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Gabriella and Chris took their final bows together on the stage after yet another successful performance. It was now the first week in November and the company had only a few more weeks left of this season before the ballet would wrap up and the company would take a rest before the new season began a few months from then. They shared their traditional, normal embrace of congratulations of another successful show and did the same with the rest of the company before Gabriella found herself finally in her dressing room, smiling at the fresh flowers that Patrick had sent the night before. Every week, Patrick had gotten into the habit of filling her dressing room with beautiful flowers, ranging from roses to wildflowers to carnations and all sorts of mixtures but not once had he given her sunflowers and it was a fact that stuck in Gabriella's mind. Not that she wasn't grateful for his gifts, because she was, but Gabriella couldn't help but think about that fact, reminding her of how much time she and Patrick had been dating yet he still doesn't seem to know her as well as she would have liked.
Gabriella took the time to take off her stage makeup that felt like it was half melting off anyway before she got up from her vanity and dressed herself in the yellow and red strapless dress she brought for her date tonight with Patrick. They were going to a late dinner and Gabriella knew, knowing Patrick by now, that they would be going to a fancy restaurant. Stories had been swirling around Copanvy about this budding romance between Gabriella and Patrick but Gabriella herself still hadn't decided if she could really see Patrick being the one to wake up to each morning for the rest of her life. Gabriella knew though that it wasn't entirely about that, not even mostly, which was why she had continued seeing Patrick for so long despite her uncertain feelings on it, on him.
'He is a wonderful guy and treats me well, and I really do care for him, but I just, I don't know if I can really commit myself to him for the sake of the country if my heart isn't entirely in it,' she thought, catching herself from the stray thought as Gabriella realized it was a little bit later than the agreed upon time to meet Patrick outside.
Gabriella walked out of her dressing room and smiled as she saw a smirking Chris leaning against the wall next to his dressing room door. "And that smirk is for what?" she asked as the two of them started walking towards the exit.
Chris shrugged his shoulders. "Just because I knew since you had a date with Patrick tonight you were going to come out all dressed up while if you were meeting Troy, who by the way played phenomenally against Vernady last night, you would be dressed in a cute skirt and top or even jeans. Just an observation I've made in the past weeks."
She turned her head to Chris and quirked her right dark eyebrow at him. "Are you sure you aren't secretly feeding the press things under the alias of a reliable source?" she teased, giggling as he smacked his right hand over his heart, over exaggerating his pain at the mere suggestion he was selling her out.
"As Tessa would say, 'as if'!" exclaimed Chris, laughing along with Gabriella right after. "Nah, if I wanted money, I'd hit up Patrick or Troy direct but that's not what I am about and you know that. Your friendship means much more to me than anything else, honest."
"I know that Chris and I feel the same about you," replied Gabriella, pausing to give him a quick hug before they walked through the exit.
Immediately, both Chris and Gabriella were approached for pictures and autographs on the ballet's program but Paul and the rest of his team were there to cut the commotion off before it became too big, escorting Chris and Gabriella both away from the crowd to a less populated area where Gabriella saw Patrick waiting for her. Her heart skipped a beat though as she spied someone else deeper in the shadows, knowing instantly who it was. 'He came home early…'
"You did wonderful, as usual," complimented Patrick, reaching for Gabriella's left hand that was adorned by his diamond bracelet and kissing the back of her hand, making her smile a little more at him. "Are you ready for dinner?"
Gabriella's eyes left his to look at Troy and then back to him. "I have to do something real quick but I'll meet you at your car. Is that okay?"
Patrick got a curious feeling and turned his head to glance at what Gabriella had focused on moments before, seeing someone standing several yards away in his peripheral vision but recognizing the figure despite the darkness. He sighed while he tried to reign in his true feelings, turning his face back towards Gabriella. "Sure, I'll meet you at the car."
