He Didn't Have To Be.

When a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new
It always winds up feeling more like a job interview
My momma used to wonder if she'd ever meet someone
Who wouldn't find out about me and then turn around and run

I met the man i call my dad when i was five years old
He took my mom out to a movie
And for once i got to go.

"He Didn't Have To Be."- Brad Paisley

Present

Sadly my first memory wasn't the greatest one. I was three and my grandma was getting ready to baby sit me. My mom was twenty years old when she had me. She was a straight A student, she went to church every Sunday, and she didn't go out and party. She fell in love with my biological father. Who's name I didn't even bother to know. They were together for the first two years of college before she got pregnant with me. Long story short, he left and never looked back.

My mom, being the Christian that she was, never thought once about abortion. Though my grandma had to be a single mother after grandpa died tragically when mom was 10. It was always hard for them but they made it together, just like when mom had me. Even if Grandma was disappointed she supported my mom and me. I never doubted once that my life was a mistake. I was a blessing from god… I just came sooner than expected.

Back to my first memory; My mom was beautiful. She had thick, long, dark hair that always fell against her back. She was the spinning image of Grandma and they both were classic beauties. It wasn't surprising that many boys were interested in her. Grandma always said she had a lot of dates, not that many serious boyfriends. She wanted to save herself for her husband then my father came along and she thought she was going to marry him. I hear her Thank God every night for her lapse of judgment because it created me.

I was sitting on the stairs, waiting for my mom to leave of her first date. I had a blue power ranger action figure in my hands. My mom walked down the stairs in a pretty dress. I don't remember why but I didn't want her to go. I clutched on her legs and hugged them tightly until she picked me up.

I remember resting my head against her shoulder, touching the cross resting on her chest. I had a gold chain in my room identical to hers. I knew it had something to do with God but I didn't understand quite yet. She whispered something in my ear I don't really remember now but I remember it making me smile. She probably promised we were going somewhere fun. When she had a date and didn't take me, she'd take me somewhere fun like Chuck-E-Cheese or to the bouncy place.

The doorbell rang and my grandma walked over to us. She attempted to peel me away from my mothers soft touch. I started screaming. I had the tantrum of all tantrums. My grandmother tried to calm me down as my mom fixed herself up. She opened a door to a tall skinny blonde guy. He had a smile on his face and flowers in his hand.

She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and I squirmed out of my grandmothers arms. I ran over to my mom and wrapped myself around her leg. I glared at the boy in the door, sniffling. Mom apologized for my behavior and he gave her a nervous smile. She said something else I couldn't remember; I do remember the color draining out of his face.

My grandma peeled me off of her leg and I started screaming again. My mom walked out the door quickly closing it behind her. Less than five minutes later my mom ran back in, rushing straight up stairs. Grandma called after her but she just kept going. I knew something was wrong so I calmed down. She set me down and walked into the kitchen. I climbed up the stairs due to the gates being open. I found my mommy in our shared room, laying on the bed.

She was crying and I knew, somehow, this was my fault. I crawled on the bed and moved her beautiful hair away from her face. She looked at me, surprised and looked at the door. She sat up quickly, wiping the tears. I remember telling her we didn't have to do anything fun and that I was sorry. She smiled at me, but she wasn't happy. I laid down with her as she wrapped her arms around me. I wanted to make sure she would be happy. I needed to stay out of the way.

She went on many dates. She'd always go out and meet them instead of the boy picking her up. I'd spend my time with Grandma and she'd keep me occupied. I prayed to God that he would send her somebody that made her happy. I wished that she wouldn't come home with sad eyes and a forced smile for me.

God answered my prayer when I was five years old. My mom was working on getting her masters degree in engineering. I was shy just like my mom was when she was little. I was afraid of doing something wrong, of making my mom more sad than she already was. I was also in the 'why' stage.

Why do you have to go out?

Why can't I come?

Why do you have to go to school?

Why do I have to go to day care?

But why? But why? But why?

My mom had all the patience in the world but sometimes, on the wrong day, I'd push her buttons. I was naturally curious. I needed to learn. I loved to read. They knew I was going to be an intellectual. They had the biggest dreams for me. I needed to make them happen one day.

November 12, 2003

I found my five year old self sitting on the stairs again like back when I was just three years old. This time I had three hot wheels instead of a blue Power Ranger. I had a blue Chevy pick up, an orange Corvette and a red Honda. I drove them around the bottom stair.

