Alrighty over 100 Reviews woo-hoo!, Thanks guys much appreciated…Sorry about he BIG break before this chpt. it was just really hard to write (if it seems really choppy I apologize) I was thinking of putting a timeline of events before the next chpt just to clarify some stuff… do you guys want one or not? Let me know…Thanks again for stickin with me and Enjoy
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Before she really realized what had happened, Gabriella was snuggled deep into the couch waiting for Troy to come back up the stairs… After she kissed him, Troy seemed to be in a great hurry to usher his friends out of the house…
She closed her eyes and thought to herself, What did I just do?... If Troy and I get involved our friendship will be over that's what happened with Richard. At that same time a second voice tugged at her, But do you really want to be "Just friends?" It was at that moment that Troy padded back into the room… Gabriella had to smile at the goofy grin that was spread across his face as he padded towards her carrying a mug of something steaming…he sat slowly and slid a chipped, light blue, mug in front of her…
Gabriella turned her gaze to him, questioning him with her eyes…
"For your throat…" he nodded at the mug of honey-tea.
Gabriella sat up and lifted the mug to her lips… she could feel Troy's gaze on her as she took a sip…
She gulped down the tea, and then turned to meet his gaze, she smiled and shrugged….
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Troy's mind was racing, don't push her Bolton… She's been through a lot the last few days… but at that moment Gabriella licked the tea from her lip and all Troy could think was… I want to kiss her again.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Gabriella was sitting forward and Troy stayed leaning against the back of the couch when Gabriella heard him let out a sigh, she turned to glance at him as he stretched his arms above his head… after a minute of awkward silence Troy asked, "So?"
Gabriella mouthed, "So what?"
Troy shrugged, "are we gonna talk about it?"
Gabriella blushed and croaked, "About what?"
Troy smirked, "you know about what"
Gabriella sighed and leaned against the back of the couch next to him, she touched her throat… still sore from croaking she glanced to Troy's left and noticed her chalkboard… she pointed to it, and motioned for Troy to give it to her…
Troy glanced in the direction she was pointing and played dumb, "what?"
Gabriella glared, causing Troy's smirk to spread…as she pointed with more force…
Troy shrugged, "I don't know what you want"
Gabriella sighed and leaned over him, very aware of him she quickly grasped the board and returned to her seat…
She wrote… I was caught up in the moment….
She passed the board to Troy whose smirk melted to a scowl as he read it, "Sure" he grumbled…
She took the board back and wrote… I was… under the last statement…
The intimate feeling lost Troy stood and walked towards his room, "I'm kind of tired… I think I'll change and take a nap…Ok?"
Gabriella frowned, Troy was too much of player, (or so she heard from Taylor) to take rejection this badly…Gabriella mouthed "ok" and Troy shuffled into his room…
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Gabriella waited on the couch while Troy changed, I was right one kiss and our friendship is gone… Troy opened the door to his room, dressed in his sweats and shirtless he waited while Gabriella gathered her things and moved towards his room… she paused briefly next to him and turned to gaze into his blue eyes… "Night" she whispered…
Troy looked down at her almost sadly and said, "Goodnight Gabriella"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
After a restless sleep Gabriella's eyes opened as she sun spilled through Troy's window… she turned her head to glance at his large blue digital numbers…5:30 seemed to be mocking her as she groaned…
She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes…Troy wouldn't be up for hours so she rolled and grabbed Troy's small TV remote from where she dropped it on the floor the night before… she turned it on quietly, and flipped through the channels stopping on an early morning talk show… A woman with abnormally solid red hair was beaming into the camera…
"This is Vanessa O'Neil, and I'm standing outside the remains of The Wild Tonic, Nightclub… former hangout for the infamous Juan Quartet…"
Gabriella pushed the covers off her body and clawed toward the screen push the volume button as she moved…
"The club has recently been purchased by a descendant of Louise Germaine, former owner of the club and rumored close friend of Hot Hands Juan…"
Gabriella glanced at the door leaded to Troy, Wake up…she tired to send him a silent message….
