Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or any songs I mention!
Author: Alleycat
Story: Everybody Knows
Growing up is hard. It's a lot harder when you're in love with your best friend and everyone knows it-except her.
This chapter is longer than normal! I figure that helps my abscence.
Chapter 5
For a second there I thought you disappeared
It rains a lot this time of year
And we both go together if one falls down
I talk out loud like you're still around
No noo
And I miss you (ooooh…)
I'm goin' back home to the west coast
I wish you woulda put yourself in my suitcase
I love you
Standin' all alone in a black coat
I miss you
I'm goin back home to the west coast
And if you shake her heart enough she will appear
Tonight I think I'll be stayin' here
And you never did like this town
I talk out loud like you're still around
~ "West Coast" by Coconut Records
"I never want to see you guys again," Jason warned looking like he might start freaking out. They were all stretching outside of the van while Charlie went to check in. The car ride that had started out as pleasant quickly deteriorated into arguments and trash talking.
"12 hours is a long car ride," Zeke said in agreement. "And I'm sorry but Chad you cannot sing."
"Don't apologize to him, he should apologize to us for making us listen to him," Troy quipped dodging the empty water bottle Chad threw.
"Remind me why I invited you guys again," Chad wondered, looking at all of them.
"Because you don't have any other friends?" Jason supplied helpfully.
The four of them laughing is what Charlie returned to. He let out a big breath because the bickering he had witnessed was enough to crash the car. He handed out four hotel keys.
"You guys are all sharing one room with two king size beds." He waved his key in the air. "I, however, have my own room. Don't make me regret this."
All he received in return were innocent looks causing him to roll his eyes.
"Who're you talking to?" Zeke asked while digging through the cooler they brought for their room.
Jason was passed out on one of the beds and Chad was on the other. Troy ignored him and continued to describe the hotel room.
"It sounds beautiful," Gabriella replied after he gave her as specific details about the room as he could, which was not very much.
"Yeah," Troy shrugged. "What are you doing?"
Gabriella laughed at his attitude. "Well I'm reading a new book and tanning."
Troy was sad he wasn't there to watch. She didn't tan very often so he made sure to be there when she was. "You're tanning?"
"Since my best friend is in California and cannot possibly come home tanner than me, I am." She sighed dramatically. "I would be disowned as a Montez."
He sat down on the couch in the living area away from the guys.
"You're going to the Caribbean in a week, I'd say you got me beat. Unless you want me to join you," He teased, still hoping she would change her mind about him leaving early.
"No, blue eyes. You need time with your boys," She reminded him. "Which means minimal texting and calling."
"What?" He whined, half hurt she wanted distance and half annoyed that she was trying to boss him around. "You can't be serious!"
"I am," Gabriella mocked his serious tone. "I didn't say none at all. I just want you to enjoy California."
"Fine," He huffed.
"I'll talk to you later then?" She asked, sounding like she wanted to get off the phone already. He looked at his phone and it said 10 minutes had elapsed.
"You will," He promised her, not taking her advice seriously.
She laughed at his tone. "Just," She hesitated, her tone turning more serious. "Be safe okay, and think."
He agreed not really understanding what she meant.
"Do you think they're talking about me?" Chad asked, turning around and staring at the beach.
Troy rolled his eyes and concentrated on the waves in front of them. The four of them were standing in shallow water with boards. They had some instruction time with a blonde surfer named Jasper the days before but he was still nervous. Zeke and Jason didn't seem so preoccupied.
"I don't know about you but they are staring at us," Zeke corrected, staring at the girls unabashedly.
"I dare you to go up there and talk to them," Chad said, not specifying who he was talking to.
Troy groaned and shifted his board. "I thought we were trying to surf not pick up women."
Jason clapped him on the shoulder and laughed. "We're teenage boys we always want to pick up women."
When Troy realized that he was the only not preening like a peacock at the girls (he learned that term in biology last year), he got on his board and began paddling. He didn't have to look to see that his friends were going back to the beach.
He rode some waves and fell off before deciding to come back to the beach. It was the first time during the whole vacation that he felt like he was actually on vacation. Even though he had fallen more time than he could count, he was having the time of his life. It was exhilarating.
He wished Ella was with him.
