Chapter 1

"I can take a few tears now and then and just let 'em out

I'm not afraid to cry every once in awhile…"

Six Months Later

Troy sighed as he drove down the streets of Albuquerque towards his childhood home. It was summer, which meant he was back in his hometown. It also meant it was time to see all his high school friends again. Time to see her again.

It had been six long months since he had seen her. After he had ended it, she had fled from their apartment and hadn't returned. She had come back during when she knew he would be at basketball practice and removed all her things. It was as if she had never lived there. As if they had never been together.

He had heard from Taylor that she had gone aboard to study in London with a prominent chemist.

Not a day went by that his thoughts weren't filled with her. He missed everything about her; her smile, her smell, the sound of her laugh.

As he past by the familiar sights of downtown Albuquerque, memories flashed by his eyes. He finally pulled onto his street and into the driveway of the Bolton household. He sat in his car for a moment, trying to mentally prepare himself for all the drama he knew the summer would bring.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of his cell phone ringing.

Sighing, he answered it, "Hello?"

"Troy? It's Chad. Are you home yet?"

Chad. His longtime best friend. They had been separated for the first time when Troy went to Duke and Chad had stayed in New Mexico and attended the University of New Mexico.

"Hey Chad. Yeah I just pulled into my driveway. Why, what's up?" Troy asked.

"Well most of the gang is home and Taylor and I wanted everyone to get together for the first time since Christmas break." Chad said.

Troy paused, "The gang…" his stomach dropped at the thought, "Gabi…" he broke from his thoughts and said "Uh yeah, that sounds okay I guess".

"Great!" Chad said, "We're just going to meet up at my house and figure out we're doing from there. See you at 9 buddy!"

"Bye Chad," Troy sighed.

"Oh man," he thought, "Gabi...she must hate me." "Get over it Bolton," his mind screamed at him, "What's done is done. It's been six months. She's probably moved on and forgotten all about you."

"Troy!" brought him out of this thoughts and he looked up to see his mother waving at him from the front steps.

He took a deep breath and stepped out of his car.

"Hey Mom…"

8:35. Troy glanced at the clock for the hundredth time since he had gotten back. His stomach had been a ball of knots ever since the phone call from Chad. He was finally going to get to see her again.

He laid back on his bed as a million thoughts ran through his head. Before he knew it, it was 9. "Oh shit," he thought, "I'm late" as he got up and began to race down the stairs.

The car ride to Chad's was short and even though he was already late, Troy sat in his car for a minute.

Taking a deep breath, he got out of his car and walked up to Chad's front door. He rang the bell and as he heard footsteps approach, he thought to himself,

"Here goes nothing…."