Taylor stood still as Gabriella pulled one last time on the strings that laced up the back of Taylor's ivory strapless bridal gown before she felt Gabriella tie them securely, making sure the beaded bodice fit Taylor's upper half securely but not too tightly. Running her hands over the beaded lace of the top half of her dress and then the bottom skirt that felt smooth to her touch, Taylor smiled to herself, knowing that today was going to be one of the best days of her life. Today, she was finally marrying Chad Danforth.
Sharpay caught the soft smile and grinned as she worked on fluffing out Taylor's undercoat before straightening out the dress's chapel style train. 'She really looks amazing, especially with that happy glow on her face.'
"Taylor, you look absolutely stunning," murmured Gabriella as Tessa stepped back from making the final adjustments to Taylor's bridal headpiece. "An image of what every bride would be lucky to be."
Taylor felt her cheeks warm at these words but couldn't help but smile back at her best friend. "Thank you."
The older McKessie woman smiled at her little sister, putting one last hairpin into Taylor's black hair to secure the last stray hairs that had managed to escape Taylor's updo that the hairdresser had crafted back at the hotel. Latashua stepped back from her baby sister and smiled, wiping away a stray tear. "You really are beautiful Tay. I can't believe today is the day and that you're actually all grown up and marrying that lunkhead basketball man of yours."
Taylor let out a little laugh, hugging her sister tight to her. "You'll always be my big sister Latashua. I wouldn't have made it through dating the lunhkead long enough to fall in love in the first place if it wasn't for you and your great advice, especially your ten rules."
Latashua laughed at this, shaking her head. "I think you would have been just fine. What do you think Mom?"
Both young women turn their heads to a very tearful mother. "I think your father and I are the luckiest parents in the world to have such wonderful daughters," gushed their mother, immediately enveloping both girls in a tight hug while being careful to not ruin either of their dresses or hairdos.
Tessa, always being the photographer of the group, took a few pictures of the special moment and then focused the camera on Gabriella and Sharpay, who were also watching the scene with smiles on their faces. Soon there was a knock on the door and Sharpay went to answer it, smiling at the older man standing on the other side whose face lit up when he saw his youngest daughter.
"Taylor, you look simply breathtaking. You really aren't my baby anymore are you?" he said as he entered the room, sharing in the family embrace his girls were still sharing, adding more sentimental emotions to the room.
Sharpay, Tessa, and Gabriella all looked at each other and smiled as Tessa took a few more pictures before she checked her watch. Just before she could say anything though, the wedding planner that Gabriella had hired as a gift to Taylor appeared, emitting nothing but energy and happiness.
"Everyone ready? Bridesmaids please follow me out to line up and get ready to enter. The music has just started for the groomsmen and the lucky groom to take their places," announced Celine Jardin, the peppiest wedding planner any of them had met ever. "Taylor, I will be back for you and your dad in five minutes to give you some time alone but be ready. Your special day is finally here!"
Sharpay rolled her eyes at this, causing Gabriella and Tessa to laugh while they followed Latashua out of the dressing room of the church. As they stood behind the closed doors to the main part of the church where all the guests were already seated, each of the girls tightened the sash around each other's waist while also straightening the lower half of the lilac floor length chiffon dress they were each wearing so they would look perfect for Taylor. Latashua grinned at her sister's best friends as they giggled nervously, herself looking down at her latte colored version of the same dress to make sure everything was in place, including the thick straps attached to the rounded neckline. Satisfied she looked as good as she would, she looked back up and saw Gabriella squat down to adjust the flower wreath on the flower girl's head, a cousin of Chad's, before she kissed the little girl's cheeks. 'Taylor really has the best girlfriends she could ask for. I'm just glad they were all able to be here to support her on this special day.'
"All right ladies, we're ready. Remember, take your time, don't rush down that aisle, and smile! Oh, the flowers!" exclaimed Celine before she turned to her assistant and handed each of the four girls a bouquet of blue iris, white daisies, light blue roses, yellow roses, and blue hyacinth wrapped together by either a lilac or latte colored ribbon. "Perfect, you all look beautiful!"
Their designated music started not a second later, allowing the girls one last collective breath in before the doors were opened and the flower girl was directed to walk ahead, dropping rose petals down the aisle. Sharpay watched Celine and started her own procession into the church, followed by Tessa, and then Gabriella, and finally Latashua as the maid of honor.
As Gabriella walked slowly down the aisle, she made sure she had a smile on her face, a true reflection of her genuine happiness for her best friend who was marrying her high school sweetheart on this day. Just that thought alone though caused Gabriella to look up at the five men standing at the front of the church watching their procession, smiling more as she saw Jason at the end, and then Zeke, Chucky, Troy, and finally a nervous looking Chad, all smiling back at the girls as they continued to walk and then take their places at the front. Gabriella allowed herself to let her gaze slide back to Troy, feeling her face blush as she found his familiar blue eyes admiring her with a softness in his eyes that reminded her so much of their time together all those years ago. Gabriella forced herself though to break the connection as she neared the front and looked down to make sure she didn't trip over the steps, taking her place next to Tessa and looking out at the guests, spotting Chris immediately and smiling at him too as he winked at her from where he was sitting seven rows back and in the middle of a pew on the left side of the church.
