By six o'clock the gathering was in full swing and everyone was huddled around a long rectangular shaped table ready to eat, however Troy, Chad, Lucas and Zeke had yet to arrive.
"Where's Zeke?" Sharpay moaned as she cradled a drink and leant on her forearms on the table.
"Calm down, you'll get a bit of him at some point tonight," Gabriella grinned as she leant backwards and let her head rest of Cole's broad shoulder.
"A bit of who?" Cole asked, moving his arm to wrap around Gabriella's collar bones.
Gabriella tilted her head back and to the side, "Shar likes this guy called Zeke and she's hoping for a bit of action tonight," She smirked, raising her feet to rest against the arm of the chair as they continued to wait for the last few people to come before they ate.
"Oh! I remember him, he's sick at baking?" Cole questioned, his hand moving to rest on Gabriella's bare mid-thigh.
"Yes! He makes the best cookies," Sharpay grinned.
Gabriella and Cole shared a half smirk, half smile.
"So, am I going to be able to spend more time with you now Jake is out of the picture?" Cole asked, squeezing her smooth leg softly.
Gabriella turned a little to face him but not enough to dislodge his hand, "Are you taking advantage of a vulnerable girl who only two days ago finished with the guy she was seeing for two months?"
"I just want to have a little fun with her to make sure said guy hasn't taken it out of her," Cole responded with a cheeky smile.
Gabriella laughed and leant up to kiss his cheek. Cole wasn't bad looking at all except he was more open than mysterious. He had dirty blonde hair which had a slight darkness to it in parts, hazel eyes, cleanly shaven, and subtle muscles and wore a pair of light blue material shorts and a white t-shirt.
"And the party has arrived!" Yelled a man coming out from the backdoor of the beach hut.
"Hey!" People shouted and laughed as the four missing guys walked out and each greeted various people they hadn't seen in just over a year.
Gabriella's attention turned away from Cole who had his nose pressed into her hair and toward the rugged man who held a pack of beer under his arm as he and Chad greeted some people who had jumped up to be reunited. Troy must have felt eyes on him as his own strayed away from the two guys and the girl to connect with Gabriella's, he let a small smirk grace his face before nodding at her.
Gabriella sent him a small smile and a little wave before he turned away and continued his conversation, "I'm going to get a drink," She commented before standing up, Cole's hands sliding off her, and manoeuvring through the people to reach the table which held a variety of drinks and the odd cooler.
"I'm sorry I didn't have that drink ready for you," A husky voice said from behind.
Gabriella instantly smiled but continued to fill up her cup, "It's not very gentlemanly of you."
Troy chuckled, "I do apologise," He replied with a posh tone then coughed lightly to clear his throat before continuing, "My truck broke down on the way so we had to wait for my dad to come."
Gabriella turned to face him with a soft smile, "Daddy to the rescue?"
"Nope, he just came to give me my tools to fix it," Troy said with a smirk.
Gabriella's eyebrows shot up, "Impressive and kinda sexy."
Troy chuckled, "How much have you had to drink?"
"A little."
Troy nodded, sipping a beer from the crate he place on the table, "You and Cole look cosy," He hinted.
Gabriella shrugged, "He's not my type."
"You seem like his type."
Gabriella smirked, "And what makes you say that?" She asked.
Troy downturned his lips and shrugged, "He was pretty comfortable with his hand on your leg and he was whispering in your ear. He also looked a little gutted when you got up and walked away."
"Some would say that you were a borderline stalker with all of that information," Gabriella commented, glancing over at Cole who was looking right back at her.
Troy looked back at Cole also, "I think he may be the borderline stalker," He muttered.
Gabriella grinned, looking back at Troy before letting out a laugh, "He's a good guy."
"I'm not saying he's not," Troy said, "But you don't like the good guys do you?" He said huskily.
Gabriella bit down on her lower lip, glancing at his lips and then back to his blue eyes, "He'd be a good guy for some other girl, just not me."
Troy nodded slowly, "But he definitely likes you or at least thinks you're hot," He said, looking down at her outfit, "I think most guys do, maybe some girls," He smirked.
Gabriella laughed a little, "I dunno, I just don't see him that way."
"Then that's fair enough," He commented, his eyes lifting up and over Gabriella's head, "Speak of the devil," He muttered.
