Chapter 8: The past and the present

My mind froze. My heart stopped. I tried to speak but no words would come out. I heard troy saying my name, "Gabi? Gabi!" I could even hear the worry in his voice. Finally it seemed like I could feel my arms and legs.

Then it all went black.

I woke up wondering where I was. It then all came flooding back. The way he kissed me in the gym at school. The way he had put his arms around my waist. I felt so safe with him. Then, I remembered what else he had told me. He had a daughter!

I groaned in frustration, " GRRR!"

"Daddy the lady is awake!" I heard a little voice in my ear exclaim.

"Thanks Lily," Troy said kindly. "Why don't you go see Grandma?"

"Ok daddy," the little girl replied. She then ran into what I assume was her room.

"She really is adorable," I thought.

"I know, isn't she the cutest kid?" I heard Troy tease.

"Wait, oh, I said that out loud didn't I?" I asked Troy.

"Yeah, you did Gabi," I heard him say as he laughed.

"Don't laugh at me Troy," I said in an exasperated tone.

"Sorry Gabi, but its not everyday you tell someone you have a kid and they faint out of the blue," Troy said still laughing.

I felt myself start to smile, "Troy this is so not funny."

"Then why are you smiling?" He asked as he continued to laugh at me.

"I don't know," I said as I too started to laugh.

We both started to laugh hysterically.

I heard Lily ask Mrs. Bolton, "Grandma, why is daddy and the lady acting crazy?"

I heard Mrs. Bolton laugh, "That's what grown ups down Lily."

"Oh," was all Lily's reply.

"Come on let's go to the kitchen and leave these two crazy grown-ups have time to themselves," Mrs. Bolton said quietly.

Once she left I started to feel faint again. Only this time it was because I was laughing so hard. I finally caught my breath.

I asked Troy, "Ok, so tell me, how the hell do you have a kid?"

"Hey! Watch the language!" Troy said. I watched as his smile fell. "I'll tell you ok? Right now though, I have to help with dinner," he said avoiding my eyes.

"Troy Bolton!" I said loudly. "You don't just drop something that big and don't explain!"

I watched him wince at my harsh words, "Ok, I'll tell you but lets go somewhere more private," he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. I had seen him do that so many times before, but it always seemed cute and now I felt sorry for him. I knew I shouldn't have yelled but I wanted, well more like needed, answers.

We walked through a doorway into, what looked like Troy's room, and he sat down on the bed. I followed him and sat so that I could see his face.

"Well, I don't know where to start," Troy mumbled. "Guess I should start at the beginning," he said louder. "When I went away for college, I was still pretty heartbroken about us taking a break. I couldn't study or pay attention in classes. I still played basketball but I was no where near my best as I was in high school," his voice has gotten quieter and I could tell he really didn't want to tell me.

"Maybe, I don't have to know?" I asked myself. I then quickly disagreed. " Yes, I do!"

I watched him struggle to find the right words. Troy would stare off into space for a couple of seconds then look back at me. Still no words had come out of his mouth, so I put my hand gently on his arm, just to comfort him.

He looked at me and I saw shame in his eyes. He looked away and quickly found the words, "I went to a party after a basketball game because I just wanted everything to go away. I wanted to forget that I was barley passing my classes, and that my basketball skills were shitty. Plus on top of all that I had lost the love of my life."

I saw the tears starting to form in my own eyes. I stopped them before they could leak out.

"Anyways, I was at this party and I met a girl there, her name was Wendy, and we kind of hit off. Next thing I know we are in a relationship. Then one night we had both gotten pretty drunk and we had sex. The worst part was that I had forgotten protection but we did it anyways. I remember thinking that if we just did it the one time we would be ok. I was wrong. I know it was a mistake and I tell myself everyday that if it hadn't happened I wouldn't have Lily. Well, as you can tell Wendy got pregnant and we tried to work things out by getting married. I wanted our child to have a mom and a dad growing up, just like I did. Once Lily came, everything just kept on getting worse. Wendy and I fought all the time. There would be days when I didn't know where she was. I needed to stay home with Lily. Thankfully my professors understood and they let me take online courses, just so that I could stay home with Lily and not flunk out of school." His face was contorted with anger and sadness. He continued," I finally fund out where Wendy was and had he served with annulment papers. She agreed to the annulment but she wants visitation rights to Lily. And there is no way that is happening," he said forcefully. His face was still angry. I had no idea how to comfort him. I was still trying to understand what all he had been through. I still couldn't believe that troy, my first and maybe last love, had been married and had a kid!

"Wait, that doesn't explain why your mom lives with you," I said quietly.

"Actually, she just sleeps on the couch. Chad and I share the apartment," he said not looking me in the eyes.

