Back to the Dream Page
Lucky for Gabriella, when she arrived back at the palace those three days ago from Troy's apartment with Paul and Emma, the lecture she received about being responsible was not as severe as she had expected as Lauren and Edward were already late for some event, not to mention there wasn't any proof to the gossip column's claims. Of course, they and the advisory council seemed to find a way to make Gabriella pay as there were new introductions made over the last few afternoons and evenings at events and dinners of possible new "suitors" as Gabriella had become accustomed to them being called. One though seemed to stick if only because Gabriella wanted to show she was making an effort with her mind while she knew her heart wasn't in this game any longer, not when it knew what it wanted and was unsatisfied with the answer that Troy just wasn't eligible.
Gabriella unconsciously let out a sigh as her eyes focused on the race track that was yards away, where Patrick was currently in the center of, discreetly putting some finishing touches on his car while he tried to make it look like his mechanic team was doing it all. 'So much we all do for image sake. Pretending not to have a passion for working on fast, powerful cars is one thing. Acting like your heart doesn't belong to someone on the unapproved suitors list is a whole different story.'
In the morning, Gabriella had been out horseback riding again with Sergio Newstrum, making sure that Henry and Martin took pictures of them so that they could both get revenue to support their families but also so that the council and her grandparents would have proof that Gabriella was doing what was asked of her. As much as Gabriella at times just wanted to blow them all off and run away with Troy, her conscience, her sense of duty kicked in, reminding her that she wasn't just responsible for herself but for a country, all by being born with royal blood. Gabriella had only seen Troy once in the past few days as the Louvis Knights had been traveling, this time to Lithuania as they were part of the Euroleague and were currently facing Zalgiris Kaunas today if Gabriella remembered correctly. Their time together was too short and somewhat formal to Gabriella, having been able to only spend time with him at an impromptu visit to the teen center where they could both spend time together and time with their younger "siblings" away from gossips and the public at large.
Iyana, Brandi, and Selena were the first at the teen center to spot Gabriella and Troy as they entered the teen center, their hands intertwined together. After cooing at the cuteness, Brandi and Iyana both pulled Gabriella onto their usual long couch to chat while Luka Norel, Troy's "little brother," jumped at the chance to play basketball with Troy on the indoor courts against Chris and his little brother Mikey.
After twenty or so minutes of listening to Iyana and Brandi both chatter about their lives, catching Gabriella up on what had happened since they last saw her, Gabriella was finally able to give her attention to her true "little sister." Seeing the question in Gabriella's eyes though, Selena volunteered her answer saying, "I'm doing fine, no episodes, and I think, maybe, well never mind."
Gabriella saw the slight blush creep onto Selena's cheek and grinned, instinct telling her what Selena was about to say. "Well I'm glad that you are getting stronger as time goes on. I told you it would just take time to get over the rape, the images. In fact, in truth, mine came back just a few nights ago but I managed to get through it as I know you will if they ever do come back. So, when are you going to tell me about this cute guy?"
"Damn, she's good!" exclaimed Brandi, causing Iyana to giggle with her. "She's got your sister pegged!"
"Duh, she is a princess after all," returned Iyana, rolling her eyes.
"Being a princess has nothing to do with it Brandi and Iyana. It has everything to do with knowing what it's like to be in love at such a young age or at the very minimum having a crush on a cute guy. Do I know him?" asked Gabriella, following the gaze Selena currently had on someone across the room.
Iyana laughed. "He's closer to you than you think Gabriella!"
"Shut up Iyana!" muttered Selena, blushing more as Gabriella looked back at the younger girl after looking at who was on the basketball courts. "You are such a loud mouth sometimes."
Gabriella took inventory in her head of who was out there that the girls would consider to be close to her. Shock showed on her face as she made a conclusion, the only logical choice in her head. "You have a crush on Troy?"
