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Story: Crashing Into You
Chapter: 4. Chapter 4
From: MTTWildCat
When is this story going to update. How many chapter are there? When will Lauren and Michael get together?
Gabriella only posted one chapter of Crashing Into You, this week and it was only half as long as usual. It was the last chapter she had completed on her desk stop before Jenny…
Yeah.
Her fingers tapped the table top. She ventured out today to the student center for lunch. Taylor had left early to get a book from the campus book store for her next class. She decided to stay behind because there was only one other option and that was to go back to the room and stare at the box of Jenny's things.
No thank you.
"What are you working on?"
Gabriella pulled the laptop shut as she looked up at Troy hovering over her.
"Something personal."
"Looked like you were writing a story," Troy leaned over to see the notes on her notebook. "Questions to be answered? Why is Michael pursuing Lauren? Why is Lauren insure about her feeling for Michael? What is the overall goal for the couple?"
Gabriella swiped her notebook away from him.
"I said it was personal."
"So you like to write."
Gabriella didn't say anything. At the moment she really didn't like to write. She really didn't understand what she was doing. She began packing up her things.
"You write romance stories?" he said pointing at the laptop.
"I don't want to talk about it. You'll think it's stupid. People always do. And I really don't feel like being shit on any more than I already have today."
Troy nodded, "Bad day huh?"
"Why do you care?" she said zipping her bag shut.
"I'm having a bad day too," Troy frowned as he motioned towards a beautiful blonde standing in line for coffee.
"Now what?"
"The ex-girlfriend."
Gabriella paused as she glanced back over at the perky looking girl in question. Gabriella tried to ignore the small beads of sweat forming at her hairline. She had shiny blond hair that flowed over sun-kissed shoulders peeking out of a cutesy white sundress. Who the heck had hair like that unless she's was in a hot pink package and distributed by Mattel?
She was a sharp contrast to her own plain Jane build. Gabriella was the invisible girl. There was at least one of them in every grade, the one who sat in class and got A's on every test but never raised her hand. She never been one for any extra-curricular clubs, unless you counted the Math League, and no one ever did. Even her clothing choices were safe, bland and utterly boring.
"She's pretty." Gabriella said finally.
"So are you."
It was as if he'd read her mind.
"Please, don't do that. The only reason I'm getting any kind of male attention at the moment is because people think I'm a whore."
"Some guys are clueless, unless you throw it in their face."
"Throw what in their face?"
Troy shrugged, "Some guys only want what the other guys have."
"I don't understand." She had no idea what he was talking about, but something inside her zinged with nervous energy.
"Right now you're a free agent. Everyone thinks your open for business. So shut it down. Get a boyfriend."
"Are literally insane?" Gabriella leaned forward. "That's a horrible idea. I hate lies. And besides, even if I wanted to, who on earth is going to volunteer to-"
"I would."
"That's not funny."
He studied her, his gaze unnerving her, then his low voice said in two simple words. "Not joking."
"Troy-"
"Come on, I've got a stalking ex I need off my case, and your reputation could use some damage control."
"It would need damage control if you hadn't destroyed."
"Fair enough," Troy nodded, "But what are your other options." His lips curved in a mocking smile that did something to her stomach.
"No one would ever believe it," she said pointedly. "Personally, I'm shock that you people to be that we …" she blushed unable to finish the sentence.
"That we what?" He leaned forward. Her breath caught in her throat as he reached out and touched her hair, twirling a long strand around his finger. He leaned in so close she could see a faint shadow of stubble on his jaw. "Fell for each other." He shifted closer, moving in so that his lips barely brushed her cheek as he whispered in her ear. "Or that we just hook up?"
This, but he wasn't… she didn't … what… Her thoughts spun out of control, just like her hormones. God what was he-
He dropped her lock of hair and leaned back against his chair, smirking. "I think everyone would believe that. You did, didn't you? Just for a second?"
