Nothing Left to Lose
"You need to get out of the house," Gabriella's mom said while cramming their new purple-and-green plates into the dishwasher.
"Mom!" Gabriella called bounding in from the living room. "If this is about that bra fitting again…I already told you, I'm not going."
"No, mija. I was thinking we could go shopping for some clothes for your trip. You'll be needing a heavy coat, seeing as there is snowing in New York."
Gabriella sighed as she sat down in one of the stiff barstools that sat next to the kitchen island. She flipped her flat-ironed brown hair to one side, curling the ends with her fingertips. Just then, Taylor called.
"Ayo, Gabs! It's Tay…"
"I have caller-ID, dumb ass. What's up?"
"Do you want to come to the movies with us today? Like, around 6? Chad is getting a little frisky and I kinda don't want to be alone with him in a dark, soundproof, room."
"Us meaning…"
"Me, Chad, Zeke, Jason, Kelsi, Ryan, and Troy…"
Gabriella could barely speak. There was a lump in her throat the size of a baseball.
"T-Troy?" She stammered, her voice raspier then it had been before.
"I know that ya'll aren't seeing eye-to-eye, but if you'd just tell him, Gabs, I'm sure he'll understand…"
"I'll go." Gabriella choked before giving a quick "Later" and clamping her cell phone shut.
Gabriella slid the slim phone into the back of her wristlet-clutch.
"Mom…" She swiveled the stool back around to face her. "Lets go shopping."
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Half an hour later, Gabriella and Maria were in the outskirts of Albuquerque; the Albuquerque suburbs. Maria had dragged Gabriella into a North Face store (who knew there was one in New Mexico?!) and made her try on at least twenty different coats. Long coats, cinched coats, knee-length coats, waist coasts, pea coats-they were all there. By the time they left the store-carrying only two coats, Gabriella was sweating bullets.
Next, Maria dragged her along into an IKEA and several other stores. After hours of shopping the two finally arrived home at 6:30. Gabriella lied down on her leather couch, absolutely exhausted. Who knew that shopping could be so tiresome? Maybe Sharpay Evans actually had a point when she said that shopping is her sport…
Suddenly, she felt her phone vibrate and heard a familiar ringtone play.
Four years you think for sure
That's all you've got to endure
All the total dicks
All the Stuck-up Chicks
So superficial, so immature!
Pulling it out she saw that Taylor had sent her a text message, Girl, where r u? the movie is about 2 start in lyk ten mins.
"Oh my gosh!" Gabriella shrieked, realizing she completely forgot about the movie tonight. She ran into the kitchen and quickly asked her mother if she could go to the movies with her friends. She agreed, but reminded her to be back before ten. Grabbing her cell phone, she trudged up to her room, grabbed her Gucci purse, and put on her outfit - a fitting dark gray Bitten tee, a short frayed jean skirt with green and gray striped patches for pockets, and her favorite white and black checkered Keds. She then slipped on her silver Prada watch that she'd received as a birthday present the year prior, fluffed up the back of her ultra-straight do, and swiped on a quick coat of strawberry lip shimmer.
In a few minutes, she was out the door and began texting Taylor, Heading there now. need a ride.
She sighed as she glanced at her watch; the movie was supposed to start right now, but thankfully, commercials took up about fifteen minutes.
kk. jase said he'd get u. b sure to b at starbucks. that's where he'll pick u up.
Gabriella sighed thankfully, for she didn't have to walk. She replied.
k. thx.
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After Jason and Gabriella arrived at the movie theatre it had already been twenty minutes, but the theatre was having technical difficulties and so they re-played commercials at the time. The gang had left the theatre to get some more popcorn, since Chad had already dissolved most of it. Zeke had remained inside the theatre, watching over the seats, and partly because they showed a commercial for a new movie coming out entitled, "Cookin' With Master P.'
"Yo, G. I heard about the news," Jason said, once they walked into the movie theatre.
Gabriella gulped, "Yeah. Chad told me. Um, you aren't going to tell Troy, right?"