Brandi jumped in to respond, anxious to tell Gabriella while Selena seemed to hesitate. "No, Iyana and I totally do but Selena thinks Chris is totally hot! Something about his muscular dancer body."
"I swear I'm going to kill you both," threatened Selena, making Gabriella actually laugh. "What? They are horrible at keeping secrets or random bits of gossip! You should hear them repeat what they obsessively read about Troy and you and their favorite topic of Troyella!"
"So we're huge fans! Sue us!" exclaimed Iyana, sticking out her small, pink tongue at her older sister. "You adore them just as much as we do!"
"Well that's a given, but you don't have to talk about them all the time! They are normal people," argued Selena, throwing her hand out and indicating Gabriella, who wore an amused expression on her face as she watched the conversation continue. "I wouldn't trade knowing Gabriella and now Troy for the world and I love them as a couple but they do deserve their privacy!"
Brandi gave it some thought before she shrugged her shoulders. "I agree but at the same time, it's so nice to see them out and about and so in love! I want that type of relationship when I'm older, to find my prince and live happily ever after. Gabriella, you are going to marry him aren't you?"
Iyana anxiously nodded her head, liking the direction the conversation was going. "Yeah Gabriella! We see you all the time with Patrick and now this new guy, umm, Sergio, but you don't spark with them like you do with Troy when you're here!"
Selena rolled her eyes again. "Maybe it's because you see them in person teenyboppers!"
"Or it's because it's true love!" countered Brandi, mimicking Iyana's earlier actions and sticking her tongue out at the older teen.
Gabriella began to feel a blush brighten her cheeks as she listened to the argument continue on like she wasn't there, shifting her gaze from the girls to the basketball court where Troy and Luka were currently beating Chris and Mikey with little effort. That blush deepened as Troy caught her gaze and winked at her while he tossed Luka the basketball from around his back, completely surprising Chris, who growled in annoyance that even distracted Troy managed to go around him.
"See, she's glowing!" exclaimed Brandi, clapping her hands in excitement, earning Gabriella's attention again. She had just turned her face in the girls' direction only to have a flash of bright light go off in front of her eyes, causing her to blink.
"Sorry but I had to get a picture of that expression on your face!" explained Iyana, showing the digital screen of the camera to Gabriella. "You just, that's so the look of being in love for real."
Selena leaned her head close to Gabriella's as they both looked, seeing what had Brandi and Iyana both so excited. "I have to admit they're right," said Selena, looking at Gabriella, who seemed to be gazing at the picture, deep in thought. "You look beautiful all the time but just there and whenever you two are together, something just seems to intensify in your beauty, your aura."
The blush deepened before Gabriella shook her head, forcing herself to laugh a little. "You three girls are just incorrigible in a cute way, you know that? You all are beautiful too, don't go focusing that compliment on me. Besides, you are the lucky ones. You have so much ahead of you, meeting that special guy, choosing him out of all the other guys, making him your own prince. Don't take that for granted, that's a lot to be happy about, to look forward to. Chris may be taken Selena but I know you'll meet someone who will not only catch your eyes but your heart too."
Before any of the three girls could respond, Gabriella felt a warm and slightly calloused hand on her shoulder, looking up and immediately smiling again as she saw a barely winded Troy next to a sweaty Chris. "This stinks man! You are so playing by yourself with one arm behind your back next time" she heard Chris complain while wearing a grin on his face.
"Oh suck it up Christopher," teased Troy, his eyes never wavering from Gabriella's. Feeling safe in the teen center, Troy leaned down and quickly captured Gabriella's lips with his, savoring the sweet taste of her soft lips on his own, kissing her again after a momentary break but pulling away far too early for either of their liking.
"There are innocent minds here you two! Stop corrupting them with all this sickly sweet goo you two spout off," joked Chris, earning chuckles from the two male teenagers.
"Jealous much Chris? Missing Tessa a bit too much?" answered Gabriella, taking her eyes off Troy to smirk at the man who knew her best after Troy and then Paul.
