Chapter 16 - Just wish...
Tomorrow Gabriella was going to turn 17. She was quite excited. It was fun being older for a month. Older than her brother was, anyway.
The party had been planned, but as usual, everything was managing to fall to pieces, but having a mum like she did, they fell back into place. However, Sharpay managed to realise there was one thing missing.
Flashback
"You don't have your dress!" Sharpay squealed, last evening.
"Sharpay, it's just a party"
Sharpay, Taylor and Kelsi all had their hands covering their mouths.
"It's not 'just a party', it's your 17th girl, you have to celebrate!" Taylor breathed.
"Sure, celebrate, but I don't need a fancy dress to be able to do that. All I need is my friends and family, food and drinks, and FUN"
"But...how are you going to impress all the cute boys without a shocker of a dress?" Sharpay couldn't believe this. Every birthday, everyone had to have a dress!
"I don't need a dress to--WOW HOLD ON! 'CUTE BOYS'?"
All the girls laughed nervously. Taylor and Kelsi ducked their heads, while Sharpay tucked her hair between her ears.
"How many have you invited?"
Gabriella whispered, not really wanting to hear the answer.
"Only a few, and anyway, there's only one your gonna want to impress!"
Sharppay's head snapped up, almost like she had won the fight. But she kinda had.
"I don't know what you mean!" Gabriella began to blush.
"Yes you do, what's his name?"
"Oh look at the time! You guys better be off"
Gabriella looked at her invisible watch, as she stood up opening the door for the others to leave.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Gabi. We will pick you up tomorrow morning around...10ish"
"Whatever" Gabriella said, as she ushered them out, "You know your own way out"
Her face still burned with shock. How could they know? She wasn't that obvious, was she? The problem was, she hadn't really thought about her feelings yet. She didn't know if what she felt was true, or just silly.
Once the girls were out of the house, she collapsed on her bed, burying her head into her pillow. Why was feeling things... so...difficult?
End of Flashback.
So now she found herself in the middle of Albuquerue Shopping Mall, in front of very expensive dressy shops, looking for the perfect outfit.
"We've looked in nearly all the shops, Shar. We are getting no-where!"
Gabriella had successfully managed to moan after they left every shop. It was a record, but the other girls we not slacking off so easily. The perfect dress - needed to be found!
"Come on Gabi! Last shop I promise!"
Kelsi added as she grabbed her hand, which happened to be full of clothes she didn't really need, and dragged her into 'Frills & All'.
The room was huge. Decorated with baby pink lights stuck on the light sream walls, making it look all girly and spacious. The plum carpet felt soft under the heels of the girls. Hoards and hoards of dresses were to be seen, hanging from everything anything could be hung from. This was dress heaven.
Gabriella casually flicked through the millions of dresses. With nearly no luck left, she turned around, but her eyes cought hold of something silver.
She walked over to the dress, holding it up and feeling the material run through her fingers. It was short, it would hug her thighs and it had no straps. Silver, and delicate, she just had to try it on.
"Girls! What about this one?"
"Oh Gabi, thats gorgeous!" Sharpay whispered, touching the fabric.
"You have to try it on!" Taylor pushed her towards the changing rooms.
5 minutes later she came out, looking breathtaking. The dress hugged her curves, making her look like a princess.
"Oh Gabi!" Kelsi said.
"Buy it!" Sharpay jumped up. "You have too"
"I don't know guys, it's quite expensive" Gabriella looked at the price tag, and her smile faltered.
"Gabriella, your turning 17, spoil yourself"
Gabriella looked into Sharpay's eyes, slightly teary.
Those were the last words Gabriella heard from her father's mouth. "Spoil yourself" he had said before he died. He had given her money, knowing that he would die. She didn't though, and she went out, spoilt herself rotten, leaving her with one coin. She kept that coin, never spent it since. And thats why she was so reluctant to spend to sparingly. Because of her father.
"Alright...I'll... get it"
"Good" Sharpay patted her on the back, as she went back into the changing room, wiping her eyes, not wanting for them to see her tears.
A couple of hours later, she arrived home. She fell through the door, laiden with bags. She giggled as she collapsed on the couch, bags at her feet.
Freeing herself from the tangle, she heard some noise come from the kitchen. She stood up.
"Anyone home?"
"It's just me!" Came back from the kitchen.
Curious, she followed the noises and entered the kitchen, so see Troy sitting at the table, soda in hand.
"How come your here on your own?"
"Chad will be back in a mo', just at the shops"
Gabriella sat herself next to Troy at the table. She closed her eyes for a moment, then heard a chuckle. She opened her eyes to see Troy laughing at her.
"What?" She asked, confused.
"You tired?" Gabriella rubbed her eyes.
"A little, just been shopping with the girls"
He stuck his head round the door, and laughed. "I can see that!"
Gabriella's expression changed, to a sad one. Troy began to panic, had he said something wrong? He watched as she got up and grabbed at tissue.
"What's wrong?" He asked getting up from his seat to see her.
She turned around and saw concern in his eyes.
"It's nothing"
He tutted.
"It's not nothing!"
He moved closer to her. She shrugged her arms.
"I just wish... my dad was here, for my brithday ya'know"
Tears came again and she found herself wrapped up in one of Troy's hugs.
They stayed like that for a while, in each others arms. But they were not alone.
At the back of the room, Gabriella's mother watched on at the scene, a little teary herself. She wished he was here sometimes too. She watched as Troy gently kissed her forehead, his arms wrapped around her. She sighed.
She just wished they could see, what she could see.
Their obvious feelings.
Sorry for the long wait! This is another filler chapter, but the next chapter is the party. You might be a little confused about the spoil yourself thing, but that won't come up again, I just added it to give a little drama.
Anyways, look out for the next chapter soon!
Merry Christmas :)