"Well…" Troy started slowly. He didn't know how to tell it to him. Why was he the one telling Gabriella's father? Shouldn't Gabriella tell him? That way Troy wouldn't end up with a black eye in the morning. Suddenly, Gabriella spoke up.
"I'm pregnant," she blurted. Troy turned to her with his eyes wide opened as if asking her 'what the hell?!' He didn't know she was going to tell about the pregnancy first. Troy played along. He thought that maybe that Gabriella wanted to tell something good first for her dad so when they tell the truth; he won't get so mad. That is good right? What if it goes both ways?
Troy and Gabriella waited for Mr. Montez's response to their news. They got themselves ready for a tantrum that he was going to throw at them. He remained silent for what it seems like years but then he began to speak.
"Was this the reason why you got married in the first place?" Mr. Montez asked.
Gabriella opened her mouth to explain, "Dad –," Mr. Montez then interrupted her.
"It is isn't it? Why didn't you tell me in the first place Gabriella? I did ask you why you were going to get married. Why didn't tell me the truth?" Mr. Montez scolded.
"DAD! CHILL!" Gabriella exclaimed. "We didn't get married because of this but the baby was conceived during our engagement."
"Did you plan this?" Mr. Montez asked.
"Dad-," Gabriella got interrupted again by her father.
"Just answer the question. Did you or did you not plan for this baby?" Mr. Montez asked, strictly.
"No. We didn't. Dad, it's our fault. We weren't being careful," Gabriella said.
"Why weren't you being careful?" Mr. Montez asked.
Gabriella looked down, "Because we were drunk when we did it."
"Drunk? I thought you only drink on occasions Gabriella. Why did you start drinking for no reason? Did Troy pressure you? What did he say to you?" Mr. Montez asked.
"Dad, Troy did not pressure me whatsoever. I was the one who brought home the bottle of wine that day because someone from work gave it to me. I didn't know the wine was strong enough until we had sex," Gabriella explained.
"So you're blaming the wine on this now?" he asked.
"Somehow," Gabriella answered slowly.
Troy took a deep breath, "Mr. Montez, this isn't Gabriella's fault. I was the one who didn't use a condom in the first place," he explained.
"Why didn't you use a condom in the first place Bolton?" Mr. Montez asked. Gabriella rolled her eyes. Whenever he starts calling a person by their last name, it means he's either getting irritated or just really angry.
"We were drunk, dad. We didn't know what we were doing. Why are so hung up on this? We are technically married so we are allowed to do this kind of thing," Gabriella debated.
"What do you by 'technically married'?" Mr. Montez asked.
Gabriella bites her lip. She can't believe she said that. She didn't mean to. It just slipped out. "What do you mean?" Gabriella asked innocently.
"Gabriella, what did that phrase mean?" Mr. Montez asked, frustratingly.
Troy looked over at Gabriella. This dinner was not going well and they haven't even ordered their food yet. Gabriella on the other hand looked helpless. She looked like she didn't know what to say. Troy knew he had to step up and take charge.
"I can answer that," Troy said. "Gabriella and I are married now because…because I made her to get married with me."
After Troy answered Mr. Montez's question, he looked far from relieved or happy at all. Troy could have sworn that his face turn red and he looked like he was going to explode. Troy felt like he was slowly shrinking in his seat as Mr. Montez started to glare at him.
"You married my daughter because you made her?" Mr. Montez repeated Troy's answer.
"Yes but there is more to that story," Troy explained. "You see, Gabriella and I stumbled to each other at this place, I'm sure Gabriella told you about. Anyways, before we met, my parents are forcing me to find a person to get married or I'll get arranged in an arranged marriage which I do not like at all. So one day when my parents mentioned the whole marriage thing, I panicked and said I have a girlfriend which in reality, I don't but they bought it anyways and they wanted to meet her. I didn't know any girl at the moment to become my pretend girlfriend but then Gabriella came along and she dropped her book in the café we met at and when she came back to retrieve back the book, I told her that she'll have to do me a favor if she wants get her sketchbook back-" Troy got interrupted by Mr. Montez.
"So you blackmail my daughter into this?" Mr. Montez said; his voice starting raise.
"Yes but not exactly. I told her that after meeting my parents, she'll won't have to see me again and she did but then a week later, my parents told me that they liked Gabriella a lot and that I should be married to her and so…here we are," Troy said.
"And when you found out about the engagement, Gabriella wanted to tell you the truth but I told her not to because I'm afraid that-," Troy got cut off by Mr. Montez again.
"That I would tell the truth to your parents?" Mr. Montez asked.
Troy nodded, "So this is my fault. Gabriella did nothing wrong. I was the one who got her into this mess so if you're willing to blame anyone, blame me and if you're willing to sue, I suggest you not to use my family's law firm."
Gabriella rolled her eyes. This is not going well at all and Troy is willing to act like an angel. She looked at her father and noticed that he is starting to calm down.
"Well…that seems to be a lot of information to fit in just one minute," Mr. Montez started. "Well I can't pretend to be supportive at this because you used my daughter for your own gain."
"I don't blame you," Troy said.
"Dad? What are thinking?" Gabriella asked.
