Disclaimer: Unfortunately, no, High School Musical still isn't mine. Apparently Santa didn't read my Christmas List very well this year.
Ever since she was little, Gabriella liked to People Watch, as she called it. Especially in airports where there was always so many people busily running around, that there was always someone she could watch.
There was just something incredibly interesting about watching people interacting with others. Not in a creepy, stalker-ish kind of way of course, but in the way that it gave her something to concentrate on whilst she was killing time. And when you were six years old, and had to sit still for hours, so you wouldn't get lost in the busy airport, there wasn't all that much you could do, so she started to People Watch.
She'd sit there watching all the people around her talking; she could never actually hear what they were saying, but she liked to make up her own stories for them. She'd watch their expressions on their face, and the way they moved their body, and put them together to make up a story for the unsuspecting bystanders.
So sitting alone in the airport, that's exactly what Gabriella found herself doing. People Watching.
Like for instance, at that very moment, there was a tall man dressed in a suit, with a briefcase in one hand and a small travel bag in the other, looking down right exhausted. But he instantly perked up and beamed as a young girl, about six, ran towards him, excitement clearly evident on her face. She watched as the man stumbled backwards as the young girl leapt into his arms, and he struggled to hold up the child with both his hands full.
Gabriella concluded that he was a business man who had taken a business trip away for a few days, and that his daughter had missed him. And judging by the eager look on the little girl's face, Gabriella guessed that she was hoping that her father had brought her back a gift. The man laughed, said something to the young girl that caused her to pout, then walked towards a nearby woman, kissed her on the lips softly, then leant down to kiss her stomach. Gabriella couldn't help but smile in awe.
That was another thing Gabriella liked about People Watching; finding out that the person you were watching had a happy story. It always made her that little bit happier.
Moving from city to city with her mom, Gabriella had been in more than her fair share of airports, and she had long ago developed a theory about airports.
In airports, people always had either happy or sad stories.
People were either happy that someone was in town to visit them, or they were sad that they were leaving. People were happy to be going on vacation, or sad they had to return to work. They were happy about getting a little paid vacation away from the office, or they were sad, and maybe a little grumpy that their flight was at some ungodly hour.
See, either happy or sad. Over the years she began to notice not everyone was either happy or sad, but overall they were in one broad classification of one or the other. So knowing that someone always had a happy story always made her smile a bit more.
She smiled once more at the happy family, who were laughing together as they walked towards the exit of the airport before glancing down at her watch. Still over an hour 'til her flight. She looked around the room once again, trying to find someone else that might have a moderately interesting story to be told, but all she saw were business men with their heads down reading the daily paper. Not exactly interesting by her standards.
She let out a sigh, well there went her entertainment. Suddenly she wished that she had picked a busier section of the airport, instead of retreating to a quiet section to read the book she had abandoned long ago. She thought about picking up her bags and moving to another section, but it had taken her quite a bit of effort to juggle all her bags to where she was now, and the thought of all the embarrassment of having to pick up all her bags, wander all over the airport to find a seat in a busier section, then only to come back to where she started, was a little too much for her. Even if the men around her did look like they were too engrossed in the paper to notice.
Reaching for her book she tried to get back into it before her thoughts overtook her. There she was twenty-five years old; sitting alone in an airport, book in her hand, surrounded by of couple of her carry-on bags, and a dozen or so men reading the paper. She sighed once again. Well there was a depressing picture.
At twenty-five she'd always imagined herself to be in a great relationship with an amazing guy, surrounded by a group of friends that she'd go out with every weekend to unwind, and in this busy, yet rewarding job that she could say she really deserved.
Instead she was single, only had a few really good friends that she genuinely wanted to go out with, and worked as a medicinal researcher, which meant she spent far too many hours in the labs trying to analyze every little detail, and not enough hours relaxing.
This collectively was exactly what brought her to the airport, at 11am on a Monday morning waiting for a flight to Albuquerque. Her last boyfriend had dumped her a few months ago claiming that she spent far too many hours cooped up at work to bother spending any time with him, like she used to, and when they did spend time together, they always did the same old things. And he was bored of it. She denied any truth in it at the time, deciding that a guy who thought she was boring wasn't worth her time. But now, months later, she had finally realized that he had been spot on. Her life had become routine, she'd do all the same things, and see all the same people, and her life was becoming equivalent to that of a fifty year old retired woman who didn't have anymore excitement in her life other than her daily soaps.
