So, I thought I'd give the new story a try. Welcome back to another High School Musical story by yours truly! I've mentioned the summary of the story in my last Troyella story 'One step at a time' (or also known as OSAAT by some people LOL nice job guys), and a lot of people expressed some enthusiasm in it, so I'm going to give it a shot. I'm going to leave my usual HSM updates until the next chapter, don't want to take up too many pages for the first chapter. Anyway, hope you like it!
Story: A Pinkie Promise
Author: hugsxkisses
Summary: 'Let's promise each other if we don't get married when we're 25, we'll marry each other' she said. He smiled, and linked his pinkie with hers. 'Deal' 14 years later, 24 years old Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are single… and looking for love.
Pairings: Troy/Gabriella Chad/ Taylor Zeke/Sharpay currently undecided on Kelsi, Ryan and Jason
Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical 1 or 2
Chapter 1: That's how we met
The mid July sun hit the state of New Mexico, the many cities and towns in the state starting to heat up under the threatening glare of the sun, like Albuquerque for instance. While the sun wasn't scorching hot, and it was cool enough for young children-or teenagers-whining at their parents for the useless need of sun protection and caps, it was a relatively warm day, a perfect day for families to hit the lush green grass and set up a little family picnic. Of course that would be what Jack Bolton would love to be doing.
But that wasn't what he was doing at the moment.
At that moment, Jack was in the hospital. Now that would be a regular occurrence to him, considering his wife worked in the hospital, and he would regularly drop by to pick her up for lunch or after work. But he wouldn't normally go to the hospital at 2 in the morning. The husband of Diane Bolton was currently in the maternity ward with his pained wife lying on the bed beside him and her hands around his in a death lock… and Jack winced.
"Diane, sweetheart, you'll be fine… can you-can you not squeeze my hand so hard," Jack winched as her nails dug into his skin. Jack soon learned that was not a smart thing to say as Diane threw him one of her deadliest looks,
"Don't you dare complain while this is your entire fault!" she hissed as a thin layer of swear appeared on her forehead, matting her dark brown hair.
"Alright Diane, you've helped other people do it, now let's do it yourself," said the woman at the end of the bed. Jack recognized the brunette to be one of Diane's colleagues in the hospital. She worked along his wife in the maternity ward, her name was-Jack quickly stole a glance at her name tag-Rachel, yes that was it, Rachel. Diane didn't reply to her friend's attempt of soothing her, but squeezed Jack's hand again making him wince. Rachel let a quick amused smile flash past her face
"It'll be over before you know it," the doctor said. Jack wasn't sure if she said it to assure him or his wife.
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A couple of hours, cramped hands, bruised wrists, pained cries, stopped circulations in a certain male's hand and a cry of a new born later-plus water works-Jack Bolton was proudly holding a small bundle of blue in his arms, his smile was so big it threatened to fall off his face, and his muscles ached from having to hold it on his face for that long. Diane had been wheeled off to get cleaned up, and Jack had released her hand after giving her a loving kiss and brushing her hair aside.
A few minutes later, Rachel gave him permission to enter the private room with added congratulations for the newest male member of the Bolton family and Jack beamed in reply. Jack quietly slipped into the dimly lit room, and smiled when he saw the faint outline of his wife's body. Holding the bundle in his arms a bit tighter, he sat on a plastic chair next to the bed, and drew his wife out from her sleep,
"How is he?" Diane asked in a tired voice, her eyes opened and her hand raised and gently brushed the blue fabric.
"He's doing great, he's sleeping," Jack grinned, Diane gingerly sat up and held her hands out,
"Let me hold him," Jack passed his newborn son into her arms, and Diane felt tears prickle down her eyes as she stared down at her little bundle of miracles.
"Jack, what are we going to name him?" Diane asked softly, brushing her finger past his delicate forehead, and she had to smile when the baby made a little twitch at the touch.
"I thought we agreed on Jonathan," Jack said and Diane looked up at him,
"I am not naming our son after a comic book character, what's wrong with Troy?"
"So I can't name him after a comic book character, but you can name him after some ancient roman city?"
