"You really think about that?" Zeke said as he leaned back on log.
"Yeah, two girls just wrestling in pink jelly." Ryan said with a smirk before Tom could answer. "I've heard that story about four or five times."
"Yeah, well, I'm just saying if we got the pink jelly we might see it happen." Tom said leaning forward to poke the fire with a stick. "It's be better than this power puff football idea?"
"I can't believe I gotta wear a skirt for this?" Zeke said covering his eyes.
"Why are we doing this again?" Ryan asked.
"Because I need volunteers for the fundraiser and you guys owe me." Troy said as he approached them and placed the case of beer by the cooler.
"Troy what took you so long man?" Zeke said getting up to open the cooler.
"Yeah we were beginning to think you were brewing the beer yourself." Ryan got up and stole a the last beer from the cooler as Zeke opened the new box.
"I ran into Kelsi and Gabriella, they needed a ride back to campus." Troy said taking off his sweater and tossing it off to the side. "What was I suppose to do leave them there?"
"Yes," Tom said with a smirk. "It was a beer run not a pussy run, no offense Ryan."
Ryan rolled his eyes as he opened the beer and took another seat. "Why are we hanging out with this guy?"
"Because Chad and Troy aren't talking?" Tom answered. "Face it you guys need another boy for your group."
"No we don't," Ryan said giving Tom the eye.
"Relax," Troy said sitting next to Tom, "We're taking things one day at time."
"Is there a truce in the war on the horizon?" Zeke said as he opened his beer.
"No promises about a truce but I did invite him down." Troy said, "I need another cheerleader. No one owes me more than he does," Troy laid back against a log with a smirk as he got comfortable.
"You sir are an evil mastermind." Zeke said with smirk.
"Oh boy," Ryan said to himself as he looked up to see his sister's car pulling up. Reaching for his phone he sent another Text Kelsi's way.
Gabriella and Taylor skipped ahead as Kelsi reached into her purse for her cell phone. "Come on Kelsi!" Taylor said turning around to wave her over. They were in the parking lot at the beach and they could see the bonfire light below on the beach.
Kelsi read the message on her phone and winced as she looked over to see Sharpay's car pull up in the parking lot. Taylor's face fell and Gabriella felt Taylor's hand grip tighter almost squeezing hers.
"We can leave," Gabriella said quickly. "We can go back to the room and watch kill bill and eat tons of junk food."
Kelsi walked over to them and frowned. "Come on Taylor,"
"No." Taylor said with a sigh, "I can't just keep avoiding her and I'm sure as hell not going to run away." she said with a nod. "Come on girls," she said taking Kelsi's hand and together they walked past the car and began to make their way down the stairs.
The girls removed their shoes once they hit the sand and Taylor and Kelsi giggled as she ran up to everyone else. Kelsi jumping into Ryan's arms and Taylor offering Zeke a hug. Taking a deep breath Gabriella held her shoes in her hands as they approached the bonfire at her own pace. She spotted Troy instantly he was laying back resting his head on a log looking up at the sky. She was wearing a black lose fitting dress with her hair down in loose curls over her shoulders. Looking down at her clothes one more time she felt a little hesitation. A small need to cover herself up and hide the body she'd been resenting for so long. Admittedly she'd been holding herself responsible for the crime, either in whole or in part. She reasoned that she was flirting or wearing sexually provocative clothing that she may have encouraged the assault. That she deserved what she got just for being a female.
Lifting a free hand she shifted her hair from her face. People who believe that the world is intrinsically fair may find it difficult or impossible to accept a situation in which a person is badly hurt for no reason. Many rape survivors suffer from long-lasting emotional effects recovering from rape aftermath. But that's what she was, a rape survivor. She'd experience feelings of shame and guilt because she believed that she was responsible for the rape and for failing to prevent unwanted force sexual activity from occurring. She'd changed so much since the tragic event. She knew better.
Troy shifted so he was sitting up now, laughing at something Taylor said. Then his eyes landed on her, his blue eyes sought out hers as if he hadn't seen her in years rather than just a the hour they were apart. "Hey you," he said with a smile.
"Can I have seat?" she asked motioning to the spot beside him.
