Chapter 4: A Boomerang Always Comes Back

Gabriella shifted her weight from one foot to another as pain flashed across her face. She hated Saturday evenings; they were the busiest nights of the week, yet often times other waitresses would bail on their duties for parties and such, asking Gabriella, Molly, and Shameeka to cover for them. It happened all of the time, and the manager was usually one of the slackers that ditched on their duties. Stupid New York City night life…

On this certain night, only one other waitress had decided to join them, and Gabriella, Molly, and Shameeka had found her in the bathroom, sobbing over the loss of her dog and a break-up with her boyfriend. The three girls had comforted her, but rolled their eyes at the work that lay ahead of them. This left thirteen tables for the three girls.

After walking and hurrying around the restaurant for over an hour, there had been a slight lull in the enthusiasm and bustle, allowing Gabriella time to rest her sore feet.

"I think she's still depressed about the whole situation."

"Well of course she is! The guy she loves only wants to be her friend."

"Yeah, but I think he loves her too…"

"How would you know?"

"Because I've got this theory that the love of your life is like a boomerang…he'll always come back…"

"Molly, that's deep and all, but do you think Gabriella is really going to believe that?"

"Why not?"

"Well, first of all-,"

"Molls, Meek, I can hear you two," Gabriella called out to her two friends who had been standing right on the other side of the kitchen doors. Apparently, they had no idea she was standing at the small counter on the other side of their hiding place, resting her aching feet. Rapping her fingers on the counter she waited for her two friends to show their faces.

The swinging doors opened and Shameeka and Molly stepped out, grinning shyly. Gabriella laughed slightly, and then glared at them, "You guys don't need to worry about this whole thing with Troy. I'm fine, really…"

"Has he called you yet?" It was Molly's first question, the first of many…

"Yes. He's bringing his girlfriend to dinner tomorrow night when I have off…"

"Here?" The second of her usually prompt and meaningful series of questions.

"No, at Roberto's Eatery…you know, the Italian place down the street."

"Miss?" a costumer's call interrupted the conversation, and Molly, seeing the man was seated at one of her table's, hurried off, but not without giving Gabriella a 'Don't-think-you're-getting-out-of-this' look.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, and watched as Shameeka excused herself to go seat a new crowd.

The mid-evening lull was over.

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Gabriella found herself replaying Molly's words over and over in her mind all throughout that night and the next day. The love of your life is like a boomerang…he'll always come back…Was it true? Molly always had the sort of deep, touching advice. That was the type of girl she was, always wondering about things, and knowing exactly what to say. So did that mean she was right? Gabriella sighed as she spooned a clump of Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie Edy's ice cream out of the pint sized cartoon. She swallowed as she reached over to dig in the cushions for her remote control, before switching the channel.

"I love you, Mark, I do, I do."

"I love you too, Sandra, more than you can even imagine!"

Gabriella gaped as the man grabbed a hold of the woman by the arms and pull her toward him, their lips meeting in a nearly violent crash. She changed the channel again; she hated soap operas.

"So you're saying you loved him the entire time you were having an affair, or should I say two affairs, with his brother and his father?"

"Yes."

"I love you too, Tina! I forgive you!"

Once again, Gabriella watched as the two real life pair, grabbed each other and kissed passionately, despite the host staring at them and what seemed to be the man's brother and father. And once again, she changed the channel; she hated talk shows.

"Love thy neighbor."

Gabriella frowned. She couldn't hate the religious show that was on the screen, after all, she had been raised to not think of the Lord in vain, and by hating the preachings being shown on the television, she would be sinning. She thought harder, her mind pounding as she stared at the screen, the pastor reading more Bible verses that all seemed to have to do with love. Frustrated, she tuned out the rambling of the pastor and realized something: she didn't hate all of those shows. She was an avid 'Days of Our Lives' viewer and frequently tuned into talk shows such as Jerry Springer. It had all been an excuse. An excuse used so she didn't have to think about him…

She quickly turned off the TV and stood up, leaving the spoon in the carton and shoving it in the small refrigerator. Gabriella glanced at the clock and found it was 6 o'clock. Troy and Karissa were going to meet her at the restaurant at seven. Hurrying off to get ready, she prayed with all of her might that the evening would go by smoothly…and quickly.

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Gabriella glanced at herself in the mirror. She had to admit, she looked pretty good actually. A form-fitting, deep purple dress hugged her curves, the button up garment falling steadily at the knee and the sleeves coming to a halt just past her elbow. The brunette cocked her, her curls falling off of her shoulder, and grinned slightly. She had done well.

Stepping into her white heels, the soles a light wood, her pink toes poking out just slightly, she scurried out of the door, grabbing her purse and keys on the way.

The restaurant was not far at all, and as she parked her car in a nearby parking lot, she prayed the evening was going to be short and simple. She hadn't been planning on having to park in a lot, and with costs rising, she didn't want to waste any penny.

But as she entered the clean, Italian restaurant, she reminded herself not to make up excuses when it came to Troy. She pretty much always parked in a lot, and what with her mother sending her monthly checks to cover leftover expenses, she was hardly short on money. She simply wanted to get it all over with.

