Hey All, back for a bit just to clarify Thea is not Gabriella's grandmother when she died
Gabriella's grandfather changed his name left town and married Gabriella's grandmother hope that clarifies some things.
Caution this Chpt. gets a little graphic for younger readers (not really but I know I have some sensitive younger readers out there) read at your own risk
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Troy jogged ahead of Gabriella up the front steps of his home and slipped his key in the door, he turned and cautiously let his eyes wander over Gabriella in a matter of a few hours the new found confidence she had seemed to fade away and she resembled the timid fawn that he first met.
She tried to smile as she walked up the front steps and brushed past him, thoughts whirled in her head and all she really wanted to do was draw a bath, soak and forget her grandfather every existed… Gabriella croaked, "I think I'm just going to go to bed….Thanks"
Troy closed the front door behind them and turned the dead bolt, he wanted to stop her from entering her suite, the surprise he had planned while she was staying in his room wasn't quite ready but he let her go.
Gabriella padded to the door of her suite and pushed it open, she walked in threw her bag on a table and groped the wall for a light switch… Her eyes widened her mother's rooms were gone as she padded down the newly done hardwood floor to the living room the walls were painted with a fresh coat of emerald green paint, Gabriella's thoughts drifted to her conversation with Troy days earlier were he subtle blurted out, "What's your favourite colour?" and she merely shot him a confused look with one raised eyebrow…
Her mother's books still lined the shelves but where now mixed with Art books, jazz/ classical C.D.'s she smiled as she remembered Troy's amused smirk when she begged him to take her to the Met…
As she walked towards her bedroom she saw more and more touches that were simply "her" and she had to grin… It was then she heard at cough at her front door and she turned her head, Troy was leaning against the door jam arms crossed he returned her smile. "I thought you could use a pick me up…" he laughed.
Gabriella didn't she just stared at him, "Troy" she whispered, "Thank- you" Troy's easy grin faded and he returned her gaze with such intensity Gabriella had to gasp. Troy took a step towards her, "You don't always have to thank me…" She took a step towards him, "No one's every done something like this for me…"
Troy stuttered as, "You de-se-rve it" Troy cursed his nerves as Gabriella took another step towards him…
She uttered, "Not just for this for everything…"
Troy forced himself to wait for her to come to him, not wanting to scare her away again… He was about to try and crack a joke to ease the tension when Gabriella walked up to him, he stood straight and gulped as she leaned into him and pressed her lips against his… He closed his eyes and smiled against her lips as she let out an mmmmmm….
Gabriella's thoughts came rushing back as she kissed Troy and she fought to push them away… Her grandfather, her mother, Richard she didn't want to drag Troy into her messed up psyche. She realized that in her stupor the two of them had moved to the couch, she gasped and pushed Troy away from her.
Troy took one look at Gabriella and sighed, "What's wrong"
Gabriella sat back against the couch and quietly answered, "I don't…. I'm not good enough for you…"
Troy turned his head and stared at her dumbfounded then broke into hysterical laughter, "who told you that?"
Gabriella looked down at her hands, "Richard…my….ex- fiancé"
Troy leaned back on the ivory couch next to her, He knew the basics about Richard thanks to Gabriella's mother but he could tell the only way for Gabriella to get past it and move on with him was to talk about it…
Gabriella put her hands over her eyes and began to speak, "He was prefect," she sighed, "Well read, handsome, charming…" everything a girl could have wanted… "My mother pushed us together he was the "respectable" man she approved of so I let my self fall for him." She looked up, "I'm sorry if this bores you…"
Troy tried to smile, "keep going."
"He wanted to be a writer so I agreed to support him while he wrote his first Novel then when he made it big we were going to get married and start a family… I spent 12 hour days at the office but it didn't matter I loved him and would do anything to make him happy…"
She stopped briefly when a tear escaped her eye "I…" she gasped, "I came home one night and couldn't find him …. Curiosity got the best of me so I wandered into his study and flipped through one his notebook…. It was empty, nothing but a bunch of doodles." She watched as Troy's eyebrows went up and she could feel his anger, "that's when I heard noises coming from upstairs and caught him with his mistress…. My cousin Victoria" she looked at Troy who turned his gaze directly in front of him as if trying not to explode… "He told me I wasn't worth his time, that I was no longer attractive and he needed someone exciting"
Troy turned to her, he knew now why her mother asked him to leave the house before Gabriella returned; she chose Richard for Gabriella and she was dead wrong... he had seen the hatred in Gabriella's mother's eyes when they spoke of Richard but he never understood it until now… He realized Gabriella had stopped talking and turned to face her, he softened when he saw the tears falling on her cheeks he slipped a finger under her chin pulling her to him, "Richard was an idiot, you are the most beautiful, funny, exciting chick I've ever met."
