The rest evening there went well. Gabriella did a great job tolerating the Bolton family and other family friends who came to talk to her. Unfortunately for her, she was trapped in a conversation and she was in the middle of the circle. All the attention went to her immediately as soon as everyone found out that Gabriella is Troy's girlfriend. When being asked what's in store for the future, Gabriella only answered, "We'll see." It's not promise yet it's not saying no either.

That day, Troy drove Gabriella back to her apartment building.

"Thanks again for doing me this favour," Troy said. "I know it must have been hard being surrounded by people who are complete strangers to you. Glad that you easily tolerated my monster family."

"No problem. Your family is nice," Gabriella said. "Well, I guess this is goodbye then. Good luck telling your parents we're over or that we never even started in the first place."

"Don't sweat. I'll be out of your hair and you can go back to living in your little fantasy world as 'designer'," Troy said while putting inverted commas to designer.

Gabriella scowled, "Well good luck writing nursery rhymes for 2 year olds."

"I thought you liked my nursery rhymes. I distinctly remembered you singing along with the song," Troy fought back.

"I wasn't singing. I was humming. There's a big difference. Of course you wouldn't know because you only have an IQ of a 2 year old," Gabriella said.

Troy glared at Gabriella, "You know, if you weren't a girl, I would totally kick your ass right now but since I'm being really nice, GET OUT OF MY CAR!"

"Whatever! I wouldn't want to be seen in an ugly car anyway," Gabriella said as she got out of the car and slammed the door hardly.

Gabriella went up to her apartment and slammed the door shut in frustration. She couldn't a guy as mean and insensitive as Troy even existed on earth. He is definitely not the person Gabriella will have a good memory with. Period!

"G? Is that you?" Sharpay asked.

Finally a friendly voice. Gabriella sighed, "Yeah."

"How was the Bolton family?"

"They're nice. I just can't stand one nub from their family," Gabriella said.

"Troy's mother?" Sharpay guessed.

"No. Troy himself. He is a jerk! First he says I'm not meant to be a designer and then he says I'm short after the favour I did for him. Can you believe it? This is why I don't date rich jerks like him. They're always insensitive and oblivious to other people's feelings," Gabriella said.

"There, there. It's all better now right? At least now you won't have to see him anymore right?"

"Yeah. You're right. Thank god for that."

What Gabriella didn't know that the Bolton family have completely fallen in love with her just like they thought Troy was. After Troy and Gabriella left, Lucille talked to her husband about Gabriella and how she is the perfect woman for Troy. They have decided that Troy shouldn't waste any more time.

Few days later, Troy's parents called Troy to come to their house again. They were going to tell him the good news while Troy is planning to announce what had happened to Gabriella so everything could go back to normal.

As usual, Inez opened the big mansion doors and Troy greeted her.

"Your parents are at the den. I heard that they have some news to tell you," Inez informed him.

"I have something I have to tell them too. I'll tell you when mom's crying about it," Troy said.

"What's the matter? Did something happen to you?" she asked.

"Kind of. But you have to wait to know. Later," Troy said.

As Troy entered the den, he saw his parents sitting at the two-seated couch upon waiting for his arrival. When his mother saw him, she didn't stand up to hug him like she usually does. Instead, she sat beside her husband.

"Troy, please sit down," his mother said. Troy obeyed her and took the seat in front of the couch. "We have something important we need you to do."

"Well I have something important to tell you," Troy said.

"That will have to wait because this is much more important and it can't wait any longer," Jack said.

Troy grew worried. "Why? What is it?"

"It's about Gabriella," Lucille started and Troy nodded. He already had a bad feeling building up in his stomach. "We think that you should ask her to marry you."

Troy's heart skipped a beat and he sat there frozen. He was trying to believe that his mother didn't really say that but it was hard because it was real.

"Troy? Are you okay hunny?" Lucille asked her son.

"Yeah. I mean no!" Troy stood up. "Why should I propose to Gabriella?"

"Don't you love her?" Jack asked.

Troy didn't know how to answer the question. It was so hard. "Well if you love her, you should be giving her a fantasy wedding then," his dad continued.

"But I haven't been dating her that long," Troy said honestly.

"We know but we think you shouldn't waste your time just dating her. Your time is almost up and if this continues, we will still go on with the arranged marriage," Lucille explained.

"So you're saying if Gabriella and I were to be still dating by the time I'm thirty, you would force me to break up with her to have me married to some stranger?" Troy asked.

"When you put it that way, yes. That's how it works. You should really pay more attention to Grandpa Bolton's stories Troy because you are falling way behind," Jack said.

"But what if she says no? Wouldn't that be embarrassing for me? What if she wants to take it slowly? Some girls prefer the single lifestyle now," Troy said.

"Then make her to want to marry you and if she refuses then we will just have to go through with the arranged marriage. It's as simple as that," his mother said.

"Before I forget, me and your mother already picked out a ring for you," Jack said as he took out a small red box from his pocket and showed it to Troy. "It was your great grandmother's. It was the same ring your great grandfather proposed with. We think that you should have it."

Troy now felt like screaming his head off. Everywhere he went with the conversation; it will always get to be linked back to the same thing. Arranged marriage. Why must his family make his life so complicated?

"So? What do you say?"

---

The next day, Gabriella was back at work and dreading her how her job sucks. She was the photocopy room to make more copies of the same documents she copied last week but apparently, her stupid boss, Mr Andrews lost it and blamed her for not filing it at the right place.

After filing the documents and putting it at his office, Gabriella walked back to her cubicle but Britney, the girl sitting next to her, stopped her.

"There's someone looking for you. He's waiting at your cubicle," Britney said.

Gabriella was confused. Who could have visited her at this hour? Didn't they know she's busy. Yet again, it's good to have reason to have a break. She walked to her cubicle and saw the mystery person waiting at her desk. She couldn't believe her eyes. It was Troy.

"What are you doing here?" Gabriella said a little too loudly causing her workers to look her way.

Troy took a deep breath, "I need to tell you something."

"I don't want to hear it. I thought you're suppose to be out of my hair?"

"This is important and it involves you. Apparently you made my family like you so much that they are asking me to marry you," Troy said.

Gabriella looked at him shockingly. "What?"

"My family expects me to propose to you with the Bolton ring," Troy explained again.

Gabriella laughed a little, "Well that's definitely not going to happen. How are you going to tell them?"

Troy shrugged and got down in one knee, "I guess I have no choice. Gabriella, will you marry me?"

To be continued…


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