I don't own anything.
A/N: Sorry for the delay but writer's block has been killing me towards this story. First off I want to thank my reviewers from last time; chaylorXtraylorlover, NaeNae1495, sweetchocolate26, Phelycia, chaylorfan and Tina. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter and please Review and tell me what you think.
Baby S
Chapter Eleven
The sound of bouncing basketballs coming from the gym slowly pulled Troy out of his normal routine that usually had him waiting in the hallway while Taylor finished up her music class. Frowning, he rubbed a hand over his face and resisted the urge to walk back down the hall and look in on the Varsity team's practice. It had been nearly a year since he picked up a basketball and lately he had feeling the urge to pick one up again. He wanted to dribble, to shoot, to play at least one pick-up game. He knew the start of the season was a little over a month away and Coach Woodson was making the boys practice every afternoon which was why he no longer saw Chad and Zeke after school since they had both been able to make the Varsity squad this year. "Troy?" looking up, he smiled when he saw Taylor coming down the hallway. Pushing himself up and off the school bench, he smiled at her and walked over to her meeting her halfway. Taking the her bag, he latched onto her free hand and pulled her close so he could brush a kiss on her cheek.
"Hey baby." he said with a smile as he pulled back and looked over her shoulder and saw Sharpay and Gabriella coming up the hallway. "Ladies." he called out to them, they both smiled and sent him a wave before but didn't change their pace making it rather obvious that they were trying to give the two of them a minute alone. They'd never know how much he appreciated it seeing as how his mother rarely let the two of them spend any time alone back home. He pulled out of his thoughts, by Taylor placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay? Do you have a headache?" Taylor asked her worry and concern for him coming through her voice. Troy sent her a reassuring smile while shaking his head.
"I'm fine." he said softly. "Why do you ask?"
"Cause you were clutching your head like something wanted to get out." Sharpay said cutting into the conversation as her and Gabriella finally made it to their sides. Troy rolled his eyes at her description and shook his head.
"First I wasn't clutching my head, I was massaging it and second I'm fine." He said, pausing as he noticed that all three girls held a look of disbelief on their faces. Groaning, he decided to change the subject. "Um are you guys riding with us this afternoon or-."
"We're staying, the boys are having a scrimmage today and they asked us to stay." Gabriella said as she looked over at Troy. "If you want, you can-." Shaking his head, Troy waved a hand in the air at her words and just sighed.
"No, it's cool you two enjoy yourselves and tell Chad and Zeke I said good luck." he said grabbing hold of Taylor's hand. "I guess we'll be see you tomorrow." Taylor sent Troy a look before looking back at her friends.
"Yeah see you tomorrow." she called out over her shoulder as she allowed Troy to pull her through the school and outside. Once he stepped foot outside the school building, he released a pent up breath he hadn't released he was holding and bent down at the waist. Taylor stood there watching him as if he had grown an extra head or two.
"I knew you were lying in there, Troy what's wrong?" she asked bluntly as she looked at him and gently placed a hand on his back. Troy looked over at her and then slowly sighed while walking into the parking lot his eyes locked on Wilson who was standing by his car. Turning briefly, he looked back at Taylor and sighed.
"It's nothing really." he stated firmly hoping that she would believe him but as he took in the frown on her face, he knew that she wasn't falling for anything. He nearly told her everything, when she stopped and crossed her arms over her chest and sent him a glare. "Taylor!"
"Troy tell me what's wrong, I don't like seeing you like this. I can tell something's bothering you but I can't help you if you don't tell me."
"Can I tell you when we get home?" he asked, cause he didn't want to talk about his problem here at school, in the parking lot. She studied him for a bit before sighing.
"Is it serious, Troy? I mean-." she trailed off and looked at him her eyes filled with nothing but concern. Troy glanced back at the school for a moment before shaking his head.
"It's nothing serious, just something I'm dealing with at the moment." he admitted as he looked at her. "But seriously you don't need to worry." he said softly as walked back over to her and bent down and gave her a quick peck on the lips. Turning back around, he reached out for her hand when he felt her hand slip into his his, they walked over to Wilson who was still standing outside the car waiting on them. The older man smiled when he saw the couple approaching.