He could see her on the beach, sitting in the sand and cheering him on.
Instead, he had to return to his friends who were still chatting up a bunch of girls. He had no choice but to approach them but he still took his time. He stood off to the side, gripping his rental board and missing Ella so much he felt like heart would burst.
"Hey Troy," Chad motioned him forward and gestured to a blonde. "This is Jessica, Amber, Lauren, and Kayla. Ladies, this is my boy Troy."
Troy resisted the urge to laugh at his friend's 'cool' voice. He really just sounded like an idiot. "Hey everyone," He waved but made sure to keep his distance.
All the girls began giggling and he gave them a weird look. He didn't understand what was so funny so he looked at his friends who seemed just as confused. For the next twenty minutes, he had to endure his friends' pathetic attempts at flirting. He resisted the urge to cheer when the four girls had to leave. His happiness was cut short when they made plans for later tonight.
"I'm not going," He warned them as soon as they reached the hotel.
He ignored his friends' complaints and went up to the room.
"You have to go," Chad argued for the fifth time. It was about twenty minutes before they were supposed to meet and he was getting desperate. "There are four of us and four of them. Without you, one of the ladies would be lonely."
"I'm not interested," Troy defended.
"Please," He begged and it wasn't long before all of his friends were in front of him begging.
Troy resisted the urge to scream before he finally gave in.
The night was exactly as he thought it would be. The girl who he was paired up with, he couldn't remember her name, was as idiotic as he thought. She complimented his arms and hair and face but really, why did she think he wanted to hear that. He tried to have a decent conversation once before giving up and ignoring her totally. He spent his time texting Ella.
She responded after a few minutes.
You're on a date?
He groaned. This was the last thing he needed her to think.
What? No! did u read my text
Of course I read it and it says that you are on a date. Regardless of whether you want to be there or not, it is a date.
If this was a date would i be textin u now?
Just cause you're a rude date does not make it not a date.
He clicked reply when his phone vibrated. Brown haired chick huffed but he ignored her.
Is she pretty?
NO! And it's not a date. I just did this as a favor. I wish I wasnt here
You could have said no…
The guys wanted me 2...what else could I have done?
Nothing, Troy Alexander Bolton. Nothing at all.
What does that mean?
When he didn't get a reply, he knew he was in trouble. He texted her back a couple times and still nothing so he began to call her but she pressed the ignore button. He felt sick.
"I'm going back to the hotel," He called to his friends and darted toward the hotel, not waiting for their reply. He heard them calling him but continued on his way.
She didn't answer the rest of the night but he didn't stop calling and leaving voice messages. Begging her to talk to him and please don't be mad and that the girl meant nothing. When he finally fell asleep, he woke up multiple times. Around 5 o clock when he woke up, he had one message from her.
No silly I'm not mad. I just wish you would have tried a little harder to have a good time with her instead of texting me. How are you ever going to get a girlfriend acting like that?
He dropped his phone and rushed to the bathroom to dry heave. The greasy pizza and chips he ate the night before making him nauseous. He felt Chad's presence before he spoke.
"What did she do?" He asked menacingly.
"Nothing," He said, his head in his hands. "Nothing at all."
"We need to go souvenir shopping," Zeke reminded the group as they walked back from the beach. Their hotel wasn't too far and they chose to walk. The streets were lined with half naked women and there was no way four teenagers would pass that up for one of the last times.
"Did you see her?" Jason whispered loudly, pointing to a blonde in a blue bikini.
"Sharpay is wayyy hotter than her," Zeke said laying his glasses back down. At his friends' looks, he continued. "You guys have not seen her in-"
Jason shook his head. "Dude, when are you gunna give that up."
"You just don't like her!" Zeke argued.
"No one likes her except herself and that weird brother of hers," Chad shuddered at the mention of Ryan. He creeped him out.
Zeke was quiet for a few moments. They had almost reached the hotel room when he spoke again."You're just jealous."
The three of them laughed as they reached their room. Troy went in the bathroom to hang up his towel and change out of his wet shorts. He stopped to look in the mirror for a second. He pushed his bangs out of his eyes and grimaced at the pale skin of his forehead. His hair must have unintentionally provided a tan line. He walked back out. "You guys think I need a hair cut?"
His friends looked at him but ignored his question.