Troy felt a sharp but discreet jab in his left side and looked to his left to see Chucky giving him a look that told Troy that he had been caught staring at Gabriella as she walked down the aisle towards him, her long curly dark brown hair curling around her shoulders with half of it pulled back from her face in a half updo. He gave Chucky an understanding look as he glanced over at Gabriella one last time, tearing his gaze away from her as he heard the music Kelsi was playing change to indicate Taylor's arrival with her father. The group of guests in the church all stood up at this and turned their attention to the lovely bride walking down the aisle towards her future.
Chad gulped as he saw Taylor walking slowly towards him on her father's arm and was happy that he was successfully able to resist tugging at the neckline of his stiff white shirt at the collar that was secured also by a black tie that had been passed down through the Danforth men when they got married. When Taylor finally stopped in front of Chad, she gave him the softest of smiles that assured Chad that this was really what he wanted to be doing, committing himself fully to this woman who had loved him in his stupidest of moments as well as his best. He stepped forward and took Taylor's hand in his as her father kissed her cheek, becoming nervous again as he saw a few happy tears escape Taylor's brown eyes before both of them walked the last few steps to the priest together, both knowing that this was exactly where they wanted to be, today and forever.
As best man, Troy knew he had some important parts in the ceremony and forced himself to pay attention to the priest as the ceremony continued, only to find himself looking over at Gabriella as a passage on love was being read by Martha. He smiled more as he realized she was also looking back at him, a flattering blush present on her cheeks, making her even more beautiful than he already thought she was at that very moment. When it came time for the vows though, Troy dutifully handed the rings over to Chad who gratefully took them, chuckling at himself a little as they both saw Chad's hands tremble a little. Troy placed a comforting hand on Chad's shoulder and grinned at his best friend since preschool, reminding him that everything would be all right and that this was just the start of a wonderful life together with Taylor.
The rest of the ceremony passed quickly as Chad and Taylor pledged themselves to the other and sealed their promises with a kiss, their first as a married couple. Everyone cheered as Chad dipped Taylor backwards before pulling away, chuckling as he saw the intense blush on her cheeks as she gazed happily back at him. Taylor retrieved her bouquet from her sister before heading back down the aisle on Chad's arm, allowing Troy and Latashua to follow after, leading the rest of the party out of the church. As Troy was walking down, he spotted Celeste and smiled at her, finding himself feeling a little bit guilty now as he gazed at his fiancé smiling back at him from where she was in the pews.
'No matter how beautiful Brie may be today Troy, you can't let yourself get lost in the past. Remember, Celeste is the future,' said Troy to himself as he walked out with Latashua, getting into the stretch limo that waited just outside the church for the wedding party to follow the sedan that held the bride and groom as they left to take professional pictures at a local park.
While the guys were watching the women fuss about Taylor for her solo shots before they took pictures as an entire group, Troy used the opportunity to watch the way the slight wind blew Gabriella's dark brown curls around while she smiled a smile of pure happiness. He chuckled as they struck runway model poses before Tessa, Sharpay, and Gabriella stepped aside to allow Latashua and Taylor to take some sister pictures before Chad was posed with his now wife.
"You know, honestly, I still don't understand why you don't act on these feelings Troy," murmured Chucky as he stopped besides Troy, giving Troy a knowing look. "You've been watching Gabriella since she walked down that aisle and don't deny the fact that you were imagining getting married to her and not your fiancé during the ceremony during those times you spaced. I'm not Chad but I am like your big brother so don't even try lying."
Troy watched with a grin as Gabriella and Tessa each took a hand of the flower girl's and began to swing her around, making the little girl giggle more. "I'm not going to lie, at least not to you. Yes, I was having fantasies of what our life would have been like if she wasn't a princess but the reality is that she is a real princess with a life that I don't really even know about. We talked two nights ago and that was wonderful but having Celeste here reminds me that Gabriella really is my past, that Celeste is my future."
"Come on Troy, be honest with yourself. Gab may be your past but your future is not yet written. Why are you really marrying a woman who you love but aren't completely in love with when you have the love of your life within your reach?" countered Chucky, wanting with all his heart for the younger man to wake up and do something about this situation Chucky had silently watched for years. "Troy, you really are like my second baby brother and I want to see you happy, just like Chad is today. Why Taylor settled with him I'll never know but they make each other happy, the same way you and Gabriella used to be and can still be. Love isn't all that common these days Troy."
"You don't have to remind me Chucky," returned Troy, feeling his grin slip away as the conversation continued to get more serious. "Look, I am grateful for what you are trying to do here but I proposed to Celeste and I'm going to fulfill that commitment. Gabriella and I can still be good friends."