Jason looked at her in a funny way, "Why wouldn't you want to tell Troy?"
"Tell Troy what?" A familiar voice called out. Gabriella turned around and saw Troy standing their confused, and sort of hurt. She gulped as she realized that the whole gang, minus Zeke, was standing in line to get some food.
"That…she…forgot all about the movie!" Taylor piped in, appearing alongside Troy with Chad next to her, munching on his chili-cheese fries. Gabriella glanced at her best friend and shot her a grateful look. Taylor just smiled satisfied, knowing her best friend owed her at this moment. Taylor continued, "Yeah, she completely forgot about the movie because she, uh, had stuff to do. So, yeah. She didn't want to upset anyone about that. But she's here now! Let's go see the movie!"
Taylor quickly reached out to grab Chad's hand, but it was currently filled with chili, so she just grabbed his sleeve and pulled him into the theatre. Kelsi smiled sympathetically at Gabriella and handed her the ticket, indicating they already bought it for her before she came. She smiled in return and glanced over to see Ryan carrying a whole tray full of food for the gang.
"Here, let me help you with that," Gabriella said as she went over to Ryan and took the four large sodas out of his hands, leaving Ryan holding the popcorn for everyone and some fries and pretzels.
Ryan shot Gabriella a grateful smile, "Thank you so much, Gabriella. You're an angel. I thought I was going to drop all of this for a second…"
Gabriella laughed, "No problem, Ry," The two have grown to be very close friends over senior year after the whole Lava Spring incident with Sharpay. Sharpay also become…less mean, and Ryan was no longer her little puppy.
Troy, who had peeked out of the theatre, had noticed their little conversation. He frowned as he saw that she was much friendlier with Ryan than she was with him at the moment. Troy thought about it for a second and then shook it off. She loved him, right? Once she took her seat, he would make sure he was sitting right next to her and he would make her talk to him about everything that was going on, and things between them would be fine again. After all, the golden couple almost never had serious fights for more than a few days.
After a few minutes, the gang was seated and comfortable inside the now dark theatre as the movie began to roll.
"Psst. Gabi," Troy said to her, not paying attention to the start of the movie; after all, it was quite boring in the beginning as they showed the actor/actresses' names.
"Y-yes?" Gabriella asked meekly, afraid someone told him about the secret. Troy frowned, noticing something was wrong.
"What's going on? Why have you been ignoring me this week?" He asked, looking her straight into the eye, secretly afraid that he did something to push her away.
Gabriella sighed, and whispered back, "I don't know, Troy. It's just…with my father. I guess I sorta spaced out. I'm not used to him suddenly popping into my life and acting as if everything has been just peachy for the last few years.
Troy nodded understandingly, giving her a comforting smile, "Is that all? Are you sure it's not something I did?"
I hate lying to him about this, but I feel like I have to… Gabriella thought as she gave him a weak smile, "Yeah, that's it."
"So," Troy smiled, "We're cool right?"
Gabriella interlaced her fingers with his and smiled, "Absolutely."
Troy smiled and wrapped his arm around her, letting her nuzzle her head into his neck. He turned back to the movie, seeing the scene in the movie where the characters were sitting in their backyard, watching the stars.
Gabriella felt Troy's hand clasp hers and his lips kissing her cheek.
"Troy…" she whispered playfully. "Watch the movie…"
"Aw…" Troy winked before catching his lips with hers briefly, "Don't they remind you of us?" Troy said, glancing back at the screen, "Young…free…in love…"
Gabriella nodded slowly, sort of guilty as Troy continued. "Except…you're not going anywhere," Troy smiled, "You're going to be here in my arms instead of out in California…"
Gabriella sighed, knowing that was somewhat of a lie; once Troy found out she would be visiting her dad she was pretty much screwed. She just shrugged it off and smiled; after all, she would only be in New York for a couple of days.
Troy focused at the scene of the couple that reminded himself so much of him and Gabriella. He smiled as he heard the lyrics that fit in with the movie so perfectly.
Something's in the air tonight
The sky's alive with a burning light
You can mark my words something's about to break