Disclaimer: Plot is not completely my own…but I can't remember whose it is so please do not sue me if it's you
Thanks again for the Reviews…
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The next morning Gabriella rolled out of bed at 7:30 after carefully formulating a plan to embarrass Troy the night before she smiled for the first time in weeks and wandered into her tiny closet…
Soon she emerged in a pair of ripped, paint stained jeans… she smirked at herself in the full length mirror that hung on the wall… She couldn't help remembering a day, when she was about 15… she ran in the house after helping the handyman paint one of the large garage doors on her mother's property to run straight into her mother and her debutant friends, Gabriella still smiled when she thought of her mother's horrified expression. That was the day her mother explained to her the importance of being, "Put together" at all times…
Gabriella glanced at her bathroom but shrugged off the idea of having a shower… she once again pulled her greasy, dark hair into a bun and shuffled to her dresser. Gabriella dug through the drawer and finally pulled out an old cheerleading t-shirt, she grinning at the faded Montez on the back and pulled it over her stained tank-top…
She wiped the sleep goop from her eyes and took one last glance in the mirror… her mother would have fainted right then if she saw her… Gabriella tilted her head and grinned at her reflection she let out a "Perfect" just as a knock came from her front door…
Gabriella flicked off the light and walked to the door pulling it open she felt her heart drop… Troy stood in front of her dressed in polished grey loafers and a tailored, navy suit… his bright red tie sat perfectly on his crisp white shirt and his wavy, dirty blonde hair sat perfectly in place…
"Hi" he grinned, "Ready to go?"
Gabriella glanced down at her wardrobe and immediately had to fight the urge to run back to her room… "I'm a little underdressed…"
Gabriella stiffened as Troy's bright blue eyes examined her from her bun down to her pink polished toes… his gaze came back up to her eyes "You're fine…"
Gabriella rolled her eyes and Troy let out a laugh, "I promise you look great…" He reached out and offered his arm to Gabriella who in turned grabbed her door key and locked her door… she shrugged off Troy's arm and made her way to the front of the house…
Gabriella glanced back and stifled a laugh as Troy hung his head and pretended to pout… Gabriella slipped into her tan, suede boots and followed Troy as he lead the way to the stoop…
Once they left the house Gabriella's fear of the city took hold of her although she made sure she wasn't touching Troy as the walked down the street she walked slightly behind him using him like a human shield… "So…" she mumbled, "Where are we going?"
Troy smirked as he felt her move behind him, "Well I figured before we start your research we should show you some of what the city has to offer"
Gabriella listened quietly as Troy tried to joke with her as they walked, she nervously glanced at a homeless man who openly leered at her… eventually she ran into Troy who had stopped in front of her…
Troy was staring up at a sign in front of store… Gabriella glanced up and gasped when she read the Bloomingdale's sign… she glanced down at her outfit then turned her wide, brown eyes to Troy… "We…" she paused, "Can't go in here"…
Troy stared at her like he didn't know what she was talking about, "Why not…"
Gabriella tugged on her t-shirt… "Look at me…"
Troy shrugged, "And?"
Gabriella realized her plan to embarrass Troy had backfired, unlike her mother, past boyfriends and ex fiancé Richard (an: I'll elaborate on Richard later) Troy did not seem to care how Gabriella presented herself Troy escorted Gabriella into the store like she was dressed in an Oscar worthy gown and not her painting clothes…
As they walked past mannequins Gabriella couldn't help stare at the beautiful clothes… although she had money back home, she never really learned what was fashionable… she always wore her "Uniform" of different colored button down shirts, tweed pencil skirts and sensible shoes… She glanced at a salesgirl who was eyeing her as the salesgirl eyed Julia Roberts in pretty woman… She sighed as she focused enviously on the girl's fashionable bob haircut… Her thoughts drifted to Richard…
Ladies have long hair, it's just the way it's done… she remembered his nasal voice saying…
No wife of mine will have hair anywhere near her shoulders…
Gabriella jumped back to reality when Troy called out from in front of her, "Are you coming or what?"
Gabriella slowly walked up to where Troy stood… her gaze fell on the woman Troy was hugging, he pulled back and gave the woman a kiss on the cheek then he turned to make introductions… "Gabriella this is my good friend Taylor Mckessy"
Gabriella went from her stunning open toed heels up the woman's elegant pantsuit; into her smiling face… she luckily didn't see the woman's disgusted expression seconds before… Taylor reached out and grasped Gabriella's hand, "Nice to meet you"
Gabriella nodded and stuttered out a "Nice to meet you too…"
Troy smiled, "Taylor's going to help us out today…"
Gabriella shot Troy a confused look, "Help us out with what…"
Taylor eyed Gabriella, "Troy thought you'd might like some help trying things on…"
Gabriella was about to speak when Troy took her aside, "I was thinking we might get you some things to help you fit in around her…"
Gabriella opened her mouth to protest but closed it was Troy continued, "You want to make the right impression don't you?"