And that realization scared the crap of out Gabriella. So first thing that morning she rang her boss, and told him that she was going on a vacation for a few weeks. He had complained that Gabriella was leaving them at such a crucial time in their research, to which Gabriella calmly responded with something along the lines of every moment of research being crucial, but her turning into a fifty year old woman who had nothing but her daily soaps was slightly more important than figuring out if an extra 0.125 ounces made a significant impact. Her boss said something about her job possibly being gone when she came back, but Gabriella was too freaked at the thought of soaps becoming her life to care.
She needed a change; she needed something new and exciting. She needed to find out why in the world she was wasting her life stuck in some lab with no windows. She needed to get out, to get away from everything she had gotten so used to, and to think. So she decided to go back to Albuquerque, the last place she remembered that she truly loved, and where she was really herself.
She groaned to herself, thinking was a bad idea. Thinking about her current circumstances just made her depressed. Taking the last sip of her now cold coffee, she cringed, shook her head and went back to her book. Only, that made it worse. The book was about a woman who after finding herself in a rut, suddenly packed her bags and went on a trip. Upon some great stroke of luck an amazing guy offered her coffee at the airport, and they hit it off, things only got better when they realized they were both heading to the same place and they ended up doing the dirty in the airplane bathroom. So together they went off, exploring whatever city it was they were visiting, until the woman found out the guy was married; and cue the drama.
Gabriella had yet to read the end of the book, but she was hoping the woman had a happy ending. After all, the woman was having a horrible life before the man came along; it was only fair that she got a happy ending, right? And, maybe Gabriella also hoped that if that woman got a happy ending, then she could too. One could only hope, anyway.
A little part of Gabriella hoped that something exciting like what had happened to the woman in the book would happen to her too. Their stories weren't all that different… so maybe with a little luck a guy would see her and offer her coffee too. But hopefully a guy that wasn't married and wasn't looking for a quickie in the cramped bathroom on the airplane. She wasn't exactly the type for quickies in public places, and especially not ones with people she just met. But she did need excitement… so maybe…
"Excuse me, I don't usually do this… but would you by any chance be interested in a coffee? I noticed yours was empty," a charming voice said bringing her back into reality.
She froze. Did he just say what she thought he said? There was no fucking way.
Looking up from her book she was even more stunned by who was standing over her.
"Troy?"
-----
The pair sat quietly in the busy airport watching as so many other families bid farewell their kids as they too let for college. All over the place mothers were tearfully hugging their child saying over and over again that they had grown up far too quickly; fathers trying to get their wives to let the child go so they could breathe, and younger siblings celebrating the fact that they now had more power over the remote, whilst desperately trying to hide that they cared their older brother or sister was leaving.
"Hey, cheer up okay. At least ours isn't a sad one too, right?" Troy attempted.
"So many sad airport stories today," Gabriella mumbled quietly.
Gabriella bit her lip and tried to stop the tears that had begun to form from falling. Troy saying that only made it harder. "Troy…" she began.
He turned to her. "Hey… what's with the tears? We're going to be okay. Happy airport story for us," he said comfortingly as he wiped away one of the tears that had fallen away with the hand that wasn't holding onto hers. "… No, it's not," she choked out quietly. "What do you mean no?" he questioned, confusion etched on his face, and then it dawned on him. "You're doing it, aren't you?" he needlessly questioned. "I'm sorry Troy, God, I'm so sorry, but I really think this is for the best. I'm going away to Stanford, and you're staying here… Long distance relationships hardly ever work," she managed to speak out weakly. He held onto her hand tighter, thinking that maybe if he held onto her tighter that she wouldn't end it. "So this is it then. Do you really have that little faith in us working? That little faith in me?" She cringed and a few more tears fell down her cheeks. "You know that's not it, Troy." He sighed. "Really, Gabi? Because it feels a little like it is. I want us to work, and I know we could if you let us. Hell, it's the reason why I don't want you giving up on Stanford and going to U of A." "Troy," she pleaded tearfully. "You don't know what it's like moving around so much, you don't know what it feels like when someone promises that they'll keep in touch only to find out they don't. It hurts Troy." "That's what this is about? Me not keeping in touch? Gabriella, I
"And when you can't spend time with your friends because you're visiting me, you won't hate me then? Troy, I'm sorry, I really am, but I can't do that to you."
"Are you sure I can't change your mind?" he asked desperately. She wiped away her tears, leaned up towards his face and kissed him one last time, trying to convey all the hurt she felt for doing this, and how sorry she was, and how much she really loved him. When she pulled back from the kiss she whispered a soft, "I love you," into his ear softly, then ran back towards her mom before she ran back to Troy and took it all back. ------
Gabriella was shocked to say the least.
