Gabriella was finishing up dinner. Macaroni and cheese with the side of mash potatos and stuffing. she sighed, Gabriella did most of the cooking, the cleaning, and taking care of her younger brother Cory who was on 11. She lost her mom a few years back, she doesn't like to talk about it much. Her father, well his a completely other different story.
Cory was sitting down at the table with their father Tommy. Gabriella placed both their plates infront of them. Tommy took a bite and smiled, "This is really good Gabriella.." Gabriella bit her lip, "Thank you sir." he smirked, "Now, for making such a fantastic meal, you get a little something in return." he stood up from the table, and grabbed an apple off the counter giving it to her, "Have a great dinner." Gabriella sighed, "But..But I made dinner, and cleaned the whole house and everything..sir.." Cory bit his lip back as Tommy stood up from his seat and grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hall.
Gabriella whimpered, "Daddy.. please! please stop!" he opened the door to the basement and pushed her down the stairs, "You're staying in there until you know how to behave." and he slammed the door. Gabriella bit her lip, and crawled over to the couch. a few moments later, Cory walked down to check on his older sister. "Sissy.. are you okay?" Gabriella bit her lip back, shaking her head, "Come here Cory." Cory walked over to her, and she wrapped her arms around him, "Sissy, I'm scared.." Gabriella sighed, "I..I am too buddy...I am too." she kissed his forehead, he looked up at her, "Couldn't we.. couldn't we go somewhere?"
Gabriella sighed running a hand through his curly hair, then a idea hit her, "Cory, that's.. that's a good idea." she stood up, he looked at her, "really?" she nodded, "When dad goes to sleep, we'll leave.. we'll take off, and we won't look back.." she bent down grabbing his hands, "I promise Cory, your big sister is going to take care of you.. I won't let anything bad happen to you..now tonight, we pack our clothes, and few of our belongings, and we'll get a bus to Alberquerque.." Cory nodded, taking a deep breath, "What if he catches us?" Gabriella bit her lip, "Then I'll take the blame, alright baby.. I promise, nothing is going to happen to you..nothing."
Cory sniffled, snuggling into his sister's side. Gabriella held him tight, it was quiet; almost quiet enough for them both to close their eyes and get some sleep; but then they heard the heavy pounding of their father's foot steps, and then the door slammed opened.
Cory whimpers and hides in the closet of the basement. Gabriella hugs her knees to her chest tightly, "You." Tommy says, pulling her up to her feet. Squeezing her arms tightly, "did you learn anything down here?" "Uh.." she trembles, "well, I ...I..." he shakes her violently, "no mumbling! Speak up! Answer me!" "Yes sir!" she yells.
He threw her on the ground, and kicked her in the stomach. he pulled her by the hair, "Now.. start complaining one more time, and see what will happen." he through her face down on floor and walked back upstairs. Gabriella whimpered. Cory crawled out of the closet, "Sissy-" she nodded, "We're leaving...tonight Cory..we're leaving tonight."
It was around midnight, and Gabriella and Cory had their bags packed and just crawled out of the bathroom window. they arrived on the bus and sat back, saying goodbye to the town they always known. Cory had fallen asleep against the window. Gabriella smiled, laying a blanket over them, but mostly him and she sighed shutting her eyes and falling asleep.
**Run**
The bus stopped, It was already morning. the stop jolted Gabriella awake. people getting up and moving off the bus. Gabriella sighed shaking Cory gently. "Come on Cory.. Come on, we're here.." Cory rubbed his eyes gently, looking around, and picking up his bag and pillow following his older sister and holding her hand tightly.
Gabriella grabbed $900 from her dad's room, to make a living while living in alberquerque. It will help them for awhile, but soon she will have to get a job.
After finding an apartment, for a few days they had furniture moved in, cable put in, and she bought groceries. now all that was left to do was getting her and Cory to school.
Gabriella walked Cory to the small Alberquerue Elementary School. Cory held onto his backpack on his shoulder and looked at his older sister. "You promise you'll be here after school?" Gabriella smiled kissing his forehead, "I promise.. then how about this, after school, I'll pick up a pizza, and then we can go around alberquerque while I find a job?"
Cory nodded, "I like that." she smiled, "good..hugs." he hugged her, she smiled, "You can hug tighter then that...come on bear hug." he smiled hugging his sister tightly. she smiled, "I love you.." he kissed the palm of his hand, and blew her a kiss, "Love you too.." he walked away from his older sister, Gabriella sighed, holding onto her backpack and continued her walk to the high school.
Gabriella bit her lip, as she walked through the halls were crowded teenagers were running everywhere like crazy. Gabriella sighed finding her locker and putting in the combination. she sighed, "it works." she whispered to herself. Gabriella shut her locker, and sighed looking at the schedule. "Homeroom, Darbus."