"Did you both have a good day at school?" he asked while smirking down at Troy who had barely been able to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the question. Noticing the look on Troy's face, Taylor had to resist the urge to smile while answering Wilson's question.
"Today was fine." Taylor said just before slipping inside the limo she didn't have to wait long for Troy to slide in behind her. Once they were all situated, Wilson climbed into the limo and pulled out of the school parking lot. Once they arrived at the Bolton house Troy and Taylor told Wilson bye and then headed inside. As soon as the door closed, Troy could feel Taylor's eyes on his back. "We're home now tell me what's wrong?" Troy looked back at her and sighed before grabbing her hand and leading her upstairs. As they came to Taylor's room, Troy stopped and opened the door and stepped inside while Taylor walked over to her bed and saw down. "Do you wanna tell me now what's been bothering you?" she asked without even looking up, Troy sighed and rubbed a hand along the bottom of his chin. He didn't really know how to approach the topic, he went for bluntness.
"Do you think I should play basketball again?" Taylor's eyebrows rose in surprise at his question, she had to admit that wasn't what she was expecting him to tell her. She eyed him quietly as she thought over the question.
"Play basketball again-what's stopping you from playing now?" she asked bluntly as she looked at him and patiently awaited his answered. Troy looked down at the ground and studied it for a bit before speaking up his voice cracking as he stumbled over his answer.
"I'm-my-well you know." he whispered as he lifted his head and looked at her, when he met her gaze all he could see within her eyes was love and compassion for him.
"Troy if you want to play then play. He would want you to do what makes you happy and I know you love playing basketball so go ahead and do it. I'm sure your mother would have absolutely no problem with supporting you in this." she said softly as she looked at him. "Now is this for real."
"It is but I feel-Taylor I feel like I don't deserve to play." he murmured brokenly. "This was my father's game and down at East High that's my father's gym. I-I just can't get over our last conversation, I know I hurt him and-."
"What happened to your father is not your fault, Troy. I'm sure he'd tell you the same if he could cause I know he wouldn't want you to be suffering like this." Taylor said as she pushed herself up off the bed. She walked over to Troy and wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a fierce hug. "If you want to play basketball then play and just know that I'll be in the stands cheering you on for every game non-stop." Troy smiled at her words and pulled back slightly so he could look down at her.
"You know I haven't really made my decision yet." Troy said softly as he looked down at her. Taylor merely rolled her eyes at his words and shook her head.
"Please you wouldn't be asking me if you hadn't already decided that you wanted to play again, you're just trying to see what I'd say." she whispered as she nudged him a bit, Troy just laughed and shook his head as he thought about what she had just said.
"You're too smart sometimes, you do know that right." he murmured with a smirk on his mouth as he leant down and placed a soft kiss on her lips, he closed his eyes and started to deepen the kiss when someone cleared their throat. They both slowly pulled apart and turned around to find Mrs. Bolton standing in Taylor's bedroom doorway with her hands on her hips and a glared being direction in Troy's general direction.
"I swear I'm going to put a sensor here so I'll know whenever you enter this room, Troy Anthony Bolton." she snapped out as she glared at him, Troy in response only sheepishly smiled back at his mother while remaining at Taylor's side.
"We were just talking mom, I swear." he said with a small smile as he looked at his mother, who merely scoffed at his words and shook her head tiredly. Lillian into the room a little bit more and pointed a finger at her son.
"You know I get tired of having to watch you like a hawk everyday. You two I swear are like magnets." At his mother's words, Troy just smiled and circled his arm around Taylor's waist pulling her to his side.
"Magnets huh?" Taylor hit his shoulder and quickly removed herself from Troy's hold while looking at Mrs. Bolton. "Ouch!" he exclaimed while holding his arm, Taylor merely shook her head at his antics and sighed. He simply loved egging his mother on and she didn't know how to stop or if she would try if she knew how.
"Don't mind him-how was your day, Mrs. Bolton."
"Taylor!" Lillian exclaimed as she sent the young girl a look, Taylor smiled at her voice and shook her head.
