A/N: First of all, I deeply apologized for not updating this story for the past 3 months. I just have been busy left and right… Anyway, here you go… and please don't forget to leave a REVIEW :) x.x Happy New Year x.x
I do not own HSM
Chapter 15 - Surprises
Two months after
"Do you think she'll like it?" Troy tentatively asked Zeke as thoroughly inspects a 15-carat diamond ring. Ever since Chad and Taylor's wedding, everything has been smooth between Troy and Sharpay. In the morning, Troy would go to Sharpay's to bring her breakfast and then he would walk with her to work. Lunchtime, it was Sharpay's turn to visit Troy and bring him a hearty lunch for a 'still-growing' boy (as Troy puts it). Dinner was more or less the same. They would playfully argue for 30 minutes where to eat and then Troy would eventually agree to go wherever Sharpay wanted to.
"She'll love it" Zeke said sarcastically
Troy eyed his friend, shook his head in disappointment and then went back in examining the 10 thousand dollar ring.
"Hey don't look at me like that. I warned you that I wasn't good at this" Zeke defended
"You're married guy. You're supposed to know these things" Troy retorted
"Hey! I got married in Vegas. Do the math" Zeke blurted
Troy rolled his eyes one more time, faced the sales staff and said "I'll take it"
"Finally!" Zeke exclaimed as the sales staff smiled and went to the back of the shop.
On the other side of town, Sharpay walked in her office Monday morning, humming and greeting everybody on the way.
"Good morning Martha" Sharpay greeted
"Good morning" Martha answered as she eyed Sharpay weirdly.
Sharpay noticed this and asked "What?'
"Nothing. It's just… I'm still not used to all this" Martha said as both girls entered Sharpay's office.
"All this what?" Sharpay clarified
"All the humming, the lovey-dovey actions, that grin plastered on your face" Sharpay explained
Sharpay creased her eyebrows in confusion and remained silent, unsure how to answer Martha
"Now don't get me wrong, I like all the changes but what are your plans?" Martha continued
"Plan?" Sharpay asked, obviously confused.
"Yes, plans. I mean you and Troy have gone through this path before and seeing that both of your feelings didn't wavered by the time you spent apart, why wait any longer?" Martha explained
"Okay, I know this is the 21st century and all but I am not proposing to him" Sharpay quipped
Martha rolled her eyes and retorted "You know that's not what I meant"
"I know what you mean and my answer is still the same. Plus we just got back together, I don't think I'm ready for another wedding anytime soon" Sharpay said with a dismissive tone.
Martha sighed, getting Sharpay's hint. "Fine. I rest my case for now. But when you said soon, it means?
"Not within one year. Thank you." Sharpay said sweetly as Martha stepped out of the room, leaving her to do her job in peace.
One and a half hours later, her conversation with Marth was still racing through her mind. She was about to call it a day when her phone rang and seeing that it was Troy, a big smile was easily plastered on her face.
"Hey beautiful" Troy greeted
"Hey, what's up?' Sharpay answered
"Dinner. You and Me. Tonight"
"Okay, seriously we're not in high school anymore so stop talking like that"
"Fine. Miss Evans, would like to go out for dinner with me tonight?"
"That's better and yes, I would like to go to dinner with you tonight"
"Great. I'll pick you up at 7"
"See you then"
"Hey Pay?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you" Troy said with a smile on his face
This caught Sharpay by surprise. Yeah, it has been two months since they got back together but neither of them had said the "L" since the wedding.
Sharpay didn't realize that she hasn't answered Troy and this worries him. A lot of 'what if's' running through his mind.
"Look, sorry if I said it. You don't have to answer me right now if you don't want to. I understand…" Troy rambled on
"Troy…" Sharpay interrupted
"Yeah?"
"I love you too" Sharpay said definitively.
It was now Troy's turn to be speechless.
"I'll see you tonight. I love you. Bye" Sharpay said and ends the call.
Troy, on the other hand, with his mouth wide open was still speechless on the other end of the line.
