AN: Stace here with our very last chapter for this story *holds back tears*! We know it's super late, but being Christmas day for Corii and Rin, and with me having the last Christmas celebrations/a teeny self induced hangover to recover from it was hard to find time to write this last one. And then we had to get it perfect which was a total team effort. Sadly it's not actually Christmas anywhere in the world (we're 3 minutes late for it being Christmas still in Hawaii) but we think you can forgive us for that.
Now for some notes, for those who were confused, Chad didn't eat cookies and gravy (yeah I got a tad confused at that too), biscuits are apparently like bread.. wikipedia it if you want some more info lol.
Now, we have been thinking about a possible short story to follow this, but it might be some time before we get around to writing it (if ever), because we're all super busy people with school and work and personal commitments.
Now that I've rambled on for forever, we just wanna wish you all a (late) Merry Christmas/Whatever you might celebrate and thank everyone who has read this story and especially those who have left a review/s. We loved getting them all, and they really motivated us when we had to write an update (which we were doing daily from chapter 9) but just wanted to crawl into bed and forget about being an author. We wrote this for a bit of fun, and we never expected to get over 500 reviews (at the time of posting this, we have 528 reviews), the response to this has just been amazing.
Okay, I'm going to stop my overtired rambling now because otherwise it'll be as long as the chapter! Hope you enjoy it, and don't forget those lovely reviews ;).
All I Want
Gabriella was awoken a few hours later by the feeling of Troy's body shifting away from under her, the warmth his body had provided slowly drifting away as she sleepily opened her eyes, reaching her hand out to grab Troy's arm.
"Stay," she whispered, tugging him back down to her.
"It's almost six, baby. I gotta get home," Troy whispered back, kissing Gabriella softly on the lips before he went to move away.
But Gabriella had different ideas, quickly pulling Troy's lips back to her own in a heated kiss that left them both breathless. Reluctantly letting Troy go she smiled shyly.
"Sorry," she whispered bashfully and Troy chuckled softly.
"Never apologize for that," Troy lowered his mouth back to Gabriella's, feeling her fingers thread through his hair as she kissed him back vigorously, getting her fix of him for the morning.
"Mmm," Gabriella moaned as they broke the kiss, their lips still inches apart, their breath brushing against the other's face gently. "I think I can let you go home now."
"I really, really don't want to leave," Troy whispered against her lips, slowly running his tongue along the length of her bottom lip, making Gabriella squirm under him.
"Troy," she whimpered as she tried to capture his lips properly with her own, but Troy was teasing her, not letting it happen.
Suddenly Gabriella flipped their bodies so that she was on top of Troy. Giggling softly she caught his lips in a kiss that left them both short of breath, and even more unwilling to let the other one go.
"Come on, I'll walk you downstairs," Gabriella finally whispered, slipping off Troy and getting out of the bed.
Troy quickly followed, putting his shoes on before he wrapped an arm around Gabriella's waist and walked through the Danforth's house to the front door. When they reached the front door Gabriella stood up on her tip toes and wrapped her arms around Troy's neck, burying her face in his shoulder and taking in his scent.
"You better go before your parents wake up," Gabriella sighed, not letting her grip on Troy loosen.
"Can't I just take you home?" Troy groaned, running his hands up and down her sides.
Finally Gabriella removed her arms, taking a step away from Troy, making his hands drop to his sides.
"I'll call you later?" Troy asked softly, moving to the door and Gabriella nodded.
"And you're coming here for lunch?" She asked.
"Every year, and wild elephants wouldn't keep me away this year," Troy stated and Gabriella burst into giggles.
"Wild elephants?"
"I just like making you laugh," Troy defended, stepping back closer to her, kissing her on the nose.
"Sure you do," Gabriella teased, placing a chaste kiss upon his lips.
"If you're gunna be mean, I'll just go home," Troy pouted.
"Go then," Gabriella taunted gently, talking a few steps away. "I'm going back to bed."
Troy was at her side in a second, his big blue eyes sparkling as he cupped her face in his hands.
"But you haven't given me a goodbye kiss," Troy whispered against her lips, moving his hands down to hold her hips.
"What were all the kisses the past half hour?" Gabriella murmured, brushing her lips gently against Troy's.
"Well there was… a good morning kiss… a merry Christmas kiss… a I'm glad to see you kiss… then the "you're the best boyfriend in the world" kiss…" between each "type" of kiss, Troy brushed his lips against Gabriella's lips, making her melt into his arms.
A soft cough in the background tore them apart and the pair looked over sheepishly at Chad who had a smirk playing on his lips.
"Some people are trying to sleep while you two are down here making out," he teased.
