Author's Note: Hey! This is just another oneshot. I really do keep popping out stories. But it's only a oneshot . A cute oneshot at that, if I do say so myself. Hope everyone's having a good summer. I am. Yesterday I went driving for the first time!! It was amazing. Didn't go very far. Just circled an empty car park a few times but it was great. But enough about me. Hope you like the story and review when you're done!
More Than A Few Love Songs
"Are you sure you liked my present Gabby?" Taylor asked as they walked down the corridors of East High at the end of the day towards Gabriella's locker.
"Yes of course I liked your present. I've always wanted one of those special calculators." Gabriella giggled as she dumped her bag in front of her locker and started to twist the lock.
"Well, I've never been very good at getting birthday presents, I never know what to get people." Gabriella nodded but jumped back because as she opened her locker, a large pile of random bits and bobs fell out from the top shelf of her locker. She groaned as she knelt down to pick them up.
"Someone was a bit popular today," Taylor laughed as she bent down to help.
"Yeah, everyone's given me such great gifts but there's just so many that I'm going to have to carry half of them home. Makes me glad that we ate Zeke's cake at lunch." Gabriella said as she tried to fit as much of her birthday presents in her bag as possible. After 17 years of birthdays where the only gifts she was given were from her mother, Gabriella was not prepared for this.
"Hey what is this?" Taylor asked, puzzled picking something up.
"Oh that's a microphone. Sharpay gave it to me"
"Thank god, there's so much glitter on it, I thought she'd given you her third grade art project." Taylor smirked as she tried to stuff it in one area of space in Gabriella's bag.
"So what's Troy given you?"
"He's not given me anything yet. I presume he'll give it to me tonight" Gabriella grinned as she thought of her boyfriend of two months.
"What have you got planned for tonight?"
"Nothing. But knowing Troy, he'll probably climb up onto my balcony after dark."
"Awww that is so Romeo and Juliet" Taylor gushed as she helped zip up Gabriella's over-stuffed bag. "Anyway, I have to go. I'll see ya later, Happy 17th!"
"Thanks" Gabriella looked into her locker and saw that she still had three textbooks and her sweater. Knowing that she would never be able to put them in her bag, she settled for carrying the books, and putting on her sweater. Just as she had put her sweater on, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She jumped but relaxed when she saw who was behind her.
"Hey beautiful" Troy smiled cheekily at his girlfriend.
"Hey gorgeous" Gabriella beamed as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
"How was your birthday?" Troy asked while leaning against the locker beside hers.
"It was good, everyone was really nice and I have a bag fit to burst." Gabriella laughed as she locked closed her locker and picked up her bag.
"So it wouldn't help if I gave you your present now then?" Troy grinned yet again while pulling out a little blue box with a pink ribbon tied round.
Gasping slightly, Gabriella took the box graciously. "I'll manage. What is it?" Gabriella shook the box slightly to hear what could possibly be inside.
"It's a surprise. And I don't want you to open it until you get home" Troy told her.
"Fine." Gabriella put the box on top of her pile of textbooks. "So, shall I be seeing you later on?"
"Maybe" Troy kissed her forehead. "I would walk you home but I have basketball practise. So I'll see you later okay." Troy started walking backwards towards the gym.
"Okay." Gabriella started walking the other way, still looking back at Troy.
"Bye beautiful!" Troy called from the other side of the corridor, much to the dismay of the remaining cheerleaders.
"See ya later gorgeous!" Gabriella giggled since what they were doing was incredibly cheesy, yet she left East High thinking she had the best boyfriend in the world.
Gabriella returned home that afternoon to find her mother in the kitchen preparing something, which was unusual since Ms Montez was usually at work at this time of the day.
"Mom, what are you doing home?" Gabriella asked putting her things on the couch and walking into the kitchen.
"I took the afternoon off so I can spend time with my daughter on her birthday. And to bake your cake."
"You're baking a cake?" Gabriella asked astounded, yet completely flattered.
"Yes well, I haven't baked a damn thing in 17 years, don't you I should start?" Her mother said while mixing things into a bowl.
"Yeah but… just so you know, there are takeaway menus in the drawer, just in case." Gabriella smirked.
"Hey, I have you know, I was very good at baking before you were born. But then you took up so much time, and when you were at the age that you didn't need to be watched over 24/7, work started getting in the way. So now, I've put work aside for once. Want to help?"
"Sure, I wouldn't want to miss this for the world." Gabriella announced, interested in how this cake would work out.
