Fickle
Old Fiat
I do want suggestions/predictions, guys. It doesn't matter how weird and far out. Sorry if I'm being too nagging and stuff, but I really enjoy them!
Oh yeah, and there was a bit in the last chapter about Troy looking in 'a mirror' while doing the dishes. That was a mistake on my part. I meant to put 'I looked at my reflection in the tap' or something like that. Sorry about that!
And ONE LAST THING (I swear!), this chapter really seems like part of the first chapter, and it probably should be, so sorry 'bout that. And I repeat myself a bit.
Now, on to the story!
----------
----------
Chapter Two: Love Sick
I feigned sickness the rest of the week. I couldn't bring myself to face the rest of the gang. I don't know why, but I couldn't bring myself to face any of them—particularly Ryan. I mean, as I said before, I barely know Ryan—I think I've spoken to him about… three times outside temple or school—why did I suddenly notice him that night? And why in such an… extreme way?
And then when I'd looked down at Gabriella and she'd seemed less beautiful than she had before I looked at Ryan. How was that even possible? Maybe some pool water had gotten into my brain and destroyed some of the cells. That was the only explanation that made an ounce of sense to me. All the others involved far weirder sciences, the kind you might find in Spider Man or some other comic book. (Though, pool water to the brain is pretty weird.)
I was curled up under the quilt in my room, forcing myself to cough so my dad wouldn't become suspicious and trying to sort out my thoughts, when my cell phone began to ring.
Slowly getting out of bed, I wandered over to the closet and pulled the device out of my jacket pocket. I flipped it open and Gabriella's smiling picture appeared on the screen.
"Hello?" I said, holding the earpiece to my head.
"Hi Troy!" said—to no surprise because of my caller I.D.—Gabriella. Her chipper voice startled me a little and I sat down on my bed.
"Gabs, what's up?" I asked, running my finger along some of the seams of the patchwork blanket. I usually like speaking to Gabriella, but today I felt nervous and, for some reason, a little scared.
"What's up with me?" she said happily, albeit a little sarcastically. "What's up with you, Troy? You've not been to work in three days; you've not answered any of my emails—where've you been?"
I laughed slightly. "I've been sick, Gabi."
She gave a little gasp and immediately went into apologetic mode. "Oh my God, Troy. I'm so sorry! Did I wake you? Are you okay? I'm wicked sorry…"She would've gone on, but I cut her off.
"It's fine, I was just lying around in bed. I just have a slight sore throat and a cough. That's all," I shouldn't have told her the symptoms.
"You don't sound like you have a sore thr—" there was a burst of giggles and static. "Ryan! Quit it! Sorry, a certain naughty club member is tickling the employees." she said, half to me, half to the culprit. My stomach tightened.
"Is Ryan there?" I said a little too quickly.
"Yeah, even though he really shouldn't be. He might get us in trouble. Anyway," she gave a little sigh, the kind you give after you laugh a lot. "You really don't sound like you have a sore throat."
I gave a little chuckle, and made myself go into a coughing fit.
"S-sorry," I said, still coughing. "The virus is towards the end of its run. I'll be there tomorrow."
I shouldn't have given a date. Now I couldn't get out of it.
"See you then!" she said and hung up.
I closed my phone and flopped down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
My room is never redecorated. I have the same navy blue color on the walls that I've had since second grade, I buy the same color sheets and duvet cover (yes, I know I said quilt before. I usually take the duvet off for summer.) that I've bought since seventh grade and the same range of trophies and books on the same rows of wooden shelves. Not that I don't like my room that way—I adore its never-changing quality—but I know most of my friends at least move around the furniture in their rooms in the summer or some thing. The only thing that's changed about my room is that the Tyra Banks poster that once hung on the wall has now found a home in the closet for fear of being found by Gabriella. I don't think she'd appreciate it.
Even though I probably could've come up with some excuse to avoid it, I went to work the next day. Not that I was any actual help—I was a hindrance if anything because I was far too distracted making sure I avoided Ryan. Actually, avoiding Ryan had become a lot harder than it used to be because he'd joined the Wildcat 'gang' that summer along with his twin sister Sharpay.
In fact, I was thinking about making sure not to look at Ryan, who had just arrived in the kitchen to tease Chad, while trying to sweep up some of the broken glass on the floor, when a pair was soft hands covered my eyes.
"Guess who?" a sweet voice whispered in my ear.
I felt myself blush, again. I've got to stop doing that.
"Gabi?" I (not really) guessed.
She spun around to stand in front of me. She was still wearing her lifeguard uniform, having just gotten off her shift. I always liked the way she looked in red, so bright and cheerful—anyway. She smiled up at me, her curly hair sitting around her shoulders.
"Hi Troy," she said, going up on her toes to kiss me on the cheek. I blushed even harder, looking like even more of a fool. "Ready for lunch?"
I nodded and grinned at her. It was weird. She was just as drop-dead gorgeous as she'd been a week before, but instead of feeling perfect too, (as I mentioned before, see chapter one for details.) I felt… I don't know how to say it. Flawed, awkward, silly, ugly…
But we went off to have lunch together anyway, both smiling.
----------
I hate to say it, but most of July passed in the same fashion; avoid Ryan (which is even more difficult in Gabriella's company because he's her second-best friend), go out with Gabriella, work, hang out with the gang, hang out with my dad…
But, despite my best efforts, there were still times when I had to see the Evans twins—I wasn't just a waiter, I was a caddy too, at their parent's country club. Whenever my eyes fell on Ryan I found myself hypnotized, and sort of dizzy, which was really, really stupid on a golf course. Then Sharpay would catch me staring and say something annoying that was probably quoted from Shakespeare. It's usually "Was ever a woman in this humor woo'd?" I guess she thought I was looking at her. (That is a seriously weird quote. Sometimes she would say, "Asses were made to bear and so are you." instead, which is even weirder.)
I found myself becoming more and more entranced by Ryan and less and less so by Gabriella. Gabriella suddenly seemed much more a best friend (albeit a very attractive best friend) than a girl friend. Her dark, sultry features that once made me so nervous and excited seemed beautiful yes, but not as thrilling. Not boring so to speak, but certainly not as stimulating.
By July 31st, I'd made up my mind. If I couldn't be honest with Gabriella then we couldn't be together. I would never ever use another human being as cover for something.
I hated the idea, but I had to end it.
----------
----------
Suggestions/Predictions, please!! Even for the far, far future of this story! I really need them! Or even just a "I really like this story! Update soon!" type of thing is fine. I don't get many reviews so any kind of feedback is good. (:
-OFsI