Troy felt the air starting to cool down around him as he knew that the sun was starting to go down. He felt the sweat trickling down his face that was starting to get stubble on his chin. He aligned perfectly to the basketball hoop and let the ball roll off his fingers perfectly only to have the ball make the 'swish' sound and go in with nothing but net.
"Dude, we are so ready for the season." Chad said as he got Troy's rebound on a jump and pounded the ball with his hands before settling down in the grass.
Troy smiled and nodded his head. It would be a lie if he said he didn't know that he was starting to get at the top of his game again. Sure he could still hit almost any shot, but over the summer and past months when basketball wasn't going on he wasn't practicing as much, but now as try-outs were the following week and practice would be everyday, Troy was ready.
"Yeah." Troy agreed as his breathing started to go back to normal and he plopped down on the ground next to Chad. He knew for some strange reason that he was on top of his game that afternoon due to how happy he is. And he was happy because of Gabriella and the night they shared together the previous day.
"What's got you so happy?" Chad asked as Troy was looking at the ground in front of him with a goofy smile on his face.
Troy's head snapped up and looked at Chad with confusion. "What?" Troy asked as he was still smiling.
"You were with Gabster last night, right?" Chad asked slowly as if Troy was a little kid and didn't understand what Chad was talking about.
Troy looked at him skeptically, "Yeah…why?" Troy matched how slow Chad was talking.
Chad shrugged, "I don't know…you just seem different and that obviously takes a toll on how you play for basketball…and you were with Gabster last night…alone probably…and knowing you two who were just in a fight …you probably had make up sex." Chad concluded with a huge smirk as he wriggled his eye brows at Troy two times.
Troy looked at the ground as he felt the blood go to his cheeks and a small smile was playing at his lips as his fingers absentmindedly twiddled with each other to distract him from looking at Chad.
"For me to know and you to never find out." Troy said slyly.
"Oh you so hooked up last night!" Chad exclaimed as Troy's eyes went wide and he covered his hand over Chad's mouth.
"Shh!" Troy hissed as he slowly pulled his hand back once he was satisfied that Chad wouldn't yell something like that again. "I'm already grounded and I'm surprised that my dad is still letting you come over here for basketball, so I don't need my parents hearing that I had sex and get the stupid 'talk' with them that we have every year at school." Troy said quickly as he looked around self consciously to make sure that his mom or dad didn't hear them through the open window to his house that led into the kitchen.
Chad was grinning like a mad man as Troy showed a worried look. "So you admit it, you had sex!" Chad exclaimed with excitement.
Troy rolled his eyes as he smacked Chad in the back of the head. "Will you shut up?!" Troy exclaimed himself as he looked over his shoulder and saw that his mom was standing near the open kitchen window that was up at the house, Troy turned his head and smiled nervously while waving weakly.
Lucille had a bright smile on her face that Troy couldn't tell if she heard Chad or not as she waved back before walking away with the phone to her ear.
"If I tell you the answer will you stop shouting stuff about sex?" Troy asked in a whisper.
Chad nodded as Troy sighed. "Yeah man. Of course." Troy nodded while looking at the ground again. Chad clapped Troy on the back as Troy could almost hear the smile Chad was projecting through his voice. "Score man! If you play that well after that, then do it every game day and practices, and try outs, and pre warm ups. God just do it everyday and you'll be set." Chad said as Troy stared at him wide eyed.
"Yeah, and I'll tell her that my doctor said that we had to do that so I can improve my basketball game instead of using steroids." Troy said sarcastically as Chad nodded actually thinking of that as an option.
"That could work. I wonder if Tay would go for that?" Chad thought out loud as Troy smacked him on the back of the head once more. "Ow!" Chad exclaimed as he rubbed his neck.
"You can be so dense sometimes." Troy said as he laid down and rubbed his temples. "There is no way that I can tell her that--"
"But you wouldn't mind, would you?" Chad urged as Troy put his hands over his face trying to drown out Chad's voice.
"Chad, I did not say that." Troy defended.
"But you were implying it." Chad countered back in a knowing voice.
"Chad…" Troy said with a warning voice and gritted teeth as a sickly sweet smile was planted on his face. "Gabriella and I are together. We've only been sleeping together for a couple of days. And we have only been dating for five weeks. Don't you think that would freak her out if I said that?" Troy asked as he felt his eyes close liking the feeling of just relaxing after playing one on one for two hours.
