The Gardener

Summary: During that transitional summer from freshman year to sophomore, Troy took the job of gardener to be able to work with long time crush Gabriella. He expected a nice tan, bulging muscles and cash but that's not all he received. Coming back to school, after that disastrous summer how can he pretend nothing has changed when everything had?

Chapter three

July 6th 2009

After two weeks of starting my gardening job, I already can see changes in my body. My hair grew a little but not enough for my taste, I've noticed my abs are starting to get more obvious and so are my biceps (although they're not bulging out) and I'm ridiculously tanned. Grabbing my water bottle filled with ice, I climb into my mom's car to go to the community center to take my equipment and start my first day of the third week of being a gardener.

"Good morning Troy," the owner of the first house says in recognition.

I politely greet him back, showing him my pearly whites in the process. More and more of my clients are starting to get friendlier with me, some are giving me lunches, invite me in, stay with me to chat when I'm working, give me more tips, etc. It's nice; I'm starting to enjoy my job a lot more. Plus I'm getting used to the scorching sun and my muscles are not so sore anymore.

"Hello Troy," Mr. Montez greets me, sending me a nice smile.

"Hi Mr. Montez, what can I do for you today?" I inquire.

"I probably already told you this but my daughter is coming back from my brother's house today," he states, his eyes sparkling in joy. "And well, she really loves spending her days in our backyard's pool, so it would be great if you'd trim the bushes before she arrives."

"Consider it done," I promise.

I'm going to put one hundred and ten percent of work in those bushes even if it means I have to work overtime to make up with the other houses. As he leads me to the backyard, I try to mask my enthusiasm over the news of Gabriella's return.

"What are you so smiley about?" my crush's father asks, coyly.

"Oh nothing, it's just a really beautiful day don't you think?" I say smoothly, taking the big scissors to work.

"It doesn't have to do with a girl right?" he continues, teasingly.

"Of course not," I protested, blushing furiously.

"Whatever you say Troy," he says, not believing me one bit. "Anyways, I better head back; I have a lot of stuff to do before my little Ella arrives."

"Bye Mr. Montez."

I work intensely for 30 minutes straight, putting all my concentration on the big plants surrounding her backyard. But then a whistle interrupts my focus, making me jump in surprise. I turn around sharply and am startled to see Gabriella in the pool looking at me with a smirk on her face. My breath catches in my throat, damn she looks stunning.

"So you're the new gardener," she observes, looking pleased. "I almost didn't recognise you with your short hair."

"Yeah, um," I cough nervously. I look down at myself and realised I am still bare-chested. My eyes widen. "Oh I'm sorry, would you rather me put on a shirt or something?"

"Nah, leave it. It's gonna get soaked anyway, plus I'm enjoying the view," she admits her eyes trailing down my torso.

I become crimson red. If she had been here 3 weeks ago I doubt she would be saying the same thing. And she likes my body? Awesome!

"When Sharpay told me you shaved your head, I thought she was joking because she's just like that, but now I see she was right," she continues, looking at my hairdo.

She pushes herself out of the pool and walks toward me. I have a hard time not to look at her smoking body covered in water. I feel pleased when I realise I'm half an inch taller than her, an achievement since in freshmen year I was shorter than her. She brings her hands up to touch my hair softly. I don't even dare to breathe. She is so close, our nose are almost touching. If we were anymore close, we would be kissing.

"I think I like your hair better now," Gabriella declares, dropping her hands without stepping away, her eyes boring into mines.

"That's what my mom said," I blurted out before I could've stopped myself.

"I make you think of your mom?" she inquires, one eyebrow raised.

"No, that's not what I meant I just uh," I stammer, lamely.

She just bursts out laughing.

"I'm just playing with ya, don't worry," she says, eyes twinkling in joy. "You're cute, you know that?"

"Uh, thanks," I mumble, blushing furiously. "You too."

"Why thank you," she replies, cheerfully. "Do you want anything to drink or eat?" she inquires taking her towel to dry herself up and wraps it around herself before walking to the screen door.

"Um I'd like water if you don't mind."

"'Kay, come," she says motioning for me to follow her and I have no other choice but to oblige. "So tell me, new gardener, have you ever gotten sunburn, with being in the sun and all?" she questions, as we enter the kitchen.

I awkwardly sit down at the breakfast counter and I can't help but look at her firm behind as she stretches to take out two glasses from the cabinet. Shit what am I doing? Quickly I look away, before she would see where I was looking.

"Nah, I'm not out in the sun long enough plus there are many trees to provide me good enough shade," I reply, not feeling worthy at all in that big house of hers.

"Do you put sunscreen at all?" she asks placing a glass of water with ice in front of me, as she takes a sip of hers.