"But will you be happy with just that, being friends? That's hard to believe with your history, regardless of how much time has passed. I still remember the night you got that pretty scar through your eyebrow. When you got into a brawl with that idiot Riley over her. You can't tell me that you don't feel those emotions for her still that you felt then, to at least a little degree. Stuff like that, it just doesn't vanish without a trace," commented Chucky. "Look, I know this is all sappy and what not and I plead being influenced by this wedding nonsense but take it from me, someone who hasn't found a fraction of the love with a woman that you have experienced with Celeste but especially with Gabriella, true love doesn't come around often."
Troy just silently nodded his head before Chucky got called over to join in on the pictures of the siblings before the parents got involved. He watched for a few moments and began to fantasize again of his own wedding, realizing that he really wasn't picturing the proper face on his bride. Instead, Troy was thinking of the brunette standing only a few feet away from him as she watched with Ryan and Sharpay at her side as the Danforth and McKessie families tried to organize themselves for the pictures. Troy gathered his wits and walked over, greeting the other three before falling into an easy conversation with them for at least fifteen minutes before they were called back over for the promised East High era picture with the one West High honoree.
Tessa got a mischievous glint in her eyes as she saw Troy and Gabriella talking and laughing together over something while they walked towards the group. She quickly turned around and talked to Taylor, who smiled back while she nodded. Tessa went over to the photographer and told him about Taylor's new request.
The friends gathered together with Chad and Taylor in the middle, with the women on Taylor's side and the men on the other side. They posed while the photographer snapped some pictures but then stopped, shaking his head.
"This is all wrong," the man said, surveying the group. "Why don't you pair up so it's more balanced and interesting? Did some of you used to date? Best friends?"
Taylor looked over and smiled at Tessa knowing the other woman would be the first to start the movement. Tessa saw the bride's look and nodded, crossing from where she was to stand in front of Zeke, giving him a smile in the process. Kelsi, not wanting to make things more weird between her and Jason than the strange silence they had if they weren't talking with others, kneeled down on the grass with Martha's assistance, who sat down next to her. Ryan stepped forward and sat down next to Kelsi, leaving Jason standing next to Zeke.
Gabriella's sharp mind though didn't miss the calculating looks her friends were throwing to each other and caught onto what they were trying to do in isolating her and Troy so they would have to be together. Before Sharpay could move to sit with her twin, Gabriella's hand shot out to stop the blonde as she shook her head. "Oh no you don't. You're staying up here. Wouldn't want your dress all dirty right?"
Sharpay rolled her eyes. "It's just some grass and dirt," replied Sharpay calmly, barely able to suppress the disgust in her voice in having to get on her knees for the sake of this picture.
"Now I know something is up. Sharpay, why don't you stand with Troy and I'll sit?" offered Gabriella, taking a step forward to do so before Troy grabbed her hand, pulling her to a stop.
"Brie, come on, it's just a picture. For old time's sake?" said Troy, pleading with her, his blue eyes intently staring back into her brown eyes. "Please?"
Unable to resist that look, as was usual for her with him, Gabriella reluctantly nodded her head and stepped back towards him so that she was standing in between him and Taylor while Sharpay and Jason were motioned by the photographer to join the group in the front, Jason sitting next to Martha so Sharpay could sit between Ryan and Kelsi now. Gabriella caught the look of victory on Tessa's, Taylor's, and Sharpay's faces and let out a sigh knowing that the meddling was only going to get worse as the day and night continued.
"All right, you six in the back, look like you actually care for each other! Chad and Taylor you look perfect but the other two couples, can you maybe turn into our newlyweds with the men's hands on the women's waist who is in front of you? We want the best picture here!" called out the photographer, prompting Zeke and Troy to get closer to Tessa and Gabriella.
Tessa relaxed easily into Zeke's embrace but Gabriella felt herself stiffen as she felt Troy's hands on her hips, knowing that she wasn't nervous about him but what this would look like, the memories it was starting to cause her to remember again.
"Come on, relax. Let's give Chad and Taylor an amazing picture to look back on of our group. This is a tribute to our younger years, the times we had together as friends and for some of us as more. I promise I won't embarrass you with doing bunny ears or anything," murmured Troy, his soft voice in Gabriella's ear comforting her as she allowed her body to melt a little bit more into his, feeling the smile grow across her face as she laughed at his last statement.
The photographer nodded his head as they all finally posed together, clicking away as the videographer worked around him. By the end of the pictures, somehow Troy's arms had ended up wrapping around Gabriella's waist as she had leaned back into him fully, showing the comfort the two shared around each other now. Before they could step away from each other, the photographer turned his camera on just the two of them.
"You two, stay right there! The bride and groom requested a picture of you two," stated the photographer, ignoring the dirty looks Troy and Gabriella sent towards their friends who were now standing behind the photographer. "I have to agree with them you make a nice couple. Can you both pose and smile for me?"
Troy and Gabriella exchanged a look as they both silently agreed to go along with the request as this was a small thing to start a war over on Chad and Taylor's wedding day. 'Now tomorrow is a whole different story. Those three girlfriends of mine are going down,' thought Gabriella to herself as she smiled at the photographer as he snapped away, having her turn so she was facing Troy for a few shots before letting them go and refocusing on the bride and groom.
