"I always have." He said pulling away from the hug. He looked at her for a second and then he pulled away and drove home. Gabriella pulled away and told Troy she call him when she thought about the situation with more thought. Gabriella walked in the house feeling confused and worried. Her boyfriend of six months is Troy's cousin. The way that Troy looked at her she knew he didn't feel the just friend vibe she had been giving him the past few years. She didn't call Troy that night or the next. She told her mother what was going on and agreed to go to a counselor instead of school for the next six weeks. Troy called regularly to see if everything was okay. She told him it was but he still didn't believe her. That Tuesday afternoon right before Gabriella was about to watch a movie. The doorbell rang and there standing in the doorway was Troy with a bouquet of pink roses and yellow tulips Gabriella's favorites. She blushed as she took the flowers and gave Troy hug and soft kiss on the cheek. He smiled when she pulled away and took her into the living room.
"Why don't you come to school anymore?" Troy asked wanting to hear the answer.
"I can't face him anymore after what he did to me." Gabriella said as tears begun to roll down her checks.
"Gabby, you should at least confront him about it?" Troy said rubbing the tears off with a tissue.
"Thanks Troy. See the thing is that after you told me I've been thinking about it. I decide that I don't want to talk to him ever again and I hope you understand that." Gabriella said in between tears.
"I do Gabby. Trust me I do. I also think that you should tell him you know what he's done to you and how much he's hurt you the past few weeks." Troy said as he put his arm around Gabriella to pull her into a hug.
"I'll go on one condition." She said.
"What's that?" Troy asked curiously.
"You have to be there with me. Troy your like my knight in shinning armor. I know you'll always protect me." Gabriella said. Troy smiled he always thought Gabriella saw him as a friends but he was glad that he chose him as the one to protect her.
"I will always be your knight, no matter what?" Troy said.
"Thanks I am glad you still care." She finished.
"I will never stop caring, Gabby. I could never stop." Troy said.
Gabriella stopped thinking about Chase or Andrew for a second and looked at Troy. He was smiling right at her. How could she be so clueless? Gabriella wonders how she never saw it before. He liked her so much. She had always had a boyfriend or been too busy to notice. She didn't want to go right out and admit that she knew. She wanted to take it slow make him realize that she liked him too.
"Is everything okay?" Troy asked.
"Yep, everything fines." Gabriella replied.
"I better get going unlike you I'm not excused from school and homework." Troy said as he got off the couch and began to grab his things.
"Troy wait why don't you stay and watch a movie. I can help with your geometry homework, later. I know that's what you were here for anyway." Gabriella said as she dragged him towards the couch.
"Gabby, I wasn't I promise." Troy said defending himself.
Gabriella laughed hysterically.
"Is something funny?" Troy asked.
The question only made Gabriella laugh harder.
"I was joking?" She finally said.
"I must have looked like in idiot" Troy said his face turning fire red from embarrassment.
Gabriella chuckled to herself and then she walked over to Troy and said, "That's the first time I've laughed that hard in awhile.
Troy face turned a lighter shade of red before he responded, "Gabby are you just trying to rub it in?" Troy asked questionably.
"Troy I love that you are so clueless." Gabriella said before blushing.
"You love me?" Troy asked as if she was proclaiming it for the first time.
Gabriella stopped. Had she revealed too much? Did he know that she knew he liked her? Was she blushing too much? Gabriella instantly popped out of her thinking bubble. Knowing that she was giving the question too much thought.
"Gabriella only loves those who care." Gabriella managed to say.
"I care about you. Troy said staring into her eyes and grabbing her hand.
"So you do the math," Gabriella as she released Troy's grasp from her hand and put a DVD into the slot.
"Does that mean you love me?" Troy asked again.
"You'll just have to find out and see," Gabriella said flirtatious as she made herself comfortable on the couch.
Troy made myself comfortable as he inched closer to Gabriella every few minutes. By the middle of the movies they were practically inches apart. Gabriella could smell Troy's deep cologne. It didn't make her gag one bit. She noticed how his eyes shone and twinkled in the dark. She started rubbing her hands up and down her arms; she was shivering from the air conditioning blasting from the other side of the room. Troy noticed and wrapped his muscular arms around her as he placed a blanket around her. Gabriella smiled and thanked Troy. When the movie was over Troy went home and Gabriella decided to go sleep. The next day Gabriella struggled to get up knowing that day she would confront her boyfriend of six months. She would display every lie and truth he ever told her she would make him reveal his true self. Gabriella straightens her short length brown hair and curled it slightly on the edges. She found a red-and-white Martha dress paired with grayish-greenish leggings and some navy blue ballet flats. She got her cobalt blue pea coat and was out the door. She began walking towards the bus when she heard a familiar honk. She looked up to see a Black BMW driving behind her. The shaggy dark haired brunette driver wore a Hollister dress shirt. Paired with dark blue Gap jeans.
"Need a lift?" The mysterious driver asked.
"Troy what are you doing here?" Gabriella asked as she continued walking.
"I thought you could use a ride." He said driving alongside her.
"I think I can walk to school by myself." Gabriella said smirking.
"Fine then. See you at school." Troy said driving off.
Gabriella ran after him and luckily the next light was red. She hopped in the car; and gave Troy disapproving looks the whole way. All he had managed to say was.
"What? Don't look at me, You're the one who said she didn't need people being friendly and giving her lifts to places." Troy said staring at Gabriella.
"It's called a joke." Gabriella said crossing her arm against her chest.
"Whatever." He said rolling his eyes.
They arrived at the school and promised they'd make Andrew confess during lunch. Gabriella should spend the remainder of her time with Andrew making him believe that she was sick with some sickness; and that she missed him deeply. Gabriella walked into English and found Chase sitting on a chair. She walked up to him whispering something in his ear.
"Hey Andrew." She said carefully caressing his check.
He instantly jerked up and turned around surprised to see Gabriella.
"Babe what are you doing here?" He asked picking her up and twirling her around the room.
She laughed playfully before he finally set her down.
"Can't your girlfriend just surprise you? I came her for your information to see if I could handle school." Gabriella said as she sat back down in her sit.
"Why couldn't the leader of the school and state Decathlon team handle school?" He asked confused.
"Because-Because." Gabriella looked around the room for inspiration. "Because my Uncle Tim died." She finally said. She cried for a few seconds and then instantly snapped back to reality.
"I thought you only had three uncles?" He asked suspiciously.
"I do he was one of my mom's friends who was treated like family, He was a big part of our family. I'll never forget him." Gabriella said getting all teary-eyed.
Chase looked at her with concern before saying "I'm here for you Gabby" He wrapped his arms around her before pulling her into a mid-make-out session. Gabriella let him kiss her, a part of the plan. If you don't kiss a guy or your boyfriend when you usually do he'll suspect something wrong. They pulled away from the kiss when they looked to put to see someone with aqua blue eyes giving them a disapproving look.