Chapter 2: Apologizes and Tacos
"Thank you, New York!" She yells into the microphone, then quickly runs off the large stage.
It's been days since that fight with Troy, and he's been completely avoiding her. She marches into her dressing room angrily. Who the hell does he get off acting like she stole his freaking blankie, or some other childish possession? Gabriella slams down the microphone on her dresser and throws a pillow across the room.
There's a soft knocking on the door, before it opens slowly.
"Uh-Jordan?"
Gabriella turns around angrily and yells, "WHAT?!"
The young assistant swallows nervously and says, "Y-y-your plane leaves in about half an hour."
Gabriella—AKA Jordan—sighs and says softly, "I'm sorry, Kate. Thank you."
Kate just nods and closes the door softly. Gabriella sighs again and plops down on her pink sofa. Tears spring in Gabriella's eyes, she doesn't like fighting with people she loves, especially Troy. She closes her eyes and lets her tears run down her face. Her cell phone begins ringing, his tone. It's not any ringtone either. It's a recording of his voice.
"Gabriella Anne Montez! You better pick up the phone. It's your best friend.. Troy!" Gabriella's phone rang.
Despite being sad and angry, Gabriella lets out a laugh. She reaches towards her phone and presses the answer button.
Before she can say anything he starts talking.
"Brie! I'm sorry! I was an ass. You don't always have to talk to me about stuff, especially if it's that time of.. errr… month. I just wanted to say I'm sorry and I miss talking to you."
Gabriella giggles into the phone; she loves it when he rambles.
"Troy." She says, but knows he'll keep going.
"What I'm trying to say is that I completely understand if you never—"
"TROY!" She yells into the phone.
Silence.
"Brie?"
Gabriella giggles and says, "I'm sorry too.. and not that it's any of your business, but it's not that time of the month."
Troy groans on the other side of the phone, "Was that necessary?"
"Definitely. So.. What's up?" She asks, knowing they're okay.
That's one of the things she loves about their friendship. After a fight, whether it be small or huge, they always get back into the swing of things. Talking for hours about nothing. She feels a small smile creep up on her face.
"Oh nothing. Just bored to death. Sharpay—"
..and here it comes. She mentally groans. Why is it that they always end up talking about his selfish, obnoxious, bitchy girlfriend just when they make up? She doesn't understand what he sees in her anyway. Gabriella hides her discomfort, as she always does, and makes conversation with Troy.
--
"So, why'd you have to miss Chemistry, again? We had that major test." Troy asks, innocent, of course.
Gabriella smiles softly to herself, remembering her lie she told him before their fight, "I told you Troy. My uncle's sick and my mom didn't want me to be home by myself. Besides, I'll make it up. It's no biggie."
Troy snorts into the phone, "I don't believe it," Gabriella's heart stops for a moment, but then he continues, "your mom won't let you stay home and we're seniors! I mean, what's she gonna do when you go off to college and have to live in a dorm?"
Gabriella sighs into the phone; she really doesn't want to have this conversation at ten-thirty at night.
"I don't know, Troy." She lies, hoping he'll get the hint and leave the topic alone.
Truth be told, she doesn't plan on going to college. Even her mother says it'd be a waste of time and that she should continue singing.
"Anywho."
"Did you just say—"
"Shut up, Gabi." He laughs.
She laughs, too. She pretends she's not momentarily stunned by how adorable his laughter is. Troy sighs, and she knows he has a lot on his mind. Maybe she should have paid attention to the intriguing Sharpay topic. She quickly wonders to herself if anything happened between the East High power couple, but then she dismisses the thought, knowing it's next to impossible.
"Troy," Gabriella says carefully, not wanting to step into dangerous territory, "did something happen with—"
Of course, luck is not on her side. Kate opens the door to the dressing room and says, "It's time to leave.", interrupting Gabriella's sentence. Gabriella sighs and says, "Thanks, Kate. Be right there."
"Who's kate?"
"My cousin."
He sighs and replies, "Oh, okay. Promise me you'll text me when you get to the airport, then again when you get home, okay?"
Troy's massively over-protective. It makes her love him that much more.
"Troy." She sighs, but says, "Okay."
"Have a safe flight, Gabs."
Her breath quickens and she knows she has to get off the phone before she says she loves him.
"I will. Bye Troy!" She says quickly, then hangs up.
Gabriella sighs and then shakes her head. When will she learn that Troy Bolton will never, ever say he loves her the way she loves him. Sighing once more, Gabriella gets off the couch with a heavy heart.