Gabriella turned her head, "Oh hey Cole," She said surprised.
Cole smiled down at her, touching her shoulder and then the small of her back, "Hey," He kissed the side of her head before looking at Troy, "Hey man, it's been a while."
Troy nodded, shaking his hand, "Yeah it has, how's it been going?" He asked, sipping his beer.
"Good, good. How was the year away?" Cole questioned, placing his hand on Gabriella's hip.
Troy noticed how Gabriella stood a little more rigid, "Amazing, it's good to get away from this place."
"Yeah, you deserved it. You had a shit year before with your brother and reh-"
"Anyway, I'm going to see where Chad and everyone has gotten too. Later," Troy said walking away and not waiting for an answer from either person.
Cole turned to face Gabriella, "He has a pretty hefty past."
Gabriella turned her head and watched Troy jog down the stairs which she presumed to lead down to the beach, "Yeah?"
"Mhm, he's quite troubled," He said, sympathetically.
"Cole, I'll see you later," Gabriella said airily before casually jogging after Troy, down the steps, stopping at the bottom. She squinted down each side of the beach before spotting a figure sat in the sand, a couple of metres before the water.
She placed her empty cup on the wooden fence before slipping off her sandals and started to walk toward Troy who had an open bottle of beer in his hands and another two closed ones between his legs which was bent up. Gabriella sat down quietly next to him. His head was hung a little as his elbows rested on his knees.
"Hi," Gabriella whispered.
Troy nodded quietly, not moving from his position.
At least he was acknowledging her, she thought, "I'm pretty sure Cole didn't mean to get to you like he did."
Troy nodded again, "I know. Like you said he's a good guy."
Gabriella nodded, stretching her legs out in front of her. This action caught Troy's eye, his eyes simply stared at her slim, soft, golden legs.
Troy took a deep breath and looked at the ocean, "What did he say after I took off?"
Gabriella nibbled on her bottom lip while playing with the hem of her floaty dress, "That you have a heavy past and it's pretty troubled."
Troy shrugged, "I could have been different, it didn't have to turn the way it did."
Gabriella had no clue what Troy was talking about, "'It' being you?"
"Me, the situation," He trailed off.
Gabriella looked at the handsome man, "I think you're a pretty good guy. I don't want you to be different, I like this you."
Troy let his eyes connect with Gabriella's dark ones, "But before…" He mumbled, "Before you moved here- before I went away, you would have liked that me more. Everyone did."
"It doesn't matter. I didn't know you before. I only know this you and I'd be perfectly happy if you continued to be this way and I never find out how the old you was," Gabriella told him, placing her small hand on the crease of his elbow.
Troy only shifted his eyes back towards the darkness of the sky, "I wish when people see me again after a year, they wouldn't pretty much straight away mention all the shit."
"We can just stay here then tonight," Gabriella whispered, resting her forehead onto his shoulder.
"I don't want to be a cock block," Troy said, dryly, looking over her head toward the beach house.
"You're not, I'm choosing to stay with you down here. If I wanted to go get some, I'd flirt it up with Cole or whatever guy showed an interest," Gabriella said firmly, lifting her head to rest her chin on his shoulder, "Now stop judging me for the amount of sex I have. I already have Allie to do that."
Troy's lips turned up into a small smile, "Sorry. But you might want to get off me, Cole's watching."
Gabriella shrugged, "It's fine."
"He'll do something to get back at me if you don't," Troy said, looking down into her eyes with a neutral expression on his face.
Gabriella licked her teeth, "Are you not willing to take the chance?" She cocked an eyebrow up at him.
"He'll try to put you off me. It's not the first time I've hung out with a girl and someone to, sort-a scare them away," Troy mentioned, "Just from being my friend."
Gabriella pressed her lips together and leant forward a little, "He won't scare me away from you," She whispered, placing her plump lips softly against the corner of his mouth.
Troy's breath became heavier, "You've gotten rid of every guy who has done drugs Gab…" He mumbled, feeling the side of her body pressing up against his own as he looked down at her.
Gabriella shrugged, "I know their story, I don't know yours."
"I think you can guess."
"I don't want to guess, I want to know for definite. I don't like to make assumptions."
"You thought I smoked the night we met, that's making an assumption."
"I only said that to try and get to know you more, get you to open up," She elaborated.