Her hand flew up to slap him, but he grabbed it like he'd been expecting it. "Two weeks. It won't even take that long. Sharpay only needs to see us do that once. I'll even let you drop kick my sorry ass at the end of it."
"You're such a-" he was still holding her hand, though he loosened his grip.
"Jackass. I know. But let me pretend to be your jackass boyfriend and we'll both get what we want."
Troy Bolton's girlfriend. Her brain did cartwheels at the thought until she reminded herself he meant his fake girlfriend.
She missed Jenny already. Even now more so.
Jenny would tell her to leave. Insist her self-respect was worth more than this shit-show it was turning into. Taylor might kill her if she knew what she was considering agreeing to. Then Taylor would bring her back to life just to kill her again.
"You're still here, so I'm assuming that means yes?" Troy said breaking the silence
"You're not used to people saying no to you are you?"
"Doesn't happen often. So, no. I guess not."
"If I agree," she said, attempting to gain some power back, "We need rules."
Troy laughed. His eyes met hers. "Like?"
"No kissing."
"Just kissing?" Troy asked with a sly smile.
"No anything," Gabriella spurted, her blood heating, climbing like the mercury in a thermometer.
Troy's lips twisted, "We can revisit that when we get to it. For now how about I just promise to be a gentlemen."
"Fine," Gabriella replied.
"So?" Troy arched a brow. "We good?"
Everything in her screamed no, but when she finally opened her mouth, the word that fell out was "Okay."
"So, uh, you're a girl right…" he started, cringing at how awkward it sounded.
"How clever of you to notice." Lauren narrowed her eyes in his direction.
Michael let out a low chuckle, "I didn't mean it like that. I just, well you know, I don't know."
"Right."
"Does Alyssa talk about me? Like. At all?"
Lauren rolled her eyes, "I really don't make it a habit to listen to the words falling out of her mouth. It's my suspicion that she's just fifty percent hairspray and make up. Her humanity has yet to be proven."
"I worry about her."
"She's a big girl," Lauren shrugged her shoulders.
"She's been through a lot Lauren. It's hard for her."
"I bet it is." Lauren sat up a little straighter. "Why is it that she can be so… so bitchy and you guys still hang out with her?"
"Honest answer?" he raised a brow.
"Please?"
"She's hot." he said blankly.
Lauren leaned over and pretended to gag. "Is that really all that matters?"
Michael felt his lips twitching as he tried not to laugh. "What about Mitch?"
"What about him?"
"I saw you on the beach with him earlier, you two looked … cozy."
Lauren let out a snort as she plucked some cotton candy from her cone. "As if."
Michael watched her as she causally sat beside him. There were suddenly so many things he realized he didn't know about her.
"What?" she asked with a sideways glance.
"Nothing," he said reaching for more cotton candy.
"I'm sure it is." She said shaking her head.
"What does that mean?"
Lauren shrugged her shoulders. "You always have something to say. Nice or not."
"I'm always nice." He made himself sound offended.
She snorted. "Yeah, right."
Michael let out a sigh, "Is this still about the Nick name thing? That was years ago? I thought we agreed that was behind us?" he risked a peek in her direction hoping she'd be smiling. She was.
"No, I'm over that," she said. "But, you've never been nice to me. You've just kind of ignored me."
She looked embarrassed, like maybe she hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Honestly it's whatever," she continued, her words coming out in a rush. "You can't be friendly to everyone. Who has the time for that-"
"Lauren," he stopped her. He didn't make fun of people. It was against his code. He teased people, sometimes, but never in a mean way. He racked his brain but couldn't think of anything other than the nickname.
"Name one time." he said feeling a little defensive.
Lauren shook her head, "It's no big deal. It's just that the few times you do acknowledge me, you've made fun of me."
Michael was quiet for a moment. "Well I'm sorry about that."
"Yeah." She said quietly.
"So tell me about your family?" When she didn't respond he let out a sigh, and reached out for another piece of cotton candy. He decided to switch gears, "No one really knows anything about you. What about your mom? What's she like?"
"Everyone wants to know about me today," Lauren whispered.
