Trust and Love
Chapter 6: A lot to know
"So, this is goodbye?" Alex asked Troy after he had pointed out his Mom. Troy did not respond to him. He was still looking at Gabriella, staring at her. "Troy? Troy!"
"Huh? What? I did laps 30 times, Coach!" Troy said as he just snapped out of his mesmerizing gaze at Gabriella Montez, his high school sweetheart.
"Whoa. You do 30 laps a day?" Alex asked, trying to hold himself from laughing.
"No, 30 times a week. Who said I do that?" Troy asked.
"Who else? You, duh."
"No, I didn't."
"Uh yeah you did. After you stopped checking out my mom, man."
"I wasn't checking out your mom. I was…" Troy tried to reason out.
"Tell it to the judge, Troy." Alex said as he was headed to his house. He stopped at his tracks and turned back to Troy. "Are you just gonna check out my mom from afar or do want a closer look?"
"Hey, I ain't like that, Alex."
"Just kidding. C'mon, you told me you're taking me home. Well, you haven't taken me home, man." Troy just smiled and put his armed around the boy as he walked with him to their house. "Let's go check my mom out." Alex suddenly blurted.
"Hey!" Troy said as he ran after Alex to the house.
As they reached the house, they were now out of their breaths. They laughed and Troy wrapped his arms around Alex and hugged him tightly then just smiled with slight relief.
"I can't breathe, Dad!" Alex screamed it out loud, but this wasn't noticed by the two men who practically tired themselves from running. It broke Gabriella's heart into millions of pieces. It just showed how much Alex wanted a dad that he can have fun with. This even broke Peter's heart because after years of knowing Alex and trying to be his dad and also trying to get his approval on dating his mom, he never called him 'Dad'.
Troy hugged him tightly and released him with a laugh. "I don't intend to kill you, you know." He looked at Alex and smirked a little.
"Hey, what? You look at me like I did something wrong." Alex added with a chuckle.
"You know, you remind me a lot of me in my younger times." Troy said.
"You actually told me that a couple times today." Alex chuckled.
"It's just weird that you're like a mini me."
"Well, it's nice to have Troy Bolton. Just kidding, I like you as the down-to-earth Troy, man."
"Thanks." Troy smiled.
"Anyway, Troy this is my mom, Gabriella Montez." Troy walked up to her and took her hand. They both felt the sparks when he took her hand and kissed it with his gentle lips on her hand. For the first time in 10 years, she felt the lips she had longed to feel… but it was only on the hand.
She closed her eyes to avoid her tears to fall. "Hi Troy." She opened her eyes and smiled.
"That's Peter." Alex said plainly as he pointed out to Peter who was beside Gabriella.
"Why don't we come in." Gabriella said as she motioned everyone to come in.
All of them went in and settled in the living room. They suddenly fell silent and they all felt uncomfortable. But then Alex broke out the silence.
"So Mom, why didn't you call me earlier?"
"I am so sorry, sweetie. There was an emergency surgery and they just suddenly grabbed me to the O.R." Gabriella explained.
"It's okay. I am really meant to thank you Mom because I got to meet Troy!" Alex stood up and sort of wrestled Troy.
Gabriella just smiled at this and wished that she could just approach Alex's dad in a peaceful way and tell him that she knew that she made a mistake of not telling him. But she couldn't because it would be like making another disaster in her happy and peaceful life. But isn't it like being selfish?
"Alex, it's getting late and you still have school tomorrow. Go and change for bed."
"Can I just show Troy my room?" Alex asked. This made Peter a little jealous that Alex wanted Troy to go to his room and he never wanted anyone in his room except his mom and some friends.
"Sure but be sure to sleep as soon as he comes out, okay?"
"Sure Mom. Thanks a lot." Alex said as he dragged Troy to his room.
As he turned on the lights, he saw a few posters of himself and his team, the Los Angeles Lakers. They walked in the room and Alex showed him around. The room was covered with bright blue wallpaper and pictures of him and his mom hung on the walls. One thing caught his eye the most. He walked towards it and just examined it. He smiled to himself and just shook his head. He never knew she still had it and kept it. Staring at his old jersey in high school which read 'BOLTON 14' brought back old times and the most memorable moments with Gabriella.
"I can see you're staring at your old jersey." Alex said as he walked up to Troy.
"Where'd you get this?" Troy asked, not taking his eyes off of the framed jersey.
"Mom bought it for me. She told me she got it on ." Troy chuckled.
"For how much?"
"She told me she bought it for one million." This made Troy shake his head. "But I know she didn't buy it for one million, I feel like she stole it from you." Alex shrugged.
Flashback
Troy and Gabriella sat inside Troy's room doing homework. As Gabriella got finished with hers, she lied down on Troy's bed and just closed her eyes and just tried to feel everything around her with eyes closed.
"Gabriella?" Troy looked at her as if she was insane.
"Hmm?" She replied, still smiling.
"Are you okay?" Troy asked.
"What?"
"Are you okay?" He repeated.
