Arranged Marriage

Chapter 15

Epilogue

2 months later

18 year old Gabriella Montez stood in front of the mirror admiring herself. This was it. This was what she dreamed about since she was a little girl. She was finally getting to live it out, but her nerves were getting the best of her.

She stared at herself in the mirror, wearing the long white sleeveless satin dress with a gold bow right under the bust and gold lace lining at the bottom(dress in profile). She was getting married today. To Troy Bolton. There was no turning back now. The room outside was already filled with tons of people, friends and family, all there to see her walk down that aisle and marry the man standing at the altar.

Words couldn't describe the feelings going through her body, the butterflies in her stomach, the thoughts in her head, the nerves running down her spine.

She had to go through with it now because the last thing she would do is leave him standing at the altar by himself with all the people sitting, watching, wondering where she was. As much as she dreamed of this, now that it was a reality, she had to face her fears and get this over with as soon as possible.

A hand suddenly, stroked her head, bringing her back to the event at hand. She looked past herself in the mirror to see her sister staring back at her.

"Thank you," Gabriella said through the mirror.

Isabella smiled back at her. "It's nothing El. This is your day."

She turned taking her hand. "I'm glad you came back."

"I wouldn't ever miss this, by the way, mom and Mrs. Bolton did a great job, and the place looks wonderful. It's completely white."

Gabriella smiled nervously at Isabella. "Wow," she said, picking up the train of her dress and turning to take a seat behind her. "That just makes me more worried about going out there."

Isabella sat down beside the worried soon-to-be bride. "I didn't mean to make you nervous but what could you possibly be worried about?"

"Messing up," she admitted. "What if I trip on my dress, or mess up my vows, or forget to say I do or something?"

"It won't happen," Isabella assured her. "You'll do fine."

"Is it normal to feel this way?" Gabriella asked concerned.

"Well," she started, wrapping her arms around Gabi's shoulders. "I wouldn't know because I've never gotten married, but if I had to take a guess, I'd say yes it's normal."

Hailey's headed popped through the door. "Wedding coordinator says they're reader for the brides maids to head down the aisle, so I can only assume the bride would be next," she informed the sisters.

Isabella smiled. "Thanks Hails."

Gabriella sighed and turned to her sister. "Thanks for the talk and the time, Bella."

Bella nodded. "Don't worry, just get out there and get married."

Gabriella watched her sister head out the room with one of her best friends and she breathed out the breath she was holding. Now she knew this was really it.

--

The bride's maids made their way down the aisle and every head looked expectantly over to the door after each one, anticipating the moment they had all been waiting for.

Troy stood at the altar in a white suit, watching anxiously as the girls made their way up to him. He knew from all the rehearsals that Isabella was the last one before Gabriella and it registered that he was getting closer and closer every second.

He watched Isabella come down the aisle and she shot him a reassuring glance that told him everything was gonna be fine. He smiled back at her gratefully, but he was not gonna believe anything until he saw his bride herself standing at the altar right in front of him.

Before he could think anything else, every working body in the room rose and the wedding march was heard. He watched the ushers open the double doors silently.

In stepped the beauty in a satin white dress. The veil was covering her face but it's not liked Troy cared anyway. She was here, this was it. The flower girl and the ring bearer(a cousin of Gabriella's and Troy's cousin's daughter) were standing behind Gabriella, carrying her train making sure she wouldn't trip down the aisle.

Gabriella moved slowly down the aisle with her dad, as practiced many times but at this moment the slow movements were agony for both Troy and Gabriella.

Troy watched Gabriella carefully, not being able to take his eyes off of her. He smiled and the natural beauty that radiated off of her and she continued to make her way to him.

When Gabriella say the smile Troy was giving her, it calmed her stomach partly to the point where she could breathe normally again.

Only a few more steps, she told herself. A few more and you'll be there and ready to get married.

As they reached the end of the line, Mr. Montez gently moved her arm into Troy's and he gave her a light kiss on the cheek.

She smiled at her father as he went to go sit next to her mother and suddenly to her the room went empty. The only other person there was Troy, standing there holding her hand.

Gabi's POV

As I stood there with Troy it felt as if we were all alone. Troy stared at me and I was pretty certain he wasn't listening to a word the priest was saying.

Every word we were told to say, we repeated to each other but then the butterflies came back to my stomach again when I realized this was when we had to say the things coming straight from our hearts.

"Troy," he asked. "Would you like to say something."

I watched as Troy nodded a squeezed my hand, which he never let go of the whole time.

"Gabi, I've known you for 4 years, half of which you were convinced you hated me, but despite all of that, I still manage to love you. I've loved you since freshman year and though I made a lot of mistakes that led you away, you still take me today. I know I had a pretty funny way of showing my feelings back then but now I'm fighting for you. I'm truly sorry for every way I ever hurt you and I fully plan to make up for that by being the husband you need. I want you. I've always wanted you and I'm pretty certain I always will, which is why I have absolutely no doubts that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

When Troy finished he leaned down and kissed my hand. I knew I had tears spilling down my cheeks and from the way he was staring at me I was sure he wanted to kiss them away but he couldn't lift my veil yet.

"Gabriella, do you have anything?"

I choked back some tears and nodded, playing with Troy's fingers as I started to say what was on my mind.

I kept my head down as I started. "Troy, I …..I didn't actually prepare myself to say anything but…." I took a deep breath. "I kept myself in denial during freshman year. I went for a guy who probably couldn't care less about me and I ignored you. For that I knew I didn't deserve your attention. You…you deserved a girl that felt the same way about you, not me. I had a theory that maybe if..If I had tried and took my chances with you, maybe I wouldn't have messed my life up as much as I did, but then I wouldn't have this," I paused looking at my family momentarily. "I wouldn't have Trevor and as much as I wished I hadn't messed up I did, but that's what makes me today. You took me after I accused you and you accepted the fact that I messed up and you invited in everything that came with me, including my screwed up past or partly screwed up," I said, looking to Trevor who was sitting on my mom's lap. "If you asked me…I would honestly say I don't deserve you…but I'm glad for that fact that I have you. You're everything I could ask for."