"That's kind of what conversations are all about Lauren."
She thought about his answer for a moment pinching another glop of cotton candy off the cone in her hand. "My parents got married a month after they met."
"Love at first sight?"
"I don't know if I'd call it love, but it was somethin'. They got married, had me, and then the rest was history." A small smile pulled at her lips. Like she'd made and inside joke. Suddenly he wanted to know what the joke was.
"Sounds nice, so who do you look like more, your mom or dad?" Michael offered with a smile as he reached for some cotton candy.
"My dad," she muttered, "Unfortunately."
"Ouch, come on it's not that bad. I think you're charming in your own way."
"Charming?" Lauren huffed. "You think I'm charming?" she looked back at him squinting in the afternoon sun.
"Believe it or not it doesn't totally suck to hang out with you."
-Chapter 5, Crashing Into You by Jabriella
The moment they stepped into the cafeteria, the volume increased. Everyone was probably speculating about her "relationship" with Troy. the reality of what people were probably saying about her hit home, and she froze. Her palms started to sweat.
Taylor grabbed her elbow and steered her towards their usual table. Random catcalls and unflattering comments floated around them as they crossed the industrial beige tile. Great. No one had noticed her before but now that she'd been dragged into Troy's orbit everyone had a comment.
"What do you mean, Troy wants to be your fake boyfriend?" She demanded. "This has disaster written all over it."
"Maybe," Gabriella said looking at her burger. "Maybe not."
"Did we not establish his certified assholery when he told the whole campus he shagged you at the bonfire?"
"We did," Gabriella agreed. "And I know it seems stupid-"
"I don't want you getting hurt." Taylor said with a concerning small frown.
"Why would I?" Gabriella said with a shrug, "Troy's not going to accidently fall for me. And I'm not going to fall for him. Plus, people already we think we did it."
"Because you let them."
"What was I supposed to do. Let Luis kill him?"
"Yes," Taylor eagerly. "Teach him a lesson about bragging."
"I know it's a crazy idea."
"It's insane."
"But," Gabriella continued. "Let play it out for a day or two and see what happens."
They were both quiet for a moment as she began to eat her burger. People all around them went about their lives. Then Taylor shook her head.
"You said okay?"
"I said okay."
"Shouldn't you be eating dinner with him then?"
"I haven't seen him since lunch." Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows, maybe he'll forget about it all."
"He won't," Taylor said quickly. "A guy like Troy doesn't throw out that kind of deal and forget about it. Do you think Lucifer forgets when he makes deals for people's souls?"
"Lucifer's a bit harsh. Don't you think?"
Both Gabriella and Taylor went quiet as they looked up at Troy.
"Hey Babe," he smiled setting his tray down beside hers. "Hope you don't mind I brought a friend."
"We're sitting with them now?" Chad said as he placed his plate down.
"Yes," Troy responded before Gabriella could protest. "Hope you ladies don't mind."
Without another word Troy and Chad sat down at their table and Troy reached over and stole a fry from Gabriella's plate.
"What about all your groupies?" Taylor asked narrowing her eyes at Troy.
"Excuse me?" Troy looked up from his plate. "What are you talking about?"
"You're not going to whore around on her are you?" Taylor glared at him then back to Gabriella. "What good is your reputation if your boyfriends a cheating man-whore."
Troy laughed as he opened his soda. "I'll be a good boy I promise."
"What does being a good boy mean to the bad boy?"
"I'm not a bad boy."
"Right. You just told the entire campus you fucked my roommate at bonfire. And if that's not enough, let's not totally neglect the actual fact, that you actually fucked some else's girlfriend and didn't even know her name."
The table went quiet as all eyes turned towards him.
"This is so weird," Chad said leaning back in his chair and staring at the two in question.
"You're pre-law aren't you?" Troy asked directing the question to Taylor.
"I don't think we've met, my name is Chad."
"I know who you are." Taylor said before sipping her drink.
"What is that, like a designated response with you girls?" Troy said looking back at Gabriella.