"Why?" She giggled.
"You're smiling." Troy chuckled.
"Is it bad to smile?" Again, she giggled but even harder and cuter this time, which made Troy smile softly.
"Well, no. But when you're lying down on the bed with eyes closed and smiling, it seems weird." Troy then lied down beside her and closed his eyes.
"Weird is…good. For me, it means that I'm unique if I'm weird." With that, she giggled again.
"You're more than unique. You're extraordinary." Troy opened his eyes and turned around to look at Gabriella. Then he smiled.
Gabriella opened her eyes and turned around to look at Troy. She smiled at him then sat up and said, "But I'm only extraordinary when I'm with you."
With that line, Troy grinned and sat up. He held both of her hands. He gripped them tight for her to feel that he was there. "You know what?"
"What?" She smiled and bit her lip as she looked him in the eyes.
"I believe that we can be extraordinary, weird, insane or unique together…than ordinary, simple or normal apart." By now, Gabriella was already smiling from ear to ear. "I love you, Gabriella." She giggled then suddenly a big smirk surrounded her face.
"If you love me, you should give me your jersey." She stood up and pointed at Troy's framed jersey hanging on his wall. Gabriella have been meaning to ask for it since their Senior year when they changed the basketball uniforms. Troy kept his old jersey and framed it to remind himself where he started and how he valued what he had in East High.
"What?" Gabriella raised her eyebrow and 'vavavoom!' "Ok, ok. You can have it. It's just because I do and will love you forever." Troy grinned as she stuck out her tongue out.
End of Flashback
Troy smiled to himself as he reminisced those days.
"What are you smiling about?" Alex asked as he was about to laugh at Troy.
"Huh? What?"
"You were smiling like a little kid just received a cookie when he is not supposed to eat one."
"Oh… I just remembered something about that jersey." Troy smiled softly.
"Well—"
Alex got cut off by Gabriella who just knocked on the door and opened it a little bit. "Can I come in?"
"Yeah sure, Mom."
She walked towards the two men and she then hugged her son. "Alex, I think it's now time for you to go to bed and for Troy to go home."
"What? But it's not yet—" Alex stopped as he saw that it was almost 12 in the midnight. "Ok, fine. You win this time, Mom."
"Uh huh. I do. A point for me." Gabriella giggled. "Now, you go get ready for bed and say goodbye to Troy."
"Ok." He replied. "Bye Troy. I hope to see you again. You should come and visit anytime you want…in school, home or at mom's work—"
"My work?" Gabriella asked, confused.
"Yeah. 'Cause sometimes, I'm there." Alex explained as Gabriella just responded with a nod.
"Feel free, man."
"Don't worry, maybe sometimes you can come to my practice. Where do you go to school anyway?" Troy asked.
"The school just a block from here. I bet you know what it is." Alex replied.
"Touché." Troy said. "Anyway, as your mom said, I best be going…still got practice tomorrow…and LAPS." He said, emphasizing on 'laps'.
"Oh yeah. Good luck on that one anyway. Bye Troy." Alex smiled and hugged Troy before he and Gabriella walked out of his room.
As they got out, both took a deep breath in and looked at each other. A small awkward silence surrounded the place. The both of them were just standing there and looking around the house, avoiding each other's eyes.
"Uhmm Troy, I think we should go down now." Gabriella said as she walked a bit forward and gestured Troy to follow her down.
"Oh yeah." He replied as they walked downstairs. What now Troy? "So, you actually became a doctor. I am happy for you. Thanks for the help with all the bruises and stuff last time." He smiled.
"That was not a problem. If I didn't get you going at that time, Alex would've been suspicious and he might ask what my relation with you is."
"What's so bad about telling him what we had before, Gabi?" Troy asked.
"First of all, do not call me Gabi because we're still not friends. And second, he would be so excited and he might push me to be with you again and such." Gabriella explained. "And plus, no man, no tears and no worries."
"Harsh much, Montez?" Gabriella glared at him. "O—k. So, where's Alex's dad anyway? That Peter guy outside doesn't really look like his father because of the way he introduced him as 'Peter'." Troy said.
"About Alex's father, THAT I will not discuss. And about Peter, he likes me so he helps me out here at home. I've known him since we moved here and ever since, he's been protecting us. Although nothing really happens much, he's got his eyes around this place." Gabriella explained again.
"How 'bout letting me help you out?" Troy asked.
"Why?"
"I like the kid, ok? I see myself in him. So, let me help." Troy really did like Alex but if he is close to him, then he'd be close to Gabriella.
"N—" Gabriella was about to say no when Troy interrupted.
"It was a statement, so I wasn't asking. No need for you to say no."
"But—"
"No buts or else I'll tell Alex about US before." Troy stared at Gabriella who gulped.
"Fine. Have it your way. BUT! If you cause trouble, you're meat!" Gabriella exclaimed.
"Roger that." Troy smiled as they were headed out to the door. "Someday I'll know them…the stuff that you're keeping from me but right now, I'll respect you." With that, Troy went out and bid his goodbye to Gabriella and to Peter who was just outside the house.
