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A few hours came quickly and soon everyone was gathered together again, this time in a semi-quiet part of the airport to say good-bye to each other. At the last minute, Chris showed up and was now off a little ways saying good-bye to Tessa in his own way, also known as making out. Taylor, Chad, and Chucky had just returned from the gift shop to get a few last minute souvenirs for their families while Sharpay and Ryan left to buy first class upgrades for the trip home for them and maybe the others if there was availability.
"You know, those two, as level headed as they are at times, especially Ryan, they never cease to amaze me sometimes with them and their money," remarked Chucky. "I remember watching Sharpay on the playground in elementary school as an older kid thinking that she was crazy for ordering everyone around like they were her servants but little did I know she was just warming up."
"That, dear brother, is an understatement," joked Chad, laughing with Troy.
Seeing that the guys fell into a discussion about basketball right after, focusing on Troy's future with the Knights, Taylor took the opportunity and walked with her arm linked with Gabriella's a few yards away, making sure no one was around to eavesdrop. "Gabriella, have you given any thought to what I said earlier this morning? About telling Troy about this arrangement?"
Gabriella paused, looking around to make sure no one was within hearing distance, and nodded her head. "I plan to tomorrow. I just don't have any time today with a royal lunch of some sort, the teen center, and then opening night. I know it's his birthday and all so it isn't an ideal time, but I think you're right. It's important to tell him now before he finds out somehow else."
Taylor smiled. "I know you'll do the right thing. I have to admit, you floored me when you told me about this arranged marriage tradition here in Copanvy but if you have any chance of working this out with Troy, even to be fair to both you, you telling him, even on his birthday, is the right thing to do. Actually, I'm not sure if I'm more surprised about this than I was about you being a princess."
"Hey, it's not all sunshine on my side of the fence either, trust me," replied Gabriella, looking over and forcing a smile on her face as her eyes met those clear blue eyes that showed nothing but trust and love. "I just, honestly, I haven't wanted to interrupt what we are developing again and I don't want to lose him Tay."
"Troy loves you and cares for you more than I think you give him credit for Gab. You both will do the right thing, even if you don't truly end up with each other in the end. At least you will know you were always honest with him," encouraged Taylor before their flight was called as being in pre-boarding status in ten minutes. "I guess we better go and Gabriella, don't worry, until you give me the word, no one will hear about this from me, not even Chad or the girls."
Gabriella smiled at her best friend and hugged her tight. "Thanks Taylor, you're the best."
"Well, I try," returned Taylor, hugging Gabriella just as tight.
The two girls joined the others who had regrouped around their carry-on bags, the mood having changed drastically from a fairly fun and light mood to one that was downright depressing. The young women immediately embraced each other, making promises of staying in touch and picking up on their usual calls again while the guys exchanged handshakes and manly hugs with each other. Gabriella, Troy, and Chris then switched groups to say farewell to the others before stepping back to watch as the royal security team escorted their friends through the security line.
Before Chad and Chucky could go through though, Troy jogged over to them as well as he could despite the stiffness settling into his muscles again to give both men a firm hug one last time. "Thank you both for helping me out so much, moving me here and helping me settle in. You two are the brothers I never had, really."
"We'll always be brothers, no matter what," returned Chucky, patting Troy on the back.
"Now just make sure it all wasn't in vain okay? Win Gab's heart all over again," stated Chad.
"You know I will," replied Troy with a smirk. "At least that's the plan."
The two brothers smirked back and nodded their heads before being urged to go through security and join the others patiently waiting on the other side. Troy stood there watching his childhood and teenage era friends leave, taking with them some sense of security and confidence he had while they were in Copanvy with him. 'It was so much easier to think that everything is going to turn out all right when they were all here, cheering me on, pushing me when I balked. Now, with just me here, with maybe Paul and Chris as friends and eventually the guys on the basketball team, can I do this? Can I really make Gabriella see we were meant to be together in the end, after all that has happened? Wait, am I even thinking about this? Marriage, already?'
Troy jumped a little as Gabriella placed her hand down on his shoulder as she and Chris came to stand by him. "Whoa, are you okay Wildcat?"
Blinking a few times, Troy nodded his head. "Just startled me out of my thoughts is all. Kinda sad to see the whole gang gone."
