DISCLAIMER: I do not own High School Musical or any related characters.
A/N: Okay, for all those who don't know, I've started a series of one-shots that are sort of a fill in for the six months between 'Chemicals React' and 'Out Of My Element'. It's titled 'Kaleidoscope of Contradictions' and the first ones already up. Also I want to apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter up, I'm really sorry about it. It was a complete accident and I'm so sorry that it happened.
Out Of My Element
CHAPTER 9
TOWEL OF DOUBTS
Gabriella walked into the music room and adjusted the strap of her bag. She sincerely hoped that Kelsi would get here before Troy. She wasn't to sure that she could handle being alone in a room with Troy, not after the way they'd been acting towards each other today. She hadn't been thinking when she'd started the teasing. But now she was really regretting it. Because he hadn't let up. Every chance he got, he would touch her in some way that was so, so sensual and then he'd get half way and stop. And it was driving her beyond insane. Because she hadn't kissed him all day and the way he had been touching her had built a burning desire that Gabriella was well aware could reach boiling point and snap all of her self control if she was in a room alone with him. Gabriella jumped when she heard the door open and her snapped around to see who had walked in.
"Hey Gabriella," Kelsi said softly and noted curiously how Gabriella visibly relaxed when she saw who it was.
"Hey Kelsi, how are you?" Gabriella asked and Kelsi smiled at her and sat down on the piano seat.
"I'm alright. Do you know when Tro-" Kelsi was cut off as Troy burst through the door. He made an attempt at stopping and, because of the speed which he ran into the room, had to grab Gabriella's waist to keep himself from falling. Gabriella gripped his shirt to keep herself steady and then felt her breathing hitch in her throat as she suddenly became fully aware of her body pressed up against his. The sudden closeness after nearly a day of separation caused Gabriella's thoughts to become an indecipherable mess.
"Montez, glad to know you're more solid then you look." Gabriella stared up at him, desperately searching for the sharp retort that nearly always accompanied a comment like that.
"Bolton, glad to know you decided to be on time." She shot back and Troy's eyes narrowed.
"When have I ever been late for anything?" He asked letting her go and stretching. Gabriella's eyes flicked downwards as his toned mid drift came into view.
"Hmmm, let me think. When have you ever been late? When you were meant to meet my grandparents, you were two hours late, when you were meant to pick me up so we could go to the movies, you were twenty minutes late and then there was the time when-" Gabriella cut herself short when she saw the look in Troy's eyes. The twinkle was back. Slowly he stepped forward and Gabriella found herself captivated by his brilliant blue eyes.
"Montez……" Troy drew out the name as he looked down at his girlfriend in amusement.
"Bolton." The warning was there, he heard it in her tone of voice and Troy grinned. That's what he'd been waiting for. He felt her tense when his hand came in contact with her upper thigh; very deliberately his thumb caressed it carelessly, in slow, circular motions. Gabriella bit her lip at the contact, leaning down Troy came within a hairs breadth of her lips and Gabriella found herself aching to meet his lips with her own.
"Now, Montez, are you going to behave?" Troy asked lazily and Gabriella opened her half closed eyes and glared at him. The grin that had slipped off Troy's face returned. The fire was back.
"Bolton, if you don't take your hands off me right now, I'll make sure that you can't play basketball for the next twenty years." She said sweetly and Troy obeyed her. Stepping away from, Troy allowed his hand to slide off her thigh and watched in satisfaction as she squirmed. She started it, she should be able to deal with the consequences, he thought and grinned again as Gabriella glared at him.
Kelsi watched the two interact in curiosity and frank amazement. She'd never actually thought that Troy had any real power of Gabriella. But after that little display, she couldn't doubt who was in control of their relationship. It was obvious, at least to her, that Troy had the power to break Gabriella in two if he ever wanted to. It was also obvious, to Kelsi at least, that while Troy held that power, Gabriella could just as easily hurt him. Watching them over the past few days, Kelsi had discovered that, while Troy was the dominant one in their relationship, he constantly sort Gabriella for approval and comfort. Something Kelsi was sure he had never done in any of his previous relationships. Something she considered herself to be somewhat of an expert in, mainly from what she heard in the girl's bathroom because she always seemed to be in there at the wrong time.
"Uh, guys?" Kelsi started timidly after a moment, Troy and Gabriella both turned to look at her, as if stunned to discover that she was still there.
"Oh, uh, sorry about that Kelsi. What do you want us to do?" Gabriella asked sending Troy an annoyed look. Kelsi smiled at the flustered look on Gabriella's face and the amused one on Troy's.
"We've got to get started. We only have around twenty minutes before the final bell rings." She said timidly and Gabriella smiled kindly.
"Okay, Kelsi, tell us what we have to do." Troy said suddenly and Kelsi and Gabriella both stared at him in amazement.
"What? I can take orders when I want to." He said in response to the looks. Kelsi and Gabriella exchanged a glance and then Gabriella shrugged and Kelsi turned to the piano to pick up the music sheet.