Gabriella stared briefly and broke into a smile, "Woman… not Chick,"
Troy grinned, "See what I mean? You're always a challenge"
With that the wall around Gabriella seemed to break down and she let him pull her in to kiss her again… Troy pulled back briefly and wiggled his eyebrows uttering a single word, "Basketballs?"
Gabriella broke into giggles, "Maybe just a game or two…"
She stood and shuffled to the bedroom, letting Troy follow her; she turned at the door and smiled up at him…
Troy could see the fear in her eyes, "are you sure"
Gabriella took a deep breathe and pulled him to her, "I'm sure"
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Imagine what you will……..
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Gabriella woke the next morning as the sun streamed in through her bedroom window, She smiled widely as she pulled her nightgown over her head and sat up, she turned and held in her laughter as she gazed down at Troy, His hair was matted down on one side of his head were as the other side stuck up like a porcupine, a small bead a drool hung off his lip and one of the legs of the dark blue sweatpants he ran and got in the night were pushed up to his knee.
Gabriella leaned over and kissed the top of his head and smirked as he smiled in his sleep, she slid out from under the covers and moved to the window to open the drapes, it was then she notices the bars Troy must have had placed there for protection and the happy, giddiness she felt was again fighting against the fear of the danger she still faced…
She wandered into her bathroom and filled the sink with warm water... as she was about to wash her face the phone rang, she leaned back and saw Troy roll over but neglect the phone… she smiled again and rushed to grab it before it woke him… "Hello?"
A woman's voice answered, "Hello?"
Gabriella sat on the edge of the bed, "Who's speaking please?"
The voice spoke, "Mrs Bolton… Troy's mother, who's this?"
Gabriella coughed, "Oh… Mrs. Bolton I'm sorry this is Gabriella Montez, Troy's roommate…"
Mrs. Bolton spoke, "Oh dear I'm sorry I should have guessed, I was wondering if I could speak to Troy I know he's upstairs if you want to put me on hol…"
Before Gabriella realized what she was saying she said, "Oh no he's actually asleep right here just one moment." She felt like slapping herself she thought why don't you just flash a neon sign that says, "We slept together"
But Mrs. Bolton simply laughed, "Could you wake him up please…"
Gabriella hit the hold button and began to shake Troy, "Wake up Troy you mom's on the phone…"
Troy grumbled, "Is this how it's going to be with you… No sleep?"
Gabriella smiled then muttered, "Your mom",
Troy realizing what she said shot up and grabbed the phone "Hi mom…"
He ran his hand through his hair and waited for his mother's laughter to subside,
"So I take it the roommate troubles are over?"
Troy glanced at Gabriella, "Uh huh"
Mrs. Bolton spoke, "I just wanted to remind you about the family picnic…"
Troy groaned and Mrs. Bolton spoke, "Don't give me that Bolton you promised me months ago…
Troy leaned back against the wall, "I know but, it's a really bad time…"
"If you're talking about Gabriella, bring her with you… from what I've heard it probably time she meets the family…"
He shot another glance at Gabriella, he just got through her wall and he wasn't sure his family was the best way to keep it down…
His mother spoke, "Give the phone to Gabriella…"
Troy's eyebrows shot up, "Mom"
His mother was silent and Troy knowing what that meant turned to Gabriella who was nervously pacing by the window, "She wants to talk to you…"
Gabriella waved the phone away Troy made a face and Gabriella eventually gave up and took the phone, "Hello Mrs. Bolton…"
Troy watched as Gabriella listened silently, "umm hmmm"
He waited as she walked, "right"
She glanced at him and glared, "ok"
"Goodbye"
She hung up the phone, and glared at Troy all the dangers of Montez Fortune suddenly dimmed in the prospect of what she was going to say next, "I guess we're going to a picnic…"
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Alrighty as you can all tell I'm a little rusty, but it will come back… few more chpts to go!