"Troy--" Chad said but was cut off by Troy who was still laying on the ground with his eyes closed with his hands over his face.
"No, let me finish." Troy said determined to prove his point as he felt Chad's hand grab onto his upper arm and tried to shake him, but Troy barely moves a muscle as he shakes Chad's hand off of him. "Chad, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret…you're not gonna get on Tay's good side if you tell her that. To play good in basketball you don't need sex every time before or else…or else you would have no energy." Troy explained as if he actually knew what he was talking about, but in reality he was just trying to talk Chad out of saying something stupid to Taylor and have Tay repeat it back to Gabriella and her finding out that he was the source of Chad saying something.
"Troy--" Chad said again, but Troy just shrugged him off as a lazy smile took over his face. This is why Chad and him were best friends. One of them would get a stupid crazy idea and the other would think clearly and convince them not to go through with it, no matter how bizarre it sounded.
"Not that I'm saying sex was bad, in fact it was incredible. Probably the best girl I had ever slept with and that just shows that I'm glad she's my girlfriend so of course deep down that idea of sleeping with her everyday doesn't sound bad. It actually sounds really good right now, but you cannot tell Tay that the doctor suggested it."
"Troy…" Chad's voice was strained as he was trying to hold in laughter and Troy slowly opened up one eye as he gazed up into the used to be blue sky that was now turning into a light pinkish color as the sun was starting to set. "Thanks for the advice." Chad said with his voice cracking with laughter. "But let me give you some advice now Bolton." Chad said as he continued to chuckle.
Troy opened his other eye now as he was just looking up at the sky. "What Danforth?" Troy teased.
"When your best friend calls out your name, you might want to stop talking and actually listen because you never know who else is listening to your little speech." Chad said using air quotes with the last word in the sentence.
"…why?" Troy asked slowly as he propped himself up on his elbows now.
"Um…" Chad let out another chuckle as he pointed sheepishly over to Troy's backyard gate and Troy's eyes nearly popped out of his head, as his heartbeat picked up, and his face immediately turned a beat red.
Leaning against the inside of his backyard wooden fence was the brunette that he was dating with a smirk playing at her lips as she was biting the insides of her cheeks to stop herself from laughing.
"Fuck." Troy breathed out in a whisper as Chad didn't hold back on his laughter anymore.
Troy's mind was racing, why was Gabriella here? How much did she hear? Was she mad? Did he sound like an idiot? Or worse, a horny freak that sounded like a sex addict?
"Hey Wildcat. Chad." Gabriella greeted as she walked over to them. "I would ask what you two were talking about, but I think I already know." Gabriella said as she walked over to Troy and Chad in her faded light blue jeans that had a rip in the knee cap and wearing a black graphic T that had a picture of My Chemical Romance on it.
"Hey…" Troy said as Gabriella sat down right by him and he felt her connect their hands so that was a good sign, right? Troy could still feel his heart beating and was surprised that Chad nor Gabriella could hear it. "What's up Gabi?" Troy asked as he was going to kiss her, but he didn't know how she would exactly react to that right now and he didn't want to accidentaly get into another little fight.
"Nothing much. Just the idiot over there still has his car in the shop and needed a ride home since Tay was at a school meeting for the decathlon and you're supposed to be grounded so that leaves me to give him a ride home." Gabriella explained as Troy turned his body more so that he could face her and block out the chuckling Chad was emitting from his mouth.
Troy glanced up at the open window and didn't see him mom who probably would've been happy that Gabriella was around since she had been asking about her since homecoming and was upset that Troy wouldn't invite her to dinner since he thought that it was too soon.
"She's not gonna get mad that I'm here, is she?" Gabriella whispered as Troy found that she was a lot closer and was happy that she wasn't mad about the conversation she walked in on between him and Chad.
Troy connected their lips and shrugged, "If she saw you she probably would make you stay for dinner."
Gabriella smiled, "Wish I could but I have dance tonight since mom's at the office right now." Gabriella explained as they shared another kiss.
"Mom, just called. I have to be home for dinner." Chad said as he stood up and Gabriella and Troy both looked at him sharply. Chad shrugged, "What? Gabster's my ride, and I'll be damned if I'm just gonna let you swoon her over and persuade her to stay so I have to walk home." Chad held out his hand in front of Gabriella expecting her to take it.
