A/N: Since Sweethearts was such a big hit, I decided to continue it and start this one. It's going to take place three years in the future when they're graduating college.
Disclaimer: I don't own and/or am affiliated with any of the characters, the movie, music, etc.
July 4th, 2010 1:00 pm
After the big blow up at the restaurant, no one had bothered to stop by the house or called the small Bolton family. The two, who were usually busy, were keeping to themselves and staying home. They knew everyone in the town, minus a couple of people, were severely disappointed and upset with the two.
"Gabi?"
Looking up from her magazine, she looked at her husband before sighing. Seeing the same tired face as her own caused her to realize how much the two had really been through. His eyes, like her own, were sagging and black circles had encircled them due to the lack of sleep.
"Yes?"
"Would you like to go on a 4th of July walk with me?"
"I don't know Troy . . . I kinda wanna hang out here at the house."
Looking at the small brown Springer Spaniel puppy laying at his feet, Troy looked back at his wife. "Duke needs to be taken on a walk."
Shaking her head at the dog's name, she never understood how she let Troy name the dog after the alma mater. "Then take him out for a walk."
"But I want you to come with me." Showing off his puppy-dog face, Gabi giggled before surrendering.
"Sure I'll come with you." Getting off the couch, she headed upstairs to change before slipping into some flip flops.
Grabbing the puppy's leash, Troy quickly hooked him up before waiting for Gabi to come back down. She jogged down before slipping her hand into his as they walked out of the house.
The two kept their conversation easy go lucky as they walked slowly around the block. Letting their eyes travel from house to house, they saw each house many cars parked in front of it for the July holiday festivities.
Your subtleties they strangle me
I can't explain myself at all
And all the wants, and all the needs
All I don't want to need at all
"So what are we going to do today, misses?" Troy asked in horribly fake British accent.
"Well mister, we're going to clean the kitchen and then lounge around the pool . . . sound well to you?"
Groaning at the thought of household, Troy rolled his eyes. "Only if we get to make out in the pool?"
Giggling at her immature husband, Gabi smiled. "Sure honey . . . we'll do that much later."
Continuing their walk, Troy and Gabi stopped in front of a pale yellow house and counted six very familiar cars, including their own parents' cars.
Placing a hand on her husband's shoulder, Gabi squeezed it to calm him down before walking ahead with the eager puppy. "Don't let it piss you off Troy. If they want to play this, then let them."
"I can't believe they invited your and my parents to their 4th of July party yet . . ." Letting the sentence hang, Troy looked over at his wife who was having difficulty keeping her emotions in check.
"They're not exactly going to forgive us over night. It's going to take time." Reassuring her husband, she could only hope her words would have some effect on him.
The walls start breathing, my mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone
A weight is lifted on this evening
I give the final blow
"You wanna know something?" Troy broke the silence before looking at his wife.
"What?"
"Tess had the baby." Troy spoke with such hatred in his voice that Gabi took noticed immediately. "She had a little boy on June 30th. I have a nephew . . . and the worst part? I have yet to see him."
Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, Gabi hugged her husband hoping to put all of her emotions into that one hug. And to her surprise, Troy hugged her back just as tightly.
And without another word, the two walked away quietly. The two didn't realize that someone was watching from that yellow house and overheard everything that was exchanged with the two.
When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
A falling star, at least I fall alone
I can't explain what you can't explain
You're finding things that you didn't know
I look at you with such disdain
July 7th, 2010 3:30 pm
The Emergency Room had been a zoo for the past four hours and this was the first time Gabi could get away just for a break. Leaning against the wall outside, Gabi took in large gulps of the humid weather just relieved to be outside.
Hearing footsteps nearby, Gabi continue to let her gaze hang downward. The footsteps stopped, causing a shadow to overtake her. Looking up, she was somewhat shocked to see that particular person standing in front of her.
"Hey . . ."
"Hey. What are you doing here?"
"Gabi I came to talk. I overheard you and Troy the other day." Kelsi started before Gabi shook her head.
"And Kelsi?" Sighing she looked at her high school friend dead in the eyes. "Troy and I are fed up with the fighting. We just want . . ." Letting the sentence hang, Gabi pushed off the wall before walking towards the bright red ER sign.
"Did you know at the 4th of July party all we could do was think of sweet memories involving you and Troy? No one could go ten minutes without mentioning either one of you."
Turning around to meet her friend, Gabi sighed before looking defeated. "What do you want from me Kelsi?"
"I want you to explain to me, to us, why you two got married in Paris? Why such the impromptu ceremony? Why such the secrecy?"
Gabi looked at Kelsi before rolling her head backwards. "I'm not going to say it twenty times, so if everyone agrees, pull them all together and Troy and I will be happy to tell you. But until then, I can't tell you; I'm sorry."
And with that, she walked back into the ER to finish her shift before going home; home to her husband and puppy.
