12jumjum- I loved everything about Zac on the Ellen show lol! I am hoping to go to the UK Premiere of The Lucky One so wish me luck to meet him :) Also thanks for your kind words, there really won't be any more of this story I'm afraid, I may as well be honest! I have SO many more to post I just don't go back :)

Still enjoy it everyone and Royal Island is up next :D I love you all, Ang x

CHAPTER 16

"Hey…" Troy's soft, warm voice greeted Gabi warmly as she picked up her phone- albeit at the late hour of eleven, something Troy wasn't sure she would do if she'd maybe gone to bed on giving up hope for a call to bring pizza.

"You all done?" She asked lightly with a faintly amused tone.

"Uh…actually I didn't even get started. Something came up," he shared, keeping his voice low. He was in the corridor outside his and Jared's room, trying not to wake him now he'd finally got to sleep.

Gabi swallowed. "Is Jared okay?" She asked, not wanting to bring up the news that she had shared with him, but sensing Troy's 'something came up' being related to that.

"Uh…yeah. I think so…" Troy offered lightly.

"He told you didn't he?" She sighed eventually.

"Yeah," Troy admitted softly. "But as a mate, nothing else."

Gabi nodded, thinking of words.

"Have you eaten?"

"No, we walked around until he was all talked out and I just got him to sleep for a bit," Troy explained and Gabi smirked. He sounded like he was talking about a child not his friend. It was endearing how caring he was, though. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go right now.

"Is it too late to?" She asked next.

Troy smiled. She wanted to meet up. That thought brightened him and filled him with warmth.

"No, I'm wide awake now anyway…shall I grab Chinese and come over?" He suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," she agreed lightly.

/

"You really didn't eat yet?" Troy asked after Gabi had opened her door. He'd bent to kiss her on the lips and headed inside without lingering too much.

"I thought you might finish late…" she excused.

"You must be starving," he observed as he sat on the bed and waited for her to join him. She was wearing her silk pyjamas as she crossed her legs and waited for the foil packets to be opened by Troy.

"I may have snuck a little room-service in," she admitted with a mischievous smile.

"Oh, now the truth outs," Troy grinned at her, handing her a plastic fork and a plate that he'd thoughtfully bought from the store by the Chinese shop.

"Thank you," she offered. "Looks great…"

"So do you," Troy said before he put a forkful of rice in his mouth, smiling around it as she tilted her head and pursed her lips at him.

"Don't start that," she chided gently.

"Just saying…" he added with a boyish grin.

She smiled back, enjoying her food for a moment before she broached the subject that brought them here tonight; at this late hour unplanned.

"So…Jared took it badly about Cal?" She checked, using her takeaway as a go-to spot to stare at when she felt like it was too much to look into Troy's eyes.

Troy darted his eyes up; catching Gabi's avoidance of his gaze. He knew then that this was hard for her, too.

"It just questions everything he thought he knew about his dad," Troy ventured in summary.

Gabi nodded. "I didn't really plan on telling him," she shared. "He just couldn't understand why one casino debt ended twenty years of marriage…I had to tell him the truth…"

Troy nodded. "It's just a shock for him. He'll be okay once he's got his head around it."

"He's got you which helps," she commended.

Troy smirked with a lift of his brows. "I hope so…"

"It helps me…" she shared softly. "Having you here always makes me feel better."

He gave her a lop-sided smile. "That's the idea…"

Gabi sucked her lower lip. "How did you feel when he told you?"

Troy finished his food and put the empty trays to one side; clearing the bed somewhat.

"I don't know…conflicted, I guess. I was angry that he'd hurt you like that but I had to comfort my friend…I wondered how you were…if it still affected you…" He added as he aired his broken thoughts.

Gabi smiled and shifted, aiming for a place between his thighs where he leaned against the headboard. She sat with her back to his chest; wrapped quickly into his arms where he kissed her temple then relaxed back and grasped her forearms with his gentle hands.

"I guess it is a big part of how I feel…it's like when he called me worthless, the thought he'd found other women just twists the knife in deeper, you know? It really did make me feel worthless." She sighed.

"You're not," he assured again, linking their fingers. "He was a fool to let you go…"

She smiled depreciatively. "I think I felt used no matter what else he'd done," she added.

"I know how it feels…to be cheated on," he added to clarify.

She twisted, but couldn't get around to see his face. "You do?" She asked softly, not happy at this, but glad he might relate to her.

"Yeah…it happened to me twice." He shared. "It kinda destroys your confidence."

"You got yours back," she bolstered.

"I did," he smiled. Because of her.

"And I'm finally getting mine back…"

Troy squeezed her. "You're doing great."