Gabriella rolled her eyes as she smiled sweetly at Troy. "I'm glad I could help out your basketball game." Gabriella whispered against Troy's lips before connecting them again and right before Troy's tongue could reach hers Gabriella felt herself being lifted off the ground and her legs flailing wildly as Chad put her on her feet and Troy looked up at Chad like he had three heads.
Chad shrugged as Gabriella smacked him on the shoulder. "You could've dropped me!" Gabriella scolded as Troy started to stand up.
"You weigh like what, 100 pounds? There's no way that I'd drop you." Chad retorted as Gabriella rolled her eyes and Troy held back a laugh. "Now come on, it takes like 20 minutes."
"Not with Gabi driving, it'll take ten." Troy commented as Gabriella looked offended but a smile was tugging at her mouth teasingly.
"And what are you insinuating Wildcat, that I'm a bad driver?" Gabriella asked.
"Not bad, just fast." Troy said back as they were about to kiss again before Chad started pulling Gabriella away before picking her up and lifting her away from Troy and then planting her on the ground so that he was in between the two.
"Bye man." Chad called. "And thanks for the girl!" Chad called over his shoulder as Gabriella glanced back at Troy and smiled at him and offering him a wave as he waved back rolling his eyes dramatically at how Chad was acting. But that was just what made Chad…well Chad.
Gabriella rolled her eyes as she entered her semi big house for only two people. She had just gotten home from dropping off Chad at his house which was only a couple of blocks over which was in her jogging route.
Gabriella walked further into the house and into the living room and found that her mom was no where to be seen. Gabriella didn't think anything of it though because that usually meant she was either doing one of three things, out with Eric, at work in the office, or down at the studio teaching a dance lesson.
Gabriella turned on the TV and just sunk back into the couch. She usually didn't have time to herself anymore since she had her friends, family, and now Troy which wasn't at all a bad thing. Gabriella could still remember the pervious night and how Troy and her fell off the couch and landed on the floor midway through their late night events.
Gabriella let out a laugh as she looked at the back of her forearm and could see a light bruise there. It didn't hurt at all, and it was only dime size, but it was from falling off the couch three feet and landing on her elbows and backside with Troy on top.
"Hey there Gabriella, what'cha watching?" Eric asked as he came out of the kitchen's swinging door that lead to the entry way which also had a big archway that opened up to the living room so he saw her as he was getting his jacket off of the coat rack.
Gabriella opened her eyes as she looked at the TV screen, "Um…apparently the news." Gabriella said with a small laugh along with Eric.
"I see it's caught your attention." Eric joked. Gabriella nodded as she blinked a couple more times and shut off the TV. "I think your mom is looking for you. She's in the den."
Gabriella stood up and lifted her hands above her head as she stretched. "Thanks. I'll see you later Eric." Gabriella said as he waved.
"Bye Gabriella." Gabriella watched him go and smiled at how he was easy to talk to also. He kind of reminded her of her own dad and how laid back and relaxed he seemed which could be a good or bad thing.
Gabriella walked into the kitchen and then took another turn as she knocked on the den's wooden door before hearing her mom's voice.
"Come in Gabs." Anna said as Gabriella pushed open the door and saw Anna sitting at her desk looking hesitantly at the computer screen.
Anna looked up at her daughter as she sat down in one of the two brown squishy chairs they had in there on the other side of the desk from her mother. Anna offered her a small nervous smile and if Gabriella wasn't mistaken she would say that she saw a hint of worry and concern in her mother's eyes.
It would be a lie if Gabriella said she wasn't nervous as she took a small breath and saw her mother click something with the mouse of the computer before turning her full attention to her.
"I talked to your dad today." Anna said as she let out a big breath.
Gabriella was surprised by this. Usually her mom wouldn't tell her that because usually her mom and dad got into a huge fight about him wanting to talk and be in Gabriella's life even though he found a way to do so behind her mother's back, but yet…Gabriella was strangely okay with that.
"Oh." Gabriella said in a small voice as she looked at her mom hesitantly. Maybe he is moving again, and then Gabriella fell for his stupid charade about him wanting to be her dad.
"We have come to a decision on something." Anna finally said after a moment of silence.
There was another silence and Gabriella was growing anxious. "And?…" Gabriella led on as Anna sighed and got up out of her chair and walked around her desk to sit in the chair next to Gabriella as she took her daughter's hand.
"You know I want the best for you, right?" Anna asked as Gabriella saw that her eyes were almost glossed over and Gabriella couldn't comprehend what could be so bad. Nothing happened to her dad, right? Everything was okay with him, right?