"Miss?" the host interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, yeah, um I'm here with-," she froze as a couple walked into the restaurant, the girl giggling obnoxiously, and the man grinning at her. Gabriella fluttered at his familiar smirk, his blue shining…it was the way he used to look at her and now…She couldn't bare to say, nor to think it. He was looking at her, this Karissa girl. And Gabriella could just watch as she paused from her laughing, and pecked him slightly on his lips.

"Gabriella!" it was the first words that escaped his mouth after Karissa kissed him, and immediately he strode over to her, Karissa trailing close behind. Gabriella grinned even more so when she noticed Troy had never grabbed his girlfriend's hand, something Gabriella was not necessarily familiar with, for her hand had been always connected with his in earlier years.

But Karissa didn't seem to notice, and she flashed the brunette a toothy smile. "Oh, hi Gabriella! I'm Karissa. Troy has told me so much about you!" The girl grabbed the surprised brunette's hand, flipping her golden hair as she did so, before squealing with delight.

"He did?" Gabriella seemed stunned. Did this mean Troy told her about-

"Ehmygawd, I've been so excited to meet you! I mean, what with Troy telling me you guys were more than just friends back in high school," she leaned in as she spoke, her manicured hands still clutching Gabriella's paintless ones. "High school sweethearts, how ah-dorable!"

Gabriella nodded, looking at Troy with her big brown eyes, and noticed something, something about the way he was standing, his hands shoved into his pockets, his head, cocked to the side as he watched the two girls, his blue eyes, seeming to zone out.

It was like he was remembering something.

Flashback

The tiny restaurant, boasting of high class business people, was hustling and bustling with servers, their trays piled high with plates of elegant food, both fancy and foreign. Amid the crowded five-star dining room, a couple stood, their hands interlaced as they looked around the crowded room.

"Troy this is…wow," the girl chirped, her eyes dancing as she looked up at him.

Troy just smiled, "C'mon Gabi, let's go get the reserva-," Troy stopped as he heard a squeal. Looking down, he realized Gabriella must have heard it too, for she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Huh? You thought that was me?" he laughed and she smiled widely.

"Of course not," she answered, then giggled once more, "I just-."

They were interrupted again, for another couple had bounded in front of them, one, in all of her glory, squealing with delight as she grabbed Gabriella's hand, the other, grinning, slapped Troy hard on the back.

"Taylor, Chad?" Troy was aghast. He hadn't expected them to be here, and apparently neither had Gabriella. As he let go out the small brunette's hand, Taylor smiled widely.

"Oh, my goodness, are you two-," Taylor squealed once again in delight. "You two are together, aren't you?" she grinned at them.

Gabriella blushed, but nodded, looking at Troy for relief.

"Uh, yeah, I guess…" Troy began, looking awkwardly around the room, his hands shoved into the deep blue pockets of his jeans. He noticed Chad out of the corner of his eye, smiling at his friend, and Troy rolled his eyes, taking a step away from the large-haired boy.

"Why didn't you guys tell us sooner? I mean-" Taylor paused as she saw Troy and Gabriella looking at her again, this time with more of a 'Um, duh' sort of glare. "Ohhh," she nodded, then laughed. "I guess we would have made kind of a big deal…" she trailed off and Chad cut in.

"A big deal, it would have hu-."

Taylor shushed him. Letting go of Gabriella's hand and grabbing a hold of Chad's forearm with force, "C'mon Chad," she seethed, almost too noticeably, "Let's go…we've got a reservation…" she then turned to Troy and Gabriella, "Sorry…" she shrugged.

"Maybe we'll catch up with you after," Troy said, hoping to get them away faster.

"Oh, yeah, like a double da-."

This time Chad shushed her. "Let's go." And with that they hurried off, leaving Gabriella and Troy to find pleasure in simply each other's company.

Gabriella smiled up at Troy before grabbing his hand, "Let's eat," she giggled.

End Flashback.

As she watched him, her eyes sparkling as Karissa rambled on and on about the random things Troy had told her, all Gabriella heard was 'Blah blah blah blah blah…' It was something she often used to escape the clutches of listening to Molly try to explain something of high intelligence to Shameeka, who would either argue the subject, or hurry off to go to her boyfriend's apartment.

But at the moment, she was zoning out because Troy's eyes, shining with a brilliant blue, were looking directly into her own, chocolate pools. She felt herself grin, like he was remembering the same thing she had just done…

A loud, high pitched laugh rang out in her ear, snapping Gabriella from her trance, and Troy doing so as well. She looked down, half-expecting to see Taylor's dark hand grabbing a hold of hers, and for in just moment for Troy to come and wick her away to some marvelous dinner just for the two of them…

But instead, Karissa's slightly tanned, French manicured fingers were gripping into Gabriella. The brunette winced, both from the annoying laugh and the ache in her hands.

Troy simply nodded, smirking slightly, and acting as if he had heard what Karissa had just said…or so Gabriella hoped. Then, his hand reached out, wrapping his familiar, tanned hands around Karissa's arm and pulling her away from Gabriella.

"Let her be," he whispered into her ear slightly, with a hint of sarcasm, but Gabriella still heard.

Karissa just smiled again, "C'mon Troy, babbbbbyyyy, let's eat."

Gabriella followed, a look of utter disgust on her face.

Ew. Babbbbbbbbyyyyyyyy.

------&&&&&&then its me...

You like? Tell me and hit that little lutton. LOL. This one should be longer. I think...