You guys are getting to know me too well :p I need to make my storylines more complicated, lol. Still, this was never meant to be one of those stories, you'll see why a bit more in this chapter :) I'm glad that even those of you who don't care for racing are finding it interesting!
And I didn't realise how much you guys love the 'family' stories, particularly noted was 'Partners' where Troy adopted baby Kayla; that's so heart-warming. I wish I could write more stories like that I'm just not so good at the babies and married life stuff :p I'm glad that a mixture of my stories came up too from one shots to traditional to the more risqué stuff; really made me happy thanks guys!
Happy (belated) Birthday to Zac :)
Chapter 4
"Hello there," Anthony recognised the small Filipino girl sat in the hospital garden in the cold and dark.
"Oh, hi," she smiled at him slowly. "Anthony."
"That's right," he nodded. "Are you okay?"
"Just thinking," she explained and he nodded.
"We should get you inside…"
"Sure," she smiled easily and stood while he ushered her into the entrance.
"Gabi?" Troy, on his way out, spotted her easily by her hair.
"Hey, aren't you the guy who saved her?" Anthony clicked.
Troy looked up to the paramedic escorting Gabi inside. "Yeah, you're the medic."
"Can I leave her in your capable hands?" Anthony checked. "Or are you off home?"
"I…" Troy paused. "No, man, it's okay, I'll take her back…"
"I'm not a child," Gabi sulked between them.
"Humour me," Anthony told her to which she smiled wanly at.
"So…" Troy turned and stuck out his elbow. "Will you let me escort you back to your room?"
Gabi looked up at him like he might have flipped his lid, then took the hair tie on her wrist and fought her hair into a bun before she took Troy's elbow and sighed.
"Alright."
"Am I that bad company?" He mused.
"No…I just crave a little female company now and then," she remarked.
"Well you would work with cars," he teased. "What do you expect?"
"There's got to be a lesbian or something," she joked.
"A lesbian, huh?" Troy swallowed.
"Sure. I'm a tomboy after all. Maybe I was destined to be gay."
He chuckled. "You either are or you aren't…"
"Guys don't fancy tomboy girls," she arched up at him.
He paused when they reached her bay and twisted his lips as his animated eyes rolled around them, and then they settled on hers, clear and direct. "Don't they?"
"I…don't think so," she murmured back, barely caring to answer his question.
"I don't see any tomboys," he added.
"You haven't seen me in by blues," she said of her overalls. "They're twice the size of me."
He smiled just a little. "Sounds sexy."
Gabi smirked. "You're mocking me."
"No…"
She sighed and blinked, smiling with twisted lips. "I said good night already, so what is this?"
"Good night, mark 2," he replied.
"Good night, Troy," she climbed into bed and turned her back to him. "Mark two."
/
"I'm free!" Gabi threw her arms out and ran toward the curb, Jody following behind her with a grin.
"I take it this makes you happy?"
She turned her bright eyes on him. "It makes me ecstatic!" she affirmed and he chuckled.
"Twenty minutes and you'll be home," he led her toward the car park where he had parked his car.
"I'm not coming home," she told him, still smiling.
"Okayyy," he looked at her funny.
"I can't come home and live with him while he's being like this, Jody," she told her friend.
"Then where will you go?" He asked.
She pursed her lips and swallowed. "Solo said I could stay with him."
"Gabi, no…" Jody blew out a breath and rolled his eyes.
"It's the only option I have," she argued.
"It's not the only one," he squinted. "I can pay for you to stay in a hotel."
"No, I'm not taking any money," she refused.
"Then you pay for you to stay in a hotel…"
"Look, he came by while I was ill, he said it'd be okay," she assured.
"Marlade wants to get into your pants, Gabi. Don't think for one second he cares about you…"
"I can look after myself," Gabi assured, sliding into the passenger seat.
"I don't doubt that you can. But I hate that snake."
"So do I, but Dex brought this on me. Blame him." She hard-lined.
"He's gonna go ape when he hears about this…" Jody sighed.
"Then don't tell him," she challenged. "I'll go get my stuff while he's out and you tell him you dropped me off at a hotel…"
"Gabi…"
"Jody…" She mocked and he sighed again.
