I planned on having this chapter out like 2 days ago but it didn't happen. I suck at life. Lol.
Way too tired right now to send out individual shout outs, so thank you to each and every one of you who took the time to review the last chapter, and anyone who has reviewed at all along the way – whether it be one chapter or all 34 of them, I appreciate every single word of encouragement and constructive criticism.
Here is chapter 35, I hope you all enjoy.
P.S I do have to thank Jessie – my chapter-checker for this one, my prom fashion advisor and favourites-list-culler, and my own personal cheer squad. And I have to say HI to Cara – glad you have joined! And to Em – hope Shakespeare isn't wearing you down girl – look after yourself!
On with the show...
Chapter 35
Taylor and Gabriella laughed as they hugged each tight, shivering with excitement.
"I still can't believe this day is actually here, and that we get to do this together!" Taylor exclaimed.
"I know!" Gabriella grinned. "I'm just...I'm so happy at the moment I feel like I could burst!"
"Me too!" Taylor agreed. "I'm so excited that you are feeling well enough to enjoy the whole Prom-Hype!"
Gabriella laughed. "I never would have picked you as the Prom type, Tay! I would have thought that was more Shar's domain," she teased.
"Well, it's our last year of school, they last time we get to all be together like this, so...I'm going to let my hair down and enjoy it all while it lasts. If there is one thing I've learnt from your cancer it's that life is there to be lived and you have to take each second like it is your last – squeeze every drop of fun out of life, y'know."
Gabriella nodded. "Exactly. Now – shall we?" she extended her arm which Taylor looped through her own as they headed towards the stairs.
"You pair ready?" Maria Montez asked as they reached the living room.
"We sure are," Gabriella replied, picking up her bag.
"Ok, let's get this show on the road!" Jayda McKessie smiled, leading the small group out the front door and over to her dark blue CR-V.
East High Senior Prom was just a week away, and Taylor had vowed she would not shop for a prom dress until Gabriella was well enough to join her. She didn't care how fine she was cutting it to find a dress – she was going with Gabi and that was that.
Gabriella had finally been given the all clear to be out in a public place that morning after some blood tests, and had wasted no time in calling Taylor and organising a shopping trip for the pair and their mothers.
The car trip was filled with laughter, purposely off-key singing – very loudly – and lots of gossip. When they arrived at the mall, all four women headed towards the first formal wear store – two chattering excitedly, and the other two following close behind.
"Ok girls, go for your life – pick out a few you like and try them on. Maria and I will be your fashion critics," Jayda laughed.
Taylor soon had a collection of dresses hanging over her change room door ready for her try on, but Gabriella wasn't having the same luck.
"Mom, none of these will look good on me – I'm too...skeletal," she frowned.
"Oh honey," Maria sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You are beautiful. We will find the perfect dress for you, I promise."
Gabriella rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "I hope so," she said quietly. Maria kissed the top of her daughter's head.
"I know so," she replied.
Gabriella looked up at her and smiled. "So I guess I should start trying some on, right?"
Maria kissed her on the forehead. "Go on - knock us dead."
Half an hour later, though, it seemed Gabriella was right – Taylor looked stunning in almost every single dress she tried on, but finding something to fit Gabriella's shapeless, bony figure was proving harder than they had anticipated. Shop after shop had failed them, and Gabriella was starting to despair.
Taylor had found the dress in the second shop they had visited, but every dress Gabriella had tried had hung off her. The hardest thing for her to deal with was the fact that she knew if she wasn't sick, they would have looked perfect. As they walked into the very last formal wear shop in the mall, Maria, Jayda and Taylor began combing the racks of dresses, determined to find something for Gabriella to wear.
"It doesn't matter," Gabriella said softly. "I don't have to go to prom. I don't mind."
"Gabi!" Taylor exclaimed. "There is no way you are missing prom! We will find you the perfect dress, even if I have to make it myse..." she trailed off as her eyes landed on a dress hanging on the plastic model in the back of the shop. She grabbed Gabriella by the hand and pulled her towards it, calling out to their mother's at the same time.
Within minutes, the sales assistant had the dress ready for Gabriella to try on, and Taylor, Jayda and Maria held their breath as the change room door clicked open and Gabriella emerged.
"So...what do you think?" Gabriella bit her lip.
Taylor let out a breath and squealed excitedly. Jayda grinned. Maria's eyes filled with emotional-mom-tears.
"Gabi...it's perfect," she breathed. "Honey, you look beautiful..."
HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM
Sara Beth is scared to death
Cause the doctor just told her the news
Between the red cells and white
Something's not right
But we're gonna take care of you.
Six chances in ten it won't come back again
With the therapy were gonna try
It's just been approved
It's the strongest there is
I think we caught it in time.
Sara Beth closes her eyes...
"Troy, no!" Gabriella laughed.