"At least Troy is a real place, Jonathan's a made up super hero," Diane retorted, she added a glare that clearly said you weren't the one who just endured hours of labour pain, and… well how was Jack supposed to have a come back for that?
"Fine," he grumbled but added, "But his middle name's going to be Jonathan!" Diane could only smile and shake her head as her husband's sudden burst of childish behaviour and looked back lovingly at her son. She brushed her lips against her forehead and pulled back smiling. Troy Jonathan Bolton gave a tiny yawn.
December
Snow blanketed most of Albuquerque and many could see the sun trying to force its way out from behind stormy grey clouds and warm the lands so that the white covers would melt and display the dazzling green and reds again. Inside the hospital, a dark skin toned woman laid on the bed as labour pain shot through her body.
"Alright, we're almost there," Diane Bolton smiled glancing up at the woman. Isabella Montez-at least that's what the name was on the bulletin board-tried to give the doctor a smile, but it, came out as a wince as another contraction soared through her body. "Alright Ms Montez, give me a big push now,"
Diane loved doing her job. It was the world's most satisfying feeling when a new life came into the world, and nothing could match the glow of new parents. Now would be a great time to say that she did not regret her 7 years of gruelling studying to become a doctor. "We see her head Ms Montez!"
The nurses around her worked with fluid motion to keep the new mother comfortable. Diane was familiar with patient confidentiality, and did not bat an eyelash or make any questions when the mother came in-not with her husband-but with her brother. Diane did steal a look down at the application and saw a tiny checkmark in the 'widowed' box. All her thoughts were kicked out of her head when a burst of a baby's cry erupted in the room and her professional mind took over.
"Scissors and blankets!"
A few seconds of flurried actions later, Diane had the new born baby girl wrapped in a fuzzy pink blanket-washed and cleaned. As the nurses cleaned the surrounding areas and the mother, Diane carefully carried the fragile bundle in her arms-feeling a familiar sense of motherhood and remembering when she had carried her own new born not so long ago.
"Ms Montez, congratulation it's a beautiful girl," Diane beamed. Isabella Montez flashed a tired smile as she took her daughter in her arms,
"Hermoso…" Isabella sighed in Spanish. Isabella allowed Diane to take the baby from her as she was wheeled out to meet her brother and to receive a hospital room for her recovery.
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Jack was wandering around the hospital with a nearly 5 months old Troy in his arms. Toothless and head filled with dark brown fuzzes and clad in a pair of tiny blue jeans, red flashing sneakers and a white t-shirt that said 'love my dad', Troy made delighted squeals as his dad took him on an unofficial tour of his mom's workplace. Jack and Troy stood in front of the mirror that separated the outsiders from the new born babies kept in incubators and little beds. Jack smiled, he could remember like it was yesterday when Troy was in one of those little boxes. Jack smiled and Troy squealed when Diane appeared inside the room and placing a newly made life in one of the boxes lined with pink pillows and comforters-basically meaning it was a girl. Diane shot the father and son a satisfied grin as she left to finish up some stuff. A few minutes later, Jack and Troy watched as a nurse slipped a piece of paper into the slot where the baby was and Jack caught a glimpse of her name.
Gabriella Erin Maria Montez
6 years later
"Troy Bolton slow down!"
A 5 year old with shaggy brown hair, bright blue eyes and a blue jersey and matching blue shorts darted across the living room, past the kitchen and towards the front door. Jack and Diane Bolton both showed up a few seconds later, the father holding a Superman backpack, the mother holding a Spiderman lunchbox.
" Troy you can't go to school without your bag!" Diane scolded lightly taking his backpack from her husband and putting the lunch bag in it before zipping it up again.
"Mommy hurry, the bus is gonna be here soon!" Troy whined, jumping up and down while his bright blue eyes scanned the floor for his brand new sneakers, "Mommy where's my shoes?"
" Troy you need to slow down there and breathe buddy," Jack chuckled, he passed his son and quickly mussed up his hair with his hands earning a 'daddy!' from his son before finding a small pair of white Adidas shoes from behind Jack's big ones. "I found your shoes now Troy-Troy stops hopping up and down and get those on."