"You can hear us upstairs?" Gabriella asked in shock, hoping Chad's parents hadn't heard.
"Nah, I just came in to wake you up, since my sisters are awake, but you weren't in there, so I came looking," Chad explained. "So why the heck are you in my house at this hour of the morning, Bolton?"
"Um…" Troy rubbed the back of his neck. "I came to wish you a Merry Christmas?"
"Like I believe that," Chad answered sarcastically. "Try again," he suggested, enjoying the situation.
"Well, I may have slept over. But, if you're going to kill me for sleeping over last night, then that's not what I was doing."
"Nice try Bolton. You're lucky it's Christmas, otherwise I'd pound you."
"Such a kind soul," Troy responded sarcastically. "I better get home before my parents wake up."
Gabriella nodded in agreement, still amazed that Chad had taken the news of Troy having slept over so well. Troy bent down and brushed his lips against the skin below Gabriella's ear, whispering to her that he'd call her later before he waved at the pair and left, a slight spring in his step.
"You're really falling in love with him aren't you?" Chad observed as he watched Gabriella watch Troy walk across the yards and disappear inside his own house.
Gabriella turned to look at her best friend, a soft smile playing across her lips as she nodded sheepishly.
"I knew it," Chad boasted teasingly before wrapping an arm around Gabriella's shoulders and leading her upstairs. "Come on, let's go and get my sisters so we can get into the presents!"
----
Almost six hours later Gabriella was hanging restlessly around the front door having just received a text from Troy saying he and his parents were on their way over.
She had just got off the phone a few minutes earlier with her mom, who'd called to wish her a Merry Christmas and had informed her there were gifts for her under the Danforth's tree. Even though their talk went fairly well, Gabriella could still tell her mom was not completely happy with her decision regarding Troy, however hearing how happy Gabriella was, her mom decided to believe her for now. But at this point, all that Gabriella could think about was being with Troy and spending more time with him. She knew in time, things would patch up with her mom, and if her mom ever met Troy, Gabriella had little doubt that her mother would disapprove of Troy.
"Waiting for something?" Chad teased and Gabriella blushed.
"Maybe?" She admitted, shifting her weight between her feet impatiently.
"You two make me want to be sick," Chad teased with a wink. "I'll just go tell Mom that the Boltons are almost here so you can greet Troy in peace."
As Chad turned to walk out the room there was a knock on the door and Gabriella pounced, opening the door to a grinning Troy and amused looking Lucille and Jack.
"Merry Christmas!" Gabriella greeted, letting Lucille and then Jack hug her as they walked past in search of the Danforths.
"Merry Christmas," Troy whispered as he pulled her to him, kicking the door closed with his foot before pressing Gabriella up against it.
Just as their lips were about to meet a squeal came from the doorway and they turned to see Jordynn smiling at them.
"Troy and Gabriella, sittin in a…." she started before Chad walked in quickly, picking up his youngest sister and slinging her over his shoulder, carrying her away from the couple who burst into laughter.
"I think we're destined to be interrupted," Troy groaned as he wrapped an arm around Gabriella's waist, the moment having been ruined.
"I think we are too," Gabriella agreed as she wrapped her arm around Troy, walking with him through to the living room where everyone was gathered for the last presents to be given out.
Troy sat on the floor with his back against the wall and he pulled Gabriella to be sitting between his legs, his arms wrapped around her waist and settling on her stomach as she leant into him.
"So guess what my parents got me?" Troy whispered in her ear, his thumbs drawing designs on her stomach.
"A new set of aprons?" Gabriella replied cheekily, squealing as Troy squeezed her sides playfully.
"Funny Ella," Troy chuckled sarcastically. "Actually, that's close to one gift my mom got me…a box full of cookie cutters, pans, spatulas, mixing bowls, measuring cups…she says she's so happy that I know how to cook now. She expects homemade cookies from me now every time I come home."
Gabriella giggled, tilting her head back to rest in the crook of his neck. "Well now you have no excuse to call me and complain that you miss my cookies. You can cook them yourself."
"Doubtful that I'll be baking cookies at school."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you have your apron so you feel complete."
"Thanks Ella," Troy muttered sarcastically, squeezing her sides once more. "But really, my parents got me something else, and I think you're gonna love it."
"What is it?"
"They bought me a roundtrip plane ticket so I can come up and see you," Troy smiled widely, unable to control his excitement. "So, first chance I get, I'm on that plane."
"You're really coming to see me?" Gabriella asked, shifting in his arms.
"Of course Ella…every chance I get I'm going to come see you or help you come down to see me." Troy smiled down at her, brushing his lips on the side of her forehead very softly.