The woman on screen continued, "Renovations are do to start one week from today, with a Grand Open scheduled 1 month from now."
Gabriella flicked off the screen and winced as her feet hit the cold floor, there was one thought rushing through her head, we have to talk to whoever bought that club.
She rushed into Troy's living room, stopping in front of him she leaned down and croaked out a "Tro-oy"
She sighed when there was no response but heavy breathing, "Tro-oy" She tried again.
She reached from his shoulders and turned him towards her, shaking him gently at first… then more aggressively as her frustration grew… it was only after a min or two that she realized he was awake, and was trying hard not to laugh…
She scowled and released him, sitting back on her heels he turned to her, and she felt a blush creep up her face when the blanket slipped down his bare waist…
She looked away and croaked out, "I- fo-und" she gulped, "an-other contact…"
She paused, "for the Mon-tez quartet…"
Troy sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes… "That's why you woke me up?"
Gabriella nodded forcefully and Troy sighed, "I'm guessing you wanna go find this person?"
Gabriella nodded again, and Troy flung his blanket on the couch, "Fine but I call the shower…"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Before she knew it Gabriella was padding into the bathroom as Troy finished brushing his teeth… she glanced at him and blushed again as her gaze lingered to long on the towel covering him…
She jumped when Troy spoke, "Keep looking at me like that… and I promise you I'll make us both late…"
He turned to her so that Gabriella would have to press against his chest to get to her things… as she did she closed her eyes to avoid his gaze… when she opened them he stared down at her face, a smile pulled up the side of his mouth...Gabriella sucked in her breath and he spoke, breaking the tension…
"I'll let you get dressed…"
Troy picked up his clothes and padded out of the bathroom…
Gabriella closed the door behind him leaning with her back against it she finally let out a breath.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Hours passed and Gabriella found herself, once again in the back of a cab with Troy… Their game-plan was to stop by the Wild Tonic, and see if they could find the new owner… if that didn't work they'd stop by the station that played the Wild Tonic story and try to speak with Vanessa O'Neill.
The cab slowed in front of a dilapidated old building, Gabriella stepped out of the car and took Troy's hand as she stepped onto the curb and stared up at the burned out sign…
Troy smiled supportively and tightened his grip on her hand, "Ready?"
Gabriella thought No but nodded yes… and she and Troy made their way carefully into the club...
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Workmen filled the place… some eating, some smoking, some pounding on various nails or cutting boards…
Troy guided her through the rubble and Gabriella tried to ignore the stares and catcalls from the workmen…
Troy seemed to be leading her to the bar area and Gabriella quickly saw why; There was a woman who had an heir of authority about her, unlike the workmen she was dressed in a simple grey suit, and sensible matching flats, her dark red hair was coiled in a bun… Troy tapped her and the woman turned to them…
Troy grasped her hand, "Hello, I'm Troy Bolton…"
He turned to Gabriella who nodded, "This is Gabriella Montez"
Gabriella noticed a slight lift in the woman's eyebrows… Probably at my name… she thought.
The woman quickly composed herself and Troy continued, "We're actually looking for the owner…"
The woman smiled, "That's me…I'm Sophie Germaine…"
Gabriella's eyes widened, Troy continued to speak for her, "Ms. Germaine, this is Hot Hands Juan's Granddaughter…"
Sophie's eyes trailed over Gabriella, "I figured something like this was going to happen…"
Gabriella shot her a confused look… and Sophie shook her head, "I'm sorry… I just figured that once I reopened my Grandmother's club there'd be questions, I just didn't think it would happen so soon…"
Gabriella tugged on Troy's arm, "What do you mean?"
Sophie shrugged, "You want to know what happened the night Hot Hands and his money disappeared right?"
Troy shot Gabriella look, but the shock that took over her body distracted her…
Troy turned back to Sophie, amazed that this woman may have the answers they were looking for, "Right…"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Another Chappie in the can… soon all will be revealed… and I promise soon to get Troy and Gabbie together… Thanks again for all the input and support .