The energetic five year old managed to calm down enough to slip his little socks clad feet into his shoes before a screech outside the door drew his attention again. He darted to the window and saw the big yellow bus in front of his house,
"It's here!" Troy shouted, he ran to his mom gave her a quick kiss when she bent down to slip his backpack around him and gave his dad-well his dad's leg- a hug before he stood on his toes to open the door, "Bye Mommy, bye daddy, see you after school!" and he was gone, excitedly climbing up the stairs of the yellow bus. Diane sighed,
"How can he be so excited to go to school?" Diane asked, "I didn't even want him to go,"
"He's stubborn, he gets it from your side of the family," Jack smirked.
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4 years old and clad in a pretty little floral dress, Gabriella Montez had her now shoulder length brown curls tied into two delicate pigtails. She had a simple, purple backpack and she wiggled her little feet nervously, her black Mary-Jane shoes scrubbing against the concrete.
"Gabby, calmerse… calm down, you will do fine I know you will," Isabella smiled down at her daughter. Gabriella looked up with her big chocolate eyes,
"I don't know anybody there, what if I don't make friends?" Gabriella asked softly. Isabella smoothed out her hair,
"Nonsense, you will do brilliantly. Just be you Gabby," Isabella said. The mother and daughter looked up when the big yellow bus pulled up in front of them, "Ok, up you go," Isabella said as the door pulled opened and fixed her backpack. Gabriella climbed up the first steps and looked back worriedly, but Isabella gave her an encouraging smile and ushered her up the steps. The bus door squeaked closed and drove off, and Isabella sent a last wave to her daughter.
Inside the long bus, Gabriella clutched onto her bag nervously and walked down the long aisle that seemed never to end. All around her other kids were chatting with their own friends, and Gabriella might've passed by more and more seats and began to doubt she'd be able to find anyone to sit with…until she came up to the second last row. A boy with brown hair was talking excitedly to a boy across from him. The other boy had bushy black hair and was sitting with someone, and had stopped talking when Gabriella came up to them. The bushy haired one immediately leaned back, taking an interest in the boy next to him instead and Gabriella turned uncertainly to the one with shaggy brown hair who sat alone.
"Um…" Gabriella began shyly,
"Do you want to sit?" the boy asked brightly immediately moving his superman backpack off of the window side seat and shifting over to make room for her. Gabriella smiled slightly, and hopped up, her legs swinging only a little bit above the ground. Gabriella snuck a look over at the boy,
"Um I like your backpack," she complimented, the boy beamed,
"My daddy picked it out, my mommy said it mighta been too much but I like it," he beamed, "My names Troy," Gabriella blushed,
"Um Gabby-Gabriella," she stuttered. The two of them sat together silently all the way to school, swinging their legs. They sat together in class too and chatted a bit, and then sat together again on the bus ride back home… talking all the way.
4 years later
Now in grade 5, 10 years old Troy and 9 years old Gabriella was in the same class-along with a Chad Danforth-Gabriella had the weirdest memory of possibly having seen him on her first bus ride.
"-and my dad took me to a basketball game, it was so fun, they were so tall!" Chad continued to give them a play-by-play of the game he had gone to just last weekend. Troy looked like he was listening and Gabriella wasn't listening at all. The brunette was used to it by now, having Troy as her best friend. And had long gotten use to learning to tuning them out until Troy had called her name.
"What did you think about that movie today?" Troy asked stopping Chad in his talking,
"It was so weird! I mean, how can that guy leave but come back and marry that girl again?" Chad shuddered; Troy sent a glare at him,
"I don't know, it was kind of sweet I guess," Gabriella said, "Well it was sweet when he came back. They were friends for a long time weren't they?"
"Only a girl would like a movie like that," Chad shuddered. Before Troy could say anything, someone honked on a car horn and Chad jumped, "That's my mom! Sure you don't need a ride Troy?"
"No, I'll walk with Gabriella,"
"Suit yourself, bye Troy, bye Gabriella!" and Chad's bouncy curls disappeared into the car, leaving Gabriella and Troy to continue their walk home.
