Hi all. I'm having a little bit of writers block at the moment am getting frustrated with the story so apologies if things aren't brilliant. There are only a few chapters left and I have to say I'm quite relieved. As usual please review and be kind? Love Tink. Xx
Gabriella smiled to herself, as she waited for sleep to claim her, remembering what had happened. She and Troy had shared one more perfect kiss before he had to go. It had been just as soft and slow as the other and had made her heart beat just as quickly…
"So does that mean I get to kiss you?" he asked his expression hopeful and Gabriella nodded shyly, feeling embarrassed even though it was just Troy.
Slowly he brought his hands up to frame her face and he stroked his thumbs across her cheeks, down to her lips and she caught her breath. With a smile he brushed his mouth against her own and her breath came out as a sigh, his tongue touching hers briefly before retreating. His lips moved over hers so softly, she barely felt their pressure, it was a sweet kiss, a tender kiss, almost chaste compared to the way Christian had kissed her. Troy made her feel safe, made her feel special and he didn't push for her to give more than she was willing to. After several more seconds, he broke the kiss and Gabriella missed his mouth right away.
"Thank you" she whispered as they lay facing each other in, so close their noses almost touched and they could feel the others breath.
"What for?"
"For kissing me, making me feel special"
"Brie you are special, to me"
Gabi felt tears form and offered him a quivering smile, how long she had waited for this and it was so much better than she had ever dreamed.
"I have to go Brie, but I'll come over tomorrow after school if that's ok?"
She nodded as he rose from the bed and bent down to place a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Sweet dreams"
"Night Troy" she smiled and watched as he disappeared onto her balcony.
Blinking against the sunlight that poured into the room, Gabriella stretched and then cursed as her ankle twinged. Looking around the room as she pushed her glasses on, she spotted a large black box on her by her balcony door. Grinning she hobbled from her bed and tore it open to find a large box of her favorite chocolates. Troy, she thought to herself and hobbled back to her cell phone, box in hand.
He answered within a few rings,
"Good morning gorgeous" he said making her giggle.
"Thank you so much Troy, it's so sweet of you, I love them"
"You're welcome but what's sweet of me?"
She laughed again "Don't tease, the chocolates, dufus"
Troy cursed down the phone "I didn't send you any chocolates"
"No silly, the ones you left by the balcony door"
"Gabi, I didn't leave you any chocolates . . . what does the label say?"
Gabi looked down at box beginning to feel very sick "It just says get well soon and some kisses . . . Oh God its Christian! He was here in my room Troy, they were by the door! He was in my fuckin room Troy!" she gabbled panicking, looking around wildly.
"Gab, calm down. Are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fi, fine" she stammered "I can't believe this I feel so violated, he was in my room, anything could have happened"
"Is your Mom home?"
"She's left for work already, please can you come over Troy, I'm scared, and what if he's still around?" Gabi felt herself beginning to crack.
"I'm on my way Gab, lock your door, I'll come up the balcony. Be there in fifteen"
Gabriella lay on her bed, unable to stop shaking, every little noise made her jump, wondering if it was Christian. Like she'd told Troy she felt violated, he'd come into her room when she slept and he could have done anything to her, the pills she took for the pain in her ankle were so strong they had knocked her out. Sickened, she worried that he'd touched her; she would never know she was so out of it.
She knew now that she had to do something, she had to tell Principal Matsuai, he wasn't going to stop bothering her. He had a problem and needed help and she couldn't ignore what he was doing anymore.
She jumped once more as she heard footsteps on her balcony outside, her heart thudding in her chest as the steps came closer and closer.
"Gabi, it's me, let me in" she heard Troy call out and relief raced through her system.
Gabriella sprang from the bed as quickly as her injured ankle would allow and hobbled to the door. Opening it, she flung herself into Troy's arms, as he stepped into the room and held her to him.
"Ssh Gabi, it's ok, you're ok" he soothed, rubbing her back.
"He's been in here Troy, what if he did something to me while I was sleeping" she cried her head buried in his chest.
"Don't think like that Gab, you're okay"
"I don't want to stay here; please can we go over to yours? Please Troy, I don't feel safe anymore" she looked up at him and he noticed tears clinging to her eye lashes.
He nodded "Sure whatever you want, can you manage to walk?"
"Yeah, I just need to change first" she mumbled embarrassed suddenly.
"I'll go" he said quickly and headed for the door.
"No, it's okay, I'll change in my bathroom" she picked out some cargo pants and layered t-shirt, before hobbling into her bathroom and pulling the door closed.
Troy looked around the room wondering what Christian had actually done while he was there. He hadn't wanted to say anything to Gabi but he too was worried he had touched her. The guy was too weird and needed to be stopped and Troy was just the guy to do it.
He looked up as he heard the sound of Gabi brushing her teeth and through the door he realized he could see her, as she rinsed her mouth.
His mouth went dry as without warning she pulled her pyjama top gracefully over her head, leaving her clad only in a white lace bra and pyjama bottoms. Troy knew it was wrong to peep on her, especially after all that was happening with Christian but he couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from her.
God she was so beautiful, he thought, so perfect, that once more he was struck by the realization that he had nearly missed out on this. He had nearly gone through high school, without realizing just how special Gabriella was.
His heart began to race as Gabi placed her hands on her hips and began to shimmy out of her bottoms, pushing them down her long slender legs, letting them pool at her feet.
All the blood in his body seemed to suddenly gather in his groin and he swore under his breath, this was so not the time to get turned on by his best friend.
Troy wanted so badly to run his hands up her long legs, along the smooth olive skin of her stomach, to cup her breasts in his hands, to stroke her, to tease her, to teach her just how much fun being "close" to your best friend could be.