"To be honest I don't know what to think right now," Mr. Montez answered. "Well, if you two are going to keep up with this charade, I have a few conditions for you. One, since I do not like this whole marriage thing, I am giving you two until the birth of this baby to tell Troy's parents the truth. Two, you two will have to get use to each other for a long time for the sake of your baby. I don't know the true feelings you have for one another, and I don't think I want to know, but you two will have to work out whatever it is to make this marriage work for you and your family. If you failed to do so, I will have no choice but to take the baby away from your hands. Got it?"
Troy and Gabriella got scared when Mr. Montez mentioned about taking away their baby. Although the whole baby thing wasn't even planned, they didn't want anyone to take their baby away. Troy thought Mr. Montez was right. They have to work the marriage out. Not because he loves Gabriella but because of their baby too.
"Yes," Troy and Gabriella answered in unison.
"So can we start to order now?" Gabriella asked.
"Before that, Gabriella, you are quitting your job at the restaurant," Mr. Montez told her.
"What? How do you know about my job at the restaurant?" Gabriella asked.
"How did you think you got the job so easily in the first place?" Mr. Montez smirked.
Gabriella couldn't believe it. She didn't get the job because she was qualified and lucky; she got the job because her father had managed to pull some strings without finding out whatsoever. It was genius but at the same time not good at all. This means she isn't capable of getting a job on her own at all. Is she going to live like this forever? Having her father taking care of all her problems? What kind of life lesson will that teach her future child? You're not completely independent when you have you family?
"Why are you being so pissed about? You don't expect yourself waiting tables with a big belly do you?" Mr. Montez added.
"Thank you! That's what I told her this afternoon and she didn't want to listen to me. And because of that, my mother is moving in to convince her to quit her job at the restaurant. She kept giving reasons that she wants to make her own money and such," Troy said.
"Why does she need to make her own money for? She's married to you isn't she?" Mr. Montez pointed out.
"I told her that too but she won't listen," Troy added.
"She's always been stubborn," Mr. Montez pointed out.
"Hello?! I'm right here! If you're going to talk about me, do it behind my back, that way it won't hurt," Gabriella said.
Gabriella couldn't believe it. She wasn't sure if she was surprised because her father started saying 'pissed' or that in less that fifteen minutes, Troy and her father had managed to get along. She wasn't sure if she should be glad or not. As they started to talk more about Gabriella's flaws, Gabriella knows it is going to be a very long night.
That night they went home, Troy and Gabriella just got out of the lift.
"You're dad's really cool you know," Troy stated.
"I would have thought you two you going to hit it off when you started to make fun of me," Gabriella said sarcastically.
"We weren't making fun of you. We were just exchanging stories about you," Troy replied.
"Well your 'stories' made me feel embarrassed," Gabriella said.
"Why are so mad about? Now that your dad knows, isn't it like 'lifting a weight from you shoulders'," Troy said, mimicking what Gabriella told him in a girl's voice.
"Let's just say 'the weight isn't lifted'," Gabriella said in a deep voice.
Troy rolled his eyes and then opened the apartment room door. He realised that the door isn't locked at all.
"What's the matter? Thought about more jokes about me that you want to tell my dad?" Gabriella asked.
"The door isn't locked," Troy said.
"What? Are you sure? I thought you locked it when we went out?" Gabriella said.
"I did. Maybe someone broke into our room. Maybe it's a robber and judging by sound of the footsteps, he is still in there," Troy said.
"What are we going to do? What if he has a gun or worse, a knife?!" Gabriella panicked.
"Relax. You keep yourself hidden and-," before Troy could finish telling his plan, someone opened the door which caused Troy and Gabriella to scream loudly. While screaming, Gabriella closed her eyes and Troy quickly grabbed Gabriella to protect her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," the person said.
Troy opened his eyes, "Mom? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I'm staying here with you remember?" Mrs. Bolton said.
"I know that you're staying with us but I didn't know you were going to start to stay starting now mom and you totally caught us off guard. Could you give us a notice next time? You almost gave us a heart attack," Troy said.
"I'm sorry Troy. I'm just so excited to be staying here with you that I wanted it to be a surprise. I thought you were at home tonight that's why I came here. A manager saw me knocking on your door so he decided to let me in," Mrs. Bolton explained.
"Why would he do that? That's not responsible and that's coming from me," Gabriella said.
"I'm sorry. But look at it this way, now we can get started on your collection that's going to be a hit! I understand that you still kept your job at the restaurant-," Mrs. Bolton got cut off by Gabriella.
"Actually Mrs Bolton, apparently, I quit my job so it looks like I'm free to get started on my own," Gabriella said.
"Yeah, and because of this, I guess there's no need for you to stay here with us now that Gabriella has quitted her job right?" Troy inquired.
"Nonsense. I'll be staying here until I see a baby bump," Mrs. Bolton said.
"But that will take a month or so," Gabriella said slowly.
Mrs. Bolton smiled widely, "I know! Isn't this great. Plus, it'll give us time to get to know each other more."
"But mom, don't you have a husband to go home to?" Troy asked.
"Your father and brother are out of the state for the meantime to help to solve a case. But don't worry, he'll call once in a while when he's not stress," Mrs. Bolton said.
Troy and Gabriella smiled weakly. "Well don't just stand there, show me your guest room," Mrs. Bolton said.
The nightmare begins…..now.
So how was this? Awesome? No good? Good?
PLEASE REVIEW
P.S My midterms are coming and I want to cut back on computer for a while so I might be posting any chapters anytime soon. But most likely I will be posting the next one either this week or next week or even the week after that. Thank you!