--
One week later
Tuesday night
Troy's bedroom
9:30 p.m.
You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset
She's going off about something that you said
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do
"No, baby! I didn't say that…. Okay, maybe I did, but I didn't mean it." Troy begs.
Gabriella rolls her eyes.
He's still on the phone with the devil, aka Sharpay. Ever since Gabriella arrived at his house for their annual hang out slash pretend to study night over an hour ago, Troy has been on the phone with his nagging girlfriend.
Gabriella looks at Troy's digital clock. She groans, not even bothering to be quiet when Troy gives her the look to 'shut-the-hell-up-or-I'll-make-you'. She rolls her eyes and puts in her headphones to her itouch and presses play. She doesn't care what song it is, as long as it doesn't have anything to do with Troy and his girlfriend.
I'm in the room; it's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do
The only reason he's still on the phone with Sharpay is… well, actually she doesn't know the reason he keeps apologizing over and over. If she knew what they were talking about, maybe she would have found it funny.
It's probably just cause she's been in love with him since ninth grade, but.. who knows?
"I love you, why would i-" troy begins again.
Gabriella sighs, knowing it's going to be a long night. She tries to concentrate on the history worksheet laid out in front of her, but that's next impossible. Hearing Troy declare his love for Sharpay made her heart nearly break. Scratch that. The words tore Gabriella Montez apart.
Gabriella's crying, Troy knows that much. It doesn't matter that she's laying on his floor, facing away from him. Although, he doesn't have any clue what it's about. He begins to wonder all the possibilities, when a sharp, snobby voice interrupts his thoughts.
"Troy! Are you even listening to me? I guess you don't love me! Humph. I'm tired of this crap, Troy. Do you love me or do you love that freak?"
Troy winces at the sound of her voice.
"Sorry, baby. Of course I love you! I was.." wondering why Gabriella's so upset? Thinking about how Gabriella's voice never, ever makes him physically wince at the sound of it?
"What, Troy? What exactly are you doing?" Sharpay yells.
"Studying! I have a big test tomorrow." It wasn't technically a lie. They had their history books open.
Sharpay sighs into the phone, "Fine. Whatever. You better tell Gabriella tomorrow about the.. conditions, or we're over."
"Okay, Shar. I promise. Look, I really need to study for history."
"Fine, Troy. Whatever."
She hangs up the phone before he can even say he loves her. Troy sighs and looks at Gabriella.
"Hey, you wanna go grab some tacos?"
Gabriella bursts out laughing at his random question. She quickly wipes her tears away, and then turns to face him.
"Tacos, Troy?" She giggles.
Troy rolls his eyes and shoves his hands into his blue jean pockets.
"Yeah, I'm starving!" He exclaims dramatically, causing Gabriella to giggle once again.
"Okay, whatever you say, Wildcat. To Taco Bell!" She says, trying to hide her laughter as she grabs her purse.
Troy rolls his eyes again and pulls Gabriella off the ground. He ignores the spark that ignites when he touches her hands and immediately lets go when she's standing up. Gabriella starts humming a tune that she's had in her head for the past few hours.
"What're you humming? It's catchy." Troy says as he opens the passenger door of his ancient truck.
Gabriella shrugs her shoulders and pulls a small notebook out of her purse. Hoping she won't forget the tune, Gabriella starts writing lyrics. She smiles to herself as Troy gets in the truck.
"Are you laughing at poor Bessie?" Troy asks suspiciously.
Gabriella's eyes widen at the mention of Troy's truck. She starts laughing hysterically and replies, "I forgot that you named a inanimate object."
Troy starts up the engine and glares at her playfully, "You know, you could just walk to Taco Bell.. I mean it's only about six miles from here."
Gabriella continues to laugh as Troy pulls out of his driveway and onto the street.
"Bessie, Troy? What the crap?" Gabriella giggles.
Troy looks solemn for a minute, "That was my grandmother's name, Gabriella."
Gabriella freezes for a minute in her laughter, but then she thinks about it.
"Liar! Her name was Marie!" Gabriella exclaims.
Troy smiles, "I forget that you know me all too well, Montez. I should get more friends."
Gabriella playfully pushes him and quickly puts her notebook in her purse. It's quiet for a few minutes then she starts giggling again. Troy groans.
"You're not going to let this go, are you?" he asks, already knowing the dreadful answer.
Gabriella doesn't speak; she just shakes her head and continues giggling as they make their way to Taco Bell.
AN: soo… review :] pleasee.. for Bessie.. haha.