"Troy?"

"Hm…"

"I'm sorry you were cheated on," she offered then.

He let a smile ghost his lips. He was full and relaxed and getting sleepy.

"Well, it led me to this," he considered. "I'd go through it all again if it meant being with you."

She curled around to hug him around the shoulders. "I never thought of it that way…"

He wrapped her close, then shifted down as they became tired enough to sleep.

"Cal really wasn't a nice guy, huh?" Troy mused as he bound Gabi protectively into his arms.

"No," she rubbed her cheek into his chest.

"I'm sorry, too…" he murmured. "That you had so much to deal with."

"I love you, Troy," she whispered before she fell unconscious.

"I love you, too."

/

"Can we call room service?" Troy husked, binding his arms around Gabi tighter as they woke; Gabi stirring in his arms.

She smiled and snuggled into his embrace as they spooned. "Hell, yes," she agreed easily and Troy chuckled.

"I should check on Jared," he mused, reaching behind him for his phone to text his friend.

"I'll talk to him today," Gabi offered, feeling responsible.

"You're not supposed to know he's upset," Troy reminded her.

"Still, I knew it didn't sit well with him when I told him," she excused.

"What time are you driving back?" He wondered.

"After dinner," she shared. "I can spend the day with you and Jared that way."

"As much as I relish the idea of spending the day with you, I think Jared needs you more right now," Troy suggested.

Gabi nodded. "I know. I'll call him and arrange lunch."

Troy's phone beeped, signaling his reply from Jared. He picked it up to read it out.

"He says…hey man, wondered where you'd got to, should have known…I'm fine, don't rush back…"

"Tell him to be ready for lunch at 1, just me and him," Gabi asked.

"Okay…" Troy typed in the message and relaxed back with his arms around Gabi.

"Can I see you after lunch?" She asked then.

He kissed her hair. "You can."

She smiled at his expression. "Thank you."

"I might get my essay written while you're at lunch," he mused.

"Well, just tell me if you need to cancel," she assured.

"No way," he tightened his hold.

"I should really think about getting up," she considered.

"There, you've thought about it," he teased. "Now relax."

She did as he said, snoozing with him as the morning wore on. Soon enough, it was midday- and they hadn't even ordered their planned breakfast in the end, in favour of sleeping.

"Oh darn," she rose, quickening toward the shower where Troy watched from the bed with an amused smiled.

"You have ages," he assured. "Jared won't mind if you're a bit late, anyway…"

"But we didn't have time for us!" She called from the bathroom; through cleaning her teeth by the strangled sound of her words.

"You mean making out?" He asked, bemused.

She poked her head out of the bathroom.

"I have to shower now."

"Okay," Troy shrugged and star fished on the bed.

When she finally came out of the bathroom, she was wrapped in towels and he watched her select her outfit for the day.

"How's this?" She held up a pale green maxi skirt.

"Beautiful," he commented.

"And this…" she spoke to herself as she pulled out a white embroidered top to match.

"I like that," he encouraged.

She twisted to smile over her shoulder. "You can take it off later," she promised.

Troy groaned and put an arm over his eyes.

"Okay, I'm getting dressed," she buzzed to the bathroom and he quickly shot his head up, noting she hadn't picked up any underwear.

"Gabi…" He called, puzzled.

"Yes?" She called back.

"Don't you need underwear?" He asked.

Gabi breezed back through and slipped on some flip flops.

"Nope," she answered lightly.

Troy shot up on the bed.

"Put your shoes on, we have to go," she told him.

"You're not wearing any underwear?" He repeated, almost forlornly.

She smirked. "That should keep you away from other girls."

"I-" He frowned, opened his mouth, closed it, then gave up thinking of words.

"Troy, come on," she hurried.

"Huh?" He looked up. "Oh right…"

He rolled off the bed and put his shoes on.

"Let's go see how my son is," she took his hand and led him out.

/

"I'm going to the library…" Jared swept into the shared dorm room to inform Troy of his intentions as he came back from his lunch with Gabi.

"Right…okay…" Troy agreed absently.

Gabi followed him into the room and leaned on the doorway.

"See you later, mom," Jared kissed her cheek.

"I'll call you," she affirmed, smiling softly at the sight of Troy disheveled at his desk- clearly having fingered his hair several times already. He stood and ran his hand through his hair again as she watched.

"Uh…do you want to go out?" He checked, disorientated for a moment as he accustomed himself to having company again.

"You need to finish your essay," she guessed with a smile.

He pressed his lips together. That was true. He'd hoped they wouldn't have much work this weekend, but sometimes things just didn't work out that way.

