"Mija, they said I have cancer"

Gabriella stopped breathing. Her eyes welled with tears. It felt like a wave of electricity had gone from her heart throughout her body, sending chills down her spine. A million thoughts racing through her head. She thought about her father being gone. How could she get over losing her mother too? Things were going so well for her, how could this happen?

"Gabriella?.. Gabriella?", Maria said placing her hand on her now catatonic daughter.

Gabriella just blinked and looked at her sick mother. Her lip trembling.

"Gabriella, I don't want you to be scared about this. I'm going to be okay, I promise!", Maria said trying to be strong for her daughter.

"Mama, how can you know that for sure? You can't promise me that and you know it", She said looking down as a new stream of tears flowed down her red and puffy cheeks.

Maria sighed. She knew Gabriella was right. But she was her only parent she had left. She was going to fight this with every bit of strength that she had left.

"Do you remember what your father always said to you when you were little?", Maria said placing her hand under gabriellas chin, bringing her head back up.

"A Montez always fights back..", Gabriella said quietly.

"No matter what?", Maria said wanting Gabriella to finish the saying.

"No matter how tough the battle", Gabriella said, looking back down at her hands.

"And that is exactly what we are going to do. We will get through this, Mija. We just have to have a little faith, okay?", Maria said bringing her head back up.

Gabriella nodded. Maria took her into her arms and they embraced each other. Gabriella knew she had to help her mother through this. She knew she had to be strong for her.

"I love you so much, Mama", Gabriella said.

"I love you too, Gabriella. More than you will ever know".

Maria got up and kissed gabriellas head.

"I'm going to get some rest, are you going to be okay?", Maria asked.

Gabriella nodded. Maria left the kitchen and Gabriella went up to her room. She shut the door quietly behind her and slid to the floor. She brought her knees up to her chin and cried harder than she had ever cried before for what seemed like hours. She heard a knock on her balcony. She looked up to see Troy standing there with a worried expression.

"Troy, this really isn't a good time", She said opening the door.

"Gabriella, what happened? Is everything okay?", He asked looking into her eyes.

"No Troy. Everything is falling apart!", She said as she wrapped her arms around him, crying hysterically.

Troy picked her up and set her on her bed. He couldn't bare to see her this upset. Gabriella is usually happy all the time. He always said that she leaves a little sparkle wherever she goes. He knew that whatever it was, it must be bad.

"Hey, shhhh, tell me what happened so I can make it better", Troy said pulling her close to him.

"You can't make this better, Troy", She said burring her face into his neck.

"Gabriella, please. Let me try. Let me be here for you. Look at me", He said pulling her face to look at him. "Talk to me, please".

Gabriella looked into Troys ocean blue eyes. He had always been there for her. He was always the one to pick her up when she was down. She knew that he would help her through this. She took a deep breath.

"It's my mom", She said tears pouring from her eyes. She didn't wan't to say it.

"What about your mom?", He said studying her eyes.

"She's sick, Troy. She has cancer. She's going to die!", Gabriella said. With every word stinging her heart more and more.

Troy looked into her big, teary, brown eyes. He knew she was scared. She was scared to death. She had already lost her father and he hoped with all his heart that she didn't lose her mother too. He took her into a loving, tight embrace.

"Gabriella, listen to me. Your mother is one of the strongest women I know. She will fight this. She will beat it", troy said reassuringly.

"How can you say that for sure, Troy? What if I lose her too? Where will I go? How can I live without her?", She asked. Her voice trembling more and more.

"I know this because she has you to fight for", He said, pulling her face so that their eyes meet. "And that is all she needs to beat this", He said rubbing her arm.

Gabriella sighed. He was right. She had to stay positive or this was going to destroy her.

"You know I will always be here for you, Gabi", He said pulling her back into his arms.

"Forever?", She asked looking up at him.

"Forever! Just liked I promised you in my tree house the first time we met", He said smiling.

A small smile appeared on her lips. There was always something about Troys smile that made her want to smile too.

"Is that a smile I see?", He asked looking down at her. His smile growing wider.

"No", She said frowning.

"Oh come on!", He said tickling her.

Gabriella tried with all her strength not to laugh.

"Really Gabriella? Really?", troy said laughing, tickling her harder.

She burst out laughing, rolling around on her bed trying to fight his hands away.

"Is that a laugh I hear now too?", He said laughing.

Troy loved her laugh. Gabriellas laugh was contagious. Whenever she laughed, it made everyone else around her want to laugh.

"Troy I can't Breath!", She yelled breathlessly.

Troy stopped and looked down at her as she caught her breath. Both of their eyes met.

"Troy, am I strong enough to get through this?", Gabriella asked.

"You are absolutely strong enough to get through this, and you have someone who loves you very much to help you along the way", He said as his heart raced.

"Who's that?", she asked.

"Me".