A couple months later, Troy tying his tie and looked in the mirror. Today he was going to graduate from college. Gabriella was so proud of her husband. Troy's schedule was difficult for the couple at times, but they got through it. He was pulled out of this thoughts when Logan came into the room.
"Daddy, can you tie this?" Logan asked holding his tie.
"Yeah, come here" Troy said kneeling down to his son's level.
Troy tied Logan's tie and then stood up and looked at his son.
"You look very handsome buddy. Is mommy and Grace ready?" Troy asked.
Logan shrugged.
"Let's go see" Troy said.
The two boys walked out of the bedroom and went into Grace's room and saw Gabriella doing Grace's hair.
"Are you ladies almost ready?" Troy asked.
"In a minute" Gabriella said.
Gabriella finished Grace's hair and smiled at her work.
"Alright, let's go get in the car" Gabriella said.
The two girls walked downstairs and Troy smiled.
"You look so pretty sweetheart" Troy said.
Grace smiled shyly.
"Thank you daddy. Your hat is funny" Grace said looking at Troy's cap on his head.
"Yeah, it's pretty silly right?" Troy said.
Grace nodded. The little family got into the car and started driving to U of A. Troy's parents and Maria were going to meet them there. Once they arrived, Troy went with the other graduates and Gabriella and the kids found their seats and family members. A couple minutes later, the ceremony started and the president of the university started giving out the diplomas.
"Troy Alexander Bolton" the president of the university said.
Both of the families cheered for Troy. The ceremony continued. The president of the university went up to the podium and smiled.
"Every year we choose a student that has excelled not only educationally, but socially among other attributes to speak. This year, we have chosen a young man's story that has not only inspired me, but also his professors and mentors of University of Albuquerque. On behalf of this university, I would like to welcome Troy Bolton" the president of the university said.
Gabriella's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. She looked at their families and saw the same expression. They all turned back to the ceremony. Troy walked onto the stage and shook the president's hand and stood at the podium for a moment.
"Good evening graduating class, professors, parents, and families, when I first came to U of A I knew that my time here would be spent well. I was motivated to succeed and start my career. But that motivation didn't come just from within myself to do well here. It came from my wife, Gabriella and two children, Grace and Logan. When I was seventeen years old, Gabriella found out she was pregnant. As a teenage boy, you could probably imagine my reaction. I made a choice to stand by her and support her through the pregnancy and made a promise that she would never go through this alone. After she gave birth to our first child, she started school at U of A, while I worked at a friend's auto shop helping to make ends meet. Soon after our second child was born, she graduated with honors like I knew that she would and I then started school. Some days are harder than others and there are some days where I want to be a twenty-two-year-old. But when I walk in the front door and see my daughter holding her blanket and a book she wants me to help her read, that is the sole thing that makes me want to do better. It's not about me anymore, it's about wife and my children. They were my motivation to get through school and I honestly will thank them for that for the rest of my life. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2035. We did it!" Troy said.
Gabriella's body was shaking as she cried. She had never heard Troy talk so beautifully in her entire life. Maria and Lucille soothed her and rubbed her back as they too cried. The ceremony ended shortly after and the families went to go find Troy. Gabriella spotted him and Troy saw her. Gabriella ran into her husband's arms and he spun her around. Gabriella cried into his chest as Troy cried himself. She pulled away and leaned in and kissed his lips.
"That was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard you say, Troy" Gabriella said.
"It's the complete truth. You are my motivation, Brie. I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for you" Troy said.
"Daddy, why are you crying?" Grace asked.
Troy lifted Grace onto his hip and kissed her cheek.
"I'm happy, Grace. That's why I'm crying" Troy said.
The families took pictures with Troy and went out to dinner. Later that night, the couple carried their two sleeping children into the house and put them in bed. They then met back in their bedroom. Troy took off his cap and gown. He then loosened his tie and took his shirt off.
"So what are you going to do now, graduate?" Gabriella asked as she snuggled into the sheets.
Troy smiled.