"Thanks," replied Gabriella, feeling guilty and even more awkward knowing now that Patrick knew exactly what she would be doing in the next few moments. To try to appease him a little, she leaned forward and softly kissed his cheek before letting him walk away, waiting until he was gone from view to make her way over to Troy, Chris and Paul hanging back to give them their privacy. "Hey Wildcat!"
"Hi Brie," he greeted, feeling unsure of how to greet her as Troy always felt when Patrick was around, even if he wasn't in sight now.
Gabriella solved the dilemma for him though as she launched herself into his arms, feeling safe to do so as she knew that Paul and the security team would have the area blocked from anyone else to come by randomly. "I missed you the past few days Troy, I really did," she admitted, her voice displaying her longing for him.
Troy wrapped his arms around her waist even more at these words, relieved that she had, putting one of his fears of her slipping away even more so over the past few weeks since his birthday at ease once again. "I missed you too Gabriella. God you have no idea how much. I knew there was a chance you would have plans tonight but I needed to come here and see you, even if it was to see you from afar."
"I'm glad you did. I do have plans but I am so glad you are here. I watched what I could of your last few games that were televised and I must say, I think the Wildcat has gotten even better since high school. Guess that is to be expected anyway," stated Gabriella, smiling more as Troy got a bashful look on his face. "And yet none of it has gotten to your head. I love that about you."
"That's all you love about me?" pouted Troy, fishing for the words he needed to hear from Gabriella's mouth before he allowed her to leave with Patrick for another date. Troy had tried to adjust to the fact that Gabriella was seeing another man besides him but it was tough and Troy knew that it wasn't any easier for Gabriella so he tried to hide his feelings as much as possible for her sake. Inside though, as Chad and Chucky and even Chris knew, it was slowly tearing Troy apart for all he wanted, what he needed, was to have Gabriella in his life, to be her only one. Whenever he felt this way though, his mind always pushed through his selfish heart and reminded Troy that Gabriella was dealing with a life that brought with it more complexities than most adults have. Being royalty, even of a small country, put a lot of responsibilities and expectations on Gabriella's shoulders that she handled gracefully and for that, Troy constantly fought through his self-pitying and selfish emotions to be there where he could for her, knowing that was far more important than having her all to himself at this point, at this moment in time.
"Please, that's just the tip of it and you know it," replied Gabriella, her brown eyes twinkling, evident more so now as both pairs of eyes adjusted to the darkness of where they were standing between buildings. "There is so much more like your determination, your heart, how smart you are, how caring you are of others, and your deep desire to do everything and do it well. Of course there's more but I think I've inflated your head enough for tonight."
"Haha," grounded out Troy, grinning before he gave into temptation and pressed his lips against hers, leaving it as a quick kiss as he knew they were out in the open, despite his deep desire to make it deeper and much, much longer. Martin and Henry both had kept their word to Gabriella in the past month or so of refraining from taking pictures of both of them or at least not submitting them to any publication companies. Troy had found them snapping himself every once in a while and saw those in newspapers and magazines as coverage for being on the basketball team but never him and Gabriella together while there were continued pictures of Gabriella with Patrick in those same publications.
Gabriella let out a sigh as she forced herself to step back, knowing she had taken too much time already. "I should go Troy," she tentatively said, hesitantly raising her eyes to look back into his again.
'Make this easier on her, not harder,' Troy silently reminded himself as he nodded his head. "Yeah, you should probably get going. Can I see you soon?"
"I'll come find you next time, how about that? Keep you in suspense a little," teased Gabriella, giggling at Troy's groan.
"Fine, have it your way princess," replied Troy, chuckling as she pulled a face. "Good night sweet Brie."
"Good night Wildcat," she returned, leaning up on her toes to gently kiss him one last time before she turned and walked down the alleyway, feeling her heart get heavier at having to leave Troy with every step she took, not allowing herself to look back at him in fear of never making it to Patrick's car.
