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Chapter 9 - Its Not April Fools

As the months went on, Gabriella slowly let go of what might have been with David. She still thought about him but finally came to the conclusion that she didn't love him. She did, however, find herself falling more and more in love with Troy every day. He was with her constantly, always there when she needed a helping hand, shoulder to cry on, or a friend to talk to. Only that was the problem. She was finding that she no longer wanted to be just his friend, she wanted more. But she was afraid that if she told him, he would reject her and their friendship would be ruined. She couldn't risk that.

Meanwhile, Troy was experiencing the same feelings. He loved spending all his time with Brie. He couldn't imagine life without her. And every time a guy even talked to her, he found a way to get her out of it. She gave him suspicious looks sometimes, but he couldn't risk her getting into another relationship, unless that relationship was with him.

When Gabriella was about eight and a half months pregnant, Troy was sent to a conference for music teachers. He was only going to be gone for about five days, but Gabriella knew that she would miss him terribly. She had gotten used to him always being around, almost as if they were a couple.

On the first day of April, Troy's third day of being gone, Gabriella was sitting at home reading when all of a sudden she felt something very wet….her water had broken! She began to get very worried. Troy wasn't here to help her. What was she supposed to do? Troy was four hours away. She couldn't wait that long!

She called Troy.

"Hey, you've reached Troy. Leave me a message." (beep) "Hey Troy, I know you are in that conference but I really need to you to call me NOW!"

She waited a few minutes and finally got a call back from Troy.

"Hey Brie. You missing me bad?" he started laughing

"Troy I really need you to get back here now! My water just broke!"

"Yeah, yeah. Nice April Fool's joke, Brie. Listen, I know you miss me and all. I miss you too. But I will be back in two days. I'll see you then. I really have to go though. The conference is about to start up again. We just had a break. I'll talk to you tonight."

He hung up. Gabriella groaned. Of all days to go into labor! Well I guess I will just drive myself. But as soon as she stood up, a contraction had her doubled over in pain. Now what am I going to do?

Gabriella finally stood up and grabbed her keys. She knew the hospital wasn't far so she drove herself. When she got to the hospital, the nurse asked her if she had anyone with her. She said no and the nurse looked sad for her.

They got her into a room. As soon as she was set up in her room, she grabbed the phone and called her mom. She told her mom that she was in labor and what had gone on with Troy. Her mom called Troy and left him a message to get home now. But like before, when Troy checked his messages after the conference, he laughed at the "joke" Brie and her family were trying to pull on him.

By 3:30 that afternoon, Gabriella was in the delivery room, ready to deliver the baby. After 30 minutes of pushing, she finally gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.

That evening when the conference ended for the day, Troy went back to his hotel room and tried calling Gabriella, but she wasn't answering. Hmmm…that's weird. He left her a voicemail to call him back when she got the chance, but by the time he went to bed that night, she still hadn't called him back.

As Gabriella laid in bed that night, she couldn't help but think that Troy was turning out to be like any other guy she had ever had in her life – seemed dependable until she really needed him. She laid there staring at her daughter, happy that she had at least one person in her life who would love her for who she was. After the nurse came to get the baby to take her to the nursery, Gabriella laid in her bed and cried herself to sleep, feeling more alone that she ever had before.

Over the next couple of days, Troy kept trying to call Gabriella, but she never did answer. He started getting worried that she was mad at him. Sometimes when she was upset with him she wouldn't answer his phone calls. What did I do this time?

When the conference was over, Troy drove straight to Gabriella's apartment. When he knocked on her door, Ms. Montez answered.

Troy smiled at her. "Hey, Ms. Montez. Is Brie home?"

"Yes, she is. But she is asleep right now."

"Oh ok. Well, can I come in and wait until she wakes up?"

"Troy, I don't think that would be a good idea. Gabriella isn't too happy with you right now."

"Why? What did I do? She hasn't been answering any of my phone calls for the past couple of days."

"I don't think it is my place to tell you that. If Gabriella decides to talk to you, I will let her tell you."

"Hey mom, who's at the door?" Gabriella said, coming out of her room.

"Brie! Tell your mom to let me in, please. I really want to talk to you."

Gabriella came to the door and Ms. Montez went back into the apartment. "I don't think that is a good idea. Troy, just go home."

"Brie, please talk to me. It's killing me trying to figure out what I did wrong." Just then he noticed what she looked like for the first time. "You're not pregnant anymore…YOU HAD THE BABY?!"

"Troy, please be quieter. And yes, I did have the baby. I tried to tell you that but you wouldn't listen. I really needed you there, Troy. I should have known that you would leave me by myself, just like everyone else ever has! Why is it that everyone that I have ever let into my heart leads me on until I need them the most, then leave me to deal with the scariest, hardest things in my life?" Gabriella started to cry.

Troy stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her as she cried. "Brie, I'm so sorry. I really didn't know. I thought that it was all a joke. It was April Fool's Day and I know you have a sense of humor so I just thought that you were wanting to pull a joke on me. If I had known it was true, I would have been here as soon as I could have gotten here."

"I just feel so alone, Troy. Why do guys always leave me when I need them most? I finally feel like I can trust a guy, then he decides he can't handle it anymore and he leaves me!"

"You can trust me, Brie. I'm sorry I doubted what you said. It won't happen again, that I can promise you." Gabriella looked up at Troy and could tell he was telling her the truth by the sincerity she saw in his eyes.

"Thank you, Troy. That means a lot to me. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Can I come in so we can talk?" Troy asked.

Gabriella nodded as she moved out of the door to let Troy in. They went and sat on the couch.

Troy looked into Gabriella's eyes and began voicing the thoughts he had been having for the past couple of days. "Brie, I have had a lot of thinking time these past couple of days. I don't want you to feel like you are alone anymore. I want you to know that I am always here for you."

"I know that, Troy, and I am sorry I ever doubted that."

"No, please don't interrupt…I really need to tell you this." Gabriella just nodded to let him know to go on.

"Brie, over these past couple of days, I have realized just how much I miss you when I'm not around you. I miss everything about you. The whole time I was at that conference, all I could think about was getting home so I could see you again. But it hurt when you didn't answer any of my phone calls and I couldn't imagine what I had done to make you not answer or return my calls. Brie, as I have thought about the relationship that you and I have, I have realized that I can't be friends with you anymore. I want more. What I'm trying to say is Brie, I love you. I love you more than anything in this world and I can't be without you anymore. I want to be here for you and your baby. I want to one day be able to come home to you and our own kids. I want…."

Gabriella interrupted Troy by leaning over and kissing him. Troy smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her. Troy deepened the kiss and when the need for air came, they both sat back and looked into each other's eyes.

"I love you, too, Troy. I have for a long time; it just took me a while to figure it out."

Troy was so happy to hear this. He picked Gabriella up from where she was sitting and spun her around, putting her gently back on the ground before kissing her again.

"Can I meet your baby?"

Gabriella nodded and led Troy by the hand back to the nursery. She put her finger over to lips to show Troy to be quiet. She whispered to him. "Troy, this is my daughter, Annabelle Grace."

"She's beautiful…just like her mother." Gabriella smiled, slightly blushing.

"Would you like to hold her?" Troy nodded. Gabriella picked Annabelle up out of her crib and handed her to Troy. Troy sat down in the rocking chair and cuddled her. He sat there just staring at her. How could he love someone so much that he just met? He felt a love for her as if she were his own daughter. He'd never felt anything like that before and it was the best feeling in the world. He looked up at Gabriella who was smiling down at him. These were his girls, and he never wanted it any other way.