"Come on Ari! I asked you to put that somewhere like five times now!" The annoyed voice complained as she thrusted her finger towards the small group of little sewing needles resting in a red box that were sitting on the edge of the granite counter. The smaller girl pouted angrily as she grabbed another stack of heavy papers that were sitting on the kitchen table.
"But I'm not done with it yet!" The little girl whined as she griped the soft fabric she was working on before, but forgot to grab the silver, shining needles along with it. "Come on, what's the big deal anyways? It's just Chad and Taylor!"
And Troy Bolton. The thick thought spun in Gabriella's mind as she tossed the dirt caked dishes into the dishwasher hurriedly. After getting home from school, she knew that she had a little over an hour and a half to completely clean the house. Gabriella couldn't even explain why she was doing this, since Troy was a seventeen year old boy. He had probably never even heard of the word soap. Though for some reason, Gabriella wanted to make a good impression.
Troy Bolton was coming to her house. THE Troy Bolton. But why did she care? He was a cocky basketball captain, so it shouldn't have made a difference, right? Gabriella knew differently. It wasn't that Troy Bolton was coming over that scared her. It was the fact that the boy she was practically in love with freshman year was going to be hanging out with her, just with Taylor and Chad. Sure, they had hung out in big groups before, but not like this. At parties, there were no less than seven people that hung out together. Now? It was practically one on one. Taylor and Chad just didn't count.
"I know Ar, I know." Gabriella heaves frantically out while running her fingers through her midnight cascading hair to get out a tight knot that had formed. "But the house was a complete mess. And mom would probably be mad if we didn't clean up." She lies, knowing that her mother would probably not eve notice, since she was home maybe three nights out of the week. If they were lucky.
"Is Mom going to get mad if you have a boy over without her permission?" Ari questioned innocently while plopping down at the dark kitchen table as though she had just gotten done with a workout. Gabriella's head spun around in the bright white kitchen with metal appliances to look at her younger sister. A slight twinge of anger twitched in her body, before she smiled sweetly.
"No, Mom's not gonna get mad. But just incase, don't say anything to her ok?" She pleaded, though she knew her mother would not have a problem with it. She had guys over all the time without her mom home. But if Maria found out that Gabriella had a new boy over, she would probably want to meet him. And the very last thing she ever wanted was for Troy to take one look at her mother.
Gabriella finished putting the dishes away and looked around the spotless kitchen. The black countertops reflected the dim lighting, along with the noisy appliances that had been scrubbed down so hard their top coats were lucky they were still on. The entire first floor was now put into place, looking like it could be a large home on TV. Gabriella knew the messy bedrooms were a different story, but she was certain they wouldn't be making their way up there. Now all she had to do was wait impatiently for the guys to get done with basketball.
The second hand on the wall clicked tauntingly as Gabriella slowly eased her way to the wooden chair across from her curious younger sister. Ari looked up and locked her eyes caramel eyes with Gabriella's dark ones. "You look nervous."
Gabriella's eyes narrowed confused. "Nervous? Of course not." She replied even though her insides were turning.
"You're biting your nails." Ari pointed out as Gabriella looked down caught red-handed. "Do you like Chad or something?"
Gabriella almost burst out in fits of laughter like someone had just told her Sharpay and she were best friends. "Me? And Chad? Ari, you've been drawing too much."
"Then why are you so nervous?" Ari almost whined just as the noise of the doorbell floated through the empty spotless house.
"I'm not nervous ok?" She denied defensively, and then looked down to see she was biting her short nails again. Quickly pulling them away from her mouth to hide them from Ari, both girls jumped from their seats and rushed through the narrow hallway that led to the large front door. The entrance to the Montez household was right where the large, snow white carpeted staircase was. It was like the color of most of the house. Mountainous gray or whispering white. Except of course Gabriella and Ari's rooms.
"Jill!" Ari exclaimed excitedly as she opened the door to reveal a girl who was about her height and was bundled up in a bright pink jacket that was worthy of Sharpay Evans. The sky was close to black with tiny snowflakes slipping from the heavens. "I'm leaving now. Bye Ella, have fun with Chad!"