"Chad this is Taylor, my roommate." Gabriella introduced as she gave Taylor a look.
Chad nodded "Right." He let out a long breath and shifted his attention to his plate. Instead of a burger and fries he had a wrap.
"Troy! woo hoo!" her shrill voice rang through the cafeteria.
Troy ran his hand down his face. "Welcome to my nightmare."
Gabriella smiled as she watched the tall blond with big boobs approach their table.
"Troy, what are you doing?"
Completely caught off guard Troy pulled Gabriella's chair closer, as if to make a point. Shocking Gabriella in the process as she registered this new closeness with him. "Sharpay, I broke up with you. Remember?"
"You didn't mean that." She twisted a lock of hair around her finger and smiled. "We're so good together."
Troy sighed. "Sharpay, we talked about this."
"Don't you miss me?" she moved closer and whispered. "Just a little bit?"
And suddenly this was all sorts of awkward. Taylor's face crinkled with sympathy and Gabriella eyebrows rose in disbelief.
"I'm sorry, but we're through. I'm dating Gabriella." He lifted his arm and draped it over Gabriella's shoulder.
Sharpay sniffled and blinked her eyes quickly like she was trying not to cry. "We were meant to be. You'll figure that out soon enough." She turned on her heel and strode off.
"Psycho," Chad murmured.
Taylor shook her head as she lifted a fry. "If I wake up and find that crazy white girl in our room attempting to strangle you… I told you so."
Chad stifled a laugh.
Troy shifted in his seat and faced Gabriella with a small smile. "She's harmless."
"I'm sure I can handle it."
The next day Gabriella wore a blue tang top with a grey cardigan over it and another pair of yoga pants. He liked the way she dressed. It was comfy and yet tastefully seductive. Her cleavage was ample today and he be lying if he said he was appreciative of the view. Her hair was tousled around her face still damp as if she'd just come from a shower. It was hot. Troy watched as she came to their table and took a seat.
"Hey Babe,"
She stilled as she watched him carefully. A slight cringe crosses her face, but it's gone before he could tell if it was actually there. "Don't call me babe. It makes you sound like a douche."
Troy laughed. Yeah, he liked this girl. "Noted."
She nodded as she took out a pen and notebook from her bag.
"So did you get any writing done last night?"
"What?" her eyes widen as she looked at him with a surprised expression.
"Your writing," Troy said getting a whiff of her perfume. An almost spicy vanilla smell, like a cookie. "You were working on a story about that couple yesterday."
"Oh," Gabriella bit her bottom lip. "Don't worry about it."
"How long have you been writing?"
She released a sigh and he smile. Gabriella was exotic and curvy in all the right places, even though she seemed to do her best not to advertise it. He usually didn't go for brainy and modest, but there was intensity in Gabriella's spirit that he craved. A fire in her eyes she was consistently extinguishing. He couldn't help but be curious what might actually happen if she let it burn.
If he forced her to let it burn.
He pushed that thought to the back of his mind. His eyes rising up to meet hers as she thought about answering him.
"Since I was twelve."
"Wow," Troy raised his brows as he tilted his head. "Why don't you want to talk about it? Obviously it's your thing."
"Because my thing is stupid."
"My thing is golf. My thing is boring."
She didn't say anything, she reached for her hair and bunched it up picking up the pen and shifting it through her hair until she made a bun. That was kind of cool. "Your thing is being the hot, rich guy on campus everyone wants to be friends with."
"You think I'm hot?"
"I think your ego doesn't need to be stroked any more than it already is."
"Your supposed be playing the role of my loving girlfriend."
Her dark eyes shone, and he saw her hold back a smile. "Girlfriends say stuff like that all the time to their boyfriends."
She might have been able to hold back her smile, but she could not hold back the color in her cheeks when she called him her boyfriend.
"Not mine," he replied. "None of my friends would ever believe I'd let a girl talk to me like that."
"Maybe a girl should talk to you like that."