Gabriella gave him a sad smile. "You don't have to tell me that. Look, Chris and I were going to grab some breakfast before the teen center. Did you, maybe, want to come with us? To both?"
"Sure, I'd like that," returned Troy without any hesitation.
"Of course you would bud. Great company and extra time with your girl, what more could you ask for?" teased Chris as he playfully punched Troy in the arm, seeing it safe to do so as Gabriella was currently talking to Paul about the plans for the day.
Troy rolled his eyes at this. "With you around Chris, I think maybe I won't be so bored after all now."
Chris chuckled. "But of course. I have to keep you on your toes still, despite the absence of your crew."
"Especially your girlfriend, right?" joked Troy, barely avoiding another punch on the arm and laughing at the same time as Chris tried to get him back for his comment. Gabriella looked over at that moment and couldn't help but smile at how well the two men were getting along.
After breakfast a few hours later, Troy, Chris, and Gabriella arrived at the teen center a little bit earlier than their usual time. Troy hesitated a little in the lobby, looking a bit unsure of his surroundings. Gabriella slipped her hand into his and smiled encouragingly. "It's going to be okay Troy, really," said Gabriella.
"Yeah Troy. Most of the teenagers here don't bite and the ones that do, well, you'll find out soon enough," added Chris, exaggerating pain as Gabriella hit him on the back of his shoulder. "Hey, you don't want to bruise me or I'm not going to be able to guarantee your safe lifts tonight."
Troy chuckled at the banter. "Let's just say if you drop her intentionally, you'll have to answer to me," he threw in, earning a grateful look from Gabriella. He returned her smile and tugged on her hand that was in his so they both would walk into the main room of the building with Chris following behind.
Almost immediately, Gabriella was embraced by three sets of arms belonging to Selena, Iyana, and Brandi, effectively dislodging Troy's hand from hers as she moved to return the hug. "Hey girls, how's it going?"
"We've missed you! We haven't seen you all week like we usually do at least once during the weekdays," exclaimed Iyana.
"Although we perfectly understand you have a life, don't we little sister," added Selena, glaring at Iyana, who blushed a little.
Brandi laughed at the sisters. "Let's just say we missed you Gaby."
"I missed you all too. Now that my friends from high school are gone though, I should be back over more often during the week in between rehearsals," returned Gabriella, stepping away from the group hug.
"We read the review in the newspaper Gabriella and it sounded like you were perfection! We can't wait until we can see you in a few weeks!" exclaimed Selena. "Was it that great?"
Gabriella nodded her head. "It felt that way, at least to us dancers. Seemed to please the crowd too."
"You were as graceful and as beautiful as an angel Brie, stop being so modest," interrupted Troy, grinning at Gabriella before he turned his attention to the three teenage girls. "Hi, I'm Troy."
"Oh," said Iyana.
"My," added Brandi.
"God!" exclaimed Iyana again. "You're him! You're really here! Oh my God!"
Troy watched with caution as the young girl continued to get more and more excited as she stared at him. He tore his eyes away from her for a moment to look at Gabriella, who gave him an apologetic look while he heard Chris's distinct chuckle nearby. "Umm, I guess, yes?"
"I am such a basketball fan and I read all about you joining the Knights! We are so going to win the championship this year with you on the team!" yelled Iyana.
"And you're here with Gaby. That means Troyella is back on right? No more Patella? That's awesome!" added Brandi, joining Iyana now in jumping up and down.
This time, Gabriella got a confused look on her own face along with Troy. "Troyella? Patella?"
Selena rolled her eyes at the younger girls' silliness. "Sorry, they've not only been watching the sports news about Troy but also some of the tabloid stuff. I think they got the Troyella name from one of the celebrity magazines, a combination of your names."
Troy nodded his head in understanding. "I figured that much. I heard it before too through those channels and some of our friends teased us with it too. Guessing Patella is also a name combination?"
This time, Selena looked more hesitant to answer so Iyana did it for her. "Patella stands for Patrick and Gabriella. Don't get us wrong Gabriella, everything we read about Patrick sounds great but he doesn't have the history you do with Troy and everything we've read about your past relationship with Troy has been so super romantic and sweet! Besides, Patrick has never shown up here with you."