"Hey Jill. Behave Ari!" Gabriella responded motherly as Ari slipped on her true blue coat with black fur on the little hood and turned back to her older sister. "And for the last time…" She tried to yell as Ari skipped out the door with her friend. "I don't like Chad!"
"Bye Ella!" Ari screamed back as little blue and pink blobs sprinted out towards the dark car. Gabriella lingers at the door for a moment longer, before closing it and placing her back against the door. A deep inhale of oxygen entered her lungs before she closed her heavy lids and let out the breath. Now all she had to do was wait.
A million and one things were shooting through his head at one time.
His eyes were darting around her spotless huge living room. His butt was positioned on a huge black squishy leather sofa, which matched perfectly with the snow carpet and the heather gray walls. Everything shined with such perfection that he was pretty sure he had just stepped into the TV show Crib's. There was only one problem that took away from the gorgeousness. Maybe it was just because he was used to the fact that he had light wood draped in his house. It seemed empty, emotionless. Whatever it was, the only thing he hated about the house was the empty feeling of no color, no life in the furniture.
But maybe it was a good thing, because the girl sitting on the floor across from him seemed to be radiating with beauty.
Gabriella's long legs were folded under her body underneath her denim jeans. Troy couldn't help but notice the way her perfect violet short sleeved shirt clung to her skinny body tightly, but came low enough so he could see part of her taunting cleavage, making his breath get stuck inside his throat. Her hair was half up and curled into loose ringlets, draping over her body like a shield. It was such a contrast to the grey-toned surroundings, but it made her all the more stunning.
"I don't get this." Chad's voice rang out annoyingly, causing Troy's eyes to rip away from Gabriella's figure and turn to him, who was sitting on a larger couch with Taylor on the other end. The two were studying for a test, while Gabriella and Troy were looking over different song lyrics to try and get some sort of inspiration. Both were catching innocent glances from each other in the process. The genuine smile on Troy's face wasn't going to be wiped away anytime soon.
"Let me see…" Taylor held out her strong hand as if to look at it, but then she also scoots closer to his smirking body. Troy's eyes rolled. Chad didn't need help; he just needed to feel Taylor's body heat. "Chad, we just did one just like this five minutes ago! And you nailed it!"
"I know, I still need help though! I told you I was stupid." Troy rolled his sharp eyes again and looked over to find that Gabriella was giggling her sweet laugh. He could have fallen into it and never come out if he really wanted to. There was something about the way Gabriella did, everything, that made him want to learn more. They had barely talked all night, even though he had only gotten there an hour ago. He couldn't blow his chance though. Not now. The goal tonight, at least become friends with her.
"You're not stupid." Taylor responded while looking up into his dark eyes. "You just need to think. I know it's hard, but you gotta do it."
Troy watched amusingly as Chad's excited face fall as if he was hurt before he looked back down at the heavy book. He then took a deep breath and swiveled his head around to look at the runner on the floor. A flash of her brown eyes shooting back down to the paper she was holding proved to him that she was staring at him before. Here was his chance.
"So where's your sister?" Troy asked curiously, remembering her saying she had to baby-sit while they were at tortuous basketball.
Gabriella's head rose up slowly, completely taking Troy's breath away. He had been with girls for so long, but there was no one who made his stomach turn like she did. Maybe that's what scared him so much though. The fact that she made him feel this way. No one was supposed to do that. Because if they did, that meant that Troy had to have feelings for them. And Troy didn't have a heart to love. "Oh… she went to a friend's house. She won't be back til later."
Troy nodded slowly and then looked around again. The question was burning in the back of his throat, the question that made his skin crawl as he asked. "Where are your parents?"
There was a subtle change of her as the words slipped out on his mouth. Her stiff body completely froze as the dark, hard eyes turned a slight shade of black. The petite hand that had a piece of white paper in it started to vibrate as both Chad and Taylor's worried eyes immediately shoot to her. It wasn't that noticeable, unless you pulled the same actions off a million times before. He knew that change in demeanor meant not to bring that topic up again. He knew that look. He owned that look. "My mom's working." Don't ask me about them again.