"Sure," he said adjusting himself a little as he watched her sink down to his level and sit beside him.
"You look amazing," he said leaning out a little to get a full view of her.
"Thanks," Gabriella said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Hey," Sharpay said as her and Chad approached the bonfire. "How is everyone?" Chad stood a little behind her holding her hand as he looked around their friends with a bit of uncertainly.
"I think this is awkward." Tom said only to get a sharp nudge from Zeke's elbow. "Well it is," he said with a wince.
"I think we're all just fine." Zeke said. Everyone was quite for a moment until Troy spoke. "Hey Chad I need a favor, and seeing how you owe me one and all I was thinking maybe you could volunteer for the powder puff games as a cheerleader?"
"Do I have to wear a skirt?" Chad said with a frown.
"A very pink skirt," Zeke chimed as he reached for a beer from the cooler.
"So are you in?" Troy said with a smirk.
Chad took a deep breath as he looked from Taylor to Sharpay then back at Troy. "Yeah, I'll do it."
Everyone broke out into cheers which shifted into laughter and then quitted as people began to break into pairs for conversation.
"Hey Tay, can I talk to you?" Sharpay asked as she walked up to Taylor.
"Yeah," she said getting up from her spot next to Zeke and following Sharpay out into the distance.
Gabriella watched as they began talking back and forth. She let out a sigh as she leaned back against the log. "Do you think they'll be okay?" she said towards Troy as he shifted his attention back to her from Taylor and Sharpay.
"Maybe," Troy said with a shrug, "I mean I don't think things can go back to the way they were but I think they can be on good terms."
Gabriella shifted a little as she looked up at the fire and watched the lights and shadows on their feet from the flames. Feeling his stare she looked back up at him and confirmed her suspicion. He was watching her.
"You're a good friend, for both of them." Troy said with grin as he rested an arm on his knee shifting his body so he was facing her. "So what happened to girl's night?"
Gabriella smiled as she looked away from him and over at Ryan and Kelsi who were making out. Quickly her eyes shifted over to Chad and Zeke who were talking about something with Tom. With all her outs currently occupied she turned back to Troy. "We decided that this might be fun," she said in low voice as she tucked another strand of hair behind her ear.
"And is it?" Troy said letting his eyes wonder over her shoulders at the sun kissed skin.
"I don't know," Gabriella said bitting her lip as she looked back at the fire her eyes looked up over the flames at Kelsi and Ryan who were still lip locked in a passionate kiss. Looking away again she thought about Troy's lips, if they would be soft, or if he wondered the same about her own. Suddenly she felt uncomfortable. The anxious feeling seemed to consume her all at once and she let out a breath as she attempted to sooth the flips and flutters of her insides. Looking back at Troy she noted his distance towards her. They sat side by side but there was defiantly a line in sand between them.
"What can I do to improve your bonfire experience?" Troy said as he picked up a small twig and tossed it lazily into the fire.
Gabriella looked down at her hands and then at the space between them. Why was there so much space between them? Her hair fell a little and covered her face offering her some cover she suddenly wanted. He was still watching her. Lifting her knees to her chest she wrapped her arms around them to hold them close.
"Hey," Zeke said suddenly. "Do you guys breathe, ever?" he said directing his comment to Ryan and Kelsi who broke out into giggles as they rolled their eyes.
"Sorry," Kelsi said wiping her bottom lip a little. "So what's new?"
"When did you guys happen?" Chad said pointing a finger between Kelsi and Ryan.
"Last month," Ryan said wrapping his arm around Kelsi. "She kept stalking me." he said with a laugh.
"Yeah but you asked me out," Kelsi said with a giggle as she poked him with her finger.
Troy smiled, "Their always making out," he added. "It's that new relationship feel, that can't get enough, can't eat, sleep or think of anything else but the next time you get to touch."
"Yeah," Chad said with a small smile as he watched Sharpay and Taylor walking back towards them.
"Gross," Tom said as he rolled his eyes, "Some of us are not as pussy whipped as others." He said turning his attention to Gabriella. "Who are you anyway?"
"Gabriella," she offered politely as she extended her hand.
"Thomas Willard. The guys call me Tom" Tom said with a smile.