Gabriella shifted once again in his arms, cuddling into his front she laid her head back against his chest, deciding to relish every moment she had with him. Content with where they were, neither really noticed the rest of the family coming, both of them too lost in their thoughts of each other.
"Gabriella, this is for you," Jordynn announced as she started handing out presents, bringing Gabriella out of her trance as she handed Gabriella her present from Chad who smiled goofily as he remembered what he'd bought his best friend.
Soon all the presents were gone, except for the ones from Troy and Gabriella to each other which Chad had told Jordynn to leave for the couple to exchange in private.
"Gabriella why don't you and Troy go upstairs to exchange gifts while we go and start preparing lunch?" Mrs. Danforth suggested, smiling at the couple who seemed to be lost in their own world.
"Thanks, Sara," Gabriella said as Troy helped her up and they collected the gifts before leaving the room hand in hand, oblivious to the giddy smiles plastered on the faces of everyone else in the room as they watched the small, wordless affection between the two.
Upstairs the pair sat across from each other on Gabriella's bed, two gifts in front of each other them.
"You open yours first," Troy encouraged and Gabriella shook her head.
"No you."
"Ladies first," Troy prompted and Gabriella rolled her eyes at the cliché before attempting a compromise.
"You open that one," she pointed to the biggest present Troy had in front of him. "And I'll open this one." She pointed to the similar sized one she had in front of her.
"Okay," Troy agreed, picking the gift up in his hands and watching as Gabriella did the same. "One.. two… three."
The pair tore into the gifts, exploding into laughter as they produced two identical, light brown teddy bears.
"Chad's idea?" Troy asked through his laughter.
"Taylor's," Gabriella answered, leaning forward to kiss Troy gently on the lips.
"What are you gunna call it?" Troy asked and Gabriella thought for a second before answering.
"Troybear," she giggled. "What are you calling yours?"
"Bella," Troy said with a nod. "Ella and bear put together."
As the laughter died down Gabriella had a serious request.
"Troy?" She asked, waiting until he was looking at her again. "Can you sleep with Troybear until we go back to school? Cause then he'll smell like you when I'm back at school."
Troy smiled as he watched her blush, loving her idea. "Deal, baby, but only if you sleep with Bella so she smells like you."
Gabriella nodded before pointing down at his last present. "You've still got that to open."
"I'll open this, and then afterwards you open yours, okay?" Troy asked softly, wanting to watch her open her last present.
"Okay," Gabriella echoed, watching as Troy tore into the paper, producing "The Best Yet" the new cd from his favourite band Switchfoot.
"Yes! This is what I wanted! Now I don't have to change the cd to listen to my favourite songs," Troy cried out in excitement, leaning over and capturing Gabriella's lips in a short kiss. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Gabriella replied, loving how excited her gift had made him, and suddenly really excited for what he had bought her. "Now my turn?"
Troy nodded his head as his blue eyes intensely watched her carefully open the red wrapping paper, producing a long, rectangular jewelry box. Gently lifting the lid off Gabriella gasped as she saw a tiny silver heart shaped locket sitting in the box.
"Troy, it's beautiful," she gasped, lifting it gently from the box.
"Open it," Troy said happily, watching as she fumbled slightly opening it before she managed it, seeing inside a photo of the two of them that Chad had taken a few days earlier when they were all hanging out.
"Can you put it on, please?" Gabriella asked, handing Troy the locket before she scooted across the bed to sit in front of him. Troy obliged and fastened it around her neck before he turned her around to face him.
"I love it," Gabriella whispered, looking down at it as it rested just above the neckline of her sweater. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, and I love my gifts," Troy smiled, brushing his thumb gently over her cheek.
"I'm sorry I didn't get you much," Gabriella said softly. "I wanted to, but I was so nervous, and I wasn't sure you'd like it and-"
Troy cut her off, leaning over to place his lips on hers, both of them smiling into the sweet kiss.
As they pulled apart, Troy looked into the chocolate brown eyes of the girl he had quickly fallen for, realizing just how grateful he was that Gabriella had come home with Chad for Christmas. When he thought of the relationship they had in front of them and all the growing they would go through together, Troy felt a smile tug at his lips, knowing that in his lifetime, he only wanted to be with the girl sitting right across from him.
"Ella, you got me perfect gifts," Troy said as they pulled apart, trying to assure her with his words. "Ever since I met you a few weeks ago, I have always had you on my mind. My parents would ask me what I wanted for Christmas, and no matter how much I tried, you always came to the forefront of my mind. I love these gifts you got me because I know they came from you. And nothing you could get me would be better than what I already have with you because you're all I wanted this Christmas."
Baby all I want for Christmas is you