"Girls, please, can we talk about something else?" asked Gabriella, shooting Troy an anxious look. "We all came here to hang out with you and everyone else, not to discuss my personal life. If I didn't know better, I would think you two were freelancing for some of the celebrity blogs or magazines."
"Hmm, that is a lucrative idea," murmured Chris before getting glared at by Gabriella. "I kid, I kid! Geez."
Troy, Gabriella, and Chris spent roughly three hours at the teen center before they split up, going their separate ways. Chris agreed to meet Gabriella a little bit earlier than the rest of the company for warm-ups while Troy dropped Gabriella off for her royal lunch just before he got a call from his coach of the Knights to dress for a fancy event and meet the rest of the team for a special lunch.
It was only an hour and a half later when Troy found himself back at the palace again though, this time with the rest of the Knights and the coaching staff. "Dude, why are we here again?" asked Troy, nervously looking as the palace loomed closer as the van drove through the gates Troy had just driven in and out of a few hours ago.
Tomas chuckled a little at Troy's apprehensive look. "No worries Troy, the royal family is rather normal. We're going for our annual dinner with them before our first preseason game, which unfortunately you will be sitting out for because of your injuries. It got moved to today and as a lunch at last minute this year though, not sure why. Are you all scared of meeting the prince, princess, king, and queen of Copanvy or something?"
Troy forced himself to swallow as the van pulled to a stop. "More like meeting Brie's grandparents again only for them to figure out that I'm here to stay," he mumbled, ignoring the confused look on Tomas's face.
When the team regrouped in the palace courtyard, an older man Troy recognized as one of the palace servants who manned the front doors appeared and escorted them into the dining room. Troy's eyes widened some as he saw how different the same room he was in last night had changed from a room with only one long table to a room with two long tables with china that was less luxurious than the ones they used last night. He heard a discreet cough and looked over to see Paul smirking at him from Paul's position against the wall, next to the buffet table.
"Still getting used to this life huh Troy? Better get used to it if you want to stay in contention for your woman," murmured Paul, chuckling a little at Troy's blush. "You already blab to your teammates about her?"
"Hell no," returned Troy, biting his tongue instantly to curb any further inappropriate words from passing his lips. "I care too much for Brie to disrespect her like that, not to mention I'm a pretty private person."
Paul nodded his head with approval. "Good man, good man," he said before putting his hand up to his right ear where there was an earpiece. After a few words, Paul returned his attention back on Troy. "If I were you, I would take a seat at the table closest to us, on the other side though, second from your right."
Troy looked at the seat Paul indicated and then looked back at him with a confused look. "Huh?"
"Just do it," ordered Paul quietly before he moved to stand by the opening doors.
Without another moment of hesitation, Troy darted to the seat that Paul indicated and stood there with Tomas across from him as the royal family made their entrance. Queen Lauren and King Edward first appeared, followed by Princess Annette and Prince Stephen, and last but certainly not least, Princess Gabriella. Troy's breath caught in his throat as he saw Gabriella walk through the doors, casting a sweet but general smile on the men in the room, brightening more with a subtle twinkle in her soft brown eyes as her gaze landed on Troy.
Troy followed Tomas's lead, who stood up straight with his best posture and his back to the table to be the first to greet the royal family after the coaches. The head coach, Roberto Martinez, walked with Edward and Lauren, introducing them to those players who were new to the Louvis Knights and reintroducing them to those they had met before like Tomas. Roberto and Gabriella's family walked around the perimeter of the tables before going down the middle, leaving Troy to be the last one they greeted.
"And this man right here is our secret weapon. He may be missing the first couple of pre-season games this year but I have full confidence that he will help lead us in taking the Championships. May I introduce to you Troy Bolton, who just moved here from New York and was signed not too long ago with us. Troy, this is King Edward and Queen Lauren," introduced Roberto, oblivious to the charged moment that was being exchanged just then.
Troy felt his own blue eyes widen when he met those brown orbs of Gabriella's grandmother that showed a great deal of surprise before being replaced by deep suspicion and anger as her eyes narrowed on him. In some ways, Troy felt like the rest of the room had faded away as he continued to be the subject of Lauren's stare for several more moments without any words being exchanged. He managed to bow, as was polite in front of the royal family, but Troy could only see and feel her eyes on him, communicating to Troy how much Lauren did not like his presence in the room and what it meant.
