--
Troy gulped as he slid into the rigid chair. Gabriella took the seat beside him, gracefully folding her hands in her lap and forced herself to smile. Her palms began to sweat, just like they always did when she was nervous.
Well, she was having lunch with Troy's parents.
She fidgeted in her seat as his parents watched the two from across the table. Their close, scrutinizing eyes made Gabriella feel as if they were going to pounce on her every move. She snuck a glance at Troy, who was drinking water at an alarmingly fast rate. Gabriella stifled a giggle. He was as nervous as she was. He probably hasn't gotten around to telling them I'm pregnant with his baby, she thought. Gabriella instantly sobered up as the watchful eye of Troy's mother focused on her. She self-consciously smoothed down her hair. The tension in the VIP guests room was so thick you could cut it with a chainsaw.
"So…" Troy trailed off, uncertain of what to say.
That was what triggered the explosion.
"TROY BOLTON! IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF? SO?! SO?! YOUR FATHER AND I DID NOT RAISE YOU TO BE INARTICULATE INGRATE WHO KNOCKS UP THE FIRST GIRL HE SEES! I THOUGHT YOU'D KNOW BY NOW TO KEEP IT IN YOUR PANTS, OR AT LEAST IN A CONDOM!" his mother yelled.
Troy cringed. Well, he was expecting it. Gabriella was shocked, her mouth hanging open. Troy's mother huffed, her face turning red. She opened her mouth to continue her rant when Troy's father put a comforting hand on her arm.
"Lucille, calm down. I'm sure Troy has a…reasonable explanation for this. Don't you, son?" his father prompted.
Troy rubbed the back of his neck, an uncomfortable silence falling over the room.
"Er…"
"YOU SEE, JACK! OUR SON IS AN IRRESPONSIBLE PLAYBOY WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE MEANING OF SAFE SEX!"
Steam blew out of his mother's ears.
Jack winced, nodding to agree with his wife. He threw Troy a glare, obviously telling him to fix it. Troy looked at Gabriella frantically. She shrugged. She had already been through this with her parents. They just kicked her out. Lucille turned to face Gabriella, her eyes narrowing in irritation.
"AND YOU! DO YOU THINK GETTING YOURSELF KNOCKED UP BY MY SON WILL GET YOU ANYWHERE? YOU LOOK LIKE A RESPECTABLE YOUNG GIRL, BUT YOU'RE JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER SLUTS HE SLEEPS WITH EVERY WEEK!"
Gabriella held back tears and a biting retort, stunned. Troy's mother sounded just like her mother. Troy saw the hurt look flash across Gabriella's face, and felt the urge to defend her from his mother's wrath.
"MOTHER! Don't blame Gabriella, it was all my fault" he almost yelled.
Lucille gasped.
"You dare talk back to your mother! And for that, that girl! I thought I raised you better than that, Troy! I usually let you go about your womanizing ways, but this is taking it too far! Pregnant? PREGNANT?! What on earth are you going to do?" she demanded.
Troy stared his mother defiantly in the eye.
"I'm going to take care of Gabriella and the baby. I'm going to support them, and provide them with everything they could ever need. I'm going to be there for them" he replied seriously.
Gabriella wanted to cry. She had never been so grateful to Troy. She mouthed a thank-you to him, a soft smile gracing her pretty face. He gave a crooked smile that made her heart skip a beat, before facing his shocked mother and father.
"Well?" Troy raised an eyebrow.
Lucille promptly burst into tears. Troy and Jack looked alarmed as she rushed over and hugged Troy and Gabriella tightly.
"Oh, Roy-roy, I'm so proud of you! You're finally taking responsibility for your actions! Even though it's a baby at eighteen, but…still! You're finally growing up!" she gushed.
"Don't cry, Mom. It's okay" Troy patted her arm awkwardly.
He inwardly rolled his eyes. Leave it to his mother to have a major mood swing. It's even worse than Gabriella's, he thought. Lucille wiped her tears, before clasping her hand on Gabriella's own.
"I'm so sorry about what I said, dearie. I didn't mean it. I was just so angry at Troy" she apologized sincerely.
Gabriella smiled.
"Don't worry about it. My mother was rather upset when I told her as well" she replied, instantly warming up to Troy's mother.
Jack beamed from across the table.
"Then why don't we have dinner with them? Talk it over with the in-laws?" he winked at the young couple.
"Dad! We're not getting married!" Troy blurted out hotly, crossing his arms.
Gabriella blushed, before shaking her head, a sad smile playing on her lips.
"No point. My parents disowned me and threw me out of the house. They think I'm a disgrace to the family" Gabriella looked away in embarrassment.
There was a moment of awkward silence, before-
"I know! You can move in with us" Lucille exclaimed.
Gabriella spluttered on her water. Troy's eyes widened.
"W-what?" she stammered.
Gabriella looked at Troy's parents incredulously. They smiled indulgently back. Gabriella blinked, before shaking her head furiously.
"No no no, I couldn't possibly trouble you. I'm already staying at my friend's place" she beamed, trying to convince them.
Jack shook his head.
"Trouble us? Dear, you are bearing the grandchild of the Bolton family! It would be more of a blessing than a problem. Though I didn't expect to be a grandfather so soon" he threw a dirty glare in Troy's direction.
Troy held up his hands in surrender.
"I already said it was my bad!"
"Your bad it is! You're lucky Gabriella is a good girl or I would've cut off your private parts with a plastic knife" Lucille hissed.
Troy gulped as Gabriella stifled a giggle. He glared at her. She poked out her tongue. Lucille beamed at the two. Ah, young love, she mused, before clapping her hands together.
"Then it's settled. Gabriella, you'll move in with us. That way you and the baby will be properly taken care of and Troy can't avoid responsibility even if he wants to!" Lucille said enthusiastically.
"MOTHER!"
"Then why don't we go home and let Gabriella check out the place? See if she likes it or not?" Jack deftly cut in before Troy or his wife fired up again.
Gabriella slowly nodded, growing on the idea of spending more time with Troy and his family. She snuck a glance at Troy. He wasn't exactly ecstatic, but he wasn't angry about it either.
That was good enough for her.
"Okay then, let's go home!" Lucille cheered.
She ushered everyone out of the room, throwing a couple fifty bills on the table. They began to make their way into the car park before Gabriella's eyes flashed mischievously. Troy raised his eyebrows as they slid into the Mercedes. The car was speeding along the highway before Gabriella smirked, stifling a giggle.
"What?" he asked curiously.
She turned to face him, trying to keep a straight face.
"So, Roy-roy huh?"
Troy groaned.
--
A/N: I don't think I wrote that really well. I had a bunch of ideas for the confrontation of Troy, Gabriella and his parents, but they just spilled out all wrong " I hope it was okay. Review please, I'd really to know if this chappie went okay!