"Sorry, how was your day Ms. Lillian." Troy's mother just sighed at Taylor's words and shook her head. She didn't know how many times she had told Taylor to call her Lillian, somedays the girl did and other days she didn't. Lillian knew that it all came down to Taylor being respectful which wasn't a bad thing really.
"It was good until I came up here and saw my son alone with you in your room." she said with a sigh as she looked at her son's girlfriend. Taylor carefully removed herself from Troy's hold and looked at Lillian.
"Troy and I were just talking, I promise." she admitted as Lillian nodded her and looked over at her son who was still smiling from his position on the bed.
"I believe you, but you know how sneaky Troy is-"
"Hey, I'm not sneaky." Troy exclaimed as he looked at his mother while trying to appear hurt by her words, Lillian merely shook her head at her son's words.
"Oh please Troy, let's be real. Everyday I come in here and you're in here and I always have to chase you out." Troy stood up from the bed with his arms up while a deep chuckle escaped.
"Mom if it's really that much work then maybe you should stop." As he finished his statement, he turned and wiggled his eyebrows at Taylor who could only shake her head while Lillian sent him a look that told him, that he wasn't as funny as he thought he was.
"Troy please," she said as she looked at her son before looking back over at Taylor. "So what were you two talking about?" At her question, Troy and Taylor shared a look before Taylor spoke up while continuing to look at Troy.
"Troy was telling me something so-." she trailed off as Troy cleared his throat and looked over at his mother.
"Mom I was asking Taylor what she would think if I started playing basketball again." he lowered his head slightly scared to see his mother's reaction. Lillian looked at her son for a moment before looking over at Taylor who stood by his side obviously trying to be strong for Troy. "Mom?" he asked softly.
"If that's what you want to do Troy, then do it." she finally said as she looked at her only child with a small smile on her lips as she stared at him. He lifted his head at her words and just looked at her in shock.
"So you're not-."
"I understand that being around Bolton men, means accepting their love for basketball." Lillian said with a small smile. "I supported your father and I'll support you." At his mother's words, Troy seemed to shag with relief. Lillian walked over and pulled her son into a tight hug and Troy happily returned the hug. Taylor stood by silently watching them with a smile on her face until both Lillian and Troy reached out and pulled her into the hug.
"So you're really gonna do it." Taylor asked as she sat outside with Troy as he bounced his basketball on the court his father had put in long ago. Turning to look at her, he nodded his head and dribbled the basketball a bit more. "Are you gonna tell Chad and Zeke?" He picked up the ball and twirled it in his hands for a little while before shrugging his shoulders.
"I probably should-but I'll wait till I'm better."
"You were great, I'm sure you skills haven't fallen off by that much." Troy turned and gave her a look before firing off a shot and missing. "Please you did that on purpose to prove your point." she said with a wave of her hand as she looked at him. Troy raised an eyebrow at her words and jogged over to pick the basketball up. He gave Taylor another look before glancing back towards the goal and firing off another shot. This time instead of missing the ball fell through the net effortlessly. Taylor pushed herself off the ground and walked over to them. "Good shot." Raising an eyebrow at her, Troy watched as she walked over to the basketball and picked it up.
"What do you know about basketball?" he asked as he caught her pass and tucked the ball underneath his arm.
"Enough now shoot again." he smiled at her demand and turned back to the goal and fired again. As the ball left his hands, he focused his fingers on the little pebble like skin on the ball as he fired off his next shot. Taylor watched silently and smiled as he sunk the shot again.
"Good job."
"Thanks Coach McKessie." he said with a wink as he looked over at her. "Anything else you wanna tell me." He grunted as he caught her next pass which Taylor simply placed her hands on her hips and motioned towards the goal with her eyes.
"Go again." Troy just smiled and squared back up, for the rest of the afternoon they stayed out there. Troy practicing his shots while Taylor rebounded the ball and passed it to him while shouting out words of encouragement. Troy truly couldn't believe that he was actually going to play basketball again. After all it was nearly a year ago that he had lost his father and vowed not to play the sport again. However like his mother had said he was Bolton man and Bolton men loved the game of basketball so here was planning on playing again. He just hoped he'd make his father proud and with Taylor and his mother's support he was positive he would.