"Is everything all right? You haven't touched your herb roasted chicken too much," commented Patrick, looking at Gabriella's plate that had three-quarters of the chicken and most of the garlic mashed potatoes still sitting there while Patrick had almost polished off his filet mignon. "Does it not taste right? We can send it back."
Guilt washed over Gabriella at the concern she heard in Patrick's voice. "No, it's great. I guess maybe I'm not as hungry as I thought I was," offered Gabriella, knowing how paper thin her excuse was. She was greatly relieved though when Patrick just nodded his head. "I'm sorry, I am such bad company tonight."
Patrick just gave her a small smile. "I'm sure you're pretty tired. You and Chris have been doing phenomenal with all your performances. I'm sure it's getting to that point where you are enjoying it but it is sucking more out of you to keep it up," replied Patrick, reaching over and placing his hand over her left hand, intertwining their fingers together as their hands laid together on top of the table. "So I just realized the other day that your twenty-fifth birthday is in little less than a month and a half. Are there big plans to celebrate?"
"Oh, umm," mumbled Gabriella, feeling all warmth leave her body as she realized that her birthday was so close, having forgotten that the deadline for her arranged marriage was looming so near now. "I don't think there will be this year. I think I would rather have something fairly low key."
"Because of this arrangement obligation?" asked Patrick rather bluntly, parts of him needing to know where things stood between them. "Do you know what you are going to decide, who will be the future prince of Copanvy?"
Gabriella drew her hand away from Patrick just then, feeling chills race down her spine and not the good kind. "No, I don't, and I don't really appreciate you having to remind me of it or making it all seem like some impersonal business transaction."
Patrick blanched at this. "Ella, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," he said, stumbling a bit over his words, realizing now how his need to find reassurance most likely ruined the night as well as any good momentum the two shared in their relationship currently. "It's just, to be perfectly honest, I know that you care deeply for Troy and if he's anything like I imagine he really is, he returns those feelings, just as I care so much for you. You know, let's forget I even brought this up. I don't want to fight with you Ella."
Still trying to take in everything Patrick just said, Gabriella shook her head, knowing that maybe now was the best time to address everything. "Maybe we should talk about this now Patrick. I can tell it's on your mind," returned Gabriella. "If you are wondering if I've made a decision, I haven't. I do really care for you, that much is the truth. I just, I'm still sorting everything out if that makes sense."
"As it is your right," stated Patrick, relieved that nothing final had been decided yet and to hear her voice her feelings for him were still alive. "Look Gabriella, I don't want to rush you and really, we don't have to talk about this. I can see it's putting you through some turmoil and I would rather not be the cause of that. You really have come to mean a lot to me in the time that we have gotten to know each other better and I guess, before I let this go, I want you to know that you aren't just some family obligation to me. Take away the royalty situation and I'd still vie for your attention, for your heart."
She slowly slid her left hand back across the table to rest on his, allowing Patrick to join their hands together again. Gabriella fought hard not to nibble on her lip, which would be a dead giveaway that she was still unsure and worried at that moment. "I know this whole situation is tough on everyone and trust me, I wish I could make it easier for us all but I have so much to consider, so much to deal with in terms of a decision. Please, just give me some more time okay?"
"Certainly, my plan was never to rush you Gabriella, far from it. I just, well I selfishly needed to gain some insight, to see what you were thinking," answered Patrick truthfully. "Do you maybe want to look into some nice tiramisu for dessert since the main entrée wasn't completely filling?"
'Ice cream would be more appropriate now as comfort food,' thought Gabriella as she forced herself to give Patrick a small smile. 'Be easy on the guy Gabriella. He really is going through as much as you are in reality and he's just trying to find out where things stand. You'd feel the same way too if you were in Patrick's shoes.'
"Gabriella?" he asked again when he didn't get any indication of an answer from her.