Just as Troy was starting to enjoy having Gabriella in his arms for so long again, he heard the photographer move on to some pictures of just Chad and Taylor. He looked down and paused as Gabriella looked up at him at the same time, a warm emotion in her brown eyes, looking at him the same way she always used to look at him in high school, a look Troy hadn't seen since then, even on the night of the club a month or so ago.
"Brie? You still feel this too huh?" murmured Troy as he raised his right hand to cup her left cheek in his palm. "The connection, the sparks?"
Gabriella just stared at Troy, taking in the overwhelming feeling of being in love again, mystified that this feeling had somehow wormed its way through the defenses she had come to Albuquerque with. Knowing that she couldn't lie to him, Gabriella nodded and gave Troy a soft smile. "It's still there, as dormant as it was, it still is there," replied Gabriella. "Maybe our late night talk the other night woke it all up again."
Troy shook his head though, disagreeing. "I think it started before that. I don't think it ever died for me Brie, and I don't think it did for you either."
She felt her head tilt so she was leaning into his palm more, screaming at her body for being a traitor in revealing her real emotions and feelings when her mind was starting to finally have control again. "It definitely didn't disappear for me, all those years Troy, but things change, people change," said Gabriella, being the stronger of the two to take a step back and break the embrace. "You have a new life now with a woman who I can only hope is as good to you as you are to her."
Troy stood there as he watched Gabriella give him a sad smile before she turned and walked away from him, leaving him to stare at her retreating form as his mind began to run at full speed. 'What just happened? Did I really confess that I felt something still to her and have her tell me she did too but to walk away? What does this mean? Could she still really feel that way, can there still be an us? No Troy, of course not. She said it herself, you have Celeste now, you have her in your life to take care of and cherish for the rest of your life. Then why are you pining over another woman?'
He let out a frustrated sigh as he squashed his inner turmoil, knowing it would do no one any good if Troy fell victim to his troubled romantic thoughts on a day dedicated to his best friend in the world and Chad's new wife. Troy plastered a grin on his face as he too walked towards the rest of the group, knowing that as much as he was troubled by this sudden event, he was there to celebrate Chad and Taylor's big day and Troy wasn't about to mess that up for them.
After the slideshow that showed Taylor and Chad growing up and then together, the newlyweds took to the dance floor to share in their first dance as man and wife, Tessa and Gabriella both smacking Zeke and Chucky, who started chuckling at Chad's ungraceful dance moves as he took Taylor around the dance floor.
"Chucky! He's your brother!" exclaimed Gabriella. "Don't tease him when he's the happiest he's been in a while!"
"Are you kidding? That's prime time to tease him Gab!" returned Chucky with a grin. "He's not even paying us any attention."
Gabriella looked up and saw that Chucky was right as Taylor and Chad were both happily grinning at each other, their eyes only on each other, despite their random stumbling. "Now see, that's real love, not yelping in pain as he steps all over her toes," joked Zeke, getting a high five from Chucky.
Tessa rolled her eyes from her place next to Zeke. "Honestly, I swear you guys never grew up!"
"Maybe so but we're having fun despite everything else," returned Jason, joining in with the laughter from the other side of the long table.
Gabriella gave up trying to quiet their teasing and instead turned her attention to the round table nearby where Chris was currently sitting, talking to Kelsi and her husband. He caught her look and grinned back at her, letting her know that he was okay by himself still. They had met up again once the wedding party and other East High friends made it to the banquet hall but were separated as the wedding party was seated at a long table in the front of the room with the dates of theirs being seated at that round table. Seeing Chris turn his attention back to Kelsi, Gabriella allowed herself to look at Celeste and felt a pang of what she knew to be jealousy rush through her as she saw that Troy was currently squatting down next to his fiancé, grinning back at her before he leaned in and they shared a kiss. Unable to watch for more than a few seconds, Gabriella turned her attention to the couple on the dance floor and felt her jealousy grow as she admired the lovebirds who were complete opposites yet were perfect for each other.
"What are you thinking Gab?" asked Sharpay as she took the seat next to the brunette that Chucky had vacated to go and make his rounds among the Danforth family.
"Just how happy I am for Taylor and Chad, for Troy and Celeste, for Kelsi and Tom. They've found each other and the happiness there is in that. That's absolutely a blessing in life that I am still trying to obtain for myself," confessed Gabriella, smiling more as Chad kissed Taylor soundly on her lips as the song ended before Chad handed her off to her father for the traditional father-daughter dance.
"Hey, you're preaching to the choir here," teased Sharpay, a smile on her face. "Besides, from what happened during the professional picture taking session, I think you and Troy still have a chance to make that happily ever after you two started in high school."
"Come on Shar, you know that's not possible," returned Gabriella, looking back at the blonde. "He's happy with her and that's all I've ever wanted."