He didn't know whether to weep or thank God when she pulled her cargo pants on, quickly followed by her layered tee.
Forcing his eyes away he looked up at the ceiling and took several deep breaths, trying to think of something to take away the image of a scantily clad Gabriella.
"I'm ready Troy" she said as she stepped from her bathroom, noticing the frown on his face as he stared at her ceiling.
He looked at her and smiled, but it seemed false, not reaching his eyes
"Everything okay?" she asked him.
"Um yeah, just thinking . . . we better go" he said and crossed the room to offer her his arm.
After only a few steps, Gabriella began to wince and pain crossed her features, even using Troy as a crutch it was going to take a while to get to his place.
"You okay Gab?"
She nodded quickly but Troy could see from her pale face she wasn't "Yeah, we'll just have to take it slow"
Gabriella looked up at him and she noticed he seemed to be weighing something up in his head; seconds later he swept an arm behind her knees and lifted her up against his chest.
"Need a lift?" he asked looking down into her beautiful face, with a lopsided grin.
She grinned back, for a second forgetting all about Christian and the reason she was leaving her home, happy to be in his arms. His chest was solid and she could feel his heart thudding, he was warm, and so hard.
Gabriella couldn't help but take a little sniff as she rested her head on his shoulder, taking in the scent of soap and his cologne, so fresh, so sexy, it made her want to cuddle up with him forever.
Although they had kissed, they had never really discussed their relationship and where it was going. Were they still just friends? Or were they something more?
"Thanks" she said softly.
"No problem" he replied and it wasn't.
Troy loved the feel of her in his arms, her body against his, her breasts crushed against his chest, so he could feel the rapid beat of her heart. She was so light and she felt to right next to him.
As he strode down her stairs and across the street he wondered where they where going, where they just friends? Were they something more? What did Gabi want from him? Did she want to be with him? Or was she still too upset over Christian? Especially with what had been happening lately. Shouldering open the front door he carried her inside and slowly set her down on her feet, enjoying the feeling of her body sliding against his. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, from the sensations spinning through her body as she felt his brushing against her. They stood eyes locked, bodies touching from chest to toes.
"Better?" he asked her his voice deeper than he'd intended.
"Better" she smiled shyly at him.
"So what would you like to do today?" he cleared his throat.
She shrugged "Watch day time TV, maybe some movies, study"
Troy snorted "Study, gee way to have a rest Gab" he chuckled.
"I can't help it; it's what I do best"
"Let's go though to the den, we can watch TV in there" he suggested and she followed him through.
Gabriella looked down at the large sofa, noticing there was no where for her to elevate her ankle, she bit her lip and looked around the room for something to rest it on.
"Problem?"
She shook her head "Not really, I just need something to rest my ankle on"
Troy tilted his head thoughtfully "Why don't you stretch out on the sofa, put it up on the arm rest?"
"That could work but where we will you sit?"
Troy leapt onto the sofa with a flourish "Ta da! You can put your head on my knees"
She flushed a little, even though they had lain like that many times before, it all seemed different now, because they had kissed, more intimate.
"Hey Gab? You ok? You space out on me for a minute there" he said
"What? Oh yeah sorry" she apologized, settling her self on the sofa, her head resting on his knees.
He looked down at her, his eyes shining bright blue "Comfy?"
"Kinda" she replied, feeling awkward.
"You want me to move?" he said slipping a hand in her hair and playing with her soft curls. She shivered, feeling his touch all the way down to her toes.
"No, it'll be okay" she smiled and wiggled about a little, finding a comfy spot, sighing as Troy switched on the television and continued to play with her hair. For the first time in a long while, she felt she could relax; she felt safe with Troy around and knew she wouldn't have to worry about Christian.
The morning passed in a blur of soaps and talk shows for Troy and Gabriella and before she knew it, Troy was making his famous Mac and cheese for lunch.
"Gab, I think we need to talk about Christian. . . I don't think he's gonna get bored and stop. You need to tell Matsuai what has been going on" Troy broached, as they ate lunch on the porch.
To his surprise she nodded "You're right, I was going to see him on Monday, see if I can get him change Christian's classes"
"It's for the best Gab, he's sick and he needs help…How are you feeling about what happened with you two?"
"What do you mean?"
Troy rubbed the back of his neck looking nervous "Well just, you think you're ready to, like move on?"
Gabi felt yet another blush begin and she shrugged "I'm not sure, I haven't exactly had many offers lately" she said trying to make a joke to diffuse the awkward topic, ducking her head in embarrassment.
She caught her breath and held it as Troy slid a hand under her chin and lifted it, making her look at him.
"I'm offering" he said simply and then paused for a long second "You're my best friend Brie but I want more, I can't keep pretending that I don't…I think about you all the time, I can't get you outta my head, the way you look, the way you smile, the way you feel in my arms, how you taste when I kiss you … I wanna be with you Gab and I think you feel the same"
Gabriella felt tears form behind her eyes and escape down her cheeks, these where the words she'd waited so very long to hear but she was still scared what would happen if things went wrong between them.
"I do Troy, but I'm scared, what if we screw this up and end up never talking again?"
He shook his head "That'll never happen Brie, we have to try, you have to take a chance with me"
She looked at him helpless against her own feelings and gave a small nod, after all this is what she been waiting so long for and she might never get a chance again.
He reached across with his free hand and laced their hands together in a gesture that was as intimate as a kiss and Gabriella gave another little sigh at the feel on his hand in hers. His dark blue eyes were filled with warmth and tenderness and something else that Gabriella had yet to recognize but whatever it was, it made her stomach tickle and her heart race.
"You and me against the world Brie" he said softly and still holding her hand tugged her gently towards him, meeting her mouth in a kiss, so sweet and tender it brought tears to her eyes.