Troy licked his drying lips before putting a little distance between their faces and took a few large gulps of his beer, "Shall we head back?"
Gabriella looked up into his eyes again and noticed that he had decided that he didn't want her any closer to him at the moment, "Ok," She stood silently, picked up her sandals and started to walk back alone towards the stairs which led up to the hut. Once she reached the top, she buckled on her sandals again after brushing over her sandy feet and went in search of her friends. Before that she headed toward the drinks table to pick up another which she quickly downed and grabbed one more for the duration of her search.
"Gabriella!" Cole shouted from behind.
"Cole, hey," Gabriella smiled, turning around from the table.
"How about I get you a drink and we can head to the beach?" He offered.
"I just got myself a drink and I'm actually going to find Shar," Gabriella hinted, "I'll see you later though," Smiling tightly at him before walking away.
"Gabriella!" Chad shouted from the Jacuzzi which was at the edge of the hut.
"Yeah?" Gabriella answered with a huff before spinning around to face him and also saw Troy sitting next to Chad emerged in the water in just a pair of swim shorts.
"You getting in?" He asked.
Gabriella glanced at who was in there before making a decision. She noted that either side of Chad and Troy were girls clad in bikinis and then the odd guy who she didn't recognise in there. She hesitated because she saw Allie who was sitting right next to Troy.
"Erm," She hummed.
"Get in," Troy demanded with a husk.
Gabriella swallowed thickly but quietly and let her slightly buzzed mind take charge. She held the hem of her dress as she heard Allie mumble, "Of course she does when Troy says."
Gabriella continued to pull her dress over her head and stepped over the edge of the Jacuzzi to slide into the space between Allie and Troy.
"Holy fuck," Troy muttered.
Gabriella looked over at him and smirked, "What?"
"You," He whispered, moving his arm to rest on the top of the Jacuzzi, behind her head.
"Slut," Allie mumbled, shaking her head.
"What's your problem now?" Gabriella snapped, her head spinning to face her.
"You," Allie laughed, "You're not even wearing a bikini! You're in your underwear!" He exclaimed.
Gabriella shrugged, "I'm probably covered more than you are."
"I don't know about that," Troy whispered into her ear.
Gabriella smirked over at Troy, "You guys wanted me in here."
"It's a nice surprise," He grinned, looking down at her body under the bubbles.
Gabriella was clad in a black bra which was covered in black lace and pushed her breasts up nicely with a pair of matching of bottoms which only covered half of her behind.
"You're insane though, Allie will be down your neck," Troy muttered, his arm falling to wrap around her shoulders.
Gabriella shrugged, "I don't care."
"Good." He grinned.
"So you work out a lot, huh?" Gabriella asked.
"A little," He shrugged.
"Oh please, you do not get your muscles by only working out a little bit," Gabriella huffed, "Do not be modest."
"Ok fine," He chuckled, "I go to the gym a couple of times a week and try to do stuff outside of the gym three or four times a week."
"It shows," Gabriella mumbled, her soft hand coming up to rest on his stomach briefly.
Troy bit down on his bottom lip, "Thanks," He said huskily.
"Have you seen Shar?" Gabriella asked, her eyes wandering around the deck.
Troy's eyes joined hers in a search, "Nope. But then again I haven't seen Zeke for a while either," He chuckled.
Gabriella nodded, "So I guess we won't be seeing them again tonight," She laughed.
Troy smiled and shrugged, "Probably not."
"Hey, I have a spare swimsuit if you want it?" Allie asked interrupting Troy and Gabriella's close conversation.
Gabriella twisted her head around and smile, "Thanks but I'm good."
"I don't think Cole will like that you're wearing underwear in his Jacuzzi," Allie said, her nostrils flaring.
Gabriella gave her a look, "Cole!" She shouted and once he turned his head to the sound of his voice he excused himself from his conversation to walk over, "You don't mind me wearing this, do you?" She said sweetly.
Troy watched as Cole's eyes trailed down Gabriella's body under the water followed by a lick of his lips and a gulp.
"No," Cole chocked out.
"See, it's all good," Gabriella smiled at Allie.
Allie scoffed, "Seriously, I can go grab you my extra swimsuit."
"Really, it's fine."