Gabriella sighed in utter relief when the bell ran signaling the end of the day. Picking up her bag Gabriella said goodbye to Kelsi and followed Troy out the door. When the door was shut and they were in the crowded hallway. Troy stopped and turned around.
"Troy……" Gabriella stepped back from him as he looked down at her. Reaching up Troy touched her brow and ran his hand down her face to run a gentle thumb over her lips.
"Montez……you actually look scared." He said with a grin and Gabriella growled at him as his hand slipped from her face.
"Disappear Bolton." She snapped and Troy shrugged and slipped away from her. Gabriella watched him go and then turned and stomped out of the school doors. She looked up and came face to face with Sharpay, who seemed more then slightly amused at the look on her face.
"Let me guess, Troy?" she said and Gabriella glared at her and then sighed. Running a frustrated hand through her hair, she nodded.
"Got it in one." Gabriella replied and Sharpay laughed.
"I have to say, Gabriella, whatever Troy's doing to you or trying to do to you, it seems to be working." Sharpay said and Gabriella sighed and closed her eyes.
"Please don't remind me. I don't know even know what he's trying to do to me." Gabriella said and Sharpay laughed and linked her arm through Gabriella's.
"Come on, lets go to the mall and I'll treat you to a smoothie and you can tell me exactly why you and Troy are together." Sharpay announced and Gabriella laughed and allowed Sharpay to lead her to her car.
As she slid into the passenger seat, Gabriella caught sight of Troy running on the track. Biting her lip, she studied him for a moment, admiring the strength in his strides and the gracefulness of his body. Sighing, Gabriella turned away from him to look at Sharpay, who was concentrating on the road in front of them.
"Sharpay? Why are you being nice to me?" Gabriella asked and Sharpay glanced at her.
"What do you mean?" She replied and Gabriella bit her lip again and thought about it.
"Well, Troy and I auditioned for the musical, which is your territory and you're not bothered by it at all. I mean, you could hate my guts and instead you're acting more like my friend then……my other friends." Gabriella said and Sharpay let out a laugh. But for some reason, she felt strangely warmed by Gabriella's words.
"Well, it's either hate your guts and try destroy you and Troy or accept the fact that Ryan and I finally have some competition. I think that accepting is better then destroying." Sharpay replied and Gabriella smiled at her. Surprised and pleased by her honesty, Gabriella settled further into her seat and they struck up an easy conversation. As Sharpay hunted for a parking space in the mall car park. Finally, they found one and Gabriella got out of the car as her phone went off. Looking at the caller ID Gabriella frowned when she saw that it was Taylor.
"Hello?" She answered the phone.
"Gab? We have decathlon practice. Where are you?" Taylor snapped into the phone and Gabriella shut the door of the car and walked around to Sharpay.
"I'm at the mall with Sharpay, Troy has practice and I was aware that I we had practice and I decided that I needed a day off." She shot back and she heard Taylor sigh.
"Gabriella, I don't want to argue okay? So I'll let this go." Gabriella softened at her friend's tone of voice.
"Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow Taylor. Bye." Gabriella hung up and smiled at Sharpay. Who linked her arm through Gabriella's again and lead her towards the doors that lead into the mall.
"So, Gabriella, I have to ask about you and Troy," Sharpay started and Gabriella looked at her curiously.
"What do you want to know?" She asked as they weaved their way in and out of shoppers.
"Uh, well, why are you together? I know that sound weird, but I mean, you've been together for six months already and most relationships that Troy has been in have ended at the three month mark, not because of the silent clause or anything, but because most of the girls he's been out with don't remember why they went out with him in the first place." Sharpay said and Gabriella looked at Sharpay. Her mind drawing a complete blank as she searched for an answer.
"I-I-I don't know." She replied, stunned at the fact that she had no answer and Sharpay almost grinned, she'd gotten the angle she'd been looking for.
"Does he?" Sharpay asked and Gabriella looked at Sharpay at loss for words. Did Troy know why they were together?
"I don't know that either." She replied and Sharpay stopped by a jewelry store. Gabriella turned away from Sharpay to look at the display of rings; one in particular caught her eye. It was a simple heart shape cut sapphire, flanked by two diamonds, set in a simple white gold band. Gabriella stared at it long enough for Sharpay to become curious as to what she was staring at. Seeing the ring, Sharpay stared at it and wondered why Gabriella was looking at it.
"Gabriella," Sharpay started, trying her hardest to sound hesitant. Gabriella looked at Sharpay, her eyes darker then usual. "Maybe, maybe you and Troy aren't meant to be. What if you guys are just together for the sake of being together? I mean, from what you've told me in the past couple of days you guys are like chalk and cheese and you spend more time annoyed at him then you do happy with him. Doesn't that spell complete disaster to you?" Sharpay asked hesitantly and Gabriella stared at her, her eyes darker then they had been when she'd turned from the window.
Sighing Gabriella turned from Sharpay to the ring again. Was Sharpay right? Were she and Troy meant to work out? Were they a complete disaster? Did she spend more time annoyed at him, then happy with him? Gabriella closed her eyes briefly as the doubts that had suddenly appeared swirled around her head. She reopened them and didn't notice the look of satisfaction that slipped onto Sharpay's face when the blonde girl saw the sudden doubt in Gabriella's eyes.