The walls start breathing, my mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone
A weight is lifted on this evening
I give the final blow
When darkness turns to light
7:00 pm
Curling up on the couch with a cup of lemonade and a warm smile on her face, Gabi quickly retold the adventures of the day.
"So Kelsi came up to you at the hospital?"
Nodding, Gabi took a long sip before looking at him. "She said that they were talking about us and sharing stories about us at the party. She said they couldn't go ten minutes without mentioning something about us."
"I don't understand it, Gabs." Shaking his head, he tried wrapping his head around the situation. "I want to move on yet at the same time, I want them to pay a price for whatever."
"The main thing we have to concern ourselves with is if the gang is all right with meeting with us."
Sighing, Troy nodded. "That is true. Let's just hope whatever they decide, we'll all be able to move on from this."
Danforth's household
"Kelsi how could you?" Taylor screeched after hearing Kelsi's confession about earlier that day.
Jason shook his head siding with his wife. "Taylor calm down. Don't you think we've eliminated them from our group for long enough. I mean you and Gabi are best friends and you just severed that friendship, same with Chad and Troy. Don't you think we deserve to hear their side of the story?"
"Besides we all have questions for them." Sharpay spoke up looking guilty. "I mean we should have been there while they went through the miscarriage; only we pushed them away and they were left to deal with it on their own."
"They deserved to go through it on their own. They neglected to tell us they were even pregnant." Taylor spoke with such venom in her voice that it even took her own husband by surprise.
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight, it ends tonight, it ends tonight
Now I'm on my own side
It's better than being on your side
It's my fault when you're blind
It's better that I see it through your eyes
Chad stood up and looked at his wife with fire in his eyes. "I went along with you when I first found out Troy and Gabi were pregnant but I can't anymore. I have forgiven them for what they have done and I'm ready to move on. And in moving on, I think we should hear Troy and Gabi's side of the story."
Taylor's mouth dropped seeing her friend agree with her husband. "That way, we can all move on from this horrible time in our lives and start being the friends we were back in high school and in college. Besides, Troy and Gabi need us right now; they're going through so much that it's only fair that we take time and listen to them and what they have to say."
"Fine but I'm not going to like it."
All these thoughts locked inside
Now you're the first to know
When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight, it ends tonight
Lauren Evans grasped her husband's hand before finding the power in her voice. "Taylor Anne Danforth . . . how dare you? How dare you sit there and hold a grudge when just the other day, I overheard you telling a woman you have never done so in your life. You've known Troy and Gabriella since high school; you know the kind of people they are and have been. Hell, you know almost every little detail in their lives."
"So what if you didn't know they had gotten married; so what if you didn't know they were pregnant. Maybe, like most couples, they had just found out and wanted to keep the secret to themselves. Maybe they wanted to celebrate their joy without everyone else invading the special time of their lives."
Taking a deep breath, Lauren turned to Ryan who just smiled. "As for their wedding, we all knew how happy and in love they were. They were destined to be married at such a young age. Gabi and Troy had been separated for a little over a month and half when Troy surprised her. Their love probably took over and thus, the spur of the moment decision to get married. It happens to couples all the time; so what?"
"What are you trying to say, Lauren?" With a calmer voice, Taylor looked at her friend.
"All I'm saying is that maybe Troy and Gabi got caught up in love and thus decided to make things legal. Gabi, as long as I've known her, wanted to get married in Paris." Smiling, Lauren thought about her friend. "And Troy would do anything for Gabi so them getting married in Paris caused Gabi to be happy thus allowing Troy to be happy as well."
"Then why keep it from us for a year?" Taylor asked as Lauren smiled.
"Because they probably knew you, of all people, would react like this. They knew you would come up with a thousand of excuses of why they should have waited. And for once, you would have acted like their parents instead of their friend."
It ends when darkness turns to light
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight, it ends tonight, it ends tonight
Tonight, insight
Ryan squeezed his wife's hand before clearing his throat. "Think about how horrible we all have been acting. We haven't been there for them. And I think it's time we all move on from this and start getting back to how things were."
And slowly one by one, the six people around Ryan, minus Taylor, slowly nodded their heads. Looking expectantly at Taylor, Ryan smiled.
"What do you say Taylor? Haven't you missed your best friend? All the laughter and good times you and Gabi had. Haven't you missed those?"
And slowly, Taylor smiled with tears in her eyes. "I have been a horrible friend."
Taking her in his arms, Chad kissed his wife's head. "We all have been but it's time to change that. It's time to start making up the time we've lost."
And the eight people in that household, decided to come together as friends to overcome that hurdle that had been in their way the last two months.
When darkness turns to light it ends tonight
The song is "It Ends Tonight" by All American Rejects. Let me know what you thought of the chapter. I hope you guys loved it. Feedback would be wonderful. Thank you to all my readers and reviewers!