Allie's temper suddenly flared as she splashed the water a little which went in Gabriella's face, "You slut!" She screamed.
Gabriella rose her eyebrows and wiped under her eyes, "You need to let whatever grudge you have against me go."
"I have no grudge, it's just you. You swoop in and act all cool and slutty and think you're the best. You're not. People only want you for sex!" Allie shouted, gaining the attention of the whole Jacuzzi and more.
Gabriella licked her lips, "That doesn't bother me."
"It doesn't bother you that people use you for sex? That's basically being a prostitute," Allie smirked.
One of Gabriella's small hands wiped the water dripping down her face away which caused her mascara to smudge a little, "Whatever Allie," She said quietly, standing up and stepping out of the hot water and pulled her dress straight over her head and on top of her wet undergarments.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Troy hissed, watching as Gabriella walked over to the drinks table and started to pour a couple of shots.
"She needs to know what she is and what she's doing and what is makes her look like," Allie said, shrugging.
"But you don't know what she's like and what the people who have dated her are like and why they dated her. You don't have a right to say those things," Troy said, frowning.
"Come on, Troy. Stop defending her, she's not around anymore," Allie purred, moving closer to her.
Troy shook his head quietly and climbed out of the Jacuzzi to go and pry Gabriella away from pouring more shots. On his way, he grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it on. After he continued to walk over to her and Sharpay who she had found on the way while wringing out his shorts.
"Troy! I need your help." Sharpay said wide-eyed, "She won't stop pouring us shots. Literally in the space of a couple of minutes she must have had like six."
Gabriella smiled and took another shot, making it seven and then finally poured a normal alcoholic beverage, "Let's dance, Sharpie," Gabriella giggled, "Like the sluts we are," She cheered and pulled Sharpay closer to the DJ who was playing the music for the night. Gabriella started to dance as Sharpay tried to stop her and calm her erratic behaviour down.
Troy watched from the table for a couple of minutes to see if Sharpay could handle the situation and calm Gabriella down. Seeing Sharpay had given up and started to dance with Gabriella. The two quickly gained much male attention and within ten minutes the majority of people at the party was dancing. However, Troy's eyes were trained on Gabriella and her partly wet and now see-through cream dress while she sipped her drink.
The handsome man decided that it was time Gabriella took some time out of drinking and she needed time to calm down. He began walking over to her and he squeezed in between Gabriella and the guy who was dancing extremely close to her but not touching her. One of Troy's large hands reached around Gabriella's body and pried the drink from her hand.
"Hey!" Gabriella exclaimed, turning around. However, she turned far too quickly and Troy helped her stay up right by holding her around her small waist.
"Come on, come chill with me," Troy coaxed, wafting the drink around behind him, trying to find Sharpay's hand which was ready to grab the drink and take it far away from Gabriella.
"No," Gabriella pushed his arm away and started to dance next to the guy from before.
"Gab," Troy said, taking a hold of her elbow crease, "Come on."
"Leave me alone," Gabriella shrugged him off again.
Troy tilted his head back with a groan before spinning Gabriella around with a force and held her firmly with both hands on her waist, "No. Come with me."
Gabriella's slightly red eyes glanced at Troy's lips and back to his eyes before wrapping her arms around his strong neck, "Dance with me."
Troy sighed, "I'll dance with you if you promise to come with me to chill out for half an hour after?" He offered.
Gabriella shrugged, "Maybe," She grinned.
Troy shook his head with a small smile, "You are a handful Gabriella Montez."
Gabriella smiled back tiredly. Troy raised his hands and used his thumbs to wipe beneath her eyes to try and rid the smudged mascara away, "It's not working," Troy chuckled.
Gabriella tilted her head into his hands and shut her eyes, "Do you want to sleep with me?" She asked, opening her eyes again.
Troy could see in her eyes that she was a little drunk, "What?" He asked, frowning.
Gabriella licked her dry lips and moved her arms to wrap around his waist, "Do you want to have sex with me? Just once and be satisfied and leave? Is that what you'd do?" She questioned.
Troy had no clue where she was going with this topic of conversation but he figured that honesty was the best policy. He moved closer to her, his hands resting on her hips, "You're beautiful and funny and crazy and you're body is incredible so I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about it and that you haven't made me hard," He mumbled into her ear and occasionally moving his lips against the side of her head.