"Plus she has the hots for Bolton," Chad commented, now sprawled out on the couch and flipping through the channels.
"That's not fair," Zeke rolled his eyes. "Every girl at East High wants him including some of the teachers."
"Not every girl," Chad corrected absently.
Zeke and Jason gaped at him. They were surprised he went that far especially since everyone knew how Bolton cared so much for the dark haired girl.
Troy grimaced at his friend's words.
It took Chad a second to realize what he said. "Man I didn't mean h-"
Troy held up a hand, stopping him from continuing. He grabbed his walled and a shirt before ripping open the door. He ignored his friends calling him and headed toward the stairs. After an hour of jogging, he returned to the hotel. He had cooled down but the hurt was still there.
It only hurt because it was true.
He would gladly give up all the attention for even an inkling of her affection. And his friend shoved that in his face. So everyone knew how pathetic he was, pining after a girl who saw him like an older brother.
How could it get any worse?
He couldn't return to the room to face them so he stopped by the computer room. He had surfed the internet for a while when he decided to see if Ella was online.
Even though she was part of his frustration, he couldn't help but brighten when he saw she was.
He was addicted and the only thing worse than her thinking of him as family was the thought of never talking to her again.
He was going to send her an IM when he noticed the webcam. He knew her computer had one and he just had to figure out how to work this one. His efforts were rewarded when five minutes later she appeared, looking confused and breathtaking. Her hair was up and messy and she leaned forward to the camera, making him laugh.
"Troy?" She questioned.
"Yeah?" His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. He was nervous that he was being too obvious right after Chad's comment. He never really thought of it before but maybe he made her uncomfortable.
Her brow furrowed. "Is everything alright?"
"It is now," He replied not thinking. He cursed himself for speaking so candidly but when she brightened he felt he hadn't made a mistake.
She was quiet before looking at him shyly, "I've missed you blue eyes."
He couldn't help but chuckle at her weird behavior."I've missed you too. What have you been up to?"
She looked up as she thought. "I finished that book I was reading and I watched a movie with Mom. No dates though," She teased.
"Good," He snapped, good mood gone since she was even entertaining that idea. She laughed at him, as if he was joking. He wouldn't be as kind as she was. "How was it?" He wondered not specifying which he was talking about. He just wanted to hear her voice and look at her. The five days had been too much.
"The move was okay but," She paused and started fanning herself.
He didn't get it. "Is is hot?"
"No, but the actor," She let a big sigh. "He was so gorgeous! He was the only thing I paid attention -"
Troy felt an overwhelming feeling of jealousy crash over him. His face felt hot and even though he knew he was being stupid (the guy was an actor and she thought he had been on a non-date date) he couldn't think straight.
Ella was rarely like other teenage girls so when she reacted like one it always surprised him.
Luckily for him, Ella was still talking about what-his-face so she didn't notice his freak out.
"His eyes are so intense and when he looked at the camera, I almost died. He has this strong jaw line and his hair," She gestured upward.
"What's his name?" Troy asked after a few minutes of her gushing. He felt like throwing up again. It was like his girl had a direct line to his stomach.
He made sure to remember the name before he changed the other subject. They talked for an hour before her mom told her they had to leave for the airport. He had to smile because she looked as reluctant as he felt to leave. After she was gone, he googled pictures of this Shiloh Fernandez.
He scoffed at the pretty boy but then got an idea. He printed out a picture and stuffed it in his pocket before heading up to the room.
"Can you believe our vacation is over?" Jason whined as they climbed in the car.
"A week is not long enough," Chad agreed. "School starts in like three weeks."
Troy moaned, stretching out. "Please don't remind me. I have so much to do before school starts."
The whole car laughed at his lie and the trip home was much more relaxed. Troy tried not to think about the fact that Ella would not be there waiting for him.
Oh poor Troy, he should never have told her about the nondate date. Imaginations will always run wild!
Look out for Stalker Troy making an appearance!
Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :
dyeitrouge, zanessa14, EricN, ice, xojokubauskasx3, kaybaby1127, zanessaxfaith, ChasingGhosts, hopeful extinction, chocodanette, and Porkayla
I'm always interested in those reviewers who review a chapter then don't. Do they stop reading or just reviewing?