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Here is the last chapter but you may be pleased to know, this story isn't over…
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CHAPTER 18
"Best Cheer Team is….the Amazing Arrows!" The announcer confirmed and Troy stood up, a soft 'no!' leaving his lips as he saw the disappointment hit Gabi's face, causing her smile to falter.
He dug his hands into his pockets, descending the steps to get to her, to hug her and tell her it was ok.
"Best Choreography….Gabriella Montez for the Beary Beauties!" The announcer continued and he saw her face split into a huge grin and she squealed, running to collect her award.
"That's my girl!" He said to himself, jogging down onto the floor to congratulate her along with all her other friends.
"You are amazing!" He said, hugging her as she threw herself at him, her legs pinning around his waist as she kissed him hotly, distractedly letting someone else take her trophy while she concentrated on the feel of Troy's lips against hers, his body against hers.
"I'm gonna miss this." She smiled, stroking his hair as he supported her.
"Me too, beautiful." He admitted and she kissed him again, rousing a loud groan from the group of well-wishers.
"Put him down for five minutes, Gabi!" Brenda complained and hugged Gabi as she returned to the floor, a sheepish Troy studying her prize as it was handed to him.
"Wow, awesome trophy." He grinned at the girl who had handed it to him.
"She deserves it." She said shyly.
"I'm Troy by the way…" He held out his hand.
"Kelsey." The girl returned, shaking his hand.
He nodded. "It's good to meet Gabi's friends. This year has kinda sucked." He mused.
"It's good to meet the guy we hear so much about. You know, we didn't like you for a while." She shared with a small smile.
"Oh?" He questioned, smiling unconsciously as Gabi threw some dance moves in her celebration and he watched her lovingly.
"Yeah, we weren't sure what you and Gabi were about. But now I can see." She nodded knowingly.
"You can?" He pitched a brow up, unable to rip his gaze from his girlfriend as she continued to hot-step with her friends.
"You're totally whipped." She guessed, bringing his gaze back to hers quickly.
He blinked a few times before a slow grin curled onto his face.
"You may well be right there, Kelsey." He agreed amiably. "How does a guy get unwhipped?" He wondered.
She shrugged.
"You kinda picked the wrong girl for that." She suggested.
He chuckled, liking Kelsey's striking insight.
"Yeah. Yeah I think I did. I think I'm destined to be whipped for a long time to come." He pursed his lips.
"Well, if it helps, she's totally ga-ga for you, too." She shared and his eyes shone with affection.
"You think?" He asked.
Kelsey nodded.
"She defended you, when we all went against her." Kelsey offered.
"She did?" He wondered, thinking there was still so much he didn't know about her.
"She told us she had broken her rule but that she still wanted to win the Cheer-Off." Kelsey continued and he wondered why she was telling him all this.
He frowned down at her.
"What rule? The no-boys rule?" He asked.
"Don't fall in love. That was her one rule at the start of the year." Kelsey explained. As if realising she had said too much on his wide-eyed look, she blushed.
"But you knew that, right?" She asked quickly, seeing Gabi coming over.
"Right." He nodded, taking in everything Kelsey had just told him.
"What are you two cooking up standing here whispering?" Gabi asked with interest.
"Psssh, we're not whispering!" He protested. "Kelsey was just saying how amazing you are." He smiled, winking at Kelsey who smiled in relief.
"Why thank you, Kels." Gabi touched her shoulder. "You ready to go celebrate?"
"Hey, where you going?" Troy pined.
"Just for some pizza. You coming?" She checked.
"I gotta go get ready with the guys…" He hedged.
"Aw, okay. Well, I'll be there to cheer you on." She assured.
"Hey…" He husked, pulling her in close to him, taking them back into their private world.
"Hey." She smiled slowly.
"Thank you for breaking your rules for me." He said, touching her nose with his.
She looked at him dubiously. "What did Kelsey tell you?" She wondered.
"Just that you fell in love. With a Wildcat." He shared.
"You knew that." She accused softly.
"It's nice to hear it again." He said.
She kissed him, wriggling to be released from his arms where he sighed, wishing she could stand still for five seconds.
"Love you, boyfriend." She threw at him, being led off by her friends.
"Love you, too!" He called back brightly, cheesily, a hand wave thrown in for good measure that made her giggle.
"Ohhh he is adorable!" Brenda cooed.
Gabi bit her bottom lip with a shy smile.
"He sure is."
--
"Ok I think I'm done!" Gabi announced, parking another luggage bag by the door, placing her hands on her hips as she looked around, spotting Troy sulking on her sofa.
The Wildcats had won the final, a huge Trophy and lots of praise from basketball talent scouts, yet she wouldn't have known that at seeing his dejected form slouching there in her living room.
"It's three weeks, Wildcat, there's no need to look so sad." She chided, pulling him up by the hand and hugging him around the middle.
His arms tightened around her shoulders as his chin touched her head.
"I know, it's cool." He lied.
"You should go off and have fun with the boys. Just no cheerleaders huh?" She teased.
"You're my cheerleader." He stated and she looked up to him, smiling, reaching for a kiss.
"You better text me, boyfriend." She warned, arching her brow.
He nodded, solemnly.
"I will." He promised, helping her out to the car with her bags as her mom came through and gave Gabi a telling look.
"See you soon, Wildcat." She scrunched her nose, kissing him once more.
"Bye bye, beautiful." He returned, holding her for another long moment as he tried to imprint her into his body, not liking that he wouldn't have her small body to cuddle for three whole weeks.
Gabi blew him a kiss as he stood waving cutely and she strapped herself into the car, nervous at what lie ahead.
"I love you." Troy whispered, to himself after the car had pulled away, leaving him standing alone in her drive, wondering if she would miss him as much as he would miss her.
---
She didn't know why, but the tears only started after the first hour into the drive.
She hadn't felt sad saying goodbye to Troy because she knew she would be back, soon enough.
But now it kind of dawned on her exactly how much she would miss him. Inadvertently, along with breaking her one and only rule, she had spent most of her time with Troy and being without him this summer was going to suck, royally.
She wiped her tears away, sniffling as she searched for a tissue.
"Are you okay, Gabi?" Julia asked, flicking a look to her daughter.
She nodded, blowing her nose.
"I'm just gonna miss him, is all." She admitted quietly.
Her mom touched her arm as she drove on and Gabi looked out of the window at the scenery rushing by.
Suddenly three weeks seemed like a lifetime.
---
The End
To be continued….