Chris shuffled his feet, knowing there was no use in trying to lie. "Maybe," he mumbled, earning a few chuckles from the guys and now the younger girls. "Hey, I haven't seen her in such a long time!"
"You do have that voucher," Troy reminded him, smirking as an almost visible light bulb went off above Chris's head before it dimmed again.
"Got the ballet dude, can't go," stated Chris, sighing a little.
"Soon Chris, soon," soothed Gabriella, smiling at the knowledge that Chris was still so into Tessa after all this time apart, knowing that she did well in encouraging them both to get together and stay together now.
"Enough chatter, let's play another game!" exclaimed Mikey, bored already of all this "girl" talk. "Bet we could beat you Troy if we all teamed up on you."
Troy raised his scarred eyebrow at this. "All teamed up on me? I think you overestimate me if you think it would take that much. How about I let you, Luka, and Chris play me and I get Gabriella here to play."
Mikey smirked at this idea. "A girl? No offense princess but if Troy wants you to play with him to stand up against the three of us, I'm down with that."
Luka shook his head, seeing that something in Troy's eyes spark. "I don't know Mikey, Troy's got something up his sleeve."
Chris chuckled. "Nah, I think we can easily outmaneuver Bolton so long as we all keep on him. Gab can't take us on, no way. She may be graceful out on the dance floor but on a basketball court? Doubt it!"
There were gasps from Iyana, Brandi, and Selena as they whipped their heads around to see if the princess would accept the challenge, which she readily did, looking at Chris as she stood up from the couch, communicating with him with just one look that he was going to have quite a game on his hands. "I think I'll just have to take that challenge," she murmured, stopping to stand next to Troy, their hands automatically interlacing.
Luckily, Gabriella was wearing jeans and tennis shoes that day so the five of them moved immediately back onto the basketball court, Selena, Iyana, and Brandi moving with them to watch from the sidelines.
Feeling confident, Mikey handed Gabriella the ball first to check in, which proved to be costly. Gabriella graciously smiled at him, threw it to Troy, who then passed it back to her when she was further onto the court, making a perfect layup with no one guarding her.
"Say what!" exclaimed Mikey, dumbfounded as a grinning Gabriella high-fived Troy, who dropped another kiss on her lips.
The next four points went the exact same way until Mikey and Chris both decided that Gabriella had to be guarded far more, frustrated moments later when Gabriella had managed to dribble and score around them both.
"Where the hell did you learn to play Ella and why did I not know about this skill?" demanded Chris while he moved with Gabriella, blocking her better this time around.
Gabriella smirked, shaking her head at him. "You know, you can be so dense sometimes. Hello, I dated Troy in high school. Who do you think taught me all this?"
Troy let out a laugh as he heard her words just before Gabriella expertly faked left before quickly moving right, scoring yet again.
"That's my girl!" he called out, pride resounding in his voice and present on his face, mainly in the form of his grin and shining blue eyes.
The game continued for another half an hour or so, Troy and Gabriella clearly winning, before Gabriella and Chris had to leave for their performance that night. After saying good-bye to everyone but before they left the building, Troy made sure to grab Gabriella and kiss her passionately, knowing that was his last chance for a while. Gabriella greedily returned it, allowing Troy to deepen it while she slid her fingers through his hair.
There was a not so discreet cough a few moments later, both knowing immediately the owner of their interruption. "Come on you two horny teenagers. Places to go, people to see!" called out Chris, ducking out of the front door before either could harm him.
Gabriella looked at her watch and sighed. "I guess he's right. If I'm not at the theater in forty minutes, Rodger will have my head and I can't let Chris have the satisfaction of watching me get in trouble after kicking his ass out on the basketball court with you now can I?"
"No, definitely not. I'd be surprised if he doesn't seek vengeance now after you almost single handedly destroyed him, Luka, and Mikey," returned Troy, unable to resist kissing Gabriella's crinkling little nose while she giggled. "I love you Brie."