"Pleeeeease?" Troy begged.
Gabriella switched the phone to the other ear as she blew gently on her toenail polish. "No Troy!"
"Just a quick peek?"
"Troy..."
"Okaaaay," Troy sighed. "I will be there at about 5.30pm then. Mom and Dad are coming to take pictures at your place and then the rest of the gang will be at yours some time before 6 – the limo will pick us up from there."
"Kay," Gabriella grinned to herself as she screwed the cap back on the nail polish, and wiggled her toes. "I'll see you tonight."
"I'll be the hunk in the tux," Troy teased. "Love you."
"I love you too. Bye Troy."
Gabriella dropped her phone onto the bed beside her and fell back onto her pillows with a happy sigh, shaking her head at Troy's persistence in trying to see her prom dress before the actual prom.
Prom.
She still couldn't believe her senior year was almost over.
She couldn't believe that – for the most part – she had been too sick to be in school, enjoying the last year with her friends.
She couldn't believe she had managed to keep her grades up – even though it came as no surprise to everyone else.
But most of all she couldn't believe that – after everything she had been through – she had made it to prom and was well enough to attend.
Gabriella was pulled from her thoughts as she heard her mother coming up the stairs.
"Gabi?" she called, rounding the corner into Gabriella's bedroom.
"Yes Mom?"
"Lunch is ready – come downstairs and have a bite to eat before we start getting you ready."
Gabriella followed her mother down the stairs and into the kitchen. Since finishing chemo, Gabriella's appetite had been slowly returning, and – although she was not yet at an ideal weight, far from it in fact – things were improving with her eating habits. Her nasal gastric tube had become blocked and had to be pulled two days earlier, but – after much begging on Gabriella's part - Dr Zamitt had agreed to leave it out until after the prom. After prom it would be replaced and remain in place until she could hold a healthy weight. Radiation would be nowhere near as physically challenging as chemotherapy, but it would still take its toll on Gabriella's weakened body, and Dr Zamitt wanted to make sure she was as strong as possible.
A short while later all the lunch dishes were rinsed and Maria lead Gabriella up to her bedroom.
"Mom...what's this?" Gabriella asked, spying a large wrapped box on her bed.
"Go ahead and open it," Maria smiled.
Gabriella carefully pulled off the bow and peeled back the wrapping paper. "Mom," she breathed. "This is way too much..."
As the wrapping fell away, a silver beauty case was revealed. Gabriella unclipped the latch and opened the lid, finding the case jam-packed with make-up and accessories. Maria smiled as Gabriella sifted through the contents of the box, her eyes wide.
"I wanted to," Maria replied. "I just want your prom night to be as special and amazing as possible."
"It will be," Gabriella nodded, smiling softly as she leaned over to hug her mother. "Thankyou."
After a moment, Maria pulled back and picked up the box of make-up. "So, princess," she grinned. "Shall we commence the pampering?"
...She dreams she's dancing
Around and around without any cares
And her very first love is holding her close
And the soft wind is blowing her hair...
Gabriella let out a lengthy breath as she stood in front of her full length mirror, her eyes sweeping over her reflection as her mother zipped up the back of her floor length gown, the soft pink of the floaty material pooling around her feet.
"I feel...I feel like a princess," Gabriella whispered.
Maria placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders from behind her, kissing the back of her head.
"You look like a princess," she smiled, as Gabriella let her eyes flutter closed and spun around, her dress fanning out around her before softly falling back against her legs as she stopped still. "Troy is going to be absolutely speechless when he sees you."
The dress they had found in that very last shop was made of a soft pale pink fabric that was a perfect contrast to Gabriella's sun kissed skin. It was halter-neck, the fitted bodice intricately beaded, before falling away from under the bust line.
Her make-up was flawless - a soft bronze glow across her cheeks, a hint of shimmer on her eyelids accompanied the smoky eyeliner, and a hint of black mascara lengthening her sparse eyelashes, which were just beginning to grow back. Crystal droplets glimmered on her ears, a delicate silver bracelet encasing her wrist, Troy's class ring adorning her thumb – now the only finger it would stay on.
They had discussed having a wig made to wear for the night – they could have had one that matched Gabriella's dark curls exactly – but Gabriella had refused, just as she had done when she first lost her hair. She hated wigs because they were itchy and she didn't want to have to spend the night worrying if it was in place or not. These days she mostly didn't bother with hats or scarves either – occasionally she would throw on a cute hat or a pretty bandanna but only if she felt like it. Everyone was used to her perfectly smooth, bald head now and it was no longer that big of a deal – as long as Gabriella felt comfortable, she didn't care what anybody else thought anyway.
Gabriella twirled around once more in front of the mirror before stopping in her tracks as she heard the familiar click of a camera.
"Mo-om," she groaned jokingly.