"The guys don't call you anything," Ryan said with an annoyed expression. "Seriously who invited you?"
Troy looked over at Gabriella with a chuckle "You want to go for a walk or something?"
"Sure," she said after a moments of hesitation.
Once they were both up and walking away from the group Troy let out a sigh, "So, tell me about your first boyfriend?"
Gabriella raised a brow as she looked over at him. "That's an odd request?"
"Then tell me about the first childhood memory you ever had?" Troy countered as he turned around walking backward to see her.
Gabriella smiled as she shook her head, for a moment she thought about it. "I think the earliest memory I have is sitting on the top of the kitchen counter talking to my mom while she made dinner."
"My first memory is building this tree house with my dad, and when I say build I mean I held the instructions." Troy said with a smile.
Gabriella giggled as she tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. "I bet you were an awesome helper." She said as she looked out into the water. Her breath caught as she seen the beauty before her. "Wow,"
"Yeah," he said watching her intently.
Gabriella turned back to Troy, "Why do you keep staring at me?"
"Because you're beautiful," Troy said as he tucked his hands into pockets. "And because more than anything I want to touch you."
"Why won't you?" Gabriella asked feeling her chest rise and fall more rapidly.
"Because I don't know if I can." Troy said a little hesitant. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable." He said taking a step closer to her and looking at her brown eyes as if they held all the meaning to life. "I don't wanna steal you away, or make you change the things that you believe I just wanna be here listening to everything you say, and be try to be everything you need. Whatever happens after that is just a bonus." He said taking another step closer to her.
She was almost leaning against him, they were almost touching, his arms flexed as if he was restraining himself from taking another step further. His blue eyes becoming sharper from this proximity, keeping his distance but close enough for her to feel his breath on her bottom lip as his chest began to rise and fall more rapidly. Gabriella felt her own breathing pick up as she stood there, so close to him and yet barely touching. She could almost feel that instinct to lean in further, that pulling sensation to press her lips against his and that bitter flutter in her stomach that pinched with fear and excitement at the same time. Gabriella bit her lip as she looked around the deserted beach and then back at him. "I don't think I can take another breath if you don't touch me," she said in low voice before looking down at her hands.
Troy hands lifted and with his right hand he reached to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. With his left hand he wrapped it around her pulling her towards him. The soft touch of her against them as their eyes met. It was as if all the air was sucked out from his lungs. "You're an amazing woman,"
"I'm just a teenage girl." She said with small smile as she leaned in a little further. At first she was trembling with fear as she approached his lips. On impact there was a rush of relief, a flooding of warmth and everything inside her felt like it needed him to keep living. When he kissed her back she felt herself wrapping her arms around him to bring him close as he shifted his hand to her neck claiming her as his own. And she wanted to be his, she wanted him to claim her, she wanted to belong to him, to touch him, to be touched by him. A moan escaped her lips as they moved further the feeling a rock on her back stopped her as they continued to kiss. Troy pulled away placing a hand on the rock behind her as he took a breath.
Gabriella felt everything inside her sharpen as she felt her body awaken. Goosebumps crawled up her skin, down her arms sizzling on his touch as his hands lightly held her wrist out beside them. The breathe on her lower lip drawing her in and charming her taste buds into craving the tangy, salty taste of his skin. Her brown eyes darted into his blue ones crashing like head on collision. That familiar sensation coming into her knees making them shake, like a slow crawl it crept up her thighs turning up the heat and causing her to sweat. There it was. The feeling that she thought had left her. That feeling she never thought she'd feel again. That pool of moisture between her legs, that throbbing sensation of desire and possession.
Troy let out a groan as the expression of sexual desire came over her facial features. It was the most intimate moment they'd ever shared. They were so close and yet miles apart, so charged and burnt out at the same time. Troy inhaled and smelled the jasmine and vanilla of her skin. Clamping down on his own jaw he squeezed hard to avoid the urge to take her lips. "What are we doing?"
"I think I'm turned on?" Gabriella said a little embarrassed.
"Should we stop?" Troy asked annoyed with himself for asking.
Gabriella shook her head and leaned forward taking his lips with hers and slipping her hands under his shirt.