"Fine. Whatever. Just lock your door at night."
/
Knock knock
"Coming!"
Knock knock knock
"Alright, coming!" Troy called again.
Knock knock knock knock
"Alright!" He pulled open the door, flustered with anger, damp from his shower and hastily tied into his dressing gown.
"Oh, it's you…" his tone softened.
"I found you in the book, I'm not stalking you or anything, although you might think that and I can see why, but I promise you this is not me being weird or anything…Well, I guess I am being weird but not weird weird…" She paused, looking up as she realised how strange this must seem to Troy- her standing on his doorstep. "I just came here because…" Gabi swallowed and grazed her lower lip.
"Because…" he led, lifting his brows, widening the door and folding his arms as his confusion showed on his handsome face.
"I told Jody I was staying with Solo Marlade," Gabi explained. "But only to make Dex mad…not that Solo didn't offer me his bed but I refused politely…well not so politely as it happens but that's not the point…" she babbled.
"What is the point?" He checked, bemused by her babble.
She opened her mouth and then closed it, pinning him with a big-eyed look before she spoke again. "I need a place to stay."
/
"And you came here?" Troy spluttered.
"You're the only guy on the race circuit that Dex won't kill…in fact you're probably the only guy anywhere that he won't kill…" she added distractedly.
"That makes me feel better," he derided.
"I didn't know where else to go," she begged.
"Home?" He suggested.
She paused, sensing she had over-stepped the mark with this stranger she barely knew. Of course he was freaking out, who wouldn't? He'd only come to say hi in the hospital, while he was visiting his proper friend. And then she turned up on his doorstep like some freaky stalker girl.
She smiled flatly. "You're right."
He frowned. "Really?" he asked. Because he never was.
"Yeah. I'm sorry for bothering you. See ya," she turned and strode away, pausing at the end of his path while he stood and wondered furiously why she had come to him.
"Gabi?" He called as she rubbed her forehead.
"Shit!" He swore as he saw her knees go and he ran for dear life toward her, never hoping to make it there in time.
"Gabi," he touched her forehead with the back of his hand and felt no heat or clamminess, but she was out cold and he twisted his lips in worry.
"Come on," he murmured, scooping her up into his capable arms and carrying her back up his path.
/
"Wow, she's pretty…" Troy's house-mate Chad Danforth commended of his patient as she lay on the sofa, still unconscious.
Troy silently worked, laying a cold flannel on her forehead which seemed to rouse her because then she began to come round.
"Wow," Chad repeated as she opened her eyes to them both.
"Chad," Troy sighed of his buddy, giving him a look.
"Who are you?" Gabi wondered of the dark-skinned man beside Troy as they both crouched by the sofa.
The guy smiled, but she noted it didn't really reach his eyes, and although he was black, his skin was pallid somehow. And he had a headscarf. But no eyebrows or eyelashes she noted.
"Hey, I'm Chad," he introduced and she frowned.
"He's my friend," Troy told her.
"Who are you?" She asked and then when Troy's brows rose, she cracked into a huge smile. "Only kidding."
"Are you okay?" Troy checked.
"Dude, she's beee-autiful," Chad charmed with a grin behind him, making Gabi giggle.
"I'm fine, Troy, stop worrying…"
"Are you pregnant? Is that why you keep fainting?" He wondered and she spluttered out her laughter.
"Err, no," she pursed her lips as her brows rose at his suggestion.
"Where're you going?" He asked as she sat up.
"Home. Like we said," she added nonchalantly.
"It's because of that?" He wondered and although he didn't say more than that, she knew he had worked out her fainting was related to her anxiety about going home.
"No, of course not," she lied, dropping her eyes from his. "It's just low blood pressure from the burn…"
"Why don't you stay with us?" Chad piped up as Gabi stood and both men stood too, backing up to give her room.
Troy looked over his shoulder and glared at his friend.
"What?" Chad shrugged. "She needs looking after…"
"She has a home to go to," Troy pointed out, then looked back to Gabi.
"He's right," Gabi told Chad. "I should go…"
"Let me talk to my man a minute…" Chad told her and she looked to Troy apologetically as Chad and he went out of the room.