Troy found himself holding back a smile. Maybe that was what he liked about her. Before he could respond Mr. Stevens came in and addressed the class.
After a small lecture about S's Mr. Stevens announced more quiet time while he walked around helping people with their signs.
Troy turned his attention to her.
Why are you so prickly about your writing?
I am not prickly.
Troy raised a brow. Come on, you practically slammed the laptop shut yesterday.
Gabriella rolled her eyes. Because I don't like it when people lurk over my shoulder.
Performance anxiety?
You'd know all about that wouldn't you? The way her breast pushed against the fabric of her shirt gave him a few ideas about a performance. Then he thought about her Talk Nerdy to Me sweatshirt. He wondered if it was balled up in her room now, smelling like a cookie.
I'm definitely a performer. He studied her face. Her skin was the color of brown sugar and had that same shine. He tasted sweetness on his tongue. Speaking of performances, we need to go on a date.
I'm not really up for that right now.
Seriously?
She sighed as she looked around the room. My best friend died last week.
Troy flinched but recovered quickly. Neither of them said anything for a moment.
She was sick. It wasn't sudden just… sad. Really sad.
Silence past between them. She taught you how to sign didn't she?
Gabriella nodded.
"Shit." Troy mumbled as he shifted beside her.
"Mr. Bolton." Mr. Stevens addressed him and Troy winced and signed his apologies. Then he turned back to Gabriella. Are you okay?
I'm dealing with it. The funeral was last weekend.
What was her name?
Jenny.
They both sat in silence again for a moment. Troy looking off at the few people across from them signing and having conversations about movies or their families.
I'm a total ass hat aren't I? Troy shifted to face her again.
You're Troy Bolton. My life's always been inferior in this equation.
Tell me about her.
It's okay, we don't-
Troy reached out his hands and stopped hers.
I want to know.
There was a pause Gabriella thought about responding. We met in Math League. We weren't exactly most popular, but we click and we became really close. We use to … write together.
What did you write about?
Online stories.
That's really cool, did you guys have a following or website?
Just then Mr. Stevens stopped at their table. Well, are you going to answer the question? He signed for Gabriella.
Her lips tighten into a flat line as she looked at Troy hesitantly. Something like that. I was mostly a Beta reader.
Mr. Stevens nodded. Great work guys. Mr. Bolton, please work on your 'S's. You're very choppy.
Troy nodded and watched as Mr. Stevens walked to the next table.
What's a Better Reader?
Gabriella smile. Beta.
Yeah.
A beta reader is just a non-professional reader who reads a written work,- and she was picking up speed. Troy made the time out signal.
S-L-O-W.
A reader who reads a written work generally fiction, with the intent of looking over the material to find and improve elements such as grammar and spelling, as well as suggestions to improve the story, its characters, or its setting.
So an editor.
Yeah, like that.
I'd love to read something sometime.
"Okay class, you're all doing really great. Seriously you're all naturals even Jason back there who can't sign to save his life."
People chuckled.
For the last thirty minutes they went over some of the common errors Mr. Stevens had noticed in class, even just some common words that could be misinterpreted.
When class was over Troy did a better job at keeping up this time. "I meant what I said back there." He said taking her hand in his. It felt good to hold her hand. Surprisingly good to hold her hand.
"What was that?" she said as they made their way down the stairs.
"I would like to read your stuff."
At that she lifted her hand instantly dropping his. She tucked her hair behind her ear. He frowned without really understanding why. He wasn't supposed to like holding her hand that much. He barely knew her.
"You wouldn't like it," she said as they exited the building
"You don't know that."
"I know it." Gabriella stopped just a little way off the path to avoid going further and being in the way at the same time.
"Why?"
"Its chick lit."
"I like chick lit."
"No you don't."
Troy let out a chuckle, "Something tells me I'd like it if you wrote it."
That made her smile. Score one for him.
"Can I walk you somewhere?"
"I can walk myself."