"I think I'm going to work some more on my dinner Patrick. Can we maybe wait to see after I'm done about dessert?" questioned Gabriella, trying to refocus her thoughts on the present moment, pushing aside all the other thoughts now trying to invade her mind, thoughts as to what her future looked like and which man would be by her side. "I think I've shifted some room in my stomach to eat some more."
Patrick chuckled. "Well then certainly! We can't have you go hungry now can we?" he teased, lifting her hand that was in his and kissing the back of it and then her knuckles before releasing it, allowing her to use both hands to finish eating her dinner. Their comfortable conversation picked back up as best it could for the rest of the night until he dropped Gabriella off at the palace with a chaste kiss on the lips and a wish of sweet dreams.
Gabriella paced back and forth in her suite in the palace, letting out a low, frustrated groan as her heart and mind began to argue once again, barely hearing the laugh from the other side of the cell phone she held up to her ear.
"Gabriella, honestly, I know this isn't at all funny but your groan was just, I don't know, maybe it's too early, but I found that hilarious," said Taylor, calming down her laughter. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have laughed but you have to calm down a little here so we can talk this through Gab."
"I know, and it probably was funny, but I'm just too frustrated right now to see it, sorry Tay. So what am I going to do? I'm like all panicky now because I have literally only weeks now to decide on who it is going to be and be engaged by then. That's the other thing, am I supposed to propose to said guy?" asked Gabriella, starting to see pieces missing from this arranged marriage concept, at least as far as what was explained to her. "Am I really supposed to propose to him or do I tell him to propose? God Taylor, this is so unromantic and not the way I ever dreamed of this moment happening!"
"Gabriella, get a grip!" exclaimed Taylor, immediately lowering her voice again as she remembered Chad was sleeping only down the hall in their bedroom. "Please, do us both a favor and sit down in that comfortable chair in your lounge. You need to concentrate and this pacing you are doing isn't helping anything."
Gabriella stopped moving, smiling a little as it registered in her mind that Taylor knew without having to be told what behavior Gabriella was exhibiting at that exact moment. Knowing Taylor was usually right, Gabriella gave up the pacing and sat down in her favorite chair Taylor indicated and sighed. "I'm in my chair Tay. Now what?"
"Now you tell me what exactly brought this anxiety attack on about this arrangement you have to comply with before your birthday in December," stated Taylor, stopping there to prompt Gabriella to start talking again.
Thinking back on the dinner, Gabriella realized that it wasn't Patrick's words that had caused this worry to bloom inside of Gabriella but only served to call it out more. "I think the anxiety has been there for a while Taylor, it's just that I'm severely aware of it now. You know, I never got to tell Troy about this. I really was going to on his birthday but my grandparents pretty much put a stop on that. I wanted to tell him and risk it all but when it came down to it, I can't risk losing Troy, not yet. Stupid? Yes. Selfish? Definitely. Mean spirited? No, at least I hope not."
"Wait, what exactly do you mean your grandparents stopped you? How in the world could they have done that? You have free will Gabriella," pointed out Taylor as she struggled to understand what had transpired in the last few weeks since the gang left Copanvy.
"I do, and I wanted to use it, trust me Taylor, I did, but they threw something out there that I dare not go against. They, well to be truthful, they basically told me that if I told Troy anything about the arrangement, Troy would be deported from Copanvy," replied Gabriella, her frustration evident in her voice. "I can't risk it Taylor. I even thought of telling him and swearing him not to say anything but I can't put that weight on his shoulders, forcing him to guard everything he says outside of me and him, in public, at his press conferences. As it is, no one really knows about us, what we are. Hell, we don't even know anything defined about our relationship, just that we love each other and are seeing each other but not exclusively."
Taylor let out a slow whistle as her mind reeled from hearing this news. "They actually told you they would deport him if they got a hint of him knowing? For good?"