Sharpay scoffed at this. "So you're going to give up on your own happiness in the process? Gabriella Montez, princess or not, will you act selfish for once?"
"Not at the cost of hurting another woman who doesn't deserve it. Besides Shar, you don't know what's going on with me fully, what's going on at home. It wouldn't work and things are better this way, just me and Troy being friends. No one gets hurt, everything works out," replied Gabriella, getting the feeling that Sharpay was buying into nothing that Gabriella was saying at the moment. "Honestly, I can't ask Troy to be free for me when I myself am not free for him."
This gave Sharpay pause, stopping the retort that was ready to come out of her mouth. "What do you mean you are not free for him? Are you seeing Chris? I thought he was your dance partner!"
"He is, trust me, Chris is definitely just that," assured Gabriella, lifting her brown eyes to look in Chris' direction, smiling as she now saw Tessa sitting with him, recognizing the flirty nature that was now coming out of her best friend. "Otherwise Tessa wouldn't be flirting with him right in front of me."
Sharpay whipped her head around and laughed as she saw that Gabriella was right. "Well, I guess it's safe to say that you aren't an item with Chris then considering he is flirting back with her. They did seem to hit it off last night at the rehearsal dinner," commented Sharpay. "Bets that she ends up waking up in your suite in the morning?"
Gabriella laughed and shook Sharpay's hand. "You're on. I think they'll hook up tonight but I don't think it'll get that far."
"Did I actually see right, did you actually just bet with my twin?" teased Ryan as he came by and pulled up an empty chair to sit next to the two girls. "That's hazardous to your health you know, especially if it involved designer clothes."
"Oh! The terms! Loser buys winner the newest designer purse of her choice?" offered Sharpay.
Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. "Sounds as good as anything."
Ryan rolled his eyes at this as the girls shook on this. "Honestly, I think somehow someone was watching out for you both when they chose what life you would be living in this lifetime. I can't see you Sharpay especially not having an almost unlimited credit line on a credit card to support your habit."
"Well, as Daddy always says, it's better to have a shopping habit than a drinking or drug one!" said Sharpay with a grin on her face. "Besides, it will be Gaby here buying me the purse I've been eyeing for the last few weeks."
"Whatever you say Shar," returned Gabriella with a laugh. "So Ryan, where's your girlfriend?"
"Sharpay scared her off, third one in a row," grumbled Ryan, shooting Sharpay a dirty look.
"What? I didn't do anything! If the girl can't handle a friendly sister of her boyfriend talk then she isn't for you Ry," defended Sharpay. "Besides, I don't know what you saw in her anyway. She had such bad taste in clothes!"
"Lucky for you she wasn't a serious girlfriend otherwise we'd not be speaking right now," replied Ryan, giving Sharpay another look. "Guess it says something though when she hightails it out of New Mexico after only spending two days with you."
"Exactly," said Sharpay. "You need a girl of endurance, who will adore me as a sister-in-law eventually and she definitely would not have adored me."
Ryan let out a laugh finally. "That, she definitely did not."
The three continued to talk as they watched the wedding festivities continue, joined shortly by Tessa and Chris as they enjoyed the music and watching Taylor and Chad start making their rounds to each table.
An hour later, the music stopped and the DJ came onto the microphone. "All right, it's time for the cutting of the cake but not before we have the ever exciting bouquet and garter toss! Mr. and Mrs. Chad Danforth, please come out to the center of the dance floor. Let's have the single men stand over to the left and all the single women to the right. Come on, I know you are all dying for this!"
Tessa and Sharpay squealed as they both jumped up to go stand on the right side of the dance floor, leaving Gabriella, Chris, and Ryan laughing behind them. "They really are still so much alike," commented Ryan with a shake of his head. "Thank God they didn't find each other earlier than they did. I would have been tormented for sure at home."
Gabriella giggled at this. "Now that, I have a gut feeling you are right about. Aren't you going to go try to catch the garter Ry?"
Ryan slowly nodded his head as he got up from his chair. "I suppose. I want to go get pictures of Chad taking Taylor's garter off anyway. See you later?"
"Sure," answered Gabriella, finally able to talk to her dance partner alone for the first time that night. "So? What do you think of my friends?"
"Very charming. And the stories I have learned about you! You so have been holding out on me!" exclaimed Chris with a smile.
"Oh God, who do I have to kill?" murmured Gabriella as her mind started thinking of the things he could have learned about her New Mexico days.
"No one as I find the stories priceless. Now, aren't you supposed to be on the dance floor Princess?" teased Chris. "Single ladies were called out you know."
"Well yeah but I think you would agree that my situation is a bit different from everyone else's. My fate is already sealed and I don't need flowers to support that," returned Gabriella. "Why don't you go and try to catch the garter?"
Chris shook his head. "Me and marriage? No way. If you aren't going to go out, neither am I so I'll stay right here."
