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On Sunday, just as Troy had predicted when he asked Gabriella to the Winter Ball, Gabriella and Taylor were at the mall again in search for the perfect dress for the dance. Taylor had lucked out and found the perfect red dress for the occasion in the first store they went into but Gabriella was having more trouble than normal finding hers.
"Still nothing?" questioned Taylor as she returned from the music store that was next door to the department store Gabriella had been searching through.
"Nope, nothing that jumps out at me," answered Gabriella as she finished searching through the last rack.
"I say then that we head over to our favorite hamburger restaurant in the mall and take a break. Maybe it will clear your mind a bit," suggested Taylor.
"I think you may have a valid point," agreed Gabriella. "Let's go then!"
The two got a table right away and placed their order with the speedy waitress and just relaxed in the booth. "No matter what shoes you wear, if you go around the mall for hours, I think your feet are destined to hurt," commented Taylor.
Gabriella laughed. "Most likely. I just hope I find a dress soon."
"Ever think that you are looking so hard because you want to make sure you make a huge impression on Troy?" asked Taylor.
"Why would I? He has seen me all dressed up for dances before," replied Gabriella, not enjoying the knowing stare Taylor had been giving her.
"I agree he has, but that was when you were DATING! Now you are like starting over from step one and it's like your first date!" pointed out Taylor rather bluntly. "Come on, I know you are thinking it. Friday night is the first time you guys are going to be going together to an event as a dating couple, maybe not in a relationship but a pair of teenagers who are progressing from friends to that relationship part."
Gabriella shook her head. "No one called this a date. Troy just asked me to the dance, he didn't say it was a date."
Taylor rolled her eyes at this. "Remember this summer when I told you about my big sister's rules about dating and how it is always a date, even if he doesn't know it? This is one prime example! Let me ask you this. Did he ask you and add in, 'just as friends'?"
"No," stated Gabriella. " But that doesn't mean anything!"
"Yes it does!" exclaimed Taylor. "I don't know if you've lost your boy reading skills or if you are trying to fool yourself so you don't consciously put the pressure on yourself that you are subconsciously."
"All right, you seriously sound like a therapist right now," replied Gabriella. "Maybe I am trying to suppress it, maybe it is because I'm afraid of getting hurt again if I'm wrong, Taylor. Ever think of that?"
Taylor stayed quiet for a moment, letting a few moments go by, before she said, "I can understand that, Gabriella, but what did we agree to here at this very mall several weeks ago? What did we agree to at the diner with the guys? To live in the moment, to follow our dreams. You can't tell me that reuniting with Troy isn't a dream of yours. I know it is, especially watching the two of you within the last two weeks."
Gabriella let out a sigh. "I know and I'm not trying to lie here. It is something that has been on my mind and something that would make me happy, but I don't want to put myself in that vulnerable position where if I think it is going in that direction and something happens to intervene, I don't want to get hurt. It's too early really to even bank on anything other than friendship for sure."
Taylor nodded her head in understanding. "I know you don't want to rush things, I just want to make sure your mind is open to the possibilities that are developing."
The burgers came then and they both dived in, filling several moments as the two enjoyed their favorite meal at the mall. After both girls were done, they started talking again but this time about college and school while they waited for the check. Once they paid, the two were off in the mall again as they continued Gabriella's hunt for the perfect dress.
It wasn't until they were in a store that sold only formal dresses an hour and a half later that Gabriella found what she was looking for. She smiled as she put it on and knew she had to show Taylor, who was waiting just outside the door.
"What do you think?" asked Gabriella as she walked into the dressing room lobby and twirled around.
Taylor took in her best friend dressed in a floor length dark green silk dress with a diamond like studded waist and thick straps at the top. "Gorgeous! That is so the one, Gabriella!"
Gabriella grinned at Taylor. "Good, I was starting to lose hope!" She returned to the dressing room and changed back into her jeans and sweater before she checked out. Luckily, the dress was on sale from last year but Gabriella didn't care. She was able to afford it and she thought it looked good on her. Never before had she felt so excited about a dance than she did at that particular moment.
"Come on Troy, wake up man!" chided Chad as his pass went by Troy without Troy noticing. "Time out!"
Chad jogged over to where Troy was standing on the basketball court in the Bolton's backyard. "Sorry, Chad," he mumbled as he avoided his best friend's eyes.