Gabriella bit down on her bottom lip and closed her eyes as he spoke, "But is that you only reason you speak to me?"
Troy pulled back to look at her closed eyes, "No," He answered simply.
Gabriella opened her eyes and her eyes immediately met a pair that she didn't want to see anytime soon but of course in her drunken state she excused herself from Troy's presence and walked over to the person who held her attention.
"Hey," The man said.
"Hi," Gabriella answered, a small smile playing on her lips.
"I thought you might be here," He mumbled.
Gabriella nodded, "Here I am."
"I need to talk to you."
"Jake," Gabriella sighed, "There really is no point in explain yourself."
"Because you are planning to fuck that other dude?" Jake questioned harshly, "Come on Gabriella, keep your legs together for once."
Gabriella sucked on her teeth momentarily, "Why the fuck did I come over here?" She asked, "You're always going to be a dick until you stop taking whatever shit you do."
Jake shrugged, "We broke up like two days ago, how can you be ready to have another guy?"
"We didn't break up. We went on a few dates, we were never a couple, we just hooked up… a lot," Gabriella scoffed.
Jake licked his lips quickly, "See! You can't keep your legs together! You are what everybody says about you, you are a slut."
Gabriella stared at Jake for a minute before quickly bringing her hand up and slapping him before stepping close to him and getting up in his face, "I may be a slut but at least I don't do things and sell things that could potentially get in them into jail if a revengeful ex "girlfriend" lets the police know," Gabriella whispered angrily into his face, "Now fuck off Jake."
Jake looked either side of himself to see that the majority of those around were watching the two, "Fuck you Gabriella," He whispered, grasping her wrists and shook her once, "You open your mouth and I have a lot of guys who would be willing to have you for a couple of nights," He continued to whisper.
Gabriella's dark eyes further darkened as he hit a sensitive spot. She never expected him to go that far, "You really are an asshole. How fucking dare you say shit like that, you know what I've been through."
"You went through that because you're a nasty whore who loves a bit of dick and that oozes from your pores," Jake said through clenched teeth as she squeezed her wrists harder.
"Jake, back off," A guy's voice said with a strong warning tone.
"You fucking dick," She screamed in his face, shaking his hands off her, "I must have been delusional the entire time I saw you! No one in their right mind would be seen dead with you."
Jake narrowed his eyes and grasped her shoulders, squeezing her, "Watch your mouth princess," Jake whispered nastily before shaking her and pushing her away. He felt two hands grasp his shoulders to pull him away but he shrugged them off.
"Or else what?" Gabriella hissed, feeling a pain down her neck and arms, "What's another few guys going to do."
"Fuck you," Jake said darkly.
"You already have," She shouted back, smirking at him.
Jake went for her fully this time but several guys pulled him away and escorted him out of the house.
"Asshole," Gabriella said once Jake had gone, her face dropped as she let the words Jake had said to her sink in.
"Gabs, are you ok?" Sharpay rushed over to her and pulled her into a hug.
Gabriella didn't respond and walked out from her hug. She felt the pain in her wrists and neck including tears building her in her eyes making them glassy. She remembered that Troy owed her half an hour to just sit some place quiet. She didn't trust herself to be alone at the moment so she could really do with someone who didn't know all of the ins and outs of her past which Sharpay did. And Sharpay would want for her to talk but she didn't want to talk, she wanted to process Jake's words and actions quietly.
She walked directly over to Troy, who again was in the Jacuzzi but this time with just Chad, Allie and two girls. One of which had her hand on the back of Troy's neck and sitting on his lap, "Can we have that half an hour, please?" She questioned from behind him, quietly. Her voice thick with emotion.
Troy turn his head around, "Hey, erm, can we do it in five?" He asked, not registering how she looked.
Gabriella registered the girl that was on his lap who was topless, slim, leggy and clinging onto him, "Whatever." She scoffed, "Douche," She muttered, walking away casually before dashing down the steps to the beach and reached a small space between rocks where she could happily fit and relaxed back against.
Gabriella took one large breath, trying to push back the emotions she felt coming to the surface. One tear escaped and slipped down the softness of her cheek, "I hate boys," She said in a frustrated tone.