"Andrew, pick up your cars baby. You don't want mama to fall, do you?" She asked, stopping a couple steps up from me.

I picked them up quickly. "Sorry mama."

"It's alright baby." She took a seat next to me. "Mommy is going out and I'll be back later, okay?" She said, kissing the top of my head.

"Okay." I said quietly. "Will you be home to read to me?"

"I can't promise you anything but I'm sure grandma will be more than happy to read to you." She offered, smoothing down my dark brown hair.

I pouted a little bit. "Grandma doesn't read it like you can."

She frowned a little bit. "I'll try to make it home. Mommy doesn't have school tomorrow so how does the park sound?"

I smiled. "I like the park."

She matched my smile. "I know you do baby. You have to be good for grandma, okay?" I nodded my head and the doorbell rang. "He's not supposed to be here yet." She muttered quietly to herself. The doorbell rang again. "Ma."

"I'm coming Gabriella." Grandma said, coming from the kitchen. "Get the door, don't make him wait."

Mom got up quickly, rushing to the door. She opened it and smiled at the man in front of her. "Hey, Troy."

"Hey Gabi. The movie starts at seven so how about we grab some dinner before we go?" I watched the man speak. He was really tall. He could be a basketball player. He looked really nice. He took a peak in the house and he took a double take at me.

I gulped and hid behind my grandmas leg. "That sounds fine." I heard mom say.

"Is that your little brother?" He asked, glancing at me again.

I peaked out from the side of Grandma's leg. Both mom and grandma froze. "Uh," Mom took a look back at me and I hid behind grandma's leg again. "No, he- He's my son."

I took a deep breath and peaked out again. Troy, the man at the door, smiled at me. "Why didn't you tell me you had a son?"

"It's not exactly something you bring up on a first date." She said, looking down.

"You don't have to leave him here. We should take him with us." Troy suggested and I started coming out from behind the leg I was hiding behind.

Mom looked back at me and bit her lip. "Troy, we don't have to."

"I have no problem bringing the little guy along. I mean, If you don't mind." He said, giving my grandma a smile.

I saw a small smile break out on my mothers face. "I don't mind at all."

Troy grinned, looking down at me. "Hey buddy, come here." I looked around even though I knew he was talking to me. "Come here." He said again. I walked over to him cautiously and he knelt down just before I got in front of him. "What's your name little dude?"

"Andrew." I said quietly. I clutched the three cars in my hand.

"Hi Andrew, I'm Troy. Those are some cool cars you got there." He said, looking down at my hands. "Can I see them?" I nodded quietly, putting the cars in his big hands slowly. "Which one is your favorite?" I pointed to the truck. He grinned. "I have a truck just like that at home."

My face lit up. "Really?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I'm fixing it."

"Why?" I asked. I looked up at my mom and she smiled down at me.

"Because it's really old and I want it to work again. I have to re build the engine." He explained. He handed me my cars back. "Maybe I can show you sometime, would you like that?" I nodded my head. Troy stood back up and I looked back at my grandma. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yeah." Mom answered. "Andrew, can you give your cars to grandma so we can go?"

"Can I take one Mama?" I asked, looking up at her.

"Yes, but don't loose it okay?"

I smiled. "I won't." I ran over to grandma and gave her the corvette and the red car. I put the blue truck in my pocket before running back over to my mom and Troy. "Ready." I slipped my small hand into my moms larger one.

"Let's go." Troy said, holding out his hand for my other one.

I put my hand in his and we walked to the my moms car. Troy helped me in my car seat buckling me in. "Thank you." I said quietly. He ruffled my hair and closed the door, getting in the passengers seat.

Mom and Troy talked quietly in the front seat while I pulled the truck out of my pocket. I drove it along my lap quietly. I reached over and found another toy that was sitting on the seat. I heard them say my name so I looked up at the front seat, listening in.

"Why didn't you tell me about him then?" Troy asked quietly.

Mom sighed. "I haven't had the best of luck with guys after I tell them I have a kid. It's hard to find somebody that will accept him and he is more important to me than anything." She said, glancing back at me.

"I'm sorry. Those guys are jerks and they're missing out on a great girl and a great kid too." He said, reaching over to hold her hand. She smiled and accepted. "He's really quiet, you kind of forget that he's here." Troy looked back at me and I looked down at my toys.

"He's really, really shy. I'm surprised he actually let you put him in and hold his hand. He's very cautious around new people, kind of like me." My mom explained to him. "I think he likes you. I mean, you're the first guy that I've dated that he's met."