"Suit yourself," replied Gabriella before she turned her attention to where Taylor was currently sitting with Chad on his knees in front of her. A raunchy tune came on as Chad got a silly grin on his face while his hands pushed up Taylor's dress some before his hands disappeared. The look on Taylor's face of shock spoke volumes as to the mischief Chad must have gotten into while having his hands under her dress, only to be confirmed as she smacked his shoulder before he burst into laughter, pulling her white garter down and off her leg. Chad was still laughing as he got up and kissed Taylor on the lips quickly, happy that she returned it despite the glare she gave him.
"All right, now that is done, let's have the ladies have the floor first. Taylor, if you will come to me and turn your back on your wonderful lady guests. Ladies, please move in front of the center table and spread out. I don't know how good of an arm the bride has," teased the DJ, making sure that Taylor kept her back to the females who were now spread out across the dance floor, Tessa and Sharpay play fighting while they waited for Taylor to throw the bouquet.
Troy watched the commotion from the sidelines while he talked to Zeke and Jason both, laughing as he spied Celeste anxiously bouncing on the balls of her feet, having taken her heels off a few moments ago so she could really try to grab the bouquet. He scanned the group for another familiar brunette and frowned slightly as he saw her sitting out talking to Chris, wondering why she wasn't with Tessa and Sharpay at least in this traditional act that supposedly determined who would be married next. Troy returned his attention to Taylor though as the DJ started counting down from ten and watched as Taylor threw the bouquet up in the air, over her right shoulder.
Martha made the first jump in an attempt to catch the bouquet but it sailed easily above her reach, already out of range for Celeste. Sharpay and Tessa though were right there for it, both trying to beat the other in grabbing it. In the process, a few other girls tried to catch it as well and the bouquet ended up getting jostled around until it finally landed, on Gabriella's unsuspecting lap.
Gabriella stared down at the grouped flowers in shock, wondering if this was some silent sign from the heavens about her future and what was in store for her and these suitors she was still meeting. She heard Chris chuckle and looked up to glare at him, only to feel her left arm being tugged as Sharpay and Tessa pulled her from her chair and put the bouquet in her hand as they walked Gabriella to the front where Taylor was happily smiling at them.
"Guess it found its rightful owner," said Taylor with a smile before she and Gabriella shared a hug. "I always thought you'd be before me but now I know you will for sure be next."
"I don't know if that's a good thing Tay," murmured Gabriella quietly under her breath, breathing a sigh of relief as the photographer distracted the girls long enough for Gabriella and Taylor to take pictures together with the bouquet.
Once that was done, the DJ directed the guys to take the dance floor while Chad stood next to the DJ, swinging the garter around on his finger. He missed the commotion as Zeke and Ryan both dragged Troy out onto the dance floor to play along with them, letting go of him as soon as they were in the center. Troy, knowing that Ryan, Zeke, and Chucky would go after him if he tried to escape, stayed put and waited for Chad's toss.
Seeing that Troy wasn't that into catching the garter, Jason decided to give him a reason to want it. "Troy, twenty bucks says you can't catch that thing."
Troy turned his attention to his high school friend and nodded his head while a cocky grin developed on his face. "And twenty bucks says you can't. Draw if neither of us get it?"
"Deal," agreed Jason, shaking hands with Troy before the two turned their attention to Chad, who finally turned his back to the group of men behind him.
"Ready guys?" called out Chad with a grin before he raised his arms and positioned the garter on his fingers in a sling shot style, shooting it rather far for doing it backwards and not seeing where it was going. As soon as he released it, Chad spun around to see where it went and laughed hard as he saw Chucky, Jason, and Troy going after it, the dark brown haired man winning as he jumped in the air and caught it, holding it firmly in his right hand as he got tackled by the other two. Unable to resist being part of it, Chad ran towards them and helped Troy ward off Jason and Chucky both, patting Troy on the back as his best friend was back on his feet and dusting his dress shirt off while Chucky laughed and Jason glared, reluctantly handing Troy his earned twenty dollar bill. At this, Chad and Chucky both laughed harder seeing the satisfied smile on Troy's face as he took the money and quickly pocketed it.
Chad and Troy posed for some pictures as the music started again only to soften a few moments later. The DJ picked up the microphone and grinned at Troy, who was currently talking to Celeste, his arm around her waist while also including Martha and Zeke, who stood near the two. "Will the man who caught the garter and the woman who caught the bouquet please come out to the middle of the dance floor? As is tradition at some weddings, the garter must be put on the woman before they share a dance for good luck. So maybe it is a newer tradition but it's fun nonetheless," announced the DJ, looking around trying to spot the woman he saw earlier on who caught the bouquet. "Come on, we all know who you two are."
Troy gulped as he realized that the DJ was calling him and Gabriella both out for this ritual that Troy had never heard of before. He looked back down at Celeste, who gave him an encouraging smile. "Go on Troy, go do it! The DJ isn't going to let you off the hook because you already have a fiancé."
"Are you sure?" asked Troy, nervous about what he would be doing in a few minutes in front of so many people. "I can have Zeke here do it."
Zeke shook his head immediately at this though. "No way, you caught it and earned the money for it, you do it."