"Yeah…" He admitted softly.

She gave him a feline smile as she came inside the room fully and locked the door behind her.

"Break-time?" She offered silkily.

Troy met her gaze and she felt the shot of heat stripe through her from his intense gaze alone. He had her with one look. She hated it and loved it at the same time.

He licked his lips before he spoke. "A break is conducive…" He allowed.

"Good," she agreed, then stripped her top clean off, throwing it onto his desk lamp haphazardly.

"Damn," he murmured, watching with his mouth agape as she shimmied her skirt down, revealing every rich curve to him in all her glorious nakedness. His body reacted quickly and strongly to her strip- he felt his manhood harden instantly.

Gabi walked toward him in a seductive catwalk; claiming his chest with her hands as she met him across the room.

Her bright eyes flicked to his. "Are you going to be dressed for long?"

Troy let a dirty grin cover his face as he responded to her game.

"No I am not." He assured

/

"Well that was…" Troy cupped his hand and rubbed it up and down her arm as she snuggled into his body.

"Fantastic?" She offered gently.

"And then some," he mused, kissing her hair. "God knows why Cal couldn't see how amazing you are."

"Because it was never like that with him," she assured. "You make it special."

"Special is one word," he pursed his lips in an almost boasting manner; something in his masculinity just had to crow about that love-making they'd just shared. They had damn near wiped out the entire University campus with their passion.

"We should get dressed, Jared could be back at any time…" She worried.

Troy curled her closer. "Not yet. Let me have you a little longer."

She smiled softly at his sweet request, leaning up to kiss his jaw.

"Do you 'want' me again before I go?" She enquired.

Troy smirked. "Actually, I'm happy to just lay here with you. What about you?"

"I'm happy," she assured, cuddling him.

"You know, just because I'm your toy boy doesn't mean we always have to have sex," he commented as they relaxed together.

"I know," she agreed lightly. "I do enjoy it, though." She added mischievously.

He chuckled at her words.

"We don't go out enough. I want to the whole world to know I'm with you," he shared, thinking about their last remaining hours.

"We can have dinner before I head out?" She offered.

He nodded. "I want to come and see you too, before summer."

"You're welcome to come any weekend," she assured.

"Gabi?" He cleared his throat, looking down as she looked up.

"Yes?"

She felt her heart beat heavily in her chest at what he was going to ask her. She hoped not something like to wear his ring or be his girlfriend, they'd kind of agreed on that already and yes, jewellery was always nice, but she liked being ring-less, she liked having the freedom to choose who to be with.

"Will you come to my Uni summer ball with me?" He wondered, pursing his lips with that vulnerable look she'd fallen in love with the first time they met.

She licked her lips, hiding their curve. "I'd love to."

He blinked, smiling bemusedly. "Really? You're saying yes?"

She giggled. "Yes, I'm saying yes!"

He grinned and wrapped his arms around her, then rolled them on the bed until he was atop her, smiling down into her face.

"I thought you might say no," he admitted, kissing her mouth for a long, tender moment.

Gabi splayed her fingers on his jaw, looking into his twinkly blue eyes.

"I'm tired of denying I love you Troy Bolton," she murmured with a happy smile that reached her eyes.

He nuzzled her nose and kissed her mouth again.

"And I am completely in love with you so…"

She smirked. "Watch out Uni students. The cougar is on the loose…"

"Hey," he pinned her to the bed, claimingly. "Who said anything about you being set free?"

"All those guys, so little time…" She teased with a twinkled grin of her own.

"I think I need to remind you why you're with me in the first place," his smile grew.

"I think you do," she countered, arching into his hard body as he rubbed her with it, temptingly. "Although I'm certain I remember…"

"Then consider this my way of showing you how much I love you," he altered sweetly, kissing her again before he placed his lips lower; down her neck and chest.

Gabi grasped his hair as he suckled her peak into his mouth and brought the same sweet, pleasurable sensations she was accustomed to flooding across her body. She knew how much he loved her, she never doubted it. Not now, not ever. And it was a strange feeling- not one she was used to. Having spent twenty years doubting Cal, she'd been gifted this beautiful man who worshipped her and held her so very sacred in his heart.

She sometimes wondered what she'd done to deserve it, and even wondered if Cal was her payment for this rich feeling she enjoyed now. All she knew as they joined again was that she wanted this love to last for twenty years and beyond. She wanted it to last until she died. She wanted to grow old with him; have many memories and best of all; have many moments like this one; just making love, just them.

When he took her into his arms and kissed her forehead tenderly, she knew she would get it. And what a lucky lady she was.

10