A/N: Man this took longer to type up than it did to write! Well, the deal is the whole gang somehow all ended up in California, and they're like in their early twenties (over 21). And whether they work or are still in school, they all get together to go out to clubs at least once a week. Gabriella may be a little OOC, but whatever. There is a reference to a Cute Is What We Aim For Song (which I don't own) and if you notice it Good Job. Gabriella spouts a little bit of lanugage, I rated it M because I wanted to be safe, but it's more of a T+ than a full on M. Um, well, that's about it. Enjoy! R&R! -Mac
Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical, but who's hyped for August 17, that's when 2 is supposed to start here?!?!?!?! Yay!!
Overprotective
"You ready for tonight, Troy?" Chad replied enthusiastically, clapping Troy on the back as they walked toward the club.
"Sure," Troy responded, frowning. "Something special happening tonight?"
"We are going to get you a girl tonight." Zeke said as he came up on Troy's other side. "Hell, we're going to get me a girl tonight."
"Man, you and Sharpay are far from over." Jason spoke up suddenly.
"We could say the same for you and Kelsi." Zeke countered.
"Yeah, but I'm not looking to hook up with some girl I meet in a club." Jason responded.
Troy held back a chuckle as he watched the two argue about their dating status. Chad started to break in but backed off when they mentioned his standing engagement--apparently his lack of love problems meant he couldn't participate in that conversation.
Troy fell back to observe his friends. Chad and Taylor had been engage for three months. They were already knee deep in wedding plans. Chad was excited to see Taylor when they met at the club, her school and his work had been keeping them busy and they hadn't seen each other ina couple days.
Zeke and Sharpay were "seeing other people." But so far neither had actually seen any other people. Although, Zeke claims that he had been looking. (He wasn't look and neither was she). They were hung up on each other, but neither would admit that to the other.
Jason and Kelsi had been living together up until recently, when they had broken up for the hundredth time. And Jason had taken to crashing on Chad's couch. Both were upset about the split, as they were everytime. Kelsi said it was final this time (but she says that everytime). They were in love and they had problems--but they always seemed to work through them.
Ryan was locked in a lurid affair with his boss's daughter. The group had yet to meet her, but Sharpay described her as darling. The two were supposed to be joining everyone that night.
And Troy, Troy was single. Troy Bolton was the only guy in the group that was truly single. Everytime they all went tot he clubs, the guys tried to set him up. He always refused. He was more preoccupied looking after Gabriella.
Gabriella and Troy were still best friends, except on club nights when Troy had the tendency to shove drunken, potential one night stands away from Gabriella. Gabriella was single as well, but more often than not, on club nights she would pick up on the wrong kind of guys. Troy was always there to look after her, protect her. Gabriella found it annoying only because it seemed to be too much. He was too protective.
Troy followed the rest of the guys into the club. As they weaved through the crowd they were able to find the girls at a table in the back. Troy took a deep breath, he knew he was in for a long night.
Troy kept track of time by how many drinks Gabriella had. She was two drinks in, when Ryan and his girlfriend arrived at their table. Troy took his focus off of Gabriella for a moment to greet the addition to their party. Ryan introduced her to everyone around the table and she shook everyone's hands.
"Nicole DeLuca? DeLuca? As in DeLuca Advertising?" Troy replied when she got around to him. "Isn't that where you work, Ryan?"
"Ha, ha. Funny Troy." Ryan said, as the rest of the table chuckled. "It's funny really, yes. I am dating the daughter of the C.E.O. of the company I work for. And I'll probably get fired if we break up. But yes, have a laugh at my expense."
"Oh, no. Daddy loves you Ryan!" Nicole cooed, clutching his arm dramatically. Ryan broke out into a small smile and everyone else at the table stiffled their laughter.
By drink four, Gabriella was dancing with any guy that asked. Troy sat at the table watching her closely as she moved around the dance floor. He had to keep his fists clenched and his temper under control to not punch the first guy who got too close. Taylor and Chad, the only two left at the table with him, watched him carefully. They knew he was protective of Gabriella and they were glad for it (someone had to keep an eye on her). But they knew that some of it didn't just spawn from the fact that most of the guys were out to take advantage of her. Some of it came from him wanting to be the guy she flirted with, danced with, left with. And someone had to look after him, make sure he didn't get his heart broken.
"That should be you out there with her, man." Chad replied quietly to Troy.
"Nah," Troy shook his head and glanced toward Chad. "I would rather not be her fourth drink instinct."
"You know I would definitely take a sober Gabby over let's-get-another-drink Gabby." Chad commented.
"She definitely is more wild when she's drinking." Taylor stated, observing Gabriella slightly.
"Wild doesn't cover it." Troy muttered. "Stupid comes close."
The second half came under his breath, so Taylor and Chad didn't catch it. Troy turned back to the dancefloor and picked Gabriella out so he could continue his watch. Taylor and Chad shared a knowing look.