"Okay, the last time I remember you being this out of it was when you were first starting to show interest in… Oh, that's what this is about!" exclaimed Chad.
"You know why he's spacey?" asked Jason as he and Zeke came over.
Troy glared at Chad, silently warning him not to go forward with this but it didn't work. "It's about Gabriella!" announced Chad. "Remember last time he started losing focus on the courts? It was when she transferred to East High! He didn't gain his game back until after they started to date each other."
"Wow man, you are getting the hots for her again!" joined in Zeke. "Question is, does she have the hots for you, man!"
"Of course she does, at least from what I have heard from Kelsi," stated Jason.
This grabbed Troy's attention from his thoughts of killing Chad at the moment. "She talks about me with the girls?"
"Duh," said Chad. "Hello, we're talking about one of the inseparable foursome otherwise known as Gabriella, Taylor, Kelsi, and Martha. They talk about everything. I should know, I've had to sit in the car as I drove them to the mall one day."
Jason and Zeke laughed at Chad's yuck face he pulled. Troy thought for a moment before he said, "Maybe she was just talking about me as a friend. I mean, talking about me doesn't mean she is thinking of me in the next level sense or anything."
"And they call me slow," mumbled Jason, earning a laugh from Chad and Zeke. "Troy, Gabriella still has feelings for you, I know you must see it by now!"
"The way she looks at you, that special smile she has always reserved for you, the one we never saw her use with Ryan," supplied Zeke. "I mean, you may not deserve it but that girl, she's opening her heart back up to you."
"And you better not hurt her again," finished Chad. "We're telling you all this as your friends, the guys you have hung out with all of high school, some of us before then. We care about you and want you to be happy, but not at the expense of hurting Gabriella again."
"I'm not going to hurt her, at least I don't plan to," replied Troy. "Look, this is all very touching that you have all grown to be so protective of her, really, but I don't need the additional pressure of you three to add to whatever it is that is growing again between me and Gabriella. I know that there is something there, I'm not as stupid as you just made me out to be, but I don't want to rush her, not this time around. Things will happen when it's time, and so far, it seems like it has been progressing, naturally, with no interference."
Chad scoffed. "Are you insinuating that we interfere?"
Troy cocked an eyebrow at this. "Are you serious? You and Taylor both are very guilty of it. Oh, and Chad, can you please work on your timing? You seem to have this thing about always interrupting moments for me and her."
"Moments like what?" asked Chad.
Zeke started making kissing sounds for which Troy hit him in the arm for. "Stop it!"
"Oh," replied Chad. "But that was like last school year, start of summer. I haven't since then…" Chad stopped when he saw a certain look appeared on Troy's face at this. "I have, haven't I! You almost kissed Gabriella recently, didn't you!"
Troy averted his gaze, looking at anywhere but his three friends. "Oh man, he so did!" exclaimed Jason.
"Aww, Troy, making your moves already!" teased Zeke.
"SHUT UP!" yelled Troy, unable to stand their jabs. "Maybe we almost did earlier this week but it didn't happen."
"Why not?" pushed Zeke.
"Chad," mumbled Troy.
Chad thought for a moment. "I don't remember ever walking in on you two lately at school. I would remember that for sure."
"Wasn't at school," got out Troy.
"Ooohhh, away from school. Wait, since when did you two start hanging out alone away from school?" asked Jason.
"A few weeks ago," revealed Troy. "Look it all doesn't matter, it didn't happen, okay?"
"But you are taking her to Winter Ball. Maybe it'll happen there," suggested Zeke.
"Maybe. Anyway, are we out here to play ball or to continue picking on me?" asked Troy.
Chad laughed. "I love it that we got you to squirm, man. It's about time it was your turn! I'm usually the one to get picked on."
"Only because you deserve it," chimed in Zeke with a grin. "Speaking of, what is it that I have been observing as of late. You going all soft with Taylor now."
Jason laughed. "Yeah, we saw you at lunch, holding hands. You are going all Troy on us, Chad!"
Chad and Troy looked at each and shared a look of agreement. "That's it, back on the court, we are going to settle this like men. Troy and I are taking you down!" exclaimed Chad as he stepped outside to throw in the ball at Troy, who immediately flew into action and scored before Zeke and Jason could even respond.