"Come on Troy, it'll be fun," encouraged Martha. "And your fiancé is right. This DJ is still calling for you!"
Troy let out a little sigh before he unwrapped his arm from around Celeste, kissing her forehead quickly before making his way to the middle of the dance floor. He looked around and tried to find where Gabriella had hidden herself. Fortunately he didn't have to wait for long as Sharpay and Tessa both emerged from the crowd dragging Gabriella behind them, a deep blush on her cheeks as she glared at her girlfriends and a smirking Chris, who was the one to give her the last push onto the dance floor. Before either of them knew it, the DJ had positioned a chair for Gabriella to sit on while Troy kneeled down, taking in deep breaths and staring at her painted toes before gaining the courage to look back up into her face. When he finally did, Troy wasn't all that surprised to see the mixture of embarrassment, nervousness, and yet happiness in her brown eyes as he felt the exact same.
"Are you sure you are okay with this?" asked Troy, maintaining the eye contact. "We don't have to do it."
Gabriella nodded her head a little. "We do if we want to get this reception going. They're halting everything for this. You know I'm embarrassed and I know you are nervous so let's just give them what they want. I trust you."
Troy smirked a little at this and felt his feeling of happiness at being this close to Gabriella again overwhelm him more as he picked up her right foot. The two concentrated only on each other as Troy slowly slid on the garter and began slipping it up Gabriella's right leg, allowing his hands to skim ever so softly over her ankle and then her calf muscle. Gabriella found herself fighting to keep her breath even as she felt his fingers dance across her skin, in an almost lover's touch, making her blush more. Troy grinned up at her as he felt his heart speed up as his hands continued to move up, sliding the garter over her knee to finally rest on her thigh mid-way, making sure her dress remained draped over his lower arms and her leg to help give her some type of modesty. Once he knew the garter was in place, Troy forced himself to bring his hands back down and out from under her dress, feeling himself blush as she looked down at him with darker brown eyes than he had seen her with.
"Well done!" congratulated the DJ with a grin. "I'd say that was even better than the groom taking it off the bride… What do you people think?"
A loud round of catcalls and hoots reverberated off the walls of the room, an increase of what was already going on while Troy and Gabriella focused only on each other but were now hearing. Troy quickly stood up and gave Gabriella a hand up as the DJ moved the seat out from the center of the floor. Chad and Taylor quickly came over and hugged both of them, Taylor squealing a little when she hugged Gabriella, whispering into the brunette's ear how happy Taylor was that it was Gabriella and Troy who caught the bouquet and garter. The photographer came by with the videographer and took quick pictures of the four, Taylor and Gabriella standing in between Chad and Troy.
"And now that we have all the formalities almost over, I'd like to open the dance floor in the middle of this song to everyone else but would like to remind the four on the dance floor already that they must dance together, bride and groom and bouquet catcher and garter catcher, for at least half of the song for the good luck to persist. This next song is a request by a Miss Tessa and Miss Sharpay who send their love to their favorite couple," announced the DJ before he pressed a button and the new song came on.
Taylor and Chad smiled at each other as they stepped towards each other for the dance, Chad pausing to shove Troy a little closer to Gabriella to get Troy to start dancing with Gabriella just as the lyrics began.
Ooh…
Everybody's got something they had to leave behind
One regret from yesterday that just seems to grow with time
There's no use looking back or wondering (or wondering)
How it could be now or might have been (or might have been)
All this I know but still I can't find ways to let you go
Gabriella slowly raised her arms to rest her hands on Troy's shoulders as Troy wrapped his hands around Gabriella's waist, both feeling awkward being so close together in front of an audience, especially knowing that Celeste was watching them somewhere among the sea of faces. Sharpay saw this distance and tension and quickly looked around the room and saw that Celeste wasn't anywhere to be seen so she darted out to the dance floor to forcefully move Troy's arms so that he was now holding Gabriella closer, his arms wrapped around her waist while Gabriella had her hands behind Troy's neck. Satisfied that they would stay like that, Sharpay gave them a nod before scurrying back off the dance floor, getting a discreet high five from Tessa while Chris and Zeke both laughed at them.
"You know they are going to kill you when this song is over right?" stated Chris, looking at the two girls who both had satisfied grins on their faces. "They clearly know now that you meant this for them and not Chad and Taylor."
"Maybe so but we needed to do something to get them to share one last dance together. Who knows after tonight if they'll ever get to again," explained Tessa. "Besides, maybe this is exactly what they both need."
Zeke shook his head. "You still are meddling in their love life huh?"
"As if! We're simply helping them realize what's still there, what even you Zeke can see between them," returned Sharpay, turning her attention back to the two couples on the dance floor.
Somewhere in my memory I lost all sense of time
And tomorrow can never be
'Cause yesterday is all that fills my mind
There's no use looking back or wondering
How it should be now or might have been (or might have been)
Oh this I know but still I can't find ways to let you go
Gabriella sighed after Sharpay quickly left her and Troy on the dance floor, feeling like she had just been manipulated into this situation by her girlfriends on purpose. 'May as well enjoy this while it lasts. This very well may be the last time you ever dance with Troy,' thought Gabriella as she continued to move to the soft music, following Troy's lead.
