Time Changes Everything

Deserve A Medal

Gabriella, once again, finds herself standing at the edge of the pool, skimming out all of the disgusting stuff. She sighs and then sets her skimmer down and just sits down with her feet in the water again. It had to be noon by now and Gabriella knew she was in for a long shift. She had to work from 9 AM to 6 PM because John took the day off. She watches as the little kids continue to jump into the pool, one after the other. She couldn't even take a lunch break because someone had to watch them. But the pool would be closed early tonight so she didn't have to work close to 12 hours. Her feet splash a little in the water, and then she suddenly feels two fingers poke into her sides from behind and she squirms from the ticklish feeling. "I couldn't resist." Someone says in her ear and she turns around to look up and see a basketball captain staring down at her.

"I would have killed you if I would have fallen in." Gabriella informs him and she watches as he shrugs.

"It would have been worth it." He responds and Gabriella shakes her head.

"Not when your parents would never talk to my mom again because I've murdered you."

"Yea it would." Troy responds and Gabriella rolls her eyes. It was shocking to her how three days could change everything. It was Thursday, and if someone would have looked at them, you would have looked at them for the first time; you would have never known that they had hated each other for four years up until three days ago. They had skipped the whole "acquaintances" thing and just jumped straight back into being friends. Sure, it had been a little awkward for the first hour or so, but after that it just felt natural. Why had she even wasted four years without being friends with him?

"So why are you here?" She asks and Troy smirks.

"To visit you." He says and Gabriella gives him a look.

"No really, why are you here?"

Troy sighs. "I thought I'd be a nice to you for once and bring you something to eat since you don't get a lunch break." He says and Gabriella smiles.

"That's a first." She says and he shrugs.

"You caught me in a good mood." He explains and then smiles at her. "So what do you want?"

"Umm." She says thinking aloud. "I just want a cheeseburger." She responds.

Troy rolls his eyes. "That's boring." He says and Gabriella shrugs.

"I'm a boring person." She responds and Troy laughs at her. This felt so normal. Why had they put it off all these years? "Now go... I'm starving over here." She says as Troy rolls his eyes again and begins to walk back to the kitchen. The rest of the gang was in utter shock when they found out she and Troy were talking again. It was a huge change, and Gabriella could tell everyone else was in a better mood that they weren't fighting non stop. That was, everyone except Bradin. She could remember the first time everyone first saw them together. It was Tuesday morning...

Gabriella shuts the car door and hears it lock. She sighs as she starts to make her way up the hill, preparing for another day of work. It wasn't that she didn't like her job; it was just that she wished she could do something more exciting. Only once had she had to jump in a try to get a kid who hadn't come up for awhile, but that was it. She suddenly hears another car door slam behind her and then a single voice. "GABI, wait up!" Gabriella turns around to see Troy walking toward her. They had sat there joking for about an hour last night and she wasn't sure how he was going to act this morning. He jogs over to her and smiles. "Hey."

"Hi." She responds and they begin walking up the hill together. This was a little awkward, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

"So I'm glad you haven't killed yourself since that date must have been torture." Troy says as they make it to the top of the hill and Gabriella giggles.