Troy Bolton grinned down at her, looking as amazing as she remembered. Older, definitely, a little rougher around the edges, but still as hot as he was when they were eighteen. "Hey Gabriella, long time no see," he said as he helped her up, and opened his arms to her for a hug.
She hesitated for a moment, wondering if perhaps he was still bitter about the breakup, but with the smile he had on his face, she couldn't help but smile and hugged him back.
They pulled away from the hug and Troy laughed. "Wow, get a look at you. The amazing Gabriella Montez. Do a little twirl for me, will you?" She laughed lightly, but complied anyway.
She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. "Before you ask, yes I knew it was you before I asked you for coffee, and I still want that coffee… so what do you say?" he asked with that same charming smile she remembered.
"Yeah, sure, I'd like that," she responded, suddenly feeling a lot more upbeat and happier than she had just moments ago. "But only if you help me with my bags," she said cheekily, as se smiled innocently.
He laughed, "You always did have a way of getting me to do things I didn't want to do."
They moved over to a nearby coffee where Troy put down all her bags then insisted on buying her coffee, and was already off to the counter before she could even tell him what she wanted. But when he came back she was definitely pleased that he still knew exactly how she took her coffee.
Troy took a sip before he began and grinned back at her once again. "It's great to see you, Gabi, it really is," he said softly, touching her hand across the table lightly.
She smiled at his touch, but couldn't help but ask. "Is it really? Or is that something you feel like you have to say."
He laughed. "You always did get to the point," he said smiling genuinely. "No, it really is great to see you."
"So the…" she drifted off.
"The sad airport story?" he filled in.
She cringed slightly. She had hoped that he wouldn't remember their breakup in as much detail, but apparently that wasn't the case. "Yeah, the sad airport story."
"I'm okay with it. You had a point; I just didn't want to see it back then. So no hard feelings," he said smiling.
She let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god."
"Jeez Gabi, what do you take me for? Did you really think I'd still be bitter about that?" he teased her good naturedly, a slow grin now forming on his face.
She grinned back, she'd forgotten over the years how easily it was to talk to Troy. "Well I'd hoped," she said going along with it. "You know, every girl hopes their first love never gets over her."
"Well you were one of a kind," he grinned back, winking at her playfully, which only made her laugh. "So in all seriousness, how are you?"
Taking a sip of her coffee, she thought for a moment. "Do you want the fake, quick answer, or the real one?"
He put down his coffee and raised his eyebrow. "You were considering on tell me the fake version? I'm offended Gabi, I really am."
"Well… I'm single, and I'm beginning to realize that my job is ruining my life. So to avoid turning into a fifty year old woman who has nothing but her television as her only companion, overnight, I'm flying back home to 'find myself," she said all in one breath, and with a straight face. "How about you?"
Troy sat still for a moment before bursting out into laughter. "Whoa, you really don't sugarcoat it do you Montez?" She simply gave him a look in return. "Really Montez, I hardly think it's that bad. I mean, I don't think I know any fifty year olds that look as hot as you."
She blushed slightly, and tried unsuccessfully to hide it by looking down at her coffee. "Well… maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but you know what I mean! My life has become so boring and routine, so I'm trying to switch it up a little."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense."
"But enough about my depressing tale, how are you?"
"I'm a sports journalist now actually," he smiled proudly. "I'm actually just coming home from an interview I did. My friend's running late on picking me up, so I was wondering around when I came across you."
"That's great Troy! I'm really happy for you," she smiled back honestly.
"Thanks. It's not exactly playing for the NBA like I always wanted, but it wasn't always a guaranteed thing that I'd get in, and writing about all the big leagues isn't so bad. I get flown out to see them play all the time for free, and ask them questions on something I love. So it does me just great."
She smiled at him happily, happy that he was happy, and took another sip of her coffee.
"So where did you say you were flying off to?"
"Home. Albuquerque."
Troy perked up a little. "So you know what you could do whilst you were in town, if you haven't got anything else planned, of course."
"Nope, nothing planned," she said simply.
"You could visit Chad and Taylor."
Gabriella smiled widely at the memory of two of her closest friends. "Wow, they're still together?!"
Troy laughed lightly, "Not exactly what you expected huh?" She shook her head in pleasant disbelief. "Yep, still together. They're mostly on and off, but I still think Taylor is waiting for Chad to finally pop the big question. Sooner or later she'll get bored of waiting and just ask him herself."
"Wow. I still can't believe they're together! What about the others?"