Lauren felt her heartbeat speed up as her gaze connected with that of her granddaughter's supposed first love, the one man that threatened all that Lauren had hoped to secure for her granddaughter within the next few months. As Lauren stared at him for a few moments longer before she felt Edward leading her away in an attempt to diffuse the situation, it dawned on Lauren that Troy Bolton hadn't left town with Gabriella's other friends, he was here to stay.
Gabriella watched from a few basketball players down as her grandmother and Troy stared at each other, unsure of what to make of it along with the rest of her family. Luckily, it seemed that none of the other players or coaches seemed to notice as both Lauren and Troy had masked their facial expressions but if one knew either of them at all, they would realize that the two people were both shaken up to different degrees, in different ways, by that twenty second introduction and silent stare.
Subtly, Paul escorted Gabriella further down the line as another coach made introductions to the players and staff for her but quickly seated her in the open seat next to Troy, winking at Troy when no one else was looking before retaking his position against the wall. Troy had discreetly smirked as he followed Gabriella's lead during their introduction, both pretending like this was the first time either of them had met to avoid any unnecessary questions. Once everyone was seated, the dining room staff served the first course, a spinach salad with sliced apples and glazed walnuts with a citrus dressing, allowing for Troy to boldly reach under the table and hold Gabriella's hand in his, the intertwined hands now resting on both of their thighs pressed together.
Gabriella rewarded him with a sweet smile before she began to eat her salad with her left hand, giggling quietly as Troy began to draw circles on her palm with his thumb as he took his own first bite of the salad. Throughout the lunch, everyone at their half of the long table continued to talk to each other, the players using the time to get to know both Stephen and Gabriella better while Troy himself soaked in the time of being able to be with Gabriella in public despite the secretly hidden PDA. Despite their secret though, Troy felt a flare of jealousy bloom inside him as he observed Tomas openly flirting with Gabriella, causing her to giggle at his actions.
Stephen noticed this too and glanced over to see a struggling Troy who clearly knew that it was important to keep up his behavior and façade of not really knowing Gabriella in front of his teammates to avoid rumors flying around as well as for the benefit of Stephen's parents seated at the other table. 'Patience Troy, it will all come together one day soon if it was truly meant to be.'
About twenty minutes after dessert was served, Edward stood up and gained everyone's attention instantly. "My family and I would like to thank you all for being here and accepting the slight change in tradition of our usual dinner to kick off your basketball season, even if it is pre-season. As many of you have probably learned, our granddaughter is part of the Royal Copanvy Ballet Company and their opening night is tonight so we will all be there of course but we wanted to make sure we still kept up with tradition with at least a lunch. As always, the Louvis Knights have always been our favored team in the professional basketball world and we expect yet another great season for you all. Thank you for coming and we hope you enjoy the rest of your day."
The players and the coaching staff all stood up and applauded while Roberto, who was sitting to the king's left hand side, stood up and shook the king's hand before Edward moved to collect his queen and exited the room, saying one final general good-bye from them both. Troy reluctantly let go of Gabriella's hand as Paul pulled out her chair for her, indicating that it was time as well for Gabriella to follow her parents out as they both were getting up to leave as well. She gave the rest of the players seated at their table a smile and a small wave, her brown eyes meeting Troy's blue orbs at the last second, giving him a genuine smile before allowing Paul to escort her out.
Gabriella let out a sigh of relief that the lunch went well without any big problems, despite her nerves that had developed once she realized that the lunch she was attending was with the Louvis Knights and that her grandmother would surely realize that Troy was staying in Copanvy.
"Relieved nothing went wrong at lunch Gabriella?" asked Paul, chuckling a little at the clear look of relief residing on the young princess's face.
"It's almost too good to be true Paul. Being able to spend time with Troy with my grandparents in the same room without something disastrous happening. I honestly thought Grandmother was going to lose it when she recognized that Troy was a real part of the Knights and that he would be staying here longer than she probably thought," commented Gabriella.
The pair continued to talk as they walked through the palace, stopping only when Stephen approached them both. "Gabriella, your Grandmother and Grandfather want an audience with the whole family now before you leave for the theater."
Gabriella saw the unsmiling face of her father and knew that everything had been too good to be true at lunch. "It's about Troy isn't it?"
