Disclaimer: It's probably obvious, but I don't own any of the HSM characters or their related elements.
Author's Note: These are all unrelated oneshots unless otherwise noted. Hope that's not too jarring for all you readers out there.
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HSM Romance Challenge
Theme: Dying to Know
"Damn!"
On the court behind Troy's house, Chad groaned as the basketball bounced off the hoop's rim. Troy laughed, catching the ball as it rebounded and dribbling it next to him. Then suddenly he paused, holding the ball in his hands.
"Chad… is it lame that even when we hang out, we end up playing basketball?"
"No," said Chad, panting slightly. "What's lame is that I keep playing you even though I always get my butt handed to me." He walked over to the grass and lay down on his back in the hot sun. "When am I going to learn?"
"You do seem to be kind of a glutton for punishment." Troy grinned, sitting down next to his friend.
"A glutton for punishment?" Chad raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Since when did you start talking like that?" He looked at Troy suspiciously, and then turned quickly teasing. "Of course. It's Gabriella, isn't it?"
Troy looked away. "No way. Gabi and I… we're… just friends."
"Oh come on," said Chad, throwing his head back and guffawing. "You guys have been wrapped around each other since the day she showed up here. You must have gotten serious. Now spill, Bolton." He kicked Troy in the leg, putting on an exaggerated pleading tone. "Come on. I'm just dying to know."
Troy shrugged. "Well…"
But with a sheepish grin on his face, he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. The whole relationship felt too fragile to be exposed to the world right now. There was also the fact that this—the whole relationship—had only just really gotten started yesterday.
He smiled at the memory. They'd just left Kelsi's house after practice, and he'd gone to walk her home, as usual. But this time, they'd stopped at the playground on the way. It was a warm summer night, and Gabriella had wanted to go on the swings. And he… well, he had just wanted to be with Gabriella.
He'd pushed gently on her back, sending her flying through the air, her long brown hair floating up in the breeze. Once or twice, she'd almost knocked him on his back as she swung overhead, whooping hysterically. Finally, she slowed down to a stop, grinning like a little kid. Her voice was giddy. "OK, it's your turn."
But he laughed. "You can fly enough for the both of us. I think I prefer to keep myself on solid ground here."
She turned around in the swing, swaying gently toward him."Oh, Bolton, you're not afraid again, are you?"
"Well, a little," he said. "I was never much of a swings kind of kid. Much preferred the slides. Or the monkey bars. Stuff with less chance of catapulting you into things."
She laughed, taking his hand lightly. Wow—that's nice, he thought, his heart starting to pound. "Well. You'll be safe here with me."
And suddenly something in her eyes made him start. Before he knew it, he took her other hand and lifted her out of the swing, standing her up close to him. And then her arms slipped around his waist, and his hands were moving in her soft hair as he met her lips in a kiss. Eyes closed, he drank her in deeply. I've been waiting so long.
Then breaking apart, they had looked at each other… and then laughed.
She smiled, curling her hand around his neck easily. "I've been wondering when you were going to get around to that," she said. "We were so close after the championships… but you just never tried again."
He laughed, suddenly dizzy at the idea that she was his. "Well," he said. "You're kind of scary, and I'm easily intimidated. I mean, look at the whole swings thing."
She giggled. "Bolton, you wimp."
"See what I mean? You're terrifying. And you're terrorizing me. You're…" But he trailed off. Smiling, she had moved closer, leaning forward into him until he found himself falling helplessly in another kiss.
And then everything had become kind of a blur. One minute, they were friends… and the next, he was holding her hand as they walked up to her front steps.
And now Chad was throwing a basketball at him, trying to get him to talk.
"Come on, dude." Chad grinned. "I'm your best friend. You can't leave me in the dark."
Troy smiled. Right now… I'm keeping this one all for myself. "No way, man. I don't know what you're talking about."