Troy took a deep breath as he ranked a hand though his hair. She was one weird girl. She was like no one he'd ever met. Like no girl he ever thought he would meet. "Well then, may I join you?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm your boyfriend."
Her dark eyes shone, and he saw her hold back a smile. She might be able to hold back a smile, but she could not hold back the color in her cheeks when he said boyfriend.
She nodded. "Fine, you can walk me back to my room."
Troy smiled and held out his hand. "I'll take it."
"I'm not a horse, I don't need to be led around." She said walking past him and ignoring his hand.
Yeah. He definitely liked this girl.
Gabriella let out low sigh when Troy quickly closed the gap between them by draping his arm over her shoulder. His thumb rubbed a soft circle on her arm, shutting down her brain functions. Everyone was staring at them as they walked the path. People called out for Troy's attention and he waved and nodded in their direction but he remained at her side.
She hadn't considered that this fake boyfriend thing would actually become public knowledge. Like, really public.
Suddenly he let out a breath, "So I was thinking,"
"Stop the press, he thinks." She teased moving so that she was free of his arm draped around her. She hadn't been aware how much she like his touch until she lost it.
"Funny," he said with tone. "I was actually going to ask if you wanted to be study buddies for ASL."
"You're not doing horribly," Gabriella said looking up at him.
"I'm not doing well either."
"That's fair."
"So can you tutor me or what?"
"I'll think about it," she shrugged. She didn't need to be spending any more time with him than she already was. It was almost too easy to understand why a boy like Troy Bolton might be dangerous.
"Seriously?"
"Serious." She responded with a nod.
"How am I not just an automatic yes? You're my girlfriend remember?"
"Yeah I remember. But a request like you're isn't just a request."
"It isn't?" He watched her questioningly as she moved a little bit ahead of him.
"It's more like a request that requires flattery, groveling and repetition."
Troy's smiled pulled. "You want me to beg."
Gabriella returned his smile. "See, you're not as stupid as you think you are." With that she began to climb the steps to her dorm
Troy huffed as caught up to her and pulled open the door for her, "I don't beg."
Gabriella raised her brow as she walked past him inside. "A little begging is good for you. Keeps you humble."
They walked down the hall towards her room. Neither of them saying anything for a moment and her stomach suddenly became a tight ball. He was following her to her room. Why?
"Well, thanks for walking with me, but you really don't need to walk me all the way."
"You said I could walk you to your room." he said with a small smirk. "We're not at your room yet."
"Right."
A minute later they were at her door and she looked back at him while he stood there staring at it.
"Nice door."
Gabriella raised a brow and looked at the door. Looking back at him she let out a low breath. "Here's the thing, I really don't know you. You're kind of some strange guy following back to my room. This whole situation if it was examined by anyone with any survival instinct would seem kind of rapey."
"Rapey?"
"You understand that right?" she said tilting her head to the side.
He dropped an eyebrow and shook his head, still smiling. "Not really. But now I feel like I should go. The word 'rapey' makes me uncomfortable."
"Me, too."
"Right." Troy nodded as he slid his hand into his pocket. "I'm gonna go now."
"I'm sorry." Gabriella tried to pull off a smile, "I ruined our friendly banter. Who just blurts stuff out like that?"
"You didn't ruin anything." Troy came back a little giving her his full attention. "You just caught me off guard."
"I just don't know what's wrong with me lately. Talking to people isn't my strong suit." Crossing her arms over her chest she let out a breath. "Fart. I haven't really been in this situation before."
Troy chuckled, "Did you really just say fart?"
Gabriella smiled. "Yeah."
"I thought girls avoided that word around guys."
"We don't avoid the word… just the action." Her body relaxed, she was thankful for the subject change.
"Oh my god," Troy laughed again. The sound full and deep like from his belly. It makes her laugh too.
"What?" she asked through pretend offended giggles. "That's my four letter F-word."
Troy settled down after a moment and leaned on the wall. "I think, I like you."
"Ah, so we're officially friends now because I said fart." Gabriella shakes her head. "That's gotta be the most random thing ever."