Stephen grimaced but nodded his head. "I'm afraid you are probably right."
Paul dropped back a few feet to follow the father and daughter as they walked down the hallways and eventually entered the king's favorite library while Paul stayed just outside of the now closed doors, hoping for the best for Gabriella.
On the other side of the doors, Gabriella was praying for anything to save her from what she already knew was going to be the wrath of her grandparents judging by their current facial expressions. As the seconds ticked by though, the room continued to remain silent, Gabriella seated on the loveseat by herself while Annette and Stephen were seated on a longer couch. Lauren was currently observing her granddaughter through narrowed eyes from where she was seated in Edward's favorite chair while Edward himself continued to pace behind his wife.
The ticking of the clock in the room was slowly starting to drive Gabriella mad while she waited for one of her grandparents to speak as she did not dare speak first. 'Not when I could get myself in worse trouble that I may already be in. Maybe though it isn't about Troy but them wanting to wish me good luck. Yeah right Gabriella, get real. There's going to be a consequence for having Troy here, just pray it isn't anything too drastic.'
Just when it was looking like Edward would speak, Lauren asked the question that had been burning on her tongue for a while now, without a second glance at her husband. "How long?"
Gabriella swallowed hard as she saw her grandmother's narrowed eyes trained on her, and only her. "How long what Grandmother?"
"Don't sass me granddaughter. How long have you known Troy would be residing in Copanvy as an official citizen and playing for the Louvis Knights?" asked Lauren, in no mood to sugar coat anything she had to say.
Gabriella hesitated for a moment before forcing herself to answer her grandmother as Lauren continued to look at her, brown eyes meeting brown eyes. "I found out within the last week Grandmother. It was a surprise to me to learn about all that, honest."
"I don't believe you," got out Lauren. "Do you know why? Not only is he in a signed contract with the Knights but he is an official citizen of Copanvy. That's a hard fete to do in so little time unless someone with influence expedited the process. Oh yes, I had the security team check the system for him right after we left the dining room and learned that his application went in and was approved in a matter of weeks when it should have taken months. Don't lie to me Gabriella Felicia Anna Lauren Montez. I know that had to have been you."
"It wasn't though!" defended Gabriella. "I had no idea he was coming to the ball let alone changing his whole life for me Grandmother! Do you think I would have let that happen? I wouldn't have because he was already starting to live out his dream of playing in the NBA in New York, he had a fiancé, he was happy!"
"Then why encourage the man now Gabriella? Why interrupt his dreams and happiness to bring him here when you very well know what's going to happen in the next year and a half with you and it looks like Patrick Diaz?" questioned Edward, seeming to be a lot more calmer than his wife about this but none less disappointed in the situation.
Gabriella let out a frustrated sigh as she shook her head. "I didn't invite Troy here! I didn't approve any application for citizenship! And for your knowledge, Troy is no longer engaged and he's moved here for me. Haven't you ever been in love? Don't you know what that means to me that he did all that without even me asking him to or him asking if it was okay? Troy did this all for me, and it means the world to me."
"But if not you, then who approved his citizenship request? Annette?" asked Lauren, finally looking at her daughter-in-law for the first time since Gabriella entered the room. "Was it you?"
Before Annette could answer, Stephen stood up from the couch and faced his mother. "It was me Mother. I approved Troy's citizenship application and expedited it. If you have any issues with that, leave my girls alone and discuss it with me."
"Stephen? How could you? You know what this arrangement means! This isn't some silly relationship we are trying to solidify here but the selection of the future king to rule with Gabriella when her time comes! How careless can you be?" demanded Lauren, not allowing herself to be intimidated as Stephen walked closer to where she was sitting. "I am trying to plan out the future of this country here. Am I the only one that cares about what will happen after I'm dead, after you are dead?"
"I care Mother but not at the expense of my own daughter's unhappiness!" declared Stephen. "Unlike you, I cannot sit here and watch her sacrifice herself, what she herself dreams of, just for what was expected of this royal family decades ago. These are modern times and I think a new view of this family is necessary for us to evolve with the rest of the world."
"That may be but your brother, God rest his soul, understood and agreed with this tradition and recognized its importance. Why can't you?" asked Edward, now standing behind Lauren again. "Mario knew his duty in life. What did we do so wrong in raising you?"