"Whaaaat?" Maria protested. "So I want to document every minute of my only daughter's big day – I'm a proud old Mom!"
"Mooom, it's prom – not my wedding!" Gabriella rolled her eyes with a smile.
"Oh shush you – let me have my fun," Maria laughed. "Now – give me another twirl..."
At twenty five minutes past five, the doorbell rang and Gabriella felt her stomach flutter as her mother told her to wait where she was while she went to let Troy and his parents in. She finished buckling her sparky low heels and paced her bedroom floor as she heard the door open, and the voices of the Bolton family float through the entrance as Maria greeted them.
Suddenly she heard her name being called. "Gabi? Troy's here."
Gabriella laughed softly at her mother staging her entrance as she carefully hitched the hem of her dress to stop it dragging on the floor, and made her way out of her room and towards the stairs. She bit her lip as she reached the top step, slowly allowing her eyes to meet Troy's, at his spot by the foot of the stair case.
Maria and Lucille were standing in the background with their hands clasped tightly together, eyes brimming with tears – completely unable to control their proud-mom emotions. Jack let out a whistle, a proud grin on his face and his heart filled with hidden emotion. But to Gabriella and Troy, they were the only two people in the world right now – there was no one else in the room.
A blush spread across Gabriella's cheeks as Troy stared up at her, his mouth slightly open, his eyes taking in every inch of her, filled with love. She began to descend the stairs, her brown eyes remaining fixed on Troy's blue. When she reached him – a smile spreading across both of their faces – Troy took one of her hands in his, the other reaching up and caressing her cheek gently, respectfully. He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it softly, before slipping a corsage of soft pink rosebuds over her hand and onto her wrist. He kissed her hand again before leaning forward and kissing her cheek.
"You look absolutely stunning," he breathed - finally.
Gabriella smiled and gazed up at him. "Well you don't scrub up too badly yourself," she replied, her eyes sweeping over his black tux, white shirt, pale pink tie and polished black shoes.
Troy grinned and kissed her properly on the lips. They sprung apart as a camera clicked.
"MO-OM!" they exclaimed in unison. Maria and Lucille both grinned guiltily, camera's poised in mid-air.
Lucille hurried forward. "Gabi, honey – you look beautiful" she gushed, hugging Gabriella.
"Doesn't she what?" Jack grinned. "Belle of the ball!"
"Ahem?" Troy coughed. "My Belle of the ball," he corrected. Gabriella smiled as he slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead, his mouth moving towards her ear and whispering "I'm the luckiest guy in the world..."
"Ok – picture time!" Lucille exclaimed giddily, raising her camera and waving it in their faces. "Right you two – say cheese!"
Over the next half an hour, the rest of the gang arrived and the whole photo process was repeated. All the guys looked very suave in their suits and ties, whilst the girls looked gorgeous in their dresses. Taylor was wearing a black and white floor length dress – which, Gabriella noticed – had Chad unable to tear his eyes from her. Kelsi was looking amazing in a red Marilyn Munroe inspired number and Sharpay was in her element, swathed in floaty dark pink chiffon, small diamantes studded through her perfectly styled hair.
The limo arrived at the house on the dot of six, and the parents waved goodbye as their children were whisked off, heading towards the night of their lives.
HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM
"Wow," Gabriella breathed. "This place looks amazing!" she turned around in a full circle, admiring every inch of the beautifully decorated walls and ceiling, where fairy lights twinkled and red and white drapes floated.
"You look amazing..." Troy whispered with a grin.
Gabriella just looked up at him with a soft smile, and a look of pure adoration in her eyes.
"Ahem, can I please have everyone's attention?" Ms Darbus cleared her throat and pulled the microphone closer. "Welcome one and all to the East High School Senior Prom. I trust that you will all enjoy a night of good, clean fun..." she glared at one particular group of students who sniggered. "...and that senior prom will be forever remembered as a joyous occasion – one that is endeared to your hearts for years to come. I look back upon the years past with a certain fondness for all of you, and will miss my dedicated team of set builders working their way through after school detention," laughter ripped through the room at this comment. "All I ask is that each and every one of you make the most of tonight and look towards your bright future's with gusto. Now go and...dance the night away!" the teacher concluded with a flourish, and a sigh of relief from principal Matsui as the music began to play.
Gabriella took Troy's hands and pulled him to his feet. "Come on," she grinned. "Let's dance."
Troy looped their fingers together and lead her out onto the dance floor, where they melted into one another, the others around them becoming non-existent for the second time that night as they became lost in each other - the music washing over them as they swayed back and forth. Gabriella's head rested gently on Troy's shoulder, her arms looped around his neck and his around her waist.
Taylor and Chad watched the couple from their own spot on the dance floor.
"Look at them," Taylor sighed happily, her head against Chad's chest. "No one else even exists."