"Really?" Troy raised his eyebrow. "I wish you would have told me sooner. We could have done all kinds of stuff with him instead of having him sit at home."

"Mommy." I said, catching their attention.

"Yeah baby?"

"Are we still going to the park tomorrow?" I asked, shyly as Troy looked back at me.

She looked at me in the rear view before looking back at the road. "We'll have to see Andrew."

I sighed and turned back to my toys. "So Andrew, have you started kindergarten yet?" Troy asked me, I looked up at him, nodding my head slowly. "How do you like it?"

"It's fun, Ms. Janice is really nice." I said, looking up at him. "Do you go to school like mommy?"

He nodded. "I do, that's how I met your mommy actually."

"Oh." I said, sitting up a little bit straighter. "You must be really smart because mommy is really smart."

Troy grinned at me. "Your mommy is way smarter than me."

The car stopped and I looked out the window to see where we were. I unbuckled myself and mommy opened the door for me. I climbed out of the car, holding her hand automatically. Troy opened the door for us to the restaurant and we walked in. I sat in between mom and Troy in a booth. I colored quietly with my crayons.

"Andrew, what do you want to eat?" Mom asked me, flipping over the menu really quickly. I pointed to the Mac and Cheese. "What do you want to drink?"

"Water." I said, flipping the page over.

"He is definitely your son." Troy said chuckling. I looked up at him, curiously.

"I know." Mom said, with a proud smile.

"He is the most well-behaved and polite five year old I've ever met." Troy said, looking over at me.

"Say thank you Andrew."

"Thank you." I said, quietly, coloring with both of my hands.

"Look at that. He's ambidextrous. You should put him in baseball, he could be a switch hitter." Troy said, looking over at me.

My mom sighed, smoothing back my hair. "I should put him in something but I don't want him to freak out because he's so shy. I haven't really asked him if he wanted to play sports or anything."

"You should, maybe that will open him up a little bit. When my dad put me in basketball when I was younger than him it made me outgoing really quick." Troy said.

Dad? What is that? I wanted to ask but I didn't want to interrupt. My mom smiled at him. I looked up at him as well. I was right. He was a basketball player. "Troy." I said, quietly, interrupting their little moment.

"Yeah, buddy?" He asked, looking at me.

"You play basketball?" I asked him.

He smiled at me. "Yeah, I played since I was littler than you. I still play, maybe you and your mom could come to one of my games?"

We both looked over at my mom. "Oh, I don't know Troy." She said biting her lip. "It'll depend on what nights they are, how long… would I have time to feed him and get him ready?"

"I'll let you know when our first game is." Troy said. "You can relax, you know?"

My mom laughed. "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to bringing my son on dates with me."

I looked down at my page again. "Hopefully we can do it more often?"

She smiled down at me. "I'd really like that."

"Me too."

"Troy?" I asked, softly. "How do you spell your name?"

"T-r-o-y." He spelled slowly. I wrote out his name in green crayon with my left hand.

"That's easy." I said, grinning up at him. "Mommy's name is hard. G-a-b-r-i-e-l-l-a" I spelled it aloud as I wrote it under Troy's.

"Can you spell your name?" He asked, watching me.

"A-n-d-r-e-w" I said, writing it with my right hand. I set my crayons back on the table. I picked up the menu and handed it to Troy. "I want you to have this."

He grinned at me. "Thanks buddy, I'll hang it on my refrigerator."

I smiled proudly over at my mommy and she kissed the top of my head. We ate dinner and went to go see a movie. We saw Finding Nemo in theaters. We went back home and Troy came inside to meet Grandma. Grandma really liked him.

I was curled up in between Mom and Troy. I was getting sleepy but I wanted to stay up with them. "Andrew, let me put you in bed sweetheart." Grandma said as she walked over to us.

"No, I don't want to go to bed yet." I said, sinking in further between my mom and Troy.

"We can put him to bed mom." My mom said, looking up at grandma. I smiled widely at my mom. I curled up next to her.

"Alright, just don't let him stay up to late." She said, walking over towards us still. "It's nice to meet you Troy."

"Nice to meet you too Maria." He gave her a bright smile and a kiss on the cheek. Grandma walked up the stairs. I leaned over, resting my head on Troy. I felt two arms pick me up, setting me on Troy's lap. He scooted over and put his arm around mom.

"Smooth." She teased with a giggle.