"Do you think you can stay for dinner?" Gabriella asked hopefully as they reached her house. Having been friends for the last 3 years, Troy had stayed at Gabriella's house everyday after school until Isabella had decided to call Diane, and arrange that Troy stay at their house and whenever Diane or Jack got off work, they could just come and pick them up. Seeing how happy their son was, the Bolton couple quickly agreed to the arrangement, and offered the same on the weekends if Gabriella wanted to come over.
"Probably, Dad has some meeting and Mom's probably working late," Troy shrugged, "besides, that means Dad won't have to keep making me practice basketball again."
"Maybe he wants you to exercise," Gabriella giggled, "So you won't get fat," Troy gasped,
"Hey that was mean!"
Gabriella's giggled quickly turned into a laugh as she ran the remaining distance left to her house and Troy quickly caught up. Isabella opened the front door in time to see two blurs run into the house and she hid a smile, closing it again,
"Hi Mommy!" one blur up the stairs
"Hi Ms Montez!" another blur up the stairs.
"Be careful you two!" Isabella scolded up the stairs, "Troy will you stay for di-"
"He will Mommy!" "Sure Ms Montez!"
"Will I need to call your mother again Troy?" Isabella chuckled,
"Please Mrs Montez?" Troy's head popped out grinning sheepishly. Isabella only shook her head at the 10 year old as she headed for the phone to dial the number that she seemed to be dialling a lot lately.
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Upstairs after dinner, Troy and Gabriella were both on the floor of Gabriella's room, doing some math while waiting for Troy's parents to pick him up.
"Hey Gabby what's question 5?" he asked innocently, Gabriella glanced up at him,
"You won't learn if I tell you the answers,"
"But if I know the answer I can try and do it and see what I did wrong right?"
"You won't do them once I give you them,"
"How do you know?"
"I know you Troy," Gabriella smiled. Troy only rolled his eyes and slammed his math notebook shut, knowing it was hopeless to try and to it while Gabriella was next to him nearly half way done.
"Hey Gabby," he jumped onto her bed and looked at her cross legged, "You know that movie, about getting married?"
"Uhhmm,"
"Do you think of when you're gonna get married?"
"What?" Gabriella looked up, "I don't know, aren't we kind of young?"
"We're 10, double digits," Troy scoffed, "Well you're nine, but you're turning 10 this December so its close enough."
"Hmm," Gabriella had a thoughtful look, "I dunno, I never asked my mom about that, and… well I dunno I don't think everyone gets married, I mean look at the girl's best friend in the movie. She never got married."
"Yea well it'll make you look kind of stupid if you don't won't it?" Troy said making Gabriella glare at him, "Not that it's wrong or anything, but well everyone's getting married someday."
"Well… will you get married one day?" Gabriella asked. Troy hopped of her bed and joined her on the floor,
"I don't know. Maybe, well… what if no one wants to marry me?" Troy added sadly, and Gabriella tugged on her best friend's hand.
"That won't happen, you're the nicest guy I know," Gabriella smiled making Troy smile too,
"Still…"
"How about we make a promise?" Gabriella suddenly said, sitting up straight and drawing Troy's attention, "Let's promise each other if we don't get married when we're 25, we'll marry each other." She said. Troy looked like she had threatened him with a knife,
"What-we-together?" he stuttered blushing, Gabriella cocked her head to one side,
"We're best friends right?" Gabriella added with an uncertain voice making Troy nod his head vigorously, "Then it should be alright. Besides, it'll probably never happen right?" Troy didn't focus much thought on the last part of her sentence, only hearing the first part and nodded his head. Gabriella beamed and held up her pinkie, this time Troy really scrunched up his nose,
"Pinkie promise? Gabriella aren't we too old for this, we're 10!" Troy whined but Gabriella glared,
"C'mon Troy, please?" she begged him. Troy groaned and held up his hand with his own pinkie out. At least there's no one here to see it except Gabby.
"Fine," Troy sighed, they met eyes and linked their pinkies, "Deal."
To clear things up. Troy and Gabriella were born in the same year, only Troy is 5 months older (his brithday's in July and Gabriella's in December). I never said what movie they watched, I just made it up along the way.
Translations:
Hermoso: Beautiful
Calmerse: calm down