"Got it." Troy responded quickly, not wanting to push the matter because there was obviously more to it. Most people might not be able to catch that, but Troy was a master at it. So it was evident that they wouldn't go there any time soon. Or so he thought. A heavy, thick awkward silence filled the air. Chad and Taylor looked at each other for a moment, before Chad throws the heavy books to the bright floor, causing a slam.
"I'm sick of this." He proclaimed with exasperation.
"Dude, we got here an hour ago." Troy reminded him.
Chad shrugged as he searched around the soft black couch to find the object that blended in with it. "There it is!" He announced before reaching across Taylor's lap to grab the stick. Gabriella giggled amusingly as Troy rolled his eyes again at Chad's efforts with Taylor looking slightly uncomfortable. But his long arm snatched the object and sat back up, flipping on the plasma screen TV that was on the wall, making the room glow with a new light. "I think the Lakers' are on."
Taylor clicked her tongue annoyingly and shrunk back into the couch. "I thought you wanted to pass this test."
Chad spun his head around to look at her. "I do, but I want to watch the Lakers game more!"
"What's gonna happen when you go to college and don't do your homework, then fail and have to live on the streets?" Taylor asked angrily while Gabriella and Troy exchange an amused look.
"Then I'll sell my body on a street corner for money on a street corner and donate my plasma." Chad joked as his short finger changed the channel. "Life will be great."
Both Gabriella and Troy let out a laugh that seemed to blend together perfectly. Her long, slender body then stood up, showing off her curves and making Troy image what they would look like with her clothes shed. "I'm going to go make a pizza." She informed before smiling almost shyly at Troy and then heading towards the spotless kitchen, Troy's cerulean eyes following her form the whole time.
"Dude!" Chad hissed making Troy's head snap to him. An encouraging smirk was plastered on his face while he nodded his head in the direction that Gabriella had just escaped to. Troy's orbs grew wide, just before looking back to hear a couple pans clank together. He could do this. Just go in the kitchen. He could do this.
"Be right back." Troy mumbled nervously as he stood up from his position on the forming couch and took a deep inhale. His shaking hands nervously rolled up his sky blue sleeves before setting off for the unknown. Chad lifted his encouraging thumbs in the thin air, though Troy was completely oblivious to it. He could hear the stone echo of his heart pounding against his chest with each step he took. Be cool. Be smooth. Be sexy. Be your worst fear…Troy Bolton.
His shoulder collided with the archway that led to the silver shining kitchen. The ocean blue lingered on her figure as she focused on the task at hand. Gabriella's long fingers pressed a light button on the oven, hearing an obnoxious beep. Her slender arm slammed against the top of the stove in surprise as Troy could almost feel the pain shoot through it. "Shit!" She exclaimed to no one.
"Want help?" Troy asked in the sexiest voice he could muster. Gabriella's cascading hair whipped around and her brown eyes locked on him. A seductive smirk painted onto his face in a reflexive way that he didn't even control.
"No… I uh… it just scared me." She stuttered timidly before wrapping her fingers around her arm and rubbing it to numb the pain. Troy couldn't help but have the sudden desire to have his length beneath those fingers and have her do the same thing. What would it lead to though? Knives tearing down his stomach. Not exactly his idea of fun.
"So I see." Troy commented before pushing his shoulder into the wall to get momentum to walk towards her. His nerves were having a heart attack right now, but he was doing his best to try and calm them.
"Chad's not doing so hot out there is he?" Gabriella asked plainly as she glanced around Troy's relaxed body to see that Chad and Taylor were on complete opposite sides of the leather couch. His head didn't even bother to swivel, because he couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"He's gotta relax." Troy responded as Gabriella's chocolate eyes gazed back up onto his. "He's trying too hard right now."
Gabriella shrugged her boney shoulders slowly. "Who knows? Tay's just gotta get to the fact that Chad's a much better guy for her."