"Look man, she's in trouble, it's not like you to let that go, what's going on?" Chad asked.
Troy swallowed. "Do you really want her here while you're puking and having nightmares and feeling ill?"
Chad shrugged. "If she needs you, then yeah."
"It's not me she needs," Troy sighed.
Chad's lifted brows told him otherwise.
"I don't even know her!" Troy whispered.
"She looks like she needs help."
"She's just having some problems with her brother," Troy disregarded.
"So help her out." Chad insisted.
"If I'm helping her, I can't help you," Troy pointed out.
"No, but she might," Chad grinned until Troy gave him a hard look and then he sobered. "Come on, man…"
Click.
"Too late," Chad goaded. "Now she's gone…"
"It's probably for the best," Troy sighed.
"Are you kidding me? Get yo' ass down that path and get her back before she passes out again…" his friend cuffed him on the arm.
"Alright, alright…" Troy dutifully turned and opened the front door, scanning which way Gabi went before he ran after her.
/
"Look, don't go," Troy panted, catching Gabi easily.
She smiled thinly. "It's okay, Troy. Really."
"Chad won't let me back in if you don't come with me," he admitted breathlessly.
She looked up and caught his eyes, her mouth barely hiding a smile. "I'm sure he will."
"He won't, believe me. He can be cruel like that."
"He has cancer, doesn't he?" She asked softly.
Troy blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, he does."
"That's who you visit, every day?"
"Only when he has chemo usually but he gets sick sometimes…"
She swallowed. "I'm sorry, Troy."
"Don't be. He won't let anyone be sad in the house so he won't let you in either if you don't smile."
She sighed, twisting her lips. "Are you sure it's okay?"
"You need us, right?" He checked.
She smiled. "Yeah, I do."
"Then it's okay."
"I'll find somewhere else to stay tomorrow, I promise…."
"Believe me, once you're in, he won't let you out," Troy teased of his friend and she giggled, accepting his attempt to ease the awkwardness.
"Thank you," she smiled as he led her back inside.
/
"What do you mean, she's not coming home?" Dex asked Jody in slow, angry words.
"She said she can't live with you right now," Jody posed.
"Where the hell is she living then?" Dex wondered.
Jody's silence brought his gaze unto his friend. "Jody?"
"I don't know," Jody lied, not meeting his gaze.
"Jody…" Dex stalked up to him where he sat on the sofa.
"Look, I'm not gonna be part of this ok? I like you both, I'm not gonna be put between you…"
"The fact that you haven't answered me tells me the answer to my question is not good," Dex guessed easily. "Now you better tell me where the hell my little sister is or I'll hold you accountable for what happens to her…"
"She's with Marlade, okay?" Jody broke. "She told me she's staying with Marlade."
"With Mar-" Dex ground his teeth together and took a deep breath.
"Dex?" Jody ventured under his fringe.
His friend stood, perfectly coiled with tension, unmoving.
"Dex?"
In the next second, he snapped and turned for the door, slamming it heavily behind him.
/
"Can you call him?" Jody begged Gabi as she reclined on the sofa with Chad, catching up with Troy's friend as Troy found bedding for her to borrow.
"No way," Gabi stood strong.
"He's gone for Marlade, there could be blood," Jody warned.
"Not when he finds out I'm not there…" Gabi smiled to herself.
"Your blood, Gabi, not Marlade's…"
"Look, Jody, I love you. But you have to let me and Dex deal with this the way we want to," she argued.
"By sending each other crazy?" he suggested with a sigh.
"He has to learn his lesson." She pointed out.
"And what is that?" Jody bewildered.
"That I make my own decisions."
She heard another sigh. "Alright."
"I have to go, I'm being rude," she excused, ending the call with her friend with a sad smile.
"Boyfriend?" Chad asked as she hung up.
Gabi looked up to him, and then relaxed into a smile. "Not exactly…"
"Right, you can have my room and I'll take the sofa…" Troy came in and plopped down a pile of spare bedding.
"Oh no," Gabi shook her head. "I'm having the sofa. No arguments."
Chad lifted his brows to his friend and Troy frowned, mouthing 'I know' back at him.