"I don't know Sharpay. I honestly don't know." Gabriella replied quietly and Sharpay shrugged.
"Its alright, come on. Lets go and get that smoothie and then I can see this gorgeous dress that you'd look great in, we'll go have a look at that." Sharpay said cheerfully and Gabriella tried to smile at her. But she couldn't shake the doubt from her mind.
"You can drop me off just here." Gabriella said to Sharpay and Sharpay nodded and pulled up on the curb. Gabriella took off her seatbelt and turned to her, smiling at the blonde. Sharpay smiled back.
"Well, Gabriella. Thanks for coming with me." Sharpay said as Gabriella reached behind her and grabbed her schoolbag and the two other bags that she'd attained at the mall.
"Anytime Sharpay. I had fun." Gabriella smiled at her again and then reached out and gave Sharpay an impromptu hug. Sharpay stiffened at the unfamiliar contact, before relaxing and hugging Gabriella back.
"See you tomorrow Sharpay." Gabriella said and got out of the car. Sharpay smiled.
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow Gabs." Waving Sharpay put the car in gear and pulled out of the curb. Gabriella watched the car disappear and then walked up the footpath to the house. Sighing, she knocked on the door and waited patiently. Running a hand through her hair, Gabriella smiled as the door opened and Joanne and Mia Bolton came into view.
"Gabriella! I didn't think you were coming over tonight!" Joanne exclaimed as Mia reached for the girl in front of her.
"It wasn't planned or anything, sorry about that, hey Mia," Gabriella quickly took her boyfriends younger sister from her mother and kissed the side of her head. "But I was wondering if I could stay the night. No-one's home and I didn't feel like going home to an empty house." Gabriella explained quickly and Joanne laughed at Gabriella's horror stricken face.
"Oh Gabriella, you should know you can stay here anytime you want. Come in." Joanne stepped aside and Gabriella walked inside, wincing slightly as Mia pulled at her hair.
"Thanks Jo. Can you take her, while I go and dump my stuff in Troy's room?" Gabriella asked and Joanne laughed at the pained expression on Gabriella's face.
"Sure." Joanne took her thirteen month old daughter from Gabriella and smiled as she watched her climb the stairs to her son's room.
Gabriella sighed as she reached Troy's room. Pushing open the door, she discovered that someone had cleaned up his room since last time she was there and walked over and dumped her bags on his desk chair. Glancing at the door that lead to the adjoining bathroom, Gabriella sighed when she discovered it was closed. She could very faintly hear the sound of water running and realized that Troy must have just gotten back from practice. Closing her eyes briefly, Gabriella tried to ignore the doubts that had been plaguing her since Sharpay had mentioned them. For a moment she wondered if they'd been there all along and then pushed the thought out of her head.
"And you're here because?" The sound of Troy's voice snapped Gabriella out of her thoughts and she spun around and gulped. He was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, leaning against the door frame, steam from his shower curling around him, a towel wrapped tightly around his waist. She could see condensation forming on his chest and managed to tear her eyes away from it.
"Uh, no-one's at home and I didn't want to go home to an empty house." She replied unsteadily as her eyes flicked to his chest once more. Troy grinned, out of all the torture he'd put her through today, this had to be the best of the best.
"So, you're spending the night?" He asked casually and Gabriella looked at him, her brown eyes pleading him not to do what he was doing.
"Yes. Is that okay? You're mom said it was." She said and Troy shrugged.
"Yeah, its fine." Pushing off the door frame Troy casually walked over to her, watching in satisfaction as Gabriella seemed to freeze.
"Troy……stop being a jerk." Gabriella snapped suddenly, Troy looked down at her in amusement. She was trembling slightly, and he knew she was aware of what he was doing.
"You know how I said that teasing could get you in trouble Montez?" he asked and Gabriella nodded.
"How could I forget?" She replied and Troy grinned and pulled her up against him. He heard her gasp and moved his hand from the small of her back, to under her shirt. Smirking down at her, Troy began to trace invisible designs on her back. Leaning down to her ear, Troy's lips gently grazed it and Gabriella closed her eyes as she felt his hot breath on her neck. Her hands found the edge of the towel and fingered it, her fingers brushing his skin ever so slightly.
"Well, I think that you've gotten into enough trouble for one day." He whispered and before Gabriella could say anything; his lips had crashed into hers, his tongue invading her mouth almost instantly, causing her to whimper slightly and the doubts that had encased her thoughts like a towel since Sharpay and evoked them disappeared completely as they both landed on the bed, his towel loosening with each tug of her hand.
A/N: Okay, there could be a slight possibility that that turned more….sultry then I expected. A lot more sultry. There could be a slight possibility that this turns to a T rating instead of K+. Anyway, did anyone pick up on what Sharpay did? The next update should be up sooner then this one was. Once again sorry for the unaccountable two week absence!