Troy folded his muscular arms and pushed his hip up against the granite counter, leaning towards her slightly. "I guess." It was his turn to shrug while a blush flooded her cheeks.
"What about you?" She asked inquisitively. Her own arms folded, mocking him in a way as Troy chuckled slightly. His stone heart continued to beat heavily against his chest.
"What about me?" He mimicked, even though he knew exactly what she was talking about.
Her long hair flipped out of her face, giving Troy instant access to her bare neck. His hands trembled silently as Gabriella sighed almost sadly. "You know… you're 'girls'. You got a million of them."
Troy's head dropped to the bright floor as he suddenly found his white socks much easier to look at than Gabriella's face. "There are no girls. I don't own any of them. They come to me." He shouldn't have walked right into that one.
"They come to you? Cocky much?" Gabriella was trying to say in a joking manner, but if failed miserably, and Troy could tell. "Is your goal to get out of high school screwing every girl there?"
A shrug rose on his shoulders and he lifted the piercing eyes to connect with hers. For the first time all evening, the light rings around his eyes grew to a certain bright light. A white, instead of the normal blue. The sign that Troy Bolton was pissed off. Danger brights were almost flashing through his pupils. "Maybe you shouldn't assume things you have no idea about."
Gabriella almost took a step back from the shock of the statement. A slight tinge of anger trickled through his ice veins. She had no right to stereotype him like that. She had no idea what he had been through, and never would. "Sorry!" She announces apologetically, obviously kicking herself for just saying that. "I mean it's not my place…"
"No, it's not." Troy responded defensively. His voice was the same as his heart, cold and hard. His hand was placed onto the counter for a moment to steady his heavy body, before seeing there was a mix of hurt and confusion sliding through Gabriella's flawless features. Though guilt was not an option for Troy. He could not feel guilty about anything. Because guilt and sorrow were for the weak hearted. And Troy Bolton was not weak. He had no weaknesses. He couldn't have any, or they would destroy him. Rip him into a thousand pieces.
"Yeah…" Gabriella looked to the ground as though to find an answer to how to get out of this mess she had just shoved them into. "So… basketball's good?"
The hardened face softened slightly seeing her efforts. Troy lets out an air, as if the anger slipped out through his parted lips as well. "Yeah… yeah, I mean, you saw how hot I was on Friday." The cockiness was now laced back in his voice. His hands came up to imitate himself shooting a three pointer and the caramel eyes rolled. "What about you're uh… training?" He questioned naively, not really sure what to call the off season of running.
Gabriella giggled angelically as she smiled brightly. "Running? Yeah, it's great I guess." She responded before the obnoxious beeping started again. Gabriella's thin body spun around in shock as her arm slammed up against the counter, again. "Shit!"
Troy chuckled softly as he took a step towards her as she grabbed her throbbing arm again. "You have issues with that oven." He laughed before Gabriella stuck her tongue out at him angrily.
"Shut up!" She defended giggling. Her slender body crossed the stainless steel kitchen before reaching over the side of the counter top where a bright red box was resting dangerously on the edge. Her thin arm extended to snatch the midnight hot pads that were sitting next to the box. The timer beeped again, making Gabriella's body tense and jump one more time, before her hand shot in the direction of the red box.
Everything after that happened in slow motion. Troy's heavy head was locked on Gabriella's sexy body, not even noticing the falling silver objects. But then it hit like a thousand pound truck. Sharp nails scraped against the chalkboard, rubber tire wheels were screeching in anger, ears were piercing holes. The sharp objects collided with the linoleum floor, causing the sound of death. The cerulean blue eyes sealed shut with the skin that was his lids and his body suddenly was ripped from the present and shot back into the past…
"Hey Troy…" The garbage sounding voice filled his ears as the cerulean eyes opened up to see that the man he hated was standing in the small doorway. His gray eyes danced with anticipation and fear while his boney hands vibrated in a nervous fashion. The pale skin on his arms clung to his weak muscles, showing of the dark, midnight blue veins that were already popped out of his body. The shack seemed to have swayed in the wind as the guy stepped into the house, with or without Troy's permission. "Your mom home?"