"Oh, that's it, you two are going down!" yelled Zeke as he grabbed the ball and threw it in towards Jason, only to have Troy intercept it and pass it to Chad, who scored again for their two person team.
Chad and Troy laughed as Zeke threw an angry look at Jason. "Guess you're not so cheerful now when you're getting your behind whipped by us," teased Troy.
The four continued to go at it on the courts, none of them realizing Coach Bolton had stepped out into the backyard to watch them. He watched as each young man played hard and a little bit dirty in their efforts to trump the other. Jack watched as his son barreled past Jason to make a perfect slam dunk, followed by a slap on the back from Chad. After a few more plays, Jack decided it was time to make his presence known.
Jack clapped his hands as he approached the court, which made all four guys stop in the middle of their play. "Great work out here tonight. I don't think those dirty moves would be counted as legal in real sanctioned games but it's fun to watch," commented Coach Bolton.
The guys started laughing as they looked at each other. "I guess we have been going at it a bit hard," admitted Chad. "Troy and I just wanted to beat the snot out of Zeke and Jason for some comments they made."
"I think we accomplished that," added Troy with a grin.
"So you say," mumbled Jason.
Coach Bolton smiled at the gang. "I'm just glad to see you guys having fun together and really enjoying yourselves. This is a wonderful sport to play on the competitive level but it's even better when you share that passion with others on your team. So who won?"
"We did," claimed Chad and Troy together.
"Cheaters," muttered Zeke.
"Sore losers!" exclaimed Chad.
"Boys, boys, no need to get all up in arms. I think all four of you played really well. I can see that you still have your heart in this game and that is great to see," interrupted Coach Bolton. "I know this team is going to do really well this year and it is because you all invest so much of yourselves into this team."
Chad nodded his head along with the other three. "You have a good point Coach, as always."
"Trying to kiss up to me, Danforth?" asked Coach Bolton with a quirked eyebrow.
"No sir," stated Chad as Jason, Zeke, and Troy snickered, earning a glare from Chad.
Coach Bolton started laughing at the four again and shook his head. "It really is great to see you four hanging out again here. Definitely good for this old man's heart. Speaking of old man, I think your folks will probably want you home soon boys. It's getting late."
"IE, go home," interpreted Zeke with a smile. "We get the hint, Coach."
"Not what I said," defended Coach Bolton, "but I don't want your own parents getting the idea that I'm being a slave driver and working you guys to death even on the weekend."
The three guys nodded in understanding as they went and grabbed their things. "See you in the morning, Troy," said Chad as they left and said their good-byes.
When it was just father and son left in the backyard, Jack put his hand on Troy's shoulder and squeezed a bit. "You looked really happy tonight with the guys, Troy, guess you have managed to get everything back together in your life," commented Jack.
"Actually Dad, not everything, but I'm getting close. And I think Gabriella was right when she said I couldn't get things back to the way they were. What you saw tonight is what things have become now, not what they were, and I think I enjoy it more," replied Troy.
"What do you mean, son?" asked Jack.
Troy took a moment before he said, "Well, now I have a solid friendship with three of my closest guy friends that is based on who I truly am with the knowledge that they know the flawed side of me and still accept me. I have a best friend who has shown he is there for me, through thick and thin. And I have the rest of the gang who have shown their forgiving side. Working for their respect and friendship back has only made me realize how important these people are to my life."
Jack nodded his head. "And Gabriella is the last part?"
"Yes," replied Troy. "She's the most delicate part of my whole life because I know one wrong thing could pull her out of my life forever, and I don't want that to happen. Not having her there as my girlfriend or even as a friend up until a month or two ago has shown me just how important she is to me. I hope you truly approve of her, by the way."
"Doesn't look like I'd have a choice if I didn't," remarked Jack. "But don't worry, your mom and I do like her and think she's a good girl, just as long as she doesn't take away from your game or your future mind you."
Troy rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about that, Dad. Everything is going to be fine, at least I hope."
Jack chuckled at his son. "Come on, Troy, let's head inside. I'm sure your mom would love some of this talk time too." He wrapped his right arm around his son as the two walked into the house together and joined Jack's wife, who was already sitting on the couch in the living room for some good quality family time before Troy headed off to bed.