"I'm just glad you look after her." Taylor replied, after a moment.
From his seat at one end of the bar, Troy had a clear view of Gabriella and the guy who was hanging all over her. Troy contained himself though, this guy hadn't done anything wrong...yet. Troy took a sip of the water he had been drinking. He felt some one come over and sit next to him, but he didn't even look up. It took him a second to realize that this person was talking to him when they started to speak.
"So I figure you're either single and shy or you've got a girlfriend that couldn't join you tonight. I thought either way there would be no harm in buying you a drink."
Troy glanced slightly at the girl who had situated herself next to him. She was the typical girl you would find in California clubs: blonde, revealing clothes, too much make-up. Not Troy's type at all. He turned back to Gabriella. Seven drinks gone.
"Sorry, not drinking tonight." Troy responded. Troy never drank, mainly because Gabriella did. And someone had to make sure she got home safely.
"Oh, come on, one won't hurt." The girl whined dramatically. "Have a drink with me."
"No thanks." Troy didn't even look up.
"You sure? A hot guy like you, not drinking on a Friday night?" She tilted her head, too confident of her powers of persuasion.
"Someone has to get everyone home in one piece." Troy offered her a smile before turning back to Gabriella, again. And before the girl had a chance to reply, Troy was halfway out of his seat. "Excuse me."
The guy who had taken to Gabriella had dipped down to kiss along her neck. Gabriella only giggled in response. Troy was behind them less than a second after he had vacated his seat across the room from them. Troy was able to hear the guy suggest 'getting out of there' before he had physically dragged him away from Gabriella.
"What the hell, man?" The guy yelled as he stumbled backward just avoiding falling on his ass.
Troy ignored him and spoke calmly to Gabriella, "It's time to go home."
"What do you think you're doing, Troy?" Gabriella slurred the accusation as she stood and stepped up (in what she probably thought was a threatening manner) to him.
"We're leaving." Troy raised his voice, but kept it even.
"I think I can get her home just fine, thanks." The guy approached once again, nearing Gabriella.
"Back the hell off." Troy threw an arm up in front of him. "You aren't taking her anywhere."
Troy caught hold of Gabriella's arm firmly, but not so much to hurt her, and started to lead her toward the exit. From their places around the club, the friends that saw it happen took that as the cue to call it a night. Usually, the night ended with Troy pulling Gabriella from the club.
As they stepped out onto the sidewalk, Gabriella shrugged Troy off of her, stumbling further out onto the sidewalk and away from him. "God, Troy! Who the hell do you think you are?"
Sometimes she went quietly, and sometimes she caused a huge scene in front of the club. Their friends had crowded out of the club behind them and they looked on. They would battle it out until Troy was able to get Gabriella into his car to take her home.
"That guy..." Troy shook his head. "Gabby, what is wrong with you? These guys only want sex from you. You have to know that."
"Maybe that's what I want from them? Did you ever think of that?" Gabriella yelled at him.
"You're drunk." Troy spat, unable to say anything in response to her comment.
"Fuck you." Gabriella responded angrily. She whirled around and started to walk away.
"That's what you want isn't it?" Troy accused grabbing her arm and forcing her to turn back around and face him. "Someone to screw, with no strings attached? That's not you, Gabby. Not the you I know."
Gabriella huffed, "If you weren't such a blind, overprotective ass, it wouldn't be that way...the strings would be attached!"
The last part came simultaneously with some quick hand gestures to represent attached. Gabriella let out a frustrated yell at the end of it. Troy fell silent as he realized what she had meant. He just looked at her and she looked back at him.
Troy spoke quietly, "I'm taking you home now."
Gabriella only nodded as she let Troy lead her toward where he had parked his car. As they passed their friends, they began to disperse as they headed for their respective cars. Troy opened the passenger door for her and she slipped in. He was in the driver's seat a moment later and driving toward her apartment.
The drive to her apartment was silent. Gabriella didn't make a sound. She just rested her head against the window with her eyes closed. Troy didn't dare speak for fear he would say something wrong. He didn't want to have this conversation with Gabriella when she was drunk. She might not remember the night at all.
When they arrived at Gabriella's appartment, Troy let them in using her keys. Gabriella slipped past him into her livingroom without a word. Troy followed her in and closed the door behind them. Gabriella dropped her things onto a chair in the livingroom and headed for her bedroom. When Troy got intot he room, she had already worked off her shoes and was half sprawled across her bed. He dug through on of her drawers to find her something to sleep in. Troy threw the clothes to her before heading toward the door.
"Get changed and get some sleep. You're going to regret tonight in the morning." Troy replied, then as he closed the bedroom door behind him he added under his breath, "You always do."