"I love you too Wildcat," she quietly returned, her voice softening with those words of endearment. They shared one last kiss before they each reluctantly allowed the other to go their separate ways.
As her heart slowed down as Gabriella woke herself from her daydream of sorts thinking back to the memory, she heard the gunshot go off signaling the start of the race that Patrick was involved in. Her brown eyes watched as Patrick quickly took the lead in front of the five other cars within the first lap only to lose it in the fourth. Racing was never of a real interest to Gabriella but she found herself getting swept up in the spirit of the spectators watching the race around her, her breath hitching in her throat as she watched Patrick almost get into a horrible accident with another car only to have Patrick expertly maneuver out of harm's way. Three laps later, Patrick was on the final lap and was neck and neck with someone, putting Gabriella on the edge of her seat until Patrick barely beat out the other car, earning him cheers from the bleachers she was sitting on.
Gabriella found herself grinning, standing up and applauding Patrick on his accomplishment as he got out of the car that finally rolled to a stop and waved to everyone. She watched with pride as Patrick was handed the trophy for his win before Gabriella walked down the metal steps to get closer to the track, heading over to the meeting place they had decided on right before Patrick left Gabriella to prepare for the two races he was in.
As Gabriella was walking, she felt her cell phone vibrate in her purse, pulling it out and smiling as she saw those adoring blue eyes on the screen. "Hey Troy, how was your game?"
"Good! We won which is always a great thing. How are you? What are you doing?" asked Troy, excitement in his voice.
"Oh, I'm doing all right. Just walking at the moment," replied Gabriella, somehow feeling guilty that she was supporting Patrick at his sport while she couldn't do the same for Troy.
"You're out with Patrick aren't you?" answered Troy, no accusation in his voice. "It's okay, you can tell me, you know that."
Gabriella sighed, hating at the moment that they knew each other so well. "I am but I felt bad because I'm here watching him race when I can't be there to watch you play."
There was a moment of silence before Troy sighed. "But it's the truth of our situation Gabriella. If I could have it any other way, believe me, I'd change it in a split second. I know I told you I could wait to find out everything about what's going on but is this ever going to change? Even in a year or more? Can you answer me that?"
Guilt intensified as it ran through Gabriella's body, hearing the pain Troy felt douse the excitement in his voice. "It will Troy, much sooner than that, I promise. After tonight, I think it will be clear as to what my intentions are. You'll have the answer as to where we stand after tonight."
"Only if you are ready," responded Troy, his concern for Gabriella warming her heart. "I love you Brie."
"I love you too," she whispered back, hanging up the cell phone, trying to ignore the tightness in her heart as she thought about the decision she had made just that morning, wondering if she had it right this time, if Fate would smile down on her for what she would be doing that very night.
Patrick parked his car and looked at Gabriella, butterflies in his stomach as he sensed a change in the air between them ever since he had met her a few yards away from his car back at the race track. Dinner had gone well, both of them having the same type of easy conversation they both were used to, but Patrick had to wonder about the change he felt, that he almost could swear he saw in the woman sitting in his passenger seat. He looked over and studied Gabriella's thoughtful profile as she gaze outside, into the dark night.
"Dime for your thoughts," offered Patrick, curious as to what exactly was running around in Gabriella's head.
"Isn't it usually a penny?" replied Gabriella, turning her heard so she faced him, a smile on her lips.
Patrick shrugged, feeling a little bit better seeing her look at him that way. "I figured since you were a princess, the least I could do is offer a dime."
Gabriella rolled her eyes at this, smiling back at him even as she felt his right hand slide over her left. "You just know how to sweep me off my feet, really."
"But of course. Come on, let's go take a walk," said Patrick, undoing his seatbelt and getting out of the car, running around and opening Gabriella's door before she could do it herself. Gabriella took his offered hand and accepted his help out, allowing their hands to stay linked together as they walked further onto the field they had been to several times that overlooked the ocean.