"Troy, look at me," I said as my hands cupped his face, "I'm not angry at you. It just took me by surprise, that's all." Finally it registered what he has said, actually what he hadn't said about his mom living with him. SO I continued to question him, "That still doesn't explain why your mom lives here with you and Chad."

Troy looked me in the eyes and said, "Well, my mom and dad thought it would be best if she came to live with me, so that I didn't have to take lily to a daycare center. Instead I'm saving up for a bigger apartment and for Lily's schooling. I want her to have the best of everything. "

I could tell that wasn't the whole story but I took it anyways. "At least he is opening up to me again," I thought.

I looked at Troy and saw that some of the sadness was gone.

I smiled at him, "See that wasn't to hard now was it?" I asked as I started to laugh.

Troy started to laugh too.

I thought to myself, "I can still make him laugh and smile."

We continued to laugh, as I heard someone open the door.

"Daddy, is the lady staying for dinner?" Lily asked sweetly.

While Troy thought about it I looked at Lily and noticed that she too had the same bright blue eyes as he did. She had short dirty blonde hair and for a 4 year old she was pretty tall. She was at least up to Troy's knees.

I heard Troy say something. He looked at me expectantly.

"What?" I asked, clearly unaware of the question I was asked,

"Would like to join us for dinner Gabi?" Troy asked me sweetly.

"Sure Troy," I said. "I should probably call Tay though," I continued to smile.

Lily ran out of the room yelling, "Grandma! The lady is staying for dinner and another one is coming and probably Uncle Chad too! We need more plates!" I watched as she ran out and couldn't help but smile yet again.

"Oh, go ahead and invite her," troy said as he smiled at me.

"Is he truly happy?" I thought. I realized what I had just thought and quickly shoved the thought away.

I looked at Troy who still had a big grin on his face, and said, "Ok but what do I tell her about Lily?"

"I'm pretty sure Chad has already told her my story," Troy said laughing.

"Oh, ok," I said giggling. "What is with us today? We can't seem to stop smiling and laughing!" I thought to myself.

I got up off the bed and went to call Taylor.

I listened to the ringing of the phone wondering why Taylor wasn't answering. Finally she picked up.

"Hello?" I heard her ask while breathing heavily.

"Tay, what did you do, run to the phone?" I asked.

"Yeah, actually Chad and I were…" she started and I caught on.

"Oh my God! Taylor! Whoa! Ok, well Troy wanted me to invite you and Chad to dinner," I said as my cheeks had started to turn red. "Wow this is an embarrassing phone conversation," I thought.

"Glad you catch on quick Gabs," I heard Taylor laugh. "Sure we'll be there son. Well, maybe," I heard her giggle.

"Wait, before you go did Chad tell you about Lily?" I whispered.

"Oh, yeah he did," Taylor, said seriously. "Are you ok Gabs?"

"Yeah, when I first found out I fainted, but I am fine now," I heard Taylor start to interrupt but I had to finish getting it all out or there would never be an end to this embarrassing phone call.

"Gabs! You did not?! Did you?!" She asked hysterically.

"Yeah, I did but I am fine," I insisted. "Anyways, I'll see you soon. You can get back to your um…business," I said giggling.

Taylor laughed, "You know Gabs, its really great to here you laughing again."

"I know, I missed laughing," I giggled again.

I could hear her smiling through the phone, "Yeah, we'll be there soon. Bye!"

"Bye!" I said still giggling.

"What's so funny Gabi?" My heart leapt at the sound of Troy saying his special nickname for me.

"Oh, nothing, except for the fact that I know something you don't," I taunted at him.

"Oh really?" I heard him ask. Before I knew it he was tickling me.

"Troy stop!" I yelled as I laughed.

"Not until you tell me what you know!" Troy said as he kept tickling me.

"Ok fine! But you are going to have to stop tickling me and I promise I'll tell you," I said still laughing.

"Fine," Troy sighed as he set me back on the ground. "Now tell me or else," he joked.

I put a scared face on, "Well, Chad and Taylor were 'getting busy' if you catch my drift," I whispered.

Troy looked at me and started to laugh," Are you serious?"

I put on my most serious face, "I have my serious face on!" I said in a duh tone.

He looked at me again and said, "Well maybe we should follow their lead?"

He leaned into kiss me when Lily yelled, "Dinner is ready! Come and get it while it's hot! Daddy and Lady!"

I groaned," Why does that always happen?" I asked Troy.

"I don't know Gabi, but we should defiantly try later," Troy whispered into my ear.

"Well, that depends on how good you are at dinner," I whispered seductively.

I heard the door open and Lily ran to see who it was. I knew it was Tay and Chad but she screamed it anyways. "Uncle Chad and another Lady!" She continued to yell, "Daddy and first Lady please come into the kitchen right now or Uncle Chad is going to eat it all!!"