Troy just smiled, leaning his head against hers that rested on his shoulder. I leaned my head against Troy's chest, letting out a quiet yawn. I was fighting sleep until I closed my eyes. I heard mom and Troy softly talking to each other as I faded in and out of sleep. Troy shifted and I woke up again.

"Is he asleep?" Mom asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Troy replied. They spoke in quiet voices trying not to wake me. "I had a great time Gabi."

"You don't think of me any differently now that you know I have a child?" Mom asked. I opened my eyes.

"Not at all. You're still the same, beautiful woman I saw when I first laid eyes on you at the beginning of the semester." He said softly.

My mom smiled. "I'm glad you transferred over into the engineering program."

"Me too." There faces weren't that far apart now. Mom touched his cheek and kissed Troy on the lips. I was a little concerned at first. When she pulled away and she had the happiest smile I've seen in a long time, I wouldn't interrupt. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Mom nodded, smiling. She leaned in to kiss him again and I closed my eyes, adjusting myself against Troy's chest. I silently thanked god for bringing us Troy. He made my mom really happy and I don't ever want to lose him because of it.

November 13, 2003

Troy went to the park with us the next day. He bought me a small baseball glove and a bucket full of baseballs. He was determined to make me Rookie of the Year, whatever that meant. He taught me how to play catch and then we went home for lunch and watched baseball on ESPN. It was nice to have another boy around. Mom didn't really like sports. She would play with me on the playground but I don't think she could teach me how to play baseball.

December 14, 2003

A couple weeks later I was at school, mommy was supposed to pick me up and take me to day care. School had got out a long time ago and mostly everybody went home except for a couple of kids who were waiting too. Ms. Janis was sitting by me and we were talking about what we were learning today but her phone rang.

When Ms. Janis hung up, she looked over at me. "That was your mom, she said Troy is coming to pick you up."

My face lit up. "Really?"

"Who is Troy, Andrew?" She asked, with a smile.

"Troy is mommy's boyfriend. He's really cool. He has a blue truck like my hot wheels and he taught me how to play baseball and he's going to teach me how to play basketball too." I said, grinning. "He's plays basketball at his school that he and mommy go to. Mommy says he's really good at basketball and he got a collarship."

Ms. Janis laughed. "Wow. Troy seems really great. I can't wait to meet him."

"Hey Buddy." I sat up quickly and ran over to him. He picked me up in a tight hug and walked over to Ms. Janis. "You must be Mrs. Cline I'm Troy Bolton, Gabi's boyfriend."

"You can call me Ms. Janis. I just got off the phone with Gabi. Andrew seems to know you but just because it's protocol I have to see your ID please." Ms. Janis said.

"Right. No problem." Troy set me down and I held on to his pant leg as he pulled his wallet from his pocket, showing Ms. Janis his card.

"Can I see?" I asked, looking up at him. He handed it down to me and I saw his picture. I laughed. "You look silly with long hair."

He took back his card, chuckling. "I look much better now, right buddy?"

"Right." I said confidently.

"It was nice meeting you Troy." Ms. Janis shook his hand.

"You too Ms. Janis."

"Bye Ms. Janis." I called out.

"Bye Andrew."

Troy picked me up again and we walked to his car. "Where's mommy?" I asked him curiously.

"Mommy's class ran late so she couldn't get out on time." Troy explained.

"Do I have to go to day care?" I asked, looking over at him.

He shook his head. "Nope, we're spending the next couple hours together, just you and me buddy."

I smiled at him. "Really? Can we go get ice cream?"

"I was thinking we get a snack first. Do you like pizza?"

"Yeah!" I said excitedly.

He smiled. "Good, because I know this really cool place where we can go." He put me in the booster seat he had in the back of his car. He got in and we drove over to the pizza place.

Troy took me out and we walked inside. We got a pizza to share and we talked about everything I learned in school today. He said we were going to go to his basketball game tomorrow. When we were finished with our pizza we walked around the corner to a big arcade. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. We got a bunch of tokens and we played a whole bunch of games together. I took a nap on the way home but when I woke up I was so excited to tell mommy how my day went. She was a little hurt when I said I wanted Troy to pick me up everyday but she was happy we were bonding.

Five shot/ song fic/ whatever the hell you want to call it. I'll post ANOTHER new story later, so look out for that one. My externship is going pretty good. A big thanks to all of you who wished me good luck. I seriously love you guys. Don't forget to review!