Gabriella nodded her head slowly. "Yeah mom, I know." Gabriella said softly in a quiet whisper not really knowing why they would have to use strong voices since it was just the two of them.
"You know…" Anna said trailing off as she reached up delicately to move one of Gabriella's curls behind her ear. "You have been through so much." Anna continued as Gabriella nodded her head slightly. "Your grandfather's death…my divorce…William's death…and your dancing is incredible." Anna praised and Gabriella's heart dropped a little more.
Most people would be happy or proud that they got a word of praise from their mother, but right now all that Gabriella was thinking was the worst. What if he was leaving again? What if her mother was right and her father just up and left? What if someone was hurt? Oh god, someone was probably hurt!
"Just don't forget that I love you and I always will, no matter what." Anna said giving Gabriella a quick kiss on the forehead as her other hand came up and wiped at her eyes momentarily. "Um…well your father called today he wanted to run it past me if you could possible go and visit him, of course he said that it would be your choice, he didn't want to force you." Anna added as she looked down at the ground.
Gabriella nodded her head feeling a bit relaxed at this information. It was just stuff Gabriella already knew but her mom didn't know.
"And then we got into a huge fight and he threatened to take me to court if I wouldn't let you come." Anna said quietly and Gabriella's eyes went wide and Anna looked up. "Oh, don't worry. I promise nothing will happen."
Gabriella sighed, good. She didn't want to get roped into all this court and law stuff. She knew it would take up a lot of time and she would have to chose what parent she wanted while the other one lost. She knew her parents were capable to sit down and think of things rationally without lawyers around.
"He knew he didn't have much of a case since he was the one that left, but he had a point when he said that I'm the one that filed for a divorce and came up with the idea, it just worked out with him leaving." Anna explained and Gabriella nodded her head. It was all she could do as Anna struggled to find what words she wanted to say. "But…then he said something that caught my attention…he said he made a mistake Gabs." Anna continued as she drew a shaky breath. "He wants to be in your life again and I realized today that I'm not gonna be one of those moms who stops her kids from possibly getting hurt with something like this. I won't be that person who holds you back and has you end up resenting her later in life." Anna looked down at the ground and Gabriella knew it was hard for her to say this since all her life Anna has always tried to keep her safe from the world, but Gabriella knew it wasn't possible either. Plus, how else was she supposed to survive?
"Mom, I could never resent you." Gabriella said as Anna sighed and looked up.
"We both know that's not true, but…thanks for saying it." Anna said as Gabriella gave her a smile as Anna opened her mouth to continue. "Anyways…that's why we both decided that we're gonna let you chose what you want to do whether that's talk to him, go over there for the weekend, or just forget him." Anna lifted her other hand that wasn't already holding Gabriella's hand and wrapped it around her hold on Gabriella. "But I need you to know that I will support you with whatever you choose. I won't be mad if you want to talk to him, to get to know him because I used to love him and I think you deserve a chance to do that also."
Gabriella bit her bottom lip as she looked into her mother's eyes and saw hurt and pain. She knew her mom was over her dad, but it also probably brought back painful memories of moving on from him.
"You're practically a grown up yourself Gabriella. One more year almost and I trust your judgment. So I told him you would call him back and if you don't want to then that's no problem." Anna finished as she kissed her daughter on the forehead again. "I love you sweetie."
Gabriella gave her mom a watery smile. "I love you too, and I think…I think I deserve to have a dad again." Gabriella softly said as she looked down at the ground and felt her mom rubbing her back up and down.
"I already put his cell number on your desk upstairs." Anna smiled proudly at her daughter as Gabriella looked up with a shocked face.
"How did--" Gabriella was cut off as Anna nudged her.
"You're my daughter. I know you better than anyone." Anna said as Gabriella smiled and flew her arms around her.
"I love you mom. I really really love you." Gabriella whispered in her ear. "Thank you."
"Your welcome, now go on. I think he'll be happy to hear from you." Anna said as she watched her only daughter smile brightly before leaving Anna's small office at home. Anna sighed as she sunk back in her seat. Even though that talk went by okay and Gabriella didn't freak out and Anna didn't burst out crying, she was still a little skeptical of her ex-husband, if only she knew that he was gonna keep true to his word: He was back for good.
Author's note--Tell me what you think and thanks for reading. Review please and thank you. You guys are awesome!