After some baking and some mother/daughter bonding, the cake they made turned out to be a disaster when one of them put salt in the cake instead of sugar, which both denied doing so. But instead of ordering in, they made another cake, which was now in the oven cooking nicely. Pleased with her efforts, Gabriella decided she need to do some homework, even on her birthday and picked up her bag and three textbooks and took them upstairs, forgetting about the little blue box that had been hidden underneath it all.
When Gabriella was on her third math equation, she couldn't help but think she was forgetting something. Swinging on her desk chair slightly, she looked around her room. She loved her room and everything about it. And since Troy came into her life, there were many photographs and little trinkets full of memories. Gabriella looked at the nearest one on her desk. Displayed in a beautiful photo frame, Gabriella had her arms wrapped around Troy's neck and both were laughing at something. Both were also rather wet. Gabriella remembered very clearly where they were. It was Troy's 17th birthday about a month ago and he had a pool party, but only invited the gang since he didn't really want a full-blown out of control party. Gabriella also remembered when that picture was taken. She had just started singing Happy Birthday to Troy Marilyn Munroe style.
"Oh!" Gabriella jumped up when she suddenly remembered what she had forgotten. She raced down the stairs into the living room and thankfully, the box was still there wedged between two cushions. She brought it back upstairs and started undoing the ribbon. She sat down on the bed and placed the ribbon neatly beside her. She opened the box.
She was slightly surprised to see inside the box, a pile of different coloured pieces of card, all facing the bottom of the box. She picked up the first one, which happened to be red, and turned it over.
On the piece of card was a beautifully drawn picture of a tree with a girl that looked a little bit like Gabriella sitting beneath it. Next to the picture, was some neat writing in gold pen, which Gabriella recognised to be Troy's.
It's time, I've been patient for so long
How can I pretend to be so strong?
Looking at you, baby
Feeling it too, baby
If I'm asking you to hold me tight
Then it's gonna be alright
It's gonna be love
It's gonna be great
It's gonna be more than I can take
It's gonna be free
It's gonna be real
It's gonna change everything I feel
It's gonna be sad
It's gonna true
It's gonna be me, baby
It's gonna be you, baby
It's gonna be….
It's gonna be love
Gabriella recognised the words instantly. They were song lyrics from Mandy Moore, It's Gonna Be Love. It was her favourite song by her favourite singer. She was so pleased, but then she remembered there were more cards in front of her so she put the red card aside.
She picked up the orange one and on the other side was another perfectly drawn picture, it looked like Gabriella driving a car, a convertible to be exact, and her dark hair was almost floating behind her. It was extraordinary. There were more words next to the picture.
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden
That's bursting into life
All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes
They're all I can see
These were also lyrics and were a small segment of Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars. Gabriella absolutely loved that song and was often seen humming it. Gabriella smiled at this card and put it down on top of the red one.
The next card was white and the drawing was of Gabriella in a long flowing dress with an intricate pink design. The writing beside it was also pink.
Sing to me of the song of the stars
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing
And laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me
Over again
At these lyrics, Gabriella laughed. These were also by Mandy Moore from the song Only Hope that featured in the movie A Walk To Remember. Gabriella remembered that on Troy and hers fourth date, they cuddled up on her couch to watch the movie. Troy however could barely contain himself and cried more than Gabriella at the film, much to Gabriella's amusement.
The next card was a baby blue and the picture was not of Gabriella, but of a large golden sun, and in the sun were the lyrics
Baby, now that I've found you
I can't let you go
I'll build my world around you
I need you so
Baby even though, you don't need me
You don't need me
And underneath the lyrics was another sentence in writing that was clearly different from the rest.
Troy + Gabriella smiley faces forever!
"…Okay" Gabriella thought, "a little random but sweet" She looked at the lyrics again and realised that she and Troy had danced to that song at a recent dance. It was a 60s dance so this song fit right in. It was by the Foundations and when Troy and Gabriella were dancing to it, Troy was mouthing all the words making Gabriella smile. He was so sweet.
Putting the card aside, the next card was pink and it had little red love hearts dotted along the card.
Open up your eyes
Then you realise
Here I stand with my
Everlasting Love
Need you by my side
There's no need to hide
Never be denied
Everlasting love
From the very start
Open up your heart
Be a lasting part of
Everlasting love
Gabriella was rather stumped by these lyrics. She didn't automatically know them, but she recognised them and she didn't know where from. Decided not to let this bug her, she placed the card in a separate pile from all the others so she could think about it later.