Stephen just shook his head, not wanting to get into this fight over his deceased brother again. "Mario was the first son, he had been groomed to be the future king since he opened his curious brown eyes. I have not and neither has Gabriella. What has you so fearful about her choice in life, if Troy really is it?"
"He may now be a citizen but he is not of Copanvy blood, and he's a basketball player for his chosen professional career. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy the sport as much as you do but that's not the most esteemed sport for a royal hopeful," explained Edward.
"What if he stopped playing basketball?" offered Annette, feeling the tide of the conversation changing a bit. "What if Troy, in addition to moving to Copanvy, took to a more respectable job or career for a potential royal? Would that make it more plausible to allow Gabriella to really choose her future husband?"
"No, I wouldn't want that for him, absolutely not," argued Gabriella, cutting off Lauren as she was about to speak. "I'm sorry but I cannot ask him to do that. Who knows, he may not even want to marry me! I couldn't live with myself if I took away that dream from him too."
Lauren quickly nodded her agreement. "That is only fair to the young man, I'm glad you are thinking responsibly Gabriella."
Stephen, not wanting his daughter to give up so easily when they were so close to possibly securing a window at least of hope for Gabriella's true love to live on, decided to argue on her behalf. "She may be thinking responsibly for the country, for this family even, but she is not for herself nor her own love. Mother, Gabriella deserves happiness, she deserves to spend the rest of her life with the man she loves. Honestly, once you get to know Troy, once you see what he does for her, what he has sacrificed but more importantly how Troy treats Gabriella, you'll understand why I learned to accept him as her chosen one."
"That may be so but what of the future? What of her safety? I cannot afford to let history repeat itself and leave our family without an heir after you Stephen," threw back Lauren. "I refuse to risk Gabriella's life!"
While her face showed confusion, Gabriella felt her entire body pale at the mention of her life being at risk. 'What in the world is Grandmother talking about? Could I be in trouble again? Does she know something about Riley being free or something that I don't know?'
"Mother, in all due respect, Mario was seriously injured and later died from the injuries he received in a car accident and he was not even matched yet. Just because Mario got into a car accident does not mean Gabriella will get hurt because she decides on a man who is not on the list of royally approved suitors. They are totally unrelated!" exclaimed Stephen.
Lauren bit her tongue, realizing that Stephen was unaware of the history that was very true to this situation. 'This is not the time or way I want him to learn of what has happened. Not many people know and I'd rather keep it that way.'
"Gabriella, does Troy know of the search for your future husband? Does he understand that you very well will be engaged to another man by the end of the year?" asked Edward, bringing the conversation back to safer grounds. "Do any of your friends know?"
She shifted a little on the loveseat, not knowing what to really say. Gabriella could feel four pairs of eyes staring at her and didn't know what would be worse, for the truth to be out and to face the consequences or for lies to come out to avoid it. Letting out a sigh, Gabriella replied, "Chris, Paul, and Emma all know. Taylor was told very early this morning. Troy does not know nor the rest of our friends."
Edward smiled a little, giving Gabriella the feeling of his approval of her actions. "I'm glad you have used discretion on who you have told."
"Thank you Grandfather but I think it is only right that you know that I plan on telling Troy tomorrow. It's the least I can do for him, for him to know why Patrick is really still in my life romantically," volunteered Gabriella, realizing that it was better now to have all her cards out on the table.
"See? Gabriella is using her mind as well as her heart and is using discretion. Why does she have to be punished by taking away her right to love who she wants?" asked Annette, surprised a little by how much control Gabriella had shown in regards to who she told this to. 'True only the real families being considered know but I would have thought she would have told at least all her girlfriends by now.'
"It's not about punishing her Annette, it's about grooming her and readying someone else who is appropriate to take the throne of Copanvy along with her. The future king must be someone that is respected and loved by the citizens of Copanvy as well as someone who has a sensible and fair mind. He also has to have a true love of this country," replied Edward. "Look, what if we come to a compromise here? What if we allow Gabriella to continue to see Troy up until the time she becomes officially engaged? Will that keep everyone happy?"
"Edward! That's unacceptable!" shouted Lauren from her chair, jumping to her feet. "Not only is that encouraging a further bond do develop between our granddaughter and Troy but it also gives Troy false hope!"