"For good," confirmed Gabriella, running her hand over her face. "What am I supposed to do Taylor? Patrick is the man I know this country approves of, that they are expecting I make the newest prince of Copanvy through marriage but if I'm honest with myself, I know that I care for him but I'm not truly in love with him. Patrick is a great guy, I like him as a person and even as a friend but that attraction that was initially there with us, it died somewhere along the way and I can't seem to find it again. If it is on both of our sides, he's doing a damn good job hiding it from me."
"So you've lost the magic with Patrick, which I could also tell lately by the way you talk about him. That excitement was gone from your voice despite you still sounding happy with him. Is it possible you've decided already to just accept him as your fate? It's clear that you love Troy though Gabriella. I can hear it the same way I could hear the lack of it in your voice for Patrick. No wonder you are so torn up right now. What do you choose, your country or your heart?" summed up Taylor, feeling immense amounts of sympathy for her best friend and the situation she was in.
"Bingo," replied Gabriella, sighing a little more as she leaned her head back, staring up at the ceiling, asking the beings above for some sort of assistance, for an answer. "Patrick is the clear choice for Copanvy, for her people, but Troy is the clear choice for myself, for my heart. There are no other contenders, it's just them, and they both are fully aware of the other too. It was so very awkward to see Troy when I wasn't expecting him outside the theater just before my date with Patrick. Luckily both of them are mature but it didn't stop me from feeling wretched asking Patrick to give me some time indirectly so I could see Troy for a few moments. I can't keep playing this game Taylor. I'm going to get burned and they both are going to get hurt but what can I do with my options being as bound as they are?"
"You play the cards Fate has dealt you, that's what Gabriella," answered Taylor after a few moments of silence, thinking of what she would do in Gabriella's situation. "I know, sounds easier than done but I think that's all you can do. Your instincts have always been on the spot, whether it be about Riley and his antics, letting yourself go and love Troy, and deciding to step into this role that has defined your life in the past seven to eight years. Every choice you have made up to now has shaped who you are and I love what you have become as we have all aged. You'll know what to do when the time is right but until then, you have to let yourself off the hook some more. Yes, telling Troy would have been the right thing to do but I don't blame you for not in the face of losing him for good. That'll make it even harder in the end."
Gabriella closed her eyes and asked, "Basically then I go on the way I have been, giving both men my attention and leaving my options open as I look for a sign from Fate as to what I am supposed to do? Taylor, what do I do though when I clearly feel more in love with Troy now than ever, even when he risked it all to save me from Riley?"
Without hesitation, Taylor said, "Then you follow your heart, which is usually tied to your gut instinct. Gabriella, you are one of the strongest women I know. This may be a tough situation, in fact it is a tough situation, but I know you can make it through this with minimal setbacks. You love and care for Troy. You care for Patrick. You are expected by many in your country to marry the man they have all seen you with but you want to be with the man that has captivated your heart and soul for years. It's a predicament all right but one I have confidence you will be able to work out. Like I said, play the hand you were dealt by Fate and make the best of it. I'll be here rooting you on, you can at least count on that."
"God, I haven't the slightest what I would have done if I didn't have you around Taylor, as a best friend but also someone who knows the truth. I just hope I can figure this all out soon and in time," confessed Gabriella, worry evident in her voice and even more so written clearly on her face.
Shortly after Gabriella ended her call with Taylor, Gabriella walked out onto her balcony and laid her hands on the cold concrete railings, finding the cool air refreshing and soothing at the same time. Her eyes traveled up from the landscape below to the dark sky, a small smile gracing her lips as she stared up at the twinkling stars and the almost full moon above all looking back down on her, making Gabriella feel so tiny. In that moment, in complete solitude, Gabriella finally found the peace she had been seeking the entire night. She realized then that although her dilemma was rather large in size at that moment, that no matter what she chose, no matter what happened, the world would keep on turning, the stars would continue to dance with the moon in the sky, and she would always feel the love she felt now for a certain brown haired, blue-eyed man that would always have her heart, no matter what came to interfere with it in the future.