"Well Sharpay still lives there. She went off to try Broadway for a while but then came back after a few months claiming that Broadway wasn't ready for her talents. Jason, Kelsi and Ryan all live and work together in New York somewhere. And Zeke, last I heard he was off in France cooking in one of the big league restaurants there."
He stopped and took a sip of his coffee. "I bet Chad and Taylor would really love it if you visited them. Sharpay too, maybe. It would give you something to do down there. Help you 'find yourself' or whatever."
"Yeah, I might. It's not like I've really thought what I was going to do down there anyway," she said as she absent mindedly twirled around her near empty coffee cup.
"So your little trip is a spontaneous one, then?"
"Yep. I got up this morning, told my boss that I was taking a trip for a few weeks, and now I'm here," she gestured around her. "I just needed to do something different… get away from it all. Maybe when I get back I'll have this new outlook on life and will want to 'reinvent' myself or something. I might need to actually… I don't think my call to my boss left him all that happy."
Troy let out a little laugh, but took her hand and held it comfortingly. "It can't have been that bad. Plus, he'd be a fool to let Gabriella Montez walk away," he smiled at her, and she couldn't help but blush. There was always something about Troy that made her feel all warm and tingly inside, and she was quite pleased that that hadn't gone away over the years. She didn't know if it was just her current state of mind that was making her think that Troy was flirting with her, or not. But either way, she wasn't really complaining.
He was about to open his mouth again when Gabriella interrupted. "Crap, I totally forgot. My flight takes off in fifteen minutes. It was really great catching up with you Troy, and thanks for the coffee," she said, making a move to stand up and get her bags.
"Here, let me help you with that."
He walked her over to her gate before he stopped. "Hey Gabi, I was thinking. I have this idea to give your life a little excitement when you get back."
"Oh yeah? What?" she questioned, a little distracted, as she tried to find her boarding pass.
"Dinner. With me."
She stopped moving. Well that certainly confirmed her thoughts that she wasn't imagining the flirting. "What?"
"Do you want to go out to dinner with me when you get back? A date, just to clarify. Not a 'friends' dinner. A date."
Gabriella wanted to laugh at the irony of her situation. There she was, reading a book about a woman in a rut, who, sick of her life goes to the airport and is ready to jet off into the unknown, when she meets a man and he asks her for coffee. Now, here is she, she's in a rut, and decides to take a vacation back home, and she wishes, like the woman in the book that something exciting will happen to her. Then what do you know, lo and behold, out comes Troy asking her for coffee.
Gabriella felt the need to laugh, only, if she laughed, she was almost certain Troy would take that as a no. "You're not married, and looking for a bit of payback on the High School Sweetheart that dumped you all those years ago, are you?" she questioned with a straight face.
"What? No!" Troy replied, suddenly very confused. "I know I haven't seen you in years Gabi, but that's… a really strange question."
She laughed, and held up her book. "It happened in the book, and the main character in the book is in the same situation as me, so I figured I'd ask just in case."
He simply nodded, still a little skeptical. "So… is that as yes? Come on Gabi, I'm single, you're single. You need a little excitement in your life, and well, I'm extremely exciting," he said in mock arrogance, watching her think. "Plus, I think you owe me for the last time we saw each other. My ego was severely bruised by you dumping me, I don't think I quite got over it," he teased.
"Ouch Bolton, going for the pity date are we? Low blow," she teased back.
"Well, like I said, anyone would be a fool to let Gabriella Montez walk away. And I never liked the idea of being a fool," he winked.
She laughed. "Yeah, okay that's a yes. But only if you do promise that'll be exciting, if not I can't guarantee a second date," she responded, her eyes twinkling happily.
"Oh don't you worry about that Montez, you'll be begging me for a second date."
Offering her his phone she typed in her number. "So do you think I'd look too desperate if I called you once you got into Albuquerque?"
"I think I'd be offended if you didn't," she winked then leant forward to kiss him on the cheek.
She had walked a few meters towards her gate when he called out to her. "Gabi! An hour ago you were sitting alone, depressing yourself, and now you're jetting off back to Albuquerque to see friends you haven't seen in years, and you have a date with one of the best, and most exciting guys you've ever known. I'd say that makes your sad airport story, a happy one right?"
She laughed. "Yeah, Troy, definitely a happy airport story."
Author's Note: So… I have a little thing for airports. And I also like to people watch. And in my experience, you can't not people watch in airports, you just can't.
I'm not entirely happy with this one… but I don't hate it either. It's definitely not one of my best, but it was one of those ideas that suddenly struck me the other day, and if I have an idea and don't get it down soon, the whole idea would have started to plague my every thought.
So do me a favor and hit that little purple button, and review, please!