CCCCCCCCCCCC
The sun had rose but it had only just started to project a warmth over everything living. Gabriella felt this warmth cover her bare legs and tear-stained face which had make-up smudged all over. Her heavy brown eyes flickered open to see a cloud-less blue sky and then glittering, calm ocean. A small smile broke over her face at the scenery she got to quietly witness this morning. However, the smile slipped from her face as she started to remember the events of the night before.
"Morning," A quiet voice said.
Gabriella jumped a little from her horizontal position on the rock and looked down towards the noise which came from near her feet, "Hi," She gave her best friend a small smile.
"Good night sleep?" Sharpay smirked.
Gabriella slowly began to sit up and winced, "My back says no."
Sharpay helped her the rest of the way up, "I didn't think it would be very comfortable to sleep on a rock," Sharpay laughed.
"It's not something I'd advise you to do," Gabriella responded, rubbing the bottom of her back.
Sharpay laughed a little before looking out at the scenery, "Troy was nice to you last night, kinda."
Gabriella frowned, "Why? He was too busy with that blonde to even stick to his word."
Sharpay winced a little, "Well yeah after he was done with that, he came back to the party and he was chatting to Cole and apparently Cole was telling him how much he wanted you and to make the one night you two had into two. And Troy said he was about to go down to you but he knew you were drunk which wouldn't have stopped Cole so Troy stopped him."
"He got action but he stopped me from getting mine. Nice of him," Gabriella rolled her eyes.
"Or Troy got sex and saved you from regretting something?" Sharpay offered.
Gabriella shrugged, "That girl was so bold," She grumbled.
Sharpay rose her eyebrows, "And you weren't- aren't?"
"How was I that bold?" Gabriella asked, surprised.
"You went into a jacuzzi in your underwear and then your dress was see through the entire night," Sharpay said in a dead-pan tone.
Gabriella pouted for a moment, "That's still not as bad as topless and basically pushing your boobs into a guy's face and still on his lap which, by the way, had a hard on," She ranted.
"She didn't exactly put her boobs in my face," A deep voice said from the side of them.
"Like I give a fuck where she placed her boobs," Gabriella spat, laying back on the rock and closed her eyes.
Troy and Sharpay shared a surprised look, "I just came down to get you both, not because I want to discuss my sex life. Your food is going cold," Troy said before walking off again.
Gabriella opened her eyes again and looked at Sharpay who was smirking at her, "What?"
"Nothing. Come on, I came to get you because the guys were making breakfast and we all stayed here last night," Sharpay explained and by 'we' she was referring to herself, Gabriella, Troy, Chad, Zeke, Lucas, Allie and the girl Troy was with the night before.
"Ok." Gabriella stood up and stretched, "I'm not showing my face until I get cleaned up though," She giggled slightly, "I'm so glad I packed more clothes."
Sharpay laughed, tilting her hair back, "You look b-e-a-utiful," She smirked.
Gabriella laughed along, "You need your eyes testing, Sharpski."
"You need a shower," Sharpay shot back and dodged Gabriella who went to push her but fell in the sand instead causing Sharpay to let out a loud laugh and attempt to continuing running. Gabriella sat in the sand, laughing loud also as her hair got covered in sand.
Little did the two know that a male figure who was becoming particularly fond of one of them, was watching on the deck with a small smile on his face. Troy turned back and went inside to the guys as Allie was taking a quick shower.
"They're on their way," Troy announced.
"And your chick?" Zeke smirked.
Troy rolled his eyes, "Not exactly my chick but she's still asleep."
"You wore her out Bolton," Chad patted his back.
Troy shrugged quietly.
"I thought you came back down to the party after you did… your thing," Lucas questioned.
"I did," Troy confirmed, nodding his head, "But when you go back up and there's a naked, pretty girl in a bed wanting and asking for more, you don't exactly say no," He admitted.
"You have sex multiple times but stop me from having any," Gabriella commented as she went straight into the kitchen.
Troy licked his lips, "You weren't satisfied from the other night with that dude?" He said, borderline sarcastically.
Gabriella narrowed her eyes, "Low blow. And remember when you told me you didn't want to be a cock block? You kinda were," She shot back.
"At least I got blown," Troy clenched his jaw as he spoke through gritted teeth.
Gabriella stared at Troy, "Jerk," She said simply, "You and Allie would be perfect together," She hissed before walking away to wash and change.