The next piece of card was bigger than the rest and was green. When she turned it over and on this card, was a picture of Gabriella holding hands with a boy who looked like Troy. Gabriella smiled as she read the lyrics.
It's amazing
How you can speak
Right to my heart
Without saying a word
You can light up the dark
Try as I may
I could never explain
What I hear
When you don't say a thing
The smile on your face
Lets me know
That you need me
There's a truth
In your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says
You'll catch me
Wherever I fall
You say it best
When you say nothing at all.
Gabriella and Troy shared these little moments where, if they were on the opposite sides of the room for example, they would just smile at each other, not say anything. Just like the first week Gabriella had joined the school and both were helping Ms Darbus with the drama club. Gabriella was at a table assembling something and Troy was painting a box. Both were bobbing along to a song they had been singing beforehand and both just smiled at each other, bobbing in time. Then Ms Darbus walked past and Troy stopped suddenly, making Gabriella giggle.
This song related to them so much. She loved the Ronan Keating version, since she loved the film Notting Hill where this song featured and she once said that this was her favourite romantic song.
Then it suddenly clicked. The card before last, Gabriella had heard that song on the radio and had it stuck in her head all day. She didn't know who sang it but she loved all the same and was singing it quietly all day. Troy must have heard her and went to the effort to finding out the song and the lyrics. He went to so much trouble to find out and write down all her favourite love songs and get those beautiful pictures however he got them, whether he drew them himself or someone else did. Gabriella was overwhelmed by the gesture and even had a few tears in her eyes.
There were a few smaller cards remaining so she picked up another one. There was no picture, just words.
Hey Gabriella, it's Troy
Gabriella chuckled "As if I didn't know already"
There was nothing else on the card so she picked up another one.
Happy Birthday! I hope you liked your present
… And another one
I remembered all your favourite songs because
And another one….
That's what a boyfriend does, doesn't he?
But I decided to present them to you this way
Because you're special
And you deserve the best
And you wanna know a secret?
I cried while writing out Only Hope again
At this Gabriella burst out laughing, even though there were tears strolling down her happy cheeks.
Don't blame me; it's a sad movie!
I hope I never lose you like the way he lost her
I hope I never lose you in any way
Because Gabriella, in the two short months
That we've been together
I've found more than I could ever dream of finding
I found you.
That last line really captured Gabriella's heart and she had to pause to let out her emotions. Then she moved on to the last few cards.
So, I thought that to make your 17th birthday extra special
(And I hope we spend many more birthday's together)
I'll share a secret with you
A secret that I've been wanting to share ever since
we first got together
Heck, since the first day we met
So Gabriella, I've almost run out of card
But still have one left to share my last secret with you
Gabriella looked at the bottom of the box and indeed, there was only one small card left. She picked it, took a deep breath and turned it over.
I love you.
Gabriella gasped. This was the first time he had ever said it to her and looking back on the rest of the cards, it now seemed obvious that that was what he was going to do but still, Gabriella was shocked. But happy, so, so happy.
"I really mean it too."
Gabriella turned round to see Troy standing behind her balcony door, looking in with a face full of sincerity. She wiped her tears and got up to open her balcony door. She automatically wrapped her arms around him into a hug.
"Hey it wasn't supposed to make you cry…" Troy said in a tone full of panic.
"No I know," Gabriella pulled away and looked up at her boyfriend with a smile on her face "It's just no one's ever done anything like that before."
"Well Kelsi did the drawings. I swear that girl's creative talents are endless. I was gonna pay her to do it but she was happy to do it for free. But she did write something on one of the cards."
"Oh, Troy and Gabriella equals smiley faces forever?" Gabriella remembered.
"Yeah. So, I do you like it then?" Troy asked nervously.
"Yes, Yes I love it. Thank you so much. It's the most romantic thing anyone's ever done for me." Gabriella reassured him.
Troy actually seemed embarrassed by this and started to blush slightly. "It's just a few love songs."
"No, it's more than a few love songs. They're OUR love songs. And your big secret too." Gabriella grinned. "In fact, I have a secret to tell you too."
Troy raised his eyebrows. "You do?"
"Mhmm" Gabriella walked towards her desk, pulled a piece of paper out of her notebook and wrote a short note. She then passed it to Troy who read it.
I love you too.
A/N: Awwww I totally wish I was Gabriella right now. I actually wish that in a lot of stories. But anyway, hope you liked it! R&R. Oh and if you have any questions on any of the songs, just ask!