Gabriella walked down the hall until she found room 203. Gabriella walked into the room to find teenagers talking and making flying airplanes. Gabriella went to the teacher at the desk, "Exscuse me.. Mrs Darbus, I'm Gabriella Montez.. I'm new here, where should I sit?"
The eccentric lady, with owl shaped glasses that only made her eyes look ten times their size, smiled half warm and half sarcastic, "well Miss Montez, I suppose you can sit between Mr Bolton and Mr Danforth." Gabriella bit her lip, hugging her arms around herself. "Uhm...sure.." Mrs Darbus, with a neon green painted finger, pointed to a seat in the far back.
Gabriella nodded and walked to her seat and sat between the two boys, who were talking-that is until she sat down. "Hey..." said the guy with a mass of curly hair. "You're new here.." she bites her lip and nods slowly, getting out her books out and tapping her books with her finger.
"Chad, come on...leave her alone." She looks out of the corner of her eyes, seeing the boy who had spoken. She immediately looks away when he stares back. "Troy, come on...I'm just making her feel welcome-" "no, you're making her feel uncomfortable."
Gabriella smiled warmly at Troy, "it's..It's okay.. his fine." Troy looked at her. she was breathtakingly beautiful. she looked just like angel. she looked down at her phone and it was a picture of her and cory. she smiled sending him a text message, 'Hey Sweetie, have fun at school. I love you' she sent the text. she loved her brother.
Troy smiled, "I'm Troy..Troy Bolton." she smiled, "I'm Gabriella..Montez." he smiled, "So umm do you mind if I show you around the school?" Chad buts in, "Yeah! and you can sit with us at lunch." Gabriella giggled, "umm sure.. I'd love too." her and Troy just kept smiling at each other.
Chad looked at his friend, then tapped Gabriella on the shoulder, "Hey, so where you from anyway?" Gabriella turned toward him, her smile faded away instantly, "uh...we-well...I uh...me and ...wel...I er, uh..." she bent over and picked up her favourite book; Wuthering Heights, opened it to the middle and just started reading. She didn't want to look back at THAT place. She didn't want to remember.
"Something wrong?" Troy asks, Gabriella shakes her head, not saying a word as she keeps her eyes on the book's pages. Just ignore them, she tells herself. And just...keep your head down. It was a long five minutes till the first bell rang and then Mrs Darbus lecture only seemed to make the class drone on and on and on...even slower. She kept her eyes on Wuthering Heights.
After a few classes and Troy showing Gabriella to her classes it was now lunch time. Troy showed gabriella to the cafeteria and leading her over to the table. "Hey guys." Troy smiled, taking a seat and pulling Gabriella down with him. "This is Gabriella.. Gabriella, this is the gang, Taylor, Chad, Ryan, Sharpay, Kendall, and Zoey."
Gabriella nodded, and smiled, "Nice to meet you all." Sharpay smiled, "it's nice to meet you gabs." they all began talking with Gabriella, and became fast friends, then Chad looked at Gabriella, "Gabriella, aren't you going to eat? no offense, but your super skinny, get some meat on those bones." Gabriella smiled sadly, "I..I would but I.. um I don't have any money.."
"Oh," Sharpay squeaked, "here...I don't eat dairy. You can have my desert. It's 'ewwie'." Everyone chuckled, Gabriella laughed nervously and grabbed the small cake from Sharpay, poking at it with her fork. Troy noticed. Everyone at the table noticed this; just when Chad was going to comment on how skinny she is again, Gabriella's phone rang.
"Hello?" she answered, "What?!" She stands abruptly from the table, clutching her phone tight in her hand, "I..what happened? how did that happen?!" Everyone at the table jumped, concerned etched on all their faces.
Troy stood up. "I'm uh...on my way okay, just...I'm on my way.." she hung up the phone, turning toward her new friends, "what happened?" Troy asked, Chad stuffed his mouth and then attempted to speak, "who was that?"
Gabriella bit her lip, "my little brother.. he got into a fight at school, I have to go get him." Troy grabbed her arm, "I'll go with you-" "No!-" she covered her mouth, "I mean..I..I'll be fine.. but thank you." Gabriella grabbed her bag and rushed out of the cafeteria.
Troy bit on his inner cheek and and followed her out the school. he saw her walking down the sidewalk. Troy got into the car and drove behind her, but made sure to stay pretty distant.
Gabriella rushed into the principal's office were Cory was sitting down. "Cory, sweetie, are you okay?" she hugged him. he nodded, "I'm fine sis." Gabriella bit her lip, and looked at the principal, "I am so sorry-" "It's alright Gabriella, since he was protecting someone, I'm only suspending him for one day." Gabriella nodded, and grabbed Cory's hand, "Come on sweetie.." they walked out of the office, and walked out of the building.
Troy sat in his car, but made sure he was close to hear Gabriella. she sighed getting bending down and wiping his nose, "Oh my gosh, that boy got you good." Cory hissed, "It hurts gabs." Gabriella sighed, "I'm sorry.." "how was school for you?" he asked. Gabriella sighed, "It..It was okay.. listen, we'll try to go back tomorrow, but for right now I'm going to walk you home, then go pick up a pizza, then go job hunting."
