thing, ever. It's nice to be able to grab his hand whenever, kiss him whenever and call him up and tell him about my day or complain about stupid stuff that happened at school or whatever.

And I know that's what best friends are for, but it's different. It's nice having a boyfriend again. And it's different than Thomas. It's just... better.

Everything about Troy is better than Thomas. I've had absolutely no problems with him no matter how many people told me to be careful, including himself pretty much. Troy told me I would probably be disappointed, but I'm far from being that. It's been three months and he's been the most perfect boyfriend. Sure, there were a few little bumps, but that lasted about one week total and we moved on from it. And that wasn't directed at me. So, you know, he's been the best boyfriend to me. He treats me well and looks at me like I'm the only girl in the world... as cheesy as that sounds, it's so true.

I swayed to the last song he was singing and got a bit sad that I waited months for a 2 hour show and it was almost over.

But when it was over, we were gonna grab some pizza so I was pretty excited about that.

As he played his last song of the night, I looked over at Troy and just took him in. I've taken him a lot these past three months, but something about him right now... him being here with me when I'm sure he wants to be doing something else and I don't know, I'm just so happy. He's been so great to me. And he's sooo freaking beautiful, it's insane. It's insane that he's MINE.

He's mine and I'm falling so hard for him. So fast. And it's kind of scaring me a bit, to be honest.

Just looking at him right now, all I can think about is how much I like him and how these past three months have been extraordinary.

And how his relationship with God seems to get stronger each day. And how his relationship with both his parents seem to be progressing. How he has no interest in getting shit faced anymore. And how he's come to terms that his parents are divorced, yes, but they're still very much in his life and that's better than nothing. It just seems like he's letting everything go and he's accepting that life changes and yes, life happens, but it's how you deal with it that will make a difference, ya know? He just seems like he's in a god place and I'm happy he's accepted that bullshit happens, but that it's not the end of the world.

"My ears are still ringing," Troy tells me as we're in my cozy house now, about to demolish this box of pizza.

"Sorry," I laugh as I open the box and grab a slice of pizza and immediately bite into it, "I know, it was pretty loud in there."

He shakes his head as he also grabs a slice, but unlike me, he puts it on a plate, "no, no, it was fun. I mean, I really only knew like two songs and I learned them from being in the car with you, but it was fun."

I look over at him to see if he's just bullshitting me again because I couldn't really tell in a dark area, but it doesn't seem like he is. "Yeah, but I'm sure you would have much rather hung out with the guys or something than go to a Tim McGraw concert!"

"Maybe," he tells me, biting into his pizza, "but I truly did not mind going and being with you. I really did think it was fun. I'd say yes again."

"You're sweet," I turn to him, bringing my whole body on the couch and crossing my legs across each other.

"And you're beautiful," he tells me in return, also turning his body towards me.

He's told me that a dozen of times since we've started dating, but each time, it just gets me. It brings butterflies to my stomach and sends chills up and down my spine. Every. Single. Time. It's crazy. It's crazy how he has that affect on me. And it's crazy and comfortable I'm getting with him to just be throwing out compliments like that. But I'm not shy around him. I'm not shy with him at all and that's a good sign- that I can pretty much say whatever I want to him.

I smile like an idiot and stuff the rest of my slice of pizza into my mouth and then rest my head on the couch, staring at him, like I always do. "Did you think we'd be here? Three months in?"

"Like when I first met you?" he took another bite of his pizza before putting the plate down on the coffee table.

"I don't know, sure. Or when we first starting hanging out."

He looked at me to see if I was serious and then chuckled. "Yeah, right. Not only did I swear off girls, but there was no way I thought you'd ever be into me. And even if you were remotely into me, I thought you'd get bored of me or something."

I frowned. No way. I always had a crush on him. It was absolutely insane how big of a crush I had. "But you're the best. I have so much fun with you."

"No, I guess I just thought that there are guys who have more to offer. You know... I didn't think I had it in me to be in a relationship."

"But look where we are now," I remind him, "three months in and things are great, so you did. You do have it in you. And you're not like that guy I first met. You have a sparkle in your eye and I'm really lucky to have you."

It looked like he didn't believe me, but truly and honestly, I feel so blessed. I've never felt this way about someone before. Thomas... Thomas was just one of those high school relationships that you have, but later on in life, you think back on and realize that it wasn't as good as you thought and that you spent too much time and effort on it when you shouldn't have. But with Troy, it just feels different. It feels legit. And it feels like this was supposed to happen. Like I'm supposed to be with him and he's supposed to be with me... as crazy as that sounds. It feels perfect. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

He turned to me, placed a kiss on the top of my head and then brought me in closer to him. "I feel the same."

Troy Bolton makes me so unbelievably happy, it's insane and absolutely terrifying.

But I wouldn't have it any other way.