"Look, my mom would never forgive me if I let a lady sleep on the sofa when I have a bed…" Troy ventured.
Gabi looked to Chad, who nodded, then back to Troy. She twisted her lips then bit into the lower one.
"I'm taking the sofa, Troy," she said again determinedly.
"I'll make it nice for you," Chad told her and she smiled at her new friend.
"Thank you, Chad."
"Maybe I can join you later?" He teased and she giggled.
"I should make us dinner," Gabi offered.
"You can cook?" Troy and Chad both turned to her hopefully.
Gabi felt the sweat bead on her upper lip. "Well, not entirely…"
"She races cars," Troy told Chad.
"She's pretty, I'll let it go," Chad replied as he went out.
"I can try…" She gave him her best puppy-dog look.
/
"Wow, this is…nothing like we normally have," Chad chewed consistently on the casserole Gabi had served.
Gabi looked at them both under her dark lashes. "It's horrible isn't it?"
"No!" Troy argued a little too quickly. "Not at all…"
"It's pretty bad," Chad offered honestly and Gabi stopped chewing and stared. For one second neither of them knew if she was going to burst into laughter, or burst out crying; but thankfully, she chose the first and giggled at him.
"I'm sorry!"
"Hey, you tried…" Troy tried to console her.
"I told you I was a tomboy…"
"We'll just dial pizza, it's fine…"
Gabi sobered and chewed her lower lip sadly as Troy went to call the pizza delivery.
"Hey, I was kidding with you," Chad apologised.
"It's not that," she assured. "I just sometimes wish…"
"What?" Chad prompted.
"I just sometimes wish I never loved racing so much and then I would be a proper girl. And cook. And be girly." She added softly.
"Hey, there is no mistakin' you're a girl," Chad assured.
She smiled faintly. "Look at my nails," she showed him the broken, rough, oil filled nails.
"You still have a beautiful face," he said as Troy walked back in and looked at them both funny.
"Everything ok?" Gabi prompted him.
"Ah…yeah. You?"
"Not really," she sighed. "But I'm not gonna drag everyone else down with me."
"Right…okay…"
"I'm gonna lay down for a bit," Chad told Troy with a lift of his brows.
"Hey, not feeling so good, buddy?" Troy checked.
"I'm just tired," Chad winked at his friend, passing by to go upstairs.
"I'll bring the pizza up when it's here," Troy called after him, then looked to Gabi. "Wanna come sit on the sofa for a while?"
"Sure," she slid out of her seat and followed him over to sit on her 'bed' with him.
"You took the cushions," she accused gently as he leaned on the pillows against the arm of the sofa.
"Here," he handed one over, smiling as she hugged it.
"I miss them," she said of her brother and Jody.
"Them?" He questioned.
"Dex and Jody."
"Jody being…?"
"My friend." She supplied.
"Just a friend?" He wondered lightly.
"Apparently he fancies me."
"Apparently?"
She shrugged. "He just told me a few days ago."
"And?" Troy pushed.
"And…he's a friend. That's all."
Troy nodded, feeling some kind of relief at that; but still wondering about the unknown man's affections for Gabi.
"One day you might discover you have feelings for him," he suggested.
"He's like another brother to me," she smiled.
"But that's another guy who doesn't see you as a tomboy," he reminded her and she looked up, amused.
"You remember that, huh?" She looked away shyly.
"Chad was right, you know." He husked. "You are beautiful."
Gabi found herself drowning in his eyes for a moment, unable to look away. And then the doorbell broke them apart, reminding her she was here out of Troy's generosity and not to start something with him.
"Pizza!" They both heard Chad yell before he thundered down the stairs, before Troy could even think about getting up.
"Wow," Gabi lifted her brows at his enthusiasm and Troy chuckled beside her.
"I guess he's not tired any more…"
/
"So?" Chad asked as Troy came up for bed, later that night.
"So, what?" Troy whispered back self-consciously.
"So, did you kiss yet?"
Troy gave his friend a look. "No, now move, I need my sleep…"
"She's perfect…" Chad lifted his brows.
"Perfect for what?" Troy dared to ask and Chad rolled his eyes without answering.
"Night, then," Troy said to his closed door before going into his own room.