It was a rare thing to not find Troy Bolton on Gabriella Montez's couch the morning after a club night. He could never leave her, he was too concerned about her well being to make her suffer the morning on her own. He kept a pillow and a blanket stashed away in one of her hall closets that he would use every time. This time, though, he didn't sleep--his mind was too active for him to even consider it. He kept thinking about what he would say to her once she was sober--if she would even remember what she had said.
Gabriella woke up the next morning to Troy placing a glass of cold water on her bedside table. He sat down in the chair that was situated next to her bed as she started to sit up. Without a word, she gratefully took the aspirin he offered her. She swallowed it down before gulping down the rest of the glass. Troy just watched her intently as he waited.
When Gabriella finished drinking, she put the glass back on the bedside table. Pulling the blankets tighter around her, she sat up completely and turned to Troy. He stared back at her quietly, waiting for her to take the first step.
"Rough night, hmm?" Gabriella murmured.
"Yeah." Troy nodded. "Remember much?"
Gabriella sighed, "Unfortunately, yes, most of it. Troy, I'm so sorry for the things I said to you. I was rude and horrible. I'm just...so sorry."
"I know how you get, you don't need to worry about it." Troy shook his head. "I know that's not you."
"And...Troy...what I said about...well..." Gabriella stumbled over her words, unsure of what to say.
"I would completely understand if you want to take back anything you said. It doesn't have to mean anything. You weren't exactly in your right senses." Troy gave her an easy out, though he wanted to have a conversation. He wasn't going to force her into it--especially not with the way it had come about.
"No, Troy, it's not that." Gabriella said quietly. "It's not that at all. I just feel so ridiculous for letting it slip out. I mean, I never should have...Not when I did. I should have done it proper--the right way. I just..."
"Gabriella, I don't..." Troy started. "You don't have..."
"I don't want to take it back, Troy. I just want to say it right and I can't think at all with the pounding that's taking over my head." Gabriella responded.
Troy nodded. "You rest awhile. I'll make you something to eat. Shower, get dressed. We'll talk when you're ready."
"Okay." Gabriella agreed.
Troy would usually make Gabriella something nice and light for breakfast, sided with a nice cup of coffee. He would let her shower and get dressed. He played the part of the doting best friend taking care of his "ailing" friend. But this morning, the conversation they were sure to have hung over him. He made her breakfast and poured her a cup of coffee. But he didn't know what he would say when she came to get it.
Gabriella emerged from her bedroom some time later with her hair wet and hanging around her face. She was completely dressed, but still casually and comfortably. Troy looked up as she appeared in the kitchen area. He was finishing up the food.
"Coffee is on the table." Troy called out to Gabriella/
"Oh, thank you." Gabriella breathed as she sat down at the table and started to drink her cup.
Troy placed a plate of food in front of Gabriella and sat down across from her. He dug into his own plate as she nibbled at hers. He didn't speak, he just waited for her to bring it up. But she seemed to be intently absorbed in her food.
Then suddenly she spoke up, her eyes flying up to meet his. "Troy, the truth is that I've had feelings for you for quite some time and I've just been so afraid to tell you. I thought that maybe if I found someone else--anyone else--the feelings for you would go away. But they won't go away."
Troy didn't respond for a long time, but when he did, he was sure of what he was going to say. "Do you want to know the truth?"
"Honestly?" Gabriella asked. "I want to know what you are thinking."
"I'm thinking that I have been a fool for far too long and I've been stupid waiting for you to say it. I should have been man enough, brave enough, to say it myself." Troy replied. "And...this isn't easy."
"Just say it already." Gabriella prompted, then grew shy and insecure. "I never should have said anything. God, I was stupid to think..."
"Okay, stop. We're way off track here." Troy shook his head. "First of all, you are the farthest thing from stupid. And second of all, I have feelings for you too. I can't say I've tried to make them go away, I haven't. They are most of the reason I'm so protective of you. I just never acted on them because I never thought you could return them. I know...I'm a wuss. It's sad, pathetic really."
Troy took a sudden interest in the table as he berated himself. He didn't notice Gabriella standing up or coming so she was right in front of him. He didn't notice she was there until she took his face in her hands and made him look at her. And once his eyes locked with hers, she leaned in and kissed him. It was gentle and short, and in a moment Gabriella was pulling back. They exchanged a small smile before Troy reached out and pulled her back to him.
There were a few things that Troy Bolton was sure of. In a few months he would be the best man at Chad and Taylor's wedding. Zeke and Sharpay would get back together no matter what they said. No matter what Kelsi and Jason always found their way back together (everyone wondered why Jason wouldn't just pop the question and end all the break-up madness). Ryan and the C.E.O.'s daughter were hitting it off (and everyone was hoping he would be able to keep his job--maybe even snag a promotion and pay raise). Gabriella Montez was still his best friend, as well as his girlfriend (he would always be overprotective of her no matter what her status with him was). And no club night would ever be the same as it used to be.