"Charlie!" A high, yet somewhat soothing voice rang out as Troy turned around slowly to see his mother's slender cascading brown straight hair in a small, slightly dirty black dress that she wore on special occasions. Though this was the furthest thing from special in Troy's mind. It was a complete waste of nice clothes, something they didn't get very often. He knew that by the time the man left, the black dress would be completely covered in deep red blood and bright white cum. The two liquids Troy never wanted to see on his mother's cloth. Her brightly bold blue eyes were swimming with delight. "I thought you'd never get here."
Troy backed up slowly in his slightly ripped black sweatshirt and tried to make it into the tiny kitchen, but found there was really no place to hide. Not in a house that was barely bigger than a garage. It didn't work that way. One could hear every creek, every touch, every moan.
Every needle drop.
"I had some uh…" The shaky voice of his mother's boyfriend started to explain. "Some presents to pick up for you…"
He didn't want to hear the rest. At that moment, Troy used his freshman basketball legs to sprint towards the splintered wooden door that was his bedroom. If you could even call it that. His twin bed barely fit in it, forcing him to fall down onto it as he slammed the door shut. The bitter cold tiptoed through the house as Troy curled up beneath the covers and forced his burning eyes shut. His hands grabbed the dirt caked pillow resting on his bed and cover it over his throbbing ears. The body that felt more like a prison was shaking violently as he attempted desperately to muffle the giggles. Drown out the footsteps. Kill the sound of a million pieces of metal shattering to the floor…
"Troy!" The eyes ripped back open again as Troy took a giant gasp for breath. His rock heart was at race pace as the colorless eyes attempted to grip his surroundings again. The gray toned kitchen. The two dark skinned people standing at the table with concern written in their features. The angel standing before him in a panic. The white orbs widened a little while he stared at her. The olive toned skin radiated out of her body and Troy was almost certain that she was sent down from God. "Troy, you look like you're going to be sick…"
His green tinted face just nodded as he placed his shaking right hand on the counter to center his body. Hot vomit was threatening to erupt from his mouth as he saw the hundreds of sewing needles resting on the floor. Chad's worried eyes shot from the deathly needles to Troy's sick face and he could almost see the connection being formed. There was one sound he could not stand, and that was metal connecting with the floor. "… I'm fine… I just got dizzy for a second…" He stated in a somewhat higher voice than his usually smooth and sexy one.
"Here… sit down." Gabriella ordered sweetly as her body floated over to the table and pulled out a black chair. His eyes barely comprehended what was going on as he was fading in and out between the present dark kitchen and his black cold old bedroom. The thousand shots of that sick man were ripping through his head, making Troy want to hurl all over the floor. "Come here…" Gabriella coaxed as she walked behind him to lead his shoulders.
Her long fingers connected with the light blue cloth, and suddenly Troy's body was completely ripped away from the memory. A warming light crept through his blood stream as he looked back to find her chocolate orbs were glowing with hope. Gabriella gently pushed him to the hard table, but her soft hands remained on his formed shoulders. Numbness was ripping through his body just at her tenderhearted touch. The chalky colored irises were growing back to the cyan that they were meant to be.
"You alright man?" Chad asked concerned in the serious voice that barely ever came out. But Troy's hard eyes wouldn't leave the angel as her caring hand slowly reached up and tenderly touched the side of his smooth face to see if he had a fever. The bright orbs snapped shut in response and he felt an orgasmic ripple occur through his body, just at a contact. Her thumb caressed his cheek compassionately for a moment before his heavy eyelids fluttered open with his thin lips parted ever so slightly.
"I'm fine." He whispered softly as Gabriella's kissable lips curled upward a little. "I probably just haven't eaten anything since practice."
That was a lie, but he didn't care. Gabriella's tender hand brushes against his caramel hair again, sending another round of numbing antidotes through his nerves. He couldn't explain what just happened. Couldn't explain how just a single touch seemed to muffle whatever memory was threatening to come out.
Troy didn't understand it, but he sure as hell wanted to feel it again.