"Not if she tells him about what is going on," argued Annette, wanting to grab onto the olive branch that Edward was offering.
"But he is a liability, he can't know," stated Edward, wanting to keep his granddaughter happy, his family united, but also wanting to not create a situation that would later become an issue. "Troy absolutely cannot know of this arrangement, this search. He's a basketball player in a professional league. There will be press and paparazzi all over him if he's the great star that Roberto makes him out to be. One small slip up from him, even on a drunken night, could spell the disaster for this family and the view the public has of our traditions that have been around for ages. I am willing to concede Gabriella still dating Troy up until her engagement only if there is an agreement that Troy will not know."
Gabriella exchanged looks with both Annette and Stephen, each unsure of what agreeing to this would actually mean. 'Could I really do that to Troy? Continue to see him without telling him, without being honest? If it is the only way you can be together while living in harmony with your family, I think you can Gabriella,' she thought, still biting the corner of her lip as she debated the situation in her mind.
Lauren watched with sharpened eyes as Gabriella continued to ponder the possibilities of the offer, realizing now that Gabriella cared for Troy enough to actually want to spare him this voluntarily while also wanting to be with him. 'Please God, do not put my granddaughter in the same place history has to this family, do not let fate lead her down that same path. If so, everything I've done will be for naught.'
By the time Lauren finished her thought, Gabriella had finally decided on how she wanted to live this part of her life. "What if Troy knows? What if I can't hold this back from him, if I need to tell him for the sake of being fair and honest? Maybe I'm selfish but I can't give him up that easily and I think he deserves to know what he's getting into. I understand your point Grandfather but I love him too much to keep him and leave him in the dark or to just let him go, letting him think I just gave up hope."
"Then we'll have him deported," answered Edward, thinking quick on his feet. "If you feel the need to tell him, I understand, but we cannot afford to have him here in this country then to stir up trouble on his own as well as involve the press. The rest of the world really doesn't follow much of Copanvy news but if anyone could do it, to bring Copanvy to the headlines of some other country's news, it would Troy Bolton, the American citizen who lives here."
'She's driving herself crazy right now with these choices,' said Annette to herself in her mind. "Gabriella, you don't have to decide right now. You have time to think about this."
"No, she needs to decide now before she leaves the room. We need to know what to expect and prepare for it appropriately," announced Edward.
Lauren could almost feel the indecision and distress roll off Gabriella in waves and couldn't help but feel bad for her granddaughter. 'It's a hard decision to make, love over duty, but I have faith you'll decide the right thing in the end.'
Stephen just shook his head in disgust over the manner in which his father was treating the situation. "Gabriella, whatever you decide, your mother and I at least will be behind you, no matter what."
Edward shot his son a nasty look before shaking his own head. 'You are only confusing the poor young woman son.'
After a few more moments of deliberation, Gabriella had made up her mind. "If telling Troy means that he gets deported and banned from this country, which is the second part of this that I think is going unsaid here, I won't tell him. It's not going to be easy but I can't let him go, not like this. It's horribly selfish of me but I just, I can't do that yet, not now and I fear not ever."
"Gabriella, can you truly be happy though, with this decision? We want you to be happy and if not telling him but being with Troy is only going to loom over your head, then it wouldn't be worth it," said Annette, worry evident on her face and in her voice.
"It is though, if it means that Troy and I can be together without further problems, at least for now. I think deep down in my heart I always knew that it wouldn't last, not with this marriage thing going on," confessed Gabriella, slowly getting up from her seat. "Now that is decided, may I please be excused? I need to get ready for opening night."
"Of course Gabriella. Break a leg tonight," replied Lauren, kissing Gabriella's cheek back as Gabriella leaned down to kiss hers.
After kissing the cheeks of her grandfather and both of her parents, Gabriella left the room, with a much heavier heart and conscience than she entered with but knew that despite what this could mean later on down the road, this was the best decision she could have made with the position she was in. 'I can't risk Troy being taken away from me again, this early on. Just some more time to make up for the future of lost time, right?'
Paul watched as Gabriella walked out of the library, her shoulders slumped in defeat and the expression on her face telling the world that she had lost something dear to her in that room with her family. Whether it was hope, her heart, or an argument, Paul just wished that it wasn't her spirit that had helped her so far in life, get through so much and get so far.