Cory sighed, "Sissy, I..I wanna help." Gabriella smiled, "I know you do sweetie, but your still too young to help.. but what you can do is promise me you won't get into anymore fights? the school will probably end up taking us back..." Cory stiffened at the thought shaking his head, "No..No gabi. I don't wanna go back." Gabriella sighed, "Then we're going to have to be careful Cory, alright.."
Troy squeezed the steering wheel between his hands, squinting his eyes as he watched Gabriella take her brother's hand and they both started walking to, well he heard her say pizza. And the nearest pizza shop is Galucci's Pizza Palace. Pulling out his phone, Troy texts his friends in one message: 'Meet me at Galucci's. I feel like having pizza.'
Troy's phone beeped, he looked down at the text message, 'After School, we'll meet you' he sighed, putting his phone in his pocket and driving to Galucci's pizza palace.
Gabriella walked into the Pizza place holding Cory's hand tightly. they took a seat at a booth and grabbed a menu. Troy walked in and looked around quickly, landing his eyes on Gabriella and her little brother. he took a deep breath, walking over to them, "Hey Gabriella." Gabriella bit her lip, "umm.. Troy, what are you doing here?"
Troy smiled, "I just wanted to have some pizza.." Gabriella nodded, "is there pizza good here?" He nodded, "The best." Gabriella smiled, "Would you like to sit with us?" Troy smiled, "love too." he slipped into the seat, Cory looked at him, Gabriella smiled, "Cory, this is Troy, Troy this my little brother Cory."
Troy smiled, "It's nice to meet you Cory." Cory smiled, "You too.. are you Troy Bolton?" Troy nodded, then Cory smiled, "I'm a big fan.. well since today...your an awesome basketball player." he said.
Troy smiled, "Thanks. you like basketball?" Cory nodded, "Yeah. I love it!" Troy chuckled, "Maybe we should play some time." Cory nodded, "I would like that..alot." Gabriella smiled at Troy, and Troy smiled back at her.
Soon the pizza arrived and mostly Troy and Cory were eating, Gabriella just picked at the bread and ate pieces of it. Troy looked at her, "you hungry?" Gabriella bit her lip, "I..um..I had a big breakfast." Cory looked at his sister, worried for her.
She looked at her little brother, shaking her head and then looking at her pizza for a bit before taking out her Wuthering Heights book. Cory sighed, nibbling on his pizza, seconds later when there was only the crust left, he tossed it down and looked at Gabriella.
"Sissy..?" she looked up at him, "yes?" "Can I play games?" Gabriella bit her lip, "Cor, I don't...I don't have enough money for to play games-" "I have a few bucks," Troy said, digging through his pocket. Gabriella looks at him with a blank stare, "Troy that's not-" "It's cool."
Cory grabbed the money from Troy, "Thanks Troy." he smiled, "Your welcome buddy." Cory ran over to the game machines. Gabriella smiled, "I'll..I'll pay you back, I swear-" Troy shook his head, "it's not big deal."
Gabriella smiled, looking at her brother who was playing games. "I think you are my brother's new best friend." she giggled. Troy smiled, "Does that mean I can come over sometime?" Gabriella's eyes went wide, then blushed, "I..I'm sure Cory would love that."
"Great," Troy said, leaning over the table. "So...you left in a hurry to pick up your brother." Gabriella looked at him, "uhm..well I-" "and what I can't get out of my thoughts is...why did his school call you? Not his mother or father?"
Before Troy could finish the word father, Gabriella stood abruptly from her chair, "don't EVER mention 'father' or ...'mother' around me or Cory!" Troy looked at her, "Gab-" "Just leave me alone!"
Troy grabbed her wrist, memories of her father grabbing her wrist ran through her mind. Gabriella whimpered. "Let me go!" Troy sighed, "Listen, I'm sorry." she shook her head, "just let me go." Troy let go of her wrist, and she looked at him, "Please..just..please leave me alone."
she walked passed him, "Come on Cory, I need to start looking for a job." Cory nodded, grabbing a hold of her hand, Cory looked at Troy as Gabriella walked to the cash register to pay. "You like my sister?"
Troy looked at the 11 year old, "Uhm...er, you shouldn't be asking -" "Please, I'm 11, not stupid." Cory said, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "do. You. Like. My. Sister?" Troy gulped, 'Uhm...yes? A bit...i care for her-" Cory walked up to him, wagging a finger in his face (well, as 'in his face' as an 11 year old boy could).
"Hurt her once...or more than that, you have me to deal with...I may be your fan, but my sister comes first." And with that, Troy watched him walk to Gabriella and grab her hand, when the brother and sister walked out, Cory looked over his shoulder and had a glare on his face that said 'I'm watching you.'