Later that night…
At exactly 7PM, Sharpay's doorbell rang. She just finished putting her lip gloss on and took her time in answering the door. She didn't want to get creases on her three-tone blue bustier and skirt by Used/Unused, which was hugging her body in all the right parts and her recently purchased studded Christian Louboutin heels. When she answered the door, Troy, who was wearing a plaid blue button down polo and dark denim jeans both by Ralph Lauren and a simple black Chuck Taylors, was leisurely leaning on the door frame.
"Hey gorgeous" Troy greeted gave her small peck on the cheek. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yup, just let me get my purse" Sharpay said as she reached for her purse in the hallway table. "Ready. Where are we going anyway?" Sharpay asked as she locked here apartment.
"Someplace nice" Troy simply said as he pushed the elevator button and the reunited couple stepped in.
"Whose definition of nice? Yours or mine?" Sharpay asked
Troy creased his eyebrows in confusion and asked "What's the difference?"
"Well, your definition of nice is the eat-all-you pizza night at the diner around the corner and mine…. Well, let's just say is the complete… opposite" Sharpay explained
Troy thought about it before saying "Well then, your definition of nice"
"Just as I thought" Sharpay said as the elevator ringed announcing their arrival at the lobby. They walked out of the apartment hand in hand and all smiles.
In a local pub downtown…
"So Troy's proposing to Payday tonight?" Kelsi exclaimed as she, Jason, Zeke and Martha were drinking in a local pub downtown.
"I hope so. This morning Troy bought the ring and let me tell you that shopping with Troy is not something I want to experience again. He's even worse than Jason" Zeke said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Martha who looked like a deer caught in headlights, stammered "He can't do that now"
"Why not?" Jason asked as he, Kelsi and Zeke looked at her crazily.
"Because Pay is not ready to get married anytime soon and when I say soon, not within a year" Martha said as-a-matter-of-fact
The four friends stared at each other in disbelief. They can't believe what just happened and they're seriously scared thinking of what's about to happen to their friends.
"Call Troy. Tell him not to do it" Martha suggested, shaking Zeke's arm aggressively.
Zeke immediately reached for his phone and dialed Troy's number. It rang couple of time before Troy answered.
"This better be good, Zeke" Troy snapped
"Don't do it" Zeke said
"Don't do what?" Sharpay asked innocently from the background.
Speakerphone.
Zeke mentally slapped himself. He should have known ever since Troy and Sharpay got back together and everytime they're together, all phone calls each of them has was shared with the other. But before he can think of any excuse, Martha grabbed his phone and blurted out "Don't do it. Pay's not yet ready to get married"
"You're proposing?" Sharpay asked and for the second time in five minutes Martha looked like a deer caught in headlights.
At someplace nice, five minutes earlier…
"Are you ready for dessert?" Troy asked eagerly as he waited all dinner to propose to Sharpay while she just nodded and cuddled closer to Troy.
Troy was about to motion for the server when his phone rang. It was Zeke.
Troy rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed with his friend but answered the phone nonetheless. He put the call on speaker so Sharpay could hear.
"This better be good, Zeke" Troy snapped while Sharpay giggled and mouthed "Be nice"
"Don't do it" Zeke said. Troy's heart stop and looked at Sharpay nervously.
"Zeke you stupid moron" Troy thought
With a creased eyebrow, obviously confused to what Zeke was talking about, Sharpay asked "Don't do what?"
When there was no immediate answer from Zeke on the other end of the line, Sharpay eyed Troy expecting for an answer.
Troy was about to say an excuse when Martha's voice suddenly echoed from the phone.
"Don't do it. Pay's not yet ready to get married" Martha said
The couple looked at each other with eyes wide open and mouth hanging agape. The overbearing silence was broken when Sharpay asked "You're proposing?"
Instead of answering yes or no, Troy asked "And you don't want to get married?"
"Here's the dessert you ordered" the server announced as he placed the strawberry cheesecake at the middle of the table. Ironically, both Troy and Sharpay looked down at the cheesecake and instantly spotted the diamond ring that was conveniently place on top of the strawberry at the center of the cheesecake.