"What was that all about?" Asked Peter, who now walked to close to Gabriella.
"Nothing. You better get going, it's getting late and I gotta hit the bed too."
"Ok, sure. If you need anything just call me up or the station."
"Ok. Thanks for the help, Peter." Gabriella smiled at him as he went to his car.
"Anytime, Gabs." He waved and left the compound.
"Ok, so I offered help and she accepted it. That's a start, right?" Troy passed the ball to Chad who was currently listening to him about last night.
"Yep! A great start actually but Gabi's tougher now and not too soft like before, Troy."
"Well, still, I plan to get her back from any man. But what's really bothering me is that thing about her husband and such so, I really wanna know that part of the story so bad. So that, I won't be able to make a mistake or like do something that might actually bring back his memory." Troy said as he threw a 3 pointer.
"Dude, you're making him sound like he's dead." Chad laughed.
"Oh! So he's not dead. Thanks for the clue, man."
"I really need to keep my mouth shut or else I might spill some beans to you and Gabriella would really get mad." Chad squinted.
"But you know what?" Troy asked.
"What?"
"At least I've crossed out the graveyard in search for her husband…or should I say ex-husband since she's now Montez." And Troy shot another 3.
"Heh. Graveyard." Chad then chuckled.
"Wait a minute." Troy said with an 'AHA!' expression.
"What? What?"
"Isn't Alex's last name Montez?"
"Yeah. So?"
"So… why is it Montez? Why not Alex's father's last name?"
"'Ask her not me." Chad said as they both took a seat on the benches.
"I'm a hundred and ten percent sure she's not gonna answer that." Troy went quiet all of a sudden, then, "Is it because she doesn't like the father? Maybe she's hiding Alex from him? Or could it be a custody thing?"
"Rest your head, man. Getcha head in the game for a while and let's practice. Everybody's here, come on." They got up with in just seconds of sitting down.
"Ughh! I'm tired!" Alex said as he flopped in the couch.
"How was basketball practice, Captain?" Gabriella asked as she was fixing some ham and egg sandwich for snacks.
"As always, I get Troy shot! The signature shot! WOOSH!" exclaimed Alex as he imitated Troy's shot. "Mom, you know what, the Troy shot feels like inborn in me because some of my friends try to do it but they just can't while I can."
"Don't be so boastful, Alex. And copying Troy's signature shot does not mean that it's inborn in you, it just makes you a great basketball player."
"LIKE TROY!"
"Speaking of Troy, he called earlier."
"What did he say?"
Flashback
RING! RING! RING!
"Hello?"
"Hey Gabi!" With that, Gabriella knew who it was that called her.
"Troy, who told you that you can call me Gabi?"
"Uhmm. No one. Anyway, I just called to invite you and Alex for dinner at my place tonight."
"Why?" Gabriella asked.
"Is it bad to ask you guys to eat dinner with me? I'm lonely at home." Troy said and did some 'have pity on me' talk.
"Eat with your butler or maid or whatever."
"You are really a harsh person now, Montez. Unlike before, you like to eat with me plus there was more fun before." Troy said with a husky tone at the last part.
"Eww Troy. That would never happen again and besides I'm on call until midnight. So, I won't be home but it would be great if you could babysit Alex for me." Gabriella said.
"Sure. I'd be happy to. We could do lots of stuff at my place. I've got games and DVDs. I'd do anything to help."
"Yeah, thanks. Don't do anything stupid that he might learn and don't teach him bad stuff."
"Ok, ok. It's not like I'm a bad person. You know me, Gabi. You can trust me." Troy went all sweet talk.
"Thanks, Troy. But don't think that I didn't notice that you called me Gabi again! Sweet talk won't work, Bolton." Gabriella said.
"Ok. Chill, Boss. Anyway, I gotta go. I'll text you when I'll go to your place and pick Alex up. Bye."
"Sure. Bye."
With that they both hung up and Gabriella just sighed and continued making sandwiches for Alex.
End of Flashback
"Well, he's gonna babysit you today. I've got work until midnight but I'll go and pick you up at his place." Gabriella explained.
"YES! Another day to hang out with Troy! Thanks Mom!" Alex jumped up and down and hugged his Gabriella. "Did he say where we're gonna hang out?
"Yeah, you'll be at his place. You'll also have dinner there."
"Oh my god! I gotta bring all my cool stuff so I can show them to him!" Alex ran upstairs but before he went inside his room, he looked back at his mom who was at the living room. "Thank you so much Mom. I love you!"
Alex went inside his room and packed up. This was the first time Alex said 'I love you' to Gabriella again in a long time. She smiled and looked up at Alex's room. I better thank Troy again.
How will a babysit with Troy go?
Ok, so I changed my username to iamynz from zanessa1410 but I'm still the same writer who's gaga over Zanessa/High School Musical/Troyella. Anyway, I'm working on a Christmas special. What do you think?
Xoxo,
Iamynz