"They look so happy," Chad agreed. "And Gabs looks hot..." he trailed off as Taylor slapped him lightly on the chest.
"Watch it – that's my best friend you're talking about," she joked, laying her head back against her boyfriend. "They do look happy though, don't they?"
They looked on as Troy spun Gabriella gently around, and she threw her head back laughing. Troy's face lit up and he pulled her back to him, kissing her softly.
Chad nodded. "Almost as if 'cancer' never happened..."
They go dancing
Around and around without any cares
And her very first true love is holding her close...
And for a moment, she isn't scared...
HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM
Troy and Gabriella were the last of the gang to be dropped home – while everyone else was in a hurry to change and dash off to one of the after parties, Troy was spending the night at Gabriella's. Their parent's had agreed to the sleepover – and even to Troy sharing Gabriella's bed – as long as her door remained open at all times. Both Troy's parents and Maria trusted the pair, though, and knew that Gabriella was not physically strong enough for anything physical to happen between them anyhow. Troy secretly wondered if that was the reason they so willingly agreed to the sleepover in the first place. He wasn't complaining, though – any time he got to spend with Gabriella was valuable, in his books.
"Hey you two – how was it?" Maria asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes as she sat up on the lounge.
"Amazing," Gabriella replied dreamily. "We danced and danced until we needed a rest, and then we danced some more."
Troy smiled fondly. "Missy here was practically the last one on the dance floor – the one who's supposed to have the least energy showed us all up!"
Maria laughed. "That's my girl. Well, I'm very glad to hear you both had a good time, and I can't wait to see all the photos! Now Troy - there's some nibbles in the cupboard and soft drink in the fridge if you want to help yourself while I help Gabi out of her dress. Are you ready to get changed honey?"
"Mmhmm," Gabriella nodded, allowing her mother to guide her upstairs to her bedroom.
A couple of hours later Troy and Gabriella were curled up in her bed, the closing credits of Anchorman rolling on the TV screen. Troy looked down and noticed Gabriella was asleep on his chest, her soft breath warm on his skin. He kissed her gently atop her head, and her eyes fluttered slowly open. She blinked a couple of times as her eyes adjusted to the dim light.
"Hey sleepyhead," Troy whispered.
"Hey...what time is it?" Gabriella yawned.
"Almost 1.30am. The movie is finished."
"Oh...I love the ending..."
"It's ok," Troy replied as he kissed her forehead. "We can watch it again in the morning. You just go back to sleep."
Gabriella gently traced a finger over his chest, Troy unsure if she was doing it purposely or subconsciously. Whatever the reason, she made Troy shiver as she outlined his abdominal muscles.
"Thank you for tonight, Troy," she whispered. "It was the most perfect prom night I could have asked for."
Troy smiled and kissed her gently, surprised when she kissed him back hard, sliding her tongue into his mouth. He slithered further down under the covers, pulling her closer so that their faces were aligned, heads tilted as their tongues explored. Gabriella's hands snaked their way up his chest and over his shoulders, finally coming to a rest at the back of his neck as she held him closer.
Their legs were now tangled beneath the sheets as Troy wrapped one arm around her waist – his hand resting in the small of her back – as the other hand slid down her side, brushing over her hip and coming to rest on her thigh as they continued to kiss.
Gabriella let out a soft moan, which prompted the hand of Troy's which was resting on her thigh to move back upwards, sliding beneath her satin pyjama top. A little further up, his fingers brushed her scar and it was then that Gabriella was suddenly overcome with a familiar feeling of dread and she froze – breaking away from the heated kiss and removing her hands from Troy's hair. She quickly averted her eyes, but not before Troy noted the look of fear there.
"I...I'm sorry, I should never have...sorry..." she stammered.
Troy gently pulled her back to him and hugged her close, relieved as he felt her relax against him.
"Hey," he said soothingly. "Remember our talk a little while back? We're doing things on your terms, right – you dictate how slow we take all this. I might want to kiss you senseless and you might just want to shake hands, but that's fine – we'll do it your way," he said firmly.
Gabriella leaned up and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. "Thank you," she whispered.
"Don't mention it," Troy winked, and Gabriella giggled sleepily as she snuggled into his chest. Troy wrapped his arms tightly around her and sank into her pillows, allowing sleep to overtake him as he held his exhausted 'Belle' all through the night.
And there it is – prom. I hope you all enjoyed it! The song I featured sections of was 'Skin (Sara Beth)' by Rascall Flatts. Look up the song and watch the film clip on YouTube – I was pointed in the direction of this song years ago and it just fills me with emotion every time I hear or watch it. I hope you all take a minute to look at it on YT :)
Also, all the girls' prom dresses are in my profile! Go check 'em out!
Up Next: Back to reality – a scary new phase of treatment begins.
Until then – please reviiieeewww!!! It makes my day to hear from you :)
Charli xox