"I kind of like this one more because I don't have to keep pulling it up," my sister struts out of her closet and shows me the gorgeous dress she's planning on wearing to my cousin's wedding in a couple of weeks, "but the other one is just so stunning."

"Yeah," I tell her, taking in this dress and all it has to offer, "I don't know, maybe you can alter the other one if you like it more."

She sighs as she looks in the mirror, "why is this so freaking hard?"

Weddings are a pain. You don't want to dress up TOO much because you don't want to look just as good as the bride, but you definitely don't want to wear some dress that can be too casual for the occasion, you know? So it's very hard.

"I think you should just go with this one. It's stunning and I think it's appropriate enough, plus I love red."

"Yeah, maybe," my sister keeps staring at it in the mirror, "or maybe I should just go look for another dress. Are you busy, do you want to come?"

Oh no, I am not going to the mall right now. I have plans in a bit and I don't want to push them back. "Don't look for another dress. You have plenty. You bought TWO for the occasion, just pick one of them."

She groaned and turned around, "but I'm just not feeling them anymore, Gabs. Please just come with me. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to a BBQ, Sophie's picking me up in a little bit," I tell her as I grab my phone from her bed and check my texts.

"Fine," she rolls her eyes and goes into her closet and slips out of the dress and comes back out wearing what she was wearing before- yoga pants and a plain white shirt, "you're set on that black dress for the wedding?"

I reply to Sophie's text real quick and then look up at my sister, "yeah, I think so. If not, I have other one's to choose from, but pretty sure."

She looked annoyed that I was ready to go for the wedding, pretty much, but it's all on her. She's making a bigger deal than it has to be. But it's just how she is and I love her just the way she is. "So are you taking Troy to the wedding or no?"

"I don't know, I mean, they said he's more than welcomed to, but it's just... the whole family? You know how they are."

"Yeah," she laughed, probably thinking about the day she brought her boyfriend around for the first time, "Matthew was so nervous and I told him he had nothing to worry about, but I was wrong. Well, not wrong, but man did they drill him. I seriously didn't think they would ask that many questions!"

Man. I felt for him that night. It was actually the first guy she really brought around the aunts and uncles and everyone and I mean, they liked him so that was good, but it was just question after question.

And I never brought Thomas around them. I just... I didn't. It wasn't something I thought about. It just didn't really happen.

But with Troy. Things are different. I want him to be around as much as possible. I want him to meet my family and get to know them. I want them to like him and I just want it to feel like it is between Michael and Natalie. Where they're just so comfortable. She literally goes over to his house even if he's not home and she just chills with her mom or his sister and that's what I want more than anything. For my boyfriend to feel like he belongs. And vice versa.

"I think I'm gonna ask if he wants to go," I decide that I would love nothing more than for him to come and be my date, "we'll see."

"You should," Natalie looks back at me, giving me a smile, "you guys are great."

It feels so good hearing that. I knew Natalie liked Troy, I knew she approved, but it never hurts to hear.

Natalie went over to her closet and God knows what she was doing, but when she came back out, I wanted to share something with her. The first person that I would actually be telling and it was major. I've never... I've never felt this way before and I need to tell someone about it. I need to let it out.

"Nat," I called out to her.

"What?" she looked at me from where she was standing, her nightstand.

I took a deep breath. I couldn't believe I was going to utter these words. OUT LOUD. For the first time. "I'm in love with Troy."

Immediately, her eyes widened. And a few seconds after, a smile was on her face and she was jumping on her bed to get closer to me. "Oh my gosh. Are you kidding me? You're... you're in love with Troy? Like, real love? You're actually in real love with Troy?"

"I think so, yeah," I nod, laughing a bit, "I know. It's so soon. Like four months. Less than four months. But I feel it. I think I really am in love with him."

"You have to tell him," she instructs me, "you have to let him know how you feel!"

I want to. I do, but I'm so freaking nervous. He's been let down in his life in such big ways that it's probably hard for him to love the same way I can love, you know? "I want to tell him, Nat, but I'm nervous. And scared. What if he doesn't feel the same way and then it's just awkward. I really don't want that."

She shakes her head, "I told Matt I loved him the second I felt it. There was no second questioning it and look at us now."

"People are different, Nat, what if he's not there yet and I'm here just waiting for him to get there?"

"Well, if you love him the way you should, you will wait."

Yeah, I guess she's right. I just, it's scary. It's really scary to give your heart to someone. And although we were together for 6 months, I never felt this way about Thomas. Sure, I love you's were exchanged, but I mean, I did think I loved him. Obviously, I didn't love him like I should've because this feels so very different than what I had with Thomas. And I just want nothing more than for Troy and I to be on the same page about things.

I sighed, not knowing what to do. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We'll see."

Never knew being in love with someone could be so complicated.

But he's worth it. I know he is.