"Troy, what the fuck was that?" Sharpay exclaimed.
"Just because I kind of stopped Cole from fucking her doesn't mean I can't have any sex," Troy defended.
"She's pissed at you for blowing her off for that girl," Sharpay explained, "You negotiated with her and you never delivered your part of the deal. She literally blanked me to speak to you."
"She could see I was kinda busy and she choose then to want to talk?" Troy asked incredulously.
"That guy she left you for when you were dancing was Jake, her kind of ex, he was horrible to her; verbally and physically. Straight after I went to her and she blanked me and walked straight over to you and you blew her off so she went to the beach," Sharpay told him.
"She didn't want to speak to anyone but me?" Troy asked, his eyebrows raised.
Sharpay shrugged, "Yeah and I think she's glad that you didn't let Cole go down to her, deep down. Like very deep down, deep, deep, deep down," She smiled.
Troy smiled back, "I feel awful."
Sharpay again shrugged, "You didn't know but just put your friends before getting laid next time."
Troy nodded, "Yeah."
Gabriella came back through into the kitchen around ten minutes after that conversation finished and another one had started and Allie had entered the room. She went straight to the coffee machine which Cole had told everyone they could use before he headed off to work a couple of hours prior.
Troy swallowed as he took in her long, black, curly hair which was slightly damp and flowed down her back and around her face. He also noticed the pair of loose denim shorts and grey t-shirt she wore and her toned, tanned legs. The guilty looking male stood from his place at the island in the middle of the large kitchen and walked over to the counter where Gabriella stood.
"Hey," He said, softly.
Gabriella didn't look up she simply nodded and continued with her tasks.
"Gabriella," He whispered, reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear so he could see half of her own clean and make-up free face, "I'm sorry," He continued to say quietly and reached down to softly stroke over her bruised left wrist, "I'm so sorry."
Gabriella moved her arm away and licked her dry lips, "It doesn't matter," And with that, she turned her head so her hair came away from her ear and she took off towards the decking outside with her coffee in a swoop.
"Fuck," Troy muttered, running a hand through his hair.
"Hi," An unknown voice said from the door way of the kitchen which made Troy's head whip towards the figure. Everyone stayed quiet as they looked between the two.
"Hi," Troy nodded.
"Please tell me that wasn't your girlfriend who is now seriously angry," The girl said in a hopeful voice.
Troy glanced over at Gabriella through the large window to see her leaning against the wooden fencing with her legs crossed, "She isn't." He said quietly then quickly cleared his voice and turned to the blonde again, "She isn't my girlfriend. I'm single, it's fine."
"You two looked cosy."
Troy shrugged helplessly, "She's my friend who is pretty annoyed at me right now."
The girl walked over to Troy right in front of Troy, "She'll get over it."
"She's annoyed because I put you before her."
"How long have you known each other?" The girl asked, touching the sides of Troy's waist.
"A few days."
"So you really have no obligation towards her?" The girl said, she wasn't try to be nasty, she was simply trying to make Troy feel like guilty and whether that was for his benefit or hers is a completely different question.
"I do. We get along really well," Troy defended.
Gabriella at that point walked back into the room and immediately saw the blonde from last night touching Troy's body and Troy leaning against the counter where she was only minutes before.
The blonde turned towards Gabriella as she noticed that Troy's attention was elsewhere, "Oh, this is the girl that's annoyed with you?" She asked Troy who nodded, "You must be Gabriella? Allie has told me so much about you."
"I bet she told you so many great things," Gabriella said, carelessly with a half-smile.
"Urm… yeah, sure." The girl said.
"Don't worry, you don't have to pretend. Sweet Allie over there despises me for having sex, which is a part of nature, but ok," Gabriella smiled sarcastically over at Allie who narrowed her eyes at her.
Allie rolled her eyes, "I think me and this Jake kid could get along. We both have the same views of you."
Gabriella's head whipped around to face Allie and her eyes grew dark and her voice turned deep and dark while her face turned hard, "You dare to say something like that again, speak his name again in front of me and have the nerve to think you know what he was talking about last night, I swear I'll fuck you up. Now stop being a spiteful little bitch and fuck off out of my business, out of my life and deal with your own little issues," Gabriella growled, lowly, "Understand?"
Allie laughed a little, "Whatever doll."
