Ordinary Day

Chapter 1: Moving Again

"WHAT!"

"Mija, I'm sorry, I-"

"No, mama, you promised me, you said we wouldn't be moving again!"

"Gabi, you think I want this, we have a good life here, I don't want to leave it, but if I want to keep my job then we have to go, Lo siento."

Gabriella Montez was not happy. Her mother had come home from work late looking guilty and upset explaining about the ultimatum that had been handed to her.

Thomson and Sons was the biggest law firm in the country and they were opening a new branch in Ohio. Theresa Montez was being offered the position of Regional manager at said new branch. So they had to move to Ohio. Lima Ohio to be exact. Theresa was a good and honest woman she had promised her daughter they would not be moving until she graduated from high school, it was a promise she had intended to keep, but when she was told that she either accepted this new job or kissed her other one goodbye she knew she had no choice. So she said yes packed up her office and headed home to face the savage beast that would emerge from her otherwise relatively passive daughter's body.

Gabriella looked at her mother's face, full of pity and regret, normally this look would have the younger Montez girl running into her mother's embrace, whispering words of comfort, like she did every year on the anniversary of her father's death, but tonight it wasn't working. Unable to feel anything but complete and utter rage, she turned, grabbed her keys and all but ran to the Bolton's.

She was moving. Again. When she was younger, moving was a part of Gabriella's life. It was always a new school, new teachers, new house. Not friends though, Gabriella was pragmatic enough to know that there was absolutely no point in even attempting to try and make friends because she would be leaving so soon. But Albuquerque was different. She was going to be staying. So she let herself go. She opened up to people and let in friends like Taylor and Chad, Kelsi, Martha, Ryan, Zeke, even Jason (sometimes she think that Sharpay counts but the girl is a yo-yo and is almost always leaving those who depend upon her high and dry).

She did up her room the way she had been planning since she was nine and the promise of an eventual permanent residence was first made to her, she had enrolled in ballet and tap classes (her unfulfilled ambition was to be able to perform the routine by Gene Kelly and Cid Charice in Singin' in the Rain), and sure she could do the same thing in Lima, but she loved her teacher and Ryan was the greatest dance partner anyone could ever ask for. Things were good in Albuquerque, and now her mother wanted her to leave the life they had built there, she wanted her to leave him.

Troy Bolton was the perfect boyfriend. He was handsome, sweet, caring, smart, funny and (most importantly) doted on her. She knew she didn't love him, but she was pretty goddamn close, getting closer everyday. But now, they were going to be in opposite parts of the country. She really couldn't do the whole long-distance thing. No, she knew what she was going to do.

"Gabriella, sweetie, what are you doing here so late?" Lucille Bolton said as she opened the door to the dishevelled Latina on the porch.

"Hi Mrs B, is Troy home, I really need to speak to him."

Mrs Bolton nodded and stepped to the side allowing the young brunette into the house before calling for her son. He ambled down the stairs, looking as handsome as ever, a bright, happy smile lighting up his face at the sight of their visitor. The sight of him and his obvious joy at seeing her, left a crack in Gabriella's heart, how could her mother expect her to leave him?

When Troy enveloped her in a hug; Gabriella could feel that crack turning into a break as she bit back the hot tears that had invaded her eyes.

"We need to talk."

She had been sitting on his bed for 15 minutes now, having not said a word, unable to figure out how to tell him the news. Troy sat beside her, anxiety seeping into his bones as to what this 'talk' was going to consist of, the fact that Gabriella had yet to do any talking was not helping to remove his fear.

"Gabi, what is going on?" He asked, almost nervous to hear the answer.

Gabriella turned to her boyfriend, opening and closing her mouth, trying to formulate the angry and incoherent thoughts flashing behind her eyes into words that he would understand, hoping to whatever god that may be out there that what she had to say would no be too hard for the wonderful boy in front of her to hear.

He watched as she just sat there. She opened her mouth gingerly letting the words fall from he suddenly very dry mouth.

"We start school in a week, senior year, my senior year, its not fair she promised me, she promised me," Gabriella got up from the bed and started walking around the room, speed increasing with every stride of her short, yet perfectly shaped legs, arms flailing, her dialect changing from English to Spanish as her mood became more frantic.

"Hey, hey, hey, Gabs, English baby, please, okay, calm down and explain slowly and in a language I understand." Troy said steadying his pacing girlfriend. Her habit of talking to herself in Spanish was most times, endearing, but he was already nervous enough, he didn't need her fainting from lack of oxygen because she forgot to draw breath.

Troy sat her down on the bed, taking her head in his hands, "Tell me", his azure eyes searching her face.

Gabriella took a deep breath, her eyes locking on her hands as they sat boneless in her lap.

"We're moving again, to Ohio, Lima Ohio"

"But, I thought, she said that you would-

"She did, she lied. Ella estuvo a mí" Gabriella whispered, tears once again clouding her eyes. "We're leaving tomorrow, so I just came to say goodbye"

Her eyes locked with his, finishing her sentence with two words she couldn't say, the two words he didn't want to hear. For good.

Troy shook his head, "it doesn't have to be goodbye Gabriella, we can make it work, we co-

"No Troy, it has to be, I can't do that to myself I know that sounds really selfish, but I don't think I can be with you, if I can't be with you, it will hurt to much. Its best if we just cut all ties with one another, move on. We've had some amazing times together, and trust me when I say I don't want to do this, but I'm leaving again and I think…"

She trailed off as the tears that had threatened to fall earlier caught the words on her tongue, looking down at her lap, in a vain attempt to hide her tears, she uttered, her voice only a whisper,

"I think I've run out of goodbyes."

"Gabi, what are you talking about? We could do this Gabs, we have email and web-cam, Gabi, I love you and I want to make this work, make us work."

Gabriella felt her breath hitch in her throat as he uttered those words. They had never said them to each other before, and she knew if she had felt the same way, she would be trying harder to keep this relationship afloat. Troy didn't deserve what she was doing to him, but this was something she knew she had to do, for herself and her peace of mind.

"I can't Troy, I have to go"

She was out the door before he could even blink. Troy turned to his bed and only when he say a silver chain with a 'T' on it did he let the tears fall.

The walk back to her house seemed much longer than Gabriella remembered.

When Gabriella arrived back home all her things were packed. Her mother had long ago mastered the art of speed packing, normally it was useful, but now it only served to feed the deep-rooted depression that was eating away at her bones. She was leaving, and she really didn't want to go.