"In
the absence of love, there is nothing worth fighting for."
-Elijah
Wood
Troy felt a fist collide with his face that threw him backwards against the wall. He looked back at the person before running and tackling them to the ground and as the two began to fight for dominance.
"Let her go!" Troy yelled through clenched teeth as the person was now on top and was choking him.
"Where's the money Troy?" The guy asked harshly as he applied more pressure.
"I don't have it, but I'll get it to you. Just let Gabriella go." Troy managed to wheeze out. Troy strained his head to glance over to his left where he saw Gabriella being restrained against the wall. Troy couldn't believe that he got her into this situation. It was meant to be a one time thing, he never meant for it to go beyond that. But of course he got greedy and loved the money, the freedom of getting anything he wanted. Now because of his greediness Gabriella was in danger and for that he could never forgive himself.
"The boss is tired of waiting Troy. Your time is up to come up with the money. You know what we have to do." The guy said lowly as he tightened his grip on Troy.
Troy's eyes shot over to Gabriella, her tear stained face was lit up by the streetlight over her head, causing Troy's insides to twist into knots as he took in her pained face. The guy above Troy started punching him in the stomach and Troy could hear Gabriella's pleas for the guy to stop. Troy would give anything for her not to see this. But all because of his poor judgment, she was now pulled into this whirlwind of loan sharks and payback. The guy pulled Troy up from the ground and hoisted him to his feet before he threw him against the wall. Troy slid down the wall into a pile while he tried to find his diminishing strength. Troy then felt two familiar hands on his face. He opened his eyes to see Gabriella's pain glazed eyes.
"Troy, get up." She whispered breathlessly. Troy brought his hand up, covering Gabriella's own hand with it, never taking his eyes off of her. He knew he didn't deserve her, after everything he'd put her through she still stood by him without a second thought. She looked at him like he was perfect, but if she only knew how screwed up her prince charming was. Troy was lost in the moment as she gently stroked his cheeks, and he held tightly onto her hands, looking into her eyes and trying to forget the mess he'd gotten them into. Just then, Gabriella was hastily jerked away which made Troy come back to his senses.
Gabriella screamed as she was slapped across the face harshly. Troy's head whirled around at the sound of her scream and seeing the bright red hand mark on her cheek, he suddenly got his second wind. Pushing himself up off the ground Troy lunged himself at the man who had Gabriella restrained, knocking him to the ground leaving Troy kneeling over him, his fist raised as his ragged breath coursed through his body. Troy's body was then violently sent backwards. His head connected with the concrete with a sickening crack. Troy rolled over and got back to his feet before launching himself at the guy. Troy kept fighting trying to make sure that no matter what Gabriella would be safe. If something were to happen he would never forgive himself. Troy was on top of the guy throwing punches blindly, hoping to connect with flesh each time.
Troy heard Gabriella scream and immediately turned his attention to her. His heart dropped as he saw the guy that he had previously tackled pinning her against the wall again, only this time with a gun to her chest. "You shouldn't have fought back." Troy heard the guy say menacingly, but Troy's eyes never left Gabriella's frightened ones. The night air was filled with a gunshot which caused Troy's body to go rigid. He watched as his everything collapsed to a lifeless pile on the ground. Troy couldn't breathe, this wasn't supposed to happen. She had so much going for her. It should have been him, not her. He was the one who screwed up and put her in danger. She was his everything and now he had nothing. Troy's tears fell down his face as the guy's fist connected with his face once again. But the tears weren't from physical pain, these tears were from a pain so deep that nothing could compare. Troy didn't fight back anymore. He let them ravish hell on his body. He heard the fist connecting with the side of his head before he felt the pain that tore through his body, the sound of the punch vibrating throughout his head as he slumped to the ground. Unable to move, as his body lay beaten and broken on the pavement he wasn't able to dodge the final blow to his skull, the pain not even registering as the boot's last kick knocked the life right out of his body, because in the absence of love, there is nothing worth fighting for…not even your life.