Troy glared at the retreating blonde and realized as he finally started really listening to the music what the song was about. He narrowed his eyes as he slightly shook his head at Sharpay and Tessa, who were now involved in a conversation while watching him and Gabriella, knowing that they were victims of the girls' most recent schemes. When Troy heard Gabriella's sigh though, he turned his attention back to her, only to see a mask of conflicting emotions on her face. "Brie, what's wrong?" asked Troy softly, causing Gabriella to look up at him.
"Just listening to the song is all. I realize now that they not only got us to be together in this dance but requested a song that fit us so perfectly. It's S Club 7's "Never Had A Dream Come True." I recognize it because it used to be a favorite of mine when it first came out but I never realized that it would hold so much meaning," confessed Gabriella, knowing that there was no reason to hold back on her feelings and thoughts now, now that she knew for sure that Troy would be out of her life after tomorrow's farewell brunch.
I never had a dream come true
Till that day that I found you
Even though I pretend that I've moved on
You'll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where love takes me to
A part of me will always be with you
Troy just nodded as he continued to sway back and forth with Gabriella in his arms, feeling more about dancing with her as other people moved onto the dance floor, including their friends. He looked around and didn't see Celeste, finding himself grateful that she wasn't there at that moment. Troy looked down again and gave Gabriella a sad smile. "You know you really were a dream come true to me that night at the ski lodge but more so when we met again at the masquerade ball. Just holding you that night, I knew that you were someone special and yet I feel now that even feeling that was not close to what you really mean to me."
"You mean meant," murmured Gabriella, looking away to try to hide the tears that had suddenly filled her eyes.
He caught her though and used his right hand to tilt her chin up and over so that she was looking back at him. "No, I meant present tense. Brie, I know our present isn't where either of us thought we would be in our lives and in relation to each other but you still mean a lot to me. I still have these feelings for you that seem to have never left and I'm glad because with you Gabriella, with you I always felt like I could do anything, be anything. You honestly brought out the best in me and I wanted, well I wanted to say thank you for that if for nothing else."
"And you did the same for me," returned Gabriella with a sweet smile as she wiped away a stray tear. "I can't imagine what my life would have been like in Albuquerque without you there to protect me, to care for me, to love me for me. You were so amazing Wildcat, I just can't even fathom what my life would be without you in it, past and present. Promise we'll keep in touch as good friends?"
"The best of friends," agreed Troy with a smile of his own, tightening his embrace around the woman who definitely still resided in his heart, letting the conversation naturally drop as they both became preoccupied with their present thoughts and feelings as they listened to the lyrics that continued.
You'll always be the dream that fills my head
(Yes you will, say you will, you know you will, baby)
You'll always be the one I know (I'll never forget)
There's no use looking back or wondering (or wondering)
Because love is a strange and funny thing
No matter how I try and try
I just can't say goodbye
No no no no
I never had a dream come true
Till that day that I found you
Even though I pretend that I've moved on
You'll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where love takes me to
A part of me will always be with you
A part of me will always be with you...
As the song came to a close, Troy wrapped his arms more tightly around Gabriella as she wrapped her own around his waist, both giving each other what felt like one last embrace that said good-bye to who they once were together. Gabriella closed her eyes to savor the feel of his lips pressed against her forehead as he kissed it lightly, opening them only to gaze back into the clear cobalt eyes of his that held nothing but love for her, a reflection of what her own must show him in return.
Celeste, having witnessed only the last half of the dance since she was in the bathroom, slowly approached the two with a hesitant smile on her face as she reached them. She placed her hand softly on Troy's shoulder and felt him jerk as he whipped his head around to look at her. "Celeste, hi," he said, a nervous edge in his voice.
Celeste just smiled at him and asked, "Can I have this dance?"
Troy looked down at her before he looked at Gabriella, who was still in his arms. Gabriella saw the confusion in his eyes and quickly stepped back, breaking his hold on her. "Thank you for the dance Troy, and to you Celeste for letting me borrow him. You really do look wonderful together," said Gabriella, a smile on her face that passed as happy through Celeste's eyes but Troy saw the secret sadness behind it before she turned and walked a few feet away only to end up dancing with Chris, who had been waiting for her a short distance away, to the current slow song.
"Are you all right Troy?" asked Celeste, concern in her tone.
Troy ripped his eyes away from his first true love and looked down at his current love, his fiancé. He forced a smile on his face and nodded, knowing that it was a lie but would have to do. "I couldn't be better," he murmured as he pulled Celeste closer to him, fighting with himself to push aside the memory of Gabriella being in his arms and the way she felt. No matter what he did though, Troy continued to look at Gabriella from across the dance floor as she did the same, neither seeming to be able to look away from something they both knew that was in the past but something they both secretly wanted to have once again for their future.