"I have some things in mind. But, they have to wait a year" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled sadly. Troy climbed into bed and Gabriella snuggled into his chest.
"It will go by fast hopefully" Gabriella said.
"Hopefully" Troy said.
The couple went to bed. A couple weeks later, Troy came home from work and smiled when he saw Gabriella carrying Logan and Grace following behind her.
"Hey guys" Troy said.
"Daddy!" Grace said jumping into her father's arms.
"Hey, what did you guys do today?" Troy asked.
"Played. We're going to mama and papa's house" Grace said.
"Oh yeah? That sounds fun" Troy said.
"They are going to spend the weekend with mama and papa" Gabriella said.
"The entire weekend?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded.
"You guys are going to have so much fun" Troy said.
"Say goodbye to daddy" Gabriella said.
Grace kissed Troy's lips sweetly.
"Bye baby. Have fun" Troy said.
Gabriella leaned over so Logan could say goodbye to his father. She and the kids then left the house. A half an hour later, Gabriella walked into the house. Troy was sitting in the living room.
"So why do we have the house all to ourselves this weekend?" Troy asked.
Gabriella smiled and put her keys on the counter.
"Can't I have a romantic weekend with my husband who just graduated from college?" Gabriella asked.
Troy smiled.
"You can. But, it's not a big thing babe. You don't need to-" Troy started but was interrupted by Gabriella's finger being put on his lips.
"It's a big thing, Troy. We worked so hard to get to where we are. We've worked numerous jobs and crazy hours. Now that we graduated, we can start our careers at the same time. It's almost like I didn't get pregnant and Grace and Logan magically appeared" Gabriella said.
"But this doesn't change anything, Brie. It did happen and we deserve to celebrate that but to me, we did everything backwards" Troy said.
"It still needs to be celebrated" Gabriella said.
Troy looked at Gabriella and offered her his lap. Gabriella looked at Troy.
"We can't do anything" Troy said.
"I know. But, we can go out or stay in bed all day. Just as long as we are together. Come on baby" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled and nodded.
"It does sound nice" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled and leaned in and kissed Troy's lips softly. Troy smiled into the kiss and pulled away slowly.
"So adventure lady, what's first on your list?" Troy asked.
"Hmm…" Gabriella said putting a finger to her chin.
Troy shook his head.
"I got it! Let's go" Gabriella said taking Troy's hand and entwining their fingers together.
"Where are we going?" Troy asked as they walked out of the house.
"It wouldn't be your adventure if you knew where we were going" Gabriella said.
The couple got into the car and started driving. Gabriella pulled into the East High parking lot and parked the car.
"East High?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded.
"Come on" Gabriella said.
The couple got out of the car and entwined their fingers instantly. They walked into the school that they once attended.
"Where to?" Troy asked.
Gabriella smiled. She guided Troy to the stairs and they walked up them to the rooftop. Gabriella opened the door and the couple went out to the roof. Troy smiled when he saw the rooftop garden that had given the couple so many memories. Troy wrapped his arm around Gabriella and kissed her lips softly.
"This was our spot and it will always be" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled and nodded.
"This became your thinking place when you were pregnant with Grace" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"My safe haven" Gabriella said.
Troy nodded.
"I love you" Troy said sincerely.
Gabriella smiled.
"I love you too" Gabriella said.
"Where to next?" Troy asked.
Gabriella pulled Troy's hand and the couple went downstairs and went to the gym. The couple walked into the gym and Troy smiled.
"Our first kiss was right here" Gabriella said as they walked onto the basketball court.
"Our almost first kiss. Chad ruined it" Troy said.
Gabriella giggled.
"I remember when mom made dad pull me out of a game and take you to the hospital because you were having pain" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded and wrapped her free arm around Troy's.
"I remember that" Gabriella said.
"I remember getting in a huge fight with you because you came to watch practice and I didn't want you to" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"A lot of stuff happened in here when you were pregnant" Troy said.
"Yeah" Gabriella said.