"I don't really have time plus I always forget," I say gulping quickly the liquid.

"It's really bad for the skin. You can get cancer if you're not careful enough," she states, frowning slightly. "Wait here."

I confusedly just watch her disappear from the kitchen. What is she doing? However this question was answered when she comes back with a tube of lotion.

"Here," Gabriella says, handing it to me. "I always feel bad when people work out in the sun all day without being protected. My grandfather has a skin problem and can't really go out in the sun anymore, so yeah," she explains sheepishly.

"It's absolutely no problem, thanks for looking out for me," I say, grateful applying some on my torso and stomach before doing my calves.

"Here, I'll do your back," she suggests, taking it from the counter to squeeze some out in her palms.

She goes behind me and applied some on my shoulders, my neck, my back, my lower back and it took all my might not to moan out loud. It just feels so good. Her fingers are absolutely magical, it feels like a massage.

"Enjoying it?" she inquires, smirking.

"Hell yeah, you're so good."

She did my arms, my hands and finally my face. For years now I've dream of the day she would touch me like that and damn, it's amazing.

"Now, you're good to go," she declares, washing her hands in the sink.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

After that we just went outside talking as I continued my job while she was lounging in the pool. I liked it, I really did. When I took this job never in a million years I would've thought that I would have any sort of contact with her and today I got both. I can die happy now.

"Hey, you know what? I think I've hold you up longer than you're job requires so, why don't you finish those bushes tomorrow and go work for my neighbours? I mean, I don't want you to end your shift at night time because of me," she states.

"Yeah, um are you sure? Because I don't mind just talking to you," I say shyly.

I don't want to sound clingy but I don't want this to end just yet. I think she sees my disappointment because she just smiles and say:

"I don't mind either, but you know what? If you want, after your work we can go to McDonald's or something, my treat," she suggests.

I perk up. Is she really serious?

"Um you don't have to hang out with me if you don't want to," I mutter.

"I want to," she says simply. "But if you're too tired, then we can always do it another time."

"No, it's fine, see ya tonight," I grin, picking up my stuff to do the next house.

The rest of the day went by quickly because I was in a daze. I can't believe it. Today I've talked to the girl of my dream and we had a nice conversation something I've always wished for in the past 3 years. Today she passed a hand through my hair, touched my hands, my face and our noses were almost touching, exactly how I saw it in my dreams, except that she did it all without being my girlfriend of course. Today she checked me out. Today she suggested another hang out. Today is the best day of my life.

"What are you so smiley about?" Mr. Clarke asks, amusement written all over his face as I am taking care of his small garden in his backyard.

"Oh nothing, except I've just talked to the beautiful girl I've had a crush on for 3 years and we're going to hang out tonight!" I feel like shouting. I am just that happy.

However I don't say that, instead I reply, trying to tone down my grin a little: "Oh, it's just such a beautiful day that it affects my mood somehow."

"Sure and this has nothing to do with Carlos' daughter who just came back and who happens to be your age right?" he says, slyly, making me freeze.

"Um, how how do you know that?" I splutter feeling my cheeks get warm again.

"Now don't get all shy on me! I think you kids are cute. I know because I had to give back Carlos something I borrowed and saw you guys close to each other by the pool," he explained.

I cough, embarrassed and dig out another dead flower.

"Um what part did you see?" I ask nervously.

"The part where she was touching your hair and you were blushing like a schoolgirl," Mr. Clarke states, smiling big.

I groan inwardly, if he would've smiled any bigger, his whole face would've cracked in half.

"I was not… blushing like a schoolgirl," I retort.

"Yes you were on the verge of fainting too by the look of it," he chuckles and I gave him a stiff smile in response. "How long have you had a crush on the young Montez?"

I choked on my saliva. Am I that obvious?

"Don't even deny it Troy. It's pretty obvious by the shy glances you were sending her way and the blush you had almost permanently when you talked to her."

"I… 3 years, 10 months and 6 days," I answer sheepishly.

"Whoah, you really got it bad," the old man whistles.

"Yeah, I don't know I just… I don't know."

"It surprises me that you haven't asked her out after all these years."

"I can't. We don't really run in the same circle, plus she's so much more beautiful than me," I say timidly.

"Are you kidding? From the little I saw, she seemed as much under your spell as you are under hers. I mean, getting close to you, touching your hair and that smile she gave you? Well if those aren't signs that she was flirting to you, then I don't know what is."

That can't be right. He's an old man after all. Possibly flirting from his days is different than ours, right?

Sorry for the long wait, my computer is under reparations and I just came back from camp. As you've probably noticed, this story will unfold with a chapter of the present, followed by a chapter of a flashback, which will give you guys the chance to see how that summer really changed Troy.

Anyways, review please.