CHAPTER TWO

Troy walked into the living room decorated with many trinkets that Gabriella saved from their many dates before. Dumping his gym bag on the floor, Troy wondered upstairs to his private room.

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Meanwhile, Gabriella was spending the day at a recording studio. She was working on her first demo.

Why am I so afraid
To crush down and lose my heart again?
I don't know, I can't see
What's come over me.
Why am I so afraid
To break down and lose my mind again?
I don't know, I can't see
What's come over me.

"Stop! Stop!" a man at the control panel yelled into the microphone.

Gabriella stopped and looked into the glass window separating them. "What now, Richie? What am I doing wrong?"

A man in his mid-forties spoke into the intercom again. "Gabs, put more feeling into it. Like you did in the first verse. Try it again."

Out of frustration, Gabriella stomped her foot on the floor. "Alright, but this is the last take. I've got to go. Another important commitment."

"Alright. Same here."

Gabriella attempted it again and did it flawlessly.

"Great. That's a wrap for this song," Richie said into the intercom.

Gathering her purse and things, Gabriella tripped over the wires and fell to the floor.

"Gabi, are you okay?" Ms. Montez said, coming out of nowhere.

Pulling herself up to her feet, Gabriella quickly responded, "Yeah, I'm fine," and rushed out the door.

Ms. Montez watched her daughter walk out and glanced around the room. She noticed a man sitting in front of a sound-mixer. "Hello, do you work for the recording company?"

"Yea, I'm working with a new talent on a demo. Gabriella Montez. You might've heard of her," Richie said, turning around.

"Yes, I've heard of her. She's my daughter. I'm Ms. Sonya Montez," Gabriella's mother said, extending her hand.

"Oh, I'm Richie Dryer. I'm Gabriella's executive producer. She has a lovely voice," Richie said, turning away to shuffle some papers together, "And she's very beautiful. I see where she gets it from."

Ms. Montez blushed. "Thank you."

"Look, are you doing anything tonight…"

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Troy sat up in his private room, twirling a small box in his hands. He finally put it down to open a notebook filled with his handwriting.

"How Can I…" Troy said, reading the first page.

How can I tell you
What I truly feel inside
That you're the everything that I need
And you're the beauty the world cannot hide
How can I tell you
That you are true love
Fame has nothing compared to you
And all the riches in the world, you outshine above
How can I tell you
What my heart repeats again
Whenever I'm with you, the world disappears
You're my life, my love, and my eternal best friend
How can I tell you
How beautiful you really are
That you reflect all the world's beauty
The finest diamonds and pearls, you surpass by far
How can I tell you
The deepest feelings in my heart and mind
What words cannot possibly express
The true feelings that love defines
How can I tell you
What my mind fears to say
That I want to spend my life with you
Forever by your side, perpetually day by day

Troy let out a deep sigh as he closed the notebook and repeatedly open and close the box, looking at what was inside occasionally.

The sound of a door closing is faintly heard as Troy gets up and looks out the window.

"Troy!" Gabriella yelled from downstairs.

Placing the box on the table on the desk, Troy ran out of the room. He looked back at the box for a breif second, started back for it, but decided not to.

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"Hey Gabi!" Troy said, running down the stairs.

Gabriella turned away from the picture she was looking at. "Hey Troy!"

Troy gave Gabriella a quick kiss on the cheek and pulled her into a hug. "Ready for tonigt?"

"Yes," Gabriella answered.

Troy rubbed the back of his neck and thought about whether to ask her tonight or not. "Well, I do have until tonight to figure out whether I want to or not..."

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Sorry if this chapter is a little slow, but the next chapter will be better.
With much love,
Kat