That was enough to sell Gabriella although Troy meant it as a joke; Richard and her mother drilled into her head the importance of making a good impression for years…
Before Gabriella could change her mind Troy pushed her towards Taylor and the dressing rooms…
They started with casual wear, Gabriella slipped into a pair of dark washed jeans and a white, cable knit sweater… "I can't afford this" she whispered to Taylor…
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Taylor hid her confusion, who was this girl? Troy called her the night before and told her about Gabriella and asked if he could bring her in, but she never imagined this girl… Gabriella unlike Troy's other women fought him on every issue, but yet she physically clung to him like he gave her oxygen…
When Taylor suggested she show Troy her purchases Gabriella asked her, "Why I'm paying for them…"
What Taylor didn't tell her was that she wasn't paying the full price for these items, she had to suppress her laugh when Gabriella ranted that $50 dollars was too much for a Marc Jacobs handbag when in fact it was $500… Troy was of course paying the difference...
Taylor smiled when after picking out the items Gabriella turned to her in the dressing room and embraced her in a hug, "Thank you" she whispered in Taylor's ear…
Taylor smiled again, "Oh honey we're not done yet… I'm sending you down to the salon … I mean that hair…" she motioned to the pile of greasy hair on Gabriella's head…
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Gabriella stepped from the dressing room once again in her paint clothes; she thanked the other salegirls who ran through the store picking items for her and motioned to Troy… He stood from his dark, blue easy chair and padded towards them…
"How'd we do?"
Before Taylor could answer Gabriella snapped, "Fine…" and made her way to the till
Troy shot Taylor a What can you do? Look and followed Gabriella as she wrote out a $500 check… Troy watched as she walked to the elevator and muttered to Taylor, "I'll come back with the rest later…"
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Gabriella once again clung to Troy as they entered the salon it was a far cry from home for Gabriella… suddenly a blond man dressed in pastel purple trousers, a light yellow shirt and a purple fedora came running to the counter, "You…" he pointed to Gabriella… "Must be the famous Gabriella Montez…"
Although Gabriella promised not to laugh that entire day "The famous Gabriella Monte" made her laugh out loud… Troy shot her a look like it was the most mysterious sound he ever heard, she smiled at the man, "I wouldn't say famous but that's me…"
The man grinned back, "Name's Ryan…Taylor called from upstairs and said to expect you…"
Troy nodded; he had a passing acquaintance with Ryan Evans and heard that he was one of the best hairdressers in the business…
Ryan glanced at Gabriella's bun and shuddered, he reached out, took her hand and escorted her back to the salon chairs "Now honey you just let me work my magic and you'll be even more gorgeous then you are now…"
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Troy grinned at that and muttered, "Not possible…" as he flopped onto one of the waiting couches near the front… he reached for a magazine and absentmindedly flipped through the pages, glad that he made a little progress with Gabriella...
He knew when she opened the door to her suite that morning Gabriella was trying to embarrass him by her appearance, the truth was he was more amused then anything else…
He sat patiently as the Taylor and salesgirls had talked Gabriella into more fashionable clothes what Gabriella didn't know however was that Troy pre-approved everything sent into the dressing room for Gabriella to try on, even the undergarments…
He smirked again as he thought of the way she clung to him, At least she's comfortable being close to me, he thought to himself as he waited…
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About 2 hours later Ryan announced to Troy that Gabriella was finished, Troy stood as Ryan called out to Gabriella…
She emerged dressed in her boots from that morning and the dark washed jeans and cable knit sweater she first tried on…
Troy's gaze slide up, her dark bun was now transformed into a mass of shoulder, length curls… its solid color was now broken up with some carmel highlights…
Finally after a quick make-up lesson from Ryan's "Partner" Phillip Gabriella's already stunning eyes were accentuated with a gold shadow, eyeliner, her lashes looked thicker from the mascara and her cheeks and lips were a rosy shade of pink…
Troy gasped, "Wow…"
Gabriella couldn't hide her smile as she did a tiny turn and whispered, "Thanks"
Gabriella paid Ryan and once again snubbed Troy's arm as she followed him up the escalator past the same saleswomen who know rushed to great her…
Gabriella waved to Taylor and followed Troy out the revolving door…
"So" she muttered, "Now what?"
Troy smirked at her feeling bold he said, "We could play Basketball again…"
Gabriella quietly laughed, "Maybe some other time…" she blushed at Troy's suggestion… and Troy sighed, "I'm kind of tired want to join me for dinner at home?"
Although Gabriella was still unsure him she felt slightly less afraid of Troy, she shrugged and said "Sure…" as she continued to follow him…
She caught a glimpse of herself in a store window… she grinned and continued to walk until they reached their street…
Gabriella looked ahead and saw a tiny group of women and men surrounding their door immediately she gripped Troy's arm and resumed her place behind him…
Troy, startled by the fact that she actually touched him looked down at her questioningly, her dark eyes were fixed ahead and Troy followed her gaze
He muttered…"Oh….great…." and continued to walk towards the house…He turned to her and smiled at her fearful expression, "It's ok it's just some of my friends,"
Gabriella's grip tightened and Troy laughed, "They don't bite…"
Gabriella slowly trudged up to the stoop like she was walking the Green Mile…
Troy laughed again at Gabriella's nervous expression, "Guys this is Gabriella…"
Gabriella stared down at her feet and mumbled, "Hi…"
Troy silently groaned to himself as he untied his tie, Great, I was making leeway and now this… Perfect end to a perfect day…
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Might be a bit for I update again, sorry! Hope this longer chpt makes up for it… Reviews always GREATLY APPRECIATED