Troy looked at Gabriella and smiled. Gabriella smiled and leaned in and kissed his lips. Tears ran down Gabriella's cheeks as Troy pulled away.
"No baby. Don't cry" Troy said softly.
"I'm not sad. I am just thinking about how much we went through during that whole time" Gabriella said.
Troy nodded.
"Where's the next stop?" Troy asked.
Gabriella smiled.
"Home" Gabriella said.
"Home? We're done?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded.
"For now" Gabriella said.
"Okay" Troy said.
The couple left East High and drove home. They walked into the house and went into the living room.
"What's next on your list?" Troy asked.
"Nap" Gabriella said.
"What? No. It was starting to be fun" Troy said.
"Maybe after a nap we can continue" Gabriella said.
Troy nodded. Gabriella started walking toward the stairs.
"You coming?" Gabriella asked.
"In a minute. Go on up babe" Troy said.
Once Gabriella was upstairs, Troy went into the kitchen and opened a cabinet and pulled out a box. He had been waiting to give it to Gabriella because he wanted the timing to be right. Troy's T necklace that he had given Gabriella had broken a while ago and he knew that Gabriella was upset when it did. A couple weeks ago, he found one and had their anniversary date engraved on the back. Troy knew that Gabriella would love it and that now would be the perfect time to give it to her. He opened the box and smiled. Troy closed it and walked upstairs to the bedroom. Gabriella had just lied down when Troy walked in.
"I have a surprise for you" Troy said.
"What is it?" Gabriella asked looking at her husband curiously.
Troy handed Gabriella the box and she looked at him skeptically.
"Babe, what is this?" Gabriella asked.
"Open it and see what it is before you ask anything else" Troy said.
Gabriella opened the box and gasped. Tears filled her eyes and she looked up at Troy.
"Troy" Gabriella started.
"When it broke, I knew that you were upset about it. So a couple weeks ago I found another one that was more kid-friendly. I know how much it means to you and to me as well. Do you like it?" Troy asked.
"I love it" Gabriella said.
"Look on the back" Troy said.
Gabriella turned the necklace over and smiled. Tears ran down her cheeks.
"It's beautiful. Thank you baby" Gabriella said as she kissed his lips.
"No problem" Troy said.
"Can you put it on me?" Gabriella asked.
"Yeah" Troy said.
Gabriella held out the necklace and Troy clasped it together and let it hang on her neck. She looked down and brushed her hand over it.
"That was so sweet" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled.
"Since you planned this romantic weekend, I thought I would pull a surprise of my own" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled.
"Thank you baby" Gabriella said.
The rest of the day, the couple relaxed around the house. The next morning, Troy woke up and smiled when he saw Gabriella still sleeping. He kissed her cheek softly and got up and walked downstairs. Troy walked into the kitchen and started making coffee. He looked at the refrigerator that was covered in pictures that Grace and Logan had made the couple and smiled. Troy looked at the side of the refrigerator and smiled when he saw the calendar hanging with black x's on every day until the present. Gabriella had been counting the days until their year of no sex was over. He didn't hear Gabriella come downstairs and jumped when he heard her voice.
"What are you doing?" Gabriella asked.
"Just crossing off another day on your calendar" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled and leaned over and kissed Troy's cheek.
"What are we doing today?" Troy asked.
"I don't know" Gabriella said.
"You, Gabriella Montez-Bolton, planned this whole weekend for the two of us and you ran out of ideas?" Troy asked jokingly.
Gabriella giggled.
"We can go back to bed" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled and leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips softly.
"Good morning" Troy said softly.
"Good morning" Gabriella said.
Troy kissed Gabriella's lips again.
"Troy" Gabriella said softly.
"Shh…" Troy said lovingly.
Troy lifted Gabriella into his arms. Gabriella kissed Troy's lips and pulled back.
"Babe" Gabriella said.
"Trust me, Brie" Troy said.
"Fine" Gabriella said.
Troy carried Gabriella upstairs and shut the door with his foot. The couple couldn't wait until everything could go back to normal.