I said that last part and I looked up to meet Troy's eyes. He was gazing at me, nodding. I could tell from the way he was looking at me, he understood everything. The fact that he could read me and he understood me, told me he was perfect and truly was everything I could ever wish for.

"At this time, if anyone has any objections, please speak now or forever hold your peace."

I waited silently, still looking at Troy as the priest waited. After a second he nodded. "May I have the rings please."

I turned to get the ring from Bella as Troy did the same with Chad.

I stood awkwardly with the ring for a second before the priest spoke again.

"Ok, Troy repeated after me, 'With this ring I thee wed'."

Troy slipped the ring on my finger and looked me in the eyes. "With this ring I thee wed."

"Gabriella," he said turning to me.

"With this ring I thee wed," I croaked slipping Troy's finger onto his fourth finger.

The priest smiled and turned to Troy again. "Troy Alexander Bolton do you take Gabriella Marie Montez as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer,(forgot the rest lmao), please say 'I do'."

"I do."

"Gabriella Marie Montez, do you take Troy Alexander Bolton to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, please say 'I do'."

I took another and looked up at Troy through my tears. "I do."

"Troy you may now kiss your bride," he said taking a step back as Troy stepped closer to me and lifted the veil.

He smiled at me and I smiled back through my tears. He gently wiped my tears. "I love you Brie."

More tears came. "I love you too," I said and Troy pulled us together and he kissed me passionately.

I could hear cheers coming from behind us and suddenly I smiled into the kiss as Troy's hands found my waist and he dipped me, still kissing.

When he pulled away I giggled and smiled. I had nothing to be nervous about anymore. Even though I still had tears rolling down my face, I was happier than I could ever be.

--

I sat silently at the kitchen table in our apartment 9 months later. I sat thinking about everything I had been through. It was hard because the only thing left to remind me of my past was my son and every time I looked into his face, all I could think were happy thoughts. I couldn't help but wonder how Troy would take the news. We had been married for 9 months and I'd say things were great. Troy had taken in Trevor without a problem just like I hoped he would. We now had our own little family and the shocking thing is Trevor was even calling Troy daddy, which happened about 2 months after we moved in. Not to mention, Trevor's speech had improved alot.

I must have been in deep thought because I didn't hear the apartment door opening and my son running in the kitchen until he stood directly in front of me. "Mommy! Mommy!"

I shook myself out of my thoughts and smiled down at him. "What's up baby?"

"I got to see Auntie Bella and the baby today."

"Really, that's great."

Since Troy and I had gotten married, Isabella introduced her to her boyfriend, which she kept a secret from us for a few months. About 3 months after Troy and I had gotten married, Bella announced that she was pregnant and was currently 6 months pregnant a carrying a healthy baby girl. I was happy for my sister because when I handed Trevor off to her, I felt like I was holding her back from having her own family, but now she was about to have one because she and her boyfriend were planning a wedding after the birth of their baby.

"I'm gonna go watch TV," Trevor said, running into the living room.

"Stop running," I called after him.

Troy came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my torso. "Hello, beautiful."

"Hey," I replied as he kissed my cheek.

I smiled as Troy's hands wandered up under the front of my shirt and he stroked my stomach. I could only imagine him doing that a few months from now.

"Troy."

"Hmm," he said kissing my neck, softly and then moving on to my collarbone.

"I have news for you that might…well will affect both of us," I said nervously.

Troy must have noticed my tone, because he turned around and looked me in the face. "What happened? Are you ok?"

"Well I went to see my doctor today, while you guys were out…" I started, but he cut me off.

"What's wrong. Are you sure you're ok?" Troy said, quickly looking over me to make sure I had no permanent damage to me.

I giggled at his actions. "Troy stop, I'm healthy." He breathed a sigh of relief but I could see the confusion written all over his face. Before he could ask me anything I continued. "And so is our baby," I spoke quietly.

Troy looked at me curiously for a second. "Our baby? What baby?"

"The baby inside me," I said innocently.

Troy raised his eyebrow. "What baby?"

I sighed. "The baby that I'm carrying. My doctor told me the reason for my not feeling good these past couple of days is pregnancy."

Troy stared for a few seconds so I continued. "We're having a baby. I…..oh god I'm so sorry Troy. I understand if you don't want it, I shouldn't have…" I felt the tears trickling down my face instantly.

Seconds later, Troy's arms were wrapped around me, rocking me in his lap. "Shhh," he said in my ear. "Hey, I never said I was mad."

I looked up at his smiling face. "Wait so…you want the baby?"

"Of course I do, Brie. When I said I do to the richer or poorer the sick or well, I mean pregnant or non-pregnant too you know."

I giggled. "You're stupid."

"I love you," Troy said, ignoring my comment. "You and our unborn child."

He rubbed my stomach as I rested my head in the crook of his neck. "I love you too," I whispered as he carried me to the couch and I instantly felt drowsy. He was my rock the only thing I would ever need. The only man I would ever love, besides my son of course. Troy and Trevor and this baby inside me were my only life now and this was a life I could definitely live with. I snuggled closer to Troy as Trevor ran over to sit beside us. Together with my 2 favorite guys, I feel asleep knowing this was only the beginning to my perfect new life.

A/N: thatz it itz over, i hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as i loved writing it unfortunately i wont have access agen till saturday so the sequel cud be up then cud not be u'll have to wait nd see lol good night nd good dreams im out