Gabriella's eyes flickered over at Troy who simply shook his head a little as if to tell her to leave it however she wasn't going to leave as just like last night he ignored her therefore she was going to ignore her, "You are one fucked up little bitch," Gabriella spat, slamming her cup of coffee down and walked over to Allie who backed up against a wall.
"Let's go," Troy's soft voice said directly into her ear as she backed Allie up.
Gabriella stopped walking and this gave time for Troy to step between Allie and Gabriella, facing the brunette.
"Troy," Gabriella said in a frustrated manner, "Please go," She frowned.
Troy sighed, "No. Please will you let me take you somewhere?" He asked, "I'm not forcing you but I would really like too."
Gabriella looked up into his eyes, she had waited for someone to speak like that to her for so many years. Troy watched her eyes and let her debate his words while he lifted his large hand and softly stroked across her jawline.
"Ok," She choked out.
Troy let a small smile grace his face and he leant forward to press a couple of firm kisses to her forehead as he cupped the side of her head, "Thank you. Now take my keys, they're on the counter and go wait in my car, I'll grab our stuff and I'll be with you."
"I'll help," Gabriella said quietly.
"Go get in my car. I promise I won't be long," He told her, stroking over her cheek, "I promise," He repeated.
He watched as she again debated his words with a smile on his face. She quietly walked away, claimed his keys which were the only ones on the counter and walked out of the place.
Troy licked his lips, "She would have beat your ass so you owe me," He said to Allie, not turning around to face her, "Can you lay off her a bit?" He asked over his shoulder, "You're pushing it. And you've got your car here," He said to the blonde girl, "I'm sorry things can't be anything more than they are. I have other things I need to sort out first," Troy said with a nod.
The girl smiled tightly and nodded, "It's ok Troy."
Troy smiled back and turned to see the group watching him with curious eyes, "I'm just going to drive around a bit with her, see if I can get her to forgive me and chill her out."
Chad nodded, "Alright man, text me how it goes."
"I will," Troy smiled, doing their little handshake.
"Troy," Sharpay said, beckoning him over and handed him her phone.
Troy took it while a frown covered his forehead with questions. He read the text message Sharpay had open on her cell phone, "Hi Shar, I'm sorry for ignoring you and not being myself. There's only so many times someone can get called names by various people and still be ok. Thank you for being such an amazing friend. I love you lots. Troy said he's not forcing me Shar. That legit nearly made me cry. I hope he's being honest and will never force me into anything. Time will tell. Ill speak to you later. I love you lots Sharpie xox"
Troy smiled as he read the text message, "She's safe with me, mom," Troy teased.
Sharpay grinned as she went to slap his arm but Troy dodged out the way, jogging to grab his bag and Gabriella which he had to run back and ask Sharpay which was hers before he walked out of the beach house with a bye.
Once outside, Troy opened the trunk of his car and placed their bags in there before walking around and stepping in his car. He turned to face Gabriella as much as he could and grasped one of her hands gently, peppering kisses all to her wrist, "I'm so, so, so incredibly sorry. Sorry that I wasn't there when Jake was literally abusing you, sorry that I ignored you for a lay and sorry for saying all the things I did this morning."
Gabriella couldn't stop a tired small smile light up her face, "She was pretty so I can't blame you for that."
"Of course you can!" Troy exclaimed, "You're pretty but I ignored you. How good looking someone is has no reason for me to ignore someone and give someone else attention. Honestly Gab, I'm so sorry."
"It's ok," Gabriella shrugged.
"It's not," Troy said, firmly, "I should have been there, me, Chad anyone, to stop Jake forcing bruises on you."
Gabriella licked her lips and touched his hand with her free one, "I don't want to talk about him anymore. Can we just go?"
"Of course," He kissed her wrist once more before starting his car up and turning on the radio to a low level where if either wanted to make conversation it could be done easily but for the moment, they were happy to drive quietly in a relaxed atmosphere where neither felt pressured to talk. Troy reached over to place his hand on her lower thigh and gave it a soft rub, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye to see her looking at the houses that passed as he drove by. His action was rewarded and acknowledge by her small hand wrapping around a couple of his fingers, affectively holding his hand. Troy's blue eyes returned to the road as a small smile grace his lips to match Gabriella's hiding one.