When they were a few yards away from the edge, Patrick and Gabriella stopped, both silent as each were lost in their own thoughts, what tonight meant to each of them. Patrick gazed at Gabriella after a while, smiling as he saw that sweet, thoughtful expression on her face, illuminated by the light of the full moon up above among the twinkling stars.
"Did you honestly have a good time at the race track today?" asked Patrick, finally breaking the silence.
Gabriella considered the question before she nodded her head, surprising Patrick somewhat. "I didn't used to think that racing was my type of thing but I found myself getting caught up in the excitement of the environment, watching everything going on down on the track. It's so much more different being there than watching it through a television. I think I really freaked out the most though when you almost got into that huge accident. Is that typical? You handled it well."
"I've had my share of close calls," admitted Patrick, thinking back to the time that he did actually get into an accident, remembering the hospitalization and the grounding from racing for a year back when he was sixteen. "Had a really bad one that almost cost me my life but I was lucky that day. After a year of restriction, my father let me get back into racing so long as I was more careful and I allowed a team he hired work on the cars for me. That's another big reason why I'm not supposed to be fixing my own car besides the whole image and status thing."
"Well I'm glad you lived through it then and have avoided all the other close calls as well," said Gabriella, meaning every word she said. "You really have made this whole situation with the arrangement and dealing with the attention from the public eyes actually, dare I say it, pleasant."
"Yeah?" he asked, hope and shock mixed together in his voice.
Gabriella merely nodded her head, smiling back at him. "In a lot of ways, I think you understand me better than most, especially around the whole forced image thing and having to watch what you do or face the consequences. Sometimes, I feel like no one understands quite fully what it's like, being in front of the cameras, being in front of so many eyes that are and aren't watching you."
"Do you ever wish that you weren't under this microscope you and I live in? Had only yourself to answer to?" questioned Patrick, intrigued with what Gabriella was revealing as it echoed a lot of what he felt.
"You can't even begin to imagine the number of times I wished I was an average young woman, free to do what she wanted to, not needing to worry about a country but maybe at most her family on top of her own thoughts," returned Gabriella, looking back out into the darkness that was a mix of the far away ocean and night sky.
Patrick felt a certain surge of emotion come over him, leading him to placing his free right hand on the side of Gabriella's left cheek, gently turning her face towards him. Ever so slowly, their lips met in a single kiss, sending messages to both of them. "You would never be average Gabriella, not even in a potato sack and all."
Gabriella felt her cheeks warm, even in the cold wind. All thoughts of her blushing and the coldness that was slowly seeping into her skin through her clothes and jacket were forgotten though when she saw the sudden change on Patrick's face just before he kneeled down in front of her, taking her left hand and holding it with his own while his right hand disappeared from view. "Patrick?" she hesitantly asked, her heart speeding up faster than it had been beating back at the tracks.
Patrick swallowed, his own heart beating so loud in his chest that he could swear that Gabriella heard it. He felt the circular cold metal with his fingertips as his right hand grasped the small item, closing his eyes momentarily to gather courage to overcome his nerves. Finally, Patrick drew it out, allowing the platinum band with a three-carat cushion-cut center diamond with several twenty bead-set diamonds surrounding it to be visible to Gabriella's eyes with the help of the moonlight.
Clearing his throat one last time, Patrick kissed the back of Gabriella's left hand tenderly before he jumped off the cliff of uncertainty and asked her the question he knew he needed to ask her tonight. "Gabriella Felicia Anna Lauren Montez, Princess of Copanvy, will you do me the great honor of being my wife, my future queen of my heart, and take me as I am, to share your life with me for the rest of time?"
A few moments of silence passed, leaving both of their hearts beating in time together at such a quick pace, the only indication of an answer being the tears gathered in Gabriella's eyes before she found her own voice and courage to answer Patrick, to answer the one question Gabriella had known for a while was coming, knowing exactly what she would say next.